Jack Kelly Sunday
18 hours ago
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Panella race
Looks like PA Supreme Court candidate Jack Panella is going to go down in defeat tonight to Joan Melvin...from my view it appears that Allegheny County did not put up the numbers for him that he needed to bring home a winner. Allegheny County was nearly a split between the two candidates while Philadelphia County looks like it will go nearly 80-20 in favor of Panella.
20th Ward 8th District returns
Luke Ravenstahl: 110
Kevin Acklin: 47
Dok Harris: 23
Overall with 61.14%:
Ravenstahl: 20,802 55.40
Harris: 9,353 24.91
Acklin: 7,272 19.37
Kevin Acklin: 47
Dok Harris: 23
Overall with 61.14%:
Ravenstahl: 20,802 55.40
Harris: 9,353 24.91
Acklin: 7,272 19.37
Labels:
Elections
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Election Endorsements & thoughts
ENDORSEMENTS:
Mayor, City of Pittsburgh: Kevin Acklin
This will not be received well by many of my political friends but I don't care. I really don't. This is a vote that I wrestled with for some time but lately the smoke has cleared and I am voting with my mind and for my community. I truly believe that Acklin is the best candidate for our city neighborhoods. Acklin reminds me of our late great Mayor Bob O'Connor in his community first approach to government. I have sat by for far too long and been a cheerleader for an administration that I once believed in and an administration that I believed would help me get through issues in my neighborhood. I am not here to say that I don't support this administration but I am here to say that I have lost faith in them and lost faith in the overall direction that this administration has towards Elliott. If Ravenstahl wins, which he will, I will give him and the administration the chance to make better efforts in my community. I am not going to pick fights but I will call out inefficiencies and I will let my neighbors know who is helping us and who isn't.
I know that this endorsement won't win me many friends within the administration and government but that is not what I am here for. What purpose does it serve if I am friendly with everyone at 414 Grant Street but my neighborhood looks the same as it does now in 4 years? I am a community first person and that is why I am voting for Acklin on Tuesday. I am not here to be involved in back slapping hey how you doing politics anymore. It's all about what can you do for me and my neighborhood.
Some people have brought up that fact that Acklin has donated money to various Republican candidates like Melissa Hart & Mitt Romney. I say this: who cares? What difference does it make in this election? Does it really matter that Acklin gave money to those people? Acklin actually voted for Senator Bob Casey and President Barack Obama. In this race he is a pro-choice candidate who supports the Roe vs. Wade decision. Not that it matters though. I'm hearing all of these side conversations about why Acklin should not be elected but I have yet to hear anyone make a substantial argument about why he shouldn't be elected. Can anyone give me one?
If Acklin is turned away at the polls then it is my opinion that Mr. Acklin should serve in some sort of capacity in our city government. Acklin would make any department of city government a better place.
Here is a copy of an E-mail I wrote to Mayor Ravenstahl last week:
Luke,
I am writing tonight in frustration. I am frustrated by the plans to close the West End library. This is something that really effects our community. For far too long we residents of District 2 have gotten the short end of the stick on EVERYTHING. We don't receive our fair share of services and we don't have any plan for our community. We see businesses closing in Sheraden, libraries closing in the West End, the lone mailbox in Elliott being removed by the post office, a lack of attention by BBI, a rental registration program that isn't working, a disruptive property ordinance that I loved when it was passed but hate now that nothing is being done with it other than "loose dog" complaints, abandoned cars left on streets months and months after being submitted to your 311 line. Complaints about high grass and weeds to BBI via 311 that are simply listed as acknowledged that were put in in June and it is now closing in on the month of November. We have roads in the West End that were slated for the past two years to be milled and paved but for some reason they weren't.
We see crumbling neglected parks in Townsend and the West End. We also don't see you at a meet the candidates night when you were invited. You left 50 residents of District 2 wondering where you were, including myself. You are losing control here in District 2. We don't see you enough or hear from you enough. For far too long I have stood by you praising you and your staff. I am at a breaking point. I can't defend something when it is painfully obvious. District 2 is falling apart and I don't see a plan to stop the walls from falling in.
We need action in our District and we need it now.
Here is a follow up letter to the Mayor and to someone who was CC'd on my original Email and who responded (not the Mayor):
I turn in hundreds and hundreds of neighborhood complaints to 311. The majority of them get resolved in a decent amount of time. Where I am, and other people across the city, are having troubles is with BBI. I know that the Director is quitting but I didn't think that was until November.
I have a whole list of BBI issues that I submitted in June & July which are only listed as acknowledged in the system which means that no one from that department has even looked at the situation. The biggest concern is abandoned cars on properties and high grass and weed complaints. It's now going into November and high grass and weeds complaints from June & July haven't even been closed out? That is a serious concern. I got so sick and tired of waiting for the city to use the "clean and lein" program that I actually went out and cut these lawns and weeds down. Neighbors would come out and ask me if I was with the city and I would say no and then I would hear how they have complained and complained about the high grass to the city but it always seemed to fall on deaf ears.
These concerns aren't new, for years the same issues have been popping up time after time, the Mayor's office is aware of this but they do not do anything about it. Instead of increasing their allocated budget dollars they were actually cut in the proposed budget. This department is woefully underfunded and it shows in the lack of results across the neighborhoods.
Bruce Kraus always talks about the need for the city to operate not just 9am-5pm. This city is a 24-7 economy but yet we don't have BBI out at night. BBI is needed to be out in the evening and night. I can't get graffiti cleared off of the buildings on Fifth Avenue in the Hill District that faces Duquesne University because there are cars normally parked in the areas where it needs cleaned up. Why isn't there an evening/night crew to take care of these problems? Why doesn't someone from that department make arrangements with the tenants of the buildings to make sure no one is parked there for a few hours on a certain day to ensure that the disgusting graffiti is removed?
I can send you the list of complaints that are unresolved as of today. I keep a detailed log of everything that is sent in and what is closed out. I drive by things I complain about to check that they are completed when I amt old that they are. You would be surprised the number of times I have checked out a complaint I have turned int hat was marked completed when in fact it wasn't. It's ashamed that I have to go out and check the work.
There are great mechanisms in place to make the neighborhoods a better place but they aren't simply being enforced. Programs like the rental registration program and the disruptive property ordinance are great tools for the city to use but they aren't being enforced. You can take a look at the results. It's on the city's web page about the disruptive properties ordinance. Where is the cross bureau cooperation on this program? If a police call is made about 123 Crucible Street and then BBI gets numerous complaints about the property is there anything in place for these two complaints to be cross-referenced and then placed together to be used against the owner under the disruptive properties ordinance?
Over the Summer it took a very heated argument between myself and Kim Grazanini's office to get more information on the program and to get my questions asked about enforcement on this program. To this day I am still unsure about it.
I like the talk of neighborhood plans and all that but I have heard that since Alan Hertzberg was in office. Until I see a plan in my hands I am hesitant and skeptical.
In regards to the community cleanups: I was in school those days but once a week in the cold weather and twice a week in the warm weather months I personally take the time to clean up the streets and sidewalks from Lorenz & Chartiers to Ernie & Chartiers to Crucible & Lorenz. I once put in a 311 request for the crews to pick up the litter around Chartiers Avenue near Townsend Parklet and it got sent back closed with the reasoning that it was private property. What sort of response is that? Why can't the crews pick up litter that they can see near a city owned park?
Just look at our parks in the District. There seems to be no plan in place to get these parks in good working condition. Instead of a plan all I hear is excuses as to why we can't do this or that. I'm sick of the excuses.
Why is it that I have to turn in the same pothole complaints over and over again for the same holes that seem to open up over and over again? Because the crews don't fill them correctly, instead of doing it the correct way and properly cleaning the hole and squaring it off they just throw in the asphalt, tamp it down and leave. This sort of behavior was mentioned in the Controller's office audit. Yet after the audit the same techniques are still used by these workers.
These are minor things that are turning people off and making good people like myself throw their hands up in the air and give up. You would be surprised how many other leaders like myself feel the same way.
There are certain things that I have liked under this administration: The Pittsburgh Promise, new vehichles for the police department, the handling of the police shootings in the spring, the reconstruction of Market Square, the placement of Rob Kaczorowski as interim Director of Public Works, the reopening of the ZONE 6 police station, the support of Anthony Coghill and Tonya Payne in elections and the additional of drug testing in the new fire department contract.
There are also some things that I have not approved of: a slow response to community needs, a delayed implementation of the gang initiative, the retention of Fulton Meachem as Executive Director of the Housing Authority, not enough visits to this community, board & commission vacancies, the PWSA fiasco, a decrease in BBI budgeting for 2010 when everyone knows this department is in dire need of more funding and more staff, the aftermath handling of the G-20 summit, bringing the G-20 here when everyone questioned what we would get out of it, and the proposed tax for college students in 2010.
The rest of the endorsements:
Pittsburgh City Council District 2: Theresa Smith
Pittsburgh City Council District 4: Natalia Rudiak
Pittsburgh City Council District 6: No endorsement
Pittsburgh City Council District 8: Bill Peduto
Allegheny County Council District 1: Thomas Michalow
Allegheny County Council District 4: Michael Finnerty
Allegheny County Council District 12: Jim Ellenbogen
Justice of the Supreme Court: Jack Panella
Judge of the Superior Court: Robert Colville, Kevin McCarthy, Anne Lazarus, Teresa Sarmina
Judge of the Commonwealth Court: Linda Judson, Barbara Ernsberger
Judge Court of Common Pleas: Joe Williams, Phil Ignelzi, Arnie Klein, Susan Dilucente, Alex Bicket
-Big "ups" to City Council Doug Shields for his plant o keep the libraries slated to close open for a little while longer. Shields has a plan to shift $600,000 per year from the city fuel fund to the libraries over the next two years. This sort of leadership is what we should expect from City Council and in particular 414 Grant Street. What I don't understand is Council Jim Motznik's thinking when he says "At the end of the day, no library's going to close, and no one from council or the mayor's office is going to stand up and say, 'I did this,' which is what Doug is trying to do," he said.
I don't know if Motznik is claiming that Doug is playing politics here but if he is that's ashamed. Shields clearly wants to save the libraries, Shields is and always has been a supporter of community libraries throughout our city. Why would he make a game of politics out of this issue?
-Members of Pittsburgh City Council are suspicious that other people are reading their E-mail's. I don't know what to think about this but at this point I would not be totally surprised if this was the case. If these beliefs weren't without validity then why would they be bringing the issue up? I would hope that members of our city government would be above snooping on other people's E-mail's. It's wrong and if people are doing it then those that are doing it should be called out.
-City Council is talking about purchasing the ShotSpotter system which would enable police to respond to shots fired even if a 911 call is not made. The system would not be city wide but could be mobile and used in different hot spots within the city. I am in favor of purchasing this piece of equipment. It can't hurt and it seems to be worth the $379,000 cost that would cover a two-square-mile area.
-Is Republican Sen. David Argall's plan to shrink the size of the State Legislature to 153 members by 2053 a joke? Was he serious? I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and just assume he was drinking when he thought that one up.
-I read Lawrence Walsh's PG post your problem in early October and he was able to successfully help out a couple from Monroeville who were having extreme difficulties in getting a major billing issue fixed. After jumping through many hoops they finally contacted Walsh and in one phone call to the Verizon spokesperson they had the problem abated within 20 minutes, why can't these sort of companies just get it right the first time? Who hasn't dealt with companies like Verizon, AT&T, Comcast on customer service issues that never seem to end?
-Anyone who tells you that you should just vote for the party ticket is crazy. Always take a look at both candidates from both sides of the aisle. Even though I generally vote for Democratic candidates I always at least look at the other candidates. You owe it to yourself to do this. Slate cards and union endorsement cards are great tools but they should never just be used blindly.
Mayor, City of Pittsburgh: Kevin Acklin
This will not be received well by many of my political friends but I don't care. I really don't. This is a vote that I wrestled with for some time but lately the smoke has cleared and I am voting with my mind and for my community. I truly believe that Acklin is the best candidate for our city neighborhoods. Acklin reminds me of our late great Mayor Bob O'Connor in his community first approach to government. I have sat by for far too long and been a cheerleader for an administration that I once believed in and an administration that I believed would help me get through issues in my neighborhood. I am not here to say that I don't support this administration but I am here to say that I have lost faith in them and lost faith in the overall direction that this administration has towards Elliott. If Ravenstahl wins, which he will, I will give him and the administration the chance to make better efforts in my community. I am not going to pick fights but I will call out inefficiencies and I will let my neighbors know who is helping us and who isn't.
I know that this endorsement won't win me many friends within the administration and government but that is not what I am here for. What purpose does it serve if I am friendly with everyone at 414 Grant Street but my neighborhood looks the same as it does now in 4 years? I am a community first person and that is why I am voting for Acklin on Tuesday. I am not here to be involved in back slapping hey how you doing politics anymore. It's all about what can you do for me and my neighborhood.
Some people have brought up that fact that Acklin has donated money to various Republican candidates like Melissa Hart & Mitt Romney. I say this: who cares? What difference does it make in this election? Does it really matter that Acklin gave money to those people? Acklin actually voted for Senator Bob Casey and President Barack Obama. In this race he is a pro-choice candidate who supports the Roe vs. Wade decision. Not that it matters though. I'm hearing all of these side conversations about why Acklin should not be elected but I have yet to hear anyone make a substantial argument about why he shouldn't be elected. Can anyone give me one?
If Acklin is turned away at the polls then it is my opinion that Mr. Acklin should serve in some sort of capacity in our city government. Acklin would make any department of city government a better place.
Here is a copy of an E-mail I wrote to Mayor Ravenstahl last week:
Luke,
I am writing tonight in frustration. I am frustrated by the plans to close the West End library. This is something that really effects our community. For far too long we residents of District 2 have gotten the short end of the stick on EVERYTHING. We don't receive our fair share of services and we don't have any plan for our community. We see businesses closing in Sheraden, libraries closing in the West End, the lone mailbox in Elliott being removed by the post office, a lack of attention by BBI, a rental registration program that isn't working, a disruptive property ordinance that I loved when it was passed but hate now that nothing is being done with it other than "loose dog" complaints, abandoned cars left on streets months and months after being submitted to your 311 line. Complaints about high grass and weeds to BBI via 311 that are simply listed as acknowledged that were put in in June and it is now closing in on the month of November. We have roads in the West End that were slated for the past two years to be milled and paved but for some reason they weren't.
We see crumbling neglected parks in Townsend and the West End. We also don't see you at a meet the candidates night when you were invited. You left 50 residents of District 2 wondering where you were, including myself. You are losing control here in District 2. We don't see you enough or hear from you enough. For far too long I have stood by you praising you and your staff. I am at a breaking point. I can't defend something when it is painfully obvious. District 2 is falling apart and I don't see a plan to stop the walls from falling in.
We need action in our District and we need it now.
Here is a follow up letter to the Mayor and to someone who was CC'd on my original Email and who responded (not the Mayor):
I turn in hundreds and hundreds of neighborhood complaints to 311. The majority of them get resolved in a decent amount of time. Where I am, and other people across the city, are having troubles is with BBI. I know that the Director is quitting but I didn't think that was until November.
I have a whole list of BBI issues that I submitted in June & July which are only listed as acknowledged in the system which means that no one from that department has even looked at the situation. The biggest concern is abandoned cars on properties and high grass and weed complaints. It's now going into November and high grass and weeds complaints from June & July haven't even been closed out? That is a serious concern. I got so sick and tired of waiting for the city to use the "clean and lein" program that I actually went out and cut these lawns and weeds down. Neighbors would come out and ask me if I was with the city and I would say no and then I would hear how they have complained and complained about the high grass to the city but it always seemed to fall on deaf ears.
These concerns aren't new, for years the same issues have been popping up time after time, the Mayor's office is aware of this but they do not do anything about it. Instead of increasing their allocated budget dollars they were actually cut in the proposed budget. This department is woefully underfunded and it shows in the lack of results across the neighborhoods.
Bruce Kraus always talks about the need for the city to operate not just 9am-5pm. This city is a 24-7 economy but yet we don't have BBI out at night. BBI is needed to be out in the evening and night. I can't get graffiti cleared off of the buildings on Fifth Avenue in the Hill District that faces Duquesne University because there are cars normally parked in the areas where it needs cleaned up. Why isn't there an evening/night crew to take care of these problems? Why doesn't someone from that department make arrangements with the tenants of the buildings to make sure no one is parked there for a few hours on a certain day to ensure that the disgusting graffiti is removed?
I can send you the list of complaints that are unresolved as of today. I keep a detailed log of everything that is sent in and what is closed out. I drive by things I complain about to check that they are completed when I amt old that they are. You would be surprised the number of times I have checked out a complaint I have turned int hat was marked completed when in fact it wasn't. It's ashamed that I have to go out and check the work.
There are great mechanisms in place to make the neighborhoods a better place but they aren't simply being enforced. Programs like the rental registration program and the disruptive property ordinance are great tools for the city to use but they aren't being enforced. You can take a look at the results. It's on the city's web page about the disruptive properties ordinance. Where is the cross bureau cooperation on this program? If a police call is made about 123 Crucible Street and then BBI gets numerous complaints about the property is there anything in place for these two complaints to be cross-referenced and then placed together to be used against the owner under the disruptive properties ordinance?
Over the Summer it took a very heated argument between myself and Kim Grazanini's office to get more information on the program and to get my questions asked about enforcement on this program. To this day I am still unsure about it.
I like the talk of neighborhood plans and all that but I have heard that since Alan Hertzberg was in office. Until I see a plan in my hands I am hesitant and skeptical.
In regards to the community cleanups: I was in school those days but once a week in the cold weather and twice a week in the warm weather months I personally take the time to clean up the streets and sidewalks from Lorenz & Chartiers to Ernie & Chartiers to Crucible & Lorenz. I once put in a 311 request for the crews to pick up the litter around Chartiers Avenue near Townsend Parklet and it got sent back closed with the reasoning that it was private property. What sort of response is that? Why can't the crews pick up litter that they can see near a city owned park?
Just look at our parks in the District. There seems to be no plan in place to get these parks in good working condition. Instead of a plan all I hear is excuses as to why we can't do this or that. I'm sick of the excuses.
Why is it that I have to turn in the same pothole complaints over and over again for the same holes that seem to open up over and over again? Because the crews don't fill them correctly, instead of doing it the correct way and properly cleaning the hole and squaring it off they just throw in the asphalt, tamp it down and leave. This sort of behavior was mentioned in the Controller's office audit. Yet after the audit the same techniques are still used by these workers.
These are minor things that are turning people off and making good people like myself throw their hands up in the air and give up. You would be surprised how many other leaders like myself feel the same way.
There are certain things that I have liked under this administration: The Pittsburgh Promise, new vehichles for the police department, the handling of the police shootings in the spring, the reconstruction of Market Square, the placement of Rob Kaczorowski as interim Director of Public Works, the reopening of the ZONE 6 police station, the support of Anthony Coghill and Tonya Payne in elections and the additional of drug testing in the new fire department contract.
There are also some things that I have not approved of: a slow response to community needs, a delayed implementation of the gang initiative, the retention of Fulton Meachem as Executive Director of the Housing Authority, not enough visits to this community, board & commission vacancies, the PWSA fiasco, a decrease in BBI budgeting for 2010 when everyone knows this department is in dire need of more funding and more staff, the aftermath handling of the G-20 summit, bringing the G-20 here when everyone questioned what we would get out of it, and the proposed tax for college students in 2010.
The rest of the endorsements:
Pittsburgh City Council District 2: Theresa Smith
Pittsburgh City Council District 4: Natalia Rudiak
Pittsburgh City Council District 6: No endorsement
Pittsburgh City Council District 8: Bill Peduto
Allegheny County Council District 1: Thomas Michalow
Allegheny County Council District 4: Michael Finnerty
Allegheny County Council District 12: Jim Ellenbogen
Justice of the Supreme Court: Jack Panella
Judge of the Superior Court: Robert Colville, Kevin McCarthy, Anne Lazarus, Teresa Sarmina
Judge of the Commonwealth Court: Linda Judson, Barbara Ernsberger
Judge Court of Common Pleas: Joe Williams, Phil Ignelzi, Arnie Klein, Susan Dilucente, Alex Bicket
-Big "ups" to City Council Doug Shields for his plant o keep the libraries slated to close open for a little while longer. Shields has a plan to shift $600,000 per year from the city fuel fund to the libraries over the next two years. This sort of leadership is what we should expect from City Council and in particular 414 Grant Street. What I don't understand is Council Jim Motznik's thinking when he says "At the end of the day, no library's going to close, and no one from council or the mayor's office is going to stand up and say, 'I did this,' which is what Doug is trying to do," he said.
I don't know if Motznik is claiming that Doug is playing politics here but if he is that's ashamed. Shields clearly wants to save the libraries, Shields is and always has been a supporter of community libraries throughout our city. Why would he make a game of politics out of this issue?
-Members of Pittsburgh City Council are suspicious that other people are reading their E-mail's. I don't know what to think about this but at this point I would not be totally surprised if this was the case. If these beliefs weren't without validity then why would they be bringing the issue up? I would hope that members of our city government would be above snooping on other people's E-mail's. It's wrong and if people are doing it then those that are doing it should be called out.
-City Council is talking about purchasing the ShotSpotter system which would enable police to respond to shots fired even if a 911 call is not made. The system would not be city wide but could be mobile and used in different hot spots within the city. I am in favor of purchasing this piece of equipment. It can't hurt and it seems to be worth the $379,000 cost that would cover a two-square-mile area.
-Is Republican Sen. David Argall's plan to shrink the size of the State Legislature to 153 members by 2053 a joke? Was he serious? I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt and just assume he was drinking when he thought that one up.
-I read Lawrence Walsh's PG post your problem in early October and he was able to successfully help out a couple from Monroeville who were having extreme difficulties in getting a major billing issue fixed. After jumping through many hoops they finally contacted Walsh and in one phone call to the Verizon spokesperson they had the problem abated within 20 minutes, why can't these sort of companies just get it right the first time? Who hasn't dealt with companies like Verizon, AT&T, Comcast on customer service issues that never seem to end?
-Anyone who tells you that you should just vote for the party ticket is crazy. Always take a look at both candidates from both sides of the aisle. Even though I generally vote for Democratic candidates I always at least look at the other candidates. You owe it to yourself to do this. Slate cards and union endorsement cards are great tools but they should never just be used blindly.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Peduto Press Release
Pittsburgh’s New Commuter Rail
Final Feasibility Study Presented to Council
PITTSBURGH – At a City Council Post Agenda this afternoon at 1:30 PM, consultants will present to the Council the findings of a feasibility study done on City Councilman William Peduto’s proposal for a new East End commuter transit line. The commuter rail would run on an existing rail line that connects Hazelwood, Oakland, Bloomfield, and Lawrenceville.
“This commuter rail line is a critical link that will connect the East End’s growing new economy,” said Councilman Peduto. “This line is also a key connector for all proposals for a regional commuter rail system.”
WHAT: Presentation of Commuter Rail Feasibility Study
WHEN: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 @ 1:30
WHERE: City Council Chambers, 5th Floor, City-County Bldg
Final Feasibility Study Presented to Council
PITTSBURGH – At a City Council Post Agenda this afternoon at 1:30 PM, consultants will present to the Council the findings of a feasibility study done on City Councilman William Peduto’s proposal for a new East End commuter transit line. The commuter rail would run on an existing rail line that connects Hazelwood, Oakland, Bloomfield, and Lawrenceville.
“This commuter rail line is a critical link that will connect the East End’s growing new economy,” said Councilman Peduto. “This line is also a key connector for all proposals for a regional commuter rail system.”
WHAT: Presentation of Commuter Rail Feasibility Study
WHEN: Wednesday, October 28, 2009 @ 1:30
WHERE: City Council Chambers, 5th Floor, City-County Bldg
Labels:
Bill Peduto
Meet the Candidates Night
The West End-Elliott Citizens Council hosted a Meet the Candidates Night" last night at Emanuel United Methodist Church in Elliott. I came away from this candidates night equally impressed with both Acklin and Harris. Here are some video excerpts from the event.
Labels:
Dok Harris,
Elections,
Kevin Acklin
Thursday, October 22, 2009
Friday, October 16, 2009
Chicago news
Chicago reviewing who made G-20 detainee kneel for photo
Friday, October 16, 2009
The Associated Press
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department is investigating several officers for allegedly forcing a man they arrested during last month's G-20 economic summit in Pittsburgh to take a photo with them.
Police announced earlier this week they were investigating the officers after a videotape of the alleged incident was posted on YouTube.
The video apparently shows about 15 police officers in riot gear posing for a photo with a man they detained kneeling in front of them.
Police officials say the officers were working at the summit on their own time but that the department won't tolerate misconduct no matter where it might happen.
Friday, October 16, 2009
The Associated Press
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Police Department is investigating several officers for allegedly forcing a man they arrested during last month's G-20 economic summit in Pittsburgh to take a photo with them.
Police announced earlier this week they were investigating the officers after a videotape of the alleged incident was posted on YouTube.
The video apparently shows about 15 police officers in riot gear posing for a photo with a man they detained kneeling in front of them.
Police officials say the officers were working at the summit on their own time but that the department won't tolerate misconduct no matter where it might happen.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
Friday, October 9, 2009
Scattered thoughts
-How sad it was to learn that some Carnegie Library branches will cease to exist, I am especially disappointed to learn that the West End branch is slated to close. I really think that these cuts should have been avoided. Having community libraries is very important to a community. What place is better for a young person to go? The biggest disappointment in all of this is the disappointment I have in the elected officials who knew this was coming down the pipeline. The Carnegie Library system has been talking about cuts and changes for some time now. Why didn't anyone step up to find some funding or why didn't Pittsburgh City Council ever increase it's $40,000 annual pittance to the system? Is $40,000 all that they could give? I know that the library system receives a ton of funding through RAD but it's just the point. While the Pittsburgh Police Department is getting grant money and spending money on noise making machines at $100,000 a clip libraries are getting the short end of the stick.
-President Obama was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize today. For what? This award through the years has lost so much luster. This just proves that you don't have to do anything to win something like that.
-Thanks to State Representative Chelsea Wagner for stepping up on the library issue but isn't this equivalent to closing the gate after the horse is already out?
-Current U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan is thinking about challenging Congressman Jason Altmire next fall. Are you serious? And the Republican party continues to wonder why they are a laughingstock. Candidates with names like Santorum & Buchanan continue to hammer home the point.
-On that not, why hasn't President Obama replaced Buchanan yet? Is Buchanan's name only being thrown around to maybe help her keep her current job? If Obama decides to finally let her go doesn't it smell of a political agenda? Hmmmm
-100 hundred days in and still no State Budget. Have our leaders in Harrisburg have no shame? Everyone of them are equally guilty in this whole mess. To me it's guilt by association.
-I recently read an article in the Post-Gazette about the United States Supreme Court and in it it made mention that Justice Clarence Thomas hasn't asked any questions to case participants in 3 years. And these folks are supposed to be the "finest legal minds" in all of the land?
-City Councilman Bruce Kraus is catching some hell in his district over some lines that were spray painted in front of local businesses who own and operate sidewalk cafes at their restaurants. There is no doubt that these sprayed on lines by some lazy or distracted Public Works employee were ugly and tasteless but an underlying issue here is the law. Kraus should be applauded for wanting the law to be upheld in his district. Has anyone tried to walk Carson Street at a busy time? With all of the sandwich board signs, chairs and other items out on the sidewalk it is next to impossible to navigate around all of these items. Whether the business owners like it or not they don't own 100% of the sidewalk.
Marc Feldstein, owner of Southside Steaks was perplexed as to why he only had 3 feet for his outdoor seating. Here is the answer: because it's the law. You must leave a certain amount of room under the new law. Don't hog the sidewalks and make people walk into the streets.
It's time for a few of these business owners to come into compliance with the law and do the right thing.
-Why is the URA going to waste $15,000 of our money on a study to examine the impact the SouthSide Works development has had on restaurants on Carson Street and other parts of the South Side and Station Square. Who cares? Don't we want businesses in the area? If anyone drives through the Southside they will see that it is pretty damn busy at any given time and that there is no such thing as too many restaurants. It also should be noted that there is quite some distance between the Southside Works development and the middle of the Carson Street business district.
-Some PAT bus drivers this week took it upon themselves to distribute fliers to riders warning them of service cuts. I think the riders and drivers of the city should hand out fliers to the drivers reminding them that we don't like it when they talk on their cell phones, pull out into moving traffic and act like they don't hear anything when a rider is knocking on the side in vain trying to get onto a bus who's driver has already shut it's doors.
-Another captain obvious moment has enlightened us. A new study entitled "Expect Delays: An Analysis of Air Travel Trends in the United States" tells us that Pittsburgh International Airport had worse-than-average, on-time percentages for both arrivals and departures.
-President Obama was awarded a Nobel Peace Prize today. For what? This award through the years has lost so much luster. This just proves that you don't have to do anything to win something like that.
-Thanks to State Representative Chelsea Wagner for stepping up on the library issue but isn't this equivalent to closing the gate after the horse is already out?
-Current U.S. Attorney Mary Beth Buchanan is thinking about challenging Congressman Jason Altmire next fall. Are you serious? And the Republican party continues to wonder why they are a laughingstock. Candidates with names like Santorum & Buchanan continue to hammer home the point.
-On that not, why hasn't President Obama replaced Buchanan yet? Is Buchanan's name only being thrown around to maybe help her keep her current job? If Obama decides to finally let her go doesn't it smell of a political agenda? Hmmmm
-100 hundred days in and still no State Budget. Have our leaders in Harrisburg have no shame? Everyone of them are equally guilty in this whole mess. To me it's guilt by association.
-I recently read an article in the Post-Gazette about the United States Supreme Court and in it it made mention that Justice Clarence Thomas hasn't asked any questions to case participants in 3 years. And these folks are supposed to be the "finest legal minds" in all of the land?
-City Councilman Bruce Kraus is catching some hell in his district over some lines that were spray painted in front of local businesses who own and operate sidewalk cafes at their restaurants. There is no doubt that these sprayed on lines by some lazy or distracted Public Works employee were ugly and tasteless but an underlying issue here is the law. Kraus should be applauded for wanting the law to be upheld in his district. Has anyone tried to walk Carson Street at a busy time? With all of the sandwich board signs, chairs and other items out on the sidewalk it is next to impossible to navigate around all of these items. Whether the business owners like it or not they don't own 100% of the sidewalk.
Marc Feldstein, owner of Southside Steaks was perplexed as to why he only had 3 feet for his outdoor seating. Here is the answer: because it's the law. You must leave a certain amount of room under the new law. Don't hog the sidewalks and make people walk into the streets.
It's time for a few of these business owners to come into compliance with the law and do the right thing.
-Why is the URA going to waste $15,000 of our money on a study to examine the impact the SouthSide Works development has had on restaurants on Carson Street and other parts of the South Side and Station Square. Who cares? Don't we want businesses in the area? If anyone drives through the Southside they will see that it is pretty damn busy at any given time and that there is no such thing as too many restaurants. It also should be noted that there is quite some distance between the Southside Works development and the middle of the Carson Street business district.
-Some PAT bus drivers this week took it upon themselves to distribute fliers to riders warning them of service cuts. I think the riders and drivers of the city should hand out fliers to the drivers reminding them that we don't like it when they talk on their cell phones, pull out into moving traffic and act like they don't hear anything when a rider is knocking on the side in vain trying to get onto a bus who's driver has already shut it's doors.
-Another captain obvious moment has enlightened us. A new study entitled "Expect Delays: An Analysis of Air Travel Trends in the United States" tells us that Pittsburgh International Airport had worse-than-average, on-time percentages for both arrivals and departures.
Labels:
Bruce Kraus,
Budget,
Chelsea Wagner,
City Council,
legislature,
Police,
URA
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Peduto Press Release
Peduto Joins Carriage House in Celebrating LEED Gold Certification
PITTSBURGH – On Thursday, October 7, 2009, Carriage House Children’s Center located in Squirrel Hill will be presented with a plaque recognizing the success of the LEED Gold certified school renovation project. Holly Childs, Green Building Alliance of Pittsburgh’s Executive Director will be presenting the plaque and City Councilman William Peduto will be introducing the event. The children of the center will be performing a skit about the importance of recycling and caring for the earth.
Carriage House, who owns and occupies the 114 year old, 40,000 square foot Wightman School Community Building, is the largest building in Western Pennsylvania that has been environmentally certified for the renovation of an existing building. Many buildings in the Pittsburgh region have been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as new construction projects, but very few older structures in this region have met the tough challenges associated with environmentally retrofitting an existing facility. The Wightman School Community Building is a registered with the National Historic Trust’s Registry of Historic Places and is recognized as an excellent example of a historic building adapted from cotemporary use.
WHAT: Carriage House LEED Certification Ceremony
WHEN: Thursday, October 8, 2009 9:30 AM
WHERE: Wightman School Community Building - 5604 Solway Street
PITTSBURGH – On Thursday, October 7, 2009, Carriage House Children’s Center located in Squirrel Hill will be presented with a plaque recognizing the success of the LEED Gold certified school renovation project. Holly Childs, Green Building Alliance of Pittsburgh’s Executive Director will be presenting the plaque and City Councilman William Peduto will be introducing the event. The children of the center will be performing a skit about the importance of recycling and caring for the earth.
Carriage House, who owns and occupies the 114 year old, 40,000 square foot Wightman School Community Building, is the largest building in Western Pennsylvania that has been environmentally certified for the renovation of an existing building. Many buildings in the Pittsburgh region have been certified by the U.S. Green Building Council as new construction projects, but very few older structures in this region have met the tough challenges associated with environmentally retrofitting an existing facility. The Wightman School Community Building is a registered with the National Historic Trust’s Registry of Historic Places and is recognized as an excellent example of a historic building adapted from cotemporary use.
WHAT: Carriage House LEED Certification Ceremony
WHEN: Thursday, October 8, 2009 9:30 AM
WHERE: Wightman School Community Building - 5604 Solway Street
Labels:
Bill Peduto
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Tuesday Takes
-I am very alarmed at the news of the arrest of Elliot Madison who was arrested by Pennsylvania State Police when he was found Twittering the locations and movements of the G-2O police in various neighborhoods across Pittsburgh. Here is my huge problem with this. How do they know his tweets helped people break the law? Isn't the burden on the State now to prove that he helped the few people who broke windows and damaged various property? Isn't this also a clear violation of the first amendment? I am glad to see the ACLU getting involved in this case. This arrest is flimsy at best.
-News came across to day that the Federal Highway Administration will study motorcycle crashes, which have continued to rise even as accidents involving other vehicles decline. Here is the answer. More people are riding motorcycles than ever before. Let's save the money and scrap this study. How about we have a study on the way the government always seems to have studies.
-State Senate leaders today boycotted a conference committee meeting to discuss a state budget proposal and prepared to introduce their own budget plan this evening. Wow. Another prime example of the State Senate Republicans assuming that they have all of the answers when in reality they are doing nothing but the biding of the special interest groups that control their agenda.
-News came across to day that the Federal Highway Administration will study motorcycle crashes, which have continued to rise even as accidents involving other vehicles decline. Here is the answer. More people are riding motorcycles than ever before. Let's save the money and scrap this study. How about we have a study on the way the government always seems to have studies.
-State Senate leaders today boycotted a conference committee meeting to discuss a state budget proposal and prepared to introduce their own budget plan this evening. Wow. Another prime example of the State Senate Republicans assuming that they have all of the answers when in reality they are doing nothing but the biding of the special interest groups that control their agenda.
Labels:
g-20
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