Every legislative session has its own feel, and its own rhythm. This fall's veto session feels like death - in more ways than one. One should never predict anything about what could happen in a veto session, but nothing big seems to be moving or percolating this fall.
Thanksgiving is relative. It almost always depends on your viewpoint. Americans can be thankful that the terror of 9/11 was a decidedly rare event for our nation when compared to the daily terror that plagues Middle Easterners.
Last week, the Riverboat Development Authority (RDA) announced more than $1.3 million in grants for its fall cycle. The RDA makes decisions about how to distribute a percentage of gambling proceeds from the Rhythm City Casino.
I remember a time when journalists were an integral part of crime solving. There was a competitive edge to their investigations in order to scoop the story. Journalists rivaled one another, but they also rivaled authorities in their efforts to solve crimes.
You've probably heard by now that Illinois Governor George Ryan has ordered almost all state agencies under his control to come up with 2-percent budget cuts. The idea is to find $250 million in savings to make up for a drop in state revenues.
In late September, ground was broken in Davenport for the construction of a new shelter for homeless people. The shelter, an effort by the John Lewis Coffee House, will provide lodging for 78 additional homeless men and women.
From the totally pro-life Jim Ryan, to the tough-talking, pro-life, pro-gun prosecutor Joe Birkett, to the "Let's attack Iraq today!" U.S. Senate candidate Jim Durkin, the right wing got its head handed to it last week in Illinois.
It is hard to believe this is our 400th issue. It doesn't seem possible. It's been over nine years. Our first issue came out September 23, 1993. We were monthly for 20 issues and then bi-weekly for two in June of 1995, going weekly in July of that year.

A Modest Proposal

One is led to the inescapable conclusion that the city mothers and fathers in our Quad Cities are not terribly swift. Driven to search the downtown area for horse-cars, drays, and shays, one is left in profound astonishment that our cities have actually chosen to forgo such a reliable, trusted, and old mode of public transport.
It's often scary to realize how quickly time passes. It seems a lot less than two years ago that I was composing a commentary to commemorate the River Cities' Reader's 300th issue. And the really frightening thing is that when I went back to look at what I wrote then, I had to trash my plans for this piece; I would have been repeating myself, in some cases nearly word-for-word.

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