BND readers sound off on MetroLink smoking, Hofbräuhaus, panhandling
Train smokers
It’s a joke. MetroLink expands ban on smoking to all properties including station parking lots. Good luck trying to enforce that one.
Bigger health issue
MetroLink will no longer allow smoking in their parking lots, stations or platforms. It’s for the health of their riders. I thought the biggest health problem for MetroLink riders was the crime in the parking lots, platforms and trains. Having MetroLink Security in the parking lots trying to bust smokers just might help them stop a few real crimes. So if you are caught smoking on MetroLink’s property, does the offense include jail time? MetroLink’s enforcement of the new smoking rules will be as shoddy as your personal safety.
Tomorrow, tomorrow
As a Belleville resident, I’m sick and tired of Mark Eckert saying the Hofbräuhaus is going to be done tomorrow and it never gets done. There’s an idea for a Glenn McCoy cartoon — Eckert dressed up as Annie singing, “Tomorrow, tomorrow, Hofbräuhaus opens tomorrow.” It’s high time that he and the bobblehead aldermen, who approved the funding for the city sewers out there, take responsibility for this project not being vetted properly. Think of all of the embarrassment and money we could have saved.
Amazon over beer
Belleville can’t get the Hofbräuhaus built but Edwardsville has a brand new Amazon distribution center. Doesn’t that seem like a better idea to you? When are we going to vote these politicians out of office?
What about streets?
I can’t tell you the relief I felt when Mayor Eckert told us the Kellers would complete the Hofbräuhaus — that white elephant across from the Shrine that our very generous mayor and council gave the Kellers millions of dollars of our tax money for the project. We can’t fix or repair our city streets, but the Kellers want a few million? No problem. And lest we forget our illustrious city leaders handed out a few million to Jamie Auffenberg, too. He is using the money to fix up his used car lot. Come on, Mayor Eckert, represent the people for once.
Kern’s abyss
Last Monday’s Sound-off column featured four letters expressing deep displeasure with St. Clair County chairman Mark Kern’s leadership and mismanagement of the county’s taxpayer contributions. The main reason Kern retains his position is because he’s orchestrated such abysmal circumstances that nobody else wants the job and all the pressing problems that come with it.
Neighborhood crime
The BND police blotter listings for the local municipalities shows crime happening in almost every town. What I found disturbing was Belleville seems to experience a disproportionately larger number of crimes compared to other area municipalities. Maybe all the “Neighborhood Watch” signs on every street in Belleville have given residents a false sense of security? Or maybe Eckert is worried more about his Hofbräuhaus than local crime. Obviously, the millions spent on Belleville’s new police station haven’t done much to prevent crime.
Indivisible scapegoat
The only people who seem upset about the Indivisible 12th are Mike Bost and the St. Clair County Republican Party, led by the perpetually-cranky Barbara Viviano. It’s been fun reading their anonymous smears in Sound-off, blaming the Indivisible 12th for everything from empty strip malls to property taxes to housing values. What’s next? “Kmart’s closing. Thanks, Indivisible 12th.” “Bruce Rauner vetoed school funding. Thanks, Indivisible 12th.” “Mike Bost voted to let mining companies dump toxic tailings in our water supply. Thanks, Indivisible 12th.” For a small group of citizens to be implicated in so many of regional problems means just one thing: The Indivisible 12th must be having a devastating impact on the deeply unpopular GOP platform of economic Darwinism. Expect more anonymous attacks to distract voters as 2018 draws near.
Public negativity
After the last Collinsville Council meeting, I have to ask: Do people actually listen to the facts, or do they only hear what they want and make up stories that suit them? Public input has become ridiculous over the last couple of years. Last night takes the cake for me. Karen McReynolds stood up, said a bunch of nonsense and then has the nerve to say the people on the dais need to stop the negativity. From what I have watched, the same people stand up at every meeting and do nothing except spew negativity. Public input has become a joke thanks to all of them.
Pardon me, but...
I can’t believe President Trump is getting so much flak on his pardons. Don’t we remember how many rapists and drug dealers President Obama let out before his term was up? Let’s get real. People are always putting Trump down, but maybe we need to look at what the last president did.
Toughest pardon in America
Yes, liberals are upset that Trump pardoned controversial former sheriff Joe Arpaio. But remember, liberal hero Jimmy Carter pardoned Jefferson Davis.
Night is right
Driving down Illinois 255, I can’t help but notice all of the roadwork that’s going on during the day. I wonder when Illinois is going to take a page from Missouri’s book and get its road work done at night. They start work on the highways at 8 p.m. or 9 p.m. when the rush hour traffic is over. Use your brain, Illinois government.
Give me Batman
“MDTSA” — Make District Twelve Smart Again. We need to make red hats with that slogan on them. We are tired of being represented by a guy who doesn’t understand complex issues and is unwilling to listen to his constituents. Brendan Kelly has a lot going for him. He’s smart, well-read, dapper, charming and he’s not afraid to fight corruption, even when it comes from his own party. Bost fans can have their Joker. I’ll take Batman any day.
Belleville panhandlers
We have a panhandler issue at the Belleville Walmart, too. The police aren’t doing anything. Roy Mosley, we have the exact same problem.
Cahokia panhandlers
About the panhandler issue, Roy Mosley is not alone. I too feel it is becoming a major problem. I live in Cahokia and I’m constantly approached for money or cigarettes. One woman in particular works the Cahokia area and I’ve seen her in Fairview Heights. I thought this was called loitering, which is a crime. It’s another reason why people don’t feel safe in their own communities. This has got to stop.
Chase off politicians
Roy Mosley, no one shops in East St. Louis anymore. Where is there to shop? For years, most of us have been doing our shopping in Fairview Heights, Shiloh and O’Fallon. Where have you been? If you want people to shop in East St. Louis, you need to make more substantive changes. The homeless people aren’t chasing us out. Lack of growth and corrupt political leaders are. Wake up.
Thank Parks, not Hicks
The East St. Louis Mayor Emeka Jackson-Hicks has listed various projects that are in implementation currently including a full-scale downtown grocery store, East St. Louis port, East St. Louis riverfront, housing authority and Ameren. All of these projects were conceived and begun under former mayor, Alvin Parks. He has done an outstanding job. He continues to share his leadership, hard work and skills. Good luck to Mayor Emeka Jackson-Hicks and staff, completing what he has begun. When are Mayor Emeka Jackson-Hicks and City Manager Courtney Logan going to be in their offices to get this done? This is why East St. Louis isn’t doing so well.
Waterless, clueless
I live in Fairview Heights and have water through the O’Fallon water service. We received a call around 5:30 p.m. Saturday concerning a main break and the water was turned off. It is now nearly 12:30 a.m. Sunday and the water is still not on. I called O’Fallon and they have no idea what’s going on. They don’t know if the workers are still there or have given up for the day. They have no idea when the water is going to be restored, nothing. How can they have no idea what’s going on?
School riot
There was a riot at Cahokia high school last week. I didn’t see anything reported about it. What happened to the students involved in that brawl? I think anybody involved in it should be expelled.
Self-reliance
Notice the contrast between the flooding in Texas and what happened during Katrina in New Orleans. In Texas, people in interviews say that they’re helping themselves, their neighbors and they’re going to recover through their own work. In New Orleans, all you saw were people holding up signs saying, “Help me, help me. Where’s FEMA?”
This story was originally published September 3, 2017 at 7:00 PM with the headline "BND readers sound off on MetroLink smoking, Hofbräuhaus, panhandling."