By: Diane Benjamin
1)
Follow-up to Chris Koos’ nomination to the Amtrak Board: https://blnnews.com/2022/09/08/koos-finally-got-a-hearing-in-the-senate/
The Senate will run out of time to get Koos on the Amtrak Board. See this story: https://www.railpassengers.org/happening-now/news/blog/amtrak-board-nominees-left-in-limbo/
Excerpt, this happened 12/7/2022:
Dickie Durbin has nominated Koos twice and failed both times to put him on the Amtrak Board. I’d either keep a 3rd nomination a secret or tell Dickie where to put it.
This popped up when I was searching, Indiana does have a Bloomington too. I didn’t know they had a Normal:
2)
Follow-up to this story: https://blnnews.com/2022/12/17/want-to-know-how-illinois-loses-your-money/
Yesterday I received an email asking me to disregard the $0 balance statement:
In case you can’t read it:
Please disregard any Statements of Account that were erroneously generated and mailed that have a $0 balance. If you have questions related to this matter, please contact the IDES Employer Hotline at 800.247.4984.
Erroneously generated?
IDES must have wasted a lot of money sending those $0 balance statements. I bet nobody was fired.
3)
Follow-up to the Connect Transit part of this story: https://blnnews.com/2022/12/17/three-things-you-need-to-know-2/
Below is the explanation from Connect Transit about the curb at the Portillo’s corner.
Normal wasted taxpayer money enlarging the turn because the buses still can’t navigate it:
In case you can’t read it:
On Tuesday, December 20, 2022 at 10:59:28 AM CST, David Braun <[email protected]> wrote:
From Connect Transit’s perspective, nothing has changed since our last email interaction. Because of the business traffic in the area and the tight turn radius of the intersection, our bus operators cannot avoid running-up onto the curb from time to time.
As I mentioned in my last email, we instruct our bus operators to hold-back at the bus stop sign on Landmark Drive and allow vehicles on Parkway Plaza Drive to clear out before making the right turn. They do what they can to safely place the bus in a location to block traffic and square-up before making the turn, but other drivers don’t always allow that to happen. The choices are: 1) drive over the curb, 2) hit another car (not really a choice) or 3) get stuck at an intersection and interrupt our schedule and other motorists.
As always, we will do our best to instruct our bus operators to make safely and effectively that turn.
Have a safe and healthy holiday season!
David Braun
General Manager – CONNECT TRANSIT
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Connect’s busses are too large for our community. They are way too large for the number of passengers. Don’t expect accountability for government’s lack of common sense. Connect will still get huge raises and taxpayers will continue being stuck paying for all the waste and extra road damage.
The ultimate blame should be on the mayor’s who appoint the Connect board.
Connect insists on buying huge expensive busses (50 capacity), instead of smaller busses that would easily handle the number of passengers. (usually 4)
LaHood keeps handing them money to do it
Regarding king koos. If he’s going to be appointed to Amtrak board shouldn’t he resign as mayor? If on board then he cannot fulfill the job that he swore, theoretically ,an oath to serve as mayor and owner of businesses and on election commission and……….and….. can’t be in Washington DC and normal Illinois. Not even going to mention the potential of a conflict of interest with Amtrak running through city he’s mayor of.
Don’t forget IML board too
Re disconnect. They will BLOCK TRAFFIC? Tell that to rescue or police. Last time I looked blocking traffic on purpose is gathering law and dangerous