The world's worst blogger award goes to... ME!

It's hard to admit that you're bad at something...well, not all the time. I will gladly admit that I am the world's worst runner, even though I do run regularly. I will gladly admit that I am terrible at video games. However, it is just down right embaressing for me to admit that I am a bad blogger. It's not that I don't have anything to say... I always have something to say. The problem is I have a lot of things to say that I shouldn't say or aren't very nice. However, sometimes I just need to let it all out and I can do that in a professional manner. So I vow from this day forward to blog regularly. Here's to hoping that I have something to say from here on out!

Sacrificing History for a Parking Lot!

This column ran in the 9/27/2011 Peoria Journal Star - it was also sent to the Pekin Daily times who chose not to run it for whatever reason. I'm sure the Times' reason for not running it isn't a good reason, but I've come to expect very little from them unfortunately in terms of their editorial decisions.

This week, the Pekin community learned of the tentative acquisition of the Pekin Daily Times building, located at 20 S. Fourth Street, by Tazewell County for the purpose of razing this historic structure to build a parking lot. The reported purchase price is $255,000.

The building has been a fixture in the downtown district for over a century. It was originally built by the Zerwekh family, who immigrated to Pekin in 1854, and was home to the Zerwekh ice cream parlor, a Masonic lodge, a dance studio and the newspaper. To lose that building and its historic significance for the purpose of a parking lot would be a tragedy!

Parking is certainly an issue that has motivated the county to move in this direction, as it is for anyone who owns a business and for other members of our community. We want our downtown to be accessible and friendly to our visitors, customers and constituents. Since it appears the county is not the sole stakeholder in this issue, perhaps we can all work together to solve the problem without the destruction of a building that has seen so much and is so significant to the landscape of downtown Pekin.

Is this an appropriate expenditure of county funds for a parking lot? What are the costs to raze the building? Surely there are going to be expensive environmental studies necessary because of possible chemical contamination when the Times' press was operational. This building may contain asbestos and lead-based paint and maybe other materials that will require hazardous waste disposal. That is not cheap. All of this money going out before a parking lot is even built!

This project will be funded by taxpayers. It's our money. Is this the best solution? Spending a lot of money for a parking lot and destroying a piece of history, too? The price is too high, in dollars and in sense.

I urge local residents to contact all members of the Tazewell County Board and tell them that the acquisition of this property for this purpose is not worth the price. Tell them that you see value in our historic buildings. Come to the Tazewell County board meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 28 at 6 p.m. and speak out against this acquisition and in favor of saving the Pekin Times building, while also saving Tazewell County from making a huge mistake.

Check out our new website!

Finally - a new website to make us look as awesome in cyberspace as we are in real life! Check out http://www.pekinmainstreet.com/ and see it for yourself!

Many, many thanks to Chris Deverman of Deverman Advertising for the AMAZING work!

I've been a deliquent poster, but look what I stumbled upon!

So I'm not very good at this blog stuff - I haven't posted in forever, but hey, I've been busy. I wanted to share pictures of a neat project that they did in Monroe, Wisconsin. Monroe is a Wisconsin Main Street Community and I thought that this was a really neat idea. Monroe is also where Swiss Colony is located (yum!) Wouldn't this be a neat thing to do? It was a really nice retail promotion - participants had a passport that they could take to various businesses to collect a stamp. Stamped passports were turned in for prizes.

All of the animals are carved out of wood - they called this promotion the JUNGLE on the Square.

Facades from downtown Monroe - every building looks great!

I loved this one - popping out of a flower bed - and loved that it said BITE ME - one of my favorite expressions!

Swan

Another view of the Monroe streetscape

Penguins!

Great flower pots and love the sign!

Panda in a tree!

Octopus - this one was my favorite!

Zebra

Checking in with Mainee!

Mainee is at Attorney Dale Thomas's office this week - 337 Court Street. He will be there until Wednesday, 1/19, so stop by and take your picture with Mainee. Email your picture to mainstreet@grics.net to be entered into a drawing to win a prize from Dale! Mainee loves hugs - he's super friendly.

Eagle Census Festival



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Welcome our 1st new members of 2011

Please welcome our newest member and our first new member of 2011 - Rhythm & Brews, 513 Court Street in Pekin. We are so glad to have you as members of Pekin Main Street!