It is easy to pick on the oil industry, especially when gas prices are skyrocketing worse than during the 1970s oil crisis. The price for a gallon of 87-octane gasoline was $3.58 in Streator last night, but it was $3.89 this morning. Is there any good reason why gas should suddenly cost 31 cents more per gallon?! A coworker told me gas costs $3.73 a gallon at most stations in Ottawa today, which is 16 cents less than what the price is in Streator. Yes, Streator has had cheaper gas than Ottawa and Grand Ridge for a couple weeks, but why must the trend be for Streator to catch up to (and surpass) the other communities instead of them lowering their prices to match those in Streator?

I’ve long believed there should be a cap placed on how much the price of gas can be raised within a specified period of time. For example, how about a 10-cent cap for every 24 hours? I suggested this via letter to Gov. Blagojevich’s office a couple years ago but my missive was probably placed in the circular file upon receipt. It is my understanding that most legislators at least send a form letter to their constituents saying their ideas will be considered. Not Blagojevich though — he’s too busy screwing up the state to have time to consider the economic plight of average people, let alone acknowledge them. Maybe I should have sent my letter to Emil Jones, president of the state senate, instead. Oh wait, no, he is busy trying to get a pay raise for himself, so that wouldn’t work either.

I guess we just have to keep grinning and bearing it every time we need to fill ‘er up and get the gas pump in the rear license plate.

During Tuesday evening’s Streator Plan Commission meeting, a member of the downtown business community criticized the city for wanting his signage changed when a grandfather clause expires two years from now. Actually, many business owners criticized the plan, but this particular fellow, who will remain anonymous in this post, had the poorest of reasons why the city should listen to him. He basically said the city should leave him alone because his family has owned the business, and taken good care of it, for decades.

I’m not taking sides on this issue, but as an impartial observer, I will say the city seems to mean well by calling for uniformity throughout its boundaries. I also will say that some business owners seem to have a legitimate beef with the city’s plan, too. But when one’s complaint essentially is that the city should back off solely because the business has been in town for a long time — sorry, but that alone is not reason enough to avoid compliance.

I’ve covered formation or extension of tax-increment financing districts several times during my career, including twice in Streator. Something I always find interesting is the lip service paid to school districts by city officials.

The names change but the situation always is the same. Because TIF districts freeze how much money can be collected by taxing bodies other than the city imposing the TIF district, school districts often lose the most money and seek to minimize the number of years a TIF district is in existence. City officials always say they are sympathetic to the schools’ plight, but they also always create TIF districts for the maximum 23 years. Yes, TIF district terms can be reduced later, but I’ve never heard of a case where a community did so.

I found myself thinking about this Wednesday evening when Streator Township High School Superintendent Steve Swanson said during a public hearing that he wants the Streator City Council to consider a TIF district term of less than 23 years. Mayor Ray Schmitt said something about wanting to be fair to the school districts, townships and other taxing bodies that will lose additional tax revenues for the duration of the TIF district. But guess what? I guarantee the City Council will approve the TIF district extension for the maximum possible number of years when it makes its decision later this month.

TIF districts aren’t necessarily a bad thing, as they are designed to spur economic development. But school officials are always finding their hands tied regarding money because of unfunded mandates, rising salary costs and more, giving them a legitimate beef against long-term TIF districts.

With that said, city officials aren’t obligated to care about the plight of schools and other taxing bodies affected by TIF districts. I just wish they wouldn’t talk like they will take the concerns of those other taxing bodies into serious consideration when few of them are likely to give a second thought to them before making their decision.

Work on the new Streator Township High School parking lot began today south of the school (next to the existing parking lot). The new lot will add 125 parking spaces and should be finished about a month after the new school year begins. Ruiz Construction, of Ottawa, is doing the work.

Last week marked 50 years since the worst flood in Streator’s history. This month also marked the 57th anniversary of what is considered Streator’s second-worst flood.

On July 8, 1951, a sudden downpour led to the Vermilion River flooding and Streator residents losing their water supply for almost a whole week. Here’s a short summary of the event, courtesy of the Streatorland Historical Society’s monthly newsletter, the Unionville Dispatch:

“For six days beginning July 9 of that year, Streatorites had water in their yards, basements and even living rooms — everywhere except where they wanted it: in their faucets. The flood which struck Streator that day swamped the pumping station near the dam, choking off the community’s water supply for nearly a week.

“In thousands of homes, countless businesses, several factories and the hospital, a turn of a spigot brought nothing. A network was established in which 93 Army 40-gallon “Lister” bags (canvas bags used to hold water during field operations) were hung on frames built by local carpenters on utility poles throughout the city. Guardsmen were charged with keeping the bags full of fresh water for drinking and cooking. The water was brought into the community by truck and train.”

The worst flood in Streator’s history occurred seven years later and led to construction of the Westgate Plaza levee.

I like the new wayfinding signs in Ottawa. They remind me of similar ones I saw in Baltimore last year. The ones in Baltimore seemed to be posted on every block in that city’s downtown area, pointing visitors in the right direction toward whatever they were looking for, whether it be a landmark or transportation stop. Obviously Ottawans and others in the area who are familiar with the Town of Two Rivers don’t need these signs as much as visitors do. But that’s exactly the point. If Ottawa plans to draw more visitors to the area, then it needs to do things like this to help newcomers get around easier. The signs are a good start.

For those of you who spotted a man leading a donkey down Main Street yesterday, you weren’t imagining things. Eric Sheets of Rockford, Ohio, left home on Memorial Day with a donkey and a dog as companions on his journey to Seattle. He is walking the distance — about 2,000 miles — to find Microsoft founder Bill Gates. He wants to ask the billionaire to help fund his idea for a computerized education program and figures by walking there his cause will get more attention and perhaps increase the likelihood Gates will meet with him.

I’ve previously met people bicycling across the country, but this is the first time I’ve met someone traveling that far on foot (and accompanied by a donkey, to boot).

You can learn more about Sheets and his journey by reading my story in today’s edition of The Times. He also periodically updates his Web site, www.milesofsmilesforever.com, to let people know how his journey is progressing.

Good luck to him.

“Placing the new $90,000 pool into operation marked one of the most noteworthy recreational advancements in the city’s history.”

That is what the Streator Daily Times-Press said 50 years ago today when Streator’s public swimming pool opened.

The pool was closed at the end of summer 2003 and now the property is up for sale. No one has expressed interest in buying it.

On page A8 of today’s Times, readers can find a reprint of the Streator Daily Times-Press story announcing the pool’s opening.

While reading 50-year-old stories about the pool, I came across a list of “suggestions” made by pool manager Albert Lundberg to maintain compliance with state standards. They were:
(1) Nude soap showers should be taken before entering the pool.
(2) Women and girls must wear caps.
(3) No one should walk in the pool area in street shoes.
(4) The outside pool area should be kept free of trash and debris.
(5) Swimmers should cooperate with pool personnel.

Imagine forcing female swimmers to wear caps! That would never happen today.

The new Broadway Street viaduct opened this morning, about eight months ahead of schedule. Mayor Ray Schmitt estimated the bridge will be used 5,000 times a day. I think half that amount did today within an hour of the bridge opening. I’m exaggerating, of course, but there were a lot of people waiting to drive over the viaduct as soon as it opened. I saw one woman drive over the bridge four times! It reportedly is a smooth ride over the new bridge — I haven’t driven over it yet, but plan to later today.

UPDATE: Yep, it’s smooth.

First Woody the fiberglass hamburger hawker left town. Now the “Woody’s” sign that was posted above him for many years has been taken down. Workers were doing so this morning.

Incidentally, the freshly repainted Woody now can be seen at The Root Beer Stand in Oglesby.