SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
March 10, 2016
Sullivan’s
Salvos 3/15/16
In this edition:
*Saint Patrick’s Day!
*Bob Sullivan
*Road Embargoes
*GOP Hypocrisy
*Downton Abbey
*Did You Know?
*Saint Patrick’s Day!
Happy St. Patty’s Day on March 17! St. Patrick’s Day is one of my
favorite days of the year. While not an “official” holiday, this day has long
been celebrated heartily by my Irish family.
The
tradition lives on… I almost always take St. Patrick’s Day off work. March 17
is a Thursday this year, so I have a Board meeting. Hopefully that will be a
light agenda! J
Meanwhile,
I hope each and every one of you is touched by a little luck o’ the Irish!
*Bob Sullivan
March
17 holds a special place in my heart that goes beyond St. Patrick’s Day. That
was also the birthday of my late father, Bob Sullivan.
Dad
was a proud union man, Hawkeye fan, and Irishman. We were father and son, but
also best friends. I can honestly say he was probably the most fun person I
have ever known.
Unfortunately,
he left this world much too soon, and never got the chance to meet any of his
nine grandchildren. I miss him every single day, but especially on St. Patty’s
Day.
If
you knew my dad and you are reading this – send me an email some time. I could
really use a little time swapping stories and reminiscing.
And,
if you are looking for an extra toast on St. Patrick’s Day, allow me to suggest
that you raise a glass to Bob Sullivan.
Happy
birthday, Dad.
*Road Embargoes
One of the sure “signs of spring” in Iowa is the list of embargoed
roads! Winter weather – primarily cycles of freezing and thawing – can do
tremendous damage to roads. In order to allow counties to protect the taxpayer
investment in these roads, State law allows County Boards of Supervisors to
impose weight restrictions.
The chip seal/oil road systems are most susceptible to damage and
are most likely to be subjected to embargoes. Late February through early May
is a very common time for the county to post weight restrictions on county
roadways. Once posted, the restrictions may be in effect for a period of ninety
days. In the past, posted roadways have been limited to any vehicle less than 8
gross tons. Please check the county website for additional information
regarding Board approval and weight restrictions for the 2016 embargo season.
The County Engineer may issue a special permit to individuals who
demonstrate a need to move market farm produce of the type subject to rapid
spoilage or loss of value, or the need to move farm feeds or fuel for home
heating purposes. The issuance of a permit may allow certain vehicles exceeding
the weight limit to operate on embargoed roadways.
We get asked for exceptions all the
time, but please note - permits will not be issued for any other reason -
including transporting construction materials or equipment that exceeds the
posted weight limit. Operation of over-weight vehicles on restricted roads
without a permit will be at the risk of prosecution. Using alternate routes
where possible and breaking down loads into smaller units are methods
encouraged to minimize damage to these roads.
Permits for qualified participants will be issued at
the Johnson County Secondary Road Department at 4810 Melrose Avenue in Iowa
City. The following information will be needed to complete the permit: vehicle
license plate number(s), driver’s name(s), type of material being transported,
and planned route or roads you plan to travel.
Again,
for a list of embargoed roads, see the Secondary Roads page on the Johnson
County website: www.johnson-county.com.
*GOP Hypocrisy
Frankly,
I am growing quite weary of GOP folks complaining about Donald Trump (and Ted
Cruz, for that matter). Methinks they doth protest too much!
The
GOP has lurched far to the right over the past 20 years. They are now so far
right that much “mainstream” Republican ideology is absurd on its face! They
just keep pushing farther and farther to the ideological extreme.
This
started under Newt Gingerich, but accelerated with the election of Barack
Obama. GOP leaders decided to push the narrative that Obama was evil,
socialist, etc. If he said, “black”, they had to say, “white”. Literally and
figuratively!
GOP leaders decided to be opposed to Obama no matter the impact on
our country. Partisan politics were put squarely ahead of the needs of the
people.
Then
one day they awaken, and their top two candidates are Trump and Cruz. And they
look around and say, “How did this happen?” Folks, it is no secret! This is
called reaping what you have sown!
Even
worse, after all the complaining about Trump and/or Cruz – using descriptors
such as crazy, dangerous, etc. – the GOP mainstream is still going to support
whichever wins.
Ask
every member of the GOP - point blank, if they would vote for the eventual GOP nominee.
99% of the time, the answer is yes.
So
quit whining. If Trump/Cruz were as bad as you claim, you wouldn’t vote for
him. But 99% of you WILL vote for him. So save it!
*Downton Abbey
It
is English, not Irish… but Melissa and I have really enjoyed watching Downton
Abbey over the years.
Downton
Abbey has brilliant writing, outstanding acting, gorgeous scenery, and
wonderful costumes. But the thing that really sets it apart are the clever ways
in which it addresses issues of class and wealth.
My
favorite actor in the show is Maggie Smith, who plays my favorite character, Violet Crawley, the Dowager
Countess of Grantham.
The Dowager also spoke my favorite line of the series: “What exactly is this
‘weekend’ of which they speak?”
*DID YOU KNOW?
There are 33.7 million U.S. residents who are of
Irish ancestry. That number is almost nine times the population of Ireland
itself.
Anyone
interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the
County website-
"Sullivan’s
Salvos" is sent once per week to any interested party. It will give a
brief update on issues of interest to Johnson County residents.
These messages
come solely from Rod Sullivan, and neither represents the viewpoints of the
whole Board of Supervisors nor those of groups or individuals otherwise
mentioned.
If you do NOT
want the weekly E-mail, simply reply to this message, and type
"unsubscribe" in the subject line.
If you know
anyone else who might be interested, just forward this message. They can E-mail
me at rodsullivan@mchsi.com with "subscribe" in the subject line.
As always,
feel free to contact me at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. I look forward to
serving you!
---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 8:18 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
Subscribe to Post Comments [Atom]
<< Home