rodsullivan.org
SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
April 27, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 5/2/17
In this edition:
*Goodbye, Andy Johnson!
*North Liberty City Election
*Please Ask Me!
*May Day
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
*Did You Know?
*Goodbye, Andy Johnson!
I regret to inform you that longtime Board Office Executive
Director Andy Johnson is leaving
Johnson County to join family in Omaha. While I am very happy for Andy and his
family, this is quite a blow both personally and professionally.
If
you have ever worked with Johnson County in any capacity, you know that Andy is
the one that makes it all happen. I cannot even begin to describe all of his
good qualities. Our Boards have not been the easiest groups for whom one could
work. We are very flawed as individuals, and even more flawed as a group. But
for the most part, things get done, and they get done because of Andy.
His
wisdom, kindness, thoughtfulness, patience, honesty, humility, and decency are
beyond comparison. I wish I was half as good a person as Andy. I could exhaust
my thesaurus looking for words to explain how I feel about Andy, but I think
I’ll settle on one: Grace. I never deserved a person like Andy as a friend or
coworker, but I got to enjoy him as both. Grace. Thank you, Andy. Thank you for
everything. Grace.
*North Liberty City Election
The
results are in from the North Liberty Special Election, and the winners were
Terry Donahue as Mayor and Sarah Madsen for the Council.
Donahue
won an interesting three-way race that pitted two incumbent Councilors (Donahue
and Chris Hoffman) against each other. Donahue won relatively convincingly, 48%
to 39% for Hoffman and 12% for Matthew Pollock.
Fun
fact! Terry Donahue is one of the rare people to serve as Mayor of two Iowa
cities, Creston and now North Liberty.
Donahue
had to give up his Council seat to run for Mayor, creating a 7 (!) person race
to fill his term. This is amazing, because interest in politics in North
Liberty has always been quite poor, frankly. It was extremely encouraging to
see all these candidates!
Sarah
Madsen won a close race, defeating former Councilor Gerry Kuhl, 29-26%. Madsen
serves as Corporate Counsel at True North Companies in Cedar Rapids.
While I only knew a few of them, most candidates looked very
capable. And I had people I respect deeply supporting a variety of candidates;
that speaks well for the whole group. Six of the seven candidates were between
29-38 years of age, which is also very encouraging!
A growing city like North Liberty needs multiple voices as part of
the conversation. I hope all the candidates will stay involved in local
government, and I hope a few will run for office again in the future.
So
how involved was the community as a whole? Turnout was 1025 voters, just shy of
the record 1031 votes cast in 2005. That only amounts to 9.3% turnout, however
– so we still have work to do.
Congratulations
to the winners, and thanks to all the candidates for throwing their hats into
the ring!
*Please Ask Me!
There
is a lot of misinformation out there. Fake news is not just a national
phenomenon – it happens right here. Just because someone posts something on
Facebook or writes a letter to the Press Citizen does not mean they have their
facts straight.
You
read these weekly missives. You must do so for a reason. So when you hear these
things, ask me what I think. I may agree with the writer; I may disagree. But
at least you are gaining some context.
I
am here. I am a resource. Please ask me.
*May Day
In
much of the world, May Day is a worker’s holiday. It used to be a holiday here,
too, until an unreasonable fear of communism clouded our collective national
judgment.
May
Day used to commemorate the Haymarket Incident. For those of you unfamiliar,
the following is lifted largely from Wikipedia:
The Haymarket affair occurred
during the course of a three-day strike that involved common laborers,
artisans, merchants, and immigrants. Following an incident in which police
opened fire and killed four strikers at the McCormick Harvesting Machine Co. plant,
a rally was called for the following day at Haymarket Square. The event remained peaceful, yet
towards the end of the rally, as police moved in to disperse the event, an
unknown assailant threw a bomb into the crowd of police. The bomb and resulting
police riot
left at least a dozen people dead, including seven policemen.
A sensational show trial ensued in which eight defendants
were openly tried for their political beliefs, and not necessarily for any
involvement in the bombing. The trial led to the eventual public hanging of four anarchists. In the following years, memory of
the "Haymarket martyrs" was remembered with various May Day job
actions and demonstrations.
So, on this May Day, I plan on tipping back a cold beverage in
honor of the people who gave us the weekend!
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
Save
the date! The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding our Annual Hall of
Fame Awards event on Saturday, May 6 at 7pm at Brown Deer Country Club in
Coralville.
Please
join us for coffee, desserts, and plenty of old war stories! A cash bar will be
available. Parking is free.
The
Hall of Fame inductees for 2017 are: Nancy Porter, Tom Larkin and Joyce Bernardy,
and Sally and Roger Stutsman. We hope you can join us in recognizing this
remarkable group!
Tickets
are available for a $25 suggested donation. People who cannot afford that
amount should still feel welcome to attend. Our honorees deserve a big crowd!
If
you have any questions, please contact Rod Sullivan at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. We hope you will join us for a fun evening, and
lend your voice to those who are honoring these very deserving people. We look
forward to seeing you!
*DID YOU KNOW? The international distress signal, "mayday," has
nothing to do with the first of May. It derives from the French venez m'aider, meaning "come help me."
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
April 20, 2017
Sullivan’s Salvos 4/25/17
In
this edition:
*Congratulations
Clayton!
*A
Unified Front is Not Always Good!
*Definitely
Not a United Front!
*Back
to That Bad Legislation…
*Johnson
County Earns Bicycle Friendly Business Gold
*Worker’s
Memorial Day
*Did
You Know?
*Congratulations Clayton!
Congratulations to
Clayton Schuneman, who becomes Johnson County’s next Medical Examiner Administrative
Director on May 3rd.
Clayton is a Board Certified Fellow of the American Board of Medicolegal
Death Investigators. Clayton earned his BA in anthropology from the University
of Iowa with specialties in biological anthropology and human osteology.
Clayton spent 5 years working for the Iowa Office of the State Archaeologist,
primarily for the Burials Program, where he worked locating and excavating
clandestine burials. Clayton is a graduate of the University of Iowa Hospital
and Clinics EMSLRC EMT Training Program and has been with the Medical Examiner
Department since 2010.
Clayton is highly
regarded by professionals in the legal, public health, law enforcement,
mortuary, and medical fields. Congratulations, Clayton!
*A Unified Front is Not Always Good!
I am a probably not
a very nice guy for bringing this up. Especially at this time. After all,
Democrats in the Iowa Legislature are just finishing a noble fight against all
kinds of horrible legislation. It was a situation that called for unity, and
the Dems came through. Every one of them fought heroically, and for that, I
thank them.
But a unified front
is not ALWAYS a good thing. There are plenty of times when political parties
benefit from debate and differences of opinion.
Here is a perfect
example of the problem: marijuana laws. Democrats in the Iowa Legislature who believe
in legalization seem unwilling to do anything to make other Dems in the
Legislature uncomfortable.
I say tough! Since
when do we put the needs and wants of 3 million people on hold so some dude
doesn’t have to take a stand on an issue? We could not be in a much bigger
electoral hole. There is little to lose. If we don’t have the guts to do
something on this now, expect the Libertarians to get 10% in the next election.
And watch the GOP adopt the idea before Democrats do. It is the exact opposite
of Profiles in Courage! (In fairness, the same is true in the Iowa GOP.)
Here
is another example: the 2016 Iowa Caucuses. Unlike 2008, where there was robust
debate between Obama and Clinton, our Democratic Iowa Legislators rallied
lockstep behind Secretary Clinton. Of the 70 Democrats in the Iowa Legislature,
69 caucused for Clinton, and one (Johnson County Senator Kevin Kinney) for
O’Malley. So the State of Iowa is split 50-50 between Sanders and Clinton, but
Legislators favor Clinton 99%-1? Really?
This
hasn’t worked very well, anyhow. All the Legislative Dems endorsed Blouin; we
got Culver. All the Legislative Dems backed Hogg; we got Judge. I fail to see
how this is helping anyone.
Now we approach the
2018 Gubernatorial race, and the Democrats in the Iowa Legislature have an
opportunity. I hope they decide to endorse all sorts of different candidates. I
don’t want to hear a message coming from Des Moines that “we are all on the
same team.” Diversity of thought is a strength, not a weakness!
My advice to our Democratic
Legislators? First, a few of you ought to run for Governor. Why not? But if you
are not interested in doing that, just join the rest of us in making a choice.
Democrats in Iowa are tired of being told what we HAVE to do. We want to
choose, and we don’t need your thumbs on the scale.
In short? Give us
what we want (legal marijuana) and let us make our own decisions (Governor). We
are adults.
*Definitely Not a United Front!
No one could ever
claim the members of the Johnson County Board of Supervisors were all in the
tank for a single candidate! Want proof?
In the 2008
Democratic Party Caucuses, the 5 Supervisors backed 5 different candidates! Pat
Harney supported Chris Dodd. Larry Meyers supported Joe Biden. Terrence Neuzil
supported John Edwards. Sally Stutsman supported Hillary Clinton. I supported
Barack Obama. Five Supervisors - five Presidential candidates!
*Back to That Bad Legislation…
The 2017 Legislative
session is the worst in Iowa’s history, bar none. The damage done by the GOP
may take 2 generations to fix completely.
The
GOP set its’ sights on attacking low wage workers, clean water, the
environment, voters, Medicaid recipients, people with mental illness, women’s
health, schools, local governments, teachers and other public employees. Mission
accomplished! Life in Iowa is now much worse for each of these groups!
In
addition, they squandered our reserve funds, gave tax breaks to out of state
corporations, and created gun laws that will make it easier to kill Iowans of
color.
There is no point in
sugar coating it – the 2017 session was horrible. The 2018 elections will tell
us a lot about what type of State Iowa wants to be.
*Johnson County Earns Bicycle Friendly Business Gold
The
League of American Bicyclists recently recognized the Johnson County Downtown
Campus with a Gold-level Bicycle Friendly Business award.
The local government
campus, which includes the Administration Building, the Health and Human
Services Building, and the nearly completed Ambulance and Medical Examiner
Building, was the only entity in Iowa to earn a Bicycle Friendly Business
(BFBSM) designation in this round of awards. A total of 30 Iowa businesses have
now earned BFB designations, which can range from bronze to platinum.
Johnson
County’s Downtown Campus was recognized for efforts such as bike-to-work-month
activities, regular educational events, participation in the Move Naturally to
the Market program, bicycle racks at every building, and bicycles provided for
employee use.
*Worker’s Memorial Day
Each
year dozens of Iowa workers are killed at work and hundreds more suffer
work-related injuries or diseases. Join us to remember those who have died on
the job, hear from workers and advocates who are confronting workplace hazards,
and renew our dedication to the struggle for safer workplace.
A
remembrance will be held Friday, April 28 from 12:30-1:30 PM near the Ped Mall
fountain in Iowa City.
Sponsored
by Iowa City Federation of Labor AFL-CIO, The Center for Worker Justice of
Eastern Iowa, and the University of Iowa Labor Center.
*DID YOU KNOW? Just
over 40% of all deaths that occur in Johnson County are reviewed by the Medical
Examiner’s Office.
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
April 13, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 4/18/17
In this edition:
*Frank and Desmond
*George W. Bush Museum
*NAMI Walk
*Did You Know?
*Frank and Desmond
There
are many benefits to living in a UNESCO City of Literature. This was painfully
evident on Tuesday, April 4th, when two great writers gave talks at
basically the same time about two miles apart.
I
attended the Thomas Frank event. Frank is well known for his writings on
economics and politics, including the books “Pity the Billionaire” and “What’s
the Matter with Kansas?” He was reading from his most recent book, “Listen
Liberal”.
A
Democrat listening to Frank is like an alcoholic at an AA meeting. You are in a
supportive environment, but expect to hear some very hard truths.
In
this case, Frank takes the Democratic Party to task for completely ignoring
its’ traditional base – unions and low wage workers. Frank points out that the
Democratic Party has drifted toward highly educated, upper middle class
professionals, while ignoring the base. Frank’s prescription? It sounds a lot
like Bernie Sanders: Higher union density. Higher minimum wages. Universal
healthcare. More affordable housing. Free college. Things that most of the
world have already embraced.
Just
across town, author Matthew Desmond spoke from his book “Evicted”, which looks
at the housing crisis faced by low income Americans. His is a case study based
on several people he spent time with in Milwaukee, but it could just as easily
have been written about Johnson County.
I
just finished Evicted about a week before Desmond’s talk, and I have to tell
you, it rang very true. It really took me back to my days as a young social
worker, visiting clients in dilapidated Max Yocum rentals. The book also spends
a lot of time on the lives of people living in run down apartments and mobile
home courts; again, it was all too familiar.
I
think many of us are oblivious to the housing crisis we face, and how it traps
people into lives of poverty. I STRONGLY recommend this book!
Desmond
is more interested in telling these poignant stories, and does not get into
solutions in the same manner as Frank. But I would guess that the solutions
would sound pretty similar: Higher union density. Higher minimum wages.
Universal healthcare. More affordable housing. Free college. Things that most
of the world have already embraced.
*George W. Bush Museum
You
may have noticed that I was away for a few days – we were in Dallas, where I
was given the honor of officiating the marriage of our nephew. While in Dallas,
Melissa and I took the opportunity to visit the George W. Bush Presidential
Library and Museum on the campus of Southern Methodist University.
I
know – some of you are thinking, “But he was against almost everything the Bush
Administration did!” That is true. But I hope Salvos readers learn some other
things about me: for one, I love history! I love the fact that America honors
our Presidents in this way. I have been to the Lincoln, Hoover, Truman,
Eisenhower, Johnson, Reagan, Clinton, and George W. Bush Museums. I have yet to
visit Roosevelt, Kennedy, Nixon, Carter, and George H.W. Bush Museums. So I am
at just over half. I really want to improve upon that!
Additionally, I honor and respect the office of the President. I
actually got to meet and speak with President Bush (43) during the ’08 floods.
I remember standing with Linn County Supervisor Linda Langston as we awaited
the President’s arrival. I was going to ask him some tough questions on
Katrina. Linda was going to ask him some tough questions on Iraq. In fact, once
we were face to face, we explained the flooding situation and asked for his
help. The toughest thing I said to him was when I was shaking his hand, and
said, “Thanks so much for coming Mr. President. It was an honor to meet you and
we appreciate your support.” So yeah, we wimped out! But it is important to
respect the Office.
Now, for the museum: the building is gorgeous, as is the whole
campus at SMU. It is a VERY nice area of Dallas! The museum itself is actually
not very large in comparison to some of the other newer facilities. We got
through the whole thing much more quickly than I anticipated.
The first thing I found interesting is that there is almost
nothing about W’s childhood. I suppose this makes some sense, since almost
every person on earth knows his parents. But it was a striking contrast to the
Reagan and Clinton museums, which spend a lot of time with the “any little boy
can grow up to be President” meme. (Yes, I said “any little boy.” Yes, I wish
that was otherwise.) On the other hand, the museum acknowledges his alcoholism
in a much more direct way than I would have guessed.
While his childhood is glossed over, his marriage is not! Laura
Bush is more visible in this library than any other First Lady in any of the
libraries I have visited. (Nancy Reagan famously orchestrated many aspects of
her husband’s museum, but she is not as ubiquitous a presence.) This library is
clearly a team effort!
It was interesting how little time they dedicated to the 2000
election. I suppose it is because I was Chair of the Johnson County Democratic
Party at the time, but the 2000 election was unlike anything we had experienced
in over 100 years! I was a bit surprised how quickly they moved on from that
pivotal event. I suppose they did not want to do anything to place his
legitimacy in question.
As you might imagine, much of the museum is dedicated to 9/11 and
the aftermath. The 9/11 images still bring back deep emotions. I noticed a
number of patrons who turned away from certain scenes. There is also much about
the Iraq War. And as you might imagine, it is spun in a way with which I
disagree.
I think every Presidential Museum I have ever visited had a
replica of the Oval Office. But the W Museum was the first that offered
visitors to come inside. You could even sit as his desk! I enjoyed getting that
perspective.
There is an interactive area where you get to make the tough
decisions faced by President Bush. Unfortunately, the whole thing is full of
false choices.
Finally, there is a large exhibit of his artwork, primarily
paintings of disabled veterans. I couldn’t help but think as I looked at some
of these veterans: If Bush does not send our troops to war, this guy keeps his
leg. This next guy keeps his arm. And so it goes.
My overall impression? George W. Bush is, in fact, a guy I’d like
to have a beer with. I think he surrounded himself with some very bad people,
which led to some real disasters during his Presidency. Frankly, I don’t think
historians will view his Administration kindly.
Now I am looking forward to the opening of the Barack Obama Museum
in Chicago in 2020!
*NAMI Walk
The
2017 NAMI Walk is Saturday, May 6 at the Terry Trueblood Recreation Area in
Iowa City. Registration begins at 8:30, with the walk commencing at 10.
This
is an important event for an important cause. The National Alliance on Mental
Illness (NAMI) is the top advocacy group for people with mental illness and
their families. The local NAMI group is strong, and has been for decades. I am
always amazed by the determination they bring despite state and federal
governments that actively work against their needs.
Johnson
County has been a partner in serving people with mental illnesses and their
families since the County was founded in the 1830s. That has not changed. I
serve as the Johnson County representative to the Mental Health Region (and
have since its’ inception.) While we certainly have work to do, the commitment
to serving people remains strong!
As always, I am walking with the Johnson County team. If you would
like to contribute, you can visit namiwalks.org, type in my name, and make a
donation. It is that easy!
*DID YOU KNOW?
George H.W. and George W. Bush were not the first father and son to
serve as President of the United States. They were preceded by John and John
Quincy Adams.
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
April 6, 2017
Sullivan’s
Salvos 4/11/17
In this edition:
*Happy Easter!
*Oh No! A “Patchwork”!
*Higher Wages Gone, Hate Lives On!
*Congratulations Mike Hensch!
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
*Did You Know?
*Happy Easter!
A
very Happy Easter to those of you that celebrate it!
*Oh No! A “Patchwork”!
I
cannot even begin to describe how tired I am of hearing the GOP describe the current
minimum wage situation as a “patchwork.” As a matter of fact, next time I hear
it, I’ll likely vomit, so give me a wide berth.
A
bit of background: When Johnson County passed a higher minimum wage in 2015, a
few of our cities voted for lower wages for their workers. This was completely
legal. So it is true – there are cities in Johnson County with differing wages,
creating what the GOP wails about as a “patchwork.”
You
know what else is a “patchwork”? Property taxes, sales taxes, property insurance,
workers comp insurance, liability insurance, health insurance, disability
insurance, rent, electric, gas, water, sewer, cable, garbage, recycling,
parking, computers, office supplies, consulting, and pretty much every other
expense a business can have! They are ALL “patchwork”! Costs are NEVER the same
from location to location! The “patchwork" argument is nothing but a red
herring!
All
of these businesses are used to paying differing amounts for all these items,
and wages, too. After all, the minimum wage is different in several of our
neighboring states. Businesses that cross state lines do this every day. Again,
the “patchwork” argument is nothing but a red herring!
We
are going to fight another day on this issue – mark my words. Prepare to shoot
down the predictable and untrue argument that a “patchwork” of wages is too
hard for businesses.
*Higher Wages Gone, Hate Lives On!
Last
week, Republicans in the Iowa Legislature decided to lower the minimum wage in
Johnson County by almost $3/hour, from $10.10 to $7.25. Disheartening? You bet!
But
people on both sides aren’t done yet! I received two separate pieces of hate
mail this week – one at the Board Office and one at home. Both felt my advocacy
for a higher minimum wage was a horrible attack on the local business
community. Of course, neither of these brave souls signed their names.
And
this is why we are going to win this issue in the long run. Critics such as the
two that wrote me are cowards. They don’t have the guts to describe the
classist, sexist, racist, unchristian roots of their worldview. They are weak,
and they hide behind anonymous letters.
The people who stood up at our public hearings and described the
struggles of working low wage jobs? They are courageous. They are heroes. They are a big majority. And
they are going to win this battle.
Ironically, a victory for the low wage workers is going to help
small business owners. A huge part of our economy is consumer demand. Higher
wages will stimulate consumer spending, and with it, economic growth. Don’t
believe me? Ask an economist!
So, the battle for higher wages rages on. The question you should
be asking yourself? Which side are you on?
*Congratulations Mike Hensch!
The
Board of Supervisors recently voted to appoint a new Executive Director of the
Board of Supervisors office. Mike Hensch, with the County since 2002, was
selected for the position. Andy Johnson, who has served in that role the last
eight years, will be leaving the County in early May.
Hensch
has been the County’s Medical Examiner Administrator since 2005, and was a
Medical Examiner Investigator with the County from 2002 to 2005. From 1999 to
2005, Hensch served as Director of Pastoral Care for Mercy Hospital. Prior to
that position, Hensch was the manager of safety and security for the hospital. In
the early 1990s, Hensch served as Executive Assistant to the Warren County,
Iowa, Board of Supervisors. He served in the United States Navy from 1977 to
1983, working as a medical laboratory technologist.
Hensch
holds a Master’s Degree in public affairs from the University of Iowa, a Bachelor’s
Degree in law enforcement from Drake University and a Bachelor’s Degree in
health care services from Southern Illinois University.
As
much as I’ll miss Andy, I am very excited by Mike’s new role. Under Mike’s
leadership, the Johnson County Medical Examiner’s Department went from one that
was likely failing to meet the minimum state standards to perhaps the best
medium-sized office in the whole Country!
Mike
is extremely smart, extremely organized, and always gets his work done on time
and under budget. (That doesn’t necessarily sound like the description of a fun
guy, but Mike also brings a great sense of humor to the job!)
Meanwhile,
Mike will remain the ME Administrator until his replacement begins work, so he
could end up with a few pretty busy weeks. He has a great staff in the ME
Office, and I am certain they can pick up the slack.
Congratulations,
Mike!
*Democratic Party Hall of Fame
Save
the date! The Johnson County Democratic Party is holding our Annual Hall of
Fame Awards event on Saturday, May 6 at 7pm at Brown Deer Country Club in
Coralville.
Please
join us for coffee, desserts, and plenty of old war stories! A cash bar will be
available. Parking is free.
The
Hall of Fame inductees for 2017 are: Nancy Porter, Tom Larkin and Joyce
Bernardy, and Sally and Roger Stutsman. We hope you can join us in recognizing
this remarkable group!
Tickets
are available for a $25 suggested donation. People who cannot afford that
amount should still feel welcome, but please call 354-7199 so we can get a
count.
Sponsorships are available
at the following levels:
$100 includes
two tickets
$250 includes
4 tickets
$500 includes
a whole table (8 tickets)
Checks can be mailed to:
Johnson County Democrats
PO Box 1773
Iowa City, IA 52244
If
you have any questions, please contact Rod Sullivan at 354-7199 or rodsullivan@mchsi.com. We hope you will join us for a fun evening, and lend
your voice to those who are honoring these very deserving people. We look
forward to seeing you!
In 1931, the miners and
the mine owners of that region were locked in a bitter and violent struggle
(called the Harlan County War). In an
attempt to intimidate the Reece family, Sheriff J. H. Blair and his men (hired
by the mining company) illegally entered their family home. Sam had been warned
in advance and escaped, but Florence and their children were terrorized in his
place. That night, after the men had gone, Florence wrote the lyrics to
"Which Side Are You On?" on a calendar that hung in the kitchen of
her home. She took the melody from a traditional Baptist hymn, "Lay the Lily Low".
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
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