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SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
June 27, 2019
Sullivan’s Salvos 7/2/19
In this edition:
*Happy Independence Day!
*War? No Thanks!
*Concentration Camps, Too!
*Roads and Racists
*Bad Roads
*Did You Know?
*Happy Independence Day!
Happy Birthday to the USA! 243 years old and going strong! I hope you and yours enjoy a great Independence Day!
Looking for ways to celebrate? The Jazz Festival is in downtown Iowa City, and the 4thhas parades in Coralville, Sharon Center, Oxford, and Hills.
*War? No Thanks!
No President has ever lied as much as Donald Trump. (Look it up.) Given that, do we want to follow this liar into war? I certainly don’t!
Not one American should lose a life to his lies. There will be supporters, though – the Military-Industrial Complex needs to feed itself. So if you agree with me, it is time to act!
Preemptively contact your Member of Congress. Tell them you oppose all Trump wars. And spread the word!
*Concentration Camps, Too!
Trump is not just a liar. He is legitimately evil and cruel. Why do I say that? Look no further than the concentration camps we are running on our southern border!
Kids on our border are being kept on concrete floors, without blankets, soap, or toothpaste. They do not get to use the restroom when necessary, so most have soiled clothes. (Yes, there are no changes of clothes, either.) Babies lack diapers. Food portions are so tiny that children cry at night out of hunger. They do not get outside much, and the cells are kept very cold. Medical care is lacking, and flu and lice are spreading. Children have not been allowed to make phone calls. Some guards have been rough with some of the children. Lights stay on 24/7. In one case, 900 of the kids are being held in cells designed for 125 inmates.
A military veteran who observed the conditions said they qualified as torture. A doctor who observed the conditions described it as mass child abuse. When asked how many of the children showed signs of psychological distress, she replied, “ALL of them!”
We run a jail in Johnson County. NONE of these things would be acceptable in our jail. If ONE of these things happened, someone would lose a job. More than one instance, and the Sheriff and every Supervisor should lose their jobs! If I am in charge of a place that does this to anyone – let alone children – fire my ass!
And that is in Johnson County. We have the resources to treat prisoners humanely; we have to. The law demands it, and God COMMANDS it! If Johnson County has the resources, then surely the Federal Government – with the ability to print money – has the resources!
You may not like hearing it, but we are once again operating concentration camps in the US. This is unconscionable. It is unconstitutional. And it will not stop until we vote Trump out!
*Roads and Racists
I got a message the other day from an anonymous person who said, “The roads have gone to hell now that all the Board worries about are blacks.”
Where to even begin? As for the actual complaint about the condition of the roads, I am republishing below an article I ran in the 5/21/19 edition of Salvos. Please see that below.
As for the other part of his statement? I wish I could say this was the most racist message I have received as a Supervisor. In fact, it is not in the top twenty.
We have a long way to go, people.
*Bad Roads
Gravel and dirt roads in Johnson County are in bad shape. I would go so far as to say the roads are in the worst shape since 2008. We are not alone – roads are even worse along the Missouri and Mississippi Rivers. All of our neighboring counties are struggling with their roads. Counties from Minnesota to South Dakota to Nebraska to Missouri to Illinois are all dealing with ruined gravel roads.
So, we know the roads are bad. What will help the situation? Good weather is number one, two, and three.
I can tell you what will NOT help: Calling the Supervisors and asking if we have “ever even driven on this road.” Emailing the Supervisors and telling us that the County Engineer is incompetent. Calling the Supervisors and noting that your road is “always last” to receive maintenance. Emailing the Supervisors and explaining how the road maintenance worker in your area does not know what he is doing.
Look, I get it. The roads are bad. Do you REALLY think we don’t WANT to fix them? Do you really believe we could just wave a wand, but we are choosing not to? Is this really a conspiracy?
Johnson County spends the MAXIMUM AMOUNT THE LAW ALLOWS on rural roads and bridges. The max. We couldn’t put in more money if we wanted to.
I will admit, if my road was in this shape, I would be pissed. But is there actually anyone to blame? Just Mother Nature. So blaming County employees and getting angry with County Supervisors does not help. We just need a combination of good weather and time.
Please try to be understanding as we work through this situation. I know it is bad. Just understand, we are doing everything we can!
*DID YOU KNOW? John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and James Monroe all died on Independence Day. Even weirder, Adams, the second president, and Jefferson, the third, died on the same day in 1826, the country’s 50th birthday.
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
June 20, 2019
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/25/19
In this edition:
*Congratulations Doug Elliot!
*Ernst Bad Senate Vote!
*Foxhoven Out
*Summer Means Music!
*Did You Know?
*Congratulations Doug Elliot!
Congratulations to Doug Elliot, who is retiring after 25 years with the East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG).
The East Central Iowa Council of Governments (ECICOG) is an intergovernmental council established in 1973. Governed by a board of directors comprised of elected officials and private citizens, ECICOG was created to promote regional cooperation and to provide professional planning services to local governments in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn, Tama, and Washington Counties (all services are not offered in all counties). A portion of the operations are supported by a per capita assessment paid by these counties.
Since its creation, ECICOG has become recognized as an ideal vehicle for addressing planning issues that require a regional perspective. Cities and counties benefit from the assistance of ECICOG staff in their efforts to promote community and economic development, improve housing stock in the region, manage solid waste, and meet the transportation needs of the area.
Interestingly, the idea for ECICOG came from former Johnson County Attorney J. Patrick White. Pat was an Assistant County Attorney at the time, but was also serving on the Iowa City Council. Pat deserves all the credit for the creation of ECICOG! (Another feather in an amazing cap!)
The Johnson County relationship with ECICOG has generally been strong. Unfortunately, I just learned that Johnson County had a Supervisor storm into and out of an ECICOG meeting a couple of years ago, threatening to sue the organization. I had wondered why other members acted a bit strange around me. Now it makes more sense. Just another mess to clean up. But I digress…
So this guy you have never of is retiring from this organization you’ve never heard of. Why does it matter to you? Well, ECICOG has brought $25 million into Johnson County in the past ten years alone – most of it transit-related. We have received funding for SEATS busses, road projects, trail projects, and flood buy outs, just to name a few.
ECICOG is a big deal. And it has been managed extremely well for a long time by a really great guy! (Doug really is a wonderful person. It makes me happy every time I see him!)
Congratulations, Doug on your retirement! Thank you for your service to the people of ECICOG!
*Ernst Bad Senate Vote!
Senate Republicans recently voted for a budget that cuts almost $500 billion from Medicare and $1.5 trillion from Medicaid. Yes, Iowa Senator Joni Ernst voted for these cuts! And those are but a few of the really terrible things in that budget!
Hurting our most vulnerable residents to give more to our richest residents. Ernst should be ashamed! We have a chance in 2020 to show her the door. Let’s do it!
*Foxhoven Out
Jerry Foxhoven, Director of the Iowa Department of Human Services, was asked to resign on June 17. No reasons were given.
I have had some longtime Polk County residents tell me to temper my criticism of Foxhoven. They say he has a “good heart”. I disagree. No one with a “good heart” runs DHS for Kim Reynolds – knowing full well that they are being asked to hurt our most vulnerable citizens. He does NOT have a “good heart”. Period.
Before you shed any tears for Foxhoven, know that he was the ONLY department head in State Government that did not request an increase in funding for his department. He told Kim Reynolds that he had enough resources. This is just additional evidence that there is no “good heart” there.
Foxhoven is gone. Good riddance. You lay down with dogs, you get fleas. I will pray for his soul.
*Summer Means Music!
Summer is music season, right? I am a Board Member of Summer of the Arts (SOTA) – the nonprofit group that brings you the Friday Night Concert Series, Arts Fest, Jazz Fest, and Soul and Blues Fest. When I think summer, I think of these events!
But there is more! Summer music means hearing our many outstanding musicians in our many great open-air venues. Summer music means cranking the tunes with the car windows rolled down. Summer music is just a bit louder and a bit happier.
My own musical tastes are pretty eclectic, to say the least. Both my grandmothers loved country music legend George Jones. Growing up at the Sutliff Store, the juke box was full of Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Marty Robbins, Patsy Cline, and Willie Nelson. I definitely still love that music.
On the other hand, my Dad loved to listen to *his* music – the music of the mid-to-late 1950s. I grew up loving the giants of rock and roll: Elvis, Little Richard, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry, the Everly Brothers, Sam Cooke, and all kinds of Doo Wop, just to name a few. Again, that is still a big part of my playlist.
Unlike most young people, I never really fell in love with the music of my junior high and high school days. I certainly have some individual songs I love, but I was a bit different in that regard.
Around that same time, however, I developed a love of musicals that I still have today. I was in all the plays and musicals in high school, and I have several soundtracks on my playlist. It is funny when I catch myself pulling up next to a car at a stoplight and realize that I am singing “There’s No Business Like Show Business” at the top of my lungs!
When I arrived at the UI in the early ‘80s, I got exposed to some new things: REM, Grandmaster Flash, the Clash, and the Violent Femmes, just to name a few that I still enjoy.
I am a curmudgeon when it comes to music, so I never willingly listen to new stuff. But I hear it via Melissa and the kids. I will admit, every year there are a few darned good new songs!
So, enjoy your summer. Catch some live music. Send some money to SOTA. Crank up the tunes. And forgive me if you pull alongside my car and hear me singing “Oklahoma”!
*DID YOU KNOW? ECICOG provides services to over 500,000 Iowans – one sixth of the State’s population.
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
June 13, 2019
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/18/19
In this edition:
*Computer Issues
*RIP Jim Clayton
*Elizabeth Warren for President!
*Juneteenth Celebration
*Block Party
*Great Service from County Government!
*Did You Know?
*Computer Issues
I have had some home computer issues throughout June. Wow! It certainly points out our dependence upon these machines! I hope none of my inconveniences became your inconveniences! Meanwhile, wish me luck with a new hard drive!
*RIP Jim Clayton
We lost a true original with the June 5 passing of Jim Clayton. Clayton, 81, owned and operated the Soap Opera in downtown Iowa City for over 3 decades. He was a well-respected business person who, given the location of his store, took up the issue of alcohol in downtown Iowa City. He did such good work that he eventually became the Chair of the Iowa Alcoholic Beverages Division.
Jim also served many local nonprofits, notably the Crisis Center, The Arc, and Big Brothers Big Sisters. (Jim maintained the same “Little Brother” match for decades!) He was very generous with both his time and money.
I got to know Jim well through our mutual friend, Gary Sanders. “Soapy” (as Gary liked to call Jim) had a great sense of humor, and really enjoyed pulling up a bench on the Ped Mall and talking politics, baseball, and a million other topics.
Jim Clayton was truly a good man. I will miss him. RIP, Soapy!
*Elizabeth Warren for President!
I decided to make it official last week, endorsing Elizabeth Warren for President! I am really excited about the Warren campaign! I support Elizabeth Warren because we know exactly where she stands.
Billionaires, insurance companies, big pharma, polluters, tech giants, big Ag, and Wall Street HATE her. That is good enough for me! As FDR once said, “Judge me by the enemies I’ve made.”
We need big ideas. Nobody has more big ideas than Warren. Plus, she can explain how every big idea will work and exactly how it is paid for. I am so proud to endorse Elizabeth Warren for President!
Regardless of the policy being discussed, the most common retort from Republicans to Democrats is, “How are you going to pay for it?” Warren leads with this. Her Wealth Tax will conservatively generate $2.75 TRILLION in revenue over ten years. That covers all her plans.
And you have heard about many of those plans. Universal Childcare. Student debt relief. Free college. Historic investment in affordable housing. Ending corruption. Rebuilding the middle class. Strengthening Democracy. Equal Justice. Each with detailed plans!
I would love to talk more about the Warren campaign. Please contact me if you would like to know more!
*Juneteenth Celebration
The annual Juneteenth Celebration will be held Saturday, June 22 from 12-4 at Mercer Park in Iowa City. Johnson County is one of many partners collaborating to bring you the annual Juneteenth celebration.
Join us for a day of family fun, free entertainment, information fair, free food (while supplies last) and more! We are celebrating Juneteenth and the civil rights movements past and present. You won't want to miss this!
*Block Party
The Iowa City Downtown District is holding another Block Party, Saturday, June 22 from 5-11 PM.
This is the third annual event, and frankly, I think it is a potential watershed. The first Block Party in 2017 was a magnificent event! It delivered exactly what the Downtown District hoped. There was a huge, diverse crowd, and everyone seemed to have a good time.
The second event in 2018 sowed the seeds of doubt. While it was also very well-attended, the crowd was much younger and MUCH more intoxicated! I don’t think I have ever been around more outdoor smoke. And there were several pinch points throughout the pedestrian areas, making it almost impossible to get through certain spots. I heard a lot of locals complain that they had great hopes after 2017, but that 2018 had left a bad taste in their mouths.
So, we arrive at 2019. I have faith that the Downtown District will put on a great event. I will be there, fully intending to have a great time! I hope you will join me!
*Great Service from County Government!
Around 7:30 last Friday night, I got a call from an Iowa City family. Their daughter was stuck in Dubai, on her way to South Africa. She was not going to be able to complete the trip without her birth certificate. She needed it ASAP, or she was going to be stuck halfway around the world.
I went out on a bit of a limb, and gave the caller the cell phone number of County Recorder Kim Painter. Within an hour, Deputy Recorder Eric Therme was back in the Recorder’s Office, finding the birth certificate, and sending it electronically to Dubai. The young lady got to her destination, and her family could rest at ease.
While I truly appreciate Eric and Kim going above and beyond on a Friday night, it actually doesn’t surprise me. They work hard for the people of Johnson County every day. We are really lucky to have them!
*DID YOU KNOW? Elizabeth Warren is the author of four books and coauthor of six more. Most deal with personal finance, bankruptcy, banking regulations, and other areas of financial policy.
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
June 5, 2019
Sullivan’s Salvos 6/11/19
In this edition:
*Climate Change
*Pride Events
*Father’s Day
*Buy Local!
*Socialism?
*Medical Examiner Kudos!
*Adopt-A-Roadway
*Did You Know?
*Climate Change
All the rain we have been getting? The floods? The tornadoes? Yeah – that is climate change. And it is not going to get better. In fact, it is only going to get more extreme.
*Pride Events
JoinIowa City Pride, scores of eastern Iowa LGBTQ community groups and businesses, downtown Iowa City, and a diverse all-star cast of entertainers for the 49th Annual Iowa City Pride Fest and Parade 2019, coming June 15th! So many new things are happening this year, including parade floats and a new parade route, a new Family Fun Space, a Pride Fashion Show, and more! Check out a full day of entertainment from noon to 10 p.m., showcasing the full array of our LGBTQ community:
• Ariel Versacefrom RuPaul's Drag Race
• Isaac Burris, up-and-coming R&B vocalist based in Cedar Rapids
• Four-time OUTmusic Awardswinner Namoli Brennetfrom Arizona
• Everyday People Say What, a groove/soul combo led by Mary Reasonerand Adrienne L Woodard
• Nikki Lunden's Natural Habits, rockers extraordinaire
• the I.C. Kingsdrag king troupe
• Sasha Belleand a dozen other local drag personalities including Pride Royalty from many pageants throughout the year.
Email info@iowacitypride.org for more information!
Special note: 2019 is also the 50th anniversary of the historic Stonewall Riots that inspired the Pride tradition worldwide. Watch for special recognitions of this anniversary!
*Father’s Day
Happy Father’s Day to all the Dads out there! I know both Mother’s and Father’s Day can be very difficult for some people. If that is you, you are in my thoughts. I know I miss my father every day, even though he has been gone 20 years.
*Buy Local!
Amazon paid zero property taxes in Johnson County. They probably collected close to zero sales taxes for the State of Iowa. And on almost $12 billion in profits, they paid ZERO in income taxes. Amazon not only does NOT support your local schools; they suck money from them! So yes - buy local!
*Socialism?
Democratic Presidential Candidates John Delaney and John Hickenlooper were recently booed for claiming that “Socialism is not the answer.” I think both men deserve to be booed. I think they should have been booed even more heartily!
There are two reasons that I feel the way I do. First, NO ONE is talking about Socialism! All Democrats are talking about is bringing common sense regulation to our system of capitalism. There is a huge difference between regulating a broken system and a complete overhaul of our economic system. And these two know better!
Secondly, using “Socialism” as a bogeyman? That is EXACTLY what will appear in every GOP commercial next year. For these two to parrot Donald Trump and falsely imply that their colleagues want socialism? Screw them!
We have a capitalist economy with lots of socialism sprinkled in. (Think fire stations.) We don’t need fear mongering; we need more and better regulation. SHAME on these two men!
*Medical Examiner Kudos!
The Johnson County Medical Examiner (JCME) Department has received full accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME).
Johnson County is only the second of 99 counties in the State of Iowa to earn NAME accreditation. The Iowa Office of the State Medical Examiner is also fully accredited by NAME. Of approximately 3,000 medicolegal death investigation systems nationwide, only 86 systems are NAME accredited.
“NAME accreditation is the professional pinnacle of a medical examiner’s office, and is rarely achieved. Our investigative and medical staff members demonstrate best practice every day for Johnson County,” said Marcus Nashelsky, M.D., Johnson County Medical Examiner.
The primary function of JCME is to determine a scientifically-based cause and manner of death for every death that falls within its jurisdiction. The department consists of a Medical Examiner and Deputy Medical Examiners, who must be licensed physicians. In Johnson County, the three medical examiners are board certified forensic pathologists and faculty members of the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine. Additional department staff consist of a Medical Examiner Administrative Director, an Investigative Supervisor and Medical Examiner Investigators (MEIs). MEIs conduct death investigations by gathering scene information and evidence, collecting medical records, conducting interviews, collecting specimens and making preliminary determinations of cause and manner of death.
*Adopt-A-Roadway
Johnson County’s Integrated Roadside Vegetation Management program is seeking groups and individuals interested in volunteering to clean up county roadsides by participating in the Adopt-A-Roadway program.
Adopt-A-Roadway activities may take the form of litter pick-up, wildflower and native prairie plantings, preservation of existing native plant communities, landscaping or erosion control projects, the improvement of wildlife habitats and the control of invasive weeds or brush within the right of way. These activities are generally labor intensive and expensive to complete using paid staff, and are often considered a lower priority than pavement maintenance or public safety needs. Adopt-A-Roadway volunteers assist the County in providing the most effective management of roadside areas and resources.
Volunteers can adopt a specific section of a county road and are asked to make a two-year commitment to at least a one-mile stretch of road. Volunteers receive materials needed for litter cleanups, including signs, vests, bags and training information. Interested groups or individuals may contact Chris Henze, Johnson County Roadside Vegetation Manager, at chenze@co.johnson.ia.us, 319-356-6046.
Visit the Secondary Roads web page at www.johnson-county.com/roads and click on Roadside Vegetation Management for more information.
*DID YOU KNOW? It was not until 1972 – 58 years after President Woodrow Wilson made Mother’s Day official – that the day honoring fathers became a nationwide holiday in the United States.
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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