SULLIVAN'S SALVOS
February 18, 2021
Sullivan’s Salvos 2/23/21
In this edition:
*Congratulations Les Beck!
*Great Legislative Newsletter!
*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
*Black History Month
*Radically Different Standards
*Did You Know?
*Congratulations Les Beck!
Linn County Planning and Zoning Director Les Beck is retiring immediately, after 20 years in Linn County and several years in Story County.
It may seem odd for Supervisors in one county to know staff in a different county. It probably is fairly unique. But Les Beck is fairly unique himself!
Beck has been an acknowledged expert and leader among people in the field of Planning, Zoning, and Urban and Regional Planning. He also put this expertise to work as an adjunct professor at the UI.
Les is smart, funny, and willing to think outside of the box. He has long been willing to try new things. I have had the pleasure of consulting with Les on several projects in both counties, and I learned a great deal from him.
Thank you for your service, Les, and congratulations on your retirement!
*Great Legislative Newsletter!
My State Representative Christina Bohannan is new to the Iowa Legislature. But she has not allowed her rookie status to keep her from creating an excellent newsletter! Seriously, this is really well done. You should subscribe even if you do not live in House District 85! Here is the link:
https://iowahouse.us19.list-manage.com/subscribe?u=9f68e4c04f9646e4baeec6d78&id=53f48f1172.
*Bowl For Kids’ Sake
The Sullivan for Supervisor team is once again raising money for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Johnson County by Bowling For Kids’ Sake.
BBBS is trying several different things to get bowlers to participate: You can bowl in person (like normal) but masked and distanced; you can get a rain check and bowl later in the year; you can bowl virtually using an app; or you can compete in an online trivia contest.
I am not going in person this year. That is sad, because it breaks a streak of about 20 consecutive years. (ironically, BFKS was one of the last things we did in 2020 before COVID hit.)
But we are still going to raise money! Because BBBS is REALLY important! Statistics show that having a trusted adult mentor makes an unbelievable difference in the life of a child. Kids with BBBS matches do better academically, are less likely to abuse drugs and alcohol, and are less likely to be involved in the criminal justice system. This simple idea WORKS.
Please contribute to the Sullivan for Supervisor team at: https://amplify.e-activist.com/18381/bfks2021/103319/bowl-for-kids-sake.
*Black History Month
The Johnson County Auditor’s Office decided to honor all of the African Americans who have held office in Johnson County. There was only one problem… no one kept a list!
I got called in to help. While we did not engage any professionals, I think we came up with the full list. Here is the history of African American Elected Officials in Johnson County:
*Bill Hargrave was the first African American Elected Official, serving as a member of the Iowa House in the 1970s. Hargrave was a Sheriff’s Deputy and a progressive Democrat. Hargrave remains the only African American legislator we have ever elected.
*The first African American to win office in a local school district was Orville “Speedy” Townsend, who served on the ICCSD Board in the mid-80s. Townsend also filled an unexpired term on the Board in the late ‘10s.
*George Strait was the first African American elected to the Iowa City Council. A member of the UI Faculty, Strait served most of the decade of the ‘80s.
*Royceann Porter is the first and only African American elected to countywide office. Porter won a Special Election in ’18 to fill an unexpired term, and was subsequently elected to a full term in 2020.
*Zadok Nampala was elected to the University Heights Council in ’15, becoming the first African American Elected Official to live outside of Iowa City. His term in office was very brief, however, as job responsibilities caused him to leave town shortly after assuming office. RaQuishia Harrington was elected to the North Liberty City Council in ’19, becoming the second non-Iowa Citian African American Elected Official.
*Strait was followed on the Iowa City Council by Ross Wilburn, who became Iowa City’s first African American Mayor. They were followed by Kingsley Botchway, current Councilor Mazahir Salih, and current Mayor Bruce Teague.
*Townsend was followed on the ICCSD Board by LaTasha DeLoach, Michael Shaw, current Director Ruthina Malone, and current Director Dromi Etsey.
No other city or school district in Johnson County has ever elected an African American.
*Radically Different Standards
I am disappointed but not surprised to see the mainstream media holding the Biden Administration to a radically different set of standards than the previous administration.
I understand that the Trump Presidency is going to end up being viewed by scholars as the worst Presidency in American history. But that does not mean the media is supposed to grade on a curve!
Look at the issue of bipartisanship. President Biden is taking all sorts of flack for failing to work with Republicans. This, despite the fact that he hosted Republican Senators at the White House for several hours in an attempt to negotiate. More to the point – where was the media when it came to demanding cooperation from Trump and GOP Senators? On what issues did they compromise? Why didn’t the press ask these same 10 Senators why they refused to reach out to Democrats before Democrats took the House? Why is bipartisanship only mentioned when Democrats take charge?
Trump told an average of 50 lies every day while in office. But you couldn’t get many folks in the media to actually call them lies. Right now, they are piling on Biden, claiming that he said he would try to work in a bipartisan manner. Well, he has tried. The GOP will not rise up to meet the challenges of the day. Biden also promised COVID relief; isn’t that more important?
Media: stop worrying about whether or not something is bipartisan. Instead, ask, “Is this what is best for the country?” Yes, you can always find a hack “expert” who will deny climate change. Your job is to find ten experts, or if you are a big media group, find 100. Do 75% of them feel the same way? 85%? 95%? You have an obligation to the public *NOT* to describe an 85% issue as, “experts disagree.” No, 5% of any group is contrarian. And 10% were bought.
There is a strain of, “We were constantly reporting bad things about Trump, so we have to be fair.” The difference? Trump was constantly DOING bad things. He literally had a Watergate-sized scandal every two months. There is no equivalent now, and the press should not pretend there is.
Come on, media. Your failings helped create this situation. Let’s do better.
*DID YOU KNOW? 14 African Americans have served in elected office in Johnson County.
Anyone interested in learning more about County government should take a look at the County website-
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---Rod
posted by Rod Sullivan @ 3:01 PM
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