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* McQueary: Peraica faces Southland challenge in GOP race for State’s Attorney

Cook County Board member Tony Peraica, a Riverside Republican, is running for state’s attorney. A second Republican, Ed Barron, of Orland Park, is preparing to run, as well. If you believe the conspiracy theorists, Barron is a shill for Ed Vrdolyak, running for the position simply to undermine Peraica in the Feb. 5 primary. Vrdolyak and Peraica have been foes for years. Despite Vrdolyak’s recent indictment by federal prosecutors, Peraica believes Fast Eddie still is attempting to jackknife his political career.

The conspiracy theorists even speculate Vrdolyak and Co. lured Peraica to a fake fundraiser last month co-hosted by a potentially damaging character just to trap him. Can you imagine? A state’s attorney candidate collecting checks at a fundraiser hosted by unsavory gentlemen? Talk about headlines.

* Accord reached on dispensing morning after pill

Illinois pharmacists who object to dispensing emergency birth control would be allowed to step aside while someone else filled the prescription, under a deal that could settle a lawsuit against the state.

That person — not required to be a pharmacist — would contact a pharmacist at a different location, then follow directions for dispensing the so-called morning-after pill.

The compromise means pharmacists would not have to offer a drug they oppose on moral grounds, but minors who need it (adults can obtain emergency contraceptives without a prescription) would not be turned away and have to find a different pharmacy.

* Union calls for good care of IL nursing home residents

* Editorial: IL mental health law a good start

Illinois took a step forward recently in providing a tool to combat the destructive, sometimes fatal, effects of mental illness. A new law that will take effect next June will make it somewhat easier for family members to commit a loved one for treatment.

While many mental health advocates heralded the signing of House Bill 234 into law, they certainly are not cheerleading for involuntary confinement of people in mental hospitals. Rather, they see hope in allowing families to step in before a mentally ill person hits rock bottom and thus provide treatment that will allow them to lead a happier, safer and more productive life.

* Anti-violence group, CeaseFire, aided with protest

* Legislators honor late Rosemont leader

* Landmarks IL honors work on capitol chambers

* Syverson predicts Cheap Trick vote for Thursday

* Mayor Daley’s $100,000 club

* Top cop can be insider, says Daley

* Daley says he OK with move to disband scandal-plagued police unit

* 5 protesters arrested at Chicago Board of Trade building

posted by Paul Richardson
Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 8:49 am

Comments

Well, I guess Illinois families squabbling over eccentric grandma’s inheritance have another tool in their arsenal. Pop grandma into a mental hospital. Maybe it’s time to issue another edition of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. Mental health “professionals” who long for the days when they could expensively attend to massive numbers of easily controlled institutional patients must be thrilled. In a few years, those empty institutions could be filled with psychotropically medicated grandmas (women are always more likely to be victimized in these types of situations ) waiting to go to to that big institution in the sky.

Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 9:02 am
Cassandra where do you have any information which indicates by percentage of population and age group women are more likely to be commited to a mental health facility then men? Women tend to live longer, so there are a greater number of women who are edlerly, but by percent of elderly population do you have any support for your made up statistic? Also confinement in a mental health facility has no direct link on who would inherit.

Comment by Ghost Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 9:17 am
I would like to thank the Governor for his efforts to keep the truck speed limit at 55. I cant tell you the fear I experience when one of those big trucks comes blowing by me when I’m in the car with my kids. Its enough to make my whole car shimmy and shake and nearly go off the road. There is no reason to have these trucks going faster. The statistics support the Governor — our highways are safer when the trucks are going 55.

I’m also very pleased with the way in which the Governor worked with members of the House. It is my understanding that he personally talked to a number of them and asked for them to override the veto attempt. I would call this less a victory for the Governor, and more of a victory for families who drive the state’s highways.

Good work, Governor!

Comment by Anon Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 9:24 am
I think I received a bulk-mail invite to this
so-called “fake fundraiser” that McQueary refers to yet omits the details. It came from Citizens for Peraica.

Comment by Yikes Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 9:26 am
Yes! FINALLY! California Bans Smoking in Cars With Kids…

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071011/ap_on_re_us/schwarzenegger_bills_1

Paying attention Springfield? We need this here in Illinois. Get a bill passed quickly, please.

The health of our children depend on it.

Comment by No Smokes For You! Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 9:27 am
Confinement in a mental hospital allows someone else to get control of the money. The more money, the more likely somebody is trying to get control of it to prevent grandma from, say, giving it to an animal shelter, to her favorite niece, the stories are endless. But even if she’s not wealthy, the temptation to institutionalize her
is great if, say, her care is becoming a burden, the house is deteriorating, whatever.

It’s common knowledge that in American society women are far more likely to be victims of violence, domestic, legal, familial, whatever. This is a blog. I don’t have to provide statistics.

Given the aging American population, this law is a serious step backward for the benefit of greedy
mental health professionals, providers of institutional care, and, of course. state government “human service” bureaucracies and
mental heatlh “courts.” Somebody didn’t think it through. There were already laws in existence to permit involuntary commitment. This greatly widens the potential scope of those laws and allows uncertified nonprofessionals with their own agendas the power to restrict the freedom of others.

Comment by Cassandra Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 9:33 am
I hear that California Governor ArnoldSwarz….. is proposing a lease of the state lottery to pay for universal health care. I hope that he gets it done so that cowardly legislators in Illinois will stand up and do the same. We need universal health care in Illinois — we shouldnt expect Washington to get this done. Our governor proposed this same idea and was criticized. Maybe someday our petty lawmakers will get over themselves and work with the governor to ensure that health care is no longer denied to working men families.

Get it done, Arnold, but thank Rod for putting it out there first!

Comment by Jackpot Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 9:45 am
So here in these comments, we have the three hallmarks of modern “political” thought - make the gov. give the middle class whatever it wants (free health care), enable the majority to trample the rights of the minority (hysterical anti-smoking laws) and further restrict constitutional rights (HB234). More folks should read what the founders intended and what they said about these issues.

Comment by Mr. Wizard Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 10:13 am
Mr. Barron, of ORLAND PARK? Liz Gorman? Nah, no connection there! (Snark!) Why does the Southtown treat Gorman with such kid gloves? It’s common knowledge in political circles that Gorman has been actively recruiting people to run against Peraica, so that she can continue to muddy him up and weaken him in his eventual slugfest with the Dems. Rather than list any facts in that regard, McQueary just quotes Gorman’s denials and Barron’s “puffing” statements. That column almost looked like a Barron campaign mailing.

Peraica’s not a very likable person, but a little objectivity in political reporting isn’t too much for readers to ask for. It shouldn’t be a matter of what a writer thinks Peraica deserves, but what the reading PUBLIC deserves.

The press has really been letting us down in local political coverage over the past few election cycles.

Comment by Snidely Whiplash Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 11:56 am
Is there a mental health expert online here who can answer this quiz:

Tony Peraica suffers from:
a) Delusions of grandeur
b) Extreme paranoia
c) Bi-Polar disorder
d) Crazy as an outhouse rat syndrome
e) All of the above

Someone who would even suggest that Vrdolyak, Gorman or anyone else would actually go to the trouble of staging an “entrapment event” is certifiably insane. I can quit politics now, because it’s official, I’ve heard everything.

The Sunday night before the Peraica event in question, Peraica was on Tom Roeser’s WLS radio show. An enemy of Peraica’s, a fellow GOP Township Committeeman in fact, called in to take Peraica to task over his upcoming fundraiser that was being hosted by 2 11th Ward Chicago Democrats.

Was Peraica surprised? Did he say he would investigate? Of course not, he defended the event and said he expeted to have hundreds there, including the Democrats that he proudly attracts and that he needs to win. (McQueary reports that only a dozen people showed up.)

The point is, Peraica has been exposed as a liar yet again. Not only did he get prior notice - it came from one of his enemies, and with plenty of time for Peraica to do more due diligence.

Of course the truth is Peraica knew exactly what was going on all along, who the hosts were, and he was closely involved with the planning. His campaign sent out a big glossy mailer to promote the event. I got one.

Peraica’s done, and this Barron guy will clean his clock in February. Any Republican who sticks by this bad joke known as Tony Peraica should also be considered done politically. The Illinois GOP has sufferred enough embarrassments already.

Go back to the Democrat Party Tony! Oh that’s right, they got sick of you too.

Comment by Someone call the guys with the white coats Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 12:38 pm
Now this article justifying his behavior, is just simply hilarious

They are out to get me damn it

http://forestparkreview.com/main.asp?SectionID=
3&SubSectionID=3&ArticleID
=2614&TM=51192.83

Comment by I'm Just Saying Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 1:11 pm
We can’t access the link…can you post the date of the article?

Comment by Forest Park Fan Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 2:56 pm
Sorry from Yesterday’s Forest Park Review

Let me try again

also it’s on the very bottom of the page, Bill Dwyer’s Article

http://www.forestparkreview.com/main.asp?
SectionID=3&SubSectionID=3&ArticleID=2614&TM=57746.48

Comment by I'm Just Saying Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 3:01 pm
When will Peraica fire Curt Mercadante and hire a real campaign manager?

Mercadante has embroiled himself in controversial issues in Grundy County, for his own race! Why is this guy on the Peraica payroll?

Comment by The Shadow Knows... Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 3:02 pm
it really seems that the Peraica ship is rudderless, I’m wondering if Tony and Meracante had a falling out, tony’s Link is no longer on the Illinois Review page

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Comment by I'm Just Saying Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 3:32 pm
Barron vs. Peraica should be a fun watch for
which one gets more red in the face as they
puff up screaming.

Kristen, the drink should be the plum one enjoyed
by dueling croatians…..slivovitz.

Comment by amy Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 4:31 pm
Peraica: A braying ass in the midst of a herd of elephants. Hm…plot line for Shrek 4 ???

Comment by In The Know Thursday, Oct 11, 07 @ 5:14 pm