For the judge    

To the editor:

In response to Mr. Van Bibber's letters and accusations concerning Judge Behle, I would like to ask what the Holocaust has to do with a judge in Logan County. I find that as a very weak and unsubstantiated argument to the question of whether or not a judge should pour beers at a city celebration.

You pretend to protect citizens against injustice but apparently get very bored here in Logan County; therefore you feel the need to make up issues and controversies. You should feel very lucky that people take pride in their community and quit being so trivial.

Scott S. Hayes

[posted 10-14-03]

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Disagrees with Van Bibber's opinion    

To the editor:

Mr. Van Bibber proclaims that 27 letters and callers favor his opinion of Judge Behle's bartending duties.

Mr. Van Bibber, let me say to you and to all who "favor" your opinion: I have had many conversations about this subject with many people from Lincoln and surrounding areas. Not one person has verbally expressed their dislikes of Judge Behle's actions during our 150th celebration of Lincoln birthday.

Now, I might not be as high and mighty as you, Mr. Van Bibber, but my opinion does count, just like yours, and here it is: Take off your tie and let down your hair and relax a little. This is the year of 2003. If Judge Behle were illegally importing the alcohol and serving to minors, then OK, I would agree with you; but for Pete's sake, he was helping (volunteering) his time to help with the celebration.

[to top of second column in this letter]

Were you doing anything to help out at the celebration? Or where you there just long enough to see Judge Behle bartend? Or were you to busy seeing if officials were doing something that they should not have been?

How petty you have been, along with your 27 so-called callers. There are far more people who disagree with you on this matter than there are people who are for you. I cannot believe that this type of comment or letters of disapproval of Judge Behle's actions are even worth being disputed.

Why not worry about something that is truly wrong in this town? Find something legit to complain about or worth the time of day to dispute.

I sure am not worried about Judge Behle's capabilities as far as making the right decisions in the courtroom.

Tammi Hill

[posted 10-13-03]

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Buy locally, encourage new industries         

To the editor:

It is great to hear of the new businesses coming to Lincoln in the near future. Personally I was getting frustrated seeing these large commercial lots sit unoccupied.

As a community we need to support these types of industries to be sure to keep them here. If businesses like Goody's and Dollar Tree do well in Lincoln, it will be a positive reflection of this city's economic climate and in turn encourage other new industries to settle here.

Ryan Carlton

[posted 10-10-03]

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Thank you from Mount Pulaski         

To the editor:

On behalf of the mayor and city council and for the citizens of Mount Pulaski, I wish to thank the following groups for providing assistance during our recent storm cleanup: Illinois Emergency Management Agency, Dan Smith; Illinois Department of Transportation, Tom Cordy; the District 6 maintenance crew, Gil Turner and his men; Illinois Department of Corrections, Logan Correctional Facility; Logan County Highway Department, Tom Hickman and Mike Anderson; Logan County ESDA, Dan Fulscher; and the city of Lincoln and the village of Elkhart for offering their help.

These groups all provided valuable assistance in helping us remove over 70 dump truck loads of trees and brush in a short amount of time. It is comforting to know that the state, county and neighboring communities can work together in time of need.

Thanks again for a job well done.

Michael R. Patridge
Director of Public Works
City of Mount Pulaski

[posted 10-10-03]

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New businesses         

Editor:

I just read of the great news that Lincoln has secured two new businesses. Jeff Mayfield is to be congratulated for an excellent job in "selling" Lincoln.

Now it is up to everyone who wants those stores and jobs to stay in Lincoln to support the new stores. Don't go out of town for goods and services when they can be obtained locally, and remember, sales taxes paid in Lincoln stay in Lincoln and benefit Lincoln.

Let's all hope this is just the tip of the iceberg!

Ed Stanfield Sr.
Glenn Brunk Stationers
511 Broadway
LINCOLN, IL

[posted 10-9-03]

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Second charge surfaces regarding judge         

To the editor:

I refuse to become involved in the petty personal attacks by the people opposing my views regarding Logan County Judge Donald Behle's bartending duties. Remember, what is popular is not always right, and what is right is not always popular.

For the record, to this date, the count stands 27 callers and letters favoring my position and five letters opposing it and no callers.

Where there is smoke, there is usually fire. My first letter of complaint last week has now brought to my attention a second and much more serious charge, in my opinion, outlining alleged gross misconduct and unethical practices involving Logan County Judge Donald L. Behle. This complaint came by way of a phone call to me last weekend, from an unnamed city police officer, as a direct result of my previous letter of complaint to the letter box.

I will now provide you with the written requirements of the State Of Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board, an agency that oversees the conduct of judges, and they also provide the standards for all state and local judges.

Rule 62 - Canon 2: A judge should avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety in all of the judge's activities.

Judicial misconduct is any violation of the prevailing standards of judicial conduct, which includes impropriety and the appearance of impropriety.

[to top of second column in this letter]

Sorry, but Logan County Judge Donald L. Behle working as a public bartender and serving beer to the public on the street in downtown Lincoln fails to meet this standard, in my opinion.

That issue, however, is minor when compared to the most recent complaint (see above) of alleged misconduct, in my opinion, regarding Judge Donald L. Behle's alleged involvement with one of the two litigants involved in our local divorce court both during and immediately after their divorce. This sad story had surfaced earlier by one of the callers to my organization, Citizens for Justice Inc., and was confirmed by the unsolicited call to me from a local police officer this past Saturday.

In spite of the letters of support for this local judge, the citizens of Logan County have a very low opinion of the law, lawyers and the courts in Logan County, in my opinion. Because I have received at least one complaint regarding these three agencies from local residents each week throughout the 15-year history of Citizens For Justice Inc.

By the way, if the public demands that the critics be silenced, then who will be available to speak out during their time of need or when their call for help comes? Remember what happened to the Jews in Europe during the war after they remained silent. Improving the courts is my only reason in bringing these two complaints to the public.

Les Van Bibber
"The Watchdog"
Lincoln

[posted 10-9-03]

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Response to Les Van Bibber's letter         

To the editor:

I can't even believe people have that much time on their hands to stick their nose where it doesn't go. The fact that a judge was participating in a community event right among the public speaks highly of the position. It shows interest in the community and, hey, maybe it was even fun.

People enjoy seeing people in office among them. Judge Behle hasn't forgotten that he is still a citizen of Lincoln. Maybe Mayor Beth Davis should step down because she sang a Joan Jett song at the karaoke tent at the festival downtown.

Get Real, Les! I think it's great when we see these officials out there right alongside of us. I don't think Judge Behle served underage drinkers, and, as was stated in other letters, there is no law against serving beer to someone who is of age. It was a special event. Get over it, Les, and find something else to do.

Malisa Rankin

[posted 10-9-03]