The local fishwrap, as part of their continued journalistic implosion to save old-guard gang members like Tom Weisner, falsely reported and misled their readers to believe crime is down in Aurora.
Quickfact: Under Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner and Police Chief Bill Powell, violent crime is UP.
It's a little ironic how Weisner-Powell take credit for reducing certain types of crimes, but they have nothing to do with people getting shot and killed.
In a desperate press release, Weisner said "even as we continue to grow, our crime is decreasing."
Quickfact: Murders in Aurora increased 300% last year.
Powell, who will be retiring on April 15th after ignoring alleged corruption and various misconduct by city officials, said "our trend numbers illustrate success."
Quickfact: Overall violent crime has increased around 5% during the last five years, including a sharp jump from last year.
As weird as this may sound, Weisner-Powell credit their WIG's (wildly important goals) for reducing crime even though the WIG's were a complete failure.
For 2008, since they were doing so "well" at shootings and murders, they switched to reducing car crashes.
Quickfact: Unfortunately, car crashes were up 14% for 2008 at the last report (partly due to the incompetence and poor planning for salt and snow by Florida resident Tom Weisner).
We apologize in advance to anyone offended by facts.
For the rest of our viewers, we think Weisner, Powell and the local fishwrap owe an apology and explanation to everyone for misleading people about such an important issue.
Quickfact: Under Aurora Mayor Tom Weisner and Police Chief Bill Powell, violent crime is UP.
It's a little ironic how Weisner-Powell take credit for reducing certain types of crimes, but they have nothing to do with people getting shot and killed.
In a desperate press release, Weisner said "even as we continue to grow, our crime is decreasing."
Quickfact: Murders in Aurora increased 300% last year.
Powell, who will be retiring on April 15th after ignoring alleged corruption and various misconduct by city officials, said "our trend numbers illustrate success."
Quickfact: Overall violent crime has increased around 5% during the last five years, including a sharp jump from last year.
As weird as this may sound, Weisner-Powell credit their WIG's (wildly important goals) for reducing crime even though the WIG's were a complete failure.
For 2008, since they were doing so "well" at shootings and murders, they switched to reducing car crashes.
Quickfact: Unfortunately, car crashes were up 14% for 2008 at the last report (partly due to the incompetence and poor planning for salt and snow by Florida resident Tom Weisner).
We apologize in advance to anyone offended by facts.
For the rest of our viewers, we think Weisner, Powell and the local fishwrap owe an apology and explanation to everyone for misleading people about such an important issue.
76 comments:
Maybe Weisner, Powell and the Beacon staff were smoking something when they wrote their press release?
All I can say is if Tom Weisner is going to come up with this type of crap as part of his desperation to run again, I am not fooled.
Isn't Bill Powell part of a motorcycle gang or "club?"
Violent crime is up in Aurora. Aurora is one of the violent towns in the Midwest. A Mayor running for re-election is trying to spin these statistics in his favor. What ?!!!
Lauzen for Mayor!!!
Is it me, or was the Beacon news chart confusing?
First, a hatchet piece on Lawrence. Now this Sunday paper front page spin-fest. Anybody see a pattern ?
If the Beacon and the Mayor think Aurora is geting safer then why don't they hang out at the corner of Claim and Union St., and then get back to us.
Since the Mayor is receiving very favorably press coverage from the Beacon, what is the Beacon receiving in return ? Did they get "favorable terms" on their new lease ? Were promises made in the event of the collapse of the Beacon ?
News Flash!!
The Beacon is in support of Weisner.
The Blog is in support of Lawrence.
When you read anything they each are putting on their own spin. This is not hard to figure out...is it???
I hope that everyone is going to make up their minds at election time by reading both opinions if they are not sure of a clear choice.
As for me....I am calling out the Marines and voting for Stephanie. Easy choice!!
What has Kifowit accomplished since she was elected?
Hey OLB,
Tell me, to what Beacon News story are you referring? The one I read online said both in its subheadline and relatively high up in the story that violent crime and assaults were up. The story did not, as you all seem to imply, inaccurately say that all of your town's crime was down. The uptick in violent crime is not "buried" in any way. It's pretty front and center. And, the reporter who wrote the story asked the police chief -- who'd be the main source on any crime story, I'd assume -- why violent crime was up and what can be done about it. The mayor, another logical source on a story like this, also put in his two cents. Frankly, both quotes were dumb, from my perspective. The mayor looks like a dweeb by focusing on property crimes when the story clearly lays out the context of rising violent crimes, and the police chief comes off looking, well, smarmy. If I were either of these two guys, I'd not look at this story as positive for me, given how I appear. So tell me again, which story did you all read? I've seen on this blog before that none of you would stoop so low as to actully buy the paper you trash so incessently. Myself, I'm way out of town so I see it online, and since that's how you all must've read this story too, well shucks, I must've missed the public relations cover-up you guys all read.
Here " WALTY WALTY WALTY ", here boy....
Folks the truth is Tommy and WIllie have not only lied in the press release but fail to mention that there statistic gathering has changed from previous administration.
In short they have changed how they report thing.
As an example if shots are reported fired and no shell casings are found on location. Then under this administration no shooting occurred.
Under the previous admins a documented report of shots fired was listed as a shooting.
THis is just one example of how this admin along with powell has redefined the terms so that they can change the stats in their favor.
Don't be fooled Aurora.
Of course if we had competent reporters at the local paper they would ask about how these things are gathered and defined and weather or not the current way is the same as in the past.
But with their cumulative heads so far up toms @$$
TELLING THE TRUTH ABOUT ANYTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM.
I am not sure that the Beacon is a partner of Weisner but this story, poorly written, seems to try to deny the facts that Aurora is a more dangerous town.
speaking of stats, when APD wants to take credit for a reduction of burglaries, they forget to tell you something they do to play with the numbers. When they counted burglaries last year they left out vehicle burglaries, and just counted residential burglaries. I can tell you that anyone that has had their car broken into feels just as violated, its still a property crime. Don't be fooled by some of those on the APD command staff. Some of those guys couldn't catch clap in a whore house when they were on the streets, but they are experts on how to fluff up the numbers to make it look like something is being done.
1:20 the Sears houses. Remember?
When was the hatchet piece on Lawrence?
Beacon blog. About a week ago.
What's wrong with Aurora's police force that is allowing this to happen?
I am an APD officer. Last year, I covered a scene where shell casings were found in the street but no other evidence was found to support a shooting. In the past, this scene would have been classified as a shooting incident, and that is the way I entered the data. I was pulled in by my Lieutenant and asked to change the classification from a shooting to an attempted assault. When I protested, I was ordered to change my report. This is but one example of statistics being manipulated by the command staff.
So whats the big deal about changing the report from a shooting to attempted assault?
So what?
Beacon has no credibility. They are supposed to be a newspaper and objective. This blog states a view and lets us agree or disagree.
That slanderous attack on Lawrence by Parro for being POSITIVE is one of the worst editorials I've ever read. Two days later, Andre Salles writes a fluff piece on Weisner's so-called cancer. Now, we have a story and editorial on how Aurora's crime is down when it's actually UP.
Unless OLB takes over the Beacon, I will never buy or subscribe. I'm also going to start telling all the advertisers in the Beacon to stop advertising in that trash.
Shootings have been under-reported by the APD brass intentionally so Weisner's idiot WIG's wouldn't look worse.
Walty?
????
Who is Walty??
Is the Lawrence editorial in question entitled:
"City Council facing tough election year"?
3:29p
Is that you Jennifer?
"Violent crimes were up 7 percent in Aurora, partly because of a rise from four to 12 murders in 2007. And for the second year in a row, aggravated assaults jumped by more than 10 percent."
That's an increase from 4 to 12 in murders (8 more murders in 2007 than 2006). That's a 200% increase from the previous year (although it is 300% of the total of the previous year).
Of course, a 200% increase is a horrendous statistic (and much more than just a statistic), but the 2006 number was happily low for Aurora. Zero is the goal, but gang activity is slightly higher here than Geneva or Naperville. The cold case prosecutions are important, in my view.
Pray for Father David and others in support of their important work. Blame Blago for eliminating funding for Cease Fire.
3:25
IT IS A LIE, Ediot! That is what is wrong.
I suppose morons like you have no problem with principals who help changes student answers so they score higher on the ISAT as well.
Come on people, Anyone who actually lives here knows crime is up and a major reason for that is powell and weisner.
If you choose to keep your head in the sand you deserve what you get.
I for one would like to see the next mayor have a double blind independent audit of this city for the last 10 years, I would also like to see a double blind independent study and analysis of the crime and police force for that same period.
I think it would tell us a lot about tommy and his goons on downer place.
Weisner lies so often on so many things, he doesn't even realize he lies anymore.
The Beacon prints those lies for him so often, they don't even realize it's wrong.
The ONLY way to stop this is to get rid of Weisner. Cut the snake off at the head.
An audit of this city might reveal some staggering scandals. The mayor's office under Weisner and law department under Weingartz are full of interesting "problems" and "hidden" expenses if you look carefully.
Hey, does Lawrence count as a goon on Downer Place?
Goons on Downer Place. What is wrong with you? Do you really think that anyone wants crime in this City? How would you prevent crime in a proactive way? Do you believe there is a magic bullet to stop violence in Aurora?
I give Lawrence credit for creating opportunity in Jehrico Circle. I hope that his efforts have a positive effect on the poor folks who live there. The City's problems are the country's problems, and it is fundamentally unfair to blame everything on those who wish nothing more than to minimize violent crime in our town.
The Beacon's headline is misleading. The bulk of the article is written with a slant even though they do state violent crimes are up. It is much more mild that it should be.
7:49pm
Hey genius, before you start calling someone an idiot, learn how to spell it.
If you had half a brain, you wouldn't be living in that crap town you dispise so much since you probably elected Weisner in the first place.
this is so confusing Aaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!
I give Lawrence credit for creating opportunity in Jehrico Circle.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
And I blame him for creating a welcoming environment to the people in Jericho circle.
The city should be looking to drive undesirable elements from the community rather than coddling them.
10:20p
Who are you to determine just who these undesirables are? And just how do you propose the city should drive out these undesirables? Quadruple our property taxes maybe? Sounds like you are one of those gestapo undesirables that should leave.
No the city should take the opposite tactic, slash taxes and provide only bare bones public service such as police and fire. Eliminate all social service programs, enforce traditional single family housing standards and verify the income streams of those who are renting.
English only initiatives would be a good addition and public servant standards that are based totally on merit would be desirable.
Aurora will remain a undesirable community with a well deserved reputation as long as it continues to coddle riff-raff.
The Nazi's were very good at getting rid of "undesirables".
" Walt " is just some coward, yes I said coward. He needs to know I'm looking for him!---LITTLE SISTER.
I do not hear much about Stephanie. Is she still a player??
How does OLB feel about her running for Mayor???
The only good shooting stastic is the fact that groom didn't shoot himself in the foot.
I thought he shot his finger shooting out of a windshield. Can someone clear that up?
We can lower our shooting percentages by annexing the city to Naperville. They don't have shootings.
By simply combining both populations, the percentages will fall and property values would rise.
I live next to an Aurora police investigator. I am amazed at all of the stories, not the crime stories but the inside stories.
I would not accept a million dollars to work in that department. There apparently is no trust of their command staff.
The in fighting for positions is appalling. The only bright spot seems to be that their chief was told to retire.
I agree with my neighbor that the only way to fix things is to fire all the commanders and start over, bring in outside professionals. Everything is based on who you know or campaigned for.
I really feel sorry for the men and woman of the police department and support them all.
Stephanie is still running for Mayor!!
Kifowit for Mayor; Leadership that Listens
I hope you all can attend my announcement and campaign kick off party I am announcing my candidacy for Mayor of the City of Aurora on Friday, April 4, 2008.
The event will be held at Long Island Sound Banquets, 1920 E. New York Street in Aurora. It will start at 6:00 p.m.
This event is open to the public (which means you can bring friends if you like), there will be appetizers and a cash bar in addition to a DJ. Please RSVP at (312) 315-0296 so we can plan to have enough food.
This is going to be a tough campaign, and I appreciate all the support I can get. Please come and have a good time. Forward this e-mail on to anyone you like.
Thank you for your help and I hope to see you next week.
Stephanie
---------------------------------
From the very start Stephanie jumped right in-talking to people at Copley, getting people together. But, the owners wouldn't co-operate with anyone. She had some one lined up and Weisner jumped in and took the credit, but, like always the owers backed out.
Stephanie tried to save a Sears house, but because of unforseen circumstances it had to be demolished. She didn't get the help with the Sears house that was given to the house that was just in the paper as being "saved".
She tried her best to keep the drive-in, but the most of the other Aldermen went with Weisner and Bigelow and got us a piece of land we can't use. She tried to get the illegal parking in the 3rd ward cut down, over the sidewalks and on the lawns, by having trained citizens patrol the area but the APD meter maids said it was their "area" but they didn't want to do it. The 3rd ward meetings are open to ANYONE that wants to attend-to me Stephanie or find out about the 3rd ward. If your not the 3rd ward, you can still come to a meeting.
There are many things that Stephanie has done that most people don't know about.
It seems like it is always someone else's fault why Kifowit has not been successful.
Who says she has not been successful? People of her ward know she is doing a great job. That is why she won her last election with 72% of the vote. Not too many politicians win with those kind of numbers.
Lauzen for mayor - I agree.
Is OLB going to be blogging life like? Just like you did for Lawrence?
thanks
1:40
So what I here you saying is she is an udder failure at every initiative she has tried.
SO now we should vote for her for mayor??????
Seems illogical to me.
To get something major done in a Ward--like the drive in, the parking, the house moved, you have to have cooperation from the City and other Aldermen. When they were afraid to go against Weisner and Bigelow, as you saw, nothing got done.
COOPERATION WITHIN THE RANKS WOULD BE NICE.
You don't hear much from or about the other wards.
Just Kifowits and Lawrence. They are trying to get things done and as you could see, they get shot down as soon as they try.
Weisner has no respect for his Aldermen, he critizes them and puts them down every chance he gets--unless they go along with him.
You send an email to Schuler and she deletes it without even reading it. On AOL you can check the status, so don't even ask how do I know!
Sort of a good idea: (This is a reprint of another Blog.
I for one would like to see the next mayor have a double blind independent audit of this city for the last 10 years, I would also like to see a double blind independent study and analysis of the crime and police force for that same period.
I think it would tell us a lot about tommy and his goons on downer place.
3/24/08 7:49 PM
Now mine!
But you have to go back to the start of the process (Piece)
Go back twenty years and see what Pierce and O'Conner started and now is being explored. Remember we didn't have openlin back twenty years ago.
We only had the fused!
Is this city really as corrupt as it seems to be? And is that why this town is in the condition it is in? Just wondering if anyone cares to respond.
Kifowit is alright but like 1:40 listed she has a track record of not being able to get the backing she needs to get things done.
While there may be very good reasons for this. We cannot afford this kind of record of failure at the mayor position.
Plus it is weird that she is running for a position in a government she wants to abolish. is anyone with me on that one.
5:49 There is no system of checks and balances here. The media is weak.The Us Attorney doesn't pay attention to what goes on here.
7:01 -- Yep, I am all about that. Look at Naperville, Oswego, Montgomery, Geneva, Joliet, Elgin, the list goes on and on. They are very successful and we are not. It makes perfect sense to me.
Is the Commitee to re-elect Thomas Weisner the newest memeber of the Beacon editorial staff ?
Is the Commitee to re-elect Thomas Weisner the newest memeber of the Beacon editorial staff ?
Yes it is 5:49.
The city and police dept. are very corrupt. I talk to my neighbor, he is a recently retired lieutenant from the police deptartment. Powell is a not running the place. These grooms are power hungry and trying to run everything. They recently covered up an accident that one of the Grooms fathers was involved in. Apparently the father of groom hit an armored car and it was his fault, but the report was changed. Anybody else would have received a ticket. Hearing that story makes me scared to drive in Aurora.
There have been so many cover ups that the Resco trial in Chicago would look silly compared to Aurora.
The morale must be in the toilet. I was told that a department photograph only had 30 people show up, isn't there about 250 cops in Aurora?
Well my neighbor and I are going out for coffee. I'll get some more stories.
One of the hard hitting reporters on the Beacon News last night was hard at work at a county meeting.
How did the crossword puzzle you were working on work out?
Of course you would have been told what to report on and how to slant it after the meeting was over.
It appears as if the county has a ninety million dollar shortfall but rest assured the Beacon reporter won't be reporting that.
That meeting was too funny.
The taxpayers provide the funds to feed the politicians that are deciding how to spend our tax increase.
The taxpayers have chairs waaaaay in the back of the room and watch the politicians eat a meal (with dessert) that they paid for.
Priceless.
I like the City Manager position that Stephanie supports. It is a PROVEN workable system in any of the towns that surround us. Geneva, St. Charles, and most importantly Naperville!
There is no way that you can argue with success. How many times have you heard anything negative about their city or their government???? I think that Naperville is in the top 5 Great Places to Live & Raise a Family in the entire country ???
Most of the voters will not even KNOW what this system involves and will never take the time to understand it; therefore it will sadly be a non-issue in the race for Mayor.
Stephanie needs a Vantreese project like Rick has to brag about. That would solidify her and help her step to the forefront.
I think quite a few of these cops are alcoholics. I was at the Tavern on The Fox in downtown the other night, and the cops were having a party for a guy named Dan. He didn't strike me as the sharpest tool in the shed, but he seemed like a nice enough guy. Anyway, these guys stayed forever, consuming drink agter drink. They didn't follow the designated driver program either. I was really appalled when some big guy was leaving, and another guy said see ya later sarge. I'm assuming he was a supervisor. Someone at City Hall needs to rein these drunks in! They are setting a bad example leaving, and driving away drunk. What can I do about this? Maybe I should call the Beacon or Chuck Gowdy.
Officers follow the same rules of drinking and driving as you and I do.Unless you have been living with your head somewhere else, the sheriff department is enouth proof.
Its easy to say what you did without any proof that any one left intoxicated, you did not call the P.D. and make a report of Officers over drinking etc. So keep you personal objection to yourself and stop with the phony accusations, unless you willing to stand tall and talk with the O.P.S. Lieutenant and repeat your remarks under oath.
Yep,
Powell and Weisner are crooked. I was at that good bye party for that officer. (nice fellow) I heard many things. The department is no different than Chicago. The bosses are mostly crooked and got their cushy positions from favortism.
Everybody seemed to hate this guy called John Groom. His mom is best friends with Weisners mom. They said that his wife works there also and cheated on a test to get hired.
One guy named doperan has two wives and a can't walk up stairs. And two others, a guy named Dan and Bailer, both worked on the mayors election. Now they are both assistant chiefs.
I liked hearing about the chief falling off his motorcycle.
I really enjoyed the party. The police department should be a skit on Saturday Night Live.
Time to start getting some hidden cameras put into place at some of the local watering hole. Channel 5 could keep a count of how many drinks the cops drink per hour. Then they could broadcast the show. Maybe then the State Police would start looking into things. I too have heard that all these guys are drunks.
$:44 and 6:00... You sound like a disgruntled patrolman trying to air dirty laundry that has been aired many times before. Give it a rest...
I said it before, if any Commander violates your union contract, file a grivance, if any Commander violates you rights, run don't walk to an attorney.
Im sure they do not like you any more than you like them, leave the name calling to your fellow Officers at work, If you do not like them or the P.D. remember the door swings both ways.
Nam calling is one thing. Making the citizens aware of corruption is another. As a tax payer, I need to know if the persons sworn to protect me have a substance abuse problem. I also need to know if there is a cover up. Sounds like investigation is prudent.
I'd just like to see someone get a handle on all the new, out of town landlords picking up foreclosed properties left and right. That isn't the bad part - the bad news is they rent to Mayor Dailey's refugees - and it's gangbang city all of a sudden in parts of the city that weren't that way before.
I'd just like to see someone get a handle on all the new, out of town landlords picking up foreclosed properties left and right. That isn't the bad part - the bad news is they rent to Mayor Dailey's refugees - and it's gangbang city all of a sudden in parts of the city that weren't that way before.
6:00PM
Yes, I heard the same thing about the Groom's.
You are correct they are really hated by EVERYONE!!
You can run but you cannot hide.
Is it really true that this groom fellow was playing quick draw and shot himself in the foot. why is he allowed to be an officer, what a foolish thing to do.
My taxes pay for that kind of stupidity.
Who will be your next chief?
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