I know I'm behind the times on this one, but as mentioned in the previous post, I've been on vacation. I have been stupid enough to check out the Peoria Journal Star web site, and caught Terry Bibo's gossip column on Michael Levan a week ago. I just can't let it go without comment.
There are some people with positions in life that really make you wonder... If Terry Bibo can be a columnist at the Journal Star, why haven't I written the great American novel? If Dan Lietch can be a State Representative, why am I not at least in the Senate? If George Bush can be President of the most powerful nation on earth, why am I not the Supreme Ruler of the known universe? All fair and relevant questions.
I admit, I rarely read Bibo. I find her columns fluffy and, well, ditzy. "Ditzy" is an adjective I really dislike using to describe a fellow female, so I prefer to side step her rants all together. A friend called me and told me I simply "HAD to read her one sided, totally unfair, gossip column about Michael Levan." So, I made the mistake of logging on.
What a column of crap. Why did the editors of the Journal Star allow it to be printed? Stupid question. Last Sunday, Bibo felt the need to publish the criminal history of Michael Levan. Levan, who would readily admit he isn't an angel, has a long arrest record. Apparently, he has been arrested about forty times mostly during his troubled youth. Levan is about forty years old.
Bibo points out Levan's arrest record and not much else. When I read about the troubled history of an individual, I want to know the full story. That is, I want the journalist to her job. How and why does one get arrested 40 times? What in his past caused him to behave so poorly? Was he beaten as a child? Victimized by a cruel step parent? Were his bones broken? Was he put in and pulled out of countless foster homes? Was he so abused and neglected that he was forced to eat from garbage cans as a kid? What is Levan doing now? Does he own property? Does he pay taxes? Did he suffer terrible brain injuries due to a recent car accident and made a miraculous recovery? Does he have a healthy and promising relationship with a lovely fiancee? Does he care for his aging mother? Has he turned his life around? Is he trying? Levan is well known to those that grew up on the East Bluff. Levan is well known period. The answers to such questions can be easily and readily found by a journalist willing to do a semi-thorough job. Bibo doesn't qualify.
I think Bibo is doing the dirty work of the Teplitz's. You see, Levan has been working hard to expose the alleged dirty dealings of the Roanoke Neighborhood Association, formerly headed by former City Councilwoman Marcella Teplitz and her attorney husband, Jack. Serious questions such as, "What the feck happened to all the money?" have been asked regarding the Roanoke Fund, which was recently revoked by City Council. It doesn't look good for the Roanoke Association, and it looks really, really bad for the Teplitz's.
Apparently it's politics (i.e., The recently ousted "Progressives") and journalism (i.e., The Journal Star) as usual in Peoria.
The two have a more incestuous relationship than fruit flies.
If your mind is too open, your brain will fall out. Warning: Names, identities, descriptions, and pictures have been changed and/or used to protect the innocent as well as the guilty. PollyPeoria should not be used or quoted as a source for your senior college thesis.
Tuesday, October 4
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6 comments:
Step away from the laptop, Polly. Enjoy a couple of days off already...
Polly, thank you! You put into words the dissatisfaction I felt at that "news" story, and laid out the reasons for it. Bibo basically showed us this guy and said, "See, he's BAAAAAD!" and then whisked him out of sight.
I think you've got it figured out: Terry B is doing a hatchet job for the Teplitzes.
--Carmen
Didn't one of these civic leader type have a non payment of federal taxes case in the early 90's if we are to go far back in criminal activity ? I remember the charges but never saw an outcome.
It always puzzled me - the no follow up and subsequent positions in government and its representation.
There's a lot of things that the average taxpayer knows that never see the light of day.
A list could be made of prominent attorneys and civic types who are wife abusers, honored drunks, wife cheaters, and just plain turdtappers.
Yet, somehow our media win awards year after year after year. Some real big turdtappers there.
New movie coming out by George Clooney about Edward R.Morrow. We should check it out to see what a pitiful society we, the offspring of the greatest generation have become. The potential to be the greatest hypocrits of all time.
Sure, anon. The press in past generations were never guilty of NOT telling the secrets of public officials. That's why there were so many 72 pt. headlines about Kennedy's affairs, Roosevelt's behind-the-scene's maneuverings, Mary Todd Lincoln's crazy episodes, etc.
The difference is, past generations of reporters and editors (like Murrow) had ethical standards and some semblance of couth. Imagine the political and social ramifications had those stories been told. We would have had three less great leaders -- all of whom were hugely impactful on our nation's history.
I'm not saying there should be a black-outs on illegal activities. By all means, yell it from the rooftops when laws have been broken. But we could all probably do without knowing about the cigars and blue dresses.
Besides, it's usually the "turdtappers" (and I have no idea what that means) that change the world.
Okay, please don't use the word "turdtapper" on my blog any more. I don't know what it means, but I'm repulsed by the image.
I agree with PeoriaDad for the most part, except I thought the semen on the blue dress was important.
It forced Clinton to admit to the world who he was and that he had, in fact, lied and committed perjury during the Paula Jones legal proceedings.
Without the stained evidence, Monica would have been deemed a liar, the affair would have been thought to have existed only in her head (think Jennifer Flowers, and Kathleen Somebody), and we would have never known that Clinton was a not only a womanizer but also believed himself above the law.
What came out out of the whole Lewinsky scandal for me was that the Left are no different than the Right when faced with a criminal leader. Remember Nixon and the "He might be a crook, but he is MY crook" sentiment?
We saw the political and Hollywood left pull the same move with the "It's no one's business. It's a private matter" refrain.
Yup, both Teplitz's have had their legal problems, and there may be more to come. It is certainly looking that way.
Takes care of his mother--HAHAHA--she is scared to death to say anything ill of him for fear of what he may do. If he owns property maybe he should take some of the income and pay child support. He is a mean mean man who has a temper that should scare everyone!!
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