Cased Closed? Never!

WEEK TV reported at 5:00 that the City and the theoretical old/new (maybe) owner of the Grandview Hotel, Kris Jain, went to Court today to see if the Judge's earlier order to close the Hotel for 30 days (60 days suspended) was followed.

It wasn't. If you require a refresher in this bizarre drama, be reminded that Chase Ingersoll claims he purchased the hotel one day after the Judge issued his ruling to close the problematic, crime ridden property.

In order to give legitimate residents time to find new living quarters, the Judge order the Hotel closed by November 11th. The 11th came and went. The City did nothing. In all fairness, it was Veterans Day, Courts were closed. Monday rolls around. Nothing. More guests register at the Hotel. Life and business goes on as usual. The City seems not to mind. Same with Tuesday and Wednesday. Ah, but TODAY the hot shot legal team goes to Court, but only because the Judge scheduled this date, a status review, at the same time he issued his original order to close the place down. Nice of you guys to make it.

Now, those of you who didn't go to law school (or fail to watch Boston Legal) may not be familiar with a handy motion known as "Rule to Show Cause." Any attorney who occasionally stayed awake during Civil Procedure class should be familiar with it. When a Judge's order is not followed, the injured party (The City) can waltz into Court and demand to know why the delinquent party (The Hotel) has not come into compliance. Rarely, a Judge's order is not obeyed for a good reason. If the Hotel was the only structure left standing after a major earthquake, for instance. Otherwise, the offending Party is typically held in contempt and the Judge can order the Sheriff will to put people and their possessions to the curb before locking the doors and wrapping the building in barbed wire to enforce the Order. (Greater legal minds might disagree with Polly. Some would say a new owner would be enough for the Judge to re-think his original order.) Oddly, the Judge can't do anything to remedy the situation until the City files a Rule to Show Cause Motion. The Judge might know his order is being ignored, but until the injured party files a motion, his hands are tied. (Quirky, eh?) Today the Judge ordered the Hotel be closed for the full 90 days instead of just 30. Judges don't like to be ignored. So will the Hotel close? Nope. Why? BECAUSE CITY ATTORNEYS STILL HAVE NOT FILED A RULE TO SHOW CAUSE MOTION.

Randy Ray should have filed one Monday, at the latest. That he didn't have one ready to go at today's proceedings is pathetic to say the least. Clearly this case is not a priority for the City. Uh, does anyone know of one that is?

Kris Jain, the former/new (maybe) hotel owner believes the sale between he and Ingersoll is void. According to WEEK, Chase hasn't made a mortgage payment. Apparently Jain is one guest who won't be living at the Grandview Hotel any more. The Judge tossed Jain's temporary restraining order, which previously kept Ingersoll from evicting him from the property. The Judge did this because he can't uphold a Temporary Restraining Order (which would essentially uphold Jain's room lease), on a property that he has CLOSED.

If all of this is too boring for you, just remember, there is sex and drugs involved. Ingersoll alleges Jain demanded sex in lieu of rent money from some guests. Ingersoll also says that Jain illegally taped some of those sex acts. Employees at the Hotel have said that Jain was very aware of the drug activity on the property, he simply demanded a cut of the profits.

Anyone care to place a wager when and/or if Randy Ray will ever file a Motion to Show Cause? It has probably dawned on the neighborhood by now that The City of Peoria V. Jain/Ingersoll/Grandview Hotel could be litigated for years and years. A sound strategy considering the pathetic performance of the City's legal team.

P.S. Chase, how about the following for a new name?

Just a suggestion.

You'll get no argument from Russell.

"Damn. It IS cold in Peoria."

G.O.P. = Geezer's Old Party

What the Republicans need is a big honking dose of vitality. The party is tired. Clinging to tax cuts doesn't cut it anymore. The old and wealthy might still want to wallow in tax relief, but recent polls show that taxes are not the primary issue for most Americans. In the aftermath of Katrina it became painfully obvious that the nation's infrastructure has been neglected. Americans don't want tax cuts as much as they want their tax money well spent.

As baby boomers retire and Gen X takes over, the GOP needs to be courting the issues that matter to younger voters. Classically liberal domains such as the environment and education need a Republican invasion. While thirty and forty something Republicans still very much value making a buck, they are also now raising their children after growing up with words like PCBs, half-life, and toxic waste in their vocabulary. Many have watched their parents or older relatives battle cancer and wonder if the smog blanketing most American cities and towns might be to blame. Today's parents are also stuck putting their kids into public schools overwhelmed and underfunded by Bush's No Child Left Behind policies.

If America wasn't somewhat homophobic, the victor of the last presidential election would not have been Bush. It was the states with gay marriage props and amendments on the ballots that got the GOP and moderates to the polling place. Lesson learned: It is hard to motivate moderates, but it is possible. The morals of the Republican party may be more in line with the average citizen than previously thought, but the agenda overall is out of touch.

Why is it that on most college campuses the Young Democrats rule? When I was in college, most Dems seemed liberal, but also angry and bitter. I never could figure out what the draw was to joining their group. One could work to help the poor and abused without being beaten over the head by cranky environmentalists trying to save the Spotted Owl. Republicans were having a better time and had more drinking money.

The stereotypical -and don't most stereotypes have at least a kernel of truth to them?- Republican, a late fifty something wealthy white male who clawed his way to the top of the corporate latter and expects government to further reward him (and his Fortune 500 employer) with tax cuts is no longer relevant.

During the Carter era when unemployment percentages were in the double digits, inflation was out of control, and the energy crisis was in full swing the Republican agenda made sense. It doesn't anymore. Bush seems to want to follow the same agenda as Reagan. As if there wasn't a single problem that tax cuts and a kick ass military couldn't fix.

Put down the fiber wafers and wake up! Allowing me to keep several hundred or a even a thousand bucks of my own money is not going to make a big enough difference in my life to buy you my loyalty come election time.

Prego Man likes Bridgette....

Per your request Prego. What has this gal been doing lately? Not many pics of her on the web...

Hello Kitty!

A little something for everyone....

Double my pleasure? Huh.
Thanks. I will.