Author: Wick

Just in case you began looking around yesterday’s posted links. You may wonder, what is all this about court systems, and do I vote for anything of that nature this year in my area?

If you’re from Decatur, no. We have no open seats for either Circuit, Appellate, or Supreme Courts this year. But we do get to vote “Yes or No” to keep some current judges in place.

But if you’re from other places in IL, check this voters’ map to check on the openings in your area.

Basically, the Circuit courts are our local court systems. Civil and criminal cases by the millions are taken through these local level courts every year. If you live here in Decatur, you’re part of Macon County, which is in the 6th Circuit Court. (out of 22) We have like twenty something judges at this level.

If there’s an appeal to a decision from a Circuit Court, it goes to one of the states’ Appellate Courts, according to which Circuit Court it came from. Macon County belongs to the 4th Appellate Court in Illinois. (out of 5) We have seven of these.

If someone believes an Appellate Court applied the law incorrectly, they can appeal to the IL Supreme Court. The Illinois Supreme Court is the “ultimate authority on interpretation of state laws”. Usually, an appeal would have to go through the Appellate courts in order to appear here, but it’s not always the case (death sentences, and some civil cases). There are 7 of these Justices, 3 from the largest Appellate District, and 1 from each of the other 4. The one representing our District is currently Rita Garman. Appeals that believe this court has made a ruling against the US Constitution would then go to the federal courts. (where Judges are named/appointed by the Presidential people)

Already covered Constitutional Convention, and you probably know presidential stuff already. So we’ll go in order with other stuff: (vote for one, unless otherwise stated)

US Senator: Dick Durbin, Kathy Cummings (her actual site was down), Steve Sauerberg, Larry Stafford, or Chad Koppie

Congress – Find your Rep. here
15th Congressional Dist. Rep: Steve Cox, Timothy Johnson
17th Congressional Dist. Rep: Phil Hare, Write in Me if you’d want. 🙂
18th Congressional Dist. Rep: Colleen Callahan, Sheldon Schafer, Aaron Schock

State Senate 44th Dist.: Bill Brady, No Opponent
State Senate 51st Dist.: Frank Watson, No Opponent

Rep. for G.A. 101st Dist: Bob Flider, No Opponent
Rep. for G.A. 87th Dist.: Bill Mitchell, No Opponent

MACON COUNTY: (no fancy websites for most of these people)
State’s Attorney: Jack Ahola, No Opponent
Circuit Clerk: John H. Trusner, Lois Durbin
Recorder: Mary Tangney Eaton, Damon Cross
Coroner: Michael Day, No Opponent
County Auditor: Amy Stockwell, No Opponent

Macon County Board: (check here for which dist. you are, Dist.1-3 vote for 2)
Dist. 1: Melverta Wilkins, Linda Little
Dist. 2: William Oliver, Jerry Potts, Tom Greanias
Dist. 3: Jay Dunn, Tim Dudley, Dawn Hagan
Dist. 4: Joe McGlaughlin
Dist. 5: Gary Mathias, Phillip Hogan
Dist. 6: David Williams
Dist. 7: Edward Yoder (4 yrs), Michael Spent or Kevin Greenfield (2 yrs.)

REGIONAL SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS: (Dewitt, McLean, Livingston Counties)
Mark Jontry, No Opponent – not quite sure why this is on our ballot, unless someone lives in one county, but attends school in the other. Our RS is this guy.

Voting to retain each of the judges found in the current Appellate and Circuit Courts? Check back tomorrow for a quick explanation of these court systems.

Propositions:
1 – Oakley to increase maximum annual road tax rate from .50 to .75?
2 – Blue Mound – for or against forming an official “Park District”?
3 – Blue Mound – if for, write in a Park District Commissioner (none running).
4 – Warrensburg – should Warrensburg continue to employ 3 full-time police officers?
5 – Warrensburg – Should Warrensburg spend $12,000,000 so they can build and equip an addition connecting the middle and high schools, and improve the sites?

…or just another way to make a buck. Or in this case, a lot of bucks.

I try not to make fun of the companies who solicit our offices on a regular basis. They’re trying to make a living. But one that caught my attention recently, deserves a word or two. His e-mails tell me:

1. I can sell his product to my church family for TWICE what he makes me pay for it, so it’s a money maker.
2. He confesses to selling it to the public for SIX TIMES the amount he wants me to pay for it, so even the church is getting “a great deal”.
3. That I should be excited, because so far over 1,000 have “received Christ (or recommitted) as a DIRECT result of his product.

As grateful as I am that he allows me to dupe the church family I love, and that he confesses to duping the general public, all under the disguise of wanting customers to “receive Christ”….well, no thanks.

So what’s his great product that has helped transform so many hearts, and made suckers of their wallets at the same time? Video Games.

Even though I am a youth pastor, I’ve never been a fan of using video games (even the actual video games that teens love to play) to just get butts to fill the youth room. But I think I’m actually “anti” this type of commercialism of the Gospel message and the Kingdom of God, even before adding the fund-raising aspects. Seriously, check the website (even though this might be a kind of “advertising”….even bad traffic is traffic…ah well). It almost seems like something someone would invent to make fun of fundamental Christianity.

Do I believe God CAN use something like this to transform a persons’ life? Yes. In the same way that I do actually believe God can reach out to someone through the nonsensical rituals suggested by Peter Popoff – ripoff evangelist extraordinaire.

But I didn’t know how to respond to this guy, other than “Seriously?” So I’ll leave that to you. How would you respond? Or is “delete” enough? Or maybe I’m the crazy one. Maybe I’m missing how incredible an idea this is.

Note: I notice they also sell “educational programming” – with Charlie Church Mouse (clearly a ripoff of Charity Church Mouse) – I’ll wager “secular” educational video games are way better, and don’t threaten you with “H is for Hell, where all the sinners burn” type theology. 🙂

NEW NOTE: Please check out my updated knowledge on these companies in a more recent post. Thanks to Mr. Dotson for helping clear the perception.