December is Don't Drink and Drive Month

Just a reminder that the month of December is designated as Drunk and Drugged Driving Prevention Month in Watseka.

Watseka Mayor Bob Harwood signed the proclamation at last month's Watseka City Council meeting.

The elected officials and city services such as the Fire Department will be celebrating the signing of the Proclamation over at the Traditions Bar should anybody want to know.

In a side note to this story, rocker Brett Michaels recently appeared at Traditions finally giving Watseka something worth talking about.

More Scandal for the Watseka Fire Department

By Gus Swenson

In a previous article, "Drunken Watseka Fire Department" we showed a disturbing photograph of the members of the Watseka fire department. At least one of the men dressed in uniform have been identified as Paul Parlich. We will posting the names as they become available. What a disgrace and waste of taxpayers money. We understand that the fire department has 24 volunteer members, but it is still costing our town to train them, and pay for their uniforms that they have disgraced. What kind of example does this set for our young people and what does other communities think about us when they see images like this of what are supposed to be our most upstanding citizens?

This comes after the controversy that resulted in a long session of the Watseka City Council to discuss city personnel. You'll all remember the April 10, 2010 wedding of firefighter Tim Mayotte, son of the fire chief Dave Mayotte. Mayotte used the city fire truck for his personal use at his wedding. Other stories have surfaced about officials using other city equipment for personal use, including the scanners, radios and police background checks.

The photos that we have are of another fireman's gathering at a local pub. Paul Parlich is featured as is his wife Heidi, who while dancing the drunken jig had reportedly just had back surgery and filed for disability. Take a good look at these, folks, at least two men in these photographs are wearing the blue Watseka firefighter's uniforms.

Drunken Watseka Fire Department

 By Gus Swenson

They say pictures are worth a thousand words. Unfortunately, not all of them superlatives. While the town of Watseka is in its worst financial shape in history, our fire department thinks nothing of spending foolishly on their drunken night on the town.

See "More Scandal For The Watseka Fire Department"

Stop the Presses! Illinois Approves Massive Tax Hike

By Gus Swenson
Watseka News reporter

The state of Illinois has just approved a massive state income tax hike and one that Illinois Governor Pat Quinn vows to sign quickly into law. Lawmakers passed the proposal to raise our personal income tax rates to 5% for the next four years-a whopping 66% increase. Corporate taxes will also rise to 7%, but Quinn denies that the increase will drive businesses out of the ailing state. We disagree. Why should residents or business remain in a state with ridiculous taxes when they can go elsewhere?

 The rate increase is the largest that any state has passed in American history. 

"It's important for their state government not to be a fiscal basket case," Quinn told reporters

This was the last harrah of the General Assembly who worked into the night to pass the increase before the new members were sworn in at noon. It is always the tax payers who pay the price for wasteful spending and crooked politicians.

Despite the fact that this is supposedly only going to last four years, amidst an already failing global ecomony, we predict that these high taxes will be permanent.

Governors in neighboring states are already attempting to draw tourists, business and residents from the failing state of Illinois.

Child Molesters in Watseka

Is everyone here sick of all the child molesters in Watseka? You'd think the town was over run with them. One of the more scandalous stories of 2010 was that of 26 year old Nicole Brown who was indicted in May 2010 by a grand jury on two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault. She is alledged to have made sexual contact with an 8 year old girl in November and December 2009. Brown was babysitting the child at the time. In April 2010, the girl finally told a family member and it was then reported to the authorities.

Ms. Brown is no doubt a very troubled individual. We have had witnesses who told our news reporters that at one time in an attempt to prevent eviction, she sent x rated photos of herself to her landlord as payment. She was nonethless evicted. Also her maternal grandfather served time in prison for having molested his own daughters.

Happy News Year!

Welcome to the news blog for Watseka Illinois. We are starting 2011 off by starting this news blog about all the news that is happening in and near Watseka. 2010 was a big year for news in this small town. We are going to launch this news website with recaps of some of the biggest and controversial stories of the year. If you have any news tips, photos or announcements that you would like to share, please send them to watsekanews@yahoo.com .