The Strib article on the Zimmermann-Lilligrem race (Trib, 11-1, B2) left
a bad taste in my mouth toward the Strib reporter. In the first three
paragraphs he describes both candidates. Thus, Lilligren is a landlord
and developer (that's stretching the designation quite a bit) with 17
housing units and has chased away the drug dealers. (Not quite true, he
was complaining two weeks ago about the hookers and drug dealers using
the car lot at his corner for business after hours.) He was the one who
got the summer imported hookers this year. He and the businesses in his
immediate area unwillingly hosted that migration. Zimmermann "lives
across the street from a soup kitchen." Not true either. Zimmermann
lives across the Street from St. Stevens' church, school building,
parking lots, and parish house. It does offer meals, as does Holy Rosary
on the east side of the ward and as does Simpson Church on the south
side of the ward. It does not credit Zimmermann as a businessman also,
who has over two decades invested in his own business; he's just a guy
who can talk and listen to poor people. (That is a skill in itself, and
mighty handy in the sixth ward which is all over poor people.)
This sets the stage to persuade readers to vote for Lilligren. Worse, it
does it with a class bias that is invented for the occasion.
In terms of one of the more important economic issues for the sixth
ward, 35W access for Lake St. is not mentioned in the story. Lilligren
voted against the design of the 35W Access Project in the council. His
personal business interests as a landlord/micro-developer whose
buildings virtually abut the freeway beginning about 90 to 120 feet
north of Lake Street and no more than 180 odd feet from Second Avenue
makes me suspicious, to say the least. (Granted, he got the City
Attorney to opine that Lilligren did not stand to gain in voting on the
project. Interesting that the CA did not concern himself with how
Lilligren's immediate environment would change if there was any building
project at that point of 35W.) Not mentioned in the article. I've seen
no vote on Zimmermann's part which could directly affect his house or
business either positively or negatively.
In effect, the Strib again pretends to have the information, but is not
informed; consequently the supposedly straight news article morphed into
editorial sub rosa.
WizardMarks, Central
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