Biden plays in Peoria

Last week I hosted Vice President Joe Biden for a visit to my hometown of Peoria. He had been invited to speak at the Partners In Peace awards celebration held annually by the Center for the Prevention of Abuse.

The center is the only agency in the State of Illinois to provide combined services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault/abuse, and elder abuse. The Center also reaches students age pre-K through college with violence prevention education, as well as abusers with an abuser re-education program.

Partners in Peace awards, courtesy Fred Zwicky, Journal Star

Vice President Biden gave a terrific speech in which he announced a proposed $130.5 million increase in the fiscal 2011 budget to combat violence against women:

"This is about educating the whole society. There's been progress. But the problem is still with us today. I have always said that once we got to the White House we would step it up even more. And we will. We need to nourish and support more programs like yours."

I want to thank the Vice President for his support of the center and its mission. He has been working to end domestic abuse for decades. In fact, he authored the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, which led to the creation of our Peoria County Family Justice Center.

George Manias of George's Shoeshine shows Vice President Biden how it's been done for 63 years.

If you read the news reports of his visit, you'll know that I introduced the Vice President to two of my favorite Peoria landmarks, George's Shoeshine and the Spotted Cow restaurant and ice cream shop.

George's is a downtown Peoria legend run by George Manias. He's been in the business for 63 years and has seen it all. He didn't even bat an eye when the Vice President sat in his chair.

Vice President Biden talks shop with Peorians at The Spotted Cow

At the Spotted Cow, Vice President Biden sat for more than an hour talking health care and a range of issues with a crowd of local folks. One of those at the table was Lucy Gulley, President of Rock Solid Concrete Products. Rock Solid is one of the many small businesses participating in Recovery Act projects. Spotted Cow proprietor Frank Abdnour even took a break to join us at the table.

It was a terrific honor hosting Vice President Biden around town, and--all in all--it was a fine day. I want to thank the Vice President for spending the day with us and for the warmth he shared. And I want to thank Peorians for giving him such a friendly welcome.

Comments

[Michael E. Bailey]

It is very good news that the White House is stepping up the fight against domestic and sexual and child abuse, and that Peoria is taking these issues seriously, too. You only need to listen to a tv or radio news show or read a paper to know that these problems are still with us but maybe less than they were at an earlier time in histroy. And it has helped that they have come out of the closet. I remember here where a paratransit driver who had 2 disabled women on his route molhested them for a long time before one reported what was going on. Anf 2 staff persons in one of the group homes beat some of the clients there and recorded it on their cell phone. When the cell phone owner sold it to another staff person, he forgot to eraise the pictures and that is how those 2 staff ersons were caught. Best wishes, Michael E. Bailey.