mvnNews Stories: 04/08/12

Sunday, April 8, 2012

Final voting results are done

MT. VERNON - The final General Primary Election results for Jefferson County are in.

More than 35 percent of Jefferson County's 23,510 registered voters exercised their right to vote in the election on March 20, according to information from the Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder's Office.

More than 8,000 ballots were cast, with about 52 percent of those being Democratic and 48 percent Republican.

More voters than normal turned out for the primary, said Jefferson County Clerk and Recorder Connie Simmons.

"With a normal primary, we'll do about 22 percent," she said, adding that the 35 percent, however, was lower than the February 2008 primary election, when more than 40 percent of registered voters cast their votes.

There were no major problems at any of Jefferson County's precincts, Simmons said.

"We had a couple machines changed out, nothing unusual," she said.

The final election results for Jefferson County were:

President of the United States

Democrat

Barack Obama 2,616 (92.08 percent)
Republican
Mitt Romney 964 (24.60 percent)
Ron Paul 292 (7.45 percent)
Rick Perry 29 (.74 percent)
Newt Gingrich 276 (7.04 percent)
Charles "Buddy" Roemer 10 (.26 percent)
Rick Santorum 2,348 (59.51 percent)

Representative in Congress 12th Congressional District

Democrat

Brad Harriman 1,574 (55.44 percent)
Christopher Miller 1,014 (35.72 percent)
Kenneth Charles Wiezer 251 (8.84 percent)

Republican

Rodger Cook 706 (20.11 percent)
Jason Plummer 2,499 (71.20 percent)
Theresa Kormos 299 (.17 percent)

Delegate to the National Nominating Convention 12th Congressional District

Democrat

Vote for 7

M. Campbell (Obama) 1,667 (15.71 percent)
B. Brown (Obama) 1,644 (15.49 percent)
S. Pistorius (Obama) 1,368 (12.89 percent)
G. Jiminez (Obama) 1,313 (12.37 percent)
A. Amizich (Obama) 1,422 (13.40 percent)
D. Meeks (Obama) 1,560 (14.70 percent)
D. Moore (Obama) 1,640 (15.45 percent)

Republican

Vote for 3

G. Campos (Romney) 752 (8.14 percent)
J. Diederich (Romney) 813 (8.80 percent)
G. Obernagel (Romney) 676 (7.32 percent)
M. Graham (Paul) 274 (2.97 percent)
A. Randazzo (Paul) 235 (2.54 percent)
D. Throgmorton (Paul) 249 (2.70 percent)
M. Harvey (Gingrich) 325 (3.52 percent)
T. Bryant (Gingrich) 234 (2.53 percent)
M. Bost (Gingrich) 403 (4.36 percent)
D. Gray (Santorum) 1,818 (19.68 percent)
M. Sharp (Santorum) 1,870 (20.25 percent)
S. Langenstein (Santorum) 1,587 (17.18 percent)

Alternate delegate to the national nominating convention 12th congressional district

Vote for 3

G. Graham (Romney) 797 (10.25 percent)
S. Plumlee (Romney) 701 (9.01 percent)
Br. Wallace (Romney) 737 (948 percent)
P. Hampton (Paul) 306 (3.93 percent)
T. Hughes (Paul) 266 (3.42 percent)
M. Frick (Paul) 304 (3.91 percent)
M. Neff (Gingrich) 230 (2.96 percent)
J. Sanders (Gingrich) 386 (4.96 percent)
R. Fulk (Gingrich) 386 (4.96 percent)
M. Langenstein (Santorum) 1,920 (24.69 percent)
P. Wilcoxen (Santorum) 1,782 (22.91 percent)

State Senator 58th Legislative District

(R) David Luechtefeld 3,115 (100 percent)

Representative in the General Assembly 107th Representative District

(R) Mike Bost 3,184 (100 percent)

Circuit Clerk

(R) John Scott 3,297 (100 percent)

State's Attorney

(D) Nobel Y. Dowell 2,078 (60.78 percent)
(R) Douglas R. Hoffman 3,233 (100 percent)

Coroner

(D) Eddie Joe Marks 3,594 (100 percent)

Treasurer un-expired two-year term

(D) Karen Herzing Williams 3,064 (100 percent)
(R) Dan Knox 3,322 (100 percent)

County Board District 1

(R) Steve Draege 311 (100 percent)

County Board District 2

(D) Calvin McClintock 226 (100 percent)
(R) Joey McDermott 359 (100 percent)

County Board District 3

(R) Tommy Hayes 237 (56.03 percent)
(R) Robert D. Knutson 186 (43.97 percent)

County Board District 4

(R) John Keele 340 (100 percent)

County Board District 5

(D) David Stewart 230 (67.45 percent)
(D) Donald Davis 111 (32.55 percent)

County Board District 6

(D) Ted Buck 270 (100 percent)
(R) Jeff L. Williams 123 (50.62 percent)
(R) Scott Flota 120 (49.38 percent)

County Board District 7

(D) Jim Laird 305 (100 percent)

County Board District 8

(D) Don Rector 218 (60.39 percent)
(D) Donnie Wilkey 142 (39.61 percent)

County Board District 9

(R) Robert J. “Bob” White 183 (100 percent)

County Board District 10

(R) Robert “Bob” Watt 183 (61.82 percent)
(R) Curtis “Curt” Grothoff 113 (38.18 percent)

County Board District 11

(D) James Moore 115 (48.73 percent)
(D) Jeremy Hall 121 (51.27 percent)
(R) Tom F. Charleton 141 (100 percent)

County Board District 12

(D) Wayne Hicks 224 (100 percent)
(R) Scott D. Taaka 171 (100 percent)

County Board District 13

(D) James H. Malone 165 (100 percent)

Judge of the Appellate Court Fifth Judicial District — to fill the vacancy of James K. Donovan

(D) Judy Cates 2,771 (100 percent)
(R) Stephen McGlynn 2,885 (100 percent)

Judge of the Circuit Court Second Judicial Circuit — to fill the vacancy of E. Kyle Vantrease

Eric J. Dirnbeck 563 (14.17 percent)
C. Stephen Swofford 245 (6.17 percent)
Paula Newcomb 218 (5.49 percent)
Troy T.J. Parrish 1,797 (45.22 percent)
Kent Renshaw 1,151 (28.96 percent)

Judge of the Circuit Court Second Judicial Circuit Jefferson County — to fill the vacancy of Terry H. Gamber

(D) Jo Beth Weber 2,094 (50.67 percent)
(D) L. James Hanson 690 (16.69 percent)
(D) David L. Piercy 1,349 (32.64 percent)
(R) Nicole Villani 3,063 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Bald Hill

(D) Robin R. Murry 77 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Blissville

(R) Randy Pytlinski 54 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Casner

(D) Walt Garrison 107 (100 percent)
(R) Steve Draege 157 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Dodds

(D) Ted Buck 171 (100 percent)
(R) Ben Johnson 127 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Dodds 2

(D) Ricky D. Heck 89 (100 percent)
(R) Stephen Modert 73 (69.52 percent)
(R) Walter Nodalski 32 (30.48 percent)

Precinct committeeman Elk Prairie

(R) Richard D. Rowe 41 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Farrington

(R) Mark Donoho 81 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Field

Connie Simmons 188 (100 percent)
Christopher K. Bean 154 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Grand Prairie

(R) Matt Hails 62 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman McClellan

(D) Russell Wilton 173 (100 percent)
(R) Johnnie L. Nelson 107 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Moore’s Prairie

(R) Christine Johnson 63 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Mt. Vernon 1

(D) Paul Rainwater 152 (100 percent)
(R) Allen B. Simpson 159 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Mt. Vernon 2

(R) Les Sinks 230 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Mt. Vernon 3

(D) Bart Wright 67 (100 percent)
(R) Cassandra McDermott 79 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Mt. Vernon 4

(D) Grace Smith 62 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Mt. Vernon 5

(D) Larry W. Hicks 122 (100 percent)
(R) Michael E. Flanagan 113 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Mt. Vernon 6

(D) Michael Blakemore 86 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Mt. Vernon 7

(D) Donald E. Irvin 98 (100 percent)
(R) Tommy Hayes 103 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Mt. Vernon 8

(D) Donte Moore 91 (100 percent)
(R) Richard L. Stubblefield 74 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Mt. Vernon 9

(D) James Moore 56 (70 percent)
(D) Ricky Hicks 24 (30 percent)
(R) Kevin Sweeney 27 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Mt. Vernon 10

(R) Wm. Todd Cole 40 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Pendleton

(D) Philip Hopkins 131 (100 percent)
(R) Robert E. Harrison 115 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Rome 1

(D) Larry R. Mooney 85 (100 percent)
(R) Charles H. Burge 134 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Rome 2

(D) Leslie Jay Simmons 37 (100 percent)
(R) Dessie Staley 86 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Shiloh 1

(D) Kay Elliott 87 (100 percent)
(R) Robert D. Knutson 48 (40.34 percent)
(R) Jeffrey D. Bullard Sr. 71 (59.66 percent)

Precinct committeeman Shiloh 2

(R) Daniel Hamilton 160 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Shiloh 3

(D) Paula Routt 123 (100 percent)
(R) Richard “Dick” Martin 148 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Shiloh 4

(D) Russell I. Dalby 190 (100 percent)
(R) Daniel R. Hoffman 161 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Shiloh 5

(R) Randy Jay Edwards 116 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Spring Garden 1

(D) Robert Dunbar 79 (100 percent)
(R) Eric Wolf 57 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Spring Garden 2

(D) Buddy Allen 85 (100 percent)
(R) Lloyd Adams 84 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Webber 1

(D) Alice Harris 145 (100 percent)
(R) Clifford E. Lindemann 103 (100 percent)

Precinct committeeman Webber 2

(R) Mark Marlow 111 (100 percent)

Opdyke-Belle Rive Consolidated Community School District 5 Question

Yes 328 (59.31 percent)

No 225 (40.69 percent)

Woodlawn Community High School District Question

Yes 441 (58.96 percent)

No 307 (41.04 percent)

Illinois Department of Corrections Officials Deny Records On Why Each Inmate Was Sent To Tamms Supermax Prison

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - Critics are wondering whether violent Illinois prisoners can be safely mingled with general population inmates if Tamms Correctional Center closes.
Tamms is a "supermax" prison opened in 1998 to house criminals who caused problems in other prisons.

Gov. Pat Quinn says the prison is too costly. His Corrections Department says other prisons can safely house Tamms residents. In an analysis of public records, The Associated Press finds that 115 of Tamms' 180 inmates are convicted of murder and serving life sentences or terms exceeding a half-century.

It appears 75 inmates were convicted of crimes in other prisons, including sexual assault. But there's no way of knowing why the remainder are there. Officials denied AP's request for the reason each inmate was sent to Tamms. - http://bit.ly/tenSb0

Young People Are Finally Moving Out of Mom and Dad's

If you’re thinking that you can’t get ahead, you’re right. Rents, according to a Reuters story quoting REIS Inc., a firm that tracks real estate data, just posted their biggest jump in four years.

Landlords are taking advantage of declining vacancy rates of 4.9%, the lowest in a decade. But the most surprising fact in the new study isn’t that there are a lot of renters (after all, millions of Americans have been hit by the real estate crash, and people whose homes have been foreclosed upon have to live somewhere.) Rather, it’s that there appears to be a new source of rental demand: young people.

This looks like a reversal of the recession story of college graduates headed back home to take over their old rooms and their parents’ basements.

Real estate observers and economists call the phenomenon “household formation” — a teen or 20-something living with parents is one household, and when said teen or 20-something moves out into the world, even with roommates, that’s another household. Historically, household formation would drive housing demand — sometimes in big waves, as for example, when the Baby Boom generation needed homes of its own.

But during the recession, those young people stopped consuming separate housing and instead boomeranged back home. As Robert Denk, an analyst with the National Association of Home Builders, noted in a widely circulated 2011 paper, during the slump years 2007-2009, household formation dropped down to a third of their long-term average.

One could theorize that those young people probably wanted their own homes, but with the dismal economy, they made the decision not to pursue them.

Now it looks like that household demand is increasing. One Census measure — occupied housing units — jumped 1.5% last year over the year before.

Of course household demand can come from different places: If a married couple gets a divorce, and each take separate living quarters, household demand has increased. But supporting the theory that the demand is bubbling up from the young is the fact that the Millenials, as this generation is known, are oh-so-slowly getting jobs.

For example, unemployment among those 25-29 has fallen from a May 2010 peak of 11.2% to February 2012′s 9.9%. (Check out this great chart from the Philadelphia Inquirer here.)

What does that mean for the housing market? Well, for starters, it should push more buyers into the system. As more of the Millenials compete to rent, that pushes rental prices up, which makes some renters look more favorably toward buying. It’s tough to predict what the ratio will be — will every 10 new renters create one new buyer? two? five? — but it’s clear that demand for owner-occupied housing, which has been slack for five years, is poised to swing up.

This won’t happen all at once; I have previously compared the foreclosure mess to cola spilled on the floor, and the spill is extensive, especially in hard-hit states like Arizona, Florida, and Nevada. But every young person who moves away for their parents is like one more paper towel, and the supply will get absorbed.

Denk, reached via email, notes that “lots of forces” come into play in the homebuying decision: “Vacancy rates in both rental and owner stock, rents vs. house prices, interest rates, incomes, etc.”

But he also notes that in the year since he wrote the paper about pent-up housing demand, that demand has jumped by another 500,000 people who would like to form their own households.

My guess is that some of that demand gets released this year, and even more in 2013. And when that happens, we could see what we’ve been talking about for years: a strong housing recovery. full story