Monday, July 25, 2016

Fireworks Fiasco on Maple Hills

KBUR reported of illegal fireworks going off near Circle K Gas Station as well as surrounding areas. Police were on scene filming each of the individuals who were responsible.  It was reported that fireworks were being shot off both at people and vehicles.

http://www.kbur.com/2016/07/06/burlington-councilman-illegal-fireworks-made-city-sound-like-war-zone/

Nearby residents photographed and filmed different areas of the scene before and after the fireworks were shut off.  Broken glass was seen on the street as a street cleaner rolled around to clean up the mess.











On U.S. 34, a small fire ignited near the road as a result from firework use days before the fireworks incident on Maple.



Burlington Council member Tim Scott expressed on KBUR radio later in the week on the culprit's Facebook status that was provided to him at the city council meeting.  He read the post that was made the day of the incident prior to fireworks being fired off.




The former Chicago resident now a Burlington resident reported to have a large amount of friends liking and commenting on the status making him an influence of the violence the night of the incident.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Officer Dale Wyatt placed on adminstration leave

The Hawk Eye published information about Officer Dale Wyatt's administration paid leave for attempting to disrupt and steal someone's cell phone from recording.  A video surfaced of the incident that prompted the Burlington Police Department to conduct an investigation.

http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/Cell-phone-slap-111814


Saturday, November 15, 2014

Officer Dale Wyatt, one of the Burlington Police officers involved in illegal police brutality activites, left his body camera turned off

Officer Dale Wyatt, a police officer from the Burlington Iowa Police Department, left his body camera turned off despite police regulations.


The camera is designed so when the button in the middle is pressed down, the camera automatically records.  Seen through the video, Officer Dale Wyatt appears to not have his recorder turned on.

This could indicate that he didnt want he and his fellow officer's actions to be recorded and observed.  Near the end of the video, he yanks the phone out of the victim's hands as an attempt to shut his first and fourth Amendment rights.

Burlington Police illegally conduct a search without a warrent; Officer Dale Wyatt tried taking victim's phone in fear of being recorded (VIDEO)


A video surfaced on YouTube on November 10th of two officers from the Burlington Iowa Police Department conducting illegal activities including police brutality.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ckO8fplCWRM


 

The person recording the video is telling officers that one of the officers didn't issue a warrant nor answered of who he was.  The man pointed to this officer who was suspected of causing the problem.


















When Officer Dale Wyatt asked if there is a problem in the house, the man asked "If there was, does he need to announce a warrant, a name, a badge number."  Officer Dale White replied, "No". Multiple times.























The man asked twice, "He does not?"  Officer repeated the answer no to him.  He then replied as he grabbed a hunk of brush and started crushing it in his hands, "Do you have all the legal knowledge?  Look it up."  The officer looked as though he was losing his patience and probably wanted to hurt the man recording him.






















Officer Dale Wyatt then proceeds in mocking the man then gets into his face.






















Officer Dale Wyatt then proceeds in stealing the man's phone and yanks it out of his hand.





















According to the Burlington city website, Dale Wyatt was hired to the Burlington Police Department on March 29, 1999.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

City of Burlington proposes building expensive trinkets instead of fixing the real issues

The Burlington City Council proposed an expensive method in protecting the City of Burlington's riverfront.  They would like to have a flood wall to protect nearby businesses and the rest of the riverfront from future floods.

The Hawk Eye reports the city is hoping to receive at least $16 million dollars from state grants.
http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/flood-mitigation-111314

KBUR reports the overall cost ranging to be between $21.5 and $28 million dollars.
http://www.kbur.com/2014/11/13/public-looks-at-drawings-while-consultants-describe-the-landing/

Earlier this year, the Burlington City Council also eyed in the possibility of building an indoor sporting facility at the RecPlex.  The city council is also hoping to raise $6-7 million to cover part of the cost.  The overall cost is $16 million.
http://www.kbur.com/2014/09/08/burlington-council-gives-blessing-to-indoor-recplex-funding-feasibility-study/

The Burlington City Council left one thing out:  Where's the money going to come from?

The answer?  Increase property taxes.  Again.  Property taxes have been increasing every year.  That includes trash collection.  What is suppose to be used in paying back the heavily-debt local economy is continuing to be used to pay for outrageous things.

In 2013, The Hawk Eye released information on multiple toxic entities the City of Burlington has been funding through taxpayers money for at least a decade.  It was reported that these entities never made any profits.  There were entities such as the Flint Hills Golf Course, the RecPlex, and similar government-sponsored businesses.

Around that time, there was a proposal of eliminating the city's BUS transportation and replacing it with the SEIBUS, a more expensive alternative for customers to travel to and fro throughout the city.  After many complaints, the city council instead cut funding for the service.  The service wasn't losing as much of the profits as the Rec Plex and the Flint Hills Golf Course which continues to drain more taxpayers dollars.

The Burlington City Council tried pushing for a 3% franchise fee without the public to vote on it.  However, former mayor Tim Scott told the council to have the voters to vote whether to have it or not.  On August 2013, the results came in as the majority of voters voted no on the proposal.
http://www.kbur.com/2013/08/06/august-6th-special-election-results/

The Burlington City Council also forced a child and teenage center that was part of the community for more than two decades.  Despite its low impact in hurting the city's profits, the council stopped funding it.

The city council's excuse to proposing to cut insignificant tax payer funded projects?  "Its part of the budget plan".  A budget plan to help large corporations achieve tax-funded projects that receive no profits that the city can help bring the economy up in the area.  Although they have made very few small cuts in the big pork spending entities, they were insignificant enough to make a real impact. 

In 2004, the City of Burlington decided to sue Burlington Northern Santa Fe.  The reason?  Because The City of Burlington council claimed it would bring back jobs and to give them money over a dispute in an agreement from the mid 1800's
http://www.ble-t.org/pr/news/headline.asp?id=13731




















Two years later, after wasting more than $2 million in taxpayers dollars, the City of Burlington lost the lawsuit.  Of the more than $2 million dollars that were wasted, some $300,000 was spent for lawyer service for one year.






























Around this time, the City of Burlington council also forced an entire area of individuals that lived in these WW2-era homes.  Some were paid to leave while others were threatened, pushed around, and forced to leave.  The reason behind all this?  To build a mini mall by of a Minnesota-based company.  After everyone was evicted and the homes were demolished, the Minnesota company withdrew their offer to buy and build something with the land.

Some years later, city council proposed about building a community garden full of fruits and vegetables that anyone can grow.  It was later scrapped.  Around 2010 or so, the city council proposed a voting system where the most votes goes to having their taxpayer dollars to fund the specific item on the list.  One of the items listed was building a community youth center behind Walgreens where the Manor use to sit.  The vote was later tallied and the community center didn't make the cut.  Now a business wishes to build something there (which the city council had stopped the process from happening as of two years ago or so ago.)  To this day, its nothing but trees, grass, and abandoned roads with some driveways that use to lead towards some of the homes.

The real issues the council faces is the tax-burden community, the lack of jobs in the area, and the increasing debt the council refuses to fix efficiently and effectively.

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Burlington City Council voted 4-1 against gun ordiance; mayor having a meltdown; The Hawk Eye and KBUR sits silent on the issue

On Monday night, the Burlington City Council voted down the gun ordinance that was written up by Burlington Police Chief Doug Beaird.

The only person who voted favor of the ordinance was councilman Bob Fleming.

Before the vote was called for, Mayor Shane McCampbell stated that he was in favor of the ordinance during the meeting.  He made multiple statements in previous meetings as well as television and phone interviews/broadcasts.

http://wqad.com/2014/07/07/burlington-considering-toy-gun-regulations/
http://www.iowagunowners.org/legislation/iowa/item/81-burlington-ia-city-council-stopped-by-gun-owners-for-now

Mayor McCampbell denies that toy guns were to be part of the ordinance despite the wording that was made for the ordinance reading.  He became very animated and angry during portions of the meeting due to the overwhelming emails, phone calls, and Facebook posts being made about him, the council, and the police chief.  That includes about the mayor doing something unprofessional.

An editorial in The Hawk Eye discussed about the illegal misconduct each of the council members have been doing for violating the Iowa open meetings laws.  They are believed to have been committing walking quorums.  Its currently being looked into.

http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/Alison-072114
http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/OMA-censure-resolution-072214

When someone spoke about Facebook-related content, Mayor McCampbell increased his anger and frustration towards the person(s) involved and stating that they are running their mouths.  He even goes further into saying the person who posted something on Facebook isn't from Burlington and that he incites in a threatening message about dealing with him one on one. 

He insists that its nothing more than propaganda and spreading of misinformation.  Doug Beaird also agrees.

Here is the entire session of the ordinance discussion during Monday night's meeting.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XVg1cPvSK4c

The resolution for the voting as well as the numerous comments being made within the 40 minutes worth of discussion in relation to the ordinance was not covered by The Hawk Eye as well as KBUR.  The only time the ordinance was mentioned was in The Hawk Eye.  There was only a small blurb indicating that the ordinance was discussed at the meeting.

http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/Censure-vote-WEB-072114
http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/Council-precede-072114
http://www.thehawkeye.com/story/OMA-censure-resolution-072214

The resolution in regards of the ordinance may not be finished.  It may be quietly being rewritten by the Burlington Police Chief.  It may be likely the ordinance will return to a vote on an updated version.

Saturday, May 3, 2014

Stupid teenagers walked on icy Mississippi River (Video); KBUR protected individual's names

Earlier in March, three teenagers walked onto the icy Mississippi River.  They were not charged for attempting the stunt because its not considered illegal to do.
http://www.kbur.com/2014/03/10/kids-film-themselves-walking-on-mississippi-river-in-burlington/

KBUR didn't reveal the names in their article.  They also didn't link the video of them walking on the river.  In fact, they even had the image of the three of them removed.  Luckily for me, it wasn't too hard to recover it.

This is the photo KBUR had used for their article.  On the left is Conner Brockett, the middle is Preston Broeker, and the right is Luke Haviland.














The article was featured on their Facebook account however that post was deleted.




















This is due to the person who was commenting was the camera man.  He revealed the other two individuals who were involved with the stunt.  Fortunately for me, I was able to screen grab some of the comments from him.













There you have it, folks.  He and his two friends are using their max brain power to walk on potentially unstable ice in short sleeve shirts and shorts.  Here's the video of them walking on the ice.

If you are not able to see the video, you may have to disable any ad and privacy blockers to view it.


Here are some photos and posts made by the individual who recorded and walked out on the river.  The first photo shows them on the other side of the bridge.  Its unclear whether they walked the entire distance from the other side on ice or on stable cement ground.

























UPDATE: MAY 5, 2014 2:00 AM

Here are some Vines two of the three individuals posted.  Videos provided.