Furst Draft

'Panhandlers have taken over the bus shelter at Wal-Mart South'

Phone message regarding a call from a reader:

 A woman called to let you know two panhandlers have taken over the bus shelter at Walmart south. They sit in there and smoke and eat, though they are clearly not waiting for the bus. According to the woman, police say there is nothing they can do. Bus passengers are upset.

If you're as intrigued as I am regarding public policy on panhandlers in Rochester, you'll want to join us at a Post-Bulletin Dialogues program on the issue -- to be announced within a few days.

Quibbling over Maine

This reader takes exception to the Answer Man's tale about Shoppes on Maine last week:

This is in response to the answer given about Shoppes on Maine.  If the company wanted to project a "marine" flavor, as in "on or near the sea", the proper word would be main, not maine.  Check the dictionary!  A main is a large body of salt water.  Maine is a state.

Breanna Bly's quotes at the school board meeting

Something we didn't report in Wednesday's paper regarding the Rochester school board meeting Tuesday: how racially charged some of the remarks were. Board member Breanna Bly, in describing some of the incredibly offensive comments she's had directed at her for being supportive of Superintendent Romain Dallemand, pulled no punches in quoting those comments, and it stunned most people who were there.

On Friday's editorial page, we quote Bly's comments as well as offer an opinion on what Dallemand's contract renewal means. We publish a word in that editorial that I don't recall publishing in my 15 years here, but when one of the city's most prominent elected officials talks that directly about one of the key issues in the district (and the community), she does it for a reason, and we think it needs to be heard.

If I'd been aware of what she said in her remarks when we were getting Wednesday's paper out, we would have addressed them in that news story.

I'm told that a local TV report on the meeting (whether late Tuesday or Wednesday) showed videotape of that portion of the meeting but bleeped out Bly's comments. Have an opinion on that?

I'll note the obvious here: Keep your comments on this item and all others civil and respectful or they'll be deleted and you'll lose commenting privileges. Too bad I have to add that.

Cortese: 'Our costs are our costs'

Among the intriguing tidbits in the Washington Post story on the "Mayo model," which we'll follow up on:

    ...dissenting experts and lawmakers say Congress should scrutinize the assumption that a Mayo-type model is the answer. They point out that Mayo's patients are wealthier, healthier and less racially diverse than those elsewhere in the country. It has few poor patients. It limits the number of procedures it performs per patient, but the rates it charges private insurers and self-paying patients is higher than average, allowing it to thrive despite the lower Medicare spending cited by its supporters.

Mayo's clientele is even more selective compared with other Upper Midwest hospitals. Its Rochester flagship accepts Medicare patients from outside Minnesota only if they are willing to pay a personal premium beyond normal Medicare coverage, a practice that screens out some who cannot afford to pay more -- and attracts patients deeply invested in their own care.

Then there are two fairly dismissive comments from Mayo chief executive Denis Cortese...I wonder how these played in Mayo's executive suites?

...Mayo chief executive Denis Cortese played down the screening effect of the Medicare premium and said he was untroubled by the low rates of Medicaid patients at the clinic. "Why don't they come? I don't know," he said.

...In his office high above Rochester, Cortese disputes the notion that Mayo is anything but lean to the bone. "Our costs are our costs," he said. "It costs us a certain amount to hire our cardiologists, our radiologists, all our services. Everything we've got here is what we have to pay for."

'Did you forget that you have a sports section?'

Here's a note from a while back, from a reader who doesn't like Vikings coverage on the front page at times:

Hey PB people!

Did you forget that you have a sports section in your paper and that is where blurbs on Vikings should probably be?

I can hardly believe that, with all that's going on in our world today that could truly impact our lives, that something so trivial in comparison as a couple of Viking players would rate the front page above the fold as it did in yesterday's paper.

It matters to us, does it matter to you?

Lois Brekke

(If I had a nickel for every time somebody has tossed that "matters to you" line back at us in an unkind way, I'd take the rest of the day off.)

My response to Lois:

Thanks for the note, Lois. Sometimes we feature lifestyle and sports news on the front that we think will interest a lot of readers, and I can't overstate how many of our readers are interested in the Vikings. You and I may not be...many people are.

The front page isn't intended to be a hierarchical guide to the day's top news -- it's to interest readers of all stripes to pick up the paper. Hopefully it accomplishes that most days.

Thanks again for your note,
Jay

'You certainly are very left wing'

I was minding my own business at Starbucks several days ago when a well-known Rochester leader who shall remain nameless stopped by and said "people are talking" about the headline on the previous day's front page. The headline on Sept. 10, just below a pic of Obama addressing a joint session of Congress the night before, said "Mayo backs reform."

This well-regarded and well-connected community leader said it was misleading because the clinic does NOT back Obama's health care reform. She went on to a litany of other eye-opening complaints about the president and the times we live in, but it was that first point that puzzled me, because the story clearly says the clinic backs health care reform -- in fact, I'll give you the complete top of the story:

Moments after President Obama finished his prime-time speech on health care reform last night, the Mayo Clinic voiced support for much of the president's plan.

"Overall, we support his call for health care reform. I think he showed good leadership on the issue. I think he did a good job on calling on both parties to pass meaningful reform," said Jeff Korsmo, director of the clinic's Health Policy Center.

Korsmo was invited to attend the president's speech as a guest of 1st District DFL Rep. Tim Walz. In an interview after the speech, Korsmo said there are two major things that Congress needs to do - reform health insurance and reform the payment system.

What Mayo Clinic supports in Obama's plan

* An individual mandate requiring all Americans to purchase health insurance

* Prohibiting insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions

* Providing sliding-scale subsidies to help those in need to buy insurance.

Mayo Clinic concerns

* A public insurance option based on a Medicare model. "I think there is still room to create the choice in a way that doesn't expand government-like programs," Korsmo said.

* Clinic wants to hear more specifics on how the overhaul would change the payment system, basing it on quality of care, not quantity of care. "We won't really change the way we deliver health care unless we change the way we pay for it. We look for that to be a significant part of the bill," Korsmo said.

Sounds to me like the clinic supports "much of the president's plan," and the top guy for Mayo's health care policy center is quoted as saying exactly what the headline says -- "Mayo backs reform."

But the notion that the clinic backs Obama's reform apparently is anathema to some in Rochester. I've heard from about a half-dozen readers who can fairly be described as people who oppose health care reform, the president or both, who think we got the facts all wrong. Here's one e-mail:

RE:  Mayo Backs Reform
 
Why do you always put large print headlines that are untrue?  This isn’t the first time you have done this.  I don’t know how Mayo puts up with you.  Mayo DOES NOT BACK OBAMA’s plan as you further print their concerns.  You certainly are very left wing.  My husband and I are independents, so we have very open minds to this, but this is way overboard.  I am not sure we will continue your paper.
 

The Smiths

Well, I hate to break the news to you, friends, but the clinic does support health care reform and with the caveats noted above supports President Obama's approach.

There was an excellent story in the Washington Post last week that we'll be addressing -- it raises intriguing points about the "Mayo model" for efficient health care and whether it can truly be replicated on a national scale. The story notes that the White House has responded to Mayo's critique of the reform plan to date, moving more toward Mayo's position. Jeff Korsmo, the clinic's health care policy center director, says flatly, "There are people trying to position us as anti-reform, but we wouldn't be doing this if we weren't for reform."

Sounds like Mayo backs reform, led by the president.

Nuts about ACORN

I've heard from a number of readers who think we're nuts not to have cover-to-cover coverage of ACORN. Here are two examples of e-mail, one of which captures the more conspiracy-minded opinion we hear from presumed Fox viewers:

Why are you not covering ACORN?
 
I have recently renewed my subscription in the hopes that you are once again reporting the news fairly, but if all I’m going to get for my money is a left wing blog I’m going to save my hard earned money!!
 
Robert Dowse

+++++++

Hey,
Let's have some in depth news about the corrupt ACORN that Obama used
to work for.

Thanks

The phrase "Obama used to work for" is, of course, unfair, but par for the course.

How Duluth and two Iowa cities deal with panhandlers

Here's a note from City Attorney Terry Adkins, regarding his research into panhandling ordinances in Duluth, Davenport and Bettendorf.

I'll address some of this in an upcoming column. Also, we're considering a P-B Dialogues forum later this month on the panhandling, and hopefully Terry will join us.

I did hear back from Gunnar Johnson, Duluth City Attorney.  He responded to your article and my inquiry concerning the Duluth anti-begging ordinance.  He said if you come to Duluth today, you will see people begging on street corners and other public property.  The police will not intervene and arrest the beggars.  Instead, the Duluth ordinance is used “discreetly” in response to a complaint (typically from a retail store owner) about someone whose begging is making potential customers uncomfortable.  The police give a verbal warning to stop begging at a particular location and that usually ends the matter.  Gunnar says, in practice, the ordinance is used for “aggressive begging” incidents only.  Finally, no one has challenged the constitutionality of the Duluth anti-begging ordinance.
 
I was also able to make contact with the Davenport, Iowa City Attorney (they call it Corporation Counsel).  Contrary to what you were told, Davenport does NOT license beggars nor conduct any background checks on such individuals.  Davenport ordinances only prohibit begging in the roadway and aggressive begging.  Davenport ordinances state that passively standing with a sign does NOT constitute panhandling.
 
In fact, I have learned that it is Bettendorf, Iowa that requires the licensure of beggars and panhandlers.  The Bettendorf City Attorney explained to me this rather unique approach.
 
In Bettendorf, one must get a license in order to beg or panhandle.  (There is no background check.)  But, the license is free and anyone who asks for a license will get one.  There are no requirements or prerequisites in order to get a license.  To get a license, you go to City Hall and speak with the City’s social worker.  The social worker will give you the license, but will also tell you about the various programs and services available to those in need.  The social worker will attempt to steer the applicant to that program or service appropriate for the person.
 
Two things are accomplished by this approach.  First, the person seeking the license is made aware of all of the programs and services that are available.  Second, upon noticing one who is begging or panhandling, the general public will know that the person: (1)  has been made aware of the available programs and services, but has decided to not make use of them; and (2) has decided the money from sympathetic citizens is preferable and perhaps more profitable than making use of those available programs and services.  As such, the public will not donate to these individuals knowing they were offered, but refused, assistance.
 
The City Attorney told me this licensing regulation has never been challenged in court.  He feels confident should it be challenged since everyone is entitled to a license and there is no cost to get one.
 
This is a rather unique approach to a common problem.  The Bettendorf City Attorney told me he believes they are the only city in the country with this type of program.
 
Terry

 

Among all the comments from readers about panhandlers...

This was among the best and most heart-felt. The 22-year-old writer gave me the OK to post it here. I don't always ask permission, since it's not necessary, but in this case, it's fairly personal.

        I am just taking in all the aspects of your article on the panhandlers. I volunteer on Fridays from 4-9 at the Dorothy Day Hospitality House. I run the shelter with my sister-in-law. A little over a year ago we had is laid on our hearts to help the homeless people of Rochester. We often saw the panhandlers on the street corners while we were out shopping and hanging out. So we decided to make up care packages to give to the homeless people, which would include toiletries, snacks, bottled water and umbrellas, blankets etc. We started dropping them off to all the pan handlers, it was in the back of our head that some of these people may be homeless and some may not, but we did it out of the goodness in out hearts and wanted to help them either way.

         One night we found a homeless lady sleeping behind a dumpster, we contacted the cops and they actually got her a hotel room for the night. One of the next times we went out, we found a gal and she was a wreck, we told her we wanted to find her  a place to stay. So we bartered with cops, with the Dorothy Day, and the women's shelter, no one could do anything because it was so late at night. We, very naive at the time, let her come in our van to warm up, at that point we noticed that she was intoxicated and she wouldn't get out of the van, she became hostile. Eventually we talked her out of the van, and gave her a blanket  and a care package. She ended up sleeping in a park, at least that is what she said she was going to do. Therefore, after that incident, we wanted to help the homeless in a way that would be more safe. Therefore we looked around at all the possibilities. We ended up trying out serving dinner at the Dorothy Day, we LOVED IT! We liked it so much that we ended up signing up to run the Friday night shift at the house which includes, checking homeless in and out, cleaning rooms, and best of all interaction with these people in need.

        Okay now to my point, I guess I really don't have an opinion if I am totally against the panhandlers or not. While working at the Dorothy Day I have actually seen the card board signs there. So obviously some people there are panhandling and are truly homeless. I even talked with a lady that was down here for the Mayo Clinic with her husband, they had no money, no place to stay. So I was driving that next Friday and there she was out by Barlow Plaza with a sign. So that night I was eager to ask her about it. Her husband was so laid up he couldn't go with her. She said she was out there for 4 hours and made $140.00, she told me she was not proud of herself for doing it, but this was a dire time for them.

        Also, if you stop to give panhandlers money or donations of whatever kind, most always they will tell you why they are there. They basically tell their story. My brother-in-law went up to one at Wal-Mart south just to see what his story was, not even to give him money, he was going to tell him about the homeless shelter. He was from Florida, came up here for a job and then got laid off. So this man was actually living behind wal-mart in a make shift tent. He said he didn't want to come to the shelter because he heard bad stories about it.

        On the contrary, I have also witnessed panhandlers that used to be at the Dorothy Day and I know that they have apartments and get assistance. So it is a touchy subject.

        For the people who want to help and give people money that are panhandling, but are kind of shy of doing so because they are unaware if they are really homeless or not. They could donate items(clothes, toiletries, baked goods, money, etc) to Salvation Army, Dorothy Day, Interfaith Hospitality, etc.  These items would get to the people in need who are really homeless, then they wouldn't have to worry that their money was going toward alcohol and drugs. Another idea if people insisted on giving to the panhandler, they could shy away from giving cash money to them and maybe get them gift cards to fast food restaurants or to wal mart.

        All in all I really don't know why I wrote this, but I have a heart and passion to help the homeless, I believe they are citizens just like non-homeless people and deserve a fair chance!

Thanks for listening to me!

'We need help, and whatever the president can give the country'

Reporter Jeff Hansel took a call from a reader and passed along this note:

An 87-year-old woman from Austin called to say she was deeply disappointed that we placed "Austin Woman Goes to Washington" on the front page of the Austin Post-Bulletin, yet placed the article about President Obama's comments about health-care reform inside.

"We need it so much, what he talked about, and you're blasting him," she said. "… It's mean and because senior citizens, we need help, and whatever the president can give the country — God bless him!"