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St. Louis Post-Dispatch

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Friday, October 24, 2008 10:31 PM CDT
Three vying for Coles coroner's job

By DAVE FOPAY, Staff Writer
dfopay@jg-tc.com

CHARLESTON — Two candidates for Coles County coroner say they’ll emphasize relationships and dealing with deceased’s families, while a third wants to follow an early inspiration and use the office to send a message.

Nichols said he typically spends 40 hours, and sometimes as much as 60 hours, each week on coroner’s duties. In addition to responding to death scenes, scheduling autopsies and tests and other related duties, there’s record-keeping is involved, such as a report to the Illinois Department of Transportation after each fatal accident.

He also said he’s made the office more manageable in the filing and organization of reports.

Schniers cited his current work as a funeral director and other work in human services for bringing him the experience a coroner needs when dealing with the families of the deceased.

“We’ve worked with hundreds of families in a time of loss and crisis and I feel very strongly that I can assist them at that time,” Schniers said. “I’m going to be bringing my personality, my skills that I have gained over the years.”

As for the law enforcement aspect of the office, Schniers said all new coroners are required to go through training, and he plans to work with other authorities “as a team.” He said he plans to keep his current job if elected, but his employer will give him the flexibility he needs for the duties.

Snow said he remembers when former, longtime Coroner Dick Lynch did a presentation on teenage drinking when he was in school, and “22 years later, it’s still in my head.” After that, he always served as the designated driver for his friends, he said.

“I’ve seen that teen drinking in Coles County is out of control,” Snow said. “Maybe I can talk to teens and keep them from drinking and driving.”

He also said he would make sure an incident that needs investigating would be handled correctly and he doesn’t “have any reservations when it comes to stepping on people’s toes.” He said he’d quit his current job as a truck driver if elected, and he doesn’t think voters should overlook him because his experience isn’t the same as the other candidates’.

The only criticism any of the three candidates had for the others was Snow saying he mostly wanted to see that Nichols isn’t re-elected, but he refused to give his reasons for that.

Contact Dave Fopay at dfopay@jg-tc.com or 348-5733.

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Harry Potter wrote on Oct 25, 2008 9:13 AM:

" There is only one candidate with any experience in this race: Nichols. Up until a couple of years ago, Schniers and his wife delivered newspapers in Charleston. It looks like he's looking for another part time job. Schniers seems like a decent sort of a person, but I have yet to see any reason to elect him coroner. We have a man in the job with over 20 years experience, so why would we elect some one with absolutely no experience? Oh yeah, because he's a nice guy, right? LOL! "

citizenofmattoon wrote on Oct 25, 2008 12:27 PM:

" Ya know: Im one who is not interested in your sarcasm. IMAGINE THAT since everyone else loves it&*%$#^&$# Everyone deserves a chance. How many have U had? With you WIT or whatever I'm sure you've had plenty...
Harry Potter wrote on Oct 25, 2008 9:13 AM:

" There is only one candidate with any experience in this race: Nichols. Up until a couple of years ago, Schniers and his wife delivered newspapers in Charleston. It looks like he's looking for another part time job. Schniers seems like a decent sort of a person, but I have yet to see any reason to elect him coroner. We have a man in the job with over 20 years experience, so why would we elect some one with absolutely no experience? Oh yeah, because he's a nice guy, right? LOL! " "

Stanley Stetson wrote on Oct 25, 2008 1:06 PM:

" * potter is correct * "there is only one candidate with any experience in this race" * that is why he fully intends on voting for john mccain * thanks leftard * "

Harry Potter wrote on Oct 26, 2008 8:07 AM:

" You must get some sort of perverse pleasure from my posts, mattooner, or else you wouldn't continue to read them, either that or you have decided to be the site monitor. Which is it?

I think you secretly enjoy what I have to say, don't you? If they bother you that much and you continue to read them, you have some sort of a problem.

What is it with people like yourself that can't handle the truth? Ed and his wife did in fact have a paper route in Charleston. Was it a crime to mention that?

I read his flyer and he failed to mention their paper route, so I was merely helping him out.

Geesh, try to do a good deed and some sourpuss comes along and rains on your parade everytime. "

Harry Potter wrote on Oct 26, 2008 8:42 AM:

" Welcome back Doh, we missed you. "

INVICTA wrote on Oct 26, 2008 9:56 AM:

" Potter wrote...
We have a man in the job with over 20 years experience, so why would we elect some one with absolutely no experience? Oh yeah, because he's a nice guy, right? LOL!

So you are saying if the election was between say...George Bush and Obama you would vote for George??? !! (My turn to LOL!)
If the worst thing you can say about Ed is that he delivered newspapers and is a nice guy what is your point?
If Nichols looses it will be because the people who worked with him at C.I.P.S. and the ones who worked under "Mike the Union Buster" as commissioner will vote for the newspaper delivering nice guy. You might also ask Mike why he suddenly changed his mind about running for commissioner of Mattoon the last time and opted to run for Coroner. He also hasn't had 20 years of experience as coroner. Lets be honest with the numbers. If you are going to include experience in the area you will have to retract what you said about Ed having no experience. I mean fair is fair. Ed also has served the public over the years in related fields.(And he is a nice guy) LOL "

BW wrote on Oct 26, 2008 10:24 AM:

" Why isn't Schniers' picture on here too?? Is the paper making a statement? The headline says "Three vying" not "two". "

Kelly Armor wrote on Oct 26, 2008 5:51 PM:

" So in addition to having no training other than "attending a seminar" about the job of coroner, and no formal education even as a mortician, just on-the-job experience working at a couple of funeral homes, nice-guy Ed now wants to keep his other job and treat the office of coroner as a part-time job? (No doubt, he'll keep the full-time salary.) Doesn't anyone else seem bothered by this?

The job of coroner isn't one to be taken lightly. It's important in determining cause of death (which can affect things like your family's amount of life insurance received) and foul play.

For all those touting Ed's great personality (which I've seen first hand, by the way; he IS a nice guy), how much of the job of coroner is dealing with the family of the bereaved anyway? The other qualifications needed for this job seem to far outweigh the personality or grief counseling aspects -- and for all I know, Mr. Nichols might be good at those aspects of the job as well; I've never met or dealt with the man.

It's so ironic that the same people who have been harping about Barack Obama's lack of experience are now saying all you need is personality. Only the GOP. . . . "

Kelly Armor wrote on Oct 26, 2008 5:54 PM:

" Is anyone else concerned that Schniers is the brother-in-law of Charleston's mayor? I think it could be bad for objectivity in Coles Co. to have 2 relatives in such important elected offices. "

robin8002 wrote on Oct 26, 2008 6:19 PM:

" Kelly the two offices are in no way related to each other and would have no benifit to each other in any way shape or form. I encourage everyoen to read the news retraction that is posted under the article " Schniers is able to deal with people's concerns. Lets focus on FACTS . "

robin8002 wrote on Oct 26, 2008 6:21 PM:

" Journal Gazette Where is Mr. Schnier's picture and why isnt it on here when you have the other two canidates pictures on here? "

Old Grumpy wrote on Oct 26, 2008 9:03 PM:

" Harry Potter, " There is only one candidate with any experience in this race: Nichols."

I agree that he has quite a bit of expierence. The biggest problem I have with Mr. Nichols is the quality of his work. I attended an inquest a few years back where he instructed the jury on what verdicts they could bring back. One of his choices was, "Accidental but unavoidable." If that is not a contradiction in terms I do not know what is.
Mr. Schniers and Mr. Snow might not be as "expierenced" as Mr. Nichols but if we re-elect him it would be an accident that should have been avoided. "

cubs4341 wrote on Oct 27, 2008 12:34 AM:

" Why is noone debating abut the 3rd canidate? he has even less experience and less education. "

Harry Potter wrote on Oct 27, 2008 7:22 AM:

" One of his choices was, "Accidental but unavoidable."
-------------------------

I don't know this for sure, but I would imagine Nichols was merely following standard SOP. Do you really think a coroner decides the possible options for a jury to come up with, Old Grumpy? Now if he came up his own ideas about choices, that would be another matter. Just like judges don't write the law, I can't imagine coroners do either.

Knowing what a stickler Mike is for following rules and details, I seriously doubt that he would ever knowingly break the rules, or arbitrarily create a possible jury outcome.

My point is, and has been all along, that we have a very well trained and qualified man on the job, so why would we want to put someone in who has no experience in the job.

Other than some blatantly untrue personal comments that have been made on here about Nichols, no one have really given a legitimate reason to vote Nichols out of office. "

Harry Potter wrote on Oct 27, 2008 7:31 AM:

" Correction about that 20 year remark, actually I believe when you include the many years as a deputy coroner it's over 20 years. How many years has Schniers had, Invicta. I'll tell you, NONE. LOL!

And hey, this is a county issue, I thought your expertise was in telling everyone how to run the city of Mattoon. LOL! (again) "

Harry Potter wrote on Oct 27, 2008 7:50 AM:

" Why would someone who constantly claims to be such a good union man have a sign in his yard supporting an anti-union candidate for states attorney? Just the other day someone from a labor union wrote a letter to the editor outlining that same candidates anti-union position. Looks like hypocrisy to me? What happened to solidarity among the ranks? LOL! "

Rotty wrote on Oct 27, 2008 10:02 AM:

" Harry Potter wrote on Oct 27, 2008 7:22 AM:

"Other than some blatantly untrue personal comments that have been made on here about Nichols"

.......

I'm going to have to beg to differ with you, my friend.

Without giving my specific family info, medic57's post(s) about the way he showed up "on site" is very true.
It was witnessed first hand, by several personnel, how he constantly showed up "on site", or at other various parts of his job, over the years.

Yes, he does have experience, & started out working under Mr. Lynch, a very fine man, but the way he showed up, whenever doing his job, several different times, is very unexcusable in my opinion.

Times, now, may have changed, the man could be staying "on top of things" better than he did before, & I can not really state a "legitimate reason to vote the man out of office", but I think my family is going to give the "new guy" a try.

Whoever the voters put in, will remember it's families first, instead of their own personal issues.

Good luck to all of the candidates. "

INVICTA wrote on Oct 27, 2008 10:25 AM:

" P.S. Harry:
The Komada sign in my front yard(which is none of your buisness) was put there by my cousin who has more than 20 years experience working for the County. I let him put it there because I trust his opinion. I am Don Osborne and I approve this blog...LOL "

injustice85 wrote on Oct 27, 2008 11:45 AM:

" well the first two posts that weren't Harry's barely made sense, as for the rest well lets focus on FACTS right Robin? The facts are Nichols has the experience, I believe Ed does too but I disagree with the nice guy part frankly, I also agree with Kelly on the fact that he is related to the mayor, sounds like a bunch of bull to me, I have seen again and again an unprofessional manner from Mr. Schniers which I think makes him unqualified to deal with people "

robin8002 wrote on Oct 27, 2008 11:49 AM:

" Harry i encourage you and everyone else to read the news retraction on the post under "Schniers has the ability to deal with peoples concerns" "

Harry Potter wrote on Oct 27, 2008 12:17 PM:

" Lets focus on FACTS . "

well...OK, robin... Ed Schniers has no experience as a coroner. How's that for a fact? "

Harry Potter wrote on Oct 27, 2008 1:23 PM:

" Actually, I did read that letter, but I'm still not impressed. I'll take over 20 years experience in the coroners office over a lifetime of non related jobs anytime. If nothing else, common sense, would seem to dictate that Nichols is the better candidate. But I was happy to see you dropped the mud slinging. I think you help your candidate more by telling the truth. "

robin8002 wrote on Oct 27, 2008 1:26 PM:

" Harry the fact is he has more experience dealing with families than nichols thats a fact. How about you read the article "

Harry Potter wrote on Oct 27, 2008 1:34 PM:

" " P.S. Harry:
The Komada sign in my front yard(which is none of your business) was put there by my cousin who has more than 20 years experience working for the County.
-----------------------------
Getting a little testy there, aren't you fella?

So I suppose your cousin will be telling you who to vote for too, huh?

Actually, you seem more like a Reardon type supporter to me. LOL!

And I hope you appreciate that I corrected your spelling for you. No need to say thanks, it's just another service I provide to the semi-literate folks on here. "

People are grasping wrote on Oct 27, 2008 9:45 PM:

" I have worked closely with Nichols for years, and he is the only person in this race worth electing. He has hours and hours of education, not to mention experience, and this is his full-time job. I've heard many say how nice Ed is and that's great, but nice does not a coroner make.

Elect Mike Nichols. "

medic57 wrote on Oct 27, 2008 11:15 PM:

" People are Grasping

When was the last time a death inquery was held in this county? 3? 4 years? Why is that? "

ErnestT wrote on Oct 28, 2008 8:52 AM:

" I wonder how much "experience" Mr. Nichols had when he came into the postition of Deputy Coroner? And just how much experience did any of you have when you started a new job??? Change: (to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if left alone) Isnt this what alot of folks are saying this election, Democrats AND republicans??? "

People are grasping wrote on Nov 3, 2008 9:11 AM:

" Medic--

What is your point? Is there a death that you feel needed an investigation that didn't get one?

Per the article:

Also, Ed is NOT, I repeat NOT a funeral director. He is a door greeter and car parker at the funeral home. If you don't believe me look for his license on IDPH/Department of Professional Regulation.

Finally, change is great, but why would we change something that isn't in crisis or in need of change? I thought that was common sense... if it ain't broke, don't fix it. "

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Nichols

Snow