" What a load of crap! How can you name graduating from a local high school, graduating from EIU, and raising a family in Coles Co. as evidence that Schniers is qualified to be coroner?? How many thousands of people living in our county fit that description, Mr. Stoner? Are they all qualified to be coroner? Well, probably just as qualified as Mr. Schniers is. . . . "

" Mr. Stoner, you really need to educate yourself on the duties and job description of the coroner. It's not about comforting the loved ones of the deceased; it's about investigating the cause of death. That DOES require training, preferably in forensic science. Mr. Schniers offers us the people skills of a grief counselor. Those are important skills, no doubt -- just not for this position. Perhaps Mr. Schniers is seeking the wrong job; his skills could be put to better use in a different capacity. "

" Let's assume Schniers is elected and completes his 6-month training. Then let's say I'm killed in a car accident -- another driver pulled out right in front of me on Rte. 16, leaving me no time to react or slow down, and Schniers is called to the scene to investigate. He notices the Obama/Biden bumpersticker that I still have on my car. Do you suppose he'll treat my family with the same dignity and compassion as he treats the family of the dead driver of the other car, a car that has a McCain/Palin sticker on it? Given the way he treated me after coming to my door and learning I was a Democrat, this is one of those things that makes me go HMMMMMMM and utter a little prayer about the outcome on election day. "

" havahd, party politics has nothing to do with dealing with families and pronoucing someone deceased. Ed is respectful of all people nomatter what party they vote for. This is the reason that he has so many signs next to mr. obama and mr ferguson. Because the public know Ed is the man for the job. And that party politics have no please in the coroners office. "

" Ed is nowhere near respectful to all parties or all citizens for that matter,I witnessed him pulling up his signs if they were next to a Nichols sign which is absurd but why act that way? UNPROFESSIONAL and rude "

" Robin, at last we agree on something -- party politics shouldn't have any place in a position like coroner. However, I am not as confident as you seem to be about Mr. Schniers' ability to put politics aside. I am not the only Democrat who has received harsh comments from the candidate, Mr. Schniers, himself, after he learned of my political affiliation. Apparently injustice had a similar experience as well. So please don't lecture me about party politics; you might want to save that lecture for Mr. Schniers. "

" hahvahd - Ed isn't pushy or abrasive like you. Assuming you behaved in person as you do here, I can see Ed wanting to have little to do with you. However, if you were dead, you would behave much better, and I'm sure be treated much better... regardless of party affiliation. Your family would be treated with compassion and concern even though you have suggested in your postings that the way your family is treated isn't important. It's about how many certificates the coroner has. "

" Ron, very weak retorts regarding your thoughts. you have really disarmed the attempts to glorify the performance and history of the Nichols office. Maybe CSI is looking to add another bad actor to it's cast...one can only hope. I hear they do enjoy drinking on the set. "

" itsjustme wrote on Nov 1, 2008 5:58 PM:

" hahvahd - Ed isn't pushy or abrasive like you. Assuming you behaved in person as you do here, I can see Ed wanting to have little to do with you. However, if you were dead, you would behave much better,

Gee thats not the Ed Schniers I've seen around the community, Ed behaves just like the people on here defending him "

" Robin, you should stick to things you know about rather than comment about how Ed behaved when you weren't at my home when he came by, were you? I didn't ask him to come to my home; he came trying to get votes. I spoke to him with respect and courtesy, but firmly told him I wouldn't be voting for him. When he found out my party affiliation, he launched into a tirade against me. I promptly shut the door in his face and left him still shouting on my front porch. I don't allow myself to be treated that way by INVITED guests to my home, let alone someone who was UNINVITED and, after the things he said, unwelcome. "

" Oops, my last post about Ed Schniers behavior on the front porch of my home should have been directed to itsjustme, not to robin. My apologies.

To the moderator: I thought you didn't allow posts that were potentially libelous. What about all these posts that insinuate that Mr. Nichols drinks too much? Seem pretty libelous to me. "

" Okay, oldschool, is this direct enough for you? I think many of the Schniers supporters come across as ridiculous when they make comments like Mr. Stoners' that mock the training that professional coroners should possess. Should is the operative word here -- clearly, since Mr. Schniers lacks that training, his supporters find the need to mock and dismiss those types of qualifications. Instead they rant about compassion -- as if that is one of the duties of a coroner. No, that's a trait needed for a funeral home employee; it's vital. It's the main purpose of a funeral home employee -- to provide comfort for a deceased person's loved ones. The job of the coroner involves investigating cause of death -- a job for which CSI training would be quite appropriate, not something to deride or make fun of. A coroner's job makes maintaining a professional distance a necessity! It's very difficult to maintain that professional distance if you're becoming emotionally involved with the deceased's family. "

" hahvhd- Clearly another lie, its seems all you ,karen standard, john roetker, or any other nichols supporters on this post can do is slander mr. schniers. The facts are Ed is a compassionate and caring man, who has more experience dealing with families and helping them through tough times. You are wrong once again THE CORONER DOES NOT DETERMINE CAUSE OF DEATH, this is done by a doctor or a medical examiner it is not the coroners job. No coroner is allowed to decide cause of death. Nomatter how many useless classes they have attended on the backs of the taxpayers "

" Seriously robin, please get someone to edit your posts. They are painful to read. "

" Robin, I quote, verbatim, from the Coles Co. Illinois Homepage, Coroner, FAQ's: "A coroner investigates and determines cause of death." Are you now claiming that our county's official home page is lying, too?

And by the way, how dare you call me a liar for saying what happened when Mr. Schiers came to my home while canvassing my neighborhood for votes. I was there. Were you? Actually, Mr. Schniers came to my home twice, several weeks apart. The first time he struck me as a rather fake, glad-handing politician, smiling too big and acting like I was his long-lost buddy as he started to launch into a schpiel asking for my vote. I apologized and explained I was on my way out the door; I was leaving for work. He smiled, apologized, and said maybe he'd catch me some other time. He came back again several weeks later, and by then I'd already read up on the candidates, so I cut him short when he launched into his schpiel and told him I'd be voting for Nichols. His tone dramatically changed, and he asked, "What, are you a democrat or something?" When I explained that as a matter of fact I AM a Democrat, he started into a tirade about how it's impossible for a Democrat to be a Christian, and some other nonsense, and I promptly asked him to leave my property and slammed the door. That's how it went down, Robin my dear. I may be a number of things, but I'm not a liar and don't appreciate being called one by someone who doesn't know me, who wasn't there, and who can't possibly have witnessed everything Ed Schniers has ever done. If you say he's a nice guy, I'll have to take your word for it. Maybe he was having a bad day or something, but I certainly saw an ugly side to him. "

" Obviously Schniers is some sort of a religious zealot. Several comments have been made about that issue. Is Schniers trying to pander to the church folks get votes? Really, what does his his religious views have to do with running for coroner? He needs to save his preaching for Sunday. And isn't it enough that he tried to overstate his door greeter funeral home job too? "

" Ed Schniers got my vote. He is the most caring man you will ever find. He was very active with Campus Life early on. He has reached and touches so many lives in the community! I cannot imagine a better person for this job! He is simply amazing! I have watched his magic over the years as he embraces our youth and helps guide and heal them. It never mattered if you were rich or poor he would help you. He is a sybol for a true gentlemen in every sense of the word.There is not another candidate that can compare with him. "

" and you haven't slandered anyone right Robin? lol "

" As far as being a door greeter, John Schilling is almost always there to greet people, and he owns the funeral home. "