IS IT TRUE? February 16, 2012
IS IT TRUE that a search firm is recruiting Winnecke Chief of Staff Steve Schaefer for the position of President of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce? Is It True that Schaefer served as VP of Public Policy at the SW IN Chamber for 8 years while also serving as the Executive Director of the Hoosier Voices for I-69 organization?…that Schaefer was let go from the SW IN Chamber last August and then was quickly hired by Congressman Bucshon within 1 week and then chosen by then Mayor-Elect Winnecke shortly after the election to serve as his right-hand advisor?…that Schaefer also was instrumental in revamping the image and operations of the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau as the Board President last year and it would be a huge loss for the community if he departed?
IS IT TRUE that Springleaf Financial is quietly having layoffs in the Evansville office?…that a month ago when the announcement came out that Springleaf was having branch office closures in other locations that some local media and others seized on that announcement that there would be no layoffs in Evansville?…that was not only short sighted it was an impractical conclusion?…that the City County Observer alone predicted that the branch office closings in other areas would precipitate layoffs in Evansville?…that this is not rocket science folks it is simple business mathematics?…that many people seemed to have made deals with themselves on behalf of Springleaf and now they are mad and saying the Springleaf lied?…that Springleaf never said that there would not be layoffs in Evansville but did announce some office closures in other places?…that Springleaf did exactly what they said they would and now folks around here are up in arms over it?…that there is nothing wrong with rubbing two brain cells together and thinking things through?…that when people start to do that there will be less allegations that businesses are a pack of liars?…that no matter what some say, these guys did not lie about this layoff?
IS IT TRUE that one thing the CCO is curious about is just what the status of compliance with the commitments made at the time that AIG was awarded tax abatements on the AIG Headquarters overlooking Scores were granted?…that there were a certain number of jobs that had to be created to get the incentives and abatements granted by the City of Evansville back in 2007 when the headquarters was built?…that we do not know the exact details but we are sure that the job creation numbers were not negative?…that if the Evansville City Council that granted these incentives and tax abatements wants to do something to redeem themselves for their recent Bacchanalian BoozeFest that reviewing the compliance with the AIG tax abatements and assessing some revenue generating taxes that have been abated yet not earned?
IS IT TRUE that the State of Indiana seems to be on the verge of passing some kind of statewide smoking ban?…that it is good to see Evansville finally on the leading edge of something as opposed to being spanked by our Daddy in Indianapolis?…that Governor Daniels can take a lesson from Evansville this time?
IS IT TRUE that after finally losing a basketball game to Tennessee State last week that the Murray State Racers are back to their winning ways?…that after rising to #7 in last week’s poll that the Racers were poised to rise to #5 on the backs of losses by North Carolina and Baylor that happened during the same week as their first loss of the year?…that it looks like Murray could be grabbing a #3 seed in March Madness by winning out?…that without the one loss that Murray would have been heading for a #2 seed?…that the CCO thinks that the hunger of the Racers will propel them into the Final 4 unless they run into the Kentucky Wildcats or the Syracuse Orange both of whom look pretty darn hard to beat?
IS IT TRUE that the Kentucky State Wrestling Tournament is this weekend and we will be keeping an eye on the progress of the Union County Braves who are among the favorites to collect their 8th state championship in the sport?…that in a state that has no class distinctions for a public school with an enrollment of only 700 to dominate in this manner is quite impressive?
What about Mater Dei? Located in the City of Evansville, has won a record 12 state team championships – including nine in a row – and having individuals who won over 22 state titles. Mater Dei, a school of 500 students, is sending 9 wrestlers to the Individual Tournament which also has no class distinctions. And other local High Schools are sending wrestlers this Friday and Saturday.
In 29 years, former coach Mike Goebel coached the Wildcats to an amazing 533-14-2 dual-meet record. One consecutive victory streak reached 135 matches, another 117. His incredible .974 winning
percentage is a national record. Randy Helfrich also set a record of his own by coaching the JV team to a mind-boggling 450-0 record in 27 years. Go Mater Dei.
We have given the Wildcats lots of love in the past for their championships and hope to see them celebrating #13 this year. We always praise local schools that compete for championships. Mater Dei is truly incredible in many ways.
Union County wrestling is much more than just quite impressive–it is truly remarkable that they can regularly beat the giant Louisville & Lexington schools. Bravo to the Braves !!!
Read in today’s Louisville sports section about a kid at Trinity (Louisville) at 138 who is a senior. This kid, John Flay, has not been beaten by a Kentucky wrestler since the fourth grade ! Won KY titles in elementary/middle school (grades 4-8), and has won the KY State title his first three years of H/S (grades 9-11). I am pulling for Union County to win it all to get to # 8, but I would really like this Trinity wrestler to seal the deal. What a story !
It’s beyond a shaddow of a doubt that losing Steve Shaefer would not only leave a huge void in the Winnecke administration, but also will deprive the government consolidation forces of one of their most steadfast and effective war horses. Who will step up to fill those shoes? Certainly no one left at the local Chamber has the working knowledge or dedication to fill Shaefer’s shoes in this regard. It would seem Winnecke now will have to lean on Sheriff Williams to pull the merger wagon forward.
Mark Owen and Justin Jarvis may be looking for some work.
Classic!
Perhaps the public might be allowed to settle the question about “the merger wagon”? BTW, was it not this current mayor, Winnecke, who voted to do away with the rejection threshold when he held the office of county commissioner?
The pro merger county commissioner who did away with the rejection threshold for people living outside of incorporated Evansville, is now the pro merger mayor of incorporated Evansville. How convenient is that for the establishment?
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Steve Schaefer …..and it would be a huge loss for the community if he departed? Goodbye and good ridance. He has left us with the consolidation mess, so he now rides off into the sunset. Lookout Terre Haute.
Steve has been one of the best Chief of Staffs Evansville has ever had. He doesn’t just fumble his way around things like other city leaders, he gets the job done on time.
I asked him to take care of a problem at Roberts Stadium that the BA was letting go for months and he had it done in less than 24 hours. They say to be canonized a saint you have to prove you have performed a miracle. Steve already has that proved.
Also, most people don’t know but Bosse Field just picked up the 2012 GLVC Baseball Tournament. This is the byproduct of Steve’s and Bob Warren’s hard work and dedication to turning around the ECVB which was no easy task.
I really hope he doesn’t leave but like all other people with skill and talent we will probably lose him too.
I highly recommend Steve, just not to the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce. 🙂
Please … I’m sure he’s a fine person and all. But NOBODY can say someone who has been employed in a position for only six weeks can be the BEST chief of staffs in the city’s history. That’s a stretch. So far all he’s done publicly is move Winneke’s furniture in the civic center.
LOL…so true, or the bar must have been set pretty low to surpass all the others in just a short time…of course what does that say about Rose Young?
JMHO
Oh come on, people. You know that’s Just Jordan gathering more brown matter with the end of his nose.
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