IS IT TRUE January 1, 2014-Happy New Year Edition! We All Just Lost Another Pile Of Our Tax Money

1. Just got back from one of those parties…Wow, do we need to consider changing our city’s name from Evansville to suckersville, or maybe Marksville, and we have some saying that when we should not challenge others who came to our city,i.e. asking for financial information because we may chase off potential investors…Why would you ever think like that, hell, this city is in a festive mode, like Santa Clauseville.

   • Hey, Bottomsup…I think we need to move away and come back with some hair brain idea and cash in….in wait!!

     • I keep trying to push this idea. http://blogs.chicagotribune.com/.a/6a00d83451b4ba69e2014e870afaff970d-250wi

   • Does the City Council have to approve all City type expenditures like these projects?

     Was the City Council controlled by the Democrats 8 to 1 when these commitments were made? Answer: Yes

     Was John Friend on the City Council and Chairman of the City Council Finance Committee during this period when these commitments were made???

     Please advise.

     • McClintock claims your party controls the city council.

       • Where did you get that statement?

         • Ghost is right about that statement. Carol McClintock wrote that a little over a year ago in an email solicitation she sent out.

   • Bottoms,

     I too am befuddled. City Council gave away $ 20 Million on the Hotel without so much as cursory look at track record of the developer, etc.

     If the Hotel deal goes South it will make this $ 647,500 look like small change !

2. Why didn’t Debbie Dewey of Gage and the Mayor inform City Council and County officials about this most disturbing issue.

   Earthcare and Global Blade Tech vetting done by Gage means about $1 million dollars of taxpayer money down the rat hole. How much money of our tax dollars are we spending each year on this worthless organization called GAGE?

   • What is your basis in making a statement that they were not informed?

     • Because we weren’t. How’s that for a basis?

       • Sounds solid to me! Will you PLEASE run for Mayor??? I have a whole lot of know-how in such matters, and if you’ll do it, I’ll do ANYTHING to help.

3. MARSHA, MARSHA, MARSHA. Troy Tornatta for County Commissioner.

   • Please. Replacing her with a liar and a fool is not the answer.

4. I recall reading that there was a consultant in town, whose specialty is “urban medical centers”, touting downtown as the place for the IU Medical School because it would draw hospitals and related offices, and later, some retail and hospitality investment. He didn’t mention WHERE downtown all of this wonderment is to take place, nor that we already have the adjunct facilities in place in non-urban areas, that are offering land for the school. His argument for downtown was totally applicable to the USI Campus site, and weak against the east side sites. I am just wondering if we, the taxpayers, paid to have these steaming, stinking “pearls of wisdom” dropped on or heads, or if one of the Mayor’s supporters footed the bill. Do you know, CCO?

5. Winnecke is a effing dunce. Good thing he’s a republican though, sheep.

   • You can register a sheep as a boxer with the AKC if you fill in the blanks the right way. Winnecke is no more of a Republican than Obama is. Why the local Republican Party allows him to keep that label is beyond me.

     • LOL! Well Republicans always shout “fiscal conservatism” on the campaign trail but the reality seldoms works out that way.

       Evansvile is so GD corrupt its sickening. It permeates everything. The media, the schools, the unions, both political parties, the contractors, everything. I hate them all!

     • Yoda says: “Why the local Republican Party allows him to keep that label is beyond me.”

       Because he has a lot of good ideas, he is a winner and more than 60% of the Evansville voters give him a “Favorable Approval Rating” to name a few reasons.

       • Wayne was this “scientific poll” taken at your holiday house party?
         Great ideas like giving away taxpayer money to made up fly by night businesses?

       • Wayne Parke should not be allowed to keep posting about any poll whatsoever until he has shown proof of such claim. If he’s allowed to keep posting an unproven poll, why not just have everyone state John Friend has a 100% approval rating and be done with it?

         It would be one thing if this poll was classified or unavailable to be released. It’s quite another to come on here and keep regurgitating a basic poll without any proof.

         • Rails&RobertsStadium says: “Wayne Parke should not be allowed to keep posting….”

           You have got to be kidding! What happen to “Free Speech”? The Mayor Winnecke very high poll results are a fact. Just because you do not like the poll results does not change the facts. Voters think Mayor Winnecke is doing a very good job.

           You have a problem getting over things that you are wrong on.

         • Who’s poll wayne? Again conducted by you at your home holiday party last month? He said not keep u from posting in general but rather this fictitious poll you continue to cite.

         • Do you think before you post Parke?

           First of all, no matter if what you say is correct or incorrect, your freedom of speech rights do not extend to a private message board.

           Secondly, it is not “freedom of speech” to just go around making up whatever you like without backing it up. You would be on here complaining up a storm if someone was on here trying to gain an unfair advantage by telling people John Friend had a 100% approval rating,so don’t act like you and Winnecke should get special treatment.

           If the poll exists show it. Otherwise it should be considered hearsay and should not be allowed to be passed across the internet.

           One other thing Parke, I’m still waiting for your civil engineering report on Roberts.

   • There are no democrats or republicans in Evansville, just good old boys.

     • Don’t leave out the girls!!

       • Yeah, have you seen ’em?

     • Indianaenoch says: “no democrats or republicans in Evansville……” You are wrong again.

       • Wayne, when I see democrat leaders crossing lines to support republicans, and republican supporting spending that would give democrats an Obama-gasim, there are no republicans or democrats in Evansville, just good old boys. Do tell me, which of the un-vetted loans, selective presenting of the truth, and cronyism should make me feel good about being a republican? How do I tell the difference between Wienzapfel and Winneckie?

         • How do you tell the difference in Weinzapfel and Winnecke? The one picking up paper like Evie the garbage dog is Winnecke and the one who did nothing is Weinzapfel. The one who tricked Winnecke into calling the meeting to take away the Homestead Tax credit is Weinzapfel and the one who got tricked and blamed is Winnecke. When it comes to being Mayor, Winnecke is a nicer guy but learned all of his tricks from Weinzapfel. Finally the one that has a voice like the new Dr. Pepper man is Weinzapfel and the one who sounds like a TV anchorman is Winnecke.

   • The earthcare deal was proposed, encouraged, presented and supported by most of the city council. There was special support from Brooks, Robinson and other members of the African American community. If one of the council members hadn’t of done a lot of research it would have been worse. I felt at that time and still feel the same, the democrats set LW up for failure. Remember all of the agony that Connor went through before he voted YES to earthcare.

     • Brooks Robinson ? The former Orioles third baseman is responsible for Earthcare

6. Gawd Dang Evansville, you people look like some 12 year old trying to win a stuffed animal for his girlfriend at the county fair who just can’t figure out that the game is rigged.

   Why don’t you just take your economic development money down to the boat and play the slots? Your odds would be better than just writing checks to any band of hucksters that come along.

   Who is in charge of vetting these things? Is it GAGE or the Mayor? One thing for sure is that whoever is vetting these things is clueless. You would do better if you just get some voodoo practitioner to do a tarot card reading.

   • Hey,Georgia,the heck with Evansville,I recall you saying something about the Marietta area,hows Lockheed Martin doing lately? “Logistical air transportation innovation” has captured my attention since the air cargo gridlock this season. Having plenty of experience in AN/application systems along with some hands on aircraft on board environmental systems development, innovations and manufacturing. that place,or maybe a Boeing location might be drawn to this conceptual innovation I”m modeling.

     The thing would give viability to cutting turn around time at the hub by at least 80% per transport unit. I”m talking a more advanced,however kinda simple application to safely and a/n certified preflight de-ice the aircraft quickly for next station deployment.
     “I mean real quick”, “monster hub,big carrier fast” this is a viable thermodynamic application,hell we already have the basic technology.

     Basically I’m shooting for environmental sustainability*,and carbon sequestration balances through an advanced ground,and tarmac delivery process,at the transportation logistical hub.*

     Set,a Intel/prop. on the thing in process already. This thing has a major load of climate change carbon credit points benefits tacked into the packaged application,really a cool match with that aspect, most of all “Its an “elevated” forward process function.”

     So, is the Marietta location near its max drive capable? If it is maybe Kansas City,Phoenix or Seattle,Dayton,shoot maybe even Southern California,damn they’re politics are worst than Indiana/Kentucky/Illinois/Ohio,though.

     Boy, I guess I wouldn’t sell spit for a profit,if it helped Pelosi,Feinstein,or Reid. Those damn fools couldn’t manage viable plan for a stinking cheap ass dog park,either.

7. The black marks on the records of the past two mayors continue to pile up. The same can be said for Marsha Abell… This woman is a sellout. She should change her name to “Marsha Cain”. The sooner we kick her self-righteous ass from office, the better. Her signature on that bogus Centre naming rights contract should be enough to seal her political death warrant. In the old days, this loud-mouth would have been tarred, feathered, and rode out on a rail.

   • Amen!!!!

   • I’m not so sure. It seems to me that Evansvillians are suffering from “Stockholm Syndrome”. We have learned to depend on our oppressors.

     • Perhaps if we keep this up we can have a mental illness named after us too. “Evansville Disconnect Disorder” perhaps?

       • True! It would be free publicity, and it isn’t any worse than the other publicity we’ve gotten.

         • EKB,Brad: Publicity that counts. A contemplation, when you receive your updated Sewer & water bills in a couple of weeks.

           The CSO problems and perceived affected taxpayers per applied as customers,population,and yes even your local elected for now,or future politicians.

           While you’re at it. Bing or http://www.Wikipedia.org sick building syndrome.
           If you bother read through the [Neurotoxin’s] sections listed on that defined page. like the insurance commercial,it might just “splain” that whole plethora of problems you seem to have there.

           EKB, funny you would have added the “Stockholm syndrome’ involving defined: “capture,and traumatic bonding” while I was thinking the largest issue the actual taxpayers in that town have, is the CSO problems,and the costing to fund those.”if applied legally”?
           Thats a big ole can of it, if, one really looks into an “Stockholm syndrome aspect” of the issues at hand there. Scha’eezzss!

           You have to concentrate on the issues at,the present,and in the mail box that will definitely ad cost your whole metros personal funding. I don’t think The EPA is going anywhere,per the problem anyplace in the country that is out of compliance,so Evansville is no singled out target there for the fines and such,just one on the list of many.

           Conclusion: Get a metro plan that works forward.

           Build for climate change,build for environmental sustainability*,with balanced living* in your metro area.

           (IE: Sustainable Career paths, and the required jobs,through working infrastructures, through each incremental future project application )

           data et accepta,curi bono ?

           expenditure and receipts,for who’s benefit is it ?

           “Fugit inreparabile temprus”

           “irretrievable time flies” (Virgil)

       • Brad, great diagnosis, but how about, self defeating or self destructive personality disorder. I think we have local politicians that could reach into the mouth of victory and jerk out defeat.

   • +1

   • The homestead exemption fiasco should have put most of the local politicians out to pasture. The fact that they have been elected and re elected does not speak well for the citizens of Vanderburgh county.

   • Brad Linzy says: “black marks on the records of the past two mayors continue to pile up”. Where have you been? Are the 60% plus of the voters in Evansville who gave Mayor Winnecke a favorable rating wrong? Are you smarter than these voters??

     Brad Linzy says: Marsha is a sell out?? On what? What is bogus about the naming rights? The name is going to be changed and ONB is putting up millions of $$$ for the Hotel. Sounds like a great deal to me.

     You apparently do not like a person who tells the citizens her opinion and does what she said she was going to do. We need more officeholders like her.

     • Well, apparently you’ve had your head somewhere else. The contract Abell signed gives away naming right to the Centre, $1 million worth of free tickets, and 2 free rentals a year for 30 years and we get jack in return guaranteed. The only alternate explanation for her and the other signatories of that piece of toilet paper contract not being sellouts is they are just completely illiterate and incapable of serving in their current positions. Either way, they need to go.

       Thanks for reminding us what it looks like when someone plays dumb, Wayne.

       • Brad–Using your statements (I am not saying they are correct) do the complete math. What did ONB give and what did the citizens get?

         There was no sellout and they are not illiterate.

         • Wayne… Playing dumb won’t fly on this website. The readership is too savvy to fall for your silly 12-year-old games. Why even bother going toe to toe on these issues if you’re just going to play dumb? That’s like Roger Federer or some other huge tennis star going to Wimbledon and just standing in one spot waving their arms around the entire match, going double fault on every serve by failing to so much as make contact with the ball.

           You finally drag your ass out of the shadows on this ONB Plaza-gate issue and all you can squeeze out is the turd you left above?

8. The CCO is the only place that I know of to get this information. All of the other media outlets seem to put out propaganda so the royal family in MLK Palace won’t be displeased.

   The word of our local government’s incompetence, corruption and cronieis had better get out NOW in order to have a chance to fire all of these baffoons! Otherwise we’ll wake up on the morning after the local general election with the same feeling that the Real Conservatives, Constitutionalists, and Tea Parties had when Barry O. won his second term.

9. Looks like things are stacking up on the Mayor. Homestead Tax Credit, $200,000 loan to Earhcare, Johnston Control project, not vetting businesses before loaning tax payers money, big salary increases in 2013 to political appointees, sign ordinance problems and issues posted in todays CCO IIT.

   Don’t even get me started about that Abell person political baggage.

   It’s time for a change. John Friend or Rick Davis for Mayor. Bruce Ungethiem for County Commissioner.

   Happy New Year.

   • John Friend is just another good old boy

   • Ralph Edwards: You need to check the facts on what Party officerholders started/ committed these things. Mayor Wineckee did the best he could do to reduce the damge done by the others. I assume you know the Demcrats controlled City Council 8 to 1.

     What Party is Bruce Ungethiem going file under?

10. John Friend as the nominee ensures a second term for Winnecke.
    His mug shot will be plastered on every billboard in town.
    Game over when that happens.

11. Perhaps! Politics is much like the weather, sunny today, stormy tomorrow…just keep your eyes on the city’s cash balances…Frank McDonald left millions of dollars in reserve for Russ Lloyd, approx 50 million and Weinzapfel came in with only 10 million left….this same situation happened with Mike Vanderveer in 1980…hell, they were turing off street lights, telling employees to hold paychecks until Tuesday and back in those days, we did not have property caps in place. So, boys and girls, keep your arms and legs inside the moving vehicle and buckle up!!

12. The current process is just window dressing, which is what is wanted by our current shepherds. You must have people that really know how to analyze your borrower with respect to the risks of enterprise management. A person with an impressive title will not cut it; you can’t B.S. you way out of these decisons and titles don’t always equal compentecy. I can think of maybe two people that sit on one of our many boards that can do this. Groupthink is not an option; each must have an informed opinion of what needs to done and argue (yes I said argue) from there a decision that addresses the risks.

    People from various relevant disciplines are needed to underwrite requests that have the experience to do basic things such as background check (you would be surprised at how many don’t know how to even do this)!! Generally speaking a banker, accountant, or lawyer individually don’t have the skills to analyze a financing request, but together they make a team that can avoid making stupid mistakes and apply the necessary critical thinking needed. This of course assumes critical thinking is wanted.

    By the way how’s the audit coming? How’s that hotel financing coming? I’m hoping that 2014 won’t be a year of meet the new boss, same is the old boss. This news doesn’t raise that much hope.

    • You know what happens when we assume! Critical thinking is NOT a thing the local pols like.

13. This story really burns my backside!!

14. It is supposed to snow and get slick tonight, starting around 11, but there is no sign of any pre-treating in the Greenriver, Lynch, 41 area. My grandson just came by from the Lloyd and Burkhardt area and said he didn’t see any action yet, either. Snow is due in 5 hours. Mr. Mayor, County Commissioners, are you here?

    • EKB: When do the kids there go back to the classrooms?
      The weekend could bring some nasty weather, as well.
      Then some really cold air penetrates the Ohio valley basin.
      Single digit lows not much warming during the days,temperature flux, as such generally causes failures.
      Probably causes water line failure issues in some place’s with the older supply infrastructures. Planning should reflect that.

      If so repair forward,repair for sustainable climate change infrastructure,such as updated water supply ingrounds.
      Rapidly moving weather systems,are are “another leading edge significant cause” first page,into the scientific climate change abstract forward.
      Plans for preparation and adjustments for climate change actions forward should be “already on the board today.”

      Also,The rain predicted before the snow would negate,thus waste any effort,or the budget funding to pretreat the roads until frontal passage and lower temperature stability allows the process. They would be wasting resources to pretreat tonight.
      Weather like this really fouls those crews up,kinda danged if you do,or danged if you didn’t.
      Observing this problem “clearly”,and cross regional nationwide a market for this conditional fix exists,and needs to be solved.
      I have conceptualized some really easy environmentally thermodynamically balanced sustainable innovations* to solve most of these issues.”Cross blends to aviation infrastructure,as well.

      (Heck,LKB,it ain’t nothing,all I need is a mid sized construction company,some manufacturing sites,and about 17,500 full time employees(benefits included)and 4-15 years installation nationwide, “viola finne.”) 😉

      Logistical weather related issues just cost this nation a blue ton of money,don’t believe that, check with UPS,AMAZON FEDEX, US Postal. Looks like something a technology based start up could define an growth industry area with, aye?

      As for now, however, People just need to allow for the timing of a safe commute during changing and evolving road conditions. [The pinch points]* such as,hill tops,steeper grade intersections, [on and off ramps,bridges, and overpasses]* are the tricky spots.
      The gusting winds will also cause ares to freeze where the snow blows across roadways.
      Firstly, “Being staged with predetermined planning” to quickly deploy and apply treatments spot on, real time, will insure a good start to better infrastructure passage throughput logistics in the forecasted weather situations.

      For now,Check out the latest NWS Paducah video brief with the morning coffee. They’re usually smack on the mark with the conditionals.

      Happy 2014!…….and counting.

      • I came in for the evening about an hour ago, still no road treating going on, and school resumes in the morning.

        • EKB: Well,if the whole nation didn’t rely so much on the school buses getting the kids to classes, this little weather system really wouldn’t add up to be a flea on a tigers tail.

          “Our society sometimes builds in, just exactly what stifles it.”

          Actually, The ForeFathers of this nation would today look at that mess and start chucking boxes of tea into every conceivable direction.

          Communities should find The methods and infrastructures to have a greatschools, with great teachers in a mostly walkable socially elevated environment “elevated for education” forward.
          Applied best carbon footprint use, put forth,per school unit verses student populations, per area serviced,and yes I said serviced! After all, thats what the funding is taxed upon everyone for, isn’t it, well..isn’t it? So.

          Safer,clean,environmentally sustainable buildings,good teachers,and neighbourhoods, with districts that enhance and support such improvements can easily become blended forward for sustainability, with funding balances.* [Metro Planning]

          Your counties North High school location is a classic Fail in the conceptual aspect of perceived student carbon footprint sequestration balancing*.
          Plain Horrible application as applied to student carbon impacting,and that extra in case they didn’t know it drives cost,attendance and time a butt is in a seat at a desk..”learning.”…”something’…”like basic economics.”

          I mean look where the buses come from,and return to. (downtown,scha’eeszz.)
          Plus! They have to route to the students timing and locations,as well.
          Thats the most horrendous misapplication of carbon sequestration for a newer building location I could ever imagine.
          And yes “they” built it there,good grief you couldn’t come up with a better application than that,double footshot.
          Really It looks to be a very nice little campus,but it’s damned near in the next counties southern gateway,good grief, duh. An educational system at work politically, I suppose.

          Yep.so much.

          • –and that ol’ feeling is rising again,
            –“Are we posters looking in to a “Looney bin?”–
            ,-or are we the patients, and we’re looking out?”
            I worried about that a while back, but not now, the evidence piles up everyday with Evansville, We are Looking in!

        • They are reporting large numbers of wrecks this morning. I hear the towing services have about a 3 hour backlog.

          • EKB,Crash,others there in your town,observations indicated those roads were not quite frozen ,however slick this morning by conditional surface temperatures. The window for pretreat operations was pretty slim. The temperatures are dropping pretty quick at the present,so road pretreat probably wouldn’t have helped with your local systems preparedness measures.
            I would suggest the NWS Paducah sites current forecast discussion and Video multimedia brief for conditional awareness.
            They are the professionals funded by your buck,already spent.
            You know,as we move forward into this century with the global climate change actions, and effective regional and plans thereof,the reliance on real time weather information is apparent as a viable instrument for evolving social conditional pathways.
            Actually, the News media applications for these climate change conditions are beginning to evolve and adapt, as well.
            Those weather reporters,and news staffs do have a expanding role in our life’s ability to functionally fund ourselves throughout the weather related incidentals.

            However, as I see this evolve,the striking difference is the logistical social economic impact on the population per region as applied.
            That now is forefronted like one of these seriously complex massive weather events that seems to be unfolding as I write this.
            NWS/NOAA facts with “no advertized spin” funding influx,the NWS/NOAA are funded and maintained by us now,AND heres the kicker,with “todays in hand, real time cloud based communications, and global information systems”* ,why mind you,would a so connected inline person rely on relayed information through an advertisement funded media outlet?
            Teach some basic earth science climate understanding in the local schools,and viola,a new social economic impact breaks out and thrives.
            Understanding the thermodynamics of climate change is the “best preparation any citizen can receive” in today’s world,science classes in your EVSC should have the student pull up the site today,and the Teach,ought to start a relative impact discussion in the classroom,have the student evaluate the carbon costing and the social impact conditionals of a”insane weather system” like the complexities presented by this projected next five days.
            Really, as a planet in our solar system every molecule of moisture ever smacked into the planet is still right here on the planet,Solid as Ice,liquid as water,or now in your face as vapor pressure converting to another physical state.
            Climate change brings forth increased conductivity for atmospherical molecular energy transfer, Crazy storm systems. gridlock and logistical social economic conditional fails,”costing forward”.

            Right now,if your in the pathway of this artic blast,think about you expected results per your region. Plan for that.
            I wouldn’t say make a run on the basic items, and dry goods,have a emergency lighting source keep the phone/device charged,develop a viable plan to sustain and conserve heat, with proper ventilation.
            One real big issue for areas with poor aged water supply infrastructures is frozen and broken water lines,even some mains could see affects. The thermodynamics in your areas climate hasn’t pushed the realm of those conditionals in the recent past few years,the thermal contraction,and expansion during excessive temperature/pressure changes has a way of showing those infrastructure weaknesses PDQ. Stock up on some clean water,use some usually recycled plastic containers wash them out now,and fill them with enough tap water to get’cha by until repair crews can fix the standard supplies.

            I have a really nice thermodynamically designed working kennel for my pooch,however this might just get the boy a ticket inside,the wind chills involved could possibly defeat my geothermal application. Clue, keep those four footed buddies in a balanced sustainable environment during this,as well.

            Went out side this morning here,if its like that in your town,the air feels like something a kin to being scoped out by an mean little under supervised brat with a lever action red ryder.

15. Editor says: “independent” thinking by Kevin Stahl….? I agree it was independent—- and “wrong” thinking by Stahl. Is it true he did what his boss said for him to do? To my knowledge he is a nice person. Just on the wrong side of the Hotel issue. Conflict????

    Editor says: “we wonder why Mr. Weaver’s appointment was so important for the County Commission to push for approval during the December 2013 County—Hotel won’t be finished until 18 months from now?” Surely Editor Joe did not say this because he believes in long term planning. You must start now to get conventions to come here in 2015.

    • Wayne you are a spend and tax closet democrat. Post your poll you liar because the people know better! Winnecke could not and would not have a 60% approval rating because he is a tool!

    • Don’t you think having a “ground-breaking” for a yet-to-be-financed facility is possibly planning too far ahead, Wayne?

      • Better than to try to explain, ‘oops, I forgot to bring my poll with me again’.

        Lying is now de rigueur for national polticians, it’s expected and is the norm. It is unseemly and transparent when little local chieftans try their hand at it. It then becomes comical, unbelievable and embarrassing.

        • We have had several people contact the CCO to verify that a phone poll was taken back in mid December. The questions were reportedly about support or lack of support for certain projects. Every person we heard from was a republican. So Wayne is not lying about having a poll taken but is die hard against letting us publish the results. You can reach your own conclusions about why.

          • I thought he said it was a poll indicating a 60% appproval level for the mayor. I didn’t see where he said it was to gauge support for the various projects in differing states of incompletion.

          • Phone polls are a crock, and Wayne lied about the point of said “poll”.
            Who the hell has a land line and answers it when an “unknown” number pops up? Bear in mind, I am a 66 year-old, non-tech-savvy woman.
            I suspect Wayne force-fed that poll to his dog and should be reported for animal cruelty

        • I’ll bet Wayne’s dog ate his poll.

          • Ahaha!…If so,wheres the great lawn comments?
            “as much,as so”…

            Bandana! You out there? “EKB left that door open” .. 🙂

          • His dog didn’t eat that poll for free. Some of those animals have standards you know. I was there when the money changed hands, (pa)trolling the Grandiose Lawn in the guise of a poodle in a trenchcoat. Lucky to get out of there unmolested.

            That area is rapidly taking on aspects of an open air doggie bazaar: black market Alpo, universal leash keys, poodle Burberrys both real and counterfeit. Saw a poor little dachshund, hemostat in hand, looking skyward for his care package from Colorado. There was a veterinarian specializing in STDs hawking antibiotics, trying to trade a snarling, possibly rabid, athlete out of his purple robe.

            There were well-bred dogs from the northeast in town slumming. A feral contingent from Chicago parachuted in spreading disease. The place is becoming famous in the canine world and barks out for overregulation.

          • Replying to myself, as Bandana can’t be accessed on this thread! Thanks for the warning! Millie the Georgeous Goldendoodle and Thane the Beautiful Beagle will NOT be showing up there.
            They can can continue to exercise and poop right here at home.

16. To all young people thinking of getting involved in the local Republican Party, but are turned off by people like Wayne Parke…don’t be discouraged. Wayne is NOT representative of the core ideas historically championed by our Party. Neither are people like Marsha Abell and Lloyd Winnecke. Get involved regardless of their presence. Support the people and causes with the right ideas and either ignore or fight these fools where you can.

    • Here’s a lesson I learned about the local GOP some nearly forty years ago: Those who try to change things from the inside get shoved outside very quickly. My sin was to stand up to the first Mayor Lloyd about running a good, viable candidate for an office instead of a bad one who had “earned it with his loyalty.” Everybody knew the man was a doofus who couldn’t get elected and they listened to me instead of Russell. I was a Democrat just over a year later.

      • Your leaving was ultimately your choice. People need to understand that these Parties are just vehicles – some people jump on and off at different stops, and some people make their way to the drivers seats who don’t necessarily represent all passengers. Just because you don’t like where you’re headed now does not mean there won’t come a time when the driver will change and the direction will too.

        As bad as the current Republican drivers are now, I hardly see the Democratic Party as a good haven for my views. Way too much class warfare coming from that party for my taste, not enough of a tradition of wanting to limit the expansion of government intrusion in our personal lives.

        • Aw, jeez!! “Class warfare???” I guess you don’t think intrusion between a woman and her doctor is so bad? How about keeping some Americans from having the right to marry, based on some one else’s superstitions? Of course, you are neither female nor gay, so maybe it isn’t a concern to you.
          You should be busy supporting a third-party, “no-labels” movement, if you EVER want to have a political impact.

          • That depends… If she is conspiring with her doctor to kill someone, that’s an act of aggression against an autonomous, sovereign, and free human individual. The real question there is that constitutes an “autonomous, sovereign, and free human individual”.

            I do not believe the rights of individuals to marry whomever they please and call it what they wish is anathema to the Republican platform. In fact, I’d argue that true Republicanism should champion the rights of individuals against an encroaching State. In this instance, the State should have no position and should recognize ALL civil unions equally under the law for its purposes.

            I believe these issues will be resolved because society itself is ready to resolve them, not because the Parties will do it. The Parties, or at least their leadership, seem intent on protracting the resolution of such issues. They are used to divide people along imaginary and arbitrary lines devoid of any real philosophical consistency. I believe that – at least on a local level and with the right leadership – a local Republican Party can express this consistency and clarity to a new generation of young people who are RIGHTLY disillusioned with the Obamas of the world.

          • First paragraph should read: “The real question is WHAT…”

            I do believe there is a line most people can agree upon that is somewhere before actual birth. There are several milestones during fetal development that should demarcate autonomy and lawful protection as an individual. One might be the development of brain activity or the development of sufficient nervous system functions which would allow for the sensation of pain. I believe these are non-radical compromises that would bring most voters together.

        • It was going in the wrong direction forty years ago and still is. You also might be surprised about having a choice in leaving, if you screw with them too much!

          • Im a relative newcomer. I was a PC. After our Party was caught on video at our National Comvention rigging votes with the results of open floor votes predetermined in the teleprompters, I came out in opposition to Mitt Romney. I was brought into HQ for a meeting and I willingly resigned. Since I’d been duly elected, not appointed, I would have gone through a lengthy paperwork and appeals process if I’d decided to fight it and stay. I know the rules. I also knew it was better to get out than be forced to go along with what was happening in the Party. My resignation letter was published on CCO.

            I’ve stood at polls and pushed for candidates local and national. I’ve organized many protests and have gotten on the news every time. I organized the protests during the first bailout in 2008, you know, the one that forced Ellsworth to drag his ass back home and explain to voters here why, although 90% of them opposed bailouts, they were wrong and he intended to vote for them anyway. I know how the media operates and I know how to use it. I was the 8th District Coordinator for the Ron Paul 2012 campaign. I was a delegate to the 2008 State Convention.

            It may be somewhat fair to say I’m a pariah, an outsider of sorts, but inactive I’m not. I’m not saying I’m influential. Maybe I am, maybe I’m not. What I do know is people are turned off by characters like Wayne Parke, and many Republicans don’t like Dan McGinn. I know both men are on borrowed time in their current roles.

          • Standing at the polls pushing for a candidate is about as useful as staying home. Your time would be much better used transporting “your” voters to the polls. It doesn’t hurt to make it known that they are “your” voters.
            My ex-husband once made a wise observation about a basic difference in the two parties. He said that Republicans squabble over who HAS to be a committeeman and Democrats squabble over who GETS to be committeemen.
            You’ve got a lot to learn. First lesson: Don’t openly back obvious losers. It makes people not respect your political judgement.

          • I back those in whom I believe, for better or worse.

        • So, Brad, where do you derive your political power and influence? Do you hold an office within the structure of your party? How many votes do you customarily deliver? How much money do you raise?
          I am beginning to think you really don’t get what local politics is all about. It sounds to me that you are a voice crying in the wilderness, who accounts for one vote.
          Here’s a reality check, in BOTH parties, if you don’t bring in the cash and the votes, you don’t amount to anything other than just one more “kooky” voter.

          • See my above reply.

17. Wayne Parke I hope you don’t believe some of the things you post in the CCO. Either your misinformed, trying to be a smart a– or just plain dumb. Many of my republicans friends are truly embarrassed by your comments and feel you are hurting local GOP officials and party. I’m personally a democrat and love seeing you make a fool of yourself because it helps our cause.

    Oh, I would save my time by taking on CCO editor Joe Wallace. It;s obvious you can’t hang with him intelligently.

    Happy New Year.

    • I think you’ve got Wayne’s number, but you forgot the dishonest part. I just love to let him “run with it”. He never fails to be surprised when the leash runs out and he gets yanked onto his backside.

18. Saw It Coming says:

    January 2, 2014 at 5:25 pm

    How do you tell the difference in Weinzapfel and Winnecke? The one picking up paper like Evie the garbage dog is Winnecke and the one who did nothing is Weinzapfel. The one who tricked Winnecke into calling the meeting to take away the Homestead Tax credit is Weinzapfel and the one who got tricked and blamed is Winnecke. When it comes to being Mayor, Winnecke is a nicer guy but learned all of his tricks from Weinzapfel. Finally the one that has a voice like the new Dr. Pepper man is Weinzapfel and the one who sounds like a TV anchorman is Winnecke.
    =========================================================

    I’ve often wondered what was Winnecke’s role in this Shakespearan tragedy/meeting of greed, arrogance, subterfuge, and miscalculation.

    A) One of shock and astonishment but too afraid to speak up against his poltical allies

    B) A witting dupe?

    C) An unwitting dupe?

    D) A co-conspirator?

    E) Gleeful that this blatent miscalculation would open the door for his political opportunity?

    F) Something else?

    G) Does it even matter anymore?

    • I choose both B and G, mostly G.

19. Anybody heard from Wayne the great?

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