We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUE” will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?

IS IT TRUE that the floods of February 2018 are expected to crest today at levels that have not been seen since the big flood of 1997?…the age of drones has made many pictures available that never have been and the extent of the water is devastating?…for the first time many of us have seen the locks at Newburgh’s dam completely submerged?…the last time this happened an old outhouse floated up and was deposited right next to the Riverwalk in downtown Newburgh?…we had better hope that a big freeze does not happen as that will wreak havoc in all areas of the Tri-State?…we encourage our readers to be very careful in dealing with the flood waters?

IS IT TRUE the organization of CAJE (Congregation Acting for Justice and Empowerment) worked jointly with Aurora to advocate for a new caseworker position at Aurora last year?  …we commend Vanderburgh County Commissioners Ben Shoulders, Cheryl Musgrave and Bruce Ungethiem for continuing to work with both CAJE and Aurora to find funding for this much-needed position?

IS IT TRUE that the company that owns the Evansville Courier and Press is a nationwide conglomerate called Gannet?…Mole #3 tells the City-County Observer that Gannet has  recently sold the building that the Courier and Press has been in for many years to a New York-based real estate investment company and that much of the building will be refurbished and leased out as offices?…that the remaining space will be leased by the Courier and Press for offices?…Mole #3 says the Courier and Press in print circulation have continued to decline over the years?…that our mole also says that Gannet is planning to convert the Courier Press into a successful digital platform? …we hope if the Courier and Press decide to take this route that it will generate sufficient advertising dollars to support this kind of news operation?  …we also hope that the Courier and Press will continue to print the news on a daily basis?  …if Mole #3 is correct we hope that the majority of the Courier and Press staff will remain intact because they have some outstanding writers in their employment?

IS IT TRUE at Monday evening City Council meeting our “First Amendment Rights” took a step backward?  …that the Council voted 6-3 to keep the “3 Minutes Censorship Rule” that was created by the former City Council President Missy Mosby (D)? …at Mondays Council meeting the current Council President Jim Brinkmeyer (D) decided to keep this rule intact?  …we are told that Missy Mosby (D), Jim Brinkmeyer (D), Dan McGinn (I), Michelle Mercer (R), Jonathan Weaver (D), Dr. Dan Adams better get ready to vigorously defend why they felt compelled to continue to limit our freedom of speech during the next city election?

IS IT TRUE that the Ohio Valley Conference Basketball Tournament is poised to start action at the Ford Center this week?…this is a curious choice by the league as the closest member of the OVC is more than a hundred miles from Evansville?…there will be no such thing as a home game for any of the teams and the only team with any sort of alumni base in greater Evansville is the Murray State Racers?…the Ford Center is sort of centrally located with respect to where these teams are from an east/west perspective but when north/south locations are considered the center of mass for these campuses is way further south?…this tournament has traditionally been played in Nashville, TN where one team is located and two others are within an hour’s drive?…the attendance count for this tournament will be interesting to see as the last time a tournament with no home team came to Evansville, the attendance was only in the hundreds in an arena

IS IT TRUE last week The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) Nominating Committee submitted three nominees for consideration by Governor Eric J. Holcomb for appointment to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission?  …those three nominees are: Stefanie Krevda, IURC Executive Director of External Affairs,  State Rep. David Ober and Tristan Vance, Indiana Office of Energy Development Director?  …the committee has nominated these three candidates to fill the current vacancy on the IURC created by the retirement of Commissioner Jim Atterholt? … Gov. Holcomb will select one of the three nominees to serve the remainder of Atterholt’s term, which expires Jan. 31, 2020?  …we are puzzled why one of the finalists wasn’t from this area?

IS IT TRUE that it was reported Tuesday afternoon that a gas leak was reported at 3^rd and Locust streets in downtown Evansville very close to the City of Evansville parking garage that is not worth the current encumbered debt?…the financial analysis of the value of the dilapidated garage has not changed?…any astute business person will require a payment from the City of at least $500,000 to assume all of the repairs and obligations that come from owning a neglected parking structure? …this is a great example of the shortfalls of a TIF project?