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Governor, First Lady Celebrate Annual Tree Lighting with Hoosier Students

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Governor Mike Pence and First Lady Karen Pence welcomed more than 300 K-5 students to the Statehouse for their annual tree lighting event.

 

“The Governor and I enjoyed welcoming Hoosier children to the Statehouse today,” First Lady Karen Pence said. “The experiences and memories we create year after year during this annual holiday tradition are ones which the Governor and I have come to cherish.  We were thrilled to once again this year spend  time with the students in attendance by helping them decorate an ornament to take home with them – a memento the children and their families will be able to enjoy for years to come.”

 

Each grade level was designated a different ornament—specially designed by the First Lady—to make during the program. After the decorating was complete, a student representative from each school in attendance helped light the trees in the Statehouse Rotunda.

 

Trees were donated by the Indiana Christmas Tree Growers Association and the wreath hanging above them was hand-crafted and donated by the Friends of the Indiana State Archives.

 

Students included in today’s program were from Maplewood Elementary School, Burge-Terrace Home Educators,  Zion Lutheran School,  Saint Philip Neri Catholic School, Greenwood Christian Academy, Stinesville Elementary and Rural Community Academy.

Also during today’s festivities, Governor Pence read “Twas the Night Before Christmas” to students and the Kingsway Christian School sang holiday favorites.

Governor Pence reads “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas” to students gathered at the Indiana Statehouse for the annual tree lighting event.

Choir students from Kingsway Christian School in Avon, IN joined Governor Pence at the Indiana Statehouse to perform at the annual tree lighting event.

Governor Mike Pence and First Lady Karen Pence help students craft ornaments at the annual tree lighting event at the Indiana Statehouse.

Governor Mike Pence and First Lady Karen Pence join Mr. and Mrs. Claus to light Christmas trees in the Statehouse rotunda during the annual tree lighting event.

 

Death List 12-4-2015

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wk 12-4-2015 death

Eagles rocket through Prairie Stars, 85-64

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University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball used a 31-7 first-half run to rocket by the University of Illinois Springfield, 85-64, Saturday afternoon at the Physical Activities Center. USI, which ends the six-game homestand with a 5-1 mark, takes its overall record to 6-2  and opens GLVC play, 2-0, while Illinois Springfield falls to 3-5 in 2015-16, 0-2 GLVC.

The Screaming Eagles spotted the Prairie Stars a 6-0 lead in the opening minutes before turning on the jets with a 31-7 run and take a commanding 31-13 lead with 8:35 left before halftime. USI was a blistering 12-of-17 (70.6 percent) from the field during the run and was led by the 14-point outburst by junior guard Jeril Taylor(Louisville, Kentucky). Taylor, who had a team-high 16 first half points, scored the final 10 points of the run, including back-to-back long range bombs.

Illinois Springfield, however, was not about to go quietly as it cut the USI 18-point advantage to eight points, 38-30, before the Eagles re-extended the lead to 12 points, 45-33, at halftime.

In the second half, the USI-lead would shrink once again to eight-points, 45-37, before the Eagles ignited the offensive afterburners and pushed the lead to as many as 25 points, 76-51, with 7:42 to play in the game. USI did not see its lead fall below 20 points the rest of the way in posting the 85-64 GLVC-victory.

Individually, USI junior guard Bobo Drummond (Peoria, Illinois) led the Eagles offensively with 23 points. Drummond was a red-hot nine-of-13 from the field, five-of-eight from beyond the arc, while also dishing out three assists.

Taylor followed Drummond in the scoring column with 20 points, adding six points in the second half. He was eight-of-14 from the field and grabbed a team-high nine rebounds.

USI junior guard Cortez Macklin (Louisville, Kentucky) rounded out the double-digit scorers with a season-high 18 points. He was a blistering seven-of-nine from the field, four-of-six from long range, in his best game of the season.

As a team, the Eagles shot 55.9 percent for the game (33-59), lobbing in a season-high 13 three-point field goals. USI also won the battle of the boards, 40-23.

The Eagles return to non-conference, neutral court action next weekend when they travel to Louisville, Kentucky, to play in the Bellarmine Classic. USI is scheduled to play Shaw University Friday and St. Catharine College Saturday. Game time both days is 4 p.m. (CST) with live coverage available on GoUSIEagles.com.

 

 

Advisory: Monthly Revenue Report

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The monthly revenue report for November, along with commentary from State Budget Director Brian Bailey, has been posted on the State Budget Agency webpage. The report and commentary can be found here: http://www.in.gov/sba/2659.htm. Charts visualizing revenue data are located on the Management and Performance Hub under the State Tax Revenue section:http://www.in.gov/mph/staterevenue.html.

 

Results

 

  • General Fund collections for November totaled $1,054.5 million, which is $21.3 million (2.1%) more than the monthly estimate and $29.8 million (2.9%) above November 2014 revenue.
  • Sales tax collections totaled $592.8 million for November, which is $6.9 million (1.1%) below the monthly estimate but $9.9 million (1.7%) above revenue in November 2014.
  • Individual income tax collections totaled $404.9 million for November, which is $29.8 million (7.9%) above the monthly estimate and $18.4 million (4.8%) above revenue in November 2014.
  • Corporate tax collections were negative $1.6 million for November, which is $2.6 million (259.7%) below the monthly estimate and $5.7 million (139.9%) below revenue in November 2014.
  • Riverboat wagering collections totaled $21.3 million for November, which is $0.4 million (1.7%) above the monthly estimate and $1.9 million (9.6%) above revenue in November 2014.
  • Racino wagering collections were $7.1 million for November, which is $0.3 million (4.5%) above the monthly estimate and $1.2 million (20.5%) above revenue in November 2014.

 

Commentary

 

Year-to-date General Fund collections totaled $5,625.0 million, which is $40.1 million (0.7%) lower than estimated, but $17.9 million (0.3%) above collections for the same period last fiscal year.

 

Sales tax collections through five months of fiscal year 2016 were $102.5 million (3.3%) below estimate and $13.5 million (0.4%) below collections through five months of fiscal year 2015.

 

Individual income tax collections through five months of fiscal year 2016 have grown by $65.1 million (3.3%) over the same period a year ago and were $103.2 million (5.3%) above the year-to-date estimate.

 

Daily Off Topic Forum December 6, 2015

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IS IT TRUE DECEMBER 7 and 8, 2015

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IS IT TRUE WE HAVE BREAKING NEWS ? …we have just learned that the FOP has turned down the collective bargaining contract offer with The City of Evansville?  …the CCO predicted this would happen 3 weeks ago?

IS IT TRUEI that starting today IIT will posted three times a week? …you can expect to read IS IT TRUE on Monday, Wednesday and Friday of each week

IS IT TRUE we were given the attached e-mails by a couple of our EPD moles we found interesting?   …e-mail #1 stated: “Because we are nearing the end of our budget cycle for the year, we have to track our purchases more closely?  …effectively immediately, all tire replacements and repairs will need to be approved by the fleet manager before going to Raben”?

IS IT TRUE the other e-mail states: “Sergeants please read in roll call:  effective immediately,  the department funded car washes have been suspended until further notice?  …I will send out an e-mail when we are allowed to resume.?

IS IT TRUE last week Evansville City government has given up on trying to collect a loan given three years ago to EARTHCARE?

IS IT TRUE that a couple members of our present City Council and Mayor Winnecke wasted $200,000 of our hard earned tax dollars on the failed Earthcare Energy Corporation project?  …City Council members who voted for this  political “pork barrel” project were Jonathan Weaver, Missy Mosby, Connie Robinson. Dan Adams and Coner O’Daniel?  …if City Council members and the Mayor made a $200,000 business decision mistake in the private sector they would had all been fired immediately?

IS IT TRUE back in 2012 City Council member Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley researched and learned that the website for Earthcare Energy LLC was no longer functional? …she also learned that Mr. Ken Haney, Steven Geldmacher, Ervin Washington back in 2012 renamed the enterprise as ENVIRO ENERGY LLC? …she also discovered that the website is the exact same website as the Earthcare Energy LLC site and still has the same news releases about meetings with the Department of Energy and an Indonesian business?  …Brinkerhoff-Riley also shared this information with fellow Council members, members of the main stream media and know one took no action to reverse the $200,000 loan?

IS IT TRUE the $200,000 EARTHCARE loan were administered locally by the Department for Metropolitan Development and vetted by GAUGE?  …last week the City’s Loan Administration Board, quietly voted 5-0 to no longer pursue the 2012 $183,000 loan that is still owed to the City?  …we find it interesting that 4th Ward City Councilwoman Connie Robinson voted to approve the $200,000 loan to EARTHCARE and turned around 3 years later and voted to forgive this loan?

IS IT TRUE DMD  Director Kelley Coures stated he is working on an updated agreement on the ‘Revolving Loan Fund” that will bring more scrutiny to companies receiving these future high risk loans?  …we have a suggestion to Mr. Coures what he can do with this useless, wasteful,  political “pork barrel” Federal Loan program? …he should reject the grant and send the money back to Washington?

 

LETTER TO THE EDITOR: Let’s Fix That Tax Sale: 3rd In A Series

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Let’s Fix that Tax Sale: 3rd in a series

by George Lumley-All Rights reserved

Top Secret Special Interest

Two weeks ago I exposed that people actually want the tax sale properties.  This week I would like to expose another false claim that the county does not want these properties; that they are just a liability; and the best course of action is to give them away to the private Brownfields Corporation.

I have questioned in the past about the city and county working together in everyone’s best interest versus working for someone’s special interest.  After attending the County Commissioners meeting and the County Council meeting I am scratching my head and wondering if the County can even work with itself for everyone’s best interest.  The tapes of these meetings are available.  You do not have to take my word for it – If you like the Days of our Lives soap on TV (my favorite) you may like the drama and mystery that unfolds in these meetings.

First I attended the County Commission meeting. To summarize the meeting Bruce Ungenthiem partially affirmed what he said in the C&P article about the recent excess property sale (tax sale).  He had told the C&P that He would meet Monday with County Office Holders and discuss the tax sale issue.  I tried to solicit what Commissioner Ungenthiem had learned in these discussions but he seemed to think that was top secret and none of my business.  I asked what officials he met with and he would not even disclose that.  He did disclose that he met with “one” but would not state who that was.  All top secret.  When I asked about public input Commissioner Kiefer shut me down saying that I was just one person and had no voice.  He indicated that for me, or I guess any citizen, that one would have to have the support of the United Neighborhood Associations of Evansville.  I am a dues paying member of several neighborhood associations; attend their meetings regularly; and everyone has been very supportive of my effort with the exception of a couple of individuals with close ties to the Mayor and DMD.  DMD owns the Brownfields.

There appears to be a lot of close ties.  When I attended one of the secretive Brownfields meetings the attorney advising them appeared to be the same attorney advising the commissioners on tax sale issues.  I wonder if he would be interested in talking about everyone’s best interest concerning the tax sale.

So it appears that Commissioner Ungenthiem who was the county representative on the mayors blight task force is still trying to pursue the plan of funding the Brownfields land bank expansion.  Not only did the mayor’s task force plan ask for a gift from the Riverboat fund of 2.7 million but also a couple of hundred thousand in funding from the county in the form of gifting the tax delinquent properties. This is akin to the Roberts stadium fiasco.  A few people decide and then force their will on the rest of Evansville.  I guess if Bruce Ungenthiem and Joe Kiefer have already decided to go along with the mayor, it is a done deal.  No discussion. No public input. No consideration of the new laws passed in the last couple of years that would make these county assets even more valuable to the taxpayers while promoting the elimination of blighted properties.

Appearing that everyone’s best interest was effectively stimmed by 2 thirds of the Commissioners I thought I would try my luck at the County Council budget hearing.  They are supposed to be interested in money for the county.

The County Council meeting started with council members going out of their way to make a statement that finances were very tight and they would barely squeak through the year.  Councilman Tom Shetler Jr made a brilliant statement about conserving for next year.  The county recorder appeared and negotiated to save employee jobs and pay necessary expenses. I had picked the perfect time to pitch the council on where they could find hundreds of thousands in revenue without raising taxes or cutting employees from the budget.

I explained that the tax sale process (the sale of the lien and the actual sale of the property) used to collect bad debts has only been generating a couple of hundred thousand a year; however, legislated changes in the tax sale process allows better management of these properties and if implemented as designed would increase the value of the properties and revenues to the county by a multiple of two, three, or four.  The $200,000 the county gets from these properties could easily be turned into $600,000.

No, it is not a pyramid scheme or magic.  The added value is simply achieved by implementing new concepts legislated over the last three years. Under pressure to fight blight the State Legislature has debated public land banking and tax sale reform.  State legislation provided new tools to take these tax delinquent properties to market quicker and market them as something of value.  Where a tax delinquent property may have sat for a couple of years getting the windows knocked out, doors kicked in, vandalized, and generally run down to the point of no return before being sold as a sight unseen grab-bag to uninformed buyers, the new tools allow the county to take control of the properties within six months.  At this point the properties have a much higher value.  The properties can be sold without the option for redemption and the buyer would have immediate possession.  Rather than a grab-bag of unknown liabilities selling to ill-informed buyers, the properties can be marketed to appropriate, well informed buyers.  The new legislation even defined a new type of deed for these properties to make them much more marketable.

The land banking concept was entertained but defeated largely because of the cost to taxpayers and abuses demonstrated by the Marion County land bank operation.

I got a positive response from council members that they do want the tax sale properties.  They don’t actually want the properties but they do seem interested in everyone’s best interest to collect the tax value the properties represent while also helping with the fight against the blight.

To summarize the Commissioners meeting it appears a secret deal has been struck and I will have to go to the meetings to present the information that is in everyone’s best interest that commissioners Bruce Ungenthiem and Joe Kiefer are choosing to ignore in favor of their predetermined special interest.

 

THUNDERBOLTS LAUNCH 11-IN A ROW ON ROAD BATTLING TO BITTER END AT PT. MALLARD

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THUNDERBOLTS LAUNCH 11-IN A ROW ON ROAD BATTLING TO BITTER END AT PT. MALLARD

LIGHTNING BOLTS’ SHOTS:

The Evansville ThunderBolts continue to attain great improvement with each passing week and each passing game with each of their NA3HL contests becoming more and more intense and competitive. Under the guidance of General Manager/Head Coach Scott Fankhouser, the State of Indiana’s only elite junior hockey team has achieved many major quantum leaps over the past month. To both elaborate and enumerate on the ThunderBolts best progressive steps made yet thus far this season, the Evansville contingent has seen two of its last three games; three of its last five games; four of their last eight games and five of their last 11-games determined by a scant single goal margin. Another clear measuring yardstick of the club’s growing and maturing progress has been its ability to earn leads in the most recent games. At one time, this particular accomplishment ostensibly seemed out of its realm to the point of being prohibitive. With the lion’s share of the 2015-16 NA3HL game schedule still straight ahead, there has evolved a true sense of optimism and confidence within the organization that better, more successful days are looming on the next nearest horizon.

NEXT ON THE ROAD SHOW:

This weekend, the ThunderBolts journey to Peoria, IL where they will rekindle enmities with their Midwest Division rivals, the Peoria Mustangs. The two-games’ series is set for this Saturday afternoon at 3:45 pm with the encore encounter on the date slate for a Sunday matinee affair at 1:15 pm. Both games, as all ThunderBolts games, home and away, are broadcast live on Evansville’s WVHI-AM 1330. Saturday’s game broadcast commences at 3:15 pm while Sunday’s broadcast begins at 12:45 pm. Though having posted a 4(0-4-0) record against the Peorians, the ‘Bolts have competed kinetically against the rugged, ruffian Mustangs as two of the four duels have resulted in minuscule one-goal margins with two more bouts nearly as razor close. Evansville will arrive on the Peoria scene confronting s Mustangs aggregation nation which is riding the rising rapids of a season’s best 6-game win streak.

NA3HL SHOWCASE EVENT:

Peaking ahead to the remainder of the ThunderBolts pre-Christmas holiday slate, following their upcoming weekend series in Peoria, the elite junior club will continue its travels for the month of December when they make the long excursion to Blaine, Minnesota for the NA3HL’s Annual Showcase Event, December 16 – 19. Evansville will be facing a rigorous regimen consisting of three games in three days at the neutral site. Thursday, December 17th, the ThunderBolts will lock horns with the Lacrosse Freeze; Friday, December 18th, it will be the ‘Bolts clashing with the Gillette Wild; Saturday, December 19th, the Minnesota Fighting Aces will test with the ThunderBolts. All three games will be broadcast on WVHI-AM 1330. The broadcast times will be 12:30 pm on December 17th; 2:30 pm December 18th and 3:15 pm on December 19th.

FICKLE FINGER OF FATE:

The past weekend, once again, the ThunderBolts, perhaps, earned a far better fate and destiny in a pair of collisions against inter-divisional adversary Point Mallard. Evansville was not to be intimidated by one of the league’s premiere powers as GM/Coach Fankhouser’s hard-working cast of young juniors forced the high-tech, high-octane “Quack Attack” to perform some masterful and magical third period heroics and histrionics to claim the conquests in two fiercely-competitive and compelling contests. In game one Friday night, the ‘Bolts of Evansville’s finest gained 2-0 and 3-1 leads after the first two periods only to fall prey in the fateful final frame from a ferocious 4-goal flurry fomented by the Ducks in a 5-3 outcome. It marked the initial two times thus far this season that the ThunderBolts had achieved the leads when the period had ended. Saturday night, it almost appeared as if a duplicate script had been scribed as, again, the foreign ice invaders from the heart of Southwestern Indiana gained a 2-1 second stanza advantage only to be overtaken, again, by another 4-goal third period rally in a 6-3 ultimate result.

THE NEW YEAR AT HOME:

In the midst of a strenuous stretch comprised of 11-consecutive games in the hostile territory of foreign ice, the ThunderBolts will return home to the friendly climes and environs of Evansville’s Swonder Ice Arena in the early New Year of 2016. The ‘Bolts will renew hostilities with the first place St. Louis Jr. Blues, Friday, January 15th and Saturday, January 16th. Both games are set for 7:30 pm opening face-offs. There are 11-home games remaining on the ThunderBolts maiden voyage schedule; 5 of those dates are on Friday nights with the other 6-dates on the docket for Saturday nights.

FIRSTS FOR ‘BOLTS:

The past weekend at Point Mallard in Decatur, Alabama, the ThunderBolts attained more noteworthy firsts in the overall growth and maturation of the novitiate franchise. On Friday night, for the first time ever, they earned game leads at the end of a period. It was 1-0 for the “good guys” after the first period and later, 2-0 and 3-1 following two periods. That same night also marked the first time ever in which the ThunderBolts had carved-out two-goal leads in a single game. Then on Saturday night, the ‘Bolts seized a 2-1 advantage, eradicating a 1-0 shortfall in the process. In the same game, the local standout, center Zach Faith delivered his first goal of the campaign for his Evansville squadron.

FAITH FIRES FIRST:

Center Zach Faith has been waiting a long time, ostensibly an eternity to not only return to his team’s lineup but also to make connection on his first-ever goal wearing the ‘Bolts coat of arms. The local product from Newburgh reached the pinnacle of promise on both fronts the past weekend in Alabama. Marked absent for a total of 10-games due to a concussion which he sustained back on October 11th at Peoria, the stellar centerman delivered that first goal Saturday night on a scintillating power play strike after actually recording his first point of the campaign one night earlier on line-mate Billy Bonser’s snipe. Centering the club’s #2 unit with Brandon Rozema and Bonser on his flanks, Faith was the supreme catalyst, sparking his line to the tune of producing one key, crucial goal in each game at Point Mallard. For the weekend: Faith 2(1-1-2); Rozema 2(0-2-2); Bonser 2(1-0-1).

AWESOME THEN-SOME 3-SOME:

The ThunderBolts highly-touted, vaunted “K – G – B” line of Mike Kelley, Jon Grimm and Brandon Bornkamp continues to flourish in fulminating fashion. Registering 4 of their team’s 6-goals the past weekend at Point Mallard, the awesome and then-some threesome has continued its climb to the apex of point-producing prowess in the NA3HL. For the weekend; Bornkamp 2(1-3-4); Grimm 2(1-3-4); Kelley 2(1-2-3). The tremendous trio are now ranked 1-2-3 in the ThunderBolts individual scoring derby.

POWER PLAY PRECISION:

At uneven strength through the power play, the ‘Bolts have excelled expertly and enterprisingly. Saturday night, the power plant percolation was fructifying yet one more time. In connecting twice on its initial three advantages, the extra man band was directly responsible for the ‘Bolts capturing of a 2-1 second period lead. The ThunderBolts power play is presently 5 for the last 12; 41.7% and 11 for the last 35; 31.4%. For the entire season, it has surged augustly and majestically to 11th in the league at 17-84; 20.3% proficiency rating.

SCORING STREAKS STANDOUTS:

Brandon Bornkamp has equaled his and the ‘Bolts longest point-scoring streak of the current season at 6-games; last 6(5-5-10); last 11-games; 11(11-7-18); Jon Grimm last 3-games; 3(3-6-9); last 8(6-8-14); Mike Kelley last 4(2-6-8); last 5(3-6-9); last 9(3-10-13); Triston Theriot last 8(1-7-8). Zach Faith last 2(1-1-2); Brandon Rozema last 2(0-2-2).

ARTFUL ARTISANS:

The ThunderBolts team leading scoring aces: 1- Brandon Bornkamp 20 (17-12-29); 2- Jon Grimm 20 ( 9-16-25); 3- Mike Kelley 15(5-11-16); 4- Triston Theriot 20(3-10-13); 5- Billy Bonser 17(6-4-10); 6- Brandon Rozema 17(2-3-5) 7- Scott Jacobson 15(2-3-5); 8- Brian Crink 20 ( 1-4-5).

HOMEGROWN TEAM:

With the recent acquisition of Indianapolis native, defenseman Ben Baker, the ThunderBolts can now boast a roster content comprised of no fewer than 11-homegrown hockey players from the State of Indiana. Those 11-homegrown hockey future stars are: goaltenders Adam Conkling and Bryson Linenburg. Defensemen Ben Baker, Brian Crink, Nick Luke and Triston Theriot. Forwards Brandon Bornkamp, Zach Faith, Jon Grimm, Austin Hayden and Mike Kelley.

FEW FUN FAST FACTS FROM “FIC

The ThunderBolts are now 6(0-6-0) in 1-goal decisions with 6 of their last 14-games decided in such fashion. ‘Bolts have scored the FG in only 3 of 20-games this season. ‘Bolts outscored in third period over the weekend at Point Mallard, 8-1. Adam Conkling has made 8-straight starts in the ‘Bolts goal, having played all but 20-minutes since October 24th. Conkling leads the league in saves with 631. Five times this season, Conkling has made 54 or more saves in a single game. Brandon Bornkamp is the lone ‘Bolts plus player on the road at +3. The ‘Bolts 38-SOG Saturday night represented their third most in a single game this season. Seven times this season, the ‘Bolts have allowed over 60-SOGA in one game; 3 of those 7 against Point Mallard. Evansville has generated multiple PPG in 4-games this season. ‘Bolts have been outscored, 2-0 in 4-on-4 situations this season. Mike Kelley is currently on the club’s longest assist streak of the season at 4-games; 4(2-6-8).

THE THUNDERBOLTS RADIO UPDATE:

ThunderBolts fans can stay up to date everyday even when there is not a game. It’s “The ThunderBolts Hockey Update,” Monday through Friday at 5:00 pm on flagship radio home WVHI-AM 1330 and at 2:30 pm on WEOA-AM 1400 and WEOA-FM Magic 98.5.

FOOTNOTE: NEXT HOME GAMES: FRI. JAN. 15 & SAT. JAN. 16 VS. ST. LOUIS JR. BLUES / TICKETS ONLY $5 !!!

 

DON’T SNEER AT TRUMP’S CHANCES

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Raging Moderate by Will Durst

Yeah, I hear what you’re saying. “For all you political comics, Donald Trump must be a dream come true. Manna from heaven. Slam-dunking from a step-ladder. Swimming in a sea of beer.”

Oh sure, there are jokes.

1. Trump’s presidential campaign is like a baboon’s butt. The higher he climbs, the harder it is to look.

2. Not saying his message is confusing, but doubt he could convince a majority of the voices in his head to vote for him.

3. Trump doesn’t respect gay marriage because of tradition. And the fact that he’s been married three times just makes him… extra traditional.

4. Wants to run the country like a business. Which is worrisome. Because he seems exactly the kind of guy who would burn it down for the insurance.

Don’t forget the aerodynamic coif. But getting an actual handle on the Big El Nino is as difficult as Klingon calculus. How do you parody a parody? Most candidates cling to talking points the way deep sea divers do air hoses, but to a real estate developer, points apparently are to be avoided at all costs.

He’s all over the place: an anachronistic hybrid, tweeting from the Old West. No notes. No Tele-Prompter. No handlers. The focus of a feather. Shooting straight from the hip and the lip. “Mexicans are rapists.” “John McCain is a poseur.” “Megyn Kelly got hormonal.”

Donald Trump vs. Megyn Kelly: now there’s a sequel worthy of Buckley vs. Vidal. Do you get the feeling America doesn’t care who wins this skirmish as long as one of them loses. Hey, just doing good journalism.

Despite more slip-ups than 3rd graders playing Bombardment in stocking feet on a freshly polished gym floor, the New York developer’s approval rating continues to rise like a pastry factory with a leaky yeast valve. If Reagan were Teflon, the Donald is some sort of space age polymer.

But to say that not all is happy-rama in the GOP theme park is similar to intimating that salted caramel cream puffs make inadequate shock absorbers. The exploits of Walker, Cruz, Rubio and Bush are a PBS after-thought to the daily TMZ shenanigans of Mr. Celebrity Apprentice Presidente.

A finite amount of light is available in a primary campaign, and the brighter it shines on a single spoiled trust fund baby, the less luminosity available for the incredible array of governors and former governors running nearby. With the odd senator thrown in. “Odd” being the operative word.

Then consider that each of the semi-normal politicians is being bankrolled by a totally different collection of billionaires and you can see the problem. The obscenely affluent don’t encourage their kind to run for president. Tends to eliminate the middle-men. The rich prefer their office holders beholden. Puppets with strings are easier to control. As the Donald says, “the system’s broken,” and the people agree.

So here’s a tip for all you professional scoffers sneering at Trump’s chances of winning the nomination, and should he pull that off, disparage as laughable the thought of a victory in the general. Just remember… they said the same thing about Ronald Reagan. And we all know how that turned out. Wonder if another Bush could be talked into the VP slot. There’s synchronicity for you.

City Workers Lose Challenge To Law, Must Quit To Take Office

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Five Lake County civil servants lost their lawsuit challenging a state law that forbids them from serving in elected office in the same city that employs them.

An Indiana law barring municipal employees from serving in office in the same unit of government passed in 2012 has an effective date of Jan. 1, 2016. This was to provide current officeholders an opportunity to decide whether to run for re-election.

Matthew Claussen, Juda Parks, Susan Pelfrey, Michael Opinker and Scott Rakos sued the state in the U.S. Court for the Northern District of Indiana, Hammond Division. They are city employees who were elected or re-elected to their various city councils and challenged the law as a violation of their federal constitutional rights under the First and 14th amendments and under the Contracts Clause and Takings Clause.

Northern District Chief Judge Philip P. Simon rejected those claims Wednesday and dismissed the federal complaint but said the plaintiffs could pursue state law claims in state court.

“Passage of the statute did not result in plaintiffs’ resignation, and the statute does not compel plaintiffs to assume public office and thereby resign their employment,” Simon wrote. “The plaintiffs alone will decide whether they want to assume public office and forego continued government employment.

“They simply have not been shouldered with a financial burden that the public at large should bear; there is no taking at all here, unconstitutional or otherwise.”

The ruling upheld Indiana Code 3-5-9-5 that states a person “is considered to have resigned as a government employee when the individual assumes an elected office of the unit that employs the individual.”

Simon reasoned that Indiana had an interest in disparate treatment of municipal employees: preventing the appearance of corruption. “The simple fact of the matter is that there is obviously a greater risk of self-dealing when a municipal worker holds office in the same government unit that employs him, and the questioned law attempts to address that problem.”

In all cases, the civil servant salaries are greater than those the employees would earn as city council members. Claussen is a Hobart police officer elected to city council; Pelfrey is a New Chicago water department worker who won a council seat; Opinker and Rakos are Hammond firefighters elected to Hammond City Council; and Parks is an East Chicago police officer elected to city council. Rakos has resigned from the Hammond Fire Department, the opinion notes.

Attorney General Greg Zoeller praised the ruling in a statement Thursday. “We respect the plaintiffs’ service in their municipal governments; but the Legislature has firmly drawn the line at serving in no more than one position in a municipality at a time, and the Court has upheld that statute. Serving in municipal government is a privilege and should not be primarily about the financial reward; and there are many ways that civic-minded people can serve their communities and neighbors in non-government capacities,” he said.

The case is Claussen et al. v. Pence et al., 2:15-cv-52.

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