IS IT TRUE that a short 16 years ago that Senator Richard Lugar was all up in arms about negative campaigning and even ran an ad to encourage his then fellow Hoosiers to join him in taking a stand against negative campaigns?…that was then and this is now?…that the ghost of elections past should visit Senator Lugar’s Washington home and remind him of how he advocated for clean and honest campaigns back before he had become a Washingtonian?…that Senator Lugar’s latest round of commercials against his primary challenger Evansville’s favorite son Richard Mourdock are anything but positive?…that the City County Observer would like to encourage each and every person planning to vote in the Republican primary to give strong and thoughtful consideration to each of these men and to cast a ballot for the one that truly has the best interest of SW Indiana in his heart and mind?

IS IT TRUE that one of our beloved comment writers jumped on us yesterday for repeating a passage about the failure to fund and start an audit of the IT Department?…that this person should remember that one of our trademarks is to bring things up on a recurring basis and that our repeated reminders of the McCurdy Fiasco and the Executive Inn Dilemma lead to action on the part of the former Mayor’s Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that maybe we should rephrase our repetition to something like “IS IT TRUE that it has now been 61 days since the 2012 editions of city and county government were installed and still there is no appropriation of the funds to begin the audit of the IT Department”?…that we could even name names and remind people that a new long term contract was handed out by County Commission during the waning days of the Weinzapfel Administration?…that we could also state that City Councilman and Chairman of the Finance Committee John Friend, CPA was all over this oversight in 2011 and may just be simmering to get on it again?…that there will be some reminder on a recurring basis until this necessary action is funded and done?

IS IT TRUE that the open seat in Indiana House of Representatives District 64 has a strong contender throwing his hat into the ring?…that sources tell the CCO that Tom Washburne who makes his home near Darmstadt will be making a strong push for this seat?…that Mr. Washburne brings with him the practical analytical skills of a Purdue engineering degree along with an understanding and interest in government from a career in law and banking?…that this guy worked his way up the old fashioned was as a kid from Princeton who bagged groceries and made his spending money in local retail?…that it will be interesting to see who the Democrat party will slate against Mr. Washburne in this newly bordered district that has long been receptive to practical people with conservative leanings?

IS IT TRUE that the CCO is wondering just what the fruits of the “all hands on deck” bus trip to the Crane NAVSEA Center will be?…that true to his expression during the 2011 election that Mayor Winnecke seems to be trying to muster some local interest in reviving the Partnership Intermediary Agreement between GAGE and Crane that seemed to have gone into hibernation after the 2009 Freedom Festival?…that between the renewed interest in the Crane deal, the realization that the Federal Lab Consortium is the real source of intellectual property, and the Kauffman Foundation running a seminar at USI that GAGE had scheduled for 2009 that GAGE seems to be encouraged to go back to its original mission during the early days of the Winnecke Administration?

IS IT TRUE that the Bank of America is floating another FEE BASED trial balloon that is sure to send customers blood pressure higher that their last trial balloon of a $5 FEE per month to have a debit card did?…that this time B of A is floating the idea of collecting a FEE from people who are not generating big chunks of revenue from other banking activities?…that once again it seems as though the Bank of America is aiming its FEE guns at regular people who simply use a checking account to pay their bills?…that this new FEE even has a name and that the name is “ESSENTIALS” implying that customers will be FEE’D to pieces for something that is well, essential?…that right now this $9 per month FEE is being piloted in Arizona, Georgia, and Massachusetts?…that there are other FEES being considered for other states that go as high as $25 per month?…that the only way to avoid these FEES will be to give the Bank of America money in other ways?…that the other BIG BANKS including J. P. Morgan consumer banking chief Todd Maclin told investors Tuesday the bank would like to be able to charge more than its current average of $10 to $12 a month, but “in this environment I am not going to rock that boat.”?…that every CEO of every business in America would like to pull a stunt like this too?…that FEEing people to death is a short sighted tactic and that we expect that the BIG BANKS that try this will be backed down by market forces yet again?

IS IT TRUE that the Vanderburgh County Council didn’t directly include funds in their 2012 Budget so they can join the City of Evansville to pay for a much needed Information Technology Assessment Audit? …we are pleased that the City of Evansville directly put funds for this Audit in their 2012 Budget? ….we join 5th Ward City Councilmen and Budget Chairmen, John Friend-CPA call for this City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County funded department begin to do a long overdue and detailed financial assessment of this little known but important publically funded department? …we now are awaiting to see if the past Budget Chairmen and newly elected President of the Vanderburgh County Council, James Raben shall put the money on the table so this extremely important Assessment Audit can begin?

IS IT TRUE that friend of the City County Observer and owner of the Time Out Lounge K. C. Chesser saw the recently passed smoking ban in the City of Evansville as an opportunity instead of a death sentence?…that the Time Out that is known for its classic rock sounds and as a gathering place for the fun loving crowd of people who are too old for teeny bopping and too young to stop dancing went ahead and banned smoking itself in advance of the April 1st deadline?…that Mr. Chesser reports that business has increased?…that result is contrary to the expectations of many naysayers in the bar owning fraternity of Evansville?…that we truly hope that business gets better for all Evansville businesses as a result of this public health related action?…that it seems as though people have been going to the Time Out Lounge for something other than a place to smoke?…that atmosphere wins over smoking every time?

IS IT TRUE that the Indiana Senate has gutted the statewide smoking ban under consideration the same way that they did last year?…that if Hoosiers want to know why much of the country thinks that Indiana is backwards they need look no further than this castrated bill that emerged from the Indiana Senate?…that come April 1st, Evansville will be leading the state in having a smoking ordinance with the fewest exemptions?…that is if and we do mean if our City Council doesn’t blink every time some one-man-band comes before them to beg for an exemption?