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?

IS IT TRUE? February 29, 2012

IS IT TRUE that on Sunday, the City County Observer published a letter from Bob Warren, the Executive Director of the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau to the Roberts Stadium Committee advocating for a half price set of ball fields relative to the $18 Million “Taj Majal of Ball” that our previous Opus One loving CVB board of directors pushed hard for back in the days when borrowing to the max on every cash stream available was in vogue?…that of all of the things that we have learned about Mr. Warren that we have come to admire a good sense of value and a practical way of planning are at the top of the list?…that we have had such a good set of experiences with Mr. Warren in one on one meetings that we expect that “winging it” is just not a part of his character?…that what we would appreciate from Mr. Warren with respect to his Ball Majal resurrection letter is a line item of estimates for just what his proposed $8M – $10M proposal would be buying?

IS IT TRUE that the last round of gilded ball fields included lots of extras thrown to the City of Evansville that really were not considered by many to be an appropriate use of the hotel tax money like demolishing Roberts stadium and adding infrastructure improvements to the city’s assets under management?…that when all of the hidden gifts to the previous administration were stripped out of the Gilded Fields maybe the last proposal was really only an $8 Million project after all?…that the real questions regarding a little league sports park are THE COST and THE LOCATION?…that even the CCO accepts Mr. Warren’s realistic estimates of 30,000 to 40,000 visitors per year that is in line with similar parks in similar cities?…that we appreciate Warren’s considered honesty as opposed to the hype that we were subjected to previously?…that MILLION DOLLAR BALL FIELDS are still excessively priced when compared to what is spent elsewhere?…that there is still a large outpouring of citizen opposition to this location for a sports park?

IS IT TRUE that there is one more thing that makes us leery of investing any money at all in a sports park?…that the City of Evansville’s Parks and Recreation Department though new leadership is in place has still not proven that it can get through the summer without seeing existing parks turn into garbage filled jungles?…that when the City of Evansville has proven that it can mow the acres that it has, then and only then should we consider any project that would expand the maintenance responsibilities of the City of Evansville?…that this same argument goes for the last week of the Weinzapfel Administration’s announcement of the so called Centennial Park down by the abandoned Greyhound Bus station?

IS IT TRUE that we encourage Bob Warren to keep his chin up and his thinking cap on?…that last year when Mr. Warren was touting what Evansville already has as a great tourism draw that we were encouraged and even fawning over his words?…that this spring should be spent getting what we already have into worthy condition so Mr. Warren can work his magic with his new promotions budget to get some heads into these empty beds?…that the days of Gilded Ball Fields and a new Downtown Convention Hotel may come someday when the City of Evansville gets its act together enough to attract investors but this is not that day or even that year?…that we thank Mr. Warren for his proposal but encourage him to get on about the business of doing the best that he can with what he has to work with?

IS IT TRUE that we respectfully suggest that EVSC school board should have sent the recently recognized students with scholastic achievement to the USI Science and Engineering Fair that had more than 600 projects entered?…that we suggest to our alleged intellectually-based EVSC administrators that the 5000+ students sent to an ice hockey game would have benefited more from this truly academically-based Science and Engineering Fair at USI?…that we respectfully suggest that the intellectually-based EVSC administrators take a look at our most recent CCO poll results and see what how our readers reacted to this very subject?

IS IT TRUE that the off-track betting center Indiana Downs stood before the Evansville City Council last night and made an economic argument that they should be granted an exemption to the recently passed smoking ban that takes effect on April 1st?…that their representative was oblivious to the fact that two readings and a vote had been held previously?…that the Indiana Downs representative admitted to “dropping the ball” when it came to showing up to ask or even apply for an exemption before the widely publicized February 13th vote by the City Council?…that to come before council after “dropping the ball” that Indiana Downs claims could cost them 20% of their revenue would not exactly inspire any private investor to be prone to invest in this business?…that Indiana Downs is currently under the protection of a bankruptcy proceeding and has been since April of 2011?…that one fact stands out and that is that Indiana Downs entered bankruptcy at a time that smoking was pretty much a free for all in its facility?…that if Indiana Downs is not granted an exemption and proceeds to emerge from bankruptcy as a profitable business that anti-smoking advocates will be claiming that banning smoking saved the place?…that the bankruptcy trustee can take this issue into consideration as having material relevance to Indiana Downs financial capacity going forward?

IS IT TRUE that this will be something to behold as it unfolds as any Tom, Dick, or Harry who owns a 2 stool bar could make the same argument that Indiana Downs made last night?…that some small bars actually did not “drop the ball” and made that same argument on or before the February 13th vote?

IS IT TRUE that the silence about the McCurdy Convalescent Home for Bats and Pigeons is deafening?…that another winter has nearly passed with nothing of any restorative nature happening with the historic McCurdy?…that the McCurdy continues to stand as a monument to local government ineptness?…that we seem to have lost count of the days since the self congratulatory announcement was made that restoration was secure?…that the taxes on the McCurdy that were due last November 10th are still not paid and that another installment will be due in 2 short months?…that as spring approaches and the sun shines a bit more on this historic piece of Evansville property that the grass will begin to grow, the former mayor’s beanstalk will sprout leaves, the rats will come back and the snakes will follow?

IS IT TRUE that the Murray State Racers are back in the Top 10 checking in at #9 in the country?…that with tournaments coming up there is a very real possibility that the Racers will be ranked in the #5 position on selection Sunday if they can take care of business in the Ohio Valley Conference tournament?…that if not for that one slip up with Tennessee State that the Racers would be ranked #3 right now and possibly looking at a #1 seed in a regional?…that they may just pull out a #2 seed anyway if the conference tournaments go their way?