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 there is a move underway to have Evansville and SW Indiana officially designated as a “HIGH DENSITY DRUG TRAFFICKING AREA”?…that regretfully that this label is absolutely positively true and has been for several years now?…that wearing this badge of shame may contain a silver lining since by getting this designation extra money for enforcement may be made available to Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Nick Hermann who openly states that this designation is needed and the other prosecutors in the region?…that it is only through owning up to the problems at hand that solutions of the magnitude that are needed to really make a dent in the meth problem will ever be possible?

IS IT TRUE that the time is now for local elected officials to get together in a bi-partisan manner and demand that the State of Indiana allow Evansville and SW Indiana to make pseudoephedrine based products require a prescription?…that surely some of these people can agree that “meth is bad” and we need a proactive solution to disrupt the supply lines?…that if some elected official or candidate for office or even a group that would stand together with a petition to the State of Indiana to make pseudoephedrine a prescription based substance that the City County Observer would help in publicizing the effort to the limit of our ability to do so?

IS IT TRUE that Councilman John Friend turned some heads with a petition to challenge Vectren’s proposed fee increase?…that blunting the scourge of meth in SW Indiana is much more important to the future of the area than an extra $1.25 per month to Vectren?…that from a livability perspective the substantial elimination of meth from SW Indiana is the most important issue on the table?

IS IT TRUE that other publications are finally picking up on the “news” that the funds collected by the Weinzapfel for Mayor Campaign that were supposedly given to be used in a run for a third term as Mayor or even a shot a Governor have been transferred to a new POLITICAL ACTION COMMITTEE named “WEINZAPFEL FOR INDIANA”?…that with $508,000 in seed money that the former mayor will have at least a small toehold in doling out bucks to his preferred local candidates but really does not have much money when it comes to statewide office?…that it will be most interesting to see just where he spends this money?…that funding a campaign to aid in the elimination of one of the biggest problems that magnified during the former mayor’s time in office would be a most worthy place for this money to go?…that many people will sit up and take positive notice if the WEINZAPFEL FOR INDIANA PAC made a substantial donation to some effort to lobby the State of Indiana to make pseudoephedrine a prescription based substance?

IS IT TRUE that yesterday’s news that a search firm has been recruiting Mayor Winnecke’s Chief of Staff to lead the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce came as no surprise to people who know Steve Schaefer?…that the fact that he is wanted by other places is a testament to his effectiveness in the trenches for many years before emerging in 2011 as a very good leader?…that Mr. Schaefer worked behind the scenes in the shadow of others to facilitate the long awaited start of I-69?…that Mr. Schaefer when appointed to the Chairmanship of the Board of Directors of the Evansville Convention and Visitor’s Bureau moved quickly and ethically to cleanse some of the legacy of activities that were legal but not really palatable to everyday people?…that Mr. Schaefer also insisted on “doing the right thing” with respect to the politically driven fiasco that saw the previous Director of the entity let go in a tasteless and shabby manner?…that even in being dismissed from his long term position at the Chamber of Commerce of SW Indiana that Mr. Schaefer proceeded with grace into better positions?…that Evansville will feel it for years is Steve becomes a brain drainer?…that if the day comes that the Chamber of Commerce of SW Indiana ever seeks a new President and CEO that Mr. Steve Schaefer would be a most excellent choice?…that Terre Haute is not good enough for Steve but someday someone will come calling with an offer that is as excellent as Schaefer has been and at that time Evansville would be well served to step up and keep this mover and shaker from joining thousands of other talented individuals who have sought and found their fortunes elsewhere?

IS IT TRUE that in some of the private club circles that the passing of a smoking ban by the Evansville City Council is the equivalent of living under a dictator?…that statements like this just make one scratch their head in disbelief?…that to compare a smoking ban indoors to life under the jackboot of Adolph Hitler, Saddam Hussein, Josef Stalin, or Pol Pot is just astonishing?…that if one is to be taken seriously that one needs to make serious statements?…that this is something that needs to be accepted and learned to live with?…that in this particular case the majority has ruled?

IS IT TRUE that this winter continues to produce day after day of double digit crime reports?…that the crimes of stealing, drug dealing, and letting alcohol get the better of people’s judgment seems to be the rule of the winter?…that in a most bizarre twist this week that a body was found in a repossessed vehicle?…that this is the sort of thing that is entertaining on CSI but really raises eyebrows when it is happening right here in Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that it seems as though everyday brings more information about the Monday night after parties that a majority of Democrats on the Evansville City Council have been holding at the Maingate Bar for years now?…that it is most likely just a matter of time until someone comes forward with a deal that was agreed to at one of these after parties that made its way through the resolution process?…that when and if that happens hell is going to break loose for whomever made such deals and the Open Door Law enforcement may just make our former Mayor’s SNEGAL meeting to take away the Homestead Tax Credit look like a walk in the park?…that SNEGAL (sneaky but legal) tactics aggravate people but BRAZILEGAL (brazen and illegal) tactics utterly disgust people and have legal consequences?

IS IT TRUE that Springleaf Financial is quietly having layoffs in the Evansville office?…that a month ago when the announcement came out that Springleaf was having branch office closures in other locations that some local media and others seized on that announcement that there would be no layoffs in Evansville?…that was not only short sighted it was an impractical conclusion?…that the City County Observer alone predicted that the branch office closings in other areas would precipitate layoffs in Evansville?…that this is not rocket science folks it is simple business mathematics?…that many people seemed to have made deals with themselves on behalf of Springleaf and now they are mad and saying the Springleaf lied?…that Springleaf never said that there would not be layoffs in Evansville but did announce some office closures in other places?…that Springleaf did exactly what they said they would and now folks around here are up in arms over it?…that there is nothing wrong with rubbing two brain cells together and thinking things through?…that when people start to do that there will be less allegations that businesses are a pack of liars?…that no matter what some say, these guys did not lie about this layoff?

IS IT TRUE that one thing the CCO is curious about is just what the status of compliance with the commitments made at the time that AIG was awarded tax abatements on the AIG Headquarters overlooking Scores were granted?…that there were a certain number of jobs that had to be created to get the incentives and abatements granted by the City of Evansville back in 2007 when the headquarters was built?…that we do not know the exact details but we are sure that the job creation numbers were not negative?…that if the Evansville City Council that granted these incentives and tax abatements wants to do something to redeem themselves for their recent Bacchanalian BoozeFest that reviewing the compliance with the AIG tax abatements and assessing some revenue generating taxes that have been abated yet not earned?

IS IT TRUE that the State of Indiana seems to be on the verge of passing some kind of statewide smoking ban?…that it is good to see Evansville finally on the leading edge of something as opposed to being spanked by our Daddy in Indianapolis?…that Governor Daniels can take a lesson from Evansville this time?

IS IT TRUE that after finally losing a basketball game to Tennessee State last week that the Murray State Racers are back to their winning ways?…that after rising to #7 in last week’s poll that the Racers were poised to rise to #5 on the backs of losses by North Carolina and Baylor that happened during the same week as their first loss of the year?…that it looks like Murray could be grabbing a #3 seed in March Madness by winning out?…that without the one loss that Murray would have been heading for a #2 seed?…that the CCO thinks that the hunger of the Racers will propel them into the Final 4 unless they run into the Kentucky Wildcats or the Syracuse Orange both of whom look pretty darn hard to beat?

IS IT TRUE that the Kentucky State Wrestling Tournament is this weekend and we will be keeping an eye on the progress of the Union County Braves who are among the favorites to collect their 8th state championship in the sport?…that in a state that has no class distinctions for a public school with an enrollment of only 700 to dominate in this manner is quite impressive?