IS IT TRUE? February 5, 2012

IS IT TRUE that Vanderburgh County has retained its title as the #1 county in the State of Indiana for the most meth labs?…that unfortunately we are adding to our lead and for 2012 were a full 63% in front of the second place Elkhart County way up north where unemployment flourishes?…that last year Vanderburgh County only to the #1 position by 12% over Kosclusko County?…that while it is good to see more arrests this sobering statistic of being the #1 county for meth in a state that competes very well for the #1 national ranking for meth labs should really get the attention of public officials?…that this is truly an emergency situation in a place that continues to tout itself as “a good place to raise kids” with a “high quality of life”?

IS IT TRUE that in 2011 it seems that Evansville and/or Vanderburgh County have been named #1 in the nation for three race to the bottom indices?…that if we are to ever be proven to be “a good place to raise kids” with a “high quality of life” that the days of LEADING THE NATION in meth labs, suicide, and obesity MUST END?…that one would think that there would be more urgency to shed such stigmas?…that if we are to be profiled in the Guinness Book of World Records it would certainly be preferable to be profiled for something positive?…that here in the land of new arenas, Front Door Pride, BoothGATE, ArrestGATE, Needle in the ParkGATE, Didn’t pay for the ChickenGate, can’t find a Hotel DeveloperGATE, can’t get McCurdy taxes PaidGATE, and now MaingateGATE one would think if we were so magnanimous in local governance that we would be a leader in something other than meth labs, suicide, and obesity?

IS IT TRUE that the next four years need to be a time of reflection on what has become a town that changes little and continually falls for the illusion that things are okay in River City?…that being the US capital of meth labs, suicide, and obesity is simply not acceptable?…that reflection and reality had better take hold soon or the Good Ship Evansville will pass the point of no return on the race to the bottom?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #57 tells us that Mayor Winnecke was only approached last week to make the humanitarian trip to Mexico as an ambassador for the City of Evansville?…that to make such an offer on a week’s notice to a sitting Mayor is not sufficient notice to even reasonable expect that he could accept?…that most of us have known since the first week of November that Lloyd Winnecke would be Mayor and that the Rotary Club should have known that and planned well enough for Mayor Winnecke to be able to be the ambassador that he has openly stated that he will be for the City of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that our FORMER mayor had on his bio at a speaking engagement this week that he is Mayor of Evansville, Indiana?…that we wonder when it will sink in that the steward of the Office of Mayor of Evansville changed hands on January 1st?…that as long as the civic organizations of Evansville keep sending the FORMER mayor on ambassadorial junkets that the delusion will live on?…that along with the incorrect title the conference bio included “He was re-elected in 2007 with an historic 85% of the vote”?…that for those of us who are aware of the quality of candidate that this “historic” victory was won over know just how “un-historic” the mayoral election of 2007 actually was?…that Republican candidate David Nixon had about the same probability for victory that one of the McCurdy pigeons would have against one of Kyrsten Monson’s falcons?

IS IT TRUE? February 4, 2012

IS IT TRUE

that Indiana Secretary of State Charlie White has been found guilty of multiple instances of voter fraud with respect to his address?…that it is going to be interesting to see if justice plays itself out and Secretary White is removed from office for this conviction?…that in the event of his removal it will be equally interesting to see if his replacement will be his Democrat challenger Vop Osili or if the Republicans will get to appoint his successor?…that there is also the possibility that he will continue to serve and pay a fine?…that while this news should attract more interest than it does it seems as though when a politician is convicted anymore that many people just shrug their shoulders and accept it as the way of the world?

IS IT TRUE we are wondering when VenuWorks will decide to put the City County Observer on their Media list …that the last time we checked, VenuWorks is heavily subsidized by the local taxpayers and should adhere to public access laws?

IS IT TRUE that the Murray State Racers just keep on winning and are now sitting at 22 – 0 as the only undefeated college basketball team in the nation?…that in 6 regular season games and a bracket buster matchup against 22nd ranked St. Mary’s we shall know if the Racers will be entering the Ohio Valley Conference tournament with a perfect 29 – 0 record?…that they could very well be heading to the NCAA with a 32 – 0 record and a #2 seed if they can pull this season out?…that the Racers are this year’s inspiration for little guys everywhere?

IS IT TRUE that last weekend the Union County Braves wrestling team won the Kentucky State Duels for the first time?…that for those who don’t know Union County High is located in Morganfield in a county of only 15,000 or so people?…that wrestling in Kentucky does not have class distinction so UCHS has to go up against giant schools like Louisville Trinity (enrollment 4,000) at the state level?…that the Braves now have 7 outright state titles and 3 class A titles in the trophy case just in wrestling?…that they are favored to add another team title at the state meet in mid February?…that this makes the CCO the only Evansville based publication to report this?

IS IT TRUE? February 3, 2012

IS IT TRUE that there is still an disturbing silence down at the McCurdy Hotel during the day that sounds more like the echoes of the past than the jackhammers of the future?…that except for the cooing of pigeons and squeaking of bats there is little sound at all coming from the historic hotel?…that other than the slow and silent degradation of neglect which seems to age these precious and important old building that no constructive sounds have come from the McCurdy in the nearly 4 years since our former mayor triumphantly announced deal with an Indianapolis based donor to his campaign funds that could not seem to get the funds to do the project while filling political coffers of the former mayor?…that the fall installment of the property taxes are still not paid?

IS IT TRUE that just yesterday the City County Observer learned of a very attractive young lady who may have a great solution to the problems at the McCurdy regarding pigeons and bats?…that Miss Kyrsten Monson is what is known as a “falconmaster”?…that about the best way that cities and hospitality industry facilities can rid their grounds of pesky pigeons, crows, rats, etc. is to hire a “falconmaster” to order her flock to do some timely eradication of the sky rats and their kin?…that maybe the City of Evansville could consider inviting Kyrsten to town with her falcons to start ridding the sky around the McCurdy and other roosts of pigeons?

IS IT TRUE that a multiyear effort that has been a joint venture between the Rotary Club and St. Mary’s to supply some valuable medical equipment to Mexico as a humanitarian effort has successfully place over $1 Million worth of equipment into the hands of people in need?…that this spirit of giving is one of the most noteworthy and admirable things about the civic organizations in and around Evansville?…that one of the four local delegates who will be making a good will trip to Mexico to see our gifts in action is none other than Citizen Jonathan Weinzapfel?

IS IT TRUE that this weekend the Super Bowl will be at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis and that Indiana’s state capitol is all spruced up make a great impression on Super Bowl attendees and over 100 Million people on television?…that some Indianapolis law enforcement officers are sweating out a threat made by a group of unions to disrupt the Super Bowl weekend over the recent passage of Right to Work?…that we admonish these people who fought the good fight and lost to let their frustrations rest for the weekend and enjoy the Super Bowl and all of its side events as opposed to showing their backsides in the streets of Indianapolis over this law?…that making a sparkling impression on the world is more important that crying sour grapes for the camera?…that for those who opposed Right to Work the place to make a difference is at the ballot box in November and not in the streets in February?

IS IT TRUE that at a most informative presentation made by the Chairman of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) this writer was able to witness a very detailed description of how wholesale electricity prices at the grid level change by the minute 24 hours a day?…that the subject of the presentation with astonishing graphics was the Midwest?…that the day that was the subject of the graphics was the hottest day of last summer when demand was highest?…that the Chairman of the FERC is an advocate for transforming the consumer pricing of electricity to allow residential ratepayers to be able to take advantage of real time pricing?…that being able to do this will require smart metering, a variable pricing schedule set by grid wholesale pricing, sufficient infrastructure to do this, smart customers, and willing utilities?…that this presentation was truly illuminating and there will be a more comprehensive article next week in the CCO?…that the hot spot for wholesale pricing in the entire Midwest is SW Indiana?…that the reason is substantially due to a transmission bottleneck that appeared to be near Vincennes?…that on the contrary the lowest price wholesale power that was sometimes priced at ZERO is around the wind farms north of Terre Haute?…that the Chairman of the FERC stated that the abysmal disconnect of the price to the consumer from the actual wholesale market is causing unneeded construction projects to be undertaken, higher electric bills, and unnecessary emission of pollution?…his solemn opinion is that “unleashing information is the only way to unleash power” and that “static fixed rate pricing decouples consumer awareness”?

IS IT TRUE? February 2, 2012

IS IT TRUE that something that has not yet been pointed out is the fact that not even one of the six members of the Evansville City Council who gathered together after the January 13, 2012 meeting of the City Council?…that not a one of the six City Council members has come forward to say the words that would turn this into a legal social gathering?…that the words we have not heard from even one of the gatherers are “NO ONE MENTIONED ANY CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS AT THE MAINGATE”?…that we have heard things like “I paid for my own drink”, “I left early and will never do this again”, and “I am not talking” but not a one of them including Mr. Lindsey has said the magic words of “NO ONE MENTIONED ANY CITY COUNCIL BUSINESS AT THE MAINGATE”?

IS IT TRUE that Mr. Lindsey has indeed come to his own defense in stating that “IT WAS NOT ALCOHOL IN MY CUP”, but clearly NOT ONE MEMBER OF THE CITY COUNCIL HAS DEFENDED THE ALLEGATION THAT THEY WERE IN A BAR TALKING BUSINESS THAT WOULD MAKE THEM IN VIOLATION OF OPEN DOOR LAWS?…that the City County Observer solicits and invites statements from each and every one of the members of the City Council members who gathered together for a meeting after the meeting to submit their statement of this gathering an hundreds of other off site gatherings about just what the topics of conversation are and how on earth they can possibly spend 3 hours chit chatting without someone bringing up Evansville City Council business?…that until we see this in writing from the gatherers our skeptical nature leads us to conclude that “THEY DID IT THIS TIME AND HAVE BEEN DOING IT AS A MATTER OF HABIT FOR THE LAST EIGHT YEARS”?…that all six of you gatherers and a host of past gatherers have an opportunity to come forward and defend yourselves?…that to avail yourselves of that opportunity is as much as an admission of guilt?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #11 who has a nearly flawless track record for sharing accurate information tells us that it was Councilwoman Missy Mosby who made the complaint about Councilman Al Lindsey drinking alcohol to of all people Mayor Winnecke?…that Mole #11 also tells us that it was an incorrect assumption of some words that were whispered that set of the emotional response that has exposed this whole dust up?…that the Evansville City Council is not a place for the temper mental and the presumptive?…that the personality and demeanor required to think through complex situations for the betterment of the City of Evansville is a cognitive and deliberative person who will vote from the brain instead of the heart?…that another trait needed is a commitment to living a transparent life?…that it seems based on the whole MaingateGATE situation that the citizens of Evansville are in for 4 more years of kindergarten antics from our elected officials?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #11 also confirmed what we already knew and that is that the Monday night gatherings of Democrat City Council members at the Maingate Bar has been standard operating procedure for some time now?…that we are sure that much of the chatter is nothing more than middle school gossip but also are of the opinion that it is virtually impossible for such a group to gather so often and not even mention things like the smoking ordinance, the McCurdy, the Hotel non-project, Centennial Park, the dilapidated park system, Roberts Stadium, and the list goes on?…that no one is likely to have the discipline to adhere to a behavior standard that does not violate Open Door Laws and therefore we stand by our assertion that these meeting of a MAJORITY OF THE CITY COUNCIL in drinking establishment MUST STOP NOW?…that for the sake of the reputation of the governing body of this city please you democrats restrain yourselves from gathering in groups that constitute a majority?…we are looking like the deep south of 40 years ago again and it is not positive? JUST STOP IT!!!