IS IT TRUE that Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel was manufacturing news again yesterday in announcing a new park to commemorate the Bicentennial of Evansville?…that the location of the park that had some pretty pictures of it is the full block that contains the old Greyhound Bus station?…that this lot where the new park is proposed contains just under four acres?…that Mayor Weinzapfel did not mention any details like the COST to build the park, who will MAINTAIN the park, whether that block is ZONED for a park, and especially WHERE DID THE AUTHORITY TO EMBARK UPON A PARK COME FROM?

IS IT TRUE that there is currently a park project that is being undertaken with mostly private money at the corner of 4th and Main?…that this park has been around for many years but has deteriorated in the last 4 or 5 years to be a hangout for homeless people and an open air market for drug dealers?…that pictures have been taken from downtown Evansville office buildings of drug exchanging hands in broad daylight?…that these pictures were made available to both law enforcement and the Mayor three years ago yet the practice of dealing drugs from that park continues?…that if the City of Evansville cannot or will not do what it takes to maintain the one acre park at 4th and Main and to keep drug dealers at bay then we seriously question the wisdom of building another park that is only two blocks away?…that as much as the CCO likes and approve of urban green space the City of Evansville has not shown that it is capable of taking care of such things?…that the CCO still is waiting for an updated master plan as one has not been undertaken or approved since the Russ Lloyd Jr. Administration?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Icemen are having their first slump of the season?…that yesterday’s game which turned out to be an entertaining overtime only drew about 2,500 people to the Ford Center?…that the Icemen came out on the losing end of this game but that they are still cruising along in 2nd place of the Turner Division?…that as the year wears on we will learn just how many hockey fans there really are in Evansville and will start to get a better grip on the accuracy of expecting 3,500 tickets to be sold per game?…that the UE Purple Aces put up a decent game against Tennessee Tech on Saturday before losing by 2 points?…that 2 point games at home are games that are supposed to be won by the home team?…that only 3,500 showed up for that Aces game and that if the winning does not kick it up a notch when the MVC conference schedule starts it may be a long season on the court and at the box office for this year’s edition of Purple Aces?

IS IT TRUE that the CCO reader’s polls for the last week concluded with a 5 to 1 majority expressing the belief that it is unethical of the Weinzapfel Administration to jam through large spending measures in its last days?…that the readers are pretty enthusiastic about the appointments that have been announced by the Winnecke Administration?…that by a 15 to 1 margin the readers do not have faith that the Hunden report lead to an action that they have faith will bring a profitable hotel to downtown Evansville?…that by a 10 to 1 margin our readers believe that Mayor Weinzapfel should return every dollar that he got in political contributions as a result of the failed McCurdy project to the coffers of the City of Evansville to partially cover the losses incurred by the people of Evansville for his blundering?

IS IT TRUE that Habitat for Humanity is celebrating the fact that they have now put the finishing touches on their 400th house in Evansville?…that this accomplishment punctuates 400 stories of people who have worked hard putting sweat equity into a home of their own?…that each of the 400 Habitat for Humanity home represents a big win for one individual or family who found a path to the American dream of home ownership through Habitat for Humanity?…that it would be nice to report that such programs has as positive of an effect on a community as they do on the individuals who are selected to benefit personally?

IS IT TRUE that while Habitat for Humanity has completed what sounds like a very large number of homes in a town the size of Evansville yet according to Tom Barnett, the Director of Metropolitan Development there are still 10,000 abandoned homes 8,000 of which need over $100,000 each to be made habitable?…that if Habitat for Humanity were planning to solve the problem of abandoned or uninhabitable in Evansville that they would now be 4% completed after 20+ years of efforts?…that according to the US Census there about 3,000 more abandoned homes in Evansville than there were 10 years ago?…that those who are naïve enough to think that 17, 42, or even 100 Front Door Pride homes are going to have a far reaching effect on the community need to examine the big picture impact of Habitat for Humanity?…that programs like Habitat and FDP do indeed create personal successes for the few at the expense of the many, there are very few cases where such programs have been truly transformational in the big picture of community?

IS IT TRUE that the CCO has heard talk of a real project that is considering incorporating the McCurdy Hotel, the River House, and the adjacent property to put together a high quality privately financed lodging complex that will be named McCurdy Place?…that at least this does not have the name Center, Central, or Centre proposed for it?…that we hope there will be more news soon on this innovative alternative to the downtown Evansville monopoly game of buying hotels and condos with government money?…that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission has the McCurdy on tomorrow’s agenda?

IS IT TRUE that the leading economic indicators for kicking of a campaign for President of the United States are at the most negative points ever since the end of WWII when an incumbent president was on the ballot?…that the present “official” unemployment rate of 8.6% is 20% higher than the previous high for a winning incumbent (Reagan) of 7.2%?…that Presidents Bush I, Carter, and Ford were all defeated with unemployment rates in the mid 7% range?…that the current change in household net worth from the previous year is negative 1.7%?…that there has never even been an election since WWII where this indicator was negative?…that the change in after tax income per person is currently Negative 0.8%?…that this metric has also never been negative since WWII?…that taking the big picture metric of GDP change from a year earlier that the current number is an anemic 1.5% which is the second lowest since WWII?…that only President Carter in 1980 ran with a lower GDP change of NEGATIVE 0.1%?…that given the record setting overall lowest rankings for economic indicators if people truly vote with their pockets it would appear that President Barack Obama is heading for the speaking circuit and book tours in 2013?…that this guy would not bet against a second presidency for President Obama in spite of the state of the economy?…that the reason is that the non-working and non-tax-paying class seems to have improved their lot during the last 4 years and their numbers are large enough to determine the next election?

IS IT TRUE that during the last couple of weeks several members of the Mole Nation along with non affiliated civic leaders have told the City County Observer that the $18 Million Wesselman – Roberts Ball Fields project is being prepared to raise its head again in 2012?…that with all of the money that lame duck Mayor Weinzapfel has been committing in his last hours that the City of Evansville will essentially have no money for projects so the Ball Fields may be the only thing even possible to keep some kind of public works project going?…that the Ball Fields as you recall were to be paid for by bonding the cash stream from the innkeepers tax costing the City of Evansville exactly ZERO?…that the City County Observer never ever opposed Ball Fields per se?…that what we did oppose was paying $2 Million per Ball Field since our investigations of similar sports parks revealed that nearly every other sports park was having Ball Fields built for between $250,000 and $650,000 per Ball Field?

IS IT TRUE that if the Convention and Visitors Bureau, previous Ball Field supporters, and the architects keep their costs based somewhere in the realm of reality like say $5 Million for the entire project that the CCO projects that there will be substantial support from the community?…that for the realistic projection of 40,000 visitors per year that an investment of $5 Million could very well be justified leaving the remaining $13 Million for other worthy projects like resurrecting parks?…that the opportunities are only limited by the imagination of the recommendations?…that local visionary Mr. Jordan Baer is absolutely full of ideas and even had a very unique Ball Fields idea that would make Evansville’s Ball Fields if they ever materialize a very attractive and memorable place for kids to have tournaments?

IS IT TRUE that Indiana Democrat Chairman Dan Parker has withdrawn his resignation creating even more backstabbing and discontent within the state party?…that it looks like old Dan is going to be around for this election cycle and into 2013?…that between the leadership of Pat Bauer and Dan Parker the Indiana Democrats have gone from a force to be reckoned with to a band of renegades that run for the border to further legislative agendas?…that the political landscape of the State of Indiana has been permanently altered by these old school dinosaurs who apply party rules with geographic preferences?

IS IT TRUE that the 200th birthday of Evansville kicks off today with a party at the Ford Center hosted of course the paparazzi seeking Mayor Weinzapfel?…that this does look to be shaping up as a 200 day opportunity to celebrate, appreciate, and learn about our history?…that we were surprised to learn that that Hugh McGary, the pioneer/entrepreneur who put that first building that was also a business in what is now downtown Evansville was only here briefly before hitting the road never to be heard from again?…that we bet that less than 1% of the school children who attend McGary Middle School know the story of High McGary?…that this 200 day birthday party is a good opportunity to instill some pride in the people of Evansville and that it should permeate our schools to seed that pride in the next generation?…that people with pride do not litter, keep their properties looking good, and groom themselves before leaving the house?…that 200 days from now if the pride opportunity is properly put out there that there should be a visible difference in the appearance of Evansville, Indiana?

IS IT TRUE? December 17, 2011 Another Film to be Made in Evansville

IS IT TRUE that Mole #22 tells us that there is an effort being undertaken to make a very relevant documentary film and that Evansville has already been chosen as the city where the filming will take place?…that a casting call has already gone out for a very specific profile of actors and extras that according to national statistics Evansville is the best place in the country to be able to attract this profile?…that we are sure that Madonna will not be coming to town but that Rosie O’Donnell fits the profile quite well so she may land a role along with Rosanne Barr who also fits the profile and has a history with a sitcom that featured some Evansville places in its sign on?

IS IT TRUE that Morgan Spurlock is the independent director who is preparing to come to Evansville to do a documentary?…that Mr. Spurlock was nominated for an Academy Award in 2005 for his 2004 documentary film called “SuperSize Me”?…that Spurlock in SuperSize Me documented how his body reacted to eating at McDonalds every day for a month?…that during that month he ate at McDonalds for 3 meals a day and tried every item on their menu multiple times?…that during that month Mr. Spurlock gained 24½ lbs. (11.1 kg), a 13% body mass increase, a cholesterol level of 230, and experienced mood swings, sexual dysfunction, and fat accumulation in his liver?…that it took Spurlock fourteen months to lose the weight gained from his experiment using a vegan diet supervised by his future wife, a chef who specializes in gourmet vegan dishes.

IS IT TRUE that last year’s distinction as “THE MOST OBESE CITY IN AMERICA” is what inspired Mr. Spurlock to choose Evansville as the location for his next documentary on how bad eating habits and sedentary lifestyles are affecting the United States?…that this documentary will be about “LIVING IN THE OBESITY CAPITAL OF AMERICA” and that the specific profile that is being sought is OBESE men, women, and children?…that as much as getting national exposure in a cinematic way can help a city this will not be flattering to the City of Evansville?…that if this documentary serves as a WAKE UP CALL to the people of Evansville and the city government that in the long run there may be some good things that will come from what will certainly be a humiliating experience?

IS IT TRUE that public health is something that the City of Evansville should advocate for?…that during the last 8 years that we have been treated to a Mayor and a City Council that refused to strengthen a smoking ordinance and turned entire city busses into billboards for McDonalds?…that we anticipate that the Winnecke Administration will be much more active in promoting health that Mayor Weinzapfel ever was?…that we should each ask the question “am I healthier than I was 8 years ago” when evaluating the performance of the outgoing administration in this critical area?…that this film will be a memorial to the neglect of public health that is part of the legacy of the Weinzapfel Administration?