IS IT TRUE Evansville is experiencing a rash of restaurant closings this summer along with some new ones starting up?…that the restaurant turnstile rolled around again yesterday with the sudden closing of the Black Buggy at Lynch and Green River Road?…this particular Black Buggy seemed to have plenty of cars in the parking lot and people in the seats?…that the restaurant business is a tough one to succeed in and the margins are thin?…that it is very possible that demand was not a problem but that demand at a price point that would cover the rising costs of operating a restaurant finally caught up with the Black Buggy that has long been known as a good value when it comes to how much food one can get per dollar spent?…this comes on the heels of the unexpected closing of the Grand Traverse Pie Company at the corner of Burkhardt and Vogel?

IS IT TRUE the free dental clinic that is a part of the legacy of Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke and former resident and Vanderburgh County Council member Royce Sutton experienced a serious setback yesterday when the support staff all resigned?…this occurrence was made known to the Vanderburgh County Commissioners at their regular meeting last night by Dr. Ray Nicholson?…this free clinic that was started in 2006 may turn out to be another one of those things that make a good ribbon cutting ceremony and flattering headline for politicians at the startup that somehow are not made sustainable by the very politicians that smile for the camera at the opening?…there are those who would argue that free anything is always unsustainable and that in the absence of a passionate group of benefactors such opinions are the truth?…of all the things that could be considered to be preventable maintenance with a predictable payback dental care is perhaps the biggest bang for the buck?…this summer has been a classic for exposing the legacy problems of the City of Evansville’s inability to take care of what it has?…from the mouths of the poor to the resting places of the dead, to the parks, to the streets, etc. ad nauseum the cry of “why was I neglected” screams out at elected officials and oligarchs alike?…that the CCO encourages those who can to do something to make this dental clinic sustainable?

IS IT TRUE the Courier and Press poster Puchin was banned from commenting yesterday for the second time this month?…that Puchin (Joe Wallace) did not use any bad words or violate any of the terms of the long agreement?…the point made that seems to have gotten Joe’s avatar Puchin banned from the Courier was a response to letter to the editor that was calling for Mitt Romney to publish more tax returns?…that Puchin simply stated that while seeing more tax returns may satisfy some people’s thirst for a sound bite that they will not show us anything we did not already know?…we already know that Romney is very rich, takes advantage of every legal loophole that the federal government offers, spreads his money offshore, and pays a lower percentage of taxes than some middle class families?…Puchin then asked for President Obama to release his college transcripts so we may have the opportunity to learn something new?…Puchin invoked the name of Rick Perry as having been branded as an idiot because it was discovered he got an F in college chemistry?…that F referred to a grade deemed too low to be considered passing as opposed to a word starting with F that may have been misinterpreted by one of the flunkies at the CP who decided to ban Puchin?

IS IT TRUE the Big Ten Conference did the right thing by laying one whopping punishment on the Penn State football program?…Penn State and Ohio State are now both going to be sitting out this year when it comes to competing for the conference championship?…those teams play in the same division leaving only Indiana, Illinois, Purdue, and Wisconsin eligible to compete in a four team mini-conference to make the title game?…the CCO would have to bet on Wisconsin but this really does leave the miracle option open for both IU and Purdue?…that there is a path to the Big Ten championship game for a team that has a 3 – 9 record this year?

IS IT TRUE the Evansville City Council had two subjects thrown into their court last night that the CCO is certain that they would have preferred that they never ever landed there?…these two subjects are first the dilapidated state of the public cemeteries owned and managed by the City of Evansville, and secondly the appropriation of funds for raises for two of the Golden 10 came up and was discussed extensively?…that subjects like these, nasty parks, dysfunctional sewer systems, and aging water pipes would never come up if the leaders of the City of Evansville for the last 60 years had done the part of their job that involves staying current and taking care of what we have?

IS IT TRUE regarding the issue of the Golden 10 who were singled out for some pretty impressive salary increases by the Winnecke Administration, it has been clear for a couple of weeks that the rank and file people of Evansville are not supportive of handing out raises at this time?…that for some it is the practical matter of the recession and that the City is crying poor and unable to deliver services that drives their opposition?…unfortunately there is a very large element in Evansville who seem to believe that regardless of economic circumstances or singling people out for increases that anyone who is paid more than $10 per hour must be a spoiled overpaid prima donna, a thief, or the recipient of patronage?…the first kind of constituent exhibits the kind of thinking necessary to get through hard times but the second kind of constituent is the sort of thought process that would keep Evansville in the stone age if they were ever put in charge?…that the circumstances of the times have landed these two groups on the same page for now but they will hopefully butt heads again if the economy ever gets better?…that in the meantime there is no stomach on the Evansville City Council to do a wage comparison analysis before the outcome of the consolidation vote and there is even less support for salary increases for anyone at all?…the CCO is quite interested to see if the one of the Golden 10 who was discussion resignation last week will follow through on that thought?

IS IT TRUE the discussion regarding the dilapidated cemeteries took on a different tone with the President of the City Council Connie Robinson showing a disrespectful demeanor toward the dead?…that it is now accepted by anyone who has driven through one of the City cemeteries recently that there are a large number of grave stones that are turned over and looking pretty ragged?…that Councilman John Friend introduced a resolution to appropriate funds to set the stones upright and get the cemeteries back into the kind of shape that reflects respect?…Councilman Dan Adams suggested an amendment that for stones over 50 years old that the practice should be to lay the stones over onto the grave in a respectful way that would eliminate the need for further handling and make yard maintenance easier?…that both the resolution and the amendment have merit and make good sense to pursue?…the gentleman speaking before the Council who is in charge of the cemeteries was asked how much it costs to right a gravestone that has toppled over?…his answer was “I don’t know, it could be $70 or it could be $1,500”?…the CCO is of the opinion that this guy who has spent much of his life as a preacher has never set a headstone in his life and is not qualified to answer the question so he just shot from the hip with an answer that has a range of over 2,000%?…that may be one of the reasons that things do not get maintained in the City cemeteries?

IS IT TRUE that the truly offensive part of the discussion was the laughing and chuckling about the dead?…that there is no place for statements like “they won’t be offended, they are dead”, and “I ain’t never heard any complaints” is simply unacceptable from elected officials at a City Council meeting?…Jordan Baer did a very good job of presenting before Council and should be commended for taking on yet another task rooted in poor public policy?…that true to political form, the resolutions were withdrawn and not a darn thing will be done about the cemeteries at this time?