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Democratic Central Committee Negative Mailer not authorized by Councilman Friend

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Soon homes in Evansville’s 5th Ward will receive a very negative mailer depicting Brent Grafton the Republican candidate for Evansville City Council as a former “political boss”. The mailer basically was a series of quotes by Republicans regarding the 2006 election controversy when Mr. Grafton was the chairman of the Republican Party.

The mailer according to its disclosure statement was “Paid for and authorized by Vanderburgh County Democrat Central Committee”. Just yesterday the City County Observer discovered that the Democrat Central Committee was being sued on behalf of the Bauerhaus for not paying the $3,500 tab for the awards banquet held last summer and that the Democrat Party also owed a debt to taxpayers of Venderburgh County for an unpaid debt to SMG for use of The Centre.

When contacted regarding the negative nature of the ad Councilman John Friend on whose behalf the mailer was sent out stated that “Mark Owen and the Democrat Central Committee are causing me nothing but heartburn lately”. Friend went on to state that he had never seen the mailer and did not authorize it.

In response to allegations that he was the Finance Chair of the Democrat Party when the unpaid debts were incurred and when the false campaign finance report was filed Mr. Friend responded by saying that he “told Mr. Owen a year ago that he could not continue to serve in the capacity of Finance Chairman”. Yesterday Mr. Friend’s image was still on the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party website as the Finance Chair but as of 4:00 today his title and picture had been removed?

Councilman Friend was adamant that he does not engage in negative campaigning and expressed that he had considered paying part of the Democrat Party’s debt to the Bauerhaus as the City County Observer took the lead on yesterday. It is to be learned at a later date if the printer of these mailers will be paid by the Democrat Party.

Davis Campaign Gets Some Post Halloween Cash Treats

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Davis Campaign Supplement 11032011

IS IT TRUE? November 3, 2011

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? November 3, 2011

IS IT TRUE that polls taken yesterday and made available to the City County Observer indicate that every race except one for the City of Evansville elections are within the margin of error of the poll itself?…that excluding one contest that the largest margin of difference between any two head to head contests is 3 points?…that what this means is that this weekend’s efforts and revelations will be determining the outcome of this year’s Mayor and the makeup of the Evansville City Council?

IS IT TRUE that with the demonstrably negative directions that the TV ads for both campaigns have taken that one would think that we are faced with a choice between Attilla the Hun and Charles Manson?…that we absolutely know that both Lloyd Winnecke and Rick Davis are much better people than the ads are portraying each to be?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer wishes that there would have been one more debate that would have been conducted in a national format that would not put viewers to sleep?…that an election eve debate would provide voters one last opportunity to see the candidates address the issues so that the most informed votes possible could be cast?…that from a business attraction perspective we would like to hear the 5 minute pitch on Evansville’s behalf that each candidate would make extemporaneously to an executive who is considering an expansion that involved the creation of 500 or more jobs that pay well above local averages?…that this is the kind of substance that the “top salesman for the town” should be capable of doing with ease in an anyplace, anytime manner?

IS IT TRUE that even if the candidates for Mayor are correct that each is a scoundrel and a fool we always have the City Council to keep the scoundrel across the hall in check?…that at least we should?…that the most important outcome of next week’s election may just be the outcome and demeanor of the Evansville City Council?…that for the last 8 years Evansville has had such a supermajority of Democrats that voted as a block in any way the Mayor wished that several poor actions have been rubber stamped?…that a strong and deliberative City Council that paid attention would have passed the good works of Mayor Weinzapfel while filtering out the albatrosses?…that what we need on the next City Council are nine people who think for themselves, do not put party or the head of the party first, and actually practice the rapidly disappearing blend of art and science known as COGNITIVE THOUGHT?…that we encourage our readers to engage in COGNITIVE THOUGHT and to elect people to the City Council who do as well?…that we discourage voting for anyone who is OWNED by a party?

IS IT TRUE that the weather report for election day right now is about as inclimate as it can be?…that we hope that this will not keep people away from the polls?…that the worse part of the rain this time of year is that those darn yard signs will be soaked and more difficult to burn?…that it appears as though we are headed for a campaign for Mayor of Evansville that will result in over $1.2 M spent to woo the 30,000 or so votes that are expected to be recorded?…that this works out to $40 per vote?…that the so called good old days of buying votes with a half-pint of cheap whiskey are dead and gone?

Winnecke Campaign Discloses Additional Contributions

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Lloyd Winnecke

Winnecke Supplemental Finance Report 11022011

Republican Chairman Wayne Parke’s Letter to the Editor

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Democrat Rick Davis appears to be running out of momentum. On Sunday the Courier & Press endorsed Lloyd Winnecke as a “proven leader” and its choice Mayor of Evansville. The Courier also noted that Rick Davis is running a one-issue, negative campaign – funded almost entirely by the Indiana Democratic Party. Davis will do his best to vilify Winnecke in an attempt to fire up a Democratic base that isn’t overwhelmingly excited about Davis himself.

It’s no surprise that Democrats are even frightened by Davis. As reported by various media outlets, one of his strongest supporters and a possible candidate for police chief, Sgt. Rick Hubbard, called in for the arrest of one of Davis’s Democratic critics at the Fall Festival parade for a minor traffic warrant. Hubbard had not made an arrest in 7 years (and he didn’t hang around for this one even though he called it in), and given that over 7,400 minor traffic warrants exist, this kind of arrest in the middle of a busy parade is certainly unusual.

Hubbard claims not to have targeted the critic and was merely tipped off to the warrant by “an unknown subject,” yet Hubbard knew enough to refer to him by a “derogatory term”. One of Davis’s family members even filmed the entire episode, knowing just the right moment and place it would occur.

Simply put, the evidence strongly suggests the arrest was questionable and politics at its worst. Apparently Rick Davis has a campaign team willing to use anything, including the alleged abuse of police powers, to get its way.

Evansville needs a new direction, but not the kind of change offered by Davis. We can’t afford to have city hall managed by a career politician whose campaign is full of negative attacks and questionable tactics. Instead, we need a proven leader with the experience, judgment and character we all expect in a public official. We need a leader who will focus on the future and bring more jobs to Evansville. That leader is Lloyd Winnecke.

Wayne Parke
Chairman, Vanderburgh Co. GOP

Absentee Vote Count Now at 6,692 Updated 11/2/2011

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Absentee ballots cast in the 2011 City of Evansville elections have already reached a total that in over one-third of all of the votes cast period in the 2007 election. The counts registered thus far by ward are as follows:

Ward 1: 1,716

Ward 2: 763

Ward 3: 688

Ward 4: 821

Ward 5: 1,855

Ward 6: 849

Position Paper on Public Safety, by: E. Lon Walters

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Public Safety
By: E. Lon Walters, Republican Candidate for Evansville City Council, 2nd Ward

Evansville Needs an Ordinance Requiring All Employees of Evansville Contractors, Volunteers and those that have Direct Interaction with Children to Conduct Employee Background Checks.

We must ensure sex offenders stay away from our children and out of our homes. To do so, the city of Evansville should require that all contractors conduct employee background checks as is permissible under the Fair Credit Reporting Act. The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows
Employers to conduct background checks and report all records that are publicly available. As a
City Councilman, I will push for new background check requirements for contractors and those that work with or around children to prevent convicted sex offenders from working inside our homes and near children. To ensure the protection of our children, we need to consider explicitly barring sex offenders from any chance of working in a home or near children. As a City Councilman, I will push for reforming the local licensing laws explicitly banning anyone that is a convicted sex offender from getting a contractor’s license that can be used for in-home construction, repair, or those that have direct interaction with children. Employers can no longer take job applications on face value. They should be doing public criminal record checks and various types of background checks on new employees.

Working With Children.

Because children are so vulnerable, anyone that will be working with them in any capacity should be subject to a background check that includes any public criminal records. Employment may be refused to those who will work with, or near children, even if the criminal action was not against a child. Anyone with an assault or personal crime history may be a danger to anyone considered powerless against him or her. If you are going to be working with children as a school bus driver, driving instructor, or teacher at a school or day care center, these types of charges on the public records would be problematic. Any type of job that involves children should make you more prone to scrutiny. Yes, I am doing this at my company; it does not mean I will not give people a second chance. It does mean if they have been convicted of an offence against a child or any such personal crime that may be seen as a danger to someone that is powerless against him or her they will not be given the job.

Cost to Business

Doing background checks should not be an undue burden to the businesses required to perform them under this ordinance. Hiring the best employees is the most important task for your organization. If they work with and through their insurance provider, they may even see a reduction in their liability insurance cost that will more than cover the expense of doing the background checks.

My insurance company has a program set up through ISO, (Insurance Services Office, Inc), we are using IntelliCorp one of the companies owned by ISO, using this service a background check cost me $9.95 in most cases. If the potential employee has lived in many different locations, the cost can go as high as approx. $35.00. It is important that the service used be accurate, reliable, timely, reasonably priced, easy to use, and comprehensive. IntelliCorp even has a service designed for volunteer based organizations. There are many more companies available to use, I am just using a company I am familiar with as an example.

E. L. “Lon” Walters
Candidate for City Council 2nd. Ward.
Cell Phone: 812-305-4768

IS IT TRUE: Breaking News! Democrats Amend Campaign Finance Report

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE that on Tuesday November 1, 2011 that the City County Observer learned of and posted a lawsuit filed by the Bauerhaus seeking payment of a debt that the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party incurred and then never paid for their Awards Banquet held last summer?…that the CCO then cross referenced the official October 21, 2011 “Reciepts and Expenditures of a Political Committee” filed with the Vanderburgh County Clerk with the Bauerhaus debt and found that the Vanderburgh County Democrats reported ZERO DEBT on this official and required report?…that later that day it was learned and reported by the City County Observer that the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party owed other debts including one to THE CENTRE that is owned by the taxpayers of Vanderburgh County?…that much howling and denial followed these revelations and then today within 24 hours of being called out by the CCO something happened?

IS IT TRUE that the Vanderburgh County Democrat Party on Wednesday November 2, 2011 FILED AN AMENDMENT TO THEIR RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURES OF A POLITICAL COMMITTEE that included those two debts and others?…that the CCO shall be getting our hands on this AMENDMENT as soon as possible tomorrow and will post it promptly for all to see just what we are certain will be called an OVERSIGHT contains?…that no matter how this gets spun by the Democrat spin doctors that this was NO OVERSIGHT?…that we have confirmed with MULTIPLE DEMOCRAT ELECTED OFFICIALS that these debts were COMMON KNOWLEDGE?…that this appears to be INTENTIONAL on the part of the VANDERBURGH COUNTY DEMOCRAT PARTY?…that the CCO does believe that it is possible that many people in the party were tricked and were unaware but that it was common knowledge none the less?

IS IT TRUE that the CCO does take pride in being first to break this sort of thing?…that yesterday’s catch was not a result of a MOLE ALERT?…that yesterday’s discovery was simply reading two documents and connecting the dots on the part of the CCO?…that what not only mystifies but in many ways offends us is that none of the mainstream media in Evansville has even reported on this?…that when mainstream media fails to report on something that is as relevant as KNOWINGLY FILING AN INCORRECT CAMPAIGN FINANCE REPORT that it is a sad day in River City?

IS IT TRUE that if one really wants to know why so many things are just dealt with in a cavalier “LET IT SLIDE” or LET IT RIDE” manner in Evansville we need look no further than things like this?

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner

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CCO Writer and Publisher Joe Wallace and wife Karen represented the CCO at the Bauerhaus chicken dinner which has recently made headlines. At this event, Joe and Karen enjoyed a meal that was assumed to have been paid by the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party. After receiving recent information about the unpaid bill and misrepresented debt, Joe Wallace and CCO owner Ron Cosby decided to take action.

“It’s a matter of principle,” said Ron Cosby. “We had two dinners and the Bauerhaus deserves to be paid for them.”

Joe Wallace added, “We don’t want to benefit from any of the snegal actions taken by the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party. We’re paying our share, they need to step up and take care of the rest.”

Evansville’s small businesses rely on payment from their customers. When stiffed for a significant sum by a local political organization, the business feels it much more than a larger company would. Evansville’s businesses should not suffer due to political games, snegal activity, or gross oversight of one of the most influential groups in town. We at the CCO hope that the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party will step up and cover their end of the bill.

Our check is in the mail.

IS IT TRUE? November 2, 2011 Will the Centre Ever Perform Financially?

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IS IT TRUE? November 2, 2011 Will the Centre Ever Perform Financially?

IS IT TRUE that the Centre has now released another report of the results of operations from a financial perspective?…that during the last year the Centre has added another $600,000 of losses to bring the 12 year total up to over $7 Million?…that Roberts Stadium is being slated for demolition by the Weinzapfel Administration because it costs about $400,000 per year to keep on ice?…that prior to the opening of the Ford Center that Roberts Stadium was actually running at a profit?…that it was and is the only paid for facility that is capable of operating at a profit in the City of Evansville?…that the dual thought process of the Weinzapfel Administration is nothing short of mind boggling?…that the Centre is owned and operated by the Vanderburgh County Commissioners who are now blaming the lack of a downtown Convention Hotel for losing 20% of the convention business in a single year?…that this was discussed three years ago, two years ago, last year, and today?…that the Vanderburgh County Commissioners are just as complicit in letting a hair brained scheme run amok that has resulted in no downtown Convention Hotel as anyone else including the Administration of the City of Evansville?…that going with the flow and refusing to call out idiocies is pretty much the downfall of downtown Evansville?…that hopefully in 60 days there will be the seed of sanity for a future of hope installed in the Office of the Mayor of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that the hour that the Bank of America announced that they were going to be charging a $5 fee per month for the use of debit the City County Observer pounced on those rascals like a cat on a rat running through Bee Slough?…that our story about how the Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Regions, and other banks that were planning to feast on usury fees like this would backfire drew nearly 10,000 pageviews?…that only about 500 of those pageviews came from the Evansville area?…that we can thank our friends at Google for driving people across America who were incensed by this usury fee to the CCO?…that yesterday the Bank of America and several other of those banks have suspended their plans?…that this is a testament to the power of consumers in a FREE MARKET?…that where there are informed people who are aware of their surroundings that competitive forces prevail?…that if everything that we buy including electricity were competitive that the country as a whole would always be able to pound down usury fees like the B of A’s $5 fee?…that in a country that is being driven by fear and uncertainty that this reversal of intent is a validation that when left alone that capitalism and free markets are the best way to go?…that it is a hard but true lesson that everything that the government touches becomes a little bit less competitive even if it is called The Centre?

IS IT TRUE that if The Centre has lost $7,065,744 in 12 years and that it has received a total of $7,244,103 from the people of Vanderburgh County that it may just mean that the real operating deficit is $14,309,847?…that at an attendance of only 175,000 people per year that works out to a subsidy of nearly $7 for every warm body that steps in the building?…that the CCO is interested in what the projections were for the performance of this facility when it was committed to back in the planning stages?…that we would like to know if we were sold a pig in a poke by local government or if we all knew right up front that high six figure losses were expected every year forever?…that we also question the proposition that a downtown Convention Hotel will stop the flow of red ink?…that it really seems as though the financial projections of government paid consultants have about as much credibility as Khadafy’s Ghost would have as the guest speaker at a conference on human rights?

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