IS IT TRUE a highly regarded elected official in the City of Evansville told “CCO Mole 2” yesterday that he knows more about the plans concerning the proposed new arena in Owensboro , KY than the Arena in Evansville? …that we think his statement was sad but true?…that many of the things that have been written and talked about in the master plans of the past in Evansville are now under construction in Owensboro?…that at the present growth rates (or shrinkage rates as the case may be) that Owensboro will someday pass Evansville in population?

IS IT TRUE that the Editor of the CCO missed his weekly segment on the renown Les Shively radio show this week? …that “CCO MOLE #3” found out why he missed the radio show? …that “CCO MOLE #3” tell us that Mr. Wallace over slept?…that on the previous evening that Mr. and Mrs. Wallace went to dinner at Fandango Restaurant in Pacific Grove, CA?…that Fandango was original funded by Alan Shugart who was a friend and sometimes business associate during his early days in Silicon Valley?…that Mr. Wallace learned of his friend’s passing at dinner the night before and elected to stay up reminiscing with Shugart’s partner in Fandango about Al’s life?

IS IT TRUE that Alan Shugart was one of those people who just could not be mastered by outside forces?…that he earned a degree in engineering physics and had a good start on a career as a scientist at IBM before the entrepreneurial spirit came calling?…that Shugart started many enterprises including Fandango, a salmon fishing enterprise, a bar, a consulting firm in the disk memory business, and ultimately Seagate Technology that become the world’s largest manufacturer of disk drives in the world?…that Al became disgusted with California politics and ran his dog Ernest for congress in 1996?…that he also led a ballot initiative to include “none of the above” as an option in all elections in California?…that people like Alan Shugart are the kind of people that always create jobs and wealth in spite of the barriers that society places in their way?…that Alan passed through this world on his own terms and left many wealthy people in his wake?…that Seagate Technology transformed the economy of Scotts Valley, CA, the disk drive industry, and even a couple of countries?…that Evansville could use an Alan Shugart or two?

IS IT TRUE the Mayor and Dave Rector seemly think that Roberts Stadium has no value and should be torn down?…that by setting the budget for maintenance at unsustainably low levels during the last 4 years that the long list of routine maintenance tasks that need to be done at Roberts Stadium has grown to a fairly substantial level?…that one could easily conclude that the demise of Roberts Stadium has been manufactured?…that some have even used the word sabotage to describe the way that the City of Evansville has slowly but surely abandoned its stewardship of Roberts Stadium?…that using excuses like “the toilets and drinking fountains are old” to demolish a multimillion dollar building are laughable?…that what would be of value to any prospective investor in Roberts Stadium would be a thorough and complete inspection of the reality of its condition as opposed to Mr. Rector’s opinions that seem to be playing to the Mayor’s desires?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer with the new double column format is being favorably accepted by our readers and is bringing in new readers by the droves?…that the first full week with this format set a readership record by over 25%?…that the City County Observer is solidly above the readership rate to easily exceed 1 Million articles read per year?…that this was one of the long term goals that was set at the beginning of 2011?…that the growth of the CCO is testament to what planning and execution can do for a business?…that many places could use a City County Observer to force accountability and honesty in local government?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer will be seeking to expand via license agreements into areas within a 200 mile radius of Evansville very soon?…that the first target license areas shall be Henderson, Owensboro, Vincennes, Jasper, and Paducah, KY where we have a very high level of readership?…that the first people in will be the ones that get the best and most personal deals?

IS IT TRUE that we are beginning to get some questions regarding our challenge for someone to submit to an interview with respect to the time share/used car peddling nature of the sales pitch for premium seats at the Arena?…that we have had exactly ZERO people come forward to claim a prize for simply showing us a signed premium seating agreement that has a complete set of legal signatures and is dated prior to June 1, 2011?…that we are so sure that there are no such agreements in place that we are raising the stakes to 3 months of a Tower ad for any person or business that has a premium seating agreement dated prior to June 1, 2011?…that we are beginning to think this whole “sold out” think is a bunch of horse hockey?

IS IT TRUE that speaking of hockey that there are lots of people who think that the Evansville IceMen should give consideration to just buying Roberts Stadium and making it their home hockey arena?…that it really does make good sense especially since John Kish, the Arena project manager is so adamant that he does not care if there is hockey in the new Arena or not?…that every sports franchise needs to be in a place that they are wanted and in a financial situation that allows them to have a operating profit?…that we at the CCO think that hockey will do well in Evansville if and only if the team wins and if the cost to field at team is low enough and flexible enough to mitigate the downside risk of raising ticket prices and relocating?

IS IT TRUE that it has now been 1,560 days since the announcement was made on May 14, 2007 that the McCurdy Hotel was to be refurbished into luxury apartments?…that it has now been 1,413 days since the Evansville Redevelopment Commission at the request of Mayor Weinzapfel approved the spending of $603,000 to purchase the parking lot?…that City Centre Properties and Scott Kosene the developers of the McCurdy project are both listed as contributors to the Weinzapfel for Mayor committee for 2010?

IS IT TRUE that in a short 92 days we will all know whether it will be Lloyd Winnecke or Rick Davis who will become the Mayor that will assume responsibility for executing the decisions that are playing out right now?…that that there are 145 days remaining in the Weinzapfel Administration?

IS IT TRUE that there are now 449 days remaining in the two years that the EPA had given the City of Evansville to present an acceptable solution to the Combined Sewer Overflow problem?…..that this plan is an expensive and complex endeavor that needs immediate attention to avoid the embarrassment and expense of another round of fines?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission has advised Mr. Bob Swintz of the London Witte Group and Mr. Rob Hunden of Hunden Strategic partners that the ERC intends to engage their services for the review of the Downtown Convention Hotel proposals?…that this decision is reported to have been driven by ERC Chairman Mr. Bob Goldman and Commissioner Greg Elpers?…that we hope that there the chosen vetters have no political ties to anyone whatsoever that would make them favor one proposal over the other?…that we hope to see a complete documented case made that thinking people with financial knowledge will agree on?…that the vetting should begin within a few weeks?

IS IT TRUE that we do not know what the fee will be to vet these proposals?…that whatever that fee is we can chalk it up to the problem of political appointees either not having adequate knowledge to do their job or being susceptible to political arm twisting when the votes come down?… that this was absolutely necessary to expedite good decision making but was a result of poor operating procedure on the part of the ERC and the Weinzapfel Administration?

IS IT TRUE that Republican candidate for Mayor of Evansville Lloyd Winnecke and his entire campaign staff knows that the demographics of the City of Evansville are tilted against them and that if a substantial number of Democrats do not cross party lines that even their most excellent campaign efforts will not put Winnecke in the Office of the Mayor?…that there is some very strong evidence that a heavy hitter within the Democratic stronghold has already crossed that line?…that 4th Ward Democratic Leader Louise Williams is openly supporting the Republican? …that if you check the picture from Tuesday’s National Night Out at Akin Park you will see Weezy sporting a deep blue Winnecke for Mayor T-shirt?

IS IT TRUE that the split in the Democrat Party is bigger than ever?…that we wonder if the picture of Ms. Williams in the Winnecke T-shirt is an early indication about the preferences for incumbent 4th Ward City Councilwoman Connie Robinson?…that for Williams to cross the line and support Winnecke sends a curious message, but that if Councilwoman Robinson is seen on Team Winnecke that will be a powerful indicator of the way that the 4th Ward will vote?…that if the overwhelmingly Democratic 4th Ward goes for Winnecke that Rick Davis will have a serious uphill battle to become Mayor of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that the candidates for Mayor of Evansville just do not seem to have any coattails at all this year?…that 4 years ago the coattails of current Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel were long enough that even his opponent David Nixon could have run for any other office as a Democrat and slid home safe under the Team Weinzapfel flag?…that having such long coattails that the feeling of being anointed rather than elected for the man at the top of the ticket is not a good thing?…that with more balance on the City Council that the last term of the Weinzapfel Administration may have been more accountable and thus more effective?…that the current “FREE FOR ALL” for all of the City of Evansville offices is a good thing?…that in this kind of a situation the candidates have a chance to compete for votes rather than simple place their name on a predetermined ballot?