IS IT TRUE? December 3, 2011

IS IT TRUE that there is a friendly bet among the staff of the CCO?…that one says that if the ERC is irresponsible enough to go forward with a downtown Convention Hotel deal without the recommendation of Hunden Strategic Partners that the Evansville City Council will take the high road and refuse to fund the deal?…that the other says that both the ERC and the City Council are wearing puppet strings and that the Que Sera Council and ERC will do whatever their master tells them without regard to having the recommendation of a professional vetting company that was paid to VET?…that both hope to see the right thing done?

IS IT TRUE that the Lady Aces Winter Classic at Ford Center last night where two basketball games between four teams squared off at Ford Center offered local ladies basketball fans an opportunity to attend for tickets starting at $8.00?…that the official attendance at the Friday games was listed at only 425?…that we are sure that everyone was both hoping and expecting bigger crowds than 425 for these games?…that the men’s team plays a quality opponent tonight with TCU comes to town?…that the attendance figures for this game and for the Evansville Icemen’s game tomorrow will be of much interest?

IS IT TRUE that this afternoon the UK Wildcats defeated the UNC Tarheels in a 37 year old Rupp Arena by a score of 73 – 72 in front of a sellout crowd of just over 24,000?…that tickets to this game were selling on Stubhub for over $1,000 apiece up through gametime?…that the 6th ranked Louisville Cardinals defeated Vanderbilt on a last second basket in overtime in front of a sellout crowd of over 22,400 people in the sparkling new YUM Center in downtown Louisville?…that Evansville native Kyle Kuric scored 5 points for the Cardinals in the last minute of overtime to set up the winning scenario…that the moral of this story is that it is nationally ranked teams with quality opponents that sell out game after game for the entire season?…that old and in need of repair Rupp Arena and the shiny new Yum Center are both home to top 5 programs and sell out every game?…that it is not about the arena it is about the team?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Icemen have done a magnificent job of putting together a competitive team and are now sitting in first place in their division?…that this is why the attendance for hockey has been at very respectable levels thus far?…that one interesting and healthy competition will be to see if the Evansville Icemen average a higher level of attendance than the Evansville Purple Aces?…that the winner should be given a “Fill the Ford” award?…that it is a good indication for the future of hockey in Evansville if the attendance for hockey can continue to compete with the attendance figures for college basketball?

IS IT TRUE that the headlines have been announcing the drop in the “official” unemployment rate as a significant indicator that the recession is ending?…that what is in the fine print but not the headline is that the reduction in the official statistic is largely due to the fact that 350,000 just gave up searching for a job?…that the other un-headlined statistic is that the number of people whose unemployment has expired are dropped from the official roles of the unemployed as well?…that the number of people that are unemployed, underemployed, or part time workers who really want full time work is holding steady at just under 20%?…that as people exhaust their unemployment benefits we can expect that the official unemployment rate will drop to 7% or less during the 2012 election year?…that any and all candidates for office who may try to capitalize on this bogus statistic should have their mouths washed out with soap for lying?

IS IT TRUE that politicians are well known for using the truth to tell lies while playwrights and authors use lies to tell the truths?…that this is especially true of the truths that need telling make politicians look bad?

IS IT TRUE? December 3, 2011

IS IT TRUE that on Tuesday December 6th, 2011 at 8:30 am on the 3rd floor of the Civic Center that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission has finally put it on their schedule to take up the issues of the downtown Convention Hotel and the McCurdy debacle in a public meeting?…that the downtown Hotel Project is being accorded a vote in the meeting under the heading of, “11-ERC-99 – Resolution Concerning the Downtown Hotel Project”?…that this really sound official and that it could even hint that some decision is about to be announced?…that this resolution should be available for public discussion and for discussion by the Evansville City Council if there is any decision regarding TAXPAYER DOLLARS being pondered?…that any decision that comes without the full and unqualified recommendation of Hunden Strategic Partners with public disclosure of the Hunden report will be irresponsible and should be reversed by the Winnecke Administration?…that if a choice is made and a contract is let that the only acceptable way for this to happen is for a full VETTING study including the finances, the pro-forma, and the construction cost analysis accompanies the contract?

IS IT TRUE that the McCurdy debacle only merits and update and that no resolution is on the table at this time?…that the McCurdy Hotel continues to sit there with its tattered awnings flapping in the breeze, its established pigeon and bat colonies intact, and its real estate taxes unpaid?…that those who would argue that another extension should be granted to City Centre Properties LLC because they are still one signature away after 4 failed extensions fail to realize that any other interested parties are frozen out by the contract that keeps being extended?…that if the contract is terminated and if City Centre Properties LLC goes on with securing the financing that they can always come back to the table if and we do mean if they ever secure the money?…that washing them out does not mean throwing them out?…that it is time for this decrepit and tarnished contract to be terminated and for the McCurdy saga to start anew?

IS IT TRUE that the other notable things on the ERC agenda are all spend, spend, and more spend resolutions?…that there are six resolutions being voted on all of which are to authorize spending for one thing or another?…that all of the spending is in either the downtown or the Art’s District?…that it sometimes seems like the only parts of Evansville that are acknowledged as part of Evansville are the downtown and the Art’s District?…that if these things were so darn pressing that the Weinzapfel Administration and this ERC have had 7 years and 11 months to have done them so shoving all of this through in the last minute looks like either last minute gluttony or deeds ignored for 7 years?…that these kind of actions for whatever reason do not reflect well on the outgoing administration?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer is planning on having at least one representative at the ERC meeting next week but that it shall not be Mr. Joe Wallace who will be back in California again on Tuesday?…that he wishes Evansville good weather for the week, good judgment with respect to these issues, and will be recording the Thursday segment of Les Shively Show on WGBF 1280 am prior to departing?

IS IT TRUE? December 2, 2011

IS IT TRUE that there are actions that are expected and appropriate in the last days of any administration and that enjoying the last 30 days in power without the burden of dealing with big financial decisions is a perfect way for the Weinzapfel Administration to wind down?…that just yesterday Mayor Weinzapfel enjoyed the beautiful December day assisting with the planting of some Canadian Red Cherry Trees that were a gift to the City of Evansville from the Indianapolis Super Bowl Host Committee?…that Mayor Weinzapfel truly has been an advocate for beautification projects on the riverfront and that this activity is a great way for him to have spent yesterday?

IS IT TRUE that tribute parties by political friends is also a nice activity for outgoing member of any administration especially during the holidays?…that Old National Bank president Bob Jones hosted a going away party for Mayor Weinzapfel at the Evansville Country Club recently that was attended by Niel Ellerbrook and Ron Christian of Vectren, Ron Romain, Wayne Henning, elected officials Joe Kiefer, Marsha Abell, John Friend, and Missy Mosby, Judge and Rose Young, Alan Braun of Industrial Contractors, Mayor Elect Lloyd Winnecke and his wife Carol McLintock, Ed Hafer, Kathy Kleindorfer, Sara Miller and James Sandgren of ONB, along with other local luminaries and consultants who wished to give Mayor Weinzapfel a memorable farewell?…that parties like these are time well spent for an administration that is nearing its last day?

IS IT TRUE that we are sure that there will be more parties coming for Mayor Weinzapfel that may be hosted by his department heads, his staff, or even the Evansville City Council?…that we encourage lots of parties for the month of December?

IS IT TRUE that every hour spent planting trees, visiting schools, watching Christmas Parades, or attending parties is an hour that is not available to be used advocating for spending every available dollar in the coffers of the City of Evansville?…that the City County Observer wishes Mayor Weinzapfel well in the future and hopes that he enjoys his last 29 days in office without burdening himself with any pressure to sign a deal for a new downtown Convention Hotel or to jam through any special goodies for the McCurdy project, the Art’s District, or Front Door Pride?…that these programs are all in as good of shape as they can be (not to be confused with acceptable) to hand over to the Winnecke Administration?

IS IT TRUE that people seem to be coming out of the woodwork offering their services to the incoming Winnecke Administration?…that the latest to surface as the CCO predicted is former Evansville Mayor Russ Lloyd Jr. who has submitted his name for consideration as the City Controller?…that such a job is right in line with his skill set and that candidates like Russ Lloyd are a bright spot forming for the Winnecke Administration?…that lines are also forming in hopes of being appointed to the Vanderburgh County Commissioner’s seat that Mayor Elect Winnecke will be vacating?…that there are even people asking about the Vanderburgh County Council seat that is rumored to be vacated if Joe Kiefer gets his Christmas wish of moving into a Commissioners place?…that the CCO truly hopes that 2012 will be the start of something good and that all of this jockeying for positions is not just shuffling the chairs on the deck of the Titanic?

IS IT TRUE that to the surprise of many City of Evansville employees the lady who was second in command to Knight Township Trustee Linda Durham has been hired by the City of Evansville?…that many insiders are buzzing about this last minute hire with people coming down both against and in favor of this person?…that a recent call to the City Garage was answered by this lady?