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Democratic Power Brokers Hold Strategy Session to Address Cross Party Endorsements and Secession from State Party

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Democratic Power Brokers Hold Strategy Session

This morning at 8:15 am a select group of Democratic officeholders were invited to a closed door meeting at the Evansville Democratic Headquarters to discuss the recent fracturing of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party and the controversy over Democratic Vice Chair Connie Robinson’s recent endorsement of Republican candidate for Mayor Lloyd Winnecke. The meeting was called by Alex Jarvis and reportedly went out after midnight to the invitees.

The following Democrats have been confirmed to have attended:

1. Indiana State Representative Gail Riecken
2. Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel
3. Councilman Curt John
4. Councilman John Friend
5. Councilwoman Connie Robinson
6. Councilman Don Walker
7. Councilwoman Missy Mosby
8. Councilman Dr. H. Dan Adams
9. County Councilwoman Stephanie Terry
10. Vanderburgh County Surveyor Bill Jeffers
11. Vanderburgh County Recorder Z Tuley
12. Vanderburgh County Coroner Annie Groves
13. City Council Candidate Jonathan Weaver
14. City Council Candidate Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley
15. City Council Candidate Conor O’Daniel
16. Vanderburgh County Democratic Chairman Mark Owen
17. Private Citizen David Mosby

It is to be noted that Vanderburgh County Sheriff Eric Williams, City Councilwoman Wendy Bredhold, City Councilman B. J. Watts, Vanderburgh County Treasurer Rick Davis, County Commissioner Stephen Melcher, and City Council Candidate Al Lindsey were not in attendance. It is not known at this time whether or not they received invitations.

It has been reported that this was an opportunity to unify the party that neither Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel nor Party Chairman Mark Owen chose to pursue.

Sources have advised the City County Observer that the discussion rapidly became a series of negative statements aimed directly at Democratic Candidate for Mayor Rick Davis and City Council Candidate Al Lindsey. The statements were allegedly so acidic that some may constitute slander.

Furthermore our sources (Mole 3 surrogate) have told the CCO that somewhat serious discussion was held regarding the possibility that the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party will consider withdrawing from the Indiana State Democratic Party.

Dr. H. Dan Adams is reported to have advised Councilwoman Connie Robinson that she absolutely has the right to free speech and that she may endorse anyone that she wishes but that doing so while Vice Chair of the Democratic Party may be a violation of State of Indiana Party Policy.

A letter of endorsement for Republican Candidate for Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to be signed by any of the invitees who wish to sign it was also discussed according to CCO sources.

Councilman Adams and State Representative Riecken reportedly left the meeting early expressing that they have no interest in supporting the withdrawal of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party from the Indiana State Party.

This is a developing story so check back as more details emerge.

Occupy Evansville to Assemble Again Tomorrow at Four Freedoms

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The Facebook page for Occupy Evansville touts a second gathering at the Four Freedoms Monument on the Evansville Riverfront. The occupation will be taking place tomorrow October 22nd from noon until 3 PM.

According to Occupy Evansville this gathering is to reach consensus on pending issues and discuss new proposals, reaching consensus if time permits. This will also be the time that Working Groups report in on their progress, needs, etc. and when any group decisions will be made.

So for the committed and the curious head on down and see what this movement is all about. Our experience covering last weeks occupation was positive and the Occupy Evansville group is substantially different in demographics and demeanor than the Occupy Wall Street protesters that we are familiar with from television news. Holding that thought the group on Wall Street are probably very different than the mainstream media is presenting them to be as well.

IS IT TRUE? October 21, 2011 Special Evening Edition

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Tasty Indulgence: Fit for a President?

IS IT TRUE? October 21, 2011

IS IT TRUE that one our readers has advised us that they sent a letter to Indiana State Senator Jim Tomes asking that he join in the sponsorship of the Vectren petition that Evansville City Councilman John Friend and Indiana State Representative Gail Riecken are circulating?…that the response that our reader received from Senator Tomes was that he was declining to do so until he had enough information to understand what is going on?

IS IT TRUE that the Steve Jobs the late founder of Apple Incorporated and one of the most prodigious creators of wealth and consumer products in recent history is reported to have advised President Barack Obama that he is on a path to becoming a one term president?…that it took five days for the two to even agree to meet?…that Mr. Jobs also advised the President that unless the teacher’s union is broken that any efforts to reform education will not succeed?…that he also gave the President a lecture on how the United States is not a business friendly nation and that the Obama Administration needs to be more business friendly?…that he also scolded the President for the United States being uncompetitive due to excessive regulation and unnecessary costs?…that even in choosing the meal that Mr. Jobs pronounced the proposed menu to be too opulent but was overruled by the White House because “the President loves chocolate truffles”?

IS IT TRUE, Mr. President that when Dr. Einstein offers advice on physics you should listen and when Steve Jobs offers advice on entrepreneurship and what the government needs to do to promote business that this is an area where he has a proven track record and you do not?…Mr. President that when a private citizen arranges for your dinner that good manners is to eat what is offered as opposed to asking for a personal indulgence?…that as personal indulgences go Mr. President that you could learn a thing or two from the aftermath of an Opus One party thrown with public dollars right here in Evansville, IN?

IS IT TRUE that if dollars were voting in the race to become Mayor of Evansville that the election could be called today?…that when the smoke cleared around the campaign fund disclosure forms that Republican Lloyd Winnecke has attracted about three times as many dollars as Democrat Rick Davis has?…that both campaigns have raised substantial sums of money and that it appears that the City of Evansville may be in for a MILLION DOLLAR CAMPAIGN?…that with the 2007 turnout that this campaign will be approaching $100 per winning vote at the rate things are going?…that is sort of astounding that two men can attract over $1 Million between them for a 4 year stint as Mayor that pays less than $100,000 per year?

IS IT TRUE that President Obama has announced that he will be proclaiming the end to the war in Iraq very soon and will begin the full withdrawal of American troops?…that this is good news for all of the brave fighting men and their families?…that the war per se may have been over for a while now as there has not been an organized army that we have been fighting for some time?…that for quite a while the United States has actually been in OCCUPY IRAQ mode and that we are equally thrilled that this occupation is about to end?…that now is the time to see if Iraq will be a better place and a better trade partner with the USA that it was before this war began?…that we wish the Iraqi people good fortune in pursuit of a life and system of liberty?

Davis Campaign Releases Campaign Contribution Report

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Rick Davis

The Davis for Mayor Campaign released its campaign finance report today showing that it has raised a total of $174,493 during this reporting period bring the full year total to $250,499.

The top 10 contributors to the campaign are as follows:

Evansville Professional Firefighters: $25,494.50
Danks and Danks: $15,000.00
Scott Danks: $10,000.00
Danny Spindler: $7,850.00
Shawn Oglesby: $6,809.10
IBEW Local 702: #6,000.00
Rodney Miller: $5,000.00
Dr. H. Dan Adams: $4,950.00
Bill Denton: $4,610.51
Rick Davis: $4,581.41

Link to Entire Report:

http://media.courierpress.com/media/static/davis.PDF

Mosby & Whitehouse Appeal Decision Regarding Al Lindsey’s Eligibility to Run for Evansville City Council

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David Mosby and Randall Whitehouse have appealed the final judgement of the Warrick County Superior Court where Al Lindsey and the Vanderburgh County Election Board recently prevailed. The attorney for Mosby and Whitehouse is Robert R. Faulkner.

Mosby_v_Lindsey_Notice_of_Appeal_2011-10-19

IS IT TRUE? October 21, 2011

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? October 21, 2011

IS IT TRUE that today is the day that the campaign finance reports are due from all of the candidates running for office in 2011?…that thus far exactly one has been made available to the public through an online distribution?…that Republican Candidate for Mayor of Evansville Lloyd Winnecke published a link to his website with the report sometime during the night?…that it is available on the City County Observer for anyone and everyone to dig through to their heart’s desire on the following link?

https://city-countyobserver.com/2011/10/21/winnecke-releases-campaign-finance-report/

IS IT TRUE that Indiana Smokefree Communities held their last meeting before the election yesterday at the Central Library?…that at this point both candidates for Mayor of Evansville and every candidate for Evansville City Council has been offered the opportunity to state their position and their case?…that both candidates for Mayor have spoken as have 10 of the 14 candidates for the city council seats that are opposed?…that even the unopposed candidate from the 1st Ward, Councilman Dan McGinn sent in a written statement?…that the unopposed candidate from the 4th Ward, Councilwoman Connie Robinson left no room for doubt about her support for a stronger smoking ordinance with her “I am my brother’s keeper” speech prior to casting her yes vote the last time this came up?…that there will be a position paper released soon that will let everyone know exactly who the preferred candidates are to strengthen the City of Evansville smoking ordinance?

IS IT TRUE that in a short 19 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 71 days remaining in the Weinzapfel Administration?…that if you thought the first 21 days of 40 days of hell were nasty just stay tuned for the last 19 days of hell?

IS IT TRUE that there are now 373 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 in only 10 days we shall know whether the McCurdy Hotel project is a GO or just another case of NO GO?…that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission will be meeting again on November 1, 2011 and that may just be the last day of reckoning for City Center Properties or it may be time for a legitimate celebration?…that the status report by Hunden Capital Partners with respect to the downtown Convention Hotel Project seems to be in a coma?…that not a word has come out for over a month and that we are wondering if the two bidders are in danger of being Vetted to Death?…that as long as this has been dragging out that the decision really should be deferred until the next Mayor takes office?…that this will be the only way to bury the stigma of four years of standing confused at the starting line?…that the next Mayor’s signature on a hotel contract will bury that stigma?

Rick Davis Statement on Public Discussion Regarding the Fate of Lloyd Pool

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Rick Davis

OCT. 20, 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

EVANSVILLE, IN — Democratic Party Mayoral Candidate Rick Davis blasted Republican Lloyd Winnecke on Thursday for continuing a theme of avoiding public discussion regarding decisions affecting Evansville taxpayers.

“My opponent continues to make important decisions concerning taxpayers without asking for any public input whatsoever,” said Davis, who is the current Vanderburgh County Treasurer. “Additionally, he also continues to distort the truth about my plans for important community facilities such as Lloyd Pool and Roberts Stadium.

“I have said all along on both of these important community facilities that we need to have a community discussion to decide the ultimate fate of both Lloyd Pool and Roberts Stadium,” Davis added. “Today, my opponent has made it clear that he has already decided what’s best for all of us, without asking for any public input. That is not how the Davis administration will conduct business.”

Davis said Winnecke has a history of making decisions without any public input, including the April 1, 2008, homestead credit meeting when a bi-partisan decision was made to raise 46,000 Vanderburgh County homeowners’ property taxes by $5.1 million.

Winnecke Releases Campaign Finance Report

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Lloyd Winnecke

Winnecke Releases Campaign Finance Report

Lloyd Winnecke released his pre-election campaign finance report today showing he had raised $658,118.70 since beginning his campaign. Winnecke said that with well over 674 individual donors, he is pleased with the grassroot support.

“I remain extremely grateful for the outpouring of support my campaign has received from families in Evansville,” said Winnecke. “It’s not the total raised that’s gratifying to me, but the number of individuals who are willing to support our effort. It’s clear that residents are responding to our message of job creation and positive change.”

Other key highlights of the report:

Number of individual donors: 674
Number of donations from entities or political committees: 125
Percentage of total raised from individuals: 72.4%
Winnecke immediately put all of the final campaign finance report on his website at www.WinneckeForMayor.com. “It’s important that voters see where candidates draw their support and I call upon my opponent to also make his reports available for public inspection,” he said.

Winnecke is the first Evansville municipal candidate to make his campaign finance reports publicly available online.

The full report is available on the following link:

Winnecke Campaign Pre-Election-Report-Oct-14-2011

The top 10 donors in the report are as follows:

Ziemer, Ted C. Jr: $17,622.47
Helfert, John & Sue: $15,000.00
Olbank Pac: $13,000.00
Schroeder, John C.: $11,000.00
McCarthy, Burkley F & Sharon R: $11,000.00
Bootz, Genevieve E: $11,000.00
Hinton, Michael: $11,000.00
Jones, Steven: $10,600.00
Lochmueller, Keith: $10,500.00
Koch, Robert L II: $8,500.00

Steve Jobs Biography Reveals He Told Obama, ‘You’re Headed For A One-Term Presidency’

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The much anticipated biography of Steve Jobs is not yet available for purchase but the author Walter Isaacson is beginning to give a few hints about what will be included. Isaacson shared in a recent interview some of the interactions between Mr. Jobs and President Obama on the subjects of business and education along with American competitiveness.

Jobs, was known for his prickly, stubborn personality, almost missed meeting President Obama in the fall of 2010 because he insisted that the president personally ask him for a meeting. Though his wife told him that Obama “was really psyched to meet with you,” Jobs insisted on the personal invitation, and the standoff lasted for five days. When he finally relented and they met at the Westin San Francisco Airport, Jobs was characteristically blunt. He seemed to have transformed from a liberal into a conservative.

“You’re headed for a one-term presidency,” he told Obama at the start of their meeting, insisting that the administration needed to be more business-friendly. As an example, Jobs described the ease with which companies can build factories in China compared to the United States, where “regulations and unnecessary costs” make it difficult for them.

Jobs also criticized America’s education system, saying it was “crippled by union work rules,” noted Isaacson. “Until the teachers’ unions were broken, there was almost no hope for education reform.” Jobs proposed allowing principals to hire and fire teachers based on merit, that schools stay open until 6 p.m. and that they be open 11 months a year.

Aiding Obama’s Reelection Campaign

Jobs suggested that Obama meet six or seven other CEOs who could express the needs of innovative businesses — but when White House aides added more names to the list, Jobs insisted that it was growing too big and that “he had no intention of coming.” In preparation for the dinner, Jobs exhibited his notorious attention to detail, telling venture capitalist John Doerr that the menu of shrimp, cod and lentil salad was “far too fancy” and objecting to a chocolate truffle dessert. But he was overruled by the White House, which cited the president’s fondness for cream pie.

Though Jobs was not that impressed by Obama, later telling Isaacson that his focus on the reasons that things can’t get done “infuriates” him, they kept in touch and talked by phone a few more times. Jobs even offered to help create Obama’s political ads for the 2012 campaign. “He had made the same offer in 2008, but he’d become annoyed when Obama’s strategist David Axelrod wasn’t totally deferential,” writes Isaacson. Jobs later told the author that he wanted to do for Obama what the legendary “morning in America” ads did for Ronald Reagan.

FUNNY FRIDAY: “Penguin Thief”

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