IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer will be back on the speaking tour today making a presentation at the downtown Kiwanis Club about its unique way of focusing attention on situations in need of improvement and how IS IT TRUE is promoting better public policy in Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that the Freedom of Information Act requests with respect to the correspondence between the Evansville Redevelopment Commission/City of Evansville and Woodruff Hospitality LLC/Kunkel Group regarding the downtown convention hotel were finalized yesterday afternoon and will hand served upon the information officer of the City of Evansville by Mole #2.5 this very morning?…that similar requests with respect to the dealings with VenuWorks and the recent trip that Mayor Weinzapfel made to Germany are also being made this morning?…that tomorrow there will be a statement to the affect of “it has been 24 hours since the CCO made three FOIA requests to the City of Evansville”?…that there will be daily updates until we have the documents in our hands?…that we will be posting the requests later today?

IS IT TRUE that “CCO MOLE # 3” personally visited the vacant McCurdy Hotel property on the Evansville water front last evening?…that the weeds in the front are waist deep and that if the McCurdy was a rental house owned by some so called “slumlord” that the weed enforcement group would have already put them on warning or even mowed the property and billed the owner an exorbitant rate to do so …that after walking around the exterior of this once Grand Hotel that “CCO MOLE # 3” realizes that this historical property should be immediately put on the State of Indiana Historical endangered property list? …that we wonder how many more years and additional investment of our hard earned tax dollars will continue to be spent on this seemly “not to happen millions of dollars condo project”? …that it is time for Evansville Redevelopment Commission Chairman, Bob Goldman, Mayor Weinzapfel and DMD Director, Tom Barnett to call a news conference and publically declare that the proposed McCurdy Condo project is hereby declared dead? …that we can’t wait for the public debate to begin between candidates for Evansville Mayor and City Council concerning the real future of the once Grand but now vacant McCurdy Hotel?

IS IT TRUE that there is another end of the world prediction that has been made by Mr. Harold Camping of Oakland, CA?…that this same guy made a calculation that 1994 was rapture time and that didn’t work out for him so he refined his algorithm and has returned with a solid date of Saturday May 21, 2011?…that he still has a few followers who tune into his radio show to follow their final days on earth?…that there are also plenty of mocking sites including one Facebook page touting a morning after party that has 175,000 followers?…that this sort of bull seems to come around about every ten or so years?…that the last memorable one was Heaven’s Gate in San Diego when the group was all going to hitch a ride to paradise on the Hale Bopp Comet?…that they really just bought new shoes and celebrated with vodka and narcotics in a mass suicide?…that before that Jim Jones lead a flock of his followers to South America where that gave “drinking the Kool-Aid” a new meaning?…that if people who fall for these lunatics would occupy their time picking up litter or cleaning parks in Evansville instead of helping make the Kool-Aid that the world would be a better place?

IS IT TRUE? May 18, 2011 Evening Bonus Edition

IS IT TRUE that last week the Local #357 Firefighters union membership voted 284 – 14 against the contract offered to them by the City of Evansville?…that the assistant fire chief has announced his retirement effective in June?…that Chief Keith Jarboe is rumored to be considering recycling a past chief to be named assistant chief?

IS IT TRUE that KEEP EVANSVILLE BEAUTIFUL, LEADERSHIP EVANSVILLE CLASS OF 2006 and area KIWANIS CLUB are working to restoring the historic Gavin Park fountain?…you may call 425-4461 or donate on line to www.keepevansvillebeautiful.org in order to support this worthwhile project?

IS IT TRUE we want to thank regular CCO Blogger “Magic Man” for bringing to the public attention concerning the plight of our local “HOME BREW CLUB”?…that “MAGIC MAN” and his followers should contact and appeal the decision of a local State Excise Officer that will not allow the “Brew Club” to donate their brew to local charities at the next local ABC Board meeting?…that the employee of the Vanderburgh Health Department should also explain his alleged participation in this decision at the next Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners meeting? …”when people fear its government there is Tyranny and when government fear the people there is Liberty”?

IS IT TRUE many of the CITY COUNTY OBSERVER readers and members of the Vanderburgh County “HOME BREW CLUB” are hoping that the Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners take the Health Department to task concerning their alleged role in banning the gifting of homebrew to area charitable organizations by the club? …that “CCO MOLE # 3″ looking how a candidate running for Mayor of Evansville will address this issue”? …the same people are watching to see if the appointed members of the Vanderburgh County ABC Board will do similar? …that “CCO MOLE # 3″ hears that one member of the appointed Vanderburgh County ABC Board members is running for Evansville City Council At Large position? …that all eyes shall be upon him to see how he addresses this issue in upcoming meetings? …”if people fear the government there is tyranny but when the government fear the people there is liberty”?

IS IT TRUE that Mole #6 told Mole #3 that he prays that some of the City office holders going out of office at the end of this year and their minions will take a college class titled “ETHICS”? …Mole #6 predicts that at the end of the class a few office holders will realize that some of the decisions they made while in office may have been “legal but sneaky” but not ethical? …”when the people fear the government there is tyranny but when the government fear the people there is liberty?”

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer will be submitting the word SNEAGAL to the website urban dictionary with the definition of “SNEAKY BUT LEGAL” with the current administration of the City of Evansville used in the example sentence?

EVSC Schools Receive Awards for Promoting Health

Schools in the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation have worked to promote physical activities in their schools, and thanks to the Indiana Action for Health Kids, their hard work is being noticed. Twenty-one schools in the EVSC were recognized this year with the Healthy Hoosier School Award for having programs in place that promote good nutrition and increased physical activity for students.

“The EVSC is meeting the challenge of the rising risk of obesity for today’s youth,” said Dale Naylor, coordinator of coordinated school health. “These awards are a testament to the commitment of our schools and community partners in ensuring students are healthy and can reach their maximum potential at school and in life.”

Among this year’s winners was Helfrich Park STEM Academy who was the top winner in the gold-level category. In addition, North High School also received a gold award for their healthy efforts. Helfrich Park and North were two of only six schools in Indiana to receive a gold award.

Multiple EVSC schools received silver awards this year, including Dexter Elementary, Fairlawn Elementary, Reitz High, Hebron Elementary, Highland Elementary, McGary Middle, Plaza Park Middle, Stringtown Elementary, Tekoppel Elementary, Thompkins Middle, Vogel Elementary and Harrison High.

The Academy for Innovative Studies, Caze Elementary, Cedar Hall Community School, Delaware Elementary, Glenwood Leadership Academy, Harper Elementary and Stockwell Elementary all were bronze level winners.

The Healthy Hoosier School Award was developed by Indiana Action for Healthy Kids, an affiliate of the national organization, Action for Healthy Kids. The national organization is the only non-profit organization formed that specifically address the epidemic of overweight, undernourished and sedentary youth by focusing on changes at schools.

The top five leading causes of death — heart disease, cancer, stroke, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and diabetes — are directly linked to unhealthy lifestyles. Poor nutrition and a lack of physical activity are major contributors to unhealthy lifestyles. Unfortunately, such habits are often established during youth and extend into adulthood.

All of the EVSC schools winning the awards participate in the Coordinated School Health program which recognizes the importance of eight interactive components in serving the whole child including, physical education; health education; family and community involvement; nutrition services; health promotion for staff; counseling, psychological and social services; healthy school environment; and health services. The eight components work together to support the students’ nutritional, physical, social and emotional well-being. These components affect a student’s academic achievement, help to reduce absenteeism and increase healthy behaviors.

Other awards the EVSC has gained for its wellness programs include:

In 2006, the Nutrition & Physical Activity Team for the EVSC School-Community Council was awarded the Senator Richard Lugar Health & Fitness Award in recognition of outstanding contributions to the community in health and fitness awareness and education.

In March 2008, the Indiana Action for Healthy Kids named six EVSC schools as recipients for the Healthy Hoosier School Award. In 2009 and 2010, 12 EVSC schools received awards.
Audra Offut, current assistant principal at Thompkins and former Helfrich Park physical education teacher, was named Middle School Physical Education Teacher of the Year by the Indiana Association for Health, Physical Education, and Recreation and Dance in October 2008. The award recognizes an outstanding physical education teacher at the elementary, middle and high school level each year who works to make an impact on the lives of students across the state. Offutt has been a physical education teacher in the EVSC for 20 years. The physical education teachers at Helfrich Park have been able to develop a “mini gym” in which students can use air dyne bikes, treadmills, elliptical machines, stair-masters and the inter-active video game, Dance, Dance Revolution. Students wear heart rate monitors while in class that lets them know the level of their efforts based on their heart rate. They have developed walking clubs, after-school fitness clubs, bowling leagues and a cardio club and more to get kids moving.

In March of 2009, The Division of Adolescent and School Health of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) selected the EVSC’s Coordinated School Health Program as one of only six models in the nation that exemplify best practices in coordinated school health.

Sara DeWitt

Communication Specialist

Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation

Phone: (812) 435-0207

Fax: (812) 435-8599

sara.dewitt@evsc.k12.in.us

Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation

1 Southeast Ninth Street

Evansville, IN 47708

Phone: (812) 435-8453

www.evscschools.com

Do we really need a license for all of the things that we are required to license up for?

IN 1941 Franklin Roosevelt added two new items to America’s ancestral freedoms of speech and worship: freedom from fear and freedom from want. Today’s politicians offer a far more generous menu: freedom from unlicensed hair-cutters, freedom from cowboy flower-arrangers and, most important of all, freedom from rogue interior designers. What is the point of enjoying freedom from fear or want, after all, if you cannot enjoy freedom from poorly co-ordinated colour schemes?

In the 1950s, when organisation man ruled, fewer than 5% of American workers needed licences. Today, after three decades of deregulation, the figure is almost 30%. Add to that people who are preparing to obtain a licence or whose jobs involve some form of certification and the share is 38%. Other rich countries impose far fewer fetters than the land of the free. In Britain only 13% of workers need licences (though that has doubled in 12 years)….

Link to Full Story:

http://www.economist.com/node/18678963?fsrc=nlw|mgt|05-18-11|management_thinking

For those of you who are thinking of investing someday, here is a link to the full report.

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/919465/000091946511000014/bpc10q051111.htm

A VIRTUAL DEDICATON OF GARVIN PARK FOUNTAIN

Join Keep Evansville Beautiful, the Boat Monkeys and 100s of others!

Wednesday, May 25 at The Pub in the Party Room; doors open at 6:30!

Ad attached.

Donations at the door go entirely to the Garvin Park Fountain Fund.

Light up everybody!

Join us in the celebration!

Garvin_Park_Fountain_Invitation

IS IT TRUE? May 18, 2011 Evansville Professional Sports

IS IT TRUE that there are currently only two minor league professional sports teams that play in Evansville?…that the Evansville Otters play baseball at Bosse Field and that the Evansville IceMen play hockey at Swonder but seem destined to be the only professional team to play in the new Arena?…that there are two semi-pro teams in other sports?…that the Evansville Enforcers are a start up semi-pro football team that will be using the Goebel Soccer Complex as their home field and that the Evansville Crush was established last year and intends to start playing soccer at the Metro Sports Center during 2011?

IS IT TRUE that there is a long history of professional sports teams that have given it the old college try to make it in the Evansville market?…that the only sport that has been continually represented at the professional level in Evansville over a hundred year period is baseball?…that there have been exactly 20 different professional baseball teams formed in Evansville?…that the progression from the Evansville River Rats formed in 1901 to the pinnacle of Evansville professional baseball when the Evansville Triplets became a AAA affiliated farm team of the Minnesota Twins in 1970 was all upwards?…that the Triplets remained a AAA affiliated team until 1984 when the Detroit Tigers were there mother team?…that we almost got back to the AA affiliate level in the early part of the 21st Century during Russ Lloyd Junior’s administration but that when the downtown baseball stadium became a political target for current Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel Evansville’s opportunity to start back up the baseball food chain ended?…that Evansville is and has always been a town that supports baseball?…that some of the mascots associated with Evansville professional baseball have been River Rats, Blackbirds, Braves, Bees, Hubs, Pocketeers, Evas, Black Sox, Yankees, White Sox, Strikers, and Hoosiers?…that there were many starts, stops, and changes but that baseball has been constant in Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville once had an NFL (National Football League) franchise and played in a league that included the Green Bay Packers, the Chicago Bears, and the Chicago (now Arizona) Cardinals?…that the Evansville franchise was purchased for a fee of $1,000 and approved for membership by Papa Bear himself George Halas?…that the Evansville Crimson Giants played for only two seasons going 0-3 in their final season in 1922?…that the Crimson Giants travelled to Green Bay to play the Packers and lost 43-6?…that Mayor Benjamin Bosse was a shareholder?…that from 1922 – 2000 there were no attempts to resurrect professional football in Evansville?…that since Y2K there have been six attempts at professional football including one female team called the Evansville Express?…that the only team with any semblance of commercial success was the Evansville BlueCats that played arena football in Roberts Stadium for 5 seasons before calling it quits for financial reasons?…that certain high school rivalries still draw close to 10,000 fans but that professional football has never prospered here?…that Evansville also has no college level football teams?

IS IT TRUE that one would think that professional basketball would have a chance to prosper in the 3rd largest city in Indiana?…that this has only been attempted two times and was short lived on both occasions?…that the Evansville Agogans played one season in what is now the YMCA gym downtown in 1950-51?…that Roberts Stadium was the home to the Evansville Thunder from 1984 – 86 and was coached by UE legend Jerry Sloan before he made his way to the real professional ranks as an NBA coach with the Utah Jazz?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville IceMen are the first attempt at professional hockey in Evansville?…that it is entirely possible that this team could grow and prosper bringing Evansville a new professional sports team to enjoy?…that the initial deal for use of the Evansville Arena should be quite flexible and forgiving in the early years if this team is to survive?…that the track record for anything but baseball is not that great in this market and that we hope that the IceMen break with the fast start –fast death history of professional sports in Evansville that do not involve bases, bats, and balls?

IS IT TRUE that the grass and weeds at the McCurdy Hotel that face the $603,000 parking lot are nearly as high as the fence that surrounds the lawn?…that the landscaping and the grass at the McCurdy very clearly violate the City of Evansville’s weed laws?…that we wonder if the owners of record of the McCurdy Hotel have been notified by the City of Evansville regarding this violation?…that the owners of record are still Centre City Properties LLC of Carmel, Indiana?…that the property is classified for taxation purposes as parcel number 82-06-30-020-005.002-029?…that as of today’s date that the Vanderburgh County Assessor’s website shows that Centre City Properties LLC is behind on the last two installments of property tax in the amount of $21,040.21 including a $979.24 penalty for missing last November’s installment?…that there will now be an additional 10% penalty or $2,104.02 penalty added to the tax bill?…that we expect that the code enforcement department of the City of Evansville should notify Centre City Properties of the weed ordinance violation and get this eyesore taken care of immediately?…that every property owner in Evansville that has ever been fined for a week ordinance violation should keep an eye on the McCurdy to see if SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT is benefitting this loyal donor to the Weinzapfel for Mayor campaign?

IS IT TRUE that according to Mark Owen in an interview with the Courier and Press last fall that the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party exercised an automatic automatically five-year extension to a their lease at the Executive Inn parking garage in the Spring of 2010?…that it was known in closed circles and to the powers that be at that time that the Executive Inn parking garage would have to be demolished due to structural issues?…that at first Mr. Owen insisted upon being paid by the City of Evansville for the moving expenses but later reversed his position?…that the first 5 year lease expired on July 31, 2010?…that extending that lease while knowing that the building was to be demolished fits well into the category of “sneaky but legal”?

IS IT TRUE that finally there is a time established to start the demolition of the rest of the Executive Inn?…that the possibility of a refurbishment will officially start to disappear at about 4 PM next Monday May 23, 2011 after a long wait?…that John Kish is still insisting that the financing to go forward with the Hyatt Place is solid?…that the City County Observer intends to test this whole process by serving the City of Evansville with a Freedom of Information Act request for the contract between the Evansville Redevelopment Commission and Woodruff Hospitality LLC today?…that the City County Observer intends to test this whole process further by serving the City of Evansville with a Freedom of Information Act request for the contract between the Evansville Redevelopment Commission and VenuWorks today? ?…that the City County Observer also intends to by serve the City of Evansville with a Freedom of Information Act request for the details of Mayor Weinzapfel’s recent trip to Germany to visit Evansville’s sister city today?

IS IT TRUE that a local “Homebrew Club” that prides itself in homemade craft beer was contacted by a local ABC officer advising them that they will no longer will be allowed to donate their “Brews” to such charity events as SWIRCA, the Evansville Museum, and the Evansville Zoo to name a few? …that the “Homebrew Club” products are free of charge and given to patrons in sample size?…that this is a subject that should be addressed by our locally appointed members of the Vanderburgh County ABC Board?…that 3 of the 4 board members are appointed by our local elected officials? …that the Mayor of Evansville appoints one (1) member, Vanderburgh County Commissioners appoints one (1) member and the County Council appoints one (1) member and the other is appointed by the State? …that it looks like that the powers that be don’t appreciate the time and effort our local “Homebrew Club” members go through to help our local charitable organizations? …that one notable member of this prestigious “Homebrew Club” is none other than the owner of “TURONI’S”? …that the City County Observer asks you to contract your local elected officials to ask them to encourage their locally appointed ABC Board members to correct this outrageous decision made by a local ABC State Trooper?

IS IT TRUE? PART 2 May 17, 2011

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission was requested and approved spending $15,000 for the purpose of paying attorneys to negotiate with the Evansville Icemen to be the “official” hockey team of the new Evansville Arena?…that Arena project manager John Kish testified before the Redevelopment Commission that negotiating a lease with the Evansville Icemen was taking much longer than expected and that many 10 hour days have been spent attempting to reach an acceptable lease to both parties?…that at the customary legal rate of $150 per hour that the $15,000 which was approved will not pay for very many more 10 hour meetings if several lawyers are involved on behalf of the Arena?…that Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel announced the awarding of the home ice to the Evansville Icemen back in 2010 and announced that the Icemen were expected to bring over 100,000 people per year to the Arena?

IS IT TRUE that the Icemen played 31 home games at Swonder last year sometimes drawing capacity crowds of over 1,500 but usually drawing crowds in the 1,000 to 1,200 range?…that the Icemen drew something like 35,000 people to Swonder last year?…that some of the away games in places like Fort Wayne and Colorado that have long established hockey followings actually drew between 5,000 and 9,000 fans?…that with patience and a winning team that we agree with Mayor Weinzapfel’s assertion that the Icemen can average over 3,000 fans per game in the new Evansville Arena?…that we encourage the negotiators to take it easy on the Icemen and craft a contract that will allow them to prosper in the first few years with a 1,000 member fan base and to share the rewards as the quality of hockey played and the attendance increases?…that one of the largest reasons touted to build the Evansville Arena was the potential for hockey to prosper in Evansville?…that up front is not the place to hobble the Icemen with an oppressive contract?…that the Arena needs the Icemen more than the Icemen need the Arena?…that tearing down the Swonder Ice Rink is not an option to be considered to remove the competition with the Arena?

IS IT TRUE that if Evansville can (and it can) support two ice hockey stadiums then Evansville most certainly should be able to find a way to utilize two basketball stadiums?…that afterall this is Indiana and not Canada?…that good minds in search of profits or even feeble minds in search of utilizing Roberts Stadium can find a solution to keep it functional and to perform financially as well as the new Arena?…that a new Arena without a hockey deal would splatter egg on lots of faces?

IS IT TRUE that the United States of America has hit its credit limit?…that maybe we should say our credit limit?…that treasury secretary Timothy Geithner has immediately halted further investments in two civil service retirement and disability funds to keep the day to day operation of the government from needing to borrow further to pay the bills?…that this move keeps the government afloat until August 2nd?…that it is reported that the United States is now borrowing 40% of every dollar that it spends?…that we do not even profess to know what the right balance is but that we are certain that 40% is too much?…that the home town equivalent would be a family earning $60,000 spending all that it makes and then spending an additional $40,000 on credit every year to meet day to day living expenses?…that this is not any more sustainable for a government than it is for a family?…that as our grandparents used to say “the chickens have come home to roost”?…that we wonder just what the limit of borrowing for state and local governments is limited by?…that several local officials have been seeking that answer for about a year now and it is not so easy to find?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission may have recently paid the Vanderburgh Democratic party an undetermined amount taxpayer money to relocate its headquarters from the Executive Inn parking garage to the old Welborn Hospital building owned by the Kunkel group? …that we wonder why this transaction wasn’t detailed in the minutes of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission?

IS IT TRUE we wonder when political people attempt to use their connections and influences to tamper with the activities of an on-going business it is considered to be an illegal act under State law?…this act could be considered to be “Political Tampering” with a business?…that selective enforcement of laws for political purposes is a sign of tyranny, constitutes abuse of power, and violates the rule of law?…that aside from being inherently unjust selective enforcement almost inevitably leads to favoritism and extortion, with those empowered to choose being able to help their friends, take bribes, and threaten those they desire favors from?…that selective enforcement sets a bad precedent, corrupts governance, and encourages corruption among the general populace?

IS IT TRUE that CCO MOLE #131 reports that all elected City or County officials must file a conflict of interest statement with the Vanderburgh County Clerk?…that these elected officials must report if they or their business entities do business with the political sub-divisions they serve? …that CCO MOLE #131 wonders why individuals who are appointed to serve on boards or commissions aren’t required to do the same?…that it would be great if our Vanderburgh County Clerk would compile a list of present city and county elected and appointed officials who do business with the entities they serve and release it to the media?

IS IT TRUE that our part 2 yesterday regarding the number of dollars spent per person for local governance inspired some researching on the part of two of our comment writers who took issue with the numbers published regarding the comparison of Fort Wayne and Evansville?…that the research that they (JC and Mole #411) did clarified and illuminated much about the Fort Wayne budget?…that due to different publishing habits the “Fort Wayne budget” that we referred to yesterday was not all of the spending that the City of Fort Wayne does?…that Fort Wayne has a separate budget for utilities that needed to be added in?…that adding up the City of Fort Wayne budget of $210 Million, the Allen County budget of $91.6 Million, and the operating part of the utility budget of $65.3 Million that it seems as though the full budget for Fort Wayne-Allen County is $358.8 Million that is spent on behalf of their 355,329 people?…that this works out to a total budget (excluding capital projects) of $1,008 per person?…that if the same exercise is done for Evansville-Vanderburgh (excluding Darmstadt) that the budget is $306.4 Million for 179,703 (including Darmstadt) works out to $1,719 per person, or just over 70% more than is spent in Fort Wayne-Allen County?…that neither of these budgets included the school corporations?…that we wonder if we are missing something?…that we wonder what do we get for the 70% premium on the cost of services?

IS IT TRUE that in the course of doing this research the subject of electricity costs came up?…that the residential rates for Fort Wayne and vicinity that is served by Indiana Michigan Power a unit of AEP that operates a power plant in Rockport are 8.3 cents per KWh?…that Vectren charges us poor locals a rate that is over 60% higher than what the people in Fort Wayne pay?…that your $300 electric bill in Evansville would only be $185 in Fort Wayne?…that while that price is not as sweet as the price in Henderson that it is still enough of a difference to pay for all of a student’s books at USI or UE for a full academic year plus some?…that the City of Evansville is a large customer of electricity?…that if the City of Evansville is paying the same rate as the people of Evansville pay to Vectren that could make up for part of the difference in our governmental costs with Fort Wayne?…that the word “electric” appears 24 times in the 2010 City of Evansville budget and that the line items equal $1.3 Million?…that street lights appears once and the amount is $2.3 Million?…that would indicate that the City of Evansville spends $3.6 Million per year on electricity?…that if the City of Evansville could save the difference in residential rates as compared to Fort Wayne that we could save $1.38 Million?…

IS IT TRUE that this is a link to the Fort Wayne electrical rates?

https://www.indianamichiganpower.com/global/utilities/lib/docs/factsheets/IMFactSheet2011.pdf