IS IT TRUE? May 20, 2011

IS IT TRUE that one of the best reader comments to come along this year came to us yesterday after we posted a picture of the 3 foot tall grass at the McCurdy?…that we have been making fun of the failures at the McCurdy for over a year now and have often referred to it as the convalescent home for aging pigeons and bats?…that one of our readers suggested yesterday that the City of Evansville needs to deploy a GOAT to take care of the weeds and vines at the McCurdy?…that the City of Evansville already has a GOAT that is in charge of taking Freedom of Information Act requests?…that the response from the City’s GOAT yesterday without the unlawful City of Evansville request form was Naaaaaaaa?

IS IT TRUE that Section 2.05.050(F) of the City of Evansville Municipal Code requires that the Mayor of Evansville shall provide any information regarding City affairs that the legislative body (City Council) requests?…that the Mayor of Evansville must not only provide documentation, but information requested by the City Council concerning City of Evansville’s business?…that it’s time that Mayor of Evansville adhere to documentation requests submitted to the Mayor by 5th Ward City Councilman, John Friend, CPA and 1st Ward City Councilman, Dan McGinn, ESQ?

IS IT TRUE that President Obama gave a speech to Arab leaders yesterday in which he called upon Israel to return to their 1967 borders?…that the President furthermore made a statement that there will never be a truly peaceful situation as long as “occupied” territories exist?…that the State of Israel was formed in 1948 as a Jewish nation and has been under some sort of siege from outside enemies ever since?…that 2011 marks the 63rd year of existence for Israel?…that in 1967 the nation of Israel was only 19 years old or 30% of its current time of existence?…that the United States of America was formed in 1776 and reached its 30% mark relative to 2011 in 1847?…that to be given the same directive by a foreign leader as President Obama gave Israel?…that there were foreign leaders who were telling the United States back in our “manifest destiny” days of expansion that we could never be at peace with so much expansion and occupied territories?…that the USA still has occupied territories?

IS IT TRUE that as melting pots go that the USA has had some serious growing pains but for the most part has found a form of governance that is inclusive, respectful, and brings a myriad of peoples together under a common flag?…that Israel and the rest of the middle east may someday reach a state of peace but that it is not the sole place of the President of the United States to call for the geographic borders of such a solution?…that many of the problems in the middle east today are as a result of British geographic meddling?…that Israel has been a good and loyal ally of the United States and that our leaders should not develop habits of making public demands on our ally?…that such words probably have no place at all but if they do it would be in a private conversation with the Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu?

IS IT TRUE that the Palestinian people need and deserve a homeland of their own and that the land for this future state will have to come from somewhere?…that this is a goal in which the United States can play an important role but that it is ultimately up to the people of the Holy Land to determine where that is to be?…that all peoples need a place to call home and to have self determination and that a Palestinian state would probably go far in establishing a peaceful coexistence in the middle east?

IS IT TRUE that this commercial spoof is like a trip to the Civic Center?

IS IT TRUE? May 19, 2011 Evening Bonus Edition

IS IT TRUE that the EVSC made a press release yesterday that told of many awards that they have won for programs that promote healthy lifestyles and nutritious eating habits among their students?…that programs can sometimes win lots of awards based on being cute or innovative in the eyes of the judges only?…that this announcement comes on the heels of the Evansville MSA being awarded the distinction of being the most obese MSA in the United States by a Gallup survey?…that while the programs at EVSC may be cute or impress judges that they most certainly should not have won these awards for effectivity?…that it is good to acknowledge the problem of being too fat as a community and to do something about it?…that gold medals are reserved for results and not for attempts?…that we are wondering if Rosanne, Fat Albert, and Baby Huey were the judges in this contest?…that we encourage the EVSC to evaluate the effectivity of their programs by the percentage of obese children in our schools as opposed to whether or not Fat Albert & Co. hands them a prize?…that maybe the school system of Boulder, Colorado that is one of the leanest in American does not have programs that impress Fat Albert et al as much as Evansville does but that when it comes to effectivity they are way out in front?

IS IT TRUE that we have been notified via a comment that the Shriners will be mowing the overgrown grass at the McCurdy so as not to be embarrassed by the state of neglect of this formerly elegant property during their upcoming Shrinerfest?…that a picture taken today at the McCurdy shows a vine that is beginning to take over the building?…that the first thought that came to mind when surveying the situation for pictures was that of a picture in the child’s book called Jack and the Beanstalk?…that in this case it is Mayor and the Beanstalk and if someone like the Shriners do not get there quick and cut the grass and the vine that one may be able to climb to the 2nd floor balcony on the vine?…that another picture shows the grass nearly a third of the way up a street light?…that this SELECTIVE ENFORCEMENT of the laws of this town is something that should not be tolerated by law abiding citizens?…that being behind in property taxes but ahead on political contributions is not justification for this building being allowed to return to the jungle?…that we thank and honor the Shriners for their good work and for their willingness to do for Evansville what the City of Evansville cannot seem to muster the political will to do for itself?

IS IT TRUE that when the City County Observer went to the Civic Center to serve Freedom of Information Act requests for three different sets of documents that as we had been warned the City of Evansville would deny our requests because they were not accompanied by “official” City of Evansville request forms?…that the State of Indiana under I. C. 5-14-3-1 governs the requests for public records in the State of Indiana and that the City of Evansville has no authority or basis for being persnickety with the forms?…that our letters were prepared by an online service that does FOIA letters for people in the State of Indiana?…that we knew that we would be denied going in and that as soon as we get the official written notice of denial that we will post it and file a complaint with the appropriate higher jurisdiction?…that we may just fill out the persnickety little delay tactic form to expedite getting what we requested or we may let the higher authority put an end to the City of Evansville’s “form without basis”?

Familiarization with the language of Private Equity will help Evansville

Evansville, Indiana is one of the only cities in the United States with a population of over 100,000 people that has no active Angel Investment Group and no Venture Capital. Private equity firms from other places routinely come to Evansville and buy our successful businesses and repatriate the profits to other locations.

It has often been expressed that one of the shortcomings of Evansville as an attractive place to establish investment firms is that the knowledge base of the people of Evansville does not run very deep into the language of investments.

The City County Observer would like to encourage as many of our readers as possible to read the 2011 Global Private Equity Report of Bain & Company that is available on the following link. Ultimately we are what we know and we would like to encourage the elevation of the knowledge of Evansville when it comes to financial sophistication.

http://resultsbrief.bain.com/pdfs/2011_bainandcompany_pe_report.pdf

IS IT TRUE? May 19, 2011 ACE Purple

IS IT TRUE that the University of Evansville is considering giving mascot Ace Purple a makeover as part of the move to the Downtown Evansville Arena?…that everyone needs to change with the times and that old Ace is no exception to the rule?…that the last time Ace Purple went through a makeover he was changed from a perfectly intimidating riverboat gambler with a club and a gun INTO a thing that former California Governor Arnold Swartzenegger would call a “GIRLY MAN”?…that Ace in his present form seems more like a bridge playing senior citizen that looks forward to early bird dinners than a riverboat gambler?…that mascots are meant to intimidate and that modern day Ace would not scare a flea?…that in the spirit of competition and intimidation that UE should consider the following as ways to spice up the ballgames and the mascot?

IS IT TRUE that Ace Purple needs a new ride?…that the golf cart is the symbol of leisure and retirement and that it has no place in Ace Purple’s garage?… that Ace Purple needs a Purple HEARSE in his garage with the name of the visiting team shrouding the casket in the back?…that no self respecting wise guy riverboat gambler dresses like Mr. Roark from Fantasy Island and has no girlfriend(s)?…that Ace Purple needs two or more hot babes that accompany him everywhere?…that to attract the kind of babes that Ace Purple wants he needs to hit the gym and give the rest of Evansville and example for getting into shape?…that Ace Purple’s transformation into being an intimidating mascot starts in the gym and a trip to an image consultant?…that the image to send is that of a bad dude with an IQ of 160 that is that master of no limit poker and a fan of UE sports?…that if there are cards involved that up the sleeve is the place for them?…that a gold tooth would add to the image as would a saturday night special in his boot?…that a shiny switchblade and some brass knuckles could come out at tip off time?…that the image that Ace Purple should have is one of Conan the Barbarian that makes a living playing poker because he is the smartest and meanest dude at the table?…that an intimidating Ace will have all of the trappings of the lifestyle of Superfly Evansville style?…that no one fears Mr. Rogers and that this move should be the end of the Mr. Rogers look and demeanor of Ace Purple?

IS IT TRUE that the UE pep band needs to add some new songs to the pregame mix too?…that “Poker Face” would go well with the bad boy mascot?…that “Purple Rain” should have been in the play list for 20 years now to commemorate the raining of three point baskets by the Purple Aces?…that “Purple Haze” should have been on the playlist for 40 years to celebrate the mental state of the opponents when they take a beating from the Purple Aces?

IS IT TRUE that sharpening the sword or the switchblade and adding a little edge is something that all of Evansville has needed for a very long time and that making a lovable cuddly Ace Purple back into someone to be reckoned with might just put a little fight back into the team and the fans?…that successful spectator sports all incorporate intimidating mascots with all of the trappings into the mix and UE should take a lesson from that playbook?…that any team called the Pirates that lets their mascot wither into the greeter at Red Lobster is doing their team and their fan base a disservice?…that it is time for Ace Purple to be a real mascot as opposed to an oversized beanie baby?

IS IT TRUE that this is the genius, the edge, and the image of an ACE PURPLE that intimidates?

IS IT TRUE? May 19, 2011

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