IS IT TRUE? PART 2 March 21, 2011

IS IT TRUE that Gail Riecken and the rest of the House Democrats bolted to Urbana, Ill after they received their yearly salary of $22,616.46 which was paid in 2 installments of $11,308.23 by direct deposit? …that they are not receiving the monthly travel checks and their daily expense per-diem since they are not working in Indianapolis?…that the House Republicans are also not receiving any daily expense per-diem and travel checks unless they are at work at the Statehouse?

IS IT TRUE that Gail Riecken won’t come to the Statehouse to do the work she was elected to do but she can attend meet your legislator sessions on Saturday’s and also manage to be on TV when it is convenient for her?…that Gail Riecken has her hair dresser come to Urbana to do her hair?

IS IT TRUE that Republican Legislators Ron Bacon, Wendy McNamara & Suzanne Crouch meet with and talk to constituents daily while at work in Indianapolis and also meet with local Teachers, Union Workers, and other constituents when they are home on week-ends to discuss the issues?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer wonders just how many of the taxpayers of the State of Indiana have jobs where they are paid in advance for the entire year of work?…that in the real world that if you accepted pay for the entire year and then decided not to go to work that you would not only be fired but you would have to give the unearned portion of the salary back?…that failure to give a salary advance back unless a contract specifically stated that it was non-refundable would constitute grand theft?

IS IT TRUE that it has been 5 days now since the people of Evansville returned from a 72 hour trip to the 3rd World in which we were all notified that old warning for trips to uncivilized foreign lands of “DON’T DRINK THE WATER”?…that having to go out and purchase water for consumption because the City of Evansville did not deliver an acceptable product amounts to some sort of liability for damages on the part of the City of Evansville?…that we are still waiting to hear what recompense will be offered for the approximately $1 Million that the people who rely on city water had to spend?…that writing everyone a check for $5 would be futile but that allocation $1 Million in the name of the people of Evansville to be used to reclaim our dilapidated parks would be a worthy and just form of recompense for the City Administration to pay?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer has gotten many comments that you can read online along with direct emails regarding the issue of CONSOLIDATION?…that the comments and emails are overwhelmingly against going forward with the plan for consolidation presented by Becky Kasha and her CONSOLIDATION COMMITTEE?…that Mole #69 predicts that unless major surgery is performed on the proposed plan that it will go down in flames at the 2012 ballot box just like its predecessor VANDIGOV did back in the early 1970’s?

IS IT TRUE that the absence of rejection thresholds seems to be the major complaint from the comments coming from the county?…that dilution of minority representation by having too small of a Common Council is a major complaint coming from within the City of Evansville?…that if you can’t win the county over rejection thresholds and you can’t win the city over dilution then there is no chance for this to pass?…that if consolidation is in our near future it is time to start adding some real CHANGE to a document that was generated by a committee who was afraid to propose CHANGE?…that reasonable people with an interest in the process realize the if there is one thing that the City of Evansville needs it is a healthy dose of CHANGE from the process that has driven people and businesses away for 50 years?…that if the county to a large extent has made some CHANGES by bolting from the City of Evansville and will CHANGE more by bolting from the county if the tired old ineffective ways of the City of Evansville are imposed upon them against their will?…that the Consolidation Committee and the people advising them would do well to abandon the single election format and ask the consent of the would be governed in an election with rejection thresholds?…that there may just be Mutiny on the Ohio is this is not the approach taken?

Click on the link below to examine the EPD Activity Report for 3/20/2011

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IS IT TRUE? March 21, 2011

IS IT TRUE that just as Mole #3 predicted State Representative Gail Riecken came home to boos and confrontation that showed itself in the meet the legislators meeting at the Central Library last Saturday?…that many of the people who are upset with Mrs. Riecken over her flight to Urbana actually are supportive of many of her positions?…that Hoosiers and especially SW Indiana Hoosiers have the good sense to know that the job that Mrs. Riecken sought and was elected to is located in Indianapolis?…that generally speaking polls indicate that this part of the state supports the Right to Work and Educational Reform proposals by a 2 to 1 majority?…that the number of people who want to see Mrs. Riecken back in Indianapolis doing her job is even higher than that?…that there shall be a high price to pay for dancing to Urbana to the tune of the Pied Piper Pat Bauer?

IS IT TRUE that some whisper campaigns can get downright nasty?…that the latest whisper campaign that has been waged against candidate for the Democratic nomination for Mayor Rick Davis is that he is an atheist?…that being a Lutheran, Mr. Davis is somewhat confused by this whisper campaign?…that Lutherans are just as Christian and any other Christian religion?…that the hatchet between Martin Luther and other Christian religions has been buried for many centuries now?…that such whisper campaigns have no place in the race for Mayor of Evansville?

IS IT TRUE that the United States is part of a military effort to neuter the air force of Libyan strong man and leader Colonel Moarmar Ghadaffi?…that there have now been 24 hours of tomahawk missile attacks and other air to ground targeted bombardments?…that the cost to the American people for this 24 hour live ammunition show has been roughly the same amount of money as the entire annual budget for the City of Evansville?…that is over $200 Million?…that with good planning, competent management and the cost of10 Tomahawk missiles the City of Evansville could revitalize our entire park system?…that we genuinely hope that Libya turns into a free and well governed country and that the United States does not feel the need to send in ground troops?

IS IT TRUE that the Reverend Adrian Brooks recently spoke and expressed the opinion that 95% of the officers of the Evansville Police Department to an excellent job?…that Reverend Brooks also stated that 98% of the minority citizens of Evansville are law abiding and have no intention of committing a crime?…that he called for both the bad eggs in the EPD and the minority community to be granted no pardon or tolerance for their reprehensible behavior?…that Reverend Brooks acknowledged that crime is alive in Evansville and that he hopes and prays that a positive relationship will develop between the EPD and the minority community so that both can enjoy a better Evansville?…that the City County Observer shares the hopes of Reverend Brooks for an end to crime in all of Evansville and for equality and fairness in the delivery of law enforcement services to every person?

IS IT TRUE that a certain candidate for Evansville City Council is burning some midnight oil to put together a position paper on the state of the Evansville City Parks?…that Mole #3 predicts that the state of the parks and solutions to revive them all will be a litmus test issue in the upcoming City of Evansville elections?

You may examine the record logs for the EPD at the following link as the police reported them.

Daily_Record_Report_3-19-2011

By: Lance Winslow

Why is it that so many communities are so perfect, and have all the recreation facilities surrounding where the people live? It makes life more enjoyable, less stressful, and it makes it safer for raising a family as well. People that live in these types of areas are healthier, happier, and they get the exercise they need. The quality of life that is gathered from proper urban development of this type is almost incalculable from a monetary standpoint.

I’d like to introduce you to an expert on the topic, someone that has written a very excellent book, one which I believe everyone in urban planning and design should read. Also for those folks that are building master planned communities which include recreational facilities, parks, and so forth need to take a gander at this book. The name of the work is;

“Recreational Planning and Design,” by Seymour Gold, 1980

The author Seymour M. Gold has a PhD in urban and residential planning from the University of California at Davis, where he specializes in environmental planning. The book goes through the history of how these types of communities have come forth in America. In this book he takes us from the 1600s to 1980. Chapters;

1600-16 14 Boston Commons
1700 to 1712 municipal Forest in New Hampshire
1800 to 1850 Chicago Park
Central Park in the 1840s
Golden gate Park in 1865
By the 1880s these types of communities became commonplace

The history in and of itself is totally fascinating and interesting, but when it is put into a modern context Mr. Gold literally explains how to make the magic happen. He speaks about urban planning and population lifecycles and recreation and how they peak over a ten-year period and how they change when couples reach their 40s.
He explains the need for bike paths, horse recreation areas, skateboard parks, field sports, tennis, amphitheaters, parks, and picnic tables, hiking trails. He speaks of private airports, hang gliding, recreational sailing, water features, and the issues with mosquitoes. He even brings us to the present with golfing communities and how to make them work.

He talks also about the negatives when communities are not built correctly; poverty, crime, maintenance costs, pollution, civil disobedience, social class separations, increased rules, over policing, intense taxes, and fees. Thus, this book and research project brings us full circle; past, present, and how to design things better for the future and what to avoid.

Anyone who has a degree in urban planning needs to read this book, along with all the young people growing up now using SimCity design techniques to design our future towns, communities, and cities. Please consider all this

IS IT TRUE? March 19, 2011

IS IT TRUE that when the City County Observer raises question that answers come to us?…that yesterday in this column we asked for the “undisclosed” reason that the demolition of the Executive Inn had be halted literally hours after starting?…that shortly after that we received an email from a man who is most certainly in the know with the answers?…that there are two reasons for the delay?…that Verizon has antennas on the roof and that they have not yet signed a release to allow for them to be removed?…that the new Democratic Party headquarters is not yet prepared for them to move into it?…that those are the reasons?…that this just seems to be one of those things that happens with construction projects?…that in Evansville when one hears the term “undisclosed” everyone’s antennas go up in suspicion of yet another legal but sneaky trick?…that there is much history to support the expectation for legal but sneaky tricks?…that this time that is refreshingly not the case? Power on Woodruff Hospitality!

IS IT TRUE that the business that could have come to Evansville if investment capital had been available had a very successful meeting with INTEL Investments yesterday and has passed the first set of criteria with flying colors?…that this company has leading edge intellectual property in the green energy business space which is a giant multibillion dollar industry?…that just two years ago their first investment presentation was made in Innovation Pointe in Downtown Evansville?…that there were no investment funds available then and that there still aren’t?…that all Evansville has to show for investments that could have attracted a business is some unsold Front Door Pride houses?…that some choices come back to bite you on the backside again and again?

IS IT TRUE that there is a meet the legislators meeting at the Browning Room of the Central Library today?…that Evansville Democratic House member Gail Riecken has said she will be travelling from her possible tax home of Urbana, IL to attend the meeting?…that Ms. Riecken has voiced very strongly that her constituents support her run for the border to prevent a vote on the Right to Work and Educational Reform bills?…that in a poll conducted by the Courier and Press yesterday over 1,200 votes were cast on that very question?…that at 10 PM last night the vote was 2 to 1 in FAVOR of Right to Work and Education Reform?…that wrapped up in that vote is Ms. Riecken’s constituency?…that it seems as though her flight to Illinois with ole Pat Bauer was and is for the purpose of blunting the wishes of her constituency?

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer’s call for local media outlets to keep up pressure on the City of Evansville to really do something about the deplorable state of the parks is working?…News 25 has kept up the pressure and yesterday had another feature on the state of the Vann-Pollack park and that this time it was the head of the Parks Department that was on the hot seat?…that there was much dodging and shifting of responsibility attempted but that in the end this guy did admit to not having done enough maintenance at the Vann-Pollack park?…that our response to this newfound enlightenment is “INDEED!!”?…that the pot holes in a gravel lot, the cuss words on the walls, the dilapidated buildings, and the disappointment on the face of involved parents should be enough to get the City of Evansville off of its duff and do some real improvements as opposed to what was done last year?…that last year some small improvements were promised but NOT A DARN THING WAS DONE?

IS IT TRUE that at least one candidate for Evansville City Council in an informal conversation on St. Patrick’s Day claimed that there are no problems with the Evansville parks?…that to have such an opinion after the widely publicized incident of a child stepping on a needle and the recent media attention given to the squalor at Vann Pollack park one would have to be completely disinterested or drinking from the City Administrations Kool-Aid pitcher?…that the state of the City of Evansville’s park system will be one of the hot button issues in the 2011 City elections and that anyone who does not have plausible ideas on how to improve the parks and how to pay for it should just drop out of the race now?

IS IT TRUE that David Coker has published an editorial in today’s Courier and Press about the history of Garvin Park and about the slow degradation due to City of Evansville complacency?…that we encourage all of our readers to read David’s column? Here is a link.

http://www.courierpress.com/news/2011/mar/19/dreams-of-what-garvin-park-could-be/

TO: Evansville Area Media Outlets
FROM: Evansville Firefighters Local 357 PAC
DATE: March 18, 2011
RE: 2011 City of Evansville Primary Election Endorsements

The members of Evansville Professional Firefighter’s Local 357 PAC are pleased to announce the following candidate endorsements for the City of Evansville 2011 primary elections :

Mayor
Rick Davis (D)
No Republican endorsements for this primary race

Clerk
No Democratic or Republican endorsements for this primary race

City Council At-Large
H. Dan Adams (D)
Michelle Mercer (R)

City Council 1st Ward
Dan McGinn (R)

City Council 2nd Ward
Patrick McBride (D)

City Council 3rd Ward
Don Walker (D)

City Council 4th Ward
No endorsements for this race

City Council 5th Ward
Brent Grafton (R)

City Council 6th Ward
Al Lindsey (D)

Members of Evansville Professional Firefighter’s Local 357 PAC recognize that public safety is one of the primary responsibilities of local government. Based on the results of our recent candidate’s night, and based on historical support of public safety concerns, we believe the above noted candidates are particularly aware of this responsibility, and have a stated willingness to provide our local first responders with the tools and funding they need to ensure continued excellence in service. We encourage the citizens of Evansville to consider these endorsements when they go to the polls this spring to decide the candidates who will run in the fall general elections.

Here is a link to the reports for the police runs that were made by the Evansville Police Department as reported into yesterdays log.

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IS IT TRUE? Part Two March 18, 2011: FIREFIGHTERS ENDORSEMENTS

IS IT TRUE that Mole #3 projects that the following candidates for office will be announced very soon as receiving the endorsement of the EVANSVILLE FIREFIGHTERS?

Rick Davis: Democratic Candidate for Mayor of Evansville

Dan McGinn: Evansville City Council 1st Ward

Patrick McBride: Democratic Candidate for City Council 2nd Ward

Don Walker: Democratic Candidate for City Council 3rd Ward

Brent Grafton: Evansville City Council 5th Ward

Al Lindsey: Democratic Candidate for City Council 6th Ward

H. Dan Adams: Evansville City Council At-Large

Michelle Mercer: Evansville City Council At-Large

The link below is to the daily EPD activity report.

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