UPDATE: 5:11 PM Is the whole of Vanderburgh County a Recovery Zone?????

IS IT TRUE that Mole #3 predicts that the resolution that was to be considered will be removed from the agenda? ….. that the opposition of Commissioner Lloyd Winnecke to designating the entire land mass of Vanderburgh as a Katrina style Recovery Zone is what blocked this action?… that Commissioner Winnecke should be commended for recognizing this?

IS IT TRUE that the Vanderburgh County Commissioners are considering other locations for the 8 ball fields?….to take advantage of the RECOVERY ZONE BONDS, that they are also considering declaring ALL OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY TO BE A RECOVERY ZONE? ….that there are vast areas of Vanderburgh County that never have and probably never will qualify for RECOVERY ZONE status?….that the idea to consider some other location for a sports complex is a pretty good idea that may save money and gain community support? ….Commissioner Tornatta is correct that the Goebel Soccer Complex is a better location and that he should be commended for realizing that?….that declaring every square mile of Vanderburgh County as a RECOVERY ZONE is insulting and demeaning to the people of this county?….that such a declaration would constitute intentional misrepresentation of the economic status of Vanderburgh County?…..that Commissioner Lloyd Winnecke to his credit does not agree that the whole of the County is a Recovery Zone?

IS IT TRUE that the incumbent Candidate Troy Tornatta of the Vanderburgh County Commissioners is currently running a commercial that proudly states that the Great Recession has not impacted Vanderburgh County nearly as much as it has elsewhere?…..that one really can not have it both ways when it comes to widespread blight?….that taking a bit of time to reflect on this project is the right decision?….that wise governance would not commit the innkeepers tax to ballfields or any other project until a binding contract is in place for a Downtown Convention Hotel?….that sanity may and we must say may be entering the governance mode of this project?

IS IT TRUE that the Vanderburgh County Commissioners will consider a proposal by the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau to place part of Wesselman Park and the Roberts Stadium site into a RECOVERY ZONE when they meet on Tuesday October 26th? …..if they are not successful in declaring this area a RECOVERY ZONE that they will not be able to use a financing mechanism known as RECOVERY ZONE BONDS?…..that RECOVERY ZONE BONDS (RZB) allow federal refunding of about 45% of the interest payments over the 25 year life of the proposed loan?…that RZB’s are a part of the STIMULUS PACKAGE that were designed to encourage local governments to BORROW MONEY to be spent in DISTRESSED AREAS?

IS IT TRUE that a RECOVERY ZONE is defined as an area that has a significant amount of POVERTY, UNEMPLOYMENT, FORECLOSURES, AND GENERAL ECONOMIC DISTRESS? ….that no people live in Wesselman Park or the Robert’s Stadium site so none of those conditions are even possible? ….that the residential area in and around Wesselman Park and Roberts Stadium is not blighted by any stretch of the imagination?…..that many of the long time residents in that area are retired people who worked hard all of their lives in good blue collar jobs?…..that these residents have been good stewards of their homes and neighborhoods for their entire lives?….that having this neighborhood declared as blighted may just reduce home values and the desirability for young couples who may be considering moving to that neighborhood…..that it is an insult to the people of this neighborhood to attempt to declare their homes as blighted just to take advantage of a FEDERAL GOVERNMENT STIMULUS PLAN in the last two months of the program just to save some interest money?

IS IT TRUE that someone identifying themselves as ITCHY PEEPERS attempted to change the password of the City County Observer website?…..that this is not the first time that the City County Observer has been attacked electronically?…..that threatening emails have been sent, proprietary information has been the subject of attempted theft, and that the information has been turned over to law enforcement?….that intentional disruption of a website that generates income has been prosecuted for theft in some jurisdictions?…..that crime does not pay?…..that if you play with a firewall you just might get burned?

Tuesday October 26, 2010

IS IT TRUE that the Vanderburgh County Commissioners have taken the discussion about the $18 Million ball fields off of today’s agenda?…..that the City County Observer poll with the question “Do you approve of spending $18 Million on 8 ball fields at Robert’s Stadium Property”? has attracted 133 NO VOTES and only 21 YES VOTES as of 8:00AM this morning?…..that is roughly a 6 to 1 ratio rejecting the proposal to spend $18 Million on 8 ball fields?……that we have searched the country for $2 Million little league ball fields in a sports complex and have not found any?…..that the deferral of this discussion by the Vanderburgh County Commissioners will also defer the consideration of Vanderburgh County as a Recovery Zone?….that the 9th Ward of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina is a real Recovery Zone?….that Vanderburgh County contains Johnson Place, Brentwood, Tall Timbers, Old Plantation, Carrolton Court, the Oaks, and Windsor Woods look more like Beverly Hills than they look like a RECOVERY ZONE? …..that voters would be shocked and amazed to discover who suggested declaring the entire county a RECOVERY ZONE?….that tomorrow’s scheduled meetings of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission and the Evansville Redevelopment Authority regarding the $18 Million ball fields HAVE BEEN CANCELLED?

IS IT TRUE that the readers of the City County Observer have rejected media endorsements as relevant to their decision on who to vote for?…..that if a person does not have the interest to research the candidates and the good sense to choose one in each race, then that person should just stay home and not vote?….that the results of the polls that our readers have responded to will be posted to the City County Observer website on Wednesday October 27th along with the consensus of the prediction of NINE (9) MOLES (3 Republicans, 3 Democrats, and 3 Independents)?……that our MOLES each are trying to topple MOLE #3 as Nostradamus of Local Politics by demonstrating a 100% accurate prediction?…..that our MOLES have some disagreements with our readers?….that the MOLES were stating their expectation of who will win and not their personal preferences?

Join us this Thursday, October 21 for the first !

(If you do not consider yourself a young professional or are not interested in joining this group, please forward this e-mail to someone in your office who might benefit from it. Thank you!)
What Can The Chamber Do For YPs?
Thursday, October 21
5:30 p.m. Networking
6:00 p.m. Meeting
The Chamber Office, 318 Main Street, 4th Floor
Free-of-Charge

Join YPN for its monthly membership meeting to hear Chamber President & CEO, Matt Meadors, speak about what The Chamber can do for young professionals. Please click here for more information about YPN or this event.
ABOUT YPN
YPN is committed to attracting and retaining young professionals in Southwest Indiana. Critical success factors are providing young professionals with connections in the workforce and in the community and providing opportunities that help them grow and develop both personally and professionally and enhance their quality of life, which, in turn, will enhance the quality of life in Southwest Indiana.

History
Formerly known as Young Evansville Professionals, the organization was established by the Metropolitan Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce as an initiative resulting from recommendations from the Hudson Study regarding workforce. Thus began the charter and non-profit organization YEP on April 19, 2001.

After operating for nine years as a separate entity, in October 2010, the organization formally restructured as the Young Professionals Network under the umbrella of the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana.

Mission
The Young Professionals Network (YPN) is dedicated to serving young professionals in Southwest Indiana by providing opportunities for professional development, civic and community involvement and networking. YPN is committed to broadening young professionals’ scope of influence, developing their personal and professional skills and engaging them in communities in Southwest Indiana through monthly membership meetings, social and community involvement events.

YPN meets every 3rd Thursday of the month with networking starting at 5:30 p.m. and the business meeting starting at 6:00 p.m. at The Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana office, 318 Main Street, Suite 401.

For more information about YPN
Please visit www.ccswin.com/YPN or contact Carly Griffin, events manager, at 812.425.8147 or via e-mail at cgriffin@ccswin.com.

(EVANSVILLE, IN) – October 18, 2010 – Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel held a ribbon cutting ceremony this afternoon to officially open Phase 5 of the Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage Industrial Corridor. The ribbon cutting ceremony, which took place near the intersection of Uhlhorn and Grove streets, was attended by representatives of the Evansville Department of Parks and Recreation, Evansville Board of Park Commissioners, Greenway Advisory Board, Cedar Hall Association for Improvement of the Neighborhood (CHAIN), and other area neighbors. Industrial Corridor Phase 5 extends 0.81 miles from Dresden Street to Kratzville Road, creating a three-mile continuous stretch of Greenway Passage from Dresden Street to the Heidelbach Canoe Launch. Combined with the Riverfront Corridor, this brings the total mileage of completed Greenway to 5.5 miles.

“The City of Evansville is committed to cultivating an environment in which businesses and
people thrive, and continuing our aggressive efforts to extend the Pigeon Creek Greenway
Passage does just that,” said Mayor Weinzapfel. “Facilities like this don’t ‘just’ provide a safe
route for residents to walk or cycle. They are also proven to help communities attract and grow
businesses that provide good paying jobs, lessen negative impacts of vehicle traffic on the
environment, promote a healthy lifestyle, and enhance the community’s overall quality of life.”

Contracts on Industrial Corridor Phase 5 were awarded to Bernardin Lochmueller & Associates
(design and engineering), United Consulting (construction oversight), and Blankenberger
Brothers, Inc. (construction). The total cost of Industrial Corridor Phase 5 was estimated to be $1,554,606, with $1,356,631 covered by Federal Surface Transportation Program (STP) funds and Transportation Community Service Program (TCSP) Grant funds; and $187,975 covered by local riverboat funds. Though
not all final costs are in, the project is expected to come in under budget. The project has also been completed ahead of schedule. When bids were opened on September10, 2009, construction was forecast to be completed in December 2010. This is the fourth section of the Greenway Passage to be completed since Mayor Weinzapfel took office: the Riverfront Corridor was completed in 2004, Industrial Corridor Phase 1 was
completed in 2007, and Industrial Corridor Phase 6 was completed in 2009. Construction on Industrial Corridor Phase 2, from Franklin Street to Maryland Street, is anticipated to be complete in June 2011. After Phase 2 is complete, only 0.75 miles will remain to “close the gap” between Phase 2 and Phase 5 and create a continuous 6.75-mile trail from Sunrise Park to the Heidelbach Canoe Launch.
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An Open Letter from Cheryl Musgrave

Dear friends,

As we get closer to Election Day, it’s time to consider some of the overlooked issues that your vote will decide. Among those is the fate of Indiana’s laws on redistricting. I believe that it’s time to reform our laws to make the process fairer and more transparent for voters.

The General Assembly redraws congressional and state legislative districts after each Census. That means that the legislators you elect this year for the State House of Representatives and the State Senate will decide whether Evansville remains in the Eighth Congressional District or gets shifted to the Ninth, and the boundaries of all state representative districts.

I think it’s time that we took politics out of redistricting and made the process simpler and more rational. The temptation for career politicians to guarantee their pension plans by engaging in an incumbent protection racket is too great. And the only losers in these political games are voters.

That’s why I endorsed Secretary of State Todd Rokita’s “Rethinking Redistricting” plan earlier this year. (You can learn more about the plan at www.RethinkingRedistricting.com.)

Secretary Rokita’s proposal ensures that communities are kept together and districts are drawn compactly. It also bars the use of political data, like voter registration totals, in creating new boundaries and “nest” two state House districts within one state Senate district.

These changes would make politicians run harder for their offices. By keeping communities together within the same district, our voices would be heard more clearly in Indianapolis. It would also make the process much simpler to administer (for election officials) and easier to understand (for the rest of us). In fact, I would go even further than Rokita in one regard: I support turning the process over to a non-partisan board, like the one in Iowa.

This stand isn’t popular with many politicians on both sides. They’re afraid to run in the more competitive districts that would result from this plan. But I believe that sometimes politics is too important to be left to the politicians. It ought to be in the hands of the voters. We will all benefit from a legislature that’s closer to the people’s wishes, instead of being subject to the whims of long-term legislators like Speaker Pat Bauer.

At the same time, the next General Assembly should reform our broken early voting system. It’s a shame that a single, unelected, Democratic member of the Warrick County elections board could veto the entire county’s right to have convenient early voting. I note that my opponent has never objected to this outcome.

I say that voters in Warrick and Vanderburgh Counties should have the same ability to vote when they want to. For me, it isn’t about partisan advantage: it’s about doing the right thing. That’s why, if elected, I will introduce a bill requiring county elections boards to work with school corporations, universities, and public libraries to create fair and efficient voting plans for every precinct in the state.

These are important issues. They affect the exercise of our fundamental right as Americans: the right to peaceably replace our government. You know where I stand on these issues, and I hope you’ll stand with me on Election Day.