IS IT TRUE that according to the gentleman from Hunden Strategic Partners who spoke at the Evansville Redevelopment Commission meeting on Tuesday August 16, 2011, today is the day that the VETTING PROCESS will be getting down to the brass tacks of a face to face meeting with one of the companies that responded to the RFP with a proposal?…that we are not sure whether the Kunkel Group or Prime Lodging is in Mr. Hunden’s spotlight today and that we would choose not to publish that information even if we did know?…that Mr. Hunden stated that the next face to face meeting has been scheduled for next Wednesday the 24th?…that he stated that after these meetings and some follow up questions have been answered that he should be in a better position to advise the ERC on what the options really are?…that in the name of fairness and in giving this VETTING PROCESS a chance that we shall not address this issue again until after the results of the VETTING interviews have been made known in a public meeting?

IS IT TRUE that after examining the final results of the year and a half of work done by the consolidation committee that the only conclusion possible is that the sales pitch for next year’s election will be “WE SPENT 18 MONTHS AND HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED ANYTHING OF SUBSTANCE THAT WILL RESULT IN ANY COST SAVINGS BUT WE RELLY REALLY THINK THAT CONSOLIDATION IS A GOOD IDEA SO TRUST US AND VOTE YES”?…that from an intuitive perspective consolidation does indeed seem like it should allow the people of Evansville and Vanderburgh County to benefit from economies of scale?…that this committee has not only failed to recommend any real actions that will save any money, but they are actually putting language into the proposal that will prohibit even considering changing some of the largest departmental budgets that exist?…that this seems to have been more of an exercise in protecting the sacred cows than it has been in evolving local government to a better and more efficient form of governing?…that this is truly disappointing as according to the budgets of other comparable cities there should be some very substantial savings that could have been identified?

IS IT TRUE that we are hearing from the Mole Nation that there are some considerations being given to investing some of the cash surplus held by the Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau to repair some of our dilapidated parks?…that wise investments of this nature in parks that are not likely to be subject to instant vandalism will indeed improve the quality of place which will in turn promote tourism?…that we applaud and support well thought out and cost effective investments in the Evansville Parks System by the CVB?…that we will be on the lookout for $250,000 swing sets and $150,000 dugouts though so please exercise good fiscal judgment CVB?

IS IT TRUE that it has been revealed by the United States Secret Service that the $1.1 Million tour bus that President Obama is touring the Midwest in was MADE IN CANADA?…that we are sure that is comforting to the unemployed and underemployed people who are attending his events to hear about his soon to be released JOBS PLAN?…that Kid Rock, David Lee Roth, and Kenny Rogers are former owners of tour busses from the Quebec based company called Prevost?…that we have no problem whatsoever with the President of the United States spending $1.1 Million or more on a tour bus?…that we do wish that whomever made that purchasing decision would have considered a US based business like Hemphill Brothers Coaches of the “Right to Work” state of Tennessee?…that the City County Observer is a supporter of BUY AMERICA POLICIES and wish that our government would spend our tax dollars at home too?

IS IT TRUE that yesterday was one of those days that saw the Evansville news community all worked up over an issue that will be nothing more than trivia in a few months?…that a news release regarding the naming rights for the now christened Ford Center was sent by the Mayor’s Office to a number of providers with an embargo time of 1:00 pm attached to it?…that a news embargo is a request by a source that the information or news provided by that source not be published until a certain date or certain conditions have been met?…that the understanding is that if the embargo is broken by reporting before then, the source will retaliate by restricting access to further information by that journalist or his publication, giving them a long-term disadvantage relative to more cooperative outlets?…that during 2011 the Office of the Mayor of Evansville has preemptively kept the City County Observer out of the distribution for news releases thus whatever advantages that we may have had by being in the official loop was restricted long ago by the Weinzapfel Administration?…that back in the days when we were being provided press releases we never ever violated any embargo condition?

IS IT TRUE that yesterday’s article in the CCO announcing that Ford was the buyer of the naming rights for the Ford Center became the most viewed story we have ever published in the first 24 hours eclipsing the previous record by a couple of hundred views?…that we would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Mayor Weinzapfel for keeping us off of the distribution list so that we were not subject to any embargo?…that we would also like to thank the Mole Nation for helping us scoop this story?…that this was a great little bonus to the CCO that should be filed under unintended consequences by the Office of the Mayor of Evansville?…that we are certain that when either a Mayor Davis or Mayor Winnecke takes office that we shall be included in the distribution list for press releases?…that as much as we do look forward to that day, the cat and Mole game of scooping those who are using embargo techniques to unlevel the playing field of the local news business has been fun?

IS IT TRUE that embargo of news is a mechanism used by private businesses to protect commercial product announcements and by governments to provide security for time sensitive information?…that the most recent significant news embargo was that Sunday night when President Obama announced the killing of Osama bin Laden?…that the bi-weekly press briefings of the International Monetary Fund are always embargoed?…that the Federal Reserve Bank routinely embargoes news regarding interest rate changes?…that all of these news embargoes have a purpose?…that the name of the Ford Center really does not stack up to events of national security and world financial speculation?…that the only reason for yesterday’s embargo was to create “one shining moment” for Mayor Weinzapfel?…that in a week no one will remember who broke the story or that the embargo even happened?…that this deal has been done for a while, that the CCO had known the outcome for a few days and that in the big scheme of what Evansville really needs, the time of day that the naming rights were released does not mean spit?

IS IT TRUE that the whole hubbub of yesterday just indicates a 24 hour virus of misplaced priorities on the part of the Weinzapfel Administration and the entire Evansville news community including the CCO?…that on a day when it was revealed that poverty among children is rising in Vanderburgh County, that over half of the students in EVSC are on reduced lunch programs, that the birthrate among unwed teenagers has increased again, that college attendance rates are dropping, and that the number of juveniles sent to prison from this county increased by 49% we were all obsessing over what time the Ford Center announcement would be?

IS IT TRUE that we all have more important things to spend our time on than worrying about photo-ops, trivia, and our big new temple to sport?…that we encourage the candidates for Mayor of Evansville to concentrate their thoughts and efforts on solutions to the real problems that face this community?…that we promise to publish any and all plans of substance from all of the 2011 candidates and to provide a level playing field and fair editorial analysis for their plans?

IS IT TRUE? August 17, 2011 Special Evening Edition

IS IT TRUE that the City County Observer is proud to have been the first to report that the Ford Motor Company has acquired the rights to name the Evansville Arena?…that this was a good day for downtown Evansville and that the price of $420,000 per year ended up being about 20% higher than what outside estimates had thought it would be?…that having a national brand as the sponsor probably contributed to that premium?…that having the D-Patrick dealership right next door helped as well?…that the non-descript name chosen of Ford Center will be simple to remember and will provided worldwide recognition?

IS IT TRUE that the arena in Oklahoma City was called the Ford Center from 2002 – 2010 when it enticed the NBA’s Seattle Supersonics to town to become the Oklahoma City Thunder?…that it is reported that the cost to build the 18,203 seat arena was $109 Million in 2011 dollars?…that this works out to a construction budget of $5,988 per seat?…that the new Ford Center in Evansville has 10,000 seats for basketball but is projected to cost $127 Million or $12,700 per seat?…that we wonder just how on earth that the City of Evansville could manage to spend more than double the amount per seat than an arena that attracted an NBA franchise did?…that to be exact that the cost of the new Ford Center is 112% higher per seat than the now Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City?…that we are getting accustomed to expensive shenanigans from the Weinzapfel Administration that is known for spending $200,000 on houses that sell for $100,000, $240,000 on apartments that are only worth $20,000 on the open market, green brick alleys, and now an arena that could have been NBA quality for half the price?…that we like the idea of a new arena but are completely shocked by the price per seat as compared to the former Ford Center in Oklahoma City?

IS IT TRUE that the $109 Million arena in Oklahoma City receives a minimum of $3 Million per year for the next 12 years for the naming rights from Chesapeake Energy?…that it seems as though the dollars spent on construction per seat does not correlate to the amount that can be gotten for naming rights?

IS IT TRUE that Kristi Risk announced her candidacy for Congress today at Oaklyn library?…that she is planning to challenge Congressman Bucshon in the Republican primary of 2012, and accused him of giving President Obama “everything he wants”?…that she blamed, in part, the Vanderburgh County Republican Party for her loss, saying that they “refused” to let her “do anything” in the way of events?…that there were about 45 people in attendance and that they were mostly supporters of her last campaign?…that the media representation was one radio station?…that the national campaign for 2012 must have jumpstarted some local ambitions and that we are about to be treated to a 14 month campaign for congress?…that it has to start sometime and that today had just as well be the day?

IS IT TRUE that one of the comments posted in the CCO today has suggested that the editor of the City County Observer should commit suicide and even went so far as to suggest that a bus should be the weapon of choice to do the deed?…that we were thinking of the “David” just the other day when we posted the following paragraph and quote?

IS IT TRUE that the author of Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift has a very famous quote attributed to him regarding the recognition of people who are considered to be geniuses?…that this quote follows and is particularly relevant in this modern day when our political leaders or even their surrogates in the press seek to oppress those who speak out against them?

“When a true genius appears in the world, you may know him by this sign: that the dunces are all in confederacy against him.”
— Jonathan Swift

IS IT TRUE that Mr. Wallace has no intention whatsoever of committing suicide by bus and that the City County Observer won’t even violate our boy “David’s” first amendment rights by removing the post as has been known to happen on other comment sections when they wish to suppress certain content?

IS IT TRUE? August 17, 2011

IS IT TRUE that crime is taking an interesting twist in Evansville this week with the announcement that someone passed a counterfeit $100 bill into the offering plate at St. Ben’s and took $80 change?…that using a church to launder counterfeit money is a new low in the character department?…that we have a suggestion for a name for this bandito?…that we think that this person should be called “Paul”?…that Paul robbed Peter to pay himself?

IS IT TRUE that using a church to launder money or to create fraudulent tax deductions is not a new trick?…that an older version of a self enrichment scheme involving a church is to cash personal checks at church and then deduct the amount as a charitable donation?…that I do remember that trick being exposed by an evangelist back in the 60’s?…that a Google search under the term “money laundering through a church” yields 5.4 Million responses?…that such schemes are as old as the church itself?…that the news of “the Paul bandit”’s exploits is going viral and that our own EPD media rep Karen Kajmowicz is in today’s Chicago Tribune discussing the counterfeit offering?…that the Associated Press has picked up on the story so we can expect to see Evansville on the whimsical parts of some national news stories today?…that here is a link to the Chicago ABC affiliates version of Paul’s deeds?

http://abclocal.go.com/wls/story?section=news/local/indiana&id=8311145

IS IT TRUE that the subject of hiring a city manager came up in last night’s meeting of the mayoral candidates in the historic district?…that Winnecke expressed clearly that he would not be having such things but that Davis will consider it?…that the issue of having a city manager is not a new one and that many states explicitly call for a city manager form of government?…that Kentucky has city managers to manage the cities leaving the mayors to more ambassadorial roles?…that there are cities that are under a city manager form of government that prosper and those that don’t?…that there are cities with a mayoral form of governance that prosper and those that don’t?…that in Louisville the Mayor’s annual salary is only about one-third of the amount paid to the city manager?

IS IT TRUE that Lexington which has a city manager was one-third the population of Evansville in the mid 1950’s?…that in the 2010 census Lexington has grown to have a population that is nearly triple that of Evansville?…that some of that may be attributed to having a city management style of government where there is little opportunity for a strong-man mayor to gain control?…that strong-man personalities tend to stay away from mayoral roles that are ceremonial as opposed to administrative?…that hiring a city manager that hopefully is not drawn to cameras like a moth to a light bulb may just be a good idea?…that such a person may just protect a population from itself?…that given the track records of populations that repeatedly elect people like Marion Berry and Kwame Kirkpatrick make the city manager option look attractive?…that eventually Evansville will drink the Kool-Aid and elect a Mayor that is all charisma and no substance that does not have a sense of right from wrong?…that when that day comes that we will wish that we have a city manager form of government?