Imagine that: Charlie Brown & the C-J drop Cappuccino's name in attacking 8664, an idea none of them understand.

While their action was overshadowed by last week’s elections, it remains noteworthy that two members of Louisville’s Metro Council have done something almost revolutionary by Louisville area standards.

They’ve taken positive steps to promote public discussion of an innovative, futuristic perspective.

Hearings to be held on '8664' proposal; Metro Council to examine idea, by Marcus Green (The Courier-Journal)

A Louisville Metro Council committee will hold public hearings on a proposal to raze Interstate 64 along the waterfront as an alternative to building two new Ohio River bridges and redesign the Spaghetti Junction interchange.

With admirable diligence, the C-J’s reporter Green donned his brightly colored haz-mat suit and trekked into West Endia, soon locating New Albany’s resident village idiot seated atop an empty crate of barbecued bologna, and gleaning a quick and typically uninformed quote:

Dan Coffey, a New Albany City Council member, called the 8664 proposal "one of the most ludicrous things I've ever heard in my entire life" and said he believes Southern Indiana governments would consider taking a formal position on 8664 if it gains momentum.

"New Albany would definitely get involved in that," he said. "It would absolutely choke Floyd County."

Of course, virtually every aspect of Coffey’s malevolent political career chokes New Albany … but I digress.

Meanwhile, LEO’s Stephen George, whose yeoman service in explicating the 8664 campaign deserves some form of community recognition (I’ll buy him a progressive pint some day soon) noted that Coffey’s reaction isn’t entirely atypical of the Louisville area’s windbag guardians.

Representin': 8664 will have its day

Perhaps this is an opportunity for our city’s business and political leaders — who have rarely appeared so close-minded, brutish and reactionary as they do when confronted on this issue — to step back and reassess the political climate around the bridges. The Metro Council, on the initiative of (Tina) Ward-Pugh (who will chair the committee), is actually responding to broad constituent concern that someone, somewhere, pull a head out of an ass and listen. (Rick) Blackwell and Ward-Pugh should be celebrated for that.

It gets even funnier. In the Sunday, November 11 issue of the C-J, there was a letter from a man who obviously hasn’t met the Wizard of Westside.

'Trick or treat scenario'

The Halloween announcement that the Louisville Metro Council will hold public hearings regarding the 8664 proposal is a monumental waste of time, energy and the taxpayers' money. Local political grinches such as Tina Ward-Pugh and Rick Blackwell should be hooted out of office for supporting "one of the most ludicrous things I've ever heard in my entire life," according to Dan Coffey, a New Albany councilman who obviously is most upset over these shenanigans.

I was very pleased that the Courier-Journal editorial staff immediately and emphatically weighed in on this trick or treat scenario. This is an unwise and unsupported attempt at "mudding the waters," our mayor has said in both Frankfort and Washington. Indeed, the time has well passed for more posturing and discussion. It is time for action.

The letter, which freely mimics the comic strip “Peanuts,” is signed by a real life Charlie Brown. Accordingly, I’ve composed this response and mailed it to the newspaper:

Good ol’ Charlie Brown’s November 11 letter to the editor was far off the plate.

That's because quoting New Albany’s councilman Dan Coffey as an authority on 8664 is like citing Charlie’s good friend Lucy Van Pelt as an expert on psychotherapy.

Not that Councilman Coffey isn’t above claiming to be an expert, since he regularly flashes a Bazooka Joe Tech diploma as evidence of unparalleled skills on civic matters ranging from storm water drainage to garbage collection, but the problem remains that little of it is real. Coffey is an undereducated, ward-heeling embarrassment to the entire city of New Albany, and can be counted upon to know nothing about the notion of 8664 save that people he dislikes are in favor of it.

Much like the Courier-Journal itself, for that matter.

Be careful, Charlie. Like Lucy, our councilman will pull the football away at the last minute, and you’ll be on your back in the mud – just like his district.

Read more about 8664 here.

We Americans should be ashamed, but apparently that gene has gone missing.

Veterans Day falls on November 11th because that's when the Armistice took effect in 1918, ending World War I. A previous generation knew about the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month, but numerous other mass bloodlettings have occurred since the war to end all wars, and there can't be more than a handful of living Great War veterans worldwide, so we forget the source ... as always, to our peril.

To my mind, it is unfortunate that memories of the First World War's suicidal tragedy are almost entirely extinguished, and yet far more jolting is the recognition that the same can now almost be said of World War II's legacy. It has been 62 years since VJ Day, and one needn't be a calculus major to do the Grim Reaper's math of inexorable attrition.

In terms of documentary filmmaking, Ken Burns's latest epic about the Second World War and the generation of Americans that fought it was imperfect in execution and too long by half. However, it succeeded in putting a significant truth across to those caring to listen: The majority of ordinary Americans sacrificed in some way, large or small, during the war years. There were inevitable exceptions, but sacrifice was demanded, and it was accepted.

Such a time when conspicuous consumption actually was frowned upon now seems more remote to us than the Pleistocene.

It's hardly a novel thought to remind readers that during the present period of our purportedly critical struggle against so-called "Islamofascism," not the slightest inconvenience has been asked of the American populace, leaving the brunt of the fight to be borne by servicemen and their immediate families.

Surely that's just another reason why posterity will rank the current occupant of the Oval Office far below Millard Fillmore, but as the United States settles into what almost surely is to become a long, steady decline into well-armed Third World status -- if you don't believe it, then watch your neighbors in their garish Hummer queuing to pay increasingly worthless dollars for petroleum so that they can travel to Wally World for another basket filled with Chinese-made plastic -- it's a depressing way to contemplate the Veterans Day observance.

Depressing ... and unavoidable. I'd dearly love to be more upbeat, but there are times when it makes more sense to be realistic. U2's Bono, who by all rights should have been the choice for 1SI's "economic policy" address Tuesday at the Grand and not our miserably failed president -- if for no other reason than guitarist The Edge serving as a more musical and trustworthy right-hand man than Dick Cheney -- once wrote a song about the unification of Germany entitled, "Daddy's Going to Pay for Your Crashed Car."

Who'll be America's Daddy?

Not big enough, Mr. Dalby: If only it were Bono, and not merely a spectacularly failed president.

U2's singer could provide an international perspective ... and he can even play an instrument, too.

Someone tell Dubya’s stonefaced advance men that I’ll consider listening to the lame duck’s ungrammatical blather -- consider, mind you -- only so long as he promises to bring, say, 50 kilos of Cascades hops with him as a love offering.

I’ll even wear my 8664 t-shirt to the party to annoy 1SI’s enduringly exurban brain trust, but only if hops are part of the deal.

Best throw in a few kilos of Centennial, too. Those are my favorite.

Tell you what: Shriveled shrub brings the hop bribe, and I'll bring a few gallons of Elector ale to lubricate the proceedings. After all, Elector's motto is "It Makes Democracy Pointless," which naturally refers to the original stolen election of 2000.

Yes, President Bush to visit New Albany Tuesday (News-Tribune).

The visit was the idea of One Southern Indiana Chief Executive Officer Michael Dalby. The organization wanted to bring in a speaker and decided to think big, (1SI chairman of the board Kerry) Stemler said.

One Southern Indiana asked the president to visit in order to give members a national perspective on economic matters. Stemler said the agency was quite fortunate to have him agree to do so.

Truly, it gets more and more difficult these days to suppress a yawn.

Does anyone really think this lastest drain on the local law enforcement budget would be happening if not for Mike “Hot Wheels” Sodrel’s wacko decision to spend another couple million dollars of Republican slush money from Mississippi, Idaho, and Riyadh to assist in avenging his providential 2006 loss to Baron Hill?

Looks like the "Sodrel 2008" campaign ads start on Tuesday. It’s going to be a long, long year, and there aren't enough Shop-Vacs in all of the former Northwest Territory to clean up the mud soon to be generated.

On the bright side, earlier today I escorted my wife’s British cousin to the Muhammad Ali Center, where she was delighted to learn more about a true American hero.

Oddly, we did not see Diane McCartin Benedetti there.

Maybe next time, eh?

Restoration work underway at 117 E. Oak.

Recently we reported that in spite of savage neglect inflicted on the 1840’s era railroad building at 117 E. Oak by its previous owner, Jim Stewart of Daisy Medical Supply, there was hope for its future.



The Daisy Medical Supply building may survive.

While it continues to strike NA Confidential as odd that people like this Stewart fellow should be rewarded with cash for what amounts to serial anti-social behavior against the city at large – the lash, public stocks or stringent financial penalties all seem more appropriate – it remains that an agreement to sell has been struck, an agreement in principle has been inked by both parties, and work apparently will soon begin on stabilization.

Indeed, the deal was completed soon thereafter, and Tom Johnson, masonry restoration contractor and owner of Keystone Restorations, took control of the building.



Last weekend, Tom, wife Lisa, and several masked helpers (mold spores are in abundance) were spotted loading two dumpsters with accumulated detritus from the ravaged structure. They were the 8th and 9th dumpsters filled since work began, and more have come and gone in the days since.



Tom notes that while the collapsed section of wall that appears so dangerous from the street actually shouldn’t be that hard of a fix, the wretched condition of the interior, i.e., a disintegrating roof and many years of water damage, is worse than he expected. Nevertheless, he’s exuding quiet optimism in the early stages of the project.



Interestingly, the decades-old stucco on the south facing wall actually hides large windows and upper floor doors that once opened to lower and lift items. Work is underway on drawings that will give the public an idea of what the front of the building used to look like.



And, the bricked-in windows on the west wall likely will be restored, which will give the top floor an abundance of natural lighting.



It’s a big job, but it appears as if the right people are undertaking it. Stay tuned for further details as work progresses this winter.

Interlude.

Before I forget, hearty thanks to NAC's readers. In the run-up to the election, visits and page views were well above average.

Actually, it isn't even necessary to look at the statistics. Whenever the volume of troglodyte-inspired vitriol being hurled against you doubles in mere days, it's a sure sign that what you're doing is working.

And that what you're doing is correct. Your patronage is sincerely appreciated.

Next up: Step inside the Daisy Medical Building to see the cleaning and restoration work now underway.

Hmm … not bad. Now for a few questions.

The general idea was to reconfigure New Albany's city council, and so it has been done. Where the reconfiguration goes from here is anyone’s guess, although at this moment I’m optimistic.

Moreover, the relatively simple notion here at NAC was that it might be helpful for there to be a bloc of five, six or maybe even seven council persons capable of rational deliberation and critical thought, and while there isn’t any such thing as perfection in any aspect of life on Earth, the goal of civic progress just might be better served overall by eliminating the insanely dysfunctional paradigm whereby “4 + 4 + poor unfortunate Donnie Blevins = irrational gridlock.”

Could be; we’ll see. I haven't been this encouraged in a while, but as Groucho Marx once observed, “it’s early yet.”

My morning’s (thankfully, not “mourning’s”) post-election scorecard shows Caesar, McLaughlin, Gahan, Messer, Gonder, Zurschmiede at least capable of supporting progress at any given time, while the shrunken heads over at the cinder block and tar paper headquarters of the Coffey/Price duodumbvirate remains consistently in favor of anti-intellectual societal regress. This countdown leaves one council person as an unknown quantity: Newcomer Diane McCartin-Benedetti, who defeated Dick Bliss in the 5th.

Among the questions to be asked:

Is the walking, breathing political contagion known as Dan Coffey now sufficiently quarantined?

Where will the incoming 5th district representative come down on the persistent issue of progress vs. regress?

How much damage can the bile-infused current council do in its remaining 2007 meetings?

Meanwhile, two alleged political swan songs turned out to be horribly discordant, though perfectly in keeping with the ineffectual careers that preceded them. Lame duck councilman Bill Schmidt (D, bizarrely) actively campaigned for eventual election winner Bob Caesar’s Republican opponent. Outgoing council president Larry Kochert (D, seldom) played precisely the same disloyal hand on behalf of the Republican challenger in his own 4th district, and for good measure, the 6th district’s Republican candidate, too. Tellingly, both of the GOP candidates were handily defeated (by Democrats Pat McLaughlin and Jeff Gahan, respectively).

That’s a sad preponderance of chicanery on the part of two Gang of Four stalwarts, both mercifully departing the council, but given that their tactics were entirely unsuccessful, it’s also an obvious and massive repudiation. The question being asked today is:

Was it enough of a repudiation to drive the political equivalent of a wooden stake through their reactionary hearts?

While we’re on the topic of pre-election chicanery, there was plenty more of it surging through the veins of the Main Street corridor’s forever Machiavellian opinion shifters, who navigate ever-shifting labyrinths murky enough to make Afghanistan’s feuding warlords appear as cribbage-playing tea sippers by comparison.

We’ll probably never understand the weekend’s fervent behind-the-scenes activities, with newspaper and blog attacks being launched, rebutted, refashioned and hurled again; with strange meetings between even stranger bedfellows; and amid a generally incomprehensible series of couplings, decouplings and recouplings. Given the dimensions of the scrum, the question that comes to my mind is this:

How is it possible that a 3rd district business owner -- mind you, not just one, but any business owner – support an incumbent (Steve Price) who has voted again and again against the sort of progress that enhances the value of one’s business investment?

Furthermore, as an observer whose Main Street lineup card currently carries enough white-out to coat the exterior of the City-County Building, another question to be asked is this:

Will there ever come a time when these people can row in the same direction for the good of the entire city?

And, while we’re at it …

How exactly can mayor-elect Doug England please the senior editor and Price at the same time?

My conclusion: New Albany’s political landscape has indeed shifted, but it’s too early to predict the extent.

Join us next time for another episode of “Connor’s Place Putsch.”

Yep.

The Courier Journal's take: Democrat overcomes ex-sheriff's criticisms, by Dick Kaukas.

For further commentary: NA Shadow Council's Democrats Earn First At-Bat.

Preliminary doodlings indicate that the Coffey contagion may finally have been isolated. Of course, that's after a bunch o'Electors.

Overall ... a good outcome.

More later.

Consider this an open thread to discuss election results.

Election Day reporting at NA Shadow Council.

(These updates are well under way; go to NA Shadow Council to read them)

From Randy Smith:

I'll be hooking up with shadow5 for through-the-day reporting on election irregularities, anecdotes, and vote totals by precinct. We'll be feeding data newest to oldest. If you'd like to link to NA Shadow Council, people can e-mail me or shadow5 or call the store (number below) with reports today.

Randy Smith
Flood Crest Press/Destinations Booksellers
604 E. Spring St.
New Albany, IN 47150
812.944.5116

Another NA (non-alcoholic) election day.

Don’t forget:

You must have an ID to vote – and to get served after you vote.

Don't forget:

If you're looking for a polling place, call the Floyd County Democratic Party at 812-207-7941.

Don't forget:

To quote Groucho Marx, when the taps finally open at 6:00 p.m., there'll be "dancing in the streets, drinking in the saloons, and necking in the parlor," at least until the sad reality of Dan Coffey's inevitable victory over write-in candidate Skittles the Cat begins to sink in. I'll likely be at Connor's Place for celebration and commiseration.

You've forgotten: The following first ran on May 2, 2006.

----

Another election day is here, and with it eleven hours of state-mandated prohibition against the sale of demon rum.

Presumably, this unwelcome vestige of an otherwise discredited social policy serves as a bulwark against the horrific possibility that unscrupulous politicos or their conniving agents might swap half-pints of Kessler (or a similarly valued slopping spree at a downtown tavern) in exchange for a poor wretch’s vote.

As there exists no commensurate prohibition against the sale of strong black coffee, chocolate-covered Krispy Kremes and hickory-smoked bacon, apparently the veiled but very real threat of breakfast-induced bribery is not worthy of the same scrutiny as that posed by the insidious grape and the grain.

If you’re hopelessly intoxicated after ingesting that half-pint of Kessler, are you really any more destructive to democracy than the perfectly sober voter who is following instructions provided by a fundamentalist preacher who has promised not temporal inebriation, but a favorable reference when the time comes to take up residence in heaven?

Nope, me thinks you're not. We hope you thought ahead and visited your favorite package store on Monday night. Cheers ...

It’s one year ago today ...

... since “unrestricted” went away.

First U of L’s Cardinals lost the big game to Rutgers, then Mike Sodrel gracelessly bowed to Baron Hill … the morass in Iraq escalated, and Bobby Petrino decamped to Atlanta … suddenly, Blogspastic was gone -- motorcycle and all.

To the unknown blogger at NA Unrestricted … we hardly knew ye, but the link still works, so readers can still travel back to those halcyon days of summer and fall, 2006, and relive all the magical moments.

Will NAU be back for Sodrel’s next race?

How many local blogs have come and gone since October, 2004?

NAC Exclusive: Brenda Scharlow’s rebuttal to “FOS Blogger's Tall Tales.”

(For the senior editor's endorsements, go here: Cat's in the cradle, and more endorsements preceding Tuesday's election.)

In the interest of fairness, and because certain trognonymous outposts of local blogging continue to operate outside the boundaries of taste and decency, NAC today gives 3rd district city council candidate Brenda Scharlow (R) equal time to respond to charges made in a blog where comments are not allowed.

After all, doesn't such an opportunity lie at the very heart of "freedom of speech"?

On Sunday the senior editor learned that last week, a letter was sent to the Tribune attacking Scharlow. The newspaper contacted Brenda to provide an opportunity for rebuttal, but the letter apparently was withdrawn, only to magically reappear almost verbatim mere days later in a posting at Vicki Denhart’s Freedom of Speech trog/blog.

Read the attack here: WHY SCHARLOW FOR CITY COUNCIL?

Ironically, prior to learning about the back story of the anti-Scharlow attack, and personally annoyed at yet another cowardly sliming, I already had responded to it in an NA Confidential posting on Saturday.

Come out of your cave, Ms. Bolovschak, and disavow the treacherous troglodyte.

Indeed, it’s the sort of farce that small towns like ours seem to specialize in staging. I’m left to guess that the anti-Scharlow attack on FOS emanated in some fashion from her opponent in Tuesday’s election, incumbent Steve Price, but to be sure, there is no proof that Price was involved. Perhaps it came from a little bird. At any rate, the corrosive vitriol that routinely spews from various corners of New Albany’s Main Street corridor remains a phenomenon to behold (and to abhor), but one thing that I believe without any doubt is that Scharlow’s side of the story deserves to be heard before voters head to the polls.

And so it will be heard now. Take it away, Brenda.

---

"We listed the property 601 W. Main St. and sold it. We were told by the buyers that they were going to sell granite, ceramic, and slate. We were even shown samples. Prior to this, a "lingerie' " shop had opened on Main St., and Mayor Regina Overton called the shop and asked the businessmen to quietly close the shop to avoid unfavorable publicity, and they did.

"With the real threat of unsavory businesses springing up, did the people in office take proper steps with zoning laws to stop this? No, they did nothing. Thus, when we sold the property, 601 W. Main St., we had no protection. We trust the people in office to protect us by establishing proper zoning, codes, and laws. It is from this experience, one of the many reasons, I am running for 3rd district council to establish and enforce laws to protect our people.

"We bought 324 E. Main St. to establish our TUMBLEBUS headquarters. The property was in very bad shape. We invested $25,000 in renovation with every intention of paving the lot. It did take about 6 months to come up with the additional $10,000 to pave the area. The condition of the sidewalks was beyond. The little children do not trip in front of TUMBLEBUS anymore. But what do they do between 5th and 6th St. on Main where the condition of the sidewalk is dangerous? It is also for this reason, to create a city plan to repair our sidewalks and streets that I am running for city council.

"My husband and I bought the Sloan, Bicknell, Paris home, 600 E. Main St., renovated it, and lived there for eight years. It is located on Mansion Row at the corner of East 6th St. and Main St. Due to the flood wall, there was no "river view" except in the cupola or widow's walk. Located behind us was a concrete factory. Neighbors will agree that daily the noise, dirt and dust from the factory was irritating. We bought that blighted site, zoned light industrial/row housing. The city had no plan to bring this industrial site into the National Register of Historic Places. We have contended with the railroad tracks, floodwall, and an electrical substation, but successfully we are building a high end development. All of the homes in the development complement the historic mansion row and will only raise everyone's property value. Have you seen Shiloh Place? Come see for yourself.

"Would you rather have a concrete factory?

"By the way, we have spent over $10,000 in sewer hookups. And we have never filed bankruptcy, personally or with any business or corporation with which we have been associated.

"I believe in the freedom of speech, but outright lying is not acceptable. When you make statements without the facts you are lying. We have seen too much of this in this city.

"In conclusion, it is this very spirit of hatred, contention, envy, and jealousy that is trying to permeate our city and every city council meeting. This is one of the main reasons I am running for city council: To fight this attitude.

"If you are in agreement, please vote Brenda Scharlow, 3rd district city council. Thanks."

Cat's in the cradle, and more endorsements preceding Tuesday's election.

At the very last moment, a write-in candidate has been certified by the state of Indiana’s election board, and he will oppose the incumbent 1st district councilman Dan Coffey in Tuesday’s race.

His name is Skittles, a feral cat found living beneath an illegally installed water heater in a West Endian rental property around the corner from Coffey’s house, and shown here enjoying a long overdue hot bath following his recruitment by desperate constituents.

According to Skittles, “I’ve seen first-hand what Coffey can do with plumbing, and let me tell you, even a wild animal knows better.”

He added, “Unlike Steve Price, I’m no lap cat.”

In response, the Wizard of Westside has angrily vowed to again tamper with as many ballots as it takes to turn back the unexpected feline challenge and retain iron control of the city’s poorest district, which Coffey has earnestly guided to ever greater depths of impoverishment since his election eight years ago.

Intriguingly, Tribune publisher John Tucker has reached a similar conclusion:

Unfortunately, because Coffey is unopposed (he won by literally a few votes during the primary) he’ll probably be back for four more years. But even so, if I were in his district I’d leave the ballot blank or write in my crazy Uncle Fred’s name rather than surrender to four more years of his type of leadership.

District 1: Vote Skittles as a write-in, and help clean the Wizard’s litter box.

While we’re at it, here are the senior editor’s remaining endorsements.

District 2: Bob Caesar (D)
Long-term, downtown businessman knows the score, will not require prompting from hidden radio wave electro-shock impulses to know which way to vote.

District 3: Brenda Scharlow (R)
Meaningful entrepreneurial experience easily trumps a lowest common denominator opponent. For more, go here, and note publisher Tucker's words:

Price and Coffey are of like mind and vote. They have made it their job to stop progress in New Albany, and in that respect, they do a very good job. Unlike Coffey, there is someone running against Price. Brenda Scharlow is running on the Republican ticket. I’ve never met Brenda Scharlow. I have read her platform and watched her talk at a debate. She seems a capable person. However, make no mistake, I would vote for her mostly because the incumbent has proven himself to be incapable of the job.

District 4: Pat McLaughlin (D)
Quietly does his homework and refuses to pander to blogs like mine.

District 5: Dick Bliss (R)
Absence of family ties to “The Gary” a massive plus.

District 6: Jeff Gahan (D)
I’m simply unwilling to hold one admittedly colossal misstep against him.

At-Large: John Gonder (D), Jack Messer (D), Kevin Zurschmeide (R)
If Skittles fails in his bid to unseat Coffey, he promises to run against superannuated Democratic at-large candidate Jim Hollis on a personal hygiene platform.

Mayor: Doug England (D)
Perpetually encumbered by baggage, but what England is best at doing is what New Albany needs right now. Fortunately, we’re not being called upon to elect a saint, but to choose a mayor. Opponent Randy Hubbard has failed to offer compelling evidence that he possesses the energy or vision to succeed as mayor. For more, go here.

Clerk: Marcey Wisman (D)
Modernizing the office would be an easier job if so many of the purse string holders weren’t clueless Luddites busking for nickels and dimes on street corners.

See also:

Tasty fried fish since 1985 ... and by the way, vote for me.

Not an endorsement, but rather an embarrassment.

Tasty fried fish since 1985 ... and by the way, vote for me.

If Sam Anderson can co-opt his familiar business logo for political gain ...

... then why can't I?



Well, it's sloppy, but you get the idea.

Yeah, I know -- no disclaimer ... but it's hardly an official campaign, is it?

Not an endorsement, but rather an embarrassment.

Elections come and go, and still some candidates find it expedient to ignore Indiana Election Commission guidelines.

Just out of curiosity, NAC visited the Indiana Secretary of State’s website last spring prior to the primary, and found this illuminating information for candidates.

Political Signs and Disclaimer Requirements for Political Literature and Advertisements

WHAT is a “disclaimer”?
A disclaimer identifies who paid for certain political material and whether any candidate approves of the material if the material is paid for by someone other than the candidate.

What are some examples of political materials and literature requiring disclaimers?
Newspaper advertisements, billboards, signs, posters, yard signs, (whether homemade or commercially printed), portable billboards, brochures, leaflets, circulars, letterheads and direct mail pieces sent to more than 100 persons.

Is there a penalty for circulating or publishing literature or other material concerning a candidate without the required disclaimer?
Yes. The penalty is a Class A misdemeanor, punishable by up to a $5,000 fine, not more than one (1) year imprisonment, or both. (IC 3-14-1-3)

In a Tribune ad on Sunday, November 4, Hollis -- a former councilman during the Taft administration -- claimed to be "experience" and "knowledgable," though as should be obvious by now, not so much so that he would be aware of spelling, grammar and campaign guidelines.

Not unexpectedly, the faux professor Erika (herself perpetually challenged when confronted with rules of syntax) endorses Hollis for city council, presumably under the wisdom that such a superannuated relic could do no worse at expressing himself than she would have if not for a decisive primary refutation.

Whatever you do, please don't vote for this guy. He's looking for oil lamps to light and cranks to start his engine.

Don't we have enough Luddites in positions of authority already?

Come out of your cave, Ms. Bolovschak, and disavow the treacherous troglodyte.

Warning: If you’re no fan of the so-called “blog wars,” then please consider clicking through to the Hundred Acre Wood.

---

Hmm, wonder which of the masked character assassins at Freedom to Screech (Yellow) wrote this one?

WHY SCHARLOW FOR CITY COUNCIL?

For the past four to five years, the Scharlows have been working on a 16 unit condominium project. Located right behind Mansion Row and blocking the views of historic homes.

Historic homes like the Admiral Bicknell Inn?

More cowardly unsigned claptrap, to be sure, and so resolving to operate under the assumption that it’s always better to take one’s complaints straight to the top rather than waste time with the disposable hired help, today provides the perfect opportunity to reprint this NAC posting from December, 2006. While a few of the specifics are dated, the gist remains as valid now as then.

Periodically there are hints of a thaw, although little ever comes from it. When last I spoke with Auntie V, she seemed to imply that she’d be abandoning her trash talking blog alliance with the trognonymous Denhart and finally – finally -- openly supporting the sort of ideas, projects and civic advancement that Erika routinely slimes for reasons that make no sense to anyone.

Unfortunately, there’s been no evidence of such a conversion; perhaps we must wait until after the election, or gasoline falls back to a dollar a gallon, to see the umbilical cord mercifully severed. Perhaps it will never happen and not only is that a very sad state of affairs. It's also injurious to the prospects for a civil society here in New Albany.

I renew the appeal: Come out of your cave, Ms. Bolovschak, and disavow the treacherous troglodyte.

Here's the reprint.

---

The same ambition can destroy or save,
And makes a patriot as it makes a knave.

--Alexander Pope

Imagine you’re Auntie V.

Imagine also that you’re an inveterate behind-the-scenes schemer who, among other bizarre double-naught spying activities, regularly abets an anonymous Internet flame queen while denying even the slightest interest in the existence of the information superhighway.

Ah, but like Mark Twain ... I repeat myself.

Instead, imagine that you’re an aspiring GOP politico who campaigns for a providentially vacant position on the city council by enabling your guileless, tail-wagging flunky to stump on your behalf by means of artlessly lampooning the very party stalwarts who’ll vote to determine who occupies the seat.

Of course, you don’t spread the insults yourself, as even the most sophisticated of dry cleaning techniques won’t take the smell of manure out of a pair of white silk gloves, but you farm it out to your eager Sancho Panza of an incessantly enraged minion, Prof. Erika, who provides useful cover and lacks the insight to object to being used in such a humiliating fashion for so long as someone – anyone – continues to pay attention to her antics.

Especially her patrician idol.

Not unexpectedly, you lose the race to fill the seat, and you emerge from the predictable defeat -- the most recent public relations debacle -- looking exactly like Wile E. Coyote after the stick of dynamite inserted in his ear by the speedily departing Roadrunner ignites, and an earsplitting boom fills the air with confetti, soot and the laughter of both children and adults, all of whom are saying to themselves, boy, that coyote just doesn’t seem to get it … ever … just keeps on repeating the same mistakes, again and again, thinking it’ll turn out differently next time.

So clinical … and with another Putsch attempt derailed, what can you possibly do to regain some measure of equilibrium – to restore the proper balance of nature between yourself and the slider-slurping "noodleheads" and unresponsive sow’s ears who can’t seem to understand the majesty of what you're proposing to do for them?

Why, start by attacking the New Albany city clerk, of course, and follow by offering two flagrantly willful misinterpretations of recent council activity, and maybe, just as a change of pace, blame it all on the building commissioner, or the Mayor, or anyone else who wanders into the line of fire.

That’s it. Stress relief for the social saboteur.

Do we feel better, yet?

Auntie V’s latest salvos in the ongoing political flame war-by-proxy were launched with clocklike regularity in a Freedom of Speech blog posting Saturday, with another following on Sunday, and yet another some time after that (among other things, Erika can’t fathom the workings of the time/date stamp at her blog), and as always, onlookers lucky enough to emerge from the sliming session without collateral spitwads lodged in their own eyeballs are left to lament the recurring disingenuousness – the sheer volume of disinformation disguised as “outraged taxpayer” verbiage – that hangs thick like a pea soup fog within the confines of the Admiral Bicknell war room.

Consider Auntie V’s sentiments, as translated by the ever willing psychophant Erika, here: HERE WE GO AGAIN!...IS THIS ANOTHER POLITICAL FAVOR FOR JIMMY'S RE-ELECTION?

Be aware that at the Dec. 4 council meeting, the ordinance in question, which in essence is a routine bonding mechanism to allow the use of money already collected for tourism-related projects, passed its first reading by a 6-2 vote, with 1st district ward heeler Dan Coffey stridently objecting before meekly abstaining, and 3rd and 4th district councilmen Steve Price and Larry Kochert, respectively, voting against.

Go here to examine the state law referenced therein: Floyd/Clark County Innkeeper's Tax. Know that nothing in this ordinance merits the attention being given it at Freedom to Screech, beyond the need of the chronically dysfunctional to maintain disaffection amongst imagined future cadres of mad-as-hell squirrel brain eaters.

And know that the ongoing personal attacks against city clerk Marcey Wisman are both unwarranted and tactless, not unlike the majority of the vitriolic drivel oozing from Ms. Denhart’s (a.k.a. Erika’s) poison crayon – but never without the approval of the aspiring Ms. Bolovschak.

It’s sad that we must continue refuting churlish childishness rather than devoting column inches to the many examples of positive news in New Albany, but when the shameless slander vandals push, even feebly, genuinely decent people must push back, and that’s what I’m doing, because make no mistake: When it comes to the venom of FOS, there is an ultimate source, and it isn’t the masquerading collegiate site manager.

It isn’t Erika, it’s Ms. Bolovschak, and as the months slip past, it becomes so insanely surreal that one is forgiven for believing that it’s Groundhog Day all over again, and again, and again.

I’m no longer concerned with the possibility of rifts, feuds and other manifestations of the New Albany Syndrome, so let’s say it publicly.

Ms. Bolovschak, you’ve got much -- perhaps even all -- of what it takes to succeed. You possess a work ethic, abundant smarts, good looks, sufficient money, proven business acumen. These combine to create an enviable potential foundation from which to seek any political office you so desire.

Then why?

Why must you stoop in this continually abhorrent manner to conquer?

Why the ceaseless games, the empowerment of anonymity, the cloak-and-dagger nastiness?

With so much to offer, why hurt so many undeserving people by enabling Erika’s malevolence, and by using people for whom you feel nothing as a Auntiebellum corduroy road to drive atop in pursuit of your own ends?

Do you feel that you’re forced to do it? As a woman, as someone who “isn’t from here”? That unless you do the funky Machiavelli, they’ll not take you seriously?

Is there a conscience in there somewhere?

What happens to these pillars of support once you’ve achieved your goals, and they're no longer needed?

It isn’t as if you don’t know this already, but the buffoonish mock Professor Erika, the knee-jerk flatlining 3rd district uncouncilman, the clamorously vacant denizens of the Luddite Bar & Grill – all come to us largely unable to comprehend diversity, generally absent any unified vision for the future, and sadly unable to see a place for themselves and their own milieu in a world that must, by necessity, change and renew. That’s life, and if we’re to accept a planet teeming with human diversity, a certain percentage of the unreconstructed throwing themselves in the path of progress certainly constitute standard equipment during the course of any substantive journey.

You know as well as I do that often these folks often become frightened, panic, and seek reassurance and succor from others whom they perceive as better situated to “lead” them, but here’s the important difference between those duly chosen to "lead."

Some are born to transcend the limited options afforded them, and do so by their own talents and on their own merits without taking advantage of others, and seek to educate, empower and improve the options of the less fortunate.

But others choose to pursue power more cynically, by riding on the backs of those less able to discern reality while they’re perpetually face down in the mud … and populism of this calculating variety always brutally mocks the very people it purports to rescue.

Every time a FOS posting goes merrily into orbit, those among us capable of a fundamental clarity as to which leader is which have an obligation to expose the transparency of the fawning charade – of the sheer, hide-in-plain-sight chutzpah emanating from whichever of Sybil’s personalities awoke this morning and ventured into the cold light of day in pursuit of whatever it is, and is so important to obtain, right now, that it has been deemed necessary to publicly disassemble, to enable semi-literate Internet attack dogs, to construct one after another elaborately staged theatrical presentations, and to earnestly promise the “little people” – these same sincere citizens oblivious to the otherwise palpable “noodlehead” contempt showered on them behind closed doors -- that there’s someone who’ll look after them and be their savior.

But this town doesn't need a savior, at least not under such unfavorable terms. It needs multiple saviors, preferably one on each city block, and a few in city hall, and a few more business owners, all of whom willing to work together as equals to improve the quality of life and the prospects for all people choosing to live here.

You’ve undoubtedly done good things toward this end, and you are to be commended for the persistence and hard work.

Seemingly, you have it all.

Why isn’t all enough?

I've been wondering, too.

Torture ... from John Manzo's blog.

So, our current President ran on values. They certainly aren't the values of Christianity, they certainly aren't the values of mainstream ethical philosophy, so it makes me wonder just whose values he ran on and by whose values he governs.

A new Rorschach inkblot for dollars and sense?

First, the good news. My wife’s English cousin is safely here, and she may be making the rounds of pubs by Friday afternoon.

Meanwhile, and not unexpectedly, the city council voted last night to endorse the Anna Plan for redistricting a mere five days prior to the November 6 election.

My powder blue zoot suit’s being tailored as you read.

As we await further developments, here is an example of how far apart perceptions can be. The generally reliable originator of NA Shadow Council bats leadoff, and says:

Break Me Off a Piece of That. bup,bup,bup

Please remember the names of Coffey, Price, Schmidt, Crump, Gahan, Blevins, and Kochert when the city has to come up with as much as $200,000 to take care of the mess they created. Only Coffey will be an elected official for sure, and only Price and Gahan might be in office, but all 7 are responsible for this irresponsible act and breach of their fiduciary duty.

The transgendered academic pretender at Freedom of Speech sees it differently (duh):

THANK YOU COUNCIL MEMBERS

R-07-39, proposed by Councilman Jack Messer was defeated by a 6-3 vote. This resolution for the pending lawsuit would have cost the taxpayers $5,000.00 plus court cost.Thank you to the following six council members who voted against this and saved the taxpayers money.

What was that I heard Steve Price saying … something about penny wise and pound foolish …

Hallowannabeens prepare to fend off new redistricting plan as council convenes tonight.

We're told that on Wednesday night, Larry Kochert came to a Hallowannabeen party masterfully disguised as a Democrat, then stormed out when nary a soul present recognized him beneath the makeup.

True or not, with the inaugural city council meeting of November moved forward to tonight so as not to interfere with Scary Larry’s anticipated last-minute November 5 "trick or treating" – er, make that “electioneering” -- for the Republican opponent of the 4th district's Democratic nominee, both the Tribune and the C-J breathlessly report that this evening's sagacious (nah) gathering will feature a fresh round of redistricting discussion.

Council redistricting revisited; New Albany plan could be scrapped, by Dick Kaukas (Courier-Journal).

The New Albany City Council will be asked tonight to set aside a redistricting ordinance that already has won preliminary approval and support a plan to delay the issue until next year, when a new council will take office.

The Tribune’s Eric Scott Campbell identifies this startling new twist in the tale of the council’s laggardly response time to the legal imperative of redistricting:

(Councilman Bill Schmidt’s plan) is not equal enough for the taste of a group of residents that sued the council for unequal representation in May 2006, largely because the council did not realign district boundaries in 2002 as the state had charged it to do. The matter will proceed to trial Dec. 3 unless, plaintiffs say, the council agrees to drop any redistricting effort and instead appoints a panel of council members and plaintiffs to redistrict in 2008.

To that end, another bill on the council’s Thursday agenda, sponsored by Councilman Jack Messer, would have members join the plaintiffs in putting that agreement in writing.

Full disclosure: NAC’s plaintiff editors are among the signatories to Messer’s document, which stands as a perfectly reasonable compromise to the impasse.

Speaking for myself, I’d dearly love to be there tonight to watch as the Gang of Four collectively foams at the mouth and once again misrepresents the magistrate’s instructions to the council’s bumbling chief executive, and also to observe unfortunate council swingman Donnie Blevins agonizingly flail as he re-enacts Hamlet’s soliloquy for the 205th consecutive council meeting without managing to find his footing on touchstone principle, but my wife’s cousin from England is coming to town for a visit and her plane will be landing in Louisville about the same time that Steve Price dramatically wields grandma’s cookie jar as a shield against progress and human rationality. So, I’ll just have to miss it.

Ironically, Price happens to be the same 3rd district councilman who recently conceded to me that the Gang of Four’s redistricting stance is “all Larry’s thing,” meaning that the ever deferential and customarily unthinking Price will be voting yet again tonight in favor of an ordinance that will result in a costly trial and precisely the sort of cookie jar depletion that he insists is his worst nightmare. As in most other matters, Price is about to count incorrectly, and that’s why readers residing in the 3rd council district are reminded to vote against him, and for Brenda Scharlow, next Tuesday.

Meanwhile, intently reading his or her tea leaves, NA Shadow Council’s shadowy uber-analyst nonetheless sees enlightenment in the evening’s legislative festivities:

And Peter Vogt and his pals ought to be pleased at how their case is strengthened this evening.

Noting that Vogt’s name is first on the list of plaintiffs in the redistricting lawsuit, I can say with all honesty that it doesn’t matter to me at this point.

Any excuse to buy a new suit will do just fine, thank you.

On November 6, vote for Scharlow for 3rd district council.

During his recent forum appearance before the East Spring Street Neighborhood Association, incumbent 3rd district councilman Steve Price was visibly disoriented when I pointed out to him that in 2007, he had voted lock-step with the 1st district’s Dan Coffey almost 98% of the time.

After a mercifully brief and laughably ineffectual denial, Price bristled and responded that his near perfect confluence with the malicious Wizard of Westside could be explained by the 1st and 3rd districts being alike.

Like many of the urban legends that pass as gospel within non-critical minds, this assertion simply isn’t true, and in refuting it, the reasons for change in the 3rd district become abundantly clear.

The bulk of New Albany’s historic business district lies in the territory of the 3rd district. The tourist draw of Mansion Row on Main Street is located in the 3rd. The once vibrant Vincennes Street commercial corridor originates in the 3rd, as does the most significant portion of the Ohio River Greenway project. A big chunk of the city’s historic housing stock lines the streets in the 3rd.

During his first term in office, the accidental councilman Price – twice rejected by overwhelming primary votes, only to scrape through owing to splits in three-way races – has been consistently unable to fathom the potential inherent in his own district. Bizarrely possessed with the notion that ignorance is somehow a virtue, he has proceeded to vote against the interests of his own district again, and again, and again.

The contrast between Price’s dully repetitious underachievement and the life experience of Republican challenger Brenda Scharlow could not be more instructive to prospective voters.

As a young adult, married, harried and faced with the demands of a large family, Scharlow swiftly rejected Price’s “circle the wagons” approach to budgetary matters by seeking an entrepreneurial solution. She founded a business and made the pie larger. Then, applying the same wisdom to their community, Scharlow and husband Larry embraced the potential of New Albany’s core by investing in it not once, but thrice: First with Tumblebus, then in the conversion of the Grand theater into a convention and banquet facility, and now with the building of condominiums by the riverfront.

Price can do no more than spout homilies, and he slouches behind them.

Scharlow designs her own ball, and she runs with it.

Price warns against a litany of forthcoming catastrophe, and he proposes regress as the only course.

Scharlow grasps what might be, and she counsels progress as a remedy.

Price’s worldview is an embarrassment to Democrats, and the Democratic Party knows it, even if it says nothing publicly.

Scharlow’s platform is a credit to Republicans, and they certainly need it.

No candidate is perfect, but the majority of Brenda Scharlow's positions are calibrated to suit the needs of the 3rd district. Conversely, after four years in office, Steve Price all but concedes that he still cannot fathom those needs.

On November 6, vote for Scharlow for 3rd district council.

See also: Five takes a look at Three, at NA Shadow Council.

Frank Rich: "The emperors of morality have in fact had no clothes for some time."

Reading Floyd County Chairman Dave Matthews’s latest Englandophobic comments in yesterday’s Tribune brought to mind a conversation at the bar a few weeks ago, when the previously reticent Matthews first broke on the local scene as chief interpreter for the otherwise silent mayoral candidate, Randy Hubbard.

I was asked by a blog reader if Matthews represented the old-fashioned fiscal rectitude GOP, or if he had consumed the Kool-Aid on behalf of theocratic “values” wing of the party so assiduously courted by the spectacularly failed Bush regime.

My response was, “I’ve no idea.”

Perhaps all will be revealed at some point in the future. Since taking an interest in local affairs, it has been a matter of morbid personal curiosity as to when someone finally would seek to revitalize the typically moribund Republican Party hereabouts by injecting the divisiveness of religious and cultural wars. We have seen in such a strategy financed by outside money in the previous Sodrel for Congress campaigns, but is hasn’t seemed to tinkle down to the grassroots.

Following are excerpts from New York Times op-ed columnist Frank Rich, who devoted his Sunday column to a discussion of Rudy Guliani’s presidential prospects.

OP-ED COLUMNIST; Rudy, the Values Slayer (October 28, 2007)

… That this same Rudy Giuliani would emerge as the front-runner in the Republican pack six years later is the great surprise of the 2008 presidential campaign to date, especially to the political press. Since the dawn of the new century, it has been the rarely questioned conventional wisdom, handed down by Karl Rove, that no Republican can rise to the top of the party or win the presidency without pandering as slavishly as George W. Bush has to the most bullying and gay-baiting power brokers of the religious right …

… There are various explanations for this. One is that 9/11 and terrorism fears trump everything. Another is that the rest of the field is weak. But the most obvious explanation is the one that Washington resists because it contradicts the city’s long-running story line. Namely, that the political clout ritualistically ascribed to Mr. Perkins, James Dobson of Focus on the Family, Gary Bauer of American Values and their ilk is a sham.

These self-promoting values hacks don’t speak for the American mainstream. They don’t speak for the Republican Party. They no longer speak for many evangelical ministers and their flocks. The emperors of morality have in fact had no clothes for some time. Should Rudy Giuliani end up doing a victory dance at the Republican convention, it will be on their graves …

Right on, Frank.

Mayoral forum videos now available for viewing.

(From Bluegill)

Full video coverage of last week's Mayoral Candidate Forum is now available on the Develop New Albany web site. Links to the videos appear near the bottom of the home page. Both candidate sessions are featured in their entirety for voter information.

Halloween bash at Connor's Place tomorrow.

Wikipedia does Halloween (and no Gang of Four jokes from me):

The Festival of Halloween is a celebration of the end of the fertile period of the Celtic Goddess Eiseria. It is said that when Eiseria reaches the end of her fertile cycle the worlds of the dead and the living interlap. This happens on October 31. Masks are worn to show respect for the Goddess Eiseria who, like most Celtic deities, does not wish to be seen with human eyes. The day also preceeds All saints day, which was at first the celebration of the start of a new cycle of fertility for the celtic Goddess Eiseria. Couples incapable of producing children thus tried their luck on All saints day.

Fast forwarding to the present, the on-line information resource adds:

Trick-or-treating may often end by early evening, but the nightlife thrives in many urban areas. Halloween costume parties provide an opportunity for adults to gather and socialize. Urban bars are frequented by people wearing Halloween masks and risqué costumes. Many bars and restaurants hold costume contests to attract customers to their establishments. Haunted houses are also popular in some areas.

No Admiral Bicknell haunted house jokes from me ... although the combination of Halloween, masks and Professor Erika's haunted word processor is almost too good to pass up.

Anyway, it's the perfect segue into this reminder that on Wednesday, October 31, there'll be a Halloween bash at Connor’s Place. NABC beers are on tap, bar owner Dave Himmel is encouraging costumes, and NABC's own musical brewer Jared Williamson and his longtime collaborator Tommy Potts will be performing. It's all taking place downtown at 207 East Main.

You might even wear a half Groucho mask and a Hawaiian shirt, and come as "Dave Himmel." Here's an artist's rendition for use in planning your costume ... see you there.

Senior editor sez: Doug England for Mayor.

Readers of the Tribune, our local newspaper, have by now grown accustomed to the diversionary banter of Floyd County Republican Party chairman David Matthews, who has taken on the seemingly full-time task of vacuum interpretation and nuance creation for his enduringly sphinx-like mayoral candidate, “Silent Randy” Hubbard.

However, last week it was the turn of Rove’s – oops, make that Matthews’s – fellow party operative Jennifer Mayfield to defend an ever somnolent Hubbard’s honor by way of a stinging attack on the NAPD’s Todd Bailey, himself an outspoken advocate of Democratic candidate Doug England. Mayfield since has been answered by a friend of Bailey’s, and the muddy scrum of accusations and counter-accusations will continue to grow unabated until the final whistle blows on Election Day, when, thanks to state law, we’ll be cruelly denied the gentle consolations of alcohol until 6:00 p.m.

It just isn’t fair.

None of it.

Especially the alcohol part.

(Rereading those first paragraphs, I now tremble with fear while awaiting the rhetorical lash of that pastureland brown shirt dude that Matthews handed me over to last time, but maybe he’s distracted by penning mash notes to his poster child Mike Sodrel. Should I reword what I wrote and spare him the pleasure?)

(Nah; it’s too much fun as it is. Now, back to our regularly scheduled essay.)

Surely Mayfield exaggerates more than even the vituperous non-professor Erika in portraying Officer Bailey as a veritable leech supping at the collapsed veins of taxpayers, although it is probable that in a hotly contested election, and given the stunning absence of ideas that continues to characterize Matthews’s and Mayfield’s perpetually sandbagging local Republican encampment, that dully repetitious saturation sliming is the only available recourse to the GOP’s probable fate of disappearing from the electoral radar screen entirely.

Matthews was in print yet again last Thursday afternoon, this time flashing photos of the candidates in order to rebut Bailey’s admittedly bizarre previous assertion that England is the better dressed of the two candidates, although photos from Wednesday night’s “forum” depict both men as suitably suited and potentially administrative. In the end, while amusing, certainly the GQ factor isn’t relevant to the issues at hand … although in honesty, I’d pay good money to see any candidate for office wear a toga while campaigning.

As for the opportunity to hear England and Hubbard respond to questions (just not to each other) at the forum, the author was otherwise engaged and has yet to view the film, but it is difficult to imagine that anything said by either candidate would be sufficient to change minds even if the general public cared, and alas, little interest in the forthcoming election has been generated up until now, with voter turnout likely to be depressingly small unless a referendum question is inserted along the lines of, “Are you in favor of paying no taxes whatsoever but receiving the same or greater levels of service from the government you intend to emaciate?”

That’d bring ‘em out in droves, wouldn’t it?

---

There’s no time better than the present to offer my personal endorsement in the mayoral contest, because as in the Federer/Woods/Henry razor advertisement, the present is all that matters to me. In considering the England-Hubbard mayoral match-up, I find it useful to strip away the verbiage and superfluous embellishments and concentrate instead on one fundamental factor.

Active vs. passive intent.

From the outset, Hubbard has promised to be deliberate, cautious and, frankly, conservative if elected to office. This is hardly surprising, and for those who believe that incremental and largely passive caretaking is the proper approach to governance, and especially for those who harbor congenital antipathy toward change, the ex-sheriff is the only real choice: "Don't do something - just stand there."

Appropriately, on the other side of the aisle, England’s campaign slogan might be fairly paraphrased as, “Don’t just stand there – do something.”

Culled to its essence, his platform is one of unapologetic activism. For those who believe that problems can be recognized and diagnosed, and solutions undertaken, and especially for those who understand that there is no constant in life except change, the ex-mayor is the only real choice for the job.

One man will be chosen. Whether the winner is Hubbard or England, neither man will please all of his supporters all of the time. Either of them will make mistakes, and in the end, the political wheel will not be reinvented for the sake of tiny New Albany.

What is the real difference to me?

Easy. It can be clearly seen that a transitional situation in New Albany merits an activist stance on the part of local government. This blog has provided three years’ worth of testimony on behalf of such a stance, and of the two candidates for mayor, only Doug England has shown himself willing and capable of articulating an activist stance and possessing the ability to formulate a platform that reflects reality on the ground and offers more than a few thoughtful, workable potential solutions.

Yes, England served previously as mayor.

Yes, he carries baggage from his previous service.

But the present isn’t the past.

As the estimable performer Steve Miller once observed, "Time keeps on slipping into the future," and truer words have seldom been sung. Our next municipal election isn’t about “last time,” or “before,” or “back then.” It’s quite clearly about now. The city is at a particularly important juncture, with certain societal and economic factors illuminated and others not, and with specific difficulties to be faced, but also numerous opportunities there to be seized. Of course, the past is instructive, and when it comes to making sense of what happened before, history books are filled with examples of people whose natural abilities were right for the circumstances of a particular time.

I believe England to be just such a man. What he is best at doing is what we need now.

Of course, like all the rest of us, England is a flawed human being. Fortunately, we’re not being called upon to elect a saint, but to choose a mayor.

Surveying New Albany as it is now, and regarding Doug England as who he is now, there is little doubt in my mind that he possesses the superior skill sets for the job at hand, but surreally, Hubbard’s hastily concocted campaign slogan would have us believe that caretaking and passivity are “right” for New Albany in the current transitional time, and that Hubbard is the “right” man to do very little when much needs to be done.

Perhaps a vow of do-nothingness is a decent gambit in the absence of a platform, but it doesn’t change the fundamental equation, which begins with a plainly evident admission on the part of a vast majority of observers that in New Albany, “something” needs to be done.

England promises to try and do something, and that’s more than enough for me. He’ll receive my vote on November 6.

I encourage readers to follow suit ... not by trusting what this or any other blog tells you, but by choosing your candidate according to your own conscience, and most importantly, by VOTING.

Hmm, "Been Laden’s" long-lost New Albanian Muslim cousin?

YOU ARE BEEN WATCH
DO THE CRIME DO THE TIME;

Although it bears a striking resemblance to the immoderately moderated Wannabeens-R-Us blog, this phrase is not posted in that fractured locale as a biddy's warning to gremlins huffing sewer gas.

It also isn’t a direct quote from Dan “Them People” Coffey, although he's been capable of worse.

Rather, it is a warning to shoplifters, as posted throughout a business near here.

Yes, I know; the trognonymous apologists will be hammering me (again) for even bringing things like this up, but shouldn’t there be at least a modicum of respect for the language hereabouts?

Unless, of course, the example cited isn’t non-ironic illiteracy at all. Instead, perhaps we are to regard it as shtick in the time-honored manner of the Beverly Hillbillies and the down-home chain restaurant PoFolks (the official eatery of “Freedom of Speech”).

Or, it might be a lyric from a country song, a tag line from the Cable Guy, or some other popular usage that he eluded me.

Do you tell a guy that his zipper’s down, or hope he notices before too many people laugh?

Or do you just laugh when it becomes evident that showing his underwear is an intentional fashion statement?

REWIND: An empty chair's better than an empty suit -- or why Frankfort Avenue is bad for an Uncouncilman's stunted imagination.

Who's that sittin' on Dan Coffey's knee? It sure isn't Charlie McCarthy.

The half of our readership that visits on typical weekends will have to be content with today's replay from December 6, 2005:

An empty chair's better than an empty suit -- or why Frankfort Avenue is bad for an Uncouncilman's stunted imagination.

Two years have passed, and CM Price is still trying to spin his "Frankfort Avenue" words to mean that he was concerned about parking.

We know better, and will issue these occasional reminders.

Work on the River City Winery begins.

And a side order of spyware, please.

Denschak just breaks me up sometimes, and I can't help it. She's outraged, of course, but capable of unintended humor.

Tuesday, October 23, 2007: WHAT'S ON THE MINDS OF THE VOTERS?

"Freedom of Speech has received thousands of emails over the last several months."

I have, too. They’re called “spam.”

Obviously, the city is in desperate need of an FOS filter.

The one you really need to have. If you don't have it, that's why you need it.

With the senior editor engaged elsewhere, NA Confidential handily sidestepped council president Kochert's attempted coup d'schedule by dispatching Bluegill to the mayoral forum and Lloyd to the last-minute city council meeting. Lloyd is first past the post with his council comments below, but first, here are links to forum coverage.

Mainstream media: Candidates see different paths for downtown; Hubbard, England also agree often, by Dick Kaukas (Courier-Journal)

NA Shadow Council blog: Who's Looking Out For Whom?

Take it away, Lloyd ...

----

A word of caution; DO NOT attend any of this year’s remaining New Albany Common Council meetings without first shoring up your resolve with a minimum of three pints of NABC's Hoptimus brew its equivalent. In that setting, low alcohol content can lead to permanent brain damage. I now know how the Aflac duck felt in the commercial with Yogi Berra, when the duck came waddling out of the barber shop talking to himself.

At any rate, President Kochert started last night’s event off properly at 7:30 p.m. and went through the opening ceremonies with speed and clarity. There were no CF-1 Forms, Public Communications, City Official Communications, Mayoral Communications, or Committee Reports.

So, the council proceeded right into “Appointments to the Storm Water Board.” Of the three candidates on the list, only Ms. Bolovschak was present. She took the podium, declared herself a facilitator, and promised to serve under the direction of the Council and report directly to them if chosen. She stated that although Mr. Coffey should feel free to attend the Storm Water Board meetings, it would not be necessary, as she would be diligent in keeping the council informed (paraphrased). She then went on to read aloud from several letters of recommendation that she had acquired from former employers and associates. She requested that these be entered in the official minutes of the meeting.

As neither of the other two candidates was present to defend himself, council moved directly to a discussion and the vote. The general consensus was that two engineers on one board would result in a conflict of interest, so Nathan Grimes was out before he left the gate. There being no other discussion (at least none that made any sense) the vote was called for.

With the first ballot, Grimes got 4 ayes & 5 nays, Bolovschak 3 Ayes & 6 Nays, and Kessans 4 Ayes & 5 Nays. On the second ballot, although some members changed their votes, the numbers for all three remained the same. At this point I predicted it was going to be a long night and began to regret only having one beer prior to attending. Finally on the third ballot, even though they switched votes again, Kessans got the nod with 5 Ayes and 4 Nays.

Next came two resolutions from the same applicant for tax abatements. This prompted a typically rowdy discussion about the merits/demerits of such policies (Coffey against them, Price wanting to look at the "big picture" and Zurschmiede wanting to support the small businessman), and it eventually was resolved that from this day forward abatements on real property would be allowed the customary ten year lease on life while additional equipment purchases only will merit a five year period. Both passed unanimously.

This was followed by an ordinance concerning setting the salary for a NA Parks Department employee, which passed without ado.

Then came G-07-14, the one we had been saving the video camera battery to record: The redistricting plan ordinance. The room held its collective breath as it was introduced by CM Gahan. Discussion was called for. There was none. A motion was made and seconded to vote on the first reading. With a couple of the council persons stipulating a yes vote on the first reading only, it passed with 8 Ayes & 1 Nay (Zurschmiede).

The room exhaled, and Karen Carmickle and I looked at each other and berated ourselves for not having filmed the Valla Ann show earlier. You live & learn.

About this time the room began to fill up with the attendees of the mayoral non-debate across the street.

The rest of the evening’s agenda consisted of three ordinances to amend zoning for their respective projects, two of which passed on first reading, and the third failing on both the second & third readings.

Motion was made to adjourn, was seconded, and His Highness dropped the gavel with a thud.

Editor’s note: The council’s action last evening on G-07-14 was to approve a first reading of the redistricting ordinance known as the “Schmidt (Anna) Plan,” which (a) was not written by CM Schmidt himself, and (b) reflects the council’s previous contentious vote to endorse a lawsuit settlement mechanism that the plaintiffs have made perfectly clear is entirely unacceptable.

That’s why Lloyd’s account of last night’s meeting ends like this:

Sing along now: "A courting we will go, a courting we wil … "

For heaven's sake, give 'em some candy ... and maybe they'll leave us alone.

Treats is just another way of spelling the name of the bakery café downtown, but tricks begin this evening as the city council convenes to formally ratify its factional redistricting intemperance:

New Albany mayoral event, council meeting on same night, by Eric Scott Campbell (News and Tribune).

As the headline makes clear, the long awaited mayoral quasi-debate (or “forum”) will run concurrently with the council meeting, and less than a hundred yards away in the public library.

Had anyone guessed that the council president would be engineering such a scheduling grandstand play as tonight’s, the candidates might have simplified matters by coming to the council meeting and utilizing public speaking time (for agenda items only, ma’am … and please, for once, keep it to five minutes).

The senior editor will miss them all, because I have a previously scheduled event at the Public House that involves the heartfelt appreciation of fine cask ale. The best of luck and patience to Bluegill and Lloyd, who’ll be splitting reporting duties in my absence. Look for their words in this space tomorrow.

----

Yes, the election is two weeks away, and I must confess that after a slow start, the campaign has become thoroughly entertaining. Amid the woozy and patently false testimonials of known potty-pol bloggers and the trognonymous blathering of spiteful transgendered faux professors, there have been rich textural subplots involving disputes over Randy Hubbard’s work ethic and disbelief as to Doug England’s campaign promises, and the requisite accusations, smears and recriminations.

Meanwhile, both party chairmen have taken turns lobbing combative Tribune letters, their shortened fuses smoldering, and with the express intent of gouging eyes and taking names.

It seems to me that there’s been something missing in all this, and not just Hubbardian caretaking substance.

----

As most NAC readers know, I am one of several plaintiffs in the lawsuit designed to provide for long overdue redistricting in the city of New Albany.

Although apologists of various stripes have sought to muddy the waters with fatuous irrelevancies, including yawners like the timing of the lawsuit and the “agenda” of the plaintiffs, and despite the sad fact that so few people hereabouts seem to grasp the meaning of words like “negotiation,” it has nonetheless been established as indisputable fact that the previous city council unceremoniously refused its obligation to redistrict, that the current council has waited until the last possible moment to act, and that the council’s leadership (sic) has serially misrepresented the situation.

Furthermore, it is clear that having chosen finally to act, the council now intends to honor its commitment to redistricting in a vacuous breach.

Apparently there is an unbridgeable chasm defined by animosity and pique rather than any real interest in achieving fair and impartial voting districts as mandated by the state of Indiana. Seemingly, it is more important to keep fiefdoms intact.

Speaking only for myself, and in the continuing and stunning absence of a display of genuine good faith on the part of an obstructionist council faction determined to pursue senseless brinksmanship, I’m forced to conclude that a trial date awaits us.

So be it. I might even buy a suit for that one. Of course, it’s not my personal choice, but obviously the council’s congenital wannabeens desire a twilight showdown.

----

As this story has unfolded, there has been ample discussion of redistricting methodology, much of it centering on the significance of precincts, which here as elsewhere are the basic building blocks of civil division.

In my opinion, whatever their original intent, precincts primarily have become useful only as partisan political constructions; consequently, they need not be considered sacred and inviolable when the task at hand is fair and impartial redistricting to ensure fair elections for all citizens, and not only those expressing a party preference.

Furthermore, I believe that the redistricting experience in Indiana as a whole supports my opinion, and that not unexpectedly, we in New Albany and Floyd County are among the final holdouts when it comes to implementing a revised consciousness with regard to the ultimate pliability of precincts.

Of course, it is likely that Floyd County’s two dominant political parties will continue to utilize precinct structures for their own organizational purposes, and that seems perfectly acceptable to me. As entities traditionally allergic to platforms, the least they can do is drill the foot soldiers to march forward for nothing.

But perhaps I’m wrong, and the two major political parties disagree with my assessment of the situation. Accordingly, one would imagine that by this point, the local party heads might have had something to say about fair and impartial redistricting as pertains to the presumably praiseworthy goal of fair elections.

You know, one man, one vote … and all that dry civics stuff.

Yet, to my knowledge, neither Randy Stumler (Democrat) nor Dave Matthews (Republican) have registered public support for fair redistricting and fair elections. The mayoral candidates have been silent, too.

Public attribution, anyone? I’m eager to be proven wrong. It would make educational courtside reading, don’t you think?

Reminder: "Develop New Albany to Host Mayoral Candidates Forum" on Wednesday night.

(From Develop New Albany)

Develop New Albany, the City’s non-profit, Main Street organization is hosting a Mayoral Candidates Forum to be held on Wednesday, October 24th from 7:00 - 9:00 pm at the Strassweg Auditorium at the New Albany-Floyd County Public Library.

The forum will consist of two 45-minute question-and-answer sessions with a 10-15-minute break in between. Mr. Randy Hubbard, Republican mayoral candidate, has agreed to participate in the first session and Mr. England, Democratic mayoral candidate, has agreed to participate in the second session which is anticipated to begin at 8:15 p.m. Neither candidate is invited to attend the session in which the opposing candidate is featured.

The sessions will be moderated by Greg Sekula, Develop New Albany Vice-President, and a series of questions will be asked by the moderator that relate to the issues of downtown and neighborhood revitalization. The public is invited and encouraged to attend.

The following topical issues are likely to be covered in the forum in no particular order:

1) Your vision for Downtown New Albany;

2) Strategies for furthering economic development in Downtown New Albany and surrounding older business districts such as the Vincennes and State Street corridors;

3) Addressing problems associated with rental housing conditions including absentee property ownership, illegally subdivided structures, and your position on a City-initiated rental housing inspection program;

4) Strategies for promoting and increasing homeownership and re-investment in older urban neighborhoods;

5) Relationships between the City and local neighborhood associations and non-profit groups;

6) Historic preservation, including the role of the Historic Preservation Commission, historic district designation, and design guidelines;

7) One-way vs. two-way street circulation patterns in the Downtown;

8) Enforcement of violations of City ordinances;

9) Aging infrastructure;

10) Upkeep of downtown streets and public spaces;

11) Ohio River Greenway project;

12) City-County Building space issues;

13) Relationship between the office of Mayor and City Council;

14) The role of public transportation in downtown revitalization and regional economic development;

15) Strategies for the City and school system to work together to strengthen inner-city schools and what impact that would have on downtown neighborhoods; and

16) Strategies for combating neighborhood crime, particularly drug activity.

For more information contact Develop New Albany at 812/941-0018 or e-mail here.

Okay, so I changed my mind ...sue me already.