Good Ole Gossip, Rumor and Blatant Innuendo
I picked up a lot of gossip over the weekend. So naturally I did what anyone else would do. Share it!!! Enjoy.
The list of candidates for Public Safety Director is now down to four; three in-house and one from outside. Interim Director Mark Renner, current police chief Mike Spears and Darryl Pierce. Also on the list is Frank Straub, Public Safety Director of White Plains, NY. My money is on the man from out of town. From what I hear he’s highly qualified, brings a fresh perspective to public safety that Indianapolis could use to move it forward and really enhance the relationship between citizens and the public safety community.
Things continue to be interesting in the race for Marion County Sheriff. Republican Bart Mcatee was asked if he’d ever given money to incumbent Democrat Frank Anderson. He said yes, because Anderson had given him a 40 percent raise. And on the Democratic side, it might not be Watergate just yet, but word is someone sympathetic to the campaign of John Layton has been “digging” into the background of challenger Mark Brown.
Several IPS schools could be ripe for a takeover by the State of Indiana. The schools have failed to meet state performance standards and the state Department of Education has sent in technical assistance teams to repair the damage. However, if the schools don’t show progress next year, DOE could come in and under Indiana law takeover the schools, dissolve all collective bargaining agreements, and hire or contract out new staff to run the facility. The list of schools includes Arlington, Broad Ripple, Emerich Manual, William Gambold Middle School, Thomas Carr Howe, and George Washington Community. I have a theory about all this which I will post in a later blog. If you take a close look at changes in IPS you will see a system that is turning into two school districts one for achievers and one for everybody else, and it’s not by default.
Indiana Republicans could see themselves in the same boat as their New York counterparts which third party, or for that matter, tea party, challengers. Ft. Wayne attorney Phil Troyer has announced he will take Mark Souder in Indiana’s 3rd Congressional District in the Republican primary. In addition there’s some talk that Mike Sodrel may mount a challenge in the 9th Congressional District Republican primary against Todd Young. Sodrel has reportedly been making the tea party rounds as well.
Although both sides in the proposed smoking ban debate claim they have public support, if Facebook determined who wins, the pro-smoking ban folks would lose big time. Smoke Free Indy boasts 491 friends, while Save Indianapolis Bars has 1,274 friends.
And speaking of the end of a beautiful friendship, City-County Councilor Angela Mansfield, co-author of the current smoking ban proposal, has reportedly been banned from the Living Room Lounge at 9th and Penn. Mansfield has cited the Living Room Lounge as a place where she loves the food, but doesn’t like the secondhand smoke. Well apparently the owner has told the staff she won’t have to worry about the smoke, because she’s no longer welcome and has ordered the staff not to serve her.
Look for a come to Jesus meeting in the next couple of months by CCC Republicans. The caucus has been divided over the smoking ban and tactics used by opposing sides. Democrats are cheering over the divisions as well. Expect CCC member Jeff Cardwell to probably take the lead in healing these most recent wounds.
That’s all I got. Enjoy the rest of your day.
Editor’s Note: Sorry about the technical glitches this weekend. I guess the good thing is that a lot of people read IB because I got quite a few calls, e-mails and text messages. It’s good to be loved.
