Stumping for Joe and John
Former President Bill Clinton spoke to a crowd of 3,000 Friday at the Hoosier Common Sense Rally at North Central High School in Indianapolis, where he joined John Gregg, Democratic candidate for Indiana governor, and U.S. Representative Joe Donnelly, D-Ind., who is running for U.S. Senate, to rile up Democrats for the fast-approaching election.
A starstruck Donnelly joked about his first call with Clinton in planning the event, saying he was shocked to hear the “voice of God” on the other line. Clinton was likewise flattering, praising Gregg and Donnelly’s accomplishments, supporting fair wages for manufacturing jobs and affordable college tuition, and championing bipartisanship.
“I don’t think what people in Indiana think what this country needs is more partisanship,” he said. “We’ve got plenty of that already.”
U.S. needs more?
In a week in which everyone was hoping to own the mantle of “bipartisan solutions provider,” we were surprised by an event that unfortunately flew a bit under the political radar.
Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, the man who, through his tax pledge, wields more leverage than about anyone in the conservative movement, was in Indianapolis as the keynote speaker at The Midwest Summit: Forging a New Consensus on Immigrants and America.
“Immigration is the most important thing to focus if you’re concerned about America as an economic power,” Norquist said. “Not only is it good policy to have dramatically more immigrants in the U.S. than we do today and a path for those who are here; it’s also good politics. In fact, restrictionist policies are bad electoral policies.”
As Republican strategists look at Mitt Romney’s dismal polling numbers among the burgeoning Hispanic population, they might want to take heed.
Found an issue
Democratic Howard County Council candidate Paul Munoz was hammering the opposition this week after the director of Howard County’s veterans affairs office, Bob Ladd, resigned.
According to Ken Fisher, the commander of VFW 1152, Ladd resigned when county officials again denied his request for more part-time help for his office.
County officials haven’t commented, but Fisher and Munoz said that Ladd’s request for an additional $12,000 was initially approved by the county council, but later trimmed to $6,000 without explanation.
We’re not sure who cut Ladd’s budget request, but Munoz called the situation a case of misplaced priorities.
“The county and the county council really don’t feel veterans are the top priority,” Munoz said Friday.
Oh well, it happens
State Rep. Mike Karickhoff, R-Kokomo, was chairing a summer study group on emergency dispatch issues this week when the Fishers town manager, Scott Fadness, came up to speak on Fishers’ battles with Hamilton County over funding.
The only problem was that Karickhoff introduced Fadness as “Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness,” drawing some laughs around the room.
Fishers voters will decide Nov. 6 whether to move from a town council system to the governing system every other city of that size uses, the city council/mayor system.
Fishers might also be the only other place in the state — outside of Howard County — where people are voting on township consolidation.
Tribune reporter Megan Graham contributed to the Public Eye this week.
Local News
Public eye - Sunday, Oct. 14, 2012
- Local News
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Bullying reporting now required
Oliver Jackson — known in the music world as DjBigO317 — remembers being bullied by the kids on his high school football team for being small.
He told his coaches about it, but they brushed it off and told him to do the same.
Now, his 6-year-old daughter is battling issues with bullies at her school in Indianapolis, and he won’t let it go.
He is on a crusade to end bullying, and he’s taking the message beyond his daughter’s school. -
The bully bashers speak out
Nineteen-year-old Trenton Lewis wants to change the message hip-hop music is sending to kids across the country.
The Kokomo High School graduate envisions songs that inspire change and songs that promote safer schools instead of ones that glorify drugs and violence. He wants to push the negativity out of music. - Bullying statistics - May 19, 2013
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State to spend $2 million to clean up voter rolls
Indiana’s bloated voter registration rolls, which officials say make elections more susceptible to fraud, will soon come under more scrutiny by the state.
- Public Eye - May 19, 2013
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Fallen comrades remembered
In the 148-year history of the Kokomo Police Department, two officers have died in the line of duty. Members of the department took part in a ceremony Friday to honor not only those two, but all fallen police officers.
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Local deputies play key role in arrest
A mother and her infant son are now safe, thanks in part to the determination of deputies with the Howard County Sheriff’s Department. The officers worked from the time Kristy Redenbaugh was reported missing in September 2012 until the man police allege was her captor was arrested Thursday.
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Charter school to open in August
Goodwill Education Initiatives will unveil the area’s first charter school for high school dropouts Aug. 15 in downtown Kokomo.
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Districts call special board meetings
Northwestern School Corp. will likely reduce the hours of about a dozen instructional assistants to avoid having to provide them with insurance.
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Windy debates
At least two central Indiana counties have established setbacks that are essentially prohibitive of wind farm developments. Counties between Indianapolis and Fort Wayne have debated whether to allow wind farms and how to regulate them. In Howard County, wind farm opponents are trying to reopen the discussion to increase setback requirements established in the county’s code.
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Bullying reporting now required
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