Public Eye - Sunday, April 6, 2008

By SCOTT SMITH and KEN de la BASTIDE

Will Vanna be on hand?

Republican Tony Zirkle, who legally changed his middle name to ‘Hvfvgpd’ is expected to reveal what the final letter stands for on April 21.

Zirkle has been releasing the meaning of each of the letters in a piecemeal fashion. When he announced the changing of his middle name, Zirkle said he was revealing the meaning a letter at a time to garner publicity.

So what does it all mean? Zirkle on Friday confirmed the following meanings: H (Homeless), v (vets), f (fluke), v (versus), g, p (porn) and d (dragon).

Zirkle said he will disclose what the letter ‘g’ stands for at a South Bend press conference on April 21 when he intends to destroy some adult magazines.

Endorsing Hillary

The Hillary Clinton for President campaign committee recently released the endorsement of her Indiana presidential campaign by several Democrat Party mayors.

The list includes: Tipton Mayor Dan Delph; Logansport Mayor Mike Fincher; Anderson Mayor Kris Ockomon; and Elwood Mayor W. Merrill Taylor.

The campaign also announced this past week that former Indiana Congressman John Brademan, now the president of New York University, had endorsed Clinton.

“I have known Hillary Clinton for many years and I am confident that she has the intelligence, the integrity, and the experience to jumpstart our struggling economy, create needed Hoosier jobs and put the country back on the right track,” Brademas said in a press statement.

Still waiting

There is still no word on whether or not Clinton or her opponent for the Democratic Party presidential nomination, Barack Obama, will be making a visit to Kokomo prior to the May 6 primary.

Obama made his second visit to Indiana on Friday with a stop in Fort Wayne. He earlier conducted a town hall meeting in Plainfield. Obama was originally supposed to visit Muncie, but because of a logistical problem moved the event to Fort Wayne.

Clinton and her family have been crisscrossing the state during the past two weeks, including stops in Anderson, Muncie, Logansport, Bloomington, Terre Haute and Indianapolis.

Last chance to register

Residents who are not eligible to vote have one more day to register with the Howard County Voter Registration Office.

The office will be open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, which is also the first day to cast an absentee ballot.

Residents can also on the Ivy Tech Community College campus from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the main lobby, 1815 E. Morgan St. Those wishing to register should bring their driver’s license or state-issued identification card, which includes their 10-digit ID number usually printed in red or green ink. Although the 10-digit number is preferred, the last four digits of the registrant’s Social Security number is acceptable.

Skiles weighing Senate run

Indianapolis attorney Rick Skiles, a Zionsville resident, could be the fourth candidate to seek the District 21 State Senate seat being vacated by Jeff Drozda.

Skiles told the Public Eye Friday he’s strongly considering throwing his name in the hat for the Republican caucus to choose Drozda’s successor, but acknowledged the decision will require talking with numerous precinct committeemen.

“If the math doesn’t work, then some of us are probably wasting their time,” he said, saying that right now, State Rep. Jim Buck is the favorite to win the seat.

Westfield businessman Dave Mueller and Tipton County Commissioner Monty Henderson are also expected to be candidates in the caucus.

Buck has the backing of Howard County Republican party leadership, while it appears Mueller is backed by Drozda, although Drozda has yet to make a formal announcement.

Skiles, like Mueller, said Howard County might be better served if Buck stays in the House, where he could be in line for a leadership post, and someone else takes Drozda’s seat.

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