Indiana

Does I.P.S. Get It?

Posted on January 21, 2011
Editor’s Note: I hadn’t planned to blog about Indianapolis Public Schools, but its administration is the gift that just keeps on giving. You would think that if you were an administrator in a school district that has several schools about to be taken over by the state  you would be a little less paranoid and [...

The Smoking Guns

Posted on January 20, 2011
As Indiana lawmakers move forward with the debate over a proposed statewide smoking ban, the American Lung Association has put out its annual State of Tobacco report card where it grades states on their smoking cessation/prevention efforts:  smokefree air, tobacco control program funding, cigarette taxes and coverage of tobacco cessation treatments and services...

Statehouse Stuff

Posted on January 19, 2011
For those of you who care, here is the gossip, rumor and innuendo from the Statehouse.   As always, take it for what it?s worth? Although the speculation continues over whether Indiana Congressman Mike Pence is running for Governor or President, allow me to to assist...

Only in I.P.S.

Posted on January 18, 2011
Here’s one to really make your day.  Indianapolis Public School Superintendent Idi Amin, no Papa Doc Duvalier, no Eugene White, has reportedly given his son who works for the district a promotion. Reggie White was a “Behavior Dean” (whatever that was) at Arsenal Tech High School...

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The 21st Century Segregationists

Posted on January 16, 2011
As the nation commemorates the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,  I personally can?t help but think and ponder what would have happened if Dr. King had not been assassinated in 1968 but instead lived to see today.  The sarcastic side of my nature immediately takes me to an episode of the [...

A Particularly Partisan Post

Posted on January 15, 2011
Although I have my opinions on issues, I try not to be overly partisan and give the people I disagree with a reasonably fair shake.  However, sometimes, they just drop things in your lap that are just too interesting to ignore.  So with that said? Marion County Democratic Chairman Ed Treacy must not have a [...

Budget Blues

Posted on January 14, 2011
Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels unveiled his budget blueprint to lawmakers Thursday.   Administration officials say nearly $28 billion plan holds the line on spending, does not raise taxes and leaves a reserve of about $725 million. There are cuts.   Higher education takes a 3-percent cut and the state is ending adult Medicaid coverage in the [...

Second Time Around

Posted on January 13, 2011
By now you?ve heard that Marion County Prosecutor  Terry Curry is re-filing DUI charges against David Bisard for the August 2010 fatal crash that killed one motorcyclist and seriously injured two others.  If you?re wondering why, well there are two answers...

Indiana?s Education Reformation

Posted on January 12, 2011
Let the school reform begin!  That?s all I could think of when I heard Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels State of the State address Tuesday night.  Daniels spoke for about 32 minutes and half that time was spent outlining his plans to reform education in Indiana...

A Tale of Two Indys

Posted on January 11, 2011
As you know Melina Kennedy formally announced Monday she is running for Mayor.  Although her staff did not provide copies of the speech, they did embed it in her website.  I used that to transcribe the speech.  I got about 98% of it, anything omitted were stumbles and small things that had no bearing on [...

State of the State React

Posted on January 11, 2011
Here’s some reaction to Governor Mitch Daniels State of the State address.  Is anyone really surprised? Pat Bauer, House Democratic Leader ?Yet for the seventh year in a row, our governor does not use his State of the State speech to talk about the number one problem that concerns most Hoosiers: jobs...

State of the State

Posted on January 11, 2011
Despite issues concerning the budget, redistricting and local government reform, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels spent most of his 7th State of the State address to address the issue of education reform; which is expected to be the most contentious issue this legislative session...

Hey Melina, Let?s Make A Deal!!!

Posted on January 10, 2011
Editor’s Note:  I realize the point of this blog post is likely a giant waste of time, but heck, sometimes you have to give it the old community college try! ********* At 11 a.m. today former Deputy Mayor and candidate for Marion County Prosecutor Melina Kennedy will “officially” announce that she is running for Mayor [...

Ballots, Not Bullets

Posted on January 09, 2011
While working out Saturday afternoon I nearly fell off the cross-trainer when I saw the story about the shooting of Arizona Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords.  Giffords was seriously injured, a federal judge was killed along with five other people and 13 were also injured...

Public Dollars and Private Choices

Posted on January 08, 2011
I have a few questions for my friends who oppose school choice, one of the biggest issues facing lawmakers this legislation session.   Do you think a student attending Notre Dame should get federal financial aid assistance?   Or for that matter, how about someone attending Butler University?  Valparaiso?  The University of Indianapolis?  Kaplan College? Everest College?  [...

Political Potpouri

Posted on January 07, 2011
There have been a few items of note worth reporting this morning for your amusement and entertainment so here they are…. House Minority Leader Pat Bauer won’t say whether Democrats will exercise the “walk out” option this session as a way to halt the Republican agenda...

Indiana House Gets ?Right to Work?

Posted on January 06, 2011
When the Indiana House of Representatives convened on time Wednesday afternoon I made the crucial mistake of getting my hopes up.  I thought to myself that the partisan wrangling would be over and these guys whom I have covered for the past six years will have their act together; not so much...

Speaker of the House

Posted on January 05, 2011
I sat down with Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma Tuesday to talk about the session that begins today.  We talked about the budget, education reform, local government reform, unemployment compensation, smoking ban legislation, social issues and the potential for a walkout by the Democrats...

Tony & Nate

Posted on January 04, 2011
It’s not everyday that you get a chance to talk to the Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction and the head of the Indiana State Teachers Association at the same time, but this morning I did. Both Dr. Tony Bennett and Nate Schnellenbeger appeared at a joint news conference promoting mentoring by the Indiana Youth Institute...

Schools & Other Stuff

Posted on January 04, 2011
I have a few items of interest to report to you this morning. The Indiana Department of Education is investigating “irregularities” in recent ISTEP tests.  According to the DOE, a number of elementary tests came back with a high number of erasures which raised some red flags in the Office...

Put a Stake in the Wedge Issues

Posted on January 03, 2011
Although the Indiana General Assembly is still a couple days away from convening, I’ve started to skim through some of the bills that are being filed so see what’s on the minds of lawmakers. I’ve maintained on this blog and in other media that the best thing the Republican-controlled legislature can do is focus on [...

New Year, New Resolutions

Posted on January 02, 2011
With the start of the new year comes the new year’s resolutions.   We all have goals to lose weight, quit smoking, be better people, or in my case finish that novel that’s been sitting in my laptop for three years.   I’m not sure what resolutions some of my favorite politicos in Indiana made for the [...

My Top 10 of 2010

Posted on December 31, 2010
As tradition dictates,  it’s time for my top 10 state and local stories of 2010.  My criteria were pretty simple; magnitude and impact.  So with that said, here we go. 10.  Hoosiers overwhelmingly pass property tax caps.  Not only is local government put on a leash, but the leash gets tightened...

Unequal Pay for Equal Unemployment

Posted on December 30, 2010
Indiana lawmakers are going to have their hands full this upcoming session fixing the state’s unemployment insurance trust fund.  The fund is $2 billion in the hole so it will likely require an increase in the premiums employers pay as well a reduction in the amount paid out in benefits...

Where There Is Smoke

Posted on December 29, 2010
I’m taking a semi-vacation this week, which means I sleep until 7 a.m.  However I still try to keep up to speed on what my friends in other media outlets are chatting about.  My friends over at the Indianapolis Star Tuesday opined about the need for a statewide smoking ban and how the tobacco lobby [...

More Contractual Obligations

Posted on December 28, 2010
It’s no big secret that education reform will be one of the top priorities for lawmakers to address when they come back in January.   Apart from more accountability and better ways to measure teacher and school performance, lawmakers are also expected to tackle collective bargaining...

A Jib and Jab at 2010

Posted on December 27, 2010
The guys and gals over at JibJab have done their annual look back at 2010.  It’s not bad, although last year’s was funnier.  I’m putting together my own top 10 list that will go up later this week, focusing mostly on state and local stories...

A Christmas Wish

Posted on December 25, 2010
I found this photo on my hard drive this morning.  If you see this image after leaving this world, I can assure that not only is one of us in the wrong place, it’s probably not me!  Hope your Christmas Day is going well.

Merry Christmas!!!

Posted on December 24, 2010
As tradition dictates I wanted to take a moment and wish all of you Merry Christmas, see I don’t get offended.  I’m taking off a few days do engage in my Holiday rituals which usually means good scotch, cigars, fine meals,  and Monty Python’s “The Life of Brian”...

Political Fallout and Follow Up

Posted on December 23, 2010
You would think that with a day or two before Christmas the political rumor mill would slow down, but it hasn’t.  I have some interesting follow-up information on a couple items I posted about earlier this week. Disaster Averted It looks like part of the reason Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels wants Eric Holcomb to be [...

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