tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-165261902024-03-07T22:58:03.505-05:00INDIANA PARLEYA place for public policy, politics, the history, and the future of Indiana.Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger454125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1162645508020518462006-11-04T07:55:00.000-05:002006-11-04T08:05:08.126-05:00Visit Fort Wayne ObservedVisitors to this page may be puzzled by the lack of regular updates. Don't be.<br /><br />Since early this year, I have been editor of the Fort Wayne Observed weblog. <br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:180%;"><a href="http://fortwayneobserved.com"><span style="font-weight: bold;">www.FortWayneObserved.com</span></a></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">You will find the news and commentary of Indiana Parley at that site. FWOb also works to provide a sense of place about the Fort Wayne area as well with references to local history, art, and highlights of people and institutions in the community.<br /><br />Nathan Gotsch founded Fort Wayne Observed in May of 2005. It has grown to be the leading weblog in Fort Wayne. I accepted his invitation to edit the weblog with the idea that Indiana Parley could also be maintained. That proved to be a tough task and most content you have expected on Indiana Parley is found on Fort Wayne Observed.<br /><br />We were able to provide you with extensive election night coverage for the 2006 Primary.<br /><br />Be sure to check out Fort Wayne Observed for election coverage on November 7th!<br /></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1158277254096141102006-09-14T19:24:00.000-04:002006-09-14T19:40:54.213-04:00US House passes earmark reform billUS Representative Mark Souder of Indiana's 3rd District announced that he voted for the US House of Representatives to adopt a change to its own rules to make the earmark funding process more transparent.<br /><br />Mr. Souder was a co-sponsor of the change.<br /><br />It is long overdue. It may help ameliorate the anger of fiscal conservatives who have watched a Republican Congress become more and more profligrate with taxpayers' dollars and taxpayers' future dollars. A Republican Congress which was elected as a champion of doing the public's business a different way in 1994 had become, with each passing year, a disappointing collection of special interest funders.<br /><br />The House leadership had bottled up this change for too long. A well deserved thanks goes to leaders like <a href="http://flake.house.gov/">US Representative Jeff Flake</a> and others, including, notably, Mike Pence, for working assiduously for this change even when they have borne rebukes from the House leadership.<br /><br />Additional thanks should go to <a href="http://www.clubforgrowth.org/">The Club for Growth</a> for demonstrating to Republicans not interested in making the process more transparent that there were electoral costs that could be exacted.<br /><br />The complete text of US Representative Souder's press release follows:<br /><br /><blockquote>WASHINGTON, D.C. - U.S. Rep. Mark Souder voted today for House adoption of H.Res.1000, legislation that changes the rules of the House of Representatives in order to shed light on the earmark funding process. The Souder-cosponsored bill passed the House by a majority of 245-171, and it takes effect immediately.<br /><br />Earmarks are funding set-asides requested by Members of Congress for specific projects, usually in their congressional district or state.<br /><br />"As the House began looking at reforming Congress in January, one of the major sticking points was whether to open earmarks to public scrutiny," Souder said. "A lack of required transparency had cloaked much of the process in secrecy and permitted abuse of the system. Since I first came to Congress, I have voluntarily disclosed the funding requests that I've made and the amounts that our area have consequently received. Today's rule change is an important accomplishment. It will bring the House into line with my own policy, and it will help reduce the potential for corruption."<br /><br />"Earmarks play an important role in ensuring that Hoosiers' taxpayer dollars are returned home rather than ending up in Washington or a bigger city or state," Souder continued. "For example, we've gained important flood control funding through the earmark process."<br /><br />"I believe that we need to pass more reforms," Souder added, "but-when combined with passage last night of a new, Google-like database of federal grants-we are taking some positive steps."<br /><br />Under the new House rule, before legislation may be brought to the House floor for consideration, the bill must include a list of all earmarks along with the names of Members of Congress requesting the earmark. (The new rule applies to all three types of earmarks: authorizing, appropriations, and tax earmarks.) As a result of this rule change, the public will now have the opportunity to see the full list of earmarks included in a piece of legislation, and who sponsored each one.<br /><br />Last night, the House passed S. 2590, the Federal Funding Accountability and Transparency Act of 2006. Souder was a cosponsor of the House version of the bill (H.R. 5060), which will establish a public database to track federal grants and contracts. The bill will now be sent to President Bush, who is expected to sign it into law.</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1156003480270003382006-08-19T11:54:00.000-04:002006-08-19T12:10:25.580-04:00Former Governor Ed Whitcomb to appearFormer Indiana Governor Edgar Whitcomb (1969-1973) will be an honoree at the Indianapolis Air Show next Friday. The Air Show will be held at the Mount Comfort Airport on the east side of Indianapolis next Friday. <br /><br />The former governor is a private man who has sometimes been described as reclusive. The Indianapolis Star <a href="http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060819/NEWS01/608190422">reports</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>[ ... ]Gen. Merrill McPeak, retired Air Force chief of staff, will talk about the time he lost both of his wings during a maneuver and almost became an "unguided missile," Graham said.<br /><br />NASA astronaut and U.S. Air Force flight surgeon David Wolf also will speak at the symposium, Graham said. Wolf, an Indianapolis native, conducted four space walks during three separate missions.<br /><br />Retired U.S. Air Force Cols. Edgar Whitcomb and James Kasler will be this year's honored guests.<br /><br />[ ... Whitcomb] will be selling copies of his book "Escape from Corregidor," in which he wrote about being captured twice by the Japanese during World War II, to raise money for Riley [Hospital].</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1155131266559543882006-08-09T09:26:00.000-04:002006-08-14T08:25:27.416-04:00Who's the person on the left?<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1816/1570/1600/Holladay%20Ruth%20Combined%20portraits%20Aug%202006.jpg"><img style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1816/1570/320/Holladay%20Ruth%20Combined%20portraits%20Aug%202006.jpg" border="0" /></a>Ruth Holladay was formerly a feature columnist in the Indianapolis Star. She abruptly left the Star's employment this summer.<br /><br />Soon after, Ms. Holladay started a <a href="http://www.ruthholladay.com">new weblog</a>. The intitial entries have been somewhat unkind to her former employer.<br /><br />Yesterday, the News-Sentinel's Leo Morris <a href="http://blogs.fortwayne.com/opening_arguments/2006/08/blogging_the_ha.html">commented</a> at his weblog on a story in another Indiana newspaper which cautioned employees about writing negative things about their employers in their weblog.<br /><br />That other newspaper in which that <a href="http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060806/BUSINESS/608060303/-1/ZONES04">story</a> appeared is the Indianapolis Star. IP can only speculate on what would have prompted Star editors to make that story assignment. <br /><br />Indiana Parley also notes that the Ruth Holladay weblog is now sporting a new header complete with portrait. IP assumes the portrait is of Ms. Holladay. However, IP has provided you with two photos for comparison. You be the judge.<br /><br />The photo on the left is the one at the top of Ms. Holladay's weblog. The photo on the right is the one that appeared in Ms. Holladay's most recent Indianapolis Star <a href="http://www2.indystar.com/news/columnists/holladay/">columns</a>.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1153335559962811912006-07-19T14:54:00.000-04:002006-07-19T14:59:20.063-04:00Artist Don Gummer, Indiana native, subject of show in MassachusettsSculptor Don Gummer grew up in Indiana. He attended the John Herron School of Art Indianapolis.<br /><br />ArtDaily.com has <a href="http://www.artdaily.com/section/news/index.asp?int_sec=2&int_new=16619">reported</a> that the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams is sponsoring the exhibit.<br /><blockquote>The Museum of Contemporary Art in Massachusetts presents the exhibit Don Gummer Early Work throughout this summer. Don Gummer's monumental work, Primary Separation, stands outside the T. William Lewis Building on Marshall St. The work was first designed by Gummer in 1969, and has existed up to now only in maquette form: this is its first full-scale realization. In conjunction with the installation of this massive suspended granite boulder, MASS MoCA is featuring an exhibition of Gummer's early maquettes and drawings projects.<br /><br />Don Gummer is an American sculptor. His early work concentrated on table top and wall-mounted sculpture, but in the mid 1980s he shifted his interest to large free-standing works, often in bronze. In the 1990s he added a variety of other materials, such as stainless steel, aluminum and stained glass. His interest in large outdoor works also led him to an interest in public art</blockquote>Mr. Gummer's wife is also someone of some note in the performing arts. He is married to Meryl Streep.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1153164550142693552006-07-17T15:05:00.000-04:002006-08-09T21:10:54.323-04:00If not Mellencamp, then Black PotatoeDan Quayle <a href="http://indiana.typepad.com/fwob/2006/07/quayle_exits_me.html">walked out</a> of a John Mellencamp concert this weekend which was being held as part of the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament in Stateline, Nevada.<br /><br />The former Vice President might be interested to know that there was another musical event held in New Jersey this weekend that has some tie-in to him.<br /><br />That is the Black Potatoe Music Festival which ran from last Thursday through Sunday. The Festival is now in its 10th year and is organized by the founders of the Black Potatoe music label.<br /><br />How did it get its name?<br /><br />Here is the explanation from Jim Beckerman at <a href="http://www.northjersey.com/page.php?qstr=eXJpcnk3ZjczN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXkxNjcmZmdiZWw3Zjd2cWVlRUV5eTY5NTgyNDQmeXJpcnk3ZjcxN2Y3dnFlZUVFeXk3">NorthJersey.com</a>:<br /><blockquote>The Black Potatoe Music Festival in Clinton is a four-day celebration of roots music, named in honor of a root vegetable.<br /><br />So far, so logical -- but what's with the extra "e" in potato?<br /><br />[ ... ]<br /><br />"We added the extra 'e' after Dan Quayle," says Black Potatoe founder Matt Angus, referring to the notorious incident in which the former vice president showed a classroom full of grade-schoolers how to spell America's favorite side dish.<br /><br />"We said if Dan Quayle could be vice president of the United States, we could run a [festival]," Angus says.<br /><br />But it's the music-industry bigwigs who really get his blood boiling -- the "pay-to-play" promoters who tell bands they need to sell 100 tickets to friends before they'll be allowed to open for a national act, or the festivals that aren't interested in musicians, however brilliant, unless they're signed to major labels.<br /><br />That was the reason Angus, himself a musician, created the <a href="http://blackpotato.com/news/">Black Potatoe Festival</a> 10 years ago, as an offshoot of his <a href="http://www.blackpotatoe.com/">Black Potatoe</a> record label.</blockquote><br />Editor's note: Know that Indiana Parley believes Mr. Quayle was unfairly maligned due to a misspelling on a card handed to him at a student spelling bee. His verbal miscue was not unlike that of other tired candidates. The difference is that then mainstream press gave it a disproportional amount of coverage compared to the coverage given the verbal missteps of other candidates.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1153152738607231202006-07-17T12:07:00.000-04:002006-07-21T19:29:29.070-04:00Indy-based Angie's List in the Wall Street JournalThe Wall Street Journal's Steve Stecklow wrote an <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115290524301707198.html?mod=googlenews_wsj">article</a> published July 15 about one-line referrals for handyman services. <br /><br />He mentioned Indianapolis-based Angie's List as one of the providers. Bill Oesterle, Mitch Daniels' campaign chairman, is chief executive of Angie's List.<br /><br />Mr. Stecklow noted three notable online contractor referrals:<blockquote>Finding a reliable home contractor has always been a dicey proposition. Horror stories of botched jobs and endless delays abound -- and they have fed a dramatic expansion of Web sites that promise to match customers with professionals recommended by ex-clients.</blockquote><blockquote><p><a href="http://angieslist.com/">Angie's List</a>, which began in 1995 with a single call center in Columbus, Ohio, now has e425,000 paying members, up from 250,000 six months ago. By early August, the site will list contractors in 60 U.S. cities, up from 27 at the end of last year. At <a class="times" href="http://servicemagic.com/">ServiceMagic.com</a>, visits now approach 2.5 million a month, 20% more than a year ago. Several other contractor-referral sites, including <a href="http://getvendors.com/">GetVendors.com</a>, serve smaller geographical areas.</p></blockquote>Mr. Stecklow then test-drove ServiceMagic.com. He hired a contractor based on the ratings on ServiceMagic.com to install two storm doors. He wasn't particularly pleased with the result. He's now hoping to get the job done through a contractor recommended by Angie's List. However, he's not so sure the pre-internet way of getting contractor referrals might not be best.<blockquote> So this is where I stand. I now have two new storm doors, one upside-down in the front of my house, the other in the basement. I'm out $130 (although Ms. Taylor says another check from the contractor is in the mail). And, after more than a month, I'm back to the beginning -- I still need a contractor. I tried Angie's list on Monday, but the site was down. A spokesman says, "That's not typical." I'm now considering the prehistoric solution: asking my neighbors for recommendations.<br /><br />Perhaps this shouldn't be surprising. The other day, I came across a message from a contractor in an online discussion group, alt.building.construction. He said he had tried several referral sites to get jobs with little success. "If you think about it, what kind of person looks for a contractor on the Internet?" he wrote. "Not the brightest bulb on the tree, that's for sure." </blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1152549424795268952006-07-10T11:14:00.001-04:002006-07-11T11:49:16.323-04:00Specialized license plates aren't so special<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1816/1570/1600/Bowen%20Otis.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1816/1570/320/Bowen%20Otis.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><div class="bodytext">Mary Beth Schneider of the Indianapolis Star wrote about Indiana specialized motor vehicle license plates in a story <a href="http://www.indystar.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060710/NEWS02/607100400">published</a> in the Monday, July 10th issue.<br /><br />She wrote about various groups which have petitioned the Bureau of Motor Vehicles for approval of new plates but which have been turned down. Some of those groups are not pleased. As for the number of such license plates issued each year, Ms. Schneider wrote:<br /></div><blockquote><div class="bodytext">About 4.7 million standard license plates for cars and trucks were issued in Indiana last year. Only about 313,000 were specialty plates. But the plates can be an important source of money for the groups that get the state designation, raising thousands of dollars and in a few cases more than $1 million.<br /><br /></div><div class="bodytext">There are two ways to get the plates: through the legislature and by directly appealing to the bureau and the governor. Plates have a fee of up to $25, plus a $15 fee that is divided between the BMV and a state highway fund.</div> </blockquote>The weblog <a href="http://www.takingdownwords.com/taking_down_words/2006/07/tag_and_release.html">Taking Down Words</a> noted the story in a post earlier today. I would like to add a few reflections on this topic.<br /><br />The advent of the specialized license plate can really be traced back to the early 1980's. Prior to that, the Indiana State Police command was vigorous in advising the Indiana General Assembly to not establish a specialized plate program. After all, license plates are used to identify motor vehicles. A multiplicity of designs and numbering schemes makes it difficult to report the plate number on a vehicle that has been involved in a traffic violation or been used in the commission of a crime.<br /><br />This was also the position of Governor Otis Bowen's administration. Governor Bowen was mindful of the public safety arguments advanced by the ISP. However, he was also mindful of how specialized plates would affect the Indiana legislature.<br /><br />Governor Bowen had served as House Speaker from 1966 until his election as Governor in 1972 and was familiar with the pleas of legislators to allow legislation to create specialized plates. Doc Bowen was consistent in heading off those attempts as a distraction from dealing with the substantive problems of Indiana which were before the legislature.<br /><br />Legislators could easily satisfy a constituent by sponsoring a specialized license plate bill. It was that rare sort of legislation. It didn't offend anyone (usually) and, since it was self-financed, didn't cost any tax money.<br /><br />Governor Bowen knew that the first specialized plate would beget more specialized plate requests. Legislators who sponsored the first plates insisted that wouldn't be the case; but that "approval was important for ____________(insert name of special interest here). We won't approve any additional ones." Well, of course, the floodgates opened once the first ones were approved. In recent years, the number of requests got so numerous the legislature created an application and approval process which was centered in the BMV.<br /><br />Even legislators realized the flood of requests was too much. The original idea that specialized plates were a way to satisfy constituents without giving offense gave way to the realization that the monster which had been created could never be sated. As the General Assembly began saying no to some groups, legislators found out that the specialized license plate effort could, indeed, make people mad.<br /><br />The whole specialized license plate debate is a distraction and not a core function of government.<br /><br />Governor Bowen had the right idea about the whole thing.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1152198959123476202006-07-06T11:08:00.000-04:002006-07-06T11:18:15.406-04:00Dan Quayle cited in story on buy-out firmsFormer Vice-President Dan Quayle is Global Chairman of Cerberus Capital Management LP.<br /><br />The <a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115213468001298749.html?mod=todays_us_marketplace">Wall Street Journal </a>has taken note of the dozen former high ranking governmental officials who have taken positions with a variety of buy-out firms. Former Senate Democrat leader Tom Daschle is the most recent to join up. The article also cited Bill Clinton, Colin Powell, former Treasury Secretary Paul O'Neill and the Carlyle Group's history of hiring former President George H.W. Bush, former Secretary of State James Baker and former Secretary of Defense Frank Carlucci.<br /><br />About Mr. Quayle, the Wall Street Journal's Tennille Tracy wrote:<br /><br /><blockquote>Because former politicians hold so much influence within the Washington Beltway, it seems logical that private-equity firms also want them to act as de facto lobbyists on regulatory matters. Such a move would make sense because buyout firms, while holding increasingly high profiles, still lack a trade organization to represent them in government affairs. Venture-capital firms, on the other hand, have the Arlington, Va., National Venture Capital Association to speak on their behalf.<br /><br />Most private-equity firms deny any suggestion that their politicians-turned-financiers serve in that capacity.<br /><br />"The notion or suspicion that they are lobbying on behalf of their firms is completely false," Mr. Ullman said. "It's just not necessary, and they have reputations they want to uphold as well."<br /><br />Despite such protestations, it's probably safe to assume that these hires engage in some activities that could be construed as lobbying. Former Vice President Dan Quayle, for example, now chairman of Cerberus Capital Management LP's advisory board, said on his official Web site that he meets regularly with "American politicians and regulators with respect to issues affecting Cerberus' investments." Neither Mr. Quayle nor his spokesman responded to requests for comment about these activities.<br /><br />Regardless of whether they sign up former politicians, hire formal lobbyists or form a trade organization, private-equity firms have plenty of reasons to be involved in Washington's affairs these days. The Securities and Exchange Commission's attempts to regulate hedge funds are continuing. Also, Congress could always consider legislation concerning capital-gains taxes or Sarbanes-Oxley requirements that might affect their operations.</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1152195306682830452006-07-06T10:06:00.000-04:002006-07-06T10:32:45.020-04:00WSJ on the possible power shift in StatehousesReporter Chris Cooper, writing in today's Wall Street Journal, <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/washwire/2006/07/06/power-shift-looms-for-statehouses/">reported</a>:<br /><blockquote>With several statehouses controlled by razor-thin edges, the potential for<br />swings in power may be greater at the state level than in Congress, where<br />the struggle for control gets more attention.<br /><br />[ ... ]<br /><br />Democrats appear to be in the better position [to gain legislative seats<br />nationwide]. With modest gains in a handful of states, they could take a<br />majority of legislative chambers. Republicans have prevailed since 2002,<br />when they won a slim majority for the first time since 1952.<br /><br />Republicans control both houses in 20 state capitals, compared with 19 for<br />the Democrats. Nebraska's one-house legislature is nominally nonpartisan,<br />but dominated by Republicans. The two parties split chambers in 10<br />states. </blockquote>The Indiana House of Representatives is not specifically mentioned in the story. However, Democrats are hoping to eke out a majority. Indiana Republicans are beginning to feel more confident in holding their majority in the wake of the announcement that Honda has chosed Indiana as the site for a new assembly plant.<br /><br />It may be that voter concerns over the Toll Road lease will cool by November as the lease has been okayed by the Supreme Court, the lease has been executed, and money from the lease begins to be allocated toward long-delayed transportation projects.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1151585960715840432006-06-29T08:54:00.000-04:002006-06-29T08:59:20.800-04:00Van Wert native blames Ohio's government for losing HondaAaron Baker, <a href="http://aaronbaker07.blogspot.com/2006/06/honda-yesterday-it-was-announced-that.html">writing at his weblog</a>, laments that his hometown of Van Wert, Ohio, didn't get chosen by Honda for its new assembly plant. <br /><br />Mr. Baker is a summer intern in the office of U.S. Representative Mike Pence of Indiana. He is also the incoming student body president of Indiana Wesleyan University of Marion (IN).<br /><br />However, there is no mistaking that he remains a Buckeye - a Honda-driving Buckeye, no less.<br /><blockquote>Yesterday it was announced that Honda is coming to Indiana. Honda was considering Van Wert, my hometown, as a potential site. I believe my town did everything it could, at least after Honda started considering my town. But I don’t think it had much to do with location or city politics. Rather, I feel the decision was set in motion months before Honda even started looking.<br /><br />So who do I blame? I blame my state legislature, my governor, and bad economic policies.<br /><br />Where did Ohio go wrong and Indiana go right? Let’s start with tax increases. Ohio raised taxes and what kind of message does that send to executives? Ohio raised taxes to deal with a difficult period in the economy. Instead of lowering expenditures and taxes, allowing the market to recover naturally, Ohio showed no fiscal self-control and my town is heartbroken for it today.<br /><br />I’m devastated that Van Wert didn’t win. It would have meant everything to a small town’s local economy. However, I’m happy for Mitch Daniels, it’s really his administration’s win.</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1150462094126347932006-06-16T08:23:00.000-04:002006-06-16T08:48:14.163-04:00Indiana Newspaper Mixes Up Identity of Car Crash Victim<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">The Bloomington Herald-Times <a href="http://www.heraldtimesonline.com/stories/today/news.new.1150429488.sto?printf=1">reports</a> on the pain caused by the newspaper's misidentification of a person killed in a motor vehicle accident in Lawrence County, Indiana. Yesterday, the newspaper identified the victim as Shirley Wright, a retired professor at the Indiana University Law School in Bloomington. Unfortunately, the Herald-Times did not have the right Shirley Wright.<br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size:100%;"><br />Understandably, both families are upset. From the Herald-Times:<br /></span><p><i></i></p><blockquote><p><i>EDITOR’S NOTE: H-T police reporter James Boyd wrote Thursday’s story about a fatal accident Wednesday in Lawrence County. Today’s stories correct that account and explain how we got it wrong.</i> </p><p>The voicemail messages on my work phone ranged from sadness to rage Thursday afternoon, and I deserved it all and everything in between.</p></blockquote><p> </p><span style="font-size:100%;">The story details how the reporter did not follow proper standards and protocols which would have avoided the mix-up. The story's description of how the reporter's reliance on the mistaken beliefs of the living woman's former colleagues compounded the reporter's mistake was reminiscent of how beliefs of the friends and family members of the victims of the Taylor University tragedy contributed to the misidentification by the coroner and hospitals of two Taylor students.<br /><br />Fortunately, such instances of reporters causing heartache are rare. Even so, perhaps there might be some who would call for higher standards to be imposed on editors and publishers to avoid such errors in the future.<br /><br />After all, one can become an editor or reporter without any particular training. There is no test before one becomes a reporter. <br /><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Hat tip: INGroup and Indiana Legislative Insight</span></span><br /></span></div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1150215105976564742006-06-13T12:03:00.000-04:002006-06-13T12:11:46.006-04:00Schurz officials visit Aberdeen, South DakotaOfficials from South Bend based Schurz Communications went to visit their acquisition in South Dakota Monday. Schurz bought the Knight Ridder owned Aberdeen News American from McClatchy Newspapers.<br /><br />The <a href="http://www.aberdeennews.com/mld/aberdeennews/news/local/14805624.htm">report</a> by Emily Arthur in the Aberdeen News American said that COO Scott Schurz and three other Schurz executives met with newspaper employees and toured the facility.<br /><blockquote>"We like to buy well-run companies in interesting communities," Schurz said. "If you look at our history, you'll see that we don't purchase a newspaper just to make a lot of changes. ...The large majority of decisions we believe should be made the community level."</blockquote>More: Reporter Arthur and colleague Angela Mettler were featured in Fort Wayne Observed's <a href="http://indiana.typepad.com/fwob/2006/06/exclusive_how_e.html">original reporting</a> on how the Aberdeen News American reporters reported on the sale of their own employer.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1150200555728770312006-06-13T07:57:00.000-04:002006-06-14T15:23:51.756-04:00Headline of the WeekIP's Headline of the Week comes from WISH TV 8 in Indianapolis:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1816/1570/1600/WISH%208%20Screen%20Save%20June%2013%202006%20Drown%20final%20with%20red.2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1816/1570/400/WISH%208%20Screen%20Save%20June%2013%202006%20Drown%20final%20with%20red.0.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Of course, minorities are no more likely to drown from drowning than anyone else.<br /><br />Every victim of drowning drowns.<br /><br />Fortunately, WISH TV anchor Karen Hensel, formerly of WANE TV 15 in Fort Wayne, explained things a bit better in the introduction to the actual video report. Ms. Hensel said, "Minorities are at a higher risk of drowning than their Caucasian counterparts."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1150146994937381162006-06-12T17:11:00.000-04:002006-06-12T17:16:34.986-04:00Supreme Court Appoints Full Time Circuit Judge Pro tem in Huntington CountyThe Huntington Herald-Press <a href="http://www.h-ponline.com/articles/2006/06/12/news/001hakes.txt">reports</a> that the Indiana Supreme Court has appointed Huntington attorney Tom Hakes as Circuit Judge Pro tempore for the remainder of 2006.<br /><br />Current Huntington Circuit Court Judge Mark McIntosh has been ill with pancreatitis since early March. Mr. Hakes is unopposed for election to a full term at the November election.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1149596952242080632006-06-06T08:23:00.000-04:002006-06-06T10:21:23.386-04:00Dead Boy Misidentified in Maryland, a State that has Medical Examiner SystemToday's news <a href="http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/C/CRASH_CHILD_MISIDENTIFIED?SITE=FLTAM&SECTION=US">brings word</a> of another misidentification of a child killed in a car crash. This time it's in the state of Maryland. This time there's a medical examiner system.<br /><br />Maryland has a full <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/epo/dphsi/mecisp/maryland.htm">medical examiner</a> system of appointed officials.<br /><br />Indiana Parley can't wait to see what Tracy Warner and Leo Morris will have to write about this.<br /><br />From the story:<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>A child who died in a car crash was misidentified as his younger brother, a mistake that his relatives discovered a week after the accident, state police said Monday.</p> <p>Troopers confirmed that the boy who died in the May 29 crash was 7-year-old Christian Marshall and not his 4-year-old brother, Justin.</p> <p>Justin, his other sibling, McKenna, 2, and his parents, Sheyna Marshall, 29, and James Marshall, 28, all of Washington, D.C., were seriously injured in the crash. One of the Marshall children was pronounced dead at the scene.</p> <p>The misidentification occurred, police said, when James Marshall, the only parent able to talk with authorities after the crash, was told that the child killed in the crash had been sitting in the right rear of the car. Marshall said he was certain Justin had been sitting behind him.</p><!-- BEGIN MEDIA BOX NUMBER 2 --></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1149595551199484332006-06-06T08:02:00.000-04:002006-06-06T18:36:20.210-04:00British Operator of the Indy Airport Bought by Spanish Toll Road LesseeIt has just been <a href="http://ca.today.reuters.com/news/newsArticle.aspx?type=businessNews&storyID=2006-06-06T112950Z_01_WLB0020_RTRIDST_0_BUSINESS-TRANSPORT-BAA-FERROVIAL-COL.XML">announced</a> that Spain's Ferrovial Group has purchased a controlling interest in BAA, the British firm that operates many airports around the world, including Indianapolis International.<br /><br />Ferrovial is a partner of Australia's Macquarie Bank in the lease of the Indiana Toll Road.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1149555204957903922006-06-05T20:46:00.000-04:002006-06-05T20:53:24.960-04:00Australians are Feeling a Little American XenophobiaAn Australian newspaper <a href="http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19364446-643,00.html">calls attention</a> to what it describes as a rising level of American concern over foreign investment. It says Australian interests such as Macquarie Bank were slow to recognize the phenomenon. <br /><br />The story cites Macquarie's role in the lease of the Indiana Toll Road and goes on to quote Governor Daniels, State Representative Jeff Espich, and U.S. Representative Mark Souder.<br /><p></p><blockquote><p>According to a congressional source observing the legislative process and intimate with intense business lobbying to try to tone down the legislation - in which Australian representation has been mostly absent - Macquarie has been playing "catch-up" on the issue. </p><p>"The issue of 'critical infrastructure' could still be a problem for them," the source said. </p><p>In a hearing on Homeland Security on May 24, Indiana Republican congressman Mark Souder asked specifically if lease deals such as Macquarie's would be subject to foreign investment review under the present legislation governing CFIUS - the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, the equivalent to Australia's Foreign Investment Review Board. </p><p>He was told by witness Clay Lowery, assistant secretary for international affairs at the US Treasury, that the legislation only related to acquisitions. </p><p>While Mr Souder said he welcomed foreign investment, his line of questioning - which included queries on the leasing of Indianapolis's airport - indicated that perhaps leasing deals needed to be included in new legislation too. </p><p>"I'm thrilled to bring in the investment to Indiana," Mr Souder said. "I'm just wondering what kind of process goes through lease management, because these are - particularly an airport - a major airport would be a critical infrastructure."</p></blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1149553268782217202006-06-05T20:09:00.000-04:002006-06-10T10:10:46.016-04:00220 Year Old Afternoon Paper Moves to MorningAs those in Fort Wayne are painfully aware, afternoon daily newspapers are becoming an endangered species. No afternoon daily - no matter how long its heritage - seems immune.<br /><br />The Daily Hampshire Gazette of Northampton, New Hampshire, has been an afternoon newspaper for 220 years. However, the managing editor <a href="http://www.dailyhampshiregazette.com/mornings.cfm">announced</a> this week that the 220 year streak is coming to end; the Daily Gazette is going to mornings.<br /><p></p><blockquote><p> The change reflects a trend among newspapers over several decades, according to data from the Newspaper Association of America.</p><p> In the early 1980s, 75 percent of America's daily newspapers were published in the afternoon. Conversion of papers from afternoon to morning publication escalated in the 1990s, and by 2000 the number published in the morning dominated. The shift from afternoon to morning publication schedules has continued since then.</p><p> The Gazette will continue to have complete coverage of local news, sports and business. Whether it's the results of local college or high school sporting events, a decision by a city council or school committee, or overnight breaking news, we'll be delivering the same stories we do now, just a lot earlier in the day.</p></blockquote>The newspaper allows its readers to comment directly online for each story. Some folks didn't like the decision. Reader Susan Mew wrote:<br /><blockquote>Kind of sad that the Gazette needs to follow the pattern set by every other newspaper and lose one of its "hometown" characteristics. I've been seeing the Gazette delivered in the afternoon for over 50 years, so of course, it will be a big change. If that's what needs to be, all will need to adjust. I for one certainly have more time to read and relax in the evening</blockquote>The last two comments posted had a different angle on the change. Nick wrote:<br /><blockquote>"Yeah, what took so long??? Hey earth to Gazette readers...The whole world went to AM about 10 years ago!!!"</blockquote>Josh advised the editor:<br /><blockquote>You know this will drive people to use the online version instead don't you? Print is dead and this is just another attempt to put up a speed bump to slow down the natural move to online.</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1149551245112531782006-06-05T19:27:00.000-04:002006-06-05T20:02:45.016-04:00Praise for Tracy Warner<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1816/1570/1600/Warner%20Tracy%202006.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1816/1570/200/Warner%20Tracy%202006.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Journal-Gazette editorial writer Tracy Warner gave a calming perspective on Monday night's Indiana NewsCenter 7 P.M. broadcast.<br /><br />Linda Jackson led off the newscast with the story of Allen County Sheriff Jim Herman's appointment of Ken Fries as Chief Deputy of the department. Chief Fries is the Republican nominee for Sheriff of Allen County. He replaces the long-time Chief Deputy Bill Smallwood who is retiring from the Allen County Sheriff's department.<br /><br />Ms. Jackson showed videotape of the appointment ceremony along with reaction from Ken Fries and his Democratic opponent in the fall election, Sergeant Tina Taviano.<br /><br />Ms. Jackson then turned to Mr. Warner for his insight. It was a good thing she did for it was clear from the tone of her questions that she thought there some earth-shattering fallout to be had from the day's news of the appointment.<br /><br />Mr. Warner explained that Mr. Smallwood's retirement was long-anticipated. He also said that there had been a long-held expectation that Sheriff Herman would name the winner of the Republican primary to serve as Chief Deputy and that the appointment was not unusual in historical terms, either.<br /><br />Ms. Jackson then asked him whether there wouldn't be repercussions, friction and conflicts within the department since there were supporters of both candidates who had to work together until Election Day. Tracy Warner was at his best in explaining that the two candidates had worked together for a very long time and that both had been campaigning for over a year.<br /><br />In other words, Tracy Warner explained that the Sheriff's race featured two professionals.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1149516048125668082006-06-05T09:52:00.000-04:002006-06-05T10:00:48.486-04:00Senator Bayh on the Fence About Estate Tax RepealThe Wall Street Journal's lead editorial today excoriates the Joint Committee on Taxation's (JCT) for its fiscal analysis of the death tax repeal bill up for a vote in the Senate this week.<br /><br />The Wall Street Journal called the JCT's numbers "dubious" and "phony" and said the analysis is "clearly frightening some Senators." The WSJ continued:<br /><blockquote>Democrat Evan Bayh of Indiana, for one, says he favors repeal in principle, but is nervous about potential revenue losses.<br /><br />There's just one problem with the JCT's calculations: They aren't anywhere close to reality. And the JCT's own number prove it. Mr. Bayh and his Senate colleagues deserve to know this full story before they cast their votes.</blockquote>The WSJ went to say that the JCT numbers might provide cover to what it termed "fence-sitting Democrats."Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1149514371331927452006-06-05T09:24:00.000-04:002006-06-05T10:12:03.770-04:00Blogger Baker Summarizes the First Week on Capitol HillVan Wert's Aaron Baker has a <a href="http://aaronbaker07.blogspot.com/2006/06/for-those-of-you-who-question-my.html">few observations</a> following his first week serving as a summer intern on Capitol Hill for Indiana's U.S. Representative Mike <a href="http://mikepence.house.gov/">Pence</a>.<br /><blockquote>For those of you who question my survival skills: rest easy, I’ve completed my first week in D.C.<br /><br />[...]<br /><br />I spent a lot of the week getting used to the Capitol. The staff finally cut us loose, and we explored nooks and crannies available only to staffers. We poked our head into Pelosi’s office. Her not-so-sunny California boy cocked his peculiar head at us, past the stargazer lilies that too well matched his pink shirt. Democrats… But I definitely got to see lots of stuff typically off limits to visitors.</blockquote><a href="http://indianaparley.blogspot.com/2006/05/blogger-began-pence-internship-today.html">Mr. Baker</a> is a student at <a href="http://www.indwes.edu/index.html">Indiana Wesleyan University</a> in Marion, Indiana.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1149182521039328732006-06-01T13:21:00.000-04:002006-06-03T15:20:40.440-04:00Tracy Warner - Writing in the Shallow EndI had started to write a post this morning that it wouldn't be long before some Indiana editorial writer would use the tragic occurence regarding Taylor University to write an editorial calling attention to Indiana's elected coroner system.<br /><br />It is an easy target for an editorial writer. Dust off a few shibboleths; don't do much historical research, and away one can go in high dudgeon and righteous indignation.<br /><br />I saved my intial post as a draft because I am trying to wean myself away from blogging this week while Nathan Gotsch has taken over the duties at Fort Wayne Observed. I should have gone ahead and posted it because it didn't take <a href="http://blogs.fortwayne.com/tracy_warner/2006/06/coroners.html">Tracy Warner </a>of the Journal-Gazette very long to fulfill my prophecy.<br /><br />Mr. Warner is at his most self-righteous in calling for a medical examiner system in Indiana.<br /><br />First off, the story about the Grant County Coroner mistake is about the identification duty of the coroner's office. WTHR-TV of Indianapolis had a <a href="http://www.wthr.com/Global/story.asp?S=4973370&nav=9Tai">very good story</a> about the duties of the Indiana's coroner system this morning in an interview with Dr. John McGoff, the former coroner of Marion County.<br /><br />As Dr. McGoff explained, the three main functions of the coroner are 1). identification; 2.) determining the cause of death: and, 3). determining the manner of death. This is also covered at the Indiana State <a href="http://www.in.gov/ctb/resources/">Coroners Training Board</a> site.<br /><br />The first function is not necessarily a medical function. There are good, standard procedures taught by the Training Board. A coroner may require a call on medical expertise in carrying out that task but he or she may also call on other identification professionals in carrying out that duty.<br /><br />The second and third functions of determining the cause and manner of death is a <strong>legal</strong> determination informed by proper medical and scientific expertise. Even a coroner who is a medical doctor is not going to be performing autopsies unless that coroner is also a forensic pathologist. Of all the medical doctors serving as coroners in Indiana only one is also a forensic pathologist. That is not unusual, however; trained and experienced forensic pathologists are few and far between. There are only 20 in the whole state.<br /><br />Dr. Jon Brandenberger is a great coroner for Allen County. In interest of full disclosure I should point out that I serve with Dr. Brandenberger as an officer of a foundation and that I am part of the steering committee of Drive Alive, the program intiated by Dr. Brandenberger to prevent teen driving deaths.<br /><br />That being said, most of the deaths referred to the coroner's office in Allen County are routinely handled by Coroner office personnel such as Richard Alfeld and Patt Kite who have many years of police investigative experience. And Dr. Brandenberger does not perform autopsies.<br /><br />Mr. Warner writes that Grant County Coroner Mowery was a career politician - having served as Mayor, Grant County Sheriff and Marion Police Chief. Contrary to Mr. Warner's assertions, serving as Sheriff and as a Police Chief would be seen as a pretty good qualifications.<br /><br />Mr. Warner goes on in his blog post to say that Indiana ought to have a medical examiner system. Well, Mr. Warner, Indiana already has provisions for a Medical Examiner system in the Indiana Code.<br /><br />How do I know? Because I drafted the legislation, introduced as a bill in the Indiana House of Representatives and got it passed in <strong>1981</strong>. I did so in conjunction with Dr. John Pless, the longtime forensic pathologist at I.U. Medical Center and with the support of then Allen County Coroner Bud Ahlbrand, M.D. and a large number of rural county coroners. That legislation led to a very robust debate which resulted in today's Indiana Coroner's Training Board and the current situation where all coroner's autopsies in Indiana ARE conducted by forensic pathologists.<br /><br />The original Medical Examiner legislation (which is still in the Code) created five medical examiner districts in Indiana. Why five? Because that was the total number of forensic pathologists in the state at the time. The numbers of forensic pathologists has not particularly exploded in Indiana since then.<br /><br />The Medical Examiner legislation was designed to be an "<strong>overlay</strong>" system that wouldn't supplant county coroners but would provide the availability of additional expertise<br /><br />Unfortunately, it was never fully implemented due to local wrangling in Marion County over the construction of a county-owned autopsy site, among other issues. However, the purpose has been achieved along with provisions that no one can serve as a deputy coroner without passing the rigorous training program of the State Coroner's Training Board. The training is not charged back to the counties; the Training Board takes on that expense.<br /><br />The elected coroner is a state constitutional office. (Indiana Constitution Article 6, Section 2). It can not be easily changed. Many witht experience in the area of law enforcement would agree it should stay that way. Just a few weeks ago, I participated in a discussion where a deputy prosecutor was adamantly defending the idea of an elected coroner with another local elected official who had no law enforcement experience.<br /><br />Mr. Warner is guilty of other sins in his post including a lack of knowledge about the history of ambulance service and a gratuitous slur of funeral directors.<br /><br />The times they keep a-changing but Mr. Warner seems all too often to write as if he has failed to keep pace with change in the last 25 years.<br /><br />Tracy, open a book or make a telephone call. We'll all be the better for it.<br /><br />MORE: Andrew Kaduk at <a href="http://just4therecordbooks.blogspot.com/2006/06/just-kick-him-while-hes-down.html">Just 4 the Record</a> writes in a post that the Journal-Gazette's <strong>reporting</strong> seems "mean-spirited" in its coverage of Grant County Coroner Mowery.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1149175065507919222006-06-01T11:14:00.000-04:002006-07-10T00:41:40.300-04:00Canadian Blogger Trashes Janette Luu's New Show in Toronto<a href="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1816/1570/1600/Luu%20Janette.jpg"><img style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/1816/1570/400/Luu%20Janette.jpg" border="0" /></a><br />Janette Luu, the veteran WISE-TV reporter, left Fort Wayne for a move to a much bigger television market in Toronto. She was an exceptionally well-liked reporter during her time in Fort Wayne.<br /><br />Well, <a href="http://voltaire2006.blogspot.com/2006/05/worst-newscast-ever.html">one review</a> is in about her new show "<a href="http://live.canoe.ca/TheShow/home.html">Canoe Live"</a> in Toronto and it's not kind.<br /><br />Here's just a small excerpt of what the blogger termed a "craptacular":<br /><br /><blockquote>Why in the name of everything that's holy would a Toronto station that wants to connect with Toronto viewers, hire a host from Fort Wayne, IN who's never lived in Canada before, let alone Toronto? I'm sure Janette Luu is a lovely person and I have no doubt that her parents love her very much. I still have no idea, though, what the hell she's doing hosting a show mere weeks after a number of other very talented, very hard-working and very Canadian hosts got laid off in March.</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16526190.post-1149137912608896462006-06-01T00:54:00.000-04:002006-06-01T01:03:06.763-04:00Nicole Manske UpdateNicole Manske, the former News Channel 15 reporter in Fort Wayne, will soon be moving from her reporter's spot at WISH-TV in Indianapolis to go to Charlotte, N.C. for the Speed Channel's Speed News.<br /><br />Joe O'Gara is a reporter for NUVO, a weekly Indianapolis newspaper. He spoke with Ms. Manske about her move in her latest edition. NUVO asked her about her introduction to auto racing at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in 2004. NUVO <a href="http://www.nuvo.net/archive/2006/05/31/nicole_manske_going_to_speed_news.html">reported</a>:<br /><br /><blockquote>During her first month at the famed 2.5-mile oval, she discovered that she really enjoyed the sport of auto racing.<br /><br />“For me, auto racing has an element the other sports don’t have: an adrenaline rush. I fell in love with everything about the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the smells and the sounds, even when there’s no one else in the place.”</blockquote>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0