Inexperience bargaining with billion dollar company-Downtown Hotel

The City only received one proposal to built the prerequisite hotel for another developer to build a downtown stadium. The single proposal places the inexperienced city workers in a weak negotiating position when dealing with the more experienced sophisticated billion dollars business tycoons.

Having only one proposal does not leave the city without any leverage, Leatherman said. If the companies are not flexible, the city could end talks and restart the search for a developer. But Leatherman does not expect that to happen.

The fact that the city is losing many jobs may place the city workers in a role of self-dealing at the negotiation table which is not in the best interest of the tax payers, who will partially be footing the bill for building this hotel.
The hotel has gone from 300 rooms to 250 rooms, and the cost from $30 million to $47 million.

The imbalance will become apparent, at the negotiation table, in the amount of dollars that will be taken from the local budgets from property taxes. Property tax dollars used to subsidy the building of the hotel in hopes of recapturing the value of the hotel building, innkeeper taxes, and sale taxes, later. More than likely the developers will receive a tax abatement reducing the about of revenue going back into the budget from the new investment in hopes of creating new jobs.

Small business owners are distracted with fighting a smoking ban, at this moment, while the city is negotiating away many of their tax dollars to support a single private developer. The diverting of their tax dollars to a single private developer will increase the amount of taxes their business will have to pay with the developers projects. The battle against the smoking ban must not service as a smoke screen by preventing these small businesses from paying attention to what the city is willing to give away to wealthy private investors who are not local that will harm them down the road.

Marketing of Other People Money-Property Taxes-Hotel/50/50

Marketing of the sole developer and the partially paid for with property tax dollars supported downtown hotel that will belong to a private owner.

Information from the city's website,

The City of Fort Wayne today released more details on the proposal received for the downtown hotel component of the Harrison Square mixed-use development. Acquest Realty Advisors, Inc. along with White Lodging Services Corporation has submitted a response, which calls for a full-service Marriott-branded hotel.

RFP highlights
* $47 million private sector development

* 11-story, 250 room hotel tower

* 4,000 square foot junior ballroom

* Two 1,000 square foot meeting rooms

* 4,200 square foot signature restaurant and bar for hotel patrons and residents

* 1,200 square foot specialty coffee shop

* Outdoor pool, year-round spa and fitness center

* Developer supports the overall Harrison Square development and acknowledges the hotel, Grand Wayne Center and mixed-use development along with a baseball stadium would serve as a visitor and local destination place



The City of Fort Wayne now will enter into a negotiation period over the next four to six weeks to work on an agreement with the developer. The City expects to have an agreement in place by the end of the first quarter.

Acquest and White Lodging have hotels in Indianapolis, Chicago, Houston, Louisville, Ky., Austin, Texas, and Trenton, N.J. to name a few. Indiana-based White Lodging and Acquest each bring several years of professional, industry-specific experience to the project.

“We are encouraged to be moving forward as we work to create new catalyst opportunities in downtown Fort Wayne,” said Mayor Graham Richard. “This is a great opportunity for our City and region to be a leader in economic development. A centerpiece gathering place that attracts jobs, businesses and residents will leverage existing assets and enhance community vitality."

The hotel would be a priority element in the multifaceted Harrison Squaredevelopment. Project plans include residential condominiums, street level retail, a new minor league baseball stadium, and a parking garage in the initial $125 million phase.

Taxes generated from the hotel would assist the City in financing the public portion of the Harrison Squaredevelopment. Harrison Square’s first stage calls for a nearly 50/50 split between private and public financing.

Hopes and Dreams Uncompromised /The Measure of a Man

Hopes and Dreams can be beat out of you by parents. Parents who are trying to protect you from disappointment. Disappointment that may come from some in the world who have little dreams or hope for a different type of life. And some of these disappointment will come from tried and true laws created to limit and restrict your expectation of what it is to live as who you are. In other words man trying to order your steps!

The Measure of a Man by Sidney Poitier. A friend told me about this book, The Measure of a Man. When a young man was killed in our hometown, I remembered what she said about the measure of a man. I decided to blog about the message embodied in the title to get young folks to man up and recognize the fact that they are not street. Read more click here.


My friend used the phrase again during a conversation and she tells me I need to get the book and read it. The words stuck with me, as a challenge for me to give to other men as a catch phrase to man up. I made a mental note to get the book from my library, soon...

Well, I was finally pushed to get the book because the main library where I spent a lot of time was due to close. So, I needed to get there before the move to the new libary to get the book. I am told because of the moving, I could keep the book for three weeks! Enough time to put it to the side ..to read later. But, my friend calls me and says something like, "guess what book Oprah has selected for her book club?" Well bingo it's "The Measure of a Man". Nope, had the book, but was not compelled to read it.

So, I decide well now it's really time for me to read the book just in case, I am selected to go on the show with my friend who has read the book years ago. I believe in miracles.

I decide to pace myself in reading the book. One chapter a day would allow me to read the book in a week. But that did not happen. I could not get into the book. I was too distracted. So, I could not get into Mr. Poitier, writing style, and I kept having flash backs about Pitier leavig his wife to marry a raced white woman. I had to read for a limited amount of time. I was curious and was wondering if he would address this issue. Besides I loved his movies, Guess who's coming to dinner, Who did not cheer for him in To sir with love, and They call me Mr. Tibbs?

So, I had to fight to find his personality that was on the screen in his writing. it was slow, I found it and once again I connected to him like some of the characters he played in his career. From the writing, I went to my childhood and meager beginnings. Meager beginnings, but surrounded by family, my great grandmother, my grandparents, my mother. The conversational tone used in the writing,like, you hear me, reminded me of a time when folks who cared about you talked to you, in such phrasings. Wise saying with only a few words, brief sentences and not a long lecture, but you found yourself remembering the message, twenty years later with ashes on your face. Poitier called it a language shaped from a scarcity of money. Others, unable to give you guidance with this limited language did so by using anothe method as his mama, a wham here and a wham there in taming this wide eyed optimism in believing you could tame nature.

To read about the recklessness in which as a youth, we take life for granted as we did things that were simply suicidal, ( like myself walking on the railing of the bridge above the train track, often, supported only by beams under my feet, but survived anyway. In the Measure of a Man, Poitier gives several moments of reflections, and it seems to have to do with water! A truly deadly force of nature. But some how you survive in spite of the resistance that family offer to protect you from these outside influences, these dangers in the world. Family.

Poitier speaks of the family. The honor in sharing with family. The fact that one honors their mother and father with your own life work is what touched my heart in this book. It was not enough to read how his father provided for his family. The tears came from reading the diligence of a mother to make a way out of no way. The work of beating a rock into pebbles with a hammer. The determination, the sheer will, and the commitment to do such a task over and over again, fired my spirit into uncontrollable tears. I remembered a time when you must push through to survive.

I found myself quoting some of Mr. Poitier sayings, you hear me! In doing so I embraced the meaning my great grandmother, grandparents and mother in their saying, nobody said the road would be easy, it's on down the road for you, mingled with the new old a leaf changes overnight for my children and grandchildren. Life is tough. But what makes it easier, is having hopes that become a plan in which to set goals in overcoming rules or obstacles that tell you it is hopeless to do things differently.

My grandfather was my measure of a man. He encouraged me when others said who does she think she is to think differently. It was my grandfathers words that motivated me to try and see and envision a different world. It was his words through my mother life that inspired me, as he did not bend or swear when others lied on him. So was it my mother's path. Neither went to that place, when others attacked their right to be exactly who they were. My mother would say, do you think I chose to be born this way? Poitier reminded me of this...My grandfather life lived beat the hopelessness out of me no matter the obstacles that nature throws my way. Hopes and dreams goes beyond a belief system placed upon you by laws created to strict ones ambition for going places where you unwanted. I joined a choir, and at that time, included today, could not carry a note, but my grandfather, made me think I could sing! Most favorable.

Poitier points out you will be rejected for doing such thing, with the question, who are you and where did you come from? And the answer is simply I am the one I choose to be and it helps to have family, friends and sometime enemies to helping me. Poitier learned this early in life, I had forgotten this, thank you Mr. Poitier, as I continue to write over 600 posts on this blog.

I was pleased to read that the measure of a man was how well a father provided for his family. Because, if that was the case, as a mother thatI must be a woman if the measure is how well you take care of your children.

Posted at: Dragon Slayer's Guide to Life

OTher People Money-Property Taxes

Reposted from yesterday.

Dowdell's Mob and Family-Alabama

DOWDELL, James Ferguson, a Representative from Alabama; born near Monticello, Jasper County, Ga., November 26, 1818; completed preparatory studies and in 1840 was graduated from Randolph-Macon College, Ashland, Va.; studied law; was admitted to the bar in 1841 and commenced practice in Greenville, Ga.; moved to Chambers County, Ala., in 1846 and engaged in agricultural pursuits; unsuccessful candidate for election to the State house of representatives in 1849 and 1851; elected as a Democrat to the Thirty-third, Thirty-fourth, and Thirty-fifth Congresses (March 4, 1853-March 3, 1859); during the Civil War served as colonel of the Thirty-seventh Regiment, Alabama Volunteer Infantry, under General Price from 1862 until the close of the war; president of the East Alabama College at Auburn 1868-1870; died near Auburn, Lee County, Ala., September 6, 1871; interment in City Cemetery.

from Auburn University.

Saga of Harrison Square-Just Believe

Third, the emergence of Jefferson Pointe as a regional shopping, dining, and to some degree entertainment destination will impact downtown’s ability to capture additional uses. For downtown to compete and to attract the types of uses necessary to thrive as an exciting and vibrant district, it must rely on a healthy balance from not only the resident population, but also from the employment base and its increasing visitor base.

The most viable short-term development opportunities would include a new downtown hotel, new restaurants, and new market rate rental apartments. With the increased critical mass generated by hotel patrons, convention center visitors, and new residents, a limited amount of supplemental retail uses
can likely be supported, as well as additional nightclubs and bars. From a location perspective, the hotel would need to be adjacent to, and ideally physically connected, to the expanded Grand Wayne Center.

Future restaurants targeting an evening crowd would be better suited in close proximity to the hotel and convention center, near the more heavily traveled Jefferson and Washington Boulevard corridors.Conversely, additional bars and nightclubs would be better served locating in the Landing District, where a strong contingency of evening entertainment facilities already exists.
New housing in the downtown area is greatly needed to help support additional uses.

Two additional roles the public sector can play in stimulating new development are the continuedmarketing and promotional efforts for downtown, and traditional economic development activities whichhelp to attract and retain businesses in the downtown area. There has been a discussion of consolidating county-wide governmental offices downtown, which would help bring more people into the downtown area. Any efforts which bring in additional people downtown, whether as employees, residents, or visitors, will greatly increase the marketability and ultimately the success of retail and entertainment related uses.

The City and County are currently examining the consolidation of government related operations and facilities. Representatives from the City of Fort Wayne have also confirmed an increased effort to work with state and federal government branches as well to consolidate all governmental facilities downtown to the fullest extent possible. Given the weakened office market, any efforts made to bring additionalworkers into downtown will have a tremendous impact on downtown’s overall vitality.

Given these factors, the Harrison Street corridor is unlikely to emerge as a retail destination point. As evidenced in the retail spending tables, demand projections for many personal products, household products, and services are not sufficiently strong to support retail development as a primary use along Harrison Street. The close proximity of two major regional shopping venues, Jefferson Pointe and Glenbrook Square, present barriers for new retail uses. Finally, many new retail uses will tend to conglomerate around well-established retail corridors with high traffic volumes. The ability for downtown to compete with nearby established retail destinations will be extremely difficult. Additional factors,including land costs, signage, and parking will adversely impact the ability to attract major retail uses into downtown. Thus, new retail uses will likely be only supporting retail uses and not destination retailers.

Table 30 on the following pages provides a breakdown showing anticipated condominium demand. The methodology used here is similar to what was performed for apartments. The targeted price range for new downtown housing was forecasted to be $175,000 to $250,000. This range was determined based on two primary factors: First, existing trends in the condominium market indicate very little demand for lower priced housing, given the amount of alternatives available at this price point; and second, with the inherent risks associated with this type of development, a developer/owner will need to generate higher returns which can only be done through a higher sales price.

So who buying at midtown crossing downtown? From the Harrison Square Study, 2003

ITIN

Everyone who is in the United States is not required to have a social security number. But if you work in the United States, Uncle Sam wants you pay your taxes. Matter a fact if you are working and not a citizen all you need is an individual taxpayer identification number. Uncle Same just wants you pay taxes if you are here working as a non citizens. And you must file your taxes if you make a certain income.

Social Security card is not proper identification,(no photo) so why would folks ask to see your social security number? If someone asked to see my social security card I would be worried about a scam of identity theft.


To ask a latino or any non resident if they have a social security is really asking are you legal citizen, not a good ideal.

I am going to conquer that hill !

What's the Rush to build downtown?

Benjamin Lanka writes in Journal-Gazette, the state extension of CRED credit,

As part of the original hotel package, the project was included in a Community Revitalization Enhancement District, also known as CRED. The districts, which are allowed by state legislation, let developers claim a 25 percent income tax credit on qualified investment. Historically, as in the Southtown development, that has meant a 25 percent credit on construction costs. This would have meant about a $12 million credit for the hotel.

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The key words were qualified investment and not on what the city wanted to apply the credit on,you think?

So what did the state have to say about this in the article,

Rep. Phil GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne, said he was concerned about the reduction in benefits hurting development.

“That was the whole benefit of the CRED benefit starting up, to bring in development,” he said.

GiaQuinta said he understood the state was trying to be fiscally sound, but he believed cities needed incentives such as CRED to attract development. He was not confident the issue would be discussed in the legislature this year, though.

Nothing! Go back Ben and talk to somebody at the Statehouse who can tell us about CRED, could you Please?


Councilperson Tim Pape is happy, with the one bidder,

Councilman Tim Pape, D-5th, has been an ardent supporter of Harrison Square. He said although the city got only one hotel proposal, it came from a major company.

Let see if Pape can do the same thing for his constitutes, that is make the voters happy in doing something about all those drugs in his district. That is if he can stop having a pep rally for downtown development.

Why Fort Wayne Can't Make Drug Bust?

Angela Mapes writes for the journal-gazette, about not enough funding. Here's another one-EXCUSES. If folks are telling police there are drug dealings in their neighborhoods and some families have been dealing for years, how much skills do you need to make a drug bust? Nada! A buy a warrant end of story, but careful it might be a friend of a friend.

Get these crooks off the street and that will reduce the need for manpower. That means some folks out of a job, and that is the bottom line. Kids are turning in their parents because the police are sitting on their hands. Give me a break.

Sound like Muncie is not crying for more money and are willing to do the job for Fort Wayne Police and the Allen County Police Department. Way to go Muncie, bring in the feds.

Robbing from the Poor giving to the Rich

I remember showing the assessed property values to two reporters. The reason in doing so was to find out if they saw what I saw. Of course they dismissed me, or was indifference. But I kept the paperwork. What I saw was the values for one year was changed. That's right changed. When I asked why, I was given an answer. It was something like this, the actual value of the dollar now was applied to the previous year value.

Okay...what does that mean. This, if by chance you had an old coin, say you had a few 50 cent pieces from year ago but now those 50 cent pieces are worth 1.50. Let say you have 5 pieces time 1.50 would equal 7.50 today. But a year ago those 5 pieces would be worth only 2.50. You would think that in a years time you gain a profit of 5.00.

Wait a minute, you might have to share this gain with others, so you need a way to hide the fact that you actual received a gain of 5.00. So you take take 10 50 cents pieces out of your pocket, and you say hey 10 times 1.50 equals 15.00. I have 15.00 but 5 of these pieces are from a year ago, so lets subtract their value from the 15.00, so 5 time 1.50 equals 7.50 taken from 15.00 leaves 7.50. So how much was my profit. The answer would be only 2.25.

So I only have to share 2.25 instead of the $5.00. I get to pocket a 1.75 to do whatever and I get half of the $2.25. So my fair share equal 1.12 plus 1.75 equal $2.87 and the other person gets a grand total of $1.13 Now that seems like a lot of trouble to rip off one person for such a small amount. But image this as 100's dollars and 1000 of folks and you could come up with millions of dollars.


So, the next time the Mayor tells you or shows you a chart showing the lower tax rate since 1964, think about my little 50 cent pieces. If the previous tax year values were changed to almost equal the new assessed value and you hid that fact. Instead of my $1.75, the city and county get something like millions of untold dollars. Free and clear. Now your elect officials tells the public the tax rate will be low to reduce the burden from the increase in their property value. Yet these official never disclose the actual amount collected. Nevertheless, the tax rate will generate millions of additional dollars from the increase in the property values. But the only amount that will go into the budget will come from the tax rate, not undisclosed millions. Hell, the average tax payer can't understand their tax bill therefore they surely can't read a budget, is what the elected officials say and think.

The city, the county and the tax payers are happy with the low tax rate. The city, the county, and the taxpayers are being told it could have been worse. Really ? How much was skirted away that the taxpayers were never total about? And what happened to that money? And who would dare question these fine upstanding elected officials. Who would dare question the integrity of these elected officials to accuse them of stealing from the poor? ME.

Soon, I will post the pages of the new math.

RICO...Breaking the law

K.E. Casey writes,

When task force investigators realized the scope of the operation, Ellison said, they contacted the Drug Enforcement Agency, which coordinated raids at houses in the 8000 block of Winchester Road, the 3500 block of Indiana Avenue and the 4200 block of Arlington Avenue in Fort Wayne.

Read more click here.

Will I.R..S. Approve Funds for Fort Wayne Baseball Downtown

More funding tools are needed to support developers or a developer to invest in downtown project, Harrison Square hotel and baseball stadium. Derrick Gingery writes in Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly, that another funding resource could be a tax credit from the I.R.S.

The federal tax credits would join a growing list of inducements the city has at its disposal to entice developers to build in town. The CRED tax credit program is well-known. The city also uses tax abatements and industrial revenue bonds to attract businesses.

From the Community Development Finance Institutions Funds Website, The New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) Program permits taxpayers to receive a credit against Federal income taxes for making qualified equity investments in designated Community Development Entities (CDEs). Substantially all of the qualified equity investment must in turn be used by the CDE to provide investments in low-income communities.

The credit provided to the investor totals 39 percent of the cost of the investment and is claimed over a seven-year credit allowance period. In each of the first three years, the investor receives a credit equal to five percent of the total amount paid for the stock or capital interest at the time of purchase. For the final four years, the value of the credit is six percent annually. Investors may not redeem their investments in CDEs prior to the conclusion of the seven-year period.

The NMTC Program allocates tax credit authority to Community Development Entities (CDEs), which in turn make investments in a variety of businesses and activities in low-income communities. A Community Development Entity for profit business has formed in downtown Fort Wayne to administrate the funds, under the new markets tax credit program. The name of the business is Fort Wayne New Market Revitalization Fund, LLC and the registered agent is Timothy Manges, attorney for the City of Fort Wayne, located at 1 East Main Street, in the City County Building, Fort Wayne, IN 46802. The limited liability company was formed on January 10, 2007.

Fort Wayne’s application is expected to be sent at the end of the month. A response is not likely until this summer. Fort Wayne New Markets Revitalization Fund LLC was created to administer the program, if the city is approved.

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Fort Wayne New Markets Revitalization Fund, LLC is probably crossing its fingers, since some Indiana company have received some funding,

The Indiana Redevelopment Corp. received $25 million and the Community Bankers Association of Indiana Inc. received $50 million in 2003 to provide low-interest loans and other programs to promote economic development

.

From the reading, it appears that the Fort Wayne New Markets Revitalization Funds, LLC is seeking to become some kind of bank, to provide low-interest loans and economically support programs such as DID or whatever other programs that they can create in downtown.

The entity must be a Community Development Entity. A Community Development Entity is a domestic corporation or partnership that is an intermediary vehicle for the provision of loans, investments, or financial counseling in Low-Income Communities (LICs). Benefits of being certified as a CDE include being able to apply to the CDFI Fund to receive a New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) allocation to offer its investors in exchange for equity investments in the CDE and/or its subsidiaries; or to receive loans or investments from other CDEs that have received NMTC allocations.


According to the Tax Code, to qualify as a CDE, the organization must be certified by being: "(A) the primary mission of the entity is serving, or providing investment capital for, low-income communities or low-income persons, ‘‘(B) the entity maintains accountability to residents of low-income communities through their representation on any governing board of the entity or on any advisory board to the entity,
and ‘‘(C) the entity is certified by the Secretary for purposes of this section as being a qualified community development entity."
More from the code,
‘‘(A) with a record of having successfully provided capital or technical assistance to disadvantaged businesses or communities, or ‘‘(B) which intends to satisfy the requirement under subsection (b)(1)(B) by making qualified low-income community investments in 1 or more businesses in which persons unrelated to such entity (within the meaning of section 267(b) or 707(b)(1)) hold the majority equity interest."


The term ‘qualified low-income community investment’ means—‘‘(A) any capital or equity investment in, or loan to, any qualified active low-income community business, ‘‘(B) the purchase from another qualified community development entity of any loan made by such entity which is a qualified low-income community investment, ‘‘(C) financial counseling and other services specified in regulations prescribed by the Secretary to businesses located in, and residents of, low-income communities, and ‘‘(D) any equity investment in, or loan to, any qualified community development entity.

I wonder why FourthWave did not apply for such funding?

Miami or Fort Wayne-Drug kings

Nick Werner of the Star Press writes about the million dollars drug bust.

But what's more important is that Duran's arrest disrupted a drug ring that was moving an average of 22 pounds -- or $1 million worth -- of cocaine into the area on a weekly basis from Fort Wayne, according to Muncie-Delaware County Drug Task Force Sgt. Jess Neal.

This is something more like you would see in Miami," Neal said Thursday.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Drug Task Force investigators, working with SWAT teams from the Delaware County sheriff's department and Muncie Police Department, raided three houses in Fort Wayne, four in Muncie and two in Indianapolis. The properties were either owned by Duran or occupied by members of his drug network, Neal said.

What was the reactions of neighbors, you say? Nope, not scared, happy, read:

News of the drug bust was well received by Doug Garrett, who is raising four children between the ages of 7 and 18 at Seventh and Monroe streets, about a block away from one of the houses targeted in the raids.

"This can't be anything but a plus," Garrett said. "The drug element is bad. People do crazy stuff on drugs and you don't want your kids around it."

Police attribute the majority of burglaries and robberies to people feeding drug addictions, often crack cocaine. It is still too early to tell how what type of long-term effect the Duran bust might have on drug-related crimes and the availability of cocaine in Delaware County, Muncie Police Chief Joe Winkle said.

Allen County Sheriff is worried about offending his officers by just requiring a drug test, so Fort Wayne taxpayers should not be surprised that I tax dollars are going to buy tasers, while drug deals money goes untaxed.

The newspaper reports Duran as a big fish,

Wholesale drug dealers like Duran are difficult to catch because they often only deal with one or two buyers, Neal said. This helps insulate them from low-level drug dealers who are often willing to cooperate with police in return for leniency.

But my bet is the bigger fishies are sitting in Fort Wayne,

An undercover cop worked his way up the drug chain and found Duran at top in Fort Wayne, Neal said. Duran's arrest set a precedent in the ability of the Muncie-Delaware County Drug Task Force to conduct investigations in multiple counties.

And I believe the officers have the right idea to come on into Fort Wayne, "

We're not going to stop in Muncie anymore," Neal said. "We are going to pursue these guys where they are at. Instead of passing information along and hoping somebody does something with it."

There goes our city again, this time just call us the drug money drain city.

Search warrants for the homes in Delaware, Allen and Marion counties were signed by Delaware Circuit Court 3 Judge Robert Barnet Jr., who has the authority to sign warrants for properties throughout the state.

Local police also worked with the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, and authorities in Allen and Marion counties.

Duran has served a federal prison sentence for trafficking more than 200 pounds of marijuana, Neal said.

He lives in a 3,000-square-foot ranch house on four acres in Fort Wayne and owns four trucks and a new Harley Davidson, Neal said.

Thanks Muncie and fine job you did. We pay one police officer over $100,000 a year to harrass drunks, who has little money, but our law enforcement has problems making millions drug busts. Which would benefit our community? The drug money could pay for the drunk program and increase the number of officers working the program. But Fort Wayne is not called the dumbest city for nothing.

Economic development in Fort Wayne- Permissive Drug Dealing and Trafficing

Dear Rusty York and Sheriff Ken Fries:


Sheriff Ken Fries tried to stage a photo op bust for news center 21 evening news which paled miserably compared to Muncie Police Munice police drug team.

It took police from out of town to take care of the drug problem in Fort Wayne.

The Muncie-Delaware County Police Department Drug Task Force comprises members of the Muncie Police Department, Delaware County Sheriff’s Department and the Ball State Police Department.

Yeah Muncie probably did not understand Fort Wayne allow drug traffic in our city even when citizens give specifics.

Sgt. Michael Mueller, of the Muncie-Delaware County Police Department Drug Task Force, said the ring normally moved about 10 kilos of cocaine – worth about $1 million on the street – a week. Tuesday’s bust, part of a six- to eight-month investigation that is still ongoing, set a Delaware County record.

According to investigators, Alejandro Duran of Fort Wayne packed the engine compartment of his blue Dodge Ram 4 x 4 with 13 kilos of cocaine, which could net about $1.3 million on the street. The undercover agent told him to bring the cocaine to Delaware County, so Duran braved Tuesday’s blizzard and began to drive, Mueller said. Duran’s girlfriend, Alma Rosales sat next to him.

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Alejandro Duran and Alma Rosales, hmmmm. These folks did not support Fries voters proposition that all drug dealers are African-Americans in the central city huh?
So much for the new sheriff in town. Taxpayers should be outraged!!!!!! Your City of Fort Wayne police chief does nothing about drugs in the community nor does your new sheriff of Allen County

Matter of fact one law enforcement stated that independent voters don't tell him what to do. How sad. right on Muncie !!!!! Can I have some Fries in my neighborhood..hint hint, 2500 block of Warsaw. A whole lot of law abiding citizens is a hiding them their drugs.

Understanding our past to not repeat it

Indiana Constitution was in violation of the United States Constitution banning African-Americans from its soil after the 13th Amendment, 14th and 15th amendment were passed. But the State of Indiana did not amend its Constitution until 1881. Indiana removed the ban of African-Americans from its soil. Furthermore, Indiana new Constitution would have to allow African-Americans to vote under the United States Constitution the 1870 15th amendment. This would explain why Indiana took so long to amend it Constitution. The 1881 amendment would have to allow African-Americans to vote in Indiana. The right to vote motivated more African-Americans to move to Indiana,doubling in size the African-Americans population during the great migration from the south. Read more click here.

Where..

If you can find this sign, you probably can guess where Sheriff Fries was zapped. From the stage performance, it looked like he was heavily padded and the aim of the gun was in the lower part of the back. My question is where did it hit him?

Fort Wayne blogs

Leo Morris writes about some of his favorite blogs. I have had several hits on my blogs by Fort Wayne.com and by several of the blogs mentioned. I have read several local blogs that do not practice racialist behaviors and find them much more interesting than some of the one's Morris mention.

But one blogger does work for republican party, the police, the sheriff, and because he does work for these folks, he think he can use racial slurs without being challenged. Did he think that having these folks as friends made him teflon don? He did didn't he?!!!

Another blogger is a republican former state legislator who may be running for local public office (Mitch have you filed your papers yet?) ..oh, now I get it...all together now R.E.P.U.B U L.I.C.A.N.S. birds of a feather, you think..now you know why folks are not reading the newspaper. I don't want to spend a quarter on a paper telling me how much they hate folks like me or unable to read other points of view. The world is made up of more than .... fill in the blank.

In the words of the Delaney sisters, and on behalf of the other bloggers keep on having your say because at least other folks are reading your blogs without an endorsement. And guess what, just between us, none of Uncle Leo's folks will know what I've typed because they would never read this blog, heaven forbid because they only read each other blogs (wink, wink). LMAO.

Okay, Mitch does give some insight on stuff beyond what we read in the paper and was not shut down, but the other one, Pleassssseeee. This is what it is really about who is cred.

Obama Significant standing on Illinois's Capitol Steps

In 1816, part of the Indiana territory located in the Northwest Territory, population was finally large enough to become a state. According to the governing Northwest Territory Ordiance, the Indiana Constitution was required to have a provision which forbid slavery and indentured servitude. The language did not outlawed slavery, but forbid the growth of slavery in order to become a state.

In essence, the reason for banning slavery was not out of sympathy towards enslaved African-Americans. The ban was to discourage settlers from bringing more African-Americans into the Northwest. George Washington's, the surveyor,dream was for this place where Indians gave him a fit, a place for raced white males to govern without British rule or slave product. Read more click here.

Posted >> gottsegnet

In the words of Michael Jackson, Black or White?

Alexis Herman, former Secretary of Labor for the United States of America

I am a descendant of slaves in a country built on slave labor. Now, to have the responsibility of all labor," she trails off. "Well, let's just say that to be here now is historic, special and humbling.

Yesterday, was such a hit, with Ms Channing, I thought I would once again dispel the myth that many folks, who say they are colorblind, are pretending. African-American history teaches us that many African-Americans were creative thinkers and did not want to settle for living in slave states. They would risk their lives to escape to Indian Territory. This area became the northern states, including Indiana where many Indians were slaughtered after befriending the new colonists.

Indiana became the 19th state with a constitution forbidding slavery, in 1816. This was to control the number of African-Americans who were allowed to live in the new territory. The fear that at the growth of African-Americans would overtake the new territory. So,a new form of slavery was introduced called indentured servitude. African-Americans had to have sponsorship, meaning giving their labor to raced whites folks to remain in the territory. If not these African-Americans would be booted back into slavery in the southern states. Many African-Americans who could passed for raced white settled on the outskirts of the territory and some family members were viewed as slaves based on skin color and were left alone but were really family members. Dr. Johnetta B. Cole called this as part of the psychic of studying the master and attempting to get along.

Efforts to identify with the oppressor and prove oneself worthy are accompanied by self-denial and self-deprecation because it is difficult if not impossible to embrace one image of oneself without letting a conflicting one go. This stripping of oneself takes many and diverse forms, from out-and-out "passing" to disassociating oneself from one's people and aspects of one's cultural heritage.

The northerners were not familiar with African-Americans looking like them who passed for raced white. This was simply looking at skin color. One reason was because Africans had came over to the new territory and were part of the Indian community. Many folks today look simply at color and assume folks belong to a specific group. Many raced white folks were fooled long ago and today many are afraid that if they not segregated that their family may become tainted by others African-Americans who are passing for almost any ethnic group, including raced whites. It is called the Hitler syndrome, hoping to remain pure. Pure meaning no dark skin babies..only in America!

In closing, for some African-Americans who can not pass because of skin color, they try to pass in other ways. Some African-Americans will distance themselves from language,music, religion, food or anything that is viewed as a negative trait by raced whites in relationship to the African-Americans. In doing so, they are seeking the approval of those who hate African-Americans on their own terms, and only will relate to those African-Americans who know their place. And an African-American knowing his or her place is because of sponsorship or approval by raced whites. Is this 1787 thinking? No thinking is current in 2007. James Baldwin, calls it the price of the ticket to belong in America. In the words of the Delaney sisters, I am going to have my say!