Mother says free Shaquanda Cotton

Free Shaquanda Cotton: Leave Shaquanda Notes of Love!



Read more here

No general taxes-Hotel needs more money

Now the planners, are blaming the state again. The cost for the hotel as just increased. In the news sentinel,

Also complicating matters is the state’s earlier decision to cut the amount of Community Revitalization Enhancement District (CRED) tax credits for the project from the hoped-for $12 million to $6 million. That is a major reason why four firms that had expressed interest in the hotel project failed to submit a development proposal, Leatherman said.

But whose counting? Found this interesting over at Advance Indiana.

No general taxes- Harrison Square Park-Fake Appraisal

The aggregated assessed value of all taxable property located within the tax incremental district was the question that was offered at the Young Leaders of Northeast Indiana Harrison Square downtown meeting at the Allen County Main Library. It did not get asked or answered. But it is obvious that it is astate law requirement. Ryan Lengerich reports in the News-Sentinel the appraisal will now happen.

State law says the redevelopment commission must obtain two appraisals in a land sale with the average of the two indicating fair market value.

But the Harrison Square land purchase wasn’t typical. City officials took out land options and agreed to purchasing prices behind closed doors. This prevented land owners from inflating their asking price -- as city officials said would have happened had word leaked out about the city’s $125 million-to-$160 million downtown revitalization project.

Is this not a deceptive practice by someone acting under the color of the law? Was not the whole purpose to deceive and mislead the public?

as city officials said would have happened had word leaked out about the city’s $125 million-to-$160 million downtown revitalization project

.



Appraisals have to be approved in open meetings.

So is the City calling Greg Leatherman sneaking around town the open meeting? Was Leatherman trying to save the city money or was it trying to prevent the folks from asking the hard questions.

So Mr. save the taxpayers some money is now willing to pay for appraisal for land that is already owned by the city? Why is that? Mr. Leatherman wants to make should that they get credit now for the value of the land. Or did Mr. Freier and Mr. Schoen, require the appraisal? $63,000 for how many appraisals? Does the laws require at least 2?

Why don't we have more lawsuits? I just want to see Greg Leatherman and Mayor Dick on the witness stand, lying through their teeth. But we know Mayor Dick won't take the stand because he didn't when he was called to testify on the stealing of South town Mall and its improper appraisal.

Elegance Ball

Missy and FriendMissy and Friend>











Granddaughter's 1st ball at 14 years old..priceless

Scales of Justice -unbalanced

Mother reports on Shaquanda Cotton. Click here to read News coverage and to write Governor Rick Perry.

Thank you for your e-mail message, which will be reviewed by the Governor's office staff. We value your opinion, and the Governor is kept informed regularly on the issues of concern to our citizens.

If your submission was a public information request, Office of the Governor policy requires these to be sent by facsimile to (512) 463-1932, by electronic mail at publicrecords@governor.state.tx.us, by the U.S. Postal Service to P.O. Box 12428, Austin, TX 78711, or by hand to the State Insurance Building lobby located at 1100 San Jacinto Boulevard, Austin, TX 78701.

Fort Wayne Youth in a Culture of Violence

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette headline screams

Coroners Declares Oxford Death a Homicide:

Fifth of year in Allen County; all in Fort Wayne
The Journal Gazette
The Allen County coroner has released the name of the man killed Saturday night by gunshot wounds and declared the death a homicide.

Sheldon James Jefferson, 22, was one of two men in a car that crashed into a home in the 2900 block of Oxford Street Saturday night. His death is the fifth homicide in Allen County this year, all in Fort Wayne.

Police were called to the home at 9 p.m. Saturday and found two men in the car. Jefferson died at the scene, and the second man, whose name has not been released, was taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

For more on this story, see Tuesday’s editions of The Journal Gazette or visit www.journalgazette.net after 7 a.m. Tuesday.

While Marion General Hospital treats Fort Wayne youth residents injured at a Community Center in Marion

.

20-year-old injured in nearby shooting

A Fort Wayne man is in good condition at Marion General Hospital after being shot in the lower back early Sunday morning at a dance.

Terrence Glenn, 20, 2721 Stardale Drive, Fort Wayne, was shot at the Clarence Faulkner Community Center, 1221 W. 12th St., at 1:48 a.m. Sunday, Marion Police Department Capt. Jay Kay said

.

Was it a shot sounded around the world, because a few hours later:

Police said the incident is not related to a double homicide a few hours later at a motorcycle club on South Branson St.

Waiting for an headline to explain why youth dances with violence?

But its not just Fort Wayne youth who are acting up:

Teenagers brawled in the stands at a high school basketball game at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night, leading police to crack down on the melee, which spilled into the streets and subways.

Gunfire was heard as the crowd went from the arena to Times Square, police said. No injuries were reported.

Twenty-one people, mostly teenagers, were arrested, police said. Some were charged with disorderly conduct or resisting arrest and one person was arrested on charges of riot.

More on SJR-7

Indiana House committee will hold a hearing Wednesday, March 21, 2007 at 9:00 a.m. in the House Chambers on the controversial SJR-7.

What is SJR-7?

SJR-7 is a joint resolution (and not bill) that is used to propose a constitutional amendment. SJR-7 is a proposed amendment to the Indiana Constitution to ban same sex marriages.

What does SJR-7 say?

SECTION 1. The following amendment to the Constitution of the State of Indiana, which was agreed to by the One Hundred Fourteenth General Assembly and referred to this General Assembly for reconsideration and agreement, is agreed to by this the One Hundred Fifteenth General Assembly of the State of Indiana.

SECTION 2. ARTICLE 1 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF THE STATE OF INDIANA IS AMENDED BY ADDING A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS:

Section 38. (a) Marriage in Indiana consists only of the union of one man and one woman.

(b) This Constitution or any other Indiana law may not be construed to require that marital status or the legal incidents of marriage be conferred upon unmarried couples or groups


What is the change?

Language in the constitution decreeing marriage as only between man and woman. And certain benefits bestowed upon unmarried people that are normally granted for marriage will be in violation of the amendment.

What is the snafu?

If the resolution is passed certain protections and benefit may be impacted that are currently given to those who are couples and their children outside of marriage. This will impact heterosexual couples as well as same sex couples.

Therefore the removal of (b) section of the resolution could be viewed as an amendment to the passed resolution.

What does the Indiana Constitution say about this issue?

Article 16
Section 1. (a) An amendment to this Constitution may be proposed in either branch of the General Assembly. If the amendment is agreed to by a majority of the members elected to each of the two houses, the proposed amendment shall, with the yeas and nays thereon, be entered on their journals, and referred to the General Assembly to be chosen at the next general election.
(b) If, in the General Assembly so next chosen, the proposed amendment is agreed to by a majority of all the members elected to each House, then the General Assembly shall submit the amendment to the electors of the State at the next general election.
(c) If a majority of the electors voting on the amendment ratify the amendment, the amendment becomes a part of this Constitution.
(History: As Amended November 3, 1998).


Section 2. If two or more amendments shall be submitted at the same time, they shall be submitted in such manner that the electors shall vote for or against each of such amendments separately.
(History: As Amended November 8, 1966).


So now what?

It is an all or nothing, if Article 16 is interpreted to prevent striking out part of the approved resolution. It will mean the process may have to start all over again, if any part is removed before going to the voters.

And if the SJR-7 goes forward as written?

Because of the unintentional impact on current benefits or relationship for certain unmarried couples or groups, more than likely lawsuits will be filed and the issue brought before the Indiana Supreme Court.

For more information on SJR-7 check out Indiana Law Blog and Advance Indiana or Blue Indiana

OH Jesus, Jesus Jesus-

There is a good reason for changing my name. For all the hell that I raise, I don't want anyone trying to take it out on my children. Because at that point, of messing with my children, I know I would have to go to jail. (voicing your concerns to authority, does not put you in good grace, but to throw a child into jail or prison for pushing a hall monitor for seven years is a little too much. I do not condone violence, and the child had no business touching the hall monitor. But seven (7) years in prison is insane for a 14 year old. No weapons were involved and the adult was not injured.

I have been touched and cornered by students and no way do I think any of those immature students should end up in anybodies jail. This child was trying to get in the school, when most children are trying to escape school. Shaquanda Cotton's mother had been protesting the disciplining practices of the school Do you think that would have anything to do with the Judge decision? Where are the civil liberty attorneys? Seven years, that ain't right..that ain't right. Cotton received write ups like these:

Among the write-ups Shaquanda received, according to Reynerson, were citations for wearing a skirt that was an inch too short, pouring too much paint into a cup during an art class and defacing a desk that school officials later conceded bore no signs of damage.

By Howard Witt
Tribune senior correspondent

March 12, 2007

**SNIP**

There are the Paris public schools, which are under investigation by the U.S. Education Department after repeated complaints that administrators discipline black students more frequently, and more harshly, than white students.

And then there is the case that most troubles Cherry and leaders of the Texas NAACP, involving a 14-year-old black freshman, Shaquanda Cotton, who shoved a hall monitor at Paris High School in a dispute over entering the building before the school day had officially begun.

The youth had no prior arrest record, and the hall monitor--a 58-year-old teacher's aide--was not seriously injured. But Shaquanda was tried in March 2006 in the town's juvenile court, convicted of "assault on a public servant" and sentenced by Lamar County Judge Chuck Superville to prison for up to 7 years, until she turns 21.

Just three months earlier, Superville sentenced a 14-year-old white girl, convicted of arson for burning down her family's house, to probation.

"All Shaquanda did was grab somebody and she will be in jail for 5 or 6 years?" said Gary Bledsoe, an Austin attorney who is president of the state NAACP branch. "It's like they are sending a signal to black folks in Paris that you stay in your place in this community, in the shadows, intimidated."

**SNIP**

But the teen's defenders assert that long before the September 2005 shoving incident, Paris school officials targeted Shaquanda for scrutiny because her mother had frequently accused school officials of racism.

Retaliation alleged

"Shaquanda started getting written up a lot after her mother became involved in a protest march in front of a school," said Sharon Reynerson, an attorney with Lone Star Legal Aid, who has represented Shaquanda during challenges to several of the disciplinary citations she received. "Some of the write-ups weren't fair to her or accurate, so we felt like we had to challenge each one to get the whole story."

Among the write-ups Shaquanda received, according to Reynerson, were citations for wearing a skirt that was an inch too short, pouring too much paint into a cup during an art class and defacing a desk that school officials later conceded bore no signs of damage.

Shaquanda's mother, Creola Cotton, does not dispute that her daughter can behave impulsively and was sometimes guilty of tardiness or speaking out of turn at school--behaviors that she said were manifestations of Shaquanda's attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, for which the teen was taking prescription medication.

Nor does Shaquanda herself deny that she pushed the hall monitor after the teacher's aide refused her permission to enter the school before the morning bell--although Shaquanda maintains that she was supposed to have been allowed to visit the school nurse to take her medication, and that the teacher's aide pushed her first.

But Cherry alleges that Shaquanda's frequent disciplinary write-ups, and the insistence of school officials at her trial that she deserved prison rather than probation for the shoving incident, fits in a larger pattern of systemic discrimination against black students in the Paris Independent School District.

In the past five years, black parents have filed at least a dozen discrimination complaints against the school district with the federal Education Department, asserting that their children, who constitute 40 percent of the district's nearly 4,000 students, were singled out for excessive discipline.

**SNIP**

A peculiar inmate

Meanwhile, Shaquanda, a first-time offender, remains something of an anomaly inside the Texas Youth Commission prison system, where officials say 95 percent of the 2,500 juveniles in their custody are chronic, serious offenders who already have exhausted county-level programs such as probation and local treatment or detention.

"The Texas Youth Commission is reserved for those youth who are most violent or most habitual," said commission spokesman Tim Savoy. "The whole concept of commitment until your 21st birthday should be recognized as a severe penalty, and that's why it's typically the last resort of the juvenile system in Texas."

Inside the youth prison in Brownwood where she has been incarcerated for the past 10 months--a prison currently at the center of a state scandal involving a guard who allegedly sexually abused teenage inmates--Shaquanda, who is now 15, says she has not been doing well.

Three times she has tried to injure herself, first by scratching her face, then by cutting her arm. The last time, she said, she copied a method she saw another young inmate try, knotting a sweater around her neck and yanking it tight so she couldn't breathe. The guards noticed her sprawled inside her cell before it was too late.

She tried to harm herself, Shaquanda said, out of depression, desperation and fear of the hardened young thieves, robbers, sex offenders and parole violators all around her whom she must try to avoid each day.

"I get paranoid when I get around some of these girls," Shaquanda said. "Sometimes I feel like I just can't do this no more--that I can't survive this."

Somebody needs to tell the governor of Texas to chose ye this day, and set Shaquanda free. Hat tip to Mother. WEBSITE For ADDRESSES AND WRITE TO Shaquanda Cotton Get to writing !

These are updates from ybpguide website: update 1]: looks like we’re getting the word spread. a fb group has started.

[update 2]: i started a thread over at topix. interesting pov’s, without question. i’ve also gotten word from a few friends that we have connections to ebony magazine and cnn that are being explored. keep spreading the word!

[update 3]: a site has been setup for her at http://freeshaquandacotton.blogspot.com/

and posted here: Paula Mooney

Fort Wayne Indiana South Sider makes Indiana All-Star Team

Sha'la Jackson

Many view the number 13 as unlucky. But for the 13 members of the 2007 Indianapolis Star Indiana Girls All-Star team, they can count that number lucky. And Sha' la Jackson is one among the thirteen high school girls basketball players selected to be a part of that team.



South Side Girls Basketball Team


Jackson who played for Fort Wayne, Indiana South Side High School was one of the top Hoosier talents selected for the All Star team, according to Jeff Rabjohns of the Indystar.

ROSTER

The Indiana team will be gunning for a win against Kentucky.




Hat tip to Fort Wayne Observed.

The Handicap Stall

potty

Going to the restroom, and seeing a handicap stall, makes me very happy. Because, it's roomier than the other stalls and is usually not occupied. Because, it's not that many handicap accessible, folks pass it by. But a meeting place for Internet dating? The story goes that two fellas met on the Internet. And decided to meet up at the airport. Perhaps they had a bite to eat before heading to the john (pun intended)...and got busted having oral sex in the rest room.Flush

Not only is it a cheap date..but a public restroom. And this restroom was in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport,. But I guess if an adviser from the National Center for Disease Control selected the place for his cheap dates, it must be free of germs or disease. You think? Maybe, there were cleaner than at the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.


But the airport? How busy are those places? I am wondering if the guy, Chris Hansen, from Dateline, does the show to catch online sex predators will start hanging around the restrooms. No need for a fancy big house, just go hang around the public stalls. I am going to make sure that I lock the stalls door from here on out.

But this is not the first time, a bust has occurred at this airport. It seems that a few of the down low clientele are big name folks and can make you laugh out loud. LOL And you can find each other on craiglist.

Fort Wayne Finest Police Officers

City of Fort Wayne Police Station

Dear Police Chief Rusty York
City of Fort Wayne


The bully patrol was in the neighborhood today. I noticed them out my back window. As well as my new neighbor's building a fence. My neighbor probably has not been in the neighborhood more than six months. But, has been a victim of burglary at least once. By building his fence, he will reduce the pass through traffic. Criminals who pass through to see what you got for a quick grab, or to move property to a new location.

So seeing this,I was a little alarmed. Especially with the weather warming up, and with my last meet and greet with a break in "at the top of my stairs" moment. So, I decided to do what I do best, investigate. When I finally caught up with officers driving cars #430, #129, and #138. I did not ask their names, after their rude and insolent behavior. Specifically car #129, I asked him what was going on? He decided to be a smart mouth. Me, of all people, I am not the one. Remember I wrote you about behavior that was unbecoming of another one of your officer.

I still believe these officers need cultural sensitive training, and gender issue training thrown in there too. Officers with smart mouths and guns are not a good mix. Tone it down with the testosterone, the officer was only required to answer a question not to "F" it up. Here's an article to help them get over themselves.

Three of the five policemen whose 50-bullet barrage killed an unarmed man on his wedding day were indicted Friday in a case that heightened racial tensions and renewed allegations that the city's officers are too fast on the trigger.

Here another article to give to them or read to them during roll call.

I hope I am not asking too much, but Police Chief Rusty York, could you tell your bully patrols they are not members of the Klu Klux Klan organization. Sorta remind them, they are members of a law enforcement agency. And when a citizen asks a question, don't get informal with them, nor unprofessional or rude and insolent. Don't tell them to not worry about it. I am not street or their wives. Just answer the "GD" question.

Sincerely,

A law abiding citizen

P.S. I am working on my name calling. Time between 2:30 p.m.-2:45 p.m.

No Child Left Behind-tutoring

Schools under the No Child Left Behind may be required to pay for tutoring services. Students must use only those tutoring services that are approved by the NCLB programs. Many of these programs charge a fee, but the child school may be required to pay the fee. Many parents are unaware that their children may qualify for these services. Parents should shop around and get the best service for their child and should not have to pay any out of pocket expense.


Krista Stockman of the journal-gazette reports on three schools in Fort Wayne Indiana. Children in these schools are entitled to paid tutoring. The article reports a low number of students utilizing the program.

Fairfield and Bloomingdale elementary schools in Fort Wayne Community Schools and Village Elementary in East Allen County Schools are required to offer free tutoring to students because they failed to meet the requirements of No Child Left Behind for at least three years and because they receive federal money to assist schools with a high percentage of low-income students.

It would be interesting to know what tutoring services are available in Fort Wayne, how much do they charge, where they perform their services, and is the tutoring a group or individualized service. Many tutoring services are based out of town.

Both districts have tried to eliminate transportation as an issue by offering companies that do in-home tutoring. A to Z In-Home Tutoring of Nashville, Tenn., and Club Z Tutoring Services of Tampa, Fla., work with students in their homes.

Both districts are also working with Specialty Tutoring of Fort Wayne, which tutors at the schools. FWCS also uses A+ Grades Up of Fort Worth, Texas, and EACS uses The Neighborhood Learning Place of Fort Wayne, which tutor in the schools.

The online service would work wonder for students, if they had computers in their home. Perhaps, some type of funding program could provide computers in the home for some of these students.

Officer and the reason you arrested this child was?

Seven year old boy goes to jail in hand cuffs. Hmmm, you say. For what, you say. For sitting on his dirt bike on a sidewalk. Let's see you want to read it for yourself, right here.

Hat tip to villager.

What is SJR7

I do not have a clue about SJR7. The most I can tell you it has to do with defining marriage. And some language in the Indiana Constitution will need to be changed to accommodate same sex marriage. And next week Indiana house will hold a hearing on the proposed changes.

Indiana Law Blog discusses SJR7 in detail.

But nobody discusses it more than Advance Indiana, all over his blogspot.

Get informed by reading the exchange of information on the two sites and don't forget to read the actual bill. This is one hot topic.

Allen County Election Board Boots Potential Candidates.

On March 9, 2007, the Allen County Election Board booted James Talarico from running for city council at large. It seems that Talarico voted in the last election as a Democratic, but selected the republican ticket to declare his candidacy. With that last name Talarico was more than likely to draw a lot of votes. Talarico could have appeared on the ballot with the blessing of the Allen County Republican Chair, Steve Shine, but that did not happen.

The election board also decided that the City Council at-large candidate James Talarico and city clerk candidate Thomas Schrader would not be on the Republican primary ballot. Both had voted as Democrats most recently and had not received a certificate of support from Republican Party Chairman Steve Shine.

Side note here, Ron Buskirk declared his candidacy for the 5th district. Buskirk did not become a member of the 5th district until January, 2007. Which means that Buskirk will represent long term voters of the 5th district. Buskirk last voted in precinct 412. Buskirk has not vote in his new precinct 578, is this fair?


Another candidate who was booted from the pool of contenders was Thomas Schrader. Schrader running for city clerk was dismissed based on his voting record rather than his party affiliation. The Democratic leader Kevin Knuth, did not give a thumbs up to this candidate, and should have invited them into the party game. Now we fully understand Steve Shine assimilation into the money community did not accept these waffling gents. But it is still a questionable eyebrow raising event for Knuth to thumb his nose at any potential candidate for the Democratic Party.

I forgot the Democratic Party is about the less the merrier membership. This party gave us a Pat Love to screw property owners on their taxes. This woman was a stellar post child representative for the incompetent leadership driving the party. And by keeping the Democratic party cliche membership low, members don't have to share power. And members do not have to take inclusion, serious, either. (wink, wink). Or pushing for more jobs for African-Americans, they just need the African-American votes. Independently typing outloud, if it's not true,prove me wrong.

Where are the independent candidates? I understand there is one independent candidate who will be running for Mayor.

FWAAIW salutes-Megan King

Megan King played basketball for Canterbury. That's all I can tell you. I heard about the young lady during a sport highlight on television. I was surprised to learn that her mother, who pointed in the story had cancer has left us. My heart breaks for Megan King. King's mother left behind a shining star and others who have followed her career will tell the story much better. Here, I simply note, Megan King makes us proud. According to News-Sentinel article




Sha'la Jackson
Sha’la Jackson of South Side, Megan King of Canterbury, Marceya Mingo of South Side, Rashida Ray of Harding and Jennifer Wall of New Haven have been named to the original list, which will be pared to a final list of 40 seniors.
Marceya Mingo





Those 40 girls, plus 10 participating alternates, will be invited to Hoosier Basketball magazine’s 26th annual Top 40 Workout on April 15 at Ben Davis High School


Fort Wayne Observed post a heartbreaking story about Megan King not being selected for the Indiana Basketball All-Star Team.

Polls for Cash

I am taking an informal poll. This will be a donation poll for Obama'08 campaign. You go here to donate. You do not give me a check, credit card number, cash, nothing. You just go to the website and give them your donation. I have set a goal of raising $1000.00. I believe the goal is reasonable, if not my donatation poll will prove that my other polls (listed in the sidebar) are incorrect. Help me in my polling.

Also, there will be numerous Obama community kickoff events scheduled for March 31. One community kickoff event for the Fort Wayne, Indiana Community will be small. So far 6 people have signed up. A conference room is scheduled for at least 12 people. This an informal and educational meeting planned for a total of 12 individuals.

Email dowdells@comcast.net for more information.

Security Please: Indiana Attorney General Steven Carter

Dear Attorney General Steven Carter:

I understand on Thursday, you were in Fort Wayne, pushing law enforcement entrance into the digital age. Fort Wayne law enforcement is not your most technology savvy type. Hell they are having enough problems catching our own drug dealers. Just ask the small town Muncie police force that arrested one of our big time drug dealer. Steven, what's up with that? I know you've been busy with all the fraud concerning nonprofits and consumers in Fort Wayne. But, I think you better take a little closer look at this Internet stuff, if you know what I mean. Meaning these organizations are full of nepotism and cronyism and are not necessarily intellectually wired with computer knowledge. I fear that those citizens who maintain these sex offender websites are not law officials. And therefore, oversight is lacking for these people.

These folks are capable of capturing the keystrokes of law abiding taxpayers who log onto these websites simply to gather information about sex offenders. You (meaning officials) provide these sites with little logos on giving these sites authenticity. Folks think everything is peachy because government supported and sponsored some of these sites.. But are these sites really government sites and are they really safe?

Identity theft can become a problem for these folks who visit such websites which lack privacy disclaimers. Attorney General Carter, I know you are in the business of protecting our citizens. So Steven are you requiring local law enforcement sites to warn citizens about the risk of their identity being stolen?

Well Steven, I don't expect to hear from you. I've yet to hear about State charges brought against the folks who ripped off our local home buyers. But, that does not mean I'm going to stop writing.

Public Restroom-rooms for sex

Fort Wayne Mayoral candidate Matt Kelty is hosting a discussion about sexual oriented businesses and its impact on the community. Indiana has suffered several stories with students having sex in school.And the behavior has now moved to a Fort Wayne public library, with the reporting of sexual of a young female pushed into the boy's restroom. However, the incident that caused the most outrage came after the story in Indianapolis reported that a teacher and students were presence in the classroom at the time of the act. We wonder what motivates children to cross the line of appropriate behavior into inappropriate behavior. Some blame parents, others like myself, blame the unprincipled character of leadership or adults titled as children role models.

Is this normal behavior from leadership? From the IndyStar an article by Whitney Smith raises certain questions:

Atlanta police have arrested an Indianapolis man and a Georgia public transportation official after police said they observed them having sex in a restroom at Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.

What if a child had entered that public restroom? Do adults care anymore about their lifestyle choices having an impact on children? I think that is probably why Kelty is having the discussion. Read more from the article in the Indystar.

Michael Pettry, 24, Indianapolis, and Edmond J.Wall , 43, Atlanta, were arrested on a preliminary charge of public indecency Tuesday after an undercover officer reportedly witnessed the sex act in a restaurant bathroom.
Pettry is managing director of the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir. Wall is board chairman of MARTA, the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority.
Pettry, reached in Lafayette, declined to comment. Michael Abbott, his Atlanta attorney, said Pettry denied "that he has done anything wrong." Abbott said police did not give Pettry a citation.
Wall's lawyer, Steve Sadow, told The Atlanta Journal-Constitution the allegations were "malicious and false lies," and that Wall was at Hartsfield-Jackson to see the airport's general manager.

Hat tip to Advance Indiana.

Wayne Township Relief vs. Harrison Square Park Funding

Rick Stevenson Applauds, Applauds to Wayne Township Trustee Rick Stevenson for pointing out the lack of funding in the Wayne Township budget needed to serve the community. According to Amanda Icone's article in the journal-gazette.

Stevenson requested a million dollars for Wayne Township budget. The Republican led Allen County Commissioners denied the request while the Allen County Council agreed to provide the funding. Of course this is a temporary loan from the county.

Township Trustee Rick Stevenson asked the county commissioners last week to borrow the money to cover costs through the spring, but the commissioners denied the request. He went before the council Thursday hoping for an advance on its tax distribution.

The media has given lots of ink and air time to young folks having meetings about what they need to have fun in downtown Fort Wayne. They don't have a clue that jobs and people are leaving, because of the high increases in taxes throughout the city. Many families remain in the city and work. Many of these families fall short of meeting their basis needs because of the low wages in the core of the city. These families are not carrying around pictures of a baseball park, they are carrying around the grit needed to make life better for their children. These families are the ones paying the price for( stealing a line from Cyndi Lauper) girls (boys)who just want to have fun. These family have little to no disposable income in taking care of their families.

A voice of reason came from Allen County Council Person Darren Vogt in the article,

But Councilman Darren Vogt, R-3rd, was concerned that the higher interest rate from an outside lender would increase the township’s tax rates. That could adversely affect taxpayers and send more people to the township seeking poor relief, he said.

.

Several speakers at the Harrison Square Park meeting held at the Allen County Main Library stated that 50,000 folks had left the core of the city. Dan Carmody
Dan Carmody Downtown Improvement District spoke about the exodus of more than 50,000 folks from the city. 50,000. This number suggest that folks are leaving Fort Wayne. This out migration is not only people but includes loss revenue. The tax burden of growing the current population was placed on those who were left behind in the central city. The tax shift to the suburb contributed to the gutting and negligent of downtown.

Today, the city and county need to reach into the pockets of those who prospered from leaving the city, and capture some funds to restore downtown. The restoration of downtown includes the Harrison Square Park. Instead of impact fees to capture the revenue needed to finance the downtown redevelopment, the wager is that projects within the Harrison Square Park with provide some of the necessary funding.

Not only that, young professionals returning home from college are bored with the cookie cutter life style of the suburbia. These young go-getters are seeking a more creative fun social life in the less inhibited urban core. However, these urban dwellers want homeowners rather than seeking a lifestyle of renters. This myth is that the young will build a new tax base in purchasing housing.

These potential homeowners are different than the old stuck in the mud Leave it to Beaver generation, a husband, wife and children. These young generation are seeking shared housing among friends. Friends who they can work with, hang out at their favorite restaurant or bar with. These young folks are seeking a downtown where they can live work and play in a bigger playground one that does not have the incestuous feel of their smaller communities.

Unfortunately this new younger generation bring in certain type of bias. They want to remove the old dwellers and create their newer cookie cutter community inside the urban core. These folks young folks don't have a clue, but show their true colors. It is the city's poor funding, the police department, schools, and other units. Each of these department demand more from this shrinking community. Take a look at that reassessment again. And the rest of the story has not been told, that these young professionals are unable to afford home ownership of the condos being proposed by Hardball Capital.