Archive for the “Fort Wayne” Category

By Jim Sack

Just before council started last night one member noticed a large drawing of the Ardmore corridor taped to the wall and lamented “that will take three hours.” He could not have been farther from the truth. Half an hour at the max. Not even Liz Brown challenged assumptions. Only Marty Bender commented, from his position as president and from experience in “working accidents there” that there might be some minor design flaws. Nothing much, John Shoaff, an advocate for the project, had two star witnesses on the bench ready to call in, but there was no need. David Ross, the city engineer, repeated note how involved the process had been and how many hours had been spent working with the neighborhood to get “everyone on board.” It was his mantra last night. Neighborhood involvement. So, a few simple questions and a vote. Yeas carried. Everybody was in favor. The price tag is well over $3 million, but Mr. Ross noted that the bids came in much, much under, around a million dollars under, the estimates. Great savings, according to Ross. So they seem to be.

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How did it get this bad?

Festering disease catches up with you. Whether it be  in a relationship, your own health, or budget deficits–if you don’t pay attention to the problem you end up with gangrene.

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By Micah Clark

he Fort Wayne City Council officially rejected a proposed ordinance last night which would have granted special behavior-based protections to people with gender identity disorders. The ordinance was a defeat for cross dressers, homosexuals and transgender activists seeking governmental endorsement of their chosen identity and actions.

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By Jim Sack

Sex can be very, very divisive. It certainly was at council last night. Just ask Councilman Tom Smith how it felt to be personally attacked for a rude and insensitive statement he is alleged to have made. Just ask the dozens of young people who showed up to lobby for “their rights.” Just ask the score or so who were there to rail against “those people.” Just ask the rest of council all of whom who sat through forty long, long minutes of contentious arguments from both sides. It was an impassioned evening that can be described as sad.

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Karen Goldner will yet again introduce an ordinance that makes no sense, in my opinion. I wrote about it earlier here.

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The City of Fort Wayne. The digital darling of the Midwest, right? Wrong.

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There was little of significance on the agenda last night at council, so little in fact that members wondered why President Marty Bender had even bothered to hold the meeting. You see, there seems to be a cycle to the business of council not unlike various rhythms of life and, in council’s case, they peak during the budget season when there is a parade of paper and people to the table.

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By Jim Sack

Ben Lanka missed a point this morning in his political column in the Journal. His error, while slight, gave me time to think about the media in Fort Wayne.

Ben chided the mayor, Tom Henry, an old-family Fort Wayner, for referring to State Boulevard as State Street. So? Most of the old-timers in Fort Wayne, most who have been raised here would know it that way, not just as State Boulevard. Point for the mayor flub for the out-of-town reporter. Ben, however, is a very nice guy, works hard at his craft, but blew that one.

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Last year we reported this.

Henry hired Palermo Galindo as Fort Wayne’s Hispanic-immigrant liaison back in June. Palermo Galindo operates Centro De Dinero, one of those high-priced check cashing services whose target audience is the Hispanic market, and undoubtedly Fort Wayne’s illegal alien population.

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By Jim Sack

I heard the other day about what seemed to be a real blatant bit of insider dealing.  It is a lesson in how Fort Wayne works and how rumors grow into something more.

The story was of a sweet-heart deal and conflict of interest.  It involved a leading citizen and one of his employees sitting on a board making the decision on the matter.

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By Jim Sack

Council was awash with stories last night.

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