I love pink roses. Some are blooming still by the Vietnam War Veterans’ Memorial on the west side of the Courthouse.
Presenting you with an image by artist Brian Garvey:
The artwork was created for an issue card that went out in 1999 for City Councilman Andy Ruff’s campaign for elected office at that time. It was a postcard. On the backside it began, “Unrestrained [...]
The following is a note from County Councilwoman Julie Thomas, who is the Council’s appointee to the Monroe County Plan Commission. I was on the Plan Commission for three years, two of which were spent working on the Comprehensive Land Use Plan Update. My hope is that our Plan Commissioners [...]
While in NYC recently I chanced upon a fabulous open air food market where the wine was flowing, the bread was broken and shared, an herbal tincture prevented any cold I might catch from catching…and my heart was gladdened by the sight of several alluring kimchi vendors. OH that sublime [...]
What if people could redevelop themselves? Perhaps they do. Hardly anyone would say that they don’t seek to better themselves or their situation– how they do it, why, is all subjective and personal.
Sometimes that is why some of us travel…searching in other places is often a search for something [...]
Here’s an email I sent to the Redevelopment Commission and County Legal on October 6th:
Hello,
I would like for the RDC members to have an opportunity to submit agenda items– I believe our agenda should reflect more specificity— and this is also good for the public. This latter concern is [...]
Here are my “informal notes” from a meeting of the Redevelopment Commission on May 18th…I just stumbled upon this looking for an entirely unrelated document on my laptop.
Some of you may find this to be an interesting footnote to my blog entry of yesterday:
rdcmay18notes.pdf
They’re unedited, unofficial, [...]
If you do something over and over again and don’t get the result you want– isn’t that what some people half-jokingly call the “definition of insane?”
This is a bit of a ramble: But I just looked over my pin-the-tail entries about Redevelopment from this past year since becoming a Redevelopment [...]
Health Ins. VP sends Obama Hate-mail on Company Account
Read the story on blogger Hart Williams’ blog: His Vorpal Sword. Warning: there are disturbing and hideous images.
Williams details the story of a pathetic Hylant Insurance Vice President who sent racist emails from his company email address. This story has [...]
Wouldn’t it be cool if we could have a local, regular CiclovĂa?
This is what it is:
“One place that many of the alternative transportation advocates around the world look to is Bogota, Colombia where a revolution in transportation has occurred over the last ten years. In the face of major complaints [...]
Dear Rethie,
I write knowing you have long held elected office (it only takes one vote) and want to express my appreciation for the appointment of your roomate and Chief of Operations in the court you preside over —- representing and upholding the values of the Progressive Democratic Kitty Caucus.
We [...]
This evening the Monroe County Democratic Party is holding their annual “JJ” Dinner– Jefferson Jackson Dinner. We’ll be visited by Representative Jan Schakowsky.
In 2007 I blogged about JJ Dinners and if you visit that entry you can find links and text to historic addresses delivered by politicians [...]
Update:
PRESS RELEASE
August 27, 2009
For More Information, contact:
Chris Gaal, Office of the Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney, 349-2670
NEW COMMUNITY INITIATIVES FOCUS ON SEXUAL ASSAULT
Bloomington, IN – Monroe County Prosecuting Attorney Chris Gaal, along with representatives from Bloomington Hospital, Indiana University, law enforcement, and others, today announced the [...]
The Monroe County RDC will meet today in the Nat U. Hill Meeting Room, Monroe County Courthouse, 4:15pm.
On the agenda is actually a joint meeting discussion with the Monroe County Economic Development Commision. The EDC is responsible for reviewing tax abatements among other things…today we are supposed to hear from [...]
This is great news– and a long overdue part of the continuum of justice services for Monroe County. Prosecutor Chris Gaal has been attempting to get this position established for several years. Ramping up to it being established has taken overhauling a comprehensive approach to his office’s programs—which are based [...]
Very fun to attend the City of Bloomington’s opening of limestone sculptor Dale Enochs’ piece downtown, “Immovable Feast,” last Thursday evening. The weather was so lovely and the sunset was just beginning which created wonderful light. The evening before Mr. Fluck Mill and I chatted with Dale while he was [...]
I have once visited the 38th Parallel vicinity, the Demilitarized Zone, that divides South and North Korea. This was in 1984. That year I lived in both Osan and Seoul, Korea.
Panmunjeon is a desolate place. It’s hard to believe how the construct of [...]
It goes so quickly, doesn’t it?
Starting today Pin-the-tail will be on a brief vacation. While I’m not going out of town, I’m involved in many activities and am in a real transition with the feel of blogging. I need a time to reflect, rejuvenate, and [...]
Margaret Cho blogs about the journalists Euna Lee and Laura Ling in an entry on her blog called Let My People Go:
I am very concerned about Euna Lee and Laura Ling, the American journalists for Current TV who just got sentenced to 12 years in a North Korean [...]
IU’s Director of Diversity Education and I visited WFHB’s African-American News & Public Affairs program, Bring It On!
We were interviewed by Beverly Callender-Anderson and Jim Sims about the Loving Day Celebration at the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center.
Enjoy listening: Bring It On! June 22, 2009
Two local residents reflect on [...]
Here’s an article about redevelopment in Los Angeles, an interesting read about redevelopment and subsidizing of development: localities-aid-developers-but-critics-cry-bailouts-usatodaycom.pdf
The Monroe County Redevelopment Commission meets today in the Nat U. Hill Room, County Courthouse, 3:30pm: tuesauditorecopy-exchange-06182009-152036.pdf
Here is a memo about a project plan that members of the RDC [...]
What does this mean for the taxpayers of Monroe County?
What does this mean to the employees of Monroe County Government? Especially those whose salary lines are being looked at by the County Council towards a purported “effort” to make county government “smaller” or “more efficient?”
And is this what Democrats [...]
LOVING DAY Celebration, Time of Reflection on the Anniversary of Loving v. Virginia (1967)
Loving Day celebrations commemorate the anniversary of Loving v. Virginia (1967), the Supreme Court decision that legalized interracial marriage in the United States. Loving Day fights racial prejudice through education and builds multicultural community.
Come to The Neal-Marshall [...]
Indiana Coalition for the Arts has this message alert— which was forwarded to me from the City of Bloomington’s Miah Michaelson, Arts Economic Development Director:
Governor’s New Budget AGAIN Slashes the Arts by 50%
Contact your Legislators Now!
As you may know, Governor Mitch Daniels rejected the budget the Indiana Legislature [...]
I’ve been summoned for jury duty. I called to check in today and was greeted by a very pleasant and nice voice. I learned that my duty won’t likely require my presence until later in the month.
In filling out a questionnaire that came with my jury summons I had to [...]
I KNEW it– and I have asked questions and wondered aloud about such a possibility many times…and thanks to a tip from an insider, I’ve got something very interesting for folks to think about: Affordable housing in a Tax Increment Finance District? Why not?
Here you go: tif-funding-affordable-housing.pdf
[...]I just bumped into Chaim Julian, the champion of Democracy for Monroe County.
He was strolling to lunch and I was hanging about the street corner with Baby Finn– entertaining the baby boy in the midst of lunch at Falafels (a yummy place by the way.) We gabbed. He reports [...]
Hey– check it out! From the WFHB website:
Bloomington native and professional planner Heidi Russell Wagner worked with Monroe County Director of Planning Greg Zody on a green rewrite of the county’s landscape ordinance. Changes to the ordinance include a requirement for greater biodiversity on commercial properties, and a mandate [...]
at 4:15pm in the Nat U. Hill Meeting Room of the Monroe County Courthouse.
One of the items for our consideration is the rapidly produced Proposal for Services; Vernal Pike Regional Utility and Roadway Plan-Ridgeline, Inc. Parcel.
This is rather surprising to me as we just created a line for this area [...]
It’s not that easy to serve on a body one has been a little dubious of getting near…and has held a distance to in order to criticize.
But there are three new members on the County Redevelopment Commission: myself, Dale Jones, and Don Moore. None of us are known for [...]
Wonderful article in the NY Times: In German Suburb, Life Goes On Without Cars
[...]
This video is about green roofs– google the fabulous Van Jones and find more about one of our Environmental Heroes— he is the Special Advisor for Green Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ).
Today Van Jones was profiled on NPR: Green ‘Czar’ Pushes [...]
Democracy for Monroe County will meet at the Village Deli tonight at 7:00pm for a Link-up!
I’ll talk a little bit about my past lobbying efforts for freight rail transportation with Go21.
There’s a nice program, as always, and hanging out with a bunch of Progressive Democrats is always good [...]
is meeting today at the County Courthouse at 4pm.
We are meeting to create a budget line for something called the “Ridgeline Project” about which I trust I’ll learn more this afternoon…
My request that minutes for the RDC meetings be featured online for public access was answered and a new webpage [...]
Good news first: County Councilman McKim sent me this article: Lugar to support IU law professor’s nomination
Now the blah, blah:
I just heard a light news piece on WFIU with no details about the state legislature not likely to being ready to vote on a budget– a budget session in [...]
This reminder came from the local Democratic Women’s Caucus today:
This from the wires yesterday: “Law professors from Duke University and Pepperdine University are banding together to support the nomination of Indiana University law professor Dawn Johnsen to head the federal Office of Legal Counsel.
“Walter Dellinger and Douglas Kmiec will [...]
Entertaining, and withering guest column in the H-T by Deke Hager in which he comments on the recent idiocy demonstrated by the “teabaggers.” Here’s a portion of the piece– you can click here for a pdf too:
tea-party-an-ugly-parade-of-vulgar-images-and-sentiments_-heraldtimesonlinecom.pdf
Primer on racism time, folks. Gary Coleman’s mugging on the [...]
This weekend I visited Karst Farm Park on Friday and Saturday afternoon.
Baby Finn with Matt Wilhoit–MC Parks & Rec and the IU Kosiers President
On Friday I saw lots of people enjoying the playgrounds, paths, and the IU Kosiers (Korean Soccer Club) were setting [...]
Here’s a link to a funny blog, with hilarious photo documentation of yesterday’s tea time downtown:
Gin and Tacos
I wrote a column that the H-T kindly published: treatment-of-women-in-the-workplace-a-snapshot-of-values_-heraldtimesonlinecom.pdf
My own title for the piece was “A Snapshot of Values.”
Here’s a pdf of the format I sent in: snapshotofvalues.pdf
Here’s my Baby Finn wearing a funny Easter outfit:
I’ve had numerous conversations with lots of different people about County Parks & Rec this past week or so.
There is a budget crunch with County Government. Some of you may be yawning, “Yeah, what else is new,” you might be saying…
It does seem to be the boiler plate theme each [...]
Last Friday I heard Beverly Calender-Anderson read this Proclamation at a kickoff luncheon on campus at Indiana University:
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, the fabric and foundation of America is enriched by the diverse cultural palette and unique traditions of individuals and groups who have helped shape our nation; and
WHEREAS, encompassing many histories, languages and [...]
I haven’t checked it out yet but you can listen to audio files of Council meetings now: 2009 County Council meetings
It looks like the online pages for County Council are being revamped. I’ve already emailed some critiques to Councilman Kelson. It will be great to see the pages updated [...]
You can read about the local Democratic Women’s Caucus event with keynote speaker Madeline Kunin over at this blog: Elect Women Magazine!
[...]Word up– Mayor Kruzan penned a column for the Bloomington Alternative.
And Mr. Fluck Mill has written about the recent MPO meeting for his Civitas column in The Bloomington Alternative.
The Bloomington Alternative is a biweekly journal of news and commentary published in Bloomington, Ind. It is a mission-driven [...]
Just for the record, I did mention to reporter Bethany Nolan that, “The real story is about singles who enter into public service…”
I’m referring to this article: power-couples-play-key-roles-in-local-government_-heraldtimesonlinecom.pdf
I also talked with her a bit about land use issues as a commonality between the couples who share progressive priorities— [...]
My server for pin-the-tail, called “littlebear” was moved from one location to another last week. Hence the lack of activity.
While I have no shortage of topics to blog about (let’s see, where to begin…hearing the great keynote speaker at the Women’s History Lunch last week? A little County Gov gossip? [...]
That’s the name of a song, and album, by my good friend John Dehner. It’s sort of the soundtrack for my thoughts today.
Baby Finn had a checkup yesterday and he’s 18 pounds and 14 ounces. And doing really well– the doctor is very pleased! Hooray!
Yesterday morning Mr. Fluck Mill [...]
I was grateful for having a “good hair day” as I donned horrible “stomach holding in” (as Bridget Jones describes them) stockings and put on something dignified that fits decently today for “A Day at the Statehouse.”
And I nearly didn’t think I could make it as I rushed out the [...]
Heading to it to join a group from Options, Inc. to talk to legislators about Medicaid.
More later.
[...]Having scant time to blog about the dizzying array of topics that I can choose from (Obama’s speech, the Republican’s stale response, the County Redevelopment Commission revelations, etc.!!!) for pin-the-tail, I’m going to rely on the Huffington Post to relay some news about Asian-American Gary Locke being chosen for Commerce [...]
“Show me the money!” That’s what local taxpayers should be thinking!
Today at 4pm the Monroe County Redevelopment Commission will meet at the County Courthouse Nat U. Hill Room.
Here’s the RDC’s PUBLIC MEETING AGENDA:
1. Roll Call and Call to Order
2. Election of Officers
3. Annual Report Contract
4. Discussion North Park TIF
5. Commissioners’ Comment
6. Public Comment
7. Adjournment
We’ve got professional [...]
Money, money, money.
County Councilors McKim, Hawk, and Kelson form what sounds like an evolution of the Council’s “Revenue Committee,” which, when started a few years ago, met a few times ad hoc– but never really launched itself into flight.
It will be interesting to see how they bring study and reflection [...]
“The cancer drug Herceptin saved the author’s life. It also cost $60,000. Would health-care reform put it, and other expensive new drugs, out of reach?” ~Virginia Postrel
A few days ago I blogged about a friend of mine with breast cancer in my entry titled, “B is for Breast, B [...]
I am waging what seems to be a never ending battle with paperwork, piles and piles of “hard copy” of records from serving on Council. It is very hard to throw away things…”I just might need that…”
As I concluded a 10 minute sorting session a moment ago, I put aside [...]
When you live in an old house you constantly discover things that have been done to the house– many of the jobs done from about the 1940’s through the 1980’s to our home are TERRIBLE!
Bad repair jobs done to our pre-Civil War home conjure up horrible things like vermiculite, asbestos, [...]
Feb. 7, Saturday, from 11am-2pm, at Monroe County History Center, for Your Art Here!
“Bagels, Billboards and Ballads” is a kid-inspired event guaranteed to generate fun for family and friends. Food and drinks will be provided as well as interactive musical entertainment and an [...]
“Women agonize… over cancer; we take as a personal threat the lump in every friend’s breast.” ~Martha Weinman Lear, Heartsounds
The season of local benefits is full-swing: Options Chocolate Festivities, Your Art Here Billboard Generation, you name it, there’s a fundraiser to benefit any number of causes around every corner in [...]
Tearing myself away from my iPhone and social networking sites between Finn’s mini meals of rice cereal and mashed banana, I find that there’s no packet online in preparation for writing any dish about County Government…
“Where’s the packet?”
The Council’s agenda’s absence online might mean a couple of things– the Council [...]
Last March, Mr. Fluck Mill, then a member of the Monroe County Economic Development Commission, worked to attempt shedding more light on some discussions and questions related to the impending closure of our local General Electric factory…I submit to you readers an email he sent out today that followed up [...]
I hope that it’s the number one issue for the Monroe County Commissioners…and it’s #1 at the national level of politics…
The February issue of Harper’s Magazine has a great headlining article. It’s dense, a bit dark, but worth a read:
My brother-in-law, artist Christopher Serra, did the accompanying illustration for [...]
“Lord, in the memory of all the saints who from their labors rest, and in the joy of a new beginning, we ask you to help us work for that day when black will not be asked to get in back, when brown can stick around, when yellow will be [...]
Mom and I made a Korean dish for a little party we’re going to for watching the inauguration!
One of the aspects of the new administration that has my Mom very excited is the appointment of Sanjay Gupta as the new Surgeon General of the United States!
In the lexicon of [...]
Is your t.v. ON, not off?
If you’re not among the millions by the Lincoln Memorial, then maybe, like me, you’re grateful for television at times like this!
I’m mostly enchanted by my little fella Finn these days but so glad to hear the mellifluous sound of Obama’s voice– and entertained by [...]
Yeah, I LOVE the Rufus Thomas version…it’s a perfect song…I’m thinking of it as I brace myself to walk the dogs this morning.
The news today is that I have been appointed to the Monroe County Redevelopment Commission. Thank you Monroe County Council! I look forward very much to the work [...]
Okay– so today marks the first day I’m deleting a post that was up here for a few hours– perhaps it’s because I’m delirious from a cold or maybe I’m swiftly becoming totally out of touch with the workings of local government.
Anyhoo– today marks the first meeting of the NEW [...]
These facts accompanied an article that Andy Mahler forwarded to a list of e-mail recipients– also included was an article about coal ash in ponds that was published in yesterday’s Indystar (AP, written by Dina Cappiello.)
Indiana’s ponds stored more coal ash than any other state’s, according to an [...]
Ah yes…Saturday is Finn’s Pop’s birthday! I’ll be breaking out the fondue pot and have his favorite flavor cake on order. That would be a lemon cake!
He was born in Boston. From Beacon Hill he traveled to India…then California, Morocco, back to La Jolla…then, [...]
Many county governments around the country offer introductions and education about local government in the form of County Citizens’ Academies. These offerings help both government and citizens to accentuate positive ways for understanding how public services work. Monroe County Government offered one such academy after much lobbying of the County [...]
Most of us are awaiting change at the national level…it’s certainly been an interesting transition period!
Hooray for our local Dawn Johnsen for being selected as Obama’s pick for assistant attorney general for the Office of Legal Counsel. Very interesting, very exciting!
Mr. Fluck Mill, Baby Finn, and I headed east for [...]
with a Happy New Year!
I’ll be back online after January 1…for now, wishing all of you a wonderful start to the New Year and hoping you all have much to celebrate!
Cheers!
a doodle I’ve drawn featuring two New Orleans King Cakes…
by Lewis Carroll
(From A Fairy To A Child)
Lady dear, if Fairies may
For a moment lay aside
Cunning tricks and elfish play,
‘Tis at happy Christmas-tide.
We have heard the children say -
Gentle children, whom we love -
Long ago, on Christmas Day,
[...]
County Commissioners meeting at 9am today in the Nat U. Hill Room…they’ve invited a motley crew of elected officials who are outgoing!
Another item of business I think I may end up taking part in at the meeting is the presentation of the contract for Community Services Grant Award recipients. I [...]
I’m sorting through all my Council binders, files, folders, piles of papers, etc. and I’ve filled one of those plastic tubs full of things to move along to the Council office. In my opinion, when you’ve reached the “plastic tub” phase, it’s time to purge. [...]
The final meeting of the Monroe County Plan Commission for 2008 is tonight at 6pm.
The main topic of discussion and presentation is focused on the Monroe County Comprehensive Land Use Plan Update.
Here’s the current, old Comp Plan: Comprehensive Land Use Plan
Yesterday’s roundtable was very nice, productive; I’ll provide [...]
the cover of The Motherhood Manifesto by Joan Blades & Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner; visit Moms Rising to learn more
Last Spring I hosted two roundtable discussions for employees of County Government to discuss workplace issues.
What began as a discussion revolving around maternity and workplace [...]
On the way to Finn’s 6 month check-up this morning he and I listened to “Let’s Go Do the Hop” playing on an oldies station out of Bedford…now, before you think I’m a total cornball let me explain that last night I had the station cranked up because they were [...]
Tonight is the last County Council meeting of this year– and the last of my 4 year term serving on the County Council!
While I still have several more local governmental meetings, anticipating this afternoon feels like waiting for a special occasion. I’m glad the agenda includes our Community Services grant [...]
Yesterday I had a conversation with journalist Stephanie Simon.
Today I caught up on a few H-T articles and I’m glad I didn’t miss this letter to the editor from writer James Alexander Thom:
A learning opportunity
To the editor:
With financial tycoons and auto industry moguls panhandling in Congress, with [...]
Some of you may be counting down the days until Santa Claus arrives.
Some of us are counting down the days until their term on County Council ends…sniff! As of yesterday I have meetings until December 22 scheduled…so, while my last County Council meeting appears to be next Tuesday, I still [...]
Today I walked to Wylie Hall to visit a class taught by my friend, Alfredo Minetti.
“Inside Community Arts Organizations” is the title of the class. I got there a little early and chatted with a few students beforehand. One student even remarked that it’s been one of the best classes [...]
The Monroe County Land Use Update has occupied a lot of my attention these past few months and the Plan Commission is getting geared up to meet a benchmark at our December meeting. A Focus Group was conducted this past Saturday and word is that it was very effective, successful. [...]
Spaghetti & homemade meatballs were on the menu last night for “Dinner & a Movie…”
Local Folks Food sauce & local farm-raised ingredients for Hoosier style meatballs were very tasty– a meal made for a cozy night in!
Tonight a public meeting will take place at the Courthouse, Nat U. Hill Meeting Room, 5pm:
Applicants for County Council Community Services Grant awards will make 2 minute presentations to the committee assigned to vet the applications for the County Council.
Committee members are: Councilwoman Marty Hawk, Councilwoman Jill Lesh, Citizen [...]
Taylor & her artwork created for Your Art Here BBGVI 2008…the 2009 BBGVII theme will be “Sustainability: Living in Balance…”
And, have you all read this beautiful letter by Alice Walker for President Elect Obama?
Nov. 5, 2008
Dear Brother Obama,
You have no [...]
1Sky’s goal is to build a diverse, society-wide mobilization that will convince our federal government to take bold action by 2010. To identify the steps that our leaders need to take in order to shift our nation away from global warming and toward the prosperity of a green economy, [...]
The top map is voting patterns in this 2008 election– the bottom map is cotton production in 1860…
[...]There is currently a special documentary film about Section 60: Arlington Memorial Cemetery airing on HBO. You can read more about it by clicking here.
I always think about my Grandfather and Great Uncles at this time of year…all of them WWII veterans. I have a handsome group [...]
Tonight is another continuation meeting of the County Council Budget Adoption Hearing.
5pm, Nat U. Hill Meeting Room
This is a new step in the budget process (reviewing other taxing unit budgets) and various representatives have appeared at other meetings in case Council starts gnashing teeth and critiquing budgets. They’ve been sent [...]
Tonight, free concert at Buskirk-Chumley: Singing for Social Justice, brought to you in part by one of my dearest friends, the talented Maestro Alfedo Minetti!
Be there or be square!
[...]Today I wrote a letter of recommendation for a young friend applying for a scholarship for college…a young writer no less!
Then I fetched signed letters from doctors to begin a process for making a donation to the Indiana Mother’s Milk Bank project…
