Fort Wayne Observed

Fort Wayne Dealers Carry on with Cash for Clunkers

Shown above are signs posted today along Coldwater Road in Fort Wayne at Glenbrook Hyundai. That dealer, along with many others, was proceeding with "cash for clunkers" promotions despite the off and on again signals out of Washington about the program.

Many of the dealers had already committed to advertising and promotion programs for this weekend - including live radio remotes -when the word came overnight that the program would be suspended because it was believed that the original spending ceiling of $1 billion had already been reached.

That confusing and conflicting signals had reached consumers through the media was evidence by a late morning cut-in on WAJI 95.1 from Fort Wayne Nissan assuring listeners that the Fort Wayne dealership was still going forward with "cash for clunkers."  Fort Wayne Toyota had ads on in heavy rotation on the same station promoting cash for clunkers.

Almost all new car dealers are reporting huge jumps in consumer visits since the promotion started late last week.  A representative from a large South Bend dealer related to FWOb last weekend that the promotion had jumpstarted retail auto sales from a nearly dead stop.

There are some analysts, however, who caution that the promotion may be drawing in prospective buyers who were likely buyers later in the year and that the result may be a drop off in showroom traffic at the end of the year and the beginning of 2010.

Last February, FWOb wrote about the 2009 opening of the FireKeepers Casino in Battle Creek, a short drive east of I-69 on I-94.  Firekeepers is located just off the interstate.

Now, the casino is nearing its opening date and is advertising heavily in nearby markets in anticipation of its opening.  The billboard above is located on I-69 in Fort Wayne just north of the Illinois Road interchange.

As FWOb noted at the time, current Fort Wayne Deputy Mayor Greg Purcell had been County Executive of the Michigan county in which Firekeepers is located.  Firekeepers is a Potawatomie Indian tribe owned casino and was not the recipient of any local government assistance.

Mr. Purcell, as county executive said this last year about the establishment of Firekeepers: "It's a double-edged sword. From an economic standpoint there are going to be some good things. but there will be social welfare issues and crime issues as well."

What is known is that FireKeepers is well within reach of the potential market of any Fort Wayne based casino.  One of the phenomenon of casinos and gaming facilities is that as each opens it tends to draw down the revenues of gaming facilities nearby.  That, in turn, sparks those facilities to seek expansions in the types of gaming activities which then results in a cycle of diminishing returns and rising demands for expansion for each competing gaming facility.  It is a downward vortex.  

City Council "Sit-In" at 3-1-1

Some City Council members will be sitting in at the City of Fort Wayne 3-1-1 Call Center to get a first hand view of how myriad citizen calls are handled.

Mitch Harper of the 4th District will be the first council member to be sitting in, donning headphones, and seeing how the computerized call receipt  and response system works first hand on Monday at 9:30 AM. Councilwoman Karen Golder will be sitting in on Tuesday morning.  It is expected that other council members will also take the opportunity to sit in.

An invitation to do so was sent to Council members earlier this week by Citys Utilities Services Director Phil GiaQuinta and City Utilities Customer Relations Director Karen Fiedler.

Last December, in the immediate aftermath of the ice storm, several city council members and Phil GiaQuinta encountered each other in the hallway outside the City Utilities offices on the second floor of the City County Building. We talked about how well the Call Center had ramped up to handle the large volume of calls resulting from the storm.  We then talked about some of the metrics of the call center, the improvements that had been made and were contemplated and some of the perceptions of the call center related by citizens to council members at neighborhood meetings.

I mentioned that it might be useful for council members to have first-hand experience in the call center.  Phil GiaQuinta said that was quite timely as he had just been reviewing the positive experience that Indianapolis and other communities had had with exposing council members and other department heads to the call center and that he was already planning to do so in Fort Wayne. 

He indicated he would do so after then end of this legislative session and he has been good on that committment. 

If Not Leonard, then Banks

The announcement by Indiana state Senator Gary Dillon, MD that he would not seek re-election in 2010 has set off speculation about which candidates will seek to succeed him.  Early speculation centers on State Representative Dan Leonard of Huntington, State Represenative Bill Ruppel of Wabash and Whitley County Councilman Jim Banks.  All are Republicans.

In 1979, I created the "If Not Bowen, then Quayle" button to promote the idea that Governor Otis Bowen was the natural choice to make a challenge to incumbent US Senator Birch Bayh in the 1980 election but, if he chose not to run, US Representative Dan Quayle should be the candidate. 

A good description of the race to succeed Doc Dillon might accurately be described as "If Not Leonard, then Banks."

Senator Dillon  was originally elected from Columbia City in Whitley County and now resides just over the county line in Pierceton in Kosciusko.  His predecessor, the late Harold 'Potch' Wheeler, was also from Whitley County. 

The 17th District covers all of Whitley and Huntington Counties, a majority of Wabash County, 3 townships in Grant, 3 townships in Kosciusko, and Lake and Eel River Townships in Allen County. A candidate from either Whitley or Huntington County will have an advantage going into the 2010 Republican primary.  State Representative Dan Leonard's legislative district covers Huntington County and all but one township in Whitley County.

If State Representative Leonard chose to run, it is almost certain that County Councilman Jim Banks would defer to Mr. Leonard.  Both are identified as strong fiscal conservatives and advocates of small business.  If Mr. Leonard were to run, Mr. Banks would then be able to run for the open state representative seat.

However, if State Representative Dan Leonard chose to remain in what he affectionately calls "The People's House" then Councilman Banks would almost certainly seek the senate seat of Doc Dillon.

How About a Harry Baals Irish Stout, Mr. President?

Later today, Professor Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and Sergeant James Crowley will be visiting the White House to toss back a couple of cold ones with the President of the United States.

Presidential spokesman Robert Gibbs "hinted the presidential cooler will likely be stocked with what he understood to be the two guest's own personal favorites - Red Stripe and Blue Moon.  'The president will drink Bud Light,' Mr. Gibbs added."

That is reported by the Wall Street Journal's Robert Tomsho in today's edition. None of the beers mentioned are produced by American brewers.

How about an American beer ... or an American craft or microbrew beer?  Fort Wayne brewers Mad Anthony and Warbird both produce many worthy choices.

Given the shared Irish ancestry of the three gentlemen meeting this afternoon, perhaps Mad Anthony's Harry Baals Irish Stout would be an appropriate choice. And, of course, there is the political connection of a beer named in honor of Fort Wayne's longest serving mayor.

You can weigh in with your opinion by casting a vote in the special edition "Your Take" poll in the left hand column of this page.

Rabbit Redux

"If you haven't seen it then it's new to you" used to be NBC's catchphrase to promote its rerun schedule.  In that spirit, FWOb is posting the following video from State Farm Insurance promoting its iPhone Pocket Agent.

You may have seen it earlier this summer on the Political Equinox weblog, but if not, "it's new to you."  The Political Equinox is edited by Pat McAlister and Neil Kelty, both of Fort Wayne.  That's Mr. McAlister behind the wheel in the video.

Toya: From Li'l Wayne to Fort Wayne's James Hardy

Last month, the BET cable television network debuted the new reality show Tiny & Toya. It features    Tameka "Tiny" Cottle and Antonia "Toya" Johnson-Carter. Ms. Carter is recently divorced from rap start Li'l Wayne.

On the second episode of the show, Ms. Carter went out on a blind date with Fort Wayne's James Hardy. Mr. Hardy is a former Elmhurst High School and Indiana University football standout now a wide receiver with the Buffalo Bills. 

Mr. Hardy and Ms. Carter are now the subject of celebrity website posts.  Ms. Carter attended "James Hardy Day" on June 13th in Fort Wayne. The event was held at McMillen Park and is planned to be held annually to support the charitable endeavors of the James Hardy III Foundation.

Mr. Hardy had surgery to repair a torn ACL last winter. He is currently on the "physically unable to perform" list for the Bills but is expected to take part in practice following passage of a physical examination.

Graphic credit: the BET network

US Senate Politics in the Age of Facebook and Texting

The political news cycle is getting shorter and shorter in the age of Facebook, texting and Twitter.

Exhibit A is the case of potential Indiana US Senate candidate Dan Dumezich of Schererville in northwest Indiana. The former state representative has explored running for the Republican nomination in 2010 to take on incumbent US Senator Evan Bayh.

This morning, The Howey Report noted that Mr. Dumezich was not going to run for the senatorial nomination. Then Mr. Dumezich sought to correct that notion by writing this on his Facebook page shortly after 1 PM this afternoon:

Still considering a run for Senate - miscommunication on my part with Howey...that's what happens when I text while driving!

State Senator Marlin Stutzman of Howe and Don Bates, Jr. of Winchester have announced their intentions to seek the Republican US Senate nomination.

UPDATE: Ben Smith of Politico.com picks up the FWOb post.

New Poll - Preferred Auto

The latest Fort Wayne Observed poll has been posted in the left column of the weblog.  It asks what car company is most likely to make the next car you purchase.

Ford Motor Company has been gaining US market share.  GM and Chrysler will see if sales suffer in the wake of reorganization, bailout and bankruptcy. Foreign owned car makers are dealing with their own adjustments to the down economy and reshaped markets.

Take a moment to complete the poll and feel free to leave a comment.

Indiana Byways: Resthaven

 

Fort Wayne Observed has had as one of its goals from the start to provide a sense of place.  This extends beyond Fort Wayne to the state of Indiana.

The cemetery shown above is representative of many of Indiana's small, rural cemeteries. Although the legend is now rusty and the locking gates at ground level have only a functional purpose, not an aesthetic one, the ornate entryway testifies to the hopes of its founders and the dignity they invested in what would be the final resting place of those close to them.

Can a reader identify the location of this photograph?

Photo credit: Fort Wayne Observed | Mitch Harper.