Fort Wayne Observed

Feedback: Blogging Does It Best

There has been a lot of commenting on my posts from last week about Tracy Warner and the Journal Gazette's editorial series, "One Party Rule."

I'm glad to see Fort Wayne Observed being used as a forum for people to comment on the editorials; it's much more immediate than writing a letter to the editor, and no one from the JG has to "approve" it. It's also clear that, unlike with letters to the editor, people actually read and respond to comments posted here.

As a reader, I always appreciate it when those making comments are willing to do it using their name (or even a pseudonym). I'm always more skeptical of anonymous comments and take them less seriously than those with identities attached. I'd encourage those of you who post anonymously to consider using your real name or a pseudonym. There's no shame in being identified as a Fort Wayne Observed reader.

Still, I understand the need for anonymous comments, which is why I'm going to continue to allow them for the time being. I just don't like them being used as a shield to hide behind while taking shots at others. If you try to do that, expect your comment to be deleted.

And if you're wondering what makes for a good comment, here's an interesting post from Gawker's Lifehacker blog about making comments.  I think it's worth a read.

WANE Upgrades Radar

From a News Channel 15 press release:

The NewsChannel 15 Weather Center has upgraded its Live Doppler 15 Radar, and now has the most advanced highest-resolution weather radar system in the country.

This new upgrade will allow the Live Doppler 15 Storm Team to receive data 50 times faster, making storm tracking in the area more precise. In addition to an enhanced sweep line and fast street-level radar images, the new Storm Path Analyzer allows the Storm Team to quickly display storm arrival times. The radar is now in 3-D, allowing viewers to examine the storms from all levels and rotations.

Forecasts will now include detailed satellite images of the streets, buildings, parks, homes and other environmental features in the region, including exact locations of rain or snowfall. WANE-TV is now the first television station in the country to be able to view and broadcast hail detection in upper levels of a storm, helping better analyze the data and severity of the situation. Storm coverage will also feature historical time-lapses, with rainfall rates and triple-doppler real-time displays from additional radar sites at WANE-TV’s sister stations in Indianapolis and Lafayette.

“These new tools will allow the Live Doppler 15 Storm Team to provide viewers with more accurate, detailed and complete forecasts with real-time weather presentations,” said NewsChannel 15’s Weather Specialist Sandy Thomson.

The Live Doppler 15 Storm Team includes Weather Specialist Sandy Thomson, Meteorologist Greg Shoup and Meteorologist Doug Moats.

Another Shameless Teaser

I'm also planning an announcement in the next few days about where this blog is headed.

In the meantime, I've got to go catch a flight.

Update

Sorry there weren't any postings Monday. (Luckily there were several good items over at Indiana Parley.)

I'm working on a new exclusive story right now and also trying to juggle holiday travel plans and another project I'm working on.

Stay tuned.

Photograph of the Day?

You might find this item humorous.  Or you might find it tasteless.

Guess you'll have to take your chances.

Warner Responds

UPDATE: Tracy Warner responds to the post below:

I encourage Mr. McGauley and your readers to examine this law closely. It does not say rebates of commissions can never be given. It says they cannot be given "after insurance has been effected" or if they are "not specified in the policy." It suggests they can be given "to the extent provided for in applicable findings."

The Journal Gazette editorial page would never try to "snooker" anyone into doing something wrong.

ALSO: More thoughts in a post at TracyWarner.net

Response to Warner

Earlier in the week, a disgruntled reader wrote in to complain about the Journal Gazette's "investigative editorial" on the relationship between Allen County government and Charles Bodenhafer, a local businessman.

Yesterday, Tracy Warner wrote about that piece, as well as others that have been run as part of the JG's "One Party Rule" series. After I posted an item on what Tracy wrote, I got an email from the Allen County Commissioner's public information officer, John McGauley. He's given me permission to share its contents here.

From the editorial:

"Officials could negotiate to have portions of commissions returned to the government. Commissions could influence a broker to favor a company that might not necessarily offer the best deal for taxpayers."

Return commissions to the county? It's illegal...

Had Tracy been more interested in digging into this issue and not so much in a partisan political slam on the Republicans, he might have dug up Indiana Code 27-1-22-18, which specifically FORBIDS rebating commissions or premiums to insured parties. In other words, it's a process known as rebating - one that is actually illegal.

Here's the text of the law (it's online here):

Sec. 18. No insurer, broker, or insurance producer shall knowingly charge, demand, or receive a premium for any policy of insurance except in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

No insurer or employee thereof, and no broker or insurance producer shall pay, allow, or give, directly or indirectly, as an inducement to insurance, or after insurance has been effected, any rebate, discount, abatement, credit, or reduction of the premium named in a policy of insurance, or any special favor or advantage in the dividends or other benefits to accrue thereon, or any valuable consideration or inducement whatever, not specified in the policy of insurance, except to the extent provided for in applicable filings.

No insured named in any policy of insurance shall knowingly receive or accept, directly or indirectly, any such rebate, discount, abatement, credit or reduction of premium, or any such special favor or advantage or valuable consideration or inducement.

Nothing in this section shall be construed as prohibiting the payment of, nor permitting the regulation of the payment of, commissions or other compensation to duly licensed insurance producers and brokers, nor as prohibiting, or permitting the regulation of, any insurer from allowing or returning to its participating policyholders or members, dividends or savings.

So [Tracy Warner]'s either wildly overdriving his journalistic headlights or he's trying to snooker Bodenhafer into doing something wrong so that his next round of Republican bashing will actually have some teeth to it...

Parley Poll

There's a new poll up at Indiana Parley.

Tracy Warner on County Government

Tracy Warner:

My work on this blog has been later and lighter than I would like. I've been spending much of my working days on The JG's "When one party rules" series. Just when I think I've found some of the most flagrant examples of bad government in the county commissioners' office, more comes to my attention. Look for our Sunday editorial for more.

The commissioners just don't seem to understand why they should demand that their insurance broker reveal how much money he makes off the taxpayer-financed business. They don't know why they should see if another broker could give them a better deal. They can't imagine why it looks bad for all three commissioners to take a day off work and attend a golf outing with county contractors to raise money for their campaigns, and properly accounting for the money just doesn't seem to be a priority.

The County Council, on the other hand, gets it. Since three reform-minded challengers knocked of three old school incumbents in 2002, the council has made much progress. Six of the seven members have been on the council less than four years, and the overhaul was the best thing that's happened to county government in many, many years.

[...]

Cal Miller, Paula Hughes, Paul Moss and Darren Vogt have all displayed professional and progressive attitudes toward bringing county government into the 21st century. Roy Buskirk is an old school conservative, but he seems true to the conservative philosophy of saving taxpayer money, and county government needs someone like him. He's more concerned about saving money than accumulating power or putting his friends in higher places.

Buskirk is running against Linda Bloom in next spring's primary, and Bloom had better watch out. She will be better funded, but Buskirk may have the better message. And Bloom shouldn't cry for incumbent protection -- she defeated incumbent Jack Worthman years ago to win her seat.

Hayes to be on ESPNEWS

News-Sentinel sports columnist Reggie Hayes will be on ESPNEWS tomorrow (Friday, Nov. 18) at 3:10 p.m.

Hayes has been invited on to talk about the Indianapolis Colts and their upcoming game against the 7-2 Cincinnati Bengals.

He will be appearing on "The Hot List" with David Amber.

ESPNEWS is available on Comcast Channel 102.

NOTE: If any of you can get a screenshot of Reggie on the show tomorrow, I'd like to post it here on Fort Wayne Observed.