The 'other' Pittsburgh, where crime is common and life is fragile

Brian O'Neill talks about violence and the tale of two cities in Pittsburgh. Nice article. Let's pick up on some of his closing words.

The 'other' Pittsburgh, where crime is common and life is fragile ... That's our Pittsburgh. That won't change.

The other one has to...

The words, "That won't change." speaks to the greatness of Pittsburgh and its wonderful quality of life. Brian and I share this city. We both have kids here and choose to live here, crossing the same paths. Our Pittsburgh, in that respect, is swell.

We differ on the perspective of Pittsburgh's propensity for change. Brian is so bold in his prediction that Pittsburgh won't change. He feels that the goodness is always sure to be.

It is my hope that the good Pittsburgh won't change. But Pittsburgh is on the brink. It is changing. Pittsburgh won't be a legacy town much longer. We need to scramble to insure that it won't change.

There are a number of struggles that are being waged in this city at the same time. Among the violence comes the fight between gangs or drugies. Among the peaceful is the struggle to engage or be at rest. Then of course, there is the matter beteen the cops and the robbers. There are other dimensions as well. The blending and spill-over from one realm to the others is starting to swirl as never before.

When a cup of poison goes into a gallon of water, the purity is gone. The buffers are spent. Containment slips.

Sure Brian, the other side has to change. But I worry greatly that the change agents are now without the capacity to do their jobs. We are at the brink and beyond on a number of critical tipping points. The youth have been ignored for so long that the kid's kids have become a challenge that is ten-times the effort. And we've got one-tenth the capacity and are using lame programs as well.

The life that our kids know today is special. We are not the norm. Those in our Pittsburgh have a life that is similar in many ways to the life of all the kids of 30 years ago.

Summary: Ninty-five percent of the kids shared the same Pittsburgh 30 years ago. Today, 30 percent of the kids share the good Pittsburgh. In 20 years, that old, good Pittsburgh could be but a memory. None will be afforded what is ours today, still.

Meanwhile, in suburban areas, a bulk of the kids are still in the same general groupings. The disparity among the kids in Franklin Park (North Allegheny School District) is super thin compared to what you properly describe between the two Pittsburghs.

Next, we need to roll up the sleves and ponder the fix for the situations of the two Pittsburghs.

Some advocate a crash and burn. Some want to flee and just make Pittsburgh a sore with puss that festers. Some want to take apart the city and have the county take over.

My approach is to think it out, get up the will for action, find the strongest counter measures, and attack on all fronts. We need to flourish with the best and the brightest. We need to soar everywhere we can. And at the same time, we need to insure that the ones in the other Pittsburgh are given opportunities to soar too.

We need to demand the best from everyone -- while being patient and persistant.

Community Technology Conf in Cleveland in June. Rush to finish paper proposals

See the comments area for details of the event and its scope.

Swimming Lessons and more at Carlynton

Last night was our year-end swim and party with the Carlynton Swim Club. Great season. Good fun and conditioning. Looking forward, here are some details of programs.

Lifeguarding classes with coach Mike Schneiderlochner.

Call before May 6 (412 215 2766) or email. Request a confirmation on emails. Times are 7 to 10 pm. Dates are May 16, 17, 19, 20, 23, 24, 25. Cost is $140 for full class, $80 for recertifications, $35 for CPR on May 21 (9-11 = recerts; 11-3 pm for full class)

Swim lessons
Sessions 3, 4, 5, 6. Cost is $30 for first swimmer, $25 for each additional in the same family. There are 10 x 40-minute classes or 9 x 45-minute classes.

Session 3 = Registration, 5-6:30 pm on Tue, March 22 at the Carlynton HS Pool
Classes are March 23, 30, 31, April 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 from 6-6:45 pm.

Session 4 = Registration, 5-6:30 pm on Tue, March 22 at the Carlynton HS Pool
Classes are April 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 from 6-6:40 pm.

Session 5 = Registration, 7-7:30 pm on Wed. April 20 at the Carlynton HS Pool
Classes are April 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, May 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 from 6-6:40 pm.

Session 6 = Registration, 7-7:30 pm on Wed. April 20 at the Carlynton HS Pool
Classes are May 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 from 6-6:40 pm.

Email registrations are accepted AFTER the in-person registration, and based upon availability.

Swim Team, Carlynton Swim Club
March 29 to July 15, $50 for first swimmer and $25 for additional in same family.

A pre-competitive summer program is to occur June 13 to July 8 on M, W, Th from 7:30 to 8:30 am at $30 per family or $25 if one.

Allegheny Club and the Sports Garden

The Pirates are trying to keep their 1979 World Series trophy off the auction block. The trophy and other memorabilia are about to be sold as part of bankruptcy proceedings at the Allegheny Club.

Remember the Allegheny Club? It is a text book case in how not to treat others.

Same too with the joint near to Station Square that closed due to a bartender's filthy talk, the Sports Garden. Remember the 30-day trial? That owner from Texas pulled up stakes and won't ever come back to this state.

This present tailspin is going to take some time to play out.

Our region needs to make some serious changes and then begin to heal. This is going to take a long time. People in Pittsburgh need to understand that we need to start to champion long-term views. The quick fix of the Murphy-led economics are still coming back to bite.

The Pirates, the Stadium Authority, the mayor and others stuck it to the Allegheny Club. Perhaps they'll be able to buy back the trophy on eBay. I won't be tearful.

Study details city school students

DUHH!!!!

Study details city school students The biggest percentage loss is at the middle school level. This year, there are 11.8 percent fewer students in sixth grade than there were last year.

Jeepers. Where have you been?
I get beside myself here. This is another example of how many people just don't get it. I'm not saying I know all the answers. But, I get to say this again, "I TOLD YOU SO."

I'm not "gifted." I'm not the only one. I retell as I can from great insights and wisdom from others I meet and talk with.

We know that the Pittsburgh Public Schools has a piss-poor record (yeah, I'm hacked off and slinging slang) at the retention of kids as the family's oldest child goes to middle school.

The leap to middle school is an invite to suburban living. This is not just a sticking point -- it is a killer. We are choking here.

And, you don't fix the serious problem by holding a walk-a-thon for kids. (See my other post below.)

When the kids hit middle school ages -- you can't fool em like you used to be able to do. The toddlers, pre-schoolers, elementary kids are easy to fool.

I'm not interested in fooling our kids. I want to challenge them. I want to get them to perform. I want them to be able to master at levels of excellence.

Here is another fact that doesn't show up on any "street list." -- Too many 9th graders fail algebra. Not 15% -- more like 65%.

People and families vote with their feet.

We've asked for these numbers in the past. I've been denied. It is GREAT to have this study. We need to do the homework now and begin to understand the real issues and real solutions.

Mr. Lamb, this isn't something for a cabnet level administrator. This is something for the mayor to come to grips with him/herself. I took no comfort in hearing from Bob O'Connor that he was going to hire a cracker-jack manager to run the city if he was mayor. Lamb pointed out that that manager should be the mayor, not the mayor's hired gun. And I'd go a step further and say the mayor needs to really understand schools and the city. And, sadly, I've seen little from A+ Schools to show that there is anything there other than a resume bullet.

To bring this back home to the PA Senate race. Diven had a big hand in messing up the election process in the school board races four years ago. That was a power grab that was a total failure and hurt the system greatly. It set the stage for the justification for the foundation pull-out of support for PPS.

Let's avoid the cluelessness.

Schools are critical to our region. Schools issues go way beyond the buildings. This quagmire is more of a software problem. Schools and the success of the students have little to do with bricks and mortar.

As one looks at the numbers, what is more important to grip is not the number of 6th graders from this year to last year. No. Look at the number of kids who moved from 6th grade to 7th grade. Follow the kids, name by name. Micro decisions matter most. Even on a class basis, there are hundreds of kids moving out, but being replaced by another hundred. So, the real migration isn't being charted.

We churn the kids, the families, and in turn the troubles. This is like baseball. We got to keep our eye on the ball. Follow the students, as individuals and as members of families.

Then we begin a real conversation.

I want to know, over the past 20 years, how many of the oldest kids in the family went to 5th grade and didn't advance to a PPS 6th grade class. And, is 5th grade the only choke point?

Another hunch, we have a lot of kids who move into the PPS district in the high school grades. They've been branded in their home district and they need a new setting with a ton of diversity, and it is found in the city schools.

The frustrations are noted with the bogus street names and maps. That is another sign of our decay in infrastructure, but on a data-driven level. We can't even get good maps around here.

Resolving conflict. Restoring relationships. Building peaceful communities.

Gale McGloin, Executive Director, Pittsburgh Mediation Center, 100 Sheridan Square, 2nd floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15206-3019, 412-365-0400, sent along this pointer:

Carolyn is a dynamic speaker, fresh from a presentation last week that was attended by members of our foundation community who were very impressed. Wouldn’t this be a great way to resolve some of our community issues?

TO: All Interested Parties

The Pittsburgh Mediation Center, the Mediation Council of Western PA and the ADR Committee of the Allegheny County Bar Association are again co-sponsoring the Lawrence W. Kaplan Lecture in Conflict Resolution. It will be held April 5 at 5:00 p.m. at the Omni William Penn Hotel downtown.

This year's lecture is "Conflict Resolution and Deliberative Democracy", by Carolyn Lukensmeyer of AmericaSpeaks, www.americaspeaks.org. Ms. Lukensmeyer is known worldwide for her work in engaging large groups (500 to 4500) of citizens in the public decision-making process through interactive technology and other innovative techniques.

Along with changing the nature of public decision-making, interactive dialogue is one of the most effective forms of conflict prevention. Ms. Lukensmeyer has taken this process to new heights. For example, see how NE Ohio is mobilizing to use these techniques to involve the community in regional planning.
We are very excited to be part of the effort to introduce the Western Pennsylvania region to her innovative work.

This event promises to be a unique opportunity to enrich your thinking in the fields of conflict resolution and deliberative democracy. I urge you to make attending this event a priority. Deadline to RSVP for the lecture is March 29, 2005.

Download & print the invitation (doc format)

To receive a paper copy of the invitation, contact Marlene Ellis at the Allegheny County Bar Association.

Deliberative Democracy is a new term to Pittsburgh, mostly. This isn't new to the rest of the world. I've been hosting "deliberate.com" for a years with Dr. M. Davis. http://www.Deliberate.com.

Pittsburgh can't get into the new styles of engagement with its wrongheaded leadership approaches. The people we have in office now are just not cut out for these efforts, sadly. So, we need to replace them with others who are.

All the king's horses and all the king's men could not put Humpty together again. Same too holds for Pittsburgh. This MUST be a community process. Humpty is NEVER going to look the same.

To make peace is hard work. Democracy is messy. Bring it on -- with glee because authorities are killing our region. The union attitude (small "U") is driving people away.

For Pittsburgh to thrive, we'll need many opportunities to get our heads around issues such as "deliberative democracy." Count me in. This is wellness on a grand, civic scale.

Bill Cosby to hold town hall meeting at Reizenstein

Can't enter unless you go to that school.

Bill Cosby to hold town hall meeting at Reizenstein Bill Cosby will hold one of his noted town hall meetings April 5 at Reizenstein Middle School in East Liberty. Billed as 'A Conversation with Bill Cosby,' the event, 6 to 9 p.m., is open only to Reizenstein students and parents and will feature local speakers as well. The names of those speakers have not yet been announced.

The VP is in town and you can't just waltz into that meeting as well.
These would be great meetings for STREAMING on the web or with a community television broadcasting effort.

Fair and Biting

Thanks for the posting Salena Z:

Fair and Biting My epiphany with his inability to recognize opportunity and face challenges began this week.

My epiphany was about five years ago.

Good to have you on my side on this. We, however, are in the minority, yet.

Draw the line

Pittsburgh Tuesday takes - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Says Mayor Tom Murphy: 'I would challenge you as you drive out to the airport to tell me where Pittsburgh ends and Green Tree or Carnegie or Moon Township begins.' The comment came in a Friday forum on merging Pittsburgh and Allegheny County governments into one. Mr. Murphy was bemoaning the competition between jurisdictions to attract business. Actually, Mayor, it's easy to tell where Pittsburgh ends -- once you leave the city limits, new development can be seen virtually everywhere.

I could and would take that challenge. It is easy.
My kids swim on the Green Tree Swim Team. That can't occur in the city. Find a swim team, then you've located the end of the city.
The swim team isn't the important missing link to a rebirth in Pittsburgh's quality of life. However, everything that the team represents is at the crux of the issue. Self discovery, self reliance, self discipline, teamwork, and the cycles of cooperation and competition.

Troy Hill residents angry over fire station's closing

Troy Hill residents angry over fire station's closing - PittsburghLIVE.com 'They took our pool, they took our rec center, they took our crossing guards, and now our fire station,' she said. 'It makes you wonder what we're paying taxes for anymore.'

Many who were on hand this morning were angered by what they viewed as broken promises from city officials.

Should we make a list as to what wrongheaded things we're paying for for thoos who really want to know?
The corporate welfare is tops on my list. We pay for the convention center that can't be used to its capacity as we don't have enough hotel spaces. We will be paying for the hotel next. We'll be paying for the local match for the tunnels under the Allegheny River for light rail to the stadiums -- yet alone Three Rivers Stadium still. That's no typo. We owed $30-million on the one that was destroyed.

Of course we're paying for schools -- but -- I'm not going to quicklyl put that into the 'wrongheaded' category. I'll put some of the costs there, but not in one lump.

We are paying for the URA and the thousands of properties the URA owns and the millions in debt that the URA has acquired.

We are paying for the debt, the pensions, the Pittsburgh Development Fund. The debt is huge and was racked up in Murphy's tenure. We're paying for the gambles he took and his eventual failures. And, we pay for the bonds to re-do the debt.

Another good reason to have a wiki.

Could I spend my campaign cash windfall on a trip to Germany? That's a joke. I have no intention of spending campaign money on international travel. However, I'd love to present at this event.

Wikimania Call for Papers

Wikimania 2005 - The First International Wikimedia Conference will be held in Frankfurt am Main, Germany, from 4 August 2005 to 8 August 2005. Wikimedia is the non-profit organization operating Wikipedia, Wiktionary, Wikisource, Wikibooks, Wikinews, Wikiquote, Wikispecies, and the Wikimedia Commons. We are now accepting papers and other submissions (from everyone within and outside the Wikimedia and Wikipedia communities) for presentations, workshops, and discussion groups. We are also accepting nominations for speaker panels and keynote speakers, and suggestions for other activities. Submissions to cfp@wikimedia.org. More insights.

Environmental funding plan stalled in Harrisburg

Growing Greener Gets Football Status by Rendell.

PG coverage HARRISBURG -- It's hard enough asking your buddy if you can borrow, say, $100. So how difficult must it be to find exactly the right words when you're asking for $800 million?

Difficult enough, apparently, that lawmakers and Gov. Ed Rendell have been debating the subject for more than a year and have yet to arrive at an answer.

But time is running out for lawmakers trying to find a way to ask voters' permission to borrow up to $800 million for environmental programs if they hope to place a referendum question on the May primary ballot.

When the past PA Governor, Ridge, started Growing Greener, it was established as a pay as you go program. Now that the Dems have the mansion, the plan is to make this a funded program with a massive state bond. The program's direction is getting a serious adjustment. Plus, Growning Greener is getting turned into a political football by those who love to play football and politics.
The program is about to go down the drain. Steps are being taken now so that the eventual blame can be sidestepped in the future. Some of us are watching. Many of us are upset at this lack of stewardship seen in so many instances in Harrisburg today.

Change is in the air.

Sister City status not square well with Sister Region in this reporting

The sister city concept works well with other cities -- not with an Indonesia district.

Doctor wants to set up sister city - PittsburghLIVE.com

I am all in favor of the moves of Pittsburgh to double or even triple its sister city programs. But, sister cities should not be established with places that are not cities. Common ground seems to be absent. Pittsburgh and Nagan Raya, a 30-by-50-mile district in Aceh, are not similar -- like sisters -- with two exceptions.

To begin, the Shadyside doctor, Ali, from the Center for Healthy Environments and Communities at the University of Pittsburgh makes a vibrant and true connection. He's one guy. Brave, helpful, hopeful, talented and giving as he is -- its a one person connection. A three person connection, as the article listed others, could be made. I'm sure, another hundred beyond these three could be located. Personal connections are great. But they don't make a sister-city status.

The other connection between Pittsburgh and Aceh (Nagan Raya), is the loss of a population. In Aceh, "more than 300,000 people are dead or missing from a total population of 4 million. Another 500,000 are displaced from their homes." The city of Pittsburgh has lost about 300,000, but in a trickle, not a single event. Pittsburgh's population is half of its former self. The displaced Pittsburgh population seems to make the two regions somewhat equal. The total number of displaced Pittsburghers is similar, sad, grief causing -- but its a stretch.

One can't minimize or trivialize the hardships of the tsunami, nor that of the city's outward migration. But as common ground, those are fleeting examples. That's the best there is.

Speaking of sisters, my sister, Mary Lee, and her husband, Phil, both doctors, went to remote Pacific Islands to live and work in humanitarian efforts. They delivered medical skills to some hard situations for a couple of years of service. I'm proud of their work. They too forged friendships that live to this day from those experiences. Wonderful. But, let's not claim those locations as sister cities either.

Same too for southwestern China's, Chengdu. Chengdu is a city at least. Our Pittsburgh connection runs to Chengdu via our family. My wife teaches a course there. That city has a huge medical center -- and others from Pittsburgh have been there too. But Chengdu exceeds 10-million people. The sisterhood elements are slim as well. Furthermore, Pittsburgh has a sister city in China, a steel town no less.

Sister city links make great relationship building experiences. Pittsburgh can do much, much more in these effort. But, the relationship needs to be based upon serious common ground.

Let's help out in Nagan Raya. Let's do what we can for the world and ourselves. Let's do more with our existing sister cities. Let's not be loose with the designation and make what is nearly meaningless really meaningless.

Peduto vows to clean up - if you ignore those red signs.

Peduto vows to clean up - PittsburghLIVE.com Peduto's 'Operation Red' measure would put large red signs in front of the buildings and list the name, address and phone number of the landlord in question so residents can call owners directly.

How does one clean up the neighborhood with large red signs in front of rentals?
As it is now, we've got a ton of for sale signs. Next we'll have these red signs too? They will stand out like sore thumbs saying, don't feel safe here, don't move here, don't stop your car!
The red signs gotta go. But, the same info can be better delivered on the internet with technology.

Map Pittsburgh is touted as a solution to Pittsburgh's woes. Talk about technology as an answer for the delivery of information in terms of troubled property ownership.

The owners who get their rents are not going to show any worry about a sign at the rental property. Rather, how about if we put the sign in the home owners lawn, not in the rental's location? Signs that spring up in the suburban locations are sure to raise some desired effect. Of course that isn't going to happen. But, it would be a much better suggestion.

The sign suggestion is: costly with materials and employees, ugly, hard to update, and screams wolf to no avail. Using technology would greatly help matters.

CAN ANYONE STOP O'CONNOR? (more from Jon's PSF)

A number of points need to be challenged in Delano's story about the Mayor's race. Pittsburgh's Dems pick their mayor candidate for the Dem's nominee in May -- they don't get to embrace the next mayor until after the November 2005 general election.

Hop is an aid to O'Connor. Conventional wisdom from my perspective goes the othr way from what Delano reports. The concept is to divide and win. O'Connor would rather have a crowd in the field of challengers rather than a single opponent.

The flood of entries into the Dem's mayor race is a sign of discontent. When people are upset they'll be motivated to run themselves.

As for Lamb and Peduto, both have troubles. Lamb is in the wrong race. Lamb should have run for PA Senate. He'd make a better candidate than Fontana. Even Lamb as an Indie would do better than Fontana.

Michael Lamb has exactly one week to get his act together and pass the nomination papers so he can enter the PA Senate race as an Independent. To enter the race, the candidate needs nearly 900 signatures. He'd need to shoot for 1,000 or more to play it on the safe side. Given 20 volunteers, each would need to get 50 signatures. Lamb would be able to do the job in about two days. One rule of thumb is says 15 per hour makes a decent work outcome.

I'd welcome Michael Lamb into the PA Senate race, now. Lamb should have been putting his energy into this race months ago. The knock on the Lamb vision would make a hurdle. But Lamb could bypass the late entry with some interesting re-tooling and alliances as an Independent.

Lamb's been asked by others with more sway to switch out of the Mayor's race and go for the open PA Senate race. But I'm the only one in the PA Senate race who is doing the asking in public. Furthermore, I'm in the race where he should be.

Perhaps Lamb's unwillingness to switch to the PA Senate race is due to his brazen hope that he'll be able to win the Mayor's race? The Trib's numbers need to be replayed in a few other polls and formats to give more weight to the realm of possibility for Lamb in the Dem's Mayor's Race outcome.

Delano wrote:

With just eight weeks to go before Pittsburgh Democrats embrace their next mayor, nothing seems to be stopping the impression that former county council president Bob O'Connor has momentum in his race against county prothonotary Michael Lamb and city councilman Bill Peduto. The problem, of course, is that nobody really knows much more than a Tribune Review poll conducted by Susquehanna Polling & Research in early March. That poll gave O'Connor 51 percent, 14 percent for Lamb, 12 percent for Peduto, and 23 percent undecided.

Is the race for mayor of Pittsburgh over? Maybe . . . unless Lamb or Peduto does something soon that really shakes up the race. Last week Lamb tried by taking on O'Connor directly, alleging that the former city council president was partially responsible for the city's fiscal crisis. During a recent debate, Lamb said to O'Connor, “You say you have a ‘vibrant and far reaching’ new plan to put Pittsburgh on the right track, but in the past we have seen the Mayor and the members of City Council make decisions that have brought us to the brink of bankruptcy. While you were President of City Council, city budgets increased by $48 million. Why should the people of Pittsburgh believe that as mayor you will do anything to put the city back on the right track, when all we have heard from you is a proposal for an expensive new streetcar system from Downtown Pittsburgh to Oakland?”

If Lamb really wants city Democrats to hold O'Connor responsible for the city's mess, he will have to get that message up on television and/or out in direct mail pretty darn quick. Time is running out for Lamb and Peduto, not because eight weeks is too short a time to make a difference, but because there is no sense among the general public that O'Connor (who has been running for this post for eight years) is unfit for this office. This race has always been Bob O'Connor's to lose, but so far his opponents have not given city residents any compelling reasons why O'Connor should not be mayor.

By the way, the race for mayor now has an African American candidate: Louis "Hop" Kendrick. Kendrick tells me that he may be black, but he is not the black candidate. He is running to refute notions that Pittsburgh is the "most racist city in America" and that "Pittsburgh's blacks are the most docile blacks" in the country. He says both portrayals are false, and his candidacy will prove it. Kendrick, who has a weekly column in the New Pittsburgh Courier and works for Allegheny County as a consultant to the minority disadvantaged business program, says he will spend no money in this race.

African Americans make up just over a fifth of the Democratic voting electorate in the city of Pittsburgh and, if united, can have an important impact. Conventional wisdom is that Kendrick hurts O'Connor because O'Connor has had some support in the African American community over the years. Still, no one thinks a candidate who spends nothing can make much of an inroad.

Unless and until his opponents go on the attack on television and radio in a convincing and effective manner, Bob O'Connor will be the next mayor of Pittsburgh.

Neither Lamb nor Peduto will go on any attack of O'Connor. They can't because they are both too young. An attack could be effective -- or it could backfire. Lamb and Peduto are playing it safe and are expected to linger around the race to build their resumes and get practice in the race. For either Lamb or Pedutor to offend O'Connor and his pals before O'Connor steps into the mayor's race is sure to hurt in the years to come after O'Connor becomes Mayor, should that come to pass.

The yawn will sustain itself.

Furthermore, Hop got into the race to knock out two others who have more vocal expressions -- Mark Brentley and Harry Liller. Brentley toyed with a dual run, for city council and mayor. He let loose on a rant before city council as Dr. John Thompson got an award as he finished his tenure at Pgh Public School's superintendent. Meanwhile, Liller didn't get onto the ballot as pages of petition signatures evaporated in a Homewood church with Hop's arrival into the race.

Hop is a buffer with a government job and a pledge to spend $0. Hop makes a perfect wet blanket on the sparks of others.

I miss Leroy Hodge.

Jon Delano gives up some recycled electrons at the end of this PSF rant

Jon Delano, a KDKA TV business and politics reporter, and frequent moderator at debates, did give a mention in his recent PSF email blast. Thanks Jon.

DIVEN V. FONTANA NOW A REAL BATTLE:

With Republicans already spending money on TV ads (admittedly, only on cable so far) for their state Senate candidate, Democrat-turned-Republican Rep. Michael Diven, and the Democrats suffering a contentious nomination process that gave all signs of disarray, the odds seemed to favor a Republican upset for that Democratic state senate seat vacated by now auditor general Jack Wagner.

But that was a week ago.

Last Friday, the Dems tried to turn things around with a unity fest that brought together some of Allegheny County's heavyweights to embrace Wayne Fontana, the Democratic nominee and former county councilman. Chief among them was long-time Diven supporter Lt. Gov. Catherine Baker Knoll. Knoll says she tried to keep Diven from switching parties, but when he ignored her she made it clear that she was backing Fontana all the way to the state capitol. She wasn't alone, as both Wagner and the man who once ran against him for state senator years ago, Dan Onorato, teamed up on Friday to proclaim Fontana the man.

For his part, Fontana made it clear that Diven's switcheroo was an issue, demonstrating lack of conviction on core Democratic issues. He accused the Republicans of "trickery" by running TV ads that "hide" the fact that Diven is now a Republican. And he says that social security is an issue in this campaign because Diven, by choosing to embrace the Republican Party and Rick Santorum, has embraced GOP values.

More impressive than the newfound come-on-strong attitude of Fontana and the unity of his fellow Dems is the team that the Senate Dems are putting together to keep the Wagner seat in the Democratic column. Marty Marks, a local operative who ran Onorato's field operation in 2003 and ran Joe Hoeffel's campaign in this region last fall, is now Fontana's campaign manager. Also on board are Ken Snyder and Tom Hickey, two well-known eastern PA operatives who bring strong media and strategy expertise to the operation. Those two were in town putting together TV commercials last Friday that should hit the air in a week. That won't be the end of the Harrisburg Dem support for Fontana. Rumor has it that once the special state Senate race in the Allentown area is concluded on April 5, Paul Gage, the field director for state Rep. Jennifer Mann who is running in that race for Senate, will also be heading west to help F! ontana.

All in all, what once seemed like a very likely G.O.P. win for Diven has suddenly turned into a race. Why? Because the Harrisburg Dems are sinking real money into the race and local Dems appear determined to teach Diven a lesson about party-switching. In case folks in the 42nd senatorial district don't like either Fontana or Diven, there is a third party candidate, Libertarian Mark Rauterkus.

Mt. Lebanon Shooting Shouldn't Cause Frenzy

There was a shooting in one of the region's most affluent neighborhoods on Sunday. By initial reports, there may have been a disagreement between people who knew each other. They raced to Virginia Manor in Mt. Lebanon, where one guy reportedly shot at the other.

No one was injured. But aside from that, the Mt. Lebanon story is eerily similar to the one that occurred in Carrick in the same week.

Virginia Manor contains million-dollar homes. I delivered UPS there one winter season. The folks there are nice, just have thicker wallets and portfolios than those of us in Carrick.

For Sale signs should not increase in Mt. Lebanon. Nud-knicks with no real schedules shouldn't parade to their school board member's house, demanding someone do something about things out of his/her control.

Things will be back to normal today in Virginia Manor. There's no need to cause a frenzy in one of our nicest neighborhoods. And Virginia Manor, too.

Lipstick on a pig, the promotional video

Why spend $250,000 for a promotional video to attract vacationers to Pittsburgh? It is like a Pittsburgher seeing a promotional video about St. Louis or Minneapolis and saying - "Gee maybe rather than going to the beach this year I'll go to Minneapolis." Not gonna happen.

People travel to Pittsburgh for two reasons - job or family related. That's it.

Create jobs, expand the tax base, get more people to move here. That's the only sensible way to increase visitors.

Do not forget the dopey slogan fiasco a year or so ago. A new PR campaign only puts lipstick on a pig.

We have our strengths here - good medical treatment, universities, but they are non-profits. We need profitable enterprises.

Source: Our campaign's, new Dormont volunteer.

City's lame duck mayor and county heads urge consolidating -- Dan and Tom are wrong on rights.

It wasn't fair of me to insert the word "dead" before the "head" in the headline. Dan O is our county executive and he's alive. Sadly, our mayor's status puts him as one still in office but with room temperature and lame duck status. It's rotten to see Murphy still at the helm. He's done so much to destroy the city that we can't give him the juice to sustain the death march.

City, county heads urge consolidating Allegheny County Chief Executive Dan Onorato and Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy said yesterday they plan to ask the state Legislature for the right to put the issue of a city-county merger before voters.

'The mayor and I have been meeting and working on this for months, and we're building a strategy to bring to Harrisburg,' Onorato said at a luncheon sponsored by the League of Women Voters. 'We have to convince the Legislature to give us the right to vote on this.'

The legislature does NOT need to give us the right to vote. Dan and Tom can both put matters before either the city or the county without running to Harrisburg. And, both can be instrumental to put a question onto the ballot without getting local legislative bodies to sign off on the question as well.

Presently the executive (either Tom or Dan) can write a ballot question and submit that to the legislative branch (either city council or county council). The respective council can put the question onto the ballot. Done.

Go to Harrisburg and beg for your own crumbs.

If either Dan or Tom were serious about consolidation, more would have been done last year or the past dozen years before that.

If Dan or Tom want to make a significan merger plan in the near future, they'd do what I suggested to them in May, 2004, with the position paper on PARKS consolidation. That called for a new Pittsburgh Park District. That is the NEXT best place to make a "merger." The parks effort would get the support of the ICA, the Act 47 coordinators, the public, the county officials, the city officials and state officials too.

Most of all, the park's plan would capture the spirit of the citizens in new ways, generate new life in the ranks of volunteers and be a springboard for other creative change endeavors. That's why Dan does NOT want to make it happen. It is a power thing.

Opposition would not be strong if they did what I requested. http://DSL.CLOH.Org/v1

As for Tom's lack of capacity for change -- let's just say he's just being Tom Murphy. He's the grand teacher of how to NOT play well with others.

Serious shame on the Downtown Pittsburgh Partnerships for the closed-minded invite and closed meetings

Debates launch mayoral contest Les Ludwig, was not invited.

No suprise noted as these are the same people that can't follow the charter to their own corporation. Les was not only not invited, but he was denied entry.

Weinroth had an opportunity to score serious points on the ethical front. He didn't.

Say it isn't so, Joe!

Peduto already failed to meet my standards. Peduto called for the others to sign a clean election statement. To bad he couldn't call for the others to share the debate microphone.

We knew Bob O'Connor was going to balk at inclusion. He did a dozen debates in 2001 with Tom, one-on-one. That's why Bob isn't mayor today. His selfishness got in the way.

Meanwhile Michael Lamb, an expert in the County Charter and reform leader, wouldn't join in the call for the resignation of a candidate on County Council, as called for the county charter itself.

The League of Women Voters and the 'clean' task force should rip into the organizations in town. Go beyond the candidates in the report card, please.

Props to the PG for the mention of the failures as part of the real story.

This yawner of a race, as others are calling it, needs only include all the candidates. Then issues and attention will perk to life quickly, I dare predict. Likewise, Pittsburgh as a region would come back to life as well after all are included and the web of life is respected.

To soar, we'll need to extend a wing to the left, another to the right and include some tailfeathers. Otherwise, we'll dwell in dispair for another decade.

Mister Rogers house assessment is NOT online yet

Can you find the county's assessment of this house?

AP: Miniature houseThe Carnegie Science Center's Miniature Railroad & Village debuts a tiny recreation of Mister Rogers' house from the popular television show 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.' The cardigan-clad Fred Rogers, who died in Feb. 2003 after battling stomach cancer, would have been 77 on Sunday.

The brown and white home, made with beeswax carved to look like stone, sits near a red trolley that whizzes by. On the porch, a miniature Rogers, wearing a red sweater and navy blue sneakers, sits with two children on a wooden porch swing gently rocking back and forth.

In other news, the USX Tower is going up for sale. Deed transfer taxes on these buildings are going to net some serious cash. But, sadly, the buildings are selling because the land value tax is gone.

Is that right Dan and Harold?

Did Pittsburgh toss out the baby with the bathwater with its "unified tax" that Bob O'Connor hailed as a solution four years ago? Now the buildings downtown are selling like hotcakes.

SUNSHINE Week: It’s going to to take all of us to clear the air

Ads Developed by University of Florida, with good basketball team props.

Recently, newspaper reporters discovered that the Environmental Protection Agency had "quietly allowed oil refineries nationwide to miss court-mandated deadlines to reduce air emissions, exposing thousands of people to dangerous pollutants."

Airing issues like this is important to all of us. Citizens in a democracy have a fundamental right to know what their government is doing—or not doing.

Freedom of information assures that we have access to government records. Then we can take steps to prevent government from keeping us in the dark on pollution. We’ll all breathe easier.

It's Time.

Let the Sunshine in.

Ohio U's Bobcats got to 60 to 60 with Florida after picking being down by 20 points.

The Florida Gators won. But the Bobcats came scratching back.

Speaking of animal sports performers, Dan Perkey, Carlington's Wildcat, was in the finals in the PIAA Meet, in the 100 Breast. Dan has his heart on going to Notre Dame in the fall.

Mike Ley, a Fox Chapel Fox, went 21.32 in the 50 free to make finals too!

Way to go men.

In other steroid news: Greek sprinters cleared in Olympic drug scandal

All is not as it seems at first blush. These Greek athletic heros were in a world-class mess as the Olympics rolled into their backyard. The media and its buzz with officials can really do a number on the individuals.

SI.com - More Sports - Greek sprinters cleared in Olympic drug scandal - Friday March 18, 2005 12:54PM 'The decision is very good, but someone has to pay,' Tzekos said after Friday's ruling. 'They say I was informed about the test and the athletes were not -- I can live with that.'

Kenteris, who won the 200-meter gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, and Thanou, who took silver in the 100, were national heroes in Greece and showered with honors until the scandal broke.

Both runners have declared their innocence, claiming they had not been properly notified about the Athens test.

Kenteris and Thanou also allegedly evaded tests in Tel Aviv, Israel, and Chicago over an 18-month period before the Olympics.

Kenteris' British-based lawyer, Gregory Ioannidis, said the sprinter was 'delighted' by the verdict.

'The decision means Mr. Kenteris has been exonerated of highly damaging and unfounded charges which have been extremely harmful for his career,' he said in a statement.

Meanwhile, in PA, some in the state house would like to make it illegal for those 17 and under to even have tobacco. To hold it could be criminal. To buy it is not legal. Fine. But the move to raise the range of offenses to possession is sure to raise more toubles.

These are drug war struggles.

Walko's move to increase red tape in knee-jerk reaction

Capitol Notes, 3/18/05: "Rep. Don Walko, D-North Side, this week introduced House Bill 992, which would regulate bounty hunting in Pennsylvania. In a press release, Walko said he drafted the legislation in response to the fatal shooting of an unarmed fugitive, Michael P. Robinson, by a bounty hunter at a North Side home in December.

These bad guys are running around our neighborhoods and State Rep Don Walko wants to regulate the good guys who are trying to catch the bad guys. This is a wrongheaded response, IMNSHO.

Pittsburgh could be a mecca for fugitives. No thanks. Pittsburgh is already a hot spot nationally for meth labs, grafitti vandals and over taxed operations.

I would rather make it easier for bounty hunters to come here help us keep our streets and neighborhoods safe. Today's headline is about the police getting little help in finding the shooting suspects in the afterschool murder. Perhaps State Rep Walko does not see the connection?

Prior post from Jan 2005

PG's Capitol Notes and DeWeese's 31-member group on schools

Capitol Notes, 3/18/05STRANGE BEDFELLOWS. Who knew that a liberal Democrat like Rep. H. William DeWeese of Greene County had something in common with a conservative Republican like President Bush?

But the issue of improving public schools in Pennsylvania has brought them together.

DeWeese, the state House minority leader, this week introduced legislation to create something called the 'Commonwealth Commission on the Provision of Public Education.'

If approved by the Legislature, it would be a 31-member group that would, by Oct. 31, 2006, 'make recommendations on the current system for the delivery of public education and related services to children in pre-school through and including bachelor degree level instruction.'

'What we want to do is make education better,' DeWeese said. 'This is something to which we can all be agreeable.'

DeWeese said Bush has taken the lead in the matter by creating the federal No Child Left Behind law, which sets standards for schools, students and teachers to meet over the next 10 years.

'It has impacted nearly every aspect of public education throughout the United States,' DeWeese said. He is hoping this new panel will 'take a holistic look at the entire public education system' in the light of the new federal requirements.

The way to make education better, in the eyes of the one's who are in power, is to make a new commission.
The approach of making a new panel, such as the A+ Schools or the Mayor's Commission on Public Education, is no insurance for better schools. That approach is a joke, as are the two organizations mentioned.
Another harmful, failed approach that didn't help our schools but only caused harm was championed by Michael Diven and a couple of others who were elected to city office. Michael formed a PAC (Political Action Committee) with Gene R and Jim M to sway school board election results. A bull in a china shop could have done less harm.
The Pgh Public School Board soon spun into a national embarrassment.
We can all agree that public schools are in need of some serious help. President Bush, state lawmakers and I know that schools are not in great shape.

The best way to handle these issues is to electe people who care greatly about these matters and not allow the elected leaders to pass the responsibility and in turn the blame to some other authority or hatched 31 board as mentioned in the story from DeWeese.

I'm against the creation of more red tape. Let's not create more frustrations without accountability.

Grant to preserve photojournalist's trove of images

Grant to preserve photojournalist's trove of images: "Every Monday for the past 21u20442 years, Lippincott has worked with archivist Kerin Shellenbarger to catalog roughly 8,000 Harris images.

How long?
Is this some librarian joke with a Dewey Decimal reference? April Fools comes early?
I'd love to see the Harris collection online. I'd love to have it happen in our lifetime.
If the collection was put into the public domain, it would be done 100-times faster.

Carrick Shooting Shouldn't Cause Frenzy

As a resident and community activist in the city neighborhood of Carrick, I was disappointed to hear of the fatal shooting of a student outside of the high school, but not overly surprised.

I grew up in a rural community and went to an elementary/middle/high school campus that looks remarkably like the Columbine high school where several kids went on a killing spree years ago. Residents of that previously sleepy town didn't run to their nearest urban area, afraid of gun-toting teens. Likewise, Carrick residents shouldn't run for the hills after this tragedy.

Parents need to be responsible for their kids' activities, before, during and after school. Immediately upon hearing of the shooting, I predicted that the actors knew their victims, it was probably drug-or-pseudo gang related, and that there would be plenty of fear to go around.

News reports indicate that the act was caught on video. They already have suspects. I truly expect arrests within a week.

Within the next few days a city leader, or prospective city leader, MUST unveil a plan to help parents--single parents, married parents--everyone who has children in Pittsburgh. Counseling, after-school activities, motivational speakers, family experts, etc. At foundation or private expense. A challenge to the "downtown community" to help any parent who needs it.

Carrick has the city's largest baseball league. Just last week, we signed up our son for another season of shagging flies and hitting sharp grounders up the middle. Carrick's baseball community does its part. It's a guarantee that none of the actors involved in today's shooting were a part of Carrick's baseball community.

Parents should allow their students to go back to Carrick High School. Maybe not tomorrow if they are particularly concerned. But without question, people in the community shouldn't fold up their tents and go into a tizzy.

Hertzberg steps out to allow for special election on May 17

Alan Hertzberg is setting aside personal compensation and is quickly resigning from his city council seat to allow for the special election to occur on May 17.

The special election would have cost the city an extra $60,000 if it was held on another date.

Alan did the right thing and did so for the good of the city.

Last year I pushed and pulled at Harrisburg to hold the special election for the 42nd State Senate to be held on May 17. That move saved $250,000. The proper date was selected so we'll not only save more money, but engage more voters in the selection of the public officials.

Alan's move turn up the heat a bit for the city council race. The Republican candidate needs to get into gear.

Anyone want to run for the office under a LIBERTARIAN banner, please contact me. Tonight the Libertarians are meeting at 7 pm at Ritters Diner in Oakland/Shadyside area.

NEPA News - busted for living the high life on Ben Franklin's good name

Corruption. Caught. Outcome.

NEPA News: "Leaders such as Pittsburgh Mayor Tom Murphy and former Gov. Tom Ridge instructed McGeehan to 'shake trees' to bring new businesses to the region, McGeehan said, and he did that by traveling and hosting parties at which he could network.

Read about the fat cats in the comments or click the link above.

I have a no problem with fat cats in the private sector but they don't sit well in my view in the public sector.

I remember the Pittsburgh Ben Franklin center -- and how worthless they were as I approached them. I was there on a number of instances and was always left with a bad impression.

I had also been to the small business incubators in Evanston, Illinois with Northwestern Univ. too. The contrast was real. These pretentious characters are part of the continual decline of the Pittsburgh business climate.

Fontana resigned. Next phase begins.

Wayne Fontana, thanks for the five years of service. Thanks for tendering your resignation. Now let's start the discussion on how to best serve the citizens and taxpayers of the region.

The meeting in County Council was on the wild side. A new crisis is here. Headlines in the papers are sure to point out that the 1-2-3-4 plan is headed to court.

One eight-to-sevewn vote dodged a year-long delay. The final vote was with three on the minority side.

Everyone was in agreement, the system is broken. Some think it will take three years to fix it. I ask, why? What was happening the last three years?

My solution, "assessment buffering." More to come on that in the weeks to come.

Venture outdoord hits a bump in the road with insurance

Sad news from our outdoor friends on insurance is in the comment section.

When the Rec Centers and Swim Pools closed, I put a message to the firefighters union to ask them to come to the rescue in terms of insurance help. Coordination matters.

The Pittsburgh Park District would be another way to get solutions to insurance problems.

See the comments.

City of Pittsburgh needs GOP mayoral candidate, a PG statement

City of Pittsburgh needs GOP mayoral candidate The rest of you just have to work on your sales pitch. That argument I've heard so often on talk shows -- 'You people are idiots. Why don't you let us run that city we hate?'' -- will need polishing before November.

For the record, I love Pittsburgh.

The rest of the article is interesting.

Mr. Reform falters, so says the trib. But Lamb isn't dead yet. His rebirth could come in a new race. Mine, no less!

Pittsburgh Tuesday takes - PittsburghLIVE.comThe mayoral campaign of Allegheny County Prothonotary Michael Lamb continues to go nowhere fast. To wit, the Democrat's transportation 'plan' talks of pumping more money into the Port Authority instead of fixing the badly broken agency. Lamb also gushes over the proposed high-speed magnetic levitation train and the North Shore Connector. Both are boondoggles of the highest order. Some 'plan.' 'Mr. Reform' is dead.

We did get the deer in the headlight glaze to vanish when asking Lamb about the Mon Valley Toll Road. A few months ago he was without comment. He's on the campaign trails and has no comment on a vital issue. Well, at least he is moving and showing some progress there in the right direction.
But, by and large, the reform tag misses the mark. So, I agree with the Trib's editorial snip.

But, Lamb isn't dead yet. In the Mayor's race, Lamb might be. But, Lamb has a chance of getting a new gust of wind if he would only switch races. Lamb could still jump into the PA Senate race slated for May 17.

Fontana, D, has yet to resign from County Council. Fontana, the expert that he is, might be too valuable to county council in this new crisis in his field on his watch. Fontana might need to stay right where he is to fight off the court cases that are sure to arrive.

Michael Lamb could fill in for Fontana as the Democrat's entry into the race for PA Senate to fill Jack Wagner's old seat.

Next year, Fontana might be able to get a job within Lamb's office.

Michael Lamb's father is a former majority leader in the PA Senate. The younger Lamb, 42 now, should have entered this race months ago.

Lamb, however, to his credit, says he can't allow Bob O'Connor to become Pittsburgh's next mayor. He, too, cares a great deal about the future of our city and region. But the time is too short.

Lamb could pull out of the Mayor's race, get the endorsement of the Dems with a deal with Fontana, and run for Harrisburg. Lamb, and his supporters, could then influence the Mayor's race in the fall's general election. But that effort would take, T E A M W O R K.

Teamwork. Humm. The debate stage for the Mayor's Primary among Dems is sorta busy. Les, Bill, Hop and others are there to engage Bob. The frontrunner might get more than 50% of the vote. But, in 2001, Bob got 30K votes. Meanwhile in 2004 Kerry got 114K and Bush got 39K.

This year, the November election could be important.

Think again.

Trib's Tuesday Takes gets an echo from these quarters:

Pittsburgh Tuesday takes - PittsburghLIVE.com
Rule of law scofflaws: Allegheny County Council today is scheduled to vote on Executive Dan Onorato's 4 percent property assessment cap. Other than the fact that it's illegal, only exacerbates the quest to make assessments accurate, and will allow more expensive properties to escape paying their fair share, hey, it's a great idea. If the Democrat-controlled council approves of the plan, it will be guilty of malfeasance. Oh, and if Councilman Wayne Fontana participates in the vote, the candidate for state Senate who should have resigned weeks ago will have violated the county charter. What a crew, eh?

I'm on the agenda to speak at tonight's county council meeting. My topic, "County Charter." I should speak at the end of the meeting.

Pointer to Mojo Collins concert on Saturday, from Wilburn

This Saturday, March 19, Mojo Collins will be performing for the Calliope Legends Concerts at the First Unitarian Church in Shadyside. Admission is $15.00. Mojo is a singer songwriter and does blues, southern folk, pop, classical and contemporary. He is a good storyteller and gives a very good show. He has performed with or opened shows for Fleetwood Mac, Janis Joplin and Big Brother & the Holding Company, Steve Miller, Santana, The Grateful Dead, Ike and Tina Turner, Muddy Waters, Leon Redbone, Sly and the Family Stone, Blue Cheer, The Spinners, Maurice Williams and the Zodiacs, Keith Shealy, and the incomparable Stevie Ray Vaughn. The show starts at 8:00 PM.

He will be performing live at 11:00 AM on the Saturday Light Brigade (SLB) 88.3 WRCT- FM with Larry Berger. From 2-4 he will do a workshop: “FOLK AND BLUES ROOTS” at the Church, registration is $25.00 and advanced registration required for workshop, Calliope Office - 412-432-0333.

You can sample his music at www.mojocollins.com.

Remaining Legends Concerts:

April 23. 2005 - Steve Gillette & Cindy Mangsen, Contemporary and traditional folk music; strong harmonies and energetic performances of classic story songs. www.compassrosemusic.com

June 4, 2005 - Rachael Allen: Original, folk, traditional folk & contemporary folk; soulful and powerful. www.lookeyhere.com

Or, you could go to a boxing event and witness the jolts as the grey matter squishes around in the heads of young fighters.

Merging Sterrett and Rogers into Reizenstein leaked as an option

School board considers making Sterrett, Rogers into Reizenstein 'pods' School board members are considering closing two high-performing middle schools and transferring their programs to Reizenstein Middle School, potentially eliminating two popular alternatives to Reizenstein that have helped persuade parents to keep their children in Pittsburgh Public Schools.

The idea of having a performing arts school without a stage needs serious review.

I wonder about the news timing of this release. Why is it being published now? Is this the doings of the school officials who need to change the conversation away from the shake-up in top administrators? Is this another evil plot to highlight the warts of the city life and get more to flee to suburban schools? Where is A+ Schools, Mr. Lamb? What about the rumor of a move of Rodgers to share the downtown digs of CAPA in the Cultural District?

Another two dozen questions emerge from this story.

If it is broken, fix it. If it is working, let it flourish. One of our trends is to break what works and offer band-aids to what is broken.

Close the schools where the learning is light. Sadly, we've done the inverse and this again looks to be the pathway being pondered.

Ohio University Men play in NCAA Tournament on Friday, March 18

Ohio (21-10), a 13 seed, plays fourth-seeded Florida (23-7) at 11:25 a.m. CST on Friday, March 18 in Nashville.

The Bobcats earned an automatic bid to the tournament by defeating Buffalo 80-79 in overtime Saturday night in the finals of the Mid-American Conference Tournament while the Gators upset No. 4 Kentucky 70-53 in Sunday's Southeastern Conference Tournament championship game.

Ohio Athletics to Announced Ticket Distribution Policy Monday Morning. See the comments.

The days are getting longer now. Journalist, Activist, Sunshine

Sunshine Week is a nationwide effort to let people know which public records they're entitled to see and to pressure lawmakers to change rusty, poorly written or too strict statutes that keep citizens from peeping behind the curtain of governmental secrecy.

At the candidates night last week in Windgap, I was the third with a background in journalism to speak. Being open is part of the efforts to be more democratic.

Happy Pi Day

Today, Monday, 3.14, is Pi Day. Enjoy.

NUKED: Firefighters Ballot Question about Standards

The Firefighters had put a ballot question on for November, 2004. But that one was knocked off the ballot by Mayor Murphy. The second generation question was put onto the ballot for May, 2005. But that was taken off by the firefighters.

The question was to insist upon the fire standards. But that standard was put into the new contract, about to be voted upon by council.

So, there will be no ballot question for the voters of the city from the firefighters. The other ballot question has to deal with the county row office reform measure.

On Wednesday, I expect to see a showing of citizens to rally about their closed fire houses. Time will tell if this gets to be a hot issue in certain parts of the city, or not.

GOP's candidate missing in action? - PittsburghLIVE.com

GOP's candidate missing in action? - PittsburghLIVE.com Sometimes they vanish immediately after their failed campaigns, sometimes during them. The common denominator among recent Republican mayoral aspirants is that, politically speaking, the utter futility of their bids causes them to evaporate like steam.

'I'm not going to disappear,' James Carmine vowed shortly before being trounced by Mayor Tom Murphy in 2001. Has anyone outside the Carlow University classrooms where he teaches philosophy heard from him since?

Yes.

I pick up the phone. I do outreach. I know about Carmine now -- and I even put a bit on a recent blog entry about Professor Carmine. Since you asked, I provided an answer.

Carmine is going to put his energy into helping Mark Brentley, Sr. beat Sala Udin in the Dems primary in the City Council District 6 race. That race might be a three way race and there are sure to be others in the hunt too. A Republican is on the ballot and a friend is going to run as an Independent. So, there are many putting in efforts to unseat Sala.

By the way, I'm a former GOP candidate for mayor. But Eric, no sense in letting truth get in the way of a good story.

Primary challenges -- and quote that hits the nail on the head

Primary challenges - PittsburghLIVE.com 'We're not politically affiliated. We want fiscal sanity,' said James Menegazzi, head of Concerned Citizens of Mt. Lebanon. 'We also would like to see more balance with the focus of the board -- more attention to the education process and less emphasis on capital-improvement projects like pools and buildings.'

Great concept and words: Finscal sanity. My word choice, "being prudent." Same difference.

The other interesting words that I enjoy reading is the attention to process and less emphasis on capital-improvement project. Wonderful. Even in this case, the target is a swim pool. It is so true. I've been harping about too many "bricks and mortar projects." We need to think again. It isn't about building. It is about programming.

Parks make a delicate state issue

Lodges for parks a delicate state issueLodges for parks a delicate state issue

Sunday, March 13, 2005, By Bill Toland, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG -- There are still some true outdoorsmen, the kind who could survive a week in the woods armed with a folding knife and some matches. But they are greatly outnumbered by the semi-outdoorsmen, the kind who enjoy hiking or fishing or hunting, but at the end of the day prefer a soft bed and a nice meal to a sleeping bag and a tent.

That is why Pennsylvania is thinking of building overnight lodges at some of its state parks within the next few years. The new lodges may resemble what you can already find at ski resorts or larger national parks such as Yellowstone or Yosemite -- conference rooms, restaurants and residential suites equipped with television sets, kitchenettes and other modern amenities.

But in pursuing the lodges, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources must perform a delicate balancing act, drawing new classes of visitors without offending those who think parks ought to be largely kept in their natural condition....

Parks are a state issue. This is an area I am most qualified to ponder and lead.

My sister and her family resides in a state park at a county facility. It is much like a lodge. It is a youth hostil in a beautiful setting.

Parks matter.

Programming in parks matter too.

Finally, I'm not certain that these parks should be building lodges with taxpayer money when the times are lean. Growing Greener matters too.

Election Reform Task Force meeting in Harrisburg on Thursday

The Pennsylvania Ballot Access Coalition, PBAC, and the chair of the Libertarian Party in Pennsylvania announced an election reform task force meeting on March 17 to focus on changes that will have a minimal impact at best on voter turnout.

We hope to bring their attention to the much larger issue of ballot access where the facts are in our favor. According to U.S. Census data, 7.7 percent of the people in our nation didn't vote in 2000 because they didn't like the candidates. Our research reveals that assuring third party candidates a place on the ballot is the best way, hands down, to improve voter participation. The PBAC has prepared and submitted a report to the coalition outlining our position.

We need your help to drive that message home to the Election Reform Task Force this Thursday. We are hoping some of you might be able to attend the meeting to support our speakers. Having a showing of support in the audience encourages our presenters and adds emphasis to our points with the task force.

The meeting is from 10 to 4 pm on Thursday, March 17, 2005, at the North Office Building, Ground Floor, Hearing Room 1, Topic - Voter Participation.

Philadelphia Inquirer - Reheating case of election fraud

Philadelphia Inquirer | 03/11/2005 | Tom Ferrick Jr. | Reheating case of election fraud... But Stack's attorney asked Jackson to reconsider her ruling. She granted them that right, briefs were filed on both sides by mid-August, and the judge told the parties she would probably rule by Labor Day.

They should have asked: Do you mean Labor Day 2004?

Because Labor Day came and went and there was no ruling by Jackson. So did Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's, Presidents' Day and Valentine's Day.

As of today, Stack and his codefendants have not been tried. Heck, they haven't had a preliminary hearing.

A ruling, please

This week, new Attorney General Tom Corbett sent a letter to Jackson asking her to rule on the out-of-county judge issue so the case could proceed.

'Justice delayed is justice denied,' said Kevin Harley, the AG's spokesman. 'These were serious charges brought that go to the heart of our electoral system.'

Meanwhile, the elder Stack is back in the news as one of the owners - along with his five children - of a potentially lucrative tract of land along the Delaware River, which is a potential site for one of the city's new slots parlors.

Sale of water rights on the 22-acre piece of land in Fishtown was approved by the state legislature last year for $100,000. A Las Vegas casino company has an option to buy that tract and an adjacent one for $40 million.

Talk about hitting the jackpot...

Some chatter on contributions to the world

Photos from our experience in China in 2004 are displayed on a web site at a University in Canada.

A nice note from a web reader came to say how the presentation was enjoyed and how fortunate we were. I agree fully. She came to my site on a search about China and Democracy.

An Irish-themed contribution is to come in a day or two, as some family stories are to be put online. We have a set of original kids books that feature a magical dragon, Yup. His slogan is, "Yup, let's do it." Very positive. The set of books came about over a number of years. They are read and re-read every March in this home.

Catherine (my wife) had an article in the glossy newstand magazine, Simple Living. That is now showing up on AOL screen shots as a quote, with her attribution. If you happen to see it, please talk a screen shot and forward it to me. I'm not an AOL user. The attribution is Catherine V. Palmer, Ph.D. and the content has something to do with hearing.

The word, "Netizen" is an more modern word that fits in place of "citizen." I've been called by Paul Sentner a "Citizen Candidate." Perhaps the next level is to be a "Netizen Candidate?" But, I've already been scolded by others with less vision and more sensible yet pessimistic outlooks to not invent my own words while I'm trying to win public office.

Concepts to push the envelope, for the years to come include: Moment to moment justice; Netizen Candidate; Eureka Squared; Structural Accountability; Assessment buffering; Transparent Bank Account.

For now, we'll just run on our legacy of astonishing creativity and the slogan, "Think again."

There goes my float in a parade for St. Pat's Day postings. Now off to meet the crowds.

Pitt out -- Ohio Men's Basketball Team Advance in the MAC

Ohio basketball teams head to Cleveland for the Mid-American Conference Tournament! The Ohio men's basketball team will face Miami in the MAC Tournament semifinals in Gund Arena, tonight at 7:00 p.m. The winners of the two semifinal games will meet for the MAC Tournament championship and an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament on Saturday at 7 p.m. More: http://www.ohiobobcats.com/sports/mbball

Ohio University invites you to attend a Bobcat Bash at the MAC Tournament. Sponsored by: Ohio University Alumni Association, Trustees Academy, Ohio Athletics and Green & White Club. Special appearances by the Bobcat, Cheerleaders and Marching 110

Ohio University will kick off a Bobcat Bash 90 minutes prior to each Ohio University Men’s Basketball tournament game. Bobcat Bash - Admission is FREE (snacks will be provided and a cash bar will be available).

Game tickets – Single game tickets are $28. Sit will fellow Bobcats; purchase your game ticket at the Ohio table at Will Call in Gund Arena or contact the Ohio Athletics Ticket Office at 740-593-1300 or 800-575-CATS (2287).

Gund Arena -- Upon arrival to the Gund, follow the Ohio Bobcat Bash signs or ask an usher for directions to the Ohio Bobcat Bash.

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - PittsburghLIVE.com

This isn't a hail storm, but it is more than a flurry.

Pittsburgh Laurels & Lances - PittsburghLIVE.com: "Lance: To Wayne Fontana. The Allegheny County Charter is clear. County Council members have to first resign before seeking other elective public office. Mr. Fontana is the Democrats' nominee in the 42nd Senatorial District special election to replace now-Auditor General Jack Wagner. He says he has 30 days and will leave the council on Thursday.

What, Fontana can't read? Any 'official' action he may take between now and his departure will be illegal. And this guy wants to be a state senator?

Letters to the editor: 3/11/05 - Wenzig nails the fumbling opponent

I don't know this person. But she gets my praise for ruffling feathers.

Letters to the editor: 3/11/05 Contorted ethics

On Feb. 20 Allegheny County Councilman Wayne Fontana received the Democratic nomination for the special election for the 42nd state Senate district. The election held on primary day will be to fill the seat due to the departure of Jack Wagner.

Despite the fact that the home rule charter passed by Allegheny County voters clearly states that no member of County Council shall be a candidate for another office unless he or she resigns from County Council, Mr. Fontana continues to hold his seat. And he intends to hold onto it until March 17 ('Fontana Not Leaving Council Just Yet,' March 9). He is banking on a technicality that he isn't 'officially' a candidate until he files formal paperwork with the state Democratic Committee; he says he has until March 28 to do that ('Fontana Resigning -- Soon,' March 5). What a contorted ethical view this man possesses! I suppose he doesn't plan to raise funds or campaign until after that time!

Is this the kind of state senator that South Hills residents want to represent us? This is the exact kind of self-serving nonsense that Rep. Michael Diven left behind when he moved to the Republican Party. Rep. Diven's independence and integrity are admirable traits which voters -- both Democratic and Republican -- respect. Mr. Fontana's first order of business as a candidate is to do an end-run around the law, and it shows that he doesn't deserve the office of state senator.

JANINE WENZIG, Dormont

Janie, I still need a press agent with the Elect.Rauterkus.com campaign. Are you interested? You've got the job. Call me. 412 298 3432.

My long-time friend, now at the Convention Center with a booth at the home show, wrote a LTE to the PG and it was pulled on Saturday, sadly. Oh well. That isn't my paper, so I understand.

My efforts to write an op-ed for the RACE FOR MAYOR series in the PG have begun. My slant these days is about the process and our democracy. We need to think again. We need viable alternatives. New regional leadership is necessary. Understanding that effective leadership isn't four years to install in a stop sign nor 30 days to resign from an office. We need to move along -- and pass beyond the old guard.

This special election for state senate is to fill a two year term. Elect me and if I don't do a good job, in two years, toss me out of office and elect someone else.

Polling activity from someone else

I'm hearing from a number of my friends in the 42nd district about some telephone polling being done, again. I'm not sure of who is doing the calls. Perhaps they are internal and from the state house or senate from one or the other old parties.

I'm being included.

Time will tell if the results are to be made known. From time to time KDKA might co-sponsor a poll.

The tone of the poll questions, so I hear from others, makes it more like a 'push poll.' They are seeking opinions and trying to sway some opinions as they ask loaded questions.

One question in the suite of interactions with callers who take this poll are presented with the fact of one of my opponents going to CUBA in the past. Then they are asked is that news make the candidate more favorable or less favorable in that person's opinion.

For the record, I've not been to Cuba. But, we spend five weeks in China in 2004 and you can see some of our photos online.

Some day people might take more interest in our travels. When they do, I'll be happy to share our "slides." Just ask and I'll point you to our photos of the Grand Tetons and Yellowstone from this fall.

I guess if you don't have much to say and you have a lot of money to burn, you can sponsor opinion polls that ask "boxer" or "briefs." Hope they can fabricate something in the weeks to come.

Lost College Grad: Why political?

Another blogger had a few interesting comments to make about the political life. These are his words at the top section and mine to follow.

Lost College Grad: Why political? Why political?

Why is everything political? I mean, why do people feel the need to push their political ideas? I look at all these blog sights and everyone is just trying to out do everyone else on their political ideas.

I look at the local Pittsburgh blogs and I see people claiming they are the greatest leaders in the world and know how to pull this city out of it's problems, yet no action. And then you try to say something nice about the city and throw out a random idea and you get a college lecture. As I remember there was sleeping involved while reading because it was that boring.

This is why I don't vote. Go ahead and hate on me. I really don't care. If all you can do is hate on other people then you must of low self-esteem.

A lot of people have opinions, but don't turn them into constant yelling, like those political shows on TV because those people don't do shit.

In summary to all the I am the greatest politico of all times. SHUT UP! Because you are not listening to what's going on around you.

I am listening. I'm with my head up and ears on. You can post what you want at the Platform.For-Pgh.org/wiki/ I dare say, none other around here is going to do anything like what I've been doing for the past years.

Peduto did instigate with CMU a Community Connections site, but it was broken. Get out the band-aids. I asked that it be turned off and archived as it fell into disrepair. Sounds familiar as our city is in neglect too.

I do try my very best to put my words into action as well. I walk the talk. I work with kids. I lend my support. I go to concerts and host musicians.

My talk isn't about being the "best" -- rather it is mostly about being a steward. I respect the process and democracy. I scratch for the creative ideas and work at the meaningful elements.

Shared services (O'Connor's words) and combined dog license sales or tax bills (Lamb's) are a yawns.

A very good associate, who runs eVote, did not vote recently. She too is so upset she can't even get to the polls. Your suggestions are noted.

Last night in the town hall meeting there were a few comments from the audience about our "post-democratic society." My will is to turn that tide to the other direction.

Bob O'Connor wants shorter board stays for the people who serve on the authority boards. This short stay on the board allows him to make more appointments. He'd churn the volunteers who serve with shorter terms.

My approch to authority boards and authority operations is much unlike that from O'Connor. In January 2004 I called for the liquidation of the Parking Authority. That shortens the board term of the authority. We don't need the board. We don't need to have the agency doing parking as that is not a core governmental operation. The phase out of the parking authority would take some years, but it should be eliminated.

We need to instigate new policies that make "retention votes" for board members who might want to stay on the board and is doing a fine job as measured by the votes of the people. Board members would be appointed. However, after their appointment and first year of service, they'd have to score well on a retention vote at the ballot box.

Retention votes are used in other places to retain or move to replace judges. Retention votes insert accountability into the process.

The Lost College Grad asked why does everyone need to push their ideas. The simple answer is because its our duty. We are American. Our society depends upon the free exchange of thought. When ideas are shared, they gain in value or are proven to be without value. As ideas are shared, relationships are forged too.

In China, talk of politics is taboo. The chatter is robust in terms of the economy, but not much happens in other conversations on other topics. Here we are free, mostly. We have a legacy of being free at least. In China, they are not.

Our freedom shows itself within our solutions. I feel that America's superior potential hinges upon its ability to handle and foster freedoms in conversations and thought transfers. We thrive as we share ideas. We all win and can have better quality lives as opinions are measured and flowing with refinement of course.

Hence, I agree that constant yelling can't work. I agree that the listening part is critical as well. Send me an email, Mark@Rauterkus.com, and I'll listen. Or, better yet, post a comment on the blog, and we'll all listen.

BTW, I tried to post a follow up at the Lost College Grad blog, but got an error. Blogger has been flakey for me too in recent days.

Free State Project Talk: Secession and Democracy

Speaker: Jason Sorens, founder of the Free State Project at 6 pm on Tuesday, March 15, 2005, at the University of Pittsburgh Law School, 3900 Forbes Ave.

More at: http://freestateproject.org/news/events.php

McKeesport Ink on my call for a resignation

The Daily News Part of the pressure was on the chairman of that committee.

Link to article, and more chatter on it below.

Comments From Left Field - Gallery - Politics/Drinking Liberally March 8, 2005 - 04

Here we are: Katrina B, (campaign manager), Robert O., (candidate for city council), Mark Rauterkus (candidate for PA Senate), Wilburn Hayden, (director of social policy and research), Tom L. (friend, still, with a role to come I hope soon, right?)

Comments From Left Field - Gallery - Politics/Drinking Liberally March 8, 2005 - 04: " http://commentsfromleftfield.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-77"

That's Dr. Hayden's beverage in front of us. Heck, it's called Drinking Liberally!

It took us four years to get that stop sign in by the park

I got to speak and take question in Wingate tonight. Great event. Best sweet potato pie I ever had too.

Bob O'Connor was speaking and said, "It took us four years to get that stop sign installed." It was one that was a problem, being near a busy interchange near a park.

So, we need to hire him as he has experienced leadership. With his experienced and effective leadership, it will take my 10 year old 80 years to hit his 60th birthday.

Nutty logic. Expert advice and rediculous rule.

Council Vice President Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, has said he will resign after Tuesday's council meeting.

He's required to do so by county law in order to pursue a state Senate seat in a special May 17 election.

Mark Rauterkus, the Libertarian running against Fontana for the seat vacated by Auditor General Jack Wagner, wants an immediate resignation.

"Every minute of additional delay goes without an excuse and serves to break the trust with the people throughout the county," Rauterkus claimed. Fitzgerald disagreed.

"I think it's a ridiculous rule," Fitzgerald said, recalling other councilors who have had to quit, including Mike Crossey (running for state House), the Rev. James Simms (county controller) and Richard Olasz (West Mifflin council). Only Olasz was elected.

Fitzgerald wants Fontana, a real estate broker, to work with council after his resignation.

"We need his expertise, particularly in this assessment turmoil we're in again," the council president said. "I will ask him to be our expert when this committee meets in the future, and hope the chairman of the committee would utilize Wayne Fontana's expertise."

If Wayne is such a blasted expert, and he's been on council so long, why are we in an assessment turmoil again?

Meanwhile, Bob O'Connor said he'd be sure to put professional real estate people onto the URA Board. And, then he'd move them off the board to get new talent ever couple of years. But we have a this cancer called real estate speculation too. We don't need real estate people on the boards of authorities, we have them in the halls of government. We have them on County Council even -- and they are not resigning when they should.

We need real estate people doing real estate deals. Then we need governmental people doing good government. Then we need to not have the government do real estate deals. And, we don't need real estate people doing government.

We got some serious role issues here. They are all goofy.

I'm a person who knows what government should do and what it should NOT do. And, I'm one who wants to make Pittsburgh better for what it is and I'm not happy to try to turn Pittsburgh into something that it isn't.

We need to elect new regional leadership.

Election details: 107 for City Council and 1041 for Mayor

To run for City Council in District #6 as a candidate who is NOT either Democrat nor Republican, one needs 107 signatures on the papers to get onto the ballot. Those are due before the first of August, 2005. Then that person gets on the ballot for November, 2005.

Robert Oldenski is the guy I'm going to support in that quest.

I talked with my past loyal opponent, James Carmine, Ph.D. He is going to put his energy into helping another candidate, Mark Brently. Brently is running against Sala Udin and Tonya Paine. Tonya got the endorsement from the Dem party recently.

To run for Mayor, and get onto the general election ballot, one needs 1041 signatures on the papers.

PG Editorial: Fontana's fumble / The council member should have resigned by now

The editors of the Post-Gazette know how to read plain English, even if Wayne Fontana can't.

Editorial: Fontana's fumble / The council member should have resigned by now

Wayne Fontana should have resigned post in Allegheny County Council when candidate for PA Senate

Philadelphia Inquirer | 03/09/2005 | Senator owns land sought for slots

Philadelphia Inquirer | 03/09/2005 | Senator owns land sought for slots Senator owns land sought for slots

State Sen. Michael Stack 3d said he abstained from the vote to sell the property. A Las Vegas firm is interested.

By Nathan Gorenstein and John Sullivan, Inquirer Staff Writers

State Sen. Michael Stack 3d (D., Phila.) holds an interest in a company that owns land at a potential site for a slots parlor along the Delaware River north of Penn Treaty Park.

The property was purchased in 2004 from the state after the asking price for a total of 22 acres was reduced from $1.5 million to $100,000. State officials said the price was cut to offset the cost of removing pollution left on the ground by a long-defunct shipyard.

This is a great example of land speculation. Our region is full of land speculation deals and more important, policy. Land in certain areas are ignored to the benefit of that in other areas. Hence, the flux in property is where the bandits make out. The land speculators are not about sustaining life, raising families, making community. It boils down to the gamble of the profits. And, with place like The Hill District, people are okay to buy land and let it sit for a decade or more. Then the land will rebound. But, the speculators don't help it to rebound. They let it decay and are poor neighbors. They look for the one-time windfall.

For the record, I don't own land elsewhere.

The abundance of speculation and the depression/inflation cycles makes a good reason why we don't need more real estate brokers in the Senate. Too much of what has been happening in the public life is centered upon land deals and what I call, "bricks and mortar."

The powerful too over joyed in the hardware. I'm more about the software. I care about the human elments.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Elections or is this an endorsement with journalism groups?

Journalists Push for Government OpennessBy SIOBHAN McDONOUGH
Associated Press, WASHINGTON (AP) -- Seven journalism organizations and The Associated Press are joining to promote accessible, accountable and open government.

The Sunshine in Government Initiative seeks to combat what the groups see as increased government secrecy since the 2001 terrorist attacks. The coalition will lobby for legislation and seek to educate the public about First Amendment issues.

'National security depends on public trust,' AP President and CEO Tom Curley said. 'The trend toward secrecy is the greatest threat to democracy. We must be vigilant at explaining and fighting for accountable government in every jurisdiction.'

Splendid news from the news hounds.

For some strange reason, the PG put this coverage in the ELECTION Section with the online placement.

I have a degree in Journalism, BSJ, Ohio University, 1982. The new coverage is important. It is an important factor in our quality of life.

More details from this story and from the overall effort are sure to be in my platform. I want open government. I want structural accountability. I want e-gov for its transparent benefits.

Fontana not leaving Allgheny County Council just yet

Fontana not leaving Allgheny County Council just yet Mark Rauterkus, Libertarian candidate in the race, challenged Fontana last week to step down immediately from his council seat, but Fontana said he has opinions from the county solicitor and council's solicitor stating that he has 30 days from the time he was nominated to resign. The county home rule charter requires council members to resign when seeking other elective office.

The county solicitor didn't call me back. I called him a couple of days before I broke this story. I called him a second time after I broke it. His silence is telling.

The county solictor is appointed to his job by the chief executive and approved by the county council. If the county solicitor gave an unfavorable opinion to the county council members, he'd be steps closer to losing his job. He'd be sure to lose his favor among the council members.
People have asked me if I'm going to push this matter in court. That is a legit question.

I'm not going to run to the courts and judge. No thanks. I've got better things to do. I have a high threashold against litigation. Mayor Murphy has a bad habit of keeping things in the courts. He had ballot questions tossed off the ballot. The current cronies on Grant Sreet took a few cases to the PA Supreme Court -- and lost. Those cases cost the taxpayers dearly.

My approach is to present the facts and insights. Then we'll let the voters decide. That is the court of public opinion.

The next time you see Wayne Fontana, ask him to point out the part in the county charter that says 30-days after being is a candidate for another office a resignation from county council is necessary.

If Wayne wants to vote a certain way on a bill, Wayne should have been sure that that bill wasn't delayed on Council. They choose to do nothing on this matter last week.

I didn't complain in force until that meeting concluded, the Tuesday after the Sunday vote. That was the end of the grace period for my taste.

More news on this and other related topics shortly, I promise.

Michael Cooper! Tall and with brains too.

Cronyism and incompetence in the Democratic Committee (PG editorial)

This Post-Gazette editorial nicely sums up the cronyism and incompetence of the Allegheny County Democratic Committee.

Editorial: Dreary Democrats / Are Woods and Flaherty the cream of the party?

The more I learn about Pittsburgh politics, the more I believe that the Democratic establishment is an obstacle to democracy in this town.

League will keep tabs - PittsburghLIVE.com

League will keep tabs - PittsburghLIVE.com The League of Women Voters of Greater Pittsburgh will referee this year's mayoral primary to see if candidates run a clean campaign.

Think-a-thon = my cup of tea.

The Eighth Annual Pittsburgh Public Schools Think-A-Thon will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2005 at John A. Brashear High School.

More than fifty teams of 4th through 12th grade students will compete in seven different creative events designed to test their creativity, teamwork, artistic expression, higher level thinking skills, and dramatic and communication ability.

We need judges for each event! If you like kids and love to see them think creatively and solve problems together, you will love this! We need your time (8 am - 12 noon); in exchange we'll give you a chance to work with some great kids. We will train you that day so don't worry about having to know anything in advance…. and you'll get a free breakfast, lunch and a………..

FABULOUS Think-A-Thon T-shirt.

If you want to know more, please call: Joyce Clark, Think-A-Thon Chair, at (412) 323-3958 or email me at jclark1 @ pghboe.net. I really need your help!!!!

Bigger better for Pennsylvania schools?

Bigger better for Pennsylvania schools? - PittsburghLIVE.com
'Other states have had this progressive countywide system including North Carolina, Maryland and Virginia,' Chapaloney said. 'The representative also feels we can't have true education funding reform until we actually change the source of funding and find another system. You can't keep doing what you're doing and expect change.'

Speaking to Drinking Liberally group at a North Side Pub.

Public Comment to City Council by Mark Rauterkus

Exact date uncertain.

From Mark Rauterkus

Today I come to council with good news —— and there is some good n

news in the air.

This is the time.

Good News for Modern Man —— that's the name of the New Testament.

Easter is about to be with us.

This is the time for-rebirth. This is the time for spring.

This is the time

To be biblical —— the guy on council with the other gospel-writer's name —— Luke (Ravenstahl), had good news. ‘

Mathew, Mark, Luke and John -—

I'm Mark —— He's Luke.

Luke had good news yesterday.

He took a stop watch into the neighborhoods.

Stopwatch. Time.

That is my tool. I use a stop watch all the time.

No so much as to time my talks to fit into 3 minute segments ——

But as a swim coach. ‘

Luke figured that the 4-minutes to get the fire equipment into reaches of Troy Hill was okay.

That is good news.

That's a good test.

But I wonder about the timing of this....

It is 2005. We all knew that fire houses needed to close to save money.

It took how long to close them?

Mark's good news is about music.

I'm holding a community concert.

I'm also passing around CDs. One of the songs is "Don't Put me in a Box."

If you are in a box - you won't be able to attend.

If you are in a box of party conformity, you'll be punished if you attend.

If you can't step out of the box -- we can't fix Pittsburgh.

The other song deals with CHANGE in the AIR. This is a time for rebirth and change in Pittsburgh.

But this is NOT a time for change for the sake of change.

I expect that city council will change greatly in the years to come.

But change to what?

We need changes -- but we need serious, calculated, time-honored, changes of accountability.

Modern, efficient, leadership.

Michael Diven (formerly of Pittsburgh's City Council and at the time in the PA House) changed his party. His change is for change's sake -- and not for any real benefit.

Wayne Fontana (formerly of Allegheny County Council -- then to PA Senate) changes from one job to another. But that isn't real change for Pittsburgh,

It is for Fontana —— but not for Pittsburgh.

Find out what I'm about -- at the concert. At the web site.

Hope to make my points of change known to you all.

- ASSESSMENT BUFFERING

- TRANSPORTATION

- HUMAN Development -- not corporate welfare and wrongheaded investments that are not helping.

Fontana resigning County Council seat for Senate run

The date on this resignation is still unsure. It seems as if he is going to announce the date of his intention to resign. This isn't clear to me.

Fontana resigning County Council seat for Senate run: "Fontana resigning County Council seat for Senate run

Tuesday, March 08, 2005

Wayne Fontana, the Democratic candidate for state Senate in the 42nd District, will announce today his plans to resign his Allegheny County Council seat.

Fontana said yesterday he would leave the seat before April 1, but he was still selecting a specific date.

He is running against state Rep. Michael Diven, a Republican, and Mark Rauterkus, a Libertarian, in the May 17 special election to replace Jack Wagner, who was elected state auditor general.

Fontana's seat on County Council is to be filled within 30 days of his resignation. Those on council get to select the replacement and that person needs to be in the same party as the one who has departed.
The hand-picked replacement would serve the remainder of the terms, until early January, 2006. No special election would be held, perhaps. I've heard conflicting advice on the need for the special election, or not.
Only one person filed papers for the Dem Party endorsement for the seat.
Wayne Fontana is not expected to file papers for re-election to his seat, today, at the Elections Department. The term expires this year.
We'll know shortly if there is going to be any other Dem (beyond Rich N.) or Republicans seeking that seet as well. Libertarians and other third party candidates can still seek the seat by starting to get signatures tomorrow. Those papers (not petitions) are due by August 1, 2005, and would get the candidate onto the November general election ballot.
So, my question, what date will Wayne Fontana choose to resign?