Gaming board says Barden's casino 'best fit' for city

The slots parlor didn't fit into the fabric of the lower Hill District, so says the Gaming Board.

Furthermore, I'd say that the new arena does NOT fit into the fabric of the Hill District either.

The existing civic arena should stay where it is for more modest events that don't require corporate box seats. More development can enclose around the civic arena, and that facility can be used for other activities around the clock on a daily basis.

A new venue should be built, with private money, within Allegheny County, such as at the old airport site. The Penguins should be able to build with seat licenses, corporate boxes, and 500 acres of development rights on property that isn't as confined as is in the Hill District.

Gaming board says Barden's casino 'best fit' for city: "'The board finds that PITG's facility design was, in the board's opinion, better than IOC's facility, that PITG's North Shore location boasts great potential for the rebirth of development and economic stimulus in that area and that PITG's ability to manage traffic was better than that of Station Square Gaming,' the opinion said."

2 Political Junkies: Lukey says "Jump" Jimmy says "How high?" Motznik blog goes bye-bye!

Within the comments of another blog comes some props and some hits. I give my reply there. But, I might as well re-post it here too.

2 Political Junkies: Lukey says "Jump" Jimmy says "How high?" Motznik blog goes bye-bye! 3. Mark R., sometimes you bring up good points, but ...

See the comments for the rest, or go to that blog.

Happy Groundhog Day

I don't think a groundhog is going to predict the arrival of spring, given the weather forcasting for the days ahead, unless he looks like this.

The People's Republic of Pittsburgh: Motznik Claims He's The Victim of a "Hacker"

I didn't do it.

But, I blogged elsewhere that it would happen. Jim, if you had only asked me what to do yesterday when I was in council chambers. You should have put up a 'gone fishing' sign.

The People's Republic of Pittsburgh: Motznik Claims He's The Victim of a "Hacker": "The political laugh-track that is Pittsburgh City Councilmember Jim Motznik seems to be stuck on a continuous loop. According to a report on WTAE, Mr. Motznik is now saying that the resurrected archive version of his now-defunct blog, 'Jim Motznik Strikes Speaks Out', has been put in place by an unknown 1337 h4x0r (elite hacker)

Peduto calls for ethics meeting: Good News vs. Bad News

Humm. Here is another weird twist.

Peduto calls for ethics meeting - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review City Councilman Bill Peduto today called on members of Pittsburgh’s long-dormant Ethics Hearing Board to meet next week for the first time since it was created in July.

Great to have some talk of the ethics hearing board.

However, this board was not formed in July 2006. Hardly. The ethics hearing board was around for a long, long time. It was born more than 10 years ago -- if not longer. Historians, how long ago did that come into being?

For years, while Bill Peduto was on city council, there were no members appointed to the ethics hearing board, including the slots that should have been forthcoming from City Council.

Same too with the Citizens Police Review Board. For months and months, that organization was made nearly worthless as there was a shortage of members. The board couldn't even meet -- as there were not enough members to fill the seats and have a meeting.

Some of the members were known to occupy a seat yet refused to go to its meetings.

Crippled by design by the democrats.

Now there is an election and Bill Peduto wants to put on his reformer mask and call for action, action, action. We need action. But genuine action would have been years ago. And, it would have been relentless.

Hat tip to the City's Republicans for keeping this board alive in the minds of some. Hat tip to the late mayor, Bob O'Connor, for putting his effort, finally, into getting the board into a re-birthing phase.

We don't need more stinking boards and authorities. We've got too many of them already. We don't need Propel Pittsburgh. Well, we should not start up another board or task force or authority until we take away an dysfunctional board.

More: Platform.For-Pgh.org

National Fatherhood Initiative - National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity-Building Initiative

National Fatherhood Initiative ::: National Responsible Fatherhood Capacity-Building Initiative National Responsible Fatherhood
Capacity-Building Initiative
Request for Proposals – Deadline: March 6, 2007

CollegeSwimming.com::Show Some Dignity

CollegeSwimming.com::Show Some Dignity Talk about striking a blow - a low blow.

Getting more involed in schools -- call to committees

Parents,
An open opportunity exists to engage more parents by participating on one of the committees listed below. If you are interested, please indicate which committee you are interested in working on and send me an e-mail with your name, address, telephone and e-mail by Friday February 2, 2007.

More information regarding dates and times of these meetings will be provided to those who sign-up.

Remember, your thoughts, ideas and suggestions should represent all children in the Pittsburgh Public Schools.

Donna

---

* Advanced Placement (AP)/International Baccalaureate(IB) / Centers for Advanced Studies (CAS)
** Examine data on student participation in existing programs; make policy recommendations to expand or improve

* Career and Technical Education (CTE)
** Examine quality of current CTE programs; make recommendations to expand or improve career readiness programs

** Magnet Programs
** Examine success of existing Magnet Programs; make recommendations on other types to be offered

* Middle and Early College
** Examine data on current dual enrollment program; determine potential for expanding partnerships with local colleges and universities; make recommendations on a district-wide program

* Policy
** Work with current high school principals to determine priority areas for streamlining district policies across all high schools; make recommendations

* Alternative Education
** Examine statistics for truancy and drop-out populations; make recommendations on how to expand and improve alternative education

* Student Services
** Review existing counselor, social worker, and developmental advisor roles and responsibilities; make recommendations for changes that effectively service students; review current SAP offerings; provide strategies to personalize attention to all students and families; align community partnerships with needs of schools

* Grade Promotion and High School Readiness
** Examine data on current feeder patterns; make recommendations on how to increase enrollment in middle grades, improve consistency across 6-12 curriculum; look at transition from middle to high school.

* 9th grade Civics Course
** Create a new 9th grade Civics Course with Kaplan; examine ways to introduce Pittsburgh’s cultural arena through partnerships.

Donna Vlassich, Assistant Director of Public Engagement, Pittsburgh Public Schools
341 S. Bellefield Avenue, Room 207, Pittsburgh, PA 15213
412-622-3619 - 412-622-3624 (fax) - dvlassich1@pghboe.net

Connecting the dots

Jim Motznik trivia: Did you know he collects political buttons?

Back at ya.

The People's Republic of Pittsburgh Raising A Glass to My Fellow Bloggers

Reach Arena Deal By Friday

Humm.... Out in the open talks. Can you say LEAK?

kdka.com - Officials Hope To Reach Arena Deal By Friday One source says there's been major discussion over just who will pay a $10 million debt the Pens owe to their former gaming partner Isle of Capri.

The state, county and city have refused to foot the bill, but the same source says the city and county may buy the central medical building from the Pens to partially off-set that cost.

Who is going to pay for the tearing down of the civic arena, another $7-million cost?

Who is paying for the remediation of the building of its toxic building materials now?



Kissing butt, a time honored tradition.

PG Chat - Should laws prevent spanking by parents of children

Noon kick off on Thursday.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette - Chat Thursday, February 01, 2007
Should laws prevent spanking children?

www.myspace.com/chrischandlerorg

www.myspace.com/chrischandlerorg: Chris Chandler's song, Letters, (<5 minutes). Dear Mom & Dad, ... I'm being sent around the world to ... in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.

The first letter is from Alex. The second letter is about Alex. Tune and story told by a Great American Storyteller.

Public comments before Pgh City Council

Introduction of a new CD, "How to Run." Welcome to Jim Motznik for starting a web page. I feel Luke Ravenstahl, Bill Peduto and Jim Motznik, since Bill said so, are all like peas in a pod. End statement with wonders about video cameras at City Planning Meeting about the Bar Bill.

Hear the audio at Rauterkus.blip.tv.

UPDATE: Jim Motznik's blog had its plug pulled.

From Picassa

UPDATE 2: Someone, hours later, re-opened the dead Motznik blog.

CHURN: Prudent people don't sanction such wasteful spending -- before deals are signed

Haste makes waste.

It makes little sense to knock down 11 buildings for a new arena before a deal is signed. Good stewardship does not look like this.

Arena deal or no deal? Clock is running - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review The city-county Sports & Exhibition Authority after Feb. 8 could begin demolishing 11 properties it purchased between Centre and Fifth avenues to prepare for a new arena.

'Market at Fifth' center of Downtown makeover - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review

The root of the problem: piecemeal.

'Market at Fifth' center of Downtown makeover - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 'They didn't want to do it piecemeal,' he said.

I'm a big fan of piecemeal. Walk before running. Crawl before walking.

The distinction is between "whole" and "hole." Or, wholistic and holistics.

Ex-Mayor Murphy grow to be all about mega developments. They choked the city. They were too big. They were growing city governement, something that is already too big.

Rather, more marketplace respect is needed. The city needed to rush to get out of the way of private investments.

It is great that the existing buildings were saved. It is great that the Pgh History & Landmarks is doing a deal. It is great to have Tom Murphy out of government.

The funny thing about these concepts came from an elevator ride I once had with the guys from Chicago who were in town to work with Tom Murphy's concept of a downtown mall with cinemas and Nordstroms. They were from Urban Retail Properties. They and Murphy talked about the need for an 'anchor.' They thought there was a need to subsidize the biggest businesses. The guy said that the development needed 'a whale.' And, that the public funds would have to feed this whale.

No joke.

Their thoughts claimed that once Pittsburgh bagged a whale, then all the other fish in the sea would somehow follow and create specialized, small business outlets.

I told him whales eat plankton and that he should take his blueprints and back to sixth grade science class.

Pop City - Pittsburgh as a Foreign City

Pop City - Pittsburgh as a Foreign City Pittsburgh as a Foreign City

We took Abby, our former house guest from Chengdu, China, now a Ph.D. student at Pitt, to one of Pitt's football games this fall. I had asked her, what did she know about American Football. She said, "Only what I've seen in the movie Forest Gump."



So, it is one thing to be from abroad in Pittsburgh as in Pop City's article. Here we go international. Plant seeds of opportunity abroad about Pittsburgh. Then have "follow-up" and become part of the gang-plank so others can land among us in Pittsburgh.

World Crises | Reuters.co.uk

World Crises | Reuters.co.uk Congress can stop Iraq war, experts tell lawmakers

Wish they would. But, they're mostly chicken. Ron Paul isn't. But the rest are content to just say, not more troop build-up.

Peduto questions mayor on knowledge of PEAS in POD

From texture - foods

I came back from California to Pittsburgh and seem to have entered, T h e T w i l i g h t Z o n e. Two peas in a pod. What kinda the time warp or worm hole did we just enter? Yesterday I pointed out that LUKE and BILL are two PEASs in the same pod. (scroll down) Now we've got a third pea identified, thanks to Bill, Jim.

Peduto questions mayor on knowledge of blog attack: "'Luke Ravenstahl and Jim Motznik are two peas in a pod,' Mr. Peduto said."

Something smells fishy.

From texture - foods

So sorry if you happen to be reading this blog on an empty stomach. I'm just about to upgrade this Running Mates blog to version 2.01, the one with scratch and sniff features turned 'on.'

Now to the semi-serious content of Peduto's recent sound bite:

Peduto questions mayor on knowledge of blog attack: "He asked what the public would be saying 'if Tom Murphy was arrested and put in handcuffs.

Yes. What about that? Why wasn't Tom Murphy put in handcuffs when he was mayor? Tom Murphy should have been arrested. But, Bill Peduto and Luke Ravenstahl and the third pea in the pod, Jim Motznik, were all too busy kissing up to Tom Murphy to have him arrested. By law, Tom Murphy needed to submit a balanced budget. He was known to fudge the numbers and even make phantom budgets that BILL PEDUTO SIGNED.

I would have been sure to have Tom Murphy arrested for making a TV campaign commercial for Ed Rendell for Governor right in the Mayor's office.

Next question: Bob Mayo's report and the web page from WTAE are not exactly the same. Did Luke ask Jim to not blog. Or, did he ask Jim to not blog any more about the handcuffs incident?

City Councilman Attacks Peer With New Blog - News Ravenstahl told WTAE Channel 4 Action News that he has asked Motznik to refrain from blogging any further on the issue.

Update with another MSM pointer to the peas in pod mention:

Pittsburgh blogs foment controversy - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review 'I think most folks understand that Jim Motznik and Luke Ravenstahl are two peas in a pod,' said Peduto, who denied spreading rumors about Ravenstahl's run-in with police. 'There are no truths to what Jim Motznik is saying. It's probably (being done) to protect his best friend, Luke Ravenstahl.'

Get a grip Luke. No tennant -- no new arena

Earth to Luke, come in Luke.

We've got an arena. We have a tennant problem. We don't have a signed lease for next year from the Penguins.

So, if we don't have a major tennant -- we can't afford the $7-million to tear down the Civic Arena and the $300-million to build a new one in its space. If the Pens depart -- we won't be getting a new facility.

Arena deal or no deal? Clock is running - Pittsburgh Tribune-Review Ravenstahl yesterday responded to Hill District community leaders who are concerned that residents were being excluded from talks about how to use gambling money to redevelop their neighborhood. He plans to meet this week with state Rep. Jake Wheatley Jr., D-Hill District, and others.

'We will include the residents of the Hill District in the discussion,' Ravenstahl said. A new arena is 'one of the most important components in the redevelopment of the Hill District.'

Postcard and Handout