Where did I put my wooden spoon to bang on my pot with or knock out my chicken?

You know I was skeptical. What name would they come up with, for a team that surrounds an entire community and our lore and our history? I even had my own favorite "Summit City Sandbaggers". They actually managed to pull this one off; I have to admit, "I am impressed!"

Fort Wayne, IN - When Parkview Field (Harrison Square) opens next season, Fort Wayne... will be cheering on the .... “Tin Caps” which is a moniker referencing towards the beloved pioneer Johnny Appleseed, who was known for wearing his tin cooking pot upon his head. The primary logo will be an apple wearing Johnny’s trademark "Tin Caps.” Two alternate logos will incorporate the City’s initials, “FW” with each a "Tin Cap" and an apple stem and leaf.

The team’s primary color scheme will consist of organic colors green, red and brown. This color scheme is consistent with both the Johnny Appleseed theme and the project goal of creating Parkview Field as a true park and gathering place within the center of downtown Fort Wayne.

General Manager, Mike Nutter, stated, “Johnny Appleseed, while known nationally, is a regional pioneer and folk hero. His story, and the history of this area, gives us an identity that is distinctively Fort Wayne. Johnny was a pioneer of the Midwest frontier in a time with seemingly endless opportunity...."

The Tin Caps will begin playing at Parkview Field on Thursday, the 16th of April @ 7:00pm when they take on the Dayton Dragons on Opening Day of the new ballpark. For more information on Tin Caps season tickets, group outings or corporate partnerships for the 2009 season @ Parkview Field contact the team at (260) 482-6400.

To visit the new team website or view the full press release right click on the appropriate links. It should also be mentioned candidly, because it explains his lifestyle and appearance, that Johnny Chapman was also a missionary for the Church of the New Jerusalem, or Swedenborgian Church, so named because it teaches the theological doctrines contained in the writings of Emanuel Swedenborg. There is a Swedenborgian Church in LaPorte Indiana. Fourth District Common Council Member Mitch Harper has a generational family connection to the man behind the lore of Johnny Appleseed and explains such over @ Fort Wayne Observed.

Johnny Appleseed, born John Chapman in 1774, was a nurseryman who moved westward from Massachusetts, planting apple seeds and selling the seedlings to the settlers. He had nurseries in Pennsylvania and Ohio before coming to Indiana in 1830. Apple trees were a welcome addition to the area, providing fruit that could be stored for year-round use by pioneers. After he died in Fort Wayne in 1845, his estate papers revealed that he owned about 270 acres of land in the area, along rivers, canals and roadways. Some of the nurseries were along the Maumee River, at a point 10 miles downriver from Fort Wayne and also near the Indiana-Ohio line.

Wizards rename selves Tin Caps
Compiled by Tom Pellegrene Jr.
The Journal Gazette

The Fort Wayne Tin Caps it is!!

You do have to admit that the slight diminutive references to Pot Heads is funny as hell given to the fact that our college town is in the 420 phone prefix too! Of course, this wouldn't be Fort Wayne without the residents getting their bikinis, briefs, boxers, and jock straps or thongs in an uproar. We did back in 1992 when the Wizards were originally named. So even when a private businesses makes the decision to change their name, with a more historic (and with significant cultural) respect to our area, we still bitch, always have always will. Likewise, the age old Libertarian philosophy is applicable, if you don't like it don't go and don't promote it. The consumer citizen has the ability to control things simply by closing their wallet and going home.

Even though I am supportive of the name change, and have wanted such for a long time, I am still opposed to the way Harrison Square was carried out by both Hardball, Barry, and the City Administration, in very secretive and explosively protective mannerisms. Now I will also hold Hardball Capital accountable for releasing the new name, close enough in time, to overshadow the fact that the rest of the project has hit the gutter in half a heart beat yet again, even with the recent three million dollar (over 10 years) investiture by Parkview Memorial Hospital for exchange of naming rights and exclusive services as well as community outreach and education.

Team owners, city officials and Parkview executives Thursday announced that the non-profit health corporation bought the naming rights for Harrison Square's baseball stadium. The deal is for $3 million over 10 years. The $300,000 annual contribution will be split between the baseball team's owner, Hardball Capital, and the city. The city's portion will be put into a fund to accumulate money for future capital projects at the stadium. City officials have said this is necessary to keep taxpayers from having to finance future improvements at the ballpark.

(Parkview) will have a large presence in the stadium. It could provide blood pressure and other health screenings at the stadium, and would staff the first-aid station and provide a nursing room. Packnett said his nutritionists and dieticians would also be working with ballpark concessionaires to help provide healthy choices for food and drink. Packnett said he understood that he might get some criticism for spending money on a downtown ballpark. But he said the investment fits the corporation's goals of being a good health provider and of being a good corporate partner. He said he hoped the project would spur other investment in the area, which is important for health care.

At least now we know that there is going to be some oversight in this whole boondoggled project, as Ben Lanka continues to explain below:

As part of the deal with Parkview, the corporation will get an appointment to the advisory board that oversees the stadium's operations and appropriates money from the maintenance fund. The other five members are a Hardball representative, an appointee from the Grand Wayne Center, an appointee from the Downtown Improvement District, the City Controller and an appointment from the Convention and Visitors Bureau.

Downtown stadium to be Parkview Field
by Benjamin Lanka
The Journal Gazette

Notice there are no citizen advocates on this Advisory Board. And if Fort Wayne Common Council is the one that has to approve all of this why don't they have to appoint someone to be on the Advisory Board?

Please don't expect the Citizens of Fort Wayne to take everything that Hardball, Barry Real Estate, or for that matter the City's own employees and Commission members say at face value. We are tired of being bent over the table, and asked to take it up the ass with out the benefit of lube or the common decency of a reach around, and have it all sealed away from our review. We have already been lied to on many accounts and circumstances.

This entire process needs opened up and the public should have a true understanding of the entire cost and process. On many accounts Citizens have been disregarded by both the City Administration and private industry when voicing our concerns over the intertwining of public funds into private business, all while being promised it would all work out.

Now due to the mortgage crunch and the credit crisis nationally, they are having to rewrite the playbook, for the fourth time around, as far as the condominiums are concerned to avoid an absolute disaster. We are being told yet again that everything is under control and it will all work out in the end. We don't even have the new (unnecessary) hotel being built and all the while the Citizen is the one footing the bill and holding all the receipts to this disaster when it finally decides to blow out our grandchildren bank accounts and college funds in 2034 when all the bonds come due and we have to demolish the thing because of sanitary concerns.

Jason Freier, Hardball Capital chief executive officer, said Thursday his development group remains “totally committed” to The Harrison project but that changes might be needed for it to happen. The developers are looking at redesigning the building to have larger, but fewer, condominiums.

Construction has been stalled for months at The Harrison as the developers have failed to sell enough condominiums to persuade banks to lend the necessary money for the project. Freier said the current credit crunch dominating news coverage has been affecting real estate developers for almost a year. “The issue is financing and timing,” he said.

“There are some banks, their doors are closed, quite frankly.” Freier said the market is so tough that he would be willing to consider taking a loan if a bank asked that the developer scale back The Harrison. He said if a bank gave the OK on a smaller project, he would discuss the possibility with city officials. While it would be less investment, he said it would allow the developers to get started on construction.

(Source: Fort Wayne Politics)

Not to forget to mention another couple queries that I have asked previously: How much did Hardball and Barry get in total tax abatement? Because of all the delays are they going to ask for an extension or inclusion of the Harrison Square complex into a restricted TIF and a PSDZ like the Memorial Coliseum and other "sports facilities" already are? This entire process also garners the concern of whether or not the Coliseum should hold a year around Professional Sports Development Zone since one of their primary functions has now moved Downtown. Should they be able to do so that would mean that any tax revenue generated from the location would circle back to the location rather than assisting the complete tax base and revenues of the entire Community.

There is also the issue of the Food and Beverage Tax which was technically held in trust for specifically the Memorial Coliseum and some of those funds were supposedly used for capital for the Harrison Square project which, in my opinion if that is the case, is a commingling at best if not outright fraud but even more of a reason why the FBT needs to be sunset from law. This entire process, in my opinion, needs reviewed by City and County Councils and people, corporations, and certain City employees need their asses handed to them firmly and fast, before it is too late.


LINKS RECAP: New Team Website | What's Going Down, Town? | Fort Wayne Politics |
Fort Wayne News | Fort Wayne Observed | Baseball In Fort Wayne | Johnny Appleseed Wiki |

EDITOR'S UPDATE: Stephen L. Parker @ Around Fort Wayne has additional coverage and (4 segments) video footage of the press conference by Jason Freier, Owner of the Wizards and the following question and answer session Q&A1 | Q&A2 | Q&A3 | regarding the name change to Fort Wayne Tin Caps.

I would be negligent to not give Dan Turkette @ Fort Wayne News full credit for scooping the story (original post 15th of September) about the new name at least three weeks ahead of the general media and other inside bloggers.

Because I thought it was funny: (HT Fort Wayne News) Former Fort Wayne resident T. R. Slyder had this to say on his blog Where Awesome Happens, "I just hope their motto is:
"Hide the Women and Children: We're Coming to Your Town to Spread our Seed.""

RESOURCES:
Post on F6: Harrison Square |
Support Three Rivers Athletics
F6's Links:
Support Three Rivers Athletics
Bois With Sticks In Jocks Chasing Balls

POLICY STATEMENT: Although it is nice to know that we can still think about swinging your six to nine inch piece of wood around in our hands, through showing support of the local amateur and professional sports and athletic associations, as part of the continuing editorial service of F6 to promote healthy life choices in all gay bois and gyrlz, F6 intends to prove it is possible to concentrate on more than just tight ends, wide receivers, pitchers and catchers, etc.

UPDATE: 3 Rivers Sports & Athletics: TIN CAPS Opening Day SOLD OUT!; JobFair 2K+ Show; NO BEER/JUST WHINE; 4 D Fans of Tin Caps = What @ GAY DAYS?

APOLOGY: So I first want to apologize for the delay on the update to Mondays post on Friday as promised. There is a more detailed explanation below for those who care to read it.

F6 reported on Monday, the FORT WAYNE TIN CAPS, in preparation for their freshmen season @ Parkview Field announced that Opening Game and Season Tickets would be available for purchase during Mardi Gras and that they would be holding a Job Fair today for approximately 200 part time and seasonal positions. According to all reports, including the official press releases, asserts that Opening Day is SOLD OUT!, "the team put individual game tickets on-sale for the first time and received an unprecedented response - all fixed seats in the ballpark were sold out in less than a half-hour. Full and partial season ticket packages are still available, as the team has held a number of seat locations for those interested in purchasing ticket plans. All individual tickets and ticket plans can also be purchased in person at the Tin Caps Administrative Offices @ Parkview Field or via the Team's website."

Well over two thousand people showed @ the Job Fair at the Grand Wayne Center today, according to reports by Mr. Parker. "We interviewed well over 500 people today and accepted applications from 1,500 more that we were not able to speak with at length,” said Michael Limmer, Vice President of Marketing. The Tin Caps will not be accepting additional applications at this time. Those who apply today are asked to be patient as the team reviews applications and follows up directly within the coming weeks.

Take Me Out To The Ball Game! But OMG, You Cant Buy Beer?

Citing a lack of quorum during the recent local Alcohol Beverage Commission meeting was the latest cause for delay in the ongoing battle of Harrison Square financing and government officials' accountability issues, as reported by Benjamin Lanka of the Journal Gazette:

The local board likely would have been unable to grant immediate permission to serve alcohol anyway, because John Kalb plans to remonstrate against granting the city the license. Kalb, a staunch opponent of the Harrison Square project, said he had concerns with the city holding the liquor license.

John B. Kalb @ Fort Wayne Politics
23 February 2009:
... In discussions with the hearing officer, it was discovered that the application listed an incorrect name for the officer of the Authority making the application. Per IC 7.1, the president and the secretary of the applicant corporation are to formally make the application under their names representing the entity. This would be J. Nelson Coats, president and Deanna Wilkerson, secretary who are two of the officers of the Authority.
My reason for opposing this application as requested is that I don’t see the reasoning behind using an entity like the Authority to own this permit. Since the Authority was established specifically to enable circumvention of the State of Indiana’s constitutional limitation on governmental debt, it just doesn't make sense.....

The city’s agreement with Hardball Capital, owner of the FORT WAYNE TIN CAPS, called for the baseball team to acquire the permit. Greg Leatherman, executive director of redevelopment, said it made more sense for the city to get the license at a substantial discount to save money for the project. Having the city hold the license would also mean that the city’s ability to serve alcohol wouldn’t be affected by a change in ownership.

Greg Leatherman continued..., “This is the City’s! Because if (Hardball) goes away, we keep the license,”.... (and further asserted)....., the delay wasn’t a cause for worry because it won’t affect alcohol sales for opening day, scheduled for April 16. He said they could run into some problems for preseason events scheduled for private businesses and other groups that wanted to use the ballpark as a venue.

Which has lead some to speculate already how long Hardball Capital will retain ownership of the Tin Caps and or for that matter how many other contract adjustments the City or the Redevelopment Commission are going to attempt to make, and we are not even half way through the entire project that has reached over hundreds of millions of dollars and continues to grow by leaps and bounds, all while being funded and pushed forward by a City Government that doesn't understand the meaning of fiscal responsibility and stewardship of tax payer dollars, let alone accountability to its constituents and transparency in active governance.

Taking Ownership Of Your Taxes & Your Team

However, that is where politics and pandering meats the true grit and grain of our Community here in Fort Wayne. Even if we individually or politically or collectively don't like something, it's ours and we own up to it, we still support it minimally, then we try to turn into something better for the Community as a whole. Selling out Opening Day tickets is the first step there will be a whirlwind of things to come down the pike later. This may sound olde fashioned but it worked before it can work again.

One of the things that I would like to see is the Community and the Tin Caps come together and form smaller "farm teams league" (which is similar to what I previously suggested) using our current or former high school and college athletes, or those who never dreamed it possible before, for them to play semi professional sports for exposition games locally against each other and the Tin Caps, also as a mentoring process for the younger generation to develop a local pool of players for the national teams, as well as the Tin Caps to draw recruits from. This way we could have local players move up through the national leagues easier.

Eventually it would provide the personal capital investment of truly making the Tin Caps our local team owned and operated within the City with the best players from the surrounding area and put a local team possibly on the national stage in ten years as a major league team by our own design.

This is just the beginning the possibilities for success are endless and it is up to us as a City as a Community to get ready to take over when Hardball or Barry Real Estate and whoever else decides to bailout or cash in! This initiative must start within the Community not the Corporations, plus as an aside, having the additional farm teams would provide a perfect opportunity to use some of those other name suggestions like my favorite the Summit City Sandbaggers, or the other crowd favorite across the blogosphere, the Maumee Valley Mosquitoes.

Mentioning Community Pride, What About Having GAY DAYS @ Parkview Field?

Well it just so happens that Fort Wayne's PRIDE Fest [Website] [MySpace] is held @ Head Waters Park East on the last weekend of July; and on those dates the Tin Caps are at away games all weekend long, so unfortunately there cant be a joint event on either Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. However, on the historical anniversary of The Stonewall Rebellion on the 28th of June they will be playing a home game against South Bend at 3 in the afternoon. This would be a perfect opportunity to reach out to local GLBT Lovers of the game, and for us gay bois to drool over all the hot men running around after their balls in tight pants, and jock straps, and swinging their nine inch piece of wood around in their hands. *woofy!*

Fortunately I have access to some insider information regarding this issue in detail. During the initial Matt Kelty and Harrison Square fiascoes back in 2007, Nick Giant, a local body builder and manager @ Coney Island, appeared on a couple You Tube videos shirtless, wearing a leather mask, while slamming those particular issues, both Kelty and the new name of the Team, a year later he also managed to sneak in and get an interview with (video) the General Manager of the FORT WAYNE TIN CAPS. When asked about the idea of hosting Gay Days @ Parkview Field, Mike Nutter said the following:

We are an affiliate of the San Diego Padres, they have done a Gay and Lesbian Night every year that they've been out there in PETCO Park. Again it is something that doesn't go over well with some faction of your fans ...bluntly stated.... But we are open to any group, anybody that wants to come out for theme nights.

As far as wearing rainbows on the uniform or symbolic change of the uniform for a particular group or event:

...You know... We would have to discuss that on a case by case basis with Minor League baseball dictates what uniforms we (Tin Caps) can wear. We would certainly be open to an event that acknowledges people of any group like (Gays and Lesbians) that.

These questions remain to be answered and need to be addressed:

Did anyone see the irony of having tickets sales on Mardi Gras?

The biggest concern I have left is why are we worried about maintaining a alcohol serving license to an establishment that everyone must pretty much drive to get to or from. Let me explain it in five steps:

If the City owns the license to serve or sell intoxicating beverages, and Someone who leaves said facility without the City assuring they are not intoxicated, Does that mean Someone can file suit against the City after they get pulled over by the City Police Department for drinking one beer at a City sponsored drinking establishment? What is there to prevent a liability claim against the City for serving someone to much? Without a breathalyzer station at ever exit, enforcement of driving under the influence, would then be a conflict of interest on the part of any City Official or Police Department, would it not?

Aside from all that, I have to ask the obvious question, being fair and balanced in both my commentary and reporting: After spending 130 million plus tax dollars for this project, that is not even half way done, all we get is 200 plus jobs that are at best part time and typically seasonal, how is that an equitable return on our investment?

If anything it is a violation of the tax abatement rules; which City Council gave the entire Harrison Square project a ten year tax abatement, that should be reviewed, and possibly shortened to five years. Then the County Council, as I have stated on this forum before also, will probably end up giving Parkview Field a Professional Sports Development Zone Tax District as well, which means all taxes incurred by you the consumer there stay at the facility rather than coming back to the Community at large. With that as a high note, you can also probably forget about revenue (even without interest) going to pay back the Jefferson Pointe TIF District money that funded the project in the first place. Something just doesn't seem kosher about all of it and the icing on the cake is that this bonded debt load wont even have paid off until 2034 at the earliest estimates. Not to mention the fact that a lot of these funds could have been building interest instead of being pulled out only to be spent six months to a year down the road if we had simply followed a pay as you go system in the first place.

Last, which Organization in the Gay & Lesbian Community is going to put forward the initiative to have a GAY DAY @ PARKVIEW FIELD with the FORT WAYNE TIN CAPS?

EDITOR'S NOTES: F6, as with the previous post on Monday, turns to Stephen Parker @ AROUND FORT WAYNE for most of the update information for this post. F6 also cross referenced with the Spaulding Brothers @ What's Going Down, Town? for their coverage of certain events as well as the Gentlemen over @ Fort Wayne Politics for their coverage and multi faceted perspectives.

Review of Richard Greenberg's "Take Me Out" by the Rochester Black Friars source of the 5th picture
Previous Post On F6: [Tin Caps] [Harrison Square]
[Support 3 Rivers Athletics]
F6 Links Pages: [3 Rivers Athletics] [3 Rivers Bike & Cycling] [Gay & Lesbian Sports]

F6 Editorial Policy Statement: Although it is nice to know that gay bois can still think about swinging your six to nine inch piece of wood around in our hands, through showing support of the local amateur and professional sports and athletic associations, as part of the continuing editorial service of F6 to promote healthy life choices in all gay bois and gyrlz, F6 intends to prove it is possible to concentrate on more than just tight ends, wide receivers, pitchers and catchers, etc.

EDITOR'S APOLOGY: Strike Three! No, Wait You're Not Out: I almost literally had a heart attack during the week, due to certain stress and a recent occurrence of events. Fortunately by the grace of GOD and the power of prayer, my blood pressure dropped 50 over 30 down in fifteen minutes, and then it took me a couple days to recover the rest of the way. While drastic and damaging as well as potentially deadly, it was eye opening. Even though I thought I was doing everything I could with what little I had to work with, this turn of events proved it was not enough, and I almost paid the ultimate price. I am not willing to give up this life just yet! I have already crossed over before, Heaven is boring; even with how shitty life can be sometimes, I like it here too much. Thank you to those whom are praying for me.

Indiana and Michigan dont know where each other are and other news of govenment gone amuck! amuck! amuck?

*PLEASE NOTE: THIS POST HAS BEEN UPDATED*

Yes you heard correctly loyal readers, according to a recent post over at Indiana Law Blog, sourcing a story from The Associated Press, Michigan told Indiana that after four years it cant figure out where the 104 mile long border is between the two States. They lost most of the wooden survey markers due age and degradation over time. Whom was the idiot, even back in 1827, that decided to mark out the Border of the State with wooden stakes? Especially in this climate, at least use concrete and metal to begin with.

Apparently the only thing signifying where the border is a possible few marker posts and one lone confirmed marker they found in the middle pointe of the border. Here are some statements of interest from the article:

• Michigan in 1900's reset its borders with Wisconsin and Ohio.
  
• Professional surveyors can only recover & confirm originals.
  
• Those that are lost can only be replaced by a joint action of the Indiana and Michigan legislatures or, if those bodies cannot agree on the border's location, the U.S. Supreme Court.
  
• Once that happens, property that for years was believed to lie in one state could turn out to be in another, creating quandaries regarding property and income taxes, police jurisdictions, school districts and numerous other matters.
  
• When the state line is re-established, it could end up moving north or south up to a few hundred feet

Why did Michigan wait until an entire century later to refortify its border with Indiana? Also another statement from the personal interest profile part of the story, The State of Michigan does not charge income tax on disability checks but Indiana does. Isnt that just wrong? The very nature of a disability check is already a. taxpayer money and b. a reduced rate of income so why are we charging people income tax on very little to begin with, they can barely survive on disability income. Yet we say as a State we want some of it back?

Sounds a little hypocritical to me. Then again I am a Libertarian and we dont believe in high taxes or income taxes or government assistance. Which I do disagree with The Party on the last one in most situations. Poor relief doesnt belong primarily in the Churches either because of historical and current ritual abuse and proselytizing. It belongs in the Township level of government but as Citizens never fund it fully, well that is another discussion for later.

Can you spare an extra three thousand dollars a year?

Anyhooch on to more local matters, Fort Wayne City Council approved yesterday the City budget for 2009 in a 7-2 vote which only cut 2.5 million and pretty much left us screwed with a projected 9 million dollar deficit for the year after. So one way or another the City budget will have to be trimmed excessively when it is dropped back on the table next year otherwise the taxpayers will get the rim job of a lifetime in the next five years to come. You can find additional coverage on Around Fort Wayne.

Currently as the budget stands now at just above 130 million dollars, at 250 thousand (men, women, children) that breaks down to about $520 per resident each year. This means the City currently spends $2600 per year for a five person household. In the next five years (as projected) they want to raise it at minimum another 20 million dollars or $80 per resident or $400 per household.

This is ridiculous folks our local government doesnt need to be this bloated. They should be able to operate on half of that amount easily, Im even willing to agree to two thirds, but seriously, $2600 - $3000 for an average family, and they dont even get to spend it! This is what happens when you just choose between the lesser of two evils rather than making a clear choice for limited government and increased personal freedom. Next time you get the chance, vote with liberty in mind. I do have to give mad props to Councilpersons Brown and Harper for standing up to the Henry Administration and the Democrat members of Council on this piss poor budget plan.

I have more to write about in regards to local government. There are few updates on the Harrison Square project and how another necesary component is failing yet again. You can catch up on the Harrison Square stuff via F6's Feeds & Jump Page with the blogs that are linked to in the right column. They have already covered the recent debacles with Harrison Square in detail.

There Is No Rest For The Weary!

Apparently there is also now a law suit brought by three City Police Officers against the Chief for failing to honor compensated time and overtime. On top of it, as reported by other venues, if they win the City not only will have to reimburse them for all the hours denied respite; but also by virtue of their contract, the fine to the City is doubled and the Officers receive a windfall while the City is in the middle of a budget crisis.

Suit claims city denies comp time to police
Rebecca S. Green The Journal Gazette
14 November 2008

Three Fort Wayne police officers sued the city in federal court, alleging violations of fair labor laws in how the city handles officers’ overtime. Officers Jeffery Burkholder Sr., Martin Grooms and Sofia Rosales seek overtime pay, liquidated damages and a declaratory judgment for violations that have occurred over the past three years, according to the lawsuit filed Thursday in U.S. District Court in Fort Wayne.

The Fair Labor Standards Act allows police departments to pay employees overtime by granting compensatory time off with full pay instead of paying cash. Under the law, employees have the right to take the compensatory time off whenever they choose, according to court documents. Employers must grant an employee’s request to use the compensatory time within a reasonable time if it will not disrupt the operations of a public agency, according to court documents. “Under the (Fair Labor Standards Act), mere inconvenience to the employer is an insufficient basis for denial of a request to use compensatory time,” the lawsuit reads.

Fort Wayne uses compensatory time to pay its police officers, but the three officers filing the lawsuit allege the city violates the law by imposing arbitrary staffing requirements allowing the “arbitrary approval or non-approval of compensatory time,” according to court documents. “The plaintiffs’ compensatory time requests have been denied because granting the requests would require the payment of overtime to another officer,” according to the lawsuit.

Police Chief Rusty York was surprised by the lawsuit Thursday because the issue had never been mentioned by the police union, the Patrolman’s Benevolence Association, he said. The officers’ interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act and how time should be granted are at odds with the way the police department has traditionally handled the issue, York said. “Usually the union would mention it to us or file a grievance before a suit is filed,” York said, adding that there are union elections scheduled for today. Union head Greg Cassel referred questions about the lawsuit to the attorney for the union, Richard E. Beers, who would not comment regarding pending litigation....

Random thoughts and sarcastic intuition about local politics and community events

So technically this was suppose to be Wednesdays post; but with the constant heat and humidity (as previously explained), plus everything else going on, I have not been able to sit down at length to write til last night and today. Today I would also like to wish a joy filled Sabbath of Lammas to all of my Pagan/Wicca readers out there. May we all one day learn to break bread together.

A lot of interesting things have unfolded in the local political foray the last month or so, almost to numerous for any one person to keep track off let alone write summaries and commentaries over on a regular basis.

The bulk intent of this post is to continue following up on stories previously covered on F6 and then catch everyone up on some newer stories that just compound the overall ignorance of government (H/t Spaulding Brothers @ WGD,T? ) to manage things successfully. Tax abatement should never be offered as an incentive for development, we cant afford anymore!

So first lets go on a tour of the local blogoshpere just to get caught up. I have primary blogs that I use (lower center and right columns) as resource for local perspectives across the political and cultural landscape along our three rivers.

LOCAL POLITICS AND PANDERING

F6 previously has covered the Harrison Square continuing debacle (newest to oldest) here and here, primarily along with other posts and some posts in regards to our Mayor's promises during the election (3rd-5th ip) and actions while in office. According to local blogosphere (FWOB & FWP) coverage, a month ago my concerns regarding the campaign promise of "Safe Houses" have been validated almost entirely.

However, the main story for this post, is in direct reference to a previous story by Indiana News Center that was covered on F6 in mid March and at the time actually garnered an anonymous comment in opposition to some of my analysis and commentary.

In a more recent political news update, reported by Benjamin Lanka of the Journal Gazette, on Monday, Mayor Tom Henry, finally ups the anty on Harrison Square by putting a down payment on a one bedroom with den condominium for ten percent of the total price which will face the new ball field.

It is also reported as a rumor on Fort Wayne Politics that some one went ahead and purchased/put a down payment on a block of thirty condominiums at a seriously reduced rate, which screams of "save our corporate asses from this deadline, pretty please" as a typical reaction from a third party private investor who doesn't want to loose his shirt and pants (If he is cute though, I would pay to watch it happen) over the deal.

Now it'll be really hard to tell whether the foul balls from City Hall are coming or going.

I will continue this post on Wednesday the 6th, the Solemn Feast of the Transfiguration (2nd Peter 1:16) which is a universal major celebration in all the Anglican, Orthodox, Catholic Churches and Independent Sacramental Movement Communities. The Transfiguration of Lord Joshua~Emmanuel of Nazareth on Mt.Tabor this year also marks the tenth anniversary of Fr. James Koons death. May his soul, through Divine Mercy, always find eternal peace and happiness, may his prayers merit our true intercession with one another! He is truly a Saint.

Supporting Three Rivers Athletics: Midsummer, part 2

Did you all break out the chamomile tea and eat fried sunflowers to get through the rain storm this morning? For those whom have no idea as to what I am talking about, today is the Summer Solstice, the longest day of the year; the day the sun stands still, per say. Christians remember the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist, Prophet and Martyr and Pagans celebrate Litha, those with a more literary panache will know this day by Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream. Remember to enjoy the strength of the Divine Light within each other today and always.

Do you want to be a Fort Wayne Derby Girl?

Are you a dedicated business-minded woman able to help with the day to day administration of the business? Are you a tough woman looking to strap on some skates and get rough? Here is your chance. Fort Wayne Derby Girls are holding mid season tryouts to recruit fresh talent for next season on Tuesday the 24th of June from 6-8p.m. @ The PLEX on California Road north of Coliseum and east of Parnell Avenue. You need to bring a helmet and skates if you have them, rentals will be available for those whom don't; all other padding is optional for tryouts. Contact KonaKrusher@fwderbygirls.com for more info.

In Fort Wayne women play full contact football too!

In other Woman's professional sports news the Fort Wayne Flash completed their playoff season today in a contest against the Cleveland Fusion in a highly anticipated away game. No results are available yet, which is why this post was delayed as well. In other news regarding our National Womens Football Association team, Ben Smith @ the Journal Gazette did a good opinion-feature during their Fathers Day game against the Indianapolis Chaos.

Mentioning Cleveland and Football aka Soccer!

The Fort Wayne Fever's Mens Team lost against the Internationals, 2-1, whom they will play again in an away game on the 3rd of July. This evening they were playing Toronto Lynx @ The Fort Wayne Sport Club fields. The Mens Fever next home game is the Wednesday 9th of July vs. Michigan Bucks.

The Fort Wayne Fever's Womens Team has three home games coming up: Tuesday 24th 7p, vs. FC Indiana Lionesses;
Friday 27th 7p, vs. Michigan Hawks; and Sunday 29th 4p, vs. Kalamazoo Outrage.

Games are @ Hefner Stadium near The PLEX unless stated otherwise. Tickets are $6 at the gate per person per game, with season passes per person $30 and Family passes $75 Children 3 and under are free. To tryout for the Fort Wayne Fever Mens or Womens Teams call Coach Nick Potter @ 260-496-9999 ext. 25 or by email: nickp@plexsports.com, (note: tryouts are in March). For more information about the Fever visit their website.

In local politics and minor league baseball shenanigans

The Fort Wayne Wizards have garnered some flak for wanting to change their name when they move to the new Downtown Stadium next season (If it is built on time?) Citizens can go to the Harrison Square website and enter their suggestions for a new team name. Although one word of caution, according to certain reports across the local blogoshpere, the recommendation must include the letters "IN" for Indiana, supposedly.

Some of the recommendations reported so far that I like personally are:

Maumee Valley Mosquitos, (it is kind of cute); The Runaways, (historical reference to Josiah Harmar who ran away during the Battle of Kekionga in October 1790); The Summit City Sandbaggers, (which is referring to the Flood of 1982 where Fort Wayne earned the moniker "The City That Saved Its Self" and a fly in by then President Ronald Regan (who now has the interstate around Fort Wayne named after him) on Air Force One to access the damage and revitalization by the citizens afterward).

F6 is all for historical significance! We could always pay homage to Chief Little Turtle or one of the other foriegn nationals who governed this geographical area before it became a military installation and City named after an insane and abusive General in the United States Continental Army.

In my honest opinion, it is time to rename the Wizards!

Over all I think the Summit City Sandbaggers has the best historical significance as it continues to tell the story of individuals coming together no matter what their race, creed, colour, religion, or sexual orientation might be and working as a community in one accord for the sake of their fellow man. To prove that we recently had a similar experience with major flooding for about two weeks and once again the residents showed up and shouted with their bodies in action that "We is a commUnity!" That is something deserving of a team name. As much as I and most Libertarians and Conservative Republicans or Democrats disagree with the way Harrison Square was carried out politically and financially and will continue to bitch about it, this is not an issue of money or clout it is about our Community Pride being established in everything that we do. In my honest opinion, it is time to rename the Wizards!

EDITOR'S NOTES:
This post is a continuation of Support 3 Rivers Athletics: Spring into Summer, part 1 which is part of the continuing editorial service of F6 in promoting a healthy life choices in all gay bois and gyrlz. Through showing our support of the local amateur and professional sports and athletic associations F6 intends to prove it is possible to concentrate on more than just tight ends, wide receivers, pitchers and catchers, etc. Although it is nice to know that we can do more than think about swinging your nine inch piece of wood around in our hands.

The Photo:
Pemberton Ditch Sandbags Flood of 1982 is by John Stearns of The News Sentinel.