Senate Number Barrage Hails Byrd's Tenure

By KATE ZERNIKE

WASHINGTON, June 12 — In the Senate, Robert C. Byrd is famous for reciting poetry, reading from an encyclopedia and lecturing on the lessons of history. On Monday, as his colleagues honored him as the longest serving senator, they had a chance to show off their knowledge of his history.

They noted his number of days served (17,327), the number of senators he has outlasted (1,885), the percent of votes he won in his last race (78) and the number of terms he will have been elected to if he wins again this fall (9, another record).

They did so with dissertations and detail sure to make Mr. Byrd, Democrat of West Virginia, proud. Senator Harry Reid of Nevada, the minority leader, said that Mr. Byrd's career in public service added up to 25 percent of United States history and that the Senate first met in 1789 in New York City.

Senator Richard J. Durbin, Democrat of Illinois, calculated that 17,327 days equaled 47 years, 5 months, 1 week and 2 days.

Read more on Sen. Bryd's tenure online at the New York Times.

Residents pick Scribner in Tribune poll

By ERIC SCOTT CAMPBELL
newsroom@newsandtribune.com

Three-fifths of city residents randomly polled by The Tribune favor continuing the Scribner Place project.

The newspaper called about 3,300 homes and garnered 595 responses in a phone poll conducted Wednesday and Thursday. A recorded message said, “A proposed resolution in the city council would effectively stop progress on the planned Scribner Place community center in downtown New Albany.”

This referred by a City Council resolution by Dan Coffey to rescind city funds for the project in light of unstable sewer-utility finances. The city is set to contribute $137,500 a year for 16 years, while the Caesars Foundation of Floyd County contributes $1 million a year. The YMCA of Southern Indiana is raising $8 million to build its share of the facility, which will be a municipal aquatic center and a YMCA.

For more on the Tribune's News Poll, read online at www. news-tribune.com

Democrats Announce Candidate - Precinct Committee Meeting

June 9, 2006

New Albany - The Floyd County Democratic Central Committee has called a Democratic Candidates and Precinct Committee Meeting for Saturday, June 17, 2006 at the Knights of Columbus Hall on Main Street in New Albany, Indiana at 10:00 p.m.

The meeting will discuss the 2006 Campaign activities including the party's annual Democratic Party Picnic, 4-H Fair Booth, fundraisers, and other events. All Democrats are welcome to attend.

For more information on the meeting, please contact Party Vice Chair Marcey Wisman at (812)-948-1421.

State GOP fundraiser got wrong number

June 9, 2006

By Matthew Tully
Indianapolis Star

The guy on the phone wanted money -- my money.

With a squeak in his voice and a script in front of him, he called me at work just before lunchtime Wednesday.

"Hello," he said. "This is Lawrence Stewart calling with your Indiana Republican Party."

Excuse me? I don't have a Republican Party. Or any party.

But I was intrigued. So I let Lawrence continue.

"With strong Republican leaders at the helm now," he said, "we are finally making some progress and turning the state around."

Then he warned me about Democrats.

"They see this as their year to win at the ballot box," he said. "We cannot afford to let that happen. Wouldn't you agree?"

Hey, nobody told me there would be a quiz!

Read more about Matthew Tully Republican Phone call at the Star.

NAPD institutes new take-home car policy

By Eric Scott Campbell
newsroom@newsandtribune.com

So you know

• A poll taken at the beginning of May on The Tribune’s and The Evening News’ Web site showed respondents supported local police officers being able to take home police cars by a 75 percent to 25 percent margin. There were 414 total votes to the Web poll.


New Albany Police Chief Merle Harl has drafted a new policy for take-home police cars that he hopes, in several years, will give new officers incentive to live inside city limits and save the city money in fuel.

In a policy started Thursday, any officer hired to the New Albany Police Department will not be allowed a take-home car if they live outside the city limits, Harl said. Those officers who choose to live in New Albany will be allowed a car when one becomes available to them and will not be required to pay for any of the gas that goes into it. The same is true for existing officers that live inside city limits.

Existing officers who don’t live in New Albany will continue to be required to put 10 gallons of gas per month in their police car if they live five miles outside city limits and 20 gallons of gas for those that live more than five miles outside city limits, Harl said.

Daniels energizes Democrats

Democratic State Convention ~ June 4th, 2006

By Mary Beth Schneider
mary.beth.schneider@indystar.com

Indianapolis - Indiana Democrats made it clear Saturday that while Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels isn't on the ballot this November, he's their main target.
Just about everyone -- from candidates for Congress to candidates for statewide offices, and a few folks who aren't running for anything right now -- attacked Daniels' record at the party's state convention in Downtown Indianapolis.

They railed against Daniels' leasing of the Indiana Toll Road. They warned against the coming privatization of parts of the Family and Social Services Administration. They mocked the daylight-saving time switch and the time zone split in the state. They challenged his record on jobs, education and property taxes.

"We need to ditch Mitch," roared former House Speaker John Gregg, D-Sandborn.
Many of the 1,500-plus Democrats in the Hyatt Regency Indianapolis ballroom waved green-and-white "Ditch Mitch" placards in response.

For more on the convention, check out the Indianapolis Star.

Democrats direct scorn at Daniels at convention

By Lesley Stedman Weidenbener
lstedman@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal

INDIANAPOLIS -- Claiming public frustration with Gov. Mitch Daniels' administration, Democrats promised yesterday to take government back from Republicans in the November election.

In nearly three hours of speeches at their state convention, Democrats railed against Daniels, who in 2004 won the governor's office back for Republicans after 16 years of Democratic control.

Democrats condemned his decisions to lease the Indiana Toll Road and privatize other state programs. They berated him for failing to put more money into education and fund full-day kindergarten.

Read more on the cenvention at the Courier-Journal.

Democratic Party announces its slate of candidates for statewide offices

By Lesley Stedman Weidenbener
lstedman@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal

INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indiana Democratic Party announced yesterday its full slate of candidates for statewide office, just two days before the convention that will formally nominate them.

Vigo County Commissioner Judy Anderson, 65, of West Terre Haute, will be the party's candidate for state auditor.

Anderson is expected to face Republican Tim Berry, currently the state treasurer. Berry must be nominated at the Republican convention later this month.

Michael Griffin, 46, in his fourth term as clerk-treasurer of Highland in Lake County, will be the Democrats' candidate for state treasurer. He is expected to face Republican Richard Mourdock.

Democrats had already announced that former deputy commissioner of agriculture Joe Pearson, 63, would run for secretary of state, challenging Republican incumbent Todd Rokita.

Read more online at the Courier-Journal.

Southern Indiana civic leader John Minta dies

By Alex Davis
alexdavis@courier-journal.com
The Courier-Journal

John Minta, a key figure in the effort to build the Falls of the Ohio Interpretive Center, was found dead yesterday in his home in Clarksville, Ind. He was 65.

Minta, who was president of the Clarksville Town Council and a longtime Southern Indiana civic leader, also championed the town's connection to the origins of the Lewis and Clark expedition.

Read more on John Minta at the Courier - Journal.