Northwest Indiana Discussion

Today we heard from Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott of his addiction. Specifically his caffeine addiction that he said he responds to with often twice a day purchases from Starbucks. I admit I am an enabler, as a Hammond taxpayer, for providing him with such ample discretionary income to spend hundreds of dollars a month on a "status symbol". Tom told us Starbucks is a symbol of status, and he, as a "gold" customer of the chain is wont to display status. He said the announced arrival of a Starbucks is a coup for the city. Maybe he was sipping on his Starbucks as he drove a political journalist around the city to show off "his accomplishments"? Yes Tom is driving around in his taxpayer funded vehicle--even using the installed flashing blue lights to let people on bike paths know that "It's ok. I'm the mayor!" when they saw the monster bearing down as McDermott drove on pedestrian ways, to practice politics and promote himself. In the vehicle with him was Brian Howry, a political reporter and analyst of statewide politics. On the table was McDermott's consideration of a US Senate run. Is this yet another example of public resources going to private benefit? McDermott said he is flattered that some have asked him to run for senate. Watch the splatter when the proverbial hits the fan, Tom.

THIS is going to get very interesting !

I don't know if the WJOB website has been altered or if its just my computer, but I have not been able to listen in for many months. I always look forward to LUBU's succinct summaries of Hizzoner's Friday show. Can I assume that the MWA gang (Munsterites with Angst-Dedelow, Kuziak, and Reardon) are perpetuating their "Straight Outta Munster" schtick--competing to see whose collar is the deepest shade of blue and who can most successfully distance himself from his banal Town of Integrity existence? Is there some link on the site that I am missing?

Just trade in your Commodore 64 (or is it a TRS 80)...That should help!

All that comedic talent wasted teaching social studies to mill rats, entitled single mothers, and retail workers. What a shame.

Now we have a Times writer riding around with Hammond Council member Higgs. The councilman has been taking the lion's share of locał media's critical reporting of public servants. Marc Chase has been particularly critical of Higgs, but somehow they were civil enough to drive around together while Higgs pointed out the plight which is the blight of the city. As if Higgs had to point it out. He could have just told Chase to drive to Hammond himself and.....open his eyes....anywhere you look. Chase quantifies the blight with words like "plethora". Somehow Tom McDermott escapes any responsibility for the plethora of blight in Hammond. He also escapes critical columns about his own use of protection against political opponents. While Higgs asks a court for a restraining order and is ridiculed in print, McDermott is said to have had top brass from Hammond PD visit those that don't conform to Tom's wishes and no ink is spilled nor inquiries made. I don't think they were soliciting the sale of tickets to the policemen's ball. Is it that Higgs can't retaliate and pull ad dollars from the rag?

Money talks.

The columnist will poke around old graveyards and prattle on about insignificant proto-region residents and their role in the Civil War but he needs a guide to realize what a craphole the City of Hammond actually is?

I haven't been following this particular story but didn't Hammond's movers and shakers pretty much abandon their posts and put city business on hold when The Jailman got busted for his gardening habits? For two or three days they were driving around town with thousands of dollars in their trunks so that hack could "get back to his family"--a family which obviously played a distant second fiddle to Lake County Democrat party hijinks.