A Tuesday morning Emerald City news potpourri
Once again, this morning's top Standard-Examiner headline story is focused on the rampant "gang problem" in Emerald City, with an Ace Reporter Schwebke report on last night's Councilman Jesse Garcia's community meeting, which had been earlier announced in Sunday morning's Std-Ex edition.
From all reports, there was a "standing room only" crowd of concerned Emerald City citizens in attendance, together with a panel of "experts," assembled by Garcia on short notice to give their presentations.
Noticeably absent from this event was Emerald City's "Boss of Bosses," Mayor Matthew Godfrey, the one Emerald City citizen who ought to have been there, listening with his ears wide open. We're going to assume that Boss Godfrey was busy with other more important business (such as shaking down other Emerald City citizens for four-figure campaign contributions.)
We've received a report that several other elected officials and candidates for municipal office did however make room in their own busy schedules to attend this event, i.e. Neil Hansen, Susie Van Hooser, Amy Wicks, Jim Freed, and Caitlin Gochnour, thus giving us assurance that there are at least a few candidates for elected city offices who are interested in hearing from the lumpencitizens.
As an added bonus, we link this special first-hand report from Weber County Forum's own reader-correspondent Bill C., who kindly sent us his short write-up late last night.
Also in the news today is one of Boss Godfrey's very own most special friends, Sue "G-Train" Wilkerson, who, according to this additional Scott Schwebke story, is snatching up and developing central city properties like a madman. The article refers to hundreds of thousands of of city dollars floating around for the construction and rehabilitation of homes in the Jefferson Avenue Historic District. Whether Ms. Wilkerson actually got her hands on some of that taxpayer dough for her own projects -- Ace Reporter Schwebke does not tell us. What we do know however, is that it's usually financially beneficial to be a close and loyal "Friend of Matt (FOM)." In other words, being an FOM is not an entirely irrational state of being.
And finally, we highlight this morning's Emily Smith letter to the editor, bringing again to the public forefront questions about the pathological secrecy and questionable business practices of the current mayoral administration. This letter packs quite a political wallop, and is a model of efficient and intelligent argument, we think. As we stand poised with less than one month remaining before the 2007 municipal primary, we hope many of our gentle and well-informed readers will be inspired by Ms. Smith's effort, and write their own missives for publication in our home-town newspaper.
Okay, that's it for now, gentle gentle readers. It's now your turn to let everybody know what you think.
Update 8/18/07 10:31 a.m. MT: Std-Ex editor Dave Greiling has an article in this morning's edition, providing some interesting background information about the production of the Standard-Examiner's recent "gangs series."
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46 comments:
Just to add the other candidates and councilmembers present at the meeting, Susie Van Hooser, Amy Wicks, Jim Freed, and Caitlin Gochnour. The Mayors absence was mentioned a few times. Someone I assume was from the mayors office wanted proof when it was stated that more police were hired for traffic control than for gang control.
Bill,
Thank you for your insightful, incisive account of Chairman Garcia's community meeting!
How wonderful that he showed himself to be a true spokesman and servant of the people.
Waiting for the crowd...no time limit on one's thots. H0w very refreshing. Oh, that that same spirit of community could be found in our dictatorial comments section at CC meetings.
How I wish I were able to have attended! We have so many GOOD folks here who ARE disenfranchised.....I hope we can all, in some way, reach out to our brothers and sisters.
I am so saddened that my health will not permit me and my husband to teach reading to little Polk Elementary children this coming school year. If any of you can give the time, pls do so.
It is so rewarding to help a little child, some of whom come from dire circumstances, to gain the thrill of Reading! And to open new horizons.
One of my husband's little sweeties was teaching his parents to speak English and READ...after using techniques he learned in our reading time.
Using the little primary books we gave the children he would read to mom and dad, and they would read back to him. One day I asked, "Say, honey, how is the reading coming along with mom and dad?" "Fine", he shyly answered.
"What are you reading with them now?"
"CAT IN THE HAT"!!! Is that deliteful enuf?
If you hear a proud Hispanic woman at the market sing songing..."I'll have some eggs, not green...white is just right
Then some ham, I'm fond of ham, I am, I am".....you'll know a precious little boy is being successful in his family!
I said, "Maybe you'll be a teacher some day, like Mr. Beech?"
"Yes"...he nodded, he thot he would.
So go help a child....there's nothing like the feeling and the joy of watching these little ones succeed!
I was ready a story with my little Jesus one day about a daddy who liked to make pancakes. "Does your daddy like to cook?", I asked. "My daddy's in jail".
I nearly wept.
Thank you, Jesse, for your fine leadership. Thank you, Bill, for your fine report.
Thanks for the information, good reader.
We have now corrected the article text.
Your input is much appreciated; and we apologize to those individuals whose names were erroniously left out of our original posting.
Sharon, my Granddaughter attends Polk and I would like more info on how to get involved in this. I am retired for medical reasons, but I would love to do this. My Granddaughter is reading on a 5th grade level, as she enters 3rd grade. My emal is utah_ladie@yahoo.com
Let's not overlook the (offensive) Guest Commentary from Dorothy Nichols Wiscombe, a long-distance member of the Lift Ogden Chorus, who appears to have not lived in Ogden for very much of her life. She mentions how her husband and she opened a paint store but couldn't get along with Ogdenites, felt unwelcome, and left. (Could it have been something they said?) Based on that involvement in our community, she thinks Lift Ogden is wonderful and can't understand why naysayers (her word) are dragging down Ogden.
She describes her s-i-l showing her "the [Snowbasin]roads and runs he had built for the Olympics... gave me an overview of a "maybe" proposal to ties this gorgeous resort to a revitalized Ogden." Who might she be, I wonder.
This commentary sounds like it was written by Curt Geiger. The "gee whiz, let's put on a show in the barn" tone is strangely familiar. I believe there are computer programs available that analyze writing styles. Perhaps the SE could invest in one?
From this morning's (14 Aug) Tribune, an article about crime, greed and avarice right here in Emerald City:
Huge Ponzi scheme alleged
Quoting from article:
"An Ogden company is accused in court documents of a massive Ponzi scheme involving hundreds of millions of dollars and hundreds of investors, many of them in Utah.
VesCor Capital and owner Val Southwick also are the subjects of state and federal investigations, according to documents in federal bankruptcy court and in numerous lawsuits in Utah and Nevada.
Southwick is accused of using funds from new investors to pay off previous investors until May of last year, when his complicated web of companies crashed, leaving investors without promised monthly payments and their original investments."
And from the lyin little lips of the lyin little lord mayor a few weeks ago:
“I don’t know about any of that,” Godfrey said of the securities investigation .... “Mr. Southwick has been a longtime family friend"
All lending credence to the old adage: "Birds of a Feather flock together"
Well, I'm not bird of the flock...but I've known Val Southwick for many years. I've always known him to be upstanding, generous, and a person of high values.
I'm heartsick and am hoping the investigation reveals no criminal activity. I'll reserve judgment at this juncture.
Utah ladie and others,
Just call Polk Elementary now and talk with Sherry or the principal. We were their only volunteers and treated like royalty! You'll love the experience.
Ogden lover...couldn't agree more with your assessment of the 'offensive guest commentary"! Why do the LO crowd get the commentary spaces and the rest of us rabble get a measly 250 words and butchering with bloody hands at that?
I'm actually embarrassed when I see my letters in print....Old Don changes just enuf to make me look like an illierate fool.
Ogden Ladie,
Just want to say kudos to you and your g'dtr. I'll bet you and her parents read with her!
We encouraged and elicited promises tht our little readers would be ready for bed by 8 pm nitely...take their book to bed for a 1/2 hr and have mom, dad, grandma, bro or sister (if there are any in home) to come in and listen to them read!
Also to go to library once a week and check out a book.
Some did this, and the results were amazing. Usually, no daddy, mama working two jobs...a mess at home, but they made the promise to be in bed early (before 11 pm!) and read every day.
Go call Polk or any school....you are needed.
Dang! I never use Anonymous as a handle.....but I guess I didn't type in Sharon. The principal is a lovely woman named Jeannie Clayson.
okay, i'm done
The couple that have already spent $500,000.00 trying to renovate an old house in the Jefferson Historic District have more money than brains.
I hope they never have to sell or try to recoup their funds.
Not Impressed,
Actually Steve Jones is a successful local small business owner who happens to care about the community and has chosen to spend his money working on his nice old house rather than dump money into ponzi schemes or whatever else Ogdenites choose to piss their money away on. I think these people should be applauded rather than criticized for their decision to invest in an old Ogden neighborhood. Stabilizing and enhancing Ogden's neighborhoods is going to a be a major key in the effort to strengthen this city, and that starts with homeowners such as Mr. and Mrs. Jones. If you want to criticize Ms. Wilkerson and her relationship with the city that's fine, but bagging on homeowners for rehabbing their private homes in inner-city neighborhoods is, IMHO, uncalled for.
The Ponzi scheme story in today's Trib regarding Val Southwick's Ponzi schemes is must reading.
The KSL articles included as attachments to the article starting in 1992 and the latest one in 2002 shows the pattern of fraud by Val Southwick actually outdoes Wayne Ogden in the scope of the fraud.
When you read the court transcripts it becomes obvious that the Utah Division of Securities is at fault for not putting him in prison back in 1992.
Each time Southwick was hauled into court by the Securities and Exchange Commission he promised that he would not do it again and so he stayed on the streets to continue fleecing more people.
Our securities fraud laws need to be drastically overhauled to be made tougher.
Thanks to Oz for calling this news item to our attention.
The Joneses represent all that is fine and decent about community reinvestment; they poured tons of money toward restoring an historic community treasure in a depressed economic center, and are now owners and guardians of it; they are not asshat speculators from Arizona who are ruining the not-depressed east bench by buying up all the available single-family properties, leasing them and fostering gentrification -- gaining control of the market -- and turning them over at a new market price they will set two years hence, pricing out families who would otherwise wish to stay there. And they did this before Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey disclosed that he and Wayne Peterson and his famed Squirrel Patrol were going to save us all with an URBAN GONDOLA to nowhere and a castle in the hills, built without roads and serviced by GONDOLA cars with attached shit orbs.
THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE.
Here is why we have kids with too much time on their hands.
About 45 years ago, a man who I know very well, started little league football in this area. His commitment to kids was unparalleled.
He recruited his friend and together they went out and got old, worn out uniforms from the original Weber High School, stuck them on 10 year old kids and began to teach them the game. He recruited other volunteers in neighboring cities to follow his lead and the Wasatch Front Football League was born. He worked tirelessly day after day all year long to help the kids. Thousands of kids benefited from having something to do and the association with the other kids from their team as well as those from other towns.
After years of this it became apparent that a lot of parents wanted nothing more than to complain about everything. They complained because Johnny didn’t get to play in the game, the coaches didn’t know what they were doing, the winning teams players are over the weight limit. You name it they complained about it day and night. It was the same in baseball, basketball, and softball, which he also worked with kids. He wanted to develop them into good honorable human beings.
After more than 25 years of this he finally had enough. Ask him today and he will tell you that the parents and cities ruined it for their kids. The cities just don’t see the need in sponsoring a good youth sports program. Would you volunteer if every time you coached, some idiot parent started screaming in your face how you know nothing and they could do it better? And then scream at their kid because they are not at the professional level at age 10. And on top of that you have no or very little support from the cities whose job it is to have activities for the youth.
Parents need to shut up and put up. Be a part of the solution. They are teaching their kids that to win at all cost is the norm, to blame everyone else for everything, and that no one deserves respect. Not everyone is a star. Not everyone deserves a trophy. And sometimes the clumsy uncoordinated kid just needs to sit on the bench. It’s called life.
Look back two generations we did not have this gang problem. The same demographics were there then that exist today. Being poor, from a single parent family, black, hispanic, green, fat, skinny whatever. It didn’t matter. Kids were kids and parents took an interest in them.
I didn't realize that there is a name for how Ogden City finances are handled. "Ponzi scheme" is sadly apropos.
Green kids?
Watcha smokin pal?
In the last seven years the traffic unit at the police department has expanded from 4 officers and one sergeant to 8 officers and 2 sergeants. In May of 2003, the year that the Mayor told everyone that he did not have enough money to give the police officers a raise; he budgeted for two additional traffic officers on the pretense that they would pay for themselves through tickets. This should be found in the City Council Minutes for that time.
The Gang Unit has had but one sergeant and 4 Gang Detectives since 1992. The Mayor will be quick to take credit for two additional positions to the gang unit, A Joint Terrorism Task Force position and a Position with the ATF, neither of which work towards Gang enforcement in Ogden and both of which are funded by Federal Grants.
The plain facts are that the city had funded the additional traffic officers, which up until this last budget year (re-election), are the ONLY CITY FUNDED ADDITIONS TO THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
D-day is September 11th……Choose anyone but Godfrey!
Sharon,
Given your glowing sentiments regarding Val Southwick, let me observe that's what everyone ALWAYS says.
That's why they call them "confidence men", aka "con men." They are good at getting people's confidence.
Sure, the guy is innocent until proven guilty (Curm, I wanted to save you the trouble of saying it), but if I could place a bet on "Vegas Southwick" I'd do an easy five grand he's a crook with no further information needed.
Sharon, please don't ever invest your money based on your personal knowledge of a person's integrity.
Wait a minute, Val Southwick? I think I know that guy. Oh no, no.
I was thinking of the other $100 million dollar Ogden Ponzi sceheme - aka the Godfrey-Leshem Administration.
Danny, What I'm reading IS alarming! It also breaks my heart.
Here is Proof:
I agree with you 100% ! Not every kid deserves a trophy...gosh, their little psyches will be damaged.
We have fostered mediocrity as the norm....and very little to aspire to!
Bad mouthed parents should be banned from 3 games and more if they don't shape up.
It would be wonderful if kids had real heroes to look up to...did you see the article on Cal Ripkin, Jr today in the SE? He's the president's new T Ball ambassador! yay!
No steroids in the "Iron Man"!
Another wrestler dead...So sad...street fighting to get on You Tube, wretched behavior by teens just to have a moment of notoriety on the Internet.
Kudos to parents and community leaders who are coming together to help our kids and save our neghborhoods.
Understand the mayor was a no show at Jesse's meeting! But, he's a crime fighter, nonetheless...since he hasn't done much for the city..he could always open the books he has stashed on the 9th floor.
Where were all the CC members?
Welcome back, Sharon! We've missed you.
J-Dub,
You and your shit orbs. What in hell is a shit orb? Is there a difference between a gondola car and a shit orb?
Also, do you really think homes on the East Side are overpriced? Tho' I don't think they're all that overpriced compared to SLC, St. George, or the SAN FERNANDO VALLEY. And anyway, if the prices go up on the East Siiieeed, then surely things will improve down on the West Siiieeed (of Harrison or esp. via-dock), where the rest of us denizens exist in tha hood.
And another thing y'all, Los Latinos, legal or not, have fixed things up and improved things in the hood more than they haven't. I really believe that. And I get along well with them too. And it gives me free opportunities to practique mi español.
Are you Steve Larsen?
Thanx, Dan! And thanx, too, for your lovely card and the compliments.
Sharon, all the council members were there except Stephanson and Safston, the reason I didn't list attendees by name is , this was a comunity meeting, one that wasn't an opportunity to grandstand, but listen to the people, this they did.
And individual quotes and experiences aren't near as important as the total tone and overall understanding of the consensus of the people.That was the beauty of the forum.
Among the things that were quite clear to all in the room,(with the exception of the reporters, too busy taking names and fielding soundbites, quite a disruption for the people in the back of the room)
Law enforcement is a critical element, as far as it's resourses will allow, but not the solution.
Some households contain 4 generations of gang members, children are being raised in an enviorment that,it's all they know.It's quite normal for them to progress in that element.
To really have an effect on this problem, we must reach these kids. Providing after school and summer programs, that offer both recreation and educational opportunities has proven to be the most effective tool a comunity can use. This mayor's handling of the Marshal White Center has been the number one contributor to the escalation of this problem. This is not opinion, it's a fact. His continual decreasing the funding since taking office has eliminated many of these kids' only opportunity to gain exposure to good role models, team sports activities and tutoring. I wonder if he thinks the few dollars on the bottum line was worth the generations he's sacrificed.
There truely was a room full of the best people in Ogden, committed and willing to do all in their power to work and deal with this problem.
This problem needs resourses, lots of them. We shouldn't be doling out all this RDA money to foreign developers/cronies/investors while we have such needs that must benifit the whole comunity, this has been totally unconscionable, the new rec center is a prime example. None of these kids have any way they can afford to go there.Demographic folly, or a blind visionary and a public asleep at the switch.
El Nativo:
Sheeeeeeeiiite. That's all you had to say, N---- (exit Pulp Fiction reference, no racial inferences intended).
Yeah, I bought a 2,200-square-foot house six blocks on the East Siiiiiieeeeede in June for $235K; it would have cost $175K two years ago. This has nothing to do with Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey, but rather market forces; even at the value I have, I am 40% behind Farmington and 50% behind Salt Lake Shitty. And I mean that sincerely. I spent seven years there. I decided to come home in 1999 and had two job offers in SLC, one in OTown. Had to come back to the 'hood. Plus, it paid better. Furthermore, Lying Little Matty Gondola Godfrey had not yet been elected. I'd been away 10 years, and I asked my father (HAFB, lifer) who should get my vote. His answer: "Anyone but this little Godfrey prick." That was 1999. Has anything changed in 2007? Westsiiieeeede! THE SKI IS BEAUTIFUL BLUE.
Just think of what could have been done for these at risk Ogden kids with all the hundreds of thousands of dollars that Mayor Godfrey has doled out to his insider clique. And he could have done even more with the additional hundreds of thousands he has squandered on his ill advised Gondola scheme.
Why the $45,000 he snuck to Stuart Reid alone would have made a world of difference to numerous underpreviledged kids in our town.
I find it disturbing that the Mayor would also spend so much effort to secretly try and divert a quarter of a million tax payer dollars to his friend Mr. Peterson, while at the same time cutting money out of the Marshall White Center budget.
The mayor certainly has the worst civil rights attitude and record of any mayor I can recall in Ogden. He has absolutely no shame or sense of honor.
Don't forget the 5 million that Little Matt lost when he tore down the old mall too soon! How far could have that went towards enforcement/education in dealing with the gang problem.
Hell...that's alot of tickets that have to be written to make up for it!
Thanx, Bill....your caught the tone and tenor of that important meeting! Wish I could've been there. I HOPE I can attend the CC on the 21st. I see the usual culprits were not in attendance: Godfrey and his two best sycophants.
Myra...right on, girl.
We can all search our hearts and do something!
Val Southwick is a criminal. Read the court documents, search PACER, District Courts Utah / Nevada. Read for yourself the statements under oath that Val tried to get the court to strike from the record. State Securities did nothing to shut him down for 15 years. Now the taxpayers will pick-up the bill. This story is about to go national - WSJ is doing an article. One of the biggest scams in history, Utah should be proud.
I'm sick.
Sharon:
In re: Mr. Southwick you wrote: I've known Val Southwick for many years.... I'll reserve judgment at this juncture.
Exactly the right way to approach allegations not yet proven or admitted. Permit me, gently, to suggest that you should be just as willing --- we all should --- to extend the same "I'll reserve judgment" POV to all accused but not yet tried, much less convicted. Even to supports of the Godfrey administration.
Oh Curm....tain't the same and you darn well know it! You and I don't know the full story on VAL.....but we sure as heck know about Godfrey!
Curm.....I like you....I really like you (shades of Sally Field) but suagr and spice and always nice is just too dangerous a diet for me!
Curmudgeon
The following never admitted anything and were never convicted in a court of law:
Adolph Hitler
Benito Musselini
Attila the Hun
George Bush
Joe Bonanno
Andrew Cunnanon
John Wilkes Booth
Carl Rove
Jack the Ripper
Osama BenLauden
Ma Barker
Bonnie and Clyde
Mike Leavitt
Zodiac Killer
Rasputin
Joseph Stalin
Domitian
Caligula
Matt Godfrey
O J Simpson
Robert Blake
etc
etc
etc
Golly Gee Mr. Fair minded, I guess we owe all of these fine upstanding citizens past and present a huge apologeeeeee for thinking all these bad things about them all this time!
Sharon:
Sorry, Sharon, you're dead wrong on this one when you write Oh Curm....tain't the same and you darn well know it! You and I don't know the full story on VAL.....but we sure as heck know about Godfrey!
If you want your friends, people you know, to get the benefit of "presumed innocent" then you have to be willing to extend the same to those you do not know or like. You can't demand the privilege for your family friends, and then insist there's no reason to extend it to others you don't happen to like.
One rule. One standard. For all. Godfreyistas too.
Your claim that we know enough already to know one of them [unindicted for anything and so far as we know not under federal or state investigation for any criminal conduct] is a criminal but the other [charged by the Justice department with criminal conduct and under active investigation] is innocent until proven otherwise and so we should suspend judgment is... well inconsistent to say the least.
We can't have one standard for your close friends and a different one for people you don't like. Or my close friends and a different one for people I don't like. That's what "equal protection of the laws" [XIV Amendment] is all about. One standard. For all. All the time.
Even for people we don't like.
Oz:
When folks start dragging Hitler analogies into a disagreement about local municipal politics, it is usually a sign that they've run out of sound arguments.
Those convicted at Nuremburg, for example, got trials. They were permitted to mount a defense. They were able to call witnesses in their own defense, to have their counsel challenge witnesses for the prosecution. And they were found guilty. So yes, even Nazi war criminals were presumed innocent until found guilty by the war crimes tribunal following a trial. And if Hitler had been taken alive by the US, he'd have been tried too.
To argue that a fugitive killed attempting to avoid apprehension is [Bonnie and Clyde e.g. or John Wilkes Booth] are examples of why we should ignore the presumption of innocence is pretty thin stuff.
Jack the Ripper is a pretty poor example as well, since we don't know who he was. But if anyone had been arrested and charged with the Ripper crimes, then yes, he too would have been entitled to the presumption of innocence before his trial.
And when you get down to Domitian and Caligula... well, then, Oz, what you're talking about is not the judgment of a jury or judge, but the judgment of history. Not the same thing at all. And the judgment of history has changed dramatically over time in many instances. [I grew up reading about Geronimo the blood-thirsty murdering savage. Students today are introduced to Geronimo, Freedom Fighter... a very different judgment.
The point I made with respect to Sharon still stands: if you want the presumption of innocence to apply to your friends and/or relatives, then you have to be willing to apply it as well to those who are not your friends or relatives. Sauce for the Goose, Oz....
Well Curmudgeon
Some times you are so friggen impressed with your own brain power that you lose sight of anything remotely close to common sense.
In other words, what's the use of being as brainy as you are if your head is so far up your own ass that that you can't see the light shining on any given subject.
You are so bound to be Mr. Fair and wise that you are willing to completely ignore the obvious and cover it up with some nonsensacle intellectual arguments.
Case in point is your fixation with defending Godfrey in this instance.
The bottom line is that every thinking person on this blog or in this town that has observed the little prick knows that he conducts the city business in very secretive and criminal ways.
We have equally corrupt county and state attornies that because of political concerns look the other way to Godfrey's malfeasance and blatant ripoffs of the public.
Then here is good old Curmudgeon with his pointy headed class room theories and other nonsense trying to make the point that this particular criminal is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
Well Mr. Brain power, who the fuck is it that you think is really going to bring truth and justice to this criminal and his victims? The system is broken in Utah when it comes to bringing political criminals to justice in Utah. So according to your cockamenie logic the guilty are innocent until proven guilty by a system that is unable and unwilling to even bring a fair trial about.
Honestly, you class room geniuses sometimes are so clueless to the real world that I wonder why the hell any one would actually pay money to send their kids to people like you to get educated.
Get a clue, the shit in your text books, and the guts of your high blown theories of the way it is are so far out of touch with reality that you only end up looking stupid, even tho we know you ain't.
Excusing criminal behavior that we all know is going on because it hasn't, and can't be, proven in court is just plain naive and idiotic.
As far as "running out of sound arguments", how about this one - why don't you kiss my ass professor?
Oz:
As for my being the pointy headed professor all impressed with my own intellect, let me remind you who brought Attila the Hun, John Wilkes Booth, Rasputin, Domitian and Caligula into a discussion about a Mayoral election in Ogden City: it wasn't me, Oz....
You wrote: The bottom line is that every thinking person on this blog or in this town that has observed the little prick knows that he conducts the city business in very secretive and criminal ways.
Well, Oz, I doubt there are many on this blog who've gone after the Godfrey administration for its pathological commitment to secrecy and aversion to open government more than me. As for the second point, no, Oz, I don't know that the Mayor has engaged in criminal conduct. I've gone after his pitiful grasp of what ethical conduct demands of a public figure frequently, for a couple of years now. But I do not know that he's committed crimes.
As for my being determined to be fair in discussing the Godfrey Administration.... damn right. That administration's record is so bad with respect to unethical conduct, cronyism, bad policy, lack of candor, [I could extend the list, but it's late and I'm tired] that there's no need to make stuff up, to level unsubstantiated charges, to allege vague crimes. All unnecessary. And in the end, pointless. The case against his reelection is sound, solid, and grounded on good evidence: his record in office. It doesn't need embellishing with wild claims of suspected/hoped for criminal conduct for which, so far as we know, Hizonnah is not even under investigation.
Mayor Godfrey is in trouble because some people have, over time, and in this latest case Dan S., went in and got the evidence, the facts, that condemned the Mayor and his henchmen out of their own mouths. In doing that, Dan and those like him did more to make the Mayor's re-election difficult than a thousand wild charges of vague criminal conduct backed by nothing beyond someone's endlessly repeated hope that the charges are true.
Curm...I have a colossal headache...too much sugar and no spice, I guess.....going to hit the feathers. Get off the fence...you'll just get splinters in your bum!
Sharon:
Sorry, Sharon, I don't see how anyone could have been reading what I've been writing about the Godfrey Administration over the past two years and conclude that I'm "on the fence" about him, his conduct in office, or the desirability of his re-election.
Be well, Sharon. Headaches are hell. But nobody I know would ever characterize you as having "no spice." In fact, just the contrary.... [grin]
Be well, Sharon.
Curmudgeon
If it looks like dog shit,
if it smells like dog shit,
go ahead and step in it anyway
cause just looking and smelling
like dog shit don't mean nothin
in the fantasy world of the pointy headed.
Besides, it's probably just a tootsie roll that is innocent until proven guilty, dontcha know.
Y'all are always good for a laff....and, at times, a bit of wisdom. My head feels better today...thanx.
Sharon my dear it is with upmost sincerity that I say we all hope, wish and pray that you feel better every day.
You are just simply the best and are loved and respected by many people hereabouts.
I am very proud to be on the same side of the fence as you and your wonderful guy Basil.
On August 14th, 2007 not impressed said...
The couple that have already spent $500,000.00 trying to renovate an old house in the Jefferson Historic District have more money than brains.
I hope they never have to sell or try to recoup their funds.
------
I’m Steve Jones the target of this remark and here’s what I have to say…
First of all, thanks to Jason W. for supporting Nancy and my decision to purchase and restore our home in the Jefferson Avenue Historic District.
I understand that we are all protected by our first amendment rights to free speech. Unfortunately, that includes some like “Not Impressed” who are Not Informed and don’t care to be. If they have any guts at all they will identify themselves and take me up on this challenge. I invite “Not Impressed” to come to Jefferson Avenue and spend some time here with us, tour the houses, and talk to our neighbors. Some of these great people have lived here for several generations and worked for the establishment of the Historic District and the revitalization of the area for 15 to 20 years. It’s now a reality and the success is contagious!
“Not Impressed” you don’t need to worry; it is safe to come downtown. We have a very effective Crime Watch organization, and a neighborhood policing program that simply works. The Weed and Seed program did exactly what it was supposed to do. Together, we weeded out the blight and planted the seeds for rejuvenation and success of the neighborhood. I can walk to my office any time day or night and know every neighbor along the route on a first name basis. I suspect very strongly that you would have been weeded if you had lived here when this project started. It is because of people like you that Ogden has many of the problems that it has.
Hey “Not Impressed”, here’s challenge #2.Either identify yourself and do something constructive to help our fine City or just go away and get out of everyone else’s way. You’re just taking up space that could be utilized by someone who cares.
As to the comment “Not Impressed” made about Nancy and me having more money than brains; that’s simply their stupidity coming through at its best. Again, “Not Impressed” is Not Informed! Within the last few days I spent time supporting clients from Brazil, Canada, and Singapore; worked with our software developer in Germany; discussed business plans with a partner in Milwaukee, and continued negotiations with a company in Boston for a consulting project in Atlanta. I’d be willing to bet that “Not Impressed” would probably not be one of our clients. In fact, I doubt very much if “Not Impressed” would even understand what we do. Anyone who has half a brain can search for our corporate web site and dig into the details of what we do if they are really interested. ”Not Impressed” obviously did not do that. Suffice it to say that I’m happy that I’m right up there with the best of the best in the brains department and I’m very proud of everything that Nancy and I have accomplished.
Hmmmm, I hope that “Not Impressed” is right about Nancy and me having more money than brains. That could make life really fun…..
“Not Impressed”, you at least owe Nancy and me an apology for your unfounded and hurtful remarks. However, I’m confident that you won’t have the guts to identify yourself so I’m not going to hold my breath waiting. As an alternative, you could stop by our favorite restaurant in town, The Two Bit Street Café on 25th Street and buy us a gift certificate for dinner. While you’re at it why don’t you buy a gift certificate for Jason W. for standing up for what is right even against an anonymous coward like you. Two Bit Street does take cash so you won’t even have to identify yourself there.
Val Southwick has operated a PONZI scheme in Utah for 15 years. True, he has not been charged with a crime - however, there is plenty of evidence in the public domain. Read the transcript from the bankruptcy deposition. Val could not answer where the money went to, who is in charge of HIS company, the names of all his attorneys, how many companies are in the Vescor group, who owns the Vescor group, what company pays him, how many lawsuits are pending, what companies he controls, how many employees are at Vescor...on and on. The answers were the same, "I don't remember", "I'm not sure" and "I wish to assert my rights under the 5th amendment". The answers of an innocent man. READ the court transcripts of the lawsuits. Unfortunately, no amount of prison time is going to pay back the hundreds of people defrauded by Vescor, Val Southwick and Shawn Moore.
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