Indiana

Tuesday Tidbits

By Abdul Hakim-Shabazz

Although health care reform has been taking up a lot of blog space lately, there’s still some interesting bits of information (i.e. political gossip, rumor and blatant innuendo ) that’s worth repeating…

Lt. Governor Becky Skillman may not have formally stated she’s running for higher office, but I got an e-mail yesterday from Skillman for Indiana highlighting a Fox News Chicago story comparing the Indiana Lt. Governor’s position that of my home state of Illinois.

Indiana Secretary of State Todd Rokita’s 4th District Congressional campaign is taking to the airwaves.  Rokita’s ads went up this weekend.

Indianapolis City-County Council Democrats are trying to work out a strategy to counteract Mayor Greg Ballard’s proposed transfer of the city’s water and waste water facilities to Citizens Gas.  One issue they have to reconcile though is a division between more inner city Democrats versus those whose districts lie more in the townships.  The inner city Democrats are more intrigued by millions of dollars for crumbling streets and sidewalks than their counterparts.

Speaking of Council, the seat in District 22 is reportedly wide open.  Incumbent Bob Cockrum is reportedly retiring after this term and possible Democratic contenders Chris Jackson and Jon Easter are taking a pass.

If you’re looking for work, Indianapolis may actually be the place to look.  A new report shows 35 of the nation’s cities with unemployment rates above 15%.  Indianapolis’ unemployment rate is 9.7%.

Despite what you may think of him as an elected official,  7th District Congressman Andre Carson apparently does a pretty mean karaoke.  While in DC Carson was at the Democrat National Club and performed Rapper’s Delight.  According to my sources who were in the room, he did a pretty good rendition of the song.  Hopefully there’s a you tube clip out there somewhere.

Full post as published by Indiana Barrister on March 23, 2010 (boomark / email).