"a day of infamy"

Today is the anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.

Not very newsworthy today, but a day that should not be forgotten.

When i was growing up, and studied history in school, I remember reading the words of President Roosevelt in his speech given on December 8th, 1941:

"yesterday, December 7th, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy"

Not being a literary wizard, I always thought "infamy" just meant something like "always famous" or "never forget". Being a little more educated now, I truly have a greater appreciation and understanding about what FDR was saying, and how he chose his words.

He was referring to this day as one created by the evil that took place that morning. The idea that while Japan was courting the politicians for peace in the Pacific Ocean while they were secretly planning an invasion of this country.

Pearl Harbor wasn't just an attack. It wasn't a sucker punch to pick a fight with the U.S., it was the first step in an invasion of U.S. soil. The Japanese were convinced they could take over the United States.

It was the first time in almost 200 years that a foreign country had attacked our shores. Americans flocked to the military and enlisted to defend our shores. 17 year old young men were signing up. There were multiple instances where those who were not accepted commited suicide. Without question, joining the military to defend our shores was the right thing to do. The entire nation responded. Factories were re-tooled to make airplanes, ships, and weapons. Everyone sacrificed for the common cause of keeping this free country free.

FDR's speech in many ways is hauntingly familiar today:
"Mr. Vice President, Mr. Speaker, members of the Senate and the House of Representatives: yesterday, December 7th, 1941 - a date which will live in infamy - the United States of America was suddenly and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan.

The United States was at peace with that nation, and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with its Government and its Emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific. Indeed, one hour after Japanese air squadrons had commenced bombing in the American island of Oahu, the Japanese Ambassador to the United States and his colleague delivered to our Secretary of State a formal reply to a recent American message. And while this reply stated that it seemed useless to continue the existing diplomatic negotiations, it contained no threat or hint of war or of armed attack.

It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time the Japanese Government has deliberately sought to deceive the United States by false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace.

The attack yesterday on the Hawaiian Islands has caused severe damage to American naval and military forces. I regret to tell you that very many American lives have been lost. In addition American ships have been reported torpedoed on the high seas between San Francisco and Honolulu.

Yesterday the Japanese Government also launched an attack against Malaya.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong.

Last night Japanese forces attacked Guam.

Last night Japanese forces attacked the Philippine Islands.

Last night the Japanese attacked Wake Island.

And this morning the Japanese attacked Midway Island.

Japan has, therefore, undertaken a surprise offensive extending throughout the Pacific area. The facts of yesterday and today speak for themselves. The people of the United States have already formed their opinions and well understand the implications to the very life and safety of our nation.

As Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy, I have directed that all measures be taken for our defense.

But always will our whole nation remember the character of the onslaught against us. No matter how long it may take us to overcome this premeditated invasion, the American people in their righteous might will win through to absolute victory.

I believe that I interpret the will of the Congress and of the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost but will make it very certain that this form of treachery shall never again endanger us.

Hostilities exist. There is no blinking at the fact that our people, our territory and our interests are in grave danger.

With confidence in our armed forces - with the unbounding determination of our people - we will gain the inevitable triumph - so help us God.

I ask that the Congress declare that since the unprovoked and dastardly attack by Japan on Sunday, December 7th, 1941, a state of war has existed between the United States and the Japanese Empire."

The United States will always have enemies as long as it remains a free nation. There is no freedom greater than what exists in our country. Our democracy is an unwritten threat to every dictatorship, either politcal or religious, that oppresses billions of people throughout the world.

I'll never forget the words i heard when I was in Khartuom, Sudan. Standing among literally hundreds of muslims outside a mosque, there was one who did not return the arabic greeting "as-salamu alaykum". It was apparent he was not happy about me being a westerner. Standing shoulder to shoulder with the people around me, they started saying "american-democracy, democracy". Of all the things that we think makes our country great, in the farthest parts of the world, our greatness is defined by the thing that we take for granted.

Why R.O.CK. is wrong

R.O.C.K. stands for "Reclaim Our Culture Kentuckiana".

I have to question whose culture they're trying to reclaim. You can find more than you want to know about R.O.C.K. right here: http://www.reclaimourculture.org/content.asp

Webster defines Culture as "the attitudes and behavior characteristics of a group of people".

I guess R.O.C.K. thinks we're all a bunch of God-deprived perverts.

If R.O.C.K. is convinced that the problem with our culture is strip joints and adult bookstores, then they are truly clueless about the problems in our culture.

Before everyone starts freaking out, I'm not saying any of this in defense of the adult industry. I'm just taking a logical approach to this using factual information, not emotionalism.
I do believe R.O.C.K. is more concerned about appearance than they are action. They've pounced on a hot topic to get media attention and to rally the churches for a common cause. It's so much easier to go after the adult entertainment business than it is to tackle real social issues that plague out society.

First, let's talk about something no one ever wants to talk about: our youth. There is definitely a change in the culture of our society, and it's with our youth. People talk about a "moral decline" in society. I always find this ironic when this comes from a religious perspective, because it's exactly what Jesus foretold. I'm not concerned about a "moral decline" as if it's going to impact the church. The "moral decline", or rather the "change in culture" that concerns me is a generation of young people who have no hope of a future.

Sure, every young generation has rebelled. So what makes this generation so different? I think the stakes are much higher today than they were in previous generations. It's a culture where being a "gangsta" is cool. Getting high, having sex, and living a life with no responsibility is the norm. Sounds like the '60's, but at age 13?? The drugs are stronger. The consequences are higher. One in four teens will contract a STD, and 50% of all new aids cases are young people (13-24).

People want to blame Mtv, hip hop music, and even video games as the source of the problem. Let's take some responsibility and admit it's our generation that is responsible. Sure, hip hop music and mtv have made it glamorous, but only because we have failed to show that there is any alternative. It's the product of broken marriages, blended families, double income families that have no time and/or no peace in their life that would cultivate a healthy culture. By healthy i'm not referring to something that has to be aligned with any religious organization. I'm talking about the most basic of human emotions. A culture that says I care, I love you, I think you are wonderful, I believe in you, I know you can do it. There are youth today that literally do not understand the word "kind". They don't value friendships because they really don't know what one looks like. Their loyalties are only to themselves. I'm not bashing youth, nor am I talking about all of them. I'm talking about the forgotten ones. I'm talking about the ones that as a society have been written off as losers, low lifes, and future convicts. If you think I'm overreacting, try talking to the 13 year old girl who's convinced that the only thing in her future is jail time. Have a conversation with the 16 year old who was repeatedly sexually assaulted by her natural father, who now smokes crack with her mom. These aren't scenes from some tv show from Los Angeles, these are real conversations with our neighbors. It's the kids down the street.

Second, let's talk about porn and how it impacts our society. I have no doubt that porn has a negative impact on our society. I know people who are just as addicted to porn as an alcoholic is to alcohol. The real question is where does the real threat come from? Is it really the DVD store on main that hardly does any business, or is it that high speed internet connection that brings everything to the privacy of you own home?? The gambling boat did more damage to the adult business than anyone will ever give it credit for. More adult clubs have gone out of business since the arrival of Caesars than any ordinance passed. If a guy has a few hundred dollars of disposable income, he's headed to the boat to get lucky instead of the strip joint. His odds are much better at the boat! With the internet, you now have women addicted to porn. Marriages are broken by "online lovers".

What does R.O.C.K. have to do with this? Simple. If R.O.C.K. really wanted to change the culture, they would abandon their high profile media attention getting cause and start actively and creatively producing programs for youth. The porn drum is too easy for them to pound. They can sit back and point their fingers at others and never accomplish a thing except to feel good about themselves. As for as their religious agenda, it's even more misdirected. I'll never understand why religious groups attack the adult business, when it's obvious in both the old and the new testament of the Bible, God even had a purpose for prostitutes. (that's the best way I can put it. People at my church get mad when I say that "even God used prostitutes", it just sounds bad). I really believe, and statistics support, that these people do it because the true lust, the true sin, is so deeply embedded into their own hearts. Let's face it. Unless you've been under a ROCK (pun intended), you can get all the porn and adult stuff delivered right to your screen. The internet porn industry is the fastest growing business on the web. 25% of all web content is porn. Do these people really think it's Theater X that's causing the problem?

If it's a moral issue based on religious values, then take it to the pulpit. Preach it! Stop being such hypocrites and embarrassments to Jesus Christ. It's the church that has a higher divorce percentage than the world. 37% of Pastors are addicted to porn (we don't even need to mention the Catholic Priests and their problems do we?). In all my years of attending church and listening to sermons from other churches, I have yet to hear one sermon that condemns pornography, but yet I'm always reading about how important it is to shut these businesses down!!

If you want to put these places out of business, then help develop a culture where a young woman values herself. Where she respects herself enough not to ever work in a place. I'm not blaming women, but I will blame the men. Not the men who patronize these places, but the ones who make their girlfriends work there because their too lazy to get a job, or the men that have children and then disappear, leaving the young girl with two kids and no education to suddenly provide for a family.

R.O.C.K.'s latest billboard is correct. It is someones daughter. It's someones daughter who might have been abandoned by a father, or who's father was an addict, or who emotionally deserted her. It's someones daughter who fell in love with someones son who promised to love her forever, but dumped her after she had a couple kids because he didn't want to be tied down. It's someones daughter who has never been told she is loved or has value, and now feels that "every dollar counts" as a sign of approval. It's also a son who has surfed porn on dad's computer since he was nine, and has no respect for women at all. He sees them as objects for his amusement, and if they get pregnant that's their problem, not his.

To change the culture, or to "reclaim" the culture, you have to take ownership of the culture. You have to teach, instruct, care, and put energy into the youth that feel nothing. Removing the adult clubs might be something you can high-five your buddy about at the country club, but it hasn't done a thing for the people who felt so worthless that they were willing to work there.

Bullying

My son is attending Public School for the first time this year. He attended private schools, and then he was home schooled for the last 3 years.

I was in and out of public/private schools my whole life. I'm a fan of public schools. I graduated from a public school, and some how I turned out ok.

Home schooling was good, but there is a social element that is missing. I know that creates a great discord when you say that around other home school parents, but it's true.

I think Christian/private school is the first level of trying to overprotect your child, put them in the "Christian Bubble" and keeping them away from "lost people" or "those people". I've heard it from parents for years. Their kids are "safer" than at a public school. Home Schooling takes that to the next level. At home, your kids don't have to interact or be exposed to anything but what you want them to. I know home school kids tend to be over achievers and way ahead academically. I wonder if it's so that one day they can actually leave the house!

We visited Scribner Middle School before we enrolled my son. I was very impressed. I was also very impressed with their "no bullying" policy.

The p0licy, from what I'm told, was created after there was a large fight in the cafeteria, and afterward they surveyed the students and asked them what was the biggest problem at school. The response was overwhelmingly the same: Bullying.

Webster defines a bully as "a person who uses strength or power to harm or intimidate those who are weaker".

Considering I was a small fry during my years in school, this was a huge relief for me. My son, on the other hand, is a 5'6", 175 pound 12 year old who's solid as a rock. He's a big kid, but he has a gentle heart. I knew school would be an adjustment for him, but at least I didn't have to worry about him being bullied, or at least not in the same way that webster defines it.

We've raised our children to be kind to others, to be polite. He doesn't curse, doesn't drink, smoke, do drugs, or date. He's a great kid. He's different because he doesn't do what most 12 year olds do who thinks life is supposed to reflect Mtv's Real World.

His first day of school, a kid half his size tried to pick a fight. He heard more language than he had ever heard. We were expecting that. It's what he began experiencing later that has thrown all of us off.

I guess as we get older, we forget just how mean kids can get. Maybe kids are meaner today than they were when I was growing up.

We probably all remember "sticks and stones will break your bones, but words will never hurt you". So what happens when you take away the sticks and stones? Your left with verbal abuse.

Since Scribner has a zero tolerance policy, the only way kids can hurt each other without suspension is to verbally attack each other. The shocking part: apparently, the most hurtful words are to call someone "Gay" or "Lesbian".

When tolerance is taught and discussed, and when the teacher asks about gay marriage, it almost unanimous that it should be allowed. Moments later, if you want to cut a schoolmate to the bone, call them gay or lesbian.

As a society, verbal abuse, emotional abuse has somehow become acceptable. It used to be you could work it out on the playground, but now you just get to mentally torture a kid everyday and never get in trouble for it.

Is it a result of more and more adults lacking self control? Is the example of the ex wife/ex husband ripping each apart in front of the children? Is it the verbal freedoms the children witness on television, where somehow it's become comedy to belittle and "punk" someone for your own amusement?

I'm not ranting or feeling sorry for my son. He's strong and is just looking for guidance on how to deal with these situations.

I'm grieving for how these kids, some already suffering from lack of self-esteem, abandonment issues, and abuse at home, are hurting each other everyday in an effort to try to make themselves feel a little bit better about themselves, or maybe even just to feel anything. I'm not sure some of them even know how to make friends, or in this cut-throat world what a real friend even looks like. God knows it's not modeled anywhere on television.

Things escalated the other day. My son came to me telling me about an incident on the bus. He was struck by a girl. Not a slap, but a closed fisted punch that broke the skin and left a bruise. He's ignored her taunts for weeks, and he admits and takes responsibility for taunting her back. When she got off the bus, she took her shot. With her record with "juvie" and her history of in-school suspensions, this was nothing new for her. I have to wonder where she learned to resolve conflict this way.

My son wanted to handle it himself, and meet with her and the guidance counselor at school to try to come to some type of peaceful resolution to this. Unfortunately, he won't have the opportunity. It's a physical act, so now it's escalated and there will be action taken.

This has left me with two thoughts to ponder: If we would take action at the verbal level of abuse, would it escalate to the point of physical action, and what are we really modelling to our children? We say everything on television isn't harmful, but is it any way redeeming or of value?

Catching up!

It's been awhile since I've actually had time to blog. I spent the entire summer remodeling our 30 year old motorhome.

It took a more time than I anticipated. The actual work wasn't that bad, it was finding the time to work on it that was difficult.

We took the motorhome out to feed the homeless last weekend. I had to take a couple months off while I was coaching soccer, and I didn't realize how much I missed serving others! We had a lot of folks help prepare and serve the food. We delivered over 200 meals and 100 cups of homemade chicken noodle soup!

Speaking of the homeless, we're collecting winter items at the print shop (302 pearl in downtown new albany). If you happen to be cleaning out a closet, here are some things we could really use:
Winter Coats, the bigger, the better!
Gloves
Scarves (if you can find a fleece throw on sale for $3, you can make 8 scarves out of it!)
new socks
sweat shirts (preferably with hoods)
Long Underwear
Blankets/sleeping bags/comforters
just casual stuff. no need for dress clothes or fancy stuff!

The rule of thumb is if you won't wear it, don't donate it. We're not being picky. Just because someone is homeless doesn't mean they want to be.
Make sure items are clean before donating them. Here's some food for thought: only 10% of the items donated to goodwill and other organizations are actually used for the needy. the rest are sold to clothes "recyclers" for profit. If you want to make sure your clothing is really making a difference, then please drop it off. If you want to help hand them out, we'll be heading out bright and early xmas morning!

treat yourself at treet's

My new favorite place is Treet's Cafe on Market Street in Downtown New Albany.

If you haven't been there yet, you're really missing something. The food is excellent and the people are great.

Their hours are from 10am to 2pm Monday through Friday. They're open on Saturdays for the next couple of weeks to see if there's enough interest for Saturday hours on a regular basis.

Starting on June 4th, they will be open from 1oam to 6pm.

Why am I recommending them? It has to do with more than it being a good restaurant. It's because with all the talk of downtown coming back, they need your support. Please read my posts below about being intentional. I'm asking folks to be intentional and support the downtown restaurants. I know others are doing everything they can to help out. Downtown Neighborhood associations are volunteering their time on Saturdays to make this restaurant successful.

Give it a try. I know they've had their ups and downs, but hey, it's a startup. It's not a nationwide chain with a boatload of startup cash. It's a small place owned by our neighbor who has a love of downtown. Let's all do what we can to help our neighbors, shall we??

My Personal Thanks

I want to thank everyone who supported and encouraged me to run for city council.

I also want to congratulate Harry Harbison. I had the privilege of meeting Harry and I think he is a wonderful person.

This has been a very educating experience for me.

I may have lost the election, but my hope is that enough change will take place that New Albany and it's citizens will ultimately win in th end.

Thank you all!!!

Please Vote!

Tomorrow is election day.

It's a primary in a non-presidential election. There's not a lot of reasons to take time out of your day to go vote.

Or is there?

Simply because there is no presidential election does not make this election any less important. This election is very important to the people of New Albany. A local election will not have any impact on the price of gas or the Iraq War, but it will have an impact on the way we live our lives on a daily basis here in New Albany.

Of course I'm going to ask you to vote for me, but more importantly, I'm going to ask you to vote. Vote for a change in New Albany. There are plenty of new candidates running for office, and the harvest is ripe.

I'm not saying New Albany has to be like any other city, but let's restore this city to the greatness of it's past and give it a future our children and grandchildren can enjoy and be proud of.

It's all up to you.

Thank you for your encouragement and support!
Pete

Correction to Courier-Journal Post

My thanks to Randy, author of all4word, for pointing out a mistake in the Courier-Journal post.
I have mistakenly referred to the Caeser's Foundation when it should have been the Riverboat Fund.

I apologize for the mistake, and again thank you Randy for providing the correct information to me.

Where I stand

The Courier-Journal has allowed candidates to submit information to their website.
My two-cents worth can be found here:
http://c-jonline.com/candidates/2007/candidates.php?candidate=Lyons%2C+Pete&Submit=Go

and at the tribune:
http://www.news-tribune.net/election2007/local_story_107130717.html?start:int=15

Being Intentional, Part 2

Here's an opportunity for all of us to show some support for downtown businesses.

Treet's Cafe is going to be testing the water for having Saturday Hours. Starting on Saturday, May 12th, they will be open for breakfast from 8am to 1pm.

Personally, I can't wait. Treet's backs up to the print shop, and every morning when I go to turn the lights on, the sweet aroma of their cooking drifts in through the back door. Unfortunately I never have time to go in for breakfast. I do make it a point to get my daily injection of a Mocha Latte.

I love having lunch there when time permits. The food is not only good, but there are opportunites to actually have healthy choices for lunch.

For some of you who may have experienced some delays last week, Treet's has added another cook who is doing an awesome job.

I'm out of town on the 12th, but i promise i'll be there the 19th.

Being Intentional

The above is ad from a New Albany magazine published in April 1945 called, oddly enough, "future". It's an ad from a downtown company promoting and encouraging folks to support downtown businesses.

In order for any downtown to succeed, you have to WANT to go downtown. It's not going to be convenient. It's not going to be your one destination for everything you'll need in the next 12 months. It's not the downtown population in Louisville that makes 4th street live successful, it's the folks from all over the city that want to go downtown, deal with the parking and enjoy being downtown.

The other side of equation is there has to be something downtown for you to do. I believe, thanks to the hard work of people who love this city, Downtown New Albany is really a growing. I fully support Scribner Place, and I'll be one of the first people to sign up at the YMCA once it's opened. I also do not believe Scribner is the "magic wand" that is going to revitalize Downtown. I think downtown is going to revitalize through the folks who want to personally invest in making something happen.

By the time any local government gets involved and offers some real incentives, it will probably be a day late and a dollar short. I think Mike Kopp and the new folks driving DNA have and will do more for downtown revitalization than any coucil member or mayor could.

I'm very fortunate that the business I started on Pearl has so much corporate business that we can be open to the public, but yet not dependent on the local traffic to keep us afloat. It's one more building that isn't vacant.

It's the businesses that need local traffic that need everyone's support.

You have to be intentional about doing business downtown, and yes, I practice what I preach.

First there's benefits to doing business downtown: The people downtown are awesome. It's friendly. You're probably going to be dealing with the owner of almost every company down here. It really is a neat community, and it's a bonus I never thought of when I opened up downtown. It's great to walk down the sidewalk and take time to chat with the folks you've come to know. It gives you a sense of what community is supposed to be like. They say that Walmart's are making small town's disappear. I disagree. I think people just gave up on the businesses that were always there for them for so many years. One of the neat things about reading this 1945 magazine is seeing all the names of downtown companies that are still in business today.

I remember when I first moved to New Albany, I could call Chuck at State Street Hardware and even though it was past closing time, he would wait for me to get there. Try that next time desparately need that plumbing part at Home Depot. From that point on, I purchase everything I can from Chuck. If he doesn't have what I need, then I go right down the street to PC Building Materials. I get something there called service. Knowledgeable service from some really nice folks.

Office Depot has some great sales, and all kinds of cool stuff, but I've made it a point to purchase any office supplies from the Office Supply store on Pearl. The prices are excellent, and there's a really great person behind the counter. In a pinch, I was out of town and my employees needed something but didn't have the company card. They went to the office supply place, explained the situation, and got it on "credit". I'm not saying that's their policy, but it's the policy of good business and looking out for each other. I could imagine the look on the cashier's face at a big chain place if I bought a bunch of stuff and said, "I don't have any money with me, can I pay you later?"

My wife and I have been talking about getting hardwood floors for years, and finally have saved enough money to have one. I guy came into the print shop needing some blueprints scanned in and emailed to him. They had just opened up down the street (on market) and it was a flooring company. I'm very sympathetic to startups, and usually do not charge folks for a while (that will get people running to the shop! I should clarify that you have to be a downtown startup for that perk, and a nice person!). The name of the company is Flooring Solutions, and Greg Knable is the person to see about flooring. We could have gone anywhere for flooring, and we looked at a couple of different places. We might have even saved some money, but it wouldn't be worth it. Actually, the pricing was excellent. In the end I decided that there was only one place that we would purchase our floor from, and that would be a downtown business. I'm glad we did. Greg and the folks at Flooring Solutions are great people, and I love doing business with them. Anytime you can do business with good people you have peace about you purchase.

We just expanded the print shop, and part of the expansion is creating a room where we do fine art reproductions, or Giclees (pronounced gee-clay). We wanted this room to be more of a comfortable living room than an office. An artist will usually spend a 1/2 day with us, and we wanted them to be relaxed and comfortable. We wanted some really nice furniture for this room. My wife went to the new Smiths on Veterens Parkway, and then we went to Ashley over in Louisville where we ate fresh baked cookies and the kids could play video games. It is a very impressive show room and facility. I mentioned all the furniture stores downtown, so we spent a Saturday walking to the furniture stores right down the street. Needless to say, we purchased all of our furniture (she even talked me into a new living room set for the house) right here in Downtown New Albany. I'm probably going to sound like a broken record, but once again it had more to do with who and where I was spending my money with than anything else. The products available downtown are just as equal of those in the big strip malls.

Then there are the restaurants which are growing in number (thanks Roger!). The food is excellent, the service is great, and again, the folks running them are awesome!

I could say similar things for probably every business downtown. If you're not doing business downtown, than you're really missing out. Don't just come down once or twice, come down enough to where you start knowing everyone by name.

Be intentional. If you say you love downtown and want it to become something, than support those that are here. It's like adding water to a new plant. Add a little sunlight, and next thing you know it's a full bloom.

We could follow the advice from an ad from 1945. I bet there would be more of those original businesses around today if people sacrificed convenience for community.

The Perfect Storm

Wow! it's amazing how time flies by when you're busy. The election is only a week away.

The last time I posted, I realized how much time I really spent volunteering with different projects concerning the underprivileged in the community. I didn't want to paint a picture of that being the only thing I do.

I wanted to write of other things concerning local politics, but i had an internal conflict with my frustration for local government and my personal pledge to myself not to say anything negative about others.

It was that same frustration that eventually led me to stop going to city council meetings. I found myself struggling to keep from gasping in shock, rolling my eyes or shaking my head in disbelief at what i was seeing, hearing, and witnessing in that room.

It's also the same frustration that motivated me not to complain, but to do something about it. It's what led me to run for city council.

The past month or so I've been reading and talking to folks about the way things are going with the city council, and I've been feeling a little discouraged and sometimes wondering what I was doing. Was it going to be worth it? Could I begin to make a change?

This was during the time when mayor Garner went around the council and straight to the board of works to change the hiring conditions for fireman. It was about the same time that one week the council voted not to give the mayor more money to pave roads until he had a list of streets or some type of plan, then a week later the mayor comes back without a plan and they still give him the money. Where's the conviction? If you have none, then why delay it a week? If you have some, then why not stand by it?

It was then that i started thinking about the perfect storm. Not only the thought of the city council and the mayor similar to the destructive storms that come together to do more damage, but I also thought of the Andrea Gail in the movie The Perfect Storm. I picture the tiny ship against a monster storm and enormous waves.

It's not the impossible odds or the adversity of the conditions that inspires me, it's the direction the ship is heading. It's moving forward. It's not turning around. It's not running from the storm for safety, it's driving through the storm to get back to where it belongs.

If you've ever had the opportunity to sail in heavy seas, than you know that you can't do it alone. It takes a crew of like-minded, focused individuals who can concentrate on the task at hand and move the boat forward. The captain of a sailboat only has as much speed as the sail trimmer can give him.

My goal is to hopefully be a member of a crew of people who want to move New Albany forward, even if it's through the storm to get where it needs to go.

This election isn't about me, it's not about the 2nd district. It's about New Albany as a city from downtown to the suburbs.

Homeless in New Albany, revised!

It's amazing the difference a day makes!

In one of my earlier posts, I mentioned that I prefer to use a wipe off board and an erasable marker, so that plans can change based on increased knowledge.

What happened today is the perfect example of that. In the most unusual circumstances of events, Roger Baylor of NAC, happened to run into Barbara Anderson, who runs Haven House Shelter in Jeffersonville. Roger had read the posts here about our involvement with the homeless, and suggested she might want to meet with me.

These are two people, that unto today I had never met. My office is right around the corner from Treets restaurant, so Barbara stopped in and introduced herself.

Haven House is a shelter in Jeffersonville that provides meals, shelter, and transitional housing. I didn't have time to get a complete list of all the opportunities that they provide.

As long as we have been doing the homeless trips to Louisville, we have always wanted to serve those closer to home. It looks like we will now be working with Haven House to help feed and support the homeless in our community. Haven House also believes in eliminating homelessness.

In just the short time that we had the opportunity to talk today, we've arranged to have a meeting at St. Paul's church in New Albany to see how St. Paul's, Haven House, myself, Graceland Baptist Church, Northside Christian, Henryville Community Church, and anyone else who wants to get involved for developing a non-denominational group that is willing to support Haven House.

I love how like minded people who share a common cause can move so quickly for the betterment of the community.

Now, If only our city council could work this efficiently....

Homeless in New Albany

This post originally started as a reply to a comment in an earlier post, but as it grew I decided to go further into detail and let if be it's own post.

It's my position on the homeless issue in New Albany.

The homeless issue is a problem, and the way it's dealt with in southern indiana is the police just take them to Louisville. There are very few resources on this side to the river.

I'm not saying this to condone it, but by not having resources it almost eliminates a homeless problem. Whether it's intentional or by accident, the lack of shelters keep most homeless out of the area.

I actually looked into the possibility of purchasing a home in New Albany for the homeless or for those transitioning back into the workforce. One of the obstacles was where it could be located without affecting the neighborhoods.

The more I've learned, especially recently working with Wayside, is it really takes much more than just food and housing. Wayside has an incredible recovery program for those who are ready to get off the streets. The resources needed to have a successful program are overwhelming.

Here's what I believe it would take to have an effective Homeless solution:

1. It would have to be important, not only to the citizen's, but to the Mayor as well.
The coalition for the homeless in Louisville was founded by two Priests from two churches who met with the Mayor concerned about the increasing number of homeless begging for money. It seems the formula for success were concerned citizens witnessing a problem and wanting to do something about it, and a Mayor who cared about the people of the city to take some action and do something about it.

2. Location. It would have to be located somewhere that had the least impact on the neighborhood. Wayside Christian's location isn't in the best part of town, but they must still be diligent in being a "good neighbor". As large as Wayside is, I found this interesting in their Q&A section:

Q: What are the major constraining factors for the program's implementation and goal achievement (lack of knowledge about cause-effect relationships, the target group, political disputes, administrative factors, etc.).

A: Major constraints would be lack of funds and keeping our business neighbors happy (if we don't keep them happy, they do have the political ties to influence the government powers that be).

I can only imagine the struggles that a shelter would have in New Albany, since it is such a smaller city.

3. People to run it.
It takes people with passion and a love for the lost to run a facility like this. It's not your normal 9-5 job. I don't believe you can hire or appoint just anyone for this type of job.

4. It's not shelter, it's a homeless solution.
The Homeless coalition of Louisville's mission statement is not to take care of the homeless, but more importantly the "prevention and elimination of homelessness".

5. Money, and lot's of it.
Wayside Christian Missions annual budget is over 2.6 million dollars a year. Although some of the money is probably federal grant, Reverend Tim Moseley said they run off of donations.

That's the top 5 things that would need to be established to begin a program in New Albany.

I don't mean to be negative, so please don't take this as "I don't think we should do it". I just don't think we can do it. There's a big difference. I don't think the political climate would support it. I don't think the citizens would support spending money on it. I'm not sure where we could put a shelter without upsetting residents.

I think the best thing you could do for a homeless person is take them to Louisville where they can get help. They have the shelters and the PROGRAMS that can make a difference in their lives.

The bottom line is if you have a shelter and no program to get them off the streets, you're going to have an ugly problem. If you can be intentional, and develop and put in place the programs to help people off their addictions and back in the workforce, then you've really accomplished something. Anything less than that would be a mistake. Not only for the people your providing shelter to, but to the other citizens in the city.

There's not too many homeless in New Albany. That's not to say the soup kitchens are not busy, because there are a lot of poor people in New Albany.

There's all kinds of things you can do to help. Check out some of the local soup kitchens in New Albany. There's one somewhere almost every night of the week.

Contact one of the shelters to see if you can volunteer. They are all in need of more help.
For a list of shelters, you can click here.

If you see a homeless person, buy them some food. DO NOT give them money. You're usually just supporting an addiction. The truth will come out when they're asking for money for food and you tell them you're going to buy them something to eat. All of sudden they won't be hungry and tell you they really just need a couple of dollars for "a drink". The ones that are sincere will gladly take you up on the offer. If you're at a fast food restaurant, walk in with them and tell them to order whatever they want. You'll be amazed at the response.

Ever feel bad about the guy at the off ramp of the expressway? Tempted to give them money? Wondering what job you can give them so they can work for that food? A couple of years ago, my son (8 years old at the time) knew we should be doing something for this person. He came up with the idea that whenever we saw someone, we should give them some food. It was the beginning of what we called the "homeless bag". My son put together a "homeless bag" consisting of a bottle of water, some vienna sausages, chips/crackers, toothpaste, toothbrush, poncho, and I think even nail clippers. Purchasing most of the items at Dollar Tree, he assembled the bags for just a couple of dollars each. We kept these in the car, and whenever we would take our exit on state street, we would roll down the window, and he would bring out one of his homeless bags and hand it to the person. It was actually the beginning of our families involvement with the homeless ministry.

****Important Note****
For safety's sake, when I mentioned above that the best thing to do for a homeless person was to take them to louisville, I am in NO WAY suggesting that you, an individual person , be the one to give them a ride. Call Wayside and they can send someone out. I'm not saying all homeless people are bad, but there is a percentage that are homeless to stay off the police radar. Use your own discretion, but be advised and be careful. The same goes for buying them a meal. If you're at the restaurant, go in and pay for their meal. If you're not, then buy it and bring it back to them.

good samaritan patrol

A few weeks ago I was asked if I was interested in doing the "Good Samaritan Patrol" for Wayside Christian Mission in Louisville. Some of the people who usually do this were ill or travelling and they had some openings for early in the week.

The Good Samaritan Patrol is where you drive around in the Wayside red Jeep, going to the camps and to the various places where people try to find refuge at night. The job is to take coffee, sandwiches, and whatever warm clothing we can find to the folks who may not want to stay in the shelter. We'll also give anyone a ride to the shelter if they decide to go in for the night.

The key to safety here is the red jeep. Everyone knows the red jeep. Most of the folks who do not stay in the shelters are too in love with their addictions than their need to be warm and safe. Some of the folks you may run into may not be at their best capacity. Calling at someone to see if they're alright might antagonize them. I'm always amazed that someone may be startled up on edge at first, but by the time the recognize the jeep, they come up to you as if you are a long lost friend.

I just finished another Samaritan run. The weather was warmer, but raining. Most of the usual camps I visit were vacant, and the usual places were people hang out were empty as well. The second street folks were there, but not as many. It's troubling because you know they're out there, but you just don't know where. You try to find as many overpasses as you can, looking to see if they are taking refuge right below the expressway.

I heard it all changes as the weather warms up. The camps that are deserted during the winter become populated when the weather breaks.

It's kind of peaceful while you're driving around. It makes you appreciate everything you do have. It also makes you look at things in a totally different way. I can't drive over an expressway without knowing that I just went over someone's home. I know the symbols and paths that lead to camps that thousands of people drive by everyday not having any idea there are people living there.

There's an odd irony to how many restaurants are literally right across the streets from camps. The irony of how much food is thrown away, and there's a guy across the street who hasn't eaten all day.

The next generation for change

This is one of those proud papa moments.

My 8 year old daughter has some friends in her Sunday School class that recently moved here from Kenya. After hearing what life was like for them in Kenya, she felt burdened to do something about it.

She came to my wife and said she felt led to raise a $1,000 for an orphanage in Kenya. She didn't know what orphanage, but she knew the money needed to go there. She asked Graceland's senior pastor Scott Miller (who is also on the board of Mustard Seed International) if he would find an orphanage to send the money to.

It seemed cute at first, and as a parent you see your children excited about something, and then on to something else after a short period of time. This was different. She invited some friends to join in what she named the "Saturday Service Club". Her concept was that friendships could grow while serving a common cause. She produced her own brochure and asked if I would donate the printing, and came up with the idea of selling Valentine's day gifts for $15 a piece that would include a velvet rose, a stuffed animal, a handmade greeting card (with room for you to put your own note) and "homemade sweets and confectioneries".

When the dust had settled on the assembly line of putting the baskets together, Sophia raised $1,100 for the orphanage in Kenya. $100 over her original goal. Pastor Scott Miller has arranged for the money to go to the Rafiki Foundation, which has a location in Nairobi, Kenya.

The Courier-Journal even did a story on her project:
http://www.courier-journal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070307/NEWS0201/703070772/1026

Much ado about nothing

I hope Shakespeare forgives me for borrowing this title. It seems appropriate to use this as an introduction to my position on the topic of lack of code enforcement when it comes to housing/rental properties in New Albany.

Now, before you misunderstand the title to think that I'm saying there's not a problem, take the title and apply it to the level of activity that you see taking place from New Albany's city government. There's a lot of talk, especially now that there's an election coming up, but what is REALLY being done? NOTHING!

I've made a promise not to say anything negative about fellow candidates. I don't believe it's necessary or warranted. I believe an incumbents actions speak louder than anything I could say about them.

It's been said that we are known by the fruits of our labor, and the truth is looking around New Albany it's easy to see trees are barren and not producing fruit.

This might be long, but I believe this is a multi-faceted problem that needs to addressed at different levels. The bottom line is that it needs to be addressed in a timely manner. There is also nothing etched in stone. I prefer to use an erasable marker and a wipe-off board, not so that I can waffle on an issue, but so that it can grow and be more inclusive based on the knowledge of those closer to the issue.

Let's jump in, shall we?

1. Find out what the heck takes so long after someone files a complaint and action is taken.
I understand there's red tape in government, so let's get the scissors out and start cutting. It's New Albany, not Chicago and I'm guessing it can't be that hard. I'm going to step out on a limb here, because I'm not close enough to the position to have all the facts yet. Here's one thing I can tell from what I do know: The job is not getting done in a timely manner.

It could be from lack of funds, or lack of personnel, or lack of resources. It could also be lack of initiative. It could be that there's not a level of performance required of this department, nor is there anyone for them to be accountable to for lack of performance.

As a business owner, the best way to find out where the problems are is to roll up your sleeves and get involved in the actual production. I wouldn't mind shadowing this department to see exactly where the hold up is. It would be a worthwhile investment of time to be able to resolve the issues.

In addition to shadowing to understand the problem, here are some ideas that can solve some of the other reasons:
Not enough money: Simple. Generate revenue to support your department. You need money, enforce the codes. Those that do not come into compliance are fined. Collect the fines. Increase the fines. Have a habitual offender? Create stiffer fines if the same person is guilty of the same offenses. We do it with criminals, I don't see why this should be any different. Put liens against the property. Take ownership of the property if penalties are not paid.

Not enough personnel/resources:
I would have to tap into the power and passion of so many people who invest so much of their personal time trying to improve New Albany. I'm talking about the Home Owners Associations and the bloggers that love this town and their neighborhoods. If we can make an average citizen a volunteer fireman or policeman, why not a code enforcement officer??? Most have already done all the legwork, we just need to tap into their knowledge to get things done faster.

2. Increase the efficiency of the street department/ sanitation department.
It appears to be part of the problems is apathy for certain neighborhoods. I live in the second district, and for some reason the trash, no matter what it is, is always promptly picked up. It really shouldn't take anything more than a phone call to the street department/sanitation to get something done. It shouldn't have to appear in the Tribune for it to be important. It needs to be important simply because it is, and the level of service needs to be the same no matter where you live.

3. Get tough on the habitual offenders.
We need to send a message loud and clear that if you're a slumlord, this is not the town you want to be in. There's probably more effort to run adult dvd place on main out of town than there is to do something about the way slumlords steal from this city. Not every landlord is a bad one, but the ones that are bad need to go. Need a precedent? Use the "3 strikes you're out" that they use for criminals. Is a slumlord any different?? I'm not saying they're going to jail, but I think the city needs to actively pursue condemning property for those that refuse to comply fully. Some people may say this is extreme, but if you look at the map of worst offenders (I can't remember the link! sorry!) and see the same names over and over you feel that SOMETHING must be done.

4. Rental Inspection Program.
This is a hot topic already. I'm laughing at the incumbents who are saying "this must be done", when they've had the ability and opportunity to do something before now and chosen not to. I'm not saying they can't or won't, just that they already should have.
I think this is a great idea, and definitely should be a part of doing business as a landlord in new albany. Now to be honest, without the above steps being taken, this is really more than just election honey. It sounds sweet, takes a long time to pour, and just gets all sticky after a while.
I would want action first so that this program could have some teeth to it.

5. New Developments contribute 10% of revenue back to the city.
Boy, this will fly like a led balloon! They do it in other states, and it's definitely worth looking into at some capacity. In Maryland, developers must set aside a percentage of all units built for lower income housing, and contribute to the states MPDU (moderately priced dwelling units) program. Will it chase builders away? No, you'll either want to build in New Albany or not. I think the current political climate has chased away more development than any program would.

6. Enforcement with fairness.
It's one thing to go after a slumlord, it's another thing to go after a neighbor who's lost their job and going through a tough time. I'm not saying make exceptions but I would solicit the help of local churches and other volunteer organizations that would do low cost or free repairs for OWNERS who are having financial difficulty.

7. Trash Dumping.
This is a tough one. The city says get a license plate and they'll pursue it. I say clean it up, and if you happen to get a license plate that's great, pursue the living daylights out of the offender with some serious penalites. If you have a problem with the routes that is leading to alleys being overlooked, then fix the routes! I'm sure we would all like to catch who's doing it, but at the end of the day the first priority is to get it picked up. Until it becomes a priority, nothing will happen. Too bad Garner privatized Sanitation. Getting a third party company to do this without it costing an arm and a leg is going to be difficult. I'd have to get the attorney to start looking for ways out of the contract based on lack of performance. I can't get started on the whole sanitation/privatization issue, it could be a blog in itself.

If I've forgotten anything (it's getting late) i'll post more later.

Regardless of the plan, it's going to take people with a spine to stand up to the old guard and say "enough". It's going have to be people who are going to be willing to make some waves and stand their ground. It's going to take you to hold your elected official accountable for everything they're promising. You are going to have to hold their feet to the fire to get the job done. You're going to have to defeat some old giants. Look past the good 'ol boy business as usual mentality and actually accomplish something. It's time council meetings to be productive, and not auditions for the latest reality tv show.

What a weekend

Sometimes the end of busy weekend is something to look forward to.

Saturday morning started out great. For the past two years, my wife and children and I have been feeding the homeless. What started out as a one time thing has turned into to a once a month event. We recently teamed up with Graceland Baptist Church
of new albany. Having the additional resources of the church has allowed this ministry to grow even more. The additional people allow us to distribute clothes, hats, gloves and other items. Graceland has one of those backpack drink dispensers, and hot chocolate with fresh marshmallows is a huge hit! We were able to feed 150 people homemade soup and sandwiches. It's a great opportunity to spend some time encouraging those that are going through difficult times.

After that, I rented a moving truck to pick up some equipment I bought off ebay that was in Chicago. A friend of mine mentioned some bad weather heading toward chicago, but heck the sun was shining and the weather was warming up so how bad could it be? I found out a few miles north of Indy. What started out as rain very quickly turned to sleet. In no time at all the roads were solid ice. The fastest I could travel was 15mph. The 5.5 hour trip to Chicago ended up taking almost 11 hours, and to pass the time my son and I counted how many cars were wrecked. The total was 30 cars and one trailer.

The trip gave me another reason to love where i live. New Albany is affordable. I felt bad for the guy I bought the equipment from. He was closing his business and selling off all the equipment. His lease kept going up to the point where it just didn't make sense to stay open. When he told me his property taxes were $6,500 on a home smaller than mine, I invited him to move down here!!!

This really is a great town to live in. It's been so long since I've lived out of state, I had forgotten what a bargain New Albany really is.

The one thing I have not forgotten is the efficiency of other local governments in the towns I've lived in.

As for as "platform" issues, they will come. This medium is a great way to get to know the person behind the vote.

I'll start posting them after I have an opportunity to really meet some folks and hear their hearts on issues. To speak without hearing would be foolish.

Let's get it started...

Today's the day that I officially "Filed" for the 2nd District City Council position. I'm on the ballot and it's time to get to work.

I was very excited to read about the "Meet the Candidates" event hosted by the Uptown Neighborhood Association on Thursday, March 1st at 7pm.
Here's the posting from View From the Highway.
On thursday March 1, 2007 the Uptown Neighborhood Association is hosting a "Meet Your Candidates" event.

We are inviting all of those folks who have registered to run the the May 2007 Municipal Primary Election for New Albany. So far all we have contacted, save one, has indicated they will attend.

We will have tables set up around the perimenter of the room with placards in front of each candidate with their name and the office they are seeking.

We are inviting the public , other neighborhood groups, as well as our own members to come by and discuss with the candidates individually whatever is on their minds concerning New Albany's future.

The Uptown Neighborhood Association is neither endorsing nor sponsering any particular candidate for any particular office. We are doing this solely to give the public a chance to meet those seeking office personally and for the seekers to hear what is on the voters minds up close.

The meeting begins at 7:00PM and light refreshments will be served. So come join us and bring your best questions to pose to the candidates.

My bad! The meeting will be held in the basement of the Silver Street United Methodist Church.
It is located right behind the Swifty Gas Station at the corner of Spring & Silver Streets.

I hope to see you there!!!

I would like to thank Vicky from the Uptown Neighborhood Association for extending an invitation via email so quickly. I would also like to thank "bluegill" from
NA Confidential for being so resourceful and so quick to create a link to this blog. Great job updating the NA Confidential site with candidate information, it's where I've been keeping up with who's running!!!

It's been an exiciting day! The support and enthusiam is very encouraging!

Somebody stop me if I start sounding like a politician!!

Please allow me

To introduce myself.

My name is Peter Lyons and I am running for the New Albany City Council, 2nd district.

I've decided to run for city council because I love this city. I believe this city can be so much more than what it is now.

I've been reading the blogs and forums and developing an understanding of the wants and needs of the people of this community. It's a fair statement to say that there needs to be some change in the political climate of this city.

The definition of "awaken" is to "rouse from sleep" or to "make someone aware". I feel it's an appropriate theme for the changes that need to take place in New Albany.

This blog is not just for the election. If elected, this blog will continue to inform the public as to what's going on.

Feel free to post your comments. I only ask that your comments be respectful of others.

I've also created an email address for direct communication. You can reach me at newalbany2nd@gmail.com.

The first thing on my list of things to do is have a "town hall" meeting, so that I can get to know you and hear your concerns. I'm already looking for a location to have this meeting, and I'm open to suggestions. This is NOT a fundraiser. This something that I would continue even after the election. Your input is extremely important to me.

I'll be posting campaign issues in future posts. The one thing that I will promise is that I'm not going to list off all the things you want to hear. I'm not going to "soundbite" everyone I talk to and create this really impressive but totally impossible list of campaign promises. It's impossible to make everyone happy, and I'm not going to pretend or lie to anyone. I can't tell you I'm going to work hard to clean up New Albany AND that I don't believe in enforcement for the Offenders (Landlords). I will tell you that I'll take the position that will benefit the community, and I'll stand by it.

Thank you for allowing me to introduce myself, and I hope to meet with you soon!
pete