The Circus Must Be In Town...

We can thank the Shriner's for their "Three Rings Of Fun", as the advertisement proclaims, but when it comes to our fair city, it's definitely REAL...and definitely FUN, but as the saying goes: "It ain't REAL FUN".

So read on...it gets much better.

--FWCS changes logo and mission statement.

Our very own city school "corporation" has decided to snuff out the lamp of knowledge...figuratively-speaking. The former logo has been retired, and in it's stead is a brand new logo depicting...well, um...something, I suppose.

The four letters of the corporation are nicely placed in four vertical bars with the tops sheered off in an upward direction.

Don't ask me what it's supposed to "mean", because I've got "my" own thoughts.

Suffice it to say there are now also THREE GOALS the corporation wishes to attain:

1) Achieve & maintain academic excellence.

2) Engage parents & the community.

3) Operate with fiscal responsibility, integrity & effectiveness.

Now...let's "do the math" on this, shall we?

On goal #1, wasn't that ALWAYS the goal of ANY school system? And if you're NOT achieving, then WTH is the problem? The teachers ARE teaching...it's just that the KIDS aren't learning. Could it be more of a STUDENT problem than an educator problem? I think THAT should be the focus to excellence. Get ALL the kids INTO school first, and KEEP them there...make them learn through whatever means possible, and by that I don't mean toss a bunch of "programs" tailor-made to fail from the git-go, kapesh? This will be a moot point with people and students that already give a damn. We're talking about the "at risk" population here.

On goal #2, all I can say is GOOD FREAKING LUCK. The parents that WANT to be involved with their kids and the school WILL ALWAYS BE SO. The ones too cranked out on meth, or too wasted on crack to give a flying fornication will NEVER do so, and as a result, they'll usually pass on this level of "care" to their children. A community divided against itself (much like a house, as Abraham Lincoln noted), cannot stand. We have entire neighborhoods NOW that are in shambles, socially, morally, ethically, and psychologically, and until THAT is addressed, not much will change. I tend to think of it as a community-enhanced education, with the neighborhoods caring for the welfare of every child's education. That's what SHOULD be happening. And it USED to happen, quite a few decades ago. We're all a little too caught up in being ENTERTAINED to make that matter now. Time to reverse that false theology and get back to basics.

On goal #3, I say it's about damn time. Monetary restraints coupled with transparency of operations should be in the best interest of the school system, the children, AND the community to which it depends for financial support. I mean we HAVE managed to "see through them" before, so all this "transparency" seems right up their alley. The school system will have to make hard decisions with respect to managing their resources, and that should NEVER mean compromising the childrens' education by laying off teachers. You can still educate, even if the paint is peeling and a window is cracked, but you sure as hell cannot educate when you have NO ONE that will take the reins and provide the tools these children require in today's world. It will be interesting to watch FWCS again propose it's building repair costs THIS year.

I think FWCS is on the right track. Whether or not they reach their chosen destination is something everyone will have to work at, because there will most assuredly be detours along the journey. Like it or not, we're ALL in this...every last one of us. We all share a vested interest in the future.

* * * * * * *

--It's CRIME TIME!

Looks like Fort Wayne might have had it's FIRST homicide of the year. So...we're off to the races AGAIN. A man was shot at the Arbor Lakes apartment complex on 2010 Bayview Drive Monday night, and later died at a nearby hospital.

When police arrived, they noticed the man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. No one else was in the apartment when police arrived on scene, and the man's identify was not released (until family is contacted no doubt). Residents came out on balconies and doors to watch the police conduct questioning of possible witnesses (must have been entertaining for some). I will wager that in spite of ALL the other people there, few (if any) leads will come of it. People don't snitch, at least that's what the gangstas "preach" to their people. Ongoing investigations will determine whether or not this will ruled a homicide. My bet is that it would. We can barely go ONE month in this city (anymore) without someone shooting someone else, can we? It could be worse...it could be like Cabrini Green in Chicago.

--Oxycontin thefts rise.

The Walgreens at 10412 Coldwater was targeted by a robber Sunday night, who went in and approached the pharmacy with a black handgun and asked for all the Oxycontin pills they had. The robber was described as WHITE , early 20s, 6 feet tall, wearing blue jeans, gray and orange ski jacket and having brown shaggy hair. He made off with nearly 300 tablets. Police dogs were unable to track the robber. This marks the SECOND time this store was hit, the last being back on 11 December, 2007. Another Walgreens at 6202 W. Jefferson was robbed back on 22 December. Descriptions of the robber were SIMILAR, but police have not determined it was the same man. I hope we're not trying out the "DUH" factor on this one.

Sounds like the same M.O. Chances are this perp's not going to be near there AGAIN when he needs is "fix" (unless he's dumber than a bag of hammers), so it stands to reason that he'll go elsewhere (most likely down HERE). So keep your eyes open. See a tweaked-out white guy with NO fashion sense, scraggly hair and a gun in your local Walgreens? "Drop the dime".

--Dumbass Of The Week.

And it's ONLY TUESDAY....(wow). A traffic stop on Friday led to the arrest of a Fort Wayne man who had about FOUR POUNDS of marijuana in his car. A red 2007 Kia Optima (the new cheap car of choice by drug runners, at least on the SOUTH side) was noticed following too closely behind a tractor-trailer, and was pulled over. When the officer approached the vehicle, the driver bailed, but was caught after a brief foot pursuit. The driver, one BRANDELL D. TOWNS, 32 has been charged with dealing marijuana, as well as TWO counts of resisting law enforcement (and if they had 3 officers, it would be THREE counts of resisting...see how that works?). He is being held in lieu $50,750 bail. Oh, did I mention that he's also BLACK? That must explain the lack of traffic in MY neighborhood. Brandell got busted, so part of the local supply this month went bye-bye.

Boo-frigging-hoo, all you drugged out losers!

Suffer!

--Cap'N Cork robbed before 9AM.

The well-known liquor store located at 929 Goshen Rd. was robbed Monday morning at 0812 Hrs. The robber made off with about $2000, AND...the robber also had a GUN (no surprise there). He's going to NEED that money, 'cause the price of "pot" just went up, thanks to Brandell getting nabbed...heh, heh, heh. The man was described as being BLACK (another revelation, eh?), 6 feet tall, wearing a fishnet stocking over his face, a black hooded sweatshirt, black sunglasses, dark jeans, dark cloves and a baseball cap.

Sounds like most every young buck I see "strollin' n trollin'" on MY streets....wanna start looking for him in MY neighborhood? The truly AMAZING aspect to this is that most all black men in MY part of town NEVER get up BEFORE 11AM...swear on my parents' grave, hand to God! And if there ARE ones that ARE up before 1100 hrs, they are WORKING, and NOT robbing anyone, anywhere (we still have some of THOSE good people left, believe it or not).

Two last things, totally UNrelated:

1- Family Guy's DVD of BLUE HARVEST (Star Wars parody) is out today.

2- Pause and reflect on Dr. Martin Luther King's birthday today.

God knows we need men like him MORE than ever.

And now you know....OUR news.