Squirrel Hunting Season Begins Today

No, I'm not making this up.

The 2014-2015 fall hunting season has arrived with the opening of squirrel hunting season today, 15 August 2014.

Squirrel season will continue through January 31, 2015.

Hunters may harvest both gray and fox squirrels (that's a fox squirrel, at left), and can "harvest" (that's the DNR term) up to five squirrels per day.

To hunt squirrels, Indiana residents must purchase the annual hunting license for $17 ($7 youth consolidated license), and nonresidents must purchase the $80 annual hunting license or the $31 five-day hunting license ($17 annual youth hunting).

To purchase a hunting license, go to IndianaOutdoor.IN.gov. Additional information on regulations and licensing is at wildlife.IN.gov.

Bait-and-Switch Bikes

"You can buy a 24-hour pass for $8 as part of Indy's new Pacers Bikeshare program and get unlimited use of a bike for 24 hours.

"But there's a catch. If you don't check the bike in every 30 minutes at one of 25 stations dotted along the Cultural Trail, that $8 bill will skyrocket to $194 for 24 hours."

This Indianapolis Observer is appalled. Who rides a bike, stopping along the Cultural Trail for less than a half-hour at a time? That's not enough time to browse in the Kurt Vonnegut Museum or savor a coffee at Starbucks or shop at Circle Center Mall or make a trip to the library.

What idiot/ approved this get-rich-quick scheme?

UPDATE:

More reasons to avoid the Bikeshare program are outlined here:
http://www.ogdenonpolitics.com/2014/08/indianapolis-bikeshare-agreement-leaves.html

On Our Way to a Record

"Indianapolis' violent year has become more so with two holiday weekend shootings, including one that killed a decorated officer."

Yes, we made national news again today (this report is via the Associated Press) -- and not in a good way.

This Indianapolis Observer wonders where all the trolls who attacked Mayor Bart Peterson for the homicide rate are hiding, now that Mayor Greg Ballard's administration is cruising toward the all-time high number of homicides in a single year (and it's only July).

But, look! shiny! we've got the Pacers and the Colts and Indy Eleven and a Cricket Park and a soon-to-be-renovated Natatorium...!

The Rathskeller's Number One

Thrillist compiled the 21 best beer gardens in the United States, and our very own Rathskeller is first on the list.

Way to go, Indy!

Johnson County Buys a 55,000-pound MRAP Tank

"Rural counties across Indiana have been purchasing Afghanistan-surplus tanks with gunner turrets and heavy armor; most recently, it was Johnson County, whose Sheriff, Doug Cox, justified the purchase by saying, 'The United States of America has become a war zone'."

Read it all here: "Small town sheriff buys tank"

And, watch out for those land mines evidently littering that Hoosier county south of Indy.

UPDATE:

It's even worse than this Indianapolis Observer thought:
"In the Indianapolis suburbs, officers said they needed a mine-resistant vehicle to protect against a possible attack by veterans returning from war."

From:"War Gear Flows to Police Departments"

Calling All Prospective Beekeepers

The Indiana Beekeeping School takes place Friday and Saturday (June 13 and 14, 2014) in the Normandy Barn at the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis.

Hours are 4 to 9 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday.

The registration fee of $120 includes textbooks, notes and meals on Saturday. Attendees can bring additional family members for $95 each.

Yet Another Reason to be Glad Mourdock Didn't Win

Indiana state treasurer Richard Mourdock, who mounted an unsuccessful bid for U.S. Senate in 2012, says America is going the way of Hitler's Nazi Germany, according to a report in the Huffington Post.

"Mourdock broke down the comparison in detail on Saturday [7 June], the day after the 70th anniversary of D-Day and the Battle of Normandy," writes Igor Bobic.

""The people of Germany in a free election selected the Nazi party because they made great promises that appealed to them because they were desperate and destitute. And why is that? Because Germany was bankrupt," [Mourdock] told a supportive crowd at the Indiana Republican Convention in Fort Wayne...."

This Indianapolis Observer is grateful this clown was not elected to represent us, as (given statements such as that) he certainly does not. Gov. Pence needs to distance himself from such inane comments pronto.

UPDATE:
IBJ.com reports today (9 June): "Indiana Republican Chairman Tim Berry said he did not hear Mourdock's remarks, but said comparisons to Nazis are generally inappropriate."