RED, WHITE & YOU #7 (May 18, 2026)
- Vicki Weger
- May 18
- 4 min read
The verbal political retaliation by BRENDA WILSON against her primary campaign opponents as soon as the Vigo County Council meeting was called to order last Tuesday was a total shockeroo for likely everyone in the room.
In my experience attending council meetings for many years, political grievances are never, ever a council matter. Tuesday's situation was so shocking, so angry, so inappropriate -- it seemed to paralyze everyone.
Make it a point this week to check out 'RAIL & RYE', the new downtown eatery everybody's talking about. Great gourmet sandwiches and cocktails you'll be talking about for weeks!!! You owe it to yourself to take a friend and treat yourself to a special lunch or dinner!
And doesn't that story of the new DATA CENTER in Sullivan County that sounded too good to be true just break your heart? How can it be that some big shot billionaire has his guy fly in from out of town and hand out millions of dollars and lots of promises that it's all gonna be milk and honey and all the union workers will be building the project and it will be great, etc., etc. and then it turns out the guy isn't even going to use qualified local union people to build the place and so on and so on and so on. It seems like that old song that if it sounds like it's too good to be true.....
That reminds me, the other day I saw one of the actual finest guys you'll ever meet who is part of the backbone of our community — and that's JOHN HANLEY. We need to speak up in appreciation of those people who are dependable...the ones you know you can rely on through thick and thin. That'd be John Hanley. He comes from one of the finest families you would ever hope to know.
And while I'm handing out kudos, I have to say I just really do miss STEVE WITT. That's a guy who built not just a lot - but probably put together most of the modern part of what makes Terre Haute click today.
Far as I know, he finally just had enuf and packed up his plunder, locked the door, and walked into the night. If there was ever a dude that shoulda had a party, he was the dude.
And this week his indispensable, super smart and even totally gorgeous number one, indispensable assistant, CLAUDIA TANOOS, announced she is hanging up her dancing shoes. That woman has been at the helm through fire and brimstone. She and Steve Witt hammered together deals for our community working through snowstorms and rainstorms and droughts and vacations and childhood illness, and heaven only knows the trials and tribulation. This is not an exaggeration. No one can know the stress and anguish that office put on the two individuals who walked that walk. Let it be said they fought the good fight.
It won't be long until folks will start to realize that the price of gasoline and diesel and groceries just won't be going down — and there won't be summer vacations — and we'll be having to buy kids school clothes again and — geez, Louise — it'll be time for elections in November. And what're you gonna do?
Well, from his own words we have a Prez who sez he doesn't give a thought to what you're paying for any of that stuff - only whether Iran has nuclear bomb. Really? Seriously? It seems he's giving a good bit of thought to how many billions of dollars he and his family can pile up while we're looking at the price of potatoes and to make ends meet. And I don't know about you - but that's wearing mighty thin on me! I'm starting to give a good look at the Congressional candidates who are running this year. All 435 members of congress will be on the ballot, including right here in Vigo County! Don't you think we have some homework top do?!
The Council Budget Committee plans to meet with Judges, Prosecutors and Public Defenders to
figure out how to move criminal cases along to empty jail cells. The log jam that still exists is unsatisfactory considering the Judges, Deputy Prosecutors and Public Defenders that have been added to staffs.
KEEP YOUR EARS OPEN FOR SOME BIG TIME COUNTY PARK NEWS VERY SOON.
Expect some terrific political events for the folks in Sugar Creek Township beginning before long. Things are beginning to stir around. The reorganization of the police department was just the beginning. Things are starting to look very spiffy.
Same thing in Fontanet. You'll be having a lot of political activity around the firehouse with music and great eats and a chance to meet and greet your candidates.
And the doo-dah over the ballot miscount on election night was nothing more than an oversight. All's well that ends well.
What is a concern that so few people in Vigo County got off their duffs to vote. It's really embarrassing that people grieve and moan and grumble and gripe. But not even one-fourth of the registered voters took the time to cast a ballot. That is a pitiful shame.
This is at a time when Donald Trump hired a guy from South Africa — Elon Musk — to come to Washington, DC, and dismantle our country. Musk eliminated the USAID food distribution program, which sent America's surplus food to starving children around the world — particularly in Africa. It is now reported, because that food no longer goes to starving children, it sits in warehouses and rots. And reports are now in 13months, 750,000 children have starved to death.
Not voting has consequences.
That's not all we know, but it's all we're telling — till next week!
Such a great read!!