Will it ever stop?

I made a business trip to Columbus early this morning. Wow. What a bunch of rain.

There were also some pretty weird clouds up there.

People in Jackson County who merely inconvenienced by the East Fork of the White River and those farmers who are financially affacted by the flooding may not see much relief coming as a result of the heavy rainfall north and northeast of here. Any water has to eventually filter its way through Jackson County.

That’s why the river’s been so slow to drop in the past 24 hours or so.

Water was standing everywhere in Columbus this morning.

We’ll have to hope that the clouds that dumped 8 to 10 inches of rain in Terre Haute and Paragon overnight weren’t so full as moved east.

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Here’s something you don’t often hear on national television:

“Indiana is too close to call.”

That was Brit Hume on Fox News at around 7:30 p.m. That’s 90 minutes after polls were closed in most of the Hoosier state and 30 minutes after they were closed in the Gary and Evansville areas of western Indiana, where the clocks are set on Central time.

Generally, Indiana’s the first state called in a presidential race, and always for the Republican. Of course, that’s for the general election.

This spring, what’s too close to call today is whether New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton or Illinois Sen. Barack Obama will win the Democratic nod in the Hoosier state.

Clinton is leading Obama now with a pretty safae margin, but Fox News just reported that no precincts from Lake County are in yet. Who knows how that will pan out, where residents are encouraged to vote early and often, even if you’re dead.

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Tired of wading through the mire of what can sometimes make up a segment of online reader comments at our Web site, TribTown.com?

You’re not alone.

That’s why we’ll roll out a new reader comment tool — Pluck — on Monday, May 12.

The new tool will require anyone wanting to comment on stories posted online at TribTown to first register. You’ll need a verifiable e-mail address to do so.

No, you won’t have to publish your real name, although personally I put more stock in comments that carry a real name. I’m sure most other readers do, to.

Pseudonymns will be allowed, and pseudonymns will be registered, so we hope to eliminate what appears to be happening now, with some commentators purposely using the names of others to stir the pot.

One goal of Pluck is to encourage a more civil, more robust and more active community conversation online. As part of that, we’ll also offer readers more options to comment online rather than just the customary reader comments that follow each story posting.

Those other options include creating your own blog that will appear online at TribTown and initiating topical forums. You can also submit your own photos for use in user-submitted photo galleries.

You won’t be required to register to read our site or any of the reader comments, blogs or forums. Registration is needed to write comments to stories or forums or to create your own blog on TribTown.

Pluck will continue to allow viewers to flag comments if they think they’re out of bounds. Staffers at The Tribune will monitor those flagged comments to determine whether they should stay up or be removed. This new tool also will allow us to block those posters who repeatedly violate the Web site’s rules of community conversation.

Is this censorship? We don’t think so, although we’re quite certain there will be those who will claim that’s exactly what it is. Instead, we think the new tools — and our continued efforts to delete abusive comments — is simply an effort to create a more useful, vibrant and productive marketplace of ideas.

You’ll find how to register in a blue box on TribTown.com’s home page that says “Publish your stuff” starting Monday. Be sure to check it out, get registered and join the community conversation.

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Seymour lost a pioneering voice Wednesday with the death of Bob Shippee, Bud’s dad.

Bob was considered by many to be the radio voice of the city, and it was distinctive, classic radio voice.

January Wetzel is typing Bob’s obituary this afternoon for Friday’s edition of The Tribune and for posting on TribTown.com. It will be an interesting read.

Would you like a tid bit or two to tease your interest?

Bob was a twin. In 1950 while working for radio station WJCD in Seymour, he interviewed conjoined twins Daisy and Violet Hilton at the Stardust Drive-In on what was then probably in the country, near the U.S. 50 and U.S. 31 junction. Years earlier, Bob and his twin sister, Ruth, attended a twins gathering in Freeport, Ill., at the age of 2 years. Stars of the show that day were the Hiltons.

Just as his son Bud broadcasts ballgames of the Seymour Owls today, Bob became known as “The Voice of the Owls” over his years of broadcasting their games. They shared the broadcasting duties for the Owls for 14 years. Bob retired in 1990. Just as his was the first voice that aired on WJCD when the station powered up at 7 a.m. Nov. 4, 1949, Bob’s voice was the last to broadcast over WJCD when the station ceased operating under those call letters at 10 p.m. Feb. 14, 1990.

Like many people of his generation, Bob was a veteran of World War II, having served in the U.S. Marine Corps in the Pacific Theater. Also like many of his generation, Bob was active in his church, First United Methodist, and in his community.

For years he broadcast horse shows and the queen pageant at the Jackson County Fair. But he also donated blood 106 times to the Jackson County Chapter of the American Red Cross, totaling 13.25 gallons. He also served on the Seymour Plan Commission and the Jackson County Plan Commission.

 It seemed like Bob always had a smile on his face when you’d run into him in the grocery store or at some event he was covering or taking a part in, just like he always seemed to have a smile on his voice when you’d hear him on the AM/FM frequencies. He’ll be missed in the community.

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Did you see where the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has another chance to correct an error?

No, not it;s location. We’re stuck with Mistake By The Lake 2. Cleveland? Ohio? What were they thinking?

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But I digress.

The mistake at hand is the Hall’s failure to elect Seymour native John Mellencamp to its membership on two earlier occasions in voting that should have elected him in either the induction class of 2002 or 2006.

The Hall reported Friday that Mellencamp is again on its induction ballot, for the class of 2008.

The competition? Madonna (puh-leeeeze, she may be the queen of pop tarts, but she should be no competition for the Coug).

The others?

The Beastie Boys (who?), the Dave Clark Five, Donnad Summer, Chic (what?), Leonard Cohen, the Ventures and Afrika Bambaataa (for the ROCK hall of fame?).

To be on this year’s ballot, a performer or group had to have had their first single released by 1982. Apparently that was the only requirement, given the list of nominees. (That was a little catty, wasn’t it?)

Staying power and influence — and talent — doesn’t appear to have been much of a consideration.

If those factors do mean something to those casting ballots, however, John should be in this year. Of course, I thought that in 2002 and 2006, too.

Do I like all of his music? No. There are lots of Stones tunes I don’t care for, either, but I still consider myself a fan of that ageless though aging rock group.

But I think songs like “Jack and Dianne,” “Small Town” and “Rain on the Scarecrow” far outnumber “Buy A Chevy” from his newest album and others I’ve not particularly enjoyed.

I think the range and influence that John’s traveled and offered over the years speak well of his music, art and talent.

John Mellencamp deserves to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. I wish him good luck come January, when inductees will be announced.

The induction ceremony is set for March 10 in New York City. See, even the Hall of Fame recognizes the folly of the Mistake by the Lake 2.

Despite a slight chance of rain on Sunday, it looks like a great weekend ahead for Jackson County.

That’s good, since there’s a lot going on, including the Winefest at Chateau de Pique tonight and Saturday night. And don’t forget Saturday’s DARE Soap Box Derby, starting near the Seymour Library on West Second Street.

There’s also the walk and run Saturday morning to benefit Girls Inc., one of 22 Jackson County United Way agencies. Things kick off at 8 a.m. at Seymour High School.

Although we reported in The Tribune and online today that we should expect a shorter fall in terms of colorful leaves, there are some turning now. That’s another chance to get outside and enjoy the community.

Hope you have a great weekend, whatever you choose to do.

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NASHVILLE — Heather Willis Neals has been on the job protecting your right to governmental meetings and public records for just a few months, starting with her appointment as Indiana’s public access counselor effective July 1.

So far she’s written 102 formal opinions, she told editors gathered Wednesday at the Abe Martin Lodge in Brown County State Park for the fall meeting of the Indiana Associated Press Managing Editors.

She thinks more Hoosiers are more aware of their rights to open government and public records. Public records seem to be raising the most problem. They’re drawing the most complaints or questions, anyway, accounting for 85 percent of formal opinions she’s written.

Many folks in government complained when the public access counselor’s office was created that it was simply an overreaction by the news media to a reporting project that examined compliance with the state’s public access and records laws. Only the media would use it, they cried.

That has never been the case.

Neal said Wednesday that 12 of the 102 formal opinions stemmed from news media inquiries and two resulted from contacts from public officials. The rest were from the general public. That’s been the case since the counselor’s inception, although most often news media requests have lagged behind even those filed by public officials.

Neal added she’s been encouraged that public officials often refer to her office’s public access handbook when contacting her office.

“I believe elected officials are trying to do what’s right, they just don’t always know,” she said.

Questioned about putting some teeth in the public access laws, Neal said she agrees some kind of penalty would be helpful, but she had no stance on civil versus criminal.

“I feel really silly every day when asked about the consequences of violations,” she said. “I think it’s something to consider. Why have these laws if you don’t have a punishment for violating them?”

And Neal’s opinions on public access complaints are just that — opinions with no binding authority.

The Hoosier State Press Association tried to lobby lawmakers for penalties in the 2007 session of the Indiana General Assembly, but the newspaper group doesn’t expect to make that an issue in the 2008 session, its attorney, Steve Key, told editors Wednesday.

But it’s something we Hoosiers should keep pushing. Public access — to government meeting and records — is an important issue for all of us.

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Have you been watching our videos online at TribTown.com?

Staff writer/videographer Zach Spicer is leading our foray into online video news. I encourage you to check it out and ask that you offer your feedback.

Do you like it?

Will you look for video reports in the future?

Would you contribute your own videos if we make that capability available?

Actually, it’s not a matter of whether we’ll make viewer submissions available. It’s more a matter of when that tool goes up on our Web site.

We’re working with our corporate Web masters at Freedom Communications Inc. and hope to see the system in place before too much longer.

We’ve seen it in use on other Freedom Web sites, and we’re excited about the possibilities.

You taped your children hitting a home run or scoring a goal? Send it in.

You taped your children dancing at their first recital? Send it in.

 You taped your dog catching a Frisbee? Send it in.

You taped a fire down the street? Send it in.

Those are some of the many possibilities that our new reader participation video holds.

It will be your own version of YouTube right here on TribTown.com.

Viewers should look for it mid- to late-October, although we’re hoping it might by up and running even sooner.

 We’re excited about the possibilities, just as we’re excited with Zach’s initial video work for TribTown.com.

So far he’s reported on Brownstown and Seymour football games, the Seymour High School marching band performances, a wreck at U.S. 50 and U.S. 31 and MelonFest in Brownstown and other events.

You can count on us taping much of what will be happening at next month’s Seymour Oktoberfest, too.

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I cooked a pot of chili over the weekend, the first since things started warming up earlier this year. The weekend wasn’t quite chili weather, but it was cool enough to prompt the tastebuds.

 It was a great way to use the rest of our tomatoes. I like growing tomatoes, and I like them cooked in just about anything, but for some reason I don’t like them raw. That always disappointed Pop, who could eat them out of the garden like apples.

I think it’s the texture of raw tomatoes that make me squirm at the thought of taking another bite of one.

But they cooked up well in Sunday’s chili. We had it for supper Monday night, too, and I’m eating the last bowl this morning for breakfast as I pound this out on the keyboard. Hannah tells me I have odd tastes for breakfast foods. She should know — she’s seen me eat leftover Chinese, leftover salmon and White Castles for breakfast. My favorite as a child was stale Wheaties.

But back to the chili.

Like most Hoosiers, my family has always put spaghetti in our chili. Do you? Or are you from the macaroni branch of chili makers?

Worse yet, are you from the tribe that doesn’t use any kind of pasta in their chili?

Do you mike the so-called Cincinnati-style chili? I’m not much for it, myself.

 What else do you put in your chili? Mexene chili powder is a staple in mine. I also put chopped celery and carrots. I’ve been told by western chili snobs that putting such vegetables in chili is not making chili at all, but some kind of chili-wannabe soup.

Well, by chili’s getting cold, so I better go.

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Phone calls and e-mails continue to come in about the former Seymour Bottling Works at Mill and Third streets.

Garvin Jennings stopped by one afternoon this week to share what he recalled about the Dunker family operating the bottling company.

He said he thinks Seymour Bottling stopped bottling pop sometime after the city’s centennial celebration in 1952, saying he had been told that Dunker lost too many of his returnable bottles to the trash cans at the celebration.

 For a while afterward, Jennings said, Dunker offered concentrates that customers could take home and mix for their own pop.

And Max and Joy Helmbrecht also stopped by to share their memories. As a kid, Max liked the orange, and Joy preferred the root beer.

Hope you enjoy the weekend. It’s a great Saturday morning. We’re planning to do some cleaning and enjoy a BBQ chicken dinner at the Hamilton Township Volunteer Fire Department’s annual chicken roast at Cortland Elementary School. What are you up to this weekend?

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