St. Joe County GOP Responds to Vacant District H

[Happy Mom]

St. Joseph County Republican Party responds to Weaver resignation
Tribune Staff Report

SOUTH BEND — The St. Joseph County Republican Party responded critically Thursday to the resignation of St. Joseph County Council member Heath Weaver, D-District H.

"Unsurprisingly, another local Democratic elected official resigned and thus failed to fulfill his responsibilities and his term," party Chairman Chris Riley said in a news release. "This seems to be an emerging habit."

Weaver "joined the ranks of two other local Democrats to abruptly resign and break the trust of the citizens of St. Joseph County," said Riley, referring to former council member Kevin Kubsch and former Sheriff Frank Canarecci. "In Weaver's case, the resignation followed a pattern of dereliction of duty, as he repeatedly failed to attend County Council meetings after voting to raise local taxpayers' income taxes last summer."

Riley said the citizens of St. Joseph County "deserve better than 'good old boy' revolving door politics. We need elected officials who take their jobs seriously and dedicate themselves to good government."

He recommended voters support Deb Fleming, the Republican nominee for District H, in the upcoming general election, saying she offers "real leadership" and has pledged to "reduce the size and cost of county government, reverse the tax increase, and welcome job growth and creation."

Elected in 2006, Weaver, an English teacher at John Adams High School, resigned Wednesday after the publication of a story in The Tribune detailing his poor attendance record at County Council meetings.

The county Democratic Party plans to hold a caucus vote to choose a replacement for the now-former council member, whose term ends Dec. 31.

Robert McCahill, the Democratic nominee for District H, has reportedly expressed interest in the position.

http://sbtinfo.com/article/20100724/News01/7240306/1130

[Happy Mom]

Anyone know anything about McCahill?

McCahill will replace Weaver
Democrat is already running for council seat in November election.

By ERIN BLASKO
Tribune Staff Writer

SOUTH BEND — County Democrats selected Robert McCahill on Monday to replace Heath Weaver as the District H representative on the St. Joseph County Council.

The Democratic nominee for District H, McCahill will serve the remainder of Weaver's term while at the same time campaigning against Republican Deb Fleming to represent the district for a full four years beginning in 2011.

"I'm honored to fill this seat," the Mishawaka police officer said after his election by acclimation at American Legion Post 303 in South Bend, "knowing very well what the duties and responsibilities are."

The newly appointed council member asked for the support of fellow Democrats in the upcoming general election, "when I look forward to serving a full four-year term serving the people who elected me."

Weaver, a teacher at John Adams High School, resigned last month after a Tribune story detailed his poor attendance record at council meetings.

McCahill will attend his first council meeting tonight. On the agenda is a controversial petition to operate a gravel pit on Osborne Road in Liberty Township.

"I've been to a couple of County Council meetings," he said of how he has prepared for the meeting, "and I've seen the executive secretary of the council to look over a couple of the ordinances.

"I've read them myself," he said, "and I can form my own opinion."

A member of the National Guard, McCahill faced no opposition Monday to replace Weaver, whose term ends Dec. 31.

Staff writer Erin Blasko:
eblasko@sbtinfo.com
(574) 235-6187

http://sbtinfo.com/article/20100810/News01/8100305/1130

[Buck Wheat]

In one news video last night, Chris Riley had a huge cottage cheese pus-filled whitehead zit on the corner of his mouth. Later, on another station, it was gone - replaced by a small patch of reddened skin. Glad someone advised him to pop that sucker!