Articles, Commentaries, Press Releases

The following are commentaries, press releases, and news articles that have appeared during the course of the past year regarding the activities of the St. Joe Valley Greens.

Keeping our water here
Article published November 25, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Includes statement from Green Kathleen Petitjean.

Indiana among worst in greenhouse has emissions 
Article published November 25, 2007. Includes statement from Green Kathleen Petitjean.

Green Party: No full recount; Cost proves factor in decision
Article published November 23, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune

Green Party requesting recount
Article published November 8, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune.

4 black council winners a 1st in South Bend
Article published November 8, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Includes comments from Green candidates regarding the Green Party’s showing in this year’s municipal elections.

Dems retain control of Mishawaka council
Article published November 7, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Includes mention of Green party candidate Dave Vollrath.

Democrats keep 8-1 council edge in South Bend
Article published November 7, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Includes comments from Green party candidate Kathleen Petitjean.

Green Party reports obstacles for write-in votes
Article published November 7, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Regards widespread breaches of voter privacay and inconsistencies with the casting and counting of write-in votes.

Luecke trounces Manigault
Article published November 7, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Regards South Bend’s mayoral race and includes comments from Green Party candidate Tom Brown.

St. Joseph County General Election Results
Unofficial tally reported November 6, 2007 by the South Bend Tribune.

Rallying to raise awareness; Residents gather to discuss environmental issues
article published November 5, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Green candidates addressed the crowd of approximately 90 citizens who gathered as part of the nationwide “Green Up! Step It Up!” rallies.

Media access: Voice of the People letter to the editor
Letter published October 18, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Scroll down the page to the heaing “Media access.” Submitted by Tom Brown.

Vital Issues: Voice of the People letter to the editor
Letter published October 14, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Scroll down the page to the heading “Vital Issues.”Submitted by Karl Hardy.

Green candidate challenges Dieter vote
Article published October 8, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Kathleen Petitjean, a Green Party candidate in the 1st District, says she would support a renewed attempt to amend the city’s human rights ordinance and criticized Democratic incumbent Democrat Derek Dieter for voting against it.

Petitjean pledges support for LGBT protections; Denounces incumbent’s “no” vote on Human Rights Ordinance amendment
Press release to media/community outlets distributed October 4, 2007. Kathleen Petitjean, Green Party candidate for South Bend’s 1st District Common Council seat today pledged to sponsor a renewed attempt at amending the city’s Human Rights Ordinance (HRO) to include sexual orientation and gender identity. She sharply criticized her opponent, incumbent Derek Dieter, for casting a vote against the amendment proposal that came before the Common Council in July of 2006.

Candidates take stage at forum; Contenders in mayoral races field questions
Article published October 4, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Green Party candidate Tom Brown calls for a grass-roots-style of participatory democracy based on the creation of citizen assemblies in each council district. Brown also advocated an amendment to the human rights ordinance to keep residents from being discriminated against because of gender identity or sexual preference.

Video: South Bend mayoral candidates talk about the election
Posted September 28, 2007 to the South Bend Tribune’s website. Green Party mayoral candidate Tom Brown discusses the Greens’ vision for South Bend.

Area residents meet the candidates; Forum features Mishawaka and South Bend nominees
Article published September 28, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Green candidates Kathleen Petitjean and Karl Hardy took part in a “Meet the Candidates” forum co-sponsored by the League of Women Voters and Real Estate Investors Association of North Central Indiana.

Green party candidate challenges incumbent on tax breaks
Article published on September 22, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. The incumbent responds to Petitjean’s challenge by “passing the buck” and a misleading comment suggesting Petitjean supports eliminating tax abatements.

Green Petitjean Challenges Dieter; Criticizes Incumbent Over Responsiveness to Citizen Input
Press release to media outlets and citizens noting Petitjean’s criticism of the 1st District incumbent’s failure to ensure compliance with the city of South Bend’s tax abatement ordinance. Petitjean also states her support for the Community Forum on Economic Development’s proposal to amend the city’s ordinance & questions the incumbent’s failure to respond to this proposal. (September 20, 2007)

Comcast closes public access studios in Northern Indiana
Article written by Tom Brown reporting the apparent demise of public access in the South Bend area. Published on sjvgreens.org on September 13, 2007.

Greens member files election bid: Party also has 3 write-ins in South Bend and Mishawaka
Article published August 17, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. The Greens will have 4 candidates in the upcoming municipal elections.

Board to Count Green Party Votes
Article appeared August 16, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. The St. Joseph County Election Board reverses their previous position and promises to count votes cast for write-in Green Party candidates in the upcoming municipal elections.

St. Joseph County Election Board Satirized on YouTube
The video deals with the documented failure of St. Joseph County to count more than 500 votes cast in the November 2006 general election. Citizens have been in contact with the St. Joseph County Election Board since January without a satisfactory explanation or resolution to the issue. As of this writing, the video has been viewed more than 500 times. (see the video).

Election Board hears complaint: Green party candidate says county failed to count votes
Article published March 22, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. Details the events of the March meeting of the St. Joseph County Election Board meeting during which Greens sought an explanation and apology from the Election Board.

Press Release: Indiana Greens Seek Formal Apology Over Voter Disenfranchisement
Notice to media outlets detailing the Greens’ plans to seek an apology from the St. Joseph County Election Board. Research showed that 23 of Indianan’s 92 counties failed to report votes for the Green Party candidate for Indiana Secretary of State as required by law. (March 18, 2007)

Ignorance of the law should be no excuse for county clerk
An op-ed Michiana Point of View published on March 20, 2007 in the South Bend Tribune. This piece intended to expose the shortcomings of the St. Joseph County Election Board in their administration of the November 2006 general election. Nearly 500 votes cast for registered write-in candidates (including a Green, a Constitution Party candidate, and Democrat) were not counted and reported for certification to the state Election Commission as required by law.

Trying to get on the ballot in Indiana
Commentary published by the American Democracy Project at IUSB. A shorter version of this essay was broadcast on WVPE (National Public Radio) on June 6, 2006. A version also appeared on June 16, 2006 in the South Bend Tribune.