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Posted on Sun, Oct. 12, 2008

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Our next president? It's all in the cards

BY DION LEFLER

The Wichita Eagle

The sign on the window says "palm readings, card readings."

The sign in the yard says "Karen Langston (for) Judge."

It got your Campaign Notebook correspondent wondering, what does a psychic need with a campaign sign?

Shouldn't any fortune teller worthy of the title already know who's going to win?

The palm and card reader in the shop at the corner of Gilbert and Hillside said she has a campaign sign in the yard because a man she knows asked her to let him put one there -- and she didn't see any harm in that.

But the white-robed woman, Caram Bella (the spelling is phonetic; she said she's not sure how it's written in English), said she already knows who's going to win the election.

So who's it going to be?

"I know that real well, but I'm not saying," she said, with a mysterious smile. "It's a secret."

And a secret it will remain until sometime on the night of Nov. 4.

Sides set for school bond debate on Tuesday

A school trustee and a district spokeswoman will square off against two tax opponents in a Tuesday debate on the Wichita school district's proposed $370 million bond issue.

Arguing the "yes" side will be school board member Lynn Rogers and school district spokeswoman Sarah Olson, said Randy Ficken, vice president of the Sedgwick County Pachyderm Club, which is co-sponsoring the debate with the Wichita Pachyderm Club.

Advocating for a "no" vote will be Helen Cochran of the group Citizens for Better Education and Bob Weeks, representing Wichitans for Effective Education, Ficken said.

Although the Pachyderms are Republican clubs, the bond is a nonpartisan issue and everyone is invited to attend the debate, Ficken said.

The debate will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Sedgwick County Extension Education Center, 7001 W. 21st St. North.

County commission forum set for Tuesday

The public has a chance to hear from candidates for Sedgwick County Commission during a forum sponsored by the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce.

Two commission seats are up for grabs Nov. 4.

Republican businessman Craig Gable is trying to unseat Tim Norton, a Democrat who has served on the commission for eight years in District 2, which includes Haysville and south Wichita.

Republican Karl Peterjohn and Democrat Marcey Gregory are competing for an open seat in District 3, which includes west Wichita and Goddard.

The debate begins at 7 p.m. Tuesday at the DeMattias Performance Hall at Newman University, 3100 McCormick.

No D's in abortion PAC endorsements

K-TIP, the political action committee linked to the anti-abortion group Operation Rescue, has released a list of candidates it's endorsing in the upcoming election.

No surprises -- and no Democrats.

The group endorsed the presidential ticket of John McCain and Sarah Palin, Pat Roberts for Senate, and Todd Tiahrt, Nick Jordan and Jerry Moran for U.S. House.

In the state Senate, K-TIP is backing Mary Pilcher-Cook, District 10; Ty Masterson, District 16; Karin Brownlee, District 23; Dick Kelsey, District 26; Susan Wagle, District 30; Jeff Colyer, District 37; and Tim Huelskamp, District 38.

In Wichita-area House races, the group picked Steve Brunk, District 85; John Stevens, District 86; Steve Huebert, District 90; Brenda Landwehr, District 91; Phil Hermanson, District 96; and Mario Goico, District 100.

In local offices, K-TIP is supporting Karl Peterjohn for Sedgwick County Commissioner, Mark Schoenhofer for district attorney and Phil Journey, Eric Yost and James Fleetwood for judge.

The list is likely to expand this week, said Cheryl Sullenger, chairwoman of the PAC.

She said there could be some Democrats in the second round.

"There are pro-life Democrats in the state," she said. "We don't run across them too much ourselves."

If you have a news tip or event for the Campaign Notebook, contact Dion Lefler at 316-268-6527 or dlefler@wichitaeagle.com.