Just who is OLDCARS55?  

 

[IMAGE]


 

David Scott Coker
1601 Western Hills Drive 
Evansville, IN  47720

For the past several years I have been a free-lance writer and a political/environmental activist in southwestern Indiana. To view some of some of my recently published columns see the links to text documents below. I recently obtained my Indiana Life and Health Insurance license. In the past I have been employed as a communications specialist for a federal agency in Washington, D.C., a political consultant,  in corporate travel sales and several other capacities. Here is my Resume  and a listing of my various political activities over the past several years. 

In early 2003, I was instrumental in the formation of the Vanderburgh County Taxpayers Association.  This group was the organized opposition to a $70 million, seven-year tax increase refereudum offered by the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation in April, 2003. Since the referendum, we have closely monitored the activities of the E-VSC and the Board of School Trustees and other units of local government.  I served as president of the organization through April, 2008. In October, 2007, VCTA joined with numerous other local taxpayer groups throughout the state to form the Indiana Property Tax Repeal Alliance. In mid-November, 2007, several members of the Alliance had a 90-minute meeting with Governor Mitch Daniels in his office in the Statehouse in Indianapolis to discuss property tax issues.   

Since September, 2007, on Thursday nights I have been volunteering at Media Ministries Dream Center over near Garvin Park. At the Dream Center, we provide nutrition, recreation and values education to over 100 young children from inner-city neighborhoods.  I routinely teach the second and third grade boys during our classroom breakout sessions. 

And since October, 2007, I have also been hosting tours through LST 325,

 

a World War II Landing Ship Tank that was brought back to the United States by a group of World War II veterans from the Grecian Navy in January, 2001. 

Hobbies and Interests: Auto restoration, collecting automobilia and auto license plates and attachments, aviation (America needs more pilots -- see newspaper articles below), bicycling, reading, gardening, home vegetable canning and gourmet cooking, listening to music of all types (don't bother me during the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts -- I also love Cuban music (I saw Ibrahim Ferrer live on February 14, 2003 in Indianapolis) and building models.  Here are some flowers from my back yard garden.

I have a trained baritone voice, play the drums and put myself through college many years ago as a professional musician. Here is a short wave file of my voice!  A couple of years ago I joined the  Evansville Philharmonic Chorus.  In November, 2000 we performed Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro.  In March, 2001 the chorus performed Beethoven's Missa Solemnis, a work which the composer considered the "crowning achievement" of his composing career.

Some of our chorus members toured Italy (Rome, Bolsena, Montecatini,  Florence, Siena  and Venice) June 1st through the 9th, 2002. I have written an historically annotated journal of our entire journal.  Feel free to take a look at my entire Journal of Italy complete with pictures.

In November, 2002, I was among the chorus members who appeared in two performances of Puccini's immortal opera La Boheme to sellout crowds at the Victory Theater.  Here is an image of me and handing out some commemorative Christmas tree ornaments I made for the children who performed in this outstanding show.  You can read about their performance in a newspaper article that appears below.

Also, during 2002 I persuaded the City of Evansville to begin discussions pertaining to the complete cosmetic restoration of Garvin Park.  The announcement of the proposed project occurred when Mayor Russell Lloyd joined other community leaders in a tree planting ceremony dedicated to the victims of the September 11 attacks (see linked newspaper article Garvin Park Invitation below).

You can find me marketing vintage automobiles, antiques, collectibles, fine musical instruments and other items onLINK .  Let me know what you think about my page. Send mail by clicking here.
 

Links To Published Articles
 

Examination of Christmas                        Mayor's race                               Earth Day and Littleton
Ku Klux Klan Rally                                  Dr. Dunn's Prophesy                   Zoo Mess and Leadership Crisis
Con Agra's Philanthropy                          Earthquakes                                 Skylane Pilots
Toyota's New Products                            Yugoslavian History                     School Behavior
Threatening Environmental Attitudes    Alcoa's Toxic Emissions               Madama Butterfly
Coal Ash Dangers to Area Residents    I-69 and Local Political Culture   A Fond Memory of My Youth
State's Poor Environmental Record      We Need an Open Primary            John Gurnitz's Contaminated Well
'Landfill' is a real Dump                         President Brand's Remarks          Robert Pickett's Greek Tragedy
Scripps Howard Policies                        GE  Plastic's Toxic Emissions        Small Environmental Victories
Small Reprieve on Water Rule             Blackberry Picking Time!               Evansville's Industrial Heritage
The Silent Skies after 9/11                    Mildred  Boink's  Artistic Vision     Cancer Chemicals and Health
Community Disfunction in Evansville    Crisis in the Church                       Garvin Park Invitation
Sept 11th Flight                                        The Children of La Boheme         The Gifts of the Magi
The Space Shuttle Disaster                     Taxpayer Alliance Now                LST Restoration
Ten Comandments Under Attack           EVSC  Debt Service                      40 Days of Promise
Ronald Reagan's legacy                          Taxpayers deserves seat at table

Future Space Exploration                         School Corporation Crisis  

Thanksgiving Ephiphany   
MGT Report  

Toyota's Corporate Culture
Achievement Gap held Open
Red Mosby's Funeral
Mayor's Race

Parochial Attitudes

Our Times Remarks

Dr. Lyles and Imus

School Board Decision

Wurst Bike Ride

Cash Creek Hearing

Blue Ribbon Tax Commission

"Godfather" Daniels and Taxes

Critique of Governor's Tax Plan

Alliance Meeting with Governor

Replacement Revenues for Property Taxes

Property tax tangled mess

Vectren dialogue bears fruit

Dream Center Needs Help

 In September, 2001 I entered a manuscript into the annual writing contest of the Ohio River Writer's Guild.  I was awarded second place in the non-fiction category.  Here is a link to the story. It relates to the newspaper column about a farm I visited as a child entitled A Fond Memory of My Youth.