FOOTNOTE: Â EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Braun, Stabenow introduce bipartisan bill to improve CMS nursing home Care Compare website
WASHINGTON—Today, Senator Mike Braun, Ranking Member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, and Senator Debbie Stabenow introduced bipartisan legislation to improve Care Compare’s visibility and use so that consumers, their families and caregivers can compare nursing homes more easily. Care Compare allows consumers to find and compare Medicare-certified nursing homes based on a location, and comparing staffing and quality of care based on ratings. As it stands, research shows that Care Compare’s five-star rating system is not easily findable online or as frequently used when compared to popular consumer review sites.
“Choosing a nursing home is a tough decision that many older Americans and their loved ones have to make. This bipartisan bill would make the Care Compare website more accessible and up-to-date so Americans can make informed decisions about nursing home care.â€â€”Sen. Mike Braun
“When our loved ones may need a nursing home, we only want the best for them. Our bipartisan bill will make it easier for families and caregivers to make an informed decision when choosing a nursing home.â€â€”Sen. Debbie Stabenow
The SEE Care Compare Act requires the Secretary of Health and Human Services to make the Care Compare website and its data more findable online by reviewing and updating search engine optimization (SEO) practices quarterly to include, but not limited to:
- Using current best practices in indexing and searching.
- Accounting for guidelines, recommendations, and other suggestions from search engines to improve findability and website ranking.
- Accounting for user research that may inform website design, structure, and content.
The bill also requires CMS to submit a report on current Care Compare user analytics. A second report is due one-year later to determine if the SEO changes have been successful in improving Care Compare’s visibility and use.
Lessing Lodge #464 Celebrates 150 Years With A Rededication Ceremony
Lessing Lodge #464 Celebrates 150 Years With A Rededication Ceremony
 June 23, 2023
Lessing Lodge #464, an esteemed local Freemasonry institution recently held thier 150th Rededication Ceremony.
The Lodge, having stood as a pillar of strength and enlightenment for a century and a half, and its brothers, families, friends, and the community  joined in this momentous occasion. The ceremony represents a significant milestone in the Lodge’s history and a reaffirmation of its enduring commitment to Freemasonry’s core values.
“150 years is a noteworthy achievement, and we are immensely proud of our legacy,†says the Worshipful Master of Lessing Lodge #464. “This Rededication Ceremony honors our past, celebrates the present, and sets our course for the future. We look forward to bringing our community together to commemorate this landmark event.â€
Lessing Lodge #464 Celebrates 150 Years With A Rededication CeremonyThroughout the years, Lessing Lodge #464 has been a cornerstone of the local community, fostering bonds of fellowship, encouraging self-improvement, and practicing integrity. This event reflected  on the Lodge’s illustrious past, revel in its vibrant present, and envision an even brighter future.
The 150th Rededication Ceremony will include various activities honoring the Lodge’s history, a keynote speech from the Worshipful Master, and fellowship opportunities for all attendees.
Lessing Lodge #464 invites all brothers and their families, friends of the Lodge, and members of the media to join them in celebrating this significant occasion
at 301 Chestnut St, Evansville, IN 47713
About Lessing Lodge #464
Since its foundation 150 years ago, Lessing Lodge #464 has been a beacon of the Freemasonry fraternity, cultivating bonds of brotherhood and encouraging personal growth and integrity among its members. The Lodge is proud of its contributions to the local community and is committed to fostering a spirit of fellowship and enlightenment for many more years to come.Â
 Vanderburgh County Commissioners and AT&T Continue to Close the Digital Divide in Vanderburgh CountyÂ
 Vanderburgh County Commissioners and AT&T ContinueÂ
to Close the Digital Divide in Vanderburgh CountyÂ
EVANSVILLE, IN (June 23, 2023) – As part of the partnership with AT&T to bring equal access to modern information and communications technology to all of Vanderburgh County, the Board of Commissioners are pleased to participate in AT&T’s free refurbished laptop distribution event for Vanderburgh County students and families on June 27, 2023 at Highland Elementary School, located at 6701 Darmstadt Road, Evansville, Indiana. Preselected by Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC) and the EVSC Foundation, these families and students will be picking up computers funded by an AT&T donation to Compudopt.Â
AT&T will also provide an update at this time on the Vanderburgh County Rural Broadband Project aimed at bringing fiber-powered broadband access to over 20,000 customer locations in unincorporated Vanderburgh County.Â
In 2021, the Commissioners announced the nearly $40 million-dollar project with AT&T as the provider. Of that investment, $9.9 million came from funding through the American Rescue Plan Act and $29.7 million was an investment by AT&T.Â
Bridging the digital divide by bringing previously unavailable services to rural homes and businesses, this transformationalÂ
Fireworks: Know the Law for a Safe and Legal Fourth of July
The Fourth of July is fast approaching and many area residents are stocking up on bottle rockets, sparklers and firecrackers. We’ve summarized Indiana’s Fireworks Laws below so that you can stay safe and legal this Independence Day.
Indiana Code 22-11-14-6 allows you to discharge fireworks on your property until 11 PM. On a legal holiday (which by statute includes every Sunday) you may discharge fireworks up until midnight.
You may only discharge fireworks on your own property, on property that you have permission to use, or at a special discharge location authorized by the fire department having jurisdiction. If you are under 18 years of age, you must have an adult present in order to possess or use fireworks. Discharging or possessing fireworks in violation of IC 22-11-14-6 is punishable a Class C Infraction.
The Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District announced that the July Fourth Fireworks on the Ohio display will take place this year at approximately 9:15 PM along Riverside Drive between Court Street and Cherry Street. Residents who elect not to attend a professional display may be tempted to discharge their own fireworks at an unsafe location. Damaging another person’s property with fireworks is punishable as a Class A Misdemeanor. Causing serious injury to another person with fireworks is punishable as a Level 6 Felony. Under IC 35-45-3-2 a person who places or leaves a spent firework on the property of another person commits Littering as a Class B Infraction.
Vanderburgh County Code 12.24.010(u) prohibits the possession or discharge of fireworks within a county-maintained park. The City of Evansville further restricts the use of fireworks within the corporate limits. The Evansville Municipal Code regulating fireworks may be found here.
Sheriff Noah Robinson explained, “While Indiana’s fireworks law is fairly permissive, there are limits as to where you can discharge them. Our Office wants everyone to enjoy the Fourth of July holiday, we just ask that residents be considerate of their neighbors and exercise a little common sense.â€
EPD Has Formed a New Unit
 In order to streamline APRA/FOIA requests, the Evansville Police Department has formed a new unit called the Public Access Unit. In the future, please submit all APRA/FOIA and Law Enforcement Recordings requests to: publicaccess@evansvillepolice.com.Â
The normal process for requesting routine affidavits, initial incident reports, arrests reports, and to view accident reports remains the same. Media personnel can still request these items at the EPD Records counter.Â
Requests that require APRA/FOIA or Law Enforcement Recordings forms include but are not limited to: body cam footage, incident case files/supplements, surveillance video, crime scene photos, emails, personnel records, training documents/records. All of these types of request should be sent to publicaccess@evansvillepolice.com.Â
I have also attached the Evansville Police Department’s APRA/FOIA and Law Enforcement Recordings forms. These forms will need to be filled out entirely and submitted to the above email. You can still contact me at agray@evansvillepolice.com for questions and follow-ups.Â
EVSC Board of School Trustees Meet In Executive Session
The Board of School Trustees of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation will meet in executive session at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 26, 2023, in the Schroeder Conference Centre located in the EVSC Administration Building, 951 Walnut, IN 47713, Evansville, IN.
The session will be conducted according to Senate Enrolled Act 313, Section 1, I.C. 5-14-1.5-6.1, as amended. The purpose of the meeting is collective bargaining, (b)(2)(A); initiation of litigation or litigation that is either pending or has been threatened specifically in writing, (b)(2)(B); and job performance evaluation of individual employees (b)(9).