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 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).
Otters offense explodes early to cruise past Y’alls
Evansville’s 14 hits tied for the second most in a game this season. The Otters scored runs in five innings.
Jomar Reyes led the way with a four-hit day and Jake Green hit his first professional career home run.
The Otters started early with a run in the first as Kona Quiggle doubled and scored on a Y’alls’ throwing error. Green then launched a two run homer over the left field wall in the second to extend the lead to three.
Evansville topped off the early surge in the third as Bryan Rosario’s base hit scored two.
Jhon Vargas earned the win from the mound. The righty pitcher was rolling early, not allowing a hit into the fourth inning. He finished with five strikeouts, allowing just three runs over five innings for his fourth win of the season.
Leoni De La Cruz was key out of the bullpen for Evansville. He entered with the bases loaded and nobody out in the sixth, the Y’alls best chance to rally. The lefty pitcher retired all three batters he faced to escape the jam without significant damage. He struck out the side in the seventh to finish with four strikeouts.
The Otters added two more runs in the sixth and again in the eighth. Reyes as part of his big day had a two-out RBI double down the left field line in the sixth.
Reyes’ extended his team high hit streak to 15 games and had his second four hit game of the season. Quiggle notched two doubles and scored three times.
Rosario stole two more bases to reach a league-leading 30 stolen bases on the year. He also made a full extension diving catch in left field in the second inning for one of the more impressive defensive plays of the Otters season.
Evansville looks to win the series tomorrow night against Florence. First pitch from Thomas More Stadium is at 5:36 PM CT with the Evansville broadcast on the Otters Digital Network.
All home and road Otters games this season are televised on FloSports with audio-only coverage available for free on the Evansville Otters YouTube page.
The Evansville Otters are the 2006 and 2016 Frontier League champions.
      OLD NATIONAL EVENTS PLAZA ANNOUNCES SUMMER DINNER ON THE BRIDGE SERIES
      OLD NATIONAL EVENTS PLAZA ANNOUNCES
SUMMER DINNER ON THE BRIDGE SERIES
RESERVATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!
Evansville, IN – June 23, 2023 – A new and exciting addition to Dinner on the Bridge and the culinary scene of downtown Evansville is coming this summer! The Old National Events Plaza has opened reservations for The Summer Wine Series, offering dates this July through September 2023.
The Summer Wine Series presents a lighter foodie experience for the warmer months with four courses of fine cuisine curated by Noel Bilbro, Old National Events Plaza’s Executive Chef. Each dinner in the series will highlight wine selections from one of three nationally recognized wineries, along with a beautifully designed menu created to enhance the flavors of the featured wines.
The Summer Series transitions the learning experience from the food to the wine offerings. The Plaza’s in-house Sommelier and Director of Food and Beverage, Brittany Shouse, will guide guests through tasting notes. Shouse remarks, “Seasonal wine and dine opportunities are fun and allow us to connect our clients to the great brands we offer. Each of the wineries we’ll tour-by-taste during the summer series showcases beautiful and flavorful combinations that everyone will enjoy.â€
Guests will enjoy live music and the picturesque downtown scene from the skybridge over Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. Reservations are available for two, four, or six guests and include a signature welcome cocktail, four perfectly paired courses and wine pairings. Perks include educational wine presentations and a Q & A with our Executive Chef, plus takeaway recipes of Chef’s favorite menu items.
Ticket Information:
What:             Dinner on the Bridge – The Summer Wine Series
When:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Saturdays, July 15, August 26, and September 16, 2023 at 7:00 PM
Where:           Old National Events Plaza I 715 Locust Street, Evansville, IN 47708
Tickets: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Reservations are $99.00 per guest, plus 8% tax. All packages include four dining courses, four wine pairings, and a signature welcome cocktail.
For the complete menu and additional information, visit www.oldnationaeventsplaza.com.
About Old National Events Plaza
Old National Events Plaza, managed by ASM Global, is Evansville, Indiana’s premier convention center and largest live entertainment theatre. Housing a spacious 2,500-seat theatre, 38,000 square- feet of column free exhibit space, a beautiful 14,000 square-foot ballroom, and 12,00 square-feet of meeting space, Old National Events Plaza hosts a variety of events. The venue offers easy scheduling, one-stop-shop services, and in-house catering and audio-visual services. For more information and a complete schedule of events, please visit www.oldnationaleventsplaza.com.
About ASM Global
ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. It is the global leader in venue and event strategy and management – delivering locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to achieve maximum results for venue owners. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 325 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centres, and performing arts venues. For more information, please visit www.asmglobal.com.
Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra Visits Willard Public Library
Join the magical harmony of music and literature as the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra brings their enchanting melodies to Willard Public Library. As a special event within our Summer Reading Program, the orchestra invites children of all ages to a mesmerizing performance on June 28, 2023, at 2pm.
Familiar tunes that children adore will fill the air, inviting young voices to sing along and embark on a delightful musical journey. This unique collaboration between the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and Willard Public Library promises an unforgettable afternoon of imagination, creativity, and the joy of shared melodies.
Don’t miss this extraordinary opportunity to be part of the captivating magic of music and literature at the heart of your community.