BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS REGULAR MEETING
BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING
KEVIN WINTERNHEIMER CHAMBERS
ROOM 301, CIVIC CENTER COMPLEX
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2022
12:00 NOON
 AGENDA
1.   CALL TO ORDER
2.   MEETING MEMORANDUM  NOVEMBER 16, 2022
3.   CONSENT AGENDAÂ
     a. Request Re: Approve and Execute Property Completion Agreement for soil remediation at
      626,632 and 636 Monroe St.-Stahl                  Â
     b. Request Re: Permission to dispose of 15 broken folding chairs at C.K. Newsome Center.
      Â
4.   OLD BUSINESSÂ
     N/A
5. Â Â Â NEW BUSINESSÂ Â
     a. Request Re: Award or Rejection of bid(s) for Skatepark Pregrade Project.-Stahl      Â
     b. Request Re: Any Other Business the Board Wishes to Consider and Public Comments
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6.    REPORTS Â
      a.  Steve Schaefer- Interim Parks Department Director          Â
7.    ACCEPTANCE OF PAYROLL AND VENDOR CLAIMS
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8.    ADJOURN
EPD MURDER INVESTIGATION
Murder Investigation 1600 block of Clayton Ave.
December 6, 2022
On December 4th, around 9:10 a.m., Evansville Police Officers were dispatched to the 1600 block of Clayton Ave. for a victim who had been shot. When officers arrived on scene, they located one adult female victim who had been shot multiple times. AMR arrived on the scene to treat the victim but, unfortunately, she passed away.
Detectives identified the suspect as 44-year-old Clifton Fletcher. Fletcher and the victim knew each other. Fletcher arrived at the victim’s residence in a white Chevy Tahoe and shot the victim multiple times. Fletcher fled the scene in the white Chevy Tahoe before officers arrived. Officers did locate the Chevy Tahoe, which was unattended, in a nearby parking lot. The vehicle was locked but officers could see a handgun in the front passenger seat. Detectives secured the vehicle and obtained a search warrant.
Detectives received information that Fletcher was in another jurisdiction but was heading back to Evansville. Detectives/Officers set up a perimeter, located Fletcher, and arrested him without incident. Fletcher was interviewed by detectives and then transported to the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center and charged with Murder.
The victim’s name will be released by the Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office at a later time.
Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the Evansville Police Detective Office (812) 436-7979 or the tip line (812) 435-619
FOOTNOTE: Anyone with information concerning this incident is asked to call the Evansville Police Detective Office (812) 436-7979 or the tip line (812) 435-6194
Students Invited to Serve as a Senate Page
The Indiana Senate is now accepting applications for the 2023 Senate Page Program.
Through the full-day program, students in grades six through 12 tour Indiana’s Statehouse, listen to debates and help staff with age-appropriate tasks. Students also have the opportunity to meet their state senator.
The Senate Page Program will begin in January and run through early April. Positions fill quickly, so it is important to apply early.
Pages are scheduled for Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays during the legislative session. They begin their day at 8:30 a.m. and are dismissed at 3:30 p.m. Groups serve together on Wednesdays.
Serving as a page is considered an excused absence from school.
I always look forward to welcoming local students to the Senate, and I hope to meet many more new and returning Senate pages this year.
Click here for more information or to apply.
Every child deserves a loving home to grow up in, but unfortunately, not every child is fortunate enough to have one.
The Indiana Adoption Program is a statewide initiative to find committed caring, stable and permanent families for waiting children in foster care. Nearly all of the children in the program are over the age of eight and have come from difficult or traumatic situations.
The program connects prospective parents with any of Indiana’s waiting children and helps begin the process of adoption. To learn more about the Indiana Adoption Program and the children in need of a loving home, click here.
All children in Indiana deserve permanent homes, but foster homes and parents are also critical for young Hoosiers who need temporary or emergency placements. If you are interested in fostering a child or becoming a foster parent, click here.
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Anonymous Donor “Pete†Returns To Easterseals For 32nd Year
Beloved “Secret Santa†delivers $3,000 to make Christmas merrier for children in need served by the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center and Easterseals Early Learning Center. Pete’s donations since 1990 have now surpassed $103,000.
“Hi! It’s your old buddy Pete!†Those were the first words in a phone call to the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center just at 9:45 am on Monday, Dec. 5. It was a beloved anonymous benefactor who calls himself “Pete†and has now made 42 generous donations to Easterseals since 1990. Pete said that he had just delivered a gift, and told Easterseals staff to hurry and look for his donation outside the nonprofit organization’s headquarters at 3701 Bellemeade Avenue in Evansville.
A group of staff members followed Pete’s directions and found a festive gift bag. Inside was a holiday decoration–a red truck with Christmas decorations in the bed and bulbs that light. Tucked under the décor in the truck bed were 30 one-hundred-dollar bills, making a total donation of $3,000. Photos and videos are available at this link:https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1189svoK01pmpKo1q1DDKEEkddcFyQZJW
Again this year—like so many years before—Pete stressed that his donation should be used to provide gifts to children with disabilities from disadvantaged families served by the Easterseals Rehabilitation Center and Easterseals Early Learning Center. Now the organization’s therapists, teachers, and other staff will gladly act as Pete’s elves, purchasing and delivering presents from Pete for young clients and their siblings who would otherwise have a meager holiday.
Pete said that giving this donation made his day and he loves that his giving spirit has inspired many other individuals, groups, and companies to join the effort and “adopt†children and families each holiday season. Thanks to the combined generosity of Pete and others in the community, more than 140 children served by Easterseals will receive assistance this year. Gifts will range from toys, books and games to socks, shoes and winter coats.
Easterseals employees do not know the identity of their mysterious gift-giver, who has always referred to himself as “Pete.†Including this most recent delivery, Pete’s contributions over the past 32 years now total $103,450. All of Pete’s contributions have been designated to fill the needs of local children with disabilities. This “secret Santa’s†donations have always arrived in the form of hundred-dollar bills delivered in fun, creative ways. As usual, accompanying Pete’s latest delivery was a hand-written note with the words “You will hear from me again. Peteâ€
Easterseals invites the community to share Pete’s giving spirit by enjoying Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights in Evansville’s Garvin Park nightly through Jan. 1. All proceeds from the drive-through light show provide inclusive early education and essential therapy services, empowering Tri-State children and adults with disabilities to achieve their own unique goals and dreams.
THE GAITHER VOCAL BAND TO PERFORM AT OLD NATIONAL EVENTS PLAZA
TICKETS GO ON SALE NATIONALLY ON DECEMBER 9 AT 10 AM
Evansville, IN - December 5, 2022 – Premier Productions and GRAMMY® award-winning vocal sensations, the Gaither Vocal Band, will make a stop in Evansville on April 27, 2023.
Founded by legendary gospel songwriter and producer, Bill Gaither, the Gaither Vocal Band has served as a gold standard in gospel music for more than three decades. The group has performed in prestigious venues around the globe, including the Sydney Opera House, The Kennedy Center, and Carnegie Hall.
Many of gospel music’s most beloved voices have joined the Gaither Vocal Band over the past 30 years, including Steve Green, Larnelle Harris, Mark Lowry, Michael English, David Phelps, and many more. Today, the group comprises the incredibly gifted artists, Bill Gaither, Wes Hampton, Adam Crabb, Todd Suttles, and Reggie Smith. The Gaither Vocal Band is known around the world for their impressive vocals, amazing harmonies, as well as their message of redemption, hope and love.
Audiences can learn more about the Gaither Vocal Band at www.Gaither.com
Ticket Information:
What: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Gaither Vocal Band
When:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 7:00 PM
Where: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Old National Events Plaza, Aiken Theatre
Tickets: Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Tickets start at $25.00 plus applicable fees and tax.
Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or the Old National Events Plaza Box Office. For more information about the Aiken Theatre, visit: www.oldnationaleventsplaza.com
ISDA Announces Specialty Crop Projects Received Funding
INDIANAPOLIS (Dec. 5, 2022) — The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) announced four Indiana specialty crop projects received a total sum of $414,051.89 through funding provided by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Specialty Crop Block Grant Program(SCBGP).
“Agriculture is big business in Indiana and encompasses more than traditional row crops and livestock,†said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, who also serves as the state’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Indiana is home to a robust specialty crop industry that is a critical piece of our agricultural economy. I look forward to seeing the good work these projects accomplish.â€
Specialty crops include fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits and horticulture and nursery crops. For a full list of specialty crops please visit ams.usda.gov.
Annually, Specialty Crop Block Grants are available to non-profit and for-profit organizations, governments, public or private colleges and universities for up to a three-year project term and will fund specialty crop research, education and market development. To qualify, projects must aim to benefit the industry as a whole, rather than one product, individual or organization. Applications undergo a competitive scoring process, including review by an external scoring committee.
Some of the projects awarded this grant cycle include City of Indianapolis Seed to Store, which is a farm-to-retail program that fosters connections between local minority-led urban farms and small businesses in Indianapolis and Marion County. A honey education trailer for youth education and a new method for growing and protecting strawberries in Indiana also received grants.Â
“This funding from USDA is critical to advancing our specialty crop sector, and each year many different research areas are supported,†said Bruce Kettler, Director, Indiana State Department of Agriculture. “Everything from sourcing local food and aquaponics research and from youth development to increasing farmer involvement, these awards will go far in enhancing our Hoosier specialty crop industry.â€
Indiana’s funding is part of a total $72.9 million in non-competitive fiscal year 2022 SCBGP funding awarded to 55 states, territories and the District of Columbia. The SCBGP funding supports farmers growing specialty crops, including fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops. USDA’s support strengthens U.S. specialty crop production and markets, ensuring an abundant, affordable supply of highly nutritious fruits, vegetables, and other specialty crops, which are vital to the health and well-being of all Americans.
“USDA applauds Indiana’s continued commitment to supporting our nation’s producers of fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, and nursery crops through the Specialty Crop Block Grant Program,†said USDA Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs Jenny Lester Moffitt. “The projects funded will foster innovative research and new market opportunities within the specialty crop sector, while furthering USDA’s goals of creating a more fair and equitable food system and supporting local and regional producers.â€
The following list includes the organizations that received funding for the 2022-2025 grant cycle:
Local Food Ecosystem Project + Seed to Store
Award: $129,846
Project: The City of Indianapolis requested funding for its Local Food Ecosystem project, Seed to Store, which is a farm to retail program that fosters connections between local minority-led urban farms and small businesses in Indianapolis and Marion County. Indianapolis’ Division of Community Nutrition and Food Policy will act as the lead agency in administering this project in partnership with farmers, grocers and other business owners. Seed to Store aims to boost specialty crops sales, build capacity for the local food economy and improve access to and awareness of healthy specialty crops through direct-to-consumer marketing. Seed to Store partner farms grow specialty crops such as collards, watermelon, tomatoes, lettuce, peppers and eggplant. Now in its second year, Seed to Store will implement infrastructure improvements through cold storage, farm labor support and software for inventory management and ecommerce. Targeted marketing and promotions initiatives will also help develop connections between consumers and the specialty crop industry and provide education for increased accessibility.
Honey Education Trailer
Award: $69,335.32
Project: At Ease Orchard will develop an education plan across the State of Indiana utilizing a Bee Demonstration Trailer and experience beekeepers. The demonstration trailer will consist of live bees in an enclosed demo box, harvesting equipment, hive equipment and the ability to demonstrate harvesting honey from the hives as well as multiple other beekeeping techniques such as sanitizing a hive and queen rearing. The trailer will be manned and attend events at 4H clubs, Farm Shows, Bee Club events and schools. The goal is to attend a minimum of one event per month. Similarly, the Bee Trailer will meet Indiana Health Department standards for honey harvesting and be available to support on-site training at residences to teach beekeepers how to properly harvest and bottle honey. The intended outcome of this grant is to increase education on honey food safety, to support beginning farmers and beekeepers and to increase the popularity and knowledge of honey as a specialty crop.
Leveraging Farm to ECE Partnerships to Increase Demand and Access for Specialty Crops
Award: $87,413.90
Project: Green Bridge Growers will increase demand for locally grown produce through a Farm to Early Care and Education (ECE) initiative that incorporates local food sourcing, food and agricultural education and family engagement to promote healthy eating practices right from the start for young children and their caregivers. ECEs are an important market for small farmers because of relatively low barriers to entry and have the added benefit of promoting household nutrition knowledge and the consumption of specialty crops. By partnering with ECEs to better understand and influence the role farmers can play in this market, our project will develop replicable models, outreach on best practices for other farmers entering the ECE market and expand food access for under-resourced families throughout the state.
Purdue University – Developing a Novel Multi-Year Production System for Strawberries Grown on Plastic Mulch in Indiana
Award: $127,456.67
Project: Purdue University will address two of the greatest barriers to the profitability and sustainability of multi-year plasticulture strawberry production in Indiana by improving runner management through cultivar selection and chemical runner suppression and establishing safe and effective weed management strategies. There is increased demand for local pick-your-own strawberries and decreased access to the timely and abundant labor required to grow the crop. This project represents the first meaningful research effort into a multi-year plastic mulch production system for strawberries in Indiana and directly addresses the most pressing concerns identified by stakeholders. Recommendations generated from this project will be used to ensure that growers adopting multi-year plasticulture production have the greatest likelihood of sustainable success through cultivar selection and chemical control of runners and effective weed management strategies.
Visit www.isda.in.gov for more information about the Specialty Crop Block Grant program. To view the full announcement from USDA click here.
USI MAC/Pace Galleries to present Organic + Tattoo: Sculptures by Debbie Goldman
USI MAC/Pace Galleries to present Organic + Tattoo: Sculptures by Debbie Goldman
Exhibition proceeds to benefit USI Art and Design department
Image copyright: USI Art & Design Department
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The University of Southern Indiana Kenneth P. McCutchan Art Center/Palmina F. and Stephen S. Pace (MAC/Pace) Galleries are excited to present a special exhibition to conclude the Fall Semester, Organic + Tattoo: Sculptures by Debbie Goldman. The exhibition, on display in the MAC/Pace Galleries in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center from December 12-19, is a selection of the dozens of artworks Dr. Deborah (Debbie) Goldman has made since 2019.
She is generously donating all 50 pieces in the exhibition to be sold, with all proceeds benefiting the USI Art and Design department. Each piece has a reserve price and can be shipped to buyers at an additional cost. Additional details are available on the exhibition webpage.
Goldman’s sculptures begin as found objects, wooden roots and tree branches, carefully recovered from shorelines and then cleaned and ornamented with hand-carved marks or paint. Trained as a pediatrician at Indiana University and Washington University in St. Louis, Goldman has no formal training as an artist. She has lived in Evansville since 1982 and has practiced medicine for 36 years.
A reception for the exhibition will be held at 4 p.m. on Friday, December 16. Live music and refreshments will accompany the reception with time for conversation with the artist.
The MAC/Pace Galleries are open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 4 p.m. Sundays. For more information, visit the Galleries webpage.
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Founded in 1965, the University of Southern Indiana enrolls more than 9,750 dual credit, undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students in more than 130 areas of study. A public higher education institution, located on a beautiful 1,400-acre campus in Evansville, Indiana, USI offers programs through the College of Liberal Arts, Romain College of Business, College of Nursing and Health Professions and the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education. USI is a Carnegie Foundation Community Engaged University and offers continuing education and special programs to more than 20,000 participants annually through Outreach and Engagement. USI is online at USI.edu.