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EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

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Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

Pardon Me – We Paid For What? Part II “The American Rescue Plan Act Of 2021”

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Pardon Me – We Paid For What? Part II

“The American Rescue Plan Act Of 2021”

By Dannie McIntire

JUNE 17, 2022

It’s been awhile since I wrote my first article on wasteful federal spending so it’s time to revisit “Pardon Me – We Paid For What? 

Today I’m questioning the impact of The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 which President Biden signed into law on March 11, 2021.

The $1.9 trillion economic stimulus bills stated purpose was to help stimulate our countries recovery from the economic and health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

First, I’d like to ask you, the reader a question. After disregarding the cost added to our nation debt, the spiraling cost of gasoline, the spiraling cost of energy, the rising cost of housing, the rising cost of food, the tanking of the stock market, and the shortages of basic necessities such as baby formula, how is President Biden’s recovery bill working out for you?

If you answered not so well for many American families, well I’m here to point out that much of the plans $1.9 trillion dollars is actually being well spent, so it’s hard for me to understand if it hasn’t helped you. Consider the following expenditures;

  • $800 million for foreign aid 
  • $50,000 went to a nonprofit in the Northern Mariana Islands for reopening programs that teach Indigenous canoe-building and explore pre-colonial sea life. Hey who wouldn’t like to learn how to build a canoe?
  • $20 million for “language preservation.” Now I looked up the definition of 

“Language preservation; “it is the effort to prevent languages from becoming unknown. A language is at risk of being lost when it no longer is taught to younger generations, while fluent speakers of the language die.” Now I’m just thinking, $20 million tax payer dollars to preserve language(s) that are dying out and no longer used by upcoming generations? How about spending the $20 million to teach English to immigrants coming into our country from non-english speaking nations?

Maybe that’s a bad idea; it could be construed as racist thinking! 

  • $600 million for San Francisco – To help pay off  a large portion of the city’s budget deficit. Ahhh…San Francisco…home of progressive drug policies such as the distribution to the homeless of free “safe snorting kits” and “safe smoking kits” used for crack. Hey, I can’t think of a better use for my tax payer dollars, can you?
  • The Science History Institute in Philadelphia was awarded $359,097 to create a “multiplatform project exploring the historical roots and persistent legacies of racism in American science and medicine. Ok go ahead and explain this one to me.
  •  $200,000 went to the Chicago Humanities Festival to create humanities programs on racial justice, gender equality, and building an inclusive society. In other words, another “woke” program!
  • $1 Billion for socially disadvantaged farmers and related groups.

I have to say wait just a minute, I still have family back in eastern Kentucky, it’s still a very disadvantaged group, but I highly doubt any of that money goes there! Yeah, I know, that’s not the correct “woke” disadvantaged.

 

  • $3.5 million was awarded to the nonprofit American Council of Learned Societies for a grant program providing relief funds  addressing racial equity, climate change, international relations, pandemic recovery, and strengthening democracy. Again, covert wording for more “woke” programs!
  • $128.5 billion to fund K-12 education. The CBO determined that most of the money in education will be distributed in 2022 through 2028, well after the pandemic recovery is expected to be over.
  • $86 billion to save nearly 200 pension plans insured by the Pension Benefit Guaranty Corp. Now this one in particular steams me because there are no reforms mandated in the bill while bailing out these badly managed pension plans. Many of these mismanaged pension plans are co-managed by unions; union members equal potential voters, so certainly don’t require the problems to be fixed, just throw more of our tax payer’s dollars at it!
  • $50 billion goes to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). A portion of these funds is earmarked to reimburse up to $7,000 for funeral and burial costs related to Covid-19 deaths. While this was a difficult one to include on my list, I do have an issue with it.  If you had a loved that died of Covid-19 and they had a pre-paid funeral, there was no reimbursement. So, if your loved one had responsibly planned ahead, you were out of luck!   
  • Approximately $350 billion went to bailing out state and local governments despite most not actually experiencing  COVID-19 related tax revenue shortfalls. Now who could see a problem with this? It becomes a pork-barrel wish list; including;
  1.  $2 million to plant trees in Syracuse
  2.   $4 million for a parking lot in South Carolina
  3. $16 million for a golf course in Palm Beach
  4. The state of New York’s budget included a $2.1 billion fund for direct checks to illegal immigrants.
  5.  The city of Chicago decided to spend $31 million to create a guaranteed income program.
  6. $4 million for new parking lots and bathrooms have been planned at a South Carolina beach. 
  • Provides $4 billion to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), of which $3.6 billion is dedicated to supporting the food supply chain. Well I have to ask why all the empty shelves?
  • $800 million is provided to use the Commodity Credit Corporation to make purchases and distributions under the Food for Peace Program around the world. “Around the world”, now wait a minute, I thought this was the “American Recovery Act”?
  • The federal government sent $783 million to incarcerated prisoners as part of the rescue issued stimulus checks. Say What? Let’s see if I understand this, you commit a crime, be housed and feed on our taxpayer dollars, and in return you get a government stimulus check? You can’t make something this ridiculous up!

The above listings could go on and on. Are you beginning to smell the extent of wasteful federal “Pork-Barrel” spending in “The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021”?

How has the American Recovery Act benefited me? Well, my wife and I did receive stimulus checks…which we didn’t need… but hey….it’s free money, right? Let’s see, all that “free money” has now resulted in spiraling inflation, so I guess that “free money” we received earlier is now going for gasoline, food, towards the increased cost of everything!  

To me, the most upsetting aspect is that all this money did not exist. Our government operates on a deficit, which means this “free money” had to be borrowed by our federal government. 

Well now wait a minute, come to think of it I do invest in government “I Bonds”, which the government issues as one of its means of borrowing money, and thanks to the current spiraling inflation, I-Bonds are currently paying a fantastic interest rate, paid by “your tax dollars”.

So, perhaps I should say to the readers, “Thank You Tax Payers”. 

COVID-19 VACCINES AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 5

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COVID-19 VACCINES AVAILABLE FOR CHILDREN UNDER 5

City County Observer Has Welcomed A New Paperboy, Joey Langerak

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The City County Observer has welcomed a new paperboy, Joey Langerak!  Joey started organizing and distributing newspapers for the City-County Observer this summer.  His hard work and personable demeanor have made him a great addition to the paper and we hope he plans to continue working long after the new school year begins.

Joey will be a Sophomore at Memorial High School.  He plays soccer for Memorial and for Indiana Fire.  He is an honor roll student and enjoys P.E. and English courses the most.

Joey is the oldest child of Joe and Julia Langerak.  He has a younger sister, Martha, 11 years old, and younger brothers, George, 9 years old, and Louie, 6 years old.

Joey enjoys spending time with his friends and taking vacations with his family.  He says he is grateful for the opportunity to work for the City County Observer.  “The schedule is very flexible so I’m able to work, but also able to keep up with all of my soccer and family commitments and I still have time to spend with my friends,” says Joey.

The City County Observer welcomes Joey!

TODAYS BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY AGENDA

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 AGENDA 

June 22nd, 2022 

Building Commission – David Ballew Police Department – Chief Billy Bolin 

Transportation & Services – Todd Robertson Fire Department – Chief Mike Connelly City Engineer’s Office – Brent Schmitt 

~ Pledge of Allegiance ~ 

Business with Representatives: 

Departmental Reports: 

  1. A. Police Department – Captain Karla Larmore 1. Request approval of the Resolution to Authorize the Increase of Prices for Towing Services. 
  2. 1. Request approval to open bids for EFD Software for a cloud-based emergency response platform. 
  1. B. Fire Department – Division Chief Michael Larson 
  1. C. Building Commission – David Ballew – NO AGENDA 
  1. D. Transportation & Services – Todd Robertson 
  2. E. Special Event Permit – Sgt. Adam Will 1. Your Brother’s Bookstore requests approval for ‘FIND WALDO LOCAL – EVANSVILLE’ beginning July 30th, 2022 from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Closing 5th Street between the alleyway & Main Street. 
  3. 2. Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District requests approval for ‘FIREWORKS ON THE OHIO – EVANSVILLE’S JULY 4TH CELEBRATION’ beginning July 4th, 2022 at 7:00 a.m. and continuing through July 5th, 2022 at 1:00 a.m. Closing Riverside Drive between Court Street & Cherry Street. ***BARRICADES REQUESTED*** 
  4. 3. JD Sheth Foundation requests approval for ‘SAFARI SUPPER: ROAM WITH US’ beginning July 24th, 2022 from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Closing E Gum St between S Elliott Street & S Governor Street; W Michigan Street between Garfield Street &Baker Avenue; Read Street between W Oregon Street & W Maryland Street. ***BARRICADES REQUESTED*** 
  5. 4. YMCA of Southwestern Indiana requests approval for ‘EVANSVILLE HALF MARATHON & 5 MILE’ beginning October 1st, 2022 from 5:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Half Marathon Route Closure: Closing Riverside Drive between Ohio Street & Shawnee Drive; Shawnee Drive between Riverside Drive & Adams Avenue; Adams Avenue between Shawnee Drive & Garvin Street; Garvin Street between Adams Avenue & Taylor Avenue; Taylor Avenue between Garvin Street & Parkside Dr; Parkside Drive between Taylor Avenue & Madison Avenue; Madison Avenue between Parkside Drive & Kentucky Avenue; Kentucky Avenue between Madison Ave & Bayard Park Drive; Bayard Park Drive between Kentucky Avenue & Evans Avenue; Evans Avenue between Bayard Park Drive & Lincoln Avenue; Lincoln Avenue between Evans Avenue & 6th Street; 6th Street between Lincoln Avenue & Walnut Street; Walnut Street between 6th Street & 3rd Street; 3rd Street between Walnut Street & Main Street; Main Street between 3rd Street & Riverside Drive; Ohio Street between Riverside Drive & Greenway Passage Entrance; Heidelbach Avenue between Greenway Passage & Morgan Avenue; Morgan Avenue between Heidelbach Avenue & N Main Street; N Main Street between Morgan Avenue & Vine Street; Vine Street between N Main Street & Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd; Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd between Vine Street & Main Street. 5 Mile Route: Court Street to Riverside Drive, left on Riverside Drive, left on Main Street, right on 3rd St, left on Walnut St, right on 6th Street, left on Liberty Way/Lincoln Ave, right on Evans Ave, left on Bayard Park Drive, right on Kentucky Avenue, right on Adams Avenue, right on Veterans Memorial Parkway, right on Walnut St, left on MLK Jr. Blvd, left on Main St to finish. This permit is being resubmitted for the amended route that was previously approved on March 9th, 2022. 

Consent Section: 

  1. A. Dumpster Permit 
    1. 1. Request approval of the following: a. 725 Madison Ave Paul Hommes June 21st, 2022 – July 15th, 2022 Home Clean Out 
    2. b. 845 E Mulberry Street Kayla Hurley June 21st, 2022 – June 28th, 2022 Home Clean Out 
    3. c. 407 S Villa Dr Mary Motter June 27th, 2022 – July 5th, 2022 Moving 
    5. B. Massage Clinic 
    6. 1. Request approval for the following: 
    7. a. Eleazar Spa LLC 4313 E Morgan Avenue Paperwork in Order 
    8. C. Road Closure 
    9. 1. Michael Sides, Evansville Police Department/Germania Maennerchor, request approval to close the outer southbound lane of Fulton Avenue between Maryland Street & Fountain Avenue beginning August 4th, 2022 and continuing until August 6th, 2022. Emergency Personnel will be able to pass through. 
    10. 2. Larry Burgdorf, Larry Burgdorf Concrete Inc, requests approval to close the outer northbound lane of N First Avenue between W Eichel Avenue & 1407 N First Avenue to replace City walkway beginning July 18th, 2022 and continuing until July 20th, 2022 from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Emergency Personnel will be able to pass through. 
  1. D. Parking Permit 
  2. 1. Request approval for the following: 
  3. a. Lunch on the Lawn Location: 201 NW 4th Street July 1st, 2022 September 2nd, 2022 Lydia Moving Kitchen (Bruce Li Food Truck) 2003 White Chino Taco Lianfeng Lu 1991 Chevrolet – Yellow – Logo – Plate #: TK484MUU Jeannes Gelato on the Go Valerie Ewers 2002 Ford Escape – Green – Logo – Plate #: TR157YYM LashBrooke’s Barbecue Dan Lashbrooke 2008 Ford F250 – Gunmetal Grey – No Logo – Plate #: TK797NSV Rock-A-Burger LLC Tyler Weston 1997 Freightliner MT45 – Purple – Logo Taco Bar Food Truck Matthew Hooper 1998 Chevrolet P30 – Red/Wood – Logo – Plate #: TK970DFY The Grilled Cheese Queen LLC Donald Smith 1992 Chevrolet P30 – Orange – Logo – Plate #: C579BS 

 

OTHER BUSINESS: 

1. Approve claims. 

2. Approve the minutes from Wednesday, June 8th, 2022 

Announcements: 

Next Meeting, Wednesday, July 13th, 2022 at 1:00 p.m. 

Adjourned: __________ _______ 

Holcomb Reappoints Three USI Trustees To Board

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Governor Eric Holcomb has reappointed three members of the University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees for appointments through June 30, 2026. Returning USI Trustees are Harold Calloway, John Dunn and Christine Keck, all of Evansville.

Calloway had a successful 34-year career with State Farm which he retired from in October 2019. He started his own State Farm agency on the northwest side of Evansville in 1985 after serving at Indiana State University – Evansville (USI) as the Director of Financial Aid for over 10 years. Calloway, a former platoon leader in the U.S. Army, spends his retired time involved in the church and mentoring young men in the community, sharing his experiences and offering guidance on navigating the professional world.

Dunn serves as the Chair and CEO of Dunn Hospitality Group. Ltd. and is a former Chair of the USI Board of Trustees, as well as a former member and Chair of the USI Foundation Board of Directors. Dunn Hospitality began with The Williamsburg Inn (now HomeLife Studios and Suites) in 1978 and now owns and operates over 40 hotels in Indiana, Kentucky and Alabama. Prior to Dunn Hospitality, Dunn worked in various roles at Evansville-based Fuqua Industries, which owned WROZ radio and WTVW-7 TV. Before his time with Fuqua Industries, he served as an electronics specialist in the U.S. Air Force. He is known for his varied involvement and contributions to the Evansville community.

Keck is the Managing Director of Federal Government Affairs with CenterPoint Energy. Previously, she served a dual role as Director of Federal Government Affairs for Vectren and Director of Government Relations for Energy Systems Group in Newburgh, Indiana. Prior to her dual role, Keck served as Senior Vice President, Southern Region Corporate Lending Executive for Old National Bank where she began her professional career and worked in a multitude of roles. In 2018, she was awarded the Sara B. Davies Award by Leadership Evansville for community engagement and leadership as she is active in leadership roles with several community organizations, including serving as an Evansville Regional Economic Partnership (EREP) Officer.

The USI Board of Trustees has nine trustees and must include one alumni of the University, one current student and one resident of Vanderburgh County. Trustee terms are for four years, except for the student term, which is two years.

Students to Receive Free Bicycles at Ivy Tech’s Annual Public Safety Academy

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Ivy Tech Community College Public Safety Academy – Annual Bicycle Giveaway Event Wednesday, June 22, 12:45-2 p.m. (Giveaway begins at 1) At Harrison High School Gymnasium 

EVANSVILLE, IN – Elementary and middle school students in the 21st Century Summer Programs, along with students impacted by foster care will receive a new bicycle, helmet, and bicycle lock tomorrow, Wednesday,une 22 at Harrison High School’s gymnasium through Ivy Tech’s annual Public Safety Academy. The bicycles will be awarded to students, selected by their camp leaders, who demonstrate good attendance, good behavior, and a good attitude while participating in their programs.

In addition to the standard bikes, two adaptive bicycles that are specifically designed for children who are physically unable to ride a standard bicycle will be given away.

Bicycles will be presented to the students by donors, representatives from public safety agencies, EVSC, local dignitaries, and community leaders. The event is funded by generous donations from individuals and businesses across the Tri-State.

Great Harvest Bread Co & Cafe Evansville Reopened on Friday, June 17, Under New Ownership

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A Tri-State favorite, Great Harvest Bread Co & Cafe Evansville, will reopen under new ownership this Friday, June 17 after being closed since late last year. The cafe and the bakery have enjoyed a “cult following” and been a staple in the area since it first opened in the mid-’90s.

Owner, Braden Henson, said he was sad to see the business close last fall and felt itleft a void in the community. Many in the Tri-State have similar feelings, as the GreatHarvest Evansville Facebook page has been busy with comments from excited customers and fans anticipating this re-opening.

“I have been overwhelmed by the support from the community. The previous owner’s hard work and dedication over the years created a solid reputation in the

Tri-State. We have a great staff and an enthusiastic customer base about our fresh products. I am very excited to get us opened up and share what we’ve worked hard on,” said Henson.

Great Harvest Bread Co & Cafe Evansville will continue to occupy space at 423 MetroAvenue on Evansville’s Eastside. The bakery and cafe will be open Monday – Friday from 7 AM-5 PM, Saturday from 8 AM – 2 PM, and closed on Sunday. The fan favorite will serve a wide selection of breakfast and lunch items, including sandwiches, wraps and salads, fresh-baked cookies and treats, and of course, their popular assortment of freshly baked bread!

The Great Harvest Bread Company will open with a team of energetic bakers and customer-focused staff members, but the business is currently hiring two more part-time customer service employees.

Whether you are a devoted fan or are interested in trying the bakery for the first time, the Tri-State is invited to the Grand Opening of Great Harvest Bread Co & CafeEvansville from 7 AM – 5 PM on Friday, June 17.

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