Hoosiers Deserve Transparency In Reporting Of COVID Data So They Can Make Their Own Medical Decisions
Hoosiers Deserve Transparency In Reporting Of COVID Data So They Can Make Their Own Medical Decisions
By Attorney General Todd Rokita
For Hoosiers in every corner of the state, the response to COVID-19 has been confusing, frustrating, and for many financially costly.
One of the most common complaints is the lack of transparency tied to the decision-making of officials at all levels of government.
As published in an Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) journal in February of last year, confusion has surrounded “whether people die ‘of’ COVID-19 or ‘with’ COVID-19.†The journal noted a case in which a man significantly ill from terminal cancer entered a hospital while also infected with COVID-19 and later died. His death was recorded as a COVID-19 death statistic.
A local Orlando TV affiliate found a man who died from a motorcycle crash was tested and found to also have COVID-19. His death was recorded as a COVID-19 statistic until TV coverage caused it to be reversed.
The same AAMC medical journal article quotes the chief medical officer for Indiana University Health’s South Central Region in Bloomington as saying, “It’s usually a cascade of events that lead to death — it’s not one thing,†when a person dies who has also tested positive for COVID-19.
Much of the public’s exhaustion with those who hold the levers of power comes from a lack of transparency. That is something I tacitly acknowledged when I raised concerns over COVID-19 statistics in a recent media interview.
Regular Hoosiers lose confidence in government decision-making when there are inconsistencies and a lack of transparency in data. This is especially true if, like here, the data is so subjective in the first place. This lack of clarity leaves many to believe government officials are making decisions based more on politics than on data.
In noting these concerns, I did not attack any elected official; I did not call into question the hard work of our medical professionals in Indiana who have been dealing with the effects of this pandemic (in fact, I praised them); and I did not question the motives of everyone who has used these statistics.
What I did do is raise a concern over how these statistics are created, compiled and, more importantly, how they are presented to the public. Media report after report lists numbers without any nuance or background to go with those numbers.
I learned long ago that good leadership means maintaining trust — and that trust is not given but earned. One of the most successful ways to earn the trust of Hoosiers is to install a culture of transparency in the agencies one leads.
And this trust goes both ways. As leaders, we must trust and empower our fellow Hoosiers to make their own medical decisions. As I have said publicly multiple times, including in a recent media interview, whether to get a vaccine is between you and your doctor, not the political bent of elected leaders, the media, or your boss at work.
Time and time again, Biden and his leftist government bureaucrats seem more driven by politics than science in their decision-making.
As Attorney General, I am involved in multiple lawsuits seeking to defend the liberty of Hoosiers in the face of mandate after mandate from the Biden administration, which seems to be more about ruling over the people than defeating an ongoing pandemic.
The Left and state officials across the nation have used the guise of the pandemic — often politicizing data — to further their control and reach into the lives of Americans. Mandates, lockdowns, and school closures have all been justified by politicization of data. Many Americans are fed up with it.
Having promised during the 2020 campaign to “shut down the virus,†Biden and the Left across the country have changed the benchmarks for success as they have clearly not shut down COVID-19.
As public frustration moves against the top-down control pushed by the Left, they have changed how they approach COVID data. Most recently, the governor of New York is changing how the state counts COVID hospitalizations to note the difference between those being hospitalized because of COVID and those being hospitalized for other reasons but testing positive for COVID while at the hospital.
Los Angeles County hospitals reported “roughly two-thirds of patients†who tested positive at hospitals were admitted for something other than COVID. Even the president’s chief medical adviser, Dr. Anthony Fauci, finally admitted to MSNBC that “if you look at the children that are hospitalized, many of them are hospitalized with COVID, as opposed to because of COVID.” It took them nearly two years too long to admit much of the data didn’t reflect the reality of the pandemic, but the distinctions being made are crucial to how we approach it.
My criticism is not limited to the Biden administration, as Americans still demand answers about the origins of COVID-19 and how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) unleashed a deadly virus on the globe. Those in Washington have failed to deliver answers, investigate the matter, or hold the CCP accountable.
This brings me back to the questions raised about COVID data. No one is above questioning — or answering questions — especially those we have elected to represent us at any level of government. I hold myself to that standard and in doing so meet with Hoosiers daily as I move around the state. I know their concerns firsthand, and I will never hesitate to share them and help solve the underlying issues causing those concerns.
A hallmark of a republic is the ability to ask questions and seek answers from our government. Asking questions and raising concerns over -reported COVID-19 “statistics†is not about politics but about transparency. We should celebrate the drive to seek the truth.
League Of Women Voters’ Legislative Agenda Concerned With Voting Rights
League Of Women Voters’ Legislative Agenda Concerned With Voting Rights
INDIANAPOLIS—The League of Women Voters of Indiana met Thursday at the Indiana State Library to discuss its legislative agenda—what bills to advocate for and against this legislative session—with a gloomy theme: “Democracy hanging by a thread.â€
The League of Women Voters of Indiana met Thursday at the Indiana State Library to discuss its legislative agenda for the 2022 session.“We’re looking at another decade of work,†said Linda Hanson, LWV co-president.
“When a constituent comes to your board meeting and a firearm falls out of their pocket, that is threatening,†said Terry Spraldin, executive director of the Indiana School Boards Association, recalling recent instances of school board members being harassed leaving meetings and receiving death threats.
The General Assembly has at least 80 bills involving education introduced in the 2022 session. Senate Bill 144 would require school board candidates to announce their party affiliation when campaigning and bar current federal employees from running for a board seat.
“We believe candidates should be selected based on their merits, qualifications, strengths,†Spraldin said. “We think this will compromise the priorities and ability to put the needs of children first.â€
Another issue that LWV has been working on for the long haul is redistricting.
Every 10 years, districts are redrawn based on the data given from the U.S. Census. The maps pushed to passage in 2021 by the legislature’s Republican supermajorities have been called some of the most gerrymandered in the U.S.
For redistricting reform, said Common Cause Executive Director Julia Vaughn, “It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when. Redistricting is the way [to achieve fairer representation for Hoosiers].â€
Common Cause is working with Sen. Fady Qaddoura, D-Indianapolis, on Senate Joint Resolution 14, which would amend the Indiana Constitution to shift redistricting authority from the General Assembly to an independent commission.
“This is a marathon we’re in,†Vaughn said. “It’s not a sprint.â€
A couple dozen Hoosiers showed up to support advocates and learn more about the bills being authored in the Statehouse.
Attendee Valerie Hart-Craig said she cares about fair redistricting.
“There were 12,000 votes not counted, I think that is something that needs to change,†Hart-Craig said. In the 2020 election, 12,000 absentee ballots were not counted according to LWV election report. Those voters were not notified.Hart-Craig was one of the 12,000 Hoosiers that voted by mail and has not idea if her vote was counted or not.
“That is horrific,†she said.
LWV created a report based on the 2020 general election. The data collected showed that almost half of Hoosiers vote early and in person, and 16% voted absentee.
Last year, a bill that fell short of passing would have required more security restrictions on absentee voting. LWV wants to allow seven days after the election for absentee ballots to still be counted.
INDIANA TO OFFER COVID-19 VACCINE BOOSTERS TO HOOSIERS AGES 12-15
INDIANA TO OFFER COVID-19 VACCINE BOOSTERS TO HOOSIERS AGES 12-15
|
O’Brien Proposes Income Tax Deduction To Help Retain State’s Top Talent
STATEHOUSE (Jan. 6, 2022) – As the state’s labor shortage stretches into 2022, State Rep. Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville) authored legislation to provide an income tax deduction to help retain Indiana’s top talent and strengthen the workforce.
The legislation, authored by O’Brien, would make it so recent in-state college graduates and those who earn a high-value job certificate pay no state income tax on up to $50,000 of their income. The tax deduction would be for two to four years, depending on the type of degree.
“This incentive could encourage more Hoosiers to apply for jobs close to home instead of leaving the state for employment,” O’Brien said. “Indiana’s employers need more highly educated workers to meet the demand and this proposal would help address our labor shortage.”
There are more than 150,000 unfilled jobs in the state, according to the Indiana Department of Workforce Development. Yet Indiana’s unemployment rate in November was 3 percent, which represents 100,096 individuals, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. O’Brien said this shows how Indiana won’t fill its job openings without attracting new talent to enter the workforce.
A 2019 study by the Senate Joint Economic Committee found Indiana suffers from a net loss of almost 11% of all highly educated adults upon graduation.
House Bill 1119 is assigned to the House Ways and Means Committee for consideration. To learn more and watch legislative proceedings, visit iga.in.gov.
MEET THE CEO/PRESIDENT OF THE EVANSVILLE-VANDERBURGH COUNTY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
MEET ALEXIS BERGGREN CEO/PRESIDENT OF “VISIT EVANSVILLE”Â
After a national search the Board Of Directors of the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Convention & Visitors Inc. selected Alexis Berggren as its new Ceo/President after interviewing an impressive list of well-qualified individuals.
Setting the stage for success is something Alexis Berggren has practiced throughout her career in the live events industry. Long before she arrived in Evansville, Berggren was managing high-profile events and venue operations for convention centers, arenas and theatres across the country. Now, as she wraps her fourth year as general manager of Old National Events Plaza, she’s tapping into years of experience to help position the venue’s team for post-pandemic success.Â
Berggren started her career in the Midwest, spending four years in operations at an organization dedicated to promoting the performing arts in Lincoln, Nebraska. That experience quickly led to the Mid-America Center in Iowa and then the Oregon Convention Center, holding roles in operations and event services management.Â
Hollywood’s Dolby Theater attracted Berggren’s talents next, positioning her in leading production roles for events like the Oscars, America’s Got Talent, and other key accounts. She then moved to New Orleans, directing event services for the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center, where ASM Global (formerly SMG) executives recruited her for the general manager position she’s held in Evansville since 2017.
As general manager of Old National Events Plaza, Berggren began by pursuing feedback from key stakeholders and clients and quickly identified opportunities where the convention center could improve services and quality. One immediate goal was to offer more flexibility in terms and packaging by working directly with customers and staff to ensure the venue was meeting their individual needs. Another objective was to work towards diversifying local entertainment, booking a wider variety of performers and events for Evansville’s audiences. In addition, the increasing demand and activity at the venue called for some internal assessment and restructuring within each department, ensuring the team could fully support clientele and achieve the highest service standards. As a result, The Plaza has been successful in attracting worldwide talent to Evansville, complimenting the outstanding home-grown staff with new team members from as far as Arizona and Costa Rica.
In Berggren’s first year, she and her team outlined a five-year plan wherein the venue would work toward revenue neutrality, and by the end of 2018, the facility had performed 30% ahead of expectations. In 2019, the team continued to increase the number of events and attendance within the facility, and going into 2020, they had forecasted tremendous gains towards their goals.
The pandemic posed a new challenge for Berggren and her team as they responded to more immediate community needs. Within a week of the State’s orders to close all municipal buildings, Berggren led The Plaza team as they transitioned from managing in-person events to supporting virtual emergency meetings and, eventually, four of Vanderburgh County’s Superior Courts. In the Fall of 2020, they would assist over 9,000 early voters in passing safely through the facility, providing vital support to the County Clerk’s electoral operation. Â
To ease the impact of mandatory shut-downs, Berggren partnered with officials to research recovery resources for the venue. Her quick and thorough analysis of market trends and forthcoming economic strain led her to develop several mitigation plans based on differing fiscal outcomes. Berggren worked diligently with her team to develop a comprehensive safety and reopening plan, one of the first circulated in the venue management industry at the beginning of the pandemic. She partnered with City and County leaders to ensure the safety of key civic and court staff, members of the public, as well as venue employees. This planning positioned The Plaza for proactive pandemic management and placed the venue far ahead of the industry curve, retaining a handful of essential staff to support the operation of the building and poise the facility to successfully reopen.Â
As the team at Old National Events Plaza plans for the upcoming year, they’re met with a more complex industry landscape than that of 18 months ago. Berggren continues to lean into the network of venue professionals she’s cultivated within ASM Global’s management team and as an active member of the International Association of Venue Managers (IAVM) and Trustee of the IAVM Foundation. Â
Berggren also serves as one of two County Commissioner appointees to the Convention and Visitors Bureau Board of Directors. She has proven to be a strong source of support in the collective efforts of Evansville’s downtown partners and enjoys networking with peers and community changemakers as a member of the Evansville Rotary Club.
Business is strengthening for the convention center in Q3-Q4 of this year and is building for next year, although perhaps more slowly than anticipated. As events contract for 2022, forecasts are nearing 80% of pre-pandemic event levels. Berggren and her team are ready for what comes next. “In terms of convention centers and theatres within our management company, The Plaza is weathering the pandemic better than most,†notes Assistant General Manager, Nick Wallace. “Many venues are just now reopening and have suffered tremendous losses. I’d attribute our current position to quick collaborative planning by local officials, and our team’s dedication to managing through the challenges.â€Â
The Old National Events Plaza continues to announce new upcoming shows. Fans can look forward to an array of live performances in 2021 and 2022 including Styx, TobyMac, Joe Bonamassa, Soul Asylum, Straight No Chaser, and comedians Leanne Morgan and John Crist. We’re told more announcements are on the way in the coming weeks.Â
It’s been a dynamic four years at Old National Events Plaza for Alexis Berggren, both personally and professionally. She added two children to her family in 2018 and 2020, making this season in her life a time of dramatic change and growth. Both at home and at work, she knows there’s a lot to do in the future. However, Berggren’s perspective remains clear. “The Old National Events Plaza, and facilities like it, are so unique in that they can drive both significant economic impact and cultural influence within a community. Connecting people to their passions and providing for a higher quality of life is a tremendous responsibility, and we can make the greatest advancements by being effective ambassadors and dependable partners.â€
HOT JOBS
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
|
Responsive employer
NOAH ROBINSON OFFICIALLY ANNOUNCES CANDIDACY FOR SHERIFF OF VANDERBURGH COUNTY
 SHERIFF’S DEPUTY NOAH ROBINSON FILING DAY SPEECH
WELCOMING REMARKS
After meeting with thousands of Vanderburgh County residents at their homes, offices and places of worship I am pleased to announce that I will be your Democratic candidate for Vanderburgh County Sheriff.Â
Thank you to my tireless wife for putting up with me over this past year; she is my confidant and partner in every respect. Thank you to my family who have made great sacrifices in order to make our campaign possible. Thank you to the dozens of sheriff’s deputies and confinement officers who are here supporting me, as well as countless other friends and supporters.Â
Thank you to my campaign manager, City Councilman Ben Trockman, whose work ethic inspires me and friendship sustains me. Thank you to my Treasurer, Knight Township Trustee Kathryn Martin, whose caring nature and selflessness has shown me what it means to be a true public servant. Thank you to the elected officials standing behind me who are a continual source of guidance and support, including City Clerk Laura Windhorst, City Councilwoman Missy Mosby, Darmstadt Clerk-Treasurer Mallory Lowe, and City Councilwoman Kaitlin Moore Morley.Â
QualificationsÂ
I’ve spent the past 23 years of my law enforcement career learning how to listen to people and understand their problems. I have a track record full of decisive actions and measurable accomplishments. When I say I am going to do something, I do it.
I served nearly ten years patrolling the streets, learning firsthand about the problems facing our families and businesses. I was a training deputy for over six years, helping to mold new sheriff’s deputies into competent law enforcers. I became a certified law enforcement instructor through the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy so that I could train the next generation of sheriff’s deputies.Â
I took hundreds of drunk drivers off the road and taught dozens of deputies how to do the same. I spent five years developing our agency’s policies and procedures, ensuring our deputies operated with sound tactics and on solid legal footing. I conducted dozens of internal investigations and treated every accused employee with fairness and dignity.Â
I expanded our agency’s social media presence, focused on communicating crime information directly to our many neighborhood organizations, and created our first ever Bicycle Patrol. I obtained over a million dollars in grant funding for our Office so that we could better serve the citizens of our county. I pushed for the expansion of our Information Technology Unit, doubling the size of the staff and improving responsiveness. I served as Human Resources director, overhauling our hiring process and improving our record keeping system. I worked to strengthen the relationship of our Office with the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation and enhance the safety of our schools by improving information sharing and cooperation.Â
I have served in every rank the sheriff’s office has, including Chief Deputy and second in command. I don’t have to learn how to run the Sheriff’s Office; I know how to run the Sheriff’s Office.Â
CAMPAIGN PLATFORMÂ
My campaign platform reflects my experience and my expertise.Â
I Will Keep Our Kids Safe. School Safety is and has always been my top priority. The best way to combat crime is to prevent our kids from becoming criminals. This means more than just having a police officer present in a school. Our specially trained deputies will mentor our youth and build relationships so that there will be no “school to prison†pipeline on my watch.Â
I Will Protect Our Neighborhoods and Businesses. Our residents deserve to feel safe in their own homes. To that end, I will dramatically re-imagine the way sheriff’s deputies are deployed within our community. The residents of our neighborhoods, subdivisions and business districts will see and know the deputies who protect their homes, workplaces, and places of worship. Our deputies will be focused on preventing, detecting, and solving crimes by partnering with our residents and becoming valuable members of the neighborhoods they serve.Â
I Will Root Out Violent Criminals and Drug Dealers who destroy our neighborhoods and poison our community. I will assign additional staff to the local ATF Task Force in order to trace, intercept and stop the flow of illegal guns into the hands of criminals who terrorize our neighborhoods. I will ensure the Sheriff’s Office continues to aggressively pursue drug dealers, while also seeking funding to treat drug users in the grips of addiction.Â
I Will Hold Offenders Accountable and Make Our Jail More Efficient. Our law enforcement officers work hard to take criminals off the street and keep our community safe. As a community, we have a duty to do our best to keep one-time criminals from becoming repeat offenders. I will implement an aggressive substance-abuse and P.O. Box 15016, Evansville, IN 47716 | 812.647.6970 | noahforsheriff.comÂ
mental health treatment program combined with life skills and vocational job training. When offenders rejoin our community, they must have the prospect of employment, stable housing, and a drug free routine in order to interrupt the cycle of criminal behavior. I will not advocate for any jail expansion that is not specifically designed and purpose built to treat our inmates’ mental health and substance abuse issues. We cannot continue to operate our jail with half the required staff. We must fairly compensate and incentivize our confinement officers for the challenging work they do and empower them with the training and autonomy needed to make positive changes in the lives of the inmates they care for.Â
I Will Invest in Modern Training, Hire a Diverse Staff, and Remove Conflicts of Interest. When a citizen is stopped by a sheriff’s deputy, I want the interaction to be safe, respectful, and professional. We will train our staff in the most modern and forward thinking law enforcement techniques, procedures, and strategies while ensuring our deputies and officers understand the issues of bias in law enforcement. I will seek out and hire the best, most qualified, and diverse workforce available. For a law enforcement agency to be effective, the agency must be perceived as both legitimate and transparent. We will end the practice of conducting our own criminal investigations of shootings involving our sheriff’s deputies. When an individual loses their life while being apprehended by a deputy or while in the custody of our Jail, an outside agency will conduct the investigation.Â
 CLOSING REMARKSÂ
These are just some of the changes I will implement during my first term. I look forward to discussing my plans further in the coming days and months. This is a grassroots campaign, made up of thousands of supporters who believe in my vision for the Sheriff’s Office.
This May, I humbly ask for your vote in order that my plan can become a reality.Â
–
THUNDERBOLTS HOST HUNTSVILLE, TRAVEL TO VERMILION COUNTY THIS WEEKÂ
 Evansville, Ind: After playing three games against the Peoria Rivermen this past weekend, the Thunderbolts play this week’s games a bit earlier than usual, hosting the Huntsville Havoc on Thursday and traveling to Vermilion County on Friday, with no games on Saturday or Sunday.
  The Week Ahead:Â
The Thunderbolts host the Huntsville Havoc on Thursday night at Ford Center, opening face-off at 7:00pm CT. For tickets, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), go to EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or visit the Ford Center Ticket Office. On Friday, the Thunderbolts will play in Vermilion County against the Bobcats at the David S. Palmer Arena, starting at 7:00pm CT. Friday’s game can be viewed online with a paid membership to SPHL TV through HockeyTV or can be listened to for free on the Thunderbolts Radio Network; at EvansvilleThunderbolts.com/fan-center/listen, or via the Thunderbolts Mixlr Channel.
Scouting the Opponent:Â
Huntsville Havoc:Â
-
- Record: 20-3-1, 41 Points, 1st Place
- Leading Goal Scorer: Jacob Barber (17 Goals)
- Leading Point Scorer: Jacob Barber (37 Points)
- Primary Goaltender: Hunter Vorva (7-2-1, .923 Save %)
- Thunderbolts 21-22 Record vs HSV: 1-1-0
The Havoc lost both games this past weekend, the first time all season they have lost back-to-back games. On Thursday at home against the Knoxville Ice Bears, Christian Faggas opened the scoring for Huntsville, but the Ice Bears would take the lead and not look back, defeating the Havoc 4-2, with Huntsville’s other goal scored by Robbie Fisher in the third period. In a penalty-filled contest in Roanoke on Friday night, Huntsville again scored first, this time by Jacob Barber. However, the Rail Yard Dawgs scored the next four goals en route to a 4-1 victory. For actions late in Friday’s game, Dominick Procopio and Mathieu Newcomb both received a one-game suspension, and Nolan Kaiser received a 9-game suspension.
- Vermilion County Bobcats:Â
- Record: 3-15-2, 8 Points, 10th Place
- Leading Goal Scorer: Houston Wilson (6 Goals)
- Leading Point Scorer: Houston Wilson (11 Points)
- Primary Goaltender: Ben Churchfield (2-3-0, .904 Save %)
- Thunderbolts 21-22 Record vs VCB: 2-0-0
Call-up ReportÂ
– Kyle Thacker (Adirondack Thunder – ECHL)Â
– Games Played: 19 (5 with Iowa, 14 with Cincinnati, 0 with Adirondack)Â
– 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 3 Point, 6 PIM
– Cooper Jones (Idaho Steelheads – ECHL)Â
      – Games Played: 10 (1 with Jacksonville IceMen, 9 with Idaho)Â
– 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point, 2 PIM
– Games Played: 19
– 3 Goals, 5 Assists, 8 Points, 33 PIM
– Scott Kirton (Cincinnati Cyclones – ECHL)Â
      – Games Played: 1
– 0 Goals, 1 Assist, 1 Point, 0 PIM
Transactions: Â
Wed. 1/5: Danny Cangelosi signed to professional tryout
Tue. 1/4: Tate Leeson signed to contract
Tue. 1/4: Jake Henderson placed on 21-day Injured Reserve
Tue. 1/4: Ned Simpson traded to Knoxville in exchange for future considerations
Sun. 1/2: Hunter Atchison moved from 21-day to 30-day Injured Reserve
Sun. 1/2: Andrew Green placed on waivers
Sun. 1/2: Matt MacKay signed to contract
Fri. 12/31: Connor Chatham signed to contract
Fri. 12/31: Andrew Green signed to contract
Fri. 12/31: Jake Henderson signed to contract
The Thunderbolts are currently competing in their fifth season in the SPHL (Southern Professional Hockey League). Season tickets are less than $9 per game. To order your tickets for this season, call 812-422-BOLT(2658).