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American Politics And “The Zombie Brainless Virus”

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American Politics and “The Zombie Brainless Virus”

by DANNIE McINTIRE

CITY-COUNTY OBSERVER FEATURE WRITER

If you’ve seen the 1995 movie, The American President”, towards the end of the movie, the fictional president, Andrew Shepherd, is speaking to the American public, explaining how a politician gets elected. The below dialogue has always stuck with me:

“I promise you, Bob Rumson is not the least bit interested in solving it. He is interested in two things and two things only: making you afraid of it and telling you who’s to blame for it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is how you win elections.”

In regards to many of our current State and National politicians, no truer words have been spoken. Too many of our politicians are more concerned with staying in power than they are in actually trying to solve any of the dauntless problems that face our country today. Some once elected, quickly prove they lack the mental capacity to effectively lead.  

Why do we keep reelecting these politicians once they’ve proven they are inept and lack the ability to actually get anything accomplished? I don’t believe it is because the majority of the American electorate is that easily bull winked, but more that we as an electorate have been worn down by the hypocrisy of those we had elected in good faith.

Perhaps, it has become easier to shrug our shoulders and say what can we do, nothing ever changes, so why vote. I believe it is this mindset that has allowed inept candidates to be elected and reelected.  

It is truly amazing to me the amount of political mail I have received during this most recent primary election cycle. Slick mailings, all promising if elected they will take the fight to Indianapolis or Washington. Reading their campaign literature, they all seem to say that they have “the integrity” and“the answers” we as an electorate are looking for. 

Is there some mysterious “zombie” virus that circulates in the air around Indianapolis and Washington DC, which renders many politicians brainless once they arrive?

I offer the following quotes as proof to the existence of the “Zombie Brainless Virus”;

Joe Barton – Former Republican Representative for Texas’s 6th congressional district – “Wind is a finite resource and harnessing it would slow the winds down which would cause the temperature to go up.”

Hank Johnson – Democratic U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 4th congressional district – talking about sending troops to Guam – “My fear is that the whole island will become so overly populated that it will tip over and capsize.”

Ed Orcutt – Republican Representative For Washington’s 20th congressional district –    “Also, you claim that is environmentally friendly to ride a bike. But if I am not mistaken cyclists have an increased heart rate and respiration. That means the act of riding bike results in greater emissions of carbon dioxide from the rider”. Since CO2 is deemed a greenhouse gas and a pollutant, bicyclists are actually polluting when they ride.” 

Sheila Jackson Lee – Democratic U.S. representative representing the 18th District of Texas – “Has the Mars Pathfinder succeeded in taking pictures of the American flag planted on Mars by Neil Armstrong in 1969?”

Michele Bachmann – Republican U.S. representative for Minnesota’s 6th congressional district.- “Literally, if we took away the minimum wage—if conceivably it was gone—we could potentially virtually wipe out unemployment completely because we would be able to offer jobs at whatever level.”

Diana DeGette – Democratic Representative for Colorado’s 1st congressional district – . on a high capacity magazine ban – “I will tell you these are ammunition, bullets, so the people who have those now they are going to shoot them, and so if you ban them in the future, the number of these high capacity magazines is going to decrease dramatically over time because the bullets will have been shot and there won’t be any more available” 

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez – Democratic Representative for New York’s 14th congressional district – “Unemployment is low because everyone has two jobs”

Sheila Jackson Lee – Democratic Representative for Texas 18th congressional district – “Don’t condemn the gangbangers, they’ve got guns that are trafficked, that are not enforced, that are straw purchased and they come into places even that have strong gun laws. Why? Because we don’t have sensible gun legislation.”

How many of us have watched any of the numerous congressional hearings when they are broadcast on TV? Hours of mindless posturing by our congress members to get their “face out to their constituents” while accomplishing absolutely nothing, merely confirming to the audience that they have been infected with the “zombie brainless virus”.

How can we change this quandary we find ourselves in? In my opinion, there are several steps we as an electorate can immediately take.

The first step is to take time to educate yourself on the candidates, and know their positions on issues that matter to you. If you find the candidate is more often spending their campaign time telling you that the other side is the problem instead of offering solutions, run from that candidate, they already have the “Zombie brainless Virus”. 

The second step is once you’ve educated yourself on the candidates, quit going into the voting booth and “mindlessly” voting the straight party ticket. Vote for the best candidate and not the party. 

FOOTNOTE:  The City-County Observer posted this article without bias or editing.

 

PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS FOR VANDERBURGH COUNTY

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 PRIMARY ELECTION RESULTS FOR VANDERBURGH COUNTY

Election Results for the 2022 Primary Election UNOFFICIAL RESULTS DISPLAYED BELOW – May 3, 2022

The election results were tallied during the evening, the PDF report is posted below for your convenience.   For easy viewing, the PDF pages are pasted below.  To open the PDF report in a new window  CLICK HERE

EVSC’s OptIn Signing Day Today

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Approximately 120 students will be celebrated tomorrow, May 5, at the EVSC’s OptIn Signing Day event. Signing Day is an opportunity to recognize and honor students who plan to enter the workforce or military immediately following high school. Signing Day, sponsored by the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership, serves as a way to value and recognize their hard work, including career preparation and industry certifications they have earned. Students participating in Signing Day already have high-wage, high-demand positions lined up with local employers upon graduation.

About OptIN:

The EVSC announced the creation of OptIN – Opportunities through Partnerships that Transform and Inspire – in December 2017. OptIN educates students and their families on postsecondary and career options that best match their interests and strengths. OptIN matches students’ passions with open positions in our community by ensuring students have the education and transferable skills necessary for today’s workforce.

Through OptIN, students can earn the Governor’s Work Ethic Certificate (GWEC) which is a college and career readiness opportunity for seniors to identify, develop and demonstrate they have the skills necessary to be successful in college and career. The skills measured by the GEWC were the result of months of collaboration with community leaders and the area’s top employers.

OptIN also oversees RAMP, a first-of-its-kind embedded work-based learning program in Indiana where selected students spend their entire day at AmeriQual. Half of the day is spent as employees of AmeriQual, earning a wage and learning the skills necessary to be successful. The other half of the student’s day is spent in a classroom at AmeriQual completing the requirements for high school graduation.

 

Marriage Licenses Issued

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Marriage Licenses Issued

Indiana State Police Seeks Recruits For Motor Carrier Inspectors

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The Indiana State Police is now accepting additional applications for Motor Carrier Inspectors (MCI).  The MCI positions will staff permanent scale facilities in Lowell, West Harrison, Terre Haute, Richmond, and Seymour.  Inspectors enforce both state and federal regulations pertaining to commercial motor vehicles operating within the State of Indiana.

Trainees must complete the Motor Carrier Inspector School scheduled to begin on July 25, 2022 and conclude on September 30, 2022.  The training will be conducted Monday through Friday at the Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division in Indianapolis, IN.  Housing will be provided.  During the training, trainees will develop skills including emergency vehicle operations, defensive tactics, communications, hazardous materials, first-aid, post-crash investigations, and truck inspections.

To participate in the selection process, applicants for the position of Motor Carrier Inspector must meet the following basic requirements:

  1. Be a United States citizen.
  2. Be at least 21 years old by September 30, 2022.
  3. Possess a high school diploma or G.E.D.
  4. Possess a valid driver’s license.
  5. Be required to pass a physical agility test, oral interview, polygraph exam, and a background investigation.
  6. Be required to complete a medical exam, a psychological exam, and a drug test.
  7. Geographical proximity to the scale facility may be a factor in the selection process.

Trainees are paid during the MCI school and are provided with all necessary equipment.  The starting salary is $36,124 and will increase to $37,202 at the end of the first year of employment.  Over the next ten years, with step increases in pay, a Motor Carrier Inspector may reach an annual salary of $54,528.  A retirement program will be available through PERF.

To apply for a Motor Carrier Inspector position, visit the Indiana State Police website at https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/indianasp. Applications for Motor Carrier Inspector must be submitted by 11:59 PM (Indianapolis time), Wednesday, May 18, 2022.

The Indiana State Police is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer complying with all provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Interested applicants can obtain additional information about a career as a Motor Carrier Inspector by visiting https://www.in.gov/isp/career-opportunities/motor-carrier-inspectors/ or recruiting Sergeant Kocsis directly at akocsis@isp.in.gov and any Employment Services Section team member at  isprecruiting@isp.in.gov.

HOTJOBS

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Office Coordinator
Advantix Development Corporation 1.5 1.5/5 rating – Evansville, IN
$17 – $18 an hour
Easily apply
Under the direction of the Senior Accountant, the Office Coordinator will coordinate office activities and operations while providing clerical and…
1 day ago
Office Manager
Confidential Priviately-Held Company 3.4 3.4/5 rating – Evansville, IN
$16 – $18 an hour
Easily apply
Monitor new technology in the industry and evaluate whether or not it should be adopted for use in the office.
3 days ago
Office Assistant
Catholic Diocese of Evansville – Evansville, IN
Easily apply
(6 hours) o Wednesdays: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (4 hours) o Thursdays: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. (4 hours) o Fridays: 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. (4 hours).
5 days ago
Database Administrative Assistant – Real Estate
Dauby Real Estate – Evansville, IN
$32,000 – $42,000 a year
Easily apply
This person must be willing to and is responsible for cleaning up and maintaining a massive database. Organization and responsiveness are vital in this position…
2 days ago
Office Administrator
R.A.S. Logistics 3.8 3.8/5 rating – Evansville, IN
Insurance available 1st of month after 60 days; Retirement plan available 1st of month after 90 days; Retirement match provided after 1 year.
5 days ago
Administrative Assistant (Westside Evansville)
Southwestern Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. 3.3 3.3/5 rating – Evansville, IN
$15 an hour
Southwestern Behavioral Healthcare is currently seeking a full-time *Administrative Assistant *to add to our team of professionals. Generous Paid Time Off plan.
4 days ago
Medical Office Assistant
Deaconess Health System 3.5 3.5/5 rating – Evansville, IN
Flexible work schedules – There are a variety of full, part-time and supplemental positions along with varying shifts in our health system.
2 days ago
Administrative Professional
Brinker’s Jewelers – Evansville, IN
$18 – $20 an hour
Easily apply
Responsive employer
Continuous data entry and processing return paperwork, units, and shipping duties. Advanced Excel (pivot tables, slicer, etc.) and technology skills are a…
5 days ago
Office Manager – Willow Park
Holiday Retirement 2.8 2.8/5 rating – Evansville, IN
$14.50 an hour
In this important role, you’ll receive competitive pay and generous benefits, including: Health / Dental / Vision / Life Insurance.
1 day ago
Medical Scheduler/Receptionist
TELAKA Health – Evansville, IN
$14 – $17 an hour
Easily apply
Responsive employer
Telaka Health* is seeking a motived and energetic Medical Scheduler with customer service experience for our busy Indiana and Kentucky offices.
3 days ago
Receptionist/Office Assistant
Katelyn’s Alterations & Design – Evansville, IN
$9 – $10 an hour
Easily apply
Basic sewing skills and knowledge would be helpful to this role but are not required. Job responsibilities will include assisting clients in person and over the…
5 days ago
Executive Assistant
Boldly – Indiana
Remote
$23 an hour
A minimum of 7 years of direct hands-on experience in a role related to executive assistance and administration. 100% remote (work from home).
1 day ago
Overnight Front Desk
Planet Fitness – Glow Brands 3.4 3.4/5 rating – Evansville, IN
Easily apply
The Overnight Closer (Member Services Representative) will be responsible for creating a positive member experience by providing a superior level of customer…
2 days ago
Retail Receptionist
Visionworks 3.3 3.3/5 rating – Evansville, IN
Easily apply
Schedule appointments, verify insurance coverage, maintain accurate patient records, and assist with preliminary testing under the Optometrist’s supervision.
4 days ago

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD

 

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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Kirchner qualifies for Nationals, Trailblazers place sixth at Region 24 Championships

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CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. – Vincennes University sophomore Bryce Kirchner (North Vernon, Ind.) qualified for the NJCAA Division II National Championships for the second year in a row after his performance at the Region 24 Championships at Dalhousie Golf Course Monday and Tuesday.

The Trailblazers as a team continued to improve as the 54-hole tournament continued, with the team taking 10 shots off their score in the three round tournament.

Vincennes struggled out of the gate in the first round Monday with Kirchner setting the pace with an opening round 81.

Freshman Sam Stewart (Floyds Knob, Ind.) started his tournament with an 83 and freshman Luke VanDeventer (Columbus, Ind.) was one shot behind with an 84.

Freshman Paxton Schwomeyer (Oakland City, Ind.) finished the first round of the day with an 87 and freshman Caleb Maris (Terre Haute, Ind.) rounded out the opening round for VU with a 93.

Vincennes got the opportunity to bounce back immediately as the field played the first 36-holes on Monday.

Paxton Schwomeyer came away with the lowest round of the day for the Blazers, taking 10 shots off his opening round for a second round 77.

Caleb Maris additionally cut 10 shots off his first round score, ending the second round of the day with an 83.

Bryce Kirchner had a very consistent day with a second round 80, with Stewart and VanDeventer rounding out the day with Stewart shooting an 85 and VanDeventer ending with an 86.

VU returned to the course Tuesday morning for the third and final round of the tournament and Kirchner made his climb up the leaderboard with a one-over 73 in the final round to give him a tournament score of 234 and a tie for 10th place.

Schwomeyer and VanDeventer also came in under 80, shooting 79 each with Schwomeyer placing 21st at 243 for the tournament and VanDeventer ending at 27th with 249.

Sam Stewart had a very consistent tournament with his final round coming in at 84, giving him a tournament score of 252 good for 29th place.

Caleb Maris closed out the tournament with a final round 98, and a 37th place finish with a tournament score of 274.

Vincennes as a team took home a sixth-place finish with team scores of 335 in the first round, 325 in the second and 315 in the final round Tuesday, good for 975 on the tournament.

”We didn’t play our best in the 36 holes on the first day of the tournament,” VU Golf Coach Dennis Chattin said. “But we did play well on the second day in the third round.”

“Bryce advancing to the National Championships for the second straight year is a really great accomplishment,” Chattin added. “Dalhousie is a tough golf course and I think Bryce put a little extra pressure on himself because he really wanted to qualify for Nationals again and he didn’t get off to a good start in the first round.”

“But in typical Bryce style, he continued to battle to the end,” Chattin said. “On the front nine of his final round he had lost a ball where all of his group thought they could find it but we had a lot of rain the night before and we think it was just buried, so he had to take a lost ball which cost him two shots.”

“We talked at the turn that he had nothing to lose, so just go for it on the back nine and that’s exactly what he did,” Chattin added. “After the 40 on the front, he shot a three-under par 33 on the back, including an eagle on the par five 18th. Bryce is really deserving of advancing. He is a third-year player who has earned two degrees at VU with a straight ‘A’ average and works really hard at his game.”

Bryce Kirchner rallied back to qualify for the NJCAA Division II National Championships as an individual and will be representing the Trailblazers at Twin Hills Country Club in Joplin, Mo.

The four-day Championship tournament will begin on Tuesday, May 17 and run through Friday, May 20.

 

Matthew Ragsdale joins UE basketball program

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Western Colorado transfer posted 21 PPG last year

 

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Another important piece was added to the 2022-23 University of Evansville men’s basketball squad as head coach Todd Lickliter announced the addition of Matthew Ragsdale.

A 3-year player at Western Colorado University out of NCAA Division II, Ragsdale was the leading scorer on his team last season, finishing with 21.5 points per game while shooting 44.5% from the field.

“We are excited to welcome Matthew to UE and know his experience, skill and commitment to team success will make him an invaluable teammate,” Lickliter said.  “We look forward to his arrival on campus and his positive impact on our program throughout his career.”

Averaging 35.7 minutes per game in 2021-22, Ragsdale added 4.1 rebounds, 70 3-point makes while completing the year shooting 82.3% from the line.  The 6-foot-4 native of Colorado Springs, Colorado was named a Second Team All-South Central Region player while garnering Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference First Team All-Conference accolades.

Ragsdale has been a prolific scorer throughout his career with the Mountaineers, completing his sophomore campaign in 2020-21 with 20.8 points per game while shooting 49.1% from the field.  He joined Western Colorado as a freshman in 2019 and posted 12.4 PPG while earning All-RMAC Honorable Mention.

Prior to his college career, Ragsdale played at Lewis-Palmer High School where he helped his team to a perfect 28-0 mark on the way to a state championship in his senior campaign.

USI Softball opens postseason play Thursday

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EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Softball opens Great Lakes Valley Conference Tournament play Thursday at 12:30 p.m. when it hosts No. 8-seeded Maryville University in the opening round.
 
The Screaming Eagles (40-10, 26-2 GLVC) enter the tournament as the top seed after finishing the regular-season by winning 28 of their last 30 games, including a program-record 26 wins in conference play.
 
USI jumped one spot to No. 15 in the latest National Fastpitch Coaches’ Association Division II Top 25 poll. The University of Indianapolis, which is the No. 2 seed in the GLVC Tournament, dropped a spot to No. 3 in the latest national poll, while Grand Valley State University stayed at No. 21 to round out the Midwest Region’s presences in the national poll.
 
If USI wins its opening round game, the Eagles will play the winner of the matchup between No. 5-seeded University of Missouri-St. Louis and No. 4-seeded Lindenwood University Friday at 3 p.m. in the winner’s bracket. USI would play the loser between Missouri-St. Louis and Lindenwood Friday at 10 a.m. in the event of a first-round loss.
 
The GLVC Tournament semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, while any remaining “if necessary” games along with the championship are scheduled for Sunday.
 
USI’s games will be carried live on the GLVC Sports Network, while live stats and video can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com. Tickets for the GLVC Softball Championship Tournament must be purchased online and in advance as no cash will be accepted at the gate.
 
USI Softball Notes
• Eagles looking for fifth GLVC Tournament title. USI is looking for its fifth GLVC Tournament title this weekend and its first since 2018.
 
• Different format. This year’s GLVC Tournament is following the GLVC Baseball Championship’s format, with the tournament being double-elimination and the championship being a winner-take-all single game.
 
• Against the field. The Eagles went 13-1 against the GLVC Tournament field this season, including 7-1 against the top five seeds. More impressively is that the Eagles played seeds 2-5 on the road during the regular season.
 
• GLVC regular-season champions. USI captured its first regular-season GLVC title since 2017 and its first-ever out-right regular-season championship. The Eagles finished in a tie at 19-7 with Rockhurst in 2017 but had the No. 1 seed due to a tiebreaker. They tied with Ashland University at 8-0 in 1995 before winning the GLVC Tournament title.

• Scoreless streak. Lindenwood’s run in the third inning of the Eagles’ game-two win snapped a pair of USI scoreless streaks. The Eagles held their opponents scoreless for 22 consecutive frames this weekend, while freshman pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) had not given up a run in her previous 20 innings of work.
 
• Another plateau. USI’s 40 wins marks the fourth time in program history that the Eagles have reached the 40-win plateau. They won 48 games in 1998, 46 in 2017 and 41 during their national championship run in 2018. It’s also the third time in program history they have reached the 40-win plateau during the regular-season.
 
• GLVC win total. The Eagles matched the single-season program record for conference wins by picking up its 22nd GLVC victory. USI was 22-6 in 1998 and 2015 and went 21-9 in 2016. This season marks the fourth time in program history the Eagles have reached the 20-win plateau in league play.
 
• USI moves up on spot in NFCA Top 25. The Eagles moved up one spot to No. 15 in the latest NFCA Division II Top 25 poll. Indianapolis dropped a spot to No. 2, while Grand Valley State remained No. 21.
 
• Regional rankings. The final set of regional rankings are due out Wednesday afternoon. The Eagles are fighting for a top-two spot in the NCAA II Midwest Region rankings, which would give the Eagles the right to host one of the two Midwest Regionals. The NCAA Division II Tournament selection show is scheduled for Monday at 9 a.m. (CDT) on ncaa.com.
 
• USI ends regular season with four more wins. The Eagles went 4-0 to end the regular season. The Eagles held their opponents to just two runs in 28 innings of work, with junior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) going 2-0 with a .054 ERA and senior pitcher Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) going 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA. Newman went 1-0 with a save and a 0.62 ERA.
 
At the plate, sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) hit .583 (7-12) with three doubles and thre RBI to lead the Eagles. Goodin and junior second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) each had four RBI, while Goodin and sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) each had a home run.
 
• Season leaders. Sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) continues to pace the Eagles at the plate with a .385 batting average, 16 doubles, three triples, eight home runs and 42 RBI. Back is hitting .374 with eight doubles, two home runs and 26 RBI. The Eagles are hitting .322 as a team and have 10 players with at least 12 RBI and eight with more than 20 RBI.

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