REP. Hatfield Thanks His Constituents For Bringing Foward Their Education Changes Suggestions

AUGUST 20. 2024

On Aug. 14, the State Board of Education (SBOE) released a second draft of its proposed high school diplomas. The second draft makes significant changes, such as removing the proposed GPS Diploma and GPS Diploma Plus options.

Instead, one standard diploma will be offered to students, but they can also work towards the Honors and Honors Plus readiness seals. Students will be able to obtain these readiness seals in the following categories: enlistment and service, employment, and enrollment.

These changes follow a public comment period in which over 8,000 educators, parents, students, and legislators voiced their feedback directly to the SBOE. I want to thank my community for bringing forward their concerns at town halls, meetings, and in the SBOE’s online survey.

The Next EWSU Disinfectant Switch Starts August 26, Ends October 14

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – One week from today, on August 26, Evansville Water and Sewer Utility (EWSU) will temporarily change the disinfectant used in the water treatment process. This will be the second disinfectant switch of 2024 to ensure the delivery of high-quality, safe drinking water to EWSU customers year-round. The switch will continue until Monday, October 14.

 Customers may notice a slight change in the odor of the tap water when the Utility switches to free chlorine from the regularly used disinfectant chloramine. This is a common preventive maintenance practice to keep water mains clean and free of potentially harmful bacteria.

Here’s what you should know

 What is Chloramine?
Chloramine is a disinfectant used in drinking water to remove bacteria and viruses that can make you sick. It is made up of chlorine and ammonia. EWSU has used chloramine as the disinfectant in its water treatment process since 1999.

What is Free Chlorine?
Free chlorine is a slightly more potent disinfectant than chloramine, and it is used to remove more resistant bacteria and viruses that may be found in the water distribution system.

Why would EWSU Convert from Chloramines to Free Chlorine?
State drinking water guidelines recommend that utilities using chloramine periodically switch to free chlorine for a while. The temporary use of chlorine will ensure that a proper disinfectant level is maintained throughout the network of water mains and pipes that deliver your drinking water.

Free chlorine is a more aggressive disinfectant than chloramine. This temporary change in the water treatment process denies bacteria the ability to form resistance to the usual disinfection treatment process. Switching to free chlorine is a proactive step to maintain optimal disinfectant levels in the water distribution system.

As always, the drinking water will be regularly monitored to ensure that the water delivered meets or exceeds federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards.

Why Does EWSU Use Chloramines Most of the Year?
While chlorine is an effective disinfectant, chlorine alone creates byproducts that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulates. These byproduct levels can be significantly and cost-effectively reduced through the use of chloramine. Also, chloramine has less smell than chlorine and remains in the distribution system longer to prevent bacterial growth. As such, chloramine is a better long-term choice than a regular disinfectant.

Will I Notice a Difference in My Water?
During this period, some customers may notice a slight change in the taste or odor of their tap water. Free chlorine may have more of a chemical odor, slightly like that of swimming pool water. Each customer has a sensitivity level to the taste or odor of free chlorine. Many detect no change at all. The mile chlorine taste and odor are typical and pose no health risk.

Are Free Chlorine and Chloraminated Water Safe?
Yes, chlorine and chloramine are effective and safe for people and animals for drinking, cooking, bathing, watering the garden, and all other standard uses. However, precautions should be taken to remove or neutralize chloramine and free chlorine during the kidney dialysis process, when preparing water for fish tanks and ponds, and businesses requiring highly processed water. A dechlorination procedure optimized for chloramine removal will work equally well with free chlorine.

People and businesses that typically take special precautions to remove chloramine from tap water (such as dialysis centers, medical facilities, and aquatic pet owners) should continue to take the same precautions during the temporary switch from chloramine to free chlorine.

Most customers will not need to take precautions as the water remains safe to drink and is treated according to state and federal standards.

 Information for Kidney Dialysis Patients
Just like chloramines, free chlorine must be removed from water used in kidney dialysis machines. EWSU has contacted representatives from the medical community to inform them of this temporary conversion. We advise dialysis patients to call their physicians or dialysis centers if there are any questions.

 Information for Fish Owners
Like chloramine, free chlorine is toxic to fish. Therefore, fish owners need to remove chlorine, ammonia, and chloramine from the water before using it with tropical fish. Local pet stores carry water conditioners that remove chloramine and free chlorine. If customers have questions, we recommend contacting their pet store for information and detailed instructions.

Carmel-based hospital ranked higher than Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles, Massachusetts General in Boston, Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland

CARMEL, Ind. (Aug. 19, 2024) – When it comes to taking care of your heart, patients want the best team in healthcare–and a new, independent ranking places Ascension St. Vincent at the very top for cardiac care.

Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center has been ranked the top hospital in the state in Indiana and second in the nation for cardiac care by Money Magazine in its 2024 Best Hospitals for Cardiac Care, rising above many world-renowned providers.

As the only hospital in Indiana listed in the top 65, Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center ranked higher than such national luminaries as Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles (#3); Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston (#4); and the Cleveland Clinic in Cleveland (#5).

“It is truly an honor to see the ‘heart’ of our cardiovascular program recognized as No. 2 in the country and No. 1 in the state,” said Kevin Speer, JD, Ascension St. Vincent chief executive officer. “We are blessed to have an extraordinary and committed team of caregivers whose outstanding work continues to be acknowledged beyond our ministry as Indiana’s most trusted heart leader for more than 20 years, and as demonstrated in this ranking, in the nation as well.”

The ranking compared all short-term, acute care hospitals in the country that offer deep expertise with highly experienced cardiologists and heart specialists, and have earned a four- or five-star quality rating from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS).

Indiana’s only five-star heart hospital, and the only specialty heart hospital in Indiana with physician ownership, Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center is a licensed 80-bed specialty hospital that is home to the state’s largest and most complex cardiovascular program, including the region’s most comprehensive valve and structural heart program offering the least-invasive surgical options. It houses a robust cardiovascular research institute and is at the forefront of innovation in cardiovascular medicine.

“Heart disease remains the No. 1 cause of death among Americans, but Hoosiers are fortunate to have the No. 1 hospital for cardiac care right here in their own backyard,” said Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center Chief Medical Officer Greg Mazanek, MD. “Our team’s performance in this list, ranked higher than the most reputable providers in our specialty, reflects our dedication to safe, efficient, high-quality care with fewer complications, so patients can get home faster, no matter where they live in the state.”

To generate the ranking, more than 125,000 datapoints were analyzed by Denniston Data and Definitive Healthcare, using the largest and most accurate data available in the U.S. on medical providers, as well as publicly available data from the American College of Cardiology.

In recent years, Ascension St. Vincent has been named among the Top 50 cardiovascular hospitals in the U.S. by both IBM Watson/Fortune and Fortune/PINC AI; 50 best cardiac surgery programs by Healthgrades; Top 100 hospitals with great heart programs by Becker’s Hospital Review; world’s best specialty hospital by Newsweek and Statista; and received a 3-star rating, the highest rating possible, by the Vascular Quality Institute (VQI) for patient safety and the quality of vascular care delivery.

“For the many accolades Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center has accumulated over the years, we are extremely proud of our physician owners and team members,” said Lori Shannon, RN, MBA, president of Ascension St. Vincent Heart Center. “Their incredible work is the reason our safety, quality and patient-experience scores are consistently at the very top, year after year.”

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MEETINGS AND GROUPS

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About Bally’s Evansville

Bally’s Evansville is a multi-million-dollar entertainment complex located on the scenic banks of the Ohio River in southwestern Indiana. The single-level casino encompasses 45,000 square feet of gaming space featuring 940 slot games, 28 live and electronic table games, a High Limit Room, and Bally Bet Sportsbook. Accommodations include a 243-room hotel tower and a 95-room boutique hotel. The property also includes three dining options, three bars, a conference center, a riverfront event center and a 1,660-vehicle attached parking garage.

About Bally’s Corporation

Bally’s Corporation is a global casino entertainment company with a growing omni-channel presence. It currently owns and manages 15 casinos across 10 states, a golf course in New York, a horse racetrack in Colorado, and has access to OSB licenses in 18 states. It also owns Bally’s Interactive International, formerly Gamesys Group, a leading, global, online gaming operator, Bally Bet, a first-in-class sports betting platform, and Bally Casino, a growing iCasino platform.

With 10,600 employees, the Company’s casino operations include approximately 15,300 slot machines, 580 table games and 3,800 hotel rooms. Upon completing the construction of a permanent casino facility in Chicago, IL, and a land-based casino near the Nittany Mall in State College, PA, Bally’s will own and/or manage 16 casinos across 11 states. Bally’s also has rights to developable land in Las Vegas post the closure of the Tropicana.  It shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol “BALY”.