https://www.vanderburghsheriff.com/jail-recent-booking-records.aspx
Adopt A Pet
Super cute male black kitten. His adoption fee is $60 and includes his first vaccines & deworming, flea treatment, neuter, microchip, and more! Get details at www.vhslifesaver.org/adopt!
Reopen Evansville Task Force Update
As you know, COVID-19 trends are going in the wrong direction for southwest Indiana. Last week, IN State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box, was in Evansville and shared data indicating problem areas in District 10 (Vanderburgh is 1 of 12 counties). Attached is the 2-week “snapshot†of testing data, hospital admissions, ICU/ventilator availability, and identified cluster locations from contact tracing. For your reference, the state dashboard updates daily – https://www.coronavirus.in.gov/2393.htm.
Keeping that information in mind, Mayor Winnecke and the Reopen Evansville Task Force continue to work in several areas.
Here are a few updates to keep everyone informed and engaged:
- Large Gatherings – On Monday, October 19th, any gathering (inside the city limits only) of over 125 will need to have an approved health & safety plan approved by the Vanderburgh County Health Department. Here is the link to the form: https://vanderburghhealth.org/event-review/. Why 125? Local and state health officials agreed that was a manageable figure for contact tracing. Obviously, it is subject to change depending on continued COVID-19 trends. For your reference, the Mayor’s Executive Order is also attached. Please note that the order currently does not impact church services or private businesses. It is meant to address social gatherings.
- Targeted Outreach – Based on contact tracing data and the District 10 report, the Vanderburgh County Health Department and the Task Force are pro-actively reaching out to specific industry clusters to meet their COVID-19 related needs and ensure a direct line of communication. For example, the Mayor will be hosting a meeting on Monday with local school leaders to discuss winter sports guidance from the IHSAA and how to better educate our local youth sports organizations on best practices, etc. Another example is the Vanderburgh County Health Department who has done a fantastic job of communicating and working with the long-term care facilities in Vanderburgh County. These relationships and lines of communication are incredibly important for contact tracing purposes.
- Restaurant Town Hall – Early in the pandemic, workshops with industry groups were helpful, particularly with local restaurants/bars. These peer groups will continue to be developed through a partnership between local economic development organizations and the City of Evansville. Next week, the Chamber of Commerce of SW IN, Small Business Development Center and the City of Evansville will be hosting a Town Hall event for local restaurants/bars. Registration etc. will be sent out via social media soon.
PPE / Testing – The Task Force continues to assist local organizations with PPE needs. 30,000 disposable masks were delivered this week. As for testing, both Deaconess and Ascension St. Vincent have the testing capacity, along with the Optum Testing Site at CK Newsome. Anyone can register at www.lhi.care/contesting or by calling 888-634-1116.
- Food Security Commission – One of the takeaways from the pandemic is the need to coordinate our community food resources/organizations more efficiently, thus a Food Security Commission is being developed via city code. More to come, but we also encourage everyone to spread the word about the Feed Evansville initiative, which is always in need of volunteers. Get involved at https://www.facebook.com/feedEVV/.
- State Assistance – The Mayor’s Office is in discussion with the Governor’s Office on many pandemic related issues. Everything from enhanced contact tracing at the local/regional level, additional enforcement support from the ATC/Fire Marshall to ways that our health departments in southwest Indiana can coordinate more efficiently on a regional level are top of mind. The strong line of communication will continue as the state is ready and willing to support locals as much as possible.
- Medical Advisory Group – We cannot thank our health and medical professionals enough! Deaconess, Ascension St. Vincent, and the Health Department have been great partners throughout the pandemic, particularly when our local officials are making decisions impacting the community.
Lastly, we need your help in spreading the following messages:
- Stage 5 does not mean everything goes back to normal! Restrictions are still in place and a synopsis of the Governor’s presentation at Wednesday’s briefing is attached.
- Wearing a mask remains the most important tool to combat COVID-19. Washing hands, good hygiene and social distancing are all actions that need to become part of our daily routines.
- Get the Flu Vaccine. There are numerous free options, just check out https://vaccinefinder.org/.
- Please follow, re-post, use hashtags, share and like the information on our social media accounts to get accurate information out to the public.
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- Facebook: @LloydWinnecke, @DeputyMayorSteveSchaefer, @VCHDevv, @StateHealthIN, @DeaconessHealthSystem, @AscensionStVincent
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- Twitter: @ReopenEvv, @MayorWinnecke, @sschaefer01, @VCHDevv, @StateHealthIN, @deaconessnews, @StVincentIN, @GovHolcomb
THANK YOU for reading this long update. Feel free to contact me with any questions, concerns or recommendations.
Steve Schaefer
Chair, Reopen Evansville Task Force
Indiana Students To Get Free FAFSA Filing Help At College Goal Sunday
Indiana Students To Get Free FAFSA fFling Help At College Goal Sunday
EVANSVILLE – Financial aid professionals from throughout the area will be volunteering to help college-bound students and their families open the door to financial aid during College Goal Sunday. The event is set for1 p.m. (CST)), Sunday, Oct. 25.
“The event ISFAA is offering on Oct. 25 will be the first completely virtual College Goal Sunday,†said Bill Wozniak, co-chair of College Goal Sunday. “We hope all Hoosiers who have not filed already, take advantage of College Goal Sunday, file the FAFSA, and get one step closer to fulfilling their educational goals.â€
Volunteers will answer families’ individual questions as needed. To attend College Goal Sunday, simply go to CollegeGoalSunday.org on October 25, and click the link displayed on that page to enter the virtual event. For the best filing experience, working from a computer/laptop during the event is highly recommended.
If an individual needs access to a WIFI connection, there are mobile hotspots located on the glass windows over the parking places near Door J at the Evansville campus, 3501 N. First Avenue.
The free program assists Indiana students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), no matter what college they choose to attend. The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and student loans at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide. The FAFSA MUST be filed by April 15 to be eligible for Indiana financial aid. College Goal Sunday is so important since completing this required form correctly and by the deadline is sometimes perceived to be complicated and time-consuming. In less than one afternoon during College Goal Sunday, students and their families can get free help and file the form.
Now in its 32nd year, College Goal Sunday has helped more than 94,000 Indiana students and families complete the FAFSA properly and on time. College Goal Sunday is a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA).
What students should have available
Students should attend College Goal Sunday virtually with their parent(s) or guardian(s), and parents’ should have available completed 2019 IRS 1040 tax returns, W-2 Forms and other 2019 income and benefits information. Students who worked last year should bring their income information as well. Students, 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their own completed 2019 IRS 1040 tax return, W-2 Form or other 2019 income and benefits information. Students and parents are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at studentaid.gov before logging in to the event.
Attendees may win educational prizes
Students may also win one of five $1,000 scholarships. Students who attend College Goal Sunday and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered in a drawing for a $1,000 scholarship. The winners will be notified in April, and prizes will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by those students.
 21st Century Scholars benefit
21st Century Scholars are income-eligible students who sign a contract in the seventh or eighth grade promising they will graduate from high school, meet grade point requirements, fulfill a pledge of good citizenship, and apply for college financial aid. Upon high school graduation, Scholars who have fulfilled the commitment receive state funds to help cover their college tuition and fees for eight semesters at eligible Indiana colleges. To fulfill their pledge, scholars must submit a completed FAFSA form on time. College Goal Sunday can help.
Program is a national model
College Goal Sunday originated right here in Indiana and is now a national model. Following Indiana’s example, College Goal Sunday events organized by more than 34 states have opened doors to higher education for hundreds of thousands of students all over the country.
For more information about College Goal Sunday visit CollegeGoalSunday.org.Â
HEALTH DEPARTMENT UPDATES STATEWIDE COVID-19 CASE COUNTS
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Gov. Beshear Provides Update on COVID-19
Gov. Beshear Provides Update on COVID-19
FRANKFORT, Ky. (Oct. 16, 2020) – Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday updated Kentuckians on the state’s continuing efforts to fight the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).
“Our COVID report today adds to a tough week,†said Gov. Beshear. “We need to buckle down; we need to wear masks; we need to follow that rule of no gatherings above 10 people at our homes. We need to social distance and we shouldn’t play politics with this virus. It is real. It doesn’t matter if there’s an election a couple of weeks away.â€
He also shared that he, the First Lady and their children, Will and Lila, are all still feeling great. They continue to test negative for COVID-19 and have been keeping a positive attitude about their quarantine, enjoying the extra time with each other and their dog, Winnie.
“We are going to continue quarantining, as asked by the Department for Public Health, because that’s what everybody else is asked to do in this same situation,†said Gov. Beshear. “We want to set a good example.â€
The member of the Governor’s security detail who tested positive for COVID-19 is still experiencing mild symptoms, but doing well.
Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Oct. 16, Gov. Beshear said there were at least 85,506 COVID-19 cases in Kentucky, 1,319 of which were newly reported Friday. There were 189 newly reported cases from children up through age 18, of which 36 were children 5 and under. The youngest was only 7 days old.
“Another piece of unfortunate news: We have a COVID-19 outbreak at the Little Sandy Correctional Complex. We’ve had 17 inmates and two staff test positive. We will be testing the entire facility, and we will be using the protocols that we first used at Green River to successfully stop an outbreak that had occurred there.â€
Unfortunately, Gov. Beshear reported four new deaths Friday, raising the total to 1,300 Kentuckians lost to the virus.
“My faith tells me I have to treat my neighbor as myself, and that means I have to protect my neighbor, whether I know them or not,†said Gov. Beshear. “My rights stop where they could be harmed. Let’s do the right thing and let’s follow our values.â€
The deaths reported Friday include a 77-year-old woman from Adair County; a 51-year-old man from Bullitt County; and two women, ages 86 and 94, from Madison County.
As of Friday, there have been at least 1,773,349 coronavirus tests performed in Kentucky. The positivity rate was 4.70%, and at least 17,018 Kentuckians have recovered from the virus.
For additional information, including up-to-date lists of positive cases and deaths, as well as breakdowns of coronavirus infections by county, race and ethnicity, click here. To see all recent daily reports, click here.
Information about COVID-19 and schools is also being made available. To view the reports, click here for K-12 and here for colleges and universities.
Week in Review
For more information on this week’s updates, including those on one Kentucky teenager’s battle with COVID-19, the importance of quarantine after potential exposure, the Team Kentucky Fund, $2.8 million in grants for Recovery Kentucky Centers, Volkswagen Mitigation Settlement funding for sustainable transportation, early voting, the importance of schools reporting COVID-19 data, a change in the way the state calculates its positivity rate, $37 million in Victims of Crime Act funding, the Buckle Up, Phone Down highway safety campaign, the Kentucky Children’s Health Insurance Program, the Recognizing Inspirational School Employees Awards, the importance of getting tested for COVID-19 regularly, the recognition of a Kentucky sailor killed at Pearl Harbor, the Kentucky Fresh Harvest greenhouse opening in Lincoln County, National Protect Your Hearing Month and the virtual ribbon cuttings for new fitness centers at three Kentucky schools, visit governor.ky.gov/news.
More Information
Read about other key updates, actions and information from Gov. Beshear and his administration at governor.ky.gov, kycovid19.ky.gov and the Governor’s official social media accounts Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Kentuckians can also access translated COVID-19 information and summaries of the Governor’s news conferences at teamkentuckytranslations.com.
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EPA Finalizes Cost-Saving Updates to Existing Fuels Regulations
At the Monroe Energy LLC Trainer Refinery, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler announced the final Fuels Streamlining Rule. The finalized rule will streamline and modernize EPA’s existing regulations for gasoline, diesel, and other fuels by eliminating costly duplication and hundreds of pages of regulatory text. Under these updates, fuel standards will remain just as stringent, while reducing compliance costs for industry and EPA. Most aspects of this rulemaking will go into effect on January 1, 2021.
“By finalizing this action today, we’ll start 2021 with a set of streamlined fuel regulations that save industry, government, and the U.S. economy millions of dollars annually without sacrificing environmental protection,â€Â said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “The Trump Administration has prioritized reducing regulatory burdens during its entire first term. EPA’s focus on improving the regulatory environment while protecting the environment has saved Americans an estimated $95 billion in unnecessary costs.â€
These updates will result in improved overall compliance assurance while removing roughly 800 pages of regulatory text. Specifically, this action updates fuels regulations by deleting expired or redundant compliance provisions such as duplicative registration requirements, removing unnecessary and out-of-date requirements, and replacing them with a single set of provisions and definitions.
EPA estimates that this final action will save $40.4 million per year, largely from reduced administrative costs. Other savings are expected to occur by improving the ability to efficiently deliver compliant fuel through the system and by providing greater flexibility for fuel production and distribution.
This action does not change the stringency of the existing fuel quality standards.
“Left Jab†and “Middle Jab†and “Right Jab†October 17, 2020
“Right Jab And Middle Jab And Left Jabâ€Â was created because we have a couple of commenters that post on a daily basis either in our “IS IT TRUE†or “Readers Forumâ€Â columns concerning National or International issues.