The City-County Observer has grown extensively over the past 17 plus years. We owe this growth to both our readers and our community as a whole. 2020 has so far proven to be yet another huge year for the City-County Observer.
We want to thank our advertisers for staying committed to our cause and continuing to support us with their advertising dollars during our 17-year transition.
Our plans to print the Sunday Edition of the City-County Observer is going well. The publishing date for our inaugural printed edition is currently in limbo because of the status of the COVID-19 virus.
We are currently looking at professionally produced content that will enhance our society, community, business/finance, and entertainment sections.
We are looking for people to write sports, community news, and political articles once a week for a reasonable rate of pay. We especially are looking for a digital graphic layout and design person to prepare our paper ready to print.
We especially would like to interview current college students majoring in journalism and graphic design.
If anyone that would like to assist us in producing a printed Sunday downhome non-partisan community newspaper, please send your resume to the Editor at the City-County Observer@live.com.
When this photograph was taken in the early twentieth century, these buildings were already old and would soon be razed. On the corner of what is now Market and Court streets is Henry Schminke’s company, which manufactured stoves, furnaces, tin and slate roofing, and other goods.
Schminke was one of many local German immigrants engaged in the building trades who profited from a construction boom during this era. Nearby was the flourishing company of George L. Mesker, the son of German immigrants, who operated his flourishing ironworks, which later was renamed Mesker Steel.
The city block shown here was razed to make way for the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum, which was dedicated in April of 1917.
INDIANAPOLIS—Rep. Patrick Bauer remembers his friend and colleague Joe Kernan as a man who could talk with people in spite of their differences better than anyone he’s ever known, and the South Bend Democrat has seen a lot in his 50-plus years in politics.
“He liked people, and people liked him…He could bridge a lot of gaps,†Bauer said of Kernan, who died Wednesday of complications from Alzheimer’s Disease at age 74. “I think everybody that Joe got to know ended up being good friends with him.â€
Former Indiana Gov. Joe Kernan, who died Wednesday.
Bauer and the other public officials who offered tributes to Kernan all talked about his dedication to public service and his strength of character from his year as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam to his tenure as mayor of South Bend and later as lieutenant governor and then governor of Indiana.
“When Gen. Douglass McArthur talked about duty, honor and country, the general was talking exactly about Joe Kernan,†Gov. Eric Holcomb said Wednesday during his weekly press briefing on the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Without regard for personal cost, Joe Kernan devoted every ounce of his life, time and again, to upholding the oath he took and serving the country and state he loved,†Holcomb said in a separate press release.
“His optimism and his positive attitude built every place up that he worked at… the baseball field, in the mayor’s office, lieutenant governor and governor’s office,†Bauer said.
Former Gov. Mitch Daniels, who beat Kernan in the 2004 governor’s race, called him a friend. Daniels is now president of Purdue University.
“Joe Kernan was at different times my ally, opponent, and advisor, but always a friend to me, and as far as I could tell,  to everyone he met,†Daniels said of his one-time political rival in a statement. “He was a true leader, and we have lost him far too soon.â€
Kernan was born on April 8, 1946, in Chicago and ended up in South Bend when his family moved there when he was 10. He was two years behind Bauer at St. Joseph High School and, like Bauer, he attended Notre Dame University where he played baseball.
In 1972 as a flight officer in the Navy, he was on a mission over North Vietnam when his plane was shot down. He spent the next year as a prisoner of war.
After the war, Kernan returned to South Bend and spent a number of years in business before becoming involved in politics. Elected mayor of South Bend in 1987, he served for three terms.
Bauer said that as mayor, Kernan was available to his constituents, adding, “He listened to people and responded to the needs of the city.â€
Kernan was elected lieutenant governor in 1996, serving with Gov. Frank O’Bannon, and the team was re-elected in 2000. Kernan became governor in September 2003 when O’Bannon died suddenly of a stroke. He lost a bid for a full term the next year to Daniels.
He remained active in local politics and civic life when he returned to South Bend and, along with other investors, helped keep a minor league baseball team in town.
“His optimism and his positive attitude built every place up that he worked at… the baseball field, in the mayor’s office, lieutenant governor and governor’s office,†Bauer said.
Bauer’s sentiments were shared by many civic leaders. Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett called him a great role model who “never before wavered in his principled dedication to doing the right thing.â€
Rep. Brian Bosma, a Republican and former speaker of the House, said, “There were no finer gentlemen in politics. He was always upbeat and always had the best interest of Hoosiers in his heart.â€
Indiana Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Kevin Brinegar said, “Joe Kernan was one of the most down-to-earth and humble people in a world that is too often lacking those qualities.â€
Indiana’s Child Support Program will spread the word about its support of Hoosier families this August in recognition of Child Support Awareness Month.
The month-long celebration gives program coordinators an opportunity to provide information about services and connect with the community. The public is encouraged to celebrate by wearing something green, the official color for Child Support Awareness Month, on the Aug. 3 kickoff.
The child support program is administered by the Child Support Bureau of the Indiana Department of Child Services. Custodial parties or non-custodial parents may enroll at no cost at their county prosecutor’s office.
The Child Support Program provides a number of services to assist in getting child support dollars to families, including:
Locating non-custodial parents
Establishing paternity
Establishing and modifying child support and medical support orders
Enforcing payment of child support
“The Child Support Program is an important function of how DCS serves Hoosier families and children,†said DCS Director Terry Stigdon. “We see this month as our chance to educate the public on all the ways we can offer support.â€
Approximately 250,000 families participate in Indiana’s Child Support Program, but experts estimate that’s only half the number of families that could benefit.
“There are about 250,000 additional families with a child support order in place that aren’t receiving child support services,†said DCS deputy director Adam Norman of the Child Support Bureau. “They may not know about us or how to enroll, and we hope that child support awareness month can help spread the message that we’re here to help.â€
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a final rule to reduce lead in plumbing materials used in public water systems, homes, schools and other facilities. This action marks a significant milestone in implementing the Trump Administration’s Federal Action Plan to Reduce Childhood Lead Exposures and Associated Health Impacts. Along with other actions taken by EPA and our federal, state and local partners, this final rule will help protect public health—especially children’s health—from the risks associated with lead exposure.
“The Trump Administration is committed to providing clean and safe drinking water for all Americans,â€Â said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “The Lead-Free rule is a critical step in EPA’s efforts to substantially improve children’s health and further the agency’s Action Plan goal of reducing children’s exposure to lead sources.â€
The Lead-Free final rule significantly limits the lead content allowed in plumbing materials (e.g., pipes, fittings, and fixtures) used in new construction and replacement of existing plumbing. Specifically, the new rule reduces the percentage of lead content allowed in these materials from eight percent to 0.25 percent in accordance with the Reduction of Lead in Drinking Water Act. The final rule also requires that manufacturers or importers certify that their products meet the requirements using a consistent verification process. As a result, this new rule will reduce lead in drinking water and assure that states, manufacturers, inspectors and consumers have a common understanding of “Lead Free†plumbing.
Today, EPA is also announcing that it has sent the final Lead and Copper Rule (LCR) to the Office of Management and Budget. This will be the first major update to the LCR in nearly three decades. On October 10, 2019, EPA proposed a proactive and holistic approach to improving the current LCR — from testing to treatment to replacing lead service lines to telling the public about the levels and risks of lead in drinking water. These improvements would further reduce lead in drinking water and help assure that water is less corrosive to older, lead containing plumbing materials.
The Lead-Free final rule will become effective 30 days after publication in the Federal Register and the certification requirement must be implemented within three years.
For the first time in the competition’s history, University of Evansville mascot Ace Purple has advanced to the semifinals of the Missouri Valley Conference Mascot Madness, presented by Purina Dog Chow.
The Aces are encouraging fans and the community to support Ace in his pursuit of a Mascot Madness Championship.
Fans can visit the Missouri Valley Conference Facebook Page and help Ace Purple defeat Boomer (Missouri State) for a spot in the championship. Voting is now live and polls close today (7/30) at 3 p.m. CT.
When fans are voting for Ace, Evansville asks that they also vote for our ally, Kaboom! (Bradley), who the Aces formed a partnership with at the beginning of the competition.
Starting a career with the Indiana Department of Correction couldn’t be any easier. Just tune into one of eight upcoming virtual hiring events during the month of August to begin the hiring process.
There are two types of events being promoted: “All IDOC†events and “Regional†events where participants can learn about the facilities in certain areas of Indiana. Each virtual hiring event will be hosted on Microsoft Teams with an IDOC Recruiter and a representative from the Human Resources Department to answer questions and schedule an interview. The session starts with a 15 minute informational overview followed by a question and answer format.
Persons receiving this news release can see an advance airing of the Indiana State Police Roadshow featuring a 15 minute video interview with Indiana Department of Correction Recruiter Tyler Schitter. Watch this now to get information about career opportunities at the Indiana Department of Correction.Â
The regional virtual hiring events, with MS Teams links, are listed below. All times are Eastern Standard.
The Indiana Department of Correction has a variety of openings but the greatest need is for correctional officers and maintenance personnel. Please refer to the IDOC Recruitment page on Facebook to stay up-to-date on scheduled events.
All openings are essential full-time positions that include health, dental and vision benefits. Once hired, training is paid for and uniforms are provided.
Chevy is a sweet little “mini†pit bull mix. She came in with a minor skin condition (demodectic mange) which is actively being treated and 0% contagious. She’s a wiggly & smiley girl who is about a year old. She weighs about 30 lbs. Her adoption fee is $110 and includes all regular vetting + her mange treatment at no extra cost! Contact Vanderburgh Humane at (812) 426-2563 or adoptions@vhslifesaver.org for details!
Below are the felony cases to be filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office today.
Matthew Dale Mattingly: Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony)
Grace Ellen Kunze: Theft (Level 6 Felony)
Joseph Daniel Nelson: Theft (Level 6 Felony)
Renaldo D. Pendleton Jr.: Intimidation (Level 6 Felony), Neglect of a dependent (Level 6 Felony), Neglect of a dependent (Level 6 Felony), Criminal mischief (Class B misdemeanor), Criminal mischief (Class B misdemeanor)
Alex Jefferey Peterson: Possession of a narcotic drug (Level 6 Felony), Possession of a controlled substance (Class A misdemeanor), Possession of a controlled substance (Class A misdemeanor), Possession of marijuana (Class B misdemeanor)
