VANDERBURGH COUNTY OFFICIALY APPROVES RESTAURANT RELIEF PROGRAM – RESOLUTION
Since Governor Holcomb issued his Back on Track Indiana order related to restaurants in Indiana on May 5, the Vanderburgh County Commissioners have been working diligently, in conjunction with our local Vanderburgh County Health Department and many locally-owned restaurant owners/operators, in pushing for temporary parking relaxation. In turn, this temporary relaxation will enable restauranteurs to potentially expand outdoor dining (while maintaining social distancing). While a County Resolution was drafted last Tuesday, May 12th, the County Commissioners still needed support from the local and state health department before official motion(s) or passage was made.
“We are proud to say that the VANDERBURGH COUNTY RESTAURANT RELIEF RESOLUTION will be presented publicly tomorrow morning. We are happy to help our local restaurant owners in our county and community in any way. And a huge thank you to my fellow County Commissioners, Cheryl Musgrave, and Jeff Hatfield, for continuing to listen to the needs of our local restaurant owners and county residents; while always listening to our local Health Department during this time, “ stated Ben Shoulders, County Commissioner (District One).
This Resolution will enable restaurants in Vanderburgh County to temporarily expand their outdoor dining areas onto the existing property and public rights-of-way.
“I’m happy we can help local restaurants and their employees rebuild their business while promoting the health and safety of the public,†said Cheryl Musgrave, County Commissioner (District Three).
Indoor/Outdoor restaurant seating will be limited to 50% occupancy before June 14 and 75% beginning June 14, according to the Governor’s Back on Track order. The temporary program ends after July 3 and is subject to change.
FOOTNOTE:m This Resolution will be provided publicly tomorrow, May 19, 2020.
On Monday, May 18, the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility (EWSU) will begin working with Wessler Engineering to conduct smoke testing and manhole inspections in the Valley Downs neighborhood. The smoke testing is expected to continue for approximately 60 days, weather dependent.
The evaluation is part of a study to reduce rainfall and groundwater from entering the sanitary sewer system in compliance with a federal consent decree. Valley Downs and Timbers Park were identified as a project for the study because of a high amount of rainwater entering the sewer system in those areas.
Smoke testing uses a large percentage of atmospheric moisture that is highly visible at low concentrations and is introduced into the sanitary sewer system via fans. The smoke allows technicians to visually see if there are defects in the sewer system by seeping out of broken pipes and eroded manhole structures. This “smoke†is non-toxic and will not harm humans, pets, or plants nor will it stain drapes, carpet, or other materials.
Smoke may be seen coming from gutters during testing if they are connected to the sanitary sewer system. Gutters, downspouts and sump pumps tied to the sewer system are considered illegal and must be removed by the property owner.
Smoke should not enter buildings during testing. If smoke gets inside a structure, it could be from a defect in the internal plumbing, such as a bad toilet seal or broken pipe. ETSU is not responsible for plumbing within homes and recommends contacting a plumber to investigate.
A dry-water trap may also allow smoke to enter a home. If fixtures such as sinks, toilets or bathtubs have not been used for a while, running water to make sure the traps are not dry is recommended.
Door hangers notifying residents and businesses in the area about the smoke testing are being distributed. For more information about the project, contact Wessler Engineering at 812-453-0460, or watch these informational videos:
We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUEâ€Â will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?
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IS IT TRUE that for more than 18 years this column has served the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County as the place to go to learn things that are going on in local government that other media is reluctant to cover?…much good has come from things posted in “IS IT TRUE” and the comment section has, for the most part, made the City-County Observer the go-to place for open constructive dialog?
IS IT TRUEÂ the City-County Observer has always strived to serve as a “Community Watchdog” by sounding the alarm when our citizen’s rights are in danger of being violated by large Corporations, Federal, State, and Local Governmental agencies as well as elected or appointed officials? Â …we realize that a community can have no greater ambassador of goodwill than one which keeps its citizens informed about the accomplishments, failures, and triumphs of individuals, the business community, church and community groups, educational institutions and elected and appointed officials?
IS IT TRUE that the “MAYORS REOPEN EVANSVILLE TASK FORCE” and the VANDERBURGH COUNTY RESTAURANT RELIEF PROGRAM have taken control of the decision-making process of how and when to reopen businesses in the very near future? …we feel that both groups have some very talented people that can figure out the best and safest ways to return our community back to normalcy? Â ..many people are praying that they will make the right decisions for our community?
IS IT TRUEÂ people all over America are feeling the way that life has demolished by the “sheltering in place” orders that have prevented them from opening their businesses?…small businesses are the backbones on which the United States was built on? ..the “sheltering in place” decision leaves very little hope for people whose lives are entwined with their family-owned businesses?…this is something that should be addressed in any future stimulus package decisions?
IS IT TRUEÂ many people have received their $1,200 stimulus checks and the money is long gone because it was used to buy the bare necessities? Â …when people get desperate they will do desperate things? …desperation is caused by loss of employment, not able to pay your water bill, gas, and electric bills, mobile phone bill, can’t pay your rent or mortgage payments, experiencing a medical issue, going through a divorce, can’t buy food or medicine, or can’t make your car payment?
IS IT TRUE we wonder if you can name a board who approves a $25 million dollar short term loan by a 6 t0 3 margin without knowing the exact amount of the interest rate they will be charged? Â ..the answer to this question is members of the Evansville City Council? …this decision doesn’t speak very highly of the business judgment of the newly appointed City Council Finance Chairman, Ron Beans who recommended that this request be approved? …we can guarantee if the former Evansville City Councilman President and Finance Chairman John Friend, CPA were still on City Council n this loan request would have never been approved?
IS IT TRUEÂ we been told that the City of Evansville may raise our taxes and water and sewer rates in 2021?…we wonder how on earth can a city that has zero population and minimal wage growth feel that they can collect more tax money from its huddled masses than it did the year before?
IS IT TRUE that cities and counties don’t have a revenue problem they just have a spending problem?
IS IT TRUE we been told that the Vanderburgh County Republican party will be fielding a candidate to run against District 77 State Representative Ryan Hatfield in the upcoming General election?
IS IT TRUE we are hearing that the Dottie Thomas the Republican candidate for the Vanderburgh County Treasurer position will be having a Democratic opponent in the November General election?
IS IT TRUE in 1998 the Teamsters Local 215 established a Taft-Hartley Scholarship Fund? …the Trustees of the fund are Chuck Whobrey and Rick Voyles as employee Trustees and two Employer Trustees? ..since 1998 the fund has awarded over $3 Million Dollars in Scholarships to sons and daughters of Teamsters members whose employers contribute to the fund? …we look forward to publishing what worthy students will be awarded this scholarship for this year? …the CCO gives five (5) cheers to the Teamsters  Local 215 for establishing the Taft-Hartley Scholarship Fund?
IS IT TRUE that the County Council At-Large candidate, Jill Hahn (R) did not file a “Campaign Finance Report” by the Friday, May 15 deadline?  …she is listed as “delinquent†by the Vanderburgh County Election Office?  …that an amendment to the “Campaign Finance Report” can be filed within three (3) business days from the deadline in order not to be considered “delinquent†by the local Election Office?
IS IT TRUE we notice that Vanderburgh County Commission District One (1) candidate Zac Rascher “Campaign Finance Report” due on May 15, 2020, at noon but was time-stamped at 3:30 pm? …we found it interesting that Mr, Rascher also reported that three (3) individuals give him political donations checks that were dated after May 8, 2020 filing deadline? … it’s obvious that the political contributions from “Friends of Winnecke” ($1,000), City Councilman Ron Beane ($500), and GOP Chairman Wayne Parke ($500) should have been reported on the October 2020 Â Finance report?
IS IT TRUE that yesterday Gannett Corporation (GCI) stock hit a rock bottom 94 cent a share price has stunned the publishing world? Â …this means that the entire Gannett Company with its 260 newspapers is only valued around $80 million all-inclusive?…that this publishing conglomerate has a debt of over a billion dollars at 11.5% interest on a company that has a market cap of around $80 million-plus?…this economic news does not bode well for future capital fundraising activities needed to pay off this insurmountable loan debt?
IS IT TRUE the stark reality is that newspapers across the country are victims of large investment groups that have cut talent, alienated advertisers, and produced irrelevant biased narratives?…at this rate, there will only be a handful of newspapers still in print in the United States in 10 years?
IS IT TRUE we would like to thank Noah Stubbs, the Director of Communications for the Mayor’s office for sending us current news articles concerning the activities of the “MAYORS RE-OPEN EVANSVILLE TASK FORCE”?
IS IT TRUE we would like to thank Kalah Hirsch, Records Specialist/Asst. IDACS for the Evansville Police Department for sending us the daily activities reports in a timely manner?
IS IT TRUE when the people fear the Government we have Tyranny! Â When the Government fears the people we have Liberty?
IS IT TRUE our “READERS POLLS†are non-scientific but trendy?
Today’s “Readers Pollâ€Â question is: IF THE ELECTION FOR DISTRICT ONE (1) VANDERBURGH COUNTY COMMISSION RACE WHO WOULD YOU VOTE FOR?
Please take time and read our articles entitled “STATEHOUSE FILES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, “READERS POLLâ€, BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBSâ€, EDUCATION, OBITUARIES and “LOCAL SPORTSâ€.
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INDIANAPOLIS—The first case of a dangerous complication of COVID-19 that targets children have now been found in Indiana.
Dr. Kristina Box, the state health commissioner, broke the news of the state’s first confirmed case of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome — also known as MIS-C — Monday at Gov. Eric Holcomb’s virtual press briefing. She did not release the age of the child nor which part of the state the child resides in order to protect patient privacy.
Dr. Kristina Box, commissioner of the Department of Health, at Gov. Eric Holcomb’s virtual press briefing Monday.
“This is a very serious condition,†Box said. “Patients under the age of 21 present with fever, laboratory evidence of inflammation, and evidence of clinically severe illness involving multiple organ systems that require hospitalizations.â€
“These cases have no alternative plausible diagnosis†than SARS-COV-2, Box said, using the label for the virus that causes COVID-19. Patients, she said, test positive for the virus or have antibody evidence that their bodies are fighting it.
As of Sunday, at least 220 possible and confirmed cases in 20 states and the District of Columbia had been identified. There are more than 150 cases in New York, where three children have died.
“This is something we are starting to see around the world,†Box said. “…We’ve asked hospitals to report suspected cases to us as we can investigate and learn more about COVID-19 and how that may be impacting our younger people.â€
Parents need to be alert for persistent fever in their children and, she said, should contact their pediatrician if the child appears seriously ill.
Along with the first case of the condition, the state reported 492 new cases of COVID-19 with 28,255 cases statewide. An additional 14 deaths were reported, bringing the state’s total to 1,621, with another 144 deaths believed to have been caused by the virus.
As the virus continues to take a toll on the state, the Department of Child Services said they are working to keep their workers and the community safe from COVID-19 while still working on cases to keep Hoosier children safe.
DCS Director Terry Stigdon said the department has switched to working remotely except when investigating an abuse or neglect claims.
Terry Stigdon of the Department of Child Services provided an update on her agency’s work at Gov. Eric Holcomb’s daily press briefing.
“While there has been much focus on ways we can work remotely, it is important to note when a child’s wellbeing is in question, a family case manager visits that child in-person to ensure they are safe,†she said.
The department is now conducting family visits virtually, limiting visits to DCS offices to appointment only and providing personal protective equipment to workers whose work cannot be done remotely.
In other COVID-19-related developments, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles Commissioner Peter Lacy said the state is increasing the number of open branches and the available appointments.
Lacy said the BMV has expanded its appointment capacity by 50% at 59 locations. This will add an additional 13,000 appointments weekly to the nearly 142,000 weekly appointments already occurring at the 128 open branches, he said.
But, he added, in-person appointments should only be used for transactions not available online or over the phone. Lacy said Hoosiers can go to MyBMV.com, in.gov/bmv, or call 888-692-6841 for other transactions.
Victoria Ratliff is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Quality of Life: Indiana County Fairs & Fall Festival
Purdue Extension announced that Indiana 4-H fairs can occur after June 30 with restrictions.
From the Purdue University News Service:
“County 4-H fairs may begin on July 4, if local health officials confirm the county has reached stage five in Indiana Back on Track plan. Fairs must adhere to social distancing guidelines, screen employees and volunteers working on behalf of Purdue Extension daily, and follow industry best practices regarding disinfecting high traffic areas and offering hand sanitizer and cleaning stations to employees and guests.”
A decision for this year’s Vanderburgh County fair has not been released.
Business Assistance: Permit Process to Expand Outdoor Restaurant Seating Announced
After listening to feedback from restaurant operators, neighborhood leaders, and residents, local government leaders announced an expedited permit process that enables restaurants to temporarily expand their dining areas.
The Evansville Restaurant Relief Program will enable restaurant operators to expand their outdoor dining areas onto the existing property and public rights-of-way.
“Immune to Evidenceâ€: How Dangerous Coronavirus Conspiracies Spread
Conspiratorial videos and websites about COVID-19 are going viral. Here’s how one of the authors of “The Conspiracy Theory Handbook†says you can fight back. One big takeaway: Focus your efforts on people who can hear evidence and think rationally.
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Stephan Lewandowsky studies the way people think, and in particular, why they engage in conspiracy theories. So when the cognitive scientist from England’s University of Bristol observes wild speculation related to the COVID-19 pandemic, he sees how it fits into the historical pattern of misinformation and fake news.
I recently wrote about the viral video “Pandemic†as an investigative reporter assessing the range of unsubstantiated COVID-19 allegations put forth by a controversial researcher. Lewandowsky comes at the video and others like it from a science-based perspective. He is one of the authors of “The Conspiracy Theory Handbook,†which explains the traits of conspiratorial thinking.
Conspiracy theories related to the COVID-19 pandemic seem to be proliferating, and some may even be taking root. So I asked Lewandowsky to share how he identifies and understands them, and what we can do to sort through the confusion. The interview has been condensed for clarity and length.
What’s the difference between a real conspiracy and a conspiracy theory?
A real conspiracy actually exists, and it is usually uncovered by journalists, whistleblowers, document dumps from a corporation, or government, or it’s discovered by a government agency. The Volkswagen emissions scandal, for example, was discovered in conventional ways when some engineers discovered an anomaly in a report. It was all mundane — normal people having normal observations based on data. They said, “Hang on, something’s funny here,†and then it unraveled. The same is true for the Iran-contra scandal. That broke via a newspaper in Lebanon. True conspiracies are often uncovered through the media. In Watergate, it was journalists not taking “no†for an answer.
A conspiracy theory, on the other hand, is discussed at length on the internet by people who are not bona fide journalists or government officials or whistleblowers in an organization or investigative committees of regulators. They’re completely independent sources, individuals who self-nominate and put themselves forward as being in possession of the truth. In principle, that could be true. But then if you look at the way these people think and talk and communicate, you discover their cognition is different from what I would call conventional cognition.
What are some differences between conventional and conspiratorial thinking?
You can start with healthy skepticism vs. overriding suspicion. As a scientist, I’m obviously skeptical. I’m questioning anything people say. I look at my own data and other people’s data with a skeptical eye. But after skeptics have been skeptical, they are quite capable of accepting evidence. Once something has withstood scrutiny, you accept it. Otherwise, you’re in a state of complete nihilism and you can’t believe anything.
That crucial second step of acceptance is absent in conspiracy theorists. That is where conspiracy theorists are different. Their skepticism is a bottomless, never-ending pit of skepticism about anything related to the official account. And that skepticism is accompanied by extreme gullibility to anything related to the conspiracy. It’s an imbalance between skepticism for anything an official may say and complete gullibility for something some random dude on the internet will tweet out. It’s that imbalance that differentiates conspiracy thinking from standard cognition.
Conspiracy thinking is immune to evidence. In the “Pandemic†video, the absence of evidence is twisted to be seen to be as evidence for the theory. They say the cover-up is so perfect that you will never find out about it. That’s the opposite of rational thinking. Usually, when you think of a hypothesis, you think of the evidence. And if there’s zero evidence, you give it up or say there is no evidence for it.
Conspiracy theorists may also simultaneously believe things that are contradictory. In the “Pandemic†video, for example, they say COVID-19 both came from a Wuhan lab and that we’re all infected with the disease from vaccinations. They’re making both claims, and they don’t hang together.
More generally, conspiracy theorists show this contradictory thinking by presenting themselves as both victims and heroes. They see themselves as these heroes in possession of the truth. But they also see themselves as victims. They feel they are being persecuted by this evil establishment or the deep state or whatever it is.
Why do you think some conspiracy theories are so popular?
Some people find comfort in resorting to a conspiracy theory whenever they have a sense of a loss of control or they’re confronted with a major adverse event that no one has control over. So every time there’s a mass shooting in the U.S., I can guarantee you ahead of time that there will be a conspiracy theory about it.
So you would expect conspiracy theories related to the pandemic. That doesn’t make them any less harmful. Here in the United Kingdom, people are burning 5G cell towers because of this extreme idea that 5G has something to do with causing COVID-19. More than 70 cell towers have gone up in flames because of this conspiracy theory.
Is conspiracy thinking of an all-time high?
Historical records show that there were rampant conspiracy theories going on in the Middle Ages when the plague hit Europe. It was anti-Semitism at the time. That tends to be part and parcel of pandemics. People engage in conspiracies that involve some sort of “othering†of people. During previous pandemics, people chased doctors down the street because they thought they were responsible for the pandemic. In Europe, now a lot of antagonisms is directed at Asians because the pandemic started in China. The internet is helping the spread of conspiracy theories. It’s much easier now than it was 30 years ago. But it’s difficult to say we have more now.
Are conservatives or liberals any more likely to engage in conspiracy thinking?
There is a lot of research on this and political conspiracy theories tend to be most associated with extreme political views, on the right or the left. But if you quantify it, you frequently find more on the right than the left.
How do we talk to the conspiracy theorists in our lives?
How do we prevent the spread of conspiracy theories?
By trying to inoculate the public against them. Telling the public ahead of time: Look, there are people who believe these conspiracy theories. They invent this stuff. When they invent it they exhibit these characteristics of misguided cognition. You can go through the traits we mention in our handbook, like incoherence, immunity to evidence, overriding suspicion, and connecting random dots into a pattern. The best thing to do is to tell the public how they can spot conspiracy theories and how they can protect themselves.
Are you aware of any cases where the conspiracy theorists turned out to be right?
There are tens of thousands of conspiracy theories out there, so I haven’t checked them all. But if you look at actual conspiracies, Volkswagen, Iran-contra, Watergate — the real conspiracies — they were uncovered by conventional cognition. There weren’t people there who took the absence of evidence to be evidence for the theory, or who reinterpreted contrary evidence to somehow support their theory. I’m not aware of any conspiracy theorists discovering something where they turn out to be correct.
Justices Deny Holcomb’s Request To Clarify If Hill’s Suspension Creates Vacancy
by Olivia Covington
for Indiana Lawyer
The Indiana Supreme Court has denied Gov. Eric Holcomb’s request for clarification on whether now-suspended Attorney General Curtis Hill has temporarily vacated his office due to his suspension. The ruling means, at least for now, Hill’s chief deputy will remain in charge of the legal operations of the Indiana Office of the Attorney General.
The justices Monday declined Holcomb’s emergency motion to intervene seeking clarification, finding the governor’s intervention in Hill’s disciplinary case would be “inappropriate.â€
The order, signed by Chief Justice Loretta Rush, comes the same day that Hill begins a 30-day suspension with automatic reinstatement for violations of Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct 8.4(b) and (d) related to allegations that he drunkenly groped four women in 2018.  All justices concurred in the suspension and in the denial of the governor’s motion.
The disciplinary order came down May 11, and Holcomb filed his motion the next day, seeking clarity on the meaning of the statutory requirement that the attorney general be “duly licensed to practice law.†If the suspension meant Hill was not “duly licensed,†Holcomb argued, a vacancy in the office would be created that he would have to fill.
But the justices noted that Holcomb is a nonparty to the discipline case. Additionally, “these issues were not litigated by the parties and are extraneous to our disciplinary opinion, making intervention inappropriate.â€
“Moreover, courts generally should not issue advisory opinions … or decide issues if there is no controversy before them,†the order continues. “… These principles, too, counsel for judicial restraint and against allowing intervention.â€
He also argued Hill is only disqualified from the legal aspects of being attorney general, as opposed to his other statutory duties, such as general administration of the office. In his place, chief deputy Aaron Negangard is overseeing the legal operations.
What’s more, Lundberg said, while Hill is not authorized to practice law again until June 18, he remains “licensed,†thus meeting the statutory requirement that he be “duly licensed to practice law.â€
The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission did not oppose the motion to intervene but also did not opine on the statutory process for filling a vacancy. However, the commission did imply that the suspension could mean Hill would have to give up all of his statutory functions, not just those that are legal in nature, during his suspension.
FOOTNOTE: Indiana Lawyer reached out to Holcomb’s office for comment but received no response.
