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 Evansville has made the national news again for something that is so ridiculous that we should all feel shame for what was done?…this time a Caucasian woman was counting on having a meal at the Olive Garden on Green River Road and refused to be waited on by an African American waitress?…instead of showing the woman the door the manager acquiesced to the demand and sent a white server to the table?…this sort of behavior is deplorable and does not reflect the spirit of the people of Evansville but it has tarred and feathered our fair city on the national stage?…this is one of the most hateful things possible and we hope the people of Evansville will support the waitress as a hard-working member of the community who had to deal with a bigot?…the City-County Observer believes in equal opportunity and respect for all and wishes that no one in Evansville would disgrace this city with blatant acts of racism?
IS IT TRUE that the former waitress of Olive Garden Restaurant-Evansville just hired the prestigious law firm of Danks and Danks to represent her for the deplorable treatment she received from a customer dining at this Eastside restaurant?
IS IT TRUE that Vanderburgh County Commissioner continues to lead Vanderburgh County in the right direction with “Good Public Policy”?  ….that the Vanderburgh County Commissioners recently approved a much needed HRC anti-discrimination ordinance?  …ut’s obvious that County Commissioners (Ben Shoulders, Cheryl Musgrave, and Jeff Hatfield) understands that  “being nice to everyone mattersâ€?
IS IT TRUE that Italy’s government has placed more than 16 million people (a quarter of the population) under lockdown, in a drastic bid to prevent the continued spread of coronavirus? Â …that a few local city officials tell us to wash our hands and don’t panic?
IS IT TRUE Â the Coronavirus fight has entered into a new phase this weekend? …top U. S Health Officials just warned that we’ve moved past the “containment” Â stage and into the “mitigation” stage? Â …for more information google the Los Angeles Times?
IS IT TRUE that Governor Holcomb, State Superintendent Jennifer McCormick, and other state leaders are calling for a “hold harmless” on state grades and a pause in consequences ahead of their release in September? …when the ILEARN scores were recently released they showed that fewer than half of Hoosier students were on track to graduate high school ready for college or a career? Â …all we can say about this is “Are You Kidding Us”?
IS IT TRUE that several years ago the City of Evansville approved a TIF for the downtown area in order to generate some extra money to promote downtown? …we wonder if the downtown business owners knew that some of the revenue from this Downtown TIF is being used to retire the debts on multi-million projects such as Ford Center, Stone Center for Health Sciences and Hilton DoubleTree hotel? Â …we wonder if the above transactions could be called a “political bait and switch”?
IS IT TRUE we are told that an individual running for County office is questioning the wisdom of not having a tax-supported “Dog Park” in the County? Â … that gentlemen Vanderburgh farmer recently told us he didn’t need a tax-supported “Dog Park” because he has a 1500-acre farm that his dogs can roam on?
IS IT TRUE we would congratulate the Evansville Sports Corp for hosting the 4th Annual Ohio Valley Championship at the Ford Center? Â …this event was well attended and generated much-needed revenue for our Hotels, Restaurants and business owners?
IS IT TRUE we been told that that money from the Local Option Income Tax and Riverboat Funds are currently being used to help fund area Not-For-Profits organizations?  …last week a good conservative supporter of the CCO told us that the money generated from the Local Option Income Tax and Riverboat Funds should be used to pay down the current $3 million dollar deficit on the City Employee Health Insurance program?
IS IT TRUE that the same conservative supporter of the CCO also told us that the City Of Evansville is quickly becoming known as the “MECCA OF POLITICAL PATRONAGE AND PORK BARREL” spending?
IS IT TRUE the question is “Are printed newspapers becoming obsolete”?  …the answer is that Newspapers are in terminal decline and each year, a few million newspaper readers die and are not replaced by new readers?  …at the same time, an increasingly competitive ad market is making it harder and harder for in-print newspapers to charge premium rates?
IS IT TRUE the question is “How many newspapers closed since 2000?  …the answer is “The pace of the decline has not slowed? …that new research shows that over 2,000 newspapers have closed since 2004, a staggering figure given that the industry was once among the largest employers in America?
IS IT TRUE the question is “What day of the week is the newspaper most read?”  …the answer is “Assuming we’re talking about a paper that publishes seven days a week: Most people work Monday through Friday. Some people get the paper on their way to or from work. Some people only get the Sunday paper — usually, it has a lot more news to read and a lot more coupons to clip?
IS IT TRUE the question is: “What is the most read part of the newspaper”?…the answer is “The most popular newspaper section is ‘Local/domestic/national news’ (read by 65% of the readers), followed by ‘Sports’ (read by 59%). The least popular sections are ‘Home & Decoration’ (read by 13%) and ‘Letters from the Readers’ (read by 12%)”?
IS IT TRUE we would like to thank Kalah Hirsch, Records SpecialistAsst. and IDACS Coordinator with the Evansville Police Department for sending us the daily EPD Police report in a timely manner?
IS IT TRUE we would also like to thank Ray Simmons, Director of Athletic Communications at USI for sending current sports happenings at that fine University?
IS IT TRUEÂ our “READERS POLLS” are non-scientific but trendy?
Today’s “Readers Poll†question is: Do you believe Mayor Winnecke’s statement “that there’s no reason to be fearful of the Coronavirus because there are great plans in place to handle this situation”?
Please take time and read our articles entitled “STATEHOUSE FILES, LAW ENFORCEMENT, “READERS POLL”, BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBSâ€, EDUCATION, OBITUARIES and “LOCAL SPORTSâ€.  You now are able to subscribe to get the CCO daily.
If you would like to advertise on the CCO please contact us at City-County Observer@live.com
CONSENT AGENDA:Â FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
A.
ORDINANCE F-2020-03 An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Evansville Authorizing Transfers of Appropriations, Additional Appropriations and Repeal and Re-Appropriation of Funds for Various City Funds Sponsor(s): Beane Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Beane Discussion Date: 3/30/2020
ORDINANCE F-2020-04 An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Evansville Approving the Annual Community Development Plan and Appropriating Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Solutions Grant and Home Investment Partnership Program Grant Funds Sponsor(s): Beane Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Beane Discussion Date: 3/30/2020 4:00pm
REGULAR AGENDA:Â SECOND READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS
A.
ORDINANCE F-2020-02 Amended An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Evansville Authorizing Transfers of Appropriations, Additional Appropriations and Repeal and Re-Appropriation of Funds for Various City Funds Sponsor(s): Beane Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Beane Discussion Date: 3/9/2020
RESOLUTION C-2020-06 Resolution Regarding the City’s Assistance of Non-Profit Organizations Sponsor(s): Elpers Discussion Led By: President Burton Discussion Date: 3/9/2020
ORDINANCE F-2020-04 An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Evansville Approving the Annual Community Development Plan and Appropriating Community Development Block Grant, Emergency Solutions Grant and Home Investment Partnership Program Grant Funds Sponsor(s): Beane Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Beane Discussion Date: 3/30/2020 4:00pm
CCO Will Have A Weekly Drawing Giving Away Two $100 Dinners Certificates At Cavanaugh’s Restaurant
(WINNERS WILL BE ANNOUNCED ON THIS COMING FRIDAY)Â
During a recent site re-assessment study conducted by our IT personnel, he detected a serious issue where many of our subscribers may have not been getting “Breaking News Alerts” from the City-County Observer.
In fact, we were surprised to find out that many thousands of potential subscribers laid dormant for the last five (5) years because a widget wasn’t activated properly.
This is our official notification to let you know that starting this week we have started to re-activate these dormant e-mails. Â When this task is completed the dormant e-mails will be added to our active subscriber’s list so that future City-County Observer “Breaking News Alerts” will be sent to our readers.
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We Have Exciting News For Our Current And New Subscribers
Beginning in the first week of March 2020 we will be doing a weekly drawing that will award two free $100 dinner certificates (for two to current or new subscribers} at Cavanaugh’s Restaurant located at the Tropicana, Evansville. This weekly random drawing is scheduled to last over the next several months.
FOOTNOTE: Each dinner certificate is valued at $100 and will provide the winner and their guest with a gourmet dinner for two.
Politico Contributing Editor Adam Wren to Speak on 2020 Presidential Race at Vanderburgh County Democratic Party Dinner
Evansville, IN, March 9:
A dinner will be held Thursday, April 2 from 5 to 8 pm at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Adam Wren, Contributing Editor of Politico Magazine, will speak at a dinner presented by the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party on Thursday, April 2nd at the beautiful, historic Veterans’ Memorial Coliseum at 300 Court St in Evansville.Â
Mr. Wren is also a Contributing Editor for Indianapolis Monthly, currently covering the 2020 Presidential election, and recently covered the campaign of 2020 Presidential candidate, Pete Buttigieg. As a non-partisan journalist, he has appeared on MSNBC, CBS 4Indy, Fox 59, and will share candid insights about the state of the 2020 Presidential race as well as Indiana politics.
Vanderburgh County Democratic Chair, Edie Hardcastle, said, “We are excited to be able to host Mr. Wren because he has a front-row seat to this year’s Presidential campaigns. We are also honored to host a member of the press because we strongly believe a free press is the cornerstone of a strong democracy. At a time in history where we see increasing attacks on the news media, honoring the free press, which is enshrined in the First Amendment of our Constitution, is necessary for holding our political leaders accountable.â€
The dinner will be held on April 2 from 5:00 –8:00 pm. Tickets are $20 each and your seat may be reserved by mailing a check to the ‘Vanderburgh County Democratic Party’ at P.O. Box 3208, Evansville, Indiana 47731, or use a credit card online by visiting the link on the website www.vancountydemocrats.com, or calling Treasurer, Cheryl Schultz, at 812-459-7645.
FOOTNOTE: Members of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party Central Committee are: Edie Hardcastle – Chairperson, Nick Iaccarino – Vice-Chair,  Cheryl Schultz – Treasurer, Melissa Morehead Moore –Secretary
FOOTNOTE: This link was sent us long time supporter and friend Ronald Riecken of Evansville. This link is the most detailed and comprehensive breakdown of the Cororravires that we seen to date.
Dr. Jessica Lofton directs the Engineering OPTIONS summer camps for high school and middle school girls.
By Susie Schenk for Stepping Up
Dr. Jessica Lofton is an Assistant Professor in Mechanical Engineering at the University of Evansville. Originally from Benton, Kentucky, Lofton came to Evansville as an undergraduate student. After graduating from UE with a B.S.M.E., she continued her studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, where she earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, with a graduate minor in College Teaching.
Lofton is actively involved in engineering education research with the goal of improving the undergraduate experience for all students by implementing research-based pedagogical strategies. She was recognized for her accomplishments in the classroom with the 2018-19 Dean’s Teaching Award for the UE College of Engineering and Computer Science, which is awarded to one faculty member on an annual basis. Her areas of technical expertise are heat transfer and thermal sciences.
Throughout her academic career, Lofton has maintained an active role as an engaged advocate for young women and underrepresented minorities in STEM. Upon joining the faculty at the University of Evansville, Lofton assumed the role of a faculty advisor for the Society of Women Engineers (SWE), encouraging and supporting young women to persist in STEM. She is the Program Director for the UE Engineering OPTIONS summer camps for high school and middle school girls, which introduce career opportunities in engineering and computer science through hands-on activities, site visits, and mentoring from local female STEM professionals. Lofton also volunteered as a Troop Leader for the inaugural Tech Troop for the Girl Scouts of Southwest Indiana.
In her leisure time, Lofton enjoys painting, recreational sports, reading, and traveling. She lives in Newburgh, Indiana with her husband and three cats. She is an active member of SWE, the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE), and Tri-state Women in STEM (twiSTEM).
Was there something about UE in general or the engineering department that made you want to return to be a professor there?
UE is a small, comprehensive university that offers strong engineering programs while providing a strong feeling of community. Faculty work closely with students on coursework, projects, and individual development, which creates a welcoming and supportive environment to explore and to grow. As a student, I felt like I was part of a large engineering family at UE that genuinely cared about the success of each individual. I was excited to return to that engineering family as a professor, where I could enhance the student experience and share the joy of STEM with future generations.
Are you seeing an increase in the number of female students in your classes?
The number of female students varies each year. UE enrollment tends to follow the national trends of female representation in STEM, but we strive to continue attracting more female and under-represented minorities. The small-school environment fosters inclusivity and provides supportive learning environments to help attract and retain these students.
The OPTIONS summer camps sound amazing! How do students connect to the camp and do you have any professions from which you need a representative?
The OPTIONS website is https://www.evansville.edu/options/ and has links to the application form. We reach out to schools in the region (STEM teachers, guidance counselors, and principals) with information about the camps each year in addition to advertisements and social media plugs as registration opens. OPTIONS has attracted participants from the tri-state area and across the US, including Washington, Texas, Montana, and Georgia.
We are always looking for local professionals willing to participate as a mentor for the camp, which could include leading a hands-on activity, attending a networking event or an informal meal, or potentially hosting site-visits.
About six in 10 adults feel more enthusiastic about voting this year than usual
Thought given to campaign also on the high side for February of an election year
Republicans have the edge on enthusiasm; Democrats, on thought to the campaign
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Americans’ engagement with the 2020 presidential election remains relatively high, as 59% of U.S. adults, similar to the 63% recorded in January, say they feel more enthusiastic than usual about voting in this year’s election.
Today’s level of enthusiasm is similar to the early days of the 2008 primary season when 62% felt more enthusiastic as highly popular presidential candidates in both parties were seeking their party’s nod. By contrast, 55% were more enthusiastic at a comparable point in 2004, while fewer than half were this keen in February 2012 (47%), May 2016 (46%) and March 2000 (37%).
Additionally, two-thirds say they have given “quite a lot” of thought to the election, on the high end for February of presidential election years, although shy of the record high from 2008.
Americans’ Voting Enthusiasm and Thought Given to the Election in Recent Presidential Election Years
Based on U.S. adults
Early in election year^
End of election year^
Change
%
%
pct. pts.
% More enthusiastic about voting
2020 Feb 17-28
59
—
—
2016 May 18-22
46
47
+1
2012 Feb 16-19
47
62
+15
2008 Feb 8-10
62
65
+3
2004 Jan 29-Feb 1
55
65
+10
2000 Mar 10-12
37
n/a
n/a
% Given quite a lot of thought to election
2020 Feb 16-29
67
—
—
2016 Jan 21-25
63
77
+14
2012 Feb 16-19
61
78
+17
2008 Feb 21-24
72
81
+9
2004 Feb 16-17
60
84
+24
2000 Feb 20-21
41
70
+29
^ Dates shown are for Early in election year; End of election year dates are the latest available, from late October or early November
GALLUP
Of the four presidential elections held so far this century, enthusiasm increased in two as the campaign wore on (2004 and 2012) and not in the other two (2008 and 2016). By contrast, the amount of thought Americans give to presidential elections reliably increases as Election Day nears.
The latest poll was conducted Feb. 17-28, after the Iowa and New Hampshire contests, but before former Vice President Joe Biden’s strong performance in South Carolina and on Super Tuesday.
Republicans Currently Hold Edge in Election Enthusiasm
Enthusiasm for voting in 2020 is fairly high among Democrats and Republicans, although Republicans have the slight edge in the pre-Super Tuesday poll, as they did in most recent presidential election years at this point in the campaign.
Republicans are also expressing the most enthusiasm they have in the early months of any election since Gallup first measured this in 2000. The current 64% feeling more enthusiastic easily beats the prior high of 53% in 2012 and 2004 for this time of year.
Democrats’ enthusiasm (58%), in turn, well exceeds where it stood at a slightly later point in 2016 (43% in May) and in February 2012 (45%) and March 2000 (33%). It matches the level recorded in January/February 2004 (59%) but is considerably lower than in February 2008 (79%).
U.S. Adults’ Relative Enthusiasm for Voting in Presidential Elections
Compared to previous elections, are you more enthusiastic than usual about voting, or less enthusiastic?
Stronger Democratic enthusiasm at the end of the 2008 campaign aligned with Obama’s victory in that election; but a comparable Republican edge on the measure in 2012 did not portend a Republican victory.
Republicans held nonsignificant leads on enthusiasm in 2004 and 2016, both years when Republicans prevailed in the Electoral College, if not the popular vote.
What Explains One Party’s Greater Enthusiasm?
Historically, in the early months of a campaign, there is not a clear relationship between the competitiveness of a nomination and party enthusiasm.
In some years when only one party had a competitive race for the nomination, that party was the more enthusiastic: Republicans in 2012 and Democrats in 2004. By contrast, although President Donald Trump is seeking reelection this year and Democrats are waging a nomination contest, Republicans are the more enthusiastic.
Two of the more lopsided years for enthusiasm featured an open race in both parties. This includes 2008, when Democrats were substantially more enthusiastic (+35 percentage points) as the Democratic field featured Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama battling for the nomination; and 2000, when Republicans held a 12-point edge in a year of low enthusiasm for both parties.
As Expected, Democrats Slightly More Attentive to Election
Two-thirds of Americans (67%) have given quite a lot of thought to the 2020 election for president as of the late February survey, up from 61% in January.
The latest “thought” figure is higher than what Gallup recorded at a comparable point in most recent presidential elections, except for 2008, when 72% had given quite a lot of thought to the election.
Percentage of U.S. Adults Who Have Given “Quite a Lot” of Attention to the Election
How much thought have you given to the upcoming election for president — quite a lot, or only a little?
U.S. adults
Republicans
Independents
Democrats
Democratic vs. Republican advantage
%
%
%
%
2020 Feb 16-29
67
70
58
76
+6
2016 Jan 21-25
63
72
55
65
-7
2012 Feb 16-19
61
75
52
60
-15
2008 Feb 21-24
72
76
64
77
+1
2004 Feb 16-17
60
62
51
67
+5
2000 Feb 20-21
41
48
35
40
-8
Selected trend based on date closest to mid-February in presidential election years
GALLUP
As would be expected at the start of a year, when only one party is engaged in a competitive race for their party’s presidential nomination, members of that party group have given more thought to the election than members of the opposing party. Specifically, in February 2020, 76% of Democrats, compared with 70% of Republicans, say they have given “quite a lot” of thought to the upcoming election for president.
The six-point Democratic edge is comparable to that party’s lead on this measure in 2004, the last time the Democrats were seeking to unseat an incumbent Republican president.
By the same token, in February 2012, when Republicans waged a competitive primary to decide the nominee who would face President Barack Obama in the fall, Republicans led in thought given to the election by 15 points.
In the two recent elections when both parties had an open race for the nomination, Republicans led on thought in January 2016, while the two parties were tied in February 2008.
Once the primary season is over and both parties are focused on the general election, this question will provide a better indication of potential voter turnout in the election.
Bottom Line
Although only one party has an open race for its 2020 presidential nomination, Americans of both major party groups are giving a great deal of thought to the campaign and feel enthusiastic about the election relative to prior years. The numbers provide some insight into why Republican primary turnout has been so strong, despite the lack of a serious Trump challenger. And while Democratic turnout in the first states to vote has mostly fallen short of 2008, a high “enthusiasm” year, it has exceeded 2016 turnout, particularly on Super Tuesday.
Both parties will be focused on maintaining their voter energy into the fall, and Gallup’s “enthusiasm” and “thought given to the election” metrics will be one way to track how well that’s working.
Financial exploitation is one of the fastest growing and most common type of abuse among elders and minors.
To combat this issue, I sponsored a bill that would help protect vulnerable Hoosiers. It is considered theft for a guardian or person with power of attorney to use their authority to manipulate and take money from a dependent, and it is important for there to be safeguards in place to help victims receive justice.Unfortunately, many cases of exploitation are not pursued because the amount taken is less than $10,000, which is the current minimum needed for prosecution.
This legislation would remove the minimum and include additional protections for minors.
We want to protect the most vulnerable members of our community by making it easier for them to seek legal action against those who have taken advantage of them.
This legislation is now eligible to be signed into law by the governor. Please let me know if you have any questions by contacting me at h76@iga.in.gov or 1-800-382-9841.
Gov. Eric J. Holcomb today announced he has selected Tracy Barnes to serve as the chief information officer for the state of Indiana.
“Tracy offers the vision and skills essential to growing the digital strategy required to power great government service,†Gov. Holcomb said. “His combination of private sector and public service experiences will ensure the state is on the cutting edge of technology, cybersecurity and policy.â€
Since 2017, Barnes has served as the chief of staff for Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch. In this role, Tracy assists the Lt. Governor with the management and leadership of the executive office, the business office, and four state agencies including the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD), Office of Community and Rural Affairs (OCRA), and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA).
“Tracy has a bold vision for state government that inspired our entire staff to think bolder, act faster and constantly find new ways to better serve Hoosiers,†said Lt. Gov. Crouch. “He spearheaded the implementation of the State’s electronic Grants Management System, transformed how we deliver broadband to rural communities and challenged our agencies to make diversity and inclusion a priority. I am so proud to see him step into this new role and use his talents to modernize our evolving state and agency needs.â€
Barnes brings significant business leadership and information technology experience to his role, having previously served as Deputy Auditor and IT Director for the Indiana Auditor of State.
Additionally, he was president and CEO of ENTAP, Inc. which designed and delivered effective information technology solutions to organizations in various industries across the globe.
Barnes has been recognized as Inc. Magazine’s 9th Fastest Growing Black Entrepreneur and has received accolades from Top 50 Indiana Companies to Watch, the TechPoint MIRA awards, and IBE Governor’s Award for Achievement in Technology.
Barnes earned a Bachelor’s degree in computer science from Butler University and a certificate from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
Barnes will become a member of the Governor’s cabinet when he starts his new position on March 30.
