Home Blog Page 3262

50 Rides Inspected Ahead Of State Fair Opening Day

0

TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS- As Hoosiers and visitors walk under the archway of the Midway at the Indiana State Fair, games, fair food and rides are expected.

What isn’t expected is an unsafe, un-inspected fair ride.

The Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) oversees inspection of all of the fair’s rides, making sure they are safe for eager visitors. The IDHS doesn’t have a hand in assembling the rides, but instead inspects them to ensure safety requirements are met.

“Safety is our highest priority,” Indiana State Fire Marshal Jim Greeson said Thursday standing in front of the Tilt-A-Whirl at the fairgrounds. “We look at those rides to make sure they are meeting the manufacturers’ parameters.”

 

Indiana codes include making sure stop buttons work, that there is proper padding where needed and that welded metals are secure.

Tom Hendricks, chief inspector of amusement rides for IDHS, said many aspects of a ride are looked at, including brakes.

One way they’re tested? They ride them. Thursday – after the initial inspections and riderless run-throughs of the amusements — IDHS staff members were trying out the Bullet Train roller coaster and other thrills to make sure they weren’t unintentionally too thrilling.

.

Most of the rides had already had the one yearly inspection that is required. The checks Thursday by the IDHS are just extra precautions to ensure the safety of the visitors.

The 23 inspectors out on the midway check each ride, one by one, for issues. If an issue is minor, they typically fix it on sight. Other larger issues might take days to fix. So far, no rides inspected this year have had any issues.

In 2011, the State Fair received nationwide publicity after a stage collapsed during a Sugarland concert, killing seven people, during a storm. It was later found that the stage did not meet certain safety requirements. Hendricks said, however, the department’s building safety inspectors, and not the elevator and amusement ride safety inspectors, are in charge of inspecting stages.

While a ride may be deemed safe, it still can be shut down in case of bad weather. For example, the Ferris Wheel cannot operate if the winds are over 35 miles per hour.

 

The Midway, with around 50 rides, takes about two-and-a-half days to inspect. The staff started inspections Wednesday morning and expects to have them finished when the Midway opens to fairgoers at noon Friday.

At that point, fairgoers can express their own safety concerns. Each ride has a sticker with the phone number of the IDHS. If at any point a spectator feels that a ride is unsafe, he or she can call the number and the IDHS will come and do further checks.

Matthew Cronley, IDHS amusement rides section chief, said, though, that fairgoers can relax and just have fun.

“I can confidently say you can bring your family, your friends, your kids, your grandchildren out here to the State Fair, and you’ll have a fun experience,” Cronley said.

Footnote: Victoria Ratliff is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

New Law Aims To Protect Students Boarding School Buses

0

By Abrahm Hurt
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS– Indiana children are heading back to school with a new state law in place to try to keep them safe as they board buses.

The law was passed this year by the Indiana General Assembly in response to the deaths of three children in 2018 as they prepared to get on their school bus in Fulton County.

Alivia Stahl and her twin brothers, Xzavier and Mason Ingle, were hit and killed last October. Alyssa Shepherd, who was on her way to work, failed to stop for a school bus that had its lights flashing and stop arm extended, striking the children as they crossed the street.

Shepherd is scheduled to face trial in October on three counts of reckless homicide, one count of criminal recklessness and one count of passing a school bus with its safety arm extended.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Tony Slocum, public information officer for the Peru district which contains Fulton County, sent out a Tweet recently warning motorists to pay attention.

“Be ready in the early morning and early afternoon hours to stop for school buses. Watch for children walking to and from school/waiting on buses,” Slocum tweeted.  “Officers will have zero tolerance for those who disregard a bus stop arm or speed in school zones.”

Senate Enrolled Act 2, authored by Sen. Randy Head, R-Logansport,makes running a school bus stop sign a Class A misdemeanor, up from a Class B misdemeanor. If the action results in injury, it is a Level 6 felony, and if the action results in a death it is a Level 5 felony, which carries a penalty of one to six years in prison.

The new law also adds school bus safety to the topics required on a learner’s permit or driver’s license exam, requires school buses to have reflective tape in certain areas and school buses must operate with daytime running lights.

Others changes include that if a school bus is operated on a U.S. or state route, outside city or town boundaries, the bus driver may not load or unload a student at a location that requires the student to cross a roadway. The only exception is if there are no other safe alternatives.

The law also says school bus drivers should load or unload students as close as possible to the right-hand curb or edge of the roadway.

The law mandates school corporations, charter schools and accredited nonpublic schools that provide transportation to annually review their school bus routes and safety policies.

Rep. Terry Goodin, an Austin Democrat who also is superintendent of Crothersville Community Schools, said the school corporation had to make some changes to their bus routes but that they were already complying with the additional safety codes.

“We changed up some routes to make sure we were picking up kids on certain sides of the road and on the door side of the bus,” he said.

Goodin said their bus drivers are professional who do a “superb job” and are “always on the spot.”

“They treat those kids that get on that bus just like they would their own,” he said. “They’re conscious about the safety procedures and habits.”

Adam Baker, spokesman for the Indiana Department of Education, said the department has spoken to most districts and, so far, all have said they are able to comply.

He said IDOE wrote and distributed guidance for the districts based on the new law.

“We believe it should help,” Baker said, “but also understand some of the new law, such as where buses can load and unload students, only applies to state and U.S. highways. There are other locations where students can cross.”

State law had already required motorists to stop, rather than simply proceed with caution, when a school bus is picking up or dropping off children, as signaled by its lights and the stop arm extended.

But according to the Indiana State Police website, drivers do not have to stop if the road is divided by a physical barrier such as a guardrail, concrete barrier or grass median. On a divided roadway, only vehicles traveling in the same direction as the school bus are required to stop.

Indiana law requires the State Police Department to perform an annual inspection on all buses and a semi-annual inspection on buses at least 12 years old to ensure they are safe to operate. The State Police website says these inspections help provide safe modes of transportation, prevent crashes and injuries and lower the cost of operation and maintenance for school systems.

“The biggest thing that can be done to improve safety at bus stops is to drive home to motorists they have to be more attentive while driving,” Baker said. “While their vehicle may be a convenience to them, it quickly can become a two-ton weapon if they are not paying attention.”

Goodin said he would like the General Assembly to stay involved in school bus safety.

“What I would like to see the legislature do is to be a little more proactive and try to assume or try to figure out where problems might be to fix beforehand,” he said. “But, unfortunately a lot of the scenarios happen, and that’s what leads to the safety side.”

FOOTNOTE:  Abrahm Hurt is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalists.

 

Body of 1930s Gangster John Dillinger To Be Exhumed

0

IL for www.theindianalawyer.com

The body of notorious 1930s gangster John Dillinger is expected to be exhumed from an Indianapolis cemetery in September more than 85 years after he was killed by FBI agents outside a Chicago theater.

The Indiana State Department of Health approved a permit July 3 sought by Dillinger’s nephew, Michael C. Thompson, to have the body exhumed from Crown Hill Cemetery and reinterred there.

The permit doesn’t give a reason for the request, and Thompson couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

The Indianapolis-born Dillinger was one of America’s most notorious criminals. He and his gang pulled off a bloody string of bank robberies across the Midwest in the 1930s. The FBI says that Dillinger’s gang killed 10 people, but Dillinger was never convicted of murder.

Dillinger was awaiting trial in the slaying of an East Chicago police officer when he escaped from jail in Crown Point in March 1934 with a gun carved out of wood. While on the run, he underwent plastic surgery to alter his face and was said to have tried to remove his fingerprints with acid.

Dillinger, who was portrayed by Johnny Depp in the 2009 movie “Public Enemies,” was fatally shot in July 1934 by FBI agents outside the Biograph theater in Chicago after he was betrayed by a woman who became known in the papers as the “Lady in Red.”

Indiana health department spokeswoman Jeni O’Malley said that based on the permit, the agency expects Dillinger’s body will be exhumed and reinterred on Sept. 16 — the date listed on the document.

“In terms of the way the permit reads, that’s what it signals,” she said Tuesday.

Crown Hill Cemetery spokeswoman Crystal King said the cemetery has no information about the plans to exhume Dillinger, whose grave is an attraction at the hilltop graveyard on Indianapolis’ near-north side.

Messages seeking comment were left Tuesday for Jeffery Scalf, whose grandmother was Dillinger’s half-sister, and for Savanah Light, the funeral director whose name is listed on the permit.

HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE

0
Experience Accountant
Vowells & Schaaf, LLP CPAs – Evansville, IN
Knowledge of federal and state income taxation. CPA certification a plus. A minimum of 5 years of accounting and income tax preparation in a public accounting…
Easily apply
Sponsored
Payroll Clerk/Administrative Assistant
A@D Constructors LLC. – Evansville, IN
Provides payroll information by answering questions and requests.\*\*. Analyzing Information, Data Entry Skills, Attention to Detail, Confidentiality,…
Easily apply
Jul 29
IT Technician – Corporate – 3rd Shift 11 PM to 7 AM
Gibbs Die Casting 3.2/5 rating   73 reviews  – Henderson, KY
Must be willing to obtain NFPA70E ARC Flash Certification, Aerial/Scissor Lift Certification, and A+ Certification….
Jul 30
Front Office Assistant
AhaNOW! Counseling – Evansville, IN
Answering and routing phone calls. Managing incoming and outgoing phone calls in a pleasant manner. Applicants must have a basic knowledge of receptionist…
Easily apply
Jul 30
Dining Room Manager 5+ years experience required
Red Geranium Restaurant & New Harmony Inn – New Harmony, IN
To establish and maintain service and quality standards for guests of the Red Geranium Restaurant and to actively oversee that we maintain a positive reputation…
Easily apply
Sponsored
Floor Technician/Maintenance Assistant
Premier Healthcare of New Harmony – New Harmony, IN
Perform routine maintenance and repair on the facility and equipment to include plumbing, plastering, electrical, carpentry, mechanical, etc., as directed, in…
Easily apply
Sponsored

NEW HARMONY GAZETTE FOR AUGUST, 2019

0

NEW HARMONY GAZETTE FOR AUGUST, 2019

New Harmony Gazette August 2019

JNC To Interview Rush, Justices On Chief Justice Appointment

0

IL for www.theindianalawyer.com

The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission will vote this month to select the state’s next chief justice.

In a Friday announcement, the Indiana Supreme Court said the commission will begin interviews regarding the reappointment of Chief Justice Loretta H. Rush at 9 a.m. August 21 in Room 319 of the Statehouse. The appointment of Indiana’s highest judicial officer occurs every five years and is open to the press and public.

Rush, who succeeded former Chief Justice Brent Dickson, was named chief justice in 2014 by then-Gov. Mike Pence.

The four other Supreme Court justices are set to attend the August meeting to share their thoughts on what they consider to be important qualities and attributes that a chief justice should maintain.

The justices are set to speak with the commission in 15-minute intervals, beginning at 9 a.m. with Justice Geoffrey Slaughter and followed by Justice Mark Massa at 9:15, Justice Steven David at 9:45 and Justice Christopher Goff at 10 a.m. Slaughter will participate by phone, and Rush will close out the interview process at 10:15.

At approximately 10:30 a.m., the commission will go into an executive session for discussion. Following the executive session, the commission will convene in a public session to vote on its selection of Indiana’s next chief justice.

Evansville Police to Patrol for Drugged and Alcohol-Impaired Drivers

0

 

The Evansville Police Department is joining about 230 law-enforcement agencies across Indiana and thousands nationwide in the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over mobilization. From mid-August through Labor Day, police will be working overtime to arrest impaired drivers. Expect to see increased sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols and saturation patrols.

Any substance that makes you feel different – like legal or illegal drugs and alcohol – can also make you drive different. Designate a sober driver today as officers will be on patrol for impaired drivers.

A driving while intoxicated (DWI) arrest means going to jail and losing your driver’s license. The average DWI cost? About $10,000, including car towing and repairs, attorney fees, fines, court costs, lost time at work and other hefty expenses.

Overtime patrols are supported with National Highway Traffic Safety Administration funds distributed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI). For more information, visit http://on.IN.gov/drivesober. 

New impaired-driving equipment

In every state, it is illegal to drive with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher. In Indiana, drivers under 21 with a BAC of .02 or higher are subject to fines and a license suspension for up to 1 year. 

But DWI includes more than alcohol, and there is no quick field test for the many prescription, over-the-counter and illegal drugs that can impair drivers. To assist with traffic enforcement, ICJI recently provided Indiana police agencies with:

  • 2,600 portable breath tests to evaluate alcohol impairment in drivers,
  • 1,000 RADAR and LIDAR speed-measurement devices, and
  • Android tablets for 248 highly trained police officers who document drugged drivers.

Tips for a safe and fun season

The annual Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over enforcement campaign includes the Labor Day weekend, with thousands upon thousands of Hoosier families taking to their cars for end-of-summer barbecues, football games, lakes and pool parties. Sadly, it is also one of the deadliest times of year for impaired-driving deaths.

With all of today’s options for getting home safely, there’s no excuse for getting behind the wheel impaired as it endangers you and everyone else around you. Law enforcement recommends these safe alternatives to impaired driving:

  • Designate, or be, a sober driver.
  • Use public transportation.
  • Call a cab or a ridesharing service.
  • Download the SaferRide mobile app on the Android Play Store or the Apple iTunes Store. This app only has three options: call a taxi, call a friend, and identify your location for pickup.
  • Celebrate at home or a place where you can stay until sober.
  • Throwing a party? Offer non-alcoholic beverages and plenty of food.
  • Never provide alcohol to minors.
  • Ask young drivers about their plans.
  • Friend or family member about to drive? Take the keys and make alternate arrangements.

Ride sober

Motorcycles are about 3 percent of registered vehicles, but are dramatically over-represented in impaired driving crashes. And the more that bikers are impaired, the less likely they are to wear helmets.

Report impaired drivers 

If you see an impaired driver, turn off the road away from the vehicle and call 911. Signs of impaired driving include:

  • Weaving, swerving, drifting, or straddling the center line
  • Driving at a very slow speed
  • Braking erratically
  • Making wide turns
  • Stopping without cause
  • Responding slowly to traffic signals
  • Driving after dark with headlights off
  • Closely missing an object or vehicle
  • Turning abruptly or illegally
  • Driving on the wrong side of the road

 

Drivers should also watch for impaired pedestrians who may not be paying attention to their surroundings.

 

Dr. George Rapp To Receive 2019 Sachem Award

0

INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb will present Hoosier humanitarian Dr. George Rapp with the 2019 Sachem Award, the state’s highest honor, at a ceremony Tuesday, Aug. 27.

“Dr. George Rapp has helped make his hometown, our state and the world a much better place to live through his devotion to the arts, education and medicine,” Gov. Holcomb said. “You would be hard-pressed to find someone who has made the kind of impact he has in so many different fields.”

First Lady Janet Holcomb announced that Dr. Rapp will be this year’s recipient during the Hoosier Art Salon’s 95th Annual Exhibition Preview Event Thursday evening at the Indiana State Museum. Dr. Rapp, a longtime supporter of the salon, served as a co-host of the event.

The Sachem is given annually to recognize a lifetime of excellence and moral virtue that has brought credit and honor to Indiana. Previous recipients include Holocaust survivor Eva Mozes Kor (2017), Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh, president emeritus of the University of Notre Dame and world statesman (2006), and long-time businessman and civic leader P.E. MacAllister (2014). Dr. Rapp will be the third Sachem honoree named by Gov. Holcomb.

A native of New Harmony, Indiana, Dr. Rapp has been a medical pioneer, champion of education and supporter of the arts throughout his life.

An orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Rapp practiced for thirty-five years, serving the majority of that time as chief of orthopedic surgery and the orthopedic residency program at St. Vincent Hospital, clinical professor of Orthopedic Surgery at Indiana University School of Medicine, and Director of the Scoliosis Clinic at Riley Hospital for Children. In those roles, he treated a countless number of patients, including numerous children with scoliosis, and helped train many orthopedic surgery residents. An innovator, Dr. Rapp invented a hip prosthesis for total hip replacement and helped found Sofamor Danek, now a division of Medtronic, one of the world’s largest manufacturers of spinal instrumentation.

Dr. Rapp’s passion for education has made a global mark. He has provided college scholarships to graduating seniors at New Harmony High School, been a lead fundraiser for the Indiana University School of Medicine, worked with the Indiana University Kenya program to supply volunteer orthopedic surgeons to help further orthopedic education in Africa, and been instrumental in developing surgical suites and housing facilities at Moi University in Eldoret, Kenya.

Since his retirement, Dr. Rapp has devoted his life to numerous philanthropic efforts, working with such groups as Crossroads of America Boy Scouts, Indiana Historical Society, the Indiana State Museum and Indiana Landmarks. A proponent of the arts, he helped start the New Harmony Hoosier Salon Art Gallery and the annual “First Brush of Spring” New Harmony Paint Out, now in its 21st year, and helped restore the Ravine Garden at Newfields in Indianapolis.

He and his wife, Peggy, now live in Indianapolis. His life motto is “Do all the good you can, in all the ways you can, for all the people you can, for as long as you can.”

 

Obituary for Mary Elizabeth Kormelink

0

Mary Elizabeth (Schenk) Kormelink, 93, passed away on Wednesday,
July 31, 2019 at Deaconess Midtown in Evansville. She was born on July 30, 1926 in Vanderburgh County to the late John and Magdelena (Wolf) Schenk.

Mary was a member of St. Theresa Catholic Church where she was head usher for many years. She was the first female machine operator at Shane Uniform Company during the war effort. Mary was a beloved cafeteria worker at Evans Elementary School where she touched the lives of many young children. She and her husband raised Homing Pigeons and White Doves. Mary loved sitting at her bay window and screened in porch.

Mary is survived by her sons Thomas (Lisa) Kormelink, Jr., of Decatur, IL and Timothy (Lisa) Kormelink of Newburgh; daughter, Robynn (Joe) Working of Evansville; grandchildren, Michael (Sloan) Kormelink, Matthew (Jen) Kormelink, Lauren and Lindsey Kormelink; Justin (Jess) Kormelink, Josh Kormelink, Brianne (Scott) Elmendorf, and Bethany Kormelink; Ryan (Amy) Nicholson, Louis (Becca) Nicholson and Christie (Carlos) Caballero; Tara Garrett and Katelynn Working; 8 Great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews.

In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by her husband of 60 years, Thomas L. Kormelink, Sr. and her brothers, Roman and Linus Schenk.

Visitation will be Friday, August 2, 2019 from 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm at Ziemer Funeral Home Central Chapel, 626 First Ave., Evansville. Visitation will continue on Saturday, August 3, 2019 from 10:00 am to 11:00 am at the funeral home. The funeral service will begin at 11:00 am with Father Ted Tempel officiating.

Burial will be at St. Joseph Catholic Cemetery, 2500 Mesker Park Dr., Evansville, IN 47720.

Memorial contributions may be made to the Deaconess Hospital Foundation, 600 Mary Street, Evansville, IN 47747.

Condolences may be made online at www.ziemerfuneralhome.com.

Obituary for Zachary Joseph Tromley

0

Zachary Joseph Tromley, 27, passed away on Sunday, July 28, 2019 after a long and courageous battle with osteosarcoma. Zach received his first diagnosis in November of 2007. He underwent treatment and surgery and was cancer free for 8 years. He had his first relapse in 2016, but continued to pursue pharmacy school while undergoing treatment. 

Zach attended St. Philip Catholic grade school and Mater Dei High School. He participated on the Mater Dei tennis team and played keyboard for the Mater Dei Marching Wildcats. He completed his prerequisite coursework for pharmacy school at the University of Southern Indiana and just recently was granted his Pharm.D degree through Midwestern University in Chicago. Zach loved hanging with friends, tasting IPA’s, and watching super hero movies.

Zach is survived by his parents, Tony & Beth Tromley, his older brother, Nick, and his wife, Kristyn, nephew, Joe, and two younger sisters, Megan and Molly. Also, surviving are grandparents, Joe & Betty Elpers and Mary Ann Tromley

The family would like to thank all the healthcare providers that supported them throughout the journey. Dr. Jessica Goodman at Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital, Dr. Joseph Pressey at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, Dr. Reza Mehran, at MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Brian Van Tine at Siteman Cancer Center, Dr. Mark Agulnik at Northwestern Medical Center, Dr. Peter Anderson and Dr. Seth Rotz at Cleveland Clinic, and our local oncologist, Dr. Tom Waits. Special thanks also to the staff at St. Vincent Oncology Hematology Associates and the staff at the Linda E. White Hospice House for their kindness and excellent care.

Family and friends are invited to attend his memorial service on Saturday, August 3, 2019 at Evansville City Church at 1:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Evansville City Church, 314 Market St. Evansville IN, 47708 or the family’s non-profit, Riding Hope, Inc., a horseback riding program for children with special needs.

Condolences may be made online at www.ziemerfuneralhome.com.

1...3,2613,2623,263...7,221Page 3,262 of 7,221