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HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
Indiana Main Street Program Welcomes Two New Communities
the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs announced Roann Community Heritage and Main Street Centerville Inc. as the newest members of the Indiana Main Street Program, which encourages economic development, redevelopment and improvement to downtown areas.
“Congratulations to Roann and Centerville for becoming the latest organizations to join the Indiana Main Street Program and bringing our total to 135,†said Jodi Golden, OCRA Executive Director. “By seeking this designation, these communities are committed to preserve, cultivate and revitalize their historic commercial core and cultivate a strong and vibrant downtown.â€
Golden said both main street organizations are comprised of dedicated community members working together to revitalize their downtown. The mission of Roann’s Community Heritage, Inc., is to enhance and preserve Roann’s cultural and architectural heritage.
“We are so excited to be a part of Indiana Main Street! We look forward to working with members of the community to improve Roann and make it a destination people are drawn to,†said Jo Ellen Nelson, Co-President of Roann’s Community Heritage, Inc.
The mission of Main Street Centerville, Inc. is to enrich the town through economic development, redevelopment and beautification initiatives. They will help educate others on the history, architecture and vitality of the businesses and residents.
“The designation really validates that Main Street Centerville has established a strong organization, and helps us form partnerships across the community for greater impact,†said Melissa Vance, President/CEO of the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce. “This is just the beginning – great things are on the horizon!â€
For more information on the Indiana Main Street Program, visit www.in.gov/ocra/mainstreet.htm.
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Reducing Regulatory Burdens: EPA’s Proposal Levels the Playing Field for Sources That Reduce Hazardous Air Emissions
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed a rule to implement the clear language of the Clean Air Act that allows a “major source†of hazardous air pollutants (HAP) to reclassify as an “area source†after acting to limit emissions to below the levels that define major sources. This proposal would relieve reclassified facilities from regulatory requirements intended for much larger emitters and encourage other sources to pursue innovations in pollution reduction technologies, engineering, and work practices.
“‘Once in, always in’ policies discourage facilities from deploying the latest pollution control technologies or modernizing in ways that increase efficiency and reduce emissions,†said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Today’s proposal would remove a major regulatory burden and incentivize investments in technologies that improve air quality and public health.â€
“This action is based on a clear reading of the statute that is in line with EPA’s guidance for other provisions of the Clean Air Act,†said Bill Wehrum, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation. “It will reduce regulatory burden for industries and the states while continuing to ensure stringent and effective controls on hazardous air pollutants.â€
Today’s action would implement EPA’s reading of the Clean Air Act described in a January 2018 guidance memo withdrawing the “once in, always in†policy. Established in 1995, the “once in, always in†policy determined that any facility subject to major source standards would always remain subject to those standards—even if production processes changed or controls were implemented that eliminated or permanently reduced that facility’s potential to emit hazardous air pollutants. States, state organizations, and industries frequently noted that the “once in, always in†policy discouraged voluntary pollution abatement and prevention efforts and technological innovations that would reduce hazardous air pollution emissions. EPA’s January 2018 memo found EPA had no authority under the Clean Air Act to limit when a facility may be determined to be an area source and that facilities may be reclassified as area sources once their potential to emit hazardous air pollutants falls below the levels that define major sources.
EPA estimates that this proposal would result in cost savings when compared to the agency’s previous “once in, always in†policy. Of the estimated 7,920 sources subject to national emissions standards as a major source, EPA estimates nearly half could become area sources, saving $168.9 million in the first year and $163 million to $183 million annually (in 2014 dollars) in the following years.
EPA requests comment on all aspects of this proposal, including:
- EPA’s position that the proposed approach is the proper reading of Clean Air Act section 112(a) and is consistent with the act’s clear language and structure.
- Requirements for establishing effective HAP emissions limits.
- Allowing limitations issued by the state/local/tribal air pollution control agencies to be recognized as effective provided they are legally and practically enforceable.
- Safeguards that may be appropriate to protect against emissions increases.
EPA will accept comment on the proposal for 60 days after publication in the Federal Register.
UE Athletics teams with Sidearm Sports to create new app
University of Evansville athletics has teamed up with Sidearm Sports to launch a new app for the Purple Aces. It is free to fans and can be downloaded on both the App Store on Apple Devices and the Google Play Store on Android models.
To access the new app, you can click on either of the links above for your respective device or search “Evansville Athleticsâ€. The app is fully integrated with GoPurpleAces.com and content from the site will appear on the app in a mobile form.
Fans will be able to create free accounts that allow them to receive push notifications for each UE sport they would like to follow. Direct access to all Purple Aces videos and social media accounts are also accessible directly from the app. In the coming months, interactive features including geo-fencing will be utilized for unique promotions when the UE teams get back on the field. The athletic department will also feature contests and promotions for those who download the app.
Acquired by collegiate marketer Learfield IMG College in June 2014, SIDEARM Sports is the nation’s leading digital provider for college athletics. The company is based in Syracuse, N.Y. and was founded in 2000 by Jeff Rubin, who continues to lead the business. SIDEARM is trusted by some of the biggest brands in intercollegiate athletics, including 250 NCAA Division I programs and 56 Power Five athletic departments.
As a leader in collegiate athletic web solutions, SIDEARM Sports provides the software and technology that powers websites, mobile applications, live stats, social presence and video streaming for its school and conference partners. Clients applaud SIDEARM for its service, reliability and customization, and its easy-to-use interface allows schools to customize their content streams and digital presence.
Adopt A Pet
Harmony is a female medium-haired brown & white cat! She’s the mom of the “Rocketman†Elton John kittens. They were all surrendered at the end of May. Nearly all the kittens have found homes, and now hopefully it’s Harmony’s turn soon! She’s only 1 year old. Her adoption fee is $40 and includes her spay, microchip, vaccines, and more. Contact Vanderburgh Humane at (812) 426-2563 for adoption details!
Justices allow seizure, turnover of $60K in alleged drug money
Olivia Covington for www.theindianalawyer.com
The Indiana Supreme Court has upheld the seizure of $60,000 in cash believed to be drug money, finding the officer who intercepted the parcel holding the cash had probable cause to think the package was related to drug trafficking. The unanimous ruling also upholds the turnover of the cash to the federal government, though it doesn’t address whether the money will be forfeited.
The case of Michael Hodges v. State of Indiana, 19S-MI-117, began in 2017, when Detective Brian Thorla and his K-9 partner, Hogan, were investigating parcels at an Indianapolis FedEx shipping facility. One package caught Thorla’s attention because it was being shipped to California, was addressed to “Christopher Smith,†was in a new FedEx box, had been paid for with cash and was shipped priority overnight with no signature required upon delivery. In Thorla’s experience, these factors, including shipping to a drug “source†state and the use of a generic name, indicated involvement with drug trafficking.
Hogan twice alerted to a narcotics odor coming from the package, shipped by Michael Hodges, so Thorla obtained a warrant to search the parcel for “controlled substances…, records of drug trafficking and proceeds of drug trafficking,… involving the proactive attempts of concealing currency as listed in the affidavit … .†The warrant required Thorla “to seize such property, or any part thereof, found on such search.â€
When Thorla opened Hodge’s package, he found a vacuum-sealed plastic container filled with $60,990 in cash. The container was surrounded by “padded packs,†some of which are often used to conceal odors.
Hogan then alerted on the cash, so police seized the money and obtained a court order to transfer it to the federal government. The transfer was stayed pending appeal, at which point the Court of Appeals determined the seizure of the cash was unlawful.
But after hearing oral arguments in April, the Supreme Court upheld the seizure a Thursday opinion. Chief Justice Loretta Rush, writing for the unanimous court, said that under the totality of the circumstances, Thorla had probable cause to seize the cash.
The telltale signs that the parcel was possibly involved in drug trafficking gave Thorla probable cause to seek the search warrant, Rush said. And what he found inside the box — multiple layers of sealed packaging, a vacuum-sealed plastic container, the large amount of rubber-banded cash — gave him probable cause to seize the money.
“Might each of these circumstances be the result of innocent behavior? Yes,†the chief wrote. “It may well be that the cash is not proceeds of drug trafficking. It may be as Hodges asserts – that he mailed the $60,990.00 to a World Series ticket holder in a lawful exchange for expensive tickets.
“But the existence of a post hoc innocent explanation does not preclude probable cause from forming,†she continued. “Here, the combination of circumstances gave Detective Thorla reason to believe that the cash was proceeds of drug trafficking. That is enough to meet the probable-cause standard, making the seizure lawful and the turnover proper.â€
In a footnote, the court disapproved of the 2017 decision in Bowman v. State, 81 N.E.3d 1127 (Ind. Ct. App.), modified on denial of reh’g (Ind. Ct. App. 2017) — which Hodges relied on and the COA cited — to the extent that it conflicts with Thursday’s decision.
Rush ended by noting that just because the cash is seized and turned over to the feds does not mean it will be forfeited – the government also has the option of returning it.
“If it seeks forfeiture, the court overseeing that proceeding may assess any innocent explanations for the circumstances and determine who is entitled to the property,†she wrote. “We decide only that the turnover from state to federal authorities is proper.â€
ELLA JOHNSON ARTICLE ABOUT NEW POSITION May 20 2019 article
IS IT TRUE last week it was announced that the Evansville Water & Sewer Utility Department named a new communications director, whose role is to inform the public about the millions of dollars worth of upgrades projects citywide?  …Ella Johnson-Watson has been part of Mayor Winnecke’s communications staff since he took office, has moved to the Evansville Water & Sewer Utility Department?  …her salary is now being paid by the Water and Sewer Utility department budget and we wouldn’t be surprised that Ms. Johnson-Watson didn’t receive a hefty salary increase when she accepted this new position? …about seven (7) years ago the City-County Observer had a disagreement with Ella Johnson-Watson concerning an embargo news issue?  …ever since that disagreement, we have received very few news articles from the Mayor’s office? …starting today we are going to make sure that we receive every news release generated by the Evansville Water and Sewer Department new Communications Director?
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — The precautionary boil advisory issued for much of Evansville’s East Side Thursday has been lifted.
Evansville Water and Sewer Utility officials said the advisory was lifted Sunday morning.
The exact areas covered by the boil advisory, according to the Utility, were:
- East of Green River Road and west of Burkhardt Road, south of the Lloyd Expressway and north of Lincoln Avenue;
- South of Hirsch Road and north of Newburgh Road, east of Burkhardt Road to the Vanderburgh-Warrick County Line, just east of I-69;
- South of Outer Lincoln Avenue and north of Newburgh Road, east of the Vanderburgh-Warrick County Line to Grimm Road in Warrick County.
EWSU said results of the samples collected from the affected area have revealed no evidence of contamination.
According to the Utility, the water issues were caused by an equipment failure about 1:40 p.m. Thursday at a job site near Outer Lincoln Avenue and Martin Road.
City water customers on the East Side reported low or no water pressure Thursday afternoon.
More:Â Low or no water pressure affecting part of Evansville’s East Side; boil advisory issued
More:Â WWII veteran Carl Mann buried on D-Day 75th anniversary at Arlington National Cemetery
More:Â Evansville Water & Sewer Utility billing falls behind, glitch cited
JOE WALLCE BOOK SIGNING
IS IT TRUE that former City-County Observer Editor and writer Mr. Joe Jack Wallace was in Evansville on Saturday to attend a meet and greet and book signing for his first book “Living Outside the Boxâ€?…the event was held at the Eastside watering hole and restaurant called Bar Louie?…the event was sparsely advertised as an invitation-only event yet word got out among Mr. Wallace’s core group of friends and the back room at Bar Louie was packed to capacity from the minute the doors opened to the time he had to head to Morganfield, Ky. to be the commencement speaker at Union County High School that is his alma mater?…many former elected officials and current candidates for office were invited and showed up to greet Joe?…many kind words were exchanged and many books were sold?…there are already discussions underway to hold another such event sometime in the fall?
IS IT TRUE that Joe was asked to make some remarks about the origin of the idea for his book and he revealed that it was from a meeting in Innovation Pointe when a meeting was being called by the GAGE Board Of Director members who had taken over the management of the 2009 Freedom Festival after they finally realized that he was right when he said the 2009 Festival is going to lose significant amounts of money?…months prior Wallace had been removed from the day to day planning and management of the 2009 Freedom Festival sponsored by GAGE because he had let them all know that it was going to be a big loser?…when the coming financial disaster of this event hit home in the minds of the management group of this Festival, they called a meeting to “think outside of the box”?…Wallace was invited to this meeting but responded by saying “what good is it to think outside the box if you don’t have the courage to live outside of the box”?
IS IT TRUE that Mr. Wallece did not attend the “think the outside the box” gathering of the 2009 Festival management group meeting that proceeded this event?  …it’s been alleged by credible sources that this event lost over $600,000? …we wonder who were the President and the Board Of Directors members of GAGE during this time?  …we also wonder where did the GAGE  Board Of Directors get the money to pay for the enormous loss of the 2009 Freedom Festival event? …we are also amazed why members of the mainstream media didn’t report the enormous losses of the 2009 Freedom Festival? …we find it laughful that a couple of GAGE’S board members tried to make Mr. Wallace a political scapegoat of this failed event?
IS IT TRUE that Mr. Wallace made it clear at the meet and greet that his book was not a tell-all book about the stunts pulled by the GAGE board and the former Director of Downtown Development?…for those who have read the book, it is obvious that he has written a manual for making positive things happen by taking bold actions as opposed to just talking and being timid or manipulative?
IS IT TRUE that several people from Evansville have been to Palm Springs to visit Joe and have seen the fruit of the efforts he had made there?…a couple of former elected officials including two long-serving public servants commented Saturday that “Evansville was simply not ready for anyone like Joe and that it probably never will be.â€?…a couple of future trips are already scheduled by locals to see what has happened with technology-based entrepreneurship in the Palm Springs region during the last 8 years under Joe’s leadership?
IS IT TRUE the question must be asked if GAGE had not been politicized, would Joe Wallace have been able to do in Evansville what he has in Palm Springs?…we will never know because when asked about a future return, his answer was an emphatic &$#@ No?
Otters shut out Boomers back-to-back nights
The Evansville Otters shut out the Schaumburg Boomers for the second consecutive Wednesday, winning 5-0 behind a complete game shutout by Tyler Beardsley.
Beardsley recorded the Otters’ third shutout this season, and second against the Boomers.
In a game that was a pitcher’s duel through 6.5 innings, Beardsley and Boomers starter Gunnar Kines were battling back and forth, pitch for pitch.
Kines came in as the reigning Frontier League Pitcher of the Week after his complete game shutout performance against the Joliet Slammers last week.
Beardsley came out on top, retiring the Boomers in order in six of the nine innings. The right-hander rung up eight Boomers on strikes, allowed no runs on five hits. He earned his second win at home this year, improving his record to 4-2.
Beardsley received his run support in the sixth inning as the Otters broke through Kines.
In the bottom of the sixth, with two outs, Ryan Long reached on a hit by pitch from Kines. Carlos Castro then roped a double to deep centerfield to score Long, giving the Otters a 1-0 lead.
That would be the last inning for Kines, who allowed four hits, one earned run while tossing eight strikeouts in the losing effort.
In the top of the seventh, Beardsley ran into some trouble.
Back-to-back singles by Matt Rose and Alex Polston and a walk to Connor Oliver had the bases loaded with no outs for the Boomers.
Beardsley was able to get Zach Taylor looking on a fastball on the outside corner for a called strike three for the first out.
A ground ball to J.J. Gould at shortstop allowed him to turn a 6-4-3 double play to end the inning, giving the Otters momentum in the bottom of the seventh.
With the Otters having the bases loaded and one out, David Cronin came through with a clutch RBI single that blooped over the head of Polston at shortstop to give the Otters a 2-0 lead.
With Keith Grieshaber at the plate and bases still loaded with one out, a wild pitch by Schaumburg reliever Darrell Thompson allowed Hunter Cullen to touch home, extending the Otters lead to three.
With runners now on second and third, Grieshaber ripped a double to left field, scoring Chris Panzarella and Cronin, breaking the game open for the Otters at 5-0, and capping a four-run seventh for the Otters.
Then Beardsley took care of business the rest of the way, sealing a series win for the Otters.