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Fired Cathedral High School Teacher Sues Archdiocese

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Marilyn Odendahl for www.theindianalawyer.com

The teacher fired from Cathedral High School for being in a same-sex marriage sued the Archdiocese of Indianapolis in Marion Superior Court on Wednesday, alleging the church leadership illegally interfered with his contractual and employment relationship with the high school, which led to his termination June 23.

Joshua Payne-Elliott filed the lawsuit after he reached a confidential settlement with Cathedral on Tuesday. The agreement settled all legal claims against the school, including complaints arising from the termination of employment and allegations of a hostile work environment.

In addition to his state lawsuit, Payne-Elliott has filed charges of discrimination with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. He asserts the archdiocese discriminated on the basis of sexual orientation and retaliated against him for opposing sexual-orientation discrimination.

Payne-Elliot’s attorney, Kathleen DeLaney, said once the EEOC makes a ruling, he intends to file a Title VII lawsuit against the Archdiocese in federal court.

“We intend to hold the Archdiocese accountable for violations of state and federal law,” DeLaney of DeLaney & DeLaney LLC, said.

Responding to a request for comment about the pending litigation, the Archdiocese indicated its actions are protected under religious liberty.

“In the Archdiocese of Indianapolis’ Catholic schools, all teachers, school leaders and guidance counselors are ministers and witnesses of the faith, who are expected to uphold the teachings of the Church in their daily lives, both in and out of school,” the Archdiocese said in a statement. “Religious liberty, which is a hallmark of the U.S. Constitution and has been tested in the U.S. Supreme Court, acknowledges that the religious organizations may define what conduct is not acceptable and contrary to the teachings of its religion, for its school leaders, guidance counselors, teachers and other ministers of the faith.”

Payne-Elliott’s husband, Layton Payne-Elliott, teaches at Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School. The archdiocese, similar to its directive to Cathedral, directed Brebeuf to dismiss Layton Payne-Elliott. However, Brebeuf refused, and as a result, is no longer recognized as a Catholic institution by the archdiocese.

The state lawsuit, Joshua Payne-Elliott v. Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Inc., 49D01-1907-PL-027728, seeks punitive damages and compensatory damages for lost earnings, lost benefits and emotional distress among other things.

“We hope that this lawsuit will put a stop to the targeting of LGBTQ employees and their families,” Joshua Payne-Elliott said.

According to the complaint, Cathedral had already renewed Joshua Payne-Elliott’s teaching contract for the 2019-2020 school year when days later the Archdiocese told the school it had to enforce the morals clause language in its teacher contracts.

Cathedral president Robert Bridges then terminated Payne-Elliott’s employment. According to the lawsuit, Bridges told the teacher the school’s action “feels like with a gun to our head” because of the archdiocese’s directive. Payne-Elliott, the lawsuit states, was not fired for any performance-based issues.

The teacher alleges in his lawsuit the archdiocese intentionally interfered with his contractual and employment relationship with Cathedral. Namely, according to the complaint, the archdiocese demanded the school fire Payne-Elliott and threatened negative consequences if the school refused.

In a letter posted to its website June 23, Cathedral explained it was terminating the teacher after the Archdiocese threatened to no longer recognize the school as Catholic. Cathedral would have lost its ability to celebrate the Sacraments and its nonprofit status.

Both the teacher and the school were amicable toward each other in the announcement of the settlement. The teacher thanked Cathedral for the opportunities he had at the school and said he does not wish any harm to his former employer. Cathedral, in turn, thanked the teacher for his service, contributions and achievements.

“(My client) is pleased to have come to a confidential agreement with Cathedral High School,” DeLaney of DeLaney & DeLaney LLC, said. “He is looking forward to transitioning to a new teaching position and he hopes the attention brought by the recent actions of Archbishop (Charles) Thompson against the LGBTQ community will pressure the archdiocese to back off this witch hunt.”

Hill Announces $220K Fundraising Haul, But Not Re-Election Bid

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Dave Stafford for www.theindianalawyer.com

Whether Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill is officially running for re-election next year has yet to be announced, but the embattled AG claimed his political action committee scored a record fundraising haul in the past two months.

In an email Wednesday, the Curtis Hill for Indiana PAC announced what it called “a record at this point in the cycle for an Indiana Attorney General” — more than $220,000 in recent months. A significant amount of the contributions are from large, out-of-state donors.

At the same time, Hill has yet to officially announce whether he will seek a second term as AG amid a sexual misconduct scandal that has overshadowed his term with calls for his resignation from Gov. Eric Holcomb and Statehouse leaders of both parties. Spokespeople for Hill’s campaign also refused to answer a direct question from Indiana Lawyer Wednesday about whether Hill would run for re-election as AG.

“Will stick with statement campaign emailed out,” a campaign aide said in an email.

The Hill campaign’s three-paragraph statement did not say whether Hill was a candidate for re-election, but instead touted his fundraising prowess, attributing those results to his actions as AG.

“From challenging the constitutionality of ObamaCare to fighting illegal immigration to defending the right to life, I have taken on the tough fights as Attorney General. It’s been one of the highest honors of my life to serve and I am just getting started,” Hill said in the statement.  “I look forward to continuing to work to defend the rule of law, our conservative values and our way of life.”

But Hill faces legal and ethical obstacles to a potential re-election bid. He and the state are being sued by a lawmaker and three legislative aides who claim he groped them at the 2018 legislative sine die party and then used the resources and platform of his office to retaliate against them. Hill in October also must answer to a Disciplinary Commission complaint about those accusations, which may jeopardize his license to practice law and continue serving as AG.
But Hill also faces a political obstacle: an announced rival for the Republican AG nomination that will be decided by delegates to the party convention next year, not by voters in a primary election. Bose McKinney & Evans LLP attorney John Westercamp kicked off his campaign for the GOP nomination for attorney general last month with a campaign-style statewide swing.
Westercamp also has established a PAC — Friends of John Westercamp — chaired by Bose partner Brantley H. Wright. Bose partner Kevin Andrew Halloran is listed on campaign disclosures at the PAC’s treasurer. Westercamp has yet to report any contributions.
While announcing a total of $220,000 raised in the last two months, Hill’s campaign has not yet reported the source of those all those contributions. However, several of the donations are large enough to require immediate reporting, and more than one-quarter of the amount Hill has raised has comes from large, out-of-state contributors. According to the Indiana Elections Division of the Secretary of State’s office, those donors are:
  • Thomas E. McInerney, CEO of Bluff Point Associates, a private equity firm and venture capital company in Westport, Connecticut, who donated $25,000 on June 17.
  • The Republican Attorney Generals Action Fund, which gave $20,000 on May 24.
  • John Catsimatidis, New York billionaire, CEO of Manhattan grocery chain Gristedes Foods, and radio talk show host who recently purchased radio station WABC (AM) in New York, donated $12,500 on May 31.
  • Ginger Myers, co-owner with her husband, Keith, of Louisiana-based in-home health care services provider LHC Group and Coteau Grove Thoroughbred horse farm in Sunset, Louisiana, donated $10,000 on June 6.

Additionally, Brian J. Smith, a financial/investment professional from Bristol, Indiana, gave $10,000 on April 29.

Hill’s PAC had a balance of about $121,000 as of January 2019, according to online records. Hill raised and spent about $1.5 million in his 2016 campaign for AG, financial disclosures show. His Democratic opponent in the AG’s general election race that year, Lorenzo Arredondo, raised and spent about one-tenth that amount.

Forbes Ranks Evansville Teachers FCU As Indiana’s Top Credit Union

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Global media company Forbes Magazine ranked Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union as Indiana’s top credit union in its listing of 2019 America’s Best-In-State Banks and Credit Unions. This was Forbes’ second year surveying for the Best-In-State Banks and Credit Unions, and the second year that ETFCU earned recognition. 

To compile the list, Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista which independently surveyed more than 25,000 customers across the country to gather opinions on their current and former banking relationships. Forbes said that the banks and credit unions were rated and scored on overall recommendations and satisfaction, as well as five additional factors: trust, terms and conditions, branch services, digital services, and financial advice.

Also ranked among Indiana’s top five credit unions were FORUM Credit Union of Indianapolis at No. 2, Interra Credit Union of Goshen at No. 3, Indiana Members Credit Un

Old National Events Plaza Achieved One Of The Top 200 Theaters Worldwide. 

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Evansville, IN – New figures released by the entertainment industry publication, Pollstar, show that Old National Events Plaza has achieved #118 of the Top 200 Theatres Worldwide.  Rankings are determined by tickets sold worldwide between November 11, 2018 and May 22, 2019.  The ranking is particularly noteworthy for the Evansville theatre, as it recognizes the venue’s improvement over 2018 placement by 31 positions and a gain of 68 positions over the past 24 months.  Old National Events Plaza declared 35,651 tickets sold during the recent reporting period and placed ahead of many iconic venues, including several larger regional markets such as Nashville, Indianapolis and Louisville.

“The team at Old National Events Plaza continues to work hard to bring a variety of quality entertainment to our community.  This ranking affirms that Evansville is re-emerging as a viable and competitive stop for major artists and live events.  It also indicates that we are easing the market’s long-perceived price sensitivity; it’s a great message for prospective clients and promoters that audiences in Evansville are buying tickets, turning out and supporting our shows!  We know our patrons are enthusiastic and diverse, and we will do our best to deliver great experiences when they attend events at Old National Events Plaza,” said Alexis Berggren, General Manager.

Some popular shows held in early 2019 at Old National Events Plaza have included the Broadway touring production of Kinky Boots, Steve Martin & Martin Short, John Mellencamp, John Crist, The Doobie Brothers, Chicago and Willie Nelson.

Old National Events Plaza is proud to be recognized in Pollstar’s Mid-Year Worldwide Top 200 Theatre Venues and looks forward to more, outstanding programming in 2019 to include: Foreigner on August 13, Oldies Soldies Love Jam Concert on September 21, The Color Purple on November 4, Alice Cooper on November 27 and many others.

For a complete schedule please visit: http://oldnationaleventsplaza.com/

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About SMG

SMG provides management services to more than 230 public assembly facilities including convention and exhibition centers, arenas, stadiums, theaters, performing arts centers, amphitheaters, equestrian facilities, science centers and a variety of other venues. With facilities across the globe, SMG manages more than 15 million square feet of exhibition space and more than 1.5 million sports and entertainment seats. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides venue management, sales, marketing, event booking and programming; construction and design consulting; and pre-opening services for such landmark facilities as McCormick Place & Soldier Field in Chicago, Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco, Houston’s NRG Park and the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through its concessions and catering companies, currently serving more than 140 accounts worldwide. For more information visit  www.smgworld.com.

 

All Saints Parish And Seton Harvest Will Bring FREE Produce To Neighbors

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Community Produce Giveaway Sundays

July 14, August 11 and September 8, 2019 at 3:00pm – 4:30pm at St. Anthony Catholic Church Campus, 704 N. 1st Ave., Evansville, IN 47710

 Evansville, Indiana – All Saints Parish and Seton Harvest announce that they will be bringing free produce to their community neighbors this year. On the second Sundays, of the upcoming 3 months, All Saints Parish will be hosting the Community Produce Giveaway events at their St. Anthony Catholic Church Campus located at 704 N. 1st Avenue, Evansville, Indiana.

Seton Harvest will be bringing their produce van full of fresh vegetables to share with local community. In addition to free veggies, our neighbors will be able to enjoy music, recipes and a cold drink.

First come, first served until all the produce is gone. Come join us.

 

Marriage Licenses Issued For Vanderburgh County

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Marriage Licenses Issued

“LEFT JAB AND RIGHT JAB” JULY 11, 2019

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“LEFT JAB AND RIGHT JAB”

“Right Jab And Left Jab” was created because we have two commenters that post on a daily basis either in our “IS IT TRUE” or “Readers Forum” columns concerning National or International issues.
Joe Biden and Ronald Reagan’s comments are mostly about issues of national interest.  The majority of our “IS IT TRUE” columns are about local or state issues, so we have decided to give Mr. Biden and Mr. Reagan exclusive access to our newly created “LEFT JAB and RIGHT JAB”  column. They now have this post to exclusively discuss national or world issues that they feel passionate about.
We shall be posting the “LEFT JAB” AND “RIGHT JAB” several times a week.  Oh, “Left Jab” is a liberal view and the “Right Jab is representative of the more conservative views. Also, any reader who would like to react to the written comments of the two gentlemen is free to do so.

FOOTNOTE: Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers.

ADOPT A PET

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PB is a female calico cat!  She’s about a year & a half old. She is usually outgoing with visitors, and gets along well with several other cats in the Cageless Cat Lounge. She was surrendered in March due to her owner’s declining health. Her adoption fee is $40 and includes her spay, microchip, vaccines, and more. Contact Vanderburgh Humane at (812) 426-2563 for adoption details!

BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING

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BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

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 Below are the felony cases to be filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office today.

Corey Daniel Auberry: Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony)

Terri Renee Seuta: Possession of methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Possession of marijuana (Class B misdemeanor)

William Christopher Mason: Resisting law enforcement (Level 6 Felony), Possession of marijuana (Class A misdemeanor), Operating a vehicle while intoxicated (Class C misdemeanor)

Sarah Nichole Herron: Possession of methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Driving while suspended (A infraction)

Derrick Keith Collins: Domestic battery by means of a deadly weapon (Level 5 Felony), Intimidation (Level 6 Felony), Domestic battery (Class A misdemeanor)

Jesse Ray Hertel: Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony), Interference with the reporting of a crime (Class A misdemeanor)

Isaiah Amon Holland: Operating a vehicle as an habitual traffic violator (Level 6 Felony), Leaving the scene of an accident (Class B misdemeanor)

Randall Lee Parish: Unlawful possession of syringe (Level 6 Felony), Possession of methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony)

Nick Mihalislis: Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony)

Charles Curtis Sallee: Criminal trespass (Level 6 Felony)

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