Otters complete three-game sweep of Slammers
With the win on Thursday, the Otters moved to eight games about .500.
Joliet threw the first punch Thursday in the top of the first inning when Dash Winningham hit a solo home run to give Joliet the early 1-0 lead.
The Otters would respond in the bottom of the third inning.
Keith Grieshaber would extend his hit streak to 13 games when he knocked a two-run double to score Hunter Cullen and J.J. Gould, giving the Otters a 2-1 lead.
Just as Evansville starter Jake Welch settled into the game, the Otters’ offense picked up steam.
Ryan Long hit his 10th home run of the season to begin the top of the fourth inning, a solo shot to increase the Otters lead to two.
Welch and Joliet’s Tyler Jandron would throw scoreless fifth and sixth innings.
Jandron threw six complete innings, surrendering three runs on three hits while recording 10 strikeouts.
Long smacked an RBI single to score Gould to give the Otters a 4-1 lead.
Dakota Phillips, who came up clutch in game two last night, hit a sac fly to score Cronin to give the Otters’ their fifth run.
When Rob Calabrese worked a walk later in the inning, a wild pitch from Slammers’ reliever Tyler Jones allowed Long to touch home to make the score 6-1.
The Otters would add two more runs in the eighth on an RBI double from Grieshaber and a sac fly from Long to give the Otters an 8-1 advantage.
Welch went out to the mound for the ninth and recorded two of the three outs of the inning, including a sac fly to Peyton Isaacson to make the score 8-2. After allowing a single to Oliver Nunez he was pulled, tossing 8.2 innings and ringing up nine Slammers. He would earn the win to improve his record to 5-3.
Michael Gizzi came in to record the final out of the ninth on a ground ball to Long.
Jandron was credited with the loss, dropping his record to 4-4.
The Otters will begin a six-game road trip, starting with a three-game set with the Florence Freedom during the weekend.
“READERS FORUM” JULY 19, 2019
We hope that today’s “READERS FORUMâ€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.
WHAT’S ON YOUR MIND TODAY?
Todays “Readers Poll’ question is: Should the Presidents of the City Council, Vanderburgh County Commission and County Council been invited to welcome the participants of the Fastpitch Softball tournament to Vanderburgh County?
If you would like to advertise in the CCO please contact us at City-County Observer@live.com
CCO “Living Outside The Box” July 25, 2019 Event Is Booked To Capacity
Mike O’Daniel Is July 25th “Living Outside The Box” Speaker
(Tucker Publishing Joins The City-County Observer As A Co-Sponsor Of This Event)
Steve Hammer the Chairman of the “Living Outside The Box” speaker series announced the co-sponsors of this event will be the City-County Observer and Tucker Publishing. This event will be held on Thursday, July 25th in the private banquet room at Biaggi restaurant starting at noon and is booked to capacity.
This lunch started out as an invitation only event. But it got out of control when we started to receive many requests from interested people that wanted to attend this worthy community function. We originally planned to invite 40 guests `to this event but it quickly multiply to 60 plus guests. Â Even more amazing is we now have a waiting list around 27 people who want to attend the next “Living Outside The Box” speakers series event scheduled for August, 2019.
This month “Living Outside The Box” speaker is the well respected Mike O’Daniel who’s business career spans over several decades as an Executive with an iconic Evansville automobile conglomerate.  Mr. O’Daniels is the Co-President D-Patrick Inc. and President D-Patrick Ford/Lincoln, D-Patrick Boonville Ford, and D-Patrick Honda.
Michael O’Daniel is a 1983 Graduated from Culver Military Academy located in Culver IN.  In 1987 he graduated from Southern Methodist University with a BS Accounting.  In 1988 he graduated from NADA Dealer Candidate Academy in McLean VA.
From 1988-1995 he served in multiple management positions at D-Patrick Inc. in Evansville IN. and Cross Roads Lincoln Mercury in Cleveland OH.
From 1995-1997 he served as General Manager of both D-Patrick Oldsmobile/Hyundai and D-Patrick Ford in Evansville, In.
In 1997 Purchased D-Patrick Inc. as a 50/50 partner with brother in law Ray Farabaugh and assumed the role of Co-President of D-Patrick Inc.and President of D-Patrick Ford and D-Patrick Oldsmobile/Hyundai. He is currently Co-President D-Patrick Inc. and President D-Patrick Ford/Lincoln, D-Patrick Boonville Ford, and D-Patrick Honda.
He is married to Missy O’Daniel. They have three adult children. Peter O’Daniel who is engaged to be married in January to Ali Schreiber. Peter serves as Parts and Service Director for D-Patrick Ford and D-Patrick Boonville Ford. Margot Roehrborn who is mother to Finn and is expecting a son Owen in September. Margot is married to Wolfi who is in charge of the Northside D-Patrick Collision Center.  Molly O’Daniel who lives in Denver who previously worked for CBRE but has left to further her business education.
When Mr. O’Daniel isn’t working he enjoys spending time with family and friends, traveling, Â flying his 1978 Cessna 172 airplane, playing tennis, golf, fishing, water skiing, snow skiing, and Scuba diving.
Event Chairman Steve Hammer stated “that our monthly speaker series will focus on home grown businesses successes and challenges. Mr. Hammer says; “Living Outside The Box” speakers series will feature unique and insightful stories of success and perseverance from prominent business leaders that tend to fly under the public radar.”
City-County Observer Publisher, Ron Cosby also added; “We understand that there are a lot of successful entrepreneurs who, because of economic, technological, or political challenges, have experienced a negative impact on their businesses.”   “We are going to actively search for local business people who went through economic adversity due to bureaucratic restrictions, governmental intervention, or increased competition, but had the good business sense to “Living Outside The Box” to allow their products or services to continue to thrive. We also hope that this will turn out to be a great resource for locally owned and developing businesses.”
For additional information concerning our next ‘Living Outside The Box” speaker event please contract Steve Hammer by calling him at 812-589-3802.
FOOTNOTE: Get your own copy of “Living Outside the Box” by Joe Jack Wallace please click the link below.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR: WHITEWALL TIRES OF SOCIALISM
AGENDA FOR THE JULY 22, 2019 CITY COUNCIL MEETING
JULY 22, 2019
1 NW MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. BLVD. ROOM 301
5:30 P.M.AGENDA
| I. | INTRODUCTION |
Agenda Attachment:
| II. | APPROVAL OF MEETING MEMORANDUM |
Memo Attachment:
| III. | REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS |
| IV. | SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY |
| V. | CONSENT AGENDA:Â FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS |
A. ORDINANCE R-2019-16 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 2809 Broadway Avenue Petitioner: Robby Pennell Owner: Robby Pennell Requested Change: C2 to C4 w/UDC Ward: 6 Brinkmeyer Representative: Steve Bohleber, Bohleber Law R-2019-16 Attachment:
B. ORDINANCE R-2019-17 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 1700 E. Morgan Avenue, Evansville, IN Petitioner: Robert Scott Stodgill and Julia A. Stodgill Owner: Julia A. Stodgill & Robert Scott Stodgill Requested Change: C4 to R2 Ward: 3 Melcher Representative: Steve Bohleber, Bohleber Law R-2019-17 Attachment:
C. ORDINANCE R-2019-18 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 1603 S. Tekoppel Avenue, Evansville, IN Petitioner: David Properties, LLC Owner: David Properties, LLC Requested Change: C4 w/UDC to C4 w/UDC Ward: 6 Brinkmeyer Representative: Krista B. Lockyear, Lockyear Law R-2019-18 Attachment:
| VI. | COMMITTEE REPORTS |
| VII. | REGULAR AGENDA:Â SECOND READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS |
A. ORDINANCE G-2019-05 An Ordinance Adding Chapter 9.40 (Unsolicited Materials) of the Evansville Municipal Code Sponsor(s): McGinn, Mosby, Weaver Discussion Led By: ASD Chair Mosby Discussion Date: 5/13/2019 G-2019-05 Attachment:
B. ORDINANCE F-2019-12 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): Weaver Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Weaver Discussion Date: 7/22/2019 F-2019-12 Attachment:
C. ORDINANCE F-2019-13 An Ordinance of the Common Council of the City of Evansville Authorizing Repeals, Re-Appropriations within the Department of Metropolitan Development Sponsor(s): Weaver Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Weaver Discussion Date: 7/22/2019 F-2019-13 Attachment:
D. ORDINANCE R-2019-11 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 5.01 Acres Directly West of 1603 S. Tekoppel Petitioner: Evansville Vanderburgh Levee Authority District Owner: Evansville Vanderburgh Levee Authority District Requested Change:
R-1 to C-4 w/UDC Ward: 6 Brinkmeyer Representative: Krista B. Lockyear, Lockyear Law R-2019-11 Attachment:
E. ORDINANCE R-2019-12 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as Part of 2800 Colonial Garden Road Petitioner: ANB Investments, LLC Owner: ANB Investments, LLC Requested Change:
R-1 to M-1 w/UDC Ward: 1 McGinn Representative: Krista B. Lockyear, Lockyear Law R-2019-12 Attachment:
F. ORDINANCE R-2019-13 An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 706 Wessel Lane, Evansville, INÂ 47712 Petitioner: Chad Sander Owner: Grimm Property Holdings LLC Requested Change: R1 to R2 Ward: 6 Brinkmeyer Representative: Chad Sander, Real Property Management Results R-2019-13 Attachment:
G. ORDINANCE R-2019-15 Amended An Ordinance to Rezone Certain Real Estate in the City of Evansville, State of Indiana, More Commonly Known as 313 S New York Ave Petitioner: Harvey Baker & Shirley Baker Owner: Harvey Baker & Shirley Baker Requested Change: R4 to C4 Ward: 4 Robinson Representative: Tanisha Carothers, Carothers Law R-2019-15 Amended Attachment:
| VIII. | RESOLUTION DOCKET |
A. RESOLUTION C-2019-09 A Preliminary Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Evansville Declaring an Economic Revitalization Area for Property Tax Phase-In for Redevelopment located at 606 and 607 East Iowa Street, Evansville, Indiana Carpenter Court, L.P. (c/o Pioneer Development Services, Inc.) Sponsor(s): McGinn Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Weaver Discussion Date: 7/22/2019 C-2019-09 Attachment:
B. RESOLUTION C-2019-10 A Resolution of the Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana, Authorizing Affordable Housing Funds for Habitat for Humanity of Evansville, Inc. New Construction Single-Family Projects in the City of Evansville, Indiana in an Amount Not to Exceed One-Hundred Thousand Dollars ($100,000) Sponsor(s): Weaver Discussion Led By: Finance Chair Weaver Discussion Date: 7/22/2019 C-2019-10 Attachment:
C. RESOLUTION C-2019-11 A Resolution of the Common Council Approving Extension of Interlocal Agreement with Knight Township Sponsor(s): McGinn Discussion Led By: Brinkmeyer Discussion Date: 7/22/2019 C-2019-11 Attachment:
| IX. | MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS |
A. THE NEXT MEETING of the Common Council will be Monday, August 12, 2019 at 5:30 p.m.
B. TAX PHASE-IN COMPLIANCE REPORTS:Â Andrea Lendy, Growth Alliance TAX PHASE-IN COMPLIANCE REPORTS Attachment:
C. ADDITIONAL MISCELLANEOUS BUSINESS
| X. | COMMITTEE REPORTS |
| XI. | ADJOURNMENT |
Holcomb Has A $6 Million Head Start On The 2020 Governor’s Race
Holcomb Has A $6 Million Head Start On The 2020 Governor’s Race
By Brandon Barger
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – With a year and a half to go until the 2020 election, Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb has more than $6 million in his campaign coffers.
That, his campaign said, surpasses the fundraising totals of any previous governor at this point in their re-election bid.
Among his contributions: $100,000 from Roger Penske, owner of the winningest team in Indianapolis 500 history.
Campaign finance reports due Monday showed that Holcomb began 2019 with about $4 million, and raised another $2.265 million from Jan. 1 through June 30. He spent about $245,000.
Holcomb, who kicked off his re-election campaign Saturday with a rally in the Knightstown gym where much of the movie “Hoosiers†was filmed, has added to his account since then, including $15,000 from the Indianapolis law firm Krieg DeVault and $10,000 from Lawrence C. Beck, president of Beck Hybrids in Atlanta, Ind. Beck was recently re-appointed by Holcomb to the Purdue University board of trustees.
Holcomb’s single largest contribution came from his running mate, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, who transferred $1 million from her account to his. She closed the reporting period with about $185,000 left.
No Democrat was officially in the race for governor in the first half of the year, so did not have to file a report. So far, the only Democrat to file to challenge Holcomb is Dr. Woody Myers, who announced his candidacy last week.
Also filing his campaign finance report was Attorney General Curtis Hill. Hill raised more than $223,000 in the first half of this year, but spent more than $137,000 including more than $33,000 to a Wichita, Kansas, consulting firm.
Combined with the $120,000 Hill had at the start of the year, he has more than $206,000 in his re-election fund.
While Hill does not yet have a Democrat opponent, he has faced calls from some fellow Republicans, including Holcomb, to resign in the wake of allegations from women, including a Democrat legislator and legislative staff of both parties, that he touched them inappropriately at an end-of-session party in 2018. The women have filed a civil suit and Hill also is facing a disciplinary hearing this fall as a result of the allegations. If found to be at fault, he could lose his license to practice law – something an attorney general has to have.
FOOTNOTE: Brandon Barger is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a  news website powered by Franklin College journalists.
Braun, Carper, Johnson, Peters Bill To Crackdown On Hundreds Of Billions Of Dollars In Improper Payments Passes Senate
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Yesterday, the U.S. Senate passed the Payment Integrity Information Act of 2019, a bipartisan bill introduced by U.S. Senators Mike Braun (R-Ind.), Tom Carper (D-Del.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.), and Gary Peters (D-Mich.), Chairman and Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee.
The legislation aims to cut down on government waste and improper payments made by the federal government – including overpayments, underpayments, payments made to ineligible recipients or payments that were not properly documented.
“I’m pleased to see the Senate unanimously approve this legislation to streamline the law so federal agencies can better identify the root causes of wasteful spending and work to end it,â€Â said Senator Johnson, Chairman of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “Improper payments by the federal government cost taxpayers billions of dollars, and the bureaucratic processes put in place to reduce these errors have not worked.â€
“Taxpayers expect their tax dollars to be used wisely, but the federal government has struggled to rein in an estimated $151 billion in wrongful payments,â€Â said Senator Peters, Ranking Member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. “I’m pleased that the Senate has approved our practical, bipartisan solution to help prevent improper payments, fraud, and waste so we can focus on ensuring taxpayer dollars are used to effectively serve the American people.â€
In FY2018 alone, the Government Accountability Office estimated that improper payments throughout the federal government totaled over $151 billion. Since 2003, when agencies were first directed to begin reporting improper payments, cumulative improper payment estimates across government have totaled over $1.4 trillion. For fiscal year 2018, which is the most recent data available, federal entities estimated about $151 billion in improper payments, an unacceptably high number which has increased over the last several fiscal years.
- Require agencies to undertake additional efforts and develop plans to prevent improper payments before they happen.
- Improve the way agencies identify programs with the highest risk of improper payments.
- Require the Office of Management and Budget and the Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency (CIGIE) to issue guidance to improve annual reporting on agencies’ compliance with improper payments statutes.
- Create a working group that will enable federal agencies to collaborate with each other and non-federal partners, such as state governments, to develop strategies for addressing key drivers of improper payments, such as fraud and eligibility determinations in state-managed federal benefits programs.
Read a copy of the Senators’ legislation here.
Local Leader Receives Annual Governor’s Award
David Wagner, executive director of the Carver Community Organization, was named the recipient of the 2019 Governor’s Award for Achievement in Health & Wellness Tuesday during a reception hosted by Governor Eric Holcomb in Indianapolis.
The award states that the recipient of this award is committed to the creation and preservation of physical and mental health and wellness in their community, using their talents to improve the lives of fellow Hoosiers.
Carver Community Organization has a long history of serving the community. Its program offerings include first and second-shift childcare; after school and summer youth programs, and programs and meals for senior citizens like AARP Foundation Experience Corp, and RSVP Volunteer Program.
Wagner has served as the executive director of the organization for 30 years. Over the years, Carver has evolved to meet the needs of the community. Carver will celebrate its 74th year of service on September 27 and its annual luncheon.
Carver History: Carver came about following World War II, when E.T. Atwell, the Field Representative for the National Recreation Association, visited cities and towns throughout the Midwest. His goal was to establish community centers in these communities to provide wholesome leisure activities and develop organizations to operate the centers. Evansville was one of the targeted cities.
The building located at 705 Lincoln Avenue in 1944, served as a USO center during the war and was available if a management agency could be developed. Interested person came together and a promise of funding from the Evansville Community Chest was planned. The building was named after George Washington Carver, who became famous for his work as a chemistry professor at Tuskegee Institute. Carver Community Organization was accepted as a member of the Community Chest (later the United Fund of Evansville and finally United Way of Southwest Indiana).
In early 1967, the property (commonly known as Carver Center and Bellemeade Park) was acquired by the city of Evansville; Carver relinquished the promotion, organization, and supervision of recreation activities to the Recreation Commission of the City of Evansville. Carver embarked on a program of social welfare service to the neighborhood surrounding Carver Center at 705 Lincoln Avenue.
In 1968, Carver began its Day Care Center in the basement of New Hope Baptist Church. After-School Child Care began in 1982 and these programs have continued since that time. James M. Landers retired as Executive Director on December 31, 1988. In 1989, his successor was David Wagner.