
IS IT TRUE JULY 28 2019 City of Evansville Audit

“IS IT TRUE” MARCH 28 2019 DMD and WARREN Group
IS IT TRUE several years ago the Evansville DMD purchased this old dilapidated, vacant block building from the Warren Group. The Evansville DMD purchased this property “as is” for an estimated price of over $500,000?
Last year the Evansville DMD leased this property to the  Davita Dialysis Center.  Right after the Davita Dialysis Center leased this property from the city for a nominal monthly payment someone started to do extensive and expensive renovations on this building.
Today the Davita Dialysis Center occupies this nicely renovated building located on North Main Street. We could never officially verify who paid for the extensive and expensive renovations of this property or what did the renovations costs.
After all, said and done it’s been reported that the Evansville DMD invested well over $500,000 to purchased this building several years ago located on North Main Street.  It now looks like the City could sell this property to a private investor for a mere $178,000.
IS IT TRUE we understand that the goal of the Thunderbolts management is to draw 2,500 people per game however a good look at the stands with an eye for counting is continually coming up at under 1,000 even when it is announced that the “official†crowd is closer to 2,000?…we assume that the 2,500 goal is for people who actually pay for the seat they sit in meaning that either a bunch of tickets are not used but still counted or some are handed out for free to bump the numbers up? …Evansville is paying for two sheets of ice that have been reported to costs the taxpayers many thousand dollars per month?…at a highly subsidized rent level of $1,000 per game when the former team the Icemen were being charged $10,000 per game is sort of like costing the taxpayers of Evansville of $9,000 per game for 9–37 hockey?
Is It True…..Commissioner Ben Shoulders hosted his annual March Madness Birthday fundraiser last week at Time Out Lounge?….Is It True this event attracted walks of all life and displayed the most diverse crowd seen at a local fundraiser in years….Is It True this event was packed with business people, blue collar people, young people, white, black, hispanic, males, females and is truly the type of fundraiser every other local official wants to copy?….Is It True that Commissioner Shoulders knows how to fundraise and bring people together better than anyone we’ve seen in Evansville since former Sheriff Brad Ellsworth?
Commentary: A Memory That Flows Through The Veins
By John Krull
TheStatehouseFile.comÂ
EDINBURGH, Scotland – If we listen, blood can whisper old, even ancient, truths to us.
Long, long ago, my ancestors lived in this country. My mother’s people were lowland Scots. They lived here, the family stories go, until they bet on the wrong side in one of Britain’s many battles of royal succession. They found themselves transported to Northern Ireland, where they were supposed to serve as a Protestant presence grafted onto a determinedly Catholic land.
Several generations later, not many years before the American Revolution, they left and landed in the Carolinas, before heading north to Indiana around the time of the War of 1812.
But they began in this land.
Part of me – part of my children – began in this land.
I didn’t journey first to Scotland until I was in my late 30s. My wife and I came on our honeymoon. We roamed from Edinburgh to Inverness to the Isle of Skye. We walked over streets that were here when my ancestors lived in this land. We hiked trails both green and stony.
Scotland spoke to me then.
It’s spoken to me ever since.
It wasn’t just that the country is beautiful – although it is beautiful. The sky here achieves shadings of blue and gray that can soothe the most unquiet spirit. The highlands have a harsh, craggy splendor, earth and stone reminders of the weight of eternity.
But it also was that this place was part of me.
One of the homes of my heart.
On that first trip, while my new bride did some shopping in Edinburgh, I stopped at a pub for a pint. Or two.
The guys at the table next to me started reciting poetry. They were several rounds ahead of me. The drinks took the edge off their Scots burrs and transformed every “s†into â€sssssh.â€
It also made their recital endearing, particularly when they reached the climax.
A man’s a man for ‘a that.
Even slurred, Robert Burns’ poetry spoke Scotland’s soul.
I also wandered the bookstores in Edinburgh, Inverness and elsewhere, reading upon the Scottish Enlightenment as my wife and I traveled – the long struggle to unshackle the human mind and spirit from all forces that would bind them. As I did, I understood in ways I never had before the devotion my mother’s people had to learning and to charting their own courses. I began to realize my resistance to outsourcing my thinking might be more than a personal quirk.
The inertia of generation after generation after generation fighting to find its own way could have done something to push me down that path.
One late afternoon, we stopped the car along an ocean cliff. I walked out to the edge of the bluff and looked at the water, whitecaps rippling the surface as far as my eye could see.
I never have been a man who finds peace with ease. At that moment, though, I felt nothing but serenity.
As I stared from atop that craggy bluff at the long stretch, I thought about the people whose blood flowed through my veins and how they walked this land centuries before I was even a notion. I thought about the children my wife and I wanted to have.
In that moment, I saw and felt both how important I was in the living moment to my wife and, God willing, my children and how small a piece I was in the endless chain of existence.
I thought about how big and how small we all are.
We’ve been given reason these days, in some of the worst possible ways, to reflect upon where we all came from. Regardless of the motivation, it’s worthwhile exercise, because such reflection, if done with honesty and in the right spirit, should engender humility.
And gratitude.
I’m in Scotland again, this time with my son, who is approaching his own age of manhood.
As he and I stroll these ancient streets, I think about where life might take my children and where it took all those came before us.
As my son and I walk, the past itself seems to flow through our veins.
If we listen, our blood can whisper truths to us.
John Krull is director of Franklin College’s Pulliam School of Journalism and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
LAGUNA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION’S ELLIS ENTERTAINMENT LLC TO PURCHASE ELLIS PARK (June 18, 2019) Albuquerque
For Immediate Release
by Ellis Entertainment, LLC (Ellis), a subsidiary of Laguna Development Corporation (LDC) based in Albuquerque, New Mexico
LAGUNA DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION’S ELLIS ENTERTAINMENT LLC TO PURCHASE ELLIS PARK (June 18, 2019) Albuquerque
– Ellis Entertainment, LLC (Ellis), a subsidiary of Laguna Development Corporation (LDC) based in Albuquerque, New Mexico, confirmed today it has purchased Ellis Park Racetrack in Henderson, Kentucky for $11 million. Current owners, Saratoga Casino and Hospitality Group, Saratoga Springs, New York are selling the property to Ellis.
The transaction was confirmed by both parties following approval for the issuance of a racing license to Ellis by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission on Tuesday June 18th
With an exciting racing season starting soon, Saratoga will continue to operate the racetrack and will serve as managers and operators during the 2019 racing season through a management agreement with the New Mexico buyers.
Ellis Entertainment will operate the Historical Horse Racing (HHR) facility and immediately begin maintenance and facility upgrades as part of a comprehensive remodeling and expansion plan.
Kevin Greer, Managing Partner for Ellis Entertainment said, “We are both honored and excited for the opportunity to purchase Ellis Park, one of Kentucky’s oldest and most revered racetracks. We appreciate the knowledge and support the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission has provided us while we prepare to restore Ellis Park to its rightful place as one of the Bluegrass State’s premier racing facilities.â€
“We remain committed to the upcoming racing season at Ellis Park and ensuring that it is one of the most successful the property has seen in years,†said Daniel Gerrity, President of Saratoga Casino & Hospitality Group. “We look forward to working closely with Ellis Entertainment in the coming months to ensure a seamless transition of ownership.”
Ellis also announced they will invest an additional $55 million at the property to include an expanded Historical Horse Racing (HHR) facility, new and improved food and beverage offerings, refurbishment of the grandstands and barns along with a number of upgrades to both the public facilities and back-of-house operations.
“Ellis Entertainment brings a vastly experienced group of professionals to this project who will work alongside the tracks current management team to insure our guests have a first-class experience.
We will follow our parent companies longstanding and highly successful commitment to quality, service and value. We look forward to being productive and engaged members of the local business community†Greer said.
FOOTNOTE:The transfer of ownership is scheduled to be completed within the next several days. Visit Website Contact: Â LDC/Ellis Entertainment Contact: Saratoga Casino & Hospitality Group Skip Sayre Tom Engle LDC Chief of Sales and Marketing 518-581-5730 505-352-7840 tengle@saratogacasino.com ssayre@poldc.com E/
Apple, Pieroni Win Gold Again At The FINA World Championships
Indiana University postgraduate swimmers Zach Apple and Blake Pieroni won gold medals on Saturday morning at the 2019 FINA World Championships.
In the final of the mixed 4x100m freestyle relay, IU postgrad Zach Apple won gold with Team USA, helping the Americans win with a world-record time of 3:19.40. Apple, who swam the second leg in a time of 47.34, was joined on the relay by Caeleb Dressel, Mallory Comerford and Simone Manual.
Pieroni led off for Team USA in the prelims of the event on Friday night to earn his gold, splitting a 48.15 to help the U.S. earn the top seed for the finals with a time of 3:22.70.
On the week, both Apple and Pieroni have won two gold medals and one bronze medal for Team USA in relays.
In the women’s 50m breaststroke semifinals, Lilly King touched the wall with a time of 29.84 to earn the top seed. King, the defending champion and world record holder in the event, will swim in the final at 7:00 a.m. ET on Sunday morning.
IU rising senior Mohamed Samy placed 16th for Team Egypt in the men’s 50m backstroke with a time of 25.16. In the men’s 1500m freestyle, Indiana postgrad Zane Grothe placed 26th overall with a time of 15:21.43.
Swimming prelims in Gwangju begin each night at 9:00 p.m. ET, with finals the next morning starting at 7:00 a.m. ET. Swimming at the FINA World Championships runs through Monday, July 28.
Florida IP Attorney’s Referral Agreement Results In Indiana Suspension
Dave Stafford for www.theindianalawyer.com
A Florida intellectual property attorney who represented Indiana clients has been suspended from the practice of law for 30 days for failing to disclose to clients that his firm was pursuing patents under an agreement with another company that charged clients to develop, protect and market their inventions.
The Indiana Supreme Court suspended Robert Wayne Gray for a month, with automatic reinstatement, in an order issued Thursday afternoon. Justices accepted the statement of circumstances and conditional agreement for discipline agreed upon by Gray and the disciplinary commission.
According to the order in In the Matter of: Robert Wayne Gray, 18S-DI-433, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office filed a disciplinary complaint against Gray in December 2016 based on referral agreements he had with a company called USPC. After that complaint, Gray agreed to exclusion from practice before the USPTO without an admission of misconduct.
Operating as The Gray Law Group, Gray’s firm under its contract with USPC “would perform relevant prior art searches on behalf of USPC’s inventor clients and, if able, would draft and file a provisional patent application on behalf of the inventor client,†justices wrote. “The inventor clients were charged separate fees by USPC for each step. TGLG did not enter into separate representation agreements with these clients. The inventor clients interacted primarily with USPC during this process and were not told of the limitations on representation or how fees would be shared between USPC and TGLG,†the order says.
“TGLG did not obtain the inventor clients’ written informed consent to TGLG’s simultaneous representation of, and ongoing business relationship with, USPC. TGLG also did not discuss with the inventor clients the relative benefits or drawbacks of a provisional patent application in comparison to available alternatives, such as filing a non-provisional application,†according to the order.
The parties agree Gray violated the following Indiana Professional Rules of Conduct:
- 1.2(a) and (c): Failing to consult with a client about the objectives of representation and failing to obtain a client’s informed consent to limit the scope of representation;
- 1.4(a)(1), (a)(2) and (b): Failing to promptly inform a client of any decision or circumstance requiring the client’s informed consent, failing to reasonably consult with a client about the means by which the client’s objectives are to be accomplished, and failing to explain a matter to the extent reasonably necessary to permit a client to make informed decisions;
- 1.7: Representing a client when there is a conflict of interest without obtaining informed, written consent;
- 1.8(f): Improperly accepting compensation for representing a client from one other than the client;
- 5.1: Failing to make reasonable efforts to ensure that the conduct of another lawyer over whom the lawyer has direct supervisory authority conforms to Rules of Professional Conduct, and;
- 5.4(c): Permitting a person who recommends, employs, or pays the lawyer to render legal services for another to direct or regulate the lawyer’s professional judgment inrendering such legal services.
STICKS AND STONES By Jim Redwine
Gavel Gamut By Jim Redwine
STICKS AND STONES
Special Counsel Robert Mueller testified before Congress on July 24, 2019. During his six hours of testimony before the House Judiciary Committee, the major emphasis shifted from concerns about the outcome of the 2016 presidential election to attempts by foreign countries to influence all of our elections.
Mueller testified that for many years and right up to our next election cycle in 2020 several foreign entities were involving themselves in our democracy. And while Mueller specified only Russia for 2016 he made it clear that we should be aware of other actors. Iran, Israel and even our first cousins the British, among numerous others, have sought to inveigle themselves into our governmental decisions.
We have often been subtlety and sometimes not so subtlety nudged toward or away from war or toward or away from alliances with other countries. The favored techniques in days before the internet were the planting of fake newspaper stories or biased books and movies. Today spy dossiers or misleading memes and tweets over the internet are the preferred methods.
But if the aim of a foreign country is to defame or embarrass a politician it seems silly to dispense dirty secrets or even create false ones when such disclosures and prejudiced articles appear in the newspapers and on television every day. For example, if a country wanted to defame Donald Trump it should just encourage Americans to read The New York Times or watch CNN. And if a foreign entity wished to bring down Hillary Clinton it should republish stories from The National Enquirer or push FOX News. There is no need for foreign attempts to bring down a candidate for public office when we do such a thorough job of that ourselves.
What is even more perplexing is why any foreign country cares about our elections when we care so little about the outcomes ourselves. About 40% of eligible voters do not vote in presidential elections and only about 40% trouble themselves to vote in mid-term national elections. And when it comes to the state, county and city elections most of the voters are those hoping to get jobs from the winners.
The bottom line may be that foreign entities are often more concerned with the outcomes of our elections than we are. Maybe we should learn from them.
For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com
Or “Like†us on Facebook at JPegRanchBooks&Knitting
HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
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Fall Heavy Trash Pick-Up Begins Monday, August 12
There will be changes to Volume and Types of Items & Materials
The Evansville Water & Sewer Utility announces that Heavy Trash Pick-up will begin Monday, August 12, and is scheduled to run through Friday, October 18. This semi-annual curbside service is available to City residents who pay for trash service with their water bill. Apartment complexes, mobile home communities and business/commercial customers are not eligible.
The collection schedule, area maps, and included items for pick-up with limits are available on the City’s GIS website –www.evansvillegis.com/trash – by clicking “Heavy Trash Pickup Dates†on the right. To help keep crews on schedule and prevent heavy trash from sitting out on the curb longer than necessary, the number of days allocated for collection in each specific area has been determined based on the volume of heavy trash set out in the past and the number of days required to collect the trash.
Heavy Trash must be placed where normal weekly trash is collected before 6:00 a.m. on the day collection is scheduled in an area. Heavy trash cannot be put out any earlier than the weekend before the scheduled pick up date.
Items that will be collected:
- Carpet
- Must be rolled in sections no longer than 4 ft. and no wider than 2 ft. in diameter
Limit of five (5) rolls of carpet
- Electronics
- Stereos, etc.
- NO Televisions, Computer or Accessories
There will be a limit of FIVE (5) total items from the below list:
- Furniture
- Sofas, tables, chairs, mattresses, box springs, dressers, bookcases etc.
- Appliances
- Stoves, refrigerators/freezers, washing machines, dryers, water heaters, etc.
(Refrigerants must be removed and tagged by a certified professional)
Electronics
-
- Stereos, etc.
- NO Televisions
- NO Computers or accessories
Limited construction/building material debris
-
- Must be in trash containers, etc. of such size and weight that they can be reasonably lifted by two average adults ( no boxes or plastic bags)
- NO piles or stacks of Construction/Building materials will be picked up
- NO Privacy fence sections will be picked up
- NO concrete blocks, bricks or steel poles
Items that will NOT be collected include:
- Any trash that Republic Services would pick up as part of its regular residential waste collection contract
- Piles or stacks of Construction/Building materials
- Privacy fences of any kind
- Automobile parts
- Batteries
- Tires
- Hazardous materials
- Computers or accessories
- Concrete blocks, bricks or steel poles
- Televisions
- Yard Waste
Heavy trash that does not meet these requirements will not be picked up. If a customer has put their heavy trash out according to the requirements above yet feels they were missed, they can call Republic Services at 812-424-3345 within two days to report a possible missed pick-up.
Note that many items not collected through the City’s heavy trash pick-up can be properly disposed of through programs offered by the Solid Waste District, including Tire Amnesty Days, Electronics Recycling Days and Household Hazardous Waste Day (Tox-Away Day). Additional information about these programs and upcoming program dates is available in the Solid Waste District’s section of the City Website (www.evansvillegov.org/Index.aspx?page=50) or by calling 812-436-7800.
“LEFT JAB AND RIGHT JAB†JULY 28, 2019
“LEFT JAB AND RIGHT JABâ€
“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 JABâ€Â 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.