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AG’s office joins TenPoint Coalition’s celebration of year without homicide in Far Eastside Indy neighborhood

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The Office of the Attorney General on Monday joined the Indianapolis TenPoint Coalition, law enforcement, the U.S. Attorney’s Office and local residents to celebrate one year without a homicide in a Far Eastside Indianapolis community in the area of 42nd Street and Post Road.

“The TenPoint Coalition continues to do incredible work for this community,” Attorney General Curtis Hill said. “They make a huge impact in Hoosier neighborhoods by spending time directly with those most at risk of engaging in dangerous and/or violent behavior.”

Rev. Charles Harrison, leader of the Indianapolis TenPoint Coalition, praised local police and others for working in partnership with TenPoint toward achieving mutual goals.

“This is a collaborative effort that has helped curb the pattern of violence and the root causes behind it,” said Rev. Harrison. “We are creating safer neighborhoods where people will no longer have to live in fear.”

In Indianapolis, TenPoint has markedly reduced urban youth gun violence in neighborhoods where the initiative has been utilized.

“Today we celebrate TenPoint’s success in this neighborhood,” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said. “Those who represent TenPoint will tell you that without support from law enforcement generally and the Attorney General’s office in particular, days like today wouldn’t be possible. It also involves the neighborhoods and the community activists.”

Chief Bryan Roach of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department expressed the same theme.

“‘Working together works’ is what I’ve always heard from Rev. Harrison,” Chief Roach said. “I appreciate Pastor James Jackson and all those working together in our neighborhoods to curb violence in our city.”

Monday’s press conference was hosted at Fervent Prayer Church, where Pastor Jackson serves.

“About a year ago, we gathered together with the goal of reducing and preventing juvenile crime and overall crime on the Far Eastside of Indianapolis,” Jackson said. “We’re very excited and happy to report that we have been able to do just that out of collaboration with many community partners. It is our prayer and our hope we will be able to continue.”

Lawrence Police Chief David Hofmann said he has seen significant improvements in the area.

“Partnerships such as the one we enjoy with the TenPoint Coalition truly improve the quality of life in our neighborhoods,” he said. “We certainly see that is the case in the area of 42nd Street and Post Road,”

Multiple police agencies have contributed to the cause, said Lawrence Mayor Steve Collier.

“This is a great example of the cooperation that exists between IMPD and LPD,” Collier said. “It’s a tough area for both of us. You hear so much bad news, but now we’re seeing things trending in a better way, and we want to celebrate that.”

An area resident expressed gratitude for changes she has witnessed at Meadowlark Apartments, where she resides with four children.

“It feels safer,” said Chaquita Croney. “My kids and I can sit outside without having to worry about hearing gunshots. I feel better now.”

Extensive conversations in 2017 between Attorney General Hill and Rev. Harrison led to a partnership via which the Office of the Indiana Attorney General now provides logistical and financial support to neighborhood organizations that commit to following TenPoint principles.

Chief of Staff Mary Beth Bonaventura represented Attorney General Hill at today’s event. State Sen. Jim Merritt also attended.

Obituary Of Glen D Scales

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Obituary Of Glen D Scales

Koehler Funeral Home-Boonville and Chandler

Boonville, IN. – Glen Scales, 73, of Boonville, Indiana, passed peacefully with his family by his side on Sunday, June 16, 2019.

Glen was born on November 2, 1945 in Folsomville, Indiana, the youngest son of Lester and Dora (Hay) Scales.

He completed his 11-year earthly battle against Alzheimer’s. He was a tool and die maker by trade, and his hobbies included bird-watching, camping with the Boy Scouts, travelling with his family, and spoiling grandchildren. Glen was a member of the Gentryville Masonic lodge # 424 and the Chrisney Order of the Eastern Star # 357. He was a Deacon and a long- time member of Bethabara General Baptist Church

Glen was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Leslie and Arthur Scales; three sisters, Thelma Wallace, Delores Gammon, and Ermogene Atkinson; and his in-laws, Rev. Charles and Margie Pillow.

Survivors include his wife of 54 years, Markeita (Pillow); son Jason and daughter-in-law Shannon of Boonville, IN; two granddaughters, Morgan and Brooklyn Scales; three sisters, Barbara Bailey, Shirley Gowen, and Gayle Goedde (Dan) all of Boonville, IN; three brothers, Donnie Scales and Darrell Scales (Sharon) of Boonville, IN. and Jerry Lee Scales (Phyllis) of Ellettsville, IN; sister-in-law Nancy Polston (Ralph) of Shelbyville, IN; and numerous nieces, nephews, and friends.

Funeral services will be at 11 A.M. on Thursday, June 20, 2019 at Koehler Funeral Home in Boonville, Indiana with the Rev. Scott Westerman officiating. Burial will be in Folsomville Cemetary in Folsomville, Indiana.

Friends may call from 2 PM until 8 PM on Wednesday, June 19, 2019 at the funeral home and from 9 A.M. until the time of service on Thursday.

Special thanks to the staff at Kindred Hospice for its wonderful care. Memorial contributions may be made to Bethabara G.B. Church in Folsomville, Indiana.

To send flowers to the family of Glen D Scales, please visit Tribute Store.

Phillips’ Homer The Difference In Rain-Shortened Otters Win

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Thanks to quality starting pitching by Tyler Beardsley and a home run by Dakota Phillips, the Evansville Otters did just enough in a rain-shortened five and half innings to defeat the Schaumburg Boomers 3-2 Sunday.

Sunday’s win gave Evansville back-to-back series wins against Schaumburg.

The Boomers struck first for the second time this series in the first inning. Julio Gonzalez led off with a single and scored on an RBI single from Dylan Jones.

In the top of the third, Jimmy Galusky hit a solo homerun over the left field wall to extend the Schaumburg lead to two.

The Otters were able to respond and get on the board in the bottom of the third with a Keith Grieshaber two-run RBI single that scored Justin Erby and J.J. Gould to even the game at two.

In the bottom of the fourth, Dakota Phillips hit his fifth home run of the season when he smacked a solo shot to dead centerfield to give the Otters a 3-2 lead.

Rain came pouring down on Bosse Field in the bottom of the sixth, causing a rain delay. The game was later officially called, giving the Otters a 3-2 victory.

In a spot start, Devin Rose allowed all three Otters runs – two earned – as he pitched four innings with three walks and two strikeouts. He was credited with the loss.

Tyler Beardsley was credited with the win, tossing six innings, surrendering two runs on five hits. He bookends the homestand that resulted in wins for the Otters, as they were able to win both series against the Boomers and the Windy City Thunderbolts with a 4-2 record in six games.

 

CAROLYN S. MEIER

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Newburgh, IN. – Carolyn S. Meier, 71, of Newburgh, Indiana passed away on Saturday, June 15, 2019 at Signature Healthcare in Newburgh, Indiana.
Carolyn was born on October 7, 1947 in Perry County, Indiana to the late Henry and E. Elizabeth (Miller) Decker.
She spent many years working as a courier at the Warrick County Hospital and retired from Walmart as a cashier after years of service. She was a lifetime fan of WWE wrestling and an avid cat lover. Carolyn loved and cherished her children and grandchildren.
Carolyn is survived by her children, Kimberly Meier of Evansville, IN; Robert Meier (Mary) of Evansville, IN; grandchildren, David Meier of Omaha, NE; Jesse Meier of Evansville, IN; nephews, Joe and Jeff.
A celebration of life will be held at a later date.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Warrick County Humane Society.

To send flowers to the family of Carolyn S Meier, please visit Tribute Store.

EPD REPORT

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EPD REPORT

“LEFT JAB AND RIGHT JAB” JUNE 19, 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.

“IS IT TRUE” JUNE 17, 2019

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We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUE” 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.

IS IT TRUE that the Vanderburgh County Jail is causing lots of controversy these days?…the jail which was built on the north side less roughly 15 years ago is now overcrowded to the point that more cells are needed to keep up with the people who are being sentenced to jail?…there are even some highly placed people who are posturing by asking “why is the jail overcrowded?” as though this has happened in the last few months?…overcrowding in the local jail is nothing new and was used as the compelling reason to build the new jail in the first place?…after building the new jail the old one which had served for years was shut down?…if these dimwits really want to answer the rhetorical question on “why is the jail overcrowded?”, they don’t need to look any further than the rising crime rate in Evansville?…this is a simple demand and supply model where the supply is fixed but the demand is rising due to the lawlessness of the population?…the easiest way to solve the overcrowding problem at the jail is to reduce crime?…that would mean doing things to make this a nicer place to live where people believe they have a future?

IS IT TRUE it was recently announced that the Evansville Water & Sewer Utility Department hired a new Communications Director, whose role is to inform the public about the millions of dollars worth of upgrades projects citywide?  …that the former head of Mayor Winnecke’s communications staff was hired by the Evansville Water & Sewer Utility Department?  …her hefty salary is now being paid out of the Water and Sewer Utility department budget? …so far the CCO hasn’t received one (1) news release from her? …we are now hearing in order for the CCO to get any news releases from the Water and Sewer Department we must file an official requests with the Mayors office?  …that the only request that the CCO will be filing is with the State Of Indiana Public Access Officer in order to forced the Evansville Water And Sewer Department to send us future news releases generated from that Department?

IS IT TRUE that the well known and popular Perry Township Trustee Rick Riney is being encourage and is considering running for Vanderburgh County Commissioner during the next election cycle? …if he does his worthy opponent will be none other than the current County Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave?

IS IT TRUE that Steve Ary a Constitutional Conservative and local pastor is running as an Independent for the office of the Mayor Of Evansville? ..that Pastor Steve Ary stated; “he believes that after eight years of elitist Lloyd Winnecke politics, the forgotten men, women and children of Evansville deserve better than the current physical and financial condition of our city, and that the people of Evansville deserve a real choice this election”?  …that Pastor Ary is aggressive, focus, intelligent and well spoken? …we predict the Rev. Ary will demand that Mayor Winnecke defend some of his questionable business decisions that he made during his eight years in office during the campaign?

IS IT TRUE we wonder if anyone in the Winnecke Administration or members of the Evansville City Council can explain to us the rational of increasing the Local Option Income Tax and taking away our Homestead Tax Credit while spending $750,000 on Penguin exhibit art the Zoo?

IS IT TRUE we wonder if you aware that the taxpayers are paying off an annual bond debt payments for the new downtown medical school ($2.7M) and downtown hotel ($1.26M) without having any ownership position? …we also wonder who are the owners of the hotel and medical school buildings that the taxpayers are paying off the bond notes on?

IS IT TRUE back in 2017 the Vanderburgh County Council  voted to raise the County Wheel Tax by a 5-2 vote? …the five Council members that voted for the County Wheel Tax increase were all Republicans?  …the two County Council members that voted NO to raise the County Wheel Tax were Democrats?  …we were told the rational for this vote was to help fund a new additional to the Vanderburgh County jail?

IS IT TRUE we hope that Mayor and officials of EVSC will come came up with way to to fund building a new pedestrian bridge across Highway 41 so the Bosse High school students can cross that road safety?

IS IT TRUE we are extremely pleased tom hear that the Mayor has decided to to pay down the serious shortfall in the employee health plan this year?  …now it’s time fir him to put out a RFP request to area insurance carriers for a more affordable employee health care plan? …sometime the practice of “Peter Borrowing From Paul” can work in the short term?

IS IT TRUE we are told that the First Ward City Council candidate, Ben Trockman (D), will have a fundraiser in a week at Knob Hill?  … that last week Mr.Trockman started his first official camipaign canvassing by going door to door?  …we are told that the First Ward City Council race will be a political dog fight?
IS IT TRUE if any City Council candidate would like for us to do a “IS IT TRUE” concerning their campaign events please contract us at City-County Observer@live.Com?
Todays “Readers Poll’ question is: Do you feel its time for the taxpayers of this community to start holding our public officials accountable for their bad business decisions?
If you would like to advertise in the CCO please contact us at City-County Observer@live.com
Footnote: City-County Observer Comment Policy. Be kind to people. Personal attacks or harassment will not be tolerated and shall be removed from our site.
We understand that sometimes people don’t always agree and discussions may become a little heated.  The use of offensive language and insults against commenters shall not be tolerated and will be removed from our site.
Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers.

Steve Ary Announces His Candidacy To Run For Mayor Of Evansville

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Steve Ary Announces His Candidacy For Mayor Of Evansville In The 2019 General Election

Ary is a Constitutional Conservative running as an Independent, and he believes that the city of Evansville needs to replicate the State of Indiana’s outstanding financial stewardship to get Evansville out of the red and into the black.

He has a twenty-two year history of successfully working in and managing national retail chains and local businesses, managing profit and loss, decreasing spending while increasing revenue. He is innovative and solution-oriented. He is a pastor at CityGate Indiana, a non-denominational church located at 1511 N. Royal Ave. on the East Side of Evansville.

Using his strategic budgeting analysis and procedures, he has turned money-losing businesses and churches around from running in the red to running in the black.

Ary plans to tackle important Evansville issues such as:

  1. Unnecessary government spending
  2. Affordable housing
  3. Gang violence
  4. Drug activity
  5. Homelessness
  6. The pedestrian bridge at Hwy 41 and Washington Ave.
  7. Energy independence
  8. Ending local cronyism and corruption
  9. Pay-to-play in professional service contracts
  10. School bullying
  11. Urban blight and abandoned houses
  12. Real code enforcement
  13. Clean neighborhoods and public safety
  14. Alleys, local flooding, and watershed
  15. Abandoned neighborhoods

Steve Ary believes that after eight years of elitist Lloyd Winnecke politics, the forgotten men, women and children of Evansville deserve better than the current physical and financial condition of our city, and that the people of Evansville deserve the “real choice” this election.

For more information, to sign petitions, or to donate, please contact the Committee to Elect Steve Ary at: ary4evansville@gmail.com or call him at 812.549.0885.

The Conservative Movement Still Lacks a Political Vehicle

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 The Conservative Movement Still Lacks a Political Vehicle

By Richard Moss MD

A year ago I was locked in a political race for the Republican nomination for Congress from Indiana’s 8th district.  I was running against then 4-term incumbent, Larry Bucshon.  I had also run in the prior election cycle in 2016.  And I had run in 2014 against Mike Braun (now US Senator for Indiana) for state representative (HR 63).  

Among issues popular among conservatives, I also had what I thought was a compelling matter regarding the incumbent: Bucshon and his family had moved to Washington DC.  That combined with his generally weak voting record could, I hoped, propel me to an upset victory, never easy against an incumbent.  I started early and ran hard.  I had raised money and traveled extensively throughout the 18 counties of Indiana’s 8th district, meeting and interacting with voters. 

Despite a vigorous, hard-hitting campaign, we came up short – actually worse than the prior election.  I had dropped from 35% to 26%.  I also observed that many in the 8th district county level GOP establishment were upset over my criticism of Bucshon for moving to DC.  I contended, however, that a representative and his family must live, work, and attend schools in the area he represented.  In this era of an increasingly centralized federal government, far removed from its constituents, Bucshon’s decision to move to Washington exemplified a DC-centric mentality that defined perfectly what was wrong with our political system – and why I had run. 

Having lost in three political campaigns, I can report that it is wonderful not to run for office.  I return home at night.  I have more time with my family.  I no longer have to suffer the slings and arrows of detractors.  I can observe the political machinations and comment from afar. 

The reasons for running in three separate campaigns, however, have not disappeared.  Our “one party” system in Washington remains profoundly corrupt and self-serving.  It consists of career politicians from both parties, special interests, donors, and lobbyists, all of whom agree on one thing: growing the size of government. 

The Republican Party, in its budgeting and voting, is a left of center party; it is, as I often referred to it as, the Republican wing of the Democrat Party.  With an increasingly Marxist Democrat Party, and no serious conservative opposition from “soft-progressive” Republicans, the trajectory of the nation is all to the left: more spending, more programs, more socialism, and ultimately more tyranny.  

Rather than promote a constitutional, limited government agenda that would actually expand liberty and shrink the power of the federal government, the GOP, in effect, embraces the tenets and policies of the Democrats (other than occasional, meaningless rhetorical flourishes to the contrary).  Thus, there is no active force to thwart the mortgaging of the nation and future generations by politicians seeking short-term political gain.   

Thanks to our federal government, for example, we have annual trillion dollar deficits, a national debt approaching $22 trillion (larger than our GDP), and $200 trillion dollars in unfunded liabilities.  The actuaries of Medicare and Social Security indicate both programs will be bankrupt in 2026 and 2035 respectively.  The Republican Party, allegedly a stronghold of fiscal prudence, is, in fact, handmaiden to profligacy and insolvency.

The GOP remains hapless on the issue of immigration.  It has done nothing to curtail and reform legal immigration to reflect the national interest (i.e. to make it meritocratic, limited, and diverse; to end chain migration, the “diversity” visa, birthright citizenship, and lawless “sanctuary cities,” among many critical issues); it has not secured the southern border nor prevented the influx of hundreds of thousands of illegal aliens, virtually all of whom are impoverished, uneducated, and unskilled, and who will burden our schools, hospitals, courts, and public systems.  Many of them are disease carriers, drug dealers, criminals, and terrorists.  Thanks to feckless Republicans, our immigration system has become a giant welfare magnet for the world, a threat to our sovereignty, the rule of law, and national security.  

The GOP has failed abysmally on the cultural front; it has feebly accepted the cultural Marxism of the left rather than pushing back against the nihilism and degradation of our popular and politically correct culture.  It has failed to promulgate a conservative “narrative” to confront the anti-Christian, anti-family, anti-American narrative foisted upon us by our cultural overlords.  

Today’s Democrat Party, overtaken by the radical French Revolutionary Left, is not the Democrat party of your grandfather or father, of Truman or Kennedy, or even Bill Clinton or Barack Obama.  This bunch, should they come to power, is preparing the ground for future gulags not unlike their Marxist predecessors of the 20th century.

In effect, the conservative movement lacks a political vehicle in which to enact its agenda, policies, and narrative, hence the nation is at the mercy of liberaldom.  Absent effective and principled resistance from a fighting Republican Party, the leftward tilt of the nation, its decline into socialism and bankruptcy, its fragmentation into tribalized, warring identity groups, and the continued breakdown of its culture, is unavoidable.  The Trump years, like the Reagan era, will represent temporary but minor respites in the downward spiral of the country.

We live in treacherous times and the fault lines dividing us may be insurmountable.  But conservatives must continue to uphold our priorities that the nation may return to its foundational principles and beliefs.  We must reassert the religious and cultural underpinnings of the country, the central role of the two-parent family, faith, and the Judeo-Christian tradition; we should foster an appreciation of our unique history and heritage, of liberty, individual rights, the rule of law, free markets, and the principles of our founding documents, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights.  We, the believers, must remain the vanguard defending Western and American civilization – with or without the Republican Party. 

Footnote: Dr. Moss is a practicing Ear Nose and Throat Surgeon, author, and columnist, residing in Jasper, IN.  He has written “A Surgeon’s Odyssey” and “Matilda’s Triumph” available on amazon.com.  Find more of his essays at richardmossmd.com.  Visit Richard Moss, M.D. on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.