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echo Housing article

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. — After nearly eight months of investigation and discussion, City Council decided ECHO Housing Corp. can receive funding from the City without restrictions.

Interim Director Chris Metz publicly discussed the nonprofit’s accountability progress and recent achievements to Council members Monday evening asking for their support.

The council voted down an ordinance that would have withheld all money the city gives ECHO until Council sees two things: proof that ECHO changed its policies and procedures to prevent embezzlement or fraud from re-occurring and the results of an independent, third-party audit of the organization’s financial statements dating back three years.

“We are pleased with the ‘no’ vote on the ordinance to withhold funds from ECHO Housing at the City Council meeting this evening,” Metz said in an email after the meeting. “With this decision, Council sends the message that they stand with those who are less fortunate or marginalized within our community, and we commend that decision.”

The vote was 7-2 vote with Finacne Chair Jonathan Weaver, D-At-Large, and Councilman Justin Elpers, R-5th Ward, who established the ordinance, voting to keep the ordinance in place until more information was provided.

The organization has met one condition set forward by the proposed ordiance: they changed their accounting and financial policies, Metz emphasized to Council.

Weaver, along with many other Council members, said they were appreciative of ECHO’s administrative changes, but still has concerns.

“I still have a problem, at this point in time, giving public money to an entity still under investigation,” Weaver commented.

Metz said ECHO was not under investigation.

“ECHO Housing Corp. is listed as the victim of this crime and all paperwork associated with the investigation,” he said. “I think it’s very important to note that the organization is not under investigation — the former executive director is under investigation.”

If the ordinance had passed, ECHO’s services would have been impacted, Metz said.

Ward 2 Councilwoman Missy Mosby said she was “torn” between voting for the ordinance and helping those in need. She said Council had to do something because its city dollars.

“We have not gotten to see an audit yet and neither have you,” she emphasized. “I’m really torn because I don’t want to see our veterans, after school kids and different projects like that not be able to move a step forward.”

Councilman Dan McGinn thought it would be wise to reject the ordinance.

“Why should we punish homeless veterans and homeless families because allegedly one person did something illegal?” he said. “I’m all in favor of voting on this now, and I hope everybody votes it down.”

In March, the Courier and Press discovered former ECHO Housing Corp. executive director Stephanie Tenbarge used the organization’s funds —  allocated for low-income families — to pay her personal property taxes on three properties in November 2017, May 2017 and November 2016.

Tenbarge stepped down from her position March 14 and several attempts to reach her over the past several months have been unsuccessful.

Once the city learned of the fraudulent activity, officials decided to review their contributions to the nonprofit. In the past, the City provided ECHO between $80,000- $130,000 annually, according to Kelley Coures, executive director of Department of Metropolitan Development.

Since the scandal occurred, the ordinance has been tabled twice this year.

In September, Council members requested a financial update from ECHO. Metz outlined new policies and procedures, including:

  • Two additional board members are set to be added by the end of the year
  • ECHO has fully implemented in-depth accounting policies and procedures
  • Implementation of a new Whistleblower policy is ongoing
  • The final draft of the forensic audit was completed and handed over to law enforcement July 13
  • All checks now require two signatures
  • Payroll is now outsourced to a local accounting firm
  • All transactions over $1,000 require board approval
  • Board of directors now receive weekly reports monitoring transactions and checks written in real-time
  • All transactions $5,000 or above now require board approval and two competitive bids
  • Executive director no longer engages in direct accounting day-to-day functions

However, the Council’s requested independent third-party audit results are still up in the air.

The Evansville Police Department is still investigating the allegations and using the audit to determine outcomes.

Metz said EPD suggested the nonprofit not release the forensic audit until the investigation was complete. The police department hasn’t responded to repeated requests for an update on the case over the last week.

Metz said Monday that ECHO’s 2017 audit should be complete by the end of the year.

In September, Coures said ECHO was in compliance to receive all funds from DMD, including Community Housing Development.

“Moving forward, we will continue to work diligently to ensure that ECHO Housing is positioned to efficiently serve the housing needs of our most vulnerable community members,” Metz said after the Council’s decision Monday evening. “At ECHO Housing we will settle for nothing short of our overall vision: a community where everyone has a place to call home.”

Obituary Of Evelyn I. Matthews

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Obituary Of Evelyn I. Matthews

by Koehler Funeral Homes of Boonville and Chandler

Evelyn I. Matthews, 72, of Chandler, Indiana passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 25, 2019, at her residence.

She was born on March 21, 1947, in Evansville, Indiana, the daughter of the late Joseph and Virginia Mae (England) Johnson.

Evelyn was a devoted wife, momma, and mamaw to her family. For many years she sewed clothing and all kinds of beautiful items for her family. She was a great cook and a member of the Cypress Baptist Church in Boonville.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Wilbur Matthews; daughter, Annette V. (Randy) Greenberg; son, Carl V. (Cathy) Matthews; four grandchildren; twelve great-grandchildren; sisters, Juanita Rodighiero and Katherine Chinn; brother, Jerry Johnson Sr. and many nieces and nephews.

She is preceded in death by her parents.

Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Tuesday at Koehler Funeral Home in Boonville, Indiana.

Services are 2 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, 2019, at the funeral home with Pastor Terry Flowers officiating. Burial will be at Maple Grove Cemetery in Boonville.

Koehler Funeral Home of Boonville, Indiana is entrusted with care. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Cancer Society.

Friends unable to attend may send condolences to the family at www.KoehlerFuneralHome.com.

To send flowers to the family of Evelyn I. Matthews, please visit Tribute Store.

Aces down Valpo in series opener 8-1

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The University of Evansville baseball team broke out of their mid-season doldrums and the Aces relief staff put the clamps down on the Valparaiso bats, as UE got back in the win column, beating the Crusaders 8-1 Friday afternoon at Bauer Field.

The Aces sent out right-hander Adam Lukas to start the game on the hill, and the junior flame-thrower torched the Valpooffense for six strikeouts across the three frames of shutout work, while not allowing a hit.

Still, the game remained scoreless until the fourth inning. That’s when sophomore first baseman Tanner Craig drilled a triple to right, driving in freshman A.J. Fritz for the icebreaker, making it 1-0 Evansville. Junior center fielder Troy Beilsmith drilled a hot shot to third, which led to an error, allowing Craig to tally an insurance run, putting Evansville up 2-0.

Lukas’ shutout bid got broken up in the bottom of the frame, as Jeremy Drudge tagged him for an RBI double down the right field line, cutting the Aces lead in half, 2-1.

In the bottom of the fifth, Lukas would get into trouble with back to back walks to open the inning, ending his day. For the game, Lukas went four innings, allowing one run, on hit, with six strikeouts and six walks. He would give way the freshman left-hander Michael Parks, who came in and put the fire out, keeping it a 2-1 Evansville lead.

In sixth inning, the Aces bats would erupt. Following a pair of walks, senior left fielder Matthew Jones would start the scoring spree with an RBI single through the left side of the infield, plating Tanner Craig. Later in the frame, Evansville would load up the bases, chasing Valparaiso starting pitcher Jon Tieman from the game. However, UE kept swinging, as senior third baseman Sam Troyer delivered a clutch two-run single to left, putting Evansville up 5-1. Senior designated hitter NateReeder would keep the ball rolling for the Aces with a two-run single to right, scoring both Troyer and junior catcher Ben Komonosky, pushing the UE lead to 7-1. Freshman right fielder A.J. Fritz would cap the six-run explosion with an RBI single to left, putting Evansville up 8-1.

From there, UE bullpen would take care of the rest, as Michael Parks and Garrett Presko combined to pitch five scoreless innings, sealing the deal.

With the win, Evansville moves to 20-18 and 7-3 in conference play, while Valparaiso drops to 8-28 overall and 1-9 in league play.

EPD REPORT

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EPD REPORT

VANDERBURGH COUNTY RECENT BOOKING RECORDS

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http://www.vanderburghsheriff.com/jail-recent-booking-records.aspx

SHOULD THE CITY-COUNTY OBSERVER CONTINUE TO PUBLISH THEIR ‘IS IT TRUE” COLUMN?

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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.

SHOULD THE CCO CONTINUE TO PUBLISH THEIR ‘IS IT TRUE” COLUMN?

IS IT TRUE that we have been reminiscing in the last few “IS IT TRUE” columns and many things we have written about over the years that have given us great pleasure and a sense of accomplishment? …we are proud that we saved the taxpayers of this community many millions of dollars when we exposed that several politicians tried to take our Homestead Tax credits from us without our knowledge?  …we are quite proud of bringing accountability to a place that has not been known for holding public officials accountable?

IS IT TRUE over the years we have born the risks of exposing the shenanigans of powerful people and to some extent, it has been a labor of love? …doing this has taken a toll and little has been gained by the authors other than the quiet satisfaction and encouragement to continue to do what the people of River City should have been doing for the last century?

IS IT TRUE the CCO is the ones who tenaciously called out the failure our elected officials for choosing fun and games over substance?…it has been the CCO that exposed idiocy and self-serving squandering of taxpayer dollars in search of votes?…it is the CCO that took the powers that be to task every time they did something underhanded to pick the taxpayer’s pockets?…it is the CCO that had the courage to point to things like drug addiction in the parks, political patronage, nepotism, an escalating murder rate, and the neglect of public infrastructure for golden shovel photo ops?…over the years we have suffered mightily for doing what we have done?

IS IT TRUE what our readers do not know is that at least one contributing writer to the CCO had credible death threats on several occasions for questioning the honesty of the way the Ford Center was jammed down the taxpayers throats without a referendum?…another staff member has been subjected to several phone calls in the middle of the night only to be cursed or threatened by anonymous callers?

IS IT TRUE we even were handed stories by other members of the media because their owners did not have the courage to expose the malfeasance of powerful locals?…there have been challenging times for the contributors to this column but we stood by the principles of free speech? ..the time has come to evaluate if we should continue to publish the “IS IT TRUE ” column and is it worth the effort?

IS IT TRUE that unless there is a resounding public outcry for the “IS IT TRUE” column to be continued along with additional financial commitment (advertising) to support what it takes to do this column on a regular basis that this will be the last “IS IT TRUE”?

IS IT TRUE today’s “Readers Poll” is asking our readers to decide what is to become of this column and the voice of the “MOLE NATION” that made it possible?  …we want to thank our 113 ‘Moles” for providing us with valuable information over the years about politicians and business leaders misdeeds that helped make this column possible? …we also want to give special thanks to our loyal advertisers who supported our mission of ensuring “Good Public Policy”?

Finally, a part of us wants to keep up the fight, but another part would like to live in peace without constant threats, disruption, and ostracism? …we urge you to go to today’s CCO “READERS POLL” and vote? …the fate of the City-County Observer “IS IT TRUE” is up to you?

Todays“Readers Poll” question is:  SHOULD THE CITY-COUNTY OBSERVER CONTINUE TO PUBLISH THEIR ‘IS IT TRUE” COLUMN?

Please go to our link of our media partner Channel 44 News located in the upper right-hand corner of the City-County Observer so you can get the up-to-date news, weather, and sports.
We are pleased to provide obituaries from several area funeral homes at no costs.  Over the next several weeks we shall be adding additional obituaries from other local funeral homes.  Please scroll down the paper and you shall see a listing of them.
FOOTNOTE:  Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers.

 

Gambling Expansion Bill Heading To Governor

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Gambling Expansion Bill Heading To Governor

April 24, 2019,

By Emily Ketterer
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS — The controversial gambling expansion bill is on its way to Gov. Eric Holcomb after it passed through both chambers only hours before the General Assembly wrapped up the 2019 legislative session.

Ultimately, the decision was less partisan and more geographical as the bill’s numerous provisions – from an inland casino in Gary to a new casino in Terre Haute – directly impacts many lawmakers’ home districts. It passed the House in votes because the issue covers a number of items and gambling directly impacts lawmakers’ communities and brings out personal beliefs.

House Bill 1015 passed first in the Senate, 37-12. Nine Democrats joined 28 Republicans in supporting it, with 12 Republicans voting no.

The House approved it 59-36, with 22 Democrats and 37 Republicans voting yes, and 27 Republicans and nine Democrats in opposition.

Among the ‘no’ votes: Rep. Todd Huston, the Fishers Republican who authored the measure, surprising some of his colleagues as he pushed the red button moments after presenting the bill to his colleagues. Rep. Ed Clere, a New Albany Republican who sits next to Huston in the House chamber, asked: “Did you mean to do that?”

Huston nodded yes.

As lawmakers filed out of the Statehouse, Huston told reporters said he hadn’t told anyone of his decision to vote no but had felt it was his responsibility to negotiate a final version and present a bill most of his caucus backed.

Overall, HB 1015 allows two Gary casinos to move inland from where they currently sit in Buffington Harbor to a new site near Interstate 94. It also approves a new casino for Terre Haute and legalizes sports betting for ages 21 and up, including via mobile devices rso long as they register with one of the state’s casinos.

With this expansion, Indiana will add one new casino to the 11 existing casinos and two racinos. The racinos, in Anderson Shelbyville, will have live dealers in 2020, rather than 2021 as current law states, making them full casinos. The bill also boosts the number of licenses casino operators can own from two to six.

The owner of the Gary casinos, Spectacle Entertainment, will have to pay a $20 million fee over five years to move the casinos inland, and also relinquish its second casino license. For the sacrifice of the second license, Spectacle will still receive tax benefits as if they still own two casinos until 2025. This could potentially give the company $40 million to $50 million in tax credit,s said. Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, who was against the tax break the company gets.

“I think it’s bad policy to do that,” Smaltz said.

Smaltz also opposed mobile sports betting and had originally removed it earlier this session when the bill was in a committee he chaired. But the provision was restored when the House and Senate negotiated a final version.

This makes every community a gambling community, he warned.

“I’m not excited about having sports wagering anywhere in my community,” Smaltz said.

Other provisions that were added back in were the so-called “hold harmless” agreements to give payments to the communities where casinos in northern and southern Indiana who might lose revenue from the new Gary and Terre Haute casinos. Those include East Chicago, Michigan City, Hammond, Evansville, and French Lick. Huston later singled out that provision as contributing to his “no” vote.

“I don’t have a crystal ball. We don’t have a forecast (of how revenues will be affected),” Huston said. “…That’s my struggle. We’re making a presumption. I just don’t know what that presumption is.’

Lawmakers whose hometowns were helped by provisions in the gambling bill urged support. Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson, has a racino in her area that has brought “a thousand jobs in my community. Some of them have actually saved families from financial ruin.”

“Some folks just don’t like gaming, period,” she said. “But this bill has a lot of promise for our state.”

Democrat Sen. Eddie Melton said the casino expansion in his hometown of Gary will help rebuild the city, which they have been trying to do for 50 years.

“I don’t see this as a gaming bill,” Melton said. “I see this as an economic catalyst.”

But Rep. Randy Frye, R-Greensburg, raised a concern about the other communities in Southeast Indiana not receiving the same benefits. The casinos in Rising Sun and Lawrenceburg are not getting the “hold harmless” protections that the other casinos are. He said some parts of the bill were good but said some elements were thrown together at the last minute and needed to be thought out.

“We’re going to build this on the backs of the poorest people in our state,” Frye said.

The bill now heads to Holcomb for his signature. Recent questions were raised about Holcomb’s paid-for plane trip with the owner of Spectacle in 2018. Rep. Pat Bauer, D-South Bend, tried to prevent this from happening by amending the gaming bill in the House to require meetings between the governor and casino bosses to be public, but the provision was removed in the final version.

“Why wouldn’t the governor want to have some sort of open sunshine if he’s under some suspicion?” Bauer said.

So far, Holcomb has not committed to signing the bill though he has not been publicly critical of it either.

FOOTNOTE: Emily Ketterer is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

 

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“LEFT JAB AND RIGHT JAB”

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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.

MOOrauders By Jim Redwine

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Gavel Gamut By Jim Redwine

MOOrauders

Peg and I bought a cabin on the prairie in Osage County, Oklahoma. It came furnished with bovines who appear to have formed a four-legged resistance to destiny as Big Macs. When we visited recently we drove across the cattle guard and were met by the steely gaze of the Leader of the Pack. He was mainly black but had a white Mark of Cain on his left jaw and sharp hooves which he pawed into the dirt as he snorted fire through his flaring nostrils.

Having grown up in cow country I was able to recognize that neither the Lead Steer nor any of the others retained the necessary accouterments for bulls. Therefore, I advised Peg to relax as I directed her to get out of the pickup and wade through the herd to open the gate. Peg’s response will not be published! I eased open my door and took an aggressive stance as I met the Leader’s glare while I opened the iron gate.

Hurrying back to the truck I jumped in and sped through the herd while blaring the horn. Apparently, Johnny Kelley who owns the cattle uses the horn and siren of his feed truck to announce it’s dinner time. Instead of driving the cows off the horn enticed the Leader to menacingly advance toward us along with thirty of his gang.

We managed to negotiate our way up to our cabin and slip inside as the hungry cattle voiced their displeasure with our behavior. Peg and I barricaded ourselves inside the cabin as the Leader circled his troops around it. We waited for nightfall hoping the cattle were on an eight-hour workday and that when darkness came the cows would bed down.

Just after the moon appeared and bathed the prairie with silver light I cautiously opened the cabin door and was chagrined to see the Leader fixated on my position. His backup troops were edging their way up to the four newly set cedar posts that hold up the overhang attached to our new barn. As the cattle began to scratch their seven hundred plus pound bodies against the obviously challenged posts I knew something had to be done. I hollered for Peg.

Peg loudly yelled something that sounded like a word describing a cow byproduct as she shoved me outside with a blanket to shoo away the bold bovines. I noticed the blanket was red as Peg slammed the cabin door behind me.

Gingerly making my way toward Leader Steer I yelled and flapped the blanket. Whether the Leader would bolt or charge was highly in doubt until I remembered an old McDonald’s television commercial that I began to sing as loudly as my scared vocal cords would allow:

“You deserve a break today!

So get out and get away

To McDonald’s!”

Then I shouted, “Two all beef patties or get away from my barn”. Upon reflection, Leader must have decided I wasn’t worth the effort as he unceremoniously turned his backside toward me and sauntered away with his subjects in tow. Of course, he may have just found my singing, not to his liking; everyone’s a critic. Now, Gentle Reader, if someone will just come to rescue us, Peg and I can leave the cabin and head back to Indiana where most cattle know their place.

For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com  Or “Like” us on Facebook at JPegRanchBooks&Knitting

 

Camp Atterbury to Host NRA Marksmanship Competition Center

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Gov. Eric J. Holcomb announced today that Camp Atterbury will be the site of the National Rifle Association’s new National Marksmanship Competition Center.

“Camp Atterbury will serve as an exceptional venue for marksmanship championships that promote education and responsibility,” Gov. Holcomb said. “This new center will provide great economic benefits for central Indiana with the safety, training and competition opportunities for thousands of citizens, law enforcement and military personnel.”

Camp Atterbury, located on approximately 35,000 acres just west of Edinburgh in Johnson County, has a long history of marksmanship training. Since opening in 1942, Camp Atterbury has hosted units from all branches of the military. Civilian law enforcement agencies also use the ranges to gain experience that is otherwise logistically difficult and costly.

The NRA’s competitive shooting division, which has been holding marksmanship competitions since 1876, will bring national and regional competitions as well as firearms training and safety courses to Camp Atterbury.

Smallbore Rifle Championships and Precision Pistol Championships will begin in 2020 and the High Power Rifle Championships, which have been held at Camp Atterbury since 2017, will continue. The NRA expects to add collegiate marksmanship events and other related competitive shooting events at the center over the course of the ten-year agreement.

Additionally, the NRA will work in conjunction with the Camp Atterbury Museum to develop the NRA Military Heritage Museum.

“Since our inception, the NRA’s roots have been in our competitive shooting programs,” NRA Executive Vice President and CEO Wayne LaPierre said. “We look forward to having our National Matches at Camp Atterbury, Indiana and to offer competitive shooters a centralized location to compete while protecting our Second Amendment freedoms.”

As a part of the agreement, the NRA will lease space at Camp Atterbury, and the state will upgrade several shooting ranges. The improvements are also expected to draw another military, law enforcement, and civilian training and competitions as well.

The annual meeting of the National Rifle Association is underway in Indianapolis this weekend and returns to the capital city in 2023.

 

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