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 VenuWorks owned and City of Evansville subsidized team that plays hockey inside the Ford Center and known as the Evansville Thunderbolts is having a bad year when it comes to performance? …the win-loss record of the Thunderbolts is now 9 wins and 37 losses and the prospects for making the playoffs is out the window? …quite frankly the Thunderbolts are dead last in the semi-professional league that they play in and are suffering at the box office too?

IS IT TRUE that a couple of days ago the highly respected journalist John Martin of the Evansville Courier and Press wrote an interesting article concerning the Evansville Thunderbolts Hockey team and the Indiana Firebirds-Evansville Arena Football team?

 IS IT TRUE that John Martin wrote, “that the Evansville Thunderbolts since their second season has been owned by VenuWorks, which is the entertainment company with a city contract to run the Ford Center”?

IS IT TRUE that Scott Schoenike is employed by VenuWorks to run the Ford Center and the Evansville Thunderbolts?  …that the Executive Director of the Ford Center Scott Schoneike told John Martin of the Courier and Press; “having a hockey team is important to the arena financially, even on nights when few people are there.”  … when Mr. Martin asked Mr. Schoenike to provide the Courier and Press with the data related to the Evansville Thunderbolts hockey team expenses and revenues he declined several requests to do so?  …that Mr. Schoenike also said; “those figures are blended with those of major concerts and other events at the arena”?

IS IT TRUE we can guarantee that Mr. Martin’s requests for Mr. Schoenike to provide him with the data related to the Evansville Thunderbolts Hockey team expenses and revenue reports will be backed up by numerous “Freedom Of Information Requests” submitted to him and others on behalf of the Evansville Courier and Press?

IS IT TRUE it seems appropriate that the City-County Observer reminds Mr. Schoneike that he or Venuworks don’t own the Ford Center but they are only the stewards of the public trust?  …that the taxpayers of Evansville own the FORD CENTER? …the taxpayers of this community expect Venueworks to provide the Evansville Courier and Press a detailed and accurate accounting of the Thunderbolts financial activities during the last several years?

IS IT TRUE since Mr. Schoneike publically stated that the Thunderbolts “financial figures are blended with those of major concerts and other events at the arena” it wouldn’t be a bad idea if the Evansville Courier and Press would also file a “Freedom Of Information Requests” for detailed accounting of every event held at the Ford Center over the last several years?  …by doing so the public will be able to see what Mr. Schoneike meant when he stated that “those figures are blended with those of major concerts and other events” at the arena?

IS IT TRUE that last year Scott Schoenike, the Executive Director of the Ford Center told the Courier and Press; “that he has been in conversations with several leagues during the past few years but waited for the right match.”  that Schoenike also said; “that the city believe they have found one in the National Gridiron League”?

IS IT TRUE that a lot of people are looking forward to watching Arena Football at the Ford Center?….we wonder why we haven’t seen any advanced marketing effort by the Ford Center in promoting the Evansville Indiana Firebirds first home game scheduled on April 12, 2019, at the Ford Center? …we are puzzled why this event isn’t even listed on the Ford Center upcoming events schedule?

IS IT TRUE the Indiana Firebird Arena Football team has been touted as going to play their first home game in Ford Center on April 12, 2019? …that the Evansville Firebirds are scheduled to play in 5 weeks?  They are currently advertising for players on INDEED with a wage of between $6,000 and $20,000 per year? …it is now alleged that team uniforms have been ordered and the extremely expensive artificial turf has now been ordered to go over the sheet of ice where the Evansville Thunderbolts play?…there is a Facebook page to keep you all up on the progress of Indiana Firebirds-Evansville arena football team in what may become the second coming of the Bluecats or Vipers?

IS IT TRUE we have been told by reliable sources that several key staff members of the Indiana Firebirds-Evansville have recently left team employment because they haven’t been paid since they started working for the National Gridiron League? …we have also been told by reliable sources that several former employees of the Indiana Firebirds-Evansville and another National Gridiron League team former employees have retained the legal services of an attorney located in Lousiville, Kentucky?

IS IT TRUE that our good friend Ronald Riecken is celebrating his 75th birthday today?  …he enjoys snake and alligator hunting in the Everglades?  …he is also well known as a water rat?  …if you get a chance give “Everglades Ron” a 75 birthday shout?

IS IT TRUE that the old beautiful home and grounds called The Rathbone that has served Evansville for many years as a retirement home has been sold and is about to undergo so very unnecessary changes that will not only degrade the property but the neighborhood it is in as well?…it has been deemed by some overlords that The Rathbone does not have enough parking places for the number of rooms it has and the beautiful parklike grounds are slated to be bulldozed down to put in concrete for parking places?…these are parking places that have never been needed and are not needed now to support the needs of the property?…it is our hope and desire that The Rathbone will be refurbished and updated but that the beautiful grounds should be allowed to remain the same parklike setting that it always has been?…those who like urban green spaces should let the people who run the City of Evansville and the new ownership that the best part of The Rathbone is its grounds?

Todays“Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that the Indiana Firebird-Evansville arena football team will play their first home game at the Ford Center on April 12, 2019?

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.

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

KATIE STANCOMBE FOR WWW.THEINDIANALAWYER.COM

Hoosiers hoping to legally light a joint will have to keep waiting now that legislation that would legalize marijuana in the state has been left behind in the Indiana Statehouse.

Despite previous optimism among pro-marijuana lawmakers for the issue to have a higher chance of success during the 2019 legislative session, numerous marijuana-related bills faltered, most not even receiving a hearing in committee to move forward before the deadline for bills to be approved had passed.

A longtime proponent of marijuana legalization Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Hills, said at this point in the session, her marijuana legislation is dead.

“Do I think anything else will happen? … absolutely not,” Tallian told Indiana Lawyer. “I don’t have any other vehicle to talk about it.”

However, Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, said he won’t quit pushing for marijuana, even if that means he goes down swinging.

“I want to wait until the Speaker gavels out,” Lucas said. “Nothing’s over until sine dies.”

Although both lawmakers’ bills dealing with marijuana failed to move forward this session, the illegal drug’s recently vindicated cousin, hemp, made strides in the Indiana Senate last week.

Senate Bill 516, authored by Republican Sens. Randy Head and Blake Doriot, passed the Senate floor nearly unanimously, with Tallian as the only senator to vote against the bill. The measure would realign Indiana’s definition of hemp to comply with federal guidelines issued at the signing of the 2018 Farm Bill in December, making hemp an agricultural crop alongside commodity crops such as corn and soybeans.

Additionally, SB 516 would establish the Indiana Hemp Advisory Committee to provide advice to the Indiana state seed commissioner regarding Indiana hemp laws, policies, and fees.

Tallian said she was reluctant to vote yes on the measure, yet said the legislation would at least would make Indiana’s situation better than what it is currently. However, after the bill received amendments to its advisory committee and added language defining “smokable hemp,” Tallian said she had to vote no.

Specifically, the bill included language defining “smokable hemp” as a product containing no more than .03 percent THC, the psychoactive component found in marijuana that can produce a “high.” Further, the bill would criminalize the use of smokable hemp via inhalation, smoke, or vapor to a Class C misdemeanor. Any dealing of smokable hemp would result in a Class A misdemeanor.

That provision causes Tallian and Lucas serious concern considering Indiana’s recent legalization of cannabidiol, commonly referred to as CBD. Derived from marijuana and hemp, CBD oil is believed to have therapeutic benefits without the compounds that make users high. Under current Indiana law, CBD oil products must contain less than .03 percent of THC.

“But I think that includes most of the CBD oil because anything can be vaped or inhaled,” Tallian said of SB 516’s smokable hemp provision. “I think they made a mess they didn’t intend to make.

Co-author of a bill that legalized CBD oil Sen. Jim Tomes, R-Wadesville, was unavailable to comment on the issue by IL deadline Tuesday.

Tallian noted she spoke with the authors of SB 516, and that an attempt to make CBD oil products illegal was not the intention. But Lucas said he worries about what this could mean for Hoosier business owners. He said he is currently unsure of whether he will make a move to address the issue once the bill reaches the House.

“I want to talk to people and see what we can do,” Lucas said. “But definitely the way it stands right now, we’re going to put Hoosier business owners out of business because it meets the less than .03 percent threshold.”