“IS IT TRUE” JANUARY 30, 2019
We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUEâ€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?
IS IT TRUE we are told that the Vanderburgh County Library Board only keeps a summary report of their official meetings? Â …this Board receives their funding from the City and County taxpayers? …the taxpayers of Vanderburgh County expect that this Board to be transparent when it comes to providing accurate and detailed minutes concerning the important decisions made by this publicly funded Board?
IS IT TRUE that the Vanderburgh County Council meets next week? Â …that the subject of appointing a new board member to the Vanderburgh County Library Board is on the agenda? …that a member of this board’s term ends this month? Â …we have been told that the Vanderburgh County Council will not reappoint this Library Board member?
IS IT TRUEÂ we are told that the potential Democrat candidate for Mayor of Evansville is a well-educated millennial with John F Kennedy good looks, great personality with some impressive professional achievements? …it could be possible that someone is trying to trick the CCO but Mole #3 tells us that there really is a person fitting this description who is pondering a run for the Mayor of Evansville?
IS IT TRUE we are told that in the event a challenger from the Democrat Party does come forward to oppose Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke there are hints that his opponent may allege that there are a couple of campaign contributions that has the smell of payola on them?
IS IT TRUE it is widely known that Mayor Winnecke is starting out with a $600,000 political war chest but what is not widely known is where the money is coming from?…in the most recent financial disclosure form there are 37 people or companies that made contributions of over $5,000 to the Friends of Winnecke fund and 30 of those generous fatcats were from other locations?…that means that only seven (7) local wealthy folks stroked the Mayor a check for $5,000 or more?…of those 30 out of town generous fatcats, many of them were listed as engineers or engineering companies?…engineering in the sense of political contributions almost always means construction contracts for civil engineering work?
IS IT TRUE that building projects that have been paid with public money it is a time-dishonored tradition for some of that money to go back to the politician’s re-election campaign coffers who made the contracts happen?
IS IT TRUE attached below is the link of  Mayor Winnecke’s 74-page political campaign finance report for 2018?  …we urge you to take your time to read and analyze this extremely interesting report?   Mayor Winnecke’s campaign finance report.
If you would like to advertise on the CCO please contact us at City-County Observer@live.com
Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers.
Trockman Will Officially File For Election Today At 2:00 P.M. At The Civic Center Election Office
Trockman Will Officially File For Election Today At 2:00 P.M. At The Civic Center Election Office
January 30, 2019
30-year-old, Evansville native, Ben Trockman has announced his candidacy for Evansville City Council, representing Ward One.
Trockman is a Diversity and Inclusion Specialist with Old National Bank in addition to serving on University of Southern Indiana Alumni Association Council and the State of Indiana, Indiana ABLE Authority Board.
“I have an immense passion for the Evansville community, especially the First Ward, which I have called home my entire life. It is my desire to play an intricate role in the continued development of our city serving as your City Councilman of the First Ward,†stated Trockman.
Trockman will officially file for election on Wednesday, January 30 at 2:00 p.m. in the Evansville Civic Center Election Office, followed by a few brief remarks from Trockman and campaign chair, County Commissioner Ben Shoulders.
To learn more please visit https://www.facebook.com/events/2409982915702525/.
###
Bill Could Expand Indiana’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law
Bill Could Expand Indiana’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law
JANUARY 29TH, 2019 
MEGAN DIVENTI INDIANA
Two years ago, Kystie Phillips shot and killed a man who was attacking a police officer during a traffic stop outside her home in Rising Sun, Indiana.
Prosecutors said she acted lawfully, but she’s now being sued by that person’s family.
A proposed House Bill is now being debated in Indiana and would keep people like Phillips from being sued. State Representative Jim Lucas introduced House Bill 1284 and more or less it would create a ‘Stand Your Ground’ Law in the Hoosier state.
There are plenty of passionate opinions on both sides of this debate.
“I couldn’t just stand there and watch a police officer murdered in front of my eyes when I had the ability to help that day, and so I helped,†says Kystie Phillips, being sued.
Monday, Phillips went before state lawmakers stating her case for expanding the state’s ‘Stand Your Ground’ law which is exactly what one Hoosier lawmaker is trying to do.
“The only thing we want to do is just protect the victim and not force them to go bankrupt defending themselves in a justified use of force,†says State Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour.
That’s where House Bill 1284 comes in. It would expand the law and keep people like Phillips from being sued after using justifiable force.
“I think that’s wonderful. We have a natural right to defend ourselves, our families,†says Curt Mardis, Doc’s Guns owner.
Mardis says gun owners have a right to protect their home in self-defense.
“I think we all know there are lots of frivolous lawsuits in our society and there are people who are looking to take advantage of unfortunate situations and I think civil protections are very needed,†says Mardis.
Indiana laws currently provide immunity for justifiable use of force protecting themselves, their property, or someone else protecting them from criminal penalties, but not civil.
“I think that’s one of the biggest dangers is homeowners think they want a gun to protect themselves, they buy a gun, they buy the gun, they take it home, and they don’t pursue any kind of training with that firearm. That’s something that’s something that the homeowners need to be more proficient and more knowledgeable on the weapon that they have in their home,†says Chief Daryl Saltzman, Boonville Police Department.
As of now the committee has decided to table the bill and will bring it up for discussion at a future date.
Over $60 Million In Unclaimed Property Returned To Hoosiers In 2018
Attorney General Curtis Hill returned $61.01 million in unclaimed property during 2018 – $2.1 million more than the amount returned in 2017.
“Our responsibility to collect, hold and disperse unclaimed property sets us apart from attorneys general across the rest of the United States,†Attorney General Hill said. “We take this role very seriously and work aggressively every single day to return unclaimed property to its rightful owners.â€
To reach owners of unclaimed property, the Office of the Attorney General uses mailings; social media; online and print advertisements; and local media coverage. Staff members crisscrossing the state in the Attorney General’s Mobile Operations Center (MOC) also help constituents search for unclaimed money. During 2018, in fact, staff members with the MOC helped Hoosiers find $430,030 in unclaimed money on the Unclaimed Property Division’s online database.
In the spring of 2018, the Unclaimed Property Division (UPD) upgraded to a more streamlined claiming process to make the experience more efficient for claimants. Internally, the changes have enabled the claim review process to go paperless, allowing for a more fluid and trackable system.
Unclaimed property refers to any financial asset with no activity by its owner for an extended period of time. This includes unclaimed wages or commissions; savings and checking accounts; stock dividends; insurance proceeds; underlying shares; customer deposits or overpayments; certificates of deposit; credit balances; refunds; money orders; and safe deposit box contents. Organizations holding potential unclaimed property are expected to make every possible effort to contact the owner before reporting the assets to the state in which the owner was last known to reside.
In 2018, the UPD received $126 million in unclaimed property – $29 million more than the amount received in 2017.
VANDERBURGH COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY UPDATES
|
|
|
Gilda’s Club, A Cancer Support Community – Celebrating 5 Year Birthday!
Open house set for Wednesday, February 6, 2019 between 4-6pm
Gilda’s Club 5 year birthday party will be Wednesday, February 6, 2019 from 4:00-6:00 p.m. at Gilda’s Club Evansville, 5740 Vogel Road, Evansville, IN 47715.  The celebration is open to the public. There will be a timeline of pictures and inspiration highlighting the impact Gilda’s Club has brought to our community over the last 5 years.Â
Gilda’s Club Evansville’s mission is to serve as a community of caring individuals that provide social, emotional and educational support to anyone impacted by cancer.  100% locally funded, together we share a vision that no one should face cancer alone.Â
Gilda’s Club Evansville is an affiliate of the Cancer Support Community (CSC), a global organization providing psychosocial cancer support to tens of thousands of people through a network of nearly 50 local affiliates, more than 100 satellite locations and online. Â
School Bus Involved in Minor Crash
Yesterday, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office responded to a motor vehicle collision involving an Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation School Bus
and a pickup truck at the intersection of North Saint Joseph Avenue and Allens Lane.
It was reported that the EVSC school bus was attempting to turn east onto Allens Lane
when it collided with a 2010 Ford F-150 traveling northbound on Saint Joseph Avenue.
There were only three students aboard the school bus at the time of the accident and each complained of minor pain at the scene. The children did not require any further medical treament and were released to their respective guardians to be taken to school. According to the investigating deputies no injuries were reported by the drivers. The intersection had a lane restriction for a short time so the vehicles could be removed by wrecker services.
The above image depicts the scene as deputies investigated the collision.