We hope that today’s “READERS FORUM” 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? 

WHATS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?

Todays“Readers Poll” question is: How do you rank the Vanderburgh County Council job performance in 2018?

If you would like to advertise on the CCO please contact us at City-County Observer@live.com

The Board of Directors of BridgeLink support the recommendation of positioning the new bridge east of the current twin bridges.

According to officials, this new location has proven to be the best location for economic development, cross-river mobility, ease of traffic congestion, and minimal negative local impacts.

BridgeLink Chair Robert Koch said, “A new I-69 bridge is critical to the success of I-69 corridor, through Indiana, Kentucky, and nationwide. Our two states have been leaders in the effort to construct a completed national corridor.”

Central Alternative 1 includes a 4-lane I-69 bridge and retains the northbound U.S. 41 bridge for local traffic, which also includes new interchanges at U.S. 41 (south end), U.S. 60 and Veterans Memorial Parkway.

State DOT’s studies show that tolling will be a likely source of revenue to pay for the bridge, though officials at BridgeLink say they will work to jeep U.S. 41 bridges free for local traffic.

According to the joint Indiana-Kentucky studies of the need for the bridge, the existing bridges’ location is home to several high-crash locations. In addition, studies found that the existing infrastructure “strains to efficiently handle the cross-river volume of traffic”.

BridgeLink will be on and at the Public Hearings scheduled for January 7th at Henderson Community College and January 8th at the Old Nation Events Plaza.

The public is invited to provide testimony in support of the route and the prompt construction of the I-69 Bridge.

The Final Environmental Impact Study is expected to be completed in the fall of 2019, and construction could begin within several years after.

December 14th, 2018 marks 20 years since a landmark tobacco settlement and an annual report says tobacco prevention and cessation programs continue to get shortchanged.

The settlement awarded over $27 billion to fund tobacco prevention programs throughout the U.S., yet studies show that some states severely underfund these programs.

According to the Tobacco Settlement Annual Report, progress has been made in reducing smoking rates in the last two decades to a low 14% nationwide. However, the report shows that smoking rates are on the rise in some Midwestern and southern states and among certain population groups. Those groups include people who live below the poverty level, those with less education, American Indians/Alaska Natives, the LGBT community, and those who are uninsured or on Medicaid.

The report says that not a single state currently funds tobacco prevention programs at the level recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and only two states, Alaska and California, provide more than 70% of the recommended funding.

Locally, the report shows that Indiana is spending 10% to 24% of CDC recommended funding on tobacco prevention programs. The report also says Illinois is spending less than 10% of the recommended funds, with Kentucky having allocated no state funds for prevention programs.

The report touches on the youth using e-cigarettes, an issue that has been dubbed an epidemic. It’s believed the use of them have skyrocketed due to the popularity of Juul, which is seen as a challenged that should be addressed to prevent another generation from becoming addicted to nicotine.

Click here to read the report in its entirety.