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Crowded Ballot Includes Balanced Budget Amendment

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Crowded Ballot Includes Balanced Budget Amendment

November 4, 2018 

By Eddie Drews
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS—The race for the U.S. Senate may be dominating most election coverage, but Hoosiers will have a proposed state constitutional amendment to consider as well as candidates for other federal and state offices when they vote Tuesday.

That constitutional amendment, which calls for a balanced budget, is either necessary for Indiana’s fiscal health or a waste of resources because the constitution already prohibits the state from going into debt.

The proposed balanced budget amendment—which calls for the state to spend no more money than it takes in—passed the Indiana General Assembly twice, in 2015 and 2017.

Gov. Eric Holcomb, through his campaign committee, is encouraging a yes vote on the measure. It would take a two-thirds vote in both chambers to suspend the balanced budget requirement under the proposed amendment.

But Rep. Ed Delaney, D-Indianapolis, said the amendment is useless and will change nothing because lawmakers already pass balanced budgets. He said the amendment was created by Republicans to create an image that they are responsible and Democrats are not.

“It has no practical impact,” said Delaney, adding “all it does is create confusion for the voters.”

Also on the ballot this year are all nine seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, three statewide offices, all 100 seats in the Indiana House and 25 in the Senate, local two statewide judicial positions, local races for judges and prosecuting attorneys, plus numerous local offices ranging from school board to township trustee. Some local jurisdictions have ballot issues as well.

At the statewide level, Hoosiers have three options for secretary of state: incumbent Republican Connie Lawson, Democratic challenger Jim Harper and Libertarian challenger Mark Rutherford.

In the race for Treasurer is Republican incumbent Kelly Mitchell and Democratic challenger John Aguilera. And for Auditor, voters have three options as well with Republican incumbent Tera Klutz, Democratic challenger Joselyn Whitticker and Libertarian challenger John Schick.

Judge Robert Alice of the Indiana Court of Appeals and state Supreme Court Justice Geoffrey Slaughter face the voters in a yes or no judicial retention vote. Both were appointed by former Gov. Mike Pence. 

Hoosiers can find their polling location, whether they are registered and other information about what’s on the ballot here.

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

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Set Up Begins For Ritzy’s Fantasy Of Lights

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Set Up Begins For Ritzy’s Fantasy Of Lights

NOVEMBER 3RD, 2018 TOWNSEND OUTLAW EVANSVILLE, INDIANA

The holiday season is just around the corner, and places in the Tri-State are already gearing up for many traditions around the area.

Dozens of volunteers from the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers, the Teamsters, the National Electrical Contractors Association, and Electrical JATC (the Joint Apprenticeship Training Committee for IBEW and NECA) began setting up for the 25th annual Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights in Garvin Park this Saturday at 7 a.m.

Volunteers transported more than 60 elaborate light displays from storage and installing as many of those as possible during the annual “marathon set-up day.” Between 11:30 a.m. and 12 noon, the volunteers got to enjoy their lunch break with a picnic-style lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs and chili, all donated by the event’s lead sponsor, Ritzy’s. During the lunch break, Easter seals Child and Adult Ambassadors thanked the volunteers for their efforts.

Saturday is the biggest work day for the crews who prepare Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights, which benefits the local Easterseals Rehabilitation Center. It’s a massive team effort that will continue with smaller numbers of volunteers returning to Garvin Park many times. In fact, workers will be connecting power to the 60-plus exhibits and fine-tuning details until opening night on Thanksgiving.

Pam Kirk, the Easterseals Director explained, “People just talk about how this event has been important to them for years and they want us to keep it going. And of course, the best thing of all is they know that when they come in and pay their fee to drive through, that the money is going to help a local child or adult with a disability get services that they couldn’t otherwise afford.”

Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights will run nightly from Thanksgiving through Jan. 1, 5-9 p.m. Sun.-Thur. and 5-10 p.m. Fri.-Sat., Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. The show will feature the popular drive-through format. For one night only Wed. Nov. 28, the event will be closed to vehicles and will host “Bright Lights for Easter seals” 5K run and 1-Mile family-fun walk.

Sunday, November 18, there is a chance to see a “sneak preview” of selected Ritzy’s Fantasy of Lights displays at the conclusion of Evansville’s Christmas on North Main Parade.

VCSO Regional Jail Officers Course Graduates 14 New Officers

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The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office graduated fourteen (14) new confinement officers from the Indiana Law Enforcement Basic Jail Officers Course this past Friday. Officers from Vanderburgh, Harrison, Gibson, Perry, and Dubois counties completed the Basic Jail Officer’s Course.

In 2006, the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board approved the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office as a regional training site for this forty (40) hour course, which is required of all newly hired jail officers during their first year. The new officers were instructed in subjects such as: ethics, tactical communication, report writing, jail operations, physical security, searches, evidence gathering, booking and admissions, blood borne pathogens, cultural awareness, suicide prevention, mental illness and legal issues.

The regional officers will return to their respective agencies next week in order to continue additional facility specific training. Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office confinement officers will spend the next two weeks attending additional classroom and practical training, which will include topics such as: housing unit supervision, gang identification, defensive and physical tactics, record keeping and practical scenarios. Upon completion of the classroom training, the new confinement officers will be assigned to a Field Training Officer (FTO) for an additional ten (10) weeks before being permitted to work alone.

At any given time the Sheriff’s Office houses over 675 inmates within the confines of a 146,500 square foot facility. As an Indiana Law Enforcement Academy accredited provider, the Sheriff’s Office accepts applications from outside agencies to attend the Basic Jail Officers Course at our facility.

Pictured above: Jail Officers Course – Class 2018-304

Hundreds Gather At Newburgh Temple For Show Up For Shabbat

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Hundreds Gather At Newburgh Temple For Show Up For Shabbat

NOVEMBER 2ND, 2018 JEFF GOLDBERG INDIANA, NEWBURGH

People across the country are still mourning the 11 people killed at a Pittsburgh Synagogue. Instead of having every synagogue do their own thing, the American Jewish Committee came up with a plan for unity. They call is show up for Shabbat, and it’s a program that both mourns the losses of the 11 members of the Tree of Life Synagogue, but also sends a message of strength and unity.

Shabbat is the weekly tradition for Jewish people to put everything down and come together and pray. Temple Adath B’Nai Israel Rabbi Gary Mazo said it’s the perfect respite to get away with the many tragedies unfolding in the country.

It takes time to get over the deaths of 11 people killed for simply being Jewish. But as the congregation mourns they must move forward and they’re doing so with a message of unity.

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OPTIONS BY JIM REDWINE

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OPTIONS

GAVEL GAMUT By Jim Redwine

Peg and I voted early. I am not aware of whose idea early voting was, but it was a good one. Perhaps the period could be expanded and maybe a safe and secure system of voting from home could be devised. My opinion is that the more citizens who cast one legitimate ballot the better. If we can deliver packages by drone, get gourmet meals sent to our homes and pay our taxes over the internet we should be able to hold legitimate elections that meet our current lifestyle and encourages all who are qualified to vote. Of course, such a system would need to ensure only those qualified vote and ensure that there is only one vote per voter. But as we plan to colonize Mars and the Moon we ought to be able to call upon our ingenuity to increase our options here on Earth.

In my view, that is what differentiates us from all other species, options. And the important decisions as to who should lead us forward are one critical area where options matter most. We should not only encourage maximum participation in elections, but we should also make that participation inviting and easy. After all, we know our society demands maximum ease in such things as satellite and cable TV, drive-through fast foods and shopping by the index finger, so why should we make voting less accessible?

Some of you will read this article on or before Election Day on November 06, 2018. If you have not voted, please do so. You will feel better when your taxes come due if you feel you have had some input into who sent the statements to you. 

I see participation in our democracy much as I view the case settlement system I helped devise in the Circuit Court of Posey County, Indiana. Let’s take a divorce for example. Two spouses who once loved one another and perhaps had children together or operated a business, now need to go new directions. How can the vital issues of child custody and property division best be resolved? Is it better to have the divorcing spouses turn their future over to a complete stranger, a judge, or might they be happier if they work together to resolve things for themselves? This system of keeping the couple’s options open leads to happier children and a much greater chance of a better future for all involved. In other words, such a court case is kind of like an election where the participants, the voters, have the option to impact their own destiny.

We may make a bad choice occasionally, but we can rectify matters at the next election if we stay involved. One thing is for sure if we do not vote we cannot impact the selection of those people who control our lives. And if we lose control we are in the same position as all other species, that is, we will have no control because we did not exercise our options.

For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com

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FAMILY WALK

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Bringing together Indiana professionals, helping young Hoosiers

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To provide guidance to young Hoosiers, professionals ranging from librarians to CEOs are sharing their career journeys on a new website.
State of Change is an online platform where experienced professionals share insight into their success to help others who are beginning their careers. The website is powered by Share Your Road, which specializes in collecting advice from people working in different trades across the country.
These personal stories of work-related successes and struggles help young people steer their careers, achieve their occupational goals and network with professionals in their career field.
Each journey is different. Perhaps your professional story could help guide someone on their career path, or someone you know could benefit from learning about the experiences of others. To learn more, click here.

Adopt A Pet

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Tina – 8 year old female, domestic short hair, charcoal gray, $40 adoption feel which includes neuter, vaccines/tests & nationally registered microchip

Go Green!

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Protecting Children from Lead Poisoning. To kick off National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week (NLPPW), leaders of President Trump’s Task Force on Environmental Health Risks and Safety Risks to Children raised awareness about the health risks associated with exposure to lead, specifically for children. “Reducing lead exposure, particularly among children, is a top priority for EPA,” said EPA Acting Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Today, we are releasing a new document, Protecting Children from Lead Exposures, that will increase public awareness of the EPA programs and grants available to reduce lead exposure.” Each October, National Lead Poisoning Prevention Week is a reminder about protecting children’s health.

Reg Agenda Strong on Commitment to Environmental Protection and Regulatory Reform. EPA’s Fall 2018 Regulatory Agenda and Plan show strong progress toward regulatory reform while advancing EPA’s core mission of protecting human health and the environment. “To date, under President Trump, EPA has finalized 28 major deregulatory actions saving Americans over $1.6 billion and meeting the President’s two-for-one regulatory order,” said Wheeler.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-releases-fall-2018-unified-agenda-and-regulatory-plan-shows-commitment-strong

13-Year High for Deleting Superfund Sites. EPA announced that in Fiscal Year 2018, the Agency deleted all or part of 22 sites from Superfund’s National Priorities List, the largest number of deletions in one year since FY 2005 and a significant increase over the past few years. “Under President Trump, EPA is deleting Superfund sites from the National Priorities List at the fastest pace in more than a decade,” said Acting Administrator Wheeler. “This remarkable accomplishment is proof that cleaning up contaminated lands and returning them to safe and productive use is a top priority of the Trump EPA.”
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/epa-hits-13-year-high-deleting-superfund-sites

Nearly $30 Million for Children’s Health. In honor of Children’s Health Month, EPA announced $20 million for states and tribes to test for lead in drinking water at schools and childcare facilities, and  about $9 million in rebates to public school bus fleet owners to help them replace older school buses with cleaner, more modern vehicles. “Children’s health is a top priority at EPA, and we have made tremendous progress improving air and water quality and helping kids and families lead healthier lives,” said EPA’s Andrew Wheeler.
https://www.epa.gov/newsreleases/childrens-health-month-epa-offers-nearly-30-million-support-cleaner-water-and-air

State joins case against East Chicago sanctuary city ordinance

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Olivia Covington for www.theindianalawyer.com

The State of Indiana has been granted leave to intervene in a Lake County lawsuit challenging an East Chicago city ordinance that allegedly violates Indiana’s law barring sanctuary cities.

Special Judge Thomas P. Hallett granted the state’s motion to intervene in Greg Serbon, et al. v. City of East Chicago, et al., 45D03-1805-PL-00045, on Tuesday. The case, brought by the Terre Haute-based Bopp Law Firm, alleges sections of an East Chicago city ordinance are in direct violation of Indiana Code section 5-2-18.2, which requires local governments to cooperate with federal immigration directives.

The suit takes aim at East Chicago Ordinance 17-0010 sections 3, 6, 9(c) and 10. Each of those sections limit local law enforcement cooperation with federal immigration officials, with Section 6(a) holding that, “No agency or agent shall be permitted to accept requests by ICE or other agencies to support or assist in any capacity with immigration enforcement operations, including but not limited to requests to provide information on persons who may be the subject of immigration enforcement operations … . In the event an agent receives a request to support or assist in an immigration enforcement operation, he or she shall report the request to his or her supervisor, who shall decline the request and document the declination in an interoffice memorandum to the agency director through the chain of command.”

Conversely, Chapter 18.2 of the Indiana Code holds, among other things, that “[a] governmental body … may not enact or implement … a policy that prohibits or in any way restricts … a law enforcement officer from taking the following actions with regard to information of the citizenship or immigration status, lawful or unlawful, of an individual: (1) Communicating or cooperating with federal officials.”

Attorney Jim Bopp of the Bopp Law Firm said in a Friday statement that the East Chicago ordinance contravenes Chapter 18.2 and enables undocumented immigrants “to dodge immigration officials and remain in the community.”

In its motion to intervene, the state noted it was allowed to intervene in a nearly identical case against Gary without objection. The East Chicago defendants likewise did not object to the state’s motion to intervene.

“We welcome the State of Indiana to the lawsuit against the City of East Chicago’s sanctuary city ordinance and look forward to working with it to enforce Indiana’s anti-sanctuary city law,” Bopp said in a statement. “Indiana has special interests in protecting the public and defending its laws that are furthered by the State’s intervention. We are grateful to Attorney General (Curtis) Hill for intervening to protect those interests.”

Bopp further noted that he has moved for summary judgment on behalf of the plaintiffs and expects the state to follow suit. The complaint, brought under the name of two Lake County residents, seeks declaratory and injunctive relief against the East Chicago ordinances.

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