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“READERS FORUM” SEPTEMBER 30, 2018

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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? 

WHATS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?

Todays“Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that Judge Brett Kavanaugh FBI investigation will clear him of any wrongdoing?

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Footnote: City-County Observer Comment Policy.  Be kind to people. No personal attacks or harassment will not be tolerated and shall be removed from our site.
We understand that sometimes people don’t always agree and discussions may become a little heated.  The use of offensive language, insults against commenters will not be tolerated and will be removed from our site.

Indiana Needs More Resources To Treat Opioid Addiction, Panel Told

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Indiana Needs More Resources To Treat Opioid Addiction, Panel Told

By James Polston
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana has come a long way in the battle with opioids but the state needs to continue to do more, Sen. Jim Merritt, R-Indianapolis, said during a committee meeting Thursday.

“As a state, we need to do anything and everything we can to help those who are addicted get the help they need to recover and live a better, healthier life,” Merritt said in a statement released after the Interim Study Committee on Public Health, Behavioral Health, and Human Services meeting Thursday.

The committee met to discuss resources available for addiction treatment and the impact that opioid treatment programs have had on the areas they serve.

 

“It’s not over, it’s not going to be over soon,” Merritt said during the meeting. “But we have come strides and we have the tools out there.”

Merritt said the state needs more treatment facilities, doctors, nurses, psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers.

“We need to continue to work on destroying this opponent, this stigma, this epidemic, really, this monster,” Merritt said.

During Merritt’s presentation, he noted that the state has opened five new Opioid Treatment Programs (OTPs) since June, raising the number of OTPs to 18 in 15 cities.

Merritt also said there are eight syringe service programs in Indiana, with the ninth opening soon in Marion County. He also said the state has 164 community mental health centers and 60 licensed recovery residences.

Kevin Moore, director of the Division of mental health and addiction said the goal for the state is to have a treatment facility or resource within an hour drive of anywhere in the state.

“Opioid misuse negatively affects not only individuals but also our economy,” Merritt said.

A 2018 study by the Indiana Business Review shows that Indiana has sustained $43.3 billion in economic damages to date as a result of opioid misuse.

“This number includes direct costs, which are losses associated with products and services to combat the epidemic, and indirect costs, which are losses to gross state product due to lost work productivity,” Merritt said. “Having ongoing discussions on this crisis is critical as we form a plan of attack for the upcoming legislative session.”

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

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Find-A-Parent Wristbands Available For Fall Festival

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Find-A-Parent Wristbands Available For Fall Festival

Safety and security is a huge concern every year at the Fall Festival. Children can get lost amongst the large crowds of people.

To combat this, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office will have free Find-a-Parent wristbands. Parents can find these wristbands at 11th and Franklin.

The wristbands have a place to print a cell phone number on the back in the event a child and caregiver gets separated.

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Preparing for Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure

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Preparing for Susan G. Komen Race For The Cure

For the past 20 years, one Evansville organization has been on a mission to end breast cancer forever. The Evansville Komen affiliate has given more than $8.3 million for breast health services, with an additional $3.3 million to find a cure.

5,000 individuals have registered for Race For a Cure, and about 500 volunteers will be at Eastland Mall lending a helping hand.

Executive Director Sheila Seiler says the annual race help thousands of women who are not able to get their annual mammogram. Packet pickup and registration begins 7 a,m, on September 30th.

The survivor parade is set to begin at 8 a.m. before the 5K run and walk that begins at 9 a.m.

Individuals wanting to be involved can get more information by clicking here.

Bikers Leave For 300 Mile Trip, Supporting EVSC Students In Need

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Bikers Leave For 300 Mile Trip, Supporting EVSC Students In Need

A team of seven suited up and started on their 300-mile bike ride. The bikers are employees of a branding agency called Grin. They are biking from Evansville to Chicago.

“What started this was we learned that in the EVSC last year 21,000 times kids couldn’t pay their lunch fees,” says Phil Mowrey, Senior Partner of Grin. Their goal is to raise awareness of the EVSC Foundation’s “Student Response Fund” which helps students whose basic needs aren’t met. They are hoping to raise $10,000. “It’s a pretty big deficit in the lunch fund. We are trying to take a dent out of that.”

Officials say this money will help pay for various needs of Evansville students including their lunches, eyeglasses, and clothing. This bike ride is expected to take four days, and officials say they couldn’t have done it without the support of the community.

“This is a lot more expensive than we might have imagined,” says Mowrey.

One of their sponsors says they are glad they got to help make this event possible.

“This is a great thing to do, and we are very happy to be participants in the event,” says Gib Riffle, Marketing Director of ProRehab.

Grin says so far they have raised $7,500. They hope they can gain momentum to carry them into next year.

“This is our first year doing this. We hope next year we can gain some speed and we will start putting more money on it,” says Mowrey.

If you would like make a pledge to their cause click here.

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97th Annual West Side Nut Club Fall Festival, October 1-6

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Experience this week-long gala along West Franklin Street with over 136 food booths, free entertainment, carnival attractions, parades and much more!

Did we mention, there’s LOTS of food?!?

It’s a festival like no other and It starts on October 1, 2018

AG Curtis Hill warns Hoosiers about callers claiming to represent Social Security Administration

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Attorney General Curtis Hill is warning Hoosiers to beware of scam callers trying to obtain people’s personal information by claiming to represent the Social Security Administration.

In recent days, the Office of the Attorney General has received several dozen calls from Hoosiers reporting robocalls from such impostors. Upon answering their phones, these individuals heard recordings stating they were being monitored on suspicion of illegal activity. Those receiving the calls were told they must call back or else their Social Security numbers would be canceled.

Anyone receiving these calls should immediately hang up and report the calls to the Office of the Attorney General at indianaconsumer.comor by calling 1-800-382-5516.

“Do not give out your personal information over the phone to these kinds of callers,” Attorney General Hill said. “The perpetrators of these hoaxes are trying to steal your identity in order to make fraudulent purchases or commit other wrongdoing.”

Anyone needing to contact the Social Security Administration may call the agency’s customer service line at 800-772-1213.

UE’s Annual Chili Bowl Sale Planned for October 25

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The University of Evansville’s Clay Club will present its annual Chili Bowl Sale on Thursday, October 25 from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. The event will be outside Hughes Hall, near the East Terrace Lawn across from Ridgway University Center. The rain location is Eykamp Hall, Room 253, and the Class of 1959 Gallery and Lounge in Ridgway University Center.

Chartwells, the food service provider at UE, is co-sponsoring the event and providing chili made by chef Don Brown under the direction of Chris Clay.

For $10, customers can buy a one-of-a-kind ceramic bowl and fill it with chili. Paper containers will be available for those who prefer not to put chili in their newly purchased bowls. Larger bowls from $15-$50 will also be for sale. Some more artistic larger bowls will be sold at a silent auction as well, ranging in price from $60-$100.

The bowls are being made by members of the Clay Club and other UE students, faculty members, staff, alumni, and members of the community.

Half of the proceeds will be donated to the Potter’s Wheel, Inner City Mission. The Clay Club officers chose this organization for their work with educating and feeding the less fortunate in the Evansville Community. The rest of the proceeds will be used by the Clay Club to attend conferences, visit museums and galleries, and host visiting artists.

Todd A. Matteson, Clay Club advisor and UE associate professor of art, noted that “a lot of hard work and long hours go into making the bowls. They are all hand crafted on the potter’s wheel from a ball of clay. The artist has to center, form, alter, trim, dry, and then fire them, not once, but twice. The entire process is lengthy, but the outcome is a tremendous success. Most of the bowls have been glazed different from one another, but some of the bowls are glazed similarly, so patrons can have matching sets. Each bowl has its own uniqueness.” Â