GAVEL GAMUT

By Jim Redwine

www.jamesmredwine.com

(Week of 20 October 2025)

LESSONS LEARNED

Peg and I used to live on 12 acres just outside of New Harmony, Indiana. We enjoyed taking care of it ourselves. We now live just outside Barnsdall, Oklahoma on a small acreage we do enjoy but find its care occasionally more of a challenge. Such was our recent experience. In fact, we almost got nostalgic for town living when we decided to attack the repair of our mower. It all seemed so simple, in theory.

I had just finished mowing the high hill we call “Mogul Margaret’s Mountain” and was going back down the trail along the side of the mountain when the zero-turn mower controls quit controlling. I was headed into a ravine. I pushed the brake and stopped the mower just before taking the plunge. Since I had left my cell phone in the Cabin, I could not call for Peg to jump in the 4-wheel drive dune buggy and bring me a towing chain. So, I walked down the half-mile trail and found Peg working in the vegetable garden. We devised what appeared to us to be an easy solution to a rather mundane maintenance situation. We jumped in the dune buggy after throwing a chain in the bed and headed back up the mountain.

When we got to the disabled mower, I surveyed the damage and drew upon my vast knowledge of mechanics. I related the complexity of our modern mower to the walk-behind push mowers my brother, Phil, and I used to use to mow yards a mere seventy years ago. I remembered how we would sharpen the blades with a file, change the oil in ten minutes and repair the engine with a screw driver. Well, Gentle Reader, due to the great improvements in technology, our zero-turn mower now resembles a simulation of a spaceship. D.I.Y. has been usurped by, “What’s that and where does it go?”

Anyway, my first idea was to get the mower down to the line shed (the barn) so I could stare at it in puzzlement indoors and out of the heat. Here’s what I did. Oh, by the way, Peg has disavowed all responsibility for my approach. First objective, get the mower away from the ravine and the other side of the mountain, which is an even bigger drop-off. I had to ease the dune buggy past the mower so I could get it turned around. This required that Peg, staying far away, edged along the trail so she could guide me. She did and I managed to not slip off the side into oblivion.

Then I attached the chain to the mower and dune buggy. I asked Peg to slowly ease the dune buggy down the trail as I guided the mower with just the brake. Of course, the main problem was the tires could not be turned, so only the brake stood between me and an Olympic ride down the ridge. Fortunately, Peg did not see me, as yet, as dispensable so she skillfully eased me between the ravine and the hillside as I rode the mower like a mechanical bull.

When we got the mower to the line shed, I did rely upon my years of book-learning and referred to the repair manual. What my expert analysis was? I had no idea how to fix the problem, whatever the problem was. However, I did remember an important lesson from my past mistakes and decided to call the service department of the Scag dealer. They will be out tomorrow.

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Thanksgiving Distribution

Evansville, IN – [October 17] – The Evansville Rescue Mission (ERM) is excited to announce that sign-ups for this year’s Gobbler Gathering will take place Monday through

Thursday(Oct. 20 – Oct. 23), from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., at Washington Square Mall, located at 1107 Washington Square, Evansville, IN — in the hallway outside The Thrift Store by

Evansville Rescue Mission.

The Gobbler Gathering is one of the Tri-State’s longest-running Thanksgiving traditions—providing thousands of families each year with everything needed to prepare and

enjoy a full holiday meal. Each registered household receives a Thanksgiving food box filled with items like a turkey, stuffing, canned vegetables, and other holiday favorites.

“Each year, the Gobbler Gathering is a powerful reminder of what can happen when our community comes together,” said Tracy Gorman, President/CEO of the Evansville Rescue

Mission.

“We’re honored to continue this century-old tradition of providing not just food, but hope, to families across our region.

To register, individuals must bring a photo ID and proof of address. Only one registration is allowed per household.

This year’s Gobbler Gathering distribution will take place in November, continuing ERM’s mission to provide support and compassion to families in need during the holiday season.

The City of Evansville this week fully reopened the Walnut Street corridor, a showcase project designed as a “Complete Street” with new pavement, sidewalks, and a dedicated bike path.

The project reflects a modern approach to safer, more accessible streets, making Walnut Street an ideal example of what the city hopes to replicate through its adoption of the Vision Zero initiative.

“Walnut Street shows us what the future of Evansville’s streets can look like,” said Mayor Stephanie Terry. “It’s safer. It’s accessible. It’s built for everyone, no matter how they get around. This project is a perfect example of the kind of long-term change we want to see citywide through Vision Zero.”

Vision Zero is a global movement to eliminate traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries through smarter roadway design, data-driven enforcement, and community-centered planning. In July, the Evansville City Council advanced the city’s adoption of the initiative by passing a resolution declaring its support.

The local effort to bring Vision Zero to Evansville began with a personal request from Dr. Ahmed Khan, whose son, Muhammad, was tragically killed in a traffic accident in 2024. Dr. Khan approached city officials with a proposal: help him honor his son’s memory by committing to a safer future for all Evansville residents.

In response, the Office of Mayor Stephanie Terry convened a Vision Zero task force, led by Deputy Mayor Lindsay Snyder and with representatives from the City Engineer’s Office, Evansville Police Department, Evansville Fire Department, and other city officials; alongside key community organizations such as the Welborn Baptist Foundation and SWIRCA. Together, the group has begun developing a roadmap to embed Vision Zero principles into Evansville’s infrastructure and policies.

“Too many families in Evansville have been impacted by traffic crashes,” Mayor Terry said. “Vision Zero is about changing that. Every resident deserves to move around our city safely, whether they’re driving, walking, biking, or taking the bus.”

Vision Zero originated in Sweden in 1997 and has since spread to cities across the United States and the world. Its core philosophy is simple: no loss of life on our streets is acceptable. Unlike traditional approaches that place responsibility solely on individual road users, Vision Zero emphasizes systemic changes—such as safer street design, improved signage, speed management, and robust data analysis—to create a safer transportation network for drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.

Evansville’s City Council resolution marked the second of three required steps to become an official Vision Zero city. First, municipalities must adopt a formal resolution; second, they must form a leadership committee; and finally, they must submit a Vision Zero application outlining safety goals, strategies, and implementation plans.

Evansville has submitted that application, and is awaiting a final response.

Meanwhile, Dr. Khan and a community partner have established a nonprofit organization to help raise funds that will support Evansville’s Vision Zero goals, from education campaigns to infrastructure improvements.

The Walnut Street corridor now stands as the first visible example of that commitment. As Evansville moves forward with Vision Zero, residents can expect more investments in safe, multimodal transportation options designed to make every trip – to work, school, the store, or home – safer and more reliable.

BY: LESLIE BONILLA MUÑIZ, INDIANA CAPITOL CHRONICLE

Pro-ratepayer parties, including the state’s advocate-in-chief, oppose the deal.

AES Indiana slashed its $193-million base rate increase request by more than half — to $91 million — in a settlement agreement filed with state regulators on Wednesday.

“We have a deep commitment to operating efficiently and keeping rates as low as possible,” utility President Brandi Davis-Handy said in a news release. “Throughout this process, we’ve listened to stakeholder feedback and evaluated tradeoffs we will make for future investments while minimizing the financial impact of delivering safe and reliable electric service.”

The proposed deal is with Indiana University and the city of Indianapolis, plus a variety of companies: Allison Transmission, Eli Lilly & Co., Rolls-Royce, Walmart and more. Kroger wasn’t part of the deal but has no objection to it, according to the filing.

The matter is before the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, and won’t be decided until next year.

Indiana Utility Consumer Counselor Abby Gray and her office, as well as pro-ratepayer group Citizens Action Coalition, didn’t sign on.

“The settlement agreement filed by AES and other parties shows the utility’s initial request was inflated and unnecessary,” Gray said in a Thursday news release. “The OUCC stands by its initial recommendations for a reduction from current rates and will oppose the utility’s settlement agreement.”

Her office recommended last month that the IURC deny AES Indiana’s request — and, instead, said a $21 million cut to current rates is “warranted” based on the case‘s evidence and the law.

Citizens Action Coalition, meanwhile, called the proposal “unbalanced.”

“We will vigorously oppose this unfair and unaffordable deal and do everything we can to protect the residents of Indianapolis from yet another large utility bill increase,” Executive Director Kerwin Olson said in a Thursday news release. “Hoosiers have had enough with AES Indiana’s poor service, soaring bills, and backroom deals. It’s time for the IURC to send a message and restore affordability and accountability at our out-of-control monopoly utilities.

The proposed settlement

AES Indiana provides retail electric service to more than 530,000 residential, commercial and industrial customers in Indianapolis, as well as portions of other central Indiana communities surrounding Marion County

The agreement would lower the revenue requirement AES Indiana seeks from $2.1 billion to $2 billion, and lists other changes — to the cost of capital, fuel oil inventory, depreciation, vegetation management and more — that go into the revenue figure.

The utility also agreed not to implement new base rates arising out of its next case until 2030, after the current base rate request is carried out.

And the company would delay the start of its next proposed transmission, distribution and storage improvement charge plan until 2028. The current plan enters its final year in 2026.

“For over a decade, AES Indiana has consistently ranked among the lowest residential rates in the state, and that’s not by chance,” Davis-Handy said. “Despite rising costs, we have been disciplined in our planning through measures like our operations and maintenance costs holding flat for the past five years.”

Some of the agreement’s terms affect specific parties, like streetlight provisions involving the city of Indianapolis or discussions about “ways to ameliorate the peaks associated with Rolls-Royce’s engine testing.”

The document goes on to tackle the cost of service and rate design.

“The Settling Parties agree that rates should be designed in order to allocate the revenue requirement to and among AES Indiana’s customer classes in a fair and reasonable manner,” it reads.

The subsidy received by residential customers would be “mitigated” by 15%, according to the agreement. Fixed charges would stay at their current, regulator-approved levels: $12.50 monthly at 325 kilowatt hours or less, and $17 monthly for residents using more power.

Large secondary service customers would pay a $128 charge and a demand charge of $28.50.

Citizens Action Coalition said the deal would result in residential customers receiving a 6.51% base rate increase, whereas primary and secondary classes of large commercial and industrial customers would “only” receive a 3.19% and 4.12% increase, respectively.

The advocacy organization also critiqued the arrangement for “fail(ing) to adequately address” the “egregious and prolonged” problems tens of thousands of customers experienced after AES rolled out a new billing system in 2023.

Regulators can approve, deny, or modify any settlement agreement they consider. But the document says that — if the IURC doesn’t accept the proposed deal in its entirety — it’ll be null, void and withdrawn upon written notice of “unacceptable modifications” by any of the settling parties.

Data centers not part of the equation

AES Indiana also filed rebuttals this month to earlier criticisms.

In their response to the initial increase ask, OUCC witnesses labeled the utility “inattentive” and “indifferent” when it comes to affordability.

“While the OUCC may disagree with the Company on policy matters, the suggestion that differing viewpoints constitute wrongdoing should be rejected,” Davis-Handy said in her rebuttal.

She argued that AES Indiana can’t control much of the increase it seeks.

“Rate reviews are driven by facts and require sound analysis,” Davis-Handy said. “This is necessary because the price charged for retail electric service is underpinned by the cost incurred to provide the service, and the reality is that much of the cost incurred by the Company to provide service is outside the Company’s control.”

She pointed to the utility’s “relatively flat” non-fuel, non-labor operations and management expenses as proof of “reasonable and sound management of costs that are under the Company’s control.”

Davis-Handy also rejected claims that power-hungry data centers are behind the rate increase request, testifying that AES Indiana doesn’t have any data center customers right now and that data center load is “in no way associated with” the proposed hike.

The OUCC pledged to submit opposition testimony “on a future date to be determined.” The settlement agreement includes a request to change the case’s filing schedule, but notes the “non-settling parties” haven’t agreed to the revisions.

Parties will have the opportunity to file testimony in support or opposition to the deal, after which the IURC will hold an evidentiary hearing.

AES Indiana hopes regulators will finalize the case in the spring, so that it can implement new rates by June 1, 2026.

Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly described AES Indiana’s original base rate request as being for $293 million. However, it was for $193 million.