County Celebrating the Bicentennial with Birthday Bash for the Community
Friday, July 6th, from 10:00am to 2:00pm, the Vanderburgh County Commissioners and the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse Foundation are hosting the “Bicentennial Birthday Bash†on the grounds of the Old Courthouse. The event is part of the Old Courthouse Lunch on the Lawn series and free for the community to attend. Attendees can purchase food from a number of local food trucks including Fresh by Genes, Kona Ice, Pizza by the Slice, Chef Bruce Li, Uncle Ted’s, Lamasco on Location, Papa T’s Tamales, Jayson Munoz Caters, River City Dawgs, and Sassy Sweet Confections. A Mobile Zip line brought to the community by the Old National Events Plaza will be set up on 4th Street and will run between the Old Courthouse and the Old Vanderburgh Jail. It is free for participants to ride. In addition, families can enjoy inflatables and face painting.
Media is invited to attend a 10:00am presentation of the Bicentennial Birthday Cake created by the Kempf family of Donut Bank Bakeries. The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office will be honored at this time as well as recognition given to the many organizations and businesses that have supported the Bicentennial celebration through this first half of our 200th birthday year.
Commemorative Bicentennial T-shirts will be available for purchase at the event. All shirt sales proceeds go to support the Bicentennial Park project at the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse.
Free parking can be found at the Vanderburgh County Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum located at 300 Court Street, across from the Old Courthouse.
For more information on the Vanderburgh County Bicentennial and upcoming celebration events go to www.VanderburghBicentennial.com.
For more information contact JoElle Knight, Chairwoman of Vanderburgh County Bicentennial Commission at 812-568-9646 or email info@vanderburghbicentennial.com
Celebrating Independence Day by Wendy Mcnamara
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Today, we join together with family and friends to celebrate our liberty and pay tribute to our brave American heroes.
If you are looking for last-minute ways to celebrate this special day, be sure to check out the local events highlighted below. Also, click here for helpful tips and reminders about firework safety.
I wish you and your family a happy and safe Independence Day!
Wynne’s shutout guides Otters past Crushers
Randy Wynne tossed a complete game shutout and struck out a dozen batters as the Evansville Otters glided by the Lake Erie Crushers 5-0 on Tuesday evening at Sprenger Stadium.
Joe DeLuca opened the scoring in the second inning when he knocked home Zach Welz with a single.
The Otters opened the game up with four runs in the top of the sixth. Jeff Gardner singled to right and an error form the right fielder allowed Ryan Long to score from second base. DeLuca then knocked in his second run of the game with another RBI single. Then with the bases loaded, shortstop Aaron Hill booted a groundball off the bat of Taylor Hillson which allowed two runs to score and put the Otters up 5-0.
The Otters racked up 11 hits in the ball game, with David Cronin, Long, Welz, and DeLuca all collecting two hits apiece.
Otters starter Wynne would have no need for the extra run support however, as he threw a complete game shutout striking out a season high 12 batters while walking just one and allowing ten hits. For Wynne, it is his fourth win of the season and second complete game.
Mason Klotz absorbs the loss for the Lake Erie. Klotz pitched five innings, allowing four runs, three earned, on eight hits and one walk.
The series will continue tomorrow evening at 7:05 p.m. ET at Sprenger Stadium as the Otters trot out Spencer Medick to make his second start of the year as an Otter. Medick picked up the win in his first start while not allowing an earned run in five innings.
Opposing Medick will be Donny Murray for Lake Erie. Murray is 3-4 with a 5.22 ERA this season.
READERS FORUM JULY 4, 2018
We hope that today’s “Readers Forumâ€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?
WHATS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?
Todays“Readers Pollâ€question Is: Do you feel that America is headed in the right direction?
Please take time and read our articles entitled “STATEHOUSE Files, CHANNEL 44 NEWS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, READERS POLL, BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBS†and “LOCAL SPORTSâ€.  You now are able to subscribe to get the CCO daily.
If you would like to advertise on the CCO please contact us CityCountyObserver@live.com.
New Laws Take Effect July 1, 2018
By Seth Fleming
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS—The 2018 session of the Indiana General Assembly is notable for Sunday alcohol sales, designating Say’s Firefly as the official state insect and going into overtime with a one-day special session in May.
But other legislation passed and some of those new laws go into effect on July 1:
School safety: The legislature, in the special session, allocated $5 million to improve school safety. House Enrolled Act 1230 was passed in the aftermath of the school shooting in a Florida high school. Other provisions of the bill include teacher training for cyberbullying and human trafficking and a requirement that schools be audited for safety by Aug. 1, 2019.
Sunscreen: Senate Enrolled Act 24allows students to possess and use non-spray sunscreen while on school grounds or at a school-sponsored event, without a prescription or doctor’s note. Also, a teacher can help a student apply sunscreen only if they have written consent from a parent or guardian.
Tax on software: Senate Enrolled Act 257 clarifies when sales tax can be levied on software. Remotely accessed pre-written software, which is delivered over the internet, is generally not taxable. Software purchased in a physical store is still subject to the state’s 7 percent sales tax. It is estimated that the state will lose between $5.7 and $13.4 million in taxes that would have been collected in the 2019 fiscal year under current law.
Civil forfeiture: Senate Enrolled Act 99 establishes some limits when the property is seized by law enforcement. The law requires an affidavit to be filed by the prosecuting attorney within seven days of the seizure explaining why the property was seized and deems that the property will be returned to the owner if no probable cause is determined.
Foster care: Senate Enrolled Act 233 is described as the “Foster Parent’s Bill of Rights†and requires that the state provide foster parents with a summary of their rights and responsibilities. Senate Enrolled Act 184 increases the number of children who can legally reside with one foster family from five to six children.
Death of a fetus: A person who commits a felony that results in the loss of a fetus can receive an addition 6 to 20 years in prison. Senate Enrolled Act 203 specifically states that this does not include abortion.
Drug deaths: House Enrolled Act 1359 increases penalties for manufacturing or selling illegal drugs that lead to the death of the user. It is a Level 1 felony or an average sentence of 29 years, if the drug is cocaine, methamphetamines or a schedule I, II or II controlled substance; a Level 2 felony, which has an average of 10 years, for a schedule IV substance; and a Level 3 felony, or an average of seven years, if the controlled substance is a schedule V substance or a synthetic drug.
FOOTNOTE: Seth Fleming is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
EPD Releases Information On Victim’s Assistance Program.
Concern for the victim is the underlying premise of any Victim Assistance Program. Research indicates that strong support for the victim benefits the entire criminal justice process. Justice demands that we support rights for those victimized by crime with the same pride as we provide protection to those accused of crime. The Evansville Police Department firmly maintains that all victims of crime have the following rights:
• Victims and witnesses have the right to be treated with dignity and compassion.
• Victims and witnesses have the right to be informed concerning the criminal justice system.
• Victims and witnesses have the right to protection from intimidation and harm.
• Victims and witnesses have the right to counsel.
• Victims and witnesses have the right to reparations.
• Victims and witnesses have the right to preservation of property and employment.
• Victims and witnesses have the right to due process in criminal court proceedings.
Current Indiana Law insures many of these rights in statutes covering such things as
victim compensation; restitution; special population laws (the elderly, children, sexual
assault, etc.).
The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office has established a victim assistance program. While the criminal justice system cannot undo the damage done to crime victims, the Prosecutor’s Office is dedicated to providing information and assistance in order to minimize the unpleasant effects of a difficult situation. Because victim and witness participation is vital to pursuing any criminal matter, the Victim/Witness Assistance Program considers your input and opinions essential in bringing criminals to justice. With a cooperative effort from the victim, witnesses, and the Prosecutor’s Office, they will more effectively prosecute those who have violated the law and provide valuable services to those who have been adversely affected by crime.