KEEPING THE FLAME By Jim Redwine
GAVEL GAMUTÂ By Jim Redwine
KEEPING THE FLAME
My mother’s three brothers and one of her three sisters served in the army in WWII. Uncle Buck flew close order air support of ground combat soldiers, one of whom could have been Uncle Bill. Uncle Bud never saw a shot fired in anger but went where he was told. Aunt Betty was an army nurse.
My two brothers and I served in the military during the Viet Nam War as did my sister Jane’s husband, Bruce. Bruce was stationed in North Carolina and was not sent to Viet Nam. My eldest brother, C.E., is a fine musician and the army decided it needed his saxophone for the U.S. Army Field Band more than they needed his rifle.
My other brother, Phil, is an excellent attorney whom the army ordered into the Judge Advocate Corps as they thought his legal advice was more important to the war effort than his fighting. And for reasons known only to the U.S. Air Force my country determined my supposed linguistic skills were more vital for gathering Intelligence than was my body for cannon fodder.
One of my numerous first cousins, Billy Mike, survived a year in combat in Viet Nam and my son, Jim, earned a Combat Infantryman’s Badge in the Gulf War of 1990-91 and another in the Iraq War in 2006. He also earned a Bronze Medal for service in each war. My son, my cousin and two of my uncles dodged enemy fire while my other uncle, my aunt, my brother-in-law, my brothers and I simply went where we were sent.Â
Twenty-nine of our presidents served in the military before becoming Commander-in-Chief. Some saw combat, some did not. At least two of our recent presidents actively avoided serving themselves but later, as President, sent others into combat. Abraham Lincoln always dreamed of military action and regretted only serving about one month of non-combat service during the Black Hawk War (May 1832–August 1832). Ironically, he later served as our top non-combat “soldier†during our deadliest war.
These differing military/non-military, combat/non-combat circumstances were brought sharply into focus for me last week when some of my siblings (C.E. and his wife Shirley plus my sister Jane along with my wife Peg) and some of my first cousins (Susie, Barbara Joan, Billy Mike and his wife Annette along with their son Ryan) got together in Canada for our first full-blown reunion since the Viet Nam War. The hair may now have a lighter hue but absolutely nothing important inside has changed since we threw firecrackers and climbed on the huge sandstone rocks at Osage Hills State Park in Osage County, Oklahoma over half a century ago.
We each almost instantly realized what a debt we owed to our parents and grandparents for all the times they brought us together at Christmas, the Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, weddings, and funerals. The bonds formed in an enchanted childhood not only helped us through these many intervening years although separated by time and space, we found they remain unbreakable even today.Â
And the strongest bonds were formed by loving relatives who supported those who were strong enough and wise enough to address with action the futility of wars fought for reasons other than national defense or humanitarian necessity.
So, thank you to our ancestors who taught us the value of loving one’s country and one’s family and to those who are keeping the flame burning brightly in spite of time and distance.
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Cops Connecting with Kids Expands to Kentucky

Cops Connecting with Kids, an organization only in its 5th Year is expanding! The group, founded by a group of Evansville Police Officers and Vanderburgh County Sheriffs Deputies with the intent to establish better relationships with children and students in its community through their school systems, have begun efforts to expand the organization to other communities in the region, and in July of 2018, will see that expansion begin. With the Henderson Police Department adopting and supporting the program, Cops Connecting with Kids will now be present in two states, two communities, two counties, and will now influence
multiple schools, and even more children.
To launch Cops Connecting with Kids in Kentucky and Henderson County, a local organization of passionate Jeep owners will be bringing their Law Enforcement Support Rally to Henderson, Kentucky in late July. The Back the Blue Ride is in it’s 3rd Year, and as it has grown, it made good sense for the organization to find a host location that could accommodate it’s group. Audubon Chrysler Center, a local Jeep Dealer and huge supporter of not only it’s community, but Law Enforcement in the Area was the answer. With acres of land at it’s disposal, Audubon Chrysler is prepared to host the Back the Blue Ride Jeep Rally to benefit Cops Connecting with Kids on July 28th, 2018. The Evansville Area Jeepers will gather in Mt. Vernon Indiana at 2:30pm sharp, and with police escort will travel along Hwy 62 (Lloyd) to Riverside Drive, along Hwy 41 to Audubon Chrysler as one unit.
Once arriving at the Dealership, activities will include a Off-Road Jeep Course, Jeep Flex Photo Opportunities, BBQ Dinner, Music, Prizes, and much more. All proceeds from all activities will benefit the Cops Connecting with Kids program as it expands into Kentucky and to Henderson County Schools.
Adopt A Pet
Mrs. Gump is a female medium-haired tortoiseshell cat! She and her three siblings (Jenny, Forrest, and Lieutenant Dan) were surrendered together but don’t have to go home together. She’s about a year & a half old and is very affectionate. She is part of the “Orange is the New Black†adoption special thru 7/21 and she can go home TODAY for only $20! She’s already spayed and up-to-date on shots. Contact Vanderburgh Humane at (812) 426-2563 for details!
New Student Orientation
When: Saturday, July 28 9:30 – 12:30 p.m.
Where: 3501 N First Avenue
Background: New Student Orientation (NSO) is designed to help students become familiar with the college environment and have a successful start to their college career. The goal is to answer any questions incoming students have, connect them to campus resources, familiarize them with campus and help them capitalized on their college experience.
Otters drop series opener to River City
The Evansville Otters dropped a tight ballgame 4-3 to the River City Rascals as River City picked up the wire-to-wire victory on Friday night at CarShield Field.
River City plated two runs in the first inning to take an early lead. Paul Kronenfeld hit an RBI single and Braxton Martinez followed that up with a two out RBI knock of his own.
Evansville got one back in the third on a sacrifice fly from J.J Gould.
River City restored their two-run lead with an RBI double from Martinez in the bottom of the third.
Mike Rizzitello doubled home a run in the top of the fifth to bring Evansville to within one run.
Jeff Gardner tied the game in the top of the sixth with a solo homer, his seventh of the season.
Paul Kronenfeld put River City back in front with a solo homer of his own in the bottom of the sixth.
That home run proved to be the difference with River City clinching the 4-3 victory thanks to Cody Mincey striking out the side in the ninth for the save.
Ryan Orr gets the win for River City after working a scoreless inning out of the bullpen.
Austin Nicely gets hung with the loss, his fourth of the year. Nicely went 5.2 innings, allowing four runs on 11 hits while punching out four.
River City starter Jonny Ortiz did not factor into the decision. He tossed 5.2 innings, allowing three runs on eight hits and collected five strike outs.
VCSO Regional Jail Officers Course Graduates 17 New Officers
- The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office graduated seventeen (17) new confinement officers from the Indiana Law Enforcement Basic Jail Officers Course this Friday. Officers from Vanderburgh, Wells, Warrick, Morgan, Perry, Dubois and Pike 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 2018-229
AG Curtis Hill responds to demands that Indiana withdraw from lawsuit challenging Affordable Care Act
Attorney General Curtis Hill today responded to several groups that dropped off petitions at his office demanding that he withdraw Indiana from a lawsuit challenging the federal Affordable Care Act.
Attorney General Hill’s statement is as follows:
“Along with 19 other states, we have opposed the Affordable Care Act because it is unconstitutional. In NFIB v. Sebelius, the U.S. Supreme Court narrowly upheld the core provision of the ACA — the individual mandate — as a ‘tax.’ However, Congress later repealed this tax while leaving the mandate in place. As a result, the foundation on which the Supreme Court built its justification for Obamacare’s constitutionality ceased to exist. I hope to see the emergence of sound policies that constitutionally safeguard the healthcare needs of all Americans, including those with pre-existing conditions. I support efforts to this end by Governor Holcomb and the General Assembly here in Indiana, and I support such efforts by Congress and the Trump administration on the national level.â€