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?

HERE IS WHATS ON OUR MIND TODAY?

In the private sector when a person is accused of illegally taking funds from an existing business to pay personal debts, your arrested for misappropriation of funds.

In Evansville when a person is working at a non-profit business and is accused of illegally taking funds from an existing non-profit business to pay personal debts you’re let go and the former employer wishes you well.

WHATS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?

Todays “Readers Poll” question is: Are you disappointed that only 11% of registered voted in Vanderburgh County showed up to vote in Tuesday primary election?

Please take time and read our articles entitled “STATEHOUSE Files, CHANNEL 44 NEWS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, READERS POLL, BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBS” and “LOCAL SPORTS”.  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.

Ann Ennis is declaring intent to run for a District 2 seat (two will be elected) for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Board of School Trustees.

OBJECTIVE Seeking a seat representing District 2 on the Board of Trustees of the

Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation.  Non-partisan elected seat,

county-wide vote November 2018.   (filing in late July 2018)

WORK EXPERIENCE

May 2017-Present Freelance grant writing and fund development.

December 2013- Public Education Foundation of Evansville

May 2017 Fund Development Director, part-time

Responsibilities include expanding agency financial resources, starting two 

planned giving societies, differentiating agency public image; organizing 

and expanding databases; coordinating targeted funding programs.

February-May 2016 Candidate for State Representative, Indiana District 64 

Candidacy included initiating and developing relationships in each of five

counties, public speaking, representing my platform in more than 125 

public events, fund-raising, and extensive tenacity and organization.

October 2012- City of Evansville Safe Havens Grant

January 2014 Project Coordinator, temporary part-time

Responsibilities included communication and coordination tasks to secure the release of Safe Havens Funds from the Office on Violence Against Women to the contractor, Parenting Time Center; community education; administrative planning and advising on sustainable agency development leading to broadening PTC’s community support. 

May 2012- Reflecting Waters and its active ministry of Ruth’s House

September 2012 Coordinator, Community Education, and Development, temporary part-time

Responsibilities included communication/promotional activities to rapidly 

elevate agency profile; repairing agency relationship issues and improving community partnerships.

 June 2005- Keep Evansville Beautiful

January 2012 President

Responsibilities included implementing board-developed Strategic Plan, stabilizing and expanding agency financial resources, improving agency public image in order to enthuse private-public community about litter abatement and green-infrastructure grassroots efforts; fundraising.  

April 2003- Habitat of Evansville

June 2005 Development Director

Responsibilities included leading effort to raise funds for a $1.4 million 

annual budget; working closely with Executive Director to create and

implement the annual development plan and five-year campaign; creating 

giving society program; managing and implementing donor and sponsor relations activities and events; grant writing; media relations; internal and external communications; extensive public speaking.

May 1998- Freelance Writer and Project Manager

April 2003 Clients included Reitz Home Museum, The Catholic Foundation of 

Southwestern Indiana, Branson and Pritchett Public Relations, Center City 

Corporation (now GAGE), Metropolitan Evansville Chamber of Commerce, Evansville Zoo Guild, Catholic Charities.

October 1990- Keep Evansville Beautiful (then Operation City Beautiful)

May 1998 Staff Assistant (1990-1992) Program Coordinator (1992-1998)

EDUCATION

2004-2005 The Fundraising School, Indiana University. Principles and 

Techniques in Fundraising, five-day seminar.  Local program.

Interpersonal Communications for Fundraising, three-day seminar,

The Fundraising School, Indiana University.  Local program. 

Fall 1994 & University of Southern Indiana

1986-1987 English Writing Concentration; internship at GE Plastics.

1981-1984 B.A., Indiana University

Major:  Journalism and Political Science, double major.

CURRENT VOLUNTEER ACTIVITIES

2015-Present

• Language Arts Volunteer, Glenwood Leadership Academy.  2015-18
• Creative Writing Club; Middle School Speech Team Assistant. 2015-17
• Substitute Teacher for EVSC. 2917-18
• Member Indiana Coalition for Public Education.  2011-present
• Volunteer board member Big Blue Boosters FJ Reitz HS. 2013-present

 OTHER 

• Indiana State Teachers Association Public Servant Award, 2016
• Member, Maryknoll (Fathers & Brothers) Lay Affiliates, 2002-Present
• Pigeon Creek Greenway Advisory Board, 2008-2012
• Leadership Evansville Greening Evansville Award, 2012
• Leadership Evansville Class, Winter 2012

When Spencer County native Thomas Werne won a rocket contest in the fourth grade, it is unlikely the young software programmer knew he would be working on rockets that are heading Mars. But that is exactly what happened after the Insight mission took a light to the Red Planet last Saturday.

Thomas grew up outside of Santa Claus on a small farm. The Heritage Hills grad moved onto Rose-Hulman in Terre Haute for a lick at higher education. It was there at Rose-Hulman during Werne’s senior year he entered into a career fair. When a friend pushed him to speak to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, Werne thought ‘no way could NASA be interested in me.‘

It was that simple interaction at a career fair in Terre Haute that turned into a job interview in Pasadena California and eventually a thriving career with NASA and the JPL.

That was in 2007, and after years of working in research and technology, Thomas linked up with the Mars Cube One Mission, or MarCO. The MarCO work started in 2014, with a brief break when Insight, which is the lead of the mission, backed out for two years.

The mission for Insight is to test the geology of Mars, and learn more about Marsquakes.

When it was time to get back to work, Werne threw himself fully into the project. He was the software programming lead of MarCO, which are two CubeSats that went along for the ride to Mars. CubeSats are small spacecrafts.

The goal of the MarCO CubeSats is to document Insight during what’s known as “seven minutes of terror” or the entry, descent and landing onto Mars. The breadbox sized spacecrafts will be sending real time information back during the Insight’s EDL. They will be reporting back on the health and status of Insight.

Beyond the valuable information, MarCO will be sending back, it serves as a pathfinder for future space exploration.

The mission launched over the weekend, and MarCO is now twice as far from the Earth than the Moon is. Things are going swimmingly as of now, the MarCO CubeSats are reporting back to Earth already.

Insight is set to land right after Thanksgiving, giving new meaning to the phrase “Cyber Monday.”

Officials from the Japan Consulate visited Purdue University Wednesday for a forum connecting the business, education and government sectors. The visit was one of many stops for members of the consulate who are making the rounds of Indiana to understand how Japanese investment is impacting local communities.

Japanese officials share Hoosier leaders’ concerns about the future of the state’s workforce. Japan Consul-General Naoki Ito used one of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s buzz phrases – “next level” – to point out that growing investment in Indiana means Japanese companies need to see qualified workers ready to work.

“Japan and Indiana need to go to the next level too, but one of the issues, one of the challenges we need to deal with is workforce development,” Ito says.

Japan is Indiana’s largest international investor with about 300 of its companies investing in the state and supporting more than 58,000 jobs according to the Indiana Economic Corporation.

In his opening remarks, Purdue President Mitch Daniels says Indiana is number one in the U.S. in per capita investment by Japanese companies. Several others noted Indiana is the only state in the country that’s home to three Japanese automotive manufacturing companies: Subaru, Toyota, and Honda.

Ito says Indiana stands out from the rest when it comes to its business climate.

“It has sound fiscal policies, a central location, an excellent transportation network, and a low-cost business environment,” Ito says. “Hoosiers share then same strong work ethic and commitment to quality that we see in Japan.”

But Ito says just as Hoosier business leaders are concerned they can’t find enough skilled workers, Japanese companies are worried about what that might mean for future investment in the state.

Indiana Economic Development Corporation President Elaine Bedel agrees to point to Indiana’s low unemployment levels.

“We’re the lowest in the Midwest, lower than the national average, but that brings with us the other issues and the questions of  where do we get our worker pipeline?” Bedel says. “Not only from a skill level, but just sheer numbers of employees.”

Indiana Secretary of Career Connections and Talent Blair Milo previously served as mayor of La Porte.

She says while mayor, her city shared the state’s troubles.

“As some of the skill sets needed are changing and the connection points may change, and as we’re seeing the economy come forward and that tightening of the labor market overall,” Milo says.

She says the state’s “Next Level Jobs” plan – which connects employers and potential employees – will be expanding.