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JUST IN: Man Arrested On Burglary And Drug Charges

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Man Arrested For Burglary And Drug Charges Breaking Into Home While She Slept

Evansville Police arrested 25 year old Glen Jeffers on several charges after he broke into a home early Friday morning.

Police called to 812 Meyer by the homeowner around 4:00 am. She told police that she woke up and saw Jeffers standing in her bedroom. Jeffers fled when she woke up. He was located by responding officers a short time later.

The victim was able to positively identify Jeffers as the man who had entered her home. Police recovered the victim’s cell phone and cigarettes from Jeffers.

Jeffers was arrested for Burglary, Possession of Meth, and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Sheriff’s Office Investigating A Pair Of Injurious Crashes

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Sheriff’s Office Investigating A Pair Of Injurious Crashes

CASE # 18-61860

 On April 5th, 2018 at15:54 hours Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputies and the McCutchanville Fire Department were dispatched to the intersection of Saint Joseph Avenue and Westchester Drive in reference to a motor vehicle accident involving injury. Deputies arrived to find a 2003 Harley Davidson motorcycle lying in the southbound lane, with its operator appearing to be seriously injured. The second vehicle involved was a black 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe. The driver of the Tahoe nor her two children were reportedly injured.

The investigation revealed that the prior to the crash the motorcycle was traveling north on Saint Joseph Avenue when traffic in front of her came to a normal stop. Witnesses reported that the motorcycle swerved from the right lane into the left lane, and then back into the right lane before it rear-ended the stopped Tahoe. The driver of the motorcycle was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The full extent of the injuries is unknown at this time; however, they appeared to be quite serious at the time of the investigation.

Pursuant to state law regarding crashes involving serious bodily injury or death, involved drivers shall be requested to consent to a post-crash blood draw to determine whether drugs or alcohol were a factor in the crash. One driver consented to the blood draw; whereas the driver of the motorcycle was unable to provide consent for a blood sample to be taken. As a result, a warrant was sought and granted to obtain the sample for submission to the Indiana Department of Toxicology. The crash will remain under investigation pending toxicology results. The preliminary investigation revealed that alcohol appears to have played a role in this collision.

Besides warning of the obvious dangers of impaired driving the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office urges all motorcyclists to follow the advice of the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration (NHTSA) by always wearing a helmet meeting the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 218. When purchasing a helmet be sure to look for the DOT symbol on the outside back of the helmet.

FOOTNOTE: The driver of the 2003 Harley Davidson- 48-year-old Dawn Lynette Evans of Evansville
The driver of the 2003 Chevrolet Tahoe- 40-year-old Stacy Nicole Navarrette of Evansville

CASE # 18-61866

Approximately three hours later Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputies and the Scott Township Fire Department were dispatched to Baseline Rd. and Husky Way in reference to another motor vehicle collision involving injuries. Deputies arrived to find a white 2015 Honda Civic had collided with a blue 1994 GMC Sierra. Witnesses on scene advised the driver of the Honda failed to yield the right of way by turning west onto Baseline Rd. from Husky Way into the path of the GMC truck that was traveling east on Baseline Rd.

Responding deputies believed that both drivers lost consciousness and that one of the drivers sustained a broken bone in the lower leg. Both drivers were transported to area hospitals by ambulance for potentially serious injuries. Pursuant to state law regarding crashes involving serious bodily injury or death, both drivers consented to a post-crash blood draw for toxicology screening. The crash will remain under investigation pending toxicology results. Based on the preliminary investigation deputies do not believe that drugs or alcohol played a role in the collision.

FOOTNOTE: The driver of the 2015 Honda Civic- 16-year-old Juvenile of Evansville
The driver of the 1994 GMC Sierra- 33-year-old Christopher Gross of Evansville

 

EVSC Hosting Kindergarten Orientation

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EVSC Hosting Kindergarten Orientation

Because of the threat of severe weather last week, the EVSC had to postpone kindergarten orientations that were originally scheduled for April 3. Kindergarten orientations have now been rescheduled for Tuesday, April 10. The orientations give parents/guardians the opportunity to enroll students in kindergarten if they haven’t already done so, and receive additional information regarding kindergarten, meet school staff, ask questions and share information about their children.

Children should be five years old on or before August 1, 2018, to enroll in kindergarten for the 2018-2019 school year. To enroll, parents or legal guardians will need to be present and provide the child’s legal birth certificate (hospital certificates cannot be used) at the time of enrollment. For more information, parents can contact their child’s school.

EVSC elementary schools will host their respective orientation meetings at the following times on April 10:

  • Caze: 6 p.m., 2013 S. Green River Road, 812-477-5567
  • Cedar Hall K-8: 3 p.m., 2100 N. Fulton Ave., 812-435-8223
  • Cynthia Heights: 6-7 p.m., 7225 Big Cynthiana Road, 812-435-8740
  • Daniel Wertz: 6 p.m., 1701 S, Red Bank Road, 812-435-8312
  • Delaware: 3:30 – 4:30 p.m., 700 N. Garvin St., 812-435-8227
  • Dexter: already took place
  • Evans: 5:30 p.m., 2727 N. Evans, Avenue, 812-435-8330
  • Fairlawn: 5 – 6 p.m., 2021 S. Alvord Boulevard, 812-476-4997
  • Glenwood K-8: already took place
  • Harper: 6-7 p.m., 21 S. Alvord Boulevard, 812-476-1308
  • Hebron: 6 – 7 p.m., 4400 Bellemeade Ave., 812-477-8915
  • Highland: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., 6701 Darmstadt Road, 812- 867-6401
  • Lincoln K-8: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., 635 Lincoln Ave., 812-435-8235
  • Lodge K-8: already took place
  • McCutchanville: 5:30 p.m., meeting to take place at the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center, 1901 Lynch Road.
  • Oak Hill: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., 7700 Oak Hill Rd., 812-867-6426
  • Scott: 5:30 – 7:00 p.m., 14940 Old State Road, 812-867-2427
  • Stockwell: 3:30 – 5:30 p.m., 2501 N. Stockwell Road, 812-477-5345
  • Stringtown: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., 4720 Stringtown Road, 812-435-8320
  • Tekoppel: 6 – 7 p.m., 111 N. Tekoppel Ave., 812-435-8883
  • Vogel: already took place
  • West Terrace: Parents can enroll students and are asked to drop off completed enrollment packets on Tuesday, April 10. However, official orientation/open house activities will not take place. Instead, teachers will be in contact with parents to schedule orientations later in the summer.

If parents/guardians do not know what school their child should attend, they can call the EVSC Office of Student Services at 435-8463, or visit www.evscschools.com and click on the “Family Services” at the top of the page, then “What District Do I Live In.”

 

EPD ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD REPORT

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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http://www.vanderburghsheriff.com/recent-booking-records.aspx

“IS IT TRUE” FOR APRIL 6, 2018

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We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUE” 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?

IS IT TRUE the Franklin Street Events Association spent two years arguing about parking issues?  …it’s obvious that the West Franklin Street parking issue stopped commercial development on Franklin Street for nearly a year? …that the City wasted a bunch of our tax dollars on a study that several Zoning Board members chose to ignore?  …the Zoning Board didn’t vet remonstrators and spent more time/energy/effort/money setting up a neighborhood parking protection ordinance for neighbors to sign up so they could alleviate the parking problem in front of their houses (that didn’t actually exist)?  …when all said and done not one person that lives in the adjoining neighborhoods signed up for parking passes?  …all we can say is “are you kidding us”?

IS IT TRUE we are told that the readers of the City County Observer are rolling on the floor laughing about the assertion that the new parking lot that is slated for the vacant lot behind DiLegge’s restaurant on North Main will provide avid bikers an opportunity to park there and enjoy a ride on North Main?…to anyone who has ever ridden a bike for recreational purposes the idea of driving to North Main Street that borders less than safe neighborhoods in Evansville, so they can peddle back and forth on the short bike path in that area, is simply absurd?

IS IT TRUE it’s possible that the beneficiaries of the new 72 car parking lot are the owners of DiLegge’s restaurant, a strip club, and a cell phone business? …we wonder who sold this property to the city and for how much?  …we would like how much will this 72 car parking lot will cost the taxpayers to develop and did DMD put this project out to public bid?  …many of our readers are wondering if any of the entities that are directly benefiting from this project ever donated to Mayor Winnecke political campaigns?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Thunderbolts professional hockey team that plays in the Ford Center have clinched a spot in the playoffs of the Southern Professional Hockey League and the City-County Observer sends out our congratulations to the team and owners (City of Evansville)? …in spite of clinching a spot in the playoffs the attendance for the Thunderbolts is ranked 10th out of the 10 team league?…So far this year the average attendance at home games in Ford Center is only 2,267 people that don’t even fill the lower section of the stadium?…the highest official attendance has been 5,215 and the lowest has been 1,278 with only 4 games drawing over 3,000 people?…these figures do not necessarily mean paid attendance either as there are always a multitude of free passes being offered to interested parties?…the Thunderbolts have won slightly less than half of their games and rank 6th out of 10 when wins and losses are registered?…while performance is better than last year it will take a whole lot more than average of 2,267 butts in the seats for this City of Evansville subsidized hockey team experiment to become financially sustainable?

IS IT TRUE that the University of Evansville Aces are making a push to increase season ticket sales now that hometown basketball hero Walter McCarty has been hired as the new coach?…the first goal of bringing in 1,000 new season ticket holders is getting close to being achieved as the daily count is up to 801 and counting?…this push for ticket sales has already added nearly a third more packages to the coffers and may end up doubling attendance next year?…in the long run, it is still winning games over good teams that will determine the attendance of the games and we continue to wish Coach McCarty the best in drawing crowds, scheduling good home opponents and beating them?…it is not enough to take a colossal beating from a Duke or North Carolina team at home to keep fans engaged?…UE needs to beat the big teams and be competitive with all of them to avoid seeing all of these new season ticket holders go back to the couch to watch ESPN?

IS IT TRUE the race between Steve Hammer, Vernon Stevens and Mike Duckworth is really becoming very interesting to watch? …that so far Steve Hammer is leading the fundraising effort by a comfortable margin with Mr. Duckworth in second place?   ..it looks like we have a real political barnburner on our hands? …we want to congratulate all the gentlemen involved in running for this seat because they have been very respectful towards each other?

IS IT TRUE we are expecting a news release sometime today from the Evansville Convention and Vistors Bureau announcing the appointment of their Executive Director?  …we don’t know very much about this individual except they hail from a city up North?

IS IT TRUE that the City of Evansville has narrowed its search to re-locate the Lloyd swimming pool down to two sites?  …we are told that the proposed Roberts Park development will be selected as the site to re-locate the new Lloyd swimming pool?

IS IT TRUE we suggest that you planned to read next Mondays “IS IT TRUE” because it will be a real eye-opener?

Todays “Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that DMD should have spent our hard earned tax dollars on a 72 car paved parking lot on North Main Street?

Please take time and read our articles entitled “Statehouse Files, Channel 44 News, Daily Devotions, Law enforcement, Readers Poll, Birthdays, Hot Jobs, and Local Sports.

You are 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 CBD Oil Law Clarifies Murky Regulations

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By Abrahm Hurt
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS —After living with diabetes for 51 years, Dr. Pamela Reilly has been able to lower her insulin levels by 45 percent.

She used CBD oil—also known as cannabidiol—to make that change.

Reilly, a naturopathic physician who started the Good Works Wellness Research in Fishers, has seen the impact that CBD oil has had on her own life and her clients. That is why she supported legislation that legalizes the sale of a low-THC cannabis extract.

Last week, Gov. Eric Holcomb signed into law Senate Enrolled Act 52, which allows all Hoosiers to buy and use CBD oil that contains less than .3 percent THC, the substance that gives marijuana users a high.

“The bill that the legislature passed is exactly the bill that I asked for at the very outset,” Holcomb said. “I wanted to make sure we knew the levels. I wanted to make sure we had labeling and that the folks that needed this had access to it and they do.”

Reilly said she is hopeful the new law will eliminate the confusion and misrepresentation of CBD oil.

“What I love about Senate Bill 52 is that there’s now no question about whether it’s legal or not,” Reilly said. “And there shouldn’t have been before, but multiple media stations misreported. They didn’t do adequate research, and that created a huge amount of confusion.”

Part of the confusion came from Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill. In November, he released an official opinion declaring that under state law, CBD oil was illegal in Indiana. He followed up with a column published Dec. 14 in The Indianapolis Star.

“There is no doubt, as a matter of legal interpretation, that products or substances containing cannabidiol remain unlawful in Indiana as well as under federal law,” he wrote in the column.

Kristen Williams, digital director of communications for Hill, said the attorney general’s position on CBD oil as expressed in his op-ed still stands today. His office declined to provide his response to the new law.

Confusion about the legality of CBD oil usage began during the 2017 session after legislators approved limited use of the product by patients with epilepsy. That action led lawmakers to clarify the law during the 2018 session.

Sen. Michael Young, R-Indianapolis, said he authored the bill because people have benefitted from using CBD oil to treat a variety of problems like epilepsy, cancer, and anxiety.

“Since we are limiting how much THC can be in the product, there is no risk for people to use this to get high,” he said in a statement after the bill passed the Senate. “My hope with this bill is that more Hoosiers will be able to use this product to treat their ailments.”

Reilly said she has seen her patients benefit from the use of cannabidiol and in some cases the changes in health are dramatic.

“I truly see miracles every single day,” Reilly said. “I have clients that have been able to work with their doctor to get off medications. I have children with ADD and ADHD that are now doing fine in school. I can just go on and on and on.”

The new law requires manufacturers to have each batch of the product tested in order to ensure it has less than .3 percent THC. It also mandates that products sold in Indiana to have a QR code on the label linking it to a document containing information on the batch, such as the ingredients and the name of the company that manufactured the ingredients.

Retailers have until July 1 to make sure all CBD products they’re selling meet the new labeling requirements.

However, there are still concerns about the oil’s legality even with the recent legislation’s passage. Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis, said he opposed the bill because it’s illegal under federal code.

“I don’t have a concern about anything with the products,” he said. “My concern is that the federal government has listed them as a Schedule 1 narcotic drug. It is illegal to possess under federal law and pharmacists cannot dispense it legally.”

Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, supported the bill but said the new requirements for regulating the substance and even more may be done with the legislation for the third, consecutive legislative session.

“I think we’re going to have to come back and fix this next year, but we’ve got to at least get it legal,” he said on the House floor.

Reilly said she did not believe the new packaging and labeling requirements would hurt businesses that sell CBD oil because it’s a one-time change.

“Once they walk through that process, it will be business as usual. They have enough time to do that, so it’s not cumbersome,” she said. “Is it convenient? No, but I don’t feel like it’s a big deal.”

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

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State Will Appeal Denial Of Recovery Of Allegedly Misappropriated School Funds

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Olivia Covington for www.theindianalawyer.com

Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill has announced plans to appeal a Lake County ruling that prohibits the state from recouping more than $841,000 in funds allegedly overpaid to two Munster school officials.

Lake Circuit Judge Marissa McDermott issued an order granting summary judgment to former School Town of Munster superintendents William J. Pfister and Richard A. Sopko, whom Hill’s office sued after a State Board of Accounts report revealed a total of $841,398.03 in allegedly misappropriated overpayments. The SBOA conduct a special audit of Munster schools after it received a letter Kathleen M. Maicher – an attorney representing the school district – had sent to the Lake County prosecutor.

Maicher’s letter raised suspicions about “potential irregularities” regarding the “benefits and severance payments to be paid” under Pfister and Sopko’s contracts. The letter also stated the school’s director of financial operations “had long held a suspicion that both administrators were ‘double-dipping’ … .”

The results of the subsequent audit for the time between July 1, 1999, and June 30, 2014, revealed $463,922.75 in alleged overpayments to Pfister during his time as superintendent and $377,475.28 to Sopko during his tenure as assistant superintendent and superintendent. The funds in question included annuity payments, cash bonuses, investment allotments, salaries and stipends and community relations fringe benefits. The audit also founds the superintendents were liable for $10,0532.32 in costs incurred by the SBOA.

Thus, Hill’s office filed a complaint in May 2017 to recover $473,976.07 from Pfitser and $387,528.60 from Sopko. The largest portion of alleged overpayments came through the superintendents’ annuity payments, for which Pfister allegedly received in excess of $359,728.94 and Sopko allegedly received in excess of $311,198.75.

The SBOA traced those excess payments back to the annuity language of Pfister and Sopko’s contracts, which called for contributions to the Indiana State Teachers Retirement Fund “plus each year an additional” 4 percent and 3 percent, respectively, “toward an annuity of his choice.” The board maintained that language meant the superintendents could only receive 4 and 3 percent annuity payments annually.

The superintendents, however, claimed in their response to the SBOA report that the “plus each year” language indicated a contractual intent to create a compounding benefit that increased each year. Thus, the language justified Pfister’s 38 percent annuity payment in the 2011-2012 school year and Sopko’s 36 percent annuity payment in the 2012-2013 school year.

Similarly, McDermott wrote in her March 27 findings of fact that the school district’s accounts payable vouchers reflected the increasing annuity payments were “due to the phrase ‘plus each year an additional __ percent’ being construed to mean that the percentage was compounded each year.”

“No evidence has been designated by any party that any member of the Board disallowed any of the Vouchers for annuity contributions for Sopko or Pfister,” McDermott wrote. “The Board meeting minutes, designated as evidence and uncontroverted by the State, show that the Board voted to approve the annual Vouchers.”

Further, McDermott wrote in her conclusions of law that because there was no evidence that Pfister and Sopko took steps to conceal the payments made to them, the statute of limitations to recover on those payments began running when the payments were made. McDermott granted summary judgment to the superintendents on those grounds.

Hill’s office announced Thursday that it would appeal the summary judgment ruling, which prohibits the state from collecting damages arising before May 23, 2012.

“This ruling completely disregards the SBOA audit report process,” Hill said in a statement. “Cases arising out of SBOA audits are especially important to the state because their purpose is to protect public funds.”

“The state must always be able to recoup taxpayer dollars and root out fraud committed by public officials and employees,” Hill continued. “We must hold those who violate the law accountable, and we must ensure that those who take wrongful advantage of their positions of trust do not profit from ill-gotten gains.”

McDermott allowed the case to proceed as to any payments not excluded by the statute of limitations, and on the state’s claims for its own costs.

The judge also granted summary judgment to Ohio Farmers Insurance, an insurance company that McDermott said issued $15,000 in commercial crime policies to Munster Schools between 1997 and 2008. McDermott wrote Ohio had moved for summary judgment on Count VII in the state’s complaint, but that count relates to Westfield Companies, another insurance provider.

The complaint also reveals that Westfield, not Ohio Farmers, issued the crime insurance policies during the dates at issue. The count against Ohio Farmer’s, Count VIII, references $130,156.10 in five public official bonds issued between 2003 and 2010. All state offices were closed Friday, so clarity could not be provided on which insurance company moved for summary judgment, or which policies were at issue in the summary judgment motion.

Evansville Job Fair Searches For Qualified Candidates

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Evansville Job Fair Searches For Qualified Candidates

APRIL 5TH, 2018 AMANDA PORTER INDIANA

More than 90 employers set up booths at the C.K. Newsome Center in Evansville hoping to find qualified job candidates in the Hoosier state.

The Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce partnered with the WorkOne Southwest Indiana chapter, and Hoosier lawmakers Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, and Congressmen Dr. Larry Bucshon to bring jobs, and training to Indiana.

Hundreds of people came to the fair, shuffling booth to booth with opportunities to talk to 93 area employers.

Indiana Congressman Dr. Larry Bucshon says the lack of qualified candidates is a big problem, especially in the technical field.

“IT-related jobs and other people with technical skills. Honestly like welders, and things like that and it’s really a big problem,” says Bucshon.

This fair was dedicated to veterans from 1 to 2 p.m.

“Veterans have had a higher unemployment rate than the general population,” says Bucshon.

George Schmadel a veteran and USI grad says the lack of qualified candidates shouldn’t be a problem.

“If they are not trained, they could be trained, but then again you have to want to be trained.”

Schmadel is working to gain another job where he can apply his public relations and communications degree.

“Indiana has plenty of people that want to work,” says Schmadel. “I want to work.”

But he says it is hard for veterans lacking new skills that are currently in demand in the job market.

“There are jobs who have shuffled me to the side and that is not fair,” says Schmadel.

Bucshon says the city is working to bridge the gap because the job market is better than it was years ago.

“Now we have jobs, but we need to get people trained and that is why work one is here today in partnership with myself and the city of Evansville,” says Bucshon.

As for this Hoosier job seeker, Schmadel says this experience gave him some extra encouragement.

“If there is not a job for me here today, at least there is an opportunity for me here today.”

The job fair says people could apply for over nineteen hundred full or part-time positions at the event.

FOOD INSPECTION REPORT

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Food_Inspection_Reports_04.05.2018

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