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HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
HELLO FROM RENO
GAVEL GAMUT
By Jim Redwine
Week of 16 April 2018
HELLO FROM RENO
At their regular meeting held 03 April 2018 the Posey County Board of Commissioners listened attentively and courteously to my plans for an auxiliary courtroom. President Jim Alsop and Commissioners Jay Price and Carl Schmitz asked relevant questions and made helpful suggestions.
A small but highly useful courtroom can be in operation on the first floor of the courthouse within a short time and for relatively little expense, certainly less than $50,000 for the physical plant and about $40,000 per year salary for a full-time court reporter. The judicial officer could be a senior judge or magistrate who would serve as needed. Senior judges are paid by the State of Indiana so there would be no cost to Posey County for a per diem judge. A magistrate would probably have to be paid by the county.
The Posey Circuit Court has not been allowed a new court reporter position for twenty years although I have noted the real need in several budget requests and our caseload has grown dramatically since 1998. The new full-time court reporter could be dedicated to this new court but could help relieve the burden on the existing court reporters when not in session with the on-call judge(s). Mental health, juvenile delinquency, Children in Need of Services and other confidential or sensitive hearings that usually involve few people but can be emotionally draining or rambunctious as well as numerous logistical matters that strain the regular Judge’s docket could be conducted in this smaller courtroom.
And Posey County’s Sheriff and Judges have long sought video capability for inmates, expert witnesses, disabled persons and numerous other routine matters, warrant applications, for example, or confidential electronic meetings between clients and attorneys.
The Commissioners sought to have a joint meeting about these issues with the Posey County Council on April 17, 2018 but schedules of all the necessary participants could not be accommodated for that date. The Commissioners wanted Chief Probation Officer Rodney Fetcher and me to set forth our plans then. As fortune would have it, I had planned to attend that April 17th meeting, but the Commissioners and Council had to reschedule it to May 01, 2018. Rodney will be there prepared to respond to any inquiries, but I will be helping teach other judges at the National Judicial College in Reno, Nevada on that day. Perhaps I can call in or attend electronically. I know we could work out such a video/audio conference if our new courtroom were already in operation.
For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com
MICRO WRESTLING TO BE AT VICTORY THEATRE MAY 26
MICRO WRESTLING FEDERATION
Don’t Miss the most Outrageous Show Touring the US!
The Micro Wrestling Federation is a full-scale, WWE type event supported by an entire cast under five feet tall. It’s going to be pandemonium as the Micro Wrestlers body slam, bear hug, and headlock throughout an evening of nonstop action. Four incredible matches take place during the 2-hour event which will provide great fun for the entire family.
Two Single Micro Matches: Who are the toughest Micro wrestlers? Come find out!
Micro Brawl: Body slams, suplexes, and punches to the face can take place anywhere in the venue! Get
ready for up-close and personal Micro action!
Micro Tag Match: The losers of the first two matches will partner against the winners in this main event. It may be a long evening for the losers!
The Micro event will be held at The Victory Theatre – 812 436 7050 located at 600 Main Street in Evansville, IN on Saturday, May 26. Doors open at 7pm as the show begins at 8pm and concludes at 10pm. This is an all-ages, family friendly event. Tickets are $20, $25, and $40 and can be purchased at the Ford Center Ticket Office, Ticketmaster.com or, charge by phone 800.745.3000
To learn more about the Micro Wrestling Federation, please visit www.MicroWrestling.com or call Jack Darrell at 513 519 3287.
Ellis Park adds four $100,000 turf stakes for 2018
Aug. 5 Kentucky Downs Preview Day funded by a transfer
of historical horse racing revenue between racetracks
Ellis Park and Kentucky Downs are teaming again to boost the Kentucky racing circuit and keep horses and jobs in the state during the summer, with Kentucky Downs funding four new $100,000 turf stakes at Ellis on Aug. 5.
Ellis Park runs July 1 through Labor Day, Sept. 3, with racing Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays plus July 4 and 5. The meet will have 10 stakes worth a total of $825,000, up from six stakes totaling $400,000 last year.
Positioned as Kentucky Downs Preview Day, each of the four new stakes offers a $75,000 base purse, with an additional $25,000 available in Kentucky Thoroughbred Development Fund purse supplements for horses born and sired in the commonwealth.
 The stakes are designed as steppingstones for Kentucky Downs races during that track’s five-date meet Sept. 1-13, as well as being summer objectives in their own right.
“This is going to really fill a void in turf stakes in Kentucky for the summer,†said Ellis Park president and majority owner Ron Geary. “We are thrilled to be able to present what will be one of the Midwest’s top days of summer racing. Horses targeting Kentucky Downs stakes can stay home and prep with us without the demands of shipping out of the region. We strive to keep up our overnight purses for the owners and trainers who support our race meet and Kentucky racing on a daily basis. So given the ability to add four $100,000 stakes is huge and further entrenches us as the Midwest’s summer racing leader.
“We’ve received unbelievable support from our horsemen, and our racing office and staff have worked very hard to put Ellis Park on its upward trajectory, for which Kentucky Downs is a greatly appreciated catalyst. Kentucky Downs Preview Day is another major step forward, and a prime example of the win-win-win relationships we want to have.â€
The new Ellis Park stakes are:
$100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup, for 3-year-olds and upward racing 1 1/4 miles. It is a prep for the Grade 3 Calumet Farm Kentucky Turf Cup at 1 1/2 miles, which last year carried a $600,000 purse, including KTDF money.
$100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf, for fillies and mares 3 years old and upward running a mile. It is a prep for the Grade 3 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf, worth $350,000 last year.
$100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint, for 3-year-olds and upward running 5 1/2 furlongs on turf. It is a prep for the Grade 3, Kentucky Downs Turf Sprint, with $400,000 last year.
$100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Mile, for 3-year-olds and upward. It is a prep for the Tourist Mile, worth $400,000 last year.
The venture is made possible by Kentucky Downs’ lucrative historical horse racing operation. Kentucky Downs already offers the largest average daily purses in North America. With limited racing dates in early September, the track has opted to send some of its purse money to Ellis Park, with which it shares a strategic relationship. As part of the arrangement, Ellis Park grants the Saturday of Labor Day weekend to Kentucky Downs for the opener of its five-date meet.
“I don’t know of any other track in the United States — or as far as that, the world — that would help another track out like (Kentucky Downs) helps out,†Ken Ramsey, the all-time winningest owner in Kentucky, said of the new stakes. “I’m just overwhelmed that they would do that, that they would use some of the money they got from historical horse racing to help the industry out.â€
Kentucky Downs transferred a combined $3 million to Ellis’ purse account the past two years. This season the all-turf track on the Tennessee border in Franklin will contribute a total of $2.4 million in purses and KTDF funds to Ellis Park in an arrangement that received the blessing of the Kentucky Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, which represents about 6,000 owners and trainers racing at the state’s five thoroughbred tracks. The transfer of KTDF money is pending approval by the Kentucky Horse Racing Commission, whose KTDF advisory committee has endorsed the move.
“Horse racing needs creative modeling,†said Kentucky Downs president Corey Johnsen. “The new Kentucky Downs Preview Day is a perfect example of that. We’re proud and pleased that we’re in position to help strengthen Ellis Park, which strengthens the entire Kentucky circuit. When horses stay in the state for the summer, so do the many jobs required for their care in this most labor-intensive industry. And it only helps all the fall racing in state. Kentucky Downs lives by the mantra that we’re all better working together.â€
Ellis Park also created the $75,000 Ellis Park Derby, in Memory of Cliff Guilliams, for 3-year-olds at a mile. With the Kentucky Downs Preview Mile filling the slot of what was the Cliff Guilliams Memorial, the Ellis Park Derby establishes a stakes lobbied for by Gulliams, the long-time turf writer and handicapper for the Evansville Courier & Press and Henderson Gleaner, as well as the Kentucky chart-caller for Daily Racing Form and Equibase. The Ellis Park Derby is on the Aug. 12 undercard of the $100,000, Grade 3 Groupie Doll Stakes for fillies and mares at a mile.
Among other stakes: the $50,000 Ellis Park Turf Stakes at 1 1/16 miles on July 8 is positioned as a lead-in to the Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf four weeks later; the $50,000 Good Lord (formerly the Bernhardt Memorial) at 6 1/2 furlongs now carries the name of the Forrest Kaelin-trained gelding who won the stakes three straight years (2012-2014); and the $75,000 Ellis Park Juvenile and $75,000 Ellis Park Debutante wrap up the stakes Aug. 19 with a pair of 2-year-old races designed as launching pads to Churchill Downs’ Iroquois and Pocahontas.
“Ellis Park has faced head-on its stiff market challenges and, with the horsemen and fans resoundingly responding, has produced its strongest racing product maybe in its 95-year history,†said Marty Maline, the Kentucky HBPA’s executive director. “Kentucky Downs’ willingness to help another track clearly has resulted in more outfits and more horses staying in Kentucky to race during the summer than we’ve seen in many years. Ellis’ enhanced stakes schedule will only boost those numbers.â€
Ellis Park’s 2018 stakes schedule
July 8— $50,000 Ellis Park Turf Stakes, fillies & mares 3 years old & up, 1 1/16 miles on turf.
July 22 — $50,000 The Good Lord, 3-year-olds &up, 6 1/2 furlongs.
Aug. 5 — $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Cup, 3-year-olds and up, 1 1/4 miles on turf; $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Ladies Turf, fillies & mares 3 years old & up, mile on turf; $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Sprint, 3-year-olds & up, 5 1/2 furlongs on turf; $100,000 Kentucky Downs Preview Turf Mile, 3-year-olds & up, mile on turf.
Aug. 12 — $100,000 Groupie Doll (Grade 3), fillies and mares 3 years old & up, mile; $75,000 Ellis Park Derby, 3-year-olds, mile.
Aug. 19 — $75,000 Ellis Park Juvenile, 2-year-olds, 7 furlongs; $75,000 Ellis Park Debutante, 2-year-old fillies, 7 furlongs.
IS IT TRUE APRIL 13, 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?
IS IT TRUE that the appointed 3rd Ward Evansville City Councilman John Hayden, CPA let it be known at the last meeting of the Evansville City Council that he was comfortable releasing approximately $500,000 to Echo Housing that is the subject of a police investigation and forensic audit due to having allegedly been the victim of the crime of theft?…an ongoing investigation by the Evansville Police Department about just how much theft may have occurred in addition to the small amount of money that former Executive Director Stephanie Tenbarge is accused of stealing?…the City Council wisely voted to tabled the issue in order tio give to give the EPD and the Forensic auditors sufficient time to complete the investigation?…the investigation could take many twists and turns and it is possible that the losses due to theft and deceptive practices may reach into six figures?…one would think that anyone who knew anything at all about accounting and fraud would understand the importance of completing the investigation, reaching a conclusion, and insisting on the installation of a competent board of directors with policies and procedures in place to prevent ECHO Housing from being the victim of another round of crimes?
IS IT TRUE that Councilman Hayden’s LinkedIn page list two certifications that should qualify him to be the financial watchdog of the Evansville City Council?…Hayden’s Linkedin page lists both a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) and CFE (Certified Fraud Examiner) as his earned certifications?…if Councilman Hayden would had been anything but a CPA or CFE it would be expected that his level of financial sophistication would have been insufficient to make a judgment on whether or not to release the $500,000 to an agency under investigation for failing to exercise fiduciary responsibility over taxpayer dollars?…it is mind numbing to think that any competent CPA and especially a CFE would go along with handing federal tax dollars to an entity like Echo Housing that has allegedly been victimized while its board of directors failed to monitor the financial activities of the former Executive Director?  …City-County Observer wonders how is it possible for such an educationally decorated person in the professional financial world would ever get taken in by the simpletons who want to front Echo Housing any tax dollars prior to finishing the police investigation and the Forensic audit and correcting for the negligent state of the management?
IS IT TRUEÂ yesterday a local TV station ran a story on the 8th District Congressional candidate Dr. Richard Moss campaign volunteer? Â …this story exposed a volunteer campaign worker for Dr. Richard Moss Congressional campaign who joined a White Nationalist organization in his youth?…Mole #9 tells us that while this is true and after learning what the organization was all about that Dr. Moss 19-year-old volunteer worker resigned within two weeks of joining? … it’s obvious that this young man made a serious youthful mistake but quickly corrected it? Â …the age of the campaign worker is now around 27 years old?
IS IT TRUE we hope in the future that members of the local media will question both Congressional candidates on what they thinks about the real issues that concern the people of the 8th Congressional District like a border wall, immigration policy, trade deals, Syria, or tax reform? …we also hope that our local luminaries who make their living feeding pablum to the masses will be calling on Congressman Bucshon to agree to debate Dr. Moss so their positions on the real issues of the campaign would be available to the voters?…the City-County Observer thinks that a debate would be a fantastic idea?
IS IT TRUE that the 8th District Congressional candidate, Dr. Richard Moss said this about his volunteer worker of several months being accused of being a White Nationalist?  …that Dr. Moss said; “Caleb Shumaker has been a volunteer for my campaign for several months and I have appreciated his help along the way. I can say from our interactions these salacious allegations that he is a White Nationalist is false. Caleb is a strong young conservative and devout in his faith.  Caleb is the father of a multi-ethnic family, is volunteering for a Jewish candidate for Congress, and is himself a strong supporter of Israel. This fake news was planted by Congressman Bucshon’s desperate re-election campaign committee. Let me be clear, there is no place for racism and White Nationalism in the Republican party or my campaign.  I would encourage Congressman Bucshon to stop playing racial politics and own up to his own struggles by demonstrating he is not afraid to debate. If he doesn’t agree to debate me I believe that  Republican voters will hold him accountable at the ballot box.â€
IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Public Board of Works gave final approval for TED, Trolley of Evansville to begin to provide transportation to area Restaurants and Bars in order to create more economic development among area Restaurants and Bar throughout the City? …we congratulate Amy Word-Smith and her committee for a job well done?
 IS IT TRUE that the Vanderburgh County Property Tax Bills were mailed on April 9th, 2018?  …the deadline to pay your taxes is May 10th, 2018?  …don’t be surprised to find out that your 2019 property taxes have been raised around 15 percent?
IS IT TRUE a CCO reader sent this to us which we found interesting? …I  talked to a to a homeless man recently and asked him how he ended up this way? He said, “Up until last week, I still had it all. I had plenty to eat, my clothes were washed and pressed, I had a roof over my head, I had HDTV and Internet, and I went to the gym, the pool, and the library?” …he also added that “I was working on my MBA online. I had no bills and no debt. I even had full medical coverage?” …I felt sorry for him, so I asked, “What happened? Drugs? Alcohol? Divorce?”  …he said “Oh no, nothing like that,” he said. “No, no… I was just paroled?”
Todays “Readers Poll” question is: Do you feel that Congressman Larry Buschon should debate his opponent, Dr. Richard Moss?
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Opioid Distributors Release Statement on Vanderburgh Co. Lawsuit
TYRONE MORRIS EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
The trade association representing several opioid distributors are responding to the Vanderburgh County lawsuit. The Healthcare Distribution Alliance which represents Cardinal Health, McKesson Corporation, and Amerisource Bergen sent a statement to 44News.
It says in part the idea that distributors are responsible for the number of opioid prescriptions written defies common sense and lacks understanding of how the pharmaceutical supply chain actually works.
- Distributors are logistics experts, tasked with the primary responsibility of delivering all medicines to licensed pharmacies and healthcare providers.
- Distributors do not manufacture, prescribe, dispense or in any way, drive demand. Further, distributors cannot make medical determinations about patient care or provider prescribing.
- The Drug Enforcement Administration is responsible for setting the annual production of controlled substances in the market, approving and regulating the entities allowed to prescribe and handle opioids, and sharing data with entities in the supply chain regarding potential cases of diversion.
- Distributors report every single opioid order to the DEA – whether it is suspicious or not. Greater communication and coordination with the DEA will help support real-time response to abuse and diversion where it occurs.
Last week, Vanderburgh County Commissioners filed a lawsuit against major opioid manufacturers and distributors for their alleged role in fueling the opioid addiction crisis.
The statement from HDA Senior Vice-President John Parker reads:
“The misuse and abuse of prescription opioids is a complex public health challenge that requires a collaborative and systemic response that engages all stakeholders. Given our role, the idea that distributors are responsible for the number of opioid prescriptions written defies common sense and lacks understanding of how the pharmaceutical supply chain actually works and is regulated. Those bringing lawsuits would be better served to address the root causes, rather than trying to redirect blame through litigation.â€
