http://www.vanderburghsheriff.com/recent-booking-records.aspx
IS IT TRUE MARCH 14, 2018
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 that the 2018 Gallup Annual Community Well-Being Rankings are out and greater Evansville is continuing to rise in the rankings after being named the worst place in the country 5 years ago?…this rise in rankings from dead last at #186 to #126 is something to be proud of?…for senses of purpose Evansville ranks a very high #48 and on financial performance the ranking is #43?…those are the high points and are what caused Evsnsville to, rise in the rankings?…in social opportunities River City still flounders down at #163, the community ranks at #151, and physical condition stays low at #139 reflecting the smoking, boozing, and couch potato nature of the population?…all things considered, things are getting better on the relative scale of ranking the well being of America’s cities?
IS IT TRUE that Indiana’s other cities are falling behind with South Bend ranking at #181/186, Fort Wayne at #153/186, and even that vaulted city of Indianapolis below Evansville at ##133/186?…Evansville even outranked the home of the Big Blue Nation, Lexington, KY that came in at #129/186?…the highest ranking local community in Clarksville, TN that checks in at #40/186 but was held down by a very low social ranking?…the best well being in America in Naples, Florida that serves as home to a large number of retired people from greater Evansville?
IS IT TRUE that no one would have guessed back when a small branch college was opened on Evansville’s west side called ISUE, that the day would ever come that working there would become a gateway to wealth?…that 7 out of the top 10 highly paid individuals on public payrolls are administrators and deans at the University of Southern Indiana?…even more shocking is that the list of 111 public employees being paid over $100,000 is full of USI administrators and staff?…that 29 of the top 50 are working for USI?…it may really take such big paychecks to attract college level talent but the real question is how are the students who spend their tuition dollars at USI doing?…the graduation rate at USI has been abysmal for years and while some graduates are finding local success, its alledged that some who graduated with high GPAs are waiting tables and struggling to pay off student loans?…paying teachers we’ll is a great thing if their efforts are truly raising the value of the local workforce and positively impacting young lives?…the performance of USI needs to be scrutinized quite closely to see if these big salaries are worth it?
IS IT TRUE a salary of note is the $214,516 (2017 figure) that former Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel is paid to preside over the local community college called IVY Tech?…with a payday like that right in Evansville, it makes one wonder how the former Mayor could possibly have considered a run for Congress that pays much less?…IVY Tech’s graduation and educational attainment numbers are nothing to be proud of either?…the City-County Observer wonders how many positive changes that the well paid Weinzapfel has made towards the graduation and educational attainment numbers since he became Chancellor of Ivy Tech?
IS IT TRUE that Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke announced that he plans to seek a third term as your mayor in the 2019 election?…that is well over a year away but it does give Winnecke a long time to raise money to fend off any challengers who decide to toss their hat into the ring?…in his two campaigns for mayor, Winnecke has proven to be able to raise over a million dollars for an office that only pays around $100,000 per year?…with the apparent popularity that Winnecke enjoys and over a million bucks in his war chest, it will be one formidable task to defeat Winnecke in a general election?
IS IT TRUE that the 500-pound gorilla concerning the future Evansville Mayoral race could be none other than Vanderburgh County Commissioner Ben Shoulders or Vanderburgh County Councilmen Mike Goebel?  …both gentlemen are well educated, personable, well spoken, popular with the voters and are extremely entrenched in Vanderburgh County politics?  …both individuals have the whereabouts to launch a formable campaign for Mayor of Evansville?
IS IT TRUE we are still waiting for the Evansville Metropolitan Development Director Kelley Coures to give City Council an update concerning what it will cost the taxpayers to correct the design mistake on the North Main street project?  …we also hope he will tell City Council members who are responsible to pay to correct this expensive problem?
IS IT TRUEÂ last year we reported that officials at Henderson Methodist Hospital and Deaconess Hospital were discussing issues of economic concerns? …we question if Deaconess Hospital had a strong interest in purchasing Henderson Methodist Hospital in the very near future? …that Henderson Methodist Hospital is the largest employer in Henderson County and has a major economic impact in the region? Â …we still wonder if a deal between Henderson Methodist Hospital and Deaconess could be close at hand?
IS IT TRUE we are extremely pleased to announce that the 2018 “CCO COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD” luncheon is sold out?  …that the extreme demand to stage this event caused the CCO to double the room size to hold this event? …the CITY-COUNTY OBSERVER “COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD” winners for 2018 are Vanderburgh are Ted C, Ziemer, Jr. and Clare D. Ziemer, the Honorable Posey County Judge Jim Redwine, EPD Police Chief Chief Billy Bolin and Lieutenant Paul Kirby, local attorney and IU Board Of Trustees member Pat Shoulders, and the Honorable Superior Court Judge Les Shively?
IS IT TRUE that this year’s awards luncheon will be held at Tropicana-Evansville Walnut rooms A and B. The registration begins at 11:30 am, the event officially starts at 12 noon on March 19, 2018? …this event is sold out. Â If you have any questions about this event please call the Event Coordinator, Karen Selzer at 812-430-9304 or 812-909-2361?
Today’s READERS POLL question is: Â If the Republicans primary for Vanderburgh County Commission was held today who would you for?
Please take time and read our feature articles entitled “BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBS, YESTERYEAR, COMMUNITY AND LOCAL SPORTS†posted in our sections.
If you would like to advertise on the CCO please contact us City-County Observer@live.com.
Copyright 2015 City-County Observer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Appeals Court Upholds Moratorium On New Nursing Homes
Dave Stafford for www.theindianalawyer.com
A moratorium on new nursing home licenses passed by the legislature in 2015 that applied to proposals seeking approval prior to the bill’s passage was affirmed Tuesday by the Indiana Court of Appeals.
The moratorium was made to take effect retroactively to March 1, 2015, meaning any proposals pending Indiana State Department of Health licensing review after that date would not be permitted. The moratorium has been extended until June 30, 2019.
Carmel-based Mainstreet Property Group, LLC, and its affiliated entities had nine nursing home projects across the state in various planning stages when the moratorium took effect. None of the plans had been submitted to the Department of Health by March 1, 2015. Mainstreet had executed land purchase agreements for sites in Zionsville, Jeffersonville, Fort Wayne and New Haven, but closing on those properties had not taken place.
Mainstreet in 2016 filed a complaint about declaratory and injunctive relief against the Department of Health and other entities, which was dismissed by the trial court. The appellate court upheld that ruling Tuesday.
“We hold that the Moratorium did not impair any contractual obligations or vested rights†of Mainstreet. “Because (Mainstreet) failed to show that the Moratorium impaired any of their contractual obligations, we affirm the trial court’s dismissal of the contract clause claims and need not delve further into (Mainstreet’s) argument,†Judge Terry Crone wrote for the panel.
Further, Mainstreet failed to demonstrate that it had vested rights in any of the projects. The court also rejected Mainstreet’s claims that it had spent millions of dollars developing the proposed properties. The company’s “evidence regarding the expenditure of money, time, and effort could be characterized as normal business efforts expended to investigate future business opportunities,†as the trial court held, Crone wrote, noting the company was reimbursed all earnest money on properties where purchase agreements had been secured.
The case is Mainstreet Property Group, LLC; Mainstreet Realty, LLC; and 7105 E SR 334, LLC v. Pam Pontones, in her official capacity as Interim Commissioner of the Indiana State Department of Health; et al., 29A02-1704-MI-871.
ELLSWORTH TO BE THE “MASTER OF CEREMONY” FOR THE CCOÂ AWARDS LUNCHEON
CCO “COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD” LUNCHEON SOLD OUT
The City-County Observer is excited to announce that Brad Ellsworth the former Vanderburgh County Sheriff’, past member of the U.S. House of Representatives and President of Vectren- South. has been selected as the “Master Of  Ceremony” for the City-County Observer “Community Services Awardâ€Â 2018 luncheon.
This year’s awards luncheon will be held at Tropicana-Evansville Walnut rooms A and B. The registration begin at 11:30 am, the event officially starts at 12 noon on March 19, 2018. Â This event is sold out. Â If you have any questions about this event please call the Event Coordinator, Karen Selzer at 812-430-9304 or 812-909-2361.
The CITY-COUNTY OBSERVER “COMMUNITY SERVICE AWARD” winners for 2018 are Vanderburgh are TED C. ZIEMER, JR., and CLARE D. ZIEMER, THE HONORABLE JUDGE JIM REDWINE, EPD POLICE CHIEF BILLY BOLIN AND LIEUTENANT PAUL KIRBY, LOCAL ATTORNEY AND IU BOARD OF TRUSTEES MEMBER PAT SHOULDERS, THE HONORABLE SUPERIOR COURT JUDGE LES SHIVELY.
ATTACHED IS THE PROFILE OF THE HONORABLE BRAD ELLSWORTH
Education
The University of Southern Indiana, Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology/Criminal Justice (81), Indiana State University, Master’s Degree in Criminology (93), Federal Bureau of Investigation National Academy (95).
Brad Ellsworth Professional Experiences
Served with the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s office from April of 1982 until December of 2006. During this time he served in every merit rank and in every capacity. In 1998 he was elected as Sheriff of the County and served two terms (term-limited).
Patrolman-1982-87 detention division, motor patrol Corporal -1987-89 supervised detention division, narcotics investigator, K-9 handler.
Sergeant-1989-93 supervised narcotics division, implemented DARE program county wide
Lieutenant-1993-95 shift commander in the patrol division.
Captain-1995-96 Field Operations and Support Services Commander.
Chief Deputy -1996-98 Executive Commander of the Administration and Detention Divisions.
Sheriff-1999-2006 elected to 2 terms as Sheriff (Indiana is limited to 2 terms) U S House of Representatives.
Elected to represent the 8th district of Indiana. Served two terms on the Armed Services, Agriculture and Small Business Committees.
In 2010 made an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate, when then-Senator Bayh chose not to run.
Brad is the President of Vectren- South.working for Vectren Energy Delivery, a combined gas, and electric utility, serving 1 million customers, based in Evansville, IN.
Brad Ellsworth Current Boards and  Community Service
United Way of Southwest Indiana- Board Member, Statewide 211 Board Member, RADIUS Indiana Board Member, Battery Innovation Center (BIC) Board Member, BRIDGELINK Board Member, Evansville Brownfields Board Member, WNIN Board Member, Chamber of Commerce Board Member, G.A.G.E. Board Member, Association for the Blind, Youth First Advisory Board.
 Copyright 2018 City-County Observer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without our permission.
Vectren Selects Partner, Announces Location For 50 Megawatts Of Renewable Energy In Southwestern Indiana
Vectren Chooses Spencer County For Solar ArrayÂ
Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana (Vectren) announced it has selected First Solar, Inc., (Nasdaq: FSLR) to build the 50-megawatt (MW) solar array outlined last month as part of Vectren’s long-term electric generation transition plan.
During the past few months, Vectren has been working with Orion Renewable Power Resources, LLC, a joint venture between Orion Renewable Energy Group and MAP® Renewable Energy, to select, secure and eventually develop the Troy, Ind. property.
The solar array will be situated on approximately 300 acres and will consist of about 150,000 solar panels. The array will be mounted on a single-axis tracking system, which enables the panels to automatically pivot to enhance energy generation as the sun’s rays move across the surface of the Earth. The facility, which should be fully operational in the fall of 2020, is expected to generate enough power to meet the needs of more than 11,000 households per year.
“This significant renewable resource will be connected to our system to serve our local customers,†said Carl Chapman, chairman, president, and CEO of Vectren. “We are confident First Solar and Orion are the right partners for this scale of a project, which will bring one of the largest single-site solar farms in the Midwest to southern Indiana.â€
Construction will begin after the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission authorizes the project; a decision is expected in the first half 2019. The initial construction phase will require establishing a sub-station to interconnect with Vectren’s power grid and will begin immediately upon regulatory approval. The construction of the solar array will begin in mid-late 2019.
“First Solar’s expertise in design and construction of solar power plants aligns perfectly with Vectren’s Smart Energy Future strategy. Using our high-performance Series 6 thin-film modules and a plant design approach tailored to utility ownership values, we will contribute significantly to Vectren’s commitment to deliver clean, reliable and reasonably-priced energy to its customers,†said Eran Mahrer, Vice President – Markets, Origination and Government Affairs for First Solar. “It is exciting to be a part of enabling utility-scale solar in Indiana.â€
During construction, the project will provide up to 250 jobs, many of which will be union labor.
“Orion wishes to thank the landowners, the Spencer County Council, and the Lincolnland Economic Development Corporation for their support of the project,†said Tim Lasocki, Vice President, Origination, and Finance for Orion. “We are pleased to be working with Vectren and First Solar to create a construction-ready project for utility ownership.â€
 About Vectren
Vectren Corporation (NYSE: VVC) is an energy holding company headquartered in Evansville, Ind. Vectren’s energy delivery subsidiaries provide gas and/or electricity to more than 1 million customers in adjoining service territories that cover nearly two-thirds of Indiana and about 20 percent of Ohio, primarily in the west-central area. Vectren’s nonutility subsidiaries and affiliates currently offer energy-related products and services to customers throughout the U.S. These include infrastructure services and energy services. To learn more about Vectren, visit www.vectren.com.
 About Orion:Â
Orion Renewable Energy Group LLC, headquartered in Oakland, California, is a pioneer in the development, finance, construction, and operation of renewable energy projects throughout the United States. Our team has developed over 5,000 Megawatts worldwide. For further information, please visitwww.orionrenewables.com
About First Solar, Inc.
First Solar is a leading global provider of comprehensive photovoltaic (PV) solar systems which use its advanced module and system technology. The company’s integrated power plant solutions deliver an economically attractive alternative to fossil-fuel electricity generation today. From raw material sourcing through end-of-life module recycling, First Solar’s renewable energy systems protect and enhance the environment. For more information about First Solar, please visit www.firstsolar.com.
Adopt A Pet
Nilla is a 2-month-old male Lionhead bunny. He will live for 8-10+ years! He’s very sweet & easily handled. His brother’s name is Wafer! This Easter, if your child is asking for a bunny for the next decade and the whole family is ready, remember to always adopt and never buy bunnies from stores. Rabbit adoption fees at the VHS are $40 and include spay/neuter surgery and microchips. Contact Vanderburgh Humane at (812) 426-2563 or adoptions@vhslifesaver.org for details!
USI BASEBALL IS BACK!
Eagles host 3-game series with Quincy
The University of Southern Indiana baseball team returns to the friendly surroundings of the USI Baseball Field Friday to start a three-game non-conference series versus Quincy University. First pitch is Friday at 5 p.m.; Saturday at 2 p.m.; and Sunday at noon.
The three-game series versus Quincy (9-5) is the start of a stretch of 16 of the next 17 games at home for the Screaming Eagles (6-7), including the start of Great Lakes Valley Conference action against the University of Illinois Springfield March 24-25.