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Will include discussion on the 2016 PCAST Report |
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WHAT: In observance of National Forensic Science Week, the Office of the Indiana Attorney General will host a Summit on Forensic Science in the Courts and the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST) Report. The day-long event will highlight the importance of proper forensic science, recognizing the role it plays in the investigation of crimes across the United States, from exonerating the innocent to identifying the guilty. The summit will offer discussion of the practicalities and legalities associated with the September 2016 PCAST report, “Forensic Science in Criminal Courts: Ensuring Scientific Validity of Feature-Comparison Methods.†The report presents a flawed perspective of the validity of scientific disciplines in the courts but is being used in courts by defense attorneys in an effort to exclude or undermine the testimony of crime lab personnel. Prosecutors and crime lab personnel are encouraged to attend the one-day seminar, which will provide an introduction to the report, discuss ways of addressing challenges to admissibility based on PCAST and include a panel discussion on laying adequate foundations to overcome later appellate challenges.  Friday, Sept. 22, 8:30 a.m. until 5 p.m.  Indiana University Robert H. McKinney School of Law, 530 West New York St., Indianapolis. Register Online: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/regional-summit-on-forensic-science-in-the-courts-and-the-pcast-report-tickets-36657390241 Cost: Free & Includes Lunch CLE: 7 General Credit Hours |
Office of the Indiana Attorney General to host Summit on Forensic Science in the Courts
Indiana Eyes Lawrenceburg/Aurora Site for Potential Fourth Port
INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced that the Ports of Indiana has entered into an agreement to purchase 725 acres of land, with portions in Lawrenceburg and Aurora, Ind., to be the potential home of a fourth state port.
“While we’re only beginning this process, it’s hard not to be excited by the prospect of a fourth port in Indiana,†Gov. Holcomb said. “The economic benefits to the region and the state as a whole would be game changing—providing new jobs and development opportunities.â€
The agreement allows the Ports of Indiana to begin studies to examine the environmental and economic viability of the parcel of land on the Ohio River about one mile southwest of downtown Lawrenceburg. The Ports of Indiana must complete its due diligence and—if it determines the site is a viable option—move to purchase the site by Dec. 2018.
“Indiana’s ports are important economic drivers for our state, connecting Indiana to the world every day,†said Rich Cooper, CEO for the Ports of Indiana. “We welcome this opportunity to explore the possibility of a fourth port for our state and are eager to move quickly to determine the viability of this land for use as a port to attract major investments and further spur southeast Indiana’s economy.â€
The land is the site of a former American Electric Power plant. The agreement is with Tanners Creek Development, LLC, the site’s current owner, an affiliate of Commercial Development Company, Inc. If the Ports of Indiana decides to move forward, the total cost for the land and equipment would be approximately $8 million.
Indiana currently has three state ports operating on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan, with locations in Jeffersonville, Mount Vernon and Burns Harbor/Portage. Indiana has not opened a new port since 1985. Over the years, the Ports of Indiana has expanded each of its ports and now operates approximately 2,800 acres along Indiana’s navigable waterways. Indiana’s ports contribute over $7.8 billion per year to the state economy and support nearly 60,000 jobs.
UE teams join forces to help support Aces’ great Mick Lyon
   Aces To Sell T-Shirts To Help Raise Funds For UE Hall-O-Farmer
The University of Evansville men’s and women’s soccer teams are teaming up to raise awareness and to help an Evansville great.
Prior to this year’s Homecoming matches, the UE Men’s and Women’s Soccer teams will be hosting a fundraiser to benefit UE Athletics Hall of Fame member Mick Lyon with expenses associated to his fight against multiple sclerosis. This fundraiser will coincide with the Aces’ Multiple Sclerosis Awareness Night during homecoming on October 14.
“We have the opportunity to step up and help support the man that started our program,” said UE women’s soccer head coach Krista McKendree. “I encourage and hope all Aces (past, present, and future) will do what they can to show Mick the values he was taught and helped teach here at UE are still going strong. As an athlete and coach he never gave up and I know the out pouring of support is helping him continue to fight MS. Thank you to everyone for your support of positive messages.”
Mick Lyon was inducted in the UE Athletics Hall of Fame in 2002 and the Missouri Valley Conference Hall of Fame in 2015, following highly-decorated careers as both a player and coach for the Purple Aces. As a member of the men’s soccer team, Mick was a three-time team MVP and was named a Second Team All-American by the NSCAA in 1987, before becoming an assistant coach for the men’s program in 1991 and being named the first head coach of the UE women’s program in 1993. In his nine seasons as head coach, Lyon guided the Aces to five regular-season conference championships, five conference tournament titles and three NCAA Tournament appearances.
To show your support for Mick and to contribute to this fundraiser, you can purchase a t-shirt for $12 through an online order form prior to October 5. T-shirts may be purchased at the game on October 14 for $15. To preorder your shirt, simply fill out the online order form and join the Aces in the fight against MS.
Adopt A Pet
Laine is a 2-yr-old female brown tabby cat with bright green eyes. You could have your very own celebrity cat: Laine went on the Q-crew radio show with Dave & Leslie at 99.5 WKDQ a few weeks ago! Executive Director Kendall said that Laine was very sweet and well-behaved. She’s been waiting on a home for several months. Laine is spayed & vaccinated, ready to go home today for $30! Contact the Vanderburgh Humane Society at (812) 426-2563 or adoptions@vhslifesaver.org for details!
USI to host free Art Day for local high school students
University of Southern Indiana art faculty, interested high school students
 Art Day, a free opportunity for high school students, grades 9-12, made possible thanks to a grant from the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana.
 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., Saturday, September 23. Students are invited to bring their lunch or purchase food at campus dining facilities.
Sessions will be held in the Arts Center, Arts Studio, and the Dowhie Ceramic Center. A map of campus that includes these facilities and all parking lots can be found at USI.edu/map.
LIST OF AVAILABLE SESSIONS:
- Make a Keepsake Box
- Joinery!
- How to Draw
- Plein Air and Palette Knives: An Impressionist Painting Experience
- Graphic Design Workshop
- Wheels and Flames
- Photograms
- Photograms
- Pastelfies
- DIY T-Shirt Design! Screen Print Workshop
REGISTRATION:Â Call USI Outreach & Engagement at 812-464-1989 to register.
“READERS FORUM” SEPTEMBER 22, 2017
WHATS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?
EDITOR’S FOOTNOTE:  Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City County Observer or our advertisers
Zoning Broad Approves Maidens Brew Pub Parking Variance
SEPTEMBER 21ST, 2017Â 
 TYRONE MORRIS EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
The Broad of Zoning Appeal voted overwhelmingly in favor of a parking variance for Maidens Brew Pub.
It would need 90 parking spaces since it seats 180 people, but its location near West Franklin Street meant that only 28 spaces were in the original business plan.
Thursday’s ruling gave the approval to an agreement with a nearby business and owners of an unpaved lot nearby to give Maiden’s the parking it needed.
CONFISCATORYÂ MADNESS
CONFISCATORYÂ MADNESS
written By Mark Hunt a Republican candidate for United States Senate In Indiana
The current tax code is comprised of 74,608 unreadable and too often undecipherable legalistic pages, or over 10,000 words. Â Most novels you might read, just for example, run about 200 to 300 pages (62,500 words). This has to change! Â For personal income tax reform, President Trump seeks to cut taxes and simplify the tax structure.
President Trump seeks to expand tax benefits for families, including a larger allowable deduction for child care expenses that could be taken whether a taxpayer itemizes or not, and would also be allowed for up to 4 children (the current law only allows for 2 children). This is a start. Â We must lower personal income taxes and provide a code actually capable of being understood. Â For example, the standard deduction should double to $15,000 (single) and $30,000 (married), from the current levels of $6,350 and $12,700, respectively, thereby helping lower income workers.
I would like to put an exclamation point on the President’s persistent mantra of jobs, jobs, jobs!!! Corporate tax reform is just the first step to achieving that growth and opening the door to more business investment in the USA. We start by encouraging money to return to us.  This means a tax cut on businesses that want to move money back into the United States. Currently, American businesses have their hands tied when it comes to competing internationally. Among those countries known as the Group of Seven (Canada, USA, Germany, Japan, France, UK, Italy), only the USA taxes their business transactions outside the country twice.
All but the USA use what is known as a Territorial Taxation System; in other words, businesses are taxed by the territory (country) in which the business is conducted but not by their home country. The USA is the only country that uses a Worldwide Tax System, in which businesses pay the same taxes as do companies in the six countries listed above when conducting business abroad but the USA then imposes taxes on these same profits when the money is returned to the USA. This creates a disincentive to return money to the USA. Smart businesses simply keep their money outside the USA (currently estimated to be $ 2.1 trillion) and use it to invest abroad. If we change this, think of the growth at home that could be spurred by the returning $2.1 trillion – jobs, jobs, jobs!
Sincerely.
Mark HuntÂ
Republican candidate for Indiana’s United States SenateÂ
Veteran Loses Appeal After Support Dog Denied Entry To Courthouse
Veteran Loses Appeal After Support Dog Denied Entry To Courthouse
Dave Stafford for www.theindianalawyer.com
A disabled veteran who was barred from entering the Tippecanoe County Courthouse with a support animal lost his lawsuit against the county claiming a violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act.
Army combat veteran Charles Riley was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder in 1991 after serving in Operation Desert Storm, and he also has mobility and balance issues unrelated to his PTSD diagnosis. He sued Tippecanoe County’s Board of Commissioners and the sheriff’s department after he was told he could not enter the Lafayette courthouse in 2014 with his dog Bella, who wore a vest labeled “NSAR Service Animal Certified,†referring to a training certification from the National Service Animal Registry.
When Riley came to the courthouse in 2014 to deliver a victim impact statement regarding a crime in which he had been a victim, he produced an NSAR card that on the back said Bella was an emotional support animal, which is not covered as a service animal under the ADA.
District Judge Jon E. DeGuilio granted summary judgment for the Tippecanoe County parties Thursday, holding that a finder of fact could determine that Riley was a qualified individual with a disability, but that Bella was not a service animal under the ADA when Riley was denied entry to the courthouse with the dog. Because of this, his ADA claims must fail.
“The Court is mindful of and grateful for Plaintiff’s military service, and acknowledges the sacrifices he and his fellow servicemen and servicewomen have given in defense of this country. All too often, American veterans return home burdened with a host of disabilities — both visible and invisible – that will accompany them for the rest of their lives. In Plaintiff’s case, and in the cases of many others, he exposed himself to combat so that others might not have to, and as a result bears the unseen wounds of post-traumatic stress disorder. However, in bringing the instant case, Plaintiff must demonstrate that his dog, Bella, was a service animal within the meaning of the ADA when he attempted to enter the courthouse,†DeGuilio wrote. “Based on the record before the Court, he cannot do so.â€
The case is Charles M. Riley v. Board of Commissioners of Tippecanoe County, et al., 4:14-cv-063.