This Week at USI

04/25/2017

New Twitter account for USI press releases, media information

University Communications has established a new Twitter account,Â @USInewsroom, dedicated to sharing and promoting news releases, updates on upcoming events, interview opportunities, and additional information for media members. This account will serve as a supplement to the main USI Twitter account,Â @USIedu, which will focus on community engagement and may not include all releases and information.

6:30 p.m. Friday, April 28 and 9 a.m., noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.Â Saturday, AprilÂ 29

Spring Commencement Ceremonies

The University of Southern Indiana will hold five Spring Commencement ceremonies over two days, April 28 and 29, in the Physical Activities Center (PAC) on the USI campus. The Graduate Ceremony for master and doctoral degree candidates from all of USIâ€™s colleges will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 28. On Saturday, April 29, the undergraduate ceremony for the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education will begin at 9 a.m.; the College of Nursing and Health Professions at noon; Romain College of Business and Outreach and Engagement at 3 p.m., and the College of Liberal Arts at 6 p.m. Â Members of the graduating Class of 2017 will join the USI Alumni Association, which, following Spring Commencement, will number more than 40,000 alumni across Indiana, the United States and the world.Â Read More

TONIGHT – Â 7 p.m. Monday, April 24

USI Jazz Ensemble to perform at Wired Coffee House

The University of Southern Indiana Jazz Ensemble will present its last spring concert at 7 p.m. Monday, April 24 at Wired Coffee House and Music Venue located at 111 NW 4th Street in downtown Evansville.Â The program will include both classic jazz standards and hip modern arrangements. Opening for the Jazz Ensemble will be USIâ€™s Irish music band: jigs, reels, fiddles, whistles and all.Â For more information, contact Tom Drury at 812-492-7502 orÂ twdrury@usi.edu.

Now Through Wednesday, April 26

Southwest Indiana AHEC co-sponsors “African Americans and the Disability Experience” exhibit

Southwest Indiana Area Health Education Center (SWI-AHEC) is partnering with the Evansville African American Museum for a special exhibition,Â African Americans and the Disability Experience: From Colonial Times, Desegregation, Advocacy and Achievement, April 7-26.Â Read More

Now through April 30

47th Annual USI Juried Student Art Show

The 47th Annual University of Southern Indiana Juried Student Art Show will be on display April 2 – 30 in the Kenneth P. McCutchan Art Center/Palmina F. and Stephen S. Pace Galleries, located in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center on the USI campus. Juror Arthur Fields has selected 172 artworks from over 400 entered to be exhibited.Â Read More

BREAKING NEWS: GOVERNOR HOLCOMB VETOS PUBLIC RECORDS REQUESTS

04/24/2017

0

April 24, 2017

The Honorable Brian C. Bosma Speaker
Indiana House of Representatives Statehouse

Indianapolis, IN 46204

MESSAGE FROM GOVERNOR ERIC J. HOLCOMB

Dear Mr. Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives:

By the authority vested in me as Governor of Indiana, under the provisions of Article 5, Section 14, of the Constitution of the State of Indiana, I do hereby veto House Enrolled Act. No. 1523, enacted during the regular session of the 120th General Assembly and related to search fees for public records requests.

While I understand the intent behind the bill to offset the considerable time and expense often devoted to fulfilling public records requests, I view this proposed legislation as contrary to my commitment to providing great government service at a great value for Hoosier taxpayers.

Providing access to public records is a key part of the work public servants perform and is important from a government transparency standpoint. I do not support policies that create burdensome obstacles to the public gaining access to public documents.

I vetoed HEA 1523 for these reasons; however, I support the provision requiring public agencies to provide electronic copies of public records in electronic format (such as emails) if requested.

Finally, I believe there are steps that can be taken administratively to streamline and improve the process for fulfilling public records requests, and I have charged my office to examine the best ways to provide public transparency and access to public records at the highest possible value to taxpayers.

Sincerely,

Eric J. Holcomb Indiana Governor

Fitting of the wheelchair lift today

04/24/2017

0

Ivy Tech Student GetsÂ Fitted for Adjustable Wheelchair

To be able to repair automobiles

When:Â Today,Â Noon-1Â p.m.

Where:Â Welding Lab, (Come to Room 140 a few minutes before and we will take you to the lab)

Background:Â Ivy Tech students in the Advanced Automation and Robotics Program and Welding classes have partnered to build a specialized wheelchair for a fellow student in the Automotive Technology program. The student has Spina Bifida and needs the support of a wheelchair for mobility. But, because it is so low to the ground â€“ he has trouble standing to work on cars. Today at noon, an Easter Seals Engineer will be meeting with the student to fit cushions for the wheelchair.

Contact at the Event:Â Donna Zimmerman, Advanced Automation and Robotics program chair.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

04/24/2017

0

Â Below are the felony cases to be filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutorâ€™s Office today.

Stacey Lee Stinson: Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony), Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony), Domestic battery on a person less than 14 years old (Level 6 Felony), Battery (Class B misdemeanor)

Richard Traysean Presley: (Conspiracy) Fraud on a financial institution (Level 5 Felony), (Conspiracy) Forgery (Level 6 Felony)

Reginald Matthew Hughes Jr.:Â (Conspiracy) Fraud on a financial institution (Level 5 Felony), (Conspiracy) Forgery (Level 6 Felony)

Michael James Paulin Jr.: Strangulation (Level 6 Felony), Battery by bodily waste (Level 6 Felony), Resisting law enforcement (Class A misdemeanor)

Mills Hunter Camp: Operating a vehicle with an ACE of 0.08 or more (Level 6 Felony)

EPD ACTIVITY REPORT

04/24/2017

0

EPD REPORT

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

04/24/2017

0

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

IS IT TRUE APRIL 24, 2017

04/24/2017

11

IS IT TRUE at tonights City Council meeting a presentation will be made by a representative of the Evansville Redevelopment Commission and VenuWorks to update Council members on recent changes to the newly amended contractural agreement between the City and the new owners of the Thunderbolts? …we hope that the presenters will give Council members a true and accurate line item breakdown on how the Thunderbolts have lost many hundreds of thousands of dollars this season? …we would also like to know if the taxpayers of this community have been subsidizing any of the financial losses of the Thunderbolts? …we also hope that the above individuals will come forward and tell Council members who ready owns the Evansville Thunderbolt hockey team? …it would be extremely helpful to find out who are responsible for covering any financial losses of the ThunderboltsÂ at the Ford Center? we also hope that the presenters will tell Council if they have anyÂ past or present bills they haven’t paid?…we hope that presenters will include the $8 million annual bond payment in their profit and lose statements they present to Council this evening?

IS IT TRUE we predict that the upcoming city budget shall be a financial disaster because of excessive past and present spending habits of the current Administration? Â …we wonder how Mayor Winnecke and Council Finance Chairman Dan McGinn are going to come up with the money to build the new Lloyd Swimming Pool at Robert’s Parks, build the Penguin display at the Zoo and pay for the excessive financial shortfall of City employees Healthcare coverage for the coming budget year?

IS IT TRUE that the majority of Council members are going to attempt to Â take an additional 2% of our Homestead Tax Credit money so they can cover their excussive spending habits?

IS IT TRUE that it should be blatantly obvious to anyone who has been paying attention that the City of Evansville can’t seem to figure out how to make a buck or break even on any sports related activity?…the latest revelation is that the public golf courses are costing the Evansville Park and Recreation Department a boatload of money?

IS IT TRUE specifically speaking the golf courses had a positive balance of $300,000 in 2011 when Mayor Winnecke was first elected and now 5 years later the balance is NEGATIVE $700,000?…That means the golf courses have lost $1 Million in 5 years?…a loss of $200,000 per year to subsidize a bunch of loser golf courses is nothing less than taking money from those who don’t play golf and giving that money to a golfer?…it is time for the City of Evansville to either figure out how to make a profit on the city owned and operated golf courses or lease them to aÂ privateÂ developer?…there are only two ways to make a moneymaker out of a losing operation and those either increase revenue, cut expenses, or preferably both?

IS IT TRUE it isn’t just golf that is a subsidized losing operation in the City of Evansville’s portfolio of investments? Â …sports entities that have been reported to lose money are Thunderbolt teams, the Evansville Bluecats (arena football), outdoor football, and a couple of now defunct basketball teams?…even the NFL Evansville Crimson Giants couldn’t make a go of it?…it has also been reported on many occasions that the Evansville Otters baseball operation struggles financial?…profits and sports are not two things that have gone together in many years?…repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result is the definition of insanity?

Todays ‘Readers Poll” question is: Do you think the City should consider leasing City golf courses to private developers?

CHANNEL 44 NEWS: West Side Nut Club Takes On Spring Project

04/24/2017

0

West Side Nut Club Takes on Spring Project

Proceeds from the West Side Nut Club’s Fall Festival are being put back into the community this Spring. Dozens of nut club members spend the day volunteering at Ruth’s House, an area shelter for women. Ruth’s House received a complete renovation…

Letter To The Editor: Parke Should Be The One Resigning, Not Musgrave

04/24/2017

3

Letter To The Editor: Â Parke Should be the One Resigning, not Musgrave

By Bryan Fox

It seems that Vanderburgh County Republican Chairman Wayne Parke has an obsession with Cheryl Musgrave.

Musgrave, a Republican, was recently elected county commissioner for a second (non-consecutive) term and has been asked by Parke to resign. This comes after Musgrave’s vote to fire Burdette Park Manager Jacob Murphy and replace him with Pat Tuley, former campaign manager of fellow commissioner, Democrat Ben Shoulders.

“I do not believe you are performing your County Commissioner responsibilities in the best interest of the Vanderburgh County citizens. Vanderburgh County needs people in office that unite — not a divider who has their own personal agenda, ” Parke says to Musgrave via email.

In the mist of this resignation request, maybe it’s time for Parke himself to step aside.

To be fair to Mr. Parke, the Republican party has seen significant gains in the county since he became chairman in 2010. Evansville Re,publican Mayor Lloyd Winnecke has been re-elected in a primarily democrat city, four of the five state representatives in the county are Republican, and the party has picked-up three seats on the city council. Also, Mrs. Musgrave should have to answer tough questions with regards to how she handled Murphy’s firing. She will definitely have to answer to the voters if she decide to run for re-election in 2020.

However, Parke, by calling Musgrave a divider, is essentially the one whose dividing. The feud between Parke and Musgrave is longstanding. Parke publicly endorsed Musgraves’s opponent, Alex Schmitt, in last year’s primary. This isn’t the first time Parke has done this. During the 2014 primary, Parke publicly endorsed county commissioner candidate Marsha Abell who was running against newcomer Bruce Ungetheim. This endorsement included donating to Abell’s campaign. Abell was ultimately defeated. As a county chairman, you have to let the chips fall after the primaries before having a dog in the race. Parke has failed to do that on multiple occasions and has created unnecessary political infighting.

At a county caucus in 2016, Parke was asked to respond to an Indiana delegate and Newburgh native Joshua Claybourn’s decision not to vote for candidate Donald Trump at the upcoming Republican National Convention. Parke basically said that the alternative to Trump is much worse. Since Musgrave is a fellow republican, maybe Parke should apply this same philosophy to the local races as well.

Perhaps Parke forgot about Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment which says, “Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican.” Either way, Parke should resign.

FOOTNOTE: This letter was posted without opinion, bias or editing. Â

DISCLOSURE: Mr Fox is a part-time paid free lance writer for the CCO. Â Mr. Fox is responsible for the contents of the attached Letter To The Editor.

City Council Meeting Agenda for April 24, 2017

04/24/2017

0

CITY OF EVANSVILLE COMMON COUNCIL

I. INTRODUCTION
II. APPROVAL OF MEETING MEMORANDA
III. REPORTS AND COMMUNICATIONS
IV. SPECIAL ORDERS OF THE DAY
V. CONSENT AGENDA: FIRST READING OF ORDINANCES AND RESOLUTIONS

ORDINANCE F-2017-05