“READERS FORUM” JANUARY 18, 2017
WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?
Todays “READERS POLL” question is:Â Do you think that the Presidential Inauguration will be peaceful?
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CHANNEL 44 NEWS: UBER TO HOLD INFORMATION SESSION THIS WEEK
Uber Evansville To Hold Information Sessions This Week
If you are still interested in driving with Uber, Uber Evansville will be holding information sessions this week. At the information sessions, Uber will explain how the Uber partnership works, how to use the Uber Driver app, how to upload the…
Attorney General’s Office Announces Nearly $13 million For Indiana From A Multi-State Settlement
INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill today announced a $12.77 million settlement for Indiana, involving 20 other states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Department of Justice. The settlement resolved the Attorney General’s investigation, in collaboration with the Secretary of State, of allegations that Moody’s Corporation, Moody’s Investors Service, Inc., and Moody’s Analytics, Inc. misled investors when it rated structured finance securities leading up to and through the 2008 financial crisis.
The settlement with Moody’s – a corporation made up of companies specializing in business and financial services – is the result of an investigation into the company’s conduct and its representations of independence and objectivity in the rating of structured finance securities. Structured finance securities, including residential mortgage-backed securities (RMBS) and collateralized debt obligations (CDOs), are complex investments that derive their value from the monthly payments on underlying debt instruments, such as consumer mortgages.
These securities, particularly those backed by subprime mortgages, were at the center of the financial crisis of the mid-to-late 2000s. Despite repeated statements emphasizing its independence and objectivity, the states and Department of Justice allege that Moody’s allowed their analysis to be influenced by their desire to earn lucrative fees from their investment bank clients, when they assigned credit ratings to toxic assets packaged and sold by the Wall Street investment banks.
“Investors believed they were getting honest, objective analysis. But in reality, Moody’s entities were misleading the investing public, baiting them with questionable ratings, and doing so at a time when investors were becoming increasingly vulnerable,†Hill said. “Today’s settlement is a product of the hard work that our Consumer Protection Division dedicated to this case.â€
Hill would like to especially thank Deputy Attorneys General Justin Hazlett, Amanda Lee and their team for the role each played in this resolution. Indiana’s $12.77 million share of the nearly $864 million multi-state settlement will go toward consumer and investor protection and related purposes.
In addition to the monetary settlement, Moody’s entities have agreed to significant compliance terms to ensure they conduct their ratings activities independently and objectively – including an annual certification by the CEO of Moody’s Corporation, which will be provided to Indiana every year for the next four years, certifying that Moody’s is following certain compliance requirements.
This is the second case of its nature to come through the Office of the Indiana Attorney General. In 2015, the Attorney General’s Office recovered $21.5 million from a similar settlement with Standard & Poor’s, after suing the company for similar deceptive conduct.
St. Mary’s Hospital for Women & Children Birth Records
Cydney and Joshua Hohimer, Evansville, son, Gabriel Bruce, Jan. 9
Hannah Kelley and Adam Bowman, Chandler, Ind., son, Silas River, Jan. 9
Andie and Landon Bayley, Carmi, Ill., daughter, Chase Addison, Jan. 10
Katie and Darrell Hawes, Mount Vernon, Ind., son, Gabriel Troy, Jan. 10
Haley Coleman, Oakland City, Ind., daughter, Aria Nicole, Jan. 10
Deajah Brodie and Celso Barrera, Evansville, son, Celso Larian, Jan. 10
Aubrey and Elijah Phillips, Wadesville, Ind., daughter, Freyja Lorraine, Jan. 11
Ashley and Chad Kietzman, Henderson, Ky., son, Harrison Ryan, Jan. 11
Katie Clemens and Clarence Ransom, Tell City, Ind., son, Clarence Alexander, Jan. 11
Kelsey Chandler, Evansville, son, Abel Ray, Jan. 12
Rachel and Andrew Shumate, Evansville, son, Owen Andrew, Jan. 12
Brittney Rhodes and Quavon Pope, Evansville, daughter, Taliyah Pra’nae, Jan. 12
Mindy and Christopher Antonites, Evansville, sons, Mathis Landon, and Myles Anthony, Jan. 12
Amber Capo and Kanon Cleek, Evansville, son, Kaison Wayne, Jan. 12
Heather and Kevin Chandler, Newburgh, Ind., son, Nathan Campbell, Jan. 14
Shannon Crow and Marco Kleeman, Chandler, Ind., daughter, Peyton Grace, Jan. 14
Rachel Morris and Dakota Dillon, Evansville, son, Ryder Austin Daniel, Jan. 16
Emily Booth and Nicholas Pfister, Princeton, Ind., son, Cashis Ryan, Jan. 16
History Department To Host Discussion On Preservation Of Evansville History
History Department To Host Discussion On Preservation Of Evansville History At 6 p.m.  on Wednesday, January 18
The University of Southern Indiana’s College of Liberal Arts History Department is hosting a roundtable discussion focusing on the importance and preservation of Evansville history. The event, “Reflecting Back, Looking Forward†will take place at 6 p.m. Wednesday, January 18in Kleymeyer Hall located in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center. Speakers for the roundtable discussion include Evansville community leaders who were instrumental in saving the Owen Block and the Peters-Margedant House. Discussion will include the efforts to save the Henry E. Cook House, the 19th-century Westside home of the vice president of F.W. Cook Brewing, and new directions for historic districts in the city. For more information contact Kristalyn Shefveland, USI associate professor of history at kmshefvela@usi.edu or 812-461-5434.
Air Quality Forecast Evansville/Vanderburgh Metro Area
Air quality forecasts for Evansville and Vanderburgh County are provided as a public service. They are best estimates of predicted pollution levels that can be used as a guide so people can modify their activities and reduce their exposure to air quality conditions that may affect their health. The forecasts are routinely made available at least a day in advance, and are posted by 10:30 AM Evansville time on Monday (for Tuesday through Thursday) and Thursday (for Friday through Monday). When atmospheric conditions are uncertain or favor pollution levels above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, forecasts are made on a daily basis.
Ozone forecasts are available from mid-April through September 30th. Fine particulate (PM2.5) forecasts are available year round.
| Tuesday January 17 |
Wednesday January 18 |
Thursday January 19 |
Friday January 20 |
Saturday January 21 |
|
| Fine Particulate (0-23Â CST avg) Air Quality Index |
good | moderate | good | good | NA* |
| Ozone Air Quality Index |
NA* | NA* | NA* | NA* | NA* |
| Ozone (peak 8-hr avg) (expected) |
NA* | NA* | NA* | NA* | NA* |
* Not Available and/or Conditions Uncertain.
Air Quality Action Days
Ozone Alerts are issued by the Evansville EPA when maximum ozone readings averaged over a period of eight hours are forecasted to reach 71 parts per billion (ppb), or unhealthy for sensitive groups on the USEPA Air Quality Index scale.
Particulate Alerts are issued by the Evansville EPA when PM2.5 readings averaged over the period of midnight to midnight are forecasted to reach 35 micrograms per meter cubed (µg/m3).
Current conditions of OZONE and FINE PARTICULATE MATTER are available in near real-time on the Indiana Department of Environment Management’s website.
National and regional maps of current conditions are available through USEPA AIRNow.
FOOD FOR LIFE PROGRAM COMING TO ST. MARY’S WELLNESS CENTER
(Evansville, IN)Â Join Food for Life Instructor Susannah Dickman to discover which foods are optimal for weight management, learn about various health topics including blood pressure and digestion, and get empowered with the practical cooking skills needed to help you on your journey to better health. In the class, attendees do all of this while enjoying a cooking demonstration and tasting delicious, healthful dishes in a supportive group setting. Participants will be given all recipes made in class.
The 5-week program will be held every Thursday from February 9 – March 9 from 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. at St. Mary’s Epworth Crossing Wellness Center. Cost is $25 per class or $115 for all 5 classes paid in advance. Pre-registration is required by Tuesday, February 7, and can be completed by calling 812-485-5725
In a public health climate where more than one-third of adults in the U.S. are obese and millions have diabetes, the need for a lifestyle change is greater than it has ever been. The program helps people adopt a plant-based diet to reach their health goals. It is about losing weight, maintaining a healthy weight, or simply embracing an overall healthful diet. Lower cholesterol, better diabetes control, lower blood pressure, and improvements in energy and mood are some of the many benefits people experience on this diet.
EVSC Now Accepting Applications for On My Way PreK ProgramÂ
The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation is now taking applications for the 2017-2018 On My Way PreK program, a free early childhood education program offered by the state of Indiana. The EVSC is one of the locations offering the program in the Evansville area.
To qualify for the program, students must be four years old on or before August 1, 2017. Families also must live in Vanderburgh County and qualify for low-income assistance.
In addition to free early childhood education, the EVSC also offers free breakfast, lunch and transportation for those students who enroll. Classrooms are located at Culver Family Learning Center, Daniel Wertz, Cedar Hall, Evans, Caze, Dexter and Scott.
Director of Early Childhood Education Terry Green said, “Early childhood education lays the groundwork for success later in school by successfully preparing students to enter kindergarten on time and ready to learn.†Green said EVSC focuses on active learning – making learning fun for students, allowing them to explore and providing them new experiences with which to build knowledge.
The deadline to apply for the On My Way PreK program is March 31. To participate in the free program, families are asked to apply online at www.OnMyWayPreK.org. Families also can call 800-299-1627 or apply in person at the EVSC’s Culver Family Learning Center, located at 1301 Judson Street or at 4C of Southern Indiana, located at 600 SE 6th Street.