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Readers Forum December 24,2016

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WHAT IS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?

 

We urge you to take time and click the section we have reserved for the daily recaps of the activities of our local Law Enforcement professionals. This section is located on the upper right side of our publication.

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City County Observer has been serving our community for 16 years.

FOOTNOTES: Todays “READERS POLL” question is :How do you rank the Vanderburgh County Commission job performance in 2016?

Copyright 2015 City County Observer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Rep. Messer Calls on Congress to Overturn Obama Rule Forcing States to Fund Abortion Providers

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Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) is calling on Congress to overturn the recent Obama administration rule that would force states to distribute public tax dollars to abortion providers.

Federal law currently prohibits government funding for abortion, but it allows certain public dollars, like Title X “family planning” grants, to support abortion providers if the funds are directed to non-abortion related health services. The new rule, filed by the Department of Health and Human Services, would prevent states from withholding Title X grants to facilities that provide abortion.

Messer said the new rule is an attempt to block states from stopping the flow of public dollars to abortion providers, like Planned Parenthood.

Messer is sponsoring a resolution of disapproval that would overturn this new rule under the Congressional Review Act, which gives Congress 60 days to reject proposed federal agency rules.

“It’s no surprise the Obama administration is making last-ditch efforts to trample states’ rights and ignore the will of the people,” Messer said. “I’m confident the next Congress will stand up for states and quickly overturn this rule, alongside President-elect Trump’s efforts to roll back other Obama abuses of power.”

Messer plans to re-introduce the resolution in the 115th Congress and hopes it will come to a vote in early 2017.

USI 10th in updated Learfield Directors’ Cup standings

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 The University of Southern Indiana Department of Athletics finished the fall season ranked No. 10 in the Learfield Directors’ Cup standings, which were updated Thursday following the conclusion of the NCAA II Football and Volleyball Championships.

The Screaming Eagles, who have recorded two straight top 25 finishes in the Learfield Director’s Cup standings, got scoring contributions from Women’s Cross Country, Men’s Cross Country, and Men’s Soccer in the fall.

Women’s Cross Country paced USI with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA II Championships in November, while Men’s Cross Country finished 13that the NCAA II Championships. Men’s Soccer advanced to the second round of the NCAA II Tournament for the first time in program history.

The Eagles ranked No. 24 at the conclusion of the fall season a year ago before finishing 25th. USI posted its top finish of 24th in 2014-15.

USI ended the fall season with 188.0 points, just 1.5 points behind the ninth-place school, Cal State Poly Pomona, and less than 50 points behind fifth-place Shippensburg University. Scoring is based off of each team’s finish at the NCAA II Championships.

The Eagles are off to a strong start to the winter season as the Men’s and Women’s Basketball teams have a combined record of 21-1. Men’s and Women’s Indoor Track & Field also begins its season in January.

 

Indiana State Police Seeks Recruits for Capitol Police Section

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The Indiana State Police Capitol Police Section is now accepting applications. Individuals who are interested in beginning a rewarding career as a Capitol Police Officer may apply online at http://www.in.gov/isp/2367.htm.  This website will provide a detailed synopsis of the application process as well as information on additional career opportunities with the Indiana State Police Department.

Applications must be received via e-mail by 11:59 pm (EDT), on January 8, 2017.  Applications received after the deadline will not be accepted.

Basic Eligibility Requirements and consideration factors for a Capitol Police Officer:

1. Must be a United States citizen.
2. Must be at least 21 years of age when appointed as a police employee.
(Appointment date is June 6, 2017)
3. Must meet a minimum vision standard (corrected or uncorrected) of 20/50 acuity in each eye and 20/50 distant binocular acuity in both eyes.
4. Must possess a valid driver’s license to operate an automobile.
5. Must be a high school graduate as evidenced by a diploma or General Equivalency Diploma (GED).

The starting salary for a Capitol Police Section Probationary Officer is $35,598.00 a year.  The Indiana State Police Capitol Police Section also offers an excellent health care plan, which includes medical, dental, vision and pharmacy coverage for both current and retired employees, along with their families.  The State maintains short-term and long-term disability plans for full time employees after six (6) months of continuous employment.  As an Indiana State Police Capitol Police Officer, you are automatically enrolled in the Public Employees Retirement Fund (PERF).  The State will contribute to your retirement account.

Interested applicants can obtain additional information about a career as a Capitol Police Officer by visiting http://www.in.gov/isp/2367.htm.

Ditch The Videogames This Winter Break

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The Cure For Cabin Fever

Looking for something fun to do with the kids over winter break? Wesselman Woods Nature Center is the place to be! The Naturalists have come up with some fun programs to break that cabin fever.

Activities will include stories, crafts, animal meet and greets, and science activities. The Science of Frozen is one of the programs planned and will allow kids to explore the science of the winter wonders seen in the movie Frozen. Another program, Hootenanny, will have kids all “aflutter” while leaning about owls.

Programs will take place at times through the days from Tuesday, December 27, through Friday December 30 at the Nature Center. All programs are included with Nature Center admission. Some programs are limited on participants, so pre-registration is offered by contacting the Nature Center at (812) 479-0771 or emailing Gena Garrett at ggarrett@wesselmannaturesociety.org

Full Schedule:

Tuesday December 27
10:00-11:00 – Toddling With Animals – ages 3 and under, limited to 15 children.
11:30-12:00 – Craft: Tree Cookie Ornaments
1:00-2:00 – Let’s Make Tracks – ages 8 and up, limited to 20 children.

Wednesday, December 28
10:00-11:00 – Hootenanny – recommended for ages 5-9, limited to 20 children.
11:30-12:00 – Story Time & Animal Visit – recommended for ages 2-8, limited to 20 children.
1:00-2:00 – Warm In The Wild – recommended for ages 4-9, limited to 20 children.

Thursday, December 29
10:00-11:00 – The Science of Frozen – ages 4 and up, limited to 20 children.
11:30-12:00 – Craft: Glittering Gumball Ornaments
1:00-2:30 – Spectacular Snowflakes – ages 8 and up, limited to 20 children.

Friday, December 30
10:00-11:00 – Animals In Winter – recommended for ages 5-9, limited to 20 children.
11:30-12:00 – Story Time & Animal Visit – recommended for ages 2-8, limited to 20 children.
1:00-2:00 – The Night Tree – recommended for ages 4-9, limited to 20 children.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

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 Below are the felony cases filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office today.

Kasie Dawn Conner Theft, Level 6 felony

Nicole Thomas Prince Resisting law enforcement, Level 6 felony

Leaving the scene of an accident, Class B misdemeanor

Reckless driving, Class C misdemeanor

 

Delinquency adjudication upheld for student who planned a school shooting

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Olivia Covington for www.theindianalawyer.com

A Jackson County teenager who plotted a school shooting with a classmate will retain his delinquency adjudication after the Indiana Court of Appeals found Thursday that the trial court did not abuse its discretion in admitting Facebook conversations detailing the shooting plans.
In M.T. V. v. State of Indiana, 36A05-1607-JV-1681, M.T.V. was sitting at a table in the Seymour High School cafeteria in January 2016 when he stated that he and another student, B.E., were going to bring guns to the school on April 20, 2018, the same date as the Columbine shooting. M.T.V. then said that he and B.E. had a list of classmates they would shoot and that J.R., another student, was first on the list.
Another student sitting at the table reported M.T.V.’s comment to school counselors and an investigation ensued. During the investigation, the Seymour Police Department obtained Facebook conversations between M.T.V. and B.E. The state filed a delinquency petition, alleging that M.T.V. committed an act that, if committed by an adult, would be conspiracy to commit murder. The petition was then amended to add allegations of conspiracy to commit aggravated battery and conspiracy to commit possession of firearm on school property.
During a fact-finding hearing in May, the state attempted to admit the Facebook conversations into evidence, but M.T.V. objected, arguing that the records were not properly authenticated and that the conversations contained inadmissible hearsay. However, the Jackson Superior Court allowed the state to admit the conversations and entered a finding for only the conspiracy to commit aggravated battery allegation.
M.T.V. appealed, again arguing that the Facebook conversations should not have been admitted as evidence. But Judge L. Mark Bailey, writing for a unanimous panel of the Indiana Court of Appeals, pointed out that M.T.V. admitted to law enforcement that he had engaged in conversations with B.E. about shooting up the school on April 20, 2018, and the Facebook records introduced at the hearing contained the content M.T.V. told law enforcement they would find.
Further, Bailey wrote that the records were supported by an affidavit from Facebook’s authorized records custodian, Kelsey McIntosh, who testified that the records were made and kept by Facebook’s automated systems at or near the time the Facebook user transmitted the information. Thus, Bailey wrote, the records were authenticated.
Further, the appellate court found that the Facebook records and B.E.’s statements did not constitute hearsay because the independent evidence was sufficient to establish the existence of a conspiracy between M.T.V. and B.E. for purposes of hearsay exceptions under Evidence Rule 801(d).
Finally, Bailey wrote that there was substantial evidence of probative value to determine that M.T.V. and B.E. formed an agreement to inflict injury that could cause death to J.R. during a shooting on April 20, 2018.
For example, B.E. had drawn maps of the school classrooms and had put the letter X over J.R.’s assigned seat in one class. Additionally, the students’ conversation at the lunch table indicated that J.R. was targeted because B.E. had a “true disliking for him,” and their conversations on Facebook discussed plans to use weaponry to harm J.R. in particular.

ALONE IN A CROWD BY JIM REDWINE

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Gavel Gamut

By Jim Redwine

www.jamesmredwine.com

(Week 26 December 2016)

ALONE IN A CROWD

When I was 16 I worked at a Phillips 66 gas station. I made $1.00 per hour; if I worked 12 hours I made 12 dollars.

The station had one pump for regular (leaded) and one for ethyl. Mr. Cummins and Mr. Miller of Columbus, Indiana had not yet perfected the marketing of the diesel engine. Gasoline prices ranged from 25¢ to 30¢ per gallon.

My boss, the owner, and I were the only workers. We would check and air up the tires, check the oil, put distilled water in the battery, have the customer re-start the vehicle so we could check the transmission fluid, wash the windshield and headlights, whisk broom out the floorboards, fill the gas tank and, if asked, would put the vehicles up on our lone hydraulic lift and apply new grease through the fittings. We did not accept tips but we did talk with every customer.

Whenever an out-of-town car or pickup or tanker came through we would tell them where they could get a bowl of chili or a chicken fried steak. We also gave directions to delivery locations or residences.

Yesterday my car told me my tires were low and that I should take it in for service before I drove another 2,800 miles. The computer did not offer to tell me where I could buy a bowl of chili but, if I had asked it, it would have.

For some reason these memories and events brought E-filing to mind. If you happened to read last week’s column you may recall our local legal system will soon be virtually paperless and, pretty much, human contact-less.

I am not sure of the exact time frame our world began its inexorable march toward exchanging ones and zeros for “Hellos” and “May I help yous?” It was probably either when self-service gas stations or drive through fast food places appeared or maybe when television allowed us to watch ball games alone in our living rooms. Or it might have been when Wikipedia replaced conversation. Of course, Wikipedia is my best friend when I am writing these columns.

As a youngster I sought solitude in long hikes out onto the prairie. Now I am almost completely alone in every group I encounter. If I crave an exchange of human speech I must first send the people next to me a text then try to remain focused until they deign to say something. Other than cashing the checks for Christmas, I am not sure our grandchildren make the connection of us to them. The thank yous come by text. On the other hand, my Grandfather would have thought he had found heaven early if we had had computers then. He thought grandchildren were an unnecessary disturbance, better neither seen nor heard. Some people just wind up in the wrong century.

Be that as it may, we are discussing the irreversible conquest of human interaction by technology. The salient feature of contemporary society appears to be the general desire to isolate itself from itself. I ask you to examine your own world. In mine, I no longer need to leave my chambers to either attend or teach continuing judicial education. Banking is on-line. Taxes are paid electronically. One can get instructions on everything from curing a hangnail to impeaching the president via the Internet without talking to another person. Even toll bridges and highways are self-serve.

We used to look to our colleges as places where people of different backgrounds would mingle and appreciate one another’s views and cultures. However, even the “best” colleges now offer degrees on-line. When our son was in the Army stationed in the Middle East he started and completed his Masters of Business Administration and never saw a professor or a classroom.

Surely, before long, everyone in America will be homeschooled in the sense no child will need to leave her or his house from kindergarten to doctoral programs. And, unless the Russians interfere, soon all voting will be done without the need for polling places.

I guess we still may want to maintain contact to continue procreation. However, we artificially inseminate everything from pandas to pigs. Maybe we will eventually be able to just “mail it in” after we get married via Skype.

Well, I have to go. This column is carried by several digital newspapers and I need to email it in before the deadline or I’ll get a nasty note from some device somewhere.

For more Gavel Gamut articles go to:

www.jamesmredwine.co

Baldwin Piano and Organ Center

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The Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana will be hosting Baldwin Piano and Organ Center (http://www.baldwinofherrin.com/) in the Bower Suhrheinrich Foundation Gallery from January 9th to January 22nd.  The company intends to set up several high end pianos and organs in our gallery, and is inviting local piano teachers to offer lessons to their students on these fine instruments during this time.

The Arts Council and Baldwin would also like to offer the instruments for evening or afternoon concerts given by local pianists or organists.

Baldwin will be bringing:

Grand Pianos
Baldwin 6’3″ BP 190  High Polish Ebony
Mason and Hamlin 5′ 8 1/2 ”  Model A  Ebony Satin
Seiler 6′ 10″ SE 208 PR  Ebony High Polish
Knabe 5′ 0″ WG-50-N  Ebony High Polish with nickel hardware
Hallet & Davis HD-152-T   High Polish Ebony   Birds Eye Maple Accents
Verticals
Seiler 47″   GS 116N  Ebony High Polish
Seiler 47″  GS 116N Rosewood High Polish
Organs
Rodgers Infinity II #361  3 manual  draw knob  Oak
Viscount  P-60  Stop tab   Oak

There will be a reception on Friday, January 13th from 5 to 7.  Guests are invited to enjoy light refreshments and an open bar, while listening to a casual performance demonstration of the instruments.

Please call the Arts Council at (812) 422-2111, or email Anne McKim at anne.mckim@artswin.org, if you or your students are interested in taking advantage of this unique opportunity.

Helping Eric Reed in wake of devastating barn fire

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The National HBPA Foundation and HBPA state affiliates are rallying to assist trainer Eric Reed and his wife, owner Kay Reed, after 23 horses in their care were killed in an early-morning barn fire Sunday.

The large barn, believed to have been struck by lightning, is one of three at the Reeds’ Mercury Equine Center on Russell Cave Road in Lexington. Another 13 horses were saved by the Reeds’ employees who risked going into the burning barn at the private training facility.

Through its charitable foundation, the National Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association will match HBPA affiliated-organizations contributions to help the Reeds. The foundation’s contribution will cap at $10,000, but the hope is that much more than $20,000 is donated overall.

While Reed is based in Kentucky, he also races extensively in West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Illinois. He told Kentucky HBPA executive director Marty Maline that he had lost almost everything, including substantial tack and supplies.

The HBPA contributions will go into an account for the Reeds at Horse Cents tack shop in Versailles, Ky., where the trainer does considerable business, allowing him to buy what he needs.

“Benevolence is the core of what the National HBPA stands for,” said Leroy Gessmann, president of the National and Iowa HBPA and chair of the organization’s National Assistance Committee. “We are first and foremost here to help horsemen. In this instance, Eric Reed and his stable have undergone a severe tragedy, a nightmare for any trainer. We are here to help him, as we know he would do for us.”

There are several ways that individual horsemen and the public can help:

  • Donations to Reed’s fund through the National HBPA, a tax-exempt 501 (c)(3) fund, are tax deductible. Contributions can be made online via credit card at https://nationalhbpa.com/donate/. Checks made out to the National HBPA Foundation, with “Eric Reed fund” written in the memo, can be mailed to the National HBPA, 870 Corporate Dr., Suite 300, Lexington, KY 40503-5419.
  • Donations also can be mailed to, or dropped by, Horse Cents, 199 Markham Drive, Versailles, KY, 40383. Such checks should be made payable to Horse Cents-Eric Reed fund. Credit-card contributions can be made over the phone by calling Horse Cents at 859-873-4707. These donations are not tax deductible.
  • Donated tack and supplies can be dropped off at Horse Cents or any of three Kentucky HBPA offices: the main office at 3729 S. Fourth Street, Louisville, 40214, or the backside offices at Turfway Park in Florence and The Thoroughbred Center in Lexington.
  • A Go Fund Me account has been set up by the Reeds’ close friends Mike, a steward in Ohio and the 1970 Kentucky Derby-winning jockey, and Kitty Manganello. http://bit.ly/2icnkYO
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