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EPD Activity Report

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EPD Report

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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

Readers Forum December 26, 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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ABA lawsuit targets changes to loan forgiveness programv

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IL for www.theindianalawyer.com

Public sector attorneys hoping to have some of their student loans erased could find out they owe more money than they previously thought.

A lawsuit filed in federal court Tuesday details the stories of four lawyers who were informed their positions in nonprofits no longer qualified for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and their previous payments did not count toward the program. The American Bar Association filed the complaint against the U.S. Department of Education to stop the denials.

The suit charges the education department changed the eligibility requirement after having already approved the work as qualifying under the PSLF and after the individuals made decisions and loan repayments. The ABA claims the Department of Education did not provide adequate notice or explanation of the change and applied the changes retroactively without statutory authorization.

Of the named individuals in the lawsuit, one currently works for the ABA and another is a former employee.

“Paying off what can often be substantial student debt while working a public service job is difficult,” ABA President Linda Klein said in a statement. “The PSLF program promised these dedicated lawyers a chance at financial stability in return for doing public service work. After following the rules, these people had the rug pulled out from under them. We cannot tolerate these actions of the Department of Education.”

The program, started in 2007, provides incentives for graduates to pursue public sector careers. In particular, borrowers who work full-time in a public service job and make 10 years of payments will have any remaining debt on their student loan forgiven.

A November 2016 report from the Government Office of Accountability found the PSLF program could cost the federal government significantly more. The program could start forgiving loans in October 2017 but the Department of Education’s calculations did not account for the benefit until 2018. When the GAO revised the math to accommodate the loans being forgiven in 2017, the estimated cost rose by $70 million.

The case is American Bar Association et al. v. United States Department of Education and John B. King Jr., in his official capacity as Secretary of Education, 1:16-cv-02476. It was filed in the U.S. District court for the District of Columbia.

EPA Prohibits 72 Inert Ingredients from Use in Pesticides

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WASHINGTON—The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is taking action to remove 72 ingredients from its list of ingredients approved for use in pesticide products.

Manufacturers wishing to use these ingredients in the future will have to provide EPA with studies or information to demonstrate their safety. EPA will then consider whether to allow their use.

EPA is taking this action in response to petitions by the Center for Environmental Health, Beyond Pesticides, Physicians for Social Responsibility and others. These groups asked the agency to issue a rule requiring disclosure of 371 inert ingredients found in pesticide products. Instead, EPA will evaluate potential risks of inert ingredients and reduce risks, as appropriate.

Many of the 72 inert ingredients removed with this action are on the list of 371 identified by the petitioners as hazardous. EPA is taking this action after considering public comments on its October 2014 proposal. EPA’s list of approved inert ingredients will be updated after the Federal Register publication.

Most pesticide products contain a mixture of different ingredients. Ingredients that are directly responsible for controlling pests such as insects or weeds are called active ingredients. An inert ingredient is any other substance that is intentionally included in a pesticide that is not an active ingredient.

The list of 72 chemicals is available at https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0558-0056.

For EPA’s current approach on inert ingredients and the May 22, 2014, response to the petitioners: https://www.regulations.gov/document?D=EPA-HQ-OPP-2014-0558-0003

For general information on inert ingredients: https://www.epa.gov/pesticide-registration/inert-ingredients-overview-and-guidance .

Local students honored for Leadership at Ivy Tech Community College 

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Nine local students were honored recently among 160 from throughout the state at the Ivy Tech Community College Student Leadership Academy (SLA) graduation ceremony. Those honored included:

 

Evansville:

Megan Utley

Stephanie Taber

Marla Dupont

Storm Brewer

 

Madisonville, Ky.:

Ebon Ellis

 

Rockport:

Makayla Lee Johansen

 

Chicago:

Laura Hoskins

 

Kiev, Ukraine:

Yaroslava Eckiss

 

Nairobi, Kenya:

Christine Oreyo

 

The Ivy Tech Student Leadership Academy is a leadership development program designed specifically for Ivy Tech students.  SLA provides students with an opportunity to further develop their leadership and professional development skills, while learning more about the history and traditions of the College.  This state-wide program has a standard structure and curriculum that is offered to students through the region in which they are enrolled.

 

“We are pleased to offer this program, and are very proud of the development of the students in it,” said Chancellor Jonathan Weinzapfel. “Students in the program have grown tremendously, and have taken on various opportunities to expand their skills.”

 

The 160 students were chosen through a competitive application process, with more than 600 students applying. Students from each region were selected to participate in the 10-week co-curricular program, and have successfully completed the program. The students were honored at a luncheon where Ivy Tech President Dr. Sue Ellspermann, addressed the graduates. In addition, Sam Centellas, the executive director of La Casa de Amistad from South Bend, Ind. provided the keynote address.

 

Each SLA graduate received a specially designed medallion that they will be permitted to wear during Commencement.  In addition, they will receive a scholarship for a 3-credit hour course that could be used the spring semester immediately following. The goals of the program are to:

  • Develop students leadership skills
  • Develop students professional development skills
  • Develop future student and alumni leaders
  • Enhance retention of students from fall to spring semester
  • Increase participants pride in the College

 

 

AG releases report, recommendations on human trafficking in Indiana

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Olivia Covington for www.theindianalawyer.com

In 2016, there were at least 178 known cases of human trafficking in Indiana, with some of the victims as young as only 7 years old.
That’s according to the 2016 Indiana State Report on Human Trafficking, released Wednesday by Republican Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s office. In the report, Zoeller’s office calls on the state to increase the amount of resources dedicated to human trafficking prosecution, protection and prevention to strengthen the state’s ability to identify and treat young trafficking victims.
“Today we know far more than we did (in 2009), or even as far back as 2005 when the (Indiana Protection for Abused and Trafficked Humans Task Force) was first created,” Zoeller wrote in the report. “While we have made tremendous progress in policy, legislation, and research, we still have a long way to go.”
Human trafficking, which includes both sex and labor trafficking, is the fastest-growing criminal industry in the world, generating $150.2 billion annually, the report says. Roughly 27 million people are exploited through trafficking each year and, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, 83 percent of all trafficking victims in the United States are American citizens, debunking the myth that trafficking exists largely outside of the U.S.
In Indiana, a statewide IPATH partner reported that its service providers served 178 trafficked youth in 2016. Of those served under the age of 21, 94 percent were girls and 60 percent were white. Further, the report shows that about 30 percent of Indiana victims served are younger than age 15 and more than 10 percent are between the ages of 12 and 14. The majority of Indiana victims are white, following by black, Hispanic, biracial and Asian.
The attorney general’s report also shows that at least 36 trafficked immigrants have been served in Indiana. Often, pro bono legal service providers help those immigrants obtain a T Visa, which provides humanitarian immigration relief to trafficking victims.
Awareness of signs of human trafficking also appears to be on the rise, as the report shows a sharp increase in the number of human trafficking tips that are received in the state. In 2014, IPATH received 130 tips about possible human trafficking cases. In 2015, that number rose to 275 and by 2016, the taskforce received 520 tips.  Further, the National Human Trafficking Resource Center, a 24-hour anti-trafficking hotline, received 243 calls from Indiana, with 53 of the calls thought to be likely human trafficking cases.
Although not all tips are confirmed, and some may be duplicates, the report notes that the increase “indicates recognition of potential trafficking scenarios.” However, the sharp increase could also indicate an increase in human trafficking incidents in Indiana.
Despite the notable uptick in tips related to possible trafficking, a 2014 survey conducted by IPATH and the University of Indianapolis showed that only 25 percent of Indiana service providers who work with high-risk youth had previously been trained on human trafficking. Further, 44.2 percent said they did not think they would usually be able to recognize that their clients had been trafficking victims.
After reading definitions of human trafficking, the report shows that 32.9 percent of providers said they believed at least one of their clients had been victimized as a minor through sex trafficking.
To that end, the attorney general’s report calls for additional resources to increase the state’s capacity to recognize and treat trafficking victims. The report lists seven recommendations specific to IPATH, including additional funding to train youth, law enforcement and service providers about human trafficking.
Additionally, the report calls for Indiana to adopt a policy that requires a picture to be gathered when posting about a missing youth on Indiana’s missing persons website. Similarly, the Department of Child Services could require a photo of each child in care to be taken at least annually so that it may be posted on the missing persons site if the child runs away. Runaways are at a higher risk for trafficking and sexual exploitation, the report says.
The full 131-page report can be read here.

Adopt A Pet

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Kerouac is a male New Zealand/American mix rabbit! He was the ONLY animal not adopted at the Empty the Shelter Adopt-A-Thon last weekend. His brother & sister went home, but sadly, he was left behind. Kerouac is around 2 years old, and is already neutered & ready to go home today! Adopt him for $30, or take him and his cage for $60 total. Contact the Vanderburgh Humane Society at (812) 426-2563 for adoption details!

 

FIRST THURSDAY WITH RAY PAPKA ON JANUARY 5, 2017, 6 PM TO 8 PM

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On January 5, 2017 from 6 pm to 8 pm will be the First Thursday with Ray Papka event at the Evansville Museum of Arts, History and Science in downtown Evansville, Indiana. This event is free and open to the public for an opportunity to meet Ray Papka and converse with him about his artwork and inspirations. There will be appetizers and a cash bar.

Ray Papka creates altered art from old books, discarded items buttons, found objects, etc. His assemblages incorporate encaustic painting and the use of books and wood panels as the foundation to which he applies found objects as embellishments. Each assemblage relates as a story or piece of history in a fascinating scientific and philosophical world that entices the viewer’s imagination. There are no two works of art a like and each is mystery.

Raymond Papka has had a life-long love of wood, metal and discarded items. Many jobs in Papka’s youth often involved carpentry and metal work. This experience helped to develop his “mechanical senses”. He is entirely self- taught in woodcraft, finishes and metalwork, however, his formal training as a research scientist further utilized and expanded his knowledge of photography, layout and technical skills in turn enhancing his sense of creativity, design, structure, imagination and interpretation.

Starting in early childhood, Papka became fascinated with books and
unusual objects. Books allowed his mind to travel everywhere. Old, dusty, faded books captivated him the most because they had age which reminded him of history. Papka has an attraction to found objects that look as though they have once come from something interesting, belonged to a mysterious family, or that look valuable, but may have had little or no importance to others such as old forks, buttons, old letters and metal remnants. He has always had collections of small objects, coins, arrowheads, old rusty items, and fascinating “things” in little boxes and cloth bags (his favorite was the old Bull Durham tobacco bags and cigar boxes that he got from the smoke store in his hometown of Thermopolis, Wyoming).

Raymond Papka completed undergraduate studies at the University of Wyoming (B.S. Zoology and Chemistry) and graduate studies at Tulane University (Ph.D. Anatomy and Neuroscience). Though he is a self-taught artist, Papka has drawn from his incredible experiences participating in workshops and interaction with his colleagues to hone his craft.

Organized by the Evansville Museum’s Begley Museum Shop, the First Thursday events happen every other month with a rotation of new artists and artwork. These events are an educational opportunity for the public to learn about art and meet the artists.

 

Catch the Latest Edition of “The Indiana State Police Road Show”  

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Indiana - Catch the latest edition of the “Indiana State Police Road Show” radio program every Monday morning at your convenience.

This week’s show features Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter. Superintendent Carter discuss the Indiana State Police Department and recalls several large events that the Department participated in during the last four years.

Download the program from the Network Indiana public websites at www.networkindiana.com.  Look for the state police logo on the main page and follow the download instructions. The ISP Road Show can also be viewed via YouTube.

Go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu5Bg1KjBd7H1GxgkuV3YJA or visit the Indiana State Police website at http://www.in.gov/isp/   and click on the YouTube link. This 15 minute talk show concentrates on public safety and informational topics with state wide interest.

The radio program was titled “Signal-10” in the early sixties when it was first started by two troopers in northern Indiana. The name was later changed to the “Indiana State Police Road Show” and is the longest continuously aired state police public service program in Indiana.

Radio stations across Indiana and the nation are invited to download and air for FREE this public service program sponsored by the Indiana State Police Alliance and Cops for Kids, a subsidiary of the Indiana State Police Alliance.

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