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IS IT TRUE JANUARY 27, 2017

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IS IT TRUE that it was announced that the Evansville Courier and Press will not be printing its home delivery papers in Evansville anymore?…that also applies to the sister publication across the Money saving bridge known as the Henderson Gleaner and Journal?…the decision to make this move to a regional printing center in Louisville, Kentucky is happening with Gannett publications all across the United States?…this move will eliminate about 50 jobs locally and no information is available about any hiring in Louisville?…as many business are migrating to local control the news industry has been in consolidation mode and moving toward centralized planning and regional distribution?…while the association with the nationally recognized Gannett brand USA Today has liberated local publications from the burden of covering national news, the intimacy of local papers is being lost?…much of the content in what was once local sections of the paper are now filled with articles purchased from national and international news agencies like AP and Reuters?…at least sports, crime reports, obits, legal notices and the weather are still local, but who knows, these things may be aggregated at some point too?

IS IT TRUE in the Spring of 2011 USI Dean Dr Steve Becker’s and City Councilman Dr. Dan Adams have an idea to make Ivy Tech-Evansville an important part of the new downtown I U Medical Center in order to achieve “REAL TEAM CARE”? …when the very first preliminary rendering of the new I U Medical school campus in 2013 was presented to the Medical School Center creative team Mayor Winnecke quickly signed on the proposed project? …the original architectural drawings had four separate building spaces that housed IU, Ivy Tech, U of E and USI Medical students?  …we are now told that the current architectural drawings shows that IVY Tech is not part of the plans to be located in the I U Medical School-Evansville complex?  …the taxpayer of Evansville pledged $57 million dollars to house Indiana University , University of Evansville, Southern Indiana University and Ivy Tech medical students in the soon to be build downtown I U Medical school complex? …since the announcement the powers that be have quietly eliminated IVY Tech medical class rooms from this project?   …we wonder if this should be considered a “breach of the contract” by the State, IVY Tech and local officials that allowed Ivy Tech classes rooms to be eliminated in the new downtown Medical school? …we believe a contract is a contract?

IS IT TRUE it has been aptly pointed out that when President Trump says “America First”, it doesn’t necessarily mean that other countries are last?…what this means is that our duly elected president has expressed an intention to make the best deals possible for the people of the United States?…we have no problem with taking care of the home folks first as the catatonic growth of the last decade has eroded the lifestyles of rank and file Americans to the point that our charity needs to begin at home?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville’s Old National Bank announced record,earnings this week?…ONB was written about as a stock to consider on many financial blogs which may just drive the stock higher rewarding the earnings?…success of Evansville business is the best way for the City of Evansville to prosper and we congratulate Mr. Bob Jones, his board of directors, and his staff on this national recognition?

IS IT TRUE the City County Observer awards Evansville City Councilwoman Missy Mosby the “absurdity of the week” award for accusing the Vanderburgh County Commissioners for failing to be transparent about a subject that was under discussion in a public meeting?…Councilwoman Mosby needs to learn what transparency means?

FOOTNOTE: Todays “Readers Poll” question is: Was State Representative Hollie Sullivan out of bounds when she quietly filed a resolution to increase the local income tax without City Council knowledge?

CHANNEL 44 NEWS: USI REPORTS SMALL OUTBREAK OF SCABIES ON CAMPUS

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USI Reports Small Outbreak of Scabies on Campus

The University of Southern Indiana is warning students and faculty about a scabies outbreak on campus. At this point there have only been a small number of confirmed cases at USI. Scabies is a skin condition caused by mites, which are tiny bugs…

IBLC OUTLINES AGGRESSIVE 2017 AGENDA FOCUSING ON BIAS CRIMES AND COURTS,

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IBLC OUTLINES AGGRESSIVE 2017 AGENDA FOCUSING ON BIAS CRIMES, COURTS, PRECINCT CONSOLIDATION, BUDGET

INDIANAPOLIS – Leaders of the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus (IBLC) today outlined an aggressive agenda for the 2017 session of the Indiana General Assembly that will focus on bias crimes, Marion County courts, Lake County precinct consolidation, and passage of a biennial state budget that addresses concerns about education, criminal justice reform, and health issues.

“As this session begins to pick up steam, the IBLC wants to make sure that our priorities are addressed in a timely fashion to reflect the concerns that have been expressed to our members by minority communities across this state,” said IBLC Chair, State Rep. Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis), who noted that the caucus conducted town halls across Indiana last year that gave residents a chance to provide feedback on issues of interest to them. “We believe these goals are easily achievable before we finish our work by the end of April.”

IBLC members have filed three bills (House Bill 1066 and Senate Bills 333 and 336) that seek to place a bias crime law in state statutes, and enhance penalties against those who commit such crimes.

“There is ample evidence to indicate that bias motivated crimes do take place with greater frequency in Indiana, and there is a specific need to demonstrate that these actions will be met with harsh penalties,” Pryor said. “The legislation filed by IBLC members offers the opportunity to pursue criminal and civil penalties against offenders, encourage greater collection and study of bias crimes, and seek to give law enforcement officers the training necessary to be better able to respond to these offenses.”

Pryor said the IBLC will work against a series of proposals (House Bill 1036 and Senate Bills 79 and 568) that seek to radically change the methods of selection of Superior Court judges in Marion County.

“In the wake of a recent federal court ruling, we now are facing measures – offered under the guise of ‘reform’ – that could effectively prevent minorities from being selected to serve in the Marion County judiciary,” Pryor said. “Past experience has dictated that it is wise to cast a wary eye upon such proposals that disenfranchise voters. Rest assured that the IBLC will vigorously oppose these bills throughout the session, and continue to educate the general public about the injustices that are being attempted here. I have yet to hear a good reason why Marion County should not directly elect their judges. Only Allen, Lake, St. Joseph, Vandenberg and Marion County are denied a direct path to elect their judges. These counties not only have a large number of minorities, they also have a large number of Democrats living in them.”

Similar concerns about disenfranchisement were expressed about House Bill 1147, which State Rep. Charlie Brown (D-Gary) said attempts to drastically revise voting precincts in Lake County.

“Here we have yet another effort at ‘reform’ which is not so thinly veiled in its effort to deny and repress minority voting in Lake County,” Brown said. “There is no need to do something that will make it more difficult for people to cast a ballot, particularly at a time when Indiana has one of the worst voter participation percentages in the country. We need to be finding ways to encourage people to get out and vote, not deny them that right.”

Pryor also outlined a series of priorities for the biennial state budget that must be passed this session. Those include expansion of pre-K, proper funding for K-12 (particularly in urban public schools), and increased funding for remediation, bilingual education, minority health programs, and initiatives that encourage more minorities to get into teaching as a career.

“We are disturbed that recent budgets seem to place a higher priority on experimentation like vouchers and charter schools, rather than working to support our public schools, which do not have the ability to pick and choose who they get to educate, but find themselves having to perform so many difficult tasks with less support,” said. “They need a voice in the Statehouse and we will provide it for them.”

EDITORIAL: Should County Taxes Be Increase To Renovate Jail?

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Should County Taxes Be Increased To Renovate Jail?

By Bryan Fox

Most citizens, by and large, will oppose any kind of a tax imposed on them. However their are some  exceptions that benefit education, roads, law enforcement safety, etc.  Recently, a bill was quietly introduced in the Indiana State House that would give Vanderburgh County the option of raising the income tax on its residents by 1.25% This bill,  pushed by the County Commissioners, would bypass the Evansville City Council completely and give the County Council the final decision making authority to approve this increase if the bill was ever to become law.

CCO attempted to reach out to all three County Commissioners. Of the three Commissioners, Cheryl Musgrave, Bruce Ungethem, and Ben Shoulders, only Shoulders responded to CCO directly.  Shoulders, the only democrat of the three Commissioners says, “Jail overcrowding is a serious issue, and we are working together as Commissioners, and as a community, to explore EVERY option possible in order to uncover the necessary funding.” Shoulders also went onto say he would “ask for the same opportunity given to previous administrations in order to carefully evaluate all options, discuss with my constituents and dive deep into any and all financial resources possible before committing to any type of local tax increase.” What Shoulders is essentially saying is raising the income tax wouldn’t be the first option but it would be an option.

The other Commissioners, Musgrave and Ungethem, had a Indy Public Relations firm respond to CCO on their behalf. According to this firm, the County Commissioners are responsible for the upkeep of the county jail and basically reiterated what Commissioner Shoulders said about only having the tax increase as an option. We are puzzled why Ungetheim and Musgrave needed a Public Relations firm from Indy to answer our question about the jail and Mr. Shoulders didn’t.

The one huge government entity left out of this equation is the Evansville City Council.  This bill was written by State Senator Veneta Becker and filed with the Indiana State Legislature Ways and Means committee by State Rep Hollie Sullivan.  When members of the Evansville City Council found out that a bill was written and filed without their knowledge they vehemently opposed it.

Responding to CCO, 5th Ward Councilmen Justin Elpers says, “Any decisions to raising LIT should be shared between city/county reps not solely by county.” If there was any better argument to support city/county consolidation, which the county voted against in the 2012 election, that would be it. Considering that roughly 70% of county residents live within the city limits, having both city and county reps making tax decisions seems like a good option to CCO.

Musgrave’s and Ungetheim’s Indy Public Relations firm did provide CCO with a list of 16 other Indiana counties that also has this option of raising the income tax to support jail funding. Of these 16 counties, with the exception of Elhart and Monroe, all of them are rural counties where the cost of living is cheaper. None of the 16 counties are even close to Vanderburgh County. population wise. Of course the overall crime rate in Vanderburgh County is by far larger then the other rural counties.

With public employees Healthcare premiums on the rise, the Evansville sewer and water rates going up, increase in property because of the 2% reduction the Homestead Tax Credit passed by City Council, State of Indiana gas tax increasing this coming year and increases in City/County fees and permits will cause Vanderburgh County taxpayers to bulk at anymore taxes leveled on them.

its time that Evansville City Council, County Commission and County Council stop playing political games concerning the possible funding for the renovation plans for the Vanderburgh County jail? …its time for members of all three elected bodies to sit down like reasonable adults and address the overcrowding and understaff issues concerning the jail and to come up with reasonable solutions to how to correct the problems? …if they agree that building an addition to the jail is the answer then they should build the jail for future needs and not for the current needs?

New Name – Same Commitment And Care For You And Your Loved Ones

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New Name – Same Commitment And Care For You And Your Loved Ones

Since 2012, St. Mary’s Health and St. Vincent have operated as one statewide, integrated healthcare ministry. Together, we have worked to share our knowledge and best practices to enhance our delivery of healthcare across all of Indiana. And, together, we continue to improve access to the services that you and your loved ones tell us you need.

Following five years of work to provide greater healthcare to the communities we serve, on April 20, 2017, St. Mary’s will take on new names that better reflect the unity of our health system as: St. Vincent Evansville and St. Vincent Warrick.

This naming transition follows the work we have passionately pursued at both a state and national level to align our ministries, both clinically and operationally, to make it easier for our patients to access the care you need and navigate our healthcare system.

St. Mary’s and St. Vincent share a rich history rooted in our shared Mission of service dating back to our founders, St. Vincent de Paul and St. Louise de Marillac, and the formation of the Daughters of Charity in 1633. I want to assure each of you – our loyal friends, donors and advocates – that our local quality, commitment and care of our Evansville and Tri-State communities will continue. Our local commitment to you and your loved ones will remain strong, as we move forward as St. Vincent – one of Indiana’s largest, integrated health systems.

While our facility names will change, our commitment to our shared Mission, Vision and Values remain the same. Just as we have for more than 100 years, our team of dedicated associates, physicians and volunteers will work together to bring health and healing to our community and all those we serve. This change is not about restructuring. No positions will be lost as part of this transition.

The St. Mary’s Chapel will keep its same, proud name and will remain a symbol of St. Mary’s history and heritage. The statue of Mary will remain at our main entrances. The St. Mary’s School of Nursing will continue to don its name and logo. And your generous gifts will continue to impact children and families we are entrusted to serve right here in Evansville.

We will continue to honor St. Mary’s legacy and build upon those who have come before us. We recognize that the history of our ministry is lived and remembered within our trusted partners, associates, physicians and volunteers. Our history will be remembered and will live on through you.

Your gifts will continue to have the same transformational impact on children and families in our community. Together, we will continue to Make a Difference.

Thank you very much for Supporting our Healing Ministry and for remaining loyal to our Mission! Blessings,

Rick Peltier
Director, St. Mary’s Health Foundation
(812) 485-4412 | richard.peltier@stmarys.org

USI Students Earn Top Accolades At Regional Theatre Festival

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University of Southern Indiana Theatre students recently brought home an impressive list of accolades from the Region III Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF) held this year in Indianapolis. KCACTF is a national theater program that hosts around 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide, allowing theater departments and students an opportunity to showcase their work and receive outside assessments and critiques from respondents and theater professionals.

Approximately 40 USI students, professors and staff members traveled to the festival which included a closing production of the USI Theatre production of Mr. Burns, a post-electric play in Clowes Hall located on the campus of Butler University. This was the fourth USI Theatre production to present at the KCACTF, and the first to close the festival.

“The festival provided our students opportunities to demonstrate their skills in acting and design, as well as working as a team to assemble, perform and repack our production of Mr. Burns in one day,” said Paul Weimer, USI assistant professor of performing arts. “They also took advantage of the many workshops available to extend their knowledge and meet students from other colleges who share their passion for theatre.”

The Regional Design Competition allows students to showcase work in their given fields of theatrical design, fields which include lighting, costumes, scenery, and sound. USI senior Austin Tenbarge won the Outstanding Lighting Design Award for his unrealized design of Slaughter City. Nicholas Smith, a senior, won Honorable Mention for his Lighting Design for Oedipus Rex.

The National Awards for Theatrical Design Excellence focuses on realized designs that have been produced on stage. Four USI students advanced to the final rounds: Rachel Thomas, a senior, for lighting design on The Glass Menagerie(She won the national competition in lighting in 2015 and 2016); Fred Kelley, a junior, honorable mention for sound design on Mr. Burns; John Merritt, a junior, for costume design on The Glass Menagerie; and Rachel Clark, a junior, who won the Theatrical Design Excellence award for her costume design for In the Red and Brown Water. She will be invited to present her work in April at the national competition at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.

“This was my first time submitting a design to the KCACTF Festival. In fact, this was my first ever realized costume design,” said Clark. “You can imagine my surprise to come home as the recipient of the Theatrical Design Excellence Award. It’s truly an honor and the support I’ve received from the entire program has been absolutely amazing. I’ll proudly represent USI’s Theatre Program this April at nationals!”

Kelley added, “I was surprised to hear that I won an award my first time attending KCACTF. I’m thankful for the professors in the USI Theatre Department who helped me prepare for KCACTF, and for all the support they gave me from the early stages of designing the show, all the way through to giving my presentation at KCACTF.”

This is the third year in a row that USI design students have won national awards and advanced to represent the University at the finals in Washington D.C. During the festival, USI senior Nicholas Smith also co-presented a workshop, “Pixel Mapping Panel Design and Fabrication,” which was funded through a USI Endeavor grant.

Craig Bellwood, a 2016 alumnus, was the winner of the Region III round in the Musical Theatre Intensive Competition and will advance to the final round at the national competition in Washington, D.C. where he will compete against the winners of the other seven regions.

USI Theatre students also competed in the Irene Ryan Acting Competition, which provides recognition, honor and financial assistance to outstanding performers seeking to pursue further education in the arts. Participation in the event is limited to only those students who have been nominated to compete by regional responders. Aimee Bonnet, a 2016 USI alumna, and Jordyn Terrell, a sophomore, advanced to the semifinal round.

USI student and faculty participation in the festival is made possible, in part, through the support of the USI Foundation.

McGary to Receive $5,000 Check

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Friday, Jan. 27
1 p.m.
McGary Middle School, 1535 S. Joyce Ave.
McGary Middle School will receive a sizable donation – $5,000 to be exact – from Lieberman Technologies. A few years ago, Lieberman Technologies worked with McGary to create a state-of-the-art app the school uses for its Positive Behavioral and Intervention Supports (PBIS) program. The money will be used to help fund the school’s PBIS store, including incentives and to purchase supplies and materials.

Vogel to Host Robotics Tournament

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Saturday, January 28
8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Vogel Elementary School, 1500 Oak Hill Rd.
The doors at Vogel Elementary School will open Saturday for the school’s first ever VEX IQ Robotics Competition. Fifteen to 20 teams comprised of area fourth graders will compete at the event that pits robots against robots. Teams will compete and special awards will be handed out.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

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Below are the felony cases to be filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office tomorrow.

Timothy Wayne Meriweather, Sr Operating a Motor Vehicle after Forfeiture of License for Life, Level 5 felony

Operating a Vehicle as a Habitual Traffic Violator, Level 6 felony

John Jacob Inkenbrandt Operating a Vehicle as a Habitual Traffic Violator. Level 6 felony

Kevin Eugene Hurt Residential Entry, Level 6 felony

William Leonard Egan Domestic Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury to a Person Less than 14 Years of Age, Level 5 felony

Domestic Battery, Level 6 felony

Trenton Arthur Cook Intimidation, Level 6 felony

Intimidation, Level 6 felony

Intimidation, Level 6 felony

Gerald Lamont Robinson Criminal Confinement, Level 3 felony

Intimidation, Level 5 felony

Theft of a Firearm, Level 6 felony

Jeffrey Michael Betz II Aggravated Battery, Level 3 felony

Domestic Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon, Level 5 felony

Tyrone Dante Murphy Resisting Law Enforcement, Level 6 felony

Leaving the Scene of an Accident, Class B misdemeanor

Reckless Driving, Class C misdemeanor

Jeffrey Paul Mackenzie Aiding, Inducing, or Causing Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 felony

Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 felony

Shannon Nicole Maxian Aiding, Inducing, or Causing Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 felony

Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 felony

Lisa Michelle Howard Aiding, Inducing, or Causing Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 felony

Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 felony

Brett Allen Basham Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Methamphetamine, level 2 felony

Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 felony

Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 felony

Lisa Samantha Rueckel Battery by Bodily Waste, Level 6 felony

Battery by Bodily Waste, Level 6 felony

Jerry Louis Lipson Domestic Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon, Level 5 felony

Domestic Battery, Level 6 felony

Christopher Lee Money Theft, Level 6 felony

Theft, Level 6 felony

Shavaz Shacville Kay Resisting Law Enforcement, Level 6 felony

Reckless Driving, Class B misdemeanor

Possession of Marijuana, Class B misdemeanor

Thomas Damion David Bevinger Domestic Battery, Level 6 felony

Kierstin Louann Young Possession of Methamphetamine, Level 6 felony

Unlawful Possession of Syringe, Level 6 felony

Possession of Marijuana, Class B misdemeanor

Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or More, Class C misdemeanor

Possession of Marijuana, Class C misdemeanor

Emily Helen Dispennett Unlawful Possession of Syringe, Level 6 felony

Possession of a Controlled Substance, Class A misdemeanor

Samantha Kay Witt Domestic Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon, Level 5 felony

Jonathan Keith Herring Strangulation, Level 6 felony

Domestic Battery, Class A misdemeanor

Food Inspection Report

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Food Inspection Reports 1-26-17

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