Indiana’s King Wins USA Swimming Golden Goggle Award

Indiana University swimmer Lilly King was a big winner at the the 2016 USA Swimming Golden Goggle Awards at the New York Marriott Marquis on Monday night, taking home the award for Breakout Performer of the Year.

In her Olympic debut, the Evansville, Ind. native won Team USA’s first Olympic gold medal in the women’s 100m breaststroke since 2000 in an Olympic record 1:04.93 and added a second gold medal in the 4x100m medley relay.

King wasn’t the only Hoosier nominated on the night, as IU alum Cody Miller was also up for Breakout Performer of the Year after winning a bronze medal in the 100 breaststroke and a gold medal in the 4×100 medley relay in Rio.

IU head swimming coach Ray Looze was one of six nominated for Coach of the Year after serving as an assistant coach for Team USA at the 2016 Summer Olympics.

The Indiana University men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams will be back in action later this month. Some IU swimmers will be participating in the USA Swimming Winter Nationals from Nov. 30 to Dec. 3, while the majority of the swimmers and the IU divers will be participating in the Miami (OH) Invitational on Dec. 1-3.

Be sure to keep up with all the latest news on the Indiana men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams on social media – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Sen. Becker Begins New Term, Kicks Off 2017 Budget Session

State Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville) gathered with fellow legislators today at the Statehouse for Organization Day — the ceremonial start of the 120^th Indiana General Assembly. Becker took the oath of office, officially beginning a new term as the State Senator representing District 50.

Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush led the swearing-in ceremony.

Organization Day is marked by the swearing in of new and re-elected General Assembly members as well as the annual first roll call of all state lawmakers. This day also provides each Senate and House of Representatives caucus with the opportunity to organize before session officially reconvenes on Jan. 3.

The 2017 session is a budget year, meaning lawmakers will craft a comprehensive plan to fund state government services for the next two years. By law, the 2017 legislative session must be completed no later than April 29.

“In the upcoming months, I will continue to advocate for economic growth policies that make Indiana a great place to live, work and raise a family,” Becker said. “As the General Assembly crafts the state’s two-year budget, Hoosiers can be assured that I will keep Indiana’s schools and infrastructure a top priority.”

As the 2017 session gets under way, Becker encourages residents of Senate District 50 to contact her with any questions or comments they may have. Becker can be reached via email at Senator.Becker@iga.in.gov or by phone at 1-800-382-9467.

IS IT TRUE  property owned by Kerry Chesser located on West Franklin Street has drawn some strong interest from an out of state investor?  … Mr. Chesser received a call from a former Westside who is extremely interested in signing a lease/purchase contract with him on the building he owns on West Franklin Street?  … the out-of-state investor owns a couple of men clothing stores in other states and would like to establish one on West Franklin Street?  …this is a developing story?

IS IT TRUE as of 5:00 A M this morning  the City County Observer had 5,337 reads on our Facebook  account and had 3,926 on our line edition concerning a article written by Amy Rivers-Word concerning Kerry Chesser desire to open an upscale Restaurant-Bar on West Franklin Street? …all we can say about these numbers is “WOW”?

IS IT TRUE the Old National Events Plaza is having a record breaking year?  …we predict the long overdue renovations to the Old National Events Plaza shall bring new opportunities that will insure that 2017 will be even more successful?  …we congratulate SMG staff for doing a great job in marketing the Old National  Events Plaza?

IS IT TRUE we wonder why Mayor Winnecke hasn’t asked DMD Director Kelly Coures to encourage the “Zoning Appeals Board”  to approve a Restaurant-Bar to locate on West Franklin Street?  …Mr. Coures has done a masterful job in encouraging the “Zoning Appeals Board” to approve some creative projects located in the Haynies Corner area?  …we know he can do similar on West Franklin Street?

IS IT TRUE we just heard that City Council President Missy Mosby and Vice President Jonathan Weaver has just join the effort to encourage the “Zoning Appeals Board” to approve the zoning request to allow a Restaurant-Bar to locate on West Franklin Street?  …we are pleased to see Mosby and Weaver to take an active role in this issue?

IS IT TRUE we are surprised that 6th Ward City Councilman Jim Brinkmeyer hasn’t taken a public stance on the West Franklin Street Restaurant-Bar issue?  … during his election campaign for City Council he said; “he was for commercial development on the Westside”?  …it time for Councilman Brinkmeyer to put up or shut up?

IS IT TRUE we strongly believe that Mayor Winnecke can influence the decision concerning the approval of an upscale Restaurant-Bar located on the West Franklin Street?

FOOTNOTE:  Todays “READERS POLL” question is: Do you feel that last Mondays Zoning Board of Appeals meeting was opened, fair and objective?

Please take time and read our newest feature articles entitled “IU WOMEN’S-MENS SWIM AND DIVING TEAMS”.

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St. Mary’s created HCAMPS to allow students to interact with healthcare providers, learn about the careers available, and understand the educational requirements for a career in healthcare.

This program will run from Monday, June 12th through Friday, June 16th. It’s open to Vanderburgh, Warrick, Gibson, or Posey County students entering the eighth grade in fall 2017. Students must have a 3.5 GPA. Interested students will have to submit a teacher’s online evaluation, and a 150 word essay.

The highlights of this program include treating “patient” in a simulation lab, hands-on experience in the St. Mary’s Emergency Department, Nursery, and Trauma Service Departments, touring health science facilities at each of the colleges in Evansville, and performing hands-on activities such as dissecting a cow heart.

The deadline to apply is Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at 4 p.m. To find the application, visit HCAMPS Online Application.

Shooting Death Of Henderson Teen Ruled As Homicide

Henderson police say an ongoing dispute between Joshua Bumphus and Elijah Roberts is to blame for the deadly shooting that killed Burkhart. It happened in the 1000 block of Powell Street on Thursday around 9 p.m. Officers say 17-year-old Autumn Burkhart was killed in the crossfire. Police say Bumphus was arguing with Roberts when it escalated and they exchanged gunfire.

Roberts also suffered a gunshot wound and is still in an area hospital recovering from his injuries. He has not been officially charged with anything.

HPD arrested Bumphus at his home Friday morning. Bumphus is still in the Henderson County Jail with no bond. He is facing one count of assault. Investigators are still trying to figure out who shot and killed Burkhart.

Previous Stories – November 18th

Dispute Between Two Men Blamed For Deadly Henderson Shooting

Police Identify Victim in Fatal Henderson Shooting

Pence Attorney Argues Public-Records Law Shouldn’t Apply To Emails

Dave Stafford for www.theindianalawyer.com

An attorney for Gov. Mike Pence argued Monday that Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act should not apply to a governor’s emails, prompting the plaintiff seeking those records to call the position chilling and reminiscent of the administration of President Richard Nixon.

“This is about transparency,” attorney William Groth said after the Indiana Court of Appeals heard arguments in a suit he filed after records he sought in an APRA request from Pence’s office were redacted. As a private citizen, Groth sought records of now-Vice President-elect Pence’s emails with Texas officials concerning a Texas lawsuit that Indiana joined opposing President Barack Obama’s immigration actions. The challenge to Obama’s actions ended in a 4-4 deadlock at the U.S. Supreme Court.

When the Pence emails were provided, the fees the state paid to Barnes & Thornburg LLP for legal fees in the matter were redacted, as was a white paper on the matter drafted by Texas officials. A Marion Superior Court ruling found Pence had complied with the Access to Public Records Act, as did the Indiana public access counselor.

Representing Pence, Barnes & Thornburg partner Joseph Chapelle argued that APRA doesn’t allow inquiry into a governor’s “personal papers.” But in answer to questioning from a panel judge, he said he could identify nothing in APRA that exempts a governor from disclosure of records that the law describes as public.

Representing Groth, attorney Gregory Bowes noted that when Pence vetoed a bill that would have exempted private university police from APRA, the governor said, “Hoosiers may be assured that my administration will always be vigilant to preserve government accountability and the public’s right to know.”

But Pence also has argued that a Supreme Court case that shielded lawmakers’ emails from public disclosure, Citizens Action Coalition of Ind. v. Koch, 51 N.E.3d 236 (Ind. 2016), should apply to his communications as governor.

Chapelle said that even if APRA did apply to Pence, he could claim that the materials were exempt from disclosure due to attorney-client privilege, as work product, or under the deliberative process exemption in the law.

Bowes countered that there was no attorney-client relationship between Pence and the Texas officials and that the other exemptions under APRA only exempt records dealing with interaction with other state agencies. He also said the information requested are facts, not legal opinions or strategy.

Court of Appeals panelists for the case, William Groth v. Mike Pence, 49A04-1605-PL-1116, are judges John Baker, Edward Najam and Chief Judge Nancy Vaidik.

Read more about this case in the Nov. 30 issue of Indiana Lawyer.

Evansville Rescue Mission’s 94th annual Thanksgiving Food Basket Giveaway

This year’s Gobbler Gathering will serve as the Evansville Rescue Mission’s 94th annual Thanksgiving food basket giveaway for families in need which will be held at ERM’s main campus at 500 East Walnut Street on Tuesday, November 22nd.

At Tuesday’s Gobbler Gathering, literally thousands of folks will visit the Rescue Mission’s main campus as a food basket recipient, a Mission staff or Board member, a community volunteer, or as a curious bystander.

ERM is fully anticipating that 1,800 Tri-State families in need will be attending one of seven distribution services (which will be held at 10 and 11:30 a.m., 1, 2:30, 4, 5:30 and 7 p.m.) to hear a message of hope and receive a food basket filled with Thanksgiving-themed items; particularly, a frozen 10-13 pound turkey, bagged potatoes, bagged onions, fresh celery, flour, corn meal, a loaf of bread, canned corn/green beans/peas/chicken broth/yams/cranberry sauce, stuffing mix, cake mix, Jiffy cornbread mix, egg noodles and macaroni & cheese.

Additionally, with the help of community volunteers, the Mission will deliver 382 grocery sacks of Thanksgiving-themed food to neighboring downtown Evansville apartment communities such as Kennedy & Buckner Towers, Liberty Terrace Apartments, Horizon Homes, Lucas Place II, and Aurora.

That being said, ERM is fully anticipating being able to assist a total of 2,201 Tri-State families (an organizational record) for this year’s Gobbler Gathering.

Of course, Gobbler Gathering Day will not be a success without the help of more than 700 scheduled community volunteers who will either assist Rescue Mission staff with registration, transfer food from our pallets into baskets, or lend a helping hand toward our food basket recipients.

More than 250 Tri-State churches, schools, businesses and families donated an assigned food item or a needed service to ensure the 94th annual Gobbler Gathering can take place.

In addition to distributing food, community volunteers will be handing out coats and accessories to any children who may be in need of warmer clothing on Gobbler Gathering day in lieu of the Evansville Rescue Mission’s “Coats For Kiddos” program.

Tracy Gorman, Evansville Rescue Mission’s President/CEO, states, “Every year when we host the Gobbler Gathering, we are reminded of the incredible privilege we have to make a difference in the lives of our fellow citizens in this area. Many will go home with the only food they will have for their Thanksgiving dinner. The opportunity to be a blessing is one that we take seriously, and it is one that we cherish. We’re so grateful to those throughout the region who give food and money, as well as their time and prayers, to make this event possible.”

The Evansville Rescue Mission gladly accepts monetary donations for the Gobbler Gathering. Gobbler Gathering contributions can be mailed to ERM at 500 E. Walnut St., Evansville, IN 47713 or by visiting our website, www.evansvillerescuemission.org.

For additional information on the Evansville Rescue Mission’s annual Gobbler Gathering, please contact Chris-Michael G. Morrison at 812.962.6701 or at chris.morrison@ermstaff.org.