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Ellis Park Independence Day Smackdown

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Ellis Park Independence Day Smackdown

Coady Photography Sponsors Charity Handicapping Contest

written by Megan Devine

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (July 1, 2016) — It started out with a tweet announcing that Joe Kristufek will make daily selections for Ellis Park on Brisnet.com: “To play @EllisParkRacing without @JoeyDaKRacing picks is a handicap, not handicapping.”

“Unless you’ve got my picks,” came the quick response from Megan Devine (@MissMeganDevine), new paddock analyst for the Ellis meet that runs July 2 through Sept. 5.

“Shots fired!” chipped in C.J. Johnsen (@CeeJayJohnsen), racing manager for Kentucky Downs, which markets Ellis’ simulcasting product.

Thus was the inspiration for Coady Photography to sponsor the Ellis Park Independence Day Smackdown, a charity competition whose first three recruits were Kristufek, Devine and Johnsen. They’ll be joined by Ellis Park president Ron Geary, Ellis announcer Jimmy McNerney (@JimmyMcNerney) and Horse Racing Radio Network’s Jude Feld (RaceHorseReport).

The six handicappers will make selections for a $2 win and place bet on one horse in each race on Monday’s special July 4 card at Ellis Park in Henderson, Ky. Their selections will be posted early Monday morning at facebook.com/CoadyPhotography and @CoadyPhoto on Twitter, with standings updated throughout the day.

Coady Photography, America’s leading track photographer whose 29 client tracks include Ellis Park, will pay $500 to the charity of choice for the handicapper ending the day with the largest mythical money, not to mention getting bragging rights.

“C.J. is the one who started it by saying ‘shots fired,’” said Kurtis Coady, the third-generation track photographer who has been president of the family-owned Coady Photography since 2007. “And if there’s one thing Coady Photography knows something about, it’s taking shots.
We just decided to create a light-hearted smack day, like a battle royale of handicappers going into Ellis Park, making a fun event for a good cause.”

The charities potentially benefitting are: Aubrey Rose Foundation (Jimmy McNerney), Ellis Park chapter of Kentucky Race Track Chaplaincy (Ron Geary), Kosair Children’s Hospital (Joe Kristufek), Old Friends (Megan Devine), Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund (C.J. Johnsen), and Race for Education (Jude Feld).

About the Smackdown contestants:

Megan Devine, who is providing pre-race selections and post-race interviews during the Ellis meet, is a 2014 honors graduate of the Equine Industry Program in the University of Louisville’s College of Business. Devine also works for NBC Sports assisting the field producers for the network’s racing broadcasts and for TVG racing network during Keeneland. An accomplished equestrian, Devine exercised racehorses last fall in order to learn first hand what is involved in their development and race preparation.

Jude Feld has been an analyst for Horse Racing Radio Network since 2007. A lifelong racing fan, he began his career in the the sport in 1978 making the Daily Racing Form charts for Ellis Park. After working as an assistant trainer, Feld started a 20-year training career in 1980, conditioning 23 stakes winners. Retiring from training in 2000, he became a racing publicist, public handicapper and bloodstock consultant. Feld is a two-time media Eclipse Award winner.

Ron Geary is majority owner and president of Ellis Park. A member of the Kentucky Entrepreneur Hall of Fame, Geary took the once-struggling ResCare Inc. and built it into a nationally-prominent corporation. A CPA and attorney who has held high positions in state government, Geary also is an accomplished competitor on the handicapping-contest circuit, including creation of “The BIG One” mega-contest and co-founding horsetourneys.com. He finished second in the 2011 National Handicapping Championships.

C.J. Johnsen is racing operations manager at Kentucky Downs and heads JockeyTalk360.com, which promotes and celebrates horse racing by showcasing jockeys from across the nation and around the world. JockeyTalk360 also is publisher of the highly-acclaimed book Ride to Win: An Inside Look at the Jockey’s Craft.

Joe Kristufek, in his second year as Churchill Downs’ paddock host, is a major force in the creation and staging of fan-education programs at premier events across the country. The Chicago native is the odds-maker for Arlington Park and Kentucky Downs, racing writer and handicapper for the Daily Herald newspaper in Arlington Heights, IL, the face of “Racing 101” for America’s Best Racing and a fan-development expert for Horse Racing Nation.

Jimmy McNerney is in his second year as Ellis Park’s track announcer and in March took over calling the races at Turfway Park from the iconic Mike Battaglia. On his days off from the booth, McNerney is jockey agent for Leandro Goncalves and Albin Jimenez, two of the leading jockeys at Indiana Grand.

Founded in 1962 by Jack Coady Sr., Coady Photography has become the gold standard among track photographers, representing 29 racetracks across the country and Canada and this year becoming the official photographer for Churchill Downs and the Kentucky Derby. Known for its innovation, Coady Photography offers unparalleled media service for its clients, with its coadywire.com providing stock photography, stakes races, events and head shots of owners, trainers and jockeys from around the country. For more information, call (844) 893-8110 or email Contact@CoadyPhotography.com.

Stricken Indiana Abortion Law “Unprecedented” Opponents Say

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Dave Stafford for www.theindianalawyer.com

ndiana’s strict anti-abortion legislation that Gov. Mike Pence signed this year was “unprecedented” in scope and in its rejection of long-established federal law, said opponents who succeeded in blocking the law from taking effect.

“I do want to stress that what the state of Indiana attempted to do here really grossly flies in the face of existing law,” said American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana Legal Director Ken Falk. “The Legislature, no less than lawyers, should understand what the law is, and are bound to follow the law, and I can’t for the life of me understand why the Legislature would pass a law that in essence overrules Roe v. Wade.”

Falk spoke at a news conference Thursday afternoon alongside Planned Parenthood of Indiana President and CEO Betty Cockrum after federal Judge Tanya Walton Pratt granted a preliminary injunction preventing House Enrolled Act 1337 from taking effect Friday. It would have prohibited abortions because of genetic abnormality, race, sex or ancestry; mandated disposal of an aborted fetus only through burial or cremation; and required abortion providers to inform patients of the anti-discrimination provisions and what they prohibited.

“What the Legislature has attempted to do here is unprecedented,” Falk said. “We have since Roe v. Wade a continuous line of Supreme Court cases that say that a woman’s right to obtain an abortion, pre-viability, is fundamental and simply cannot be interfered with by the state. The Texas case the Supreme Court decided dealt with issues of regulation and undue burden. This isn’t an undue burden case. This is a case where the state of Indiana said, ‘We don’t care what the Supreme Court says, you cannot get an abortion if you get it for these reasons.’ That’s unprecedented. The court recognized there are no cases in the country that would allow that, because the law is completely opposite. This is a prime example of what one would think would be a gross overreach by the Legislature.”

Pence’s spokeswoman Kara Brooks issued a one-paragraph statement on the ruling Thursday.

“While disappointed in today’s ruling, Governor Pence remains steadfast in his support for the unborn, especially those with disabilities. The governor will continue to stand for the sanctity of human life in all stages, for the compassionate and safe treatment of women faced with an enormously difficult decision, and for the rights of citizens to determine appropriate medical safety standards and procedures through their elected representatives. While the judicial process continues, the governor remains focused on growing the already robust Hoosier economy and providing a world class education for all our children.”

Falk said he didn’t know how much the state will pay in legal fees to the ACLU of Indiana as is the case when a lawsuit succeeds on constitutional grounds. Fees the state has paid in such cases have skyrocketed under Pence. Opponents warned before he signed the bill that it would draw an immediate constitutional challenge in federal court.

Bill author Rep. Casey Cox, R-Fort Wayne, did not return numerous messages seeking comment Thursday and Friday. He issued a one-paragraph statement through an aide Friday. “I’m disappointed in the court’s granting of a preliminary injunction against key provisions of HEA 1337,” he said. “I believe the State of Indiana has a significant government interest in preserving and protecting life, eradicating societal discrimination and ensuring dignity in the final disposition of the unborn.”

In a statement Thursday, Senate President Pro Tem David Long, R-Fort Wayne, was noncommittal about whether the state should appeal but took issue with part of Pratt’s ruling.

“The attorney general has said he will review the ruling and confer with his clients in the case before deciding whether to pursue an appeal. I look forward to talking with Attorney General (Greg) Zoeller in the days ahead and will reserve commenting in full until I’ve had the chance to do so. However, I will comment on one part of the judge’s decision. For the court to equate fetal remains with any other common medical waste is deeply troubling. I hope that will not be the final position taken by the court. I would also point out that this is a preliminary injunction and not a final decision on the matter.”

Indeed, Falk said the state was free to appeal Pratt’s ruling, seek a trial, or pursue another course of action. Cockrum said despite Monday’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling and Pratt’s order, she would lay money on an appeal if she were a betting person. “If they behave as they have historically, they absolutely will appeal. And one has to believe that that’s what they believe is necessary to play to their base. It’s an important political year,” she said.

Cockrum said the rulings from the court should make it clear to lawmakers that restrictions on a woman’s right to an abortion are costly battles for the state that are likely to lose on constitutional grounds. “These kinds of bills should be shelved at this point,” she said. Indiana already is the fourth-most restrictive state regarding its abortion laws, and HEA 1337 might have made it the nation’s most restrictive.

“That is no badge of honor. It puts women in danger and it is discriminatory,” she said.

Falk said the ACLU is reviewing this week’s Supreme Court decision in the Texas case and whether it could result in other abortion restrictions in Indiana being subject to challenge. “At this point, at this minute, we’ll savor this particular victory.”

“It certainly is a historic week on this front,” Cockrum said. “What a delight that a couple of really important courts have spoken so compellingly regarding the right of a woman in this country and specifically now here in Indiana, to have access to safe, legal abortion.

“Happy Independence Day to the women of the state of Indiana,” she said. “We get to celebrate our freedoms, and we hear a lot from both the executive and the legislative branches of the Statehouse of Indiana about those precious freedoms and how they need to be protected. Never as a woman do I really feel like they’re talking about me. Today, we’re talking about me; we are talking about the 51 percent of the population that is female.”

State Vaping Law Survives Federal Challenge

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State Vaping Law Survives Federal Challenge
Scott Olson , IBJ Staff

A federal judge on Thursday upheld as constitutional a controversial state law that regulates the manufacturing of vaping “e-liquids.”

The law, which is set to go into effect on Friday, withstood a challenge from a handful of vaping companies that had argued the statute is too restrictive and thus unconstitutional.

In her decision, Judge Sarah Evans Barker of the Southern District of Indiana, Indianapolis Division, sided with the state and denied the industry’s motions for summary judgment and preliminary injunction.

“As repeatedly made clear by this circuit and others, and as petitioners concede, there is no right to sell e-liquids in Indiana entirely free from regulation,” Barker wrote in her decision.

Her decision follows a similar one handed down on June 2 by Marion Superior Court Judge Cynthia Ayers, who ruled in a separate lawsuit brought by the same parties at the state level that the law can go into effect.

The 2015 state law regulates the mixing, bottling, packaging, distribution, sale, position and open use of certain e-liquids by requiring manufacturers to get a state permit from the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission.

But the most controversial part of the law is the requirement that manufacturers contract with a security firm to regulate and inspect their facilities to prevent tampering. According to e-liquid manufacturers, the law is written in such as way that it appears a private Lafayette security firm, Mulhaupt’s, is the only company that can meet its stringent requirements.

Under the new rules, just six e-liquid manufacturers so far have been approved by the state to move forward. They all have contracted with Mulhaupt’s.

IBJ reported June 18 that at least 30 national and local manufacturers tried to do business with Mulhaupt’s, but many were unsuccessful. The security firm said it was being choosy with whom it worked.

“The security requirements further the goal of preventing intentional tampering and sabotage, the clean room requirement furthers the goal of preventing contamination or adulteration, and the audit requirement ensures compliance with the manufacturing requirements,” Barker wrote. “Indiana’s manufacturing regulations pertaining to e-liquids sold in Indiana, although quite restrictive, are rationally related to the concerns to which the Act seeks to address.”

The law only regulates open-system vaping devices that produce more vapor than competing closed-system devices that resemble a traditional cigarette.

Open-vaping devices, typically sold by vape shops, command 60 percent of the e-liquid market. More than 200 vaping retailers exist in Indiana.

Overall, the industry generates $4.6 billion annually nationwide with estimates of projected earnings of $11.6 billion by 2020, according to the industry.

The federal suit was brought by Legato Vapors LLC, Jet Setter Juice LLC, Rocky Mountain Ecigs LLC and Derb E Cigs Indiana LLC.

New Body Camera Bill Become Law Today

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written by State Repersentive Gail Riecken, D 77

There were several bills that passed this last session, like HEA1337, that legislators on both sides of the isle said had gone too far. That law signed by the Governor was struck down by the courts yesterday.

However, not all bills were bad and I was fortunate to work on one that shines as a success when everyone works together for the benefit of Hoosiers.

HEA 1019 is the Body Camera bill. The new law goes into effect today and for the first time gives a person involved in a recorded law enforcement activity access to view a recording of a camera worn by law enforcement or on the dash of the vehicle. To learn how to request access and who specifically is awarded that opportunity, go to my website www.in.gov/H77 for a report written in question and answer form.

The Body Camera law is a start and we will see revisions as we try out this new law. As my part I will be requesting through the public access process any local reports and the resolution of those reports each month through October. Although the law helps give access, there is one major flaw in that the law and that is it does not state the length of time between the request and the response from law enforcement.

As a matter of good faith I have encouraged law enforcement to adopt a local policy on the time period and make it well known. This and one other issue were mentioned most when I spoke with constituents about the law—when are cameras allowed to be on and off and what happens in case of malfunction. I believe law enforcement has policies regarding these topics and hope they are made public as soon as possible.

Gail Riecken, D 77

Link To Vanderburgh County Food Inspection Report for 6-16-17-2016

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FOOD INSPECTIONS 6-16 AND 17

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 Public Information Officer Captain Dave Bursten and Lauren Baker of the Indiana State Police Museum. Captain Bursten and Miss. Baker discuss the upcoming Sons of The American Legion Laying of the Wreath ceremony and future museum events.

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.

Delaware-Based Sallie Mae Chooses Indiana for Growth and Nearly 300 Hoosier Jobs

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Indianapolis – Governor Mike Pence, Lt. Governor Eric Holcomb, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and U.S. Rep. Susan Brooks joined executives from Sallie Mae (NASDAQ: SLM) today to cut the ribbon on its recent expansion in Indianapolis, which will create up to 278 new jobs by 2018.

“Here in the Hoosier state, we are committed to creating a pro-growth business climate, and today’s news makes it evident that Indiana is a state that works,” said Governor Pence. “Sallie Mae had a world of options to consider for this expansion, but as financial experts, the choice was clear. Indiana offers low costs, declining taxes, reduced regulations and a balanced budget, allowing job creators to invest where it matters most – in their business and in their employees. Today I’m pleased to join Sallie Mae as we welcome 278 new quality jobs to the state, and I’m confident our hardworking Hoosiers will be an integral part of the company’s continued growth.”

Sallie Mae, which is the nation’s saving, planning and paying for college company, will invest more than $15.7 million to expand its operations here, investing in both technology and talent to enhance all aspects of customer experience, from application through repayment. The new office will accommodate information technology and customer service departments, with new positions expected to offer average salaries 25 percent higher than the state’s average wage. Last year, the company moved all customer service operations for its private education loans to the United States.

As part of this growth, Sallie Mae recently renovated and equipped a three-floor, 76,000-square-foot space at 8425 Woodfield Crossing in northeast Indianapolis, relocating operations from its former office five miles away on Craig Street earlier this month. The space includes 550 workstations, five conference rooms, two training rooms, a multipurpose room, and a micro-market and breakroom for its growing team.

“This commitment of information technology and customer service jobs is a natural extension of our focus on innovation and customer experience,” said Raymond J. Quinlan, chairman and chief executive officer of Sallie Mae. “This investment completes our customer service transformation from offshore and outsourced, to onshore and insourced. We are confident that the talent pool in Indianapolis will be an asset to our growing enterprise.”

The company is also passionate about giving back to the communities where its employees live and work. As part of today’s announcement, Sallie Mae contributed $10,000 to the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation of Indiana to support local veterans. The company also supports a number of local nonprofit and service organizations, including the Dave Duerson Athletic Safety Fund and Special Olympics Indiana.

Headquartered in Newark, Delaware, Sallie Mae employs more than 1,200 associates across the country, including 189 full-time employees at its Indianapolis operation, which is the company’s second-largest location. The company, which already started hiring toward its goal, has hired approximately 60 Hoosiers this year and currently has openings for customer service and IT professionals.

“Today’s announcement by Sallie Mae means new job opportunities for nearly three hundred area residents, further reinforcing what we already know: Indianapolis is the economic engine for all of central Indiana,” said Mayor Hogsett. “Together we celebrate the expansion of Sallie Mae, as well as the company’s commitment to giving back to local organizations including the Hoosier Veterans Assistance Foundation.”

As a consumer banking business, Sallie Mae is accredited by and has an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau. The company is committed to helping make college a reality by offering financial planning tools, helping families understand and manage credit, and providing competitive private education loans for students and parents to cover any gaps in college financing. For more information, visit SallieMae.com.

The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Sallie Mae up to $2,375,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $100,000 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Indianapolis supports the project in partnership with Develop Indy, a business unit of the Indy Chamber.

Last year, CNBC ranked Indiana first in the nation for cost of doing business and the Tax Foundation ranked the state No. 8 for its business tax climate rankings. Indiana’s debt ranks among the lowest in the country and the state maintains a $2 billion reserve, solidifying the Hoosier state’s triple-A bond rating. Moreover, in Indiana, each dollar earned goes further. According to the Tax Foundation, $100 is equivalent to $109 in Indiana.

 

Adopt A Pet

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Axel is a 3-year-old neutered male brown tabby. His $30 adoption fee also includes his, microchip, vaccines, FeLV/FIV test, and more. Call (812) 426-2563 or visit www.vhslifesaver.org for adoption information!

Children’s Fashion Show and Luncheon benefitting Little Lambs

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presents

“Little Lambs in Chic Clothing”

6th Annual
Children’s Fashion Show and Luncheon benefitting Little Lambs

When:
July 14th, 11 a.m., Doors Open at 10:30 a.m. for Silent Auction

Where:
First Presbyterian Church
609 SE 2nd Street
Evansville, Indiana

Reserve your tickets now by contacting Joy O’Connor at 812-604-8023.

Tickets: $30 Standard - $40 Patron – $320 Patron Table of Eight

Patron Sponsorship includes recognition in the event program and all of Little Lambs’ social media.

HEROES TO THEIR HEARTS? by Jim Redwine

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Gavel Gamut

By Jim Redwine

(Week of 4 July 2016)

HEROES TO THEIR HEARTS?

Peg and I are going to Istanbul soon. We planned our trip, and paid for it, a couple of months ago. We will fly out of the airport that was just bombed by three Russian-speaking people from Uzbekistan, Dagestan, and Kyrgyzstan. All three are part of the old Soviet Union. Their leader may be a Chechen known as Akhmed (One-Arm) Chatayev who now lives in Raqqa, Syria. ISIS claims Raqqa as its capital.

When Peg and I were sent to Russia in 2003 by the National Judicial College to teach Russian judges, we had an incident as we prepared to fly from Volgograd back to Moscow. Our clearly marked American luggage was suspected of having been used by Chechen rebels to smuggle a bomb onto the plane with the Russian judges and us. Although a ticking sound had been detected, our luggage was cleared. It was good to walk away from the plane when we got back safely to Moscow.

Chechen rebels have been struggling against the dominant Russian culture for many years. Akhmed One-Arm is reported to be a Chechen rebel turned ISIS leader. Other than some bizarre misinterpretation of Islam and a sense of bitter impotence against the governments of Russia and Turkey I see no logic in Syrian terrorists teaming with Chechen ones to kill innocent civilians in Turkey. My guess is they could not explain it either.

What they do have in common, I think, is a willingness to kill and die for a cause they see as greater than their miserable lives. The fact that most of their victims are innocent Muslims does not appear to enter their calculus of indiscriminate carnage.

I suppose they see themselves as patriots and martyrs. But to what end? For what purpose? Are they martyrs who die for their religion? Are they patriots who kill to establish their caliphate?

The one and one-half billion Muslims who go about raising their families and paying their taxes are surely as perplexed as the rest of us at the counterproductive insanity engaged in by a few thousand madmen. I say they must be insane because they keep engaging in the same terroristic behavior and expect a different result other than causing the rest of the world to coalesce against their goals. In dealing with illogical behavior we humans usually apply logic then we are puzzled when the result we expect to effect does not materialize.

As for me and Peg and our trip to Istanbul, we plan to follow the approach of Admiral David Farragut: “Damn the Terrorists, full speed ahead.” Hey don’t quibble it got us out of Russia didn’t it? Do you believe Peg is always complaining that I never take her any place exciting?

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