- The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Traffic Safety Partnership will conduct a sobriety checkpoint this Friday, March 18, 2016 from 11:30 pm until 3:00 am. Law enforcement officers from the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office and the Evansville Police Department will join together to conduct this checkpoint along with saturation patrols planned for St. Patrick’s Day and throughout the weekend.
The location for Friday’s checkpoint was chosen based on local traffic collision data. Analysis of data captured in March of 2015 indicated that several geographical areas within Vanderburgh County accounted for a disproportionately high number of reported hit and run crashes. The upcoming checkpoint will be located within one of those areas. Hit and run crashes are often the result of impaired drivers who try to avoid arrest by fleeing the scene.
The upcoming checkpoint and saturation patrols are part of a statewide effort to curb aggressive and dangerous driving. Â This high-visibility enforcement effort, known as Operation Pull Over Blitz #85, began on Friday, March 04 and will continue through Sunday, March 27.
The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Traffic Safety Partnership conducts sobriety checkpoints in an effort to detect and deter impaired drivers (thereby reducing the occurrence of alcohol and drug related traffic crashes). Â Funding for local sobriety checkpoint operations is provided by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
DUI Checkpoint and Saturation Patrols Planned around St. Patrick’s Day
HOW RONALD REAGAN CELEBRATED ST PATRICK’S DAY
HOW RONALD REAGAN CELEBRATED ST PATRICK’S DAY
By Tom Purcell
It was on St. Patrick’s Day 1988 when an unexpected visitor arrived at Pat Troy’s Irish pub in Alexandria, Va — President Ronald Reagan.
The pub had been a popular watering for three decades before closing in 2014. Some of Reagan’s advance men had been regular patrons. They secretly arranged the president’s visit.
Just before noon, the pub was half-packed when Reagan and his entourage arrived. As news got around, the pub quickly filled to capacity. While Reagan enjoyed a pint of Harp and some corned beef and cabbage, Troy was so busy tending to patrons, he didn’t have time to react to his famous patron.
“He had an energy about him that put you instantly at ease,†Troy told me. “He made it easy to carry on as though he was just another patron, so that is what I did.â€
Troy took the stage and led the audience in “The Wild Rover.†He directed sections of the audience to compete with each other to see which could sing and clap the loudest.
“You have to clap louder, Mr. President,†he said to Reagan, prompting the president, not used to being given orders, to laugh.
Troy next led the audience in “The Unicorn Song.†While Troy sang the words, the audience mimicked the animals referenced in the song:
“There were green alligators and long-necked geese, some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees. Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born, the loveliest of all was the unicorn.â€
Reagan turned to watch a group of young women act out the song. His face showed curiosity and delight — he’d never seen this song performed before.
But that was how he was: At the same time he was the world’s most powerful man, the man who felled communism and restored American optimism, he was a man of youthful innocence who found immense pleasure in the simplest things.
When Troy finished, he handed the president the microphone. The normally raucous crowd became extraordinarily quiet.
Reagan spoke off the top of his head. He graciously thanked Troy for having him for lunch. He said it was a great surprise. He talked about his father, an Irishman.
“When I was a little boy, my father proudly told me that the Irish built the jails in this country,†he said, pausing expertly. “Then they proceeded to fill them.â€
The crowd laughed heartily.
“You have to understand that for a man in my position, I’m a little leery about ethnic jokes,†he said. The crowd roared. “The only ones I can tell are Irish.â€
He talked about a recent trip to Ireland. He visited Castle Rock, the place where St. Patrick erected the first cross in Ireland.
“A young Irish guide took me to the cemetery and showed me an ancient tombstone there,†he said. “The inscription read: ‘Remember me as you pass by, for as are you so once was I, and as I am you too will be, so be content to follow me.â€
As Reagan paused, the crowd eagerly awaited his follow up.
“Then I looked below the inscription, where someone scratched in these words: ‘To follow you I am content, I wish I knew which way you went.’â€
The crowd roared loud and long, causing the president to deadpan to his advance men: “Why didn’t I find this place seven years ago?â€
The pub visit was videotaped by Reagan staffers and released to Troy 10 years after Reagan left office. I watched that video and got to see a snapshot of pure, unscripted Ronald Reagan.
It shows how powerfully and eloquently the man was able to engage any audience, large or small, just by being his genuine self. As we begin the process of selecting our next president, we sure could use another fellow like him.
I’ll be sure to offer up a toast to the Great Communicator as I celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year:
“To follow you we were content, and grateful for the way we went.â€
GREGG CALLS FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY IN GOVERNMENT RECORDS
“While this governor would have created a taxpayer funded propaganda machine to control what information reporters and the public have access to, I want to throw open the doors of state government,†said Gregg, a former university president, businessman and Speaker of the Indiana House.
“Times have changed. With advances in technology and following the lead of other states and communities, similar to what Mayor Pete Buttigeig did in South Bend, we can make our state government one of the most open and transparent in the nation,†added Gregg. “Hoosiers expect and deserve no less.â€
According to a 2015 report by the Center for Public Integrity, Indiana received an ‘F’ for access to public information.
Under Gregg’s “Open Government Initiative,†the third policy proposal of the campaign, the following changes would be made:
To improve access to public records, Gregg’s plan calls for giving the Office of Public Access Counselor the authority to review information a government agency wishes to be withheld to determine if it should or should not be made public. The office would also be granted power to compel agencies to release information. Existing law only allows the Public Access Counselor to issue non-binding advisory opinions
 A native of Sandborn, John Gregg has worked throughout the public and private sector. He served as President of Vincennes University, Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives, worked for two Fortune 500 companies and is a practicing attorney today. A father of two, he holds an associate’s degree from Vincennes University, a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University, a master’s degree from Indiana State University and a law degree from Indiana University.
For more information on John Gregg or his campaign for Governor of Indiana, please visit www.greggforgovernor.com or call 317-231-7100.
FOOTNOTES: Our next “IS IT TRUE” will be posted on this coming Friday?
Please take time and read our newest feature article entitled “HOT JOBS”posted in this section are from Evansville proper.
If you would like to advertise in the CCO please contact us City-County Observer@live.com.
Todays “Readers Poll” question is: If the election was held today for State Representative District 77 who would you vote for?
Copyright 2015 City County Observer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed
READERS FORUM FOR THURSDAY
TELL US WHATâ€S ON YOU MIND TODAY!
FOOTNOTES: Our next “IS IT TRUE” will be posted on this coming Friday?
Please take time and read our newest feature article entitled “HOT JOBS”posted in this section are from Evansville proper.
If you would like to advertise in the CCO please contact us citycountyobserver@live.com
Todays “Readers Poll” question is: If the election was held today for State Representative District 77 who would you vote for?
Copyright 2015 City County Observer. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed
VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
 Below is a list of the felony cases filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, March 15, 2016.
David Allen Summitt Intimidation, Level 5 felony
Blake Aaron King Fraud on a financial institution, Level 5 felony
For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Whitney Riggs at
812.435.5688 or via email at wriggs@vanderburghgov.org.
Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are presumed to be innocent until proven guiltyÂ
Join the SWIRCA Rock-a-Thon!
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ROCK-A-THON
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What is our Rock-a-thon?
This a six hour rocking chair marathon event, that will take place on April 10th from 11a-5p. This event will test your rocking skills as teams of at least 6 people will need to keep their rocking chairs moving the entire event. Teams will be competing to raise the most money to support the SWIRCA& More Activity Center.
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Where?
SWIRCA & More Activity Center
16 W Virginia Street
Evansville, IN 47710
When?
 Sunday April 10th, 2016
11am-5pm
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Questions?
Contact Alisha Scoville at acoville@swirca.org, 812-492-7447
or Rachel Sievers at rsievers@swirca.org, 812-492-7436
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Juror Taint Causes Supreme Court To Reverse Involuntary Manslaughter Convictions
Juror Taint Causes Supreme Court To Reverse Involuntary Manslaughter Conviction
 by Scott Roberts for www.theindianalawyer.com
The Indiana Supreme Court reversed a couple’s involuntary manslaughter convictions after it found an alternate juror improperly participated in the deliberations. The justices remanded the case to the trial court for a new trial.
Daniel and Saundra Wahl were each convicted of involuntary manslaughter following the death of a child at their in-home day care facility on June 20, 2013. However, before the trial court handed down their sentences, one of the jurors emailed the trial judge saying the alternate juror had taken over deliberations, leading discussions and playing a DVD over and over again. He also manipulated evidence according to the email.
The defendants filed a motion for a mistrial in light of the email, but it was denied, as was a motion to correct error after the trial was over. The Indiana Court of Appeals also upheld the decision, and the Supreme Court granted transfer to both cases, combining them into one decision.
Justice Brent Dickson wrote the opinion and cited Ramirez v. State, 7 N.E.3d 933, 936 (Ind. 2014) in the court’s decision. The defense arguedRamirez shouldn’t apply because in that case misconduct was committed during trial, and in the Wahl case, misconduct was committed during jury deliberations. But Dickson said Ramirez does apply whenever there is jury taint.
Dickson said the actions of the juror, which were outlined in a sworn affidavit, were more than enough to justify the reversal. The juror took over the deliberations, which directly affected the decision in the case.
Because the presumption of prejudice applied, Dickson said, it was up to the state to prove the prejudice was harmless, which it didn’t do. It only showed that the alternate juror’s participation with the jury was less after he was told he can’t participate, but not that it was harmless.
Justice Mark Massa dissented in part. He agreed with the reversal of the trial court’s denial of the Wahls’ motion for a mistrial, but disagreed there should be a new trial. He said the trial court has a duty to investigate jury taint by interviewing jurors when that is discovered, but didn’t say the state had to do it.
“Today’s decision – in a significant clarification of the burden of proof – extends Ramirez to impose that same duty on the state in a post-conviction setting. The state should thus be given the opportunity to meet that burden before the court makes a determination on the merits. I would therefore remand for additional hearing on the Wahls’ motion, so that every juror can actually inform the court as to the impact of the alternate juror’s misconduct on their respective impartiality.â€
The combined case is Saundra S. Wahl v. State of Indiana, 29S04-1510-CR-605, and Daniel P. Wahl v. State of Indiana, 29S02-1510-CR-606.
Hot Jobs in Evansville
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Nancy Deig Awarded The IAMC Fellow Designation
Nancy Deig Awarded the IAMC Fellow Designation
NEW ORLEANS, LA., March 15, 2016 – Today, the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) awarded Nancy Deig, Economic Development Manager with the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana, the IAMC Fellow designation. IAMC Fellows have completed the Leadership Development Program, participating in five leadership seminars in four learning categories: individual, team, emotional intelligence and general leadership.
The Leadership Development Program provides high-quality training that enhances personal and professional leadership skills. Recent seminar speakers and topics include:
- Sara Ross: “Emotional Intelligence: The Science of Leadership Under Pressureâ€
- James Robbins: “9 Minutes on Monday: The Easy Way to Turn Managers into Leadersâ€
- Dr. Relly Nadler: “Teamwork is an Unnatural Act: Are Your Teams and OrganizationDumbed Down?â€
“IAMC Fellows are leaders in IAMC, their companies and the industry at large,†said J. Tate Godfrey, CEcD, executive director of IAMC. “Nancy is a great asset to IAMC. We are very pleased to welcome her to this prestigious group of IAMC Fellows.â€
Since 2006, Nancy has served as key contact for every project lead that comes to the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana working with business leaders and corporate location and site selection consultants. “The IAMC Fellows program has given me great insight into the value of being a good, effective leader; and, has provided rewarding experiences by enabling me to participate in service projects and committee work giving me a better understanding about the IAMC organization,†said Nancy Deig, Manager, Economic Development.
Along with being a graduate of the Fellows program and serving on the Member Relations Committee of the IAMC, Nancy is a member of the International Economic Development Council, Indiana Economic Development Association and a long-time member of Toastmasters International. Recently Nancy helped form Kentuckiana Women in Leadership, a new Toastmasters Club focused on empowering women and building their leadership skills.
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Since 2006, more than 160 professionals have earned the IAMC Fellow designation.
About the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC)
Founded in 2002, the Industrial Asset Management Council (IAMC) is the leading association of industrial asset management and corporate real estate executives, their suppliers, service providers and economic developers. IAMC is a member-focused association providing strategic insights, highest quality educational resources and exclusive networking opportunities for the leaders of the manufacturing and industrial asset management industry. IAMC’s membership totals more than 600 professionals across the United States, Canada and abroad. IAMC is managed by Conway, Inc. For more information, call (770) 325-3461 or visit www.iamc.org.
About the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana
The Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana acts as the marketing arm and regional economic development organization for Gibson, Posey, Vanderburgh, and Warrick Counties in Southwest Indiana. The Coalition works with its local county economic development organizational partners to facilitate attraction activities and supports efforts to enhance the business climate through regional capacity building. Since its formation in late 2006, the Coalition has helped to secure over $2.8 billion in new investment and 3,794 new jobs from existing and new companies such as Haier America, Berry Plastics, Mead Johnson, Toyota Boshoku, Midwest Fertilizer Corporation and AT&T.
Another important aspect of the Coalition’s multi-faceted job description is helping the communities it serves build new capacity for future development. The Coalition has helped secure over $115 million in grants for such things as expansion of water and sewer systems; building new community centers; and, making improvements to the region’s levee system, which protects thousands of acres.