IARCA salutes Riecken as 2015 Friend of Children
INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Gail Riecken’s (D-Evansville) outspoken advocacy on behalf of children at risk has won her recognition from a statewide organization dedicated to protecting the interests of those children and their families.
The Indiana Association of Resources and Child Advocacy (IARCA) presented Riecken with its 2015 “Friend of Children†award during the group’s annual conference in Indianapolis.
In presenting the award, IARCA officials cited Riecken’s tireless efforts on behalf of basic child care and welfare and delinquency prevention at both the state and local levels. The lawmaker also was credited for being a “change agent†who worked to ensure that policy turns into positive progress.
In recent legislative sessions, Riecken has played a prominent role in bipartisan efforts to strengthen protections for abused and neglected children through the state’s Department of Child Services (DCS). She also has used her position on the House Ways and Means Committee to advocate for such things as improved funding for the guardian ad litem and other protective services.
“It always is nice to receive recognition for your work, but the true pleasure in this effort is in helping bring about changes that can save lives and protect children,†Riecken said. “My goal remains the same: no more abuse and no more neglect of children in Indiana. We have a long way to go to reach that goal, but it is worth the effort to protect our state’s most precious resource.â€
IARCA’s mission is to promote cooperation, communication, development and mutual support among organizations and systems that provide services to children and their families. The association also advocates for the establishment and maintenance of the highest-quality, most effective and most appropriate services possible to children and their families. IARCA claims close to 100 member groups as part of its network.
Don’t Fall for Harvest Season Hazards
Machinery that travels under 25 miles per hour is required to display a slow moving vehicle emblem (see Indiana Code 9-21-9). “Crashes can occur when a motorist fails to recognize that the machinery they are approaching is moving at a significantly slower speed than normal traffic,†said Sheriff Wedding. “The risk of making this miscalculation increases at night.” Sheriff Wedding also reminds motorists, “Don’t attempt to pass slow moving farm equipment unless it is safe and legal to do so.â€
October and November is breeding season for the white-tailed deer. Once corn starts being harvested, deer will lose their cover and begin moving across roadways frequently. Last year there were 192 crashes in Vanderburgh County that involved deer and 7 of those crashes resulted in injury.
“Traffic typically increases on our rural roadways during the fall, especially in areas known for agricultural tourism,†said Sheriff Wedding. Motorists are advised to slow down and watch for increased traffic in the area of Mayse Farm Market on N. Saint Joseph Ave and Goebel Farms on W. Boonville-New Harmony Rd.
“With motorists and farmers sharing the responsibility of keeping our roadways safe this fall, there is no reason expect anything less that a successful harvest,” said Sheriff Wedding.
Fall Harvest Safety Tips:
- Exercise caution and patience when approaching farm machinery.
- Farm machinery may enter the roadway at any time, so slow down if you see equipment traveling towards or adjacent to a roadway.
- Do not pass farm machinery unless it is safe and legal to do so.
- Farm machinery is typically not equipped with turn signals, so watch for unanticipated left turns and increase your following distance at night.
- Be aware of increased traffic at agricultural tourism locations.
- Watch for deer! If you spot one, then expect more to cross.
Adopt a Pet
Tippy is a 5-month-old female Lab puppy! The operative word is “puppy,†so remember that she will still need obedience & housetraining for awhile to be her best girl. She does great with cats! Her $120 fee includes her spay, microchip, vaccines, & more! Visit www.vhslifesaver.org or call (812) 426-2563!
EPA Proposes New Protections for International Hazardous Waste Shipments
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is proposing enhancements to the oversight of hazardous waste shipments to help ensure safe management of imported and exported hazardous wastes.
“When hazardous waste is shipped across multiple countries there can be a higher risk of mismanagement from unsafe transport, recycling and disposal practices,†said Mathy Stanislaus, assistant administrator of EPA’s Office of Solid Waste and Emergency Response. “This proposal will provide greater protection to communities and the environment through increased transparency, better data sharing and more efficient compliance monitoring.â€
The rule proposes consolidation of the regulations so that one set of protective requirements will apply to transboundary movements of hazardous waste. The proposal, when finalized, will affect the approximately 3,000 hazardous waste import shipments and 49,000 hazardous waste export shipments that largely occur within North America.
The proposal will also make electronic reporting to EPA mandatory and will require linking the consent to export with the exporter declaration submitted to U.S. Customs and Border Protection. These changes will provide for more efficient compliance monitoring and will enable increased sharing of hazardous waste import and export data with state programs, the general public, and individual hazardous waste exporters and importers.
The Agency will accept public comments on the proposal for 60 days following publication in the Federal Register.
Another Victory Theatre “SOLD OUT†crowd for Benefit Concert
Herman’s Hermits and Gary Puckett and The Union Gap performed to a SOLD OUT crowd at Victory Theatre in Downtown Evansville on Thursday night for the Indiana Section of the American Water Works Association benefit concert. The festivities started at 6 PM and fans and supporters danced and sang along with Peter Noone and Gary Puckett to their favorite tunes all night long. Proceeds from the event benefited Water for People, a non-profit organization that seeks to have safe and continuous water for everyone.
“I want to thank our sponsors for really stepping up and for being a big part of the success of this benefit concert for Water For People. This is the third year in a row we have had a sold out event at Victory Theatre!†according to Duane Gilles, Water Distribution Manager for Evansville Water Utility.
The Victory Theatre continues a busy schedule with One Man Breaking Bad – October 13, Uncharted International: Stories of Resilience – October 15, Tedeschi Trucks Band – October 22, The National Circus and Acrobats of the People’s Republic of China Presenting “Peking Dreams†– October 26,
Here Come the Mummies – October 29 and Lightwire Theater: A Very Electric Christmas – December 17.
Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records
EPD Activity Report
Indiana State Police Partners again with the DEA for the 10th Drug Take Back Day
On Saturday, September 26, 2015 the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is sponsoring the 10th nationwide “Prescription Drug Take Back†initiative.  The “Take Back†initiative seeks to prevent prescription drug abuse and theft through proper disposal of prescription drugs.
Collection sites will be set up nationwide for expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs which will be properly disposed of without threat to the environment.  This program is for liquid and pill medications. Needles, new or used, will not be accepted for disposal. This service is free and anonymous with no questions asked.
Once again, the Indiana State Police are pleased to partner with the DEA, and as in the past, the drugs may be dropped off at any Indiana State Police Post, except the Toll Road Post. The event will be on Saturday, September 26th, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.   Also participating are the Indiana State Police Capitol Police Section which will host a drop off site on Friday September 25th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. inside the Indiana Government Center North public entrance off of Robert Orr Plaza in Indianapolis. This is between the government north and south buildings, immediately west of the State Capitol building.
To locate the state police post closest to your home or business, click this link for Indiana State Police on the Map.
To find other locations in Indiana or across the U.S. that are participating in the Drug Take Back initiative, click this link to the DEA.
The Drug Take Back events are the safe, popular and responsible way for the public to legally and dispose of prescription drugs with no questions asked.
Note: The included attachment is ONLY for the collection site open at the Indiana Government Center on Friday, September 25th from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Candidate Jack Schriber Calls City Council Combative and Dysfunctional
Last week, the Evansville City Council threatened to enforce an unprecedented ordinance it passed earlier this year that would prevent city government from meeting its obligations. In effect, the politicized move – made to coincide with an election – would risk shutting down city government, disrupting services and withholding pay for city employees.
The city of Evansville has approximately $145 million on hand, including $52 million in the general fund. Independent bond rating agencies repeatedly conclude the city has operated in a financially sound, efficient and prudent manner. Simply put, Evansville is on firm financial footing.
But certain members of the City Council want to handcuff the mayor from using the funds available and instead force him to keep the funds unused in accounts where they are not needed. This arbitrarily forces the separation of bank accounts and results in some checking accounts with a large positive balance and others with a negative balance. This ordinance is unprecedented in Evansville’s history and there is no clear evidence of it occurring anywhere else in the entire state.
Imagine having two personal checking accounts, one dedicated to clothes and another dedicated to entertainment. If the entertainment account is temporarily high while the clothes account is temporarily low, common sense says you should transfer some money from entertainment to pay for clothes until the next paycheck. That is, in effect, what city government has done for generations and what the City Council is now refusing to allow.
City Council will now have to approve inter-fund transfers that were previously handled by internal cash flow management. With $145 million on hand the city is not broke, and the funds are there. But City Council members are poised to use their unusual ordinance to avoid making payments and instead seek political gain less than two months before an election. Without the ability to transfer within funds, City Council will withhold the pay of city employees and vendors. Evansville’s residents don’t get to demand ransom in exchange for doing their job. Neither does City Council.
They don’t get to hold our city hostage over settled tradition and policy. They don’t get to refuse payment to hard-working employees because an election is around the corner. That’s not how our municipal government is supposed to work.
City Council’s political, combative, and dysfunctional approach to too many issues has made it impossible for them to effectively govern. Evansville needs and deserves a City Council that is focused less on politics and more on ways to grow our city, create new jobs, and use common sense budgeting. But not under the shadow of these threats to our city.
Pay the bills. Avoid a government shutdown. Evansville is counting on City Council to do the right thing. And we will do everything we can to make sure the next City Council is one that acts in the best interests of Evansville.
Jack Schriber
Candidate for City Council At Large
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