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Gail Riecken Talks About Downtown Convention Hotel

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The City Of Evansville Deserves A First Class Hotel 

Evansville, IN – Mayoral candidate Gail Riecken at a press conference today discussed the future downtown convention hotel.  While construction has started on the parking garage that will serve both the hotel and the future IU medical center, construction of the actual hotel is yet to begin.  The original plan proposed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council was a first class, 10-story hotel with a roof top bar, indoor pool and apartments.  What we are getting is a completely different hotel.

“No one – and I mean no one – wants a downtown convention hotel more than I do,” said Riecken.  She continued, “A first class hotel the people of Evansville can afford would be a big boost for the downtown.  A first class hotel is what we the taxpayers were sold by the Winnecke Administration.  A first class hotel is what this city deserves. Unfortunately, the hotel being built is neither first class nor affordable.“

In building this hotel the Winnecke administration was so desperate to get it done they failed four times.  In the end, the residents of Evansville are getting a cheaper hotel and still paying the same price, which ends up being a higher percentage of the total cost.

“After four years of failure the Winnecke administration is desperate to do something – Anything!” said Riecken.  “First, the administration failed when it could not convince City Council to fund a shockingly high public subsidy in the hotel approaching $40 million.  Second, the administration failed when the Winnecke administration recruited an investor to “bail out” the city in order to save the hotel deal.  The deal fell millions short because the investment in the hotel and the Old National Events Plaza naming rights were not worth the price promised.   As quickly as the “bail out” came in, it disappeared.  Third, the administration failed when it scrapped the original first class hotel concept for the motel we now see. The developer would not finance a first class project without more free city money – smaller, less amenities, and a lower class of hotel is the result.  Fourth, the administration failed when the overall price of the project went down but the City taxpayers’ financial commitment went up.  We are paying more and getting less.”

Gail Riecken is running for Mayor of Evansville and is a former Evansville City Council woman, Evansville Parks Director, and a current member of the Indiana State House of Representatives.  She is a lifelong Evansville resident and has been married for 46 years, has 2 children and 3 grandchildren.

Race for the Cure-Susan G Komen

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Super Sheila, 25 Year Survivor

Today is 25 days prior to Race Day! Sheila is celebrating 25 years cancer free this year!!! So in her honor today only if you register for the Super Hero Package use promo code 25YEARS and receive 25% off the $40.00 registration fee.  This includes Registration $25, Komen Tri-State Super Hero Cape $10,  Mall Parking $10.00  all for $30.00!  Click Here to register.
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Susan G. Komen® Evansville Tri-State
4424 Vogel Road, # 205, Evansville, IN 47715
info@komenevansville.org
Telephone (812) 962-2202
Fax (812) 962-2204

IS IT TRUE September 4, 2015

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IS IT TRUE Rick Huffman of HCW, the downtown hotel developer, was bragging yesterday about putting $500,000 worth of art on the ceiling of the new hotel?….if one had to pick between an indoor pool and expensive art on the ceiling of the lobby which would it be?…we think the hotel would be more marketable by scrapping the artwork and going for a year round pool?

IS IT TRUE community comments and press releases printed by the City County Observer are not an endorsement of the candidate or writer?….we have received statement and press releases from candidates addressing blight but have weighed in substantively?….we think there is value in breaking the auction cycle this year?….We agree the City collecting blighted structures and unwanted vacant lots that would otherwise be auctioned by the County is a laudable initiative?….we understand that 70% of the parcels auctioned each fall return to the auction block within 3 years and many never have a dime in property taxes paid by the owner?….we’d like to think the County government would recognize the futility of auctioning properties multiple times without collecting any taxes, but the County has been unwilling to accept the liability of holding properties that could garner as little as $25 in an auction?

IS IT TRUE a property must be three consecutive property tax installments behind, which takes 18 months, for the Auditor to declare the property tax delinquent?….once the properties are declared delinquent, a sale of the tax debt is scheduled?….of the roughly 550 properties whose tax debt was offered for sale last week, less than half were bought?….a buyer of tax debt can make back the taxes paid plus 10% if the owner redeems the property within 6 months of the sale?….the buyer can reap his purchase price plus 15% if the owner redeems between the 6 and 12 month mark?….anything paid over the tax debt for a property will gather 5% over the year the owner has to redeem?….whether a tax debt was purchased last week, all 550 properties must sit for a year, so that the owner has his statutory opportunity to redeem?….while the investors probably had a good handle on who would pay up, most of the properties offered last week will not be redeemed?…twelve months from now, the County is the entity that by law can petition for tax titles of the unredeemed properties?….despite the fact that most of the unwanted properties are located in the City limits, it is the County who may petition for ownership?….it is these properties that have sat, often empty with no utilities connected, for the 18 months while taxes are not paid plus another year waiting on the owner to pay up, that are ultimately auctioned by the County?

IS IT TRUE if the owner wanted the property, they only must pay one tax installment out of every three to keep the property from being deemed delinquent?….if someone else wanted the property, they could buy it at the tax debt sale and wait out the year to see if it is redeemed?…a buyer at the tax sale of a property that is not redeemed may petition the Court thereafter for title?….the properties that go to auction are vacant lots that are too small to build on, lots in blighted neighborhoods or structures that are uninhabitable?….no one wants these properties that has any good intentions?…often the buyers at auctions strip the structures of recyclable materials and then abandon them back to the process?….adjoining landowner have already been contacted by and offered their neighboring property for the cost of transferring title? ….the County should see they are auctioning properties that will be auctioned again in two years, and in an ever declining condition, and stop the auction, but they claim they do not have the resources to raze 200 structures a year and mow and clean trash from the lots?

IS IT TRUE if the County lacks the resources to prevent uninhabitable homes from being auctioned to people who cannot or will not bring them up to code, what is to be done with these properties?….the City has been attacked by some for simply trying to create an answer to these properties cycling through the auction process for years while property taxes are not collected and the quality of life of the surrounding neighborhood is negatively affected?….not every act of government is shady or lacks merit?….the City has a responsibility to its residents to sort through the properties going to auction and facilitate rehabilitation where possible and demolition where not?

IS IT TRUE the issue is not the City collecting 200+ properties a year that would otherwise be auctioned to the detriment of neighborhoods?….the issue is what to do with the lots once unsalvageable structures have been removed and the structures that can be rehabbed secured?….this issue of whether the County keeps them or the City or a third party is an issue of control, liability, maintenance and marketing?….no one wants the annual maintenance costs or liability, however the past tells us that even auctioning vacant lots often results in the City still paying for the lots to be mowed and the trash removed?….the vacant lots auctioned have the same return rate of 70% as parcels with structures?….that one entity that pays for maintenance and demolition does not want another entity controlling the fate of the properties?….the City and County are both restricted in what kind of marketing it can do or placing requirements on buyers to actually do the necessary work to bring the property up to code?….government is largely limited to the auction process for its sales method, and that rarely works when the property is in need of great investment?….Indiana lacks the legislation so many other states enjoy that allows local governments flexibility in selling property?….we agree that it’s a problem as to where the properties go after the auction is stopped, but we agree the auction should be stopped?

IS IT TRUE we also agree that a broader initiative is needed to slow and/or prevent blight?….we would be remiss however not to acknowledge the elected officials who have already said as much?….Gail Riecken and Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley have both talked about prevention as it relates to blight and vacancy?….we agree with both and now Alex Burton that vacancy is a big driver of blight?…we must understand the causes of vacancy and work to keep people in their homes as the first line of defense against blight?….anyone who has taken research and statistics knows that there is much data to crunch?….does our vacancy come from more than just death and a declining population?….we do we have a foreclosure problem for owner occupied properties?….how do we help people on a fixed income keep up their properties, which has an impact on their whole block?….we are pleased to see so many people are now interested and to begin to  understand our blight problem from more than just a remediation angle?  …we would also like to thank “Blight Fighter Volunteer” George Lumley for stating the debate in earnest?…if we only stopped the auctioning of blighted properties every year, the process would never end?….blight is not necessarily finite?

IS IT TRUE the 41 North bus route is funded equally by a federal grant and the City?….the grant will expire in 2016 and cannot be renewed?….the cost of the 41 North bus route is more than $500,000 a year?….the METS new Five Year Plan (2017-2021) was tentatively revealed to the public in early July?….that plan gave consumers three potential 5 year plans?….none of the plans were cumulative in that they included the other two proposals?….all had bits and pieces of what would arguably be comprehensive but is deemed cost prohibitive?….the route changes in all three proposals met with resistance, and now the plan has been quietly tucked away?…it will not go to the Evansville Metropolitan Planning Organization for approval until November?….the impending funding crisis for routes, Sunday services, evening service, better transit stations, and the City’s aging fleet will not come up for decision until after the election?

VHS Pet of the Day- Dasher

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Dasher is a 1 1/2 year old shepherd mix. He is very social and good with
other dogs. HIs adoption fee would be $100 which includes his neuter,
vaccines, microchip and a bag of food. VHS is open Tuesday – Saturday from
Noon until 6 PM for adoptions & viewing.

Positive Spin On Bad News

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Matchmaking service unveiled for Indiana inventors and IP attorneys

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www.theindianalawyer.com by Marilyn Odendahl

Indiana University Maurer School of Law is getting into the matchmaking business.

The law school’s Center for Intellectual Property Research has opened a patent hub which will connect inventors with IP attorneys willing to do pro bono work. Garage inventors and small entrepreneurs looking for help filing a patent and attorneys searching for volunteer opportunities will be matched to, possibly, start a business relationship.

The hub, Patent Connect for Hoosiers, was unveiled Sept. 1 as part of IU Maurer’s Launch IP event at Eli Lilly and Co. headquarters in Indianapolis. Both the law school’s IP Clinic and the hub were lauded as meeting a need among small business owners and helping Indiana’s economy grow.

“What you’re doing here is really (providing) the missing link that we’ve not been able to figure out statewide,” said keynote speaker Lt. Gov. Sue Ellspermann. “Putting those legal services (to work getting) trademarks, patents, and helping in that commercialization of products is so important.”

The hub is working in partnership with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and has been designated to serve Indiana. Other hubs have been established across the country with the focus of helping independent inventors who may be at a disadvantage in trying to get the money together to pay for the patent application.

IU Maurer has created a website, www.patentconnect.org, which will serve as the intake center for inventors needing help and attorneys wanting to volunteer their services. The hub will screen the inventors, allowing only those who qualify economically and have viable products into the network.

Once the website identifies a potential match, the attorney can either accept or decline. If the match is accepted, the hub steps out of the process and leaves the attorney and client to form a direct business relationship.

Norman Hedges, director of the Intellectual Property Law Clinic at IU Maurer, said the pro bono work in IP really helps individuals exercise their constitutional rights. Inventors and entrepreneurs who cannot afford a patent to protect their ideas are losing their rights guaranteed by Article 1, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution.

As such, Hedges see the voluntary IP work as qualifying for pro bono under the “administration of justice” clause in Rule 6.1 of the Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct.

Faegre Baker Daniels associate Jessica Van Dalen has taken a client through Patent Connect for Hoosiers. She and her colleagues have filed a patent application for the individual and have plans to continue the representation.

“It was very fulfilling,” she said. “This inventor was so excited that someone cared about their invention and cared enough to help them through the process. It’s very exciting to see how enthusiastic they are.”

EVSC Media Opportunity Going on Now!

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What: 200 EVSC Students Participate in 9th Annual Catchin’ with Capin

When: Now through noon

Where: Lake by Cracker Barrel and Sweet Water on the east side.

 

More than 200 students are trying their luck at fishing this morning for the ninth annual Catchin’ with Capin event. The students will be fishing with Capin at the lake behind Cracker Barrel and Sweet Water on Evansville’s east side.

 

Background: The event was begun in 2007, by then Harrison senior Kyle Capin, who wanted to give his friends with special needs the same experiences and love for fishing that he has.  In the first year – only about 32 students from Harrison High School were in attendance.  But now, the event has grown and includes students from many area schools.  Kyle also has received the local Jefferson Award through Leadership Evansville, for this event.

State’s Request for Secretarial Disaster Declaration Approved in 8 Counties

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Today, the U.S. Department of Agriculture approved a secretarial disaster declaration for 8 of Indiana’s 92 counties as requested by Governor Mike Pence, Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann, and Indiana Farm Service Agency Executive Director Julia A. Wickard in a letter to U.S. Department of Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack in August. The request came after Indiana farmers suffered significant crop damage and losses caused by flooding and excessive rain since May 1 of this year. Fifty-three other counties were previously approved on August 12 after a similar request.

“It has been a challenging year for Hoosier farmers. I’m grateful that the United States Department of Agriculture has recognized the hardships our farmers have faced by making available low-interest loans to additional Indiana counties,” said Governor Pence. “Hoosier farmers are resilient, but this designation will help those who suffered property damage as a result of the significant rainfall and flooding.”

Under the secretarial disaster declaration, low-interest emergency loans are available to all producers suffering losses in the 8 counties for which the secretarial disaster has been approved, as well as in affected contiguous counties. These counties include Clark, Fulton, Morgan, Owen, Rush, Shelby, White, and Whitley counties.

Farmers interested in applying for loans can visit http://offices.sc.egov.usda.gov/locator/app?state=in&agency=fsa and contact their local FSA offices for application details. Information regarding loan uses, eligibility, and loan requirements can be found on the attached document as provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

USI Trustees approve two engineering degrees

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Manufacturing engineering degree to be first of its kind in Indiana

At its regular meeting on September 3, 2015, the University of Southern Indiana Board of Trustees approved two new undergraduate degree programs, a Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, both of which would be housed within USI’s Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education. The manufacturing engineering degree would be the first of its kind in the state and one of only around 20 such programs in the country.

USI has offered a bachelor’s degree in engineering since 2002, but this marks the first time the Engineering Department would offer named degrees within the field. The degree programs will next move to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education for approval.

“Since we established an engineering degree in 2002, enrollment in the program has grown to more than 330, with hundreds of graduates now serving business and industry in our region,” said Scott Gordon, dean of the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education. “The demand for engineering continues to grow rapidly, and the development of named engineering degrees would be the logical next step to meet this demand.”

USI’s manufacturing engineering program would prepare graduates for entry level positions in the field, including private industry, consulting or governmental agencies. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 4.5 percent growth in manufacturing engineering jobs from 2012 to 2022 nationwide, with some industries seeing growth as high as 39.5 percent. In addition, Indiana’s Department of Workforce Development projects growth at 6.5 percent within the state.

Since USI began offering a bachelor’s degree in engineering, there has been a growing demand from students and prospective students for a named degree in mechanical engineering and, employers are often looking for graduates with a degree in that area. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics indicates a five percent growth in mechanical engineering positions nationally, translating to more than 11,000 jobs by 2022. Indiana is poised to capture many of these jobs with the seventh highest availability of mechanical engineering jobs in the United States, ranging from manufacturing and design of automotive and aerospace parts to scientific research and development services. Indiana also has the third highest percentage of engineering positions for every 1,000 jobs available. Regionally, the demand for mechanical engineers is nearly double that of the state.

Ribbon cut on USI’s Performance Center
Following the board meeting, trustees, guests and members of the community attended a ribbon cutting for USI’s new $17.2 million Performance Center located at the heart of campus and adjacent to the University Center. The Performance Center has been in use since this spring but this event marked the official ribbon cutting for the facility to coincide with the start of the fall semester. For the last several years, theatre productions were staged in the 100-seat Mallette Studio Theatre, a black box theatre in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center.

In addition to the ribbon cutting, guests were entertained by performances that included USI Theatre alumni and local actress and middle school student Lillybea Ireland. A reception followed in the atrium with music by The Flatheads.

The Performance Center seats nearly 300 in cushioned, accessible seating and features clear sight lines, a thrust stage including a 12’x12’ floor trap, light walls containing thousands of LED lights with a full spectrum of colors, three permanent balconies used as staging areas, and a Steinway concert grand piano made specifically for the center.

 

Spacious dressing and green rooms are only the beginning of behind-the-scenes advances. In design and technology, students are exposed to new and innovative techniques, supported by a state-of-the-art design studio and all new production shops that also opened on campus in 2014.

The Performance Center was designed by Holzman Moss Bottino Architecture of New York, designer of USI’s campus landmark, The Cone. Some of the Performance Center design features include:

 

Can Clay Corporation Clay Pipe

For 104 years, the Can Clay Corporation of Cannelton, Indiana, has produced clay for underground utility and sewer piping. It is typically fired at 2,000 degrees over the course of seven days. Twelve and 14-foot lengths of the 21-inch diameter CanOlok vitrified clay pipe are erected vertically to enclose structural steel columns.

 

Jasper Chair Company Chair Legs

The Jasper Chair Company, of Jasper, Indiana, has manufactured wood chairs from their own woodland since 1921. Twelve hundred steam-bent chair legs have been assembled and stained to form rosettes suspended from the lobby ceiling. The same chair legs are used in the donor recognition display in the second floor lobby.

 

Red Sandstone

The red sandstone on the exterior and interior walls is from Brazil, Indiana, and pays homage to the Smithsonian Institution’s Castle. Built in 1855, the castle is the oldest building on the National Mall. Congressman Robert Dale Owen (son of Robert Owen, founder of the second utopian experiment at New Harmony, Indiana) was chair of the Smithsonian Building Committee. His brother, geologist David Dale Owen, recommended it be built from red sandstone. Both Owens resided in New Harmony for a time, and USI is one of the sponsors of Historic New Harmony, an initiative to create and retain interest in the history and current life of New Harmony.

 

Toyota Sienna Dash Panels

Thirty-five Sienna dash panels, a generous gift from Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Inc., of Princeton, Indiana, form part of the acoustical environment for the Performance Center. These panels serve as reflective surfaces just below the catwalk rings at ceiling level. They direct reflective sound and provide better speech intelligibility for the audience and performers.

 

Donor Recognition Display

A donor recognition display, designed by former USI student Matt Wagner of Matt Wagner Design in Evansville, will soon be installed. It was made by Grandview Aluminum Products, Inc., Grandview, Indiana, in association with Sign-A-Rama, Evansville, Indiana. Located in the second floor lobby, it features recycled aluminum, as well as Jasper (Indiana) Chair Company chair legs.

 

Thrust Stage with Light Wall

The theatre features a thrust stage with additional staging areas incorporated into the walls, a shallow proscenium to allow for greater sightlines, exceptional natural acoustics, and state-of-the-art light and sound technology. The light wall contains thousands of LED lights with a full spectrum of colors.

 

For more information and to purchase tickets for upcoming productions, visit USI.edu/Theatre.

 

In other business, the trustees heard a report from Career Services and Internships, approved housing and meal plan rates for the 2016-2017 academic year, and heard an update on current construction projects.

Evansville Fashion Week September 27 – October 3- YWCA

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September 27th – Fall into Fashion
September 29th – Fashion Give Back
September 30th – Buy for the Y
October 2nd – Legacy of Style Fashion Show & Luncheon October 3rd – Beauty and the Beat

Contact:

Erika Taylor etaylor@ywcaevansville.org (812) 422-1191

YWCA presents the

First Annual

 

The YWCA is pleased to announce the first annual Evansville Fashion Week to be held September 27, 2015 through October 3, 2015. The YWCA has partnered with the Junior League of Evansville, Dillard’s, Shannon Aleksandr’s Salon & Spa, and local boutiques to coordinate a week full of exciting and stylish activities to support the community.

“We are so excited to present a week full of fashion themed events for the community”, said YWCA CEO, Erika Taylor. “As fall begins, people tend to get excited about putting away their swimsuits and breaking out the fall boots and warm sweaters. We want to capitalize on that excitement while raising awareness and funds for the YWCA’s programs. October is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month, so Evansville Fashion Week provides a platform for us to get out the anti-violence message.”

Evansville Fashion Week begins on Sunday, September 27th with Fall into Fashion presented by the Junior League of Evansville and Dillard’s. This exclusive VIP shopping event will be held between 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. when the department store will be open only for Fall into Fashion ticket holders and will include give- aways, cocktails and hors d’oeuvres; hair style demonstrations; discounts in every department; and swag bags. This event is open to the public and tickets may be purchased from the Junior League office (812-434-6710) or at Dillard’s department store. All proceeds from Fall into Fashion will be donated to the Junior League of Evansville.

On Tuesday, September 29th the Junior League of Evansville (JLE) will present a live fashion giveback night benefiting the girls in the YWCA’s Live Y’ers program. Live Y’ers is an after-school and mentoring program for at-risk girls. JLE members will provide a workshop on body image, self-esteem, and dressing for success in addition to mentors that will assist girls in selecting appropriate outfits. Each girl will receive new clothing thanks to the generosity of the Junior League of Evansville, Dillard’s and the YWCA.

On Wednesday, September 30th, the YWCA will present Buy for the Y, a shop hop experience featuring a night of discounts and promotions at locally owned boutiques that are extending their business hours for this special occasion. These generous boutiques will be donating 10% of their shop hop sales to the YWCA. In addition to offering this exclusive evening showcasing their fashions, each boutique will have give-aways and refreshments. Participating boutiques include Flutter Newburgh, House of Bluez, Wildflower, Single Thread, and Schon. The Buy for the Y shop hop hours are 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

On Friday, October 2nd, the YWCA will present the 15th Annual Legacy of Style Luncheon and Fashion Show at Old National Events Plaza featuring the latest fall fashions from Dillard’s department store. Over 35 models will walk the runway to showcase clothing and accessories from Dillard’s. Proceeds from ticket sales and a raffle of amazing gift baskets will raise much needed funds for the YWCA’s programs for women and girls. This event truly is “the chic way to give”! Legacy of Style is open to the public and tickets are available through the YWCA of Evansville. Contact the YWCA at (812) 422-1191 for more information about tickets, corporate tables and sponsorships.

Evansville Fashion Week will conclude on Saturday, October 3rd with the 3rd annual Beauty and the Beat presented by Shannon Aleksandr’s Salon & Spa which raises funds for the YWCA’s domestic violence shelter, Live Y’ers, and transitional housing program. This special ladies’ night will feature pampering to the extreme with stylists offering free haircuts, manicures, makeup applications, and pedicures. Stylists will also perform on-the-spot beauty makeovers showcasing the latest in hair and makeup trends. A runway show featuring fall fashions from Flutter Newburgh, House of Bluez, Wildflower, Single Thread, and Schon will be the highlight of the evening. Guests will also enjoy delicious food and cocktails in addition to dancing to tunes of DJ Erika Taylor, YWCA CEO. Beauty and the Beat is open to the public and tickets are available through the YWCA of Evansville and Shannon Aleksandr’s Salon & Spa.

This is the third year that the salon has partnered with the YWCA to present Beauty and the Beat. “We at Shannon Aleksandr’s Salon & Spa know that beauty lies not only on the outside but most importantly, the inside,” says owner, Shannon Woolsey. “That’s why we value our partnership and believe in supporting the YWCA’s mission of empowering women by helping them realize the inner beauty they all possess.”

More information about all of these events can be found at www.ywcaevansville.org.

The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. The YWCA has been serving the Evansville area since 1911 and from its inception has provided housing and services for women and girls. The Evansville YWCA is a member of the YWCA of the U.S.A., the oldest and largest women’s membership movement in the country.

Over the years, YWCA programs have changed to meet the evolving needs of women and girls. In 1979, the YWCA opened the first domestic violence shelter in Evansville. Other current programs include a Transition Housing Program for women in recovery, Emergency Shelter for homeless women and children, an after-school and mentoring program, called Live Y’ers, for at-risk girls in

grades three through 12, and a Summer Fun day camp for school-aged children. Special programs and events for the general public are also offered. Visit www.ywcaevansville.org for more information.

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