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Governor Pence Statement Regarding Passing of Rev. Theodore M. Hesburgh

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Indianapolis – Governor Mike Pence today issued the following statement upon learning of the passing of the Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, who served as the 15th President of the University of Notre Dame from 1952 to 1987.

“Indiana has lost a man of unwavering faith, profound vision and monumental virtue in the passing of Father Theodore Hesburgh. An advocate for human and civil rights, education opportunity, and diplomacy both here and abroad, Father Hesburgh’s accomplished life epitomized servant leadership and made a critical impact in advancing and bettering our world. His legacy will endure always and, without doubt, will continue to inspire individuals across the world to pursue a life of peace and justice. The First Lady and I extend our deepest condolences to his family, the University of Notre Dame community, and all who knew and loved this exceptional Hoosier leader.”

Governor Pence Statement on Passing of Former Indiana State Senator Sue Landske

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Indianapolis – Governor Mike Pence today issued the following statement upon learning of the passing of former Indiana State Senator Sue Landske.

“I was deeply saddened to learn of the passing of former Indiana State Senator Sue Landske. A true public servant in every way, Sue focused on serving others—from her service in the military to that on behalf of Hoosiers in northwest Indiana in both local and state government. For three decades, she served tirelessly and selflessly in the Indiana General Assembly, helping to advance education opportunities for women and veterans and leading by example through a variety of roles including as assistant Senate president. The First Lady and I offer our thoughts and prayers to Sue’s beloved family, friends and the countless Hoosiers impacted by her work.”

Indiana High School and College Students are Eligible to Win $5,000 in Social Media Contest

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During the month of April, Indiana high school and college students can put their social media skills to good use for a chance to win a $5,000 scholarship toward their college education or any secondary schooling. Last year, we granted $85,000 to student award winners!

Texting and driving is against the law in Indiana—but, it’s still happening. The use of cell phones is constant in today’s society, especially with young drivers. 71% of teens and young people say they have sent a text while driving and 78% say they have read a text while driving (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration).Because of these alarming statistics, five state agencies have joined efforts to help raise awareness of the dangers of texting and driving by sponsoring the Drive Now. TXT L8R social media contest. With your help, we hope to spread the word about this contest to students across the state.

Please share Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann’s message to young Hoosiers about the Drive Now. TXT L8R contest with anyone you know currently in highschool, college or other secondary education institution.  

 Click for video

 Visit www.txtl8r.in.gov for more information about the contest, including rules, FAQs and a link to the registration page. You can also download our campaign logo and fliers from this website to send to anyone you think might benefit from a $5,000 of education assistance. Students have until April 10 to register for the social media contest.

Thank you for helping us spread the word about this campaign and contest. We look forward to viewing the entries in early May and honoring the winners and their schools during a ceremony at the Statehouse in June. 

Dr. Bucshon Thanks HHS Secretary for HIP 2.0 Approval

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(WASHINGTON, DC) – Eighth District Congressman, Larry Bucshon, M.D., thanked Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Sylvia Burwell for working with Governor Mike Pence to approve Indiana’s state-based, consumer-driven Medicaid replacement program, Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) 2.0.

The transcript of Dr. Bucshon’s remarks is available below and video is available online here.

“I want to thank you for working with Governor Mike Pence of Indiana on Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0.

“[HIP 2.0] will help to cover 350,000 low-income Hoosiers in a state-based program that, I think, has been shown historically to not only save money, but is very popular with the enrollees.

“So thank you very much for that work.”

Congressman Larry Bucshon, a physician from Southern Indiana, is serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the 114thCongress, Bucshon will serve on the influential House Committee on Energy and Commerce.  The 8th District of Indiana includes all or parts of Clay, Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Gibson, Greene, Knox, Martin, Owen, Parke, Perry, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Vermillion, Vigo, and Warrick counties.

Because enhancement vacatur altered sentence, COA vacates plea agreement

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Jennifer Nelson for www.theindianalawyer.com

 

Because removing a defendant’s habitual offender enhancement altered the sentence the parties had bargained for, the Indiana Court of Appeals ordered the trial court to vacate the entire plea agreement.

The state appealed the Floyd Circuit Court’s decision to grant John J. Arnold’s request to vacate his habitual offender enhancement after he entered into a plea agreement to three counts of Class C felony criminal recklessness as well as the habitual offender enhancement. He agreed to concurrent sentences of eight years on the felony counts and a sentence enhancement of 12 years for being a habitual offender. The enhancement was attached to all three convictions.

Arnold was charged with Class A felony and other counts related to an incident in 2012 in which he drove his truck and hit or ran over three people and then fled the scene.

Shortly after he was sentenced, one of the felonies that served as a basis to enhance his sentence was vacated. Arnold then filed to set aside the habitual offender enhancement. Without this previous conviction, there was not enough to support the habitual offender enhancement. The trial court granted his request, but the state argued on appeal that the entire plea agreement needed to be set aside.

Arnold’s motion to set aside the habitual offender enhancement, while not filed through post-conviction channels, will be treated as a request for post-conviction relief, the COA decided in State of Indiana v. John J. Arnold, 22A05-1408-CR-387.

The vacatur of Arnold’s habitual offender enhancement impermissibly alters the sentence for the conviction to which the enhancement was attached and therefore that conviction must also be vacated, pursuant to Boykin v. State, 702 N.E.2d 1105 (Ind. Ct. App. 1998), Judge Terry Crone wrote. But the plea agreement erroneously attached the enhancement to all three convictions, instead of just one.

Crone pointed out also that the state only agreed to the plea deal once Arnold agreed to accept the sentence enhancement of 12 years. The state said it would not have entered the deal if Arnold would only receive 8 years total for the convictions.

“We cannot say that the State would have entered the agreement without the habitual offender enhancement. We conclude that the habitual offender enhancement cannot be eliminated without frustrating the basic purpose of the contract,” Crone wrote.

The COA affirmed the decision to vacate Arnold’s habitual offender enhancement, reversed its decision to keep the remainder of the plea agreement intact and remanded with instructions to vacate the agreement and its resulting convictions and for further proceedings.

AS HEARD FROM THE COUCH by Jim Redwine

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Gavel Gamut

By Jim Redwine

(Week of 2 March 2015)

AS HEARD FROM THE COUCH

At least two people, Peg and my sister Jane, read last week’s article. People who read my column tend to fall into two categories, female and male. Should you be in one of those groups and should you have read my fair and balanced epistle, you may recall it reported on the science behind why women talk more than men.

Normally, either no one reads my articles or, if someone does, they pay them no heed. I find this rather convenient as it allows me to occasionally perform a public service, such as objectively pointing out the effects of the FOXP2 protein on human speech, without suffering for it.

Last week’s article has proven to be an exception. While the weather has been chilly, since last week, things have been downright frigid inside the JPeg Ranchhouse.

I am aware some people sometimes allow their emotions to override logic. But really now, I am to be blamed for Mother Nature’s peculiarities? What makes science science is any proposition is always open to being disproved. If one, say Peg or Janie for example, takes exception to a scientific study’s conclusion, all one needs to do is disprove it. Let’s review the data.

Dr. Luan Brizendine, a member of the female persuasion by the way, has published experiments on both rats and people that examined FOXP2. In her words, there are inherent differences between the male and female brain that explain why women talk almost three times as much as men. Dr. Brizendine actually uses the terms “communicate better”, but why quibble, right?

A few of my male friends, well about three actually, have mentioned they read last week’s Gavel Gamut. Collectively they said, “Uh, it seemed okay”.

So how did Peg and Janie respond? Well, loquacious does not cover it. Neither does vociferous. Vitriolic sounds about right. About the only rational retort from either wife or sister was their concentration on a part of the FOXP2 study that I found merely tangential.

It turns out that there is one area where men out pace women. According to Dr. Brizendine, the male brain thinks about sex about every 52 seconds while women contemplate that subject only once a day. Or as Peg pointedly said to me, “It’s no wonder men cannot communicate, they have only one interest”.

As for me, I refuse to wallow in a debate about debating. I will rely on another important finding from the FOXP2 studies. It turns out testosterone reduces the section of the human brain involved in hearing. Or as Dr. Brizendine concluded: “Men are ‘deaf’ to most logical arguments put forward by their wives (or sisters)”. I say, sometimes Mother Nature gets it right.

Oak Hill School to Host World Culture Bazaar

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Families will have the opportunity tomorrow to learn more about world cultures and contribute to local and international philanthropies, thanks to an event hosted by Oak Hill School. On Saturday, Feb. 28, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the school will host the Oak Hill World Culture Bazaar, a day that will include food, crafts, and world culture goods.

Entrance fees are:  Family:  $10;  Adult:  $5; Children: $3; or Student performer:  $2.

The event will include a number of non-profit booths that will be selling a variety of items, including handmade items from artisans all over the world, art pieces designed by Oak Hill students, t-shirts and more. There also will be international food tasting booths and sweets and treats made by student bakers.

“Proceeds from the bazaar will go to Potter’s Wheel Ministries, the Salvation Army, Constitutional Outdoor Classroom, Riley’s Children’s Hospital and the Tri-State MS Association.

The primary purpose of the event is to allow Oak Hill students the opportunity to participate in the American cultural tradition of charity,” said Alice Work, Oak Hill art teacher. “Our second purpose is to host a community event where students can practice leadership and citizenship skills while learning about cultures and traditions of other countries.”

In addition to the Bazaar, two students from North High School – seniors Taylor Humphrey and Allison Rollins – will be collecting gently used blankets and school supplies that they will send to Rakai Children’s Village in Uganda as part of their senior project.  The students also will be selling t-shirts at the event to raise money to purchase supplies for the village.

Food Inspection Reports

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Food Inspection Reports 2-26-15 (1 of 2)

Food Inspection Reports 2-26-15 (2 of 2)

Education funding at the forefront of the House budget

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Every two years, the Legislature is tasked with crafting the state’s biennial budget. I have now been through three budget cycles, all of which have stayed firm to our commitment to fiscal integrity and living within our means.

 

This year, I am particularly proud of our efforts to not only protect our state in the event of future economic decline, but also significantly increase our investment in education. Although we need to be prudent and good stewards of taxpayer dollars, we must also keep in mind that an investment in education is an investment in our students’ futures.

 

Indiana has prided itself on the fact that over 50 percent of the state’s budget is dedicated to education. This year, House Republicans went one step further, appropriating the most dollars ever spent for K-12 education. We also raised the foundation amount, which is like a minimum guarantee that each school receives per pupil, by an estimated 11.4 percent. These increases will provide much needed relief to our local school systems.

 

In total, an additional $469 million, which equates to a 4.7 percent increase, would be allocated to education over the biennium. This unprecedented investment will benefit students of all ages and all needs. For example, previous tuition support formulas only counted kindergarten students as a half student and provided a flat grant to fund the second half of the day. However, for the first time, our proposed budget provides that kindergarten students will be counted as full students within the formula.

 

The budget also aims to expand programs which I have outspokenly supported in the past, including career and technical education programs. More than $30 million has been allocated for the expansion and improvement of these programs, which help prepare Hoosier students for life after high school.

 

This investment will incentivize schools to develop stronger and clearer pathways for career readiness. Funding for adult high schools would also see an increase of nearly $5 million over the biennium, resulting in more second chance opportunities for those who did not finish high school.

When it comes to improving Indiana’s education system though, we must also look beyond the student. We have to commit to supporting teachers as well. To illustrate this, our budget provides teachers who purchase classroom supplies out of their own pocket with a $200 tax credit. It also continues to reward effective and highly effective educators by allotting $60 million in teacher performance grants.

 

After months of crunching numbers, I am pleased with the much needed assistance this budget would provide schools across our community. I truly believe that this investment cements education as Indiana’s highest priority and sends a message to both students and teachers that Indiana not only supports them, but is committed to their success.

 

For more information on the 2015 House budget, please visit: iga.in.gov.

 

Arrest made after home invasion robbery/ shootout

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Evansville Police have made an arrest in connection with a home invasion robbery at 222 E. Missouri. The incident was reported to police around 10:20 on Thursday night.
The victim, Rudy Studdard (26), told investigators that he answered a knock at the door and was confronted by three black males with guns. The three suspects entered the apartment and attempted to rob him. Studdard recognized one of the suspects, but could not remember his name. Studdard said the suspects shot at him during the robbery. He was not injured. A female in the apartment at the time of the robbery was also uninjured.
Investigators found several shell casings at the scene and believed more than one gun had been fired during the incident. Studdard claimed he had been shot at, but denied having a gun or shooting at the suspects.
Studdard later admitted to getting his gun during the incident and firing at the suspects. Studdard told investigators that he had thrown his gun down a nearby sewer grate prior to police arriving. A water department employee removed the sewer grate for investigators, but no gun was found. Studdard also said his dog had attacked at least one of the suspects.
About 15 minutes after the call to 222 E. Missouri, 24 year old ANTHONY STOKES arrived a local hospital to be treated for a dog bite and a gunshot wound to the back.
STOKES told investigators he was walking in the area of 222 E. Missouri and heard gunshots and was then was attacked by a dog. He realized he was injured and went to the hospital. He denied taking part in the robbery.
Studdard was shown a photo lineup and identified STOKES as one of the suspects who tried to rob him.
STOKES remains under police guard while he is being treated for his injures. He will be transferred to the Vanderburgh County Jail upon his release from the hospital.
STOKES is charged with Attempted Armed Robbery and Attempted Battery with a Firearm. The investigation is ongoing and more arrests are possible.For full details, view this message on the web.
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