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UE Concrete Canoe Swamp Day Set for Tuesday, April 14

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The University of Evansville student concrete canoe team will test their canoe on Tuesday, April 14, to see if it will float. On Swamp Day, as the students call it, the canoe will be placed in a tank filled with water in front of the Koch Center for Engineering and Science on UE’s campus. The test is scheduled from 5:00-6:30 p.m., and the public is invited to come and watch the proceedings.

The swamp test is part of the UE team’s preparation for the concrete canoe portion of the American Society of Civil Engineering (ASCE) Great Lakes Conference.

“It’s a safety test that all canoes have to pass in order to be eligible to participate in the race portion of the competition. In fact, it’s a test that even regular canoes have to pass in order to be deemed safe for water sports,” explains Mark Valenzuela, UE associate professor of engineering, who is a faculty advisor for the team.

The ASCE Great Lakes Conference will be hosted by Notre Dame on Thursday, April 16. The conference’s concrete canoe races are Friday, April 17, and formal oral presentations about the project in front of civil engineering professionals is Saturday, April 18.

 

Bucshon, Whitfield, Kennedy, and Pallone Introduce Legislation to Combat Prescription Drug Abuse

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Representatives Larry Bucshon, M.D. (R-IN-08), Ed Whitfield (R-KY-01), Joe Kennedy, III (D-MA-04), and Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-NJ-06) introduced bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the National All Schedules Prescription Electronic Reporting Act, or NASPER Act.  NASPER provides grant funding to States to foster the use of prescription drug monitoring programs (PDMPs) in the fight against the growing prescription drug abuse epidemic.

 

Representative Ed Whitfield:

 

“Prescription drug abuse continues to takes lives, ruin families, and drain on our health care system and its resources. Tragically, drug overdose death rates in the United States have increased five-fold since 1980, and drug overdose now kills more Americans than automobile accidents. The NASPER program will provide States with the necessary investments to build upon the success PDMPs have had in reducing prescription drug abuse through streamlined access to timely, accurate, and secure patient prescription history. This will allow physicians to properly treat their patients while cracking down on the interstate trafficking of prescription medications and patients who are simply doctor shopping.”

 

Representative Joe Kennedy, III:

 

“There are few people in this country that have been spared the heartbreak of watching a loved one, neighbor or friend fall victim to opiate addiction. It’s an epidemic striking red states and blue states, small towns and big cities, neighborhoods rich and poor. The bipartisan coalition behind this bill today is a testament not just to the breadth and depth of the problem but to the commitment in Congress to address it.  NASPER works to strengthen one important piece of the solution – prescription monitoring. It will empower states and advocates on the front lines of this crisis to build successful PDMPs that can communicate across state lines and help identify at-risk behavior – a key first step in fending off addiction before it starts.”

 

Representative Larry Bucshon, M.D.:

 

“Prescription drug addiction has become an epidemic affecting too many of our families in Indiana. As a physician, I’ve seen firsthand how addiction can turn lives upside down. That’s why I’m proud to join a bipartisan effort to address this problem and bring relief to our communities. Reauthorizing NASPER will give states and local communities the resources necessary to monitor prescription drug use and to make sure prescription drugs are not crossing state lines. By not interfering with physicians’ ability to care for their patients, this bill promotes good medical practices and helps stop addiction in its tracks.”

 

Representative Frank Pallone, Jr.:

 

“The misuse of prescription drugs has escalated at an alarming rate over the last two decades with corresponding increases in both overdose deaths and addiction.  Many people, especially teenagers, believe prescription drugs are safer than illegal drugs because they are manufactured and prescribed by doctors.  However, with prescription drugs accounting for over 20,000 deaths in the United States each year, that is a potentially lethal misconception.  I am pleased to re-introduce the bipartisan NASPER Act in order to help ensure that prescription drugs are used only for intended purposes with legitimate prescriptions.”

 

Background:

 

NASPER originally became law August 11, 2005 and is administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) within the Department of Health and Human Services. It is designed to assist states in combating prescription drug abuse of controlled substances through prescription drug monitoring programs, or PDMPs.

 

The reauthorization of NASPER would allow SAMHSA to provide grants to states for the establishment, implementation, and improvement of PDMPs offering timely access to accurate prescription information. This is critical to a provider’s ability to screen and treat patients at risk for addiction. Recognizing the importance of data sharing between state PDMPs, The NASPER program also promotes greater information sharing by requiring grantees to facilitate PDMP interoperability with at least one bordering state, while simultaneously protecting against unauthorized access to patient records. The NASPER reauthorization language would also encourage States to explore ways to incorporate access to their PDMPs into provider workflow systems such as electronic health records and e-prescribing. Making prescriber access to PDMPs faster and more efficient will facilitate great usage of these effective warning systems.

 

 

IS IT TRUE APRIL 14, 2015

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IS IT TRUE City Councilwoman Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley stole the show last night in her questioning of City Controller Russ Lloyd, Jr? …Brinkerhoff-Riley questioned the City’s invoice to the Utility for 2015 payments in the amount of approximately $2.5 million in late December to keep the City’s general fund from being negative at the end of year? …this $2.5 million was revenue that should have been paid to the City in 2015 but was necessary to pay bills in 2014? …the City now will be short that amount for its 2015 budget? …for the City to end on a positive note on December 31, 2014, it required these 2015 funds plus sitting on over $5 million in 2014 bills?

IS IT TRUE Russ Lloyd, Jr agreed with City Council and acknowledged that a spending plan was necessary for 2015 in light of revenue not matching expenditures? …rather than offer suggestions for lowering spending, the Controller listed off City fees, such as golf, burials, parks and recreation and bus fare, that could be raised to generate more revenue? …City Councilwoman Connie Robinson lamented the fact that the poor and working class residents of Evansville would be hardest hit by fee increases?

IS IT TRUE that City Controller Russ Lloyd, Jr is the king of cash advancements?  …in October of 2014 Russ approach the Vanderburgh County Treasurer, Ms. Susan Kirk and asking for and receiving advancement $2.8 million which was needed to shear up deficiencies in the City’s General Fund?… that this the fund pays our police, firefighters and the day to day city expenses?  …even after the advances the City Controller General Fund balance as of October 31, 2014 was upside down by $16.7 million dollars?

IS IT TRUE that on December 29th, 2014,  City Controller Lloyd showed up at the Water Utility Department requesting that $2.5 million dollars be transferred into the General Fund of the City?  …if that transfer had not occurred the General Fund balance as of December 31, 2014 would have been NEGATIVE by $2.2 million dollars?

IS IT TRUE after the Evansville City Council voted 9-0 in favor of a resolution asking for the repeal of RFRA, State Representative Gail Riecken said, “I am very pleased the Evansville City Council has followed my lead on standing up against RFRA and showing that Evansville is a welcoming and inclusive city”?  …she also stated “that this is a step in the right direction but we can’t stop here, we need to push for a local law that protects LGBT citizens from discrimination”?

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ OUR READERS POLL QUESTION AND CAST YOUR VOTE ACCORDINGLY.

COA agrees lawsuit may continue in Indiana under Journey’s Account Statute

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Jennifer Nelson for www.theindianalawyer.com

Although a plaintiff in a lawsuit stemming from a car accident in Indiana used bad judgment when he filed the suit in federal court in Illinois, where he lives, there was no error by a Tippecanoe County court to allow the lawsuit to later proceed when filed there based on the Journey’s Account Statute, ruled the Court of Appeals.

Jerome Woroszylo sued Lafayette, Indiana, resident Israel Munoz for damages in November 2013 in federal court in Illinois after the two were involved in a car accident in Indiana on Nov. 29, 2011. Munoz filed a motion to dismiss, which the federal court granted in April 2014, based on lack of personal jurisdiction over Munoz. The case was dismissed instead of transferred to federal court in Indiana, and Woroszylo then filed a complaint two weeks later in Tippecanoe County against Munoz.

Munoz sought to also dismiss the state court action because it wasn’t filed under the two-year statute of limitations applicable to personal injury claims. The trial court denied the motion based on the Journey’s Account Statute.

On interlocutory appeal in Israel Munoz v. Jerome Woroszylo, 79A02-1409-CT-679, Munoz argued the circumstances of the dismissal of the complaint in Woroszylo’s action in federal court amounted to negligence under the terms of the Journey’s Account Statute, so that statute did not operate to save his claim from dismissal in Indiana.

When dismissing the case, the Illinois judge called Woroszylo’s decision to file in Illinois – where he and his treating physicians reside – an “elementary mistake and ill-advised strategy.” But there’s no evidence Woroszylo filed the lawsuit in Illinois with intent to abuse judicial process or create undue delay, Judge L. Mark Bailey wrote.

“Woroszylo’s decision to file suit in the Northern District of Indiana was bad judgment. Bad judgment is not, however, bad faith,” he wrote. “Indeed, we note that while the federal court had discretionary authority to decline Woroszylo’s request that his case be transferred into the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana, if Woroszylo had brought suit in an improper venue in an Indiana state court, transfer to an Indiana court with proper venue would have been mandatory under Indiana’s venue rules. This reflects Indiana courts’ general preference for deciding cases on their merits and for avoiding the construction of procedural obstacles to the presentation of such cases. Indeed, the very same policy is served by the Journey’s Account Statute.”

EVSC Virtual Academy to Host Informational Session

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Students in kindergarten through grade 12 and their families interested in learning more about virtual learning are invited to attend the EVSC Virtual Academy’s informational meeting Tuesday, April 21, at 6 p.m. at the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center, located at 1901 Lynch Rd. in Evansville.

At the meeting, students and families will learn more about the EVSC Virtual Academy, review the content of the courses offered, receive instruction expectations, ask questions and more.

The EVSC Virtual Academy offers full- and part-time online instruction for students in grades 9 – 12 and full-time enrollment for students in kindergarten through eighth grade. The online curriculum is taught and facilitated by licensed EVSC teachers. The high school curriculum includes required and elective courses and numerous Advanced Placement courses. Students enrolled in online courses have regular contact with teachers to ensure they are progressing successfully.

For more information, individuals can contact Janet Leistner, director of EVSC Virtual Academy, at 435-0939 or visit www.evscschools.com/evscva.

Vanderburgh County Divorce Records for week of 4/6/2015

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Divorce Records

Dr. Bucshon to Hold U.S. Service Academy Day

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Eighth District Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08) will hold an informational session for all high school students interested in applying to one of the U.S. Service Academies on Saturday, April 18th, 2015.

Who: Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08)
What: U.S. Service Academy Day
When: Saturday, April 18th, 2015 – 9:00am to 11:00am CDT (Registration begins at 8:30am CDT)
Where: VU Gibson County Center for Advanced Manufacturing & Logistics – 8100 South U.S. Highway 41 Fort Branch, Indiana 47648

The event will offer 8th District high school students the opportunity to learn more about the United States Service Academies, the application process, congressional nominations, and the everyday life of a Service Academy Cadet. More information on the event is available by clicking here. 

Representatives from these five academies will be in attendance:

-          The U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO

-          The U.S. Coast Guard Academy in New London, CT

-          The U.S. Merchant Marine Academy in Kings Point, NY

-          The U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY

-         The U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, MD

Each year, Dr. Bucshon has the privilege of nominating a limited number of high school students to attend four of the five service academies. The application process for a congressional nomination from Bucshon’s office for the class of 2020 will extend from March 1, 2015 until October, 1 2015.

For more information on the application process, students can visit - http://bucshon.house.gov/serving-you/military-academy-nominations or contact Samantha in Congressman Bucshon’s Evansville District Office at 812-465-6484.

 

IS DAN MCGINN TOO ELITE FOR HIS SEAT?

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Dan McGinn

Evansville City Councilman Dan McGinn was recently invited to appear on Tri-State Voices to answer questions from Democrat Mark Owen and Republican Cheryl Musgrave with his opponent for the May 5, 2015 Primary. McGinn refused to face his opponent conservative Tom Bozikis.

Tri-State Voices is a weekly 30 minute program broadcast on Sundays on local television and also available on the City County Observer website, the Tri-State Voices Facebook Page and the Tri-State Voices YouTube Channel. This program has bipartisan hosts who prepare questions for the candidates that are not disclosed prior to the program taping. For this election cycle the four City Council At Large candidates, four City Clerk candidates and one of the candidates for the Second Ward have already appeared. The candidates for the Sixth Ward will tape tomorrow night. The program has proven to be a fair discussion about important issues facing the community and is the only forum for the May 5th Primary where candidates must carry themselves. Unlike written questions that can be answered by anyone, candidates must think on their feet while viewers can surmise their comfort level and body language in answering tough questions.

Like Councilwoman Mosby, who also refused to appear, Councilman McGinn has a voting record he should be willing to discuss and defend. For example, in the last budget cycle, McGinn argued against budget cuts to Mesker Zoo but seemed proud of his willingness to cut fire suppression and law enforcement beyond a level that both agencies said they could absorb. Meanwhile, he wanted to spend $250,000 on the ShotSpotter program that would have had no impact on his ward while supporting cuts to public safety to pay for it that would have negatively impacted the residents he represents.

McGinn has never had an opponent for his City Council seat. He was appointed to the position at a political caucus and has never been challenged. Tom Bozikis is proving to be quite the opponent because of his true Republicans values. Both men are vying to represent an area that seems to have no problem with economic development. One difference between the candidates is how they feel about tax incentives. McGinn has professed his love for tax abatements to encourage businesses to locate in areas they would otherwise avoid.  Mr. Bozikis prefers to allow business owners to pick the spot best for them and pay their taxes. It’s an interesting debate given that City budgets have been upside down for the last three years and will have deficit spending again this year. McGinn’s willingness to cut the budget while also cutting potential tax revenue is a position worthy of discussion.

McGinn also supports annexation to grow the City’s tax base while Bozikis is opposed. McGinn’s position appears to be one of convenience, given the City cannot expand further to the east, and he would not have to take on angry annexed residents in an election. Mr. Bozikis has stated he is more interested in the City learning to live within its current means.

Other comments made by McGinn at City Council meetings are troubling. He has stated that he has no sympathy for homeowners caught in the mix of the new water meter installation and handed hefty bills for repairs. His comment was that it was the responsibility of home ownership and had no regard for large number of homeowners in the City struggling to keep their homes and who didn’t ask for a new water meter. He also stated that he didn’t care where people lived who were evicted for low level criminal acts under the Good Neighbor Ordinance. He seems to have forgotten that those people, whose behavior is not condoned here, often have families. He also rejected a rezoning in his ward that had the potential to be a worthy public housing project. He sat silently while residents he represents made broad, sweeping statements that poor people brought crime and trash. He should explain his stance concerning this worthwhile project given that the majority of Evansville residents struggle to survive. 42% of households county-wide do not earn enough to keep up with the cost of living in the area, and the median income in the County is higher than the City.  Another  troubling remark that Mr. McGinn made was at last night City Council meeting when he said “he open minded to taking away our ‘Homestead Tax Credit If economics merit it”.

We again invite Dan McGinn to answer questions and defend his record on Tri-State Voices. Our hosts will accommodate his schedule, as voters in the First Ward deserve to know how he feels about important governmental issue affecting them. The way it looks at this point is that Councilman McGinn “May Be Too Elite For His Seat”!

PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ OUR READERS POLL QUESTION AND CAST YOUR VOTE ACCORDINGLY.

ST. MARY’S HOSTING SCRAPBOOKING EVENT TO BENEFIT AUTISM SERVICES

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St. Mary’s Center for Children will host the 6th annual “Crop-Paper-Scissors” scrapbooking and craft event Saturday, April 25th from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in the St. Mary’s Manor Auditorium. Early registration is $35 and ends April 17th. After that, the fee is $40. Proceeds help fund autism services for children in the community.
The event includes a variety of craft activities, including scrapbooking, make and takes, stamping cards, and gift ideas. Attendees are encouraged to bring their current projects. There will also be door prizes, a silent auction, and items for sale from vendors Doodlebug and Creative Dreams. Lunch will be provided.
April is Autism Awareness Month. Autism is the fastest growing serious developmental disability in the United States, affecting 1 in 88 children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
To reserve your spot at Crop Paper Scissors or to make a donation, contact Kelly Shaw at 812-485-4419 or Kelly.Shaw@stmarys.org.

ENTIRE EXAMINATION REPORT FOR WATER AD WASTEWATER UTILITIES

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 Attached is the link to the entire SBOA Examination Report of Water and Wastewater Utilities of Vanderburgh/Evansville Indiana for January 1,2013 to December 31, 2013.
 
Please read pages 25and 26 of this report see how the City  officials responded to the SBOA. 
http://www.in.gov/sboa/WebReports/B44815.pdf
PLEASE TAKE TIME TO READ OUR READERS POLL QUESTION AND CAST YOUR VOTE ACCORDINGLY.
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