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Veteran Suicide Prevention Bill Includes Dr. Bucshon’s Reforms

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(WASHINGTON, DC) – On Thursday, President Obama signed into law H.R. 203, the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention for American Veterans Act (Clay Hunt SAV Act), a bill that aims to prevent veteran suicides and ensure veterans have access to resources that help them overcome the psychological struggles of war.  This reform bill includes a pilot program first introduced by Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08) to recruit more psychiatrists and increase access to critical mental healthcare services for our nation’s veterans.

“Many of the brave men and women who have served our country are returning home without proper attention to their mental health needs. Tragically, we are losing 22 veterans every day to suicide. Improving access to mental healthcare is a critical first step to reversing this trend,” said Congressman Bucshon, M.D.  “During my career as a physician and my time working at the VA, I saw the need for new dedicated methods that encourage more psychiatrists to choose a career helping veterans. Our veterans have made tremendous sacrifices for this country, and I firmly believe we should do everything in our power to support them. I’m happy that my pilot program to recruit more qualified psychiatrists across the country to serve our veterans was incorporated into this important bill.”   

This bill is named after Clay Hunt, a Marine veteran who earned a Purple Heart in Iraq before redeploying to Afghanistan.  Upon his return from duty, Clay was diagnosed with PTSD and later tragically took his own life at age 28.

Clay’s story is unfortunately not uncommon. Many of our veterans return from battle facing obstacles to the mental health resources they need. The Office of Inspector General (OIG) in the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) reports that one of the Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) greatest challenges has been to hire and retain psychiatrists to properly diagnose, treat, and monitor the mental health of veterans.

Drawing on his experience practicing medicine and his time at the VA Hospital in Milwaukee, WI, Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. introduced a pilot program to fill the growing vacancy of psychiatric care in the VA system through a recruitment and loan repayment model. This program was outlined in Bucshon’s bill, H.R. 4234, the Ensuring Veterans Resiliency Act, and incorporated into the Clay Hunt SAV Act.

American Psychiatric Association (APA) President Jeffrey Lieberman, M.D. praised Bucshon’s pilot program saying, “this legislation will help ensure that our nation’s veterans, who often face significant mental health challenges, have access to much needed, high quality, mental health care.”

H.R. 203 passed the House by a vote 403 to 0 in early January of this year and subsequently cleared the Senate 99 to 0 at the beginning of February.

 

Congressman Larry Bucshon, a physician from Southern Indiana, is serving his third term in the U.S. House of Representatives. In the 114th Congress, 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.

Energize Evansville’s “Fitness in the Park” to Host Water Aerobics

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Free exercise session Saturday, Feb. 21, at Lloyd Pool

Mayor Lloyd Winnecke invites the community to join him at Lloyd Pool, 6101 N. 1st Ave., for the monthly Energize Evansville “Fitness in the Park” free workout on Saturday, Feb. 21, from 9 to 11 a.m. This month’s program features water aerobics led by instructors from Tri-State Athletic Club.

Instructors will lead participants through different variations of each exercise so the exercise session is fun for all fitness levels. Everyone is encouraged to bring shoes which may be worn in the pool and to exercise at their own pace.

“Fitness in the Park” is a health and fitness program launched by Mayor Winnecke as part of his Energize Evansville initiative to promote healthier lifestyles. The program is held the third Saturday of each month from 9 to 11 a.m. at a different city park featuring local fitness experts leading group exercises.

The next session will be held at the C.K. Newsome Community Center, 100 E. Walnut St., on March 21. Energize Evansville “Fitness in the Park” will resume its partnership with Deaconess Health System on April 18 at Wesselman Park, kicking off the exercise session with a one-hour Healthier U Walk.

For additional information, contact Evansville Department of Parks & Rec. Sports Director Lisa Wube at (812) 436-6141.

IS IT TRUE February 16, 2015

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IS IT TRUE the City County Observer intentionally avoided the frantic rush to be first, second, or even third to publish an article about the fire at Marina Point in the wee hours of Saturday morning?             … sometimes articles that have the potential to have political implications need to rest a while until some reality starts to emerge? …that and the fact that it was a Valentine’s Day weekend drove our decision to stay away from this story until now? …one thing that is for sure about the reporting of this fire and the events surrounding it is that Evansville’s MAINSTREAM MEDIA has been engaged in some SUBLIMINAL MESSAGING about the fire at Marina Point?

IS IT TRUE Democrat candidate for Mayor of Evansville Gail Riecken viewed the Marina fire from an adjourning property,  was not detained by the police, and does not own or manage Marina Point but one would never know it by the headlines thrust upon the general public by the mainstream media? …article after article appeared online with the name “Riecken” leading the headline giving the clear impression that Gail Riecken was part of the excitement created by the fire? …while it is true that Representative Riecken’s husband Ron Riecken did travel down to the his daughter business that he helps manage to see what was the ruckus, Gail was never there with him?

IS IT TRUE some of the articles left a bit of uncertainty about whether or not Ron Riecken had alcohol on his breath and even intimated that he was somehow a major threat to the officers of the Evansville Police Department or the Evansville Fire Department?…we know for a fact that Ron Riecken hasn’t had an alcoholic drank in over 30 years …we are sure that there was adrenaline flowing through Mr. Riecken’s body given the direct threat to his daughters business?  …we really wonder if it was necessary for the 71 year old man to be put into handcuffs behind his back and forced to the ground and sit on the wet driveway in sub zero weather for about 45 minutes in yet another Rambo moment in Evansville? …it would had been more reasonable for EPD to sit Mr. Riecken in a warm squad car and allow him to clam down so he provide them with information how to a fight a fire on the water with Inland Marina state-of- the-art Fire Boat? …this all occurred within less than a mile of where Louise Milan’s home was busted into Rambo style by a group of overzealous EPD officers passing judgement over a open source internet router? …the over-reaction of cuffing and forcing a 71 year old man to sit on the cold ground who really doesn’t scare much of anyone is mistake #1 of the evening?

IS IT TRUE Marina Point had and still has a working state -of-the-art Fire Boat which was fully capable of being piloted and operated by Coast Guard Licensed Boat Captain Ron Riecken to take water from the Ohio River and show members of the EFD how to property apply it to the fire on the first boat that was burning? …it is alleged that the ERD fire boat that showed up may had a faulty pump and couldn’t pump water on the burning boat which is typical for capital equipment in the possession of the City of Evansville? …that the alleged faulty pump problem lead the EFD to cut the burning boat loose in hopes that it would drift into the main channel of Ohio River and burn itself out instead of drifting into four other boats and spreading the fire to them? …given the fact that 5 boat owners and Marina Point incurred many millions of dollars worth of damage?  …it is a foregone conclusion that the insurance companies will be spending lots of forensic dollars getting to the bottom of who is at fault for the millions of dollars of property damages? …we hope that the EFD and EPD have clear video recordings of this entire event so the taxpayers won’t be faced with a multi-million dollar law suit liability?

IS IT TRUE the other question that is yet to be resolved is why in the heck three people were on a houseboat supposedly cleaning it up to sell at 1 am on a night when it was below freezing? …it is hard to think of any good reason to be cleaning a boat in 17 degree weather at 1 am in February in Evansville, IN? …time will bring the truth of this story out too? …that whatever Gail Riecken’s daughter and son-in-law did and whether they were drinking is of no consequence to the Evansville Mayoral campaign and the mainstream media knows it?…the City County Observer is relieved that no one was hurt and realizes that property damage has a way of being fixed? …the rush to sensationalize a fire at Inland Marina has lots of the general public misinformed?…we hope this all comes out and the truth prevails, because the fire and the aftermath are a classic exercise in politically motivated malfeasance?

Evansville man arrested for attempted murder

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SPONSORED BY DEFENSE ATTORNEY IVAN ARNAEZ.
DON’T GO TO COURT ALONE. CALL IVAN ARNAEZ @ 812-424-6671.

Evansville Police arrested 22 year old Thomas Jacob Moss after he allegedly shot a female aquantence.

Police were called to the Value Place Hotel, 8221 Stahl Rd, around 12:15 Sunday morning for a reported shooting.
Moss was taken into custody in a hallway as soon as officers arrived. During the investigation, officers determined Moss had shot 31 year old Samantha Lowe while the two were inside of a third floor room.
Lowe was taken to a local hospital for treatment of multiple gunshot wounds. Her current condition is not being released.
Several bullets penetrated the wall and went into an adjoining room. The two occupants of the other room were not injured.
Moss told police he was staying with Lowe to protect her from.an ex-boyfriend. Moss said masked men had been at the motel earlier but police were not called. Moss told police thay he began shooting when he thought he saw someone pointing a gun from behind the electrical socket in the wall. He also said he thought Lowe was hiding under the bed when he opened fire. Lowe was unable to provide much info before being taken to the hospital. She did, however, identify Moss as the person who shot her.
Moss has been charged with Attempted Murder and 2 counts of Criminal Recklessness. His booking photo is available through the Vanderburgh County Sheriff website.

NEWS ALERT: HB 1561 Should Be Of Interest To All Rural Vanderburgh County Residents.

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indiana seal

The attached is HB 1561 should be of interest to all rural Vanderburgh County residents.   HB1561,authored by Representative Mahan(R)and co-authored by Truitt(R).  

Attached is the synopsis of the proposed House Bill 1561 posted below for your review: This proposed bill provides that is an annexation territory receives ANY services from the annexing municipality,the landowners DO NOT have a right to remonstrate against annexation.
There are 2 highlights of this bill should be of concern to rural residents of Vanderburgh County.  This proposed bill would  require that if no services are provided,  60% of the landowners,  or 75% of the assessed property valuation must sign a remonstrance petition.
 
The highlights of highlights and full synopsis is attached below.
 
If this proposed HB 1561 causes you any concerns we urged you to contact your State Representative to voice your concern soon as possible 

Introduced Version HOUSE BILL No. 1561 _____ DIGEST OF INTRODUCED BILL Citations Affected: IC 36-4-3. Synopsis: Annexation. Provides the following for annexations for which an annexation ordinance is adopted after June 30, 2015:

(1) Provides that if an annexation territory receives any services from the annexing municipality, the landowners do not have a right to remonstrate against the annexation. (2) Provides that if the annexation territory does not receive any services from the annexing municipality, at least 60% of landowners (instead of 65%) or the owners of 75% of the assessed value of the property in the territory are required to sign a sufficient remonstrance petition. (3) Allows a municipality to obtain a waiver of a landowner’s right to remonstrate and any right of a successor in title to remonstrate, as a condition of providing any service to the landowner. (4) Requires a landowner to have the landowner’s property rezoned as agricultural before an annexation ordinance is adopted, in order to obtain the agricultural property tax exemption. Requires the landowner to pay any rezoning costs, except that the annexing municipality pays the cost of resurveying the property, if resurveying is necessary. (5) Provides that the annexation fiscal plan is similar to plans required for local government mergers and reorganizations. (6) Prohibits the fiscal plan from being amended after a remonstrance petition is filed, unless the amendment is consented to by remonstrators. (7) Requires the department of local government finance to issue comments on the fiscal plan. (8) Requires a municipality to conduct an outreach program to inform citizens about a proposed annexation. (9) Allows remonstrators who prevail at a remonstrance hearing to recover expenses incurred in filing the remonstrance, including reasonable attorney’s fees, in an amount not to (Continued next page) Effective: July 1, 2015. Mahan, Truitt January 20, 2015, read first time and referred to Committee on Government and Regulatory Reform. 2015IN 1561—LS 7320/DI 87

Digest Continued exceed $20,000. Provides common names for the different annexation procedures. Removes an annexation procedure applicable only to a municipality in St. Joseph County. 2015IN 1561—LS 7320/DI 87 2015IN 1561—LS 7320/DI 87

Introduced First Regular Session of the 119th General Assembly (2015) PRINTING CODE. Amendments: Whenever an existing statute (or a section of the Indiana Constitution) is being amended, the text of the existing provision will appear in this style type, additions will appear in this style type , and deletions will appear in this style type. Additions: Whenever a new statutory provision is being enacted (or a new constitutional provision adopted), the text of the new provision will appear in this style type . Also, the word NEW will appear in that style type in the introductory clause of each SECTION that adds a new provision to the Indiana Code or the Indiana Constitution. Conflict reconciliation: Text in a statute in this style type or this style type reconciles conflicts between statutes enacted by the 2014 Regular Session and 2014 Second Regular Technical Session of the General Assembly. HOUSE BILL No. 1561 A BILL FOR AN ACT to amend the Indiana Code concerning local government. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Indiana:

 SECTION 1. IC 36-4-3-1.2 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE 2 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS

[EFFECTIVE JULY 3 1, 2015]: Sec. 1.2. The annexation procedures may be referred to as 4 follows: 5 (1) An annexation under section 5 of this chapter may be 6 referred to as a landowner initiated annexation. 7 (2) An annexation under section 5.1 of this chapter may be 8 referred to as a unanimous landowner initiated annexation. 9 (3) An annexation to which section 5 or 5.1 of this chapter 10 does not apply may be referred to as a municipality initiated 11 annexation. 12 SECTION 2. IC 36-4-3-1.7 IS ADDED TO THE INDIANA CODE 13 AS A NEW SECTION TO READ AS FOLLOWS [EFFECTIVE JULY 14 1, 2015]: Sec. 1.7. (a) This section applies only to an annexation 2015IN 1561—LS 7320/DI 87

Here is a listing of the members of the Local Government Committee that will be hearing HB1561. You may write to each of them: h (district number)@iga.in.gov (example h76@iga.in./gov)
Republicans
Mahan, Chairman-h31,  Lucas,-h69,  Harman-h17,  Kirchhofer-h89,  McNamara- h76,  Miller-h48.

Ollhoff,-h19,  Truitt,- Co-chair- h26,  Wolkins, h18.

Democrats-Riecken- h77,  Bartlett-h95,  Errington-h34,  Harris-h2.

 

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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SPONSORED BY DEFENSE ATTORNEY IVAN ARNAEZ.
 DON’T GO TO COURT ALONE. CALL IVAN ARNAEZ @ 812-424-6671.

EPD Activity Report

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 SPONSORED BY DEFENSE ATTORNEY IVAN ARNAEZ.
 DON’T GO TO COURT ALONE. CALL IVAN ARNAEZ @ 812-424-6671.

Justices: Previous ruling did not alter fundamental error doctrine

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Jennifer Nelson for www.theindianalawyer.com

The Indiana Supreme Court wants to clear up potential confusion involving the state’s fundamental error doctrine.

The justices granted transfer to Brandon Brummett v. State of Indiana, 49S02-1502-CR-69, to clarify that its ruling in Ryan v. State, 9 N.E.3d 663 (Ind. 2004), did not alter the doctrine of fundamental error.

In Ryan and Brummett, the principal issue was whether the prosecutor engaged in prosecutorial misconduct, and if so, whether the claim was procedurally defaulted due to defense counsel’s failure to timely raise an objection at trial or whether reversal should result under the doctrine of fundamental error.

In Ryan, the convictions were affirmed because the defendant failed to contemporaneously object to the misconduct, and the misconduct did not warrant application of the fundamental error doctrine. That ruling was handed down a day after the Court of Appeals reversed Brandon Brummett’s convictions after finding the prosecutorial misconduct in that case amounted to fundamental error.

On rehearing, the COA affirmed, writing that “the prosecutor’s misconduct did amount to fundamental error under the standard now to be used,” which implied that Ryan may have created a new fundamental error standard, Justice Brent Dickson wrote.

But that is not the case. Ryan simply restated and applied the longstanding standard, he wrote, as did the ruling in Brummett. As such, justices summarily affirmed, except for the sentence implying a new standard has been created.

DEVELOPMENTAL SERIES CLASS WILL ADDRESS CHILDREN’S SLEEP

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The next class in the 2015 Developmental Series will take place Thursday, February 26th from 11:00 a.m. – Noon in the conference room of the St. Mary’s Center for Children, located at 3900 Washington Avenue in Evansville. The topic is “The Lost Art of Sleep” with presenter Dr. Jim Schroeder.

This edition of the series will give an overview of typical sleep patterns for young children, markers for disrupted sleep, and methods that parents or caregivers can use to improve sleep habits.  Evidence indicates that the earlier parents address sleep issues in children, the more likely that youth will adopt good sleep patterns that can provide the best opportunity for good physical and psychological development.  Chronically-poor sleep is associated with a number of concerns, including attention, mood, and memory difficulties.

The 2015 Developmental Series is presented by the St. Mary’s Center for Children and ECHO Community Health Care. It is geared toward parents and caregivers of children ages 0 – 3 years old.  Child care will be provided on-site. Light refreshments and snacks will be served. To view all the classes offered in 2015, go to www.stmarys.org/developmental-series.

Classes are free, but registration is required. Please call either of the phone numbers below to reserve a spot.

  • Lindsey Kranpitz  or Kelly Shaw

Resource Specialists, St. Mary’s Children’s

812.485.7425

  • Cindy Zirkelbach, RN

ECHO Community Health Care

812.436.4501

Dr. Jim Schroeder, Pediatric Psychologist at St. Mary’s Center for Children, and his wife Amy will discuss the following topics:

  • Normal signs/challenges of child development
  • Early indications of problems
  • Programs and agencies that can help
  • Your questions on the challenges of raising young children

Amy Schroeder graduated from the University of Evansville with a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree in Elementary Education and a Middle School Math endorsement.  She has several years of teaching experience in Louisville and St. Louis parochial schools.

Catch the latest edition of the “Indiana State Police Road Show” radio program every Monday morning at your convenience.

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This week’s show features Captain Sherri Rees and Officer Dennis Bennett, of the Indiana State Police Capitol Police Division. Rees and Bennett discuss the responsibilities and duties of the Capitol Police Division as well as the basic requirements to apply to the department.

 

Download the program from the Network Indiana public websites at www.networkindiana.com.  Look for the state police logo on the main page and follow the download instructions. The ISP Road Show can also be viewed via YouTube.

 

Go to https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCu5Bg1KjBd7H1GxgkuV3YJA or visit the Indiana State Police website at http://www.in.gov/isp/   and click on the YouTube link. This 15 minute talk show concentrates on public safety and informational topics with state wide interest.

 

The radio program was titled “Signal-10” in the early sixties when it was first started by two troopers in northern Indiana. The name was later changed to the “Indiana State Police Road Show” and is the longest continuously aired state police public service program in Indiana.

 

Radio stations across Indiana and the nation are invited to download and air for FREE this public service program sponsored by the Indiana State Police Alliance and Cops for Kids, a subsidiary of the Indiana State Police Alliance.

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