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EPD Activity Report October 28, 2014
Commentary: Yard signs, guns and more political ironies
By John Krull
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – The teacher told me about a time he’d gotten his hand slapped.
We were at a conference for high school students. He told me he’d pulled into his school’s parking lot with a load of yard signs touting the political candidacy of a friend of his in the back of the vehicle. He planned to distribute them after school.
A school administrator parked beside him and said it wasn’t a good idea for him to have the political signs on school property, even if they were locked away in his car.
Indiana state law prohibits public school teachers from doing any political work on school time or while on school property.
A little while later, I mentioned the incident to some students at the conference. One of them – a bright young woman from Southern Indiana – shook her head.
“Wait a minute,†she said. “You mean you can bring guns to school in your car but you can’t bring yard signs.â€
Everyone laughed.
“Well, that’s Indiana,†she chuckled.
A few days later, the joke doesn’t seem so funny.
Once again, there’s been another school shooting in America – this time in Washington. A young man went to his school and apparently shot some schoolmates, including a couple of his cousins and a girl he had dated, before turning the gun on himself.
The girl the shooter dated died. So did another girl. And several others remain in critical condition.
Once again, before the sounds of the weeping even have died away, the gun enthusiasts around the country have fired up their propaganda machines, using the same tired arguments to “prove†that a firearm played no part in a deadly shooting.
They contend that, because the young man broke several laws before he got to the school, more gun laws wouldn’t make a difference.
By that reasoning, of course, we should rewrite the entire legal code. Because some people drive too fast, we shouldn’t have speed limits. Because some people steal money that doesn’t belong to them, we shouldn’t have laws against theft. And because some people kill others, we shouldn’t have laws against murder.
Only in the world directed and counseled by the lobbyists and flacks at the National Rifle Association does the argument that because a law isn’t infallible we shouldn’t have any law at all seem persuasive.
The gun devotees also try to make the argument that cars are much deadlier – and they play a deliberately deceptive game in the process.
They point to the number of people murdered with guns each year in this country – generally somewhere in the neighborhood of 10,000 people – but include all of the people killed in cars in their reckoning. A more accurate comparison would be to include all of the people killed by guns, including those who die by accident, suicide or in undetermined circumstances.
When the counting is done the right way, the numbers are close – more than 30,000 of our fellow citizens every year.
And, while the gun enthusiasts love to play games with some numbers, there are a couple they never want to acknowledge.
The first is that there have been 87 school shootings in the United States since hell visited Sandy Hook Elementary School and more than two dozen little children and dedicated teachers died less than two years ago.
That’s right – 87. We’re on a pace of nearly a school shooting per week.
The other number the gun crowd ignores is: The rate of gun-related deaths in the United States per 100,000 people is 20 times – 2000 percent – higher than the average for the rest of the developed world.
We’re number one when it comes to killing our neighbors, friends, fellow citizens and family members.
In most other contexts, we Americans would work tirelessly to find a solution to a problem this tragic.
In this case, though, thanks to the NRA, we take pride in running away from the challenge. We say we can’t solve a problem every other developed nation in the world has met more effectively than we have.
In fact, here in Indiana, we let the gun lobby ram through legislation that allows people to bring guns onto school property.
But that’s Indiana.
We Hoosiers won’t do anything to protect school children from gun-related violence.
Thank goodness, though, that we’ve protected our kids from yard signs.
John Krull is director of Franklin College’s Pulliam School of Journalism, host of “No Limits†WFYI 90.1 Indianapolis and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Auditor candidates clash over experience, transparency
By Paige Clark
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – The race to become the next state auditor has become in part about what qualifies as the right experience for the job.
Suzanne Crouch, the incumbent who was appointed to the post early this year, says her work as a former county auditor, county commissioner and state lawmaker gives her a wealth of knowledge to draw from in the job.
But Democrat Mike Claytor has a different idea of what qualifies as experience. He is the first certified public accountant to run for state auditor in Indiana’s history and says that’s the kind of experience the office needs.
“I think having a qualified candidate, as opposed to just another politician makes a great difference,†Claytor said. “I actually know how the state system works. I spent 15 years with the Indiana State Board of Accounts.â€
Voters will choose the next auditor when they go to the polls Nov. 4. The auditor oversees the state’s payroll and financial transactions.
Four years ago, voters gave the post to Tim Berry, who resigned in 2013 to become chairman of the Indiana Republican Party. Gov. Mike Pence picked then-Brownsburg Town Councilman Dwayne Sawyer to replace Berry but Sawyer resigned a few months later citing personal reasons.
Then last December, Pence appointed Crouch, who said her “experiences not only at the state, but local level, qualify me to be the chief financial officer for the state of Indiana.“
Although the candidates are from different parties, they both share similar goals and expectations for the state auditor’s office.
Both want to increase transparency and accountability of the office.
However, Crouch thinks the state’s current transparency portal is among the best in the nation. It recently received the top ranking from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group’s fifth annual evaluation of state transparency websites.
Indiana received an A- on the evaluation, the highest grade doled out. The rubric for the evaluation says A states have use-friendly websites, not just for ordinary citizens, but also for experts and watchdogs to analyze the checkbook dataset.
But Claytor thinks the website could be better and that “transparency is certainly an issue.†He said the auditor is the lead agency for the portal.
“Our portal is not necessarily accurate, complete, or timely and not very user-friendly,†Claytor said.
“There have been news reports about state agencies not getting information out about a state agency or erasing information,†Claytor said. “That really does not allow citizens to know or understand where their money is being spent if the website is not complete. I think it is important that the state auditor ensures that all the information is complete and accurate.â€
Crouch said she has worked to increase transparency her entire career as a public servant. And she said she was the first person to televise meetings during her time as county commissioner to improve transparency at the local level.
“The more transparent the government is the more (citizens) know about it and the more accountable it is,†Crouch said. “I want to continue to do it for the taxpayers. Every dollar must be spent with consideration, every dollar that comes to the government has a name and face attached to it.â€
But, Claytor said accountability is more than increasing transparency. He wants to introduce “an internal auditor program to the state auditor’s office.â€
“The state auditor’s office doesn’t really do any auditing but they should really be doing internal auditing,†Claytor said. “The auditors office has really become a very clerical function. It’s really just a check process function. It really doesn’t do any auditing of state bodies or state agencies. It really needs to go back to being an oversight agency.â€
Paige Clark is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College students.
ISP ATTENDS CUTTING EDGE TRAINING IN LOUISVILLE, KY
On October 14th and 15th, twelve detectives from the Indiana State Police and nine crime scene investigators, also from the Indiana State Police, participated in a forensic gunshot wound evaluation program. The training was part of a 40 hour educational course including a two day practicum, in which the officers observed scenario re-enactments, learned about gunshot trajectory and impact analysis, evidence collection, and wound feature identification.
The training course was the first of its kind here in the United States and designed to help support new standards that will protect justice and save taxpayer dollars. In addition, the course will help support transparency and objectivity in cases involving violent crime and gunshot evidence. The program’s content was developed by renowned forensic science expert, Dr. Bill Smock.
Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter stated, “This training will enhance the Department’s statewide capabilities as it pertains to investigating and processing crime scenes involving the use of firearms. Additionally, it will be the first step in developing an advanced group of ISP personnel who are trained in investigating the many facets of use of force incidents. The personnel selected represent the Criminal Investigation Division and the Laboratory Division and were selected based on their experience and capabilities. By selecting detectives and crime scene investigators geographically from around the state, this will not only provide for a timely response to incidents, but will give the Department highly trained personnel throughout the state, which will enhance the overall investigative product for the communities in which they serve.â€
Halloween Safety Tips
The Indiana State Police would like to remind parents of a few safety tips to observe during the Halloween holiday. Parents and children will be out in full force this week trick-or-treating and the Indiana State Police would like to remind parents that observing just a few rules will help can make the evening both fun and safe.
Costume Tips
•Keep costumes short to prevent trips and falls.
•Try make-up instead of a mask. Masks often obstruct a child’s vision, which makes tasks like crossing the street and going up and down stairs dangerous.
•Make sure children wear light colors or put reflective tape on their costumes.
Trick or Treating
•Make sure older children trick-or-treat with friends. Together, map out a safe route so parents know where they will be.
•Instruct children to stop only at familiar homes where the outside lights are on.
•Encourage children to trick-or-treat while it’s still light out. If children are out after dark, make sure they have flashlights and travel on well lighted streets.
•Remind children not to enter the homes or cars of strangers.
•Follow your communities trick-or-treating hours.
Treats
•Remind children not to eat any of their treats until they get home.
•Check out all treats at home in a well-lighted place.
•Only eat unopened candies and other treats that are in original wrappers. Remember to inspect fruits for anything suspicious.
Additionally, many communities, schools and churches offer children safe alternatives to trick-or-treating designed to keep children safely within parents’ view. Some hospitals and schools allow children to trick-or-treat by going from room to room virtually eliminating the dangers associated with being out walking on the street after dark.
Motorists are reminded that they should also do their part in making Halloween safe for children. Make sure to drive cautiously including driving below the posted speed limit while in town during trick or treat hours.
Avoid talking on a cell phone or other distracting activities. Remember, excited children may dart out into traffic at any time without warning. Drive with your headlights on even during the daylight trick or treat hours so your vehicle is more visible to children. Have a happy and safe Halloween.
EVSC Announces 2014 Hall of Fame Honorees
       The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation and EVSC Foundation today announced honorees in the biennially-awarded EVSC Hall of Fame, Class of 2014. The EVSC Hall of Fame honors distinguished individuals who exemplify outstanding achievement in their life’s work and who have made a positive impact on public education in the greater community. It also emphasizes the importance of service to community and inspires EVSC students to seek excellence in their own education and careers.
Honorees were selected following nominations made during September. Judges were: Superintendent David Smith, EVSC Foundation President Kevin Hammett, Senator Vaneta Becker, the Honorable Randall Shepard, and School Board President Chris Kiefer.
The 2014 Hall of Fame inductees will be honored on March 18, 2014, at a celebration dinner sponsored by EVSC Foundation at 6 p.m., at the Tropicana Conference Center. To order a table for the event or for additional information, please call Amy Dressel at 812-435-0229.
The 2014 EVSC Hall of Fame honorees are:
Kevin Eastridge
Mr. Eastridge graduated from Harrison High School, received a Bachelor’s Degree from Indiana University, and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Evansville. He is president of F.C. Tucker Emge Realtors. Mr. Eastridge is past president of the University of Southern Indiana Foundation, the Rehabilitation Center, Vanderburgh County – Indiana University Alumni Association, and Greater Evansville Lenders Association of Realtors. He is also past Director of the YMCA of Southwestern Indiana, Habitat for Humanity of Evansville, and St. Mary’s Hospital Foundation. Mr. Eastridge is currently President of the Indiana Association of Realtors, and was awarded Realtor of the Year by the Southwest Indiana Association of Realtors. He serves as Director of the National Association of Realtors and Federal Political Coordinator of the National Association of Realtors. Mr. Eastridge successfully led the Harrison High School Campaign to raise $100,000 to name the Charlie Siesky track.
Joan Finch
Ms. Joan Finch attended Lincoln High School, Evansville College, Indiana University, and the University of Evansville. She taught Business Education at Harrison High School and Central High School before becoming assistant principal and then principal at Central High School. Ms. Finch was the first female high school principal in the EVSC. She received the Golden Hoosier Award from the State of Indiana, the American Red Cross Award for Service and Dedication and was inducted into the Lincoln High School Hall of Fame. Ms. Finch now serves on the Board of the EVSC Alumni Association and the Evansville Retired Teachers Association. She also serves as chairperson for the Supervisory Committee of the Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union and is a member of the Evansville area Alpha Kappa Alpha Society, chairing Founders’ Day and Arbor Day activities since 1957. Ms. Finch is a trail blazer for women employed by EVSC and is known as a tireless supporter of the EVSC and the greater Evansville Community.
Judge Carl A. Heldt
Judge Carl Heldt graduated from Central High School, earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from Valparaiso University followed by a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University School of Law. He was appointed as Vanderburgh Circuit Court Judge and was elected twice without opposition before retiring. Judge Heldt is a strong supporter of EVSC and spent several years raising funds to construct a downtown monument at the site of the old Central High School, built in 1868, the oldest high school west of the Allegheny Mountains. Judge Heldt was a highly successful attorney in private practice prior to accepting his position on the bench and also in public service. He has been a leader in legal circles, receiving the Evansville Bar Association’s James Bethel Gresham Freedom Award, the Governor’s Distinguished Service Medal, Outstanding Judge Award from the Young Lawyers Society, Dorn Perdue Service Awards. Judge Heldt is also a member of the EBA Diversity Committee, and the Law Library Foundation. Judge Heldt has initiated many legal programs to aid the community including the Vanderburgh County Drug and Alcohol Probation Services and Family Law Clinic for Self-Represented Litigants. He also encourages ongoing volunteerism, recognizing most active pro bono attorneys, and making courts more accessible to low income families.
Robert L. Koch, II
Mr. Robert Koch graduated Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame and earned his Master’s in Business Administration from the University of Pittsburg. He is chairman of Koch Enterprises Inc., a billion dollar worldwide business with 3,000 employees. Mr. Koch is also a director of the Koch Foundation and Koch Holdings. He is known for his business acumen and his passion for high quality education. He is president of the highly successful Signature School, the first Charter School in Indiana, and the past chairman of the University of Evansville. He continues to support EVSC as honorary chair of the EVSC Superintendent’s Business Council, the Catholic School System, University of Southern Indiana, and Ivy Tech Community College. Mr. Koch is a registered professional engineer and holds seven U.S. patents. He has achieved numerous business and civic accomplishments including Chairman of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, the Koch Family Children’s Museum, Catholic Education Foundation, Evansville Celebration of Diversity, Indiana Economic Development Corporation and the Indiana University Medical School Steering Committee. Mr. Koch has also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Fifth Third Bank and Vectren Corporation. He was recognized as the Ernst & Young Entrepreneur for Manufacturing in Indiana. Mr. Koch served as honorary chair of the Ivy Tech Community College’s first capital campaign which raised a record high of $8.8 million. The high success of the campaign helped secure an additional $38.2 million in state funds to expand and renovate the entire Evansville Main Campus .
Jimmy Lefler
Mr. Jimmy Lefler graduated from Reitz High school and is the owner of Lefler Collision and Glass. He started with a small family facility and through hard work, perseverance and high quality service, Lefler’s has grown to four nationally recognized repair centers in Evansville and Newburgh. Lefler’s has been named the #1 auto shop in the nation by the Auto Body Repair Network for two years in a row. Mr. Lefler received Evansville’s Chamber of Commerce Norman P. Wagner Business of the Year Award and the Evansville Courier & Press Readers’ Choice Platinum Award for best body shop. Lefler’s has become a multi-million dollar business by providing the highest quality service. Mr. Lefler supports many community causes such as organizing local support for area military families. He is active in the West Side Nut Club and serves on the Board of Directors for Uncharted International, Inc., a non-profit organization working in Myanmar and China assisting people in need of spiritual, medical, educational and economic development.
Alan H. Newman
Mr. Alan Newman graduated from Bosse High School and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing from Indiana University. He is currently the senior vice president and regional manager of Hilliard Lyons. Mr. Newman has a passion for public education, serving as president of the University of Southern Indiana School of Business Board of Visitors, Ivy Tech Community College Advisory Board and was a charter member of the Advisory Board of the Institute for Banking and Finance at the University of Evansville. One of Mr. Newman’s greatest accomplishments was serving as co-chair of the Ivy Tech Community College’s first capital campaign which raised a record high of $8.8 million. The high success of the campaign helped secure an additional $38.2 million in state funds to expand and renovate the entire Evansville Main Campus. Mr. Newman is a member of the EVSC Superintendent’s Business Council and is a lead supporter of the Keep Bosse First Capital Campaign. He also serves as president of the Evansville Police Department Foundation.
Dr. David L. Rice
Dr. David Rice was the first dean appointed to lead the Evansville campus of Indiana State University in 1967, two years after the opening of the college. In 1971, he was named president of the campus. Under his leadership, he carefully guided the Evansville campus to establishment in 1985 as Indiana’s sixth state university, the University of Southern Indiana, an institution highly regarded for its excellent educational programs and innovative regional outreach projects. During the 27 years he led USI, enrollment grew from 922 students to 7,443 in 1994 when he retired. Of the University’s more than 35,000 graduates, 71 percent live in Indiana and of that number, 81 percent reside in Southwest Indiana.
Dr. Rice has provided leadership to many efforts improving the communities in which he has lived. He has been recognized by numerous organizations for his extraordinary vision and service to the community. When Southern Indiana businesses needed MBA-credentialed employees, Dr. Rice worked with state officials to ensure that USI was authorized to offer the Master of Business Administration, and he invested in resources to ensure the accreditation of those programs by the AACSB International. When Historic New Harmony, New Harmony Theatre, and the Lincoln Amphitheatre needed institutional sponsorship to remain viable, he stepped in and merged academic talents with community needs to bridge critical times for those organizations. When former Congressman Lee Hamilton needed a leader for his Southern Indiana Rural Development Project, he tapped Dr. Rice.
Beyond the University focus, Dr. Rice’s commitment to the community is unparalleled. A founder of Leadership Evansville, he also served as its president. He was president of the Board of Commissioners of the Evansville Housing Authority and chairman of the Governor’s Citizens Advisory Committee for Title Twenty of the Social Services Act. Dr. Rice has served as general chairman of the Fund Drive of the United Way of Southwestern Indiana, chairman of the Board of WNIN Channel 9 Public Television, explorer chairman of the Buffalo Trace Council Boy Scouts; and president of the Indiana Public Broadcasting Society. He also served on the Board of the Evansville Museum of Arts, History, and Sciences; the Indiana Business Modernization and Technology Corporation; the Chamber of Commerce of Southwest Indiana; The Villages, Inc.; Youth Resources; and Evansville Coalition of Adult Literacy; and was active in Rotary. His visionary work on the transportation committee of the Chamber of Commerce resulted in a network of roadways that now smooth the movement of people and goods in the Tri-State area. In professional circles, he served the Indiana Conference for Higher Education as its president.
Dr. Rice has earned many accolades from public service organizations, including the Salvation Army Service to Others Award, West Side Civitan Citizen of the Year, the National Community Leadership Conference Leadership Alumni Award, Rotary Civic Award, Boy Scout Distinguished Citizen Award, and is a Sagamore of the Wabash. In 2013, Dr. Rice was inducted into the Evansville Regional Business Hall of Fame. With his wife Betty, he received the Leadership Evansville Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. In recognition of his university leadership, both the Faculty Senate and the USI Alumni Council have endowed scholarships in his name. The University Library is named in his honor and he holds an honorary doctorate from USI.
Mr. Jack B. Schriber
Mr. Jack Schriber graduated from Bosse High School and earned a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts from the University of Evansville. He served EVSC for 37 years, both as an English teacher at Central High School and then as supervisor of fine arts until he retired in 2007. One of the things he may be best known for is serving 26 years as a consultant and producer of the EVSC and PEF Summer Musical and director of Central High School’s theater productions. The summer musical is also a tremendous fundraiser that nets over $50,000 annually back to the schools as grants for various programs that touch a broad range of curriculum areas. He also directed and produced the Reitz Home Murder Mystery for 12 years. Mr. Schriber has been recognized with the University of Evansville and Evansville Courier & Press Outstanding Educator of the Year Award. Mr. Schriber took his teaching expertise to the next level and worked as adjunct professor at the University of Evansville, where he was awarded the Teacher of the Year award. He presently serves as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern Indiana for the Department of Communications. Mr. Schriber has received the Mayor’s Art Award and the Sagamore of the Wabash, the top award an Indiana Governor can bestow. He, along with his wife, Sue, have also earned Leadership Evansville’s Lifetime Achievement Award, and the Rotary Citizen of the Year Award. Along with his many awards, Jack dedicates countless hours serving on community boards. He was appointed by the Governor for two consecutive terms to the Indiana Arts Commission and the Public Art Commission and Department of Metropolitan Development by the Mayor. He also served of the board of directors for the St. Mary’s and Deaconess Foundations, Children’s Theater Productions, Evansville Civic Theatre Productions, USI Foundation Board, Wesselman’s Nature Center and as a former president of the Arts Council of Southwest Indiana. Mr. Schriber’s work has been included in such publications as the Webster’s Guide to Writing, Principles of Speech Communication, and Art Talk. He is a tireless advocate of the arts at EVSC and in the community.
Jon Michael Siau
Mr. Jon Michael Siau attended Harrison High School. He received his Bachelor’s and Master’s Degrees from the University of Evansville. In all professions there are those few gifted people with passion, talent, leadership, and compassion that set the standard for the rest of us to follow. Jon Siau is one of these gifted people. Mr. Siau’s accomplishments are simply too many to list, but to name a few: Most Inspiring Educator by Evansville Living Magazine, American Star of Teaching from the U.S. Department of Education, The Power of Art Award from the Rauschenberg Foundation for outstanding work with students who have disabilities, High School Teacher of the Year from the University of Evansville and the Evansville Courier & Press, All USA Teaching Team by USA Today, , Arts Educator of the Year from the Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana, Volunteer of the Year from Keep Evansville Beautiful, Sportsman Award from Leadership Evansville, Jon Michael Siau Day Proclamation by Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, and the Excellence in Education Award presented by legendary UCLA coach John Wooden.
Mr. Siau’s coaching success excelled as much as any other aspect of his career. He coached championship teams in four different sports, had five state champions and four All-Americans, state-ranked top 10 teams in four different sports and state finalist and/or state finalist teams in four different sports.
The accolades continue in the world of art. He was awarded a medallion by the State of Indiana as one of the state’s top contemporary artists. He was commissioned as the first artist to create original artwork for the United Sates Olympic Committee’s world-wide publication, THE OLYMPIAN. Mr. Siau has also created art work for celebrities Mickey Mantle, Yogi Berra, Don Mattingly, Harry Caray, Bob Knight, Vince Gill, Bill Cosby, The Jud’s, Garth Brooks, and Steven Tyler. Through all of Jon’s famous artwork, he always stayed true to his alma mater and ‘home’ for 43 years revising the art curriculum for EVSC, designing a previous logo for EVSC and designing artwork for EVSC yearbooks, school newspapers, and numerous clubs and organizations.
Mr. Siau’s students participated in Indiana’s premier competition for the Arts, Project eXcel, winning ten first place, three second place, and two third place awards. Over 100 of his students have been honored with U.S. National Awards and one of his students won an Emmy award for his movie The Planeteer. Mr. Siau’s students also won Best of Show awards in Evansville Museum of Art Show four different decades.
Mr. Siau is a member of the Board of Directors of the EVSC Foundation and the EVSC Alumni Association. His friends and former students honored him by naming the Jon Michael Siau Art Gallery at North High School. Margaret Spelling, former U. S. Secretary of Education, said it best “Teachers like Jon Siau never give up on a child. They believe every child, regardless of race, income, or zip code can achieve high standards in school.â€
Philip H. Siegel
Mr. Philip Siegel graduated from Bosse High School and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing from Indiana University and a Juris Doctorate from Indiana University School of Law. Mr. Siegel is a sole practitioner focusing on Real Estate and Probate Law. He has been an assistant city attorney in Evansville, was the first attorney for the Evansville Vanderburgh Area Planning Commission and has served as president of the Evansville Public Safety Board. Mr. Siegel has been an adjunct professor at the University of Evansville since 1978. He is currently president of the Temple Adath B’nai Israel Temple and President of the Evansville Jewish Council. Mr. Siegel served his country as a captain in the United States Army. He received the Distinguished Service Award from the IU Alumni Club of Greater Evansville and was awarded the Attorney General’s Cup for the March Against Hunger Food Drive. Mr. Siegel was chairman of the Judicial Evaluation Committee and acted as judge pro tem in Drug Court. He served as president of the Evansville Bar Association and secretary of the Indiana Bar Association. Mr. Siegel leads Jewish services at the Temple every Tuesday morning. In his generous nature, he created the B’nai B’rith Teddy Bear Project which gives Teddy Bears to hospitals and homeless children and established Operation Little Red Wagon which donated wagons to hospitals for young patients while involved with the Evansville Jaycees. He was honored with the Susan K. Helfrich for Excellence in Pro Bono Services award. He currently serves as a Division Chair of the Keep Bosse First Capital Campaign to build a new multi-purpose complex at Bosse High School.
Linda E. White
Ms. Linda White graduated from Indiana State University where she received a nursing degree from the Deaconess School of Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She received her Master’s Degree in Business Administration from the University of Evansville. Ms. White is presently the president and chief executive officer of Deaconess Health System. Under her leadership, Deaconess Health System has experienced exponential growth. Through her vision and courage, Deaconess has implemented innovative programs and technologies that not only help patients, but are also studied through the county as “best practices.†Ms. White has made a strong impact on education. She supported the establishment of the Deaconess Children’s Enrichment Center which provides enhanced services that go beyond simple daycare by providing young children with an excellent year-round educational program, preparing them for the transition into primary school. Ms. White is also the leader of Deaconess Community Benefit Committee, which has contributed thousands of dollars to fund programs that help fight childhood obesity and enhance health care services at many local elementary and middle schools. She also helped establish the Health Science Institute which allows students to experience first-hand the wonders of medicine and medical research through seminars, clinical experiences and demonstrations, and interaction with leading health care professionals. Ms. White is an original member of the EVSC Superintendent’s Business Council and was inducted into the Evansville Regional Business Hall of Fame. She was the Athena Award recipient in 2001 and received the Distinguished Citizen Award from the Buffalo Trace Council. Ms. White believes in enhancing the local quality of life and is a participating member of Leadership Evansville, Operation City Beautiful, Ark Crisis Nursery, Junior League of Evansville, Boys and Girls Club of Evansville, YWCA, United Way of Southwestern Indiana, Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce, American Health Association and YMCA of Southwestern Indiana. Ms. White also serves on the Old National Bank Corp., University of Evansville, and Signature School Boards.
Mayor Lloyd Winnecke
Mayor Lloyd Winnecke graduated from Central High School and received a Bachelor of Science degree in Communications from the University of Evansville. He was elected mayor of Evansville in 2011. Prior to becoming Mayor, Mr. Winnecke was senior vice president and marketing director for Fifth Third Bank. Before joining the bank, he spent nearly two decades in the television news industry working in several markets, including Louisville and Indianapolis. He was news director at WEHT-TV News 25 in Henderson, Ky., before making the move to Fifth Third.
In the public sector, he was elected to the Vanderburgh County Commission in 2008 and served as president of the County Commissioners. Prior to that, he served nine years on the Vanderburgh County Council, including three years as County Council president and one year as finance chairman.
Mayor Winnecke and his wife, Carol McClintock, are members of St. Mary’s Catholic Church and are active members of the community. In 2014, the Downtown Evansville Rotary Club designated Lloyd and Carol as Paul Harris Fellows in recognition of their shared purpose with the Rotary to build world understanding and peace. The couple also was honored in 2012 with the Keep Evansville Beautiful Volunteer of the Year Award for launching the monthly litter pick-up initiative “Clean Evansville,†and inspiring other to help keep Evansville Beautiful. Last year, the Indiana Association of City and Towns recognized the City of Evansville with the 2013 IACT Community Achievement Award and the 2013 IACT Green Community of the Year Award for promoting civic pride, work ethic, and the spirit of volunteerism through various city activities, in particular Clean Evansville.
Also In 2013, Mayor Winnecke was named an honorary member of the West Side Nut Club for his enthusiastic support of the community and the City’s West Side.
The mayor has served on the Boards of Evansville Civic Theatre, Gilda’s Club of Evansville, the American Red Cross, the Evansville African American Museum and the University of Evansville Purple Aces Club. He also serves on the executive committee of the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana and the ITAC (city-county information technology committee). He is a past board member and current volunteer for the Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center, and a past cabinet member for the local United Way campaign. Other organizational involvements include the Evansville Parks Foundation, Wesselman Nature Center, the University of Evansville Theatre Society, Reitz Home Museum, University of Southern Indiana Arts and Humanities, and Junior Achievement. Mayor Winnecke is also a member of the EVSC Superintendent’s Business Council.
This group joins a community of Hall of Fame members including 12 members of the inaugural Class of 2010: Brent Beeler, Chuck Bundrant, Gayle Cook, Lee Hamilton, Don Korb, William Mays, James McCarty Sr., Mattie Miller, William Ridgway, Randall Shepard, John H. Schroeder, and Matt Williams; and 12 members of the Class of 2012 included: Dr. Joey Barnett, Sen. Vaneta Becker, Bill Bussing, Karen and Niel Ellerbrook, Alan Graf, Jr., Bettye Lou Jerrel, Bob Jones, Ira Neal, Dr. Rodney Perkins, Ron Romain, Steven Slater, and Pat Shoulders.
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COA agrees sellers must pay $280,000 in damages for ‘downright dangerous’ home
Jennifer Nelson for www.theindianalawyer.com
A couple who sold a house they built themselves that contained numerous structural issues is on the hook for $280,000 to the buyers of the home. The Court of Appeals found that the sellers made misrepresentations on their real estate sales disclosure form.
This is the second time the appellate court has ruled on this lawsuit, David T. Hays and Amanda G. Hays v. Deborah J. Wise, 76A04-1401-PL-43. The first time, the COA reversed the dismissal of Deborah Wise’s lawsuit alleging David and Amanda Hays failed to disclose defective conditions in the home she purchased from them in 2007.
When Wise and her husband purchased the home, the Hayses had completed the sales disclosure form saying they knew of no structural problems with the home, did not make any substantial changes requiring permits and did not receive any notices from governmental or quasi-governmental entities regarding the property.
But the Hayses never obtained the proper permits for the home which David Hays built with four friends. The couple also had worked with the Army Corps of Engineers to address a dredging issue. Although Wise had an inspection completed before purchasing, it did not turn up the numerous issues discovered after moving in. Several inspectors believed the home was nearing collapse and was dangerous. Walls moved, floors could not support weight, and the foundation was not built deep enough.
On remand, the trial court ruled in favor of Wise, ordering the Hayses to pay $281,062.77 in damages, which included attorney fees.
The Hayses don’t deny the home has significant issues, but they claim the evidence doesn’t show that they had actual knowledge of those issues. They also argue against the damages award, saying it exceeds the cost necessary to repair the structural defects the court found the Hayses knew of when selling. The inspectors who looked at the home indicated it needs to be torn down and rebuilt because it would cost too much to attempt to repair.
The judges found that while there was no direct evidence that the Hayses had actual knowledge of the defects, based on the facts and circumstances of the case there was sufficient circumstantial evidence for the trial court to infer that the Hayses had actual knowledge of most, if not all, of the home’s defects or problems beyond just the structural ones. Judge James Kirsch pointed to the interactions with the Army Corps of Engineers, that the Hayses knew the home had to be permitted but “forgot†to do so, and that the couple added additional bedrooms and the building permit required the removal of a mobile home trailer frame, but it was instead used as structural report.
VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
SPONSORED BY DEFENSE ATTORNEY IVAN ARNAEZ.
DON’T GO TO COURT ALONE. CALL IVAN ARNAEZ @ 812-424-6671.
Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, October 24, 2014
Daniel Farrar                  Possession of Narcotic Drug-Level 6 Felony
Cody Howard                 Dealing in Methamphetamine-Level 5 Felony
Allan Poe                      Operating a Vehicle as an Habitual Traffic Violator-Level 6 Felony
Bradley Wilson             Battery Against a Public Safety Officer-Level 6 Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
Domestic Battery-Class A Misdemeanor
Public Intoxication-Class B Misdemeanor
Jovan Woods          Dealing in a Synthetic Drug or Synthetic Drug Lookalike Substance-Level 6 Felony
Joshua Watson         Carrying a Handgun without a License-Level 5 Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Level 6 Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
Criminal Recklessness-Class B Misdemeanor
Failure to Stop after Accident Resulting in Non-Vehicle Damage-Class B
Misdemeanor
For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Kyle Phernetton at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at kphernetton@vanderburghgov.org
Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are presumed to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
Haier America Announces Tech Center Location in Evansville
Reuse of a Facility with Rich Manufacturing History
Haier America, a division of the multinational home appliance and consumer electronics manufacturer Haier Group, recently announced plans to locate its North American Tech Center in Evansville, creating 50 new high-wage jobs by 2015. Today, Evansville officials are pleased to announce that the 30,000 square-foot research and development tech center will be located at 901 W Pennsylvania Street.
“After a thorough search process we are pleased to have chosen the location for our new Tech Center at 901 W Pennsylvania Street,†said Adrian Micu, president and chief executive officer of Haier America. “We have already begun recruiting a group of highly talented engineers with a wealth of appliance experience and a diverse set of research and engineering skills and experience and the effort will continue over the next several months.â€
Known by Evansville natives as the former Coca-Cola Bottling plant and distribution center, Haier plans to invest approximately $2.8 million dollars in renovations to the façade and interior, constructing Class A office space designed to inspire. The historic facility was chosen by the company for its affordability, proximity to Evansville’s urban core, and its flexibility to build out office space and a fully functioning lab and model shop.
“We’re very pleased Haier America is committing to the community both economically as well as embracing a part of our history by locating their tech center in the old Coca-Cola bottling plant,†stated building owner, Ron Bonger. “Haier America will be an excellent addition to Evansville, their people have been tremendous to work with, and we very much look forward to welcoming them as a new corporate citizen to our city.â€
With renovations beginning immediately, the new tech center is expected to be up and running by early 2015. Initially, the Tech Center will focus on commercialization of Haier products for the U.S. Market, followed by new product development.
“The opening of a new Tech Center near Downtown Evansville, I believe, is only the beginning of Haier America’s presence in our community for decades to come,†said Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, “The company has already started hiring talent, and success of the Tech Center will set the stage for additional growth and more jobs in the future.â€
The economic impact received by the Evansville community, as a result of the high paying new jobs and investment by Haier will total in excess of $10 million a year.
Haier America is currently hiring engineers, designers, lab techs, model makers and other professionals. Since the initial announcement last month, Haier has already made offers to 19 talented individuals with immediate plans to hire an additional 25.
Lease negotiations for this project were handled through FC Tucker Commercial Real Estate agent, Ken Newcomb, Jr.
About Haier America
Haier America is a division of the multinational Haier Group, a global leader in home appliances and consumer electronics. Haier employs more than 70,000 people around the world and distributes products in more than 100 countries and regions with global revenues reaching $29.5 billion in 2013. For more information, please visit</br<>www.haieramerica.com. You can also become a Fan of Haier America onwww.facebook.com/Haieramerica or follow Haier America via Twitter @haieramerica.
Mission of the Growth Alliance
To drive and support economic development activities for the City of Evansville and Vanderburgh County, Indiana aimed at: attracting and creating new jobs and new revenue dollars, retaining existing jobs and revenue dollars, effectively allocating available resources and recognizing the priorities of basic industries in driving sustainable growth.
Police investigating shooting death of Evansville teen
SPONSORED BY DEFENSE ATTORNEY IVAN ARNAEZ.
DON’T GO TO COURT ALONE. CALL IVAN ARNAEZ @ 812-424-6671.
Evansville Police are investigating the shooting death of a 16 year old Evansville resident.
Police were called to an apartment in the 2900 block of N. Fulton at 8:30 Sunday night.
Officers located the victim inside the apartment and began treating him for a gunshot wound. The victim was taken to a local hospital where later died.
Investigators have spoken to an 18 year old who was in the apartment with the victim at the time of the shooting. Police are looking into the possibilty that the shooting was accidental.
The investigation is ongoing. No charges have been filed in this case.