Home Blog Page 6276

Discover Peru with USI’s Alumni Association

0

The University of Southern Indiana alumni, their families and others are invited to explore some of the world’s greatest ancient sites next spring in a trip to “Peru: Ancient Land of Mysteries.” The 10-day trip, offered through the USI Alumni Association, is set for May 16-25, 2015, and offers an optional five-day, four-night Peruvian Amazon post tour extension. Registration is now open to the public.
The expedition includes round-trip air transportation to Lima, Peru, where the group will be immersed in the archeological treasures Peru offers: Machu Picchu, the “Lost City of the Incas,” the historic city center (a UNESCO World Heritage site) and the Sacred Valley of the Incas.

Other highlights include arriving at Machu Picchu via the famed Vistadome train, exploring San Francisco Monastery, visiting Pisac Market, investigating Ollantaytambo Ruins, enjoying an exclusive culinary demonstration at the base of Machu Picchu, relaxing at Lake Titicaca and much more.

The Peru tour, booked through Lifestyle Tours, will depart from Evansville Regional Airport. The trip includes 14 meals: nine breakfasts and five dinners. Rates are: single/$5,549; double/$4,849; triple $4,819.

For more information call USI Alumni and Volunteer Services at 812-464-1924 or contact Tracy Wilson or Ken Meyer with Lifestyle Tours at 812-682-4477 or tracylifestyletours@gmail.com. Space is limited.

Rewarding Indiana’s outstanding educators

0

We all remember that one educator who had a profound impact on our lives. Usually, they are the ones who believed in us the most and went the extra mile to make us believe in ourselves. For me, it was the priest superintendent at my high school who went out of his way to give Deaconess Hospital my name when they began asking around town for referrals for their respiratory therapy program. Much to my surprise, I was selected into the program, and the rest is history!

Our years spent in the classroom are some of the most formative years of our lives. Although the ultimate responsibility of raising a child falls upon the parent, we cannot ignore the important role that teachers play in molding our youth to become successful later in life.

With the start of session quickly approaching, on Jan. 6th, you will be hearing a lot about the budget, which impacts nearly every aspect of our state, especially education. Every two years, the Legislature is tasked with creating the state’s biennial budget, and it is important to understand how the budget impacts our education system.
In 2013, the last time we passed a budget, a total of $30 million was allocated as teacher performance grants. This money was recently awarded to qualifying schools based on a combination of ISTEP+ and End-of-Course Assessment passing rates per pupil as well as graduation rates per pupil. But ultimately, this money goes to the teachers.

For the first time in Indiana history, grants were presented, as a bonus, to teachers rated either effective or highly effective under Indiana’s teacher evaluation system for the 2013-14 academic year. In our community, two school corporations have been awarded grants. South Spencer County School Corporation received $51,019 and Warrick County School Corporation received $460,294.
I am so pleased that the wonderful teachers in our communities are getting the “thank you” they deserve, and it is my hope that this is just the beginning. While these grants are a great step in the right direction, our support for teachers will not end here. That is why I am excited to share with you that as part of our education agenda this session, we wish to provide teachers with a tax credit for classroom supplies that they purchase out of their own pockets.

It is extremely important that we support these teachers as they selflessly support our students. Many of them work well past normal school hours to give students extra help with their studies. Often times, they also take their work home with them while taking care and spending time with their family.

With education funding making up over half of our budget, education remains a top priority, but also one that we need input on. Throughout session, House Speaker Brian Bosma will be calling on a group of teachers to offer thoughts and opinions on how best to bring excellence, innovation and creativity to every Hoosier classroom and for every Hoosier student. I, too, welcome input from both teachers and parents and hope that you will reach out to me this session with your thoughtful advice on how to continue to improve Indiana’s education system. I can be reached by phone at 317-232-9833 or by email at h75@iga.in.gov.

Hunden Study on Downtown Hotel

10

For those of you who are interested to comb through it here is the Hunden Study that was originally supposed to cost $40,000 but ended up costing the taxpayers of Evansville $105,000.

Hunden Study

IS IT TRUE Weekend Special Hotel Edition “the Ball Field Money Could Have Saved The Hotel”

8

IS IT TRUE that several years ago during the $20 Million ball fields at Roberts fiasco, the City County Observer opined that a downtown convention hotel should be a higher priority than any ball fields anywhere?…we even suggested that the $20 Million could be used as an investment in a downtown hotel that would clearly fit the requirement for room taxes of “bricks and mortar to help tourism?”…it must be pointed out that if wiser heads had prevailed and that money had been sequestered, Old National Bank’s reality moment on the value of the naming rights for The Centre would not have derailed this project?…the zeal to build something-anything, so long as dirt is flying has removed a viable Plan B for funding a downtown hotel?

IS IT TRUE to see the Director of the Convention and Visitors Bureau all sad eyed on mainstream media talking about the $11 Million a year that is lost by not having a convention hotel is comedic irony?…he is the guy who pulled the trigger on the ball fields project that consumed the dollars that could have filled the $6.5 Million gap in financing that is now ruining the martini crowd’s Christmas?…this is just another example of living for today without a plan in sight and without a care in the world other than the next staged media event?…it really does take insight to have suggested the hotel taxes as a backup funding source for a hotel 4 years ago?…we guess such insight and planning is above the pay grade of the Mayor of Evansville and his build fun and games at all cost minions?

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

0

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

http://www.vanderburghsheriff.com/recent-booking-records.aspx

EPD Activity Report December 20,2014

0

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

EPD ACTIVITY REPORT

ERSATZ WAR By Jim Redwine

3

Gavel Gamut
By Jim Redwine

ERSATZ WAR

Sony produced a tasteless film whose plot was the assassination of the President of North Korea, Kim Jong Un. They billed it as a comedy. I say hooray for Sony! Assassination by movie is certainly better than assassination by drones. With a movie, not only are there no innocent bystanders killed, there isn’t anyone killed. The same is true of North Korea’s response to the movie; hack, don’t attack.

For thousands of years humans have dreamed of the end of war. Now, thanks to Sony and the hackers in North Korea, who prophetically call themselves “The Guardians of Peace”, we have a way to have a war without death and destruction. No longer need a country send its soldiers off to war with the mission to “kill and break” things. The new mission can be to kill hypothetically and die without bloodshed.

Many societies have tried to limit warfare, such as jousting by one king’s champion against another king’s champion. Even the Hebrews and Philistines held conflict to a match between David and Goliath.

But Sony and North Korea have finally perfected the age-old dream.

Of course, all any country cares about in any war is winning. As General Douglas MacArthur said, “In war, there is no substitute for victory”.

As a patriotic American I assert we have the capacity to win every battle in this new cyber warfare. When I am driving I see practically every other driver doing what I am normally doing, talking on a cell phone.

And when it comes to texting, American teenagers must be on the cutting edge of wonder weapons such as iPhones. I have seen many of our teenagers texting one another when standing side by side.

I say to the hackers of North Korea and every other potential belligerent: be careful, American thumbs are lethal.

– 30 –

Pet of the Week

0

Peppa is a 1-year-old female brown tabby! She’s a friendly & social girl who never makes much fuss in the Cat Lounge, waiting on a home since March… longer than ALL the other cats in the entire shelter. She also gets along well with other felines, and even does very well riding in the car! Take petite little Peppa home for only $30 (includes spay, microchip, vaccines, feline leukemia test, and more!) Visit www.vhslifesaver.org to download an adoption application!

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

0

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 Thursday, December 18, 2014

Robert Moore                   Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .15 or More-Level 6 Felony

Jacob Alvey-Williams           Theft-Level 6 Felony
Possession of a Synthetic Drug or Synthetic Drug Lookalike Substance-
Class A Misdemeanor

Charles Hale                              Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Level 6 Felony

Michael Hurley                            Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Level 6 Felony

Breanne Lahart                         Battery-Class B Misdemeanor

Ronald McMillan                        Resisting Law Enforcement-Level 6 Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
Reckless Driving-Class B Misdemeanor
Failure to Stop after Accident Resulting in Damage to Unattended
Vehicle-Class B Misdemeanor
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Class C Misdemeanor

Brandon Mattingly                 Domestic Battery-Level 6 Felony

Turessa Cook                            Auto Theft-Level 6 Felony

Laura Frank                            Theft-Level 6 Felony

Venus Graves                            Dealing in Cocaine-Level 4 Felony
Theft-Level 6 Felony
Possession of a Synthetic Drug or Synthetic Drug Lookalike Substance-
Class A Misdemeanor

Mandy Harris                            Auto Theft-Level 6 Felony

Robert Hachten III                      Intimidation-Level 5 Felony
Pointing a Firearm-Level 6 Felony
Possession of Paraphernalia-Class A Misdemeanor
Possession of Marijuana-Class B Misdemeanor

Keith Jenkins                                 Dealing in Marijuana-Level 5 Felony

Joel Kennedy                               Dealing in Cocaine-Level 2 Felony
Dealing in Marijuana-Level 5 Felony

Andrew Moore                             Intimidation-Level 6 Felony
Public Intoxication-Class B Misdemeanor
Unauthorized Entry of a Motor Vehicle-Class B Misdemeanor
Criminal Mischief-Class B Misdemeanor

Valerie Nelson                           Theft-Level 6 Felony

Carland Ram                                  Battery on a Person Less than 14 Years Old-Level 5 Felony
Domestic Battery-Level 6 Felony
False Informing-Class B Misdemeanor

Allan Ramos                              Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury to a Pregnant Woman-Level 5 Felony
Interference with the Reporting of a Crime-Class A Misdemeanor

Jerry Sweeney                              Delivery of a False Sales Document-Level 6 Felony

Larry Weatherspoon                  Dealing in Cocaine-Level 2 Felony
Dealing in Marijuana-Level 5 Felony

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

Public intoxication statute constitutional, but ‘annoying’ man’s conviction vacated

0

Jennifer Nelson for www.theindianalawyer.com

The Indiana Supreme Court vacated a man’s public intoxication conviction after finding his agitation does not rise to the level that would annoy a reasonable person. But the justices did find that the statute is not unconstitutionally vague.

Rodregus Morgan challenged his conviction of Class B misdemeanor public intoxication, which occurred after a police officer working security for the city bus service tried to wake Morgan, who was sleeping in a bus shelter. When Morgan woke up, he seemed agitated but complied with the officer’s request to get up from the bench. That’s when the officer believed Morgan was intoxicated and placed him under arrest.

The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed, finding the portion of the public intox statute enacted in 2012 that uses the term “annoys” is void for vagueness. Morgan’s conviction was based on his “annoying” behavior.

In Rodregus Morgan v. State of Indiana, 49S02-1405-CR-325, the justices also reversed the conviction, but only after they found the statute was not unconstitutionally vague. Morgan argued that the term “annoys” is not defined in the statute and the term alone does not provide necessary warning or notice of the prohibited conduct that is required in a criminal statute.

Justice Steven David noted that the term “annoys” standing alone does appear to create a vagueness problem. But because of precedent using a reasonableness standard and principles of statutory interpretation apply, the justices found the statute to be constitutional.

“We acknowledge Morgan’s argument that ‘behavior that annoys some people will not annoy others,’” David wrote. “However, Indiana has historically recognized that the purpose of the public intoxication statute ‘is to protect the public from the annoyance and deleterious effects which may and do occur because of the presence of persons who are in an intoxicated condition,” thus demonstrating the apparent suitability of the word “annoys” within the statute.

Morgan was provided sufficient notice of the type of conduct that is prohibited, and neither arbitrary nor discriminatory enforcement will be authorized or encouraged. But, the justices found insufficient evidence to support his conviction.

“Morgan was agitated after being approached by the police officer. However, the degree of agitation expressed … by Morgan, standing alone, does not rise to the level that would annoy a reasonable person,” David wrote.

1...6,2756,2766,277...7,248Page 6,276 of 7,248