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IS IT TRUE November 21, 2014

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IS IT TRUE that it is now 2 days beyond the latest promised date that the construction of the downtown convention hotel was to start?…sure, it snowed on the latest scheduled start date and now the Mayor’s office put out a press release using the word “cusp” to describe how close the hotel is to being started?…cusp is an interesting tern to use because mathematically it is an instantaneous occurrence between two parts of a curve that are very far from the cusp?…think about standing on the head of a pin or on the top of the tallest spire on a suspension bridge and that would put you on a cusp?…the ingredients for a sustainable start remains a check from Old National Bank for $14 million, a bond issue form the City of Evansville for $20 Million, and $37.5 million from HCW in cash and final loan approvals?…sticking a shovel in the ground and calling it construction would be nothing be theatrics just like the ones we have been treated to since 2008?

IS IT TRUE a headline yesterday claimed that “violent crime is down. In Evansville”?… This was certainly good news for a city that needs some good news so the CCO dug into the reality of the claim and found it to be technically true but very misleading?…the reality of the good news is that in 2013 there were exactly 4 out of 373 less violent crimes committed for each 100,000 members of the population?…the number for 2013 was also the third highest violent crime in the last 10 years and is higher than both the 5 and 10 year trailing averages for violent crime?..the reality is that violent crime in Evansville has been wavering in the 350 per 100,000 per year rate for over 20 years?…the reality is that violent crime in Evansville is at steady state and has not changed substantially since most of us were kids?…the latest news is neither a reason to celebrate nor is it a reason to pack your bags for safer places?

IS IT TRUE City Council members Jonathan Weaver and Missy Mosby are leading an effort to commit the Evansville Sewer and Water Utility to pay for the repairs needed to install the Johnson Controls water meters?…this seems like a very practical way to move forward without putting a financial monkey on the back of some of our citizens right now?…the proposal essentially makes the City of Evansville a revolving credit account for affected homeowners as they are expected to pay it back with their property taxes over then next few years?…in many cases this proposal really kicks the can down the road?…at the end of the day the City will have shoved an expensive repair down the throats of some homeowners and attached payment to their homes?…the short term affects of this proposal are fine but the long term reality is not?…a day will come when someone will lose their home because of Weinzapfel’s last folly?

IS IT TRUE President Obama has moved forward with a deferral of deportations of roughly 5 million people who are in the United States illegally?…while we understand the humanitarian and practical reality of this situation, the way the country got to this point is an amateurish comedy of nonsense?…the President opined time and time again when his party was in power that doing what he just did would be a violation of the constitution?…we are not constitutional lawyers so we will not even attempt to opine on the legality of the President’s executive order, but HE is a constitutional lawyer and just contradicted his own assertion?…this could have been done during Obama’s first two years the right way but it wasn’t?…he could have pulled the executive order out of his hat during the last four years or anytime in the next two years?…there is only one time period when President Obama could make an aggressive action in the face of the newly elected Republican majority and that time ends on December 31?…this writer coined the term “Ellis Desert” in 2007 to describe a legal system of processing brown people into the United States just as white people were processed in at Ellis Island?…this writer welcomes all people from all nations who come to our shores yearning for a better life and the freedom we Americans take for granted?…I just wish our President would have allowed the new congress an opportunity to do this the right way without flaming up the populace by an executive order that he himself is on record calling illegal?

IS IT TRUE all of that aside this writer had the privilege of speaking at an award ceremony for Latino entrepreneurs in Coachella, CA last night?…two of the winners are my clients, and both are immigrants?…the winners are the kind of people who have made America great and will continue to do so?…one my business counselors is one of the people who has had deportation hanging over his head every day for many years?…he is also an educated person with talent and energy?…this person makes me better and is instrumental in mentoring Latino entrepreneurs?…it was a festive night that I shall never ever forget as the joy of the day outweighed the rotten behavior of our congress and our President?

Three arrested after early morning car chase

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Evansville Police arrested three men on various charges following a car chase on the south side.
At 2:00 Thursday morning, officers tried to stop a car driven by 24 year old MICKEY COLEMAN. Coleman refused to stop and led officers on a chase. The chase ended when Coleman crashed into a fence at 1525 Culver Dr.
Coleman and two passengers were taken into custody at the crash scene. The passengers were identified as 34 year old JAY OLDFIELD and 18 year old CHRISTOPHER NORMAN.
Officers found approximately 132 grams of synthetic marijuana during the stop.
All three men were arrested on Dealing Synthetic Marijuana charges. Coleman faces additional charges for Resisting Law Enforcement and traffic offenses.

 

Man arrested for assaulting EVSC bus driver

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Evansville Police arrested 35 year old PIERRE JOHNSTON on several charges stemming from an incident on an EVSC school bus.
Police were called to the intersection of Putnam and Jefferson around 7:15 Thursday morning. The bus driver told officers he was stopped to allow kids to get on the bus when Johnston got on the bus and assaulted him. Johnston then fled on foot.
Police located Johnston about an hour later and arrested him. Johnston was arrested for Felony Battery and Felony Trespass.
The kids on the bus witnessed the incident, but none were directly involved.
Police believe Pierre was upset about a prior incident involving his child and the bus driver. The EVSC is aware of the prior incident and is reviewing it.

John Friend Response Commerce Bank CEO To Tom Austerman E-Mail

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Dear Luke,

Attached is an email I sent to Mr. Tom Austerman CEO of Commerce Bank in response to the e-mail he sent to Councilwoman Connie Robinson...
Thanks
John Friend
Dear Tom Austerman


Thanks you for your input regarding Councilwoman proposed ordinance....yes you are correct about the bankruptcy issue...we are now approx. 380 mil in debt and growing.
We have 540 million regarding the EPA issue, but, the EPA will not stand for 540 if we have 25+ year to implement, so be prepared for 700 million, we have 600 miles of failing water pipes estimated cost of replacement, 200 million, we have Johnson Controls of 45 million, we have Mr. Lloyd's 2002 consent decree to be considered regarding the ADA crosswalk issues estimated at 20 million, we have 239 million regarding unfunded post retiree health benefit, we have 160 million of the Sewer Water Master plan to deal with, we have a 20 million dollar hotel, we have a 57 million IU Med to build, we have an administration that wants a 8 million new park, 40 million to the Zoo, and more to come...the total, 1.861 BILLION dollars in store for the residents within the City Limits of Evansville or simply put 16,000 for each and every person that resides within the City.
By the way, Detroit is approx. 18k per resident and, according to reports, they are working things out in the Bankruptcy Court, I refer you to Bondview.com for the number of Bk cases concerning muni's.
What we need is less folks moving to Newburgh, Posey County, Henderson, paying taxes to those communities and we, the people of Evansville provide police and fire protection for those who visit our fair city, and don't think that we appreciate the visits, but, if Evansville did not exist and was a squeaky little town, I wonder if Newburgh would be Newburgh, I wonder why Tell City is not Evansville and why Perry County is not Vanderburgh and Warrick is the size that it is?
If those folks who love our city, but wish to live outside of our city could it be considered counter intuitive?  Perhaps they wish to live were anticipated debt levels are manageable and where it is convenient to enjoy the established pleasures of Evansville. So, it is comforting to know that without the aid of individuals who elect to live outside of the confines of the issues of our city, but, like most elitism, believe we do not process the skills and talents to control our own destiny and as a result, bankruptcy is in our future. That as it maybe, be it declared, "we determined our fate".  

If Ms Robinson's ordinance should become law, is it presumptuous to assume that your organization employs only those who live outside of the City limits. Surely you have qualified people working for your bank to help us through these tumultuous times to come.


Thanks for your thoughts and comments...
John Friend
Evansville 5th Ward City Council Member

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Report

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

EPD Activity Report November 20, 2014

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EPD Activity Report

Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley Responds To President Of Commerce Bank Luke Yaeger

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Dear Luke

Thank you for email.

Those of you who no longer reside in the city or never have, ask yourselves why.

Some people for a variety of reasons, with the main reason being a high income, have almost infinite possibilities as to where they live and raise a family. Where these people live is a choice. For those that choose to locate in Vanderburgh County or another county, they often cite their reasoning to include better odds for the increase in value of their real property, newer infrastructure, such as water and sewer lines, better public schools, less crime, larger lots and the likelihood that their neighbors will share their values.

When one opts for suburban flight, they should lose their ability through a board or commission to determine how city funds are spent to combat the very problems of which they have escaped. Suburban residents tend to favor policies that increase urban sprawl. They tend to support car friendly policies, such as strip malls and infrastructure improvements to the roads that bring them to the city in the morning and take them home at night. Suburban living is very different than urban living, and time in the suburbs can desensitize those residents to the trials and tribulations of their much lower income city counterparts.

I suspect one would have a difficult time arguing that Evansville isn’t a victim of the very urban sprawl I describe which has made it very hard to promote infill development beyond our current rate of 5%. People who have chosen and enjoy suburban living are typically not the best participants in discussions related to increasing infill development to the 40% rate that we as a city seek to have sustainable development and property tax revenues that keep up with the cost of basic services. They often feel that resources are best spent in areas that have not already succumbed to crime and blight. However, these are the very areas that require the most attention under the theory that we are only as strong as our weakest link. And when these areas of declining property values are addressed by those without the life experience to understand poverty, it is often through regentrification, which leaves the original low income residents of the area out in the cold.

I think ego tells us that we are not replaceable. I know mine does. However, we are all replaceable and probably fairly easily. I find it hard to believe that someone with an urban lifestyle could not perform just as well or better as anyone being replaced. In fact, it’s a great way to build talent within the city and is key to residents taking responsibility for their own destiny. These are not sheep who require a shepherd. This is an exercise in returning government to the people being governed.

As to you specifically, I know that you are an intelligent, talented leader. However, the sheer number of boards and commissions that you serve on is a perfect example of just how shallow we have allowed the city’s talent pool to become. I believe very strongly that one does not have to be the president of a bank to participate in government or a not for profit entity. You may actually be surprised by the good ideas that come from those who have not yet given up and left. Additionally, there are many boards and commissions that have appointments that flow from the County Commissioners and County Council. There are still going to be plenty of opportunities for those who do not live in the city to serve the area. For those who live in other counties, perhaps those counties have a board or commission that could use new membership.

Again, I appreciate the email and the opportunity to articulate my reasoning in supporting the measure. I hope to see more opportunities for city residents to solve problems that they live every day with truly grassroots approaches. What I have seen in my time in Evansville is episode after episode of top-down government, and it’s not working. Crime continues to go up, the infrastructure continues to crumble, the population continues to go down, and property values in big sections of the city continue to decline. Why not add some new blood to the mix? What do we truly have to lose?

Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley

3rd Ward City Councilwoman

FOOTNOTE:  THIS LETTER WAS SENT TO LUKE YAEGER PRESIDENT OF COMMERCE BANK IN RESPONSE TO THE POINTED LETTER HE SENT TO CONNIE ROBINSON AND STEPHANIE BRINKERHOFF-RILEY CONCERNING FUTURE BOARD APPOINTMENTS.  THIS LETTER IS POSTED WITHOUT OPINON,  BIAS OR EDITING.

PLEASE TAKE TIME AND GO TO OUR “READERS POLL” AND VOTE.

The Women’s Hospital: Baby Friendly Art Exhibit

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The Women’s Hospital is seeking the Baby-Friendly Hospital designation. The Baby-Friendly Hospital Initiative (BFHI) is a global program which follows evidence-based maternity care practices for infant nutrition and mother/baby bonding. The goal of Baby-Friendly is to help breastfeeding mothers reach their infant nutrition goals, thus increasing breastfeeding initiation and duration rates.
By following the 10 steps outlined by the BFHI, a hospital is removing the barriers to breastfeeding within the health care setting and in turn supporting both mom and baby.

The purpose of this show is to highlight the beauty of mother/baby bonding in the first few days following birth.

Digital entries due by December 9th
Drop off artwork – January 7th from 8am – 1pm at the Women’s Hospital
Opening Reception – January 8th from 5:30 – 7pm
Please click HERE for access to the registration form.

Works should be submitted digitally on a CD. Images need to be in a high resolution jpeg ­le format. Individual images need to be numbered and labeled with artist’s last name (i.e. Smith01, Smith02). All media will be considered. Selected artwork can be dropped offed at the Women’s Hospital on January 7th from 8am – 1pm. If there is a time conflict, please set up a new time with the Arts Council. Artwork will be displayed at the Women’s Hospital. The opening reception will be on the third floor of the Women’s Hospital located at 4199 Gateway Blvd, Newburgh, IN 47630. If you have questions, please call (812) 422-2111 or email at info@artswin.org.

Vectren Named Top Ranked Midsize Utility in the Nation for Electric Reliability

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November 19th: Last night, Vectren Energy Delivery (Vectren) was recognized by PA Consulting Group, Inc., as the recipient of the 2014 ReliabilityOneâ„¢ Award for Outstanding Midsize Utility, which awards electric utilities for outage prevention and reduction performance. This year, PA Consulting Group expanded its ReliabilityOneâ„¢ program to recognize the very best midsize investor-owned utilities in the United States, where in the past, they had only honored utilities with 500,000 customers or more. To be eligible for this recognition, a utility must deliver a reliability performance ranked in the top 95th percentile in the nation.

“ReliabilityOne™ Award winners have a common thread: customers come first,” said Jeff Lewis, PA Consulting Group’s ReliabilityOne™ program director. “Vectren has kept its customers’ needs at the forefront, hinging its business success on maintaining the highest level of reliability.”

Vectren electric customers are experiencing less electric outages and outages that occur are significantly shorter in length than in previous years thanks to the utility’s continued efforts in electric system upgrades, improved response time and outage prevention measures. Vectren tracks two key metrics, which measure outage frequency, or how often an outage occurs, as well as duration of outage, which is the length of time a customer is without power. System wide, on average, Vectren customers experienced a decrease in electric outages of over 35 percent since 2011. The average length of customer outages improved by 20 percent and now averages about 90 minutes as compared to 110 minutes in 2011. Vectren’s 2013 performance places Vectren in the top five percent nationwide as compared to other utilities of like size.

Note: PA Consulting Group’s ReliabilityOneTM award is based on using the Customer Average Interruption Duration Index, System Average Interruption Duration Index, and System Average Interruption Frequency Index excluding major storm events.
“It’s exciting to see our customer-focused improvements are paying off and are resulting in fewer outages over the course of a year – and when outages do occur, they are shorter in length,” said Brad Ellsworth, president of Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana – South. “While electric outages are not completely avoidable, the effort toward continued progress is apparent, as evident of us being awarded this honor.”

Customer-focused electric improvements include:

· Tree trimming/line clearance: Ensuring electric wires are easily accessible and not tangled within vegetation minimizes outages caused by nearby tree limbs and allows for quicker repairs. This single program is recognized by the utility industry and its regulatory agencies across the country as having the most impact on reliability.

· Reliability/maintenance programs: Efforts to focus improvement on poor performing circuits, an electric pole inspection program, fuse replacements and infrared light scanning of circuits to identify loose connections result in both fewer customer outages and shorter outage duration.

· System segmentation (outage isolation): The addition of remote and automatic controls on equipment allows for segmenting outage locations on transmission and distribution systems. Essentially, this allows the utility to isolate an outage whereby it impacts the smallest number of customers possible rather than the entire circuit. As such, only customers closest to the affected area must endure an interruption while repairs are made.
· Varmint protection devices: Squirrels, birds and even snakes can cause up to 20 percent of non-storm outages over the course of a year by coming into contact with energized electric equipment simultaneously, such as one of the transformers at the top of a utility pole, and a grounded piece of equipment. Vectren installs varmint guards, more than 10,000 over the past five years, near transformers on poles and within substations to prevent the animals from triggering outages.

Forward looking improvements include substation enhancements, which will include automated controls and system protection, as well as implementation of smart grid technology, which allows two-way digital communication between the utility and electric system, to better pinpoint outages and re-route power around trouble areas leading to faster restoration.

All Midsized utilities operating electric delivery networks in North America are eligible for consideration for the Outstanding Midsize Utility award. The selection of provisional recipients is based primarily on system reliability statistics that measure the frequency and duration of customer outages. After provisional recipients are selected, each company undergoes an on-site certification process which provides an independent review and confirmation of the policies, processes and systems used to collect, analyze and report a company’s reliability results.

Vectren serves 142,000 electric customers in Dubois, Gibson, Pike, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh and Warrick counties.

About Vectren
Vectren Corporation (NYSE: VVC) is an energy holding company headquartered in Evansville, Ind. Vectren’s energy delivery subsidiaries provide gas and/or electricity to more than 1 million customers in adjoining service territories that cover nearly two-thirds of Indiana and west central Ohio. Vectren’s nonutility subsidiaries and affiliates currently offer energy-related products and services to customers throughout the U.S. These include infrastructure and energy services. To learn more about Vectren, visit www.vectren.com<http://www.vectren.com>.

About PA Consulting Group
PA Consulting Group, Inc. (PA) is an employee-owned firm of over 2,500 people, operating globally from offices across North America, Europe, the Nordics, the Gulf and Asia Pacific. PA has experts in energy, 7 financial services, life sciences and healthcare, manufacturing, government and public services, defense and security, telecommunications, transport and logistics. PA’s deep industry knowledge, together with skills in management consulting, technology and innovation, allows them to challenge conventional thinking and deliver exceptional results with lasting impact. PA has partnered with energy clients for over 25 years to help them understand the challenges they face and define and implement an effective strategic response. PA’s ReliabilityOne™ awards are presented to electric utilities providing their customers with the highest levels of reliability in the industry. PA’s ReliabilityOneTM study is based on standard industry reliability statistics that measure the frequency and duration of electric power outages and has been analyzing electric utility performance since 1987. For more information about PA Consulting
Group, visit www.paconsulting.com/energy<http://www.paconsulting.com/energy>.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

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Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Jeffery Burch                 Resisting Law Enforcement-Level  Felony
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Class C Misdemeanor

Obie Davis Jr                 Resisting Law Enforcement-Level  Felony
Neglect of Dependent-Level 6 Felony
Reckless Driving-Class B Misdemeanor
Operating a Motor Vehicle without ever Receiving a License-Class C . Misdemeanor

Edward Sharp              Dealing in Methamphetamine-Level 2 Felony
Possession of Cocaine-Level 5 Felony
Possession of Paraphernalia-Level 6 Felony
Unlawful Possession of Syringe-Level 6 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.

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