- The Sheriff’s Office is investigating a serious bodily injury crash that occurred during the early morning hours of Wednesday, February 11, 2015. At approximately 3:00 AM the Sheriff’s Office responded to the 4400-block of Upper Mount Vernon Road upon report of a pedestrian being struck by a motor vehicle.
The pedestrian was severely injured and is currently undergoing treatment at Deaconess Hospital. The pedestrian has yet to regain consciousness and has not been identified. The pedestrian is described as white male, 30 to 50 years of age, heavyset, with “salt and pepper†hair. The pedestrian is also described as having a pre-existing “left arm deformityâ€. The pedestrian was wearing only athletic shorts at the time of the crash. Anyone with information regarding the identity of the pedestrian is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Office at 812-421-6339.
The driver of the involved motor vehicle is being questioned by the Sheriff’s Office and the crash remains under investigation. More details will be released in a subsequent media release.
Pictured above: Approximate location of crash (image courtesy of Google Maps)
Public help sought in the identification of pedestrian who was struck by a motor vehicle.
Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records
EPD Activity 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 Monday, February 09, 2015
James Bayer              Domestic Battery-Level 6 Felony
Mick Carter                Strangulation-Level 6 Felony
Domestic Battery-Class A Misdemeanor
Interference with the Reporting of a Crime-Class A Misdemeanor
Louis Edlund             Battery by Bodily Waste-Level 6 Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
Refusal to Identify Self-Class C Misdemeanor
Javad Carter       Possession of Methamphetamine-Level 6 Felony
Auto Theft-Level 6 Felony
Scott Gibson             Possession of Paraphernalia-Level 6 Felony
Possession of Synthetic Drug or Synthetic Drug Lookalike Substance-
Class A 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
Governor Pence Announces $1 Million in CTE Innovative Grant Opportunities
Indianapolis – Governor Mike Pence today announced the eight winning school and business partnerships in the second round of Innovative Career and Technical Training grants, which will help to make available to Indiana high school students new work-based learning opportunities in advanced robotics, agriculture and precision machining technologies.
“Indiana’s Regional Works Councils are leading the charge when it comes to ensuring our young people are on a pathway to success in the workforce or in post-secondary studies,†said Governor Pence. “Members of the Councils have been working with industry partners, high school counselors, teachers, parents, and students to bolster CTE opportunities, align and grow critical sector partnerships, and collaborate on curriculum improvements and design, and I applaud their efforts.â€
The grants, the second round provided by the Indiana General Assembly, are designed to target new learning opportunities at the regional level, with collaborations between local business and education partners. Driven by the Indiana Regional Works Councils, which were unanimously created by the General Assembly in 2013, the grants provide meaningful work-to-learn opportunities in combination with students earning dual credits and industry certifications in key regional employment sectors. The grants require a 3:1 public to private dollar match in funding and/or services.
Innovative CTE Curriculum Grant – Round 2 Awardees
ï‚· Newton County Schools (Region 1)
o Grant Funds Allocated: $339,571
o Private Matching Funds: $135,050
o Sector: Agriculture
o Key Partners: Fair Oaks Farms, Peterson’s Ag Service, Monsanto, Newton County Surveyor’s Office, Ivy Tech,
local farmers
o Start Date: Fall 2015 o Metrics:
 280 students enrolled
 82% earning certifications (230 students)
 Serv-Safe, Pre-PACPro-Start, AutoDesk  55% earning dual credits (155 students)
o Highlights:
-   New curriculum includes three sections:
- Precision Farming: Merges intro and advanced agriculture courses with STEM-focused PLTW courses
- Agritourism: Organic food and the farm-to-table concept
- Aquaponics: Including science, business, and marketing components
-   Will provide hands-on lab experiences for students in using GPS guided tractors, automated fertilizer
dispensers that adjust for varying field types, and remote-guided drones for geospatial mapping
-   All proposed dual credit courses are or will be aligned to Ivy Tech’s dual credit crosswalk. Juniors and
seniors in each concentration will participate in multiple work-based learning experiences with seniors completing an intensive “capstone†experiential course aligned to the IDOE new Work Based Learning course titles
o Contact: James Stradling, jstradling@twinlakes.k12.in.us
ï‚· Pulaski County Community Foundation (Region 1) o Grant Funds Allocated: $82,354
o Private Matching Funds: $28,195
o Sector: Manufacturing
o Key Partners: Pulaski County Community Foundation, Pulaski County Economic Development Commission, Braun Corporation, Ivy Tech
o Start Date: Fall 2015 o Metrics:
 12 students enrolled (expanding up to 48)  75% earning certifications (9 students)
ï‚· MSSC
 75% earning dual credits (9 students)
o Highlights:
 The recently formed Pulaski County Manufacturing Coalition will lead the proposed innovative
curriculum, called RAM-Tech, through integration and alignment to business needs, state-approved standards, and Amatrol curriculum
-   The RAM-Tech pipeline program will introduce Industrial Repair and Maintenance curriculum
-   This curriculum “makes the industrial maintenance instruction model inherently innovative within a
traditional academic high school settingâ€
-   Will offer a Workforce Investment Act- and INtraining-approved, Certified Production Technician
training program to help engage populations beyond traditional students
o Contact: Nathan Origer, nporiger@pulaskionline.org
ï‚· Michigan City (Region 1)
o Grant Funds Allocated: $223,809
o Private Matching Funds: $141,785
o Sector: Energy
o Key Partners: NIPSCO, International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers (IBEW), ArcelorMittal, Ivy Tech, Purdue
North Central
o Start Date: Fall 2015 o Metrics:
 115 students enrolled
 73% earning certifications (84 students)
 CEWD Energy Fundamentals, NCCER Level One Completion Certificate,  59% earning dual credits (68 students)
o Highlights:
-   Includes Summer Energy Camps for students in grades 1 through 12 to provide awareness and
engagement opportunities
-   Creates a new two-credit, two-semester introductory energy course for 10th grade titled Energy Industry
Fundamentals
-   Creates new, intensive, six-credit full year courses titled Energy I and Energy II for 11th and 12th grade
respectively where each student will be paired one-to-one with an industry mentor
-   Incorporates a summer internship program sponsored by IBEW
-   Dual credits earned in the Academy transfer directly to Purdue North Central’s four-year Bachelor’s
Degree programs in Energy, Electrical, or Mechanical Engineering
o Contact: Audra Peterson, apeterson01@mcas.k12.in.us
ï‚· Heartland Career Center (Region 3)
o Grant Funds Allocated: $134,886
o Private Matching Funds: $180,325
o Sector: Advanced Manufacturing
o Key Partners: Ford Meter Box, Wabash MPI/Carver, Kellam Inc., Global Precision Parts, Ivy Tech, Wabash
Chamber, Miami County Economic Development Commission o Start Date: Fall 2015
o Metrics:
 40 students enrolled
 75% earning certifications (27 students)
 MSSC, AWS, Introductory SENSE, NIMS, CPT, and APICS  75% earning at least 15 dual credits (27 students)
 100% completing a WBL experience (with internship preferred)
o Highlights:
-   Creates the Collaborative Advanced Manufacturing Opportunities (CAMO) pathway
-   HIRE curriculum combined with Ivy Tech Kokomo’s ITEP curriculum will create the Adv Mfg I and II
course curricula
-   Members of the Manufacturing Alliance will serve on the new curriculum planning team to ensure alignment with regional industry needs
-   Includes components of Indiana’s Work Ethic Certificate with “soft skills†standards and lessons combined with the WIN software and WorkKeys programs
-   Conversations with CELL have begun to explore the possibility of Heartland Career Center using an Early College High School model with the CAMO initiative
o Contact: Mark Hobbs, mhobbs@hcc.k12.in.us
ï‚· Noblesville (Region 5)
o Grant Funds Allocated: $142,000
o Private Matching Funds: $736,150
o Sectors: Manufacturing, Automotive, and Construction
o Key Partners: Gaylor Electric Inc., Hare Chevrolet, ABC, SMC, Lincoln Tech, Ivy Tech o Start Date: Fall 2015
o Metrics:
 100 students enrolled (expandable up to 270)  100% earning certifications (100 students)
ï‚· APICS, MSSC, MPRO,
 100% earning dual credits (100 students)
ï‚· Total of 810 dual credits earned
o Highlights:
 Proposing a new curriculum titled the MAC Initiative comprised of three separate areas of focus:
- Manufacturing: collaborating with SMC to develop a new course curriculum, expanding on the HIRE curriculum where students will learn hands-on application of in-demand skills
- Automotive: collaboration between Hare Chevrolet and Lincoln College of Technology to create a new curriculum and lab space for students to begin their training as an Automotive Technician, Collision Repair Technician, or Diesel Technician
a. Student will learn the skills and knowledge required to pursue an ASE certification
3. Construction: will expand the courses offered in partnership with ABC to include welding due to
the current industry demand and will help remove barriers for students to pursue a level-one
apprenticeship status and get placed in an internship opportunity
 Creates a full-time job coach position for the first year of the MAC initiative to serve as the liaison across
all three initiatives
o Contact: Carrie Lively, carrie_lively@nobl.k12.in.us
ï‚· New Castle Community Schools (Region 6) o Grant Funds Allocated: $49,982 o Private Matching Funds: $48,380 o Sector: Precision Machining
o Key Partners: 7 regional manufacturing businesses (not named), Ivy Tech o Start Date: Fall 2015 (currently in place but will expand with this grant) o Metrics:
 30 students enrolled
 100% of students earning certifications (30 students)
 NIMS (multiple variations), Technical Certificate in Machine Tool Technology  100% of students earning dual credits (30 students)
o Highlights:
 Curriculum will be developed for IDOE courses Precision Machine Trades 1 & II, each involving 1080
hours of instruction
-   Six week Capstone Internship opportunities will be available during the Summer to students entering the 2nd year of the program
-   Ivy Tech provides assistance for students enrolled in My Foundations, providing instruction for students not meeting academic levels on AccuPlacer necessary for upper level classes
-   Utilizes Tooling U software to create a competency based model of instruction
o Contact: Robert Hobbs, rhobbs@nccsc.k12.in.us
ï‚· Vigo County School Corporation (Region 7)
o Grant Funds Allocated: $303,125
o Private Matching Funds: $243,253
o Sector: AML (NEAT pathways, robotics pathway)
o Key Partners: multiple schools, Ivy Tech, Yaskawa Motoman, Sony DADC, Duke Energy Foundation, Chamber
Workforce Committee Terre Haute, WIB o Start date: Fall 2015
o Metrics:
 148 students (98 secondary and 50 adult learners)  Approximately. 85% earning a cert (125 students)  DX100 (Levels 1, 2, and3), NIMS
 Approximately. 80% earning dual credits (118 students) o Highlights:
-   Builds on the New and Emerging Automation Technology (NEAT) pathway recently approved by IDOE
-   The industry partnership forged with Yaskawa Motoman North America will allow high school students
to earn a DX100 certification with a cost of only $25 each, reduced from the standard price of $1,700
each
-   Support hiring a secondary and a post-secondary Motoman Endorsed Robotics Instructor Training
(MERIT) instructor, whom will become “MERIT Instructor Certifiedâ€
-   This curriculum addresses Industrial Robotics, but will also include standards for humanoid technology
and drone robotics
o Contact: Doug Dillon, dwd@vigoschools.org
ï‚· Scott County School District (Region 10)
o Grant Funds Allocated: $137,606
o Private Matching Funds: $62,652
o Sector: Manufacturing and Welding
o Key Partners: Amatrol, Mid-America Science Park, Ivy Tech, Mayor of Scottsburg, Prosser o Start Date: Fall 2015
o Metrics:
-   52 students enrolled
-   100% earning certifications and dual credits
ï‚· MSSC, AWS, Region 10 Work Ethic Certification
 100% will be involved in a 4-hour job-shadowing experience and a minimum 15-hour internship in both
Advanced Manufacturing and Welding programs o Highlights:
-   This pilot program and certifications will strengthen and improve alignment of the Advanced Manufacturing and Welding pathways with the employment needs of regional companies
-   Conferred with several regional businesses that will accept students for both job shadowing and participation in externships
-   Incorporates the Work Ethic Certification in the curriculum
o Contact: Mark Watkins, mwatkins@scsd2.k12.in.us
Guns & Hoses VIII Coming April 11 to Ford Center
Tickets will be on sale this Friday, February 13, 2015 for the 8th Annual Guns & Hoses boxing charity event, presented by 911 Gives Hope coming to the Ford Center on Saturday, April 11 at 7:00pm.
Ticket prices are unchanged from last year and will go on sale Friday, February 13 at 10:00am and will be available at the Ford Center Ticket Office, all Ticketmaster outlets, online at Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 800-745-3000.
Speaker Bosma Supports  Governor’s Executive Order
Speaker Bosma issued the following statement in response to Governor Pence’s actions concerning ISTEP+ and an Executive Order:
“I strongly support the Governor’s announcement to issue an Executive Order and immediately funding an outside consultant to solve the problems concerning the drastic increase in the ISTEP+ test. The decision to greatly multiply testing time in 2015 was the Superintendent’s decision alone, and legislators and even the State Board of Education were not consulted or informed of this before the public announcement of the extended test time.
It has become apparent that the Department of Education needs assistance resolving this issue and outside counsel in reducing the ridiculous amount of time our students are scheduled to spend testing this year.
The General Assembly has had the constitutional responsibility to oversee education in our state since 1816. We want to work in concert with the Superintendent and the DOE to provide the leadership they need to ensure that ISTEP+ is restored to a reasonable length, while preserving its statistical validity and our A-F accountability system.â€
Indiana House Supermajority Rejects Effort To Stop Unfair Practices Aimed At Unemployed Hoosiers
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana House Republicans yesterday (Mon., Feb. 9) rejected an effort by State Rep. Gail Riecken (D-Evansville) to stop the state Department of Workforce Development (DWD) from unfairly requiring some Hoosiers to repay unemployment benefits.
The House supermajority defeated an amendment offered by Riecken that would have provided an exemption to DWD rules requiring repayment of certain unemployment benefits that were distributed after July 1, 2011. Riecken offered the amendment to House Bill 1186.
“This proposal would have benefited a large number of people who live and work in the Evansville area who received benefits when they weren’t supposed to, simply because the state did not notify them of changes to the unemployment insurance law that took place back in 2011,†Riecken said.
“Through no fault of their own, these individuals thought they qualified for the benefits, received them, then were told that they had to pay them back.
“Picture yourself in their shoes,†she continued. “These people applied for unemployment benefits in good faith, as they had in the past. Then they received a collection notice from the DWD telling them that the policy is changed and they need to pay the money back.â€
The dispute primarily involved school corporation employees who are traditionally laid off during months when school is not in session, such as bus drivers, teacher aides, and cafeteria workers.
“Even though the agency made the mistake in notification,” Riecken said,” the DWD has demanded reimbursement because the agency reasons that the workers’ time off was an ‘unpaid vacation.’ An existing provision enables the DWD to waive benefit payback under certain circumstances, but the agency has failed to exercise this right.
“This ordeal has caused extreme economic hardship for many people across Southwest Indiana. The money isn’t just sitting in their bank accounts, because they have to care for themselves and their families.â€
On average, these workers are being asked to repay between $2,000 and $4,000. In one instance, Riecken said one person says she must repay $30,000.
“In effect, these workers are being told that this matter is their fault, not the DWD,†Riecken said. “There was at least one instance in which a bus driver was told by DWD workers that she should apply for unemployment benefits, even though agency workers were unsure of the impact of the new laws.
“The only option for some people has been to file bankruptcy to escape the unending cycle of worry and hard times,†she noted. “Tax returns can be seized to cover unjust fees leveraged against those individuals. This is a deplorable outcome for people who simply filed for unemployment benefits.â€
In addition to the proposal offered by Riecken, supporters of the change have thrown their weight behind Senate Bill 111, which has yet to get a hearing in that chamber. The Senate bill was the focal point of a Statehouse rally on Monday.
“Based on the vote on my amendment, it would appear that the supermajorities are not interested in making this change, even though it’s the humane thing to do,†Riecken said. “But that doesn’t mean we won’t stop trying to do what’s right.
To offer the best reason for the proposal, Riecken cited the words of an Indianapolis bus driver named Terri Wells, who spoke during Monday’s rally.
“Bus drivers truly make a difference in the lives of the children, and that means something to us,†said Wells. “We are responsible for the safety of your children, your nieces, nephews, and grandchildren.
“We didn’t ask for this. It’s a tough situation because we personally do not have the money to pay what the DWD says we owe. We request for the fees to be rightly waived so that we can move on with our lives.â€
Governor Pence Names Edward Roeber Consultant to Review, Make Recommendations to Shorten 2015 ISTEP Test Â
Indianapolis – Governor Mike Pence has named Edward Roeber as the consultant who will review and make recommendations to the Office of the Governor, the Indiana Department of Education, and the Indiana State Board of Education in order to shorten the 2015 ISTEP test. The announcement comes the morning after the Governor signed Executive Order 15-04 to shorten the test, which would otherwise double in length this year for Indiana students. CTB McGraw Hill, the vendor for the 2015 ISTEP test, has also expressed its support to discuss options and engage with the consultant pursuant to the Governor’s Executive Order to shorten this year’s test.
“Hoosier families can be assured that we will shorten this test,†said Governor Pence. “With more than four decades devoted to educational assessment, Edward Roeber is a nationally-recognized consultant who has the depth of knowledge and experience necessary to conduct a thorough and efficient review of Indiana’s 2015 ISTEP test. I appreciate his willingness to bring his expertise to the table and craft a solution to this issue in a way that will be less burdensome to Hoosier students and families while still maintaining accountability for schools.â€
Roeber, of Michigan, is an independent consultant to various organizations including the Michigan Assessment Consortium, to which he serves as Assessment Director, and Assessment Solutions Group, where he serves as Managing Partner. In his more than forty-year career, he has served as an adjunct professor in measurements and quantitative methods at the Michigan State University College of Education, Senior Executive Director for the Office of Educational Assessment and Accountability at the Michigan Department of Education, and Director of Student Assessment Programs at the Council of Chief State School Officers. In addition, Roeber has consulted with a number of states as well as national entities on the design, development and implementation of large-scale assessment programs.
Roeber earned his bachelor’s degree in psychology, his master’s degree in educational psychology, and his doctorate in measurement and evaluation from The University of Michigan.
The maximum cost for Roeber’s contract, which was effective yesterday, with the state is $22,000. The contract identifies two phases of work, each valued at $11,000. The first, to be completed prior to February 20, is for initial analysis and recommendations for spring 2015, and the second, from February to December of this year, is to continue consultation for spring 2016 assessment and piloting should phase one recommendations impact next year’s test.
The contract in full as well as a letter from the Governor to Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz can be found attached.
Supreme Court issues order on removed Muncie judge
Dave Stafford forwww.theindianalawyer.com
The Muncie City Court judge removed from office last month abused her authority by wrongly jailing defendants and attempting to silence critics in her courtroom, and disgraced the judiciary by using a racial slur in the streets, according to the Indiana Supreme Court order issued Tuesday.
Dianna L. Bennington was removed from the bench last month after she agreed to the sanction and accepted a permanent ban on holding judicial office after her admission that she violated 10 of the 13 counts against her alleging violations of Rules of Judicial Conduct.
The justices had suspended Bennington in December, after the Judicial Qualifications Commission alleged she had improperly jailed defendants, repeatedly violated statutes and court rules, and engaged in public verbal altercations with her children’s father and others. She also allegedly used a racial slur aimed at an African-American woman that the commission says was videotaped.
The per curiam opinion In the Matter of the Honorable Dianna L. Bennington, Judge of the Muncie City Court, 18S00-1412-JD-733, formalizes the earlier ban on judicial service. The opinion notes Bennington improperly jailed three people, failed to follow proper procedures, and engaged in “injudicious behavior in personal life.â€
“The Respondent and the Commission have agreed that for her violations of the Code of Judicial Conduct as described herein, the Respondent shall be permanently banned from serving in any judicial capacity of any kind, including but not limited to service as a judge pro tempore, temporary judge, or private judge,†the opinion says.
“As required by this Court’s order accepting the parties’ agreement, the Respondent has tendered her resignation to the Governor. The Respondent will pay certain costs related to these proceedings as agreed by the parties. Finally, the Respondent is permitted to retain her license to practice law in Indiana.
“This discipline terminates the disciplinary proceedings relating to the circumstances giving rise to this cause. An order taxing costs will be issued separately.â€