IS IT TRUE January 3, 2014
IS IT TRUE January 3, 2014
IS IT TRUE State Senator Jim Banks weighed in on the State House of Representatives race and formally endorsed Sean Selby to replace Suzanne Crouch recently ascended to the position of State Auditor via the political appointment route?…Ms. Crouch is the second female from Vanderburgh County to be recognized for exemplary service by an appointment by the Governor to a cabinet level position?…the other Vanderburgh County official to have made that jump was former Vanderburgh County Assessor and County Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave who served the people of Indiana under the Daniels Administration?
IS IT TRUE the City County Observer has been granted formal authority to publish articles from the statewide legal publication called The Indiana Lawyer?…this publication focuses on topics of legal interest on the state level and will add value to the CCO experience for our readers?…Mole 3 tells us that there were some objections registered to this arrangement by some competition that shall remain unnamed?
IS IT TRUE the CCO is confused as to why Evansville has now suffered through its second snow storm of the winter without the benefit of any pretreatment of beet juice being applied to the roads?…there have been no reports of shortages of the pretreatment mix and no news of price escalation?…as pretreatment of roads prior to predicted snow and ice storms is a standard practice we are sort of confused as to why this is not happening?…the roads during the first round of storms were a dangerous mess as they are now?…the people of Evansville deserve an explanation about this mystifying change in service delivery on the part of local government?
IS IT TRUE that the City of Evansville in yet another silent maneuver has acquired the property at 5 East Riverside Drive and tagged as parcel #82-06-31-022-059.003-029?…this is a lot that sits squarely on Bee Slough and has one storage building but has essentially no commercial value due to its proximity to the Bee Slough where the Combined Sewage Overflows end up right before exiting into the Ohio River?…the City of Evansville must think there is some strategic value to this property because on May 20, 2013 they paid $170,000 to GAGE for this property?…the estimated value of the property on the sales disclosure form filed with the Vanderburgh County Assessor was ZERO?…the previous assessed value was $374,500 raising some eyebrows about the accuracy of the assessment and the wisdom of the purchase?…this is the same month that Global Blade Technology decided Evansville was not the place for them and vacated the space in Park 41 where they had been for 20 months?…you can see the sales disclosure document below?
IS IT TRUE we reiterate our assertion from yesterday that in view of the latest debacle in the capacity to VET anything the City County Observer would like to call upon the Evansville City Council and particularly Councilman John Friend who has been a vocal nemesis of the poor VETTING done by the City to first FREEZE ALL LOANS AND INCENTIVE PACKAGES IMMEDIATELY and second to ESTABLISH A PROCESS FOR VETTING AND A VETTING COMMISSION MADE UP OF COMPETENT PEOPLE THAT ACTUALLY DO KNOW HOW TO VET?…we would also invite a position paper from Councilman Friend on Angel investment and how Evansville could actually participate in such foreign things to the positive benefit of the local economy?
Breaking News: Sean Selby Receives Political Endorsements
Political News Release
Evansville, Jan. 3 – Earlier this week Sean Selby officially announced his candidacy for State Representative. He brings almost two decades of political experience to the race for the 78 th House District seat which will be vacated soon by Suzanne Crouch. She recently accepted a position to be the next Auditor of the State of Indiana. The special election to replace her will take place on Saturday, January 4 th . An entrepreneur and small business owner in the technology field for nearly a decade and a half, Selby has been involved politically for more than half his life. He has held numerous positions including elective and representative roles and helped in more than 15 political campaigns in nearly as many years. Available for comment, he stated about the race:
“I am simply overwhelmed with support we’ve received thus far from fellow precinct committeemen, on social media, with endorsements from a candidate who exited the race gracefully, a former state convention delegate, and a sitting state senator thus far. It has far surpassed my expectations and I believe it is an indication of the type of leadership people want at the statehouse.â€
Earlier today, it was announced that Chris Politano, a candidate and precinct committeeman, officially dropped out of the race and endorsed Selby. Politano had previously indicated his intention to file, saying:
â€Sean has more experience than any other candidate having served on multiple election and re-election campaigns at local, state and federal levels. He is well acquainted with fundraising as well as campaign strategy. He has been involved extensively with the party since childhood and has nearly 20 years of experience. Sean also has lived and done business in both Warrick and Vanderburgh county giving him a distinct advantage over the other candidates in term of getting re-elected. His entering the race was one of the key reasons I decided not to run. Lastly, he already has realtionships formed with Indiana state senators, Representatives and other key figures in the Party. This will allow him to be immediately effective.â€
Following that endorsement, it was Tammi Mitchell, who has served with distinction as a Republican Party Precinct Committeeman and 2012 State Convention Delegate who endorsed Selby along with Chris Albertson from Scott County who is serving as a Precinct Committeeman and also attended the Republican State Convention as a Delegate in 2012.
Then, it was reported that Indiana State Senator Jim Banks sent an email to local Precinct Committeemen endorsing Selby in his bid to fulfill the remainder of Suzanne Crouch’s term. Sen. Banks had worked on political campaigns in Evansville nearly a decade ago and has known Selby for that period. Selby said:
â€I am thrilled that Sen. Banks endorsed the campaign and appreciate his tireless efforts to be a leading conservative voice in the State Senate for the people of his 17 th Senate District and for all Hoosiers. His willingness to stand for what he believes in is inspiring and it is the type of leadership that our state needs more of. If elected, I plan to provide similar leadership.â€
Banks said in his letter to local Republican leaders:
“I wanted to take a few minutes to lend my support for my long-time friend Sean Selby. I know some of you personally from my time living in Evansville over a decade ago. It was during that time Sean became a great friend and over the time since we’ve collaborated on numerous conservative causes and campaigns. I know he would make a strong and consistent advocate for conservative principles and I know he will work tirelessly to support southwest Indiana and your values. As a small business owner he knows intimately the issues facing job creators throughout our state. More than anything I know Sean will do what’s right rather than what he’s told to do which is an important quality I know you appreciate in many of your independent minded legislators currently serving your region. I am a big fan of Sean’s as he’s been very helpful to me over the years and has remained a loyal friend.â€
Media Contact:
Sean Selby
Candidate for State Representative (HD78) 812-480-0542 sean@seanselby.com www.seanselby.com
Public Notice for meeting of 1-6-14 with cancellation notice of FINANCE MEETINGâ€
The Board of Finance of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Board of School Trustees meeting of Monday, January 6 has been cancelled. It has been rescheduled for Monday, January 27, 2014.
The Board of School Trustees of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation will meet in executive session at 3:30 p.m. on Monday, January 6, 2014, in the John H. Schroeder Conference Centre at the EVSC Administration Building, 951 Walnut, IN 47713, Evansville, IN. The session will be conducted according to Senate Enrolled Act 313, Section 1, I.C. 5-14-1.5-6.1, as amended. The purpose of the meeting is for discussion of collective bargaining, (2)(A); initiation of litigation or litigation that is either pending or has been threatened specifically in writing, (2)(B); purchase or lease of property, (2)(D); and job performance evaluation of individual employees, (9).
The regular meeting of the School Board will follow at 5:30 p.m. in the EVSC Board Room, same address.
Acapulco’s: The Tri-states Source for Authentic Mexican Cuisine.
Fiesta Acapulco opened for business in 2003 in the Apple Center in Newburgh, Indiana. Acapulco’s quickly gained recognition for the quality of their authentic Mexican cuisine and as a result, the business grew quickly. Owners Melvin Ortez and his wife Blanca realized that they could do more for their customers if they had room to grow. They decided to move the business down the street to High Point Drive in Newburgh, situated between Wal-mart and Bob’s Gym. The Relocation opened up many possibilities for the Ortez’s. They have added a full climate-controlled patio, a playground for customers’ children, and additional parking for their increased business.
Though their building may have changed, their signature food items and daily specials have not. Customer favorites such as the Fajitas, Quesadillas, and Mexican Pizza remain on the menu as do their famous margaritas. Acapulco’s offers many food and drink specials that change daily, encouraging their customer’s to try something new while creating a dining experience that captures the culture of Mexico while offering a top-notch dining experience.
The Ortez’s, immigrants of Honduras and Mexico, are excited about the relocation of the restaurant and the development happening around Newburgh and are looking forward to the increased traffic and business from new offices, apartments, and businesses that are popping up around the area. The Ortez’s have a second Acapulco’s in LaGrange, Kentucky in addition to their Newburgh location. Though their restaurants are spread out, the Ortez’s think of the Evansville area as their home and have been residents of Newburgh since 2002.
The Acapulco’s Newburgh location employs 25 people while their Kentucky restaurant employs 22. The Ortez’s encourage both new and returning customers to continue to visit as there is always something new going on or something new to try. Curious customers may visit their website at www.fiestaacapulco.com for their full menu, specials, and a map to their two locations. Customers may also call (812) 858-7777 to direct inquiries towards their friendly staff.
VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, December 30, 2013
Ryan Elenbaas          Battery by Bodily Waste – D Felony
Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury – D Felony
Battery Resulting in Injury – A Misdemeanor
Criminal Mischief – D Felony
Ricky Kiper Jr.          Theft – D Felony
Eric Masters             Invasion of Privacy – A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to D Felony Due to Prior Convictions)
Colton McKinley       Residential Entry – D Felony
Intimidation – D Felony
BRANDON TOWNSENDÂ Â Â Â Â UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF SYRINGE – D FELONY
UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF ANABOLIC STEROID – D FELONY
UNLAWFUL POSSESSION OF ANABOLIC STEROID – D FELONY
POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA – A MISDEMEANOR
POSSESSION OF PARAPHERNALIA – A MISDEMEANOR
LISA WALKERÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â POSSESSION OF METHAMPHETAMINE-D FELONY
POSSESSION OF PARAPHERNALIA- D-FELONY
(Enhanced from A-Misdemeanor)
POSSESSION OF MARIJUANA – A MISDEMEANOR
PAUL COXÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â DOMESTIC BATTERY – D FELONY
STRANGULATION – D 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 considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
Commentary: Pence gets an ‘I’ for incomplete
By John Krull
TheStatehouseFile.com
John Krull, publisher, TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – The grade card for new governors is, depending upon one’s point of view, either a journalistic tradition or a journalistic cliché.
Pundits, such as yours truly, give the beginning governor grades after his or her first year in office. The scores are almost always weighted by the pundit’s ideological thumb on the scale.
For example, in the case of Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, his fellow Republicans and conservatives have given him As and high Bs while citing the small tax cut package he managed to coax out of a reluctant Indiana General Assembly. Democrats and liberals have handed the new governor Ds and Fs and focused their fire on his refusal to have Indiana take part in the federal health care system, a decision that has left roughly a quarter-million Hoosiers without health insurance.
I wonder, though, if there’s not another standard by which we can judge Pence’s first year as governor – a standard that he set for himself. In his inaugural address, Pence said:
“I am humbled by your trust, honored that you have chosen me to serve, and I am eager to be the governor of all the people of Indiana-young and old, city and country, rich and poor.â€
There always is a temptation to dismiss such statements from politicians as platitudes – rhetorical bits of puffery that they don’t really mean.
That’s not the case with Mike Pence. I’ve known him for a long time. While he is at least as ambitious as the next politician – and, in fact, more ambitious than most – he is not the hater that some political figures on both the left and the right are. He got into politics because he likes people, even those who disagree with him.
That’s why I would ask what Pence has done in his first year to serve as “governor of all the people of Indiana†– not just those who voted for him. What has he done to reach out to the more than 50 percent of the state’s citizens who did not vote for him?
What I’m talking about is a different kind of leadership than, sadly, many governors or presidents look to provide these days. Too often, governors and presidents see themselves as legislators-in-chief rather than figures who preside over a fractious state or nation. They look for wedge issues to divide us rather than seek out opportunities to conciliate.
There’s no doubt that Mike Pence has done much – the tax cut, the health care decision – to please his conservative constituency. And that is appropriate. He (and they), after all, won the election.
But Indiana’s education system now is in a state of chaos. The state’s elected superintendent of public instruction, Democrat Glenda Ritz, has been at war with the state’s Republican-appointed board of education. Rather than position himself to play peacemaker, Pence often – too often – has waded into the combat himself.
Is there no word – no gesture – that Pence could think of to show the more than 50 percent of Hoosiers who voted for Ritz that he heard them? That he cares about what they think?
Similarly, Indiana is about to enter into an ugly and likely year-long war of attrition over a proposed state constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Millions of dollars will be spent by both sides trying to convince Hoosiers to demonize each other.
Mike Pence is a social conservative. It is both expected and understandable that he will line up with those who support the ban.
But, again, is there no way for him to reassure those who disagree with him on the issue that he still is their governor and that this state is still their home? Is there not a way for the governor to help calm the furies of the moment rather than exacerbate them?
Great leaders manage to find ways to unite us without betraying their own principles or convictions. They pull us together by convincing us that we all have a share in the greater good.
That’s a tougher standard than a simple ideological or partisan score card, but it’s the one that really matters. And it’s the test that Mike Pence will have to meet in the coming months.
That’s why my grade for him so far is an I for incomplete.
John Krull is director of Franklin College’s Pulliam School of Journalism, host of “No Limits†WFYI 90.1 FM Indianapolis and publisher of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Pet Of The Week
Harold is a 1-year-old male black Lab mix! He was found wandering Old Henderson Road with another dog, so we don’t know much about his background. But, he is a very active & playful boy who would love to go home with a fun-loving family! Harold’s adoption fee is $100, and includes his neuter, microchip, vaccinations, and a bag of food.
ST. MARY’S OFFERING HCAMPS PROGRAM FOR MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS
Applications are now being accepted for this year’s HCAMPS (HealthCare Academy for Middle School Pupil’s Success) – a weeklong program for middle school students interested in a career in healthcare.
St. Mary’s created HCAMPS to give students an opportunity to interact with health care providers, learn about the variety of careers available in the health care industry, and understand the educational requirements for a career in health care.
This year’s program will take place Monday, June 2nd – Friday, June 6th and is open to Vanderburgh, Warrick, Gibson or Posey county students entering 8th grade in the fall of 2014 who have a minimum 3.3 grade point average. Interested students must submit a teacher’s online evaluation, a 150 word essay, and a recent school picture. The deadline to apply is Thursday, January 23, 2014 at 4 pm.
HCAMPS highlights include:
- Treating “patients†in a simulation lab.
- Hands-on experience in the St. Mary’s Emergency Department, Nursery, and Trauma Services Departments.
- Touring health science facilities at Ivy Tech Community College, the University of Evansville, and the University of Southern Indiana.
- Performing hands-on activities, such as dissecting a cow heart.
The cost of the program is $75. Financial aid is available. For more information, please contact: Margaret L. Moutseous, Project Director HCAMPS, 812.485.4221 or mlmoutseous@stmarys.org
Shepard to moderate same-sex marriage debate
Compiled by the staff of www.theindianalawer.com
Retired Indiana Chief Justice Randall T. Shepard will moderate a debate at Franklin College Jan. 13 on the issue of same-sex marriage.
Jane Henegar, executive director of the ACLU of Indiana, will argue against the proposed constitutional amendment banning same sex-marriage in Indiana. Curt Smith, president of Indiana Family Institute, will advocate for the amendment.
“The debate at Franklin College about the proposed same-sex marriage amendment will give the people of Indiana a better understanding of this contentious issue. Both sides deserve a fair hearing and, as moderator, I want to make sure that they receive one,†Shepard said in a news release from the college.  Organizers say the involvement of Shepard, Henegar and Smith will guarantee the debate will inform rather than inflame.
“Given that the definition of marriage has become controversial, it is important the Legislature allow Hoosiers to decide this question for ourselves. Making such a choice wisely requires an informed citizenry, which I trust this debate will foster,†Smith said.
The hour-long debate will be held at 7 p.m. in the Branigin Room of the Napolitan Student Center on campus. It is free and open to the public. Those who cannot attend may listen to a live broadcast on WFCI 89.5 FM.
The Indiana General Assembly is expected to consider the amendment outlined in House Joint Resolution 6 this session. State legislators have been grappling privately with the proposed amendment banning marriage between two people of the same gender. Their concern is the second sentence of the amendment which some view as too broad and possibly removing legal protections from unmarried heterosexual couples.
There are questions as to whether the amendment can be approved and put before voters in November if the language is altered in any way during the 2014 session.