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EPD Activity Report: January 30, 2014

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EPD PATCH 2012

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EPD Activity Report: January 30, 2014

IS IT TRUE January 31, 2014

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Mole
Mole

IS IT TRUE January 31, 2014

IS IT TRUE that with the temperatures back in the single digits and the wind chill factor even worse the Evansville Water and Sewer Department is back on the streets and in the yards dealing with yet another round of water main breaks?…it is a shame if the worker bees are getting any of the blame for this record setting month of water main breaks as they are simply the foot soldiers who are responsible for duct taping and bailing wire repairs of an aged decrepit water delivery system that has been neglected for decades and in some cases over a century?…while these people are doing an admirable job they have been sent by our leaders to battle a dragon with pixie sticks?…if the City of Evansville had done their job and executed a planned replacement program for the last 50 years the $500 Million water main replacement needs and the minimum $540 Million sewer upgrades would have already been done and the disruptions of service would be manageable?…repairs to the distribution of water alone including sewers will be costing the people of Evansville well over a BILLION DOLLARS in the next 20 or so years and will add perhaps as much as $1,000 per month in living expenses to the budgets of everyone caught up in this trap of negligence?

IS IT TRUE when you hear people on TV warning about how the excessive spending and borrowing of today at the federal level is like sticking it to our grandkids the people of Evansville need to take this warning seriously?…WE ARE THE GRANDCHILDREN OF PEOPLE WHO NEGLECTED TO ESTABLISH OR MAINTAIN EVEN BASIC INFRASTRUCTURE?…we are in this BILLION DOLLAR CONUNDRUM because our ancestors were too cowardly and short sighted to pay a few more dollars in taxes to correct these problems on a pay as you go basis for in some cases a full century?…we are also the children of and the peers of a delusional leadership that has broken our bank by spending nearly every dollar that could be borrowed on unnecessary extravagances?…we have collectively dug a hole for ourselves and it is time to stop digging and do something to correct the sins of the fathers so that we do not visit them on our own grandchildren?…it is time to suck it up and fix the infrastructure of Evansville whatever the cost?…to fail to do so is to condemn this fair city to a future that will look and function like Calcutta?…the fun and games have got to stop and reality must rule the decisions of our leaders?…the same goes for Washington DC?

IS IT TRUE the symptoms of a crumbling society made front page news again yesterday with the effective sting operation that local, state, and federal law enforcement has made 22 arrests of what amounted to a gang based crack cocaine distribution network?…those arrested all were young and male who by all rights should be working at entry level jobs and preparing to become responsible members of society?…the gang was also the gang in which the three arrested in downtown Evansville for a gunfight outside of Hammerhead’s hang their hats?…we wonder if this is a wake-up call to the people of Evansville?…the area where this seems to happen is nearly always the south side but it does affect us all even if we live safely in the county?…all of these things are connected?…the dilapidated housing, the dearth of job creation, the tolerance of lawlessness, and yes the smell of failed sewers all drive the anger that eventually drives young men into the brotherhood of a gang?

IS IT TRUE that the Coachella Valley Innovation Hub scored another $780,000 federal grant yesterday for furthering the efforts of the Palm Springs Accelerator Campus?…it was also learned that President Obama will be coming to Palm Springs on February 14th?…a visit is possible and the CCO will be the first to publish if that comes about?…the President has embraced the idea of innovation hubs in two recent speeches including the state of the union address?…there is an exemplary operation in Palm Springs that will welcome his visit?

Some teachers could get extra cash under bill backed by Gov. Pence

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By Paige Clarktimthumb.php-6
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS – A bill intended to attract teachers to underperforming public and charter schools passed a Senate committee Wednesday.

Senate Bill 264 – authored by Sen. Jim Banks, R-Columbia City – creates a program to provide a $10,000 annual stipend to teachers for the first two years the teacher is employed at a school meeting certain criteria. However, the Senate Education Committee stripped the funding from the bill.

“Teachers should get paid more,” said Claire Fiddian-Green, special assistant to the governor for education innovation. “They do some of the hardest work.”

The schools must have received a D or F grade two consecutive years or have a population with 50 percent of students at or below the federal free or reduced lunch guidelines.

“I’m trying to make sure that the devil is not in the details,” said Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary. “I wish there was something other than money.”

To qualify for the stipend, teachers must qualify as “effective” or “highly effective” on their teacher evaluations.

“Why aren’t the teachers already there being rewarded,” said Sally Sloan, a lobbyist for the Indiana Federation of Teachers. “If we just funded schools adequately this probably wouldn’t be a problem.”

John Barnes, director of legislative affairs for the Department of Education, said this bill focuses more on retraction instead of retention.

“We think right now that retention is the bigger issue,” Barnes said.

Fiddian-Green said Gov. Mike Pence supports the bill and is committed to finding innovative ways to support Indiana’s teachers.

But, John O’Neil, a lobbyist for the Indiana State Teacher’s Association, said the legislation is “unfair to other priorities in a non-budget year.”

An amendment passed that would remove funding of the bill until a later, to-be-determined date.

Paige Clark is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

Winter Jam’s Third Consecutive Sell Out

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The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular packed the Ford Center with thousands of fans on Thursday night for their third sold-out show in Evansville—and more kept coming. Fans of the popular Christian pop rock event began lining up at entrances around 10:30 a.m. for the 7 p.m. concert in hopes of watching performances by acts like Newsboys, Lecrae, Thousand Foot Krutch, Colton Dixon, Tenth Avenue North, speaker Nick Hall and more. For those that did not get seats, several of the bands rotated out to a second stage in the main lobby to play short sets for the fans there.

Eric Kilby, Winter Jam tour manager, said, “We love coming to Evansville and playing at the Ford Center. We’ve had sold-out shows here every year and turned-away crowds.” He later added, “I’ve heard all of the bands saying that the energy in the room tonight was amazing, and they don’t normally say that.”

The Ford Center continues to stay active with a wide variety of upcoming events, including Florida Georgia Line February 14, the 38th Annual World Championship Ice Racing Series February 21, Brit Floyd March 10, and Lady Antebellum April 10.

Ford Center is managed by VenuWorks of Evansville, LLC. For more information on Ford Center visit: www.thefordcenter.com www.facebook.com/fordcenterevansville www.twitter.com/thefordcenter.

Vanderburgh County Not Getting a Dime from Centre Naming Rights Agreement

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Joe Gries

The City County Observer requested a copy of the check or other instrument of payment that led to the changing of the name of The Centre to the Old National Bank Events Plaza.  Joe Gries, the Vanderburgh County Auditor supplied us with the agreement signed by all three Vanderburgh County Commissioners and ONB President Bob Jones.  Links to those documents are at the end of this article.

Mr. Gries included the following paragraph with his response which pretty much sums up the content of the agreement quite tightly.

“It appears that in the agreement signed by the Commissioners in section 4.1 Old National has committed to an investment for economic development in the downtown area, specifically for the convention hotel project. It does not appear that the county will be receiving a check with an amount for the naming rights of the Centre. This was also discussed during the meeting in December and we have included the minutes from that meeting. I hope this helps and let me know if you need anything further. Thanks.”

Joe Gries

Vanderburgh County Auditor

Centre_Naming_Rights_Agreement.pdf

ONB_Events_Plaza_Commission_Minutes_Excerpt

The Arts Council announces February Brown Bag Schedule

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The Brown Bag Performance Series is a free program offered to the community by the

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Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana. The series runs weekly from October through April

at the Arts Council’s BSF Gallery, located at 318 Main Street in downtown Evansville.

The Brown Bag Performance Series is every Wednesday at noon. It is encouraged to bring your

lunch and a friend and enjoy the free local performances. The Brown Bag Series is made

possible in part by the Mesker Music Trust, managed by Fifth Third Investment

Advisors. Below is the weekly schedule for February.

 

2/5/14 –Eykamp Quartet: Members of the Eykamp String Quartet – Violinists, Jessica Tong and Alicia Choi, violist, Rose Wollman, and cellist, Schuyler Slack – serve as principal string players of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra and as Artists in Residence at the University of Evansville.

2/12/14 – Gina Moore, Bob Green & Monte Skelton: Local jazz musician, Monte Skelton, together with pianist Bob Green, will accompany vocalist, Gina Moore.

2/19/14 –Cara Dailey & Marc Zyla: Cara Dailey, Consortium Instructor of Flute at the University of Evansville and Principal Flute with the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, is a member of the Harlaxton Quintet. Marc Zyla, Consortium Instructor of Horn at the University of Evansville and Principal Horn of the Evansville Philharmonic Orchestra, holds the Eykamp Family Chair.

2/26/14 – Sean Holleran: Local musician, Sean W. Holleran, serves as organist at First United Methodist Church in Mount Vernon and provides music for many local events and weddings. This Brown Bag performance will explore Sacred Classics.

 

Photo Caption: The Eykamp Quartet receiving a standing ovation at a Brown Bag Series Performance on October 9th, 2013. Photo credit: Reva Bourgasser

Catch the Latest Edition of “The Indiana State Police Road Show”

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

Catch the latest edition of the “Indiana State Police Road Show” radio program every Monday morning at your convenience.

Download the program from the Network Indiana public website at www.networkindiana.com. Look for the state police logo on the main page and follow the download instructions. This 15 minute talk show concentrates on public safety and informational topics with state wide interest.

The radio program was titled “Signal-10” in the early sixties when it was first started by two troopers in northern Indiana. The name was later changed to the “Indiana State Police Road Show” and is the longest continuously aired state police public service program in Indiana.

Radio stations across Indiana and the nation are invited to download and air for FREE this public service program sponsored by the Indiana State Police Alliance and Cops for Kids, a subsidiary of the Indiana State Police Alliance.

This week’s show features Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter, Commander of the State Police Department. Superintendent Carter discusses his first year as serving as the leader of the State Police Department along with his goals and visions for ISP.

Broken Water Main Leads to Single Vehicle Crash near Tennyson

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SPONSORED BY DEFENSE ATTORNEY IVAN ARNAEZ.
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 ISPWarrick County (Tennyson): A broken water main, combined with frigid nighttime temperatures, resulted in a Wednesday evening single vehicle crash that injured a Dale woman.

Troopers from the Jasper Post reported that at approximately 9:30 P.M. (Central Time), Johanna Leslie, 22, Dale, was westbound on State Road 68 near North Line Road in her 2004 Mercury sedan. Unknown to Leslie, a water main had broken in the area, causing water to cover the roadway. The cold temperatures and brisk wind had frozen the water, which in turn created an extremely slick surface. Leslie lost control of her Mercury on the ice, slid across the opposite lane of travel and left the roadway. The Mercury continued west, crossing back over SR 68, down a ditch, and came to rest after striking a tree.

Leslie was flown to St. Mary’s Hospital in Evansville for a head injury. Troopers believe there was nearly $10,000 damage to Leslie’s vehicle.

Both INDOT and Tennyson were on scene to resolve the frozen section of roadway and the disrupted water main. State Road 68 was closed for nearly three hours while crews cleared the scene and made the highway drivable.

Dr. Bucshon Comments on Passage of 5 Year Farm Bill

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220px-Larry_Bucshon,_official_portrait,_112th_Congress

(Washington, DC) – Congressman Larry Bucshon, a physician from southern Indiana, released the following statement regarding the passage of the Agriculture Act of 2014 by a vote of 251-166.


Dr. Bucshon stated:


“As I keep in constant contact with my Agriculture Advisory Committee, I consistently hear from them that the status quo is inefficient and unacceptable.  The bottom line is that the agriculture community needs a farm bill and I’m pleased that the House approved this agreement. 

“While it is not perfect, this five year comprehensive bill provides the much needed certainty for Hoosier family farmers.  We save $16.6 billion, end direct payments, increase accountability within federal programs, and provide regulatory relief.  We also renew funds that support rural communities with large amounts of federal lands, which is vitally important for Southern Indiana counties to provide critical services to their citizens. Overall, this bill simply makes sense for the Hoosier state, our agriculture community, and our economy.”


BACKGROUND: 
 

The Agriculture Act of 2014 renews full funding for the Payment In Lieu of Taxes (PILT) program:

PILT was created by Congress in 1976 to support rural communities who could not tax federal lands within their jurisdiction. These payments go toward building and maintaining roads, hiring teachers, paying police officers and supplying emergency services, and other vital services that communities would otherwise not have the revenues to support.


Oak Hill School to Host 3rd annual World Culture Bazaar

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EVSC

Families in the Tri-State area will have the opportunity Saturday to learn a little more about world cultures and contribute to local and international philanthropies, thanks to an event hosted by Oak Hill School. On Saturday, Feb. 8, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. the school will host the Third Annual Oak Hill World Culture Bazaar, a day that will include food, crafts, games, world culture goods and multi-cultural music performances.

Vendors at the event will include: Alli Hope, Bead for Life, Bridges of Hope, Fair Trade Market of Old North United Methodist Church, Solid Grounds Coffee Shoppe, Uncharted International, Women at Risk, and Wildcats Building Bridges Art Club.

Admission is $10 for families or $5 for adults and $2 per child. Food tickets for five samples of international foods are $5 per person or a bowl of spaghetti and a breadstick for $3.50 per person.

Proceeds from the event will go to benefit the local food banks, Ozanam Family Shelter, Rakai Children’s Village, and Oak Hill’s Outdoor Constitution Classroom.

Tickets can be purchased online at www.wildcatsbuildingbridges.org or at the door the day of the event.  Donations can also be made online.