We will be holding an “open house†for media reps to get a look at our new storage building. It is located at Indiana and 3rd. The walk through will be at 2:30 today. All media outlets are welcome.
Experiences Flower Pot Meeting
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VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, November 01, 2013
Teri Bright                          Possession of Methamphetamine-Class D Felony
Possession of Paraphernalia-Class A Misdemeanor
Tamara Iglesias                Maintaining a Common Nuisance-Class D Felony
Micki Mayo                      Attempted Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit-
Class D Felony
Lee Stokes                         Dealing in Marijuana-Class D Felony
Maintaining a Common Nuisance-Class D Felony
(Habitual Substance Offender Enhancement)
Danielle Chase                Strangulation-Class D Felony
                                               Domestic Battery-Class D Felony
Domestic Battery-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to D Felony Due to Prior Convictions)
Ronald Fenwick               Attempted Murder-Class A Felony
Unlawful Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon-
Class B Felony
Criminal Confinement-Class B Felony
Criminal Recklessness-Class D Felony
Theft-Class D Felony
(Habitual Offender Enhancement)
Keven Murphy                 Theft-Class 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.
IS IT TRUE
IS IT TRUE that you should click the link below so you can look at pictures of mis-aliened baby grave stones at Locust Hill Graveyard?  …according to City of Evansville Graveyard Supervisor, Chris Cooke that location of the baby graves are located next to fence located on Kratzsville Road area in the back of graveyard?  …that Mr. Cooke told City Council members last week that the graves of babies were paved over because the city needed a road so visitors can to get around the graveyard?  …we want to stress that the decision to pave a road over babies graves happened before Mr. Cooke took his position?  …we feel the decision of the city to pave a road over the  graves of babies is grave desecration at its worst?  …that we hear that a group of concern citizens are planning to file a formal inquiry with State and Federal agencies to see if  laws were broken by the city when they paved over infant graves? …we thank Mr. Cooke for coming forward with the information concerning this issue?…..that we hope the state and federal officials will not require the city to exhume the baby coffins from under the road, cause this will cost the tax payers hundreds of thousands of dollars?….Is it true that City County Observer would like to thank Jordan Baer for providing us with this link so we can inform our readers concerning the gravestone problems at city owned cemeteries.
Click here to open link:
http://agraveinjustice.blogspot.com/2013/11/possible-headstones-for-baby-graves.html
IS IT TRUE November 4, 2013
IS IT TRUE November 4, 2013
IS IT TRUE the City County Observer along with the City Council and the Office of the Mayor are sitting on pins and needles to see the results of the annual audit of the City of Evansville’s finances that have not been released yet?…the release of the audit is usually a late summer occurrence?…we are wondering what is taking so long?…good news that has political fallout is typically released early while bad news that has political fallout is delayed till the last minute and released on Friday afternoon so it is not widely read?…we will not be a bit surprised to find the same kinds of conditions attached to the 2012 audit as have been on the 2010 & 2011 audits?…the financial competence of the City of Evansville has in all likelihood not shown progress from the previous years and there may just be an outside source (SBOA) that takes issue with reconciliation?
IS IT TRUE those who are attacking certain members of the Evansville City Council for cutting things like Roberts Park from the budget in response to a shortfall in “boat money†really do not get it when it comes to responsible financial management?…this is not difficult to grasp?…the simple rule is “if you are aware that $2 Million is not coming in then you must cut $2 Million from the budgetâ€?…with respect to the budget for Parks and Recreation there really does need to be a limited study done to learn what is the right amount to spend on maintenance of the number of parks and acres that Evansville has?…the commercial mowing market in Evansville for homes with 3 acres and higher to mow checks in at about $100 per mow?…yards need to be mowed and groomed about 30 times per year?…given those assumptions the mowing tab alone to keep the parks in residential condition should command a budget of $2.3 Million?…facilities maintenance and repair will add to that tab?…the first task should be to right size either the parks themselves or the budgets?…if we have a park system that should command a $25 Million budget with only $12 Million to do it with we need to either eliminate half of the parks or double the budget?…this should not be a difficult task to execute?
IS IT TRUE it seems as though there are readers of the CCO who believe that the City of Evansville has violated some state statutes by paving over the graves of babies?…the same rules cover adult graves but the fact that it is babies that were desecrated here sure makes it sound worse?…the condition of the cemeteries of Evansville is one of those things where budgets and needs are very far apart?…to get the public cemeteries into the same kind of condition as the private ones would take tens of millions of dollars that this poor city just does not have?…the legacy of negligence has Evansville facing giant bills for the sewer repairs, sidewalk replacement, parks modernization, dilapidated houses that number 10,000, and now the cemeteries that will command a price tag that will approach $2 Billion?…fixing all of this will take prioritization and time to go with that $2 Billion?…if the population does not start to grow and the wage base start to rise these civic responsibilities will never be capable of being met?…the formula for righting a sinking ship starts with right sizing, is followed by re-margining services, and followed by rational and sustainable growth?…today Evansville is in the pre right sizing stage?
IS IT TRUE that Insurance fraud occurs when any act is committed with the intent to fraudulently obtain some benefit or advantage to which they are not otherwise entitled or someone knowingly denies some benefit that is due and to which someone is entitled?… Securities fraud is a deceptive practice that induces investors to make purchase or sale decisions on the basis of false information, frequently resulting in losses?… offers of risky investment opportunities to unsophisticated investors who are unable to evaluate risk adequately and cannot afford loss of capital is a central problem?…the CCO predicts that calls for a criminal investigation of members of the team that lied to the American people for the purpose of securing the passage of the ObamaCare legislation will start soon?…if one accepts the fact that lies were told to secure support using promises of expanded coverage at lower costs and that the frequently asserted claim that “if you like your doctor and insurance policy you can keep them period†were known to be false at any time the claim was made that both insurance fraud and securities fraud have been perpetrated on the American people by their own government?
Don’t Succumb to Cyberchondria. Be Wary of Internet Self-Diagnosis
By
Roy M. Arnold MD
Is that headache a brain tumor? Are those muscle twitches Lou Gehrig’s disease? Is your thinning hair due to an over-active gland? Ask Dr. Google! Â
Don’t get me wrong, I believe the internet is a marvelous thing. I use it daily to aid in my practice. Many persons who are experiencing unusual symptoms or feelings may use the internet to aid in self-diagnosis. Bear in mind that an internet search often may bring up the worst case scenario first. Take for example brain tumors. These are rare, occurring in about 1 out of 50,000 people. Yet research has shown that an internet search for “headache†brings up brain tumor 25% of the time. Motor Neuron Disease like Lou Gehrig’s disease occurs in 1 out of 14,000 people but a search for muscle twitching brings up numerous websites that list it as a major cause of twitching. Part of the problem is author bias. No one wants to write about caffeine withdrawal as a cause of headaches. Another part of the problem is the willingness of internet users to equate search rankings with likelihood.
An article published in 2008 by Eric Horvitz and Ryen White was the first systematic review of information about illnesses obtained from the internet. Subsequently the same authors have published 2 additional articles confirming that individuals who search the internet for medical information often don’t understand probability and the biases inherent in reporting on symptoms and construction of medical information.
Even more frustrating are those individuals who place greater weight on information obtained from a website than they do on advice from a health care professional. After all, “They can’t put anything on the internet if it isn’t true. Right?â€
Most medical practitioners are open to discussing a patient’s research from reliable websites. This often leads to meaningful communication between patients and their practitioners. The information gathered from the internet can be discussed openly and be tempered by the practitioner’s knowledge and experience. It is vitally important that patients understand the two-way communication that must take place.
So if you are using the internet to research your medical condition, here are a few important tips:
- Search engine ranking has nothing to do with likelihood of you having a certain disease.
- Websites sponsored by well-known Centers of Excellence like the Mayo Clinic, Cleveland Clinic or M.D. Anderson Cancer center are usually very reliable.
- Internet sites affiliated with Medical specialty societies like the American College of Cardiology, the American Academy of Neurology or the American College of Ob-Gyn are usually very reliable.
- Websites affiliated with national advocacy groups like the American Cancer Society, The American Heart Association or the Alzheimer’s Association are likely to contain more accurate information than those associated with less well known advocacy groups or with personal blogs.
- Websites associated with medical practitioners who also have their own television shows are often much less reliable.
- Websites sponsored by pharmaceutical manufacturers or other manufacturers of medical products are often biased in favor of that company’s products or the diseases their products treat.
- Individual blogs about certain conditions are often heavily biased and often filled with misinformation.
- News outlets such as newspapers, television or news compilation sites tend to sensationalize research results at the expense of providing meaningful information. Just how many things do brown vinegar or acai berries cure anyway?
Finally, maintain a healthy level of skepticism for anything portrayed as a “breakthrough,†“miracle cure,†or “weird trick.†They are invariably trying to sell you something.
If you are experiencing worrisome symptoms, by all means discuss them with your personal health provider and don’t hesitate to ask for a second opinion if you have doubts.
New EWSU video series and public education tools available to residents; neighborhood and community groups
Resources help inform the community about the long-term plan to improve Evansville’s sewers
The Evansville Water and Sewer Utility (EWSU) today unveiled a series of five educational videos and announced additional tools to help inform and educate residents about the City’s long-term capital improvement program to upgrade the City’s sewer system and comply with federal mandates.
The videos, housed on the Utility’s YouTube channel named “WatchEWSUâ€, feature EWSU professionals on location and include animated graphics to explain one of Evansville’s most important, yet unseen assets – its sewer system. Topics include:
-   What’s a CSO? – Watch the animated demonstration of combined sewer overflows and the pollution problems they pose for our waterways.
-   Renew Evansville – Engineers and Utility management discuss the government- mandated program driving Evansville’s proposed 28-year, $540 million plan to upgrade the City’s sewer system to comply with the Clean Water Act.
-   What’s Bee Slough and Why We Should Fix It – Take a look at Evansville’s unique sewer challenge along Veterans Memorial Parkway.
-   Maintaining Our Sewer System – A Valuable, Yet Unseen Asset – Evansville has a vast sewer system. See how the Utility is addressing needed repairs and maintenance, and upgrades to operations.
 Investing in Evansville’s Sewer System – This video explains why sewer rates are increasing to help fund the mandated repairs associated with our City’s largest public works project.
Additionally, the Utility is committed to educating residents about Renew Evansville projects. Community groups, neighborhood associations and other civic organizations are encouraged to take advantage of other resources offered by the Utility, including:
- ï‚· Â A speakers bureau available to make presentations. Contact RenewEvansville@ewsu.com to schedule a speaker for your group.
- ï‚· Â A public website, www.RenewEvansville.com, that contains information about the agreement with federal and state regulators, the timeline for implementation, copies of many of the submissions the Utility has filed with the EPA since November 2010 and information for residents.
-   A variety of downloadable fact sheets and maps on Renew Evansville website’s Community Resources tab.
- ï‚· Â A series of short videos at www.youtube.com/WatchEWSU.
- ï‚· Â An active Twitter feed, @RenewEvansville, releasing breaking news and periodic
updates.
State to move to new poverty index for schools to try to avoid fraud
By Olivia Covington
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – Lawmakers concerned about fraud in the federal free- and reduced-lunch program have changed the way the state will measure poverty in the formula used to distribute state funding to schools.
For years, the state has used the lunch program enrollment numbers as the basis for sending extra money to districts. This year, roughly 17.6 percent of the $6.5 billion in state school funding will be distributed based on that data.
But concern that the federal government makes it too hard to verify eligibility for the program has led state budget writers to make a change. Starting in 2015, the formula will essentially measure poverty based on the number of students who qualify for free textbooks, a state-run program that will require more verification of parental income.
“It’s the same as the lunch program,†said Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, who is the vice chairman of the Health Finance Commission, which recently learned more details about problems with the school lunch program.
“In terms of income parameters, it’s identical because the free and reduced lunch program is available to families whose household income is at or below 185 percent of the federal poverty level,†he said.
For a family of four, that level is $43,568.
Earlier this month, an official from the state Department of Education told the finance commission that audits by schools have found that one-third of students signed up for free- or reduced-priced lunches do not actually qualify for the federal program or their families failed to verify their eligibility.
Lawmakers have said part of the problem is that federal law prohibits school districts from asking families who want to enroll their children in the program to provide proof of their income.
Additionally, federal law mandates that schools can only audit up to 3 percent of families who have children in the program. Clere said families have to earn annual incomes close to the maximum threshold to be audited.
In some cases, Clere said, schools can audit fewer than the 3 percent.
Currently, about 49 percent of Indiana public school students participate in the free- and reduced-price lunch program, according to the Department of Education’s website.  That percentage has been climbing. In 2006, that percentage was just 36 percent.
Julie Sutton, the department’s director of school and community nutrition, told the Indiana Health Financial Commission that the number has been increasing in part since lawmakers started giving funding preference to schools with higher numbers of free- and reduced-lunch students.
Senate Appropriations Chairman Luke Kenley, R-Noblesville, said that raised questions about using the program as an appropriate measure for poverty, especially because it is so tough for schools to verify family incomes. That’s what led to using the free textbook program.
“We needed something that was a fair comparison to the lunch program, but something that we control that has more reporting requirements,†said Kenley, who is the chief budget writer in the Senate. “We knew we needed something of enough value (that) parents would be willing to cooperate in reporting their income and so all the onus wasn’t on the school.â€
Clere said the change to the textbook program shouldn’t impact schools with students who are genuinely needy.
“Students who were counted under the lunch program method for computing the complexity index should still be counted under the textbook assistance program because the income maximums for both programs are identical,†Clere said. “So there should be no negative effect on school corporations as long as families were, in fact, eligible to participate in the lunch program.â€
Lawmakers also voted to require families to provide more information when they are applying for free textbooks, a move designed to make it easier for schools to verify that they qualify for the program.
Audits show that in the school lunch program, 11 percent of applicants either were never eligible or increased income made them ineligible to participate in the program. Another 22 percent of families failed to respond to requests to verify income information.
“There’s very little verification of who is eligible (for free and reduced lunches), and in recent years the number of kids on free and reduced lunch have been going up dramatically,†Kenley said.
Clere said he supported changing the poverty factor because he believes Hoosier taxpayer money should be used fairly.
“At minimum we’re talking about hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars at stake,†Clere said. “We owe it to Hoosier taxpayers…to use the most accurate system possible, and many of us believe that transitioning to the textbook method would be a much more reliable system.â€
Dennis Costerison, executive director of the Indiana Association of School Business Officials, said he thinks it’s important Hoosiers know that parents, not school corporations, are the ones committing fraud. But he said it’s understandable that lawmakers would want to ensure the state is using accurate data to distribute money.
Kenley said he is unsure of how schools will handle families who currently take advantage of the school lunch program but are found to be ineligible through the textbook assistance program. And although the free- and reduced-price lunch program is run by the federal government, some lawmakers are calling for action against families that purposely misrepresent their income.
“I was very disappointed to hear that they don’t turn it over to the local prosecutor. They just take them off the program, and I think that’s unfortunate,†said Rep. Eric Turner, R-Cicero. “This is definitely something to look at next session.â€
Reporter Ellie Price contributed to this story. Olivia Covington is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.