State Rep. Gail Riecken (D-Evansville) will conduct a community town hall this Saturday (November 16) at the First Presbyterian Church in Evansville.
The town hall will begin at 10 a.m. at the church, located at 609 E. Second Street.
Dr. Bucshon questions EPA Administrator
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(Washington, D.C.) – At a Science hearing on Thursday, Congressman Larry Bucshon, a physician, questioned Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) administrator Gina McCarthy about the impact of the administration’s new coal regulations on Indiana.
Watch the full exchange by clicking on the image below.
In September, the Administration announced new regulations that are likely to prevent the construction of new coal-fired plants.
In late October, Dr. Bucshon joined over 5,000 Americans from the coal industry at the American Energy Jobs Rally in Washington, DC where he spoke about these regulations. Pictures from the event can be found here -Â http://www.flickr.com/photos/replarrybucshon/sets/72157637672956503/.
You can also click this link to access the video -Â http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIcGzyQ-p80&list=PL4CE9BC61F1ADA6A6&index=1.
PET OF THE WEEK
Caboodle is the famous cat whose gorgeous eyes are featured on the VHS YouTube homepage! She is one year old, and was surrendered  as a “neighborhood cat†from Mt. Vernon. Since then, she has been spayed, microchipped, and vaccinated, and has taken up residence in the cageless cat lounge with several other kitties. In other words, she’s ready to go home with you today! Caboodle’s adoption fee is $30, which includes all of the services she’s already received, plus 30 days of free pet health insurance and a goody bag to take home.
Indiana Michigan Power gets permission to use new technology at Rockport plant
By Megan Banta
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission has approved an agreement that will enable Indiana Michigan Power to use a lower-cost technology to meet environmental standards at its Rockport Generation Plant.
The commission’s approval follows that of the Indiana Department of Environment Management, which gave the company the green light on Aug. 27, and an agreement between Indiana Michigan Power and the Environmental Protection Agency, environmental groups and several northeast states back in February.
The agreement, which is between the power company, a group representing its industrial customers and the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor, allows the plant to comply with strict emissions standards from the EPA by using dry sorbent injection technology.
This technology is a two-step process also known as DSI that removes acid gases to help with pollution control. The change to DSI technology will cost an estimated $258 million, compared to a more traditional method that would have cost an estimated $1.4 billion.
Paul Chodak, the Fort Wayne-based company’s president, said he is pleased his company was able to reach an agreement “that will result in cleaner air with a greatly reduced impact on customer rates.â€
David Stippler, Indiana’s utility consumer counselor, said his office worked diligently to make sure the agreement both satisfied environmental mandates and had the least impact on customer rates. He said the change at the plant is key to the state’s future.
“Clean coal technology is and must continue to be a crucial component in addressing Indiana’s energy future,†Stippler said.
The agreement also led to a contract for the company to buy 200 megawatts of electricity each year from a wind farm planned for Winchester and the closing of an older coal-fired plant in Lawrenceburg.
Indiana Michigan Power is owned by American Electric Power.
Megan Banta is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Inspector general says Bennett did political work on state computer
By Lesley Weidenbener
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – The state inspector general has filed a complaint with the Indiana Ethics Commission accusing former Superintendent Tony Bennett of breaking state rules by using government resources for political purposes.
Former Indiana Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett is accused of using his state computer for political work. Photo by Lesley Weidenbener, TheStatehouseFile.com
The commission has set a public hearing for Jan. 9 to consider the charges.
The complaint says Bennett – a Republican who lost his seat a year ago to Democrat Glenda Ritz – “improperly made use of state materials, funds, property, personnel facilities, or equipment for a purpose other than for official state business†in 2012.
That includes using his computer to engage in political campaigning and campaign fundraising, according to the complaint. It said he also responded to a political opponent’s assertions, scheduled campaign meetings and telephone calls, and took part in other political or personal activities.
That would violate the Indiana Code of Ethics, which is part of the state’s administrative code. It could also violate an Indiana law that prohibits state employees from doing political work on state time but Inspector General David Thomas on Wednesday only addressed the issues as a violation of the ethics code.
Bennett said in a statement Thursday that “throughout my time in public service I made every effort to be cognizant of and to follow state rules and guidelines for elected officials.â€
“I understand no conclusions have been made in this matter and I look forward to working with the Ethics Commission and the Inspector General’s office to demonstrate proper adherence to state rules and guidelines,†Bennett said.
The complaint comes about two months after The Associated Press reported that Bennett kept campaign databases on Department of Education servers. The AP also reported that Bennett directed his staff to do work to discredit his opponent during last fall’s campaign.
Thomas presented the complaint to the Indiana Ethics Commission at a meeting Thursday. The commission found that probable caused exists to move forward with the investigation and set the public hearing for Jan. 9.
Bennett has been a source of controversy since he left office last January. The AP also reported that emails found on Department of Education servers showed Bennett had sought to make changes in the A-F grading formula for schools that helped a charter school he had lauded. Those revelations led to his resignation as the schools chief in Florida.
Lesley Weidenbener is executive editor of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Evansville man arrested after threats to carry out a shooting at Harrison High School
Evansville Police arrested 19 year old Anthony Wolfe Jr for Intimidation after officers received a tip that Wolfe was threatening to “shoot up†Harrison High School. Wolfe is not a student at Harrison and not enrolled at any EVSC schools.
During the investigation, officers learned that Wolfe had made verbal threats. As knowledge of the threats spread, people began talking about it on Twitter. Through his Twitter account, Wolfe commented about the issue. He mentioned the amount of Harrison followers now following him and said “I feel something bad about to happenâ€. When asked what he had done, Wolfe replied “Said Harrison gone get shot up…niggas took that shit serious lol.†Wolfe was located at his home and taken into custody. Investigators do not believe Wolfe was at the school at any time today.
Wolfe is in the Vanderburgh County Jail charged with Intimidation, Class D Felony.
Evansville Police want to be very clear that all threats of violence towards our schools and the children of our community will be taken very seriously. All threats will be investigated and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday, November 13, 2013
Ricardo Roberts Sr      Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Bodily Injury-Class C Felony (Two Counts)
Strangulation-Class D Felony
Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury-Class D Felony
Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury-Class A Misdemeanor
Erick Washington         Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury to a Pregnant Woman-Class C Felony
Domestic Battery-Class D Felony
Strangulation-Class D Felony
Interference with the Reporting of a Crime-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 considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
IS IT TRUE November 14, 2013
IS IT TRUE the aggravation of several business owners on North Burkhardt Road that was annexed by the City of Evansville roughly 4 years ago with the failure of the City to do a couple of small things like install street lights and replace the mulch that keeps on catching fire with some non-flammable material like rocks?…the CCO lampooned Councilman Dan McGinn from the 1st Ward a few days ago only to have been alerted by business owners that they should have 4 members of the City Council concerned for the failures of the City?…the 3 at-large members of the City Council are just as much representatives of the recently annexed area and the business owners know it?…if the street light and mulch problems are not fixed by the next election cycle there is a high probability that there will be a negative ad campaign financed by the North Burkhardt business owners against the 4 council members who should be looking out for their interests and holding the City accountable for its promises in the dark during the annexation negotiations?
IS IT TRUE that the consulting contract between the Evansville City Council and David Garrett to provide financial oversight has ended?…Mr. Garrett was only paid $20,000 for his efforts yet sparked several controversies by exposing holes in the City of Evansville’s accounting system (or lack thereof)?…the City Council certainly got its money’s worth from engaging Mr. Garrett and is more informed about the day to day accounting saga now than they were a year ago?…in spite of this enhanced awareness the Indiana State Board of Accounts has still not released the 2012 audit, has not opined on the state of reconciliation, and still has conditions on the 2011 audit?…right now at the doorstep of 2014, the City of Evansville does not have a clean audit or reconciled books since 2010?…we are sure that some of the people in the accounting departments of the City and the Utility are dancing a jig now that David Garrett is no longer being paid to look over their shoulder?…the high fives among those who participated in making what Councilman John Friend called “a mess†much to the chagrin of former Mayor Weinzapfel are resounding?…it is time for the City Council to realize that “when the cat’s away the mice will playâ€?…with the lapse of David Garrett’s contract, THE CAT IS AWAY?…the results of David Garrett’s work has proved that the City Council needs someone to carry on this oversight function on their behalf?…it will be interesting to see if this function just goes away quietly as things often do in River City when the machine’s shenanigans are challenged?
IS IT TRUE the portion of the JOBS act that was supposed to enable crowdfunding is now 13 months late in a 9 month project?…according to government sources this provision that will also allow everyday Americans to invest in entrepreneurial start-up companies may be delayed well into 2014 because of just plain old government sclerosis?…for those who don’t know unless you make $200,000 per year or enjoy the financial status of being a millionaire, your government has made it illegal for you to invest in start-up companies that are not yet publicly traded?…this same government will allow non-millionaires to gamble in casinos and sell them lottery tickets with only the depth of their pockets as a limit yet makes it illegal to invest in entrepreneurs?…this policy is nonsensical and contradicts itself?…we hope the nanny state that feeds off of the illogical dreams of non-millionaires when selling them lottery tickets yet prevents them from real early stage investing will snap out of its coma and correct this idiocy ASAP?
IS IT TRUE that the official ObamaCare numbers were released by the White House yesterday and they are abysmally low as expected?…there is no way to know how many people did not “choose†a policy because of website problems and how many just rejected the prices of the replacement policies?…we use the word “choose†because the numbers released were not for people who actually finished a transaction and bought a plan, the numbers were for people who chose which one they may buy?…this fraudulent accounting practice makes about as much sense as a car dealer recording a sale on his books after every test drive?…the number of Hoosiers who have “chosen†a plan in the federal exchange is officially 701 out of more than 500,000 uninsured and thought to be eligible?…in California where over 1 Million individual policies have been cancelled a paltry 35,374 have signed up for a plan?…the California numbers are significant because the state insurance exchange has worked from day one and the population is more supporting of socialized medicine than most states?…the estimates of the numbers of uninsured in California run as high as 10 Million people yet only 35,374 have signed up?
IS IT TRUE this does not bode well for the President’s approval ratings (now 39%) or Democrat Congress members on the 2014 ballot?…it is so terrifying to Democrats from red states that a group of them have launched an effort to grandfather all plans cancelled due to ObamaCare?…of the 7 Million sign ups needed to cash flow ObamaCare the White House was counting on 5 Million of those coming from cancelled policies?…if the Congressional Democrats who are now distancing themselves from ObamaCare as though it is a dead skunk in the road are successful in fulfilling President Obama’s repeated promise that “you can keep your plan periodâ€, that will be the financial death blow to the program as the healthy will have been given a way out of financing the healthcare of the not so healthy?
Ritz proposes veterans-to-teacher scholarship program
By Lesley Weidenbener
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – Veterans could receive scholarships and college credits for their military experience if they pursue K-12 teaching under a proposal backed by state Superintendent Glenda Ritz and Sen. Susan Glick of LaGrange.
State Superintendent Glenda Ritz announced Monday that she’ll back legislation to create a veterans-to-teachers program. File photo by Tim Grimes, TheStatehouseFile.com
The proposal – which would expand the Combat to College program that Glick pushed into law earlier this year – would be called Second Service.
“I want to ensure that the men and women who have served our country as airmen, Marines, sailors and soldiers have an opportunity to serve our state, and ultimately, our nation, as educators,†Ritz said in a statement early Monday.
“The Second Service incentive program would offer financial assistance and college credits to any post 9-11 veteran who has a strong desire to continue serving Hoosiers in the classroom,†she said.
Ritz planned to detail that proposal – and announce a new reading program that partners Indiana National Guard members with elementary schools – during Veterans Day stops at Holland Elementary in Fort Wayne and at St Mary’s College in South Bend.
The new literacy program is called Boots for Books and is part of the state’s larger Hoosier Family of Readers initiative. The National Guard will work with more than 263 literacy partners, according to the superintendent’s office.
“Boots for Books will give Indiana National Guard soldiers the opportunity to work with students in 30 schools and 30 after-school programs across Indiana to ensure students are reading by third grade,†she said.
Glick, a Republican, and Ritz, a Democrat, plan to introduce the Second Service legislation during the 2014 session, which begins in January. It would fund two- and four-year scholarships and translate military training and experience into college credits meant to help veterans earn K-12 education degrees from Indiana universities. Participants would be required to teach in an Indiana school for one year after graduation.
“Veterans have the skills, experiences and work ethic needed to manage a classroom,†Ritz said. “They understand what it means to serve their community, and I can’t think of a group of individuals who are as dedicated to the mission of service as veterans.â€
The existing Combat to College program passed the legislature last spring. It requires state colleges and universities with at least 200 veteran students to establish a central location to provide them with help in admissions, registration and financial administration. The schools are also required to accommodate disabled veterans and assist all veterans with academic guidance and counseling.
Lesley Weidenbener is executive editor of TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.