First Security Bank, headquartered in Owensboro, Kentucky, announced today the earned designation of the Blue Ribbon Bank Commendation of Excellence received from Veribanc. Veribanc, an independent bank rating service headquartered in Rhode Island was founded in 1981 and provides independent bank rating services to investors and others.
“We are excited to receive the highest rating that Veribanc assigns to any financial institution. Our many stakeholders, including shareholders, clients and employees will be pleased that First Security Bank has received the Green Three Stars and CAMEL 1 designation denoting the Bank as Superior,†stated M. Lynn Cooper, President and CEO of First Security Bank.
Veribanc analyzes the financial condition of each bank. Factors used in assigning a rating include a bank’s capital, asset quality, Income, Reserves, Problem loans, Securities, any Regulatory Enforcement Actions and Key performance indices along with other data. The ratings of all banks in the nation can be found at www.veribanc.com
A $500 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the Garvin Park Pool Vandalism.
The person with information must call their tip into WeTip ( 1-800-78-CRIME) and give crime details. These tips will be immediately shared with the police.
WeTip operators are available 24/7 to take the calls, and will not take any personal information of the caller. After the information is given, WeTip operators will explain on the reward system works.
Today, Prosecutor Hermann, Mayor Winnecke and Denise Johnson, Executive Director of the Parks and Recreation Department held a press conference to address the issue.
In any and all media regarding this, please include the WeTip Hotline number. Calling this number keeps the caller anonymous and enables them to receive the award.
Mole #3 Nostradamus of Local Politics IS IT TRUE June 24, 2013
IS IT TRUE that most of the citizens of Evansville believe that the last time the City had its books and records audited was 2011?…that this is not the case?… In the opinion of the State Board of Accounts concerning 2011, the City’s books were in such a terrible condition that the State Board could not, emphasis on NOT, express an opinion to its accuracy?…due to the condition, the State Board did not verify the accuracy and legitimacy of any transactions?…that the State Board of Accounts has not begun the 2012 audit and the Winnecke Administration is marching forward on the Hotel project without having a clean opinion from the State Board of Accounts for two years, as it stands, including the Johnson Controls multi-million dollar hay-ride?
IS IT TRUE we have had many readers contact us who are curious about why former Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel has been burning the midnight oil churning out op-ed pieces and letters to editors to dispute the findings of the Indiana State Board of Accounts regarding the mini-audit of the Ford Center construction project and the non-reconciled books?…in his latest missive the former Mayor even goes so far as to discourage 3rd party auditing of construction projects?…given the findings of the mini-audit of the Ford Center and the nonsensical way the City of Evansville’s accounting was handed to the Winnecke Administration a more thorough audit of a forensic nature may be in order?…if the former Mayor would have spent as much time minding to the budgets when he was in office as he has spent attempting to scrub the official record recently the City may not have been a John Friend MESS when the torch was handed to Mayor Winnecke?
IS IT TRUE that 6th Ward City Councilman Al Lindsey’s grandson Hunter Lindsey hit a last inning game winning grand slam home run to defeat the Evansville East Side 9 year old all star team in the championship game to win the Golfmoor all star tournament this Sunday June 23?… that his family and grandfather are extremely proud of Hunter and the CCO predicts that this is a name you may see many times in the local sports sections as this young man matures and competes as a local athlete?
IS IT TRUE that the amount of money one can save on medications by crossing an international border is just astounding?…in the case of a fairly benign medication what is “sticker priced†at $540 in the United States but costs an insured person $135 in co-payments can be bought over the counter in Mexicali, Mexico for $24?…the difference in price in Mexico and the USA is a whopping 2,150%?…if the Affordable Care Act (ObamaCare) had spent more time reading and thinking instead of rushing through the process a big portion of this usury difference could have been eliminated?…it is a shame that this price differential while acknowledged by both Presidents Bush and Obama still continues to burn the budgets of Americans?…if anyone in Washington is even remotely serious about having real affordable healthcare for all they need to forgo the campaign contributions of big pharma and completely reform the way routine medication are distributed and accessed in this country?…2,150% is a ridiculous premium to pay to buy the same thing, in the same bottle, and from the same factory on this side of the fence?…when it comes to medications that fence at the border seems more about keeping Americans in that keeping foreigners out?
IS IT TRUE a great man who made big things happen is lying on what may become his death bed?…this man is Nelson Mandela who spent many years as a political prisoner on Robbin Island before becoming the elected President of South Africa?…with the liberation of Mandela came the abolishment of apartheid and the acceptance of his country that was losing outside investment for their repressive policies?…we should all think good thoughts for President Mandela today?
Historic New Harmony is excited to offer a new Architecture Walking Tour. This walking tour of New Harmony includes 30 buildings representative of the wide variety of architectural styles in the town.
The tour is provided by OnCell Systems, a platform for mobile tours. By calling the number on the stop sign, you will be able to access Historic New Harmony’s tour. You can start at any of the stops and can stay connected to the tour as you walk through town, or you can hang up and call back into the tour as often as you like. This tour is cosponsored by the Robert Lee Blaffer Foundation.
Once you have accessed the tour, you will hear a greeting and be prompted to enter a stop number on the tour. The stops on the Architecture Walking Tour begin with STOP 26, the Atheneum, located at 401 N. Arthur Street. Printed information about the tour, including a list of stops, is available at the Atheneum as well.
If you are using a smart phone, you will receive a text with a link to the mobile version of the tour once you dial in. This version includes a map, audio, photos, and text. You can also download an app from the iPhone App Store or from Google Play. The audio portion of the tour is available to all cell phone users (your phone does not have to be data enabled). Standard cell phone rates apply.
If you have any questions about the tour, the location of the stops or the tour stop signs, please contact Missy Parkison, community engagement manager for Historic New Harmony, 812/682-4488, mparkison@usi.edu. Comments about the tour can be left while listening by pressing *0. We welcome your feedback and hope this new tour option facilitates wider sharing of the amazing architecture we enjoy in New Harmony.
Historic New Harmony is a unified program of the University of Southern Indiana and the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites.
The University of Evansville Department of Theatre, one of the premier undergraduate theatre programs in the nation, has announced its 2013-14 season of performances in Shanklin Theatre.
The season opens September 27 with Clybourne Park, written by Bruce Norris and directed by John David Lutz. Winner of the 2011 Pulitzer Prize for Drama and the 2012 Tony Award for Best Play, this razor-sharp comedy explores the fertile ground of race and real estate in America. The show runs at 7:30 p.m. September 27, 28, October 3, 4, and 5 and at 2 p.m. September 29 and October 6.
This year’s musical is Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim and book by Hugh Wheeler, from an adaptation by Christopher Bond. The show will be directed by R. Scott Lank with musical direction by Gregory B. Rike. Winner of eight 1979 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Book, and Best Original Score, this musical thriller follows the antics of the legendary barber, hell-bent on revenge, and his creepily enterprising neighbor, as they hauntingly plot to slice through London’s upper crust. Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. November 15, 16, 21, 22, and 23, and at 2 p.m. November 17 and 24.
The spring semester opens with Compleat Female Stage Beauty by Jeffrey Hatcher, directed by R. Scott Lank. Set in a lush period of British history teeming with bawdiness and social intrigue, Kynaston, the most famous portrayer of female roles, plots his revenge after his career is ruined by the King’s decree allowing women to act on the stage. The show runs at 7:30 p.m. February 21, 22, 27, 28, and March 1, and at 2 p.m. February 23 and March 2.
The season concludes with William Shakespeare’s As You Like It, directed by guest artist Curt Tofteland. Moving between the wickedness of the royal court and the revivifying forest of Arden, Rosalind and Orlando play out their sweeping and romantic courtship against a backdrop of political rivalry and exile. Guest director Curt Tofteland served as the producing artistic director of the Kentucky Shakespeare Festival for 20 years and is the founder and producing artistic director of Shakespeare Behind Bars. Performances will take place at 7:30 p.m. April 4, 5, 10, 11, and 12, and at 2 p.m. April 6 and 13.
Season subscriptions are $44; $38 discount subscriptions are available for senior adults, UE faculty and staff, and any student. For more information, contact Sharla Cowden, UET marketing director, at 812-488-2747 or theatre (at) evansville (dot) edu.
Indiana’s economy continues to outpace the national average for private sector job growth. The hard work from Hoosiers and the General Assembly to make Indiana the envy of the nation has led to numerous business accolades and distinctions. Other states have taken notice of the policies enacted and the positive results of employers looking to locate and start a business here.
With all the positive news surrounding our state and the accomplishments made, I cannot help but feel that these leaps and bounds in the right direction are being negated at the federal level by looming health care mandates from the Affordable Care Act (often referred to as Obamacare). With 2014 quickly approaching – the date for implementation of individual and employee mandates – we have seen more and more large employers across Indiana scramble to find a way around this new law.
As part of this health care overhaul, any company with more than 50 full-time employees must offer health care coverage. The offered plans must meet an adequate standard, set in the law, or face a fine of $2,000 for every full-time employee beyond the first 30 employees. Logically speaking, if a company cannot afford to offer insurance or simply does not want to, they have two options: they can downsize to less than 50 employees or they can cut the hours of their existing employees down to part-time.
In fact, schools throughout Indiana are cutting the hours of coaches, teachers’ aides, bus drivers, cafeteria workers and other support staff in an attempt to avoid having to offer them health insurance. Lafayette School Corporation has already reduced the hours of over 600 employees. Unlike companies who produce goods and services, schools cannot easily increase their income by raising prices in order to cover this new cost.
Additionally, just last week, officials in Floyd County announced their intent to scale back the hours of part-time county workers who now work 34 hours. By giving these employees less than 30 hours a week, it would exempt Floyd County from the employer mandate. These examples offer just a glimpse of what is beginning to occur in Indiana and across the nation, and I worry that these scenarios will quickly become the rule, not the exception.
Having explained these shortfalls, criticism is only constructive when an alternative is offered. In 2008, Indiana came up with its own solution to the high level of concern surrounding the price of health care. We created the state sponsored Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) to offer affordable health insurance plans to individuals aged 19-64 who do not have access to health insurance through their employer. This plan was approved by the federal government through a waiver to transfer Medicaid dollars to include more individuals.
This has made health care more accessible, particularly to low-income Hoosiers. In order to be eligible, Indiana residents must earn less than 200 percent of the federal poverty level and not be eligible for Medicaid. Participants are required to make monthly contributions toward coverage based on percent of gross family income. With the creation of HIP, we became the first state in the nation to offer this sort of amendment to Medicaid.
While I can commend and support the intent of wanting to help low-income Americans obtain affordable health care, I fear that in the execution of this federal mandate, there are many unintended and undesirable consequences. Michael Hicks, an economist at Ball State University explained it well when he stated that the reduction of hours will hurt the same unskilled workers who suffered the most during the recession. Higher-income workers already have health care benefits from their employers and will remain largely unaffected.
I value your input and want to know where you stand on the pressing issues facing our state and our nation. This is particularly important as we begin interim study committees. With my background in health care, I have been appointed to the Health Finance Commission as well as the Medicaid Advisory Committee, where I am sure this federal legislation and its impact on Indiana will be discussed.
Your civic involvement on these issues will be an essential part of the process. Please, feel free to connect with me on my website at www.in.gov/h75 or by phone at 317-232-9674. I look forward to your feedback.
The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Human Relations Commission will hold its Annual Dinner on Friday, September 6, at 7 p.m. at The Centre. The keynote speaker will be Chairperson of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights Martin R. Castro.
Mayor Lloyd Winnecke will present the 2013 Mayor’s Celebration of Diversity Awards at the Annual Dinner. The awards recognize businesses, organizations and individuals that embrace and celebrate diversity. Nominations will be accepted through Friday, August 23, 2013. To make a nomination, please go to www.evansville.in.gov/diversityawards or contact the Human Relations Commission at (812) 436-4927.
Ticket donations are $30 per person. Corporate sponsorships are also available. Please contact the Human Relations Commission at (812) 436-4927 before August 28 to make a reservation.
Mr. Castro was appointed by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in January 2011. In March 2011, President Obama elevated Mr. Castro to the position of Chairperson of the USCCR, making him the agency’s eighth Chair since the formation of the Commission and the first Latino Chairperson in the history of the USCCR.
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Marty Castro is the President and CEO of Castro Synergies, LLC, which provides strategic consulting services to corporations, entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations that seek to collaborate with and have a positive social impact on diverse communities.
In December 2009, Mr. Castro was appointed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to Chair the Illinois Human Rights Commission, the state public body that arbitrates complaints of civil rights violations in housing, employment, public accommodations and financial credit.
Mr. Castro is on the board of directors of the National Museum of Mexican Art, the only accredited Latino Museum in the United States. He also serves on the board of the Chicago Community Trust. Mr. Castro is also chair and co-founder of New Futuro, LLC. Mr. Castro is a former national board member of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and former chair of the Hispanic National Bar Association’s U.S. Supreme Court Committee. Mr. Castro is also the former chair of the Judicial Nominations Commission for the Northern District of Illinois, by appointment of U.S. Senator Richard Durbin.
Mr. Castro has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the National Medical
Fellowships’ Humanitarian Award; the Hispanic National Bar Association’s Cesar Chavez
Humanitarian Award; the Edwin A. Rothschild Civil Liberties Award from the American Civil
Liberties Union of Illinois; and the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award from the
Association of Corporate Counsel, Chicago Chapter. Mr. Castro is the proud product of Head
Start and affirmative action in higher education. He received his B.A. in political science in
1985 from DePaul University and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1988. Mr. Castro was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Roosevelt University in December 2011 for his work in the area of social justice.
