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IS IT TRUE March 27, 2013

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The Mole #??
The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE March 27, 2013

IS IT TRUE the Evansville Museum should be high fiving and rethinking their strategy with regard to the forgotten Picasso they found in a box last year?…it was just revealed that Steven Cohen, the billionaire behind SAC Capital who just paid over $600 million to the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) over alleged insider trading purchased a famous Picasso painting?… the price tag on the masterpiece was a whopping $155 million?…in 2006 Casino mogul Steve Wynn, originally paid $48 million for the famed painting, not only sold the Picasso to Cohen but he made a hefty profit along the way?…that somehow this piece of art by Picasso managed to appreciate by 223% in only 7 years most of which was during the second worst depression in over a century?…with the customary buyers premium of 10% this Picasso called “Le Reve” set Mr. Cohen back by a total of just over $170 Million?…when compared to the $48 Million price paid by Wynn in 2006 the profit from enjoying this art for 7 years alone is about the same amount of money that the City of Evansville borrowed to build the Ford Center?…the $170 Million for one painting is enough to pay cash not only for the Ford Center but for a convention hotel as well?…that the first thing we hope is that the Evansville Museum after 50 year of oblivion has the Evansville Picasso under secure lock and key in an atmosphere that will maintain its value?…the next thing is that it is time for the Museum to rethink its naïve strategy of selling the Picasso off and hire some professionals to send the Evansville Picasso on tour at a fabulous annual rental?…selling off an appreciating asset like the “found Picasso” while pursuing a government ambition to build depreciating assets until the City of Evansville is broke is just insane?…the Evansville Picasso if managed correctly could bring more money to Evansville than all of the temples to fun and games combined?

IS IT TRUE that the last 5 out of 8 Evansville Firefighters hired were not official residents of Evansville or even the greater Evansville region?…we wonder if this is a wise hiring policy?…while it is disappointing to see local people not hired into these positions we do recognize the possibility that no local applicants met the qualifications?…we wonder how so many applications from far away were even submitted?

IS IT TRUE the Indianapolis Star reports that on a mid-February Tuesday, Indiana state legislators streamed into the Downtown Hyatt Regency to an invitation-only party hosted by the state’s banking industry. One of the first lawmakers to arrive also was among the most important: Sen. Travis Holdman, chairman of the Senate Committee on Financial Institutions?…in addition to working for the banking industry outside of the Statehouse, Holdman helps it within the General Assembly?… a few weeks ago, he signed on as chief Senate sponsor of legislation that would lower taxes on banks in Indiana by $18.8 million a year when fully implemented?… conflicts of interest are as routine in the General Assembly as partisan spats, and the atmosphere of coziness between lawmakers and special interests is both deeply entrenched and widely accepted?… some call conflicts of interest business as usual, but the heavy influence exerted by well-connected lobbyists and industries makes it nearly impossible for average citizens, or those with fewer connections and less clout, to compete for attention when the laws that shape Indiana are written?…he CCO wonders if this atmosphere of graft makes any of our local state representatives or senators feel like the house band in a bordello?

Firefighters Give Back to Community

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EFD

Last year marked the 200th Anniversary for the City of Evansville. This year the Evansville Fire Department is proudly celebrating 125 years of service to the community and its citizens. EFD is celebrating their anniversary by “serving” some young citizens in a different way, with lunch that is.

On Wednesday March 27th, EFD will provide and serve lunch to the Boys & Girls Club of Evansville (BGC), located at 700 Bellemeade Avenue. Since this is Spring Break and the kids are out of school, the Boys & Girls Club is providing additional fellowship and activities for “their kids” during this time. Providing a nutritious lunch was just an obvious choice.

Lunch will be served at 2 pm by Firefighters at the BGC on Bellemeade. EFD and BGC staff will provide interviews if requested.

MEDIA: This is not an open invitation for kids to come eat. This has been coordinated with the BGC for about 150 of their kids.

We hope to see you there.

Questions? Dan Grimm, 436-4428 or Richard Johnson, BGC, 425-2311

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy Hosts Charity Racecar Event‏

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Ford Center
Thursday, March 28, 2013
2-3 p.m.
Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy brings to life a racecar event like no other in Evansville. Lightning McQueen from Cars is in need of some strong competition and that’s where Dr. Reuben Cohen, chairman of pediatric department and medical director of pediatric intensive care unit from Deaconess Riley Children’s Services has volunteered. He will be driving Mickey & Minnie Mouse’s cherry red roadster so his car needs have been set on the ice. The celebrity driver will be racing for Disney On Ice tickets to be given to the children in attendance. Over fifty children from Deaconess Riley Children’s Services will be his fans cheering Dr. Cohen across the finish line.
The grand finale takes place when Mickey & Minnie Mouse meet the children and winning drivers with a photo opportunity. Celebrity drivers race; charities win; and all in attendance will have a magical experience.

Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy offers a unique way to give back to the community with a charity racecar event. Disney On Ice skates in Evansville’s Ford Center through Saturday with five performances remaining.

Contacts: Lisa Finch, Disney On Ice Publicist, (317) 710-6664, finchandfinch@sbcglobal.net

Sara Gallegos, Deaconess Health System, (812) 450-7357, Sara.Gallegos@deaconess.com

Attorney General Zoeller’s statement on Indiana Supreme Court ruling on school vouchers‏

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Greg Zoeller
Greg Zoeller

INDIANAPOLIS – Today the Indiana Supreme Court decided a legal challenge to the constitutionality of Indiana’s choice scholarships law, finding the school vouchers law is constitutional. By a 5-0 decision in the case of Meredith et al v. Pence et al, the Supreme Court affirmed a lower court and ruled that House Enrolled Act 1003 of 2011 (Public Law 92) does not violate the Indiana Constitution.

As lawyer for state government, Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s Office defended the choice scholarships statute from the plaintiffs’ legal challenge. Zoeller today issued this statement:

“The Indiana Supreme Court found that the Legislature, in creating a voluntary program to broaden educational alternatives for Hoosier children, followed the Indiana Constitution by leaving the decision whether and where to use a scholarship to qualifying students and their families. My office defended the statute that the people’s elected representatives in the Legislature passed; and now that the question is decided, families can make informed decisions about using vouchers,” Zoeller said.

In its 21-page unanimous decision authored by Chief Justice Brent Dickson, the Indiana Supreme Court ruled: “We hold that the Indiana school voucher program, the Choice Scholarship Program, is within the legislature’s power under Article 8, Section 1, and that the enacted program does not violate either Section 4 or Section 6 of Article 1 of the Indiana Constitution. We affirm the grant of summary judgment to the defendants.”

The Indiana Supreme Court heard the appeal directly, bypassing the Indiana Court of Appeals, after Marion County Superior Court Judge Michael Keele on January 13, 2012, ruled in favor of the State and found the statute constitutional, and the plaintiffs appealed. Indiana Solicitor General Thomas M. Fisher argued the State’s in the Indiana Supreme Court on November 21, and the Supreme Court has had the decision under advisement until ruling unanimously today in favor of the State.

NOTE: The Indiana Supreme Court’s decision today in Meredith et al v. Pence et al is attached.

Indiana.Supreme.Court.ruling.Meredith.

HOUSE PASSES PLAN TO STRENGTHEN LOCAL RESPONSES TO CHILD FATALITIES

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Gail Riecken
Gail Riecken

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana House members today joined State Rep. Gail Riecken (D-Evansville) in passing legislation that helps strengthen state and local responses to cases of child fatalities, abuse and neglect.

Senate Bill 125, co-sponsored by Riecken, is a key component in reforms that the Evansville lawmaker helped formulate during a study last summer of ways to improve how the state’s Department of Child Services (DCS) protects the interests of abused and neglected children.

“One of the key concerns we had last summer was the state’s failure to provide adequate protection for our children, particularly when the cases involve the death of a child,” Riecken said.

“It was the belief of many of us that we needed to redesign local fatality review committees that would be able to respond more immediately to a death, and have greater knowledge of local circumstances that will enable them to develop prevention strategies at the state level,” she continued.

These committees would include representatives from law enforcement, emergency medical services, local health care providers, and schools in the area.

“The local committee would review every incident if the death of a child is sudden, unexpected, or unexplained, if DCS officials determine that abuse or neglect resulted in the child’s death, or if the local coroner rules that the death is undetermined or the result of a homicide, suicide, or accident,” Riecken said.

Data from local committees would be reported to a Statewide Child Fatality Review Committee that also would make recommendations on initiatives that would help children be safe and prevent serious injuries or deaths.

“While most of the attention on this bill has focused rightly on the improved local responses to child fatalities, I must note that there are other provisions contained in Senate Bill 125 that take a long-range view of identifying the core problems that lead to abuse and neglect, and work to find solutions,” Riecken said.

In particular, the legislation creates a Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana to work on these issues. The 18-member commission would include judges, lawmakers, the superintendent of public instruction, a representative of the governor, and officials with experience in youth services and mental health issues.

“In addition, I must note that this bill provides a needed opportunity for legislative oversight of DCS through a Child Services Oversight Committee that will review reports from the agency and its ombudsman, and make recommendations to improve the delivery of child protection services,” she noted.

“Senate Bill 125 is a perfect example of legislators from both sides of the aisle coming together out of a concern that the needs of abused and neglected children were not being handled by the very agency charged to protect them,” Riecken said. “This legislation helps protect Hoosier children, and I am pleased to be playing a role in achieving that very worthy goal.”

The measure now returns to the Indiana Senate for concurrence with changes made in the House.

Mayor Winnecke Delivers 2013 State of the City at Rotary Meeting

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lloyd winnecke

Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke delivered his second annual State of the City speech to members of the Evansville Noon Rotary Club today at Casino Aztar Conference Center. The Mayor highlighted the accomplishments of the current city administration during his first year in office, gave a status report on new and continuing initiatives and shared his vision for the future of the City of Evansville.

“Last year at this time, our city was celebrating its 200th birthday, and it was clear that our city was poised for action,” said Mayor Winnecke. “Friends, I stand before you today with pride to report that the state of our city is robust and ready for the next 200 years.”

Mayor Winnecke used the opportunity to launch a new social media focus through the new official City of Evansville Twitter handle @EvansvilleINGov. The purpose of @EvansvilleINGov is to provide accurate, time sensitive information about Evansville city government directly to the public.

The Mayor also invites the public like his Facebook page “Lloyd Winnecke” and subscribe to the “Mayor Winnecke” YouTube channel to view video clips of news events hosted by the Mayor.

Mayor Winnecke’s 2013 State of the City Speech‏

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

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Vanderburgh_County_in_seal

Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, March 25, 2013.

Dorian Givens Possession of Methamphetamine-Class D Felony
(Habitual Substance Offender Enhancement)

Jason Mault Possession of Marijuana-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)
Timothy Ballow Domestic Battery-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)

Shaleena Brunson Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Class C Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)
Operating a Vehicle as an Habitual Traffic Violator-Class D Felony
Failure to Stop after Accident Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury-Class B Felony
Failure to Stop After Accident Resulting in Damage to an Attended Vehicle-Class C Misdemeanor

Ronica Chubbs Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Marijuana-Class D Felony
Maintaining a Common Nuisance-Class D Felony

Jerald Clark III Resisting Law Enforcement-Class D Felony
Operating a Vehicle as an Habitual Traffic Violator-Class D Felony
Failure to Stop after Accident Causing Injury-Class A Misdemeanor
Failure to Stop After Accident Resulting in Damage to an Attended Vehicle-Class
C Misdemeanor
(Habitual Offender Enhancement)

Dontwa Hardiman Dealing in Marijuana-Class D Felony
Possession of Marijuana-Class D Felony
Maintaining a Common Nuisance-Class D Felony
Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance-Class D Felony

Robert Hollander Resisting Law Enforcement-Class D Felony
Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance-Class D Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
Failure to Return to Scene of Accident Causing Injury-Class A Misdemeanor
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Endangering a Person-Class A
Misdemeanor
Failure to Stop After Accident Resulting in Damage to an Attended Vehicle-Class
C Misdemeanor
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Class C Misdemeanor

Brandy Jones Operating a Vehicle as a Habitual Traffic Violator-Class D Felony

Charles Jones Jr Conspiracy to Commit Dealing in Marijuana-Class D Felony
Maintaining a Common Nuisance-Class D Felony
(Habitual Substance Offender Enhancement)

Deandria Madison Maintaining a Common Nuisance-Class D Felony

Landon Parker Possession of a Schedule III Controlled Substance-Class D Felony
Possession of Marijuana-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)

Demarco Roach Criminal Confinement-Class B Felony
Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury-Class C Felony
Strangulation-Class D Felony

Tiffany Roach Residential Entry-Class D Felony

Jacob Roeder Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .15 or More-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Class C Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)

Timothy Rutt Operating a Motor Vehicle after Forfeiture of License for Life-Class C Felony
Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance-Class D Felony
Possession of a Schedule III Controlled Substance-Class D Felony
Possession of Marijuana-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)
Possession of Paraphernalia-Class A Misdemeanor

Mark Wills Possession of Cocaine-Class D Felony
Domestic Battery-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)
(Habitual Substance Offender Enhancement)

Marcus Duncan Dealing in Marijuana-Class C Felony
Maintaining a Common Nuisance-Class D Felony

Luther Easley Receiving Stolen Property-Class D Felony
Auto Theft-Class D Felony
False Informing-Class B Misdemeanor

Adam Gerhardt Receiving Stolen Property-Class D Felony

Randy Happe Possession of Methamphetamine-Class D Felony
Unlawful Possession or Use of a Legend Drug-Class D Felony
Maintaining a Common Nuisance-Class D Felony
Possession of Paraphernalia-Class A Misdemeanor

Lee Harris Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury-Class C Felony (Two Counts)
Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon-Class C Felony (Two Counts)
Intimidation-Class C Felony (Two Counts)
Unlawful Possession or Use of a Legend Drug-Class D Felony

Ronald Hayes Operating a Vehicle as a Habitual Traffic Violator-Class D Felony

Christopher Holmes Strangulation-Class D Felony
Domestic Battery-Class A Misdemeanor
Interference with the Reporting of a Crime-Class A Misdemeanor
Criminal Mischief-Class B Felony

Kathleen Mills Possession of Methamphetamine-Class D Felony
Unlawful Possession or Use of a Legend Drug-Class D Felony
Maintaining a Common Nuisance-Class D Felony
Possession of Paraphernalia-Class A Misdemeanor

David Nalley Robbery-Class B Felony
Robbery-Class C Felony (Two Counts)
Armed Robbery-Class C Felony
(Habitual Offender Enhancement)

Ebony Pope Residential Entry-Class D Felony
Disorderly Conduct-Class B Misdemeanor
Public Intoxication-Class B Misdemeanor

Darrell Ragland Jr Operating a Vehicle as a Habitual Traffic Violator-Class D Felony

For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Regene Newman at 812.435.5156 or via e-mail at rinewman@vanderburghgov.org

Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.

How the US Government “Pulls a Cyprus” on us all

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By: Thomas Sowell

The decision of the government in Cyprus to simply take money out of people’s bank accounts there sent shock waves around the world. People far removed from that small island nation had to wonder: “Can this happen here?”

The economic repercussions of having people feel that their money is not safe in banks can be catastrophic. Banks are not just warehouses where money can be stored. They are crucial institutions for gathering individually modest amounts of money from millions of people and transferring that money to strangers whom those people would not directly entrust it to.

Multi-billion dollar corporations, whose economies of scale can bring down the prices of goods and services — thereby raising our standard of living — are seldom financed by a few billionaires.

Far more often they are financed by millions of people, who have neither the specific knowledge nor the economic expertise to risk their savings by investing directly in those enterprises. Banks are crucial intermediaries, which provide the financial expertise without which these transfers of money are too risky.

There are poor nations with rich natural resources, which are not developed because they lack either the sophisticated financial institutions necessary to make these key transfers of money or because their legal or political systems are too unreliable for people to put their money into these financial intermediaries.

Whether in Cyprus or in other countries, politicians tend to think in short run terms, if only because elections are held in the short run. Therefore, there is always a temptation to do reckless and short-sighted things to get over some current problem, even if that creates far worse problems in the long run.

Seizing money that people put in the bank would be a classic example of such short-sighted policies.
After thousands of American banks failed during the Great Depression of the 1930s, there were people who would never put their money in a bank again, even after the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation was created, to have the federal government guarantee individual bank accounts when the bank itself failed.

For years after the Great Depression, stories appeared in the press from time to time about some older person who died and was found to have substantial sums of money stored under a mattress or in some other hiding place, because they never trusted banks again.

After going back and forth, the government of Cyprus ultimately decided, under international pressure, to go ahead with its plan to raid people’s bank accounts. But could similar policies be imposed in other countries, including the United States?

One of the big differences between the United States and Cyprus is that the U.S. government can simply print more money to get out of a financial crisis. But Cyprus cannot print more euros, which are controlled by international institutions.

Does that mean that Americans’ money is safe in banks? Yes and no.

The U.S. government is very unlikely to just seize money wholesale from people’s bank accounts, as is being done in Cyprus. But does that mean that your life savings are safe?

No. There are more sophisticated ways for governments to take what you have put aside for yourself and use it for whatever the politicians feel like using it for. If they do it slowly but steadily, they can take a big chunk of what you have sacrificed for years to save, before you are even aware, much less alarmed.

That is in fact already happening. When officials of the Federal Reserve System speak in vague and lofty terms about “quantitative easing,” what they are talking about is creating more money out of thin air, as the Federal Reserve is authorized to do — and has been doing in recent years, to the tune of tens of billions of dollars a month.

When the federal government spends far beyond the tax revenues it has, it gets the extra money by selling bonds. The Federal Reserve has become the biggest buyer of these bonds, since it costs them nothing to create more money.

This new money buys just as much as the money you sacrificed to save for years. More money in circulation, without a corresponding increase in output, means rising prices. Although the numbers in your bank book may remain the same, part of the purchasing power of your money is transferred to the government. Is that really different from what Cyprus has done?

Source: RCP

Pet Of The Week

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GetAttachment

Prada – Prada is a black beauty who was left behind when her family moved away. She is three years old, and very shy. She lived primarily as an inside cat in her previous life, but spent a lot of time outside as well after her family abandoned her. Even though she may not be as expensive as the real Prada, she is well worth her $30 adoption fee! This includes her up-to-date vaccines, nationally-registered microchip, spay surgery, and a bag of food.

EPD to release more details surrounding officer involved shooting

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EPD PATCH 2012

The Evansville Police Department will be holding a press conference at 8:00pm tonight to release more details about today’s officer involved shooting.
The press conferrence will be held at EPD Headquarters.

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