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IS IT TRUE March 28, 2013

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The Mole #??
The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE March 28, 2013

IS IT TRUE we all learned yesterday that the Indiana Utilities Regulatory Commission (IURC) has given the City of Evansville approval to go ahead with a bond issue to enable $53 Million PLUS INTEREST to be spent to give former Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel his way once again with the taxpayers of this city’s money?…the real question at hand is now not whether or not the IURC is going to stand in the way of spending $53 Million for water meters that can be read without meter readers, it is whether or not either the Winnecke Administration and the current Evansville City Council will have the guts to defer or eliminate this unnecessary expense until real necessary expenses have been implemented?…what the City County Observer refers to here is the HALF A BILLION DOLLAR EXPENSE that it staring us all right in the face to get our DILAPIDATED SEWER SYSTEM into EPA compliance?…spending that $500 Million is not an option?…this is going to happen and the only variable is the timing?…we must remind our readers that a big capital project like the $500 Million sewer refurbishment delayed is a project that will see massive price increases?…if one magically wants to turn a $500 Million project into a $1 Billion project the way to do it is to kick that can 20 years down the road for the next generation to deal with?…at the end of the day what the Johnson Controls deal jammed through by former Mayor Weinzapfel will accomplish is to hang new water meters that sort of read themselves onto an Evansville Municipal Water and Sewer system that is crumbling like the Roman catacombs?…the marketing folks even have the audacity to call this a “SMART CITY” improvement?…this is about as “Smart” as putting a $3,000 set of chrome plated spinner rims on a $500 piece of crap jalopy?…this is the kind of idiotic logic that would make the rational American philosopher Will Rogers turn over in his grave?…we have chosen a few quotes from Will Rogers that seem particularly appropriate for a government that believes that this “Smart City” deal from Johnson Controls is really smart?

“Advertising is what makes people buy things they don’t need with money they don’t have”

“IF STUPIDITY got us into this mess, then why can’t it get us out?”

“Everything is changing. People are taking their comedians seriously and the politicians as a joke.”

“It’s easy being a humorist when you’ve got the whole government working for you.”

“There are three kinds of men. The one that learns by reading. The few who learn by observation. The rest of them have to pee on the electric fence for themselves.”

IS IT TRUE that the use of the term “SMART CITY” to bamboozle local governments into believing that a water meter or any other so called improvement that does not accomplish anything of value for an everyday citizen is simply marketing?…this time it seems as though the marketing worked?…this project purports to replace every water meter in the City of Evansville that is less than 5 years old with a new “smart meter”?…for this to make sense a simple water meter would have to be expected to fail in 5 years or less?…we question the logic of choosing 5 years as a replacement time for an asset that typically works well for 30 years or more?…even if these new meters are SMART, this is a DUMB IDEA and a misappropriation of taxpayer dollars in a City that cannot even be assured that flushing the toilet will not end up in the basement or the front yard?…another old saying that the present and former leaders of Evansville need to be schooled in is “FIRST THINGS FIRST”?…when the City of Evansville follows places like Detroit down the primrose path of bankruptcy we hope the voters of this place will awaken from their coma and do something about it because the people that have been elected lately sure as heck never will?…they are too busy getting bamboozled by advertising and gimmicks?

21st Century Healthcare

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Dr. Arnold
It is no secret that the landscape of the American healthcare system is changing. With higher rising insurance premiums, the looming 2014 deadline for health insurance under Obamacare, and the busier everyday lifestyles of most people many alternative forms of healthcare have begun to surface around the county. One such model that is growing increasingly popular is the Concierge form of healthcare. According to CNBC (December 12, 2012) there are approximately 4000 such practices in the US now, with 1000 new practices being added in 2012 alone. Concierge medicine grew 33% in 2012. Though a quick Google search revealed only one such practice in the Southwestern Indiana area, there is soon to be another come April.
21st Century Healthcare is a Primary Care Internal Medicine practice in which patients pay a fee for an expanded and more personal range of services. The man providing these services is Dr. Roy M. Arnold. A Cum Laude graduate of the University Of Alabama Birmingham School Of Medicine, Dr. Arnold is Board Certified in Internal Medicine and Pulmonary Disease and has over 20 years of experience in Wellness and Preventative Medicine. The idea behind his practice is to provide longer face to face appointment times, wellness consultation, and access to remote healthcare for patients that travel frequently or find themselves in need of medical advice while out of town. While most primary care providers see an average of 2000 patients, Dr. Arnold’s practice will see three to five hundred patients enabling a personalized healthcare experience as well as fewer instances of patients waiting hours in the lobby. Dr. Arnold also offers virtual consultations via a secure, HIPAA compliant video telecommunication program that cannot be hacked. This service is useful for those patients with reoccurring symptoms and for those medical non-emergencies that don’t require an in-office visit. This application is ideal for those patients whose job requires frequent travel such as sales personnel, executives, long-distance truck drivers, or even students away at college. Patients also have access to Dr. Arnold through secure email, and his inbox is always open.
The fee for these more streamlined services is one-hundred dollars per month, or about the cost of a latte a day. Patients also must carry some form of insurance but this insurance can often be a high deductible plan with a Health Savings account, which ends up being more affordable in the long run. The monthly retainer for these services also covers all insurance co-pays and coinsurance for services rendered. Medicare patients are also welcome under this new structure.
New patients hoping to pursue this form of healthcare must be over the age of 14 covered by a commercial insurance plan or Medicare. The patient is scheduled for a one hour visit during which the patient and doctor review medical and surgical history as well as risk factors, diet and physical regimen. Based on this information and the wishes of the patient a personalized wellness plan for the patient is implemented. This may include changes in diet and exercise regimen. A follow up visit is then scheduled to review the effectiveness of the plan with the patient. Dr. Arnold expects all patients to have a comprehensive evaluation each year and one follow up visit. He also anticipates two to three additional contacts per year, either office visits or electronic conference with patients to discuss their acute and chronic medical problems. In the event that a patient may require in patient care, Dr. Arnold has pre-established agreements with both St. Mary’s and Deaconess Hospital groups.
Those wishing to inquire about this innovative new model for healthcare are encouraged to jump to www.21centuryhc.com, or the practice may be contacted via email at info@21centuryhc.com and by phone at (812) 402-2003.

HAL HOLBROOK IN MARK TWAIN TONIGHT

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SMG_LOGO_FOR_TM

ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY, APRIL 5 AT 7:30 PM
THE AIKEN THEATRE AT THE CENTRE
TICKETS ON SALE NOW!
Jam Theatricals and The Centre are thrilled to present the award-winning Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight! for one performance only at The Centre’s Aiken Theatre on Friday, April 5, 2013 at 7:30 PM. Tickets for Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight! are on sale now and start at $21.00. Tickets can be purchased at The Centre, by visiting Ticketmaster.com, or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Discounts are available for Broadway at The Centre subscribers and groups of 10 or more by calling (812) 435-5544.
Actor Hal Holbrook breathes life into the legendary author in one of the most successful one-man shows in American Theatre history. Mark Twain Tonight! originated from a characterization that was part of Holbrook’s college honors project. His first solo performance as Twain began in 1954 at a nightclub in Greenwich Village where he gained national television exposure after Ed Sullivan saw him perform. Soon after, Holbrook had an off-Broadway run followed by an engagement at the Great White Way, earning him a Tony Award for Best Actor in a Play in 1966.
Nearly 50 years later, Mark Twain Tonight! continues to enthrall audiences around the nation. Holbrook merges man and material, using Twain’s own words and wry wit, to comment on contemporary American culture. During the course of his one-man show, Holbrook reads excerpts from some of Twain’s most famous works, and offers the author’s point of view on subjects ranging from prejudice, politics, religion, and human history. As Holbrook states, “What [Twain] had to say over a hundred years ago is more powerful today.”
Jam Theatricals (www.jamtheatricals.com) is proud to present Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight! as part of the 2012-13 D. PATRICK PRESENTS Broadway at the Centre season with media sponsors The Evansville Courier Press and WFIE-TV.
About Jam Theatricals
Jam Theatricals (Presenter) is a Chicago-based entertainment company that presents and produces Broadway engagements throughout North America. Under the direction of co-founders Arny Granat and Steve Traxler, Jam Theatricals manages subscription seasons in more than 30 cities. Jam Theatricals and its principals are the recipients of five Tony Awards® for producing Glengarry Glen Ross (Best Revival of a Play, 2005), Monty Python’s Spamalot (Best Musical, 2005), The History Boys (Best Play, 2006), August: Osage County (Best Play, 2008) and Hair (Best Revival of a Musical, 2009). Additional Broadway credits include: One Man Two Guvnors, Spiderman, Frankie and Johnny in the Clair de Lune, The Retreat from Moscow, The Wedding Singer, Talk Radio, Rock ‘n’ Roll, The Seafarer, The Homecoming, November, Sunday in the Park with George, Speed-the-Plow, 9 to 5, Blithe Spirit, Race, Come Fly Away and The Addams Family. Jam Theatricals is proud to produce this season’s 30th Anniversary revival of Glengarry, Glen Ross by David Mamet starring Al Pacino. For more information, please visit www.jamtheatricals.com.

ST. MARY’S TO HOLD 5TH ANNUAL “SPRING IN TO FEED THE HUNGRY” FOOD DRIVE

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st marys logo

St. Mary’s Health is proud to host its 5th annual “Spring in to Feed the Hungry” food drive to benefit the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Donations will be accepted Tuesday, April 9th through Thursday, April 11th.

The public is invited to join St. Mary’s employees in contributing to this food drive. Visitors can drop-off non-perishable food items or monetary donations at the entrance of the Center for Advanced Medicine, located on St. Mary’s main campus in Evansville. Valets with the Courtesy Services department will come to your vehicle to take the donations. Drop off times are from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. each day.

This food drive is part of the Feinstein Challenge, a national competition in which one million dollars will be divided proportionately to agencies across the country, based on the amount of food and cash donations each organization receives during the months of March and April.

Over the last four years:

* St. Mary’s has collected about 4,450 pounds of food and nearly $2,900.

* Combined with the Feinstein Challenge, a total of 5,573 pounds of food and $4,028 has been donated to St. Vincent de Paul.

In 2012, the St. Vincent de Paul food pantry served an average of about 1,100 households – or 2,770 people – per month.

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

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