Telehealth bill signed into law
STATEHOUSE – Senate Enrolled Act (SEA) 554, sponsored by State Representative Ron Bacon (R-Chandler), was signed into law by the governor today. SEA 554 addresses telehealth, which refers to patient monitoring in the home by a health care provider from a distance.
“I was very pleased to see this bill receive so much support in both chambers this session,†said Rep. Bacon. “As a healthcare professional and a member of the Committee on Public Health, this issue was very important to me. I worked very closely with the Senate on carrying this bill and believe it will benefit Hoosiers all over the state.â€
The bill will require the office of Medicaid Policy and Planning to reimburse home health agencies, rural health clinics and federally qualified health centers for doing medical consultations, diagnoses and monitoring using videoconferencing, telephones or computers.
The shortage of physicians and psychiatrists is a limiting factor on patients’ access to care, especially in rural areas. Telehealth and telemedicine services allow physicians and psychiatrists to care for their patients without having those patients travel to receive them. Physicians save precious time and money by not needing to visit patients in their homes.
“St. Francis Health has done this for a while and has noticed significant savings. Specifically for congestive heart failure, there is normally a one in four readmittance rate, but with telehealth, there is a one in twenty readmittance rate. Reducing the readmission rate means that patients are having healthier outcomes, and the process is less costly,†said Rep. Bacon.
For more information regarding SEA 554, please visit www.in.gov/legislative.
Mayor Lloyd Winnecke Makes Official Visit to Osnabrück, Germany
Will tout benefits of Sister City relationship, business and educational exchanges
Mayor Lloyd Winnecke has arrived in Osnabrück, Germany to visit dignitaries in our Sister City and express his support for continuing the the educational, economic and cultural exchanges between Evansville and Osnabrück. This is the Mayor’s first visit to Osnabruck, Germany and his first official diplomatic trip to a foreign country representing the City of Evansville.
Mayor Winnecke arrived in Osnabrück today. He will meet this afternoon with the head of the Osnabrück Chamber of Industry and Commerce and Greg Wathen, President and CEO of the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana. Wathen arrived in Osnabrück Monday and has held several meetings with German business leaders in preparation for the Mayor’s arrival.
On Thursday, Mayor Winnecke will attend a ceremony in the Hall of Peace of the historical Rathaus (town hall) in recognition of the 25th anniversary of the twinning between Osnabrück and Greifswald, Germany, followed by a reception hosted by Mayor Burkhard Jasper. Mayor Winnecke will also accompany Mayor Jasper to the opening of May Week on the Marketplace. The evening will conclude with a tour of the May Week circuit and the opening of Europadorf (Europa Village).
On Friday, Mayor Winnecke will travel to the Museum Industriekultur (Museum of Industrial Culture), followed by lunch in the Piesberg Community Center. The Mayor’s afternoon schedule includes a lecture on the topic of conversion and visits to former Army barracks (Winkelhausen barracks, Scharnhorst barracks and von-Stein barracks).
On Saturday, Mayor Winnecke will attend a book presentation at Stadtbibliothek (the city library for children and youth). The Mayor wraps-up his visit at the official dinner in the Steigenberger Hotel Remarque with an exchange of gifts with the Osnabrück delegation and brief remarks.
In his remarks, Mayor Winnecke will praise Evansville’s continuing relationship with Osnabrück and offer support for expanding economic and educational exchanges between the Sister Cities. He will also thank the University of Applied Sciences in Osnabrück and Osnabrück City Council for awarding a scholarship to Amanda Risher.
Amanda is a 2013 graduate of the University of Southern Indiana with a degree in German Studies. She will receive a full scholarship (tuition, room and board) to attend the University of Applied Sciences this summer.
Willard Library Announcements
Our annual special event, Midnight Madness, is coming soon. Midnight Madness is a week long program in which the Special Collections Department holds various genealogy and history programs while also remaining open until midnight the entire week. This year Midnight Madness will run June 17-21, with an additional event on Saturday the 22nd. There is more detailed information in the attached flyer.
Our program listing is as follows:
Monday
9:30 a.m. Beginning Genealogy: Start Putting Leaves on Your Family Tree
11:30 a.m. Tour the Willard Websites: Exploring the Genealogy Databases
2:00 p.m. Courthouse Research: What Should (Could) Be There
7:00 p.m. Finding Vital Records in the Latter-day Saints Microfilm
Tuesday
9:30 a.m. Lost in Kentucky: Finding Hard-to-Find Records
11:30 a.m. Finding German Ancestors and Origins
1:00 p.m. Joining the DAR
2:00 p.m. Source Materials for Genealogists: Where to Look First
7:00 p.m. Civil War Women and Their Place in Society
Wednesday
9:30 a.m. Civil War Pension Files: Finding the Women
11:30 a.m. Reitz Home Tour & Luncheon
2:00 p.m. Early 20th Century Stones and Mausoleums
7:00 p.m. Newspaper Research From a New Perspective
Thursday
9:30 a.m. Finding Family Information in Cemetery and Church Records
11:30 a.m. Indiana in the Civil War
2:00 p.m. Finding School Records: Locating, Accessing, Acquiring
7:00 p.m. Spice Up Your Genealogy with Tech Tools
Friday
9:30 a.m. Wayward Girls and Noble Hearts: A History of the Vanderburgh Christian Home
2:00 p.m. Printing Your Family History: Practical Advice
Saturday (Regular hours)
10:00 a.m. The 1925 Griffin Tornado
Standoff and arrest
At approximately 3 PM yesterday
, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to 3031 Allens Lane, to investigate a report of a person being shot.
The Indiana State Police received a call from the Time Warner Call Center in Louisville, Kentucky stating that they received a call originating from the Allens Lane address, where a male caller notified the cable company that someone in his house had been shot and that he needed deputies. We also received secondary information that a text was sent from a resident of the address that he was shot.
Indian State Troopers and Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Deputies arrived on scene and quickly established a perimeter. With a secure scene, negotiators from the Sheriff’s Office were able to make contact with resident Kent Stephens. Stephens refused to come out of the residence allowing deputies to determine if anyone was hurt. After approximately 45 minutes of intermittent contact with Stephens, he was convinced to exit the residence. Stephens was tased while being taken into custody.
Further investigation revealed that there was not a shooting and that the call and text had been fabricated.
Stephens was subsequently arrested and taken to the Vanderburgh County Detention Center.
ARRESTED
Kent Allen Stephens
W/M 1/16/65
3031 Allens Lane, Evansville
CHARGES
Disorderly Conduct
Resisting Law Enforcement
False Informing
ST. MARY’S WARRICK TAKING APPLICATIONS FOR SUMMER TEEN PROGRAM
Applications are now being accepted for the Summer Teen Volunteer Program at St. Mary’s Warrick Hospital.
Participants will have the opportunity to volunteer in one of several areas, including the emergency room, gift shoppe, business office, purchasing department, rehabilitation department, and flower delivery services. Through volunteering, teens will learn valuable life skills, develop their work ethic, and find fulfillment through serving their community.
Candidates will be interviewed and, if accepted, assigned to a specific service within the hospital on a first come, first served basis. The program will run from June 10th – July 19th. Completed applications should be turned in no later than May 20th. Volunteers must be 14 years old by June 1st in order to participate. The program is open to teens from any county in the region.
For more information, please contact Roxanne Heuring, Community Relations & Foundation Manager, at 812-897-7397.
EPD hosting Crisis/ Hostage Negotiation School
The Evansville Police Department is hosting a Crisis/ Hostage Negotiation training course this week. The 40 hour course is the first in a series of four progressive courses.
The course is designed to prepare law enforcement personnel to mediate threats involving barricaded subjects, suicidal subjects, and hostage takers.
The media is invited to observe the students participating in a negotiation exercise on Thursday May 9th at 2:30pm. The exercise will be held at the Southwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy. The SWILEA is located inside the CK Newsome Building at 100 E. Walnut.
First responders travel to Indy today for signing of HB 1111
Several Evansville first responders will travel to Indianapolis today to witness Governor Pence sign HB 1111. The bill will be signed into law at the Statehouse at 3:15pm, Indianapolis time.
HB 1111 is a unique bill that will give individuals trained in tactical emergency medicine the recognition and legality to perform in immediate life-saving circumstances. These individuals include members of the SWAT team who are trained to handle these kinds of situations.
The first responders, who have been trained to handle critical active shooter situations, are currently not recognized or able to legally perform these life-saving skills. HB 1111 will give these individuals the green light to use their skills to immediately and appropriately act in times of distress.
The bill allows for the practice of tactical emergency medicine if the individual:
1. is an emergency medical technician, an advanced emergency medical technician, or a paramedic;
2. is employed by a law enforcement agency or an emergency medical services agency to provide retrieval and field medical treatment to victims of violent confrontations; and
3. has successfully completed an accredited educational training program in tactical emergency medicine.
The bill was crafted by EPD Officers Lenny Reed, Ryan Winters, Mike Ward, and EFD Firefighter Eric Gentry. The bill was introduced by Representative Wendy McNamara.
VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, May 07, 2013.
Daniel Besaw Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury-Class B Felony
Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury-Class D Felony
Nikita Carey Theft-Class D Felony
Kenneth Kirby Strangulation-Class D Felony
Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury-Class A Misdemeanor
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
Christopher Lafontaine Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .15 or More-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to D Felony due to prior convictions)
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Class C Misdemeanor (Enhanced to D Felony due to prior convictions)
Brooke Martin Theft-Class D Felony
Frederick McFarland Carrying a Handgun without a License-Class C Felony
Carrying a Handgun without a License-Class A Misdemeanor (Enhanced to C Felony due to prior convictions)
Dealing in a Substance Represented to be a Controlled Substance-Class D Felony
Milton Nelson Dealing in Marijuana-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to D Felony due to prior convictions)
Randall Spencer Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or More-Class C Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to D Felony due to prior convictions)
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class D Felony
Operating a Vehicle with an ACE of .08 or More-Class C Misdemeanor
Jonathan Stutsman Attempted Robbery Resulting in Bodily Injury-Class B Felony
Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury-Class A Misdemeanor
Nicola Burks Dealing in a Schedule I Controlled Substance-Class B Felony
Dealing in Marijuana-Class A Misdemeanor
Veon Cartwright Burglary-Class B Felony
Forgery-Class C Felony
Theft-Class D Felony
Jason Evitts Domestic Battery-Class D Felony
Jon Redman Possession of Methamphetamine-Class D Felony
Marcus Williams Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury-Class D Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class D Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
Battery-Class B Misdemeanors (Two Counts)
(Habitual Offender Enhancement)
DSI Underground Systems Chooses Vanderburgh County, Indiana
DSI Underground Systems Chooses Vanderburgh County, Indiana
VANDERBURGH COUNTY, IN (May 8, 2013) – The Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville and the Vanderburgh County Commissioners are pleased to announce that DSI Underground Systems will occupy the former Tenneco building located in northern Vanderburgh County’s Industrial Park (5400 Foundation Boulevard). DSI Underground Systems is a global market leader in the design, development, production and supply of underground products and systems. Located in over 95 countries and totaling more than 2,100 employees worldwide.
During the last years, DSI has strategically expanded its Underground Business Sector. Their new steel fabrication plant/distribution center in northern Vanderburgh County will produce and provide ground control products to the underground mining industry, focusing on southwest Indiana, southern Illinois, and western Kentucky. This manufacturing facility will fabricate raw steel material into roof bolts, plates, and other steel products for the mining industry. The plant will also distribute resin adhesive products for underground mining ground control applications. DSI plans to be fully operational by the end of the third quarter.
DSI Underground Systems will create 44 new jobs in Vanderburgh County with an average wage of $22.50 per hour. The economic impact on the community resulting from the new jobs and investment will total in excess of $141 million over the next 10 years. Because of this impact, DSI was awarded a 10 year Tax Phase-in from Vanderburgh County on their personal property investment of approximately $1.3 million.
“The Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners is pleased to welcome DSI Underground Systems to the Vanderburgh Industrial Park (VIP). Southwestern Indiana has a long history in the mining industry and DSI Underground will be very much at home with their location here,†stated Marsha Abell, President of the Vanderburgh County Commissioners.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered DSI Underground a Skills Enhancement Grant of $50,000 and EDGE tax credits totaling $350,000 over a 10 year period.
“DSI will occupy an existing building that has been empty. This is a beneficial use of an unused asset, making the project even more attractive for Vanderburgh County,†added Deborah Dewey, President of the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville.
* This announcement is pending upon the decision of the Vanderburgh County Council. The County Council will vote at their regularly scheduled meeting on May 8, 2013.