A portion of Oak Hill Road, from Pigeon Creek to Lake Drive, is closed to thru traffic due to construction on the next segment of the city’s first “Complete Street” project. Information about the scope of the project, construction schedule, contacts and more are available online at www.oakhillroadreconstruction.com.

The contractor, Ragle, Inc., started work today on phase I of an 80 percent federally funded overhaul of Oak Hill Road from Morgan Avenue to Lynch Road. Access to side streets and adjacent properties will be maintained, and thru traffic will be detoured around the Oak Hill Road closure using Morgan Avenue, U.S. 41, and Lynch Road. The project is estimated to cost more than $4.8 million and is set for completion in July 2014.

“The greatest singular improvement to traffic will be the construction of a dedicated, two-way, continuous left-turn lane in the middle of the road. With the addition of this lane, through traffic will not have to stop for left-turning vehicles,” said City Engineer Pat Keepes. “Other aspects of the project include complete removal and replacement of the pavement; construction of sidewalks, curbs, gutters, and storm sewers; and dedicated bicycle lanes to create a “Complete Street.” The completed project will result in a safer and more efficient Oak Hill Road.

Questions about the construction work may be directed to the project field office at (812) 471-9434. For your convenience, the website at www.oakhillroadreconstruction.com will be updated as detour routes change.

Full Text of former Mayor’s Statement

At the June 10 meeting of the Evansville City Council, Councilman John Friend stated that the Mayor Lloyd Winnecke Administration “inherited a mess” with regard to city finances.

We have been hearing this type of inflammatory rhetoric for 18 months. It is time for John Friend to provide substance to his allegations because I can only guess to what he is referring to.
He may be talking about problems encountered with the adoption of a new financial software system to replace a 25-year old system that had city government operating in the Stone Age. Although my Administration and the Winnecke Administration had difficulty converting the data from the old system to the new, the books were finally balanced and no irregularities were found. Throughout this process, the City maintained its very strong bond rating. But, that is old news.

So…what else could it be?

My administration left city finances in a better position than what we inherited. In fact, due to strong management and the willingness to make tough decisions, the combined cash balances in the general fund and parks fund went from $2.7 million when I took office in January 2004 to $7.6 million when I left office in December 2011. This represents a 180 percent increase.
The City completed and opened the new Ford Center on time and on budget. Its operations were left in sound hands with VenuWorks.
We brokered a deal with a developer to build a new convention hotel in downtown.

We put together a program with Johnson Controls to establish city-wide wifi and create a fiber optic network that offered tremendous economic development opportunities.
We had engineers working on plans to complete the Greenway project within the city.

The Arts District and Front Door Pride programs were going strong with additional money approved to continue the transformation of the area and local banks ready to commit millions of dollars in mortgage loans for market rate residential investment.

And, the list goes on.

What is clear to me is that Friend’s focus on the past and his inflammatory rhetoric have brought all progress in the city to a grinding halt. Our community needs leaders focused on a positive future or we will descend into mediocrity.

Jonathan Weinzapfel

WHERE WHEN WHAT TIME

Caze Elementary School

June 3 – June 28 11:15 am – 1:00 pm July 1 – July 19 11:30 am -12:30 pm

Cedar Hall Community School

June 3 – June 28 11:15 am – 12:45 pm

July 1 – July 19 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Dexter Elementary School

June 3 – June 28 11:45 am – 1:00 pm July 1 – July 19 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Glenwood Leadership Academy

June 3 – June 28 11:30 am -1:00 pm July 1 – July 19 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

Lodge Community School

June 3 – June 28 11:45 am – 1:00 pm

July 1 – July 19 11:30 am – 12:30 pm

McGary Middle School June 3 – June 28 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Tekoppel Elementary School June 3 – July 19 11:30 am – 1:00 pm

Lincoln School

June 10 – June 28 10:30 am – 12:30 pm

July 1 – July 12 12:00 pm – 1:00 pm

Evans School

June 10 – June 28 11:30 am – 1:00 pm July 1 – July 19 11:30 am -12:30 pm
This program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation.

In accordance with Federal law and U.S. Department of Agriculture policy, this institution is prohibited from discriminating on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, or disability (Not all prohibited bases apply to all programs). To file a complaint of discrimination, write USDA, Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC 20250-9410 or call (202) 720-5964 (voice and TDD). USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Summer Experience, 2013 lunch schedule: Please note, times and dates vary by location. Children and youth, 18 and younger, eat free in the summer meals program, adults 19 and over $2.50.

For more information, contact Linda Eidson, Director of Food and Nutrition Services, at 435-8258.

Community agencies, organizations & families are invited to bring children to any of the participating schools for lunch.

There will be some unique visitors at Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library locations on the next two Mondays, June 17th and 24th. At Animal Underground, a program by Animal Tales, customers will get an up-close look at animals that either hide underground or hunt from above.

The program will feature five live animals from across the globe: Paraguayan screaming hairy armadillo, Harris hawk, African spurred tortoise, Egyptian fruit bat, and woma python. Animal Underground is an educational, interactive, and safe program that allows hands-on volunteering for a rare experience with unusual animals.

Program dates, times and locations:

June 17th – 10:00 am, Central Library

2:00 pm, West Branch

6:00 pm, Red Bank Branch

June 24th – 10:00 am, McCollough Branch

2:00 pm, North Park Branch

6:00 pm, Oaklyn Branch

Everyone is welcome to this free program sponsored by the Public Library Friends.

Saturday, June 15, 2013

Mayor Winnecke will stop by the Donut Bank at 5 N. Green River Rd. at 8:30 a.m. for “Coffee with a Cop.” The program was launched earlier this year by the Evansville Police Department to give residents an opportunity to talk one-on-one with police officers to share a concern or simply discuss community issues.

From 9 to 11 a.m., Mayor Winnecke will be at Hartke Pool, 201 N. Boeke Rd., for “Summer of Swimming,” the first in a series of three free pool exercise sessions as part of Energize Evansville’s monthly “Fitness in the Park” program. The next sessions will be at Lorraine Pool on July 20 and Rochelle-Lander Pool on August 17 from 9 to 11 a.m. both days.

Mayor Winnecke will stop by the Christ the King Summer Social around 6 p.m. to mix and mingle with the crowd. The event will take place on the school’s campus at 3101 Bayard Park Dr.

Around 8 p.m., Mayor Winnecke will present the $20,000 grand prize at Sculpt EVV, an outdoor public sculpture show and music festival at Haynie’s Corner Art District. The free art show opens at noon featuring live music, hand-crafted furniture and jewelry, and beer tasting.

Deputies were dispatched to US Hwy 41 North and Mount Pleasant Road regarding a crash. When deputies arrived, they observed a blue Jeep Cherokee and a red Toyota Corolla crashed in the roadway. The Jeep Cherokee was laying on it side in the southbound lane facing north. The red Corolla was facing west in the intersection. Deputies closed the southbound lane of US Hwy 41 North for approximately 45 minutes to complete the investigation and the cleanup.

The driver of the blue Cherokee, Patricia Southerland, and a juvenile occupant were unable to exit the vehicle due to the position of the vehicle. Deputy Bryan Bishop was able to crawl through the back window, release their seatbelts, and pull them from the vehicle.

Sutherland told deputies she was turning west onto Mount Pleasant from US Hwy 41 North. Sutherland stated she was not paying attention to the traffic signal and went through the red light crashing into the red Corolla which was traveling south.

All parties involved were transported to Deaconess Hospital for non-life threatening injuries. The investigation is ongoing, but neither drugs nor alcohol appear to be a factor.

DRIVER #1
Patricia Sutherland
W/F, 64 YOA
Evansville, Indiana

DRIVER #2:
Patsy J. Phillips
W/F, 61 YOA
Evansville, Indiana

On Thursday, June 13, 2013, at approximately 5:40 AM, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to 4600 Rolling Ridge Court regarding a domestic violence in progress. Deputies were advised that a white female and white male were arguing in front of the apartment.

Upon their arrival, deputies found the victim, Donna Kay Boyer, standing by the office. Boyer appeared to be distraught and had visible marks on her neck and arm from a struggle. Boyer stated that she and her boyfriend, Bradley Ray Barney, had returned from the hospital and had been arguing over his cell phone. Boyer stated she went into the bedroom to start packing her clothes because she was leaving.

Boyer stated when she attempted to walk out of the bedroom; Barney blocked the doorway and refused to let her leave. As Boyer was trying to get out of the room, Barney spat in her face. He then grabbed Boyer around the neck and started squeezing to where she could not breathe and started to lose consciousness.

Boyer stated Barney then threw her down to the ground and started twisting her arm behind her back causing extreme discomfort. Finally, Boyer was able to distract Barney by telling him his phone was outside. Once Barney left to look for it, Boyer was able to escape the apartment.

When deputies went to Barney’s apartment, they were unable to get Barney to answer the door. Approximately an hour, Barney exited the apartment thinking deputies had left. Barney was then taken into custody without further incident.

As the deputies were speaking with Barney, they observed blood coming from several small cuts on his forehead with blood over his face, hands, arms, and the front of his shirt. Barney also had bruising over one eye. Barney stated to deputies that Boyer had cut him with a knife.

Based on evidence at the scene and witness statements, deputies believe the cuts were self-inflicted by Barney. The witness stated Barney was wearing a red t-shirt and had no blood on him when he chased Boyer out of the apartment. Additionally, a small knife was located in the sink with blood on it.

Barney was transported to Deaconess Hospital for treatment of the minor injuries and then to the Vanderburgh Sheriff’s Confinement Center where he was booked on several charges.

OFFENDER
Bradley Ray Barney
50 YOA, W/M
Evansville, Indiana

CHARGES
Battery by Strangulation – D felony
Criminal Confinement – C felony
Battery by Bodily Waste – A misdemeanor
Battery by Hand, Fist, Feet Causing Injury – A misdemeanor

VICTIM
Donna Kay Boyer
51 YOA, W/F
Newburgh, Indiana