INDIANAPOLIS – Now that the 2013 session of the Indiana General Assembly has come to a close, state lawmakers will begin preparing for the 2014 legislative session by continuing their work in interim study committees.

Referred to as “the interim,” the period between sessions provides legislators with an opportunity to review issues in greater depth and determine whether to proceed with legislation when we return next year.

A few weeks back, leaders met to decide what topics would be discussed this summer. Committees will start meeting soon and most should have their work done by the middle of fall.

There are two types of study committees that meet.

Some are created for the interim to look at a variety of topics under a general heading. Others have been created through state law and meet every year to conduct ongoing work on topics.

I am very fortunate this year to have been appointed to four legislative interim workgroups that will be studying issues of great interest to the Indiana House District 77 citizens I represent at the Statehouse in Indianapolis:

•Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana
•Child Services Oversight Committee
•Interim Study Committee on Driver Education
•Council on Evansville State Hospitals
Let’s take a look at some other topics we’ll be studying this year:

The Interim Study Committee on Common Core Educational Standards will examine how Indiana measures achievement in relation to the national Common Core standards. Members will consider the best ways to implement standards by talking to teachers and other local school officials, as well as the Superintendent of Public Instruction.

The School Safety Interim Study Committee will consider what can be done to protect our children in the wake of recent tragedies in places like Newtown, Conn.

The recent breakdowns on ISTEP testing will be examined in greater detail by the Commission on Education. Other topics for this group will include non-public school scholarships, teacher preparation programs, changes to the length of the school year, and safety issues for student athletes.

We will continue to look at the feasibility of mass transit transportation across Indiana through the work of two groups: the Central Indiana Transit Study Committee and the Joint Study Committee on Infrastructure Assessment & Solutions.

And of course, it wouldn’t be a legislative interim without looking at taxes and budgets. The Commission on State Tax & Financing Policy will handle most of that work this summer, including an examination of the use of land banks in the buying and selling of abandoned properties. This issue has gained attention in recent days after two Indianapolis city employees were indicted by the federal government and charged with taking kickbacks.

In the weeks to come, assignments to these committee will be parceled out. I will keep you posted about the work I will do, then talk about these issues in greater details throughout the summer.

State Representative Gail Riecken
Indiana House District 77

The Evansville Parks and Recreation Department is currently reviewing the city’s Adopt-A-

Spot program. The action was prompted by a decision last year by Keep Evansville Beautiful to discontinue maintenance of several Adopt-A-Spot locations to focus more on beautification projects at major city entrances.

The Parks Department received very little interest from citizens in the Adopt-A-Spot program in 2012, but a few companies have come forward to adopt spots this year. Most adopt-a-spot locations are in public parks and street medians. However, citizens and companies interested in participating in the program are welcome to suggest other locations on city right-of-way.

Participants must sign a three-year agreement with the Board of Park Commissioners to maintain the area and assume all costs and labor. For more information on the program, contact Parks Department Ex. Dir. Denise Johnson at 435-4161.

Although few areas have been adopted recently, there are some Evansville residents who are continuing to maintain their adopt-a-spot locations, including Gordon Dingman, who has the largest adopt-a-spot site in Evansville. He has maintained the area around Helfrich Park since 2006, spending thousands of dollars to keep the area beautiful.

Attached please find a profile on Gordon Dingman featuring his work to beautify Helfrich Park. If you are interested in contacting Mr. Dingman for an interview, please contact Ella Johnson-Watson at the number above.

In support of the ECHO Housing Corporation-led Jacobsville Join In (JJI), a community development initiative, Vectren committed $15,000 to assist with program and operational expenses. JJI is working with residents and stakeholders in Jacobsville to establish a vision, goals and a quality of life plan for the neighborhood. The community development initiative was established in 2011 with seed money from the City of Evansville’s Department of Metropolitan Development.

A portion of the funding from Vectren will provide support for a full-time community mobilizer who is responsible for coordinating and overseeing all activities of JJI. The remaining dollars will go toward JJI’s early action grant program. Early action grants provide funding for small improvement projects that build neighborhood spirit and support the vision and goals. Nominal grant funding of $250 to $1,000 is made available to individuals, groups and organizations to plan and implement neighborhood improvement projects.

“We value Vectren’s support, and while we have already begun to see JJI’s impact in the Jacobsville neighborhood, the additional funding from Vectren will help accelerate our efforts,” said Jennifer Mason, JJI community mobilizer.

In April, Jacobsville residents and stakeholders envisioned neighborhood accomplishments taking place over the next ten years. The collective ideas were divided into seven working groups, and members of each group will build a plan to address the key areas for the neighborhood. The seven key areas identified include business corridors, employment, infrastructure and parks, housing, youth and education, safety and cleanliness, and neighborhood pride and events.

“We have a strong focus on community redevelopment and revitalization,” said Jeff Whiteside, Vectren vice president of community sustainability and president of the Vectren Foundation. “The work being done in Jacobsville is driving sustainable improvements for the individuals who call this neighborhood home both today and in the future.”

Saturday, June 29, 2013
Mayor Winnecke will be at the Plumbers and Steamfitters Local 136 annual union picnic at Burdette Park. He is scheduled to arrive around 11:30 a.m.
Mayor Winnecke will be a guest at the annual Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity’s Black & White Masquerade Ball. The ball will be from 6 to 9 p.m. at The Center.

Sunday, June 30, 2013
Mayor Winnecke will spend the afternoon at Victoria National Golf Course in Warrick County for the final day of the 2013 United Leasing Championship tournament.

Hero’s come in all sizes:
DeSean Smith, a 5th grader at Vogel Elementary School, will be honored tomorrow by AAA for his life saving actions on December 5th, 2012.
While serving as a School Safety Patrol member on Weinbach Ave, near Vogel School, DeSean saved a 7 year old girl who was walking to school.
DeSean saw a car approaching that was not slowing down as it neared the crosswalk. The car was travelling about 25mph and was only about 20 feet from entering the crosswalk. DeSean dropped his flag pole, ran into the street, grabbed the young girl, and pulled her out of the path of the oncoming car. DeSean’s actions prevented the girl from being struck by the car and being seriously injured or killed.
DeSean will recieve the AAA Lifesaving Medal in a ceremony at EPD Headquarters at 10:00am tomorrow. DeSean is one of only 8 students naitionwide to receive the award this year. He joins elite company as ony 407 students have received this award since it was first handed out in 1949.

On Wednesday, June 26, 2013, at approximately 9:40 PM, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office was dispatched to 1950 Belmar Lane regarding an assault that had just occurred. Deputies were advised that the suspects had left the scene.

Upon their arrival, deputies spoke to the victim, Craig Taylor, at the residence. Taylor stated three male subjects broke down the front door of the residence and assaulted him. Taylor stated he was able to fight off the subjects and they all ran from the scene. Taylor suffered a cut to his face and nose during the assault. Taylor advised deputies he recognized one of the subjects who assaulted him as Leonard Schnitzler.

After a short investigation, deputies learned that Leonard was being treated at Deaconess Hospital for injuries he sustained during the assault. After his release, Leonard was transported to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Command Post where he was interviewed by detectives. Leonard admitted to being at the residence during the assault; however, he stated he could not provide information on Taylor being assaulted.

Leonard was transported to the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Confinement Center where he was booked on several charges.

OFFENDER
Leonard A. Schnitzler
W/M 37 YOA
Evansville, Indiana

The Victory Theatre and 93.5 The Wolf are excited to announce the 2013 Summer Country Nights concert series, which will take place over three dates in July, August and September in the historic Victory Theatre. The series will feature appearances by several hot up and coming country acts at very affordable ticket prices.

“We are thrilled to offer Evansville the opportunity to enjoy great music at a great price, and we want to make Main Street the place to be on these summer nights,” said Victory Theatre General Manager Ben Bolander. “These are acts that we believe we’ll see playing in larger venues like the Ford Center in a few years, so don’t miss your chance now to see them at a really reasonable price.”

Tickets can be purchased for each individual concert, but fans also have the opportunity to buy a three-concert ticket package for a reduced rate. Tickets are $15 and $20 for single shows, or $36 for the three show package. All three shows and the package deal are on sale now at the Ford Center ticket office, Ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at (800) 745-3000.

Scheduled to appear are:

• Friday, July 12 – Tyler Farr with special guest Weston Burt

• Thursday, August 15 – Charlie Worsham with special guest TBD

• Friday, September 13 – No Justice with special guest TBD

All three concerts will begin at 8:00 PM.

– MORE –

Victory Theatre. 600 Main St. Evansville, IN 47708. Office: (812) 422-8000

Tyler Farr was born and raised in the small town of Garden City, Missouri. The singer was first introduced to country music at age 16, when he spent a summer on the road with his stepfather, who played lead guitar for country icon George Jones. Farr grew to love country music, and he decided to make the move to Nashville to pursue a career as an artist. He landed a job working as a bouncer at the legendary Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge for five months until he was able to convince the management to let him sing. An avid outdoorsman, Farr found a friend in award-winning songwriter and fellow outdoorsman, Rhett Akins. Rhett had heard some of Farr’s music, and he wanted to work with him. In addition to recording and songwriting, Farr has toured extensively with Colt Ford, for whom Tyler wrote the song, “Hey Y’all,” as well as opening for Jerrod Niemann and Lee Brice in early 2011 on The Higher Education Tour. Tyler’s four-song digital album, Camouflage – EP, is available now.

Starting in his hometown of Grenada, Mississippi, Charlie Worsham was always out playing somewhere. From the Opry at age twelve to the local Missionary Baptist Church to the back-road blues joints he wasn’t even supposed to know about, much less play in, wherever he found a stage, he played. With his energy and showmanship onstage and his understated Mississippi “yes sir” and “no ma’am” offstage, it’s easy to understand why so many in Nashville’s music community are rooting for him.

No Justice is a country band originally from Stillwater, Oklahoma. Stillwater has also produced musical talents such as

Jimmy LaFave, Garth Brooks, The Great Divide, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Stoney LaRue, Mike McClure and Jason Boland & the Stragglers. Having been a fixture in Stillwater since 2001, No Justice developed a large following across

Oklahoma and Texas, averaging more than 200 shows a year, all leading to the band’s signing in 2010 by Carved Records. No Justice is singer/guitarist Steve Rice, guitarist Jerry Payne, bassist Joey Trevino, drummer Armando Lopez and lead guitarist Cody Patton.