INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Board of Pharmacy agreed to revoke the New England Compounding Center’s license for its connection to the meningitis outbreak.

The Massachusetts-based pharmacy reached a voluntary revocation agreement on Friday with Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s office. The board approved the agreement Monday during its meeting in Indianapolis.

“Public health and safety is a top priority and today’s action was a necessary step to ensure this company, which put patients unnecessarily at risk, does not operate within our state’s borders going forward,” Zoeller said.

Zoeller said a license revocation means the company cannot operate in Indiana for at least seven years. The company could apply for a new license after that time, but the board would have to approve the license application.

In November, the Indiana Board of Pharmacy voted to indefinitely suspend NECC’s non-resident pharmacy license and the Attorney General’s office recently filed a licensing complaint against the company. Zoeller said the pharmacy failed to ensure its epidural steroid injections were safe for patients which led to devastating harm.

As of Feb. 4, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) identified 10 deaths and 79 total cases of fungal meningitis in Indiana stemming from epidural steroid injections produced by NECC. Nationwide there were a total of 696 cases and 45 deaths across 20 states.

In September, the CDC in coordination with the Food and Drug Administration identified the NECC as the compounding pharmacy that produced the epidural steroid injections that caused the onset of meningitis in certain patients. Shortly after, NECC ceased production and initiated a recall of the drugs.

As a licensed non-resident pharmacy whose products were distributed and sold in Indiana, NECC is legally responsible for the “proper and safe storage and distribution of drugs and devices.”

The EVSC Board of School Trustees approved the hiring of Bret Szabo as the head football coach at North High School. Szabo replaces Mike Wilson who has retired after serving as head football coach at North since 1989.

For the past 10 years, Szabo has served as the head football coach, assistant athletic director and teacher at Bedford North Lawrence High School in Bedford, Ind. Prior to that position, Szabo served as teacher and assistant football coach at Harrison High School from 1992-2003.

Over his 21-year coaching career, Szabo has acquired a list of accomplishments, including being named twice as an Indianapolis Colts Coach of the Week and receiving the All-Conference coach award. Szabo also has received two Seven Star Awards, presented by the North Lawrence Community Schools Corporation for outstanding achievements in coaching. In addition, he has won a conference championship and in 2011 his team was sectional champions. Szabo has established feeder systems at Bedford North Lawrence, which have built team numbers to higher levels than the school had seen previously. As assistant coach at Harrison, Szabo helped lead the team to four conference titles in nine years.

“We are very excited about the future of the North High School football program,” said North Athletic Director Peyton Stovall. “We look forward to Coach Szabo working with our student athletes on and off the field. We welcome him to the EVSC and look forward to him leading the North Huskies and working with the community to build an outstanding program.”

Szabo also is an active member of the Indiana Football Coaches Association. He holds a Master’s degree in Education from the University of Southern Indiana and a Bachelor of Arts degree in social studies from the University of Evansville. He has served as an adjunct professor at the University of Southern Indiana.

Everyday law enforcement officers watch out for our well-being and protect us from harm. This session, the Evansville Police Department and the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association asked me to author two bills, House Bills (HB) 1111 and 1151, which deal with various police/SWAT team issues. Recently, both bills passed out of the House of Representatives with unanimous support and are now moving to the Senate for consideration.

HB 1111, requested by the Evansville Police Department, 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.

HB 1151, requested by the Indiana Sheriffs’ association, creates a ‘Blue Alert’ notification system. The ‘Blue Alert’ program is designed to notify the public when a law enforcement officer has been killed, seriously injured or becomes missing in the line of duty. The concept of the ‘Blue Alert’ is fairly similar to the Amber and Silver alert programs.

The ‘Blue Alert’ program will allow families and communities to come together and be made aware of serious situations involving law enforcement officers, as well as provide peace of mind to the men and women who serve and to their families.

This system will be operated by the Indiana State Police Department (ISP), and they will be responsible for determining the geographic boundaries of the system and how widespread the alert will be. The ISP will also need to adopt the guidelines for the operation of this alert, including receiving and verifying information.

John:

I returned to Evansville Sunday afternoon. We will provide what we can to you for Mr. Garrett Monday. Since I was out of town I didn’t feel it would be productive to request Finance Dept. staff to come in on Saturday or Sunday to work overtime to process this request.

I will let you know our progress on Monday.

Russell Lloyd, Controller

Foot Note: Posted without editing, opinion or bias.

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THE CENTRE

The Really Big “Game” Show – Feb. 9 @ 7:00pm

Rodney Carrington “Laughter’s Good” Tour – Feb. 16 @ 8:00pm

Jim Gaffigan “The White Bread” Tour – Mar. 29 @ 7:00pm

Daughtry and 3 Doors Down In Concert – Mar. 4 @ 7:00pm

George Jones “The Grand Tour” – Mar. 23 @ 7:30pm

Jim Gaffigan “The White Bread Tour” – Mar. 29 @ 7:00pm

Centre’d On Kids “Junie B. Jones”-Apr. 4 @ 9:00am & 12:00pm

66th Annual Home Show – Apr. 6-7 @ 9:00am-6:00pm

Casting Crowns “The Acoustic Sessions Live” – Apr. 11 @ 7:00pm

Scooby Doo Live! “Musical Mysteries” – Apr. 17 @ 6:30pm

In The Mood-1940’s Big Band Musical Revue – Apr. 18 @ 7:30pm, Apr. 19 @ 2:00pm

Alice In Chains “2013 North American Tour” – May 22 @ 7:30pm

DPatrick Presents
BROADWAY AT THE CENTRE 2012-2013

A Chorus Line – Feb. 20 @ 7:30pm

Hal Holbrook in Mark Twain Tonight! – Apr. 5 @ 7:30pm

In the span of three hours, fans at the Ford Center were treated to a full range of today’s country music on Friday night. The show kicked off with a short set by young newcomer Greg Bates, best known for his hit “Did It for the Girl.” Bates was followed by rising pop/country trio Gloriana with their mix of edgy new songs mixed with some familiar classics.
Headliner Alan Jackson is the established industry veteran, with three decades of hits from which to draw his set list. Jackson kept his fans happy by playing a catalog of his greatest hits interspersed with some newer tracks. The video screens that backed his set enhanced the experience, with images of classic Americana and even footage filmed around Evansville during the day.
“This area proves its love for country music again and again,” said Executive Director Scott Schoenike. “We are happy to be able to offer a full spectrum of concerts that cover everything from classic artists to up and comers.”
The Ford Center continues to stay active with a variety of upcoming events, including Journey February 12, the 37th Annual World Championship Ice Racing Series Finale February 23, the Deaconess GLVC 2013 Basketball Championship March 7-10, Disney on Ice March 27-30, Kid Rock April 1, Neon Trees April 12, Brit Floyd April 19, and Jason Aldean April 25.
Ford Center