Tepe Park Neighborhood Targeted for January 5 Clean-Up
Clean Evansville Collects Nearly 20,000 lbs. of Trash in First Year
EVANSVILLE, IN – This month marks a milestone for Clean Evansville. On January 7, 2012, the first group of volunteers filled more than 250 bags with trash and picked-up a couple of couches, six tires and countless cigarette butts from streets and alleys throughout Downtown Evansville.
On Saturday, January 5, 2013, Clean Team volunteers will commemorate the one year anniversary of Mayor Lloyd Winnecke’s anti-litter initiative by picking-up litter in Ward 4 around the Tepe Park Neighborhood. Volunteers will gather at various starting points at 9 a.m., and they will meet at the Tepe Park Shelter House for a wrap-up at 11 a.m.
Mayor Winnecke said Clean Evansville has been well received by the community, based on the number of participants. More than 2,100 people have volunteered for the monthly clean-ups held at different locations across the city. Many of the volunteers have participated in more than one event, collecting nearly 20,000 pounds of litter and trash, including shopping carts, hubcaps and wooden pallets.
“I’d like to thank the citizens of Evansville and our corporate and community sponsors, including Keep Evansville Beautiful, Allied Waste and Rural King, for making Clean Evansville’s first year such a huge success. With your help we have collected over 10 tons of trash!†said Mayor Winnecke. “As we begin our second year our work is far from over. I hope to see more people involved as we continue working together to make Evansville a cleaner and better place to live.â€
“Keep Evansville Beautiful applauds the hundreds of volunteers who join Mayor Winnecke every month to pick up litter,†said Keep Evansville Beautiful Executive Director Cheryl Musgrave. “The Clean Evansville Initiative is at the heart of our civic mission and we look forward to celebrating many more anniversaries working together to beautify our city.â€
Clean Evansville is a community partnership between the City of Evansville and Keep Evansville Beautiful, with support from Allied Waste, Rural King and media partner 14News WFIE-TV. Rural King donates supplies such as gloves; Allied Waste hauls the trash to the landfill and Keep Evansville Beautiful coordinates volunteers and provides trash bags. Individuals interested in joining or forming a team should contact Mike McGarrah at 425-4461.
Jan5_2013_Narrative
Board of School Trustees of EVSC hold executive session
The Board of School Trustees of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation will meet in executive session at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, January 7, 2013, in the John H. Schroeder Conference Center in the Superintendent’s Office in the Technology and Innovation Center, 951 Walnut, Evansville, IN 47713. The session will be conducted according to Senate Enrolled Act 313, Section 1, I.C. 5-14-1.5-6.1, as amended. The purpose of the meeting is for discussion of collective bargaining, (2)(A); initiation of litigation or litigation that is either pending or has been threatened specifically in writing, (2)(B); purchase or lease of property, (2)(D); and job performance evaluation of individual employees, (9).
The regular meeting of the School Board will follow at 5:30 p.m. in the EVSC Board Room, same address.
Attorney General, State Senator support School Resource Officer proposal
Bill would let schools seek funds to hire resource officers for safety, mentoring
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller announced his support today for a bill filed by State Senator Pete Miller that would encourage school corporations to enter into formal relationships with local police or sheriffs’ departments to put in place school resource officers by providing state grant funding.
School resource officers usually are full-time law enforcement officers assigned to a school from a local law enforcement agency to focus on overall school safety, assist with student discipline and provide mentoring opportunities. The legislation Miller filed today would create uniformity in the standards and duties for school resource officers. Miller’s bill would make grants available to schools that don’t currently have a resource officer agreement in place and offer funding support to schools with existing programs, so long as there is local matching funding and the new standards are adopted.
Although the legislation was not originally intended as a response to the Newtown, Conn., tragedy of December 14, Zoeller and Miller noted that the bill would become state government’s first formal proposal to address increased school safety in Indiana in the wake of the incident.
“In light of the recent tragic events in Connecticut, we know school safety is a subject parents and the public are very concerned about. In a needs assessment researching school safety last fall, educators and law enforcement leaders indicated they would like to make school resource officers available in more schools. Many have asked, ‘What can Indiana do now to enhance school safety?’ and this is something legislators can do early in 2013,†Zoeller said.
“This proposal would be a good first step to meet an immediate need and expand resource officers into schools that don’t already have them, and still give the Legislature and Executive Branch the opportunity to look at other more long-term comprehensive safety options,†Miller said.
“The Department of Education strives to support and provide our schools, teachers and administrators with all the tools and resources they need to create a safe and positive learning environment for our students,” State Superintendent-elect Glenda Ritz said. “And that is why I believe that Attorney General Zoeller’s and State Senator Miller’s proposed legislation to support and expand the School Resource Officer program will help in the identification and prevention of bullying, and ensure that our schools, personnel, and students are safe and secure. In addition, I will be working with Governor-elect Pence to assess our schools’ safety and security protocols,†Ritz said.
Miller, R-Avon, today filed his legislation, Senate Bill 270, which will be considered by the 2013 Indiana General Assembly. Miller is a member of the Senate Education and Career Development Committee.
It is estimated that at least one quarter to one third of Indiana school corporations already have resource officers. Without a specific definition of the position in state law, resource officers’ duties can vary from one school district to another. In some schools, resource officers have a predominantly building-security role, in others they assist with student conduct or counseling issues such as misbehavior, and the needs assessment revealed a need for uniformity and desire by stakeholders for a greater utilization of school resource officers.
Miller’s legislation that Zoeller supports would write a definition into state law that would specify school resource officers must be either school corporation employees or law enforcement officers with a police agency who work on contract for the school, and they must complete a training program and obtain certification. The bill would define their duties as (1) assisting with implementing the school’s safety plan and supporting the school safety specialist program, (2) promoting a safe school environment through reduction in crime and rule violations, (3) acting as liaison to local law enforcement, (4) detecting and addressing bullying, (5) participating in law-related educational programs when needed and (6) serving as a mentor to students. Each year, resource officers would complete an annual report that would allow for evaluation of their efforts
As currently drafted, the legislation would appropriate $10 million into the Indiana Safe School Fund from which state grants could be awarded. Any school corporation or charter school could apply for a state grant of up to $50,000 a year for two years, to create or formalize such positions. To qualify for a grant, a school corporation would have to pay a portion of the officer costs that, when combined with the portion paid by local law enforcement, would equal 50 percent of the total costs. The 50-50 local match is so that positions would be adequately funded to employ full-time qualified officers.
Miller noted the funding source is conceptual at this point and he expects final funding details to be adjusted during the normal give-and-take of the legislative process. “The grant funding would be intended as seed money to expand the use of resource officers around the state on an interim basis, with the idea that after two years the positions could either be funded locally or through other sources as the Legislature designates,†Miller said.
By facilitating grant funding, Senate Bill 270 encourages school corporations to build or enhance working relationships with their local police or sheriff’s department. Participation in the grant program would be voluntary and based on local need; school boards would not be required to create the positions or apply for funds. Criteria for awarding grants will be developed based on factors such as school size, access to the nearest law enforcement agency and existing programs.
Zoeller noted Senate Bill 270 is consistent with Indiana’s early leadership role among states in requiring schools to have school safety plans in place. The bill also would complement a 2009 law the Legislature passed, the Teacher Protection Act, through which the Attorney General’s Office was given heightened responsibility to defend teachers from civil lawsuits arising from disputes over teachers imposing school discipline in the classroom. The statute gave teachers limited immunity from lawsuits provided they had followed school corporation policies, and it allowed the Attorney General’s Office to serve as a teacher’s legal counsel in such litigation. Zoeller added that his support for Miller’s bill is consistent with the role of the Attorney General’s Office as lawyer for state government and advocate for law enforcement and the criminal justice system generally.
NOTE: An executive summary of a research-based needs assessment on school resource officers and their utilization is attached. Senate Bill 270 filed today is attached. This is an introduced draft and the bill is subject to change during the legislative session.
North Sophomore Invited to Take Part in Presidential Inaugural Activities
Because of his involvement in numerous community organizations, Alex Grossman, sophomore at North High School, was invited to be a part of the Inauguration of the President of the United States of America. Grossman, along with other outstanding high schools students from across the United States, will embark on a five-day trip to Washington D.C. to take part in the High School Presidential Inaugural Conference, a program that provides students with a deeper understanding of the history behind the electoral process and the rich traditions surrounding the Presidential Inauguration.
During the program, Grossman and the other students will have the opportunity to interact with historians, political experts and leading decision makers to discuss campaign strategy and presidential politics. Students also will attend a special viewing party and luncheon where they will watch the grandeur of the inaugural parade as the president, vice president and their families make their way from the U.S. Capital Building to the White House. In addition, students also will attend an exclusive Gala Inaugural Celebration just for them.
Grossman has invited to take part in the program because of his active involvement in multiple community organizations, including the National Young Scholars Program, Youth Resources and the National Youth Leadership Program in Boy Scouts of America.
For more information on the High School Presidential Inaugural Conference, visit http://www.inauguralscholar.com/high-school/.
VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
Evansville, IN – Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Thursday, December 27, 2012.
Darrel Brooks Strangulation – Class D Felony
Shanay Evans Battery with a Deadly Weapon – Class C Felony
Battery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury – Class C Felony
Enrico Rogers Battery with Bodily Waste – Class D Felony
For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Carly Settles at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at csettles@vanderburghgov.org.
Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
SENTENCE CHART
Class Range
Murder 45-65 Years
Class A Felony 20-50 Years
Class B Felony 6-20 Years
Class C Felony 2-8 Years
Class D Felony ½ – 3 Years
Class A Misdemeanor 0-1 Year
Class B Misdemeanor 0-180 Days
Class C Misdemeanor 0-60 Days
IS IT TRUE January 3, 2013
IS IT TRUE that all organizations inside and outside of government that are successful at making good things happen have two components to them?…those components are PLANNING and EXECUTION?…that proceeding straight to execution without a well thought out an vetted plan is a formula for chaos and confusion?…that more a particular situation is in need of thoughts and plans the more destructive the practice of winging it is?…whether a local government is hoping to attract a new business, interest a quality developer in a downtown convention hotel, maintain a collection of parks, or integrate a new software package for accounting, proceeding without a plan is the kiss of death for the project?…if by some chance even if a decent plan is adopted if the team in place does not have the ability to execute those plans failure looms on the horizon?…the last 10 years in the City of Evansville have been defined by a failure to plan which has resulted in failure after failure in even the smallest projects like software integration and cleaning the parks?…the second problem has been that even in some cases where good plans are in place that execution is difficult for a myriad of reasons like having the wrong people in charge, petty politics, or lack of proper financial resource being committed?
IS IT TRUE that one area that the City of Evansville has developed a talent in is in circumventing the will of the people by SNEGAL methods?…the other area that the City seems to have a good handle on is the DEPARTMENT OF NEGLECT headed up by teh Minister of Neglect Dave Rector?…the best example of the DEPARTMENT OF NEGLECT in action is the way that Roberts Stadium was demolished by intentional neglect?…the plan to let Roberts decay and the public relations to further the execution was done flawlessly?…when it comes to destruction and deceit our local leaders are among the best this country has to offer?
IS IT TRUE that last night in New Orleans at the Sugar Bowl that the University of Louisville Cardinals put together a game plan that found weaknesses in the Florida defense that had not been identified by any of the nationally ranked teams that the Gators had dispensed with in rising to the #3 ranking in the Bowl Championship Series?…not only did the Cardinals put a winning plan together, they executed to near perfection in upsetting the heavily favored SEC opponent?…not one sports pundit gave Louisville a chance against the bigger, faster, and better tested blue bloods from the SEC?…last night’s game like the previous Louisville victories in the Fiesta Bowl against Alabama and the Orange Bowl came when there were many talking heads saying they had no chance and should not even be in the game?…the planning and execution put together by the staff and the team overcame talent and arrogance in all of these games?…that we must remind our readers that there was a time in the 1950’s that the Louisville Cardinals and the Evansville Aces played regularly in football and that the Aces have defeated the Cardinals?…at some point these programs made different decisions and different commitments and the results bear out that difference?
IS IT TRUE that Coach Charlie Strong of the Cardinals has assembled a team with hyper talent in skill positions but regular guys in the other ones?…last night the regular guys elevated their game and the stars performed as expected?…the result was one big serving of gator with sugar on top?…maybe the Office of the Mayor and the City Council of Evansville need to operate more like the Louisville Cardinals did in last night’s Sugar Bowl?…a couple of stars, some exemplary planning, and good execution could have Evansville with the prosperous economy and the 250,000 population that the Fantus Study said it could?…that woulda, coulda, and shoulda are three words that the City of Evansville and the Florida Gators have in common this morning?
Holstein joins USI’s New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art
Garry Holstein has joined the University of Southern Indiana as new director of the New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art.
Holstein comes to USI from Arkansas Tech University, where he was a visiting professor of art. He was the founding director of sUgAr, the outreach gallery of the University of Arkansas, and served as personal assistant to contemporary artist Donald Roller Wilson.
Before working as gallery director for sUgAr, he acted as an independent curator, installing and developing exhibitions for various art spaces and events. He has organized exhibitions on the local, regional, and national levels.
By spearheading invitational and juried shows in a wide range of media, Holstein “seeks to create an atmosphere that encourages diverse and exciting programming, fosters dialogue in the community, and provides opportunities for artists.â€
He received his Master of Fine Arts degree in visual design and Master of Arts degree in organizational communication from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville.
