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Mayoral Candidate Winnecke Announces Regional Neighborhood Network Conference

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Lloyd Winnecke

October 3, 2011

For Immediate Release: Regional Neighborhood Network Conference

Our neighborhood associations are the backbone of our community. These institutions ensure that our neighborhoods remain connected, clean and safe. Knowing the importance of having well informed and resourceful neighborhood groups, our campaign saw fit to send a representative with the United Neighborhood of Evansville delegation to the Regional Neighborhood Network Conference in Cincinnati, OH.

This conference, titled “Building Bridges – Making Connections,” focused on connecting neighbors to neighbors and involving our youth in order to improve the quality of life. It will be our administration’s goal to bring people together to solve community problems, evolving together to improve our city one neighborhood at a time.

Our administration will look to share what we learned and help implement positive change from the ground up. Some of the ideas that we will be taking with us to the Civic Center are:

· Neighborhood Gateways: Our administration will propose partnering with the United Neighborhoods of Evansville, churches and youth programs to create gateway signs and public art defining our distinct neighborhoods. This program is a great opportunity to involve our residents, create public art and beautify our neighborhoods. It is also an opportunity to educate residents and visitors about the history of our city.

This program will also help to identify and develop future neighborhood and city leaders. Neighborhood youth would work with established leaders and the city on all phases of the project, from design to fundraising to implementation. Our administration will take an active role in teaching our children about collaboration and cultivating the future leaders of Evansville.

· Mock City Council: Our administration will partner with local schools to host a Mock City Council Session for local students at the Civic Center. Middle school and high school students will be selected twice yearly from each Ward of the city and sponsored by their City Council Representative. Each age group will be asked to address an issue facing local government and follow proper governmental procedure to form a resolution. Our administration will provide the Civic Center council chambers, format and any resources needed to make this a rewarding and educational experience for our city’s youth.

This program will allow our students to better understand how local government works and why it is important to participate. This program will also serve to involve our future leaders in the process now, teaching them listening skills and how to collaborate to solve a problem. We must find new ways to involve our youth in city government at a young age if we expect to grow our future leaders from within and keep the best and brightest here in Evansville.

As a community, we need to take an active role in developing our next generation of leaders. Our administration will create and present opportunities for our young people to get involved in their neighborhoods and in city government, whether it is a public art project or serving on a board or commission. We must give our future leaders a reason to care about Evansville.

Frederick Douglass said, “It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.” This quote not only applies to our youth, but to our neighborhoods, as well. Our administration will work to involve our young people, teaching them skills they can use when it is their time to lead. By making youth and neighborhood involvement a central tenet to our administration, we hope to give our future leaders a reason to stay in Evansville and keep our neighborhoods vibrant.

Evansville Redevelopment Authority AGENDA Wednesday, October 5, 2011 – 2:30 pm

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Evansville Redevelopment Authority
AGENDA
Wednesday, October 5, 2011 – 2:30 pm
Civic Center Complex, Room 307
1 N. W. MLK, Jr. Blvd., Evansville, IN 47708

1. Call to Order

2. Approval of Minutes of September 28, 2011

3. Approval of Accounts Payable Voucher #56

4. Downtown Arena
a) Resolution 11-ERA-17 – Authorizing Hunt Construction Group, Inc. sidewalk repair
b) Resolution 11-ERA-18 – Authorizing ATT temporary cell tower
c) Resolution 11-ERA-19 – Authorizing equipment for building authority
d) Resolution 11-ERA-20 – Authorizing Cripe Architects + Engineers contract extension
e) Resolution 11-ERA-21 – Authorizing naming rights signage

5. Other Business

6. Adjournment

* This preliminary Agenda is subject to change. The final Agenda will be posted at the entrance to the location of the meeting prior to the meeting

Smokefree Communities Announces Grants to Control Tobacco Use

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Martha Caine, Indiana Smokefree Communities

Smokefree Communities of Vanderburgh County is pleased to announce the availability of grant funding to help organizations develop and implement tobacco control programs. The mission is to form community partnerships to educate and serve the citizens of Vanderburgh County regarding tobacco use prevention, intervention, cessation and reduction of exposure to secondhand smoke through improved policies. These grants will be awarded for a period of up to 18 months. Requests for application are due by November 1 and can be found online at www.smokefreecommunities.com or can be obtained by calling the Smokefree Communities office at 303-7378.

Indiana District 77 State Representative Gail Riecken Joins Petition Drive to Stop Vectren Rate Increases

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State Representation Gail Riecken

Indiana State Representative from House District 77 Gail Riecken today has announced that she is joining Evansville City Councilman John Friend in his recently announced petition drive to bring all Indiana Utilities Regulatory Commission meetings to discuss any rate increases that Vectren requests to Evansville for their hearings.

Representative Riecken also joins Councilman Friend in requesting that the IURC refuse to consider any rate increases in Vectren’s favor until the rates for all of the immediate areas around Evansville have increased until Vectren’s rates are equal with the utilities that are very close to Evansville.

Councilman Friend as Chairman of the City of Evansville Budget had disclosed earlier in his announcement that the City’s electricity budget has increased by at least 20% in the last year.

IS IT TRUE? October 3, 2011 Part 2

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IS IT TRUE? October 3, 2011

IS IT TRUE that it was reported today in the Wall Street Journal that the Pritzker family is in the midst of a 10 year plan to divest of their holdings including a large stake that they hold in Hyatt that Pritzker patriarch Jay Pritzker founded?…that it has not been very long since the Pritzker name had been bantered about in the City of Evansville as a potential investor in the proposed Hyatt Place hotel slated for downtown Evansville?…that investing in a young hotel chain like Hyatt Place in a new market like Evansville seems somewhat out of character for a group that is pursuing a long term plan to divest of that very family of brands?

IS IT TRUE that from a consolidation perspective that the battle lines are being drawn and local leaders are starting to take sides?…that the next couple of months will be a time of putting together marketing strategies for each side?…that on the side seeking to pass consolidation the lead role looks to be assumed by the president and CEO of the Chamber of Commerce Matt Meadors?…that the opposition looks to be shaping up as a group of efforts led by de-facto leaders of some vastly different demographics?…that the African-American Community will see leadership coming from the Reverend Adrian Brooks who opposes the consolidation proposal?…that out in the county a gentleman from Darmstadt named Bruce Ungetheim is poised to lead the opposition in the county?…that while Mayoral Candidates Rick Davis and Lloyd Winnecke agree that meth and litter are bad that they could not be separated further on consolidation with Winnecke supporting it and Davis openly stating that he himself will be voting against it?…that this may even become a peripheral proxy issue in the Mayoral race?

IS IT TRUE that Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel is seeking attention at the state level by sending out a message urging financial support of Democratic candidates for campaigns statewide?…that his special emphasis was placed on the Indiana State races of 2012 and Mayoral races for Indiana cities?…that during the same week that Mayor Weinzapfel was pumping the state for some dollars for Democrats he was on Evansville television expressing how hard he has been trying to stay out of the endorsement game for his soon to be former job?

IS IT TRUE that the comments kept rolling in all day yesterday regarding the litter problems that were exposed for the umpteenth time in yesterday’s CP and CCO?…that this is a topic that really have a large number of people expressing disgust with the extent to which littering is in our community?…that unlike articles that come out against smoking there were exactly ZERO comments on either site from the PRO-LITTER contingency?…that it seems as though there really is no one that is stupid enough to assert their RIGHT TO LITTER?…that maybe it is time to get nasty with these litterbugs?…that maybe it is time to do as Cory Wells of Three Dog Night did once and gather up the litter thrown from a car and catch them at a stop sign and then throw their litter back into the car from which it came?…that maybe it is time to call these slop hogs out every time you see them do such a thing?…that maybe shunning these slop hogs will work?…that it really is time to enforce littering laws and hit these slop hogs right in the pocket and fine the daylights out of them?…that maybe an hour in an orange jumpsuit cleaning the streets for each piece of litter one is caught tossing out is appropriate?…that this litter issue is one that has no opposition, costs nothing to fix, and will make a lasting change in civic pride?…that the people of Evansville who will not get on board and stop this littering should just move away?…that there is no place for garbage anywhere but certainly not here?

Toyota Indiana Donates $75,000 for EVSC’s Core Experiences

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Through a $75,000 donation, paid over three years to the EVSC Foundation, Toyota Indiana has made it possible for more than 12,000 students in the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation to take part in core experiences that enrich their classroom education and make a lasting impact on their lives. The new “Toyota Indiana Presents” program will specifically fund current EVSC core experience programs, including Tales and Scales in Schools, the B.L.A.S.T. Leadership Conference and the corporation’s annual Honors Choral Festival.

“Core experiences are those experiences in life that students don’t forget,” said EVSC Superintendent David Smith. “They are at the heart of EVSC’s mission of Equity and Excellence for All Children as it allows all students, regardless of socioeconomic background, the opportunity to participate in the same activities and experiences as other students.”

The goal of the core experiences program is to provide opportunities to expand students’ knowledge in the areas of arts, civics, culture, the environment, finances & economics, personal health, technology, global awareness, and life skills. It serves as the bridge between what happens in the classroom and what happens in a student’s life outside school. They are aligned to EVSC’s standards and curriculum, but also provide for the development of 21st century learning skills like critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, collaboration and communication.

The three core experiences funded by this donation will allow students at multiple grade levels to learn about a variety of areas. Tales and Scales in the Schools brings the music-based storytelling group to all EVSC schools with special workshops for second graders. The program allows students to experience and learn about music, theatre, stories and creative movement. Providing support to teachers so they can incorporate the experience into lesson plans also is a pivotal part of the program. Toyota’s donation also will fund the B.L.A.S.T. Leadership Conference, an opportunity for high school students identified as leaders within their school communities to strengthen their leadership skills through workshops and other activities. The third core experience funded, the Honors Choral Festival, will allow 300 students to receive first-class instruction from renowned vocalists, bringing them together for learning and a community performance.

“We are excited about supporting the EVSC Core Experiences program,” said Susan Elkington, Toyota Indiana vice president of administration. “Knowing this donation helps develop the leaders of tomorrow is great news for the Tri-State.”

The support of EVSC’s Core Experiences program comes at a time when school funding is tight. EVSC Foundation receives constant requests from teachers and administrators who have discovered that the funding to implement a Core Experience is not within their budgets. Schools often host their own fundraisers to support Core Experiences within their schools. However, many Core Experiences remain unfunded. The financial support from Toyota will increase EVSC Foundation’s ability to support student programs and activities that are so vital to the success and growth of students.

TSGS (Tri-State Genealogical Society) Meeting Notice

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When: Tuesday 11 October 2011
Time: 7:00 PM
Where: Willard Library – 2nd. Floor
What: Monthly Meeting

A drawing for an attendance prize will be awarded at close of meeting… you must be present to win.

The Tri-State Genealogical Society will have a brief business meeting followed by a presentation by:
Becky West, TSGS Program Chair, has announced that the program will feature
Mary Alice Springer who will speak on the importance of Major General Samuel Hopkins Jr. to Henderson, KY and the restoration of his family cemetery, Spring Garden Cemetery.

Mary Alice Tolson Springer a graduate of Vincennes University and Indiana University with a major in Chemistry, began her career at Mead Johnson & Company in Evansville, Indiana. Over time, Mary Alice branched out professionally along several career paths, including: computer systems specialist, clinical studies coordinator, medical writer, and ultimately owner of her medical writing company, Bluegrass Documentation, which she still operates.

Growing up in Vincennes, with tales of the exploits of George Rogers Clark and of “Alice of Old Vincennes”, Maurice Thompson’s fictional heroine of the Battle of Fort Sackville, ringing in her ears, Mary Alice learned to love history.

In her Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) work, Mary Alice was given recognition for her work on the Bicentennial Commemoration of George Washington’s death in 1999. In 2002, she was awarded First Place in the National Society of DAR “National Defense Editorial Contest” on the World Trade Center Attack of September 11, 2001. In 2004, she took Second Place in the state of Kentucky for her National Defense editorial Honoring our War Dead on Memorial Day. As Commemorative Events Chairman for her chapter in 2007-2009, Mary Alice organized and oversaw her chapter’s celebration of the Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial, This two year event won a First Place Award by the NSDAR in July of 2010.

While serving as DAR Chapter Regent in 2009, she got the opportunity to “make a difference” to preserve the family cemetery of General Hopkins by addressing the city commissioners, pointing out Hopkins’ service in both military and civic roles and of all he had done for Henderson as its founder. She asked them to please fund the initial phases for the preservation of this historic cemetery. With the funding in tow, she was asked to serve on an Ad Hoc Committee to oversee the actual preservation and restoration of Spring Garden Cemetery. The City of Henderson dedicated the restored Spring Garden Cemetery with pomp and pageantry on September 16, 2011 on the 192nd. anniversary of General Hopkins’ death.

This is a program you don’t want to miss, we will be looking forward to seeing you at the meeting and enjoying a very interesting and informative program.
You do not have to be a member to come and learn at the society’s monthly meetings.

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This time of the year, weather conditions may cause the society to cancel meetings… the decision to cancel usually is determined the day of the meeting, providing short notice. Since a bad weather system may develop later in the day (or that night), check our blog (http://tsgsblog.blogspot.com/) for cancellation notice or call Willard Library (812-425-4309).

Don Counts,
TSGS President

Downtown Today: 10/3/2011

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Time 8:30 AM – 9:00 AM
Subject CODE ENFORCEMENT
Location 318
Reminder 15 minutes
RON @ 7884
Categories ROOM 318

Time 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM
Subject COMMERCIAL REVIEW COMMITTEE
Location 318
Recurrence Occurs every Monday effective 10/3/2011 until 10/31/2011 from 9:30 AM to 10:30 AM
Reminder 15 minutes
KATHIE HOLLEY @ 5228
Categories ROOM 318

Time 12:30 PM – 2:00 PM
Subject BLOOD PRESSURE SCREENING
Location MAIN HALL 1ST FLOOR
Recurrence Occurs the first Monday of every 1 month effective 10/3/2011 until 10/3/2011 from 12:30 PM to 2:00 PM
Reminder 15 minutes
Categories Phone Call, EVENTS

Fran Tarkenton’s View of the Educational System and Merit

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In today’s Wall Street Journal legendary NFL quarterback Fran Tarkenton shares his perspectives on what the NFL would be like of the players lived under the same rules as America’s public school teachers. In his article Mr. Tarkenton who is now an entrepreneur and runs two websites that are dedicated to educating small business makes the following observations.

Each player’s salary would be based on how long they had played in the league. Talent would not matter.

Any player that stayed on a roster for 3 years would be granted tenure and could stay on the team indefinitely.

The on field product would decline.

Here are some interesting excerpts from the article:

“The only difference between Tom Brady and the worst player in the league is a few years of step increases.”

“Teachers’ salaries have no relation to whether teachers are actually good at their job—excellence isn’t rewarded, and neither is extra effort. Pay is almost solely determined by how many years they’ve been teaching.”

“Inflation-adjusted spending per student in the United States has nearly tripled since 1970.”

“Over the past 20 years, we’ve been told that a big part of the problem is crumbling schools—that with new buildings and computers in every classroom, everything would improve. But even though spending on facilities and equipment has more than doubled since 1989 (again adjusted for inflation), we’re still not seeing results, and officials assume the answer is that we haven’t spent enough.”

“These same misguided beliefs are front and center in President Obama’s jobs plan, which includes billions for “public school modernization.” The popular definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over, expecting different results.”

“Some reformers, including Bill Gates, are finally catching on that our federally centralized, union-created system provides no incentive for better performance. If anything, it penalizes those who work hard because they spend time, energy and their own money to help students, only to get the same check each month as the worst teacher in the district (or an even smaller one, if that teacher has been there longer).”

“Perhaps no other sector of American society so demonstrates the failure of government spending and interference. We’ve destroyed individual initiative, individual innovation and personal achievement, and marginalized anyone willing to point it out. As one of my coaches used to say, “You don’t get vast results with half-vast efforts!”

“Our rigid, top-down, union-dictated system isn’t working. If results are the objective, then we need to loosen the reins, giving teachers the ability to fulfill their responsibilities to students to the best of their abilities, not to the letter of the union contract and federal standards.”

Link to full article:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204226204576601232986845102.html?KEYWORDS=tarkenton

IS IT TRUE? October 3, 2011

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Joe Wallace with Senator Mitch McConnell: So What Should Senator McConnell's Mole # Be?

IS IT TRUE? October 3, 2011

IS IT TRUE that having friends in high places can sometimes lead to goodness?…that while that is true that having United States Senator Mitch McConnell and a large number of the living people who have been awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor at the football game between the UL Cardinals and the Marshall Thundering Herd could not ignite a dormant UL offense to put enough points on the board to prevail in that game?…that Marshall fans were a good lot and have a common enemy with the UL Cardinals and that is the West Virginia Mountaineers?…that before the pre-game parties really got started in the Brown & Williamson Club that one Marshall fan said of the WVU Mountaineers that “if those jerks were playing the Russians, he would be for the Russians”?…that Senator McConnell is a very likeable person and takes his role as the minority leader in the United States Senate very seriously?…that we are trying to decide what Mole Number to assign to Senator McConnell?…that we are thinking about making Senator McConnell Mole #100 in honor of the 100 Senators that he is trying his best to influence?

IS IT TRUE that the CCO was as shocked as anyone to get the press release last night that Evansville City Councilman and Budget Committee Chairman John Friend, CPA has launched a petition to admonish the Indiana Utilities Regulatory Commission to deny all requests by Vectren for any rate increase period until the neighboring cities and counties have caught up with the Indiana state record rates that are paid in the part of SW Indiana that Vectren services?…that earlier in the day that 2nd Ward candidate for Evansville City Council E. Lon Walters launched a similar petition on Facebook?…that Councilman Friend states in his press release that he will accept any and all co-sponsors for his petition from both parties?…that Councilman Friend calls the rates charged by Vectren “Job Killers”?…that while this is some tough language, the CCO has done some research in the past that does indicate that Vectren is charging between 50% to over 200% premiums for electricity when compared to other areas that compete with greater Evansville for jobs and investments?

IS IT TRUE that the Evansville Redevelopment Commission will be meeting this week on Tuesday morning at 8:30 am on the 3rd floor of the Civic Center?…that both the VETTING of the downtown convention hotel project and the McCurdy extension are on the agenda?…that dealing with the McCurdy and granting an extension when the developer is in arrears on property taxes is ill-informed and should not be granted?…that if representatives of City Centre Properties LLC that owns the McCurdy can show up with, email, fax in, or get a representative from Vanderburgh County Treasurer Rick Davis’s office to testify that their taxes are paid the an extension is appropriate until the October 31, 2011 date that Mr. Steve Scott said that the financing will close before?…that not any even halfway intelligent financier is going to offer or cosign a loan with back taxes owed so the failure to pay is a very clear indicator of one’s ability to obtain financing?…that the ERC who has embraced VETTING for the hotel should extend that sane an correct activity to the McCurdy?…that the mantra for Tuesday for the taxpayers of Evansville to be properly served should be “NO TAXES NO EXTENSION”?…that keeping things simple has never been so easy?

IS IT TRUE that the silence surrounding the downtown Convention Hotel Project may just have been because there needs to be a change order to the VETTING contract between the ERC and Hunden?…that is a part of the agenda that we are very interested to hear about?…that it could be that VETTING a developer for a $33 Million project that requires many millions of the people’s money requires more than a pulse and a credit check?…that we are still proud that the ERC woke up and hired an outside firm to VET these proposals?…that they really should have had the good sense to do the same thing with the McCurdy?…that it is never too late to do the smart thing?

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