Editorial: A City that Refuses to Honor it’s Dead is not Worthy of Respect
A City that Refuses to Honor it’s Dead is not Worthy of Respect
In yet another in our face example of abject failure with respect to maintenance and accepting responsibility on the part of the City of Evansville, Todd Robertson, the executive director of the Evansville Transportation and Services Department charged with running the cemeteries has laid the responsibility for maintenance of tombstones at the feet of the families of the deceased?
Why are we not surprised that this is the official position of the City Administration that has recently been exposed for needles in the parks, intentionally allowing Roberts Stadium to deteriorate, and not even having the foresight to spend $100,000 to keep the Mesker Park Amphitheatre painted and mold free? It was widely seen as arrogant and impractical several winters ago when then Department of Metropolitan Development leader Tom Barnett asserted the downtown merchants were responsible for snow removal at a time that over half of the storefronts were abandoned? Based on recent history we must ask if the City of Evansville has the capacity to do anything right that involves maintenance?
The attitude regarding the maintenance of tombstones in City owned cemeteries is the last draw? This policy is not practical, it spits in the face of our heritage, and it is not acceptable. Each and every person buried in these cemeteries represents a part of all of us. Each and every person buried in these cemeteries represents a commitment on the part of the City of Evansville to provide honorable maintenance in return for the payment that was made by or on behalf of our dead. To be cavalier in doing basic day to day tasks like locking the gates at night so vandals can’t wreak havoc and then make a public statement that the tombstones that need resetting are the responsibility of the relatives is not only arrogant it is impractical? Many of the dead do not have relatives yet their desecrated or poorly maintained headstones make the City of Evansville’s cemeteries look like a scene from a zombie movie.
The City County Observer calls upon Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to mobilize his growing army of fitness buffs who help with exercise videos and attempts to set world records for doing pushups in the park to take this issue on. If there is one thing that Mayor Winnecke deserves accolades for it is cleaning up blight. Desecrated tombstones are the most insulting form of blight that there is. To allow the stated opinion of Todd Robertson to stand is to sanction and enable the dishonor of our dead. The solution to this is simple and the time to correct this abomination is right now. To do anything less that restate the policy toward the dead and take immediate actions to reset these markers is simply whistling past the graveyard.
Sculpt EVV artists at work installing sculptures Friday and Saturday
Who: Sculpt EVV Sculptors, USI students and staff
What: Installing artworks for Sculpt EVV outdoor public sculpture show
When: Friday and Saturday
Where: Haynie’s Corner Arts District
FRIDAY: Wade Kramm of Pennsylvania will install Craft Stick House, an over-sized Popsicle stick that is a tribute to the familiar childhood activity. Kramm plans that his work will be at its mid-way point around 11:00 a.m. on Adams Street near the Haynie’s Corner fountain.
SATURDAY: Wisconsin artist Amelia Toelke will install Comings and Goings, a large-scale sculpture referencing signage and labels. Sue Berkey of Iowa will be installing Running Dog, a bright red steel sculpture with a pop art quality about it. Both sculptures will be installed around 10 a.m. on the site at the corner of Jefferson Avenue and Second Street. USI students and staff will assist with Saturday installations.
What is Sculpt EVV?
Sculpt EVV is a nationally-advertised, juried outdoor sculpture exhibition opening June 9. Juror Marilu Knode, executive director of Laumeier Sculpture Park in St. Louis, Missouri, carefully selected 12 nationally-submitted sculptures for this exhibition. The sculptures will be displayed at various locations in the Haynie’s Corner Arts District through April 2013. An opening celebration on June 9 will include docent tours and announcement of the winners. The Sculpt EVV opening is allied with the Arts Council’s Art EVV Juried Art Fair and Music Festival from 5 to 9 p.m. June 8 and noon to midnight June 9 at Haynie’s Corner. Sculpt EVV and Art EVV are free and open to the public. For a schedule and more info, go to http://www.sculptevv.org/.
Sculpt EVV is part of the City of Evansville and the University of Southern Indiana’s partnership to provide Evansville citizens a significant cultural celebration honoring the City’s bicentennial (1812-2012). Key sponsors for this event include the City of Evansville, the University of Southern Indiana, Architectural Renovators, and Forty-One South online arts and culture magazine.
EVSC Board of Trustees Meeting – 6/4/2012 @ 4pm
The Board of School Trustees of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation will meet in executive session at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 4, 2012, in the John H. Schroeder Conference Center in the Office of the Superintendent in the Technology and Innovation Center, 951 Walnut, Evansville, IN. 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 public School Board Meeting will follow at 5:30 p.m. in the Board Room at 951 Walnut Street, Evansville, IN.
EVSC Biomedical Sciences Receives Project Lead the Way Certification
EVSC’s Central High School has received validation that it is continuing to offer excellence through its Project Lead the Way Biomedical Sciences program. Project Lead the Way, the nation’s leading provider of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education programs, certified Central’s Biomedical Sciences program for the second time since 2008 when Central first started offering the program. For the past two years, Central has offered PLTW Biomedical Sciences through its Medical Professions Academy.
“Being nationally certified by Project Lead the Way is no small feat,†said Central Principal Darla Hoover. “And, to know that we have continually met and exceeded the benchmarks provided by Project Lead the Way is further proof that our program is making an impact on our students.â€
As a certified Project Lead the Way program, Central students enrolled in Biomedical Sciences not only are able to participate in real-life biomedical science projects, but also have the opportunity to apply for college credit or receive college-level recognition at PLTW affiliate universities when they successfully complete selected PLTW courses in high school.
Central’s Biomedical Sciences program has evolved since its inception in 2008 to be included in the school’s Medical Professions Academy (MPA). The MPA is a four-year integrated curriculum of science, English, digital communications and PLTW biomedical sciences. The program is open to any high school freshman in the region.
MPA is a half-day program. Students enrolled in MPA have the opportunity to earn college credits from Ivy Tech, USI, and IUPUI in medical terminology, English 11, English 12, computer applications, physics 1 and all PTLW courses. Currently the program has 160 students enrolled.
“This is recognition of the outstanding opportunities provided to our students by the Central faculty and administration,†said Superintendent David Smith. “This program provides a life-changing experience that has the potential to positively impact the quality of life for all of our community’s citizenry.†As part of the recognition process, Hoover, and a team composed of teachers, staff, students, and members of the community submitted a self-assessment of the school’s implementation of PLTW’s Biomedical Sciences (BMS) program. A site visit by a PLTW trained team followed. PLTW’s team met with teachers, school administrators, counselors, students, and members of the school’s Partnership Team. A PLTW school’s Partnership Team (sometimes referred to as an Advisory Council) is comprised of teachers, counselors, administrators, post-secondary representatives, business and industry professionals, and other community members who actively support the PLTW program within a school.
Other EVSC schools who have received certification by PTLW include the Southern Indiana Career and Technical Center and Bosse, North and Reitz high schools. In addition, Helfrich Park STEM Academy, Perry Heights Middle School, Lincoln School, Lodge Community School and North Junior High School all have certified Project Lead the Way instructors.
IS IT TRUE May 31, 2012
IS IT TRUE May 31, 2012
IS IT TRUE Mayor Winnecke and GAGE proudly announced the expansion plans of a business that has had a place in the Evansville community for many years into a market that is local, that is well understood, and that has skilled workers available to carry out the tasks required for success?…that providing assistance to Whayne Supply or companies like Whayne Supply are an exercise in the fundamentals of economic development?…that this expansion will take 4 years and will add 50 jobs with an average wage of over $20 per hour?…that the bulk of the financial package offered by the City of Evansville are in tax abatements that cost no new money with some investments in the training of the local workforce?…that the bulk of the investment will be made by Whayne Supply as it should be and that the City County Observer supports Whayne Supply in their excellent business decision and congratulates the public officials who played their small role in greasing the skids to get this done?…that deals like this are prudent, practical, and will work for Evansville?
IS IT TRUE that Mayor Winnecke and GAGE should look at every deal as how it stacks up to this Whayne Supply deal including a legacy deal or two that Mayor Winnecke inherited as a result of the final hour antics and contracts of the Weinzapfel Administration?…that just because Mayor Weinzapfel never learned from his mistakes is no reason for Mayor Winnecke not to learn a lesson from the recent past regarding the abject failures of the City of Evansville and GAGE to VET the Earthcare Energy deal?…that Mayor Winnecke, the Evansville City Council, and GAGE have a golden opportunity that was left on their doorstep by Mayor Weinzapfel to prove that they really do have the ability and will to properly VET a project before writing checks or making loan advances as they did with Earthcare Energy?…the project that we speak of is the Johnson Controls project that was signed off on and announced in the last week of the Weinzapfel Administration?
IS IT TRUE that we must remind our readers that the Weinzapfel Administration is the group whose failures to VET treated the City of Evansville to the Homestead Tax Grab, the Barnett pay scandal, the Browning Hotel failure, the downtown Convention Hotel failure part 2, the McCurdy debacle, and a host of other projects that were characterized by the Weinzapfel Administration’s signature mode of operation READY, FIRE, AIM?…that the Winnecke Administration really did follow the Weinzapfel model with Earthcare but should take this one opportunity to prove their worthiness and VET the daylights out of the Johnson Controls deal before authorizing it to go forward?
IS IT TRUE that there is still not a ten year plan for the City of Evansville?…that going forward with a host of multi-million dollar public works projects without even attempting to understand the big picture is not only foolish, it is poor public policy?…that no projects should be started until a ten year plan is in place that prioritizes the needs of this community?…that two of the projects that are necessary to even profess to be a city that provides vital services are the Combined Sewer Overflow ($500 Million+) solution and the Cast Iron Water Pipe Replacements ($450 Million)?…that even the most mentally challenged among us should be able to prioritize basic services over temples to sport and projects like the Johnson Controls proposal that has very limited potential to make Evansville a better place to live?…that a great first VETTING step for the Winnecke Administration to take would be to define what Evansville NEEDS, define what Evansville WANTS, and prioritize these things based on our capacity to pay for these things?…that we call upon the Mayor to freeze capital expenditures until a great plan is in place and to start today with the resolve to VET, VET , VET, and think things through?…it is time to obliterate the failures of the past and move forward in a practical way that will work?
Boys & Girls Club 2012 Summer Program Kick-Off
On Friday, June 1, 2012, approximately 150 children attending
the Springleaf Financial Services Boys & Girls Club of Evansville will team-up with
50 Springleaf Financial Services employees and Mayor Lloyd Winnecke to conduct
a neighborhood beautification project. The participants
will canvass the streets between Bayard Park and
Bellemeade Park in Evansville’s Center City beginning
at 11am on Friday. This project is endorsed by the
Clean Evansville Initiative.
“The Boys & Girls Club is grateful for the partnership with Springleaf Financial
Services, Mayor Winnecke and the Clean Evansville Initiative. This is a great
opportunity for our members to do something positive for the neighborhood and
interact with professionals in our community,†said Ron Ryan, Executive Director.
The Boys & Girls Club of Evansville 2012 Summer Program began on Tuesday,
May 29, 2012, and runs through August 14. The annual membership fee is only
$10 per child and includes all programs and services. The Club operates at two
facilities during the summer: the Springleaf Financial Services Boys & Girls Club
located at 700 Bellemeade Avenue, and the Fulton Square Unit located at 1328
Dresden. The combined average daily attendance for both sites is expected to be
over 300 throughout the summer.
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Highlights for this summer’s program includes:
• Special swimming trips.
• SMART Moves, SMART Girls (sponsored by the Deaconess Women’s
Hospital) & SMART Kids – all prevention programs addressing alcohol,
tobacco and drug use; as well as specific challenges faced by different age
groups and for girls.
• Project Learn, sponsored by the Vectren Foundation – members participate
in fun, interactive educational activities to assist in retaining their learning
from the previous school year.
• Holiday World & Splashin’ Safari trip for members who get involved with
multiple programs, attend the Club regularly and demonstrate leadership.
• Fine Arts program, sponsored by 10over12 Creative – members will have
the unique opportunity to participate in painting classes, ceramics, and other
fine arts education activities.
• Technology classes.
• Attend Evansville Otters games.
• Weekly tournaments in the game rooms.
There is a brief membership application the parent/guardian must complete. For
more information, contact the Club at 812.425.2311.
About the Boys & Girls Club of Evansville:
On December 7, 1957, the Evansville Boys Club opened its doors. Since then, the
Club has remained in the forefront of youth development in our community. The
Club provides comprehensive educational and recreational programs and services
for all children, age 6-17. Over 95% of Club members receive free/reduced-fee
lunch. Over 92% of Club members belong to no other organization or club. The
annual membership fee is $10, which includes all programs, services and special
trips (e.g. Holiday World, Otters games, Skate World, etc.).
Reaching over 6,000 young people annually through four sites and outreach
programming in schools and other youth-serving agencies, the Boys & Girls Club
of Evansville provides hope & opportunity for the most at-risk youth in our
community.
Mission: To enable all youth, especially those who need us most, to reach their full
potential as productive, caring, responsible citizens.
Vanderburgh County Felony Charges
Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Monday, May 29, 2012.
Brennon Bickwermert Theft – Class D Felony; Attempted Credit Card Fraud – Class D Felony
Receiving Stolen Property – Class D Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement – Class A Misdemeanor
Criminal Trespass – Class A Misdemeanor
Justin Clark Theft – Class D Felony (Two Counts)
John Graves Theft – Class D Felony (Habitual Offender Enhancement)
Krystal Harris Theft – Class D Felony
Matthew Houchin Operating a Vehicle with a BAC of .15 or More – Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated – Class C Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)
Charles Schoenbaum Battery Resulting in Bodily Injury – Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)
Logan Sneller Battery by Means of a Deadly Weapon – Class C Felony
Criminal Confinement – Class D Felony; Intimidation – Class D Felony
Darius Staten Receiving Stolen Property – Class D Felony
Blake Whitson Auto Theft – Class D Felony
Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated – Class C Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)
Failure to Stop After Accident Resulting in Damage to Unattended Vehicle – Class
B Misdemeanor
VHS Pet of the Week: “Boggle”
Hello from Boggle, a 9-month-old Beagle. Boggle is a super sweet boy who can be a shy at first but once he gets to know you, you’ll have a friend for life. Boggle is still very much a puppy so his new family can expect him to have silly spurts of energy. Boggle will do best in a home with school age children. Having a K9 companion would be wonderful for Boggle as long as he gets a chance to meet them first. For more information on Boggle the Beagle, visit us on the web at www.vhslifesaver.org or call (812) 426-2563.