By Jim Redwine
COFFEE

I did not start drinking coffee until I was forty-seven when the first President Bush sent my son to the Iraq War. Some of you may recall how our country rallied to the war tocsin in 1990. News accounts were non-stop and full of fervent cries to eliminate our former ally from the Iraq-Iran War (1980 – 1990). Mainly our country was hoping to erase the memories of Vietnam.
Because our family had skin in the war it was much more than a flag waving game to us and other families similarly situated. In my family we would stay up all night watching and waiting for news with trepidation. Coffee went from an ill tasting curiosity to a close friend.
Then, when the second President Bush sent Jim off to find weapons of mass destruction, coffee became, as one of my favorite musicians Randy Pease sings, “my favorite drug”. I met Randy at the New Harmony coffee shop on the corner of Church and Main. He is originally from Evansville, but, as one of those coincidences that seem to just happen in coffee shops, he and I both attended Oklahoma State University in Stillwater. Randy’s song about another coffee house contains the “caffeine is my favorite drug” line and is worth your time and the price of a compact disc.
The New Harmony coffee house is run by Sara and Dave Brown. Dave has loaned me his two volume set of A Documentary History of the Indiana Decade of the Harmony Society 1814 – 1824. The books contain copies of letters and other documents of the Harmonists compiled by the editor, Karl J. R. Arndt. Many are letters from George and Frederick Rapp. By coincidence, on page 381 of Volume I there is a receipt dated August 27, 1817 from one David Brown evidencing that Frederick Rapp paid him $52.00 and 12 ½ cents for “nursing and funeral expenses” for another Harmonist member. There is no explanation for not paying the entire bill of $65.12 ½ cents. According to the bill, the nursing cost $5.00, the coffin cost $5.00, the plot cost $5.00 and digging the grave cost $2.00. We can look into the other curiosities found in the volumes over the next few weeks.
The coffee shop is like the description of a Paris café. As you sip caffeine you sometimes can have a series of near life experiences where things you have forgotten and things you only wish you had done mingle in a mélange of pleasant or lively conversations and quiet reflections. Perhaps whoever coined the phrase “Life begins at forty” started drinking coffee then too.

When Fire Chief Mike Connelly took office January 1st, he already had several pages of items he wanted to address. One of those was Firefighter Fitness. Fast-forward a few months… One evening after dinner at the Fire Station, Captain Eric Jamison and his crew where discussing the Chief’s Firefighter Fitness Initiative. Jamison and Private John Chapman supported the Initiative but wanted to do more and even set an example for the other 270 plus members of the Department.

Jamison and Chapman developed a plan and then enlisted the help of Privates Scott Weber and Shawn Wiethop (wee-top). The 4 of them are going to participate in the Community Health Network Marathon Relay in Indianapolis on October 20th. They even paid the $140 entry fee out of their own pockets.

This is an open class race which means there are no age groups and everyone races at the same time and for the same awards. The race starts at 7:30 AM. Weber will lead off the relay with a 5.0 mile leg, followed by Chapman with a 7.5 mile leg, Jamison with a 6.55 mile leg and then Wiethop will anchor with a 7.15 mile leg.

What’s also amazing about this fearless foursome is they all are department veterans with a minimum of 10 years and ALL of them are over 40 years old. Not exactly spring chickens. Now, not to count your chickens before they’ve hatched (pun intended), but the team has worked hard and their time is very competitive. The team is determined to bring home a medal and hopefully it will be GOLD.

Many times the community only gets to see members of Public Safety when they are responding to an emergency. The Evansville Fire Department and other Public Safety agencies want to showcase their equipment and services without the dangers and the situation of an actual emergency.

On Sunday October 21st, from noon to 4PM, many of Evansville’s Public Safety providers will have demonstrations and displays so the community can see how well these agencies are prepared when the need arises.

The Evansville Fire Department will include displays on Firefighting, Fire Prevention, Investigation, Disaster Preparedness, Vehicle Extrication, Hazmat, Dive Rescue, Rope Rescue and Confined Space Rescue.

Other agencies also participating in the Fair; Evansville Police Department, Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, EMA, AMR, Deaconess Hospital, Red Cross, Safe Kids of Vanderburgh/Warrick Counties, the Mayor’s No Meth Task Force and Ohio Valley Search and Rescue.

There will be a Kids Combat Challenge Course set up to inspire our next generation of Firefighters. Car Seat Safety and Don’t Talk/Text & Drive information will be available. Come watch Mayor Winnecke and Police Chief Bolin wash a Fire Truck to “payoff” on the 2012 Guns & Hoses wager. The truck wash is scheduled to occur at noon.

Food and beverages will be provided by Firefighter’s Local 357.

The Fair will be hosted at EFD’s Administration Building, 550 SE 8th Street.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

This feature is sponsored by Chris Walsh For Vanderburgh County Clerk. Chris Walsh is a veteran county administrator that strongly supports our local law enforcement professionals . Chris Walsh is a candidate that possess a non-partisan attitude with a consumer friendly demeanor. Chris also stands against unification of city and county governments.
This ad paid for by the committiee to elect Walsh Clerk.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

This feature is sponsored by Chris Walsh For Vanderburgh County Clerk. Chris Walsh is a veteran county administrator that strongly supports our local law enforcement professionals . Chris Walsh is a candidate that possess a non-partisan attitude with a consumer friendly demeanor. Chris also stands against unification of city and county governments.
This ad paid for by the committiee to elect Walsh Clerk.

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, October 18, 2012.

Brandon Baker Theft – Class D Felony

Desmonz Fullilove Dealing in Cocaine – Class A Felony
False Informing – Class A Misdemeanor
Operating a Motor Vehicle Without Ever Receiving a License – Class C
Misdemeanor

Preston Hawes Intimidation – Class C Felony
Strangulation – Class D Felony
Battery – Class A Misdemeanor

Frank Jackson Possession of Marijuana – Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to a Class D Felony due to Prior Convictions)
Operating a Vehicle as an Habitual Traffic Violator – Class D Felony

James Martin Possession of Methamphetamine – Class D Felony
(Habitual Substance Offender Enhancement)

Dearrios Miller Operating a Motor Vehicle as an Habitual Traffic Violator – Class D Felony

Gary Snelling Possession of Methamphetamine – Class D Felony

Jeremy Wood Theft – 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

Judge candidate Blackard humbled by support

Barry Blackard, candidate for Superior Court judge, feels both “humbled and encouraged” by the level of support he has received from his campaign supporters. Blackard is challenging Brett Neimeier, the current judge of the Juvenile-Probate division in the Vanderburgh Superior Court. The Vanderburgh County Superior Court is made of 7 judges, 2 of which are being opposed in their bids for re-election to third terms.

“Challenging a career politician is expensive, and my supporters have really answered the call,” Blackard said.

Blackard stated he was encouraged to run for judge by numerous people in the community who are deeply concerned about the current Vanderburgh County Juvenile Court system which many believe is ineffective and inefficient. “As many as 1000 cases have been stripped from my opponent and distributed to others judges due to his inefficient system,” Blackard said.

“Prior to entering this race, I called upon family, close friends, and leaders in the community for support. I have been humbled by their overwhelming confidence in my ability to improve the Juvenile division. Due to their support, I was able to fund our campaign without depending on money from lawyers, a pledge that I made to voters before entering the race.”

Historically, the majority of judicial candidate campaigns are funded by local attorneys that practice in their courts. “I refuse to accept any campaign contributions from lawyers or others who might appear before our courts. That is an issue that distinguishes me from my opponent, Blackard said. I don’t see any distinction between this practice and athletes paying the officials before the game. It just feels improper to me. I want to promote the fairness and impartiality of our courts.”

(POSTED WITHOUT OPINON OR EDITING)

Indiana University School of Medicine Evansville Expansion Planning

On Monday, officials with the Indiana University School of Medicine Evansville responded to an inquiry from an Evansville Courier & Press reporter, regarding possible site options for an expanded medical school and collaborative regional health education campus. One element of the study includes Identifying areas in the community that would serve as compatible locations if an expansion were to occur. As responsible due diligence requires, the official from the IU School of Medicine noted that several locations were initially suggested to the steering committee which included both commercial real estate and vacant city-owned parcels such as Roberts Stadium.

In contrast to the reporter’s perspective in the early-phase report to the committee, the Roberts Stadium property has not been formally listed as a site for consideration. Other sites will be studied more closely as the study moves forward. Med school officials note that the study should be completed by year end. At that time, recommendations from the study will be shared with the public.