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First Startup Weekend Evansville to be held at USI

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GAGE
Entrepreneurial initiative is sponsored by the College of Business with support from GAGE

The University of Southern Indiana College of Business, with support from the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville (GAGE), is bringing Evansville’s first Startup Weekend entrepreneurial initiative to the USI Business and Engineering Center February 24-26.

Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event in which developers, designers, marketers, product managers, and startup enthusiasts come together to share ideas, form teams, build products, and launch startups. Entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs can find out if their ideas are viable and work together to turn ideas into workable business concepts over the course of the weekend.

USI
Bryan Bourdeau, USI instructor in business, is organizing the event along with Dana Nelson of Out Cloud; Doug Briody, attorney at law; Michael Effron of Oliver Wight Americas; Janet Laane Effron of Four Rivers Group, LLC; and Andrew Heil of Ariens Company.

Bourdeau, who teaches business and entrepreneurship courses, said, “Thirty-six percent of participants who come to Startup Weekend – who spend that 54 hours and fully immerse – launch their businesses after that weekend, and 80 percent of the teams continue to work. It’s very impressive.”

The event is open to anyone with a business idea – or a kernel of an idea. “It’s competitively-driven,” Bourdeau said. “If you have an idea and you want to attract people to be on your development team and work with you over the weekend, you make a pitch. If your idea is a go or no-go, you can easily find out in 54 hours.”

About 60 people are expected to participate in the event, which will begin Friday night with open-mic pitches – 60 seconds in which attendees pitch their ideas in an effort to inspire others to join their teams. (Bourdeau has posted a blog on how to perfect your pitch on the Startup Weekend Evansville web site.)

Over the course of the weekend there will be brief remarks by Dr. Drew Peyronnin, co-owner and executive vice president of Peyronnin Construction Company, Inc., on angel investing, and a representative from NSWC Crane on technology transfer. Teams will focus on customer development, validating their ideas, practicing LEAN Startup Methodologies, and building a minimal viable product. Sunday evening, teams will demonstrate their prototypes and receive valuable feedback from a panel of experts.

“The whole weekend is designed to roll up your sleeves and work, work, work, work, work,” Bourdeau said. “Saturday is about working with mentors to get what you need. Sunday morning will focus on that final pitch; you’re going to pitch your more fleshed-out idea to a panel of judges that day. The winner of the pitch competition will get a nice prize pack and go on to compete globally.”

Registration information is at http://evansville.startupweekend.org/tickets/. Tickets for students are only $35 and the “early bird” ticket price for all non-students has been extended to February 1. Call Bourdeau at 812/430-0350 for more information or email bbourdeau@usi.edu.

You can follow Startup Weekend Evansville on Twitter at @StartupEvv and on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/StartupWeekendEvv.

Founded in 2007, Startup Weekend had built a network of over 25,000 alumni, 150 volunteer organizers, and 60 trained facilitators spread across more than 100 cities in 30 countries by the end of 2010. Other Startup Weekend events in February will be held across the U.S. and in Canada, Netherlands, Brazil, Greece, India, Spain, Kazakhstan, Algeria, Australia, Jordan, Romania, Pakistan, South Korea, South Africa, and elsewhere.

“I am excited that this is a first for Evansville,” Bourdeau said. If successful, Startup Weekend Evansville may become an annual event.

IS IT TRUE? February 22, 2012

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? February 22, 2012

IS IT TRUE that Keep Evansville Beautiful has struck gold in its choice to succeed Ann Ennis as its president and CEO?…that it has just been announced that former County Commissioner, Assessor, and State Commissioner of Local Government Finance Cheryl Musgrave has agreed to assume the role?…that of all of the interested people that Musgrave has both the temperament and determination to accelerate the efforts that Ms. Ennis started?…that Musgrave is not one to suffer fools or laziness and that “butts” will be kicked to assure that Evansville not only keeps things beautiful but gets a lot more places to the point of beauty?…that the CCO congratulates the board of directors of KEB and Cheryl Musgrave on what we think will be a serious time of cleanliness going forward?

IS IT TRUE that sometimes decisions and actions taken in all towns make one shake their head in disbelief?…that the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation is taking the cake with its decision to send roughly 80 buses full of elementary school children to a hockey game at the Ford Center during a school day?…that hockey is a game and that the taxpayers of Indiana do not pay taxes for public education so that elementary school kids can be taken to hockey games during the school day?…that we wonder just what there is about hockey, basketball, or any other spectator sport that has enough educational content to justify spending public money for kids to attend or even letting them off of school to attend a darn game?…that this decision comes from the same school corporation that once made a decision that a family trip to the Smithsonian was not an excused absence?…that if one wants to know why our school’s performance is at the D or F level but that the EVSC thinks it is a solid A or B, then one should look no further than this imbecilic decision?…that for the kids that can’t afford the $5 admission that a “scholarship” is being offered?…that to call a free hockey ticket a scholarship is an insult to every real scholarship that is out there?…that we wonder what real scholarship fund these free ticket scholarships are being paid for from?

IS IT TRUE that right here in Evansville, the obesity capital of America that the scholarship hockey watchers will also be fed a hot dog, a coke, and a bag of popcorn?…that we have not heard of such a non-nutritious lunch offered by a school since some idiot in Washington DC deemed a smear of ketchup to constitute a serving of a vegetable?…that this is one case where these kids would be better off being “left behind” at school as opposed to cramming for a test in body checking, fist fighting, and broken teeth?…that the parents need to send the EVSC to the woodshed over this destructive silliness that undermines the educational process?

IS IT TRUE that a couple of well-intended City Council members are now questioning Evansville Police Chief Billy Bolin’s new policy that allows officers to take their cruisers home at the end of their shift?…that the CCO maintains the stance that Chief Bolin’s decision was a solid move towards good public policy?…that a little extra gas money is worth it when your house does not get burglarized because the would-be thief noticed a police car parked down the street?…that in a January poll regarding this very subject our readers overwhelming voted in favor of the policy change by a margin of 51%?

IS IT TRUE that there are some very influential political minds in the Vanderburgh County Republican Party that would like to see Party Chairman Wayne Parke personally recruit Mr. Bob Whitehouse as a candidate for the third Vanderburgh County Council At-Large seat?

Evansville Redevelopment Commission AGENDA Wednesday, February 22, 2012 – 8:30 am

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Evansville Redevelopment Commission
AGENDA
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 – 8:30 am
Civic Center Complex – Room 307
1. Call to Order
2. Approval of Minutes of December 20, 2011
3. Approval of Minutes of December 28, 2011 – Special Meeting
4. Approval of Minutes of February 7, 2012
5. Approval of Memo of Executive Session – January 31, 2012
6. Approval of Accounts Payable Vouchers
7. Design Review
Jacobsville
Carpet Bargain Center – 323 W Division St – new signage / Recommended by the JRA Design Review Committee
8. Downtown Redevelopment Area
12-ERC-07 – Authorizing Hunden Strategic Partners, LLC to Conduct Analysis for a Downtown Convention Hotel
12-ERC-08 – Authorizing Remediation at Old Greyhound Bus Station
9. Other Business
10. Adjournment
* This preliminary Agenda is subject to change. The final Agenda will be posted at the entrance to the

Traffic Alert: School Kids Going to Hockey Game

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Ford_Center_-_Event_Traffic_Alert

Guest IS IT TRUE: by: Rick Davis, Vanderburgh County Treasurer

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Rick Davis

Is it True that the two high schools from the West Side of Evansville, Reitz and
Mater Dei, sent 14 wrestlers to the IHSAA Individual State Tournament on Friday and Saturday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis?

Is It True that the best finish among all local wrestlers was an impressive 3rd
place performance from Dane Maurer, a 195-pound senior who was wrestling in his first year at Mater Dei? That Maurer ended his impressive inaugural season with a 45-1 record?

Is It True that history was made on several levels on Friday and Saturday night,
with the IHSAA State Individual Tournament hosting its first female wrestler, Kayla Miracle of Culver Academies? That although Miracle did not win her first-round match and therefore did not place, she still set a fine example for other young females who may want to one day wrestle under the lights at Bankers
Life Fieldhouse? That Miracle is only a sophomore and has two more years to try to reach that goal herself? That Miracle lost to Hayden Lee of Garrett 4-0 and ended her season with a 42-6 record in the 106 pound weight class? That Lee went on to finish third in the state tournament, proving that Miracle competed well against a high caliber opponent?

Is It True that another young wrestler from the state, Crown Point senior Jason Tsirtsis, joined the ranks of only 7 other individuals in the history of the Indiana state high school wrestling tournament when he won his fourth state title — and in dominating fashion no less?

Is It True that Tsirtsis won his four titles in four separate weight classes? That he won a state title at 125 pounds as a freshman; 130 pounds as a sophomore; 140 pounds as a junior; and 145
pounds as a senior? That Tsirtsis finished his senior season 42-0 and ended a remarkable four-year career record of 170-2? That Tsirtsis joined his brother, Alex, as one of the now 8 wrestlers who finished their high school careers with four state titles? That Mater Dei’s Blake Maurer, older brother of the
aforementioned Dane Maurer, also ended his career with four state titles, from 2001-2004?

Is It True that Reitz’ Trevor Moody, at 132 pounds, was the highest finisher for the Panthers, ending his terrific Reitz High School career with a 45-4 record and a sixth place finish in his senior season?

Is it true that Reitz also had impressive seasons from the following state qualifiers: Damon Kuhn, 106 pounds, junior, 43-4; Joshua Davis, 113 pounds, sophomore, 37-11; Blake Johns, 120
pounds, junior, 37-10; and Gideon VanHook, 126 pounds, senior, 28-5.

Is It True that Mater Dei brought an impressive nine wrestlers to the state tournament? That in addition to Maurer, the Wildcats had the following state tournament placers: Jake Lannert, 4th, 138 pounds, senior, 42-4; Sam Goebel, 7th, 120-pounds, senior, 16-10; Dalton Brandenstein, 6th, 182 pounds, 45-2, senior; and Nathan Wright, 8th, 285 pounds, 40-5, senior.

Is it true that the following Mater Dei Wildcats also qualified for state: Alex Johnson, 113 pounds, freshman, 32-11; Josh Pierre, 126 pounds, sophomore, 29-10; Branson Schroeder, 132 pounds,
junior, 32-10; and Alex Bassemier, 145 pounds, senior, 35-8;

Is It True that Central’s Brendon Kelley finished with a terrific win on Saturday, finishing 5th place in the 138-pound weight class and ending his season at 44-6.

Is It True that Castle’s Jacob Brown, 44-4, sophomore, finished 8th at the state tournament at 106 pounds? And fellow Knight Luke Welch finished 5th at the 120-pound weight class with a 47-1 record as a junior?

Is It True that Evansville Memorial’s Logan Wedding qualified for state at 126 pounds and finished his junior season 42-5?

Is It True that in the final Indiana High School Wrestling Coaches Association poll released on Jan. 12 that Perry Meridian was ranked Number 1? That Mater Dei was ranked third and Reitz was ranked 10th.

Is It True that Mater Dei will go for its 13th team state championship on Saturday at Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Indiana? That third-ranked Mater Dei (22-0) will take on 14th-ranked Bellmont (21-5) in the quarterfinals at 9 a.m. Evansville time? The other matchups in the team state tournament quarterfinals are: fourth-ranked Indianapolis Cathedral (24-3) vs. eighth-ranked Penn (22-3); unranked Kokomo (35-5) vs. second-ranked Crown Point (21-0); and top-ranked Perry Meridian (24-0) vs. 15th ranked Warren Central (21-8).

Is it true that if Mater Dei wins, the Wildcats will advance to the semifinals at 11 a.m. Evansville time and hope to make a return trip to the state finals at
1:30 p.m. Evansville time.

Is It True that we congratulate all of the state wrestling finalists for accomplishing incredible seasons and that we wish Mater Dei great success this weekend in the team state championships?

IS IT TRUE? February 21, 2012

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The Mole #??

IS IT TRUE? February 21, 2012

IS IT TRUE that the Winnecke Administration is asking the Evansville Redevelopment Commission to authorize hiring Hunden Strategic Partners of Chicago to do a study to tell them just what size of a Convention Hotel that downtown Evansville can support?…that unfortunately the past administration was so haphazard in its definition of hotels that there does not necessarily seem to be any consensus on what size a new Convention hotel should be or even whether or not one is needed as opposed to wanted?…that Hunden Strategic Partners was most recently in the news as being hired to VET the proposals of the Kunkel Group and Prime Lodging during the hottest six month period of the last downtown Convention Hotel fiasco?…that Hunden must think by now that they have a load of bumpkins down here in Evansville that will just pay for study after study?…that not only has the City of Evansville paid for study after study but it seems like some magical force (or machine) are telling the consultants what to write?

IS IT TRUE that yes if there is to be a serious consideration to put so much as a dime of public money into a downtown Convention Hotel then four years after the fact there probably does need to be a study?…that this study should include any rooms in a Grand New McCurdy as part of its considerations?…that a Grand New McCurdy would at least be unique and would have the potential to draw tourist dollars on its own merit?…that consideration should also be given to Casino Aztar’s one time offer to expand their hotel UP by about 140 rooms?…that if the Ford Center really is the economic growth engine that it was sold as there may be a way to get the rooms that MAY BE NEEDED without spending public money?…that solution would involve the McCurdy and Aztar but will most certainly not involve any new Convention Hotel on the corner of MLK & Walnut?

IS IT TRUE that the economics of the situation have not changed since the last time the CCO addressed this issue?…that when the lights are on and the rooms are full that a Downtown Convention Hotel will be rent for about $100 per night and have no more than 60% occupancy?…that the valuation by cash flow method will be about $91,000 per room?…that the entire project including the skywalk, the parking lot, the hotel, infrastructure, and amenities will cost closer to $160,000 per room?…that this leaves a shortage of in the range of $15 Million for the 220 room hotel that the Weinzapfel Administration was hoping for?…that the current incentive package of $8 Million did not fill that gap?…that early in the process an experienced builder and operator of hotels in Indiana, White Lodging was rejected for this very reason?…that if back during the days when the former Mayor, his administration, and consultants were playing Monopoly and doing Donald Trump imitations that they could have done one thing that would have gotten a proven operator?…that one thing would have been to have coughed up what it took to get White Lodging to take on the Downtown Evansville Convention Hotel?

IS IT TRUE that this is not an endorsement of pumping $15 Million of public money into a downtown hotel project?…that this is simply yet another REALITY CHECK for the City of Evansville and the new Evansville Redevelopment Commission?…that starting down the primrose path of “GOOD OLD BOY” politics, consultant reports to tell the powers that be what they want to hear, and delusional economic expectations will most likely lead to the same kind of results?…that we hope that the City of Evansville and the ERC get something right this time around?…that the same old good old boy crony capitalistic ways need to be over in River City?

The Vagina Monologues to be performed for sixth year at USI

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For the sixth year in a row, the University of Southern Indiana will host V-Day USI, a benefit production of Eve Ensler’s award-winning play The Vagina Monologues.

V‑Day USI is a local effort within the worldwide context of the 2012 V-Day Campaign and will be staged at 7 p.m. Thursday, February 23, in Forum II and at 7 p.m. Friday, February 24, in Forum I. Both rooms are located in the Forum Wing of the Wright Administration Building. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. each night.

Tickets, $7, will be available at the door.

This year’s cast includes new and returning performers including USI employees Lauren Anderson, Alice Shen, Mary Lyn Stoll, Izze TenBrook, and Melinda York. Student performers include Elizabeth Beam, Ari Beedie, Sarayah Blackburn, Jessica Durkin, Alexandra Levine, Andi Linberg, Skye Simons, and Aurelia Vanderkolk. The cast also includes an alumna of USI and The Vagina Monologues, Becca Pitzer.

V-Day USI is sponsored by USI’s Philosophy Club, Face of Feminism, Psychology Club, Gender Studies, Human, Environmental, and Animal Rights (HEAR), Spectrum, and Male Allies Against Rape and Violence (MAARV).

“The more money we raise to help victims of sexual and domestic abuse, the more successful the event will be,” said Dr. Mary Lyn Stoll, assistant professor of philosophy and Philosophy Club advisor. “More seats filled means that not only will more people get to enjoy Ensler’s work, but more women will be able to get the help they need after experiencing violence.”

Ninety percent of proceeds will benefit Albion Fellows Bacon Center, and 10 percent will benefit the V-day Spotlight Campaign to help the women of Haiti, who are still dealing with sexual violence and hardship in the aftermath of Haiti’s devastating earthquake.

UE’s Board of Trustees Approves New Major/Minor in Public Health

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From more than 80 areas of study, University of Evansville students now have a new major to choose: public health. UE’s Board of Trustees approved the public health program, which will begin in Fall 2012, during its meeting on February 17-18.

UE’s Bachelor of Science in public health will train students in multidisciplinary approaches to public health practices. Students will learn about a range of issues that impact population health, global health, environmental health, disease prevention, health communication and informatics, healthcare systems, and health behavior.

Payal Patel-Dovlatabadi, assistant professor of public health, will serve as director of the public health program. She joined the University of Evansville faculty in 2011 to teach public health courses in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science, where the public health program will be housed.

Patel-Dovlatabadi holds a DrPH in public health management, an MPH in health care organization and policy, an MBA in health care management, and a BS in psychology, all from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Her research interests include health policy, lifestyle factors and chronic disease prevention, mental health, and disaster preparedness on both the national and international levels.

“From disaster relief to air quality to disease prevention, public health professionals ensure a healthy, safe, and productive society,” said Patel-Dovlatabadi. “Furthermore, the Association of Schools of Public Health estimates that 250,000 more public health workers will be needed by 2020. To replenish the workforce and avert a serious shortage of qualified workers, schools of public health will have to train three times the current number of graduates over the next 11 years.”

“I’m proud that the University of Evansville has recognized this critical need and stepped up to meet the challenge of preparing graduates for careers in the dynamic field of public health,” she added.

Graduates with a Bachelor of Science in Public Health who wish to enter the job market will find opportunities for employment by state and local health departments, hospital systems, government agencies, health insurance companies, wellness centers, and consulting firms, to name a few.

The program will also prepare students who wish to pursue graduate education. Students across the country who completed an undergraduate degree in public health have successfully pursued advanced degrees in fields including public health, health services administration, physical therapy, law, medicine, and business administration.

Source: Evansville.edu

VHS Pet of the Week: “Blaze”

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Hello from Blaze, a 5-year-old Chow Mix. Blaze is a super sweet girl who would prefer a quieter home with older children. Blaze has a bit of an independent streak in her but at the end of the day there’s no place she’d rather be than cuddled up with her favorite person. Blaze has lived with other dogs and might be interested in sharing her space and her person with a K9 buddy, but she would like to meet them first just to make sure that they’ll make great roommates. Blaze has been known to wear out the squeaker in her favorite toys but her laid back, lazy nature will give your ears a break from time to time. For more information on beautiful Blaze, visit www.vhslifesaver.org or call (812) 426-2563.

CCO Word of Today: Illiterati

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Illiterati: The opposite of the Illuminati, who take pride in their high level of knowledge and learning. An Illiterati takes pride in the fact that they are ignorant and refuse to learn (adjust their paradigm)often to the severe detriment of those around them.

Thought of this today but someone beat me to it.

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