The 119-Room Courtyard Evansville to Open May 14 Owned and Managed by Dunn Hospitality Group
Courtyard by Marriott is rolling out its innovative lobby and room design in Evansville, Indiana. This is the first Courtyard in the area featuring the Refreshing Business lobby environment, where guests can enjoy an open and flexible space. Along with media pods, Wi-Fi and a variety of seating zones, the redefined space is ideal for everything from pop-up meetings to social gatherings.
The 119-room Courtyard Evansville opens Tuesday, May 14, 2013, and offers a refreshing and stylish room design that helps guests stay connected, productive and comfortable. Thoughtfully planned, each room features plush bedding, a functional work space, spacious bathrooms, a separate seating area and complimentary in-room high-speed Internet.
Located at 8105 East Walnut Street, the hotel will operate as a Marriott franchise, owned and manged by Dunn Hospitality Group of Evansville, Indiana. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, the Courtyard Evansville offers guests convenient access to Eastland Mall, Ford Center, Mesker Park Zoo and Goebel Soccer Complex.
Courtyard understands business travelers, and, through extensive research, the brand continues to evolve to meet guests’ changing needs. Combining innovative technology with style and comefort, the adaptable lobby space offers options so guests can make the most of their time on the road.
“From day one, Courtyard has prided itself as a brand that listens to what business travelers want from a hotel,†said Janis Milham, vice president and global brand manager, Courtyard. “Guests want more control and choice with services and amenities that create a healthy balance between working and relaxing. The Courtyard lobby invites guests to get out of their rooms to work, socialize or be entertained, whether traveling alone or with colleagues.â€
The open, bright and contemporary Courtyard hotel lobby welcomes guests with vivd contrasting colors, including blue, green, orange and red. The traditional front desk is replaced with separate welcome pedestals to create more personal and private interactions when guests check in and allow staff to show guests the lobby features and provide assistance. Flexible seating options range from a communal table in the middle of the action, to more private media booths with high-definition televisions, to a more intimate, semi-enclosed lounge area.
Dining has also been completely redesigned with The Bistro – Eat. Drink. Connect.®, offering casual, flexible seating; easier access to food and higher quality, healthier menu options for breakfast; and light evening fare, including snacks, cocktails, wine and beer so guests can unwind. Coffee lovers can also enjoy freshly brewed Starbucks coffee. The Market™, a 24/7 shop for snacks, beverages and sundries, is always open for late-night cravings or the toothpaste guests may have forgotten to pack.
A key component of the Courtyard lobby is the newly enhanced GoBoard® directly to their smart phones. Guests can also touch the screen for immediate access to detailed flight information for local airports, popular entertainment and local event information, as well as walking directions.
Throughout the hotel, guests can connect to complimentary Wi-Fi, and there are ample electrical outlets in the lobby to power digital devices. The business library features several computer terminals, along with printer and separate computer stations dedicated solely to printing airline boarding passes and checking flight status.
Green has been Courtyard’s signature color since Marriott launched the brand 25 years ago. Now it is even greener with the introduction of a guest recycling program for the environment. Receptacles for paper, glass, plastic and metal are conveniently located by side exits.
The four-story hotel features an indoor swimming pool, fitness center and guest laundry, and offers 1,600 square feet of meeting space to accommodate functions of up to 120 people.
Courtyard by Marriott offers a refreshing environment that helps guests stay connected, productive and balanced. Intuitive services and design accommodate guests’ needs for choice and control. With more than 900 locations in 38 countries and territories, Coutyard hotels participate in the award-winning Marriott Rewards® frequent travel program that allows members to earn hotel points or airline miles for every dollar spent during each stay. For more information or reservations, call the Courtyard toll-free number at 800-321-2211, visit www.courtyard.com, become a fan at www.facebook.com/EvansvilleCourtyard or follow Courtyard at twitter.com/courtyardhotels.
Marriott International, Inc. (NYSE: MAR) is a leading lodging company based in Bethesda, Maryland, USA, with more than 3,800 properties in 74 countries and territories and reported revenues of nearly $12 billion in fiscal year 2012. The company operates and franchises hotels and licenses vacation ownership resorts under 18 brands. For more information or reservations, please visit our web site at www.marriott.com, and for the latest company news,
Saturation Patrol Nets Two Impaired Drivers
Last night and early this morning, Indiana State Police conducted a saturation patrol targeting dangerous and impaired drivers in Vanderburgh County. Between 10:00 last night and 2:30 this morning, troopers issued 15 traffic tickets, 40 warnings, arrested two impaired drivers and cited one minor for transporting alcohol. Both impaired drivers were arrested and are currently being held on bond in the Vanderburgh County Jail.
ARRESTED:
• Constance Bennett, 28, of Evansville, IN
1. Driving While Intoxicated, Class C Misdemeanor
• Steven Magruder, 42, of Evansville, IN
1. Driving While Intoxicated with a BAC of .15% or more, Class A Misdemeanor
Arresting Officers: Trooper Korey Mauck and Senior Trooper Keith Schmitz
The Indiana State Police are committed to traffic safety and will continue to conduct saturation patrols and sobriety checkpoints to apprehend impaired drivers and to deter others from drinking and driving.
CHRISTOPHER BELL FOUND GUILTY
Thursday, May 30, 2013, in Vanderburgh County Superior Court, a jury found Christopher Bell, age 23, Guilty of Murder as well as Conspiracy to Commit Robbery Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury – Class A Felony. Bell also pleaded guilty to a habitual offender enhancement to the murder conviction, an enhancement that will add on 30 years to his murder sentence of 45-65 years. Bell faces up to 20-50 years for the Class A Felony.
Bell is the accomplice to Ted Mueller Jr. who has been already found guilty of the same charges, for the shooting and killing of Cedric Watt in September 2012.
For further information on the case listed above, or any pending case, please contact Kyle Phernetton, Director of Public Relations at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at kphernetton@vanderburghgov.org.
Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
Board of School Trustees Meeting
The Board of School Trustees of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation will meet in executive session at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, June 3, 2013, in the John H. Schroeder Conference Centre at the EVSC Administration Building, 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.
News Conference Tuesday, June 4â€
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller
Vanderburgh County Recorder Z Tuley
Shelby County Recorder Mary Phares and president of the Indiana Recorders’ Association
Press conference
2:30 p.m. (LOCAL) on Tuesday, June 4
Civic Center Complex, Room 307
1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard
Evansville, IN 47708
County recorders will join Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller to announce a series of lawsuits being filed against companies using misleading mailers to offer copies of property deeds for fees as high as $89.
County recorder offices across the state and the Attorney General’s office have received complaints from consumers who believe the government-like notices are legitimate invoices. Property deeds – which are usually one to two pages – are public records and county recorders can provide copies for free or at a nominal cost, often times a $1 per page.
PERKINS SENTENCED
Evansville, IN – Thursday, May 29, 2013, in front of a packed court room, Vanderburgh County Circuit Court Judge Kelli Fink sentenced Jack Perkins III, age 28, after he had previously plead guilty. Perkins had plead guilty to Child Molesting – Class A Felony and Criminal Confinement – Class B Felony. Judge Fink sentenced Perkins to 45 years for the A felony and 15 years for the B felony. Those charges were found to be run concurrently. Perkins is a credit restricted felon, and will serve 85 percent of his time behind bars.
In January 2012, Perkins kidnapped a nine year old boy from his backyard before committing the felonies. The boy escaped and reported the incident to Police who located and connected Perkins to the case. Perkins also faces Federal charges to be tried later this year on 10 counts of child pornography.
In court, Judge Fink heard testimony from EPD Detective Brian Turpin, who specializes in sex crimes. Turpin discussed his conversations with Perkins after his arrest and addressed his confession to both this crime and a similar crime from earlier in Perkins’ life. Police are still searching for the victim in the other crime.
After detective Turpin finished, the state called EPD Officer Brad Evrard to the stand, who testified that in a seizure of Perkins’ computer, there were several child pornographic videos and images downloaded to it, as well as a handful of CDs with images stored on them. The state used this as an aggravating factor in the case, contesting that this was not an isolated incident.
Before both sides went to final arguments, the Victim’s Mother and Father gave powerful pleas to the court, expressing that their son would be serving a life sentence, and Perkins should be as well. They were ready for this phase of the ordeal to be over and to enable everyone involved to be able to begin to move forward.
As Vanderburgh County Nick Hermann and Defense Attorney David Lamont went back and forth, Prosecutor Hermann said “Mr. Perkins faces time on two separate felonies. I am well aware of the range the court can sentence him but personally I don’t think any of them are acceptable. The only way to protect this community is to incarcerate him.â€
After both sides rested, Judge Fink thanked everyone for their testimonies and went through what she believed to be the mitigating and aggravating factors. She sentenced Perkins to 45 years for the child molesting charge and 15 for the criminal confinement. Those charges are counted to be run consecutively. Due to the nature of the crime, Perkins must serve 85% of his sentence.
The Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office would like to thank the Evansville Police Department Detectives for their tremendous work on this case as well as the Officers who searched for and located Perkins after the incident. Also thank you to the citizens who helped officers locate Perkins, and to everyone who showed up in court to support the victim in this case.
For further information on the case listed above, or any pending case, please contact Kyle Phernetton, Director of Public Relations at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at kphernetton@vanderburghgov.org.
VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
Evansville, IN – Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday, May 29, 2013.
Jonathan Henderson Child Exploitation-Class C Felony
Possession of Child Pornography-Class D Felonies (Four Counts)
Christopher Thomas Dealing in Methamphetamine-Class B Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
John Bowen Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance-Class D Felony
Disorderly Conduct-Class B Misdemeanor
David Copeland Theft-Class D Felony
Criminal Mischief-Class A Misdemeanor
James Pyott Theft-Class D Felony
Lawrence Reber Theft-Class D Felony
Criminal Trespass-Class A Misdemeanor
Public Intoxication-Class B Misdemeanor
(Habitual Offender Enhancement)
Mark Timmons Possession of Marijuana-Class A Misdemeanor
(Enhanced to D Felony Due to Prior Convictions)
Possession of Paraphernalia-Class A Misdemeanor
Marcy Wilhite Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated-Class C Misdemeanor (Enhanced to D Felony Due to Prior Convictions)
Jasen Yoder Dealing in Methamphetamine-Class B Felony
Maintaining a Common Nuisance-Class D Felony
Possession of Chemical Reagents or Precursors with Intent to Manufacture a Controlled Substance-Class D Felony
For further information on the cases listed above, or any pending case, please contact Kyle Phernetton at 812.435.5688 or via e-mail at KPhernetton@vanderburghgov.org
Under Indiana law, all criminal defendants are considered to be innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
Evansville’s Debt per capita will be over triple Chicago’s if all current spending is authorized
The Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch tags Chicago as the fifth most heavily taxed city in the country: Its sky-high effective sales tax of 9.75 percent makes the tax burden on a family earning $25,000 a year the fourth highest in the country. From 1991, two years after Richard M. Daley first took office as mayor, to 2011, the year Emanuel took the reins, the average debt per Chicagoan grew from $600 to $2,600, an increase of 433 percent. As Dick Simpson, a former reform Chicago alderman who now teaches at the University of Illinois, put it: “There’s a significant downside to authoritarian rule. The city could do much better.â€
As we reported this morning Evansville currently has debts of $360 Million that corresponds to $3,076 for every person in town. The mandatory repair of the sewers will take that to somewhere between $7,000 and $9,000 per person depending on the plan approved. The combination of the downtown convention hotel, the Johnson Controls deal, and Roberts Park will add roughly another $1,000 in debt per capita bringing Evansville’s debt per capita to about $10,000 when projects already on the wish list are funded.
In 2003 Evansville’s population was over 121,000 and its debt per capita was under $2,000. Today we have passed Chicago for per capita debt and are borrowing like the world is about to end. Chicago of course is famous across the globe for excessive spending and institutionalized corruption. We know how Chicago got to the point it is today. What is not fully understood is how a small town on the bend of the river dug a deeper hole than of per capita debt than Chicago. What is now a given is that an EPA mandate that surprised no one and was sourced in years of neglect will raise Evansville’s per capita debt to triple Chicago’s. The question is why given the depth of the hole Evansville is in do our leaders keep digging deeper by borrowing money to do non essential things?