The Ford Center was rocking Wednesday night when three classic rock legends took the stage for a night of musical fun and memories. Ted Nugent opened with a rip roarin’ set that included his better-known hits interspersed with his own take on a Motown medley in a nod to his Detroit roots. Co-headliners Styx followed shortly after with nearly 90 minutes of hard-driving powerhouse rock and plenty of interaction with their fans. REO Speedwagon closed out the nearly four-hour show with their own monster set of hits. Their audience, which included fans ranging in age from 18 to 58, enthusiastically sang, swayed, and played air guitar along with all three acts.
“It was great to watch so many fans of rock embrace these three acts,†said Executive Director Scott Schoenike. “We’re looking forward to another night of fantastic music when Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers open their 2013 tour at Ford
Center.â€
The Ford Center winds down a very active event season with upcoming shows Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers May 16, the WWE World Tour Supershow May 18, and Barry Manilow June20.
For more information on the Ford Center visit www.thefordcenter.com, www.facebook.com/fordcenterevansville or www.twitter.com/thefordcenter.
The Board of School Trustees of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation will meet in
executive session at 4:00 p.m. on Monday, May 20, 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.
The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation had 81.8 percent of its 1,834 third grade students pass the IREAD-3 test earlier this year – just over a 1 percent increase from last year’s pass rate.
Velinda Stubbs, director of language arts and literacy support, said that all third grade students take the test — which is required by Indiana House Enrolled Act 1367 (also known as Public Law 109 in 2010). She indicated that there are students who did not pass who may be eligible for waivers due to their qualifications for individualized education plans or individual learning plans and those waivers may be granted through September. Letters were mailed to families in mid-April to let them know if their child had passed the test and what opportunities they had available to them if their child did not.
EVSC students who did not pass the test may take up to 60 hours of free individualized tutoring this summer, as well as work with a licensed teacher in small groups on reading skills and use technology and data to work toward the student’s reading goals. Currently the EVSC has approximately 200 students enrolled for this extra help. Free bus transportation routes have been established for each of the tutoring sites. The summer program for most sites will be June 3-28, from 9 a.m. to noon.
Not passing IREAD-3 has serious consequences. The tutoring program is designed to help prepare children to retake the test this summer. Students who enroll will have another opportunity to pass the test during the final week of summer school and be promoted to fourth grade. State law says every child in Indiana must pass IREAD-3 in order to move on to Grade 4 reading curriculum. Students who did not pass the test, will have to repeat third grade reading curriculum.
Below is a list of felony cases that were filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office on Tuesday, May 14, 2013.
Marcus Beverly Armed Robbery-Class B Felony
Theft-Class D Felony
Dealing in Marijuana-Class D Felony
Possession of Marijuana-D Felonies (Two Counts)
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
(Habitual Substance Offender Enhancement)
Derek Guessfeld Causing Serious Bodily Injury when Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated-Class D Felony
Failure to Return to Scene of Accident Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury-Class D Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
Failure to Stop After Accident Resulting in Damage to an Attended Vehicle-Class C Misdemeanor
Kelley Kennett Burglary-Class B Felony
Theft-Class D Felony
Possession of a Legend Drug-Class D Felonies
(Three Counts)
Dion Pendleton Aggravated Battery-Class B Felony
Steven Sandleben Stalking-Class D Felony
Anthony Smith Jr Domestic Battery-Class D Felony
(Habitual Offender Enhancement)
Joeldon Wapel Theft-Class D Felonies (Two Counts)
Samuel Acker Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance-
Class D Felony
(Habitual Substance Offender Enhancement)
Demonzio Armstead Armed Robbery-Class B Felony
Theft-Class D Felony
Dealing in Marijuana-Class D Felony
Possession of Marijuana-D Felonies (Two Counts)
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
Keyausha Dulin Assisting a Criminal-Class D Felony
Resisting Law Enforcement-Class A Misdemeanor
Donald Durham Possession of Methamphetamine-Class D Felony
Brandon Long Residential Entry-Class D Felony
Criminal Mischief-Class A Misdemeanor
Brittany Martin Theft-Class D Felony
Possession of a Schedule IV Controlled Substance-
Class D Felony
Melanie Muensterman Theft-Class D Felony
Jill Scott Theft-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
What Can You Accomplish in 90 Seconds?
With Pushups for Charity You Can Help Military Veterans Returning From Combat
Custom Fit and Bob’s Gym join Pushups for Charity 2013, a 90-Second Pushup Competition, to Benefit Troops Through 501c3 Non-Profit, The Boot Campaign
Custom Fit Personal Training and Bob’s Gym want YOU to join our team for Pushups for Charity 2013—an annual fitness competition hosted by Net Profit Explosion, LLC. Pushups for Charity is a 90 second push up challenge to be held on May 18, 2013. Monies raised through Pushups for Charity will go straight to our military personnel – past and present – who were either physically or emotionally wounded in service.
This is the 4th year that Tony Maslan from Custom Fit has hosted a Pushups for Charity event. “As a Marine veteran, this is an event that is very important to me. So many people have sacrificed so much for us and for our freedoms. This event is a chance for us to give back and help make a difference in the lives of our wounded veterans and their families.â€
For the second year in a row Pushups for Charity will benefit the Boot Campaign, a national 501c3 non-profit that is dedicated to showing tangible appreciation of our military, raising awareness of the challenges they face upon return and supporting their transition home.
In 2012, Pushups for Charity raised $300,000 for the Boot Campaign. This year, the goal for Pushups for Charity is to raise $1 million to fund the Boot Campaign’s five (5) military assistance programs—Jobs, Housing, Wellness, Family Support and Urgent Assistance.
Join our team for Pushups for Charity 2013 by logging on to www.PushupsForCharity.com . For more information about Pushups for Charity and how it’s giving back to our troops, visit www.PushupsForCharity.com.
Pushups for Charity will kick off this month’s Energize Evansville Fitness in the Park event. Registration will begin at 8:30am with the Pushups for Charity Challenge starting at 9:15. At 9:30am there will be a family fun walk/run and a boot camp workout. At 10am there will be yoga and a boxing fitness workout. At 10:30am there will be a Zumba class. Throughout the morning there will be a Vitality Jump (1 minute jump rope) challenge. Come out and see if you can beat Mayor Winnecke’s score!
This event will be held at the State Hospital Park off Lincoln Ave.
About The Boot Campaign:
The Boot Campaign is a national 501c3 patriotic movement that is dedicated to showing tangible appreciation of our active military, raising awareness of the challenges they face upon return and supporting their transition home. Through the sale of its signature military combat boots, general public donations, and corporate sponsorship, the Boot Campaign operates five distinct programs — Jobs, Housing, Family Support, Urgent Assistance and Wellness– that are caring for military personnel, past and present, healing from a variety of physical and emotional combat wounds, embodying the campaign motto that, “When They Come Back, We Give Backâ€. www.BootCampaign.com
Evansville SWAT and negotiators are on the scene of a standoff in the 1400 Block of S. Grand.
The incident began when police arrived to serve Felony Criminal Confinement and Felony Battery warrants on one of the residents. The occupant is believed to have access to several high powered weapons and armor piercing ammunition. The area is blocked by police and the public is being kept away.
More information will be released as the situation permits.
Steven Miller, the acting Internal Revenue Service (IRS) commissioner, resigned Wednesday over his role in the agencyÂ’s singling out of conservative groups, President Obama announced at the White House.
Miller’s resignation – which Treasury Secretary Jack Lew requested on Wednesday – makes him the first IRS official to lose their job in the uproar over the agency’s actions, which were first disclosed publicly last week.
The comparisons of the Obama and Nixon White Houses are suddenly coming—pardon the expression—fast and furious, and why not? The IRS investigations; the administration’s fixation on leaks and leakers and its obsession with enemies; the cover-ups, the blame-shifting to subordinates, the defiant chief executive, even the sweating, pathetically dissembling press secretary; it all has the odor of that earlier time. Again, it’s all happening early in the second term, following a triumphant reelection. Again, the operative terms are arrogance, contempt for law, and thuggery.
The growing awareness of administration malfeasance is evident in the numbers on Google: more than 59 million hits for “Obama and Nixon†and 24 million–plus for “Obama and Watergate.†For those interested, the 44th president’s face can already be found morphing into the 37th’s. Then there’s the rising tide of commentary. “Obama knee-deep in Nixon-esque scandal†runs the headline of columnist Joe Battenfield’s piece in the Boston Herald, which notes that Obama’s campaign slogan would have been more appropriate if it were not “Forward†but “Backwardâ€â€”“All the way to, say, 1972.†“Benghazi, IRS—Son of Watergate?†asks Cal Thomas. “In IRS Scandal, Echoes of Watergate,†observes the Washington Post’s George Will.
Such talk is mostly confined to the Right so far, but a handful of principled liberals have also weighed in. “There’s no way in the world I’m going to defend that,†said U.S. Representative Michael Capuano of Massachusetts of the IRS’s going after the Tea Party. “Hell, I spent my youth vilifying the Nixon administration for doing the same thing.†Former Michigan Democratic congresswoman Lynn Rivers echoed him: “For anyone over 50, this news couldn’t help but stir memories of Richard Nixon’s Political Enemies Project. . . . To use Dan Rather’s ‘duck test,’ the IRS probe of ‘hostile’ ideological groups looks like, swims like, and quacks like government dirty tricks.†One of the heroes of Watergate weighed in, too. “This is outrageous, and it is totally inexcusable,†Carl Bernstein raged about the revelation that the Department of Justice had secretly seized the phone records of Associated Press journalists. “There is no reason that a presidency that is interested in a truly free press and its functioning should permit this to happen.â€
Thus it is that questions that once seemed unfathomable take on unexpected plausibility. Where and how far will it all go? Is it remotely conceivable that where Richard Nixon led, Barack Obama might follow? The answer, of course, depends primarily on the nature and severity of the crimes committed—if, indeed, they are crimes—and whether presidential culpability can be established.
But such an observation instantly gives rise to two other considerations. Lest we forget, while Democrats led the congressional inquiries into the Nixonites’ misdeeds—Sam Ervin’s committee in the Senate, Peter Rodino’s in the House—in the end, it was principled Republicans, led by Barry Goldwater (who told Nixon he could count on no more than 15 Republican votes in the Senate), who forced the president’s resignation. Can we expect such nation-above-party behavior on the part of today’s Democrats? Can you imagine Patrick Leahy ever deserting Obama? Or Al Franken? Or Barbara Boxer?
Then there’s the role of the press. Unsurprisingly, the media on the far left have circled the wagons in defense of the president. “Desperate for a Scandal, Fox’s Dobbs Attacks Obama’s ‘Inner Nixon,’†read a dismissive headline on Media Matters for America, while DailyKos has harped on previous “GOP-Fabricated Non-Scandals†that went nowhere. And it’s true that, whether it was the president’s associations with his racist pastor or the Fast and Furious boondoggle, such allegations have gone nowhere—but primarily because the press has protected Obama. So it is a given that the media will again play a key role in determining whether the current scandals are pursued to their logical conclusion or are allowed to fizzle out.
Recent history suggests which outcome is more likely.
Benghazi? With a few notable exceptions, such as CBS’s Sharyl Attkisson and CNN’s Jake Tapper, reporters shrugged off the administration’s cover-up in the immediate aftermath of the attack, when it might have harmed Obama’s presidential fortunes. They have at last been forced by whistleblowers to start asking obvious questions, but their impulse to protect Obama is presumably undiminished. The IRS scandal? Reporters have as little sympathy for the Tea Party as other liberals do, but this story can’t be ignored, at least for the moment. Even administration apologist Joe Klein opines: “I don’t think Obama ever wanted to be on the same page as Richard Nixon. In this specific case, he now is.†But the “specific case†wording is telling; Klein’s piece is generally tepid, arguing that the IRS matter is an exception to what has been a generally scandal-free administration. It is a line that many in the media are apt to adopt.
As Bernstein’s outburst makes clear, the media generally saves its greatest outrage for government attacks on . . . the media. Thus, the DOJ/AP episode may be the most dangerous to the administration of the mushrooming scandals. It’s likely that a prominent head or two will roll, perhaps even Attorney General Eric Holder’s. Reporters are nothing if not creatures of the pack, and the pack has been dissed here, big-time. How hard will they go after the president? Probably not very. Think battered-woman syndrome: he may be an abuser, but he’s still their man—the one they covered for when he was caught with Jeremiah Wright and Bill Ayers, the one they played along with on the faux war on women and the anti-Islam video as the cause for the Benghazi attack. With Nixon, by contrast, once the media picked up the faintest scent of blood, they were relentless and increasingly joyous in pursuit.
As George Will writes: “Episodes like this separate the meritorious liberals from the meretricious. The day after the IRS story broke, The Post led the paper with it, and, with an institutional memory of Watergate, published a blistering editorial demanding an Obama apology. The New York Times consigned the story to page 10.†So it’s also the case that, amid all the stunning events of the past few days, the story that will likely prove the most relevant is this one, courtesy of hotair.com: “Top CBS, ABC, CNN execs all have relatives working as advisors for White House.â€
