Press Release

When: January 12, 2012 at noon.
Where: Vanderburgh County Election Office (room 216 in the civic center)

Vanderburgh County Superior Court Judges, Wayne Trockman and David Kiely will be announcing their candidacy for re-election. Trockman is seeking an additional term in his current position as Superior Court Judge. He has served as a Superior Court Judge for the last thirteen years. Kiely is seeking the Vanderburgh Circuit Judge position currently held by Carl Heldt. Heldt will be stepping down from the position after serving for fifteen years. Kiely currently is a Superior Court Judge having been elected in 2009. Kiely served as Magistrate in the Circuit Court for eleven years prior to being elected to the Superior Court.

Trockman and Kiely are responsible for the operation of the highly successful and state-wide model Drug Court and Veterans Treatment Court. Trockman created the Drug Court eleven years ago with Kiely joining the Drug Court last year and starting the first Veterans Treatment Court in the State. These programs have enjoyed significant success in increasing public safety and improving the quality of life in our community. The Drug Court has been shown to significantly reduce recidivism rates and reduce costs to the County and State by approximately $7.00 for every dollar spent.

Trockman states “It has been a privilege serving the residents of Vanderburgh County. This position has given me the opportunity to advocate for modifications to existing State Law to help increase public safety and the quality of life in our community. I have also been given the opportunity to create a Drug Treatment Program, which has enjoyed significant success and which has been modeled throughout the State. I look forward to continuing with these endeavors and all of the other responsibilities of the Vanderburgh Superior Court”.
Kiely says “It has been a lifelong goal of mine to be Circuit Court Judge. Spending twelve years in Circuit Court working with now Federal Court Judge Richard Young and current Circuit Court Judge Heldt has prepared me for the position. “

News Release
12-7
Type of Crime: Thefts from Vehicles
Date of Crime: 010312-010912
Location of Crime: In the area of Columbia St. and 4th Ave.
Victim: Multiple

SUMMARY

The Evansville Police Department is investigating a rash of vehicle break-ins near Columbia St. and 4th Ave. Since the 3rd of January, there have been SIX reported break-ins to vehicles. Items taken have included GPS’s, money, IPads and IPods, a stun gun, and a shotgun. Most of the vehicles were unlocked with the items in view. Police are asking anyone with information about these thefts to contact them at 812-436-7979.
Police also want to remind people to keep high dollar items and weapons secured in their homes.

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News Release
12-8
Type of Crime: Armed Robbery ****ARREST******
Date of Crime: 122811
Location of Crime: 1400 N Main
Victim: Charlie’s Food Mart

SUMMARY

The man wanted for the December 28th armed robbery of Charlie’s Food Mart, 1400 N. Main St., has been arrested.
Brian Kerns was arrested on an outstanding Armed Robbery Warrant in Lebanon Ohio. Detectives from the Evansville Police Department had been attempting to locate Kerns since he was identified as the suspect in the robbery.
Kerns is currently being lodged in the Butler County Ohio jail. There is no information on when he might be extradited back to Indiana.

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Attorney General’s Office has asked the Indiana Supreme Court to directly hear the state Recount Commission’s appeal regarding a statewide candidate’s ballot eligibility, due to the importance of the case.

The Marion County Circuit Court on December 22 had reversed the Recount Commission’s ruling on a Secretary of State candidate’s 2010 ballot eligibility, but stayed that ruling pending appeal by the commission and other litigants. The Attorney General’s Office, which represents the Recount Commission, filed a motion Monday seeking transfer directly to the Indiana Supreme Court, the state’s highest court.

“It is in the public’s interest that this lingering question of whether a statewide candidate was eligible for the ballot be decided with certainty and finality. In this rare circumstance, my office has asked the Indiana Supreme Court to take this case directly. In our role defending the legal authority of state administrative boards, we will vigorously contend the Recount Commission’s unanimous decision was correct and ought not to have been reversed,” Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller said.

The commission made a unanimous finding concerning candidate Charlie White’s eligibility for the 2010 ballot as a candidate for Secretary of State, but the trial court reversed that decision, prompting the appeal. In the ongoing litigation, the Attorney General’s Office represents the Indiana Recount Commission only and does not represent candidate White. The commission’s verified motion to transfer jurisdiction of appeal before consideration by the Indiana Court of Appeals was filed Monday in the Indiana Supreme Court, and an appeal brief will be filed at a later date. The Supreme Court has not yet decided whether to take the case.

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By: Tim Eckels

Indiana State Representatives Gail Riecken (D) and Kreg Battles (D) hosted a field hearing Sunday afternoon to provide local laborers an opportunity to vocalize their objections to the controversial Right-to-Work legislation currently being proposed by Indiana Republicans. The crowd of over 400 people spilled into the hallways of the C.K. Newsome Center after the gym reached its capacity. County Commissioner Steve Melcher and City Council members Stephanie Brinkerhoff-Riley and Missy Mosby were in attendance.

Representative Battles stated that he has never seen a bill trying to be pushed through so quickly. He claimed that the Republican time-line for this bill had it being proposed this past Wednesday, approved by both houses and signed into law by Monday, January 9th. This unprecedented expedition is what prompted state Democrats to skip the legislative session in Indianapolis this week. The Indiana House of Representatives is comprised of 60 Republicans and 40 Democrats. The Republican majority has enough votes to pass the bill but a quorum of 67 legislators is required to conduct any official business. According to Battles, by staying out of session the Democrats have bought time for their constituents to be heard.

In a press conference at the Vanderburgh County Republican Party Headquarters on Sunday, Chairman Wayne Parke shared his contempt for the state Democrats recent actions. “It is very disturbing that Democrat State Representatives Gail Riecken and Kreg Battles have decided to take their first paychecks, but refuse to show up for work so the House Chamber can start its official business”, says Parke. “It would appear they are not only against the Right-to-Work bill, but against working period.”

Parke claims that the bill would only affect approximately 10% of Indiana workers. He says it will not cost Indiana jobs, but will actually bring jobs to Indiana. He also says the bill will have no negative impact on workers’ safety nor will it reduce hourly pay. The three-page bill, according to Parke, simply forbids unions to force workers to pay union dues.

Democrats are most concerned about the repercussions of the Right-to-Work legislation. Speakers at Sunday’s hearing called the bill nothing more than an attempt to break up unions. Unions are already legally bound to represent any worker in a unionized workplace, regardless of whether that worker pays dues or not. Democrats say that because the proposed legislation allows employees to opt out of paying dues it ultimately weakens the power of the union. Workers that are not required to pay into the system will continue to reap the benefits of the system. Less income from union dues means fewer funds available for the legal services that assist them with contract negotiations and other employee protection measures.

Democrats say that union workers are not the only ones who should be concerned about Right-to-Work legislation. They say unions set the market standard for wages and safety conditions. For example, the Gibson County Toyota plant is not unionized. Most employees will tell you that they are paid well, treated well and provided great benefits. Republicans use this as an example of what companies are capable of when they are not forced to compromise with union negotiators. Democrats, however, claim that companies like Toyota treat their employees so well because unions have made that type of compensation a standard of the industry.