NBC has already projected a win for Evansville’s Richard Mourdock over 6-Term Senator Richard Lugar. Early returns show Mourdock with a 20 point lead with 17% of the vote counted. The vote in SW Indiana where Mourdock calls home has not been counted yet but is expected to increase Mourdocks margin of victory.

The City County Observer has learned that Vectren has now signed a Power Purchase Agreement in favor of Earthcare Energy. It has not been conformed that Earthcare Energy has signed the agreement and none of the details of the agreement have been released.

This is a developing story.

Greetings from Zack! Zack is a 1-year-old, neutered Am Staff Mix. This handsome boy is super sweet and is looking for a loving family. He is very treat motivated and can sometimes take things he wants a little too eagerly. He might be too much for small children because of his eagerness. Basic obedience will help him fine tune his manners and make him the awesome pet he really wants to be. Zack might enjoy having a K9 companion but he insists on meeting any potential roommates prior to going home. For more information on Zack and how to make him a member of your family, visit www.vhslifesaver.org or call (812) 426-2563.

The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Board of School Trustees heard information tonight (5/7/12) about changes that are being implemented to the Welborn Health Insurance plan that most EVSC employees have, that would reduce employee premiums, but increase deductibles. The change in plan is due to the corporation’s desire to not be forced by Indiana State Statute to be a part of the Indiana State Health Insurance Plan, which would potentially cost the corporation more money, offer fewer benefits to employees at greater cost, provide the corporation no possibility for input into cost savings measures or benefits, and also force the corporation’s employees to be on the plan for a mandatory two-year enrollment period before being permitted to exit.

“Due to the provisions of our collective bargaining agreements employees pay between 12 and 15 percent for access to their EVSC Welborn Health Insurance. That provision, coupled with our desire to provide the best health insurance possible, mandated a change in our plan design,” said Superintendent David Smith. “I understand health insurance is an extremely important benefit afforded to our employees and trust that all will understand the dynamics that led to this change.”

Under the new plan design announced, premium levels paid by employees will be reduced by nearly 23 percent from the May 1 renewal rate and office and generic drug co-pays will remain the same. There will, however, be an increase in health insurance deductible amounts. Effective June 1, the deductible levels go to $1,500 (individual)/$3,000 (family). The maximum out-of-pocket (which includes office co-pays and deductibles) will be $3,000 (individual)/$6,000 (family). In essence, the EVSC was looking for a change in plan design that would impact the fewest number of individuals. Fortunately, 87% of EVSC’s health insurance participants did not reach their maximum out of pocket at our previous lower out-of-pocket levels.

During the meeting, Smith explained that there is a trigger that is mandated by law that forces a public school corporation onto the State Plan. This trigger is based upon the employer’s share of the cost of the health plan compared to the funding the state provides for its employees. Under the EVSC’s collective bargaining agreements, the EVSC will exceed this trigger if no changes are made to the current plan. The only way to avoid the mandatory move to the Indiana State Health Insurance Plan is to reduce our health insurance expenditures.

Options to reduce expenditures that have been investigated by the EVSC include: excluding a spouse who has access to health insurance through their employer; mandating biometric testing and wellness initiatives that would aid in the detection of health issues; instituting higher unhealthy habit premiums; auditing employee enrollment to verify qualified enrollees; implementing an EVSC Health Clinic to treat illness on site; and modifying the plan design.

If the EVSC was forced to go to the state plan, expenditures for access to health insurance most like EVSC’s current plan would grow to nearly $41.8 million (up from the new EVSC rate of $23.4 million). Total employee contributions would grow from $2.8 million to $16 million for that same plan.

On the state plan, an individual employee who by contract pays 12 percent of the premium would pay $3,283.02 annually (up from the new EVSC rate of $723.51 annually). The state plan does not offer an Employee+1 plan that many EVSC employees currently have, so they would be forced to pay for the “family” plan offered by the state. Employee+1 and families on the family plan would pay $9,136.40 annually (up from the new EVSC rate of $1,363.71 for Employee+1 or $1,645.83 for the Family Plan annually).

The EVSC is also still extremely competitive with area school districts by having the lowest employee premium cost for health insurance. Employees in neighboring districts now pay from $5,880 to $13,179 annually to access health insurance family plans, while EVSC employees will pay $1,645.89 annually for access to our family plan.

The Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation Board of School Trustees tonight (5-7-12) approved the purchase of accidental damage insurance from Dell Financial Services, for the Dell netbooks that high school students use. Not only will parents no longer have to obtain insurance coverage or pay for repairs themselves, but the district will also save money on repair costs.

When these computers were purchased two years ago, the insurance costs were prohibitive. Last year when the middle school netbooks were purchased, insurance was a more affordable option to add at that time, and the corporation did so. Through the work of several offices in the EVSC, and negotiations with Dell, it was determined that adding insurance at this time to the high school units is a more cost-effective solution for netbook repairs due to accidental damage. This does not apply for netbooks that are deliberately damaged, lost, or stolen.

“Now, when accidental damage occurs, students will still turn the computer in at their school, and it will be repaired by our own EVSC personnel, or by an outside company – but paid for through the insurance,” said Stacy Mauser, EVSC chief technology officer. “No longer will parents have to fill out paperwork, find serial numbers, or pay remaining balances not covered by insurance. We have had high school parents asking for this since we started the program and now it is monetarily feasible.”

Textbook, netbook, and netbook insurance costs are paid for through a combination of funding sources, including the EVSC Book Fund, state reimbursement for students who qualify for free and reduced textbooks, student rental fees, and other granting sources.

Currently, costs for repairs are paid by the student’s family, through any insurance they have purchased, or a combination of the two. The EVSC worked with Student Insurance Partners in the past and annual premiums ranged from $43 to $52, depending on the deductible amount desired (from $100 to $25). Some families also purchased insurance from other providers.

The EVSC began the 1:1 netbook initiative in 2009 at the high school level, when the state defined a computer to be the same as a textbook for reimbursement purposes. In Fall 2011, the initiative rolled out to middle grades students.

The purpose of the laptop initiative is to ignite a passion for learning, inspiring all students to become self-motivated, enthusiastic participants in their education. The EVSC’s goal is for all students in grades 6-12, regardless of income or family background, to have access to a laptop computer for use at both school and home. The EVSC believes that individual ownership will help promote concepts of self-motivation and enthusiastic participation by providing all with access to a powerful technological tool to enhance learning. Since computer use is required in nearly all post-secondary programs and professions, a natural and constant access in high school will better prepare students for this inevitable future.

The Indiana Department of Education last year awarded a Classroom Innovation Grant of $200,000 to the EVSC and this year, the EVSC received a second grant of $100,000. The most recent grant is for the Community of Digital Educators (CODE), which selects 30 teachers to have extensive professional development and access to other resources and conferences, in order to develop online curriculum for use in the classroom. These teachers will then become teacher leaders throughout the corporation training others to develop their own digital content.

EVANSVILLE, IN – Mayor Lloyd Winnecke announced the establishment of a fund at Old National Bank to accept donations to provide assistance to families and individuals impacted by tornados that hit Tochigi Prefecture (state) Sunday. The violent storms, which are rare in Japan, killed one person and damaged buildings in Tochigi and Ibaraki prefectures just days after Tochigi City Mayor Toshimi Suzuki and four other delegates from Tochigi City returned to Japan following a visit to Evansville.

“Although Tochigi City was not directly impacted by the storms, I feel it is important for the City of Evansville to support our sister city and her neighbors as they recover from storm damage,” Mayor Lloyd Winnecke said. “The money will be sent to Tochigi City in care of Mayor Suzuki for distribution to those who might not otherwise receive help.”

Old National Bank has graciously donated $500 to the tornado relief fund. Old National Bank Senior Vice President Kathy Schoettlin said donations to the Tochigi City Tornado Relief fund can be made at any Old National Bank location.