Enforcement Initiatives and Tools Target Noncompliance by Renovators and Property Managers
WASHINGTON (Oct. 30, 2023) – Today, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a snapshot of enforcement actions taken across the country in 2023 to protect children and their families from the health hazards posed by exposure to lead-based paint. EPA enforcement actions help ensure that renovation contractors, landlords, property management companies and realtors comply with rules that protect the public from exposure to lead from lead paint.
“No family should have to suffer adverse health impacts from exposure to lead because a property manager, landlord, or renovator failed to follow lead-safe work practices,†said Assistant Administrator David M. Uhlmann, for EPA’s Office of Enforcement and Compliance Assurance. “EPA is committed to vigorous and fair enforcement of lead paint regulations and will hold companies and individuals accountable for unsafe conditions that put children at risk.â€
The federal government banned residential use of lead paint in 1978, but old lead paint remains in over 34 million older homes, including 3.3 million homes with children under the age of six, who are more vulnerable to the health impacts from lead paint. Children can be exposed to lead from lead paint dust on the floor or windowsills, chipped or peeling paint, or old layers of lead paint disturbed by renovation work. EPA rules require renovation firms to protect their customers by using certified renovators and lead-safe work practices. They also require renovators, landlords and others to tell tenants and buyers about known lead paint in a home.
The enforcement actions EPA took in 2023 reflect the agency’s continuing commitment to implementing the Federal Lead Strategy and result in reducing or eliminating lead exposures, particularly to children in communities disproportionately impacted by historic lead paint exposure.
Over 100 high school students from the Tri-state visited the University of Southern Indiana to learn more about becoming a medical professional at the first annual Be a Medical Professional Day, hosted by the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education.
Students were able to explore a variety of majors leading to professional school such as chemistry, biology, physics, mathematics, exercise science and psychology. An alumni panel, including a physician’s assistant, a physical therapist, current students at IU School of Medicine, a current USI biology major who was recently accepted to medical school and a current USI exercise science major who was recently accepted to physical therapy school, answered questions about every step of the process to become a practicing medical professional.
In a hands-on biology lab, students used six different colored strains of bacteria to paint on agar plates, which are petri dishes filled with bacterial growth food. The bacteria will grow over the course of a few days and the students’ artwork will develop.
In a transformative chemistry lab, students turned copper pennies into “silver†and “gold†by using a zinc chloride mix to plate zinc onto the surface of a penny, creating a coin with a silver appearance. Then, by heating the penny, the composition changes, creating a coin with a golden appearance.
To close, Dr. Joey Barnette, USI alumnus and former Co-Chair of the Vanderbilt School of Medicine Admissions Committee, gave an inspirational keynote on planning a path to professional school.
Dr. Kim Delaney, Interim Associate Dean of the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education, thought the inaugural event was extremely successful. “We were able to give students hands-on experience and show the resources USI can provide to help students reach their goal of becoming a practicing medical professional,†she said.
USI’s Pre-Professional Program provides students with the necessary preparation to reach graduate school and their chosen profession. Personalized tracks in pre-medicine, pre-dentistry, pre-chiropractic, pre-optometry, pre-physician assistant, pre-pharmacy, pre-occupational therapy, pre-physical therapy, pre-veterinary and medical laboratory science allow students to prepare for the career most interesting to them. Over 90% of pre-professional students are accepted into professional school, and 99% of USI alumni in medical school earn a residency placement of their choice. USI has produced over 500 medical professionals regionally.
VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University men’s basketball team started off the 2023-24 season Friday night at the Physical Education Complex as the No. 6-ranked team in the country and more than lived up to that billing after defeating Schoolcraft College 86-45.
The Blazers set the tone early in the season opener, scoring the first seven points of the game and quickly building a 23-9 lead midway through the first half.
Vincennes would continue to build on this big lead with an 11-0 scoring run to take a 36-13 advantage, before adding on more before the end of the first half to head into the locker room holding a 42-17 lead over the visiting Ocelots.
VU’s first half was fueled by an explosive Trailblazer debut by redshirt freshman Lebron Thomas (Bishopville, S.C.) who scored the first five points of the game and finished the first 20 minutes of play with 13 points.
VU looked to continue this run in the second half and used an 11-1 scoring run to lead Schoolcraft 55-20.
Schoolcraft looked for answers down the stretch but were unable to cut into the VU lead as Vincennes closed out the game on a 10-2 scoring run to pick up the season opener victory 86-45.
“I thought tonight was good for the first game,†VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin said. “There were ups and downs and just learning how to play hard enough and to be low enough. I’ll keep harping on that because that’s such an important thing on both ends of the floor and I think that all of us can learn that.â€
“I thought it was a good night,†Franklin added. “I thought Lebron played pretty good early for us. He got some things going which is key at that position and for the first night he was able to play. Eventually we will start hitting some shots from the perimeter. That hasn’t really clicked in yet but tonight it didn’t have to.â€
“We had 25 assists and 14 turnovers,†Franklin said. “14 turnovers is probably a little much for tonight, but 25 assists was excellent. This time of year you could pick apart a lot of things that have got to get better and it’s all true.â€
“I was not very heated tonight until the last 10 minutes of the game,†Franklin added. “I just thought we were a little stagnant and standing straight up with some sophomores that should know better and we can’t do that playing who we are going to be playing. We’ve got to get an edge to us. But again, it’s natural, but it’s also one of those things that we have to pick it up and get to that point and tomorrow will be a whole different kind of game.â€
Vincennes was led offensively by four scorers reaching double-figures, including three making their VU debut Friday night.
Redshirt freshman Lebron Thomas led the Blazers with a game-high 18 points, to go along with four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Sophomore Kris King (Washington, D.C.) came away with 11 points on the night, while leading the Trailblazers with six assists and zero turnovers.
Freshman Damarien Yates (Somerville, Tenn.), better known as ‘Dink’, made a big impact off the bench in his first collegiate game, just missing out on a double-double with 11 points and nine rebounds.
Freshman Alphonse Muteba (Montreal, Quebec) also scored in double-figures in his first game with the Blue and Gold, coming off the bench to add 10 points and five rebounds.
Sophomore Michael Osei-Bonsu (Bolingbrook, Ill.) just missed out on a double-double of his own, scoring eight points and leading the Blazers with 12 rebounds.
Sophomore Karyiek Dixon (Enfield, London, UK) also had a big night in the post, finishing with seven points and six rebounds.
“I thought Dink was pretty good,†Franklin said. “There are going to be some freshman things but I thought he was pretty good. I think Dink’s got a chance. He’s learning and he’s been put behind a little bit because of an injury that kept him out all throughout the summer and early part of the school year. He’s really only been on the floor for about a month after being off for that long, which for a freshman is hard. He’s catching up.â€
“Alphonse, same kind of thing,†Franklin added. “He wasn’t here during the summer but I think both he and Dink have a lot of ability. I think both of those guys could be really good players. I think you can see that, but they have got a million things to learn and master and as they do, they will only get better. But they are also going to see better and better competition. Things they got tonight might not come to them the same way tomorrow. But I’m impressed with both of them. I think both of them could be good players, it’s just how bad do they want to work and how much do they want to listen and that’s true for a lot of guys.â€
“Gerard is in that same group,†Franklin said. “He has the ability to get some things done. But one of the things we’ve talked about is the fire. We need more fire from the sophomores. We’ve been challenging them. They didn’t have to do that last year and for some of them it’s not in their nature but we are pushing to get it. I’m not going to be okay with blank faces. I’m not going to be okay with shoulder shrugs or hands to the side or not being the first one to get down into a stance. So you are going to see me get a little fiery on those things and you can know why.â€
“We could be a good team,†Franklin added. “We’ve got a lot of work to do. We are going to have to really improve in a lot of areas and improve individually. But those are things that can be done. How much each individual improves is really, at the end of the day, what makes all the difference. How much more comfortable do these sophomores get in being sophomores. How much more comfortable does Lebron get to being on the floor after being out for so long. That’s what’s going to tell the tale of our season. It won’t be something magical in the x’s and o’s, those will be the things that will give us a chance, but it’s going to be as they improve, then it’s going to be easy for me to put them into the right spots. We’ve got a chance, we’ve just got to race the clock every day to get better.â€
The Trailblazers will look to keep this early success going tomorrow night when VU hosts Columbia State Community College from Columbia, Tenn. in the final game of the 2023 Kiwanis Classic. Tip-off time for the Trailblazers is set for 7 p.m. eastern.
Other results from day one of the 2023 Kiwanis Classic include Shawnee Community College winning over Columbia State C.C. 69-63.
“The biggest thing is keeping it really simple, be low, be strong and sprint harder,†Franklin said. “Get your eyes up to see the floor better, have vision, talk and communicate better. That’s it. The x’s and o’s will take care of itself. But will you get down in a stance better. Will you get lower, tougher, stronger with the ball when they are trying to pressure you. Will you run that floor harder. Will you be first on a box out. That’s what I’m concerned about right now.â€
“I’ve been in this game a long time, those are the things that matter,†Franklin added. “So when you see me pushing buttons or getting after it, that’s what it is and when we don’t get the real response, then we’ve got to push a little. Because we’ve got to set a different tone than what’s natural.â€
“It’s not natural to be in that defensive stance for two hours,†Franklin said. “It’s not natural to run that floor hard every time. It’s not natural to be that low, strong, tough every time you catch the ball. But that’s what we have to be if we are going to get where we want to go.â€
“That’s what I will look for tomorrow,†Franklin added. “Can we do those things and can we do them better. Can we take another step forward tomorrow and we will have to to have success. But tonight was a good starting point. It was a good day to get started. We challenged some guys tonight in the last 10 minutes to step up some things and we will see if they do that tomorrow.â€
“Nobody needs to be comfortable,†Franklin said. “It’s all earned time here. So guys in the lineup tonight may not be in the lineup tomorrow and if I was one of those inside guys I’d be pushing. It looks like Dink might push you. Alphonse might push you. They might want to be on that floor. We’ll find a perimeter guy. Does Gerard really want to push to get out there. Does Kent want to push to get more time. We are going to play the ones that push the hardest. That’s what we do. Comfortable is not really part of our deal. The only thing you can be comfortable in here is being uncomfortable. Once you get comfortable with being uncomfortable then things get pretty good. That’s where we are and I think we’ve got some guys that can push a little bit and I hope they do.â€
VINCENNES BOX SCORE
VINCENNES (86) – Kris King 4-8 3-3 11, Michael Osei-Bonsu 4-9 0-0 8, Karyiek Dixon 3-7 1-2 7, Ryan Oliver 2-3 3-4 7, Lebron Thomas 6-10 5-7 18, Damarien Yates 5-8 1-2 11, Gerard Thomas 0-2 0-1 0, Mathieu Nader-Kalombo 2-4 0-0 5, Alphonse Muteba 4-8 2-2 10, Kent King 3-3 1-2 9, Team 33-62 16-23 86.
Schoolcraft – 17   28 – 45
VU (1-0) – 42   44 – 86
Three-point goals: VU 4 (Ke. King 2, L. Thomas, Nader-Kalombo). Rebounds: VU 48 (Osei-Bonsu 12). Assists: VU 25 (Kr. King 6). Steals: VU 9 (Osei-Bonsu 3). Blocked Shots: VU 4 (Kr. King. Osei-Bonsu, Yates, Muteba). Turnovers: VU 14. Personal Fouls: VU 13. Fouled out: None.
FOOTNOTE: Â EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
 The EPD officer involved in the Officer Involved Shooting Incident (Case #23-21058) that occurred on October 25th, 2023, in the 1700 block of S. Evans Ave. has been identified as Sergeant Blake Hollins.Â
Sergeant Hollins is currently assigned to Motor Patrol. He has been with the Evansville Police Department for 11 years and prior to being promoted, he was a Field Training Officer. Sgt. Hollins has been through the crisis intervention training and is a part of the Crisis Intervention Team.Â
Sgt. Hollins has returned back to active duty after completing a three-day administrative leave, which is protocol in an Officer Involved Shooting IncidentÂ
AG Rokita denies misconduct, says his decision to accept reprimand ‘will save a lot of taxpayer money’
By Marilyn Odendahl, The Indiana Citizen
Even as he was slapped with a public reprimand from the Indiana Supreme Court, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is still defiant, maintaining he did nothing wrong in handling the investigation into an Indianapolis OB/GYN and saying he agreed to the punishment only to save the taxpayers money.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.Provided by the Office of the Indiana Attorney General.
In a six-page opinion issued Thursday, a majority of the Supreme Court accepted a conditional agreement reached by Rokita and the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission—citing Rokita’s “acceptance of responsibilityâ€â€”which settles a disciplinary case that had been opened against the attorney general. Under the agreement, Rokita is being publicly reprimanded and ordered to pay $250 in fees.
The majority found Rokita’s public statements about Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an OB/GYN at IU Health, in which he called her “an abortion activist†and accused her of failing to properly file medical reports, had no purpose “other than to embarrass or burden the physician.â€
In his response to his reprimand, Rokita blamed the disciplinary action on “liberal activists†and said he decided the best thing to do was to accept the punishment.
“Having evidence and explanation for everything I said, I could have fought over those 16 words, but ending their campaign now will save a lot of taxpayer money and distraction, which is also very important to me,†Rokita stated. “In order to resolve this, I was required to sign an affidavit without any modifications.â€
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush and Justice Christopher Goff dissented, believing the discipline was too lenient for Rokita because he is the state’s top lawyer and based on the “scope and breadth†of his misconduct. Neither wrote a separate opinion to explain their stance.
The Supreme Court majority of Justices Derek Molter, Mark Massa and Geoffrey Slaughter pointed to previous disciplinary cases, including one against the late Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, and concluded a public reprimand was appropriate.
Caitlin Bernard, an OB/GYN at IU Health, gets emotional while defending her license to practice during a marathon hearing before the medical licensing board in this May 2023 file photo. Â Photo by Xain Ballenger, TheStatehouseFile.com
“(Rokita’s) acceptance of responsibility is a mitigating factor, as are his cooperation with the disciplinary process and his lack of prior discipline over a lengthy career,†the majority wrote. “But that same length of experience also ‘counsels that he should have known better’ than to conduct himself in the manner he did.â€
However, in his response, Rokita said he did not do anything wrong and that his comments about Bernard were “truthful†and “factual.â€
“I deny and was not found to have violated anyone’s confidentiality or any laws,†Rokita stated in the press release. “I was not fined. And I will continue as Indiana’s duly-elected attorney general.â€
Bernard’s attorney, Kathleen DeLaney of DeLaney and DeLaney, said Rokita should be contrite, instead of combative.
“As part of the settlement agreement, Mr. Rokita admitted to violating two attorney ethics rules by attacking Dr. Bernard on national television,†DeLaney said in an emailed statement. “His public statements should reflect that fact and we expect a prompt and sincere apology to Dr. Bernard.â€
A single comment
The disciplinary action focused on an interview Rokita gave on Fox News in July 2022.
A media firestorm was ignited after Bernard confirmed to an Indianapolis Star reporter that she had performed an abortion on a 10-year-old rape victim who had to travel to Indiana from her home state of Ohio because of that state’s restrictive abortion laws. In May, the Medical License Board of Indiana found she had violated patient confidentiality and reprimanded her as well as imposed a $3,000 fine.
Immediately after the story broke, Rokita appeared on television, publicly released a letter he sent to Gov. Eric Holcomb related to Bernard, and gave a press conference on Facebook, making statements about Bernard and saying his office was investigating her and looking at taking her medical license.
However, the Supreme Court’s opinion focused on a single statement he made in July 2022 while appearing on Fox News. Rokita said, “We have this abortion activist acting as a doctor—with a history of failing to report.â€
As part of the conditional agreement, the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission and Rokita agreed he had violated two rules of professional conduct by making that statement. He violated Rules 3.6(a) and 4.4(a) by talking about his office’s investigation into Bernard before it was completed and by making comments meant only to “embarrass, delay, or burden†Bernard.
The Supreme Court majority found during the Fox News interview, Rokita’s comment could have unfairly influenced any proceeding against Bernard. Specifically, the majority wrote that Rokita’s “statement was of a type rebuttably presumed to have substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding.â€
A violation of a third rule was dismissed by the Supreme Court, presumably pursuant to the settlement.
After the disciplinary complaint was filed in September, Rokita filed a response with the Supreme Court. He acknowledged his statement “could reasonably be considered to have violated†the two Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct.
More remarks about Bernard
With the case now decided, the attorney general is not backing down from his original comment on Fox. He stated in his press release that his words “are factual†and that Bernard “is by her own actions an outspoken abortion activist†and “her full-time patient practice focuses exclusively on performing abortions.â€
“Bernard also claims a tattoo—an image of a coat hanger—that she displays and openly discusses with the national media,†Rokita stated. “Whether you think this behavior is good or bad, I challenge any objective Hoosier to conclude that she isn’t an ‘abortion activist,’ as I stated.â€
In addition, Rokita pointed to unidentified “media accounts and complainant press releases†as making the allegations—well before his television appearance—that Bernard had failed to properly file the required reports with the Indiana State Department of Health.
Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, and Kentucky, said it was pleased with the reprimand given to Rokita for his “repeated attempts†to harass “Dr. Caitlin Bernard just for doing her job.â€
“Rokita’s attacks have no basis in medicine or health care; they are deliberate attempts to scare, silence, and shutter abortion providers in the state,†Planned Parenthood stated. “Two of the Justices in the decision believe the reprimand wasn’t far enough, and we agree. The stigmatizing, shaming, and harassing has to stop and Rokita has made it clear he won’t.â€
Taxpayers’ money
Rokita was represented before the disciplinary commission by Schaerr Jaffe, a law firm based in Washington, D.C. Those attorneys also represented the attorney general in Marion County Superior Court in a lawsuit filed by Bernard against Rokita and helped represent the state at Bernard’s hearing before the medical licensing board.
To date, Rokita has not revealed how much public money has been spent defending his law license before the disciplinary commission. A review of invoices from July 2022 through April 2023 shows Rokita’s office has paid Schaerr Jaffe $180,504.94 for all of its work. The Indiana Comptroller has not provided the invoices filed by Schaerr Jaffe since April.
In a previous statement to The Indiana Citizen, Rokita defended the use of taxpayer money in his disciplinary proceeding.
â€Of course, public money is involved in any matter which defends the work of a state attorney whose efforts are performed on behalf of the state,†Rokita stated in an email.
The case is In the Matter of Theodore E. Rokita, 23S-DI-258.
This article was published by TheStatehouseFile.com through a partnership with The Indiana Citizen (indianacitizen.org), a nonpartisan, nonprofit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed, engaged Hoosier citizens.
Marilyn Odendahl has spent her journalism career writing for newspapers and magazines in Indiana and Kentucky. She has focused her reporting on business, the law and poverty issues.
Dwight Adams, a freelance editor and writer based in Indianapolis, edited this article. He is a former content editor, copy editor and digital producer at The Indianapolis Star and IndyStar.com, and worked as a planner for other newspapers, including the Louisville Courier Journal.
, says his decision to accept reprimand ‘will save a lot of taxpayer money’
By Marilyn Odendahl, The Indiana Citizen
Updated
Even as he was slapped with a public reprimand from the Indiana Supreme Court, Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is still defiant, maintaining he did nothing wrong in handling the investigation into an Indianapolis OB/GYN and saying he agreed to the punishment only to save the taxpayers money.
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita.Provided by the Office of the Indiana Attorney General.
In a six-page opinion issued Thursday, a majority of the Supreme Court accepted a conditional agreement reached by Rokita and the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission—citing Rokita’s “acceptance of responsibilityâ€â€”which settles a disciplinary case that had been opened against the attorney general. Under the agreement, Rokita is being publicly reprimanded and ordered to pay $250 in fees.
The majority found Rokita’s public statements about Dr. Caitlin Bernard, an OB/GYN at IU Health, in which he called her “an abortion activist†and accused her of failing to properly file medical reports, had no purpose “other than to embarrass or burden the physician.â€
In his response to his reprimand, Rokita blamed the disciplinary action on “liberal activists†and said he decided the best thing to do was to accept the punishment.
“Having evidence and explanation for everything I said, I could have fought over those 16 words, but ending their campaign now will save a lot of taxpayer money and distraction, which is also very important to me,†Rokita stated. “In order to resolve this, I was required to sign an affidavit without any modifications.â€
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush and Justice Christopher Goff dissented, believing the discipline was too lenient for Rokita because he is the state’s top lawyer and based on the “scope and breadth†of his misconduct. Neither wrote a separate opinion to explain their stance.
The Supreme Court majority of Justices Derek Molter, Mark Massa and Geoffrey Slaughter pointed to previous disciplinary cases, including one against the late Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi, and concluded a public reprimand was appropriate.
Caitlin Bernard, an OB/GYN at IU Health, gets emotional while defending her license to practice during a marathon hearing before the medical licensing board in this May 2023 file photo. Â Photo by Xain Ballenger, TheStatehouseFile.com
“(Rokita’s) acceptance of responsibility is a mitigating factor, as are his cooperation with the disciplinary process and his lack of prior discipline over a lengthy career,†the majority wrote. “But that same length of experience also ‘counsels that he should have known better’ than to conduct himself in the manner he did.â€
However, in his response, Rokita said he did not do anything wrong and that his comments about Bernard were “truthful†and “factual.â€
“I deny and was not found to have violated anyone’s confidentiality or any laws,†Rokita stated in the press release. “I was not fined. And I will continue as Indiana’s duly-elected attorney general.â€
Bernard’s attorney, Kathleen DeLaney of DeLaney and DeLaney, said Rokita should be contrite, instead of combative.
“As part of the settlement agreement, Mr. Rokita admitted to violating two attorney ethics rules by attacking Dr. Bernard on national television,†DeLaney said in an emailed statement. “His public statements should reflect that fact and we expect a prompt and sincere apology to Dr. Bernard.â€
A single comment
The disciplinary action focused on an interview Rokita gave on Fox News in July 2022.
A media firestorm was ignited after Bernard confirmed to an Indianapolis Star reporter that she had performed an abortion on a 10-year-old rape victim who had to travel to Indiana from her home state of Ohio because of that state’s restrictive abortion laws. In May, the Medical License Board of Indiana found she had violated patient confidentiality and reprimanded her as well as imposed a $3,000 fine.
Immediately after the story broke, Rokita appeared on television, publicly released a letter he sent to Gov. Eric Holcomb related to Bernard, and gave a press conference on Facebook, making statements about Bernard and saying his office was investigating her and looking at taking her medical license.
However, the Supreme Court’s opinion focused on a single statement he made in July 2022 while appearing on Fox News. Rokita said, “We have this abortion activist acting as a doctor—with a history of failing to report.â€
As part of the conditional agreement, the Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission and Rokita agreed he had violated two rules of professional conduct by making that statement. He violated Rules 3.6(a) and 4.4(a) by talking about his office’s investigation into Bernard before it was completed and by making comments meant only to “embarrass, delay, or burden†Bernard.
The Supreme Court majority found during the Fox News interview, Rokita’s comment could have unfairly influenced any proceeding against Bernard. Specifically, the majority wrote that Rokita’s “statement was of a type rebuttably presumed to have substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding.â€
A violation of a third rule was dismissed by the Supreme Court, presumably pursuant to the settlement.
After the disciplinary complaint was filed in September, Rokita filed a response with the Supreme Court. He acknowledged his statement “could reasonably be considered to have violated†the two Indiana Rules of Professional Conduct.
More remarks about Bernard
With the case now decided, the attorney general is not backing down from his original comment on Fox. He stated in his press release that his words “are factual†and that Bernard “is by her own actions an outspoken abortion activist†and “her full-time patient practice focuses exclusively on performing abortions.â€
“Bernard also claims a tattoo—an image of a coat hanger—that she displays and openly discusses with the national media,†Rokita stated. “Whether you think this behavior is good or bad, I challenge any objective Hoosier to conclude that she isn’t an ‘abortion activist,’ as I stated.â€
In addition, Rokita pointed to unidentified “media accounts and complainant press releases†as making the allegations—well before his television appearance—that Bernard had failed to properly file the required reports with the Indiana State Department of Health.
Planned Parenthood Great Northwest, Hawai’i, Alaska, Idaho, Indiana, and Kentucky, said it was pleased with the reprimand given to Rokita for his “repeated attempts†to harass “Dr. Caitlin Bernard just for doing her job.â€
“Rokita’s attacks have no basis in medicine or health care; they are deliberate attempts to scare, silence, and shutter abortion providers in the state,†Planned Parenthood stated. “Two of the Justices in the decision believe the reprimand wasn’t far enough, and we agree. The stigmatizing, shaming, and harassing has to stop and Rokita has made it clear he won’t.â€
Taxpayers’ money
Rokita was represented before the disciplinary commission by Schaerr Jaffe, a law firm based in Washington, D.C. Those attorneys also represented the attorney general in Marion County Superior Court in a lawsuit filed by Bernard against Rokita and helped represent the state at Bernard’s hearing before the medical licensing board.
To date, Rokita has not revealed how much public money has been spent defending his law license before the disciplinary commission. A review of invoices from July 2022 through April 2023 shows Rokita’s office has paid Schaerr Jaffe $180,504.94 for all of its work. The Indiana Comptroller has not provided the invoices filed by Schaerr Jaffe since April.
In a previous statement to The Indiana Citizen, Rokita defended the use of taxpayer money in his disciplinary proceeding.
â€Of course, public money is involved in any matter which defends the work of a state attorney whose efforts are performed on behalf of the state,†Rokita stated in an email.
The case is In the Matter of Theodore E. Rokita, 23S-DI-258.
This article was published by TheStatehouseFile.com through a partnership with The Indiana Citizen (indianacitizen.org), a nonpartisan, nonprofit platform dedicated to increasing the number of informed, engaged Hoosier citizens.
Marilyn Odendahl has spent her journalism career writing for newspapers and magazines in Indiana and Kentucky. She has focused her reporting on business, the law and poverty issues.
Dwight Adams, a freelance editor and writer based in Indianapolis, edited this article. He is a former content editor, copy editor and digital producer at The Indianapolis Star and IndyStar.com, and worked as a planner for other newspapers, including the Louisville Courier Journal.
Enrollment for the Health Insurance Marketplace is now open! The open enrollment period gives consumers the chance to renew, change or enroll in a health insurance plan. If you need marketplace coverage for 2024 or currently have marketplace coverage, you should take the time to make sure you know all of the options for plans and preview prices by visiting healthcare.gov.
For customers who currently have coverage, please make sure that all of your information is correct. Any changes in your income or household can mean that there may be a different plan better equipped for your needs and you may qualify for different financial assistance. You can visit the Marketplace Insurance Program Map provided by the Indiana Department of Insurance to find what providers are in your county.
Friday, December 15, 2023, is the deadline to enroll in or change plans for coverage to start on January 1, 2024. For coverage to start on February 1, 2024, the last day to enroll or change plans is January 15. After that, you can only enroll if you qualify for a special enrollment period.
If you have questions or need assistance, you can visit the Find a Navigator tool to connect with a certified Indiana navigator free of charge. Indiana Navigators can help you with the application process or contact an insurance agent. As always, feel free to reach out to my office if you need help enrolling in an insurance plan!
 Steve Schaefer To Join Garmong Construction as Vice President for Evansville RegionÂ
(Schaefer served as deputy mayor and chief of staff to Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke since 2012)
(EVANSVILLE, INDIANA, November 2, 2023)—Steve Schaefer, who has served as deputy mayor and chief of staff to Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke since 2012, is set to join Indiana-based Garmong Construction as its Vice President for the Evansville Region at the end of November.Â
Schaefer, the 1st Deputy Mayor in Evansville’s history, will leave city government on November 29, 2023, and begin his duties at Garmong on November 30, 2023.Â
“Steve cares deeply about Southwest Indiana,†says David Hannum, P.E., chairman and CEO of Garmong Construction. “We are excited to have someone of Steve’s experience and expertise joining our growing construction firm.â€Â
“I’m grateful for the opportunity to lead and grow Garmong’s operation in our region, as the 100-year-old company has an established record of high-quality work,†said Schaefer.Â
Schaefer has had a long history of project management success, from his foundational work with the Interstate 69 initiative to his leadership in rebuilding the City of Evansville’s Parks & Recreation Department. Throughout his time with the City of Evansville, Schaefer has been a key leader in transformational projects including the downtown Convention Hotel, the Medical School campus, and the Deaconess Aquatic Center.Â
In 2023, Schaefer was named the “Civic Leader of the Year†by Feed Evansville and also received the statewide recognition “Public Official of the Year†by the Indiana Greenways Foundation.Â
Garmong Construction opened its Evansville office in June 2014 and has since managed and delivered more than $500 million worth of work in public and private projects across the Tri-State Region. The team in Evansville has expanded to include more than 50 employees.Â
Garmong focuses on supporting the communities in which our employees live and work, along with community initiatives for quality of life and place for the entire region
In 2023, Garmong was awarded the “Corporation of the Year” by the Indiana Greenways Foundation for our effort in support of trails and the quality of place in our communities.Â
For more information on Garmong Construction, please visit https://garmong.netÂ
FOOTNOTE: Headquartered in Terre Haute, Indiana, Garmong Construction offers its customers and clients a century of construction experience. Garmong is recognized today as one of the leading Construction Management companies in Indiana. We remain family-owned and have offices in Terre Haute, Fort Wayne, Evansville, and Indianapolis. Gar mong’s growth has placed us as one of the Top 25 fastest-growing companies three times by the Indianapolis Business Journal
