VANDERBURGH COUNTY COUNCIL BUDGET HEARING SCHEDULED ON SEPTEMBER 29
AGENDA Budget Hearings 9-29-23
Adam Trinkel named Executive Director for Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District
Adam Trinkel named Executive Director for Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District
Trinkel currently leads marketing and events efforts for the region’s only business improvement district
ANNOUNCEMENT, September 26, 2023 – The Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District (EID) Board of Directors today announced the appointment of Adam Trinkel as the Executive Director for the EID. Trinkel currently serves as the EID’s Marketing, Communications, and Events Director and begins the new role on October 2, 2023. He will provide leadership for all aspects of the EID and is charged with leading the EID in its mission to create a more active and inclusive Downtown Evansville.
“On behalf of the Board of Directors, I am pleased to announce the appointment of Adam Trinkel. Adam has been with the EID since 2018 and has provided valuable contributions to growing the EID and to position Downtown Evansville as a more active and inclusive place for businesses, residents, and visitors,†said John Lamb, Chair of the EID Board of Directors.
Trinkel currently leads marketing, communications, and event efforts for the organization that represents over 450 properties that receive self-funded benefits in the central business district of Downtown Evansville. During his tenure, the EID launched the Downtown Evansville brand, increased its online presence by creating and developing a website and highly engaged social media channels, and organized 12 signature events that welcome over 50,000 visitors annually Downtown. He has also developed relationships with Downtown business owners, created a growing event volunteer program, and launched and sustained a sponsorship program that generates in excess of $100,000 annually.
“Building relationships with Downtown property owners, businesses, residents, workers, sponsors, volunteers, and visitors during the past five years has been the most rewarding aspect of my work. The EID team is a hard-working group of individuals who all remain passionate about our work to foster a growing and vibrant neighborhood. I am excited to lead this important work,†said Trinkel.
The EID has office space in Innovation Pointe located at 318 Main Street in Downtown Evansville.
About the Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District: Following a 2017 petition process of member property owners, the EID was formed in 2018 to provide benefits and services to member properties paid for by a special annual assessment on these properties. The EID builds a move active and inclusive Downtown Evansville. It enhances resident, consumer, investor, worker, and visitor experiences in Downtown Evansville. In 2023, the EID will lead over $1,250,000 in projects which improve the appearance of Downtown, in addition to marketing, advocacy, and safety programs. To learn more about the EID and its progress in enhancing the Downtown experience, visit www.downtownevansville.com.
Attorney General Todd Rokita takes action against alleged manufactured-home fraudsters
Lawsuit alleges Bartholomew County defendants schemed to evade licensing requirements
Attorney General Todd Rokita has filed a lawsuit against three individuals suspected of scheming to defraud Hoosiers seeking installations of manufactured homes.
“We’re acting on behalf of Hoosiers who in some cases paid tens of thousands for services they never received in a satisfactory manner,†Attorney General Rokita said. “Our team works diligently to protect the proverbial little guy from getting conned by slick hustlers just looking to make a quick buck. We will hold accountable anyone who dupes consumers in violation of our laws.â€
The lawsuit alleges the defendants — Steven Singer, Jocel Singer and Aron Singer — engaged in the sales of manufactured homes without a license from the Secretary of State Auto Dealer Services Division. The defendants, residents of Bartholomew County, are also alleged to have promised or completed installations of manufactured homes without a manufactured home installers license.
The defendants allegedly did business at times under such names as Singer Manufactured Homes, Cabin Creek Homes, Rock Creek Homes, and United Palace Home Transport and Sales
One consumer complained about a transaction in which the defendants allegedly failed to arrange for installation of a manufactured home as agreed, failed to install working appliances as agreed, and otherwise failed to meet their contractual obligations to the complainant after she paid them $36,000 in cash. The defendants also allegedly failed to deliver a title to the manufactured home — on which the complainant ultimately had to spend additional money to make livable. The complainant later learned the defendants lacked proper licensure to sell and install manufactured homes.
The defendants’ alleged wrongdoing spanned many years.
In 2014, the defendants allegedly received a cease-and-desist order from the Manufactured Home Installers Licensing Board — but thereafter worked to hide their transactions from authorities by both insisting on cash and by conducting advertising/sales online using various social media accounts and marketplaces.
In February of 2023, the Indiana Secretary of State sent the defendants another cease-and-desist notice relating to alleged violations of dealership licensing requirements.
If you purchased a manufactured home from any of the listed defendants or paid them for the installation of your manufactured home in the last five years, please file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Homeowner Protection Unit here: https://www.in.gov/
The Bored Teachers Comedy Tour is the Self-Care Teachers Need in Their Lives Right Now!
More than ever, teachers need an outlet to decompress and laughing off the stress from the school year.
The #1 teacher-entertainment platform in the world, Bored Teachers, presents the funniest
teacher-comedians in the world all on one stage. Their hilarious skits about the life of teachers inside and outside of the classroom have amassed over 1 BILLION views on the internet, and they’ve all joined comic forces for a night of laughter you do not want to miss. With almost 10 million followers across social platforms and top-rated teacher podcasts, these hilarious and popular teacher-comedians have a mission to spread laughter to as many fellow educators as they can. The tour has even been reviewed by non-teachers as one of the funniest comedy shows they’ve ever seen. This comedy powerhouse is making its way around the country with over 250 shows performed in the past two years! Laughter is the best medicine from the stress of the school year and the Bored Teachers Comedy Tour is the perfect fix. For a complete listing of all tour stops visit the Comedy Tour page.
USI Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education receives five-year American Chemical Society accreditation renewal
The University of Southern Indiana Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education has received a five-year extension on its accreditation for its Chemistry and Biochemistry programs from the American Chemical Society (ACS).
The ACS Approval Program promotes excellence in chemistry education for undergraduate students by offering “a broad-based and rigorous chemistry curriculum that gives students intellectual, experimental and communication skills to become effective scientific professionals.†Employers find graduates from ACS-approved programs better prepared for technical employment. USI is one of 701 institutions approved by the ACS.
“Accreditation by the ACS is critical to our Biochemistry and Chemistry programs at USI to ensure quality classroom instruction, providing hands-on laboratory experiences and access to state-of-the-art instrumentation,†said Dr. William Elliot, Interim Dean of the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education. “It also guarantees that USI delivers a coherent and meaningful curriculum to prepare students for chemistry careers or the pursuit of an advanced degree.â€
Vanderburgh County legislators remind Hoosiers of Oct. 10 voter registration deadline
September marks National Voter Registration Month
STATEHOUSE (Sept. 26, 2023) – Vanderburgh County legislators encourage Hoosier voters to register or check their voting status by the Oct. 10 deadline.
“I encourage informed citizens to vote, whether they have been doing so for decades or will be casting a ballot for the first time,” said State Rep. Matt Hostettler (R-Patoka). “It’s always important to exercise your right to vote and participate in your government.”
State Rep. Wendy McNamara (R-Evansville) said Hoosiers can visit IndianaVoters.com and quickly access a link to register to vote or check their voter registration record. The state’s website also provides voters with local polling locations and who’s on their ballot.
“This is a great resource both to make sure you’re registered to vote and check who’s on your ballot,” McNamara said. “There are lots of opportunities to complete your ballot whether it’s voting early in person or absentee by mail, and the online portal makes it easy to plan ahead.”
Hoosiers can also register to vote by visiting a county clerk’s office and a directory is available online at in.gov/courts.
State Rep. Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville) said to register, Indiana residents must be at least 18 years old on or before the upcoming election, have a valid Indiana Driver’s License or Indiana State Identification Card, be a citizen of the United States, have lived in the same precinct for at least 30 days before the next election, and not currently imprisoned after being convicted of a crime.
“The best way to engage in the civic process and make our voices and values known is by voting,” O’Brien said. “I hope voters will take a few minutes to verify their registration and make a plan to cast their ballots.”
The voter registration deadline is Oct. 10. Early in-person voting starts Oct. 11. Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 7, and polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.
ECHO Housing Receives First Annual S.P.A.R.K Award
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – ECHO Housing attended the 2023 Indiana Housing Conference this
week in Indianapolis, where they received the first annual S.P.A.R.K (Serving with Partners to Achieve Real Kinesis) award. The award honors an organization that serves Hoosiers
experiencing homelessness in a way that can be described as going above and beyond. Through innovative and/or new programming that includes community partnerships to address service gaps or unique local crises and produces significant outcomes.
As the leading provider of permanent supportive housing in southwest Indiana, ECHO Housing strives to provide housing stability to numerous individuals that previously experienced homelessness. ECHO Housing is a member of a task force under the Evansville-Vanderburgh Commission on Homelessness. The task force works collaboratively to create innovative solutions to address homelessness in Evansville. Partners include the Evansville Police Department, ECHO Healthcare, Aurora Inc., Southwestern Behavioral Health, Deaconess, Ascension, United Caring Services, and the Evansville Rescue Mission.
CEO, Savannah Wood, of ECHO Housing – “We have dedicated organizations within our
community that are willing to put in the time and effort to support those experiencing
homelessness in our community. Homelessness cannot be addressed by a single organization, it takes a proactive, collective approach across multiple agencies and systems for the individual to overcome the barriers that led them down the path to housing instability. ECHO Housing received the award, but it is through collaboration that we have been successful.â€
As part of ECHO Housing and community partners’ goals to provide permanent housing
placement, the task force works by conducting regular case conferencing meetings to address issues with tenants whose housing stability is in jeopardy and/or for those who are currently experiencing homelessness. This method has resulted in an annual housing placement and retention rate of 87% amongst the most vulnerable. Aside from the scheduled case conferencing sessions, ECHO Housing has a close, continued partnership with the Evansville Police Department’s Mental Health & Homeless Liaison team, who can often respond during a situation with heightened crisis and/or conflict, working alongside ECHO Housing to provide immediate support, while often preventing incarceration and/or criminal charges. The true definition of wrap-around service provision, the collaboration and outcomes that are achieved through the task force and partners’ quick response not only results in stability but affords those that are/have experienced homelessness the ability to receive an established positive support network.
Sergeant Joshua Brewer with the Evansville Police Department – “We continue to have a close partnership with ECHO Housing and the partners involved in our efforts to end homelessness in the community. It takes time, dedication, and consistency to not only house those individuals that have experienced homelessness, but to ensure they remain in their homes with the supports they need to increase their quality of life. Our homeless liaison team within the Evansville Police Department works with the agencies represented to educate and empower these individuals with the goal of reducing crime, reduce the use of emergency services and to reduce the instances of victimization amongst some of the most vulnerable in the community. ECHO Housing is proactive and collaborative in their approach to preventing a return to homelessness.â€
ECHO Housing Corporation is a designated non-profit 501(c)(3) community development
corporation with a mission to create and sustain safe and affordable housing, to provide
compassionate supportive services, and to promote community and economic development
within the urban core of our community. Since its founding, ECHO Housing has been the
leading provider of permanent supportive housing for individuals experiencing homelessness in the community. ECHO has continued to grow, now encompassing five permanent supportive housing programs, all dedicated to serving those experiencing homelessness or housing instability. In 2024, ECHO will add a 6th permanent supportive housing program – the Promise Home, dedicated to serving the chronically homeless in Region 12.
New free soil sampling program coming to life for Indiana farmers
INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 25, 2023) —The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and partners throughout the state have worked with the Gulf Hypoxia Program (GHP) to develop a no-cost program with a focus on increasing the knowledge and use of soil sampling as a nutrient management practice to benefit farm operations. The program, titled Indiana’s Mississippi River Basin Soil Sampling Program, is open now for applicants.
“Hoosier farmers care deeply about the land and work hard each year to keep their soil healthy,†said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “This free program is a great way for farmers to test their soil and ensure the proper nutrients are being utilized on their fields.â€
ISDA promotes the importance of nutrient management and the principle of the 4R Nutrient Stewardship framework. The 4R framework incorporates using the “Right Source, Right Rate, Right Time, and Right Place†to achieve cropping system goals. The new program focuses on soil sampling and testing because it is a key component, and first step, of developing a plan for nutrient management.
Soil sampling provides an assessment of the soil’s fertility which can be used for making fertilizer application recommendations, assessing available nutrients over time, increase farmer profitability and enhance environmental protection by reducing the risk of nutrient loss. This project was developed to help further Indiana’s State Nutrient Reduction Strategy efforts.
“This free program for farmers will help them assess their land so they can continue to produce as much food as possible with fewer fertilizer inputs. As a farmer myself, I know how critical that is,†said Don Lamb, ISDA director. “This program would not be possible without a few incredible partners whose top priority is assisting Hoosier farmers and keeping Hoosier land in great shape.â€
This program includes row crop fields, pastures and specialty crops located within Indiana’s portion of the Mississippi River Basin. Participating landowners will be prioritized by fields that have never been soil sampled and fields that haven’t been sampled regularly (i.e., within the last 3-4 years). Further prioritization may be implemented based on interest in the program. This program excludes hobby gardens and private lawns. Interested farmers can sign-up online at ISDA’s website or by reaching out to soilsampling@isda.in.gov.
Sign-ups are now open and ISDA is accepting sign-ups until April 17, 2024.
Paul Hodgen, president of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, is excited to bring this program to fruition. Hodgen is well versed in soil fertility with a bachelor’s degree in agronomy, a master’s degree in soil science and a doctorate degree in agronomy and soil fertility.Â
“Regular soil sampling and testing is a critical part of a nutrient management plan to economically produce a crop,†Hodgen said. “We look forward to working with ISDA and other partners to help Hoosier farmers continue to make informed decisions on nutrient management. Soil testing is a keystone to sustainably producing a crop. This effort will further our goals for nutrient management stewardship across Indiana. This will help us make smarter decisions about where to apply nutrients and to spread that data across more acres. This program will be a great way to increase the number of farmers who better understand their soils, and it will allow them to make improve management decisions based on good data.â€
This program was made possible thanks to ISDA, Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Indiana Agriculture Nutrient Alliance (IANA), Indiana Conservation Partnership (ICP) members, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, farmers and Certified Crop Advisors.