FIGHTING FOR A CAUSE:  911 GIVES HOPE PRESENTS GUNS & HOSES!
THIS SATURDAY - APRIL 20, 2013
FORD CENTER - EVANSVILLE

Guns & Hoses is a charity boxing match between local Police Officers and Firefighters put on by an organization called 911 Gives Hope. 

The Tri-State's Finest and Bravest square off in 15 exciting boxing matches of three rounds each, and at the end of the night the team with the most victories takes home the traveling Guns & Hoses Championship Belt. Watch as these brave men and women, who risk their lives on the job every day, put it all on the line in the ring for charity. “Their pain is the children’s gain!” Guns & Hoses takes place at Ford Center Saturday, April 20.

Tickets are available at the Ford Center Ticket Office, Ticketmaster.com, or charge by phone at (800) 745-3000

Evansville Police continue to get reports of residential burglaries on the east side despite several arrests during their on-going investigations. 

Police are asking the public to help watch their own neighborhoods and to call 911 to report any suspicious activity. There have been several reports from homeowners about people knocking on their doors in the evening and offering home improvement services. The homeowners thought it was suspicious because there were no work trucks and the person did not have any tools or items that identified them as a worker for any company. Police believe these people might be targeting the home and will break in of nobody answers. Police are asking anyone who gets one of these visits to remember as much info as possible about the person or type of vehicle. 

Police warn against agreeing to any unsolicited work in or around your home. They also suggest you document the serial numbers for all of your property. Any items that do not have serial numbers, like jewelry, should be photographed. Doing those things can help during the investigation and will help you when you file an insurance claim.


SOURCE: Evansville Police Department - Nixle

The 2012 Bicentennial book Evansville at Two Hundred has arrived and available for sale. This book was produced to recognize the accomplishments and growth of our community in our 200 year existence. The history story is told primarily in pictures with details inset for clear identification.

The historical copy was created by members of the Bicentennial History Committee with special thanks to Dennis Au, Greg Hager and local historian Harold Morgan. The Bicentennial Planning Committee would also like to thank the sponsors who made this and other Bicentennial events possible. 

Evansville at Two Hundred costs $22.50 plus tax  and is available at the following locations:

• The Pagoda Visitors Center, 401 S.E. Riverside Drive 47713
• The Reitz Home Museum, 224 S.E. First Street 47708
• Evansville Museum of Transportation Center (EMTRAC), 411 S.E. Riverside Drive 47713
• Casino Aztar Gift Shop, 421 N.W. Riverside Drive 47708

SOURCE: www.evansville.in.gov

FROM THE EVANSVILLE POLICE DEPARTMENT FACEBOOK PAGE:
As most of you probably know, we are being sued regarding the investigation into online threats made against our officers and the community. There has been a lot of public discussion about the use of our SWAT team during the investigation. While we look forward to our day in court, we would like to make a statement to reassure the citizens of Evansville that we are a professional agency. Our actions during that investigation, while not popular with everyone, were based on information gathered from multiple sources. Some of the details of the investigation have never been discussed publically because the criminal case was still active. Although the suspect in the criminal case has just pleaded guilty, this civil suit will prevent us from releasing some of those details until we go to court.

Here are some of the concerns we want to address: 

• During this and any investigation, we follow the information. We went to the house because that is the address the threats came from. Despite the wording used by local media, we did not go to the “wrong house” nor did we “mistakenly” go to that house. The suspect admitted he was using that IP address to post the threats. That is where the information led us.
  
• The SWAT team was used because of the nature of the threat. It is easy to question this decision after the fact because we did not encounter any threats while securing the home. We feel fortunate that nobody tried to harm us, but now that is being used against us. Our SWAT team is used to secure houses for search warrants on a regular basis. We are glad they rarely end in violence. But just because they do not end in violence does not mean the use of the SWAT team was excessive.
  
• We repaired the damages to the home that day. Someone else’s criminal behavior created this event. We knew the suspect would not come down and repair the damages. We repaired the damages because walking away and saying “sorry about your luck” was not the right thing to do. Notice the criminal who created the incident is not being sued. 
  

We included the media because the public has an interest in what we do. You only have to look at Evansville Watch to see the level of interest in what is going on around Evansville. People have long complained about the veil of secrecy they felt the police have operated under. We were trying to remove that perception and have received negative feedback because of it. We have done numerous other things in the last year to open up to the public and allowing the media to be there was just one of those things. 

We ask that people allow all of the facts to come out in court before passing judgment. We appreciate the community involvement in our efforts to make Evansville a great place to live. We could not do it alone.

RELATED FROM 14NEWS: WOMAN SUES EPD AFTER OFFICERS FLASHBANG AND STORM HER HOME

Evansville police are investigating a shooting that occurred early Sunday morning in the area of Covert Ave and Vann Ave.  Officers were dispatched to this area shortly after 1:00 a.m. Sunday in reference to a shots fired call. During the course of the investigation, officers determined 2 subjects had been shot. One person was transported to St. Mary's E-R by AMR Ambulance, the other person was apparently driven there in a personal vehicle. Media reports say the victim's are both male. One victim is 19 years old. The other is 20 years old. 

The following info is taken from the Evansville Police Department's Daily Crime / Incident Report
BATTERY: Vann Ave & Covert Ave, Buy Low - Battery, aggravated w/ firearm. 
Officers en route to a shots fired run in the area of Vann Ave & Covert Ave. We were advised that subjects were running toward the old Savannah Garden Apts. As Officer turned off Vann Ave, dispatched advised officers were needed in front of the Golden Budda. Officer saw 2 people walking east on Taylor east of the Golden Budda. Upon stopping them, they said that they didn't know anything about a shooting. While getting their identification information, one subject said his foot felt funny. He sat down & took his right shoe off to find blood on his sock. After taking his sock off you could see where a bullet had gone all the way through his foot just below the ankle. The bullet was still in his shoe and fell out on the ground. The bullet was recovered and entered into evidence. Detective spoke briefly to the subject before he was transported to the hospital. Detective advised that another victim had just arrived at the hospital in regards to being shot also. The other subject had a gun shot wound to the right inner thigh.


The Evansville Police Department has released the following information: 
Lack of cooperation hinders EPD shooting investigation.
Evansville Police responded to an early morning double shooting in the 1500 block of Vann Ave. Officers arrived while shots were still being fired and detained numerous people. Officers recovered a handgun at the scene. 
Officers found one shooting victim walking away from the area. The second victim was located at St. Mary's Hospital. Investigators attempted to get information from both victims, but neither were cooperative. Both declined prosecution. 

Based on information gathered from at least one witness, police believe the shooting stemmed from a dispute between members of the L.A. Zombies street gang and another group of individuals. 
Dispute the lack of cooperation from the victims, police will still pursue a case for Criminal Recklessness against anyone who fired shots during the incident. Anyone with information is asked to contact Evansville Police.

Synopsis: A working fire was reported at Grandview Towers - 1000 Fulton Parkway at 5:43pm Sunday evening. A second alarm was called by the Evansville Fire Department command at 5:46pm. EFD units arriving reported heavy smoke coming from top of this multi-story residential structure. Firefighters immediately began evacuating residents, including 2 people that were trapped in an elevator between the first and second floors. Crews found the fire in a first floor apartment and told dispatch a  "victim"was discovered in the bedroom of that apartment. The coroner was requested by command. Multiple residents reportedly suffered smoke inhalation and several ambulances were called to the scene. In addition, 3 wheelchair vans from Comaier Services and 6 buses from METS were sent assist transporting residents as needed. 

The Red Cross was called to help those displaced by the fire and they have set up a shelter at their headquarters on Stockwell Rd. The entire building will be shut down at least for the night. 

Firefighters told command the fire was knocked down at 6:03pm. Crews continued evacuating and assisting residents until about 8:30pm when command said all residents were accounted for.  Animal Control and the Vanderburgh County Humane Society were called in for the residents' pets.

Update: The coroner has released the name of the person who died in this fire. The victim has been identified as 66 year-old Gwendolyn Hunt. An autopsy has been scheduled for Monday. 

Photos: Pictures from the fire scene have been sent to us from several of our followers. We thank you for sharing them with us. Here are a few of the photos (click photo for larger image): 

I know I shouldn't copy/paste stories from the media, but this story by Jordan Vandenberge with Eyewitness News is important enough it needs to be shared with our community anyway it can. To many crimes are going unpunished in this city due to a lack of cooperation by those involved and by those who witness them. The only way to reduce crime and take back our neighborhoods is for the community to do it's part to help our local law enforcement officers arrest and charge the offenders. It's time to end the silence. Here is Jordan's story: 


By: Jordan Vandenberge
Updated: June 8, 2012
When it comes to investigating violent crime, cooperation from the victims is key. But it's a key component that is oftentimes missing. Evansville Police say they have and will continue to do their part and it's time for the community to do theirs. 
 
***

There's passion behind the badge. There's a passion to serve and protect. But for Evansville Police Sergeant Jason Cullum, passion turns to frustration because of a lack of cooperation.  
 
"When we don't get cooperation and the same old excuses, they aren't reasons, those are excuses that really aren't viable anymore," said Sgt. Cullum. "The communitiy needs to come together as a whole to address that."

To address things like the numerous alleged gang-related videos popping up on Youtube. The violence that continues to be bold, brazen and sometimes brutal was punctuated by Thursday's shooting on Taylor Avenue. 
 
The shooter remains at large but it shouldn't be that way.

"Some of it is people just don't care," said Sgt. Cullum. "At the shooting scene yesterday, the suspect is still at large and people are letting their kids out in the street like nothing happened. To me, that's shocking."

Even more shocking is the fact that police couldn't pursue 42% of violent felonies in 2010 because the alleged victim wouldn't cooperate. Police believe this affects everyone, including the smallest of victims. 
 
"If you refuse to participate in that process you are just as much of a problem as the shooters," said Sgt. Cullum. "You're allowing them to roam free around all the children including your own."

There's passion behind the badge of Sgt. Jason Cullum. But after yet another southside shooting, it's the frustration that hits close to home. 
 
"The first house I lived at was in the 800 block of Madison," said Sgt. Cullum. "I learned how to ride a bike in that neighborhood, I had friends in that neighborhood. When I was a kid, you could go out and do those kinds of things and not have to worry about gangs."
 
"When I got on the police department, I went back into that area to work the street to try to make it a nice place to live so kids like me had a chance to grow up in a safe environment.. So, yea, it's very frustrating."

EPD has participated in countless community outreach programs, like the Citizens Academy, the last few years.  But Sgt. Cullum says to find long-term solutions to long-term problems, it's up the community to be honest and open to reality.

Source: www.tristatehomepage.com

The Evansville Environmental Protection Agency and the Vanderburgh County Health Department have issued an OZONE ALERT for Friday, June 8, 2012 because ambient concentrations of ozone may reach or exceed the level of the National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS) for ozone and within the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range. (For today, Thursday, June 7, ozone levels may reach the “High Moderate” level and may exceed 75 ppb for a few hours).


As a public service, the Evansville Environmental Protection Agency and the Vanderburgh County Health Department Ozone Office, in cooperation with the National Weather Service and the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, issue Ozone Alerts during times that ozone levels in Southwest Indiana may reach or exceed the level set by the U.S. EPA, of 76 parts per billion (ppb) averaged over eight (8) hours.

Per the U.S. EPA, if the eight hour average for ozone reaches or exceeds 76 ppb, air quality is unhealthy for sensitive groups, such as children and active adults, and people with respiratory disease, such as asthma. These people should limit prolonged outdoor exertion during Ozone Alerts. Especially in the afternoon, people with respiratory conditions, the elderly and children, should also try to stay indoors. 

Remember, NO BURNING is allowed during Ozone Alerts.  Use of gas and charcoal grills is permitted, but if you can postpone outdoor grilling, please do, because even gas and charcoal grills add to air pollution.

To do your share to protect air quality and reduce pollution levels:

• CONSERVE ENERGY -reduce use of all types of energy:  electricity,      natural gas, gasoline and diesel fuel.  Turn off lights, reduce air conditioner use, etc.
• Limit your driving.  Avoid unneccessary vehicle idling.
• Park and go inside instead of using drive-through windows, especially if there are long lines.
• Postpone fueling your vehicle until after 6 pm. Don’t ‘top-off’ your tank when filling up. 
• Consider using manually operated lawn equipment.  If you use gasoline-powered lawn and garden equipment, stop working at 10:00 am and/or postpone work until after 6:00 pm.
• Limit the use of solvents, parts-cleaning fluids, paint thinners and chemicals.  Replace lids when finished.
• Postpone painting or use water-based paints instead of oil-based paints.

Evansville, Ind. - On Tuesday, June 5th Ford Center Executive Director Scott Schoenike presented the 2012 first quarter update to the Evansville Redevelopment Commission. Schoenike reported that the facility hosted 60 event performances during this time frame.

Since its opening in November 2011, Ford Center has generated over $16 million in sales of tickets, merchandise, food and beverage and other items. Throughout its inaugural season, the state-of-the-art facility hosted 118 events and drew residents to Evansville’s downtown while spurring additional business growth. “Our first season of operation has proven to be a success due to the overwhelming support of Evansville and the region. 

Ford Center has become the catalyst for economic development in Downtown Evansville,” stated Schoenike.

FORD CENTER INAUGURAL SEASON NUMBERS 
- 6,869,134 ounces sold of beverages 
- 339,951 units sold of beverages 
- 47,528 units sold of popcorn 
- 28,436 units sold of soft pretzels 
- 24,499 units sold of hot dogs/sausages 
- 22,277 units sold of nachos

For more information on the Ford Center visit www.thefordcenter.com, www.facebook.com/fordcenterevansville or www.twitter.com/thefordcenter

Source: www.evansvillegov.org