Although the inspection is most likely being done to curb any future lawsuits, the parents of the small girl who fell look like they will be suing the Parks and Recreation Board.

Jones said the girl’s family has sent a tort claim to the city, a preliminary step to filing a lawsuit.

So what's the solution, put up barriers everywhere and make sure said barriers are padded?  Take down the bike trails, because it's too dangerous anyway?  Surely some of the responsibility should be laid squarely on the parents and people who ride the trails and enjoy the scenery.  We are a sue happy society and it's going to end up ruining Evansville for the rest of us.

My heart does go out to the little girl cited as getting hurt, it's a very scary thing to have a child injured.  But is the first step to always go after someone else in hopes of getting money?  Instead, lets look at ways that the community could help with medical bills or another means of generating funds, that won't require extreme measures like building walls.

Lastly, if assessment is necessary and actions are required, let's keep the work local.  I can already imagine the next headline, 'Evansville Hires Employees From Mexico To Install Safety Equipment On Greenway'.

Source: CourierPress.com

The Perks

First off and probably most important, the program is designed to save you money every month.  Not only will you receive a discount from Vectren for enrolling, you will also save money from the lower use of power running your A/C.

Remote Turn Off

When you sign up for the Vectren Summer Cycler, a local heating and air company will come out and install a device on your air conditioner.  This device will be remotely controlled by Vectren and shut power off to the A/C for 12-13 minutes every half hour during the peak hours of the day.

The Downside

In the really hot summer months, 12-13 minutes of no A/C can make a big difference in the temperature of your house.  Newer well insulated homes might not tell a difference, but older homes without proper insulation can heat up very quickly.  In only a matter of minutes the temperature in your house can raise from 75 to 90 degrees.

Although the program is aimed at saving on utility bills, many individuals feel that it's just another way for Vectren to control their own expenses.  Vectren claims that there are 20-30 thousand homes that already participate in the Summer Cycler program and as many as 30 people sign up everyday to have the remote switch installed.

Personal Experience

I participate in the Vectren Summer Cycler with no ill effects.  People against the program claim that it's like Vectren controlling your thermostat, but my house always remains the temperature I set it at, which is a cool 72-73 degrees.  I've never noticed my A/C not kicking on when I want it to, but my unit is newer and my house is well insulated.

The total savings I receive every month from Vectren, not including actual energy savings, is a credit for $5.00.  It may not seem like much, but the actual energy consumption being lowered and credit over the summer adds up.  Of course as soon as my family starts being uncomfortable, I will be discontinuing use.

What's your experience in Evansville for the Vectren Summer Cycler Program?  Does anyone have any reviews to share?

Customer Service

From the first phone call I placed to bring in my vehicle, till I paid my bill and walked out the door, I was treated great.  When I first called I asked to speak with a mechanic, which they allowed without question, whom offered advice as best as he could without seeing the vehicle.

The next day I brought my vehicle in, was greeted warmly by the receptionist.  Also standing guard was I guess the shop dog, what appeared to be an old Labrador, which was just dieing for a little bit of attention.  Before I left I asked to speak with the mechanic again, just to make sure I wouldn't be having the same problem down the road.  He came into the lobby, showed me the part and explained what work was done.  Above and beyond what could be expected from any repair shop.

Time

Admittedly they were busy when I dropped my truck off last Thursday.  However, they assured me that they would try their best to get to my vehicle that day and if parts need to be ordered have them ready to be installed on Friday.  As promised they called me later that afternoon, explained the cost, and then ordered the parts.

Friday at 10:00 AM they were calling my cell phone letting me know the repairs had been completed.  Color me impressed!  Diagnosed, parts ordered, parts installed, all within 24 hours!

Recommendation

The good folks at Harper's Transmission assured me that practically whatever work needed to be done they could take care of.  Furthermore, even being a dealer only part, they could get anything fast.  Well, they lived up to what they promised and then some.  I'd recommend anyone get their vehicles serviced at Harper's Transmission.  I was very satisfied with all aspects of the transaction and I know my truck appreciates it.  Another local Evansville business worth mentioning.

Find Harper's Transmission on Google Maps.

Not only was John Michael Hall and Kara Gonterman endangering themselves, whomever they sold the meth to, and their neighbors, but also a child.  Originally that's what the cops were called out for, checking on the welfare of a child, which lead to the discovery of two one-off meth making contraptions.

John Hall claims he was making it only for himself, claiming it was cheaper than buying it.  Hell, how could you argue with logic like that?  Furthermore, Mr. Hall was wanted in relation to a robbery all the way over in Wichita, Kansas, although the Courier Press did not mention how old that warrant was.

The comments on the Courier Press website are understandably intolerant of such behavior in our city.  These comments also highlight the underlying issues with such a drug like meth, which kills parents and leaves kids as orphans.  If ever an anti-drug campaign was needed in Evansville, now is the time to start promoting the dangers and hopefully curb the issue in the future.

Stephenie Meyer's new book is tagged as an Eclipse Novella to partner and extend upon the brief character introduced (and destroyed) in her Eclipse novel. Bree Tanner is a newborn vampire created for one purpose, to join the ranks of a newborn vampire army being created to kill. Bree descends on Bella Swan and the Cullen family with orders to destroy but somehow manages to get lost in the fighting and survives on confusion alone. We see a glimpse of her fear and agony as Carlisle Cullen attempts to help her.  Her character interacts with the entire Cullen family who offer her a chance at redemption and the option to learn how to live by their "vegetarian" lifestyle of abstaining from feeding on humans if she can show signs of being able to control herself. Unfortunately, having a human, Bella Swan in such close proximity makes her vampire tendencies surface. We know who created her and her fate but nothing else. Bree Tanner is portrayed as a frightened teenage newborn vampire who is confused yet lethal. She is a brief but unforgettable and haunting character. This new short book promises to show us a glimpse into the darker side of the vampire world through her eyes.

Twilight readers have been led to understand the vampire world as passionate, magical and dangerous. However, we have always seen the good intentions of the Cullens and human elements such as love, friendship and family. Seeing their world from the darker side from within the vampire newborn army sounds like a creative way to put a fresh spin on the magic of Meyer's story telling. To say that I am excited would be a vast understatement. I'm not entirely sure where I fit into the Twilight fan world, avid reader, obsessed Twilight mom, movie lover but one thing is for sure, I am a fan and I'm ready to be dazzled again by the world created by Stephenie Meyer. Just two more days. I am sure in three more days I will wish for even more Twilight books.

All great restaurants have great food and Panera's food is unique and delicious. They make all of their breads from scratch and fresh everyday. Almost every ingredient on the menu is organic, including the kids menu. The entrees are healthy yet filling. One of our favorites is the broccoli cheese soup which they serve in a delicious bread bowl. It's divine. Besides soups and amazing sandwiches, they also offer a huge variety of bakery foods and desserts. No matter what time of day it is there always seems to be someone ordering the bakers dozen box of bagels.

Panera always seems to be busy, any time of day we have visited and yet we've never had trouble getting a table. The layout is large enough to accommodate the many loyal Panera food lovers and yet it still seems intimate. Our Panera Bread in Evansville has a small fireplace which you can sit around on three sides. There are also a few bistro table outside but I prefer the atmosphere inside with modern art and cozy table settings.

Panera Bread seems to attract students needing a fun environment to study, business professionals getting a bit of work done on their laptops, friends of every age group and families all wanting to enjoy amazing food thats just unique enough to differ from the abundant fast food chains. Panera Bread has given us a quick service meal experience that feels more like a treat. How can a quick meal cafe hold so much importance in our lives? Simply by creating an atmosphere that we can't seem to find amongst the many other fast food joints in Evansville.

I haven't had an opportunity to get down and take any pictures of the Evansville Arena yet, but someone has uploaded 8 images of the construction from January.  It's amazing how fast these people really work and the undertaking that must be done to build such a structure.  Whether you disagree with the development or not, it's truly a sight to behold.

Below are photos of construction of the Evansville Arena from January.  These photos were uploaded to the Picasa web album by a user named evansvillearena.  There are some other great photos of the blue prints for the new downtown Arena, along with before images of what the location looked like before the bulldozers moved in.

You can find the latest available job openings for the 2010 Otter Baseball Season clicking here.  Other than the MC position, there are also positions available for Press Box Matrix Board Worker and bat boys, which is only available to 13-16 year olds.

To submit your application or for Otter employment questions please contact:

Brandon McClish @ 812-435-8686 or by email at bmcclish@evansvilleotters.com

Don't forget, opening day 2010 will be May 21st, which will also be Fifth Third promotional night.

It's been a sad morning for families and friends of the two miners who were lost in the mine collapse in western Kentucky.  All day news has emerged that at least one miner had been pulled out of the mine alive, while others have reported that both have been killed.  As of this posting no official word on the status of the two miners have been released.

The two men have been identified as Justin Travis and Michael Carter.  At one point this morning rescue crews were reportedly able to get within 4 ft of one of the men, although it wasn't clear which one or if they were even alive.

Social network site Twitter has been alive with updates on the western Kentucky coal mine collapse, but seems after each update it must be retracted.  Up until the past 15-20 mins everything has been speculation or unverified information coming out of local news outlets.  It's obvious that instant news from a source like Twitter can be a double edged sword, spreading misinformation being good or bad.

My thoughts and prayers have gone out to the family, friends, and miners who may still be trapped inside.  I couldn't possibly imagine what they must be going through.

When you think about it, theme park food is part of the whole experience. We want a day of fun and out of the ordinary experiences which include burgers, ice cream, cotton candy, fudge, french fries and corn dogs.  Stereotypically similar to really bad for you fast food or even closer to carnival food. So when I stumbled upon the new food options on their website I did a double take and smiled with delight at the new additions. Besides the new salad were other options such as black bean chipotle veggie burger, pasta salad, baked pasta, five new soups and a no sugar added butter pecan ice cream. An added benefit is the ability to purchase many of these healthier foods in multiple restaurants within Holiday World and also in Splashin' Safari.

Oh there are also other new items to the menu for those believing that calories don't count while on vacation. Funnel cake fries, fried brownie bites, apple stuffed bosco breadsticks and churros have been added to the menu to tempt us all. Don't get me wrong. I am pumped for more variety and will probably by the end of the summer have tried them all (just typing fried brownie bites makes my mouth water). For me, a frequent (weekly) Holiday World visitor, the addition of healthy food options helps me balance out the fun food intake without wrecking my diet.