Evansville Courier & Press

Restart Your Unbridled Slogan

I know readers younger than 30 will have a hard time believing this, but there was a time -- a long, long time ago -- when vehicle license plates were just that. Their function was to verify you had paid your annual car tax to Caesar and, perhaps, as an afterthought, provide an identifying number for the vehicle.

Voters May Have Some Problems

An unknown number of Vanderburgh County voters may go to the wrong polling places Tuesday or go to the right polling places only to find that precinct workers don't have their records, say concerned elections officials. Voter Registration Office officials say the problem is an unexplained glitch in the state's new voter registration system after a recent reconfiguration of the county's voting precincts.

Racetrack Repairing Damages Caused by Tornado Ellis Races Against Time

The plate glass windows of Ellis Park's Sky Theatre provide a panoramic view of the thoroughbred track's 1C-mile racing oval. But the action to be seen there these days is of an army of construction workers rather than a phalanx of charging horses. The only race under way at Ellis Park now is one to repair damage caused by the Nov. 6 tornado in time for the July 19 opening of the track's 36-day live racing meet.

Festival Kicks Off Health Week

With their grunts and shouts echoing through Washington Square Mall, 10 barefoot children dressed in white robes and colorful belts seemed to be the model of focus and discipline. Ranging in age from 3 to 12, the kids, representing Shane Lewis Taekwando Academy, demonstrated a number of complex martial arts techniques during Sunday's Health Festival, the kickoff event for Healthier Evansville Week.

Woman Bequeaths $1.4 Million

An elderly widow whose only child had died years earlier, Daisy Pauline Hardy spent her retirement years quietly, taking pride in her immaculate home, enjoying flowers and tomato plants in her garden and watching horse races at Ellis Park with her cousin. She never bet more than $3, he said. The peaceful life the 89-year-old woman had built for herself ended April 3, 2004, when she was killed in a natural gas explosion at her house.

Phenomenal Poinsettias Head for Record Book

We've never had this problem before. Here it is well after Easter, and songbirds are building nests and thinking about raising a family in the trees and shrubs around the house. The Kentucky Derby will be run Saturday.

Plan to Save Hangar Takes Flight Hope Is to Move It, Make It Part of a Wwii Museum

Days are numbered for a 1941 hangar, the last World War II-era building remaining on Evansville Regional Airport property -- at least for staying in its present location. But there's a move afoot to dismantle the hangar and preserve it until it can be modified and reinstalled as part of a World War II home front museum -- maybe with a P-47 Thunderbolt warplane as its centerpiece.

River Users Divided On Pollution Controls

River users are divided about the potential effect of proposed changes to pollution control standards for the Ohio River. Environmental groups such as the Kentucky Waterways Alliance oppose the plan, saying it will increase the amount of bacteria pollution allowed into the river. Other river users, however, agree with regulators who say it will have no effect on overall levels of pollution.

Highways and Byways a Weekly Photographic Report

Cainan Towns watched the two-tone T-ball roll past him as his coaches, all of them volunteer parents, offered tips. "Get in front of it."

High-Tech Facility to Be Hub of New Park

A high-tech building being planned for the The Certified Technology Park in Downtown Evansville would house not only a business incubator, but the offices of several local and regional economic development agencies, according to a business plan that will be presented for approval to the Redevelopment Commission. The center and the surrounding technology park would be overseen by a new entity that would also assume the duties of the Evansville Technology Council and the Evansville Small Busine...

Artist's Detailed Etchings Are a Monument to His Skills

Nicky Porter grins and pops his chewing gum. "Artists can't brag. We can't raise our fist and holler that we're No. 1. That's not what people want to see. We have to be more modest."

North High Celebrates 50 Years

Along with "How ya been?" and "Whatever happened to so-and- so?"and dozens of other questions faced visitors to North High School's cafeteria Sunday afternoon. Signs throughout the cafeteria posed different kinds of queries to about 90 former faculty and staff members who returned to the school as part of its ongoing 50th anniversary celebration.

Briefs

Evansville MS Association slates awards dinner Friday

Info Line

If you have a brief question about the news, use a Touch-Tone phone to call: (812) 464-7466

Treatment for Anxiety Attack Is First Step to a Healthier You

Mike Braunwart's introduction to anxiety was abrupt and disturbing. It happened in February when he was sitting at his desk at work. The 30-year-old Evansville resident said either his heart skipped a beat or he had a muscle spasm in his chest that grabbed his attention. Braunwart felt for his pulse, but checked the wrong spot on his wrist. Then he started to panic.

Obituaries

Local obituaries Mattie Lou (Bilbrey) `Tommy' Blackburn

Mount Vernon Board Meets Today

e The Mount Vernon Board of School Trustees will meet at 5:45 p.m. today at Mount Vernon Junior High School, 701 Tile Factory Road. The school district plans two more public hearings about the possible remodeling of some elementary schools and the potential closure of one. Those hearings will be at 6:30 p.m. May 8 at West Elementary School, 1105 W. Fourth St., and 6:30 p.m. May 9 at Marrs Elementary School, 9201 E. Indiana 62.

Joe Aaron Scholarship Deadline Is May 8

Applications for the Joe Aaron Scholarship, awarded to students in English or communications-related fields who will be a junior or senior at an area university in the fall, will be accepted until May 8. The award is for $1,500.

Vanderburgh County Polling Places

Tuesday is the Indiana Primary election. These are the polling locations in Vanderburgh County. Unsure where to vote or what precinct you live in? You can contact the The Voter Registration Office at 435-5222. The office will have six telephone lines open from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m. Tuesday to handle voters' questions. Ward 1

Next Traveling City Hall Headed to Southeast Side

It's no misprint. Yes, the Mayor's Traveling City Hall for April was just last week. And, yes, the event for May is scheduled just six days later -- for Wednesday night at Nativity Catholic Church, 3635 Pollack Ave. Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and city department heads will be on hand from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. Here's a list of what's scheduled -- and in some cases, what is not -- in city government: TUESDAY