Donnelly- and Young-Supported Bill Requiring U.S. Amateur Athletic Organizations to Report Sexual Abuse Passes Senate

The U.S. Senate yesterday passed bipartisan legislation introduced by Senators Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.) and Todd Young (R-Ind.), along with Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), John Thune (R-S.D.), Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) that would require amateur athletics governing bodies to report sex-abuse allegations immediately to local or federal law enforcement, or a child-welfare agency designated by the Justice Department.

Donnelly said, “Amateur athletics governing bodies like USA Gymnastics have an obligation to athletes, parents, and the sport to ensure that athletes are safe. This bipartisan bill aims to help prevent the sexual abuse of athletes and would require prompt reporting of abuse to authorities. I have been pushing Indianapolis-based USA Gymnastics for answers and accountability from the beginning and Senate passage of our legislation is an important step forward.”

Young said, “Sexual misconduct is grossly reprehensible. This legislation will help protect young athletes in USA Gymnastics and other U.S. Olympic organizations by requiring stringent standards for reporting abuse and holding abusers accountable.”

The bill would further authorize the United States Center for Safe Sport to ensure that aspiring U.S. Olympic athletes can report allegations of abuse to an independent and non-conflicted entity for investigation and resolution, and to make sure that all amateur athletics governing bodies follow the strictest standards for child abuse prevention and detection.

The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act stems from recent allegations of sexual abuse made against personnel involved with USA Gymnastics, USA Swimming and USA Taekwondo and follows hearings earlier this year before the Senate Judiciary Committee and the Senate Commerce Committee on athlete safety issues.

Feinstein said, “Sexual abuse is one of the most heinous crimes and our legislation will finally ensure that adults who are responsible for the safety of millions of young athletes will be held accountable for preventing abuse and reporting any allegation of abuse. Passage of our legislation wouldn’t have been possible without the courage of women who came forward to say ‘enough is enough.’ They shared deeply personal, horrific experiences to help prevent other young girls from having to ensure the same abuse and pain. Since I met with several brave women in February, I told them that I would work to pass this bill. Today is their day.”

Thune said, “Combining the best of two proposals, this legislation makes institutional changes within the U.S. Olympic movement and sets stringent new criminal reporting requirements to protect young athletes from sexual abuse. The horrendous crimes of adults entrusted with the care of young athletes prompted this legislation.”

Nelson said, “It’s a stain on our country that many of our own young Olympic athletes were sexually abused for years by the very adults they entrusted to train them and keep them safe. No aspiring athlete deserves to have their dream or moment of Olympic gold stolen from them by the actions of a sexual predator. These heinous crimes and the culture that allowed them to go undetected for so long must come to an immediate end.”

Collins said, “Sexual abuse has absolutely no place in our society and must be eradicated. I have long worked to prevent sexual assault and ensure that survivors have access to every resource and support they need. By requiring amateur athletic governing organizations to promptly report every allegation of sexual abuse to the proper authorities, our legislation will help survivors obtain justice and protect more people from these repugnant crimes.”

Warren said, “Children everywhere deserve to be protected from sexual predators. By establishing new safeguards, this legislation will help curb abuses of power and send a clear message that sexual abuse of young athletes will not be tolerated.”

The bill would amend the Ted Stevens Amateur and Olympic Sports Act, which governs amateur athletics governing bodies, to make it safe and easy for victims to report abuse and mandate oversight to ensure strong sexual-abuse prevention policies are implemented.

The bill also would reform the law that allows victims to sue sex-crime perpetrators by extending the statute of limitations because it’s often difficult for children to recognize that they have had crimes committed against them until much later on into adulthood.

The Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act is supported by the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), National Children’s Alliance, Rights4Girls, University of Utah Law Professor Paul Cassell, Child Sex Crime Victims’ Lawyer James Marsh, Crime Victims Expert Steve Twist, National Crime Victims Center, National Association of VOCA Administrators, Child USA, National Organization for Victim Assistance, ToPrevail, ChampionWomen, National Children Advocacy Center, the National Alliance to End Sexual Violence and Rape Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN).

The legislation is also supported by organizations within the Olympic movement, including the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), the National Governing Body Council and the United States Center for Safe Sport.

Indiana Department of Transportation maintenance crews plan to remove the existing drainage pipe under State Road 160 east of Salem, replacing it with a new 18-inch pipe measuring 40 feet in length. This requires closing S.R. 160 between Indiana Avenue and Paynter Lane during daytime hours next Monday (NOV 20). 

Motorists are advised to use Paynter Lane as a detour around the worksite.  INDOT officials hope to complete the excavation and pipe installation between morning and afternoon school bus runs.   

The schedule for this Salem Unit maintenance operation is weather dependent.

After a week of trial in Washington Circuit Court, Joe P. Hambel found guilty of the murder of Joseph R. Hobson and Valerie E. Dicus in August 2016.

Hambel was arrested on August 20, 2016 and charged in connection with the their murders.

Hambel was found guilty today by a jury of his peers. Hambel was found guilty of

Yesterday afternoon, just before 6 pm, an investigation between the Indiana State Police Drug Enforcement Section and the ISP Bloomington District ACES (Aggressive Criminal Enforcement Section), concluded with the arrest of two local residents for dealing methamphetamine. 

ISP ACES members Trp. Zach Parker and Trp. Matt Harris conducted traffic stops on two vehicles on Bloomington’s south side involved in dealing methamphetamine. 

The first vehicle was operated by Tanner Wessell 26, of Bloomington.  During a search of Wessell’s vehicle, troopers located approximately 50 grams of crystal methamphetamine, along with heroin and a handgun.  

The second vehicle was operated by Daniel Boyer, 24 of Bloomington.  During the search of Boyer’s vehicle, approximately 14 grams of methamphetamine was recovered.  Trooper’s also located 4 firearms in Boyer’s vehicle, two which had been reported stolen.

Both Wessell and Boyer were arrested on dealing and possession of methamphetamine charges.  Both were incarcerated at the Monroe County Jail.

Anyone with illegal drug information is encouraged to contact the Bloomington Indiana State Police Post at 812-332-4411. Your tip can remain anonymous and could save lives!

Under the Law, criminal charges are merely accusations and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Country music superstar Brad Paisley has announced the continuation of his highly successful Weekend Warrior World Tour with dates added in 2018.

The 27-date tour will kick-off on January 25 in Los Angeles at the STAPLES Center and extend through April, with more dates to be added.

The tour will stop at Louisville’s KFC Yum! Center on March 23. Special guests will be RED BOW Records hit-maker Chase Bryant and fast-rising star and multi-instrumentalist Lindsay Ell.

The 2018 Weekend Warrior World Tour is promoted by Concerts West/AEG Presents.  Ticket on-sale information will be released soon.

Brad Paisley is a consummate singer, songwriter, guitarist and entertainer whose talents have earned him numerous awards, including three GRAMMYs, two American Music Awards, 14 Academy of Country Music Awards and 14 Country Music Association Awards (including Entertainer of the Year), among many others.

He has been a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry since 2001. Paisley has written 21 of his 24 #1 hits including his most recent smash, “Today.” The song resonated with fans around the globe with the music video garnering over 43 million views, so far.

“Heaven South” is his current single from his 11^th studio album, LOVE AND WAR, which was released April 21. It is his 9^th consecutive studio album to debut #1 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart. On April 28 LOVE AND WAR was released as country music’s first ever visual album for a limited time exclusively on Apple Music and now is available on VEVO. 

Paisley contributed two instrumental tracks to the Disney·Pixar movie Cars 3, which hit theaters on June 16. He also has a song, “Stubborn Angels,” in the movie Same Kind of Different as Me, in theaters now.

Paisley has partnered with Sarah Cannon, the Cancer Institute of HCA Healthcare, and Sony Music Nashville, by launching 2017 Band Against Cancer. The campaign will spread the word of community-based treatment, options and support.

Sarah Cannon has adopted Paisley’s #1 hit “Today” as the campaign’s 2017 theme song. Paisley has partnered with Boot Barn® and developed an exclusive line of jeans, hats, T-shirts, jewelry, belts and woven shirts called Moonshine Spirit by Brad Paisley. Connect with Brad at www.BradPaisley.com, www.Facebook.com/BradPaisley, on Twitter @BradPaisley, on Instagram @Brad Paisley, and YouTube at YouTube.com/BradPaisley.

For the first time since 2003, the American Heart Association is updating the comprehensive guidelines for blood pressure and hypertension.

According to a release from the AHA, patients with a blood pressure reading of 130/80 should now be considered to have hypertension, or abnormally high blood pressure. Previously, a blood pressure level of 140/90 was the baseline for being diagnosed with hypertension.

The new AHA guidelines for diagnosing hypertension are listed below.

• Normal: Less than 120/80 mm Hg;
• Elevated: Top number (systolic) between 120-129 and bottom number (diastolic) less than 80;
• Stage 1: Systolic between 130-139 or diastolic between 80-89;
• Stage 2: Systolic at least 140 or diastolic at least 90 mm Hg;
• Hypertensive crisis: Top number over 180 and/or bottom number over 120, with patients needing prompt changes in medication if there are no other indications of problems, or immediate hospitalization if there are signs of organ damage.

The new guidelines from the AHA mean that nearly half of all American adults — 46 percent — suffer from hypertension. By the AHA’s old standards, 32 percent of American adults suffered from high blood pressure. 

“We want to be straight with people – if you already have a doubling of risk, you need to know about it,” said Dr. Paul K. Whelton, the lead author of the AHA’s new guidelines. “It doesn’t mean you need medication, but it’s a yellow light that you need to be lowering your blood pressure, mainly with non-drug approaches.”

Dr. Willie Lawrence, for the American Heart Association was a guest on WSLM’s Coffee Club morning show program this morning. In 2011, The AHA named Dr. Lawrence its national Physician of the Year.

Lawrence provided these details:

• High blood pressure accounts for the second-most heart disease and stroke deaths among preventable causes. It’s second only to smoking.
• About 85 million Americans have high blood pressure, but only half have the condition under control
• High blood pressure is a leading risk factor for stroke. It also leads to heart attacks, heart failure, vision problems and even sexual dysfunction.
• High blood pressure prevalence is highest among African Americans, as is stroke prevalence.

Despite an increase in the amount of Americans with high blood pressure, the AHA hopes their new guidelines mean there will be only a small increase in the amount of patients requiring medication. The Association now generally recommends that patients with Stage 1 hypertension only be prescribed medication in the event of a heart attack or stroke, and they’re also recommending that pharmaceutical companies combine multiple blood pressure drugs. 

The AHA also hopes the new guidelines encourage patients to monitor their blood pressure at home, away from a stressful setting like a doctor’s office that can skew a single blood pressure test.

According to the AHA, the new guidelines were developed by 21 science and health experts who reviewed more than 900 published studies.