Delaware County Circuit Court Judge Under Investigation

From the Muncie Star Press:

Delaware Circuit Court 5 Judge Wayne Lennington acknowledged Thursday he is under criminal investigation for his connection to investment properties but denied any wrongdoing.

Lennington, 77 — a local attorney for four decades before his 1998 appointment to the bench — said he was guilty only of associating himself with an Ohio man he now describes as a scam artist.

“I didn’t do nothing except get screwed,” the judge said. Lennington said he believes he is under investigation by Indiana State Police and the Delaware County prosecutor’s office for his business ties to ESS Investments LLC, which is operated by Joseph Gray and chartered out of Westerville, Ohio.

ESS has owned at least five properties on the south side of Muncie and in the northeastside Whiteley neighborhood since 2004. Those five properties account for more than $32,000 in delinquent real estate taxes and city sewage bills, according to the Delaware County treasurer’s office.

…

Lennington said he never had ownership interest in ESS Investments, which despite its Ohio charter maintains a South Carolina address and a disconnected South Carolina phone number.

He admits, however, to lending Gray $20,000 shortly after ESS bought the local houses to finance their restoration.

“I thought we could fix them up and flip them and make some money,” Lennington said, adding most homes went unrestored and he never saw a return on his investment.

Being a gullible investor and knowing a slumlord, however, are not illegal. Instead, evidence suggests investigators are interested in Lennington because of his longtime role as administrator of Delaware County’s tax court.

…

Staci Schneider, a spokesman for Attorney General Steve Carter, would not confirm Thursday night whether their office was conducting an investigation into Lennington, nor would ISP Sgt. Rod Russell, the public information officer for the Redkey post.

Lennington said he never acted improperly as tax sale judge nor did he use his authority for financial gain.

Insurance News

Over the past few days there has been a bunch of insurance news released.  Here are the highlights with, of course, a little commentary:

From the Indy Star:

Thousands of Hoosiers may have to find new doctors if Minnesota-based health benefits provider UnitedHealthcare and Indianapolis-based Community Health Network cannot agree to a new contract.

The current contract expires Feb. 22.  In a joint agreement released Friday, the Community Health and UnitedHealthcare said, “We are still optimistic that a mutually beneficial agreement can be reached before that time.”United is expected to present a proposal to Community this week.

Um HMMM, let be tell you how this usually goes, in my experience.  The insurance company tells the hospital what it will pay, and for which procedures.  The hospital, already sucked to point of barely being able to stay afloat says they just cannot accept the insurance companies unrealistically low rates.  Insurance company says too bad.  Hospital has no other choice but to stop seeing the company’s insured.  Insured get mad, insurance company makes another low ball offer.  Repeat.  When are insurance companies going to realize they cannot continue to suck money from providers, hospitals, and employees to increase their bottom line.

More news before I get too mad

From the Evansville Courier Press:

Health insurer Humana Inc. said profits surged 57 percent in the fourth-quarter thanks to its growing Medicare Advantage business, a lower-than-expected income tax rate and the sale of a venture capital investment.The strong finish Monday capped a record-breaking 2007 for Humana in membership, revenues and profits, eclipsing previous high marks set the prior year….Humana’s net income for the fourth quarter grew to $243.2 million, or $1.43 per share, from $155 million, or 92 cents per share, a year ago. Analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial had expected profit of $1.32 per share.

Then there is this story from the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette about Lincoln National, which does not have a health care line:

Lincoln National Corp. on Monday reported 2007 earnings of $1.21 billion, or $4.43 per diluted share, an 8 percent decrease from the $1.32 billion, or $5.13 per share, posted for 2006. The Philadelphia-based financial services company also reported fourth-quarter earnings of $113 million, or 42 cents per diluted share, a 70 percent plunge from the $381 million, or $1.36 per share.

State Gets 21k Applications for HIP, But…

Yesterday we got news the state received 21,000 applications for the Hoosier Insurance program.  However, and what really matters is, only a fraction of those have been approved.  According to the Fort Wayne News Sentinel:

While the state took 21,101 applications between mid-December and Wednesday, it has processed only 6,198, Roob said. FSSA is meeting the CMS requirement that applications get processed within 45 days, he said.

Of those processed, FSSA has rejected about a fifth for a variety of reasons, including exceeding income limits or eligibility for employer-sponsored plans, Roob said.

Another 3,392 applications, or more than half of those processed, remain pending approval, and Roob said he expects many of those came from applicants with children, since the state requires more paperwork from them.

Only 295 of the applicants have received full approval, and 1,299 others have conditional approval.

FSSA has hired 46 additional people to staff the health plan, , Roob said. The agency expected to enroll only 50,000 people this year.

At this rate, only about 1,800 will be enrolled by the end of the year.  Hope they get those additional people hired soon as there is certainly demand.

American Idol: Amy Davis

Here is the video of Amy Davis, another Hoosier to make it on American Idol:

According to the Northwest Indiana Times,

Davis, a 2000 graduate of Lowell High School and one of the six children of Barry and Jeanette Davis of Cedar Lake, captured the attention of hard-to-please judging panel Paula Abdul, Randy Jackson and Simon Cowell, with her audition performance of “Blue Bayou.” The ballad was written by the late Roy Orbinson and made famous by singer Linda Ronstadt.
…

But along with the international positive recognition, Davis must also wade through the other side of fame: criticism and speculation, especially from the watercooler buzz of the Internet community.

They range from unkind comments about her talent to banter about her choice of a low-cut shirt for her taped audition and references on the FOX “American Idol” blogs about her Hoosier “roots from a lower class upbringing” and scantily clad modeling portfolio photos featured on her MySpace homepage.