Here's what Mayor Winnecke said in his final State of the City

EVANSVILLE — A large portion of Mayor Lloyd Winnecke's final state of the city address was focused on the tragedies the Evansville community has dealt with in the last year and half of his tenure.

Winnecke reflected on the active shooter at Evansville's West Side Walmart, the Weinbach Avenue home explosion and the city's two major warehouse fires. Those events, and the work of first responders, led a speech that also highlighted city infrastructure plans and parks.

Winnecke has around 270 days left in office after deciding not to run for a fourth term as mayor. A new mayor will be elected in November and take over on Jan. 1, 2024.

More: Evansville's May 2023 primary election: What to know about early voting

Winnecke responds to a year of tragedies

Shortly before 10 p.m. on Jan. 19, a former Walmart employee entered Evansville's West Side location with a gun.

An employee meeting was set to take place around that time, and workers were already gathering in the breakroom. Ronald Ray Mosley II then entered the room and ordered employees to line up against a wall, holding them at gunpoint, Evansville police spokeswoman Sgt. Anna Gray later said.

Mosley then shot a female Walmart employee in the head, according to police. She was carried to safety by her coworkers, who used a shirt to apply pressure to her wound.

In what were his first public comments about the Walmart shooting, Winnecke told the crowd he met EPD Chief Billy Bolin at police headquarters around 45 minutes after the first 911 call. They were watching body camera footage before officers even returned from the scene, he said.

The crowd watched body camera video, listened to 911 calls, saw drone footage and bits of Winnecke's own interviews with local first responders as he moved on to detail the events of the Aug. 10, 2022, Weinbach Avenue house explosion.

When the home at 1010 N. Weinbach Ave., exploded, it killed three people and damaged dozens of nearby homes and businesses. According to the fire marshal, investigators discovered a "leaking gas line in the basement of the home." The explosion, which was captured on video, launched debris at least 100 feet into the air.

The blast killed Charles Hite, 43, Martina Hite, 37, and Jessica Teague, 29, all of Evansville. The Indiana State Fire Marshal ruled the explosion accidental, though an ignition source could not conclusively identified.

In discussing the work of Evansville Vanderburgh County Central Dispatch, Winnecke highlighted their handling of multiple calls on two separate warehouse fires, months apart, that destroyed Evansville buildings.

A warehouse fire that ripped through the former Hercules Buggy Works on Morton Avenue sent a huge plume of black smoke towering over Evansville. Even though it was quickly kept from spreading, it ultimately burned for days.

That fire started just before 5 a.m. Oct. 17, 2022, and hit several buildings. About "every truck in the city" responded to the blaze, EFD Deputy Chief Mike Larson said around the time of the fire. It was days before investigators were able to get inside.

The second fire started on New Year's Eve. It was ultimately determined to have been an "electrical accident." The fire in the 1400 and 1500 blocks of North Garvin Street erupted around 10 a.m. on Dec. 31, 2022, covering large sections of the city in black smoke.

"Let me be clear, we have remarkably skilled public safety agencies," Winnecke said. "Each of which performs at exceptional levels in the most dangerous and highly scrutinized situations."

Growth and development

Winnecke spent the rest of his 12th and final state of the city cataloging several projects that remain in the works, such as development at the now-cratered former spot of the Old National Bank tower and the controversial pickleball courts the city is eyeing for Wesselman Park.

The pickleball proposal has brought scores of detractors to multiple meetings over several months. A City Council proposal could stop the courts from moving forward, but Winnecke has already said that if it's passed, he plans to veto it.

"I’m exceptionally proud of our administration’s commitment to infrastructure," Winnecke said. "Investment in this area is a sign of progress, and, of course, some inconvenience."

Walnut Street

• Phase II of the Walnut Street Connector also came up. This portion of the path extends east from Weinbach to Vann Avenue, continues north on Vann and ties into the pedestrian bridge over the expressway toward Roberts Park. This phase is about halfway done and should finish this year.

• Phase III of the project, from U.S. 41 to Martin Luther, King, Jr. Boulevard, should have some portions under construction early this summer. The entire project will complete in 2025.

U.S. 41 pedestrian bridge

Winnecke said final design work is almost finished, and the project will be out for bid in May. The pedestrian bridge renderings were first announced at the 2022 State of the City.

Sunrise Pump Station

Winnecke announced the cascade at the Sunrise Pump Station, and the greenway near the cascade, will open April 17.

Fifth and Main

The current administration is focused on breaking ground on new developments at Fifth and Main before the end of the year, Winnecke said.

Project plans have changed to include more apartments and less commercial space, along with underground parking and a park at the corner of Fourth and Main.

The developer is now working on construction drawings, which should take six to eight months, Winnecke said.

Additional projects

Highlights of other long-awaited parks projects included the Sunset Skate Park on the Evansville Riverfront, as well as an updated master plan for the Parks and Recreation Department.

Through help from the approved parks bond of about $10 million, updates are being planned for Garvin Park, Wesselman Park, the Four Freedoms Monument and more.

A final song

All the attendees were given their own key to the city, made out of chocolate, as they heard the EVSC Honors Choir sing a song prior to Winnecke's closing remarks.

"As we conclude today, please know that it has truly been my highest professional honor to serve as our city’s 34th mayor," he said.

Winnecke, visibly emotional, said he'd enjoyed the "collaborating, debating and dreaming."

"We have much work to complete and much to start for a new mayor to oversee," he said. "I’m confident, that as you have embraced our leadership style and vision, that you will be equally supportive of my successor when she comes before you next year."

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Here's what Mayor Winnecke said in his final State of the City