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King Sweeps, Matheny Adds to World Championships Debut

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INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana University Swim Club’s (ISC) Lilly King completed her sweep of breaststroke titles on Friday (June 30) at the Phillips 66 National Championships in front of a home crowd inside the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.

King won the 100-meter breaststroke in 1:04.75, her first time under 1:05 since Olympic trials in 2021. King was around six tenths of a second from her world record 1:04.13, set at the 2017 World Championships.

Current IU student-athlete Josh Matheny doubled his duties at the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships this July, qualifying in the 100-meter breaststroke on Friday with a second-place finish. His 59.20 set a personal best, beating his previous 59.44 set in his long course national title a year ago. Matheny previously qualified for his first senior World Championships in the 200-meter event on Wednesday.

Of Indiana’s 10 final swims on Friday, seven were in the 100 breast and  six Hoosiers finished top 13 in that event. Like Matheny, ISC’s Cody Miller also swam under a minute, going 59.85 to finish fourth. Training Partner Annie Lazor (1:07.77) finished sixth in the women’s event, while IU juniors Maxwell Reich (1:00.88) and Jassen Yep (1:01.08) placed 10th and 13th, respectively, for the men.

Breaststroke U completed a dominant week at the long course championships, collecting five world qualifying bids, six medals and 10 top-10 finishes between the three distances.

Saturday (July 1) marks the final day of the Phillips 66 National Championships in Indianapolis. The women’s 1,500-meter freestyle, men’s 800-yard freestyle, 200-yard individual medley and 50-yard freestyle will be contested on the final day.

The world of llamas according to Evelyn, their 10-year-old muse and master

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By Kayla Barlow, TheStatehouseFile.com

A concrete floor littered with hay. A cacophony of animal sounds. Scents of livestock and manure mingled with the familiar fair smells of deep-fried dough. All of these set the backdrop for one of the Indiana State Fair’s main attractions: llamas.

With their thick, wooly coats, long necks, tall ears, and thick, long lashes, llama showings are a treat for many fairgoers.

And they aren’t just a fun hobby—llama showing is actually saving the llamas population. According to a recent agriculture census, llamas are dwindling in number due to climate change and declining interest, but llama breeders and the industry that supports them are helping ensure that the llamas continue to thrive. 

At the head of the pack is 4-H, the largest youth development organization in America, which 

runs llama and alpaca programs across the U.S. 

But at the fair, Evelyn Arlean Matthew runs the show. For Evelyn, a precocious 10-year-old overflowing with vivacity, llamas and llama showings is something she’s known all her life. 

“Well, my great aunt and uncle, they kind of like—they’re the really big things in all of the llama community. They kind of started the llama showing in this area, and it just became really, really big,” said Evelyn.

Fast forward to present day, Evelyn has been showing llamas for three years and has become a queen of the stalls in her own right. Her stall is bejeweled by her spoils—a royal purple and gold ribbon, a silver suitcase, and a navy blue banner, all awards inscribed with the rankings she won this weekend: Reserve Champion 4-H Showman, Champion Junior and Grand Champion (respectively). 

Every good queen needs her steed. For Evelyn, it’s a llama named Cru. A social, beautifully majestic llama covered in a skewbald coat of luscious wavy brown, black and white wool, Cru boasted a bedazzled head harness covered in shiny pink jewels. 

“For classes like culture and showmanship, you want to be fancy because you’re showing off your llama and showing off how well you can do,” Evelyn said of his crown-like harness.

Just like the harness, Cru himself loves to put on a show, and he’s learned a variety of tricks thanks to Evelyn’s teaching—sidestepping over poles, walking through water, walking with a pack on its back, and more. 

“I like jumping because when he does a high jump he flies through the air and that’s really cool,” Evelyn said. “I like backing through a tunnel, it’s more of a complicated one … It’s fun to just kind of get through there.” 

Obstacles aren’t the only thing that Evelyn and Cru have to get through. They have to get through his snack addiction as well. 

“[Cru], he likes to eat a lot. He’s kind of chunky and so, sometimes there’s leaves on the poles, and he tries to eat those, so I always have to watch out for that, make it have a tight lead, and that takes off a couple of points, but you don’t want him to eat the leaves, so I gotta work on that one.” 

As much as Evelyn is helping Cru with his snacking, she said that he’s helped her too. 

“I’m going to be in fifth grade. It’s going to be a big change because you don’t have one singular classroom, and you don’t have a teacher to walk you to your classes, and there’s a five-minute passing period.” 

But thanks to Cru, Evelyn is prepared for any llama questions. “When they ask questions about llamas, I’ll be like, ‘I know, I know!’” 

Cru has helped her outside of school as well.

“There’s been times when—OK, it may be a little silly, but I went to the orthodontist appointment, or to the dentist. I’m not too big of a fan of it because I have a lot of stuff going on with my teeth, I have braces … So when my heart gets racing, I can just imagine that Cru is with me helping me get through this, and it goes fine.”

As an added bonus, working with Cru has helped her gain confidence.

“When I’m getting ready to show, when I walk into that first class, I want to be really focused and make sure that I’m presenting my llama good, and that helps my confidence because it’s also good to have confidence in a class. Judges like that, so that’s definitely helped me.”

A positive outlook has helped her, too.

“You know, I always gotta remind myself, ‘You’re not gonna win every single time.’ And also, I can learn from what I’ve done wrong, so it’s kind of helpful.”

Even when she doesn’t get the ranking she wants from judges, a hug from Cru never fails to get her spirits up.

“Sometimes, I walk into the stall and he sees me and his ears go up and he runs to me and I can hug him, and it just makes me really happy, “ Evelyn said. “Or my family can calm me down or, if my cousin got a higher ranking than me, that can get me really, really excited!”

Because Evelyn has seen firsthand how happy llamas can make her, she is excited to share her love for llamas with others to share that happiness.

“Llamas can be a therapy animal, so you can go to nursing homes,” said Evelyn. “I’ve brought him to a parade, and we were going to go to a nursing home, but that’s when COVID hit, and we haven’t found the time since, but I’ll probably do that at least someday.”

She can’t wait for the day she gets to share the joy of llamas with her school, too.

“I’ve brought my ferret to school, but I haven’t brought my llama … yet.”

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

 

FOOTNOTE:  EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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Booked Last 24 Hours

Vanderburgh County Crash Report

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Crash Report

 IDEM issues statewide Air Quality Action Day for ozone on Friday

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INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) has forecasted another statewide Air Quality Action Day (AQAD) for ozone for Friday, June 30.

Note: IDEM forecasts are based, solely or in part, on data from air quality monitors located throughout the state. IDEM encourages residents to heed the forecast. Air quality information for all Indiana counties can be found at SmogWatch.IN.gov. 

Some municipalities have additional open burning restrictions on AQADs. For more information, see idem.IN.gov/openburning/laws-and-rules.

Hoosiers are encouraged to visit SmogWatch.IN.gov to view current and forecasted conditions and subscribe to email alerts.

IDEM encourages everyone to help reduce PM2.5 by making changes to daily habits. You can:

  • Carpool or use public transportation.
  • Avoid using the drive-through and combine errands into one trip.
  • Turn off engines instead of idling for long periods of time.
  • Avoid using gas-powered equipment.
  • Conserve energy by turning off lights and setting the air conditioner to a higher setting;
  • Use propane gas instead of charcoal when grilling outdoors;
  • Reminder: Indiana’s open burning laws make it illegal to burn trash and generally prohibit open burning, visit IN.gov/openburning for more information.

Air Quality Action Days are in effect from midnight to 11:59 p.m. on the specified date. Anyone sensitive to changes in air quality may be affected when ozone levels are high. Children, the elderly, and anyone with heart or lung conditions should reduce or avoid exertion and heavy work outdoors.

Ground-level ozone is formed when sunlight and hot weather combine with vehicle exhaust, factory emissions, and gasoline vapors. Ozone in the upper atmosphere blocks ultraviolet radiation, but ozone near the ground is a lung irritant that can cause coughing and breathing difficulties for sensitive populations.

IDEM examines weather patterns and current ozone readings to make daily air quality forecasts. Air Quality Action Days generally occur when weather conditions such as light winds, hot and dry air, stagnant conditions, and lower atmospheric inversions trap pollutants close to the ground. To learn more about ozone or to sign up for air quality alerts, visit SmogWatch.IN.gov.

Neglect of Dependent Arrest 100 blk Althaus Ave.

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 On June 28th, around 5:20 p.m., Evansville Police Officers were dispatched to a residence in the 100 block of Althaus Ave. in reference to a medical emergency. The reporter told arriving officers that she arrived at the babysitter’s house and found her three children unconscious inside the house. 

The officers entered the residence and began to render aid to the children, ages 8, 9, and 15-years old, until AMR arrived. The younger children regained consciousness while they were still at the residence but were stumbling and falling down. While officers were inside the residence attending to the victims, they observed orange pill capsules, which were broken in half, with powdery substance on the upstairs bedroom dresser. This is where the 15-year-old had been located unconscious. 

All three children were transported to a local hospital for further treatment. Once at the hospital, the 15-year-old did regain consciousness. 

The children told detectives that their babysitter, Deana Byrd, gave them pills. Byrd also showed them how to break the pills open and snort them. The children also told detectives that they each ingested about 3-4 pills each of the three different types of pills. 

The reporter told officers that she dropped her three children off at Byrd’s residence around 10:30 p.m. on June 27th so they could stay the night with Byrd. Byrd was supposed to watch them until she got off work around 5:00 p.m. on June 28th. The reporter said when she arrived at Byrd’s house to pick up the children, Byrd was sitting on her porch and seemed impaired. She walked in the house and started yelling for her children. None of them responded and she got nervous. She ran through the house and found all three of her children unresponsive and called 911. 

Detectives secured a judicially signed Search Warrant for Byrd’s residence. They located a 

prescription pill bottle for Adderall on the dresser next to the orange pill capsule with the powdery substance. A prescription pill bottle for Klonopin and another prescription bottle for Lyrica were also located. The Lyrica pill bottle contained the same orange pill capsules that were observed on the dresser. Three loose Klonopin pills were found in Byrd’s coin purse. 

Adderall is a Schedule II controlled substance, Klonopin is a Schedule IV controlled substance, and Lyrica is a Schedule V controlled substance. These prescription pill bottles were found to belong to other individuals who were not at the residence and Byrd did not have permission to have them. 

Byrd told detectives that she did not know what had happened to the children, but did admit that it was possible that they got into some of her pills. While speaking with detectives, Byrd was lethargic, spoke softly and slowly, and slurred her speech. She appeared to be impaired. Detectives were granted a judicially signed search warrant for a sample of Byrd’s blood. She was transported to a local hospital for a blood draw and jail clearance before she was transported to the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center. 

Byrd’s charges include three counts of Neglect of a Dependent resulting in Serious Bodily Injury, Dealing a Schedule I/II/III Controlled Substance, Dealing a Schedule IV Substance, Dealing a Schedule V Controlled Substance, and two counts of Theft. 

CenterPoint Energy assessing damage and working to restore power

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CenterPoint Energy assessing damage and working to restore power after severe weather impacts southwestern Indiana

  • Severe weather caused significant widespread damage to the company’s electric system
  • Crews working around the clock to complete system damage assessment and restore service to impacted customers as safely and quickly as possible
  • Remaining impacted customers should plan to be without power overnight as severe weather continues to impact the area

Evansville – June 29, 2023 – Following today’s severe weather that impacted CenterPoint Energy’s southwestern Indiana territory, the company’s electric system experienced extensive damage resulting in outages peaking at nearly 17,000 customers. As severe weather continues to move through the area, it will impact the progress of repairs stemming from this morning’s severe weather and cause additional outages.

Assessments of CenterPoint Energy’s electric system are ongoing. Crews will work overnight to continue restoring power to impacted customers, tackling widespread damage to poles, cross arms, downed wires and trees. However, due to expected high winds throughout the night, the outage count is likely to fluctuate. As of 9 p.m., there were approximately 13,000 electric customers without power.

“We will continue our system damage assessments overnight, and we ask our customers for patience as restoration estimates may fluctuate due to severe weather impacting the area throughout the night,” said Richard Leger, Senior Vice President, of Indiana Electric at CenterPoint Energy.

CenterPoint Energy reminds customers to remain safe and remember:

  • Stay at least 35 feet away from downed power lines and report them to CenterPoint Energy at 800-227-1376. Be especially mindful of downed lines that could be hidden and treat all downed lines as if they are energized.
  • Flood waters can be hazardous. Always use extreme care when stepping into flooded areas.
  • Be cautious around work crews and give them distance to assess damages and make repairs.
  • If your power is out, don’t open freezers and refrigerators any more than absolutely necessary. Opening these appliances will allow food to thaw more quickly.
  • If you smell natural gas, get to a safe area and call both 911 and CenterPoint Energy at 800-227-1376.

For the latest information on power outages*:

*Please note: Restoration times may be delayed as crews continue to assess damages.

 

Letter To Editor: What will we do when the CCP takes Taiwan?

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What will we do when the CCP takes Taiwan?

Freedom, Indiana – June 29 2023, Andrew Horning, seeking the Libertarian Party of Indiana’s nomination for Indiana’s US Senate seat in 2024, made the following statement regarding our dangerous, pivotal time:

After my decades of appeals through columns, Op-eds, protests and political campaigns, about the bipartisan (meaning only two unconstitutional parties), pandemic, and destructive corruption of our government, I’m glad that at least a little of this existential problem is starting to emerge from behind the major media veil.  …At least with puppets like Biden and bit-players like the FBI.

But the depth and length of our system-wide corruption have left us in a fragile, overextended, indebted, self-deceived and precarious state, at a very bad time.  Our collective inattention and torpor has caused a number of serious problems that need attention.  For example, the CCP is moving stepwise and relentlessly against Taiwan  What are we going to do about it?

Ever since the Carter administration canceled the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty (SAMDT) with Taiwan (formally the Republic of China – ROC), there has been no formal agreement to defend Taiwan from takeover by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) that rules the People’s Republic of China (PRC).  Officially, since recognizing the PRC and de-recognizing the ROC in 1979, the USA supports a “One China” policy, with no regard toward the ROC’s existence as a sovereign nation.  NATO only unofficially treats the ROC as a “major non-NATO ally” as defined in the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961.  Ukraine was never given even this status by NATO, yet much of the world is assisting the legendarily corrupt Ukraine both financially and militarily in our insane proxy war against Russia.  And much of the world depends upon the ROC’s semiconductor industry for both civilian and military purposes.  Russia has been losing population, resources, and strength for some time, while China has been very cleverly winning a war of subversion and dissipation against the USA since at least 2012.  Yes, China has lots of internal problems.  So does Russia.  And so do we.

However, the PRC wants Taiwan, and they mean to take it as their own.  What’s our calculus now?

Generations ago the USA abandoned Jefferson’s “peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none.”  It’s no secret that the USA is backing away from Social Security and Medicare obligations.  We are internally fragmented by a crony network veiled by the two-sock puppet show called the Two-Party System.  We are nearly paralyzed in a cultural, psychological, and moral hot mess that’s tearing even our families and societal support organizations apart.

It’s not true that the USA spent the USSR to collapse under President Reagan.  It is quite true, however, that we’re spending and spreading ourselves toward calamitous dissolution.  This will end badly if we don’t control ourselves.

So, what can we do when the PRC takes the ROC?  We could collapse.  Empires always crumble.  Our endless asymmetrical wars and cultural disintegration have made us weak in ways we clearly do not see.

Maybe, we can do nothing.

We need national defense.  Not the global meddling with the CIA and regular military fighting each other worldwide that has become our literal stock in crony trade.  Real, serious, constitutional defense of what’s both important and possible, even now.

Ask me how.

Liberty or Bust!

Andy Horning

Freedom, Indiana

horningforsenate.com/

 

UE Announces Hiring of Evansville Promise Neighborhood Leadership Team

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UE Announces Hiring of Evansville Promise Neighborhood Leadership Team

JUNE 30. 2023

EVANSVILLE, IND. (06/29/2023) The University of Evansville (UE) has announced the hiring of five full-time employees including a director to lead the Evansville Promise Neighborhood team. In March, UE announced the receipt of a $30 million federal grant program through the United States Department of Education (DOE) that will establish the Evansville’s Promise Neighborhood (EPN). UE was part of a new cohort founded this year and one of only three Neighborhoods in the nation to be awarded in 2023.

In recent months, UE’s Center for Innovation & Change, where the Promise employees will be housed, together with the Promise Neighborhood partners, dedicated significant efforts to procuring applications and conducting interviews for potential candidates. UE is delighted to extend a warm welcome to these new additions who have joined our family.

“We are confident that these new team members will play a pivotal role in advancing our mission and making a meaningful difference in the lives of our community,” said UE President Christopher Pietruszkiewicz. “Their expertise and passion for community development will greatly contribute to the success of the Evansville Promise Neighborhood. I’m looking forward to seeing the positive impact this project will have on our community, fostering opportunities for education, growth, and prosperity.”

Director – Derek McKillop

McKillop is the immediate past Director of Community Learning Centers for the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation. He brings a wide range of knowledge on how to leverage federal grant opportunities for the youth, how to manage resources in a way that builds capacity, and how to lead by empowering the people he serves. McKillop has been a core team member on several EPN applications. He received his bachelor’s degree in Business from the University of Strathclyde in Scotland, with graduate training from Harvard in building partnerships for equity, justice, and student success.

Program Coordinator – Lisa Allen

Allen joins us with a wealth of experience and a service-oriented mindset. Previously serving as an Employment Specialist for Work One Southwest in Evansville, Allen’s well-connected nature and empathetic approach will be instrumental in coordinating programs and managing calendars. She has been actively involved in various neighborhood organizations such as Head Start, Catholic Charities, Job Works, and Youth Build. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Southern Indiana.

Marketing Coordinator – Irais Ibarra

Ibarra just graduated from the University of Evansville with a bachelor’s degree in Marketing. She brings a great deal of experience in innovative marketing techniques as the former Chief Executive Officer of Embrace Marketing Agency, a student-run ChangeLab at UE. Embrace has worked with Jacobsville Advantage, Gayla Cakes, Foster Care in the U.S., and many other Promise Neighborhood organizations and partners. This work helped her develop a passion for serving nonprofits, and we’re thrilled to keep one of UE’s best and brightest right here in our community.

Data & Program Evaluation Manager – Dr. Stephanie Doneske

Dr. Doneske, a research scientist and PhD-trained chemical engineer, brings a unique blend of expertise to the team. Previously, she taught math and chemistry in the local school system while working at a biotech start-up in Houston. Driven by a passion for community improvement and a deep love for learning, we are confident she will be an exceptional partner for our data team at UE and with Diehl Consulting.

Grant Accountant – Renee Heil

Heil, previously the Finance and Operations Senior Manager for Junior Achievement, joins us as the Grant Accountant. With her master’s degree in Accountancy and proven ability to ask the right questions and develop effective solutions, she will be an invaluable asset in managing the funds necessary to complete the work of the Promise Neighborhood.

The Center for Innovation & Change will be working hard to onboard these team members through the next month. All employees are expected to begin by August 1.

The aim of the Promise Neighborhood funding is to assist children and youth who are growing up in Promise Neighborhoods, providing them with access to outstanding schools as well as robust family and community support systems. These resources will help prepare them to achieve academic excellence, make the transition to college, and, ultimately, embark on a successful career.

Headshots of the new team members are attached.

To learn more about the Evansville Promise Neighborhood, please visit evansville.edu/PromiseNeighborhood.

The University of Evansville is a private, comprehensive university located in the southwestern region of Indiana. Established in 1854, UE is recognized across the globe for its rich tradition of innovative, academic excellence and vibrant campus community of changemakers.

Home of the Purple Aces, UE offers over 75 majors, 17 Division I sports, and a unique study abroad experience at Harlaxton College, a Victorian manor located in the countryside of the United Kingdom. For more information, please visit evansville.edu.

 

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