Franken-Flowers & Vase-Ensteins Exhibition To Be On Display At USI New Harmony Gallery Of Contemporary Art
The University of Southern Indiana’s New Harmony Gallery of Contemporary Art (NHGCA) is proud to present Franken-Flowers & Vase-Ensteins, a group exhibition showcasing a class project from the 2023 Spring Semester advanced ceramics courses.
Franken-Flowers & Vase-Ensteins is open now through July 29, featuring a reception from 4-6 p.m. Saturday, July 8 at the NHGCA. Gallery hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
“USI students in Ceramics 2, 3, 4 and 489 began this project by each creating a variety of vessel shapes, neck shapes, and handles or sculptural accessories. They then collaborated on putting the parts together to create a variety of vase forms,†said Al Holen, Associate Professor of Ceramics. “The construction took place under ‘Top Chef’ style time limits, so decisions and building took place quickly. After the ‘Vase-Ensteins’ were complete, students studied their creations and took inspiration from them. These inspirations were used in their individual vase creations.”
In Franken-Flowers & Vase-Ensteins, whimsy and experimentation run the gambit. Through the collaboration of students, different aesthetics combine to create unexpected and dynamic ceramic works of art.
Artists included in the exhibition are Ashley Banks, Delaney Bigler, Emma Eaton, Elizabeth Garland, Al Holen, Katie Holloway, Ryan Huck, Lisa Ryan-Hutton, Summer Skelton, Shyanne Steward, Jaeda Thomason and Jade Young.
NHGCA is dedicated to enhancing the experiences of students through an artist-run exhibition space in the Back Gallery (BG). BG Projects at NHGCA allows students to exhibit, experiment and/or curate within a working contemporary art gallery setting. Through exhibition and curatorial strategies, students can envision new possibilities for collaborations and their art practice.
NHGCA promotes discourse about and access to contemporary art in the Southern Indiana region.
YOUTH TOBACCO SURVEY REPORTS DECLINES IN COMMERCIAL TOBACCO, E-CIGARETTE USE, BUT CONCERNS REMAIN
INDIANAPOLIS — The 2022 Indiana Youth Tobacco survey (IYTS), released Tuesday, shows that youth commercial tobacco use among Hoosiers is the lowest measured in the past two decades, and e-cigarette usage is the lowest since 2012. However, even though fewer youth are using tobacco products, the frequent use of e-cigarettes is higher than previous years, the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) reported.
The IYTS is a biennial survey that is representative of Indiana public school students and collects data from students in grades 6 to 12 regarding all types of tobacco use, exposure to secondhand smoke, access to tobacco products, knowledge and attitudes, media and advertising, school curriculum and tobacco cessation. More than 2,900 high school students and more than 2,500 middle school students participated in the 2022 survey.
Over 1 in 10 high school students (10.5 percent) and 1 in 30 middle school students (3.3 percent) in Indiana reported current tobacco product use in the 2022 survey. Of those who currently used tobacco, about one-fourth of middle school students (24.6 percent) and one-third of high school students (30.6 percent) reported using more than one tobacco product.
The majority of youth who used tobacco in the past 30 days – 64.7 percent of middle school youth and 74.5 percent of high school youth – reported using flavored tobacco products.
“We are pleased to see that overall tobacco use is lower among Indiana youth, which is the same pattern being observed nationally,†said State Health Commissioner Lindsay Weaver, M.D., FACEP. “But it is concerning that the majority of students who use tobacco reported using flavored tobacco, including menthol. We know that flavors increase the appeal of tobacco products to youth, promote youth initiation, and can contribute to lifelong tobacco use.â€
E-cigarette rates were also lower than in previous years, with 9.2 percent of high schoolers and 2.2 percent of middle schoolers reporting current use. However, e-cigarettes were still the most commonly used tobacco product among Indiana youth in 2022. The rate of frequent e-cigarette use (20 or more of the past 30 days) was higher than previous years and was 44 percent among high school students who currently used e-cigarettes. Additionally, among youth who have never used e-cigarettes, approximately 20 percent of middle school and high school youth were deemed susceptible to future tobacco product experimentation or use based on responses to specific survey questions.  “Indiana has been vigilant about addressing youth tobacco use on many fronts, from schools and parents to local and state public health organizations,†said Miranda Spitznagle, director of Tobacco Prevention and Cessation at the Indiana Department of Health. “We hope these entities can continue working together to ensure all Hoosier youth have access to free services to help them quit and to all the same protections from commercial tobacco to make sure they never start.â€
The IYTS found that Indiana youth who use tobacco and e-cigarette products are interested in quitting. Among youth who currently used tobacco, 74.6 percent of middle school students and 55.9 percent of high school students made at least one quit attempt in the past year. Similarly, among youth who currently used e-cigarettes, 66.7 percent of middle school students and 53.9 percent of high school students made a quit attempt.
Programs and free resources are available to Indiana parents and educators. Young Hoosiers who are interested in quitting e-cigarettes can text INDIANA to 873373. Parents, educators and healthcare providers can visit in.gov/vapefreeindiana for more information and resources to help young people quit or never start using tobacco products.
Indiana State Police Trooper Struck and Killed During Pursuit in Hendricks County
(Hendricks County, IN)- The Indiana State Police is mourning the loss of one of its own tonight as a result of a vehicle crash incident which occurred this afternoon on Ronald Reagan Parkway, north of I-70. The crash claimed the life of Trooper Aaron N. Smith, 33 years of age from Franklin, IN, who served with the Indiana State Police for nearly five years.
The preliminary investigation by the Indiana State Police indicates that at approximately 8:40 p.m. this evening, Trooper Smith was assisting other troopers on Ronald Reagan Parkway with a pursuit of a stolen vehicle.
Trooper Smith attempted to de-escalate that vehicle pursuit by deploying stop sticks. Trooper Smith was struck by the suspect vehicle and critically injured. Emergency medical care was rendered at the scene, and he was rushed to Eskenazi Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Trooper Smith is survived by his wife. Family notifications have been made.
“This is a tremendously sad day for the entire Indiana State Police family. We will band together as we always do in support of Trooper Smith’s family, friends and co-workersâ€, said Indiana State Police Superintendent Douglas G. Carter.
The suspect driver involved in this incident, along with an adult and juvenile passenger were all transported to Indianapolis hospitals for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.
This is still an ongoing investigation. All findings will be turned over to the Hendricks County Prosecutor for review and determination of any further charges that may be filed.
The Indiana State Police was assisted at the scene by the Plainfield Police Department, Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, Plainfield Fire Department, and Troopers from neighboring Indiana State Police Putnamville Post.
No additional information is available for release at this time.
Breaststroke U Flexes as King, Matheny Qualify for World Championships
INDIANAPOLIS — Lilly King and Josh Matheny punched their tickets to the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships on Wednesday (June 28) and four swimmers with ties to the Indiana swimming and diving program finished top 10 in the 200-meter breaststroke at the Phillips 66 National Championships inside the Indiana University Natatorium in Indianapolis.
In the women’s event, King and Indiana Swim Club training partner Annie Lazor came in as the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds, respectively, after prelims. The 2020 Olympic medalists reached another podium together as King held off Virginia’s Kate Douglass with the second-fastest time of her career, a 2:20.95. Lazor took bronze in 2:25.86.
King will look to defend her 200 breast world crown after she became the first American swimmer to win a career treble of golds in the 50-100-200 of any stroke at the long course world championships a year ago in Budapest. She remains the second-fastest American ever in the event with her 2:19.92 at the Tokyo Olympics.
Josh Matheny broke Cody Miller’s 200-meter breaststroke program record with a 2:08.32 swim to finish in second place in the men’s race. As the runner-up, he also clinched a spot in USA Swimming’s roster for World Championships, his first time making a senior roster for world championships. Matheny won the event at the 2019 World Junior Championships before joining Indiana in 2021.
Moments before, teammate Jassen Yep set his second lifetime best of the day and won the B final to place ninth nationally.
King and Matheny join a growing list of Hoosiers qualified for the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships. Divers Andrew Capobianco, Jessica Parratto and Maxwell Weinrich will also represent Team USA. Mariah Denigan has clinched a spot on the USA Swimming Open Water National Team and associated head coach Cory Chitwood will serve as assistant coach for that discipline. Additionally, international swimmers Marwan Elkamash (Egypt), Tomer Frankel (Israel), Ching Hwee Gan (Singapore), Ahmed Hafnaoui (Tunisia) and Rafael Miroslaw (Germany) have all qualified for their respective national teams.
The Phillips 66 National Championships continue through Saturday (July 1) in Indianapolis as the Hoosiers look to add more cream and crimson to the Team USA roster. Through two days at the meet, Hoosiers have collected 14 personal bests and 26 Olympic Trial cuts.
EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT
FOOTNOTE: Â EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Braun & Hawley slam Biden admin for failure to release all info on COVID-19 origins, demand a full report
Braun & Hawley slam Biden admin for failure to release all info on COVID-19 origins, demand a full report
WASHINGTON — Today U.S. Senators Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Mike Braun (R-Ind.) sent a letter to Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines, after the Director and the Biden Administration failed to comply with the Senators’ COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023, by releasing an incomplete report on the origins of COVID-19 well beyond the statutory deadline. The Senators demanded that Director Haines provide a new, complete report including any and all information pertaining to the origins of COVID-19, within seven days.
“On March 20, President Biden signed the COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023, which we introduced in the Senate to help get to the truth about China and COVID-19,” the Senators wrote. “That law required the Director of National Intelligence to ‘declassify any and all information’ relating to links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of COVID-19. It also required that you ‘submit to Congress’ all of this information ‘not later than 90 days’ after the law’s enactment. You failed to comply with both requirements.”
They continued, “You—and the rest of the Administration—appear to be refusing to provide information about China’s role in and responsibility for the COVID-19 pandemic in order to avoid upsetting Beijing. We invite you to try again. Within 7 business days, provide to Congress documentation that fully complies with the letter of the law to disclose ‘any and all information’ related to the origins of COVID-19 and a lab leak with minimal redactions.”
On Monday, March 20, 2023, President Biden signed into law Senator Hawley’s COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023. It was re-introduced in February of this year and unanimously passed in the Senate that same week. The bill was originally introduced in April 2021 and unanimously passed the Senate in May 2021.
Read the full letter here or below.
June 27, 2023
The Honorable Avril Haines
Director of National Intelligence
Office of the Director of National Intelligence
Washington, D.C. 20511
Dear Director Haines:
On March 20, President Biden signed the COVID-19 Origin Act of 2023, which we introduced in the Senate to help get to the truth about China and COVID-19. That law required the Director of National Intelligence to “declassify any and all information†relating to links between the Wuhan Institute of Virology and the origin of COVID-19. It also required that you “submit to Congress†all of this information “not later than 90 days†after the law’s enactment.
You failed to comply with both requirements. The deadline was June 18, 2023. Well past the statutory deadline, your office published a declassified report after business hours on June 23. And the report itself was a paltry five pages of information, plus a cover page and appendix. Obviously, the U.S. government is in possession of more information than that. This half-baked effort falls woefully short of the statutory requirements and undermines congressional intent.
Your failure to comply with the law is especially worrisome in light of recent events. The Biden administration, including ODNI, has exhibited a concerning level of deference towards China, including obfuscating the extent of China’s intelligence cooperation with Cuba and downplaying the seriousness of China’s intelligence collection activities over U.S. airspace. You—and the rest of the Administration—appear to be refusing to provide information about China’s role in and responsibility for the COVID-19 pandemic in order to avoid upsetting Beijing.
We invite you to try again. Within 7 business days, provide to Congress documentation that fully complies with the letter of the law to disclose “any and all information†related to the origins of COVID-19 and a lab leak with minimal redactions. If you fail to do so, we would welcome your testimony before Congress on this matter so you may answer questions under oath. The American people deserve to know the truth about China’s role in the origins of COVID-19.
Sincerely,
Josh Hawley
United States Senator
Mike Braun
United States Senator