University of Evansville Hosts Transylvanian Students for American Educational and Cultural Experience through Gimi2US
EVANSVILLE, IND. The University of Evansville (UE) is proud to serve as an academic partner with Gimi2US for its American Educational and Cultural Experience, an immersive exchange program that brings 26 Transylvanian high school students from Tamasi Aron Gimnazium, Romania to the United States for a two-week educational and cultural journey. Taking place from April 3 to April 18, 2025, the program is designed to provide students with firsthand experiences in American high schools, university-level learning, and cultural engagement in Evansville, Indianapolis, Indiana, and Chicago, Illinois.
Coordinated by UE alumna, Anna Gergely, in partnership with Gimi2US in Romania and three Evansville high schools-Evansville Day School, North High School, and Reitz Memorial High School-this initiative encourages international academic collaboration, cross-cultural exchange, and growth for all participants.
During their 10-day stay in Evansville, Transylvanian students will be welcomed into local host families, providing them with an authentic look at American daily life. They will attend high school classes, engage in extracurricular activities, and participate in hands-on educational workshops at the University of Evansville. Through interactive sessions, students will explore innovative academic programs, gain insight into future college opportunities while experiencing language immersion. In addition, visits to local factories, American cultural workshops, and exposure to sports traditions will further enrich their understanding of American society.
“For the participating American students and faculty, this initiative offers a valuable opportunity for cross-cultural engagement and academic enrichment,” said Catie Taylor, Senior Associate Director of Admission. “By welcoming Transylvanian students into our schools and homes, we can gain a deeper understanding of international perspectives, fostering meaningful relationships and developing essential intercultural competencies.”
Life’s two certain truths: death and taxes
As tax season looms and Hoosiers reflect on life’s certainties, Attorney General Todd Rokita and Indiana’s favorite ghoul, Sammy Terry, are reminding residents that while death and taxes may be inevitable, losing your hard-earned money to the state doesn’t have to be one of them.
“There are two things guaranteed in life – death and taxes,” Sammy Terry said. “Death can be painful, but paying your taxes doesn’t have to be with a little extra cash in your pocket from Indiana Unclaimed.”
Attorney General Rokita invites all Hoosiers to text SAMMY to 46220 to see if they can re-claim forgotten treasures from the state’s Unclaimed Property Division.
“They say nothing is certain but death and taxes, but I’d add a third: Hoosiers deserve what’s rightfully theirs,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Whether it’s money left behind after a loved one’s passing or funds lost to the taxman’s oversight, our office is here to reunite you with your property — before it’s gone for good.”
In Indiana, unlike any other state, the Attorney General oversees this program, ensuring these assets find their way back to their rightful owners.
Examples of potential unclaimed property include:
- Unclaimed wages or commissions
- Money orders
- Safety deposit box contents
- Savings and checking accounts
- Refunds
- Overpayments such as:
- Credit card balances
- Cell phone bills
- BMV payments
Here’s how to make sure your property doesn’t go unclaimed:
- Keep a record of all bank accounts.
- Record all stock certificates and be sure to cash all dividends received.
- Record all utility deposits, including telephone, cable, and electricity deposits.
- Cash all checks promptly.
Hoosiers have 25 years to claim their money once it’s reported to the Unclaimed Property Division, and the process is free, fast and secure. With tax deadlines fresh in mind this April, Attorney General Rokita encourages families to search not just for themselves but also for businesses, deceased relatives and anyone else. Physical items from dormant safe deposit boxes — like jewelry or heirlooms — are also held, though they may be auctioned after three years if unclaimed.
Red Cross Shelter Opens in Princeton in Partnership with Salvation Army to Support Those Impacted by Severe Weather
- Don’t return home until officials say it’s safe.
- Don’t walk, swim or drive through floodwater. Turn around, don’t drown!
- Stay off the roads. If you must drive and you encounter a flooded roadway, turn around and go another way. Just 6 inches of fast-moving floodwater can knock you over, and 12 inches can carry your car away.
- Follow evacuation routes and don’t try to take shortcuts because they may be blocked.
- If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising around you, quickly get out of the car, move to higher ground and stay there.
- Seek shelter inside a sturdy building and move to the basement or an interior room on the lowest floor. Stay away from glass windows and doors.
- Lightning can be dangerous even when you are inside. Avoid using devices connected to electrical outlets. Avoid running water as lightning can travel through plumbing and water lines.
- No place outside is safe when thunderstorms are nearby. Sheds, gazebos, dugouts and bleachers don’t protect from lightning or high winds. Avoid taking shelter under a tree as they are often hit by lightning, and you could be injured.
- Being in a vehicle is safer than being outside; however, if you have time, drive to the closest sturdy building, and take shelter inside. If you are driving and can’t get to a sturdy building, pull off the road and park in a place where falling trees and power lines won’t hit you.
THE BATTLE IS JOINED
GAVEL GAMUT
By Jim Redwine
www.jamesmredwine.com
(Week of 14 April 2025)
THE BATTLE IS JOINED
If one builds a cabin in the woods that looks like it is a tree, one should not be surprised if nature’s creatures consider one’s home their home. Such is our situation but Peg refuses to accept it. Now that the vernal equinox has passed, the last freeze is history and deer season is over, nature has returned. And, just as multiple creatures are mating and munching on millions of prairie flowers and tender shoots, Peg cannot contain her enthusiasm. She gleefully joins in the annual rites of spring planting and propagating, regardless of how many seasons I remind her that the main beneficiaries of her tilling, mulching, watering, seeding, spraying, dusting, covering, pruning and growing are the animals who see us as squatters on their terrain. They see themselves as entitled to the fruits of her largesse with the two of us the gleaners of what may have been missed by the rightful inhabitants.
Each year is but another proof that we are mere transients in Mother Nature’s bait and switch drama of new hope and old reality. On the other hand, Peg does help assure that our fragile economy does not completely collapse. She also sees to it that I do not simply observe the wonders of waving grasses and cavorting wildlife. Someone, me, has to get things from point A, Walmart, to point B, Peg’s flower and vegetable beds. I am sure the exercise is good for me.
I do wonder who is responsible for the deer knowing that hunting season is over and woodpeckers seeing our log cabin as an aid to avian nuptials and nest building. Just yesterday I thought Peg might be somewhat amenable to my reasonable laissez faire approach to living in the country as we were awakened by an incessant banging just outside our window. I looked out to see a downy woodpecker rapping hopefully against our cabin. According to the Stokes Beginners Guide to Birds, the rapping was not just for insects but was also an attempt to send out romantic messages for a mate. Actually, I found his “music” to be every bit as melodic as the cacophonous cackling of contemporary entertainer’s love songs. Perhaps he will get lucky. I hope so and soon as he starts with the break of dawn.
Another reason I think Peg may be open to fewer attempts to realign nature was we also had eight deer in our front yard munching on Peg’s freshly planted ferns. She immediately turned from “aren’t they cute?” to “Jim, get your shotgun”. I mumbled something about needing shells and continued to watch the destruction.
So, Gentle Reader, at least those of you who do not feel a seasonal urge to revamp nature in our own image, it looks like another inter-species battle is going to be waged by Peg. I sympathize with Peg’s desire to dance around the maypole of spring. However, I am okay with sharing space with our wildlife, especially since it was their space to begin with.
For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com
Hoosiers rally to support Indiana’s community college and workforce engine on Ivy Tech Day, donating more than $483,000 statewide
Evansville Campus increases gifts by 58%
Evansville, Ind. – More than 2,800 alumni, friends and partners across Indiana donated $483,813 on April 8 to support Ivy Tech Day – the third annual day of giving that supports scholarships and programs for Ivy Tech Community College’s more than 200,000 students across its 19 campuses.
The Ivy Tech Evansville campus increased the number of gifts given over 2024 by 58% raising $20,000 in this one-day campaign. The campus leadership supported the Ivy Tech Day initiatives at 100%, which includes its Campus Board of Trustees, Foundation Board of Directors, State Board of Trustee Chair, and Chancellor’s Cabinet, as well as from several departments on campus. A new veteran’s scholarship was also established in memory of Kurt Harris, long-time assistant director of financial aid and veteran’s affairs, who passed away earlier this year.
Funds contributed to the Sgt. Brock Babb and Kurt Harris Fallen Heroes Memorial Scholarship Fund will be used to provide at least one scholarship per year to a student who is a veteran with an honorable discharge, who is seeking a degree at Ivy Tech Community College Evansville.
“We are grateful to our staff, alumni and friends for their support of Ivy Tech Day 2025, which will have a real and lasting impact on students right here in Evansville and Tell City, said Evansville Campus Chancellor Daniela Vidal. “It will make a real difference for thousands of students who are working to build better lives for themselves while supporting Hoosier communities. We are grateful for every donor who is helping open doors for our students to pursue their dreams and better our community.”
This year’s statewide total exceeded the 2024 results and brings the three-year cumulative giving to more than $1 million since the first Ivy Tech Day in 2023. The contributions fund the greatest needs at each campus supporting student success and powering Indiana’s economy – including pharmaceutical manufacturing, early childhood education, cybersecurity, advanced manufacturing, healthcare and Ivy Tech’s nationally leading two-year nursing program, which awards more associate degrees than any other institution in the country.
“Ivy Tech is committed to delivering higher education at the speed of life, and our alumni, students, and partners once again showed their belief in our mission,” said Dr. Sue Ellspermann, president, Ivy Tech Community College. “Their generosity empowers our students and alumni to thrive in an ever-evolving workforce, and their success strengthens communities across Indiana.”
The day was filled with energy as campuses turned “Ivy Green” and hosted events that celebrated more than 60 years of Ivy Tech’s service to Indiana. The momentum speaks to the College’s growing impact:
- More than 4 in 5 Ivy Tech graduates stay in Indiana to live and work
- The College contributes nearly $4 billion annually to Indiana’s economy
- 84% of graduates finish without student loan debt
- Ivy Tech awarded more than 46,000 credentials in 2023-24 – nearly half (49%) of all postsecondary credentials earned by Hoosiers
- Student completion rates have more than doubled (up 119%) since 2016
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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.
A Voice for the Women of Evansville
A Voice for the Women of Evansville
BY STAFF
APRIL 14, 2024
As publisher, Marilyn Cosby is already making her first mark by issuing a call to the women of Evansville: contribute. Submit letters, essays, guest columns, and opinion pieces. Share your insights, your challenges, your humor, your hopes for the future of our city and region.
“In many communities, women are the glue that holds families, neighborhoods, and civic efforts together,” Marilyn said. “It’s time more of those voices were heard. We invite women from all walks of life to speak up and speak out.”
Submissions can be sent via email or mail, and a new “Women of Southern Indiana” feature will launch later this spring to showcase the region’s diverse perspectives.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
While Marilyn may be blazing a trail in Southern Indiana, she joins a lineage of strong, pioneering women in journalism. From Katharine Graham, the legendary publisher of The Washington Post who led during the Watergate era, to Sarah Josepha Hale, who edited Godey’s Lady’s Book in the 1800s and used her platform to advocate for education and women’s rights—female publishers have long shaped public discourse and challenged the status quo.
More recently, women like Jill Abramson, the former executive editor of The New York Times, and Maria Hinojosa, founder of Futuro Media, continue to break barriers in major media. But local publishing is where the heart of journalism lives—and where its future may be decided.
Why Local Matters
At a time when many newspapers have been swallowed up by distant corporations, the City-County Observer remains proudly local, fiercely independent, and committed to covering Evansville and Southern Indiana without fear or favor. Local ownership ensures that the publication is answerable only to the people who live, work, and raise families here.
“We’ve always believed that sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Ron said. “We don’t exist to be popular. We exist to be honest, transparent, and accountable.”
The continuation of the Observer under Marilyn’s leadership is a rare and refreshing story of resilience in a landscape where too many local voices have gone silent. It’s also an opportunity to write a new chapter that’s more inclusive, more engaged, and more representative of the people it serves.
“Peace Out” — But Not Goodbye
Ron Cosby may be stepping back, but he promises to remain a loyal reader—and, perhaps, an occasional contributor. His signature sign-off, “Peace Out,” remains not a farewell, but a toast to the next generation of civic conversation.
To Marilyn, and to the women of Evansville: the ink is in your hands.
As publisher, Marilyn Cosby is already making her first mark by issuing a call to the women of Evansville: contribute. Submit letters, essays, guest columns, and opinion pieces. Share your insights, your challenges, your humor, your hopes for the future of our city and region.
“In many communities, women are the glue that holds families, neighborhoods, and civic efforts together,” Marilyn said. “It’s time more of those voices were heard. We invite women from all walks of life to speak up and speak out.”
Submissions can be sent via email or mail, and a new “Women of Southern Indiana” feature will launch later this spring to showcase the region’s diverse perspectives.
Standing on the Shoulders of Giants
While Marilyn may be blazing a trail in Southern Indiana, she joins a lineage of strong, pioneering women in journalism. From Katharine Graham, the legendary publisher of The Washington Post who led during the Watergate era, to Sarah Josepha Hale, who edited Godey’s Lady’s Book in the 1800s and used her platform to advocate for education and women’s rights—female publishers have long shaped public discourse and challenged the status quo.
More recently, women like Jill Abramson, the former executive editor of The New York Times, and Maria Hinojosa, founder of Futuro Media, continue to break barriers in major media. But local publishing is where the heart of journalism lives—and where its future may be decided.
Why Local Matters
At a time when many newspapers have been swallowed up by distant corporations, the City-County Observer remains proudly local, fiercely independent, and committed to covering Evansville and Southern Indiana without fear or favor. Local ownership ensures that the publication is answerable only to the people who live, work, and raise families here.
“We’ve always believed that sunlight is the best disinfectant,” Ron said. “We don’t exist to be popular. We exist to be honest, transparent, and accountable.”
The continuation of the Observer under Marilyn’s leadership is a rare and refreshing story of resilience in a landscape where too many local voices have gone silent. It’s also an opportunity to write a new chapter that’s more inclusive, more engaged, and more representative of the people it serves.
“Peace Out” — But Not Goodbye
Ron Cosby may be stepping back, but he promises to remain a loyal reader—and, perhaps, an occasional contributor. His signature sign-off, “Peace Out,” remains not a farewell, but a toast to the next generation of civic conversation.
To Marilyn, and to the women of Evansville: the ink is in your hands.
