LINK OF APRIL 2023 NEW HARMONY GAZETTEÂ
Senators press pause on a bill requiring local governments to live stream meetings
Senators press pause on a bill requiring local governments to live stream meetings
- Apr 4, 2023
Sponsored by Sen. James Buck, R-Kokomo, House Bill 1167 would require state governing bodies and local agencies to livestream their meetings and make them easily accessible to the public.
In the Indiana Senate Chamber on Tuesday, Sen. James Buck, R-Kokomo, calls to push back his sponsored House Bill 1167 for two years. `
But despite receiving many favorable votes from legislators, Buck said some local governments testified that they were unhappy with the idea for one reason or another, and he decided with the bill’s author, Rep. Ben Smaltz, R-Auburn, to hold it.
“Move it back two years in order that we can at least show those individual units that would abide by this what we’re trying to do and get a bill that accomplishes the transparency and the input in our communities that we all deserve,†Buck said.
The bill would require that organizations archive their live streams for 90 days. If the governing body did not have internet accessibility, they would be allowed to record their meetings another way.
Lawmakers unanimously agreed with Buck to hold the bill by a vote of 48-0.
The financial literacy bill changed back to include all high schoolers, public and nonpublic alike
The financial literacy bill changed back to include all high schoolers, public and nonpublic alike
A popular bipartisan financial literacy bill that was drastically changed last week was changed back on Tuesday in the Indiana House of Representatives.
Senate Bill 35 would require Indiana high-school students to study financial literacy and was authored by Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, Sen. Jeff Raatz, R-Centerville, and Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger.
Rep. Bob Behning, R-Indianapolis, made a somewhat controversial amendment to the bill in the House Education Committee on March 29 that removed the requirement for state-accredited nonpublic schools. In that meeting, testimony came after the amendment was adopted. Representatives from the Indiana Association of School Principals, the Indiana Credit Union League, the Indiana Association for Community Economic Development, the Indiana Bankers Association, the Indiana Small and Rural Schools Association, and others indicated they supported the bill with the amendment but preferred it without.
On Tuesday in the House Chamber, the bill was changed back as Rep. Julie McGuire, R-Indianapolis, offered an amendment to put accredited and nonpublic schools back into the bill. It was adopted unanimously.
Rep. Joanna King, R-Middlebury, a sponsor of the bill, spoke in support of making the switch.
“I think this gets the bill to a better place,†she said.
The bill was placed into third reading, where it will be voted on again to determine whether it will make its way to Gov. Eric Holcomb’s desk.
Indiana DCS kicks off Child Abuse Prevention Month at the Statehouse
INDIANAPOLIS (April 4, 2023) – The Indiana Department of Child Services, in collaboration with The Villages and Prevent Child Abuse Indiana (PCAIN), kicked off Child Abuse Prevention Month with an event at the Indiana Statehouse.
The event featured Indiana Gov. Eric J. Holcomb, DCS Director Terry Stigdon, The Villages CEO/President Shannon Schumacher and PCAIN Director Jeff Wittman. Â
“This is a month where we call on every Hoosier to do their part in making sure Indiana has healthy, strong and supported families,†said Gov. Holcomb. “Working together to achieve this is essential to preventing child abuse and helping our communities thrive.â€Â
This year’s theme is Building Together: Prevention in Partnership. Speakers emphasized the need to work together so children and families can thrive. Â
“The entire child welfare system must work together with our communities to serve children and families at the right time and in the right way,†Stigdon said. “But the work doesn’t stop there. We have much more to learn and do to keep our children from harm.â€Â
“By preventing child maltreatment, we can build safer, healthier, communities for children – not only during the month of April, but year-round,†Schumacher added. Â
Gov. Holcomb appoints Don Lamb as new Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture
Gov. Holcomb appoints Don Lamb as new Executive Director of the Department of Agriculture
INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced today 2nd -generation farmer Don Lamb, from Lebanon, Indiana, will become the new executive director of the Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA).
“Don is not only a 2nd-generation farmer, but also a successful agribusinessman and understands the significant and leading role the ag industry plays in Indiana,†said Gov. Holcomb. “In looking for a new executive director for the Indiana Department of Agriculture, it was important to find someone who would be a strong steward of our land and all that it produces. Don truly cares about the Hoosier ag community and securing Indiana’s place as a global leader in the agricultural industry for generations to come.â€
Lamb is the co-owner and operator of Lamb Farms Inc., along with his brother and father. The farm produces popcorn, corn, soybeans and wheat. The family also owns AgRecycle, a composting and recycling business, and Lamb Farms Agronomy, which provides soil management and crop production products to surrounding farms.
“Indiana is now the 8th-ranked agricultural product producing state in the country, this industry contributes more than $35 billion dollar to our economy,†said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Don engrained himself in the agricultural community at an early age, not just focusing on his own operation. He has the leadership skills to not only lead the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, but to the state’s ag industry into the future. I look forward to working with him.â€
Lamb is a member of the Advisory Council for the Indiana Agricultural Law Foundation. Lamb will be stepping down as Vice President of the Boone County Council and policy chair of his local Farm Bureau Board to assume his position with the ISDA.
“I am so thankful for this opportunity from Gov. Holcomb and Lt. Gov. Crouch,†said Lamb. “I have worked in the agriculture industry for my whole life and this is the only job I would take off the farm. I am excited to work with the great team at ISDA and to become an even better advocate for this industry I love.â€
Lamb graduated from Purdue University in 1989 with a bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Economics. He was named the Agricultural Professional of the Year in 2014 by the Boone County Chamber of Commerce.
Lamb will begin in his new role on March 13, 2023. Click HERE for a headshot.
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Eagles Use Strong Final Round to Secure Second Place Finish
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Golf completed the Ernie Denham Classic in Louisville, Kentucky with a tied for second-place finish after shooting an 869 (+5) as a team. All five competitors for the Screaming Eagles finished in the top 30 while three finished in the top 25.
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The Eagles finished the tournament with the lowest average par-four score with a 4.13 average score. USI also finished with the most pars recorded, 171, and third most birdies, 45.
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Senior Zach Williams (Mt. Vernon, Illinois) led the Eagles with a tied for third-place finish after shooting a 211 (-5), 72-69-70. Williams’ 211 is the tied for the lowest 54-hole score in USI history, the second time an Eagle has scored that low this spring when sophomore Jason Bannister (Laguna Niguel, California) scored a 211 at the Bobby Nichols Intercollegiate. Williams finished with the second lowest average score on par-four holes on the tournament, averaging an even 4.00. He also recorded the most birdies on the tournament with 15.
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Juniors Bryce Kirchner (North Vernon, Indiana) and Jace Day (Bloomington, Indiana) were the other two top-25 finishers for USI. Kirchner finished in a tie for 17th after shooting a 291 (+3), 74-72-73, while Day finished in a tie for 21st after he finished the tournament with a 220 (+4), 70-77-73. Day finished with the fourth lowest average score recorded on par-four holes, averaging a 4.10 as well as the second most pars on the tournament with 38.
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Bannister and freshman Carter Goebel (Breese, Illinois) rounded out the scorers for the Eagles. Bannister finished in a tie for 27th after shooting a 222 (+6), 73-75-74, while Goebel finished in a tie for 30th with a 223 (+7), 75-76-72. Goebel finished the tournament with the most pars recorded on the tournament with 39.
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Junior Trevor Laub (Edwardsville, Illinois) competed in the tournament as an individual and finished tied for 55th after shooting a 231 (+15), 79-74-78.
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Up Next for USI:
USI returns to the course next April 10-11 as they head to Batavia, Ohio to compete in The Jewell hosted by Northern Kentucky University at Elks Run Golf Course.
BASEBALL ACES RALLY PAST PURDUE, 12-10Â
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Down 8-2 after two innings, the University of Evansville baseball team rallied on Tuesday for a wild 12-10 come-from-behind victory over the host Purdue Boilermakers at Alexander Field in West Lafayette, Indiana.  The win marked UE’s seventh-straight win over Big Ten competition, and its nation-leading eighth-straight road victory.
“Our guys showed a lot of character and a lot of heart tonight,†said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “Purdue really earned that early lead, as they were producing a lot of barrels very early on.  But, we had different guys step up to help us pick up this win.
“I thought that Michael Parks did a great job of putting zeros up on the scoreboard and righting the ship for us from a pitching standpoint, and then I thought everyone up and down our lineup stepped up and came through when we needed it.  I think this win can really kick-start us into something very special.â€
Evansville took an early 2-0 lead on solo home runs by fifth-year first baseman Chase Hug and sophomore designated hitter Evan Waggoner in the first two innings.  For Hug, it was his seventh home run of the year, while Waggoner’s home run was his first collegiate home run at UE.
The lead would be short-lived, though, as the Boilermakers would explode for eight runs in the bottom of the second inning, as eight-straight batters reached base, capped by a three-run home run by catcher Connor Caskenette.  But, the game was far from over.
UE junior catcher Brendan Hord would score Hug with a two-out RBI single in the top of the third inning, before Waggoner would add a two-run double later in the frame to cut the Purdue lead to 8-5.  Parks would then go to work on the mound, and retire the final nine men he faced over the next three innings to keep the score 8-5.
Senior reliever Jakob Meyer would work a scoreless bottom of the sixth to keep the score 8-5, before Evansville would rally for five runs in the seventh inning to take a 10-8 lead.  After fifth-year outfielder Eric Roberts doubled to lead off the frame, Hug walked and junior shortstop Simon Scherry followed with an RBI single to score the frame’s first run.
An RBI ground out by Hord would get UE back within one run, before senior third baseman Brent Widder produced an RBI single to tie the game at 8-8.  Sophomore centerfielder Ty Rumsey would then follow two batters later with a two-out, two-run home run to right field to give UE a 10-8 lead.
Purdue would answer right back with a two-run home run of its own in the bottom of the seventh inning, but UE would respond with two runs in the top of the eighth inning to grab a 12-10 lead.  Hug plated fifth-year outfielder Danny Borgstrom with an RBI double in the frame, and Hord followed two batters later with an RBI single to produce the final margin of victory.  Graduate reliever John MacCauley and redshirt-junior closer Nate Hardman combined to shut down Purdue over the final two frames to help UE snap a four-game losing streak.
Hug went 3-for-4 and finished a triple shy of the cycle to lead UE offensively.  He also scored four runs and drove in two.  Hord also went 3-for-5 with a double and three RBI, while Waggoner, Widder and Scherry all had two-hit efforts as well.
With the win, Evansville improves to 17-11 overall.  Purdue, meanwhile, falls to 12-15.  The Purple Aces will now return to German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium this weekend for a three-game Missouri Valley Conference series against Valparaiso.  The series begins Friday night at 6 p.m. and all three games of the series can be heard live in Evansville on 107.1 FM-WJPS and the Old National Bank/Purple Aces Sports Network from Learfield.