EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT
EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORTÂ FOOTNOTE: Â EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT Â information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
USI Social Media Symposium to virtually host award-winning Australian social media professional
WHO: Dr. Karen Sutherland, Senior Lecturer at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, will present the keynote presentation. In addition to her role at the University of the Sunshine Coast in Australia, she is a senior fellow of the Higher Education Academy, author of the award-winning text, Strategic Social Media Management – Theory and Practice, co-author of Public Relations and Strategic Communication and has contributed to the forthcoming book, Transmedia Brand Storytelling – From Theory to Practice. Sutherland is also the co-founder and Social Media Specialist at Dharana Digital, a specialized marketing agency that assists health and wellness coaches in obtaining leads by providing customized training in social media, web design and SEO.
WHAT: Each Spring Semester, the USI College of Liberal Arts, Foundation and Communications and Media Department present the Social Media Symposium, featuring a presentation focusing on the impact of social media on communications.
Sutherland’s virtual presentation is titled, “Social Media in Australia: Trends, Habits, Education and Employability.â€
WHEN:Â The virtual presentation will begin at 6 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, March 22.
Sutherland will be available for virtual media interviews ahead of her presentation from 5:40-5:55 p.m. tonight, Wednesday, March 22.
Please RSVP to me by noon today, Wednesday, March 22. A Zoom link will be provided via email this afternoon.
WHERE: The virtual presentation will be presented live in Carter Hall, located in University Center West.
Senator Braun ranked the most effective first-term Republican Senator
Senator Braun ranked the most effective first-term Republican Senator, the top ten most effective Republican in Senate by the nonpartisan Center for Effective Lawmaking
WASHINGTON – The nonpartisan Center for Effective Lawmaking has released its 117th Congress (2021-2022) rankings today with high rankings for Senator Mike Braun.
- Senator Braun made the Top Ten List for Most Effective Senate Republicans at number 6. The Senators above him on the list have all served over 12 years in Congress; Senator Braun has served 4.
- Senator Braun was the highest-ranked Republican on the “Freshman Senators Exceeding Expectations†list.
- In individual policy areas, Senator Braun was ranked the Most Effective Republican Senator in Agriculture and the Most Effective Republican Senator in Health.
The Center for Effective Lawmaking made special mention of Senator Braun’s legislative effectiveness in their report:
“Also new to our top-10 list is Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana, who first entered the Senate in the previous 116th Congress. Though relatively junior, Sen. Braun introduced 80 bills, 20 of which engaged with health policy. He ultimately saw four of his bills pass the Senate, and three of them become law.†– Craig Volden and Alan Wiseman, Co-Directors, Center for Effective Lawmaking
The Center for Effective Lawmaking is a nonpartisan research organization directed through a partnership between the University of Virginia and Vanderbilt University. Their effectiveness ratings for lawmakers are widely cited among the Capitol Hill press.
The Center for Effective Lawmaking was the same research group that previously ranked Senator Braun’s predecessor as the least effective Democrat in the Senate.
Senator Braun made this statement on his rankings:
“I told Hoosiers I would get to work and get results, and that’s what I’ve done every day since I left my business to go work for you in the Senate. I’m proud to be one of the Top Ten Most Effective Republicans in the Senate, and the Most Effective Republican in Agriculture and Health, two issues that matter so much for Indiana.†– Senator Mike Braun
For more information on the bills Senator Braun authored that have become law, see his 2022 Solutions Update:https://www.braun.senate.gov/working-hoosiers
Todd Rokita secures more than $250,000 in settlement
Attorney General Todd Rokita secures more than $250,000 settlement against Indiana companies making deceptive and unlicensed loans
Thanks, Department of Financial Institutions for their leadership and cooperation
March 22, 2023
Attorney General Todd Rokita, in collaboration with the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions (DFI), has obtained a settlement of more than $250,000 from a group of Indiana companies that originated deceptive and unlicensed personal loans to Hoosiers purchasing vehicles.
The defendants — Integrity Acceptance Corp. and related entities — extended loans to Indiana consumers who bought vehicles from Empire Auto Group.
“Our team works relentlessly to protect Hoosiers from unfair and deceptive business practices,†Attorney General Rokita said. “We’re here to uphold the rule of law and make sure violators are held accountable, and it’s always a good day when justice prevails.â€
Integrity Acceptance Corp. and related entities provided personal loans to consumers to finance taxes and down payments associated with vehicle purchases. One company lacked the required license from DFI to originate and service such personal loans and also committed other violations of Indiana law — including contracting for charges in excess of the maximum allowable rate, misrepresenting finance charges and failing to disclose prepaid finance charges.
The companies’ actions violated the Indiana Uniform Consumer Credit Code and Indiana Deceptive Consumer Sales Act.
As part of the settlement, the various Integrity Acceptance entities will forgive consumer loans totaling $223,685, pay consumer restitution in the amount of $33,991, and pay civil penalties and costs to the State of Indiana in the amount of $33,000. The Integrity Acceptance entities and their owners are also prohibited from engaging in similar conduct in the future.
Defendants in the settlement are Integrity Acceptance Corp., Integrity Acceptance LLC, Empire Auto Group Limited, Shawn Lessor, Amy Lair-Lessor and Brandi Pierson.
Consumers who believe they have encountered wrongful business practices are encouraged to file complaints with the Attorney General at www.in.gov/attorneygeneral.
In addition, consumers may file complaints regarding financing issues with DFI at https://www.in.gov/dfi/file-a-complaint/.
“I appreciate the DFI’s good work in helping resolve these issues for the benefit of Hoosiers,†Attorney General Rokita said. “This case proves once again that collaboration and teamwork often produce very positive outcomes.â€
USI to host annual Law Day featuring oral argument and Q&A session
The University of Southern Indiana College of Liberal Arts and the Political Science, Public Administration and Philosophy departments are proud to present the annual Law Day on Thursday, March 23 in Carter Hall. The event offers a unique opportunity for USI students, local high school students and the Evansville community to witness the legal system in action and interact with public officials. The event is open to the public at no charge.
A full schedule of the day’s events is below:
10 a.m.: Indiana Court of Appeals Oral Argument
The Indiana Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments in Kriss Bauman v. State of Indiana.
Kriss Bauman ran over a motorcyclist; he was then placed in a police vehicle, read his Miranda rights, handcuffed and read the implied consent law. His request to phone his attorney was denied by officers. Bauman eventually consented to a blood draw, which revealed the presence of methamphetamine. He now challenges the blood draw as lacking the consent required. The State counters that Bauman’s consent was implied by statute. Bauman further contends that the trial court erroneously admitted testimony that he had been chasing the motorcycle with the intent to run it over.
3 p.m.: Q&A with Diana Moers, Vanderburgh County Prosecutor
Diana Moers, Vanderburgh County Prosecutor, will be interviewed by Dr. Nick LaRowe, USI Professor of Political Science and Pre-Law Coordinator. Moers was sworn into office on January 1, 2023. Prior to being elected prosecuting attorney, Moers was a Deputy Attorney General for the state of Indiana.
Capobianco Named Academic All-America Team Member of Year, Five Hoosiers Make Teams
 MINNEAPOLIS – Indiana swimming and diving fifth-year senior Andrew Capobianco was named the Division-I Academic All-America Team Member of the Year as well as one of five of IU’s Academic All-Americans announced this week by the College Sports Communicators (CSC).
The Academic All-America program celebrates the combination of athletic and academic achievement. Nominated student-athletes have a cumulative GPA above 3.50 and are a starter or important reserve for their team.
Now in his fifth season at Indiana, Capobianco has earned a 3.58 cumulative GPA as an exercise science major, is a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and was a Big Ten Distinguished Scholar and third-team Academic All-American in 2019. On the boards, Capobianco is a two-time 3-meter diving champion, four-time NCAA medalist, 10-time All-American, three-time Big Ten Diver of the Year, three-time Big Ten Diver of the Championships, five-time Big Ten champion and four-time Big Ten team champion. A tribute to his leadership, Capobianco was named IU’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner during the conference meet this season.
Now, Capobianco is the top Academic All-American in Division I.
He joins four teammates on Academic All-America teams. Sophomore Josh Matheny is a second-team selection for the men, earning a 3.77 GPA thus far as an economics major. Matheny is a two-time All-American coming into his second NCAA Championships this week, was a national runner-up in the 400 medley relay last year and has helped IU to Big Ten team titles in each of his first two seasons.
Three Hoosiers made the women’s Academic All-America teams, the most in the Big Ten. Junior Anne Fowler and senior Noelle Peplowski were picked for the first team, while sophomore Ching Hwee Gan earned a third-team selection.
At last week’s NCAA Championships, Fowler earned her first NCAA medal with a runner-up performance on the 3-meter springboard. Fowler won Big Ten Championships on 1-meter and 3-meter and reached the podium on platform as well to be named the Big Ten Diver of the Championships. The Burke, Virginia, native is a three-time All-American and three-time Big Ten Champion and owns a 3.99 GPA while studying health care management and policy.
Peplowski is an 11-time All-American after finishing up her final NCAA meet last week. The fifth-year senior finished fifth in the 200-yard breaststroke, a career-high finish in her final collegiate swim. Academically, Peplowski has earned as 3.88 GPA as a sports marketing and management major.
Ching Hwee Gan earned a spot on the team with a 4.00 GPA in nutrition science. The sophomore had a glowing performance at the NCAA Championships last week as IU’s top scorer and a first-team All-American in all four events she swam. Gan earned a silver medal finish in her final swim of the meet, the 1,650-yard freestyle, despite coming in as the No. 8-seeded swimmer in the event.