Bill to Increase the Amount of Tax Captured from the Evansville Professional Sports and Convention Development Area To Be Heard in Ways and Means

01/28/2025

On Wednesday afternoon (1/29), the Indiana House Ways and Means Committee will hold a hearing on a bill that will have a significant impact on Evansville and Vanderburgh County. HB 1451, authored by Tim O’Brien and co-authored by Wendy McNamara, Matt Hostettler, and Alex Burton, will increase the amount of tax money captured from the Evansville Professional Sports and Convention Development Area.

The current tax cap is $10 per resident, and revenue generated in 2024 was $680,000. Under HB 1451 the revenue cap would be $5,000,000, allowing a significant amount of money to be available for sports-related development.

LINK OF PTOPOSED BILL

Read the full text of the bill here.

2025 Changemaker Challenge Winners Receive Scholarships

01/28/2025

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2025 Changemaker Challenge Winners Receive Scholarships

EVANSVILLE, IND. (01/27/2025) High school students throughout the Tri-State and beyond were awarded significant scholarships on Saturday at the University of Evansville’s 11th annual High School Changemaker Challenge, made possible by Toyota Indiana.

The challenge is designed to motivate young people to take a leading role in identifying and solving challenges in the world through innovation and creativity.

UE has committed more than $1 million in scholarships to winners of this competition since its inception. Those who choose UE as their college destination will each receive four-year scholarships as listed below:

First Place / STEMpire: Empowering Young Women in STEM

Team member: Norah Ahmed; Evansville Day School, Evansville, Indiana

STEMpire: Empowering Young Women in STEM is a youth-led nonprofit that aims to break down barriers women face in joining STEM fields. This initiative provides resources, education, and assistance for high school girls, especially women from underserved communities like the Evansville Promise Neighborhood, and we are exploring doing so through the first STEMpire Conference in summer 2025 and the STEMpire Task Force.

Second Place / Boomerang Learning

Team members: Kris Lau, Abdul-Aleem Mohammed, Parth Patel; Signature School, Evansville, Indiana

Boomerang Learning is a learning program that will help students who have had trouble catching up to Indiana standards post-COVID and to help students who are falling behind their peers.

Third Place / Sprouts: Rooted in Education

Team members: Olivia Cooper; North High School, Evansville, Indiana

Sponsored gardens would be constructed at EVSC elementary schools (with summer school options). The gardens will serve to provide fresh food to nearby food pantries and mitigate local climate change.

On Friday, January 24, a panel of judges heard pitches from the top 20 teams and individual students who had been invited to the in-person competition. From those top 20, six ideas were then chosen for the championship round that took place on Saturday, January 25. During that event, judges awarded first, second, and third place. Additionally, a surprise $10,000 UE scholarship was given to each of the runners up.

Runners up:

Clear Vision

Team members: Evan Walker, Charles March-Gibson; Zionsville Community High School, Zionsville, Indiana

Clear Vision will help neighborhoods achieve safer and more accessible communities by providing durable, reflective address plaques applied directly to the curb for clear and uniform home visibility.

Freedom Boots

Team members: Keegan Griepenstroh, Elias Hager, Isaac Hager; North High School, Evansville, Indiana

Freedom Boots are advanced motorized leg braces powered by electrical stimulation, designed to deliver an immersive experience when paired with a VR headset-all at an affordable price.

PoliTech

Team members: Jonathan Baker, Tyoshi Chikayama-Jackson; Signature School, Evansville, Indiana

PoliTech is an innovative platform that bridges the gap between politicians and their voters through AI technology and social media integration, while ensuring credibility through verified politician accounts and transparent engagement metrics. The platform offers features like PoliAI providing faster information for voters, PoliFeed for sharing verified updates and engaging with followers, and a comprehensive dashboard for politicians to manage their online presence and track authentic engagement metrics.

To learn more about High School Changemaker Challenge please visit https://www.evansville.edu/changemaker/

Resolution calling for congressional term limits passes Indiana Senate

01/28/2025

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By The Statehouse File

On Monday, the Indiana Senate passed Senate Joint Resolution 21, which would notify Congress that Indiana seeks to participate in an amendment convention for the sole purpose of proposing a congressional term limits amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

The effort, led by Sen. Andy Zay, R-Pierceton, and spearheaded by the nonpartisan nonprofit U.S. Term Limits passed with 31 yeas to 18 nays. Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith formerly served as the organization’s state chair.

“The people of Indiana are lucky to have public servants who see what is going on in D.C. and are willing to take action to fix it,” said U.S. Term Limits President Philip Blumel. “They know that Congress won’t set term limits on itself. Therefore, it is the obligation of the states to do so.”

SJR 21 now heads to the Indiana House. Should it ultimately pass, Indiana will join other states in the call to convene the states for the exclusive purpose of proposing term limits on the U.S. Congress. Once 34 state legislatures pass similar resolutions on the topic and approve the term limits amendment, it must be ratified by 38 states to become part of the U.S. Constitution.

ATC Warns of Alarming Trend in Illegal Sale of Nitrous Oxide

01/28/2025

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ATC Warns of Alarming Trend in Illegal Sale of Nitrous Oxide

Nitrous oxide used to get intoxicated can cause heart attacks and death

INDIANAPOLIS (Jan. 27, 2025) — The Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission issued notice today to over 8,200 tobacco sellers throughout Indiana, warning them about the illegal sale of nitrous oxide. “It is illegal in Indiana to sell nitrous oxide for the purposes of intoxication, and Indiana State Excise Police have discovered an alarming trend of this activity among certain gas stations, convenience stores, smoke shops, and tobacco/vaping businesses throughout the state,” said Jessica Allen, ATC executive director.

Pursuant to Indiana Code § 35-46-6-3, a person who knowingly or intentionally uses or distributes nitrous oxide with the intent to cause a condition of intoxication, euphoria, excitement, exhilaration, stupefaction, or dulling of the senses of another person commits a Class B misdemeanor (unless used for medical purposes). However, the offense is a Class A misdemeanor if the person has a prior unrelated conviction.

To date, 18 Indiana tobacco certificate holders have been cited for this illegal activity and some of their employees have been referred for criminal prosecution. “We’re seeing some sellers hiding the nitrous oxide tanks and only offering them for sale upon request and selling nitrous oxide tanks with no additional culinary items such as whipping cream,” warns Superintendent Matt Strittmatter of the Indiana State Excise Police. Superintendent Strittmatter said some of these sellers are also giving customers, including minors, instructions on how to use a nitrous oxide tank for the purposes of intoxication.

Excise also found some of the nitrous oxide products even appear to contain certain flavors such as blue raspberry, cotton candy, and watermelon.

While commonly used in clinical settings as a sedative or anesthetic, nitrous oxide is also used to make whipped cream. This makes the substance readily accessible to use it recreationally to get high or intoxicated. When inhaled for recreational purposes, nitrous oxide can cause side effects including, but not limited to, blurred vision, dizziness, dissociation, disorientation, loss of balance, impaired memory and cognition, numbness, and weakness in the legs. In large amounts, nitrous oxide can cause a lack of oxygen amongst users which may lead to loss of blood pressure, fainting, heart attack, and even death.“Not only are these products risky to store and when used to become intoxicated, but they are also extremely costly to dispose of,” said Allen. Allen estimates that cost could amount to $1 million by 2026 if the trend continues.

The ATC encourages the public to submit anonymous tips or complaints about this matter to Indiana State Excise Police or their local law enforcement agency. For a copy of the letter issued to tobacco sellers throughout Indiana today, and photos of nitrous oxide containers seized for evidence, please click here .

Indiana House urges federal lawmakers to expedite approval of electric projects

01/28/2025

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power lines — Photo by Pok Rie: https://www.pexels.com/photo/transmission-tower-under-gray-sky-189524/

By Anna Cecil TheStatehouseFile.com Jan 27, 2025

On Monday, the Indiana House of Representatives adopted House Concurrent Resolution 3, which calls for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the United States Department of Energy, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation, and the United States Congress to speed up the approval rate of electric transmission and generation projects. Representatives voted 71-23 to pass the resolution.

Rep. Edmond Soliday, R-Valparaiso. Photo provided: https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2025/legislators/legislator_edmond_soliday_864.

Resolution author Rep. Edmond Soliday, R-Valparaiso, said it is necessary because if a utility company wants to build an entity that would generate electricity, they first must petition the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) or Pennsylvania-New Jersey-Maryland Interconnection (PJM). Due to a long queue, there is currently a four-year wait to get approval for new energy generation.

Soliday said this waitlist makes it hard for utilities to meet energy demand.

MISO and PJM are energy grid management organizations. This means they manage the generation and transmission of energy without owning generators, transmission lines or parts of the electric grid.

The two organizations work to ensure the correct amount of energy is generated and transmitted to utility companies (Duke Energy, AES, CenterPoint Energy, etc.) at the best price for consumers.

Soliday’s resolution requests that the federal government make a new rule in which state utilities propose areas on Indiana’s power grid that need more energy generation and that they get new generation approval prior to areas that need it less.

“All this resolution does, and other states are joining us—we’re saying to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Congress and the NERC, you’ve gotta change the system. You’ve got to prioritize,” Soliday said.

Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington. Photo provided, https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2023/legislators/legislator_matthew_pierce_708/

Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, opposed the resolution because of concerns about investor-owned utilities being able to jump the line in front of entrepreneurial energy companies that might offer sustainable or clean energy sources.

“People will be waiting in line for a long time and going through this process, and suddenly they’re going to have the investor-owned utility jump in front of them. All the time their capital is tied up. It’s at risk. They’re waiting to get an answer,” Pierce said. “Those of you who are in the business world, you know what it’s like to have your capital committed and you just can’t get the approvals you need to get things going. … I think this is going to make that worse.”

Soliday responded to Pierce’s argument, saying that when entrepreneurs do receive approval, most cannot afford to build transmission lines, so they do not become new energy generators.

“All we’re saying is, ‘MISO, these are the things that have been approved. These are the things that will meet certificates of public need and public convenience. Put them in the right priority so we can continue to serve businesses and folks,’” Soliday said. “All we’re doing is saying, ‘Clean up the mess.’”

Anna Cecil is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

Upcoming Events at USI

01/28/2025

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UPCOMING EVENTS

4:30 p.m. Thursday, January 30

USI Romain College of Business to host Interim President Steve Bridges for Two Chapters of Life presentation

Steven J. Bridges ’89 M’95, USI Interim President, will present Two Chapters for Life at 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 30 in the Business and Engineering Center Atrium.

SAVE THE DATE

Begins February 3

USI Romain College of Business VITA Program to offer free tax prep

Through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA), USI students in the Romain College of Business will provide free federal and state income tax preparation on Monday evenings, February 3 through March 24. The annual service is open to students, faculty, staff and the general public.

February 4; 11; 18

USI to host Crappie University 2025, Crappie Fishing’s newest insights

USI Outreach and Engagement is hosting Crappie University 2025; Crappie Fishing’s Newest Insights, from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays, February 4, 11 and 18 in the Wright Administration Building, Room WA2.

February 11

USI to host virtual Adult Learner Expo in celebration of Adult Education Day

The University is pleased to announce an Adult Learner Expo, a virtual event taking place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday, February 11 in honor of Adult Education Day, an Indiana celebration recognizing lifelong learning and educational advancement.

February 12

USI to host third annual Be a Teacher Day

The USI Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education is hosting its third annual Be a Teacher Day on Wednesday, February 12 on the USI campus. The event will highlight the importance of the profession of education, allow prospective students to meet current teaching professionals and teacher education students, as well as ask questions about the profession.

February 14

USI to celebrate cultural diversity at 2025 International Food ExpoThe USI International Club and Center for International Programs will host the annual International Food Expo from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, February 14 in Carter Hall, located in University Center West on campus.

February 28

USI to host Health Professions Day for high school students February 28

The USI Kinney College of Nursing and Health Professions is hosting a Health Professions Day for high school juniors and seniors exploring careers in healthcare on Friday, February 28.

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

01/28/2025

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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.

Aces women’s basketball drops contest at Murray State

01/27/2025

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Two Purple Aces ended the afternoon in double figures

MURRAY, Ky. – The University of Evansville women’s basketball team couldn’t keep up with the Top Five offense of the Murray State Racers on Sunday afternoon.

The Purple Aces defense struggled to contain an explosive Murray State offense in the 104-66 loss. A pair of freshman guards kept UE battling through the game as Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind. / Hamilton Heights HS) and Avery Kelley (Evansville, Ind. / Memorial HS) led Evansville’s offense.

It was a cold start on the floor for the Aces as their first points came over three and a half minutes into the contest. Kelley gave UE’s offense a jump midway through the quarter with two straight field goals. Murray State responded with a five-point run but guard Logan Leubbers Palmer (Union, Ky. / Randall K. Cooper HS) broke the stretch with a layup weaving through the paint. But an 11-1 run to end the quarter for the Racers had Evansville facing a 17-point deficit early.

The Aces went shot for shot with Murray State to begin the second as freshman guard Kaiden Kreinhagen (Indianapolis / North Central HS) got hot with five straight points. UE’s freshmen then made three straight triples to force a Racer timeout. Out of the break, Kreinhagen went to the line for her sixth and seventh points of the quarter. Murray State answered with a six-point run that was broken up by sophomore forward Claudia Clement (Barcelona, Spain). But Clement’s second chance jumper was Evansville’s last field goal in the final two minutes of the half as they headed into the locker room down by 26.

The third quarter was the toughest from the field for the Aces as they shot only 30.8%. The Racers opened the half with seven straight points for an early UE timeout. Runner had her first of three triples out of the timeout in the second half. But Evansville wasn’t able to put together a run in the third quarter as the Murray State lead grew to 49 points with less than a minute left. Kelley scored the last points of the third hitting a three-pointer from the right wing to make it an 83-37 game.

The Aces offense found its way in the final 10 minutes of the game scoring 29 of their 66 points. Runner exploded on offense with 12 points on 67% shooting starting with a layup just over a minute into the fourth. UE put together multiple short runs throughout the fourth with the best one coming midway through the quarter. Evansville scored seven straight points until the last minute and a half of the game. The Aces scored the final five points of the afternoon to make it a 104-66 final score.

Runner led UE at Murray with her second 20+ point performance in conference play while making four of five threes’. Kelley was the only other Evansville player in double figures scoring 17 against the Racers for her fifth straight double-digit performance. On defense freshman Elle Snyder (Latrobe, Penn. / Greater Latrobe HS) had a team-high five rebounds while Clement tied a season-high in blocked shots with three.

The Aces return home to Meeks Family Fieldhouse for their next two games. First UE will take on the UIC Flames in the program’s annual Pride Night game on Thursday, January 30. Tip-off at Meeks against the Flames is set for 6 p.m.

Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

01/27/2025

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Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

01/27/2025

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Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

Booked Last 24 Hours-Public