Eagles Fall in Double Header with Hoosiers
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Tennis fell to Indiana University on Sunday in a double header, 7-0 and 4-0. The Screaming Eagles drop to 2-4 on the season while the Hoosiers improve to 8-1.
Doubles
The Hoosiers took both doubles matches in the first match, taking both the number two and number three doubles. The number one doubles was unfinished.
The two teams did not play doubles in the second match.
Singles
USI couldn’t bounce back in singles in the first match as Indiana was able to take all but one set. Freshman Omar ElSamahy (Cairo, Egypt) took the second set in the number two singles but fell in the third set tiebreaker.
Indiana continued to stay hot in the second match of the day taking the first four singles matches to win the overall match. The Hoosiers were able to take the number four, three, six, and one singles to sweep the day.
New study shows public sector employees struggle to pay bills
Close to one-fifth of all public employees have reported skipping health care because they couldn’t afford it.
This statistic comes from a study by MissionSquare Research Institute, an organization that analyzes data from public sector retention and retirement. Its latest study looked at public sector employees, also known as those working in government, and their difficulties in affording health care and saving for retirement.
The study was created “as state and local governments face challenges in attracting and retaining public service employees, and against the backdrop of continued economic uncertainty and related strains on family budgets,†according to a news release.Â
The research was created by Christian E. Weller, a professor at the University of Massachusetts.Â
“Financial insecurity is a growing problem for most Americans, and the problem can be acute for public service workers,†Weller said. “This report is a clear indication that public sector benefits play a major role in financial wellness for the public worker. Public employers are wise to continue offering strong benefits packages that not only shore up financial and retirement security but also serve as magnets for public service workers.â€
In addition to discovering the issues public sector employees have financially, the study found that oftentimes, employers have the ability to combat this if they would offer different benefit opportunities for their employees.Â
Key research findings
From 2017 to 2019, 14% of public sector households—as well as 11.3% in public education—indicated they could not pay all their bills.
Almost one in three employees said they would struggle to find $400 in case of an emergency, showing that they are unable to build savings.Â
In addition, around 80% of public employees worried they do not have enough money to last them throughout their retirement.Â
Within Indiana, retention of public sector employees has proven a recent issue. Gov. Eric Holcomb arranged for new policies in 2022 to help keep state employees.Â
To read the rest of the research, go here.Â
Ashlyn Myers is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
UE puts up another strong performance against MSU
Aces fall by six points
Â
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Antoine Smith Jr. tied his season scoring mark with 16 points on Sunday with the University of Evansville men’s basketball team falling to Missouri State by a 66-60 final at the Ford Center.
Trailing by 10 in the second half, the Purple Aces rallied to take the lead in the final minutes before the Bears hit three consecutive triples to seal the win. Smith was 5-for-10 from the field and recorded a team-high six rebounds. Marvin Coleman II tallied 14 points and Kenny Strawbridge Jr. scored 10. Alston Mason led the Bears with 18 points with Donovan Clay posting 17. Jonathan Mogbo led all players with 10 boards.
“It was a hard-fought game and I am proud of our guys. We were hesitant early in the game and once we started adjusting to them (Missouri State), they adjusted to us,†UE head coach David Ragland said. “Over the last 11-12 minutes, we adjusted to their presence in the paint and made them beat us in a different way.â€
Antoine Smith Jr. converted his first field goal of the afternoon to open the scoring while MSU got on the board with a triple. Kenny Strawbridge Jr. put UE back in front at 4-3 but it was the Bears who slowly stretched the lead. The teams combined to hit two of their first 12 field goal tries before Missouri State turned a 12-10 lead into a 21-10 advantage inside of the 8-minute mark.
Hitting four shots in a row, MSU forced an Evansville time out with their lead standing in double figures. After starting the game 1-for-7 from the field, the Bears hit 8 of their next 12 attempts. Evansville regrouped and took control on both sides of the floor over the remainder of the half. Antoine Smith Jr. and Yacine Toumi knocked down consecutive triples to cut into the deficit.
Strawbridge would later add his first triple of the game to continue what would be a 16-7 rally that turned the 21-10 deficit into a 28-27 game in the final minute. The Bears hit the final shot of the half but the Aces went to the break down by just three at 30-27. Defensively, UE forced 10 turnovers in the first half.
Smith hit the first basket of the second half to make it a 1-point game once again. Missouri State countered immediately and would push the lead back into double figures when a free throw with 12:36 remaining made it a 45-35 game.
Gage Bobe provided the response with his second triple of the game before the Bears retook the 10-point lead just past the midway point of the final half. Trailing 50-40, Evansville clamped down once again on both sides of the floor. Free throws by Coleman and Preston Phillips got things started while Smith followed with his fourth make of the day to force a time out by MSU with under eight minutes showing on the clock.
Coleman knocked down two more free throws before Strawbridge finished off a 3-point play to tie the game at 51-51 with 6:29 remaining. Two minutes later, it was Gage Bobe who put UE back in front with a jumper. Over the final minutes, it was the outside shooting of Chance Moore that gave the Bears a chance as he connected on three consecutive triples. His efforts were the difference in the 66-60 win. MSU shot 42.6% while holding the Aces to 39.1%. The Bears also completed the game with a 37-25 advantage on the boards.
On Wednesday, Evansville travels to Belmont for a 6:30 p.m. game.
Oulgout Posts Fastest Indoor Mile At UE Since 1983 At Hoosier Hills Invite
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – University of Evansville sophomore Adam Oulgout (St. Paul, Minn./Central) posted the fastest indoor mile time at UE since 1983 on Friday night, as he helped pace a pack of Purple Aces at the Hoosier Hills Invitational at Indiana University’s Gladstein Fieldhouse in Bloomington.
Oulgout clocked in with a time of 4:21.49 to post the fastest indoor mile time since UE Hall of Famer David Denny set the school record with a time of 4:14.9 in 1983. Oulgout’s time moved past UE Hall of Famer Nick Waninger’s best time at Evansville (4:21.85) to rank as the second-fastest indoor mile time on record at UE. Overall, Oulgout placed 12th in the men’s mile competition, but he was less than a second and a half from seventh place.
Senior thrower Zach Dove (Princeton, Ind./Princeton Community) posted UE’s best individual finish of the day with a seventh-place finish in the men’s weight throw. Dove broke the 17-meter mark for the fifth-straight meet with a toss of 17.26 meters (56′ 7.5″) to place seventh overall. He is the only UE male to break the 17-meter mark in the men’s weight toss in school history.
Dove also posted a personal-best throw in the men’s shot put with a toss of 14.76 meters (48′ 5.25″) to finish 12th overall. Fellow senior Jaden Hayes also turned in a personal-best throw of 14.31 meters (46′ 11.5″) in the shot put to finish four spots behind Dove.
On the women’s side, graduate student Melanie Helder (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville) finished 12th overall in the women’s indoor mile with a time of 5:20.50.
Southwestern Indiana Women Of Action February Exchange
(EVANSVILLE, Indiana)  – Southwestern Indiana Women of Action’s second meeting will take place on Thursday, February 16th, at the Evansville African American Museum, located at 579 S Gavin St, Evansville, Indiana. Doors open at 5:30 pm, with the meeting beginning at 6 pm. The event is free and open to the public.
In celebration of Black History Month, Southwestern Indiana Women of Action is hosting a panel discussion to not only discuss the amazing civic contributions of black female leaders in our community but also areas where they need advocacy and allyship.
Our panel discussion will feature Melissa Moore, Lori Dow Sutton, and Stephanie Terry.
We hope you will join us to learn how we can all better support historically marginalized communities of color.
Melissa has been a lifelong public servant. She currently serves in the following roles: EVSC School Board Trustee; Secretary for the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party; Chairwoman of Commissioner with the Social Status of African American Males. She is also active in a grassroots organization, And How Are the Children?
Lori Sutton is the Global Head of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity (IDE) and Culture at Alcoa Corporation headquartered in Pittsburgh.  In addition to Alcoa, Lori is the owner and Chief Executive Officer of J.A.D.E. Consulting, LLC. Due to her passion for IDE, Lori decided to launch J.A.D.E. to assist organizations and individuals as they develop their knowledge and build strategies in IDE to build stronger and more inclusive workplaces and communities.
Stephanie Terry has been the Executive Director of the Louis J. Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville (cMoe) for the past 12 years. Her accomplishments at cMoe have come in the wake of nearly 10 years of participation and experience in non-profit organization management at various youth service agencies in the area. Stephanie’s work continues through her civic and community involvement. She currently serves on the Vanderburgh County Council, and recently announced her candidacy for Mayor.
The audience is encouraged to bring questions to ask panelists during a portion of the event. Additional information will also be available about how to join the Southwestern Indiana Women of Action group.Â
About Southwestern Indiana Women of Action
Southwestern Indiana Women of Action’s vision is to become a trusted organization dedicated to improving the quality of life in the communities in which we serve. Our mission is to provide a non-partisan outlet for individuals who identify as female and their allies to become involved in and feel connected to their communities in order to drive positive change. The Women of Action organization exists to educate, organize and mobilize voters in Southwestern Indiana through civic engagement and outreach on key community issues, in an unbiased manner via grassroots efforts. Membership is open to anyone age 16 and older who lives or works in one of the following five counties: Warrick, Vanderburgh, Spencer, Gibson, and Posey.Â
HOT JOBS
|
|
|
VU Track and Field caps off busy weekend with more National Qualifiers
BLOOMINGTON, Ind., Indianapolis, Ind. – The Vincennes University indoor Track and Field season is beginning to come to an end as the Trailblazers took part in the Hoosier Hills Invite at Indiana University Friday and the Jerry England Invite at UIndy on Saturday.
The VU men’s indoor team comes into this weekend ranked No. 19 in this week’s USTFCCCA National rankings and looked to solidify themselves with more National qualifiers this weekend.
VU was led off by a first place finish by freshman Desroy Jordan (Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines) in the 400 meter dash. Jordan crossed the line at 49.01 seconds, outlasting a field of several NCAA Division I runners.
VU’s next best placement Friday came in the mile where sophomore Mathew Keitany (Kenya) and freshman Isaac Stanford (Flora, Ill.) battled each other with Keitany coming away with the fifth-place finish at 4:17.19 and Stanford placing sixth at 4:18.21.
Sophomore Trent Faulkner (Wheatland, Ind.) placed sixth in the 800 meters, crossing the line at 1:59.19 and sophomore Ian Boit (Kimilili, Kenya) rounded out the VU men’s results Friday with a 20th-place finish in the 3000 meters with a time of 8:59.33.
Members of the VU women’s indoor Track and Field team also competed Friday, highlighted by sophomore Brittany Page (Freelandville, Ind.) who placed 11th in the 800 meters at 2:31.44.
Freshman Daisie Kinnett (Wheatland, Ind.) also had a great showing Friday by placing 14th in the 3000 meters with a final time of 11:14.49.
“It was a very successful weekend for our track teams,†VU Track and Field Head Coach Marty Rogier said. “We had numerous personal bests and also qualified for Nationals in seven more events, raising our total to 15 overall for the program.â€
“Desroy got us going Friday at IU with a fast 400, easily running down the field,†Rogier added. “He has a very fast race in his future. I’m excited to see what he might do.â€
“Mathew and Isaac both performed great in the mile,†VU Assistant Track and Field Coach Tyler Steigenga said. “Isaac led almost all of his race until the last lap. No one was willing to push the pace up front, so he went to the lead and pushed to get his National Qualifying time of 4:18.21. He wanted to be a little faster to get in the best heat at Nationals, but it’s hard to run that time alone. I’m proud of what he did. Most runners would play it safe and sit back. But Isaac is a competitor and he went for it.â€
“In the next heat Mathew ran 4:17.19 to get his first individual National Qualifying mark of the season,†Steigenga added. “Mathew has had some good races this indoor season, but not quite where I know he can be. Today he finally ran the kind of race that shows a glimpse of how good he can be at the National meet.â€
“In the 3000 meters, Daisie ran a 14 second PR and Ian snuck under the nine minute barrier,†Steigenga said. “Ian looked the best he ever has in a race. He ran a very even and smart race and after falling off a little during the two laps before the bell lap, he managed to close in 34 seconds and run an eight second PR.â€
Members of the VU Track and Field teams then wanted to finish out the weekend strong Saturday afternoon at the Jerry England Invite hosted by the University of Indianapolis.
The Trailblazers men’s team was led off by a strong showing in the 800 meters with Desroy Jordan taking second and Mathew Keitany placing third. Jordan finished at 1:58.18 and Keitany was close behind at 1:58.56.
Bill granting immigrants a “driving privilege card†advances
On Tuesday, the Indiana Senate Homeland Security and Transportation Committee approved a bill that would allow people living in the U.S. without legal permission to receive a driving privilege card. The cards’ sole use would be to allow individuals to drive, not to use them as an ID or to vote.
Senate Bill 248 is authored by Sen. Blake Doriot, R-Goshen, Sen. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend, and Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger.
In order for an individual to receive one of these cards, they would have to show that they had paid taxes in Indiana for one year. The person would have to follow the same standards for a driving license that all Hoosiers are required to follow. These include carrying auto insurance, possibly attending driving school, and up to 50 hours of practice with 10 hours occurring at night.
The card would not require people to file for citizenship. It would have a fixed cost of $67.
The privilege card application would require an applicant to submit fingerprints for local and national criminal background checks. If approved, the person applying for the driving card would have to renew it every year. This would not allow them to drive commercial vehicles.
If person would get pulled over without a driving privilege card, they could receive 60 days in jail and up to a $500 fine for the first violation. For repeat offenders within a 10-year period, the penalty would move up to one year in jail and up to a $5,000 fine. Multiple offenses could accumulate and make that person a felon.
Sen. Jim Buck, R-Kokomo, opposed the bill, making the case for people who do “follow the rules†and complete their citizenship.
“The one thing, and I’m coming right back to this: ‘We follow the rules, we did the right thing. They’re saying my job is being eroded by somebody that didn’t follow the rules and didn’t do the right thing.’ How do I respond to those people? When we start making exceptions for those that didn’t follow the rules and didn’t do the right thing?†Buck said.
Criminal defense and immigration attorney Felipe Merino was asked a similar question, and in his response he spoke of someone who waited 40 years to take the citizenship test.
“‘Why did it take you so long?’ You know what he told me? He said, ‘I was scared. I was scared.’ And so he was scared as a legal permanent resident with a card that says he’s allowed to be here, with a driver’s license where, when a police officer pulls up behind him, he can present it. You can just imagine the folks that we’ve been talking about here today, what kind of shadow comes behind them whenever they see a police officer.â€
The bill passed committee with a vote of 5-4 and will now move to the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Xain Ballenger is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Vanderburgh County Commissioners to Hold Roads Hearing
Vanderburgh County Roads Hearing to be held by the Board of Commissioners of Vanderburgh County. Â The meeting will be held on March 21, 2023 following the Board of Commissioners meeting at 3:00 p.m. in Room 301 of the Civic Center Complex located at 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Evansville, Indiana.
 The Board of Commissioners of Vanderburgh County will conduct its annual Vanderburgh County Roads Hearing on Tuesday, March 21, 2023 following the Board of County Commissioners meeting at 3:00 p.m. in Civic Center Complex Room 301 located at 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., Evansville, Indiana.Â
This public forum will provide citizens with information on road projects scheduled for 2023 and allow citizens to identify specific county roads to be included in the 2023 paving list.Â
Residents who wish to address the Board with specific road concerns or suggestions are asked to email the County Commissioners’ Office by March 10, 2023 at commissioners@vanderburghgov.org so the issue can be investigated prior to the meeting. Please include specific location information, details of the concern or suggestion, reference pictures (if available), and your contact information.Â
For a list of all Vanderburgh County maintained roads, please visit the following site: https://www.evansvillegov.org/egov/documents/1675978486_17733.pdf.Â