On March 17, 2022, Tianeptine became a Schedule I controlled substance in Indiana. It is illegal to sell or possess this drug. Tianeptine is commonly found in product brand names such as Za Za, Tianaa, and Pegasus. It came to the attention of the Evansville-Vanderburgh Joint Drug Task Force (JTF) that gas stations, convenience stores, and smoke shops across Vanderburgh County have been selling these products, not knowing that they were illegal. 

On December 1st, members of the JTF canvassed the county and informed business owners that these products are, in fact, illegal and must be removed from the shelves immediately. A follow-up detail has been planned in the coming months to ensure these businesses remain in compliance with the law. 

Effective immediately, anyone or any establishment/business that possesses and/or sells Tianeptine or products that contain Tianeptine in Indiana will be subject to criminal prosecution. 

For further Information, see: Indiana Code § 35-48-4-2 Dealing in a Schedule I Controlled Substance and § 35-48-4-7 Possession of a Controlled Substance; and , The Indiana Register- TITLE 856 INDIANA BOARD OF PHARMACY – Emergency Rule LSA Document #22-41(E) http://iac.iga.in.gov/iac//20220223-IR-856220041ERA.xml.html. 

 Last week, the Evansville Police Department signed the 30×30 Pledge – a series of low- and no-cost actions that policing agencies can take to improve the representation and experiences of women in law enforcement. The activities help policing agencies assess the current state of a department with regard to gender equity, identify factors that may be driving any disparities and to develop and implement strategies and solutions to eliminate barriers and advance women in policing. These actions address recruitment, assessment, hiring, retention, promotion, and agency culture. 

The Pledge is the foundational effort of the 30×30 Initiative – a coalition of police leaders, researchers, and professional organizations who have joined together to advance the representation and experiences of women in all ranks of policing across the United States. The 30×30 Initiative is affiliated with the Policing Project at NYU School of Law and the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE). 

The ultimate goal of the 30×30 Initiative is to reach 30 percent of women in police recruit classes by 2030, and to ensure policing agencies are truly a representative of the jurisdiction the agency serves. While 30×30 is focused on advancing women in policing, these principles are applicable to all demographic diversity, not just gender. Nationally, women make up only 12% of sworn officers and only 3% of police leadership in the U.S. 

More than 230 agencies from major metro departments including the New York City Police Department, to mid-sized, rural, university and state policing agencies have signed the 30×30 Pledge. The Pledge is based on social science research that greater representation of women on police forces leads to better policing outcomes for communities. At EPD, we are honored to be among the first in the nation to make this critical commitment, and we look forward to working with and learning from agencies across the country who share our priority. 

“We are grateful to the Evansville Police Department for being amongst the first in the nation to commit to being a part of this growing movement” said Maureen McGough, co-founder of the 30×30 Initiative, Chief of Staff of the Policing Project at the New York University School of Law, and former policing expert at the U.S. Department of Justice. “We believe strongly that advancing women in policing is critical to improving public safety outcomes. We look forward to having more agencies follow the Evansville Police Department’s lead by signing the pledge and improving the representation and experiences of women in policing 

Attorney General Todd Rokita is co-leading a multistate effort to stop a Pennsylvania-based investment management company from imposing woke ideologies upon the business models of utility companies, potentially causing harm to investors and consumers.

“Once again,” Attorney General Rokita said, “we’re fighting the dangerous trend toward investment strategies that are designed not to maximize financial returns but rather to impose leftist social and economic agendas that otherwise could not win approval at the ballot box.”

This latest case involves a move by The Vanguard Group Inc. to seek renewal of a blanket authorization for acquisitions of voting securities of publicly traded utilities. When the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission granted that authorization in 2019, however, it did so on assurances from Vanguard that it would refrain from investing “for the purpose of managing” utility companies.

Vanguard also guaranteed that it would not seek to “exercise any control over the day-to-day management” of utility companies nor take any action “affecting the prices at which power is transmitted or sold.”

Now, Vanguard’s own public commitments and other statements have at the very least created the appearance that Vanguard has breached its promises to the commission by engaging in environmental activism and using its financial influence to manipulate the activities of the utility companies in its portfolio

Vanguard has committed itself to the Net Zero Asset Managers Initiative and other climate-based alliances to get to net zero emissions. Given such activism, Vanguard cannot possibly have refrained from interfering with or exercising some measure of control or influence over these coal- and gas-powered energy companies.

“So-called ‘ESG investing’ purports to be concerned with environmental, social, and governance issues,” Attorney General Rokita said. “The advocates of this approach claim their activism does not interfere with making money, but they are deliberately trying to mislead the public about their ploys to subvert the will of the people for the sake of ‘progressive’ politics.”

Along with Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes, Attorney General Rokita is leading a multistate effort to intervene in the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s handling of this case.

“A hearing in this matter,” Attorney General Rokita said, “is warranted to determine the extent to which Vanguard has violated the 2019 authorization and whether granting Vanguard a blanket authorization is contrary to the public interest.”

 Aurora’s Annual Homeless Memorial Service Will Take Place At Trinity United Methodist Church On Thursday, December 8th, 2022 At 5:30 pm. 

EVANSVILLE – Each year, Aurora sponsors the Homeless Memorial Service in partnership with the National Homeless Person’s Memorial Day. This year, the event will take place on Thursday, December 8, 2022 at 5:30PM, and will be held in the sanctuary at Trinity United Methodist Church located at 216 SE 3rd Street. 

Since the Memorial Service began in 1990, Aurora has sponsored and honored individuals experiencing homelessness who passed away in the previous year. This year, the Evansville community will remember the ten individuals who passed away in 2022, and the 161 in total since 1990, the service will include a candle lighting ceremony, “moments of reflection” and “why we make time to remember” those that are often left behind or forgotten. 

Aurora will share a livestream for the service on their Facebook page as well. 

Aurora thanks Trinity UMC, all those participating, and our community partners for working together to protect, shelter, and house the men, women, children, and seniors experiencing homelessness in Evansville. Please contact Sophie Hancock, Marketing & Development Associate for Aurora at the