A process for returning people’s gun rights has now passed the Indiana Senate
A process for returning people’s gun rights has now passed the Indiana Senate
Tuesday afternoon, the Indiana Senate unanimously passed a bill that would allow courts to expunge the records of people subject to red flag laws in the state. Having passed the Senate, the bill will be briefly brought back to the House for approval before making it to the desk of the governor.
The sponsor of the bill, Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis, spoke to TheStatehouseFile.com about how allowing for expungement when subject to red flag laws will benefit Hoosiers.
“It’s there forever just because you are accused of it,” said Freeman, “which then affects your ability to even get into a school, to go to your kids’ parent-teacher events or some field trip. It affects your ability to own, possess currently or in the future a firearm.”
Freeman asked for support of the bill during the session, after which Sen. Greg Taylor, D-Indianapolis, asked to speak. Throughout the 2025 legislative session, he has butted heads with Freeman on the floor of the Senate over different topics. Today, however, Taylor testified in support of the bill.
“This might shock some of you, but I am going to support this legislation,” said Taylor. “I’m going to support this legislation today to give people access to their firearms back if they’re determined through due process, which we are all allowed, to not be dangerous.”
The bill passed 49-0; because of a Senate amendment, it will go back to the House for approval before being brought to the governor.
Schyler Altherr is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news site powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Risk of Severe Weather This Weekend
The Storm Prediction Center has upgraded Friday’s risk for severe storms in the Tri-State. The upgrade means severe weather is becoming more likely. Strong to severe storms are possible from Friday evening through early Saturday morning.
Tornadoes, damaging winds and large hail will be possible. Driving the threat of severe weather are warm conditions for the end of the week with the potential for highs in the upper 70s on Friday. Then a front will roll through dropping temperatures to the 50s on Sunday.
Welcome to spring in Indiana.
Ground Breaking Planned for New Airport Terminal in Huntingburg
The Huntingburg Regional Airport will break ground on the Frosty Jones Terminal on Friday, March 14th, from 8:45 to 9:30 a.m. Eastern. The new terminal is named in honor of Frosty Jones, founder of the Huntingburg Airport.
The terminal will also be a center for education and workforce development. A collaboration with Patoka Valley Career Technical Education Center will provide local high schools and rural communities with essential skills that support both aviation and transportation sectors.
Governor Mike Braun will speak at the event.
Golf Course Gets Rebranding and Rennovations
Thunderbolts Pass golf course is getting a makeover. The Evansville Airport acquired the golf course from Vanderburgh County in 2008 to protect the land from future development.
Now, the course is under new management and is discontinuing its association with the historic WWII airplanes manufactured in Evansville. Its new name is “The Farm.”
The course is temporarily closing while new tee boxes, a new water feature, and upgrades to the clubhouse are installed. “The Farm is set to open in April.
VHS Launching New Pilot Program for Veterans: “Help for Heroes”
VHS Launching New Pilot Program for Veterans: “Help for Heroes”
Pets enrich our lives and benefit our mental health. This can also be especially true for veterans. The Vanderburgh Humane Society’s newest outreach program, “Help for Heroes,” will serve veterans with pets in our community to hopefully keep them and their pets together – happy & healthy!
The idea for this program came from a longtime VHS volunteer named Lauren, who currently also runs the Cardio for Canines program (CFC.) Through CFC, Lauren came into contact with a veteran last October who needed help making an appointment to get his dog fixed and vaccinated. The struggles he was facing with understanding the scheduling software, where to be at what time, etc. really stuck with Lauren.
VHS Director of Advancement Amanda Coburn says, “Lauren told us that this person ‘loves his rescue dog more than anything… she is all he has, essentially.’” Apparently the VA had recommended the VHS and their services to this man, but, “he was still so confused. It’s been weighing heavy on me ever since I’ve come into contact with him, and now I realize how little he knows about all of the low-cost services that are offered.”
That’s all it took. After some brainstorming sessions among VHS staff, Lauren, and several other core volunteers… “Help for Heroes” was born.
Coburn also says, “We explain to stakeholders every chance we get that the Vanderburgh Humane Society is not just an ‘animal organization.’ The services we provide to help pets, are also helping their people even more. For many of our clients, their pet is the reason they get up in the morning and sometimes they have no one else. Keeping pets & people together is so important to our community’s quality of life and people’s mental health.”
The first opportunity for local veterans to utilize Help for Heroes will be:
Sunday, March 23rd, 2025
10 am – 2 pm Central time
Location: VHS, 400 Millner Industrial Drive, 47710
Assistance will take place in the main VHS lobby. A METS bus stop is located two blocks away at Garvin Park/North Main Street. The building is ADA-accessible with a parking lot and accessible restroom access.
Available services include:
- Dog & cat distemper vaccines
- Flea & tick prevention
- Spay/neuter assistance
- Microchip with national registration
- Pet food
- Case management & technical assistance with appointment scheduling, forms, etc.
What veterans should bring:
- Military photo ID
- Email address if they have one, and how to log into it
- Mobile device if they have one
- Pets must be either leashed, harnessed, or in a carrier before entering the building for everyone’s safety. Volunteers can assist with this upon arrival if needed.
Moving forward, program details can be found at https://www.vhslifesaver.org/helpforheroes or by emailing heroes@vhslifesaver.org.
As a reminder, the Vanderburgh Humane Society is a local nonprofit that must raise 100% of its own budget to support programs like these. VHS is not a “chapter” or affiliate of any national organization such as the ASPCA or Humane World for Animals, and receives no operational funding from either.
To make a gift toward programs like Help for Heroes in 2025 and beyond, the public can visit www.give.vhslifesaver.org. Or they can also emailgiving@vhslifesaver.org to inquire about gifts of stock or IRA distributions.
USI to host 17th annual Tri-state Science and Engineering Fair
USI to host 17th annual Tri-state Science and Engineering Fair
The University of Southern Indiana is excited to host the 17th annual Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair on Thursday and Friday, March 13-14, in Carter Hall, located in University Center West on campus. This event will bring together nearly 250 student exhibitors from across the Tri-state region, showcasing their design projects and scientific research.
The Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair encourages students to explore STEM through hands-on learning, problem-solving and experimentation. Students will receive valuable feedback from professionals in STEM fields and compete for top honors, including cash awards and advancement opportunities to the Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair.
The fair welcomes K-12 students from public, private, parochial and homeschool settings within a 75-mile radius of USI. Participants will present innovative design projects and scientific research across a wide range of STEM fields, including engineering, environmental science, biology, chemistry, physics and technology. Projects will be judged on creativity, scientific thought, design and real-world application.
Event Details:
- Judging: 6-8 p.m. Thursday, March 13
- Public Exhibition: 9 a.m. to noon Friday, March 14
- Awards Ceremony: 6-7:30 p.m. Monday, March 17
- Location: Carter Hall, USI University Center West
This year’s fair is proudly sponsored by AstraZeneca and CountryMark Refining and Logistics, with additional awards and support provided by many STEM businesses, organizations and donors. These entities continue to demonstrate their strong commitment to growing and celebrating Southwest Indiana’s expanding base of young STEM professionals by recognizing and encouraging student achievements in science and engineering.
For more information about the Tri-State Science and Engineering Fair, visit USI.edu/stem.
University of Evansville Welcomes Indiana College Core to Empower Future Students
University of Evansville Welcomes Indiana College Core to Empower Future Students
The University of Evansville (UE) is proud to embrace the Indiana College Core (ICC), offering students a powerful opportunity to jump-start their college journey. The ICC is a 30-credit-hour block of general education courses that high school students can complete, and it transfers seamlessly to all Indiana public colleges and select private institutions, including UE. By completing the ICC, students arrive at UE with a solid academic foundation, greater flexibility, and the freedom to make the most of their college experience.
For many students, completing the ICC can be life changing. It can reduce stress by lightening their college course load, create space to pursue a second major or minor, and open doors to experiences like study abroad and internships. At UE, students who complete the ICC will have already met general education requirements, except for three transformative courses that define a UE education.
- The First-Year Seminar invites students into an engaging and thought-provoking academic community, where they build meaningful connections with professors and peers.
- The Writing Across the Curriculum requirement strengthens the ability to express ideas clearly and confidently, a skill that will serve them in any career.
- The Senior Capstone Course provides the opportunity for students to apply their knowledge in real-world situations, ensuring they graduate not just with a degree, but with the confidence to take on what’s next.
Depending on their major, students may also find that ICC courses fulfill additional degree requirements. UE evaluates individual ICC courses based on standard transfer credit policies, ensuring that students receive the recognition they deserve for their hard work.
With the endorsement of the University Faculty Senate, UE has committed to honoring ICC credits while maintaining the personalized, high-quality education that defines the University of Evansville.
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.