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Democrats Ask Again For Suspension Of State’s Gas Tax As Prices Rise

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Democrats Ask Again For Suspension Of State’s Gas Tax As Prices Rise

  • By Taylor Wooten, TheStatehouseFile.com
  • MAY 24, 2022

INDIANAPOLIS—Indiana Democrats are once again calling for Gov. Eric Holcomb to temporarily suspend the state’s gas tax as prices hit a high.

Indiana is forecasted to have a $6.1 million surplus, which legislators say could be used to save Hoosiers money at the pump. House and Senate Democrats asked to suspend the tax at the end of the legislative session and are renewing the calls as prices rise.

“We’re exceeding our numbers on overall sales tax revenue, so the state doesn’t need this money,” DeLaney said in the release. “Either the governor should use his authority to suspend the tax or the General Assembly should do so ourselves during Technical Corrections Day on May 24. It’s what struggling Hoosier families need and deserve.”

Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary, said in a press release that her constituents would be particularly helped by the suspension of the tax because of long commutes.

“The average Gary resident drives nearly a half hour to get to work each day,” Hatcher said. “Suspending the gas tax would drastically reduce the price at the pump and help Hoosiers get back on their feet after two years of an unpredictable pandemic that impacted many Hoosiers’ incomes.”

Although DeLaney and other Democrats are asking to suspend the gas tax on the May 24 convening of the General Assembly, technical correction sessions are only supposed to be used to make corrections to bills and consider overriding vetoes, according to Indiana code.

In a statement to WRTV, Holcomb said the gas tax should only be suspended by a governor in the event of an energy emergency. The states that have suspended the gas tax did so through the legislature, the statement said.

Georgia, Maryland, and Connecticut have suspended gas taxes, with over a dozen considering similar moves as of April 8, according to CNET.

The gas tax in Indiana is 32 cents per gallon. Sales tax on gas changes monthly and currently stands at 24 cents per gallon for May.

On the last day of the legislative session on March 8,  Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, and Rep. Gregory Porter, D-Indianapolis, held a press conference and released materials asking for gas sales tax and fuel taxes to be put on hold for the next three months as gas prices began to increase.

Porter said the increase in gas prices due to the conflict in Ukraine is an example of how legislation needs to shift from the beginning of the session to the end as the world changes.

Instead, the Republican supermajority passed House Bill 1002, a multifaceted tax bill that repeals certain utility taxes and gradually decreases income taxes in the state if certain conditions are met.

FOOTNOTE: Taylor Wooten is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

California Bill Would Allow Parents To Sue Social Media Platforms For Kids’

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California Bill Would Allow Parents To Sue Social Media Platforms For Kids’ Addictions

Written By Dannie McIntire

The California Assembly passed a measure Monday that would allow parents to sue social media companies for up to $25,000 per violation if their child becomes addicted to media platforms. The proposed law now goes to the California state senate for additional hearings and would go into effect in January 2023 if passed. 

I have a better idea, why doesn’t the California legislature pass a simpler law requiring a parent to actually be a “parent”. If your child is obsessed with and spending too many hours on social media whose fault is that?

It’s not the media site’s fault, it’s not the child’s fault, the blame lies squarely with the “parenting”. If your child is spending too much time on social media sites, limit their time on such sites, and if necessary take their device away, it’s as simple as that!   

Unfortunately, this malady is not only affecting our children. I can’t count the number of instances I’ve been in a restaurant and observed a family out to enjoy a meal together, everyone in the family with a cell phone in hand with hardly a glance or word was spoken to one another.  How often have you seen a group of apparent friends out together, each one in their own little world glued to their cell phones, with little or no conversation between them?

The art of conversation is being replaced by texting. Now I’m hoping my wife doesn’t read this article. I’ve heard her cell phone “dinging” constantly to the point I think an ice cream truck must be driving by. Me-“who is texting”, wife-“Oh I’m texting with my sister”, Me-“why don’t you just call her”, wife-“angry stare at my intrusion into her texting”. 

Don’t even get me started on when my wife has a group text going with her “Bunco Girls”, the sound effects are equal to listening to a “lightsaber” fight in “Star Wars”. 

Don’t get me wrong, I do appreciate the world of technology we are now living in, however, sometimes it does seem to upset the rules of the universe. Adults should be the teacher, I recall the look on my wife’s face when her then seven-year-old great-niece Grace asked quizzically, “Auntie L, why are you typing, just speak into the phone like this and it will do the text for you”, her expression was “WHAT”! But then at age 68, my wife is still trying to learn how to Cha Cha, I wonder if technology can help with that.  

when her then seven-year-old great-niece Grace asked quizzically, “Auntie L, why are you typing, just speak into the phone like this and it will do the text for you”, her expression was “WHAT”! But then at age 68, my wife is still trying to learn how to Cha Cha, I wonder if technology can help with that.      

 

SEVEN-TIME GRAMMY® WINNER GLADYS KNIGHT GRACES THE PLAZA STAGE ON JULY 31, 2022

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SEVEN-TIME GRAMMY® WINNER GLADYS KNIGHT GRACES THE PLAZA STAGE ON JULY 31, 2022

TICKETS GO ON SALE MAY 27 AT 10 AM

Evansville, IN -  May 26, 2022 – Gladys Knight, known as the ‘Empress of Soul,’ is scheduled to take the Aiken Theatre stage this summer for an amazing show on July 31. The seven-time Grammy Award-winner is known for hits she recorded during the ‘60s, ‘70s, and ‘80s with her group The Pips, a group that included her brother Merald “Bubba” Knight and cousins William Guest and Edward Patten.

Knight has recorded two number-one Billboard Hot 100 singles, ‘Midnight Train to Georgia,’ and ‘That’s What Friends Are For,’ eleven number-one R&B singles, and six number-one R&B albums. She has won four Grammy Awards as a solo artist and three Grammys with The Pips. Two of her songs, ‘I Heard It Through the Grapevine,’ and ‘Midnight Train to Georgia,’ were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame for ‘historical, artistic and significant value. She also recorded the theme song for the 1989 James Bond film License to Kill. Rolling Stone magazine ranked Knight among the 100 Greatest Singers of All Time.

In 1995, Knight earned her star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the next year, Gladys Knight & The Pips were inducted into the Rock ‘N’ Roll Hall of Fame. Knight published an autobiography, Between Each Line of Pain and Glory (a line taken from her million-selling recording ‘Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me’), and the next year, she and The Pips were presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Rhythm & Blues Hall of Fame. In 2004, Knight received a Lifetime Achievement Award at the annual BET Awards ceremony.

All told, Knight has recorded more than 38 albums over the years, including four solo albums during the past decade, Good Woman, Just for You, Many Different Roads, and At Last, showing the world she still has what it takes to record a hit album. Today, Knight and her husband William, oversee her busy career from the Las Vegas headquarters of Shakeji, Inc., her personal entertainment corporation.

Ticket Information:

What:                   Gladys Knight

When:                  Sunday, July 31, 2022, at 8:00 PM

Where:                Old National Events Plaza, Aiken Theatre

Tickets:                Tickets start at $46.50 plus applicable fees and tax.

For more information about Gladys Knight, visit: www.GladysKnight.com

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or the Old National Events Plaza Box Office.

For more information about the Aiken Theatre, visit: www.oldnationaleventsplaza.com

About JAC National Management Group

JAC National Management Group LLC brokers concerts, conventions, spectacle shows and sporting events for through its subsidiary company, JAC Life. The core executive team, previously event promoters, leads JAC Management and offer expertise in making dynamic deals on behalf of clients. With a combined 15+ years in the concert industry, JAC Management offers relationships with the world’s top agencies and artist management, routing entertainment icons such as Elton John, Barry Manilow, Tim McGraw, Motley Crue, Cirque Du Soliel, Earth Wind and Fire, Bob Dylan, and more for more information, visit   www.jacmg.com.

About Old National Events Plaza

Old National Events Plaza, managed by ASM Global, is Evansville, Indiana’s premier convention center and largest live entertainment theatre. Housing a spacious 2,500-seat theatre, 38,000 square- feet of column free exhibit space, a beautiful 14,000 square-foot ballroom, and 12,00 square feet of meeting space, Old National Events Plaza hosts a variety of events. The venue offers easy scheduling, one-stop-shop services, and in-house catering and audio-visual services. For more information and a complete schedule of events, please visit www.oldnationaleventsplaza.com.

About ASM Global

ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. It is the global leader in venue and event strategy and management – delivering locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to achieve maximum results for venue owners. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 325 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. For more information, please visit www.asmglobal.com.

 

GARY ALLAN RETURNS TO EVANSVILLE THIS SUMMER WITH SIZZLIN’S NEW TOUR

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GARY ALLAN RETURNS TO EVANSVILLE THIS SUMMER WITH SIZZLIN’S NEW TOUR

TICKETS GO ON SALE NATIONALLY ON MAY 26 AT 10 AM

Evansville, IN -  May 23, 2022 –  American country music artist Gary Allan returns to the Old National Events Plaza on August 27 with The Ruthless Tour: 25 Years the Hard Way. Fans can expect to hear new music from Allan’s new album ‘Ruthless,’ one he calls his most commanding work ever.

“This is a montage of everything I have done since my last album. It’s what I love. I remain influenced by the ‘90s – as well as by the ‘80s. Twenty-six tracks were cut for this album.  Then I went back to the studio and recorded three or four more tracks. Then I returned for two more. From each of these many sessions, I pulled out the cool stuff that I wanted on the record,” Allan says of Ruthless.

Allan made his country music debut with the release of his single ‘Her Man,’ leading to his gold-certified 1996 debut album ‘Used Heart for Sale.’ His second album, ‘It Would Be You,’ followed in 1998 and a third, ‘Smoke Rings in the Dark,’ was his first platinum album. He continued producing chart toppers like ‘Alright Guy,’ and ‘See If I Care,’ which were both certified platinum, while ‘Tough All Over,’ ‘Greatest Hits,’ and ‘Living Hard,’ all certified gold. His next two albums ‘Get Off on the Pain,’ and ‘Set You Free,’both reached the Top 10 on the U.S. Billboard Top Country Albums charts.

Gary Allans’ greatest hits albums have produced 26 singles on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs and Country Airplay charts, including the number one hits ‘Man to Man,’ ‘Tough Little Boys,’ ‘Nothing On but the Radio,’ and ‘Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain).’  Allen has been nominated for this work by the American Country Awards, Academy of Country Music, and CMT Flameworthy Video Music Awards.

Ticket Information:

What:           Gary Allan

When:          Saturday, August 27, 2022, at 7:30 PM

Where:         Old National Events Plaza | 715 Locust Street | Evansville, IN 47708

Tickets:        Tickets start at $36.50 plus applicable fees and tax.

For more information about Gary Allan visit www.garyallan.com.

Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or the Old National Events Plaza Box Office.

For more information about the Aiken Theatre, visit www.oldnationaleventsplaza.com

About Old National Events Plaza

Old National Events Plaza, managed by ASM Global, is Evansville, Indiana’s premier convention center and largest live entertainment theatre. Housing a spacious 2,500-seat theatre, 38,000 square- feet of column free exhibit space, a beautiful 14,000 square-foot ballroom, and 12,00 square-feet of meeting space, Old National Events Plaza hosts a variety of events. The venue offers easy scheduling, one-stop-shop services, and in-house catering and audio-visual services. For more information and a complete schedule of events, please visit www.oldnationaleventsplaza.com.

About ASM Global

ASM Global is the world’s leading producer of entertainment experiences. It is the global leader in venue and event strategy and management – delivering locally tailored solutions and cutting-edge technologies to achieve maximum results for venue owners. The company’s elite venue network spans five continents, with a portfolio of more than 325 of the world’s most prestigious arenas, stadiums, convention and exhibition centers, and performing arts venues. For more information, please visit www.asmglobal.com

HOT JOBS

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HOT JOBS

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD

 

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

MEDIA

Vanderburgh County Board of Vanderburgh County Commissioners Meeting Agenda

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AGENDA 

Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners 

May 24, 2022 – 3:00 p.m. 

Room 301, Civic Center Complex 

1. Call to Order 

2. Attendance 

3. Pledge of Allegiance 

    1. 4. Action Items A. Health Department 1. COVID-19 Update 
    3. B. County Engineer 1. Request to Award VC22-05-01 “Resurfacing of Vanderburgh County Roads” to J.H. Rudolph & Co., Inc. 
    4. 2. SJCA, Inc. Supplemental Agreement No. 1 – St. Joseph Road Bridge #1911 for Right of Way Services 
    5. 3. SJCA, Inc. Supplemental Agreement No. 2 – Boonville New Harmony Road Bridge #252 for Right of Way Acquisition and Utility Coordination 
    6. 4. Notice to Bidders for VC22-06-01 “Milling and Resurfacing of Vanderburgh County Roads” 
    7. 5. INDOT Construction Change Order No. 18 – Green River Road Phase 6 
    8. 6. Sidewalk Waiver Request for Blue Terrace Two Located at 811 N Boehne Camp Road 
    9. 7. Memorandum for Recommendation for Administrative Settlement – Boonville New Harmony Road Parcel 28 
    10. 8. VS Engineering, Inc. Contract Amendment No. 2 – Green River Road Trail 
    12. C. Auditor’s Office 1. Nationwide Investment Advisory Agreement 
    14. D. Evansville-Vanderburgh County Purchasing Department 1. Smith & Butterfield Co., Inc. Agreement to Purchase Paper – Joint County & City Agreement 
    16. E. Public Defender’s Office 1. Collective Bargaining Agreement 
        1. 2. Teamcare Participation Agreements i. Non-Bargaining Unit Employees 
        2. ii. Health and Welfare Only Employer 
        3. iii. New Group Requirements with Future Retiree Coverage 
        6. F. Second Reading of Ordinance No. CO.05-22-005 – An Ordinance Amending the Board of Commissioners of Vanderburgh County, Indiana Credit Card Policy Procedure 
        7. G. An Ordinance Amending Section 2.27.020, Random Drug Testing Program Required, of the Vanderburgh County Code 
        8. H. An Ordinance Establishing a Non-Reverting Medicaid Reimbursement Fund 
        9. I. An Ordinance Establishing the Veterans Memorial Coliseum Revitalization Non-Reverting Fund 
        11. 5. Department Head Reports 

Drainage Board Immediately Following 

    1. A. Drainage Board & Surveyor – Linda Freeman 
    2. A. Approval of May 10th Board of Commissioners Meeting Minutes 
    3. B. Employment Changes 
        1. C. County Auditor 1. Claims Voucher Reports i. 05/09-05/13/2022 
        2. ii. 05/16-05/20/2022 
        4. 2. Bohannon Estates Barrett Law Lien Release: Sabra & Greg Burger 
        6. D. County Clerk 1. April 2022 Monthly Report 
        8. E. County Engineer 1. Report & Claims 
        10. F. Health Department 1. Surplus Request 
        12. G. Highway Department 1. Department Head Report 
        14. H. Burdette Park 1. Surplus Request 
        16. I. Weights & Measures 1. Department Head Report 
          1. J. Appropriation Requests 1. Commissioners i. Riverboat a. Communications 
          2. b. OCH Maintenance 
          3. c. Legal Services 
          6. 2. Superintendent of County Buildings i. General Fund a. Materials 
          10. K. Transfer Request 1. Commissioners i. General Fund a. Communications to Supplies 
          14. L. Alpha Energy Solutions Preventative Maintenance Agreement Amendment 
          15. A. First Reading of Rezoning Ordinance VC-3-2002 

6. New Business 

7. Old Business 

8. Consent Items 

9. Rezoning 

Petitioner: Donald Relleke & T.M.F.T., Inc./L.A.D. Transport 

Address: A portion of 2708 Orchard Road & 11300 Schaeffer Road 

Request: Change from Ag to M-2 with UDC 

10. Public Comment A. Jessica Angelique, Founder/Executive Director – Foster Care in the U.S. 

11. Adjournment 

Indiana Cities Experiment With Gunshot Detection Tools

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Indiana Cities Experiment With Gunshot Detection Tools

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett delivers a speech to officers in the IMPD chief’s conference room. He released a violence prevention plan last year to address the city’s rising homicide rate.
Photo contributed by the office of Mayor Joe Hogsett

INDIANAPOLIS—When there’s a mass shooting, everyone hears about it. And much to the dismay of most Americans, there’s been no shortage of gun violence lately. By mid-May, the United States had already experienced 198 mass shootings.

A racially motivated shooter in Buffalo, New York, who left 10 people dead on May 14 was preceded by a series of non-lethal shootings in Milwaukee the day prior and followed by gun violence at a church in Laguna Woods, California, and an open-air market in Houston the next day.

But what happens when people fire guns in less crowded areas like houses or empty streets?

Police typically have to guess the places from which gunshots emanate based on opinions from neighbors and people who overhear the noise.

However, cities across the U.S. are implementing gunshot detection systems, like ShotSpotter, to pinpoint the source of gunfire. They’re experiencing varying levels of success, and Indiana has followed the trend.

How does ShotSpotter work?

ShotSpotter identifies crime hotspots by using crime data gathered by police departments while also drawing on location-specific information like population density, weather, and proximity to liquor stores and bars. It identifies high-crime zones as “risk areas” for gunfire.

ShotSpotter installs 20 to 25 microphones per square mile in cities that pay for its service.

Each time a banging noise that breaches 120 decibels occurs, a ShotSpotter employee in a dispatch center listens to the sound to determine if it’s a gunshot. If confirmed, ShotSpotter alerts the local police department within 30 seconds of the gunfire.

This allows police to arrive at crime scenes faster than before. On average, it takes two and a half minutes for an officer to arrive to a scene after an independent citizen reports gunfire by calling 911.

And a quicker response time can make a difference because only 39% of shootings last more than five minutes. Gunfire detection technology also means that police can respond to gunfire that they wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

ShotSpotter data parallels that of other resources in affirming that gun violence is on the rise.

The number of gunshots detected by ShotSpotter was higher in 2020 and 2021 than in 2019.

Both years experienced instances where the number of gunshots exceeded six gunshots per square mile per week.

The busiest time of day for gunfire is 10 to 11 p.m.

South Bend

The South Bend Police Department tested its ShotSpotter Connect system last year, firing shots to gauge its accuracy.

The police department discovered some glitches in the program. The primary problem was that ShotSpotter’s GPS system sometimes failed to sync to the police department’s GPS network.

In 2016, South Bend paid $165,000 to maintain the system, and the city has since been working out the kinks in the software’s utility.

Indianapolis

Hogsett listens to a presentation at the 2020 IMPD Stewardship Meeting.

Indiana’s largest city is still working to select a business or vendor that it will pay to implement gun detection services.

Mayor Joe Hogsett released a violence prevention plan in early 2021 to respond to the rising number of gun-related deaths.

The American Rescue Plan Act, intended to protect vulnerable workers economically and physically, gave $150 million to acquire additional police officers while also granting $9 million in modern technology for license plate readers, public safety cameras and a gunshot detection pilot program.

The city plans to test a gunshot detection service during a three-month pilot period. The service should ideally be able to determine the origin of certain types of gunshots with at least 90% accuracy, police say.

The testing location will be a five-square-mile patch of land on the city’s east side.

The planned pilot program comes after Indy experienced an all-time high of 245 homicides in 2020, only to be trumped by 271 in 2021.

ShotSpotter criticism

Cincinnati started using ShotSpotter technology nearly five years ago, mirrored by other cities including Wilmington, North Carolina; Savannah, Georgia; and Worcester, Massachusetts.

But activists in some of these places, especially in Worcester, say the software unfairly targets minority communities. They insist that the crime data on which ShotSpotter relies is based on decades of racial profiling.

They also fear that some officers could be justified in their targeting of minority communities if they can simply rely on a computer to instruct their decisions.

Several organizations, including the American Civil Liberties Union, The Associated Press, and VICE news are also questioning the integrity of gunshot detection systems.

The ACLU objects to the fact that the systems send police into minority areas often expecting dangerous interactions. During these police runs, the ACLU says there is a potential for other arrests that have nothing to do with gunfire.

Chicago’s inspector general released a report that supports this claim. The report confirms that false leads from ShotSpotter result in more stops and pat downs in high-crime zones.

FOOTNOTE: Isaac Gleitz is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students. 

Sen. Braun Asks Senate To Pass Simplify, Don’t Amplify The IRS Act

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Sen. Braun Asks Senate To Pass Simplify, Don’t Amplify The IRS Act

Watch Senator Braun’s remarks on the Senate floor

WASHINGTON – Today, Senator Braun went to the Senate floor to ask unanimous consent to pass his Simplify, Don’t Amplify the IRS Act, which would stop the Biden administration from growing the power of the IRS.

This bill would stop attempts to target Americans and small businesses by snooping in their bank accounts, credit union accounts, and Venmo, Paypal and CashApp.

This Bill Would Also:

  • repeal the Democrat ban on cutting state taxes
  • hold IRS employees accountable when they release private taxpayer information
  • And ensure that the IRS spends its time helping taxpayers rather than on unofficial union activity.

This Bill Would Immediately:

  • Add value for the American taxpayer
  • And help restore faith to a dysfunctional government agency that affects every American.

USI Softball Facing Rogers State In NCAA II Softball Championship Opener

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USI Softball Facing Rogers State In NCAA II Softball Championship Opener

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Softball landed the No. 4 seed in the NCAA Division II Softball Championship and will play No. 5-seeded Rogers State University in the opening round Thursday at 2:30 p.m. (CDT).

The Screaming Eagles (49-11) are ranked No. 10, nationally, while the Hillcats (53-10) are ranked No. 4, nationally.

USI and Rogers State are in the same bracket as the top-ranked University of Texas at Tyler and No. 8-seeded California State University, Dominguez Hills.

The other half of the bracket features No. 2-seeded Adelphi University taking on No. 7-seeded University of North Georgia, while No. 3-seeded Auburn University at Montgomery will battle No. 6-seeded Seton Hill University.

USI is one of five No. 1 seeds to advance to the NCAA II Softball Championship and one of three from its half of the bracket. Texas-Tyler, Rogers State, Adelphi, and Auburn-Montgomery also were No. 1 seeds in their respective regions.

The Eagles’ games will be aired live on NCAA.com, 95.7 The Spin and ESPN 97.7 The Ref, while live stats, audio and video links can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.

USI Softball Notes
• Eagles claim third regional crown. USI Softball won its third NCAA Division II Midwest Region title and first since winning the national championship in 2018. The Eagle’s win over Grand Valley State marked the second time USI has claimed the regional title on the USI Softball Field. The Eagles improved to 6-0 all-time in the NCAA II Super Regional with their wins.

• USI in the NCAA post-season. The Eagles, who are in the NCAA II Tournament for the first time since 2019 and the 10th time in program history, are 29-18 all-time in the NCAA II Tournament and 28-14 under Head Coach Sue Kunkle following their wins in the Super Regional.

• USI in the NCAA II Softball Championship. The Eagles are making their third appearance at the NCAA II Softball Championship. USI went 0-2 in its first trip in 2017 and 5-0 in its national championship run in 2018.
–2017: Lost to #2 seed Minnesota State-Mankato (eventual champions), 5-0, in the opening round
–2017: Lost to #6 seed West Florida, 4-3, in elimination bracket following a lengthy delay due to umpire replacement
–2018: Upset #1 seed North Georgia, 1-0, behind a 3-hit shutout from Jennifer Leonhardt
–2018: Jennifer Leonhardt tossed USI’s first-ever post-season no-hitter as Eagles upset #4 seed Angelo State, 3-0.
–2018: After rain suspended play with USI trailing #6-seeded Saint Leo, 4-2, in the sixth, USI came back the following day to score runs in the sixth, seventh and eighth innings to punch its ticket to the NCAA II Championship round.
–2018: USI overpowered #2 seed Saint Anselm, winning the opening game of the best-of-three series, 4-0, before erupting for seven second-inning runs in game two to win 8-3.

• Eagles making history. USI has had a historic season in its march to the NCAA II Softball Championship. The Eagles have accomplished the following:
–The best start to GLVC play (16-0).
–A tied program record for consecutive wins (18).
–A set record for GLVC wins (26) in a single season.
–A set record for wins in a single season (49) … previous record was 48 (1998).
–First time in program history winning GLVC regular-season, GLVC Tournament and NCAA II Midwest Region titles in the same season.
–Set program records for triples (26), runs (346), RBI (320) and tied record for doubles (93).
–Best 40-game stretch in program history, having gone 37-3 entering NCAA II Championship.

• Record Watch. Individually, sophomore first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) broke Marleah Fossett’s record (21 in 2017) for hit-by-pitches (22) and is just two doubles to match Kristin Eickholt’s program record (21 in 2006). Sophomore outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) needs five at-bats (Claire Johnson, 206 in 2018) and 12 hits (Trisha Poling, 87 in 1998) to match program records, while freshman outfielder Kennedy Nalley (Huntingburg, Indiana) is eight runs shy of Haley Hodge’s record (58 in 2016). Bedrick also is just 10 runs shy of that mark.

• Historic production. While Fair’s 54 RBI are tied for the second most in a single-season in program history, the Eagles run production across the board has been historic. USI has six players with at least 30 RBI and a seventh with 29 RBI. The six players with 30 or more RBI are the most in program history. USI also is just 12 hits shy of the 2017 team’s single-season record for hits (540).

• Last week’s leaders. Senior designated player Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) hit .571 (4-7) with a pair of RBI during the NCAA II Super Regional. She drove in the game-winning run in USI’s come-from-behind win over Grand Valley State in game two, while her RBI single in the fifth in game one broke a scoreless tie. In the circle, freshman pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) was 1-0 with a save and a 0.00 ERA, while junior pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) was 1-0 with a 1.31 ERA in 10 2/3 innings of work.

• NCAA II Tournament leaders. Fair is hitting .450 (9-20) with two doubles, two home run and six RBI, while Back is hitting .444 with a double and two RBI. Bedrick is hitting .429 with a team-best eight runs scored, while Goodin and sophomore catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) have respectively driven in eight and seven runs. Goodin is 3-1 with a 0.58 ERA in the post-season, while Newman is 3-0 with two saves, a 1.52 ERA, 20 strikeouts and a .195 opponent batting average.

• Post-season leaders. Back is hitting .500 with two doubles and four RBI to lead USI in the post-season, while Bedrick is hitting .433 with 13 hits and 11 runs scored. Fair is hitting .414 with three doubles, three home runs and 12 RBI, while Goodin is hitting .407 with three doubles, four home runs and 10 RBI.

In the circle, Goodin is 5-1 with a 0.87 ERA, 19 strikeouts and a .220 opponent batting average in 40 1/3 innings of work to lead USI in the post-season. Newman is 3-0 with a pair of saves, 20 strikeouts and a .195 opponent batting average in 23 innings of work, freshman Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) is 1-0 with a .160 opponent batting average in 6 2/3 innings of work.

• Eagles offense heats up. After being held to just three hits in their first shutout loss since March 5 and just their second of the season, the Eagles’ offense erupted for a combined 31 runs off 47 hits in the final four games of the NCAA II Midwest Region #1 Tournament. The Eagles hit .409 as a team, racking up 13 doubles, two triples and eight home runs.

• USI wins fifth GLVC crown. The Eagles won the GLVC Tournament for the fifth time in program history when they defeated Indianapolis, 1-0, in the championship game Sunday. USI also won the GLVC Tournament in 1993, 1995, 1998 and 2018.

• Eagles move into Top 10. USI enters the NCAA II Softball Championship ranked No. 10 in the NFCA Division II Top 25 Coaches Poll, which was most recently published prior to the NCAA II Midwest #1 Tournament.

• Newman finalist for Freshman of Year honors. Newman is a finalist for the NFCA’s Freshman of the Year honor. She is the second USI freshman to be up for the award after Jennifer Leonhardt was a finalist for the NFCA Freshman of the Year honor in 2017.

• Kunkle named GLVC Coach of the Year. USI Head Coach Sue Kunkle was named the GLVC Coach of the Year for the third time after leading the Eagles to the GLVC regular-season championship. Kunkle, who directed the NFCA Division II National Coaching Staff of the Year in 2018 and NFCA Midwest Region Coaching Staff of the Year in 2017 and 2018, also was the GLVC Coach of the Year in 2006 and 2017.

• Six Eagles net All-GLVC honors. USI placed six players on the All-GLVC team in 2022, including Goodin, who collected first-team honors as a utility/pitcher. Back (designated player) and Fair were named to the second team, as was Newman, Kihega and Bedrick.

• Four Eagles net All-Region honors. Fair, Goodin and Newman all earned second-team D2CCA All-Midwest Region honors in a vote by the Midwest Region Sports Information Directors, while Goodin and Bedrick earned second-team NFCA All-Midwest Region accolades in a vote by the region’s coaches.

• Two Eagles net Academic honors. Back and Bedrick both earned CoSIDA Academic All-District IV honor after strong seasons at the plate and in the classroom. Both are now on the ballot for Academic All-America honors.

• Season leaders. Back leads USI with a .397 batting average to go along with 10 doubles, two home runs, and 30 RBI, while Fair is hitting .390 with 19 doubles, three triples, 11 home runs, and 54 RBI. She also has been hit a program-record 22 times.

In the circle, Newman is 17-3 with four saves, a 179 ERA, .174 opponent batting average and 185 strikeouts in 141 innings of work. Goodin is 16-3 with a 1.83 ERA and .226 opponent batting average in 126 2/3 innings of work, while Gotshall (8-0) and Back (6-1) have combined for a 14-1 record.

• Walk-off wins. The Eagles have had 11 walk-off victories this season, including six that have been in the seventh inning or later and four that have been in extra innings. Six of the walk-off wins have given the Eagles victory via the eight-run rule.

• Eagles in extra innings. USI is 6-1 in extra-inning games this season, including 4-0 in GLVC play.

• Hitting streaks. Back, junior shortstop Jordan Rager (Fishers, Indiana) and freshman Olivia Howard (Fishers, Indiana) each have a hit in their previous two appearances. Bedrick and junior second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) each had a season-high 11 game hit streak earlier this season.

• Weekly honors. Both Fair and Newman have collected GLVC weekly honors this season. Fair earned GLVC Player of the Week honors for her efforts in USI’s doubleheader sweep over Illinois Springfield, Truman State, and Quincy earlier this season, while Newman was named GLVC Pitcher of the Week after recording a pair of shutouts, including a no-hitter, in USI’s doubleheader wins over Drury and Southwest Baptist.

• OUCH! Fair has been hit by a pitch a league-high 22 times this season. She ranks No. 1 on USI’s all-time single-season list for being hit by a pitch. Marleah Fossett and Mena Fulton were smacked by pitches a respective 21 and 17 times in 2017, while Caitlyn Bradley was hit 12 times in 2016. Fair, who was hit 10 times as a freshman in 2021, is No. 2 on USI’s all-time list behind Fulton (37).

• 15-plus Ks. Newman has three games under her belt with at least 15 strikeouts. She fanned 17 batters in USI’s game-two win over Quincy and struck out 16 in USI’s game-two win over Missouri-St. Louis. She also had 15 strikeouts in USI’s game-two win over McKendree.

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