Efroymson Fellowship Exhibition On Display In USI McCutchan Art Center And Pace Galleries
The Efroymson Bridge Year Fellowship Exhibition, Love is a Gift that is Surely Homemade, is currently on display at the McCutchan Art Center/Pace Galleries (MAC/PACE) on the University of Southern Indiana campus. The show, located in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center, will be on display through Friday, February 4.
Hannah Evelyn Jones, the 2021 recipient of the Fellowship, is the featured artist for Love is a Gift that is Surely Homemade. Her works can be described as dream-like, figurative and narrative paintings that incorporate mixed media, particularly embroidery, creating complex surfaces that are appreciable both formally and for their content. Jones’ collection of more than 25 mixed media pieces is accompanied by original poems and verses, creating an engaging dialogue for the viewer as they move through the exhibition spaces.
“In this exhibition, I explore the impact of generation trauma and generational joy, and I sort my own desire to hold onto what I need and let go of what can end,†Jones says. “I view my work through a stack of generational lenses, but there is also my own perspective of coming into adulthood alongside anxiety, fatigue and a global pandemic. Though most of my work begins life as individual narratives, I hope to find more universal experiences that tell the viewer they are not alone, and neither am I.â€
A public reception for the exhibition will be held at 1 p.m. Sunday, January 23 in the MAC/PACE Galleries. Social distancing and face coverings are required of all attendees, regardless of vaccination status. A short presentation by Jones and the Director of the MAC/PACE Galleries will begin at 2 p.m.
The MAC/PACE, located in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center, is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and noon to 4 p.m. Sundays. Guests are invited to view this exhibition in person at the MAC/PACE. Due to physical distancing limitations in place during the COVID-19 pandemic, groups of 10 or more people should contact the gallery in advance.
The Efroymson Bridge Year Fellowship is a competitive award program awarded to one graduating senior or recent alum from USI’s Art and Design Department annually. The goal of the Efroymson Bridge Year Fellowship is to fund a post-undergraduate year, allowing the recipient to focus on their studio practice to expand their artistic vision and enhance their portfolio, to gain maturity as an art maker and to successfully gain entrance to graduate school in his/her area of expertise.
EDITORIAL: IN SUPPORT OF USI MOVING FROM NCAA DIVISION II TO NCAA DIVISION I
What To Expect If USI Moves From NCAA Division II to Division I
BY CITY-COUNTY OBSERVER STAFF
The University of Southern Indiana (USI) campus on Evansville’s Westside has been transformed during the last few decades from a commuter campus to a fully equipped campus with state-of-the-art classrooms, advanced degrees, student housing, and a plethora of athletic facilities that are only exceeded by big nationally recognized programs.
Most recently the Screaming Eagle Arena which seats 4,800 spectators has been the scene of an increasingly successful basketball program. USI crowds for home games draw roughly 2,500 to 3,000 attendees on a regular basis. The most notable opponent this year has been the #1 ranked Auburn Tigers, which are coached by former USI coach Bruce Pearl. That is the same Bruce Pearl that coached USI to a Division 2 NCAA championship in 1995 after finishing the 1994 season as a runner-up.
USI has always been competitive in every NCAA Division II intercollegiate that they participate in and starts most years with realistic visions of winning another national championship in multi-sports.
If the USI Trustees elevate the athletic teams to NCAA Division I, Evansville may become one of the smallest markets to have the distinction of being home to two Division I teams. That is a worthy distinction for the people down at “Visit Evansville” and “SPORTS CORP” to tout as worth a visit.Â
Evansville, Indiana has a long and distinguished history when it comes to NCAA Division II basketball. The University of Evansville Aces have 5 national titles and those banners hang in the downtown Evansville Ford Center. Since making the move to Division I, the Aces have hung no more national championship banners. They have earned a trip to March Madness on several occasions and advanced to the round of 32 once. Their last appearance in March Madness was in 2000. This year’s Aces are struggling and have only won very few games. The official attendance in the 10,500 seats Ford Center for Aces games is typically only 3,000 and the stands never seem like they are that full. When the Aces were in Division II, they usually filled Roberts Stadium to its capacity of over 10,000 people and knocked off some nationally-ranked opponents. Most would conclude that the move to NCAA Division I has not been good for the Aces. It must be noted that college basketball has changed a lot since those good old days at Roberts where the Aces always played up to the competition.
The trend in lifestyle campuses like what USI has transformed into is to move to NCAA Division I. Former conference members Northern Kentucky and Bellarmine are among the teams that have made the jump. NKU is now in the Horizon League and has a 12-10 record. Bellarmine is in their 2nd Division I season and has a 13-10 record with notable losses to the #1 Gonzaga and then #2 UCLA on a west coast tour. Bellarmine has been to four Division II final fours and won one championship during the last decade. They also play their home games in Louisville’s Freedom Hall which seats 18,750. Despite the seating capacity in the off-campus facility, the Bellarmine Knights seldom draw over 2,000 attendees.Â
We feel that the University of Southern Indiana is most certainly NCAA Division I ready as NKU, Bellarmine, or any of the other teams that have made the transition. From a facilities perspective, USI already has established an impressive collection of on-campus facilities that many NCAA Division I universities would love to have. Millions of dollars have been invested and much will be expected. The City-County Observer would like to encourage USI to grab for the brass ring and become Evansville’s second NCCA Division I athletic program. This move will have positive impacts on campus life and even may serve to enhance academics.Â
We also would caution against expecting to hang any additional national championship banners. The new goal will be to make the March Madness field of 68 with an occasional victory to advance to the field of 32 or even 16 as teams like Southern Illinois and Murray State have. Both of those programs enjoy much more national visibility for making the transition to NCAA Division I and USI can too. Murray State is likely to be ranked in the top 25 soon with its 21-2 record and being ranked is something our Eagles can aspire to as an NCAA Division I team. The Eagles can also aspire to beat some very good highly ranked teams as the Aces did a few years ago at Rupp Arena knocking off the Kentucky Wildcats.
Go for it USI, former coach Bruce Pearl, College administrators, alumni, student-athletes, coaching staff, faculty and staff, and the people of Evansville will be proud that you did
Finally, we would like to publicly recognize USI President Ronald S. Rochon, USI Board of Trustees Chair Ronald Romain, and USI Athletic Director Jon Mark Hall for the outstanding work they quietly did behind the scene to ensure that USI will be in a position to continue to provide our community with the educational, economic, cultural, and athletically offerings that will make us proud.
VIDEO OF THE APRIL 7, 2022 VANDERBURGH COUNTY JAIL RENOVATION DISCUSSION
FOOTNOTE: LINK OF THE VIDEO OF THE APRIL 7, 2022 VANDERBURGH COUNTY COUNCIL SEWER PROJECT AND THE $13 1/2 MILLION DOLLAR JAIL RENOVATION DISCUSSION
https://evansville.granicus.com/player/clip/4867?&redirect=true
The Video Link Of The Heated Discussion Between Vanderburgh County Council Members Concerning Spending Money On Sewer Projects
https://evansville.granicus.com/player/clip/4867?&redirect=true
FOOTNOTE: This video was posted without bias or editing.
Otters bring back Baez, Mattis, Sawyer; sign Reyes
The Evansville Otters will be bringing back outfielder Jeffrey Baez, infielder Gary Mattis, pitcher Logan Sawyer, and have also signed infielder Jomar Reyes, for the 2022 season.
Jeffrey Baez was a 2021 midseason acquisition for the Otters, being acquired in a trade with the Kane County Cougars of the American Association. For the Otters, Baez batted .319 with 14 runs, five doubles, two triples, seven home runs, 24 RBIs, and 10 stolen bases in 22 games played.
Earlier in 2021 with Kane County, Baez hit .296 with 41 runs, 12 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, 49 RBIs, and eight stolen bases in 65 games played.
Originally from Venezuela, Baez spent eight years in the Chicago Cubs organization from 2011-18, reaching as high as Double-A with the Tennessee Smokies. Baez spent 2019 with Jackson, the Double-A affiliate of the Arizona Diamondbacks organization. Overall, in the minors, Baez batted .258 with 416 runs, 661 hits, 125 doubles, 26 triples, 71 home runs, 320 RBIs, and 212 stolen bases.
Gary Mattis joined the Otters for his first season of professional baseball in 2021. In 38 games with the Otters, Mattis batted .293 with 24 runs, 15 extra-bases hits, 19 RBIs, and 22 stolen bases.
Mattis journeyed to Evansville following an illustrious tenure with the Tennessee Wesleyan Bulldogs in his junior and senior seasons. In the Spring of 2021, Mattis was selected at the end of the 2021 Spring season as an NAIA Gold Glove award winner at the shortstop position and named the NAIA’s player of the year — the first in Tennessee Wesleyan baseball history.
Logan Sawyer went 3-5 with a 2.97 ERA, 48 strikeouts, and a Frontier League-leading 25 saves in 38 appearances and 36.1 innings pitched for the Otters in 2021. His 25 saves matched an Otters’ single season record with Edgar Lopez in 2015. Sawyer was named a 2021 Frontier League Postseason All-Star.
From Knoxville, Tenn., Sawyer came to the Otters with three seasons of affiliated baseball experience and four overall in professional baseball. Sawyer was drafted in the 29th round of the 2014 MLB June Amateur Draft by the Colorado Rockies out of Lincoln Memorial University.
In three seasons with the Rockies organization, Sawyer totaled a 13-9 record with a 4.87 ERA and 125 strikeouts. He pitched a total of 190.1 innings in 60 appearances and 20 starts.
Jomar Reyes, from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, will be in his first season with the Otters. Reyes has affiliated level experience with the Baltimore Orioles, where he was a highly touted prospect. The infielder made it as high as Double-A Bowie.
Overall, in the Orioles’ farm system, Reyes batted .269 with 225 runs, 540 hits, 117 doubles, 39 home runs, and 248 RBIs. He has also played Dominican Winter League baseball for three seasons.
Vincennes University announces brief pivot to remote learning
Legislators Navigate Short Session With A Long List Of Legislation To Consider
Legislators Navigate Short Session With A Long List Of Legislation To Consider
INDIANAPOLIS—With the session has begun, lawmakers in the Indiana General Assembly have already started sifting through the nearly 800 bills filed between the House and Senate that could dictate the future of the state.
The 2022 session is a short session, which occurs in even-numbered years. In odd years, like 2021, the legislature is tasked with drafting the two-year state budget, which means more time is needed.
In this session, legislators were only allowed to file 10 bills each, and the session will last just 10 weeks. It is required to conclude by March 14.
There are 379 bills filed in the Senate and 407 in the House.
COVID-19 reactions
With the COVID-19 pandemic persisting and national debates over the power of workplaces and schools to mandate vaccines and masking, more than the usual number of bills this session aims to determine the power of these institutions.
House Bill 1001, which gives exemptions to employee vaccine mandates and requires that employers provide unemployment to individuals who leave due to testing or shot requirements, was put at the top of the Indiana House’s list.
In schools, House Bill 1040 would allow parents to opt their children out of school mask requirements, would not require students to quarantine after COVID exposure and would not allow schools to require students to get vaccinated against COVID or other communicable diseases.
There are several bills with similar language in both the House and Senate. Nationwide, nine states have required exemptions from vaccine mandates by private employers while two states have banned the mandates for vaccination altogether, according to the National Academy for State Health Policy. Also, according to the site, 17 states have banned school vaccine mandates, and eight have banned school mask mandates.
Education
Also pandemic-related, Senate Bill 2 is an education bill that would give schools back funds they could be missing for students missing instruction days for quarantine and isolation.
Two other education bills, House Bill 1134 and Senate Bill 167, have caused a stir. Both bills restrict classroom materials and lessons and add parental control for school curriculums. According to Education Week, Indiana is one of 32 states that have introduced or passed legislation limiting how teachers can discuss racism and sexism since January 2021.
SB 167 also made national news for comments from Sen. Scott Baldwin, R-Noblesville, stating that teachers should remain impartial about Nazism. Baldwin has since issued a statement condemning Nazism and saying teachers should condemn Nazism, fascism and Marxism.
The controversial bill was officially nixed by the Senate Friday, with President Pro Tem Rodric Bray, R-Martinsville, saying there was “no path forward†for the bill.
Marijuana
Thirteen bills have been introduced in the legislature to decriminalize, study or legalize marijuana, either recreationally or medically. The House Democratic Caucus announced marijuana legalization as a priority in November. A few Republican lawmakers have also shown support for similar bills. Marijuana bills have been filed nearly every session for a decade but have yet to pass in Indiana’s Republican supermajority.
Firearms
There are 13 bills filed in the legislature involving firearms. The most controversial gun bill moving through the legislature is a bill removing handgun permit requirements. House Bill 1077 has passed in the House and is moving on to the Senate, where a similar bill died last session.
Child care
Eleven bills in the House and Senate seek to study, fund and increase access to child care in Indiana. One is an Indiana Black Legislative Caucus priority, with House Bill 1067 by Rep. Robin Shackleford, D-Indianapolis, waiving childcare copays and reimbursing childcare providers as well as creating a study committee on issues related to child care.
Criminal justice
This session, lawmakers are split on how to deal with bail bonds. In response to efforts from the Bail Project, Senate Bill 6 creates a minimum bail for violent crimes and prohibits third parties that aren’t relatives or friends to pay bail for someone who has been arrested. Senate Bill 8 has a similar goal.
House Bill 1414, a legislative priority of the IBLC authored by Rep. Ragen Hatcher, D-Gary, would get rid of pretrial bail for nonviolent arrestees.
Miscellaneous
Along with the typical categories, there are always a few more unusual or atypical bills filed by legislators.
Indianapolis is taking a deeper dive into being a sporting event venue, having recently hosted the entirety of NCAA March Madness in 2021 and the College Football Playoff National Championship in 2022. Senate Bill 245 would put funds towards the Indiana Sports Corporation to bid on bringing events to the state.
A bill allowing local governments to further restrict usage of fireworks around July 4 was authored by Rep. Donna Schaibley, R-Carmel.
Rep. Timothy O’Brien, R-Evansville, wants Hoosiers to be able to obtain lifetime fishing licenses. House Bill 1099 would require the department of natural resources to issue and establish fees and emergency procedures for lifetime fishing licenses.
Sen. Phillip Boots, R-Crawfordsville, filed Senate Bill 111, which is about horse dentistry. It would allow people who are not veterinarians but do have a certification from the International Association of Equine Dentistry to perform some equine dental procedures.
Boots also authored Senate Bill 75, which would allow for cold beer sales and cold beer carryout by grocery, drug, and convenience stores.
Senator Braun Statement on Supreme Court Stay of Biden Vaccine Mandate
WASHINGTON — Senator Mike Braun released the following statement after the Supreme Court announced they would block President Joe Biden’s vaccine mandate for millions of employees of private businesses.
“President Biden’s vaccine mandate for private employees is unconstitutional and wrong. I was proud to lead the vote to overturn this illegal mandate in the Senate, and the Supreme Court blocking this mandate is a win for the liberties and livelihoods of millions of Americans.â€
– SENATOR MIKE BRAUN
In December, Senator Braun led the U.S. Senate in a vote on the Biden rule, with all 50 Senate Republicans and 2 Democratic Senators voting to overturn the vaccine mandate rule.
In the Supreme Court’s majority decision, the majority opinion noted Senator Braun’s objection under the Congressional Review Act, highlighted on page 8:
“[…] the most noteworthy action concerning the vaccine mandate by either House of Congress has been a majority vote of the Senate disapproving the regulation on December 8, 2021. S. J. Res. 29, 117th Cong., 1st Sess. (2021).â€