FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Alex Hemenway joins UE men’s basketball program
Hemenway is a native of Newburgh
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Newburgh native Alex Hemenway is returning home to join the University of Evansville men’s basketball program. Hemenway spent five seasons at Clemson before spending last season with Vanderbilt.
“We are elated to bring home Alex Hemenway to play for the Aces! Our goal was to add an elite perimeter shooter with experience to our roster and Alex fits that description perfectly,” UE head men’s basketball coach David Ragland exclaimed. “I have known Alex and his family for a very long time and believed in his ability to positively impact any team. His impact on our team will help move us closer to the goals we have in reviving our storied program.”
In his time at Clemson, Hemenway enjoyed his best season during the 2022-23 campaign where he averaged 6.9 points and 1.8 rebounds. Injury kept him out for the full 2024-25 season with the Commodores and he was limited to five games in 2023-24 with the Tigers. That season saw him finish with 5.2 PPG.
Despite battling plantar fascia in 2022-23, he appeared in 20 games while making 12 starts for Clemson while playing an average of 24.0 minutes per game. He finished in double figures on five occasions including a season-high of 18 points against USC Upstate where he was 7-of-9 from the floor. Hemenway added 15 points in wins over Penn State and Towson while posting 12 in a triumph over Wake Forest.
“Coming back home to play for UE was a easy decision the more I was able to think about it,” Hemenway said. “The people there hold a special place in my heart and it is the place I call home. There was really no question as to where I wanted to compete at and potentially finish my career off than here at Evansville!”
Over the course of his sophomore and junior seasons, Hemenway played in a total of 55 games while making 13 starts. His top performances saw him register 17 points versus Miami Ohio as a junior and 17 in a road win over Wake Forest during his sophomore season. As a freshman in 2019-20, Hemenway came off the bench to make 15 appearances.
Hemenway played for Castle High School where he recorded an average of 28.2 PPG as a senior. Rated a 3-star player, he was ranked as the No. 10 prospect in the state of Indiana. Hemenway left Castle as the leading scorer in school history with 1,765 points and was just the fifth player in school history to be named an Indiana All-Star. Other accolades included All-Conference, All-State, and many more.
USI starts homestand Tuesday versus UE Eagles host SEMO, Senior Day this weekend
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball starts the final five-game homestand with a 6 p.m. contest Tuesday versus the University of Evansville at the USI Baseball Field. The Purple Aces will make their first visit to the Screaming Eagles’ home field since 1987.
Following the crosstown match between USI (21-26, 10-11 OVC) and UE (14-32), the Eagles continue Ohio Valley Conference action when they host Southeast Missouri State University (27-21, 13-8 OVC) May 9-11. The three-game series will be the final conference home weekend for USI and features Senior Day on Sunday.
The conference series starts Friday at 6 p.m.; continues Saturday at 3 p.m.; and concludes Sunday at 1 p.m. Senior Day activities will be held prior to the game.
The final game of the five-game homestand is May 13 and will be a rematch of the USI-UE contest. The first pitch is slated for 6 p.m. at the USI Baseball Field.
With the ever-changing weather this spring, USI encourages fans to watch for potential schedule changes on USIScreamingEagles.com, X, and Facebook. Links to follow the Eagles all season can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com and the USI Baseball Schedule.
USI Baseball Notes:
Screaming Eagles lose series to UTM. The USI Screaming Eagles lost the OVC series with the University of Tennessee at Martin last weekend. USI lost the opening game, 10-4; bounced back to take the second game, 11-1; but lost the series finale, 10-7. Senior outfielder Khi Holiday led the way, batting .500 (7-14). Junior first baseman/designated hitter Cole Kitchens drove in a team-high five RBIs. On the mound, junior left-hander Jake Porter had the best outing, throwing a season-best seven innings in an 11-1 win and striking out five.
Hot Eagles. Sophomore outfielder Cameron Boyd has been on fire the last 10 games, hitting .447 (17-38) with 10 runs scored, three home runs, and 13 RBIs. Sophomore infielder Parker Martin follows with a .426 mark (20-47), while senior outfielder Khi Holiday rounds out the .400 hitters by hitting .405 (17-42) with nine RBIs. Junior designated hitter/first baseman Cole Kitchens is the best run producer with 15 RBIs.
USI leaders at the plate. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens leads USI at the plate with a .377 batting average, while posting a team-best 50 RBIs and 11 home runs. The .377 average is the best mark in the OVC, while Kitchens’ 50 RBIs rank second in the league. Sophomore infielder Parker Martin follows with a .374 average, which ranks second in the OVC.
USI in the OVC. USI leads the OVC with a .312 team batting average. On the bump, the Eagles are eighth in the league with a 6.96 ERA. In the 21 games of league action, USI is first in batting (.313) and ninth in pitching (6.81 ERA).
USI non-conference leaders. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens is hitting a team-best .438 (39-89) versus non-conference opponents with 26 RBIs and six home runs in 23 games. Junior first baseman Kannon Coakley followed by hitting .369 with 16 RBIs and nine doubles.
Martin leads in OVC play. Sophomore infielder Parker Martin is leading the Eagles and the OVC in conference action with a .427 average (35-82). Martin also has five home runs, tying for the team high.
USI has four hitting .400 at home. Sophomore infielder Parker Martin leads four Eagles hitting .400 at home. Martin is hitting .468 (22-47), while junior shortstop Clayton Slack follows with a .425 mark (17-40). Junior outfielder Hunter Miller and junior designated hitter/first baseman Cole Kitchens round out the .400 hitters at home with .421 (8-19) and .419 (18-43) marks.
Boyd drives in the runs at home. Sophomore outfielder Cameron Boyd leads the Eagles at the USI Baseball Field with 16 RBIs and three home runs.
USI hosts UE May 6. USI is scheduled to host the University of Evansville (14-32) May 6. UE lost a single game versus Indiana University and all three games of a series with Belmont University last week. USI and UE split the first two meetings of 2025 at Braun Stadium with the Eagles winning, 9-1, and the Aces taking the nightcap, 13-0. UE leads the all-time series, 35-21.
USI hosts SEMO this weekend. USI hosts Southeast Missouri State University this weekend. SEMO is 27-21 overall, 13-8 OVC. The Redhawks are 5-5 in the last 10 games. USI and SEMO are tied 28-28 in the series after the Redhawks took three of four from the Eagles in 2024. SEMO took the last matchup in the OVC Tournament last spring, 11-5.
Todd Rokita leads 23 state coalition championing President Trump
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is leading a coalition of 23 states in strong support of President Donald J. Trump’s nomination of Edward R. Martin, Jr. to serve as U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia.
In a letter sent today to U.S. Senate Majority Leader John Thune and Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley, the Attorneys General emphasized the importance of Martin’s nomination for advancing President Trump’s goal of making DC safe and beautiful again. The letter calls on the Senate leaders to confirm Martin without delay.
The message from the AG coalition is clear: there is a crucial need to restore law and order in Washington, D.C., where crime escalated dramatically under the Biden administration’s lax-on-crime policies, and where visitors from across the globe are welcomed to America – many for the first time – with garbage and graffiti.
As the nation’s capital, D.C. belongs to Hoosiers and all Americans, who should be able to visit and appreciate the city in comfort and safety. That is especially true as America prepares to celebrate 250 years of independence next year.
“I am proud to lead this effort to support Ed Martin because he’s a proven leader who is already devoting all of his time to restoring the rule of law in our nation’s capital,” Attorney General Todd Rokita said. “His bold actions have had an immediate impact, which sent the disreputable D.C. news media into a full-blown meltdown – the Senate must act swiftly to confirm him and ensure his critical work continues uninterrupted.”
Attorney General Rokita’s letter highlights Martin’s success bringing public order back to the District while serving as interim U.S. Attorney since January 20, 2025. Since being appointed by President Trump, Martin has achieved a 25 percent reduction in violent crime and intensified prosecutions for firearm trafficking, drug distribution, and violent offenses.
Martin’s accomplishments during the short time he has served as interim U.S. Attorney include taking decisive action against pro-Hamas vandals, fighting Chinese-backed hackers, cracking down on illegal alien gangs, and bringing corrupt civil servants to justice. Martin has also worked to root out the lawfare that President Biden fostered within the Department of Justice.
The Rokita-led letter particularly condemns partisan attacks from Senate Democrats and calls on Senate Republicans to dismiss these tactics and expedite Martin’s confirmation to ensure that the progress already made under President Trump in bringing safety and security back to Washington, D.C., continues.
Martin’s qualifications include clerking for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit, litigating at Bryan Cave LLP, and running his own law practice for nearly two decades. His public service roles include Chairman of the St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners and Chief of Staff to Missouri Governor Matt Blunt.
USI Softball wins series against Lindenwood, earns fourth seed for OVC tournament
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball captured a 3-2 victory against Lindenwood University early Sunday afternoon at USI Softball Field. Wet weather and playing conditions forced the contest to be called in the fifth inning and canceled the series finale and the backend of Sunday’s doubleheader, which solidified the Screaming Eagles as the no. 4 seed for the Ohio Valley Conference Championship Tournament. The series finale was also canceled on Sunday.
Southern Indiana (16-23, 13-11 OVC) earned the fourth seed over Lindenwood (23-23, 14-12 OVC) by conference win percentage, giving USI a first-round bye and a spot in the double-elimination portion of the conference tournament. USI is the fourth seed for the second consecutive season.
Sunday’s game went scoreless for the first two innings before Lindenwood scored a run in the top of the third inning for the one-run advantage. USI answered in the home half of the third when freshman infielder Jordan Mackey tied the game, 1-1, on a two-out RBI single.
The Lions retook the lead, 2-1, in the top of the fourth, but the Eagles responded again in the bottom half of the frame. With the bases loaded, USI tallied two unearned runs after an error in Lindenwood’s outfield, giving USI a 3-2 lead.
From there, USI was able to keep the Lions off the scoreboard in the top of the fifth before the game was called and made official in the bottom of the fifth.
Southern Indiana totaled six hits. Freshman Grace Huffman registered a two-hit game for the Eagles.
In the pitching circle, freshman Kylie Witthaus took a no-decision after starting the game with three strikeouts and two runs allowed in 3.1 innings of work. Senior pitcher Josie Newman (10-15) got the win in relief, pitching 1.2 innings scoreless.
Lindenwood totaled seven hits, and junior pitcher Avery Wapp (8-8) was dealt the loss after giving up three runs – one earned – with five strikeouts in 4.1 innings.
As the fourth seed for the Ohio Valley Conference Softball Championship Tournament, USI will play on Wednesday at approximately 5:30 p.m. in Peoria, Illinois. The Screaming Eagles will play the winner of no. 8 University of Tennessee at Martin and fifth-seeded Lindenwood.
WORKSHOP ON “THRIVING WITH ANXIETY”
Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, May 7, 2025
Time: 1 PM
Location: Streaming Online
What if, instead of fighting our anxiety, we could turn it into a strength? Author of Thriving with Anxiety, Dr. Rosmarin’s constructive, compassionate, and evidence-based approach will not make you less anxious. Instead, it will empower you to use anxiety to thrive
About the Author: David H. Rosmarin, PhD, is an Associate Professor at Harvard Medical School, a program director at McLean Hospital, and Founder of Center for Anxiety. His clinical work and research have been featured in Good Morning America, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Boston Globe, and TED.
The views expressed by presenters are their own and do not constitute an endorsement by Willard Public Library.
To register and secure your spot, please visit: https://loom.ly/NNuJ3XA
Catch up on past Virtual Author Talks at the link below >>
https://libraryc.org/willardlib/archive
Willard Public Library encourages patrons and visitors to donate graciously to ensure the continuation of events like this for years to come. The WPL’s Foundation is a non-profit organization registered as a 501(c)(3). >> https://www.willardlib.org/donate
Watch the Grey Lady Ghost at Willard Public Library on our World-Famous Ghost Cams >> https://www.willardlib.org/ghost-cams
Governor Braun Reflects on 100 Days of Freedom and Opportunity
INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Governor Mike Braun celebrated with his cabinet and legislative leaders the great strides our state has taken toward his vision of Freedom and Opportunity for Hoosiers. With the legislative session behind us and as we reflect on Governor Braun’s first 100 days in office, there are many accomplishments to highlight.
“In 100 days, we’ve made tremendous progress on the Freedom & Opportunity agenda: cutting taxes, giving parents more choice in education, drawing a clear line against extreme wokeness and illegal immigration, putting public safety first, and making state government more efficient, transparent, and accountable to work harder for you.” – Governor Mike Braun
In his first 100 days, Governor Braun took big steps and bold action to deliver for Hoosiers by providing meaningful property tax relief, making state government more efficient, transparent, and accountable, and Making Indiana Healthy Again.
Governor Braun’s Freedom and Opportunity Agenda First 100 Days
- Restructured state government to work more efficiently and effectively for Hoosiers through creation of cabinet offices, directed all agencies to find savings, and directed his Cabinet to cut 25% of regulations to cut red tape.
- Passed a balanced biennial budget that protects Indiana’s surplus and reserve funds, continues to support a AAA credit rating, and includes the Governor’s fiscal priorities. Worked with fiscal leaders to navigate a tight April revenue forecast, drive government efficiency, and protect core government functions. Strengthened investment in education and public safety while continuing scheduled income tax cuts for Hoosiers in each of next two years.
- Delivered historic property tax relief for Hoosier homeowners, farmers, and small businesses – nearly $1.5 billion in total savings.
- Ensured all Hoosiers have equality of opportunity by eliminating the divisive DEI ideology in state government and replacing it with the level playing field of Merit, Excellence, and Innovation, which all Hoosiers can strive for equally.
- Invested in a healthier Indiana by signing executive orders to bring historic health care price transparency so Hoosiers can see simple upfront prices and directing state agencies to tackle the bad incentives that drive up costs like surprise billing and pharmacy benefit managers.
- Kicked off Make Indiana Healthy Again, which includes solutions like ending taxpayer subsidies for candy and sugary soda, making it easier for Hoosiers and schools to buy nutritious food directly from Indiana farms, encouraging physical activity in schools, and starting new studies of diet-related chronic illness and harmful effects of food additives all focused on empowering Hoosiers to live longer, healthier, better lives.
- Put parents in the driver’s seat of their kids’ education by extending universal school choice, providing clear accountability metrics for schools, increasing teacher pay, and making sure curriculum is age appropriate.
- Brought a new approach to economic development in Indiana, laser focused on growing wages and job opportunities for Hoosier workers all across Indiana’s 92 counties.
- Partnered with the General Assembly on major public safety legislation to increase penalties for drug dealers and repeat violent offenders, made clear that Indiana will not tolerate illegal immigration, and took steps to improve conditions for correctional officers.
- Put Indiana in position to be the national leader in nuclear energy production, which has already resulted in Indiana being named host of the 2025 NGA Nuclear Summit.
Working hard for House District 76
| STATE SENATOR VANETA BEACKER
MAY 5, 2025 |
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At the start of the 2025 legislative session, Indiana House Republicans set out to tackle several priorities aimed at protecting taxpayers, empowering Hoosiers and making government more efficient. As the session concludes, these priority efforts made it across the finish line to improve the lives of Hoosiers and keep our state moving forward. A key achievement this session was delivering tax relief to hardworking Hoosiers by cutting income taxes over the next two years and advancing property tax relief and reform. Together, these two tax cuts will save Hoosiers $1.3 billion in taxes over the next two years. |
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Additionally, several of my bills advanced through the House and Senate:
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As your state representative, it has been a privilege to serve you this session, and I look forward to continuing to work on your behalf to strengthen our community and state. To see the full list of bills that have passed through both the House and Senate and are now heading to the governor’s desk for final approval, click here.
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