The Evansville Police Department Pension Board will hold an Executive Session on Wednesday, February 24, 2021 at 8:15 a.m. The meeting will be held in Room 301 of the Civic Center Plaza.
The Executive Session will be closed as provided by:
I.C. 5-14-1.5-6.1(7). For discussion of records classified as confidential by state or federal statute.
Immediately following the Executive Session, a regular Open Session will be heldÂ
in Room 301 of the Civic Center Plaza.
  Evansville-Vanderburgh Levee Authority District
                        1300 Waterworks Road
                       Evansville, IN 47714-3101
The Evansville-Vanderburgh Levee Authority District will hold a special meeting of their board on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 9:00am at 1300 Waterworks Road, Evansville, Indiana.
Masks and social distancing will be required.
Jeremiah & Foof are a bonded pair of bunnies! Jeremiah’s a male and Foof is a female but both are spayed & neutered. They are 2 years old and caretakers say they enjoy human company & being picked up! The adoption fee is $100 for both, and also includes registered microchips. They must go home together! Get details at www.vhslifesaver.org/adopt!
The bats came alive for the University of Evansville softball team as they earned a 13-0 victory over Alabama State to wraps up the second day of the Black & Gold Tournament.ÂUE (1-2) had its top offensive game to finish the day against the Hornets (1-6). Evansville’s first game of the day saw UT Martin (4-0) finish with a 6-1 win.ÂGAME 2 – Alabama StateÂEvansville’s bats had a big game against Alabama State, scoring 13 runs on 15 hits. UE broke a scoreless tie in the top of the second, scoring four times. One run scored in the third before the Aces broke it open with eight scores in the fourth. A walk by Macey Harrington was followed by singles from Mea Adams and Jenna Lis, loading the bases for Hannah Hood. Hood was hit by a pitch to plate the first run of the game. Next up was Eryn Gould, who singled to right to bring in two more runs. Hood would later score on a double steal. UE’s run in the third came home when Marah Wood singled to bring in Lindsay Renneisen, who doubled to lead off the inning.ÂAn 8-run fourth broke the game wide open for UE. Renneisen, Harrington and Hood each had RBI hits before a grand slam by Eryn Gould completed the scoring as UE took a 13-0 win in five innings. Gould was a perfect 4-4 in the game with six RBI. Renneisen had three hits and two RBI while Fain and Adams each finished with two hits.ÂJaime Nurrenbern threw the complete game for Evansville, tossing five scoreless frames while allowing four hits.ÂÂGAME 1 – UT MartinÂSaturday’s opening contest saw the Aces fall to UT Martin by a 6-1 final. In a similar fashion as they did on Friday, UE got on the board first. Eryn Gould hit a leadoff triple before crossing home on a sacrifice fly by Halie Fain. Evansville would hold the lead until the Skyhawks posted their first score in the bottom half of the third.ÂÂThree more Skyhawk runs crossed the plate in the fourth. After a stellar game on Friday, UTM’s Kaci Fuller was at it again in the rematch. She singled and scored the run in the third frame before hitting a 2-RBI single in the fourth.ÂÂIn an effort to come back, the Aces put runners in scoring position in both the sixth and seventh innings. Fain hit a leadoff bunt single before stealing second in the sixth, but three consecutive strikeouts left her stranded. In the seventh, Mea Adams hit a 1-out double down the left field line, but could not cross home. UTM plated two runs in the bottom of the 6th on their way to a 6-1 win. Seeley Layne earned the win for UTM, throwing 4 2/3 innings. Izzy Vetter made the start for the Aces and threw five frames allowing four runs, but only three were earned. UE had six hits with Eryn Gould accounting for two while scoring UE’s run.Â
Game One: Georgia 7, Evansville 3
In the opening game of the double header, it was Georgia who struck first, getting a big offensive effort in the second inning. The Bulldogs began the inning with an RBI sac fly that scored a run and continued to add little-by-little. Three more RBI singles pushed Georgia’s lead to 4-0 as errors began to pile-up and aid the effort for UGA. The Bulldogs closed the second with another RBI sacrifice that added the final run of the inning.
The fourth inning saw Georgia add two more runs with a single to center that brought home a pair of Bulldogs, giving UGA a 7-0 advantage.
Starter Nathan Croner’s line finished with the senior pitching four innings, allowing four earned runs, and striking out five as much of the Bulldogs offense came due to defensive miscues by the Aces.
Evansville did not go away quietly, though, as freshman Brent Widder smashed his first collegiate home run to left field in the seventh to close within five runs. With two outs, the Aces loaded the bases in their final chance in the seventh with junior Tanner Craig coming to the plate. Craig drew a walk to trim the Georgia lead to 7-3 and bring the tying run to the plate in Danny Borgstrom. The sophomore looked to deliver for the Aces, but lined out to second to close the game.
Game Two: Georgia 6, Evansville 5
The second game was a completely different contest with Evansville this time the aggressors in the early going. Evansville jumped on the scoreboard first in the top of the second as Borgstrom launched a home run to right field. The Bulldogs answered the Aces, scoring a run on a sac fly to center field to tie the game. Georgia went in front in the fourth inning with an RBI single to take a 2-1 lead.
The fifth inning was all Evansville with the Aces tying the game on a homer by redshirt senior Kenton Crews to left field, his ninth of his career. Evansville took the lead later in the fifth as senior Craig Shepherd scored freshman Max Malley and then Borgstrom brought home Shepherd and redshirt senior Troy Beilsmith to take a 5-2 lead.
Junior Caleb Reinhardt exited before the start of the bottom of the fifth, finishing with a strong line, giving up five hits, two earned runs and striking out one Bulldog. Senior Jake McMahill replaced Reinhardt and worked his way out of some trouble in the fifth. In the sixth, McMahill was again challenged as the first two batters reached base. Evansville saw its three-run lead evaporate with the next batter as Chaney Rogers hit a three-run home run to tie the game.
After Evansville was unable to score in the seventh, Georgia loaded the bases with no out. The Bulldogs capitalized on the opportunity with a single to right field, scoring Ben Anderson and earning the walk-off win for UGA.
On the day, Borgstrom helped lead the Aces, going 2-for-6 from the plate and recording two RBIs and a run.
Evansville returns to close out the weekend series with Georgia with the final game of the four-game set at 11 AM (CT) on Sunday at Foley Field in Athens, Ga.
On Saturday, February 20, 2021 at 01:23 AM the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office was notified that the Posey County Sheriff’s deputies were pursuing a Dodge Durango into Vanderburgh County. It was reported they suspected the driver was impaired.
Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s deputies began to pursue this vehicle once it entered our jurisdiction. On multiple occasions the driver, later identified as Brandon Davis, swerved towards deputies and officers nearly striking them as they were attempting to deploy tire deflation devices.
Eventually two tires were deflated rendering Davis’ vehicle inoperable. Davis appeared to be under the influence when he was taken into custody. Deputies located methamphetamine in the vehicle during the investigation. Davis was arrested for the charges listed below. The investigation will remain ongoing pending the results of the toxicology analysis.
Davis was transported to the Vanderburgh County Jail and charged with Criminal Recklessness with a Vehicle as a Level 5 Felony, Resisting Law Enforcement as a Level 6 Felony, Possession of Methamphetamine as a Level 6 Felony, OMVWI as a Class A Misdemeanor, Reckless Driving as a Class B Misdemeanor and multiple traffic infractions.
Arrested: Brandon Michael Davis, 33, from Evansville.
Case number 21-60761
Presumption of Innocence Notice: The fact that a person has been arrested or charged with a crime is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
North Georgia (8-0) scored six times in the bottom of sixth inning to defeat the Eagles, 8-3, in the opener. The Nighthawks scored five times in the last half of the second inning to en route to an 8-1 victory in the nightcap.
Game 1: UNG 8, USI 3
USI got home runs from sophomore second baseman Rachel Martinez (Chicago, Illinois) and senior outfielder Alicia Webb (Elberfeld, Indiana) and led 3-2 heading into the sixth inning when North Georgia erupted for six tallies.
Martinez hit a one-out, solo home run in the top of the first inning to give USI a 1-0 lead and Webb hit a two-run shot in the third frame to give USI a 3-2 advantage.
North Georgia’s Madison Simmons, however, was a thorn in the Eagles’ side as her two-run double in the second inning put the Nighthawks in front, 2-1, and her two-run home run in the sixth put them ahead 4-3.
After Simmons’ home run put the Eagles back in a one-run deficit, the Nighthawks capitalized on a two-out error to score four more times to extend their lead to five runs.
Junior pitcher Katie Back (Indianapolis, Indiana) was charged with the loss after giving up seven runs, four earned, off nine hits in 5.2 innings of work.
Game 2: UNG 8, USI 3
North Georgia scored five unearned runs in the home half of the second inning to take a commanding 5-0 lead.
USI (1-3) answered with two straight singles to begin the third inning. Webb followed with USI’s third straight single to push across its first run and cut North Georgia’s lead to just four runs.
The Nighthawks, however, scored three more runs in the sixth inning to extend their advantage to 8-1.
Sophomore pitcher Allie Goodin (Evansville, Indiana) took the loss for the Eagles after giving up five unearned runs off four hits in five innings of work.
Up Next
USI finishes its opening weekend Sunday at 10 a.m. (CST) when it travels to Young Harris, Georgia, to take on No. 5 Young Harris College in a single game. Sunday’s contest also will be aired on the PBC Sports Network.
By Alexa Shrake
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS—Following Thursday’s events in the House session, several Hoosier political leaders released statements on how they felt about the derogatory language and behavior aimed at Black lawmakers attempting to discuss House Bill 1367.
House Speaker Todd Huston, R-Fishers, started the second half of the session on Thursday saying that being in the Indiana Conference Center rather than the House chamber played into how legislators acted and that part of that is on him.
“Each of us are unique, each of us have our own experiences, each of us have the privilege of representing 70,000 people,†Huston said.
House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta, D-Fort Wayne, said in a statement on Friday, “Being disrespectful in any place, but especially on the House floor, is absolutely unacceptable. This isn’t the first time I’ve heard heckling from the back of the room, and I will not stand for this type of behavior.â€
John Zody, chairman of the Indiana Democratic Party, said in a statement that Thursday’s events—in which GOP legislators booed and jeered at Black lawmakers who called HB 1367 racist, altercations extending to the halls outside the meeting room—did not surprise him.
“For far too long, members of the INGOP have governed with an aura of invincibility and as if they are free from any sort of accountability for being inappropriate and unprofessional toward other Hoosiers. They are mistaken,†said Zody.
“If the INGOP was truly invested in diversifying its party, then they would condemn the actions from its House Caucus because silencing the voices of Indiana’s Black elected leaders amounts to nothing else but racism.â€
HB 1367, authored by Rep. Jake Teshka, R-South Bend, wants to create a two-year pilot program for John Glenn School Corporation, which has a majority of white students, to disannex from South Bend Community School Corporation, which has a majority of non-white students.
The bill moved to the Senate after a 53-42 vote in which 14 Republicans joined Democrats in voting against it. It is sponsored by Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-La Porte, Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger, and Sen. David Niezgodski, D-South Bend.
Teshka said his bill was not based on race but rather on other issues like transportation for students and putting them closer to their homes.
This bill is not the first time legislators have tried to disannex school districts.
In 2019, the Senate passed a bill that allowed Green Township to join John Glenn School Corporation, but it never went past the House.
Niezgodski said John Glenn School Corporation has an agriculture program that many students are interested in and a lot of students are already attending John Glenn schools due to transportation issues.
“I think truly everyone wants what they believe is right for the children,†Niezgodski said. “I believe that is what this does.â€
Greene Township trustee Sandra Ort told The South Bend Tribune she was happy the local issue reached the General Assembly. “It’s been a lot of hard work trying to get the state and everyone to understand what the situation is here,†she said. “It’s not a racial issue, it’s an education issue.â€
In a written statement to The South Bend Tribune, South Bend Superintendent Todd Cummings said he is upset about the House moving forward with the bill.
“I’m deeply disappointed in this decision and deeply disappointed for our students and for our schools,†Cummings told the Tribune. “I don’t believe education policy should be made at the township level, particularly policy that will negatively impact our desegregation efforts and set a harmful precedent for urban school districts across the state.
Moving forward, Rep. Robin Shackleford, D-Indianapolis, chair of the Black Legislative Caucus, said she suggested to Huston that legislators need mandatory implicit bias and racism training, which Huston said Thursday he was interested in having a conversation about.
“The two leaders are going to have to be more aggressive in making sure the membership remains professional and respectful, and they’re going to have to do it in an aggressive manner,†Shackleford said.
Said Niezgodski, a Senate sponsor of the bill, “These things did not need to take place. … We always should do everything in our power to strive for the decorum of civility.â€
Rep. Alan Morrison, R-Brazil, who was said to have engaged in a bathroom altercation Thursday, refused comment Friday. Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, who left the chamber in protest Thursday while lawmakers were speaking, and Rep. Mike Bohacek, another Senate sponsor of the bill, could not be reached Friday.
Alexa Shrake is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
The Vanderburgh Humane Society has received a $25,000 Rachael Ray Save Them All grant from national animal welfare organization Best Friends Animal Society. The grant will help the VHS expand their foster care program!
They applied for funds in October 2020 and were notified of their award earlier this month.
“We have had a foster program in place for many years, but it was always managed by assorted staff members with a multitude of other duties,†says Amanda Coburn, VHS Development Coordinator. “Taking a look at our annual population data, more than 35% of our total intake – including all cats, all dogs, every species & age group we take in – is typically kittens under 6 months of age. 27% are neonatal kittens under 2 months of age! So, more than a third of our animal intake is this one specific, vulnerable population… and yet we have never been able to have a full-time staff position dedicated solely to foster care placement for them. Thanks to Best Friends, that is changing!â€
The funding has allowed the organization to promote a current longtime employee, Vanessa Brown, into the new full-time Foster Coordinator role. Brown will handle all foster family recruitment, onboarding, and training, and oversee the medical and socialization needs for shelter’s population of animals in foster care. (The organization does have a few other full-time and part-time job openings. Interested applicants can see open positions here:https://www.vhslifesaver.org/news/work-at-the-vhs.)
As a grant recipient, the VHS had to identify a measurable goal for the foster care program expansion. They have committed to pulling 250 additional cats & kittens from Evansville Animal Care & Control in 2021, utilizing primarily foster care. Officials with the shelter say they are already well on their way to that goal. Big plans are being made to recruit foster families for “Kitten Season 2021†starting this spring. Anyone who may be interested in fostering any kind of animal, but litters of kittens in particular, can find information at http://www.vhslifesaver.org/foster!
The Vanderburgh Humane Society is an active partner in Best Friends Network which offers help and support to animal rescue groups and shelters that save lives in their communities.
The Rachael Ray Save Them All Grants is a grant program, administered by Best Friends and funded by The Rachael Ray Foundationâ„¢, that provides grants to shelters for euthanasia reduction initiatives. The Rachael Ray Foundation helps animals in need and is funded by a portion of proceeds from each sale of Rachael’s pet food, Nutrish®.
