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HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
Right Jab And Middle Jab And Left Jab†February 19, 2029
Right Jab And Middle Jab And Left Jabâ€Â was created because we have a couple of commenters that post on a daily basis either in our “IS IT TRUE†or “Readers Forumâ€Â columns concerning local, state, national, or international issues
The majority of our “IS IT TRUE†columns are about local or state issues, so we have decided to give our more opinionated readers exclusive access to our newly created “LEFT JAB and Middle Jab and RIGHT JAB† column. They now have this post to exclusively discuss local, state, national, or world issues that they feel passionate about.
We shall be posting the “LEFT JAB†AND “MIDDLE JAB†AND “RIGHT JABâ€Â 7 days a week.  Oh, “LEFT JAB†is a liberal view, “MIDDLE JAB†is the libertarian view and the “RIGHT JAB is representative of the more conservative views. Also, any reader who would like to react to the written comments in this column is free to do so.
USI picked second GLVC Blue Division
University of Southern Indiana Baseball was projected to finish second in the Great Lakes Valley Conference Blue Division in the annual coaches poll Wednesday.
USI, which received five first place votes, followed sixth-ranked Lindenwood University in the Blue Division. The University of Indianapolis follows USI in the poll, while Maryville University, Lewis University, McKendree University, and the University of Missouri-St. Louis round out the Blue Division.
Quincy selected to win the Green Division with the University of Illinois Springfield and Drury University claiming a first-place vote to round out the top three. The remainder of the Green Division is rounded out by Missouri University of Science & Technology, Southwest Baptist University, William Jewell College, Rockhurst University, and Truman State University.
The Screaming Eagles begin their 15th season under the direction of Head Coach Tracy Archuleta, who has a 483-265 (.646) record at USI and is the all-time winningest coach in the history of the program. USI was 6-8 in 2020 before the season was cut short due to COVID-19.
USI throws out the first pitch at the end of the month when it hosts a three-game series with Lake Erie  February 26-28 at the USI Baseball Field. The three-game series starts a 40-game COVID-19 shortened schedule that includes a 32-game Great Lakes Valley Conference slate.
The complete 2021 GLVC preseason poll can be found below.
2021 GLVC BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL – BLUE DIVISION
Points (1st-place votes)
1. Lindenwood               92 (8)
2. Southern Indiana    84 (5)
3. Indianapolis               74 (2)
4. Maryville           60
5. Lewis             48
6. McKendree         30
7. Missouri-St. Louis    25
2021 GLVC BASEBALL PRESEASON POLL – GREEN DIVISION
Points (1st-place votes)
1. Quincy                   111 (13)
2. Illinois Springfield     93 (1)
3. Drury             91 (1)
4. Missouri S&TÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 73
5. Southwest Baptist    54
6. William Jewell       42
7. Rockhurst          37
8. Truman           31
Aces set for season-opening series at Georgia
Evansville hits the field for first time since March 10, 2020
 The long wait since March 10, 2020 comes to an end Friday when the University of Evansville baseball team opens the 2021 campaign with a four-game series at SEC foe Georgia on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday in Athens, Ga.
| Evansville at Georgia | Feb. 19, 20, & 21 | |
| Date | Time | Fri. Feb. 19, 1 PM Sat. Feb. 20, 11 AM and 1:30Â PM Sun. Feb. 21, 11 AM |
| Location | Athens, Ga. |
| Site | Foley Field |
| Feb. 19, 20, 21 | Evansville at Georgia |
| Follow Along | Live Stats | SECN+ (Game One) | SECN+ (Game Two) | SECN+ (Game Four) |
| Evansville | Baseball Site | Twitter | Game Notes | Schedule Poster |
Previewing the Matchup: Georgia
- Evansville and Georgia are set to do battle for the seventh time when the two sides meet on February 19 with the Bulldogs owning a 6-1 advantage in the series.
- The Aces are 35-72 all-time against teams from the SEC and will play four times against the SEC this season with three against Georgia this weekend and a midweek matchup against Kentucky on March 3.
- The Bulldogs were 14-4 last season and finished the season ranked third in the nation when the season ended abruptly on March 13.
- Evansville will look to utilize its end-of-season momentum from 2020 to fuel its start to 2021. The Aces closed the 2020 campaign with a 5-4 victory over Indiana in the grand opening of German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium on March 10.
- Shane Gray looks to continue his form from 2020 into the start of the 2021 campaign. Gray struck-out a team-high 19 batters in 22.2 innings last season.
Volleyball Moves Up One Spot in National Ranking to 17th
University of Southern Indiana Women’s Volleyball moved up one spot in the national rankings to No. 17 after a third-straight victory, defeating McKendree on Saturday, February 13.
USI earned its first-ever national ranking in the February 10th ACVA DII Top-25 poll, coming in at No. 18; sweeping McKendree this past Saturday to earn the Eagles’ highest national ranking ever at 17th. The Screaming Eagles are one of eight GLVC programs featured in the AVCA poll.
The sweep over GLVC-foe McKendree marked three-straight victories for the Eagles, all won in the same sweeping fashion. USI’s sole loss on the year came at the hands of No. 2 Lewis (4-0) in a five-set bout on
UP NEXT:
The Screaming Eagles are set to host the first of two GLVC triangulars at Screaming Eagles Arena on Saturday, February 20, beginning at 10 A.M. USI plays host to No. 5 Rockhurst (3-1, GLVC East) and Lindenwood (1-2, GLVC Central). The GLVC triangular kicks off with USI playing No. 5 Rockhurst at 10 A.M., followed by Rockhurst playing Lindenwood at 2 P.M. and finished off with USI versus Lindenwood at 6 P.M.
Ivy Tech Community College Announces NEW Financial Aid Eligible CDL+ Program
Evansville, IN — Ivy Tech Community College Evansville Campus, along with DriveCO CDL Learning Center, is launching a commercial truck-driver training program which is eligible for federal financial aid. CDL+, a one-semester program, includes both on-the-road driver training and academic instruction.
Classes begin Monday, March 22. CDL+ will be offered in Evansville, Ferdinand, and Tell City.
Vic Chamness, executive director of Ivy Tech’s Career Coaching and Employer Connections (CCEC) said truck driving is in high demand in this area. “According to the 4th Quarter 2020 Economic Growth report for our Indiana region, job ads for truck drivers is at the top and more than double the next high-demand job of nursing. Our new CCEC division and the School of Business, Logistics and Supply Chain, worked collaboratively to create this program to meet this high-demand job need for our region.â€
The American Trucking Association projects freight volumes to grow 36% over the next decade. Over that same period, the trucking industry will need to hire roughly 1.1 million new drivers to keep up with demand. Additionally, freight movement is a critical component of national supply chains with over 70% of the $650 billion in goods that move through Indiana every day being done so on the state’s highways.
The CDL+ Program differs from existing driver-training programs in several significant ways. Students will exit the program with not only their commercial driver’s license but also additional driver training and 17 hours of academic credit. “The fact that the program is also eligible for federal financial aid, is unusual as it is not the case for programs at commercial driving schools,†said Kyla Dowell, lead employer consultant for Evansville’s CCEC.
Ann Mills, program chair of Supply Chain Management, indicated another advantage is graduates can also move right into an associate degree pathway at Ivy Tech – enhancing their career options, if desired. “The credits earned in the CDL+ program will transfer into an associate degree in Supply Chain Management, providing an avenue for further education as well as future career development and advancement in the supply chain/logistics industry.â€
Chris Canada, program manager, said the first two steps to qualify for the program include filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at www.fafsa.gov; and applying to be a student at Ivy Tech at www.ivytech.edu/applynow. More information is available by talking with faculty advisor Ann Mills at 812-429-1451 or email amills57@ivytech.edu
INDIANA HOUSE DEMOCRATS ATTEMPT TO AMEND STATE BIENNIAL BUDGET WITH 2021 LEGISLATIV
Proposals include support for teachers, traditional K-12 schools and pre-k, public health, working families and small businesses
 INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana House Democratic Caucus today introduced amendments to the state biennial budget aimed at supporting teachers, traditional K-12 schools and pre-k, public health, working families and small businesses. Amid a global pandemic, the Republican supermajority voted down each proposal with no alternative solutions to provide additional funding to the bedrock of the Hoosier State.
Indiana House Democratic Leader Phil GiaQuinta (D-Fort Wayne) pitched a blueprint for a better Indiana at the beginning of the 2021 Legislative Session. During his speech on Organization Day, GiaQuinta noted that the issues we face today are no different than the ones Hoosiers have faced for the last few decades. Instead, Indiana’s quality of life issues in areas of education, health and economic inequality have only been magnified by the impacts of a global pandemic.
“For the past few years I’ve talked about the need to invest in Indiana’s human capital. Now that our state is embroiled in a global pandemic, it’s even more critical than ever. Instead of creating new line-items for vague future capital projects and an even fuzzier regional recovery program, House Democrats are focused on the priorities that will help Hoosiers in need now. We want to ensure that local public schools get the funding they need, give Hoosier educators the overdue pay raises they deserve, help Hoosiers struggling with mental health issues and build up the state’s public health infrastructure so we’re better prepared for the next public health crisis. Budgets are about priorities, and I think House Democrats have the right priorities.”
 Support for Teachers
 Teacher pay raise.
Authored by State Representative Ed DeLaney (D-Indianapolis)
Amendment 7 to House Bill 1001 would increase educator wages with teacher retention bonus matching grants.
“Hoosier educators are regularly asked to do more and more without any significant wage increase,” DeLaney said. “Often, they are doing more at their own expense. Educators have been unsung heroes, especially throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, but heroism does not pay the bills. Hoosier Republicans say they want to address our teacher pay problem in interviews and on the campaign trail, but vote down every proposal to do it. Indiana has not seen teacher salaries reflecting both national averages and rates of inflation since the GOP took complete control of state government in 2010. We must do better.”
The proposal was voted down 68-29 on the House floor.
Support for Traditional K-12 Schools
 $300 million tuition support restoration.
Authored by State Representative Gregory W. Porter (D-Indianapolis)
Amendment 1 to House Bill 1001 would rectify the approximately $300 million debt the State of Indiana owes public schools and students from recession budget cuts.
“An investment in traditional K-12 schools is an investment in Indiana’s progress and prosperity,” Porter said. “Hoosier public schools are losing ground each session as the Republican supermajority diverts funding to charter and voucher schools. Restoring nearly $300 million in cuts made by Governor Mitch Daniels during the economic recession would have been a significant step forward.”
The proposal was voted down 62-28 on the House floor.
 Support for Pre-K
 $100 million increase for pre-k programs.
Authored by State Representative Terri Austin (D-Anderson)
 Amendment 19 to House Bill 1001 appropriates an extra $100 million ($50 million per year) to the existing pre-k program.
“The benefits of pre-k in this state have been proven time and time again,” Austin said. “The program provides a stable foundation for young children and helps them develop essential learning and developmental skills. I’m disappointed that the Republican budget abandons Hoosier youth by refusing to allocate any new money for expanding opportunities to working families who need the assistance now more than ever.”
The proposal was voted down 70-28 on the House floor.
Support for Public Health
 Public health investments.
Authored by State Representative Robin Shackleford (D-Indianapolis)
Amendment 24 to House Bill 1001 strides to improve Indiana’s abysmal public health statistics with investments in the following: creating a doula and prescription drug rebate program; local health departments; C.H.O.I.C.E. in-home services; tax amnesty for minority health; and implementing a state health care exchange.
“Indiana consistently ranks in the bottom of the nation when it comes to health and wellness,” Shackleford said. “Now we are in the midst of a pandemic that feeds off of Indiana’s failures, like our obesity and tobacco use rates. By properly funding local health departments and programs like doula services and in-home care services, we are empowering Hoosiers to take charge of their health and seek care when they need it.”
The proposal was voted down 68-29 on the House floor.
Support for Working Families
 Minimum wage increase.
Authored by State Representative Cherrish Pryor (D-Indianapolis)
Amendment 21 to House Bill 1001 ties the minimum wage and any future increases to legislator salaries. It would be based on the annual salary of a state legislator divided by 2,080 hours for an hourly wage of $13.07. Currently, the minimum wage in Indiana is $7.25 and a living wage is $14.07.
“We are public servants, and we have gotten increases while Hoosiers try to make ends meet on a dismal $7.25 that was deemed livable 10 years ago,” Pryor said. “That amount is barely $15,000 a year. Hoosiers should not have to work multiple jobs to keep the lights on, have a roof over their heads and put food on their tables. Those are basic rights, and if one job doesn’t pay for that, then we are not doing our job at the Statehouse.”
The proposal was voted down 66-28 on the House floor.
Student loan debt relief.
Authored by State Representative Earl Harris, Jr. (D-East Chicago)
Amendment 17 to House Bill 1001 would have created the Student Loan Relief Grant. The grant would have assisted low-income Hoosiers with more than $5,000 in student loan debt in repaying their student loans.
“While our state continues to see a downward trend in overall college enrollment, 21st Century Scholars are consistently beating that trend and enrolling at higher rates,” Harris said. “Financial support, like scholarships, empower students to pursue higher education by easing the massive financial burden that comes with a degree. The Student Loan Relief Grant would be another opportunity for Indiana to support our students by assisting low-income Hoosiers in repaying their student loans. Our students deserve to be rewarded for their achievements, not punished.”
The proposal was voted down 67-29 on the House floor.
 Support for Small Business Suppor
 Small business sales tax rebate.
Authored by State Representative Ryan Hatfield (D-Evansville)
Amendment 25 to House Bill 1001 allows eligible small businesses to receive up to $5,000 in sales tax relief.
“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our communities, as well as our economy,” Hatfield said. “I have seen too many mom and pop shops close their doors in my neighborhood and I know that’s taking a toll on Hoosier families. One in five restaurants have closed in Indiana amid the pandemic, and countless more are hanging by a thread. The state has ample means to provide much needed sales tax relief, so let’s get these small businesses the help they deserve to weather the rest of this pandemic.”
The proposal was voted down 66-29 on the House floor.
Work share.
Authored by State Representative Ryan Hatfield (D-Evansville)
Amendment 25 to House Bill 1001 would establish a work share program for the state, which is a voluntary and cost-effective alternative to traditional unemployment benefits.
“The fact that this remains an untouched resource for Hoosiers is inexcusable,” Hatfield said. “We are pouring federal money down the drain every year we don’t tap into a workshare opportunity in our state and I think unemployed Hoosiers would greatly appreciate our efforts to rectify this. By not adopting a work share program, Indiana is turning its back on savingthousands of jobs and at least $100 million in free federal money.”
The proposal was voted down 66-29 on the House floor.
Men’s basketball falls short in second-half rally
Aces drop 87-73 game at Indiana State
Trailing by seven at the half, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team rallied to get within one in the second frame, but a pivotal 16-4 run by Indiana State helped them to take an 87-73 win over the Purple Aces on Wednesday at the Hulman Center.
Leading the Aces (8-12, 6-8 MVC) was Jawaun Newton, who posted 18 points on 7-of-9 shooting. He was 7-for-8 from inside the arc while hitting all four free throw attempts. Evan Kulhman converted four 3-pointers to finish with 12 points while Noah Frederking and Shamar Givance scored 11 and 10, respectively. Tyreke Key led Indiana State (13-8, 10-6 MVC) with 34 points. He his 14 shots and five triples.
“They were 0-for-3 from outside in the first half before hitting seven in the second half. I feel like we played their guys straight up and they got comfortable,†UE had coach Todd Lickliter said. “Give them credit, they shot 65%.â€
Two free throws by Jawaun Newton gave Evansville its first lead of the day at 4-2 before a hot shooting start by Indiana State saw them knock down 8 of their first 12 attempts to take a 16-6 lead just over six minutes into the game. Samari Curtis got Evansville back on pace with his first triple of the game.
Curtis’ long ball helped the Aces claw their way back within a possession. Trailing 21-12, a 9-3 stretch saw Evansville make it a 24-21 game with 7:08 remaining in the half. Evan Kuhlman and Noah Frederking each hit triples. Indiana State countered by scoring eight of the next 10 points to push their lead back to nine at the 4:19 mark. Inside the final minute, Kuhlman had an outstanding feed to Frederking that saw UE get back within seven at the break – 39-32.
Frederking had eight in the first half to lead UE but a 7-for-9 showing in the first 20 minutes saw Tre Williams record 20. ISU shot 64.0% in the opening frame.
After the Sycamores regained a 9-point edge in the opening three minutes of the second half, Evansville utilized the outside shot to get right back in it. Kuhlman knocked down his third trey of the game before the senior found an open Jax Levitch, who converted his first long ball of the game to get his team back within a possession at 46-43.
It was the long ball that helped UE get even closer. Levitch drained another triple that made it a 54-53 game at the 11:53 mark. Just over a minute later, Frederking connected from outside to get his squad within one tally at 61-60. That is when Indiana State took control, converting six out of seven attempts to take their largest lead of the game at 77-64 inside of the 6-minute mark.
Evansville was unable to overcome the deficit as the Sycamores finished with the 87-73 victory. ISU shot 64.8% on the day with the Aces finishing at an even 50%.
This weekend, UE remains on the road, traveling to Drake for a 2-game series on Sunday and Monday. Game one on Sunday is set for a 3 p.m. tip in Des Moines before the second contest gets rolling at 6 p.m. on Feb. 22.