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State Senator Vaneta Becker An Outstanding Public Servant

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State Senator Vaneta Becker An Outstanding Public Servant

By The City-County Observer Staff

We consider State Senator Vaneta Becker an amazing lady who was born to serve those in need.

She is not your typical self-assured and flamboyant know-it-all politician.  Senator Becker is a laid back and likable political leader that is known to take on legislative challenges by researching the subject and turning the information into a common-sense approach to debating information on the Chamber floor that forces needed change.

She also has the reputation as the go to person to the get the answers to complicated and complex governmental questions and issues that concern them.  Her constituents also give her high marks for the way she responds to the issues that concern them.

Originally from Alton, Illinois, on the Eastern part of the state, Senator Becker comes from a family of five brothers and sisters.  Her parents are deceased, her living family members have a lot to be proud of, given Becker’s achievements, accomplishments and contributions to the State of Indiana.

Senator Becker earned her Bachelor’s degree from the University of Southern Indiana and has served as Senator to Indiana since 2005.  She works on issues with legislation, budget constraints and parameters, economic-development, and the demands of education.  Currently, she is also a Broker Associate with FC Tucker.

One of Senator Becker’s passions is insuring the completion of Interstate 69, within the budget restraints and on schedule.  This will make an easier commute to our state’s capital for all citizens and bring economic prosperity to our region.

Big on philanthropy, Senator Becker is one of the founding members of the Albion Fellows Bacon Center.  She helped find the original real estate for the organization on Grand Street.  She was also on the board with ARK Crisis Children’s Center which works in Child Abuse Prevention (CAP) for thirty years.  The organization serves as the State’s last free-standing emergency child day care center.  Furthermore, she has helped pass Hoosier Healthwise legislation. Hoosier Healthwise helps provide health care children coming from low income families, creating a healthy living and learning environment for all youth.

As a key member of the legislature for the University of Southern Indiana, Senator Becker was able to contribute toward higher education and growth of the school.  College enrollment has risen from 3,000 previously, and now has made its way to approximately 15,000 students. Her contributions over to years has helped establish USI as an independent university which has grown and flourished.

She also a strong advocate and supporter for Community College education.  She stresses the necessity and importance for vocational/technical training as well for field studies and advance manufacturing

Senator Becker has also served on the Indiana Commission for Women and was co-chair to the Office of Advisory Board to Women’s Health. In the Evansville community, she is active with Leadership Evansville Alumni and the United Methodist Church, as well as supporting many other community organizations.

Senator Vaneta Becker has received honors from various organizations, including the Lifetime Achievement Award from ARC of Indiana. ARC has supported children and persons with disabilities since it was founded in 1956.

Senator Becker has outstanding listening skills, and helps others to further their education, by strengthening their communication skills, both written and verbal.  She reiterates that it is not only important for the workplace, but also for the legislature.

Senator Becker has worked to improve the quality of life in her community.  As a woman with an amazing passion for social services, bettering the quality of life and contributing to the State Legislature, she is indeed an outstanding public servant.

Her Election History And Political Committees Appointments

Served In The Indiana House of Representatives from 1981-2005.

Was elected to the Indiana State Senate in 2005 to present.

Health & Provider Services, Ranking Member.

Local Government.

Public Policy.

Education

University of Southern Indiana, B.S.

Real Estate & Insurance Broker License.

Organizational Involvement

Indiana Commission for Women.

Leadership Evansville Alumni.

Advisory Board of the Office of Women’s Health, Indiana State Department of Health, Co. Chair.

Past Member of Board of Directors, ARK Crisis Prevention Nursery.

Past Member, Commission for Excellence in Health Care.

Honors That State Senator Vaneta Becker Have Received Over The Years

Civility in Government Award, Association of Retired Members of the Indiana General Assembly, 2015.

Capitol Caregiver, American Association of Retired Persons, 2014 and 2015.

Legislative Champion Award, Indiana Area Agencies on Aging, 2012.

Oscar McCulloch Social Services Award, Indiana Coalition for Human Services, 2011.

Lamar Public Service Award, Leadership Evansville Celebration of Leadership Winternheimer, 2011.

Outstanding State Senator, Indiana Retired Teachers Association, 2011.

Lifetime Achievement Award, The Arc, 2011.

Friend of Education Award, Evansville Teachers Association, 2011.

Bacon Award, Albion Fellows, 2010.

Ark Crisis Center Dedication to Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, 2010.

Bobby Sloan Symbol of Hope Award, Komen Evansville Affiliate, 2009.

Legislator of the Year Indiana, Trial Lawyers Association, 2009.

Legislator of the Year, Indiana Primary Health Care Association, 2008.

Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence Empowerment Award, 2008.

Advocate of the Year, Indiana Association for Home and Hospice Care, 2007.

Legislator of the Year, Indiana Council of Administrators of Special Education, 2007.

Service Award, Indiana Home Care Task Force, 2001.

Lampion Center Advocacy Award, 1999.

Outstanding Leadership Award, ALCOA, 1995.

Distinguished Alumni Award, University of Southern Indiana, 1995.

Legislator-of-the-Year, Indiana Association of Ophthalmologists, 1995.

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University of Evansville (UE) Faculty Senate Formal Response To The UE Board of Trustees

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University of Evansville (UE) Faculty Senate Formal Response To The UE Board of Trustees

Tuesday, January 17, 2020 

Evansville— 1/13/20 —The Executive Committee of the University of Evansville (UE) Faculty Senate has issued a formal response to a January 6th letter from the UE Board of Trustees to the university’s faculty. In the Board’s letter, it explained why it was unwilling to allow the faculty to construct an alternative institutional realignment plan. The Senate Executive Committee’s response addresses that denial. 

Attached below is the letter from the Senate Executive Committee to the Board of Trustees has a cordial and respectful tone throughout and this can be seen from the letter’s opening: 

We would like to thank you for reaching out to the faculty to share your position on President Pietruszkiewicz’s proposed realignment plan. While we may disagree about the plan, we are encouraged by this opening of dialogue. From the time President Pietruszkiewicz first declared his intention to make changes, faculty have suggested that an open, collaborative process would yield the best solutions. We still feel this way, and we also agree with the key point of your letter: The University of Evansville’s financial situation is not sustainable. Changes must be made to eliminate the budget deficit and position the University to succeed in the changing higher education landscape. Our concern is that the realignment process being used is flawed in a number of ways. 

The letter then goes on to examine the flaws within the President’s realignment process. It does so first by noting a number of problems with the data from which the President’s draft academic realignment plan was built: 

• The data ignores the fact that UE students often major in multiple subjects. 

• The data overlooks how eliminating courses and faculty in one major affects students in other majors. 

• The data does not consider Student Credit Hours. 

• The data contains no modeling of the future enrollments, costs and revenues of the university’s current programs. 

• The data lacks any projections for either the programs in which the Senior Administration now intends to invest or those that it seeks to add. 

• The data fails to recognize the importance of programmatic diversity to enrollment and, thereby, the university’s finances. 

The second problem with the President’s realignment plan that is considered within the Senate Executive Committee’s letter is the fact that that plan is “inconsistent with the University’s shared governance system.” The Senate Executive Committee do not “dispute the President’s right to develop,” as the Board put it, “proposals for the reallocation of resources,” but they do dispute the President’s “right to enact changes that would fundamentally alter the university’s educational policy without involving the faculty in a determining capacity.” 

One of the Board’s reasons for refusing to allow the faculty to create an alternative institutional realignment plan was that it considered the proposed process for the construction of that plan to resemble that of the prioritization process utilized by the University of Evansville in 2013-14, and so the Senate Executive Committee’s letter goes on to address that prioritization process. It begins by summarizing what occurred in 2013-14: 

Across the fall of 2013 and the spring of 2014, two groups consisting of faculty and administrators from across the campus worked together to compile recommendations for positive and productive changes. One focused on academics and the other on administrative matters. After those groups submitted their recommendations to President Kazee, he reviewed them and then put together his own recommendations. The President’s recommendations were submitted to and approved by the Board of Trustees. 

The letter then lists all of the key academic and administrative recommendations offered by the faculty and the President. In doing so, it notes “the extent to which the recommendations offered by the President and endorsed by the Board of Trustees differed from those of the faculty.” The letter’s discussion of prioritization leads to this conclusion: 

We acknowledge that the prioritization process was challenging and that some faculty were upset. At the same time, the Prioritization process was an open, considered process that meaningfully involved faculty, administrators, and Board members. It is disingenuous to suggest that any failures of Prioritization were due to faculty resistance. The entire process was a joint effort and any failures must be laid at the feet of all concerned. In light of this, it is difficult to grasp how the Prioritization process can be used as a justification for moving forward with a realignment process that, as noted, is so out of keeping with the university’s shared governance structure that it violates the University charter, the Faculty Manual, and AAUP guidelines. 

The Senate Executive Committee’s letter ends by bringing together all of its central ideas: 

Our issue is not with the President’s desire for change but rather the manner in which he is pursuing it. The President’s draft academic alignment plan draws upon inadequate data and lacks many necessary components. The President’s draft academic alignment plan is at odds with the mission and the identity of the university. The President’s draft academic alignment plan does not present a vision for what the University of Evansville will be. The President’s draft academic alignment plan is being developed in a manner that violates the university’s shared governance structure and, thereby, both the Faculty Manual and the university’s charter. In considering these points, we hope that you will also reconsider our proposal for the creation of an Ad Hoc Realignment Committee. There is a better way to do this. 

We, the UE AAUP chapter, thank the Senate Executive Committee for this thoughtful and measured response. Their letter offers a host of significant points and each point is supported by compelling evidence. The offered accounts of the realignment process and the prioritization process are entirely accurate. Like the Senate Executive Committee, we hope that their letter will lead to greater dialogue between the faculty and the Board of Trustees. 

To learn more:

• Visit our website at saveue.com • Follow us on Facebook at Save UE 

• Follow us on Twitter at @Save_UE • Follow us on Instagram at save.ue 

• E-mail us at ueaaup@gmail.com

FOOTNOTE: Contact(s): Daniel Byrne, Secretary-Treasurer UEAAUP, ueaaup@gmail.com, 8122055889

 

Indiana State Police Mourn The Passing Of 25 Year Veteran Sergeant Mitchel “Mitch” Blocher

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1Greenfield, IN - The Indiana State Police is saddened to announce the passing of 25 year Indiana State Police Veteran Sergeant Mitchel “Mitch” Blocher.

During his career with the Indiana State Police, Sgt. Blocher was a member of the SCUBA team, a SWAT sniper, an investigator and most recently a supervisor for the Electronic Surveillance Unit. More information about his ISP career can be found in the obituary below.

Captain Tony Delello, Indiana State Police Area Five Commander, and longtime friend to Sgt. Blocher said, “Mitch stood strong on his values, to include his family, his faith and his community. His passion for his career and public safety was apparent in every aspect of his life. He worked tirelessly for twenty-five years to ensure safety in his community and beyond. Mitch will be remembered as a loyal leader who was a mentor to many.”

His funeral was held yesterday.

BRIEFLY SPEAKING

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BRIEFLY SPEAKING

by GAVEL GAMUT By Jim Redwine

1.

Silent Issue

One method of grappling with what are the most vital issues America must resolve is to first eliminate those issues that blur our thought process. Five years of partisan ill will have sapped our nation’s psyche. Our health and our economy have suffered as we have found it more entertaining to castigate those who disagree with our political views than to make the hard choices required to battle COVID-19 and its devastation of our society. The events of January 06, 2021 and our reactions to them will either continue us on our downward spiral, or perhaps, America can remember and apply the healing lessons from our history.

Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) and Gerald Ford (1918-2006) would address the January 06, 2021 attack on our Capitol Building differently. Kant, the great German legal philosopher, would hold it immoral to not require retribution against President Trump for the death and destruction that occurred after Trump’s call for a march on Congress even though President Trump had only fourteen days left to serve when the riot took place. Kant’s position on the legal duty to punish is set forth in the following example. If we envision an island society that decided to dissolve itself completely and leave the island at a time prisoners sentenced to be executed were awaiting their fate, it would be immoral to leave the island without first carrying out the executions. Kant’s rationale for this seemingly needless act was that the blood guilt of the prisoners would attach to the general society if justice was not administered. An eye for an eye would be called for according to Kant.

In contrast, President Ford invoked the wisdom and healing of Jesus when Ford issued a pardon to disgraced ex-President Richard Nixon (1913-1994) for Nixon’s role in covering up the burglary of Democratic National Committee Headquarters. Ford issued the pardon in September only one month after Nixon resigned in August 1974 to avoid impeachment. Instead of retribution, Ford chose mercy, but not just for Nixon; America needed relief too.

Of course, neither revenge nor mercy can, by definition, be perfect justice. However, when it comes to crimes against the State there are larger issues than justice for individuals. The greater good may require a more involved response. Fortunately, we have the wisdom of our Founders and the courage of such leaders as President Ford to aid us in our decision-making process.

II.

Separation of Powers

Our Founders built our Constitution on the general theory of three equal branches of government. The events since the election on November 03, 2020 give evidence of the abiding legacy left for us in 1789. After the election the Judicial Branch rendered numerous decisions that upheld the Rule of Law. Vice President Pence in the Executive Branch has refused to use the 25th Amendment for political purposes, and the Legislative Branch has resisted attempts to usurp the will of the electorate to de-certify the Electoral College results. Our governmental framework has been stretched but has accommodated pressures from many angles.

All three branches are working together to identify and prosecute those individuals who violated our seat of government with physical destruction and death. With the cooperation of numerous law enforcement agencies and the courts, along with the laws previously enacted by our federal and state legislatures, those who brought nooses, pipe bombs and twist-ties to their pre-meditated crimes are being identified; and if probable cause to commit crimes is shown, and guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is proven using due process of law, just punishment should result. Gentle Reader, next week, if you are available, we can consider the differing treatments of individuals and the issue surrounding the legal concepts of attenuation of culpability. As to President or ex-President Trump, I respectfully submit that continuing to have our country divided about half and half concerning Donald Trump is akin to President Lincoln’s prescient declaration that a house divided against itself will not stand.

With that in mind I submit for your consideration a Gavel Gamut article I wrote right after President Ford died in which it was suggested Ford sacrificed his political career for his country in 1974. I have slightly modified the original article:

III.

Pardon Me, President Ford

(First published 08 January 2007)

President Gerald Ford died December 26, 2006. In a life filled with public service, he will always be best known for his pardon of President Nixon in 1974. President Nixon had personally chosen Gerald Ford to replace the disgraced Vice President Spiro Agnew who resigned in 1973 amid disclosures of bribery while Agnew was Governor of Maryland. Vice President Ford served under President Nixon until Nixon resigned in August of 1974. One month after Nixon resigned, President Ford issued him a full pardon for any crimes Nixon may have committed while president. 

At the time, many Americans, including me, were calling for a complete investigation of the Watergate debacle and especially Nixon’s involvement in it. It was a time of a media feeding frenzy and blood in the water. President Ford took the unprecedented step of going personally before Congress and flatly stating that President Nixon and then Vice President Ford had no deal to pardon Nixon if Nixon would resign. 

I recall how dubious I was when President Ford stated that he issued the pardon only to help our country to start healing from the loss of confidence caused by Watergate. Yet, after a few months I began to have second thoughts about my initial reaction to the pardon. I realized how much courage it took for President Ford to go straight into the anti-Nixon firestorm sweeping the United States. As a country, we were almost paralyzed by the partisan fighting at home and the War in Vietnam. [Insert 4 years of partisan bickering during the Trump presidency and include at least 1 year of COVID-19.] We needed a new direction and a renewed spirit in 1974 just as we do today. Surely President Ford with his twenty-two (22) years in Congress knew he was committing political suicide by not giving us our pound of flesh. Still, he put his country first. Of course, the country rewarded his sacrifice by booting him from office and electing President Jimmy Carter to replace him. 

But during the campaign of 1976, when President Ford came to Evansville, Indiana on April the 23rd, I took our son, Jim, out of school and we went to the Downtown Walkway to see the man who put country above self. For while William Shakespeare almost always got his character analysis right, when it comes to President Ford, “The good he did lives after him.” Julius Caesar, Act III, sc. ii. 

Even President Carter, one of America’s most courageous and best former presidents said of his erstwhile political opponent President Ford: “President Ford was one of the most admirable public servants I have ever known.” And when it came to the pardon of President Nixon, Senator Ted Kennedy, while admitting that he had severely criticized the pardon in 1974, said that he had later come to realize that: 

“The pardon was an extraordinary act of courage that historians recognize was 

truly in the national interest.”

For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com

Or “Like/Follow” us on Facebook & Twitter at JPegRanchBooks&Knitting

ADOPT A PET

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These little cuties are a bonded pair of male guinea pigs! The adoption fee is $30 for both ($15 each) and they do have to go home together. VHS usually has gently-used small pet supplies for sale! Get details at www.vhslifesaver.org/adopt!

EPA Releases 2020 Year Highlighting Agency Accomplishments

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the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released the 2020 Year in Review outlining major accomplishments and environmental progress over the past fiscal year (FY), calendar year, and four years.

“This report shows a year of accomplishments that, in terms of both policy and regulatory actions, rivals any year in the agency’s history; an extraordinary statement that I am happy to stand behind,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “From the first ever emissions standards for aircraft, to drafting the nation’s newest recycling goal and finalizing the first overhaul of the Lead and Copper Rule in 30 years, this list of achievements will stand the test of time.”

2020 EPA accomplishments include:

  • Finalizing the first greenhouse gas emissions standards for aircraft.
  • Reviewing and retaining, without changes, the 2015 ozone National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) set by the Obama-Biden Administration, which marks only the second time in Clean Air Act history that the agency has completed a NAAQS review within the congressionally mandated five-year timeframe.
  • Finalizing the first major overhaul to the Lead and Copper Rule for the first time in nearly 30 years to ensure the safety of drinking water for children and young adults.
  • Deleting all or part of 27 sites from the National Priorities List (NPL) for the second consecutive year, which was the largest number of deletions in a single year since FY 2001.
  • Establishing the Office of Mountains, Deserts and Plains to assume oversight responsibilities for federal hardrock mining cleanup sites west of the Mississippi River; serve as a central contact for other federal agencies, states and tribes with responsibility for or impacted by these sites; and develop innovative technologies and adaptive management approaches to address legacy pollution.
  • Unveiling America’s newest National Recycling Goal to increase the national recycling rate to 50 percent—up from roughly 32 percent—by 2030.
  • Releasing the U.S. Federal Strategy for Addressing the Global Issue of Marine Litter, which outlines the comprehensive approach the administration is leading domestically and internationally to preventing trash, litter, and garbage—including plastics—from entering marine and freshwater environments.
  • In response to the COVID-19 public health emergency, the pesticides program developed List N: Surface Disinfectants for Use Against SARS-CoV-2. This is a list of more than 500 products that meet EPA’s criteria for use against SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

 

EPA Announces $46 Million in Funding Available to Reduce Emissions from Diesel Engines

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Grant funding prioritized for areas facing air quality challenges

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the availability of grant funding to implement projects which reduce emissions from the nation’s existing fleet of older diesel engines. EPA anticipates awarding approximately $46 million in Diesel Emissions Reduction Act (DERA) grant funding to eligible applicants, subject to the availability of funds. Under this competition, EPA anticipates awarding between 40 and 70 assistance agreements.

“The DERA program continues to provide much needed assistance to agencies and ports to improve poor air quality in communities across America,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Over the last three years, EPA has provided nearly $300 million in grants and rebates to modernize diesel fleets with cleaner heavy-duty trucks and equipment.”

Diesel-powered engines move most of the nation’s freight tonnage, and today nearly all highway freight trucks, locomotives, and commercial marine vessels are powered by diesel engines. EPA is soliciting applications nationwide for projects that significantly reduce diesel emissions and exposure, especially from fleets operating at goods movements facilities in areas designated as having poor air quality. Applicants may request funding to upgrade or replace diesel-powered buses, trucks, marine engines, locomotives and nonroad equipment with newer, cleaner technologies. Priority for funding will also be given to projects that engage and benefit local communities and applicants that demonstrate their ability to promote and continue efforts to reduce emissions after the project has ended.

Eligible applicants include regional, state, local or tribal agencies, or port authorities with jurisdiction over transportation or air quality. Nonprofit organizations may apply if they provide pollution reduction or educational services to diesel fleet owners or promote air quality and clean transportation. Applicants may apply until March 16, 2021.

Applicants must request funding from the EPA regional office which covers the geographic project location. The maximum amount of federal funding that may be requested per application varies by Region:

  • Region 1 (Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont) will accept applications requesting up to $1,000,000 in grant funds.
  • Region 2 (New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico, U.S. Virgin Islands) will accept applications requesting up to $2,500,000 in grant funds.
  • Region 3 (Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia) will accept applications requesting up to $2,500,000 in grant funds.
  • Region 4 (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee) will accept applications requesting up to $2,000,000 in grant funds.
  • Region 5 (Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Wisconsin) will accept applications requesting up to $3,000,000 in grant funds.
  • Region 6 (Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas) will accept applications requesting up to $2,500,000 in grant funds.
  • Region 7 (Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska will accept applications requesting up to $1,500,000 in grant funds.
  • Region 8 (Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah, Wyoming) will accept applications requesting up to $2,600,000 in grant funds.
  • Region 9 (Arizona, California, Hawaii, Nevada, Guam, American Samoa, Northern Mariana Islands) will accept applications requesting up to $4,000,000 in grant funds.
  • Region 10 (Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington) will accept applications requesting up to $1,000,000 in grant funds.

Herbert Hoover Offers Rice Stew And Beans

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January 17 – January 23

The Week in Indiana History
Sarah Lincoln

1828     Sarah Lincoln Grigsby died at age 20 in Spencer County.  She was the older sister of 18-year-old Abraham Lincoln.  She had played a major role in raising her brother after their mother had died 10 years earlier.  Married to Adam Grigsby, she died in childbirth.  She was buried in the cemetery of the Little Pigeon Creek Baptist Church, which is now part of the Lincoln State Park.
Wallace marker1875     Zerelda Wallace, widow of Indiana Governor David Wallace, addressed the Indiana General Assembly and presented over 21,000 signatures on temperance petitions.  She was the first president of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union in Indiana and a member of the Equal Suffrage Society of Indiana.  In 1880, she testified before the United States Senate in favor of giving women the right to vote.  Pictured:  The Indiana Historical Marker honoring Zerelda Wallace, located on North Delaware Street in Indianapolis.  
Hoover1921     Herbert Hoover, former director of the United States Food Administration, hosted a $100 per plate luncheon in the Riley Room of the Claypool Hotel in Indianapolis.  The lunch consisted of cocoa, rice stew, and black beans.  The meager fare was a representation of food rations for hungry children in Central Europe.  Hoover went on to become U. S. Secretary of Commerce and, in 1933, President of the United States.  The $100 lunch in 1921 would be over $1,400 in today’s dollars.
Jo Anne w

1968     Rowen and Martin’s “Laugh-In” show premiered on NBC Television.  Among the regular cast each week was Jo Anne Worley.  The comedian, actress, and singer graduated from high school in Lowell, Indiana.  In addition to many television and movie appearances, she has performed in scores of musical productions on and off Broadway.
Dan Quayle1989     Dan Quayle of Huntington, Indiana, took the oath of office to become the 44th Vice President of the United States, serving under President George H. W. Bush.  Quayle had spent eight years in the United States Senate and four years in the U. S. House of Representatives.  He graduated from Huntington High School, DePauw University, and the Indiana University Law School.
2009     In a non-binding resolution, the Indiana Senate made sugar cream pie the “official state pie” of Indiana.  Also known, as “Hoosier Pie,” it is made from a simple recipe and was a popular easy-to-fix dessert in pioneer cabins across the state. pie
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Follow this link to subscribe to Hoosier History Highlights and to view archived editions

Follow us on Instagram: @instatehousetouroffice
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Indiana Statehouse Tour Office

Indiana Department of Administration

You are invited to take a “Virtual Tour” of the Statehouse by clicking the link at the bottom of this page.

(317) 233-5293
touroffice@idoa.in.gov  

Indiana Quick Quiz

    A number of  Indiana cities have “Green” in their names.  Match the city to the county.

1.  Greentown     2.  Greenfield        3.  Greencastle   4.  Greenwood      5.  Greensburg

A.  Hancock       B. Decatur              C.  Howard        D.  Johnson          E.  Putnam

Answers Below

Hoosier Quote of the Week

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“The highest form of development is to govern one’s self.”

 – – -  Zerelda Wallace (1817 – 1901)

Did You Know?

     There are several ways of making sugar cream pie.  One of the most basic recipes is this one purportedly used by Anna Harrison, wife of William Henry Harrison, Governor of the Indiana Territory and the 9th President of the United States:

Old Fashioned Sugar Cream Pie

1 cup sugar; 4 tablespoons of flour; 1/4 teaspoon salt; 1 pint heavy cream; 1 teaspoon vanilla

Mix dry ingredients.  Blend in cream and vanilla.  Bake in unbaked pie shell at 350 degrees for one hour.  Let cool completely, and then enjoy a slice of Indiana history!

VIDEO LINKS

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HOOSIERS HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS hosted by Governor Eric Holcomb and First Lady Janet Holcomb

STATEHOOD DAY: Learn more about the three branches of state government

Statehouse Virtual Tour

ANSWERS:  1. C     2. A     3. E       4. D     5. B

USI VITA Program To Offer Free Federal, State Tax Return Preparation

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University of Southern Indiana students in the Romain College of Business will provide free federal and state income tax preparation as part of the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program.

The sessions will be held by appointment only in the Business and Engineering Center on the following Mondays: February 8, 15 and 22; and March 1, 8, 15 and 22. Appointments will be available at 5 p.m. and 6:45 p.m. All participants are required to wear masks or face coverings during the visit and social distancing protocols have been implemented to ensure the safety of both the students and participants.

“While the USI VITA Program will look a little different this year, we are excited to continue to provide free tax preparation to USI students, employees and the surrounding community,” said Dr. Brett Bueltel, Assistant Professor of Accounting and Site Coordinator for the USI VITA Program. “We have new protocols in place to ensure the safety of our clients and our students. Our students are excited for the opportunity to serve our community and gain real world experience preparing tax returns.”

In VITA programs, the Internal Revenue Service partners with national and local organizations to provide tax services to individuals with low-to-moderate income at no cost to the taxpayer. Accounting students will interview and prepare the taxes of those taxpayers who make an appointment for the service. VITA sites do not prepare Schedule C business forms or Schedule E rental forms. Federal and state tax returns are prepared at the time of the appointment, and all taxpayers must be available to sign their returns. Preparation of returns typically takes 90 minutes to complete.

Individuals are required to bring their tax information, photo identification cards and Social Security cards for themselves and any dependents. International students must bring their passports and visas as well. The IRS encourages electronic filing and returns will be filed electronically for those who are eligible.

Please bring copies of your prior year state and federal tax returns if they are available. Your tax returns from the prior year are very helpful in preparing correct and complete current year returns. Paper returns will be prepared for those taxpayers who do not qualify for electronic filing or prefer paper returns.

To make an appointment, call the Romain College of Business at 812-464-1718.

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD

EPD REPORT

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