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USI-SIUE series moved to Thursday, Friday

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. — University of Southern Indiana Baseball begins the second half of a nine-game road swing with a three-game Ohio Valley Conference series at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois. The schedule for the series has changed to a single game Thursday at 4 p.m. and concludes Friday with an 11 a.m. doubleheader at Roy E. Lee Field at the Simmons Baseball Complex.
 
The Screaming Eagles conclude the nine-game journey April 22 when they visit Saint Louis University for a 3 p.m. single game.
 
With the ever-changing weather in April, USI encourages fans to watch for potential schedule changes on USIScreamingEagles.com, X, and Facebook.
 
The Eagles return to the friendly surroundings of the USI Baseball Field April 23 when they host Bellarmine University to start a four-game homestand. The homestand also includes a three-game OVC set with Eastern Illinois University April 25-27.
 
Links to follow the Eagles all season can be found on USIScreamingEagles.com and the USI Baseball Schedule.    
 
USI Baseball Notes:
USI tries to rally, falls short at NKU. The USI Screaming Eagles rallied with three runs in the ninth but fell short at Northern Kentucky University, 7-6, on Tuesday. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens hit a three-run blast in the ninth to pull USI within one before the Norse closed the door.
 
USI was swept by Tennessee Tech last weekend in OVC play. TTU’s bats were explosive, averaging 10.7 runs per game in the series.  
 
USI last week. USI was 0-4 last week, falling to Western Kentucky University and going 0-3 at Tennessee Tech. Sophomore infielder Parker Martin led the offense by hitting .467 with five runs scored, four RBIs, and two home runs. USI pitching struggled with an 11.74 ERA in the four games.
 
USI won first three OVC series. The USI Eagles opened the OVC slate with back-to-back-to-back series wins. USI won four OVC series all of last season.
 
Martin is the hottest Eagle. Sophomore infielder Parker Martin is the hottest Eagle at the plate, hitting .529 (9-17) over the last five games and .486 (17-35) over the last games. He also has produced 14 RBIs, four doubles, and four home runs in the last 10 games.
 
USI leaders at the plate. Junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens leads USI at the plate with a .393 batting average, while posting a team-best 35 RBIs and six home runs. The .393 average is the best mark in the OVC while Kitchens’ 35 RBIs ranks second in the league. Junior first baseman Kannon Coakley follows with a .383 average, which ranks second in the OVC, and a team-high 12 doubles.
 
USI in the OVC. USI leads the OVC with a .308 team batting average. On the bump, the Eagles are sixth in the league with a 6.82 ERA. In the first 12 games of league action, USI is second in batting (.312) and seventh in pitching (5.96 ERA). 
 
Martin leads in OVC play. Sophomore infielder Parker Martin is leading the Eagles and the OVC in conference action with a .450 average (18-40) and a .825 slugging percentage. Martin also has a team-high four home runs and 17 RBIs in OVC play.
 
Porter takes to the mound. Junior left-hander Jake Porter has moved into the starting rotation during OVC play, going 1-1 with a 2.93 ERA in 15.1 innings of work.
 
Anderson has three wins in OVC play. Senior right-hander Ian Anderson leads USI with three wins in OVC play (3-0), all out of the bullpen. Anderson also has one of USI’s three saves in conference action.  
 
USI visits SIUE this weekend. USI visits Southern Illinois University Edwardsville this weekend. SIUE, which lost to the University of Illinois, 17-6, Tuesday, is 15-20 overall and 8-4 in the OVC. The Cougars are 3-7 in their last 10 games. SIUE leads the all-time series with USI, 58-48, but the Eagles swept the Cougars last year at the USI Baseball Field.
 
USI visits SLU. USI is scheduled for a makeup game at Saint Louis University Tuesday in St. Louis, Missouri at 2 p.m. The series is tied 2-2 after USI took the first meeting of the year, 11-4.
 
 

 

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

 

FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing

USI rallies but falls short at NKU

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HIGHLAND HEIGHTS, Ky. – University of Southern Indiana Baseball rallied with three runs in the ninth inning, but fell short at Northern Kentucky University, 7-6, Tuesday afternoon in Highland Heights, Kentucky. USI is 16-20 overall, while NKU goes to 19-16.
 
USI had a pair of early leads to start the contest. Sophomore second baseman Parker Martin got the Screaming Eagles going in the first when he scored on an error for the 1-0 lead. The Norse responded with a tally in the bottom half of the frame to knot the game, 1-1.
 
The Eagles answered by taking a 2-1 advantage in the top of the second when junior catcher Charlie Marisca scored on a ground out by junior leftfielder Hunter Miller. NKU, however, exploded for four runs in the bottom of the second to grab a 5-2 advantage.
 
USI narrowed the gap to 5-3 in the third when junior designated hitter Cole Kitchens scored on a single by Marica to left center. The Eagles would leave the tying run on base before ending the frame.
 
NKU increased the lead to 7-3 with single runs in the fourth and fifth innings. The 7-3 score would remain until the ninth when Kitchens hit a three-run blast over the left center wall with two outs for the eventual 7-6 final. NKU would close out the game by getting junior third baseman Patrick McLellan to ground out and finish the game.  
 
Marisa and Martin led the USI bats for the game with two hits each, while Kitchens had a team-high three RBIs on his team-leading nine home runs.
 
On the mound, graduate left-hander Camden Dimidjian started and took the loss for the Eagles. Dimidjian allowed five runs on seven hits, while striking out two.
 

Trailblazers drop midweek clash with Oakland City JV

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VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University baseball team returned to Jerry Blemker Field since March 21 Tuesday evening for a midweek showdown with Oakland City JV.

The Trailblazers battled early but were unable to hold onto their early lead as Oakland City pulled away late to take the game by the final score of 10-4.

Vincennes opened the game on a fast start, breaking the scoreless tie with three runs in the second inning.

VU opened the scoring after back-to-back walks by sophomore Corbin Napier (Indianapolis, Ind.) and freshman Brady Cloyd (Connersville, Ind.).

Napier would score the first run of the game after a successful double steal with Cloyd to give the Blazers the 1-0 lead.

The inning continued with sophomore Noble Johnson (Terre Haute, Ind.) being hit by pitch before freshman Brayden Husband (Linton, Ind.) drove in a run with an RBI single.

VU would get their third run of the inning on a sacrifice fly by sophomore Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.) to give the Trailblazers the early 3-0 advantage.

Oakland City responded in their next inning at the plate, scoring three runs of their own to even the game at 3-3.

VU would break the tie in the bottom of the third after a leadoff walk by freshman Jevan Andrews (Hobart, Ind.) and a single by sophomore Nate Montgomery (Lexington, Ind.).

Andrews would come around to score later in the inning on an RBI groundout by Corin Napier to give the Blazers the lead back at 4-3.

Oakland City once again responded in their next inning, gaining their first lead of the night with a pair of runs in the fourth to take a 5-4 lead.

This lead would hold throughout the rest of the game, with Oakland City breaking away late with a big five run eighth inning to pull away and take the game over the Trailblazers 10-4.

“Really disappointing,” VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. “Pitchers gave us a chance. We’ve got to play better defense and obviously we’ve got to hit and we were not able to do that all night. We scored three runs on one hit to open the game and then we don’t build on that.”

“Give Oakland City credit, they did a nice job,” Barney added. “They played good defense. They came up with some timely hitting and took advantage of our mistakes. But I’m really disappointed in our overall mistakes. We’ve got to do better and the bad thing is we’ve got a really good club in Heartland coming in on Thursday and Friday to play us. We’ve got to play better, bottom line.”

Freshman Ty Stultz (Terre Haute, Ind.) got the start on the mound Tuesday evening for the Trailblazers, throwing two shutout innings without allowing a hit and striking out two.

Sophomore Colton Okes (Evansville, Ind.) came on to pitch later in the game, throwing one and two-thirds innings, allowing two unearned runs on two hits and striking out three.

Freshmen Kyle Holder (Mount Vernon, Ind.), Kory Kingsbury (Evansville, Ind.) and Jakob Hoyer (Georgetown, Ind.) each came in to pitch a shutout inning of relief, with Holder striking out one and Hoyer recording a pair of strikeouts.

Freshman Grayson Reichert (Shepherdsville, Ky.) came on to pitch the final one and two-thirds innings, allowing one unearned run on one hit.

“I thought that Kyle Holder, for not pitching in two weeks, did a nice job on the mound,” Barney said. “I thought Ty Stultz kept us in the game with two shutout innings at the start. From that avenue those are a couple guys that did a nice job tonight.”

The Trailblazers will look to regroup and bounce back as VU gets set for another tough Mid-West Athletic Conference (MWAC) series when Vincennes hosts No. 6-ranked Heartland Community College at Jerry Blemker Field Thursday, April 17 and Friday, April 18.

First pitch for Thursday’s doubleheader is set for 3 p.m. eastern, with first pitch Friday for the series finale doubleheader is set for 12 p.m. eastern.

“We’ve got to compete,” Barney added. “We’ve got to get ready to play and come ready to play. We have to feel like we deserve to be there and we’ve got to play like we deserve to be there and not give up crooked numbers. We gave up a three spot and a five spot tonight. Out of the 10 runs they scored, they scored eight runs in two innings and that just can’t happen against good clubs. That’s what we have to do better, we’ve just got to get ready to compete and play well.”

 

Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

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Vanderburgh County Arrest Warrants

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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Booked Last 24 Hours-Public

Governor Braun Signs Landmark Package of Executive Orders to ‘Make Indiana Healthy Again’

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mike braun
mike Braun

INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Mike Braun today signed a landmark package of executive orders with initiatives to improve Indiana’s health and well-being. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz were in attendance to support Indiana’s initiative.

Governor Braun released the following statement with the executive orders:

“Today, we’re taking bold action to Make Indiana Healthy Again and help Hoosiers live healthier lives.

“This isn’t the usual top-down, one-size-fits-all public health agenda: We’re focused on root causes, giving Hoosiers the transparent information to make decisions affecting their health, making it easier to access to fresh local food from Indiana’s incredible farms, and taking on the problems in government programs that are contributing to making our communities less healthy.

“We’re taking on big issues like preventative measures for diet-related chronic illnesses, addressing harmful additives in our food, encouraging fitness and health in schools through two new initiatives, and making big changes to food stamps to put the focus back on nutrition – not candy and soft drinks.” 

“We’re also focused on the health of Indiana’s biggest budget line item and biggest health program – Medicaid – by making sure that enrollees don’t exceed the income requirements for the program.

“Today’s nine executive orders reflect a new approach to health policy in the state of Indiana focused on empowering everyone to live healthier, longer lives. Let’s Make Indiana Healthy Again!”

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Secretary of Health and Human Services, attended the event in support of Indiana’s initiative.

“Thank you, Governor Braun, for your courageous and visionary leadership to Make Indiana Healthy Again,” said U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. “I urge every governor across America to follow your lead by signing similar executive orders in their states to improve nutrition standards in SNAP, increase transparency around food dyes and additives, implement physical fitness tests in schools, expand farm-to-school programs, and embrace the full scope of your transformative health agenda. Together, we can Make America Healthy Again.”

Dr. Mehmet Oz, Medicare and Medicaid Administrator, also attended the event in support.

“We’re delighted to work with our state and local partners—who are critical to advancing the Make America Healthy Again agenda,” said Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Administrator Dr. Oz. “By prioritizing prevention, proper nutrition, and healthy lifestyle choices, we can set our younger generations up for a lifetime of success.”

The first executive order overhauls work requirements for SNAP, so able-bodied SNAP recipients who are not working can be put on the path to filling one of Indiana’s 100,000+ open jobs that require no prior experience or a college degree.

The second cuts down on fraud and abuse of the SNAP program by reinstating income and asset verification to ensure that this program is being used only by those who really need it.

The third aims to change federal rules so states are incentivized to operate high-quality, entrepreneurial SNAP programs that put enrollees on a meaningful path to self-sufficiency.

The fourth executive order removes candy and soft drinks from SNAP benefits so that taxpayer funds are helping low income Americans afford nutritious food, not junk. The Governor’s office has been working with USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service and will be filing this waiver today. Indiana is among the first to take up HHS Secretary Kennedy’s call for states to file such waivers with this administration.

The fifth addresses Hoosier parents’ concerns with the possible negative effects of food dyes and increasing food transparency. We should know exactly what ingredients are in our food so we can opt for choices with fewer artificial ingredients.

The sixth kicks off a comprehensive study of diet-related chronic illness with a goal of empowering Hoosiers to address the root causes of chronic illness through preventative, evidence-based interventions such as nutrition, physical activity, early screening, and disease management.

The seventh aims to increase access to direct-to-consumer food from local Indiana farms.

The eighth establishes the Governor’s Fitness Test and School Fitness Month to encourage Indiana’s schools to give Hoosier kids every advantage possible to reach their full potential and lead healthy lives.

And the final aims to cut down on eligibility errors in the Medicaid program, after it was found that 28% of Indiana’s Medicaid spending – our largest budget line item – was improper spending, mostly due to eligibility errors. CMS Administrator Oz has been a leader on cracking down on abuse of the Medicaid presumptive eligibility process, and Indiana is following his lead.

Senate Bill 2 will follow these executive orders to the Governor’s desk this week, which includes work requirements for the Healthy Indiana Plan. The Governor’s office collaborated with the General Assembly on making these reforms to fix Medicaid.

Executive Order 25-52: Promoting Long-Term Growth and Flourishing for Hoosiers on the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program by Workforce Encouragement

Indiana seeks to help our neighbors who have fallen on hard times with their pressing needs, while also encouraging and investing in their long term self-sufficiency so that they can thrive and benefit our communities.

Two-thirds of able-bodied SNAP recipients are not working, many due to an exemption for those with dependent children in the home or are between the ages of 55-59.

Indiana currently has 138,000 open jobs — the vast majority of them require no prior experience, and 3/4 of them don’t require a college degree.

Under this executive order, the FSSA will overhaul its underutilized Employment and Training program to assign all non-exempt SNAP recipients to work requirements.

Executive Order 25-53: Increasing State Accountability Through Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Asset Verification

Indiana’s SNAP program had an improper payment rate of 10.46% in FY 2023, driven in part by insufficient verification of income eligibility.
To protect taxpayer money and safeguard this program for Hoosiers that really need it, we need to fix this issue.

UE Announces Investiture of Two Nursing Faculty Members

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u of E

EVANSVILLE, IND.  The University of Evansville (UE) College of Education and Health Sciences held an investiture ceremony on Friday, April 11, 2025, in Neu Chapel, honoring two distinguished nursing faculty members with endowed positions.

Katie Thomas, DNP candidate, was named the Nancy McFadin Mueller Endowed Chair in Nursing, and Melissa Rea, MSN, was named the White Family Endowed Professor in Nursing.

Nancy McFadin Mueller Endowed Chair in Nursing

The Nancy McFadin Mueller Endowed Chair in Nursing was established in 2018 through a generous gift from Edward J. Mueller, M.D., in honor of his wife, Colonel (Ret.) Nancy McFadin Mueller, a 1970 alumna of the University of Evansville.

Nancy’s legacy is marked by exceptional service, trailblazing leadership, and deep compassion. After beginning her studies at UE, she joined the Army Student Nurse Program, embarking on a distinguished military career that culminated in her retirement as a Colonel in the U.S. Army Nurse Corps. After retirement Nancy joined her husband, Dr. Edward J. Mueller, in his practice and became the first board-certified urology nurse in San Antonio, Texas. She also served as President of the Society of Urologic Nurses and Associates. A dedicated educator and advocate, she was recognized as an Outstanding Graduate of Mount Vernon High School and left a lasting impact on her field and the lives she touched. Nancy passed away in 2023 after facing ALS with remarkable courage and resilience.

Katie Thomas ’00, DNP candidate and Clinical Assistant Professor, currently serves as Chair of the Dunigan Family School of Nursing. With over a decade of clinical experience as a Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist, she has focused on high-risk obstetrics at Tri-State Perinatology. In 2018, Thomas returned to UE as a full-time faculty member. She is pursuing her Doctorate of Nursing Practice with a focus on Educational Leadership and continues to lead with innovation, compassion, and a commitment to excellence.

White Family Endowed Professorship in Nursing

The White Family Endowed Professorship in Nursing was established to promote excellence in undergraduate nursing education and recognize faculty who demonstrate exceptional teaching and mentorship.

Linda E. White, a 1976 nursing alumna of UE, has had a transformative impact on the healthcare landscape and the Evansville community. She began her professional journey with the Deaconess School of Nursing, followed by a BSN and MBA from UE. In 2002, she became the first female president of Deaconess Hospital and served as chair of the UE Board of Trustees. Her commitment to service is reflected in her involvement with organizations such as the Ark Crisis Nursery, Junior League, United Way of Southern Indiana, and Leadership Evansville. White has been honored with numerous accolades, including the Evansville Athena Award and the Delta Sigma Pi Business Leader of the Year Award.

Melissa Rea ’93, MSN and Clinical Assistant Professor, brings over 12 years of experience in geriatric primary care and specializes in medical-surgical nursing and community health. A UE alumna herself, she has served the University since 2009. Rea is known for her work in interdisciplinary research and public health education, as well as her leadership as president of UE’s Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing chapter. She has received the Daisy Faculty Award twice, voted on by UE nursing students, recognizing her dedication to student success and excellence in the classroom.

 

Teachers and supporters fill Statehouse to say school funding “shouldn’t be political”

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Teachers and supporters fill Statehouse to say school funding “shouldn’t be political”

APRIL 16, 2025

By Anna Cecil, TheStatehouseFile.com

  1. On Monday morning, a sea of red t-shirts washed over the top three floors of the Indiana Statehouse as hundreds of protesters gathered to voice their concerns about the proposed state budget’s impact on Hoosier schools.

    Protesters gather on the top three floors of the Indiana Statehouse during the Indiana State Teacher Association’s Day of Action on Monday.Photo by Anna Cecil, TheStatehouseFile.com.

    Teachers, school counselors, mothers, fathers and even students marched with homemade signs in hand at the Indiana State Teacher Association’s (ISTA) Day of Action, hoping their message would reach the lawmakers who will debate the state budget—possibly for the next two weeks.

    Teachers said their top concerns with the budget include property tax caps, which may limit funding to school districts, loss of funding to special school programs, and potential teacher layoffs, which would increase class sizes.

    Education and the state budget

    State budgets are used to allocate funding to entities like schools, libraries, public transportation, Medicaid, law enforcement and many others. Most of the money in the budget comes from state taxes.

    House Bill 1001, titled “State Budget,” contains Indiana’s entire budget for the next two years. The bill is nearly 175 pages long.

    Within those 175 pages, the word “school” is used 498 times and “teacher” 122. In the 2023 budget, 47% of state funding went toward schools.

    The educator perspective 

    Margaret Young, a sixth-grade English language arts and social studies teacher is concerned about district funding in relation to property tax caps.

    A study by Ball State University found that property tax caps, which create fixed percentages on how much money a property owner has to give the government based on the gross value of their property, hurt schools because the caps mean there is less money available in each district.

    Indiana has had these caps since 2008, but Young is concerned that if they continue or become lower, then teachers will have less money available for their salaries.

    At Center Grove Schools, where Young teaches, teachers make $52,113 per year on average. Some may make as low as $38,123.

    Tori Miller teaches special education transition programming at Pike High School for 18- to 22-year-old students. She said her role is helping students with special needs gain employment, independent living and community involvement skills so they can participate in society when they leave Pike.

    Miller’s programs require a significant amount of funding because they often require off-campus experiences. To travel, she needs funding for transportation, which for her program, comes from the state budget.

    The rest of her program’s money comes from fundraising that Miller does herself. These funds go toward off-campus activities and experiences that are crucial for her students to become employed.

    Because of state budget cuts, Miller’s district will lose money, putting the learning opportunities of her students on the line.

    “We have to be able to go out because things that can be done within the building are typically done before they get to me,” Miller said. “It shouldn’t be political. Making sure our kids have the things that they need shouldn’t be political.”

    More students, less money

    Ron Emmert is the band director at New Augusta North Public Academy, a school in Pike Township. On Tuesday, the website for Emmert’s school said it would have an “e-learning day” because of 184 planned teacher absences across the district, which were mostly related to ISTA’s Day of Action.

    Emmert said his top concern with the budget is teacher layoffs, which would cause class sizes to go up.

    As a band director, Emmert said he has one-third of the school in his class because so many students are in band. This means he could be teaching up to 200 students at one time.

    Emmert said having so many at once is OK for him, but it would not work for an English or math teacher.

    For the 2019-2020 school year, the average number of students in a classroom in Indiana was between 20 and 22 pupils. To Emmert, even this number is too high.

    He said if there are fewer teachers in the schools, classrooms might have over 40 students in them at once.

    “My kid’s a sophomore,” Emmert said, “and I really don’t want 50 kids in his physics class in high school.”

    The funding cuts that would lead to layoffs are in line with Gov. Mike Braun’s agenda to use fewer taxpayer dollars to do what he calls “more.”

    “Every Hoosier family and business had to tighten their belts over the last four years. It’s time the government does the same thing,” Braun said during his State of the State address in January. “My vision is a streamlined, accountable, responsible government that keeps more money in your pocket and empowers the private sector to innovate and grow.”

    Emmert said this sentiment will not benefit teachers and students in Hoosier schools.

    “Do more with less is stupid,” he said, “because we’re already doing as much as we can with almost nothing.”

    FOOTNOTE:  Anna Cecil is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a new site powered by Franklin College journalism students.

INDIANA DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH CONFIRMS 5 NEW MEASLES CASES

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