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NCAA looks to host entire March Madness men’s basketball tournament in Indianapolis

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BY GRACE YBARRA
Published Nov 16, 2020 11:58 am

The NCAA announced Tuesday that the men’s basketball tournament should be held in one geographic area as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee determined playing the tournament at 13 preliminary sites across the country would be very difficult amid the pandemic, according to the NCAA website. The NCAA is in preliminary talks with the state of Indiana and city of Indianapolis to host the 68-team tournament around the metropolitan area of Indianapolis during March and April.

“We have learned so much from monitoring other successful sporting events in the last several months, and it became clear it’s not feasible to manage this complex championship in so many different states with the challenges presented by the pandemic,” said Dan Gavitt, NCAA senior vice president of basketball, in the NCAA press release.

The city of Indianapolis was already set to host the 2021 Men’s Final Four from April 3-5.

Register for Winter Break Camps

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PLAY, MAKE, CREATE AND DISCOVER!

Registration is open for our fun-filled winter break day camps like Snow Fun, Chilly and Crafty, It’s Game Time and more! We’re offering scholarships for qualifying families. Are you looking for a fun alternative to in-person day camps? Camp in a Box kits also are available for purchase.

WINTER BREAK CAMPS

9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 28-30, and Jan. 4, 2021
For children currently enrolled in grades K-6
$55/per camper per day, 10% discount for members, $5 sibling discount

Free time for campers offered 8 to 9 a.m.

DEC. 28 | SNOW FUN

Investigate winter by making your own snow, learning all about snowflakes and creating your own snow dough to take home.

Reserve>>

DEC. 29 | CHILLY AND CRAFTY

Warm up from the chilly winter weather with fun art and craft creations. Paint with ice and make some decorations perfect for a New Year’s celebration!

Reserve>>

DEC. 30 | IT’S GAME TIME!

Discover what makes a game great and use the skills you learn to create your very own game.

Reserve>>

JAN. 4 | LIGHT & SHADOWS

Experiment with light and test out what shadows you can create as we explore with our friends from The Franklin Institute.

Reserve>>

How we’re staying safe

camp in a box

Engage your child in learning through a variety of hands-on design challenges, step-by-step experiments and art creations. Each theme includes five activities, all the materials needed, and an activity guide with step-by-step instructions and ways to continue exploring. These kits are geared toward students currently in grades kindergarten – 6.

$30/members, $35/non-members

  • Museum ticket counter pick-up: Wednesday – Sunday from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Dec. 2, 2020, through Jan. 3, 2021
  • Shipping: $10 per kit for priority mail
  • Registration Deadline: Two business days prior to kit pick-up. Orders cannot be placed and picked up the same day. The last day to reserve a kit is Wednesday, Dec. 30.

Learn more

ANGEL MOUNDS STATE HISTORIC SITE

8215 Pollack Ave, Evansville, IN 47715
Grades 1-6

9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 21
$50/camper; 10% discount for members
Extended care available from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. for an additional $10.

DEC. 21 | AMAZING EGYPT CAMP

Registration required by Dec. 7

Curious about what archaeologists do? Think Ancient Egypt is really cool? Then do we have a camp for you! Join in the fun as we learn all about Ancient Egyptians – who they were, where they lived and how they created mummies! 

Reserve>>

CORYDON CAPITOL STATE HISTORIC SITE

202 E Walnut St, Corydon, IN 47112
Grades 1-6

9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Dec. 21, 22, 23
$40/per camper per day, 10% discount for members

Registration required by Dec. 14

DEC. 21 | WINTER SCIENCE CAMP

Investigate the science behind winter by conducting your own cold weather experiments.

Reserve>>

DEC. 22 | ART EXPLORATION CAMP

Discover your creativity through a variety of media while making your own original masterpieces. Find inspiration from the Corydon Capitol State Historic Site and conduct colorful experiments throughout this camp.

Reserve>>

DEC. 23 | PREHISTORIC POTTERY

Explore prehistoric pottery from the Woodland and Mississippian periods and find out what the pottery can tell us about some of the first people to live in what would become Indiana. Then create your own pottery during this day camp.

Reserve>>

VANDERBURGH HUMANE SOCIETY HOSTING ONLINE AUCTION NOV. 16-22

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Each year, the Vanderburgh Humane Society hosts an in-person benefit dinner and auction in the spring. It is the shelter’s largest fundraising event and typically nets more than $60,000 in vital funding for the shelter’s animals and public services. But of course, COVID-19 had other plans for 2020. Like so many other organizations, the VHS had to pivot their event to a virtual format.

Going, Going, Gone to the Dogs – round 2 will be held online! Bidding is NOW OPEN at www.bidpal.net/vhs. Approximately 150 items are available.

The pets and people who utilize the VHS’ services and programming (including 11 other local animal welfare organizations!) are depending on them now more than ever before. The mission forges on… the VHS has not missed a single day of animal care and public service throughout the pandemic. Additionally, the organization has not received a single dime of local COVID-19 relief funding. Now they need the Tri-State to rally together.

Bidding is 100% free. People only need to create a OneCause account to bid.

Get details on this year’s auction at www.vhslifesaver.org/auction.

To arrange an interview about this event, please contact Amanda at the information above.

Thanks to the 2020 Going, Going, Gone to the Dogs Presenting Sponsor:

 

ADOPT A PET

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Libby is a 12-year-old female pit bull mix! She was surrendered to the shelter when her person had to move into housing that was not suitable for her. (Probably because of her size & breed.) She has been a bit nervous since having to adjust to shelter life, but she really likes people. She would like to meet any current dogs in the home prior to adoption for a “meet & greet.” Libby’s adoption fee is $110 and includes her spay, microchip, vaccines, and more. November is Adopt a Senior Pet Month! Get details at www.vhslifesaver.org/adopt!

HEALTH DEPARTMENT UPDATES STATEWIDE COVID-19 CASE COUNTS

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VANDERBURGH COUNTY RECENT BOOKING RECORDS

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https://www.vanderburghsheriff.com/jail-recent-booking-records.aspx

On COVID And Schools, President-Elect Biden Has Promised A Different Approach

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On COVID And Schools, President-Elect Biden Has Promised A Different Approach

By Matt Barnum

For the last several months, President Donald Trump has had a simple message for schools: reopen your buildings.

President-elect Joe Biden has a more complicated one: the federal government is on the way with better guidance and — hopefully — money, but no mandates.

“Schools need clear, consistent, effective national guidelines, not mixed messages and political ultimatums,” the Biden campaign plan for reopening schools says.

The race has been called, and the incoming Biden administration is set to inherit a country still struggling with the coronavirus pandemic. Though more schools are reopening their doors, COVID cases are still rising. Schools will still be grappling with exactly how to balance public health and education concerns for months to come.

A Biden administration is set to play a different role than Trump officials have, by pushing for additional resources for public schools and efforts to make up learning loss, while making no demands of schools on Twitter.

It’s not clear that those changes will actually affect reopening decisions made by local officials. School reopening so far has split along racial and political lines, and one of Biden’s top priorities — getting more money to schools — hinges on Congress, where the Senate may still be controlled by Republicans.

Still, some public school groups say a move away from Trump’s bellicose rhetoric will be welcome.

“The best thing that could come from the Biden administration would be a significant shift in tone,” said Noelle Ellerson Ng, associate executive director of AASA, the school superintendents association. “Under a Biden administration, a more tempered message would hopefully have a spillover effect.”

The Biden campaign laid out a “roadmap to reopening schools safely” back in July.

A major focus is money for schools. Biden supports a bill passed by House Democrats to provide $58 billion for public schools, plus hundreds of billions for state governments facing budget shortfalls. His plan also calls for a separate bill to provide additional funding schools could use for items like personal protective gear. (Private schools aren’t mentioned in the Biden plan, and are unlikely to be a priority of his administration.)

“Vice President Biden would be working with leaders in Congress right now to pass an emergency package for schools so they have all the resources they need,” Stef Feldman, the Biden campaign policy director, said last month. “That’s money for things like ventilation and other health measures, but also money for things like hiring additional teachers so we can keep class sizes small.”

By contrast, outgoing Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has downplayed the need for additional money for public schools, pointing to the money already allocated for schools by the CARES Act passed in March. She has also focused on providing more resources for private schools.

Even under a Biden administration, any additional aid will be shaped by who controls the U.S. Senate, likely to hinge on two runoff elections in Georgia. Senate Republicans have already rejected the House bill Biden supports and have backed a significantly slimmed-down package that includes money for schools, but no money for state and local governments. Their package ties some school funding to physical reopening requirements.

Trump and DeVos have said schools must reopen, but have not made good on threats to withhold funding from those that didn’t.

Biden’s plan rejects any talk of federal requirements for reopening. Instead, he promises to provide “basic, objective criteria to guide state, tribal, and local officials in deciding if and how reopening can be managed safely in their communities.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued guidance for school reopening, but Ng said it hasn’t always been trusted by school district leaders, thanks to reports that the White House pressured the CDC to play down the risks of reopening schools amid Trump’s fierce reopening push this summer. (Some recent data has bolstered the case for reopening schools, but experts say there remains substantial uncertainty about the role schools play in community spread of COVID.)

Ng said when viruses have threatened in the past, like during the 2014 Ebola scare and the SARS outbreak in 2003, the CDC was perceived as apolitical. “That is not what we had during COVID,” she said.

Biden’s plan also says there is a pressing need for schools to improve remote learning and develop plans to help students make up lost learning after months of disrupted schooling.

His plan promises “a White House-led initiative to identify evidence-based policy solutions that address gaps in learning,” and says the U.S. Department of Education would “develop, adopt, and share the latest tools and best practices to ensure high-quality learning during this pandemic.”

“So many children are falling behind due to remote learning, and we need to be thinking now about how to help them catch up,” said Feldman.

But Biden’s plan here is thin on details. Some ambitious ideas for making up learning loss, like a large-scale tutoring program, would almost certainly require more money from Congress.

The Final Official Election Results For the 2020 General Presidential Election Breakdown

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Attached Below Is The Final Official Election Results For the 2020 General Presidential Election Breakdown

20GINVAN OFFICIAL RESULTS

EPD SUMMARY OF THE LOST COVE APARTMENT INCIDENT

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EPD SUMMARY OF THE LOST COVE APARTMENT INCIDENT

  On November 14 around 9:45 p.m., the Evansville Police Department was called to the 1100 block of Loft Cove. The reporter (victim) called Central Dispatch to say that someone was breaking into his residence. The victim went on to say that he had just been shot. 

When officers arrived, they were able to quickly find the victim who had a gunshot wound to his left leg. He said the suspect was in the backyard. He described the suspect as a male wearing a dark-colored, hooded sweatshirt. He was later identified as Evan Terhune (20). 

 A friend of the victim, who was inside the residence when this incident occurred, told officers that Mr. Terhune had fled from the backyard through a gate. 

While one of the officers ran back to his patrol car to obtain medical supplies for the victim, he was confronted by Mr. Terhune who was acting very erratic. The suspect attacked the officer, punching him in the face that ultimately required 4 stitches. 

It was later discovered that Mr. Terhune had damaged the patrol car by running into it.  

The officer was able to deploy his Taser which incapacitated Mr. Terhune long enough so other arriving officers could place him into custody.

After being placed in custody, Mr. Terhune continued to act erratically and was eventually transported, in the police transport van, to the hospital for treatment. 

While being transported to the hospital, Mr. Terhune continued to yell, scream, and thrash about uncontrollably in the back of the transport van. 

It was only after detectives arrived and spoke to all the involved parties that they were able to find out that the victim was hosting a gathering, of which, Mr. Terhune was a participant.

While at this gathering, many of the attendants were abusing various forms of narcotics and it is believed Mr. Terhune was participating in these activities.

 At some point in the gathering, Mr. Terhune became belligerent, attacking the victim, striking him several times. The victim was in fear for his life as well as the other people at his residence. 

They were eventually able to get Mr. Terhune outside of the apartment, locked the door and called the police, as Mr. Terhune continued to try and force his way back in.  

Another person at the gathering fired his weapon at Mr. Terhune, in self-defense, but accidentally struck the victim in the leg. 

The victim did not wish to file charges against the person who accidentally shot him in the leg.   Mr. Terhune is still hospitalized and his current medical condition is unknown. 

FOOTNOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS SENT TO US BY THE EPD AND POSTED BY THE CITY-COUNTY OBSERVER WITHOUT EDITING.

Gov. Beshear: Kentucky Cases Increasing at Frightening Pace

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Gov. Beshear: Kentucky Cases Increasing at Frightening Pace

Multiple highly effective vaccines on the way; Kentuckians must be resilient until they arrive

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Nov. 16, 2020) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear warned Kentuckians that COVID-19 continues to spread at a frightening pace within the commonwealth and across the United States.

As of this morning, two companies, Moderna and Pfizer, have announced their vaccines appear to be more than 90% effective as clinical trials continue. The Governor said he hopes this great news will inspire all Kentuckians to keep fighting the virus in the months before those vaccines become widely available.

“We need everybody with this news to buckle down, to make sure you are making good decisions each and every day because people’s lives depend on it,” said Gov. Beshear. “If we can just get to the point where this vaccine will be widely available, we can make sure we don’t lose people. We need your help. This is now a time-limited virus. So if you’re tired, now you can see the end. Let’s get our second wind.

“Today, we’re talking about where this virus is; tomorrow, we’re going to share some modeling about where we think it’s going; and then on Wednesday, if we don’t see a change in the numbers, we’ll talk about some additional steps that we may have to take to try to get this virus under control.

“If we have to take additional steps, it will not look like what we went through in March, in April and into May. At that time, we did not have enough testing; we had almost no PPE to protect those in hospitals; we didn’t know the most effective ways to treat this virus so the mortality rate was through the roof; and we didn’t know as much about the spread. If we have to take additional steps, they will be more targeted.”

Today, Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander also updated Kentuckians on the state’s efforts against COVID-19 in long-term care facilities.

“We are working around the clock to continue to do all that we are able to combat what is a vicious, highly contagious disease,” said Secretary Friedlander. “Among 382 long-term care facilities with active cases, 38 have at least 15 active cases, a dramatic rise from the 15 facilities with at least 15 active cases as of Oct. 30. There’s a continued need to balance the emotional and mental well-being of residents and their family members and the harsh reality of this pandemic.”

The Kentucky Department for Public Health will mobilize strike teams to hard-hit facilities, and the Kentucky National Guard also will mobilize 10 non-clinical support teams. Guidance has been updated with regard to communal dining, group activities and offsite travel, including a recommendation that residents leave a facility only when medically necessary and for needs that cannot be met on site or through telehealth.

“Holiday visits will need to look different this year. If a resident leaves a facility for an outing, the resident will be expected to go into quarantine upon returning to the facility,” said Secretary Friedlander. “We continue to encourage compassionate care, televisits and outdoor visits.”

Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman celebrated American Education Week and congratulated Recognizing Inspirational School Employees Award winners. She also announced that to date, more than $3.7 million has been raised for the Team Kentucky Fund, which already has assisted more than 2,500 Kentucky families. Applications for the fund will close at 5 p.m. today as Lt. Gov. Coleman expects all funds will be exhausted once current applications are processed.

“I would like to thank Community Action Kentucky (CAK) for their partnership. I said they would be the hands and feet of the Team Kentucky Fund, and that has turned out to be true,” Lt. Gov. Coleman said. “For every $1 given to the Team Kentucky Fund, CAK has leveraged their existing programs to provide a total of $2.22 to Kentucky families. That is a tremendous return on investment.”

If Kentuckians have an outstanding application with the Team Kentucky Fund, CAK will continue to work with them and will be in contact. If Kentuckians still need support, they should reach out to their local CAK office or visit kycovid.ky.gov to view additional resources which may be available to them.

Finally, Secretary of the Executive Cabinet J. Michael Brown updated Kentuckians on COVID-19 in the state’s correctional facilities. Unfortunately, there has been a sizable outbreak at Lee Adjustment Center, where there are 29 active staff cases and 434 active inmate cases.

“The news from the corrections front is not good. We’ve seen an increase week over week of 514 inmate cases and 52 staff cases. That brings our total for the year to over 2,000 inmate cases and over 280 staff cases,” said Secretary Brown. “Our fear, frankly, is that we haven’t completely finished testing the facility and we already know that half of the inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. It’s alarming. We wanted to bring this to everyone’s attention to show that sometimes in spite of our best efforts, this virus continues to strike us.”

Case Information
As of 4 p.m. Monday, Nov. 16, Gov. Beshear reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

  • New cases today: 1,514
  • New deaths today: 3
  • Positivity rate: 8.98%
  • Total deaths: 1,664
  • Currently hospitalized: 1,442
  • Currently in ICU: 360
  • Currently on ventilator: 128

Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Kenton and Hardin.

The red zone counties for this week can be found here.

Those reported lost to the virus today include a 66-year-old woman from Graves County; a 63-year-old woman from Henderson County; and an 83-year-old woman from Jefferson County.

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