“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 National or International issues.
PET PICTURES WITH SANTA CANCELED
PET PICTURES WITH SANTA CANCELED
  It is with great sadness that the Vanderburgh Humane Society announces the cancellation of Pet Pictures with Santa 2020 due to COVID-19.
This would have been Pet Pictures’ 35th year, one of the Tri-State’s most beloved holiday traditions and held on November 6-8 of this year.
VHS leadership says that even if the people getting photos taken were able to be properly socially-distanced with masks… the risk to the volunteers, staff, photographer, and Santa himself is simply too great.
“Even though this year has been devastating to our organization’s finances,†says Amanda Coburn, VHS Development Coordinator, “we simply can’t justify putting our team members or our vendors at risk. As a private nonprofit that receives no funding from city/county taxes or national organizations, and that has not seen a single dollar of local COVID-19 relief, we will be relying on the community even more now to contribute what they can and help us continue our mission.â€
This now means that every single in-person fundraising event in the VHS’ annual budget since March has been canceled. The total deficit from the loss of these fundraisers amounts to more than $100,000.
Those who would like to help support the organization’s mission can make a financial donation atwww.vhslifesaver.org/donate. The Vanderburgh Humane Society has still been helping pets and people every single day throughout the pandemic, and will continue to do so.
The VHS team is keeping their paws crossed that they will see everyone again for next year’s Pet Pictures with Santa: November 5-7, 2021.
HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
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Adopt A Pet
Seth is a 2-year-old male bully breed mix. He is VERY excited about all things in life, but particularly squeaky toys! He was transferred to VHS from Evansville Animal Care & Control when VHS had available kennel space. Ella’s adoption fee is $110 and includes her spay, microchip, vaccines, and more. Get details at www.vhslifesaver.org/adopt!
HEALTH DEPARTMENT UPDATES STATEWIDE COVID-19 CASE COUNTS
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Myers Calls For A Rollback Of The Reopening Plan To Slow The Spread Of COVID-19
Myers Calls For A Rollback Of The Reopening Plan To Slow The Spread Of COVID-19
By LaMonte Richardson Jr.
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS— As Indiana recorded yet another record number of new COVID-19 cases Thursday, the Democratic candidate for governor, Dr. Woody Myers, called for Gov. Eric Holcomb to roll back the reopening of the state.
Myers, a former Indiana health commissioner, argued that the rising number of cases show that the Stage 5 reopening isn’t working and that reversing course would protect Hoosiers.
“Instead of swift action, we’re seeing a governor frozen in an intensifying spotlight,†Myers said of Holcomb.
Myers held a virtual press conference to urge the move to Stage 4, which bars and venues would be open at 50% capacity opposed to Stage 5’s 100% and restaurants would be open at 75%. Malls and retail stores would still be open at full capacity as long as social distancing is observed.
Holcomb announced at his virtual press conference Wednesday that, in spite of the rise in cases, he would keep the state at Stage 5 and cautioned that it doesn’t mean a return to pre-pandemic normal. He signed an order keeping Indiana at Stage 5 and the mask mandate in place until Nov. 14. In the briefing, he also said that contact tracing shows viral spread is not happening in large gatherings, rather through friends and families.
Since moving to Stage 5 Indiana has seen a soaring number of new cases—an average of more than 1,500 positive cases per days for a 15.74% positivity rate over the past seven days, according to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Research Center.
On Thursday, the Indiana State Department of Health reported a record 1,962 positive cases of the contagious novel coronavirus for a total of 141,212 people who have contracted the disease since March. Another 23 people have died from the virus for a total of 3,632.
Myers noted that the state is also seeing a rise in hospitalizations, straining medical resources in some parts of Indiana. The health department has reported that there are 1,355 people hospitalized.
Myers said he would be willing to roll back the reopening to Stage 3 if a move back to Stage 4 failed to slow the spread.
“We should take the action right now today before this gets a lot worse so that we don’t find ourselves in the situation that New York found itself in a few months ago,†Myers said. New York City saw a surge in COVID-19 cases that overwhelmed the public health system, requiring a near-total lockdown of the city.
Though Myers criticized the state’s actions, he wished Dr. Kristina Box, the state health commissioner, and her family a swift recovery from COVID-19. Box announced Wednesday that she along with family members tested positive for the virus and as a result, Holcomb, his staff and members of Box’s staff were tested Wednesday. It was confirmed Thursday Holcomb and the staff members tested negative.
Wednesday afternoon Holcomb announced that Indiana will remain in Stage 5 despite the rise in COVID-19 cases statewide.
“The virus does not know where it is…the virus does not know we are in a restaurant, in a church, school…does not know your age, race, sex, gender,†Myers said in response. “We have to be smarter than the virus.â€
The candidates for governor are scheduled to debate 7 p.m. Oct. 20 at the WFYI-TV studio. As the debate approaches Myers made a request to the Indiana Debate Commission to require all candidates to take COVID-19 tests Monday morning and make those results public. He also requested that the candidate’s podiums be as far apart as the physical setting allows.
Libertarian candidate Donald Rainwater said that he does not plan to take a COVID-19 test unless the debate commission requires candidates to take them or he has been near someone that tested positive. Holcomb’s campaign said that he will also be tested when deemed necessary. Neither candidate addressed the positioning of the podiums.
The debate commission confirmed that members have a late day meeting Thursday concerning the debates and any new protocols.
FOOTNOTE: LaMonte Richardson Jr is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
AG Curtis Hill Receives Daniel Award from Right to Life of Northeast Indiana
Attorney General Curtis Hill on Monday was presented with the Daniel Award at Right to Life of Northeast Indiana’s fall banquet. The annual award recognizes public servants who make extraordinary efforts to stand for the lives of unborn children.
“When a pregnancy is terminated, it means the life of a precious baby was ended before it ever had a chance to begin,†Attorney General Hill said. “Every single child deserves an opportunity to live a life full of love, meaning and happiness. I am honored and humbled to receive this award from Right to Life of Northeast Indiana, and I will never stop working to protect our children.â€
Attorney General Hill has vigorously defended Indiana’s abortion laws during his time in office, prioritizing both the sanctity of human life and the health of Hoosier women. Most recently, a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana upheld many statutes and regulations under the Due Process Clause. The ruling, issued last week, was in response to a lawsuit filed by abortion provider Whole Woman’s Health challenging Indiana’s most significant abortion regulations.
Last month, Attorney General Hill appealed a U.S. district court’s ruling against an Indiana law requiring physicians, hospitals and abortion clinics to report complications arising from abortions.
Planned Parenthood in August conceded defeat in a lawsuit that challenged an Indiana law requiring ultrasounds at least 18 hours before women undergo abortions. That requirement, Attorney General Hill said at the time, is rooted in empowering women with knowledge.
And in February, Attorney General Hill organized and spoke at a South Bend burial service for 2,411 aborted fetuses found last year on the property of the late Dr. Ulrich Klopfer. The fetuses are associated with abortions Dr. Klopfer performed in Indiana clinics located in Fort Wayne, Gary and South Bend.
“AG Curtis Hill has been a great partner in the defense of unborn boys and girls,†said Cathie Humbarger, executive director of Right to Life of Northeast Indiana. “It is impossible to know how many babies have been saved by the efforts of AG Hill and his staff. I look forward to partnering with him to continue this work for many more years.â€
Prior recipients of the Daniel Award include now-Vice President Mike Pence, former state Sens. Amanda Banks and David Long, and state Sen. Liz Brown.
NCAA Awards Championship Events To EvansvilleÂ
NCAA Awards Championship Events To Evansville gets chance to host swimming and diving
Evansville, Ind. – The NCAA announced today that the University of Southern Indiana and the Evansville Sports Corporation have been chosen to co-host the 2024, 2025 NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Elite Eight at the Ford Center, as well as the 2026 NCAA II Swimming and Diving National Championships at the Deaconess Aquatic Center. The NCAA also awarded the 2023 NCAA II Cross Country Midwest Regional to USI and the Evansville Sports Corporation.
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The official news release is available on the NCAA’s website.
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“Evansville Sports Corp and USI are excited to work together once again to bring high-level NCAA championship competition to the area,” said Eric Marvin, President, Evansville Sports Corp. “We couldn’t be more thrilled to bring the Division II Men’s Elite Eight back to the Ford Center in 2024 and 2025.
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“Angel Mounds is another outstanding venue that will allow us to showcase our region for the 2023 DII Men’s and Women’s Cross Country Regionals,” continued Marvin. “The Deaconess Aquatic Center is under construction and will be a world-class venue for the DII Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Championships in 2026.”
Evansville has a rich history of hosting NCAA national championship events for men’s basketball. The city hosted the NCAA Division II men’s basketball championship from 1957-75, 2002, 2014, 2015, and 2019 and is scheduled to host in 2021 and 2022. The semifinals and quarterfinals of the 2020 NCAA II Tournament were scheduled to be played at the Ford Center last year, but were canceled due to COVID-19.
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The 2026 NCAA II Swimming and Diving National Championships will showcase the new Deaconess Aquatics Center that is slated to open in the spring of 2021. This will the first national championship hosted by Evansville for the sports of swimming and diving.
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In addition to the national championship events, USI and Evansville will host the 2023 NCAA II Cross Country Midwest Regional at Angel Mounds. Evansville hosted the 2019 NCAA II Midwest Regionals at Angel Mounds and was scheduled to host the regional and the national championships this fall (2020) until they were canceled due to the pandemic.
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“Bringing the Division II championships to Evansville is a big win for us,” said Jon Mark Hall, USI Director of Athletics. “It is nice to have a partner organization like the Evansville Sports Corporation to help attract major events like this to our region. An added plus are great facilities like the Ford Center and the yet-to-open Deaconess Aquatic Center, in addition to a cross country course like Angel Mounds, to host these outstanding championships.”
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Officially formed in 2010, the Evansville Sports Corporation has been instrumental in bringing major sporting events to the region, which creates an economic impact to the region. Other national and regional events include the 2012-2016 PGA Tour’s Web.com Tour; 2017 U.S. Figure Skating National Theatre on Ice Competition; the 2018-23 Ohio Valley Conference Basketball Championships; 2015 and 2016 Big Ten Golf Championships; the 2012 and 2013 Great Lakes Valley Conference Baseball Tournament; and the 2013, 2014, 2016 GLVC Basketball Tournaments.
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USI Men’s Basketball has advanced to the Elite Eight four times in the history of the program (1994 Springfield, Massachusetts; 1995 Louisville, Kentucky; 2004 Bakersfield, California; and Evansville in 2019) and won the Division II national title in 1995. The Screaming Eagles advanced to the semifinals of the 2019 Elite Eight in Evansville.
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USI Men’s and Women’s Cross Country, which has dominated the Great Lakes Valley Conference over the last decade, has hosted the NCAA II Midwest Regional four times (2014, 2015, 2016, 2019) and the NCAA II National Championships four times (1987, 2004, 2009, 2017).
Indiana FFA Member Competes For National Office
Noah Berning will soon be vying for one of the six National FFA Officer positions. In the running are 38 of the United States’ most elite young agriculture leaders.
Berning was selected by a state nomination committee to serve as the National FFA Officer candidate on behalf of Indiana.
“Indiana FFA is an exceptional youth organization that is developing strong leaders and agriculturists,†said Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director Bruce Kettler. “I truly admire Noah’s ambition to serve not only the state of Indiana but all of the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Best of luck, Noah!â€
Berning was an active member of the Heritage FFA Chapter in Monroeville where he competed in many contests ranging from welding to ag sales. Notably, Noah placed as a gold individual at the national farm business management contest at the 2019 National FFA Convention. He is now a Freshman at Purdue University double majoring in Ag Systems Management and Agriculture Economics. Since arriving at Purdue in August, he has participated in the Purdue Grand Prix Junior Board, Agronomy Club, Collegiate Farm Bureau and became a member of Farmhouse Fraternity.
Over the last few months, Berning has been preparing for the intense interview process that will be taking place entirely in a virtual format this year.
“I know that I didn’t make it here alone,†Berning said. “I am honored to have the opportunity to represent the state of Indiana and all of those who have invested in me. I look forward to making many connections along this journey.â€
In order to be considered, candidates must complete a two-phase interview process. If they pass the first phase, which consists of four rounds and eliminates 50% of the candidates, they will be tested in round-robin conversations, media interviews with stakeholders and their ability to lead a classroom discussion, as part of the second phase.
The newly-selected National FFA Officers will be announced on Oct. 29, during the final session of the 2020 National FFA Convention and Expo.
“Noah’s dedication to Indiana FFA and passion for agriculture is unwavering,†said Sam Miller, Indiana FFA Acting Director. “I am certain Noah will make Indiana FFA and our state proud.â€
For more information about the National FFA Organization visit ffa.org or inffa.org to learn more about the Indiana FFA Association.