JULY 26, 2024
Due to the ongoing construction project on Highway 41, northbound fair traffic will have to enter the fairgrounds from Boonville New Harmony Road (Gate 1 or 2). Northbound Semi-Trucks should use Gate 1. All southbound fair traffic can still turn west on Old State Road and enter Gate 3 (Pits).
MURDERER SENTENCED TO 110 YEARS AFTER JURY TRIAL
July 26, 2024
Evansville, IN –Prosecutor Diana Moers announces that John Cameron Parker was sentenced to 110 years for the murder of two men in Vanderburgh County. The sentence reflects a term of 55 years for each victim to be run consecutively. The sentencing hearing was held on July 23, 2024, after conviction by a jury on June 26, 2024,
when the jury found John Cameron Parker guilty of murdering Michael Blankenship Jr. and Mitchell Greathouse. The Honorable Magistrate Judge Ryan Reed of the Vanderburgh County Circuit Court presided over the trial and sentencing.
On the evening of October 22, 2023, Parker and his two coconspirators drove to 2658 Mt Vernon Avenue where Parker shot the two victims. Surveillance footage showed the Defendant walking into the residence at approximately 7:50 pm and leaving hastily at 7:51 pm. Surveillance footage also picked up a vehicle in the alley behind the residence with three individuals – a driver, a “lookout”, and the Defendant in this case. Human blood was later located on the vehicle’s handles. After the murder, Parker and his “lookout”, Caden Harms, burnt their clothes in a grill. Harms admitted his involvement to Evansville Police Department Detectives soon after the shooting and later pleaded guilty to Aiding in a Murder. Harms received a 45-year sentence. At trial, the State presented video footage from the crime scene, coconspirator testimony, DNA and Ballistic evidence.
After less than 3 hours of deliberation, the jury found John Cameron Parker guilty. Prosecutor Moers stated: “With each murder, our community is harmed. Two men lost their lives, and their families will now spend a lifetime suffering because of it. The citizens of Vanderburgh County deserve to live in a community where they do not have to worry about this type of crime. This Defendant will now spend the rest of his life in prison and Vanderburgh County is safer.”
Prosecutor Moers thanks her Deputy Prosecutors Stanley Levco and Brett Niemeier, Evansville Police Department Detectives Dillon Powers, Chris Jones, and all the officers who assisted in the investigation. Further, Prosecutor Moers thanks her investigations team including Jennifer Savage, Morgan Richardville, Paralegal Kiersten Butler, and Victim Advocate Robyn Mastison for their assistance in the case.
July 30, 2024
The Evansville Rescue Mission is proud to announce the installation of powerful sidewalk clings across the city. These clings depict the realistic situations that many women in our community are currently facing. As part of our larger awareness campaign, this initiative aims to shed light on the urgent needs of homeless women and children and to rally community support for the Susan H. Snyder Center for Women and Children.
1. Victory Theatre
2. Locust St & SE 4th St
3. Evansville Arch
4. Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library – Central Branch 5. Metropolitan Evansville Transit System (METS)
6. Cosmos Bistro
7. Penny Lane Coffeehouse
These installations are designed to capture the attention of pedestrians, creating a visceral connection to the struggles faced by women and children in our community. By bringing these stories to the forefront, we hope to inspire compassion and action from the public.
“Our goal is to raise awareness and generate the necessary funds to complete the Susan H. Snyder Center for Women and Children,” said Kyle Gorman, Executive Director of Advancement at the Evansville Rescue Mission. “We are currently at $7.5 million of our $9 million goal, and we need the community’s help to close that gap.”
The Susan H. Snyder Center for Women and Children will be a transformative resource, providing safe shelter, educational opportunities, job training, and comprehensive support services. It is designed to empower women and children, helping them to achieve stability and independence.
We invite the community to join us in this crucial campaign. Your contributions will directly impact the lives of many, offering hope and a brighter future to those in need. Together, we can make a significant difference.
The Board of School Trustees of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation will meet for the regularly scheduled Board meeting Monday, July 29, 2024 at 5:30 PM in the Board Room of the EVSC Administration Building located at 951 Walnut Street, Evansville, IN. Board meetings can also be observed by tuning to EVSC’s radio station, 90.7 WPSR or live streamed online at https://www.wpsrhd.com/.
Prior to the regularly scheduled Board meeting, three members of the Board, along with district administrators, will hold a Town Hall beginning at 5:00 PM. This Town Hall is for Vanderburgh County residents to speak directly with Board members in attendance about issues involving EVSC schools. The Town Hall will be held in the Technology and Innovation Center located at 951 Walnut Street, Evansville, IN. Members of the public who would like to attend the Town Hall should register by completing the Town Hall Registration Form located on our website at district.evscschools.com.
Indiana Arts Commission invests in Jasper Community Arts to strengthen Jasper through arts & creativity
Jasper, IN – Today, the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC) announced it has awarded $15,745 to Jasper Community Arts through the Arts Organization Support grant program.
During its June 14 Quarterly Business Meeting, the Commission approved funding recommendations for the Arts Project Support and Arts Organization Support grant programs. Between the two grant programs, 338 organizations in 77 Indiana counties are receiving funding.
“All across Indiana we have seen the positive impact that investing in arts and creativity has on quality of life,” said Anne Penny Valentine, Chair of the Indiana Arts Commission. “Each of the projects and organizations selected to receive funding are doing exceptional creative work in and for Hoosier communities. The Commission is excited and honored to support the work these organizations are doing to engage the public, develop their communities and encourage creativity across our state.”
“We are incredibly grateful for the support from the Indiana Arts Commission through the Arts Organization Support grant program,” said JCA Executive Director Kyle Rupert. “This funding is crucial for continuing our mission to enrich lives and foster creativity within our community. With these funds, we plan to enhance our outreach programs and educational initiatives as well as bring more diverse and engaging performances to Jasper. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our legislators, including Senator Mark Messmer and Representative Shane Lindauer, for their unwavering support of the arts in our region. Their commitment helps ensure that arts and culture continue to thrive in Jasper and beyond.”
“Art and creativity foster connection and cohesion, support the entrepreneurial spirit communities need to thrive, and help build the kinds of communities where people want to live, work, play, study, and stay,” said Miah Michaelsen, Executive Director of the Indiana Arts Commission. “In every corner of the Hoosier state, public funding for arts and creativity continually proves to be a high-return investment that positively impacts the cultural, economic, and educational climate of Indiana. It is a privilege to support the organizations building stronger Indiana communities through arts and creativity.”
Funding for the Indiana Arts Commission and its programs is provided by the Indiana General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency.
VINCENNES, Ind. July 25, 2024 – The Vincennes University Shake Library is one of 50 U.S. libraries newly selected to host Americans and the Holocaust, a traveling exhibition from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association (ALA) that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.
Following a highly successful tour to 50 libraries from 2021 to 2023, the touring library exhibition — based on the special exhibition of the same name at the Museum in Washington, D.C. — will travel to an additional 50 U.S. libraries from 2024 to 2026, covering wide distances from Hawaii and Alaska to Texas and New Hampshire.
VU Director of Library Services Charla Gilbert said, “We are so proud to be selected from a competitive pool of applicants from all across the nation to host this important and powerful exhibition. We invite VU students, faculty, staff, and alumni, as well as the wider community, to embark on this journey of remembrance and reflection with us. Through collaborative efforts with local schools, businesses, and community members, we aspire to create an enriching experience that fosters dialogue, understanding, and a commitment to honoring the memory of those affected by this tragic chapter in history.”
Americans and the Holocaust will be on display at the Shake Library, along with a series of related special events, from March 17, 2025 to April 28, 2025.
The 1,100-square-foot exhibition examines various aspects of American society: the government, the military, refugee aid organizations, the media, and the general public. Drawing on a remarkable collection of primary sources from the 1930s and ’40s, the exhibition tells the stories of Americans who acted in response to Nazism, challenging the commonly held assumptions that Americans knew little and did nothing about the Nazi persecution and murder of Jews as the Holocaust unfolded. It provides a portrait of American society that shows how the Depression, isolationism, xenophobia, racism and antisemitism shaped responses to Nazism and the Holocaust.
In addition to the traveling exhibition on loan, the Shake Library received a $3,000 cash grant to support public programs. The grant also covered one library staff member’s attendance at an orientation workshop at the Museum.
The Shake Library’s keynote speaker will present “Echoes from Auschwitz: The Story of Eva Mozes Kor” by Trent Andrews from the CANDLES Holocaust Museum & Education Center on March 27, 2025. Several other programming partnerships are expected for the exhibit and will be released with the full programming schedule in January 2025.
For more information about Americans and the Holocaust and related programming at the Shake Library, visit vinu.libguides.com/USHolocaustExhibit. To learn more about the exhibition, visit ushmm.org/americans-ala.
Americans and the Holocaust: A Traveling Exhibition for Libraries is an educational initiative of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association. The traveling exhibition began by touring to 50 U.S. libraries from 2021 to 2023; due to widespread interest from libraries and communities around the country, a second tour was developed for 2024 to 2026.
Americans and the Holocaust was made possible by the generous support of lead sponsor Jeannie & Jonathan Lavine. Additional major funding was provided by the Bildners — Joan & Allen z”l, Elisa Spungen & Rob, Nancy & Jim; and Jane and Daniel Och. The Museum’s exhibitions are also supported by the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Traveling and Special Exhibitions Fund, established in 1990.
FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
FLORENCE, KY – On a hot and humid day at Thomas More Stadium, the Evansville Otters fell to the Florence Y’alls 9-6 Wednesday afternoon.
Both clubs found the scoreboard in the first inning. The Otters (24-39) tallied three walks and a wild pitch to score their first run. The Y’alls (28-34) registered their run on a homer.
In the away fourth, Logan Brown singled to right field. He later advanced to third and scored on a fielder’s choice RBI from Mason White.
The Otters inched closer in the fifth when Alec Olund hit a two-run bomb to left field, making the deficit just two.
The Y’alls punched back in the home half of the inning with another three in the run column to cap off their day offensively. To end the inning, Randy Bednar threw a bullet home from the outfield on a base hit to record an inning-ending out at the plate.
Heading to the ninth, the Otters plated two more runs to finalize the scoring, but an attempt at a comeback ultimately fell short.
David Mendham hit a fielder’s choice RBI to bring home one before Randy Bednar hit a single up the middle to plate the final run.
The Florence bats came ready to hit, out-hitting the Otters 14-8.
Alex Adams and Brown led the Evansville offense with two hits each.
Terance Marin (0-4) took the loss after surrendering all runs (just five earned) on 13 hits in five innings. Out of the bullpen, Jakob Meyer tossed three scoreless innings with as many strikeouts. Taking home the win was Blake Loubier (1-3).
Finalizing the four-game weekday series tomorrow, the Otters and Y’alls will battle one final time with the first pitch at 5:44 p.m. CT. Coverage is available on the Otters Digital Network and FloBaseball.
