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Resources for Storm Recovery
Expanding support for foster families
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The Indiana Youth Institute recently reported that more than 18,000 children experienced foster care in the state last year, an increase after several years of decline. To encourage more Hoosier families to open their homes to these children, I supported legislation that would make foster parent households eligible for Child Care and Development Fund assistance, regardless of the number of biological children in the home, if they meet income eligibility requirements.
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CCDF is a federal program to help low-income families pay for child care so parents can work or attend school and training.
According to a report by Sevita, there are over 11,000 Hoosier children available for adoption but only 4,500 foster homes currently available. Expanding CCDF eligibility would ease the financial burden of child care and allow more foster parents to provide a stable and loving environment for children in need of their care. Additionally, the bill would require the Family and Social Services Administration to hold 200 CCDF vouchers in reserve specifically for children placed with licensed foster parents. This provision ensures that there are enough resources available to support foster children as they transition into loving homes. House Enrolled Act 1248 passed both the House and Senate with bipartisan support and now heads to the governor’s desk for consideration as a new law. |
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I’ll keep you updated on its progress, but in the meantime, you can learn more about this bill and stay informed by visiting iga.in.gov. Thank you for your continued support as we work to expand resources for foster families and ensure every child in Indiana has the chance to grow up in a stable, loving environment.
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Where Did Your Ancestors Come From? – April 8
Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Time: 6:30 PM
Location: Browning Gallery and Zoom
Join the Tri-State Genealogical Society for a free virtual presentation, Point of Origin: How to Find Your Ancestral Village, on Tuesday, April 8, at 6:30 PM (CT). Professional genealogist Lisa Vogele will share expert tips on locating ancestral hometowns, navigating name changes, and overcoming common research challenges.
Ivy Tech Day April 8
Ivy Tech Day Celebration
When: April 8
11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
📍 Main Campus Celebration – Tuesday, April 8
Location: Ivy Tech Evansville Campus (Commons)
Time: 11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Schedule:
• 11:30 AM – Grab-and-go lunch available
• 11:45 AM – Kickoff with Chancellor welcome, initiatives, and gift announcements
• Noon – Mayor Stephanie Terry will deliver an official Ivy Tech Day proclamation
• 12:15 PM – Special announcement regarding a veteran scholarship fund
• 12:30 PM – Fundraising update and Ivy Tech Day activities shared
Where: Ivy Tech Evansville Main Campus
Koch Student Center (first floor Commons)
3501 N. First Avenue, Evansville
About: Ivy Tech Evansville to Celebrate Community Impact
For the more than 12,300 students attending Ivy Tech Evansville, one day can make a difference. On April 8, Ivy Tech Evansville will join Ivy Tech Community College’s 19 campuses across Indiana in celebrating Ivy Tech Day, a 24-hour fundraising event dedicated to student success, scholarships, and transformative programs. Community members, alumni, faculty, staff, and donors are encouraged to participate and support the students shaping the Evansville Campus 10-county region’s workforce and economy.
“Ivy Tech Day is a celebration of the students, alumni, and employers we serve,” said Daniela Vidal, chancellor of Ivy Tech Evansville. “Every dollar raised directly impacts our students by providing scholarships, career training, and resources to help them succeed. We hope to see our communities rally together in support of student success and economic growth in the Southwest Indiana region.”
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.
Virtual Author Talk: Matthew Fleming | April 8
Event Details:
Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Time: 1 PM
Location: Streaming Online
Join us on April 8 at 1 PM for a fascinating Virtual Author Talk with Matthew Fleming, horticulturist at Smithsonian Gardens. Discover the hidden world of trees as revealed in The Tree Book: The Stories, Science, and History of Trees.
From towering redwoods to ancient oaks, trees have shaped ecosystems and human history for millennia. This engaging talk will explore their scientific traits, ecological importance, and enduring cultural significance—all beautifully illustrated in The Tree Book.
About the Author:
Matthew Fleming has been a horticulturist at Smithsonian Gardens since 2010, overseeing thousands of tropical specimens displayed throughout the National Mall. With expertise in plant care, landscaping, and botanical education, he brings a wealth of knowledge to this discussion.
The views expressed by presenters are their own and do not constitute an endorsement by Willard Public Library.
UPDATE: Investigation Ongoing After Incident at Evansville Bar
UPDATE: An arrest has been made in connection to the battery that occurred at Chaser’s Bar & Grill early this morning. Sean D. Shell (29) was located this evening and arrested for felony battery. The initial altercation began after a confrontation between the victim and a bartender about an unpaid tab. After the victim made crude comments to the bartender and began to advance toward her, Chaser’s Bar & Grill security stepped in. Instead of escorting the victim outside in a sensible manner, security struck, kicked and kneeled on the victim several times, while dragging him, stopping on occasion, on the way out of the bar.
While all of this was occurring, an off-duty EPD officer that was working for Chaser’s Bar & Grill was across the street assisting a citizen near First Federal Bank. This has been confirmed by witness statements and security footage. The officer was unaware the incident was occurring, or had occurred, until he returned to Chaser’s Bar & Grill and noticed the victim on the sidewalk. The officer and the victim spoke about what occurred and the victim stated he would consult with his lawyer instead of pressing charges with the officer; despite this, the officer gave the victim a case number that would document the incident. The victim then chose to leave on his own accord, declining the officer asking if he wanted an ambulance. The officer attempted to look at the main security footage at that time and was unable to, due to on-site staff not having the password. However, he was able to see the incident from a secondary camera the business had; it showed the incident at a distance, was grainy and sometimes blocked by a partition that didn’t show the incident in its entirety. A report was completed, and detectives began following up this morning. Chaser’s ownership has been fully cooperative in this investigation, allowing detectives to review all security footage that they have of the incident during the follow-up.
Shell is currently being booked in at the Vanderburgh County Confinement Center for the felony charge of ‘Battery – Resulting in Serious Bodily Injury’. An arrest warrant has been issued for the second security guard and offender, Johnathan P. Turner (41). If any further updates become available during the investigation that information will be shared with the public.
The Evansville Police Department has been made aware of numerous videos circulating on social media showing an incident that occurred at Chaser’s Bar at 2131 W Franklin St. The videos show a patron involved in a physical altercation with security staff. The Evansville Police Department has reviewed cell phone footage, as well as security footage, and we can confirm that the officer who was working at the business was not present during the altercation. The officer was outside of the building dealing with a separate issue. This officer did not witness the incident and was not in a position to intervene
nvestigation Ongoing After Incident at Evansville Bar
The Evansville Police Department has been made aware of numerous videos circulating on social media showing an incident that occurred at Chaser’s Bar at 2131 W Franklin St. The videos show a patron involved in
a physical altercation with security staff. The Evansville Police Department has reviewed cell phone footage, as well as security footage, and we can confirm that the officer who was working at the business was not present during the altercation. The officer was outside of the building dealing with a separate issue. This officer did not witness the incident and was not in a position to intervene.
The investigation into this incident is ongoing at this time. The Evansville Police Department has received multiple videos and comments regarding this incident. These, along with security footage, will be reviewed by investigators. Anyone with information can contact the Adult Investigation Unit at 812-436-797
MTEN clinches first Horizon League Tournament berth after win over TTU, 4-3 To: citycountyobserver@live.com
COOKEVILLE, Tenn.- University of Southern Indiana Men’s Tennis made program history on Saturday afternoon in their Horizon League conference victory over Tennessee Tech University, 4-3.
The Screaming Eagles won the clutch moments on Saturday as freshman Jy Hibbert clinched the match in a second set tiebreaker. The win secures the first NCAA Division I berth in program history to the Horizon League Championships as one of six conference schools competing on April 25-27 in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The top three teams from the north and south divisions advance to the tournament as the Eagles have clinched a spot out the south division. Next Saturday’s matchup between USI and Tennessee State University will determine seeds for the tournament. Moreover, one seeds from each divisions receives byes, while the two seeds play the three seed from the north division and vice versa. Each team plays four conference regular season matches as the current standings are Belmont University (2-0), Tennessee State (2-0), USI (2-1), Eastern Illinois University (0-3), and Tennesse Tech (0-2). The tournament structure can be seen at the link above as the seeds will be revealed after the final conference regular season match on April 19.
Doubles
USI jumped out to the hot start, escaping with the doubles point. Sophomore Mathys Bove and freshman Adam Koon took care of business in the doubles three spot (6-2). The match was huge for the duo, winning their first doubles decision since beating University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Junior Axel Sabourin and Hibbert delivered another clutch performance and staying undefeated in doubles conference play (7-6 (7-3)).
Singles
The Eagles fell into an early hole as the singles five and six slots dropped matches. However, USI persevered as Sabourin overwhelmed his singles two opponent (6-2, 7-6) for his sixth win of the season.
Next, sophomore Eytan Michaeli dropped his first set but rallied to win in three sets (4-6, 6-4, 6-1), showing another example of grit from Saturday’s performance. Finally, Hibbert clinched the match and sent the Eagles to the Horizon League Championships after a second set tie breaker (6-2, 7-6 (11-9)) win in his first semester as an Eagle.
What’s Next
The Eagles have three regular season matches left. USI travels to Kentucky Wesleyan University on Thursday. Next, USI hosts senior day on Saturday against Tennessee State University. The USI seniors are Trent Ross and Quinten Gillespie. Finally, they finish with a trip to Indiana University.
VU Track has weekend shortened due to rain
LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Vincennes University Men’s and Women’s Track and Field teams hit the road again this weekend to head to the 2025 Bellarmine Jim Vargo Invitational in Louisville.
The meet was supposed to be two days, starting Friday April 4, with a majority of the events running Saturday, April 5.
However, rain and flooding expected in the Louisville area caused the Saturday portion of the meet to be cancelled after just a few events running on Friday.
“Friday was wet and rainy but we were able to get a few events in,” VU Interim Head Track and Field Coach Tyler Steigenga said. “Unfortunately, due to expected flooding in Louisville, the majority of the meet, which was scheduled for Saturday, was cancelled.”
The Trailblazers were able to get some good work in before the weekend cancellation, headlined by sophomore Maliek Bush (Jeffersonville, Ind.) and freshman Chase Guthrie (Indianapolis, Ind.) finishing one-two in the long jump.
Bush was able to out jump the field Friday afternoon with a best jump of 6.98 meters to take the top spot in the event.
Guthrie placed right behind his teammate with a best jump of 6.84 meters to take second overall.
Freshman Anis Abdaoui (Kairouan, Tunisia) was the third and final VU athlete who was able to compete this weekend and was also able to leave an impression on the field.
Abdaoui came away with a 10th place finish in the 5,000 meters with a time of 14:54.51, qualifying him for the Outdoor National Championships in May.
“Maliek came away from the long jump with a slight PR, just missing the coveted seven-meter mark,” Steigenga added. “Chase had a solid outdoor opener, finishing just behind him. They are now ninth and 10th overall on the VU top 10 list in the long jump.”
“Anis took to the track for the 5000m and came away with a new PR and a time that ranks him third in school history,” Steigenga said. “It was also his second National qualifier of the outdoor season.”
The Trailblazers will look to see if mother nature will be a little more cooperative next weekend as the Blazers get set to head to the 2025 Indiana Little State Championships hosted by Indiana Wesleyan University in Marion, Ind.
This meet will begin Friday, April 11 and finish up on Saturday, April 12.
VU will then turn their attention to the 2025 Indiana State University Gibson Invitational in Terre Haute.
The big three-day meet is set to begin Thursday, April 17 and run through Saturday, April 19 at Indiana State University.
“It was disappointing to learn that Saturday’s meet was cancelled, but it was good to be able to come out Friday and come away with three good results,” Steigenga added. “The outdoor season is full of ups and downs with the added element of weather but we’ve got to be ready to take advantage of every opportunity we get, even if it’s not ideal. We did that today and I’m proud of the guys for that.”
MEET RESULTS
5000m
Anis Abdaoui – 10, 14:54.51
Long Jump
Maliek Bush – 1, 6.98m
Chase Guthrie – 2, 6.84m