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State Reps. McNamara, Sullivan Congratulates Evansville Student Named STEM Team WInner

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State Reps. McNamara, Sullivan Congratulates Evansville Student Named STEM Team, Winner

STATEHOUSE (May 19, 2020) – Gov. Eric Holcomb recently named Signature School student Ankush Dhawan to the 2020 Governor’s STEM Team, according to State Reps. Wendy McNamara (R-Evansville) and Holli Sullivan (R-Evansville).

Dhawan is 1 of 4 students selected for their work in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics and will receive $1,000 through the College Choice 529 Program. McNamara said part of the reason why Dhawan was chosen for this award is because of his work ethic, dedication to his studies and near-perfect marks on the math portion of the SAT, and the English and reading sections of the ACT.

“Ankush’s success is because of his determination and ambition, in addition to the support of those close to him,” McNamara said. “It is encouraging to see students from our area accomplish such incredible things, and I’m confident he will continue making his community proud.”

According to Sullivan, Dhawan is the Indiana winner and overall second-place winner in the Stockholm Junior Water Prize U.S. National Competition, the 2017 silver winner at International Sustainable World Energy, Engineering and Environment Project Olympiad and top finisher in the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair.

“Indiana is fortunate to have gifted students like Ankush who use their talents to make the world a better place,” Sullivan said. “His accomplishments extend internationally, and Evansville is proud of his success.”

Dhawan is graduating with several dual credits and hopes to focus on sustainability by researching water contamination and majoring in environmental engineering.

Additional Assistance Arriving Soon For Hoosier Families

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Additional assistance arriving soon for Hoosier families whose children receive free and reduced-cost meals at school, via the “Pandemic EBT” program

INDIANAPOLIS – The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration announced today that families whose children receive free or reduced-cost meals at school will receive “Pandemic Electronic Benefits Transfer” benefits beginning this week. These benefits are intended to reimburse the families of about 600,000 Hoosier children for the cost of meals that their children were unable to receive due to COVID-19-related school closures.

Families who do not currently receive SNAP will receive an electronic benefits transfer card in the mail by the end of May, along with instructions on how to activate and use their card. Families do not have to apply for Pandemic EBT, also called “P-EBT.” The P-EBT card works like a bank debit card and can be used at any store in the United States that accepts SNAP, but cannot be used for cash withdrawals at ATM machines. FSSA worked with the Indiana Department of Education to identify these families based upon their child already receiving free and reduced-cost meals at school.

Families who already receive SNAP benefits will have the additional benefits applied to their SNAP accounts on their Hoosier Works EBT card by the end of May.

For P-EBT, each household will receive an amount equal to the value of the daily allotment for breakfast and lunch multiplied by the average number of school days missed since the school was canceled. Families will receive this amount for each eligible child in the household for the number of days the child was eligible for free and reduced lunch. The value of the school meals per day is equal to the federal reimbursement rate for breakfast and lunch at the free rate, which is $5.70, as specified by the United States Department of Agriculture.

The Indiana Department of Education calculated an average of 56 missed days of school through the end of the school year (including spring break) for Indiana students, counting all weekdays from March 13, 2020, through May 29, 2020. The first date was the day following Governor Eric Holcomb’s executive order closing schools for the remainder of the 2019-2020 school year. The second date represents the average last day of school for schools in this school year.

COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund of the Greater Evansville Region Announces Round Two and Three of Allocations

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COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund of the Greater Evansville Region Announces Round Two and Three of Allocations

Evansville, IN The COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund of the Greater Evansville Region, has awarded $454,195 in two rounds of allocations to 25 nonprofit agencies addressing community needs related to the novel coronavirus.

Still in the relief phase, the Response Fund announced Round Two and Three disbursements would assist with funding operations, food, and financial needs. Applications from each of the five-county region of the fund, Gibson, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick, were approved.

The COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund of the Greater Evansville Region will continue awarding monetary support to local nonprofit organizations that are focused on relief, recovery, and restoration as local COVID needs to evolve. Nonprofit agencies that have completed an application but were not awarded funding, or received a lesser amount of funding than requested, have received communication from the allocations committee.

Applicants must be a 501(c)(3) organization in good standing with the Internal Revenue Service. Funding must serve residents in at least one of the primary identified regional counties of Gibson, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick. The allocation committee considers all government funding received by the nonprofits. Further details regarding funding can be found on the COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund of the Greater Evansville Region website at covidresponsefund.com.

Second and Third Round Funding Recipients:

Organization: Albion Fellows Bacon Center Awarded $32,000

Organization: Aurora, Inc. Awarded $10,000

Organization: Community One, Inc. Awarded $3,000

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Organization: Dubois-Pike-Warrick Economic Opportunity Committee, Inc. Awarded $3,500

Organization: Encountering Hope Ministries, Inc. Awarded $10,000

Organization: G E M Ministries, Inc. Awarded $10,000

Organization: Gibson County Area Rehabilitation Centers, Inc. Awarded $8,000

Organization: God is Good Foundation, Inc. Awarded $2,500

Organization: Lords Pantry of Wadesville Awarded $10,000

Organization: Princeton Salvation Army Awarded $50,000

Organization: Spencer County Council on Aging Awarded $8,000

Organization: St. Vincent Early Learning Center Awarded $5,000

Organization: Sycamore Rehabilitation Services Awarded $2,200

Organization: Trinity United Methodist Church of Oakland City Awarded $25,000

Organization: United Caring Shelters, Inc. Awarded $12,500

Organization: United Methodist Youth Home Awarded $16,400

Organization: Warrick Ecumenical Soup Kitchen, Inc. Awarded $5,000

Organization: Catholic Charities Awarded $30,000

Organization: Evansville Christian Life Center Awarded $31,500

Organization: Family Matters of Posey County Indiana, Inc. Awarded $28,900

Organization: Junior League of Evansville, Inc. Awarded $9,000

Organization: Mt Vernon Ministerial Association Awarded $6,695

Organization: Outreach Ministries Awarded $5,000

Organization: Evansville Salvation Army Awarded $125,000

Organization: Urban Seeds, Inc. Awarded $5,000

With all three rounds of funding combined, the Response Fund has awarded a total of $654,000 to area nonprofits. As of today, the Response Fund has raised over $4,800,000, which includes a sponsored project of Indiana United Ways, with funding provided by Lilly Endowment Inc. The target for the fund is $6,000,000, but that number will depend on the needs of the community as time goes on.

Donations to the fund can be made by credit card at covidresponsefund.com. Cash and Check donations are accepted at all Old National Bank and Heritage Federal Credit Union branches. Please reference “COVID-19 Crisis Response” with your donation. Checks should be made payable to United Way of Southwestern Indiana and reference COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund of the Greater Evansville Region (or GERF for short) in the memo. Send payment to: United Way of Southwestern Indiana, 318 Main Street, Suite 504, Evansville, IN 47708. For Stock or ACH payment please call 812-421- 7476.

The Covid-19 Crisis Response Fund of the Greater Evansville Area is an organized and collaborative community effort to support 501(c) (3) organizations in our community during the Covid-19 pandemic and beyond. In response to the Covid-19 crisis, funding partners established a cross-sector, community-wide Response Fund, primarily Gibson, Posey, Spencer, Vanderburgh, and Warrick Counties. This response is designed to serve the community through the relief, recovery, and restoration. Visit CovidResponseFund.com to do what you can.

HAPPENINGS AT THE VANDERBURGH GOP

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gop
Central Committee:
     Wayne Parke, Chairman
     Mary Jo Kaiser, Political Director
     Dottie Thomas, Vice Chairman
     Lon Walters, Secretary
     Farley Smith, Treasurer
     Kevin Harrison, Editor  
News and Upcoming Events for May 19, 2020

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CLERK CONFIRMS EARLY VOTING TO BEGIN MAY 26TH
(From May 14, 2020 Press Release by Vanderburgh County Clerk Carla J Hayden
Last week Vanderburgh County Clerk Carla Hayden confirmed that “in-person” absentee voting, commonly referred to as “early voting”, will begin on Tuesday, May 26, 2020.  Although the Civic Center remains closed for most activities, early voting at the Civic Center will begin at 8:00 a.m. on Tuesday, May 26. Early voting will be held on the first floor of the Civic Center, and voters should enter at the Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard entrance. Voters will only have access to the early voting polling site within the Civic Center.
The County Commissioners, Mayor Winnecke, and I determined that this solution would be the least disruptive to voters accustomed to voting at the Civic Center.“, said Hayden.
Early Voting at the libraries will also begin at noon on Tuesday, May 26.

Early Voting (Absentee In-Person)  BEGINS NEXT WEEK:
Early Voting for the 2020 Primary will be held for one week, beginning Tuesday May 26, 2020  and ending at Noon on Monday June 1, 2020.
 Early Voting Dates and Locations are:
* At the Election Office : Although the Civic Center remains closed for most activities,  Early Voting will be held on the first floor of the Civic Center, and voters should enter at the Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. entrance.
. Tuesday May 26, 2020 – Friday May 29, 2020 -> Daily 8:00 am to 4:00 pm
. Saturday -  May 30, 2020 ->  8:00 am – 4:00 pm
. Monday June 1, 2020 – > 8:00 am to NOON
 
* Early Voting at Satellite locations :
 Weekdays at Central, McCollough, Northpark, Oaklyn, and Red Bank Libraries:
. Tuesday May 26, 2020 – Friday May 29, 2020
. Hours are Tuesday- Thursday noon to 6:00 pm , Friday noon-5:00 pm
Saturday Voting at Northeast Park Baptist & Cedar Hall School:
. May 30, 2020  -> 8:00 am – 3:00 pm
Early Vote Locations:
1 NW ML King Jr., Rm 216
2100 N. Fulton Ave
200 SE MLK BLVD
5115 Washington Ave
960 Koehler Dr.
215 N. Boeke Rd
3001 Oaklyn Dr.
120 S. Red Bank

Voting by Mail:
DEADLINE to request Application for Absentee Ballot is this Thursday,
May 21, 2020.
ALL REGISTERED VOTERS IN THE STATE OF INDIANA MAY CAST AN ABSENTEE MAIL-IN BALLOT FOR THE 2020 PRIMARY ELECTION.  Refer to in.gov Absentee Voting webpage for more information.
To vote Absentee by mail:
 Request an APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT by contacting the Vanderburgh County Election Office at 812-435-5122, or by downloading the APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT found on the Vanderburgh County Clerk Elections web page .
Mail the completed  APPLICATION FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT  to:
Vanderburgh County Election
P.O. Box 3343
Evansville, IN 47732-3343
The deadline for absentee-by-mail applications to be received by the Election Office for the 2020 Primary Election is 11:59 p.m., Thursday May 21, 2020.
  If you have any questions, please call the Election Office at 812-435-5122.
 The Vanderburgh County Election Office is located at : Civic Center Complex, Room 216
1 NW ML King Jr. BLVD ,Evansville, IN

Primary Election Day Tuesday June 2, 2020:  On Election Day, JUNE 2, 2020, the polls open at 6:00 AM and close at 6:00 PM. Registered Vanderburgh County voters may vote at any Vote Center that is convenient for them. If you need information about a voter’s registration, you can call the Voter’s Registration Office at (812) 435-5223. For other election questions, you can call the Election Office at (812) 435-5122.

 

2020 Republican Primary Candidates
FEDERAL
President of the United States      Donald J. Trump (incumbent)
 William Weld
U S Representative District 8       Larry Bucshon (incumbent)
STATE
Governor                       Eric Holcomb (incumbent)
  Lt. Governor                       Suzanne Crouch (incumbent)
(selected at GOP State Convention)
 Attorney General                 Nate Harter
(selected at GOP State Convention)      Curtis T. Hill, Jr. (incumbent)
(Vote for 1)                       John Westercamp
 State Senate District 50               Vaneta Becker (incumbent)
State Representative  Dist. 64       Matt Hostettler (incumbent)
State Representative  Dist. 76       Wendy McNamara (incumbent)
State Representative  Dist. 77            OPEN
State Representative  Dist. 78       Holli Sullivan (incumbent)
VANDERBURGH
Clerk of the Circuit Court             Carla Hayden (incumbent)
County Recorder                           Debbie Stucki (incumbent)
County Treasurer                          Dottie Thomas
County Coroner                                  OPEN
County Surveyor                           Linda Freeman
County Commissioner Dist. 1      Zachary Rascher
County Commissioner Dist. 3      Randall Chapman
(Vote for 1)                             Cheryl Musgrave (incumbent)
County Council At-Large            Billy D. Garrett
(Vote for not more than 3)               Jill Anne Hahn
        Joe Kiefer (incumbent)
        Angela Koehler Lindsey (incumbent)
PRECINCT COMMITTEEMAN RACES:
WARD TWO PRECINCT 17
Vote for ONE (1)
TIM BRAY
JOHN MONTRASTELLE
WARD THREE PRECINCT 17
Vote for ONE (1)
STEVE SCHAEFER
G. MICHAEL SCHOPMEYER
WARD FIVE PRECINCT 5
Vote for ONE (1)
FARLEY P SMITH
ALICE B WORK
WARD SIX PRECINCT 5
Vote for ONE (1)
ERIC B. SCHMIDT
DOTTIE THOMAS
ARMSTRONG TWP PRECINCT 1
Vote for ONE (1)
JASON GERTEISEN
VICTORIA LANGTON
CENTER TWP PRECINCT 4
Vote for ONE (1)
THERESA R. BASSEMIER
KATHLEEN KAT MOLLOY
SCOTT TWP PRECINCT 1
Vote for ONE (1)
CHRIS LANTAFF
JOHN B. WILLIAMS
SCOTT TWP PRECINCT 5
Vote for ONE (1)
STEVE HAMMER
MARTHA C. STOTT
STATE CONVENTION DELEGATE RACES:
WARD ONE & KNIGHT TOWNSHIP
Vote for not more than Six (6)
JEFFREY W. AHLERS
TOM BOZIKIS
JOSHUA A. CLAYBOURN
BETTY J HERMANN
MARY JO KAISER
TIM O’BRIEN
WAYNE PARKE
HOLLY DUNN PENDLETON
SEAN SELBY
WARD TWO & WARD FOUR
Vote for not more than Six (6)
STEVE ARY
TIM BRAY
ARCHIE CARTER
MARY ELLEN COKER
CARLA J. HAYDEN
GINA HERMANN
NICHOLAS HERMANN
STEVE HERMANN
CAROL MCCLINTOCK
GREG PEETE
NATALIE RASCHER
ZAC RASCHER
E. LON WALTERS
LLOYD WINNECKE
WARD THREE & WARD SIX
Vote for not more than Seven (7)
DAVID CHRISTMAS
WENDY JO CHRISTMAS
SHERRY FARMER
GLEN J. KISSEL
STEVE SCHAEFER
ERIC B. SCHMIDT
G. MICHAEL SCHOPMEYER
LINDA SINGER
DOTTIE THOMAS
GABE WHITLEY
 WARD FIVE
Vote for not more than Five (5)
MARSHA ABELL BARNHART
RICHARD F. BARNHART
VICKI BROWN
MICHELLE C. MERCER
CHRISTOPHER POLITANO
PEGGY L. POLITANO 7
FARLEY P. SMITH
JAMES F. TOLEN
ARMSTRONG & SCOTT TOWNSHIPS
Vote for not more than Five (5) 
JASON GERTEISEN
STEVE HAMMER
JOSEPH J. OPPEE
HOBART SCALES
MARTHA C. STOTT
NICHOLAS J. WILDEMAN
JOHN B. WILLIAMS
TERESA D. WINK
 
 

 Current status of the Governor’s Roadmap to Reopening is Stage 2 :
 We are currently in Stage 2 of the Governor ‘s  5 Stages to get Indiana Back on Track roadmap. This phase of the reopening of Indiana’s economy lasts until May 24.
  • Hoosiers over 65 and those with high-risk conditions should remain home.
  • Lifting essential travel restrictions & allowing gatherings of 25 people
  • Retail stores, shopping malls and commercial businesses can open at 50% capacity
  • Restaurants can open at 50% capacity
  • Personal services may also open by appointment only
  • Office workers should continue working remotely, if possible.
Learn more about the Back on Track Indiana roadmap for reopening Indiana at backontrack.in.gov 

Get the Latest Coronavirus (COVID-19) Information:

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Coronavirus Home

Governor Holcomb Executive Orders

Coronavirus Home

 
Click above to get your #INthistogether
 t-shirt. Net proceeds go to the COVID-19 Crisis Response Fund of the Greater Evansville Region.

 VCRP Central Committee Meeting – CANCELLED
Contact Mary Jo Kaiser at 812-425-8207 if you have any questions.

EVSC Board of School Trustees Meeting-
 For more information visit the Board of School Trustees web page.

 The Evansville Civic Center is CLOSED to the public until further notice.
 Visit www.evansvillegov.org for City of Evansville information.

 City Council Meeting-
For more information visit the

City Council webpage

 County Council Meeting-
 For more information visit

County Council webpage

 County Commission Meeting-
 For more information visit

County Commissioners webpage

  Editor’s Note:

Memorial Day 2020 –
Next Monday, May 25, 2020, is Memorial Day. As we continue to deal with the difficulties and sacrifices made during the coronavirus pandemic, we must never forget the ultimate sacrifice made by American patriots that served in our armed forces. These men and women ARE the true heros. In the face of imminent danger or certain death, they did not allow fear to debilitate them from doing what had to be done to preserve our freedom.
We could learn from their example. We must jealously guard our freedoms and defend our Constitution with the same resolve as the patriots whose graves we will decorate in the coming days. We must honor their sacrifice with a vigilance to stand against those that would use the pandemic as a means to erode our freedoms. We cannot allow the use of fear to cloud our judgement, or to advance a political agenda. If the servicemen we honor on Memorial Day did not allow fear to keep them from storming the beaches of Normandy, Guadalcanal or Iwo Jima should we truly be fearful of the act of casting a ballot in person?
Remember the words of Benjamin Franklin: “Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety.”
This Memorial Day honor our fallen heroes, embrace your family, and take stock it what is means to be an American.
Happy Memorial Day.
-  Kevin Harrison, VCRP Information Coordinator

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Delegates Will Select Nominees for Lieutenant Governor and Attorney General
  • The convention will be broadcast live from their studios from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. on June 18th.
  • Ballots will arrive to delegates around June 22, 2020.
  • The ballot will allow each delegate to indicate his or her top choice.
    • As long as that top choice remains an option, the delegate’s vote is cast for that candidate.
    • The ballot will also allow, but does not require, a delegate to pick who they would vote for if their top candidate is dropped.
    • Once dropped, if no other choices are selected by a delegate, that delegate’s ballot is no longer cast.
  • The deadline to receive returned ballots is July 9th at 5:00 p.m.
  • Votes will be counted and results will be announced July 10.

Legislative Council Assigns Study Topics 
(from Indianasenaterepublicans 05/15/20 post)
Over the summer and fall, lawmakers meet to take a deep look at a variety of issues in order to get a better grasp on how to address them in the next legislative session. These meetings are referred to as study committees.This year, due to the unprecedented nature of the COVID-19 pandemic, legislators may not be able to meet for study committees in the traditional way and may opt instead for virtual meetings and other forms of communication. In addition to the topics already planned for study, COVID-19 has brought to light a number of other issues our government has never been faced with before.            Read more

Thanking our Military Heroes this Memorial Day
By State Sen. Jim Tomes (R-Wadesville)

There’s a folk song that was written back in the mid-1950s and hit the charts in the early-1960s titled, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone.” It takes the listener from a point of flowers being picked by young girls who in turn eventually marry young men who become young soldiers that die in war and the graves that are decorated with flowers.

On Memorial Day we are obliged to show our reverence to those young American men who died in all of the early wars of our country’s history, and now also the young women who have paid the wages for freedom and liberty.

The white marble stones and crosses that stand eternally in cemeteries and places of honor in this country, and in foreign lands, with the names of the young, brave warriors who marched into war, held their positions in combat and whose courage overcame fear inspires us to recognize their sacrifices and respectfully as a nation say, “Thank you dear comrades; to you we are most grateful.”

As Americans we are bound to forever display our gratitude to those who truly define the word HERO. We thank our brothers and sisters who wear our country’s military uniforms and stand tall in the ranks, and we are grateful to our God who has blessed us with them.

Respectfully,
Senator Jim Tomes

 
Stay in touch with GOP state legislators representing our area (click links below):

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Learn more about the
United States Space Force HERE
The flag of the nation’s newest military branch was unveiled May 15, 2020 during a ceremony in the Oval Office. President Donald Trump watched as the flag was unfurled and designated it the official banner of the Space Force. This is the first new military flag released in 72 years.
  • Read Remarks by President Trump at Presentation of the United States Space Force Flag and Signing of an Armed Forces Day Proclamation HERE.
  • Watch as President Trump Participates in the Presentation of the United States Space Force Flag HERE

Stay in touch with GOP members of Congress representing our area (click links below):

Visit the Vanderburgh GOP 

page for daily updates.

  Mark Your calendar                CLICK on event for more information
May 21 Deadline to Request Absentee-by-Mail Ballot
May 26 Early Voting In-Person Begins
May 30 Saturday Early Voting In-Person
June 1 (Noon) Early Voting In-Person Ends
June 2 Primary Election Day
June 16 Voter Registration Begins

  Make sure you add vandygop@gmail.com to your address book so we’ll be sure to land in your inbox!

If you have any questions, contact Mary Jo Kaiser, VCRP Political Director, at

or (812) 425-8207.
for more info. Thank you.

We’re Bringing Summer Camp To You

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BRINGING SUMMER CAMP TO YOU

In accordance with Governor Holcomb’s plan for Back on Track Indiana, the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites is currently scheduled to reopen at 100 percent capacity on July 7. The governor has reiterated that this plan is subject to change. Due to the timing of the opening dates, we are canceling our summer camps scheduled to take place through July 4 across the Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites system. As of now, all camps beginning the week of July 6 are scheduled to take place.

We are heartbroken to not have these weeks of camp this year at the museum, and we apologize for the inconvenience this may cause you.

In an effort to provide a camp experience to our campers, we are excited to offer two options to engage your campers.

WEEKLY DESIGN CHALLENGES

Each week, we will post a challenge designed for your child to design, create and build using materials they have around their house. Campers will be invited to share their creations on a virtual platform. Challenges will be posted on our Facebook page and camp page every Monday. This is a free activity and all youth are invited to participate.

CAMP IN A BOX

Each kit has all the supplies needed to do five activities while entertaining your campers and continuing to stay safe at home. There will be an activity guide including instructions and additional resources to help further exploration. Camp in Box themes include:

Students entering grades 1-6 in fall 2020:

SUMMER RESET

PIRATE ENGINEERING

DOMINO EFFECT

PLANET MARS

KITCHEN CHEMISTRY

ART KIT

 

Children 4-6 years-old (Pre-PreK):

SPACE CAMP WITH PBS’S READY, JET, GO! 

Learn more and order your box by clicking below.

Click here

Mackenzie McFeron Appointed To Serve On National SAAC Committee

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Nashville, Ill. Native Recently Completed Second Season At UE

University of Evansville softball player Mackenzie McFeron has been appointed as a member of the NCAA Division I Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for a 2-year appointment, which begins on July 1, 2020, and runs through July 1, 2022.

McFeron will serve as the Missouri Valley Conference SAAC representative on the national committee.  Each Division I athletic conference appoints one representative on the committee.  McFeron is the second Purple Aces student-athletes to work in this capacity with SAAC.

“Mackenzie is a great student-athlete choice to represent the MVC and UE!  Her energy and passion for college athletics and her fellow athletes is tremendous,” Purple Aces head softball coach Mat Mundell exclaimed.

Along with her teammates, McFeron is no stranger when it comes to volunteering to help others.  The UE softball team paced the Evansville athletic department in community service hours in 2019-20 with McFeron ranking as one of the top 15 student-athletes in the department.  In total, she assisted in 21 different community initiatives including Toys for Tots, Susan G. Komen, Mesker Park Zoo, Cardio for Canines, and Chemo Buddies.

“We are proud of Mackenzie and her selection to the NCAA National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee,” UE Senior Associate AD and Advisor for UE’s SAAC Sarah Solinsky said.  “Mackenzie’s leadership and commitment will be extremely valuable as she represents the student-athletes of the Missouri Valley Conference and UE.”

The mission of SAAC is to enhance the total student-athlete experience by promoting opportunity, protecting student-athlete welfare, and fostering a positive student-athlete image.  McFeron will be responsible for serving as a leader and liaison between the national committee, the MVC, and the University of Evansville.

EPD REPORT

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EPD REPORT

“Right Jab And Middle Jab And Left Jab” MAY 20, 2020

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“Right Jab And Middle Jab And Left Jab” MAY 20, 2020

“Right Jab And Middle Jab And Left Jab” was created because we have a couple of commenters that post on a daily basis either in our “IS IT TRUE” or “Readers Forum” columns concerning National or International issues.
The majority of our “IS IT TRUE” columns are about local or state issues, so we have decided to give our more opinionated readers exclusive access to our newly created “LEFT JAB and Middle Jab and RIGHT JAB”  column. They now have this post to exclusively discuss national or world issues that they feel passionate about.
We shall be posting the “LEFT JAB” AND “MIDDLE JAB” AND “RIGHT JAB” several times a week.  Oh, “LEFT JAB” is a liberal view, “MIDDLE JAB” is the libertarian view and the “RIGHT JAB is representative of the more conservative views. Also, any reader who would like to react to the written comments in this column is free to do so.

Office of Indiana Attorney General joins coalition supporting dismissal of case against Gen. Flynn

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The Office of the Indiana Attorney General this week joined a 15-state brief filed with a U.S. district court supporting the federal government’s motion to dismiss the case against Gen. Michael Flynn.

In response to the federal government’s motion to drop criminal charges against Gen. Flynn, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia appointed a retired judge to present arguments in opposition to the federal government’s motion. The district court additionally stated that it would invite other individuals and organizations to file amicus briefs addressing whether the court should grant the federal government’s motion to dismiss.

The 15-state coalition argues there was no reason for the court to issue this solicitation because it has no say in the federal government’s decision not to prosecute. “Simply put,” the brief reads, “the decision not to pursue a criminal conviction is vested in the executive branch alone — and neither the legislature nor the judiciary has any role in the executive’s making of that decision.”

The coalition contends that the district court should grant the motion “without commentary on the decision to charge or not to charge, because such punditry disrobes the judiciary of its cloak of impartiality.”

According to the brief, “the Court’s desire to assume the role of a prosecutor evinces a total lack of regard for the role that the separation of powers plays in our system. Before the federal government may deprive a citizen of his freedom, it must navigate a number of hurdles. It must find a law that the citizen violated, a prosecutor willing to press charges, a jury of other citizens willing to convict, and a court to uphold the legality of the prosecution. In other words, the judiciary is supposed to function as a constitutional check on deprivations of liberty — it is not supposed to remove constitutional checks on deprivations of liberty. But that is exactly what the Court would do by second-guessing the prosecutors’ decision not to continue pursuing this case.”

EPA Proposes First Ever Rule to Improve Transparency of Guidance

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As directed by President Trump’s Executive Order to promote transparency through improved agency guidance, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing its first-ever proposed rule to establish consistent requirements and procedures for the issuance of guidance documents.

“For the first time ever, EPA is proposing a rule that codifies procedures to ensure the public can engage in the development and review of agency guidance,” said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Historically, EPA has issued many more guidance documents than most federal agencies. Today’s action is a major step toward increasing transparency in EPA processes and ensuring that EPA is not creating new regulatory obligations through guidance.”

This new rule will significantly increase the transparency of EPA’s practices around guidance and will improve the agency’s process for managing guidance documents. When final, the rule will:

  • Establish the first formal petition process for the public to request that EPA modify or withdraw a guidance document; and
  • Ensure that the agency’s guidance documents are developed with appropriate review and are accessible and transparent to the public; and
  • Provide for public participation in the development of significant guidance documents.

On October 9, 2019, President Trump issued Executive Order 13891, Promoting the Rule of Law Through Improved Agency Guidance Documents, to promote transparency by ensuring that all active guidance documents are made available to the public. A central principle of EO 13891 is that guidance documents should only clarify existing obligations and that they should not be a vehicle for implementing new, binding requirements on the public. Guidance documents can significantly impact the public and EO 13891 recognizes that these documents warrant a thorough review prior to issuance. In addition to today’s action, on February 28, 2020, EPA launched a new guidance portal that provides public access to agency guidance documents.

The proposed rule will be open for public comment 30 days after it publishes in the Federal Register.