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West Side Crash Sends Three Motorists to Hospital
A crash on Hogue Road in western Vanderburgh County sent three motorists to the hospital this afternoon.
On Thursday, January 23, 2020, at 1:56 pm, the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office responded to the 6700-block of Hogue Rd for a motor vehicle accident with injuries. Responding deputies were advised that a silver 2000 Honda Civic and a silver 2014 Subaru Outback were involved in a head-on collision which had resulted in numerous injured motorists.
Upon arriving on the scene, deputies observed the two occupants of the Honda Civic laying in the yard of a nearby residence. Both complained of severe back and neck pain. The driver of the Subaru Outback was still seated in the vehicle and complained of chest, arm and leg pain. While waiting for medical personnel to arrive, the driver of the Subaru Outback lost consciousness. All three occupants were transported to local hospitals by ambulance for treatment of their injuries. The driver of the Subaru Outback remains in stable condition at Deaconess Midtown Hospital after being rushed to surgery. The occupants of the Honda Civic were treated and released.
On scene investigation and witness accounts indicated that the Honda Civic was traveling east and the Subaru Outback was traveling west prior to the crash. The Honda Civic crossed the center line, entering the lane of travel for the Subaru Outback, causing a head-on collision. Both vehicles had heavy front end damage with air bag deployment.
Pursuant to state law regarding crashes involving serious bodily injury or death, the driver of the Subaru Outback consented to a post-crash blood draw. The driver of the Honda Civic refused to submit to a chemical test. A search warrant was applied for and granted for the post-crash blood draw. The crash will remain under investigation pending toxicology results.
The crash resulted in the temporary closure of Hogue Rd, between Boehne Camp Rd and Williams Road, for nearly two and a half hours.
West Side Crash Sends Three Motorists to Hospital
“IS IT TRUE” JANUARY 24. 2020
Schedule For Funeral Service For Dr. David L. Rice
WHAT: Funeral service for Dr. David L. Rice, the first and founding president of the University of Southern Indiana, officiated by the Reverend Michael Monahan, pastor of Old North United Methodist Church. More information about Dr. Rice can be found at USI.edu/Rice.
WHEN: 2 p.m. Saturday, January 25
WHERE: Carter Hall, located in University Center West on the University of Southern Indiana campus. A map of campus with Carter Hall and University Center West highlighted can be found at USI.edu/map.
VISITATION HOURS: Visitation hours for Dr. Rice will be held from 3 to 5 p.m. on Friday, January 24, followed by a prayer vigil for friends and family, and beginning at 1 p.m. Saturday, January 25 in Carter Hall. Out of respect for the Rice family, we ask that attendees refrain from photography during the visitation.
LIVESTREAM LINK: USI will be livestreaming the service through Youtube to its respective social media platforms.  If requested, an embed code may be provided to allow external media outlets to host USI’s livestream. Please contact Ben Luttrull, media relations specialist, to request the livestream embed code.
MEDIA ACCESSIBILITY: Media members are invited to attend the 2 p.m. service and livestream it on their respective network platforms, if they desire. Please contact Ben Luttrull if you wish to attend and/or livestream the ceremony.
PARKING: Parking lots N, I, and bay 2 of lot J will be reserved for the memorial services. 4 spaces in lot N will be reserved for media outlets. All other parking lots on campus will remain open. A map of campus with parking lots highlighted can be found at USI.edu/map by clicking the “Parking†option under Map Layers.
Some Child Sex Crime Victims Could Get More Time To Seek Justice
By Maddie Alexander and Annah Elliott
For TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS–Dawn Price was 5-years-old when her father began molesting her, telling her it was his way of showing her love.
The Peru woman endured years of abuse even though she told her mother, who did nothing. When she turned 18 and was about to marry, she and her fiancé reported the abuse to local police who told her there was nothing they could do because the statute of limitations had expired.
Dawn Price shared her own experience as a victim of sex abuse as a child in testifying about Senate Bill 109. Photo By Annah Elliott, TheStatehouseFile.com
Price, now 48, told her story to the Senate Corrections and Criminal Law Committee Tuesday, urging members to give victims and law enforcement more time to investigate and punish people who prey on children.
Current law—called Jenny’s Law—gives child victims of sexual abuse until age 31 to report the crimes and then for investigators and prosecutors to pursue criminal charges Jenny’s Law was passed in 2015 in response to the number of adults who were reporting that they had been abused as children and because the statute of limitations had passed the cases could not be prosecuted.
Senate Bill 109, filed by Sen. Michael Crider, R-Greenfield, would give victims an additional five years from the time new evidence is discovered to pursue the case. It passed the committee by an 8-0 vote.
“If there is a discovery of a DNA, a recorded image or video recording of the event, or a confession, it doesn’t matter how long after the fact, the case is initiated and the prosecutor still gets a new five-year window of opportunity to charge the violator,†he told the committee.
The original version of Crider’s bill would have eliminated the statute of limitations on sex crimes involving children, but the committee chair, Sen. Michael Young R-Indianapolis, indicated that would not have passed.
“I kind of expected that,†Price said of the changes to the bill. “Most people can’t fully understand because one, it hasn’t happened to them, or it hasn’t happened to someone they love.â€
Sen. Michael Crider, R-Greenfield, argued for passage of Senate Bill 109, which extends the statute of limitations on child sex crimes. Photo by Annah Elliott, TheStatehouseFile.com.
The committee heard from victims, law enforcement and advocacy groups arguing in favor of legislation to allow more time to prosecute cases involving child sex abuse. Many said they preferred the original version of the bill, but were happy that lawmakers were taking some action to extend the statute of limitations.
“I mean it’s still movement in the right direction which we will take anything at this point because Indiana is so far behind so many other states,†said Rachel Peach of northwest Indiana and another victim of sexual abuse as a child.
Camille Cooper of RAINN—the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network—said the initiative behind the bill is to ensure that victims are able to get justice. She and others noted that victims often take years to come forward.
“It is important that any victim, regardless of the time that has passed, can seek justice,†Cooper said.
The legislation advances to the full Senate for action.
FOOTNOTE: Maddie Alexander and Annah Elliott are reporters for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.
Evansville Student Named Finalist In Science Competition For Research Conducted At USI
Evansville Student Named Finalist In Science Competition For Research Conducted At USI
An Evansville high school student who conducted research in the University of Southern Indiana’s chemistry labs has been named one of 40 finalists in the Regeneron Science Talent Search 2020, the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors, and will receive a $25,000 prize with the opportunity to receive up to $250,000.
Ankush Dhawan, a senior at Signature School, was named a finalist for his project: An Improved Method for Trace Level Arsenic Quantification in Water. This research project, which was conducted for college credit and uses visible absorbance spectroscopy to improve how arsenic is detected in water, was done under the supervision of Dr. Jeff Seyler, professor of chemistry and chair of the USI Chemistry Department. Dhawan listed Seyler as his mentor when applying for the Regeneron Talent Search.
“Ankush has demonstrated a passion to understand science, specifically aspects related to environmental issues,†said Seyler. “He is a very talented young man, and it has been a pleasure to work with him over the last several years.â€
As a finalist, Dhawan will travel to Washington, D.C. alongside the other 39 participants from March 5-11, where they will undergo a rigorous judging process and compete for more than $1.8 million in awards. They will also have an opportunity to interact with leading scientists, meet with members of Congress and display their projects to the public on March 8. The finalists are each awarded at least $25,000, and the top 10 awards range from $40,000 to $250,000.
Previously, Dhawan was named winner of the Overall Senior Division Grand Award at the 2019 Tri-state Science and Engineering Fair (TSEF), sponsored by USI’s Southwest Indiana STEM Resource Center (SWiSTEM), and the 11th grade second place award winner at the 2019 Hoosier Science and Engineering Fair for a separate project conducted under Seyler’s mentorship, Synthesis and Use of Robust Cobalt (II) Catalysts for the Reduction of CO2 to CO.
The 2020 TSEF will be held on USI’s campus on Wednesday, March 11 and Thursday, March 12. For more information, as well as information on all of SWiSTEM’s programs for students and teachers, visit USI.edu/swistem.
About the Regeneron Science Talent Search
The Regeneron Science Talent Search, a program of Society for Science and the Public since 1942, is the nation’s oldest and most prestigious science and math competition for high school seniors. Each year, around 2,000 student entrants submit original research in critically important scientific fields of study and are judged by leading experts in their fields. Unique among high school competitions in the United States and around the world, the Regeneron Science Talent Search focuses on identifying, inspiring and engaging the nation’s most promising young scientists who are creating the ideas that could solve society’s most urgent challenges.
In 2017, Regeneron became only the third sponsor of the Science Talent Search as a way to help reward and celebrate the best and brightest young minds and encourage them to pursue careers in STEM as a way to positively impact the world. Through its 10-year, $100 million commitment, Regeneron nearly doubled the overall award distribution to $3.1 million annually, increasing the top award to $250,000 and doubling the awards for the top 300 scholars and their schools to $2,000 each to inspire more young people to engage in science.
Program alumni include recipients of the world’s most coveted science and math honors, including 11 National Medals of Science, five Breakthrough Prizes, 21 MacArthur Foundation Fellowships, two Fields Medals and 13 Nobel Prizes.
Learn more at https://www.societyforscience.org/regeneron-sts/.
Administrator Wheeler Tours Hoover Dam, Participates in Food Waste Reduction Event at MGM
EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler Tours The Hoover Dam.Â
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Andrew Wheeler continued his swing through the Nevada area today, taking a tour of the Hoover Dam and attending a water reuse and food waste reduction event at MGM’s ARIA Resort. This follows yesterday’s announcement on the 2030 Food Loss and Waste Champions. His trip will conclude tomorrow at the National Home Builders International Builders’ Show where he will be giving remarks.
Administrator Wheeler kicked off the day at the Hoover Dam with a tour provided by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. The tour discussed the dam’s beginnings during the Great Depression, the construction phase, which took less than five years, and current uses including the delivery of water resources to millions of Americans in Nevada, Arizona, and California.
At MGM’s ARIA Resort, Administrator Wheeler visited at The Park and learned about MGM’s work to improve water efficiency and implement water reuse activities throughout their property. He then met with various kitchen staff members in Aria’s dining room and witnessed food loss and waste prevention measures in place.
After viewing the food’s journey from kitchen to the dining room, Administrator Wheeler observed an active food diverting exercise at Aria’s recycling dock. MGM partners with Three Square Food Bank through MGM’s food donation program, which donates unserved prepared foods safely rescued from events to the food bank for future use. EPA staff then toured Three Square Food Bank’s facilities after receiving an overview of how the food bank reuses and repurposes food donations from MGM.
“It was an honor to visit MGM’s facilities and see the continuing work being done to reduce food waste and conserve energy,â€Â said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “Food waste is an environmental issue that the Trump Administration will continue to work with our public and private partners to address and reduce.â€
“We are honored to host EPA Administrator Wheeler today at The Park and ARIA to learn about our leading sustainable best practices,â€Â said Jyoti Chopra, Senior Vice President, Chief Diversity and Sustainability Officer for MGM Resorts International. “Our water conservation and food waste management initiatives are among our top priorities and exemplify MGM’s innovative focus on mitigating loss and protecting our planet.â€
MGM was recently recognized as the winner of EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge Award for Hotels, Resorts and Lodging in 2018. They also are a 2030 Food Loss and Waste Champion through the joint U.S. Department of Agriculture-EPA program.
First-Half Run Too Much For Eagles To Overcome
USI (10-5, 6-3 GLVC), which led 13-10 early in the first quarter, trailed 20-19 after a pair of free throws by sophomore forward Ashlynn Brown with a minute left in the frame.
Truman State (12-4, 8-1 GLVC), however, scored five straight points in the final minute of the opening period to take a 25-19 advantage before ripping off 21 straight points to begin the second frame and extend its cushion to 46-19.
The Bulldogs went 9-of-14 (.643) from the field and 6-of-9 (.667) from three-point range during the run, which lasted seven-and-a-half minutes. USI, meanwhile, was limited to 0-of-10 shooting during the run, which ended with a layup by junior guard Emma DeHart.
Truman’s aerial attack plagued the Eagles throughout the contest as the Bulldogs went 16-of-37 (.432) from behind the arc.
Senior guard Ashley Johnson paced the Eagles with 16 points, while DeHart added nine points for USI, which was out-rebounded 57-40.
USI returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when it hosts Quincy University in a GLVC contest. The Hawks (6-11, 2-7 GLVC) suffered a 68-63 setback to McKendree University Thursday evening in Lebanon, Illinois.
Saturday’s game is USI’s seventh annual Hoops for Troops Military Appreciation game to honor members of the United States Armed Forces when the Eagles host Quincy. Veterans, military personnel and their guests will receive up to five free tickets per veteran to the games with their military identification or proof of service at the front of the Screaming Eagles Arena ticket window. This event is sponsored by the American Legion Post 324 and the USI Student Veteran Association.
