Governor Eric J. Holcomb read to more than 100 fourth grade students and their teachers from Shelbyville’s Loper Elementary in his Statehouse office on Monday to celebrate Read Across America Day.
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Students listened to Governor Holcomb read “What Do You Do With An Idea?†written by Kobi Yamada and illustrated by Mac Besom.
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Governor Holcomb celebrates the joy of reading with Loper Elementary students.
University of Southern Indiana’s men’s track and field team had two individuals crowned Great Lakes Valley Conference Champions as well as three runners-up this past weekend.
Day One: Juniors Wyat Harmon and Austin Nolan escaped from everyone in the field as they claimed GLVC Champion and Runner-up in the 5000 meters, respectively. Harmon finishing first with a NCAA II provisional qualifying time of 14 minutes, 39.43 seconds and Nolan followed behind with his own NCAA II provisional qualifying time of 14:44.30. Junior Grady Wilkinson also added an extra point with his eighth-place finish to make it 19 total points alone for USI in the 5000m, with a time of 15:13.72.
Freshman Zach Barton qualified for the finals in the 60m prelims while taking the heat with a time of 6.78.
Screaming Eagles’ distance medley relay team composed of senior Javan Winders, freshman Oneel Occenat, sophomore Madison King and junior Nathan Hall grabbed fifth and four more points to USI’s total with a time of 10:26.72.
Day Two: Barton kicked things off with quite an exciting race for the 60m finals. Barton was out leaned by Daquan Davis of Southwest Baptist to settle for GLVC Runner-up matching his time from the prelims set at 6.78. The 60m finals had to go to a replay review which determined Barton was lunged out by Davis by about a hundredth of a second. Barton’s 60m times were brand new NCAA II provisional qualifiers.
King put in a valiant effort in the 800m recording a 10th place finish with his time of 1:59.76, only two tenths of a second difference out of 8th place and scoring position.
USI’s distance squad shone once again this time with a familiar pair of athletes grabbing the top two spots in the 3000m. This go around, Nolan was dubbed GLVC Champion with a time of 8:34.06 where Harmon paced close behind with his time of 8:34.81. Both 3000m times were at least three seconds ahead of the third-place finisher from Illinois Springfield.
In the field, junior Tyler Nickelson found himself on the podium with a leap of 6 feet, 2.75 inches, seventh-place finish and two points tacked onto the USI team score.
As a team, the Eagles finished fifth overall out of the 14 teams with 51 points, their best finish since 2016.
Up Next: USI’s qualifiers for the NCAA II Outdoor National Championships will make the trip down south to Birmingham, Alabama held March 13-14.
(Tickets on sale Friday, March 6th)
Dunham’s new Netflix Originals stand-up special, “JEFF DUNHAM: BESIDE HIMSELF†voted one of the Top 10 Stand-Up releases of 2019 now streaming globally
EVANSVILLE, IN – For more than twelve years, Jeff Dunham and his delightfully twisted cohorts, Peanut, Walter, José Jalapeño, Bubba J. and Achmed the Dead Terrorist, have filled arenas across the U.S. and the world with their multiple blockbuster tours. Jeff and his world- famous cast of characters are currently on their brand-new international tour, “JEFF DUNHAM: SERIOUSLY!?â€, crisscrossing North America, Canada and Europe. In addition to his usual cast of irreverent accomplices, “SERIOUSLY!?†includes the newest member of the troupe, “Larry.†As the President’s personal advisor, he gives his hilarious take on what it’s like to work at the White House. Tickets on sale Friday, March 6th at www.jeffdunham.com.
Additionally, Dunham released his latest Netflix Originals Stand-up Special, “Jeff Dunham: Beside Himselfâ€, which was recently voted one of the Top 10 Stand-Up releases of 2019. The special was taped in June at the American Airlines Center in his hometown of Dallas, TX. Following the success of 2017’s “Jeff Dunham: Relative Disaster,†the new show is Dunham’s second special for Netflix Originals, and the ninth in his impressive string of record-breaking stand up television events.
Dunham has built an entertainment empire over years of non-stop touring and performance innovation. With over 10 million followers on Facebook and over 2.3 million YouTube subscribers, amassing well over a billion views, the comedian/ventriloquist has carved out his own unique space in the comedy world. His accomplishments have led to record-breaking viewership with his standup specials on NBC, Netflix and Comedy Central. His astonishing arena- packing power has put him on par with major music acts such as Luke Bryan and Metallica.
A Texas native, after graduating from Baylor University, Dunham moved to Los Angeles and soon became a sensation on the national comedy club circuit. He later conquered the comedy world by becoming a multi-platinum selling DVD artist and achieving record-breaking ratings on both cable and network TV. His 2015 stand-up special,
“Unhinged in Hollywood,†debuted on NBC Primetime and ranked as the time period’s top non-sports program on the Big 4 in every key measure. The special was re-broadcast on Comedy Central and was the top rated special of the year for the entire network. Dunham’s previous stand-up specials, “Arguing with Myself,†“Spark of Insanity,†“A Very Special Christmas,†“Controlled Chaos,†“Minding the Monsters,†and “All Over the Map,†have garnered record- breaking numbers by either claiming “most watched” or “highest rated†on Comedy Central.
Dunham has made many cameo appearances across television and film, from the Emmy Award-winning comedy series“30 Rock,†“Angie Tribeca,†to “Dinner for Schmucks,†starring Steve Carrell and Paul Rudd.
His autobiography, “All By My Selves: Walter, Peanut, Achmed and Me,†was on the New York Times’ Best Seller list three weeks in a row. Dunham has also been awarded “Billboard’s Top Comedy Tour†for three years running based on box office sales. Jeff is currently on the road through the end of the year and well beyond, with his cast of characters.
Adding to an amazing list of recent accomplishments, Dunham’s contribution to the world of show business
and comedy was recognized in 2017 when he received a star on the “Hollywood Walk of Fame,†commemorating over two decades of superstardom.
Showtime: Wed., July 15 at 7:00PM
For Tickets Visit: Ford Center Ticket Office, VictoryTheatre.com, and Ticketmaster.com The Victory Theatre is located at 600 Main St., Evansville, IN 47708
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“Today’s auto trends report provides insights into consumer choice and current market trends. Once again we see marginal improvements in fuel economy, but they are yet a far cry from the unfeasible Obama Administration’s standards,†said EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler. “These concerns are top of mind and play a key role in the finalization of our Safe Affordable Fuel Efficient Vehicles Rule with the U.S. Department of Transportation, which when finalized will reduce the cost of new vehicles and protect consumer choice.â€
The report finds that Model Year (MY) 2018 vehicle fuel economy was 25.1 miles per gallon, slightly higher than the 24.9 miles per gallon MY 2017. Since MY 2004, when the fleet averaged 19.3 mpg, fuel economy and CO2 emissions have improved in twelve out of fourteen years.
The report also assesses compliance performance for individual automakers, and for the U.S. fleet as a whole, with the greenhouse gas emissions standards for light-duty vehicles. Once again, only 3 large manufacturers complied with MY 2018 standards based on the technology levels of their vehicles alone. When accounting for credits however, the report shows all large manufacturers are in compliance. Most large manufacturers used banked credits, along with technology improvements, to maintain compliance in MY 2018.
The report highlights the large consumer shift towards sport utility vehicles (SUV). SUVs continue to gain market share – reaching record high 46 percent market share in MY 2019.
Attorney General Curtis Hill on Monday filed a brief with the U.S. Supreme Court arguing for the preservation of the anti-robocall provisions of the federal Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA). He and North Carolina Attorney General Joshua Stein co-authored the bipartisan brief, which is joined by 31 other states.
The TCPA, enacted in 1991, is a critical piece of federal consumer-protection legislation allowing states to sue illegal robocallers on their residents’ behalf. A decision in the Fourth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals recently invalidated a portion of the act, potentially jeopardizing the entire federal robocall ban.
“No court has ever questioned the constitutionality of the TCPA’s robocall restriction, and we must ensure no such challenge is ever taken seriously,†Attorney General Hill said. “We have state laws prohibiting robocalls right here in Indiana, and we must defend our ability both at the federal and state levels to continue protecting Hoosiers from annoying and illegal robocalls.â€
The Office of the Indiana Attorney General receives more consumer complaints about nuisance phone calls than any other issue, Attorney General Hill said. Besides laws regulating robocalls, Indiana and other states also have separate restrictions on telemarketing calls of any type, even by live operators, to consumers who register for no-call lists.
“Indiana has a long history as a national leader protecting individual and residential privacy from unwanted telemarketing calls and defending state and federal telephone privacy laws from constitutional attack,†Attorney General Hill said. “Hoosiers place a high value on safeguarding peace and privacy without the disturbance of unwanted calls interrupting their routines at all hours of the day and night.â€
Attorney General Hill continues working with other states’ attorneys general, federal agencies and telephone service providers to develop better technologies and stronger regulations aimed at blocking nuisance phone calls, some of which are perpetrated by scammers and identity thieves.
FEMA officials are preparing for an “infectious disease emergency declaration” by the president that would allow the agency to provide disaster relief funding to state and local governments, as well as federal assistance to support the coronavirus response, according to agency planning documents reviewed by NBC News.
The Trump administration would have to use the 1988 Stafford Act to enable FEMA to provide such disaster assistance. Emergency declarations are most often used in the event of natural disasters but can be used to help manage disease outbreaks.
Full coverage of the coronavirus outbreak
“To me, this is another indication that the president and the White House are finally aware of the gravity of the situation,” said Michael Coen, who was FEMA chief of staff during the Obama administration. “They need to consider all the tools available to them and have contingencies for action.”
“I actually find this reassuring,” said Tim Manning, who was a FEMA deputy administrator under President Barack Obama. “I hope this discussion has been happening continuously over the last couple of months.”
An emergency declaration would allow FEMA to provide disaster medical assistance teams, mobile hospitals, and military transport, among other kinds of federal support, Manning said.
FEMA’s disaster relief fund has a current balance of $34 billion, according to the latest agency update. “It’s money that’s sitting there and ready,” said another former FEMA official, who declined to be identified.
FEMA spokesperson Lizzie Litzow said the agency is currently focused on supporting the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which separately declared a “public health emergency” on Jan. 31, allowing HHS to access funds and other resources to aid the government’s virus response. “At this time, there isn’t anything additional to the HHS public health emergency,” Litzow said.
UE drops 8-7 contest against Tigers
Jessica Fehr continued to add to her numbers, posting a bases clearing double, but an offensive showdown saw Memphis defeat the University of Evansville softball team by an 8-7 final on Sunday in the final game of the Blues City Classic.
Fehr had two hits on the day in four plate appearances. Katie McLean and Eryn Gould added two hits apiece. McLean was 2-for-4 with a pair of runs scored while Gould went 2-3 with a run and RBI.
UE got the day started with a pair of runs in the first. Back-to-back doubles from McLean and Gould gave the Purple Aces a 1-0 lead. With two outs, Halie Fain singled to center to score Gould for the second score of the frame. Memphis got the runs right back in the bottom half of the first.
Following a scoreless second, Evansville’s bats got the job done in the third with all four runs coming with two outs. Alyssa Barela drew a leadoff walk and was pinch run for by Mackenzie McFeron. Halie Fain would later walk before Jenna Lis loaded the bases on an infield single. With two outs, Kat Mueller would record the third walk of the inning to score McFeron. Next up was Jessica Fehr, who came through in the clutch, hitting a bases clearing double to bring in three runs and give the Aces a 6-2 lead.
Memphis took control with three runs in both the fourth and fifth innings. The six runs came on a total of seven hits. Two UE errors helped the Tigers as they jumped in front by an 8-6 score. Evansville rallied in the sixth with McLean and Gould reaching to start the inning. McLean scored on a double play, but UE would not be able to add to the tally with Memphis finishing with the 8-7 win.
Emily Lockhart made the start for UE, allowing five runs on 11 hits in four innings of work. Izzy Vetter allowed three runs, two earned, in two frames.
The final non-conference tournament is set for next weekend when the Aces make the short trip to Louisville for the Red & Black Challenge. Evansville will face Oakland twice while taking on Northwestern, Illinois and Louisville in single games.
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The University of Evansville men’s and women’s track and field teams kicked-off the 2020 Missouri Valley Conference Indoor Championship with some record-breaking performances.
Junior distance runner Anna Lowry once again wrote herself into the UE record books in spectacular fashion, capturing second place in the women’s 5,000-meter race, setting a new school record by almost half a minute and only three seconds off the pace runner (16:53.18). Lowry also becomes the first Evansville track and field athlete to earn MVC first team all-conference accolades.
Scoring points on the men’s side, Ian Alberts posted a tie for eighth place 4.66-meter pole vault jump.
Qualifying for tomorrow’s 800-meter final, Izzy Dawson took eighth in the prelims at 2:29.51.
Justus Donaldson (2,288) and Joey Rucinski (2,226) both are taking part in the two-day heptathlon contest, sitting 11th and 12threspectively.
Skylar Tucker (4.67m) and Carlie Schultheis (4.64) competed in the long jump for the Aces finishing 15th and 16th respectively.
Posting marks in the men’s long jump, Trey Riggs (6.59 m), Alan Kerstiens (6.41m), Brendon Smith (6.26 m) and Steven Burkhart (6.06m).
In the weight throw; Brittany Corley (11.60m) and Baylee Greng (10.19m) participated on the women’s side, while Michael Boots (15.67m), Zach Dove (13.92m) and Andrew Schuler (11.62m) were on the men’s squad.
UE finished the day with the men’s and women’s distance medley relay, with the men coming in at 11:08.02 and the women finishing in 13:40.65.
“It was great to come back home and play well and play good baseball,” said Aces head baseball coach Wes Carroll. “For us to get a sweep against a good quality Butler team that was coming in 6-0 is a great turning point for our club early in the season.”
With the win, Evansville moved to 3-8 on the season, while the Bulldogs dropped to 6-3.
Senior David Ellis captured the win on the mound for Evansville, holding the Bulldogs without a run and recording the last two outs in the top of the ninth inning.
After the lead fell into the hands of the Bulldogs for the first time this weekend in the ninth inning, it was a nearly flawless bottom of the ninth for the Aces that earned the sweep for Evansville.
In the bottom of the ninth, senior Troy Beilsmith took his base to begin the inning after being hit by a pitch. Following three wild pitches in the next at-bat, Beilsmith scored the game-tying run while freshman Brent Widder earned first with a walk. Pinch hitting, sophomore Danny Borgstrom was also walked putting runners on first and second with no outs.
Senior Craig Shepherd dribbled the ball to the shortstop, who threw Borgstrom out at second, but set up runners on the corners for Evansville. After Shepherd took second on a wild pitch, Wilkes came through, ripping a shot through the left side that scored Widder and earned a 4-3 walk-off win for the Aces.
“”(This win) was huge. It was absolutely huge,” said Wilkes. “To bounce back like that, I’m really proud of these guys. We’re going to take it into next week and the weekend, too, and I think we’ve got a good thing going here.”
Evansville is back on the road this week with a midweek contest against UT Martin on Tuesday at 6 PM in Martin, Tenn.
