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HOT JOBS
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.
Four Aces named WGCA All-American Scholars
A total of 1,499 women’s golfers were recognized
CORAL SPRINGS, Fla. – The 2024-25 WGCA All-American Scholar Team was announced today with 1,499 women’s collegiate golfers from 403 programs recognized with this prestigious honor.
Earning the honor from the University of Evansville were redshirt senior Mallory Russell, sophomores Trinity Dubbs and Jane Grankina, and freshman Elizabeth Mercer.
The criteria for selection to the All-American Scholar Team are some of the most stringent in all of college athletics and continue to demonstrate the high-level academic achievements of our players. To be selected, a student-athlete must:
- Have an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.50 or higher.
- Be an amateur and on the team’s roster through the conclusion of the team’s season.
- Have played in 50% of the college’s regularly scheduled competitive rounds during the year nominated through the team’s conference championship.
THUNDERBOLTS RE-SIGN CAPTAIN MATTHEW HOBBS
Evansville, In.: The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the re-signing of captain Matthew Hobbs for the 2025-26 season. The Thunderbolts begin the 2025-26 season and raise their President’s Cup Championship banner at Ford Center on Saturday, October 25th.
Hobbs captained the Thunderbolts to their first President’s Cup title in 2024-25, his third full season with Evansville and first as team captain. In the 2024-25 regular season, Hobbs scored 12 goals and 24 points in 49 games, adding three assists in seven playoff games. 4 of his 12 goals were game-winning goals, which were the most amongst the Thunderbolts and tied for 6th-best around the SPHL. Since the 2021-22 season, when he was acquired late in his first professional season from the Birmingham Bulls, the Burlington, Ontario native has scored 28 goals and 66 points in 151 regular season games with Evansville, along with 1 goal and 8 points in 16 career playoff games.
“The experience of this past playoff run to the Cup is hard to put into words,” replied Hobbs when asked to reflect on this past season’s playoff success. “We had such a great group of guys on and off the ice, we battled together all year through the ups and downs, that’s what made us so tough to play against in the playoffs. In my fourth trip to the playoffs with Evansville, I’m glad we were able to finally bring the Cup to our amazing fan base, hoisting the Cup in the Fordo (Ford Center) was an amazing feeling.” Turning the page to 2025-26, Hobbs continued: “My goals for the upcoming season will be to continue the hard-nosed, tough style we play that has made us successful, help the new guys be the best players and best people they can be, and of course, lift the Cup again at the end of the season. I can’t wait to be back on the ice at Ford Center with the best fans in the league, I’m already counting down the days.”
“I am thrilled that Matt is returning for another season,” replied Head Coach Jeff Bes when asked to comment on the signing of Hobbs. “He is the leader of our team both on and off the ice. Matt’s work ethic is top level and contagious, which makes everyone around him and the team better. We are aligned in our goal of bringing another championship season to the loyal fans in Evansville, and just like last season, it’s a great start to our team with signing Hobbs”.
Attorney General Todd Rokita leads 13 Investigations resulting in charges to combat health care fraud nationwide
Attorney General Todd Rokita’s office took decisive action as part of a nationwide crackdown on health care fraud, targeting licensed medical professionals and providers allegedly involved in fraudulent schemes and drug diversion.
The Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Control Unit (MFCU) conducted 13 criminal investigations into suspected Medicaid fraud, resulting in charges against 13 individuals.
“Medicaid is a critical lifeline for Hoosiers, and we have zero tolerance for those who abuse it for personal gain,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Our committed team tirelessly pursues accountability for those who defraud the system, ensuring justice for our taxpayers, preserving essential resources, and ensuring the proper use of controlled substances to protect patients.”
In these 13 cases, the Indiana Attorney General’s MFCU investigated licensed health care professionals and Medicaid providers suspected of illegal activities.
These investigations align with a national effort spearheaded by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Below are summaries of the cases involving Indiana’s MFCU investigations. In each case, the fact that a person has been charged with a crime is merely an accusation, and these individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The abbreviations “LPN,” “RN,” and “QMA” designate licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and qualified medication aides, respectively.
State v. Nathaniel Stimpson 90D01-2506-F6-000062
In Wells County, RN Nathaniel Stimpson, 34, of Decatur, Indiana, is charged with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, a Level 6 felony, and four counts of Theft, all Class A misdemeanors. It is alleged that Stimpson, while working for Eleos Hospice Care, stole medication from patients and obtained controlled substances for his own use. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robin Gillman of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Nathaniel Stimpson 01D01-2506-F6-000048
In Adams County, RN Nathaniel Stimpson, 34, of Decatur, Indiana, is charged with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, a Level 6 felony, and twelve counts of Theft, all Class A misdemeanors. It is alleged that Stimpson, while working for Eleos Hospice Care, stole medication from patients and obtained controlled substances for his own use. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robin Gillman of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Billy Guthrie 30D02-2506-F6-000936
In Hancock County, RN Billy Guthrie, 48, of Knightstown, Indiana, is charged with Furnishing False or Fraudulent Information and Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Guthrie, while working for Greenfield Healthcare Center, diverted medication from patients and obtained controlled substances for his own use. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robin Gillman of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Dezarae Polinske 49D36-2506-F6-018109
In Marion County, RN Dezarae Polinske, 30, of Elkhart, Wisconsin, is charged with Furnishing False or Fraudulent Information and Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Polinske, while working at Ascension St. Vincent Hospital, diverted medication from a patient and obtained a controlled substance for her own use. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robin Gillman of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Sheri Hapner 44D01-2506-F6-000094
In LaGrange County, LPN Sheri Hapner, 53, of Middlebury, Indiana, is charged with Failure to Make, Keep or Furnish a Record, Furnishing False or Fraudulent Information, and Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Hapner, while working at the Waters of LaGrange, diverted medication from patients, failed to properly document medication administration, documented false information, or obtained controlled substances for her own use. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Robin Gillman of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Jennifer Anne Brant 02D04-2506-F6-000880
In Allen County, Jennifer Anne Brant, 62, of New Haven, Indiana, is charged with Fraud and Theft, both Level 6 felonies. Brant, a licensed Home Health Aide, is alleged to have submitted claims for personal attendant care services provided to an in-home patient that were not actually provided. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Georgeanna Teipen of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Tara Tiara Brown 02D05-2506-F6-000895
In Allen County, Tara Tiara Brown, 43, of Fort Wayne, Indiana, is charged with Fraud and Theft, both Level 6 felonies. Brown, an in-home personal care attendant, is alleged to have submitted claims for personal attendant care services provided to multiple in-home patients that were not actually provided. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Georgeanna Teipen of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Lindsay Plake 34C01-2506-F6-001506
In Howard County, Lindsay Plake, 40, of Elwood, Indiana, is charged with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, Failure to Make, Keep or Furnish Records, and Furnishing False or Fraudulent Information, all Level 6 felonies, and Theft, a Class A misdemeanor. Plake, a qualified medication aide working in an assisted living facility, is alleged to have stolen prescribed medications from multiple residents of that facility. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Georgeanna Teipen of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Catherine Grimes 49D23-2506-F6-018636
In Marion County, Catherine Grimes, 66, of Greencastle, Indiana, is charged with five counts of Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit and one count of Failure to Make, Keep or Furnish Records, all Level 6 felonies. Grimes, a Registered Nurse, is alleged to have acquired multiple types of prescribed controlled substances from multiple inpatients of an Indianapolis recovery center. This case is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Christy Orwig 39D01-2506-F6-000607
In Jefferson County, RN Christy A. Orwig, 58, of Madison, Indiana, is charged with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, Illegally Possessing a Narcotic Drug, Failing to Make, Keep, or Furnish a Record, and Furnishing False or Fraudulent Information, all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Orwig, while working at a nursing home, dispensed patient narcotics for her own personal use on various occasions. The case was investigated by Sarah Shoup and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Jenny Byrd 82D03-2506-F6-003827
In Vanderburgh County, QMA Jenny F. Byrd, 41, of Oakland City, Indiana, is charged with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, Illegally Possessing a Narcotic Drug, and Failing to Make, Keep, or Furnish a Record, all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Byrd, while employed at a nursing home, diverted narcotic drugs intended for patients for her own personal use and admitted to the diversion during the investigation. The case was investigated by Vinnie Gieselman and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Kayla Bell 82D03-2506-F5-003828
In Vanderburgh County, LPN Kayla R. Bell, 35, of Newburgh, Indiana, is charged with Obstructing the Delivery of a Prescription Drug, a Level 5 felony, and Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, Illegally Possessing a Narcotic Drug, and Failing to Make, Keep, or Furnish a Record, all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Bell, while working at a nursing home, diverted patient narcotics for her own use, including signing out drugs for a patient without an active prescription, and admitted to the diversion during the investigation. The case was investigated by Vinnie Gieselman and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana MFCU.
State v. Patrice Amos 49D35-2506-F6-018645
In Marion County, RN Patrice R. Amos, 44, of Avon, Indiana, is charged with Obtaining a Controlled Substance by Fraud or Deceit, Illegally Possessing a Narcotic Drug, and Failing to Make, Keep, or Furnish a Record, all Level 6 felonies. It is alleged that Amos, while working at a nursing home, diverted narcotic drugs intended for facility patients for her own personal use. The case was investigated by Craig Whited and is being prosecuted by Deputy Attorney General Kyle Sprunger of the Indiana MFCU.
Attorney General Rokita expressed gratitude to the investigators and attorneys of his Indiana MFCU team for their tireless efforts in these cases.
The Indiana Medicaid Fraud Control Unit receives 75% of its funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services under a federal grant. The remaining 25 percent is funded by the State of Indiana.
Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records
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Governor ceremonially signs bill authored by O’Brien to strengthen economic ties with Ireland, support trade
by Tim O’Brien
STATEHOUSE (June 30, 2025) – Gov. Mike Braun recently ceremonially signed into law a bill authored by State Rep. Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville) to strengthen economic ties with Ireland and support trade.
O’Brien said House Enrolled Act 1489 creates an Indiana-Ireland trade commission to increase bilateral trade and investment between the state and Ireland.
“This new law strengthens the already robust cultural and economic ties Indiana has with Ireland,” O’Brien said. “This commission will encourage new business opportunities and investment, and expand our state’s position on the global stage. I was proud to author this legislation and am grateful to my colleagues and Gov. Braun for their support.”
In 2023, Indiana imported more than $20 billion worth of goods from Ireland, making the country Indiana’s largest importing partner. In Indiana there are 52 Irish-based companies located in 24 counties.
O’Brien said the commission will be selected by the governor and Statehouse leadership. It will include 13 members from the General Assembly, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, a higher education institution and communities representing Irish Americans.
House Enrolled Act 1489 passed the legislature with bipartisan support and was backed by former Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern and Mark Daly, a member of the Ireland Senate.
BURTON COMMENTS ON U.S. SENATE’S CONSIDERATION OF THE ‘BIG, BEAUTIFUL BILL’
INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville) issued the following statement on the U.S. Senate’s consideration of the “Big, Beautiful Bill.”
“Right now, Evansville already lacks sufficient access to critical medical care – especially for residents who rely on the services of our local health department and ECHO Community Healthcare.
“What’s being proposed in Washington, D.C. will only make it harder for our health care providers to serve the people who need them most. If passed in its current form, this bill will overburden an already-strained system and drive up costs for everyone.
“Let’s be clear: This legislation will make Indiana less healthy, not more. It’s the exact opposite of ‘Make Indiana Healthy Again.’
“The so-called ‘Big, Beautiful Bill’ will have a lasting and harmful impact on our communities. Once again, the ‘haves’ will walk away with more, while the ‘have nots’ are left gasping for air in a system that continues to fail Hoosiers. The divide is worsening and further weakens health care for all of us. This bill pours fuel on a fire that is sure to spread, which will inevitably weaken Indiana’s economy.”
The U.S. Senate set a July 4 deadline for the legislation to be signed. Today’s actions bring it one step closer to a final vote.
Eiteljorg Indian Market & Festival dazzles on a hot, sunny weekend in Indianapolis
By Lauren Agee, Olivia O’Neal & Clayton Shull, The Statehouse File
Beadwork, precious stones and feathers glimmered in the sunlight outside the Eiteljorg Museum of American Indians and Western Art this weekend. Draped across tables or sewn into the regalia of performers, the Eiteljorg Indian Market & Festival was an expanse of colors and culture.
Visitors—including reporters from TheStatehouseFile.com, who partnered with the Eiteljorg social-media team on Saturday—could enjoy fry-bread tacos, live performances and conversation with Native American artists from across the country.
Navajo artist Jerry Brown painted beneath the shade of a tent. Always one to color outside the lines, he was visiting from New Mexico to share his abstract paintings. Other artists shared beaded vases, carved flutes and handmade dresses.
The sun may have beaten down harshly, but it only added a brighter sparkle to the day.
Indigenous Enterprise dancers pose for photos after their performance at the Eiteljorg Indian Market & Festival Saturday. Founded in 2015, according to its website, “The ensemble consists of champion pow wow dancers, musicians, and filmmakers, all committed to authentically representing their cultural heritage. Through workshops and community engagement, Indigenous Enterprise fosters understanding and appreciation for Indigenous traditions, ensuring the next generation recognizes the depth of their cultural legacy.”
2024 UE Graduates Achieve Strong Career Outcomes
EVANSVILLE, IND. (06/30/2025) The University of Evansville (UE) is proud to announce a 98 percent career outcome rate for the Class of 2024, reflecting continued excellence in student preparation and post-graduate success.
This figure indicates that 98 percent of graduates are either employed or enrolled in further education within months of graduation. The data reflects outcomes for students who completed their degrees in December 2023, May 2024, June 2024, and July 2024.
The Center for Career Development collected this information using a variety of sources, including surveys of graduating students, academic department updates, and national databases. Career information was successfully gathered for 97 percent of the class, offering a strong and reliable snapshot of the next steps for this graduating class.
Among those pursuing additional education, 20 percent of graduates have entered graduate or professional programs. Of these, 72 percent are attending institutions in Indiana, including the University of Evansville, Indiana University, and Purdue University. Another 25 percent of graduates who are not currently enrolled expressed plans to begin graduate school within the next three years.
“At the University of Evansville, we strive to empower every student to think critically, act bravely, serve responsibly, and live meaningfully in a changing world,” said UE President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz. “This extraordinary outcome rate reflects not just the strength of our academic programs, but the determination of our graduates to make a difference in their careers and communities.”
The report also shows UE’s commitment to ongoing student support. Nearly half of the Class of 2024 received personalized outreach from the Center for Career Development after graduation, offering continued guidance and resources as they transition into their professional lives.