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“IS IT TRUE” DECEMBER 18, 2019

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We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUE” will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?

IS IT TRUE that is no greater ambassador of goodwill than a homegrown non-partisan community newspaper?  …that local newspapers can serve as a “Community Watchdog” by sounding the alarm when the citizen’s rights are being violated? …we realize that a community can have no greater ambassador of goodwill than one which keeps its citizens informed about their accomplishments, failure, and triumphs?
IS IT TRUE that some of our elected officials seemly have forgotten that the first amendment to the U. S. Constitution states “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or the rights of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for redress of grievance”?
IS IT TRUE that the pending impeachment of President Donald Trump impeachment is starting to draw local attention?  …protesters on both sides of the impeachment of President Donald Trump issue are taking to the streets of Evansville? ..the rights of the people to peaceably assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievance is beginning to take hold in downhome Evansville?
IS IT TRUE that many small-town Mayors across the country are suffering from a new political disorder called “Buttigieg Derangement Syndrome (BDS)”?… “Buttigieg Derangement Syndrome” is what causes small town Mayors to look in the mirror and start singing “Hail to the Chief” because this political disorder makes them believe because they have been elected Mayor in places that have no national visibility at all that they can follow Mayor Pete’s path to become President of the United States?
IS IT TRUE when small-town politicians that preside over an increasing crime rate and a mediocre economy get national attention, every pissant politician who rides in parades hearing “Hail to the Chief” in their own mind catches “Buttigieg Derangement Syndrome”?…that this political disorder may be contagious enough to infect the thinking of current Mayors too?…it may already have done so?
IS IT TRUE that the 3rd District County Commissioner Cheryl Musgrave (R) is running for re-election and will have over $100,000 in the bank by December 31st? …Commissioner Musgrave, will also make history by becoming the first female to ever be elected three (3) times as a Vanderburgh County Commissioner?
IS IT TRUE that 1st District County Commissioner Ben Shoulders (D) is running for re-election and will have over $125,000 in the bank by December 31st?…that Commissioner Shoulders will be the first person to win re-election as a District One Commissioner since Rick Borries did 28 years ago?
IS IT TRUE that the EVSC’s Superintendent has received a base salary of $160,000, $20,000 in deferred compensation, and $750 per month for a car allowance in 2011, the year he was hired?  …in 2017, Dr. Smith’s pay had increased to $241,787, which was $52,000 more than he made seven (7) years prior and over $140,000 more than Evansville’s Mayor and Police Chief made in 2017? …we are also told that the taxpayers of Vanderburgh County would be amazed to learn what he was paid in 2018 and 2019?
IS IT TRUE we wonder if local attorney Charles Berger has ever received the information he requested from the EVSC?
IS IT TRUE we hope that someone with common business and political sense with come forward and encourage the Indiana Governor to push our lawmakers to approve simulcast horse racing at casinos soon as possible?  …if the Indiana power brokers delay this decision the Commonwealth of Kentucky will have the upper hand in generating future gaming dollars because they will have both casino and simulcast gaming?
IS IT TRUE we are extremely pleased with the way that Lieutenant  Governor Suzanne Crouch is representing the people of this State?
IS IT TRUE the CCO readers voted in a recent “Readers Poll” that they feel the Soldiers and Sailors Memorial Coliseum in downtown Evansville should be turned into a Military Museum by an overwhelming margin?  …we are told that this historic military facility is currently known as a “Bingo Parlor”?
IS IT TRUE on Monday we posted a comment that we hope that members of the Evansville City Council would defer any decision to increase the proposed monthly “Single -Stream” recycling fee to 25% for City residents at this evening’s Council meeting?  …we hope that members of City Council would have taken a little more time to study this issue?  …that sound business principles dictate that no one should negotiate under pressure? …we are disappointed they didn’t heed our advice?
IS IT TRUE that Monday evening was the final official meeting of the current Evansville City Council?  …we are told that local historians may give the outgoing Evansville City Council members mixed reviews concerning how they addressed “Good Public Policy” issues over the last four years?
IS IT TRUE we wonder if any of our readers have seen any “Street Sweepers” in action during the last 6 months?  …if so, did anyone observe the “Street Sweepers” deposit any water on the roadway while cleaning the streets?
IS IT TRUE we wonder when the City Of Evansville will announce that it time to rebid the lucrative contract for “Street Sweepers”?
IS IT TRUE that we are that Democrat Amy Back is going to run for the Vanderburgh County Council At-Large seat?  …we are told that Amy has an impressive resume that makes her uniquely qualified to serve on the Vanderburgh County Council?  …we are also told if she decides to run for the Vanderburgh County Council seat she will make one heck of a candidate?
IS IT TRUE that today’s “Readers Poll” question is: How do you rate the overall performance of the current Evansville City Council?
We are pleased to provide obituaries from area funeral homes at no cost.  We are also pleased to announce that we are now providing news from all the area High Schools.  Please scroll down the paper and you shall see a listing of them.
If you would like to advertise on the CCO please contact us at City-County Observer@live.com
FOOTNOTE:  Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers.
We understand that sometimes people don’t always agree and discussions may become a little heated.  The use of offensive language, insults against commenters will not be tolerated and will be removed from our site.
Any comments posted in this column do not represent the views or opinions of the City-County Observer or our advertisers

 

 

Lonely, Burned Out, And Depressed: The State Of Millennials’ Mental Health Entering The 2020s

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Lonely, Burned Out, And Depressed: The State Of Millennials’ Mental Health Entering The 2020s

Hillary Hoffower and Allana Akhtar

Business Insider took a look at the mental-health state of millennials (defined by the Pew Research Center as the cohort turning ages 23 to 38 in 2019). The forecast for millennials’ mental health in 2020 doesn’t look pretty — depression and “deaths of despair” are both on the rise among the generation, linked to issues such as loneliness and money stress.

Millennials also feel that their jobs have an outsize role in their overall mental health. Because of longer work hours and stagnant wages, millennials suffer from higher rates of burnout than other generations. Many of them have even quit their jobs for mental-health reasons.

While some millennials can’t afford to get help, they’re more likely to go to therapy than previous generations, destigmatizing the concept in the process.

Here are 12 ways mental illness has plagued the millennial generation.

Millennials are experiencing a “health shock” largely fueled by a decline in mental health.

A recent Blue Cross Blue Shield report found that millennials are seeing their physical and mental health decline at a faster rate than Gen X as they age. Without proper management or treatment, millennials could see a 40% uptick in mortality compared with Gen Xers of the same age, the report found.

Behavioral health — rises in rates of depression, hyperactivity (such as anxiety or ADHD), and substance abuse — is a key factor in the “health shock” among millennials, according to the report. Health shocks, as defined by the World Health Organization, are “unpredictable illnesses that diminish health status.”

The government has been documenting health shocks in terms of mortality since 1960. The situation is comparable to the effects the Vietnam War and recreational drug use had on the Silent Generation, and the effect the AIDS epidemic had on boomers, the report said.

Depression is on the rise among millennials

According to a report analyzing data from the Blue Cross Blue Shield Health Index, major depression diagnoses are rising at a faster rate for millennials and teens compared with any other age group.

Since 2013, millennials have seen a 47% increase in major-depression diagnoses. The overall rate increased from 3 to 4.4% among 18- to 34-year-olds.

The most prominent symptom of major depression is “a severe and persistent low mood, profound sadness, or a sense of despair,” according to Harvard Medical School.

These findings were underscored by an additional Blue Cross Blue Shield report on millennial health. It analyzed the data of 55 million commercially insured American millennials, defined as people ages 21 to 36 in 2017. It found that major depression had the highest prevalence rate, or the likelihood of a person having a disease, among health conditions affecting millennials.

Read more: Depression is on the rise among millennials, but 20% of them aren’t seeking treatment — and it’s likely because they can’t afford it

More millennials are also dying “deaths of despair,” or deaths related to drugs, alcohol, and suicide, Jamie Ducharme reported for Time in June, citing a report by the public-health groups Trust for America’s Health and Well Being Trust.

While these deaths have increased across all ages in the past 10 years, they’ve increased the most among younger Americans, Ducharme said. They accounted for the deaths of about 36,000 American millennials in 2017 alone, according to the report. Drug overdoses were the most common cause of death.

The report cites a few reasons behind these upticks — young adults are more inclined to engage in risk-taking behaviors, comprise the highest number of enrolled military personnel, and disproportionately live in “high-stress environments” like correctional facilities.

Read more: ‘Deaths of despair’ are taking more lives of millennial Americans than any other generation

Suicide attempts have especially increased among black youths

Suicide attempt rates for black youths have increased by 73% from 1991 to 2017, wrote clinical psychologist Inger E. Burnett-Zeiggler in an opinion piece for The New York Times, citing a November 2019 Pediatrics study. According to the study, suicide attempts decreased by 7.5% in the same time frame among white adolescents.

From 2001 to 2017, suicide death rates for black boys ages 13 to 19 increased by 60%; for black girls, that’s 182%, according to a study by the Journal of Community Health. Burnett-Zeigler wrote that, in her experience working with black women, childhood abuse and neglect are linked to suicide attempts in their youth.

“Black youths too often receive the messages that their lives are not valued and that they are less deserving of support, nurturing and protection than their peers of other backgrounds,” wrote Burnett-Zeiggler, who’s an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Northwestern Medical School.

“Many black youths are often fighting for their lives in a system actively working against them, which can be exhausting and feel like a pointless, uphill battle,” she added.

It’s partly linked to money stress

But there are other structural factors at play behind the uptick in “deaths of despair,” according to the Trust for America’s Health and Well Being Trust — namely the myriad financial problems millennials are facing: student-loan debt, healthcare, childcare, and an expensive housing market.

These four costs are part of The Great American Affordability Crisis plaguing millennials that’s putting them financially behind.

Studies have found a correlation between people with debt and mental health problems. While this research, by its nature, can’t identify causality, the likelihood of having a mental health disorder is three times higher among those with unsecured debt, according to a meta-analysis, or study of studies, in the Clinical Psychology Review. People who have died by suicide were eight times more likely to have debt.

Money stress isn’t just contributing to millennials’ mental health — it also means not everyone can afford to seek treatment

While millennials are more likely than previous generations to attend therapy, one in five diagnosed with major depression doesn’t seek treatment, according to the Blue Cross report. That might be because of rising healthcare costs.

Healthcare is one of four key costs plaguing millennials. In 1960, the average annual health-insurance cost per person was $146 — in 2016, it hit $10,345. When adjusted for inflation, that’s a ninefold increase. Costs are expected to increase to $14,944 in 2023.

In fact, more millennials than baby boomers have declined medical or dental treatment because it was too costly, according to an Insider and Morning Consult survey.

Read more: How teen friendships shape your mental health as a young adult

Millennials are also lonely

Millennials don’t always have someone to share their mental burdens with — they’re less likely to have social support than other generations, as they’re marrying later and less connected to political or religious communities, according to Ducharme.

In fact, YouGov called millennials “the loneliest generation” based on a survey that polled 1,254 US adults. It found that millennials were more likely to feel lonely than previous generations. Of survey respondents, 30% of millennials said they always or often felt lonely, compared with 20% of Generation X and 15% of boomers.

More millennials also reported in the survey that they had no acquaintances, friends, close friends, or best friends.

And they’re dealing with burnout in and out of the workplace

Cases of burnout have been increasing at an alarming rate in recent years, Ivan De Luce previously reported for Business Insider. The World Health Organization recently classified burnout as a “syndrome,” medically legitimizing the condition for the first time.

It’s a growing problem in today’s workplace because of trends like rising workloads, limited staff and resources, and long hours.

But millennials have reported they suffer from higher rates of burnout than other generations; in a January BuzzFeed article that went viral, Anne Helen Petersen coined the term the “burnout generation.”

Peterson attributed the generational phenomenon to millennials’ upbringings, the economic environment they grew up in, social media, and the anxiety of easy, straightforward tasks, like running errands.

Many millennials dealing with mental health problems at work say their office does not provide adequate support

Over half of the workers polled in a new survey from the human-resources company Paychex said their jobs were negatively affecting their mental health. What’s worse, about 56% of the employees in the survey rated their company’s mental-health benefits as either “fair” or “poor.”

Many surveyed employees also said they didn’t get mental-health insurance from their jobs, and 45% of supervisors never received any mental health training.

Paychex surveyed active employees and supervisors using an online survey. The respondents included people from high-paying industries, like medicine and finance, and lower-paying industries, like retail and manufacturing.

Employees who work outside traditional 9-to-5 are particularly vulnerable to depression, as are women, LGBTQ people, and racial minorities

Some workers are more prone to depression than others.

Millennials working outside a full-time corporate office are particularly vulnerable to depression, according to a University of Exeter review of 28,438 worker reports on mental health. The review found people working irregular hours and the night shift were 33% more likely to develop a mental illness than the general population.

This is especially true for first responders and healthcare workers, who tend to be “on call” during inconvenient hours. A recent HuffPost article detailed how EMTs and paramedics have higher rights of PTSD, depression, and suicide — conditions that persist even after retirement.

Harassment and bullying at work can also cause mental health problems, according to the World Health Organization, issues that tends to plague female, racial-minority, and LGBTQ workers more often.

Globally, workers say discrimination because of mental illness is more prevalent than other forms of workplace bias

In a separate study, Kantar, a UK-based data firm, found just over half of workers worldwide don’t think their workplace does enough to respond to mental-health concerns. Kantar surveyed 18,000 workers in 14 countries.

The lack of resources can even result in discrimination and bias over their mental illness. About 38% of respondents said they felt “discriminated against based on their condition,” making them the most discriminated workplace group.

In contrast, 26% of workers said they felt discriminated against because of their age, and 12% felt they were discriminated against because of their sexual orientation or identity, the survey found.

Nearly half of millennials have left a job for mental-health reasons

That’s according to a study conducted by Mind Share Partners, SAP, and Qualtrics and published in the Harvard Business Review. The study, which looked at mental-health challenges and stigmas in the US workplace, polled 1,500 respondents ages 16 and older working full time.

That was significantly higher than the overall percentage of respondents who said they had left a job for mental-health reasons, 20%. This indicates a “generational shift in awareness,” the authors of the report, Kelly Greenwood, Vivek Bapat, and Mike Maughan, said.

“Mental health is becoming the next frontier of diversity and inclusion, and employees want their companies to address it,” the authors wrote.

Read more: 50% of millennials have left a job for mental-health reasons, a new study found — and it speaks to some of the biggest problems plaguing the entire generation

For all their mental health issues, there’s a bright side — millennials, known as “the therapy generation,” are helping to destigmatize therapy

Peggy Drexler called millennials “the therapy generation” in an essay for The Wall Street Journal earlier this year. They’re cognizant of their mental health, and this awareness is helping to destigmatize therapy.

“Raised by parents who openly went to therapy themselves and who sent their children as well, today’s 20- and 30-somethings turn to therapy sooner and with fewer reservations than young people did in previous eras,” she wrote.

She cited a 2017 report from the Center for Collegiate Mental Health at Penn State University that found the number of college students seeking help for mental health grew from 2011 to 2016 at five times the rate of new students starting college.

Millennials, she said, see therapy as a form of self-improvement — and they also suffer from a desire to be perfect, leading them to seek help when they feel they haven’t met their expectations.

If you’re struggling with depression, get help

 If you or someone you know is struggling with depression or has had thoughts of harming themselves or taking their own life, get help. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) provides 24/7 free, confidential support for people in distress, as well as the best practices for professionals and resources to aid in prevention and crisis situations.

Vectren And Ivy Tech Community College Partner To Offer Degree Program To Employees

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Vectren, a CenterPoint Energy company, and Ivy Tech Community College, have partnered to offer the Achieve Your Degree program, which will allow lineworkers and natural gas construction workers employed by Vectren the opportunity to earn college credentials, as well as an Associate of Applied Science degree through a combination of apprenticeship/on-the-job training and Ivy Tech coursework. Required on-the-job training will be assigned course credit and count as credit hours toward the degree.

“We are proud to partner with Ivy Tech Community College to allow our lineworkers and gas apprentices the opportunity to further their education and obtain an associate degree, while developing their skills in their field of work,” said J.D. Street, director of technical training at Vectren. “Vectren values its employees and supports a path toward personal and professional development.”

Sue Ellspermann, president of Ivy Tech Community College, said, “Ivy Tech is honored to serve Vectren and its employees with our Achieve Your Degree program. Our goal with this program is to help Vectren employees earn degrees and credentials.”

Lineworkers and natural gas construction workers working for Vectren will have the opportunity to earn an interdisciplinary certificate, technical certificate and ultimately an Energy Technology Associate of Applied Science degree by completing relevant coursework along with their on-the-job training. To prevent some of the barriers that may come with completing a degree while working full-time, employees may complete coursework while carrying out their apprenticeship/on-the-job training. Several of the classes can be taken in an online format. Through Ivy Tech’s Achieve Your Degree initiative, billing of tuition and some fees are deferred until the end of the semester when Vectren’s tuition reimbursement will take effect.

“Vectren’s commitment to its employees is outstanding,” said Kelly Cozart, interim chancellor of Ivy Tech Evansville campus. “It was important to the company that lineworkers and gas construction workers had the opportunity to earn college credentials as they complete each portion of their training. We are so pleased to be able to offer this opportunity to these individuals and look forward to seeing the program grow.”

Those employees who have already completed qualified training, up to five years prior, will have course credits retroactively credited to them to count toward a certificate and/or degree if they apply to begin optional coursework. For more information on the Achieve Your Degree program, visit www.ivytech.edu/achieveyourdegree.

 

Obituary Of Michael A. Owen

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Obituary Of Michael A. Owen

Evansville, Ind. – Michael A. Owen, fought the most courageous battle of his life against leukemia these past fifteen months. He passed away peacefully with his family by his side Monday, December 16, 2019, at Deaconess Gateway Hospital.

Mike was born on December 10, 1953, in Evansville, Indiana, to the late Louise (Kiely) and Archie Owen. Being the son of two coaches, Mike developed a true passion for competition. During his high school days at Bosse High School, Mike played many sports including basketball, tennis, and football for his father, Archie. After graduation from Bosse in 1972, Mike attended Murray State University on a tennis scholarship and earned a bachelor’s degree in education. He was chosen the Most Valuable Player on their tennis team in 1974, 75 and 76. Mike was more than just an athlete as he received the Outstanding Business Student Award in 1976. Also, in 1975, he won the Indiana Men’s State Singles title with many to follow. The Owen family, as tennis legends in our city, won many city and state tennis titles and brought home the Indiana State Father-Son Title. Later, he and his mother were the only mother-son pair to be inducted into the Indiana Tennis Hall of Fame at the same time.

Mike coached girls’ tennis at Central High School for over 40 years while also serving as the head tennis professional at Evansville Country Club. Referred to as “Central Football”, Mike has been a central figure in the Central Community as a teacher and a coach. Throughout Mike’s 42 years in the classroom, he inspired his students to be the best they could be. With a flash of his infamous smile, he showed students that he believed in them even if they didn’t believe in themselves. Mike loved the classroom as much as he did the football field. He was the head football coach from 1986-2006 and Mike never missed a CHS football game in over 40 years. For Mike, coaching was more than just the game. He was shaping the lives of his young players, developing their character and guiding them to be good citizens.

Mike is survived by his wife of 43 years, Susan (O’Grady) Owen; daughter, Sarah Bigler (Matt) of Indianapolis, IN; sons, Andy Owen (Cortney) of Evansville IN and Chris Owen ( Alice-Marie) of Louisville, KY; sisters, Martha Harker (Greg) of Indianapolis, IN, Leanne Dennis (David) of Jamestown, NC and Susie Hoppe of Franklin, TN; grandchildren; Annabelle, Livie and Griffin Owen and Archie and Eloise Bigler.

Mike was preceded in death by his parents and his granddaughter, Ava Owen.

Visitation will be from 12:00 noon until 8:00 PM on Friday, December 20, 2019, at Browning Funeral Home, 738 Diamond Avenue, Evansville, IN, 47711. Friends may also visit from 9:00 AM until service time at First Christian Church on Saturday.

A celebration of Mike’s life will be held at 12:00 noon on Saturday, December 21, 2019, at First Christian Church, 2845 Beaumont Dr., Evansville, IN 47725 with Pastor Jerry Clark officiating. Entombment will follow at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery.

The Owen family extends their heartfelt thanks to Dr. Mark Browning for his compassion while being the quarterback of Mike’s medical journey and also to the oncology staff at Deaconess Gateway.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Evansville Boys and Girls Club, 700 Bellemeade Ave., Evansville, IN 47713 or to the Chemo Buddies at OHA, 3700 Bellemeade Ave., Suite 118, Evansville, IN 47714.

Online condolences may be made at www.browningfuneral.com

Academy Sports And UE Men’s Basketball Team Host EVSC Student Christmas

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Giving season is officially here! Academy Sports and the UE Men’s Basketball team will host EVSC students with a shopping trip on Wednesday, December 18 at 6:00 pm at Academy Sports.

This is the second year Academy Sports and the UE athletic department has sponsored this event. This event not only provides gifts for students but also brings together UE Men’s basketball players and EVSC students for a night of shopping with positive role models.

Giving back to the Evansville community especially through youth programs is important to Coach Walter McCarty. When off the court, Coach McCarty is very involved in the community and many times includes his players to teach the value and importance of volunteerism.

USI Hosts King, Tiffin This Weekend Eagles Remain 16th (NABC) & 23rd (D2SIDA) nationally

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16th-ranked University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball resumes its five-game homestand Saturday and Sunday when it hosts King University and Tiffin University in the Bill Joergens Memorial Classic. Game time Saturday versus King is set for 1 p.m., while tip-off against Tiffin is 3 p.m.

Game coverage for USI Men’s Basketball in 2019-20, including live stats, video, and audio broadcasts, is available at GoUSIEagles.com. The games also can be heard on ESPN 97.7FM and 95.7FM The Spin.

In the national polls, USI remained 16th in the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Top 25 and 23rd in the Division II Sports Information Directors Association (D2SIDA) Top 25 for the second-straight week.

USI Men’s Basketball Week 7 Quick Notes:

​​​​​​​USI opens homestand with victory. USI opened its five-game homestand with an 81-61 victory over Lincoln College (Illinois). USI was led by senior guard Darnell Butler and junior forward Emmanuel Little with 18 points each.

Little named GLVC Player of the Week. USI junior forward Emmanuel Little earned the first GLVC Player of the Week of his career after his effort against Lincoln. Little tied for the team-lead with 18 points, while reaching his first double-double of the year with a game-high 15 rebounds.

USI starts 5-game homestand. The Eagles are embarking on their longest homestand of the season.  The next four in the homestand are King University (December 21), Tiffin University (December 22), Drury University (January 2), and Southwest Baptist University (January 4) over the next two weeks. The USI-SBU match-up will be the first meeting between the two programs in GLVC play.

Leading the Eagles. Junior forward Emmanuel Little leads five USI players averaging in double-digits with 18.7 points per game. Junior forward Josh Price follows with 13.1 points per outing and a team-high 8.0 rebounds per contest. Little is second on the team in rebounding with 7.9 per contest.

In the GLVC. Junior forward Emmanuel Little is tied for fourth in the GLVC in scoring, while junior forward Josh Price and senior guard Joe Laravie are 27th and 28th respectively. Price and Little also are third and fourth in the league in rebounding. As a team, USI is third in the GLVC in scoring, fourth in rebounding.

USI vs. King. USI leads the series with King, 3-1, after falling to the Tornado last year, 86-80, in the Physical Activities Center. Junior forward Emmanuel Little led the Eagles with 24 points and seven rebounds, while guard Alex Stein had 20 points.

King in 2019-20. King, which visits Emmanuel College before visiting USI on December 21, is 7-3 and has won three of its last five games.

USI vs. Tiffin. USI has a 5-0 lead in the all-time series with Tiffin and will be hosting the Dragons for the first time since 2009. The Eagles were led in the 93-73 2009 victory by Jamar Smith and Jeron Lewis with 16 points each.

Tiffin in 2019-20. Tiffin enters the week with a 5-6 overall and is set to host Malone University December 16 and at Urbana University December 20 before visiting USI. The Dragons also have lost their last three games.

NABC Division II Top 25 Poll
1. Bellarmine (Ky.)
2. Northwest Missouri State
3. Indiana (Pa.)
4. Lincoln Memorial (Tenn.)
5. Nova Southeastern (Fla.)
6. Dixie State (Utah)
7. West Texas A&M
8. UC San Diego
9. St. Edward’s (Texas)
10. Dallas Baptist (Texas)
11. Missouri Southern
12. Alabama Huntsville
13. Ferris State (Mich.)
14. West Chester (Pa.)
15. Indianapolis (Ind.)
16. Southern Indiana
17. Florida Southern
18. St. Thomas Aquinas (N.Y.)
19. Daemen (N.Y.)
20. Queens (N.C.)
21. Southeastern Oklahoma State
22. Valdosta State (Ga.)
23. Dominican (N.Y.)
24. Northeastern State (Okla.)
25. Drury (Mo.)

D2SIDA Men’s Basketball
1. Bellarmine
2. Northwest Missouri State
3. Indiana (Pa.)
4. UC San Diego
5. Dixie State
6. Lincoln Memorial
7. West Chester
8. Ferris State
9. Nova Southeastern
10. West Texas A&M
11. St. Thomas Aquinas
12. Embry-Riddle
13. St. Edward’s
14. Indianapolis
15. Daemen
16. Florida Southern
17. Dallas Baptist
18. Missouri Southern State
19. Alabama Huntsville
20. Belmont Abbey
21. Queens (N.C.)
22. Southeastern Oklahoma State
23. Southern Indiana
24. Point Loma
25. Shippensburg

HAPPENINGS AT THE VANDERBURGH COUNTY GOP

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Inauguration Ceremony – New Year’s Day 2020
Click for Event Flyer
Date: January 1, 2020
Time: Noon
600 Main St,, Evansville

 

December VCRP Breakfast CANCELLED
The VCRP will not hold a Breakfast Meeting for the month of December.
The next scheduled Breakfast will be Saturday January 18, 2020.

 

First day of declaration of candidacy for 2020 Primary Election is Wednesday, January 8, 2020
Wednesday, January 8, 2020 is the first day a declaration of candidacy for major political party primary nomination (or election as a Republican Party precinct committeeman, or state convention delegate of either major party at the primary) may be filed. It is also the first day a major party primary candidate for President or Governor may file a petition of nomination with a county voter registration office for verification of petition signatures. Refer to the Indiana Secretary of State Election Division’s Candidate Information web page for candidate forms and additional information.

Candidates for precinct committeeman must be a Qualified Elector of the precinct and a Qualified Primary Republican (or obtain authorization from the County Chairman). Candidates for precinct committeeman must file a CAN-37 form with the county clerk between Wednesday January 8, 2020 and noon Friday, February 7, 2020.  Form CAN-37  can be found on the Secretary of State Election Division’s Candidate Information web page.

Republican State Convention Delegate Candidates must be a resident of the Election District and a Qualified Primary Republican. A declaration of candidacy for election as a state convention delegate (form CAN-37) must be filed with the county election board no earlier than January 8, 2020 and no later than noon February 7, 2020. All delegates will be assessed a $100 fee payable to the Indiana Republican State Committee to help defer State Convention costs.

Contact VCRP Political Director Mary Jo Kaiser at beamerjo59@gmail.com or 812-425-8207 for more information.

 

 County Commission / Rezoning Meeting- Date: Tuesday, December 17, 2019
Time: 3:00 PM
Location: Room 301, Civic Center Complex
                1 NW Martin Luther King Blvd, Evansville
 For more information visit

County Commissioners

 County Council Meeting-   Date: Wednesday, January 8, 2020

  

 
   Time: 3:30 PM
Location: Room 301, Civic Center Complex
                1 NW Martin Luther King Blvd, Evansville
 For more information visit

County Council

VCRP Central Committee Meeting – Wednesday, January 8, 2019
Time: 11:30 AM
Location: GOP Headquarters
815 John Street, Evansville
Meetings are open to all Vanderburgh County Precinct Committeemen

 Meet Your Legislators – Saturday, January 11, 2020
Date: Saturday, January 11, 2020
Time: 9:15 AM (doors open at 9:00 AM)
Location:Central Library– Browning Rooms
200 SE ML King BLVD, Evansville
 
Mark your calendars for a chance to talk to our state Legislators at the Evansville Central Library on the second Saturdays of January, February, and March of 2020!
 
 

EVSC Board of School Trustees Meeting-
  Date: January 13, 2020
             Time: 5:30 PM
 Location: Board Room, EVSC Administration Building
                  951 Walnut St., Evansville
For more information visit the Board of School Trustees web page.

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Wesselman Woods names new executive director
(from 12/13/199 Newsletter)
We are fortunate to live in a community with a number of fun activities and wonderful outdoor experiences, including the Wesselman Woods Nature Preserve, which has some exciting news. Robin Johnston Deem will serve as Wesselman Woods’ next executive director.
    Johnston Deem is deeply involved in community initiatives promoting healthy lifestyles in southwest Indiana. She is well known and respected for her ability to build bridges across many different groups, and will be a true champion for Wesselman Woods.
   Working in partnership with the City of Evansville, Wesselman Nature Society provides environmental education and outdoor recreation experiences to connect people with nature, motivate them to lead sustainable lives, and take action to protect wildlife and wild places. Wesselman Woods is a great place to visit and experience the outdoors.
   Click here to get involved by volunteering, donating or visiting our community’s unique natural habitat.
Also see Indiana House Republicans 12/13/19 Post-  Sullivan: Connecting Indiana, investing in trails
 
From Indiana Senate Republican 12/13/19 Newsletters for:
Indiana Installs 17th Baby Box
     Recently, Indiana installed its 17th baby box under the Safe Haven Law. The Safe Haven Law, which was created in 2000, allows parents who feel they are unable to care for an infant less than 30 days old to leave the child with staff at a designated Safe Haven location with no questions asked. This enables a person to give up an unwanted infant safely and anonymously without fear of arrest or prosecution. As long as there are no signs of intentional abuse on the baby, no information is required of the person.
    During the 2018 legislative session, the Indiana General Assembly passed Senate Enrolled Act 340, which allows fire stations to use baby boxes. Once the baby is examined and, if needed, given medical treatment, the Indiana Department of Child Services will take the child into custody and place it with a caregiver.

    In a perfect world, we wouldn’t need a Safe Haven Law to protect newborns. Unfortunately, some parents are unable to give their babies the care they need, and I believe the Safe Haven Law is an important option to protect a young life if a desperate parent feels they have nowhere else to turn.

For more information on the Safe Haven Law, click here.
Senate Page Program Applications Open
     The Indiana Senate is now accepting applications for the 2020 Senate Page Program. Through the full-day program, students in grades six through 12 can tour Indiana’s Statehouse, listen to debates and help staff with age-appropriate tasks. Students also have the opportunity to meet with their state senator.
     The Senate Page Program will begin in January and run through early March. Positions fill quickly, so it is important to apply early. Pages are scheduled for Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays during the legislative session. They begin their day at 8:30 a.m. and are dismissed at 3:30 p.m. Groups serve together on Wednesdays. Serving as a page is considered an excused absence from school.
     Moving a bill through the legislature can be a long and complicated process, and the Senate Page Program allows students to get an up-close look at what goes into accomplishing this task. I encourage all students in our area to consider paging with the Senate. For more information or to apply, click here.

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 Dr. Bucshon’s Statement on House Democrats’ Articles of Impeachment  (from 12/10/19 Press Release)
  Congressman Larry Bucshon, M.D. (IN-08) released the following statement after Speaker Pelosi and House Democrats unveiled articles of impeachment against President Trump:
“House Democrats have been obsessed with impeaching President Trump since he was elected in 2016. Their blatant refusal to accept the will of the American people in that election undermines our democracy and effectively silences the voices of millions of Americans. Make no mistake, this sham impeachment process is nothing more than a partisan endeavor that has been engineered in an attempt to influence the outcome of the 2020 elections. These articles of impeachment were essentially written three years ago before the President ever took the oath of office, and House Democrats have merely been searching for what they believe is a narrative they could spin and twist into a justification for impeachment. The American people are the real victims of this shameful process – while House Democrats play politics, real work to improve the lives of Americans has taken a back seat to the impeachment agenda.“

 Senator Mike Braun on Impeachment ( 12/10/19 Facebook Post)
Shortly after Trump was elected, even before he was inaugurated, the discussion of impeachment began. The only question was, what will the vehicle be. Now we know. Just like the Mueller Report, this entire process is ending with a thud.
  Watch Senator Mike Braun discuss Impeachment during network interviews below.

 

 

Last week President Trump saw the House move closer to ratifying one of his top policy priorities, the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement, made an initial trade agreement with China, signed an Executive Order combating the rise of Anti-Semitism on college campuses, and worked on increasing access to affordable, high quality child care. This on the heals of economic data showing a booming economy where his policies have resulted in the lowest unemployment level in 50 years.
 Last week the Democrats gave us impeachment.
 So who is really working in the best interests of the American people?
“The Agreement will create significant new opportunities for American workers, farmers, ranchers, and businesses by opening markets in Canada and Mexico and eliminating barriers to United States goods, services, and investment.”
 - President Donald J. Trump 
“We have agreed to a very large Phase One Deal with China. They have agreed to many structural changes and massive purchases of Agricultural Product, Energy, and Manufactured Goods, plus much more.””We have agreed to a very large Phase One Deal with China. They have agreed to many structural changes and massive purchases of Agricultural Product, Energy, and Manufactured Goods, plus much more.”    –President Donald J. Trump 

 President Donald J. Trump Is Committed to Supporting Working Families

“My administration will also continue to advocate for policies that support working families, including making child care more affordable and accessible.”   - President Donald J. Trump 
President Donald J. Trump is issuing an Executive Order to further the fight against the rise of anti-Semitism in the United States.”The vile, hate-filled poison of anti-Semitism must be condemned and confronted everywhere and anywhere it appears.”   – President Donald J. Trump 


Christmas at the Whitehouse :

  Stay in touch with GOP members of Congress representing our area at these links:

Visit the Vanderburgh GOP 

page for daily updates.

  Mark Your calendar                CLICK on event for more information
December 17 (3:00 pm)
January 1, 2020 (Noon)
January 8, 2020
 First day to file a Declaration of Candidacy for 2020 Primary
January 8, 2020 (3:30 pm) County Council Meeting
January 11, 2020 (9:15 am)
January 13, 2020 (5:30 pm) EVSC Board of Trustees Meeting
January 18, 2020
 VCRP Monthly Breakfast
January 31, 2020 Congress of Counties

  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.
Paid for by the Vanderburgh County Republican Party, Farley Smith, Treasurer

Meet Andrew Alexander

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Meet Andrew Alexander

Andrew is a 1988 graduate of North High School, a 1992 graduate of DePauw University and a 1993 graduate of Cincinnati College of Mortuary Science.

He has since served in the funeral industry and enjoys helping people in our community by making funeral planning easier and creating a special tribute to the lives of their loved ones.

Andrew is a longtime member of the Rotary Club of Evansville and Holy Rosary Catholic Church. In his free time, he volunteers for Habitat for Humanity of Evansville.

Andrew grew up in Evansville, lived in Newburgh for 10 years after graduating college and now lives on the north side of Evansville with his wife, daughter and 2 sons. He enjoys spending time with his children and supporting their endeavors. He also enjoys playing a variety of sports and being outdoors.

Our community is very fortunate to have a person of Andrew Alexander’s character and integrity.

AGENDA FOR OF THE BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY MEETING

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BOARD OF PUBLIC SAFETY 121819

USI Women’s Hoops Visit Ashland In Regional Bout

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University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball ends a long layoff Sunday at noon (CST) when it visits No. 4 Ashland University for a Midwest Region clash at Kates Gymnasium in Ashland, Ohio.

The game will be aired live on 95.7 The Spin, while live stats, audio and video is available at GoUSIEagles.com.

Sunday’s game is the Screaming Eagles’ first since ending a five-game-in-11-day stretch with a 71-66 road win over McKendree University in their Great Lakes Valley Conference-opener December 3.

USI (5-1) has won four straight games heading into its bout with Ashland, which begins the week with an 8-0 mark on the year.

Senior guard Ashly Johnson leads the Eagles with 12.3 points and 4.0 assists per game, while junior guard Emma DeHart is contributing 11.5 points, 4.8 rebounds and 2.2 assists per appearance. The Eagles also are getting 9.5 points and a team-best 5.3 rebounds per contest from sophomore forward Ashlynn Brown, while freshman forward Hannah Haithcock is averaging 9.2 points per outing.

Sunday’s game is USI’s final non-conference contest before resuming GLVC play January 2 with a home game against No. 1 Drury University.

USI Women’s Basketball Notes
• Eagles cap off busy stretch with GLVC-opening win. USI Women’s Basketball capped off its stretch of five games in 11 days with a 71-66 come-from-behind win over host McKendree on December 3. Senior guard/forward Morgan Sherwood led the Eagles with a career-high 16 points, while freshman forward Hannah Haithcock and junior guard Emma DeHart contributed 12 and 11 points, respectively.

• Early deficits. The Eagles have had to dig out of some early deficits throughout the first six games. They trailed Central Missouri by 13 before rallying for a seven-point win in their season-opener and were down by 12 in the first half against McKendree before rallying for their latest win. USI nearly eliminated a 20-point second-half deficit in its loss to Ferris State.

• Takeaways from McKendree. USI went 7-of-13 (.538) from behind the arc in its win over McKendree and committed just 10 turnovers. On the flip side, McKendree was 6-of-17 from three-point range and coughed the ball up twice as many times as USI.

• Shake off the rust. After playing five games in 11 days, the Eagles’ game against No. 4 Ashland Sunday will be their first game in nearly three weeks and will be their only game before resuming GLVC play January 2 against No. 1 Drury.

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