Leon is a 5-month-old male English Spot mix. His caregivers describe him as a relaxed, easygoing bunny who does not mind being handled & loved on by people. What really gets him going though, is treats! (We can relate.) Leon is neutered and microchipped, ready to be part of your family today. His adoption fee is $50. Contact Vanderburgh Humane at (812) 426-2563 for adoption details!
HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
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Viper Arrest
 Late last night (Wednesday, January the 22nd), The Evansville Viper Unit located and arrested Shane Stetson James.
James was wanted for running from a traffic stop at St. Joe and Maryland around 4:30 pm on Tuesday (January the 21st).
While running from the traffic stop, he was observed throwing a handgun that was later recovered by authorities.
After being arrested, James was transported to the Vanderburgh County Jail and booked on his charges.Â
UE Men Drop Final Game Of Homestand
Aces Fall By a 73-50 Final To Bulldogs
John Hall posted a solid evening, registering seven points and seven rebounds to lead the University of Evansville men’s basketball team on Wednesday in a 73-50 loss to Drake inside the Ford Center.
Hall’s final carom tally marked his season-high. Leading the Purple Aces (9-11, 0-7 MVC) on the scoreboard was Shamar Givance. The sophomore had his best game in nearly two months going a perfect 3-for-3 from long range on his way to nine points. Jawaun Newton finished with eight points.
Less than 24 hours after his introduction as Evansville’s new head coach, Todd Lickliter was on the bench to lead the team. Following a first half that saw the UE defense allow Drake (14-6, 4-3 MVC) to shoot 56.3% and score 46 points, the Aces were much better in the final 20 minutes, holding the Bulldogs to 33.3% shooting and 27 points.
“I see a lot of hope. If you struggle offensively, it usually impacts other areas, but we guarded and defended well; I see the potential and the positives,†Lickliter said after the game. “I am a firm believer in practice and I am looking forward to getting some practice in and moving along in that way, then we will have more to build on.â€
“It is great to be back in the Ford Center and great to be an Ace.â€
A 4-for-7 start from the field saw the Bulldogs open up a 9-0 lead. Jawaun Newton got the Aces on the board with a triple, ending a 0-for-7 start to the game, but the Bulldogs continued their hot start, taking a 14-3 advantage.
Evansville used the long ball to trim into the deficit, getting within five points at 25-19 on a Sam Cunliffe jumper with under six minutes remaining. Evan Kuhlman and Shamar Givance connected on triples in the run with Marcus Henderson assisting on both. The freshman added a trey of his own.
Over the final five minutes of the half, the Bulldogs outscored the Aces by a 21-7 tally as they took their largest lead of the game to that point – 46-26 – at the break. Four 3-pointers found the bottom of the net in that rally. Over the opening 20 minutes, the Bulldogs hit 56.3% of their attempts while going 8-of-13 from long range (61.5%). Evansville was held to seven field goals in the half with 15 of their 24 attempts coming from outside.
In the second half, the Aces worked to get the ball inside and found success with John Hall knocking down consecutive baskets at the rim. Five minutes into the period, a 6-0 stretch saw UE made it a 50-36 game with Artur Labinowicz, K.J. Riley and Newton hitting field goals. While the Aces did a much better job of getting to the rim in the final 20 minutes, the Bulldogs countered with a 13-5 rally that pushed their advantage to 63-41 with eight minutes on the clock.
Drake’s lead reached 24 points with 2:40 remaining before finishing the night with the 73-50 win. The defense for the Aces performed much better in the latter half, holding Drake to just 33.3% shooting.
The final rebounding tally went in Drake’s favor, 38-33. Liam Robbins paced the Bulldogs with 16 points and 8 boards. Roman Penn had 14 points while Garrett Sturtz finished with 10.
Evansville is back on the road for its next two games with the first contest set for Sunday when the Aces take on Valparaiso in a 4 p.m. tilt. On Wednesday, UE heads to Illinois State.
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Butler Massage Therapist Arrested for Rape
This afternoon, detectives from the Indiana State Police Fort Wayne Post concluded a criminal investigation of a local massage business in Butler, which resulted in the owner being arrested on a charge of rape.
The Indiana State Police began investigating Butler Creative Touch Massage in Butler after a female made an allegation of non-consensual sexual activity when she was receiving a massage earlier this month. During the investigation another female came forward to provide information that she experienced a similar event at the Butler Creative Touch Massage 2 years prior.
Detectives conducted a consensual interview with the owner/massage therapist James (Jim) Whitman, the alleged perpetrator of the sexual activity. The investigation showed that Mr. Whitman has practiced massage therapy for over 10 years in Butler. He is not licensed through the State of Indiana, but holds a certificate from the Center for Vital Living School of Massage Therapy.
The complete investigation was turned over to the DeKalb County Prosecutor’s office for review, who in turn was then able to secure an arrest warrant for Whitman. Whitman was taken into custody by ISP detectives around 3:30pm this afternoon without incident. He was transported to the DeKalb County Jail where he was booked into custody and awaits an initial hearing.
ARRESTED:
James (Jim) Whitman (57) of Butler, Indiana
Charge: Rape, a Level 3 Felony
The Indiana State Police was assisted in this investigation by the Auburn Police Department, Butler Police Department, and the DeKalb County Prosecutor’s Office.
*All criminal suspects are to be presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
GPS Tracking of Fleet Vehicle Helps Deputies Arrest Auto ThiefJanuary 22, 2020
Shortly before 08:00 this morning Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s deputies were called to the McDonald’s Restaurant located at 19700 N US 41 based on a tip from the White County (IL) Sheriff’s Office regarding the possible whereabouts of a truck and trailer that were stolen from their jurisdiction earlier this morning. According to White County (IL) investigators the stolen vehicle had been previously outfitted with a GPS locating device and its movement had been tracked to the McDonald’s parking lot near the I-64 and US 41 interchange in northern Vanderburgh County.
Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area and located a man asleep behind the wheel of a Ford F-550 pulling a goose neck trailer matching the description of the combination stolen from the White County (IL) business. Additionally, the trailer was toting a Ford F-250 that had also been stolen from the same business. As a result of the cooperative investigation Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s deputies arrested Luis Flecha, 32, of Lexington, KY for three counts of auto theft.
Imaged Above is Luis David Flecha, 32, of Lexington, KY
Presumption of Innocence Notice: The fact that a person has been arrested or charged with a crime is merely an accusation. The defendant is presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty in a court of law.
Democrat Weinzapfel Leads AG Campaign Funding With $609K
Democrat Weinzapfel Leads AG Campaign Funding With $609
Posted by Indiana Lawyers
Hill’s first announced GOP challenger, Indianapolis attorney John Westercamp, has $38,646.42 available. The other GOP candidate, Adam Krupp — who will soon resign as Indiana revenue commissioner to run for attorney general — has not yet filed campaign finance reports.
Krupp officially announced his candidacy Jan. 13, and a spokesperson for his campaign said his statement of organization was filed the same day. His first-quarter campaign finance report is due April 15.
None of these candidates will face the voters just yet — they first have to convince their fellow Republicans or Democrats to select them as their respective parties’ nominees for the 2020 attorney general race. The parties will choose their AG candidates at their state conventions this summer.
While Weinzapfel has raised about $125,000 from supporters, the bulk of his war chest comes from his own political action committee, which contributed about $487,000 to his AG bid.
In an email to Indiana Lawyer, Weinzapfel said he created the Weinzapfel for Indiana PAC after he decided not to seek a third term as Evansville mayor in 2011. He transferred the PAC’s funds to his AG campaign last month.
Hill’s largest contribution in 2019 came from Rex Sinquefield, a Republican political activist who donated $25,000 to the AG’s reelection campaign.
Hill also has the support of Forrest Lucas, the Indiana businessman and founder of Lucas Oil. Lucas — whose company is the namesake of Lucas Oil Stadium — donated $10,000 to the AG.
The Republican attorney general also received $10,000 from C. Boyden Grey, a Washington Lawyer, lobbyist and former official in the George H.W. Bush administration.
Additionally, two Indiana law firms are supporting Hill-Lewis & Wilkins LLP, which donated $5,000 to his campaign, and Barnes & Thornburg, which donated $2,500.
Westercamp’s campaign has seen significant contributions to Bose McKinney & Evans LLP, the law firm where he practices. The firm’s donations total $10,700.
Aside from Bose, Westercamp’s biggest contribution came from Van Smith, a retired Muncie attorney who donated $5,000. He’s also received $2,000 from the Bassler for State Senate committee benefitting Sen. Eric Bassler, a Republican from Washington, Indiana.
Though Hill is leading his GOP challengers in fundraising, he has not yet received some key endorsements from within the party. Notably, Indiana Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb on Tuesday declined to say if he would endorse Hill, Westercamp or Krupp for the Republican convention.
calling for Hill’s resignation in 2018 when allegations that the AG drunkenly groped four women at a party in March of that year came to light. The governor said Tuesday his position on Hill’s resignation has not changed but added it was “all premature†to say whether he would back one of Hill’s challengers.
“I’m going to not interfere with a co-equal branch of government as they do their work,†Holcomb said, referencing the ongoing attorney discipline action against Hill.
The Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission has recommended a two-year suspension of Hill’s law license without automatic reinstatement. “I’m just as anxious to see what steps they take before I take my next one.â€
Aside from his PAC contributions, Weinzapfel’s largest campaign donation came from Bryan Richards, a Newburgh real estate professional who contributed $20,000.
Weinzapfel also received $15,000 from John Engelbrecht and $10,000 from John Dunn, both of Evansville.
His law firm, Jones Wallace LLC in Evansville, has donated $2,500 to Weinzapfel’s AG campaign. Also, Friends of Ryan Hatfield, benefitting Evansville Democratic Rep. Ryan Hatfield, donated $800.
Like Weinzapfel, Tallian’s AG campaign is being partially financed by her other political endeavors. The Tallian for Senate Election Committee contributed a total of $80,000 to her attorney general bid in 2019.
Aside from her Senate campaign funds, Tallian’s biggest contribution came from the International Brotherhood of Boilermakers, which is based in Kansas City and donated $25,000. She also received $15,000 from James McKamey in Portage.
Additionally, Tallian’s fellow Statehouse Democrats are supporting her in the race for the Democratic AG nomination. Rep. Ed Delaney donated $1,000, while Rep. Sue Errington gave $1,100.
Also, the Visclosky for Congress Committee benefitting retiring Democratic Congressman Pete Visclosky donated $5,000 to Tallian.
 ÂFOOTNOTE: The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Adult Learner Open House Planned For Today At Ivy Tech
Ivy Tech Community College will host an event for adult learners who may be looking for a career change, or the opportunity to earn more money in today’s high-demand fields.Â
Ivy Tech’s Adult Learner Open House will be Jan. 23, from noon-2 p.m. at Ivy Tech’s main campus, 3501 N. First Avenue. Ivy Tech also has locations in Princeton and Tell City.
Next classes begin Monday, March 16. Questions? Email jbinkley10@ivytech.edu.
GOP Rejects Senate Democrat Attempts To Steer Dollars To Teachers
GOP Rejects Senate Democrat Attempts To Steer Dollars To Teachers
By Victoria Ratliff
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Senate Democrats tried and failed Tuesday to fund teacher pay and other needs, as Republicans insisted such issues should wait until a new budget is crafted next year.
The attempt is the latest by Democrats in the House and Senate to amend House Bill 1007, which allows six university construction projects to be paid in cash, rather than from borrowing money, using nearly $290 million of the state’s surplus.
Tuesday, Senate Democrats took three swings at the bill, seeking amendments that would boost teacher pay, fund maternal and newborn health needs and increase reimbursements for county jails that are housing state inmates. All were defeated on 40-10 party-line votes.
In the first of two amendments she offered, Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Ogden Dunes, sought to cut $100 million from a nearly $1 billion yearly payment towards a teacher pension fund and use it instead to increase teacher pay now, rather than waiting until next year as Gov. Eric Holcomb has proposed.
Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, seeks to amend HB 1007 Tuesday in the Senate to boost teacher pay. Photo by Jesse Crebbe. TheStatehouseFile.com
“Our point is this: we have a lot of options, we could start this year with this teacher pay increase, and get our teachers started back to where they should be,†Tallian said.
She rebuffed Republican arguments that this would hurt pensions, saying it would only move back the date when the pre-1996 pension plan is fully funded by six years.
Senate Minority Leader Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, called Tallian’s proposal “the defining amendment of the session.â€
How teachers are treated in Indiana, he said, was the issue that brought 15,000 people in protest to the Statehouse on its November organizational day meeting. Teachers have complained of stagnant pay, and also having their evaluations and pay tied to student standardized test outcomes – an issue that is addressed in another bill, House Bill 1002 which is awaiting a hearing in the Senate.
Sen. Ryan Mishler, the Bremen Republican who is the chief sponsor of HB 1007 in the Senate, argued that now is not the time to address issues that impact the budget.
Sen. Ryan Mishler, R-Bremen, urges Senate to reject Democrat amendments to HB 1007., Photo by Jesse Crebbe. TheStatehouseFile.com
“The six projects in this bill were actually in the (2019) budget bill and I think this proposal should be part of the budget discussion next year,†Mishler said of the teacher pay amendment.
Sen. Jean Breaux, D-Indianapolis, proposed an amendment that would take $4 million from the state’s surplus in order to help communities provide prenatal and postpartum care.
Breaux said 33 counties in Indiana offer no maternity services, forcing mothers to travel to other counties to receive maternal care.
She noted Indiana has the seventh highest mortality rate for babies in the nation, and was the 48th worst state for maternal mortality rates.
Breaux, one of only four black state senators, said she felt personally affected because African-American babies are twice as likely to die than white babies, and African-American mothers are 243% more likely to die than white mothers.
Breaux said the amendment would also extend postpartum and prenatal care on Medicaid up to one year, instead of 60 days. This extension would ensure the health of babies and mothers.
But again, Mishler argued that these issues should be address next year in the budget debate, not now.
Tallian also sought an amendment aimed to raise county sheriff reimbursements for housing state inmates in county jails to $45 a day. Last year, Tallian’s proposal of the same reimbursement increase cleared the Senate, but was cut out of the final version of the budget.
Mishler, however, said that budget caps reimbursements at $30 million and that “no matter what the per diem is, they only have $30 million to spend with no augmentation.â€
Victoria Ratliff is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.