Prison Made Quilts on Display at Indiana Criminal Justice Association Meeting in Evansville
While the Indiana Criminal Justice Association is meeting in Evansville today and tomorrow, a special display of quilts made by incarcerated men will be held at Wabash Valley Correctional Facility. Over 60 quilts will be on display in the exhibit hall at Old National Events Plaza from 8-12 today (10/9) and tomorrow (10/10) from 1-4. admission is free.
The quilters are incarcerated men in the Purposeful Living Units Serve (P.L.U.S.) Program at the Wabash Valley Correctional Facility (WVCF), a maximum security prison in Carlisle, Indiana. There are some serious quilters in this group. The group has made quilts for the families of every Hoosier soldier who died in the line of duty.
The inmates who are serving time for having committed the worst sorts of violent crimes (some of them are incarcerated for life without parole) are not the type you usually visualize when you think about quilters. Of course, stereotypes are always wrong, but clichéd views of both quilters and prison inmates would be utterly off the mark in the case of the WVCF’s P.L.U.S. Program quilters.
UE Fraternity Continues Tradition of Participating at Evansville’s Annual Fall Festival
EVANSVILLE, IND. The members of the University of Evansville’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon (SAE) Fraternity will continue their participation in Evansville’s Annual Fall Festival, a tradition that started in 2012. SAE‘s booth at the festival supports ChemoBuddies, an organization dedicated to ensuring that no one has to face cancer alone.
SAE members say they are looking forward to selling a few different treats at the Fall Festival to further their support for ChemoBuddies. Festival goers can indulge in “Haystacks,” a mouthwatering delight similar to a walking taco. The Haystacks come with a choice of popular snack chips like Doritos, Fritos, or Grippos, complemented by savory BBQ pulled pork or chili. In addition, SAE‘s booth will offer a range of refreshing beverages, including root beer and dreamsicle floats, as well as apple and cherry cider.
SAE is booth number 69 and will be open from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., running from Monday, October 7, through Saturday, October 13. It’s the perfect opportunity for festival attendees to enjoy delicious food while contributing to a worthy cause. Every purchase made at the SAE booth directly supports ChemoBuddies.
The University of Evansville is a private, comprehensive university with a solid foundation in the arts and sciences and professional schools in business, engineering, education, and health sciences. Established in 1854, UE is recognized across the globe for its rich tradition of innovative, academic excellence and dynamic campus community of #Changemakers.
Home of the Purple Aces, UE is located in the southwestern region of Indiana and offers over 75 majors, 17 Division I sports, and a unique study abroad experience at Harlaxton, the University’s very own Victorian manor located in the countryside of England. For more information, please visit evansville.edu.
Evansville Day School Named to Advanced Placement School Honor Roll
Evansville, Indiana: Evansville Day School has been recognized for student success in the Advanced Placement program while broadening access.
College Board announced that Evansville Day School has been named to the 2024 Advanced Placement® Program (AP®) School Honor Roll, earning platinum distinction.
The AP School Honor Roll recognizes schools whose AP programs are delivering results for students while broadening access. Schools can earn this recognition annually based on criteria that reflect a commitment to increasing college-going culture, providing opportunities for students to earn college credit, and maximizing college readiness.
This award recognizes Evansville Day School seniors who not only took five or more AP exams but also scored a 3 or higher on at least one of them! Day School offers an impressive 20 AP courses by 6 AP teachers.
“I am beyond proud of our students and teachers for earning this remarkable achievement. Their commitment to excellence has brought us to this moment, and it speaks volumes about the incredible talent within our school. This award is a reflection of the hard work and dedication we see every day from our students and teachers!”- Mrs. Gehlhausen, Interim Head of Upper School & Director of College Counseling.
Who leads in Indiana Polls?
For Your Polling Pleasure
One thing I’ve been doing for the past few years is polling. I use a company called ARW Strategies that is out of the Chicago suburbs. Owner Andrew Weissert has polled past governor and U.S. Senate races. Heck, I even had him poll the mayor’s race for me in 2023, the general, not the primary, just in case you were wondering. So, as tradition dictates, here we go a polling.
First, let’s get some survey stuff out of the way. We polled 600 likely voters statewide, Sept. 24-26, and the poll had a margin of error of four percent. And remember, polls are not predictions; they are snapshots of time. We asked about several statewide races and a couple of issues as well. In the presidential race, Donald Trump beats Kamala Harris—55-39. Big shocker. In the race for the U.S. Senate, brace yourself, Jim Banks is at 49%, and Dr. Valarie McCray is at 35. Andy Horning was at 2.6%. The remaining 13 percent were undecided. And in the race for Attorney General, Todd Rokita is beating Destiny Wells, 51-36.
And then there was the governor’s race.
Our poll showed Mike Braun at 44, Jennifer McCormick at 37, Don Rainwater at 9, and 10 percent were undecided. While Braun had a seven-point lead over McCormick, which was the smallest of any Republican statewide candidate, he should not be in the mid-40s. Businessman, U.S. senator, you know the story. We’ve seen the commercials. If Braun is at 44% with a month to go before Election Day. He may cross the finish line, beaten and bruised, but forget about a mandate.
And our polls on the statewide races were consistent with other statewide public polls.
We also asked what Hoosiers thought of Gov. Eric Holcomb’s job performance as he leaves the office. The poll showed that 55% approved of the job Holcomb has done, while 35% disapproved. What’s interesting about that is that when asked if they thought the State of Indiana was on the right or wrong track, 42% said things were on the wrong track, while 37% said things were headed in the right direction.
We also surveyed Hoosiers’ thoughts on several issues. Abortion: 53% said it should be legal in all or most cases, 39% said it should be illegal in all or most cases. When asked what the big issue Indiana lawmakers should address in the next session was, it wasn’t property taxes. For all the shouting in the political peanut galleys these days, property taxes were fifth. First was inflation and rising prices: 23%. Jobs and the economy were second, at 13%. The border and immigration were at 12.6%. Followed by education at 12.1%. And bringing up the rear, property taxes at 9%. It didn’t even hit double digits.
A full 60% supported universal school vouchers, while 32% opposed them. When we asked about trust in government, the feds came in at only 32%, 57% trusted the state, and 65% trusted their locals. Trust with the courts was at 62%. And 59% said our politics has become too coarse and personal.
Of course, I had to ask the marijuana question. We didn’t ask about legalization for medicinal or recreational purposes because a clear majority of Hoosiers are in the plus column. We asked, “Have you ever tried it?” The results were 41% multiple times and 13% once. 40% didn’t know, and 5% were unsure. No offense, but if you don’t know whether you did or didn’t, you probably did and did it well.
So that’s all we have. I have to the folks who stepped up and donated or pledged to done to make this happen. Once again, polling is part art, part science. Polls are not predictions; they are snapshots in time. But if you put them together, you do get trends. And those trends will last right through Election Day.
Abdul-Hakim Shabazz is the editor and publisher of Indy Politics. He is also a licensed attorney in both Indiana and Illinois.
THUNDERBOLTS ANNOUNCE 2024-25 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER
CenterPoint Energy urges customers to prepare for winter heating season
Bill assistance and energy-saving resources available as natural gas prices could drive increase to customer bills
Evansville, Ind. – Oct. 9, 2024 – CenterPoint Energy is encouraging customers in its Indiana South natural gas territory to prepare for an increase in natural gas bills this heating season. Last winter, customers benefited from lower wholesale natural gas prices due to a less volatile natural gas market. However, this year, natural gas commodity costs are projected to increase over last year’s heating season as demand is projected to continue to grow. These factors may lead to higher bills compared to last year. Yesterday, the Energy Information Administration (EIA) issued its 2024-2025 winter outlook forecasting heating bills. As a reminder, CenterPoint does not make any profit from the overall cost of natural gas; it is passed on to customers at cost.
This year, based upon projected natural gas commodity costs and normal winter weather, customers can expect to pay on average $129 a month, over the 5-month heating season of November through March. By comparison, last year’s average bill amount for the 5-month period was around $110 a month.
“With natural gas prices projected to increase this winter, we encourage customers to explore all available resources as soon as they can,” said Ashley Babcock, Vice President, Indiana and Ohio Gas. “For customers who may be facing financial hardship, we have tips, tools and programs to help them manage their bills and save energy.”
CenterPoint utilities are not allowed to markup from the purchase and sale of natural gas. Natural gas is a commodity bought and sold in a national deregulated market where prices fluctuate daily due to supply and demand.
Only natural gas costs actually incurred and approved by the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission are recovered from customers. CenterPoint purchases natural gas on behalf of its customers and then passes those costs on to customers through the gas cost adjustment, which is listed on the bill as “Gas Cost Charge.”
Even with these increases, natural gas continues to be one of the most affordable heating sources for most customers in Indiana. In fact, CenterPoint gas customers in the utility’s Indiana South territory who heated their homes with natural gas last year saved up to $790 compared to those who heated their homes with propane.
It is important to remember bills will vary by customer depending on the size and age of the home, number of gas appliances, number of people in the household, thermostat settings and levels of insulation.
Customers are encouraged to take advantage of CenterPoint’s array of payment assistance options as well as energy-saving tips and energy efficiency programs to help mitigate the impact on bills.
Vincennes University Board of Trustees reelects Sievers, honors Schach
VINCENNES, Ind. October 8, 2024 – At the Vincennes University Board of Trustees meeting on Oct. 7, the retirement of long-serving Trustee Rick Schach was officially announced, marking the end of an era of dedicated service that began in 2005. The Board also unanimously reappointed Mike Sievers as Chairman, recognizing his continuing leadership.
Sievers said, “The Board extends its gratitude to Rick for his exceptional stewardship as a trustee and for his long-term contributions and tireless support of Vincennes University.”
Schach, who also chairs the Board’s Personnel and Nominating Committee, was recognized with a special presentation. On behalf of the University and the Board, VU President Dr. Chuck Johnson honored Schach with a resolution of appreciation.
Schach served in various leadership roles before retiring from Vectren (now Centerpoint Energy). Upon his retirement, Rick served as executive vice president and chief operating officer, a role in which he served for four years. His career at Vectren began in 1994, and during that time, Schach served as chief information officer, senior vice president of Energy Delivery, and senior vice president of Marketing and Sales. Before Vectren, he worked for the IBM Corporation.
Schach will remain on the Board until Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb appoints a new trustee.
The Board unanimously reelected Sievers as Chairman. Sievers has chaired the Board since October 2023, when he succeeded Trustee John Stachura. He has served on the Board since 2006.
Johnson said, “Congratulations to Chairman Sievers. Vincennes University greatly appreciates his contributions. With his continued guidance and that of the Board, we are confident that our institution will continue to thrive in the coming years.”
In other key business, the Board approved bids for a major addition to the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy on the Vincennes Campus..
In 2023, Lothian Skelton, the widow of world-famous comedian and Vincennes native Red Skelton, generously gave a $4 million gift to the VU Foundation to build the Lothian and Red Skelton Gallery of Fine Art. The 7,200-square-foot gallery will adjoin the Red Skelton Museum of American Comedy adjacent to the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center. A ceremonial groundbreaking took place for the gallery in October 2023.
Wolfe Construction, Vincennes, received a general construction contract. H.G. Heinz, Inc., Vincennes, received a contract for mechanical construction. Weyer Electric, Vincennes, received a contract for electrical construction. The total cost of the museum addition is $4,148,544.
Hadi Shrine Free Screening Clinic October 19th
Hadi Shriners FREE Screening Clinic
October 19, 2024, 9:00am – 12:00pm
Location: Hadi Shrine 6 Walnut Street, Evansville, IN
Walk Ins are welcome, no appointment necessary.
This mission is carried out without regard of race, color, creed, sex or sect, disability, national origin, or patient/family ability to pay.
A Doctor will be available for evaluating children under 18 of age for Limb Deficiencies, Hand Anomalies, Scoliosis, Amputations, Clubfoot Spina Bifida, Orthopedics, Spine and Spinal Cord Craniofacial, Sports Medicine, Cleft Lip, Cleft Palate, Burn Care and Wound Care & Skin Disorders. A referral to a Shriners Hospital for Children will be made after screening if required.
Transportation to Shriners Hospitals for Children is provided at no cost as a courtesy of Hadi Shrine Transportation.
Hadi Shriners provides service to Shriners Hospitals for Children at St. Louis Missouri Hospital, Chicago Illinois Hospital, Dayton Ohio Hospital and Lexington Kentucky Hospital
Shriners Hospital for Children has a mission to:
Provide the highest quality care to children with neuromusculoskeletal conditions, burns injuries, and other special healthcare needs within a compassionate, family-centered and collaborative care environment.
Provide for the education of physicians and other healthcare professionals.
Conduct research to discover new knowledge that improves the quality of care and quality of life of children and families.
This mission is carried out without regard of race, color, creed, sex or sect, disability, national origin, or patient/family ability to pay.
USI to host Flowers on the Lake for Domestic Violence Awareness Month
The University of Southern Indiana’s Sexual Assault and Gender Violence Prevention Group will host the annual Flowers on the Lake ceremony from 4:30-5 p.m. Tuesday, October 15 in front of the Liberal Arts Center followed by a ceremony at Reflection Lake. The ceremony, held in honor of Domestic Violence Awareness Month, is open to the public at no charge.
Flowers on the Lake is an annual ceremony to honor those who have lost their lives to domestic violence and raise awareness about the warning signs of relationship abuse. Students will speak during a brief presentation about lives that have been lost as a result of domestic violence, which will be followed by a moment of silence. Guests will then proceed to Reflection Lake to scatter flower petals on top of the water in honor of survivors and in memory of victims of domestic violence.
New this year, participants will also be invited to cover a USI Public Safety vehicle with messages of support and/or action on sticky notes as a part of the “Cover a Cruiser” initiative. This will take place before and after the ceremony in Lot N, adjacent to the Liberal Arts Center.
“Our goal is to highlight the warning signs of abusive relationships and stress the importance of accessing the many support resources offered by the University and our community,” says Catherine Champagne, Assistant Program Director for Student Wellness.
This event is sponsored by the USI Sexual Assault and Gender Violence Prevention Group and Albion Fellows Bacon Center.
In the event of rain, the event will be held at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, October 17 at the same location. For more information, contact Catherine Champagne at cchampagne@usi.edu or 812-461-5483.