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YOUNG REPUBLICANS MEETING
Network, Learn, Get Involved, Take Action
Join us at the Foundry with other like minded college students to learn about your role in local government, your future within the political sphere, staying informed, and various other ways to shape the great state of Indiana. This meeting is open to students who currently attend or recently graduated UE, Ivy
Tech, and USI.
November 07, 2025
5:00 PM
100 N Main St, Evansville, IN
Sign Up: https://forms.gle/vzkWchm3NP78MZ1QA
EWSU Temporarily Suspends Water Shutoffs and Late Fees in Response to the loss of Federal Food Assistance
Gov. Braun invests in Main Street through local partnership in Spencer County
Braun’s economic development strategy improves access to health care and child care
This project will revitalize part of Richland’s Main Street, turning blighted property into multi-use commercial buildings, including a new family medical practice to improve health care access for the community.
“This is exactly the kind of project our READI 2.0 investments were built for: pairing private investment with state support to bring new life to Main Streets and create opportunity for Hoosiers. Congratulations to Richland for their leadership on this project that will improve health care access and child care access.” — Governor Mike Braun
State Rep. O’Brien: Small businesses impacted as shutdown drags on
STATEHOUSE – Small business loan disbursements remain halted due to the federal government shutdown, negatively impacting Indiana’s small and locally owned businesses, said State Rep. Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville).
According to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), over $13 million in SBA loan distributions meant for Indiana businesses have been delayed each week during the shutdown, around $58 million in total. O’Brien said that members of the U.S. Senate have failed to pass a funding bill that would allow the federal government to reopen and resume distributions.
“This shutdown hurts Hoosier small businesses who count on stability from their federal government,” O’Brien said. “The Senate must come to the table and pass a funding bill so our local economies and job markets can get back on track.”
SBA data suggests that approximately 26 SBA-backed loans in Indiana are unable to be approved each week during the shutdown. Additionally, an estimated 39,000 civilian federal workers in Indiana are affected through furloughs or unpaid while still working,potentially reducing their spending levels.
In a press release sent last week, O’Brien shared his concerns about uncertainty over Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits also being delayed, negatively impacting vulnerable families and children in Indiana.
O’Brien said he is continuing to monitor the situation, and if the shutdown continues for an extended period, small businesses could be impacted even further.
Rapist and murderer to remain behind bars thanks to Attorney General Todd Rokita’s appeals team
A murderer and a rapist will remain behind bars after Attorney General Todd Rokita’s legal team secured unanimous victories at the Indiana Court of Appeals, upholding lengthy sentences in two brutal violent crime cases.
“Our office works tirelessly to keep Hoosiers safe from the worst of the worst—from white-collar fraud to cold-blooded killers,” said Attorney General Todd Rokita. “This rapist and this murderer don’t deserve to walk free, and I’m proud that the appellate court agreed with our arguments to keep them locked up and out of our communities for good.”
Nashawn Stephens was sentenced to 75 years in prison for the 2022 murder of Tychius Derrickson in Mishawaka. Stephens and an accomplice lured Derrickson to an apartment under false pretenses, brutally beat him, dragged him outside, and shot him three times. Stephens claimed insufficient evidence—no eyewitness, no confession, no gun. The Court of Appeals rejected his appeal, finding overwhelming circumstantial evidence—including witness testimony, timing, physical evidence, and Stephens’s post-crime behavior—sufficient to support the jury’s guilty verdict.
In a separate case, Jorge Juarez Lopez was sentenced to 60 years for breaking into a 17-year-old victim’s home in 2023, holding a knife to her throat, raping her, and threatening to kill her and her sister if she reported the assault. Lopez was convicted of two counts of Level 1 felony rape, two counts of Level 5 felony intimidation, and Class A misdemeanor counterfeit government-issued identification. He argued on appeal that the trial court should have granted a mistrial after the victim had an emotional outburst in court. The Court of Appeals upheld the denial of the mistrial, affirming that the trial judge’s strong admonition to the jury cured any potential prejudice.
The Attorney General’s Appeals Division represented the State in both cases. Both rulings were unanimous and reinforce Indiana’s commitment to justice for victims of violent crime.
Four Aces Earn All-Conference Honors
ST LOUIS –Following a season in which the program saw its highest win total since 2021, the University of Evansville women’s soccer team placed four student-athletes on MVC All-Conference teams, the league office announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Junior Taylor Johnson (Evansville, Ind./Reitz) earns all-conference honors for the second time in her career, landing on the All-MVC Second Team after being a Third Team selection in 2024. Johnson took her game to the next level in 2025, posting single season career-highs in games played (16), starts (16), assists (3), points (9), shots (18), shots on goal (13), and minutes played (1,034). Johnson scored three goals on the year, ranking second on the team.
Brielle LaBerge (Cumming, Ga./Forsyth Central) enjoyed a breakout campaign as a sophomore in 2025, starting all 16 matches while playing 1,422 of a possible 1,440 minutes. While serving as an anchor of the Evansville defense, LaBerge was also one of the top offensive threats in the conference, finishing the regular season second in the MVC with five assists and first in assists per game at 0.31. LaBerge also added a goal to finish the year with eight points, while placing eight shots on target.
Allie Lammers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) emerged as one of the top goalkeepers in the MVC this year to earn Third Team all-conference accolades. Serving as Evansville’s primary keeper, Lammers posted a 6-4-2 record with five shutouts in 13 matches. Lammers ranked inside the top 100 nationally in goals against average (1.00), the lowest mark by a UE primary starter since 2020. For the year, the sophomore made 46 saves for a .793 save percentage, including eight matches with four-plus saves. Over the course of the season, Lammers earned three MVC Goalkeeper of the Week awards, the most by a Valley keeper this season while marking the first time an Evansville keeper has been named MVC Goalkeeper three times in a single season since Simone Busby in 2014.
Lily Kytasaari (Platte City, Mo./Platte County) lands on the MVC All-Freshman Team following a stellar debut season with the Purple Aces. Playing in all 16 matches with one start, Kytasaari logged 498 minutes and scored two goals, becoming one of four Aces to score multiple goals on the season. With the nod, Kytasaari becomes Evansville’s first All-Freshman team selection since Hailey Autenrieb in 2021.
USI Theatre presents Xanadu as first main stage show of the 2025-26 season
University of Southern Indiana Theatre continues its 2025-26 season with the mainstage opener Xanadu, written by Douglas Beane and directed by Joshua Robinson, Assistant Professor of Musical Theatre. Performances will run Thursday through Sunday, November 20-23 at the USI Performance Center.
USI Theatre is proud to partner with The Actor’s Equity Association to bring in professional partners to work side by side with USI students on this production. The show will feature Jon Froehlich, a professional actor, as Danny, and Maggie Kayes, a professional stage manager, will return to work with USI Theatre.
With music and lyrics by Jeff Lynne and John Farrar and based on the massive flop film from 1980, Xanadu follows the journey of a Greek muse whose mission is to inspire the artist Sonny Malone to invent the apex of all artistic endeavors, a roller-skating disco! Antics and hijinks ensue in this madcap spoof of the original Razzie-award winning movie, featuring songs from the original soundtrack and hits from Olivia Newton-John and Electric Light Orchestra. The show is an all-out spectacle that promises to transport the audience back to the decade of decadence.
Joining Robinson on the production team are Brynne Stephens, Assistant Director and Senior USI Theatre student; Tom Drury, Advanced Instructor in Music and Musical Director; Kaitlyn Mayse, Choreographer; and Emma Marshall, Associate Choreographer and junior USI theatre student. Performing alongside professionals will be USI seniors Ethan Hoover, LillyBea Ireland and Rayn Miller; juniors Morgan Ray and Eric Meyer; and sophomores Kris Carlos, Amy’a Dallas and Reagan Foray.
Tickets are $2 for USI students, $10 for USI employees, $4 for non-USI students (student ID required), $10 seniors (60+) and $12 for adults. Tickets are free to USI students with ID one hour before each performance begins based on availability. Shows start at 7 p.m. Thursday, November 20 through Saturday, November 22 and 2 p.m. on Sunday, November 23 for the matinee.
Scott Harris ’07 named 2025 USI Distinguished Accountant
Scott Harris ’07 has been named the recipient of the 2025 University of Southern Indiana Romain College of Business Distinguished Accountant Award. The award was announced by Michael B. Carroll ’88, Chief Financial Officer at Heritage Federal Credit Union, and Andrea Medcalf ’17, Financial Planning and Analysis Manager at Traylor Bros., Inc.
Harris is Controller at Traylor Bros., Inc. where he oversees financial operations and leads shared services teams across the Traylor Construction Group. He has guided multiple mergers and acquisitions, spearheaded innovation and continuous improvement efforts and leads the company’s R&D tax credit initiatives. Through the Traylor Family Foundation, he helps direct charitable giving that uplifts countless lives.
Harris has served as a Girl Scout troop leader, has volunteered with the Harrison Instrumental Music boosters and is a long-time supporter of the United Way, Breakthrough T1D, Sleep in Heavenly Peace and Habit for Humanity.
He received his bachelor’s degree in accounting from USI in 2007. He started his career in public accounting and moved into the role of Controller at Summit Contracting, and then transitioned to Traylor Bros., Inc., where he has served since 2013.
The Distinguished Accountant Award has been given annually since 2004 by the USI Romain College of Business in conjunction with the USI Accounting Circle and recognizes professional achievement, service to the region and/or University and service to the accounting profession.
CenterPoint Energy to host first Community Connect event in Rockport
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — — CenterPoint Energy will host its first Community Connect event on Thursday, Nov. 6, at South Spencer High School in Rockport. The event is part of CenterPoint’s ongoing commitment to listen to local feedback, highlight local energy improvements, and address customer priorities.
During the event, customers and media representatives can learn about the company’s actions to prioritize affordability, financial assistance programs and resources available to customers, and local infrastructure investments to improve reliability.
| Where: | South Spencer High School
1142 N. County Road 275 W. Rockport, IN 47635
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| When: | Thursday, November 6 | 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
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| Who: | A CenterPoint spokesperson will be available for media interviews |









