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Governor Braun Signs Executive Orders on Reducing Over-Regulation and Creating Opportunity While Protecting Our Environment

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Governor Braun Signs Executive Orders on Reducing Over-Regulation and Creating Opportunity While Protecting Our Environment

“We need to unleash the productive side of our economy while protecting and preserving our state’s natural resources.”

INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Mike Braun signed two executive orders on environmental policy focused on preserving our abundant natural resources while fostering growth in Indiana.

Executive Order 25-38: Creating Opportunity and Reducing Over-Regulation While Protecting Our Environment 

Federal laws like the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Safe Drinking Water Act establish baseline national standards for environmental protection, and states implement those standards within their borders.

Many states go further than the federal standards and create a complex web of regulations for businesses and farmers to navigate, stifling innovation and raising the cost of living.

This executive order makes the federal environmental standards of the Clean Air Act, Clean Water Act, and Safe Drinking Water Act Indiana’s standards, and ensures that the state will not adopt new regulations more stringent than those national standards unless required by state law or deemed necessary by the Governor’s office to address specific needs.

“We can protect our environment and grow our economy, and the federal standards of the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act are an appropriate baseline to strike that balance. Adhering to the national standards will give Hoosier businesses and communities regulatory certainty and encourage new businesses to invest and grow here in Indiana where they know the compliance framework already — all while safeguarding Hoosiers’ health and preserving our natural resources.” —  Governor Mike Braun

Executive Order 25-37: Indiana’s Environmental Policy Will be Based on Sound Science, not Politicized ‘Environmental Justice’ 

Fourteen states have “environmental justice” initiatives, designed to make environmental policy decisions on the basis of race and other factors.

This executive order makes clear that Indiana will not use the concept of “environmental justice” in the state’s permitting or enforcement decisions.

“Indiana’s environmental policy will be based solely on sound science – not a political agenda like ‘environmental justice.’ My environmental policy is all about preserving our abundant natural resources, fostering economic development, and safeguarding Hoosiers’ health.” —  Governor Mike Braun

Attorney General Files Suit Against Jasper Travel Agency

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Attorney General Todd Rokita has filed a lawsuit against a travel company based in Jasper. The company is accused of engaging in illegal deceptive practices, including identity theft and fraudulent timeshare transactions.

According to Rokita, GoGo Travel Consulting LLC falsely represented itself by using the identity of an Indiana-licensed real estate broker without his knowledge or consent.

Attorney General Rokita said, “We encourage anyone who believes they have been a victim of timeshare fraud to contact our office immediately.”

Older adults are particularly vulnerable to timeshare scams, which often involve high-pressure sales tactics that include bogus claims of having ready buyers for timeshare properties. Victims are typically asked to pay upfront fees for supposed taxes or closing costs, only to find that the promised transactions never occur.

Attorney General Rokita filed the lawsuit through his Homeowner Protection Unit (HPU), which is part of the office’s Consumer Protection Division.

HPU’s investigation revealed that the phone number utilized by GoGo Travel, which was spoofed to appear as a number originating from southern Indiana, was ultimately linked to two Mexican nationals living in Puerto Vallarta who are alleged to be conspirators in the fraudulent scheme.

In conjunction with this legal action, the Attorney General’s office is raising awareness about the broader issue of timeshare fraud, which is often linked to organized crime. According to a joint notice by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), timeshare fraud schemes are frequently perpetrated by Mexico-based transnational criminal organizations. These organizations use the proceeds from such fraud to fund other criminal activities, including drug trafficking and human trafficking.

Hoosiers are encouraged to contact the Office of the Attorney General about any suspected scams or scam attempts. Consumers may file a complaint by visiting indianaconsumer.com or calling 1-800-382-5516.

Grand Opening Ceremony Heldt at the Susan H. Snyder Center for Women and Children

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The Evansville Rescue Mission (ERM) will host a Grand Opening and Dedication ceremony for the Susan H. Snyder Center for Women and Children (CWC) on Thursday, March 13, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. The ceremony, which will be held at the new center, 1400 Professional Blvd. in Evansville, is open to the public.

Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry will be the keynote speaker during the ceremony. As
well, Dr. Tom DeVries, President / CEO of the Citygate Network, a national association of which the ERM is a longtime member, will bring brief remarks, as will members of the Mission’s leadership team. A self-guided, curated tour of the facility will follow the ceremony.

Several years in the making, the CWC will, in the months ahead, feature a capacity of 125 women and children once fully operational. There will be a space for mothers with children, and a totally separate space for single women. The Mission plans to very slowly begin receiving guests within the next few weeks once the building is totally completed. Then, over the course of the coming months, the residential capacity will be gradually increased incrementally so the staff has a chance to refine and enhance the Center’s policies, procedures, and best practices. As well, the slow increase in capacity will allow the Mission’s operational fundraising to keep up with the pace of its growth.

The CWC will feature a Day Care for residents and staW to use, a salon; a Fitness Center, three laundry facilities, a teaching kitchen, a Children’s Library, a technology lab, an in-house “store”, a chapel and multi-purpose room, an Emergency Shelter, and a Dining Room. As well, the CWC will offer programming, case management, and other wrap-around services provided by our staff, and by our collaborative partners in the community.

The Evansville Rescue Mission also announces the successful completion of its $9M capital
campaign project, which was started in 2023. The capital campaign allows for the reconstruction of the 42,000 square foot facility and for a short period of the operational costs associated with the new Center.

he Evansville Rescue Mission was founded in 1917 by Dr. Ernest and Edna Reveal. It has operated continuously in the Evansville area for 108 years and has been led by seven chief executives during that time. The current President / CEO, the Reverend Tracy L. Gorman, is in his 17th year as the Mission’s leader. As well, the Mission is governed by an independent nonprofit Board of Directors consisting of 15 Board Directors. The ERM also comprised of its Men’s Residence Center, and the Youth Care Center, which are both in downtown Evansville; The Thrift Store, Mission Grounds Coffee Shop, and The Furniture Warehouse, all located in Washington Square Mall on South Green River Road. The Mission serves close to 300,000 meals annually and provides close to 50,000 nightly bed spaces.

Night of Fun to Benefit Highland Challenger League Baseball

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Challenger League Baseball is hosting the 11th annual The Challenger Show on Saturday, March 15th, from 5 to 11 p.m. The night will raise funds for Highland Challenger League Baseball. The event includes dinner, live entertainment, raffles, a silent auction, a cash bar, and music. It will be held at the 4-H Center in Vanderburg County. Challenger League is a division of Little League that focuses on children with physical and special needs.

Challenger Baseball is in its 10th year of play and the organization is growing each season. They are dedicated to these all-stars and are currently securing funds for the future of this league. The funds raised at The Challenger Show will directly benefit the upcoming season of Challenger Baseball. Come out and watch local celebrities do their best to lip-sync and live music star impersonations.

Runner named MVC Freshman of the Year

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Runner named MVC Freshman of the Year
The guard becomes the fourth Purple Aces to earn the award
ST LOUIS – Guard Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind. / Hamilton Heights HS) has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Freshman of the Year in a vote of league coaches, sports information directors, and media members.
Runner made an immediate impact in her first season as a Purple Ace, putting up offensive numbers not seen in over a decade. Runner was rewarded for her season helping lead UE with the MVC Freshman of the Year award. She is the first Evansville player to win the award since guard/forward Abby Feit in 2020.
Along with being named the Freshman of the Year, Runner is the captain of the MVC All-Freshman Team. The guard made her impact known right away in the 2024-25 season by putting up 18 points in her collegiate debut at IU Indy. Over the non-conference season, Runner’s offensive prowess continued to grow including having the Aces’ first 30-point performance since the 2018-19 season.
Once Runner hit MVC play she was an established offensive presence, averaging 17.8 points and 3.1 assists per game. Through 31 games in the regular season, she averaged 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals. Runner ended the season as the highest scoring freshman in the Valley along with the most assists by a first-year player.
Runner also made her mark nationally, particularly at the free throw line. She was sixth among Division I players in both free throw attempts and made free throws. On the season, Runner has taken 243 attempts and made 199 to lead the MVC. She is also the nation’s leading freshman in both categories as Vanderbilt’s Mikayla Blakes is slightly behind in made free throws. Runner is also one of only 10 freshmen ranked nationally in points on the season.
UE has not had a first-year player make an offensive impact like Runner since Sara Dickey in the 2013-2014 season. Dickey went on to become the program’s leading scorer after four years with Evansville after having 546 points in her first season. Runner hasn’t quite made it to 500 career points but has the potential to hit that mark in the 2025 Credit Union 1 MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament with 27 more points. She has had double-digit performances in all but two games during the regular season.
Runner had two categories where she outperformed Dickey as a freshman, assists and weekly conference honors. With 89 assists in 31 games Runner had the most assists by an Aces freshman since Dakota Weatherford in 2013-14. Runner and Weatherford have a connection as the two guards are both alums of the same high school Hamilton Heights HS just northeast of Indianapolis.
With six MVC Freshman of the Week titles, Runner is UE’s most decorated newcomer in the Missouri Valley Conference in a single season beating out Dickey by one recognition. She is also tied with Belmont’s Jailyn Banks for most MVC Freshman of the Week awards at six. The Valley has only given out Freshman of the Week awards for two seasons having shifted away from freshman being part of the Newcomer of the Week award.
Runner and the Aces are back in action on Thursday evening for the opening round of the MVC Women’s Basketball Tournament. As the 10th seed, UE takes on the seventh-seeded UIC Flames in the Ford Center. Tip-off on Thursday, March 13 is set for 6 p.m. in downtown Evansville.

Mutts at Myriad Chili Cook-Off!

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Mutts at Myriad Chili Cook-Off!
Newburgh, Indiana – Warrick Humane Society invites the community to Mutts at Myriad: Chili Cook-Off on March 16, 2025, at Myriad Brewing Company. This fundraiser will showcase local chili talent while supporting WHS’s mission to rescue and rehome animals.
Event Details:
● Date: March 16, 2025
● Time: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM
● Location: Myriad Brewing Company
How to Participate:
● Chili Registration: $10 in advance, $20 at the door (Register Here)
● Tasting & Voting: $5 per person, with additional votes available for $5 each. Voting takes place from 12:00PM – 2:00PM
● Prizes: 1st place receives $100 in gift cards and a 2025 WHS Chili Cook-Off Trophy; 2nd and 3rd place receive trophies. Winners will be announced at 2:30PM.
Additional Details:
● Bowls of chili available for purchase after 1:30 PM for $5, including vegetarian options
● All proceeds directly benefit Warrick Humane Society

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.

USI grabs early lead, but falls after Indiana’s sixth-inning rally

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USI grabs early lead, but falls after Indiana’s sixth-inning rally

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball jumped out to a 5-1 lead on the road against Indiana University on Wednesday afternoon, but a big sixth-inning rally by the Hoosiers propelled Indiana to a 6-5 win.

Senior pitcher Josie Newman got the start for Southern Indiana (4-14) and worked around a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the first inning. After stranding three Hoosiers (19-5) in the first, USI struck first in the top of the second. Following two hits and a walk to load the bases, freshman catcher Jordan Mackey shot one to the left-center alley for a two-RBI double to put USI ahead early, 2-0.

Newman and the Screaming Eagles danced around another bases-loaded situation in the home half of the fourth inning, tallying back-to-back strikeouts to keep a 2-0 lead.

Southern Indiana posted a third run in the top of the fifth. After a one-out single by junior outfielder Caroline Stapleton, senior third baseman Whitley Hunter brought Stapleton home on a two-out double to give USI the 3-0 advantage. IU got the run back with a sac fly in the bottom of the fifth to make the score 3-1 USI going to the sixth inning.

In the sixth frame, an RBI knock by Mackey and another run off an IU error increased the Eagles’ lead to four, 5-1. However, the Hoosiers got the bats rolling in the bottom of the sixth, scoring five runs with four coming home on a grand slam to catapult IU ahead, 6-5. USI could not overcome the IU rally, going 1-2-3 in the top of the seventh to end the game.

Southern Indiana totaled eight hits toward its five runs. Seven of USI’s starting offensive nine tallied a hit. Mackey led the offense with two hits and three RBIs. Freshman first baseman Lilly Brown had a hit with two runs and fellow freshman Grace Huffman recorded a hit and a run. In the pitching circle, Newman (3-8) went the distance for the seventh time this season, striking out four in the tough loss.

For Indiana, the Hoosiers finished with nine hits. Freshman starting pitcher Jenae Berry did not factor into the decision, lasting only an inning with two runs allowed. Freshman pitcher Jasmine Reyes pitched the middle innings, going 4.1 innings of work with three runs surrendered – two earned – and four strikeouts. Senior utility Brianna Copeland finished the last 1.2 innings scoreless.

The Screaming Eagles will turn their attention back to Ohio Valley Conference play in the coming days. USI travels to Tennessee State University for a three-game series that has been pushed up due to bad weather in the forecast in Nashville, Tennessee. The Eagles and Tigers will now play a doubleheader Friday at Noon and a single game on Saturday at 2 p.m. Coverage of the series against Tennessee State can be found at usiscreamingeagles.com.