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Santa Claus Is Not the Only Town with a Christmas name
Here in Southern Indiana, we have what might be the most appropriately named town for this time of year. The town of Santa Claus is a hub of activity this month, getting letters from all over the world officially postmarked from the famous post office.
But there are many other towns with holiday-sounding names, like Holiday Hills, IL; Snowflake, AZ; Mount Holly, NC; Garland, TX; Noel, MO; and if you know your reindeer – Dasher, GA; and Rudolph, WI.
Here’s a complete listing from the US Census Bureau
Attorney General Todd Rokita files six lawsuits on behalf of used car buyers
Driving away deceptive conduct in the used car industry, Attorney General Todd Rokita files six lawsuits on behalf of buyers
Attorney General Todd Rokita has announced a sweep of lawsuits against multiple Indiana car dealers allegedly engaged in deceptive acts against car-buying Hoosiers. The lawsuits focus on helping affected consumers who purchased used cars and allegedly ended up with a variety of broken promises, such as not receiving titles or receiving vehicles with salvage titles that were not legal to drive on Indiana roads.
“Indiana consumers deserve to get what they pay for,” Attorney General Rokita said. “We won’t hesitate to bring lawsuits against car dealers who lie or fail to honor their end of agreements with purchasers. Deceptive conduct hurts consumers, and it hurts the reputation of the vast majority of Indiana car dealers who conduct business the right way.”
The lawsuits were filed against Cars R Us, MG Motors, Merliot Auto Sales, Phoenix Motors, Redelman’s Deals on Wheels, and W. Main Auto Sales.
MG Motors and W. Main Auto Sales each allegedly sold cars to consumers and failed to deliver titles. MG Motors allegedly failed to deliver 17 titles while W. Main Auto sales allegedly failed to deliver 22 titles.
Merliot Auto Sales allegedly sold 17 vehicles that had “salvage” title brands to unknowing consumers. Vehicles with “salvage” title brands cannot legally be driven on Indiana roads.
Cars R Us allegedly agreed as part of a vehicle sale to pay off the loan on the consumer’s trade-in vehicle. Cars R Us allegedly failed to make the trade-in payoff, leaving the consumer with multiple auto loans — one on their trade-in and one on their newly-purchased vehicle.
Phoenix Motors sold vehicles to two consumers when the vehicles were allegedly not owned by Phoenix Motors. The vehicles were allegedly then taken back by Phoenix and returned to their original owners, despite the consumers paying for the vehicles in full — leaving the consumers without the monies they paid or the vehicles they purchased.
Redelman’s Deals on Wheels lost its Indiana dealer license to sell vehicles in December 2023. Redelmen’s allegedly continued to sell cars without the required license.
Attorney General Rokita is seeking injunctive relief, consumer restitution, civil penalties, and costs in the lawsuits.
Consumers who believe they have encountered wrongful business practices are encouraged to file complaints with the Attorney General at www.in.gov/attorneygeneral.
Retail Food Establishment Inspection Report
Ascension St. Vincent Grant to Youth First for Mental Health Support and Substance Misuse Prevention in Catholic Schools
Ascension St. Vincent Evansville Awards $20,000 to Youth First
Grant to Provide Mental Health Support and Substance Misuse Prevention
for Youth in Evansville Catholic Diocese Schools
Ascension St. Vincent Evansville has awarded $20,000 to Youth First, Inc., to invest in the health and well-being of youth and families. The award will provide mental health support and substance misuse prevention through social work services and prevention programs in over 20 Catholic Diocese of Evansville schools.
Ascension St. Vincent Evansville is dedicated to advancing compassionate, patient-centered care within their statewide ministries. Charitable contributions from supporters fund programs and projects focused on holistic care that extends beyond traditional healthcare services, allowing new ways to improve outcomes and create positive experiences for those served.
Alex Chang, Ascension President, South Region, states: “We recognize the vital importance of mental health support for students in the Evansville Diocese, particularly at school, where our youth spend so much of their time. Through our support of Youth First, we are not only addressing the immediate needs of these young individuals but also helping to foster a community of compassion, resilience, and understanding.”
The grant to Youth First will allow for continued mental health support for students in selected Catholic Diocese of Evansville schools. Youth First partners with 125 schools across 14 Indiana counties to embed prevention programs and over 90 skilled mental health professionals (primarily master’s level social workers) in school buildings, where they provide caring mental health support for students and prevention coaching for parents and teachers. Youth First Mental Health Professionals build caring relationships, foster readiness for positive change, and boost resiliency, along with other valuable life skills.
Research shows these protective factors are the keys to effective prevention of negative outcomes for young people. The organization’s positive work and strategies are driving growth, with more schools seeking Youth First’s help to address the growing need for mental health support for students.
USI Homecoming to celebrate The Screaming Twenties the first week of February
USI Homecoming to celebrate The Screaming Twenties first week of February
The University of Southern Indiana will host its 2025 Homecoming Week, featuring a variety of events for USI students, faculty, staff, alumni, friends and families to enjoy Friday through Saturday, February 1-8.
The 2025 theme, Homecoming: The Screaming Twenties, is a play on the Roaring Twenties. Events include the first annual Homecoming Day of Service, Casino Night, a Homecoming Student-Athlete Panel and much more. A full list of activities is available on the Homecoming website.
On Saturday, February 8, USI Women’s and Men’s Basketball will take on Southeast Missouri State University. Games will begin at 5 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. respectively. A Coronation Ceremony recognizing 13 USI students selected for the 2025 Homecoming Court will take place during halftime of the USI Men’s Basketball game. Two Homecoming Majesties will be crowned at the Ceremony.
During both basketball games, Alumni Engagement and Volunteer USI will have two photo booth opportunities for fans to enjoy throughout the Arena, as well as face painting and caricature portraits. A table will be set up at the entrance of the Arena for guests to claim a free popcorn voucher and spirit gear.
“Homecoming is a chance for our students, alumni and community to participate and contribute to an ongoing development of tradition and history on our campus. Being a younger institution, we are uniquely positioned to bring people together—from the first graduates of USI all the way to the next generation of Screaming Eagles yet to come,” says Allison Weihe, Assistant Director of Student Activities and Traditions. “We invite everyone to come back home to celebrate the University’s history, accomplishments, and promising future by participating in events like our Homecoming Day of Service and by supporting our incredible student-athletes at the Homecoming games. Go Screagles!”
For more information, visit the USI Homecoming website.
Vincennes University Executive Director of IT and CIO Jaci Lederman selected for prestigious Tobias Fellows
Jaci Lederman, the Executive Director of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at Vincennes University, has proudly been selected for the 20th cohort of Tobias Fellows by The Randall L. Tobias Center for Leadership Excellence at Indiana University.
Lederman is one of 22 exceptionally talented and experienced leaders chosen for the prestigious yearlong interactive program.
According to VU President Dr. Chuck Johnson, “Jaci’s extraordinary leadership and extensive knowledge have been pivotal in transforming Vincennes University. She has successfully modernized our technology landscape, making a lasting impact on the VU Community. Her selection as a Tobias Fellow is a well-deserved recognition of her outstanding contributions.”
The Tobias Fellows program focuses on cultivating skills that help fellows further develop personal leadership and ensure an immediate impact on their institutions and organizations. Fellows engage in leadership retreats and one-on-one executive coaching sessions and work toward mastering key leadership competencies, including mindset, vision, perspective, collaboration, communication, and self-awareness.
Lederman is eager for the unique leadership development opportunities she’ll experience as a fellow.
Lederman said, “Joining the Tobias Fellows excites me! It will enhance my knowledge, broaden my perspectives, foster unparalleled connections, and challenge me to grow into a more impactful leader. I can’t wait to embrace this incredible journey.”
Her professional career and previous IT leadership in Southwest Indiana is nothing short of impressive. A VU graduate, Lederman started as a faculty member in the Information Technology program in 2011, eventually achieving the professor rank and serving as the department chair for more than five years.
Before becoming the Executive Director of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer in 2023, Lederman served as the University’s Director of Enterprise Applications. Lederman has led VU’s IT modernization and digital transformation. She has been instrumental in launching the new VU-X internal portal and app, as well as multiple other software tools. She also founded the inaugural VU Women IN Tech Symposium and Showcase in 2024.
Lederman demonstrates a deep commitment to community service and is a dedicated volunteer for United Way’s Day of Caring, consistently giving time and effort to support impactful initiatives.
Her qualifications include a range of credentials, including IT, cybersecurity, and project management certifications, a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in IT Management from Western Governors University, a Bachelor of Science in Management from the University of Phoenix, and an Associate of Science in Computer Programming from VU.
Tree advisory Board 2025 Meeting Schedule
The following are the dates for the City of Evansville Tree Advisory Board meetings for 2024.
Each meeting is scheduled for room 301 of the Civic Center at 9am for the dates indicated.
Questions and input from the public is welcome. Meetings are recorded, broadcasted live and archived meetings can be viewed on-line. Meetings can also be attended by Webex if
requested prior to meeting. If you have a community calendar, we would be grateful to have our meetings listed on it.
The dates for the meetings are:
January 2
February 6
March 6
April 3
May 1
June 5
July 3
August 7
September 4
October 2
November 6
December 4
Thank You for your time,
Shawn Dickerson, Evansville Tree Advisory Board Secretary
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.