Parks Board Hears First Round of Comments on Proposed $24 Million Park Bond

10/17/2024

The Board of Parks Commissioners opened the floor yesterday (10/16) to hear citizen comments on the proposed $24 million bond proposal that the Evansville Parks and Recreation Department brought to the board for approval.

Two citizens addressed the board to share concerns about the bond amount and how the parks department plans to allocate the funds. At the last board meeting, the $10 million giraffe breeding barn was removed from the list of projects to be funded from the bond. Eight projects may be financed if the bond passes, including:

Improvements to aquatics centers, $1 million.
Replace unsafe and outdated equipment at Garvin Park, $1.5 million.
Improvements to the sprinkler systems at Fendrich and Helfrich golf courses, $4 million.
Renovations to the C. K. Newsome Community Center, $1 million.
Replacement of the rooftop HVAC units at Swonder Ice Arena, $1.5 million.
Restrooms at Wessleman Park, $850,000.
Renovation at Mesker Park Veterinary Hospital, $500,000.
Completion of the urban park at the 4th and Main, $2 million.

While the original objections to the bond expressed by the board centered around the price tag of the giraffe breeding barn, citizen comments have been more broad in nature.

Cynthia Sabel spoke to the board on Wednesday and expressed concern that the $24 million dollars was an excessive amount for the bond projects. She also pointed out that the aquatics projects were vague and the financial commitment for the CenterPoint Square park at 4th and Main lacked specifics on the total project cost.

Further public comment came from Don Nichols who stated that he believed that the bond is a case of “bait and switch.”

The full public hearing on the the bond issue is scheduled for October 30 at noon in room 301 of the Civic Center. Individuals will have 3 minutes each to speak about the bond, then the board will vote on three issues:

Confirmation of the declaratory resolution.
Approval of the resolution to issue the bonds.
Approval of the appropriations to fund the specific projects.

The parks board is comprised of 5 members. If a member is absent or abstains and the vote ends in a tie, the mayor will cast the deciding vote.

The city of Evansville currently carries about $1 BILLION in bond debt.

BREAKING: Alexis Berggren Resigns From Explore Evansville

10/17/2024

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BREAKING: Alexis Berggren Resigns From Explore Evansville

OCTOBER 17, 2024

Alexis Berggren, President and CEO of Explore Evansville, has turned in her resignation to the board of directors effective the end of this year. No reason has been released for her resignation.

This is a developing story.

Vanderburgh County legislators: Paid Statehouse internship applications closing soon

10/17/2024

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STATEHOUSE – The Oct. 31 deadline to apply for an Indiana House Republican internship during the 2025 legislative session is fast approaching, according to State Reps. Wendy McNamara (R-Evansville) and Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville).

McNamara, a former Statehouse intern, said this full-time, spring semester internship is Monday through Friday at the Statehouse in Indianapolis during the legislative session, which will start in January and conclude in April. House interns earn $900 biweekly and can gain academic credit through their college or university.

“A House internship is a tremendous opportunity for young Hoosiers to use the knowledge they learned in the classroom and apply it to a real-world setting. McNamara said. “As a former intern, I was able to put my skills to the test and build upon what I had already learned.”

O’Brien said interested college sophomores, juniors, seniors, graduate students and recent graduates of all majors should visit indianahouserepublicans.com/internship to complete the application before Oct. 31.

“No matter your college major, interning at the Statehouse can provide valuable experience and expand your network,” O’Brien said. “Time is running out, so make sure to apply before the Oct. 31 deadline.”

Indiana House internships include free parking, career and professional development assistance, and enrollment access to an Indiana government class. Interns are also eligible to apply for a competitive $3,000 scholarship to use toward undergraduate and graduate expenses. The program offers opportunities for students to work in various departments related to their studies, including legislative operations, policy and communications.

EVANSVILLE LAND BANK CORPORATION NOTICE OF EXECUTIVE SESSION

10/17/2024

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Evansville Land Bank will hold an Executive Session on Friday, October 18, 2024, at9:00 a.m. in Room 301 of the Civic Center Complex at 1 N. W. Martin Luther King Jr.Blvd.

This Executive Session will be held for discussion of strategy with respect to thepurchase, sale or lease of real property by the Evansville Land Bank Corporationpursuant to the Indiana Code 5-14-1.5-6.1(b)(2)(D).

HAIRBALL RETURNS FEBRUARY 27TH TO THE VICTORY THEATRE! CELEBRATING 25 YEARS!

10/17/2024

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TICKETS GO ON SALE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 18^TH AT 10AM!

OCTOBER 17, 2024

Evansville, IN– The Bombastic Celebration of Arena Rock! It’s like 20 concerts in one night! A band puts on a concert – Hairball puts on an event! Hairball is a Rock & Roll experience you won’t soon forget. The lights, sound, smoke, fire, bombs, and screaming hoards of avid fans…to merely call it a concert would be like calling Mount Rushmore a roadside attraction!

Vocalists Kris Vox, Dave Moody, and Drew Hart lead the band through a 2+ hour, mind-blowing, and dropdead accurate homage to some of the biggest arena acts in the world. Van Halen, KISS, Motley Crue, Queen, Journey, and Aerosmith are but a few of the acts fans will see brought to life. The Hairball stage becomes an entirely new rock concert before your very eyes countless times throughout the night.

The motor that drives the Hairball dragster consists of HBK on the electric bass, Billy on the drums, and Happy on the lead guitar. These Rock & Roll soldiers pride themselves on nailing some of the most memorable licks and chops of all time, while adding their own style and flare that they’ve cultivated over decades of tireless performing. This isn’t a side job. These guys eat, sleep and breathe Rock & Roll!

2023 finds Hairball celebrating its 23rd year of rocking hundreds of thousands of people across the country. Constantly adding more characters, more pyrotechnics, more lights, more sound, more props, more surprises…more everything! While Happy often tells the audience “Today is the first day is the rest of your life!” Hairball performs every show as though it could be their last. Every night is a 100% full-on, no-holds-barred, exciting, chaotic, fiery party that has to be experienced to be believed!

As important to Hairball as the music, are its fans. While many bands claim to have the best fans in the world, Hairball actually has! Whether they are 10 years old or 100, Hairball fans bring an unparalleled enthusiasm and energy to the show that enhances the arena experience. Hairball knows it wouldn’t exist without its fans and takes every opportunity to let them know that.

Whether it’s a pre-show meet and greet, hanging out at the merch booth, or chatting online, Hairball has a lot in common with its fans and it’s always a good time when they get together. Don’t confuse Hairball with the countless “80’s Tribute” bands across the country. Hairball is an experience, an attitude, and expression of music that isn’t simply a retro flashback, it’s a way of life!

Attorney General Todd Rokita defends states’ authority to ban sex-change procedures for minors; co-leads 22-state brief to US Supreme Court

10/17/2024

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Attorney General Todd Rokita is taking action to protect states’ authority to prohibit sex-change procedures from being performed on minors — co-leading a 22–state brief to the U.S. Supreme Court aimed at thwarting the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to override state laws.

“The Biden-Harris administration will stop at nothing to impose its radical transgender ideology on all Americans,” Attorney General Rokita said. “But Hoosiers elect state lawmakers to representtheir values, and the Indiana General Assembly has passed a law forbidding medical practitioners from performing surgery or administering drugs to children under 18 to ‘transition’ them to live as members of the opposite sex.”

In the amicus brief, the attorneys general support the State of Tennessee’s authority to enforce a law that — similar to Indiana’s — prohibits medical interventions before age 18 intended to alter boys’ or girls’ physical appearances so that they resemble members of the opposite sex.

“The Constitution leaves to states the right to make decisions about how best to protect children from unproven and risky interventions,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Here in Indiana, we have laws rooted in common sense, compassion and science.”

That lack of authority did not prevent the federal government from supporting a lawsuit against Tennessee that erroneously claims the Tennessee law violates the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment.

“Nothing in passing the Fourteenth Amendment,” the amicus brief states,” remotely suggests that the Equal Protection Clause was meant to override the States’ traditional role in regulating medicine.”

Joining Attorney General Rokita in leading the amicus brief are the attorneys general of Arkansas and Kentucky.

“In our federalist system,” the brief further observes, “the States get to decide within their borders what interventions are available for boys and girls suffering from gender dysphoria. Tennessee gets to decide that using puberty blockers and hormones . . . is not sufficiently safe or beneficial —that long-term it will do more harm than good. No equal-protection challenge can change that.”

University of Evansville Announces Gift to Establish Dr. Beverly Brockman Harlaxton Endowed Study Abroad Award Fund

10/17/2024

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EVANSVILLE, IND. (10/16/2024) With heartfelt appreciation, the University of Evansville is honored to announce a generous gift from John C. and Diane Schroeder and Richard A. and Patricia Schroeder to establish the Dr. Beverly Brockman Study Abroad Award (Brockman Award). This award will be given to students enrolled in the Schroeder Family School of Business Administration who wish to study abroad at Harlaxton with financial need being a primary consideration.

Harlaxton, UE’s cherished study abroad program in Grantham, England, offers students countless powerful and transformative experiences that will shape them for the rest of their lives, and providing students access to that empowerment matters immeasurably.

Because of her dedication to uplifting and empowering students in the Schroeder School of Business, John C. and Diane and Richard A. and Patricia Schroeder have decided to name this Award in memory of Dean Brockman.

Dr. Beverly Brockman, who served as the Schroeder Family Dean for the College of Business and Engineering at UE, left a profound and lasting legacy during her three years at the university.

Before her time at UE, she was the George Lester Nation Centennial Professor of Entrepreneurship at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), where she also served as Department Head. Her work has been nominated and received many awards, including the Carolyn Thompson and Roger Brown UTC Community Engagement Award, Deans Merit Award, Max Finley Merit Award, and Faculty Development Grant.

During her tenure as the Schroeder Family Dean of the College of Business and Engineering, Dean Brockman demonstrated an unwavering commitment to academic excellence, student success, and fostering a vibrant and inclusive learning environment. Her vision and tireless efforts played a pivotal role in shaping UE into what it is today-a center of innovation and learning. She was also known for her ability to inspire and guide, always ready to lend a helping hand or offer advice.

Although Dr. Brockman departed our world far too soon, her legacy lives on through the newly created Brockman Award, ensuring that students, regardless of financial means, have the opportunity to study abroad.

The University extends its deepest gratitude to the Schroeder family for their compassion and generosity in creating this incredibly meaningful tribute.

Oak Hill Cemetery to Host Annual Twilight Tour on Saturday

10/17/2024

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The City of Evansville Department of Urban Forestry, in partnership with the Vanderburgh County Historical Society and the Evansville Adopt-An-Ash Program, will host their annual Twilight Tour this Saturday.

This tour, which begins at 5:00 p.m. at Oak Hill Cemetery, is a fun and educational event for all ages. During the tour, audience members will get to see live reenactments of some of the most influential people buried at the cemetery.

Along with the reenactment, there will be a presentation on how these people made Evansville what it is today.

Members of the public can expect a lively and informative night.

“The Twilight Tour is a unique way to discover Evansville’s history,” said City Arborist Shawn Dickerson. “The reenactments during the tour are unlike any other educational experience. They are fun and dramatic while staying true to Evansville’s history.”

Tickets for the event are $15 for adults, $10 for students, and $5 for children. Tickets may be purchased atwww.evansvilleparksfoundation.org/twilight-tours or at the main gate of the cemetery on the night of the event.

All proceeds from the Twilight Tour will benefit the Adopt-An-Ash Program. This program aims to save ash trees within Oak Hill Cemetery from the Emerald Ash Borer. The Emerald Ash Borer is an invasive pest killing Ash trees in the Evansville community. Ash trees make up a large part of the city’s alluring greenery in neighbors and parks. However, this insect is threatening to destroy this beautiful piece of Evansville’s flora. By attending the Twilight Tour, the public can help fight the Emerald Ash Borer and restore the charm of Evansville’s vegetation.

Hundreds of Tri-State Students to Attend Second Annual “Exploring Teaching Day” on UE campus

10/17/2024

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EVANSVILLE, IND. (10/15/2024) The University of Evansville (UE) School of Education is pleased to announce its second annual Exploring Teaching Day, scheduled for Friday, October 25, from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This event is designed to inspire and guide area high school students who are considering a future career in teaching.

Students will have the unique opportunity to hear from Indiana’s 2024 Teacher of the Year, Eric Jenkins, who teaches at Center Grove High School in Greenwood, Indiana. Jenkins will share his experiences and insights on the teaching profession.

The event will also feature a roundtable panel of local educators, moderated by Dr. Abbie Redmond, Superintendent of the Warrick County School Corporation. Panelists will discuss their journey as educators, challenges, and the rewards of the teaching profession.

In addition to these insightful discussions, participating high schoolers will tour UE’s campus and engage in an interactive activity designed to showcase what makes the University of Evansville a special place to learn and grow.

“Education is a gateway to endless opportunities,” said Dr. Alison Jones, Assistant Professor of Education. “At UE, we are committed to nurturing future educators not only through academic excellence but also by fostering a deep passion for teaching. Hosting this event allows us to inspire the next generation of teachers, and we are excited to share the transformative impact that education can have on both individuals and communities

Vanderburgh County Marriage Licenses Issued

10/17/2024

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Vanderburgh County Marriage Licenses Issued