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Lives Bands Will Be “On The Roof” At the Arts Council This Summer
Senator Braun Embarks on Two-Week ‘Solutions Tour’ Across Indiana
JASPER, IN – Tomorrow, Senator Mike Braun will launch his two-week Solutions Tour to listen to Hoosiers’ thoughts about lowering prescription drug prices, lowering the cost of higher education, and enacting policies that spur economic growth.
A full schedule for the first week is below and all events are open to the press.
“In 100 days, I’ve been able to work with President Trump to lower healthcare prices, confirm conservative judicial nominees, and assist in draining the swamp by working to end congressional pensions,â€Â said U.S. Senator Mike Braun. “My Solutions Tour will give me an opportunity to listen to Hoosiers’ thoughts about my work for them and their solutions for fixing Washington and keeping our economy growing.â€
Senator Braun’s Solutions Tour Stops
(For the Week of Monday, April 15, 2019, All Events Are Open To The Press)
Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at 10:30 AM ET
Tipton Chamber of Commerce Public Event
Tipton County Foundation Conference Center
1020 West Jefferson Street
Tipton, Indiana
Tuesday, April 16, 2019, at 3:30 PM ET
Roundtable with Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann and Governor Eric Holcomb
Culinary and Conference Center
2820 N Meridian Street
Indianapolis, Indiana
Wednesday, April 17, 2019, at 11:30 AM ET
Terre Haute Chamber Lunch
The Red Barn at Sycamore Farm
5001 Poplar St
Terre Haute, Indiana
Wednesday, April 17, 2019, at 4:00 PM ET
Clay County Coffee Hour
Honeysuckle Hill Bee-Stro
6367 North Murphy Road
Brazil, Indiana
Thursday, April 18, 2019, at 11:30 AM ET
Dubois Strong Annual Meeting
Ferdinand Community Center
710 Community Drive
Ferdinand, Indiana
FOOTNOTE: Details for Solutions Tour visits for the week of April 22, 2019 will be released later this next week.Â
Bill To Compensate Those Wrongly Incarcerated Advances
Katie Stancombe for www.theindianalwyer.com
A bill that would offer wrongly convicted Hoosiers compensation for their vacated prison sentences has made steps toward finality in the Indiana Statehouse.
Authored by Rep. Greg Steuerwald, R-Avon, House Bill 1150 aims to relieve wrongly incarcerated citizens by entitling them to $50,000 for each year of incarceration that was vacated.
The measure last week passed the Indiana House of Representatives 96-0 and the Indiana Senate with a 48-0 vote, moving one step closer to the governor’s desk for approval. The bill was amended in the Senate and first must be reconciled with the House version.
Those applying for compensation would be reviewed by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute, which would ultimately decide if applicants are entitled to payment out of an exoneration fund consisting of appropriations from the general fund. Compensation would not be awarded for time spent in pretrial detention, home detention or work release.
The catch, however, would be that the wrongly convicted may only receive those funds if they forever release, discharge and waive any and all claims against the state or any other related entity or person.
Recipients of the funds must also not have pending litigation or file a claim after June 30, 2019, that could result in restitution or damages. They also must not have already received an award for a wrongful conviction.
Exonerees would not be prevented from receiving mental health or substance abuse treatments or community transition services offered by Department of Correction, community corrections or courts. They would also not be prohibited from participating in other rehabilitative or reintegration programs offered to incarcerated individuals.
Early amendments proposed by Steuerwald were grafted into the legislation while still in the House chamber. One added change would define an innocent person as someone pardoned “on the basis of innocence†or who did not “commit any act, deed, or omission in connection to a charge that constitutes an offense against the state or the United States.â€
The other accepted amendment would allow exonerees to take money from the fund if they dismiss their lawsuits within 30 days of the Criminal Justice Institute’s determination of their eligibility.
Additional amendments were made in the Senate last week when Sen. Michael Young, R- Indianapolis, proposed allowing guardians of exonerees with mental or physical health issues to have the ability to acquire the funds on their behalf.
“One of the restrictions in the bill was that only the person who was incarcerated could get the funds,†Young said. “This just allows a guardian to bring the case so they can get the funds to help take care of the person.â€
Young also offered an amendment to more narrowly define who is innocent of a crime.
“We want to make sure someone is actually innocent, not someone who got off on a technicality,†he said.
For example, Young posed the scenario of an individual’s conviction being overturned due to admitted evidence that should not have been admitted.
“The person was convicted because of that evidence, but it doesn’t mean they were necessarily innocent,†he explained. “Just because that occurs, you still have to prove your actual innocence.â€
This Week at USI
Below is a list of events and activities happening in and around the USI community in the coming weeks:
7 p.m. Tuesday, April 16
USI Jazz Ensemble Spring Concert
The University of Southern Indiana Jazz Ensemble and USI student Irish traditional music ensemble will present a joint spring concert at 7 p.m. Tuesday, April 16 in the Performance Center located on the USI campus. This concert is free and open to the public.
2 p.m. Wednesday, April 17
“Employability: (Made) in Germany†panel to feature academic, business leaders
German Universities of Applied Sciences (UAS7) will host “Employability: (Made) In Germany,†from 2 – 5 p.m. Wednesday, April 17 in the Griffin Center on the USI campus. This panel discussion, part of UAS7’s Wunderbar Together initiative, will feature business leaders and academic experts from both Germany and the U.S. outlining opportunities for those interested in academic exchanges or careers at U.S.-based German companies. The event is free and open to USI students and alumni, but reservations are requested. This event is not open to the general public but media is welcome to cover the event. For more information and to RSVP, visit https://bit.ly/2GFvhpS or contact Patrizia Nobbe, executive director of the UAS7 New York office, at nobbe@uas7.org.
Friday, April 19
USI closed on Friday, April 19
The University of Southern Indiana will be closed on Friday, April 19 and no classes will be held. Classes will resume on Saturday, April 20. USI offices will reopen on Monday, April 22.
STUDENT EVENTS
A collection of events on campus and in the community sponsored by USI student organizations
can be found on the USI events calendar by clicking here.
Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27
USI to hold spring 2019 Commencement ceremonies inside new Screaming Eagles Arena
The University of Southern Indiana will hold five Spring Commencement ceremonies over two days, Friday, April 26 and Saturday, April 27 inside the Screaming Eagles Arena on the USI campus. The Graduate Ceremony for master and doctoral degree candidates from all of USI’s colleges will be held at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 26. On Saturday, April 27, the undergraduate ceremony for the College of Liberal Arts will begin at 9 a.m.; the Romain College of Business at noon; the College of Nursing and Health Professions at 3 p.m., and the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education at 6 p.m. Guests are not required to have tickets for the Spring 2019 Commencement ceremonies but graduates must make a reservation to participate in the ceremony. Read More
2 p.m. Sunday, April 28
USI Chamber Choir to perform Fauré’s Requiem, other works at spring concert
The University of Southern Indiana Chamber Choir and Women’s Choir will present their spring concert at 3 p.m. Sunday, April 28 at Old North United Methodist Church, located at 4201 Stringtown Road in Evansville, Indiana. Included in the concert will be a performance of Gabriel Fauré’s Requiem, a seven-movement piece for choir and instrumentalists based on the Catholic Mass for the Dead. The USI Chamber Choir will collaborate with other collegiate choirs in a performance of Fauré’s Requiem in May at the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York City. Read More
Trump Administration to Help Rural Communities Grow Recreation Economy
In support of the Trump Administration’s Executive Order on Promoting Agriculture and Rural Prosperity in America, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) joined the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Forest Service and the Northern Border Regional Commission in announcing assistance to help communities revitalize their economy through outdoor recreation.
“Outdoor recreation not only plays an important role in the health and wellbeing of millions of Americans, but it also generates billions in economic activity and supports millions of jobs,â€Â said EPA Administrator Wheeler. “We look forward to working with communities and our federal partners on strategies that can grow the local recreation economy and revitalize main street while protecting our vital natural resources.â€
“By partnering alongside EPA and the Northern Border Commission, the Forest Service is proud to help communities deliver recreation experiences that better meet the needs of visitors and support local economies,â€Â said Vicki Christiansen, USDA Forest Service Chief. “We are committed to sustaining the nation’s forests and grasslands through public-private partnerships that engage people directly in the shared stewardship of their natural resources.â€
“We are excited to launch this collaborative effort to provide opportunities to establish outdoor recreation as a prominent economic sector of rural economies,â€Â said Harold B. Parker, Federal Co-Chair of NBRC.
According to the Outdoor Industry Association’s 2017 report on The National Outdoor Recreation Economy, outdoor activities – including hiking, biking, boating, fishing, hunting, birdwatching, off-road vehicle riding, skiing, snowmobiling, and viewing historic places – generated $887 billion in annual spending and created more than seven million jobs. These activities can bring new investment to local economies, heighten interest in conservation of forests and other natural resources, and improve quality of life for residents and visitors.
Through this latest federal assistance, a planning team will help communities bring together local residents and other stakeholders to decide on strategies and an action plan to grow the local outdoor recreation economy. The planning assistance process will take place over a period of four to six months, with a focal point being a two-day facilitated community workshop. Participants will work together to identify a vision, goals, and specific actions to realize the locally set goals.
Partner communities are encouraged to pursue activities that foster environmentally friendly community development and main street revitalization through the conservation and sustainable use of public or private forests or other natural resources. Examples include:
- building or expanding trail networks to expand use and attract visitors and new businesses
- developing in-town amenities, such as broadband service, quality housing, or local shops, restaurants, or breweries, to serve residents and help attract new visitors and residents with an interest in nearby outdoor assets;
- marketing main street as a gateway to nearby natural lands and recreational opportunities; and
- developing a community consensus on the management of outdoor assets.
EPA and its federal partners expect to announce in summer 2019 the selection of eight communities for planning assistance. The deadline for application is May 31, 2019.
Applications may be submitted on behalf of any U.S. community. Special consideration will be given to communities that are:
- small towns;
- economically disadvantaged, such as those in Opportunity Zones; and/or
- in the Northern Border Region.
EPA’s Smart Sectors program also provides support to grow the outdoor recreation economy. In 2018, EPA offices in the New England and Mountains and Plains regions established Smart Sectors programs that recognize the wealth of natural resources and outdoor recreational opportunities that can be leveraged to create jobs, spur new businesses, and support economic revitalization.
The USDA Forest Service develops and implements place-based recreation planning using collaborative processes with communities and outdoor recreation and tourism providers within regional destination areas. Forest Service recreation programs support over 205,000 jobs, the majority of which are in rural gateway communities near national forests. Â The agency partners with states, tribes, local communities, and landowners to promote shared stewardship of public and privately-owned forests and grasslands.
The Northern Border Regional Commission provides federal funds for critical economic and community development projects throughout the northeast.  These investments lead to new jobs being created and leverages substantial private sector investments.
For more information:Â https://www.epa.gov/smartgrowth/recreation-economy-rural-communities
“Second Chance†Law to be Discussed at Ivy Tech Community College on April 17
Individuals who would like to learn more about expunging their legal records are invited to a presentation by the Vanderburgh County Courts, on April 17 at 5:00 p.m. in Vectren Auditorium on the Ivy Tech Community College Evansville Campus.
Sponsored by Ivy Tech’s Human Services, Criminal Justice and Legal Studies programs, the event is free and open to the public. Expungement is a legal process where an arrest or conviction may be erased from a person’s criminal record. This could be beneficial when a person’s past history may be interfering with future goals such as employment, education, or housing.
Speakers at the event will be the Honorable Les Shively, presiding judge in all expungement cases in Vanderburgh County; attorneys Katherine Ryback and Shaunda Lynch; and Deputy Prosecutor Doug Brown. The panel will address the “second chance†law and answer questions to provide guidance to those wanting to clean up their record.
HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
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AG Curtis Hill Stands Against Abortionists
Attorney General Curtis Hill today filed court documents opposing a request by an abortion provider to open a clinic in South Bend without first obtaining a license.
In March, the Texas-based Whole Woman’s Health Alliance sought a preliminary injunction in federal district court that would allow it to open a clinic without first obtaining the standard approval from the Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH). The ISDH previously has denied Whole Woman’s Health a license after the entity failed to provide requested documentation about the safety record of affiliated clinics in other states and other information.
The proposed South Bend clinic specifically would provide chemical abortions. In these procedures, one type of medication is used to kill the fetus after which another is administered to induce the woman to expel the deceased fetus.
“Indiana has a compelling interest in regulating abortion,†Attorney General Hill said. â€There is certainly nothing unreasonable nor unconstitutional about requiring abortion clinics to be licensed facilities. In fact, maintaining such basic laws is the least we should be doing to protect the health of expectant mothers and accord proper respect to fetal life.â€
Gov. Holcomb Public Schedule for April 16
Below find Gov. Eric J. Holcomb’s public schedule for April 16, 2019.
Tuesday, April 16: JAG Board of Directors Meeting
WHO:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Gov. Holcomb
WHAT:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The governor will chair the meeting.
WHEN:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 8 a.m., Tuesday, April 16
WHERE:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Seelbach Hotel
500 S. 4th St.
Louisville, KY 40202
Tuesday, April 16: Roundtable Discussion on Pell Flexibility and Workforce Development
WHO:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Gov. Holcomb
U.S. Senator Mike Braun
Ivy Tech President Sue Ellspermann
WHAT:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â The governor will participate in the roundtable discussion.
WHEN:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 3:30 p.m., Tuesday, April 16
WHERE:Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Ivy Tech
Culinary and Conference Center, Room 112
2820 N. Meridian St.