Wilson Brings Extensive Experience To UE Program
 University of Evansville Director of Athletics Mark Spencer has announced the hiring of Stuart “Stu†Wilson as the Head Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Coach for the Purple Aces. Wilson will begin his tenure at UE on June 1, 2019.
“I want to thank President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz and Athletic Director Mark Spencer for giving me the opportunity to be the University of Evansville Head Men’s and Women’s Swimming and Diving Coach,†Wilson said. “I am excited about the future of the program.“
Wilson brings extensive collegiate and club experience to the Evansville program. Wilson was the Head Men’s and Women’s Coach at Georgia Tech from 2005 through 2009 after serving the Yellow Jackets as an assistant from 2002 through 2005. He also spent time as an assistant at Clemson in 2011 and 2012.
“We are thrilled to have Stu join the family,†Spencer said. “His extensive experience is very impressive and I look forward to seeing him elevate our program as he has everywhere else he has been.â€
In his time at Georgia Tech, Wilson enjoyed great success, coaching eight ACC Champions, two ACC Relay Champions and over 30 All-ACC Swimmers to go along with 15 NCAA Qualifiers. Under his tutelage, four student-athletes were named All-American, six were recognized as Honorable Mention All-Americans and more than 30 garnered Academic All-American status.
Wilson recruited student-athletes with the Yellow Jackets who were responsible for breaking over 60 school records in a span of just four years. His work culminated in Gal Nevo being named the 2009 ACC Swimmer of the Year while setting the second-fastest time in history in the 400 IM at the 2009 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championship. He also helped Nigel Plummer earn ACC Freshman of the Year accolades in 2009.
Aside from his collegiate work, Wilson has a great deal of club experience, most recently working as the Senior Coach at Nitro Swimming in Cedar Park, Texas. Other club team work includes: Head Senior Coach at Southern Crescent Aquatic in Peachtree City, Ga., Head Coach and Director of Competitive Swim Teams at Swim Seventy in Norwalk, Ct., Director of Competitive Swimming with the Tampa YMCA and Senior Swim Coach at Swim Atlanta in Lawrenceville, Ga.
Prior to working in the college ranks, Wilson worked with Swim Atlanta in Roswell, Ga., Lilburn, Ga. And Marietta, Ga. From 1990 through 1998 in numerous capacities. One of his numerous highlights was his work with eventual Olympic silver medalist and world champion Amanda Weir, who set three National Age Group Records under his watch. She was named the Rookie of the Meet at Nationals in 1998.
He led 16 Olympic Trial and 50 Senior National Qualifiers while helping six athletes represent their countries in the Olympics and World Championships. Wilson worked with over 40 Junior National Qualifiers, more than 60 Top Sixteen Age Group Swims in the United States Swimming and 30 Georgia State Champions and state record holders.
Two international students at the University of Southern Indiana were recognized for their contributions to cultural awareness and their leadership and academic accomplishments at the annual USI International Graduates recognition ceremony on Thursday, April 25. Joel Tshite ’19 and Jerome Degbe ’22 were presented with the Outstanding International Graduate and Peace Ambassador award, respectively, by USI’s Center for International Programs.
“Both Joel and Jerome have taken their roles as USI Global Ambassadors very seriously from the moment they stepped foot on campus,†said Heidi Gregori-Gahan, associate provost for international programs. “Their unique stories of resilience and determination serve as an inspiration to our entire community, and it has been such a privilege and a true joy working with these extraordinary young men. Indeed, they restore our faith in the future of this ever-changing, interconnected and complicated world in which we live.â€
Tshite, who fled the Democratic Republic of Congo at the age of 6 with his family and found refuge in Zimbabwe before coming to the United States, was named the 2019 Outstanding International Graduate. He received a bachelor’s of engineering degree at the Pott College of Science, Engineering, and Education Commencement ceremony on Saturday, April 27. During his time as a student at USI, Tshite was a co-founder of the USI African Cultures club and volunteered with civic organizations and for charitable causes locally and internationally.
“I would not be here today if not for the strong and constant support from my friends, family and the USI community,†said Tshite in accepting his award.
In Tshite’s nomination, a faculty mentor said that he is “a very rare person, that has risen from the depths of probable despair to certain future success in the field of engineering, due to his intelligence, hard work, and determination.â€
Degbe, a native of Cote d’Ivoire, was named the 2019 recipient of the Peace Ambassador award. The current president of the African Cultures club, Degbe has provided a voice and a passion for the representation of all African countries and their unique and diverse cultures and traditions.
“The leadership of the USI faculty and staff gave me a unique opportunity to impact my future and the future of my surroundings,†said Degbe. “I came to USI not rich or famous, with no special talent or genius. I just came with my work ethic and my determination to give back to USI. I wanted to contribute to the establishment of diversity and be one of the voices and faces that are an ambassador of diversity.â€
Degbe’s faculty nominator noted his “enthusiasm, positive outlook and energy are contagious and make him a joy to work with. He is sensitive to the needs and sometimes inhibitions of new international students and readily helps them feel at ease and welcomed to USI.â€
The Peace Ambassador is awarded annually recognizes an outstanding international student whose actions and involvement in campus and community life have contributed to greater cross-cultural awareness and to increased understanding of the world, its peoples and its traditions.
 Men’s Golf Signs Caleb Wassmer
Local Product Set To Join Aces Squad
 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Evansville head men’s golf coach Jim Hamilton has announced the signing of Caleb Wassmer to his squad for next season.
Wassmer, a local product who will be graduating from North Posey High School this spring, is one of the top players in southern Indiana.
“I’m thrilled to have Caleb as a member of the Aces,†Coach Hamilton said. “He brings an outstanding golf game as well as strong academic achievement in the classroom. He will be a great fit for our program and give us increased depth as we battle for a Missouri Valley Conference Championship.â€
He has extensive experience in the Midwest, accumulating several top ten finishes in Golfweek Tour events. He also won the 2018 McDonald’s Amateur in Evansville, breaking the tournament scoring record.
Caleb joins an experienced Aces squad that returns five of its six lowest scorers from the 2018-19 campaign.
FOOTNOTES: For all of the latest information on University of Evansville athletics, log on to the sports page on GoPurpleAces.com or follow the program on Twitter via @UEAthletics.  DONATE: For information on giving to UE Athletics or its individual athletics programs, visit the DONATE tab on the top of GoPurpleAces.com.
TICKETS: To purchase tickets for University of Evansville athletics events, log on to GoPurpleAces.com and click on the TICKETS tab on top of the page
Katie Stancombe for www.theindianalawyer.com
The Indiana Court of Appeals has rejected the petition of two biological parents to establish paternity for their child after the appellate court concluded the mother could not collaterally attack a previous paternity finding for another man who assumed he was the father.
Between 2005 and 2010, Jessica Boyd and Jason Baugh had two children together during their on-again-off-again relationship. Baugh was designated the legal father for both kids through the execution of a paternity affidavit, and when the couple’s relationship ended in 2010, Baugh was granted joint custody of the children after he was granted a petition to establish paternity.
In early 2017, Boyd asked Michael Litton, a man she had a brief relationship with during one of her breaks with Baugh, to submit to a private DNA test. The results of the test found that Litton was 99.9 percent the biological father of K.B., Boyd’s youngest child.
The results prompted Boyd and Litton to file a joint verified petition to establish paternity of K.B. under Indiana Code section 31-14-7-1(3), and Baugh filed a motion to intervene. The latter motion was granted and the Johnson Circuit Court ultimately concluded that K.B.’s biological parents failed to act in the best interest of K.B. with their action; that there was no basis for rescinding the paternity affidavit signed by Boyd and Baugh, and; that Boyd could not collaterally attack the affidavit and prior paternity proceedings.
The trial court, however, noted Litton’s petition to establish paternity was dismissed without prejudice as to himself and/or K.B. to “reinitiate the same on other grounds.â€
In his appeal, Litton argued the trial court erred in dismissing his petition to establish paternity, but the Indiana Court of Appeals rejected his argument in Michael Litton v. Jason Baugh, 18A-JP-2066,  The appellate court agreed with the trial court that Boyd could not attack the previous paternity determination that she was a party to with Baugh.
“We have held that ‘once a mother has signed a paternity affidavit, she may not use the paternity statutes to deprive the legal father of his rights, even if he is not the biological father,’†Judge Elizabeth Tavitas wrote, citing to In re Paternity of H.H., 879 N.E.2d 1175, 1178 (Ind. Ct. App. 2008).  https://www.theindianalawyer.com/articles/23497-coa-mulls-fraud-in-paternity-affidavit-statute “As such, Mother may not use the paternity statutes to deprive Legal Father of his rights, and a joint petition to establish paternity under Indiana Code Section 31-14-4-1(3) was improper.â€
The appellate panel acknowledged that other provisions of Indiana Code section 31-14-4-1 may be available to Litton, who ultimately amended his paternity petition. That petition was stayed pending the appeal at hand.
Finding the issue might arise on remand, the appellate court pointed to the relevant statutory considerations and noted that persons listed in I.C. sections 31-14-4-1(2) and (5) — a man alleging he is a child’s biological father, and the child — are possible persons permitted to file the paternity action in the case.
National Tourism Week is May 5-11, 2019. This is the week the industry celebrates travel in America. Whether traveling for business or pleasure, all hold a broad economic impact across the country.
In conjunction with National Tourism Week, the Indiana Office of Tourism Development (IOTD) is celebrating Visit Indiana Week. More than 300 attractions and properties across the state will be offering discounts and promotions for travelers, including several in Evansville.
As an industry, the Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau recognizes all travel as valuable. The numbers tell the story –
University of Southern Indiana Women’s Golf will be represented for the 17th consecutive year in NCAA tournament play with the selection of junior Abbey Leighty (Carmel, Illinois) to compete as an individual in postseason action.
Leighty joins the East Region field at the NCAA II Super Regional hosted by Kentucky Wesleyan College at The Pearl Club in Owensboro, Kentucky starting May 6.
The junior finished t-4th at the Triton Invitational on April 8 with back-to-back rounds of 75 for her lowest two-round performance since the Kentucky Wesleyan Invitational, which was also hosted at The Pearl Club.
Leighty averaged 78.5 strokes per round during the 2018-19 regular season over 21 rounds, including a low-round of 71 in the Screaming Eagles Classic to open the campaign.
As a member of the 2017-18 NCAA Super Regional team for USI, Leighty posted a three-round effort of 243, including a 78 to open the tournament.
Old National Bank Foundation has committed $25,000 per year for two years to Youth First, Inc. to strengthen the social and emotional well-being of students in Daviess, Gibson, Orange, Posey, and Vanderburgh counties. A check presentation was held on April 30 at Youth First’s downtown Evansville office.
Sara Miller, Old National Bank’s Southern Region Chief Executive Officer stated, “We are proud to partner with Youth First so that kids in our communities receive the services that they need. This $50,000 grant will help fund those efforts and ONB is proud to play a part in that development.â€
Youth First partners with school districts to embed social workers in school buildings, where they become specialized mentors for students and prevention coaches for parents and teachers. Youth First Social Workers 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 preventing addiction, suicide, violence, and similar outcomes for young people. The organization’s positive impact is driving growth, with more schools seeking Youth First’s help to address the growing social and emotional needs of students.
Youth First President & CEO Parri O. Black stated, “Our children are growing up in a complex and challenging world that puts them at greater risk for substance use, suicide, violence and harmful behaviors,†said Parri O. Black, President & CEO of Youth First, Inc. “Old National Bank Foundation’s continued investment is critical to achieving Youth First’s mission. Working together, we can protect and heal the hearts of more young people and their families in these counties.â€
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Attorney General Curtis Hill on April 29 filed a complaint to recover public funds misappropriated by a former secretary-treasurer of the Whiteland Volunteer Fire Department.
The former employee, Divonna Hendrickson, pleaded guilty late last year to several counts of felony theft in connection with her misuse of the public funds. The Johnson County Prosecutor’s Office handled the criminal case.
The State Board of Accounts (SBOA) found in an investigation that Hendrickson:
The fire department’s total pecuniary loss, according to the SBOA, was $61,239.64. As permitted under the Indiana Crime Victims Relief Act, Attorney General Hill is seeking an award for treble damages against Hendrickson for three times the pecuniary loss in the amount of $183,718.92, plus court costs and a reasonable attorney’s fee.
Attorney General Hill also is seeking recovery of the audit costs incurred by SBOA in the amount of $19,534.41.
The total sought from Henderson, then, is $203,253.33, plus court costs and a reasonable attorney’s fee.
Attorney General Hill concurrently is seeking $80,774.05 rom Arch Insurance Co., less any applicable deductible and/or recovery from Hendrickson. The insurance company provides a commercial crime policy covering Johnson County officials and employees.
“We must always hold accountable public employees who illegally siphon money for themselves from the public treasury,†Attorney General Hill said.
