vNEW CRIME THEATRE DEBUTS AT 421 LOUNGE!
New Crime Theatre is a five-piece St. Louis rock and dance band and they’re bringing powerful vocals and rich harmonies to Tropicana Evansville’s 421 Lounge this weekend.
Known for their passion and precision, New Crime Theatre crafts their sound with unexpected surprises, strong musicianship, a driving dance beat and a huge catalog of songs that they tailor to the crowd. They feature songs from the ‘80s and ‘90s through today, including Bruno Mars, Maroon 5, The Outfield, U2, Billy Idol and Katrina and the Waves.
Enjoy New Crime Theatre at 421 Casino Lounge on Friday and Saturday, February 22 & 23 from 8PM – 1AM. Must be 21 years of age or older. No admission fee, just a two-drink minimum for a night of fun!
For more information, contact Bobbi Warren, Bobbi Warren Productions, at 812-401-0094 or bobbi.warren@att.net.
USI opens home slate Friday #15 Eagles hosts Dunn Hospitality Classic this weekend
The preseason NCBWA 15th-ranked University of Southern Indiana baseball team opens the 2019 home schedule this weekend when it hosts the Dunn Hospitality Classic at the USI Baseball Field. The classic features USI, Grand Valley State University, 23rd-ranked Ohio Dominican University, and Truman State University with two games Friday, three on Saturday, and two on Sunday.
The Screaming Eagles are slated to play a 2:30 p.m. single game Friday versus Ohio Dominican; a 1:30 p.m. doubleheader with GVSU; and a 2:30 p.m. single game Sunday against Truman State.
Coverage of the Screaming Eagles baseball games this season can be found on GoUSIEagles.com.
SCREAMING EAGLES BASEBALL NOTES:
USI nationally in the polls. USI was ranked 15th in the first regular season poll by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). The Midwest Region also was represented by the University of Illinois Springfield at number six and Ohio Dominican at number 23.
Hunter named GLVC Player of the Week. USI sophomore shortstop Ethan Hunter was named the GLVC Player of Week after hitting .455 (5-11) in the three games at the University of North Georgia. He also scored four times, posted five RBIs, and blasted a pair of home runs in the first two games.
Eagles ranked in both preseason polls. USI began the season ranked in both of the preseason polls. The Eagles are 15th in the Collegiate Baseball Newspaper Preseason Top 40 poll and 24th in in the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association Preseason Top 25.
Very few home games this month. The four USI games in the Dunn Hospitality Classic are the only home games for the Eagles until the middle of March when they host Lewis University for a GLVC three-game series. USI will be on the road or at a neutral site for the next 10 games after this weekend’s classic.
Archuleta at USI. USI Head Coach Tracy Archuleta is USI’s all-time winningest coach with a record of 447-237 in 12-plus seasons and is 586-381 in 17-plus seasons all-time as a head coach. He has been named the ABCA Division II Coach of the Year twice (2010 and 2014) after leading the Screaming Eagles to a pair of national championships and the ABCA Division II Midwest Region Coach of the Year after leading USI to the regional crown in 2007, 2016 and 2018. Archuleta also has earned a pair of GLVC Coach of the Year awards (2011 and 2014) at USI.
Hitting Leaders. Sophomore shortstop Ethan Hunter led the USI hitters in the North Georgia series with a .455 average, while junior rightfielder Manny Lopez followed with a .364. Hunter also led the Eagles with five RBIs, while Lopez and senior first baseman Nathan Kuester tied for second with four RBIs each.
USI vs. Ohio Dominican. USI won the only meeting with Ohio Dominican, defeating the Panthers in the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional championship game last spring, 9-7.
USI vs. Grand Valley State.  USI leads the all-time series with Grand Valley State, 12-7 after splitting two games during the Dunn Hospitality Classic last spring, losing 4-3 and winning 9-1. The Eagles have won six of the last nine meetings since the 2014 season.
USI vs. Truman State. USI and Truman State have split the 14 games in the series between the two teams, 7-7. The last season the two teams played was in 2016 when the Eagles and the Bulldogs split a pair of games in the Dunn Hospitality Classic with USI winning, 14-13 in first game, and Truman taking the second meeting, 3-2.
National Championship always the goal for Eagles. The Eagles made their eighth appearance in the Midwest Regional in the last 12 seasons and their 14th appearance overall in the NCAA II Tournament last spring. USI has won the Midwest Regional five times (2007, 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018) and the NCAA II National Championship twice (2010, 2014). The USI program tied for third in the 2007 NCAA II National Championship series, while finishing fifth in 2016 and eighth in 2018.
Indiana agrees to provide Hepatitis C drugs to more Medicaid recipients
Marilyn Odendahl for www.theindianalawyer.com
An agreement reached in federal court in February will allow Indiana Medicaid recipients infected with Hepatitis C to receive direct-acting antiviral medications, or DAAs, sooner rather than having to wait until the disease has significantly damaged their livers.
An order signed Feb. 12 by Senior Judge Sarah Evans Barker of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana brings to an end a class action lawsuit filed in 2015 by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana. The ACLU had challenged the Family and Social Services Administration’s policy that had limited Medicaid reimbursement for DAAs only to Hepatitis C sufferers who were at a high risk for liver failure and liver cancer.
Under the settlement agreement, reached in November, the Family and Social Services Administration would eliminate by July 1 any restrictions based on the severity of the disease for Medicaid patients to receive a reimbursement for DAAs. Also, the reimbursement will now be made available to any Medicaid recipients whose liver damage is rapidly progressing or whose Hepatitis C is actively symptomatic.
Also, as part of the agreement, FSSA has agreed to pay the ACLU of Indiana $117,500 for attorney fees and costs in the case.
“Federal law requires state Medicaid agencies to pay for medically necessary treatment, but Indiana Medicaid illegally denies a cure for Hepatitis C for reasons that are not medically justified,†Gavin Rose, ACLU of Indiana senior staff attorney, said in a statement. “With this agreement, the Indiana Family and Social Services will no longer restrict treatment for Hepatitis C.â€
In response to the agreement being reached, the Family and Social Services Administration said it “continues to place a high priority on evidence-based care. Hepatitis C treatment is an essential service for Indiana Medicaid and we look forward to the opportunity to improve Hoosier outcomes.â€
The original plaintiff, Sarah Jackson, is a Medicaid recipient in Allen County who was denied approval by the FSSA for a course of the medication Harvoni for her Hepatitis C. According to the complaint, a course of the drug could have cured her Hepatitis C and prevented Jackson from passing along the disease to her children. However, the disease had not progressed, so the FSSA turned down Jackson’s request.
Noting the FSSA’s practice of providing DAAs only to the sickest Hepatitis C patients, the complaint asserted the agency was denying access to a “potentially life-saving or life-sustaining drug to thousands of Hoosiers.†Also, the complaint charged the FSSA was violating federal Medicaid law by refusing to provide Harvoni even when the drug was “medically necessary.â€
“This policy was withholding potentially life-saving drugs and forcing thousands of Hoosiers who cannot afford private insurance to live with the serious negative health effects of Hepatitis C,†Jane Henegar, executive director of the ACLU of Indiana, said in a statement.
UE Receives IEE Andrew Heiskell Award for Innovation in International Education
The University of Evansville has received one of this year’s Institute for International Education (IIE) Andrew Heiskell Awards for Innovation in International Education. UE received its award in the Higher Education in Emergencies category for its Scholars for Syria initiative. The awards were presented during the IIE Summit held in New York City from February 17-19.
The Higher Education in Emergencies award is given in recognition of successful approaches and strategies for supporting students and scholars who have been displaced from their home country due to violence, political persecution, or other emergent circumstances. UE has provided scholarships for 25 displaced Syrian students since 2016 and engages the larger community in dialogue around the Syrian crisis to change perceptions about the region.
“This is such an enormous validation for everyone at the University of Evansville who has worked tirelessly to welcome so many displaced students,” said Wesley Milner, executive director of international programs. “While the students have received a superlative education, the campus community has been the real beneficiary. Our international students enrich the entire Evansville region both in and out of the classroom and help us to achieve greater understanding and a global perspective.”
The IIE Andrew Heiskell Awards honor outstanding international education initiatives conducted by universities and colleges from among the 1,300 member institutions of the IIE Network. As a premier international organization celebrating its 100th anniversary, IIE is known for administering the Fulbright Student and Scholar Programs, Open Doors annual survey of international educational exchange, the Gilman Scholarships, Humphrey Fellowships, and Boren Scholarships for Critical Regions.
“To thrive in the global economy, students need access to international experiences during their college career,” said Clare Overmann, head of IIE’s Higher Education Initiatives. “We congratulate this year’s Heiskell Award winners for their outstanding success in providing new and innovative international education opportunities to their students.”
Since 2002, IIE has given the awards to ground-breaking institutions pursuing the most innovative and impactful models for internationalization of campuses, study abroad, and international partnership programs with these ultimate goals:
• To foster innovative ideas that will help international education professionals create and sustain new opportunities for students and faculty
• To bring international education to the forefront of education policy
• To stimulate public awareness of the benefits of study abroad and international educational exchange
Sidetrack Tavern update
Evansville Police continue to investigate the Sunday morning shooting that left 5 people injured outside of the Sidetrack Tavern.Â
Police arrested Joh Perteet shortly after the shootings. Perteet has been charged with 5 counts of aggravated battery with a firearm, criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, and being a felon in possession of a firearm.
The victims have been identified as:
Antonia McReynolds (37)
Binnie Bryant (29)
Howard Phipps (30)
Jennifer Lewis (28)
Adasha Dejarnett (28)
All 5 victims are expected to survive.Â
VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES
 Below are the felony cases to be filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office today.
Matthew Aaron Knight: Operating a motor vehicle after forfeiture of license for life (Level 5 Felony)
Candy Dee Reynolds: Possession of methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Unlawful possession of syringe (Level 6 Felony), Possession of paraphernalia (Class A misdemeanor)
Andrew Franklin Murphy: Possession of methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Unlawful possession of syringe (Level 6 Felony), Possession of marijuana (Class B misdemeanor), Possession of paraphernalia (Class C misdemeanor)
Deborah L. Grigsby: Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony)
