University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball looks to stop a two-game losing streak when it visits the University of Indianapolis Thursday at 4:30 p.m. (CST). The Screaming Eagles conclude their three-game road trip Saturday at 1 p.m. when they travel to Romeoville, Illinois, to take on No. 11/18 Lewis University.
Both games will be aired live on 95.7 The Spin as well as the GLVC Sports Network, while live stats, audio and video will be available at GoUSIEagles.com.
USI (14-6, 7-3 GLVC) has four players averaging in double-figures in the scoring column, led by senior guard Alex Davidson (Salem, Indiana) and sophomore forward Imani Guy (Columbus, Indiana). Davidson is averaging a team-high 12.6 points per game, while Guy is chipping in 11.5 points and 5.8 rebounds per contest.
Senior center Kacy Eschweiler (St. Charles, Missouri) is averaging 10.4 points and a team-best 6.9 rebounds per game, while sophomore guard Emma DeHart (Indianapolis, Indiana) is contributing 10.3 points per appearance. USI also is getting 9.5 points and a team-high 3.4 assists per game from junior guard Ashley Johnson (Louisville, Kentucky), while senior forward/center Mikayla Rowan (Brazil, Indiana) is averaging 6.4 rebounds per game.
USI Women’s Basketball Notes
• Eagles suffer second straight loss. USI Women’s Basketball suffered its second straight loss Saturday night as Bellarmine rallied from an 11-point halftime deficit to upend the Eagles, 66-61. The loss ended the Eagles’ four-game win streak over the Knights.
• Last week’s leaders. Junior guard Ashley Johnson scored a career-high 19 points, had three assists and five steals to lead USI against Bellarmine. The Eagles also got 10 points apiece from sophomore forward Imani Guy and senior center Kacy Eschweiler. Senior forward/center Mikayla Rowan added a career-high 12 rebounds to lead USI on the boards.
• GLVC Tournament Points Rating System. After six weeks of GLVC play, the GLVC Tournament Points Rating System (GTPRS) has the Eagles in fourth place with a rating of 3.65. Drury (4.68) leads the league, while Lewis (4.00) and Truman State (3.71) are second and third, respectively. Maryville (3.59), McKendree (3.05), Bellarmine (2.80), Missouri-St. Louis (2.64) and Illinois Springfield (2.64) round out the top nine teams. The GTPRS will determine the participants and seeding of the GLVC Tournament in 2018-19.
• Night and day. The difference between the first and second halves was like the difference between night and day for the Eagles. USI made 12-of-25 (.480) from the field, was 4-of-7 (.571) from three-point range and went 12-of-15 (.800) from the free throw line in the first 20 minutes. The Eagles, with a minute left in the game, were just 4-of-28 (.143) from the field, 1-of-5 (.200) from three-point range and 4-of-12 (.333) from the free throw line in the second half.
• Three-point plays huge in first half. USI made a killing on three-point plays in the opening half against the Knights. The Eagles made four three-pointers, were fouled on another three-pointer before converting all three free throws and had three old-fashioned three-point plays in the first 20 minutes of the game.
• Foul out. USI had four players foul out against Bellarmine, including Guy, Eschweiler, senior guard Alex Davidson and sophomore guard Emma DeHart.
• Three losses in GLVC play. With USI’s loss to Bellarmine, the Eagles suffered their third loss in GLVC play, marking the first time since 2015-16 that USI has lost more than twice in GLVC play.
• Double-figures. Freshman forward Ashlynn Brown scored a season-high 10 points in USI’s win over Quincy, making her the ninth different USI player to score in double figures this year. USI has had seven different players reach double-figures in the scoring column multiple times in 2018-19 and four different players reach the 20-point plateau.
• Up next. USI continues its three-
Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch announced today a new economic development strategy to grow the state’s hardwoods industry. Unveiled at the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association’s annual convention, the Indiana Hardwood Strategy will be used by the state to expand current and attract new wood processing facilities to Indiana and strengthen the hardwoods industry.
“Indiana is renowned for producing high quality hardwood timber, yet more than $230 million of sawmill products are coming from outside the state,†Crouch said. “With demand there and our robust, sustainable forest resource base, we want to provide that supply chain link and help capture some of that economic activity in Indiana.â€
According to the strategy, the hardwoods industry contributes more than $10 billion to the state’s economy and supports over 70,000 high-wage jobs. The employment multiplier for this sector is 1.8, meaning that every 10 jobs directly related to hardwoods supports an additional eight jobs in the state.
In addition, the value of Indiana’s hardwood exports totaled more than $250 million in 2017, with Canada and China serving as the state’s top two markets. Export of logs, regardless of type, has increased in the past decade, and value-added products, such as paperboard products and veneer, are seeing growth, the strategy claims.
“For every dollar invested on a finished wood product, an additional 80 cents is generated by companies that support the production process,†said Bruce Kettler, Indiana State Department of Agriculture Director. “This is a significant sector within Indiana’s agricultural economy, and we look forward to using this strategy to take it to the next level.â€
Another component identified by the strategy is the importance of sustainability and proper forest management. Indiana has approximately 4.9 million acres of forestland, of which, 84 percent is privately owned, 8 percent is owned by state and local government and 7.5 percent is owned by the federal government.
The total acreage of timberland in Indiana has steadily increased since the 1960s, and forests are growing in volume more than 3.3 times the amount being removed each year.
“Hardwoods lead Indiana agriculture in the economic impact because of the value added processing after the initial manufacturing output, but even so, there are still millions of dollars of logs leaving the state each year,†said Brett Franklin, owner of Tristate Timber LLC. “The hardwood strategy will promote expansion of existing businesses as well as new opportunities for value added demand in Indiana.â€
To grow the state’s hardwoods industry, the strategy identified three key focus areas: business development, education and marketing.
Some of the specific initiatives under these areas include strengthening Indiana’s existing hardwoods industry by expanding current processing, attracting new companies to the state, educating consumers and businesses on the sustainability of the hardwoods industry, reducing leakages and developing an ongoing campaign to promote the value of hardwoods.
The strategy was commissioned by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the Indiana Hardwood Lumbermen’s Association and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, and was completed by DJ Case & Associates, Purdue Center for Regional Development, Purdue University Department of Forestry and Natural Resources, and Purdue Extension.
Every two seconds, someone in the United States needs blood. Tropicana Evansville is giving you the opportunity to help the American Red Cross meet this need on Wednesday, February 13, from 10AM – 2PM in the Tropicana Evansville Hotel Las Vegas Meeting Room.
Each day, blood donations are used to help accident and burn victims, heart surgery and organ transplant patients and those battling cancer, not to mention other lifesaving events.
With your donation, you will receive a Buy-One-Get-One-Free meal voucher valid at The Kitchen Buffet at Tropicana Evansville. Walk-ins are welcome, so invite a friend. Or you can schedule your appointment in advance. Call 1-800-REDCROSS or visit www.redcrossblood.org and enter Sponsor Code: Tropicana Evansville.
The Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana continued to show it’s the main supporter of youth arts programming in the region by awarding $29,395 to 17 local organizations.
The grants allow organizations to create and continue unique and engaging arts programming for Evansville youth.
More than 30 organizations applied for the Arts Council’s annual Sponsorship of the Arts grant. An Arts Council committee selected 17 organizations listed below for the award.
“Children thrive when provided opportunities for creativity and expression,†said Anne McKim, executive director of The Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana. “The 2019 Sponsorship Grant programs will allow thousands of young people to participate in the arts in their schools and throughout our community, and we’re delighted to be a catalyst for this inspiration and enrichment.â€
For more information, contact Zach Evans with the Arts Council at zach.evans@artswin.org.2019 Sponsorship of the Arts Grant Recipients:
|
Organization |
Project
|
Description |
Awarded
|
|
AIS Diamond |
Creating a Creative and Engaging Classroom
|
Funding requested to purchase art supplies for the AIS Diamond Avenue middle school art program. |
$1,500
|
|
Children’s Center for Dance Education
|
Tap, Tumble, and Twirl |
Funding requested for supplies and materials needed for the creation of a dance studio at Carver Community Organization. CCDE will give lessons to 31 preschool aged children, but the space will be available for art/dance/and movement programs for all youth served by Carver. |
$3,000 |
Children’s Center
for Dance
Education Alvin Ailey and Art 
performance in Bloomington, Indiana. $500
Funding requested to send 20 Joshua Academy students to an Alvin Ailey
|
Corpus Christi |
Fine Arts Technology Integration in Middle School |
Funding requested to purchase 5 iPads and additional apps to be used in fine arts classes in the school. |
$1,545
|
|
Evansville Ballet Theater |
Dance Program at the Boys and Girls Club |
Funding requested to support collaborative projects with the Boys and Girls Club and Mattingly Charities to bring dance education to underserved and special-needs children. |
$1,000 |
|
Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library |
Southside Stars Music Group |
Funding requested to purchase instruments for use in the Southside Stars Music Program. |
$500 |
|
Navigators USA, Chapter 111 |
Navigating the Arts |
Funding requested to implement an arts program for the scouts of Evansville- based Navigators scouting groups. |
$2,500 |
|
North High School |
Enriching Opportunities at North High School |
Funding requested to purchase supplementary supplies and materials in order to introduce new media and techniques to art students, including raku firing, varying printmaking processes, silkscreen process on clay, rice paper transfers on clay, digital photography and graphic design. |
$2,000 |
|
Patchwork Central |
Spring Semester 2019 Arts and Smarts Program |
Funding requested to support arts activities during Patchwork’s 4 day a week afterschool arts and education program, targeted at neighborhood and underserved children. |
$1,000 |
|
St. Vincent Early Learning Center
|
Engaging Children Through Music with Natural Outdoor Classrooms |
Funding requested for development of a music program in new outdoor music and movement classrooms. |
$5,000 |
|
The DaVinci Institute
|
DaVinci Partnership: Young People’s Concert Enrichment Experience |
Funding requested to purchase supplies for the “Concert Enrichment Experience,” to provide substitute teachers for the day, and to rent the Children’s Museum of Evansville facilities for the project. |
$2,000 |
The Jacob Ball Wish
Funding requested to support a theater production raising money for the Jacob Ball wish fund. Money raised is used to purchase materials and equipment requested by teachers or caregivers for
The Jacob Ball
Wish Fund Fund their work with special needs children. $1,000
|
University of Evansville Theater |
ARTSWIN/UE Twelfth Night Matinee
|
Funding requested to provide 500 discounted tickets to area students for the matinee production of “Twelfth Night.” |
$5,000
|
|
Vogel Elementary School |
After School Art |
Funding requested to create an after- school art club for K-6th grade students at Vogel Elementary School. Funds will be used for art supplies and will increase arts exposure for participating students from 20 to 30 minutes/week to over 2 hours/week. |
$1,600
|
|
YWCA |
Loving Yourself
|
Funding requested for art supplies to be used by LiveYers in a positive self-esteem and self-image program.
|
$1,250 |
|
YWCA |
Hands Are Not for Hitting |
Funding requested for art supplies to be used by LiveYers in a violence prevention program. |
|
|
YWCA |
Down on the Farm
|
Funding requested for art supplies to be used by LiveYers for creative reflection following a farm visit. |
|
|
Total award from the Arts Council to 17 organizations |
$29,395
|
||
The Arts Council of Southwestern Indiana is a 501(c)3 nonprofit located in Downtown Evansville at 212 Main St. The Arts Council operates the Bower-Suhrheinrich Foundation Art Gallery and is the only free public arts space in the city.
The Arts Council’s mission is to enhance the quality of life and support economic development through advocacy and promotion of the arts, arts education and arts organizations in Southwest Indiana. To learn more about the Arts Council, visit artswin.org, and follow them on Facebook,Twitter and Instagram.
Indiana Sheriffs’ Association President, Vanderburgh County Sheriff David L. Wedding, is pleased to announce that the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association will again be awarding college scholarships to qualified high school seniors or college students who are pursuing a degree in Criminal Justice studies. There will be approximately forty $750 scholarships awarded to qualifying students throughout the state.
The Indiana Sheriffs’ Association Scholarship Fund was established for the purpose of receiving, investing, and dispensing of funds to provide college scholarships to qualified students who are committed to pursuing and education in the law enforcement profession.
To qualify for one of these scholarships, the applicant must be an Indiana resident, be a current member of the association or a dependent child or grandchild of a current association member, attend an Indiana college or university, major in a law enforcement field, and enrolled as a full-time student (12 or more credit hours).
Applications needed to apply for the scholarships are available from your high school counselor or the Sheriff’s Office. The scholarship application can also be downloaded from the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association website: www.indianasheriffs.org. The applications must be completed and received by the Indiana Sheriffs’ Association on or before April 1st, 2019.
Former University of Southern Indiana student athlete Randi Raff ’05 has been selected to lead the USI Volleyball program in an announcement by the USI Department of Athletics Monday afternoon. Raff becomes the 12th head coach in program history.
“I am beyond excited and deeply humbled at the opportunity to come home to USI.” Raff said. “I’d like to thank (USI Director of Athletics) Jon Mark Hall for placing his faith in me and believing in my vision for the future of USI Volleyball.
“After visiting campus, it’s clear the University and the Athletic Department are bound for even more great things.” Raff continued. “It is truly a special place. Everything from the committed and tight knit community of coaches, staff and players to the top notch facilities made saying ‘yes’ one of the easiest decisions of my life. It feels good to be a Screaming Eagle again!”
“We are thrilled to have Randi coming back to USI to be our head volleyball coach,” Hall said. “She has playing or coaching experience at the Division I, II and III levels and we feel like those vast experiences will help her become a very successful head coach. She is very driven to succeed and to make sure that the young women in our program have a great experience at USI.
“I would like to thank Assistant Director of Athletics, Mandi Fulton, and our entire search committee on their efforts to bring us such a strong candidate pool,” Hall continued.
Raff, who played volleyball at USI in 2001, 2003 and 2004, returns to the Screaming Eagles after spending the previous three seasons at Georgia Tech, where she was an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
At Georgia Tech, Raff assisted in putting together the Highest Honorable Mention recruiting classes in 2017 and 2018 per Prepvolleyball.com and helped the Yellow Jackets to their most victories in 12 years as they posted a 24-8 overall record and a 15-5 mark in ACC play in 2016.
Raff also coached two first-team All-ACC players as well as one honorable mention All-American and ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year. She coordinated and organized all recruiting activities, including identification of prospects as well as establishing and maintaining day-to-day communications.
Prior to Georgia Tech, Raff spent the 2015 season as the recruiting coordinator and assistant coach at Indiana after spending three seasons at Northern Kentucky University as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator.
During her time with Northern Kentucky, Raff helped the Norse to a 56-37 (.602) record in its first three years of NCAA Division I play, including the best start to any first-year Division I program (12-1 in 2012). She served as acting head coach for the program’s first-ever NCAA Division I post-season win, which came during the 2014 Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament—she filled in for Liz (Holmes) Hart, who was expecting the birth of her first child.
Prior to NKU, Raff spent two seasons at Division III Christopher Newport University in Newport News, Virginia, as an assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. She helped lead the Captains to back-to-back 38-win seasons, including a national runner-up finish in 2011.
Raff was honored with the 2011 American Volleyball Coaches Association 30 under 30 award, which recognizes young up-and-coming coaches among all NCAA divisions in both men’s and women’s volleyball.
A native of Rensselaer, Indiana, Raff also served as an assistant coach for two seasons at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, prior to her stint with Christopher Newport.
Raff broke into coaching as a graduate assistant strength and condition coach at Purdue University from 2005-07. She was the Head Junior Varsity Coach/Assistant Varsity Coach at Mt. Vernon High School in 2007 before brief volunteer stints with USI and former GLVC member Saint Joseph’s College in the spring of 2008. She was the Head Coach of the 16-2’s team for the Pursuit Volleyball Club in Jackson, Missouri, from 2008-09.
Raff was a team captain for the Eagles’ 2004 GLVC championship squad that posted a 15-1 record in league play en route to their second NCAA II Tournament appearance in three seasons. She earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science from USI in May 2005 before earning a master’s degree in pedagogy and administration from Purdue in 2007.
Vanderburgh County
Drainage Board Agenda
February 5, 2019
Call to Order
Pledge of Allegiance
Approval of Previous Minutes
Bid Specifications for 2019-Maintenance of Regulated Drains
Final Drainage Plan-13644 State Road 57 (JC Wildlife)
Vectren noncompliance with Sonntag Stevens Agreement-Follow upÂ
Ditch Maintenance Claims (none)
Other Business
Public Comment
Adjournment
Dax is a 5-year-old male. He was surrendered by a family that was moving. Interestingly enough, he is also front-declawed, which means he could live in pretty much any type of housing anywhere! He’s a sweet guy who gets along great with other cats. His adoption fee is $40 and includes his neuter, microchip, vaccines, and more. Contact Vanderburgh Humane at (812) 426-2563 for adoption details!
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Attorney General Curtis Hill this week asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a lower court’s ruling on the constitutionality of an Indiana law requiring fetal ultrasounds at least 18 hours prior to abortions.
In July of 2018, a panel from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit enjoined the law – accepting Planned Parenthood’s contention that it placed an undue burden on women seeking abortions. In this week’s filing, however, Attorney General Hill notes that the law essentially combines two Indiana statutes that have been on the books for years.
In 1995, the Indiana General Assembly passed the informed-consent statute, which specified that a woman must receive, in person, information relevant to abortion and childbirth at least 18 hours before an abortion. The U.S. Supreme Court upheld a similar statute in Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania v. Casey.
Then, in 2011, the state legislature passed another law requiring an ultrasound be performed before an abortion. It required medical staff to show the ultrasounds to women seeking abortions unless they expressed in writing that they did not wish to see them. In 2016, lawmakers added the provision at issue in this week’s filing – which stipulates that the required ultrasound take place at the informed-consent appointment at least 18 hours before the abortion procedure.
“The state has a compelling interest to protect fetal life and dignity,†Attorney General Hill said. “It also has an obligation to ensure that women do not feel rushed or pressured into getting an abortion. I hope the Supreme Court will establish the clear constitutionality of this vitally important legislation.â€
