Eagles predicted to finish third in GLVC
EVANSVILLE, Ind.—Great Lakes Valley Conference coaches have predicted a third-place finish for University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball in the annual GLVC Preseason Coaches’ Poll.
USI received 155 points and one first-place vote as it trailed only Lewis University and Drury University in the poll. Lewis was picked to finish first, garnering 175 points and one first-place vote, while Drury was tabbed for a second-place finish with 174 points and six first-place votes. The Panthers were ranked No. 5 in the Division II Bulletin Top 25 preseason rankings.
Rounding out the top five was Bellarmine University and Truman State University, both of whom received 135 points, while the University of Missouri-St. Louis (127), University of Indianapolis (95), McKendree University (94), Rockhurst University (81) and William Jewell College (75) rounded out the top 10. The University of Illinois Springfield (69), Maryville University (57), Quincy University (45) and Missouri S&T (39) completed the poll.
This year’s poll is the first non-division poll since 2004-05, when the league sported 11 teams. The GLVC standings will feature a 1-14 format in 2018-19 and will, once again, be determined via the GLVC Tournament Points Rating System.
The Screaming Eagles, who were ranked No. 19 in the Division II Bulletin Top 25 preseason rankings, are coming off their second straight GLVC East Division title after posting a 26-5 overall record and a 16-2 mark in league play a year ago. USI advanced to the NCAA II Tournament for the 10th time in program history after advancing to the GLVC Tournament championship game.
USI returns two starters and nine players from last year’s squad, but must replace 56.5 percent of its scoring and 46.0 percent of its rebounding from last year’s team due to the graduations of Morgan Dahlstrom, Kaydie Grooms and Randa Harshbarger. Dahlstrom and Grooms were both first-team All-GLVC honorees a year ago, while Harshbarger was a third-team All-Conference selection.
Senior center Kacy Eschweiler (St. Charles, Missouri) also earned third-team All-GLVC recognition a year ago after averaging 8.6 points and 5.3 rebounds per contest. Senior guard Alex Davidson (Salem, Indiana) chipped in 8.2 points, 3.4 rebounds and 2.0 assists per outing in her first year as a starter last season.
The Eagles also are looking to a strong recruiting class that includes sophomore guard Kennedy Williams (Marshall, Illinois), freshman forward Ashlynn Brown (Perrysburg, Ohio) and freshman guard Samantha LaPlaca (Parma Heights, Ohio). Williams began her collegiate career at Bowling Green State University, where she averaged 3.1 points per game off the bench, while Brown was an All-State honoree after averaging 17.0 points and 8.2 rebounds per game as a senior at Perrysburg High School. LaPlaca averaged 23.0 points and 13.0 rebounds per contest at Normandy High School during her senior season in 2017-18.
USI begins the 2018-19 season November 9 when it travels to Midland, Michigan, to take on Midwest Region foe Northwood University. GLVC play briefly begins December 1 when the Eagles host rival Bellarmine at the Physical Activities Center, while the remainder of league play begins after the New Year.
USI ranked 2nd in first region poll
University of Southern Indiana Men’s Soccer is ranked second in the first NCAA Division II Midwest Region poll of 2018. The Screaming Eagles follow Ohio Valley University and leads Saginaw Valley State University and the University of Indianapolis in the top half of the regional poll.
The bottom half of the region’s eight-team poll includes Tiffin University (fifth), the University of Illinois Springfield (sixth), the University of Wisconsin-Parkside (seventh), and McKendree University (eighth). The NCAA II Midwest Regional takes the top six team with the number one and two seeds hosting sub-regionals November 8-11.
USI concludes its four-game homestand Friday night versus Rockhurst University and Sunday versus William Jewell College. The Eagles end the 2018 regular season and GLVC campaign October 24 at Lewis University.
The GLVC Tournament is set to begin October 28 at campus sites before concluding with the semifinals and finals November 2 and 4 at Woehrle Athletic Complex in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
MIDWEST         In-Region   D-II Record
1   Ohio Valley       13-2      13-2
2   Southern Ind.     10-2-1     10-2-1
3   Saginaw Valley    8-1-5      8-1-5
4   UIndy           10-3-1     10-3-1
5   Tiffin            10-4       10-4
6   Ill.-Springfield     7-4-3      7-4-3
7   Wis.-Parkside     9-4-1     9-4-1
8   McKendree       8-3-1     8-4-1
COA: Jury trials unavailable for expungements
Olivia Covington fort www.theindianalawyer.com
A Jasper County man who argued the trial court erred in denying his request to expunge a school suspension from his record and in not holding a jury trial has lost both arguments on appeal, with an appellate panel specifically holding that expungement issues are not entitled to a jury trial.
In Thomas A. DeCola v. State of Indiana, 18A-MI-732, Thomas DeCola was suspended from Kankakee Valley High School in 2001 and, as a result, temporarily lost his driving privileges. Those privileges were restored in 2002, and 16 years later in 2018, DeCola petitioned the Jasper Superior Court to expunge all records pertaining to his 2001 suspension.
The trial court denied the petition and a subsequent motion to correct error, finding that DeCola did not identify any relevant statutory basis for his claim. The Indiana Court of Appeals agreed on Wednesday, with Judge John Baker writing that DeCloa’s claim that the trial court improperly denied his petition was “totally without merit.â€
“The Indiana Code does not allow for an individual to have a school suspension expunged from his records,†Baker wrote. “Rather, expungement as a remedy is limited to criminal arrests and convictions.â€
DeCola also argued the trial court erred when it did not conduct a jury trial, but the appellate court found that argument failed as a matter of substance. Specifically, Baker said the General Assembly had created a statutory framework in which the court, rather than the jury, is tasked with hearing and ruling on expungements.
“It follows that expungement would have been deemed an equitable rather than a legal remedy,†Baker concluded. “Because expungement was not triable by a jury at common law, we hold that petitioners seeking expungement are not entitled to a ju
Disney Junior Dance Party On Tour
GREAT SEATS JUST OPENED
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Disney Junior Dance Party On Tour
Old National Events Plaza
Thursday, October 18 at 6PM
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Evansville – We are pleased to announce that GREAT, NEW seats have just been opened in ALL price levels for the Disney Junior Dance Party at Old National Events Plaza on Thursday, October 18th at 6 pm.
Don’t miss your chance to see live appearances by your favorite Disney Junior characters Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse, Goofy, Elena of Avalor, Sofia the First and Doc McStuffins. Children will be delighted by interactive on-screen moments with Puppy Dog Pals, The Lion Guard and Muppet Babies, as well as the first-ever live appearance by Vampirina! Watch a preview here: https://bit.ly/2HlIR2q
Get your tickets at the venue box office, ticketmaster.com or charge by phone at 800-745-3000.
“READERS FORUM” OCTOBER 17, 2018
We hope that today’s “READERS FORUMâ€Â will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?Â
WHATS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?
Todays“Readers Poll†question is: Do you feel that every member on the Evansville City Council will have someone to run against them in the 2019 city election?
If you would like to advertise on the CCO please contact us City-CountyObserver@live.com
Charity Gaming Laws Might Be Due For A Change
By Dionte Coleman
TheStatehouseFile.com
INDIANAPOLIS – For decades, bingo games and other forms of gaming have provided a major funding source for local posts of the American Legion in Indiana and other nonprofit organizations.
But with the advent of other legal gambling outlets, rules that prevent organizations from providing even small compensation for the volunteers running their charitable games make it hard for these all-volunteer groups to stay in business.
“Those (organizations) that might not be able to compensate workers may be at a disadvantage,†Sarah Tait, executive director of the Indiana Gaming Commission, told the Interim Study Committee on Public Policy Friday. “Certainly the common theme we hear is that charities are having a hard time finding volunteers.â€
The Public Policy listened to more than an hour of testimony from organizations like the American Legion as their members explained the importance of gambling to funding the work of many charities.
Even with the benefit that charitable gambling brings to the American Legion, Lisa Wilken, district chair of the American Legion in Indiana, said their finances and membership are on a steady decline. That is in part because they can’t provide the volunteers with anything as simple as a drink after a five-hour shift.
“Our bingo workers are important to our veterans’ organization because right now, bingo is all voluntary. We are in direct competition with all of the organizations that have gaming in the state, gambling in the state. The difference is we’re charitable gaming,†Wilken said.
Without the financial support of charitable gaming, the American Legion has had to close down a couple of their posts, making it harder for some veterans to find a post close to home, Wilken said. She also said that she fears it may deter some younger veterans from joining the American Legion.
Charitable gaming is a half-billion-dollar industry in Indiana, according to Tait. The American Legion is missing out on a funding source that could help improve the lives of Hoosier veterans, Wilken said.
She explained that the money received through gaming events has always been returned to the community in some fashion through programs for vets.
“Our membership’s spending money and our organization is the way that we help our local communities. So, that’s why you see us here wanting to be able to pay our bingo workers, wanting to be able to add other charitable gaming enhancements to our program. So, we can continue to use that charitable gaming money in our local communities,†Wilken said.
State Rep. Terri Austin, D-Anderson, discussed the fears that some people might steal from the charitable gambling events for their own personal gain. Wilken assured her that if that were to happen action would be taken.
Committee agreed that something should be done about the issue but have not discussed ways to improve. They will be meeting over the next two weeks to discuss ways to improve charitable gambling.
Tait told the committee that her agency will be making recommendations to revise Indiana’s charitable gaming laws in the 2019 legislative session.
FOOTNOTE: Dionte Coleman is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.