Potential Fourth Port Purchase Agreement Extended
Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced that the Ports of Indiana has entered into an agreement to extend the option to purchase land near Lawrenceburg that could potentially be the state’s fourth port.
The Ports of Indiana entered into an agreement in Sept. 2017 to purchase up to 725 acres of land that was formerly the American Electric Power plant. That option was set to expire Dec. 31, 2018.
This action provides an extension up to six months, through June 30, 2019, for the seller, Tanners Creek Development, LLC, to finalize environmental work plans for the land.
If the Ports of Indiana decides to move forward, the total cost for the land and equipment would be approximately $8 million. The property has the potential to spur the economy of southeast Indiana by providing new jobs, multimodal connections to world markets, and development opportunities.
Indiana has three state ports operating on the Ohio River and Lake Michigan, with locations in Jeffersonville, Mount Vernon and Burns Harbor/Portage. Indiana has not opened a new port since 1985. Over the years, the Ports of Indiana has expanded each of its ports and now operates approximately 2,800 acres along Indiana’s navigable waterways. Indiana’s ports contribute over $7.8 billion per year to the state economy and support nearly 60,000 jobs.
UE volleyball set for final road trip
In its final road contest of the season, the University of Evansville volleyball team head to Terre Haute to face Indiana State in a 5 p.m. CT game on Friday.
UE played a competitive match at Missouri State, staying within six points in all three sets. Tam hit .294 on her way to a match-high 15 kills while Alondra Vazquez notched 11 kills and a team-best 11 digs. On Saturday, Evansville had 51 kills in a 3-0 triumph at Southern Illinois. Tam and Mildrelis Rodriguez led the way with 15 kills apiece while Allana McInnis added 44 assists.
Over the course of Evansville’s two matches over the weekend, Rachel Tam registered 4.83 kills and 2.67 digs per set while leading the Purple Aces to a 1-1 mark. In Friday’s match at Missouri State, Tam tallied 14 kills and seven digs. She hit an accurate .294. Tam added 15 more kills at Southern Illinois on Saturday, recording nine digs and four service aces. She remains second in the MVC with 4.28 kills per set; her tally is 27th in the nation.
Senior Mildrelis Rodriguez continues to impact her team on the offensive and defensive sides of the net. For the season, she is second on the team in kills (3.12/set) and third in digs (2.78/set). Last weekend, she added to those numbers with 4.17 kills and 2.67 digs per game. Her top outing came at SIU as she notched 15 kills and 8 digs.
Indiana State comes into Friday’s match with a 9-18 overall record and stand at 2-13 in league play. Laura Gross has a team-high 3.12 kills per set while Makayla Knoblauch has notched 9.47 assists per game. Jade York and Gross anchor the defense with 4.32 and 3.94 digs per set, respectively.
2018 Senior Seminar to showcase capstone work of art majors
The 2018 Senior Seminar Exhibition is on display from Wednesday, November 7 through Sunday, December 9 in the Kenneth P. McCutchan Art Center/Palmina F. and Stephen S. Pace Galleries at the University of Southern Indiana. A free public reception for the student artists will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday, November 11 at the McCutchan Art Center/Pace Galleries. Light refreshments will be served.
The exhibit features art and design work by 37 senior art majors and is the culmination of their artistic achievements at USI. The exhibit is an important aspect of capstone seminar courses required for all USI art majors.
The participating seniors are: Andrew Abell, Drew Allen, Sarah Alsaied, Jonathan Barrera, Alexander Barton, Patrick Bennett, Von Carson, Tabatha Chinn, Tyler Churchman, Matthew Clark, Jes David, Lisa Dayvolt, Elizabeth Eversole, Sarah Feagan, Makenzie Fisher, Laura Green, Jessica Higgins, Megan Hunt, Emily Jones, Evan Kisner, Jacob McConnell, Donald MacLean-Kennedy, Amy Jo McMann, Megan Thorne, Sara Neuffer, Aden Parsons, Andrew Utah Ponce, Tom Pryor, Cristine Pyle, Vanessa Cayzedo, Lauren Schmitt, Claire Wright, Kyleigh Shearin, Brian Simpson, Hannah Spurgeon, Dara Turner, and Cheyenne Uebelhor.
The McCutchan Art Center/Pace Galleries, located in the lower level of the Liberal Arts Center on the USI campus, is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information call 812-228-5006.
Governor Eric Holcomb Directs Flags To Be Flown at Half-Staff
Governor Eric J. Holcomb is directing flags across the state to be flown at half-staff to honor the victims of the tragedy at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, California.
Flags should be flown at half-staff from now until sunset on Saturday, November 10, 2018.
Gov. Holcomb also asks businesses and residents to lower their flags to half-staff.
Otters set game times for 2019 season at Bosse Field
Single-game tickets will go on-sale at a later date.
Aces right back in action on Saturday at Xavier
UE looks to pick up big road win
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A quick turnaround will see the University of Evansville men’s basketball team right back in action on Saturday with a 3 p.m. CT game at Xavier. Fox Sports Net will have the broadcast and it will be available in the Evansville area. The Fox Sports Go app will also have the stream with the proper subscription through your cable company.
Illinois and Evansville swapped the lead in the opening moments of Thursday’s season opener, but a 10-0 stretch by the Fighting Illini saw them pull away for a 99-60 win. Three Purple Aces tallied double figures, led by K.J. Riley (14), Marty Hill (13) and Shea Feehan (12). Evan Kuhlman and John Hall led the team with 32 and 31 minutes, respectively; the totals were career highs for both players.
Takeaways from Illinois                   Â
– Evansville attempted 24 3-pointers; it was the highest total for UE since taking 30 triples at Illinois State on January 15, 2014
– Four players made their debuts on Thursday including Shea Feehan, Shamar Givance, Jawaun Newton and Jared Chestnut
– Feehan was the top performer of the group, recording 12 points in 28 minutes of action
– Givance scored four points and dished out a team-high four assists; he did not turn the ball over in his 13 minutes on the floor
– Newton registered five points and three boards while Chestnut played the final three minutes
– The Aces turned the ball over 26 times; it was the most for the team since turning it over 25 times against Alabama State on Dec. 4, 2009
Last year, K.J. Riley paced the team with 107 free throw makes; he got off to a good start at Illinois, draining six. He was UE’s leading scorer in the game, finishing with 14 while playing 27 minutes.
Sophomore John Hall has taken advantage of the new system installed by head coach Walter McCarty. After attempting a total of six 3-pointers last year, Hall was 1-3 from outside against Illinois. Hall scored seven points while playing a career-high 31 minutes.
Xavier opened the season with an 82-69 victory over IUPUI. The Musketeers were led by 24 points from Ryan Welage and 17 by Tyrique Jones. Kyle Castlin came close to a double-double in the opener, registering 9 points and 8 rebounds. Last season, Xavier went 29-6 on their way to being named one of the four #1 seeds in the 2018 NCAA Tournament.
Evansville and Xavier played in the MCC (Midwestern City Conference before being renamed the Midwestern Collegiate Conference in 1985) from 1980 through 1994 until UE left for the Missouri Valley Conference. This is just the second meeting since UE departed the MCC; Xavier left the league a year later for the Atlantic 10 Conference; they remained in the league until joining the Big East in 2013.
The squads last met in 2013 with Xavier holding on for a 63-60 win over the Purple Aces inside the Cintas Center.
HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
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Ex-judge accused of sex-based harassment tentatively settles
Olivia Covington fro www.theindianalawyer.com
A former Huntington County judge has reached a tentative settlement with his accuser in a sex-based harassment case brought by a county probation officer who alleged the judge engaged in a “campaign of sex-based harassment, discrimination, and retaliation†that “created a hostile and oppressive workplace environment.â€
A notice of tentative settlement was filed last week in the Indiana Northern District Court in the case of Heather Malone v. Judge Thomas Hakes, 1:17-cv-505. Chief probation officer Heather Malone sued Huntington Circuit Judge Thomas Hakes last December, alleging Hakes sent her suggestive emails and social media messages even after she asked him to stop.
Court exhibits show a litany of Facebook messages and emails sent from Hakes to Malone, some of which she responded to and others she ignored. The messages discussed wide-ranging personal matters, including buying and drinking alcohol and watching ESPN. Hakes also wrote on multiple occasions that he would stop emailing Malone after hours and sending her Facebook messages, but he failed to follow through on those promises.
Malone alleged Hakes retaliated by denying her a raise and telling courthouse employees to avoid her, among other things.
“Over time, and including 2016 and 2017, Judge Hakes began to behave in an obsessive and unwelcome manner toward Ms. Malone, on the basis of her sex,†the complaint says. “… In essence, Judge Hakes constantly pressured Ms. Malone for a relationship that she did not wish to have.â€
The notice of tentative settlement, filed Oct. 30, notes the settlement will not become official until it is approved by the Indiana governor and attorney general. A letter submitted from mediator C. Erik Chickedantz says the settlement was reached during a mediation session on Oct. 26, when both parties and their attorneys attended “and participated in good faith.†Chickedantz wrote that he believed a fair resolution was reached.
An order entered Oct. 31 by Magistrate Judge Paul R. Cherry requires the parties to file dismissal papers within 45 days.
Hakes had previously sought to stay discovery in the case against him, arguing it would likely be dismissed based on absolute and/or qualified immunity. But Cherry denied that motion, marking the second time he ruled against the former judge. Cherry also denied Hakes’ motion to seal exhibits, rejecting his argument that the exhibits contained “communications relating to court business.â€
Hakes retired from the Huntington Circuit Court on Dec. 31, and Gov. Eric Holcomb appointed Huntington County deputy prosecutor Jamie M. Groves to fill the vacancy.
During the case proceedings, Hakes, who was sued in his individual capacity, was represented by the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, while Malone retained private counsel.