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Scott collects 500th career strikeout as Otters win opener
The Otters sent out Braden Scott for his 16th start of the season and he delivered an absolute gem. He started off strong, with three strikeouts through three straight shutout innings.
The offense found their way in the third with a couple of two-out hits. Ellis Schwartz singled in the first run and LJ Jones followed with a single of his own to put Evansville up 3-0.
Scott kept dealing as he stranded a runner at second in the fourth with back-to-back punch outs. He started the fifth with another strikeout, earning him his 500th career strikeout. Scott followed that up with two more strikeouts to end the fifth and struck out the first two batters in the sixth for his seventh straight strikeout.
Evansville added insurance runs in the bottom of the sixth with another two-out hit. After a single and a couple of walks loaded the bases, Crix Taveras, who got his first professional hit earlier in the game, hit his second of three doubles to clear the bases and extended the Otters lead to 6-0.
Scott finished his night with another scoreless frame and a strikeout, giving him a season high 11 punch outs on the night. He went seven scoreless frames, allowing just four baserunners en route to his eighth quality start of the season. With 115 strikeouts on the season, Scott still leads the Frontier League in punchouts.
Garrett Crowley, who was activated before today’s game after a trade from Quebec, made his first appearance as an Otter and struck out three during his eighth inning. Nolan Thebiay pitched a scoreless ninth to finish the game 6-0.
Evansville is back in action tomorrow night at 6:35 p.m. CT for another Wing Wednesday before the series finale on Thursday night. The Otters follow this series with a three-game set against the Windy City ThunderBolts in Chicago.
Applications now open for Indiana Main Street program
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INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 6, 2025) – The Office of Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced applications are now open for the 2026 Indiana Main Street program.
“Indiana Main Street is here to help towns breathe new life into their downtowns, support local businesses, and spark community pride,” Lieutenant Governor Beckwith said. “I’m excited to see Hoosiers thrive through this program.” Indiana communities that attended a Main Street 101 training in 2025 are eligible to apply for the OCRA Downtown Affiliate Network level. ODAN communities that completed any required waiting periods are eligible to apply for the next level, the Aspiring-IAMS one-year program. To learn more about the Indiana Main Street levels, visit in.gov/ocra/mainstreet. “The Indiana Main Street program provides communities with tools, trainings and support to revitalize their downtown corridor, increase community pride and fuel community development,” OCRA Executive Director Fred Glynn said. “Our Main Street communities are unique, vibrant places and I encourage organizations to apply to take advantage of this great resource.” Communities seeking the ODAN level must submit their Letter of Intent and have achieved the fundamental baseline requirement by 12 p.m. ET on Oct. 31, 2025. Communities seeking the Aspiring IAMS level must submit their Letter of Intent and application by 12 p.m. ET on Dec. 31, 2025. Current Aspiring-IAMS and IAMS organizations should reach out to the Indiana Main Street program manager to learn more about moving to the next Indiana Main Street level. In 2024, Indiana Main Street’s Nationally Accredited Main Street, IAMS and Aspiring-IAMS communities saw nearly $27 million in public investment and around $38 million in private investment. For more information, visit in.gov/ocra/mainstreet or reach out to the regional OCRA community liaison, which can be found at in.gov/ocra/about/community-liaisons/. All new community designations will be announced in early 2026. |
Joint Narcotics Investigation Finds Stolen Firearms and Large Quantities of Drugs
Joint Narcotics Investigation Finds Stolen Firearms and Large Quantities of Drugs
Eleven total individuals have been charged in two separate federal indictments following this months- long investigation into drug trafficking.
Beginning in January 2025, agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration’s (DEA) Evansville
Resident Office and detectives from the Evansville Vanderburgh County Drug Task Force (EVCDTF) launched an investigation into large-scale narcotics distribution in the Evansville area. The investigation allegedly uncovered two related drug trafficking organizations led by Jadrion Griffin and Michael Kelly.
According to the indictments, Griffin and Kelly acquired significant quantities of methamphetamine and cocaine from a supplier in St. Louis, Missouri. These drugs were allegedly distributed to nine co-defendants, who then sold them to individuals throughout the Evansville community. Investigators allege that multiple residences and properties in Evansville were used to store, package, and distribute the narcotics.
On July 28 and 29, 2025, the DEA, U.S. Marshals Service, EVCDTF, Evansville Police Department, Indiana State Police, and partner agencies executed federal search warrants at various locations in Evansville,
Indiana, and Louisville, Kentucky. All eleven defendants were taken into custody. Those charged were Jadrion Giffin (46), Michael Kelly (47), Terry Shealey (44), Derrick Beans (47), Bobby Hunter (45), Lawrence Winstead (44), Alphonso Kelly (47), Tanya Swearington (61), Laurene Winrow (71), George Frazier (44) and Monica Edwards (56)
ISDA and Red Gold Announce 2025 Stewardship Award Winners
| INDIANAPOLIS (August 6, 2025) – The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) and Red Gold recently announced the winners of the 2025 Red Gold Stewardship award. Wittmer Farms of Valparaiso was selected as the first-place winner, and Wischmeyer Farms of Ottawa, Ohio received second place.
This presentation, now in its 17th year, is a partnership between Red Gold and the Indiana State Department of Agriculture. The award is presented to Red Gold growers who value improving soil health and water quality on their operations. Red Gold appreciates partnering with ISDA to formally recognize growers’ continuous good efforts with soil and water conservation practices. “We have had 100% participation in this program for several years,” said Curt Utterback, Director of Agriculture at Red Gold. “Many of the growers are multi-generational operations and taking care of the land is a top priority for them. They want to ensure that there will be future opportunities for themselves and others. Our growers have a tremendous amount of effort and pride into raising healthy, nutritious food for an ever-growing population, while never losing sight of the land’s needs as well. It is an honor to formally recognize this year’s winners: Wittmer Farms of Valparaiso, Indiana, secured first place and Wischmeyer Farms of Ottawa, Ohio, secured second place.” Located in northwest Indiana, Jon Wittmer of Wittmer Farms has put a strong emphasis on not only growing excellent crops, but also on the conservation of the land they farm. On their family farm, they grow corn, seed corn, and seed beans, as well as pumpkins and tomatoes. The Wittmer’s have implemented a multitude of conservation practices to promote soil health and water quality on their farm, such as grass filter strips, grassed waterways, cover crops, reduced tillage, blind inlets, drainage water management structures, small grains, and grade stabilization structures. “It’s an honor to be selected for the Red Gold Conservation and Stewardship award this year. Being a part of this creates modest competition between some of the best farmers in the Midwest! I am grateful Red Gold partners with the Indiana Department of Agriculture on this,” said Jon Wittmer. Second place winner, Wischmeyer Farms, is located in northwest Ohio. They grow corn, soybeans, wheat, and tomatoes. On their farm, they have implemented a variety of stewardship and conservation practices, such as small grains, cover crops, grass filter strips, grassed waterways, grass travel lanes for harvest, grade stabilization structures, drainage water management, and blind inlets. “In participating in the Red Gold Stewardship Program, we have been made more aware of the different conservation programs available, as well as been more innovative to build soil health for future generations,” said Tom Wischmeyer. The Midwest is leading the pack in soil conservation efforts. Specifically in the Hoosier state, farmers utilize a variety of soil conservation practices and planted more than 1.6 million acres of cover crops in 2025. “ISDA is proud to partner with Red Gold Tomatoes on the Red Gold Stewardship Award, which honors tomato growers who demonstrate a strong commitment to soil conservation,” said Don Lamb, director of the Indiana State Department of Agirculture. “Protecting soil health and improving water quality remain top priorities for producers across Indiana and the Midwest. It’s a privilege to recognize Wittmer Farms and Wischmeyer Farms for their leadership and dedication to environmental stewardship.” As the top winner, Wittmer Farms received a $1500 scholarship, as well as one extra load delivery of tomatoes per day. Wischmeyer Farms was awarded a $750 scholarship and an extra ½ load delivery of tomatoes per day. |
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| Pictured above is the second place winners, Tom and Brian Wischmeyer. |
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ABOUT ISDA The Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) reports to Lt. Governor Micah Beckwith , Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. Major responsibilities include advocacy for Indiana agriculture at the local, state and federal level, managing soil conservation programs, promoting economic development and agricultural innovation, serving as a regulatory ombudsman for agricultural businesses, and licensing grain firms throughout the state. |
Otters fall to set up rubber match Thursday
It was Parker Brahms who took the mound for Evansville in this one. He started off strong, retiring the side in the first frame.
In the second, the Boulders would strike for the first time. They scored two thanks to a couple of doubles and an RBI single to make it 2-0.
Brahms would quickly recover, beginning with the last out of the second, he would retire 11 straight batters to get into the sixth without any more trouble.
In that sixth inning, New York scored two more. A two-RBI single extended their lead to 4-0 over the Otters. Once again, Brahms battled through the adversity. He would get through the seventh inning with only four runs against him. This is Brahms’ second straight start with seven innings pitched.
The Otters would strike back in the bottom of the seventh frame. Jared Campbell led off the inning with a walk to get the rally started. He was later driven in on a single from JJ Cruz. That would make it 4-1 heading into the eighth.
Eventually, New York would get the best of Evansville, winning 9-1 on the night.
This is the second straight night where an Evansville starter went into the seventh and had a consecutive batters out streak of eight or more.
Evansville will conclude the series tomorrow against New York at 6:35 p.m. CT. It will be a Thirsty Thursday with gates opening at 5:30 p.m.
‘Voluntarily complying’: Braun, Beckwith offices agree certain executive orders are optional
Indiana Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, who is is six months into a convention-arranged political marriage with Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, is complying with certain executive orders because he wants to — not because he has to.
The interpretation comes after Beckwith’s Statehouse executive office has been repeatedly closed to the public during business hours in recent weeks, even though Braun directed state agencies to return full-time employees to in-person work by July 1.
Both offices agree that agencies Beckwith oversees — the Indiana State Department of Agriculture and the Office of Community and Rural Affairs — are bound by the order.
But the lieutenant governor himself is among just six separately selected statewide officeholders detailed in Indiana’s constitution. Beckwith is the second in command in the executive branch but also presides over the Indiana Senate.
This means that some employees under the lieutenant governor’s authority could have to follow executive orders while others wouldn’t.
Beckwith Spokesman James Kehoe maintains that Beckwith’s office has chosen to follow the in-office order, including his executive and business teams.
Beckwith “believes in the spirit” of the order, so the office is “voluntarily complying,” Kehoe wrote. He cited two Statehouse attorneys who “both gave us the legal opinion” that the office “isn’t bound by” the directive.
Braun’s office indicated separately elected and nominated officials can opt into certain executive orders.
“We are setting a policy and we are leading,” Braun’s General Counsel Patrick Price said. “And you know, if other state elected officials want to follow the governor’s lead, we … welcome them to do that.”
The running mates began their new roles in January. Their partnership has included disagreements over policy and public remarks.
Republican delegates narrowly selected Beckwith as the GOP nominee for lieutenant governor in a surprising vote at a party convention last June, rebuffing Braun’s handpicked choice for the role.
‘Potential’ for split goes back decades
Representatives for the two leaders had slightly differing explanations for whether executive orders do or don’t apply.
Braun’s office pointed to a chapter of Indiana Code about the state’s civil service system, which specifically exempts the governor, lieutenant governor and four other statewide elected officials from such personnel requirements.
“If you’re separately elected or separately nominated, your accountability is to the voters, not the governor,” Price said.
Budget-related orders would still apply to everyone, however.
Beckwith’s office indicated it uses a case-by-case approach.
“Since all Executive Orders are different, you’d need to ask about each specifically for me to address this,” Kehoe said.
He confirmed the office has sought an opinion — essentially, legal advice — from the Office of Attorney General, “but we have not heard back.”
Indiana’s governor and lieutenant governor have run on the same ticket since the 1976 elections, when a constitutional amendment went into effect.
Until then, the two were separately elected. Voters approved the change in a 56%-44% referendum two years prior.
Proponents argued the amendment would boost cooperation between the state’s two top officeholders because they’d at least belong to the same party, according to a 1974 edition of the Nappanee Advance-News.
Opponents held that the dual ticket would limit voter options and reduce the lieutenant governor to a “rubber stamp” of the governor’s perspective.
Paul Helmke, a professor at Indiana University Bloomington’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs, said it’s likely the first time “we’ve had that kind of conflict” since the amendment took effect.
Helmke served three terms as the Republican mayor of Fort Wayne, leaving office in 2000. He led the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence for five years and joined IU’s faculty in 2013.
“They’ve always been a team,” he said of the two roles. “But this one, I mean, we knew was going to be different, just going back to the convention.”
Party insiders pick the lieutenant governor nominee in at springtime conventions. They typically — but don’t always — fall in line with the preference of the gubernatorial nominee, who is chosen by primary election voters.
That difference in selection mechanisms is why “there’s always been a potential for a split between the two,” Helmke said.
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