Leonhardt, Schubert earn D2CCA All-Region
University of Southern Indiana sophomore pitcher Jennifer Leonhardt (Louisville, Kentucky) and sophomore outfielder Allison Schubert (Nicholasville, Kentucky) were named to the Division II Conference Commissioner’s Association Softball All-Midwest Region team in a vote by the region’s sports information directors.
Leonhardt is earning All-Region honors for the second consecutive year after posting a 19-12 record, a 2.62 ERA, a .212 opponent batting average and 219 strikeouts. She is the second player in program history and the first since Karianne Osowski in 1995 to reach the 200 strikeout plateau in a single season and is just 11 shy of the single-season mark.
Schubert, who also was named second-team All-Midwest Region by the NFCA, has compiled a .335 batting average with 11 doubles, one triple, 11 home runs and 45 RBIs. She is the seventh player in program history to hit 10 or more home runs in a single season and is five RBIs shy of becoming the fifth player in program history to record 50 RBIs in a single campaign. Her 11 home runs in 2018 are currently tied for fifth on USI’s single-season list, while her 45 RBIs are tied for eighth.
USI (34-23) returns to action Thursday at 1:30 p.m. when it travels to Springfield, Illinois, to take on the University of Illinois Springfield in game one of the NCAA II Midwest Super Regional. Game two is slated for Friday at noon, while game three, if necessary, is Friday at 2:30 p.m.
Live stats and audio links can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com, while 95.7 The Spin will carry the game on the radio. Due to UIS hosting both the NCAA II Midwest Super Regional and the NCAA II Midwest Region Baseball Tournament, live video availability is to be determined.
IS IT TRUE MAY 15, 2018
We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUEâ€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?
IS IT TRUE that Evansville was named the #10 place in America where millennials buy homes in a real estate magazine?…just above Evansville at #9 was Lincoln, Nebraska where the average home is over $300,000 or double the price in Evansville?… Lincoln is also the home of the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers and the State Capital of Nebraska?…the theme of the article was that young people are getting sick and tired of the high cost glamorous big cities like San Francisco and New York City where owning a home is next to impossible since the average homes are now well over $1 million and young people can’t afford a home of their own?…moving companies confirm an exodus from the big expensive cities with their pricing?…a UHaul rental from San Francisco to Vegas is now $2,000 but going the other way is only $100?… That tells us at there is a 20:1 differential in leaving San Francisco relative to Vegas and that is no surprise to anyone who craves tranquility and home ownership?…this does not mean that Evansville is the 10th hottest real estate market in the country?…what it really says is that Evansville is affordable for young people who choose to live here?
IS IT TRUE when all the local political movers and shakers were distancing themselves from the candidacy of Mike Braun for the United States Senator Vanderburgh County Commissioner candidate Steve Hammer openly supported him?  …the primary election is over and now the political piranha is doing everything they can to become a major part of the “BRAUN For UNITED STATES SENATE “campaign?  …don’t you just like disingenuous people?  …we hope that Mike Braun will contact Mr. Hammer and ask him to head his Vanderburgh County campaign because it’s the right thing to do?Â
IS IT TRUE that incumbent Vanderburgh County Councilman James Raben won his primary race by a wide margin?  …could one of the main reasons why he did was because that the following individuals endorsed him for re-election?  …they were; Indiana Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch,  Evansville Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, State Senator Vaneta Becker, State Representative Ron Bacon, Vanderburgh County Assessor Bill Fluty, Vanderburgh County Auditor Brian Gerth,  County Council Member Mike Goebel, Vanderburgh County Council Member Angela Koehler Lindsey, Vanderburgh County Council Member Joe Kiefer, Vanderburgh County Council Member John Montrastelle, Vanderburgh County Council Member Tom Shetler, Jr., Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Nick Hermann, Vanderburgh County Recorder Debbie Stucki, Vanderburgh County Sheriff Dave Wedding, Vanderburgh County Surveyor Jeff Mueller, Vanderburgh County Treasurer Susan Kirk?
IS IT TRUE we are hearing that the Chairman of the Vanderburgh County Democratic party may be pulling a “political rabbit out of the hat” in the near future when he announces who will be running for the office of the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor? Â …if this happens we are told that this individual will give our current County Prosecutor a major run for his money?
IS IT TRUEÂ we have been told that the once splintered Democratic party of Vanderburgh County is finally beginning to heal thanks to the backroom political diplomacy of party Chairman Scott Danks?
IS IT TRUE its extremely obvious that Indiana Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch has been experiencing a fashion makeover during the last six months?  … whoever has consulted her in changing her glasses, makeup, hair, and clothing have done her fashion justice?
IS IT TRUE we are told that the Vanderburgh County GOP party is splintered? …we are told that the main reason for this division is because of the way that GOP party Chairman Wayne Parke has treated several candidates and elected officeholders during the last several years?
IS IT TRUEÂ that back in 2014 the Indiana State Legislature passed a law concerning the housing of Level six (6) Felons? Â … that the State Law that passed the Indiana General Assembly states: “Level 6 Felony may not be committed to the department of correction if the person’s earliest possible release date is less than 366 days from the date of sentencing unless the commitment is due to the person violating a condition of probation, parole, or community corrections by committing a new criminal offense. Specifies that: (1) after June 30, 2014, a sheriff is entitled to a per diem and medical expense reimbursement for the cost of incarcerating a person convicted of a Level 6 felony whose earliest possible release date is less than 91 days; (2) after June 30, 2015, a sheriff is entitled to a per diem and medical expense reimbursement for the cost of incarcerating a person convicted of a Level 6 felony whose earliest possible release date is less than 366 days; and (3) the reimbursement shall be reviewed by the budget committee and is subject to the approval of the budget agency. Provides that a person on home detention as a condition of probation is entitled to earn credit time. Reconciles conflicts and makes technical corrections?”
IS IT TRUE the above law could be one of the main reasons why the Vanderburgh County jail is so overcrowded and the Federal Correctional facilities have ample space to house other criminals because the County jails are forced to house Level six (6) felons?  …Vanderburgh County is paying Posey County $35 dollars a day to house an average of 50 Vanderburgh County inmates a day because jail is overcrowded?
Todays “Readers Poll†question is: Do you feel that recently announced Democratic Vanderburgh County Commission candidate Jeff Hatfield can beat Republican Mike Duckworth?
Please take time and read our articles entitled “STATEHOUSE Files, CHANNEL 44 NEWS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, READERS POLL, BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBS†and “LOCAL SPORTSâ€.  You now are able to subscribe to get the CCO daily.
If you would like to advertise on the CCO please contact us CityCountyObserver@live.com.
Eagles Get A Berth In NCAA II Midwest Regional
The University of Southern Indiana baseball team begins 2017 NCAA Division II Tournament action with the Midwest Regional May 17-21 at Robin Roberts Stadium in Springfield, Illinois. The Screaming Eagles (32-21), who enter the tournament as the seventh seed, start tournament action against Bellarmine University (34-20), the second seed, at 5 p.m.Thursday.
Live coverage of the Screaming Eagles in the NCAA II Midwest Regional can be found on GoUSIEagles.com.
Tickets are $10 per day for adults and $5 per day for children age 12-and-under and seniors age 65-and-over. All-session tickets will be available for $30. The box office and gates open one-and-a-half hours before the first game of the day.
In addition to the USI-Bellarmine match-up on Thursday, the first day of the Midwest Regional features fourth-seeded Ohio Dominican (32-15) versus fifth-seeded Quincy University (39-16) at 10 a.m.; top-seeded and second ranked Illinois Springfield (45-7) versus eighth-seeded Hillsdale College (26-28) at 2:30 p.m. and third-seeded Northwood University (38-14) versus sixth-seeded Ashland University (32-20) in the final game of day one at 8:30 p.m.
Special Session Will Go Down As A Mystery Why It’s Being Held Now
Black Top Prices Ought To Be The Lowest Ever!
By City County Observer StateHouse Editor, Gail Riecken
Well, the 2018 Special Session of the Indiana General Assembly happened today. Legislators voted and passed the following bills.
HEA1230 is an “advance†of monies for a school security program. I understand why this particular bill was taken at this time instead of waiting for a regular budget allocation session, but it could have been addressed retroactively, as all the bills could.
I also don’t understand why the next bill had to be passed now. Not only does HEA1242 include the law that is a huge impact on the state budget and should be held until the next regular budget session, but the bill is an alphabet soup of issues that aren’t all clear.
HEA1242 has a number of changes to the tax law, not the least of which is an exemption of certain purchases of hot mix asphalt companies from the state 7% sales tax. The Fiscal Note attached to the bill states that an “indeterminable, but significant impact on sales tax revenue†will result as of this bill.
As an example, if the “114 Hoosier [asphalt] businesses each purchased one asphalt truck at an average of $60,000 and one paver at an average of $100,000 every year, the sales tax revenue loss from the exemptions for trucks and pavers could be approx. $1.3 million [each year].†This does not include figuring the loss of sales tax revenue for supplies, etc. for the manufacturing machinery used for direct use-production of hot mix.
In addition, the $1.3 million does not include revenue losses from exempting fuel and repair parts for trucks, pavers, and equipment – data that is not available. Benchmark estimates by Legislative Services put that at a loss of $2.3million to the state coffers (99% of which goes to the General Fund, so most of the revenue loss would go to the General Fund). Here is the text in the bill. https://iga.in.gov/static-documents/9/d/3/5/9d357092/exhibit_2110.pdf, pg 4.
The next bill, HEA1315, has proven to be the emotionally charged, controversial issue that some say was the other reason the Governor and majority party called the legislators back to Indianapolis.
HEA1315 establishes a system to evaluate the financial condition of school corporations for corrective action. There are specific carve-outs for Muncie and Gary schools in this bill. The State is taking over the control of these schools. To a lot of folks, myself included, this is philosophically unacceptable.
The next bill, HEA1316, concerns various tax credit issues which the Fiscal Note from the non-biased Legislative Services says have varied impacts on state and local coffers. And finally…
HB1457 concerns various technical corrections.
This special session was a history lesson for all of us to remember. If I learned anything, it is that asphalt companies should be giving Hoosier governments special price breaks and the concept of locally elected school boards now has a limited life in Indiana.
HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
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Preparations Begin For Downtown YMCA
MAY 15TH, 2018 
TOWNSEND OUTLAW EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
The Y purchased the vacant building in November 2017. It plans to build the new Downtown YMCA across Court Street from the current location. They plan to combine the EMA lot with the current YMCA employee parking lot to make room for the new two-story facility.
Chief Executive Officer, Derrick Stewart says, “New construction was an important decision that enables us to continue serving our current members and community while also providing an opportunity to grow and serve the changing needs of the Downtown community with enhanced accessibility and quality programming.â€
The new construction will allow the YMCA to operate as usual until the new building is finished. An official groundbreaking is expected in mid-June. The Y also plans to complete construction in August 2019.
UE Announces the Creation of a New Center for Innovation & Change
The University of Evansville announces the creation of a new Center for Innovation & Change. This new center builds on the University’s strength in experiential education that makes an impact in the community.
The central programs of the center include the ChangeLab, which provides a way for students to test their skills addressing real needs in the community, and the Changemaker Challenge programs which encourage young people to develop and implement programs that make a positive impact locally and globally.
These programs have made an impact by fueling the launch of Evansville’s Upgrade Bikeshare, obtaining $90,000 in grant funding for Carver Center to install solar panels, providing essential market research and neuromarketing services to businesses locally and nationally, developing sustainable art therapy programs in Guatemala, identifying international expansion opportunities for regional companies, developing communication plans to reduce infant mortality, and more
“The Center for Innovation & Change serves as a resource for students, faculty, businesses, nonprofits, and other community partners to adopt a future orientation and to innovate for a more just, prosperous, and sustainable world. It is supported by a team that includes faculty from all of our colleges and schools, staff from a wide range of departments, students from various majors and years, and a variety of community members. Through innovation and collaboration, we can identify bold new ways to simultaneously address social, environmental, and financial goals,†says the Center’s executive director Jill Griffin
Griffin notes that, “Today’s complex challenges do not come in neat disciplinary packages and cannot be solved in isolation. Collaboration and innovation are essential to succeed in the careers of the future. Our programming in the Center for Innovation & Change will equip people with the skills needed to succeed in the twenty-first century.â€Â
In addition to these programs and offerings, the center will foster a culture of innovation throughout a range of UE’s educational offerings.
President Tom Kazee says, “The traditional model of educating students in isolated academic silos does not fully prepare graduates to address challenges, identify opportunities, and effect the changes needed to thrive in the future. That is why we are innovating our educational model at the University of Evansville to combine a rich liberal arts foundation with ample opportunities for students to work in diverse teams, to collaborate at the intersections of disciplines, and to transform ideas into action.â€Â
“UE’s Center for Innovation & Change is poised to serve as a tremendous asset to our community,†says Mayor Lloyd Winnecke. “It will help to foster collaboration to address problems, enrich our region’s innovation ecosystem, contribute to quality of place, and promote opportunities for growth and transformation.â€Â
  The University of Evansville recently joined an elite group of fewer than 50 universities who have received the global designation of Changemaker Campus by Ashoka U, and the programs and initiatives of the Center for Innovation & Change are central to this prestigious designation.
“UE is indebted to the Lilly Endowment for their generous grant funding that allowed us to create the structures and programs that have become integral to this new center,†said Griffin. “Support from the Lilly Endowment allowed us to establish the Institute for Global Enterprise, build programs to develop global business leaders, and provide a resource to Southern Indiana’s business community. The programs of the Institute for Global Enterprise will continue under the auspices of the Center for Innovation & Change along with a variety of programs broadly supporting innovation that makes an impact for businesses and community.â€Â
Gov. Holcomb Makes Appointments to Various Boards & Commissions
Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced several new appointments and reappointments to various state boards, commissions and councils.
Business Law Survey Commission
The governor made one new appointment to the Business Law Survey Commission:
- Michael Deam (Fort Wayne), Managing Partner of Rothberg Logan Warsco LLP, will join the commission. His term is at the pleasure of the governor.
Domestic Violence Prevention & Treatment Council
The governor made two new appointments to the Domestic Violence Prevention & Treatment Council, administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute:
- Bernice Corley (Indianapolis), assistant executive director with the Indiana Public Defender Council, will join the council. Her term expires April 30, 2021.
- Shaunestte Terrell (Indianapolis), domestic violence/sexual assault resource prosecutor with the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, will join the council and serve as its presiding member. Her term expires April 30, 2021.
Eastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission
The governor made one reappointment to the Eastern Indiana Regional Planning Commission:
- State Sen. Jeff Raatz (Richmond) will continue his service on the commission. His term expires December 31, 2018.
 Electronic Recording Commission
The governor made one new appointment to the Electronic Recording Commission:
- The Honorable Nichole Keller (Brazil), Clay County recorder, will join the commission. Her term is at the pleasure of the governor.
Emergency Medical Services Commission
The governor made two new appointments to the Emergency Medical Services Commission, administered by the Indiana Department of Homeland Security:
- Dr. Tom Lardaro (Indianapolis), medical director of IU Health LifeLine, deputy medical director of Indianapolis EMS and Indianapolis Fire Department, and assistant professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine at Indiana University School of Medicine, will join the commission. His term expires April 30, 2022.
- John Ryan (Indianapolis), president and managing partner at Hall, Render, Killian, Heath & Lyman, P.C., will join the commission. His term expires April 30, 2022.
Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities
The governor made three reappointments to the Governor’s Council for People with Disabilities:
- Jim McCormick (Hagerstown), CEO of the Independent Living Center of Eastern Indiana, will continue his service on the council. His term expires April 30, 2021.
- Debra Riggs (Franklin), representing families of children with disabilities, will continue her service on the council. Her term expires April 30, 2021.
- Erik Smith (Hartford City), a member of the board of directors for Self-Advocates of Indiana, will continue his service on the council. His term expires April 30, 2021.
 The governor also made three new appointments to the council:
- Denise Babjak (Valparaiso), founder and CEO of Chasing Dreams, will join the council. Her term expires April 30, 2021.
- Melissa Draper (Monticello), teacher assistant at the Boys & Girls Club of White County, will join the council. Her term expires April 30, 2021.
- Jody Powers (Muncie), director of accessibility at Urban Light Community Church, will join the council. Her term expires April 30, 2021.
Indiana Election Commission
The governor made two reappointments to the Indiana Election Commission:
- Zachary Klutz (Fishers), of counsel with Taft Stettinius & Hollister LLP, will continue his service on the commission. His term expires June 30, 2020.
- Suzannah Overholt (Indianapolis), special counsel with SmithAmundsen, will continue her service on the commission. Her term expires June 30, 2020.
 Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority Board of Directors
The governor made one reappointment to the board of directors of the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority:
- Jeffrey W. Whiteside (Newburgh), vice president of community sustainability at Vectren and president of the Vectren Foundation, will continue his service on the board. His term expires on June 30, 2022.
 Indiana War Memorials Commission
The governor made one new appointment to the Indiana War Memorials Commission:
- C.T. Montgomery (Owensville), veteran and former Gibson County auditor, will join the commission. His term expires April 30, 2019.
 Soil Conservation Board
The governor made two reappointments to the Soil Conservation Board, administered by the Indiana State Department of Agriculture:
- Warren Baird (Atlanta), retired, will continue his service on the board. His term expires November 30, 2021.
- Larry Clemens (Angola), North American agriculture director with The Nature Conservancy, will continue his service on the board. His term expires November 30, 2021.
The governor also made two new appointments to the board:
- Kenny Cain (Darlington), of Cain’s Homelike Farms, will join the board. His term expires November 30, 2021.
- Brad Dawson (Guilford), regional sales manager with FiNN All Seasons, will join the board. His term expires November 30, 2021.
 State Employee Appeals Commission
The governor made one new appointment to the State Employee Appeals Commission:
- Teresa Griffin (Carmel), partner at Faegre Baker Daniels, will join the commission. Her term expires June 15, 2020.
 Indiana Geographic Officer
The governor has appointed a new geographic information officer:
- Megan R.L. Compton, MPA (Indianapolis), has been appointed as the state’s geographic information officer. Her term is at the pleasure of the governor.
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