E-REP Statement of Activities, 1st Quarter 2024

07/17/2024

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E-REP Statement of Activities, 1st Quarter (JAN.-MAR.) 2024

July 17, 2024

Business Retention & Expansion:

Number of businesses visited: 14.
Types of businesses visited: Manufacturing (7), Distribution/Logistics (4), Technology (1), H (1), Health/Life Sciences (1), Other (1)
Assistance provided:
- Workforce development. Many companies mentioned challenges with recruitment, retention and finding skilled employees. Businesses were connected to local workforce development programs and educational institutions.
- Expansion planning. Several companies indicated plans for expansion or interest in growing their operations (e.g. additional warehousing space, expansion of campus, additional manufacturing lines.) Businesses were provided guidance and resources on expansion planning and site selection.
- Supply chain and logistics. Some companies expressed interest in being connected to logistics assistance. One was connected to Ports of Indiana to explore opportunities related to Foreign Trade Zones and logistics.
- Infrastructure and utilities. Some companies have experienced power outages that hindered their ability to add new production lines. Connected with local utility provider to address these issues.
- Business networking. Some companies expressed interest in finding local suppliers and partners. Connected with E-REP Membership Team, which hosts networking events such as CNN (Community Networking & News, which takes place every Friday.)

Business Attraction:

Total number of businesses contacted: 17
Information requests responses: 7
Number of requests not submitted: 10
Most projects not submitted due to lack of suitable buildings or sites meeting the specific requirements (e.g., size, ceiling height).
The majority of the projects were in the manufacturing sector, with a focus on renewable energy, electric vehicles, and battery-related industries.
Investment amounts for the projects range from $10 million to $1 billion.
Job creation potential varied widely, from as few as 13 jobs to as many as 1,200 jobs per project.

Talent Attraction Efforts:

Belong Here Talent Attraction Program analytics (15 spots) – May 2024

Belong Here campaign Meta impressions: 392,822
Link clicks: 14,410
Belong Here campaign LinkedIn impressions: 47,089
Link clicks: 597
72 applicants
5 have secured a job and moved 🎉

o SABIC x 2

o Deaconess

o Hubert Family Dental

o Haubstadt Dental

5 movers securing housing
Make My Move Remote Work analytics (25 spots)
- 14 households secured
- 298 in pipeline
- 17 are in accepted status and looking for housing
Talent Retention Efforts:
- E is for everyone’s newsletter analytics
  
  Data Collection and Analysis:
  
  Grant Pursuit:
  - The bulk of Q1 was spent writing and finalizing the Southwest Indiana Regional Development Authority’s application for the Regional Economic Accelerator & Development Initiative (READI 2.0). While the award was not announced until Q2 (Apr. 11), it bears mentioning twice that E-REP’s efforts on this grant application resulted in the maximum allotment of $45,000,000 to the region. This follows the maximum $50,000,000 from READI 1.0 in 2021 and $42,000,000 from the Regional Cities Initiative in 2016.
  Regional Collaboration:
  - Both Q1 Economic Partners and Elected Officials councils convened on January 25, 2024.
  - Matt Eckerle, principal, of Baker Tilly Municipal Advisors, was the guest speaker and he presented on the new Residential Infrastructure Fund, a $75MM low-interest loan through the Indiana Finance Authority’s State Revolving Fund (IFA SRF).
  - Attendees were also updated on E-REP updates, including the 2023 Talent EVV Annual Report, the latest on the READI 2.0 regional application, the Inflation Reduction Act, the I-69 Corridor Plan by MKSK, and the pursuit of a new 2025-29 Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy
  - There were 17 Economic Partners present and 21 Elected Officials for those in attendance to network and build relationships with each other.

FOOTNOTE: The City-County Observer posted this article without bias, opinion, or editing.

“Exceptional Pick” – Senator Braun on J.D. Vance

07/17/2024

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“J.D. Vance knows firsthand the experience of the forgotten American family and is proof that there’s no limit to how high you can rise in our country with hard work and strong values.”

MILWAUKEE – Senator Braun released the following statement on Senator J.D. Vance’s selection as former President Donald Trump’s running mate.

“President Trump made an exceptional pick in J.D. Vance to be his running mate and serve as our next Vice President. I first met J.D. back when his book hit the shelves, and I was impressed by his ideas and optimism for revitalizing the industrial Midwest. I’ve been fortunate to get to know him better in the Senate working with him on legislation like the Railway Safety Act which he led after the East Palestine disaster. J.D. Vance knows firsthand the experience of the forgotten American family and is proof that there’s no limit to how high you can rise in our country with hard work and strong values.” – Senator Mike Braun

Conservation record broken by Hoosier farmers and landowners for third year in a row

07/17/2024

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Conservation record broken by Hoosier farmers and landowners for third year in a row

INDIANA (July 16, 2024) — In a remarkable achievement for sustainable agriculture, the latest results from the Conservation Tillage Transect survey reveal that 1.7 million acres of farmland are now under living cover across all crops in Indiana. This significant milestone underscores the increasing adoption of cover crops by farmers, driven by their multiple benefits for soil health, water management and overall farm productivity.

“Protecting soil, our most vital natural resource, is top of mind for our Indiana farmers and year after year our farmers are breaking their own conservation records” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “Through the implementation of cover crops and other conservation efforts, farmers are ensuring our land and water resources remain healthy and productive for years to come.”

Overwintering living covers (i.e. – cover crops and small grains, like wheat) are known for their environmental benefits. Cover crops and small grains help increase organic matter in the soil and improve overall soil health by adding living roots to the soil more months of the year. Cover crops also improve water infiltration into the soil, while other covers, like legumes serve as natural fertilizers.

Although the conservation transect does not differentiate between cover crops and small grains, Indiana farmers typically plant fewer than 300,000 acres of small grains annually, so cover crops vastly dominate the 1.7 million estimated acres. Apart from corn and soybeans, cover crops are planted on more acres than any other commodity crop in Indiana. Cover crops are typically planted in the fall after harvest and designed to protect the soil and keep roots in the ground throughout the winter, which improves soil health and helps filter water runoff.

“These results are very encouraging,” said Damarys Mortenson, state conservationist for USDA’s Natural Resources Conservation Service in Indiana. “The adoption of cover crops on such a large scale indicates that farmers are recognizing the long-term benefits of these practices for both their land and the environment.”

Farmers like Todd Armstrong, who operates a 1,100-acre farm in Washington County, have seen firsthand the advantages of cover crops.

“The water holding capacity and tilth of the ground has just improved so much and my neighbors have even seen that,” said Armstrong. “Neighbors that worked ground every year have stopped and started incorporating cover crops because they’ve seen how good it has worked for us.”

As a result of the cover crops and other overwintering covers planted last year, it is estimated that 1.8 million tons of sediment was prevented from entering Indiana’s waterways, which would fill about 18.4 thousand train freight cars.

The conservation survey also showed that about 69% of row crop acres were not tilled and about 17% had employed reduced tillage over winter, after the 2023 harvest. This early spring survey is not intended to quantify pre-planting tillage.

Despite the clear benefits, there are challenges to the widespread adoption of cover crops, including the initial cost of seeds and the need for additional management skills. However, various federal and state programs offer financial incentives and technical assistance to help farmers incorporate cover crops into their operations. One such initiative that helped contribute to the successful year for cover crops in 2023 was the Cover Crop Premium Discount Program (CCPDP). It is a program that provides a discount on crop insurance for planting cover crops. CCPDP assisted landowners in planting about 19 thousand acres of cover crops in 2023.

The conservation transect is a visual survey of cropland in the state. It was conducted between March and May 2024 by members of the Indiana Conservation Partnership, including the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture, Indiana’s Soil and Water Conservation Districts and Purdue Extension, as well as Earth Team volunteers, to show a more complete story of the state’s conservation efforts.

Mutts At Myriad: Woofstock!

07/17/2024

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istockphoto-1304796251-612x612 — portrait of a dog and a cat looking at the camera in front of a white background

Mutts At Myriad: Woofstock!

July 17, 2024

Newburgh, Indiana – Mutts At Myriad, the beloved collaborative community event by the Warrick Humane Society and Myriad Brewing Co. is hosting Woofstock this year! This event will benefit the Warrick Humane Society and our Building Hope project. It will be taking place at Myriad Brewing Co. Newburgh, this Sunday, July 21st from 12 pm-5pm!

Event Highlights:

Donation for Entry: Entrance into this event will be any monetary donation for our New Shelter!

● Benefit Concert: Our first Benefit Concert featuring The Honey Vines from 1pm-3pm and Between The Frets from 3pm-5pm.

Building Hope Information Station: Learn about our cause, our Building Hope Project, and how you can help!
Puppy Snuggles: Cuddle with puppies for a donation!
WHS Pop-Up Shop: Explore our collection of goodies for sale, all in support of the Warrick Humane Society!
Yummy Food: Lashbrooke’s BBQ will be serving on site while supplies last, starting at

Students get hands-on experiences at Vincennes University’s Broadcasting Summer Camp

07/17/2024

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VINCENNES, Ind. July 16, 2024 – With a video camera in his hands, Loogootee High School rising senior Karson Burch is down on one knee on a sultry July morning looking for the perfect camera angles while capturing video of the construction site of Vincennes University’s $33.9 million Center for Health Sciences and Active Learning.

Burch was among the nearly 20 high school and middle school students who participated in the Broadcasting Summer Camp hosted on Friday, July 12, by the Vincennes University Broadcasting Department, Vincennes PBS and Blazer 91.1 WVUB.

“We are so thrilled to bring back our Broadcasting Camp this summer and we worked hard to make this day as fun and educational as possible by sharing our love of media with them,” said Nichole Carie, Director of Operations and General Manager of VU’s public broadcast stations Vincennes PBS and Blazer 91.1 WVUB.

The day was bustling with hands-on experiences on the Vincennes Campus. It provided the perfect opportunity for students to learn about the latest broadcasting technology and interact in VU’s first-rate broadcast studios and editing rooms inside Davis Hall. Campers engaged in various activities, including shooting and editing news videos, recording podcasts, creating radio commercials, hosting newscasts and sports broadcasts, and delivering TV weather reports. They also enjoyed lunch in the campus dining center.

Some of the campers had broadcasting experience, while others had none. Burch, a student with prior broadcasting experience, covers the Indiana Pacers on his TikTok sports page. He also utilizes social media to share updates about his high school’s sports teams, scores and local high school conference news. Burch is undecided between pursuing a college degree in broadcasting or elementary education, but he is enthusiastic about the opportunity to explore broadcasting further.

“It was fun reading off the teleprompter, the podcast was fun and behind the scenes was very cool,” Burch said. “I didn’t know much about behind the scenes until this camp.”

The day culminated with all campers collaborating on a segment for a Vincennes PBS broadcast later in the day, discussing their favorite aspects of the camp.

Carie is looking forward to building on the Broadcasting Summer Camp’s success.

“We decided to start off with a one-day event to test the interest, and that interest has been amazing,” she said. “We have quickly learned that the students would love more time with us and an expanded opportunity to learn the equipment and best practices, as their media interest has been piqued. They love getting their hands on media equipment and learning what happens behind the scenes. We will be looking to increase our offering next year to multiple days, as well as offering a session for younger elementary students.”

USI Signs Seven

07/17/2024

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EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Women’s Cross Country/Track & Field coach Mike Hillyard announced the signings of seven student-athletes for the upcoming 2024-25 seasons.

Joining the Screaming Eagles is redshirt sophomore Ellie Hall (Ferdinand, Indiana) as well as freshmen Addison Applegate (Corydon, Indiana), Hadessah Austin (Attica, Indiana), Emma Deweese (Rockport, Indiana), Amber Fusner (Crestwood, Kentucky), Abrielle “Breezy” Richard (Newburgh, Indiana) and Maggie Smith (Monterey, Indiana).

Ellie Hall transfers to USI from Southern Illinois University, where she competed as a freshman and sophomore for the Salukis from 2022-24. Hall, who has personal-best times in the 3k (10:03), the 5k (16:37) and the 6k (21:38), finished 13th at the 2023 Missouri Valley Conference Cross Country Championships before racing to a 64th-place finish at the NCAA Division I Midwest Regional.

On the track, Hall helped SIU’s distance medley relay team to a third-place finish at the 2023 MVC Indoor Championships. She was 15th in the 5,000 meters at the 2023 MVC Outdoor Championships and 10th in the 5,000 meters at the 2024 MVC Indoor Championships.

A graduate of Forest Park High School in Ferdinand, Indiana, Hall was a three-time state qualifier on the grass as well as a state-qualifier on the track. She was 19th as a senior at the 2021 IHSAA Cross Country Championships before racing to a 14th-place finish in the 3,200 meters at the 2022 IHSAA Track & Field Championships.

Addison Applegate recently graduated from Corydon Central High School in Corydon, Indiana, where she has posted personal bests in the 800 meters (2:23), 1,600 meters (5:18) and the 5k (19:05). She was a two-time state qualifier on the cross country course, including an 82nd-place finish at the 2022 IHSAA Cross Country Championships during her junior year.

On the track, Applegate posted top-five finishes in the 800 and 1,600 meters at the 2024 IHSAA Sectional 29 Championships as well as a fourth-place finish in the 1,600 meters at the 2024 IHSAA Regional 8 Championships.

Hadessah Austin comes to USI from Seeger High School in West Lebanon, Indiana, where she put together personal-best times in the 1,600 meters (5:08), 3,200 meters (10:55) and the 5k (17:54). She was a two-time state qualifier in the 3,200 meters during her prep career, including a 10th-place finish at the 2023 IHSAA Track & Field Championships and a 14th-place showing at the 2024 state meet.

On the grass, Austin was 22nd at the IHSAA Cross Country Championships as a senior in 2023. She went on to finish 34th at the NXR Midwest Region Championships, 22nd at the Mid-East Championships and 31st at the Foot Locker Midwest Region Championships.

Emma Deweese is a graduate of South Spencer High School in Rockport, Indiana, where she put together personal bests in the 400 meters (1:01.5), the 800 meters (2:24) and the 1,600 meters (5:28). She posted top-10 finishes in the 800 meters at both the 2022 and 2023 IHSAA Regional 8 Track & Field Championships as well as a first-place finish in the 800 meters at the 2023 IHSAA Section 30 Championships.

On the grass, Deweese earned top-20 finishes at both the Pocket Athletic Conference and IHSAA Sectional 2 Cross Country Championships during her senior year in 2023.

Amber Fusner comes to USI from Oldham County High School in LaGrange, Kentucky, where she tallied personal bests in the 1,600 meters (5:21), 3,200 meters (11:28) and 5k (19:06). She was a two-time state qualifier in both the 3,000 meters (indoor) and the 3,200 meters (outdoor) in 2023 and 2024.

Fusner raced to a 36th-place finish at the KHSAA Cross Country Championships as a senior in 2023 before finishing 69th at the NXR Southeast Regional and 97th at the RunningLane Championships.

Abrielle “Breezy” Richard graduated from Evansville Christian School in Newburgh, Indiana, where she posted personal-best times of 2:17 in the 800 meters, 5:17 in the 1,600 meters and 20:10 in the 5k. She was a state qualifier on the cross country course as a senior in 2023 and posted top-10 finishes at the IHSAA Regional 16 and Sectional 32 Cross Country Championships as a junior 2022.

On the track, Richard finished first in the 800 meters at both the IHSAA Sectional 32 and Regional 8 Championships as a senior in 2024. She also was second in the 1,600 meters at the sectional meet.

Maggie Smith comes to USI from Winamac High School in Winamac, Indiana, where she had personal-best times of 1:02.08 in the 400 meters, 2:23 in the 800 meters and 19:31 in the 5k. A state qualifier on the cross country course as a senior in 2023, Smith finished 159th at the IHSAA Championships to cap off her prep career on the grass.

On the track, Smith raced to top-five finishes in the 800 meters at both the 2023 and 2024 IHSAA Sectional 4 Championships. She finished 13th in the 800 meters at the 2024 IHSAA Regional 1 Championships.

USI begins the 2024 cross country season August 30 in Bloomington, Indiana.

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

07/17/2024

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EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.

Jagoe Homes Bentley Point VIP Presale Event a Huge Success!

07/17/2024

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Jagoe Homes Bentley Point VIP Presale Event a Huge Success!

Henderson, KY –Jagoe Homes is thrilled to announce the success of the Bentley Point VIP Presale Event! While many sites were sold during the Grand Release, PRIME SITES are still available.

Nestled in the heart of Henderson, KY, Bentley Point promises to be a haven for homeowners seeking modern comforts and natural beauty. With tree-lined homesites and water views, residents will enjoy serene surroundings conveniently located near major roadways, which will provide easy access to downtown Henderson and nearby cities.

Community Highlights:

Tree-lined and water-view homesites for serene living
Streetlights and 5′ wide sidewalks for safety and convenience
6 to 9-acre greenspace with a picturesque lake and walking trails, perfect for outdoor recreation and relaxation
Great school system ensuring quality education for residents’ families
Quick access to major roadways, making commuting a breeze

Bentley Point offers 21 smartly designed home plans, priced from the $250s. These plans provide 3 – 6 bedrooms, 2 – 3 baths, and 2-3 car garages. All new Jagoe Homes are built EnergySmart and TechSmart, including a quality 2-10 Home Buyers Warranty. Plus, you can create the home of your dreams with thousands of personalized options and be in your brand-new home in 90-120 days.

“Henderson, KY holds a special place in our hearts, and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be back,” said Bill Jagoe, Co-Owner at Jagoe Homes. “Our new community offers the perfect blend of modern living and natural beauty, providing residents with an unparalleled lifestyle in one of Kentucky’s most charming cities.”

Prospective homebuyers and realtors are encouraged to visit jagoehomes.com and schedule a tour to learn all the details.