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Arrest made in on-line threats of violence targeting “an Evansville High School”

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Evansville Police have made an arrest in connection with on-line threats against “an Evansville high school”. The threat was posted on Facebook overnight.
Police received a tip about a post under the name of Kaleb Jenson. The tipster said they were concerned with a comment that was posted on an Evansville Watch thread.
The thread originated on February 12th, but the comment was left at 9:50 on Thursday night. The post read-
“since Florida lost some people, it’s time for somebody else to (sic) I’m shooting up one of the Evansville High Schools tomorrow”
Investigators determined the IP address where the post originated from was 5717 Springfield Dr in Vanderburgh County. Working with EVSC officials, police were able to determine that Central High School student BRANDON LEE JONES (18) lived at that address.
Jones was located at Central and taken to police headquarters. During an interview, JONES admitted to creating the fake Facebook account on February 14th. He told investigators he posted the comment with the intent of causing school to be canceled on Friday. Due to multiple absences, JONES was concerned he would be referred to court if he missed anymore school days. JONES indicated there were no other factors that caused him to make the threatening statement.
Police do not believe anyone else was involved in this case. Anyone who may have information about this case is asked to contact EPD.
JONES was arrested for Felony Intimidation and Misdemeanor Disorderly Conduct.

JONES is currently being booked into the Vanderbrugh County Jail. His booking photo will be available once he has been processed.

All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

EPD ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD REPORT

Indiana Wins Another Title at Big Ten Championships

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The No. 9-ranked Indiana University women’s swimming and diving team won another title on Thursday night at the 2018 Women’s Big Ten Championships at the McCorkle Aquatic Pavilion in Columbus, Ohio.

Through seven events, the Hoosiers sit in second place overall with a total of 396 points, behind only Michigan with a score of 430 points. Ohio State is in third with 370 points, while Minnesota (355) and Wisconsin (300) round out the top-five.

The Hoosiers continued their dominance in the 400 medley relay, winning the Big Ten title for the third-straight season and for the fourth time in the last five years with a NCAA A cut time of 3:27.81. The time is a IU school, Big Ten, Big Ten meet and McCorkle Aquatic Center record  and is the best time in the nation so far this season.

Ali Rockett had a tremendous leadoff 100 backstroke leg for IU, setting a personal-best with a NCAA B cut time of 51.25. Her mark is the fourth-fastest time in Indiana history.

Jessica Parratto had a great showing in the Championship Final of the 1-meter dive, winning bronze with a NCAA Zones qualifying score of 330.20. Parratto was extremely consistent in her list, scoring between 54.00 and 58.50 on all six of her attempts.

Christine Jensen had a career swim in the Championship Final of the 200 IM, placing fifth overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 1:56.76. Lilly King was right behind her, taking sixth place with a NCAA B cut of 1:56.81.

In the B Final of the 200 IM, Rachel Matsumura was seventh to place 15th overall with a NCAA B cut of 1:58.97.

Three Hoosiers were in the C Final of the event, led by Sam Lisy who placed 19th overall with a NCAA B cut of 1:59.11. Aby Kirkpatrick took 20th (1:59.95) and Josie Grote was 22nd (1:59.99) with NCAA B cut marks.

In the 500 freestyle, Cassy Jernberg had a great swim for the Hoosiers, finishing sixth overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 4:39.22. Also in the A Final, Kennedy Goss was eighth with a NCAA B cut mark of 4:42.51.

Maria Paula Heitmann had a career swim in the C Final of the 500 freestyle, closing over the last 100 yards to win and take 17th overall with a PR and NCAA B cut of 4:43.23. Delaney Barnard also set a PR in the race, finishing third to place 19th with a NCAA B cut time of 4:44.61.

Freshman Grace Haskett led the Hoosiers in the 50 freestyle, placing eighth in the Championship Final with a NCAA B cut time of 22.35. Haskett now owns four of the top five times in program history in the event.

Ali Rockett had an impressive swim in the B Final, placing third to take 11th overall with a personal-best and NCAA B cut of 22.49.

In the C Final, both Holly Spears and Shelby Koontz were clutch for IU, placing second and third in the race out of lanes 7 and 8, respectively. Spears took 18th overall with a PR and B cut of 22.78, while Koontz was 19th with a personal-best and NCAA B cut time of 22.79.

The No. 9 Hoosiers will continue the 2018 Big Ten Championships on Friday morning with the prelims of the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke and 3-meter dive.

Be sure to keep up with all the latest news on the Indiana men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams on social media – Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

500 Freestyle

  1. Cassy Jernberg – 4:39.22 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
  2. Kennedy Goss – 4:42.51 (NCAA B Cut)
  3. Maria Paula Heitmann – 4:43.23 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
  4. Delaney Barnard – 4:44.61 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)

200 IM

  1. Christine Jensen – 1:56.76 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
  2. Lilly King – 1:56.81 (NCAA B Cut)
  3. Rachel Matsumura – 1:58.97 (NCAA B Cut)
  4. Sam Lisy – 1:59.11 (NCAA B Cut)
  5. Abby Kirkpatrick – 1:59.95 (NCAA B Cut)
  6. Josie Grote – 1:59.99 (NCAA B Cut)

50 Freestyle

  1. Grace Haskett – 22.35 (NCAA B Cut)
  2. Ali Rockett – 22.49 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
  3. Holly Spears – 22.78 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)
  4. Shelby Koontz – 22.79 (Personal Best, NCAA B Cut)

1-Meter Dive

  1. Jessica Parratto – 330.20 (NCAA Zones Qualifying Score)

400 Medley Relay

  1. Ali Rockett, Lilly King, Christine Jensen, Grace Haskett – 3:27.81 (School, Big Ten, Big Ten Meet and Pool Record, NCAA A Cut)

 

Eagles down Cardinals for 11th straight win

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Senior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) and senior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) combined for 34 points and 17 rebounds as the No. 10/15 Screaming Eagles earned their 11th straight win with a 67-54 Great Lakes Valley Conference road triumph over host William Jewell College Thursday evening.

Dahlstrom finished with a game-high 19 points and nine rebounds on 7-of-11 shooting, while Grooms had 15 points, eight rebounds and four steals.

USI (22-2, 14-1 GLVC) led from the outset following a three-pointer by senior guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois) in the team’s first possession. The Eagles eventually built 16-9 advantage five minutes into the first period following three straight buckets by Dahlstrom.

William Jewell (11-11, 8-7 GLVC), however, fought back, tying the contest at 20-20 and at 23-23 with just under seven minutes left in the second period.

The Eagles, though, reeled off 12 consecutive points from that juncture and took a 37-25 lead into the intermission that they would not relinquish. Grooms had seven points in the surge, including one of USI’s five first-half three-pointers.

Keyed by a pair of three-pointers by freshman forward Kaiti Butaud, the Cardinals pulled to within six (50-44) heading into the fourth quarter, but a 6-0 USI surge that featured a Grooms steal and layup, as well as a coast-to-coast bucket by junior guard Alex Davidson (Salem, Indiana), put the Eagles back in front by 12 (58-46) with less than six minutes to play in the contest.

Butaud drained another three-pointer to get the Cardinals to within nine moments later; but a three-pointer by Harshbarger—it was USI’s only trifecta of the second half—with five minutes to play pushed the Eagles’ lead back to 12 as their cushion remained in double digits throughout the remainder of the contest.

Davidson added 13 points and four rebounds for the Eagles, while Harshbarger chipped in seven points, five rebounds three assists and three steals. Sophomore guard/forward Morgan Sherwood (Charleston, Illinois) contributed seven points off the bench.

Butaud led the Cardinals with 15 points after going 5-of-11 from three-point range, while senior forward Katie Finn produced 13 points and three steals.

USI returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when it takes on Rockhurst University in Kansas City, Missouri. The Hawks (10-13, 6-9 GLVC) suffered a 68-53 home loss to Bellarmine University Thursday evening.

Notes: USI improved to 30-3 in GLVC play throughout the last two seasons following Thursday’s win and has won 34 of its last 38 conference games dating back to the end of the 2015-16 season…USI (4.50) maintained its lead over Drury (4.43) in the GLVC Tournament Points Rating System following Thursday’s games…the Eagles’ five three-pointers in the first half were more than their combined amount (4) from the previous two games…Dahlstrom has shot 50.0 percent or better in seven straight games and nine of the last 10 contests.

 

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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http://www.vanderburghsheriff.com/recent-booking-records.aspx

Federal Tax Reduction To Benefit Vectren Customers This Year

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Evansville, Ind. – As a result of the newly enacted federal tax legislation, natural gas and electric customers of Vectren Energy Delivery (Vectren) will see lower electric and gas rates beginning this year. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, which decreased the corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, was signed into law on Dec. 22, 2017, and became effective on Jan. 1, 2018. Today, the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) issued an order providing guidance on a process on how utilities can reflect in their rates and charges the effects of the recent reduction in federal tax rates. This guidance aligns with Vectren’s intention to request IURC authority to adjust rates and charges to begin providing the benefits of those tax reductions in the near term. If Vectren’s request is approved, the result will be lower energy bills for customers.

Initial estimates suggest that for Vectren electric customers the Federal tax reduction will reduce electric costs by $70 to $90 per year. In addition, Vectren customers who also have natural gas service will see an additional decrease between $20 to $35 on the gas portion of their energy bill.

“Customers’ bills include the cost of income taxes, and it only makes sense customers should directly benefit from this reduced cost resulting from the new, lower tax rate,” said Brad Ellsworth, president of Vectren Energy Delivery of Indiana – South. “We continue to work with our regulatory agencies to ensure that the impact of lower Federal taxes is passed on as quickly as possible.”

Revised rates reflecting the lower tax rate will require the approval of the IURC.

“READERS FORUM” FEBRUARY 16, 2018

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WHATS ON YOUR MIND TODAY?

We hope that today’s “Readers Forum” 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?
Todays “Readers Poll” question is: If the Republican primary for the 8th District Congressional race was held today who would you vote for?
Please take time and read our articles entitled “STATEHOUSE Files, CHANNEL 44 NEWS, LAW ENFORCEMENT, READERS POLL, BIRTHDAYS, HOT JOBS” and “LOCAL SPORTS”.  You now are able to subscribe to get the CCO daily.
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Industrial Hemp Might Be The Crop Of Indiana’s Future

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February 15, 2018  

By Abrahm Hurt for TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS — Lawmakers are continuing to advance a bill that would allow Hoosier farmers to market hemp and CBD oil.

House Bill 1137 clearly defines that hemp and its related products, like CBD oil or cannabidiol, are not marijuana and therefore are not regulated by the state’s drug laws. The Senate Commerce and Technology Committee approved it by an 8-3 vote Wednesday.

The bill would allow Indiana farmers to plant and harvest hemp. Hemp is the fiber of a cannabis plant that has a THC level of less than 0.3 percent, which is the substance in marijuana that gives users a high.

Hemp seeds can be eaten, and the fiber can be used for insulation, car parts and clothing.

While some people still have some concerns that this bill might contain loopholes that would allow people to use recreational or medicinal marijuana, Sen. Randy Head, R-Logansport, said that was not the point of the bill.

Sen. Randy Head, R-Logansport, gives testimony over House Bill 1137 in the Senate Commerce and Technology Committee. Head said he wanted to continue to discuss concerns regarding the bill. Photo by Abrahm Hurt, TheStatehouseFile.com

“The point of the bill is to create the opportunity for Indiana farmers to grow a cash crop that’s being grown and produced in other states and used in goods,” said Head, the Senate sponsor of the bill.

Head said he wanted to continue to work with the Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, the Prosecuting Attorney’s Council, the State Police, the Hemp Association, Farm Bureau and the Governor’s office to address concerns and work on the bill.

Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, said he authored the bill to bring an exploding industry to the state.

“Indiana is the number one manufacturing state in the nation,” he said during his testimony. “We’re one of the best agricultural states in the nation, and it really does not make sense why we’re not taking full advantage of this incredible plant.”

Brian Furnish, an eighth-generation farmer from Kentucky, helped pass similar legislation related to hemp in 2014. He also worked to get legislation passed at the federal level as well.

Furnish, who has harvested 996 acres of hemp, said that hemp is the crop of the future. He said that the gross revenue for one acre of hemp is $3,000.

“It’s our opinion, if this is done right, that hemp in the United States, and in Indiana and Kentucky especially, will be bigger than corn in my lifetime,” he said during his testimony.

Sen. Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, voted against the bill because she said it could put Indiana at odds with federal law.

“I just think that everybody here needs to understand that even though some other states have adopted and are doing this, it may be questionable under federal law at the very least,” she said.

FOOTNOTE:Abrahm  Hurt is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

“100 Guys Who Care” Show Their Stripes

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FEBRUARY 15TH, 2018 Jeff Goldberg JEFF GOLDBERG INDIANA, NEWBURGH

 A months-long dream for five founding fathers came true on Thursday night. After hearing about guys across the globe coming together for a good cause, a few Evansville guys decided they needed to bring it to Southwest Indiana.
100 Guys Who Care isn’t the average charitable organization. Not bound by a 501(c)(3) designation, they operate a little differently. Upon walking in, the 140 or so members each write a 100 dollar check to cash.
At the group’s first meeting, three charities were invited to present. The Boys and Girls Club of Evansville, The Highland Challenger League, and Youth First, each got 10 minutes to pitch why they deserved the cash.

 

In true democratic style, the members of 100 Guys voted for the winner, and Youth First ended up taking home more than $11,000.

For more information on the new group — head to their Facebook page or website.

Jeff Goldberg

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One In Seven Baby Umbilical Cords Tested Positive For Opiates, Study Finds

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Dr. Kris Box, state health commissioner, discusses Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome at the Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana. A pilot program found that nearly 40% of the umbilical cords that tested positive for a substance also had NAS. Photo by Abrahm Hurt, TheStatehouseFile.com

By Abrahm Hurt
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana has a higher number of babies’ umbilical cords testing positive for opiates than the national average.

Through a program in which nearly 3,000 cords from 21 hospitals were examined, data showed that one in seven—or 14.37 percent—tested positive for opiates. The national average is 10.8 percent.

In January 2016, the Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome pilot program was created to study the prevalence of NAS through voluntary screenings with hospitals. The program started off with four sites and has now expanded to 29 hospitals.

“Neonatal Abstinence Syndrome is basically when a baby is born to a mom who has been using substances,” Dr. Kris Box, state health commissioner, said Wednesday during a meeting of the Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana. “Often times that is opiates, and after that baby is separated from the mom, the baby goes through a series of withdrawal symptoms associated with not having that drug in its system any longer.”

The commission was reviewing a range of topics that affect children, including the impact of drug addiction on babies.

Babies with NAS can suffer from high-pitched crying, irritability, feeding difficulties and a failure to thrive.

While the long-term effects of NAS remain largely unknown, some studies have shown it can result in mental and behavioral disorders, poor national test scores and lower IQs.

Of the 19,048 births in 2017 that occurred in the 21 hospitals that participated in the current data screening, 2,953 umbilical cords were tested and nearly 40 percent of those cords tested positive for a substance. Around 11 percent of the cords that tested positive were also given a diagnosis of NAS.

Box said the number of opioid cases was not the only concern found in the data. Indiana also had a higher percentage of babies testing positive for barbiturates and cocaine.

“I think it’s also really important to note that 14.4 percent of our babies’ cords tested positive for opiates and greater than 18 percent of our babies’ cords tested positive for marijuana,” she said. “That’s why I have extreme concerns about some of the marijuana legislation that’s going on.”

Legislation that would have approved marijuana for medical needs failed in the first half of the session. However, the Indiana Senate has approved its version of legislation that would legalize the sale of CBD oil, or cannabidiol, for use by all Hoosiers.

Senate Bill 52 would legalize CBD oil that contains less than 0.3 percent THC, the substance in the plant that gives marijuana users a high. Legislation passed in the 2017 session limited the use of CBD oil to patients with epilepsy.

Box said there have been studies that confirm babies exposed to marijuana suffer from impulsive behavior, hyperactivity, anxiety, depression, and deficits in learning and memory.

Because the program is voluntary and not statewide, Box said she believed the numbers of NAS were actually underrepresented across the state.

The Commission on Improving the Status of Children in Indiana is a multi-branch statewide commission that looks to improve the status of children in Indiana. The commission was created in 2013 under Senate Bill 125 and signed into law by former Gov. Mike Pence.

FOOTNOTE: Abrahm Hurt is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by Franklin College journalism students.

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