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EVSC Responds to National Student Walkout

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FEBRUARY 23RD, 2018  TYRONE MORRIS EVANSVILLE, INDIANA

School officials at Central High School in Evansville braced for a student walkout Friday but it didn’t happen. Rumors were flying about a walkout to protest gun violence.

They would have joined other student protests around the country in response to the mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida.

Central High School officials say they were ready in case the walkout happened. While this was only rumor officials are keeping a close eye on all events, real or threatened.

EVSC Chief Communications Officer Jason Woebkenberg says, “If students can figure out a way to do that in a respectful, organized, peaceful manner, then we would perhaps work with and consider talking to student leadership groups in our schools that would want to lead that type of thing next month so we’ve actually started that dialogue, it’s at the beginning stages of that.”

A national student walkout is reportedly scheduled for March 14th.

School officials wouldn’t say if any disciplinary action will be taken against students who stage or join walkouts.

They say disciplinary action is decided on a case by case basis.

Tyrone Morris

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Commentary: Hoosier Students, Advisers Deserve Better

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By Ryan Gunterman
TheStatehouseFile.com

They deserve better than this.

Hoosier student journalists and their teachers deserve better than what the Indiana House of Representatives did to them the evening of Feb. 5. They deserve better than the fear mongering by the associations representing principals, superintendents and school boards while lobbying those legislators. They deserve better than to be told the most-important 45 words in U.S. history apply to everyone but them, that they are second-class citizens.

What they deserve is for “New Voices” HB 1016, protections for student journalists, to be law.

They deserve to see their state values them, and their ideas, as a part of their communities and democracy as a whole. However, that’s not the message delivered from those running their government and schools.

Ryan Gunterman, executive director, Indiana High School Press Association

No, instead they were told the opposite.

Students heard Rep. Tony Cook, R-Cicero, tell them mass chaos and violence would occur if they were given the rights granted to the rest of the public. He told them censorship isn’t really a problem, and their pleas for freedom from suppression were based off a couple rare instances of prior restraint.

It didn’t matter 13 other states have passed similar legislation and survived. It didn’t matter that more than 180 years of combined case law has yet to find a school liable for student expression in those same states. It also didn’t matter that the Indiana High School Press Association was working on five separate censorship cases when Cook told his colleagues it wasn’t happening.

That’s what he told them.

Students then heard Rep. Wendy McNamara, R-Evansville, tell them they lacked the brain development to properly use the First Amendment. She told them they needed to only model the behavior exhibited by the adults in their lives, doing otherwise could result in the deterioration of the school environment.

It didn’t matter that examples of the professional press depending upon the reporting of college and high school students can be found in nearly every state. It didn’t matter that scholastic journalists have improved their communities by addressing problems ranging from opioid abuse to underage drinking when school officials and legislators were unable, or unwilling, to do so.

That’s what she told them.

Finally, students heard Rep. Bob Morris, R-Fort Wayne, tell them their request to be treated equally is an effort “to make the school look the same way as these people that write about the fake news on a daily basis.” He told them administrators must have the final say in the editorial process, even though students and advisers have more experience in the field than anyone within their school.

It didn’t matter separate studies by the University of Kansas and Indiana University have shown those in scholastic journalism are better students and citizens than their peers. It didn’t matter that Indiana teachers are required to earn a journalism certification before teaching the course that instructs future reporters on how to avoid being “these people that write about the fake news.”

That’s what he told them.

Cook, McNamara, Morris and the other 43 representatives who voted against HB 1016 sent students this message, inaccuracies and all, because it’s what principals, superintendents and school boards told them to do. Why else would the very same politicians who approved similar legislation 88-4 in 2017 prevent its passage merely a year later?

It might have something to do with the fact that last year administrative associations didn’t begin lobbying against the First Amendment until New Voices, then HB 1130, had moved out of the House and into the Senate. Once those groups did begin their campaign of scare tactics and myth distribution, the bill was never called to a vote and died.

Student journalists and their teachers didn’t deserve it then, either.

No, what they deserve are advocates such as Rep. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, and Rep. Ed DeLaney, D-Indianapolis, who co-authored the legislation in 2017 and 2018. What they deserve are the tireless efforts of the Hoosier State Press Association, Indiana High School Press Association and Indiana Collegiate Press Association.

What they deserve are principals such as David Clark of Columbus North High School, who told the House Education Committee a free student press is what’s best for everyone within the school community. What they deserve is someone like Plainfield High School student Anu Nattam, who stood up to legislators because she is unwilling to accept her school administrators’ suppression.

What Hoosier students and teachers deserve are leaders who will stand up for them, not against them.

Instead, they got the Indiana House of Representatives.

They deserve better.

FOOTNOTE: Ryan Gunterman is the executive director of the Indiana High School Press Association, which is affiliated with Franklin College.

IT’S STILL NOT GUNS

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Making Sense by Michael Reagan

During the intense media coverage of Wednesday’s tragic events in Parkland, Fla., I was shocked to hear it was the 18th school shooting so far this year.

18. In 45 days.

That sounds terrible.

That sounds like a huge American crisis that needs to be addressed immediately by our great leaders in Washington.

But that 18 number, which the anti-gun lobby in the media has emphasized without going into the details of the individual incidents, is highly misleading.

None of those previous shootings was anything like the horrible one on Wednesday that left 17 students and teachers dead at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School.

The year’s worst previous shooting, which happened in Kentucky at a high school less than a month ago, left two students dead and 14 wounded by gunfire.

The only other death was a single murder that occurred on a college campus.

Two of the shootings that occurred at one of the country’s 120,000 public and private schools this year were suicides.

Some involved guns firing accidentally. And most of the other incidents were random shootings on public school property that resulted in no one being hurt.

But these details of the earlier shootings didn’t matter to religious anti-gun nuts in the media like Don Lemon of CNN and liberal politicians like Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut.

Before we knew hardly anything about the Parkland shooting they were offering their usual simplistic solution for stopping what Murphy exaggeratedly called “this epidemic of mass slaughter” in our schools.

To no one’s surprise, they called for new laws to control or outlaw guns, especially semi-automatic rifles like the AR-15.

Lemon and Murphy will never give up their gun-control pipe dreams.

But those of us who live in the real world know that no law will ever be devised or enforced that can stop a determined mass killer from getting his hands on a gun if he wanted one badly enough.

Anyway, guns aren’t the problem. There are 300 million of all kinds floating around the country. An infinitesimal fraction are used by people to hurt other people.

But there has to be something going on in our society that has caused angry, evil or mentally disturbed young men to plan and carry out these rare mass shootings at Columbine, Sandy Hook and Parkland.

Is it because of social media? Violent video games? Bullying in schools? Broken families? Anti-depressant drugs? Boredom? All of the above? Something else?

Whatever the cause, we need to sit down as a country and figure out how we can identify, help or stop crazy or violent individuals before they carry out their deadly attacks.

Meanwhile, forget the gun-control politics. If we really want to protect our kids in schools we have to get serious.

We need to put guards in our schools – armed guards, not spectators.

We need make sure any potential mass killer, young or old, knows that our schools are no longer “gun free” zones.

Better yet, as Judge Andrew Napolitano of Fox News suggests, we need to copy the Israelis.

For years they’ve successfully protected their schoolchildren’s lives from attack with strong fences, locked gates, careful ID checks and cameras.

But they’ve also done the smartest thing – arming and training classroom teachers who can defend against intruders. And no one knows which teacher is packing a gun.

Increasing security at our nearly 100,000 public schools to prevent future Parklands will cost us a lot of money.

Local districts and the states should pay most of the tab. But how about this idea:

Instead of the federal government raising my gas tax 12 cents a gallon and pretending it’s going to be used to fix our highways, why not use the money to hire guards for our schools – and give them guns they know how to use.

FOOTNOTE: THIS ARTICLE WAS POSTED BY THE CITY COUNTY OBSERVER WITHOUT ANY OPINION, BIAS OR EDITING.

We hope that article 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?”

IURC Nominating Committee Sends Three Candidates to Holcomb

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The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) Nominating Committee has submitted three nominees for consideration by Governor Eric J. Holcomb for appointment to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission.

Those three nominees are:

  • Stefanie Krevda, IURC Executive Director of External Affairs
  • State Rep. David Ober
  • Tristan Vance, Indiana Office of Energy Development Director

The committee has nominated these three candidates to fill the current vacancy on the IURC created by the retirement of Commissioner Jim Atterholt. Gov. Holcomb may select one of the three nominees to serve the remainder of Atterholt’s term, which expires Jan. 31, 2020.

The nominating committee interviewed seven candidates for the vacancy and voted to send these three recommendations to Gov. Holcomb.

Members of the nominating committee are Committee Chairman Allen Paul, Eric Scroggins, John Blevins, Bill Davis, Jeb Bardon, Greg Server and Johnathan Little.

 

Indiana Qualifies 26 for Friday Night Finals at Big Ten Championships

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The No. 3-ranked Indiana University men’s swimming and diving team qualified 26 swimmers and divers for Friday night finals at the 2018 Big Ten Championships at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

Among the 26 swimmers and divers, 14 will be competing in Championship Finals, including four each in the A Finals of the 100 backstroke and 3-meter dive. Six will compete in B Finals, while six will be in C Finals.

From the same day last year, Indiana has four more A Finalist, one more B Finalist and the same amount of C Finalists.

100 Butterfly

Vini Lanza will be the top seed in the Championship Final of the 100 butterfly on Friday night as the junior touched the wall in a NCAA A cut time of 45.25. Lanza’s impressive mark is the second-fastest time in school history.

IU will have three swimmers in the B Final, led by Nikola Miljenic who qualified ninth overall with a personal-best time of 46.47. Freshmen Gabriel Fantoni (46.68) and Bruno Blaskovic (46.76) both had PR’s to qualify.

In the C Final, Josh Romany (47.18) qualified with a personal-best time, while freshman Corey Gambardella earned his spot with a personal-best time of 47.54.

400 IM

Freshman Spencer Lehman was outstanding for the Hoosiers, qualifying for the Championship Final of the 400 IM with a personal-best time of 3:47.14. Lehman is the first Hoosier to qualify for the A Final of the 400 IM since Steve Schmuhl in 2015.

Both Trey Hubbuch (3:50.39) and Matthew Jerden (3:50.50) will swim in the B Final of the 400 IM after posting personal-best marks.

200 Freestyle

The Hoosiers will have the No. 2 and No. 3 seed for Friday night’s Championship Final of the 200 freestyle, as Mohamed Samy (1:33.94) and Blake Pieroni (1:34.01) both had great showings in the prelims.

100 Breaststroke

Ian Finnerty had a record-breaking performance in the 100 breaststroke prelims, earning the No. 1 seed for the Championship Final with a school, Big Ten and pool record time of 50.82. Finnerty’s time is a NCAA A cut and the second-best mark in the country this year.

Levi Brock had a career-best performance to earn the No. 2 seed for the A-Final, touching the wall with NCAA B cut time of 51.81. Brock’s time is the fifth-best in IU history and just missed a NCAA A cut by 0.07 seconds.

Sam Apa (53.62) will swim in the B Final after posting a PR, while both Matthew Jerden (54.60) and Jack Kucharczyk (54.97) earned spots in the C Final with personal-best marks.

100 Backstroke

Indiana put on a show in the 100 backstroke prelims, earning four of the top-seven seeds for the Championship Final on Friday night.

Freshman Gabriel Fantoni earned the No. 1 seed with a time of 45.82, while Mohamed Samy will be the No. 2 seed after posting a personal-best time of 46.52. Wilson Beckman recorded a PR of 46.87 to earn the No. 6 seed, while Jacob Steele will be No. 7 on Friday night after touching in a personal-best time of 47.00.

Senior Ali Khalafalla will swim in the C Final after registering a personal-best time of 47.56.

3-Meter Dive

For a second-straight day, the Hoosier divers had a tremendous showing. IU qualified an amazing four divers for Friday night’s Championship Final and had another score in the C Final.

James Connor qualified third overall with a total of 483.50 that ranks as the sixth-best score in IU history. Michael Hixon was fourth with a score of 475.35 that ranks as the eighth-best total in school history.

Senior Cody Coldren smashed his previous best in the event by over 30 points, qualifying fifth overall with a total of 434.80. Freshman Andrew Capobianco will be the No. 6 seed for the A Final after posting a 431.25.

Clark Carter took 24th overall in the event for Indiana, scoring one point for the Hoosiers with a score of 334.00.

The No. 3-ranked Hoosiers will continue competition at the 2018 Big Ten Championships on Friday evening with the finals of the 100 butterfly, 400 IM, 200 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, 100 backstroke, 3-meter dive and 200 freestyle relay. The action gets started at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Jean K. Freeman Aquatic Center in Minneapolis.

 

Senate Democrats Say Bill Puts Local School Control At Risk

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By Abrahm Hurt
TheStatehouseFile.com

INDIANAPOLIS — Senate Democrats say a bill that is supposed to prevent school corporations from falling into financial distress could allow the state to take over school districts across Indiana.

House Bill 1315 allows the state to appoint emergency managers and replace elected school boards with appointed advisory committees in districts facing financial difficulty. Currently, the bill targets Gary, which has more than $100 million in debt, and Muncie schools.

Dozens of Gary rallied at the Statehouse on Thursday morning to show they were against their school corporation being taken over by the state.

Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary, speaks at a rally against House Bill 1315 which would limit the authority and how often the Gary school board can meet. Photo by Abrahm Hurt, TheStatehouseFilecom.

The bill would convert Gary’s school board to an advisory board while it would allow Ball State University to take control of Muncie schools. In addition, the legislation would put in place a new system to identify other schools that could be heading for the same kind of financial problems that have hurt Gary and Muncie.

Sen. Eddie Melton, D-Gary, said the Republican supermajority is attempting to completely eliminate the voice of the people he represents. Republicans control 41 of 50 seats in the Senate and 70 of 100 seats in the House

“The state is telling our local, elected officials they can’t make decisions, and they can’t hold meetings to update our community, taking away our voice and our vote,” he said.

Melton said the bill is not necessary because of Senate Enrolled Act 567, which created an emergency manager to oversee the Gary school corporation eight months ago.

“Despite teachers in the community taking positive action over the last year to address financial issues, HB 1315 removed the voice of local Gary residents from policymaking,” he said. “I’m calling on the governor and Republicans in the legislature to respect Gary, respect Gary residents, respect their right to vote for everyone living in the city of Gary.”

Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, speaks out against House Bill 1315 at a rally. She said the bill puts school corporations across the state at risk.
Photo by Abrahm Hurt, TheStatehouseFilecom.

Sen. Karen Tallian, D-Portage, said her schools are not being affected today, but she said the bill sets a dangerous precedent for all Indiana.

“I want to ask, is your school next? Is my school next?” she said during a press conference. “We need to know this.”

Tallian said the Muncie schools are being taken over because it is a C-grade school with declining enrollment and increasing debt. She said there are 14 additional school corporations fitting that criteria.

“When I asked, ‘Is your school next?’ that’s real,” she said. “Based on their criterion, how many others are they going to do?”

The bill will be heard in the Senate Appropriations Committee on March 1.

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

The Formation Of Hoosier Women Forward

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Dear Friends,
It is with great excitement that I share with you the formation of Hoosier Women Forward, Inc., a not-for-profit that I have been working on these past months with some outstanding women in Indiana. http://hoosierwomenforward.org
What We Know:
· Only 27 states have ever had a woman Governor and Indiana is not one of them;
· Only 2 out of 11 of Indiana’s Congressional delegation members are women, and neither are Democrats;
· Only 2 out of 55 Democratic mayors are women
We have work to do!
How We Will Help Give Women a Seat at the Table:
Each year, 20-25 Hoosier women will be selected through a competitive application process to participate in a 9-month long leadership development and public advocacy training program. Through a combination of study, field experience, networking and mentorship, Hoosier women participants will gain valuable political training that will prepare them to become more informed, empowered and mindful public servants.
How You Can Help:
Please visit www.hoosierwomenforward.org/donate and sign-up to get our emails so that you can stay apprised of when applications go live, attend our events, and, of course, donate! Even if you’re not interested in applying yourself, we hope that you will help us find exceptional Democratic women who may be good candidates and encourage them to apply.
Help us spread the word on social media with your friends and family! We are on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/inwomenforward/
Follow us on Twitter and Instagram @inwomenforward
Thank you for all the support and encouragement you’ve given Democrat women over the years. It’s time we change the political landscape in Indiana and I hope you will join me in this effort.
Sincerely,
Gail Riecken

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

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 Below are the felony cases to be filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office today.

Geoffrey Jacob Armijo-Garcia: Causing serious bodily injury when operating a vehicle while intoxicated (Level 6 Felony)

Thomas Odis Bonnell: Domestic battery resulting in bodily injury to a pregnant woman (Level 5 Felony), Domestic battery (Level 6 Felony)

Michael K. Carnahan: Carrying a handgun without a license (Level 5 Felony), Possession of marijuana (Class A misdemeanor), Possession of paraphernalia (Class C misdemeanor)

Burton Louis James: Battery against a public safety official (Level 6 Felony), Battery against a public safety official (Level 6 Felony), Resisting law enforcement (Class A misdemeanor), Public intoxication (Class B misdemeanor)

James Edward Brown: Dealing in a synthetic drug or synthetic drug lookalike substance (Level 6 Felony)

Seth E. Tapp: Burglary (Level 5 Felony), Conspiracy Burglary (Level 5 Felony)

Devontae Keil Clardy: Domestic battery (Level 5 Felony), Criminal confinement (Level 6 Felony), Strangulation (Level 6 Felony)

Nijel T. Ervin: Residential entry (Level 6 Felony)

Reshawn Ann Bowden: Assisting a criminal (Level 6 Felony), Unlawful possession of syringe (Level 6 Felony), False informing (Class B misdemeanor)

Vivian Lee Rosser: Maintaining a common nuisance – controlled substances (Level 6 Felony)

Jonathan Ryan Clark: Aggravated battery (Level 3 Felony)

Clifford M. Folsom: Possession of methamphetamine (Level 5 Felony)

Scott Allen Brown: Possession of methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Possession of paraphernalia (Class A misdemeanor)

Patrick Gildon: Domestic battery resulting in bodily injury to a pregnant woman (Level 5 Felony), Criminal confinement (Level 6 Felony), Leaving the scene of an accident (Class B misdemeanor)

Melissa Renee Shoemaker: Operating a vehicle as an habitual traffic violator (Level 6 Felony)

William A. Taylor: Theft (Level 6 Felony), Possession of a narcotic drug (Level 6 Felony), Possession of a controlled substance (Class A misdemeanor)

Brandon Lee Jones: Attempt Intimidation (Level 6 Felony), Attempt Intimidation (Level 6 Felony)

Amber Y. Basham: Theft (Level 6 Felony)

Max Thomas Pea: Unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon (Level 4 Felony)

Zachary James Ramsey: Battery by means of a deadly weapon (Level 5 Felony), Battery resulting in serious bodily injury (Level 5 Felony)

Jeremy R. Martin: Possession of methamphetamine (Level 6 Felony), Failure to appear (Level 6 Felony)

Kevin Ray Merritt: Theft (Level 6 Felony)

Attorney General Curtis Hill Attends White House Meeting To Discuss Efforts To Protect Schools From Violence

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Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill visited the White House today to speak with President Donald Trump, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi and others about improving school safety and strengthening firearm laws.

The meeting came a week after a tragic mass shooting at a Florida school and a day after Attorney General Hill sent an advisory to public safety officers statewide reminding them of Indiana’s “Red Flag Law” – a statute enabling officers to take possession of guns, pending formal hearings, from people they believe pose threats to themselves or others.

“I shared with the President today the same themes I have shared with Hoosiers at home,” Attorney General Hill said. “We must strengthen school security through the effective use of technology and personnel. We must keep guns from dangerous people through more deliberate application of Indiana’s Red Flag Law. And we must double down on gun crimes by further enhancing penalties for offenses committed with guns beyond what current laws provide.”

Attorney General Hill is expected to discuss his conversations at the White House on several national news programs later today – including Fox Business News’ “After the Bell” (at approximately 4:05 p.m.) and CNN’s “Erin Burnett OutFront” (at approximately 7:05 p.m.).

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Aces wrap up opening day in Chattanooga

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Play began on Friday at the Frost Classic with the University of Evansville softball team dropping a pair of games to IUPUI and Southeast Missouri State on Friday.

Game one of the day saw the Purple Aces (2-8) face off against IUPUI (2-4).  The Jaguars set the tone early, scoring four runs in the top of the first.  Third baseman Mandy Dallas had the big hit in the frame, belting a 3-run homer to right center.

Starter Megan Overton held strong from there, limiting the Aces to five hits in a complete game effort.  UE starter Morgan Florey also went the distance, allowing five runs on seven hits as IUPUI took a 5-0 win.  UE’s top threat came in the bottom of the second when Elyse Hickey led off with a walk.  After advancing to second on a sacrifice, she made her way to third when Allison Daggett singled through the left side.  The Aces were unable to cross the plate, though.

Hickey had two of the Aces’ five hits while Daggett, Brittany Hay and Eryn Gould accounted for the other three.

Evansville was right back on the field to face SEMO (3-3).  Following a scoreless two innings, the Redhawks found their way into the scoring column in the final four innings as they took a 9-0 win in six innings.

The Redhawks got on the board with two runs in the third on a double by Ashley Ellis.  They added single runs in the fourth and fifth before putting a five spot on the board in the sixth.  Mykaela Arellanes paced the team with two runs batted in.

Lindsay Renneisen and Daggett registered the hits for UE.  Emily Lockhart made the start, throwing four innings of 3-run ball.  Ashleigh Downing pitched the final two frames.

the Aces look to rebound with a 12:30 p.m. CT game against Eastern Illinois and a 3 p.m. CT matchup versus Western Illinois.

 

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