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Gov. Holcomb Declares Disaster Emergency for Four Additional Counties, 26 Total Included
Declaration allows emergency management to mobilize resources
INDIANAPOLIS – Gov. Eric J. Holcomb today added four counties to the disaster emergency he declared Feb. 24, Feb. 26 and Feb. 27 in response to widespread flooding and infrastructure damage caused by sustained heavy rainfall. The governor signed a new executive order today to include Jackson, Kosciusko, Newton and Porter counties—in addition to Harrison, Jasper, Ohio, Pulaski, Benton, Clark, Crawford, Floyd, Jefferson, Spencer, Warrick, Carroll, Dearborn, Elkhart, Fulton, Lake, Marshall, Perry, St. Joseph, Starke, Switzerland and White counties—making 26 total counties covered by this disaster emergency declaration so far.
The disaster declaration means the state Department of Homeland Security can take necessary actions to provide expanded emergency services and is a step the state is required to take to request assistance from the federal government.
The State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) was activated Thursday morning last week and continues to maintain a statewide operating picture concerning the status of the ongoing flooding and respond to requests for assistance from local officials. The EOC has directly assisted counties by coordinating the delivery of over 824,000 sandbags, two water pumps, heavy equipment and vehicles, labor crews, traffic control, UAV photography, and subject matter expertise on disaster response and recovery.
The Department of Homeland Security announced today that it will open three one-stop state assistance centers in northern Indiana on Monday, March 5 in Lake, Jasper and Elkhart counties. State services will be offered by several state agencies in partnership with the American Red Cross as well as the Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster Group and will include housing support, social services, unemployment insurance, insurance information, public health information, transportation assistance, agricultural assistance and more. For more details on these state assistance centers, visithttps://calendar.in.gov/site/dhs/event/state-assistance-centers-opening-in-northern-indiana-to-assist-flood-impacted-hoosiers/.
The State EOC will continue operating, monitoring the status of the ongoing situation and providing support and resources across the state.
This week, the governor toured flood damage in Clark, Jefferson and Dearborn counties. On Friday last week, he toured Elkhart and St. Joseph counties, learning about the flood damage and engaging with local emergency response teams.
Stellar Pitching Leads UE Softball To Friday Wins
Aces Go 2-0 In Day One
The opening day of the Hilltopper Spring Fling was a good one for the University of Evansville softball team as the Purple Aces defeated Austin Peay by a 4-1 final before shutting out Dayton, 1-0, to wrap up the day.
“Our pitching staff was outstanding today! All of our pitchers did a great job to keep the offenses off balance,†Aces head coach Mat Mundell said. “Offensively, we were able to do enough to win both games. We made some adjustments this week and I am glad to see if translate into wins.â€
Morgan Florey made the start in game one and had one of the best outings of her career, striking out 18 Austin Peay batters. It was her career-high. Evansville’s offense raked up 13 hits with Allison Daggett leading all players with three. Brittany Hay, Eryn Gould, Florey and Lindsay Renneisen each had two apiece.
UE’s offense scored the opening run of the game in the first inning when Elyse Hickey singled to right to plate Daggett. Single runs would later score in the second and third frames. Florey opened the second with a single and would later score on a Hay base knock. The run in the third was brought home off a Renneisen single.
Evansville put the icing on the cake in the bottom half of the sixth when Hay notched a 1-out triple before scoring on another Daggett single. The Governors rallied in the seventh, finally scoring a run and leaving two runners stranded before Florey closed the door to help the Aces win by a 4-1 final.
In game two, Jaime Nurrenbern and Ashleigh Downing put on another pitching clinic, combining to hold Dayton to just three hits in a 1-0 shutout. Nurrenbern allowed one hit through four innings while Downing tossed the final three frames, giving up just two hits.
The run for the Aces scored in the top of the sixth as Hickey had another productive at-bat, scoring Brittany Hay. That was the game-winner as Downing finished the game with a scoreless seventh inning.
Tomorrow, Evansville takes on host Western Kentucky in a 12:30 p.m. game with the time and opponent for the second contest to be determined.
HOT JOBS IN EVANSVILLE
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USI Softball Ready For Busy Week
University of Southern Indiana Softball begins the PFX Spring Games Saturday at 8 a.m. (CST) when it takes on Midwest Region foe Cedarville University in Clermont, Florida. The No. 13 Screaming Eagles also play the University of Minnesota Duluth Saturday at 10:30 a.m.
USI (6-4), which slipped four spots in the latest NFCA Top 25 Coaches’ Poll, plays 10 games at the Spring Games.
The Eagles also have a Top 25 battle with No. 19 Winona State University Sunday at noon as well as a meeting with Holy Family University Sunday at 4:30 p.m.
Monday’s slate has the Eagles facing Wilmington University at 10:30 a.m. and Wayne State College (Neb.) at 1 p.m.
Following a one-day break, USI gets a rematch with top-ranked and defending national champion Minnesota State University Mankato as well as a bout with LIU Post Wednesday at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., respectively.
The Eagles suffered a pair of setbacks to the Mavericks in 2017, including a 5-0 loss in the NCAA II Championship Series in Salem, Virginia.
USI completes the Spring Games Thursday when they take on Midwest Region foes University of Findlay at 8 a.m. and Grand Valley State University at 10:30 a.m.
The Eagles defeated Grand Valley State twice last year, including a 5-1 win in the NCAA II Midwest Region Tournament last year.
USI concludes its busy stretch of games March 11 (Noon) when it hosts a doubleheader against Maryville University in its Great Lakes Valley Conference and home-openers at the USI Softball Field.
Sullivan: House Supports Legislation To Provide Students Career And College Planning Resources
The Indiana House of Representatives voted in favor of legislation sponsored by State Rep. Holli Sullivan (R-Evansville) that would incorporate interdisciplinary employability skills standards into every school corporation’s curriculum.
According to a 2018 Indiana Chamber survey, 47 percent of employers reported having jobs unfilled because applicants are under-qualified. This legislation would better ensure students gain valuable interpersonal and workforce skills to be more successful in their post-secondary plans.
“There are currently more than 96,000 job openings statewide, and Hoosier employers are having a hard time finding candidates to fill these positions,†Sullivan said. “Ensuring students have universal skills like communication, problem solving, teamwork and workplace etiquette will make them more employable and prepared for life after high school.â€
Sullivan said the General Assembly is working toward a long-term solution to Indiana’s workforce crisis, and this bill addresses one of its many aspects.
Appellate Court Rejects Constitutional Challenge To Synthetic Drug Lookalike Statutes
Olivia Covington for wwwtheindianalawyer.com
The Indiana Court of Appeals has struck down a constitutional challenge to the state’s synthetic drug lookalike statutes, finding the statutes cannot be considered void as applied to a Tippecanoe County drug case.
In November 2016, Lafayette Police Officer Matthew Meeks attempted to stop a vehicle driven by Tracy VanWienen for failure to have a license plate, but VanWienen continued to drive for four blocks. As she was driving, Meeks could see her passenger, later identified as Gary Yoakum, making “furtive†movements. Spice was later discovered in the vehicle and on Yoakum’s pants, and a glass pipe found in the vehicle tested positive for methamphetamine.
Yoakum was then arrested and charged with Class A misdemeanor possession of a synthetic drug or synthetic drug lookalike substance and Class C misdemeanor possession of paraphernalia. Yoakum testified at trial that the drugs belonged to VanWienen, not him, but a jury found him guilty and sentenced him to 365 days for the Class A misdemeanor and 60 days for the Class C misdemeanor.
Yoakum appealed in Gary W. Yoakum v. State of Indiana, 79A02-1706-CR-1309, arguing Indiana’s synthetic drug lookalike statutes — Indiana Code section 35-48-4-11.5 and 35-31.5-2-321.5 — are unconstitutionally vague as applied to him. However, Yoakum failed to raise his constitutional challenge to the Tippecanoe Superior Court, so Indiana Court of Appeals Judge Michael Barnes wrote in a Friday opinion that the issue was waived.
Waiver notwithstanding, Barnes said the statutes are not unconstitutionally void because the issue here was whether the drugs belonged to Yoakum or VanWienen. Thus, Yoakum’s argument that the statutes do not give sufficient notice of what constitutes a synthetic drug lookalike was not relevant to the inquiry, so the statutes are not void for vagueness in his case.
Yoakum also argued there was insufficient evidence to sustain his Class A misdemeanor conviction, claiming there was no scientific testing to prove the substance found in the vehicle was a synthetic drug lookalike. But the appellate court rejected that argument considering trial testimony that officers smelled spice in the vehicle and a statement from Yoakum’s own attorney confirming the substance was spice.
Finally, Yoakum challenged his one-year sentence as inappropriate, but the appellate court upheld the sentence in the Friday opinion. Acknowledging that Yoakum’s offense was not “egregious,†Barnes nevertheless pointed to his extensive criminal history to support his sentence.