Messer Urges Tillerson to Expedite Embassy Move to Jerusalem
As the United States prepares to move its Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem, Rep. Luke Messer (IN-06) today urged Secretary of State Rex Tillerson to consider ways to expedite the process and save taxpayer dollars.
Messer sent a letter to Tillerson, asking him to allow private citizens to help pay for some of the relocating costs if they choose. Allowing citizens to contribute would save some taxpayer dollars and show strong support for Israel.
“President Trump is right to move the U.S. Embassy in Israel to its true capital, Jerusalem,†Messer said. “By allowing private donations to cover some of these costs, we can save taxpayer money and enable citizens to show their support for relocating the U.S. Embassy to Israel’s capital. Our letter to Secretary Tillerson shows he has our support in taking action to help President Trump deliver on this important effort.â€
Under current law, the State Department “may accept on behalf of the United States gifts made unconditionally by will or otherwise for the benefit of the Department of State (including the Foreign Service) or for the carrying out of any of its functions.â€
The letter states that “allowing these donations could help offset the cost of the facility and expedite the process of relocating the Embassy.â€
President Trump announced in December the U.S. Embassy in Israel would be moving from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
In December, Messer strongly supported President Trump’s decision to recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel and begin the process of moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
Aces softball heads to WKU for weekend tournament
Aces open play on Friday
 This weekend, the University of Evansville softball team stays a bit closer to home as the Purple Aces head south to Bowling Green, Ky. for the Hilltopper Spring Fling.
UE will take on Austin Peay, Dayton and host Western Kentucky in the tournament, which runs from Friday through Sunday. Evansville looks to halt a 10-game losing streak after starting the season at 2-1.
The offense for UE played much better in Chattanooga over the weekend, averaging 5.3 runs per game in the final three contests of the tournament. A pair of close games did not go the Aces way as they dropped a 9-6 game to Eastern Illinois in nine innings before falling by a 6-5 final to host Chattanooga in eight innings. Evansville’s top three hitters in the tournament were freshmen as Allison Daggett batted .357 while Elyse Hickey and Eryn Gould batted .313 and .286, respectively. Senior Brittany Hay blasted a pair of home runs in the 5-game tourney.
The top hitter through the first three weeks for UE has been freshman Eryn Gould, who was named the Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Week on February 12 after batting .600 at the Mardi Gras Classic. For the season, Gould is batting a team-high .378 while leading the team with two triples, 14 hits while tying Brittany Hay’s eight runs scored. Gould has added six walks on her way to reaching base 48.9% of the time.
The youth movement for the Aces continued at the Frost Classic as UE’s freshmen accounted for 12 of the teams 16 runs scored. Allison Daggett went 5-for-14 in the tournament to bat a team-high .357. Daggett heads to Bowling Green riding a 5-game hit streak as she upped her batting average from .118 to .226 on the trip to Chattanooga.
Elyse Hickey notched five hits in 16 plate appearances last weekend to up her season average to .214; she scored three runs and walked on three occasions at the Frost Classic. Hickey was 1-for-12 to start the season, but has notched five hits in the last 16 at-bats. Lindsay Renneisen checks in with a .189 batting average, but has been productive in other ways, reaching base 30.2% of the time while notching three home runs, 7 RBI and seven runs scored. Daggett, Gould and Renneisen have started all 13 of the Aces games thus far.
Leading Evansville with 12 RBI is senior Brittany Hay. She recorded a pair of home runs at the Frost Classic while hitting .278 and accumulating 11 total bases in the tournament. After playing in the infield last season, Hay has made the start in the outfield in all 13 games of the 2018 campaign. She currently has a 3-game hit streak and has notched a hit in 9 of the 13 games this year.
8 People Treated for Possible Overdose in 3 Block Radius
MARCH 1ST, 2018Â 
AMANDA DECKERÂ EVANSVILLE, INDIANA
They were found in the area of Second Ave. and Virginia St. and it’s believed they were suffering from drug overdoses. Evansville Police say one person was found on Iowa St. near 3rd St. and another person with the same symptoms was found at 2nd and Columbia.
Crews on scene say some of the people were unresponsive and others were semi-conscious and vomiting. Firefighters say as some patients regained consciousness, they had to be restrained for their own safety.
The victims reportedly had residue on their bodies but officials have not said exactly what drug they believe the victims had taken.
Evansville Fire crews did administer NARCAN to the victims, but they say it didn’t have much of an impact.
Police and firefighters have not said exactly what drug they believe the victims had taken.
They were all taken to local hospitals to be treated.
Amanda Decker
44News Executive Producer and Evening Anchor. Amanda is a native of Indianapolis, Indiana and joined WEVV from Little Rock, Arkansas where she worked at Independent News Network. Amanda graduated from Ball State with degrees in Telecommunications, Journalism, and Political Science.
Follow Me:
Comments
Wednesday shooting on Haven Dr. ruled accidental, juvenile suspect facing weapons violation charges
Evansville Police investigators have determined the Wednesday afternoon shooting on Haven Dr was the result of a 16 year old handling a handgun in an unsafe manner. As a result, another 16 year old suffered non-life threatening injuries to his leg. The two are friends and there was no indication they had any type of dispute prior to the incident.
After speaking with the suspect and the victim, investigators determined there was no criminal intent to shoot anyone.
The suspect and a handgun was located shortly after the shooting. The suspect was placed at the Youth Care Center for Criminal Recklessness with a Firearm and Possession of a Firearm by a Child.
Eagles rise to 7th in region rankings
University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball rose to seventh in the third NCAA Division II Midwest Region poll of 2017-18.
On top of the Midwest Region is third-ranked Ferris State University, a member of the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, and 14th-ranked University of Findlay, a member of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. The Great Lakes Valley Conference’s and sixth-ranked Bellarmine University and the GLIAC’s Lake Superior State University round out the top four teams at third and fourth, respectively.
Hillsdale College moved up one spot to fifth with Drury University jumping from seventh to sixth. USI followed up one spot to seventh in the third poll, while the University of Indianapolis rounded out the top eight.
Walsh University and Truman State University were in the final two spots at ninth and 10th, respectively. The GLVC has five teams in the third poll, while the G-MAC and GLIAC have three and  two teams, respectively.
The top eight teams from the Midwest Region advance to the NCAA Division II Tournament at the end of the season. The regional is routinely hosted by the top seed in the regional.
USI will be the sixth seed and play third-seeded Drury University at 2:30 p.m. Friday in the opening round of the Great Lakes Valley Conference Basketball Tournament at the Vadalabene Center on the campus of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville in Edwardsville, Illinois.
The Screaming Eagles finished the 2017-18 regular season with a 20-10 overall record, 11-7 in the GLVC, placing third in the GLVC East Division, while Drury clinched a share of the GLVC West Division title with a 20-6 overall mark, 13-5 GLVC.
Prior to the USI-Drury match-up on Friday, the GLVC Tournament opening game will feature second-seeded Truman State University (18-9, 13-5 GLVC) versus seventh-seeded Lewis University (15-13, 10-8 GLVC) at noon. The second half of the quarterfinals has top-seeded Bellarmine University (25-2, 16-2 GLVC) taking on eighth-seeded William Jewell College (20-8, 10-8 GLVC) at 6 p.m. and fourth-seeded University of Indianapolis (18-8, 12-6 GLVC) facing fifth-seeded Maryville University (20-7, 12-6 GLVC) in the final game at 8:30 p.m.
Game coverage for all of USI’s game action, including live stats, video stream, and audio broadcasts, is available at GoUSIEagles.com. The games also can be heard on ESPN 97.7 WREF and 95.7FM The Spin.
IS IT TRUE MARCH 1, 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 we are extremely pleased that 5th Ward City Councilman Justin Elpers (R) has submitted a resolution to City Council concerning a three (3) four-year consecutive term limit idea?  …that this proposal was met with strong opposition by some of the long-term City Council members?  …we commend Councilman Elpers for thinking outside the political box?
IS IT TRUE we recently published an article on “PAYDAY LOANS”? Â …the article stated that if the Indiana House Bill 1319 pass the State Senate is will cause a major financial hardship to those who can least afford an annual interest rate of 222%? …that a large number of clergy in Indiana and Kentucky (Baptists, Methodists, Priests and Archbishops, Rabbis, Lutherans, Non-Denominational, Episcopal, Clergy of the Christian Church, and other preachers in small Independent Churches) publicly stated that this bill should be defeated in the State Senate? Â …we strongly agree with them? Â …we just heard that the “PAYDAY LOAN” legislation is considered a moot issue in the Indiana State Senate? Â …we are extremely pleased to hear this?
IS IT TRUE that the Ohio Valley Conference Basketball Tournament just started yesterday at the Ford Center? ..if you like to watch good ladies and men basketball the Ford Center is the place to go? …you will also be able to see some past local high school players play at the college level? …the food and admission price are very affordable?…there will be no such thing as a home game for any of the teams and the only team with any sort of alumni base in greater Evansville is the Murray State Racers?…the Ford Center is sort of centrally located with respect to where these teams are from an east/west perspective but when north/south locations are considered the center of mass for these campuses is way further south? …this tournament has traditionally been played in Nashville? Â …we are pleased to see the Mayor getting on the airwaves during the last several days encouraging people to attend this tournament? Â …we also urge you to attend this tournament because it’s a worthy sporting and community event?
IS IT TRUE that the LST is moving to the old location of the Riverboat Casino?…it will be interesting to see if this changes the attendance by local people since the move is really only about a mile from the long-term dock at Marina Point?…one has to wonder if someone who would not drive to Marina Point to see the LST will be willing to drive to the old Riverboat Casino dock? …we hope this is not just changing for the sake of changing something as opposed to something with a shred of data supporting the decision?
IS IT TRUE last week The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC) Nominating Committee 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 and 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 will select one of the three nominees to serve the remainder of Atterholt’s term, which expires Jan. 31, 2020?  …we are puzzled why wasn’t one of the finalists from this area?
IS IT TRUEÂ we been told that Public High School districts in Ohio, Texas, and elsewhere have volunteer teachers and volunteer administrators that have been extensively vetted and trained in firearm use that have access to secret gun safes in the event of an active school shooting? …we are told that there is a waiting list for volunteers to sign up for this programs to protect students?
IS IT TRUE we are told that some people feel that that teachers and administrators have the best knowledge of the school buildings, and who should be in the school buildings, in the event of an active shooting? …we are told that many people are asking the question of why shouldn’t our school children deserve the highest possible protection of having trained volunteer teacher and administrator response teams with access to firearms in the unfortunate emergence of an active school shooting?
IS IT TRUEÂ some people feel that the EVSC should immediately adopt similar programs for protection of the EVSC students and teachers? Â …we are told that if all EVSC schools had such volunteer tactical response teams within the schools, that it would greatly discourage any potential school shooter? Â …we hear that some people feel if the current EVSC School Board members refuse to take this common-sense approach to protect our students and teachers then a movement will begin to elect a new School Board? …it doesn’t cost anything this explore this idea and see if this is feasible to do in our area?
https://www.factcheck.org/2015/01/congressional-pensions-update/