Luke Messer Announces Pence, Kittle, Hallowell to Co-Chair Campaign; Rose to Chair Finance Committee, and Hiring of Veteran Campaign Manager
Powell: Enforcement Plays Vital Role in Drug Crisis
The Indiana Commission to Combat Drug Abuse heard today a law enforcement perspective on the opioid and drug crisis.
Commission Member David Powell, executive director of the Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys Council, discussed synthetic drug dangers, the impact of current drug penalties and he asked the commission to help halt marijuana legalization efforts.
Powell said synthetic versions of controlled substances avoid classification as an illicit drug because they have a slightly altered molecular structure, they avoid detection by traditional means and the possibilities of alteration of synthetic drugs are literally endless. “Illicit manufacturers can produce new drugs faster than they can be scheduled by authorities,†he said. Additionally, the medical costs of synthetic drug poisoning averages $25,600 per poisoning admission.
Despite the highly dangerous nature of synthetic drugs in Indiana, criminally, they are carved out for special penalty treatment and are treated as infractions and misdemeanor offenses. He urged that persons charged with synthetic drug possession or dealing be charged at the same level as any other Schedule I controlled substance.
Concerning current drug penalties in the state, Powell noted that commitments to the Indiana Department of Corrections by persons who have committed new crimes have been decreasing but parole and probation violations have increased in some cases. “Why are we not stopping this recidivism train that’s happening?†he asked.
In regards to marijuana legalization proposals that might come before the Indiana legislature during its 2018 session, Powell urged the commission to study lessons learned in Washington and Colorado from those states’ legalization experiments. Businesses and industry in states with legal marijuana are having trouble finding employees who can pass drug tests. Additionally, the overall number of traffic deaths related to marijuana has risen sharply in Colorado. Emergency-related poison control calls have also risen in Washington (68%) and Colorado (109%).
Powell noted that overall use of marijuana by youth, ages 12-17 is much greater in Washington and Colorado than the national average. “It is worrisome,†he said, “that 40% of American kids today think people drive better when they are high.â€
Powell urged the commission to access the online publication “Lessons Learned After 4 Years of Marijuana Legalization†from the organization Smart Approaches to Marijuana.
Air Quality Forecast
Air quality forecasts for Evansville and Vanderburgh County are provided as a public service. They are best estimates of predicted pollution levels that can be used as a guide so people can modify their activities and reduce their exposure to air quality conditions that may affect their health. The forecasts are routinely made available at least a day in advance, and are posted by 10:30 AM Evansville time on Monday (for Tuesday through Thursday) and Thursday (for Friday through Monday). When atmospheric conditions are uncertain or favor pollution levels above the National Ambient Air Quality Standards, forecasts are made on a daily basis.
Ozone forecasts are available from mid-April through September 30th. Fine particulate (PM2.5) forecasts are available year round.
Friday
August 25 |
Saturday August 26 |
Sunday August 27 |
Monday August 28 |
Tuesday August 29 |
|
Fine Particulate (0-23Â CST avg) Air Quality Index |
Good | Good | Good | Good | NA* |
Ozone Air Quality Index |
Good | Moderate | Moderate | Good | NA* |
Ozone (peak 8-hr avg) (expected) |
NA* | NA* | NA* | NA* | NA* |
* Not Available and/or Conditions Uncertain.
Air Quality Action Days
Ozone Alerts are issued by the Evansville EPA when maximum ozone readings averaged over a period of eight hours are forecasted to reach 71 parts per billion (ppb), or unhealthy for sensitive groups on the USEPA Air Quality Index scale.
Particulate Alerts are issued by the Evansville EPA when PM2.5 readings averaged over the period of midnight to midnight are forecasted to reach 35 micrograms per meter cubed (µg/m3).
Current conditions of OZONE and FINE PARTICULATE MATTER are available in near real-time on the Indiana Department of Environment Management’s website.
National and regional maps of current conditions are available through USEPA AIRNow.
UE volleyball earns 3-1 win over Chicago State in opener
Aces have strong start to opening weekend
Cathy Schreiber recorded 14 kills while hitting .393 as the University of Evansville volleyball team downed Chicago State, 3-1, in Friday’s season opener at the Leatherneck Invitational in Western Hall.
Schreiber fell just two shy of her career tally of 16 kills. Rachel Tam and Rocio Fortuny had strong efforts, totaling 10 kills apiece. A trio of newcomers made their marks in the victory. Gabriela Dos Santos had 14 digs while freshman Cassie Brooke finished with 29 and fellow frosh Allana McInnis had 48 assists and a game-high six block assists.
“This was a good way to start the season. We expected to be more nervous in the beginning, because of how many new people we have, as well as returners having new roles,†Aces head coach Manolo Concepcion said. “But, the girls kept their composure and intensity. I was impressed with the set distribution and precision; it gave us good offensive opportunities.â€
Dos Santos registered six digs and three kills as the Purple Aces took set one by a final tally of 25-21. Rachel Tam had an early kill and service ace as UE jumped out to a 6-3 advantage. The Cougars inched their way back into the contest, tying it up at 15-15. From there, it was all UE as an Erlicia Griffith kill put the Aces up 22-18 before the hung on to take set one by a 25-21 final.
Through the entire duration of the second frame, neither squad led by more than two points. With the score tied at 18-18, the focus by both teams continued with each score being tied up to 28-28. At that point, the Cougars were able to reel off the final two points to finish off with a 30-28 triumph to knot the match at 1-1.
Chicago State used the momentum from its win in the second game to open up the third with a 7-3 lead. Cathy Schreiber was key to a 7-3 run by the Aces as her two kills helped to make it a 10-10 game. Schreiber and Mildrelis Rodriguez kept up the intensity as two kills apiece helped Evansville open up a 19-13 advantage before finishing off with a 25-18 win.
Evansville scored the first four points in the fourth game before opening up an 8-1 lead. Rachel Tam had a pair of kills in the early rally. The Cougars were once again tenacious, chipping away at the deficit before tying it up late at 21-21. The Aces scored two in a row on CSU errors before kills by Schreiber and Tam saw the Aces take a 25-23 decision while clinching the match.
On Saturday, the Aces will be back in action for a pair of matches. They open the day at 10 a.m. versus Manhattan before taking on the host Leathernecks at 7 p.m.
“Tomorrow we have two more good opponents, where we have to be able to keep our emphasis on first and second contact, as well as playing systematic and disciplined,†Concepcion added.
ISP Museum Open Saturday, 8/26
Museum will be open to the public from 12pm to 4pm
Looking for something to do this weekend? Head over to the Indiana State Police Museum, located on the east side of Indianapolis. The ISP Museum will be open from 12pm to 4pm and admission is free.
The museum houses several police cars from different decades, exhibits on crime scene investigation, radio communications, and the early 1930s, when gangsters like John Dillinger and Al Brady wreaked havoc on the nation. The Logo Store – a gift shop with Indiana State Police shirts, mugs, key chains, and more will also be open to the public.
Questions? Feel free to call the museum staff at (317) 899 8293 or email at ISPMuseum@isp.in.gov.
Women’s Soccer Picked Ninth in GLVC Preseason Poll
University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer was predicted to finish ninth in the Great Lakes Valley Conference this season, as voted on by the league’s head coaches. The Screaming Eagles are coming off an eighth place finish a year ago, returning to the conference tournament for the first time since 2012.
Defending regular season champion Truman State University was predicted to repeat as GLVC Champions in 2017. Rockhurst University received the most first-place votes and was picked second, while defending GLVC Champions McKendree University was predicted third.
Bellarmine University was picked fourth, with the University of Missouri-St. Louis rounding out the top-five. USI follows eighth-place Lewis University and is just ahead of 10th – place Drury University.
Junior Emily Hopkins (Greenfield, Indiana) returns to lead the Eagles between the posts after winning four games and collecting 55 saves a year ago. Offensively, USI returns seven of its top-nine leading scorers from last year, including junior Ryley Hancock (Evansville, Indiana), who led the team with 14 points on six goals and two assists.
In addition to scoring 12 points on five goals and two assists, junior Olivia Wilde (Racine, Wisconsin) will help anchor a USI defense that only allowed 1.23 goals per game in 2016. The Eagles will also feature 13 freshmen this season.
The 15 GLVC women’s soccer teams will compete in a 14-game round-robin schedule during the regular season with the top eight teams earning a berth to the GLVC Championship Tournament. The top four seeds will host quarterfinal matches on campus on October 29 with the four remaining teams heading to Carroll Stadium in Indianapolis, Indiana, for the semifinals and final on November 3 and 5.
USI begins the season on the road with a neutral site match against Tiffin University August 31 at Findlay, Ohio, and then play the University of Findlay September 2. The Eagles’ home opener at Strassweg Field is scheduled for September 22 against the University of Indianapolis.
The complete poll follows below.
2017 GLVC Women’s Soccer Preseason Poll | |
1. Truman State | 187 (5) |
2. Rockhurst | 180 (7) |
3. McKendree | 161 (2) |
3. Bellarmine | 161 (1) |
5. Missouri-St. Louis | 147 |
6. Quincy | 139 |
7. UW-Parkside* | 119 |
8. Lewis | 101 |
9. Southern Indiana | 85 |
10. Drury | 67 |
11. Maryville | 65 |
12. Indianapolis | 60 |
13. William Jewell | 39 |
14. Illinois Springfield | 33 |
15. Missouri S&T | 31 |
ADOPT A PET
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