Consumer Alert from the Office of the Indiana Attorney General
The Consumer Protection Division (CPD) of the Office of the Indiana Attorney General is warning people to be suspicious of companies claiming to be affiliated with local high schools and attempting to sell sponsorships.
On Jan. 31, the CPD received a consumer complaint against a business claiming to operate as Touchdown Sports. The complainant said the caller claimed to be with Touchdown Sports and to be calling on behalf of Noblesville High School in Indiana. The complainant said the caller was seeking sponsors for the backs of t-shirts that could be passed out during high school sporting events. The complainant also told the CPD that she called Noblesville High School and was informed that the school had no knowledge of the company. This exact scam has been reported in other states.
Businesses – especially locally owned companies inside or near the boundaries of an Indiana school district – should be suspicious of anyone calling their phone seeking sponsor partnerships for stadium banners, posters and t-shirts, among other items. The CPD is advising businesses not to contract with companies claiming to represent local schools without first checking with the schools to confirm the relationship with the organization seeking money.
In addition to businesses, if parents, staff or residents living inside an Indiana school district are contacted by someone claiming to operate a sponsorship fundraiser for a school, the CPD urges them to contact the school in question to confirm the relationship.
If you believe you have been contacted by a fraudulent company or an individual attempting a scam, the CPD encourages you to file a complaint at www.indianaconsumer.com or call our Consumer Assistance Line at (800) 382-5516.
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UE Men’s Basketball halts streak with 74-66 win over Bears
Aces end 9-game skid against Missouri State
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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – A trio of University of Evansville men’s basketball players registered double figures as the Purple Aces halted a 9-game losing streak as they defeated Missouri State by a final of 74-66 on Saturday at the Ford Center.
Jaylon Brown led the way for UE (11-14, 2-10 MVC) with 25 points. He was 9-of-12 from the field and 7-8 from the free throw line. David Howard set his career mark with 17 points on a 7-for-10 shooting effort. Duane Gibson was next with 16 points while leading the team with six assists.
“We are happy that we had a different outcome. We played a very good game throughout and we just have to keep that going and continue to get better,” Brown said.
Missouri State (15-10, 6-6 MVC) was paced by Jarred Dixon’s 16-point effort while Obediah Church finished the day with 13.
“As coaches, it certainly is a relief. Our guys have had good attitudes and have dealt with adversity, but never used it as an excuse,” Aces head coach Marty Simmons said. “They have stayed with it and I am happy for the guys in the locker room. We had contributions from everybody. It was a true team effort.”
Duane Gibson notched nine opening-half points as the Aces took a 30-26 lead into the break. Ryan Taylor opened the game with a triple before the Bears came back to tie it up at 7-7 before taking a 10-9 lead on a trey from Alize Johnson.
Evansville was able to retake the lead and open up their biggest edge of the half at 21-13 in a stretch that saw Jaylon Brown register four points. MSU cut the gap to one at 25-24 with 3:20 left before the Aces got three more Gibson points to make it a 30-26 game at halftime.
Austin Ruder hit from downtown to get the Bears within one before an Obediah Church bucket tied it up at 34-34 just over two minutes in. On the ensuing trip down the floor, Brown responded to give the lead right back to UE. After Evansville scored six in a row, the Bears roared back with a stretch of their own as a Jarred Dixon and-one knotted the score at 44-44 with 11 minutes remaining.
Midway through the half, Ryan Kreklow gave MSU its first second-half lead as his trey. Put the Bears up 47-46. After MSU took its largest lead to that point at 59-57, UE rallied back with seven in a row to go up 64-59 with three minutes on the clock.
The lead reached six with a minute left as Jaylon Brown’s 23rd point gave UE a 70-64 advantage. From there, the Aces added to the lead to finish the day with a 74-66 triumph.
UE did a stellar job of taking care of the ball, turning it over just five times. It was the first time the squad turned it over five times or less since February 10, 2015, coincidentally, in a home contest against the Bears.
For the game, the Aces outshot MSU, 55.8%-44.2% while also outrebounding them by a 32-28 tally. Howard was the top rebounder for UE, totaling seven.
A quick 2-game home stand concludes on Wednesday as the Aces welcome Loyola to the Ford Center for a 7 p.m. game.
Broughton Wins Mile, Others Impress at SIU
CARBONDALE, Ill.—University of Southern Indiana Men’s Track & Field earned nine top-20 finishes against NCAA Division I competition including a win during day two of the Don Denoon Invitational Saturday hosted by Southern Illinois University.
Senior Chase Broughton (Marengo, Indiana) and junior Bastian Grau (Höchstadt, Germany) recorded USI’s two fastest mile times of the season taking the top two spots in the event. Broughton won the event, defeating the field with a time of four minutes, 06.97 seconds. Grau finishes second, less than a second later in 4:07.67. Broughton and Grau both earned NCAA Division II provisional marks in the event also.
Freshman Javan Winders (Mansfield, Tennessee) made it a Screaming Eagle sweep of the top three finishing in 4:16.43. Junior James Cecil (Owensboro, Kentucky) also earned a top-20 finish with a time of 4:27.32, food enough for 17th.
Two runners finished in the top-20 of the 800-meter run. Finishing sixth, sophomore Tyler Kruse (Fort Branch, Indiana) turned in a time of 1:57.36 while sophomore Almustapha Silvester (Indianapolis) finished 17th in 2:00.99.
Freshmen Nathan Hall (Springfield, Missouri) and Eli Hill (Bloomington, Illinois) finished about 12 seconds apart in the 3,000-meters. Hall’s time of 8:42.76 was good enough for sixth-place. Hill turned in his best performance of the year in the event with a time of 8:54.08 and a 12th-place finish.
In the field events, a toss of 48 feet, 04.75 inches gave senior Jalen Madison (Washington, Indiana) a 12th-place finish in the weight throw. The mark is the third best of the season for Madison.
USI returns to action February 10-11 in Allendale, Michigan, for the GVSU Big Meet hosted by Grand Valley State University.
USI Competes With Strong Division I Talent at SIU
University of Southern Indiana Women’s  Track & Field earned four top-20 finishes against NCAA Division I competition during day two of the Don Denoon Invitational Saturday hosted by Southern Illinois University.
Two Screaming Eagles had impressive performances in the 3,000-meter run including junior Jessica Lincoln (Palatine, Illinois) and sophomore Hope Jones (Cumberland, Indiana) The duo finished in in consecutive positions with Lincoln taking six and Jones finishing seventh. The two also record the fastest times in the event this season with marks of 10 minutes, 05.28 seconds and 10:13.39, respectively. Lincoln’s time was also fast enough to earn an NCAA Division II provisional mark.
After earning a win each of the past three weekends, sophomore Kate Henrickson (Boonville, Indiana) earned an 11th-place finish with her best time of the season in the mile. Eight Division I runners placed above Henrickson with the top-20 finishers separated by about 15 seconds.
Henrickson also turned in a top-20 performance in the 800-meters finish in 19th with a time of 2:25.41. The mark also improves her season-best time in the event.
On Friday, sophomore Hilary Paxson (Liberty Center, Indiana) broke the school-record in the weight throw with a toss of 49 feet, 0.25 inches. The mark bested the previous record held by Vanessa Higdon since 2015 by nearly nine inches. The sophomore also earned a tenth place finish in the event amongst a field loaded with NCAA Division I competition.
Also on Friday, junior Jenna Martin (Evansville, Indiana) recorded a tenth-place finish in the long jump with a distance of 17’00.75″.
USI returns to action February 10-11 in Allendale, Michigan, for the GVSU Big Meet hosted by Grand Valley State University.
Impaired Driver Arrested after Driving 110 mph on I-69
Last night at approximately 10:33, Trooper Hunter Manning was patrolling I-69 near the 23 mile-marker when he observed a vehicle traveling at a high rate of speed. Manning clocked the 1999 Lexus at 110 mph. The driver was stopped and identified as Matthew Curtis Reiter, 19, of Evansville. An odor of burnt marijuana was detected inside the vehicle. Field sobriety tests indicated signs of impairment. Further investigation revealed Reiter was under the influence of marijuana. He was arrested and taken to the Gibson County Jail. Reiter was later released after posting bond this morning.
Arrested and Charge:
- Matthew Curtis Reiter, 19, Evansville, IN
- Driving While Intoxicated (Marijuana), Class C Misdemeanor
Celebrate Responsibly this Super Bowl
The Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office and the Evansville Police Department, in partnership with the Governor’s Council on Impaired & Dangerous Driving and the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI), would like to remind all Indiana motorists to celebrate this year’s Super Bowl responsibly by driving sober and safe.
“Family and friends will soon be gathering to root for their favorite team this Super Bowl. With the celebrations come a responsibility to do so safely,†said Sheriff Dave Wedding. “Motorists are reminded this Super Bowl to celebrate responsibility and not to drive after drinking. The life you save may be your own.â€
During the 2016 Super Bowl weekend there were 467 traffic collisions in Indiana. Of those, 30 were alcohol-related, with 27 percent involving a driver with a blood alcohol content (BAC) of 0.08 or greater. In total, there were 13 injuries as a result of alcohol-related accidents. Compared to the 2015 Super Bowl Weekend, this is a 37 percent decrease in traffic collisions, a 33 percent decrease in alcohol-related collisions, a 70 percent decrease in alcohol-related collisions involving a driver with a BAC of 0.08 or greater, and a 7 percent decrease in resulting injuries. In Vanderburgh County, eight (8) intoxicated motorists went to jail over the 2016 Super Bowl weekend, compared with seven (7) in 2015.
“While a decrease in nearly every measurable category is room for celebration, even one collision or one life injured from such a preventable cause as impaired driving, is one too many,†said Council Chair, Todd Meyer. “Sober driving is the only way to drive, so this Super Bowl let’s continue to work together to keep every motorist safe.â€
The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Traffic Safety Partnership, the Governor’s Council, and ICJI would like to remind motorists that accidents and deaths resulting from impaired driving can be prevented by taking the following precautions:
- Before the celebration begins, plan a safe way home
- If you do drink, use a taxi, public transportation, ridesharing service or designate a sober friend or family member, and give them your keys
- If you see a drunk driver on the road, call 911
- If you know someone who is about to drive or ride impaired, take their keys and help make arrangements to get them home safely
For more information on Indiana’s efforts on impaired driving prevention and enforcement, please visit: http://www.in.gov/cji/2354.htm.
