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Reward Offered for Information on Whooping Crane Shot in Greene County

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Indiana Conservation Officers have partnered with Indiana Turn in a Poacher (T.I.P.), Friends of Goose Pond and International Crane Foundation to offer a reward of $6500 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person(s) responsible for killing a Whooping Crane in Greene County.

On January 3, 2017 an International Crane Foundation volunteer found the crane near Goose Pond Fish and Wildlife area.  The carcass has been sent to the National Fish and Wildlife Forensics Laboratory in Ashland, Oregon for further testing.

In an effort to apprehend those responsible for the killing of the Whooping Crane, several conservation organizations have come together to offer a reward.

“Goose Pond FWA is a winter home for up to 25% of the entire eastern Whooping Crane population”, said Dane Strahle, Friends of Goose Pond president.  We strongly support the efforts to find the person(s) responsible for this killing”.

Friends of Goose Pond’s board members are offering a $2,500 reward.  This reward is offered for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

International Crane Foundation is supporting this effort and has committed to offer a $1,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible.

“The population of Whooping Cranes has recovered from a few dozen in the 1940s to about 450 in the wild today”, said Tim Grunewald, International Crane Foundation North America Program Director.  “The protection of the Whooping Crane population is a very high priority for our organization, and we hope to see justice served in this case.”

Indiana Turn in a Poacher (TIP) is adding an additional $500.

An additional $2500 is being offered by the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) for information leading to conviction.

“Poaching is referred to as theft of our precious natural resources”, said Joe Cales, TIP president.  “As citizens of Indiana, we do not tolerate the unlawful taking of our fish, wildlife or natural resources and we stand firmly against those who do.”

The Whooping Crane killed in Greene County was part of an effort by the Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership to establish an eastern continental flock on a migratory path between Wisconsin and Florida. This migration path crosses through Indiana, with Whooping Crane’s often stopping at Goose Pond FWA.

Indiana Conservation Officers are collaborating with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to investigate this crime.

“Conservation Law Enforcement is our mission”, said Danny L. East, DNR Law Enforcement Director.  “With the assistance of our conservation partners and our citizens, we remain confident that we will bring closure to this case.”

(Total reward offered is $6,500)  Attached photo is that of Whooping Crane 4-11

Adopt A Pet

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 Linda is a 3-year-old female medium-haired Maine Coon mix! She gets along just fine with other cats and lives in the Cageless Cat Lounge. She’s laid-back and quiet. Her $30 adoption fee includes her spay, microchip, vaccines, FeLV/FIV test, and more! Contact the Vanderburgh Humane Society at (812) 426-2563 or adoptions@vhslifesaver.org for adoption details!

 

Obit: Bivian Hancock, matriarch of prominent racing family

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‘Ms. Punkin’ also revered Henderson County Schools bus driver for 51 years

Media: The following news feature on the death of Bivian Hancock was written by Jennie Rees, communications specialist for the Kentucky HBPA as well as Ellis Park’s publicity director for live racing. Photo of Bivian Hancock courtesy her family. For more information, contact Rees at tracksidejennie@gmail.com

For immediate release

HENDERSON, Ky. (Friday, January 13, 2017) — Bivian Bee Hancock, the matriarch of a prominent western Kentucky horse family and a revered school-bus driver, died Thursday evening at Methodist Hospital. She was 80.

Affectionately known as “Ms. Punkin,” Mrs. Hancock was the daughter of the late Chester Loney, a thoroughbred trainer who raced at Ellis Park and throughout Kentucky from the 1950s and into the 1970s, with other family members involved in harness racing. She owned racehorses for years, trained by her sons John Hancock and Jack Hancock Sr.

“She was a big part of everything we did,” John Hancock said Friday. “Everything ran through her. She was kind of my assistant, but she was a horse owner. She’d buy horses and I trained for her, and we partnered on horses. She and my brother Jack were a big part of my outfit, and then Jack went out on his own.”

While prominent at the racetrack, in particular at her hometown track of Ellis Park, Mrs. Hancock also was well-known in a different capacity in the Henderson County Schools system, spending more than a half-century as a bus driver. Honored in May of 2015 by the school system for her 50 years of service, Mrs. Hancock drove one more year before retiring at age 79. That’s the longest documented tenure ever for a bus driver in the district, said Cindy Williams, Henderson County Schools’ public-relations officer.

“From a personal standpoint, Ms. Punkin was an incredible individual,” Williams said. “For her to give more than 50 years of service and dedication to our school system, that speaks volumes about the type of person she was. Every day she got on that school bus, she got on it with passion and commitment and dedication to our students, ensuring that they were transported to and from school and home in a safe manner. She will be greatly missed.”

“My mom had three loves in her life: Driving a school bus until she retired after 51 years,” John Hancock said. “She loved coming to the barn and loved coming to Riverside (training center) to watch horses train. She’d go with me when we ran horses when she was able. And my mom loved her family. She was very hands-on in anything her family did.”

Ms. Punkin had another distinction: rooting hard for both the University of Kentucky and University of Louisville basketball teams. “She was a big fan of the University of Kentucky, but she also was a big fan of Rick Pitino,” John Hancock said. “She might have watched U of L before, but she became a bigger fan with Pitino coaching.”

Visitation will be from 2-6 p.m. Central Sunday and 9-11:30 a.m. Monday at Tomblinson Funeral Home, 325 1st St. in Henderson, with a Funeral Mass at noon Monday at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church, 511 Second St. Burial will be in Fernwood Cemetery, 920 Madison St.

HCS Bus No. 37, which Mrs. Hancock drove for so long, will transport the pallbearers behind the hearse from the funeral home to the church and then on to the cemetery.

Hancock, born in Henderson, was preceded in death by her father and mother, Lena Mae Loney; husband Delvin O. Hancock Sr. and brother Rex Loney. Survivors include another son, Delvin O. Hancock; brother Phillip Don Loney; and sisters Beatrice Stanley and Ann Marie Beckman (both also former Henderson school bus drivers), all of Henderson.

The family’s racing legacy continues into a fifth generation with John and Donna Hancock’s daughter, Ashley Hillyard, an owner and trainer, and with her 10-year-old son Matthew already playing an important role in his grandparents’ stable.

EPD Activity Report

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EPD Report

Eagles convert FTs; defeat Truman to stay perfect in GLVC play

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In a contest that featured 10 ties and 10 lead changes, University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball converted 7-of-8 free throw attempts in the final 90 seconds of the game to defeat Great Lakes Valley Conference foe Truman State University, 72-67, Thursday evening.

 

After seeing a 63-56 lead slip away in the in the final four minutes of the contest, junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) was fouled with 90 seconds on the clock. Grooms sank both free throws to give the Eagles a 65-63 lead.

 

USI (13-2, 5-0 GLVC) held its ground on the defensive end of the court following the free throws, but a turnover gave Truman another chance to tie or take the lead with 45 seconds to play.

 

Truman (8-7, 3-3 GLVC), however, could not convert on the offensive end and a loose ball went out of bounds off a Bulldogs’ player, giving the Eagles possession with 40 seconds left to play.

 

Senior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) was fouled on USI’s next possession and she made Truman pay as she drained both free throws to give USI a 67-63 advantage.

 

Truman answered with a pair of free throws to cut USI’s lead in half, but senior forward Tasia Brewer (Terre Haute, Indiana) put USI back in front by four (69-65) with a pair of successful attempts at the charity stripe.

 

Sophomore center Kacy Eschweiler (St. Charles, Missouri) blocked a layup attempt by senior center Cassidy Clark on Truman’s next possession; then came up with the rebound and hit 1-of-2 free throws to stake USI to a 70-65 lead after being fouled with 14 seconds on the clock.

 

The two teams traded free throws in the final five seconds of the contest as USI earned its third straight win.

 

USI was led by Marcum, who finished with a game-high 22 points along with four rebounds and five assists. Grooms added 19 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while senior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois) chipped in 11 points, five rebounds, three steals and four blocks.

 

Eschweiler contributed seven points and five rebounds, while Brewer scored all five of her points at the free throw line with a 5-of-8 effort. Junior guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois) also had five assists and four steals to aid the Eagles.

 

Sophomore forward Rachel Edmundson led the Bulldogs with 19 points and nine rebounds, while Clark chipped in 17 points and nine rebounds.

 

USI was out-rebounded, 40-36, but shot 48.3 percent (28-58) from the field while holding the Bulldogs to just 34.4 percent (22-64) from the field.

 

The Eagles return to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when they visit Quincy University. The Lady Hawks (4-12, 1-5 GLVC) suffered a 92-67 setback to No. 4 Bellarmine University Thursday evening in Quincy, Illinois.

 

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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http://www.vanderburghsheriff.com/recent-booking-records.aspx

IS IT TRUE JANUARY 13, 2017

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IS IT TRUE Billionaire hedge-fund manager George Soros lost nearly $1 billion as a result of the stock-market rally spurred by Donald Trump’s surprise presidential election?…Stanley Druckenmiller, Mr. Soros’s former deputy who helped Mr. Soros score $1 billion of profits betting against the British pound in 1992, anticipated the market’s recent climb and racked up sizable gains, according to people close to the matter?…The divergent bets of the two traders are a stark reminder of the challenges even acclaimed investors have faced following Mr. Trump’s unexpected victory?…Many experts had predicted a tumble for stocks in the wake of the election, but instead the Dow Jones Industrial Average has climbed 9.3%?…this shows how bias can inspire even intelligent people to engage in propaganda type of misinformation campaigns?

IS IT TRUE it is beginning to look like the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is about to be repealed and replaced by something that preserves some popular features but addresses some of the shortcomings?…the very popular features include keeping adult children on a parents policy until age 26 and mandating that pre-existing conditions do not exclude anyone from buying a policy?…there are some who are advocating for a “single payer” system where the federal government essentially becomes the custodian of both delivery of care and paying for it?…this has been done and already exists in two government programs?…the are the VA (Veteran’s Administration) and the Public Health Department?…both of these federal agencies are known for poor management but acceptable care delivery when one finally gets an appointment?…it is highly doubtful that the 80% of the population who participate in the private healthcare system will toleration VA level of service?…maybe the best and least expensive solution all along was to offer the destitute access to healthcare through the VA and Medicaid?

IS IT TRUE good news was just released about the McCurdy Hotel project?…a full nine years after the former mayor of Evansville handed $900,000 to a crony and campaign donor to kick start the project, that ultimately failed and lost the taxpayers $1.4 Million, another company says the project will be completed in 2017?…the old girl is looking pretty good from the outside and we are once again encouraged that this one year project is getting finished at the end of its ninth year?…2017 is shaping up to be a watershed year for downtown Evansville?…it has been a long time coming and we hope to see more successes than failures after 40 years of continual decline?

IS IT TRUE downtown Evansville while seeing a number of new eating establishments is still not immune to having businesses struggle to survive or cease operations?…it has been asked whether or not Salad World has closed?…it does seem to be closed as it hasn’t been open at some obvious times to open?…the CCO hope that Salad World stays open and finds success but it could be another casualty of downtown Evansville as well?

FOOTNOTE: TODAYS ‘READERS POLL’ QUESTIONS IS: Who should be appointed Council next Finance Chairman?

CHANNEL 44 NEWS: Mosby Laying Out Her Vision For 2017 City Council Session

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2017 Evansville City Council Preview

City council president Miss Mosby is laying out her vision for the 2017 council session. She has several things for the council to tackle in the year ahead, but it all starts with reaching a budget first. cm = new…

Sullivan Works To Expand Pre-K Pilot Program

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 State Rep. Holli Sullivan (R-Evansville) is co-authoring legislation that would expand Indiana’s pre-K pilot program for low income students.

The current On My Way Pre-K pilot program was established in 2014 and serves nearly 2,300 students in Allen, Lake, Marion, Jackson and Vanderburgh counties. Sullivan’s legislation would add up to five more counties.

Children who aren’t ready for Kindergarten are half as likely to read proficiently by third grade. Students who aren’t reading proficiently by third grade are four times more likely to drop out of school before graduation, Sullivan said.

“This is one more tool we can use to help close the achievement gap for low-income, at-risk children,” Sullivan said. “As a parent, I understand that one of the most effective ways to support our youth is to offer them high-quality early childhood education opportunities. If we better equip our children through early education and necessary wrap around services it will provide benefits to the entire state.”

Sullivan said that over time, this program will increase graduation rates, decrease need for remediation and improve wage-earning potential for Indiana’s youth.

House Bill 1004 has been assigned to the House Committee on Education.

Visit iga.in.gov to learn more about HB 1004.

Multi-State License Fraud Investigation Results In Over $85,000 in Fines

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“Operation Double Dip” Prevents Would-Be Hunters from Claiming Residency in Two States

Indianapolis – Indiana Conservation Officers and Illinois Conservation Police investigated cases of hunting license/permit fraud beginning in early 2015 extending through 2016 that has resulted in over $85,000 in fines and restitution.

“Operation Double Dip was started to investigate individuals who claim residency in Illinois and Indiana in order to purchase hunting licenses/deer permits at the cheaper resident rate,” said Sgt. David Hyatt, Illinois Conservation Police.  “This is a case that protects the privileges of our legitimate resident hunters and ensures that each state receives the funding needed for Fish and Wildlife projects.”

Both Indiana and Illinois law state, “No person may claim residency in more than one state at the same time for the purpose of purchasing resident hunting or fishing licenses.”  This investigation revealed that many of the defendants had defrauded the state for several years.

211 counts of falsification were filed in the state of Illinois.  A one hundred percent conviction rate was recorded against all Illinois defendants who have been ordered to pay over $65,000 in restitution and fines.  Prosecution was handled by the Illinois Attorney General’s office and the Sangamon County State’s Attorney’s office.

“Conservation Law Enforcement is an important component in the protection and continual improvement of our state’s natural resources,” said Colonel Danny L. East, Indiana DNR Law Enforcement Division Director.  “The cooperative efforts of both Indiana and Illinois law enforcement divisions were vital to the success of this case.”

A total of 21 years of hunting privilege revocations were ordered against Illinois defendants.

Indiana has recorded an estimated 57 defendants because of this investigation.  The majority of Indiana cases are still pending and final amount of charges has not been determined.  $20,581.50 in restitution has been ordered and 12 years of hunting privileges have been revoked against Indiana defendants, so far in this case.

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