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Air Quality Forecast

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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.

Monday
December 5		 Tuesday
December 6		 Wednesday
December 7		 Thursday
December 8		 Friday
December 9
Fine Particulate
(0-23 CST avg)
Air Quality Index		 moderate good moderate good NA*
Ozone
Air Quality Index		 NA* NA* NA* NA* 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.

Air Quality Forecast

Start time change Saturday for USI-OVU

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Tip-off time for the University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball game versus Ohio Valley University has been changed to 7:30 p.m. The time was changed from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to better facilitate the switch over of the Physical Activities Center from USI Fall Commencement to a basketball game day configuration.

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Tip-off time for the University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball game versus Ohio Valley University has been changed to 7:30 p.m. The time was changed from 7 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. to better facilitate the switch over of the Physical Activities Center from USI Fall Commencement to a basketball game day configuration.

USI Women’s Basketball hosts Kentucky State Wednesday

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University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball returns to action Wednesday at 6 p.m. when it hosts Kentucky State University at the Physical Activities Center.

USI (7-1) is coming off a pair of road wins to begin Great Lakes Valley Conference play last weekend. The Screaming Eagles began the week with a 66-40 win over McKendree University before earning an 89-62 win over the University of Illinois Springfield.

Junior guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) averaged 17.5 points per game to lead the Eagles, while junior forward Morgan Dahlstrom (Grayslake, Illinois) chipped in 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per outing.

On the year, Grooms leads the Eagles with 14.9 points per contest, while senior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois) is contributing 11.6 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per appearance. Dahlstrom is chipping in 11.0 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, while senior guard Tanner Marcum(New Albany, Indiana) is averaging 10.9 points and 3.3 assists contest.

Kentucky State (3-5) enters Wednesday’s game looking to stop a four-game losing streak. Junior guard Brittani Rizzi is averaging 13.9 points per game to lead Kentucky State, which won 25 games a year ago and advanced to the NCAA II Tournament.

Wednesday’s game can be heard on WSWI 95.7 FM, while live stats, audio, and GLVC Sports Network coverage can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.

USI Women’s Basketball Headlines

  • Eagles open GLVC play with two wins.USI Women’s Basketball went 2-0 to start GLVC play this past weekend. The Eagles began the week with a 66-40 road win over McKendree; then defeated Illinois Springfield, 89-62, to complete the weekend. Junior guard/forward Kaydie Groomsaveraged 17.5 points per game to lead the Eagles, while junior forward Morgan Dahlstrom contributed 13.5 points and 6.0 rebounds per outing. Senior forwardHannah Wascher averaged a double-double with 11.5 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest; while junior guard Randa Harshbarger and senior guard Tanner Marcum dished out 6.0 and 5.5 assists per game.
  • Second quarter proves big for Eagles.USI’s favorite quarter throughout its first eight games has clearly been the second quarter. The Eagles are outscoring their opponents by an average of 22.0 points to 10.0 points per game in the second period this season. USI used a 24-8 second-quarter to get by McKendree last Thursday before outpacing Illinois Springfield, 26-13, in the second-quarter on Saturday.
  • Big runs. USI benefitted from a pair of double-digit scoring runs in its wins over McKendree and Illinois Springfield last week. The Eagles used a 15-0 third-quarter run to clinch their win over the Bearcats last Thursday before going on a 16-0 second-quarter run to put the game out of reach for the Prairie Stars on Saturday.
  • USI in statistical rankings.USI leads the GLVC in eight statistical rankings and is in the top five of 16 GLVC statistical categories. The Eagles also rank in the top 25 of 10 NCAA Division II statistical rankings.
  • Quality minutes.USI has emptied its bench in six of its eight games this year and has seen all 13 players contribute in the scoring column in three of those contests.
  • Margin of victory.Each of USI’s first eight games this season have been decided by double-digits. Of USI’s seven wins, six have been by at least 26 points, while their closest win was by 12 points over Wayne State. USI’s lone loss was an 18-point setback to Michigan Tech.
  • GLVC openers. USI’s win over McKendree was its fifth straight GLVC-opening victory. The Eagles are 11-7 all-time under Head Coach Rick Stein in conference-openers, with the five-game winning streak marking the longest GLVC-opening win streak during Stein’s tenure.
  • Win No. 600. USI Women’s Basketball earned its 600th win with its 83-37 victory over Alabama-Huntsville last week. The Eagles are 603-513 (.540) during their 41-year history.
  • Scouting the opposition (Kentucky State).The Thorobreds look to snap a four-game losing streak when they visit the PAC Wednesday evening. Junior guard Brittani Rizzi is averaging 13.9 points per game to lead Kentucky State, which won 25 games a year ago and advanced to the NCAA II Tournament.
  • 300.Head Coach Rick Steinis four wins shy of 300. Stein, the all-time winningest coach in program history, has been a part of 456 victories during his 26 years at USI, including 159 in eight seasons as an assistant coach for the Eagles.

 

7th Circuit rules Duke Energy must pay for wind-generated power

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Olivia Covington for www.theindianalwayer.com

The 7th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a district court decision Tuesday requiring Duke Energy to pay for power generated by a local wind farm only if it passes to a lower grid, deciding instead that the energy company is contractually obligated to pay for any generated power regardless of transmission issues.

The case of Benton County Wind Farm LLC v. Duke Energy Indiana, Inc. 15-2632, began in 2005 when Benton County Wind Farm opted into Duke Energy’s offer to buy 100 megawatts of renewable energy at a price high enough to enable potential sellers to finance the construction of wind turbines. As part of the deal, Duke was required to pay Benton for all power deliver over the next 20 years while Benton was required to deliver to power lines owned by Northern Indiana Public Service Co. or other locations designated by the Midcontinent Independent System Operator.

Benton built a 100-megawatt facility that began operating in 2008. At that time, it was the only wind farm in its area and NIPSCO’s facilities could carry its entire output, while Duke purchased and paid for all the energy the windfarm could produce. However, as the years progressed more wind farms were being built and were increasing their capacities to 1,745 megawatts.

Until February 2013, MISO allowed wind farms to deliver to the grid regardless of what other producers, such as coal or nuclear energy producers, were doing, which forced other classes of producers to cut back. But in March 2013, the rules changed and wind farms that were constructed after 2005 were put on a par with other classes of producers, costing Benton its status as a must-run facility.

Duke responded by bidding exactly $0 all the time to keep Benton’s power on the grid. Any time that bid was rejected, MISO instructed Benton not to deliver any power, an order that equated to an order not to generate power and has led to the wind farm delivering power only 59 percent of the time.

In district court, Duke argued that when MISO told Benton to stop delivering power, it did not owe the wind farm anything, while the wind farm countered that Duke could put its power on the grid by making a negative bid, thereby displacing other producers’ power. When Duke opts not to do so, Benton argued that it owes liquidated damages under their contract. The district court sided with Duke and ruled that the energy company only has to pay for power delivered to the “Point of Metering” where it is measured and passes to the local grid.

In its appeal to the 7th Circuit, Benton relied on a portion of its contract with Duke that read, in part, “In the event that Buyer fails to accept delivery of all of the Electrical Output at the Point of Metering, whether due to Buyer’s failure to obtain Transmission Service … then Buyer shall pay to Seller liquidated damages … .”

Based on that and other language in the contract, Judge Frank Easterbrook wrote for the unanimous panel that the idea that Benton could not be paid if energy never crosses the point of metering and never counts toward the output is unfaithful to the contract because only some, not all, reasons for Duke’s failure to take the energy excuses its obligation to pay Benton.

Easterbrook pointed specifically to the portion of the contract that required Duke to pay Benton “due to Buyer’s failure to accept Transmission Service,” language that mirrors the situation Duke and Benton found themselves in, he said. When MISO changes the ruled in March 2013, Benton was being told to stop production 41 percent of time because transmission was unavailable at the price Duke was willing to offer.

“It is only a matter of time until more capacity is built, whether by Duke or someone else,” Easterbrook wrote. “And (the contract) tells us that, until that happens, Duke must pay Benton.”

The parties also signed a second contract that required Duke to work “reasonably” with Benton. Easterbrook wrote that the second contract would only be relevant if it entitled Benton to a larger recovery, but that is not the case.

However, Judge Richard Posner wrote in a separate opinion that he concurred with the findings related to the first contract, but also wrote that he disagreed with the panel’s discussion of damages for the breach of the second contract.

“(Benton) had the incentive under both contracts to have fallback protection in the form of a liquidated damages clause,” Posner wrote.

The case was remanded with instruction to determine the relief to which Benton is entitled.

VANDERBURGH COUNTY FELONY CHARGES

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Below are the felony cases to be filed by the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor’s Office this week.

Rickie Antoni Smith Jr. Resisting law enforcement, Level 6 felony

Reckless driving, Class C misdemeanor

Ryan Allen Remling Child molesting, Level 1 felony

Child molesting, Level 1 felony

Child molesting, Level 1 felony

Child molesting, Level 1 felony

Gary Ray Orth Theft, Level 6 felony

Intimidation, Level 6 felony

Ryan Julius Belmonte Voyeurism, Level 6 felony

Voyeurism, Level 6 felony

Dani Marie York Operating a vehicle while intoxicated endangering a person with a passenger less than 18 years of age, Level 6 felony

Operating while intoxicated, Level 6 felony

Mary Elizabeth Martin Unlawful possession of a syringe, Level 6 felony

Possession of a synthetic drug or synthetic drug look-alike substance, Class A misdemeanor

Clifford Anthony Johns II Intimidation, Level 6 felony

Resisting law enforcement, Class A misdemeanor

Darah Mariah Kammerer Dealing in methamphetamine, Level 2 felony 

Matthew Durant Myers Unlawful possession of a syringe, Level 6 felony 

Cody D. Daffron Domestic battery, Level 6 felony

Strangulation, Level 6 felony

Criminal confinement, Level 6 felony

Residential entry, Level 6 felony

Taylor Douglas Brown Battery resulting in serious bodily injury, Level 5 felony

Battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, Level 6 felony

James Kenneth Whitledge Attempted escape, Level 5 felony 

Anthony Tyrone Givans Attempted fraud on a financial institution, Level 5 felony 

Dashawn Donald Patton Rape, Level 3 felony

Rape, Level 3 felony

Kamion Dewayne Melton Intimidation, Level 6 felony

Strangulation, Level 6 felony

Domestic battery, Class A misdemeanor

Resisting law enforcement, Class A misdemeanor

Charlotte Anita Ross Possession of a narcotic drug, Level 6 felony 

 

BREAKING NEWS FROM CHANNEL 44 NEWS

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Judge Denies Injunction Filed by the FOP and Firefighters Union

DECEMBER 6TH, 2016 BRITNEY TAYLOR

EVANSVILLE, ILLINOIS, INDIANA

Judge Les Shivley has denied the relief requested by the Fraternal Order of Police and Firefighters Union in the case against the city of Evansville. The proposed Health Insurance Package includes a 120% increase in deductibles and premiums. The two entities filed an injunction against the city in October. It claimed the city violated its current contract agreement with the unions by not consulting union leaders to negotiate new health care benefits.

After today’s ruling, negotiations regarding wages are now reopened. The Evansville City Council will also address the Firefighters’ contract at its next meeting. Council members were waiting for the ruling to approve that contract.

FOP lawyer Charlie Berger will be hold a press conference at 2:30 p.m. about the judges ruling.

Vanderburgh County Recent Booking Records

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

Governor’s Task Force on Drug Enforcement, Treatment, and Prevention Presents Final Report at Meeting

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Vice President-elect Governor Mike Pence Thanks Task Force Members on Work to Combat Drug Abuse

Indianapolis – The Governor’s Task Force on Drug Enforcement, Treatment, and Prevention presented its final report at its meeting at Fairbanks in Indianapolis. The Task Force was established by Executive Order in September 2015 with the goal of bringing together Indiana experts from a variety of specialties to evaluate the growing national drug problem here in Indiana. Today was the last meeting of the Task Force, as the Indiana Commission to Combat Drug Abuse was created in the 2016 legislative session through SEA 271 to continue the work of the Task Force.

“I am grateful for the work of the members of the Task Force and all those who contributed in this effort to combat drug abuse across the state of Indiana,” said Vice President-elect Governor Pence. “The final report of the Task Force shows the progress we have made in coming alongside those who struggle with the grip of addiction and provides a basis for how to address this important issue moving forward. As the Indiana Commission to Combat Drug Abuse assumes responsibility for developing a long-term, comprehensive strategy to address this crisis, I am confident that Hoosiers will be well-served by the progress we have made.”

 

USI Baseball Signs Nine For 2018

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University of Southern Indiana Baseball announced the signing of six freshmen and three transfers in the 2018 early signing period. Of the eight student-athletes signed by USI and Head Coach Tracy Archuleta, four are from Indiana, two from Kentucky, one from Illinois and one from Colorado.

Selecting USI to continue their education and begin their collegiate baseball careers are right-handed pitcher Garrett Welch (New Castle, Indiana) right-handed pitcher Reece Kleinhelter (Jasper, Indiana), middle infielder Jacob Hartline (Herrin, Illinois), infielder Ethan Hunter (Terre Haute, Indiana), right-handed pitcher/outfielder Sam Mudd (Louisville, Kentucky) and right-handed pitcher Blake Graham(Morgantown, Kentucky). Transferring to USI to continue their baseball careers are right-handed pitcher Peter Wissel (New Castle, Indiana),right-handed pitcher Dalton Lewis (Parker, Colorado), and first baseman/catcher Jayden Beshears (Evansville, Indiana).

“We really needed to focus on bringing in talented arms for the 2018 season since we will be losing several quality arms,” Archuleta said. “Coach (Jeremy) Kuester and first year Graduate Assistant Coach Ryan Bertram have a very talented class coming in for next season.”

“The two NJCAA arms of Wissel and Lewis will be counted on to make an immediate impact next season on the mound, while Beshears adds a big bat to the line-up,” continued Archuleta. “The four high school arms of Graham, Welch, Kleinhelter and Mudd will compete for quality time on mound as well.”

“Mudd also has the ability to help us in the outfield, while the two infielders, Hartline and Hunter, give us the needed depth for the future,” concluded Archuleta.

Biographies of USI Baseball’s fall signees:

Beshears: The first baseman/catcher is in his second year at Olney Central College…batted .378 with four home runs and 37 RBIs as a freshman…a baseball and football letter winner at North High School (Evansville, Indiana)…was twice named All-Conference and All-City in baseball.

Welch: The right-handed pitcher had a 2.94 ERA in 29 innings pitched his junior year at New Castle High School (New Castle, Indiana) while also hitting .375…earned All-Conference and All-County honors his sophomore and junior years…helped the team win sectional championship freshman year…played for Indiana Bulls Black and also lettered in basketball.

Wissel: Transfer from Vincennes University…the right-handed pitcher was 6-7 at VU with a 4.86 ERA and 8.10 strikeouts per nine innings ratio in 2016…was a two-time first team All-State selection at Blue River Valley High School (New Castle, Indiana).

Kleinhelter: A right-handed pitcher from Jasper High School (Jasper, Indiana), where he lettered in baseball, football and swimming…also played for Ironmen Baseball Club.

Hartline: The middle infielder hit .390 as a sophomore and .380 as a junior at Herrin High School (Herrin, Illinois)…earned All-Conference, All-South region honors and was team MVP during his junior year…also lettered in football and basketball, helping football team win three conference championships and earning All-Conference honors.

Hunter: The infielder had a school-record .962 fielding percentage while also batting .368 to earn first team All-State in 2016 at Terre Haute South High School (Terre Haute, Indiana)…helped legion team win state championship in 2015 and regional and super regional championships in 2016.

Mudd: The outfielder and right-handed pitcher hit .444 in the state tournament to help St. Xavier High School (Louisville, Kentucky) win the 2016 state championship…earned Perfect Game Honorable Mention in 2016…also played football and for Ironmen Baseball Club.

Graham: A right-handed pitcher that led Morgantown High School (Morgantown, Kentucky) to a district championship in 2016…also lettered in football and basketball.

Lewis: Transfer from Trinidad State Junior College…the right-handed pitcher appeared in eight games, starting four, and had 10 strikeouts with a 1-0 record…lettered in football and baseball at Mountain Vista High School (Highlands Park, Colorado).

Equine Equipment Breaks Ground

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Innovative Equine Marketing, which provides manufacturer discounts to the horse world through its Equine Equipment program, is launching America’s first internships for college students interested in the field of race-track maintenance and getting on course to being a track superintendent.

Keeneland Association in Lexington, Ky., and Hollywood Gaming Mahoning Valley Race Course in Youngstown, Ohio, have been awarded the first Equine Equipment Track Internship scholarships for 2017. Seed money for the internships will be provided by Equine Equipment, which gets facilities and active participants in the horse industry leading discounts through local dealers on tractors, mowers and paint with best-selling brands such as Toro, Massey Ferguson, Exmark, FarmPaint and Challenger.

“This is just my idea to give back to the industry and to support the racing facilities and the tracks that support me,” said Innovative Equine Marketing founder Steve Andersen, a life-long racing enthusiast. “Maybe a University of Kentucky ‘ag’ student doesn’t want to work in soybeans, corn and tobacco. But he likes dirt, likes equipment and likes being outside. We want to give them the opportunity to see the wonderful world of being a track superintendent.”

Andersen is working with the University of Kentucky and Youngstown State University to provide candidates for the internships at Keeneland and Mahoning Valley. Keeneland track superintendent Javier Barajas and Mahoning Valley track superintendent R.J. Moore will then pick the recipients.

“Keeneland is excited to be able to offer this internship to introduce college students to race-track maintenance and encourage them to pursue a career as a track superintendent,” Barajas said. “With a dirt track, turf course and all-weather training track at Keeneland, a student will receive a unique opportunity to learn about the maintenance of three different surfaces.”

 

Mark Loewe, vice president for racing operations at Mahoning Valley, applauded a program that will give smart and motivated students the opportunity to learn under the direction of two of the best track superintendents in the business.

“It’s a great idea. As an industry I think we should be looking at more internships for other positions,” Loewe said. “Working race tracks is a science, certainly not something that anybody can walk in off the street and do. It’s a great idea if we can get some young people interested in it. And it’s a very interesting profession, to say the least.”

Other tracks can apply for a 2018 Equine Equipment Track Internship by contacting Andersen at steve@equineequipment.com or (877) 905-0004, as well as by seeing him and Equine Equipment’s display at the University of Arizona Race Track Industry Program’s Dec. 5-7 Global Symposium on Racing and Gaming at Tucson’s Loews Ventana Canyon Resort.

“These guys are the hardest-working guys on the track,” Andersen said of track superintendents. “There are many of them working the track all night long so it doesn’t freeze. It’s not a question of ‘What time are you coming home?’ It’s ‘Are you coming home tonight?’ They’re often expected to hold equipment together with fishing line, duct tape and gum and hope it holds up because they’re not going to get the budget to do or buy more. And sometimes it’s ‘Don’t spend too much on the gum.’

“It’s a tough business, and track supers have to fight to get the equipment they need and get the very best value and take care of it. They have to appease the horsemen and appease management.”

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