 UE to play top two teams in the MVC
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Just one more weekend of action remains for the Purple Aces as they welcome the top two teams in the Missouri Valley Conference – Missouri State and Wichita State. Evansville welcomes the Bears on Friday before playing host to the Shockers on Saturday with both games starting at 7 p.m.
Last weekend, UE took Southern Illinois to five sets before falling by a 3-2 final. Rachel Tam led the way with 16 kills while Rocio Fortuny notched 12. Mildrelis Rodriguez was credited with a team-high 15 digs.
Rachel Tam has been on a roll over the last five matches, averaging 2.47 kills per set. That included a career-best of 19 kills against Bradley and 16 on Friday versus Southern Illinois. A strong weekend saw UE freshman Rachel Tam average 2.90 kills per game along with 2.10 digs as the Aces won their first MVC match of the season on October 28. Tam opened the weekend with a career-best 19 kills in the win over Bradley while hitting .406. She added 10 digs and a pair of block assists.
Rocio Fortuny had her best collegiate match against Bradley on Oct. 28. The sophomore posted 19 kills in 48 attempt, besting her previous high of 17. She also matched her top mark of 13 digs in the triumph over the Braves. Fortuny ranks second on the team behind fellow sophomore Mildrelis Rodriguez with 2.13 kills per set. She has also done well on the defensive side with 0.45 blocks per set. She had 15 kills in the 5-set home match against SIU.
The toughness of the Aces squad has been out in full force over the last six matches. Over the first ten MVC matches, just two of those went past three sets. The last six have seen the Aces battle to a fifth set on three occasions and a fourth in another instance.
Missouri State is on the cusp of clinching its third MVC regular season championship as they start the weekend at 23-7 overall and 14-2 in the MVC and will be Friday’s opponent. The Bears need one more win to clinch. Junior Lily Johnson leads the league with 4.64 kills per set, over a full kill ahead of anyone else in the conference. Johnson also ranks second in the MVC in service aces.
Wichita State is one game out of first place in the MVC, standing at 13-3 in the league and 20-7 for the season. The Shockers need to win both weekend matches and have Missouri State lose both this weekend in order to win the conference regular season champions
SUPPORT A “HOME OWNED AND HOME GROWN” RESTAURANT-BAR ON WEST FRANKLIN STREET
In our 15 years in the publishing business we have never experienced such opened support for a project shown by average everyday citizens. Â What is so impressive about this movement is that the majority of these people could care less about the political happenings at the Civic Center.
Over the last several months members of the Zoning Appeals Board and successful Restaurant-Bar owner and developer Kerry Chesser have been discussing the merits of a new West Franklin street Restaurant-Bar. Today Mr. Chesser and the Board shall meet at 4:00 P M on the 3rd floor of the Civic Center to discuss his petition to develop a Restaurant-Bar on West Franklin street. Â At the last Zoning Appeals Board meeting the board was deadlocked with 3 for and 3 against vote. Â One board member was absent. Â We are expecting that all 7 board members will attend todays meeting.
Yesterday we posted on our site what we consider a simple “Readers Poll’ question concerning Mr. Chesser’s desire to open a Restaurant-Bar on West Franklin street.  Our ‘READERS POLL” questions was as follows: Do you feel that the Zoning Board of Appeals should approve the request to allow a new upscale Restaurant-Bar to be located on West Franklin street?  We are stunned by the number of votes this poll generated.  As of 2;00 A M the results were as follows: 1214 people voted on our ‘Readers Poll” question.  1137 people voted YES.  49 voted No and 28 said they had no idea.  This is by far the largest amount of votes every generated on any City County Observer “Readers Poll”.  It’s important to point out that this poll isn’t scientific but it should be considered trendy.
For many years all we heard from members of the Area Chamber of Commerce, elected , appointed City and County officials we need to have more “Home Owned and Home Grown” businesses in order that Evansville/Vanderburgh County can become an even more progressive community.  This is exactly what self made businessman Kerry Chesser is trying to do on West Franklin street.  This why we are surprise that all of sudden the Zoning Appeals Board is considering rejecting Mr. Chesser’s petition to establish an upscale Restaurant-Bar in the West Franklin Street area.
Today at 4:00 P M the Zoning Appeals Board shall meet and discuss the final fate of a much needed project for the West Franklin Street area. Â We urge you to attend this meeting and stand up and express your desire for the Zoning Appeals Board to approve a Restaurant-Bar located on West Franklin street owned and developed by businessman Kerry Chesser!
FOOTNOTE: Â Please take time and go to our “READERS POLL” and cast your vote on this issue.Â
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Evansville residents and Vectren customers gathered at the Four Freedoms Monument to urge the utility company to invest in clean energy.
Vectren is in the process of finalizing it’s 20 Year Energy Plan.
The Sierra Club presented a letter to the Vectren CEO.
In the letter, the group asks Vectren not invest $240 million into plants to keep them running, but instead retire them.
In a statement from Vectren, the Corporate Communications Director says the company has conducted a series of public meetings, and Vectren has modeled scenarios it will present at the final public meeting.
The final Vectren Public Stakeholder Meeting is November 29th at its headquarters.
After successful showings at the Great Lakes Valley Conference Championships and the NCAA II Midwest Region Championships, both University of Southern Indiana cross country programs turn their attention to the NCAA II Cross Country Championships in St. Leo, Florida. The Screaming Eagle men toe the line at 7:30 a.m. (CST) for a 10k race, while the women begin their 6k-race at 8:45 a.m. (CST).
USI in the Rankings
The USI women are ranked eighth in the U.S Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association poll as it enters the season’s final meet. The Eagles began the year ranked 10th, before working their way to their highest national ranking since 2008, reaching sixth on two separate occasions.
On the men’s side, USI started the year ranked eighth in the USTFCCCA preseason poll. After falling to 13th in the second rankings of the year, the Eagles have climbed to seventh, where they have remained in the post two editions of the USTFCCCA Top 25.
Regional Recap
Senior Jessica Reeves (Midland, Michigan) earned her first collegiate victory while earning Midwest Region Runner of the Year honors by taking the top spot at the NCAA II Midwest Regional Championships. In the process, Reeves broke the USI 6k record with her time of 20 minutes, 8.90 seconds. Just seven seconds behind her, junior Emily Roberts (Fredericktown, Ohio) also earned All-Region honors with a runner-up finish. Roberts owned the previous 6k school record which she set at the 2015 NCAA II National Championships.
Second-ranked Grand Valley State University was the top finishing team with 43 points, while seventh-ranked Cedarville University was next with 103. With 123 points, USI secured a third place finish, while 11th-ranked Northern Michigan University and 13th-ranked Hillsdale College round out the top-five teams advancing the National Championships.
Four USI Men’s Cross Country runners earned All-Region honors with top-25 finishes to help the Eagles to a second-place finish at the NCAA II Midwest Region Championships. Senior Chase Broughton (Marengo, Indiana) was the team’s top finisher in sixth, with fellow classmate Noah Lutz (Evansville, Indiana) also earning a top-10 finish. Junior Bastian Grau (Höchstadt, Germany) and sophomore Darin Lawrence (Indianapolis, Indiana) also earned All-Region honors with finishes of 23rd and 24th, respectively,
Third-ranked Grand Valley was the top finishing team with 45 points, while USI followed with 99. Also earning bids to the National Championships were 12th-ranked Saginaw Valley State University, 16th-ranked Hillsdale, and 20th-ranked Lewis University.
Postseason Success
Making their 12th appearance in the National Championships, and their second consecutive, the USI women look to add to their postseason success. This season, the Eagles brought the all-time totals to 79 All-Conference awards and 35 All-Region honors. Reeves and Roberts look to add to the 11 total cross country All-America awards the program has earned.
Earning their 12th-straight appearance in the National Championships, and 23rd overall, the USI men also look to add to their impressive post season award totals. This season, the Eagles brought their all-time All-GLVC and All-Region award totals to 135 and 63, each. In the last meet of the season, USI looks to add to their total of 26 all-time cross country All-America honors.
A look back at the 2015 National Championships
Roberts’ fifth-place finish overall propelled the women to a 10th-place finish as a team in last year’s event. The fifth-place finish was the highest for an Eagle runner since Mary Ballinger finished fifth in 2009.
Adams State University captured the team title with a score of 83 points, while Grand Valley (97 points) and Hillsdale College were second and third, respectively.
In 2015, the USI men earned a 10th-place finish in Joplin, Missouri, in a field of 32 teams. Johnnie Guy earned All-America honors, finishing in 23rd, while Lutz turned a top-50 performance, crossing the finish line in 45th.
Colorado Mines won the team title with 100 points, while Adams State and the University of Alaska-Anchorage were second and third, respectively. Shorter University’s Alfred Chelanga won the individual title with a time of 29:24.60.
A look at the 2016 National Championships
The field for both races will be compiled of 32 teams of seven runners, as well as 24 runners who advanced out of their regionals as an individual. Both races will take place on the Abbey Course in St. Leo, Florida.
New Poll: Indiana Voters Overwhelmingly Oppose Closing Schools Based on Standardized Testing
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana voters overwhelmingly oppose closing local schools based solely on the results of high-stakes, standardized test scores, according to a new statewide survey conducted by McLaughlin & Associates and released today by the Indiana Chapter of PublicSchoolOptions.org. Voters also view the state’s standardized test, I STEP, overwhelmingly unfavorably.
“Although Republicans and Democrats are often polarized on key issues, they overwhelmingly agree that public schools should not be closed based on standardized test scores alone,†said Stuart Polk, vice-president at McLaughlin & Associates. “Indiana voters are concerned about the quality of public education and improving schools, but the data shows Hoosiers believe closing public schools is not the solution.â€
According to an October 16-18, 2016 McLaughlin & Associates poll:
These results should help guide legislators and education officials as they consider drafting charter school reform legislation that could have a broad impact on the state’s public charter schools.
Many viewed last week’s election results, and the defeat of Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz, as a referendum to the increased emphasis on high-stakes, standardized testing in evaluating the state’s schools, teachers and students. These poll results confirm that sentiment.
STATEMENT FROM LETRISHA WEBER, INDIANAÂ PUBLICSCHOOLOPTIONS.ORGÂ CHAIR AND PARENT:Â
“Simply looking at high-stakes, standardized test scores to determine a school’s success isn’t reliable. We want successful and proactive schools for every Indiana child, but families and schools deserve a thoughtful, thorough approach to evaluating schools and individual students. We want policy makers and education leaders to look for better solutions that don’t lock students out of a school because of test scores. And we need schools that are evaluated on students’ progress, not a poorly acquired academic snapshot.â€
STATEMENT FROM TILLIE ELVRUM, PRESIDENT OFÂ PUBLICSCHOOLOPTIONS.ORG:Â
“As parents we know every child learns differently, even within the same family, and every class setting may not be right for every student. School accountability is very important, but it must be done in a way that focuses on individual students and less on school-wide average test scores. Further, we can’t punish students by closing schools based solely on high-stakes, standardized tests.â€
The Indiana Chapter of PublicSchoolOptions.org is an alliance of parents that supports and defends parents’ right to access the best education options for their children.
Click HERE to view the executive summary
Click HERE to view the survey deck
Poll Methodology:Â Â McLaughlin & Associates completed a statewide survey of 600 likely voters in Indiana. The survey was conducted October 16-18, 2016 and has a margin of error of +/ 4% at a 95% confidence level.Â
Japanese Automotive Parts Manufacturer Plans New Headquarters in Bloomington
Bloomington – Tsuchiya Group North America, a supplier of plastic molded components, printed/formed graphics and traded products for the automotive and transportation markets, announced plans today to expand its operations in Indiana, investing $9.2 million to construct a new headquarters and R&D center in downtown Bloomington.
“In Indiana, we are proud to be home to an international economy with nearly 800 foreign-based businesses like Tsuchiya Group operating in the Hoosier state,†said Governor Mike Pence. “As a state, we have worked hard to build a business climate that now ranks first in the Midwest and fifth in the nation by cutting costs, taxes and regulations. Tsuchiya Group’s decision to expand and grow here in Indiana signifies a confidence in our fiscally-predictable economic environment and, more importantly, in our hardworking Hoosier workforce.â€
Tsuchiya Group, which operates four TASUS Corporation manufacturing facilities, will build the new facility to serve as its first North America engineering and design center, supporting the company’s manufacturing operations across the U.S. and Canada. The new headquarters will allow the company to advance its products, develop new processes and enhance its services to customers, including leading manufacturers like Toyota Motor Corporation, Tesla Motors, Honda Motor Co. and Subaru of Indiana Automotive.
The company plans to break ground on the new facility in 2018 and begin relocating from its current facility at 1151 W. 2nd St. in 2019. As part of its growth, Tsuchiya Group plans to create up to 18 new jobs by 2020 at its Bloomington headquarters, which currently houses approximately 34 associates.
“Indiana is a state that has made economic development and creation of Hoosier jobs a priority,†said Melanie Walker Hart, chief executive officer of Tsuchiya Group North America. “For Tsuchiya Group and TASUS, this is an ideal location to open a manufacturing technical and design center. We are surrounded by the likes of Ivy Tech, the Hoosier Hills Career Center, Vincennes University and of course Indiana University. Since beginning operations in 1989 with nine employees, we have grown to nearly 600 in North America, with over 200 of those talented individuals coming from right here in south central Indiana. The city of Bloomington and Indiana University’s partnership in the development of the Trades District is an excellent example of how a city can grow its local economy through increased technical-based job opportunities.â€
Tsuchiya Group is the North American division of Japan-based Tsuchiya Co. Ltd. and employs nearly 600 associates, including more than 200 in Indiana. The company expects to begin hiring for engineering at all levels, including interns, as well as sales and executive positions in 2018.
“This is an exciting day for Bloomington. TASUS is a proven company with deep roots in this community,” said Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton. “We are deeply gratified that they have chosen to locate their North American design and development center and corporate headquarters in the Bloomington Trades District. This tech-savvy employer will, we hope, inspire additional investment in the area and bring the kind of vibrant energy and 21st century jobs we want to see there.”
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered TASUS Corporation up to $300,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $43,750 in training grants based on the company’s job creation plans. These incentives are performance-based, meaning until Hoosiers are hired, the company is not eligible to claim incentives. The city of Bloomington will offer additional incentives.
Tsuchiya Group is one of more than 260 Japanese business facilities that operate in Indiana today, supporting more than 53,000 Hoosier jobs. Among all U.S. states, Indiana has the largest amount of Japanese investment per capita and is the only state that is home to three Japanese automotive original equipment manufacturer companies.
Barnes & Thornburg Managing Partner Named To Presidential Inaugural CommitteeIL for www.theindianalawyer.com
An Indianapolis attorney with ties to Vice-President elect and Republican Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has been named to the committee for the 58th presidential inauguration.
Robert Grand, firm managing partner of Barnes & Thornburg LLP, was announced as one of 17 finance vice-chairs of the Presidential Inaugural Committee, which is responsible for the planning and coordination of all official events surrounding the Jan. 20, 2017, inauguration of Republican President-elect Donald Trump and Pence. Grand’s appointment to the committee was announced by the Trump-Pence team in a news release Tuesday.
At Barnes & Thornburg, Grand is a member of the government services and finance department and focuses his governmental regulations practice on representing public and private clients before state agencies. He has also represented clients before federal agencies and the United States Congress. Grand also serves on the executive committee of Mike Pence for Indiana, according to his firm bio.
As a finance vice-chair, Grand’s efforts will be focused on fundraising efforts in the Midwest for the inauguration. Prior to his appointment to the inaugural committee, Grand had worked with Pence as the national finance chairmen for his vice presidential campaign.
“I’m very honored,†Grand said of his most recent appointment. “It’s neat. It’s an impressive group.â€
The inaugural committee will be chaired by Thomas Barrack Jr., founder and executive chairman of Colony Capital, a New York Stock Exchange global investment firm. In addition to the 17 finance vice-chairs, two finance co-chairmen, Roy Bailey and Lew Eisenberg, will also lead the committee. The finance vice-chairs include former U.S. ambassadors Mel Sembler and Ron Weiser, Wynn Resorts CEO Steve Wynn and Gail Icahn, who is married to investor Carl Icahn.
Grand was managing partner of the Indianapolis office of Barnes & Thornburg until he succeeded longtime firm managing partner Alan Levin in 2014.
Federal Prosecutor Declines To Say Whether Attorney Under Investigation
IL for www.theindianalawyer.com
On the same day federal prosecutors reached a deferred prosecution agreement with Park Tudor School over its handling of an improper relationship between a coach and student, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Indianapolis declined to say whether the school’s outside counsel is under investigation.
Kyle Cox, former boys’ basketball coach, pleaded guilty to coercion and enticement in May and was sentenced to 14 years after sending sexually explicit messages and photos to the 15-year-old female student and trying to arrange for her to visit his home for sex.
In the deferred prosecution agreement, signed by U.S. Attorney Josh Minkler and Park Tudor board chairman Thomas Grein, authorities determined that Matthew Miller, the school’s head at the time, omitted key facts related to the sexually explicit communications between Cox and the girl and caused a materially false report on the relationship to be submitted to the Department of Child Services in December.
Miller committed suicide a few weeks after the report was made.
The criminal report against Cox said the Indianapolis school and school attorney, Ice Miller LLP partner Michael Blickman, impeded authorities after they launched their investigation of Cox’s relationship with the student in 2015.
In an interview with IBJ Tuesday, Minkler would not say whether Blickman was under investigation. But he said Miller and the outside counsel did not follow the law after the father of the girl on Dec. 14 showed them sexually explicit images contained on a laptop, then allowed them to keep it overnight to review the materials.
During that time, Blickman took the laptop to his law office and copied the materials onto a thumb drive. The laptop was returned to the father the next day.
“Clearly, when you take over possession of that, the only proper thing to do is turn that over to law enforcement,†Minkler said, noting that investigators ultimately had to get a search warrant to obtain the laptop.
“That is not the way it should happen,†Minkler said.
Blickman was not immediately available for comment Tuesday.
In its statement, Park Tudor said: “Park Tudor’s response, through the actions of Matthew Miller and the school’s then-legal counsel, was inappropriate and not what we expect from our school. Nor is it what we will tolerate going forward.â€
As part of the deferred prosecution agreement, which defers for two years the possibility of prosecution of the school for a misprision of a felony, the school retained retired 7th Circuit Court of Appeals Judge John Tinder to serve as an independent compliance monitor. The school has also trained staff in child-abuse prevention programs and revised policies and procedures.
