|  Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today announced that the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) is making investments to improve water and waste infrastructure for 168 small towns across the country, including the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. The investment, totaling $283 million, is made through USDA Rural Development’s Water and Waste Disposal Loan and Grant Program, which provides assistance and financing to develop drinking water and waste disposal systems for communities with 10,000 or fewer residents.
“Strong infrastructure is critical to keeping America’s communities of all sizes thriving, and USDA is proud to partner with the National Rural Water Association to help improve the livelihood of our smallest towns by providing access to reliable water and wastewater systems,” said Vilsack. “Projects like these are critical to the economy, health and future of rural America, and today 19 million residents now have improved water and wastewater services in their communities thanks to investments USDA has made since 2009.” USDA Rural Utilities Service Administrator Brandon McBride made the announcement on Vilsack’s behalf here at the National Rural Water Association’s WaterPro conference. The city of Monticello, Ill., for example, is receiving a $14.3 million USDA loan to construct a wastewater treatment plant to benefit the city’s 5,500 residents. The funding will help the city expand its sewage capacity and comply with environmental regulations. In Mississippi, the Mt. Olive Water Association, a non-profit organization serving approximately 368 customers, is receiving a $297,000 loan and a $238,000 grant for a water systems improvement project. The funding will provide a water storage tank, fire hydrants and a generator for this small system. Mt. Olive is one of the first applicants to use Rural Development’s new online application system, RD Apply. In this new process, applications can be submitted by anyone, anywhere in the country, any time of day. That means even the most remote rural communities can submit an application as long as they have access to the internet. USDA’s Water and Environmental Programsdivision launched RD Apply at the National Rural Water Association’s WaterPro conference in Oklahoma City on Sept. 28, 2015. Funding for each project announced today is contingent upon the recipient meeting the terms of the loan, grant or loan/grant agreement. In 2015, the Ozark Mountain Regional Public Water Authority completed a water treatment plant to bring safe and plentiful water to Boone, Newton and Searcy counties in northwest Arkansas. USDA provided $62 million in loans and grants. The rural water systems in these counties were plagued by excessive amounts of naturally occurring radon, radium and fluoride in their groundwater supplies, causing them to be under administrative orders from the state health department. Approximately 20,000 rural Arkansas residents now have a safe, dependable supply of water as a result of USDA’s investment. Newton and Searcy counties are persistent poverty counties and are within USDA’s StrikeForce for Rural Growth and Opportunityinitiative. Launched in 2010, StrikeForce is part of the Obama Administration’s commitment to address persistent poverty across America. Today’s funding builds on USDA’s historic investments in rural America over the past seven years. Since 2009, USDA has worked to strengthen and support rural communities and American agriculture, an industry that supports one in 11 American jobs, provides American consumers with more than 80 percent of the food we consume, ensures that Americans spend less of their paychecks at the grocery store than most people in other countries, and supports markets for homegrown renewable energy and materials. Since 2009, USDA Rural Development (@USDARD) has invested $13.5 billion for 5,739 water and waste infrastructure projects, benefiting 19.1 million rural residents; invested nearly $13 billion to start or expand nearly 112,000 rural businesses; helped 1.1 million rural residents buy homes; funded nearly 9,200 community facilities such as schools, public safety and health care facilities; and helped bring high-speed Internet access to nearly 6 million rural residents and businesses. USDA also has invested $31.3 billion in 963 electric projects that have financed more than 185,000 miles of transmission and distribution lines serving 4.6 million rural residents. For more information, visit www.usda.gov/results. # |
USDA Announces Rural Water and Waste Infrastructure Investments
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Board of Park Meeting Agenda
BOARD OF PARK COMMISSIONERS
REGULAR MEETING
KEVIN WINTERNHEIMER CHAMBERS
ROOM 301, CIVIC CENTER COMPLEX
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2016
12:00 NOON
REVISED AGENDA
1. CALL TO ORDER
2. MINUTESSeptember 7, 2016
3. CONSENT AGENDA
       a.  Request Re: Approve and Execute Park Use Permit with the Mayor’s Office for Lilly
          King Celebration at Garvin Park September 24, 2016. – Hayes
       b.  Request Re: Approve and Execute Park Use Permit with the Easter Seals Rehabilitation
          Center for Fantasy of Lights at Garvin Park November 3 – January 7, 2017. – Hayes
       c.  Request Re: Declare TMC TRUE Double Solid Door Reach In Freezer Surplus at
          Swonder Ice Arena. – Crook
       d.  Request Re: Declare Toro Z 222 Riding Zero Turn Lawn Mower Surplus at Swonder
          Ice Arena. – Crook
       e.  Request Re: Declare Two NHL Regulation Size Hockey Goals Surplus at Swonder Ice
          Arena. – Crook
4. Â Â Â Â OLD BUSINESS N/A
5. Â Â Â Â NEW BUSINESS
      a.  Request Re: Approve Fall Festival Parking Fees. – Hayes
      b.  Request Re: Any Other Business the Board Wishes to Consider and Public Comments.
6.    REPORTS
      a.  Brian Holtz, Executive Director
7.    ACCEPTANCE OF PAYROLL AND VENDOR CLAIMS
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8.    ADJOURN
Sybil Spreads Her Wings
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USI shutout by Quincy, 2-0
The University of Southern Indiana women’s soccer team opened its road swing by being shut out by Quincy University, 2-0, Saturday evening in Quincy, Illinois. USI falls to 4-2-0, 1-2-0 Great Lakes Valley Conference, while Quincy goes to 1-3-1, 1-2-0 GLVC.
The Screaming Eagles fell behind in the first half at 15:12 when the Hawks found the back of the USI goal after a one hour lightning delay. Quincy would hold onto the 1-0 lead through the halftime.
In the second half, the Hawks increased their lead to 2-0 with a tally at 61:56. The Eagles would try to rally, recording four shots and one corner in the final 28 minutes, but was unable to find the back to the Hawks’ goal.
USI outshot Quincy for the match, 12-11, and in the second half, 9-5, but the Hawks held the advantage in corners, 7-4.
The Eagles concludes the road swing at Truman State University in Kirksville, Missouri, Sunday at noon. Truman saw it record go to 5-0-1 overall and 4-0-0, in the GLVC with a 1-0 overtime victory over Bellarmine University tonight in Kirksville.
USI returns to the friendly surroundings of Strassweg Field September 23 when it host the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. The short two-match home weekend concludes September 25 when the Eagles host Lewis University.
Eagles rally falls short in 5-set thriller
A pair of five-point stretches in the deciding frame of a five-set thriller proved to be the difference between a win and a loss Saturday afternoon as University of Southern Indiana Volleyball suffered a 20-25, 26-24, 25-21, 23-25, 15-10 Great Lakes Valley Conference setback to visiting Rockhurst University at the Physical Activities Center.
After rallying from a one-set deficit to force a deciding fifth frame, the Screaming Eagles jumped out to a 7-4 lead in the final stanza. Rockhurst, however, scored five straight points to steal USI’s momentum and, more importantly, build a 9-7 advantage in the push to 15.
USI (6-5, 1-1 GLVC) got back-to-back kills to tie the frame at 9-9; then tied it at 10-10 following a Rockhurst ball-handling error. The Hawks, though, responded with another 5-0 run that included back-to-back aces to clinch the victory.
Earlier in the contest, USI used a 7-1 run to open the first set and another 7-1 surge to close the frame as it earned the five-point win and 1-0 lead in the match.
The second set, which featured four lead changes and 15 ties, saw the Eagles fight off set-point to tie the frame at 24-24. Rockhurst, however, got back-to-back kills to earn the two-point win and tie the match at a set apiece.
Rockhurst (8-3, 2-0 GLVC), the defending NCAA II Midwest Region champions, used runs of 6-2 and 5-0 to earn a four-point win in the third set. The Eagles used a 4-0 run and a 3-0 run to build a 22-18 lead late in the fourth set; then held off a late Rockhurst surge to earn the two-point win and even the match at 2-2.
Senior middle hitter Amy Zwissler (Bloomington, Indiana) had 18 kills, a .444 attacking percentage, and four blocks to lead the Eagles, while junior middle hitter Te’Ayla Whitfield (Fort Wayne, Indiana) added 13 kills and five blocks. Freshman right side hitter Amanda Jung (Belleville, Illinois) chipped in 12 kills and five blocks, while freshman outside hitter Mikaila Humphrey (Floyd Knobs, Indiana) contributed 13 kills.
Sophomore setter Erika Peoples (Bloomington, Illinois), once again, did a solid job of distributing the ball as she finished with 54 assists, five blocks and 11 digs. Junior libero Shannon Farrell (Munster, Indiana) and junior outside hitter Shelbi Morris (Brazil, Indiana) had 29 and 24 digs, respectively, while junior defensive specialist Jessica Lee (Mackinaw, Illinois) finished with 13 digs and a pair of aces.
As a team, USI hit .240 for the match, including .385 in the opening set. Five different players had at least 33 attack attempts for the Eagles, with Humphrey topping out at 45.
USI returns to action Friday at 7 p.m. when it travels to Kirksville, Missouri, to take on Truman State University. The Eagles also visit Quincy University next Saturday at 3 p.m.
Note: Farrell continues to inch closer to career-dig No. 1,000. She needs just six more to become the 11th player in program history to reach the milestone.
Short Box Score (Match)
Univ. of Southern Indiana Volleyball
Rockhurst vs Southern Indiana (Sep 17, 2016 at Evansville, IN)
Rockhurst def. Southern Indiana 20-25,26-24,25-21,23-25,15-1
Rockhurst (8-3, 2-0 GLVC)
(Kills-aces-blocks) – Rietzke, Morgan 20-0-1; Gray, Mattie 18-0-1; Reichert, Karli 14-1-2; Hogge, Holli 11-0-5; Rolf, Mary 10-0-4; Thornburg, Lily 2-3-4; Arnold, Kalie 0-1-0; Carter, Grace 0-0-2; Totals 75-5-10.0. (Assists) – Thornburg, Lily 49; Carter, Grace 11. (Dig leaders) – Hellwege, Anne 33; Rietzke, Morgan 20; Reichert, Karli 14; Arnold, Kalie 10; Thornburg, Lily 9
Southern Indiana (6-5, 1-1 GLVC)
(Kills-aces-blocks) – Zwissler, Amy 18-1-4; Whitfield, Te’Ayla 13-0-5; Humphrey, Mikaila 13-0-0; Jung, Amanda 12-0-5; Morris, Shelbi 8-0-0; Peoples, Erika 2-1-5; Limper, Haley 0-1-0; Lee, Jessica 0-2-0; Farrell, Shannon 0-2-0; Totals 66-7-11.0. (Assists) – Peoples, Erika 54. (Dig leaders) – Farrell, Shannon 29; Morris, Shelbi 24; Lee, Jessica 13; Peoples, Erika 1
Site: Evansville, IN (PAC)
Date: Sep 17, 2016Â Â Attend: 195Â Â Time: 2:28
Referees: Josh Bagley, John Hunley
The Art of Autism
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Residents of contaminated Indiana complex sue city officials
il for www.theindianalawyer.com
Residents forced to move out of a northwest Indiana public housing complex because of high levels of lead in the soil are suing city officials and the companies they say are responsible.
The federal lawsuit was filed Thursday on behalf of three families living in the West Calumet Housing Complex in East Chicago.
Mayor Anthony Copeland ordered about 1,100 residents relocated this summer, saying new test results received from the Environmental Protection Agency showed alarmingly high levels of lead. Most of the contamination is from a smelter that closed in 1985.
The lawsuit says Copeland and other officials knew or should have known about the contamination sooner, and that residents are having trouble finding new housing.
City Attorney Carla Morgan said she couldn’t comment on pending litigation but “the city wasn’t keeping secrets.”