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Taking Care of Business Tuesdays
Women’s Tennis Completes Evansville Metro Collegiate Invitational Aces post solid results in home event
 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In a loaded field that featured six Division I and three Division II schools, the University of Evansville team posted a solid weekend of results at the Evansville Metro Collegiate Invitational.
“This was a fantastic tournament with a lot of very strong teams and players,†Purple Aces head coach Jayson Wiseman said. “We were competitive in every match this weekend and even our losses were very close, quality matches. This was great preparation for the MVC Individual Tournament coming up this weekend and hopefully we can build on this experience.â€
Highlighting the weekend was a singles championship at #2 singles for Diana Tkachenko. After opening with the win over Bellarmine’s Jennifer Skonieczny (6-1, 6-2), Tkachenko defeated UT Martin’s Asel Jumamukhambetova, 6-4, 6-0. In the finals, Tkachenko took down Adreanna Christopoulou of Western Kentucky, 6-4, 6-3.
In #4 singles, Andrea Pascual Larrinaga came home in third place. She opened up with the win over Ana Albertson of Austin Peay, 3-6, 7-5, 10-8. After falling to Jemima Potter (UTM), she faced Donna Haycock of North Alabama, taking the win, 7-5, 6-3.
Chieko Yamada played in the top flight and defeated Lindsay Whitehead of Belmont, 6-4, 6-1, to open up play. After falling to Sarah Candeloro of UT Martin, Yamada came in 4th place after dropping her match against WKU’s Elpide Malamou, 6-1, 6-1.
Doubles action saw Tkachenko and Nicoli Pereira earn a 7-6 (3) win over North Alabama in the opening round before falling to Belmont (7-5). In the third place match, Austin Peay defeated them by a 6-3 final. In the second flight, Theodora Soldatou teamed up with Yamada , falling to Belmont by a 6-2 final in the opening round. They defeated Austin Peay by a 6-2 final before falling to Western Kentucky in the consolation final.
Andjela Brguljan and Daria Pentsova played in #3 doubles and opened with a 7-5 victory over Austin Peay. The pair dropped a 7-5 decision to Western Kentucky before falling to UT Martin in the 3rd place match.
Beginning on Saturday, the Aces will be hosting the Missouri Valley Conference Individual Championships at Wesselman Park.
Governor Pence Commends 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools
Indianapolis – Governor Pence today commended the nine schools in Indiana that have received the 2016 National Blue Ribbon Schools designation from the United States Department of Education.
“Every day, Indiana teachers pour their hearts and time into educating the next generation of Hoosiers, and their efforts constitute one of the most important missions we undertake as a state,†said Governor Pence. “I applaud the educators, administrators, students, families and communities at every school in Indiana where great things are happening, and today I want to extend special congratulations to these nine schools that have earned the prestigious National Blue Ribbon designation. They should be proud of their excellent achievements.â€
The following schools in Indiana have achieved the National Blue Ribbon School status:
- Brown Elementary School in Brownsburg, IN
- Cathedral High School in Indianapolis, IN
- Geist Elementary School in Fishers, IN
- Lexington Elementary School in Lexington, IN
- Northpoint Elementary School in Granger, IN
- South Ripley Junior High School in Versailles, IN
- Union Elementary School in Zionsville, IN
- West Clay Elementary School in Carmel, IN
- Weston Elementary School in Greenfield, IN
According to the U.S. Department of Education, the National Blue Ribbon Schools program recognizes outstanding public and non-public schools and celebrates some of the most skilled and effective educators in the country. These nine Indiana schools will be among the 329 public and private schools that will be recognized at a ceremony in Washington D.C. in November. More information on the Blue Ribbon Schools program can be found here.
Adopt A Pet
 Buffy is a 1 ½-yr-old female brown & orange “torbie†(tabby + tortoiseshell.) She has beautiful markings. She’s a laid-back girl who gets along just fine with the other cats in the Cageless Cat Lounge. Take Buffy home spayed, microchipped, and vaccinated for only $30! Contact the Vanderburgh Humane Society at (812) 426-2563 or www.vhslifesaver.org for details!
California-Based Logistics Company Picks Indiana for New Distribution Center
Brownsburg – Avept, a distributor of powersports and automotive parts, announced plans today to locate its new distribution center here, creating up to 118 new jobs by 2019.
“As the Crossroads of America, Indiana is the perfect base for delivering products to customers across the country,†said Governor Mike Pence. “From our central location to our world-class airports, interstates, railroads and waterways, Indiana is a state that works for logistics. As a company with bold job creation plans, Avept will be right at home in the business-friendly Hoosier state, where companies have now added more than 158,000 new jobs since 2013.â€
The El Dorado Hills, California-based company will invest $6.32 million to purchase, renovate and equip a 100,000-square-foot facility at 1210 E. Northfield Drive in Brownsburg. As its second distribution center and first facility outside California, Avept’s Indiana operations will allow the company to deliver products to its clients three-to-four days faster than it can solely from its California facility. In addition to distribution, the Indiana facility will also house sales, customer service and product development operations. Equipment installation is currently underway at the facility, with plans to launch operations this fall.
Avept, which currently employs 40 associates at its headquarters and distribution facility in California, is currently hiring for warehouse management and customer service positions. Interested applicants may apply by sending a resume to jobs@avept.com.
“Indiana is a state that is business friendly and Brownsburg and surrounding areas offer our employees a great quality of life,†said Nathan Klejwa, president of Avept. “As the Crossroads of America, Indiana’s central geography will lower our delivery costs and get products into customers’ hands in half the time.â€
Founded in 2005, Avept works with small service and repair shops to supply them with parts for all-terrain vehicles, motorcycles, cars and trucks. Last year the company shipped more than half a million parts across the nation, which is a 40 percent increase from 2014. Through a highly-automated system, the company will initially distribute more than 10,000 different automotive, powersports and motorcycle components from its Indiana facility to customers throughout the Midwest. With a planned ramp-up in operations, the company has a goal to distribute 100,000 different components from its Indiana facility within the next two years.
The Indiana Economic Development Corporation offered Avept Inc. up to $595,000 in conditional tax credits and up to $55,000 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 town of Brownsburg approved additional incentives at the request of the Hendricks County Economic Development Partnership.
“The town of Brownsburg is excited to welcome Avept Inc. into our community,†said Ashley Bacsu, president of the Brownsburg Town Council. “The product they sell and distribute fits perfectly with the business network that has been established in Brownsburg. Avept’s name and reputation puts them in the same category as many of the strong organizations that call Brownsburg home, and we’re proud to continue strengthening that reputation for us and for the Avept organization.”
Avept is the fifth company this year to announce that it has selected Hendricks County for its growing operations. Earlier this month, national retailer Kohl’s made news that it had begun renovations on a 937,000-square-foot distribution center in Plainfield, with plans to create 300 new full-time jobs. The state’s logistics industry has earned an A grade from Conexus Indiana and Ball State University’s Center for Business and Economic Research for the past five years.
Vanderburgh County Democratic Party Calendar of Events 10/3/2016
| Wednesday, October 5th | Candidate Forum | 5:30 PM – 8:30 PM | Courier & Press Candidate Forum
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| Saturday, October 8th | Canvassing | 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM | Gregg for Governor Day of ActionÂ
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| Tuesday, October 11th | Candidate Debate | 6:00 PM – 7:00 PM | Courier & Press Debate: State Representative District 77
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| Tuesday, October 11th | Candidate Forum | 7:00 PM | Midtown Neighborhood Association Candidate Forum
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| Wednesday, October 12th | Candidate Forum | 9:15 AM – 10:30 AM | Shepard Leadership and Law Academy Candidate Forum
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| Wednesday, October 12th | Fundraiser | 5:30 PM – 7:00 PM | Stephen Melcher for County Commissioner FundraiserÂ
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| Wednesday, October 12th | Fundraiser | TBD | John Gregg for Governor FundraiserÂ
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| Wednesday, October 19th | Candidate Debate | 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM | Courier & Press County Commissioner Debates
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| Wednesday, October 19th | Debate Watch Party | 8:00 PM – 9:30 PM | Tri-State for Hillary Clinton Debate Watch Party
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| Thursday, October 20th | Candidate Forum | 6:30 PM | Tri-State Alliance Candidate ForumÂ
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| Tuesday, October 25th |
Candidate Forum | 6:30 PM | POMA Candidate ForumÂ
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| Wednesday, October 26th |
Meeting | 6:00 PM | Vanderburgh County Democrat Club Meeting
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| Thursday, October 27th | Candidate Forum | 7:00 PM – 9:00 PM | Evansville Pan-Hellenic Political Forum
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| Wednesday, November 30th |
Meeting | 6:00 PM | Vanderburgh County Democrat Club Meeting
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Eagles look to build on latest win as they “Dig for the Cureâ€
University of Southern Indiana Volleyball continues its six-match homestand with four matches in an eight-day span, including three Great Lakes Valley Conference East Division bouts.
USI hosts Bellarmine University Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Physical Activities Center before hosting the University of Wisconsin-Parkside in its “Dig for the Cure†match Friday at 7 p.m. The Screaming Eagles finish the week by hosting No. 14 Lewis University Saturday at 3 p.m.; then host Kentucky State University in a non-conference match October 11 at 6 p.m. to finish their homestand.
The Eagles (7-8, 2-4 GLVC), who are coming off a three-set win over the University of Illinois Springfield, will wear their pink uniforms in their “Dig for the Cure†match Friday night.
Live stats and GLVC Sports Network coverage for all four matches can be found at GoUSIEagles.com.
USI Volleyball Notes (10/3/16)
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Dig for the Cure. The Eagles will wear their pink uniforms when they host UW-Parkside Friday night in an effort to raise breast cancer awareness. Fans are encouraged to join USI by wearing pink.
Farrell continues to ascend USI record books. Junior libero Shannon Farrell (Munster, Indiana) continues her climb in the Eagles’ record book as she moved past Erica Oberbroeckling and Leanne Gross for ninth all-time with 1,077 career digs. She needs just six more digs to move past Janae Curnutt for eighth place on USI’s all-time list.
Zwissler shows versatility. Senior middle hitter Amy Zwissler (Bloomington, Indiana) continues to show her versatility. A year after filling in for the Eagles as an outside hitter, Zwissler has found herself in the same situation as she played as an outside hitter in USI’s matches versus McKendree University and the University of Illinois Springfield. She had 17 kills and a .333 attacking percentage in USI’s three-set win over Illinois Springfield.
Zwissler moves up block charts. Zwissler continues to climb in USI’s all-time block lists. She currently ranks eighth all-time at USI with 239 block assists and is just two blocks shy of seventh place on USI’s all-time total blocks list (since 2000).
Last week. After dropping their fourth straight match in a four-set loss to McKendree, the Eagles bounced back with a three-set win over Illinois Springfield Saturday at the PAC. Zwissler led the Eagles, offensively, with 3.86 kills per set, while sophomore setter Erika Peoples (Bloomington, Illinois) averaged 10.14 kills and 3.71 digs per set. Farrell averaged 5.57 digs per set to lead the Eagles’ back row.
Coleman gets her start. After redshirting a year ago, freshman middle hitter Elexis Coleman (Joliet, Illinois) saw the first action of her collegiate career this past weekend when she got the start versus McKendree and Illinois Springfield. She had three blocks in the loss to McKendree before racking up eight kills in the win over Illinois Springfield.
Statistical leaders. Freshman outside hitter Mikaila Humphrey (Floyd Knobs, Indiana) leads USI with 2.78 kills per set, while Peoples and Farrell lead the Eagles with 9.60 assists and 5.30 digs per frame, respectively. Junior middle hitter Te’Ayla Whitfield (Fort Wayne, Indiana) is averaging a team-high 0.93 blocks per set, while Farrell is averaging a team-high 0.30 aces per stanza.
In the GLVC. At 2-4 in league play, USI is currently sitting in a tie for fifth in the GLVC East Division, but is just a game out of fourth and two back of third place.
Individually, Farrell ranks third in the GLVC with 5.30 digs per set, while Peoples and senior setter Quin Shoultz (Columbus, Indiana) are fifth and eighth, respectively, with 9.60 and 8.11 assists per game. Whitfield rounds out the Eagles’ GLVC statistical representatives as she ranks 10th with 0.93 blocks per set.
Scouting the opposition.
Bellarmine begins the week with an 11-4 overall record and a 2-4 mark in GLVC play after going 1-1 in league play last week. The Knights defeated Illinois Springfield in five sets Friday night before dropping a four-set affair to McKendree the following day.
USI and Bellarmine split the season-series a year ago, with each team posting four-set wins on their home court in 2015.
UW-Parkside is 6-10 overall and 4-2 in the GLVC as it begins the week by visiting Lewis Tuesday. The Rangers went 2-1 last week, including 1-1 in GLVC play. They lost at the University of Indianapolis in five sets Friday night before earning a four-set win at Saint Joseph’s College and a three-set win over Kentucky State the following day.
The Eagles are trying to stop a two-match losing streak to UW-Parkside after falling to the Rangers in five sets in each of the last two seasons.
Lewis takes a 12-3 overall record, a 6-0 mark in league play and a seven-match winning streak into its bout versus UW-Parkside Tuesday. The Flyers, who visit Bellarmine Friday night, lead the GLVC East Division after posting three-set wins over Saint Joseph’s, Kentucky State, and Indianapolis last week.
USI is trying to snap a two-match losing streak to the Flyers after losing in four sets a year ago and three sets two years ago.
Kentucky State begins a busy week with a 12-10 overall record and an 8-1 mark in Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play. The Thorobreds play matches Monday and Wednesday before a five-match weekend at the SIAC West Cluster in Tuskegee, Alabama.
The Eagles last played Kentucky State in 2014, when they posted a four-set win over the Thorobreds. USI is 10-0 since 1990 against Kentucky State.
UE Annual Linguapalooza Planned for October 4
The twelfth annual Linguapalooza at the University of Evansville is planned for Tuesday, October 4. The event, which is hosted by UE’s Department of Foreign Languages and Cultures, is an opportunity for area high school students to hone their foreign language skills through interactive cultural and conversational sessions.
The day will begin with breakfast and a campus tour in French, German, and Spanish. Planned activities include mini-lessons in many languages, including Arabic, German, French, Gaelic, Portuguese, Russian, Hausa, and West African Creole.
Students will also participate in a Quiz Bowl in German and a game of Jeopardy in Spanish, and learn about reggaeton, a genre of music that originated in Puerto Rico. They will explore several cultures, including that of Argentina, El Salvador, Germany, and France.
For more information on the event, contact UE’s Department of Foreign Languages at 812-488-2165.
Rebuilding Indiana: One Home And One Neighborhood At A Time
 Yesterday I outlined a proposal to get more property owners actively involved in rebuilding our neighborhoods, many of which have been left with large numbers of vacant and abandoned homes or properties where homes have been torn down.
The goal is to improve the stability of our neighborhoods. If we can incentivize people of all income levels and demographics to rehab abandoned and vacant houses or build new on properties where homes have been demolished, we will build a base for generating businesses to provide the goods and services residents need.
Using either credits against local option income taxes and/or state income taxes as incentives is the intent. Individuals could be the major benefactor.
Possible avenues for funding this effort could include local income taxes, local grant programs, or income tax credits similar to tax abatement in an economic revitalization zone.