FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
EVSC Early College Event at Ivy Tech Today
What: EVSC Early College Senior Celebration and Alumni Reception
When: May 16, 2024
- Noon-1 p.m.: Senior Celebration
- 1-2 p.m.: Alumni Reception
Where:
Senior Celebration, Room 147, Vectren Auditorium, Ivy Tech Main Campus
Alumni Reception, Room 152, Koch Student Center (Commons), Ivy Tech Main Campus
Otters drop home opening doubleheader
EVANSVILLE, IN – The Evansville Otters dropped a twin bill to the Gateway Grizzlies during their 2024 home opener at historic Bosse Field. The final scores included a 5-3 finish in the opener and a 3-1 score in the nightcap.
Errors in the field proved costly for the Otters (1-5) tonight. Three mistakes in the field led to six unearned runs for the Grizzlies (3-3) en route to dropping both games.
Game 1 – Gateway 5, Evansville 3
After a one-out error in the top of the second inning, the Grizzlies jumped on the board first putting together two runs to take an early advantage. They added another on a pair of hits in the third to make it 3-0.
The Otters offense strung together a two-out rally in the bottom of the frame. After a walk from David Mendham, Jomar Reyes and newly acquired Randy Bednar went back-to-back for a pair of home runs to center and left field respectively. With the homers, the score was tied at three.
Gateway spoiled the fun in the fifth inning with another pair of unearned runs coming into score.
The offense could not muster any more runs together, and the score was finalized. Zach Smith took the loss, surrendering five runs, but just one earned.
Mendham and Reyes had multi-hit games. In his Otters debut, Bednar reached three times with a pair of walks.
Game 2 – Gateway 3, Evansville 1
In the final game, scoring came few and far between in the pitchers duel. In the third inning, Gateway punched first with a two-out, two-run home run. Both runs were unearned after an error earlier in the frame.
They added in the fifth with their second home run of the game. This time, a solo shot.
The Otters only run came in the bottom of the fifth inning. With runners on second and third, Mendham grounded into a fielder’s choice RBI to bring home Bryan Rosario.
Taking the hard-luck loss was the starter Braden Scott. Despite his dominant display on the mound while going the distance, he allowed three runs (one earned). He did not allow a walk and struck out six.
Riley Delgado had a two-hit performance to lead the way in the nightcap.
Evansville looks to avoid the sweep and regain momentum in their six-game home stand tomorrow as they finalize the three-game set with the Grizzlies at 6:35 PM CT.
BASEBALL ACES HOST UIC IN CRUCIAL MVC SERIES BEGINNING THURSDAY
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Second place in the Missouri Valley Conference will be up for grabs this weekend, with one of the main deciding series for seeding taking place at the University of Evansville’s German American Bank Field at Charles H. Braun Stadium, as Evansville and UIC will square off in a key three-game series. The series will begin on Thursday night at 6 p.m. with all three games of the series being available in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS and on-line on ESPN+.
Evansville (29-22 overall) and UIC (32-16 overall) will bring identical 15-9 Missouri Valley Conference records into Thursday’s series opener. The Purple Aces and Flames currently are tied for second place in the Valley standings, with both Murray State and Illinois State just a game back in the league standings. If either UE or UIC sweeps this weekend’s series, they will automatically earn the Valley’s No. 2 seed in the upcoming MVC Tournament which will be hosted at Braun Stadium May 21-25. If UE wins the series and Murray State loses one game at Bradley, then UE would finish second. If UIC wins the series, it will finish second, as long as Illinois State loses a game to Belmont.
It marks the second-straight year in which UE and UIC meet with conference tournament seedings on the line. Last year, Evansville won two out of three games against UIC in Chicago, thanks to a dramatic two-run home run in the top of the ninth inning from current senior Kip Fougerousse in a 2-1 series-clinching victory in the regular-season finale. Fougerousse has been on absolute fire at the plate over the last six games, hitting .583 with four home runs and five multi-hit games over the last six contests.
Overall, graduate outfielder Mark Shallenberger continues to lead the UE offense, as he will bring a .396 batting average into this weekend’s series. This weekend’s series could determine the winner of the MVC’s Player of the Year award, as Shallenberger and UIC’s Kendal Ewell are two of the top candidates this year. Ewell currently is one point higher than Shallenberger in the league’s batting title race, as he will bring a .397 average into the weekend set. Ewell, a transfer from Kentucky, has launched 19 home runs this year, while driving in 63 RBI for the Flames.
Freshman LHP Kenton Deverman (7-1, 3.61 ERA) will get the start for UE in the series opener on Thursday. UIC has yet to officially announce a starting pitcher for Thursday’s contest. Right-hander Dillon Schueler (5-2, 6.03 ERA) has been UIC’s traditional opening-game starter this year.
THE OWNER OF THE FORMER PEARL CLEANERS SITE IDENTIFIED
THE OWNER OF THE FORMER PEARL CLEANERS SITE IDENTIFIED
BY JAY YOUNG
Staff Writer
MAY 16, 2004
The mountain of bricks, weeds, and trash covering a block of Downtown Evansville is symbolic of a complicated situation that keeps the property in disarray.
“It affects my property value for that pile of garbage to be over there on the corner,” said Tresa Miller, who owns Grateful Thread Fabric & Furnishings across the street from the former Pearl Cleaners site. “That’s a front door into Downtown. You come off the Lloyd Expressway off of First Avenue and there you have it – a giant pile of rubble.”
The Building Commission recently cited the property owner and will start a process on May 23 to hire a contractor for a massive cleanup if the owner doesn’t respond. That contract will likely exceed the commission’s annual $200,000 budget for all cleanups.
“We have to put it out for bid and see how much it will cost and then bring that before the mayor to see if there’s any way we can find funds to do it,” said Building Commissioner Johnny McAlister.
The only thing certain about this property is that it no longer is connected to the cleaning business that Amy Michel treasures as a childhood memory. Her family owned and operated Pearl Cleaners until it and the property were sold separately.
Michel said she couldn’t bring herself to visit the site.
“It just makes me sad,” Michel said. “It could have been celebrated better having been in our community for more than 100 years.”
Under new ownership, the laundry company left the site in 2017 and the structure stood vacant until a fire destroyed the building in May 2023. The shell of a structure seemed forgotten until January when someone became trapped in the debris. City officials say it halted its emergency demolition process when the owner’s attorney reached out.
“I got a call from Ryan Schulz, the registered agent for the property,” McAlister said. “He said he was working with a client to get this resolved and then I got a call from Klenck saying they had entered into a contract with this guy.”
Tim Klenck Demolition of Evansville knocked down the walls and then their work stopped. The equipment disappeared and nearly the entire building remains in a pile. In April, Klenck Demolition filed notice that it intends to file a $103,000 lien on the property. Company President Tim Klenck declined to discuss the situation.
The Vanderburgh County Recorder’s Office mailed Klenck’s notice to the address the company provided the Indiana Department of State and the Treasurer’s office. It’s the same West Buena Vista Road address where the building commissioner sent the most recent citation.
This is where the search for the responsible party ends for local government and the situation resembles a collapsed chimney covering piles of brick.
A review of activity surrounding the Downtown property shows local government agencies spent years working in different directions. The City cited the property for code violations. The owner rejected the county’s attempt to purchase the site. The privately operated Evansville Regional Economic Development Corporation is watching closely for possible redevelopment opportunities at the site. E-REP partners closely with the Evansville Improvement District, which includes the blighted site.
“With that particular site we need a cooperative property owner to assist with getting these projects completed,” said E-REP’s Josh Armstrong.
So who is this owner? County records list the owner as The Pearl Development LLC. The West Buena Vista Road address that Pearl Development provided to the Indiana Department of State and local governments isn’t associated with the company, said the owner of the home who answered the door in January.
The attorney for the company on file with the state is Ryan Schulz of Evansville. Schulz didn’t respond to emails sent in January and March or a phone message left in May. His firm, Kahn, Dees, Donovan & Kahn, also provides representation to the Downtown Improvement District.
The Evansville man who answered the door at the house claimed by The Pearl Development bought the house in 2023, more than a year after The Pearl Development LLC was created. He said he doesn’t know anything about the company, and records support him.
There is a name once associated with the West Buena Vista Road home that connects with the Pearl Cleaners site. Eric Morgan was evicted from the property In April 2023. Morgan’s name appears on a document filed in January with the Indiana Department of Environment Management concerning environmental cleanup at the site. The document identifies the owner as: The Pearl Development, LLC c/o Mr. Eric Morgan. Former Pearl Cleaners CEO Bernie Michel said he remembers talking to an “Eric” after the fire. During that interview with the City-County Observer, he called the number where he contacted Morgan after the fire to request bricks from the site. He left a message that Morgan never returned. Phone and email messages left by the City-County Observer also weren’t returned.
That phone number is connected to another corporation linked to Morgan, Rugged Construction LLC, according to Better Business Bureau records. That company also appears on the IDEM reports for the former Pearl Cleaners site. Morgan used the West Buena Vista address for Rugged Cleaners months after his eviction, according to the Indiana Department of State and court records.
A search of state records shows another company connected to Morgan is Liquid Ninja Energy LLC. While the company told the state it occupies a building on Wedeking Avenue, the address it provided is home to an unrelated company. Morgan was CEO of the company when police say he took about $600,000 from investors without telling them he was not registered to sell securities. He was convicted following a plea bargain and ordered in 2017 to serve five years, one in jail and four years of work release.
Shortly after he served that time, Pearl Development paid $75,000 for the Downtown property. There is no evidence of a loan for the purchase, which is usually filed with the county.
City and County officials said they were unaware of Morgan’s connection to the company that controls the blighted property.
Does anyone at E-REP know?
“I do,” Armstrong said when asked if he knows who is behind the single-member LLC.
Would Armstrong confirm the name of the owner if it was provided?
“I don’t know about that, but tell me,” he replied.
The paper trail leads to Eric N. Morgan.
“It is Eric Morgan,” Armstrong said. “So that’s easy enough to find out through the LLC filing.”
FOOTNOTE: The City-County Observer posted this article without bias.
“The City-County Observer does not promote or condone discrimination of any kind including preference based on race, gender, identity, or political preference.
Rokita warns college officials: Hateful antisemitic acts against Jewish students will not be tolerated on campus
Following months of campus protests sometimes featuring troubling anti-Jewish propaganda, Attorney General Todd Rokita warned college officials they are duty-bound to enforce Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 by combating all forms of antisemitism on their campuses — or risk losing their federal funding.
“My team and I are deeply committed to ending antisemitism in all forms,” Attorney General Rokita wrote in a letter to college officials. “Some Indiana colleges and universities boast large populations of Jewish students. If these students face antisemitism on campus without corrective measures, they may bring an action under Title VI against your university by alleging a hostile environment or retaliation.”
Violent and disruptive protests have rocked campuses coast to coast following last year’s deadly attack on Israel by the terrorist group Hamas. Although the 2023-24 academic year is wrapping up, the potential persists for continued campus protests — and continued antisemitic agitation.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on “race, color, and national origin” in programs and activities that receive federal financial assistance. Indiana state-run higher educational institutions receive federal funding and are therefore subject to Title VI.
Attorney General Rokita also reminded college officials they must ensure that student groups do not materially support foreign terrorist organizations. House Enrolled Act 1179, which takes effect July 1, 2024, requires state educational institutions to adopt policies to prohibit providing funds or other resources to foreign terrorist organizations or state sponsors of terror.
Those who would incite violence or commit criminal acts may not hide behind the First Amendment to avoid culpability, Attorney General Rokita added.
“Protecting our Jewish students requires accountability on the university’s part. I strongly encourage them to enforce university codes of conduct and the law when necessary to put an end to antisemitism and the promotion of terrorism on your campuses,” Attorney General Rokita said. “That way we can ensure that all students, including our Jewish brothers and sisters, are safe and have an equal access to education.”
Attached is the letter sent to Indiana’s public higher educational institutions.
A headshot of Attorney General Rokita is available online.
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Indiana Housing & Community Development Celebrating 60 Years of Community Action
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Indiana State Police Seeks Police Officers for the Capitol Police Section
The Indiana State Police Capitol Police Section is accepting applications from both traditional and lateral applicants. Individuals interested in beginning a rewarding career as a Capitol Police Officer may apply online at https://www.in.gov/isp/career-opportunities/capitol-police/. This website provides a detailed synopsis of the application process and information on additional career opportunities with the Indiana State Police Department. Applications must be submitted electronically by 11:59 pm (EST) on Sunday, June 16, 2024.
Basic Eligibility Requirements and consideration factors for a Capitol Police Officer:
- Must be a United States citizen.
- Must be at least 21 years of age when appointed as a police employee (Traditional Recruit Graduation is December 21, 2024).
- Must meet a minimum vision standard (corrected or uncorrected) of 20/50 acuity in each eye and 20/50 distant binocular acuity in both eyes.
- Must possess a valid driver’s license to operate an automobile.
- Must be a high school graduate as evidenced by a diploma or general equivalency diploma (GED).
LATERAL APPLICANTS:
- Must be a current (part-time or full-time) merit law enforcement officer with an Indiana Law Enforcement Tier I or Tier II Certification. Out-of-state law enforcement officers are eligible if their certification is determined to be equivalent to the Indiana Law Enforcement Training Board standards.
For Lateral recruits, a finishing school will begin on September 23, 2024. For traditional recruits, a hire date of September 30, 2024, has been set, with the academy to begin on October 14, 2024. The NEW starting salary for a Capitol Police Probationary Officer is $62,327 a year. After the first year of employment, the salary will increase to $64,472. The starting salary for Retired or police officers in good standing with their agency having twenty (20) or more years of experience as a Tier I or Tier II officer is $75,431.
The Indiana State Police Capitol Police Section also offers an excellent health care plan, including medical, dental, vision, and pharmacy coverage for current and retired employees and their families. The State maintains short-term and long-term disability plans for full-time employees after six (6) months of continuous employment. As an Indiana State Police Capitol Police Officer, you are automatically enrolled in the Public Employees Retirement Fund (PERF), and the State will contribute to your retirement account.
Interested applicants can obtain additional information about a career as a Capitol Police Officer by visiting https://www.in.gov/isp/career-opportunities/capitol-police/. Applicants can also contact a recruiter at isprecruiting@isp.in.gov.