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Applications For Being Accepted For On My Way Pre-K in Five Pilot Counties

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Family Applications Are Now Being Accepted For On My Way Pre-K In Five Pilot Counties

State to partner with Indy Preschool Scholarship Program in Marion County

Indianapolis (January , 2016) – Indiana’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning (OECOSL) is now accepting applications from families in the five pilot counties who may be eligible for grants for their children to receive high-quality, prekindergarten education through the On My Way Pre-K program starting in August of 2016.

Families residing in Allen, Jackson, Lake and Vanderburgh Counties must meet the following eligibility criteria to apply:

The family must have an income below 127 percent of the federal poverty level.
The child must be 4 years old by August 1, 2016, and starting kindergarten in August 2017.
In Marion County, the same criteria apply as those listed above. However, the City of Indianapolis is providing additional funding in Marion County through its Indy Preschool Scholarship Program (Indy PSP). And while families can apply to Indy PSP and On My Way Pre-K using a single application, the Indy PSP funding will add eligibility in Marion County for children who are 3 years old and are from families living at or below 185 percent of the Federal Poverty Level.

It is important to note that first priority will be given to children from families living at or below 127 percent of the Federal Poverty Level for On My Way Pre-K.

Once a child has received a grant, families in all five counties will choose from any of the eligible, enrolled On My Way Pre-K programs. OECOSL has enrolled 225 On My Way Pre-K providers in the five pilot counties, and the application process is ongoing. In order to qualify, the program must be top- ranked at level 3 or level 4 on Paths to QUALITY or be accredited by an approved national or regional accrediting body (Click here for details on provider eligibility).

Applications will be accepted until March 25, 2016. If more families qualify than there are grants available, awards will be made through a randomized lottery process. This lottery will be held on or around March 28, 2016, and families will be notified if they receive a grant.

Approved pre-K programs may be located in a public or private school, licensed child care center, licensed home or registered ministry as long as that program meets the quality requirements and is registered as an On My Way Pre-K Provider. Families may choose from a program that is full-day or part-day, as well as from programs that end with the school year or continue through the summer. A list of approved pre-K providers can be found here. Families who need help finding an approved pre-K program can also call 1-800-299-1627 for assistance from an early learning referral specialist.

To apply in Allen County, click here
To apply in Jackson County, click here
To apply in Lake County, click here
To apply in Marion County, click here
To apply in Vanderburgh County, click here
More than 2,300 children who will begin kindergarten in August of 2016 are currently participating in the first full year of On My Way Pre-K, which began in Allen, Jackson, Lake, Marion and Vanderburgh counties in August of this 2015. Previously, 400 children participated in the first cohort of the program, from January through June of 2015.

On My Way Pre-K is the name of Indiana’s first state-funded prekindergarten program, which was approved as a five-county pilot by the Indiana General Assembly in 2014. For more information, visit www.onmywayprek.org.

The Indy Preschool Scholarship Program (Indy PSP) is the City of Indianapolis’s first ever preschool program that provides free scholarships for children from low-income families to attend quality preschools. Indy PSP is partnering with On My Way Pre-K to expand access to preschool for families in Marion County. The United Way of Central Indiana will provide program administration support by managing the application, outreach, and evaluation processes. Visit www.indypsp.org for more information.

The Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning is a division of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA).

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING OF THE GOVERNOR’S TASK FORCE ON DRUG ENFORCEMENT, TREATMENT, AND PREVENTION

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Governor’s Task Force on Drug Enforcement, Treatment, and Prevention

Friday, January 29, 2016, 9:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. EST

Ivy Tech Event Center

Rooms 118-119

2820 N. Meridian Street

Indianapolis, IN 46256

Governor Pence to Mark First Anniversary of HIP 2.0

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Governor Mike Pence will join community leaders, enrollees and medical practitioners to mark the first anniversary of the landmark approval of the Healthy Indiana Plan 2.0 (HIP 2.0) waiver. Details below.

 

Wednesday, January 27: 

 

1:30 p.m. EST – Governor Pence to mark first anniversary of the landmark approval of the HIP 2.0 waiver

*Media are welcome to attend.

St. Vincent Hospital, Ruth Lilly Center, – 1801 W. 86th St., Indianapolis, IN

 

Eagles looking to stop six-game slide

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University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball looks to put an end to a six-game losing streak Thursday at 5:15 p.m. when it returns to the Physical Activities Center for a Great Lakes Valley Conference bout against the University of Indianapolis.

 

USI (10-7, 3-6 GLVC) also hosts Saint Joseph’s College Saturday at 1 p.m. Both games can be heard on WPSR 90.7 FM, while GLVC Sports Network coverage along with live stats and audio can be accessed at GoUSIEagles.com.

 

The Screaming Eagles are coming off their toughest stretch of games they have played all season. USI played five games in 10 days, three of which were against nationally-ranked opponents. The combined record of USI’s opponents in the last five games is 72-16 (.818) overall and 36-9 (.800) in GLVC play.

 

USI has to do a better job on the offensive end if it is going to get back into the win column. The Eagles are averaging just 56.7 point per game in the last six contests and shooting just 38.5 percent from the field during that span. USI has shot less than 40.0 percent in its last four games and five of its last six outings.

 

Junior forward Hannah Wascher (Rantoul, Illinois) enters the week as the Eagles’ leading scorer and rebounder with 14.4 points and 8.4 rebounds per appearance. Junior guard Tanner Marcum (New Albany, Indiana) is chipping in 12.3 points and 3.3 assists per contest, while sophomore guard/forward Kaydie Grooms (Marshall, Illinois) is contributing 10.2 points and 5.3 rebounds per game.

 

Sophomore guard Randa Harshbarger (Philo, Illinois) is averaging a GLVC-best 5.7 assists per game and first in the conference in assist-to-turnover ratio (2.20).

 

USI looks to add to a four-game winning streak over Indianapolis when it hosts the Greyhounds on Thursday.

 

Indianapolis (5-14, 3-6 GLVC) is led by senior guard Princess German and junior forward Nicole Anderson. German leads the GLVC with 20.7 points and 37.3 minutes per game, while Anderson is 10th in the league in scoring (14.5 ppg) and eighth in rebounding (7.3 rpg).

 

The Greyhounds lead the all-time series with the Eagles, 38-31, and are 17-12 versus USI since 2000.

 

USI leads the all-time series with Saint Joseph’s, 36-24, and is 22-4 against the Pumas since 2000. The Eagles are looking to add to a five-game winning streak over Saint Joseph’s and a 17-game success streak versus the Pumas at the PAC.

 

Saint Joseph’s (13-6, 6-3 GVC), which visits Bellarmine University Thursday, is led by junior forward Kalea Parks and senior guard Lauren Davis. Parks is sixth in the GLVC with 16.6 points per game, while Davis is eighth with 15.8 points per outing. Senior guard Courtney Kvachkoff is chipping in 12.6 points per appearance.

 

Saturday’s game is USI’s annual Hoops for Troops Military Appreciation Game. Free tickets will be given to veterans and military personnel of all eras and their guests. Tickets can be picked up the day of the game with military identification and/or proof of service in the front of the PAC. The event is sponsored by the American Legion Post 324 and the USI Veteran Military and Family Resource Center.

ABA Committee Recommends Indiana Tech Law School For Accreditation

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ABA Committee Recommends Indiana Tech Law School For Accreditation

byMarilyn Odendahl for www.theindianalawyer.com

Indiana Tech Law School’s application for provisional accreditation has received support within the American Bar Association.

The Accreditation Committee of the ABA’s Section on Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar recommended Jan. 21 that Indiana Tech’s application be approved.  The Fort Wayne law school must now get final approval from the Section’s Council.

Indiana Tech Law School will make its presentation during the council’s scheduled meeting March 11 and 12 in Phoenix, Arizona.

“While I am grateful for the committee’s work and their recommendation, I recognize and respect the Council’s role in this process and look forward to appearing before the Council in March,” Indiana Tech Law School Dean Charles Cercone said in a statement.

In 2015, the ABA denied Indiana Tech’s application. According to Cercone, the bar association was concerned that the law school had notfully developed its curriculum.

“I appreciate the hard work of our entire team in putting together such a strong program for our students and the tremendous support of the University, its Trustees and the Fort Wayne community,” Cercone said.

USI comes home to host UIndy and Saint Joseph’s

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COMPLETE USI GAME NOTES VS. UINDY-SJC

 

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Southern Indiana men’s basketball team (13-6, 5-4 GLVC) returns to the friendly surroundings of the Physical Activities Center this week when it hosts 22nd-ranked University of Indianapolis and Saint Joseph’s College. Game time Thursday night versus the Greyhounds (14-3, 8-1 GLVC) and former USI All-American Stan Gouard is7:30 p.m., while the start time Saturday against the Pumas (8-10, 4-5 GLVC) is 3:15 p.m.

USI will have a pair of special promotions on Saturday. The Eagles are honoring members of the United States Armed Forces with the fourth annual Hoops for Troops Military Appreciation Game when the Eagles host Saint Joseph’s College.

In addition to supporting and appreciating our veterans, USI Men’s Basketball will be taking part in the National Association of Basketball Coaches’ “Coaches vs. Cancer” initiative by participating in the “Suits & Sneakers Awareness Week.”

Game coverage for USI Men’s Basketball games, including live stats, video, and audio, is available at GoUSIEagles.com. The Eagle games also can be heard over the air on WEOA 98.5FM/1400AM and WPSR 90.7FM.

This Week’s USI Men’s Basketball Quick Notes: 
USI looks to homestand to get on track. USI is looking to a return to the friendly surroundings of the Physical Activities Center to get back on track after an 0-3 road trip. USI is 8-2 at the PAC in 2015-16, while posting a 2-3 mark on the road. The Screaming Eagles are 5-4 overall this year away from the PAC (3-1 on a neutral site).

Tough road trip from the field. USI had a rough shooting road trip, hitting 39.3 percent (75-191) over the three-game swing. The Eagles are shooting 51.0 percent (326-639) over 10 games at the PAC this year.

Drummond on a roll in last five games. Junior guard Bobo Drummond has been on a roll over the last five games for the Eagles. Drummond is averaging 18.6 points per game, shooting 54.2 percent from the field (32-59), 58.8 percent from beyond the arc (20-34), and averaging 4.0 three-point field goals per contest.

Taylor leads the Eagles offensive this year. Junior forward Jeril Taylor leads the Eagles with 17.2 points per game, 17.7 in GLVC action. Taylor also is posting 19.3 points per outing in the last 10 games, hitting for double-digits in nine of the last 10 contests.

At the PAC in 2015-16.  Junior guard Jeril Taylor leads USI with 17.6 points per contest, while junior guard Bobo Drummond is posting 14.2 points per outing. Freshman guard Alex Stein and senior forwardGeorge Edwards round out the double-figure scorers with 13.7 points per appearance each.

Freshman in double-digits. Freshman guard Alex Stein has posted double-digits in scoring in 15 of his first 19 games. This is close to matching former Eagle and Reitz High School alumni Cris Brunson, who had 19 double-figure games out of 30 as a freshman in 2001-02.

USI vs. UIndy. USI leads the all-time series with UIndy, 54-20, and has a 12-2 advantage in the games in the PAC since 2000. The Eagles and the Greyhounds split last year’s meetings with UIndy winning at home, 84-67, and USI winning at the PAC, 69-67. USI won at the PAC on a last second bucket by Bobo Drummond.

UIndy in 2015-16. The Greyhounds of UIndy are 14-3 overall, 8-1 in the GLVC, after sweeping three games last week. The Greyhounds have won four straight and 13 of 14. More on UIndy can be found at athletics.uindy.edu.

USI vs. Saint Joseph’s. USI leads the all-time series with Saint Joseph’s, 52-20, and has a 13-1 advantage in the games in the PAC since 2000. The Eagles swept the Pumas in 2014-15, winning 78-66 on the road and 90-65 at home.

Saint Jospeh’s in 2015-16. The Pumas of Saint Joseph’s, who visit Bellarmine University Thursday before coming to the PAC, are 8-10 overall, 4-5 in the GLVC, after going 1-2 last week. The Pumas have lost three of their last four games. More on Saint Joseph’s can be found at athletics.saintjoe.edu.

 

Evansville Regional Airport Starts New Year OH high Note

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EVV realizes more than a 19 percent surge in annual passenger counts last year; average air fares drop more than 11 percent.

Passenger traffic in 2015 at Evansville Regional Airport (EVV) was up 19.25 percent compared to passenger counts in the previous year, resulting in the largest growth of the century. And while the passenger counts are on the rise, average fares at EVV have decreased by more than 11 percent, positioning Evansville Regional as one of the most competitive-priced airports in the area.

EVV reported that through December 2015, year-to-date passenger numbers totaled 208,296, surpassing the prior year’s passenger count of 174,665.

Doug Joest, Executive Director at Evansville Regional Airport, remarked, “We are very pleased with our growth and our positioning in the air travel market, and we are grateful that our communities responded to the additional capacity that we’ve added over the last year.”

Joest said that Evansville Regional is standing out above other airports with that growth, and he believes there are a few factors contributing to EVV’s increased passenger counts.

First, Joest said the additional air service that Evansville Regional Airport has attracted in recent years is having an impact, particularly the addition of American Airline’s Charlotte flights and United’s Chicago flights.

“We have nonstop service to five top-rated hubs – Atlanta, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas and Detroit on the three remaining major legacy airlines – American Airlines, Delta and United,” he said.

Additionally, Joest said that Evansville Regional’s rates are very competitive, and that passengers are seeing the lowest fares out of EVV.

“Our average fares have dropped more than 11 percent over that last two years,” said Joest. “Low-cost fares make a huge difference, and we are capturing passengers who in the past would have driven to competing airports.”

Joest said another factor in the airport’s growth is an improved economy and all of the work being done by organizations like the Economic Development Coalition of Southwest Indiana, Southwest Indiana Chamber of Commerce, Evansville Convention and Visitors Bureau and many other regional economic development organizations, all of which are working to attract more people to the communities that Evansville Regional Airport services.

“It’s not just about getting people from the tristate area connected to the world; it’s also about getting the world connected to our communities,” he said.

Evansville Regional Airport is also working to improve the customer experience by upgrading its facility. Plans are currently underway for a fifth jet bridge to be added at EVV this summer to accommodate the passenger growth, creating a better flying experience for passengers. And this year will mark the start of a $10 million terminal renovation project, made possible in part by the state’s Regional Cities grant award to Southwest Indiana. The renovation will include a centralized screening area, which will provide access to the restaurant and other amenities after clearing through security. Additionally, there will be many other aesthetically pleasing enhancements and upgrades to the terminal facilities and parking lot.

“It’s an exciting project, and one that will provide our passengers more amenities and a better overall travel experience,” Joest said. “It also positions us very well for future growth during a very competitive time in the industry,” Joest said.

Joest also said that Evansville Regional is always focused on trying to increase the airport’s nonstop service to destinations across the country.

“We are working to retain and grow to as many nonstop destinations as possible,” he said. “And one of the best ways for us to achieve that, is for our regional neighbors to continue using our airport.”

USI’s Guy earns USTFCCCA, GLVC weekly honor

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USTFCCCA Top 25 Computer Rankings

 

EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Men’s Track & Field senior All-American Johnnie Guy (Palmyra, Indiana) has been named the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches’ Association Division II National Athlete of the Week and the Great Lakes Valley Conference Men’s Track Athlete of the Week following his efforts at the Gladstein Invitational this past weekend.

 

Guy posted the nation’s fastest time in the 3,000 meters when he finished sixth in the event in Bloomington, Indiana. His time of eight minutes, 5.22 seconds was the seventh-fastest time in Division II history and broke the school-record, which was set by Michael Jordan in 2013, by nearly three seconds.

 

More importantly, Guy’s time was an NCAA Division II provisional qualifying mark and was less than a second off the automatic qualifying standard of 8:04.70.

 

This is the third time in Guy’s career he has been honored by the USTFCCCA with a national weekly award and the first time in his track career. He was the USTFCCCA Division II Cross Country Runner of the Week in 2013 and 2015.

 

It also is the second consecutive week and the fifth time in Guy’s career he has garnered GLVC Indoor Track Athlete of the Week honors. He has earned a combined eight GLVC Indoor and Outdoor Track Athlete of the Week awards and five GLVC Cross Country Runner of the Week honors.

 

The Screaming Eagles, who slipped to No. 22 in the first USTFCCCA Top 25 Computer Rankings of the regular season, return to action Friday and Saturday when they compete at the Vanderbilt Invitational in Nashville, Tennessee, and the Indianapolis Challenge in Indianapolis.

BREAKING NEWS: Brownfield Corp To Hold “Open Door” Meeting At Vectren Corporate Office

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BREAKING NEWS: Brownfield Corp To Hold “Open Door” Meeting At Vectren Corporate Office

The City-County Observer were just told by extremely reliable sources that the Evansville Brownfields Corp. meeting will be held on Friday, January 29, 2016 at 1:30 pm in the Ellerbrook Conference Room, at the Downtown Vectren Corporate offices.  More importantly,  our sources tell us that the meeting will be open to the public.

This appears to be a decision that was made without DMD Director Kelley Coures and his assistant Carolyn Rusk’s input.  We expect Mr. Coures and Ms. Rusk to treat any members of the public that attend this meeting on Friday with respect.  We also expect them to also hand anyone attending this meeting a copy of the agenda.

We believe that CCO and its readers can claim a victory for “good public policy” pertaining to this issue.  We are sorry that there had to be any discussion about whether or not this meeting should be open to the public. We do not believe that closed door meetings serve the public’s interest,  and this one particularly should be totally transparent.

WILL WE CHOOSE FREEDOM IN 2016?

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By Susan Stamper Brown

One of the greatest gifts my hardworking, blue-collar father gave me when I was young was the belief that no one owes me anything. His wisdom carried me through some difficult times growing up and helped shape me into the person I am today. It seems that self-reliant attitude my dad instilled in me is all but lost in this country.

As the presidential election draws near, with Hillary possibly being fitted for an orange jumpsuit with complementary ankle chains and the self-avowed socialist, Bernie Sanders, rising in the polls, it might be time to consider my dad’s ideals and the freedoms we once knew will soon be a thing of the past, should a liberal take office.

Typically, what one president does in moderation, the next like-minded president usually does in excess, so going from a closet socialist to a full-blown socialist is not a big leap for Democrats. But, for those of us who still believe in our beloved constitution and cling to the freedoms within, a socialist president represents the greatest threat to our constitution in modern times and would take us about as far from what our founders intended as we could go.

Not that long ago, my father’s can-do attitude was common place, until snakes from both sides of the political aisle began to understand immense power could be gained by peddling handouts in exchange for votes. If they know anything at all, these self-serving political serpents understand human nature. If you give people what they didn’t earn from sources to which they didn’t contribute, they quickly become dependent. Add a bit of Machiavellian wordsmithing by redefining those handouts as “rights” and voila! You create a permanent voting base.

Our founders spoke of “unalienable rights.” Like modern day snake oil salesmen, politicians market tangible handouts, a never ending list of miscellaneous freebies, instead of the intangibles of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” They have succeeded in transforming the Declaration of Independence into a “Declaration of Dependence.”

The Democrat Party is predominately the trustee of that “Declaration of Dependence” but they are not alone. Under Speaker of the House Paul Ryan’s leadership, likeminded Republicans just assisted President Obama in engineering the largest expansion of the federal government’s safety net in fifty years, despite large GOP majorities in both houses of Congress.

The $1.8 trillion deal approved in December made permanent certain tax breaks and credits which were originally considered temporary relief during Obama’s first year to help people through the recession. Despite the fact that we cannot afford this expansion, it is now permanent — and our children and their children will foot the bill. The Seattle Times reports this expansion is “the government’s largest cash-assistance program…with more than 40 million people receiving benefits each year.”

All the Democrat Party presidential candidates say they want to expand far beyond this government overreach while a couple of sensible-minded conservatives propose policies intended to roll back unnecessary handouts to help get America back on the track to being the exceptional nation she once was. Allowing individuals to enjoy their God-endowed freedom to achieve their unique definition of “The American Dream” ensures that future generations will have the opportunity to stand on their own without government interference or the slavery of dependence.

Had America’s founders believed entitlements trumped ingenuity, the “New World” would be just like the old one, which is a case study in what happens when liberals are left to themselves. Long before he became president, Ronald Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn’t pass it on to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.”

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