Home Blog Page 608

“AMERICANS ARE DYING” – BRAUN CALLS ON SCHUMER TO PASS LAKEN RILEY ACT, THIN BLUE LINE ACT, SECURE THE BORDER ACT

0

WASHINGTON – Today, after Laken Riley was murdered by an illegal alien in Georgia, cops were beaten by illegal aliens on the streets of New York City, and cartel fentanyl is the number one killer of young Americans, Senator Mike Braun is calling on Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to put three bills on the Senate floor for votes to save Americans’ lives: the Laken Riley Act, the Thin Blue Line Act, and the Secure the Border Act (HR 2).

The Laken Riley Act overwhelmingly passed the House last week with 37 Democrats voting with Republicans.

“Americans are dying because of President Joe Biden’s policies that welcome illegal aliens into our communities and make it nearly impossible to deport them.

“I’m calling on Majority Leader Chuck Schumer to take action to protect American lives by calling up these bills for a vote today: the LAKEN RILEY ACT which deports illegal aliens immediately when they are arrested for a crime, the THIN BLUE LINE ACT which I authored to punish criminals who target police to the harshest extent of the law, and the SECURE THE BORDER ACT to end the Biden border crisis claiming lives across the country.

“Failing to take up these bills is putting illegal aliens before the safety of American citizens and our police. Let’s vote immediately to save lives.”

SENATOR MIKE BRAUN

Read Senator Braun’s letter here.

LAKEN RILEY ACT:

The Laken Riley Act amends federal law to require Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) to issue detainers and take custody of illegal aliens who commit theft-related crimes, such as shoplifting, as defined by state and local law.

This bill passed the House overwhelmingly, 251-170, with 37 Democrats joining all Republicans in support on March 7.

THIN BLUE LINE ACT:

Senator Braun authored the Thin Blue Line Act in 2022. Here’s how the bill protects cops:

  • When a jury in a federal case considers whether to impose the death penalty, the jury must consider certain “aggravating” factors.
  • Current law states that if the murder victim is a federal law enforcement officer or federal prosecutor, this fact shall weigh as an aggravating factor in favor of the maximum penalty.
  • The Thin Blue Line Act provides the same level of justice to local law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and first responders.
  • It also enhances the penalty when a defendant targets a law enforcement officer, prosecutor, or first responder solely because that individual has chosen to protect and serve.

SECURE THE BORDER ACT:

The Secure the Border Act enacts effective border security solutions, including:

  • Requiring the Department of Homeland Security to resume border wall construction.
  • Increasing the number of Border Patrol Agents.
  • Tightening asylum standards by restricting asylum to only aliens who present at ports of entry and by requiring aliens to prove they are “more likely than not” to qualify for their asylum claim.
  • Narrowing DHS’s power to unilaterally grant parole to illegal aliens.
  • Criminalizing visa overstays by making the first offense a misdemeanor punishable by up to a $1,000 fine and the second offense a felony punishable by up to a $2,000 fine and up to two years imprisonment.
  • Stopping NGOs from using tax dollars to transport or lodge illegal aliens and provide illegal aliens with lawyers.
  • Restricting DHS from using its CBP One app to welcome illegal aliens into the country.
  • Requiring employers to use E-Verify.
  • Ensuring CBP has access to the criminal history databases of all countries of origin and transit so that CBP is aware of the criminal history of illegal aliens encountered at the southern border.

Hoosier History Highlights

0

March 17 – March 23

This Week in Indiana History
Appleseed March 18, 1845 Johnny Appleseed [John Chapman], American pioneer nurseryman (introduced apple trees to Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois), dies at 70 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

FACT OR FOLKLORE?

VERNAL EQUINOX Did you know you can balance an egg on its end during the March 20vernal equinox?

March 22, 1912   Karl Sekulovich was born in Chicago and grew up in Gary, where he was active in the drama department at Emerson High School.  Under the screen name Karl Malden, he became a skilled character actor, appearing in scores of films.  He won an Academy Award for his role in “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

Malden
 

March 20, 1954      The team from the small high school in Milan, Indiana, won the state basketball championship. The Milan Indians defeated the powerhouse Muncie Central Bearcats, who were going for their third state title in four years. The victory was the inspiration for “Hoosiers,” one of the most popular sports movies of all time.
Milan
Spades Library March 22, 1912  The Spades Park Branch Library was dedicated in Indianapolis.  Andrew Carnegie built 164 libraries in Indiana, and this is the only one featuring an Italianesque style.  The Spades Park branch continues to serve the community near Brookside Park.

Our Where in Indiana? from last week was taken at Fountain Square in Indianapolis.

Fountain Square

Where in Indiana?

Do you know where this photograph was taken?

Visit us on Instagram to submit your answer.

March 17, 2024

Follow us on Instagram: @instatehousetouroffice

Indiana Statehouse Tour Office

Indiana Department of Administration

Guided Tours of the Indiana Statehouse are offered Monday through Saturday.  For more information, contact us.

(317) 233-5293
Estanley@idoa.in.gov

Statehouse Virtual Tour

Indiana Quick Quiz

1. In what county is Rome, Indiana?

2. Name the Hoosier who wrote the book Friendly Persuasion.

3. What fruit is called the “Indiana banana?

4. Born in Portland Indiana, who invented the metal alloy stellite and co-discovered stainless steel?

Answers Below

For more activities

             in IN

https://www.visitindiana.com/

Answers

1. Perry County

2. Jessamyn West

3. Paw Paw

4. Elwood Haynes

clover

FEMA Invites Fire Department and Volunteer Firefighter Interest Organizations to Apply for $360 Million in FEMA Grants to Boost Number of Trained Firefighters in Communities Nationwide

0

WASHINGTON — Today, FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell announced the opening of the application period for the Fiscal Year 2023 Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grant program, which offers $360 million in grants directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained firefighters protecting communities across the nation.

Building more resilient communities includes having sufficiently staffed fire departments. FEMA SAFER grant funding will be used to increase the number of firefighters to help communities meet industry minimum standards, attain 24-hour staffing to provide adequate fire protection from fire and fire-related hazards and to fulfill traditional missions of fire departments. The SAFER application period will close on Friday, April 12, 2024, at 5 p.m. ET.

“All disasters are local and it’s the local firefighters that are first on the scene taking action to prevent loss of life and property,” Administrator Criswell said. “These awards are an annual opportunity for FEMA to provide funding directly to fire departments and volunteer firefighter interest organizations to help them increase or maintain the number of trained firefighters available in their communities.”

Since 2005, the SAFER Program has awarded approximately $5.2 billion in grant funding. This support helps ready households and communities, trains a skilled firefighting workforce (both paid and volunteer) and builds local capacity across the nation.

“Across the nation, many career and volunteer fire departments struggle with recruitment of new firefighters and retention of those on the job,” acknowledged Dr. Lori Moore-Merrell, U.S. Fire Administrator. “SAFER grant funds are essential to ensuring that local communities have enough firefighters to respond when they are needed.”  

Over the years, SAFER funds have had a big impact in communities, including stories of lives saved because of SAFER-funded staffing.

  • In Lake County, Florida, two firefighters rescued a 3-year-old boy and a 13-year-old girl from a housefire. They were able to make immediate entry into the burning home because of additional staffing from a SAFER grant.
  • A firefighter from Pennsylvania’s Southwest Greensburg Fire Department, hired through a SAFER grant, climbed nine flights of stairs to rescue a man from an apartment fire.
  • In Arizona, the City of Maricopa Fire/Medical department was able to continue 24/7 coverage in each fire protection zone during the COVID pandemic in 2020 because of SAFER funding.

The FY 2023 SAFER Notice of Funding opportunity and technical assistance documents for this program are available at www.grants.gov and on the FEMA website. Additional information about upcoming webinars to assist applicants is also available on the FEMA website.

USI completes doubleheader sweep after third walk-off win this season

0

EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Softball opened its 2024 home schedule at USI Softball Field with a doubleheader sweep on Saturday, as the Screaming Eagles won 4-1 in game 1 and 2-1 in nine innings in game 2 against Morehead State University.
 
In the first game, Southern Indiana (9-11, 3-2 OVC) struck first with three runs in the bottom of the second inning. Freshman third baseman Shelby Stivers (Louisville, Kentucky) started the scoring with a bases-loaded RBI single. USI then took advantage of a Morehead State (7-10, 1-4 OVC) error and a bases-loaded walk to score the other two runs in the second.
 
Meanwhile, junior pitcher Josie Newman (Indianapolis, Indiana) was wheeling and dealing. Newman registered two strikeouts in each of the first four innings for eight total punchouts through four.
 
Then in the bottom of the sixth inning, Newman got involved in the offensive attack. Newman singled to centerfield to drive in an insurance run to give USI a 4-1 lead. The right-handed pitcher and the Screaming Eagles closed out the game from there.
 
Southern Indiana posted four runs on four hits in game 1. Senior first baseman Lexi Fair (Greenwood, Indiana) led USI with a 2-2 game at the plate. Morehead State tallied one run off one hit.
 
Newman improved to 7-5 with a complete game, striking out 12 in the one-hitter. Morehead State freshman pitcher Addie Stem dropped to 3-8 on the season, surrendering four runs – three earned – off four hits and four walks in six innings pitched.
 
In the second game, Southern Indiana pushed across the game’s first run once again. Senior catcher Sammie Kihega (Greenfield, Indiana) singled home junior infielder Hailey Gotshall (Lucerne, Indiana) from second base to put USI up early, 1-0. Morehead State answered to tie the game in the second frame.
 
The game settled into a pitcher’s duel between USI junior pitcher Whitley Hunter (Nashville, Illinois) and Morehead State sophomore pitcher Jessie Begley. Begley took a no-decision, going 4.2 innings with one unearned run allowed before handing the ball off to freshman pitcher Cassiti Baroni.
 
With Hunter pitching a gem in her best start of the season for USI and Baroni not budging in relief for Morehead State, the game remained tied at one through seven innings to force the contest into extras.
 
In the top of the seventh and ninth innings, Hunter stranded a potential go-ahead runner at third base in each inning. Hunter’s stellar performance was rewarded in the home half of the ninth inning. After three consecutive singles to load the bases, Fair punched a ball through the right side to score senior outfielder Mackenzie Bedrick (Brownsburg, Indiana) from third to give USI a 2-1 win and its third walk-off victory of the season.
 
Southern Indiana recorded two runs on 10 hits, while Morehead State scored one run on seven hits. The two sides combined to leave 22 runners on base. Offensively, Fair and Gotshall had two-hit games in the second game of the twin bill.
 
With the sensational outing, Hunter moved to 2-3 in her first complete game this season. The right-hander struck out eight batters. For Morehead State, Baroni was charged with her first loss this season. Baroni went 3.1 innings of relief and was responsible for the game-winning run reaching base.
 
The Screaming Eagles conclude their weekend home series against Morehead State Sunday at Noon from USI Softball Field. Sunday’s series finale can be seen with an ESPN+ subscription and heard on 95.7 The Spin. Live stats and coverage links can be found on the USI Softball schedule page on usiscreamingeagles.com.

ECLIPSE “SOLAR-BRATION” HOSTED BY OLD NATIONAL EVENTS PLAZA DURING ECLIPSE WEEKEND

0

ALL AGES AND GROUP SIZES ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND!

Evansville, IN – March 15, 2024 – The Old National Events Plaza has organized a weekend-long “Solar-bration” in support of community efforts around this April’s total solar eclipse. Everyone, regardless of age or group size, is welcome to join the festivities, including large parties and families with children.

Beginning Friday, April 5th, Old National Events Plaza will introduce the ‘Locust Lounge,’ a temporary walk-in event space offering a relaxed dining experience accompanied by live local musical performances, bar services, and a variety of evening activities for guests to enjoy in the days leading up to the eclipse on April 8th.

General Manager Nick Wallace shares, “We are thrilled to contribute to this extraordinary and historic occasion within our community. Recognizing the influx of visitors and the numerous activities available in Evansville, our aim is to bolster the hospitality sector, local restaurants, and eclipse-related events by providing all-friendly dining options and accessible entertainment in the preceding days.”

Events will take place on Friday, April 5th, Saturday, April 6th and Sunday, April 7th just inside Locust Street 1-2 entries. Starbucks® will open each day within the venue at 8:00 AM. Entry is free of charge for all guests, allowing attendees to participate in evening activities and indulge in live music without any cost. An affordable dining menu will be offered all weekend, along with beer and drink specials.

For the complete menu and schedule, please visit www.oldnationaeventsplaza.com.

Event Information:

What:                   Eclipse “Solar-vibration”at The Plaza

Where:                 Old National Events Plaza Locust Lounge  I  715 Locust Street, Evansville, IN 47708

                                Enter through Locust 1 and Locust 2 entries

April 5th:             Open 6:00PM – 10:00 PM for dinner, bar service, bingo and singo

April 6th:             Open 11:00AM – 10:00 PM for lunch, dinner, bar service, live music (2:00 PM – 6:00 PM) and cosmic karaoke

April 7th:             Open 4:00 PM – 10:00 PM for dinner, bar service, live music (4:00 PM – 6:00 PM) and trivia night

 

THUNDERBOLTS SWEEP MAYHEM WITH 5-2 VICTORY

0

 

Macon, Ga.:  The Thunderbolts finished the weekend strong, winning their third game in a row and sweeping their two games in Macon with a 5-2 win on Saturday night.   The Thunderbolts’ next home game will be on Friday, March 22nd against the Peoria Rivermen, puck drop at 7:00pm CT.

 

Jordan Spadafore scored the opening goal for Evansville with a long range shot from the point at 16:16 of the first period, assisted by Matt Dorsey and Dmitri Yushkevich.  In a wide-open second period, the Thunderbolts scored twice to build a 3-0 lead as Vadim Vasjonkin scored on a rebound from Brendan Harrogate and Grayson Valente at 8:08, followed by Dorsey at 11:21 from Matthew Hobbs and Bronson Adams.  Macon rallied late in the second period, with goals from Derek Contessa at 13:15 and Adam Eby at 17:13 to reduce the Thunderbolts lead to 3-2 going into the third period.   Evansville clamped down in the final period, as Lincoln Hatten scored on a net front pass from Hobbs and Jordan Simoneau at 10:14 to re-establish the two goal lead, followed by Simoneau’s first professional goal on a power play with 1:42 remaining, assisted by Hobbs and Nick Prestia to make it a 5-2 Evansville lead.

 

Dorsey and Simoneau each scored one goal and assist, while Hatten, Spadafore and Vasjonkin contributed one goal each.  Hobbs finished with three assists, while Ty Taylor made 28 saves on 30 shots  for his 5th win of the season.  The Thunderbolts and Mayhem do not meet again this season, with Evansville winning the season series 3-2.  With the win and Knoxville loss, the Thunderbolts now only need 6 more points to clinch a playoff spot.

Seven Indiana Divers Qualify for NCAA Championships

0

 BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Indiana will send seven divers – three men, four women – to the 2024 NCAA Swimming and Diving Championships following performances at the NCAA Zone C Diving Championships in Louisville, Kentucky.

Competition closed Saturday (March 16) with platform diving as five Hoosiers earned NCAA bids in their third event in as many days. In all, IU tallied 16 NCAA qualifying bids in the three events.

Freshman Ella Roselli became the seventh Hoosier diver to qualify for the national meet this week with her ninth-place finish on platform, within the top-11 cut. The result also means Roselli now qualifies on the 1-meter and 3-meter springboards after having finished top 12 in both events but outside of the automatic qualifying zone.

“What a great finish to the meet,” IU head diving coach Drew Johansen said. “IU diving’s platform culture really showed up today. Ella was steady all week and used the platform to punch her ticket in all three events.”

Big Ten Champion and junior Skyler Liu showed her skill on the tower as the top qualifier from zone C with a 638.70 score. Liu finished fourth in the event at last year’s NCAA Championships.

Junior Carson Tyler finished first in the men’s event for the third time this week, dominating the event he won at the NCAA meet a year ago. Tyler tallied 845.55 points to win the platform event by 41.25 points. The two-time Big Ten platform champion posted a 457.90 in the prelim alone with a reduced list, yet that score is 19 points shy of his NCAA winning score last season.

Sophomore Maxwell Weinrich finished second on platform with an 801.30 after a solid final session. Junior Quinn Henninger finished seventh with a 681.60. All three Hoosier men qualified for all three events.

“Carson and Max were head and shoulders above the field, and Skyler continues to get stronger as the season goes on,” Johansen said. “Both the men and women are ready for the final meet of the season. I can’t wait to see what they do.”

RESULTS
WOMEN’S 3-METER
1. Skyler Liu – 639.70 (NCAA Qualifier)

  1. Ella Roselli – 525.90 (NCAA Qualifier)
  2. Lilly Witte – 446.25 (Finalist)
  3. Morgan Casey – 188.55

    MEN’S 1-METER
    1. Carson Tyler – 845.55 (NCAA Qualifier)

  4. Maxwell Weinrich – 801.30 (NCAA Qualifier)
  5. Quinn Henninger – 681.60 (NCAA Qualifier)
  6. William Jansen – 591.55 (Finalist)
  7. Dash Glasberg – 567.15 (Finalist)

UE women return to the course in Prospect, Ky.

0

Aces play Monday and Tuesday

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – In their second tournament of the spring, the University of Evansville women’s golf team travels to Prospect, Ky. for the Nevel Meade Collegiate.  Action takes place on Monday and Tuesday at Nevel Meade Golf Club.

Par is set for 72 and the yardage for the course is 5,953.  The field consists of Bellarmine, Cleveland State, Detroit Mercy, Evansville, UIC, Indiana State, Oakland, Purdue Fort Wayne, Western Michigan and Youngstown State.

Evansville opened the spring with a trip to the Rio Verde Collegiate in Rio Verde, Ariz. in February.  Kate Petrova led the way with a tie for 12th place.  Her even round of 72 in the final round gave her a total of 217 strokes in the tournament.  Petrova’s tournament was highlighted by a 2-under 70 in the second 18 holes.

Allison Enchelmayer was second on the team with a final tally of 226.  She tied for 50th in the tournament.  Completing the contest four behind her was Destynie Sheridan.  Her 230 tied her for the 65th position.

Aces open series with 8-0 win over Beacons

0

Game two set for Saturday at 2 p.m.

 EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Sydney Weatherford tossed a 3-hit shutout while the offense came alive with eight runs as the University of Evansville softball team defeated Valparaiso by a final of 8-0 on Friday at Tri-State Orthopaedics Field and James and Dorothy Cooper Stadium.

Weatherford threw the full 5-inning contest while striking out three batters.  UE accumulated its eight runs on 10 hits.  Jess Willsey, Zoe Frossard and Jenna Nink posted two hits apiece while Nink led the way with three runs batted in.

Sydney Weatherford pitched out of a jam in the first as the Beacons notched a pair of 2-out hits.  Evansville took advantage in the second when Jenna Nink laced a 2-run double to center to put the Purple Aces on the board.  Alexa Davis led the inning off with a walk before moving to second on a sac bunt by Zoe Frossard.  With two outs, Marah Wood was walked and made a heads-up play to steal second on the play.  Those walks set the table for Nink, who came through with the clutch 2-out, 2-RBI hit.

Davis opened the third inning with a solo home run, her first of the season.  Frossard followed up with a single and Nink would bring her home with an RBI single.  Jess Willsey added the fourth UE hit of the inning and Brooke Voss walked to load the bases for Taylor Howe.  She added to the lead, forcing a walk for the 5th Evansville run.

Marah Wood’s team-leading fifth homer of the year saw the Aces extend the lead to 7-0 in the fourth.  Base hits from Willsey and Brooke Voss set the table for Howe to walk it off and that is exactly what she did.  Her single brought in Willsey for the walk-off run as UE took the 8-0 triumph in five innings.

Saturday’s game is set for a 2 p.m. first pitch.

TAUBERT’S DOUBLE SENDS BASEBALL ACES PAST MICHIGAN STATE, 5-3, IN EXTRAS

0

EAST LANSING, Mich. –  For the second time this week, junior outfielder Harrison Taubert played the hero in extra innings for the University of Evansville baseball team, as Taubert hit a two-out, two-run double in the 11th inning on Saturday to help power the Purple Aces past the host Michigan State Spartans, 5-3, at McLane Stadium at Kobs Field in East Lansing, Michigan.

“Today was just an overall great team win,” said UE head coach Wes Carroll.  “I think that today was actually a pivotal game in our season, and we gave a gritty effort that really started on the mound for us.  Kenton Deverman really battled all day long and showed the competitor that he is for us, to be able to give our offense a chance in ‘winning time.’

“Offensively, I thought we had some great at-bats, especially late, and then for Harrison to step up and deliver a barrel for us in the 11th was huge.  Today’s a big win, and it now sets up tomorrow as an important game for us.  We have to come to the park ready to battle tomorrow.”

Taubert, who came through with a walk-off RBI single in Wednesday’s 6-5 win over Southeast Missouri State, launched a double over the head of the left-fielder to score both senior first baseman Kip Fougerousse and graduate catcher Brendan Hord in the top of the 11th inning to give UE a 5-3 lead.  Senior reliever Jakob Meyer (2-2) then worked a perfect bottom of the 11th inning to pick up the victory and help Evansville even the series with the Spartans.

Michigan State scored first on Saturday, getting a three-run home run from shortstop Randy Seymour in the second inning.  But, from there, UE freshman starter Kenton Deverman silenced the Michigan State bats, as he allowed just the three runs on six singles and Seymour’s home run in 8.0 solid innings of work, striking out seven.

Deverman’s teammates would chip away late to force extra-innings, as Hord launched a solo home run in the seventh inning, and UE tacked on two more runs in the eighth inning.  In the eighth, Evansville was able to get a one-out double by graduate third baseman Brent Widder, a two-out infield single by Fougerousse, and a run-scoring wild pitch to plate its first run.  Junior outfielder Ty Rumsey then tied the game with a two-out single to left field to score Fougerousse and knot the game at 3-3.

The game would remain tied at 3-3 until the 11th, when Fougerousse worked a one-out walk, and Hord was hit by a pitch with two outs to bring up Taubert.  Taubert laced a 1-0 fastball from Michigan State reliever Tommy Szczepanski (0-2) to deep left to score both runners and give UE the win.

Evansville out-hit Michigan State, 9-8, in the contest, with both Widder and freshman second baseman Brodie Peart delivering two-hit days.

With the victory, Evansville evens its record at 9-9 and evens the series at one win apiece.  The two teams will square off in the rubber match on Sunday afternoon at 12 p.m. central time.  Senior LHP Donovan Schultz (0-1, 10.38 ERA) will get the start for UE on the mound.  Sunday’s game can be heard live in the Tri-State area on 107.1 FM-WJPS.

1...607608609...7,180Page 608 of 7,180