Friday, April 26
1:40 p.m.

Plaza Park International Prep Assembly, 7301 Lincoln Ave.

Plaza Park sixth graders have been working all year on a project that could save lives. The students have been working to raise money to purchase a clean water filtration system for a community in Africa.

On Friday, a representative with New Life International will be at Plaza Park to explain to students the impact that the water purification system – that was able to be purchased from funds raised by Plaza students – will have on the community. Specifically, the filter is going to a community in Zimbabwe to serve as a clean water source for a hospital. In addition, the individuals in charge of the hospital construction project also will be on hand to talk with students about how important their gift is for people in Zimbabwe. According to Plaza Principal Shane Browder, the construction managers have called Plaza students “their angels.”

Background:

Earlier this year, Plaza kicked off this project – the Plaza Park Student Leadership Committee (SLC) – designed for sixth grade students who are interested in learning to be positive and effective leaders. According to Plaza, students involved in the SLC were trained in leadership techniques as they attended bi-monthly meetings with sixth grade teachers and had opportunities to meet with community leaders to learn from their experience and insight. These meetings allowed students to learn real-world techniques and policies that allowed them to be successful going forward.

After mastering leadership skills and putting what they had learned into practice, students developed and executed a plan to raise enough money to provide clean drinking water for a village in Africa.

North High School’s German Club will host its annual Spring Craft and Vendor Fair on Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at North High School. More than 60 crafters and vendors will be in attendance. In addition to vendors, there also will be a silent auction.

Admittance is free and open to the public.

Stockwell Elementary School is hosting the Stockwell Super Saturday event Saturday, April 27, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will include a petting zoo; bouncy houses; a silent auction; performances by the Stockwell Singers, Stockwell Steppers and Stockwell Color Guard; dance contest; book giveaway and much more.

The event is free and open to the public.

Thursday, April 25

8 – 10 a.m.

Harrison High School, 211 Fielding Rd.

The EVSC’s Center for Family & Community Outreach is rolling out the red carpet tomorrow for its Red Carpet Premiere, scheduled from 8 to 10 a.m. at Harrison. Students enrolled in the program have been busy working with local non-profits to create videos for them to use. As part of the assignment, students researched topics, created video storyboard designs, shot the footage, and edited the final product. Students will present their final productions to Evansville ARC, 4C’s, Vanderburgh Humane Society and the YWCA at the event tomorrow.

The EVSC’s Center for Family & Community Outreach, which is housed at Harrison High School, is open to any student in the area. The goal of the CFCO is to connect students’ talents with document and media creation to serve Evansville’s non-profit organizations. Students design and create technical documents, digital media, and presentations to meet the needs of local non-profit groups and family initiatives.

Over 300,000 individuals expected to take a Stand Against Racism

Friday, April 26, 2013

11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

University of Southern Indiana Amphitheatre

Free Admission. All are welcome.

Activities: Proclamation by Mayor Lloyd Winnecke; Remarks from Diane Clements (Human Relations Commission), Indiana State Representative Gail Riecken, USI Student Leaders, and YWCA officials; Vocal Performances; and community pledge against racism.

OPEN MIC Night DETAILS

Date: Friday, April 26, 2013

Times: 7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Location: Arts Council of Southwest Indiana

Cost: Free Admission. All are welcome

Activities: The Open Mic Night theme is race, racism, social justice and cultural diversity. Performers are invited to call 422-1191 to register!

(Evansville, IN) Join the YWCA and the University of Southern Indiana and take a Stand Against Racism with a rally from 11:30 to 1 p.m. Friday, April 26, in the University Center Amphitheatre, located outside the University Center on the USI campus.

The rally will include comments from a variety of local officials, including Mayor Lloyd Winnecke, who will read a special proclamation; Erika Taylor, CEO of the YWCA; Diane Clements of the Human Relations Commission; State Representative Gail Riecken; and Danyelle Granger, assistant vice president of Diversity and Foundation Program Officer at Old National Bank. Representatives of various USI student groups will speak and Designed by Grace, USI’s gospel choir, will perform.

Stand Against Racism is a nationwide movement that was initiated by the YWCA of Trenton, New Jersey in 2008 in order to raise awareness that racism still exists in our communities and that it can no longer be ignored or tolerated.

“Our objective is to bring together organizations who believe, like we do, that united we can eliminate racism,” Taylor said.

The USI Social Work Department’s Center for Social Justice Education and the USI Office of the Provost join the YWCA to sponsor this event as community partners.

In case of rain, the event will be moved to the Eagle’s Nest in University Center West.

That evening, the YWCA, USI Center for Social Justice Education, and Arts Council of Southwest Indiana will present an Open Mic Night from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Arts Council’s Bower-Suhrheinrich Foundation Gallery. Artists will incorporate the topics of racism, race, social justice, diversity, or multiculturalism into their performances. Call the YWCA at 812/422-1191 if you are interested in performing.

Both events are free and open to the public.

The YWCA is dedicated to eliminating racism, empowering women and promoting peace, justice, freedom and dignity for all. The Evansville YWCA is a member of the YWCA of the U.S.A., the oldest and largest women’s membership movement in the country.

Over the years, YWCA programs have changed to meet the evolving needs of women and girls. In 1979, the YWCA opened the first domestic violence shelter in Evansville. Other current programs include a Transition Housing Program for women in recovery, Emergency Shelter for homeless women and children, an after-school and mentoring program, called Live Y’ers, for at-risk girls in grades 3 through 12, Summer Fun day camp for school-aged children, and a Food Pantry station. Special programs and events for the general public are also offered. Visit www.ywcaevansville.org for more information.

YWCA 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline • 866-367-9922

There will be a special meeting of the Common Council of the City of Evansville,

Indiana, on Monday, April 29, 2013 to discuss the proposed new downtown hotel and the proposed Indiana University Medical School in Evansville. This meeting is open to the public and will begin at 5:30 p.m. in Room 301 of the Civic Center, 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

There will be a special meeting of the Common Council of the City of Evansville, Indiana

on Wednesday, May 1, 2013 for presentation of the Johnson Control Contract.

This meeting is open to the public and will begin at 5:00 p.m. in Room 301 of the Civic Center, 1 N.W. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd.

INDIANAPOLIS – We have a few days left in the 2013 session of the Indiana General Assembly.

The Speaker of the House says we may get done a few days before our April 29 deadline, and negotiators already are working overtime on the one bill we must pass this session—a biennial state budget.

Updated revenue projections now indicate our state’s financial picture is improving a little and we are collecting more money than before, but there still are substantial differences in the things I feel must be addressed in this session: helping the middle class first and reinforcing traditional local public schools.

Right now, most of the attention is focusing on tax relief for Hoosier families…or at least what those in charge call tax relief.

What are their solutions? Let’s review:

The governor is calling for a 10-percent cut in state income taxes, which means about $4 a week if you’re making around $50,000 a year.

House Republicans don’t want to cut state income taxes at all.

Senate Republicans advocate a 3-percent cut in state income taxes…which means about a buck a week in savings.

It’s a shame that a final answer will come from somewhere in the vicinity of those proposals. I say it’s a shame because House Democrats have a better idea about giving middle class taxpayers a break. Let me review that plan:
•A 15-percent state income tax cut for Hoosiers making less than $25,000.
•A 10-percent state income tax cut for Hoosiers making between $25,000 and $50,000.
•A 5-percent state income tax cut for Hoosiers making between $50,000 and $100,000.
•A 2.5-percent state income tax cut for Hoosiers making between $100,000 and $200,000.

Look at all those plans and you tell me: which does the most for folks like you?

What was done about creating jobs for Hoosiers? Let a headline from a newspaper in northern Indiana tell you: “Pence signs ‘jobs bills’ that create no jobs.”

Let me remind you again…expanding affordable healthcare in Indiana would create 30,000 new Hoosier jobs and provide healthcare insurance coverage for 400,000 more Hoosiers.

Since I like to end these reports on a positive note, let me tell you about a major announcement made last week designed to help provide relief for people struggling to pay their mortgages and facing foreclosure.

The Hardest Hit Fund will make more than $180 million in federal funds available for homeowners who can no longer afford their mortgages because of:
•Unemployment or loss of a job;
•Underemployment or a major reduction in income;
•Substantial reduction in income due to the death of a family member;
•Significant non-elective medical expenses, procedures or emergencies; or
•Being called up for military service.

To get more details about the Hardest Hit Fund, call toll-free 1-877-GET-HOPE or visit www.877GetHope.com.