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Indiana Grown Symposium welcomes all

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USDA-NRCS Baltimore County Soil Conservationist Sam Engle visits Warren Blue at The Greener Garden Urban Farm LLC, in Baltimore, Md., July 26, 2021. With USDA money, Blue has installed several hoop houses and recently installed a water meter, irrigation pipeline, and micro irrigation system through the Agricultural Management Assistance (AMA) program that helps agricultural producers manage financial risk. USDA/FPAC Photo by Preston Keres

INDIANAPOLIS (Feb. 7, 2024) – Indiana Grown, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture’slocal marketing initiative, will be hosting a day-long conference focused on educational seminars for Indiana Grown members, Indiana agritourism operators and food based businesses.

The event is March 19, 2024, from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds (1900 E. Main St., Danville, IN 46122). Registration is $45 and includes a continental breakfast and lunch. Interested businesses and Indiana Grown members can register for the event at indianagrown.org.

Organizations and businesses interested in being trade show vendors or a sponsors can find those opportunities at indianagrown.org.

“This event is a great resource to all those who are interested in agriculture and agritourism,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “This symposium offers a wide range of informational sessions and networking to everyone involved in agriculture who might be looking to become an agricultural destination.”

Attendees will also have the opportunity to speak with and learn from industry professionals on a multitude of topics, such as social media, farm finances, operator liabilities, hiring and training employees, succession planning, event planning, zoning and insurance, building relationships with distributors, determining your product pricing and more. There will also be a panel discussion and a trade show opportunity for attendees to meet with vendors.

New to 2024, businesses do not have to be an Indiana Grown member to attend.

Attendees could include small agribusinesses looking to expand their products into new markets, agribusinesses interested in social media and marketing expertise, agritourism operations who would like to expand their on-farm attractions, creating a memorable guest experience, farm to table events and much more.

“Indiana Grown is thrilled to be hosting our third Indiana Grown Symposium and to be opening this event to all business owners looking for support as they continue to expand their businesses,” said Caroline Patrick, Indiana Grown Director. “This is a great opportunity to connect with experts from over 30 different business and agritourism topics, interact with Indiana Grown members and learn what the Indiana Grown program has to offer. This is a one-of-a-kind event for Hoosier businesses, and we are so excited to gather our members for continued learning and networking.”

Featured speakers include:

  • Lt. Governor Crouch, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development
  • Don Lamb, ISDA Director
  • Suzi Spahr, NAFDMA (Indianapolis)
  • Krista Stillwell, Stillwell + Co (Frankfort)
  • Terry & Courtney Engstrand, White Oaks Bison Farm (Rochester)
  • Dr. Cheryl Miller, Indiana Board of Animal Health
  • Polly Dobbs, Dobbs & Foltz (Peru)
  • Dr. Ariana Torres, Purdue University
  • Sharon Pattee, Indiana Department of Health
  • Brianna Schroeder, Janzen Ag Law (Indianapolis)
  • Kirsty Kikly, Redbud Farms (Spiceland)
  • Spencer Guinn, Kentucky Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (KY)
  • Janice Lee & Dave Hosick, Indiana Department of Homeland Security
  • Jim Cockrum, Silent Jim – E-Commerce (Greenwood)
  • Ruth Ann Roney, Tuttle’s Orchard (Greenfield)
  • Anna Whelchel, Indiana State Fairgrounds and Event Center
  • Chef Jeff Bricker, Ivy Tech Community College
  • Jessica Pontius, Daniel’s Vinyard (McCordsville)
  • Allie Rieth, American Dairy Association of Indiana
  • Dana Dull, Dull’s Tree Farm (Thorntown)
  • Beth & Tim Sheets, Heritage Farm & Events (Flora)
  • Jordan Pierce, Stuckey Farm Orchard and Cider Mill (Sheridan)
  • Liz Brownlee, Partners in food and farming (Columbus)
  • Craig Lindauer, Lindauer and Sons Dairy Farm (Ferdinand)

Including representatives from:

  • Indiana State Department of Agriculture
  • Indiana Farm Bureau
  • Indiana Small Business Development Corporation
  • Indiana Destination Development Corporation
  • MacFarland PR
  • Veterans IN Farming
  • USDA – GAP Certification Leads
  • RJL Solutions (Terre Haute)
  • Indiana Grown for Schools
  • FEMI
  • Fairs and Festivals
  • Farm Service Agency
  • Optiviz Media
  • Indiana Produce Safety

Southern Indiana Dance Marathon returns March 23

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Southern Indiana Dance Marathon (SIDM) will return to the University of Southern Indiana for its 12th year on Saturday, March 23 in Carter Hall, located in University Center West. Participants will be on their feet for 12 hours straight to raise money and awareness for Riley Hospital for Children. This year’s event will begin at noon Saturday, March 23 and continue until midnight Sunday, March 24.

SIDM is seeking support to meet its $50,000 fundraising goal. All funds raised benefit the Riley Children’s Foundation to support groundbreaking pediatric research, patient programs in need of additional funding, Riley Maternity and Newborn Health and family support programs, such as child life and social work.

“Southern Indiana Dance Marathon is an amazing organization that raises money for Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis,” says Delaney Radican ’25, education major. “Riley is near and dear to my heart. I’ve been a part of this organization for the last three years. The money that is raised at our Dance Marathon can help a child in need.”

Radican and Marcus Robinson ’25 are leading this year’s event as SIDM Co-Presidents. Robinson and his twin brother, Brady, both juniors in the USI Nursing Program, have a special reason to be involved with Riley Hospital. Born prematurely, Brady suffered a brain bleed when he was only 14 months old. “After being rushed to Riley, they soon realized that I needed to undergo brain surgery,” he says. “I was diagnosed with hydrocephalus, which is excess fluid on the brain that leads to swelling and increased pressure.”

Brady said the neurosurgeon placed a shunt that helps drain fluid from his brain into his stomach. “Since the initial placement, I have undergone four additional surgeries at Riley. I was also diagnosed with stage 3 chronic kidney disease, and I see a nephrologist at Riley to monitor my kidney functions,” he says. “Riley gives so many kids like me a second shot at life, and that is why I am a member of this year’s Southern Indiana Dance Marathon executive board.”

USI students can get involved by registering to attend the 12-hour event. Registration is $25 and includes event entry and snacks/meals for the day.

SIDM is currently seeking sponsors for custom T-shirts that participants and volunteers will wear during the Dance Marathon. This sponsorship will not go directly to Riley Hospital but will support the student organization raising funds for Riley. Businesses and individuals unable to sponsor the shirts but interested in supporting Southern Indiana Dance Marathon at any level may do so by directing their funds to the University of Southern Indiana Foundation (please make notation of SIDM).

Each year, local Riley families attend the Dance Marathon to share their Riley experience with the USI students. Contact one of the SIDM Co-Presidents at mtrobinson@eagles.usi.edu or kdradican@eagles.usi.edu if you know a Riley family who would like to be involved.

USI Women’s Basketball clinches OVC Tournament berth with win over SIUE

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball clinched its first-ever Ohio Valley Conference Tournament berth inside Screaming Eagles Arena on Saturday night behind a 75-58 victory against Southern Illinois University Edwardsville.

After missing out on the OVC’s postseason field of eight last season due to a tiebreaker, Southern Indiana became the first OVC program to claim its spot this season with its league-leading 11-1 conference record. Saturday’s win pushed USI’s overall record to 16-6. Following Saturday’s results, USI holds a three-game first-place lead in the conference standings. Additionally, Southern Indiana swept its pair of home games this week, marking the sixth OVC weekly sweep for the Eagles this season.

Saturday was Homecoming and Hall of Fame Night at Screaming Eagles Arena, and on an evening of celebration and welcoming back alumni, Southern Indiana got its largest crowd of the season of over 2,000 fans excited right away. USI started the game with back-to-back three-pointers within the first minute of action. USI led 8-0 before SIUE got on the scoreboard. Senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) had a fast start for the Screaming Eagles, scoring seven of USI’s first 10 points. The offense then cooled as the Eagles led 12-4 with 4:30 left on the clock in the opening quarter. Southern Indiana grabbed an 18-12 lead at the end of the first quarter off a buzzer-beating jumper by junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana).

Defenses continued to make things tough for both offenses in the early minutes of the second period. However, Southern Indiana got the offense rolling by using its size advantage inside to add to its lead. Raley reached the 10-point mark just 13 minutes into the first half. Shafford drained a jumper to put USI up by double digits, 25-14, three minutes into the second quarter. Southern Indiana produced two double-figure runs that allowed the Screaming Eagles to build a sizable lead. Freshman forward Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee) paced the charge by the Eagles with 10 second-quarter points, as USI outscored the Cougars 23-9 and shot nearly 70 percent in the second frame to take a 41-21 halftime advantage.

Out of the intermission, it took nearly four minutes for Southern Indiana to find the bottom of the net, but back-to-back triples did the trick. Sophomore guard Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana) drained one of the treys before stroking through a mid-range jumper to give USI a 21-point lead, 49-28, midway into the third quarter. The Screaming Eagles tacked on to their lead with another pair of threes from Saunders and graduate guard Tori Handley (Jeffersonville, Indiana). Southern Indiana’s defense also remained tough, as USI held SIUE to 3-15 for 20 percent shooting for the third straight quarter. The Eagles carried a 59-31 lead to the fourth stanza.

In the first portion of the fourth quarter, Saunders canned another three, while Gannon added to her solid game. Gannon reached 18 points in the fourth, matching a career best. Southern Indiana led by more than 30 in the middle of the period, but the Cougars did not go quietly. SIUE shot for 60 percent and connected five times from long range in the fourth.

For the game, Southern Indiana was 28-59 for 47 percent shooting, knocking down eight threes. USI was also 11-15 for 73 percent at the foul line. The Screaming Eagles had 36 bench points and won the rebounding battle, 39-36. Gannon paced USI with 18 points, and Saunders finished with 13 points on a perfect 5-5 shooting night and 3-3 from beyond the arc. Shafford tallied nine points with 11 rebounds. Shafford had scored 10 or more in the previous 19 games. Raley chipped in 10 points in the game Saturday.

SIUE (4-21, 1-11) was held by Southern Indiana’s defense to only 30 percent shooting (18-60) with seven triples. The Cougars did go a perfect 15-15 at the free-throw stripe. SIUE had three players score in double figures.

Gov. Holcomb directs Indiana National Guard to support Texas border security mission

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INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced today that effective immediately he is deploying the Indiana National Guard to support the ongoing border security mission in Texas. Gov. Holcomb joined 13 other governors at the U.S. – Mexico border in Texas earlier this week to receive a detailed briefing from the front lines.

“Federal negligence enforcing immigration law and the failure to secure our country’s border jeopardizes national and economic security, affecting every state, including Indiana,” Gov. Holcomb said.  “We’ve worked too hard in Indiana attacking the drug epidemic for more Hoosier lives to be put at risk by a constant supply of killer drugs spilled over an open U.S. border. The only way to resolve this is to stop the historically high flow of illegal immigrants crossing the border.”

Following the recent direct request from Governor Greg Abbott, Gov. Holcomb is sending 50 Hoosier Guardsmen to the southern border to support the Texas National Guard on their security mission. These soldiers will begin mobilizing for the mission immediately and will arrive in Texas in mid-March. The soldiers being deployed will spend one week at Camp Atterbury for training on the operations of the mission and will then deploy to Texas for ten months.

“Whatever the mission – whether it’s supporting a Hoosier community in the face of natural disaster, standing with our allies or against our adversaries overseas, or protecting the border – the soldiers and airmen of the Indiana National Guard are uniquely trained, equipped and capable of mobilizing whenever and wherever we’re called,” said Major General Dale Lyles, the adjutant general of the Indiana National Guard. “We stand ready to support the Texas National Guard in securing the southern border.”

The Indiana National Guard has a long history of supporting the mission to secure the southern border. From October of 2020 to October 2023, 300 Indiana Guardsmen and women have served various federal missions at the southern border.

The Indiana National Guard is comprised of thousands of soldiers and airmen, Army National Guard armories and units across the state, training facilities at Camp Atterbury and Muscatatuck Urban Training Center and Air National Guard wings in Fort Wayne and Terre Haute.

No. 5 Trailblazers ride fast start to Region 24 win over Lake Land

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VINCENNES, Ind. – The No. 5-ranked Vincennes University Trailblazers made a few changes to the starting lineup Saturday afternoon against Lake Land College from Mattoon, Ill. and the Blazers jumped out to an early 16 point first half lead.

The Lakers battled back to cut the deficit to six at halftime but the Trailblazers were able to go wire-to-wire to pick up the 66-58 victory over Lake Land.

VU got off to an excellent start Saturday afternoon, scoring the first seven points of the game and later using a 10-0 scoring run to build a 20-4 advantage midway through the first half.

Lake Land would battle back and gain some momentum offensively, using an 11-1 scoring run to cut the deficit down to six, where the VU lead would hold throughout the rest of the first half.

The Trailblazers held on to a 28-22 lead heading into the locker room at the break.

Vincennes looked to get off to another quick start to begin the second half, growing the lead back to double digits at 34-24 before the Lakers again cut it back to six.

VU would add to the lead again to increase the margin to 45-34 before the Lakers answered with six straight points to get back within five.

The Trailblazers’ largest lead of the second half came at 59-47 before the Lakers converted a four point play and got back within six.

Vincennes would put the game away at the free throw line down the stretch, with Lake Land running out of time for another comeback as VU closed out a 66-58 victory over the Lakers.

“We played pretty good defense,” VU Hall of Fame Head Coach Todd Franklin said. “We’ve won two games this week and shot 35 percent twice. National best in the country, which we’re usually right there, is somewhere between 36 and 38 percent at our level and NCAA Division I. We’re shooting worse than that. So how do you win when you are shooting worse than that? You have to hold the other team down better than that and that’s what we’ve done.”

“We’ve played pretty good defense both games this week and I think our defense is getting better,” Franklin added. “We’ll have some mental breakdowns here and there, but if we can clean those up a little bit. I think since the Olney game our defense has been pretty good. We’ve held teams down into the 50s and the low 60s, with shooting percentages down. So there’s good things. When you shoot 35 percent and win, you have to do a lot of good things.”

 

DEATH LIST REPORT

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Weekly Death Report Jan 8 to Jan 14 2024

February 11 Proclaimed 211 Day in Indiana

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FREE | CONFIDENTIAL | AVAILABLE 24/7

Indiana 211’s mission is to improve quality of life for Hoosiers by promoting equity and connecting people to health and human service resources through highly skilled navigators, continuous community collaboration and a robust community database and technological innovations. National 211 Day celebrates and helps to spread awareness in the United States about assistance, resources and services offered by 211. As a result, Governor Eric Holcomb has proclaimed Feb. 11, 2024, as 211 Day in Indiana.

Indiana 211 became a part of the Family and Social Services Administration in July of 2020, and since then, has assisted hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers connect with help and answers from thousands of health and human service agencies and resources in their local communities—quickly, easily and confidentially. Indiana 211’s team is comprised of experienced, responsive and compassionate community navigators who are skilled at actively listening and identifying needs and providing referrals that best meet those needs

In 2023, Indiana 211 answered approximately 180,905 calls and community navigators helped make over 637,930 referrals to community organizations and programs.

Indiana 211 uses statistical data from calls, texts, and web visits to help shed light on the nature of social needs in Indiana for community decision-makers and government across the state. Communities are encouraged to search the Indiana 211 dashboard, county-by county, by multiple counties or statewide, to identify top need categories by their chosen metric, including the percentage of unmet needs within each need category.

GeoFest is back!

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Whether you’re a rockhound, a fossil enthusiast or you just love crystals and gems, there is something exciting for everyone to discover. This annual program features three days and three floors of rock, mineral and fossil vendors along with hands-on activities and community partner displays for visitors to enjoy. Meet GeoFest sponsor Irving Materials, Inc., to do some special make-and-takes and check out a real cement truck!

 Feb. 16 – 18  10:00 am to 5:00 pm

Included with museum admission; $2/Access Pass member*; $5/Indiana college student with ID*; $7/BSA and Girl Scouts and their families*

Guest Blog: What’s in a Geode?

By Peggy Fisherkeller
Curator of Geology, Indiana State Museum and Historic Sites

For my job as curator of geology, I get to do some excellent things. One of my favorites is identifying mystery rocks.

It usually starts with an email that goes something like this: “I don’t know if this is the right place, but I have this rock…” Rock identification isn’t the most common skill, but amazingly, it doesn’t do as much as you’d think to make me popular at parties.

USI starts weekend slate with 6-1 loss

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Tennis (1-3) began the weekend with a 6-1 loss to Western Kentucky University (3-3) Saturday evening at the Evansville Tennis Center.
 
Doubles: The Screaming Eagles put up a fight but lost the doubles decision. Junior Madison Windham (Clarksville, Tennessee)/senior Rachel McCorkle (Tulsa, Oklahoma) partners came up just short at number three with a 6-3 loss.
 
Singles: USI picked up a win in singles play after freshman Antonia Ferrarini (Caxias do Sul, Brazil) secured the 7-5, 6-1 victory at number three for her second career singles win.
 

USI completes pair of meets in split weekend

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BOSTON, Mass. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Track & Field had two meets this weekend between the GVSU Big Meet in Allendale, Michigan, and the David Hemery Valentine Invitational in Boston, Massachusetts.
 
At the GVSU Big Meet, all five Eagles who competed in the 5,000 meters earned a personal best. Freshman Alex Nolan (Evansville, Indiana) paved the way with a time of 14 minutes and 54.76 seconds to earn sixth place in his heat. In heat number five, it was freshman Landen Swiney (Du Quoin, Illinois) who set the tone for USI with a ninth-place finish and a time of 15:15.29. Right behind him was freshman Tyler Zimmerman (Evansville, Indiana) after crossing the line in 15:26.86 to finish in 15th place while freshman Mukal Verma (Palatine, Illinois) finished the race in 15:54.42 to place 24th. Senior Draven Thompson (Huntertown, Indiana) closed out the day with a 15:18.78 time and an 11th-place finish in heat seven.
 
In Boston, senior Mitchell Hopf (Santa Claus, Indiana) shattered his 5,000-meter personal record with a time of 14:19.38 to cross the line in 21st place in the unseeded event. Freshman Cole Hess (Cannelton, Indiana) beat out his previous personal-best time in the mile with a time of 4:15.89. Senior Noah Hufnagel (Santa Claus, Indiana) rounded out the Eagle runners by making a top-100 finish with a time of 14:10.35.

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