CenterPoint Energy enters final phase of major natural gas infrastructure investment in Indiana
Enhancing safety and reliability through pipeline modernization program
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – CenterPoint Energy is advancing its commitment to delivering safe, reliable natural gas service by entering the final phase of a multi-year pipeline modernization program throughout Indiana. With a planned $25 million investment in 2025, the company will replace more than 19 miles of aging bare steel and cast-iron pipelines with modern infrastructure designed to enhance system safety and reliability.
“Through strategic, long-term investments, we’ve strengthened our infrastructure with industry-grade materials that meet current federal and industry safety standards,” said Gregg Maurer, Vice President, Gas Operations, Indiana and Ohio. “As we move into the final phase of this work, our focus remains on completing these upgrades efficiently while minimizing disruptions for customers and communities.”
What’s ahead in 2025
CenterPoint’s natural gas pipeline modernization efforts will continue this year in Anderson, Daleville, Eaton, Elwood, Evansville, Harrodsburg, Hartford City, Huntington, Marion, Markle, Markleville, Muncie, Noblesville and Pendleton.
As part of these efforts, aging pipelines will be replaced with industry-grade materials that meet today’s safety and regulatory standards. These upgrades will improve system reliability, reduce the potential for leaks and support safe, consistent natural gas service for homes and businesses.
Advancing natural gas system modernization across Indiana
Over the past 16 years, CenterPoint has retired more than 1,030 miles of aging pipeline across its Indiana North & South service territories. These efforts have led to measurable reductions in leak-related service calls and operational emissions.
“As we continue modernizing our natural gas system and deploying advanced technologies, we’re making long-term investments that enhance safety, improve reliability and provide customers with a better overall experience,” Maurer added.
In addition to replacing bare steel and cast-iron pipelines, CenterPoint has implemented cutting-edge technologies to further strengthen its system, including:
· Picarro Advanced Mobile Leak Detection System: Which detects potential methane leaks 1,000 times more sensitively than traditional methods.
· Intelis natural gas smart meters: Which provide hourly usage tracking and built-in safety features.
By combining infrastructure upgrades with advanced technology investments, CenterPoint is continuing to enhance the safety and reliability of its natural gas system for customers and communities in Indiana.
What customers should expect
The replacement of natural gas mains under streets and sidewalks will be prioritized, followed by service lines that run directly to homes and businesses. Affected sidewalks, yards and streets will be restored as weather conditions allow. Timelines for each project will vary based on the scope of the project, weather and soil conditions. Crews will work safely and as quickly as possible to minimize impact on customers and surrounding areas.
Customers are urged to keep a safe distance away from any work sites. Additionally, if you smell the “rotten egg” odor of natural gas, avoid anything that could spark a flame and immediately leave on foot to a safe location. Once at a safe location, call both 911 and CenterPoint Energy at 800-227-1376.
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Aces to face Oregon State in opening round of Paradise Jam
Bracket released for November tournament
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The bracket has been released for November’s 8-team Paradise Jam in the Virgin Islands. In its opening round game, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team is set to square off against Oregon State.
It marks the second meeting between the schools with the first match-up being one of the most important games in Purple Aces history. On March 17, 1989, the teams met up in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament in Tucson, Arizona. Evansville came out on the winning end of a 94-90 overtime decision and was the first Division I NCAA Tournament win in program history.
Following the opener, UE will face either Iona or Akron in the second round. Potential opponents in the third contest include Green Bay, Yale, UMass and Charleston. The tournament opens on November 21 with UE and OSU playing in the final game of the day at 9 p.m. AST.
LIFE FROM ABOVE
GAVEL GAMUT
By Jim Redwine
www.jamesmredwine.com
(Week of 12 May 2025)
LIFE FROM ABOVE
Israel has imposed a total blockade of humanitarian aid to the citizens of Gaza. No food, no water systems and no medical supplies are allowed to the more than 2 million people who live there. Israel enforces its prohibition militarily. Israel also bombs hospitals, schools, places of worship and residences. Since October 07, 2023 over 52,000 Gazans, including thousands of children, have been directly killed by Israel and many more are dying each day due to lack of food, water and medical care. The Zionist led government of Israel in March 2025 publicly announced these actions to be its official policy. Israel has received massive amounts of United States military aid to help enable it to implement these actions. The United States has the moral and legal responsibility to cease aiding this humanitarian catastrophe.
The moral issues are subject to debate, but the legal prohibition of United States military and civilian aid to Israel is specifically required by Section 6201 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. Six United States Senators have just signed a letter addressed to the Comptroller General, Gene Dodaro, citing the Foreign Assistance Act, asking for an investigation of Israel’s, and other countries’, denial of human rights to others while receiving U.S. aid. The Act provides no presidential waiver for such actions. Aid to Gaza’s residents should be both massive and immediate. And history provides a guide. From 26 June 1948 to 30 September 1949, the United States and Great Britain operated the Berlin Air Lift that flew over 250,000 humanitarian flights over Stalin’s blockade of aid to Germany’s war-ravaged populace. Food, fuel, medical supplies and other non-military aid helped save countless lives. It would also be apropos for the West to help Palestine because there would have been no state of Israel in 1948 without America and England.
The United States has far greater capability in 2025 than it did in 1948. We can and should alleviate the suffering we helped create. It is both our moral responsibility and our legal duty under our own laws. Also, the only truly permanent road to peace and prosperity involving Israel and its neighbors must come from a Marshall Plan type of solution. America knows both the Berlin Air Lift and the Marshall Plan were humanitarian actions that helped bring much of the world peace, stability and prosperity since WWII.
Since history has proven how greatly we ourselves can profit by simply doing the harder right things, let’s do them. After all, our own laws require them, even if we do not do so because it is right and just.
For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com
Bowser and Hoyer send Trailblazers to Conference Championship game
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – The Vincennes University baseball team was back in action Friday afternoon at the 2025 Mid-West Athletic Conference Pool B tournament hosted by Lincoln Land Community College in Springfield, Ill.
The Trailblazers, facing elimination for the second straight game, battled against a tough Parkland College team and rode a pair of excellent pitching performances by sophomore JD Bowser (Mt. Carmel, Ill.) and freshman Jakob Hoyer (Georgetown, Ind.) to pick up the 3-1 victory over the Cobras.
Vincennes opened the scoring in the first after a leadoff single by sophomore Bradyn Douglas (Frankton, Ind.).
Douglas would move up on a stolen base before scoring the first run of the game on an RBI single by sophomore Nate Montgomery to put the Blazers up early 1-0.
Parkland would respond and get on the board in the third, evening the score at 1-1.
Vincennes would get the lead back in the fifth after a leadoff walk by sophomore Bryce Gross (Bridgeport, Ill.) and freshman Jevan Andrews (Hobart, Ind.) being hit by pitch.
Gross would put the Blazers back on top by scoring on a fielder’s choice put in play by Nate Montgomery, giving him two RBIs on the day.
Andrews would also come around to score later in the inning on a fielding error by the Cobras on a ball put in play by freshman Carter Gricius (Scottsburg, Ind.), giving Vincennes a 3-1 lead over Parkland.
The Trailblazers pitching took over from there as the Blazers closed out the final six innings on the mound without allowing a run as VU closed out the 3-1 victory over the Cobras, sending them to the MWAC Pool B Championship game tomorrow morning.
Sophomore JD Bowser got the start on the mound for the Trailblazers and pitched an excellent game on the mound, throwing six and one-third innings, allowing one run on five hits and striking out four.
Freshman Jakob Hoyer took over the game for Bowser, working his way out of a pair of bases loaded jams in his two and two-thirds innings of relief, allowing just a single hit in the outing.
“JD Bowser had an unbelievable six-plus innings and Hoyer coming in to get the last two and two-thirds innings,” VU Head Baseball Coach Chris Barney said. “You can’t credit the sophomore enough for stepping up in that situation. He had been in it last year and struggled and this year really did a great job for us. I’m extremely proud of him and extremely proud of all 31 guys that are here. They’ve done a great job all the way through.”
“We took advantage of a few mistakes that they had early, did some really good base running,” Barney added. “Now we’ve got to come back tomorrow and have that same energy and life.”
“We’ve got to do a better job of swinging it and putting balls in play,” Barney said. “They did a good job of adjusting to us. Their pitchers did a good job against us after the first kid struggled a bit in the first inning. We’ve got to swing the bat a little better. We’ve still got Douglas swinging it well and a few other guys that continue to move guys up and get us into scoring position. We’ve got to continue to do that and be successful.”
The Trailblazers will look to keep this momentum going as the Blazers now head into a rematch against their opening round opponent and host Lincoln Land Community College Saturday, May 10 in the MWAC/Region 24 Pool B Championship game.
PROPERTY TAX BILLS DUE MONDAY 5/12/25
Spring property tax payments are due on or before May 12th, 2025. For information about your property or taxes, our website is engage.xsoftinc.com/Vanderburgh OR vanderburghcounty82.us
Ways to pay your bill
• Pay at the Treasurer’s drop box in front of the Civic Center @ 1 NW MLK Jr Blvd. Evansville, IN
47708
• Mail to – Vanderburgh County Treasurer PO Box 77 Evansville, IN 47701
• Any tri-state Old National Bank location (with your bill)
• Website – engage.xsoftinc.com/Vanderburgh
• Call 1-877-690-3729. Enter jurisdiction code 2436, option 1 for real property or option 2 for
personal property
• Pay in the Treasurer’s Office located @ 1 NW MLK Jr. Blvd, Evansville, IN. Room 210 of the
Civic Center
EVSC Board of School TrusteesMeeting
The Board of School Trustees of the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation will meet in executive session at 4:00 PM. on Monday, May 12, 2025 in the Schroeder Conference Centre located in the EVSC Administration Building, 951 Walnut, IN 47713,
Evansville, IN. The session will be conducted according to I.C. 5-14-1.5-6.1. The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the following: collective bargaining, (b)(2)(A) initiation of litigation or litigation that is either pending or has been threatened specifically in writing, (b)(2)(B); purchase or lease of property, (b)(2)(D); discussion of the assessment, design, and implementation of school safety and security measures, plans, and systems (b)(3); and job performance evaluation of individual employees (b)(9).
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EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT
FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Aces baseball picks up series-opening win at Southern Illinois
