EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT
Infant Death
The Vanderburgh County Coroner’s Office and the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office are investigating the death of a 6 month old infant at Deaconess Midtown Hospital. The infant was brought by ambulance to the emergency room however attempts to revive him failed.  Further investigation reveal the infant had sustained injuries consistent with abuse. An autopsy was conducted on 01-26-2024 and although final results are pending the manner death has been determined to be a homicide.
Eagles fall short of Leathernecks, 73-68
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball fell short of Western Illinois University, 73-68, in Screaming Eagles Arena. The Screaming Eagles fall to 5-16 overall and 2-6 in OVC play, while the Leathernecks are 13-7 overall, 6-1 OVC.
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The Eagles started fast, building a 9-2 lead in the first three minutes. USI hit four of its first five shots with sophomore guard Jack Campion (Milton, Wisconsin) dropping in two of the four shots.
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WIU closed the gap to two, 11-9 and 13-11, with seven minutes gone in the half. The Eagles and the Leathernecks would trade buckets overt the next 10 minutes, with USI lead leading by as many as five points three times.
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After the Leathernecks regained the lead 34-32, USI took back the advantage, 35-34, on a three-pointer by sophomore guard/forward AJ Smith (Edwardsville, Illinois). WIU would get the final three points of the half and ran into the locker room with a 37-35 lead into the break.
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WIU extended its halftime margin to nine points, 54-45, with 13:10 to play in the game after hitting seven-of-11 to begin the second half. USI’ offense was cool in the first seven minutes, dropping in two of its first nine shots.
The Eagles started to climb back into the game with a 5-0 run and a strong defense that held the Leathernecks scoreless for five minutes to make the score, 56-50. USI continued to chip away at the deficit, closing to three points, 61-58, on a pair of free throws by junior guard Jeremiah Hernandez (Chicago, Illinois) with 4:36 remaining.
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USI reduced the deficit to two points three times (62-60, 66-64, 68-66) in the final minutes, but could not get by WIU in the 73-68 decision.
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USI had three players in double-digits, led by Hernandez with game-high 26 points. The 26 points were Hernandez’s third-straight game with 20 or more points.
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Smith followed with 12 points and barely missed his ninth double-double with a team-high nine rebounds. Campion rounded out the double-figure scorers with 11 points.
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Next Up For USI:
USI returns to the road next for a pair of OVC games in Tennessee. The Eagles open the road trip February 1 with a visit to Tennessee Tech University and conclude the trip February 3 with an appointment with Tennessee State University.
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TTU (7-13, 2-5 OVC) started its week with a 68-59 loss at Eastern Illinois University and conclude its road swing with visit to Southern Illinois University Edwardsville Saturday. Golden Eagles took the first game with USI earlier this month 73-59 at Screaming Eagles Arena and leads the all-time series, 3-0.
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TSU (11-9, 4-3 OVC) has one game this week, a visit to EIU Saturday in Charleston, Illinois. USI took a 2-1 lead in the all-time series earlier this month, defeating the Tigers, 69-67, at Screaming Eagles Arena.
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USI pulls away in second half to extend winning streak
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball used a strong second half Thursday night at Screaming Eagles Arena to pull away and win its ninth consecutive game with an 81-61 victory against Western Illinois University, keeping the Screaming Eagles undefeated in the Ohio Valley Conference with an 8-0 conference record.
Southern Indiana, who remains in first place in the OVC by 2.5 games, already surpassed its OVC win total from the 2022-23 season last week. Thursday’s win against the Leathernecks put the Screaming Eagles at 13-5 this season, surpassing last year’s overall mark.
Thursday’s matchup featured two top-three scoring offenses in the Ohio Valley Conference and the Screaming Eagles’ top-scoring defense in league play. After a couple of minutes of settling into the game, Southern Indiana grabbed an early 10-3 advantage three minutes into the contest following a pair of three-pointers and a layup. Then Western Illinois went to work on the offensive end for an 8-0 run to take a one-point lead in the middle of the first quarter. By the end of the first 10 minutes of action, the Leathernecks led 18-15.
The back-and-forth struggle from the first period lingered into the second quarter. After Western Illinois started the second by pushing its lead to five, USI’s freshman forward Chloe Gannon (Manchester, Tennessee) put consecutive baskets through the bottom of the net to bring the Screaming Eagles within one, 22-21. Halfway into the frame, the Leathernecks led 26-22 before USI senior forward Meredith Raley (Haubstadt, Indiana) went on an individual spurt with a mid-range jumper and a triple to push Southern Indiana in front, 27-26. Raley ended up with 10 second-quarter points. Down the stretch of the first half, sophomore guard Ali Saunders (Depauw, Indiana) helped expand the Eagles’ lead on her second trey of the game and a dazzling layup. Southern Indiana carried a 35-28 lead into the halftime locker room.
After a bit of a slow start from the floor to start the second half, Southern Indiana scored back-to-back layups from senior forward Madi Webb (Bedford, Indiana) and junior guard Vanessa Shafford (Linton, Indiana) to maintain its halftime margin. Then the Eagles started to find a consistent balance between their inside and outside game. Under the six-minute mark in the third period, Saunders canned another three to cross into double figures for the game, as USI led 42-35. About two minutes later, Shafford started to heat up from beyond the arc, splashing home a three from the wing to extend the Eagles’ advantage to 10, 47-37. Late in the third, USI went on a 12-0 run, which was sparked by a three-point play from Raley and a made three from Shafford. Southern Indiana went into the fourth stanza ahead 61-43.
Right away in the fourth quarter, Shafford cashed in another three-pointer. Later in the fourth, Southern Indiana went on an 11-2 run, which was highlighted by Gannon making a basket and drawing the foul twice within a minute of action. With six minutes left on the clock, Raley and Saunders swished back-to-back triples to increase the Screaming Eagles’ lead to 25, 75-50. In the two minutes that followed, Gannon scored twice more to set a new career mark. Southern Indiana closed out the victory from there.
Southern Indiana ended the game shooting 47.5 percent from the field (29-61) with 11 makes from long range, nearly double USI’s total three-point makes in the previous two games. USI was 12-23 for 52.2 percent at the foul line. The Screaming Eagles racked up 18 assists after 12 second-half helpers. Individually, Raley led all scorers with 21 points, while Gannon posted a career-high 18 points on 8-13 shooting. Shafford recorded her fourth double-double of the season with 15 points and 12 rebounds. Saunders tallied a season-high 14 points with five rebounds and seven assists, which matched a season best.
Western Illinois, who dropped to 12-6 this season and 3-4 in league action, was held to 30 percent shooting (19-63) and only 19 percent (6-31) from outside the perimeter. The Leathernecks went 17-21 for 81 percent at the free-throw stripe. Freshman combo guard Raegan McCowan paced Western Illinois with 18 points.
The current run by the Screaming Eagles, overall and in conference play, is a team best since 2017-18 when USI rattled off 13 straight victories in the middle of the Great Lakes Valley Conference season. The Screaming Eagles also continue to ride their best start to a conference schedule since 1996-97. The current streak has featured six double-digit margins of victory and two single-digit wins in conference play, flipping some of the close defeats from last season. In addition to completing the three-game homestand sweep, Southern Indiana also picked up its fifth weekly sweep in the OVC schedule after having none in 2022-23.
The Screaming Eagles will return to game action for a pair of road contests next week. USI will head to Tennessee Tech University next Thursday, February 1, for a 5:30 p.m. start before visiting Tennessee State University next Saturday, February 3, for a 1 p.m. tip. Both road games can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on 95.7 FM The Spin.
MASKED HOME INTRUDER FOUND GUILTY AS CHARGED
 Evansville, IN –Prosecutor Diana Moers announces that on January 25, 2024, Michael Steven Lucero Jr. was found guilty after a two-day jury trial in front of Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Reed of the Vanderburgh County Circuit Court. Lucero was charged with Burglary, a Level 4 Felony; Criminal Mischief, a Class A Misdemeanor; and Resisting Law Enforcement, a Class B Misdemeanor.Â
On July 25, 2023, Officers were dispatched at approximately 4:30am on a residential burglary call. The victim had got an alert on her camera system that there was motion inside her deceased brother-in-law’s house. The house had been in the family since the 1940s, and the victim’s brother-in-law had recently passed away. She told police she could see a man sifting through items in the house on the camera, and that residence had been robbed before. Officers began to set up a perimeter around the house as soon as they arrived at the scene. The back door then swung open, glass busting over the patio, and Michael Steven Lucero Jr. ran out. Officers told him to stop, but Lucero continued to run. Officers were soon able to get Lucero to the ground while he continued to resist. When asked why he ran from officers, Lucero said he didn’t want to go back to jail. Stolen items from the house were then found in his backpack.Â
Surveillance footage from inside the home, stolen items, and officer testimony were all presented by Deputy Prosecutor Ian Blair at the trial. “I hope this outcome shows Evansville citizens that law enforcement and the Prosecutor’s Office take seriously the duty to protect their homes, as well as their sense of safety in this community,†stated Deputy Prosecutor Blair after the trial. Prosecutor Diana Moers added: “One of the most terrifying crimes is the breach of one’s own home in the night. The Defendant in this case was held accountable and we will seek a harsh punishment at sentencing. The brave victim made use of home surveillance which was instrumental in keeping her safe by allowing her to alert the police quickly. Police then apprehended the masked intruder ultimately leading the conviction of this Defendant.â€Â
Prosecutor Moers thanks Officers Kory Winn, Ryan Andrews and Robert Morrow, as well as Detectives Todd Lincoln and Alanna Hagensieker, and all other Officers who had a role in this case. Prosecutor Moers also thanks her staff, Victim Advocate Lisa Deutsch and Investigator Jessica Pollock, for their earnest efforts to ensure a smooth trial.Â
Sentencing is scheduled for February 16, 2024, in front of Magistrate Judge Ryan C. Reed of the Vanderburgh County Circuit Court.Â
Talent EVV 2023 Annual Report Showcasing Remarkable Progress And Investment In The Evansville Region
Aligning the Evansville Region for Impactful Growth and Transformation the Evansville Region for Impactful Growth and Transformation
EVANSVILLE, Ind. (January 25, 2024) – Talent EVV, the driving force behind advancing economic prosperity and quality of life in the Evansville Region, unveils its 2023 Annual Report. This comprehensive report is a testament to the significant progress and substantial investments made by the Evansville Region and its stakeholders to advance the goals of Talent EVV.
Regional goals highlighted in the 2023 Annual Report include:
- Population Growth
- New Jobs and Wage Growth
- Increasing Educational Attainment
- Reducing Poverty
- Improving Health Outcomes
 The 2023 Annual Report highlights unprecedented alignment and collaboration within the Evansville Region. Through strategic partnerships and collective efforts, stakeholders have aligned resources, strategies, and initiatives to drive impactful progress toward Talent EVV’s goals. This collaboration positions our communities better than ever to make a lasting impact and transformation for both current and future residents.
“With thousands of young professionals, families, and individuals ready to make an impact, get engaged, innovate, and be advocates for the region, anything is possible. I look forward to the partnerships that will continue to be built across the region to advance the goals of Talent EVV and drive impact. As a region, we have never been positioned better to advance the quality of life and place for our current and future residents,” said Tyler Stock, Executive Director of Talent EVV at the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership.
Celebrating the achievements outlined in the 2023 Annual Report, the Evansville Regional Economic Partnership maintains a steadfast commitment to fostering a thriving and resilient region through the strategic work of Talent EVV. The momentum gained through collaborative initiatives ensures that the Evansville Region is well-positioned to overcome challenges and continues to drive positive impact for all.
Rep. Ledbetter authors legislation to increasehealth care access, lower patient costs
Rep. Ledbetter authors legislation to increase health care access, lower patient costs
STATEHOUSE (Jan. 25, 2024) – State Rep. Cindy Ledbetter (R-Newburgh) filed legislation to improve healthcare access and lower patient costs by expanding the roles of advanced practice registered nurses in Hoosier hospitals and medical facilities.
“As a family psychiatric nurse practitioner, I know the effects of not having enough physicians, especially in our rural communities,” Dr. Ledbetter said. “Advanced practice registered nurses can step up and fill this void given the opportunity just like they did during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. With this bill, APRNs could provide care without unnecessary barriers that ultimately limit health care access and drive up costs for patients.”
Ledbetter said her legislation would delete an outdated state law that requires APRNs to have a practice agreement with a collaborating physician to provide services. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indiana State Board of Nursing temporarily waived this requirement, which she said helped increase access to care and streamline services for patients. Due, in part to this law, the American Association of Nurse Practitioners identifies Indiana as being one of the states that limits the full scope of practice for APRNs. The organization reports that over half of all U.S. states currently allow APRNs to have full practice authority.
Ledbetter’s bill would also allow APRNs with prescriptive authority to prescribe schedule II drugs for addressing obesity.