Home Blog Page 793

Ivy Tech Foundation Annual Day of Giving April 23

0

On Ivy Tech Day, Hoosiers can support Evansville students pursuing “Higher Education at the Speed of Life”

Evansville, Ind. — For a student attending college, a day can mean everything. In fact, a day can change the life of someone building their future. At midnight on April 23, the Ivy Tech Foundation will kick off Ivy Tech Day, the College’s second annual day of giving, to help Ivy Tech Community College’s more than 190,000 students — including those studying at Ivy Tech Evansville — prepare for graduation day and a better every day after.

For 24 hours, alumni, faculty, staff, donors, community leaders and all who care about breaking down barriers to higher education can contribute to Ivy Tech’s mission of preparing Hoosiers for today’s – and tomorrow’s – workforce.

Ivy Tech Day aims to generate resources and create opportunities for communities, as well as reunite and reconnect alumni and friends of Ivy Tech with the important work happening at Indiana’s largest postsecondary institution and engine of workforce development.

“We are incredibly grateful to everyone who participated in Ivy Tech Day last year and look forward to this year’s celebration on April 23, hoping for an even greater impact on our students’ lives,” said Ivy Tech Evansville Chancellor Daniela Vidal. “Our campus is doing amazing work, and Ivy Tech has grown to be the largest community college of its kind in the U.S. Students are receiving unique, personal instruction that prepares them for their careers, and Ivy Tech Day will help us continue making an impact in our community.”

As part of Ivy Tech Day celebrations, the Evansville campus is hosting a range of engaging activities and initiatives throughout the region. The community is invited to join Ivy Tech Evansville and “Go Green” to honor Ivy Tech’s impact. Businesses and organizations are asked to illuminate their spaces in green lights and help to encourage donations.

Funds raised on Ivy Tech Day will support the college’s Helping Hands Fund, providing vital emergency aid for students in need. “By rallying community support, we aim to empower our students to overcome financial obstacles and pursue their educational goals with confidence,” said Vidal.

Ivy Tech President Dr. Sue Ellspermann said Ivy Tech has been a part of the fabric of Indiana for more than 60 years. “Nearly 1 million Hoosiers have completed degrees, courses and credentials supporting successful careers and upward mobility while improving the prosperity of our state,” she said. “If you’ve been treated at an Indiana hospital, driven a car assembled in Indiana, or have a young person who graduated high school with dual credit, you’ve likely benefitted from Ivy Tech. Ivy Tech Day is an opportunity for all Hoosiers to help us deliver ‘Higher Education at the Speed of Life’ and meet our students’ most pressing needs.”

Ivy Tech contributes nearly $4 billion annually to Indiana’s economy, including a net impact of $3.6 billion from alumni working across the state. More than 40,000 degrees, certificates and certifications are awarded annually, and 93 percent of graduates stay in Indiana to pursue their careers. More than 40 percent of Ivy Tech students are the first in their families to attend college, and 25 percent are students of color.

Anyone interested in contributing to Ivy Tech Day can do so at ivytech.edu/giveday starting at 12:01 a.m. ET on April 23. Alumni and friends are invited to participate in a variety of other ways, including setting up a matching gift, becoming a social ambassador, and visiting local community partners on Ivy Tech Day.  The inaugural Ivy Tech Day in 2023 inspired 2,032 gifts raising more than $243,000.

BRAUN RIPS SENATE FOR USE OF EARMARKS IN POWERFUL FLOOR SPEECH

0

U.S. Senator Mike Braun addressed the entire Senate during a speech on the floor calling for fiscal sanity by calling for unanimous consent to pass a bill banning earmarks.

 

Earmarks are personal pet projects that D.C. includes in spending bills to buy votes for legislation. This new spending bill has $12.7 billion in earmarks.

 

During the speech, Braun directed his words to a section of youth in the senate viewing gallery by saying:

 

“It’s a sad state of affairs in the sense that just a little over five years ago we were 18 trillion dollars in debt — borrowing at the tune of about a trillion dollars a year to backfill all of the things we want to do here — and ask you and your kids to pay for it. To me, that’s a bad business plan.” – Senator Braun

 

Watch Senator Braun’s full speech below:

Watch on YouTube | Download

Attorney General Todd Rokita advocates for strong stance against antisemitisminaccord with International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance

1

AG Rokita encourages the House and Senate to pass antisemitism bill 

Attorney General Todd Rokita today expressed his strong support for an antisemitism measure as passed unanimously by the Indiana House of Representatives — before the proposal’s most meaningful components were gutted by an Indiana Senate committee.

By overwhelming margins, Hoosiers stand with Israel and the Jewish people,” Attorney General Rokita said. That means explicitly endorsing, in its entirety, the language and perspective of the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance (IHRA). If we distance ourselves from the IHRA’s definition of antisemitism, we will be left with a law that is watered down and weak.

The original version of this bill, passed unanimously by the House, provided a uniform definition to increase awareness of anti-Jewish discrimination and increase predictable enforcement, especially in our schools – ranging from kindergarten to college. The Senate removed language condemning hateful calls for the destruction of Israel — bowing to misguided arguments that terms like “From the River to the Sea” and “Globalize the Intifada” are directed at Israel, not specific Jewish people or organizations.

“We must do better,” Attorney General Rokita said. “The only way to fix this is to pass this Senate version, which was made toothless, so the House can make it correct again in conference committee. Anything less than that is a betrayal of Jewish individuals and the whole notion of equal protection under the law.

This bill defines antisemitism and provides that antisemitism is discrimination on the basis of religion.

A new study by the Anti-Defamation League found 73% of Jewish college students have experienced or witnessed antisemitism since the start of this school year. This, combined with the devastating attacks on Israel on October 7, raised awareness and encouraged the General Assembly to push this bill. Attorney General Rokita has rigorously supported this bill to further shield the people of the Jewish faith.  

Attorney General Rokita has always been a strong advocate for the Jewish community. Throughout his years as a public servant, serving as Secretary of State, a Member of Congress, and now as Indiana’s Attorney General, Rokita has stood in solidarity with Israel and will continue fighting to preserve religious freedom in the Hoosier state. 

 

 

Retail Food Establishment Inspection Report

0
Healthy food. Healthy eating background. Fruit, vegetable, berry. Vegetarian eating. Superfood

media reports Feb. 11-17,2024

 EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

0
EPD

 

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.

Downtown Evansville 2024 Events Schedule Announcement

0

Downtown Evansville 2024 Events Schedule Announced
EID organized events showcase Downtown and drive economic development

ANNOUNCEMENT – March 6, 2024: The Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District (EID) announces their 2024 event schedule. The event dates are listed below.

April 8                                                  Total Solar Eclipse

April 26                                                4th Annual Spring Wine Walk presented by Romain Cross Pointe

May 11                                                6th Annual Sidewalk Sale presented by Heritage Federal Credit Union

June 14                                               Night Market presented by Deaconess

July 4                                                   Fireworks on the Ohio presented by Bally’s Evansville

August 9                                              Night Market Presented by Deaconess

September 21                                     5th Annual Dog Day Downtown presented by German American Bank

September 29                                     7th Annual NoCo Makers Market presented by Grateful Threads Fabric & Furnishings

October 4                                            6th Annual Fall Wine Walk

October 26                                          4th Annual Halloween Stroll and Trunk or Treat Car Show presented by Romain Cross Pointe

November 1                                        Night Market presented by Deaconess

November 30                                      10th Annual Small Business Saturday

December 7                                        9th Annual A Downtown Christmas presented by Engelbrecht Enterprises

December 13                                      5th Annual Santa Stroll presented by Riverside Capital Management Group Jim Back, CFP Financial Advisor

The Market on Main returns to Downtown Evansville on Wednesdays from 9 AM until 1 PM from June 5 through September 18.

“Events are an economic development tool in our ongoing efforts to build a more active and inclusive Downtown Evansville. Our events drive consumer spending at businesses, activate our neighborhood, and create special memories Downtown for our visitors,” said Adam Trinkel, EID Executive Director.

“Sponsors allow us to create more impactful events,” added Trinkel. “Contact us to learn how your business or organization can be showcased to our 50,000+ event attendees.”

Visit DowntownEvansville.com/Events or Downtown Evansville Indiana on social media for event details.

About Downtown Evansville Economic Improvement District

Following a 2017 petition process of member property owners, the EID was formed in 2018 to provide benefits and services to member properties paid for by a special annual assessment on these properties. The EID builds a move active and inclusive Downtown Evansville. It enhances resident, consumer, investor, worker, and visitor experiences in Downtown Evansville. In 2024, the EID will produce 14 large-scale events in Downtown Evansville, welcoming over 50,000 people to the District. To learn more about the EID and its progress in enhancing the Downtown experience, visit www.downtownevansville.com.

Germania Maennerchor’s first Lenten Fish Fry

0

Germania Maennerchor’s first Lenten Fish Fry is this Friday, March 8th!

Germania Maennerchor’s first of two Lenten Fish Fries is this Friday, March 8th from 5:30-7:30 pm. The fish fries are open to the public in Germania’s Rathskeller at 916 N Fulton in Evansville.

Meals consist of two breaded & deep-fried filets, German potato salad, creamy coleslaw, baked beans + rye bread – all for $13 per plate. Or a fish sandwich and one side for $11. Desserts will also be for sale.

Food is available for dine-in or carry-out. The second fish fry will be held on March 29th.

Thank you to several area businesses and organizations that contributed to the Germania Fish Fries:

– Altstadt-Hoffman Plumbing

– Schneider Heating & Air

– Fehrenbacher Cabinets

– Straub Outdoor Power

– CRS OneSource

– Banterra Bank

– West Side Nut Club

– Donut Bank

– Nisbet Inn

 

Olney Central College to Host JUCO Bash at Deaconess Sports Park

0

Evansville, IN – March 5, 2024 – For the second year in a row, Olney Central College Softball will host the Midwest JUCO Bash from March 8 – 10 at Deaconess Sports Park in Evansville, Indiana.  This event will bring ten of the top junior college softball programs in the Midwest together for two days of competitive softball.

“We are looking forward to our second year hosting the Midwest JUCO Bash at Deaconess Sports Park,” said Nick Short, Athletic Director and Head Softball Coach for Olney Central College.  “The Evansville area is a hotbed for softball talent, and many of the players have found their way to junior colleges in our region of Southern Illinois.  Deaconess Sports Park regularly hosts travel softball tournaments during the summer that we use as recruiting opportunities, and between its top-notch facilities and location, I think it would be a great place to host a national tournament in the future.”

Along with Olney Central College, this year’s tournament will showcase teams from Danville Area Community College, Southeastern Community College, North Iowa Area Community College, Shawnee Community College, Frontier Community College, Highland Community College, Morton College, Illinois Central College, and Heartland Community College.

What: 2024 Midwest JUCO Bash Softball Tournament

When: March 8 – 10, 2024

Where: Deaconess Sports Park, 4300 Heckel Road, Evansville, IN  47725

Event Schedule:

Friday, March 8, 2024, 12 PM

Saturday, March 9, 2024,  11 AM

Sunday, March 10, 2024, 11 AM
Admission:

$10 per day

$25 per weekend pass

Tickets available at Deaconess Sports Park

VIDEO OF THE RECENT VANDERBURGH COUNTY ELECTION BOARD MEETING

0
Johnny Kincaid shares a video from the recent Vanderburgh County Election Board Meeting. Michael Daugherty joins him to discuss the challenges faced by candidates in the Republican Party, particularly with the application of party rules versus state law. It highlights the fracturing of the party and the need for unity and strong leadership. The need for more communication and guidance from the party is also discussed, along with the importance of welcoming new members and removing obstacles. The fear of change and losing control within the party and the upcoming elections for county chair positions are explored. The conversation concludes with a call for Republican participation and the need to avoid infighting.
Takeaways The Republican Party in Indiana has faced challenges in uniformly applying rules to candidates, leading to a fracturing of the party. There is a need for strong leadership and unity within the party to address these challenges and grow the party. Communication and guidance from the party to candidates and members is crucial in ensuring a welcoming and inclusive environment. The fear of change and losing control within the party can hinder its growth and effectiveness.
Link to a full recording of the Election Board Meeting: https://rumble.com/v4gb3sf-indiana-county-election-hearing-february-28-2024.html
FOOTNOTE: Video provided by Ken Colbert. For local politics in Southwest Indiana visit his Telegram Channel. https://t.me/Colbert-Report

Legislature’s third-grade reading bill now waits on the governor

0
  • By DeMarion Newell, TheStatehouseFile.com

  • On Thursday, the Senate passed Senate Bill 1, a bill that will hold back third graders who are not reading proficient as indicated by an evaluation approved by the Indiana State Board of Education. An author of the bill, Sen. Linda Rogers, R-Granger, said the bill will create an educational system in which  “every child learns to read.” It is now on the governor’s desk.

    SB 1 passed in concurrence with 29 yays and 16 nays, nine nays coming from Democrats and seven from Republicans.

    Photo by Element5 Digital: https://www.pexels.com/photo/assorted-books-on-book-shelves-1370295/

    The nine Democrats who voted nay included: J.D. Ford of Indianapolis; Greg Taylor of Indianapolis; Andrea Hunley of Indianapolis; David Niezgodski of South Bend; Rodney Pol of Chesterton; Fady Qaddoura of Indianapolis; Lonnie Randolph of East Chicago; David Vinzant of Hobart; and Shelli Yoder of Bloomington.

    The seven Republicans who voted nay included: Ron Alting of Lafayette; Vaneta Becker of Evansville; Mike Bohacek of Michigan Shores; Blake Doriot of Goshen; Aaron Freeman of Indianapolis; James Tomes of Wadesville; and Greg Walker of Columbus.

    SB 1 returned to the Senate because the House had made amendments that needed to be approved. If the Senate didn’t approve of the changes, there would have been a conference committee where lawmakers from both sides would have tried to come up with a compromise.

    SB 1 passed out of the Senate Feb 1 and the House on Feb. 27, with the majority of objections in both chambers coming from Democrats.

    Rogers in her opening statements on Thursday agreed with the amendments the House adopted for SB 1.

    “The House made a few changes to the legislation that made it better, and the department of education is on board with all of these changes,” Rogers said.

    “The House made the requirement to offer summer school to start this summer instead of 2025. It clarified some of the summer school language—for example, saying that the services must be provided by a teacher or instructor or tutor trained in the science of reading instead of just a teacher.”

    Rogers said other amendments made in the House include:

    • Licensing requirements.

    Rogers stated, “It requires current licensed elementary reading teachers to have a science and reading endorsement by the time they renew their license, starting in 2027. This is an 80-hour professional endorsement, and the department of education supports this effort and is already committing funds to make it happen.”

    • Offering reading screeners.

    A reading screener, which also goes by the term universal screener, is an assessment to help teachers determine a student’s reading proficiency, giving a good indication of which students may be at risk of falling behind.

    Rogers said, “The bill now requires every student in kindergarten through second grade to be given a reading screener. Instead of just requiring it for students that are not on track to read proficiently, it also says if a school has an IREAD passing rate below 70%, they must use a screener selected by the department of education,” she said. “Otherwise, the schools are able to pick their own screener from a department of education approved list.”

    Lastly, Rogers emphasized how parents can make an impact with kids’ educational success.

    “I think that it’s so important that parents start reading to their children … when they are infants, or if you’re in a childcare facility, you start reading to them as well because I think that’s going to help us a lot when it comes to language arts and to reading,” she said.

    Sen. Mike Bohacek, R-Michiana Shores, appeared before the Senate Thursday to raise his concerns around reading disabilities and children’s mathematics not being included in SB 1.

    “I couldn’t find anything specifically geared in the science of reading program that’s geared for dyslexic students,” he said.

    Rogers responded, “What happened is when we reviewed it and looked at it, the department of education, there was no one certified in the state of Indiana to be able to do that.”

    Bohacek then said, “We know that dyslexia is one of the biggest causes of reading deficiencies in kids, it’s diagnosable and discoverable, and I didn’t see anywhere in the bill. I thought that was a shortcoming as to where we didn’t specifically address that with training that would be specifically geared for it.”

    Rogers agreed with Bohacek’s comments but brought up a main reason the bill now offers screeners: “The screener is there to specifically look at and see if someone is dyslexic, when they start school in kindergarten.”

    Bohacek also voiced his concerns with children’s mathematics: “How come we didn’t even talk about the math portion of the ILEARN test? Those numbers from what I saw are even 10 to 15 points worse. So is there a specific reason why we ignored that part, or are we assuming that if we increase the reading scores, we will get some help there? They kind of go together, and if you have a child with two disabilities, in this case it could be, in many cases it will be, then these kids will absolutely be IEP qualified because they have a generalized learning disorder.”

    Rogers responded: “This bill does not refer to math portions, but certainly I don’t disagree with you that we have to continue to work on math as well.”

    The governor has seven days to sign the bill into law, do nothing and allow the bill to become law without his signature, or veto the bill.

    As of Tuesday, there had been only four bills signed into law by the governor so far this session.

    DeMarion Newell is a reporter for TheStatehouseFile.com, a news website powered by

1...792793794...7,346Page 793 of 7,346