FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Mayor Stephanie Terry’s commitment to transparenc
Mayor Stephanie Terry’s commitment to transparency
JUNE 14, 2025
Good morning,
As part of Mayor Stephanie Terry’s commitment to transparency and proactive community engagement, we are launching a new resource for local media: a series of press packets designed to provide accessible, comprehensive background information on key city programs and initiatives.
We’re beginning with one of our most timely efforts – Safe Summer – a collaborative initiative between the City of Evansville, the Evansville Police Department, and the Department of Parks & Recreation to provide safe, enriching opportunities for youth and families throughout the summer months.
You’ll find the press release announcing the launch of the Safe Summer initiative in the linked folder below. In addition, all related materials have been compiled into a dedicated press packet folder, which will be updated as new content becomes available. You can access all of it here: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/1ph8x5dau1ew65n8j9b7a/ADRma3lyLvgLd8H_u5V2C5g?rlkey=50od9qszt47477m7hcb6ht8sn&dl=0
The Safe Summer press packet currently includes:
- A full overview of the Safe Summer program
- The media release announcing the program
- Details on the My Summer Ride initiative, including a flier, press release, and photos from the launch event
- Calendars of events for both June and July
- Photos from early Safe Summer events
- Video testimonials from:
- Mayor Stephanie Terry
- Parks Executive Director Danielle Crook
- Police Chief Philip Smith
This is the first in a series of topic-specific press packets we will release this summer. Each will highlight a major initiative or priority area – from neighborhood revitalization to public safety and beyond. These packets are designed to support your reporting with accurate, high-quality material, whether you’re covering the topic today or referencing it months down the road.
If you notice anything missing from this packet that would enhance your ability to report on this program – or have suggestions for future kits – please don’t hesitate to reach out. These are living resources, and we want them to be as useful to you as possible.
We also plan to launch a Mayor’s Press Room Dropbox Archive later this summer, where you’ll be able to access past news releases, photos, and video clips organized by topic. More details on that to come.
In the meantime, we hope you find this first packet helpful, and we look forward to providing you with even more tools to cover the stories that matter to Evansville.
Sincerely,
Joe Atkinson
Communications Director
Office of Mayor Stephanie Terry
City of Evansville
Joy is an act of resistance’: Indy Pride celebrates 30 years this weekend
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In planning its annual Pride Month celebrations this year, Indy Pride faced a political dark cloud hovering over the LGBTQ+ community.
“It’s no secret that LGBTQ+ rights are under attack,” Hudson Gaunt, Indy Pride office manager, told TheStatehouseFile.com. “Currently, there are countless bills and things put into place that target queer rights, whether it’s laws pertaining to our rights to use the bathroom in public, dress the way we want to or obtain medical care.”
Along with that, the organization had a more difficult time finding business sponsors, which Gaunt attributed in part to corporations pulling back public DEI efforts.
Nevertheless, with 2025 marking the 30th anniversary of the Indy Pride organization, it extended its Pride festivities to two days: this Saturday and Sunday.
“We’re still having our celebration,” said Tina Robb, Indy Pride marketing director. “We’re still going. Joy is an act of resistance, and that is what we are going to do.
“While it looks like we’re having fun and partying, that’s the point. We want to show that this is not bothering us and that we’re going to continue to be here and continue to exist just like we always have. That is our responsibility as an organization, to provide that space for people and to scream at the top of our lungs that we exist.”
On Saturday, the two-hour parade begins at 10 a.m. along Massachusetts Avenue in downtown Indianapolis. Celebration on the Circle, with a long list of performers, food, and other vendors, takes place from noon to 5 p.m. both Saturday and Sunday at Monument Circle. Word of Mouth, a series of music concerts on the nearby American Legion Mall, also stretches over both days. It requires tickets.
“We allow anybody and all people to come to any of our events. We also have family-friendly events,” said Robb. “We try to make that a very big piece of what we do, is to make sure that everybody can attend our events.”
Vincennes University Trustees freeze tuition
VINCENNES, Ind. – The Vincennes University Board of Trustees voted unanimously at its June 11 meeting to freeze tuition rates for the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic years, reinforcing the University’s mission of making high-quality education accessible and affordable for all.
VU continues to lead the way as Indiana’s most affordable residential college. Its combined student tuition and housing costs are the lowest of all universities in the state.
VU President Dr. Chuck Johnson said, “Vincennes University’s 0% tuition increase applies to all students–resident and non-resident alike. We will also maintain our commitment to the scholarship for residents of surrounding states–Illinois, Kentucky, Ohio, and Michigan. That scholarship covers the non-resident portion of tuition and is a part of VU’s efforts to attract talent to Indiana and support employers across the region.”
VU is dedicated to eliminating obstacles to educational opportunity, enrollment, and success, thus ensuring everyone has access to the transformative power of higher education.
Board of Trustees Chairman Mike Sievers said, “Vincennes University’s tuition freeze is more than a financial decision. It’s a mission-driven choice to remove barriers and expand opportunity. We know that college costs can make or break a student’s decision to pursue a degree or certificate. This decision is one of many ways VU shows up for students and families, balancing dreams with budgets. VU’s leadership proudly supports a university that walks the talk regarding student-first policies and long-term affordability.”
Alongside the tuition freeze, the Trustees approved a biennial budget of $340.9 million for fiscal years 2025-2027.
This budget sustains VU’s benchmark of keeping tuition under the value of a full Pell Grant.
Investing in Student Success
Students seeking the highest return on investment in Indiana’s higher education landscape will find it at VU. A remarkable 89% of first-time, full-time VU students receive scholarships, grants, or both, providing them with real financial relief and increased opportunities for success.
VU awarded more than $7.3 million in scholarships for 2024-25, further ensuring student success.
Since its inception in 2021, the Residential Housing Scholarship program alone has saved VU students and families nearly $10 million.
VU is invested in the future of every student it serves, and prioritizing student affordability and access is a powerful testament to how VU matches low cost with high value.
Maintaining Financial Stability and Mission Impact
While continuing to invest significantly in student success, VU is proactively managing budget realities with strategic and forward-looking action.
The 2025-27 budget reflects challenging circumstances, including unavoidable increases in the costs for healthcare, utilities, and supplies. The new budget includes a 5% reduction in state funding for the general fund and specific line items. Additionally, VU will not receive state funding for its broadcasting stations (WVUB and WVUT), and funding has been reduced in areas such as Jobs for America’s Graduates (JAG) and Adult Basic Education.
Furthermore, the State Budget Agency may withhold an additional five percent (or more) of our allocated funds as a reserve. Without any current guarantee that these reserves will be released, this effectively doubles VU’s annual appropriation reduction to approximately $5.4 million.
Despite these challenges, modest merit-based salary increase pools have been included in the new budget to ensure competitive compensation continues to align with VU’s recent study and strategic plan. Housing rates will increase by 3%, reflecting inflationary pressures in meal plans, utilities, staffing, and maintenance. VU will continue its commitment to offer housing scholarships to on-campus resident students through the 2025-2026 academic year for all those who submit housing applications by July 1, 2025.
To maintain a balanced budget, VU will implement several strategic cost-saving actions. VU will eliminate 16 positions, assess current position openings for potential cuts, and reinstate a hiring freeze. Ongoing spending reviews and the pursuit of external funds will further reinforce the University’s fiscal resilience.
Other key meeting highlights include,
- The Board voted to promote Logan Thacker, IT System Administrator, to Professional Staff Level II.
- Vice President of Government and Legal Affairs Tony Hahn provided an overview of Public Law 213-2025, which takes effect on July 1, 2025. The law requires a post-tenure review process for tenured faculty members that measures “productivity.” Hahn explained that crafting those metrics at VU will be a careful process, given the University’s program mix, lab-oriented programs, hands-on delivery, and teaching mission. Following that presentation, the Board voted to suspend the Post-Tenure review process for 2025-2026 to allow time for the University to establish the new metrics. The process will resume in 2026 and include the three faculty members who would have been reviewed during the 2025-2026 year.
- Executive Director and Chief Information Officer Jaci Lederman presented an update on how VU Information Technology is advancing the University’s future. With a strong focus on strategic partnerships, including technology investments, digital transformation, and a culture of caring, VUIT is accelerating change across the University. Lederman debuted a podcast she generated using AI to demonstrate how AI is shaping the future.
- Chairman Sievers, President Johnson, and the Trustees offered sincere appreciation to Dr. Laura Treanor for her visionary leadership as Provost, Senior Vice President of Instructional Services, and Dean of Faculty since 2018. They also congratulated her on her appointment as the next President of Virginia Western Community College in Roanoke, Virginia, and wished her well.
- In a powerful show of gratitude, the Board of Trustees recognized Vice President and CFO Tim Eaton with a resolution of appreciation for 36 years of exemplary service upon his upcoming retirement. Eaton’s leadership has played a key role in VU’s financial strength and long-term success.
Officer Bickett has been recognized as the June Officer of the Month.
On May 18th, Officer Bickett responded to a serious car crash on Hwy 359 in Smith Mills to assist the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. Officer Bickett arrived and began providing medical aid to the crash victims, including the use of torniquets to stop heavy bleeding. Officer Bickett’s quick actions were the first step in the critical care that was provided to the victims that day. He made a difference in the outcome.
We ask our officers to wear many hats during their day. Thank you, Officer Bickett, for assisting our partner agency and for the care and compassion you provided to the victims.
HOT JOBS
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WISE FOOLS NEEDED
GAVEL GAMUT
By Jim Redwine
www.jamesmredwine.com
(Week of 16 June 2025)
WISE FOOLS NEEDED
Arthur Miller’s 1953 play The Crucible was a metaphor for the dangers of the McCarthyism era. Senator Joseph McCarthy wielded virtually unchecked power using Red Scare tactics. Governments, the news media and the public devoured allegations that Soviet Communists had infiltrated American culture and the only solution was to excise the traitors. Thousands of careers were ruined as was the social standing of countless loyal citizens by innuendo. Senator McCarthy’s most powerful weapon was fear. Freedom of speech could have been America’s best defense, but fear of being painted with McCarthyism’s red brush kept truth at bay. As with many dangerous social problems, America’s solution had already been provided by our 18th century Founders, scholars and historians who had studied thousands of years of great civilizations that had destroyed themselves through hubris and stifled debate. Freedom of Speech is not just a shield, it is also a democratic society’s most powerful sword. To concede this ultimate right is to voluntarily disarm.
Our Constitution was crafted by human beings who were steeped in the lessons of civilizations that had been forged on an anvil of free speech but had declined when truth could or would no longer confront power. Our Founders knew their history, especially that of the brilliant ancient Greeks who realized:
“…democracy insisted on complete freedom of speech, and thought it well to mock the personalities and air the burning problems of the moment.”
Charles A. Robinson, Jr.
In his Introduction to
An Anthology of Greek Drama (1949)
From Sophocles’ twenty-five-hundred-year-old Oedipus the King to Shakespeare’s (1564-1616) Macbeth and other countless examples from civilizations of old to modern times, we have warnings that leaders who do not heed voices cautioning against hubris can bring down great societies. A common theme in both monarchial government and literature for thousands of years is that of the Wise Fool who, without fear of repercussions, both whispers in the emperor’s ear and speaks truth to his or her face. In the plays of ancient Greece this role was often played by the chorus which would presage the harm a ruler’s pride was going to bring about later if he did not heed the warnings or if the populace did not replace the ruler. This is the ultimate in free expression. However, often times those in power surround themselves not with “Wise Fools” who tell them unwelcome truth, but with fearful fools who cling to power through sycophantic flattery.
When the victims of Salem, Massachusetts were executed in 1692-1693, it was not because they were witches but because superstition, personal grudges, prejudices, ignorance or religion trumped truth. In the McCarthy era, the Red Scare did not put America in peril, the fear of it did. The cure then as always is Freedom of Expression. The disease of misguided or corrupt power is best cured by a free flow of ideas and most exacerbated by silence, or worse, capitulation. When even our universities cower into silence before threats of our government, the rotting of our moral core as a free people has taken root. We have the recent example of the 1950’s to awaken us to what silence in the face of government power run amok can wreak on our democracy. History is littered with the rubble of previously once great societies that have committed the sin of lassitude in the face of ignorance.
The voices of campus protesters in the 1960’s and 1970’s helped bring America back from the precipice during the Viet Nam War era much as the courage of those such as Arthur Miller, who refused to be silenced, did during the 1950’s Red Scare. One might ask where the prophetic and courageous Greek chorus and wise fools are today as our government sends our soldiers into our streets?
For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com
USI Men’s Golf adds graduate transfer Sam Gargis ahead of 2025-26
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Golf has added graduate transfer Sam Gargis to the roster for 2025-26.
Gargis, from Muscle Shoals, Alabama, comes to USI after starting his collegiate career at the University of North Georgia and spending the last two years at Stephen F. Austin State University.
Gargis is coming off a solid spring campaign for the Lumberjacks, which included being named the Southland Conference Player of the Month at the end of March after tying for 11th at the Golfweek/Stifel Spring Challenge following a 54-hole score of 211 (69-69-73).
The graduate senior notched a couple of other notable finishes in 2024, recording a top-25 finish at the 2024 Husky Intercollegiate with a three-round 222 (73-72-77) and another top-25 finish at the 2024 La Tour Intercollegiate with a 54-hole 216 (70-72-74). Gargis registered a 73.5 scoring average during the 2025 spring season.
“I have known Sam for many years, since recruiting him in high school,” USI Men’s Golf Head Coach Ryan Chandler said. “He has overcome many obstacles in his college career and brings significant value and experience to our program. He is solid on and off the golf course and will bring a significant amount of leadership to our team this season. I am looking forward to seeing what we accomplish with him as an addition.”
Gargis was a four-time all-area nominee and three-time Alabama 6A state champion in high school at Muscle Shoals High School.
Media Contacts:
USI signs Curtis for 2025-26
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball concluded its 2025-26 roster additions with the signing of forward Devin Curtis.
“A former three-star rated recruit & the 31st-ranked player in the 2023 signing class by 247Sports Composite, Devin is a strong fit for our program,” said USI Head Coach Stan Gouard. “He plays with great energy, carries himself with high character, and is extremely coachable, which are traits that we prioritize in our student athletes.
“Devin has a great feel for the game and has continued to improve every year throughout his college career,” continued Gouard. “We are looking forward to having Devin wear the USI navy blue and USI red this upcoming season.”
Curtis is transferring to USI after spending the last two seasons at the University of California. He appeared in 22 games for the Golden Bears over the last two seasons, averaging 0.5 points, 0.8 rebounds, and 0.3 assists per contest.
The 6-11 forward averaged 1.0 points and 0.5 rebounds in six contests during 2024-25. He scored a two-year high of four points versus Mercyhurst University in November last year.
During his first season at Cal in 2023-24, Curtis made 16 appearances off the bench with a total of six points and 14 rebounds.
Before starting his collegiate career, Curtis graduated from Southern California Academy (Northridge, California). He also attended Heritage Christian School (Northridge, California) and Ribet Academy (Los Angeles, California).
Curtis averaged 4.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game for Heritage Christian as a junior in 2021-22, helping the team to a 22-5 overall record and the second round of the 2022 CIF Southern Section Championships.
With the signing of Curtis, USI completes its 2025-26 roster that includes 12 newcomers this season.
“I am happy to announce this final addition to our roster,” Gouard said. “After a long and drawn-out spring of recruiting, I can’t say enough about the job that my staff has done recruiting this offseason.
“We had to start over and replace a lot of talented players, and I couldn’t be happier with the young men we have joining the team,” continued Gouard. “My staff and I are looking forward to working with this team during the summer as we start our quest to compete for an OVC Championship.”
The USI Screaming Eagles are a member of the Ohio Valley Conference and will be NCAA Tournament eligible in 2025-26 following the completion of the accelerated transition from Division II. USI has reached the OVC Championship in two of the first three seasons of Division I action.
Otters, ThunderBolts series opener postponed
Otters, ThunderBolts series opener postponed
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Due to inclement weather in Evansville Friday night, the series opener between the Evansville Otters and Windy City ThunderBolts has been postponed.
The Otters and ThunderBolts will make up the game tomorrow evening with a doubleheader starting at 5:05 p.m. Game two will begin 30 minutes following the conclusion of game one.
All tickets for tonight’s game can be redeemed at the Evansville Otters box office for a future 2025 Otters’ regular season home game.
The Evansville Otters are the 2006 and 2016 Frontier League champions.