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Visitation Plans For Terry Wayne Becker An Extraordinary Musician Teacher, and Community Leader

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Visitation Plans For Wayne Becker An Extraordinary Musician, Teacher, And Community Leader

Terry Becker passed away, surrounded by his loving family and friends, on Tuesday, August 29, 2023, after a tragic bicycle accident. Everyone who knew Terry had a special bond with him. That tall, affable, talented, smiling, huggable structure of a man cared deeply for his spouse, friends, and family as well as his students, ensemble members, cast members, audiences, and colleagues; all of whom admired his sweet tenor voice and musicianship. Terry excelled in many civic and artistic endeavors bringing joy and class to our community; these include Civic Theatre, Dick Hyatt’s Musicians Club Chorus, Weak End Players, EVSC/PEF Summer Musicals, Encore Dinner Theatre, The Really Big Show, Under the Beams, and any number of local high school musicals. Terry was a brother, leader, cherished friend, and empathetic mentor to all who shared time with him. As one former student put it, “I don’t know what to say other than he was amazing. He was someone who found ways to help us find our voices, both literally and figuratively.”

About the special, unimpeachable, and ever-lasting love Terry shared with Andy, we can only say how happy we were to have basked in the love and affection they shared, and how bereft we are at Andy’s loss at this tragic moment.

Terry was born in 1948, son of Arnold E. and Bettye Marie (Pruitt) Becker. He was a 1966 graduate of Reitz High School and held a BA from Hanover College and an MA from the University of Evansville. From 1973 to 2012, he taught vocal music and directed fine and performing arts at Thompkins Middle School, North High School, and Signature School, and was director and assistant director of the EVSC All City Choir multiple times.

Terry’s extraordinary keyboard skills made him a highly sought-after pianist and organist in the Tri-State. He directed nearly 50 productions at Thompkins, North High School, and Signature School as well as music director or performer in 18 Civic Theatre productions. Additional community and professional productions include working with the University of Evansville, Reitz High School, Studio 3 Performing Arts, Brundibar, New Harmony Theater, and the 2023 musical Annie in Mt. Vernon.

Terry is survived by Andy Herbertz, his beloved spouse; Bettye Marie Becker, his mother; and by siblings, Stephen Becker (Elaine), Rex Becker (Karen), Sheila Sermersheim; and seven nieces and nephews, and many loving cousins.

A visitation for Terry will be held on Friday, September 1, 2023, from 2:00 PM to 7:00 PM at Alexander Funeral Home-East Chapel, 2115 Lincoln Ave, Evansville, Indiana 47714. A visitation will occur on Saturday, September 2, 2023, from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at First Presbyterian Church, 609 Southeast Second Street, Evansville, Indiana. A funeral service will occur on Saturday, September 2, 2023, at 12:00 PM at First Presbyterian Church, 609 Southeast Second Street, Evansville, Indiana. A final resting place will occur on Saturday, September 2, 2023, at Sunset Memorial Park, 1800 St. George Road, Evansville, Indiana 47711.

Memorial contributions can be made to the Signature School Evansville Music Program.

Condolences may be offered at www.AlexanderEastChapel.com.

Vanderburgh County Commission Proposes Overhaul of Site Review Process

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Evansville, IN – August 29, 2023 – The Vanderburgh County Commission announces an important step towards modernizing and enhancing our local business environment. The Commission held a First Reading of proposed changes to the Site Review process, a vital component of the county’s regulatory framework for new business. The code citation is 17.36.020.

The proposed updates aim to bring Site Review processes up to date, ensuring greater efficiency, rapid permitting and promoting a conducive atmosphere for economic growth. Initially introduced approximately thirty years ago to organize the permitting procedure for new businesses, the Site Review process has lost focus and introduced delays. The need for improved efficiency has been brought to the Commissioner’s attention by major stakeholders in the building industry.

The primary objectives of the proposed overhaul are two-fold: first, to streamline the process by reducing the number of business circumstances subject to Site Review, and second, to establish clear building permit review timeframes.

The first objective seeks to limit Site Review to business with a new or expanded building footprint or seeking a rezoning from one classification to another. Currently, virtually any business change of ownership or “use” triggers the Site Review process.

The second key objective is the introduction of a permit review timeframe. Under this framework, permit applications submitted to permitting authorities will now allow regulators 12 business days to respond. If no response is received within this timeframe, the application is deemed approved. It is important to note that this timeframe has already been established in state law, and the ordinance change ensures alignment with existing state regulations.

The Vanderburgh County Commission believes these updates to the Site Review ordinance will contribute significantly to the county’s continued economic growth and sustainability. By reducing bureaucratic hurdles and providing clear timelines, the county aims to attract new businesses, encourage local entrepreneurship, and ultimately foster a thriving business ecosystem.

The Commission extends its gratitude to the community for its ongoing support and input in shaping these revisions. The proposed changes reflect a collaborative effort to ensure that Vanderburgh County remains a leader in progress and innovation.

The first reading of the proposed overhaul of the Site Review process was approved unanimously at the August 29, 2023, meeting of the Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners.

The Area Plan Commission, an advisory board, is statutorily required to hold a hearing within 60 days, providing an opportunity for stakeholders and the public to engage in discussions and contribute valuable insights. A Second Reading will be scheduled at the Vanderburgh County Commission immediately after Area Plan Commission action.

The Vanderburgh County Commission looks forward to a constructive dialogue and is committed to a smooth transition that benefits both the business community and our residents. The proposed changes, when adopted, will apply to the unincorporated county.

TAX PHASE IN COMPLIANCE REPORT By Evansville Regional Economic Partnership

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TAX PHASE IN COMPLIANCE REPORT; Robert Grewe, Evansville Regional Economic Partnership

Ivy Tech Community College Named to 2023 Forbes America’s Best State Employers

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INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. – For the second year, Ivy Tech Community College was named in the annual Forbes America’s Best State Employers.
 
Along with market research company Statista, Forbes’ rankings identify the companies positively rated by their employees on a variety of criteria, including the safety of work environment, fairness of compensation, opportunities for advancement, openness to telecommuting, and likelihood to recommend their employer to others. The final list ranks the 1,392 employers that received the greatest number of recommendations in each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia. Indiana’s list includes 73 employers, but only six institutions of higher education. Only seven community colleges nationally made the list.
 
“I am pleased that Ivy Tech has been recognized by Forbes for the second straight year,” Dr. Sue Ellspermann, Ivy Tech President said. “We understand our colleagues are our ambassadors to the communities we serve with their incredible commitment to student success and the mission of the college. We continue to focus on making Ivy Tech a great place to work to attract the best and brightest.”

 Evansville Day School Hosts New Gnome 5K Run

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 Evansville Day School Hosts New Gnome 5K Run

AUGUST 31, 2023

Evansville, Indiana:  Lace up your sneakers and mark your calendars, because the Evansville Day School is thrilled to unveil the much-anticipated Evansville Day School Gnome Run 5K! This exhilarating community-wide event promises a day of camaraderie, fresh air, and invigorating exercise that brings families, friends, and runners of all ages together.

Scheduled for November 18th, at the Deaconess Sports Park at 9:00 AM sharp, offering a fun and enjoyable course. Runners of every age group are invited to join in the excitement, from seasoned athletes to beginners. We encourage all interested participants to register now and secure their spots in this special event.

The day will kick off with a Kids Dash at 8:30 AM. The Kids Dash welcomes all children ten and under to participate, whether they’re part of the Evansville Day School community or not. All participants under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.

The Evansville Day School Gnome Run 5K promises to be a Gnomeing good time with lots of fitness, and fun. For more information and to register for the Evansville Day School Gnome Run 5K, please visit:

Vanderburgh County Board of Commissioners Awards Jacob’s Village with ARPA Funds

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Vanderburgh County AwardsJacob’s Village with ARPA Funds

The Jacobsville Area Community Corporation (JACC) Appoints Ted O’Connell As Its New Development Director.

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EVANSVILLE — The Jacobsville Area Community Corporation (JACC) is pleased to welcome Ted O’Connell as its new Development Director.

Earning his marketing degree from Southern Illinois University—Carbondale, O’Connell has carved out a career in sales management and recruiting.

His ties to Jacobsville are deeply personal. In 2006, O’Connell first connected with Jacobsville when his dad purchased a home in the neighborhood and renovated it. Following in his dad’s footsteps, O’Connell recently purchased a home on Louisiana Street, signaling his own commitment to the community’s revitalization.

“I view my role as bridging the gap between Jacobsville business owners, residents, and local organizations,” said O’Connell. “With major employers calling our neighborhood home, the focus should not just be on commercial vitality but also on ensuring our streets and walking/bike paths are safe and accessible, promoting the beauty of Garvin Park, and enhancing food availability. I’m passionate about paving a path of continued revitalization, filling our North Main Street commercial spaces with thriving businesses, and instilling a sense of pride and cultural identity in our community.”

The Evansville Redevelopment Commission (ERC) approved a grant using funds from the recent sale of the old Davita Clinic property to support O’Connell’s hire in a two-year pilot project with JACC. The corporation will be the official employer for O’Connell.

In addition, the ERC has set aside additional funds from the Davita property sale to update the 2013 Jacobsville Master Plan. Plan consultant, Rudell Ernstberger, has commenced work and is looking forward to engaging the community with input sessions this upcoming Fall.

“We are excited to begin both the Master Plan update process and to see Ted’s work in helping build the business and commerce of the North Main and Jacobsville areas,” said Kelley Coures, Executive Director of the Department of Metropolitan Development, which administers the ERC.

O’Connell’s office will be located in the Comaier Services building on Columbia Street.

His role and contributions in Jacobsville will mirror the successful frameworks seen in the Downtown Economic Improvement District for the Downtown Evansville neighborhood.

 

Grizzlies Walk-off Otters in both games of DH

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Sauget, Ill. – The Evansville Otters were an out away from victory in both games of Wednesday’s doubleheader but the Gateway Grizzlies walked off twice at Grizzlies ballpark.

Evansville’s magic number to make the Frontier League playoffs remains at one with four games to play in the regular season.

In game one, the Otters led 6-5 entering the seventh inning but a Clint Freeman two-run home run won the game for Gateway.

After three runs in the first inning for Gateway, Evansville exploded for five runs in the second inning capped by a Kona Quiggle grand slam.

Gateway tied the game with three runs in the second but the Otters scored the go-ahead run in the fourth. Noah Myers led off with a walk and Quiggle followed with a single to move Myers to third. A sacrifice fly scored Myers to make it 6-5 Evansville.

Parker Brahms was brilliant for the Otters out of the bullpen. He twirled 4.1 innings scoreless with five strikeouts retiring the first 12 batters he faced.

Gateway started the seventh with a leadoff walk and hit the walk off two run home run with two outs.

Game two provided its own theatrics with the Grizzlies winning the game on a walk-off single when down to their last strike in the sudden death tiebreaker.

Gateway scratched across a run in the first and one in the fourth before Dakota Phillips blasted a two-run homer over the high wall in left field to tie the game at two in the sixth inning.

The Grizzlies retook the lead 3-2 in the bottom half of the sixth on an RBI double.

Jeffrey Baez helped Evansville keep the game alive in the top of the seventh. Baez notched a pinch-hit single and advanced to second on a wild pitch. He then stole third and the Grizzlies’ catcher threw the ball into left field scoring Baez to tie the game.

Kevin Davis struck out the side in the seventh. Both teams brought runners to third base in the eighth but could not score with Davis striking out two more batters in the eighth for six strikeouts in 2.2 scoreless innings from the bullpen.

Gateway elected to hit in the sudden death tiebreaker in the ninth. A walk and two singles loaded the bases. The Otters were a strike away from victory but Andrew Penner lined one into center just out of the reach of an Otter for the walk-off Gateway win.

Kona Quiggle led Evansville at the plate all evening with four total hits over the two games and two runs.

Dakota Phillips extended his on-base streak to 20 games as part of a two hit night. Noah Myers scored a run in game one for his 83rd run of the season – tying him with Josh Allen in 2017 for the most in a single-season.

The Otters stole five bases over the course of the evening for 160 bags on the season, breaking the franchise single season record from 1997.

Evansville and Gateway play in the series finale on Thursday evening with a 6:45 PM CT first pitch from Grizzlies Ballpark.

THUNDERBOLTS HIRE EQUIPMENT MANAGER BILLY WELKER 

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Evansville, In.:  The Evansville Thunderbolts and Head Coach/Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes are pleased to announce the hiring of Billy Welker as the new Head Equipment Manager.  The Thunderbolts’ 2023-24 season will get underway on Saturday, October 21st at Ford Center as they host the Huntsville Havoc.

Welker brings a vast wealth of pro hockey experience back to his home state of Indiana and to the Thunderbolts organization, having worked more than 2,200 professional games over the course of 34 seasons dating back to 1987-88 with his hometown Fort Wayne Komets.  Along with his three seasons as equipment manager of the Komets between 1987-90, notable lengths of Welker’s career include 14 seasons with the Shreveport/Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs of the Western Professional and Central Hockey leagues between 1997-2011, followed by the most recent 12 seasons with the Huntsville Havoc between 2011-2023.  To date, Welker has been a part of eight championship teams, most recently with the Havoc in their back-to-back President’s Cup titles of 2018 and 2019.  In reaction to joining the Thunderbolts organization, Welker commented: “I am very grateful that my family has let me come to Evansville and the beautiful Ford Center to help the Thunderbolts win.  I’ve known Coach Jeff Bes for about 20 years now, we’ve had a great relationship as opponents, and now I’m looking forward to working together on the same team and helping the players prepare to be successful.”

In reaction to the hiring of Welker, Head Coach and Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Bes commented: “We are excited to be able to add Billy Welker to our staff.  I have known Billy for over 20 years, he has been successful everywhere he has been, and I always admired the job he did.  He definitely has the experience and knowledge to help our players be at their best, and I can’t wait to get the season started.”

USI runners open season Friday at Angel Mounds

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EVANSVILLE, Ind.—University of Southern Indiana Men’s and Women’s Cross Country opens the 2023 season Friday when the Screaming Eagles host the Stegemoller Classic at Angel Mounds. 

Friday’s meet marks the first time the Eagles have competed on their home course since they moved to NCAA Division I in 2022 and is the first of two meets they will compete in at Angel Mounds.
 
USI’s men are coming off a third-place performance at the 2022 Ohio Valley Conference Championships and enter their second season at Division I with a strong returning group that includes an All-OVC honoree in senior Mitchell Hopf (Santa Claus, Indiana).
 
Hopf was fourth at the OVC Championships a year ago and figures to be one of the front-runners to fill the void left by OVC champion Noah Hufnagel at the top of the Eagles’ lineup.
 
Also competing for the top spot will be juniors Dylan Bland (Holland, Indiana) and Brady Terry (Philpot, Indiana). Both were consistently in USI’s top five a year ago, with Terry posting a 20th-place finish at the OVC Championships last fall.
 
Sophomore Mukal Verma (Palatine, Illinois) will add depth to USI’s lineup after finishing as USI’s top freshman a year ago, while a trio of red-shirt freshmen—Cole Hess (Cannelton, Indiana), Tyler Zimmerman (Evansville, Indiana) and Alex Nolan (Evansville, Indiana)—figure to make an impact for Head Coach Mike Hillyard, who enters his 27th season at the helm of USI’s cross country/track & field programs. 
 
Hess and Zimmerman both had valuable experience on the track during the outdoor season a year ago, while Nolan makes his collegiate debut after being sidelined during the 2022-23 season.
 
Nolan follows in the footsteps of his father, USI and Great Lakes Valley Conference Hall of Famer Jim Nolan, as well as his older brothers Trent and Austin Nolan. Austin Nolan was a two-time GLVC champion on the cross country course as well as a multiple-time Academic All-American and is entering his second year as an assistant coach at USI.
 
Despite losing defending OVC champion Lauren Greiwe and OVC top-five finisher McKenna Cavanaugh to graduation, Hillyard has reason to believe his 2023 squad can still contend for an OVC title after it finished second at the league meet in its first season of Division I a year ago.
 
The Eagles return three All-OVC honorees from last fall and welcome back Division II All-American Cameron Hough (Olney, Illinois), who was sidelined due to an injury a year ago. Hough has looked strong early in the training season and figures to be a top contender for the top spot in USI’s lineup as well as an OVC individual title.
 
She will be joined at the top of the lineup by senior Aubrey Swart (Noblesville, Indiana) as well as juniors Audrey Comastri (Indianapolis, Indiana) and Allison Morphew (Evansville, Indiana). All three earned All-OVC honors and could play a big impact on USI’s success in 2023.
 
Hillyard is also looking for big things out of sophomore Micah Peals (Terre Haute, Indiana) as well as juniors Kati Hoerig (Prospect, Kentucky) and Katie Winkler (Santa Claus, Indiana). Peals ran top seven for the Eagles at the OVC Championships last fall, while Hoerig and Winkler have both made big jumps in their training during the summer.
 
Friday’s meet, which features USI, the University of Evansville and Kentucky Wesleyan College, begins with the women’s four-kilometer race at 5:45 p.m., while the men’s 6k begins at 6:15 p.m.
 
The Eagles also compete at the John McNichols Invitational in Terre Haute, Indiana, September 16 as well as the Live in the Lou Classic in Louisville, Kentucky, September 30. USI, UE and the Evansville Sports Commission will co-host the Angel Mounds Invitational October 13, while the OVC Championships are October 28 in Morehead, Kentucky.

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