Morning News: Tuesday March 21st 2023

Posey County Radio News and Sports

News: 

The Indiana Department of Transportation announced yesterday that $127.6 million in federal transportation funding is being awarded to 38 cities, towns, and counties across Indiana. According to a release, the funding is to invest in local road and bridge improvements, as well as sidewalk and trail projects. Of those funds, $3,828,000.00 will be used in Posey County from E 10th Street to E. Grant Street along Mulberry Street. A release shows for this latest round of funding, local communities will design, develop, and purchase land for projects that would be bid for during the fiscal year beginning July 2027. While the funds awarded now are dedicated to construction, INDOT will financially participate in design, engineering, and right-of-way acquisition components for some projects.

A man facing theft and home improvement fraud charges in four Tri-State counties, has been sentenced in one of those counties. The Posey County Prosecutor says Matthew Gates pleaded guilty earlier this month in two cases in Posey County. In a felony theft case, Gates was sentenced to two years in prison, and is ordered to pay $12,400 in restitution. After time served credit, that put him at about 22 more days behind bars. It’s to be served consecutively with his sentence in a misdemeanor home improvement fraud case. That one was a year of probation, and Gates is ordered to pay $60,974.46 in restitution. Gates was also in court Monday in Warrick County. He’s charged in two cases there. There’s no new date set for the theft charge in Gibson County, nor any new dates for the three theft cases in Vanderburgh County.

The Evansville City Council have postponed the vote on an ordinance that would require approval for new projects within a certain boundary at Wesselman Park from the city council. Monday night, the Evansville City Council was set to vote on an ordinance that could have put a pause on the highly debated Pickleball Courts set to go up at Wesselman Park. During the meeting, the council instead took a vote to table the matter until a meeting in April. That vote was 7 yeses to 2 no’s. At that April meeting, the council says that there will be a presentation by the Park’s Board at that time. Officials say if the ordinance is passed, it could put a pause on the proposed pickleball courts at the park. 

Evansville Regional Airport announces new flights ahead of spring break. For all those spring breakers or summer travelers, your options are expanding just in time. The Evansville Regional Airport announced more flights to current destinations including Dallas and Charlotte. American Airlines increased flights to Charlotte to three times daily. Those changes are in effect now and will last through summer. Dallas will return to three daily flights in April. The airport is encouraging travelers to book those flights through the American Airlines website. The airport also announced a third daily flight to Atlanta through Delta Airlines. Those flights are coming in June. Lastly, the airport released information on Allegiant’s expansion. The airline has added flights to Destin at EVV from June to August.

Sports:

- The NCAA Division 2 Men’s Basketball Elite 8 gets underway today at Ford Center in downtown Evansville. There will be four games today, two on Thursday and the championship is Saturday afternoon. Today’s gametimes for the Elite 8 are 12:00 PM, 2:30 PM, 6:00 PM, and 8:30 PM. `

- The Indiana Pacers (32-40) lost last night at the Charlotte Hornets, 115-109. Pacers were outscored 30-21 in the 4th quarter. Myles Turner had 20 points in the loss.