Evansville Courier & Press

Court Rules Landowners Were Cheated

After 40 years of legal battles, a federal judge has ruled the federal government cheated hundreds of Western Kentucky families evicted from their farmland to make way for a World War II Army training camp. The heirs of those families, the judge ruled, are now entitled to at least $32 million in compensation -- and likely more, given the award was calculated in 1965 dollars.

Pulitzer Winner Is Posey Native

After enjoying a successful run as a commodities trader, Nigel Jaquiss decided to take his professional life in a vastly different direction. The New Harmony, Ind., native is now a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist.

Grand Opening North Park Branch Library Brings a Little Outdoors Inside

Walk inside the new North Park Branch Library and the first thing you notice is how light and airy it is. Enormous windows on almost every side bring in natural light and give visitors views of Central High School across the street and the residential neighborhood that abuts the facility on two sides.

Good Samaritan in Crash `Was Always Helping Others'

They were men of different generations from different states, and they never met. But in Monday's predawn hours, they were brought together by a tragic turn of events on a bridge dividing Daviess and Knox counties in Indiana. And both of them died, one in a failed attempt to save the other.

Farmers Know River Flows Any Which Way It Wants

When you're in the business of farming, the river bottoms call with a siren song. The broad, alluvial fields refreshed each year with the rich silt and sediment from the hills and fields upstream have an almost irresistible lure.

Riverboat Revenue Raid Off for Now Councilman Told Bill Pulled From Calendar

State legislation which would take $95 million in casino revenue away from host communities such as Evansville has apparently been pulled from the legislative calendar, but that doesn't mean the idea couldn't be raised again in the near future, City Councilman Jeff Kniese said. Kniese said he's heard from Southwestern Indiana lawmakers that the bill sponsored by Rep. Troy Woodruff, R-Vincennes, will not come up for a hearing at this time.

City's Plans to Purchase Greyhound Site On Hold

Greyhound officials have balked on additional liability for environmental testing and anticipated cleanup on land beneath the art deco bus station at Third and Sycamore streets. It means the Greyhound deal "is not going to happen," at least under terms the city has so far offered, the Redevelopment Commission learned Tuesday from its attorney, Keith Rounder. The Greyhound property is the only site on the so-called "Kenny Kent block" not already acquired by the commission.

Developer has Tenants for First Lofts

Downtown developer Mike Martin says he has tenants for both of his loft apartments at 14 SE Third St., built with two of 24 subsidies awarded by the city since October as a catalyst for more Center City housing. The lofts will be the first built with full $20,000 city subsidies to be be rented. Martin, who has been awarded a third, $20,000 grant to develop a second-floor loft at 226 Main St., also said Tuesday he has leased first-floor commercial space at the Southeast Third Street location. ...

Signature Teacher Wins Fulbright Trip

ttilia Gogel first became interested in India as an 8-year-old girl, sitting in her family's kitchen in Italy, reading about "granite caves where ascetic monks would retreat to meditate." "It fascinated me so much," the Signature School teacher said.

Citizens to See State Hospital Park Plan

A special Parks Board meeting is set for Thursday night to give residents a chance to see and comment on a "conceptual park master plan" for the city's park at the Evansville State Hospital grounds. There will be nothing highly dramatic. City Parks Director Gail Riecken says that's because residents, who submitted surveys expressing their visions for the area east of Vann Avenue between Walnut Street and the Lloyd Expressway, didn't want that.

Opting Out of Statewide Daylight-Saving Time Illegal

Provisions of a bill that would allow some counties to opt out of statewide observance of daylight-saving time are illegal, the federal government said Tuesday. Gov. Mitch Daniels had questioned whether an amendment allowing some counties to ignore the time change violated federal law. He sought a legal opinion Tuesday from the U.S. Department of Transportation, which regulates time zones.

City Getting Ready to Battle Potholes

Be warned: Next week will go to pot. It's the week the city's pothole hot line will be operating, taking calls from residents who wish to report the annual fruits of a long winter's mischief.

Turnout Light in Illlinois City Elections

Despite near perfect weather conditions, voter turnout was very light in Tuesday's consolidated municipal elections in Illinois. Voters in Illinois went to the polls to elect mayors, village presidents, school board members and road commissioners.

House Oks Bill to Boost Speed Limits

Speed limits in Indiana would be raised 5 mph on rural sections of interstates, on divided, four-lane highways and the Indiana Toll Road under legislation approved by the Indiana House on Tuesday. The bill passed 68-25, but must return to the Senate for consideration of House changes. The Senate bill was limited to raising speed limits on rural sections of interstates from 65 mph to 70 mph for cars and from 60 mph to 65 mph for tractor-trailers.

Centenarian Had Her Dreams of What Might Have Been

Beulah Huber needs help to walk. She doesn't hear very well. Her memory is a fickle friend. Sometimes she remembers a lot about John Wayland.

Father Is Guilty in Infant's Death Head Trauma Killed 11-Week-Old

Frustrated that his infant son wouldn't stop crying, William C. Bland threw the 11-week-old baby against a night stand with such force that a knob on the drawer fractured the infant's skull, a judge found. In describing Jaxon Bland's death, the judge noted that the father threw the child once, stopped briefly, then threw him again - - this time fatally.

Evansville

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INDIANAPOLIS Father will buy home with lottery winnings

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