About Vanderburgh County, IN

The newly released U.S. News & World Report's "Best Colleges" data lists the University of Evansville 10th among master's-granting institutions in the Midwest.

UE comes in second on a list of best values in the Midwest, trailing only Creighton University, and sixth in a "strong commitment to teaching" list for the region.

"Ranking where we did in each category, among 142 eligible institutions, is just one of the many indicators confirming our success in maintaining the highest academic quality at the University of Evansville," UE President Stephen Jennings said.

The magazine measures academic quality by using the assessments of administrators at peer institutions, student graduation and retention rates, faculty resources, student selectivity, financial resources and alumni giving.

In a nationwide list of best universities, the top 10 consist of Harvard, Princeton, Yale, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford, California Institute of Technology, the University of Pennsylvania, Columbia, Duke and the University of Chicago.

Notre Dame comes in 29th on that list, while Illinois is 40th, Purdue is 66th, Indiana is 71st and Kentucky is 116th.

Purdue is 22nd and IU 29th on a nationwide list of public universities, and IU's Kelley School of Business is rated the 12th-best business program.

Like Jennings, leaders at IU and Purdue were quick to tout their positions in the magazine's report.

IU Provost and Executive Vice President Karen Hanson said that magazine rankings "tell only a small part of the story, and their importance is often overemphasized.

But U.S. News performs a service by highlighting programs that are linked to student success, such as our student learning communities, study-abroad opportunities and the emphasis on writing."

Purdue University President France A. Cordova said the rankings "reflect our continued commitment to the student experience."

On a regional list of top master's-granting universities in the South, Murray State University is 18th, while Western Kentucky University is 29th.

The "Best Colleges" rankings are available today at http://www.usnews.com/colleges and will be published in the September issue of U.S. News & World Report, available Monday.

Source: http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/aug/19/ue-ranks-in-top-10-midwest-colleges-magazine-it/

What used to be bare lawn is now a colorful playground at the Albion Fellows Bacon Center for victims of domestic and sexual violence.

The yard at the shelter for women and children in Evansville was never fancy - just green lawn inside a nondescript privacy fence - but it was graced with the cooling, peaceful shade of a large hardwood tree.

However, the loss of that tree in a storm last year left the yard with only a picnic table and no shelter from the sun.

That changed recently with the receipt of a $4,694 "two-for-two" grant from the Indiana Pacers Foundation and Verizon Wireless. The communications company pledged to contribute $2 for every two-point field goal the Pacers made during the 2007-2008 season. The Albion Fellows Bacon Center applied for and received a grant to transform its yard into a more hospitable space.

"The backyard used to just be a plain, grassy lawn. On a day when it is 95 degrees, there is not a woman who is going to sit out there without shade," said Jenny Ballard, assistant director.

Additions

The center used the money to purchase three new saplings of a variety of maple that is expected to grow into shade trees within a few years. More tables and a small shed also were added.

The main additions, however, were a swing set and a large piece of play equipment set in soft playground mulch.

The changes provide a secure place for children to play and their mothers to watch them outside the confines of the shelter's walls.

Help for guests

An average of about 25 women and children a month stay at the shelter. Women and minor children may stay there up to 45 days.

In addition, the shelter operates a 24-hour domestic violence and sexual assault hot line, support groups, crisis intervention counseling, advocacy and help referrals.

Source: http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/aug/21/shelter-adds-play-space-for-kids/

A Bank of Evansville program led to the opening of 324 bank accounts in the first half of 2009.

The program is a response to Census statistics indicating that 6,000 Evansville households lack bank accounts. It is believed those who live in such households spend more than $800 a year to cash paychecks and to write checks for their bills.

The 324 accounts added in the first half of 2009 were opened by the 15 financial institutions participating in the program. That number makes up 27 percent of 1,200 accounts the city wants to see opened through Bank on Evansville this year.

The average monthly balanced held in them was $219.

The National League of Cities has reported that Evansville has the fastest expanding "Bank On" program in the United States.

"These numbers show that Bank on Evansville is really making an impact in our community," Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel said.

- Dan Shaw

Source: http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/aug/19/no-headline---20a03bankon-brf/

EVANSVILLE - Seven to eight stories high, nearly 95 feet tall lined with glass walls and a facade that could include Indiana limestone - that is the vision for the proposed downtown arena that could enhance Evansville's skyline.

Architects unveiled the arena's interior and exterior plans Wednesday evening. The design includes the main entrance plaza near 6th and Main Street, not near Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard where some committee members and city leaders hoped.

"There are pros and cons either way. Is it more important to open it up toward Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard or does it make more sense to open it up to 6th and Main, where you could actually block off that entire area for some type of outdoor event if you wanted," says Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel.

The futuristic design would welcome visitors with floor to ceiling windows facing Main Street. "It makes a better city plaza and it also helps revitalize some of the Main Street district and put some of the focus back towards Main Street where we think it should be," says Jim Swords, one of the architects with the architectural firm, Populous.

Representatives hired by the city presented the drawings at a public meeting held at The Centre. The arena would be nearly 278,000 square feet and could hold over 11,000 seats in a horseshoe form. "I think it will fit in fine. It's the same size as all the other buildings," says Wayne Henning, Arena Project Committee.

There would be an estimated 6,000 seats in the lower section and 3,000 in the upper section. Nearly 1,000 seats would be in suites and other reserved areas. Additional seats could be added on the floor for concerts and other events. The floor of the arena will be ground level for easy access.

Most of the interior would be made of steel and concrete, with glass as accent walls. Plans call for two staircases and escalators or an elevator for the disabled.

Architects say the arena will shine at night and illuminate downtown. Materials are expected to be environmentally friendly; architects say they'll even try to re-use rainwater that hits the large roof.

Mayor Weinzapfel says the meeting will give architects a chance to re-visit the plans for future improvements.

Source: http://www.news25.us/Global/story.asp?S=10960228

The Glenwood Community Garden and Wetlands Project got a financial boost Saturday when the Alcoa Foundation donated $15,000 to the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp. Foundation.

Led by Mike Shoulders from VPS Architecture and the "Clean and Green" committee, the Glenwood Community Garden and Wetlands project is part of the larger Glenwood Community Development Initiative to "develop and implement a comprehensive neighborhood stabilization and improvement plan reaching beyond housing."

The community garden and construction of the wetlands will be used as a teaching tool and are part of a broader focus on housing and financial investment to address root social issues of urban blight and neighborhood deterio-ration.

Excitedto add support

"The Alcoa Foundation is excited about being able to add its support to such a broad-based, community-focused program that will positively influence the education of children while focusing on sustainability," said Jim Beck, communications and public affairs leader at Alcoa Warrick Operations.

"It's exciting how so many have already invested so much in this project."

"One of our goals for this project is to encourage a true sense of community among the Glenwood neighborhood residents," Shoulders said. "We hope the residents in the neighborhood will have a vested interest in maintaining the gardens and wetlands as a gathering place as well as a source of healthy food.

"We also want to educate both students and parents about plant care, organic gardening, and preparation of fresh food for healthy eating and local conservation efforts."

The first Glenwood Community Garden was planted this summer on the Glenwood Middle School property. The organic garden is about 65 feet by 85 feet and contains a small flower and herb garden, plus plantings of tomatoes, cucumbers, zucchini, pumpkins, green beans, red and green peppers.

The first harvest will be distributed to area residents to promote healthy eating and conservation with locally grown produce.

The $15,000 grant from the Alcoa Foundation will help with the distribution, as well as provide small grants of $600 to science teachers at Glenwood to develop curriculum and provide supplies for the research needed to further the progress of the garden and the wetlands, which also are near the school.

Approximately $5,000 would be used to research and develop the gardens and wetlands with appropriate, self-propagating and low maintenance plants, structures and signage. Another $5,000 would be used for materials, seed, fertilizer, tools, distribution baskets, bundling and other things related to the garden and wetlands.

Community partners

Many organizations have worked with Glenwood residents since the fall of 2008 to create a shared strategy for neighborhood improvement. They include the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corp., EVSC Foundation, Glenwood Neighborhood Association, Habitat for Humanity, Keep Evansville Beautiful, Leadership Evansville, Morning Rotary Club, Welborn Baptist Foundation, Evansville Housing Authority, City of Evansville, Crossroads Christian Church and other churches in the Glenwood neighbor-hood.

Source: http://www.courierpress.com/news/2009/aug/15/alcoa-joins-in-on-glenwood-neighborhood-project/