By Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

An election night watch party was held in Seymour at the Jackson Live and Event Center for United States Congresswoman Erin Houchin. It started at 6:30 p.m. and ended at 10 p.m.

The night started off with appetizers and a dinner.

Graham Houchin was the early entertainment, singing and playing the guitar. After his performance, Congresswoman Houchin announced she would be back later and thanked everyone for coming.

A very large television kept indexing the national results, while a small tv kept up with the local results. The incumbent never trailed her opponents, Democrat Timothy Peck and Russel Brookbank from the Libertarian Party.

Just before 8 p.m., Houchin took the stage again and announced that the race had been called in her favor.

Mike Braun was also announced as the winner in his race for Governor of Indiana, defeating Democrat Jennifer McCormick and Donald Rainwater from the Libertarian Party. At that time Houchin had 71% of the votes. Later this was adjusted to 65% of the votes, almost double the votes that her opponent Timothy Peck received.

In her home of Washington County, she received an astonishing 76.3% of the vote. The only county in the Ninth District that Peck won was Monroe County (Bloomington), where he received 60.3 % of the vote. Peck is an emergency physician who lives in New Washington in rural Clark County.

When asked about her aspirations in the future, considering her resounding victory, she replied, “My goal is to serve the people in southeast Indiana.” When asked about where she would be in two years she said probably in the House of Representatives. Her policy stances are similar to those of U.S. President-Elect Donald Trump—strong U.S./Mexico border, strong economy and personal protection, to name a few.

In closing, Houchin mentioned that the hard-working people of Indiana had been forgotten. She also recognized her supporters and family.

Also attending the election watch party was one of the newly-elected Washington County Council Members At-Large, Todd Armstrong. He is the father of Parker Armstrong, who is the press secretary for Houchin.

Staff photos by Jerry Curry

From left:  Mason, Todd and Parker Armstrong. Todd was elected Washington County Council Member At-Large Tuesday evening.

AG Rokita sends civil investigative demands (CIDs) to officials, employers and non-profits in Evansville, Logansport and Seymour 

As residents and elected officeholders continue reporting concerns about the largescale influx of illegal aliens and “legal migrants” into their cities and towns, Attorney General Todd Rokita is launching investigations into this growing issue in Evansville, Logansport and Seymour.  

The entities receiving CIDs are the Cass County Health Department, Logansport Community School Corp., Berry Global Group Inc., Tent Partnership for Refugees, God is Good, and Jackson County Industrial Development Corp. 

“Illegal immigration caused by "border czar" Kamala Harris' perversion and misapplication of federal law has made every state a border state and imposed unsustainable costs on Logansport and other cities across the nation,” Attorney General Rokita said. “It has also created serious sex and labor trafficking risks in all communities. I’m creatively trying to use every tool in the law to stop the Left's intentional destruction of Indiana."   

Attorney General Rokita is investigating coordinated efforts among international and local nonprofit “refugee resettlement” organizations and employers to bring large numbers of migrants to Indiana communities. 

The rapid growth of alien populations in certain communities has caused overcrowding in housing facilities as multiple families and sometimes dozens of individuals reportedly share space in structures intended to be single-family dwellings. It also has raised concerns about potential labor trafficking. 

Attorney General Rokita’s office is conducting these investigations pursuant to its authority under Indiana’s Deceptive Consumer Sales Act and indecent nuisance statute. 

“The influx of these illegal aliens, which are coming from over 150 different countries, have strained our schools and the children of taxpayers are suffering as a result. It has caused unneeded stress on law enforcement, local hospitals and healthcare facilities, and our housing and labor markets,” Attorney General Rokita said.  It also raises serious questions about how these individuals' arrival in Indiana is being facilitated. 

The Indiana Department of Revenue's "Tax Bulletin" offers the following useful information to taxpayers:

Indiana's individual income taxes' due date for the extension of time to file is coming up on Nov.

15. If a taxpayer was granted a federal extension of time to file, they were also granted an extension to file with Indiana.

It is important to file by the due date to avoid late filing penalties. 

Do Your Research Before Donating to Charities

Are your customers interested in donating to charities assisting communities affected by crises and natural disasters? As tax season approaches, various scams start emerging like fake charity promoters will use emails, websites, and alter their caller ID to appear as a real charity.

The IRS offers the following tips to help protect your clients against these scams: 

• Ask the caller for the exact name, website and mailing address to confirm the charity validation. The Tax Exempt Organization Search (TEOS) tool is useful to verify legitimacy.
• Remember: do not feel pressured into making a payment at that exact moment, charities are happy to receive donations at ANY time.
• Avoid providing gift cards or wire transfers when giving donations. Credit cards and checks are the safest ways to donate. Review the FBI’s resources on Charity and Disaster Fraud if you encounter a fake or suspicious charity before you donate.

Information Bulletins & Departmental Notices

Gasoline Use Tax: Departmental Notice #2

All Information Bulletins & Departmental Notices