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HOT JOBS
“IS IT TRUE?” Monday January 20, 2025
We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUE” will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address rationally and responsibly.
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We understand that people don’t always agree, and discussions may become a little heated. The use of offensive language and insults against commenters will not be tolerated and will be removed from our site.
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IS IT TRUE that today, our nation celebrates the life and achievements of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.? …that King was, at the time, the youngest person to receive the Nobel Peace Prize at age 35? …that he entered college at age 15? …that he was arrested 29 times? …that he improvised part of his “I Have a Dream” speech?
IS IT TRUE that we also celebrate the smooth transition of power today?
IS IT TRUE that Mike Boatman made the trip from Evansville to DC for the inauguration? …that Boatman has been to over 120 Trump rallies?
IS IT TRUE that the California wildfires should be a wake-up call for all of us to be prepared? …that natural disasters can happen anywhere at any time? …that recent power outages in the Evansville area caught many people off guard? …that now is as good a time as any to develop a plan for how your family will respond to a disaster?
IS IT TRUE that Mayor Stephanie Terry should be commended for her effort to address Animal Control and Care? …that a large crowd attended the town hall meeting last week to discuss issues pertaining to animal control? …that we hope that the mayor will remain committed to finding solutions to this problem? …that killing dogs is not an acceptable solution?
IS IT TRUE that the City-County Observer is currently looking for looking for a sales person to reach out to local businesses? …the position offers an excellent opportunity for a motivated self-starter who wants to pick their own schedule? Interested persons should send an email to Johnny@city-countyobserver.com.
MLK Day Events
Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. To mark the occasion, the annual rally and march will take place at University of Evansville outside the Meeks Family Field House at 2:30. The march will begin right after the rally, heading down Walnut Street to S. Willow Road to Lincoln Avenue.
Activities continue after the march:
- 4:45 p.m. – Harrison Step Team
- 5 p.m. – Keynote speaker Karsonya Wise Whitehead
- 5:45 p.m. – community leadership panel
- 6:15 to 6:45 p.m. – book signing
Whitehead is the founding executive director of the Karson Institute for Race, Peace, and Social Justice and professor of communication and African and African American Studies at Loyola University Maryland.
The University of Southern Indiana will host its annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Celebration Luncheon.
The event begins at 11 a.m. in USI’s Carter Hall. Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry will be the keynote speaker.
Unusual Facts About Presidential Inaugurations
1. Washington started a trend with his nervousness
George Washington was so nervous during his first inauguration in 1789 that he reportedly shook while reading his speech. It was also the shortest inaugural address in history—just 135 words.
2. The longest inaugural speech led to a president’s death
William Henry Harrison delivered the longest inaugural address in 1841, at over 8,445 words, lasting nearly two hours in freezing weather without wearing a coat or hat. He caught pneumonia and died just 31 days later, the shortest presidency in U.S. history.
3. John Quincy Adams swore on a book of law
Rather than a Bible, John Quincy Adams used a law book for his 1825 oath, symbolizing his commitment to upholding the Constitution.
4. A president fainted before his inauguration
Franklin Pierce fainted during his inauguration in 1853, reportedly due to exhaustion and grief after the tragic death of his son in a train accident weeks earlier.
5. Inaugurations haven’t always been in January
Prior to the 20th Amendment in 1933, inaugurations took place on March 4, to allow time for election results to be certified and the president-elect to travel to Washington, D.C.
6. A drunken party trashed the White House
Andrew Jackson’s inauguration in 1829 turned into a chaotic party. Thousands of people swarmed the White House, broke furniture, and drank punch spiked with whiskey. Jackson had to escape through a window!
7. A snowstorm disrupted JFK’s inauguration
A massive snowstorm hit Washington, D.C., the night before John F. Kennedy’s inauguration in 1961. Military troops and work crews had to clear snow all night to make the ceremony possible.
8. Teddy Roosevelt had no Bible
During his first inauguration in 1901, Theodore Roosevelt didn’t use a Bible when taking the oath of office. He was sworn in quickly after the assassination of President William McKinley.
9. Calvin Coolidge’s father swore him in
After the sudden death of President Warren G. Harding in 1923, Calvin Coolidge was sworn in by his father, a notary public, at their family home in Vermont.
10. Barack Obama’s oath was repeated due to an error
In 2009, Chief Justice John Roberts slightly flubbed the wording of Barack Obama’s oath of office, so they repeated the oath in a private ceremony the next day to avoid any constitutional issues.
11. No one knows what Washington said the second time
There is no official record of George Washington’s words during his second inauguration in 1793, which was the shortest in history. He reportedly spoke just 135 words.
12. The oath almost didn’t happen for LBJ
After John F. Kennedy’s assassination in 1963, Lyndon B. Johnson was sworn in aboard Air Force One, making it the only presidential inauguration held on an airplane.
13. Silent Calvin Coolidge gave an ironic inaugural address
Known for being laconic, Calvin Coolidge delivered one of the longer inaugural addresses in 1925—about 4,000 words long!
14. Jefferson walked instead of riding
Thomas Jefferson broke with tradition by walking to his first inauguration in 1801 rather than riding in a carriage, symbolizing his image as a “man of the people.”
15. Inaugurations have been frozen before
In 1841, William Henry Harrison’s cold-weather speech wasn’t the only chilly ceremony. Ronald Reagan’s second inauguration in 1985 was moved indoors due to a wind chill of -25°F.
These unusual moments highlight the human and historical quirks that have shaped presidential inaugurations!
EWSU Closed Monday for King Holiday, Trash and Recycling One-Day Delay
EWSU Closed Monday for King Holiday, Trash and Recycling One-Day Delay
Evansville Water and Sewer Utility business offices will be closed Monday, January 20, in observation of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. Regular business hours will resume on Tuesday, January 21. To report a water or sewer emergency on holidays, weekends or after business hours, call 812-421-2130.
Republic Services will not operate on Monday because of the holiday. City residential trash and recycling collections will be delayed by one day from Tuesday through Saturday. Republic Services will resume the regular collection schedule next week.
A Note From State Representative Wendy McNamara
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METS Reopens Trolleys in Downtown Evansville
The Metropolitan Evansville Transit System (METS) is reopening the METS Downtown Trolley beginning Monday January 20th.
“Since taking office, I have made it a priority to reopen METS Routes that were paused due to COVID and the national driver shortage,” said Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry. “I am happy to report that, since the creation of our METS Driver’s School, we have graduated seven new CDL bus drivers. This is helping us cutdown on overtime, and now allows us to reopen our first route.”
The Downtown Trolley will run Monday to Friday from 6:15am to 6:15pm. Some of the stops on the route include Bosse Field, Main Street, Haynie’s Corner, cMoe, the Museum of Arts and Sciences, C.K. Newsome Center and the Casino.
EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT
FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Freshmen lead the way in UE women’s basketball’s win over Southern Illinois
Freshmen lead the way in UE women’s basketball’s win over Southern Illinois
The Purple Aces tied their season-high in assists on Sunday
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – With five players in double figures the University of Evansville women’s basketball team earned its first Missouri Valley Conference win.
The Purple Aces led for over 35 minutes in a big 80-75 win over the Southern Illinois Salukis on Sunday afternoon. UE ended a six-game losing skid with its second game of the season having five players score 10 or more points. Freshman forward Elle Snyder (Latrobe, Penn. / Greater Latrobe HS) had her best-scoring outing with 19 points to lead Evansville. She was followed closely by freshman point guard Avery Kelley (Evansville, Ind. / Memorial HS) with her third straight double-digit outing with 18 points.
“The wins feel really good,” said Head Coach Robyn Scherr after the victory. “I’m really really proud of our team. Today’s effort was great for a great performance. We shot the ball really well and we were able to hang on through runs and not let anything tighten up when we gained a nice lead. I’m really pleased with today’s game.”
The Aces offense started early on Sunday as freshman guard Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind. / Hamilton Heights HS) put in an early layup. Southern Illinois answered with a three for the first lead change of the afternoon. The lead was traded three more times in the first quarter. Until UE pulled ahead on a seven-point run. The Salukis tied the game back up, but Evansville ended the quarter on a nine to two run for an eight-point lead.
It was a slow start to the second quarter for the Aces as Southern Illinois got within three. Snyder ended UE’s 4:45-minute scoring drought with her second three to spur a seven-point run. For the final five minutes of the half Evansville’s defense kept the Salukis from putting together a run. The Aces grabbed four steals in the second quarter while forcing 11 turnovers from SIU for the half. Snyder closed out scoring in the half the same way she opened it with a three to give UE a 40-25 lead after 20 minutes.
Evansville kept its offense going in the second half with a six-point run forcing an early Saluki timeout. The Aces took their largest lead of the game at 23 points less than three minutes in the third while holding Southern Illinois scoreless for that period. SIU’s offense had an eight-point run to get within 15. But the UE defense kept the Saluki’s from any more major runs in the quarter. Evansville trapped Southern Illinois into foul trouble, taking advantage of 13 attempts at the line for a 62-45 lead.
The Salukis scored five points to begin the fourth quarter to make it a 12-point game. The Aces were able to respond with a five-point run of their own while keeping SIU scoreless for a minute and a half. The teams traded shots through the media timeout until Southern Illinois’ leading scorer put together four points. Snyder made a statement shortly after with her fifth three of the game to put the game to bed. With three trips to the free throw line in the final three minutes Evansville secured its first MVC win against the Salukis.
For the second game in a row, the Aces’ scoring offense was mostly led by freshmen. UE’s three leading scorers were Snyder with 19 points, Kelley with 18 points, and Runner with 14 points. Guard Logan Leubbers Palmer (Union, Ky. / Randall K. Cooper HS) added 10 points as well for Evansville’s freshman scoring 61 of the Aces’ 85 points.
On defense sophomore forward Maggie Hartwig (Sauk City, Wis. / Sauk Prairie HS) led UE with 13 rebounds to pick up her fourth double-double of the season. Runner came a board shy of her first double-double tying her career high of nine rebounds. Runner also recorded Evansville’s lone block of the game.
The Aces return to action next weekend on the road. UE will make its final season trip to Music City on Friday, January 24th. Evansville will take on the two MVC leaders over the weekend with Friday’s game against Belmont and Murray State on Sunday. Tip-off from Nashville is set for 6:30 p.m. on Friday night.
-www.gopurpleaces.com-
USI Cheer finishes 8th at UCA National Cheerleading Championships
USI Cheer finishes 8th at UCA National Cheerleading Championships
ORLANDO, Fla.—The University of Southern Indiana Cheer Team turned out a strong performance Sunday morning to earn an eighth-place finish in the finals of the UCA & UDA College & Dance Championships.
Participating in the Small Coed Division I competition, the Screaming Eagles posted a clean sheet in the deductions column as they finished with 79.8 points.
Under the direction of Head Coach Megan Ringer, the Eagles have been working since September in preparation for Nationals and the hard work was evident as USI posted a raw score of 80.8 points in the semifinals on Saturday to earn a berth in Sunday’s finals. A one-point deduction in the semifinals slipped the Eagles into a tie for seventh in the prelims.
USI was one of four teams to escape the finals without a deduction and tied with Southeastern Louisiana University for the fewest combined deductions in the semifinals and final rounds.
The Eagles competed in the All-Girl Division I competition for the first time last season, finishing 16th with a final event score of 60.6 points. This year marked the first-time in program history that USI has participated in the Small Coed Division I competition.
USI competed previously in the Open Cheer Small Coed Division prior to 2024, finishing fourth in 2023 and fifth in 2022.