Chris Willoughby
John Lutz
Tina Guidry
Tina Densley
Cassandra Waters
Mark Miller
Jean Blantons
jason Dickens
Charlotte Nixon
Missy Mosby
Eric Kneller
Debbie Kerney
Stacey Goldbold
Gina Gibson
Shirley Knote
Melanie Solomos
Taylor delivers in eighth as Otters sweep Joliet
EVANSVILLE, Ind – The Evansville Otters (32-52) completed the sweep of the Joliet Slammers (38-46) with a 4-2 win on Sunday. It is their second sweep of the season and are currently in the midst of their longest win streak of the season which stands at five.
Parker Brahms got the start and found success through weak contact. Dennis Pierce was tested during the first at-bat and lived up to the challenge, making a diving stop at third and making a rocket throw to first.
After two scoreless frames from Brahms, back-to-back singles put him behind in the third. A defensive mistake scored one and put runners at second and third with no one out. Brahms worked around the trouble, allowing one more run to score, but stranding the bases loaded with Evansville trailing 2-0.
After the shaky third inning, Brahms settled in, working through the sixth keeping the Otters in the game. He entered the seventh, but two baserunners reached with one away and Nick McAuliffe followed to finish the seventh. He struck out both batters he faced to strand two.
The Otters offense was stifled for most of the game but found its footing in the eighth. LJ Jones and Logan Brown led off the inning with singles and Keenan Taylor hit a sacrifice fly to put the first run on the board. Stephen Paolini followed that with a single up the middle to tie the game.
After McAuliffe faced the minimum in the eighth, Evansville came to the plate with a chance to take the lead. A couple of quick outs started the inning out, but back-to-back hits from Jones and L. Brown for the second straight inning put runners at second and third. Taylor followed them with a hit out to right that just snuck past the first baseman to give Evansville their first lead of the game, 4-2.
Garrett Crowley was called on to earn the save and did just that. He struck out all three batters he faced in the ninth to earn his second save for Evansville to secure the 4-2 victory for Evansville.
The Otters travel to Washington to take on the Wild Things for three games starting Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. CT. After the three game set, they return to Evansville for the final six home games at Bosse Field in 2025.
New laws aim to reduce health care costs across Indiana
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Reducing health care costs and improving health outcomes are critical priorities for our state. During the 2025 legislative session, several new health-related laws were passed to lower costs, empower patients and create a more transparent health care system.
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Some of these new laws include:
Lowering Health Care Costs Reducing Prices at Large Nonprofit Hospitals Reining in Medicaid Spending |
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Decreasing Prescription Drug Prices
To increase affordability and access, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) must increase price transparency and include more rural pharmacies in their networks. PBMs are barred from certain anti-competitive practices that hurt consumers like preventing pharmacies from advising patients on lower-cost ways to obtain prescriptions. If you have questions about any of these new laws or want to share your thoughts on health care in our state, don’t hesitate to reach out to my office at h78@iga.in.gov or 317-232-9759. Your input plays a vital role in shaping policies that reflect the needs of our communities. To learn more and view all newly enacted legislation from the 2025 session, click here. |
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Eagles tally 21 shots, but fall to Vikings
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Soccer produced 21 shots in Sunday’s home opener against Cleveland State University at Strassweg Field, but the Screaming Eagles could not find a breakthrough as the Vikings grabbed a 2-0 result.
USI more than tripled the number of attempts from their season-opening match last Thursday. Plus, the 21 shots matched last year’s season-high when the Screaming Eagles generated 21 shots in the 2024 regular-season finale against Western Illinois University.
On Sunday, six different Screaming Eagles recorded multiple shot attempts. Graduate midfielder Maggie Duggan and senior forward Emerson Grafton each tallied a team-best five shots. Duggan, senior forward Peyton Murphy, and sophomore forward Josie Pochocki each had two shots on goal against the Vikings. Overall, USI had nine shots on goal in the contest.
Cleveland State had seven shots with three on goal. Junior forward Elise Boyd and redshirt junior midfielder Sophia Cucchetti were the goal scorers for the Vikings.
Southern Indiana notched three shots in the first 15 minutes of action, two of which were saved by Cleveland State’s redshirt junior goalkeeper Hayleigh Lewis. It was in the 16th minute that Cleveland State scored the first goal of the game from Boyd.
USI kept the gas down and went back with four more shots over the following five minutes, including a shot off the post by Grafton. As the Eagles kept control of possession in the offensive half, tough luck continued to plague USI on the finishing end of the field. Cleveland State wound up scoring its second goal on another counterattack in the 30th minute to take a 2-0 lead, which held into halftime.
Southern Indiana came out of halftime still firing toward the net, including two by Grafton and another shot that the Vikings’ Lewis saved. Later in the second half, junior forward Grace Bamber, who had two shots in the game, provided a burst as a substitute with another good look for the Eagles. However, Lewis continued to stand tall for Cleveland State and keep USI off the scoreboard.
As the physicality and intensity ramped up down the stretch, USI placed a few more shots on target in the final minutes. However, Cleveland State held firm on the heels of nine saves by Lewis in goal.
Next, Southern Indiana will head back on the road for two consecutive games. First, the Screaming Eagles travel to Robert Morris University for a 3 p.m. CT contest on Thursday. USI tied Robert Morris 2-2 at home last season. Then, USI will make a stop at the University of Akron next Sunday for a Noon CT kickoff in the first meeting against the Zips. Both road games can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+.
Evans Elementary Launches Nation’s First Promise Neighborhood ChangeLab in Partnership with UE
EVANSVILLE, IND. (08/15/2025) Evans Elementary began the new school year by making history in the EVSC (Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation). In the first week of classes, the school launched the nation’s first-ever K-12 ChangeLab program, empowering every student, not just those who already see themselves as leaders, to share ideas for meaningful change in their school and community.
ChangeLab, an award-winning initiative from the University of Evansville (UE), is known for connecting university students with real-world community projects. The Evansville Promise Neighborhood (EPN) initiative allows UE and the Evansville Vanderburgh School Corporation (EVSC) to give ChangeLab to K-12 students for the first time.
From July 20-21, representatives from all six EPN schools collaborated with UE’s Center for Innovation & Change (CIC) to design their first projects. The mission was simple yet powerful: ask every student what they would improve in their school or neighborhood, and then design a plan that will help them bring those ideas to life.
During the training, Evans Elementary’s leadership team created the first-ever Changemaker Journal: a hands-on tool printed and provided to every student to document their actions and progress throughout the year.
Each class selected one idea to pitch to the entire school. After a week-long design process, students proudly presented their proposals on Friday, August 8 at an all-school assembly. These ideas showcased creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration, with suggestions ranging from sensory rooms to swimming pools, movie theaters to stuffed animal reward programs.
Following the presentations, students voted on which project to pursue. On Monday, August 11, Evans announced the winning idea: a Playground Revamp designed to make the space more accessible, inclusive, and enjoyable for everyone. The student-led plan includes a soccer field, track, baseball diamond, and additional practice areas for school and community sports teams. This vision aims to foster a lifelong love of sports, encourage healthy lifestyles, and create a welcoming hub for the community after school hours.
Each EPN school receives $5,000 to fund their project, and the students will learn project management skills in the process. While the playground revamp will require additional funding, CIC will guide students in developing the most achievable version of their plan-just as they do with college-level ChangeLab students.
“Our students proved this week that they’re not just dreamers – they’re problem-solvers and leaders,” said Lauren Hartmayer, Assistant Principal and ChangeLab Coordinator for Evans. “This project isn’t just about new equipment; it’s about building a space that will unite our school and community for years to come, and showing students the real impact they can have.”
ChangeLabs are UE’s direct programming for EPN students, families, and residents-a powerful step toward engaging young people as leaders of community transformation.
“There’s nothing more exciting than helping teachers unlock the changemaking potential of their students,” said Erin Lewis, Executive Director of the Center for Innovation & Change. “Seeing kindergarteners find their voice and get excited about making change is incredible. The ripple effects of this work will last for generations.”
Other EPN school projects are still in development, and the community is invited to help bring these ideas to life.
To get involved or offer support, please contact: Will McDonner, EPN ChangeLab Coordinator at WM99@evansville.edu.
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.
The Word in 120, Love Never Fails
Love Never Fails by Jeroeme Stewart 
In 1st John chapter 4 the brethren were reminded of the importance of love. Vss. 7 thru 9 the Apostle John says; “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God;
and everyone who loves is born of God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God
has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him.” Look at the world today. Where’s the love? The opportunity each and every day
to exercise the meaning of agape love is available to any and everybody. That’s how we will overcome the evil we are reminded of every day. To counter evil in
any form an attitude of love and patience can prevent anyone from traveling down the road paved with evil. Love brings light to any situation and it can be
immediate. With evil darkness abounds. Love and evil cannot co-exist at the same time. It’s not rocket science. Turn off a light and see what happens; it gets dark;
but when we turn the light back on it illuminates the room. There are so many people that suffer because of a lack of love for others. Proverbs 4 vs. 23 says;
“Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life.” The Apostle Paul said to the brethren in Colossians 3 vss. 12 thru 15; “As the
elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, if anyone has a complaint
against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.” Love will always
counter punch the evil, hate, and anger on display today. Vs. 17 says; “And whatever you do in word or deed, do in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks
to God the Father through Him.” When there is a willingness to trust in the words of the living God we will see the world change for the better. The words in
Philippians 4 vs. 13 still hold true today. The Apostle Paul said to the brethren; “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” It matters greatly the
people we listen to and allow to influence how we think and act. John 10 vs. 27 Jesus says; “My sheep hear My voice. And I know them, and they follow Me.”