Clark Griswold is a Christmas everyman. He is to a family Christmas reunion what Oedipus was to reunions with his father, whom he kills, and his mother, whom he marries. Both Oedipus and Clark performed well intentioned acts which resulted in disasters. That illustrates one of the main problems for all writers after the Classical Age of Greece. Such playwrites and philosophers as Sophocles already wrote 2,500 years ago the plots the rest of us just keep repeating in different formats, such as this Gavel Gamut column.
As for the hapless Clark Griswold, all he wants is to provide his family with “A good ‘ole family Christmas” and fate punishes his every move. By the end of the National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation movie (1989), Clark has destroyed his and his neighbor’s homes, has enabled the explosion of a public sewer and the kidnapping of his boss by Clark’s idiot cousin. All-in-all, Clark’s nostalgic yearnings turn out to be just what many lovers of the Christmas season secretly dread is bound to be a fait accompli, no matter how hard they try to put the perfect bow on the Christmas family holiday.
At our home in our isolated prairie cabin, Peg makes sure we do not succumb to the vanities of a Perfect Family Christmas. She is forever hopeful and positive about what makes each season bright. She starts decorating for Christmas as soon as the pilgrim and turkey touches are put away even though nobody but she and I ever see even one of the “twinkling little lights” at JPeg Osage Ranch. Then she will begin orchestrating storing the Santa Clauses, etc., for 2026 before we finish our glasses of New Year’s champagne.
However, as Clark Griswold explains while he is standing among the ashes of his Christmas tree that burned up when his drunken Uncle Louis lit his cigar, Christmas means something different to everyone. It is not truly about presents and decorations but:
“The most enjoyable traditions of the season are best enjoyed
in the warm embrace of kith and kin.”
This is so even if there is geographical distance between us and our friends and family members.
Clark is right, even if it took a few disasters for him to realize what is truly important, and not just at Christmas. So, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to and from our family to yours, Gentle Readers!
Fishers-area realtor and small business owner Catherine Torzewski is the latest candidate to enter the race for central Indiana’s Senate District 31 seat.
Torzewski, a Democrat, announced Monday her plans to run for the politically competitive district that spans the northeastern corner of Indianapolis and parts of Fishers in Hamilton County.
The seat is currently held by Sen. Kyle Walker, R-Lawrence, who announced earlier this month that he will not seek a second term.
Torzewski is the latest candidate — and second Democrat — to announce a run for the open seat.
Torzewski said her platform is focused on public education, safety and less political division.
“Voters in Senate district 31 are tired of the polarizing politics. They want lawmakers to get back to Hoosier values, values that prioritize public school funding, safety, and a comfortable life for all,” she said in a statement announcing her candidacy. “I’m committed to a different kind of politics, one that is transparent and authentic. I’m raising my kids here, I’m doing business here, my friends and family all live here. Indiana is home, and I want to make it the best place it possibly can be.”
Torzewski grew up on the east side of Indianapolis and attended Saint Simon Catholic School and Scecina Memorial High School, according to her campaign release. Her mother worked as a local librarian and her father was a Sheet Metal Workers Local 20 union member. Torzewski credited her upbringing with “forming her sense of community and pride.”
She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Indianapolis in 2005 and now works as a central Indiana Realtor. She also owns a small business that focuses on investment properties and is active with the MIBOR Association, serving on committees and participating in the organization’s Real Estate Academy of Leadership.
Torzewski additionally serves on the Lawrence Township School Foundation Board and volunteers with a local Moms Demand Action chapter, where she advocates for policies like safe firearm storage and the Jake Laird Law.
She has also worked on political campaigns in both Marion and Hamilton counties, including Democrat Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn’s 2024 reelection campaign and the 2023 Fishers City Council campaign for Howard Stevenson, also a Democrat.
The Board of Commissioners of Vanderburgh County will hold an executive session on Tuesday, December 30, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. in Room 309 at 501 Main Street, Evansville, Indiana 47708. The Board will meet pursuant to I.C. § 5-14-1.5-6.1(b)(4) to interview and negotiate with industrial or commercial prospects or agents of industrial or commercial prospects by a governing body
FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – On Monday, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team returns to Meeks Family Fieldhouse to open the MVC home slate, hosting the Murray State Racers. Tip-off is set for 6 PM.
Series History
– Monday marks the 44th meeting between Evansville and Murray State
– Murray State leads the series 28-15
– The Racers also lead the series in Evansville, 13-5
– Evansville is looking for their first win in the series since January 27, 2023, a 75-67 win in Evansville
Scoring in Bunches
– Camryn Runner notched her third 20-plus point scoring performance against Dayton on December 21, scoring 22 points
– Runner went 12-for-13 from the free throw line against the Flyers and now leads the Valley in both free throws made (67) and free throw attempts (86)
– Runner also ranks among national leaders at the charity stripe, ranking 13th in attempts and free throws made
– At 16.2 PPG, Runner is tied for fifth in the Valley in scoring
Hitting Her Stride
– Elle Snyder has established herself as a staple in the Aces’ Starting 5 as a sophomore, starting each of the last 10 games
– Snyder leads the team in rebounding at 6.2 per game, ranking 13th in the MVC
– Snyder has snagged nine or more rebounds on four occasions, including a high-water mark of 11 in the season opener at SEMO
– On Sunday’s game at Dayton, Snyder scored a season-high 10 points, seven of which came in the first quarter
Moline, Ill.: Behind a 3-point night from Scott Kirton and another stellar showing between the pipes from Kristian Stead, the Thunderbolts defeated the Storm 4-1 in Quad City, picking up 3 out of 4 standings points on the weekend. The Thunderbolts’ next home game at Ford Center will be on Wednesday, December 31st against the Birmingham Bulls at 7:00pm CT.
Adam Manji started the game in net for the Thunderbolts and played very well, stopping all 8 shots faced in the first half of the first period, however he was forced to leave the game due to injury and Stead took over in relief. At 18:57, the Thunderbolts capitalized on a 2-on-1 rush to take the opening lead as Matt Hobbs fed Myles Abbate for a quick wrist shot past Storm goaltender Luke Lush. Early in the second period, the Thunderbolts got a lucky break as a steep-angled shot off the rush by Kirton somehow got through Lush at 3:38 to make it 2-0 Evansville. 4:35 into the third period, Evansville made it 3-0 on a delayed Storm penalty as Matt Clark scored his first goal as a Thunderbolt, assisted by Kirton and Dilan Peters. Kirton added another goal into an empty Storm net with 2:16 remaining, assisted by Tyson Gilmour and Evan Miller to extend the Thunderbolts lead to 4-0. Unfortunately, the shutout bid was spoiled with 1:08 remaining as Savva Smirnov scored a power play goal for Quad City, finishing the score at 4-1.
Kirton led the way with two goals and an assist while Clark and Abbate scored one goal each. In goal, Stead stopped 32 of 33 shots on goal for his 12th win of the season, while Manji stopped all 8 shots faced in the game’s start before departing due to injury. The Thunderbolts and Storm meet again on Friday, January 2nd at Ford Center, with Evansville leading the season series 4-3.
Psalm 18 vs. 30 says; “As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him”
The Apostles of Jesus Christ were holy men of God who were moved to speak by the Holy Spirit. The Apostle Peter encouraged the brethren on the need to live holy lives. The Hebrew word for holy means “set apart.” The Greek word for holy means “sacred, pure, and worthy.” In 1st Peter 1 vss. 15 and 16 Peter says; but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written; “Be holy for I am Holy.”
1st. Peter 3 vs. 12 says; “For the eyes of the LORD are on the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers; But the face of the LORD is against those who do evil.”There is good taken place throughout the world because many children of God want to do right and are seeking to live holy lives. May God continue to bless you!
We rarely hear about the good, but we are reminded daily of the evil ways of mankind. We are reminded each day of the brevity of life because people die every day. This life is temporal and glory be to God that it is. It would be helpful to know for those willing to give careful consideration to obedience to the gospel, where the authority of the Apostle’s of Christ came from. The Apostle Paul wrote 13 epistle’s of the New Testament.
The Apostle Peter reminded the brethren on where their authority came from and on what they needed to do moving forward.
In 2nd. Peter 1 vss. 13 thru 15 He says; “Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you, knowing that shortly I must put off my tent, just as the Lord Jesus Christ showed me. Moreover I will be careful to ensure that you always have a reminder of these things after my decease.” Consider this as a reminder today.
Vss. 16 thru 21 Peter says; “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.
And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”
As Indiana lawmakers prepare to reconvene in January for a shortened 2026 legislative session, multiple Republican legislators have filed bills to expand how the state carries out death sentences — reopening a debate over capital punishment that stalled in the Statehouse earlier this year.
At the heart of two bills — one in the House and another in the Senate — are additional execution options beyond lethal injection, which is currently the only method authorized under Indiana law.
Senate Bill 11, authored by Indianapolis Republican Sen. Mike Young, would allow Indiana to use a firing squad to carry out executions under certain circumstances.
Under Young’s proposal, the death penalty could be inflicted by firing squad if the Department of Correction determines — at least 30 days before a scheduled execution — that it is unable to conduct an execution by lethal injection due to the unavailability of required drugs.
The bill would also allow a condemned person to request execution by firing squad at least 30 days before the scheduled date.
Separately a House bill authored by Republican Reps. Jim Lucas of Seymour and Andrew Ireland of Indianapolis, would allow executions to be carried out by either firing squad or nitrogen hypoxia. Lucas said lethal injection would remain the default method, but condemned individuals could request an alternative.
The Indiana Capital Chronicle obtained a copy of the bill which was filed this week but as of late Wednesday had not yet been published on the General Assembly’s website where all filed bills are publicly accessible.
“It’s a simple bill,” Lucas told the Capital Chronicle. “We’re going to go with drugs as the first option,” Lucas said. “But if (the condemned) want to choose one of these other options, they can.”
Lucas said the measure was drafted in collaboration with DOC officials and is driven largely by the state’s difficulty securing lethal injection drugs and the cost associated with executions. In the last year, Indiana officials paid up to $300,000 for a single dose of pentobarbital.
He said the goal is to align Indiana’s exertion protocols with other states and the federal government, and that his bill “was an ask from the White House.”
Could legislation pass — or stalemate?
Young’s legislation additionally details procedures for firing squad executions, requiring a five-member team made up of DOC officers selected by the prison warden.
Four officers would fire weapons containing live ammunition, while one would fire a weapon containing a blank round, with firearms loaded in a way that prevents squad members from knowing which ammunition they are firing. The bill would also shield the identities of firing squad members from public disclosure and legal discovery.
Currently, five states authorize the use of firing squads under certain circumstances: Idaho, Utah, Oklahoma, Mississippi, and South Carolina.
Nine states permit executions by lethal gas, but only five — Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi and Oklahoma — specifically authorize death by nitrogen hypoxia, a process that deprives inmates of oxygen using nitrogen gas.
Rep. Jim Lucas, R-Seymour, listens to a bill on March 31, 2025. (Photo by Whitney Downard/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Republican leadership has not yet said where the supermajority caucuses in either chamber stand on new legislation, or if the bills will get committee hearings during the short session, which is scheduled to conclude by the end of February following redistricting debates in December.
The proposed bills follow more than a year of concerns over the state’s ongoing difficulty obtaining lethal injection drugs. The problem that has delayed executions nationwide and prompted states to revisit alternative methods.
But when asked earlier this week about pending death penalty legislation, the Republican governor struck a cautious tone.
“Even though I’m anticipating that there might be some stuff there — I’ll look at that,” Braun said, referring to death penalty bills. But he added that such measures “don’t rise to the level of other issues,” such as lowering health care costs and passing reforms related to education and utilities.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun sits for an end-of-year interview with the Indiana Capital Chronicle in his Statehouse office on Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
“If it comes up,” he continued, “then I’ll view it on the merits at the time.”
Hoosier prosecutors, meanwhile, have urged lawmakers to preserve the death penalty as an option.
Vicki Becker, the Elkhart County prosecutor speaking on behalf of the Association of Indiana Prosecuting Attorneys, said prosecutors oppose removing capital punishment as a tool — regardless of how the legislature ultimately structures it.
“State of Indiana, prosecutors don’t want to lose tools. They don’t want to lose tools,” Becker said. “And in the grand scheme of things, when we have cases that truly are the worst of the worst, we need to have those tools.”
Becker said prosecutors will serve as subject-matter experts as lawmakers debate the issue but emphasized that the final decision rests with the General Assembly.
Opposition mounts, too
Opposition to the death penalty has also intensified.
On Tuesday, more than 70 handwritten letters from pastors and members of Indianapolis First Friends and Shalom Zone, a self-described interfaith group, were delivered to the governor’s office calling for abolition. Braun briefly met with the group and promised a more formal conversation would follow.
“Like so many Hoosiers, 23 other states, and the entire European Union, we believe the death penalty should be abolished,” said Jodie English, a Quaker who helped organize the letter drive.
Braun — whose administration oversaw two executions in 2025 — has called on lawmakers to take up the issue but has stopped short of endorsing any specific execution methods.
The governor has pointed to South Carolina, however, which recently reinstated the firing squad as an option after years of delays due to its inability to obtain lethal injection drugs.
But Braun’s office has since refused to disclose how much the state paid for the latest three sets of lethal injection drugs purchased by the DOC in recent months. At least one of those doses was used for Roy Ward’s execution in October.
Braun has maintained, too, that the high cost and short shelf life of the drug should prompt new discussions on how the state approaches capital punishment moving forward.
Lawmakers failed to advance several death-penalty-related proposals during the 2025 session, including a Republican-backed bill to abolish the death penalty altogether.
That proposal drew some bipartisan support in both chambers but never received a committee hearing. At the time, House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said the issue lacked sufficient consensus to move forward during an already hectic session.
Lucas said he’s confident that his bill will receive a hearing in the House and advance out of the chamber, but he was less certain about its prospects in the Senate.
“I absolutely refuse to predict what the Senate is going to do on anything,” he said. “I’m over in the House. I’m working the House side. That’s my focus right now.”
Five men remain on Indiana’s death row at the state prison in Michigan City. Since December 2024, the state has carried out death sentences for three inmates: Joseph Corcoran, Benjamin Ritchie and Ward. Corcoran’s marked Indiana’s first executions in more than a decade.
The state has not requested execution dates for any of the remaining death row inmates.
“We’re not relitigating the death penalty or anything like that,” Lucas said. “And we want to keep this as humane and efficient as possible, for all parties involved.”
