The University of Southern Indiana Ceramics Department will host the Filling Empty Bowls for Veterans event from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, November 15 at Barker Brewhouse, located at 96 N Barker Ave. With a $20 donation, attendees will receive a USI ceramic made bowl (while supplies last) plus soup and bread from Mother Truckers food truck. The event is open to the public.
Alisa Holen (AL), Professor of Ceramics, has been creating bowls for the event alongside community members and students. “My favorite part of this event is having the faculty and staff come in and having my students teach them how to throw bowls,” Holen says. “It’s fun to see the tables turn when my students teach and the thrill in their eyes when it all works! Then, when people come to the event and see their bowl (formerly a lump of mud) trimmed, glazed, beautiful and functional, it is a beautiful thing.”
The bowls will be used by Empty Bowls Evansville to raise funds to assist with food relief for Evansville’s undernourished veterans. Empty Bowls is a national non-profit that lends its name to organizations that raise money to feed the hungry by making and selling ceramic bowls. Recently, the group raised $8,000 for the Evansville Veterans. Proceeds from this year’s fundraiser will go to the Homeless Veterans’ Reintegration Program (HVRP).
Come early to ensure you get a bowl. The last time the event was hosted, the bowls sold out in 45 minutes.
FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Warrant Issued For Suspect In Officer-Involved Shooting Following Separate Shots Fired Incident
An arrest warrant has been issued for Jailani D Chew (18) in reference to a shots fired run on 9/19/2025. Officers were originally dispatched to the 700 block of E Chandler Ave in reference to shots being fired in the area. When officers arrived, numerous shell casings were located in the area. These casings were collected and submitted for testing.
On 9/21/2025 Chew shot an EPD officer after fleeing a car stop. The firearm Chew used was recovered at the scene and ballistic testing determined the same firearm was used during both incidents. Chew is already in custody and the warrant will be served at the Vanderburgh County jail.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville men’s soccer team begins a crucial final two weeks of the regular season on Monday, traveling to Louisville for a non-conference clash with the Cardinals. Kick-off is set for 6 PM CT.
Last Time Out
Evansville remained unbeaten in MVC play on Friday night, playing visiting Bradley to a 1-1 draw at Arad McCutchan Stadium. The Purple Aces honored a nine-member senior class – Hugo Amo, Nacho Diaz-Caneja, Tancredi Fadda, Nacho Garcia, Kobe Grant, Matt Hawkins, Kyle Penders, Nate Roberts, and Nalu Wagner – prior to the match to celebrate Senior Night.
Evansville faced an early deficit, as Bradley struck for the night’s first goal in the eighth minute of play.
Aces’ keeper Michal Mroz (Elk Grove, Ill./Elk Grove) kept the score at 1-0 in the 11th minute, making a leaping save to deny the Braves.
In the 27th minute, Andres Escudero (San Sebastián de los Reyes, Spain/IES Joan Miro) gave Evansville a chance to equalize by drawing a yellow card in the box to earn a penalty kick. Martin Wurschmidt (Stavern, Norway/Thor Heyerdahl VGS) stepped to the spot for the Purple Aces and buried a shot into the top left corner to even the match. With the goal, Wurschmidt improves to 3-for-3 on the season from the penalty spot.
After the match went into halftime tied at one, Evansville worked to generate the go-ahead goal with a shot from Ben Zec (Carmel, Ind. Carmel), and two shots by Tancreddi Fadda (Monza, Italy/University of Milan) in the 50th, 52nd and 54th minutes. Fadda was active again in the 57th minute, putting a shot on target, while Will Bencic (Cincinnati, Ohio/Lakota East) added a shot on goal of his own in the 59th minute, but both shots were saved as the match remained tied at one.
Fadda saw another shot saved in the 72nd minute, while Mroz matched Bradley keeper Drew Berry with a save of his own in the 74th minute, making an aggressive play on a breakaway to deny the Braves of the go-ahead goal.
The Purple Aces searched for the winner in the final 15 minutes of play, notching nine more shots, including two shots on goal, but the Aces were unable to find the back of the night as the match ended in a draw.
Series History
Monday marks the 18th all-time meeting between Evansville and Louisville. Although the Aces hold a 10-6-1 advantage in the series, the Cardinals have won four of the last five meetings. Evansville earned their first result against Louisville in 23 years last season with a 2-2 draw and are looking for their first win in the series since 2001.
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Finishing the final round of the Lehigh Invitational with a 3-under 69, Jamison Ousley tied for medalist while leading the University of Evansville men’s golf team to a victory in the tournament.
Ousley’s score saw him finish in a 3-way tie for the top individual position. Following a 1-over 73 on Saturday, Ousley’s score on Sunday gave him a 142 for the weekend. He tied Pietro Maria Piccoli of Fairleigh Dickinson and Lehigh’s Ryan Cronin for the win.
His efforts helped the Purple Aces win the team championship by three strokes over FDU and Lafayette. UE completed the tournament at 18-over.
Daniil Romashkin tied for fourth place in the final standings. A 4-over 76 in the last round gave him a final score of 147. Next up for Evansville was Omar Khalid. He carded a 79 on Sunday to finish the event at 8-over. Miguel Sobrado was one behind Khalid at 9-over. He tied for 24th place. Luke Price tied for 58th and completed the tournament with a 166.
Evansville’s team victory was helped by Ousley’s clutch effort in the final round. His score of 69 was the lowest round by any player over the two rounds. The three players at the top of the standings split the victory as no playoff took place.
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Governor Mike Braun highlighted Indiana’s status as one of 15 states with an expanding economy this week, with stops at two READI sites in Churubusco and the future Spartan Square in Connersville, as well as two jobs-and-wages events celebrating a $5 million investment in the Hoosier manufacturing workforce by Caterpillar in Lafayette and the groundbreaking of a new HarperCollins facility that will create 412 permanent Hoosier jobs.
“Indiana’s economy is growing, and this week that was on full display: from two READI projects creating housing and building a new community plaza, to a $5 million investment by Caterpillar to bolster the Hoosier advanced manufacturing workforce and breaking ground on a new HarperCollins facility that will support over 400 Hoosier jobs, Indiana is clearly the place to build and grow a business.”— Governor Mike Braun
Governor Braun visited the Turtle Meadows housing development in Churubusco on Friday. This project put a $1 million READI investment to work in creating housing for this growing community in Northwest Indiana.
On Saturday, Governor Braun visited the old hospital site that will become Spartan Square: a community plaza designed to serve Connersville residents. This project is expected to retain 200 jobs and create 50 new jobs.
Earlier this week, Governor Braun traveled to Lafayette to celebrate a $5 million investment by Caterpillar in workforce development for Hoosiers. This investment is focused on developing the advanced manufacturing workforce and will finance local investments in vocational training and STEM degrees. Governor Braun highlighted the work his administration is doing to support upskilling Indiana’s workforce through Power Up Indiana.
Governor Braun also helped break ground on a new HarperCollins facility being built in Brownsburg. This major project will support 375 jobs during construction and then 412 permanent Hoosier jobs. This facility will be a great asset supporting Indiana’s nationally-renowned excellence in shipping and logistics.
Trump and Braun have urged Indiana lawmakers to act — but Senate Republicans say they still lack consensus.
Republican leaders in the Indiana Senate say they don’t currently have the votes needed to pursue a mid-decade redraw of the state’s congressional map — a setback for Gov. Mike Braun and national Republicans who have been pushing for new lines ahead of the 2026 midterm election cycle.
“The votes aren’t there for redistricting,” said Molly Swigart, spokeswoman for the Indiana Senate Republican caucus, in a statement Wednesday.
Gov. Mike Braun speaks at the Indiana Mental Health Roundtable Summit on Wednesday, Oct. 22, 2025 in Indianapolis. (Photo by Casey Smith/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
The comment, first reported by Politico, underscores a weeks-long impasse that’s attracted national attention. President Donald Trump and other top GOP officials have eyed Indiana as a potential opportunity to pick up one or two additional Republican seats in the U.S. House. They hope to maintain control after the midterms.
The Indiana Capital Chronicle has tracked public statements from lawmakers on the proposal. So far, five Senate Republicans have come out in favor of a mid-cycle redistricting plan, while three have said they oppose it. The remaining members of the 40-strong caucus are either undecided or have not made definitive statements.
Braun, who has publicly supported redrawing the congressional map, countered Wednesday by saying he is still in talks with lawmakers.
“I am still having positive conversations with members of the legislature,” Braun said in a post on X. “I am confident the majority of Indiana Statehouse Republicans will support efforts to ensure fair representation in congress for every Hoosier.”
The Republican governor spoke at a mental health summit Wednesday afternoon in Indianapolis but did not take questions from the media after his remarks.
The Statehouse’s GOP supermajorities drew the current congressional map in 2021, using 2020 census data. District boundaries aren’t due for updates until after the 2030 census.
Republicans hold seven of the seats. Democrats have two.
Republicans still split
Calls for redistricting have divided the state GOP caucus in recent months.
Sen. Liz Brown, the Senate’s assistant majority floor leader and Judiciary Committee chair, reiterated her support on social media Wednesday.
“I was the first Senator to publicly support redistricting back in August,” she wrote. “@GovBraun, call us into session! Let’s get this done! ✅”
Sen. Liz Brown, R-Fort Wayne, speaks in the Indiana Senate on Thursday, April 24, 2025. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
She said, too, that Hoosiers should “call your Senator, State Rep, and educate others on the need to redistrict.”
Brown is also running a radio ad in support of redistricting in Fort Wayne.
Later on Wednesday, Sen. Chris Garten, R-Charlestown, made his support for redistricting public.
“I fully support redistricting in Indiana and have been in support since day one. Out of respect for caucus deliberations, I haven’t made a public statement, but my colleagues and the constituents I’ve spoken to have known where I stand. In light of recent speculation about where elected officials fall on this issue, I owe it to the voters to make my position public and clear. This is not a fight Republicans picked, but it’s at our doorstep, and I’m prepared to answer the call.”
Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith, who also serves as president of the Senate, additionally issued a lengthy statement Wednesday sharply criticizing members of his own party for hesitating on the issue.
“The people of Indiana did not elect a Republican supermajority so our Senate could cower, compromise, or collapse at the very moment courage is required,” Beckwith wrote, calling on GOP senators to “find your backbone” and back a “9-0 conservative map.”
The development drew an immediate response from Indiana’s Democratic leaders, who reiterated their opposition to early redistricting.
House Minority Leader Phil GiaQuinta, a Democrat from Fort Wayne, said Wednesday that lawmakers should focus on other priorities.
“Nobody is asking for redistricting. Instead, Hoosiers are asking their elected leaders to fix their high utility bills, property taxes and absurd health care costs,” GiaQuinta said. “House Democrats have received massive amounts of calls against redistricting, and I’m sure the Senate Republicans have, too. I’ll continue to monitor the possibility of redistricting until we end the 2026 legislative session in March.”
Hoosiers do not want mid-decade redistricting. Thank you to the state senators who are listening and refusing to vote for it.
– Common Cause Indiana Executive Director Julia Vaughn
In the Indiana General Assembly, a constitutional majority is required to pass a bill. That means at least 26 votes in the Senate and at least 51 votes in the House. Republicans currently hold 40 seats in the Senate and 67 seats in the House.
Voting rights advocates praised holdout GOP senators.
“Hoosiers do not want mid-decade redistricting. Thank you to the state senators who are listening and refusing to vote for it,” Common Cause Indiana Executive Director Julia Vaughn said Wednesday. “Now, let’s wave the checkered flag and end this talk about mid decade redistricting. Time to make it clear — no special session, no mid-decade redistricting, and no more bullying by the federal government on a policy Hoosiers oppose.”
The current map gives Republicans a 7-2 advantage in the state’s congressional delegation.
National Republican strategists have argued that shifting boundaries — particularly in the 7th District, held by Democratic U.S. Rep. André Carson, but also in northwest Indiana’s 1st District, represented by Democratic U.S. Rep. Frank Mrvan — could make those seats more competitive for the GOP heading into 2026.
Several conservative commentators and social media influencers reacted negatively to the latest news on Wednesday.
One national strategist, Rogan O’Handley, wrote, “We want NAMES Who are the RINO holdouts in Indiana who don’t want to redistrict to save this country They’re about to be real famous.”
He also speculated former Vice President and Indiana native Mike Pence is pulling strings against early redistricting.
“Is former Indiana Governor Mike Pence trying to get revenge on the MAGA movement that he backstabbed on J6 and telling Rodric Bray jot to redistrict? Hmmm. That’s what we’re hearing!”
The setback comes after weeks of speculation in the Statehouse, fueled by a series of meetings between Hoosier GOP leaders and top figures in Trump’s orbit, including Vice President JD Vance.
The president has been personally engaged in lobbying Indiana Senate Republicans, including joining a private call with members of the Senate GOP caucus as recently as Friday to push for the remap.
Discussions have centered on ways to strengthen the party’s position in the U.S. House — where Republicans hold a narrow majority — by encouraging states with GOP strongholds to redraw districts before 2026.
House Speaker Todd Huston and Senate President Pro Tempore Rodric Bray, both Republicans, have refused to publicly say where they stand.
Indiana’s GOP legislative leaders have met at least three times with Vance in recent months. Bray described the latest conversation as “productive,” though he stopped short of confirming whether Senate Republicans were united behind an early redraw.
Braun has maintained that his goal is to “let the legislature lead.” He has repeatedly said that he’ll wait to call lawmakers back until they signal readiness, telling reporters in August, “You’re going to hear individual representatives and senators speak up … That process will take a while to play out.”
But Braun also warned that “if we try to drag our feet as a state on it, probably, we’ll have consequences of not working with the Trump administration as tightly as we should.”
If a special session is not called, the next regularly scheduled legislative session will kick off in January. Candidate filing for the 2026 primary opens Jan. 7.
Multiple polls — including one released in August and one earlier this month — have found that the majority of Hoosiers oppose early redistricting.
One statewide survey found that a majority of Hoosiers — about 53% — oppose early redistricting, compared to just 34% who support it. Another survey showed waning trust in both parties, with growing numbers of voters saying they feel disconnected from state political leadership.
With Halloween around the corner, many young Hoosiers are putting the finishing touches on their costumes and planning their trick-or-treat routes. While the night is all about fun, a few simple precautions can help keep everyone safe.
The Indiana State Police offer parents some advice to keep their ghosts and ghouls safe this Halloween, including mapping out a safe route for trick-or-treating and instructing kids to stop only at familiar homes where the outside lights are on. Remember to follow your community’s trick-or-treating hours, and if you’re venturing out after dark, bring your flashlights and walk on well-lit streets. Adding reflective tape or glow sticks to costumes so children can be easily seen by drivers is another effective safety measure.
Don’t forget to remind your trick-or-treaters to not eat any of their goodies until they get home, where you can check out the treats in a lighted area and toss out anything unwrapped or suspicious. Only eat candy that’s sealed and in its original packaging.
