FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
CECI LEADS THUNDERBOLTS TO 5-1 WIN OVER QUAD CITY
CECI LEADS THUNDERBOLTS TO 5-1 WIN OVER QUAD CITY
Evansville, In.: It was a stellar night in goal for Cole Ceci, who turned away almost every big Storm scoring chance in the first two periods before the Thunderbolts pulled away with three late goals in a 5-1 victory over Quad City on Friday night at Ford Center. The Thunderbolts’ next home game will be on Saturday, January 4th against the Peoria Rivermen at 7:05pm CT.
Following some big saves in the first few minutes from Ceci, the Thunderbolts gained the first lead 6:35 into the first period, scored off a rebound by Brady Lynn and assisted by Nolan McElhaney and Jordan Simoneau. Quad City converted on an early second period opportunity, tying the game 1-1 on a goal from Leif Mattson at 2:34. Following several saves by Ceci to keep the game tied, Evansville grabbed a 2-1 lead as Matthew Hobbs scored unassisted on a 2-on-1 rush at 6:59. Late in the third period, Myles Abbate scored on a penalty shot at 16:03 to make it a 3-1 game, followed by an empty net goal from Brendan Harrogate, who scored at 18:05 from Abbate and Tyson Gilmour to further gap the lead to 4-1 and extend Harrogate’s point streak to 7 consecutive games. At 18:40, the Thunderbolts made it 5-1 as Gilmour scored on another 2-on-1 break, assisted by Lynn and McElhaney.
Gilmour, Abbate, and Lynn scored a goal and assist each, Harrogate and Hobbs finished with one goal each, and McElhaney tallied a pair of assists. In goal, Ceci finished with 21 saves on 22 shots for his 6th win of the season. The Thunderbolts and Storm meet again on Friday, February 14th at Ford Center, face-off set for 7:05pm CT.
Individual game tickets and group packages are on sale for the 2024-25 season. Season tickets for the 2025-26 season are on sale now. Call 812-422-BOLT(2658) or visit our website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.
About Evansville Thunderbolts: The Evansville Thunderbolts is the area’s only professional hockey team. The Thunderbolts are a proud member of the SPHL. The team is owned and operated by VW Sports, L.L.C, a subsidiary of VenuWorks, Inc. www.evansvillethunderbolts.com
City-County Observer Urges You to Save These Dogs
While we have several no-kill animal rescue organizations in town, they tend to remain crowded. Found pets are taken to Animal Control and Care in Evansville and cared for until their owners come to claim them. However, the owners often don’t show up, and when the center gets full, the dogs that have been there for a long time are euthanized.
City-County Observer is teaming up with other animal lovers to help find loving homes for these pets. We’re establishing a fund to assist with adoption and reclaiming fees for those who can’t afford them. We’ll also devote space on our website to sharing weekly photos of some dogs currently waiting to be adopted at Animal Control and Care.
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The only way to save these animals’ lives is for people to come forward and provide a new home. That home could be temporary through fostering or permanent through adoption. Join the Mayor for a special Animal Control Town Hall Meeting – Wednesday, January 15, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the C.K. Newsome Center
Check these dogs out in person at Animal Care & Control Shelter, 815 Uhlhorn St, Evansville, or online www.24petconnect.com.
USI drops road contest at Tennessee Tech
USI drops road contest at Tennessee Tech
Shafford inches closer to program’s three-point record
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball dropped its first Ohio Valley Conference game of the season Thursday evening, 83-79, on the road against Tennessee Tech University.
Thursday’s setback moved Southern Indiana to 11-4 overall and 3-1 within the OVC. The loss snapped a 13-game winning streak against OVC competition and 11 straight regular-season OVC wins dating back to last season. Tennessee Tech improved to 8-4 this season and 2-1 in conference play.
The Screaming Eagles tipped off the game in front 8-3 two minutes into the game after a pair of three-pointers from sophomore guard Triniti Ralston. Later in the first quarter, Tennessee Tech went on an 11-0 run that pushed the Golden Eagles ahead 17-10. Sophomore guard Sophia Loden ended the drought before another couple of conversions by Ralston with under three left in the opening frame. Tennessee Tech went on to lead 23-19 heading to the second period. Ralston tallied 11 first-quarter points.
After a defensive start to the second quarter, Tennessee Tech went on another big run with three consecutive triples to extend the Golden Eagles’ lead to 11, 34-23. Senior guard Vanessa Shafford strung together three jump shots with another three by Ralston to help pull USI back to even at 34 with just over two minutes remaining in the first half. The game remained tied at 38 going into halftime.
The two sides exchanged baskets in the early minutes of the second half with Shafford continuing to knock down shots to keep USI right with the Golden Eagles. Inside the final four minutes of the third quarter, Tennessee Tech drained three treys on three occasions to go up by seven. Graduate forward Meredith Raley scored four of USI’s final six points of the third quarter to help trim the Golden Eagles’ advantage down to three, 57-54, entering the fourth quarter.
Raley delivered another key make early in the fourth stanza to knot the game up at 58. The Golden Eagles answered with a small run to climb to a 66-60 lead with a little over six minutes remaining. With Tennessee Tech up by eight with four and a half minutes on the clock, Shafford drilled another big three followed by a fast-break layup by junior guard Ali Saunders that made it a one-possession contest once again, 72-69, in favor of the Golden Eagles. Southern Indiana stayed competitive driving to the basket and forcing contact. Saunders later tied the game at 74 from the foul line with just under two minutes left. However, Tennessee Tech responded with a few key plays down the stretch to finish off its home win despite a couple of late-effort makes from Ralston and Shafford.
Despite some offensive frustrations during the game, Southern Indiana was efficient from the floor by shooting over 51 percent (30-58). USI shot the ball for over 47 percent (9-19) from three but only connected at a 52.6 clip (10-19) at the free-throw line. Ralston matched her career best with a game-high 25 points on 9-16 shooting overall and 4-4 from outside. Shafford posted her second double-double of the season with 23 points and 12 rebounds. Raley added 11 points.
With five makes from three-point range on Thursday, Shafford inched closer to USI’s all-time record for three-point field goals made. Shafford finished the outing with 190 made threes in her career, only four shy of the program record set by Stephanie Carpenter (2010-14).
For Tennessee Tech, the Golden Eagles were 29-65 for a little over 44 percent shooting, including a rate of over 44 percent (12-27) from distance. Tennessee Tech was 13-21 for nearly 62 percent at the charity stripe. Tennessee Tech was plus-three on the boards, 36-33. Graduate guard Keeley Carter and junior guard Reghan Grimes led Tennessee Tech with 23 points a piece. Grimes also notched a double-double by grabbing 10 rebounds.
The Screaming Eagles will get a week away from game action before continuing its three-game road swing next Thursday at Southeast Missouri State University. Tipoff from Cape Girardeau, Missouri, is slated for 5:15 p.m. The game can be seen with a subscription to ESPN+ and heard on The Spin 95.7 FM.
Winter Storm Watch for the Evansville Area
The next few days will be spent preparing for the major winter storm expected to hit on Sunday and Monday. Weather forecasters have been monitoring and trying to predict the storm’s track, and the consensus is that conditions will be hazardous starting on Sunday.
There is still uncertainty about whether we will receive several inches of snow or a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain. The latter is the worst-case scenario, as ice could accumulate on power lines, snapping them and leaving many people without power.
Residents should plan what to do in case of power outages. Before Sunday, buy all of the white bread and milk in the store, and be ready to settle in to watch football or Netflix while the snow falls.
Jonathan Weaver, 44News meteorologist, anticipates snow will start Sunday morning and then convert to freezing rain and sleet south of I64 during the day before switching back to snow that night and into Monday.
Roads will be slick and hazardous.
Ryan Hatfield Sworn In As Vanderburgh County Circuit Court Judge
The crowd filled the courtroom and spilled out into the hall for the swearing-in Of Ryan Hatfield to his new position as Circuit Court Judge. The oath was administered by outgoing Judge David D. Kiely, who called Hatfield “a good person with a good heart” during the ceremony.
After the oath, Judge Hatfield said that he would “work to maintain the integrity of our courts, fostering an atmosphere where justice prevails, and the rule of law is upheld.”
Hatfield has served as the District 77 Representative in the State Legislature since 2016, and when Judge Kiely announced plans to retire, Hatfield saw a judgeship as an opportunity to spend more time at home with his young family.
As State Representative Hatfield served as the Assistant Minority Leader in the Indiana General Assembly as the ranking minority member of the Indiana House Judiciary and Employment, Labor and Pensions committees.
He was an attorney at Hatfield Law, representing criminal, family, divorce, and business law matters in state and federal courts. He also served as an adjunct faculty member at Ivy Tech Community College and as an instructor at the Southwest Indiana Law Enforcement Academy.
Prior to serving in the Indiana General Assembly and joining the law firm, Hatfield was a deputynprosecutor in Vanderburgh County, where he prosecuted homicides, sexual assaults and drug offenses. As a member of the Vanderburgh County Treatment Court, as well as the Veterans Court, he worked to transition drug-addicted offenders into rehabilitation and back into their community.
Hatfield’s wife, Kendra, is a nurse and supervisor at St. Vincent’s Evansville. They have three children and are active on local boards and committees.
Mayor Terry Announces Dates for 2025 Traveling City Hall Meetings
Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry again will host quarterly Traveling City Hall meetings in 2025, with the first scheduled for Wednesday, February 12, at the Dream Center (16 W. Morgan Ave.).
As with the 2024 Traveling City Hall events, the four 2025 events will take place in different locations around the city, offering residents the opportunity to hear directly from Mayor Terry, and to speak directly to department heads from across city government.
The 2025 Traveling City Hall schedule will be as follows:
- Wednesday, February 12, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., Dream Center (16 W. Morgan Ave.)
- Wednesday, May 14, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., Sunrise Pump Station
- Wednesday, August 20, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., Location TBD
- Monday, November 3, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m., Location TBD
Each event will begin with brief remarks from Mayor Terry, offering updates from the Mayor’s Office. Then, residents will have the opportunity to speak about their concerns directly with officials from all city departments, as well as special guests from other organizations. Among the special guests attending 2024 Traveling City Hall events were United Neighborhoods of Evansville, CenterPoint Energy, the University of Evansville, and representatives of the Indiana Department of Transportation’s Lloyd4U project.
Special guests for the 2025 events are still to be determined.
Alongside these events, Mayor Terry’s administration will hold numerous other events for public input, comment, and conversation about specific topics. January 2025 will feature three such events, including:
- Animal Control Town Hall – Wednesday, January 15, 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. at the C.K. Newsome Center
- Evansville Water-Sewer Utility Community Conversation – Saturday, January 25, 10:00 a.m., Sunrise Pump Station
- Evansville Department of Parks & Recreation’s Parks Chat (Ward 4) – Wednesday, January 29, 6:00 p.m., Location TBD
“As a city government, we are here to serve the residents of Evansville,” said Evansville Mayor Stephanie Terry. “It is our responsibility to ensure we’re accessible, transparent, and responsive to the needs of our community. Traveling City Hall is an important way for us to connect directly with Evansville residents—to answer their questions, address their concerns, and hear their ideas about how we can move our city forward.
“These events are about building trust and ensuring that every resident has the opportunity to engage with their local government on the issues that matter most to them.”
Information about future events – including the locations of the final two Traveling City Hall events of 2025 – will be announced at a later date.
CenterPoint Energy shares New Year’s resolution checklist to help customers save energy and money while staying safe
CenterPoint Energy shares New Year’s resolution checklist to help customers save energy and money while staying safeCenterPoint Energy encourages customers to keep safety and energy efficiency top of mind with this simple New Year’s resolution checklist that can help save energy, improve safety and simplify life at home. From small changes to big impacts, these tips can assist in starting the year off right.Here’s a checklist of resolutions to help inspire a brighter, more energy-efficient and safer 2025:Power Up Your Energy Efficiency
- Start your energy efficiency journey. CenterPoint offers energy efficiency programs to help customers save energy and money.
- Glow smarter. Switch to ENERGY STAR® certified LED light bulbs to reduce energy use.
- Out with the old. Replace older appliances with energy-efficient models that work smarter, not harder. Take advantage of available appliance rebates to save even more!
- Get tech-savvy. A smart thermostat can keep the home cozy and save energy.
- Seal the deal. Weatherize at home by sealing air leaks and adding insulation.
- Freshen up. Replace HVAC filters regularly for better air quality and system performance.
Visit CenterPointEnergy.com/SmartSavings for energy-saving tips, tools and rebates. Make Managing Your Utility Bills Easier
- Contact CenterPoint for assistance. If a customer is facing financial hardship, contact the company to set up a payment plan and be referred to resources for assistance.
- Paperless is priceless. Sign up for paperless billing to simplify life.
- Balance the bumps. Enroll in Budget Billing to smooth out seasonal cost fluctuations.
- Set it and forget it. Set up automatic payments for worry-free billing.
- Get the full picture. Use our online tools to track energy usage and find new ways to save energy.
For more tips and tools to manage bills, visit the Billing Resource Hub at CenterPointEnergy.com/ResourceHub. Make Safety a Priority
- Use space heaters safely. Keep space heaters at least three feet away from flammable items, and never use stoves or ovens to heat the home.
- Check your detectors. Test smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) detectors and replace their batteries regularly. Replace alarms according to the manufacturer’s guidelines.
- Know the signs of CO poisoning. Early symptoms include headaches, fatigue, nausea, and dizziness. If CO poisoning is suspected, leave the area immediately, get fresh air and call 911.
- Report suspected natural gas leaks immediately. If the “rotten egg” odor of natural gas is present, leave the area on foot, call 911, and notify CenterPoint. Avoid doing anything that could cause a spark.
- Call before you dig. Contact 811 before starting any digging projects to avoid underground utility lines.
To explore additional safety resources, visit CenterPointEnergy.com/Safety.