KIRTON’S THREE POINT NIGHT POWERS THUNDERBOLTS OVER BULLS
It was a big night for Scott Kirton, scoring two goals and adding an assist as the Thunderbolts complete a perfect 2-0 weekend with a 4-1 win over Birmingham on Saturday night at Ford Center. The Thunderbolts next home game will be on Saturday, December 11th at 7:00pm CT as they host the Huntsville Havoc. For tickets, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), buy online at EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or buy tickets in person at the Ford Center Box Office.
After the Thunderbolts put 10 shots on goal in the first three minutes, Evansville picked up an early 1-0 lead as Brett Radford scored at 3:19 from Cameron Cook and Hayden Hulton. The goal would begin the Teddy Bear Toss Night festivities, as thousands of stuffed animals rained down onto the ice, all of which will go to local children’s charities. The Thunderbolts picked up a late power play, and Kirton scored his first goal of the night at 19:16, assisted by Austin Plevy. Josh Adkins tallied his first professional goal only 47 seconds into the second period, assisted by Kirton to extend Evansville’s lead to 3-0. The Bulls got on the board later in the period with a power play goal by Scott Donohue at 10:50, but the Thunderbolts held on to the 3-1 lead through two periods. The lone goal of the third period was an empty net goal by Kirton to seal the 4-1 victory with 1:26 remaining, assisted by Mike Ferraro.
Kirton led the way with two goals and an assist, while Adkins and Radford scored one goal each. Brian Billett stopped 17 of 18 shots faced for his 9th win of the season, and his 17th win as an Evansville Thunderbolt, tying the franchise record with retired Thunderbolts goaltender Braeden Ostepchuk. The Thunderbolts next face the Bulls on Friday, February 11th at Pelham Civic Complex, face-off at 7:00pm CT.
The Thunderbolts are currently competing in their fifth season in the SPHL (Southern Professional Hockey League). Season tickets are less than $9 per game. To order your tickets for this season, call 812-422-BOLT(2658).
Senators Braun And Manchin Joins Vaccine Mandate Challenge
WASHINGTON – Senator Mike Braun released the following statement last night following Senator Joe Manchin of West Virginia’s announcement that he has cosponsored the disapproval resolution under the Congressional Review Act for President Biden’s vaccine mandate for private businesses.
With Senator Manchin’s support and all 50 Senate Republicans who have already signed on to this challenge to the vaccine mandate for private businesses, the resolution is expected to pass the U.S. Senate.
Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell confirmed Thursday on America’s Newsroom that a vote on the disapproval resolution will likely come next week.
“President Biden’s unconstitutional vaccine mandate for private businesses is not a partisan issue: it jeopardizes the freedoms and livelihoods of Americans in all 50 states, and I hope that more Democratic Senators and Representatives will follow Senator Manchin’s strong lead and stand up against this federal overreach that will wreak havoc on our recovering economy and trample on the rights of millions of Americans.†– Senator Mike Braun
Consumer Alert: Products Recalled In October and November
The Office of Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is encouraging all Hoosiers who purchased consumer products that were recalled in October and November to take advantage of the remedies available to them.
“With the holiday season approaching, Hoosiers want to ensure that their hard-earned money is being spent on gifts that are safe and work correctly,†Scott Barnhart, director and chief counsel for consumer protection, said. “If you purchased a faulty good or item in October and November that has been recalled, then you should immediately see what forms of reimbursement the company that sold or manufactured the product is offering.â€
The Attorney General’s Consumer Protection Division (CPD) serves to safeguard Hoosiers from predatory business practices and will take legal action in response to violations of the Deceptive Consumer Sales Act, and other consumer-related statutes.
According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the following consumer products were recalled in October and November:
- Olympic Dumbbell Handles from Impex Fitness
- AmazonBasics Memory Foam Mattresses from AmazonBasics
- Honda Pioneer and Talon ROVs from Honda
- VidaXL Steel Pool Ladders from VIDAXL
- Hart 18-Gauge 2†Brad Nailers from Hart Consumer
- ABUS MountZ Youth Helmets from ABUS
- Turbo Racer, Cloud Racer, Captain’s Fort and Fort Highlander Outdoor Playsets from Backyard Play Systems
- Lambeth Outdoor Metal Torches from RH
- White Wood Stools from Hobby Lobby
- Glass Cabinet Knobs from Liberty Hardware
- MyCharge Powerbanks from MyCharge
- Zoom 360 Ultralight jogging strollers from Joovy
- Husqvarna and GASGAS Off-Road Closed Course Competition Motorcycles from KTM
- Lightform Projectors from Lightform
- Specialized Tarmac SL7 Bicycles and Framesets from Specialized
If you believe you recently purchased a recalled product, stop using it, and check its recall notice (linked above for all aforementioned products). Then follow the notice’s instructions, including where to return the product, how to get the product fixed, how to dispose of the product, how to receive a refund for the product, or what steps must be taken to receive a replacement product.
911 Gives Hope For The Holidays Toy Drive
911 Gives Hope for the Holidays Toy Drive
SUMMARY
*Several charitable groups will be receiving funds at noon this Friday, December 3rd, at the 911 Gives Hope for the Holidays Toy Drive which will be held at the Eastside Walmart (401 N Burkhardt) parking lot. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be making an appearance at the giveaway as well!
*The proceeds are from the 2021 Guns & Hoses Boxing event, which took place at the Ford Center on August 28th.
*The 911 Gives Hope for the Holidays Toy Drive will start Friday morning at 6:00 a.m. and will continue until Sunday, December 5th at 6:00 p.m. Please bring a new, unwrapped gift (or monetary donation) to Walmart East, Walmart West, Henderson Walmart, or Henderson Chevrolet, Buick, GMC Trucks to ensure local children who are spending the holidays in the hospital have some extra sparkle this holiday season!
*Santa and Mrs. Claus will also be stopping by the toy drive at Walmart East throughout the weekend. Here is Santa’s schedule:
Friday, Dec. 3rd from 12 p.m-8 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 4th from 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 5th from 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Gov. Holcomb Accepting Applications For Fellowship Program
INDIANAPOLIS – Governor Eric J. Holcomb announced today applications will be accepted through January 28, 2022, for the 2022–2023 Governor’s Fellowship.
The Governor’s Fellowship is highly selective and provides a unique experience in Indiana state government by placing fellows in various state agencies on a rotating basis throughout the year.
“Our Governor’s Fellows are such a valuable piece to our team,†Gov. Holcomb said. “The wide range of assistance they provide over the course of their fellowship is key to serving Hoosiers in a timely and thorough manner.â€
The program is open to college graduates who either received their bachelor’s degree beginning in the summer or fall of 2021 or in the spring of 2022. Fellows are paid, full-time employees who participate in the day-to-day activities of state government.
Many Governor’s Fellow participants have gone on to successful careers in both the public and private sectors—with some serving at the highest levels of local, state and federal government.
The application and submission guidelines can be found here. To be eligible for consideration, the application and all supporting materials must be postmarked or submitted via email by Jan. 28, 2022.
Applicants should know if they have been selected for an interview no later than Feb. 14, 2022. The fellowship will begin on July 1, 2022.
If you have questions about the fellowship, contact Emily Clancy at the Governor’s Office at eclancy@gov.in.gov.
University of Evansville Announces Selection Of New Dean Of Students and Vice President For Student Affairs
After a national search, Rachel Carpenter has been selected as the new vice president for student affairs and dean of students at the University of Evansville (UE) in Evansville, Indiana. She will begin her duties with an anticipated start date of June 1, 2022.
In her new role, Carpenter will serve the UE student body and help create a safe, welcoming, and supportive campus community. She will not only work one-on-one with students but also student organizations across campus. Carpenter will also oversee areas that support students outside of the classroom, including residence life, student engagement, international student services, counseling services, career development, the student health center, public safety, and the fitness center.
“As someone who grew up in the military, I have rarely experienced the feeling of returning home,” said Carpenter. “I am very excited to return to the UE campus, a place I once called home for several years, and work alongside talented faculty and staff. Together, I know we will move the University forward and prepare students to live meaningful lives in a changing world.”
Carpenter brings nearly two decades of experience in student affairs. Currently, she is the interim university dean for students at Pace University, which has two campuses in Pleasantville and New York City, New York. Prior to serving in this role, she was interim associate vice president for student affairs and dean for students, interim dean, and director of the Center for Student Development. While at Pace, she has been working toward her Doctor of Professional Studies in business and is expected to graduate this month.
The UE campus will be familiar to Carpenter, who graduated with her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in 2003 and 2009, respectively. From 2003-10, she served in various student-oriented roles on campus. Two of those years were spent as dean of students at Harlaxton College, the University’s study abroad center located in Grantham, England and the #1 ranked study abroad program in the United States.
“We are thrilled to welcome Dean Carpenter back to the University of Evansville, and I am confident our students and our entire campus will benefit from her compassion and enthusiasm,” said UE president Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz. “She brings a wealth of experience, and I know that she will make a positive impact on our campus community.”
Carpenter will succeed Dana Clayton, EdD, who has been an exemplary leader for thousands of students who are making a difference in the world. Clayton is retiring in February 2022 after 32 years of service to the University. Until Carpenter’s arrival, Rob Shelby, PhD, chief diversity officer at UE, will be the interim vice president for student affairs. Michael Tessier, assistant vice president of student affairs and director of residence life, will serve as the interim dean of students.
PALO DURO CANYON
PALO DURO CANYON
GAVEL GAMUTÂ By Jim Redwine
Georgia O’Keeffe (1887-1986) called Palo Duro Canyon a seething cauldron filled with dramatic light and color. Her series of paintings of the canyon while she was teaching art in nearby Canyon, Texas helped make O’Keeffe the founder of American Modernism. When you visit Palo Duro Canyon you will experience the same awe-inspiring explosion of colliding shades of red and grey Georgia did. Thousands of prickly pear cacti appear throughout the 120 miles long, 6 miles wide, and 800 feet deep masterpiece of Mother Nature’s artwork. The tiny stream of the Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River that with the wind’s help has spent millions of years carving out the gigantic natural wonder seems woefully inadequate for such an accomplishment.
Palo Duro Canyon is in the panhandle of Texas near the cities of Canyon and Amarillo. It is easy to find, easy to access, and costs $8.00 to enter. It has been inhabited by humans for thousands of years and evidence another of those marvelous Civilian Conservation Corps infrastructure improvements from the pre-World War II years. My experience with the quality of CCC projects throughout America convinces me the generation that saved the world got much of its resilience from their survival of the Great Depression and their training gained through the Corps.
While one can certainly absorb a large measure of reverie just slowly driving through and around the canyon, the most symbiotic experience is gained by hiking some of the 16 “marked†trails that range in length from .5 to 4.4 miles. That is what Peg and I did on November 23, 2021. We started out with the mildest one we could find then matriculated to the Sunflower Trail upon which not a sunflower was to be found. We did find the coursing little “river†at the heart of the floor of the canyon and we found red sand-stoned embankments glittering with striations of white shale. We also got in touch with our Daniel Boone muse for about two confusing hours.
Daniel Boone may have opened up the Wilderness Trail and served in Congress but even he, while denying he was ever lost, admitted he was once “bewildered†for 3 days. And while my admiration and appreciation for the CCC boys is boundless, they may not have been the best at signage. As Peg and I wandered around the rocky, sandy trails I kept hearing the Five Man Electrical Band singing “Signs, signs, everywhere signsâ€. My respectful suggestion to the Palo Duro Park rangers is, please remember some of your guests may be directionally challenged and some husbands just refuse to ask for directions. Hey, did Daniel Boone ask?
Anyway, we eventually located our car and got to see even more of the marvelous flora and fauna in the process. If you are looking for a spiritual reawakening or just a short trip of inexpensive inspiration, I recommend you consider what is called the Little Grand Canyon. It is certainly grand and it is certainly not little.
For more Gavel Gamut articles go to www.jamesmredwine.com
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 “WEIRD AL†YANKOVIC TO EMBARK ON SECOND ILL-ADVISED TOURÂ
Almost four years after his first foray into unfamiliar concert territory with his highly-acclaimed Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour, “Weird Al†Yankovic will be pressing his luck again, this time with The Unfortunate Return of the Ridiculously Self-Indulgent, Ill-Advised Vanity Tour. The tour will launch on April 23, 2022 and run through North America for six months and a staggering 133 shows, culminating in New York City on Oct. 29 with Weird Al’s first-ever concert appearance at Carnegie Hall. The tour will be stopping at the Victory Theatre on May 25!Â
The tour marks Weird Al’s long-anticipated return to the concert stage after his hugely successful Strings Attached Tour in 2019 where he performed each night alongside a full symphony orchestra at world-renowned venues such as New York’s Forest Hills Stadium, Colorado’s Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Washington D.C.’s Wolf Trap.Â
Once again drawing from his back catalog of 14 studio albums, Weird Al promises to deliver a different setlist every night, with no two shows the same. As before, rather than focusing on the hits from his career, the show will feature Yankovic’s non-parody material – the somewhat more obscure pastiches and original songs that have largely escaped the pop culture radar but are adored by his long-time fans. And like the last Vanity Tour, he will be playing smaller, more intimate venues, leaving behind the high-octane theatrics that he’s known for and going bare-bones – no costumes, no props, no video screens just Al and his band of almost four decades hanging out on stage, playing music.Â
Reflecting on his decision to bring back the stripped-down concerts, Al said “I’ve loved doing every single incarnation of my live show, but honestly the Vanity tour is the most fun I’ve ever had on stage… so I’ve been dying to get back out there and torture everybody with it once again!â€Â
Opening the show each night will be returning fan favorite and Al’s long-time friend (and UHF cast member), the legendary comedian Emo PhilipsÂ