FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
THUNDERBOLTS HOST QUAD CITY ON FRIDAY, PEORIA ON SATURDAY
THUNDERBOLTS HOST QUAD CITY ON FRIDAY, PEORIA ON SATURDAY
Evansville, In.: After ringing in the New Year in front of over 5,000 fans at Ford Center on Tuesday night, the Thunderbolts begin the 2025 calendar year by hosting the Quad City Storm this Friday night for Free Kids Friday, and the Peoria Rivermen on Saturday night for Heavy Metal Night.
Week In Review:
The Thunderbolts picked up two big road wins in Quad City last week, 3-1 on Thursday the 26th and 6-1 on Friday the 27th. Matt Dorsey, Anthony Hora and Logan vande Meerakker scored a goal each on Thursday. Dorsey and vande Meerakker scored again on Friday, supplemented by two goals from Brady Lynn and one goal each from Nolan McElhaney and Matthew Hobbs. The Thunderbolts fell 4-2 on Saturday against the Storm with goals from Derek Contessa and Brendan Harrogate, and Harrogate provided the only goal in the 5-1 loss to Huntsville on New Year’s Eve.
The Week Ahead:
This Friday, January 3rd will be Free Kids Friday presented by TaylorMade, as the Thunderbolts host the Quad City Storm. Everyone who buys an adult ticket through the Ford Center Box Office will receive a free kid’s (12 and under) ticket. An inflatable slide will be set up in the lobby, courtesy of Legendary Inflatables. Other activities, including Mr. Gatti’s Pizza, will also be available throughout the concourse. This Saturday, January 4th will be Heavy Metal Night as the Thunderbolts host Peoria, featuring specialty game-worn jerseys that will be auctioned off immediately after the game. Replica jerseys will also be available for purchase at the merchandise stand. Space Monkey Records will be at the game with their Mobile Boom Box in the lobby. Both home games begin at 7:05pm CT. For tickets, call (812)422-BOLT (2658), go to EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or visit the Ford Center Ticket Office.
Coming Soon:
The Thunderbolts will be on the road for two weeks, with two games at Birmingham on Friday, January 10th and Saturday, January 11th, followed by games in Peoria on Friday, January 17th and Saturday, January 18th. The Thunderbolts return to Ford Center on Friday, January 24th for Faith Night and Saturday, January 25th for Star Wars Night, against the Pensacola Ice Flyers on both nights.
Scouting the Opponent:
- Quad City Storm:
- Record: 10-13-2, 22 Points, 8th Place
- Leading Goal Scorer: Leif Mattson (16 Goals)
- Leading Point Scorer: Leif Mattson (37 Points)
- Primary Goaltender: Brent Moran (8-8-1, .911 Save %)
- Thunderbolts Record vs QCS: 4-2
Jordan Henderson scored the Storm’s lone goal against Evansville on the 26th, while Nicola Levesque scored their lone goal on the 27th. Lukas Lacny, Severi Savijoki, Tommy Tsicos and Aaron Ryback each picked up a goal in their 4-2 victory over Evansville on Saturday night. The Storm were defeated 5-2 on New Year’s Eve in Peoria, initially leading 1-0 on a goal from Savva Smirnov before Peoria scored five unanswered goals. Doug Blaisdell scored the second Storm goal of the night with 6 seconds remaining in the game.
- Peoria Rivermen:
- Record: 16-4-4, 36 Points, 2nd Place
- Leading Goal Scorer: Jordan Ernst (16 Goals)
- Leading Point Scorer: Alec Baer (33 Points)
- Primary Goaltender: Colby Muise (14-2-3, .928 Save %)
- Thunderbolts Record vs PEO: 1-3-1
The Rivermen split their two games in Birmingham against the Bulls last Thursday and Friday, losing 3-2 in a shootout on Thursday and winning 6-3 on Friday. Down 2-0 on Thursday late in the third period, goals from Carlos Fornaris and Jordan Gagnon forced overtime. Down 3-2 going into the third period of Friday with goals from Zach Wilkie and Cale List, the Rivermen scored four unanswered goals from Gagnon, Chase Spencer, and two from Mike Gelatt to win 6-3. The Rivermen went on to win 4-2 on Saturday in Pensacola with goals from Fornaris, Alec Baer, Wilkie and Jordan Ernst. Finally, the Rivermen defeated Quad City 5-2 on New Year’s Eve with five unanswered goals, two each from Baer and Ernst, and one from Spencer. Peoria will host the Fayetteville Marksmen this Friday before traveling to Evansville on Saturday.
Call-up Report
– Lincoln Hatten (Worcester Railers – ECHL)
– 27 GP, 4 G, 5 A, 9 P, 13 PIM
– Scott Kirton (Cincinnati Cyclones – ECHL)
– 4 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P, 2 PIM
– Benjamin Lindberg (Adirondack Thunder – ECHL)
– 4 GP, 0 G, 0 A, 0 P, 9 PIM
– Ty Taylor (Orlando Solar Bears – ECHL)
– 0 GP, 0-0-0, .000 SV%
Transactions:
Thur. 1/2: G Ty Taylor called up ECHL Orlando
Sat. 12/28: F Reid Perepeluk released from professional tryout
Thur. 12/26: F Brady Lynn signed to contract
Thur. 12/26: D Robin Eriksson activated from Injured Reserve
Thur. 12/26: D Benjamin Lindberg called up to ECHL Adirondack
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 or visit our website (www.evansvillethunderbolts.
Aces women’s basketball battles to the end in loss at Bradley
Aces women’s basketball battles to the end in loss at Bradley
The Purple Aces led for 29 minutes on Thursday night
PEORIA, Ill. – To begin the new year the University of Evansville women’s basketball team was 30 seconds shy of its first road win against the Bradley Braves.
The Purple Aces dropped a heartbreaker to begin 2025 with a 45-42 loss at Bradley. UE took the lead five minutes into the game but couldn’t hang on in the final three minutes in the first game of the new year. Sophomore forward Maggie Hartwig (Sauk City, Wis. / Sauk Prairie HS) continues to lead Evansville on the floor with a 16-point and eight rebound performance against the Braves.
It was a slow start on Thursday night for both teams as it took over two minutes for the first points. The Aces didn’t score until three and a half minutes into the game, but once the offense got rolling it overtook Bradley’s defense. Following the first basket the Braves hit a three, but UE quickly responded with a 9-0 run. Evansville held Bradley scoreless for the final six minutes of the first to lead by six.
It was another low-scoring quarter in the second as the Aces only had nine points through 10 minutes. UE scored seven of its nine points in the first five minutes of the quarter between two jumpers and a three for freshman forward Elle Snyder (Latrobe, Penn. / Greater Latrobe HS). In the final five minutes of the first half, Evansville made a layup with 2:03 on the clock for a six-point lead. But the Braves made two three-pointers to close out the half tied 20-20.
It was all Aces to begin the second half as UE had a 9-0 run to take the largest lead of the game. Hartwig scored seven of the nine points in the third quarter with two jumpers and a triple. Again, Evansville was able to hold Bradley scoreless for over six minutes in the quarter while Runner added four free throws in the final three minutes to lead by five.
The final quarter started with back-and-forth made shots. But a made three-pointer followed by a jump shot from the Braves had the game tied at 35 with just under six minutes to go. The Aces answered with a 5-0 run of their own, including a three from freshman guard Kaiden Kreinhagen (Indianapolis / North Central HS) to go back up by five. But UE’s offense grew cold after the run, and they did not score for almost three minutes.
Bradley took a one-point lead with 2:32 left on the clock at the free throw line. Evansville was able to make a layup with 54 seconds left to retake the lead. But the Braves responded less than 20 seconds later with a layup of their own. The Aces had two opportunities in the final 16 seconds to retake the lead. But both shots went wide as UE dropped a 45-42 heartbreaker in Peoria.
Hartwig led Evansville on both sides of the ball while Runner was the team’s only other double-digit scorer with 10 points. For the second game in a row senior guard Júlia Palomo (La Seu d’Urgell) grabbed a career-high seven boards along with a steal to help on defense. The Aces continue their road trip on Saturday afternoon at Illinois State. Tip-off from CEFCU Arena is set for 4 p.m.
-www.gopurpleaces.com-
Comer’s career game leads Aces to road win at SIU
Comer’s career game leads Aces to road win at SIU
UE improves to 2-1 in the Valley
CARBONDALE, Ill. – Connecting on eight of his 13 field goal attempts, Tayshawn Comer registered a career-high 26 points to pace the University of Evansville men’s basketball team to a 68-53 road victory over Southern Illinois on Wednesday at the Banterra Center.
It marked Evansville’s first win in Carbondale since December of 202 and saw the Purple Aces improve to 2-1 in Missouri Valley Conference games.
“We talked about being gritty and doing whatever it takes to get better. Since we got back from break, we have had better practices and been playing better as a team,” UE head coach David Ragland said following the victory. “The last two games have shown what we can do as a team and we are excited to be back in front of our fans on Saturday against Indiana State.”
Comer’s effort surpassed his previous high of 23 points, which was set last season playing for Eastern Kentucky. He was 8-of-9 from the line and finished with three steals and a pair of assists. Cam Haffner wrapped up the day with 20 points while tying his career mark with nine boards.
Both teams struggled to find their rhythm in the opening minutes with each squad turning the ball over four times in the opening four minutes of the game. Cam Haffner scored UE’s first five points including three free throws to establish an early 5-2 advantage.
After the Salukis got back within two, Evansville countered with seven in a row to go up 12-4 at the 13:25 mark. Tayshawn Comer’s first triple of the afternoon got things started before Tanner Cuff and Connor Turnbull added field goals. SIU fought back with a 12-4 run to tie the game at 16-16 just past the midway point of the half.
Despite the rally, the Salukis were unable to take the lead as the Purple Aces held strong up 27-24 with 6:37 left in the half. Over the final minutes, UE stretched its lead to double figures as a 15-7 run gave the Aces a 42-31 halftime lead. Comer played a pivotal role in the period, scoring 17 points on 6-of-7 shooting while Haffner had 13 points in the opening period.
SIU opened up the second half with a triple to get back within single digits, but Comer recorded two more free throws on the other end to push the lead back to 10. It would never get closer as UE pulled away to lead by as many as 21 points (61-43) before cruising to the 68-53 triumph.
Evansville’s defense was key to the victory, holding the Salukis to 1-of-17 shooting throughout the middle portion of the second half. Overall, UE’s defense limited SIU to 31.1% shooting overall and 19.4% (6-of-31) from long range. Conversely, the Aces shot 48% from the field.
Kennard Davis Jr. was the leading scorer for SIU, finishing with 19 points and a game-high 10 caroms.
On Saturday, the Aces look to make it three in a row when they welcome Indiana State to the Ford Center for a 1 p.m. game.
-www.GoPurpleAces.com-
Tristate Braces for Potential Winter Storm This Weekend
The new year is coming in with the potential for a major winter storm for the Evansville area. It’s too early for anyone to have a real accurate track on the storm and how much impact it will have, but it isn’t too early to prepare for the possible impact.
Depending on the track the storm takes, our area could be in for a winter mix with accumulations of ice and the possibility of power outages and very slick conditions or we could get significant snow. The science of weather forecasting has a low reliability until about two days before the weather event hits.
The long-range predictions will vary (sometimes significantly) from different meteorologists. For example, on Wednesday (1/1), the standard weather app on the iPhone predicted up to a foot of snow for Sunday, but 44WEVV Meteorologist Jonathan Weaver told the City-County Observer that we should expect 2-4 inches of snow.
Now is the time to develop your plan for dealing with cold, icy, and snowy conditions with the possibility of power outages. We’ll keep you updated.
The 10 Most Hilarious Things That Happened in 2024—From a Comedian’s Perspective
The 10 Most Hilarious Things That Happened in 2024—From a Comedian’s Perspective
by JOE WALLACE
The year 2024 brought us a treasure trove of moments that seemed scripted straight from a sitcom writer’s notebook. As the world turned, so did the comedy, and the absurdities didn’t disappoint. Let’s take a lighthearted look back at the top ten moments that had us clutching our sides.
1. AI Tries Stand-Up Comedy
Artificial intelligence took a bold leap this year, venturing into the world of stand-up comedy. A bot named “Chuck-L-O-Tron” debuted at the Laugh Factory, delivering lines like, “Why did the programmer go broke? Because he lost all his cache!” The laughter was… tentative. The robot’s heckler comeback—“Your signal-to-noise ratio is suboptimal”—left the audience more confused than amused. It’s safe to say comedians’ jobs are secure. For now.
2. The UFO Congressional Hearing Comedy
When Congress called for hearings on UFOs, the testimonies had everyone questioning their reality. One official nervously admitted that the “aliens” might’ve “just been high-tech drones or, worse, really shiny seagulls.” Social media lit up with memes of extraterrestrial seagulls demanding breadcrumbs. Somehow, it felt like Earth’s official audition tape for joining the galactic neighborhood.
3. AI Predicts Super Bowl Winner, But…
A highly advanced algorithm claimed to predict the Super Bowl’s outcome with 99.9% accuracy, but it hilariously mistook the Puppy Bowl for the real game. Betting sites exploded when “Team Fluff” won by a landslide, leaving many gamblers to console themselves with their newfound plush toy collections.
4. Fashion’s “Chair Pants” Trend
High fashion introduced “chair pants,” an innovative fusion of trousers and foldable chairs. While intended to promote practicality, the viral videos of people inadvertently sitting mid-stride provided hours of entertainment. One unfortunate model’s accidental collapse during Paris Fashion Week became the meme of the year.
5. Influencer Attempts Moon TikTok
A social media influencer managed to join a lunar tourist mission and tried to film a TikTok dance under reduced gravity. Let’s just say things didn’t go as planned. The 30-second clip of a zero-gravity somersault—culminating in a faceplant into lunar dust—broke every view record on Earth and probably caught the moon people’s attention, too.
6. The Great Avocado Heist
When an international avocado shortage hit, a group of vigilante “guac enthusiasts” staged a dramatic heist of a shipment bound for luxury markets. They livestreamed the escapade, donning green spandex suits and leaving handwritten notes reading, “You can’t make toast without us.” The Robin Hood vibes earned them cult status—and jail time.
7. Politician’s Hot Mic Moment
A high-profile politician accidentally left their microphone on during a meeting break, broadcasting, “Does anyone know if AI can babysit? Asking for a friend.” The statement sparked a wave of online tutorials for training AI-powered robotic nannies and inspired the creation of a Netflix comedy series.
8. Zoo’s “Escape Drill” Goes Viral
A Japanese zoo’s realistic animal escape drill took a turn when an employee dressed as a bear got too into character. The sight of zookeepers “chasing” their colleague, who dramatically climbed trees and growled at visitors, left onlookers in hysterics. One child exclaimed, “That’s the happiest bear I’ve ever seen!”
9. The AI-Generated Music Awards
The first-ever AI Music Awards crowned a song created by an algorithm as “Song of the Year.” The catch? The lyrics were entirely composed of random Yelp reviews. Lines like “Best sushi in town, but parking was a nightmare” had everyone humming and laughing uncontrollably. The acceptance speech, delivered by a hologram, thanked “all humans for their emotional baggage.”
10. The Emotional Support Peacock Scandal
Airlines tightened rules on emotional support animals, but one passenger tested the limits by boarding with an “emotional support peacock” named Sparkle. The flight was delayed after Sparkle commandeered a beverage cart, pecked at peanuts, and perched atop a seat, posing majestically. Fellow passengers documented the chaos, making Sparkle an internet celebrity overnight.
From AI’s awkward attempts to infiltrate human creativity to unexpected animal antics, 2024 reminded us that the world’s sense of humor remains intact. Here’s to another year of laughing through the chaos!
How Did the Month of January Get Named?
Naming rights for the months of the year go back to Roman times. The ancient Romans gave us numerous innovations, including the Julian Calendar (named after Julius Caesar).
The name January is very appropriate for the first month of the year, drawing the name from Janus, the Roman god of new beginnings. The name Janus is based on the Latin word for “doorway.” So, in January, we walk through the doorway to a new beginning.
The second King of Rome, Numa Pompilius, is the one who added the name January (Ianuarius in Latin) to the ancient Roman calendar in 713 BCE.
Evansville’s 2nd Amendment Patriots January and February Meetings Cancelled
The 2nd Amendment Patriots of Evansville will not meet in January or February. Group leader Jim Tomes tells us that scheduling conflicts forced the cancellation.
“We’re looking forward to getting everyone together in March,” Tomes said. That meeting, the first gathering since November, will be on March 29 at the VFW Post on Wabash Avenue.