Evansville, In.: The Thunderbolts head back on the road this coming weekend as they take on the Huntsville Havoc in Huntsville this Friday and Saturday night. After the weekend, the Thunderbolts return home to take on the Birmingham Bulls next Wednesday the 14th for White Out Wednesday.
Week In Review:
On Friday night, Evansville rallied in the second period as Tyson Gilmour scored to tie the game going into the second intermission, but Quad City scored three goals in the third period to defeat Evansville 4-1. The Thunderbolts rebounded on Saturday with a 4-0 shutout victory over the Storm with goals form Joey Berkopec, Scott Kirton, Myles Abbate and Jordan Simoneau, along with a perfect 25 save performance from Cody Karpinski in goal. Evansville struck first on Sunday at Quad City on a goal from Derek Contessa, but again the Storm scored three consecutive goals from there to defeat Evansville 3-1.
The Week Ahead:
The Thunderbolts will be on the road this coming weekend on Friday and Saturday night at Huntsville, opening face-off for both nights set for 7:00pm CT. Fans can watch on FloHockey or can listen for free on the Thunderbolts Mixlr Channel. We’re having a WHITE OUT at the Ford Center on Wednesday, January 14th against the Birmingham Bulls at 7:00 pm! Wear white to the game and cheer on your Evansville Thunderbolts while they’re in the white jerseys!
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Basketball returned home to Liberty Arena Thursday night with a dominant bounce-back victory, downing Southeast Missouri State University by a final score of 77-46. After a tough road loss last Saturday, USI Women’s Basketball (10-4, 4-1 OVC) established itself on both ends of the court on Thursday night, turning strong defense into offense and cashing in at the free-throw line. USI shot 35.6 percent (21-59) overall and over 36 percent (7-19) from beyond the arc. The Screaming Eagles converted at the foul line frequently, going 28-35 for 80 percent. USI also took control on the glass, winning the rebounding battle 45-26. 21 offensive boards led to 15 second-chance points. Defensively, USI forced 30 turnovers and recorded 17 steals, leading to 39 USI points off turnovers and 20 fast-break points. Senior guard Ali Saunders led all scorers with 27 points on 6-10 shooting overall, 5-8 from three, and 10-11 at the charity stripe. The outing was Saunders’ second straight 20-point game and fourth in the last seven games. Saunders has scored in double figures in seven consecutive games. Additionally, during Thursday’s game, Saunders established a new program record for most consecutive free throws made by setting a new mark of 41. The previous record has been held by Kathy Lauck since the 1993-94 season. Other notable performances from Thursday’s triumph included junior guard Sophia Loden notching her sixth double-double of the season with 10 points and 10 rebounds, and junior forward Chloe Gannon also scored double digits with 10 points. Southeast Missouri (5-9, 1-4 OVC) shot just under 35 percent (16-46) from the floor, under 27 percent from three (7-26), and below 64 percent (7-11) at the free-throw line. The Screaming Eagles came out of the gates with a fast start, taking a quick 10-1 lead through the first four and a half minutes. Saunders was an early catalyst, tallying 14 first-quarter points. Meanwhile, the Eagles’ defense stifled the Redhawks into nine turnovers in the opening period, which USI converted into 18 points. USI led 24-10 at the end of the first quarter. Saunders picked up where she left off from the first quarter by opening the second period with a three pointer. However, USI went the next three minutes without a field goal until freshman forward Channah Gannon scored to give the Eagles a 20-point advantage, 31-11, as USI’s defense continued to lock down the Southeast Missouri. The Eagles went on an 11-0 run in the latter portion of the second quarter, increasing their lead to 40-11 with three minutes left in the first half. After some exchanged baskets, USI went into the halftime break ahead 46-19. Saunders dropped 21 points in the first half, while USI capitalized with 25 points off turnovers defensively and 11 second-chance points on the offensive glass. The two teams came out of halftime going back and forth. However, the contest turned into a low-scoring defensive battle. With USI up 54-26 and under five minutes remaining in the third quarter, Loden scored on offensive putback to register her sixth double-double of the season. SEMO scored four points in the final minute of the third, as USI led 58-32 at the end of the third period. After a slow offensive start to the fourth quarter, Saunders tacked on to her scoring performance with a three-pointer at the 7:30 mark, extending the Eagles’ advantage to 30, 62-32. About a minute later, Chloe Gannon became the third Screaming Eagle in double figures with a hook shot in the paint. After a little bit of a dry spell from the floor in the middle of the fourth quarter, freshman guard Lily Graves drained back-to-back triples off the bench to put the final exclamation marks on USI’s big win. Through Thursday’s action around the Ohio Valley Conference, USI sits in a three-way tie for first alongside Western Illinois University and the University of Arkansas at Little Rock with a 4-1 conference record. The Screaming Eagles turn back around on Saturday with an Ohio Valley Conference matchup against the University of Tennessee at Martin inside Liberty Arena. The game starts at 5 p.m. F
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball battled Southeast Missouri State University but lost 84-76 Thursday evening at Liberty Arena. The Screaming Eagles go to 3-12 overall and 0-5 in the OVC, while the Redhawks are 9-7, 4-1 OVC. USI had the early momentum in the contest, leading 7-0 and 12-4 before four minutes had passed in the contest. SEMO got into the scoring column and knotted the game at 14-14 with 13:13 to play in the first half. The Screaming Eagles and Redhawks would trade leads until SEMO used an 11-2 run to take command, 34-26, with 5:11 before the intermission. USI would rally to cut the deficit to four points, 36-32, but SEMO would respond and take a 43-36 advantage into the break. Junior guard Ismail Habib led USI in the first 20 minutes with 11 points. The second half did not get off to a good start for the Screaming Eagles as the Redhawks extended the lead to 51-38 with an 8-2 surge to start the second half. SEMO would continue to extend the margin to as many as 14 points, 54-40, before USI starts to chip away at the margin. Junior guard Amaree Brownpulled the Screaming Eagles back to within seven, 58-51, when he was able to convert a three-pointer from the corner and an old-fashioned three-point play on back-to-back possessions with 13:53 remaining. USI closed the gap, 60-56, even further when senior guard Cardell Baileyconnected on a pair of free throws and a three-pointer from the top of the key. The Redhawks would respond to take back control with a 13-2 run would roll to an 84-76 final. USI was led by its bench tonight in the scoring column with Bailey leading the way with 20 points. Bailey was five-of-14 from the field, including three from long range, and seven-of-seven from the stripe. Brown added 15 points off the bench, going five-of-nine from the field with two three-pointers and three-of-four from the line in his USI debut. Habib rounded out USI’s double-digit scorers with 18 points. The senior had six field goals, one three-pointer, and five-of-six in free throws. He also had a team-high five assists.
CARBONDALE, Ill. – The University of Evansville women’s basketball team won their second game in a row on Thursday night, taking down Southern Illinois in Carbondale by a score of 75-70. The win was Evansville’s first in Carbondale since February 17, 2017 and snapped a 28 game road losing streak.
Camryn Runner (Cicero, Ind./Hamilton Heights) continued her torrid stretch with 26 points, leading all scorers, while adding six rebounds, five assists, and three blocks. The sophomore scored 20 points in the second half, including 12 in the fourth quarter. Runner has scored 20-plus points in three of the last four games and sunk a season-high 13 free throws on 14 attempts. Sydney Huber (Cedar Rapids, Iowa/Mount Vernon) added 15 points, two shy of her career-high, while fellow freshman Georgia Ferguson (Waterloo, Ontario/Cairine Wilson Secondary School) added 10 points to match her career-high.
The game was competitive from the jump, with the Aces and Salukis trading blows throughout the first quarter. Evansville grabbed their first lead of the night at 9-7 with an and-one from Mireia Mustaros (Barcelona, Spain/Ins Argentona). The two sides continued to go back and forth, as the score would become tied five times in the next five minutes, before the Salukis pulled ahead with a 21-19 lead at the end of the quarter.
Evansville regained the lead at the 8:33 mark of the second quarter on a three-pointer from Huber, but the Salukis quickly took the lead back with a 9-0 run. Facing their largest deficit of the game at 32-24, the Aces stormed back, scoring eight unanswered points to tie it at 32. The run was punctuated by another and-one, this time from Ferguson. SIU woud respond, however, scoring the final four points of the half to take a 36-32 lead into the break.
The Salukis remained in front for most of the third quarter, but the Aces made a run late in the period on consecutive baskets by Ferguson, Huber, and Jelena Savic (Melbourne, Australia/Kurunjang Secondary College) to retake the lead at 52-49 before ending the quarter with a 5-51 advantage.
Once again, the teams traded punches in the fourth quarter, with SIU taking a 59-58 lead at the 6:14 mark. Georgia Cox (Ballarat, Australia/Eastern Illinois) gave the Aces the lead back with a tough left-handed finish at the rim, while a three from Runner after a Saluki basket made it 63-61.
With the score all tied up at 67 with 3:05 remaining, Runner took over, beating the shot clock on a baseline out of bounds play to before finding Logan Luebbers Palmer (Union, Ky./Randall K. Cooper) in transition for a tough finish in traffic to give the Aces a 71-64 lead. Needing to hit her free throws to seal it, Runner went a perfect 4-for-4 from the line down the stretch to lead Evansville to a 75-70 win.
Evansville remains on the road this weekend, looking to win their third game in a row with a trip to Illinois State on Sunday. Tip-off is set for 2 PM.
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After four years without an increase in fees, the Evansville Water and Sewer Utility (EWSU) will seek to implement gradual sanitation fee adjustments over the next three years – a proactive step to ensure the quality and sustainability of Evansville’s trash service.
An amendment to the City’s sanitation contract with Republic Services will be considered by the Evansville City Council on first reading January 12. The amended contract calls for a $2 increase in the monthly trash fee – from $13.30 to $15.30 in 2026. The fee would be $17.30 in 2027 and $20.92 in 2028.
The increases are necessary to align with the true cost of providing these essential services to city residential customers, while allowing the Utility to avoid a single, major rate hike later.
“Since the last fee adjustment, the cost of trash disposal has gone up,” said EWSU Executive Director Vic Kelson. He said cash reserves have been used to cover the difference instead of passing the increase to city customers.
“If we don’t start to slowly ramp up rates now, customers can expect to take a big hit in 2028 when the current contract with Republic Servies expires,” Kelson said. By that time, the continuing deficit between the cost of service and fees collected is expected to grow to $5 million.
Until now, EWSU has been able to use cash reserve to supplement sanitation fees; this was a result of the Utility temporarily pausing future sewer projects while renegotiating terms of the Integrated Overflow Control Plan to eliminate sewer discharges. “This is no longer feasible,” Kelson said.
The contract amendment also includes several customer service benefits. All local calls to Republic Services would be directed to EWSU instead of a remote call center, ensuring all concerns are handled locally and efficiently. EWSU customer service representatives would enter service orders into a tracking system to ensure timeliness.
In addition, Republic Services would provide two large dumpsters, eight times a year at pre-determined locations to facilitate heavy trash removal. These opportunities will be aligned with City-supported neighborhood cleanup initiatives, and available for neighborhoods who request dumpster service to allow residents to dispose of heavy trash.
“We are listening to what our customers tell us they want,” Kelson said. “The amended contract gives us the best opportunity to greatly enhance service to our customers.”
The bruising Statehouse fight over Indiana congressional redistricting is looming over the formal start of the legislative campaign season.
Indiana’s month-long candidate filing period opened Wednesday — with Republican senators who opposed redrawing the maps braced for primary challengers and Democrats believing the issue will boost their chances to break the GOP’s supermajority hold on the Legislature.
The first-day filers included Sen. Travis Holdman, one of the top Republican Senate leaders and among those who voted against the redistricting bill demanded by President Donald Trump.
Holdman, R-Markle, told the Indiana Capital Chronicle he knew pro-redistricting groups were “looking for somebody” to oppose his bid for a fifth term.
When asked whether the eight Republican senators who opposed redistricting and are poised to seek reelection this year were taking the primary threats seriously, Holdman simply replied: “Oh, yeah.”
Democrats see political hope
Democrats expressed enthusiasm for their chances this election cycle, with about two dozen joining in a mass-filing effort at the Statehouse for legislative seats organized by the Indiana Rural Summit Coalition.
Michelle Higgs, the coalition founder and a Democrat who is seeking the seat now held by Republican Rep. Peggy Mayfield of Martinsville, said the candidates would share technology and research in order to help their campaigns.
“We showed up at the Statehouse to lend our voices that redistricting was a power grab to remove power from the people,” Higgs said. “It will be part of every candidate’s campaign to bring power back to the people.”
A top goal of Democrats in 2026 is to pick up the four Indiana House seats they need to break the Republican two-thirds supermajority that allows them to take action even without Democrats being present.
Republicans now hold a 70-30 House majority and have had supermajority control since the 2012 elections. The GOP has a 40-10 hold on the Senate, where its supermajority has been in place since the 2010 elections.
Democratic House Caucus Chair Carey Hamilton said candidate recruitment hasn’t been as difficult as it was in past election cycles — and that the redistricting fight helped her party.
“It made people more aware of what’s going on at the Statehouse, and even more people kind of coming out of the woodwork wanting to be involved,” Hamilton said. “I think there are some folks who maybe were considering running, where it really kind of sealed the deal.”
Democratic House candidate Amy Oliver speaks with a reporter at the Indiana Statehouse on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026. (Photo by Tom Davies/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
While Democrats are looking to have serious candidates in more legislative races around the state, the focus starts on about a half-dozen districts that had tight outcomes in the 2024 elections.
One of those is the Bloomington-area district where Democrat Amy Oliver, an attorney and Brown County School Board member, is looking to challenge Republican Rep. Dave Hall after he won with 51% of the vote in 2024.
Oliver said Wednesday she believed the supermajority control has led to the public being locked out of the Legislature’s decision making.
“One-party rule is not good for anybody, I think, in either direction,” Oliver said. “We want to flip all those districts because it’s really important that they debate in public.”
Republican Senate primaries expected
The first day of candidate filings saw redistricting opponent Sen. Greg Walker, R-Columbus, reverse his previous decision to retire from the Legislature and enter the race for a fifth term.
Walker will face at least one Republican primary challenger in Rep. Michelle Davis, R-Whiteland, who supported the redistricting bill.
Redistricting could also be a key issue in the reelection bid of Republican Sen. Jim Buck of Kokomo, who filed for a fifth term after voting against the proposed new map. Tipton County Commissioner Tracey Powell filed to challenge Buck.
Republican former Sen. John Ruckelshaus, meanwhile, is seeking a Statehouse return by filing for the seat now held by Democratic Sen. J.D. Ford of Indianapolis. Ruckelshaus previously served an adjoining district during 2017-21.
Sen. Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute, speaks in committee on April 3, 2025. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
That could become an open seat as Ford told the Capital Chronicle he was considering a run for the 5th Congressional District seat now held by Republican Rep. Victoria Spartz.
Republican Sen. Greg Goode of Terre Haute, who voted against redistricting and plans to seek reelection this year, expressed hope that the map debate will fade away.
“I’m optimistic, from the standpoint of this is now ’26 and we’ve got a lot of work that we ought to be focused on during this legislative session,” Goode said in an interview. “I personally want to move forward.”
Goode was among the legislators to face intimidation threats over redistricting, with a swatting call that brought police to his home hours after Trump called him out by name as a “RINO,” or “Republican in name only,” in a social media post.
Goode said he wasn’t thinking about who might run against him in the May primary.
“It’s a free country,” he said. “Everybody should have the opportunity to run.”
University of Evansville President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz issued the following statement today regarding leadership at Harlaxton College:
“Today, I am announcing that Holly Carter, PhD, Executive Director and Dean of Harlaxton College since 2022, will be departing the University of Evansville to pursue new opportunities.
During her tenure, Dr. Carter provided leadership for both the academic and operational functions of Harlaxton Manor—UE’s campus in England and a cornerstone of the University’s global identity and study abroad programs. As Dean and Executive Director, she oversaw curriculum development, assessment, course scheduling, and partnerships with universities across the country, while also managing key business operations. Her leadership helped strengthen Harlaxton’s reputation as a premier study abroad destination and deepened engagement with students, alumni, and partner institutions. Prior to her appointment as Dean and Executive Director, Dr. Carter served as Director of Programs for Harlaxton College and as the University’s Director of Education Abroad.
Harlaxton College remains an essential part of the University of Evansville’s academic mission and international presence. The University is firmly committed to Harlaxton’s long-term success and to advancing its role as a transformative global learning environment for students.
An international search for the next permanent Dean and Executive Director of Harlaxton College will be launched in the coming weeks. In the interim, Kristen Strandberg, PhD, current UE Library Director, has been appointed Interim Dean and Executive Director. Dr. Strandberg brings extensive academic leadership experience and a strong commitment to student success, and she will provide continuity and steady leadership during this transition.
I thank Dr. Carter for her dedicated service and contributions to Harlaxton College and the University of Evansville and wish her every success in the future.”
STATEHOUSE — Blind and disabled Hoosiers and seniors should apply for property tax credits by Jan. 15, 2026 to ensure they receive the benefits they are due, said State Sen. Vaneta Becker (R-Evansville).
Blind and disabled Hoosiers are now eligible for the more generous $125 Blind/Disabled Credit, rather than the Blind/Disabled Deduction, and should apply by Jan. 15, 2026, even if they were previously receiving the deduction, in order to ensure there is no disruption in receiving it. Eligible Hoosiers can download the application form here or contact their local county auditor’s office for assistance.
Thanks to the passage of historic property tax relief in Senate Enrolled Act 1, which is estimated to save homeowners $1.3 billion over the next three years, the Over 65 Deduction was switched to a more generous Over 65 Credit of $150, meaning all eligible property owners will experience savings even if their bill is at the property tax cap. SEA 1-2025 also removed the maximum assessed value limit to receive this credit.
SEA 1-2025 also expanded eligibility to help seniors who did not previously qualify for the Over 65 Circuit Breaker Credit, which prevents property tax liability on qualified homestead property from increasing more than 2% compared to prior year tax liability. Specifically, the law removed the assessed-value limit for a home to qualify, and it increased the income limit for the Circuit Breaker credit to $60,000 for individuals and $70,000 for couples.
Hoosiers over 65 are encouraged to apply for these credits before Jan. 15, 2026 in order to receive the credits beginning with property taxes paid in calendar year 2026, even if they were previously receiving the benefit, in order to ensure there is no disruption in receiving it.
To apply for the Over 65 Circuit Breaker Credit and Over 65 Credit:
A filer must be at least age 65 on or before Dec. 31 of the year prior to the year in which the credit is claimed.
The application must be filed with the county auditor on or before Jan. 15 of the calendar year in which the property taxes are first due and payable.
The application for both the Over 65 Credit and the Over 65 Circuit Breaker Credit are on the same form.
The form – Application for Senior Citizen Property Tax Benefits 43708 – can be downloaded here.
An individual wishing to claim one or both of these credits must file the application with the county auditor and provide documentation necessary to substantiate the individual’s eligibility for the credit.
An individual who remains eligible for the credit(s) in the following year is not required to file a statement to apply for the credit in the following year.
Hoosiers should also be advised that if they receive one of these credits in a particular year and become ineligible for the credit in the following year, they must notify the auditor of the county in which the homestead is located of the ineligibility no later than 60 days after the individual becomes ineligible.
