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Red Cross offers steps to help you avoid a cooking fire on Thanksgiving

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Thanksgiving is a peak day for home cooking fires in the U.S.

INDIANA, November 24, 2025 — Thanksgiving and the day before are the top two days in this country for the chance of a cooking fire to happen in someone’s home. Cooking causes an average of 158,400 home fires per year, which is 44% of all home fires in the United States. The Indiana Region of the American Red Cross offers safety steps everyone can follow if they will be preparing their family’s Thanksgiving feast.

Cooking is the leading cause of home fires, home fire injuries and the second leading cause of home fire deaths. Most happen because people leave cooking food unattended. We want everyone to have a safe, enjoyable holiday, so don’t leave the kitchen while you’re cooking.

COOKING SAFETY TIPS Follow these safety tips and visit redcross.org/fire for more information, including a fire escape plan to practice with your family.

  • Stay in the kitchen when you are frying, grilling or broiling food. If you must leave the kitchen for even a short period of time, turn off the stove.
  • Use a timer to remind yourself that the stove or oven is on.
  • Avoid wearing loose clothing or dangling sleeves while cooking.
  • Keep kids and pets at least three feet away from cooking areas.
  • Keep anything that can catch on fire — potholders, oven mitts, wooden utensils, paper or plastic bags, food packaging, and towels or curtains — away from your stove top and oven or any other appliance that generates heat.
  • Clean cooking surfaces on a regular basis to prevent grease buildup.
  • Consider purchasing a fire extinguisher to keep in your kitchen.
  • Always check the kitchen before going to bed or leaving home to make sure all stoves, ovens and small appliances are turned off.

Smoke alarms save lives. Install a smoke alarm near your kitchen, on each level of your home, near sleeping areas, and inside and outside bedrooms if you sleep with doors closed. Use the test button to check it each month. Replace all batteries at least once a year. If you cannot afford to purchase smoke alarms or are physically unable to install one, the Red Cross may be able to help. Visitredcross.org/inhomefire for more information.

 

HOME FIRE CAMPAIGN SAVES LIVES Since October 2014, the Red Cross Home Fire Campaign, working with community partners, has saved at least 2,519 lives by educating families about fire safety, helping them create escape plans and installing free smoke alarms in high-risk areas across the country. To learn more about the campaign and how you can get involved, visit redcross.org/homefires.

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

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EPD

 

EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT

FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.

Officer Injured in Hit-and-Run Crash

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Officer Injured in Hit-and-Run Crash

On 11/24/2025 officers were dispatched to the 2600 block of Lodge Ave in reference to a famil dispute. While on scene, a vehicle stopped behind a marked police vehicle parked on the street. Both the officer’s vehicle and the one stopped were facing south. As the officer was instructing the driver to go around the parked vehicle, he was struck by a separate vehicle traveling northbound on Lodge Ave. The officer immediately alerted responding officers that he had been struck by a vehicle that fled the scene.

Officers responding to the area located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop in the 2300 block of Lodge Ave. During the car stop the driver attempted to drive around the officers. When the vehicle was successfully stopped, officers attempted to remove the driver David E. Ventura (21). Ventura physically resisted being removed from the vehicle. David was removed from the vehicle and detained. Officers then observed multiple beer cans inside the vehicle.

While officers were attempting to gain control of Ventura, the front seat passenger, Saulo P. Ventura (22) fled the vehicle on foot. Saulo was located and taken into custody. Saulo was charged with Resisting Law Enforcement.

David showed signs of impairment and submitted to sobriety testing. David was charged with multiple counts of Operating a Motor Vehicle While Intoxicated, Leaving the Scene of an Injury Crash, Operating

Without Ever Receiving a License, Resisting Law Enforcement, Battery on a Public Safety Official and Operating with an Open Container.

Old Courthouse Bell to Ring Again Following Restoration Efforts

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Evansville, Indiana – November 24, 2025 – The iconic bell of the Old Vanderburgh County Courthouse will soon return to service following months of restoration work. On Tuesday, November 25, the Director of the Center for Applied Research at the University of Southern Indiana (USI), along with several USI students who have been involved in the project, will install a newly manufactured drop hammer in the historic bell tower.

In May, during a routine inspection, County maintenance staff discovered that the bell’s drop hammer had snapped off its base after an estimated 7 million strikes over its 134-year lifespan. A replacement hammer was commissioned from McShane Bell Foundry, the same manufacturer that originally cast the Old Courthouse bell in 1890.

The installation is expected to be completed Tuesday afternoon, with plans for the bell to ring again by 5:00 p.m. This milestone marks the restoration of one of the Old Courthouse’s most cherished historic features and highlights the ongoing partnership between Vanderburgh County and USI to preserve the landmark’s architectural and mechanical history.

Indiana State Comptroller Elise Nieshalla Leads National Call to Confront America’s Debt Crisis

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STATEHOUSE – Indiana State Comptroller Elise Nieshalla, chair of the National Debt Crisis Task Force of state financial officers, is one of 90 state elected officials from across the country who recently sent a formal letter to President Donald J. Trump and Members of Congress urging immediate action on the national debt.

“We are building a movement from the states to support federal leaders in tackling the massive problem of deficit spending and $38 trillion of debt,” said Comptroller Nieshalla. “Our letter was sent with a great sense of urgency from back home in the states.”

Building on early momentum, 37 financial officers sent an initial letter to President Trump and Congress a year ago that captured the attention of leaders eager to get involved. As a result, the first National Debt Crisis Forum was held at the Capitol this fall, bringing together key leaders including Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA), Senator Rick Scott (R-FL) and Congressman Josh Brecheen (R-OK). 

This latest letter provides an additional opportunity for elected officials from the states to sound the alarm in unison on the severity of the debt problem.
 

Indiana Governor Mike Braun and numerous states’ legislators have joined the financial officers in signing this most recent letter on the national debt crisis, underscoring the growing strength of the movement and welcoming more officials to join. The leaders warn that without decisive action, the nation faces not just a painful day of reckoning, but a prolonged age of reckoning that would undermine America’s fiscal stability and global leadership.
 
“It is extremely important for the federal government to chart a new course to address the national debt head on after over two decades of overspending,” said Comptroller Nieshalla. “We’ve seen President Trump willing to take on big issues, and we urge Congress and the White House to come together to avert this crisis for the sake of our children and grandchildren. It is time to establish a concrete plan to balance the budget, reduce the debt and empower a future of economic prosperity, financial security and affordability.”

The letter emphasizes:

  • The national debt has surpassed $38 trillion — equal to $112,000 per person
  • Annual interest payment now exceeds the budgets of the U.S. Military and Medicare
  • Impending insolvency of Social Security trust funds by 2033, likely resulting in more than a 20% reduction that equates to a $16,500 decrease of benefits on average per couple
  • The reality of saddling younger Americans with an unsustainable fiscal future, while leaving our oldest and most vulnerable citizens in need of assurances
State Leaders’ Call to Action

The coalition of state leaders urges the President and Congress to take the following actions:

  • Implement a concrete plan to put the federal government on a path to a balanced budget as soon as possible.
  • Unleash economic prosperity by cutting red tape and tapping into our nation’s vast natural resources with a timeline for reducing the debt that is empowered by a growing economy.
  • Evaluate how to maximize taxpayer savings by rolling back the costly and burdensome requirements that accompany federal funds sent to states. In return, states are empowered to increase efficiency, innovation and positive outcomes in the use of these dollars.

Legislatures across the country also have the opportunity to further build this movement by passing a resolution on the seriousness of the national debt, modeled after U.S. Senate Resolution 600 and Indiana Senate Resolution 51 that both passed with overwhelming bipartisan support.

The letter sets a target date of July 4, 2026 — America’s 250th Anniversary — for approving a long-term debt reduction plan to restore our country’s financial strength and independence.

Road Contest at SIUE Up Next for Aces

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EVANSVILLE, Ind. – After defeating IU Indy in their home opener last Thursday, the University of Evansville women’s basketball team returns to the floor on Tuesday, taking on SIUE in Edwardsville, Ill. Tip-off is set for 6 PM.

Series History   
– Tuesday marks the sixth meeting all-time between Evansville and SIUE
– SIUE leads the all-time series 3-2
– The Aces and Cougars met last season in Evansville, with UE taking an 87-74 win
– Camryn Runner scored 21 points in the game and broke UE’s single game record with 16 made free throws
– Evansville is looking for their first ever win in Edwardsville, having lost in their previous two trips

Picking Up Where She Left Off
– After being crowned as the MVC Freshman of the Year last season, Camryn Runner has continued to impress through five games as a sophomore
– In last week’s win over IU Indy, Runner scored a game-high 25 points to go with seven rebounds, seven assists, and a career-best five steals
– Runner has scored in double figures in four of five games to start the season and is one of two MVC players with two games scoring 25-plus points
– Runner is also one of two MVC players to average 17-plus points per game and 6-plus rebounds per game, averaging 17.0 ppg and 6.4 rpg

Three-Point Threat
– Logan Luebbers Palmer has emerged as one of the top three-point shooters in the Missouri Valley Conference this season
– Through five games, Luebbers Palmer is second in the Valley with 15 three-point field goals
– Luebbers Palmer ranks sixth in the conference in three-point percentage, shooting 38.5% from deep
– The sophomore enjoyed a career night in the win over IU Indy, setting a career-high with 23 points on 6-for-11 shooting from three-point range

Scouting the Opponent
– SIUE brings a 3-2 record into Tuesday and split a pair of games last week, beating Indiana State before falling to Northern Illinois
– Last season, the Cougars went 6-23 with a 4-16 mark in OVC play
– KK Rodriguez leads the Cougars in scoring with 13.2 ppg

Vincennes University students raise money for local food pantry

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VINCENNES, Ind., November 24, 2025 – Vincennes University students stepped up in a major way, bringing artistry, flavor, and purpose together during the Empty Bowls fundraiser at the VU Center for Art and Design on Friday, Nov. 21.

Hosted by the Ceramics Club and the Culinary Arts program, the event gave students the opportunity to make a real difference for local families just days before Thanksgiving. Their hard work helped raise critical support for the Helping His Hands Food Pantry in Vincennes.

About 25 Ceramics Club students spent many hours this fall crafting roughly 120 one-of-a-kind handcrafted ceramic bowls. Their fellow students in the Culinary Arts program prepared delicious chicken noodle, tomato, and broccoli cheese soups, turning the event into a warm and welcoming gathering. Attendees received a handmade bowl plus a meal for $15, with all proceeds benefiting Helping His Hands.

The event supports VU’s motto, “Learn In Order To Serve.” Students practiced their craft and deepened their understanding of how their skills can uplift others and the community.

Art Major and Ceramics Club President Kayden Sutton ’26 said, “We did this for the social interaction of going into the studio and making bowls, and then feeling good that we are helping the community out.”

Evansville Rescue Mission Prepares to Serve 2,500 Families at 104th Annual Gobbler Gathering

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Event Tomorrow, November 25, at Old National Events Plaza

Evansville, IN — November 24, 2025 — The Evansville Rescue Mission (ERM) is honored to host its 104th annual Gobbler Gathering tomorrow, Tuesday, November 25, at the Old National Events Plaza. This longstanding Evansville Thanksgiving tradition will provide 2,500 pre-registered families with a full 70-pound food box containing everything needed to prepare a proper holiday meal.

Service times for distribution are scheduled for 10:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 2:00 PM, 4:00 PM, and 6:00 PM. available this year.

Please note: All boxes are pre-registered, and no additional or walk-up registrations are This year’s Gobbler Gathering marks a significant increase from the ERM’s original plan to distribute 2,200 boxes. Due to the overwhelming need in our community, fueled by record-breaking registrations and ongoing economic pressures, ERM expanded the event once again—bringing the total to 2,500 families served, the highest number in the event’s 103-year history.

“Our community is hurting, and the response we’ve seen over the last several weeks confirmed just how essential this event is for thousands of families across the Tri-State, ” said Tracy Gorman, President/CEO of the Evansville Rescue Mission.

“It is a privilege to do whatever we can to help make Thanksgiving possible for those who are struggling. ” The Gobbler Gathering is powered by generous donors, volunteers, churches, businesses, and partner organizations across Evansville. Each box distributed tomorrow represents the collective impact of a community committed to caring for its neighbors.