EVANSVILLE, IND. (12/09/2025) Media Advisory from University of Evansville.
WHO: President Christopher M. Pietruszkiewicz, University Chaplain Rev. Andy Payton, members of the UE Men’s Basketball Team, campus community and public attendees.
WHAT: Memorial service marking the 48th anniversary of the University of Evansville plane crash.
WHEN: 12:00 p.m. CST on Friday, December 12, 2025. (Service held one day early this year as December 13 falls on a Saturday.)
WHERE: Memorial Plaza, located behind Olmsted Administration Hall on the University of Evansville main campus.
DETAILS: On December 13, 1977, a chartered DC-3 crashed just 90 seconds after takeoff from Evansville’s Dress Regional Airport, claiming 29 lives, including men’s basketball coach Bobby Watson, 14 players, 11 friends of the team, and five crew members. Remembered as “the night it rained tears,” the tragedy left a lasting mark on the University and broader community. Each year, UE comes together each year to honor those who died, reflecting on their lives and the legacy they left behind. This year’s memorial service will feature an invocation by University Chaplain Reverend Andy Payton, remarks from President Pietruszkiewicz, the reading of all 29 names, and a moment of silence. The service is open to the public.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The Evansville Otters are excited to announce the promotion of Jackson Pullen and hiring of new staff members Dan Kluesner, Nick McLean and Quinton Watt.
Jackson Pullen enters his fourth season with the Otters in 2026, now as the team’s Assistant General Manager. After serving as a Group Sales intern in 2023, Jackson was elevated to full-time status during the 2023-24 offseason as the Director of Group Sales.
“Jackson has taken on numerous responsibilities since being with the Otters and is a great team player,” Otters Team President John Stanley said. “With his knowledge and skills, he will excel in his role as Assistant general Manager.”
Dan Kluesner re-joins the Otters for the 2026 season as the team’s Head Groundskeeper. Kluesner was a member of the team’s front office staff in 2024 as Head Groundskeeper before stepping away to pursue an opportunity at the Deaconess Sports Park assisting with ballfield maintenance.
“We welcome Dan back and are thrilled to have such a dedicated and knowledgeable person overseeing our field in 2026,” Stanley said.
Nick McLean joins Otters’ front office as the Director of Group Sales & Community Relations. After spending the 2025 season as a Group Sales intern, McLean proved he had the skills to earn a full-time position with the team. He will oversee the picnic and group offerings as well as the team’s community outreach initiatives. He has already led the front office on a pair of community outings, organizing staff volunteer days with Habitat for Humanity and It Takes A Village. McLean is originally from St. Petersburg, FL, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in management and organizational leadership from St. Petersburg College.
“Nick is taking a role in overseeing our non-profit partnerships and developing new sales,” Stanley said. “He is a perfect fit for that role and will do a great job.”
Finally, Quinton Watt has joined the team’s front office staff as the new Director of Social Media, Marketing and Fan Engagement. Watt spent the 2025 season as the Communications intern, helping with all digital media and marketing at the ballpark. The promotion to full-time status proves the high level of skill he showed throughout the 2025 season, spending lots of time helping with the execution of social media strategies and promotional nights. Watt is from Carmi, IL and is a Spring 2024 graduate from the University of Southern Indiana, where he earned his bachelor’s degree in both journalism and Radio & television.
“Quinton will add a lot to our organization in advancing fan enjoyment and entertainment in his role with the Otters,” Stanley said. “I believe the fans will enjoy the new ideas he’s bringing to the table.”
With these new hires, six of the Otters’ eight full-time staff members began their tenure with the Otters as interns and worked their way to full-time positions. 2026 summer internship offerings are now live on TeamWork Online here.
FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
State police offer more details on investigations into threats against lawmakers
About a quarter of Indiana Republican senators have not yet said how they’ll vote on a sweeping partisan redraw of the state’s congressional maps, teeing up an uncertain week for the proposal’s future.
The redesign would likely eliminate Indiana’s two Democratic-held congressional districts to create a 9-0 Republican map ahead of the 2026 midterm election, as sought by President Donald Trump.
But Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray has warned there are “not enough votes to move that idea forward.” He didn’t return multiple interview requests on how the proposal’s prospects may have changed in recent weeks.
Indiana’s Constitution requires a majority of the 50-member Senate to approve legislation. That means the 40-strong Republican supermajority must muster at least 26 votes to pass the bill if all 10 Democrats oppose. GOP Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith can break a 25-25 tie.
Sixteen Senate Republicans have publicly come out in favor of a redraw — some more enthusiastically than others. Another 14 are against.
The latest senator to indicate firm opposition is Sen. Mike Crider, R-Greenfield.
“I think the maps are pretty alarming, actually. So I was a no before, and I’m for sure a no now,” he told the Capital Chronicle. “I mean, I just think that if those maps pass, there’s a good possibility that three or four millionaires from Indianapolis will represent a third of the state, so I don’t know that that serves us well.”
In the current congressional maps, drawn in 2021, Republicans maintained a 7-2 GOP advantage. Democratic Rep. Frank Mrvan holds the 1st District in northwest Indiana, while Democratic Rep. André Carson holds the 7th District in Indianapolis.
The House Republican proposal would break up the Lake Michigan shoreline area into two districts and splinter Indianapolis across four far-reaching districts — three of which hit borders with other states.
“I can tell you, from experience, it’s kind of difficult to have totally urban areas and totally rural areas where the constituents are thinking and talking about completely different things,” Crider said.
“For instance, in Hancock County and Shelby County, they never talked about mass transit, and that’s what they wanted to talk about in Irvington. And so, I mean, it’s a stretch,” he said. “And then, if you take that stretch and magnify it from, you know, the south side of Indianapolis to the Ohio River, I’m not sure how that’s even workable. I guess I don’t know how you come up with the map that does that.”
The positions of 10 others remain unknown, even though the first Senate-side votes could be cast as early as Monday afternoon.
Sen. Mike Gaskill, R-Pendleton, promised to “foster a civil debate as we review this bill,” in a Friday statement. He chairs the nine-member committee and is the Senate sponsor of the House-originated legislation.
Gaskill, plus GOP Sens. Tyler Johnson of Leo and Daryl Schmitt of Jasper, support redistricting. But fellow Sen. Greg Walker of Columbus, who isn’t running for reelection, has come out against the idea.
Two committee Democrats are expected to vote in opposition, while three other Republicans are undecided or have declined to comment.
Sen. Linda Rogers, R-LaGrange, said she’s “going back and forth, listening to constituents” throughout “lots of” phone calls and emails, as well as testimony from the House’s single public hearing last week.
“I will be in the elections committee, so until I at least hear all the testimony I don’t like to have made my decision,” Rogers told the Capital Chronicle. She noted “there are so many ramifications on both sides.”
Sen. Greg Goode, R-Terre Haute, previously said he wanted to see the maps — which have since been released — before making a decision. Goode didn’t reply to multiple requests for comment on his stance.
Sen. Stacey Donato, R-Logansport, said, “I don’t have any comment for you at this time,” when reached by phone Wednesday.
If the redistricting bill advances from first reading in committee, it would head to the chamber floor for amendments on Wednesday. After it’s engrossed, the proposal would go up for a full Senate vote on Thursday.
‘Whatever happens, happens’
It’s unclear how the bill will fare outside the committee room, too.
Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis, said Wednesday that he had seen the maps but hadn’t yet read the details of the bill: “You’re not going to get me to commit to something that I haven’t read.”
But, he noted, the legislation goes beyond redrawing boundaries.
“I understand there’s, you know, dates in there and all the things of, you know, people can’t sue. I mean, there’s all kinds of things in there that are unrelated to a map that I have to review,” said Freeman, who is also an attorney. “So I’ll do so, and I’ll be ready to go.”
House Bill 1032 would prohibit seeking or granting temporary injunctions against it, and gives the Indiana Supreme Court “exclusive” jurisdiction over any appeal of an order promoting an injunction.
“That part, in particular, might be a little flag for them in terms of how (unsure senators) view this,” said Laura Merrifield Wilson, a political science professor at the University of Indianapolis.
Four pro-redistricting GOP state senators speak during a rally at the Indiana Statehouse on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. From left: Sens. Mike Young of Indianapolis, Liz Brown of Fort Wayne, Gary Byrne of Byrneville and Tyler Johnson of Leo. (Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Sen. Brian Buchanan — who spoke to the Capital Chronicle during a brief dally on the sidelines of a pro-redistricting rally at the Statehouse on Friday — declined to comment on his stance or announcement timeline.
Others didn’t reply to requests for comment, including:
Republican Sens. Dan Dernulc of Highland and Rick Niemeyer of Lowell told the Capital Chronicle last month, during the ceremonial first day of the legislative session, that they wanted to see the maps before deciding. It’s unclear what they think of the released draft.
Sen. Cyndi Carrasco, R-Indianapolis, said last month that she’d made a decision. When asked to share it, she replied, “Maybe later.”
Sens. Ed Charbonneau of Valparaiso and Ryan Mishler of Fishers have been publicly noncommittal.
“We also, to my knowledge, have not heard more statements from some of the ‘question-mark’ senators,” Wilson, the professor, observed.
“I kind of wonder if … there’s been movement that we don’t know,” she said, like if senators are “not being forthright with the information of whether or not they have changed or made a decision.”
Wilson said that silence could set up a shock result, if “enough people silently vote in support, having never gone on the record … before.”
Or, it could go the other way. When asked Friday what’s next if the Senate rejects the redistricting bill, Huston told reporters: “Look, it’s been a long week. We’ll deal with it. Whatever happens, happens.”
Cranking up the pressure
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun, who appeared at the pro-redistricting rally on Friday, was more aggressive. He again threatened to support primary competition for fellow Republicans who oppose redistricting.
The bill’s failure in the Senate, he said, “means you’re gonna have to clean house to get real conservatives in.”
Braun first echoed Trump’s primary ultimatum last month, after the president posted that Braun “perhaps, is not working the way he should to get the necessary Votes” — and later, that he “must produce” on redistricting.
Hoosiers rally against proposed mid-census congressional redistricting on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, outside the House chamber at the Indiana Statehouse. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Rally attendees were repeatedly encouraged to contact their senators — including at stations upstairs by the Senate’s Republican and Democratic entrances. Constituents could leave handwritten messages there.
“I’m down here to break the one-party rule in Marion County,” said Lawrence Township resident Adam Harvey. “Currently, André Carson’s my congressman, and he doesn’t represent me at all.”
The rally drew a crowd of a couple hundred. Some traveled from further afield.
“The state is 60% Republican. We’ve got 80% of the House and the Senate. There’s no reason why we shouldn’t do this,” said Robert Hall, who drove about 90 miles from Mitchell.
Some redistricting opponents argue all-GOP congressional representation isn’t fair when Indiana has typically voted for Trump and others on a 60-40 split. But, Hall said, “What if each of those nine districts were 60-40? That’s what the state is.”
He, like numerous others, cited partisan redistricting efforts in Democratic-controlled states.
The pro-redistricting rally came days after hundreds of Hoosiers packed the Statehouse’s third floor to protest the redistricting plan. Their chants echoed throughout the building, audible even through the doors into the House chamber, as lawmakers plodded through proceedings.
Linda Butler of Lawrence in northeastern Marion County was among the protesters.
“They’re doing it so that they can win elections,” Butler said then, about Indiana Republicans. “It is terrible. I think it’s terrible. That’s an illustration for me that this is wrong.”
State police adjust Statehouse security
At least a dozen legislators, largely Senate Republicans, have publicly disclosed being targeted in swatting attempts, bomb threats and more — prompting an ongoing investigation now led by the Indiana State Police.
That number doesn’t include similar incidents involving local officials, such as Indianapolis City-County Councilor Nick Roberts, according to ISP spokesman Ron Galaviz.
The threats have varied but appear to share a common aim: triggering significant law enforcement responses.
In mid-November, GOP Sen. Andy Zay reported that a bomb threat was emailed to his family’s Huntington vehicle rental business, prompting officers to temporarily block off the area while they investigated.
The threat came shortly after a procedural vote on when the Senate would reconvene. Zay had voted to keep the chamber in session instead of returning in January, which was widely interpreted as support for coming back and addressing redistricting sooner.
“At this point, I’m voting for it,” he told the Capital Chronicle on Wednesday. But, he said, “I would like to see the maps change. … I’m hoping we can make them better” in the Senate.
Constituents could write directly to their senators — about redistricting or otherwise — at stations set up outside the Senate chamber at the Indiana Statehouse on Friday, Dec. 5, 2025. (Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Asked what edits he’d like to make, Zay quipped, “We don’t have enough time on this phone call.” He said the maps “changed a lot more dramatically than I thought they would.”
Several other lawmakers have also disclosed fake reports had been made to police about violent incidents at their homes — including what officials described as attempts at “swatting.”
Swatting typically involves someone falsely reporting an emergency, such as a shooting or hostage situation, in an effort to prompt an armed law enforcement response to an unsuspecting person’s home.
Although some incidents prompted only small responses — “maybe about a handful of officers,” Galaviz said of the first Terre Haute call to Goode’s residence — officials have stressed that the intent behind the calls appears consistent with swatting.
Galaviz said none of the recent episodes resulted in what police would consider a “large police response.” He emphasized that local agencies “are responding seriously,” while also taking “an extra moment of pause” because they know similar hoaxes are occurring across the state.
Galaviz said ISP has not made any arrests and declined to discuss investigative specifics. But the work “can take some time.”
The “volume of reports” and the high-profile nature of the alleged targets require “thorough, accurate, deep-diving investigations” that could ultimately result in state or federal prosecutions, per Galaviz.
Security protocols at the Statehouse have been adjusted, too, although Galaviz declined to provide details. He said ISP is “well aware” of the ongoing threats and has updated plans ahead of lawmakers’ return to Indianapolis. Local law enforcement agencies may also have their own protective measures in place for targeted officials.
Galaviz urged the public to continue sending any relevant information to the Fusion Center and said ISP will release updates — particularly if an arrest is made — but won’t disclose details prematurely.
“We’re not going to jeopardize our case just because one of your subscribers wants to know,” he said. “It’ll come out sooner or later. We just want it to come out at the appropriate time.”
Deputy Editor Tom Davies contributed to this report.
ST LOUIS – Following a record-setting performance at Western Kentucky, University of Evansville senior Connor Turnbull has been named the Missouri Valley Conference Player of the Week.
Highlighting the last week of action for Turnbull was a school record nine blocks in Saturday’s game at Western Kentucky. He passed the previous Purple Aces mark of eight, which was done on three occasions, most recently by Egidijus Mockevicius in 2014. His tally was the most by a player in the MVC since 2013 and was the second-highest total in an NCAA contest this season.
Turnbull came within striking distance of a triple double against the Hilltoppers. He added 17 points and 8 rebounds to his 9 blocks. He was on the floor for a career-high 35:34 and knocked down a pair of triples.
Wednesday’s win over Ball State saw the senior pick up the second double-double of his career with 21 points and 10 boards. He also recorded five blocks in just over 29 minutes of work.
He finished the week averaging 20.0 points, 9.0 boards, and 7.0 blocks per game. With a total of 14 blocks in the last two games, Turnbull has moved to 6th in the NCAA in both total blocks (26) and blocks per game (2.89).
EVANSVILLE, IND. (12/08/2025) The University of Evansville (UE) is pleased to announce that it has received a $35,000 grant from the William E. Schmidt Foundation, continuing a longstanding partnership that has strengthened the University’s music and opera programs for more than two decades.
The William E. Schmidt Foundation has supported UE and its music programs since 1998 and has provided dedicated support for the University’s opera program since 2006. This latest grant will fund UE opera productions, community outreach efforts centered on music and opera, and scholarships within the UE Music Conservatory.
“The Schmidt Foundation has played a transformational role in advancing vocal performance and opera at the University of Evansville,” said Dr. Alanna Keenan, Associate Professor of Music at UE. “Their generosity helps our students develop as artists while bringing high-quality performance experiences to the broader community.”
Under the artistic direction of Dr. Keenan, with additional guidance from Dr. Dennis Malfatti and Dr. Gregory Rike, UE Opera has flourished as a dynamic force in the field of opera, enriching the lives of students and fostering a deep appreciation for the arts within the community. The Schmidt Foundation’s grant will empower the program to continue its legacy of excellence and expand its community reach.
UE’s opera program offers performance opportunities, professional-level training, and community engagement experiences that help students develop their artistic craft. The continued support of the Schmidt Foundation ensures that UE can remain a regional leader in developing the next generation of vocal artists.
The William E. Schmidt Foundation provided grant funding to UE Opera in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
A team of computer science students and faculty from the University of Southern Indiana represented the Romain College of Business at the Association for Computing Machinery Super Computing 25 (ACM SC25) International Supercomputing Conference in St. Louis in November. Their participation highlighted the growing national visibility of USI’s Computer Science Program and the high-caliber research being conducted by students.
USI students Alyson Collins and Maya Seshan achieved significant recognition at the ACM Student Research Competition, where their project was selected as one of the top 10 posters from a pool of nearly 500 submissions submitted by computer science students worldwide. Their research project, An ML Model for Predicting Medication Non-Adherence Using Large-Scale Mental Health Data, stems from USI’s collaborative partnership with Holmusk and its NeuroBlu data platform.
Under the guidance of Dr. Srishti Srivastava, Associate Professor of Computer Science, and Josh McWilliams, Instructor in Computer Information Systems, Collins and Seshan presented their findings to international attendees, receiving an overwhelmingly positive response from researchers, industry leaders and practitioners in the supercomputing community.
“We’re proud, we’re energized and we’re deeply grateful for the recognition and conversations that happened around our students’ work,” said Srivastava, who accompanied students at SC25. “Their success reflects the strength of USI’s academic environment and the creativity and dedication of our students.”
VINCENNES, Ind– Vincennes University’s newest graduates are poised to blaze their trails. They were celebrated at the 2025 Mid-Year Commencement on Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Red Skelton Performing Arts Center on the Vincennes Campus.
VU conferred a total of 436 bachelor’s degrees, associate degrees, and certificates during commencement. Interim Provost Jaci Lederman presided over the ceremony. Graduates represented the Vincennes Campus, American Sign Language and Deaf Studies in Indianapolis, Aviation Technology Center in Indianapolis, Distance Education, Early College, VU Jasper, and Military Education.
The Mid-Year Class of 2025 included graduates from 52 of Indiana’s 92 counties, 22 states, and two other countries.
VU President Dr. Chuck Johnson, addressing the graduates, quoted author and pastor Rick Warren in his greetings to the class, exhorting them to embrace humility.
Johnson shared, “Rick Warren says, “Humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, it’s thinking of yourself less.”
He then highlighted how VU’s motto aligns with the quality of humility.
Johnson said, “Vincennes University’s motto, “Learn In Order To Serve,” is grounded in humility, understanding that we are here for more than just ourselves. We are here to make a difference. We are here to contribute. We are here to build a better platform for those that come behind us so they can rise even higher. I encourage you to have the confidence to be humble. I encourage you to have the courage to be humble. Don’t be afraid. Being humble isn’t about not being seen. Being humble isn’t about not being heard. Being humble is understanding your worth and being confident that others don’t need to reinforce it for you. Giving is a lot more satisfying than receiving. Giving to the world. Giving to those around you. Helping others succeed is the highest and most noble thing we can do as a human species. Please go forth with all the great tools, knowledge, and wisdom that you’ve gained at Vincennes University and go forth humbly to serve.”
