The University of Southern Indiana College of Liberal Arts is proud to present A Celebration of Poetry: a reading and reception with Ruth Awad and Natalie Louise Tombasco from 4:30 to 6 p.m. Tuesday, September 23 in the USI Performance Center. The poets will read from their recently released collections, followed by a brief Q&A and the opportunity to purchase books and have them signed by the authors. This event is open to the public at no charge.
“I’m really excited about these two poets because their subjects have the potential to bring the campus community together for meaningful dialogue,” says Dr. Stephanie Young, Professor of Communication Studies. “Awad’s poetry explores themes of identity, displacement and war, while Tombasco’s work interrogates femininity and desire. Plus, each poet brings a rich understanding of the beauty and texture of language that any listener will pick up on and be delighted by.”
Tombasco and Awad are past Micheal Waters Poetry Prize winners, Tombasco in 2023 and Awad in 2016. The Michael Waters Poetry Prize was established in 2013 to honor Michael’s contributions to USI’s Southern Indiana Review (SIR) and American arts and letters. A prize of $6,000 and publication by SIR Press is awarded annually for a collection of poetry written in English.
This event is made possible by the USI Foundation.
Indiana Statehouse Tour Office
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September 14, 1972, “The Waltons” premiered on TV and became a family favorite. The role of Grandpa Walton was played by Will Geer from Frankfort, Indiana.
September 15, 1974, the first public event was held at the new Market Square Arena in Indianapolis. Singer Glen Campbell entertained the opening night audience.
September 18, 1889, an electric streetcar began operating in Richmond on and became part of a network of “interurban” lines throughout Indiana.
September 19, 1892 , the gates opened for the Indiana State Fair at its new locations on East 38th Street. In previous years the fair had been held at Military Park and the area of Camp Morton.
Where in Indiana
Do you know where this photo was taken?
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1. What is the name of the waterfall in Owen County on Mill Creek?
2. What was the original name of Lizton?
3. What county is Zulu, Indiana located in?
4.What county is the village Americus located in? Answers Below
Our Where in Indiana? from last week was taken in Bloomfield, Green county.
“If camping was so great, why are the bugs always trying to get in your house?”
-Jim Gaffigan
Answers
1. Cataract
2. New Elizabeth,platted in1851 by Jesse Veiley it was named for his wife. the railroad shortened the name to Lizton.
3. Allen
4. Tippecanoe
Gov. Mike Braun has directed that flags be flown at half-staff at all state facilities in accordance with President Donald Trump’s order for all U.S. flags to be lowered at federal facilities nationwide.
Indiana Gov. Mike Braun.
Photo courtesy of U.S. Senate Historical Office, www.congress.gov.
From the press release: “This order is being made in remembrance of Charlie Kirk and is effective immediately through sunset on Sunday, Sept. 14, 2025.
“Governor Braun encourages Hoosier residents and businesses to join state facilities in lowering their flags during this period of time.”
Reps. Beau Baird, R-Greencastle, and Victoria Garcia Wilburn, D-Fishers, co-chairs of the Indiana Future Caucus, shared their united condemnation of the murder of activist and commentator Charlie Kirk on a college campus in Utah on Wednesday. The Indiana Future Caucus brings together bipartisan lawmakers 45 years of age and under.
Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn, D-Fishers.
Photo provided.
From the joint statement: “Political violence is never okay. Taking someone’s life is never an acceptable way to settle differences of opinion.
“Earlier this year, our bipartisan caucus spoke out against the tragic murder of a Democratic Minnesota state representative and her husband. Today, we unequivocally condemn the murder of Republican activist and commentator Charlie Kirk.
“As a nation, we must move beyond this horrifying trend of harming or killing those you disagree with and return to a culture of spirited debate and respect for different viewpoints. The Indiana Future Caucus represents the bright tomorrow we can create for Hoosiers—and political violence should not exist in that future.
“Our prayers are with Charlie’s wife Erika, his children, and all who loved him during this heartbreaking time.”
On Wednesday, the Indiana Office of the Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC) issued its recommendations for the pending rate request from AES. The pending request would increase customers’ bills anywhere between $21 and $30 per month if approved. After over 6,700 public comments were filed, the OUCC recommended that the request be denied, the company’s return on equity be lowered to 8.5% and monthly customer service fees be reduced by $5.75. … The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission will hold an evidentiary hearing on Nov. 3, 2025. A final decision from the Commission is expected by the spring of 2026.
Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis.
Photo provided.
Rep. Cherrish Pryor, D-Indianapolis: “Thank you to the OUCC for standing with Hoosiers who cannot afford higher utility bills. Hoosier families should not have to choose between keeping their lights on and other needs. This is evidence of the power of the people and the importance of community. Our collective voice made an impact with thousands of Hoosiers standing up for their neighbors. On Aug. 25, I stood with my community and testified against these rate hikes, and I’m thankful for the OUCC for listening to what Hoosiers had to say.
“AES customers have watched their bills skyrocket over the past several years with little to show for it. Services have not improved, but the company’s investors continue to see their return on equity rise. AES has an ROE of 9.9%, the highest of any electric utility in the state, and its request would increase that number to 10.7%. Hoosiers should not be drowning in monthly costs to line the pockets of global investors.
“I fully support the recommendations from the OUCC. This sends a clear message that the time for profit over people shouldn’t rule the day. Our voice was heard by OUCC, but ratepayers must keep pressure on the IURC to deny AES rate hike as well.”
At the end of August, Indiana became the first state to request a waiver from federal requirements to implement race and gender conscious components of the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program.
From a press release: “If granted, the waiver requested by the Indiana Department of Transportation (‘INDOT’), would eliminate contract-specific DBE goals based on race, ethnicity or gender on federally assisted highway construction contracts.
“The waiver request is prompted by a U.S. District Court preliminary injunction in the Mid-America Milling Company, LLC (MAMCO) v. U.S. Department of Transportation lawsuit. In the case, Indiana sub-contractor Mid-America Milling Company, LLC, alleges the federal DBE program’s statutes and regulations unlawfully discriminate. …
“Under the proposed waiver, INDOT would transition to a race- and gender-neutral implementation strategy. The new methodology for setting goals and certifying businesses would focus exclusively on the availability of economically disadvantaged small businesses within specific geographic and industry markets. Attorney General Todd Rokita is leading a 17-state effort in support of the request for a waiver from the discriminatory and unlawful race and gender-conscious requirements of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) program.”
Headshot of Attorney General Todd Rokita.
Photo contributed.
Gov. Mike Braun: “I am a firm believer in offering equal opportunity for all to compete and succeed. If granted, this waiver will further position Indiana as a state one would want to do business with and as a place to grow your business.”
Rokita: “Forcing INDOT to prioritize contractors based on race or gender is unconstitutional and undermines fair competition. Granting the waiver INDOT is requesting is well within the Department of Transportation’s authority and would be a critical step toward ensuring that Indiana’s transportation projects are awarded based on merit, not arbitrary classifications, and aligns with our constitutional duty to uphold equal protection under the law.”
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.—University of Southern Indiana Women’s Cross Country finished 24th out of 52 teams at the Jacksonville State Southern Showcase Friday morning. After timing issues delayed the release of the results Friday, the final outcomes were posted Saturday morning.
Sophomore Hadessah Austin paced the Screaming Eagles as she finished 26th out of 471 runners. She finished the five-kilometer race in 17 minutes, 18.6 seconds, a time that ranks her third all-time at USI on the grass.
Junior Ellie Hall was neck-and-neck with Austin throughout the first 14 minutes of the race but fell off the pace before finishing 90th with a time of 18:06.2.
According to the live results, USI was in 21st place in the 52-team field with a projected point total of 503 through the first 1.6 kilometers. Hall had a slight lead over Austin at the first split as the two were 43rd and 45th, respectively. Austin, though, moved up to 33rd with 1.8 kilometers to go in the race, one spot ahead of Hall. USI maintained its positioning when the racers hit the 3.2k split and was tied with Ohio Valley Conference foe Tennessee Tech with a projected point total of 544. Tennessee Tech finished 22nd with 563 points, while USI finished with 589 points.
The Screaming Eagles were bunched up with their No. 3, No. 4 and No. 5 finishers. Sophomore Addison Applegate was 176th, while freshmen Lilyanna Blais and Charlee Gibson were 177th and 179th, respectively.
Junior Sara Livingston and sophomore Abrielle Richard rounded out the Screaming Eagles’ top seven with respective finishes of 198th and 209th. USI returns to action next Friday, September 19, when it competes at the Oscar Moore Invitational in Carbondale, Illinois.
This story was updated following the release of the final results Saturday, September 13 at 1:15 p.m. (CDT)
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – McKenzie Laubach finished with seven kills and five block assists on Saturday with the University of Evansville volleyball team dropping a 3-0 decision to Morehead State inside Meeks family Fieldhouse.
Laubach’s led UE in both kills and blocks in the match. Hinsley Everett finished with sixkills while Brooke Herdes added five. Ainoah Cruz posted 10 digs. M.E. Hargan was the top offensive player in the contest, totaling 18 kills.s
Game 1 – Morehead State 25, UE 17
Hinsley Everett and Sabrina Ripple picked up early kills to give Evansville a 3-1 lead. Morehead State quickly tied the set at 3-3 before opening a 15-9 advantage. Another kill from Everett made it a 21-16 game before the Eagles finished with the 25-17 win to take a 1-0 lead.
Game 2 – Morehead State 26, UE 24
It was the Eagles taking the early lead once again, opening a 7-3 advantage. This time, the Aces fought back to tie the set on a Hinsley Everett kill before taking a 10-9 lead when Lexi Owen added her second service ace of the day. MSU went back up by a pair but a pair of McKenzie Laubach kills saw the Aces battle back to tie things up once again at 17-17.
The close battle continued with the Eagles going back up by a pair at 22-20 before a late rally saw the Aces reassume the lead on an ace by Brooke Herdes. UE remained in control going up 24-22, but the Eagles quickly scored the final three points to take a 2-0 match advantage.
Game 3 – Morehead State 25, UE 17
Morehead State wasted little time in taking a 7-1 lead out of the gate. Despite the deficit, the Aces did not give up. Sabrina Ripple recorded three blocks while McKenzie Laubach added two kills as UE fought back to take an 11-10 advantage. The Eagles countered once again, jumping back in front at 19-14 while clinching the match with the 25-17 triumph.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Women’s Golf is set to continue the fall season when it competes in The Velvet in Paducah, Kentucky, Monday and Tuesday. The Velvet is host by Murray State University at the Country Club of Paducah. USI is coming off a ninth-place finish at Missouri State University’s Payne Stewart Memorial. A strong 308 third round propelled the Screaming Eagles into ninth, improving 12 strokes over their second round 320. Individually, sophomore Fernanda Vera led the Eagles with a three-round 230 (77-77-76) to finish in a tie for 31st. Vera was very consistent during the Payne Stewart Memorial, posting a 77-77-76. Graduate student Valeria Lopez de Haro Justewas two strokes back of Vera and tied for 35th with a 232 (77-77-78) The Velvet is a 54-hole tournament with 36-holes on Monday and a final round of 18 on Tuesday. The tournament started in 2023 to honor former Murray State golf coach Velvet Milkman. USI was 13th a year ago with a three-round 992 (326-334-332). Sophomore Brianna Kirsch is USI’s top returner from last year’s tournament after posting a 243 (81-81-81) and tying for 37th.
HUNTSVILLE, Ala.—Junior Alex Nolan raced to a top-20 finish to lead University of Southern Indiana Men’s Cross Country to an 11th-place showing in the 48-team Southern Showcase Friday morning at the John Hunt Cross Country Course in Huntsville, Alabama. Nolan finished the eight-kilometer race in 24 minutes, 06.6 seconds to place 19th out of 449 competitors. He was less than 30 seconds shy of a top-10 finish and less than a minute off the winning pace, set by Alabama’s Dismus Lokira. As a team, the Screaming Eagles registered 335 points, just 14 behind host Jacksonville State and a top-10 finish. USI finished ahead of Atlantic Coast Conference members Miami (Fla.) and Florida State, who were 12th and 13th, respectively. USI also got strong performances out of senior Dominick Beine as well as juniors Isaac Stanford and Landen Swiney. Beine was 55th with a time of 24:34.4, while Stanford and Swiney were 85th and 99th, respectively. Freshman Kraedyn Young made his collegiate debut with a finish of 103rd, while red-shirt freshmen James Haggerty and Ben Perulfi rounded out the Screaming Eagles’ scoring with respective placements of 111th and 157th. The Screaming Eagles return to action next Friday, September 19, when they compete at the Oscar Moore Invitational in Carbondale, Illinois.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – The University of Evansville women’s soccer team will honor an eight-member senior class at Arad McCutchan Stadium on Sunday, celebrating Senior Day against Middle Tennessee. The Purple Aces being recognized include Kaylee Woosley (Evansville, Ind./Evansville North), Kathryn Tyler (Dallas, Texas/Liberty Christian), Amy Velazquez (Avon, Ind./Avon), Chrysta Vasquez (Las Vegas, Nev./Coronado), Ella McAndrew (Greendale, Ind./Lawrenceburg), Joelle Haines (Raleigh, N.C./IMG Academy), Paige Radel (Metamora, Ohio/Evergreen), and Isa Valdez (Phoenix, Ariz./Desert Vista). Kick-off is set for 4 PM.
Last Time Out
Evansville earned their third consecutive shutout on Thursday night, running their unbeaten streak to four with a 0-0 draw at UT Martin.
Purple Aces keeper Allie Lammers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) continued to impress, matching her career-high with four saves to become the first Evansville goalkeeper to record three shutouts in a row since Chaviel Harrison in 2011. Since entering in the second half against Purdue, Lammers has not allowed a goal over 315 minutes of action.
Evansville threatened in the first ten minutes of play, with Taylor Johnson (Evansville, Ind./Reitz) and Ashlyn Koutsos (Cumming, Ga./West Forsyth) putting shots on goal. Brielle LaBerge (Cumming, Ga./Forsyth Central) also contributed a shot on goal in the first half, but the match remained scoreless heading into the halftime intermission.
Following a save by Lammers in the 55th minute, the Aces saw perhaps their best scoring chance of the night in the 59th minute off a corner, but Taylor Wehrer’s (Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Oasis) shot from just in front of the goal was saved by UT Martin keeper Mac Titus.
Brooklyn Robinson (West Haven, Utah/Fremont) added a shot on goal in the 75th minute, followed quickly by a shot on goal by Olivia Mills (London, Ontario/Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School), but Titus held the Aces at bay with a pair of saves.
Lammers kept her clean sheet intact in the final five minutes of the night with a save in the 86th minute to help the Aces leave with a result.
Series History
Sunday marks the eighth all-time meeting between Evansville and Middle Tennessee. The Blue Raiders hold the series lead at 5-2. Evansville won the last meeting, a 3-2 victory in 2021.
Scouting Middle Tennessee
Middle Tennessee brings a 4-3-2 record into Sunday’s match. The last time out for the Blue Raiders came on Thursday, a 2-2 draw against Tennessee Tech. Middle Tennessee has played two other MVC opponents this season, defeating Belmont 2-1 in the season-opener before tying Indiana State 2-2.
Mother Charged For Purchasing Firearm Used in Accidental Shooting
Rachel A. Banks (36) has been charged with Dangerous Control of a Firearm, Contributing to the Delinquency of a Minor, Dealing Marijuana and Reckless Homicide in response to evidence discovered in case number 25-16420. The evidence showed Banks purchase
MARTIN, Tenn. –The University of Evansville women’s soccer team earned their third consecutive shutout on Thursday night, running their unbeaten streak to four with a 0-0 draw at UT Martin.
Purple Aces keeper Allie Lammers (Cincinnati, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) continued to impress, matching her career-high with four saves to become the first Evansville goalkeeper to record three shutouts in a row since Chaviel Harrison in 2011. Since entering in the second half against Purdue, Lammers has not allowed a goal over 315 minutes of action.
Evansville threatened in the first ten minutes of play, with Taylor Johnson (Evansville, Ind./Reitz) and Ashlyn Koutsos (Cumming, Ga./West Forsyth) putting shots on goal. Brielle LaBerge (Cumming, Ga./Forsyth Central) also contributed a shot on goal in the first half, but the match remained scoreless heading into the halftime intermission.
Following a save by Lammers in the 55th minute, the Aces saw perhaps their best scoring chance of the night in the 59th minute off a corner, but Taylor Wehrer’s (Las Vegas, Nev./Desert Oasis) shot from just in front of the goal was saved by UT Martin keeper Mac Titus.
Brooklyn Robinson (West Haven, Utah/Fremont) added a shot on goal in the 75th minute, followed quickly by a shot on goal by Olivia Mills (London, Ontario/Sir Wilfrid Laurier Secondary School), but Titus held the Aces at bay with a pair of saves.
Lammers kept her clean sheet intact in the final five minutes of the night with a save in the 86th minute to help the Aces leave with a result.
“I thought that this would be a difficult game,” said Head Coach Chris Pfau. “The second half against Austin Peay, I think we hit a wall. We’re good enough and mature enough to get through it now.”
“To get a result when you’re not at your best, to keep a shutout with Allie, who has not been scored on, little things like that are good to take away.”
“It shows the maturity and leadership of this team to not be at your best, be on the road, and grind out a result.”
Both Evansville and UT Martin tallied 13 shots, while the Aces held the advantage in shots on goal at 7-4. 20 different players saw action for the Aces.
With the tie, Evansville moves to 4-1-1 on the season. The Aces will be back in action on Sunday to celebrate Senior Night, hosting Middle Tennessee at Arad McCutchan Stadium. Kick-off is set for 4 PM.
