For only $30, you can have an Oscar winner right in your very own living room. Meet Ollie, the “Acat-emy Award†winner for Best Purrformance by an Acat-or! His stage name is “Eddie Red Mane.†This handsome boy is 8 years old. He gets along well with other cats. He’s ready to go home today neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated! Visit www.vhslifesaver.orgor call (812) 426-2563 for adoption details!
ST. MARY’S WELLNESS CENTER TO HOLD TAI CHI FOR ARTHRITIS CLASS
(Evansville, IN) – St. Mary’s Wellness Center will hold an eight-week “Tai Chi for Arthritis†class beginning the second week of April. This course is supported by the Arthritis Foundation as a safe and effective way to ease the symptoms of arthritis – including pain, depression, and decreased range of motion. It is designed to be easy and enjoyable for people of all ages, physical conditions, and experience levels.
The cost is $75 for all eight classes. Registration is required by Thursday, April 7. Classes will be taught by local Certified Instructor Mike Goebel and held at St. Mary’s Wellness Center at Epworth Crossing. Class times are:
- Mondays from 1:30 – 2:30 p.m., April 11- June 6. (except Monday May 30)
Please call 812-485-5725 to reserve your spot. Other class listings are available at StMarysEpworth.com/classes.
Aces drop 11-10 slugfest at SIUE
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. – A school-record-tying six home runs would not be enough on Wednesday evening as the University of Evansville baseball team fell 11-10 to host SIUE at Simmons Baseball Complex.
“Having six games in six days really took its toll on our pitching staff, and it showed tonight,†UE head coach Wes Carroll said. “After taking the lead, we weren’t able to put zeroes on the board when it came down to the last three innings.â€
Things could not have started off better for the Aces (8-9) as Shain Showers and Eric McKibban picked up back-to-back hits to open the game and push across the opening tally. A single from Trey Hair and a Jonathan Ramon sacrifice fly plated another before Josh Jyawook became the first UE player to homer on the night with a one-run blast later in the frame.
After SIUE reclaimed a pair of scores in the bottom of the second, it would be Hair’s turn to leave the park, plating a pair in the third to put the Aces up 6-2. However, the four-run advantage wouldn’t last as the Cougars (1-12) put up three runs in the bottom half of the frame.
Boomer Synek, Ramon, McKibban and Jyawook would each homer in the fifth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings, respectively, but the Cougars mounted an impressive response each time, scoring six runs down the stretch to hold on for the win.
Jyawook, who finished 4-for-5 at the plate with a pair of solo homers, led the Aces on the day, and he’s the second UE player this season to homer twice in one game. McKibban, who is now riding a 17-game on-base streak, ended 3-for-5 with three scores, and Ramon’s homer, which was his second in as many days, was his only hit of the game.
For the Cougars, seven different players logged hits on the day, led by three-hit showings from both Dustin Woodcock and Alec Skende
On the mound, Alex Gould was pegged with the loss, his first decision of the season, and SIUE’s Brandon Tatum picked up the win as he moved to 1-0 on the year. Zach Malach earned his first save after allowing a run in the top of the ninth.
NOTES: The six home runs ties a mark set by the Aces at Ball State on May 9, 2001 … Jonathan Ramon, who hit just eight home runs in his first three seasons wearing a UE uniform, has left the park a career-best five times in the first 17 games of the season … Overall, UE has homered 20 times this year … Since 1978, the Aces are 16-7 against SIUE … Against Illinois schools, UE owns a 220-197 record, including a 3-1 mark this year after the NIU sweep.
IceMen Battle Komets on Green Ice for St. Patty’s Day
Fort Wayne Komets (34-19-5-2) vs. Evansville IceMen (24-28-6-2)
Thursday, March 17th – 6:15pm (St. Patrick’s Day – Green Ice)
Ford Center – Evansville, IN
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PREVIOUS MEETINGS
This Season – Fourth meeting of six.
- 12/4 – Komets won 7-5 (in Evansville)
- 12/13– IceMen won 6-4 (in Fort Wayne)
- 2/9 – IceMen won 3-2, OT (in Evansville)
Last SeasonÂ
- IceMen were 1-6-2 against the Komets
All Time, including in CHL (2010-12):
- IceMen are 22-26-8
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THIS WEEK
Th. 3/17 – Fort Wayne at Evansville (6:15pm) – Ford Center
                        St. Patrick’s Day – Green Ice
Sat. 3/19 – Evansville at Toledo (6:15pm) – Huntington Center (Toledo, OH)
Broadcast: www.evansvilleicemen.com and ECHL TV (Away Audio)
Sun. 3/20 – Cincinnati at Evansville (5:15pm) – Ford Center
                       Season Ticket Holder/Blizzard Buddies Postgame Skate
ST PATTY’S DAY – GREEN ICE!
The Evansville IceMen will take on their longtime rivals, the Fort Wayne Komets, Thursday at 6:15pm at the Ford Center. To celebrate St. Patrick’s Day, the teams will be skating on GREEN ice! Fans who wear green to the Ford Center Ticket Office on Thursday can purchase tickets anywhere in the building for over 30% off.
FINAL KOMET LANDING
The Fort Wayne Komets come to Evansville for the last time on Thursday at 6:15pm. Fort Wayne won the first meeting of the season 7-5 on December 6 at the Ford Center, but the IceMen have won the last two. A hat trick from Tyson Fawcett led the IceMen to a 6-4 win on December 13 at Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne. Then, Troy Rutkowski played the role of hero in a 3-2 overtime win over the Komets on February 9 in Evansville.
WIDE OPEN SPACES
IceMen rookie forward Alex Wideman has been on a tear since the middle of February. The 24-year-old from St. Louis had four goals in four games from February 14-21, before an injury on February 21 at Missouri kept him out the next six games. Upon returning to the lineup, Wideman picked up five assists in Evansville’s four games last week.
STILL STANDING
Evansville picked up four of a possible eight points last week, with two wins against Indy and two losses to Quad City. The IceMen are eight points behind the Mallards for eighth place is the Western Conference playoff race with 12 games remaining. Evansville and Quad City meet once more on March 25 in Moline, IL. The IceMen also face Tulsa once more on April 2 at the Ford Center, and trail the Oilers by five points for ninth place.
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POSTGAME SKATE – MARCH 20
IceMen Season Ticket Holders and Blizzard Buddies are welcome to participate in a postgame skate Sunday, March 20 after the IceMen take on the Cincinnati Cyclones at 5:15pm at the Ford Center. Fans are encouraged to bring their own skates if they have them, as a limited number of skates will be provided.
FAITH SUNDAYS
Bring any pamphlet or program from your faith service to the Ford Center Ticket Office and receive a $5 discount on tickets anywhere in the building for Sunday home games! This Sunday, March 20, is the last Sunday game of the season, as the IceMen host the Cincinnati Cyclones at 5:15pm.
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SUNDAY – SUBWAY FAMILY NIGHT
Bring your friends and family out to the Ford Center Sunday by taking advantage of the Subway Family Night ticket special. It includes a Goal Zone or Corner ticket to the game, an IceMen Subway t-shirt, and vouchers for popcorn and a soda, all for just $21. There is also an opportunity to upgrade to Center Ice or Club seats for just $4 more. Evansville hosts Cincinnati this Sunday at 5:15pm.
Visit us at www.evansvilleicemen.com, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter @EvvIceMen for more information about your hometown professional hockey team.
DUI Checkpoint and Saturation Patrols Planned around St. Patrick’s Day
- The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Traffic Safety Partnership will conduct a sobriety checkpoint this Friday, March 18, 2016 from 11:30 pm until 3:00 am. Law enforcement officers from the Vanderburgh County Sheriff’s Office and the Evansville Police Department will join together to conduct this checkpoint along with saturation patrols planned for St. Patrick’s Day and throughout the weekend.
The location for Friday’s checkpoint was chosen based on local traffic collision data. Analysis of data captured in March of 2015 indicated that several geographical areas within Vanderburgh County accounted for a disproportionately high number of reported hit and run crashes. The upcoming checkpoint will be located within one of those areas. Hit and run crashes are often the result of impaired drivers who try to avoid arrest by fleeing the scene.
The upcoming checkpoint and saturation patrols are part of a statewide effort to curb aggressive and dangerous driving. Â This high-visibility enforcement effort, known as Operation Pull Over Blitz #85, began on Friday, March 04 and will continue through Sunday, March 27.
The Evansville-Vanderburgh County Traffic Safety Partnership conducts sobriety checkpoints in an effort to detect and deter impaired drivers (thereby reducing the occurrence of alcohol and drug related traffic crashes). Â Funding for local sobriety checkpoint operations is provided by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) through a grant from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
HOW RONALD REAGAN CELEBRATED ST PATRICK’S DAY
HOW RONALD REAGAN CELEBRATED ST PATRICK’S DAY
By Tom Purcell
It was on St. Patrick’s Day 1988 when an unexpected visitor arrived at Pat Troy’s Irish pub in Alexandria, Va — President Ronald Reagan.
The pub had been a popular watering for three decades before closing in 2014. Some of Reagan’s advance men had been regular patrons. They secretly arranged the president’s visit.
Just before noon, the pub was half-packed when Reagan and his entourage arrived. As news got around, the pub quickly filled to capacity. While Reagan enjoyed a pint of Harp and some corned beef and cabbage, Troy was so busy tending to patrons, he didn’t have time to react to his famous patron.
“He had an energy about him that put you instantly at ease,†Troy told me. “He made it easy to carry on as though he was just another patron, so that is what I did.â€
Troy took the stage and led the audience in “The Wild Rover.†He directed sections of the audience to compete with each other to see which could sing and clap the loudest.
“You have to clap louder, Mr. President,†he said to Reagan, prompting the president, not used to being given orders, to laugh.
Troy next led the audience in “The Unicorn Song.†While Troy sang the words, the audience mimicked the animals referenced in the song:
“There were green alligators and long-necked geese, some humpty backed camels and some chimpanzees. Some cats and rats and elephants, but sure as you’re born, the loveliest of all was the unicorn.â€
Reagan turned to watch a group of young women act out the song. His face showed curiosity and delight — he’d never seen this song performed before.
But that was how he was: At the same time he was the world’s most powerful man, the man who felled communism and restored American optimism, he was a man of youthful innocence who found immense pleasure in the simplest things.
When Troy finished, he handed the president the microphone. The normally raucous crowd became extraordinarily quiet.
Reagan spoke off the top of his head. He graciously thanked Troy for having him for lunch. He said it was a great surprise. He talked about his father, an Irishman.
“When I was a little boy, my father proudly told me that the Irish built the jails in this country,†he said, pausing expertly. “Then they proceeded to fill them.â€
The crowd laughed heartily.
“You have to understand that for a man in my position, I’m a little leery about ethnic jokes,†he said. The crowd roared. “The only ones I can tell are Irish.â€
He talked about a recent trip to Ireland. He visited Castle Rock, the place where St. Patrick erected the first cross in Ireland.
“A young Irish guide took me to the cemetery and showed me an ancient tombstone there,†he said. “The inscription read: ‘Remember me as you pass by, for as are you so once was I, and as I am you too will be, so be content to follow me.â€
As Reagan paused, the crowd eagerly awaited his follow up.
“Then I looked below the inscription, where someone scratched in these words: ‘To follow you I am content, I wish I knew which way you went.’â€
The crowd roared loud and long, causing the president to deadpan to his advance men: “Why didn’t I find this place seven years ago?â€
The pub visit was videotaped by Reagan staffers and released to Troy 10 years after Reagan left office. I watched that video and got to see a snapshot of pure, unscripted Ronald Reagan.
It shows how powerfully and eloquently the man was able to engage any audience, large or small, just by being his genuine self. As we begin the process of selecting our next president, we sure could use another fellow like him.
I’ll be sure to offer up a toast to the Great Communicator as I celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year:
“To follow you we were content, and grateful for the way we went.â€