EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball concludes its longest homestand of the season by hosting Western Illinois University Thursday at 8 p.m. in Screaming Eagles Arena. The game will air live on ESPNU (Astound 368; Dish 141; DirectTV 206).
Â
To showcase USI’s #ScreaglePride, a White Out Night will be held for both ends of Thursday’s OVC doubleheader, leading off with USI Women’s Basketball (also against Western Illinois) at 5 p.m. Fans are encouraged to wear white apparel to whiteout Screaming Eagles Arena!
Â
Fans also can track your Eagles all season by visiting the schedule on USIScreamingEagles.com for links to follow all of the action on the ESPN+, ESPN 97.7FM (http://listentotheref.com), and 95.7FM The Spin (http://957thespin.com/).
Â
USI (5-15, 2-5 OVC) has lost its last four games, including last week’s losses to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock, 77-75, and Morehead State University, 81-70. Junior guard Jeremiah Hernandez (Chicago, Illinois) led the way for the USI with 29.0 points per game in the two losses.
Â
Junior forward Jack Mielke (Downers Grove, Illinois) followed last week with 12.5 points per game.
Â
Hernandez leads the team through 20 games with 16.3 points per game, which ranks sixth overall in the OVC. Junior guard/forward AJ Smith (Edwardsville, Illinois) follows with 12.7 points and a team-best 9.1 rebounds per outing, while posting a team-high eight double-doubles.
Â
WIU (12-7, 5-1 OVC) suffered its first loss in OVC play, falling to Tennessee State University, 58-57, at home Saturday. The Leathernecks saw its nine-game winning streak snapped, but they have won 10 of the last 12 games dating back to December.
Â
WIU leads the all-time series with USI, 3-1, after defeating the Screaming Eagles last season, 86-78, in Macomb, Illinois. The first three meetings between USI and WIU date back to a pair of games in 1977 and one in 1981 (NCAA Division II Regional contest).
Â
USI plays WIU Thursday on ESPNU Fans encouraged to whiteout Screaming Eagles Arena​​​​​​​
Vincennes University Education Department receives grant to host another Story Walk for local kids
VINCENNES, Ind., January 24, 2024 – Vincennes University Education majors and faculty will once again create an immersive literacy experience this spring, which combines the joy of reading with the beauty of nature.
Through the support of a generous $4,500 grant from the Knox County Community Foundation, VU will host a Story Walk for Knox County elementary school students and their families for a second straight year. Participants will embark on a scenic journey through designated pathways, encountering storybook pages strategically placed along the walking route. This innovative approach aims to foster a love for reading while promoting physical activity and engagement with the great outdoors.
“We extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Knox County Community Foundation for recognizing the value of promoting literacy in a unique and impactful way,†Education Associate Professor Lisa Miller said.
The grant will help purchase books, supplies, and materials needed for all activities and games for enrichment activities for the Story Walk.
The April 2023 Story Walk hosted by VU students at Kimmell Park was a huge success. They brought the illustrated children’s book “Mossy†by Jan Brett to life and immersed local children in the world of a unique turtle with a gorgeous garden growing on its back. After reading the story, the children enjoyed fun interactive activities and craft stations designed by VU students pursuing bachelor’s degrees in Education, such as petting a live turtle, creating mini terrariums to take home, building habitats for turtles, painting flower pots, and playing fun games. To further promote reading, children went home with free books. In addition to Education students, the Story Walk featured VU Theatre Arts majors in costumes and sweet treats baked by VU Culinary Arts majors. VU Conservation Law Enforcement majors also exhibited animal pelts and antlers.
Retail Food Establishment Inspection Report
THUNDERBOLTS HOST BIRMINGHAM BULLS FOR FAITH NIGHT THIS FRIDAY
 Evansville, In.:  Looking to bounce back from a tough weekend against the Rivermen, the Thunderbolts are now preparing for this coming weekend’s games against the Birmingham Bulls, starting this Friday when the Thunderbolts host the Bulls at Ford Center for Faith Night presented by Oakland City University.
Week In Review:Â
Â
The Thunderbolts fell just short to Peoria on Saturday at Ford Center by a 2-1 score, with Brady Lynn scoring Evansville’s lone goal. On Sunday afternoon in Peoria, penalties were a thorn in Evansville’s side as the Rivermen scored three power play goals to defeat Evansville 3-2, with the Thunderbolt goals coming from Matthew Hobbs and Lincoln Hatten. Despite the losses, Cole Ceci’s stellar play in goal continued, stopping 24 of 26 shots on Saturday and 32 of 35 shots on Sunday.
The Week Ahead:Â
        The Thunderbolts will host the Birmingham Bulls this Friday for Faith Night presented by Oakland City University, beginning at 7:00pm CT. The first 1,000 fans in attendance will receive a special edition Oakland City x Thunderbolts puck. The night will feature a pre-game and post-game concert by Level Ground. Each period, two tickets to the upcoming Lauren Daigle concert at Ford Center on April 4th will be given away, and Oakland City University will be giving away two individual $12,000 scholarships to two high school juniors or seniors who register their name athttps://apply.oak.edu/register/faithnight_2024. For tickets, call (812)422-BOLT (2548), go to EvansvilleThunderbolts.com, or visit the Ford Center Ticket Office. On Saturday, the Thunderbolts will have a rematch with the Bulls in Birmingham, puck drop at 7:05pm CT. Fans can watch Saturday’s game on FloHockey with a paid subscription or can listen in for free on the Thunderbolts Mixlr Channel. Fans can also watch Sunday’s game at the Official Thunderbolts away game watch party at Parkway Pizza on 3911 Broadway Avenue on Evansville’s West Side.
Hoosiers Collect Five of Six Big Ten Weekly Awards
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – For the first time in nine years, Indiana men’s and women’s swimming combined for five of the six available Big Ten weekly awards in a cycle, the conference announced Wednesday (Jan. 24). The haul includes sweeps of the men’s honors as well as the swimmer and diver of the week awards.
Oct. 14, 2014, was the last cycle that Indiana had five weekly award winners. Anze Tavcar, James Connor, Ali Khalafalla, Brooklyn Snodgrass and Kennedy Goss all secured honors after they led IU to season-opening wins over Auburn. IU athletes have combined for 11 swimming and diving awards this season.
All five Hoosiers featured this week are previous award winners, though four earned the honor for the first time this season.
On Friday (Jan. 19), the No. 5/7 Hoosiers defeated No. 17/16 Michigan at the Wolverines’ home pool in Ann Arbor. The men dominated U-M 182-118, while the women showed grit to triumph 152-148; a result decided by wins in the last two events – the 400-yard freestyle relay and 1-meter diving.
Big Ten Women’s Swimmer of the Week – Anna Peplowski
Junior Anna Peplowski is the Big Ten Women’s Swimmer of the Week for the third time in her career and first time this season.
Peplowski led the Hoosier women in the pool, winning two individual events and contributing to a winning relay. Peplowski doubled up in the 200-yard freestyle (1:45.14) and 200-yard backstroke (1:56.46), winning both by over 1.5 seconds. Individually, she also finished third in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 4:48.70, under a second shy of first place.
She also led off IU’s 400-yard freestyle relay victory that the Hoosiers needed to secure the team victory. Her 49.01 split was the quickest leadoff split of anyone in the race, as the Indiana’s quartet touched in 3:16.68.
Big Ten Men’s Swimmer of the Week – Brendan Burns
 Senior Brendan Burns is the Big Ten Men’s Swimmer of the Week for the sixth time in his career and first time this season.
Burns was Indiana’s lone three-event winner, sweeping the backstroke events while also touching first in the 200-yard butterfly (1:44.37). He won the 100 back in 46.83 and the 200 back, by three seconds, in 1:43.99.
The two-time NCAA Champion also led off Indiana’s victory in the 200-yard medley relay in 21.87, the fastest backstroke split in the event.
 Big Ten Women’s Diver of the Week – Anne Fowler
 Senior Anne Fowler received her sixth-career Big Ten Weekly award, fifth Big Ten Diver of the Week award and first weekly award of the season.
Fowler completed one half of Indiana’s sweep of the diving events inside Canham Natatorium, winning both the women’s 1-meter (323.85) and 3-meter (353.78) springboard events. IU had the top four finishers on 1-meter, an event which would end up decisive in the team score. Fowler also led Indiana in posting three of the top four performances on 3-meter.
 Big Ten Men’s Diver of the Week – Carson Tyler
 Junior Carson Tyler received his sixth-career Big Ten Weekly award, fifth Big Ten Diver of the Week award and first weekly award of the season.
Tyler was the men’s half of IU’s diving sweep, also winning the 1-meter and 3-meter events.
The junior had a career performance on the 3-meter boards, posting a personal-best 466.35 to win the event by 116.55 points and setting the top mark in NCAA Division-I this season. All six of Tyler’s 3-meter dives scored at least 69.75 points, and he had two scoring above 80 – including an 86.63-point final dive. Tyler won the 1-meter event with a 383.85 score, 10 points better than the runner-up.
 Big Ten Men’s Freshman of the Week – Mikkel Lee
 Mikkel Lee received his second Big Ten Freshman of the Week award.
Lee had one individual win, two relay victories and an individual runner-up finish on Friday. The freshman just out-touched junior teammate Rafael Miroslaw in the 100-yard freestyle with a 43.53 time to Miroslaw’s 43.77. He finished second in the 50-yard free in 19.84, just 11 seconds off the winning time.
Lee anchored both relays, as Indiana’s men bookended their meet with victories in the 200-yard medley relay (1:25.86) and 400-yard freestyle relay (2:53.92). He posted the second-best 50 free split in the medley, going 19.37, and was one of four under 44 seconds with second-best split in the freestyle relay, going 43.43.
HOT JOBS
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
|||||
|
 Jasper Community Arts Receives $10,000 Grant from the National Endowment for the Arts
[Jasper, IN]—Jasper Community Arts is thrilled to announce that it has been selected as a recipient of a Challenge America award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA).The $10,000 grant will play a pivotal role in supporting two educational performances for local schools during the current semester. This exciting news comes as part of the NEA’s first round of fiscal year 2024 grants, with a total of 257 Challenge America awards being distributed, amounting to $2,570,000 in grants.
NEA Chair Maria Rosario Jackson, PhD, expressed her enthusiasm about the grant,stating, “The NEA is delighted to announce this grant to Jasper Community Arts, which is helping contribute to the strength and well-being of the arts sector and the local community. We are pleased to be able to support this community and help create an environment where all people have the opportunity to live artful lives.”
In response to this prestigious recognition, Executive Director Kyle Rupert shared his thoughts, saying, “I am incredibly grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for this generous Challenge America award. This grant not only recognizes the dedication ofJasper Community Arts to the local arts sector but also enables us to bring exceptional educational performances to our community’s schools.â€
As part of the grant’s initiatives, Jasper Community Arts will be presenting two captivating performances for students in the area. Janet’s Planet will be showcased for students in grades 3-5, offering an engaging and educational experience. Additionally, Dot, Dot, Dot…A New Musical, based on the popular children’s book, will be presented to students in grades K-2.
This grant not only signifies a significant milestone for Jasper Community Arts but also underscores the organization’s commitment to fostering artistic experiences and educational opportunities within the community. Jasper Community Arts expresses sinceregratitude to the NEA for their support and looks forward to delivering outstanding performances that will inspire and enrich the lives of local students.
For more information about Jasper Community Arts and its upcoming events, please visit
BREAKING NEWS: Ben Shoulders (D)Â will not seek re-election; announces resignation from County CommissionÂ
Men’s basketball takes UNI to the wire in Cedar Falls
Aces drop 70-63 game against Panthers
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa – In a contest that went right down to the wire, the University of Evansville men’s basketball team came up just short with UNI taking a 70-63 win inside the McLeod Center on Tuesday.
For the third time in his career, Yacine Toumi scored a career-high 20 points. He hit 9 of his 16 field goal tries and tallied 6 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals and a block. Chuck Bailey III scored 14 points while Tanner Cuff was one shy of his career mark, registering 13 points. Cam Haffner scored six points, including consecutive triples in the second half that kept the Purple Aces right in the thick of the battle. Tytan Anderson and Nate Heise led the way for the Panthers with 15 points each.
“I thought the guys had the right mindset over the last two days coming into this game. The response was spot on; that is how you want to play – giving yourself an opportunity to win,†UE head men’s basketball coach David Ragland said. “This is a hard place to win, especially with the start that we had, but if you take away the opening segments of each half, it is much closer.â€
It was UNI getting the early jump, hitting three of their opening four attempts to take a 7-0 lead. Yacine Toumi took a feed from Kenny Strawbridge Jr. to score Evansville’s first points of the game. The early run for the Panthers continued as they opened an 11-2 advantage and maintained a 9-point lead, up 17-8 at the 12:11 mark.
Over the next four minutes, Evansville took control along with its first lead of the night. Scoring eight in a row while hitting four out of five attempts, Cam Haffner took it coast-to-coast and fed Toumi for the go-ahead basket with 7:49 on the clock. UE’s defense UNI to 0-for-5 with a turnover during that stretch. Seconds after the Aces jumped in front, a triple by UNI opened a 5-0 spurt.
Gage Bobe knocked down a triple to make it a 1-point game and the Aces remained within a handful of points over the ensuing stretch before Chuck Bailey III found his groove. His 3-point play got UE within a pair with 1:42 remaining and, following a Panthers miss, Tanner Cuff converted a layup to tie the game. Bailey got the job done once again in the final minute, nailing a 3-pointer to send the Aces to the break with a 31-28 lead.
Evansville had a strong finish to the half; after falling behind by an 11-2 margin, the Aces outscored UNI by a 29-17 margin over the final 15:11 of the first period.
It took just a few seconds for UNI to tie the game in the second half, converting a 3-point play in their opening possession. That would be the first of ten in a row by the Panthers to open the second half and a 38-31 lead. Strawbridge got Evansville on the board with a 3-pointer and Toumi followed with a jumper that cut the deficit back to two.
UNI went back up by eight points as the game entered its final nine minutes, holding the Aces scoreless for close to three minutes and holding a 51-43 edge. That is when Cam Haffner took matters into his own hands. Consecutive triples by the sophomore cut the gap down to two at 51-49. Cuff recorded a triple with just over six minutes remaining that made it a 54-52 game. With just under five minutes remaining, the Aces had the ball and a chance to take the lead, but a turnover led to a UNI triple on the other end. Another three by the Panthers extended the lead to 60-55 with three minutes on the clock.
Cuff connected on his fifth bucket of the contest to get UE within a possession, but each time the Aces rallied, UNI had the answer. Late free throws saw them complete the game with a 70-63 win. Evansville outshot UNI by a 44.6%-41.5% margin but it was the Panthers with the 37-30 rebounding edge.
Two home games are on the schedule for the Purple Aces when they host Illinois State at 1 p.m. Saturday before welcoming UIC on Jan. 31 in a 7 p.m. match-up.
–