Opals Are a Girl's Best Friend Award.
The winner is all local jewelry stores whose business could be severely affected by the link of Al Qaeda and the diamond trade. Especially bad for the stores would be if the government runs ads stating if you buy diamonds you are supporting terrorism.
The Cop a Feel Award.
This goes to the Evansville Police Officer, who did an illegal search and grab-ass on a couple of female police dispatchers, landing himself in hot water with his superiors.
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The Silliest Idea Award
Downtown Professional Baseball
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Worst On-Air Gaffe by Local TV Personality
The WFIE morning newsman who announced at 6:52 A.M that he was "sitting on some cheese".
Our Windows are the Clearest in Town....So Clear You Can't See Them"
Jose Luna, President of Cherokee Windows, who has had difficulty in delivering pre-paid windows to customers. Maniac boss??.....or victim of employee mutiny?. You decide.
I Smell Pants on Fire Award.
To the majority of the Courier Men's City Golf Tournament competitors who answered in the negative if they ever played in golf tournaments for cash prizes.
The Political Leather Balls Award.
State Represenative Candidate and Vanderburgh County Clerk Marsha Abell, in an eerily World Wrestling Federation fashion warned her opponent Dennis Avery at the close of the polls on election day to "clean out your desk!!!...you're outta here!!. Her pummelling at the polls by Avery was not known until the next day because the election totals, the responsiblity of Ms. Abell as County Clerk, were not available until the next day, for the second year in row and worst performance in the state.
Most Annoying Award
It's a tie. Mainly it's a tie because nobody could ever beat the guy in the American Freight's TV commercials. But but the irritating, annoying scream of the guy who does the Expressway Dodge commercial did manage a tie in 2002.
Couldn't Happen to a Bunch of Nicer Guys Award:
The winner Casey's Payday Loans, who charged interest rates that made Capone look like he was selling Girl Scout Cookies. Casey's agreed to a $375,000 settlement for 'usury practices' stemming from a class action lawsuit.
Meth Cookers' Best Friends Award.
Local convenient stores who supply the trade with the most important ingredient, Ephedrine, at extremely profitable prices, with perhaps a tip to the clerk. Just because Ephredrine is legal...doesn't mean you have to sell it.
Call the Mayor!! Award
The early Sunday morning Fendrich Golf Course union maintenance worker who, when asked why he had mowed the grass on only half the greens, making them very inconsistent, replied "Call the Mayor!".
Biggest Murder Mystery:
The Brian Hahn Murder. It's like it never happened.
We Love All the Poor Little Children Award.
Wal-Mart. The retailer giant pats itself on the back for letting poor children choose free gifts at Christmas time. If both parents work at Wal-Mart, then their children might be eligible for the Wal-Mart giveaway.
We Deserved That ...and a Lot More!
To all southwest Indiana residents and especially University of Southern Indiana for sticking to their guns and practically demanding USI be granted an engineering program. The issue had become a political football and highlighted the imbalance in funding projects in southwest Indiana.
Biggest Loss to the Community:
Nick Carter, who along with his wife Jo donated millions to charity, passed away in 2002
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Biggest Cultural Loss: This year also saw the passing of Kenneth P. McCutchan who told the the stories of our past.
Those are our picks for 2002.
