It’s the opening day of Visit Indiana Week, a promotion of the Indiana Destination Development Corporation that runs through May 25.

All Indiana state parks, state recreation areas, and reservoirs (on.IN.gov/stateparks) that charge a daily gate fee will waive it for all guests that Sunday, making it a great time to explore a property you’ve never visited before or return to an old favorite.

Many new features and improvements await this season. At Tippecanoe River State Park, restoration work has been completed on the fire tower. At Brown County State Park, seven fully remodeled family cabins and nine renovated rustic cabins have been improved. At Potato Creek State Park, the campground dumping stations have been improved. Across the State Park system, several pollinator habitats have been enhanced and acres of invasive species have been removed. Learn about the many more improvements at dnr.IN.gov/state-parks/about-us/whats-new.

Before you visit, make sure to sign up for the Indiana State Nature Passport at visitindiana.com/indiana-passports/explore. Doing so is also free, and it makes you eligible to earn prizes by checking in when you visit a passport location.

The Greencastle Farmers' Market starts Saturday.

The downtown local vendors market is open from 8 a.m. - 12 p.m.

The city has multiple parking lots with ample parking Click this link https://www.cityofgreencastle.com/resources/downtown-parking for maps and descriptions of where to find these lots.

Governor Eric J. Holcomb is directing flags to be flown at half-staff statewide in honor of the Peace Officers Memorial and Police Officer Week.

Flags should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset in Indiana on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Gov. Holcomb is asking Indiana businesses and residents to lower their flags as well.

Free legal help is available Tuesday at the Putnam County Courthouse.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces alternating lane closures will be coming to U.S. 40 in Putnam County.

Beginning on or after Monday, May 13, crews will be closing one lane at a time with flaggers between County Road 800 W and U.S. 231.

This will allow crews to do geotechnical road evaluations and take samples of the pavement for future road improvements. Work in this area is expected to last a couple of weeks but is weather-permitting and subject to change.

Beginning on or after tonight, Friday, May 10, crews will be closing the left eastbound lane of I-70 between C.R. 300 E and C.R. 200 E in Clay County to replace in-road sensors. 

Work will take place overnight. INDOT advises drivers to please slow down and keep worker safety top of mind.

The National Association of Letter Carriers' annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive will be held on Saturday.

The letter carrier food drive, which began in 1993, is the country's largest single-day food drive.

Each year, the Stamp Out Hunger drive is held on the second Saturday in May. Letter carriers in cities and towns across the United States collect donations of non-perishable food items left by residents near their mailboxes before that day's mail delivery.

One in eight Americans, including millions of children, elderly and veterans, are unsure where their next meal will come from. The timing of the letter carrier food drive is significant--by spring, food pantries are largely depleted of winter holiday food donations, and school lunch programs are about to close for the summer.

Anyone wishing to participate should place a bag of non-perishable food items by your mailbox this Saturday.  

Throughout life there are many different situations that an individual can experience while at home, on the farm, at work, or when relaxing with family.  These situations can be wonderful experiences or they could be a disaster such as a flood, tornado, fire, or accident.  To assist rural families in planning for various disasters, Purdue Extension and the University of Nebraska hosted an Emergency Preparedness for Rural Families program series in March.  This series started with the development of an emergency action plan.

An emergency action plan is designed to provide farm families and emergency personnel clear and concise information about the farm if a disaster would occur.  It is best for the entire family and staff on the farm to work together to develop the plan as a way to increase awareness of potential emergency situations and provide different perspectives on how situations can be addressed. 

An emergency action plan should include:

1. locations of hazards and risks identified on a farm map;
2. communication plans between family/employees/emergency personnel;
3. development and placement of disaster kits;
4. information on how to evacuate and/or shelter in place; and
5. location financial plans/important records.

One of the harder parts of developing the emergency action plan is the map.  A farm’s emergency action plan map should include all of the locations involved in your operation along with an inventory of your equipment and your livestock.  If you have multiple sites/fields within your operation, you may want to add GPS coordinates, physical addresses, and common descriptions your family may know, such as “West Pasture,” “Hilly Field,” or “Grandpa’s Field.” You will want to mark where grain bins, fuel tanks, pesticide storage, manure pits, well heads, etc. are located.  Your map can be made by hand or could be developed utilizing a computer and computerized mapping. Put enough detail into the map, so that if an emergency happens and individuals need to look at it, they can figure out where everything is and prevent the situation from becoming worse.

Purdue Extension and Indiana PREPared encourages all farm families to spend time developing an emergency action plan.  They have a dedicated website developed with information on why you should develop a plan, how to develop a plan, and a template that can be used to develop a plan.  Within their “Tips and Guidance” document, they have suggestions on how to develop the map and what you should include on the map.  To access this information, please visit https://www.purdue.edu/engineering/ABE/INPREPared/farm-emergency-plans/ or contact Purdue Extension – Putnam County at 765-653-8411 for a paper copy of the documents.  These free resources are available to help families become more prepared for future disasters.  

If you would develop an emergency action plan, please realize these are living documents and should be updated periodically.  Additionally, these documents should be located in spots where someone can quickly grab it and utilize it when a disaster occurs.  Therefore, it is best to have an electronic copy available, but also paper copies available in strategic places that individuals can quickly access.

Visit our homepage at www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or you can contact the local Purdue Extension Office by calling 765.653.8411 for more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. It is always best to call first to assure items are ready when you arrive and to RSVP for programs. While many publications are free, some do have a fee. Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity institution. All times listed are Eastern Time.

Upcoming Events:

May 7 – Primary Election Day, all county offices closed including Extension

May 15 – All 4-H Livestock must be enrolled in 4honline. Firm Deadline.

May 15 – Registration deadline early 4-H Roundup and other state workshops.

June 3 – ServSafe Food Manager course and exam in Montgomery County – register at https://cvent.me/vNk1k9 by May 27.

The Town of Roachdale is seeking any interested and qualified residents to submit a letter of interest and resume for consideration on an opening on the Roachdale Town Council. 

The move comes after the resignation of Mark Ketchum. Those wishing to be considered should have their letter of interest and resume to Roachdale Town Council no later than May 13 at 4 p.m. All letters must contain a physical address, valid address and phone number. In addition, they must be placed in a sealed envelope marked, "Town Council Vacancy." The town has asked that letters be hand delivered to the Town Office, 205 N. Indiana Street or be mailed to PO Box 198, Roachdale, IN 46172. 

In order to be considered, candidates must be a registered voter and reside in the town limits of Roachdale. 

Once the letters are in on May 13, the Town Council will hold an executive session at 6:30 p.m. to consider all applications, create a list of prospective candidates and make one initial exclusion of prospective candidates from further consideration. If needed, the council will whittle the list down to three candidates, who will be notified via email. The finalists will be asked to come to the town council meeting on May 16 for a series of interviews. 

Governor Eric J. Holcomb is directing flags to be flown at half-staff statewide in honor of the National Fallen Firefighters Memorial Service per President Joe Biden.

Flags should be flown at half-staff from sunrise until sunset in Indiana on Sunday. Gov. Holcomb is asking Indiana businesses and residents to lower their flags as well.

Greencastle will host Heavy Trash Day on Saturday, May 4.

Spring installment of the 2024 Putnam County tax statements is due Friday, May 10.

The fall installment is due Tuesday, November 12.

If you do not receive your bill, you can request a duplicate by contacting the Putnam County Treasurer’s Office via phone 765-653-4510 or e-mail treasureroffice@co.putnam.in.us . Failure to receive a statement will not relieve you of paying taxes and / or penalties that may be due.

Taxes may be paid at any of the following banks located in Putnam County: First Financial, First National, Old National, North Salem State, Everwise Credit Union, or Tri-County. You must bring your tax statement if you want to pay at the bank. The banks will not accept payment after the due date.

Taxes may also be paid online at https://enoticesonline.com/put or https://www.certifiedpayments.net/ using bureau code 3115129.

If you mail your payment, the envelope must be postmarked on or before the due date to ensure a penalty is not assessed. The Putnam County Treasurer’s Office will accept cash, check, money order, or credit/debit cards in the office. Payment by debit/credit card or electronic check will incur a processing fee. There is also a drop box located on the east side of the courthouse building to drop check or money order payments.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces temporary lane closures that will be coming to U.S. 231 in Crawfordsville between I-74 and Market Street for resurfacing, patching, and pipe work.

Beginning on or after Monday, May 6, crews will be building crossovers on U.S. 231 just north of the Sugar Creek bridge. A second crossover, just south of the I-74 overpass will also be built to direct traffic into the southbound lane on U.S. 231. During this stage of work, crews will be doing pipe and structure work, as well as patching in the northbound lane.

A second phase of the project will switch traffic to the northbound lane with construction on the southbound lane.

A third and final phase will switch traffic to its original pattern, with one lane in each direction closed. 

Work is expected to be complete by the fall but is weather permitting and subject to change. 

Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) announced the beginning of the 2024 Congressional Art Competition for students grades 7 through 12.

The competition is open to all qualifying students in Indiana’s 4th Congressional District who are looking to display their artistic passions.

“I’m pleased to announce that my office is currently accepting submissions for the 2024 Congressional Art Competition,” said Rep. Baird. “This is an amazing opportunity for aspiring young artists to showcase their talents and display their original work in our nation’s capital. I hope every student in the fourth district with an artistic background will send in a submission, whether they’re preparing for art school or just beginning to develop their skills.”

The winner of the 2024 competition will have their artwork on display in the U.S. Capitol for an entire year and earn a free trip to Washington, D.C. to see their work on display. The winning artwork is also featured on the U.S. House of Representatives Congressional Art Competition Page.

How to participate:

Students, teachers, and parents are encouraged to submit one piece of original art to the district office in Danville, along with their student release form.

All entries MUST include the Student Information and Release Form for the competition.

The submission deadline is Monday, May 6, 2024, at 4 PM EST.

Please visit the website for more information and to download the student release form.

Submissions can be mailed or dropped off at the office. As the winner will be displayed in Washington, D.C. for a full year, students should submit a piece that will not be needed for other purposes.

Office of Congressman Jim Baird
355 S. Washington St
Danville, Indiana 46122

The Student Information and Release Form can be found here.

Eligibility requirements:
All students in Indiana’s 4th Congressional District grades 7 through 12, are eligible to submit their work. Artwork must be two-dimensional. Each framed artwork can be no larger than 26 inches high, 26 inches wide, and 4 inches deep. Even when framed, it must still measure no larger than the above maximum dimensions. No framed piece should weigh more than 15 pounds.

Accepted mediums for the two-dimensional artwork include:

• Paintings: oil, acrylics, watercolor, etc.

• Drawings: colored pencil, pencil, ink, marker, pastels, charcoal (it is recommended that charcoal and pastel drawings be fixed).

• Collages: must be two dimensional.

• Prints: lithographs, silkscreen, block prints.

• Mixed Media: use of more than two mediums such as pencil, ink, watercolor, etc.

• Computer-generated art.

• Photographs.

Each entry must be original in concept, design, and execution and may not violate U.S. copyright laws. Any entry that has been copied from an existing photo or image (including a painting, graphic, or advertisement) that was created by someone other than the student is a violation of the competition rules and will not be accepted. Work entered must be in the original medium (that is, not a scanned reproduction of a painting, drawing, etc.).

With the coming of warmer weather, off-road vehicle (ORV) enthusiasts are eager to ride. Indiana Conservation Officers reminds the public to operate ORVs responsibly.

remember to follow these safety rules:

• Always wear a Department of Transportation (DOT)-compliant helmet. All riders under 18 years of age are required by law to wear a helmet while operating an ORV. Goggles, long sleeves, long pants, and over-the-ankle boots are also recommended.
• Never operate or ride while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
• Never carry a passenger on an ORV designated for one occupant, and don’t ride with more than one passenger on an ORV specifically designed for two occupants.
• Children should only ride ORVs if they meet the minimum age designated by the manufacturer of that ORV.
• Riders younger than 14 years of age are required to be supervised by an adult at all times when riding an ORV.
• ORVs are primarily designed to be operated off-road and should be operated at a speed where the operator can control the ORV and stop in time to avoid a collision.
• On side-by-side style ORVs, in addition to helmets and other safety equipment, seat belts should be worn by the operator and any passengers.

To learn more about ORV safety visit offroad-ed.com/indiana and register for a comprehensive online off-road recreational vehicle course.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces a new traffic signal is coming to the intersection of U.S. 36 and State Road 75 in New Winchester.

Beginning on or after Monday, April 29, crews will begin lane closures on U.S. 36, which will alternate between the eastbound and westbound travel lanes between County Road 775 W and C.R. 600 W. This will allow crews to install the signal at this location.

Work is expected to last until the fall but is weather permitting and subject to change.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces alternating lane closures will be coming to State Road 236 in Putnam County near Roachdale.

Beginning on or after Monday, April 29, crews will begin lane closures between County Road 425 E and C.R. 625 E. The closures will switch between the eastbound and westbound lanes as needed, with a temporary traffic signal directing traffic. The speed limit in this area will be reduced to 45 miles per hour during construction.

During the lane closures, crews will be doing small structure maintenance in the area. Work is expected to last until the end of May but is weather permitting and subject to change.

As Indiana’s planting season quickly approaches, the Indiana State Police emphasizes the importance of cautious driving and heightened awareness when encountering farm equipment on the roads.

With farmers preparing to work their fields, large agricultural machinery will soon become a common sight along rural routes and highways.

The presence of farm equipment on roadways poses unique challenges for both drivers and operators. These machines are often large, slow-moving, and may obstruct visibility. Therefore, it is imperative for all road users to remain vigilant and patient.

To ensure the safety of everyone on the road, the Indiana State Police offer the following tips:

1. Stay alert: Keep a lookout for slow-moving farm equipment, especially on rural roads. Be prepared to slow down or stop if necessary.

2. Maintain a safe distance: Keep a safe distance when following farm equipment. These vehicles may need to make sudden stops or turns.

3. Pass with caution: If you need to pass farm equipment, do so with extreme caution. Only pass when it is safe and legal to do so, ensuring there is enough room to maneuver safely.

4. Use signals: Signal your intentions early when approaching or passing farm equipment. This allows operators to anticipate your movements and adjust accordingly.

5. Be patient: Remember that farmers are working to feed our communities. Exercise patience and understanding, as delays caused by farm equipment are temporary.

6. Watch for turning vehicles: Farm equipment may need to make wide turns. Stay back and give them ample space to complete their maneuvers safely.

7. Obey traffic laws: Adhere to all traffic laws and regulations, including speed limits and passing zones. Avoid distractions and remain focused on the road.

 The Indiana Department of Transportation announces a temporary closure on U.S. 136 near New Ross. 

Beginning on or after Friday, April 26, crews will be closing U.S. 136 between County Road 1050 E and C.R. 600 S.

During the closure, crews will be doing bridge maintenance over Big Raccoon Creek. The closure is expected to last a couple of weeks but is weather permitting and subject to change. 

The Humane Society of Putnam County will host a free microchip clinic is back for Putnam County residents.     

The clinic is on May 11, 9 - 11 a.m. As in the past, it will be a drive thru event again.

If anyone is wanting to volunteer for this event, please email putnamcoanimalcare@gmail.com.

An area state trooper was recognized for his record and achievements.

The Indiana State Police held its annual awards ceremony in Indianapolis to recognize top-performing individuals.

Superintendent Doug Carter presented the Trooper of the District award to Trooper Tyler Turchi. Turchi is a 5-year veteran of the Indiana State Police and primarily patrols Vermillion and Parke County. He was also recognized as the top DUI arrest Trooper of the Putnamville District with 36 DUI arrests.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces temporary lane closures on U.S. 231 in Greencastle. 

Beginning on or after Friday, April 19, crews will be closing the southbound lane of U.S. 231 through town between Earp Street and Maple Avenue. This is part of a project that will be addressing road rehabilitation needs between Bloomington Street and North Jackson Street.

During this next phase of construction, crews will be working on a storm sewer installation, a new water main, paving, as well as curb and gutter work. Work on this part of the project is expected to run until late November but is weather dependent and subject to change.

The official detour around this project will be U.S. 231 to eastbound/westbound U.S. 40 or State Road 240 to northbound/southbound S.R. 75 to eastbound/westbound U.S. 36 to U.S. 231.

In coordination with National Drug Take Back Day on Saturday, April 27, the Greencastle Police Department and Putnam County Sheriff’s Department will be taking unused prescription drugs at the Greencastle Police Department, 600 N. Jackson St, between 10:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces alternating lane closures on I-70 in Putnam and Morgan counties. 

Beginning on or after Monday, April 15, crews will have lane closures in effect on I-70 eastbound and westbound between U.S. 231 (Cloverdale) and County Road 1100 W (Little Point, Morgan County). 

During the closures, crews will be doing shoulder work and drainage ditch correction. Work is expected to last until the summer but is weather-dependent and subject to change.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces temporary lane closures coming to State Road 42 near Cloverdale, between County Road 1200 S and C.R.

1275 S.

Beginning on or after Tuesday, April 9, crews will be putting temporary lane closures in effect with flagging operations so pipelines can be replaced in the area.

Work is expected to last until the early part of July but is weather-dependent and subject to change.