Two of Central Indiana’s largest and most popular venues, Ruoff Music Center and TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park offer one of the most unique, summer employment experience options during the summer months for those looking for part-time and seasonal supplementary income.

Several of the open positions are ideal for college students, retirees, individuals with full-time jobs who want to earn extra money, and others.

Each venue hosts a large number of events each season and the majority of the staff that is hired is for event days only.

If you love live music, helping people, being outdoors and working in a fast-paced environment, one of these venues makes for a great summer working option.

Job opportunities are May through October 2023 at Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville and TCU Amphitheater at White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis.

*POSITIONS - Seasonal employees needed in the areas related to:

• Event Staff (crowd management, parking, gates, ticket scanners, bag check, guest relations)
• Venue Merchandise (lawn chair rental, ticket upgrades, ticket sales to future shows, entrance to upgrade areas, blankets and ponchos, etc.)
• Artist Merchandise Department (setting up and selling t-shirts, posters, etc.)
• VIP Department (assisting season ticket holders and clients in the VIP Club and box seats)
• Maintenance Crew (night of show, day and facility crew, etc.)

Applicants must be 18 years or older to apply and a background check is required for all positions

Interested parties can apply with the application website at www.lnindyemployees.com .

There will be a Gleaners food distribution Saturday at Bainbridge Elementary School, South Washington St.

The event is open to all and begins at 10 a.m. 

Anyone wishing to volunteer is asked to arrive by 9 a.m. to help load food items and setup. 

Volunteer child advocates from across Indiana will gather at the Statehouse on March 7 for CASA Day.

A CASA—or Court Appointed Special Advocate—devotes their time to supporting abused and neglected children whose families are involved with the child welfare system.

On CASA Day, advocates will have the chance to interact with legislators and talk about the importance of best interest advocacy for abused and neglected children. They will hear from Chief Justice Loretta Rush, Judge Dana Kenworthy, former foster youth, and others about how CASAs help these children with the issues they face.

The event takes place in the North Atrium, 2nd floor, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

There are GAL/CASA programs serving 88 Indiana counties, and in 2022 they advocated on behalf of 20,091 children in the justice system.

The Indiana Homeowner Assistance Fund (IHAF) is a support program for eligible Hoosiers who have experienced hardship from income loss.

Administered by the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), the IHAF has helped more than 3,500 eligible applicants and disbursed more than $40 million through the program to date.

"As the time for annual property assessments approaches, it is important for Hoosiers to know that IHAF can possibly pay for delinquent and future property charge fees, including property taxes," said Indiana Lt. Governor Suzanne Crouch, Indiana's Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. "Homeowners in Indiana who anticipate having difficulties paying their property taxes, or who already have delinquent property taxes, should visit www.877gethope.org for more information and to start an application."

Applicants can also connect with a housing counselor who can provide advice and information on their options.

Homeowners may be eligible for assistance if they meet the following requirements:

• Impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic and experienced a financial hardship on or after January 21, 2020;
• Own only one mortgaged home;
• Property to be assisted is the primary residence;
• Have an income equal to or less than 150% of the Area Median Income adjusted for household size, or 100% of the National Median Income, whichever is greater; and,
• Live in Indiana.

"In addition to property tax assistance, applicants may also be eligible to receive mortgage reinstatement, up to six months of monthly mortgage payment assistance, and assistance with other property charge fees including homeowner insurance and homeowner association fees," said Jake Sipe, executive director of IHCDA.

Crane Credit Union is pleased to announce scholarship opportunities for its members in 2023.

Crane understands the importance of education and recognizes the rising costs in tuition. To help our members, we will be awarding fourteen (14) $1,200 scholarships to graduating high school seniors. Applicants will be graded on an application, academic profile, and essay.

Graduating seniors who meet the following requirements are eligible to apply:

• Applicants must be members of Crane Credit Union for a minimum of three months prior to the date the scholarships are awarded.
• Applicants must be the primary member on the account.
• Applicants must plan to be enrolled full-time in the fall of 2023 at a technical, two-year, or four-year college or university.
• Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.00.

Applications are available at all Crane Credit Union locations and are also available online.

Scholarship applications must be returned no later than March 1, 2023. Scholarship winners will be selected June 1 and announced publicly in the July issue of Crane Credit Union’s newsletter, on its website, and through social media.

For more information, please contact your local Crane Credit Union branch.

Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs today announced the Taking Care of Main Street grant program is now open for applications.

This Indiana Main Street grant program will award a total of $150,000 in grants to eligible Main Street communities.

“The Indiana Main Street program has such a positive impact on communities across our state,” said Lt. Gov. Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “These additional grants will help maintain this success and fuel even greater economic development for our Main Street communities.”

The Taking Care of Main Street program aims to support Indiana Main Street organizations as they transition to the new accreditation standards, implemented by Main Street America. By providing this one-time financial assistance, Main Street organizations will be able to provide direct assistance to the economic development growth in their community, including business retention and recruitment, organizational growth, transformation strategy implementation and more.

“Our Indiana Accredited and Nationally Accredited Main Streets have some of the strongest downtown business districts in the state,” said OCRA Executive Director Denny Spinner. “This program will help communities to increase capacity and ensure the continued success of their main street and downtown districts.”

Through a competitive process, 37 programs will be eligible to apply for funds ranging from $5,000 to $25,000 with a 50/50 match requirement.

Indiana Main Street, administered through OCRA, works with Indiana communities to build relevant and economically thriving places where people want to live, work and grow. OCRA works with local, state and national partners, including Main Street America, to provide resources and technical assistance to aid communities in shaping and achieving their vision for community and economic development.

Eligible expenses could include salaries, administrative or consultant fees, space and equipment rental, or staff development and training. For more program information, visit in.gov/ocra/mainstreet/taking-care-of-main-street.

Did you know that it is a good practice to put a land lease in writing?  Or that you should include a statement in the lease stating that a partnership between the landlord and tenant is not created by the lease agreement?  This type of provision is normally included in a cash lease for liability purposes. Essentially you don’t want a liability event to occur and then the party that has been damaged claiming that the landlord was in partnership with the tenant allowing for the landlord to potentially be responsible for the incident.

Now, why is it a good practice to put a land lease in writing? One of the main reasons is because you want a copy of the lease to refer back to when issues arise between the landlord and the tenant or in the event someone passes away.  It also outlines when termination notice should be given, how the landlord is compensated, and other important details about the agreement.  Remember, in Indiana a verbal lease is allowed, but a written lease is recommended.

Leasing is just one part of agriculture that involves legal issues that farmers and landlords should be aware of.  Fence law is another legal topic that many may not be aware of.  Fence law provisions dictate when a fence is required, who is responsible to construct the fence, who should maintain the fence, and liability for escaped animals. 

Land leasing, fence law, liability, and other legal topics will be discussed during The Legal Side of Agriculture program.  The Legal Side of Agriculture program will be held on March 14 from 6:30-8:30 pm at Ivy Tech Community College in Greencastle. 

The Legal Side of Agriculture will feature Roger McEowen, professor of Agriculture Law and Taxation at Washburn University School of Law.  Professor McEowen conducts seminars annually across the United States for farmers, agricultural business professionals, lawyers, and other tax professionals.  He also conducts two radio programs each airing twice monthly.  In addition, his 2-minute radio program, “The Agricultural Law and Tax Report,” is heard daily by over 2 million listeners on farm radio stations from New York to California as well as SiriusXM 147. Roger can also be seen as a weekly guest on RFD-TV, where he discusses various agricultural law and tax topics.

If you would like to participate in The Legal Side of Agriculture, please register at <https://tinyurl.com/AgLaw23>.  There is a $20 per person fee to attend the program.  We do ask that you register by March 8^th.  If you have any questions, concerns, or need reasonable accommodations, please contact 765-653-8411.

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:

Feb. 23 – Exploring 4-H Kickoff (grade 2), 6 pm, Fairgrounds

March 2 – Code Red-Emergency Preparedness – 6pm, Fairgrounds, register at 653-8411

March 6 – ServSafe Food Managers 1-Day Training & Exam, 9am-4pm, register at https://cvent.me/l8DXv2

March 7 - Shady Characters: Perennials and Shrubs for the Part-Shade and Shade Garden, 7 pm, Fairgrounds

March 11 –Ag Day Breakfast & Mini Farm Fest, 8-9 am breakfast, 9-9:30 am program, 9:30 am - 12 pm Min Farm Fest, Fairgrounds

March 14 – The Legal Side of Agriculture, 6:30-8:30 pm, Ivy Tech, $20, register at https://tinyurl.com/AgLaw23

March 18 – Garden Fair, 9 am – 3 pm, Fairgrounds

March 21 – Food Preservation Workshop, 11am-4pm, Hendricks Co. Fairgrounds, register at 317-745-2555 ext. 3

The Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM) announced the collection of more than 30,000 gallons of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl (PFAS) firefighting foam from Indiana fire departments.

Since April 2022, this free program, provided by IDEM, Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS), and Indiana Finance Authority (IFA), has collected and safely disposed of foam from more than 220 Hoosier fire departments across the state.

“When we first began collection, we set a lofty goal to collect 30,000 gallons of PFAS foam,” said IDEM Commissioner Brian Rockensuess. “We have exceeded that goal in less than a year’s time and are still scheduling more pick-ups. This is a major accomplishment in protecting the environment and the health of our bravest Hoosiers.”

PFAS foam is used to suppress or extinguish Class-B (toxic chemical) fires. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency found that exposure to PFAS can lead to adverse health outcomes in humans. PFAS foam has been linked to four of the top eight leading causes of cancer in firefighters: testicular, prostate, mesothelioma, and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.

In 2020, the Indiana General Assembly passed House Enrolled Act 1189, prohibiting the use of firefighting foam containing PFAS for training purposes.

Indiana is one of only a handful of states in the country to create a PFAS foam collection and disposal program. This program allows the state to offer a free pick-up and environmentally safe disposal service, which saves fire departments thousands of dollars in disposal costs while protecting Hoosiers and the Indiana environment.

Fire departments across the state can voluntarily register for this free program by visiting the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) website at dhs.IN.gov. Real time collection data can be viewed via the PFAS Collection Status Map on the IDHS website.

This Saturday will be the second of three legislative updates in Putnam County.

State Representative Beau Baird, State Senator Rod Bray and State Senator John Crane are expected at the Putnam County Farm Bureau Saturday at 9 a.m.

The public is invited.

A future session is set for March 18.

The state of Indiana is now accepting nominations for the Governor's Century and Half Century Business Awards.

The awards honor Hoosier businesses that have remained in operation for at least 100 or 50 years, respectively, and have demonstrated a commitment to serving the community. 

Qualifying criteria are as follows: 

• The business must have had continuous operations in Indiana for 100 or 50 years by Dec. 31, 2022.
• The business must have participated in the same line of work for the duration of its operations. If different, an explanation of the evolution into the current business must be provided on the nomination form. 
• The business must have had its base in Indiana since it was founded.
• The business must recognize, acknowledge and agree that it is in full compliance with the Indiana Secretary of State.
• The business must not have previously received a Century or Half Century award from the state of Indiana. Previous Half Century award recipients may qualify for a Century award.

Eligible companies are encouraged to complete the online application by April 14.

You can see more at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation website for additional details.

Four Ladies Plus a Dude (plus a special guest) were chosen as the 2023 Lip Sync Battle Champions at the event held February 11 benefiting the Putnam County Youth Development Commission.

The group not only practiced frequently to perfect their choreography to the song “Beauty School Dropout” from the musical “Grease,” but they also pounded the pavement to secure donations and sponsorships on behalf of PCYDC. This team, made up of local small business owners Kim Duell, Alison Beauchamp, Matt and Dee Bumgardner and Alicia and Aaron Gregg, not only were voted the top performers of the night, but they were also the one that raised the most money for the organization with a total of $11,200.

All of the teams had fun with this year’s theme: Movie Soundtracks.

The South Putnam Lady Eagles, made up of Cara Cash, Hannah Scott, Lindsay Roberts, Ellen Cash and Kate Hudson performed an energetic rendition of Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5” from the movie of the same name, ending their performance by tying up South Putnam’s Eagle mascot.

The North Putnam Teachers (Bonnie Osborn, Matt Couch, Drake Davis, Bronwyn Spencer and Rachel Pierce) rocked out to Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” as performed by Wayne and Garth in the movie “Wayne’s World.” 

The McDonald’s team of Trevor Troyer, Morgan Troyer, Rachel Clingerman, TevorKnoebel and Katie Sims gave a spirited performance of Harry Belafonte’s version of “The Banana Boat Song” and reenacted the ghostly possession portrayed in the movie “Beetlejuice.”

The staff of Greencastle Middle School, including Jessica Lawless, Becky McPherson, Jessica Lenihan, Whitney Reeder and Ben Wells finished the show with the song “Teacher’s Pet” from the movie “School of Rock.”

Emcee Andrew Ranck spoke with each team after their performances about why they felt it was important to support the Putnam County Youth Development Commission and its programs, which include CASA and Teen Court. Each team representative spoke about their commitment to children in the community. Three out of the five teams were made up of educators who see every day the issues facing children in our county, and everyone agreed that these children are the future and need our support.

This event is the main fundraiser for PCYDC, and this year’s total raised came in at approximately $45,000 according to Executive Director Amber Halloran.

In addition to the five amazing performances, this was also an evening for recognizing and showing appreciation for several long-term supporters of PCYDC and its programs. Sue Murray and Sherry Cash were honored for their years of service to the PCYDC Board of Directors, and Lucy Wieland was recognized for being the longest serving CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) in Putnam County. Each of these special women were presented with flowers and a gift.

The Putnam County Youth Development Commission’s mission is to improve the safety, well-being, decision-making, and resilience of Putnam County Youth. Established in 1996 as a 501c3 non-profit, PCYDC works closely with local schools and other community organizations to ensure a county where all youth are protected, accepted, respected, nurtured, and celebrated.

If you are interested in learning more about PCYDC’s programs, becoming a volunteer, or making a donation, please contact Executive Director Amber Halloran at 765-653-9342 or email director@pcydc.org.

The annual Wear Red Breakfast took place at the Tiger Point Event center recently, kicking off the month long celebration of heart health month. 

Women of all ages, and even some men, showed up to breakfast sporting as much red as they could handle to learn more about heart health and how it affects women. Speakers included cardiologist Dr Janiera , Putnam County Hospital Heart Health team Anne Wilkey and Nancy Kittle, and Courtney Dickey, fifth grade teacher at Tzouanakis located in Greencastle.

With the help of a pre-recorded video, Dickey gave an emotional telling of the events that led to the heart attack she had during the height of the pandemic. Dickey and her husband had decided to take a leisurely trip, taking advantage of the unique opportunity the temporary remote education system offered. However, a tragic accident would take her husband from her, leading her on an emotional rollercoaster throughout the day. By the time the tragic day ended, she was in the hospital due to a stress-induced heart attack. 

She spent a week in the hospital before being released and was told she needed heart rehabilitation. After a year of working with Putnam County Hospital’s team, she is feeling healthy again.

When Putnam County Hospital’s Director of Marketing and Community Relations Brooke Trissel asked Dickey to the front, Dickey thought she was just giving a shout out to the team that helped her overcome her heart attack. Instead, Courtney Dickey was given roses to celebrate her healthy heart. 

The overarching message delivered at the breakfast is that it's never too early to look after your heart, but it can be too late.

Eating more fruits and vegetables and less sugar ranked highly as potential changes to eating behaviors related to New Year’s resolutions, according to the January Consumer Food Insights Report. This month’s report also summarizes and discusses the state of the survey indicators after one full year of data collection.             

The survey-based report out of Purdue University’s Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability assesses food spending, consumer satisfaction and values, support of agricultural and food policies, and trust in information sources. Purdue experts conducted and evaluated the survey, which included 1,200 consumers across the U.S.

"People are generally knowledgeable about the actions needed to improve health and want to pursue them – such as increasing fruits and vegetables and exercising more,” said Jayson Lusk, the department head and Distinguished Professor of Agricultural Economics at Purdue who leads the center. “However, they don’t necessarily want to give up on taste and indulgences. For example, eating less meat or drinking less alcohol is low on the list of priorities of most Americans.”

Share of Consumers who 'Somewhat Agree' or 'Strongly Agree' with Claims about Food and Nutrition, January '23 Download image

As the Consumer Food Insights Report has noted previously, food spending is up significantly — 19% — from a year ago. Grocery spending, however, has remained effectively flat for the past six months.

“It appears that people have already cut back and found deals to help stop their food spending from continually rising,” Lusk said. “If food inflation does not come down significantly this year, consumers might not have much room to maneuver their budgets further.”

Those surveyed estimated that current inflation is up more than 1 percentage point from last month. But the survey results show that people seem to remain optimistic about inflation declining dramatically over the next year.

Additional key results include:

• Food insecurity is unchanged from January 2022, but a decline in households visiting food pantries raises further questions.
• Americans report being neither risk averse nor risk loving but are slightly more cautious with regards to their health.
• Trust in the USDA and US Department of Health and Human Services’ Dietary Guidelines for Americans is at an all-time high as its advisory committee prepares to discuss 2025 guidelines.
• A large majority of people want to increase funding and technical support to agricultural producers.

Priority Index for Changes to Eating Habits and Wellbeing in 2023, January '23 Download image

Despite price increases, the rate of national food insecurity again shows surprising consistency from last January, said Sam Polzin, a food and agriculture survey scientist for the center and co-author of the report.

“In fact, we have even seen a continued decline in the share of households who say they have received free food from a pantry this month,” Polzin said. “Given the current high-price environment, it is hard to believe that fewer people need help from the charitable food system. We might ask if there are fewer charitable food resources available now or if people are having a harder time accessing them.”

Overall, the sustainable food purchasing index continues to show consistency. But as the “taste” and “economic” aspects of the index remain strong, the ongoing weakness of the environment and social indicators is discouraging from the sustainability perspective, Polzin noted.

Behaviors like “choosing plant-based proteins over animal proteins” are rare. Similarly, beliefs like “agriculture is a significant contributor to climate change” are held by a minority.

“We might say that food system sustainability does not concern consumers as much as some advocates might want it. We saw little change on this front in our survey over the course of 2022,” Polzin said.

As for risk-taking, Americans generally consider themselves to be middle-of-the road in daily life, scoring 5.4 on a 0 to 10 (risk averse to risk loving) scale. They rated their risk tolerance regarding their health generally about one point lower, 4.3. But when it comes to food consumption, their risk tolerance is 5.2 for “food consumed at home,” and 5.1 for “away from home.”

Lusk further discusses the report in his blog.

The Center for Food Demand Analysis and Sustainability is part of Purdue’s Next Moves in agriculture and food systems and uses innovative data analysis shared through user-friendly platforms to improve the food system. In addition to the Consumer Food Insights Report, the center offers a portfolio of online dashboards.

VFW Post 1550 will be starting an annual Winter Market on the third Saturday in the months of February, March and April from 10 am to 3pm.

These events are open to the community and a way to shake off the winter blues. There will be local artisans and small businesses showing off their products in preparation for the summer. 

VFW Post 1550 is located at 819 S. Jackson St. in Greencastle near the Depauw University sports fields. The events are scheduled for Feb. 18, March 18, and April 15 in our large community hall. The goal is to promote our local small businesses and creative entrepreneurs in a family friendly environment. It is an opportunity for the community to gather and visit, shop and enjoy the warm atmosphere at our Post.

The Winter Market is the beginning of what will be a new tradition with the VFW Post 1550 going forward.  Vendors can reach out to our Post or the organizer, Kris Rogers, to get an application for their space.  Businesses that are interested in participating in sponsorship opportunities can also reach out to us.

Deadline for vendor applications and sponsorships are January 18, 2023.

VFW Post 1550 has been a part of Greencastle since 1950. Our mission is to provide services for our local combat veterans and support the IN National Guard Armory in Greencastle.

We are open to the public for live music, watching sports events, karaoke and our famous lawn mower race in the summer. Our community hall is available for special events like rehearsal dinners, wedding receptions and graduation parties.  We are here to serve our community in any way we are able. 

Governor Eric J. Holcomb has proclaimed Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, “Indiana 211 Day,” as Indiana joins states and cities across the country raising awareness about 211: an important, free resource, available to all Hoosiers.

In 2022, Indiana 211 helped connect more than 150,000 callers throughout Indiana with housing, utility assistance, health care, food and many other important resources.

“In 2022, assistance locating housing was the number one concern of callers to Indiana 211, along with utility assistance and help feeding their families,” said Tara Morse, executive director of Indiana 211. “But what many Hoosiers don’t realize is that they can call for everyday information like where to take their child for developmental screening or how to locate job training or find free tax filing support.”

Experienced, responsive and compassionate community navigators at Indiana 211 can quickly help connect Hoosiers to resources and services they need. During winter months and the early part of the year, the 211 team also enhances its database to include specific resources such as energy assistance programs, warming centers on subfreezing days or tax assistance during tax season.

February 2023 marks the 20^th anniversary of the first call accepted by Indiana 211. Indiana 211 connects Hoosiers with thousands of health and human services agencies and resources in their local communities quickly, easily and confidentially. Anyone can call 211 and connect to a navigator who can assist them. There are no eligibility requirements or income standards, and Hoosiers can call on behalf of themselves or for other Hoosiers in need. Many Hoosiers called 211 during the pandemic to schedule or reschedule a vaccine or find a testing site. 

Indiana 211 is a free and confidential statewide service that helps Hoosiers find local resources they need, including housing, utility assistance, health care and food. In 2020, Indiana 211 became a part of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, helping to simplify the process of connecting people to the many services in our state and placing the power of Indiana state government behind this convenient resource. Information and resources are available at IN211.org, including an in-depth data dashboard that shows call volume, caller demographics, county breakdowns, caller needs and other information.

Eligibility in the regular 4-H program necessitates one must be in Grades 3 through 12 as of January 1 of the current year. However, second graders can get a taste of 4-H by signing up for the “Exploring 4-H” or mini 4-H program. Exploring 4-H is a program for children who are not yet old enough for 4-H. Any youth in the second grade as of January 1 of the current year is eligible.

This year to plan appropriately for health and safety guidelines, we really need to have everyone sign up ahead of time so planning can occur. There will be three meetings leading to a field day during the summer months for Exploring 4-Hers and ultimately project exhibition during the Putnam County 4-H Fair during July 21-28. With help from the Junior Leaders, the meetings include an introduction to the 4-H program, individual project instruction, recreation, and a snack. Additionally, the youth in this program typically have entered their own float in the fair parade which will likely occur again this year if the group so desires.

Project choices for Exploring 4-H youth include collections, crafts, drawing, entomology, farm animals, foods, photography and wildlife. Collections, photography and wildlife are poster projects while drawing is submitting a framed picture, foods involve entering no bake cookies, and crafts is hands-on construction creating a small standing or hanging exhibit. A model of an ant that the youth assemble is the entomology exhibit option while those doing farm animals will use a shoe box to make an animal themed diorama. Information and registration forms were sent home with all second-grade school students during recent school visits.

Parents may sign up their second graders now for one of seven projects. Enrollment is simple. The cost is ten dollars and forms are available at the office or one may enroll online at https://v2.4honline.com/#/user/sign-in and pay with a credit card there as well. The first meeting will be between 6-7 pm on Thursday, February 23rd at the Putnam County Fairgrounds in the York Automotive Community Building.

Other meetings will occur on April 4th, April 26th and the field day will be on June 28th. The meetings are typically 6-7 pm, the field day is during the afternoon starting at 1 pm, and all events are at the fairgrounds. Project check-in at the fair will be July 18th anytime between 4-7 pm and the “Fun at the Fair” scavenger hunt will be at 5:30 pm on July 26th. It is fine is one misses a meeting as that should not keep one from participating.

Visit our homepage at www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam or you can contact the local office by calling 765.653.8411 for more information regarding this week’s column topic or to RSVP for upcoming events. Office hours are Monday thru Friday from 8:00am-12:00pm and 1:00pm-4:00pm. Evening and lunch appointments are available, upon request. 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. All times listed are Eastern Time. Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity/affirmative action institution.

Upcoming Events

Feb. 7, 14, 21, 28 – Be Heart Smart virtual program, 5pm, register  at https://tinyurl.com/PutCoBHS23

Feb. 9, 16, 23 – Winter Walking Group, 4:00pm, Fairgrounds York Auto Community Building

Feb. 23 – Exploring 4-H Kickoff (grade 2), 6 pm, Fairgrounds

March 11 – Putnam County Ag Day, Fairgrounds

The DePauw School of Music presents "A Gilbert and Sullivan Extravaganza!" 

With fifteen musical numbers from seven G & S shows, the one-hour DePauw Opera production happily breezes through some of the best of the dynamic British duo, whose Victorian-era English-culture musings set the stage for 20th Century music theater.  "The students and faculty are excited to present these tuneful and whimsically themed numbers to our audiences," says Orcenith Smith, conductor of the production. "Our guest stage director, Cara Consilvio, has created a mystery story connecting all these memorable moments and the technical director, Jaye Beetem, has illuminated that story filling the stage with fun set objects!" 

A group of college friends rent an old English country estate for Spring Break for an authentic Downton Abbey type of experience. As they all try to get some sleep on their first night, they are awakened by some singing ghosts. It turns out this house is haunted by W.S. Gilbert and Arthur Sullivan and all the actors who starred in their shows.

What will they do? Will they perform an exorcism? Demand a refund? Or, will they be seduced into joining this merry band of ghosts by the infectiousness of these Gilbert and Sullivan tunes?

Conductor Orcenith Smith writes: "DePauw Opera Guest stage director, Cara Consilvio, has created this unique and fun story that winds its way through 18 musical numbers from 8 different G&S masterpieces, all filled with that tunefulness and whimsy that is the hallmark of this English humorous style, which we are blending with our own!"

Cara Consilvio is a director and producer of opera, theater, and film with extensive
experience in dance and choreography whose inventive, kinetic, and evocative productions are in great demand. In 2022, Cara directed the world premiere of I Give You my Home for Guerilla Opera, Glory Denied for Opera Naples and The Sound of Music for Charlottesville Opera. Other recent directing credits include Il Trovatore for Opera in the Heights, Scalia/Ginsburg for Chautauqua Opera and the world premiere of Our Trudy for the Ad Astra Music Festival.

In the Spring of 2021, she directed the chamber opera season at Grand Rapids Opera, which included Penny, an opera film, and Second Nature. In January of 2021, Cara directed and edited Bernadette’s Cozy Book Nook; a world premiere opera film for Fort Worth Opera. Other stage directing highlights include productions of Philip Glass' Hydrogen Jukebox at Chautauqua
Opera, An American Dream at Anchorage Opera, The Threepenny Opera for Syracuse Opera and The Elixir of Love for Piedmont Opera. Other credits include engagements with Houston Grand Opera, Boston Lyric Opera, Portland Opera, Tulsa Opera, American Opera Projects, and Opera Carolina, Tri-Cities Opera and Opera Saratoga.

As a teacher and guest director, Cara has taught at The Boston University Opera Institute and directed productions for Loyola University
at New Orleans, UC San Diego, and The Hartt School of Music. Cara is a co-founder of Hup! Productions, her film production company. Her feature film directing debut, a documentary called For the Love of Friends, is currently enjoying a successful film festival run.

The DePauw Opera production features twenty-two student singers and a full orchestra in Moore Theater, Thursday through Saturday, Feb. 9, 10, 11 at 7:30pm and Sunday, Feb. 12 at 2pm. 

Tickets are $10 general admission and students are free.  Tickets available at DePauw.edu/greencenter

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is reminding Hoosiers to check for assets waiting for them after the recent National Unclaimed Property Day (Feb. 1) .

Last year, the Unclaimed Property Division returned over $61 million to Hoosiers.

Here are the types of property that might go unclaimed:

Unclaimed wages or commissions

Money orders

Safety deposit box contents

Savings and checking accounts

Refunds

Overpayments such as:

Credit card balances

Cell phone bills

DMV payments

There are also some tangible items received from dormant safe deposit boxes.

Individuals and/or businesses have 25 years in which to claim money once it is reported to the Unclaimed Property Division. All you must do is supply proof of rightful ownership.

“Protecting Hoosiers’ liberty is my office’s top priority,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Returning unclaimed property to the rightful owners is just one way we carry out this larger mission. Who knows — you might find $5 or $1,000, but it’s worth a look.”

Check IndianaUnclaimed.gov or text CLAIM to 46220 to search your name, family, or business.

Earthquakes in Indiana may seem unusual or unlikely, but the reality is the state is near two seismic zones. Both seismic zones have the potential to produce major earthquakes and many small quakes.

About 2,000 tremors occur daily in the central United States, underscoring the need for all Hoosiers to know earthquake safety.

Hoosiers need to Get ShakIN' to be aware of the risk and prepare for a substantial quake. If an earthquake were to strike, Hoosiers should stop what they are doing and: 

• Drop where they are, onto their hands and knees,
• Cover their head and neck with one arm and hand and crawl for shelter under a nearby table or desk (sturdy piece of furniture), and 
• Hold On to the shelter with their free hand until the earthquake stops.

K-12 Get ShakIN' Video Contest

To encourage students to take an active role in learning earthquake safety the Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) is launching the Get ShakIN' video contest. School-aged Hoosiers (K-12) have the chance to win their class or group a Raspberry Shake® RS3D seismograph to use for a year to track seismic activity worldwide!

Groups can enter by submitting a student-produced video focused on earthquake preparedness and/or safety. A panel of judges from IDHS will select the Top 10 videos to win a seismograph, and an overall winner will be selected to receive a seismograph plus the grand prize: an “Indiana Earthquake Day” event.

The contest is open now. Video entries will be accepted until Aug. 31, 2023. Additional information about the video contest and earthquake safety is on the GetShakIN' webpage.