Have you ever considered running for a local government office?

Join Purdue Extension and the Putnam County Clerk’s Office to learn more about the process for running for local office, requirements and positions up for election in 2024.

Photo: Panelists from Putnam County Voter’s Registration Office, Sue Murray, Darrell Thomas, and Putnam County League of Women Voters are pictured from the 2022 program

This program is conducted in collaboration with the county clerk, local political parties and other past elected officials to create a community of local political knowledge and participation

Who Should Attend: Anyone interested in running for a local office

When: Tuesday, January 9, 2024

Time: 6-8 pm EST

Where: Putnam County Fairgrounds, York Auto Building, 191 N US Hwy 231, Greencastle

Registration: Register by January 4 at: https://tinyurl.com/PutGov24

There is no cost for this workshop.

If you need a reasonable accommodation to participate in this program or have any questions, prior to the meeting, contact Jenna Nees at smith535@purdue.edu or 765-653-8411.

Hunters are being reminded to help the hungry by donating deer to the Indiana Hunt for Hunger program.

Formerly known as the Sportsmen’s Benevolence Fund, Indiana Hunt for Hunger has collected thousands of deer donations providing hundreds of thousands of meals for Hoosiers since it's inception in 2008.

More available: bit.ly/47IJlqS

How it works: Take your field-dressed harvested deer to one of more than 50 participating meat processing sites who will process the meat into healthy venison burgers and donate it to area food banks. Indiana Hunt for Hunger pays the processing fees.

Find a list of participating vendors at on.IN.gov/huntforhunger.

Although our weather has been relatively warm, we are seeing some colder nights resulting in the use of fireplaces and wood stove heat.

Hopefully, every homeowner has taken the time to prepare their chimney and get plenty of wood on hand before lighting the first match.

In the past, houses have burned because of soot collecting around the top of the chimney catching fire. That soot then rolls off onto the roof catching it on fire. Therefore, it is extremely important that you inspect and clean the chimney and stove or fireplace prior to starting a fire. There are a lot of products on the market to help clean your chimney. However, there are no good substitutes for properly cleaning the chimney with the correct sized brush and thorough inspection for cracks or other problems. Besides having this done prior to starting a fire, you will also want to clean your chimney after you burn any “green” wet wood. Therefore, it is best to avoid these types of wood (this would include pine).

If you haven’t had a chance to cut enough wood for the upcoming winter or are realizing you are going through your wood faster than you anticipated, you have a few options available to help relieve your stress. The first option would be to find some downed trees. One tree to look for is Ash, since it is a heavy wood that burns good and has low moisture content. If you would like to burn trees that are known to have a good fragrance, then try to cut down apple, black cherry, bitternut hickory, shagbark hickory, osage-orange, and eastern redcedar trees. If you do not want to search for fallen trees or harvest standing trees, another option may be to purchase firewood. 

Purchasing firewood can be a confusing task if you do not know the terminology. A cord is a volume measurement of 4’x4’x8’ or 128 cubic feet wood, bark, and air space. A rick differs as it is a “face cord” or stack that is 4’ high and 8’ long. However, the length of the firewood may vary and would not sum to 4’ like in a cord. Purdue Extension publication FNR-79 titled “Wood for Home Heating,” provides information on a variety of wood species and their weight per cubic foot.  A copy of this publication can be obtained from your local Extension Office or by going to: https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR-79.pdf

Due to the poisonous nature of preservations, treated wood should never be used in a fireplace. There is value in wood ash because native Indiana woods often have 50% to 70% calcium or lime which can be used as a fertilizer. If using a fireplace, keep the fire screen in place to prevent unwanted fires.

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:

Nov. 23 & 24 – Office Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday

Nov. 28, Dec. 5, 12, & 19 – Know Your Numbers, Know Your Options, 10 am – 12 pm, $20, Virtual, Register at https://cvent.me/WPkAML

Nov. 28 – Wild Eats: Cooking Venison for Flavor and Safety Webinar, 6pm, Free, register at https://tinyurl.com/wildeats23

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s Office of Early Childhood and Out-of-School Learning today announced it will extend the Employer-Sponsored Child Care Fund application window and award grants in two rounds. The $25 million fund, part of Gov. Eric J. Holcomb’s 2023 Next Level Agenda, will mobilize employers and communities to create or expand child care offerings that address the needs of working Hoosiers.

Round one of applications are due at 11:59 p.m. Nov. 22. Round two of applications will close at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 15. FSSA will target up to 75% of the funds for round one applications with announcements in December of the awarded employers and organizations.  

Any applications not awarded in the first round, and additional applications received between Nov. 22 and Dec. 15, will be considered for the second round. Those awards, utilizing the remaining funds, will be announced in January.

The $25 million program, a partnership with the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, uses a portion of the state’s remaining federal relief funds from the COVID-19 pandemic and is part of the state’s broader efforts to strengthen the early care and education sector, providing support for today’s workforce and investing in tomorrow’s. The program is also supported by the Indiana Manufacturers Association.

Grant funding can be used to support employees’ child care needs in a variety of ways, including sponsoring dependent care assistance plans, providing on-site or near-site child care or offering child care tuition benefits. Grants of up to $750,000 will be awarded. The full list of allowable uses and details can be found here.

To be eligible, employers must be located in Indiana and either a business or corporation employing 20 or more employees, a group of employers with 20 or more employees or a community-based nonprofit applying on behalf of a group of local employers with a combined total of 20 or more employees. Employers must also be willing to contribute 10% of the total amount requested and be able to implement solutions within the first year of the program.

More information and a link to the application can be found here. 

A Thanksgiving gathering with family is something to enjoy and treasure. But if you have diabetes, these events can pose special challenges.

How can you stick with your meal plan, yet join in the celebration and have some fun? You can do it! If you choose wisely and watch how much you eat, you can have a delicious meal and feel good, too. So, grab your plate and head for the buffet table.

When You Go

• Plan ahead. Before you go, think about the foods that might be served. Decide which foods will help keep your blood sugar under control and which foods you want to avoid.
• Check out all that’s offered on the buffet. Before you serve yourself, look at all the options first, then choose 1-2 favorite treats along with healthier items to round out your meal.
• Watch your portions. Many of your favorite foods may have a lot of fat, sugar, or salt. Take very small portions of deep-fried foods, fatty foods, cheesy foods, and desserts.
• Come prepared. If possible, bring a low-fat main dish so you’ll have something healthy to eat.
• Focus on family and friends instead of the food. One trip to the buffet table may be enough if enjoying the company of your loved ones is the focus of the day.

Vegetables

• Fill ½ of your plate with colorful, non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, bell peppers, green beans, carrots, cabbage, eggplant, and spinach.
• Choose fresh or steamed vegetables that are light on salad dressing, cheese, or cream. If you can, make your own dressing for salads with a little olive oil and vinegar.
• Watch out for vegetable dishes loaded with butter and cheese, like casseroles and vegetables with sauce.

Grains and Starches

• Take only as much grain or starchy vegetables, such as rice, bread, potatoes, or green peas, to fill ¼ of your plate.
• Avoid using butter or margarine on bread, rice, and other grains and starches.
• Take small portions or avoid starches with heavy sauces like macaroni and cheese and potato salad.

Proteins

• Take 2-3 ounces of protein, such as chicken or other lean meat, fish, or bean dishes (like three-bean salad), to fill ¼ of your plate.
• Pick dishes with baked or grilled lean meat (like chicken without the skin or beef with the fat cut off), fish, game, or shrimp.
• Take just a taste of meats that are breaded, fried, or cooked with a lot of fat or heavy sauces, like fried chicken or chicken-fried steak.

Sweets

• Choose fresh fruits, such as pears, apples, strawberries, or melons, or a fruit salad without sugar or whipped cream added. Fruit is an excellent source of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.
• Have small servings of foods that are high in sugar and fat, like cookies, cake, cobblers, or pies. Or skip the sweets altogether.

Drinks

• Drink water, unsweetened coffee or tea, or other sugar-free beverages.
• If you drink alcoholic beverages, have no more than one drink a day if you’re a woman and no more than two drinks a day if you’re a man.
• Always eat food when drinking alcohol, and never drink on an empty stomach.

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:

Nov. 16 – Staying Health as you Age, 6pm, Free, Fairgrounds York Auto Building

Nov. 28, Dec. 5, 12, & 19 – Know Your Numbers, Know Your Options, 10am-12pm, $20, Virtual, Register at https://cvent.me/WPkAML

Nov. 28, Dec. 5, & 12 – Tax Strategies for Midwestern Farm & Ranch Women, 7:30-9pm, $30, Virtual, Register at https://tinyurl.com/WIATax23

Nov. 28 – Wild Eats: Cooking Venison for Flavor and Safety Webinar, 6pm, Free, register at https://tinyurl.com/wildeats23

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces intermittent lane restrictions on State Road 42 from Eminence to Monrovia in Morgan County.

Beginning on or after Friday, November 17, crews will have varying restrictions on this route to allow for tree clearing, pothole patching and construction layout.

The restrictions will be happening from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. The work is expected to continue through early July of 2026, however, is weather permitting and is subject to change.

GIANT fm says Thank You to those who played a part in the recent free microchip clinic hosted by the Putnam County Animal Center.

Advertising by the sponsors helped contribute to free microchips for 60 pets at the event last weekend.

GIANT fm sponsors for the event included:
Lynda Dunbar for Mayor

Putnam County Board of Realtors 

Dalco Overhead Doord

Parke County REMC

Rockstar Window Tenting

Brian Cox for Mayor

Putnam County Board of Health

4-H enrollment has been open since October 1 and will continue to be open well into next year.

Individuals should enroll no later than January 15 since project options begin to close and many clubs are moving forward with meetings at that time. Once again as an incentive to sign up early, the Putnam 4-H Council is sponsoring five $100 awards to be given to those who sign up and pay early by 11:59 pm, Sunday, December 10. The selection method will be that a name will be randomly drawn from those who have both enrolled and paid by the deadline from each of the four county school corporations. In addition, a drawing from a fifth group representing individuals in the program from schools other than the four county school corporations will be made. The plan is that winners will be announced on Monday, December 11. Intention is that the families drawn for awards will come during that week to receive their award before the Christmas holiday break.

To sign up for 4-H, you may visit our website www.extension.purdue.edu/putnam and go to the “enroll in 4-H now” link under the 4-H clover at right hand side and midway down on the page. If one has been in 4-H in the past but skipped a year or you don’t know what email you used for your account, contact the Extension office first to save hassle as there would already be an online archived account that Extension staff can unarchive. If the online enrollment is a challenge for whatever reason, please contact the Extension office and we will be glad to help either at the office or by phone walk you through the screens.

Overall, the 4-H project guidelines appear to have had very few changes for those who have been in the program the past year. Extension staff are conducting visits to third grade classrooms at county schools so your child should be bringing home enrollment material. The 4-H program is open to youth in grades 3-12 and there is also a mini 4-H program we call “Exploring 4-H” that is only for second graders. The mini 4-H program materials will come out after the start of the year and school visits of second grade classrooms will be planned for late January/early February.

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

Nov. 7 – Office closed as are other county offices for Election Day

Nov. 10 – Office closed Veteran’s Day holiday

Nov. 16 – Staying Health as you Age, 6 p.m., Fairgrounds York Auto Building

Nov. 28 – Wild Eats: Cooking Venison for Flavor and Safety Webinar, 6 p.m., register at https://tinyurl.com/wildeats23

Hoosier voters will now have a convenient, secure way to contact the Indiana Secretary of State’s Office with election questions or concerns.

The election text hotline is simple to use. Just text the letters ‘IN’ to the number 45995. A secure link will be returned where Hoosiers can submit their question or concern directly to the Secretary of State’s Office. Election staff will promptly receive and review questions or concerns and respond directly to the voter.

Hoosiers can text ‘IN’ to 45995 for a wide variety of reasons.  A few examples include:

Reporting something suspicious at a polling site

Information about voting locations and hours

Questions about election security

Hoosiers can always check their voting status, find polling locations, and see a sample ballot at the IndianaVoters.com website. As a reminder, Election Day is Tuesday, November 7th. 

The service is free, however individual user’s text messaging and data rates may apply.

The fall installment of property tax is due November 13.

Taxes may be paid at any of the following banks located in Putnam County: Everwise Credit Union, First Financial, First National, Old National, North Salem State, or Tri-County.

You must bring your tax statement if you want to pay at the bank. The banks will not take payment after the due date.

Taxes may also be paid online at https://enoticesonline.com/put or over the phone at 1-877-690-3729, Jurisdiction Code 2442.

The Putnam County Treasurer’s Office will be accepting payments in the office, by mail to PO Box 728, Cloverdale, IN 46120, or using our drop box located on the east side of the courthouse.

To ensure a penalty is not added, the envelope must be postmarked on or before the due date.

The office will be closed on November 7 for the 2023 Election and November 10 in observance of Veterans Day.

If you need a copy of 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.

Due to new Putnam County Courthouse security protocols, please allow yourself extra time if paying in person. Entrance into the courthouse is only through the east door (handicap entrance).

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