Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb announced a local funding component as part of Indiana’s plan to spend the state’s $2.4 Billion allocations contained in the recently passed federal CARES Act.  Both Accelerate Indiana Municipalities (Aim) and Association of Indiana Counties (AIC) support and applaud this acknowledgment. 

“County officials welcome and appreciate Governor Holcomb’s generosity in allowing us access to Indiana’s share of CARES Act resources,” AIC President, Anton Neff, Owen County Council said. “We have always been on the front lines providing county-wide services to all Indiana residents but, the COVID-19 issue has greatly amplified that. Without help like this, our ability to continue providing county services – both short and long term – will be negatively impacted. Our health departments, emergency management agencies, and public safety personnel have carried a heavy load through all of this. That, along with our administration of the Primary Election, changes in operations, and protection of our workforce, comes with unexpectedly high costs. Fortunately, we are well-positioned to efficiently place and account for any resources we receive. County officials will do everything they can to deliver consistent service to our citizens.”

Aim President and Warsaw Mayor Joe Thallemer noted, “Indiana’s local units have responded to this crisis with urgency, using the health and safety of our citizens as a constant guidepost.  Cities and towns quickly began addressing the needs of our communities and municipal workforces by acquiring PPE, as well as additional sanitizers and cleaners. Our frontline public safety and public works departments are working overtime to relieve those that are quarantined or caring for loved ones.  We are incurring additional technology expenses to provide remote delivery of municipal services, and much more.  Aim applauds Governor Holcomb for committing a significant portion of CARES Act funding to the reimbursement of local governments for some of the unforeseen and unprecedented expenditures resulting from our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.”

The purpose of Aim shall be to foster, promote, and advocate for the success of Hoosier municipalities as laboratories of innovation, hubs of talent, and the engines driving our state’s economy. 

The Association of Indiana Counties, Inc. is a nonprofit organization established in 1957 for the betterment of county government. The various functions of the AIC include lobbying the Indiana General Assembly on behalf of counties, serving as a liaison among counties, state and federal agencies as well as providing technical assistance and training to county officials and employees.

Salem Schools is joining with nine southern Indiana school districts to discuss problems and potential solutions related to the Covid-19 Pandemic, according to Salem Schools Superintendent Jon Acton.

A joint focus will be placed on re-entry procedures for safe and effective “in-person” instruction for the 2020-21 school year.

The coalition currently includes administrators from East
Washington School Corporation, Salem Community Schools, Paoli Community Schools, Springs Valley Community Schools, Orleans Community Schools, North Harrison Community School Corporation, South Harrison Community School Corporation, Scott County School District 2, and Lanesville Community Schools.

The coalition will expand membership-based upon interest from other districts.

Representatives from Butler University will contribute as thought partners exploring strategies for the safe re-entry of students and staff for the fall semester.

How important is being able to confer with peers during this situation? 

“Support among peers is invaluable,” said Acton. “To have a thought partner such as Butler University joining our group strengthens all schools.  There is no blueprint, playbook or precedents to review for guidance so working collaboratively is important.  We all want each others schools to succeed because ultimately if our students are succeeding our country is succeeding.  Helping each other by sharing ideas has been a blessing.”

Milestone Contractors is continuing to work on a $2 million road reconstruction contract on S.R. 250 in Jackson County. The project will reconstruct a 0.8-mile section of roadway between U.S. 31 and I-65 and is being completed in four phases.

Crews are wrapping up phase two this week and will move to phase three on Thursday (May 14), weather permitting.

During the third phase, S.R. 250 EB and the I-65 SB on-ramp will be closed to traffic while a new travel lane is constructed. Only westbound traffic will be permitted through late June. The official detour route will follow U.S. 31 to I-65.

Phase four will be the final phase of construction, which includes reconstruction of lanes just east of I-65. S.R. 250 will close completely during this phase, through late July. 

The intermediate contract completion date is October 31, 2020, while the entire project is expected to be complete by June 30, 2021. Motorists should slow down, use extra caution and drive distraction-free through all work zones.  All work is weather dependent. 

NASCAR Cup Series Racing Returns on May 17 on WSLM

As NASCAR returns to the racetrack for the first time in more than two months, the sport will honor frontline healthcare workers in The Real Heroes 400 at Darlington Raceway on Sunday, May 17 at 3:30 p.m. ET on WSLM 97.9 FM and WSLM 1220 AM.

WSLM is celebrating its 50th season as a NASCAR broadcaster. 

The special NASCAR Cup Series race entitlement at Darlington Raceway follows the launch of The Real Heroes Project, a collaborative initiative by 14 sports leagues including NASCAR to recognize and pay tribute to medical professionals serving on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19.

“As the coronavirus challenges our country in unprecedented ways, the frontline healthcare workers – the nurses, paramedics, emergency physicians and many others – continue to inspire us with their strength and bravery in caring for their fellow Americans,” said Jill Gregory, NASCAR executive vice president and chief marketing and content officer. “These men and women are the real heroes and the NASCAR industry is incredibly proud to honor their selflessness and service as we return to racing on Sunday.”

Through a collaboration with NASCAR, FOX Sports and the race teams, each driver’s name will be replaced above the driver-side window with the name of an individual healthcare worker currently battling the coronavirus pandemic. In addition, The Real Heroes Project logo will be displayed on the side panel of each racecar.

The healthcare workers honored on the cars will serve as grand marshals for The Real Heroes 400 and appear in an on-air mosaic to simultaneously give the command for drivers to start their engines for the race.   

“Real heroes” from the state of South Carolina include healthcare workers from St. Francis Downtown hospital in Greenville S.C., and McLeod Regional Medical Center in Florence, S.C., located just south of Darlington Raceway.

The sports leagues behind the Real Heroes Project launched a public service announcement on May 6 that featured some of the biggest names in sports including a pair of NASCAR Cup Series champions in Joe Gibbs Racing driver Kyle Busch and Stewart-Haas Racing driver Kevin Harvick. The PSA features more than 30 athletes sharing personal thank-you messages with their healthcare heroes and replacing the names on their own jerseys and uniforms with the names of individual medical professionals. 

The campaign encourages sports fans to pay tribute to the frontline healthcare workers in their lives on social media using #TheRealHeroes.

As NASCAR resumes the 2020 race season on Sunday, The Real Heroes 400 will be the first of three national series races at Darlington Raceway in the span of four days – all taking place without fans in attendance.

The NASCAR Xfinity Series will return to action on Tuesday, May 19 (8 p.m. ET on WSLM 97.9 FM and WSLM 1220 AM), followed by the second NASCAR Cup Series race at Darlington on Wednesday, May 20 (7:30 p.m. ET on WSLM 97.9 FM and WSLM 1220 AM)

The Indianapolis Colts today signed defensive tackle Robert Windsor and wide receiver Dezmon Patmon.

The Colts have now signed four of their nine draft picks from the 2020 NFL Draft.

Windsor, 6-4, 290 pounds, was selected by Indianapolis in the sixth round (193rd overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. He played in 52 career games (26 starts) at Penn State and compiled 121 tackles (49 solo), 20.0 tackles for loss, 14.0 sacks, three forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. In 2019, Windsor started all 13 games and finished with 40 tackles (12 solo), 5.0 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks. He was a Third Team All-Big Ten selection by the coaches and garnered All-Big Ten honorable mention recognition from the media. Windsor started 12 games in 2018 and registered 39 tackles (22 solo), 11.0 tackles for loss, 7.5 sacks and two forced fumbles. He earned Second Team All-Big Ten honors from the Associated Press and was an All-Big Ten honorable mention choice by the league’s coaches and media. In 2017, Windsor played in all 13 games and compiled 19 tackles (six solo), 2.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, one forced fumble and three fumble recoveries. He tied for fourth in the nation and ranked first in the Big Ten in fumble recoveries. Windsor saw action in all 14 games (one start) in 2016 and collected 23 tackles (nine solo), 1.5 tackles for loss and 1.0 sack. He redshirted as a true freshman in 2015.

Patmon, 6-4, 225 pounds, was selected by the Colts in the sixth round (212th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft. He saw action in 43 career games (12 starts) at Washington State and finished with 156 receptions for 1,976 yards and 13 touchdowns. In 2019, Patmon appeared in all 13 games (three starts) and caught 58 passes for 762 yards and eight touchdowns. He played in all 13 games (eight starts) in 2018 and compiled 61 receptions for a team-high 816 yards and five touchdowns. In 2017, Patmon appeared in all 13 games (one start) and totaled 35 receptions for 379 yards. He saw action in four games in 2016 and caught two passes for 19 yards.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources will begin opening gatehouses at state parks across the Hoosier state will once again be charging admission.

All DNR properties will resume charging entrance fees no later than May 15.

All DNR properties including state parks, state forests, fish and wildlife areas, nature preserves, and state recreation areas are OPEN.

However, some services and facilities are open:

• Indiana DNR-managed lakes, trails, boat ramps, and wildlife areas at Brookville, J.E. Roush, Salamonie, Mississinewa, Cecil M. Harden (Raccoon SRA), Cagles Mill (Lieber SRA), Patoka and Monroe lakes remain OPEN. However, public facilities managed directly by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at or below the dams at these lakes (i.e., tailwater areas, observation mounds, etc.) are CLOSED.
• Unstaffed archery ranges – OPEN.
• Restroom availability will be LIMITED. Day use restrooms and vault toilets will open at DNR properties by May 15. Until then, guests should come prepared for restroom use to be restricted.
• The Fort Golf Course and PRO Shop at Fort Harrison State Park are OPEN, with tee times available from 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Self-service cart rental is available with a limit of one person per cart. Payment and reservations can only be made by phone at 317-543-9597. Please practice social distancing during play.
• Marinas are OPEN with limited operations.
• Disc Golf Courses and Fish Cleaning Stations – OPEN.
• Welcome Centers, Nature Centers, Historic Buildings, Visitor Centers, and Forest Education Centers OPEN between May 11-15, however, hours may be reduced, and social distancing may limit the number of guests allowed in the respective facility at one time.

Closed

• Campgrounds are CLOSED (tentatively scheduled to OPEN May 24). There is no overnight camping on any DNR properties.
• All property offices – CLOSED. Passes and permits can be purchased online at ShopINStateparks.com. Property maps are available online. Find contact information on office doors.
• State park inns and restaurants – CLOSED (tentatively scheduled to OPEN May 24).
• Family cabins and camper cabins – CLOSED (tentatively scheduled to OPEN May 24).
• Playgrounds, fire towers, and other similar facilities – CLOSED
• Shooting ranges – CLOSED.
• Shelters, recreation buildings, and other enclosed picnic areas – CLOSED.
• State Park Inn pools and the aquatic center at Abe Martin Lodge – CLOSED.
• Pokagon State Park: Artesian well and shelter at the end of Spring Trail – CLOSED.
• Mounds State Park: Artesian well – CLOSED.
• All group camps, youth tent and rally tent areas – CLOSED.
• Drinking fountains – OFF. Water charging stations and buckets for filling campers will be turned on as weather improves.
• Vending machines – OFF.
• The DNR Customer Service Center in downtown Indianapolis is CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC but is still available by telephone (see below for number).

While being stuck inside it has been difficult for some to keep their children occupied.

Conner Prairie will be hosting an online celebration of storytelling. The prairie will be sharing Lenape Animal Tales, learn how newspapers and letters tell very special stories, hear about how inventors, squirrels, and pigeons are a part of Hoosier history, and tell a story with no words at all.

They will also be sharing live performances through the day, from West African Dance to harps, and special stories about Indiana’s Madam C.J. Walker.

This event will be held on Saturday, May 16 from 10:00 a.m. until 8:30 p.m., you can choose to attend each storytime or just ones that really spark your interest.

The schedule of events is as follows:

Lenape Animal Tales – 10:00 a.m.

• Before the pioneers arrived in Indiana, the Lenape lived here. Like any other culture, they told stories about who they were, where they came from, and how their society functioned.

 Paper Puppets Present: Indiana Inventors – 10:30 a.m.

• Household items become simple puppets, that are then used to tell the stories of three Hoosier inventors. Can you invent a paper puppet play?

The Culture of West African Dance with Ronne Stone (Live Performance) 11:00-11:30 a.m.

• Move along with Ronne as she shares traditional West African stories through dance. Learn about the cultural symbolism of dance, expressed individually and in groups, through movement.

 Silent Storytelling – 1:00 p.m.

• We tell stories with our voices and our bodies, but can we tell a story with no words at all?

Writing Home: Letters in the Civil War – 1:30 p.m.

• Correspondence was written during the Civil War gives us great insight into the daily lives of soldiers and their far-away families. These letters help to tell a personal version of the larger story of this historic time in our nation’s history.

Sense a Story with Melissa’s Harps (Live Performance) 2:00-2:30 p.m.

• Join Melissa Gallant and her concert harp to explore the connections between music and language. Learn how slow and fast, soft and loud, and low and high sounds help us create and express emotion.

The Ballad of John Wise – 3:00 p.m.

• This is the story of John Wise, pioneer aeronaut, and how the first official airmail delivery in the United States came to be. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, and you’ll learn how sometimes even when things aren’t going quite right, you can still claim victory in the end.

Headlines from Home – 3:30 p.m.

• Extra! Extra! Read all about it! Write about it, too! Newspapers tell us all different kinds of stories. If your household had a newspaper, what stories would be told?

Sarah the Dream Builder: The Story of Madam C.J. Walker, told by Deborah Asante (Live Performance) 4:00-5:00 p.m.

• Facing poverty and tragedy from a very young age, Sarah Breedlove beats the odds and becomes the first woman in America to be a self-made millionaire. Storyteller Deborah Asante guides our exploration of the girl, the wife, the mother, the mogul, all parts of the woman known as Madam Walker.

Just Passing By The Story of the Passenger Pigeon – 6:30 p.m.

• One small bird – or a whole lot of them! – and it’s placed in Indiana history.

The Great Squirrel Stampede – 7:00 p.m.

• Sometimes the impossible, improbable, and inconceivable happens. History has never been stranger than it was in 1822.