Jasper Common Council gives first approval to water rate increases
A Jasper household using 4,000 gallons of water a month would pay $12 more a month by 2029 under a plan that cleared its first council vote Oct. 21. The increase would come in three steps: $7.84 in 2027, $2.06 in 2028 and $2.10 in 2029. Utilities General Manager Rob Young said 4,000 gallons fits…
Jasper Common Council tables e-bike ordinance again
The Jasper Common Council tabled the e-bike ordinance for another month as it works through the nuances of a regulation meant to keep kids safe. Councilwoman Nancy Eckerle, who also serves on the Jasper Board of Public Works and Safety, has pushed for an ordinance for more than a year, citing the increasing prevalence of…
Tracy Byrd, Mark Chesnutt, Blackhawk and Priscilla Block to headline Red, White & Boots Music Fest
Rally Point Events announced the return of the 7th Annual Red, White & Boots Music Fest, presented by OFS, on Saturday, August 28, 2027, at Historic League Stadium in Huntingburg, Indiana. Country music legend Tracy Byrd headlines this year’s festival, joined by an all-star lineup featuring Mark Chesnutt, BlackHawk, Priscilla Block, and rising country artist…
Indiana treasurer race draws competing visions for managing state funds
by Casey Smith, Indiana Capital ChronicleOctober 22, 2026 Republican Treasurer Daniel Elliott is touting nearly $1.8 billion in state investment earnings in his bid for a second term, while Democratic challenger Coumba Kebe is calling for greater transparency in how Indiana manages public money. The Nov. 3 election pits a former software engineer and local…
USDA offering $8B in farmer relief payments
by Cami Koons, Indiana Capital ChronicleOctober 22, 2026 Farmers will be eligible to receive one-time payments from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to provide relief for high fuel and input costs. USDA and President Donald Trump announced Monday night at a rally in Kansas that farmers would have $8 billion made available in the Harvest…
Jasper Group soapbox derby to mark 150 years, raise money for Child Advocacy Center
Jasper — Seven soapbox cars built by Jasper Group employees will race down West 5th Street this Saturday, October 24, to celebrate the company’s 150th anniversary and raise money for the Southwestern Indiana Child Advocacy Center Coalition (SWICACC), a local nonprofit dedicated to helping children. Built by teams from across Jasper Group, the cars reflect the…
Jasper Chamber hosting informational talk on data centers Nov. 17
Organizers say the event is meant to inform, not to take sides The Jasper Chamber of Commerce will host a public presentation on data centers Tuesday, Nov. 17, at the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center atrium. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. The talk starts at 6 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. No…
Deaconess Lange-Fuhs Cancer Center hosting Pink & Pearl – Power in Prevention Event
Deaconess Lange-Fuhs Cancer Center will host Pink & Pearl – Power in Prevention on Saturday, October 31, from 9 a.m. to noon at The Venue on Vine in Jasper. This free event will promote breast and lung cancer awareness while bringing the community together for a morning of education, communication and connection. The event will…
County engineer warns bridge fund is falling short
County Engineer Levi Leffert told the county commissioners that the fund used to support bridge work and drainage in the county is running at an annual deficit. Leffert told commissioners he noticed the drain on the Cumulative Bridge Fund when he was first hired. He held off on coming to the commissioners while taking time…
Portion of Huntingburg’s East 12th Street closed for water work
The Huntingburg Water Department will close East 12th Street on Wednesday and Thursday this week for Lead and Copper Program work. Crews will first close the section between Chestnut Street and Geiger Street, then move to the section between Geiger Street and Main Street. The closure is necessary to complete the work safely. Please use…
Road closure planned for U.S. 231 in Martin County
The Indiana Department of Transportation announced U.S. 231 in Martin and Daviess Counties will be closed beginning on or around Monday, October 26, near Odon between Pine Tree Road and State Road 58. This road closure will allow for two pipe replacement projects. Work is expected to take a week to complete, depending on the…
Hoosier National Forest begins prescribed fires
Hoosier National Forest plans prescribed fire operations this fall, pending all required approvals. This work is expected to continue through late spring 2027, as weather conditions allow. Prescribed fires are essential to keep the oak-hickory ecosystem on the landscape in the central hardwood region. They also reduce overgrown vegetation, helping protect local communities, infrastructure and…
Dubois County creates advisory plan commission, names first five citizen members
Dubois County now has a plan commission. Dubois County Commissioners passed the ordinance establishing the plan commission at Monday’s regular meeting. They also followed up on the County Council’s decision last week to appoint Councilwoman Meredith Voegerl to the plan commission by appointing five citizen members and the statutory members. The commission is a needed…
Hillham Road South to close for five weeks
The Dubois County Highway Department will be closing Hillham Road South beginning Monday, October 26, 2026, to install a concrete box culvert. The closure will occur about 1.6 miles south of State Road 56. Work is expected to last up to five weeks, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Traffic will have access up to the closure point.
Road closure planned for State Road 64 in Crawford County
The Indiana Department of Transportation announced a road closure for State Road 64 in Crawford County. Beginning on or around Tuesday, October 27, crews will close State Road 64 near Eckerty. The closure will be between Wickliffe Road and the intersection with State Road 145. This road closure will allow for a culvert replacement project….
Huntingburg to celebrate new fitness court with ribbon-cutting, business competition
Huntingburg — The city will mark the opening of a new outdoor Fitness Court at Charles C. Niehaus Memorial Park with a ribbon-cutting Nov. 5, followed by a competition among local businesses. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place from 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. and will officially celebrate the addition of the Fitness Court, a…
Jasper Middle School students taste Indiana-grown food at Food Day event
More than 500 Jasper Middle School students sampled Indiana-grown food and met local farmers and food makers Thursday, Oct. 15, at the school’s Indiana Food Day celebration. Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools hosted the event. This year’s statewide focus is tomatoes. Participating groups included Indiana Farmwise, the Indiana Dairy Association, the Indiana State Department of Agriculture,…
Rotary Club of Dubois County to host 22nd Annual Economic Futurecast Luncheon
The Rotary Club of Dubois County recently opened registration for its 22nd annual Indiana University Kelley School of Business Economic Futurecast Luncheon, to be held Thursday, November 12th at the Thyen-Clark Cultural Center Atrium in Jasper from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm. Attendees will enjoy lunch while receiving an update on world, national, state and…
Retro-Pop artist Tabitha Meeks brings vintage charm to Jasper Arts Center November 7
Jasper Arts will welcome Nashville-based singer-songwriter and pianist Tabitha Meeks to the Jasper Arts Center on Saturday, November 7, 2026, for an intimate evening of retro-inspired pop music. The performance is part of the Jasper Arts Backstage Series, with doors opening at 6:30 p.m. and the show beginning at 7:30 p.m. Dubbed the “Queen of…
Red Ribbon Week becomes month-long celebration of county’s drug-free youth
What if Red Ribbon Week wasn’t just a week, but an entire month of celebrating young people who choose to live drug- and alcohol- free? That’s the idea behind Dubois County CARES’ October campaign, which is bringing schools, families, libraries and local businesses together to promote healthy choices and recognize the everyday heroes who help…
Parklands to close for controlled burn on Monday
A controlled burn planned for The Parklands will close the park at 9:30 a.m. on Monday, October 19. Parkgoers are asked to remove their vehicles and vacate the premises by 9:30 a.m. so preparations can begin. All entrances, including vehicular and walking, will remain closed after the fire until further notice. Access will not be…
Jasper police to add narcotics detective, restart second K-9 unit
The Jasper Police Department will add a detective focused on narcotics and street crimes next year. It also plans to bring back its K-9 unit, which has been empty since February. The Jasper Board of Public Works and Safety approved starting an internal selection process for the detective position on Tuesday. The Common Council funded…
Jasper moves to close two-hour downtown parking loophole
Drivers in downtown Jasper could soon get two hours per block per day, total, even if they leave and come back, under changes the Jasper Board of Public Works and Safety sent to the Common Council on Tuesday. The board approved a resolution recommending new language for the city’s parking ordinance. It adds definitions for…
‘Remarkably Bright Creatures’ author Shelby Van Pelt coming to Jasper
Presented in partnership with The Next Chapter, Heart of Jasper, and Visit Dubois County, the February 11 event features the author of the hit novel and Emmy Award-winning Netflix movie “Remarkably Bright Creatures.” Vincennes University Jasper (VUJ), in partnership with The Next Chapter, Heart of Jasper, and Visit Dubois County, announced the launch of its…
Dubois County Chamber honors Wehr, Verkamp, UDA at annual awards
Ferdinand — The Dubois County Chamber of Commerce’s 2026 Luncheon at the Ferdinand Community Center recognized two individuals and a long-time Ferdinand business with its annual awards. Jordan Wehr was named Young Professional of the Year. Indiana Furniture President/CEO Max Verkamp was named Businessperson of the Year. Universal Design Associates was named Business of the…
Indiana lawmakers punt on high school NIL regulations
by Mackenzi Klemann, Indiana Capital ChronicleOctober 14, 2026 The name, image and likeness brand deals prevalent in collegiate athletics are trickling down to high school athletes, but Indiana lawmakers appear unlikely to regulate the practice for now. The Indiana High School Athletic Association in May authorized its own version of the deals known as personal…
Huntingburg Council introduces e-bike, scooter rules; vote set for November
Huntingburg — New rules for e-bikes, scooters, skateboards and other small ride-on devices are headed for a vote next month after the Huntingburg Common Council introduced the measure Tuesday. Ordinance 2026-36 would replace Chapter 73 of the city code, which covers bicycles, skateboards and rollerblades. City Attorney Phil Schneider said the current chapter is out…
Huntingburg police investigating fatal crash
A Jasper resident succumbed to injuries he sustained in a two-vehicle crash that occurred in Huntingburg Monday afternoon. According to Huntingburg Police, the crash happened at about 3:29 p.m. when a 2017 Ford F-150 driven by Brett Gehlhausen, 47, of Huntingburg collided with a Ram 1500 driven by Charles Blessinger, 88, of Jasper. Police stated…
Cat Tales: “Hey, you played a good game”
(This is excerpt #8 from the book currently being written by Greg Eckerle called “Cat Tales: Jasper Sports Stories.” Eckerle can be reached at gregeckerle@twc.com.) What made Jasper’s Cyril Birge such a highly-respected basketball official? His son Jerry told me it was his ability to let players play, that he let the contact go just…
Get to know Indiana’s comptroller candidates
by Mackenzi Klemann, Indiana Capital ChronicleOctober 13, 2026 A little-known statewide office responsible for disbursing and reporting how Indiana’s state tax dollars are spent is on the ballot this election season. Three candidates are vying to be Indiana’s next comptroller: Incumbent Elise Nieshalla, a Republican, is seeking re-election against Democratic nominee Jessica Bailey and Libertarian…
