By Kathy TretterEditor • ferdnews@psci.net Understanding school corporation financing (or basically any government financing) is a little like understanding how nuclear fusion works — for someone who never took chemistry nor physics. In a word — confusing. Whereas a typical household may have a couple of pools of money to draw from and can decide…

by Mackenzi Klemann, Indiana Capital ChronicleOctober 5, 2026 Indiana judges may soon have the ability to deny bail for more defendants they believe pose a danger to the public. Defendants are guaranteed the right to bail under the Indiana constitution except in cases of murder or treason — even when a judge believes the defendant may…

Greater Jasper students in grades three through eight beat the state benchmark in nearly every tested area on this year’s ILEARN, the first results under Indiana’s new testing model, district officials told the Greater Jasper Consolidated Schools board of trustees Monday. Tina Fauks, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, said last year was the first full rollout…

Southridge Middle School’s eighth-grade students earned a major statewide distinction on the 2026 ILEARN assessment. The students, now freshmen at Southridge High School, scored the highest passing rate among eighth-graders statewide during the 2025–26 school year. For eighth-grade math teacher Myra Schnuck, the accomplishment reflects the students’ effort and determination throughout the year. “What an incredible…

Operation Mind, Body & Soul will hold an Oktoberfest in the downtown Jasper square this Saturday, Oct. 3, to raise money for local veterans organizations. The event includes a car and motorcycle show, live music and a veterans resource fair. The car and bike show is open to classic cars, trucks and motorcycles. Registration runs…

Huntingburg — Battery energy storage systems (BESS) and data centers would be allowed in Huntingburg’s zoning jurisdiction only with a special exception from the Board of Zoning Appeals under rules the Huntingburg Plan Commission began moving forward Monday. The proposal would amend the city’s Unified Development Ordinance, which does not define either use now. That…

Being for Others Health and Wellness Foundation (BFO) announces its second round of 2026 Project Grant recipients, awarding $123,420 to 11 organizations addressing health and wellness across Southern Indiana. BFO’s 2026 Project Grant Cycle 2 received 38 applications from various organizations serving communities throughout the Foundation’s eight-county region. Applicants requested more than $1 million in…

by Mackenzi Klemann, Indiana Capital ChronicleSeptember 30, 2026 Gov. Mike Braun on Wednesday renewed Indiana’s gas tax suspension for another 30 days — until early November — and issued a new order lifting restrictions on the sale of untaxed diesel fuel for trucks operated by farmers and timber harvesters on public roads. The order cited…

The Jasper Police Department is warning the public about a potential rental scam in our area. Scammers are using photos of local homes that are actually for sale and posting them on social media as properties available for rent. They may ask interested renters to send money electronically to secure the property. Police warn the…

by Mackenzi Klemann, Indiana Capital ChronicleSeptember 30, 2026 Gov. Mike Braun on Wednesday renewed Indiana’s gas tax suspension for another 30 days — until early November — and issued a new order lifting restrictions on the sale of untaxed diesel fuel for semi-trucks operated by farmers and timber harvesters, citing continued disruption to global oil…

The Dubois County Council approved an additional $35,000 appropriation to create the county’s first planning and zoning framework. The money pays for American StructurePoint to draft a plan and ordinance and to help form a county plan commission. Council President Mike Kluesner said the contract is about $28,000, but commissioners added a $7,000 cushion in…

by Stephanie Wells, Indiana Capital ChronicleSeptember 28, 2026 Many smart people have been spending time thinking about how state leaders might invest Indiana’s growing revenue and robust reserves. This is especially of interest as monthly revenue collections continue to outperform forecast estimates (revenues have exceeded estimates for the last ten consecutive months).  We mentioned in…

FERDINAND — Long-distance hiker Jennifer Pharr Davis will lead a hike at Ferdinand State Forest on Wednesday, Oct. 7, hours before she speaks at the Distinguished Citizens banquet honoring local philanthropist Mary C. Lange. The hike runs from 1 to 3 p.m. on the Southridge Trail, a loop of about 2.4 miles. It starts and…

Huntingburg — The City of Huntingburg is encouraging residents and community members to participate in a survey as part of the development of a new Comprehensive Parks & Recreation Plan. The plan will help guide the future of Huntingburg’s parks, recreation facilities, programs, trails, and public spaces. Community input is an important part of the…

Dr. Norma Schue Kreilein, a Ferdinand native and former Jasper pediatrician, has been named a recipient of the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Local Hero Award. The award recognizes her work on children’s exposure to industrial pollution in Southwestern Indiana. The award will be presented Oct. 3 at the AAP National Conference and Exhibition in San…

Jasper–The Jasper Common Council adopted an update to the city’s comprehensive plan at last week’s regular meeting. The plan, titled “Comprehensive Plan Update 2035 – The Future Is Now,” replaces the city’s 2019 plan. It grew out of more than a year of public meetings, surveys, and task forces run by consultants WGI, Jon Stover…

Dubois County Commissioners last week agreed to let the county’s contracted engineering firm use the rest of its federal pandemic relief money to finish design work on the Haysville portion of the regional sewer district. The planning funding is part of the allotment the county received under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). The county…

Guests at the Comfort Inn in Jasper were evacuated early Saturday morning after a dryer fire filled the building with smoke. Firefighters responded to a fire alarm at the hotel at 1970 Hospitality Drive around 3:10 a.m. Jasper Fire Chief Kenny Hochgesang said dispatch radioed him to let him know heavy smoke was reported in…

Fleig’s Cafe at 905 Main Street has long been an iconic fixture in the heart of Ferdinand, Indiana. It sits across Main Street from the site where, 188 years ago, Rev. Joseph Kundek hammered a sign into a tree bearing the name of the village he was founding. Over the past few months, residents and…

Jasper Endows Today and Tomorrow (JETT) awarded a $20,000 grant on September 15th to the newly established Boys and Girls Club of Dubois County. It is the largest grant JETT has awarded in its 13-year history. Located within Trinity United Church of Christ in Jasper, Indiana, the Boys and Girls Club of Dubois County will…

Jasper–Injuries from high-powered electric bikes have prompted Jasper’s Common Council to draft safety regulations, but the proposed rules sparked debate over how much young riders should be restricted. At least three or four children have been hurt in e-bike and e-scooter crashes in Jasper this year. “We’ve had three or four crashes that I can…