Local News Briefs
MONTEREY – The 29th annual Monterey Days Festival, held on Labor Day weekend, will run Friday evening through Monday, Sept. 4-7, in downtown Monterey. The annual parade will begin at 6 p.m., Saturday. Grand Marshal will be Patrick Herman.
The family-friendly event features food and craft vendors, DJ music and live entertainment, games and contests, a fishing tournament, town-wide yard sales, a tractor show and car show.
The Pulaski County Public Library has listed its programs and activities for September. They include children's programs on "insect bubbles" and opossums, a Lunch & Learn session about Medicare and SHIP, a teen observation of Hispanic Heritage Month, and a late summer adult craft themed "September by the Sea."
For more information on any program, call the library at 574-946-3432 or visit the library’s website at www.pulaskicounty.lib.in.us.
INDIANAPOLIS - The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) invites Hoosiers to participate in the first Free Youth Hunting Days of 2026 on Sept. 5-6 and the last Free Fishing Day of the year on Sept. 26.
Free Youth Hunting Days allow Indiana residents 17 or younger to hunt any legal game in season without a hunting license, Harvest Information Program (HIP) number, or any state stamp. Youth hunters must comply with all other hunting regulations during these free dates. Federal Duck Stamps are required for all hunters 16 or older if hunting waterfowl. After Sept. 5-6, the final Free Youth Hunting Days of 2026 will be Nov. 28-29.
Festival to include Francesville's tribute to America250
FRANCESVILLE - The 58th Francesville Fall Festival theme will include the town's observance of the year-long U.S. Semiquincentennial celebration - including a visit of the VAU Fallen Heroes traveling memorial.
The 2026 three-day festival runs Friday through Sunday, Sept. 18-20. The event also includes arts, crafts and flea market booths, carnival rides, dancing and musical entertainment, a variety of dinners and food booths, an auto show, games, a parade and fireworks. No admission is charged.
Pulaski County Farmers Market is open for the summer season with a weekly location in Winamac.
The Market features fresh produce, plus local meats, maple syrup, honey, eggs, baked goods, sweet treats, cut flowers and coffee. The market will be open from 9 a.m. to 12 noon, Saturdays June through September, on Main Street in front of the courthouse in Winamac.
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Indiana News
INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 3) – Gov. Mike Braun Wednesday extended his suspension of Indiana’s gasoline usage tax and gasoline excise tax through Oct. 6, delivering another month of nation-leading relief for Hoosiers from high gas prices.
This suspension is part of the energy emergency that took effect Aug. 7. Both gas taxes will again be suspended through Oct. 6 in all 92 counties, resulting in separate suspensions that are consecutive. Braun will reevaluate in 30 days to determine whether another pause is necessary. The energy emergency provides a 120-day window of authority.
Pulaski County's unemployment rate dipped slightly to 2.7 percent in July, compared to 2.8 percent in June (revised), the Indiana Department of Workforce Development reported Monday, (Aug. 24). The rate was 3.0 percent a year earlier.
Pulaski County had 8,103 employed persons in a labor force of 8,331 in July. In June those numbers were 8,134 of 8,367. A year earlier the numbers were 7,647 of 7,885.
INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 20) - Friday, at the Indiana State Fair, Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith and Indiana State Department of Agriculture (ISDA) Director Don Lamb presented 135 farming families with a Hoosier Homestead Award in recognition of their commitment to Indiana agriculture.
Among those receiving awards was the Crist Family Farm in Pulaski County, founded in 1876, which received both Centennial and Sesquicentennial awards.
STATEHOUSE (July 22) – State Rep. Kendell Culp (R-Rensselaer) recently hosted an Indiana Rural Communities Roundtable encouraging residents and leaders of House District 16 to participate in interactive discussions regarding rural issues including access to healthcare, highspeed broadband and childcare as well as topics impacting local schools and the economy.
Culp said that the input gathered during the roundtable will be used to inform policy topics on legislation for the 2027 session.
LAFAYETTE (July 28) – New data from Feeding America’s “Map the Meal Gap” study reveals the challenges families faced in 2024 as more than 8 out of 10 counties with the highest estimated rates of food insecurity nationally are rural, and in Indiana, seven of the 10 highest counties for rates of food insecurity are rural.
Over 1.097 million Hoosiers, including 327,150 children, experienced food insecurity in 2024 the study reported.
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Post News
INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 3) - The Indiana Department of Natural Resources (DNR) is seeking public comments on a draft Environmental Assessment (EA) for construction of the new Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area (FWA) visitor center.
The draft EA describes the potential environmental impacts associated with constructing the new visitor center. Jasper-Pulaski FWA is known for offering quality, nature-based recreational opportunities. Each year, over 20,000 sandhill cranes stop at the property during fall migration, making it a popular destination for watching wildlife.
Plus: new texting service set up for storm victims to report damage
INDIANAPOLIS (Sept. 2) – In an updated disaster assistance report, Gov. Mike Braun announced Wednesday FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) has approved more than $2.1 million to Hoosier families impacted by the August 2026 severe weather disaster.
Twenty-one Indiana counties, including Pulaski, are eligible to receive federal assistance to recover from damages caused by storms last month.
Updated
THORNHOPE - The historic, 100-plus-year-old grain elevator in Thornhope burned to the ground early Thursday afternoon (Aug. 27). Personnel from a dozen area fire departments responded to the scene. No injuries were reported.
Dan Meyer, chief of the Star City Volunteer Fire Department (SCVFD) reported Friday the fire appeared to result from a malfunction in a portion of the feed mill machinery.
West Central Schools to participate
(INDIANAPOLIS (Aug. 25) - Just in time for back-to-school, Keystone Cooperative is helping eliminate school lunch debt for students across rural communities.
The farmer-owned cooperative announced the selection of 34 school corporations as recipients of funding through its Propane with Purpose initiative. Through the program, Keystone will award $177,450 to help alleviate school lunch debt and strengthen food security for students and families.
FRANCESVILLE – The Alliance Bank Junior Board members met Wednesday, Aug. 5, at Montgomery Mercantile in Francesville for their first meeting of the school year.
Bank President Shane Pilarski welcomed the incoming juniors and discussed the board values and vision, as well as work ethic and representation. Afterward, the members participated in a team building exercise and shared their “hot takes.”
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