Steuben County REMC - October 2024 Indiana Connection

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Prepare for winter with our checklist on page 5

Steuben County REMC’s

It’s our

Steuben County REMC Broadband is two years old!

We installed our first broadband member on Oct. 11, 2022.

MORE DETAILS ON PAGE 29

With WaterFurnace, the average Hoosier pays $58/mo. to provide heating, cooling and hot water for their home.

WaterFurnace homeowners across the country are reaping the benefits of geothermal heat pumps by utilizing the unlimited reservoir of stored solar energy underground. A WaterFurnace geothermal system taps into this free and renewable resource to provide savings of up to 70% on heating, cooling, and hot water—with a comfort you have to experience to believe. Right now you can save thousands on installation thanks to a 30% federal tax credit. Contact your local WaterFurnace dealer to learn more today!

Contact Your Local WaterFurnace Dealer

Delphi

Blue Fox Htg & Clg (765) 822-2200 bluefoxhvac.com

Farmersburg

Heady Htg & Clg (812) 696-2396

Flora Camflo Htg & Clg (574) 967-4200 camfloheatingandcooling.com

Fort Wayne Masters Htg & Clg, Inc. (866) 824-4328 mastersingeothermal.com

Greensburg

Wallpe Htg & Clg (812) 663-7252 wallpegeothermal.net

Indianapolis Masters Htg & Clg by Van Valer, Inc. (317) 881-9074 mastersingeothermal.com

Jasper Hulsman Refrigeration, Inc. (812) 634-1492 hulsmanrefrigeration.com

Laotto T&T Plbg, Htg, A/C & Geothermal (260) 200-4003 tt-ph.com

Lebanon Blue Fox Htg & Clg (765) 859-0880 bluefoxhvac.com

North Vernon Air One Htg & Clg, Inc. (888) 346-1790 aironehvac.com

Ossian Collier’s Comfort Services (260) 622-6622 collierscomfort.com

Warsaw Colliers Htg & Air Conditioning (574) 203-2492 trustcolliers.com

Waterloo Gibson’s Htg & Plbg, Inc. (888) 754-1668 gibsonsgeothermal.com

Westfield Precision Comfort Systems, Inc. (317) 867-2665 precisioncomfort.com

West Lafayette Blue Fox Htg & Clg (765) 252-0051 bluefoxhvac.com

from the editor

A month to celebrate co-ops

October is National Cooperative Month. Indiana Connection is published by Indiana Electric Cooperatives, which is the service organization for our state’s member-owned electric co-ops. If you’re receiving this magazine, you are probably a co-op member.

It’s easy to think of your co-op as just an electric company, but as I’ve learned over the last 10 months as editor, it is so much more than that.

Co-ops operate according to seven cooperative principles, which include:

• Voluntary and Open Membership

• Democratic Member Control

• Members’ Economic Participation

• Autonomy and Independence

• Education, Training, and Information

• Cooperation Among Cooperatives

• Concern for Community

These principles are the main reason that your co-op is different from a for-profit electric company. Unlike other electric companies, your co-op never takes in a profit. It only uses enough funds to power your electricity and returns the rest as capital credits.

I have been most impressed with how the co-ops take the “Concern for Community” principle seriously. From Operation Round Up to scholarships, Camp Kilowatt, and Youth Tour, the co-ops make a concerted effort to support their local communities. Those programs can make a huge difference in people’s lives.

It’s common practice for companies to be all about profits and competing with others. Indiana’s electric co-ops strive to be more than that and do some good along the way. That’s something to celebrate.

On the menu: January: Submit your favorite peanut butter recipes, deadline Nov. 1. If we publish your recipe on our food pages, we’ll send you a $10 gift card.

Giveaway: Enter to win a Halloween prize pack. Visit indianaconnection.org/talk-to-us/contests or send your contact information to the address below. The deadline to enter is Oct. 31.

Three ways to contact us: To send us recipes, photos, letters and entries for gift drawings, please use the forms on our website indianaconnection.org; email info@indianaconnection.org; or send to Indiana Connection, 11805 Pennsylvania Street, Carmel, IN 46032.

VOLUME 74 • NUMBER 4 ISSN 0745-4651 • USPS 262-340

Published monthly by Indiana Electric Cooperatives

Indiana Connection is for and about members of Indiana’s locally-owned, not-for-profit electric cooperatives. It helps consumers use electricity safely and efficiently; understand energy issues; connect with their co-op; and celebrate life in Indiana. Over 311,000 residents and businesses receive the magazine as part of their electric co-op membership. The average printed and mailed cost per issue is 54 cents.

CONTACT US: 11805 Pennsylvania Street Carmel, IN 46032 317-487-2220 info@indianaconnection.org

IndianaConnection.org

INDIANA ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES OFFICERS: Steve McMichael President Dr. Richard Leeper Vice President

Jamey Marcum Secretary/Treasurer John Cassady CEO

EDITORIAL STAFF: Britt Davis Editor

Holly Huffman Communication Support Specialist

Lauren Carman Communication Manager

Kiley Lipps Graphic Designer

Ashley Curry Production and Design Coordinator

Amber Knight Creative Manager

Mandy Barth Vice President of Communication

ADVERTISING: American MainStreet Publications

Cheryl Solomon, local ad representative; 512-441-5200; amp.coop Crosshair Media 502-216-8537; crosshairmedia.net

Paid advertisements are not endorsements by any electric cooperative or this publication.

UNSOLICITED MATERIAL: Indiana Connection does not use unsolicited freelance manuscripts or photographs and assumes no responsibility for the safekeeping or return of unsolicited material.

SUBSCRIPTIONS:

$12 for individuals not subscribing through participating REMCs/RECs.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS:

If you receive Indiana Connection through your electric co-op membership, report address changes to your local co-op.

POSTAGE:

Periodicals postage paid at Indianapolis, Indiana, and at additional mailing offices.

POSTMASTER:

Send change of address to: Indiana Connection, 11805 Pennsylvania Street, Carmel, IN 46032. Include key number.

No portion of Indiana Connection may be reproduced without permission of the editor.

Steuben

A CHECKLIST TO prepare for winter

The leaves are changing, and the temperature is starting to drop. Now is the time to start your winter preparations before it freezes and snowflakes fall. Here are some ways to prepare for winter that will help with electrical usage and give you peace of mind.

ACH

ACH solves the problem of checks not reaching the office, whether due to mail forwarding problems or being lost. It can also benefit those who are helping their loved ones manage their bills. This service can be used for both electric and broadband bills.

ELECTRICAL

Check your furnace or heat pump before you need it. A service technician can thoroughly clean it. Check your air filters and replace them if they are dirty. Make sure trees are properly trimmed and away from your electrical wires. Tree branches can fall and snap your power lines during a winter storm. Caulk around holes and openings to help

Office Hours

7:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m., Monday–Friday

Contact Us

PHONE

260-665-3563

Call our office 24/7/365 to report an outage.

STREET ADDRESS

1212 S. Wayne St., Angola, IN 46703

MAILING ADDRESS

P.O. Box 359, Angola, IN 46703

EMAIL CEO@remcsteuben.com remcsteuben@remcsteuben.com

WEBSITE remcsteuben.com

prevent cold air from seeping in. Install weatherstripping and seals around openings such as windows, doors, air conditioners, and mail chutes.

SEASONAL BROADBAND PLAN

If you are going to be out of town for months but want to have enough internet to manage your home monitoring and security systems, our seasonal plans could be right for you. See page 7 for details.

SECURITY SYSTEMS

Neighborhood watches are great, but home security systems can give you peace of mind by allowing you to pull up a camera and see that everything is just the way you left it. They can also notify you of any intruders, human or animal.

Call Before You Dig

Please call 811 at least two days before you dig.

Management Team

KEVIN KEISER, CEO

DUSTIN EVERETTS, Operation/Engineering

JOSHUA DURBIN, Member Services

STEVE SMITH, Finance

DAVE SHORT, Broadband Operations

How to Understand Your Electric Bill Facilities

Wholesale

Indiana

SMART IN-HOME MONITORING AND CONVENIENCE

We have all done it. “Did I lock the door when I left? What temperature is the thermostat set at? Did I leave the lights on?” Smart in-home monitor systems can help with all of that. They can provide the ability to double and triple-check and even adjust settings on the fly. If your grandchild wants to spend Christmas at the lake, bump up the thermostat before they get there. Smart in-home monitoring and convenience devices include wi-fi thermostats, robot vacuums, humidity sensors, smart lighting, noise monitoring, automatic curtains, and many more. If you have a need, there is most likely a device out there to help.

Board of Directors

GARY SHOUGH, President (District 1, Millgrove and Greenfield townships)

SAMUEL “GUS” REED, Secretary/Treasurer (District 2, Jamestown Township)

BILL SNYDER (District 3, Fremont and Clear Lake townships)

MIKE KURTZ (District 4, Jackson Township)

CARTER SNIDER (District 5, Pleasant Township)

NEASA KALME (District 6, Scott and York townships)

WAYNE GINGERICH (District 7, Salem Township)

LARRY JACK, Vice President (District 8, Steuben, Smithfield and Grant townships)

MARC NELSON

(District 9, Otsego, Richland and Franklin townships)

Disconnection Charges: Electric

DISCONNECT DATES ARE 2.5 WEEKS AFTER DUE DATE

Reconnection Charge: $50 (7:30 a.m.–4 p.m.)

Reconnection Charge: $200 (after 4 p.m.)

Deposit: $200

Returned check fee: $25

Disconnection Charges: Broadband

DISCONNECT DATES ARE THE 9TH OF EVERY MONTH

Reconnection Charge: $60

Returned check fee: $25

BREAKING DOWN THE TERMINOLOGY:

Why the different technologies and roads matter

The residents of Steuben County drive on all kinds of roads, from barely more than single-lane dirt roads to the four-lane I-69. Our county’s internet highways have received an upgrade, like some of our roads, over the years. These road types are similar to the different internet technologies available, ranging from dial-up to broadband fiber.

When I say “dial-up,” I am sure anyone around in the 1990s and early 2000s can hear that annoying tone ringing in their ears. Dial-up internet is where the internet started for many of us and expanded our world. Similar to how the dirt roads of Wild West wagon trains expanded the American frontier, dirt roads, and dial-up internet are now things of the past.

DSL technology is faster than dial-up but may not be able to keep up with the demand that some consumers have with their many devices. Local roads can be sufficient for some lowertraffic areas but can become slow and congested during hightraffic times.

Although cable and cellular data technology is faster and may have more bandwidth in areas than all the previous technologies, it is still subject to traffic congestion. Think of Friday afternoons in the summer and lines of traffic on U.S. 20 trying to go around The Mound or trying to turn onto U.S. 20 from a side road. This same traffic congestion can explain dropped calls and cellular internet service.

Some interstates and expressways can switch lanes from north to south or east to west depending on the traffic congestion direction. Fiber internet cannot switch lanes depending on where the consumer needs more bandwidth. Experts do not yet know the limits of fiber internet, and as technology advances, the speed and bandwidth will get better and better for generations to come.

An internet expressway is available in Steuben County, our fiber-optic broadband network. We are helping pave the way for our members and future generations to leave the dirt roads behind, giving them the option to have any devices and services that will improve their quality of life and not have to worry if their internet service is powerful enough.

Steuben County REMC wishes you a safe and happy Halloween!

calendar

Columbus Day: Oct. 14

Page Day application opens: Nov. 1

Operation Round Up Application Deadlines: Dec. 27

EFFICIENCY Tip

If you recently made or plan to make energy efficiency improvements to your home, you may be eligible for federal tax credits. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) of 2022 empowers homeowners to save money on energy efficiency improvements and upgrades. Homeowners can save up to $3,000 annually to lower the cost of efficiency upgrades by up to 30%. A few upgrades covered through the IRA include new exterior doors, windows, insulation, heating/cooling equipment and other major appliance s. If you completed an upgrade this year or you are considering on e, visit energystar.gov/federal-tax-credits to learn if you qualify for a tax credit.

SOURCE: ENERGY.GOV

Battery-powered VERSUS plug-in hybrid

The two types of electric vehicles offer flexibility for owners with different priorities

Electric vehicles continue to be a hot topic in the energy and environmental fields. However, throwing electric vehicles under one umbrella is not entirely accurate. Let’s look at the different types of electric vehicles available on the market.

BATTERY ELECTRIC VEHICLES

What most people mean when they say “electric vehicle” is a fully battery-powered EV or BEV (battery electric vehicle).

BEVs run exclusively on electricity from at least one or multiple large batteries. There is no internal combustion engine to convert gasoline into propulsion power, so there is no need for oil changes and zero tailpipe emissions.

Fueling a BEV is done by plugging a charging cord and connector into a port that looks similar to a car’s traditional gas cap. It is estimated that around 80 to 90%

of BEV charging is done at home although public charging stations have become readily accessible. Depending on the vehicle, a single charge could last anywhere from 100 to 300 miles.

PLUG-IN HYBRID ELECTRIC VEHICLES

One of the alternatives is a plugin hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV). These are similar to traditional hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) in that they run on gas and battery power, but PHEVs get their power from plug-in chargers like a BEV. Most can travel 20 to 35 miles purely on electricity and switch to a backup gas engine when the power runs out.

PHEVs can be charged at home and at public charging stations, which gives you a taste of EV life while still having the security of a tank full of gas for longer trips. The charging time is also much shorter because the battery is smaller — approximately 10 times smaller than

a BEV. In addition, PHEVs do a little bit of recharging while on the road, primarily via regenerative braking.

Although PHEVs fit a niche between BEVs and HEVs, they often cost at least $5,000 more because they have the components of gas engines and electric batteries.

Whether you’re just dipping your toe in the electric vehicle waters or ready to take the plunge, there are multiple options in the electric vehicle market. Find the BEV, HEV, or PHEV that is right for you.

Scott County

Scott County honors its pioneer past at the Scott County Heritage Center and Museum, located in the former Scott County Poor Farm. Established in the late 19th century, the poor farm provided shelter and care for those unable to support themselves because of economic hardship or disabilities before modern social welfare programs existed. Residents would harvest crops, tend gardens, manage household chores, and make or repair clothing and furniture.

GOT GOAT MILK?

Since 2005, the Jonas family has raised a herd of dairy goats on their farm in Scottsburg. This family of 10’s mission is to educate visitors about goats and goat milk’s many uses. At their farm store, Goat Milk Stuff, the Jonases sell soaps, lip balms, lotions, and more skin care products made from their goats’ extra milk. They also offer personalized recommendations on which goat milk products can help different skin types, like dry or oily skin, and skin conditions, like eczema or rosacea. Additionally, the Jonases offer a behind-the-scenes tour of their working dairy farm and an experience where visitors can meet and snuggle with the farm’s baby goats.

LAKE LIFE, HARDY STYLE

Hardy Lake — Indiana’s only state reservoir not created for flood control — maintains a stable water level yearround, which benefits its shoreline, fishing, and wildlife. Hardy Lake also features one of the Indiana Department of Natural Resource’s raptor centers. The Dwight R. Chamberlain Raptor Center cares for injured birds of prey and educates visitors about hawks, owls, falcons, and vultures. The Raptor Center’s name honors Dwight R. Chamberlain, a Scottsburg resident and conservationist known for his research on crows and ravens.

NATURE’S SWEET BLOOMS

Open July through October, Knobstone Flower Farm in Scottsburg has over 5 acres of sunflowers, 11 acres of wildflowers, a nature trail winding around the flower fields, and a 3-acre lake. Visitors can create custom bouquets at the farm’s You-Pick flower experience with blooms like zinnias and celosias. Knobstone Flower Farm also sells honey harvested from its bees, who collect nectar from the farm’s buckwheat cover crops. Throughout the year, the farm hosts events, including its recent Sunflower Music Festival with food trucks, live music performances, and yard games, like cornhole and croquet.

COUNTY FACTS

FOUNDED: 1820

NAMED FOR:

General Charles Scott, the governor of Kentucky from 1808 to 1812

POPULATION: 24,384

COUNTY SEAT: Scottsburg

INDIANA COUNTY NUMBER: 72

Scottsburg
Hardy Lake
Nicole Thomas is a freelance writer from Indianapolis.
Photo courtesy of Goat Milk Stuff
Photo courtesy of Scott County Visitors Commission
Photo courtesy of Knobstone Flower Farm

PRODUCT RECALLS

DEWALT BATTERY PUSH WALK-BEHIND MOWERS AND DEWALT BATTERY SELF-PROPELLED WALK-BEHIND MOWERS

If water gets into the DeWALT Battery Push walk-behind and selfpropelled mower’s handle support while the battery is installed, the mower can fail to shut off when the bail handle is released or start without a key, posing a laceration hazard to the user. The mowers were sold at The Home Depot, Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware, and various stores nationwide and online from January 2024 through July 2024. Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled mowers if they have gotten wet and contact DeWALT to receive a free repair at an authorized service center nearby. For more information, go to dewalt.com/push-mowers-recall or call 800-990-6421.

HALO 1000 PORTABLE POWER STATIONS

The lithium-ion batteries in the HALO 1000 Portable Power Station can overheat, posing fire and burn hazards that can lead to serious injury or death. The units were sold through ZAGG, ACG, and QVC from October 2021 through March 2022. Consumers should immediately stop using the portable power stations and contact the HALO Recall hotline for a free replacement portable power station. For more information, call 888-345-0481, email at halo5528@sedgwick.com, or go to halo1000recall.expertinquiry.com/.

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A hauntingly

GATHER YOUR GHASTLY GHOULS FOR A WEEK-LONG CELEBRATION OF ALL THINGS HALLOWEEN IN HISTORIC IRVINGTON

If you’re a Halloween fanatic, there’s only one spot to be this fall — the 78th Annual Historic Irvington Halloween Festival. A community-wide celebration of all things spooky, Irvington located about 15 minutes east of downtown Indianapolis, welcomes all to enjoy their shared affection for the haunting season. Kicking off on Oct. 19 with the Masquerade Ball, guests 21 and older will enjoy hors d’oeuvres, drinks, and intrigue.

Be bewitched at the Spooky Organ Concert on Oct. 20, purchase original art on Oct. 21, and try keeping your eyes open during the Horror Shorts Movie Night, presented by Heartland Film and Playground Productions on Oct. 22. If horror isn’t your genre, the Family Movie Night on the 23rd may be your ticket. Continue your patronage of the arts on the 24th and listen to a special reading of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and tales from local writers. Dress up and tour Irvington’s spine-chillingly decorated neighborhoods on Friday’s Zombie Bike Ride.

Saturday’s Vampire Run begins at 9:30 a.m., and the street fair opens at 10 a.m. Arrive early to register your canine or yourself in the festival’s costume contests. Kids 12 and under can get their mid-day wiggles out in the free Little Bat Dash at 11:30 a.m. Do your best Monster Mash with the kids at the family stage and jam out at the main stage as the battle of the bands rocks out. Shop for Halloween decor and handmade goods, and enjoy delicious food from vendors offering burgers, vegan fare, and sweet treats. Don’t miss the beer garden’s eight breweries and cidery or the family zone, home of the family stage, and pumpkin carving contest. The festival parade departs from Washington Street at 4:30 p.m., featuring witches, goblins, superheroes, princesses, and more of all ages in a final celebration of the spookiest festival of all.

Natalie Derrickson is a freelance writer from Indianapolis.

Photos courtesy of Historic Irvington Halloween Festival

FOR MASQUERADE BALL TICKETS, CONTEST AND RUN REGISTRATION, AND EVENT MAP AND TIMES, VISIT

safety THE UNIQUE ASPECTS OF electric vehicle safety

Electric vehicles (EVs) are gaining traction in the United States. If you drive an EV or are considering buying one, there are unique safety items to know.

“There are some important differences to keep in mind if you drive an EV instead of a gaspowered vehicle,” said Jon Elkins, vice president for safety, training, and compliance for Indiana Electric Cooperatives. “While EVs can be good investments for drivers, it’s important for owners to stay up to date on unique safety precautions related to these vehicles.”

OVERALL EV SAFETY

First, it can be helpful to remember that EVs seem to hold up well in simulated crashes. According to CBS News, tests done by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) showed that EVs are durable because their batteries make them heavier, offering better protection to those sitting inside.

You might be wondering about the fire safety risk of the lithium-ion batteries associated with EVs. While there are fewer EV fires than internal combustion engine fires, EV fires can pose unique challenges.

According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), damaged or defective lithium-ion batteries can enter a state called thermal runaway. That means the battery cells begin heating up uncontrollably, spreading from one battery cell to another and leading to

a fire. In addition, these batteries can release toxic and flammable gasses that could lead to an explosion.

AFTER AN ACCIDENT

What should you do if you’re in an accident, see smoke, flames, or smell burning coming from your EV? Here are some actions to take according to the NFPA:

• First, pull over as soon as you can safely and move to a safe location off the road.

• Once you are stopped, turn off the engine and get everyone out of the car. Do not return to the burning car for anything.

• Get everyone at least 100 feet from the burning car and well away from traffic. If you can, go where the wind blows away from the vehicle.

• Call 911 or your local emergency number and tell them there is an EV involved.

SAFE CHARGING

In addition to knowing what to do in an accident, here are some reminders from the NFPA about safely charging an EV at home:

• Remember that EVs have highvoltage batteries.

• Battery maintenance needs to be performed by the manufacturer.

• Do not touch the orange highvoltage cables.

Chris Adam is a freelance writer from Lafayette.

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Rise AND shine

Start your morning off right with a hearty breakfast

FRENCH TOAST CASSEROLE

Angela Rouch, Peru

3, 8-oz French baguettes

8 oz cream cheese

2 tsp vanilla, divided

2 cups powdered sugar

2 cups fresh blueberries

6 eggs

2 cups milk

¾ cup sugar, divided

1½ tsp ground cinnamon

Grease a 3-quart baking dish. Cut each baguette into 1-inch slices, cutting to but not through the bottom of the loaf. For filling, in a medium bowl, beat cream cheese and 1 teaspoon of vanilla until smooth. Beat in the powdered sugar until combined. Fold in the blueberries. Arrange the baguettes side by side in the prepared dish. Spoon the filling between the baguette slices.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, 1/2 cup sugar, remaining 1 teaspoon of vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Pour over the bread. Cover and chill overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Uncover the dish. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 1/4 cup sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle over the bread. Bake, uncovered, 45 minutes or until the egg mixture is set, covering with foil the last 15 minutes, if necessary, to prevent overbrowning. Remove and let cool slightly.

BISCUITS AND GRAVY CASSEROLE

Marilles Mauer, Greensburg

1 lb pork sausage

¼ tsp crushed red pepper

¼ cup butter

¼ cup flour

2 cups milk

½ tsp salt

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp pepper

1 can of grand biscuits (8 count)

6 large eggs

¼ cup heavy cream

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Grease a 13x9 pan. In a skillet, brown the sausage. Add the crushed red pepper in the last few minutes of cooking. Once brown, set aside. In a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for several minutes, whisking constantly until the mixture turns golden brown. Slowly whisk in the milk, salt, onion powder, and pepper. Continue to whisk until the gravy thickens. Add ½ cup of the cooked sausage and stir to combine.

Cut the biscuits into quarters and scatter them in a single layer in the greased pan. Top with the browned sausage and sprinkle with 1 cup of cheese. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with heavy cream until well combined. Pour the egg mixture over the cheese. Pour gravy over the egg mixture and cover with the remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake uncovered for 30-35 minutes until lightly browned and eggs are set.

TAILGATE BREAKFAST SLIDERS

1 package slider buns

8 eggs

¼ cup milk

2 tbsp sliced chives

Kosher salt

Freshly ground

black pepper

10 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided

3 tbsp butter, divided

1 tsp maple syrup

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Slice the slider buns in half lengthwise. On the bottom layer of the slider buns, sprinkle 2 cups of cheddar cheese. In a large bowl, beat the eggs with milk and chives. Season with salt and pepper. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of butter. Cook eggs to desired consistency. Place the eggs and crumbled bacon on the bottom layer of the sliders. Top with the remaining 2 cups of cheese. Cover with the slider tops. In a small bowl, mix the butter with the maple syrup. Brush on top of the sliders. Bake for 10-15 minutes until cheese is melted and slider tops are golden. Makes 12 sliders.

A haunted Hoosier ROAD TRIP

Whether a fan of spooky legends or terrifying tales, this tour of some of Indiana’s haunted places has something for everyone

Avon Haunted Bridge
Photo courtesy of Visit Hendricks County

Are you a fan of fright and haunted places? Do you like to check out locations with spine-tingling tales?

If so, you don’t need to travel far. Indiana is home to many spooky locations with terrifying tales of their histories. Some of these places may be right in your backyard. This road trip features slightly scary to truly frightening places and legends across Indiana, from Fort Wayne to Evansville, with stops in between. Along the way, you can discover mansions, cemeteries, and other locations with sometimes ghastly folklore. Let’s go!

STOP 1: THE BELL MANSION, FORT WAYNE

Want to explore the unexplained? Then, visit the Bell Mansion in Fort Wayne.

It’s just one of many spooky mansions in Indiana. The Bell Mansion was a funeral home for over 90 years, where between 400,000 and 500,000 bodies were embalmed.

Paranormal tours and other events help maintain the 14,000-square-foot, 131-year-old mansion. People who work in or have visited the mansion have experienced everything from fullbody apparitions to footsteps with no one else in the building, music playing with no radio, lights being turned on, doors shutting on their own, and disembodied voices. The team at Bell Mansion has been told their spirits are super friendly and tricksters. Multiple paranormal teams who don’t know each other tell similar stories or have similar experiences.

The Bell Mansion offers ghost tours, and the historic event center can also be used for weddings and parties. Many volunteers work together to preserve it.

STOP 2: AVON HAUNTED BRIDGE, AVON

It’s time to make a stop at an Indiana bridge that’s said to be haunted. There are several legends about why ghosts could occupy the Avon Haunted Bridge.

According to Visit Indiana, one story that has circulated for years is that of a drunken rail worker who slipped during construction and was buried alive in the wet cement. The tale is that when a train goes over the bridge, people claim to still hear his moaning. Another story about the bridge is that a young mother was walking the tracks to take her sick baby to the doctor. She slipped and fell from the bridge, killing both her and her baby. At night, the sounds of the mother screaming for her infant can be heard. The last common legend is of four workers falling to their deaths into White Lick Creek. People claim to still hear thuds and splashes in the creek.

STOP 3: INDIANA STATE SANATORIUM, ROCKVILLE

The Indiana State Sanatorium in Rockville has been called the Midwest’s premier location for paranormal investigation and urban exploration.

continued on page 22

Indiana State Sanatorium
Photo courtesy of Ady Gaddis

continued from page 21

The Sanatorium was the state’s main tuberculosis hospital from 1908 to 1968. In 1976, it re-opened as a health care center. The site was a nursing home and private mental hospital until 2011, when it suddenly closed, leaving behind hundreds of beds and hospital equipment.

Today, the Sanatorium includes the historic tuberculosis hospital, nursing home, mental hospital and supporting buildings, with thousands of feet of steam tunnels.

If you want to explore this location for yourself, there are tours and paranormal investigation opportunities. You can also book the Sanatorium for special events.

STOP 4: EDNA COLLINS COVERED BRIDGE, PUTNAM COUNTY

The next stop on our road trip is another bridge — the Edna Collins Covered Bridge. According to Putnam County Historian Larry Tippin, this is the county’s shortest and most recently constructed covered bridge. Here’s the story, according to Tippin:

Some have claimed the bridge is haunted, either by Edna Collins or another young girl who was said to

have drowned in Little Walnut Creek below the bridge. Folklore suggests that this little girl’s parents would drop her off to swim at the bridge and run errands. Upon returning, they would honk their horn three times, and the child, accompanied by the family dog, would come to the parents’ car. One day, the parents returned to the bridge and honked. The family dog came running, but the child did not, and the parents found her drowned in shallow water.

Indiana State Sanatorium
Photo courtesy of Ady Gaddis
Edna Collins Bridge
Photo courtesy of Putnam County

Some stories add that the mother of the drowned child was so distraught she hung herself on the steps of a nearby church. The legend includes the warning that if a person parks by the bridge and honks three times, handprints will appear on the car windows.

Tippin adds that this legend appears to be based on factual events, but not at the Edna Collins Covered Bridge and not with the people noted.

STOP 5:

100 STEPS CEMETERY, CLAY COUNTY

Is the most haunted cemetery in Indiana near Brazil? Some say so.

The next stop on the haunted road trip is a cemetery in Clay County, known by a few names. Whether you call it the 100 Steps Cemetery, Carpenter Cemetery, or Cloverland Cemetery, it’s a magnet for folklore enthusiasts and ghost hunters.

According to Author Chris Flook, the cemetery was established during the American Civil War and is still active.

Visitors must ascend 100 steps to reach the summit.

According to Flook, a couple of ghostly legends surround this cemetery. The first is that at midnight, under a moonless sky, visitors should count 100 total steps when they reach the summit. Then, they should walk back down and count again — they might count a different number (perhaps caused by a supernatural sleight-of-hand).

The second legend is much spookier. In this one, the visitor looks down the hill from the summit and sees a caretaker who will reveal how the visitor will die. The vision was wrong if the visitor counted the same number of steps while going back down. If there is a different number, the visitor will die in the manner revealed by the phantom caretaker.

Here are two other notes about this haunted location: the cemetery was attacked by at least one body snatcher in 1892, and it’s only open from sunrise to sunset.

STOP 6:

THE BENJAMIN SCHENCK MANSION, VEVAY

This road trip includes another haunted mansion — this time in southern Indiana.

The Benjamin Schenck Mansion in Vevay is said to be one of the most haunted places in all of Indiana.

continued on page 24

100-steps cemetery
Photo courtesy of Chris Flook
The Benjamin Schenck Mansion

According to legend, the Schenck Mansion was built on the ruins of an older structure lost in a fire that consumed it and a couple trapped inside. There have also been stories about guests at the Schenck Mansion feeling the presence of “non-living guests” and single men being woken up by ghostly kisses. There have also been reports of flickering lights and unsourced sounds.

The Schenck Mansion was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2022. In 2020, it was sold to tattoo artist and television personality Kat Von D.

STOP 7: WILLARD LIBRARY, EVANSVILLE

You may have heard about the Willard Library, as it’s gained a lot of attention from ghost hunters.

Willard Library in Evansville was built as a tribute by Willard Carpenter, who never saw its completion due to his death in 1883. Opened in 1885, the gothic-revival library was left to the Board of Trustees, bypassing his family. His daughter, Louise, unsuccessfully sued for property rights and later moved to New England, where she died in 1908.

In 1937, the first sighting of the Grey Lady Ghost occurred in the library’s basement. continued from page 23

Wayne
Vevay
Evansville
Clay County
Rockville
Avon
Putnam County

A maintenance man saw a young woman in a Victorian-era dress disappear while stocking the furnace with coal. The Grey Lady Ghost has since made her presence known through the scent of perfume, distant crying, and books falling off shelves. Several sightings have also been captured on the library’s 24/7 ghost cams, which were installed in the early 2000s.

These haunted road trip stops are just the tip of the iceberg regarding scary places in Indiana. There are hundreds of locations across the state that have the potential to give you a fright. The opportunity to experience paranormal activity could be closer than you think.

Willard Library
Photo courtesy of Willard Library

GRAB A FORK AND BUCKLE UP

The Hoosier Pie Trail offers endless varieties for every kind of pie connoisseur

For fans of flaky crusts and an abundance of filling across Indiana, the Hoosier Pie Trail beckons. Indiana Foodways Alliance, a statewide non-profit organization dedicated to the celebration, promotion, and preservation of the authentic food culture of Indiana, has compiled a list of 36 stops throughout the state.

What’s your pleasure? Crispy, nutty, fruity, or velvety smooth? Seasonal, traditional, historical? The list includes diners, restaurants, candy stores, and even a brewery offering anything your palate might desire. Below, we highlight three stops that might tempt your appetite for travel and gastronomic adventure.

MRS. WICK’S RESTAURANT & PIE SHOP

100 Cherry St., Winchester wickspies.com | 765-584-7437

With 1940s beginnings as humble as the sugar cream pie believed to have been brought to the state in the mid-1800s by the Shaker community, Mrs. Wick’s Restaurant & Pie Shop has turned Indiana’s sweet trademark into a culinary empire, staking its claim as “the largest sugar cream pie manufacturer in the world.”

Still a Wickersham family enterprise with a restaurant and retail outlet at their full-service bakery on Cherry Street, Wick’s Pies include chicken, turkey, and beef, and dozens of dessert pies diners may eat in or have shipped. Just a sampling includes all the standards you would expect,

DAS DUTCHMAN ESSENHAUS

240 U.S. 20, Middlebury essenhaus.com | 574-825-9471

Opened in 1971 by Bob and Sue Miller as an Amish-style restaurant, Das Dutchman Essenhaus has grown to include an inn, conference center, and a bakery that landed the business on the Hoosier Pie Trail. In addition to pastries, bread, cookies, cakes, and muffins, the establishment’s pie menu offers about three dozen seasonal selections and several sugar-free options. The list includes shoofly, praline pecan cream, chocolate peanut butter banana, butterscotch, and their top two bestsellers, red raspberry cream and Dutch apple.

STORIE’S RESTAURANT

109 E. Main St., Greensburg facebook.com/storiesrestaurant | 812-663-9948

In the small town made famous for the tree growing from the top of its courthouse tower, Tony and Gega Sharp purchased Storie’s Restaurant in 2021, complete with the family recipes served there since its opening by the Storie family in 1977.

On the menu is the tale of the “tower tree,” as well as Storie’s comfort food staples, like its tenderloin sandwich, homemade meatloaf, and fried chicken. The restaurant’s dessert menu consists of an assortment of pies, including the traditional sugar cream and Reese’s pie, with an Oreo cookie crust, peanut butter, and melted chocolate topping. Whether fruit, cream, baked, or meringue, all the pies are made fresh in-store, sold whole or by the slice. About 150 pies are sold per week, with Sunday’s leftovers sold at

Veni Fields is a journalist and freelance writer from Virginia Beach.

To see all the Hoosier Pie Trail stops and to plan other culinary adventures with Indiana Foodways Alliances’ 20 other food trails, go to indianafoodways.com/trails.

Wabash Valley Power news

THE

power

OF

partnership

Our recipe for affordable, reliable electricity

Wabash Valley Power Alliance is a not-for-profit electric cooperative that provides wholesale power to 23 electric distribution cooperatives. That makes us a co-op of co-ops! Our strong partnership with our member co-ops across Indiana, Illinois, and Missouri is how we deliver great rates.

AN ELECTRIFYING JOURNEY

How does the partnership work? Imagine electricity as a traveler on a long road trip to reach your home or business. It starts at WVPA, where electricity is generated or purchased. WVPA is like a big power factory, using different energy sources — natural gas, coal, wind, sunlight, and nuclear energy — to create electricity.

ENTERING YOUR COMMUNITY

Before electricity enters your home or business, the “pressure” needs to be lowered so it makes a pitstop at a substation. Here, the electricity transforms from high voltage to low voltage. From there, your local distribution cooperative manages the electricity’s journey through smaller power lines to ensure it reaches every destination.

ON THE ROAD

Once created, electricity needs to travel to you through unique paths. These are the high-voltage transmission lines, big towers, and cables you see stretching across the land. They act like highways for electricity, carrying it over long distances.

THE FINAL LEG

Now, at the right “pressure,” the electricity travels on smaller power lines to your neighborhood. These lines are like the local streets and roads that lead directly to your home, business, school, or farm. After one final transformation, the “pressure” is at the perfect level. From the morning’s brewing coffeemaker to your home-cooked family dinner, this electricity powers you and your family through your day, every day.

Steuben County REMC news

Steuben County REMC news

Steuben County REMC Broadband is two years old! We installed our first broadband member on Oct. 11, 2022. TODAY WE HAVE:

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4,350 DEPLOYMENT

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Let us know what you think about Steuben County REMC. ACCOUNT NUMBER*

TESTIMONIAL* FIRST AND LAST NAME ON ACCOUNT* SERVICE ADDRESS*

Information above must be included to be entered to win a one-month Silver plan for FREE. By being entered into the drawing you are giving Steuben County REMC permission to use your testimonial in advertising. Please note that your last initial could be published. Your full last name is for verification purposes only. Cut this form out and mail to the Steuben REMC office or drop it off. You can also scan the QR code to the left to enter online. Two entrants will win.

THE COLOR OF

My wife and I are country people, and for four or five months of the year, we watch as a lush green curtain is gradually pulled around us. It is a welcomed thing after we have outlasted the brown and muddy months of winter. Still, with deep woodlands behind us to the east and endless fields stretching toward the western horizon, we eventually look out every window in our house into a sea of green. In the hottest summer months, we feel nearly smothered by our own trees.

That is until late August and early September. By then, we begin to notice a thinning, a sense that the green is giving way to a new palette. First, in the skinny and reddened fingers of creepers and ivies that have spent all summer conquering fence posts and power poles alike, and then in the haggard yellowing leaves of the soybeans that often go to bronze in a matter of a few days. The opportunistic roadside sumacs seem to follow soon after.

By late in the ninth month, there are hints that we have reached a point of no return, that in a fevered rush, those once vigorous trees, juicy corn stalks, and ravenous and

spreading roadside weeds have entered into a race of sorts as they pull off a quick change and then drop into a ground carpet of rich decay. Their mingled scents, the bluer, clearer skies of October, and the almost-welcomed bite of first frosts and early sunsets and brown rattle usher in, then out, the colors of fall.

The two of us make the time in mid-October to take a special walk, one that has become a tradition. Together, we tramp along a rocky, shallow branch that gurgles out of the hills of her parents’ small farm, and from there, we climb to the top of a beautiful wooded ridge, always under the shade of poplars and beeches, each year noting that it takes just a bit longer for us to reach the top. It is a favorite day, for if we choose it well, the colors of fall are peaking, and there is no better place to see them than in the woods where she spent a childhood, one that she would return to in a minute if she had the chance.

I once asked a quantitative forest ecologist why trees changed colors and why some years were better suited for it than others. He told me that foliage changes

color in a “complex bioclimaticphysiological system,” and he mentioned temperature anomalies and precipitation amounts and the trees’ production of certain chemicals, such as “anthocyanin and carotenoids.” Partially because I once took a course in botany and am interested in such things, I even understood much of what he said.

But if you are ever to ask me, as our young grandsons have as we’ve hiked along the creek’s banks or climbed those same steep hillsides under a glittering shower of maple orange and black cherry gold, I would say it is magic, that the leaves tire of their greenness and drop for reasons we are too small to fully understand. We should just breathe deeply, take it all in, and enjoy it together while we can.

Mike Lunsford is a freelance columnist, feature writer, and photographer, primarily for the Terre Haute Tribune-Star and Terre Haute Living magazine. The author of seven books lives in Parke County with his wife, Joanie. Contact Lunsford at hickory913@gmail.com.

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