As your family puts up a tree or hangs the stockings this holiday season, start a new tradition. Put safety at the top of your list. Too often, the twinkling lights people see are on the top of a fire truck or ambulance — the result of holiday accidents that could have been prevented. According… Continue reading.

Heading “over the river and through the woods” this holiday season to visit Grandma and other relatives? It’s always a good idea when traveling in winter to “winterize” your car for unexpected problems. Make sure you have: A properly inflated spare tire, lug wrench and jack. A flat tire at any time and place is… Continue reading.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) statistics indicate that 30% of all home fires and 38% of home fire deaths occur during the months of December, January, and February. These winter fires result from a variety of sources. The United States Fire Administration reports fires caused by cooking, heating and open flame all increase during the… Continue reading.

Part of the excitement of the holidays is getting together with family and friends around a dinner table laden with a traditional holiday feast. Unfortunately, ill prepared foods can ruin more than holiday spirit — they can cause serious illness and even death. Here are some tips from the Center for Science in the Public… Continue reading.

By Emily Schilling Here’s the thing about being a writer in a deadline-oriented job: Sometimes your deadlines and your brain don’t see eye to eye. Words don’t always travel from the cortex to the fingertips and finally to the computer screen as quickly as I’d like. (Hello, writer’s block!) Sometimes I waste precious time staring… Continue reading.

COOKIE TIPS One cookie dough can make a variety of cookies. For example, after rolling and cutting out sugar cookies, top with sprinkles before baking. Bake others plain and, after baking, dip them halfway into melted chocolate and sprinkle with chopped walnuts. Or, frost the cookies with royal icing and add fancy flourishes to your… Continue reading.

Make a list of the recipes you plan to make, noting all the ingredients you’ll need and how much. Then translate that into packaging terms. Example:7 cups of butter = 14 sticks. Buy 4 packages.6 cups of sugar = 3 pounds. Buy a 5-pound bag.12 cups of flour. Each cup is about 4.5 ounces so… Continue reading.

By Joe Spear From solar power systems to electric vehicles, you may have noticed an increase in how often batteries and electric storage are discussed. Some homeowners may consider adding battery systems as a home backup power source.  Adding a home battery system is a major investment: possibly more than $10,000, and even higher if… Continue reading.

By Jack Spaulding I once asked an audience what group was responsible for the initial reintroduction of the Eastern Wild Turkey to Indiana. The answers ranged from the “National Wild Turkey Federation” to the “U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service” to the “Audubon Society” and even “The Boy Scouts.” No one came up with the right… Continue reading.

Q: Does the length of the sweet potato vine affect the yield? I have some 6 feet long. Should these be cut back to about 3 feet? — Allan McKinley, Borden A: Cutting back sweet potato vines is not generally recommended. Healthy vigorous vines generally should improve yield. Although overabundance of nitrogen can promote foliage… Continue reading.

Daviess County might be named for a Kentuckian, but it’s embraced, produced, perpetuated, and exported one of Indiana’s greatest crops: basketball — including bushel baskets of ballplayers. Washington High School ranks third in the list of most Indiana High School boys basketball state championships. It has seven, one behind Marion and Muncie Central, who are… Continue reading.

Keep your family safe during these joyful times by learning some basic holiday food preparation safety tips before you start cooking.  During the holidays, family and friends gather to celebrate. Usually, food is involved. But not all feasts turn out festive. The United States Fire Administration estimates more than 2,000 residential fires are reported each… Continue reading.