Hoosier musical artist John Mellencamp has achieved international fame for over 40 years punching out a unique brand of rootsy rock’n’roll. Mellencamp’s radio-station standards — like “Hurts So Good,” “Jack and Diane,” “Pink Houses,” “Small Town,” and “Rain on the Scarecrow” — have ranged from catchy Top 40 tunes about teenage romance and rebellion to… Continue reading.

Photos and story by Richard G. Biever Nate Heck works in the world’s greatest office space. But it’s not the cozy insulated and energized tree house in his backyard. Though editing video beneath a giant live oak limb that passes through definitely makes a unique and awesome studio. It’s not the New York City museums,… Continue reading.

Vigo County has been home to a celebrated array of people. But let’s meet three: a songsmith, a saint, and Holocaust survivor. Paul Dresser. Whenever Hoosiers sing about “the moonlight … along the Wabash,” they honor all Indiana homesteads. But really, that home gleaming with candlelight was that of Dresser, a Terre Haute native and… Continue reading.

A new coat of paint on your home’s interior walls can create lighter mood and a fresh, new look.   Choose a warm color in the red, orange or brown family to add drama to a room. Cool colors like blue, green and lavender are calming and soothing.   An energy-saving tip: Before you start… Continue reading.

Some older homes don’t have exhaust fans in the bathroom or kitchen. Others have old fans that are so noisy nobody ever turns them on. Adding or upgrading exhaust fans can make a home safer and more comfortable. An exhaust fan’s primary purpose is to remove moisture from the room. But they also remove bathroom… Continue reading.

You can do more than wear green to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day this year. You can “go” green — all through your home.  The best way to start is simply to waste less. Here are four ways to do that:  Save energy. Use the energy you need — wisely, so you don’t waste any. It’s… Continue reading.

The second Sunday in March will trigger Daylight Saving Time, when we “spring ahead” and set our clocks one hour later. That’s also the best day to change the batteries in smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors — even if the batteries aren’t dead. If you don’t have fire alarms and CO detectors, your family… Continue reading.

Play it safe around electricity when you’re outdoors this spring. Here are 10 tips: Keep power cords, tools and equipment away from water and wet areas while you’re using them and when you’re storing them. Before you climb a ladder or extend the handle of a tool, look up so you can clear overhead power… Continue reading.

Springtime is finally almost here! Put the upcoming mild temperatures to work for your energy bill. Here are 10 easy ways to save energy this spring: Hire a heating and air conditioning pro to check out your air conditioning system and window a/c units. Annual spring maintenance can keep your a/c running smoothly and catch… Continue reading.

Top 3 responsibilities in a day: Employee relations. I work with our employees to develop solutions to make sure we’re all providing the best service to our consumers. Employee training and development. I help make sure our team has the resources they need to meet their goals. Special projects. There is always something different that I’m… Continue reading.

In the hush across Indiana’s wintry hinterlands soon will come a tap, tap, tapping and a drip, drip, dripping as the days get longer and warmer. That’s the sound of spring a-coming. That’s the sound of maple syrup season.  As sap starts running up from the trunks of maple trees this time of year, Hoosiers… Continue reading.

Rural residents need little convincing there’s an animal overpopulation problem. Beyond the city and county shelters, they are the ones who often must deal with the unexpected and unwanted litters dumped along country roads in the night by irresponsible pet owners. “A good home in the country” is not what awaits most abandoned kittens and… Continue reading.