The deadline to enter the next contest (to illustrate the 2020 Cooperative Calendar) is March 22, 2019.

Willowy trees with their branches blowing in the breeze are a common theme running through artist Justin Vining’s work. A windswept tree even appears in his logo (above). In a way, it mimics the unpredictable twists and turns and forays back to his roots that his life has swayed. Vining grew up on a farm… Continue reading.

by Brian Christenberry Though Indiana’s electric cooperatives will not have any landmark legislation in play during the short 2018 Indiana General Assembly session now underway, co-ops will continue working to put legislative building blocks in place to bring high-speed broadband to the unserved areas of Indiana. Time is of the essence during the non-budget session… Continue reading.

The weather prognosticators at the trusty Farmers’ Almanac and the U.S. Energy Information Administration agree this winter is shaping up to be a doozy. But just because the snow may fly and the mercury may drop doesn’t mean we Hoosiers have to hibernate till spring. Indiana might not be positioned like Michigan, Wisconsin or Minnesota… Continue reading.

History repeats itself, the old adage contends. It’s certainly true in Gary Gerlach’s case. This month, the Pulaski County farmer will take over the presidential reins of Indiana Electric Cooperatives (IEC), the service association for Indiana’s member-owned electric utilities. He was elected to the post at IEC’s annual meeting Dec. 4, 2017. Gerlach, a director… Continue reading.

by Sen. Jim Merritt As a society, we are combating a disease that could cause us to lose an entire generation of Hoosiers. Since 1999, there has been a 500-percent increase of drug-overdose deaths in Indiana. Every year, more people die from drug overdoses than car accidents. The opioid epidemic impacts every household in our… Continue reading.

  Community service can mean many things — for instance, collecting various items for those in need, raising money for charities and causes, bringing joy to people hungry for personal interaction, and donating “sweat equity” to build homes for the less fortunate. This type of community service has no age requirements as this year’s Youth… Continue reading.

“Who’s got a beard that’s long and white?” Larry Schuler’s got a beard that’s long and white. “Who comes around on a special night?” Schuler comes around on a special night … (not to mention nights, days and weeks before then, too). “Who’s got boots and a suit of red?” Schuler’s got boots and a… Continue reading.

It’s difficult to imagine a colorful, crunchy candy cane ever resembling “hot earwax,” as Tai Kralis jokingly calls it. But that’s just the initial melt-down of sugar and water. Kralis, Noah Suitors and other McCord Candies employees eventually work their magic on hand-pulled candy canes, a tradition at the iconic downtown shop at 536 Main… Continue reading.

Sue Scamihorn’s husband, Mike, says she must not have had enough toys when she was a child. Every day, she’s surrounding herself with a menagerie of playful little critters she sculpts with her own hands from stoneware. Most often, they come with a trademarked “overdeveloped sense of whimsy” — which is how a judge on… Continue reading.

  One of the best compliments longtime clay artist Sue Scamihorn said she’s ever received came when she was applying for Indiana Artisan, the juried branding program that recognizes and promotes the state’s exceptional art, crafts and foods. Reviewing her work, one of the judges wrote, “She has an overdeveloped sense of whimsy.” “I always… Continue reading.

Shortly after opening a taproom in downtown Wabash last March, Chapman’s Brewing Company shed a totally different light on “light beer.” And it had nothing to do with quaffing fewer calories. Tapping into Wabash’s claim as “the world’s first electrically lighted city,” the town’s newest beer hall sponsored “Pints for Power.” Thirty-one percent of its proceeds… Continue reading.