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.

This time of year, you gotta have heart … sugary hearts and hearts of chocolate-covered candy goodness. Miles and miles and miles of heart, if you take the old musical about love and baseball to heart. Fortunately, Hoosiers have miles and miles and miles of chocolate makers and candy shops where they can find just… Continue reading.

By Richard G. Biever Though its seat is known as “City of Firsts,” Howard County was one of Indiana’s last counties. Howard and southern neighbor Tipton joined the state the same day, Jan. 15, 1844, as the 90th and 91st of the state’s 92 counties. Howard County’s wide rectangular shape filled in some of the… Continue reading.

If you feel a draft while you’re curled up on the sofa with a good book or your favorite TV show, don’t crank up the thermostat. Move the sofa. The chilliest places in your home during the winter are right next to the windows. So, move your furniture away from the windows. Here are six… Continue reading.

Your home office is a convenient place to work. Is it energy efficient, too?Computers, copiers, monitors, chargers and other office equipment can consume a lot of energy. Tune up your workspace with these five tips: Switch your computer off when you’re done for the day, so it doesn’t burn unused electricity overnight. In fact, any… Continue reading.

February can be hard on energy bills. But cold winter weather is no match for a home that is prepared to fight it. Address these five common winter culprits throughout your house: Drafty doors and windows. An easy fix with a big payback is weather-stripping. Caulk or apply weather-stripping around all window and door seams,… Continue reading.

Clean your clothes dryer’s lint trap every time you load the machine. A lint-free trap allows for better air circulation, which could mean your clothes will dry quicker. When it’s sunny outside, throw open the curtains, even in the winter. Let the sun help warm your room and add enough light that you won’t need… Continue reading.

Flickering lights: If an electrical circuit in your house is overloaded, it could cause the lights to dim or flicker. This usually happens when you have too many energy-intensive appliances or fixtures wired to the same circuit. For example, your lights might flicker when your washing machine is running — if the two are on… Continue reading.