When I was in grade school in the early 1970s, our neighbors across the alley had a concrete basketball court in their back-yard. That square slab was a magnet for guys of every size — from high school to grade school — in each of their three sons’ sphere of friends. Between pickup games, a… Continue reading.

Loopholes riddle the federal tax code. We’ve all scratched our heads or groaned whenever we’ve heard or read about some of the capricious and crazy deductions allowed by the IRS. Most tax incentives, though, do seem to make sense, and most of us appreciate and take advantage of those we can — such as mortgage… Continue reading.

by Rep. Todd Young Federal issues impacting Indiana industries vary a great deal, from trade agreements, to patent reforms, to the tax code. Yet, problems with regulatory roadblocks aren’t unique. Operations big and small are forced to do more, with less, as a result of costly regulations coming out of Washington. In recent years, no… Continue reading.

If Good Intentions alone could generate electricity, we could shut down every power plant that emits even one molecule of carbon dioxide or one speck of ash. We could close the intakes on any hydroelectric dam that disrupts the frailest fry in the tiniest tributary. We could dismantle every wind turbine that brains a bird… Continue reading.

BY REP. SUSAN BROOKS When I started my tenure as senior vice president for workforce and economic development at Ivy Tech Community College in 2007, the energy renaissance that would transform our nation was just getting underway. Our manufacturing intensive state had just begun seeing the benefits of the hydraulic fracturing revolution that would unleash… Continue reading.

For 80 years, Indiana Electric Cooperatives has been faithfully serving electric cooperatives throughout the Hoosier state. Established in 1935, we were the first organization of its kind in the United States — and over time we’ve grown to serve more than 1.3 million people, families, farms, and businesses in 89 of the state’s 92 counties…. Continue reading.

Two years into the Great Depression, New York Gov. Franklin D. Roosevelt announced at the 1931 annual gathering of governors his intention to challenge President Herbert Hoover in the 1932 election. He also first outlined what would become his “New Deal” at this meeting which was held here in Indiana at the French Lick Springs… Continue reading.

A man is on his hands and knees combing the grass below the glow of a street light one night when a police officer happens by. “I’ve lost my car keys,” the man tells the officer. After a few minutes of helping in the search, the officer asks, “Where do you think you dropped them?”… Continue reading.

Southwest Airlines could have added $350 million to its bottom line, said Roy Spence, an Austin, Texas-based advertising whiz who came up with his client’s well-known “bags fly free” slogan. But that would have violated Southwest’s fundamental purpose — to make airfares more accessible to travelers. By staying true to its purpose, Southwest actually brought… Continue reading.

by Emma Metz Indiana’s Youth Leadership Council Representative (Note to readers: This is an edited version of the speech Emma Metz presented after being selected to represent Indiana on the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association’s Youth Leadership Council during last June’s Youth Tour.) “Here we mark the price of freedom” are the words etched on… Continue reading.

(Note to readers: This commentary was first published in the September 2011 issue of Electric Consumer.) Where the Ohio River flows along the southern toes of Indiana, the scenic countryside and the small towns make the bright lights of New York City seem a million miles away. Yet, whenever I visit my hometown of Tell City,… Continue reading.

When George William Norris was 10 and had spent a hard day working on his family’s farm in northwest Ohio, his mother called him over to help plant a tree. Both of them were glistening with sweat. “Mother, why do you work so hard?,” he asked. “You won’t even see this tree in fruition.” She… Continue reading.