When Candice Hinkle — then Layman — first asked if she could don the fuzzy black suit and oversized head of her high school’s mascot, she let more than one cat out of the bag. Her high school was Logansport. The mascot was Felix the Cat, the famous feline of film and funny pages —… Continue reading.

Back-to-school preparation means more than just toting a list of must-buy classroom items to the store or buying a new pair of jeans and some sneakers. Consider these health and nutrition issues before the first bell sounds. You are what you eat Packing lunch ensures that you control what fuels your child’s body. The National… Continue reading.

Bartholomew County celebrates its bicentennial this year. Parts of the county’s yearlong celebration will focus on looking forward to what’s next. But in celebrating the county, the story of county seat Columbus cannot be emphasized enough. For a city of its size, Columbus, population around 46,000, has a unique place in the nation for its… Continue reading.

Parents — take a few minutes to sit down with your child and go over this checklist to prepare him or her for a safe school year.  Be sure your child knows his/her phone number and address, has your work number and the number of another trusted adult and knows how to use 911 for… Continue reading.

Those who’ve lived in their homes for many years probably have boxes filled with forgotten treasures tucked away in seldom-visited nooks and crannies under the stairs, in the basement or in the attic. I know I have. So, for the past few months, I’ve devoted several hours each weekend to unearthing what’s inside my collection… Continue reading.

Nothing inspires giggles and glee in even the youngest kids as much as blowing soap bubbles. Though bubbles can be blown anywhere, it’s extra-fun to create them outside and watch them shimmer in the sunlight! It’s very easy to make your own bubble solution. Just mix 2 T. of dish soap with 1 cup of… Continue reading.

Born with a natural curiosity, children are always exploring, asking questions and trying new things to understand the world around them. Unfortunately, that curiosity can be dangerous — and even deadly — when it comes to electricity. Whether your kids are keeping cool inside or soaking up some vitamin D outside, they can always run… Continue reading.

School may be out for the summer but that doesn’t mean learning has to take a vacation. As a parent, you can teach your children how smart savings and money-management behaviors can help set them on the path to greater long-term financial security. No matter how old your kids are, there’s one basic premise: Live… Continue reading.

Stop nagging your kids to turn off the lights or TV or water when they’re finished with them. Instead, make them official officers in your energy-efficiency “police force.” Or soldiers in your “environmental army.” Or even kings and queens of the Land of Low Electricity Bills. If you want your kids to help you in… Continue reading.

Sleeping in, hanging out by the pool, and earning a little extra money are popular summertime activities for teenagers. Unfortunately, traffic accidents are also a common occurrence. Those at Indiana’s electric cooperatives remind parents to talk to their teens about safety hazards associated with driving. Parents should definitely discuss safe driving practices that are related… Continue reading.

By Richard G. Biever Danielle Long asked artist Bill Wolfe to hold her 1-year-old son as she stepped onto a riser in Wolfe’s studio. Then, she peered deep and long into the eyes and face of the sculpture Wolfe had conjured from clay. It was the face of her late husband, fallen Terre Haute police… Continue reading.

Mina Starsiak Hawk, the latter half of the dynamic mother-daughter duo of the HGTV show “Good Bones,” was enjoying a cup of coffee on a beautiful blue-sky morning in May near downtown Indianapolis. All around were the fruits of her labors. Down the street from the coffee shop, she could see four houses she and… Continue reading.