How would Indiana’s stadium deal with the Chicago Bears work?
by Niki Kelly, Indiana Capital Chronicle February 19, 2026 Indiana legislators added some details Thursday on their outline for how a Northwest Indiana Stadium Authority would partner with the Chicago Bears on a possible multi-billion dollar stadium project in Hammond. Here are questions and answers about the plan in Senate Bill 27: How much money…
Community fundraiser planned at Jasper McDonald’s to support Cora Hopf and Adeline Boyles families
Community members are invited to come together on Monday, February 23, from 5 to 7 p.m. for a special fundraiser at both Jasper McDonald’s locations to support Cora Hopf and Adeline Boyles and their families. Held in partnership with Jasper Wildcats Basketball, the event will feature student-athletes serving guests during the evening. The boy’s varsity…
Jasper Council approves resolution to expand Central TIF
The Jasper Common Council approved expanding the Central Tax Increment Finance District by a 4-3 vote at Wednesday’s regular meeting. The resolution establishes a new allocation area north of Home Depot within the existing Central TIF district, creating a mechanism to capture increased assessed value from future development on the approximately 90-acre property owned by…
Levi Clauss receives Rottet Scouting Award
The Edward J. Rottet Jr Memorial Scout Award, established in 1935, was presented on Scout Sunday, Feb 1, 2026, at the Jasper Knights of Columbus. More than 80 Scouts and adults attended, including Scout Troop 185. The local scout award is based upon outstanding character and achievement. This year’s recipient is Levi Clauss, a senior…
Huntingburg Park Board approves bid for pickleball courts, expanded parking
The Huntingburg Park Board unanimously approved a bid for an expanded pickleball court project that includes significant parking lot improvements, accepting the sole proposal submitted by Cal Car for $69,375. The project represents an upgrade from the original pickleball court-only proposal, which carried a price tag of $29,830. Council members opted for the alternate bid…
Memorial Medical Center Foundation establishes Ann Dall Hopf Memorial Nursing Education Endowment to honor lifelong legacy of care
The Memorial Medical Center Foundation established the Ann Dall Hopf Memorial Nursing Education Endowment Fund, created by Mike Hopf and family in loving memory of Ann Kathleen Hopf. This permanent endowment will support the professional development and education of nurses at Deaconess Memorial Medical Center and provide scholarships for local students pursuing careers in healthcare, continuing Ann’s legacy of compassion,…
Jasper Jaycees celebrate excellence at second annual awards ceremony
On Saturday, January 10, 2026, the Jasper Jaycees proudly hosted their second annual awards ceremony, recognizing the outstanding dedication, leadership, and community service of members throughout 2025. The evening was led by outgoing 2025 President, Madelyn Blaize, as volunteers who have gone above and beyond in service to both the organization and the community were…
Huntingburg, Dubois County outline projects with INDOT funding announcement
Huntingburg hopes to improve a major intersection as part of the recent Federal Highway Funding award announced Wednesday by the Indiana Department of Transportation. Huntingburg and Dubois County were among the 50 cities and towns that could receive federal transportation funding for local road and bridge improvements and sidewalk projects. Huntingburg plans on completely rebuilding…
15th Street sidewalk closing for Regional Wellness Center work
The Jasper Street Department will close the walking path along W. 15th Street between Emily Street and the entrance to the Parklands. This closure is to create a construction entrance for the Regional Wellness Center. This portion of the path will be closed this week Feb. 18, 2026 through Feb. 20, 2026, weather permitting. After the construction entrance…
Karly Barnett joins Indy 500 Festival Princesses
Huntingburg native Karly Barnett was named as one of the 2026 500 Festival princesses. Ms. Barnett is a graduate of Southridge High School and a senior at Indiana University Indianapolis, majoring in Biology and Psychology. Ms. Barnett stated the following on her Facebook page. I am so excited and incredibly honored to serve as a…
Jasper informs gas customers to expect price increase
The City of Jasper posted an update on the impact of the recent winter storm on gas prices for its customers. Recently, the US Energy Information Administration reported the largest natural gas withdrawal from storage ever recorded—360 billion cubic feet. That’s 89 percent higher than the five-year average for this time of year. The record…
Dove’s night out
Through support from Anthem BlueCross BlueShield, the Dubois County Dove Recovery House hosted a Galentine’s Day event last Friday evening at the Kerstiens Development/Premier Properties building. Traditionally, Galentine’s Day is observed the day before Valentine’s Day to celebrate women with a pampering experience. It’s a day of professional hair and makeup services, nail service, massages,…
That Arena Rock Show returns to Castle Knoll
Castle Knoll Amphitheater will close its 2026 concert season in thunderous fashion as That Arena Rock Show returns to the historic hillside in Paoli for the Season 3 Finale on Saturday, September 12, 2026. Known for delivering the full arena rock concert experience, the high-energy production recreates the sights, sounds, and electrifying atmosphere of classic rock’s golden…
Township merger plan could advance under compromise bill
by Tom Davies, Indiana Capital Chronicle February 17, 2026 Legislators might have coalesced around a plan for consolidating perhaps hundreds of Indiana’s 1,000+ township governments. An Indiana House committee on Tuesday endorsed a melding of differing Senate and House bills that supporters said will improve local government efficiency. The new version of Senate Bill 270…
Veteran Service Officer resigns as accounts discredit his military service
The Dubois County Veterans Service Officer, Kenneth Speedy Lefevre, resigned today in light of revelations of his concocted service-related injuries. Mr. Lefevre quit on the cusp of an executive session planned to discuss a county employee’s performance. Following the resignation, the commissioners cancelled the executive session scheduled for 9:45 a.m. Tuesday. We wrote about discrepancies…
Planned power outage on Tuesday to affect parts of Birdseye
Dubois REC will have a planned power outage south of Birdseye on Tuesday, February 17, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (approximately 4 hours). This outage is necessary to allow crews to relocate power lines for bridge construction work being performed by the State of Indiana.
Night to Shine 2026
More than 180 participants attended the Night to Shine at Redemption Christian Church on Friday evening. The special prom-like event for individuals with special needs crowns everyone as prom king and queen, then provides a limousine ride to a red-carpet entrance for a fun night featuring a catered meal, games, karaoke, dancing, and more. Here…
Road closure planned for State Road 56 in Orange County
The Indiana Department of Transportation announces a road closure for State Road 56 in Orange County beginning on or around Monday, February 23. Crews will close State Road 56 near French Lick. This closure will occur between Emerald Drive and New York Street. This road closure will allow for a box culvert replacement project. Work…
Opinion: Modern-day voter suppression — there are more ways than one to disenfranchise voters
by Linda Hanson, Indiana Capital Chronicle February 16, 2026 Voter turnout in Indiana has been problematic for years. It hit rock bottom in 2014. In 2022, we ranked 50th, and in 2024, we improved to 41st nationally – but still well below national averages for voter turnout. Our ranking for voter registration is consistently in…
Jasper Bowlers win state
The Jasper Bowling Team brought home a state championship Saturday, winning by a single pin knocked down by freshman Reid Wendholt.
CARES focusing on eighth-graders this school year
By Martha Rasche, Assistant CARE-ordinator This school year, Dubois County CARES is putting a big focus squarely on the county’s eighth-graders. This effort, dubbed You’ve Got This!, came about after CARES staff tracked student responses to the mental health questions on the 2025 and earlier Indiana Youth Surveys. The survey is taken by students in…
Authorities identify Baby Doe from decades old cold case
Friday, Dubois County Prosecutor Beth Schroeder provided an update on a 1987 Dubois County cold case in which criminal charges have been filed. After nearly four decades, investigators have identified the infant long known only as “Baby Doe,” found deceased at the Monastery Immaculate Conception in Ferdinand in 1987. Advances in DNA technology and investigative…
Rep. Lindauer honored by Indiana House for nine years of service
Members of the Indiana House of Representatives recently honored retiring State Rep. Shane Lindauer (R-Jasper) for his service representing House District 63. “Being trusted by my community to represent them at the Statehouse has been one of the greatest honors of my life,” Lindauer said. “Every decision I made in this role was grounded in…
Stolen valor and a retraction
Last September, I published a story on the Dubois County Veteran’s Service Officer (VSO) Kenneth Speedy Lefevre. Since then, information has come to my attention indicating that the details Mr. Lefevre shared about his service may be inaccurate. The following is an account of what occurred and what has come to light due to the…
UPDATED: Water main break affecting customers on Meridian Road and College Avenue in Jasper
UPDATE: The Jasper Municipal Water Department would like to announce that repairs have been completed on the water main break located at College Ave and Meridian Rd. If your water has discoloration, run the cold water tap for 15-20 minutes, or until it clears. A Boil Water Advisory is NOT in effect. There are no potential…
Candidates for Little Mister, Little Miss and Teen Miss Shamrock pageant
The Little Mister Shamrock, Little Miss Shamrock, and Teen Miss Shamrock pageant will be held on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, at 2 p.m. in the Ireland Elementary School gym. Here are this year’s contestants. Photos by Studio Expressions by Jessica. 2026 Little Miss and Little Mister Shamrock Contestants: Teen Miss Shamrock Contestants:
Huntingburg Council discusses new abandoned building ordinance, safe streets and AES concerns
A concerned resident brought new information to the Huntingburg City Council meeting on Tuesday. Dave Duncan told council members that documents from the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission show AES stated it would install a 340 megawatt-hour battery system. But Duncan says the company is installing a 515 megawatt-hour system — 175 megawatt-hours more than was…
AES answers Holland’s questions about Crossvine Solar
The Town of Holland and some concerned citizens sent a list of questions garnered from a recent council meeting regarding the Crossvine Solar Battery Energy Storage System. Here are the questions and AES’s answers.
As online child exploitation tips climb, Indiana governor calls for tougher controls on social media
by Casey Smith, Indiana Capital ChronicleFebruary 10, 2026 A sharp rise in online tips about child exploitation led to hundreds of arrests and dozens of rescues in Indiana last year, but state leaders warn that predators are becoming harder to track. Gov. Mike Braun said Tuesday he wants technology companies that design and profit from…
Polar Plunge set to make a splash this weekend
FERDINAND, Ind. — Brave souls across Dubois County will take the icy plunge this Sunday, February 15th, as the 2026 Dubois County Plunge returns to Ferdinand State Forest. The annual fundraising event, organized under the motto “We Aren’t Crazy, We ARE Lucky!”, invites participants to gather at 2:00 p.m. EST before taking the frigid dive…
Jasper Police Department welcomes new officers, retires K-9 Mac after seven-year career
The Jasper Police Department welcomed three new officers to its ranks in January while preparing to retire its veteran K-9 officer Mac after seven years of distinguished service. Austin Barkley, Alex Lawyer and Andrew “Bubba” Fleck joined the department. All three new officers began academy training in Evansville on January 19 and are scheduled to…
