Thursday, August 27th
Happy Thursday, Hoosiers. The state fair has come and gone, summer is winding down… where’d all the time go?
This Week in Indiana History: Michael Jackson Is Born (1958)
Two Indiana Communities to Receive Part of $1B Meta Campaign
Haliburton and Co. Play in Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic
Parts of Gary Still Without Power
IN the Parks, Canyonlands
What We’ve Learned Through Fall Camp for Purdue Football
Tour the Indiana Medical History Museum
Hidden Gems: Joseph Decuis, Two-EE’s Winery, and Wild Winds Buffalo Preserve
Indiana Events
4 Big wINs: Dwenger, Munster, Brownsburg and Warren Central Earn Big Week 1 Triumphs
Get IN. with Nate Spangle: How Inmate Handlers Train Service Dogs That Change Lives
This issue is 1,419 words, a 6-minute read.
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📜 This Week in Indiana History 📜
Michael Jackson Is Born (1958)
Today we celebrate one of the greatest music artists to ever live… Michael Jackson, who was born in Gary, Indiana this week in 1958. The talent he possessed was no secret, and he fronted the Jackson 5, a band featuring him and four of his brothers. When he was 11 years old, the band signed with Motown Records, receiving international fame in the process.
Michael eventually became a solo artist, and he sold over 500 million records (no, that’s not a typo). His album Thriller became the best selling album of all time, and his music continues to be listened to by millions of people worldwide.
A memorial for Michael Jackson in the front yard of the Gary, Indiana home he grew up in.
📰 Hoosier Headlines 📰
Two Indiana Communities to Receive Part of $1B Meta Campaign
What are the economic benefits from data centers? Learn more, plus find out which two Indiana communities are set to receive part of a $1 billion Meta campaign. (FPI News)
Haliburton and Co. Play in Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic
Local celebrities, athletes, the whole nine yards. Earlier this week, Pacers point guard Tyrese Haliburton captained the Pacers Foundation Charity Softball Classic presented by Gainbridge at Victory Field in Indianapolis. The game raised well north of six figures for the Pacers Foundation.
Parts of Gary Still Without Power
Our friends in the Region aren’t out of the woods just yet, as the largest power outage in the history of NIPSCO is affecting Hoosiers. (FPI News)
Photo by Linda Barnes-Caldwell
IN the Parks, Canyonlands
IN the Parks host Allison Martin recently visited Utah’s Mighty 5 national parks, and this time she’s taking us on her journey through Canyonlands near Moab. Learn about the trails to hit, where to play it safe, and more. (Get Indiana)
What We’ve Learned Through Fall Camp for Purdue Football
There is no quarterback controversy in West Lafayette with Ryan Browne slinging the pigskin, but other positions are up for grabs. (Get Indiana)
Tour the Indiana Medical History Museum
Found on the historic grounds of the former Central State Hospital in Indianapolis, the Indiana Medical History Museum offers a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the past. This unique museum is located inside the Old Pathology Building, which is the oldest surviving pathology facility in the country. (Get Indiana)
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Joseph Decuis and Two EE’s Winery
If you like farm-to-table meals and wagyu, Joseph Decuis in Roanoke, Indiana is the place to be. And while you’re in the area, don’t skip out on Two EE’s Winery in Huntington.
Wild Winds Buffalo Preserve
Looking for a unique wildlife experience in Indiana? Head to Wild Winds Buffalo Preserve near Fremont in Steuben County. (Get Indiana)
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Events This Week in Indiana
Josh Mandel – Helium Comedy Club in Indianapolis – Thursday–Saturday, Aug. 27–29 - 23-year-old comedian Josh Mandl makes his way to Indiana. His videos have amassed over 1.5 million views on Instagram in just a couple of weeks. Tickets
Southern Indiana Blues Festival – Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground in Morgantown – Thursday–Saturday, Aug. 27–29 - Three days of Americana and blues with headliners including John Primer, The Devon Allman Project, and King Bee & The Stingers at Bean Blossom's iconic music park. Details
51st Annual Frog Follies Rod Run – Vanderburgh 4-H Center in Evansville – Friday–Sunday, Aug. 28–30 - The largest independent pre-1949 street rod show in the nation returns to southwest Indiana with 3,000+ rods, food, games, awards, and a rod parade. Spectator admission $10. Details
Kiwanis Indiana Balloon Fest – West Boggs Park near Bloomington – Friday–Saturday, Aug. 28–29 - Hot air balloon launches, special-shape balloons, Night Glow, fireworks, food vendors, and family entertainment at scenic West Boggs Park in southern Indiana. Details
Taste of the Arts Festival – Arts Campus Fort Wayne (Downtown Fort Wayne) – Saturday, Aug. 29 from 11 a.m.–5 p.m. - Free festival presented by Arts United and 3Rivers Credit Union featuring 70+ music, dance, and theatre performers, artist market, and food vendors across downtown Fort Wayne's cultural district. Details
Kesha: The Freedom Tour – Ruoff Music Center in Noblesville – Sunday, Aug. 30 at 7 p.m. - Pop star Kesha brings her Freedom Tour to the amphitheater with a career-spanning set of "Tik Tok," "Praying," and new material from her independent era. Tickets
👏 4 Big wINs 👏
Week 1 of the Indiana high school football season is in the books, and while there were big wins across the state, we’ve circled four as statement victories.
In a rematch of last year’s 4A state championship game that saw Fort Wayne Bishop Dwenger defeat Roncalli 36-29, Dwenger again prevailed — this time in triple overtime — 15-14.
In the Region, Munster snapped a 10-game skid vs. Lake Central in a 37-35 nail-biter.
In the Indy metro, back-to-back 6A state champion Brownsburg extended its winning streak to 20 with a convincing 48-25 victory over Lawrence North. LN wideout Monshun Sales, a preseason favorite to win Indiana Mr. Football and IU commit, was held to two receptions for 12 yards.
And in another massive 6A matchup, Warren Central scored late to knock off Center Grove, 20-14.
Listen/watch Get IN. Sports’ Dom Miranda and Nate Spangle recap of Week 1 before they preview what’s to come in Week 2. (Get IN. Sports)
🎙 On today's show I sat down with Jillian Ashton, president and CEO of the Indiana Canine Assistant Network (ICAN), Indiana's only accredited service dog organization through Assistance Dogs International, during International Assistance Dog Week.
Ashton explains how ICAN trains service dogs to support children, adults, and veterans with mobility and psychiatric needs, and how dogs can serve as a social bridge in public. She details ICAN's unique model of training dogs primarily in Indiana correctional facilities, including two-week in-prison team training where inmate handlers transfer skills to clients. ICAN places about 20 dogs per year, with roughly a 50% graduation rate, and it costs about $30,000 to train a dog over two years; veterans receive dogs at no charge.
The episode also covers dog breeding, puppy development timelines, volunteer roles, and how to get involved via icandog.org.
If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.
You are going to learn about:
- The Indiana Canine Assistant Network
- ICAN Dog Training and Puppy Training
- How to Volunteer with ICAN
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