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Letter to the editor: A misguided attack on Indiana’s public libraries

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1 year ago

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Letter to the editor: A misguided attack on Indiana’s public libraries


Lafayette Journal & Courier

I am writing to strongly oppose Indiana Senate Bill 283, introduced by Sen. Gary Byrne (District 47), which proposes stripping public libraries of their autonomy by transferring their governance and operations to county governments. This bill is a direct threat to the stability and effectiveness of library services that Hoosiers depend on daily.

Public libraries are not mere book warehouses; they are critical providers of tailored services such as early literacy programs, technology access, local education initiatives, and rural Internet connection. Centralizing control under county governments will stifle this responsiveness, replacing effective local governance with bureaucratic inefficiency.

The proposed timeline is absurd. Expecting counties to take over library assets, liabilities and operations by mid-2025 will cause chaos, disrupt vital services and saddle counties with massive transition costs and responsibilities they are ill-equipped to handle. The financial and logistical fallout will far outweigh any imagined benefit.

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Indiana’s public libraries thrive because they operate independently, grounded in the needs of their communities. Senate Bill 283 dismisses this proven model in favor of a reckless, ill-conceived overhaul that serves no one.

I urge lawmakers to reject this harmful legislation and protect one of Indiana’s most valuable public institutions.

— John D. Moore

Lafayette, Indiana



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Indiana

Chick-fil-A expansion brings play spaces for kids. Where they will be

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9 hours ago

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February 19, 2026

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Chick-fil-A expansion brings play spaces for kids. Where they will be


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There are good times to be had with upcoming Chick-fil-A store openings in Indiana, especially for kiddos.

A half-dozen new restaurants, like the one under construction in Beech Grove, will be offering inside play spaces, in addition to its sandwiches, waffle fries and lemonade, to draw families.

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“We’re super excited. It’s like the newest version of the play place,” said Kevin Brown, owner-operator of the Beech Grove store.  “At Chick-fil-A, we are super committed to families. It’s in our DNA. So we are building our new restaurants with kind of the latest and greatest kids’ play place.”

Featuring a slide, oversized graphics and places for the coat and shoes of youngsters, the glassed-in two-level play space at Brown’s restaurant will be among the largest of Chick-fil-A restaurants in the Indianapolis area.

“It’s kind of like that analog fun. You’re not going to find screens in there. You’re going to find kind of good old-fashioned just climbing and sliding; that sort of thing,” said Brown, a former U.S. military officer who is relocating from the downtown Indianapolis store at 10 E. Washington.

He’s targeting March for the opening of the free-standing unit with a two-lane drive-through operation.

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“The high school’s already reached out. They’re so excited, just like we are. They’re like, ‘Hey, how do we how do we create stronger bonds between the school and Chick-fil-A. Kids love Chick-fil-A, and we love kids; so the natural thing,” Brown said.

More Chick-Fil-A locations coming to Indiana

The Beech Grove store is among six locally-owned Chick-fil-A restaurants launching in Indiana in 2026, each with play areas unique to the locations.

A Kokomo store opened on Feb. 19. The Beech Grove store is targeting a March opening; a Franklin store is expected to open in the spring; and locations are planned for Bloomington, Plainfield and south Indianapolis later this year.

Chick-fil-A is exploring new prototype formats to better serve specific communities, with each restaurant designed to reflect its local neighborhood, the College Park, Georgia-based company said.

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The play spaces in select restaurants are part of a commitment to creating family-friendly environments where customers can spend meaningful time together, in addition to dining, it said.

“For many families across the region, Chick-fil-A is more than a place to grab a meal. As we continue to expand across Indiana, we are focused on creating restaurants that feel welcoming and intentionally designed for families,” Mandy Brantley, senior area director for the Midwest region, said in a written statement. “Including play spaces in each of our new metro Indianapolis restaurants reflects our commitment to investing in spaces where children can engage, families can connect and communities can build meaningful memories together.”

New owner-operator Meg Puello, mom to nine-year old Nolan and seven-year–old Ana Kate, is familiar with the concept, on a couple of levels.

Puello worked for Greenwood Chick-fil-A locations operated by her father before training to own her own store in Franklin. She’s anticipating a late March or early April opening.

“At Chick-fil-A, they’re always striving to figure out what families and what the communities are needing. So I’m really thankful to have a playground and to be able to have a place that kids can come and play,” she said. “There are lot of neighborhoods around us. There are a lot of families. And I personally took my children to Chick-fil-A playgrounds on more occasions than I can count.”

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“They love being able to spend time whenever we have the chance at our Chick-fil-A.”

Where is Chick-fil-A opening in Indiana in 2026?

The Indianapolis area currently has about 28 Chick-fil-A restaurants.

With each new restaurant, the company donates $25,000 to the Feeding America hunger relief organization for local efforts.

The additional six stores will add up to 600 new full- and part-time jobs.

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Indiana stores opening in 2026 include:

  • Kokomo: 1014 S. Reed Rd., opened February 2026
  • Beech Grove: 5151 E. Thompson Rd., projected opening March 
  • Franklin: 2430 N Morton, projected opening late mrch/early April
  • Bloomington: address and target date for opening to be announced
  • Plainfield: address and target date for opening to be announced
  • Indianapolis: address and target date for opening to be announced

Contact reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cjackson@usatodayco.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com:@cherylvjackson or Bluesky:@cherylvjackson.bsky.social.



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Indiana

Top 10 moments from Indiana's 2025 season: No. 7 | D'Angelo denies No. 9 Illinois

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21 hours ago

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February 19, 2026

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Top 10 moments from Indiana's 2025 season: No. 7 | D'Angelo denies No. 9 Illinois


Peegs.com is counting down the 10 greatest moments from Indiana’s 2025 season. At No. 7, we look back at D’Angelo Ponds’ blocked punt and touchdown against No. 9 Illinois which sent Memorial Stadium into a frenzy and kickstarted a 63-10 Hoosier blowout.



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Did it rain dirt last night in Indiana? Here’s what we know

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1 day ago

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February 18, 2026

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Did it rain dirt last night in Indiana? Here’s what we know


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Did you notice splotches of dirt on your car in Indiana this morning? Blame Kansas and Nebraska.

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A rare phenomenon combined with a gentle rainfall left a light coating of dust on many vehicles Feb. 18.

Windstorms in Great Plains states like Kansas and Nebraska kicked up dirt and dust on Feb. 17 and sent it into the atmosphere, explained National Weather Service meteorologist Casey Crosby based in Indianapolis.

These Great Plains regions storms are typical for this time of year when the wind really kicks up, Crosby said. The winds are so strong, they keep that dirt aloft and push it hundreds of miles east. Crosby estimated the dirt was about 5,000-10,000 feet in the air when it reached Indiana last night into early morning.

A light precipitation fell through the layer of dust and brought it down to the ground. The rain was too light to wash away the dirt it deposited on the vehicles.

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“It takes the right situation [for the dirt to stick],” Crosby said. “A strong storm with a heavy line of thunderstorms would have washed it away.”

Rainfall records show areas of Indiana north of Interstate 70 had the right conditions for the dirty rain. Social media posts depicting dirty vehicles come from as far north as the Chicago region.

Crosby, who has worked as a meteorologist in Indianapolis for about 15 years, said he’s only seen this happen a few times.

Indianapolis’s current weather radar

Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on Twitter @karlstartswithk or BlueSky @karlstartswithk.bsky.social

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IndyStar’s environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.





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