Indiana
Indiana Dunes Tourism turns focus beyond the beach
Porter County tourism is in a good place in 2024. At its sixth State of Tourism event at Riley’s Railhouse in Chesterton Thursday afternoon Indiana Dunes Tourism staff spoke of focusing its efforts beyond the beach.
Indiana Dunes Tourism’s Interim CEO/President Christine Livingston told the crowd that Indiana Dunes National Park had 4.6 million visitors last year, compared to 3.2 million in 2018. Those who stopped by the Visitors Center more than doubled in that same time frame to 226,000 last year.
Livingston told the crowd that when the Indiana Dunes went from national lakeshore designation to a national park the visiting crowds “went from beachgoers to park goers.” And the positive thing about parkgoers is that they like to stay in the region a little longer and explore the surrounding offerings.
That’s good news for the county’s more than 500 businesses. “We take the responsibility of supporting local businesses very seriously and it drives everything that we do,” Livingston said.
She told the story of the 160-acre Broken Wagon Bison Farm at 563 W. 450 North in Hobart that blossomed from occasionally selling meat out of a meat locker in a garage to offering tours twice a week, and selling the meat from a new gift shop that has space for classes, all following guidance from the Indiana Dunes Tourism staff.
  John Smierciak/Post-Tribune
Wally Koeppen waits to close the field gate as his brother Bud drives out at the Broken Wagon Bison, a bison farm tucked away in Porter County on Wednesday, October 12, 2023. (John Smierciak/Post Tribune)
Such relationships, both with privately-held businesses, and Porter County’s other sister venues the Memorial Opera House, the Porter County Museum, Porter County Parks, and the Porter County Expo Center, are a focus.
Livingston gave another example of the special attention her staff gives to small businesses.
She said the owner of the Schoolhouse Shop in Chesterton is vocal in his appreciation. “He really credits the staff at the Visitors Center for taking time to explain how to get to his shop,” she said.
Partnerships with other natural destinations such as Shirley Heinze Land Trust, Gabis Arboretum and Kankakee Sands, and other tourism entities like the South Shore Convention & Visitors Bureau and the South Shore Line are also being nurtured, Livingston pointed out. After 20 years in its building the Visitors Center is also planning for a refresh.
An update on the Indigenous Cultural Trail, a joint effort between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma, the Pakagon Band of Potawatomi, the National Park Service, and Indiana Dunes Tourism, showed the new bridge over Dunes Creek. Trail signs that include Potawatomi and Miami translations are beginning to be installed and a 6-to-8-foot diameter limestone turtle by Chicago sculptor Roman Villareal is expected to be ready this year.
“We’re trying to get the biggest rock possible. I won’t know (the final size) until I get started,” said the artist, who has works at The Art Institute in Chicago.
“We were warned it was going to be so hard to do, no one was going to get along,” Livingston said of the Indigenous Trail partnership. “It’s been the complete opposite of that.”
And for those who loved Ranger Matt in his Dunes 101 Series several years ago educating hundreds of thousands of viewers on such topics as “What are the Indiana Dunes?” and “Where are the Dunes Beaches?,” the series will continue in 2024.
Indiana Dunes Tourism’s Production Director Dustin Ritchea told the crowd his staff has been working with elected officials to identify 120 locales that will appear in a new series of 11 videos.
“You have to remember, tourism is the first date of economic development,” he pointed out.
And then there’s good, old-fashioned Facetime. Indiana Dunes Tourism Partnership Coordinator Julie Brown said she’s still running “business blitzes” 10 years after joining the staff. Be it email, phone calls, or personal visits her job is to ensure business owners understand what Indiana Dunes Tourism offers from free listings to website and guide ads, coupons, display cases and sponsorship opportunities.
“They don’t really understand what Indiana Dunes Tourism can do, and is doing, for them,” she said. When the visit is over she’s corrected that.
Rob Albrecht-Mallinger of the Northwest Indiana Paddle Association was visibly raising his fists in cheers throughout the presentation. “Indiana Dunes Tourism is the people who have the vision of what this region is capable of,” he said when it was over.
“Sometimes the things are right in front of you and somebody has to show you, and Indiana Dunes Tourism does that.”
Shelley Jones is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
Video: Owen Freeman on why a postgame video clip is motivating Iowa
Owen Freeman discusses a variety of topics ahead of Iowa’s matchup with Indiana.
Iowa basketball is ready to hit the court again in Big Ten Conference play.
The Hawkeyes (11-4, 2-2 Big Ten) remain at Carver-Hawkeye Arena on Saturday for a men’s matchup against Indiana. Head coach Fran McCaffery’s group is hoping to carry its momentum from last outing’s overtime win over Nebraska, 97-87, on Tuesday.
Here’s how to watch Iowa men’s basketball vs Indiana, including time, TV schedule and streaming information:
Watch Iowa vs. Indiana men’s basketball on FUBO
What channel is Iowa vs Indiana on today?
TV channel: FOX
Livestream: FUBO (free trial)
Iowa vs Indiana will be broadcast nationally on FOX. Streaming options for the game include FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Can I watch Iowa vs Indiana for free on livestream?
The Iowa vs. Indiana game can be streamed on FUBO, which offers a free trial to new subscribers.
Iowa vs Indiana time today
- Date: Saturday, Jan. 1
- Start time: 7 p.m. CT
The Iowa vs Indiana game starts at 7 p.m. CT from Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City.
Iowa basketball schedule 2024-25
Record: 11-4 (2-2 Big Ten)
- Nov. 4: Texas A&M Commerce (W, 89-67)
- Nov. 7: Southern (W, 89-74)
- Nov. 12: South Dakota (W, 96-77)
- Nov. 15: Washington State (W, 76-66)
- Nov. 19: Rider University (W, 83-58)
- Nov. 22: Utah State (L, 77-69)
- Nov 26: USC Upstate (W, 110-77)
- Dec. 3: Northwestern (W, 80-79)
- Dec 7: @Michigan (L, 85-83)
- Dec. 12: Iowa State (L, 89-80)
- Dec. 15: University of New Orleans (W, 104-57)
- Dec. 21: University of Utah (W, 95-88)
- Dec. 30: University of New Hampshire (W, 112-70)
- Jan 3: at Wisconsin, (L, 116-85)
- Jan. 7: Nebraska, (W, 97-87)
- Jan. 11: Indiana, 7 p.m., FOX (Iowa City)*
- Jan. 14: at USC, 9:30 p.m., FS1 (Los Angeles, California)*
- Jan. 17: at UCLA, 8 p.m., FS1 (Los Angeles, California)*
- Jan 21: Minnesota, 8 p.m., BTN (Iowa City)*
- Jan. 24: Penn State, 8 p.m., FS1 (Iowa City)*
- Jan 27: at Ohio State, 7 p.m., FS1 (Columbus, Ohio)*
- Feb. 4: Purdue, 6 p.m., Peacock (Iowa City)*
- Feb 8: Wisconsin, noon, NBC (Iowa City)*
- Feb. 12: at Rutgers, 5:30 p.m., BTN (Piscataway, New Jersey)*
- Feb. 16: at Maryland, 4 p.m., FS1 (College Park, Maryland)*
- Feb. 19: Oregon, 7:30 p.m., BTN (Iowa City)*
- Feb. 22: Washington, 3 p.m., FS1 (Iowa City)*
- Feb. 25: at Illinois, 8 p.m., FS1 (Champaign, Illinois)*
- Feb: 28: at Northwestern, 8 p.m., FS1 (Evanston, Illinois)*
- March 6: Michigan State, 7 p.m., FS1 (Iowa City)*
- March 9: at Nebraska, 11:30 a.m., FOX (Lincoln, Nebraska)*
- March 12-16: Big Ten Tournament on (Indianapolis, Indiana)*
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Indiana
Indiana State Police arrest woman accused of helping man wanted for allegedly shooting deputy
FOX59/CBS4 has requested a mugshot of Victoria Howard, which has not been provided as of this article’s publication. The mugshot will be added once it is released.
FLOYD COUNTY, Ind. — Authorities have arrested a woman accused of helping a man flee from authorities after he allegedly shot an Orange County Sheriff’s deputy.
Indiana State Police announced the arrest of 35-year-old Victoria Howard of New Albany, alleging that she assisted Austin Schepers after he reportedly shot Deputy Zac Andry on Jan. 3 in Orange Count.
ISP said the incident occurred after Deputy Andry stopped to check on a disabled silver 2007 Pontiac Grand Prix near US Highway 150 and State Road 56. During this interaction, Schepers allegedly shot the deputy several times. Previous reports indicate Andry was transported to a Louisville-based hospital in “critical but stable condition.”
Schepers allegedly fled to a residence located in the 1800 block of Market Street in New Albany after the shooting.
Detectives believe Howard was aware that Scheper was wanted for his alleged role in the encounter and that police were searching for him.
ISP accused Howard of utilizing the ride-sharing app Lyft to assist Schepers as he looked for a ride from her apartment to the area of Craig Street and Wheeler Avenue in Louisville.
Schepers was found on Jan. 4 by investigators in the 3700 block of Wheeler Avenue where he was eventually killed during a shootout with police.
ISP said Howard was arrested without incident on Jan. 9 in Clarksville and taken to the Floyd County Jail where she was preliminarily charged with assisting a criminal (level 5 felony) and false informing (Class A misdemeanor).
ISP added that more individuals could face additional charges for allegedly helping Schepers while law enforcement was searching for him.
The Bloomington area will get more snow today. Here’s how much the National Weather Service now expects to fall and when.
How much snow will Monroe County get Friday?
Aaron Updike, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Indianapolis said the Bloomington area is expected to get between 2 and 4 inches of snow.
Southern parts of Indiana could see even more, with Bedford projected to get close to 4 inches and areas closer to Louisville possibly seeing 6 inches.
When will the snow fall today in the Bloomington area?
Updike said the NWS expects the snow to begin around 11 a.m. and end about 12 hours later. However, he said, the day will bring periods of lulls and peaks, though those are more difficult to predict.
Generally, Updike said, the heaviest accumulation will occur from mid-to-late afternoon, around 2 to 6 p.m.
He urged commuters to take extra time and care, as they may experience slippery roads and sidewalks on their way home.
What kind of snow will be falling in Indiana on Friday?
Updike said the snow should be light and fluffy. The NWS expects only light wind, with gusts of 10 to 15 mph, which means the area should not expect to see much drifting snow.
How cold will it get in the Bloomington area tonight?
The NWS projects that the cloud cover will hang around the area for a while, which will contribute to temperatures falling only to about 20 degrees.
Is there a chance of snowmelt any time soon in Indiana?
Updike said temperatures should rise to near freezing on Sunday, and the area also might see some pockets of sunshine, which should help melt some snow especially on pavement and roads.
However, he said temperatures will not rise enough in the next few days to melt all of the snow.
Boris Ladwig can be reached at bladwig@heraldt.com.
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