June 1 marks the end of emergency enhanced SNAP benefits for Hoosiers statewide. In anticipation of increased demand, The Salvation Army Indiana Division is working to ensure that feeding programs and food pantries run by the organization across the state can continue to meet the needs of their communities.

Indiana’s COVID-19 public health emergency ended on March 3, 2022, making May 31 the final day that SNAP recipients would receive the maximum benefit allowed in accordance to the number of people in their household. Starting on June 1, benefits will be based on a formula that includes several eligibility factors, including household income. A permanent adjustment to the program made in October 2021 means that most households will receive higher benefits than they did pre-pandemic, but they will still experience a drop from May to June.

The USDA has provided examples of how these changes will affect households of difference sizes and circumstances. These can be seen by visiting the online “SNAP Benefits – COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond” page of the USDA website.

The Salvation Army has already seen an increase in visits to its food pantries and hot food programs over the past several months as inflation has made it harder for Hoosiers to put food on the table. According to the USDA, between April 2021 and April 2022 grocery store prices have risen by 10.8 percent. Fresh produce, milk, eggs, and meat prices are continuing to skyrocket with farm-level egg prices predicted to increase us to 76.5 percent in 2022. These higher prices mean that struggling households are bringing home less food each time they go to the store, pushing them to find supplemental food at organizations like The Salvation Army.

“The cost of food, housing, medical, and transportation has not been put into consideration regarding the ending of the pandemic emergency funds,” said Dena Simpson, Divisional Director of Social Services for The Salvation Army Indiana Division. “Individuals and families are in recovery mode and facing a number of challenges.”

These challenges include:

• Drained savings and strained finances
• Loss and/or change in housing and utility needs
• Increased instances of domestic violence
• Ongoing COVID-related medical needs
• Loss of primary income provider for the family
• Larger households with combined and extended families
• Changes in childcare and educational needs and routines

With inflation outpacing wage increases, the results have been devastating. The Salvation Army is working with partner organizations, food banks, donors, and community volunteers to meet the increased demand. Food costs continue to rise for The Salvation Army, as well, as provider food banks like Feeding America anticipate spending 40 percent more to purchase bulk food in 2022 compared to 2021.

The Indiana State Fair is now hiring seasonal employees to help put on the Great Indiana State Fair, returning July 29 - August 21. 

The 13th annual Indiana State Fair Job Fair will be held this Thursday, from 4 – 6 p.m. at the Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center in the Agriculture/Horticulture Building, 1202 E. 38th Street, Indianapolis, 46205. 

This year’s 165th Indiana State Fair is seeking hundreds of seasonal employees for positions related to parking, gates, security, operations, tractor shuttles, information booths and education exhibits. Several positions are ideal for college students, retirees, individuals with full-time jobs who want to earn extra money, and others. 

During the event, candidates seeking a seasonal position with the 2022 Indiana State Fair can complete an application and be interviewed onsite. Applicants are asked to bring a positive attitude and a copy of their resume if they have one.

Knowledge about the Fair is not a prerequisite – only a willingness to help

guests.

If applicants are unable to attend the Job Fair, they may visit the State Fairgrounds’ Employment Office, located on the northeast corner of the Fairgrounds beginning June 6 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday. For more information on the Job Fair or to download an application for seasonal employment, visit www.indianastatefair.com.

“Our seasonal employees help make the Indiana State Fair the best in the country,” said Mark Anderson, director of human resources, Indiana State Fairgrounds & Event Center. “We are excited to introduce new referral and attendance incentive programs to our staff this year. Many of our year-round employees began as seasonal workers, and we hope that trend continues.” 

The BBB serving Northern Indiana has issued a warning to consumers about a reported text message scam.

The scammer poses as a lottery winner named Manuel Franco. He claims to have won a $768 million Powerball Jackpot and is donating to 200 random individuals. These text messages request that the victim reach out to the winner’s agent and provide an alternate phone number to contact.

The text messages may come from an out-of-state area code. The message details change often, such as the dollar amount being given or the name of the agent in charge of dispersing the funds. In many cases, the scammer will request banking information or a fee to send the funds. If personal information is given, it may lead to lost funds or hacked accounts, and any fees paid will most likely never be recovered.

Use BBB’s tips to avoid this scam:

• Don't pay upfront fees to claim a prize. No legitimate sweepstakes company will ever ask to pay a fee or buy something to enter or improve the chances of winning — that includes paying "taxes," "shipping and handling charges," or “processing fees” to get a prize.
• Checks can bounce after the bank allows the account holder to withdraw cash from the deposit. Check processing is a confusing business. Even if a bank representative tells you a check has “cleared,” you can’t be sure it won’t be detected as a fake weeks later. One thing you can be sure of is that you will be on the hook for any funds drawn against the amount.
• Be suspicious of irregular communication. Real sweepstakes will not notify you via text or bulk mail. They will not send a check in the mail without first confirming with you. And you won’t be notified that you are a winner and have to respond or act within 24 hours to collect your prize.
• You’ve got to play to win. A notification that you have won a prize in a contest you do not remember entering should be a red flag. Keep track of all sweepstakes entries so it's easy to check if a legitimate contest-related company is confirming winnings. When entering, read the fine print and rules for how prizes are claimed.

If you spot a scam, whether you've lost money or not, report it to BBB’s Scam Tracker at BBB.org/ScamTracker and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. 

The Fulton County Health Department will be hosting two walk-in clinics in July to provide back-to-school childhood immunizationsfor those that are underinsured, uninsured, or Medicaid patients.

The clinics will be Thursday, July 14 and Thursday, July 28 from 2 pm – 5:45 pm. Vaccinations will be given to all patients who are in the Health Dept. by 5:45 pm until every child is immunized.

Please call the Health Department at 574-223-2881 with any questions.

Delays and Cancellations Thursday, May 19, 2022

Schools

Eastern Pulaski School Corporation 2-hour delay

Argos Community Schools 2-hour delay

Indiana health officials are urging Hoosiers to protect themselves from tick bites during and after spending time outdoors as warmer weather increases tick activity.

“We are all ready to enjoy the outdoors again after being inside over much of the winter,” said State Public Health Veterinarian Jennifer Brown, D.V.M., M.P.H. “We ask Hoosiers to take precautions so we don’t see a bump in tick-borne illnesses, which are preventable.”

While Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in Indiana, Hoosiers are also at risk for other tick-borne diseases, including ehrlichiosis and spotted fever group rickettsiosis (a group of diseases that includes Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever). While the risk for ehrlichiosis is highest in southern Indiana, tick-borne diseases are present in all parts of the state, so all Hoosiers should take steps to prevent tick bites from early spring through late fall. Those precautions include:

• Knowing where ticks are likely to be present (close to the ground in grassy, brushy or wooded areas)
• Treating boots, clothing and outdoor gear with 0.5% permethrin (NOTE: permethrin should NOT be used on bare skin)
• Using EPA-registered insect repellents with active ingredients such as DEET, picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus (OLE), para-menthane-diol (PMD) or 2-undecanone
• Treating pets for ticks in consultation with a veterinarian

Once indoors, people should thoroughly check for ticks on clothing, gear, pets and skin. Tumbling clothes in the dryer on high heat for 30 minutes will kill ticks, and showering can help remove any unattached ticks.

“Tick checks are an essential part of preventing tick-borne illnesses. Quickly finding and removing a tick can help prevent you from becoming sick,” Brown said.

Ticks can be safely removed by using tweezers to grasp the tick close to the skin and then pulling outward with steady and even pressure. After the tick is removed, the area should be washed thoroughly. Ticks should never be crushed with the fingernails.

If desired, an attached tick that has been removed may be saved in a sealed bag or container of alcohol for later inspection in case the person or pet becomes ill. Alternatively, ticks may be flushed down the toilet or wrapped tightly in tape and thrown in the trash. Testing ticks to see if they are carrying diseases is not generally recommended, as the information cannot reliably be used to predict whether disease transmission occurred.

Anyone who becomes ill after finding an attached tick should see a medical provider immediately and alert the provider to the exposure. Most tick-borne diseases can be treated with antibiotics, and prompt diagnosis can help prevent complications.

For more information about ticks and how to prevent the diseases they carry, visit http://www.in.gov/isdh/20491.htm.

Anyone considering the next step in their education or career is invited to Ivy Tech Community College Kokomo May 3 for its next “Tuesday@theTech” information session.

The event is set for 6 to 8 p.m. and will begin in Hingst Hall in Ivy Tech Kokomo’s Health Professions Center on the campus at 1815 E. Morgan St.

“This is a great opportunity to get ready for summer classes that start June 6, or fall, which starts Aug. 22,” said Derry Ebert, vice chancellor for Enrollment Services for the Ivy Tech Kokomo Service Area. “Faculty and staff will be on hand to talk about our many program offerings, admissions and registration, and how affordable your education can be with grants and scholarships. It will also be a great time to see the state-of-the-art classrooms and labs that are part of Ivy Tech’s transformed Kokomo campus.”

For more information, go to ivytech.edu/kokomo or email Kokomo-enrollment@ivytech.edu . Walk-ins are welcome.

In honor of the state’s Historic Preservation Month, which is May, the DNR Division of Historic Preservation & Archaeology announced the winners of its annual Historic Preservation Month photo contest.

Photo by Carla Hall

A variety of the entries and the winning photos will be shared on the DNR Instagram account (@indianadnr) all week.

The winners are:

Altered Category
Chad Williams of Waldron
Photo of barn at sunset in Waldron

Artistic Category
Michael McQuillen of Indianapolis
Photo of the Indiana Statehouse reflection

Black & White Category
Amanda Bennett-Cole of Lafayette
Photo of City Methodist Church in Gary

Color Category
Carla Hall of Roann
Photo of the Stockdale Mill in Roann

Kids Category
Kara Baker of Peru
Photo of barn in winter in Peru