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With temperatures soaring in Indiana, Duke Energy is providing tips to help customers save energy – and money. High temperatures can lead to higher energy usage and higher bills as residents try to stay cool. To keep costs low and to reduce overall energy demand, particularly during the afternoon hours when usage tends to peak, customers can follow these simple tips:

Set the thermostat at the highest comfortable setting. The smaller the difference between the inside and outside temperatures, the lower the energy usage. Every degree that the thermostat is raised can help you save up to 5% in cooling costs.
Avoid using appliances such as the washer, dryer and dishwasher during the day. If possible, delay using those appliances until evening.
Close blinds and curtains during the day to help reduce solar heat gain and keep the home cooler.
Microwaves and cooktops use less energy than electric ovens. Also consider outdoor grilling during those high-demand hours to keep indoor temperatures lower.
Using a ceiling fan can make a room feel up to 4 degrees cooler than it actually is. Remember though, fans cool people, not rooms, so turn them off when leaving the room.
Turn off any unnecessary appliances, unused plug-ins and lights.
Make sure cool air isn’t escaping by checking windows, doors and vents for air leaks. Caulk seal, and weatherstripping to block leaks, which can help save 10% to 20% in cooling cost.
Operate ceiling fans in a counterclockwise direction in the summer, which pushes cooler air back down into the room. If air conditioning is being used to cool the home, a ceiling fan will allow the thermostat to be raised about four degrees – typically with no reduction in comfort.

Duke Energy provides about 6,800 megawatts of owned electric capacity to approximately 900,000 customers in a 23,000 square mile service area, making it Indiana's largest electric supplier. For more information on how to cut back on energy costs, please visit www.duke-energy.com/home/billing/seasonal-bills.

Public Safety

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With extreme summer temperatures expected in Indiana over the next several days, cooling centers will be open across the state for those in need of a safe and cool place to stay. Some local cooling centers include: 108 South Main Street, Scottsburg, 26 Union Avenue, Austin, and 4007 Grant Line Road, New Albany. Click here to see a full list of current cooling centers in the area. Indiana residents can also call 2-1-1 or (866) 211-9966 to find the nearest cooling center.

Cooling centers can be added or reported by contacting This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Walmart locations across 27 states, including Indiana and Kentucky, are voluntarily recalling Great Value brand apple juice due to high levels of arsenic. Symptoms of arsenic poisoning include: nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and diarrhea, and the FDA states that long-term exposure to inorganic arsenic is known to cause cancer and heart-related issues.

Arsenic is measured in units of parts per billion (ppb). 10 ppb is considered a safe level for human consumption, however the arsenic levels in the affected Great Value apple juice measured at 13.2 ppb.

The products impacted by this recall are the 6-pack Great Value 8 oz apple juice in plastic bottles. More specifically, the affected products have a Best if Used by date of December 28, 2024 and a UPC of 0-78742-29655-5. Products matching this information can be disposed of or returned to the place of purchase.

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This weekend, Washington County Theatre (WCT) will present “The Wizard of Oz,” the tale of young Dorothy Gale’s eventful journey to the Emerald City, in its biggest production to date.

Shows are set for August 23 and 24 at 7:30 p.m. and August 24 and 25 at 2:30 p.m. at West Washington High School’s auditorium.

Director Daniel Main said that this production has “an incredibly strong cast” and that many of the adults in the show learned about acting as children in WCT’s Pied Piper Productions. “All of our main cast are very experienced and came up through children’s theatre. We’ve got the cream of the crop here, and I’m really proud of them,” said Main.

Community theatre brings together people who love telling stories on the stage, and cast members say “The Wizard of Oz” is a great show to be a part of. Isabelle Davis, 10, who plays a Munchkin, said the stage adaptation of L. Frank Baum’s book is fun to perform. “There are different things about it that make it unique. There are parts when you think, ‘Oh, no! The bad side’s going to win,’ and then you think, ‘No, the good side’s going to win,’ and it makes everyone get all excited about it,” she explained.

Isabelle’s mother, Amanda Davis, said she herself grew up performing in school productions and appreciates the skills her daughter is able to learn through being onstage. “I think it’s really good for self-confidence and self-esteem, for them to put themselves out there. She’s not as afraid to go do something that’s scary the first time. She’s willing to try things and have fun,” said Davis.

Main agreed that community theatre provides a way to build important skills and form new relationships “for children all the way up to adults,” adding, “in fact, a lot of people I’ve met over the years were individuals brand new to town. They just moved here, and they were looking for a way to get involved in the community and meet people, and this is how they do it and build their main block of friends.”

Mark Carter heads the cast as the Wizard. Dorothy is played by Abbigail Ferguson, who will be a senior this school year at West Washington High School. Straton Thomas plays the Scarecrow, and Ryland Sparkman portrays the Tin Man. The Cowardly Lion is played by Jacob Dufour. Kayla Seybold and Rosie Morehous play the Wicked Witch; McKenna Hedrick and Rachel Dufour play Glinda. Lacey Sample and Lydia Casey portray Auntie Em, and Michael Murphy plays Uncle Henry.

The Munchkins in the show are Emily Bambusch, Mia Bambusch, Brylynn Blair, Ella Blake, Ogie Bundy, Ameliah Camp, Payton, Cole, Sesley Cole, Emrie Collier, Maggie Corp, Blair Dowling, Jax Deckard, Gracie Dunaway, Nkemlee Ebogu, Evalynne Grissom, Catie Haag, Ava Jetter, Luke Lewandowski, Macie Lewandowski, Dawson McKinley, Gracie Morehous, Scarlett Morgan, Brigid Nance, Aubrey Nokes, Barrett Nunley, and Molly Nunley.

Also portraying Munchkins are Isabella Padilla, Emmy Russell, Grayson Russell, Jaxon Russell, Madilyn Russell, Piper Sample, Dahlia Scifres, Etta Scifres, Charlotte Seeley, Kiki Snelling, Adaleah Stevens, Jacobi Stockton, Sorin Strickland, Katie Stroud, Asher Sutherland, Eleanor Sutherland, Jaxtin Tankersly, Madeleine Trauth, Grant Waters, and Eli Wynn.

The Citizens of Oz are Kinlee Asher, Brylee Boso, Phoebe Ferguson, Avey Marshall, Rives Marshall, Callie Robbins, Estin Roop, Wil Sears, Grace Snyder, Langston Sparkman, Julie Stroud, and Alex Wilde. Rebecca McKinley portrays Oz Doorman and Citizen, and Chelsey Murphy will play Guard and Oz Citizen.

Aislynn Compton, Brooks Deaton, Juneau Main, Daniel Miner, Katie Perkins, and Elle Strother will portray Flying Monkeys and Oz Citizens. Avan Ewing, Amelia Hendricks, Hannah Ingram, Evelyn Loughmiller, Owen Stephenson, and Miranda Smith will play Winkies and Citizens of Oz. Finally, Alex Blake, Kara Blake, and Kayla Troutman will portray Haunted Trees and Citizens of Oz.

Charity Main is the Assistant Director. L. Frank Baum’s book was adapted for the stage by Frank Gabrielson, with music and lyrics of the MGM motion picture score by Harold Arlen and E. Y. Harburg. Background music for the production is by Herbert Stothart. WCT is presenting the Muny version of the story by special arrangement with Concord Publishing and Tams-Witmark. All authorized performance materials are also provided by Concord Publishing and Tams-Witmark.

Tickets are $14 (adults) and $12 (students and seniors 65 and older). Those wishing to attend are asked to reserve their seats by texting the date and time of the desired show, as well as the needed number of tickets, to Charity Main at 812-620-3701. Payment will be collected at the door, which will open a half-hour before each show. Audience members will use Door 17 to access the auditorium at West Washington High School in Campbellsburg.

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The Westwood Golf Course will hold the Robbie Henson Memorial Annual Golf Scramble on August 31st. Located in Scottsburg since 1974, this public 9-hole course consists of 6,175 yards with a slope of 117 and is rated at 69.4. Tee time is 9 a.m., and teams must check in at 8:30 a.m. The cost is $200 per team, and there is a $5 Mulligan with a limit of 4 per team. Two contests consist of closest to the pin and longest putt.

The memorial is in memory of Robbie Henson who excelled in cross country and track running. He passed away at the age of 38. The Mission Statement of the Robbie Henson memorial is to provide assistance to locate youth runners with uniforms, shoes, equipment and other needs. Beside the golf scramble, there is also a scholarship and 5K Run/Walk. The $500 scholarship is for seniors attending Austin High School that participated in cross country and have plans to attend college. It is given in memory of Henson who was a son, brother and father, and it was started by his mother and step-father, Don Campbell. The golf scramble is always the Saturday before Labor Day, and the 5K run, which drew 180 runners this year, is always held the Saturday before Memorial Day.

For more information, contact Eric Campbell at (812) 595-0510, Tom Wolhoff at (502) 435-2597 or Don Campbell at (812) 595-7605.