The American Red Cross Kentucky Region is issuing an appeal for financial donations, blood donations, and for volunteers who are willing to travel this fall to support emergency shelters for major national disaster relief efforts.

Ways people can help:

• DONATE FINANCIALLY: Financial donations are the quickest and fastest way to get help to people who need it. Visit redcross.org, call 1-800-RED-CROSS or text the word HELENE to 90999 to make a donation to help people affected by disasters like Hurricane Helene. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from disaster. 
• BLOOD: Hurricane Helene has caused more than 1,500 blood donations to go uncollected in the Southeast — yet the need for blood remains constant for patients in need. Those outside the affected areas are encouraged to schedule a blood donation appointment now by visiting RedCrossBlood.org or using the Blood Donor App to help restock the shelves.
• VOLUNTEER: Interested volunteers are urged to sign up today at redcross.org/volunteer. All candidates must complete necessary training and be able to commit to a two-week deployment. Applicants who don’t have disaster experience, but have supervision, management or organization skills; a strong desire to help others; and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, are encouraged to apply.

‘THIS IS SAFE’: HELENE FAMILY SHARES WHAT SHELTER MEANS TO THEM In emergency shelters, Red Cross disaster volunteers provide people with a safe place to stay, necessities like food and water, and critical services like mental health support and basic health services such as replacing lost medications or medical equipment. 

Over the weekend in Perry, Florida, Amber Barteau and her family sought refuge at a Red Cross shelter after discovering that Hurricane Helene devastated their home — which marked the third time they’ve survived a hurricane in just over a year. “As soon as I pulled up to the shelter, it made me feel good,” Amber said. “I thought to myself, this is safe, and I’m going to be OK.”

RED CROSS MOBILIZES MASSIVE RESPONSE TO HELENE As of Monday, more than 1,000 Red Cross disasters responders, over a dozen are from Kentucky, are on the ground across 10 states devastated by Hurricane Helene in the Southeast, including hard-hit North Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida. 

On Sunday night, more than 2,600 people stayed in 69 emergency shelters supported by the Red Cross and other community organizations. That overnight total jumped by some 600 people in just one day — and as storm-ravaged communities like those in North Carolina become more accessible, the Red Cross expects the need will continue to grow. While disaster assessments are still underway in hard-to-reach areas, emergency officials are planning for shelter operations to last at least several weeks, based on the storm’s initial widespread destruction.

In Kentucky severe storms swept through over the weekend. Five trained Red Cross disaster workers are helping close to 100 people across the state whose homes were impacted. The Red Cross worked with community partner, God's Pantry, and assisted with the distribution of no prep meals in Boyle County. In addition, the Red Cross loaned 80 cots and provided toiletry items and blankets to the Pine Knot Job Corps program in Pine Knot, KY (McCreary County), for job corps members evacuating from North Carolina. 

The Red Cross Kentucky Region is grateful to those who have provided financial support for disaster relief, such as Bill and Jill Howard; Commonwealth Credit Union; Dean Dorton, Frost Brown Todd Attorneys; GE Appliances; Samtec; UofL Health; Valvoline Instant Oil Change and to the Red Cross Annual Disaster Giving Parter, Yum! Brands.

About the American Red Cross:

The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and provides comfort to victims of disasters; supplies about 40% of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; distributes international humanitarian aid; and supports veterans, military members and their families. The Red Cross is a nonprofit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to deliver its mission. For more information, please visit redcross.org or CruzRojaAmericana.org, or follow us on social media.

Let’s do the Time Warp AGAIN! 

Constellation Stage & Screen continues The Rocky Horror Picture Show tradition with its 19th annual interactive screening on Saturday, Oct. 26, at 7 p.m. and 11 p.m. at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater. The theatre is located at 114 E. Kirkwood Avenue, Bloomington.

Ticket prices will increase by $5 at the door, so purchase tickets in advance to save!

Join us 30 minutes prior to each screening (6:30 and 10:30 p.m.) for our highly-anticipated pre-show event, featuring a costume contest, fabulous prizes, devirginization ceremony, and more! To host this year’s pre-show festivities, Constellation will welcome back local drag queen, producer, and host Oriana Perón.

Oriana Perón is a dynamic drag performer from Bloomington, IN, who turned her love for cosplay into a captivating stage career. Since 2006, Oriana has combined her passion for anime, video games, and musical artistry into one-of-a-kind drag acts that have dazzled audiences across the country. Known for her quirky and fun performances, she’s been featured in Crunchyroll, Anime News Network, and Watermark Magazine. With a mission to create safe, engaging spaces and expand her anime-inspired drag shows internationally, Oriana continues to push the boundaries of performance art while spotlighting other talented nerdy performers.

In this cult classic, newly engaged sweethearts Brad (Barry Bostwick) and Janet (Susan Sarandon) find themselves stuck with a flat tire during a storm and happen upon the eerie mansion of Dr. Frank N. Furter (Tim Curry), a “sweet transvestite” and scientist. As their innocence is lost, Brad and Janet meet a houseful of wild characters, including a rocking biker (Meat Loaf), a creepy butler (Richard O'Brien), and a pair of wicked groupies. Through elaborate songs and dances, Frank unveils his latest creation: a muscular male specimen named "Rocky."

The Rocky Horror Picture Show has a long history of audience participation. At screenings, audiences typically throw rice, ring bells, yell specific phrases, and generally cause mayhem in the theater! Prop bags with goodies and guides on how to participate in this cult-classic tradition will be available to purchase for $5 with tickets or at the show.

For more information call 812-323-3020.

• Awards & Recognition
• Government
• State of Indiana
• Business News

WASHINGTON – The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) recently awarded U.S. Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.) its most prestigious legislative recognition, the NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award.

“I am honored to receive the Guardian of Small Business Award from NFIB for my efforts to promote and support Hoosier small businesses. As the son of a small business owner, I know how important they are to our state’s economy. I will always fight to support Indiana’s small businesses,” said Senator Young. 

“The NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award is presented to Senators with a demonstrated record of supporting America’s small and independent business owners,” said NFIB President Brad Close. “This Congress, small businesses faced tough economic headwinds, especially from inflation, labor shortages, and tax pressures at all levels of the government. We are proud to recognize Senators from the 118th Congress who stood up for Main Street by taking pro-small business votes that would reduce taxes, eliminate burdensome government mandates, lower health insurance costs, and fuel the Main Street economy.”

NFIB’s Guardian of Small Business Award is awarded to lawmakers who vote consistently with small business on the key issues identified by small business owners. Those who voted with small business on key issues 70 percent or more of the time during the 118th Congress earned the NFIB Guardian of Small Business Award.

More information is available here.

September will be the 29^th anniversary of a statewide celebration of archaeology in Indiana. DNR’s DHPA coordinates the event to encourage learning about Indiana archaeology, archaeological sites in the state, and the laws that protect them. Universities, museums, organizations, and individuals around the state host a variety of archaeology programs and activities.

The poster theme this year commemorates the State Archaeological Survey. In the spring of 1920, the National Research Council Chairman of the Committee on State Archaeological Surveys came to Indianapolis with the intent of starting what would become Indiana’s archaeological survey. Administering and organizing these early Indiana surveys fell to the State Department of Conservation (now known as the DNR), which then had a Division of Geology and the Indiana Historical Commission. Between the 1920s and the early 1960s, several of Indiana’s counties were surveyed, with reports published by the Indiana Historical Bureau. 2024 marks the 100^th anniversary of the first published survey reports (Lawrence and Washington counties). Recognizing the looming threats to Indigenous and Euroamerican heritage from amateur archaeology excavations, newly proposed highways, reservoirs, and other infrastructure projects, these early surveyors were “on the road to preservation.”

We are proud that the DNR was there at the beginning of the State Archaeological Survey, and that DHPA continues to lead the statewide efforts for protecting and preserving Indiana’s Native American and Euroamerican heritage.

Free posters (folded and unfolded) will be available to pick up in person at the DNR Central Office lobby in the Indiana Government Center South complex in Indianapolis. Hours are 8:30 a.m. - 4 p.m., M-F. When attending Archaeology Month events, DHPA staff will also bring posters to distribute. Requests for folded posters (limit of five per person) to be mailed may be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Find out about Archaeology Month events that will take place, and more details regarding the poster design, at on.IN.gov/archaeologymonth.