On September 26, 1983, Lt. Colonel Stanislav Petrov was in command at Serpukhov-15, a bunker where the Soviets monitored their satellite-based detection systems. Shortly after midnight, panic broke out when an alarm sounded signaling that the United States had fired five Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles, or ICBMs, toward Russia.
The warning was a false alarm—one of the satellites had misinterpreted the glint of sunlight off clouds near Montana as a missile launch—but to the Soviets, it appeared the United States had started a nuclear war.
Protocol demanded that Serpukhov-15 report any signs of a missile launch to the Soviet high command, but Petrov had a hunch the warning was an error. He knew the new satellite system was mistake-prone, and he also reasoned that any nuclear strike by the Americans would come in the form of hundreds of missiles, not just five.
With only minutes to make a decision, Petrov chose to ignore the blaring warning alarms and reported the launch as a false alarm—a move that may have averted a nuclear holocaust.
The incident remained classified until after the Cold War ended, but Petrov later received several humanitarian awards for his extraordinary actions, and was even honored by the United Nations.
Southport, IN (September 25, 2020) - Served with mashed potatoes and gravy, there's nothing that says comfort food and home cooking like Nana's delicious Southport Salisbury Steak. We suggest a nice serving of southern style green beans on the side.
We have listed all the ingredients and steps for you to follow. Feel free to add more ingredients though if you feel that you can make this even better.
Prep time: 15 mins | Cook: 25 mins | Total: 40 mins | Servings: 4 | Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients:
1-pound lean ground beef
⅓ cup dry bread crumbs
¼ cup chopped onions
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
2 cups beef broth
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 cup sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons water
Directions:
Step 1: In a medium mixing bowl, add in the ground beef, chopped onion, bread crumbs, egg, salt, and pepper. Stir until well mixed.
Step 2: Make 4 patties, 3/4-inch thick out of the mixture.
Step 3: Place a large skillet on the stove and turn the heat to medium.
Step 4: Pan-fry the burger patties for 10 minutes on both sides or until the color turns brown.
Step 5: Add in the broth, mushrooms, and onion. Allow it to boil and reduce the heat to low. Simmer for 10 minutes or until the patties are cooked through.
Step 6: Place the cooked patties on a clean plate. Let it sit at room temperature to cool.
Step 7: Allow the onion mix to boil.
Step 8: In a small bowl, add in the cornstarch and water. Stir until well mixed then pour the mixture into the onion mixture.
Step 9: Cook for 1 minute or until the sauce becomes thick.
Step 10: Spread the sauce over the patties.
Step 11: Serve and enjoy..
Marion County, IN (September 25, 2020) - Today, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Dr. Virginia Caine, Director of the Marion County Public Health Department provided an update of Marion County restrictions on various activities and current COVID-19 data.
One restriction that won't ease up is the current requirement that taverns, nightclubs and restaurants all close at midnight.
Starting on Monday, September 28, the following changes go into place:
Restaurants, taverns, nightclubs and food establishments can have up to 50 percent indoor capacity and 100 percent outdoor capacity.
Restaurants and taverns will continue to be closed at midnight.
Museum, cultural sites, music venues and other similar businesses are now able to open to 50 percent capacity.
Gyms, fitness centers and similar businesses can also expand to 50 percent capacity.
Live entertainment can resume at taverns, clubs and performance venues with certain social distancing precautions in place. A 10-foot buffer should be maintained between the stage and audiences, as well as audiences social distancing themselves.
Assisted living facilities may be open to indoor visitation.
Funeral homes and churches can have indoor services at 75 percent capacity.
Outdoor services can operate at 100 percent capacity.
Mayor Hogsett said the seven-day moving average rate for all tests has fallen from 5.6 percent at the beginning of the month to 4.8 percent as of Thursday, Sept. 24.
Garden City, MI (September 24, 2020) - Woodworker Matt Thompson of Thompson Woodworks constructed a delightful contraption to help keep the trick-or-treat dream alive for his town. He built a social-distancing safe zip-line so he can hand out candy to kids who come by.
He used a cable and some pulleys to create a line that runs from his porch to a decorated pole near the sidewalk. That way kids can safely take some candy from the attached ghost without having to get close to the house.
But the best part is that this is not just a candy delivery service. It also includes a beer caddy so Thompson can send out some grownup treats too. He hauls it back in with a fishing reel, in a system we’d like to see used on every holiday.
This isn’t the first device someone has come up with to make Halloween 2020 possible. The Wicked Makers YouTube channel released a video for a DIY candy tube.
It’s been a long year, and no matter your age we can all use some treats this Halloween.
Greenwood, IN (September 24, 2020) - Green beans and potatoes and ham is one of my favorite all time dishes. I remember when Nana cooked fresh green beans and potatoes straight from the garden seasoned with a ham hock and all us kids could not get enough, they were just that good.
Slow cooked Green Beans, Ham and Potatoes
This simple recipe is perfect for a great weeknight or anytime family dinner. Slow cookers are the answer to busy evenings, and this easy dish assembles in just minutes. Onions, green beans and ham combine together in the slow cooker with just enough water to cover—three to four hours later, dinner is ready, and because it was all cooked in one pot, cleanup is a snap as well.
Ingredients
2 pounds fresh green beans, rinsed and trimmed
1 large onion, chopped
3 ham hocks
1 1/2 pounds new potatoes, quartered
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon seasoning salt
1 tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
Ground black pepper to taste
Directions
1. Halve beans if they are large, place in a slow cooker with water to barely cover, and add onion and ham hocks. Cover, and cook on High until simmering. Reduce heat to Low, and cook for 2 to 3 hours, or until beans are crisp but not done.
2. Add potatoes, and cook for another 45 minutes. While potatoes are cooking, remove ham hocks from slow cooker, and remove meat from bones. Chop or shred meat, and return to slow cooker. Season with garlic powder, onion powder, seasoning salt, bouillon, and pepper. Cook until potatoes are done, then adjust seasoning to taste.
3. To serve, use a slotted spoon to put beans, potatoes, and ham into a serving dish with a little broth.
Indianapolis, IN (September 24, 2020) - Indiana's six-month effort to combat the coronavirus by restricting personal liberties and business operations is coming to a close.
Gov. Eric Holcomb announced Wednesday he will sign an executive order moving the state to Stage 5 of his five-stage Back on Track reopening plan for at least a three-week period.
At Stage 5, all businesses may reopen to full capacity, including restaurants, bars and nightclubs; gyms, entertainment and cultural destinations may operate at 100% capacity; and there no longer are any attendance limits at sporting events, conventions or community gatherings — absent more stringent local or industry requirements.
The governor still is directing Hoosiers to wear masks, or another face covering, when they are unable to maintain at least 6 feet of distance from other people in public places, and businesses can continue requiring every person entering their premises to wear a face mask.
In fact, Holcomb credited voluntary Hoosier compliance with his July 24 mask order for making it possible for Indiana to fully reopen ahead of its neighboring states.
"I know no one wants to wear a face mask. I mean, this is different, especially for Americans and Hoosiers. I get it. It's not my preference either," Holcomb said. "But it's not my preference that the pandemic is on top of us either and follows us around."
"And while our numbers are tracking in the right direction, enabling us to further open up, it's because of this,” Holcomb said while holding up a cloth face mask during his weekly COVID-19 press conference in his Statehouse office.
According to the State Department of Health, Indiana is conducting approximately 15,000 COVID-19 tests per day, with a seven-day positivity rate of just 3.9%.
Data show hospitals have sufficient capacity to treat COVID-19 infections and a force of contact tracers is alerting Hoosiers who have been in close proximity to anyone confirmed to have the coronavirus.
"We have been very Steady Eddie, very methodical, about this. Very data driven. And that's how we'll continue to be," Holcomb said.
At the same time, Holcomb is encouraging Hoosiers to continue doing their part to minimize the potential spread of the virus by wearing masks, regularly washing their hands and routinely cleaning frequently touched surfaces.
He's also asking restaurants and bars to ensure all their customers are seated, and not standing, as well as continuing to follow social distancing practices, even if it means operating at slightly less than full capacity.
"We like the path that we're on, the direction that we're moving," Holcomb said. "But we really have to just underscore how important it is for our citizens and our businesses to continue to make those adjustments and operate in a very safe manner."
"It has a huge impact beyond your personal space."
The governor's order does not immediately change the capacity and spacing restrictions aimed at preventing the spread of COVID-19 in Indiana's 13 casinos.
Sara Tait, executive director of the Indiana Gaming Commission, said her agency will review Holcomb's forthcoming executive order and listen to gaming industry leaders on how they propose moving forward with steps like reopening poker rooms, given the governor's recommendation that businesses continue promoting social distancing in their operations.
The governor's Stage 5 announcement came exactly six months to the day of his unprecedented March 23 executive order commanding Hoosiers to stay home, except for "essential" purchases and employment, following the initial spread of COVID-19 in Indiana.
Dr. Woody Myers, the Democratic candidate for governor, said it's wrong for Holcomb to take Indiana to Stage 5 when the state needs "more vigilance, not less."
"It was only recently that Indiana had the highest one day total of cases reported since the beginning of the pandemic. With the arrival of autumn, public health experts are warning we can soon expect a significant increase of new COVID-19 cases," Myers said.
"The pandemic isn't going away anytime soon — Gov. Holcomb's decision today is simply wrong."
Beech Grove, IN (September 18, 2020) - Made with butter and brown sugar, this recipe is sure to satisfy your sweet tooth. Whenever Nana made these brownies they were gone in no time. We have listed all the steps so you just need to follow them.
Feel free to add more ingredients if you feel that this recipe can do better. Enjoy!
Ingredients:
1 cup butter, melted
2 cups packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
1 cup chopped walnuts
Coffee Frosting (Optional)
2 teaspoons instant coffee granules
2 tablespoons water
½ cup butter softened
3 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
Directions:
Step 1: Prepare the oven and preheat to 180 degrees C or 350 degrees F.
Step 2: Apply cooking spray in a 11x7x2-inch baking pan.
Step 3: Place a large saucepan on the stove and turn the heat to medium. Add in the butter and allow it to melt. Add in 2 cups of brown sugar and stir until well mixed and dissolved completely. Remove from the heat and let it cool at room temperature. Add in the vanilla and eggs. Beat until well blended.
Step 4: In a small mixing bowl, sift baking powder, flour, and salt.
Step 5: Transfer the dry mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir until well mixed then toss in the walnuts and stir.
Step 6: Transfer the batter into the greased pan.
Step 7: Place inside the preheated oven and bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until cooked through.
Step 8: Remove from the pan and let it sit on a wire rack to cool at room temperature.
Step 9: Make the Frosting: In a medium mixing bowl, add in coffee and pour in water. Stir until coffee is dissolved completely.
Step 10: In another small bowl, add in the confectioners’ sugar and butter. Whisk until well mixed.
Step 11: Transfer the butter mixture into the dissolved coffee. Stir until well mixed.
Step 12: Spread the mixture on top of the brownies.
Step 13: Serve and enjoy!
Washington, D.C. (September 15, 2020) - Amtrak President William Flynn has told members of Congress that the company needs a $4.9 billion appropriation for fiscal 2021 to avoid employee furloughs and reduced long-distance train frequencies planned for October.
Flynn, Rail Passengers Association President and CEO Jim Mathews, and labor officials representing the Transport Workers Union and Transportation Communications Union testified Tuesday at the U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Rail Subcommittee hearing titled, “Amtrak’s response to COVID-19.”
Amtrak CEO William Flynn testifies during Wednesday's online House hearing on Amtrak's response to COVID-19.
Amtrak declined to provide the figure needed to avoid the job and service cuts to Capitol Hill staffers until late last week, despite requests from elected officials in June [see “Senators seek more details on Amtrak service, job cuts,” Trains News Wire June 29, 2020.
That drew sharp criticism in the opening statement from subcommittee chairman Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) for “just now submitting their amended FY21 supplemental request to Congress less than one month before the current fiscal year expires and Amtrak plans to implement these furloughs.”
If Senate and House conferees don’t come up with the $4.9 billion (which includes the $2 billion Amtrak originally asked for in its annual Grant and Legislative Request in February), Flynn told Lipinski that with a “cash burn at nearly $250 million a month right now, we would have to make very dramatic reductions across the company to stave off bankruptcy.” He added that this would include “substantial reduction in all services and perhaps some elimination of some long-distance services if that’s the cash burn we’re having with no supplemental funding.”
In questioning from U.S. Rep. Brian Babin (R-Texas), Flynn repeated management’s previous assertions that in fiscal 2019, “we were generating a surplus on our Northeast Corridor — essentially a break-even level of operation in our state-supported network, but the operational subsidy fundamentally underpins the long-distance services. So the vast majority, if not all, of that subsidy, if we were to do it on a service line basis, would be on the long-distance service.”
Rail Passengers Association President and CEO Jim Mathews pushed back against Flynn and the assertion by Babin and four other GOP lawmakers that Amtrak is required to make a profit.
“It is not — it is only required to minimize subsidies,” Mathews said. “A conversation about (Amtrak) profit ignores the benefit that communities receive.” In his opening statement, he unveiled research that quantifies by long-distance route exactly what those benefits are.
The document lists the direct and indirect economic impact of daily service, and the negative effects when four of seven weekly departures are eliminated.
The model, developed by the Rail Passengers Association with the help of Transportation 4 America, contends that the cuts will result in a “$2 billion bomb on ‘Flyover Country.’” It is available here.
Other revealing exchanges during the session:
— Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.) raised concerns about aspects of Amtrak’s accounting methodology, such as considering taxpayer-funded state payments as revenue and not including depreciation in operating results.
— Flynn said that there were no plans to furlough any employees at the Beech Grove Heavy Maintenance Facility, and in fact Amtrak had to hire essential workers after some employees decided to take the company-wide buyout offer.
— Acela lead service attendant Amy Griffin, who testified as Local 1460 president of the Transport Workers Union of America, recounted a July incident in which she had been ordered to continue working after a co-worker tested positive for COVID-19. She eventually was told to quarantine, but then was ordered back to work after 10 instead of 14 days by Amtrak’s medical staff because she showed no symptoms
— Flynn was criticized by several lawmakers for reinstating a 401K retirement plan company match for management beginning Oct. 1 at the same time it counted on receiving bailout money and was laying off 2,000 employees. He defended the decision because it helped the company retain personnel and would not agree to reverse it, but did say Amtrak would withdraw a communications Request For Proposal that allowed outsourced bidders to shift jobs offshore.
--Near the end of session, Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-Mass.) told Flynn, “I fully support using money you make on the north end of the Northeast Corridor to provide service to some of those rural areas — the ‘red’ states. Those lines don’t necessarily benefit my district but they benefit the country. … I hope you take very seriously the credibility that you will lose by engaging in these furloughs, and the representational damage that comes to Amtrak management. I’m asking you to reconsider that [because] it is not going to save the day.” Cutting 2000 employees, Lynch said, “is going to reduce service and spiral that bottom-line deficit. You’re going to lose the faith of members of Congress like me, who are behind you, because of this decision.”
Video of the entire 2 1/2 -hour hearing and links to the witnesses’ prepared testimony is below.
Amtrak’s Response to COVID-19
Subcommittee: Railroads, Pipelines, and Hazardous Materials
Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2020
Time: 11:00 AM
Indianapolis, IN (September 15, 2020) - The Indiana Broadcaster Association is hosting a special Thursday, September 17 screening of the movie Hoosiers at Tibbs Drive-In, 480 South Tibbs Avenue. Attendees are welcome to bring lawn chairs and sit outside of their vehicle, but everyone must comply with social distancing guidelines put in place by Tibbs Drive-In.
All the proceeds from the special event will be donated to support the historic Hoosier Gym in Knightstown which has been deeply impacted by COVID-19. The Knightstown locale served as the home gym for the “Hickory Huskers” in the 1986 movie.
Tickets to the Tibbs Drive-In event are $11 per person are available now for advance purchase through HelpHoosierGym.com. Gates open at 7:30 p.m. The screening will begin with sundown at 8:30 p.m.
Attendees will have the chance to win several door prizes including:
An autographed Larry Bird basketball
Victor Oladip Indiana Pacers “Hickory Edition” Replica Jersey
Indiana Pacers “Hickory Edition” shirts and hats
A full-size Hoosiers movie poster signed by screenwriter Angelo Pizzo and director David Anspaugh
A Hoosiers Eleven Life Lessons from Hoosiers book signed by author and Hoosier Gym Event Coordinator Bob Garner and by Brad Long (who portrayed “Buddy” in the movie.)
Beech Grove, IN (September 12, 2020) - Don’t look for any pumpkin stuffed marshmallows this Halloween, or green trees at Christmas time.
Although Peeps traditionally releases seasonally-shaped marshmallow treats for Halloween and Christmas, due to the coronavirus pandemic, that won’t be possible this year.
Just Born, the family-owned candy manufacturer behind Peeps, Mike and Ikes and Hot Tamales, confirmed that the festive seasonal releases “will not be in stores again until 2021.”
“While PEEPS® Marshmallow Candies, MIKE AND IKE® and HOT TAMALES® would typically be available in fun shapes and packaging sizes for the Halloween and holiday seasons, unfortunately, the seasonal varieties will not be in stores again until 2021,” the company said in a statement.
Due to coronavirus concerns, the company “temporarily suspended production” earlier this year, and “resumed limited production” in May “after making extensive changes in our plant that ensure the safety of our associates.”
Beech Grove, IN (September 9, 2020) - Many schools in Indiana are working to provide some sort of in-person instruction to students as they reopen during the COVID-19 pandemic, but some school leaders say a shortage of teachers could force them to once again move students online.
Teachers everywhere are providing instruction in person, online, and in some cases, both. But substitute teachers are in high demand and have been in critically short supply.
Frontier School Corporation Superintendent Dan Sichting says his corporation employs 50 certified teachers, and has just five substitutes on hand this fall. Only two of them are available to work at the junior-senior high school.
"This is by far more difficult than any other years that we've seen up to this point," Sichting said.
He says the shortages have meant closing things like the school library or computer lab for the day while existing staff fill in.
But Beech Grove High School principal Lizz Walters says solutions she and other leaders have looked to for temporary relief in the past are wearing thin.
Teachers have given up their prep time to cover classes in a crunch before. But she says things have intensified this year, and it's not fair – or feasible – to ask teachers to regularly give up the small amount of time they have during the day to get ready for the classes they usually teach.
"You know we're now looking at the possibility of doing that more than once or twice a week, so that's very difficult from a sustainability standpoint," Walters says.
Many of the substitutes that school corporations like Sichting's rely on are retired, and he says several of them have concerns about their health and safety as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
Others, like Noblesville substitute teacher Deb Marcum aren't as worried about the possible health risks. But Marcum said she's been pulled into a regular teaching role as her school navigates how they should conduct learning online and in-person at the same time.
Which means, one less substitute teacher available to cover when other classroom leaders get sick, have to quarantine, or need time off.
"To be honest with you it'll be a shortage of teachers that will cause schools to close rather than I think the illness of kids," Marcum said.
State leaders have urged schools to at least prepare for a return to online learning as the fallout from the ongoing pandemic continues. And Walters said she and others have prepared to move online in case local health departments close schools because of the spread of COVID-19 in their communities.
But the start of flu season is here, and Sichting and Walters both said they're already thinking about whether or not they will need to shift to online learning – and when – if they don't find more qualified staff soon.
Greenwood, IN (September 9, 2020) - Milwaukee Tool, a maker of hand and power tools, storage, and accessories will establish a new tool service hub in Greenwood. Milwaukee Tool will lease a 150,000-square-foot facility on Southtech Drive in Greenwood that will house tool repair and warehousing space. It is expected to be open by March 2021.
“Milwaukee Tool continues to grow, and a new, centrally-located service hub here in Indiana will support the company’s increased demand and strengthen the customer experience,” said Governor Eric J. Holcomb. “Indiana’s advanced manufacturing workforce will be a key asset for this growing company, helping Milwaukee Tool provide high-quality service to its customers and contributing to its mission of continuous innovation and commitment to the trades.”
Pending approval by the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) board of directors, the IEDC will offer Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation up to $4.5 million in conditional tax credits and up to $500,000 in training grants based on the company’s plans to create up to 481 new Hoosier jobs.
These tax credits are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim incentives once Hoosiers are hired. The city of Greenwood approved additional incentives.
Milwaukee Tool is currently hiring key management and operations roles for the Greenwood service hub. Interested applicants can apply online. The company plans to create more than 450 new jobs by the end of 2025.
Southport, IN (September 8, 2020) - This is a really easy and super delicious recipe for sausage gravy from Nana that will have your family begging you to make this again and again. This recipe makes a hearty breakfast that is perfect any time of the year or any day of the week. Serve with hot biscuits or even eggs to round-out a filling lunch.
The trick to a great Southport Sausage Gravy is to really brown the sausage in a skillet until it has a deep brown caramelization on the outside. Not only will the sausage taste better, the drippings will have also have a deeper, tastier flavor to impart in the roux
Ingredients
1-pound breakfast sausage, hot or mild
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 to 4 cups whole milk, more to taste
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper, more to taste
12 cooked biscuits, warmed, for serving
Preparation
With your finger tear small pieces of sausage and add them in a single layer to a large heavy skillet. Brown the sausage over medium-high heat until no longer pink. Reduce the heat to medium-low. Sprinkle on half the flour and stir so that the sausage soaks it all up, then add more little by little. Stir it around and cook it for another minute or so, then pour in the milk, stirring constantly.
Cook the gravy, stirring frequently until it thickens (this may take a good 10 to 12 minutes). Sprinkle in the seasoned salt and pepper and continue cooking until very thick and luscious. If it gets too thick too soon, just splash in another 1/2 cup of milk or more if needed. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Spoon the sausage gravy over warm biscuits and serve immediately. This recipe can be easily doubled to serve 24.
