This and that: Light reading on a Super Bowl Sunday
It’s no Puppy Bowl, but …
Thanks today for ongoing help from Based in Lafayette sponsor Long Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Lafayette, presenting Uptown: Motown Remixed on Monday, Feb. 12. For tickets and more, here’s your link.
OTHER READS/THIS AND THAT …
REMEMBERING ABBY AND LIBBY, AN ANNUAL FOOD DRIVE: There’s been so much legal wrangling between the judge, defense attorneys and the prosecutor in recent weeks in the Delphi murder trial of Richard Allen. Take a moment this week to mark the seventh anniversary since Abby Williams and Libby German were taken. Their families continue a tradition started in 2018 – a year after their Feb. 13, 2017, murders – next weekend with a food and pet supply drive in Delphi. The Remembering Abby and Libby Food Drive will be 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 17-18, at Delphi Methodist Church, 1796 U.S. 421 (just off the Hoosier Heartland Highway exit). The families also suggest supporting local food pantries close to home. Bring nonperishable food and pets supplies (kitty litter, food and the rest).
DEMOCRACY IN A CUP: The League of Women Voters will have local state representatives and senators on hand Saturday, Feb. 17, for a forum called Democracy in a Cup. Coffee and pastries at 8:30 a.m., an hour of panel discussion and questions with state Reps. Chris Campbell, Sheila Klinker and Sharon Negele, and state Sens. Ron Alting and Spencer Deery at 9:30 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Tippecanoe County, 333 Meridian St. in West Lafayette.
In a related note, here’s a look at how the May 7 primary ballots are shaping up in Tippecanoe county, after Friday’s candidate filing deadline: “More primary challengers line up as filing deadline passes.”
AFTER BRUNO’S: After the last customers left, the last pizzas in hand from a 70-year run, the crew at Bruno’s Pizza was back clearing the West Lafayette institution in the days that followed. Journal & Courier reporter Jillian Ellison had a nice piece Sunday on friends and family taking co-owner Orlando Itin’s vast collection Purdue and local sports memorabilia off the walls of Big O’s Sports Room. Some of the restaurant items will go to the West Lafayette Public Library for its local history collections. Much of the sports stuff – after Itin culls what will stay in his personal collection – will be on sale Saturday. Ellison’s story also reveals what’s going to happen to the giant Drew Brees bobblehead that has greeted customers in Bruno’s most recent era. Here’s the story: “Decades of Purdue memorabilia up for sale as Bruno's Pizza and Big O's Sports Room closes.”
If you go: The sale of items from Big O’s Sports Room will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 17, at the restaurant, 212 Brown St., West Lafayette.
ICYMI, here’s coverage from this week about the fate of Bruno’s Pizza as it makes way for a $250 million development about to break ground this spring near the corner of State Street and North River Road:
Bruno’s, a West Lafayette and Purdue landmark, closing. After 70 years, Bruno’s Pizza will make way for work on a $250 million redevelopment project. Yearlong search doesn’t find a new home for a Purdue favorite.
Here’s a deal for first-time, all-access subscribers: 15% off your first year of Based in Lafayette, now through Monday.
THEY’RE CALLING IT 3DEY: Just nuts. Purdue pounds IU, 79-59 for a season sweep and to extend its lead in the Big Ten standings, and the biggest story is … Zach Edey hit his first three-pointer. (Admit it, you were like me when he took that pass at the top of the key from Braden Smith: He’s going to shoot it …) Here’s the moment.
For good measure, here J&C reporter Sam King with coverage: “Zach Edey, Braden Smith lead Purdue basketball to blowout win over Indiana.”
A SUPER BOWL THROWBACK ON GEORGE KARLAFTIS: Everyone’s talking about whether Taylor Swift will get to Vegas in time for the Super Bowl, but let’s talk for a minute about how George Karlaftis got there. Two years in the NFL and two trips to the Super Bowl started at West Lafayette High School and then Purdue. This is pulling from the archives, just as the origin story was just coming together for Karlaftis, when J&C reporter Sam King had this in 2017: “Once told he 'sucks at football,' George Karlaftis has long list of suitors.”
WINTEK’S BROADBAND ROLLOUT, AN UPDATE: Tipmont and Wintek celebrated a milestone and offered a heads up last week in a project aimed at rolling out 160 miles of fiber lines and deliver broadband capabilities to parts of Tippecanoe County not covered, yet. The project is part of what Tippecanoe County officials in 2022 called the $14.8 million centerpiece of the county’s plan for $37.9 million in federal American Rescue Plan Act money. (From March 2022: “Broadband for every Tippecanoe Co. address? County says: Now’s the time.”) “Once this is done,” County Commissioner Tom Murtaugh said this week, “we believe we can say Tippecanoe County is the first in the state with available fiber broadband to everyone.” Tipmont and Wintek have been working since spring 2019 to deploy fiber internet, following existing lines in an electric service territory to get rural broadband to its 24,800 members in parts of Tippecanoe, Montgomery, Fountain, Clinton, Carroll, White, Benton and Boone counties. The co-op’s $100 million project, spurred in part by rural broadband initiatives by the state and other sources, is expected to reach its members by 2025. The county’s investment, via the federal money, will take that project outside Tipmont REMC’s coverage area, in parts not covered now by Xfinity, Metronet and other major broadband players, for nearly 2,000 rural Tippecanoe County address. During an event at the Wabash Township Fire Station, just west of West Lafayette, Tipmont officials marked the completion of areas around Montmorenci and west of Purdue Airport. “This is the 21st century’s most important tool,” Rob Ford, Wintek/Tipmont communications director, said. For a map of construction schedules for the rest of the project, go to: tcfiber.wintek.com/
IN LEAP-RELATED NEWS …: Funny how Boone County housing and industrial growth has become such a concern two counties away, here in Tippecanoe County. (Good morning, LEAP pipeline.) But here’s another one about the growing pains – and water needs – in the county seat Lebanon as things advance on the industrial dreams of the 9,000-acre LEAP district, via Indianapolis Business Journal reporter Daniel Bradley: “Study: Growing Boone County needs varied housing options.”
ROKITA AND HIS SCHOOL PORTAL: Here’s the deal, according to Attorney General Todd Rokita, on his office’s new Eyes on Education portal, set up this week to much criticism as a way to accuse schools of signs of what he and supporters call “indoctrination” in schools. Chalkbeat reporters MJ Slaby and Aleksander Appleton reported that Rokita declined calls to take down a series of allegations – many of them anonymous and, as superintendents said, unfounded or false – but would publish school district responses. With one caveat: “The office said it would, however, post responses from school districts challenging the validity of those complaints. But in order to dispute the materials, Rokita’s office told districts they had to prove the materials were not used by or made available in their schools.” For the full report from Chalkbeat: “Here’s what the Indiana AG said about making changes to the ‘Eyes on Education’ tip line.”
HERE'S ALSO THE DEAL: If you’ve been waiting for that nudge to get a full-access subscription to Based in Lafayette, now through Monday take 15% off monthly and annual rates for the first year. Hey, that’s less than 20 cents an issue, if you do the math. I’ll do my best to make it worthwhile. Details here …
Thanks, again, for ongoing help from Based in Lafayette sponsor Long Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Lafayette, presenting Uptown: Motown Remixed on Monday, Feb. 12. For tickets and more, here’s your link.
Thank you for supporting Based in Lafayette, an independent, local reporting project. Free and full-ride subscription options are ready for you here.
Tips, story ideas? I’m at davebangert1@gmail.com.
A big Shoutout to WINTEK for having the vision for broadband county wide , and the other government entities putting forth the capital. Let’s not forget to give credit, where credit is due, to the Biden Administration other than just stating federal government funding, without mentioning names.
Anything that is suggested by rokita is wicked. Why can’t he move to Florida or Texas?