Community

A Community Posting from the Washington County Family YMCA Washington County, IN — The Washington County Family YMCA Preschool Program is excited to announce upcoming registration dates for the 2026-2027 preschool year. Member Registration opens on February 23, at the YMCA front desk, followed by Community Registration opening on March 14 at 9:00 AM in the YMCA lobby. Thanks to recent grant funding from Early Learning Indiana, shared with the Washington County Family YMCA Pre

On February 6, the First Baptist Church of Salem presented a $673.40 check to Connie Ray from a local organization called, “Outside the Walls.” The money for the check was collected on Christmas Eve during the Christmas Cantata concert at First Baptist Church.

WASHINGTON COUNTY Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) 1/28/2026 Reference: Legal Notice The Washington County Local Emergency Planning Committee (LEPC) will hold its meetings for the year 2026 at 5:00pm at the Salem Fire Department meeting room, located at 38 Public Square #5, Salem, Indiana, on the following dates: Tuesday, February 10th, 2026, Tuesday, May 12th, 2026, Tuesday, August 11th, 2026 and Tuesday, November 10th 2026, and at such other times as shall be only

Members of our community are coming together this Valentine’s Day in support of 6 year-old Leerah Gilbert, who is currently battling Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. Dineshia Wheeler and other family-friends of the Gilbert family are putting on a fundraiser called “Giving Love to Leerah” at the American Legion Salem Post 41 on February 14 at 11:00 am.

A Community Posting by Raegan Zweydorff    Parents of second grade through fourth grade students at East Washington Elementary and second grade through fifth grade students Bradie Shrum Elementary might see something new in their child’s backpack. The Washington County Youth Foundation has launched their annual “Minis for Pennies” fundraiser. According to Raegan Zweydorff, Youth Foundation Facilitator, “This fundraiser is crucial in funding the Happily Ever After Program as w

The Maple Syrup Festival is approaching once again! This year, it will be on February 28 and March 1, and March 7 and 8 from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. This year will feature attractions for all to enjoy!

The Washington County Theatre plans to present The Giver later this year in April, and they will be holding auditions early next week on February 2 and 3 at 7:00 pm at the Salem Church of the Nazarene.

From record 715 losses to undefeated champs: Indiana football's epic 2025 turnaround under Coach Cignetti, with QB Mendoza's Heisman and national title wins over Alabama, Oregon, and Miami.

Grocery aisles all over the county that once contained milk are suddenly barren and empty. Bottled water aisles have seemingly evaporated, and bread and eggs appear to have skipped town entirely. This can only mean one thing… There must be a winter storm knocking at the door.

Doctor’s offices and hospitals have recently become Leerah Gilbert's second home over the past several months after being diagnosed with a form of leukemia in November of 2025 just two weeks before her sixth birthday.

The Cornerstone Chapel & Celebration Center will be hosting a free Bridal Fair on January 31 from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm. This is a great opportunity for brides-to-be to enjoy a fun afternoon discovering great wedding ceremony and reception options located here in our community.

A Community Posting by Kyla Spence  EXCITING NEWS!  We are hosting our very first beginner beekeeping class! How much does beekeeping really cost? Where do you even order honeybees? What do you mean fire is involved? If you're interesting in beekeeping, this is the class for you! This 3-hour course provides insight into all the beginner tasks and basic skills to build a strong foundation for your apiary. We will cover ordering honeybees, setting up a perfect apiary layout, en

Washington County Theatre (WCT) will present “The Diary of Anne Frank” on stage at Gary W. Hartsook Hall in Salem on Friday and Saturday, January 16 and 17, at 7:30 p.m. and on Sunday, January 18, at 2:30 p.m. The show is sponsored by Salem Apothecary. Anne Frank had just celebrated her 13 th birthday when she and her family went into hiding to escape being arrested by the Gestapo. The four Franks, the van Daan family, and a dentist named Dussel took shelter in a set of rooms

A Community Posting by Awareness Washington County Digital rendering of the final vision for the project. The 2025 Class of Awareness Washington County has been awarded a $60,000 grant from the Washington County Community Foundation in order to assist in their class project of installing an all-inclusive playground at Lake Salinda. The all-inclusive playground is a community-led initiative led by the class and involves repurposing playground equipment from Bradie Shrum Eleme

The Washington County Chamber of Commerce is entering 2026 with new leadership and a renewed vision for serving the local business community. Under the guidance of a new president (Zack Richards) and executive director (Jacob Dufour), the Chamber is implementing a series of updates focused on strengthening member value, improving communication, and increasing community engagement.

Submitted by the Washington County Tobacco Prevention Coalition. The new year is coming, and it’s a great time for fresh starts. If you’re a tobacco or nicotine user, the best thing you can do this year is to make a quit plan. Smoking is still the number one cause of preventable death in Indiana. Making the decision to quit in 2026 can dramatically reduce your risk for life threatening diseases and even make all of your holiday meals taste better.

Christmas week is in full swing across Washington County, and the Salem square is shining as a centerpiece of the season. Wrapped in lights and holiday decorations, the square has taken on a festive glow as the community counts down the final days to Christmas.

Washington County Theatre will present It’s A Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Show  on December 20 and 21 at 7:30 p.m. at the Gary W. Hartsook Hall at 405 N. Shelby St. in Salem.

Over the years, Washington County has shipped off thousands of Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes, and this year added an amazing 1,734 shoeboxes to the total. Like many years in the past, First Baptist Church of Salem served as Washington County’s drop-off center.

The Washington County Family YMCA has launched a community-wide challenge to raise the final funds needed for its transformative Beth Armstrong Y–For–All Capital Campaign. A generous donor has pledged to match every gift—dollar–for–dollar—up to $250,000, bringing the Y closer to its total campaign goal of $4.3 million.