Local Spotlight

Washington County is gearing up for a heartwarming holiday tradition as Shop With a Cop returns on Saturday, December 13. Starting at 8:00 a.m., approximately 60 children will get the chance to shop for Christmas presents at Walmart alongside officers from the Washington County Sheriff’s Department and Salem Police Department.

Lisa’s Little Dream Farm Sanctuary in Hardinsburg is gathering supplies to help elderly and disabled residents care for their animals this season. Donation boxes labeled “Donate to Animals in Need” have been placed at several locations in Washington and Orange counties.

Local author Wayne D. Kramer has introduced a brand-new children’s book series featuring a lovable pangolin whose adventures teach lessons about friendship, empathy, and protecting wildlife.

For more than a year, Paige Monroe has been doing everything she can to keep her young son, Westin, healthy and smiling through a battle few could imagine. Westin was diagnosed with a severe heart condition after a viral infection left his heart functioning at just 17 percent, causing lasting damage to his other organs.

Nearly two weeks after Indiana’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits lapsed, the Washington County Food Bank is feeling the impact both in the number of families seeking assistance and in the generosity of the community stepping up to help.

Washington County Theatre (WCT) is following up the first show in its 2025-26 season, the hugely successful “Annie,” with a spine-tingling whodunnit that was a box-office triumph a few years ago at the cinema: “The Girl on the Train.”

With Indiana’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits set to lapse on November 1, the Washington County Food Bank is preparing for what could be a significant increase in local families needing food assistance.

A new community tradition may soon be taking shape in Salem. Titan Tint & Graphics will host its first “Saturday Night at Titan’s” on November 1 at 8 p.m., offering a free, drive-in style movie night featuring family Halloween classics Hocus Pocus  and The Nightmare Before Christmas.

El Camino’s Mexican Restaurant in Salem is taking an unexpected step in today’s economy: lowering menu prices. Owner Carlos Bravo announced the change Tuesday afternoon in a Facebook video, saying that starting Wednesday, October 22, prices on nearly every menu item will drop.

After weeks of hard work and preparation, Thunder Valley Raceway is set to roar back to life Saturday, October 25, with what organizers say could be either the final race at the historic venue or the start of a new era for local motorsports.

Efforts are underway to restore Little York’s historic 1918 Masonic lodge, a building that once housed Moody’s Grocery and later appeared in a music video by John “Cougar” Mellencamp.

The Pierce-Polk Volunteer Fire Department has been recognized for its outstanding fundraising efforts, earning the Walton Memorial Trophy from the WHAS Crusade for Children. The award honors the fire department showing the greatest percentage increase in collections over the previous year’s total.

Our very own Salem Apothecary is celebrating its 40th anniversary this Friday, October 17, and Pharmacist Rebecca Marshall has much in store for the apothecary’s 40th birthday party.

The Washington County Theatre's middle–high school group will present Almost, Maine, a whimsical and heartfelt play by John Cariani with original music by Julian Fleisher, on Saturday, October 18 at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, October 19 at 2:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

The John Hay Center is asking for community support to help restore its 1929 Monon Caboose, a historic piece of Salem’s railroad heritage.

The Washington County Theatre will once again bring local history to life during the 11th Annual Crown Hill Cemetery Walk, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Sept. 26–27, at Crown Hill Cemetery in Salem.

October is nationally recognized as Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, a time to honor and remember the lives of babies gone too soon while supporting families experiencing unimaginable grief. Locally, White Pumpkin Family, a group based in Southern Indiana, is continuing its mission of comfort and care by sponsoring two remembrance carts at Norton Clark Hospital in Jeffersonville.

A new faith-based recovery residence for women is opening its doors in Washington County, and the community is being invited to take part in a special event to help make it possible.

Recently, the Mosier Family Chiropractic office was packed with local residents eager to learn about Spinal Decompression. Dr. Chris Mosier recently acquired two decompression tables for the Mosier Chiropractic office here in Salem, so he decided to hold a workshop in his secondary office location.

For the past several months, Paige Monroe has been navigating life inside and outside of hospitals as her 1-year-old son, Westin, battles a severe heart condition.