Published: July 10, 2008 10:53 am      

Area briefs

July 10, 2008

Little Turtle hosting Second Saturday

The Cass County Art Alliance is sponsoring Second Saturdays from 5:30 to 9 p.m. at Little Turtle Waterway. The theme is Praise and Gospel Concert.

Attendees are asked to bring a non-perishable food item which will be gathered and donated to Emmaus Mission Center and to the Salvation Army.

Lawn chairs also will need to be brought by those attending the concert.

In case of rain, the concert will be performed at First Assembly of God.

Masons offering free child ID kits at fair

The Burlington Masonic Lodge No. 111 and the Camden Mt. Zion Masonic Lodge No. 211 will team up again this year to offer the Indiana Freemasons’ Child Identification Program at the Carroll County Fair.

From 5 to 9 p.m. July 11 through 18, Masonic volunteers will make up kits for parents who bring their children to booth 31-32 at the south side of the Community Building.

These kits will provide parents with a video CD that includes a brief informal interview with the child to show his or her mannerisms and speech patterns, the child’s fingerprints and materials that will allow the parents to gather and store the child’s DNA.

The packets will be released only to the parent or the legal guardian for safekeeping. No information will be retained by the Freemasons.

The service is free and around 400 children visited the Masons’ booth last year.

NIPSCO adjusting July gas costs

MERRILLVILLE — Northern Indiana Public Service Company recently announced that natural gas costs for July increased compared to last month, mainly due to an increase in wholesale natural gas prices as compared to the previous month.

NIPSCO residential customers will see an increase in natural gas costs of 14.8 percent when compared to June. The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission approved the adjustment subject to refund.

A typical NIPSCO residential customer using 50 therms of natural gas should expect an increase of approximately $14.42 from last month’s statement in their July billing, although total bill amounts will vary as a result of actual consumption.

State announces free Internet program

Peru — Lt. Governor Becky Skillman recently announced a new program to provide free, high-speed Internet service to selected households in rural areas. The city of Peru is the first community to launch the program, which is sponsored by the Indiana Office of Community and Rural Affairs, AT&T and One Economy Corporation.

The rural affairs office is working with community leaders to administer the program and select participants.

Eight other rural Indiana communities are expected to launch later this year.

AT&T will provide Internet service free of charge for two years. Participants must have AT&T service in their home or may qualify for a reduced rate through this program.

One Economy and its partners will provide low-price or at-cost computers to support the program. The global non-profit organization works to bring technology to low-income people.

Residents wishing to learn more about the program can contact the rural affairs office at (800) 824-2476.