🎃 Halloween Like No Other at Hard Truth 🥃

It’s Halloween time, and let me tell you, Hard Truth’s Sweet Mash Monster Bash is where you wanna be. THIS Saturday, Oct. 26, from 6-9 p.m from - here’s all of the fun events they’ve got going on:

• Dress to impress in your creepiest costume for a chance to win a bottle of our Cinnamon Vodka in the costume contest.

• Test your aim in a game of glow-in-the-dark beer pong while sipping on eerie, specialty cocktails.

• If you’re in the mood for something sweet, cozy up by the fire to roast marshmallows and make s’mores while enjoying live music.

• Kids Fun Zone packed with pumpkin bowling, tic-tac-toe, pumpkin painting, and apple bobbing.

• Haunted Get Lost ATV tours are now available! Spots are limited and fill up fast so be sure to secure yours today. RESERVE NOW

• Spot the Skeleton Scavenger Hunt, where the first five people to find the hidden skeletons around the property will win a prize. Each skeleton holds a secret QR code, so be quick to submit your answers!

• For those who prefer a more relaxed haunt, grab a blanket and settle in on the terrace, where we’ll be airing spooky movies all night long.

This is one monster bash you won’t want to miss!

Learn more HERE

☀️ This week’s INsights

This week in Indiana History - So, this week in history, there was this big treaty signed between Lewis Cass, James B. Ray, John Tipton, and the Miami Tribe. They came together, worked out a deal, and Indiana ended up with a bunch of land in the northeast. The kind of land where you could imagine farms and families starting a life.

Indiana got to build some roads and canals - back then, that was huge. Like, you’re talking progress, moving forward. And what’s really cool? Chief Jean Baptiste de Richardville was part of this too. He actually built himself a house that’s still around today in Fort Wayne. Now it’s a historic site, and people get to go visit it. I mean, that’s pretty incredible if you think about it. History’s not always easy, but it can leave behind these places that remind us how far we’ve come.!

⚡ Hoosier Headlines ⚡

Fort Wayne’s Passenger Rail System 🚂 - Fort Wayne is trying to bring back passenger trains, and now they’ve actually gotten a $500,000 grant to kick off the first phase of this project. It’s called the Midwest Connect Passenger Rail Corridor, which sounds very official.

Basically, they want to connect Fort Wayne to places like Chicago, Columbus, Pittsburgh, and a bunch of other cities along a 545-mile route. And now they’re having a rally for it on October 27th at Baker Street Train Station. They’re gonna have the mayor, some city council folks, and other big names there, all talking about how important this is for the local economy.

It’s actually a pretty big deal for the area. Fort Wayne hasn’t had passenger trains since 1990. And apparently, the federal government could cover 80% of the construction costs if the project gets selected, which is a nice little bonus. The rest of it would come from matching funds, so they’ve got some work to do, but they’re moving in the right direction.

They say this could create hundreds of jobs in the area, which is great, and, I mean, it’s kinda cool to think that in a few years, you might be able to just hop on a train and go straight to Chicago or Pittsburgh. So, yeah, if you’re into progress—or you just like the idea of bringing back trains—you might want to check out that rally. Who knows? You might be part of the reason Fort Wayne gets back on track... literally.

🛫 Indy ➡️ Ireland 🛬 - So, big news for the Indy Airport - we’re getting nonstop international flights again! Yeah, starting in May, you’ll be able to fly directly from Indy to Dublin. That’s right, the land of Guinness and, you know, leprechauns or whatever you think of when you hear ‘Ireland.’ Four days a week, Aer Lingus is gonna get you across the Atlantic. You don’t have to deal with those connecting flights anymore.

This is the first time we’ve had a direct flight to Europe since 2020. Back then, Delta used to fly us to Paris, but then, you know, COVID happened, and we all stopped going anywhere. So, they canceled it and just never brought it back. But now, we’ve got Dublin - way to step up, Ireland!

It’s about an 8-hour flight. That’s not too bad. You can settle in, watch a couple of movies, take a nap, and boom—you’re in Dublin. Plus, tickets are expected to be around $800 round trip, which is a pretty good deal considering it’s usually over a thousand bucks if you’ve got to connect somewhere else.

And, of course, they say it’s great for business. Apparently, Indiana and Ireland are best friends when it comes to pharmaceuticals. Who knew, right? I mean, sure, it’s nice to think about all the business stuff, but let’s be honest, I’m just excited to be able to say, ‘Yeah, I’m flying direct to Dublin from Indy,’ like that’s a normal thing we do now. It’s kind of a big deal.

So, you can thank a lot of people for making this happen, including big Indiana companies that do business in Ireland. It’s a win for the economy, for sports tech, and for anyone who just wants a quick way to get to Europe. And hey, maybe you’ll end up at a pub in Dublin, toasting to the fact that you didn’t have to change planes in Chicago.

🎧 Listen to Our Latest Podcast 🎧

🎙 In this episode I sit down with Allison Barber, the COO and President of the Indiana Fever through the 2024 season.

She is now the Board Chair and and advisor for The Marvella Project. An incredible sports and leadership complex designed and dedicated primarily to the needs of young female athletes.

Highlights include: 

• The rise of women's sports & the role Indiana will play

• Caitlin Clark's Impact on and off the court

• How coaching and sports are changing the world... one kid at a time.

Listen on Spotify, Apple, or Youtube 

😃 Hoosier Hype 😃

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 💎 Hidden Gem 💎

Brown County Sunrises 🌄

Let me tell you, Brown County, Indiana, has some of the most beautiful sunrises you’ll ever see. And here’s the crazy part: hardly anyone’s there to watch ‘em. I don’t know if people are just not morning people, or maybe they think the trees can handle it without them, but trust me - these sunrises are worth getting up for.

You’ve got 16,000 acres of forest—maples, oaks, sycamores—all of nature’s greatest hits. When the sun rises over those trees, it’s like watching a real-life Bob Ross painting. Or, in this case, Justin Vining ⬇️

And, If you’re up for a little adventure, there’s the ‘Seven Vista Challenge’ at Brown County State Park. Hit all seven stunning views, snap some pics in these giant picture frames, and post them with #BC7VistaChallenge. When you finish, head to the visitors center for a special gift—no clue what it is, but hey, it’s free.

So, if you’re up early, go check it out. Trust me, those sunrises are worth it—even if you’re not a morning person.

👏 1 Big wIN 👏

IU Football Makes College Gameday

It’s time to throw on your Indiana University gear, because the Hoosiers are having a moment. For the first time in its 37-year history, ESPN’s College GameDay is coming to Bloomington this Saturday. Yeah, that’s right—7-0 IU is finally getting the GameDay treatment. It only took forever, but we made it!

On October 26, College GameDay will be live in Bloomington, bright and early, ahead of IU’s sold-out noon game against Washington. And here’s where it gets even better: Lee Corso, who coached IU football way back in the '70s, will be hosting. So, if you ever wondered what it’d be like to watch your old coach get hyped about the team that probably drove him crazy—this is your chance!

They’re setting up on the south lawn of Memorial Stadium, and the broadcast kicks off at 9 a.m. Now, if you want to get on TV, you’ll need to show up early, ready to go, and packed into the pit right by the stage. Bring a sign, & wear your cream-and-crimson.

And here’s the thing—this is big for IU football. 7-0? That’s the second-best start in program history. So, if there’s ever been a time to wave a towel and pretend you know a lot about football, it’s now. See you there!

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