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- Votes are IN for '26 Winner of Best Small Town in IN
Votes are IN for '26 Winner of Best Small Town in IN
Plus - Visit Kat Von D's black tulip field, learn about the Hoosier National Forest's history, and Indy shoots lights out as host for NCAA Men's Basketball Final Four.
Get IN, Austin Sellers & Nate Spangle
April 09, 2026
Thursday, April 9th
Happy Thursday, Hoosiers. NCAA Final Four weekend in downtown Indianapolis was a blast, and thousands from across the country took notice. Here’s the thing: Indiana has been doing this for a long time — there is no better tournament host.
This Week in Indiana History: Palm Sunday Tornadoes (1965)
Nashville Defends Small Town Showdown Championship
Final Four Weekend Recap
The Black Tulip Field in Southern Indiana
Mississinewa Lake: The Conservation Mindset
The History of Hoosier National Forest
Hidden Gems: White Barn Antiques and Cafe Jardin
Indiana Events
1 Big wIN: Indianapolis as Final Four Host
Hot Hoosier Housing
Get IN. with Nate Spangle: The Indiana Firm Helping Families Build Generational Wealth
This issue is 1,335 words, a 5-minute read.
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📜 This Week in Indiana History 📜
Palm Sunday Tornadoes (1965)
On April 11, 1965, one of the deadliest natural disasters hit the Hoosier State — the Palm Sunday tornadoes. In total, 47 tornadoes touched down across six different states, with Indiana being the hardest hit.
Communities such as Russiaville, Kokomo, and Elkhart received catastrophic damage, with F4 tornadoes carving a path across the state, wiping out entire communities within minutes. By the time the storm had subsided, 137 Hoosiers lost their lives and over 1,200 were injured. In true Hoosier fashion, communities came together quickly and rebuilt almost immediately after the storm.
The tragedy exposed major gaps in weather forecasting throughout the state. At the time, tornado alerts were limited and communication was slow. In addition, major advancements were made with weather broadcasting systems, leading to the high-tech weather systems we have today.
📰 Hoosier Headlines 📰
Nashville Defends Small Town Showdown Championship
In sports there are dynasties that come and go. In a competition where 64 small towns across the state in Indiana compete for bragging rights and a $1,000 bar tab in the Small Town Showdown, Nashville showed it may be a small town dynasty as the best in Indiana once again.
No, Get Indiana didn’t decide the outcomes — they were all determined by followers voting on Nate Spangle’s Instagram story. In fact, it was Nashville over Greensburg in the finals again, meaning Hoosiers truly have an understanding of the best small towns in the state.
The $1,000 bar tab will happen at a to be determined location in Nashville in 2026.
Final Four Weekend Recap
Braylon Mullins scored 15 points in UConn’s semifinal win over Illinois, but Mullins and the Huskies went cold against Michigan in the national championship game, giving the Wolverines a 69-63 victory. Terre Haute-born and Eastern Greene High School graduate Dusty May is the head coach of Michigan and has them primed to being a national title contender for the foreseeable future. (ESPN)
The Black Tulip Field in Southern Indiana
There’s a now-famous black tulip field in Kat Von D’s mansion yard in southern Indiana, and you should check it out. Von D was a famous tattoo artist in Los Angeles before moving to the Hoosier State. (Get Indiana)
Mississinewa Lake: The Conservation Mindset
Mississinewa Lake near Peru has Indiana's biggest state park beach, 472 campsites, and the powerful story of Frances Slocum. Our state park expert Allison Martin has the full guide. (Get Indiana)
The History of Hoosier National Forest
Hoosier National Forest was once depleted farmland. Here's how 200,000 acres in southern Indiana became the state's greatest conservation comeback story. (Get Indiana)
One of the internet’s favorite golf course cocktails, the Water Hazard, mixes Barkeep Vodka with blue Gatorade, a splash of lemonade, and Sprite for an ultra refreshing drink perfect for the course, the pool, or any warm weather hangout.
It’s light, smooth, and easy to make for a crowd. One sip and you might start wondering… is it too smooth? 🍸
Explore more cocktail ideas and recipes on the Barkeep Vodka Website, and find a bottle at your local grocery or liquor store.
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White Barn Antiques
White Barn Antiques in Cloverdale is a rustic barn full of farmhouse finds and vintage treasures worth the drive to Putnam County. Read more.
Cafe Jardin
Alex Yeater joined Get IN. with Nate Spangle and recommended Cafe Jardin as his hidden gem in Indiana. See what makes Cafe Jardin special here.
What’s your Hidden Gem? Submit here to have it featured!
Events This Week
Hunter Hayes Concert – The Vogue Theatre in Indianapolis – Tuesday, April 14 at 8 p.m. – Country-pop star Hunter Hayes performs his hit songs and new music in an intimate venue setting. Tickets
Carly Pearce Concert – Blue Gate Performing Arts Center in Shipshewana – Wednesday, April 15 (evening) – Grammy-winning country artist Carly Pearce brings her chart-topping hits to northern Indiana. Tickets
Philadelphia 76ers vs. Indiana Pacers – Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis – Friday, April 10 at 7:30 p.m. – Another Eastern Conference game with playoff implications for the Cavs and spoiler on the mind of the ‘Cers. Tickets
👏 1 Big wIN 👏
Last week, Indianapolis not only successfully hosted the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four, but the Division II, Division III, and NIT men’s basketball finals at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
The economic impact hasn’t yet been released, but the Final Four brought thousands of fans, teams and media to the Circle City. It helps build on the tourism momentum of Indiana’s reputation as the “sports capital” and helps attract future events.
🎙 On today's show I sat down with John Wortman, co-founder and CEO of Valeo Financial Advisors, a firm founded in 2003 that has grown to over 100 certified financial planners managing over $12 billion.
Wortman traces his early interest in markets from Evansville, explains disillusionment with cold-calling brokerage sales, and describes learning comprehensive financial planning at Oxford before leaving, paying a non-compete, and being sued at age 27 as Valeo launched into the dot-com bust and the 2008 crisis. He emphasizes transparent fees, limiting client loads, and building talent through an apprenticeship model.
Our conversation also covers innovation and AI-enabled product building, Valeo's "GIVE" program, involvement with Brackets for Good and Gleaners Food Bank, and why Indiana's family ties and community keep him rooted.
If you like this episode and want to hear more Get IN. episodes where I interview Hoosiers making a difference, visit getindiana.com/podcast.
You are going to learn about:
- Markets in the 2000s vs. Now
- Valeo's Founding and Growth Over the Last 20+ Years
- Brackets for Good and "GIVE" Program
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💎 Know any hidden gems we should cover? Submit yours here!