“The good Lord didn’t intend for us to sit around on our butts.”

The Jennings County Historical Society announces “Spring is here” with the 60th Annual Sassafras Tea Festival and Civil War Living History. The two-day event is slated for April 23 and 24 in historic Vernon and runs 9 a.m. until 5 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. on Sunday.

After two years without, St. Mary’s Church’s production of The Living Way of the Cross has returned to North Vernon.

The American Pickers TV Show is coming to Indiana this May looking for leads and would love to explore your hidden treasure. If you or someone you know has a large, private collection or accumulation of antiques that the Pickers can spend the better part of the day looking through, send us y…

Lifelong North Vernon resident Heather Vaught recently purchased Vaught Pest Control from her uncle’s estate following his unexpected death.

“Oh, imagine a land, it’s a faraway place…”

The community favorite Sassafras Tea and Civil War Living History Festival will be celebrating a remarkable 60th anniversary this year. Always held on the last weekend in April, the two-day festival will delight with a few extra special activities in honor of the anniversary, but of course v…

Valentine’s Day is traditionally for couples, but who doesn’t remember decorating a shoe box in elementary school for all the Valentine’s cards that each person in your class was required to bring? Most of those cards were courteous, but maybe, just maybe, you received a proper Valentine fro…

For the second year in a row, the Our Hospice Jennings County Gala was held virtually due to COVID-19. Despite these limitations, the 2022 Gala, “Lights, Camera, Royalty” successfully netted over $39,000.

The Jennings County Players have announced their next production “Assisted Living: The Musical”. Tickets are going on sale for the performances which are scheduled for Friday, Saturday, Sunday; February 25, 26, and 27.

The 24th Annual Our Hospice Jennings County Gala will be held on Saturday, February 5 at 7 p.m. via a Facebook livestream at facebook.com/ourhospice. The theme is “Lights. Camera. Royalty.”

Ah, the theater! A place to go and enjoy the fine arts, which will be in full effect this weekend as the Park Theater Civic Center will be showing the 2021 remake of the classic “West Side Story” directed by Steven Spielberg.

With almost a week of 2022 under our belts, let’s keep the celebration going with the fan-favorite news quiz compiled from the pages of last year’s editions of the Plain Dealer & Sun.

Disney’s newest magical creation is the animated film “Encanto.” The story follows the Madrigal family, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia in a charmed place called the Encanto.

Perceptions Yoga, Mindfulness and Art in Vernon announces and invites you to the show and sale of works of Jaylan Robinette in January. The opening is slated for January 7 from 5-7 p.m. and the closing will be held January 28 from 5-7 p.m. Jaylan is a 2020 graduate of Jennings County High School.

Bethel Baptist’s Adult Choir and Drama Group will present “A Son Is Given” from Majesty Music, on Sunday evening, December 5, at 6 p.m., in the church’s sanctuary. The church is located at 77 Norris Avenue in North Vernon.

A Scipio couple, who wish to be referred to as “Santa Ken” and “Mrs. Claus,” have been donning the big red coat and jolliness to bring joy and Christmas spirit for the past 30 years.

“Sleigh bells ring, are you listening; In the lane, snow is glistening; A beautiful sight; We’re happy tonight…” Walking downtown during North Vernon’s Christmas in the Solar City. With the plethora of fun and exciting holiday activities planned, it surely will be a sight!

It was not a perfect autumn day for North Vernon Main Street’s first ever Autumn Stroll last Friday, but a few determined souls braved the rainy weather in order to enjoy the warm drinks and live music performed by Connor Ertel at the new Main Street office located on Stellar Plaza. They cam…

North Vernon Main Street is hosting its Autumn Stroll this Friday, October 29. 25 businesses and organizations participated and their hard work and creativity is literally on display for all to see on the downtown lightpoles and in windows. Make sure to vote for your favorites!

Sweet Street is getting even sweeter this year!

The Jennings County Historical Society wasn’t talking just a bunch of “Hocus Pocus” when they announced their Movie Night on the Courthouse Lawn event, promising boxed dinners, an outdoor movie featuring the Halloween film “Hocus Pocus” and the possibility of a Bigfoot sighting.

Perceptions Yoga, Mindfulness & Art in Vernon is inviting the public to attend the September Art show featuring the artwork of Vernon native Dalton Bolser, and Perceptions’ first ever jewelry exhibit, Occasional Cabs and Slabs — Finding Beauty in Nature, featuring lapidary artist and cra…

The 49th Annual Paris Crossing Alumni Association Annual Banquet will meet on Friday, September 10 at the Pines Evergreen Room located on Hwy 31, South of Hwy 50, near Seymour, the same location as in previous years.

Join in the fun of Hayden’s Harvest Past on Saturday, September 4 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Perceptions Yoga, Mindfulness & Art in Vernon is inviting the public to attend the August Art show featuring Tom Speer, a retired captain of the North Vernon Police Department (NVPD). The opening reception will take place on Friday, August 6 from 5 to 7 p.m. with a closing reception on F…

The community is invited to attend a concert by singer, songwriter, and storyteller Daryl Mosley on Sunday, August 1 at 10 a.m. at First Christian Church, 108 E. Walnut Street in North Vernon.

photos By KYLAN HIGGS

The Historical Society’s July 26, 6 p.m. monthly program will feature artist, Madalyn “Maddy” Hovious. Maddy will share her expertise in the segment entitled “Ink & Letter” as part of a series of artistic presentations the Society has sponsored this year.

A film entitled Historic Barns of Jennings County will premiere at the North American House in Vernon on July 8 at 7 p.m. The film was produced by Drew Yeager and Wyatt Brooks and narrated by Jaime Garcia. They were funded through a grant from the Smithsonian Museum on Main Street — Stories …

The Jennings County Historical Society invites the public to attend a short program Thursday, June 24 at the North American House at 6 p.m., commemorating the 50th anniversary of President Richard Milhous Nixon’s visit to Jennings County, his ancestral home. He visited June 24, 1971 at the i…

Mercy Rescue of North Vernon is hosting an outdoor garden party complete with live music to raise money for their animal sanctuary on June 28 in an effort to join the forces of garden and animal lovers alike.

The Fair Board, 4-Hers, livestock, vendors and fair goers alike couldn’t ask for better weather to accompany the week of the 2021 Jennings County Fair.

The pandemic year brought a silver lining to the Country Squire Lakes Fishing Tournament last Saturday; since last year’s event had to be canceled due to COVID-19 restrictions, it meant there was plenty of fish to go around.

4-H projects have been submitted, a queen has been crowned, and entertainment has been booked: let’s head to the fair, y’all.

The City Park Pool and Splash Zone opens for its second summer season Memorial Day weekend. The Park Board is hoping for a good turnout at the Saturday noon opening time, swim-suited and ready for a day of play and relaxation, similar to when it opened its doors for the first time back in 2020.

After more than a year without the Jennings County favorite that is the Park Theatre — which sadly included the tragic passing of its co-founder, Bill Reichenbach — this civic center is finally reopening on June 4 after the COVID-19 pandemic closed its doors back in March 2020.

Summer time is BBQ time.

The City of North Vernon is pleased to host a retirement ceremony to celebrate James Webster’s 27-year career as a police officer. James began his service on January 1, 1994 and was sworn-in as an officer by Mayor John Hall. Throughout his career he has served as a patrol officer, Sergeant, …

The Jennings County Farmers’ Market opened for its 25th season in North Vernon last week. The market is open from 8 a.m. to noon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at the city park’s shelter house No. 2 until October.

Story and photos By KYLAN HIGGS