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Summer means rising temperatures, and Duke Energy is helping customers save with easy, low- to no-cost do-it-yourself projects and tips to prepare for summer’s heat.

“We typically see energy use spike in the summer since air conditioning is one of the biggest energy users in your home,” said Barbara Higgins, Duke Energy senior vice president and chief customer officer. “We offer free programs, tools and tips to help customers track and manage their energy use, so they can take control and avoid billing surprises.”

Low- to no-cost energy efficiency tips

High temperatures can lead to higher energy usage and bills as people try to stay cool. Below are some tips to help manage your energy use.

Change air filters regularly. A dirty air filter makes an HVAC system work harder, which uses more energy.

Set your thermostat at the highest comfortable setting. The smaller the difference between the inside and outside temperatures, the lower your energy usage and bill will be.

Close blinds, drapes and curtains during the hottest part of the day. Keeping your blinds, drapes and curtains closed will help prevent the sun's rays from heating your house.

Use a ceiling fan in occupied rooms to supplement your air conditioning. Make sure the fans are set to operate in a counterclockwise direction to push cool air down into living spaces.

Grill outdoors. Using your electric oven and stovetop creates a lot of indoor heat. Help save energy by firing up the grill outdoors or prepare meals that don't require cooking.

Turn off unnecessary lights. Be sure to turn off lights when you leave a room. Lights emit heat and cause your air conditioning system to work harder.

5 easy energy efficiency projects for your home

Sealing air leaks and installing faucet aerators will help you save money by using less energy. These tips and videos will show you how with step-by-step instructions. And, if you have a home improvement project that requires a contractor, Find It Duke can provide free referrals.

Install switch and outlet seals. Cooled air that escapes means your home’s cooling system works harder. Installing seals behind electric switches and outlets on exterior walls helps keep the cool air in, and warm air out. Video and b-roll

Apply weatherstripping to doors. Keep cooled air inside your home with self-adhesive weatherstripping on door frames. Video and b-roll

Caulk around windows and doors. Applying a bead of caulk around windows and doors is a simple way to keep cool air inside. Video and b-roll

Replace showerhead. You can reduce the amount of water you use by about 30% after replacing your showerhead with a low-flow model. This energy saving feature saves water, of course, but also cuts down on energy usage if you have an electric water heater. Video and b-roll

Install a faucet aerator. An aerator on the kitchen faucet will use less water, conserve energy and lower your energy costs. Video and b-roll

Track, manage your energy usage

Customers can also easily track and adjust their usage all summer long.

Customers with smart meters can check online to view their daily usage. Smart meters collect usage information by the hour, so checking spikes throughout the month – by day and even hour – can show what appliances and behaviors are increasing their bills. Video and b-roll available here.

Duke Energy customers with smart meters also receive usage alerts through email and/or text halfway through their billing cycle, well before their bill arrives, with their current usage amount and a projection of what their final monthly bill could be.

Customers can also set budget alerts, so they know when their bill reaches a specific dollar amount of their choosing, allowing them to adjust their usage and help save money on their bill.

Customers without smart meters can sign up to receive high bill alerts for when adverse weather is projected to increase their electric bills by at least 30 percent and $30 compared to historical usage.

Other energy-saving programs, tips and guidance to help you manage higher energy bills that can result from increased energy is available at Duke-Energy.com/Summer.

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Jed Trainor held the winning ticket to win a 2024 Bronco Sport in the Washington County Family YMCA in the raffle to raise funds for the "Beth Armstrong Y For All Capital Campaign." The raffle ticket drawing took place at the Washington County Farmers-Merchants Fair Wednesday evening, June 19.

Trainor said he plans to share the vehicle with his 17-year-old son Hunter.

The goal of the YMCA's Capital Campaignl is to raise $4 million dollars to construct an expansive community center and day care to serve county residents.

"We were thrilled to kick off our public phase of the Capital Campaign with such a exciting event," said Kristy Purlee, Chief Executive Officer of the Washington County Family YMCA. "The support of our community is vital in realizing our vision of a healthier, more supported Washington County. Together, we can build a brighter future for our youth and families."

The Y is one of the nation’s leading nonprofits strengthening communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The YMCA relies on the time, talents and treasures of the community to offer valuable programs and services.

Over half of the campaign's funds are still needed to reach the final goal to fund the expansion project. Those wishing to support this needed asset to the community may send donations to:

Washington County Family YMCA

1709 N. Shelby Street

Salem, IN 47167

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The Indiana State Police began the transition from the Dodge Charger, a vehicle which it has used for its police fleet since 2010, to the Dodge Durango police package vehicle in May 2023. ISP has ordered a total of 516 Durangos (approximate value of $25.8M). Over the last year, a total of 219 of these have been issued into the field for patrol duties.

During this timeframe, 39 Durangos (18%) have experienced a mechanical failure due to a defective oil cooler. Using this same ratio, ISP would anticipate having an additional 40 Durangos experience this same mechanical failure for a total of 79 anticipated failures. That means approximately $3.9 million dollars of equipment may not be available for their intended use by ISP personnel.

ISP Superintendent Doug Carter has spoken with a Chrysler representative and was not given a timeline to resolve the matter.

A fully equipped ISP Dodge Durango costs approximately $50,000. During the month of May 2024, ISP had 15 Dodge Durangos experience this oil cooler failure. The average downtime for an engine replacement/repair is four-to-eight weeks. This downtime creates a huge burden on fleet operations, a significant loss of confidence in the vehicle by ISP personnel, and an ineffective loss of public service while the Trooper cycles in and out of a pool car to perform their daily duties.

“ISP has used Dodge as our primary police vehicle provider for the last decade-and-a-half, it is unfortunate that we have found ourselves in this precarious position”, said Carter. “We’re having to sideline brand new vehicles, losing out on their value and functionality… the citizens and taxpayers of Indiana are being shortchanged and deserve better.”

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By: Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

The History Channel is presently running their acclaimed survival series called “Alone”. In the current season 11, ten people are dropped off in the unforgiving Artic Circle, the northern-most location they have ever used in the show.

In this season, Salem’s own Timothy “Timber” Cleghorn (he prefers to be called “Timber”) is a contestant. Cleghorn picked up the name from his first paying job chopping wood with an axe. He lives in Salem with his wife Cara and their two boys, Levi and Elliot.

Cleghorn’s profession is listed as a Humanitarian Aid Worker and says that has taken a toll on him and the family. They travel all over the world and have lived in underdeveloped tribal areas and conflict zones throughout Asia and the middle east. The passion to be an aid worker came after a summer trip helping orphanages in Ukraine.

Cleghorn now 36, paid his way through college by trapping beavers and coyotes. He has lived off the grid before.

In the Artic Circle, there are grizzly bears, bone-chilling cold, and icy snow-covered landscapes. The drop-off point was the MacKenzie Delta in Canada, where it empties into the Artic Ocean.

Participants can choose ten things to take with them and must build their own shelter. The series winner will receive $500,000.

The ten items Cleghorn chose for the Arctic Circle include a sleeping bag, 2-quart pot, ferro rod (fire starter), axe, saw, multi-tool, bow and arrows, paracord, snare wire, and fishing line with hooks.
No tent and no camera crew, he is alone - plain isolation.

We wish him a safe and successful adventure!

Salem's own Timber Cleghorn is accustomed to living in nature's elements.

An earlier photograph of Timber and his wife, Cara, when she was expecting one of their sons.

The History Channel's popular survival series "Alone" features different challenging venues each season.

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With hot weather approaching, cooling centers will be open across the state for those in need of a safe and cool place to stay. Indiana 211 is your community's resource for updated locations and hours of cooling centers in your area. To see a list of current cooling centers CLICK HERE.

Currently no cooling stations are listed for Washington County. Ironically, the "Warming Station" at the Salem Presbyterian Church on North High Street is open on Monday evenings and provides a cooling tower, water and Gatorade, but only for a limited number of hours.

The closest cooling stations in the region are in Scottsburg and Austin. Many cooling stations in the area are located in facilities such as fire stations, YMCAs, government offices, public libraries, Salvation Army centers, and by non-profit agencies.

It is critical that any private or public agency in the county that is providing cooling center resources register with the 211 database and contact local media outlets to make those in need aware of local provisions.

Please partner with Indiana 211, a division of the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, to make sure Hoosiers know they can call 2-1-1 or 866-211-9966 to find their nearest cooling center. We ask you to share the information below on your social media channels to make sure the public is aware that help is available. Please like our social media pages to stay aware of happenings and repost from IN211’s official social channels.

Report or add a cooling center by contacting our resource team by email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Indiana 211 Cooling Centers: Indiana 211 (communityos.org)
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Message: PLEASE SHARE: Stay cool, stay safe. Call 2-1-1 to find cooling centers open in your community. @in211 community navigators are available 24/7 and can provide you with updated locations and hours of cooling centers in your area or click here: Indiana 211 (communityos.org)