🌱 Body Found At South St. Speedway + Stamp Out Hunger Drive

Hi all. It's me, Danielle Fallon-O'Leary, your host of the Patch newsletter. Let's get this Monday started off right with a quick review of the most important things going on in town these days.

But first, your local weather:

• Monday: Beautiful with clouds and sun. High: 70 Low: 45.
• Tuesday: Times of clouds and sun. High: 75 Low: 50.

Here are the top three stories today in Lafayette:

1. The Lafayette Police Department is investigating after a body of an adult male was found in a vehicle at a Speedway gas station on South Street. According to Lieutenant Mike Brown, officers received a call about a medical issue at the gas station; upon arrival, they found the man dead in his vehicle, with no life-saving measures possible due to the time he had been deceased. As of Saturday, the victim's identity has not yet been confirmed or released, and the cause of death remains under investigation. (wlfi.com)
2. The 31st annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive took place this Saturday, May 13, to collect non-perishable food items for food banks across the greater Lafayette area. Over the weekend, letter carriers collected donations placed near mailboxes by residents during their regular mail delivery, then delivered them to area food banks. Recent data shows that in Tippecanoe County, over 20,000 individuals struggle with food insecurity, including one in nine children. (Journal & Courier)
3. After 16 years, Maestro Nick Palmer has retired from the Lafayette Symphony Orchestra (LSO), taking his final bow this past Saturday. The LSO has been searching for a new conductor to replace him and has narrowed down over 200 applicants to three finalists: Kalena Bovell, Kelly Corcoran, and Kellen Gray. All three will have their final audition in Lafayette next year, and the new official conductor will be announced after the 2023-24 season is completed. (wlfi.com)

Today and tomorrow in Lafayette:

Monday, May 15

• Evangelical Covenant Center: Women's Downtown Art Walk At Haan Museum (10:30 AM)
• National Police Week Ceremony At Memorial Island (11:00 AM)

Tuesday, May 16

• Babysitters Club Escape Room At West Prairie Branch Library (4:30 PM)
• Good Morning Bedlam At People's Brewing Company (6:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Grant's House, a Lafayette-based organization that honors the life of Grant House, has raised an impressive $209,685 through its 8th Annual "I'm Happy and I'm Alive" fundraiser. The funds will be used to provide fun and educational activities for children at Grant's House. (City of Lafayette via Facebook)
• Elvis lovers won't want to miss the last few performances of All Shook Up, inspired by the King of Rock and Roll himself, at the Lafayette Civic Center. Tickets are still available for Thursday, May 18, through Saturday, May 20 and can be purchased online. (Lafayette Civic Center)
• Lafayette Parks & Recreation is seeking the public's input for its 5-Year Master Plan survey, available online. Responses will help the department improve its offerings to best serve the Lafayette community. (Lafayette Parks & Recreation)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Monday off right. I'll see you around!

— Danielle Fallon-O'Leary

About me: Danielle Fallon-O’Leary is a content manager with content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and assists Patch.com with community newsletter curation. Danielle also holds a Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders and works part-time as a pediatric speech therapist.