🌱 Fatal Car Accident + Purdue Working On New SARS-CoV-2 Test

Hello all. Danielle Fallon-O'Leary here with your fresh copy of the Lafayette Patch newsletter. Keep reading to find out everything you need to know about what's going on locally.

But first, your local weather:

• Thursday: Sunshine and patchy clouds. High: 81 Low: 59.
• Friday: Mostly sunny and very warm. High: 85 Low: 55.

Here are the top three stories in Lafayette today:

1. Indiana State Police are investigating a fatal crash in Tippecanoe County that occurred on Monday night, resulting in the death of two individuals. One of the victims has been identified as Jaden Harvey, a student at Benton Central Jr-Sr High School. The accident involved a collision between a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee and a 2005 Pontiac G2 at the intersection of U.S. 52 and County Road 400 West near West Lafayette. (WTHR 13)
2. State Farm Insurance has awarded a grant of $19,500 to Junior Achievement of Greater Lafayette, with a focus on supporting in-school and JA BizTown/Finance Park programs. This grant will specifically enhance the elementary school program called JA Our Community and help update its BizTown storefront at Finance Park. Junior Achievement Director, Jen Edwards, expressed gratitude for the community and State Farm Insurance's ongoing support, noting that the program reached over 19,000 students in the previous school year. (wlfi.com)
3. Purdue University has secured $2.7 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture to create a field test capable of measuring and predicting the spread of SARS-CoV-2 in wildlife and farm animals. The project hopes to offer a cost-effective solution for tracking virus transmission between animal species and humans, with applications ranging from hunting and animal production to veterinary clinics. The team will focus on improving the test's sensitivity to detect the virus at lower levels, potentially before animals show clinical symptoms, while also considering its applicability to other viruses and emerging diseases. (Purdue University)

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Today and tomorrow in Lafayette:

Thursday, September 21

• Purdue Farmers Market At Memorial Mall (11:00 AM)
• Greater Lafayette Young Professionals September Social At Hole In One Family Fun (6:00 PM)

Friday, September 22

• The Fall Ball Feat. Lafayette's Big Swing Band At Rat Pak Venue (7:00 PM)

From our partner:

Do you know a teacher making a difference in Lafayette? Nominate them here for a Teacher Spotlight on Patch.

From my notebook:

• Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette has announced a new build project and will soon have volunteer opportunities available, stay tuned! (Habitat for Humanity of Lafayette via Facebook)
• Registration is now available for Fall Break Camp at McAllister Recreation Center! Head over to the link to learn more. (City of Lafayette via Facebook)
• Mark your calendar for the "Cops and Goblins - Trunk or Treat" event on Oct. 28! The event will take place inside the Public Safety Center in Lafayette. Costumes are encouraged, and businesses are welcome to participate by donating candy or setting up a trunk/table. Contact MK Riehle at mkriehle@lafayette.in.gov or Katie Huber at kjhuber@lafayette.in.gov for more information. (Lafayette Police Department via Facebook)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll be in your inbox soon with your next update.

— 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.