🌱 Lafayette Air Quality Hazardous + New Service Agreements Approved

Hey, everybody! It's Wednesday in Lafayette and I'm back in your inbox with everything that's fit to print about what's happening in town.

But first, your local weather:

• Wednesday: Humid with clouds and sun. High: 86 Low: 66.
• Thursday: Humid with a thunderstorm. High: 90 Low: 61.

Here are the top three stories today in Lafayette:

1. The air quality in Greater Lafayette is potentially hazardous to people's health due to smoke from wildfires in northwest Canada moving through the area. Tippecanoe County Health Officer Dr. Greg Loomis warns that even young and healthy individuals should avoid strenuous physical activity outside during air quality alerts, as it can lead to severe problems. People with breathing issues, the elderly, and young children are particularly at risk and should monitor their oxygen levels and consider additional measures like keeping indoor air clean with proper filters. (WLFI 18)
2. The Tippecanoe County Commissioners approved multiple service agreement contracts, including four part-time contracts for the county's syringe services program, Gateway to Hope, requested by Greg Loomis, health officer of the Tippecanoe County Health Department. These approved contracts also include the employment of two recovery counselors, an attorney to create a nonprofit organization for the Gateway to Hope program, and a data analyst to develop software for the county. Additionally, the Commissioners approved 10 contracts for various programs offered by the county's youth services, funded by the Indiana juvenile detention alternatives initiative grant, as requested by Rebecca Humphrey, executive director of the Cary Home for Children program. (Journal & Courier)
3. The Purdue Center for Regional Development has been awarded a one-year contract by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish an evaluation framework for the NSF Regional Innovation Engines (NSF Engines) competition. The NSF Engines program aims to stimulate innovation-driven economic growth nationwide, particularly in underperforming or disadvantaged regions. PCRD will collaborate with NSF to assess the impact and growth of the awarded NSF Engines, providing valuable insights to demonstrate the program's effectiveness in fostering regional innovation and sustainable economic development. (Purdue University)

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Today and tomorrow in Lafayette:

Wednesday, July 19

• WRRC Farmers Market 5K At Cumberland Park (6:30 PM)

Thursday, July 20

• Lafayette Citizens Band At Columbian Park Memorial Island Amphitheater (7:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• Purdue football home game single tickets are now on sale! The first home game will be against Fresno State on Saturday, Sep. 2. More information about tickets can be found here. (WLFI 18)
• Head over to Loeb Stadium for the Taylor Swift Laser Light Show on Thursday, Jul. 27, at 9:30 p.m. You can find tickets here. (Lafayette Parks & Recreation via Facebook)
• The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) has granted Tippecanoe County a $25 million Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RAISE) grant for the Wabash River Greenway Project (WRG). This funding will be used to complete Phase Two of the WRG, specifically for the development of the North 9th Street - North River Road section, which includes a new bike/pedestrian bridge over the Wabash River. The project is expected to be completed by 2032. (City of Lafayette via Facebook)

That's it for today. I'll be back in your inbox soon with a new 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.