Blog Lafayette

What do you think makes Lafayette stand out? Greater Lafayette Commerce wants to know what you think makes our local area special. This is your chance to call attention to the parts of Lafayette that you want to share with others.

You will find the link to the 15 minute survey on the Greater Lafayette Commerce site. Look for the button on the right side of their home page.

Lafayette’s bald eagle population is growing by leaps and bounds. Wow! Today in the Journal and Courier there was a story titled, “Foraging near city attests to eagles’ comeback“. According to the article by reporter Sophia Voravong, Lafayette Police Chief Don Roush was traveling over the Hwy 26 bridge between Lafayette and West Lafayette and saw five bald eagles in a tree and pulled over to get a picture. He was quoted as saying, “Then I got out of the car, looked down and saw five more.” “They were diving down for the fish in the water. … I’ve never seen that downtown before.”

I can personally vouch for the eagle sightings in the river basin around the Lafayette area. My wife and I were driving Northbound on Hwy 231 toward West Lafayette last Winter and we spotted two bald eagles on that day. They are a thrilling sight if you have never seen one in the wild. I am very happy to hear that the population seems to be exploding. In another part of the story, the Indiana Department of Natural Resources said that a record 110 bald eagle nests were sighted in April of 2010 as compared to 94 in 2009 and 101 in 2008 in Indiana. What a blessing to see these eagles on the comeback.

If you have the time, come on over to Lafayette Indiana with your camera. If you are quiet and take care to be respectful of your outdoor surroundings, you might just get to take some great bald eagle photos. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to remember the experience of being so close to a magnificent bald eagle?

Those of us in the Lafayette Indiana area are fortunate to have two zoos close by. We have the Columbian Park Zoo in central Lafayette which is closed for the Winter months. And we have the Indianapolis Zoo which is open all year and it is only a few miles away.

You may be asking, “Why would I want to go to the zoo in the Winter?” I used to think the same thing but my wife changed my mind. She likes to buy season tickets to the zoo. In the interest of being frugal with our money and not letting our memberships go to waste, we decided to go to the zoo with our daughter in law and our grandson Chase in the middle of the Winter during a visit a few years ago. We had a great time.

One of the best things I noticed about going to the zoo that year was the way that some of the animals that usually were a little more sleepy and sluggish in the heat of the summer seemed to really wake up during the cooler weather. Some of the young giraffes were getting frisky and were running around chasing each other in ways that I didn’t know that giraffes did. Almost like watching young colts at play.

I was surprised at the activity of the animals. I didn’t realize that they would be that active. Looking back at another trip we took to the National Zoo in Washington DC in the middle of the summer one year, I realize that I preferred the cold to the sweltering heat we experienced during our trip to Washington. I imagine that the animals probably feel the same way.

If you are looking for something to do. Something that is not very far from Lafayette? Then I highly suggest a surprise Winter trip to the zoo in Indianapolis. You may be pleasantly surprised!

There is a lot of great stuff to do in Lafayette Indiana the last half of January. Here is just a sampling of the great stuff going on in our community. Enjoy!

Purdue Men’s Basketball

• vs Penn State on Jan 19, 2011 at 8:30 p.m. at Mackey Arena, Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana.
• vs. Michigan State on Jan 22, 2011 at 9:00 p.m. at Mackey Arena, Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana.
• vs. Minnesota on Jan 29, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. at Mackey Arena, Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana.

Purdue Women’s Basketball

• vs Penn State on Jan 20, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at Mackey Arena, Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana.
• vs. SIUE on Jan 27, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. at Mackey Arena, Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana.
• vs. Indiana on Jan 30, 2011 at 12:00 noon at Mackey Arena, Purdue University, West Lafayette Indiana.

21st Annual Purdue Jazz Festival

• Jan 20, 2011 to Jan 23, 2011
• 3 big nights of music: Community Jazz Showcase/Local HS Jazz Bands & Purdue Jazz Band. Vanguard Jazz Orchestra/Legendary New York City Band. Michael Weiss (piano) and Dave Pietro (saxophone) with Purdue Jazz Band in Festival Finale.
• Thurs., & Sat.7:00pm, Fri., 8:00pm
• Location: Thurs.-Long Center All other times Loeb Playhouse, 111 N. 6th Street & Purdue University, Lafayette – West Lafayette, Indiana.
• Contact: Purdue Bands & Orchestra, 765-494-39333

Winter Wolves/Wolf Park Howl Night

• Jan 22, 2011
• Join us for a chilling day of fun featuring the wolves in their glorious winter coats! A day packed with fun activities such as games, updates on the wolves in the wild, and a few great surprises. A simple but amusing explanation of how animals adapt to their surroundings –why wolves don’t need winter coats. A lecture on wolf communication, the opportunity to see some of the staff enter the enclosure and interact with the wolves of our main pack, and the chance to howl with the wolves.
• Time: 1-5:00 p.m. and Howl Night/7:30 p.m.
• Location: Wolf Park, 4004 E. 800 N., Battle Ground, Indiana
• Phone: 765-567-2265

Wolf Park Howl Night

• Jan 29, 2011
• A lecture on wolf communication, the opportunity to see some of the staff enter the enclosure and interact with the wolves of our main pack, and the chance to howl with the wolves.
• Time: 7:30 p.m.
• Location: Wolf Park, 4004 E. 800 N., Battle Ground, Indiana
• Contact: Wolf Park
• Phone: 765-567-2265

Rubberbandance Group/Loan Sharking

• Jan 29, 2011
• Blending hip-hop dance with classical ballet, Rubberbandance Group presents a hybrid of dance forms that explodes with stylish physicality and emotional depth. The group will perform Loan Sharking, a collection of works featuring a diverse soundtrack that includes music by Stravinsky, Vivaldi, and Dave Brubeck.
• Time: 8:00 p.m.
• Location: Loeb Playhouse, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana
• Contact: Purdue Business Office
• Phone: 765-494-3933

CBL Computers and Repair has decided to get into the giving spirit in a big way starting in the month of December. They have announced a new way to help kids in the Lafayette area called Computers 4 Kids. Computers 4 Kids is an effort by CBL Computers and Repair to initially provide at least four to five new computers, each complete with a monitor, keyboard, mouse, speakers and a printer, to a children in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program in the Lafayette Indiana area.

According to Craig Martin of CBL Computers and Repair, “each computer will be preloaded with all the necessary software/hardware needed to operate the PC.” Craig went on to say that, “Unfortunately at this time we will not be able to offer any type of FREE Internet connection but we are continuing to look for a way to make this happen as well. Along with all the hardware and software, CBL Computers & Repair will provide each computer with a 2 year “Complete Peace of Mind” Residential Maintenance Contract. Not only will the children/families not have to worry about paying for costly hardware repairs but they will also be receiving free remote bi-monthly “Tune-Ups” and a yearly “Windows Renew”". To see more information on the CBL Computers and Repair website, follow this link, http://cblcomputersandrepair.com/BigBrotherBigSistersComputerGiveaway

In addition to the initial 4 to 5 computers, CBL Computers and Repair has expressed a desire to continue the program if it is successful, until every local child involved with Big Brothers Big Sisters has a computer of their own.

CBL Computers and Repair will be donating a portion of their “Windows Renew” income along with donations from another great local business, Designing Length Salon, and any others that may come in, to purchase the new systems. They will also be taking donations of gently used Computer systems that are under 5 years old. If in the event that they are not able to buy all the new systems, they will be giving away the donated systems to the children. Craig said that, “You can set up an appointment with CBL Computers & Repair from our website at, www.cblcomputersandrepair.com, click on the schedule an appointment tab at the top of the page, if you’d like to donate a lightly used computer, less than 5 yrs old, give us a call at 765-490-2978, and we can arrange a pickup or delivery. You can also stop by Cold Stone Creamery or Designing length salon to show your support.”

As to why Craig and CBL Computers and Repair is doing this, Craig said, “I feel that it is the responsibility of every local business to give back as much as they can to the local community. I’ve always wanted to donate to charity but never really had the means. So if CBL Computers & Repair can use a little of the money that we pay for advertising and give it to a charity, that’s what we are going to do. I chose Big Brother Big Sister because after having a child of my own and feeling the satisfaction that I get from just watching her be happy and knowing that she’s always going to have what she needs, It pains me to see that there are children out there that are missing out on so much in life through no fault of their own. I have made a promise to myself that CBL Computers & Repair is going to do as much as we can to see that we help as many children as possible overcome their unfortunate situations.”