Also, City of Kokomo announces photo contest; Duke Energy restores power to 100,000

The Kokomo Downtown Farmers Market is back! With the bad weather out of the way, this Saturday, June 21, is a perfect time to pick up a few homemade crafts, select some tasty treats, locally sourced meats and vegetables, and beautiful plants, enjoy live music and children’s activities, check out a book at the Kokomo Howard County Public Library’s Bookmobile, and so much more! The Farmers Market accepts SNAP benefits! Support your favorite vendors, discover something new, and enjoy the best of what our local community has to offer. Bring the kids for Little Sprouts activities and be sure to check out our non-profit tents while you’re here! The Kokomo Downtown Farmers Market runs from 9 a.m. until noon.

The Indiana Department of Transportation announces lane closures and restrictions on U.S. 31 near Kokomo for concrete restoration work.

Starting on or after Tuesday, June 24, concrete barrier walls will close lanes on U.S. 31 between the north and south junctions of S.R. 931 near Kokomo. Ramp closures will also be possible as work progresses. Construction is anticipated to be complete in August.

INDOT encourages drivers to slow down, use extra caution, and travel distraction-free in and near work zones. All work is weather-dependent, and schedules are subject to change.

Kokomo Parks launches 2025 Photo Contest

As part of the City of Kokomo’s celebration of National Parks & Recreation Month, the Kokomo Parks Department is excited to announce the 2025 Parks Photo Contest: “4 Ways to Play.

This fun and engaging contest invites community members to capture and share their favorite moments in Kokomo parks. Participants are encouraged to submit original photos in any of the following four categories:

• Play & Explore: Capture the joy of unstructured fun. This includes nature play (kids exploring outdoor spaces) and water fun (splash pads, creeks, Kokomo Beach)
• Move & Thrive: Celebrate movement and energy. This includes health and wellness (yoga, walking, bike share, etc.) and athletic action (sports, skating, games)
• Celebrate & Gather: Showcase Kokomo’s community spirit. This includes special events (concerts, movie nights, festivals) and group outings or family/friend gatherings
• Golden Moments: Honor timeless connections. This includes senior recreation and multigenerational fun in the parks

Each category winner will receive eight Kokomo Beach day passes for the 2026 season. One overall grand prize winner, selected from the category winners, will receive a pair of Kokomo Beach season passes for 2026. Photo submissions are due by July 25, 2025.

Photos should be posted to social media (Facebook or Instagram) with the hashtag #KokomoPlay4Ways. To be considered all entries must have the hashtag. The public will vote to select the winners beginning Aug. 2 via the City of Kokomo’s official Facebook page.

Celebrate the joy, movement, community, and memories that parks bring. Grab your camera and show how you play!

Duke Energy restores power to nearly 100,000

Duke Energy has restored power to approximately 99,700 customers who were affected by the severe and damaging storms that ripped through Indiana on Wednesday, June 18. Wind gusts as high as 70 miles an hour in some areas resulted in widespread power outages. Approximately 16,800 customers remain out of service as of about 4 p.m. on June 19.

"We've made a lot of progress, but we still have a lot of work ahead of us," said Clint Carnahan, general manager of emergency preparedness at Duke Energy. "The widespread nature of this storm, which affected nearly all of the 28 Indiana districts we serve, has made power restoration especially challenging. We have a workforce of approximately 1,000 in the field responding. We appreciate our customers' patience as we finish the job."

Duke Energy estimated the vast majority of remaining outages in the following regions would be resolved by midnight, June 19, although most customers affected were restored sooner:

Attica, Aurora, Carmel, Clinton, Connersville, Corydon/Salem, Franklin, Greensburg, Huntington, Kokomo, Lafayette, Martinsville, Rochester, Seymour, Shelbyville, and Wabash

Duke Energy estimates the vast majority of remaining outages in the following regions will be resolved by noon Friday, although most customers affected will be restored sooner:

Avon/Plainfield, Greencastle, New Castle

Duke Energy estimates the vast majority of remaining outages in the following regions will be resolved by 6 p.m. Friday, although most customers affected will be restored sooner:

Bedford, Bloomington, Noblesville, Terre Haute

Duke Energy estimates the vast majority of remaining outages in Columbus, IN, will be returned to service by midnight Friday, although most customers affected will be restored sooner.

It is important to note that customers who experienced extensive damage to their properties or flooding may require additional time for restoration.

During power restoration, the company’s priority is to repair large power lines and other infrastructure that will return power to the greatest number of customers as safely, quickly and efficiently as possible. Additionally, it prioritizes essential services such as hospitals and water pumping and treatment facilities. Crews then can work on repairs affecting individual neighborhoods and homes. Click here for information on how Duke Energy restores power.

Tips on what to do before, during and after a storm can be found at duke-energy.com/safety-and-preparedness/storm-safety.

The most up-to-date information about power outages, including the total number of outages systemwide and estimated times of restoration, can be accessed on Duke Energy’s interactive outage map.

Customers can also report and check the status of their power outage in the following ways:

• Text OUT to 57801 (standard text and data charges may apply).
• Use the Duke Energy mobile app. Download the Duke Energy App from a smartphone via Apple Store or Google Play.
• Visit duke-energy.com/outages on a desktop computer or mobile device.
• Call the automated outage-reporting system at 800.POWERON (800.343.3525).