Community events are not only fun, they are vital to the life of a healthy community! Special events and community celebrations play an important role as attractions and catalysts for future community development.

"In addition to the economic benefit that is derived from the increased number of tourists, festivals and special events also expand the tourist season of the destination, provide cultural and educational opportunities, foster a feeling of community pride, help conserve sensitive natural, social and cultural environments, and contribute to sustainable development." - Humaira Irshad Rural Development Division

If you're a Jay County resident, you have the opportunity to participate in a community event This Week! If you've lived in Jay County for more than a year, you've probably heard about the "Tractor and Engine Show." But what you may not know, is that the Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Association hosts the world's largest gas engine and tractor show every year, right here in Jay County Indiana. The hub of the event is at the Jay County Fairgrounds, but the entire town of Portland seems to be taken over by golf carts, yard sales, and a whole lot of fun for an entire week each August. 

This year, the 54th Annual Tri-State Gas Engine and Tractor Show will take place on August 20th-24th. ​Be sure to bring the whole family to the Jay County Fairgrounds to experience this unique event! Click here for more information. 

Are you heading off to college within the next few weeks? If so, you're probably feeling excited and nervous all at once. You might be wondering if you'll get along with your roommate, or if the academics will really be harder than in high school. Maybe you're afraid leaving home, or you're excited for the chance to meet people with the same interests as you. 

No matter how you're feeling about leaving for college, one of the things you may not have thought about was peer pressure and access to substances like alcohol, prescription, and illicit drugs. ​

If you experience feelings of anxiety, worry, or loneliness, drugs may seem like a quick fix. If you're being offered this kind of escape, it might seem like "no big deal." But the fact is, alcohol, misused prescriptions, and other drugs can have extremely harmful and detrimental effects on your brain and overall health. 

Things to Consider: 

• You're brain continues to develop until you are about 25 years old. For example the prefrontal cortex, which is responsible for complex behaviors like planning and personality development, is the last region of the brain to fully develop. So damaging your brain with substance misuse will inhibit your ability to protect yourself from harm in the future. 
• Further, regular use of several substances is linked to a loss in motivation and drive. As a college student, these are two of the things you'll need most! 

How to be Prepared: 

• Talk to a parent, a trusted adult, or the counseling services at your school about refusal techniques as well as healthy coping and emotional regulation. 
• Ask your friends to check in on you from time to time--and do the same for them! Ask them if they feel stressed, isolated, or lonely.  
• Most schools have free tutoring and counseling services. Enroll in both right away to take a proactive approach to stress. 
• Know that it takes time to adjust to the stresses of college and being far from home. 

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) is also a great place to talk about those feelings--even if you are not experiencing suicidal thoughts. 

You can also watch the video below with a trusted adult and ask them to talk about it with you. This video helps inform adults on how to help you cope with some of the new stressors you may be facing. 

JUUL is an e cigarette brand that currently has teens across America addicted to nicotine. JUUL was introduced to the market in 2015. It's sleek, and looks similar to a USB thumb drive. Because JUUL does not contain the burning tobacco that traditional cigarettes do, it was looked to as a safer alternative for adult smokers. However, because of the way JUUL has been marketed among youth, this device has led to what some call a "teen addiction crisis." According to Scott Gottlieb, FDA Commissioner, "E-cigs have become an almost ubiquitous and dangerous trend among teens. The disturbing and accelerating trajectory of use we are seeing in youth and a resulting path to addiction must end." 

According to an NBC News video: 
1. JUUL appeals to underage kids, especially with its fruity flavors
2. JUULing leads kids to cigarette use 
3. The high nicotine content makes JUULing highly addictive regardless of age 
4. We don't yet know the long term health effects 

Some believe that JUUL can be the harm-reduction "missing link" between prevention and addiction, but even if JUUL does not contain the harmful tobacco smoke traditional cigarettes do, we don't have enough research yet to know what long-term effects use can have. And the marketing of JUUL seems to be targeting young people--not always lifelong smokers. Founder of JUUL admitted in an interview that the advertising geared to youth was "probably not our best foot forward." He claims the product was meant to be used solely by "adult smokers" as a harm-reduction tool. 

But for many people, a harm reduction strategy for lifelong smokers is not worth an entirely new generation of people addicted to nicotine. Scott Gottlieb, FDA Commissioner, "The FDA will not tolerate a whole generation of young people becoming addicted to nicotine as a tradeoff for enabling adults to have unfettered access to these same products." 

A new generation of young people is dependant on nicotine because of these products. It is important to stand up for thoughtful advertising techniques that employ best practices, and encourage retailers not to promote or sell to minors.