Contents
Contributors
Contents
12 WHERE IS IT? 13 SUBSCRIBE
16 The Rigley Sisters ~ by Boris Ladwig
24 Brown County Playhouse ~ by Julia Pearson
28 Tower of Power ~ by Ryan Stacy
32 The Road to Youno ~ by Mark Blackwell
34-35 Photos by Joseph Persinger * 36-37 CALENDAR
38 Erica Weddle’ s Fitness ~ by Paige Langenderfer
44 Water You Doing for Spring? ~ by Evan Markley
50 Possums ~ by Jim Eagleman
54 Remembering Norma ~ by Bob Gustin
60 For Saint Patrick ~ by Jeff Tryon
62 Browning Mountain ~ by Tim Grimm
64-66 INFO PAGES
Cover: Amanda Webb
Brown County Playhouse Executive Director
~ by Cindy Steele
ourbrowncounty. com ourbrown @ bluemarble. net
Also online at issuu. com / ourbrowncounty OR search in the mobile app ISSUU and on Facebook for OUR BROWN COUNTY
P. O. Box 157 Helmsburg, IN 47435( 812) 988-8807
Thanks, Mom, for making it happen!
copyright 2022
Bob Gustin worked as a reporter, photographer, managing editor, and editor for daily newspapers in Colorado, Nebraska, and Indiana before retiring in 2011. He and his wife, Chris, operate Homestead Weaving Studio. She does the weaving while he gives studio tours, builds small looms, and expands his book and record collections.
Joe Lee is an illustrator and writer. He is the author of Forgiveness: The Eva Kor Story, The History of Clowns for Beginners, and Dante for Beginners. He is an editorial cartoonist for the Bloomington Herald Times, a graduate of Ringling Brothers, Barnum & Bailey Clown College, and a veteran circus performer.
Jeff Tryon is a former news editor of The Brown County Democrat, a former region reporter for The Republic, and a former bureau chief for The Huntsville Times. Born and raised in Brown County, he currently lives with his wife, Sue, in a log cabin on the edge of Brown County State Park. He is a Baptist minister.
Jim Eagleman is a 40-year veteran naturalist with the IN DNR. In retirement, he is now a consultant. His program“ Nature Ramblings” can be heard on WFHB radio, the Brown County Hour. He serves on the Sycamore Land Trust board. He enjoys reading, hiking, music, and birding. Jim and his wife Kay have lived here for more than 40 years.
Evan Markley was raised in Brown County. He has been a zipline guide at eXplore Brown County and a lifeguard at area pools. He graduated from Indiana University in 2019. He ushers for Pacers Sports and Marketing at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. He enjoys hiking and following NBA basketball. He plans to start his own podcast.
Contributors
Cindy Steele is the publisher and editor of this magazine. She sells and designs ads, sometimes writes, takes photos, and creates the layout. For fun, she likes to play the guitar or banjo and sing.
Mark Blackwell no longer makes his home in Brown County where“ the roadway is rough and the slopes are seamed with ravines and present a meatless, barren, backbone effect.” He now resides within sight of the sixth green of an undisclosed golf course. He was born in the middle of the last century and still spends considerable time there.
Julia Pearson wrote for a Franciscan magazine for ten years and served as its human interest editor. She and husband Bruce now reside in Lake Woebegone Country for life’ s continuing adventures. Julia enjoys traveling and visiting museums of all types and sizes, with her children and grandchildren.
Boris Ladwig is a Columbusbased journalist who has worked in print, online and TV media in Indiana and Kentucky and has won awards for features, news, business, non-deadline news, First Amendment / community affairs and investigative reporting.
Ryan Stacy and his wife recently moved to Pennsylvania and continues to stay connected with our Brown County. He appreciates good movies, good food, and enjoys cultural events. His other interests include reading, photography, and playing music.
Paige Langenderfer is a freelance writer and communications consultant. She writes for numerous publications. She earned her Bachelor’ s degree in journalism from Indiana University and her Master’ s degree in public relations management from IUPUI. Paige lives in Columbus with her husband and daughters.
* Joseph Persinger is retired after a career as a newspaper reporter, photographer, editor, and publisher. He turned his attention to nature photography. He and his wife, Judy, reside in neighboring Jackson County but are frequent visitors to Nashville, taking advantage of varied subjects for photographs as well as dining and entertainment opportunities.
10 Our Brown County March / April 2022
Thanks to Tim Grimm for the“ Browning Mountain” lyrics