Good morning, South Bend.

On July 9, South Bend Community Re-Entry Center residents worked at Reins of Life (a program for those nearing release) feeding hay and grooming horses as part of their rehabilitation efforts.

Maurice Scott, the city’s chief community officer, will lead a virtual event on Zoom at noon Aug.

14 — discussing civic engagement, trust, and partnerships to build stronger neighborhoods. Residents can join to learn how these efforts will enhance local connections.

Severe storms on Tuesday (Aug.

11) left more than 280,000 NIPSCO customers without power and thousands without service from Indiana Michigan Power; repair crews are working to restore energy in affected areas.

High winds have caused storm damage in St. Joseph County today—trees have fallen on roads and left some Lydick homes without power while crews clear debris on Quince Road.

Samsung bought out General Motors' stake in an electric battery plant near New Carlisle on Aug.

11 + the companies will continue developing next-generation battery cells, making this facility Samsung's first independently operated North American plant. It will produce high-tech batteries for electric vehicles and energy storage systems.

South Bend will host Art Beat on Aug.

15 with over 600 visual, performing, and culinary artists. The free festival spans downtown from the Jefferson Boulevard Bridge to East Bank Village and includes live music, interactive art spaces & a Culinary Arts Village.

Acting Ensemble presents Harold Pinter’s Old Times, a psychological drama exploring shifting memories and relationships; performances run Aug.

13-16 at 602 E. Mishawaka Ave in Mishawaka (the Aug. 13 show offers pay what you can admission) and include brief talk-back sessions after each performance.

Construction on the new Hums Elementary School in Mishawaka continued on Tuesday, July 28 as workers built areas including the gym, hallways, media center and classrooms.

Superintendent Rick Rittenhouse led a site tour that showed the progress before the building opens.

Families can follow eight expert tips to ease the back-to-school transition (including campus visits, sleep schedule adjustments and cell phone policy reviews) as students prepare to return to school soon.

The advice aims to help local students start the year ready for success.

The Heritage and Research Center at Saint Mary’s will open next year and house archives from 10 congregations of Catholic women — offering scholars and community members access to 175 years of art and history.

Appointments can be scheduled through the HARC website.

St. Joseph County Council reviewed a proposal to add the Microsoft data center in Granger to an expanded TIF district, which would let the county borrow up to $4 million—funds for road, water and sewer upgrades.

The council will vote in two weeks with public comment planned.

On Aug. 11, the Indiana Toll Road issued a wind ban affecting high-profile vehicles from noon to 6 p.m. EDT (11 a.m. to 5 p.m. CST) between the Illinois state line and the South Bend West Toll Plaza amid severe weather with gusts up to 70 mph.

Beacon Health System doctors warn that rapid weight loss may cause foot drop, a condition that makes it hard to lift the foot because losing fat can lessen nerve protection.

Patients noticing numbness or weakness should talk to their doctor for early treatment.