Wednesday, December 10, 2025 Issue #217

From Dubois County

Hey Reader,

The Azores recently came to mind after I watched an episode of Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations in which he visited one of the islands in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

I was stationed there for 13 months at a Naval Security Group Activity. It was my first duty station after attending the Naval Law Enforcement Academy in San Antonio, Texas.

My role was to protect the small communications base and its top-secret materials as part of a three-person security team.

The only excitement there came when an alarm was triggered by the cows, pigs, and a single donkey that wandered through the non-top-secret area of the base.

At 19, it was pretty boring.

I was stationed in an office at the front of the building, which served as the entrance and exit to the secured area within the facility. During the day, I spent a lot of time searching bags for top-secret materials.

At night, not so much.

At night, you sat there by yourself for 12 hours watching the aforementioned livestock wander around in front of the base's infrared cameras.

Most nights were very quiet.

I could have spent many of those 12-hour night shifts taking correspondence courses or working toward a college degree, but I didn't.

Between cleaning our guns and shining the decorative Quarterdeck bullets, I read a lot, walked around in the dark, looking at the multitude of stars that weren't obscured by light pollution and perfected my ability to kill flies barehanded.

My friend, who shared the job with me, encouraged me to use the time to learn to program. He gave me a Naval course on binary coding, which I looked through occasionally before going back to my personal vendetta against the thousands of flies that made their way into my little space.

Last I checked, Max, my friend who suggested I learn binary, worked for Apple.

Here I am (maybe all that reading led me here).

But, if you want to know, here is how you can kill a fly, or, if you want to impress your friends, multiple flies at one time without a flyswatter.

Pretend a fly has landed in front of you. Now, slowly place your hands, palms facing each other, about six inches apart on either side of the fly about one to two inches above the surface the fly is on.

Once your hands are positioned on either side of the fly, clap them together quickly.

More than likely, you've just taken care of the fly as it flew between your hands.

Now wash your hands.

From Dubois County with love.

Matthew and Amy Crane

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We have a community calendar full of great activities and events happening in Dubois County.

If you have an upcoming event you'd like the public to know about, please add it to our calendar.

​See it here.​

​Karen Sue Tierney, 79, Dale​

​Lela B. Gentry, 83, Bristow​

​Sarah Helmbock Blackwell, 82, Indianapolis​

​Holiday Foods Jasper hiring for Deli, Cashiers, Stock/Carry-out, and Produce Departments​

​Jasper Engines and Transmissions seeking Welders & Machinists​

​Jasper Engines & Transmissions seeking Manufacturing Associates​

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Check out all the job opportunities by clicking here: Employment​

Contact Amy at amy@duboiscountyfreepress.com or 812-639-9650 if you would like to list openings on our website.​

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