Running in bad weather... Virtually!

Run the Boston Marathon from Home by Outside Interactive: Run a virtual marathon with recordings of the Boston Marathon or other popular routes such as a seven-mile run along the Charles River and a 10-kilometer run in Central Park in New York. Select a 7, 8, 9, or 10 minute mile pace.

The Best Roads in America

Every year when the snow melts, communities around the country set about fixing the potholes and cracks that winter snow plows and chained tires have dug into their roads.

To come up with a way to measure the quality of a state’s road system, we analyzed four metrics, ranked each state on each indicator, and pooled the results to generate a cumulative ranking for all 50 states.

1.    Poor-Condition Mileage. 

2.    Deficient or Obsolete Bridges. 

3.    Fatalities.

4.    Congestion. 

10th Best Roads: Georgia

Poor-Condition Mileage Rank (1=most): 50 out of 50
Deficient Bridges Rank (1=most): 37 out of 50
Fatalities Rank (1=most): 20 out of 50
Congestion Rank (1=most): 20 out of 50
That’s not bad for a hot and humid state that contains one of the country’s biggest metropolises, Atlanta.

9th Best Roads: Utah

Poor-Condition Mileage Rank (1=most): 18 out of 50
Deficient Bridges Rank (1=most): 44 out of 50
Fatalities Rank (1=most): 36 out of 50
Congestion Rank (1=most): 30 out of 50 
Impressive ranking for bridge conditions – with the sixth-lowest proportion of bridges deemed deficient or obsolete. That’s a significant achievement for a state whose biggest body of water is full of highly corrosive salt, which can wreak havoc on iron bridge supports.

8th Best Roads: Maine

Poor-Condition Mileage Rank (1=most): 34 out of 50
Deficient Bridges Rank (1=most): 15 out of 50
Fatalities Rank (1=most): 35 out of 50
Congestion Rank (1=most): 45 out of 50 
Leading off a tie with Virginia for eighth, Maine obviously benefits from some degree of isolation. It’s one of the 10 least populous states in the country and the road literally ends there.

8th Best Roads: Virginia

Poor-Condition Mileage Rank (1=most): 37 out of 50
Deficient Bridges Rank (1=most): 18 out of 50
Fatalities Rank (1=most): 41 out of 50
Congestion Rank (1=most): 33 out of 50

Tied for eighth with Maine, Virginia may be struggling to keep its bridges in order, but the state can be proud of its high marks for road safety. Among the four categories that make up our ranking, Virginia ranks best for its 10th-lowest number of road deaths.

6th Best Roads: Illinois

Poor-Condition Mileage Rank (1=most): 22 out of 50
Deficient Bridges Rank (1=most): 42 out of 50
Fatalities Rank (1=most): 42 out of 50
Congestion Rank (1=most): 26 out of 50

It didn’t score very well for the condition of its roads or its high traffic congestion (the Chicago metro area is likely a big reason for this) 

5th Best Roads: Delaware

Poor-Condition Mileage Rank (1=most): 38 out of 50
Deficient Bridges Rank (1=most): 38 out of 50
Fatalities Rank (1=most): 22 out of 50
Congestion Rank (1=most): 39 out of 50

At number five in our ranking is Delaware, which had quite good rankings in every category except one: fatalities.

4th Best Roads: Indiana

Poor-Condition Mileage Rank (1=most): 43 out of 50
Deficient Bridges Rank (1=most): 30 out of 50
Fatalities Rank (1=most): 30 out of 50
Congestion Rank (1=most): 40 out of 50

Indiana, at number four, put up no standout numbers to earn its place on the best roads ranking. It had top-10 rankings in two categories (Road conditions and traffic congestion), and ranked better than half of all states for its low number of deficient bridges and traffic fatalities.

3rd Best Roads: Kansas

Poor-Condition Mileage Rank (1=most): 48 out of 50
Deficient Bridges Rank (1=most): 33 out of 50
Fatalities Rank (1=most): 26 out of 50
Congestion Rank (1=most): 41 out of 50
Low levels of congestion make up for the state’s less impressive rankings for fatalities and deficient bridges, enough to put Kansas in the top three. 

2nd Best Roads: North Dakota

Poor-Condition Mileage Rank (1=most): 45 out of 50
Deficient Bridges Rank (1=most): 31 out of 50
Fatalities Rank (1=most): 24 out of 50
Congestion Rank (1=most): 50 out of 50 
The runner-up spot in the best roads ranking goes to North Dakota, whose second-lowest population density in the country (9.7 people per square mile, according to the 2010 census) means quite simply that the state’s roads are not the most well-traveled in the country. 

The Best Roads in the U.S.: New Mexico

Poor-Condition Mileage Rank (1=most): 47 out of 50
Deficient Bridges Rank (1=most): 43 out of 50
Fatalities Rank (1=most): 19 out of 50
Congestion Rank (1=most): 42 out of 50
The gold-medal winner in our ranking of the best roads in the U.S. goes to none other than New Mexico. The state could likely have won this competition on looks alone – the dramatic desert landscapes and cities like Taos and Albuquerque are definitely a national treasure. 


By Greg Emerson

Halloween festival Saturday, October 29

Come out this Saturday, October 29th for a series of Halloween festival events including the Pleasant Run Run, Halloween Street Fair, INDIEana Handicraft Exchange, Indiana Blood Center mobile blood drive, Sun King Beer Garden, corn hole tournament, Halloween costume parade and costume contest.  It's a day the whole family will enjoy! Erie Insurance is sponsoring the festival and will set up agent booths -- so make sure to stop by and say hello!

Saturday, Oct 29th:
Pleasant Run Run
8am – Registration at United Methodist Church
9:30am – Dual D Fun Run for Kids
10am- 5 Mile Run Start
10:15am – 3 Mile Family Walk
11:30am – Awards program
This event is a 5 Mile Run, 3 Mile Family Walk, and a 1 Mile Kids Fun Run through the beautiful winding tree-lined streets of Historic Irvington. You can register for the run here.
Check out this video from last year's Pleasant Run run

Halloween Street Fair
9-5pm along East Washington Street between Ritter & Arlington
The Festival culminates on Saturday with a street fair which includes over 120 vendors, live-music, children’s events and a costume parade.
Check out this video from last year's street fair highlights

Indiana Blood Center Blood Mobile 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. on Library Parking Lot - Register for a donation time at: https://www.donorpoint.org/ (Search by ZIP Code and Date)

Sun King Beer Garden (11am-5pm)

Irvington Presbyterian Church Cornhole Tournament 9:00 a.m on Library Parking Lot - Register at http://irvcornholetournament.eventbrite.com/

Costume Contest Registration and Judging 2:00-4:00 on Washington Street in front of Irvington Library.

Halloween Costume Parade 4:00 p.m. (starting on Audubon in front of Irvington Library)
Check out this video from last year's costume parade



Entertainment Schedule for Saturday, Oct. 29th:

Stage 1:

10:00 a.m Violet Skies (Rock Band)

11:00 a.m. The Dancin’ Nancys (Original Folk-Pop-Rock)

12:00 p.m. Epic Fail (Classic Rock)

1:00 p.m. Gordon Bonham Trio (Blues and Folk)

2:00 p.m. The Capones (Classic Rock)

3:00 p.m. Scecina High School Rock Band

Stage 2 (children’s stage):

10:30 a.m. Rhythm Fun with Bill Bailey

11:30 a.m. Jody FitzGibbon

12:30 p.m. “Make A Joyful Noise” Piano Studio

1:30 p.m. Stasia Demos

2:30 p.m. Miss Bobbie’s Music for Little Folks

Inside the Irvington Library:

10:30 a.m. Abracadabra Magic with Magic Mike.

10:00 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Doug Edwards, making pottery with children
12:00 p.m. Animalia (live animal performance)

1:30 p.m. Silly Safaris (live animal performance)

3:00 p.m. Indiana Jim’s Reptile (live animal performance)

Spooky Organ Concert -- Wednesday, October 26th

Wednesday, Oct 26th:

Spooky Organ Concert (Presented by Erie Insurance)

6:30pm at Our Lady of Lourdes

This event will benefit the food bank at The St. Vincent De Paul Society. 

The price to attend the organ concert will be a donation of a non-perishable food item (canned goods, dry goods, etc.) to the St. Vincent De Paul Society.
  
check out this SPOOKY ORGAN FINALE video


Movie Night at the Irving Theatre
7pm at The Irving Theatre, $6
Bikini Monsters, Directed by Terence Muncy. This is locally-based produced/directed movie – suited for young adults. More info at http://attheirving.com/

You ARE An Athlete

Irvington Halloween Festival -- ICC/ICO Concert

Sunday, October 23rd

Monster Mash Jazz Concert Presented by Erie Insurance
6pm at Irvington Presbyterian Church

Relax in the candlelight at Irvington Presbyterian Church during the Monster Mash Jazz Concert with your “monster” of ceremonies, WRTV Channel 6 reporter Rick Hightower. Thrill to the energetic horns of the Ball State Moment’s Notice Jazz Quintet, then savor the grand piano stylings of the John Stebbe Trio. Don’t miss the finale with the School 57/IPS Jazz Singers in one of Lionel Hampton’s greatest hits! Admission free with festival seating. And, for your daily dose of SCARY, we’ll kick off the evening with an appearance by Bob Sander, co-founder of Storytelling Arts of Indiana. His tales will get you in the spooky groove.

http://www.irvingtonhalloween.com/schedule/

Just. Keep. Going.

Conner Prairie Community Day -- Interactive History Park

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22nd
Community Day Presented by Erie Insurance
Enjoy FREE admission to Conner Prairie on October 22 from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and discover what it was like to live in Indiana's past! 

http://connerprairie.org/

You can do it!!

Get healthier --- in one day!

Do you get enough of these power foods?

Don't let boat theft happen to you...

Boat Theft Often Occurs in the Off-Season

Sept. 19, 2011 - If you’re about to store your boat for the off-season, be sure it’s in a secure location. Many theft cases happen when the boat is ashore.

“There are an unbelievable number of cases in which the storage facility says they never received the boat and the insured says that they left the boat in front of the building,” says Gene Robertson, supervisor in ERIE’s Corporate Security. “Many boat owners don’t discover that the boat is missing until they attempt to retrieve it at the start of the new season.”

Marine theft is a problem nationwide. From January to May, nearly 2,000 boats were stolen, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). In 2010, there were more than 6,660 boat theft cases. Less than half of the those stolen are recovered.

Navigating Safety and Security

Whenever you’re storing your boat, NICB recommends obtaining a contract from the storage facility that includes an employee’s signature. Other proactive steps to follow:

1. Mark it: Mark your boat and equipment with the vessel’s Hull Identification Number (HIN). A 12-character serial number helps law enforcement agencies to recover stolen boats and equipment quickly. All motorboats, with very few exceptions, must display the registration number on the forward part of the boat.
2. Keep records: Place registration and title papers in a safe location other than your boat.
3. Take video or photographs: Take photos or videotape your boat, equipment and HIN.
4. Secure the ship: Disable the boat and remove expensive equipment when not in use. When parking a boat on its trailer, use a trailer hitch lock.
5. Buy insurance: Talk to your insurance agent about purchasing coverage for your boat and personal needs.

You should also be cautious when buying a boat. Carefully review the vessel and its ownership paperwork. To avoid problems, be sure to match the HIN listed on the title and registration to the one attached to the boat.

For more information about NICB or other fraud prevention tips, visit www.nicb.org. The site includes a printable Marine Identification Checklist and a Boat Theft Brochure.

Contact your ERIE Agent for questions about boat insurance coverage. Erie Insurance’s coverage helps protect your boat, boating equipment and accessories. It also protects you with liability and medical payments coverage.

Personal goals are the best goals!

Funeral insurance... Someone will have to pay.

Lets face it. We all know you should have a will, especially if you have a spouse and/or kids.  No one wants to have the conversation, but with the average funeral costing $6,590 (not including costs for the cemetery, grave marker, or flowers) someone will have to pay and many don't like the thought of placing that burden on their families.

Today, there are many options for funding funeral expenses.  This article helps us take a look at the big picture before making any final decisions.

What is funeral insurance?

Funeral insurance is a bit of a misnomer. You can't buy an insurance policy that will cover every conceivable cost related to your death. The terms "funeral insurance" and "burial insurance" generally refer to small life insurance policies marketed to people who want to leave a little money behind for their families to cover final expenses.

These whole-life policies provide coverage for the rest of your life and have cash value. The cash account builds over time; you can withdraw or borrow against it, although the amount – plus interest – will be subtracted from the death benefit if you don't repay it. Because these policies are small, the cash value is minimal.

The promise of no medical exam may sound appealing, but Don Roberts, a financial adviser with Sapient Financial Group in Austin, Texas, says you'll get a far better rate per $1,000 of coverage if you are in good health and apply for a traditional life insurance policy that requires health information and a medical exam.

Read the fine print on any life insurance policy you are considering purchasing. Many guaranteed-acceptance policies pay only a portion of the death benefit if you die within the first two years after purchasing them.

Preneed insurance

Preneed insurance is another type of policy you can buy to cover some of your funeral expenses. You buy these whole-life insurance policies directly from the funeral home. With a preneed policy, you choose the services you want for your funeral and buy a policy to cover the cost.

Other alternatives

While it's important to know how your funeral expenses will be paid, don't forget to look at other expenses your loved ones will incur after you're gone.

"When considering final expenses, take a step back and look at the bigger picture," Roberts says. "If you were to pass away, will all the financial needs of your dependents be taken care of?"

Butler vs. IU men's soccer TONIGHT 7pm

Looking for something FUN to do with your Wednesday night? Erie Insurance is sponsoring TONIGHT's Butler vs. IU men's soccer at the Butler Bowl. Kick-off is at 7pm!

Lamar Odom has life insurance, do you???

Life Insurance Made a Difference for Lamar Odom

Sept. 19, 2011 - Lamar Odom may be living under a high intensity celebrity spotlight as a Los Angeles Lakers forward and star of the hit reality TV show Khloé & Lamar, but he had much simpler beginnings.

His journey began in a single-parent household in Queens, N.Y. Even though his mother, Cathy, earned a modest income working as a corrections officer, she sent him to Catholic school because of concerns about the public schools in their rough-and-tumble neighborhood. Sadly, she didn’t live to see Odom’s success. She died of colon cancer when he was just 12.

In September, Odom is serving as the national spokesperson for Life Insurance Awareness Month. The nonprofit LIFE Foundation coordinates the campaign in response to concern about the growing number of Americans who lack life insurance protection. (Watch Odom’s public service announcement.)

A Solid Foundation

Because Odom’s mother had life insurance, he was able to continue his private school education. He was also fortunate that his grandmother was able to pick up where his mother left off, providing a nurturing environment where his talents could flourish.

“My grandmother was really amazing and kept things very normal for me after my mom died,” Odom says. “But I don’t think she could have kept things as normal as she did without the money from my mom’s life insurance policy.”

At 18, life insurance again made a difference for Odom.

“When I graduated high school, I knew it would be best to not turn pro right away,” says Odom, who was considered one of the best young basketball players in the country. “And because my mom had life insurance, I didn’t need to earn a paycheck right away. I had the option to go to college for a few years, and to mature as a player and as a person.”

Lessons Learned

Odom’s story underlines the importance of addressing the “what ifs” in life. “ Thirty percent (35 million U.S. households) do not have life coverage, according to the industry research group LIMRA.

“Too many Americans haven’t done the kind of planning that my mom did,” says Odom. “They don’t have life insurance because they don’t think they’ll ever need it. I’m sure my mom didn’t think that she’d die at 35, but that didn’t stop her from doing the responsible thing.”

Odom had no way of knowing how important his mother’s planning was, but it’s a lesson that has stayed with him. “Purchasing life insurance was one of the first things I did when I entered the NBA,” he says. “As a husband and father of two beautiful children, I want to make sure the people I love will always be provided for.”

Don’t wait until it’s too late to purchase this important financial protection. The earlier you purchase life insurance, the less it costs and the more it can do for you. Your Erie Insurance Agent can help you evaluate the amount and type of life insurance right for your life — and your budget. Check out ERIE’s life insurance calculator and contact a local Agent today.*


Reprinted article courtesy of the Life and Health Insurance Foundation for Education (LIFE). LIFE is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping consumers make smart insurance decisions to safeguard their families’ financial futures. Learn more at www.lifehappens.org.© 2011 LIFE. All rights reserved.

Exercise tip of the day

Be sore... Or be sorry!

 

We hope you're taking advantage of all the nice weather we've had this week (for Indiana... in October!) by getting in a good workout.  This means anything from running to yard work. Enjoy what may be some of the last nice days of the season.  And yes, a little soreness AND knowing you spent that beautiful day doing something outdoors will make you feel great... and keep you healthy.

Top Foods For Runners

Great foods for runners, but foods that keep us all healthy :)

Budgeting for retirement... To make your money last

Concerned about running out of money after you retire? You're not alone. A poll released this summer found that 66 percent of Americans are very or moderately worried about having enough money for retirement.

The obvious challenges of planning for retirement is that you typically don't know how long you're going to live.

"If you spend too much in retirement, you risk running out of money, and if you spend too little, you could have maximized your lifestyle more."

Longevity insurance, also known as a deferred-income annuity, allows you to structure your investments to cover a specified amount of time after you retire.

Once you pass that period of time, payments from your longevity policy kick in, providing additional income as long as you're alive, she says.

Ease of planning

The typical person who benefits from longevity insurance buys a policy upon retirement at age 65 but doesn't start receiving the benefit until around age 85, says Lynn Ballou, a managing partner at Ballou Plum Wealth Advisors in Lafayette, California.

That age isn't set in stone – many companies will let you choose the time you start receiving income, even if you're in your 70s, she says.  But the general rule is that the longer you defer payment, the more income you'll bring in when you start receiving the benefit.

Your company can tell you what your income would be when you make withdrawals, so you can plan ahead, she says.

"Based on summer 2011 rates, if you're 65 and buy longevity insurance for $25,000 (with no death benefit), you can expect to receive an income of about $18,000 per year starting at age 85. If you buy $100,000 at age 65, your annual income at age 85 would be about $72,300."

"By contrast, if you buy an immediate annuity for $25,000 at age 65, you can start receiving money right away – but the annual income would only be about $1,770 (with 10 years of  guaranteed income)."

According to the CDC, life expectancy in the U.S. is 78.2 years.

For more information or to read more on this article go to http://www.insurance.com/life-insurance/coverage/longevity-insurance.html.

By Margarette Burnette

College student can mean coverage change

College Student in Your Household? Check Your Coverage

If you’re helping one of your children go off to college for the first time, or return to college, Erie Insurance may be able to help you save some money and gain some extra protection.

Here are four things to consider about insurance when a child enters college.

1. You could get a discount on your auto insurance. Because you’ll have one less driver living at home when your son or daughter goes off to school, your household might get a discount — as long as they don’t take a car along. If he or she does take a set of wheels, talk to your Erie Insurance Agent, who can review your coverage to make sure your child is properly insured.

2. Your homeowners insurance might extend to his or her belongings. Usually, the belongings of your child-turned-college-student will be covered by your homeowners insurance, but it’s best to be sure. If for some reason the coverage doesn’t extend, consider purchasing renters insurance. Students who live off campus may not be covered by their parents' homeowners policy and may need to purchase their own renters insurance.

3. Student loans might call for extra protection. If student loans are involved, you might want to consider life insurance* for your son or daughter. It can help financially in the case of an unexpected tragedy (although no one wants to think about that). If a tragedy never occurs (thankfully), your son or daughter can also opt to carry the life insurance to the next stage of life – making it a wise investment.

4. Insurance can help in the most unexpected cases. Accidents happen — sometimes tragically. Extra liability coverage through a Personal Catastrophe Liability policy, commonly called an umbrella policy, can help protect you should a lawsuit ensue from a big mistake.

Most importantly, let your ERIE Agent know of the changes happening in your household so he or she can help you keep your family as protected as possible. It’s always best to talk to your Agent to double check your specific situation and coverage needs.