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(02/18/11 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Monroe County Election Board met Thursday to discuss the 2010 midterm election, new voting machines and accessibility issues for the upcoming municipal primary election. The board manages electoral policy and carries out elections for the county.The members of the board are Democrat Jan Ellis, chairwoman, Republican Judith Smith-Ille and Democrat Linda Robbins, Monroe County clerk and board secretary. Democrat Lee Jones was present in Ellis’ place Thursday.REVIEW OF NOVEMBER 2010 ELECTIONDiscussion: Smith-Ille expressed concerns of some residents that the lines were too long in some precincts and were not sufficiently accessible for voters with disabilities. She also said there was a problem with one candidate violating election day campaigning laws.In her words: “The Election Board had to make a trip to one of the University precincts because of a candidate who didn’t like the 50-foot rule,” Smith-Ille said.VOTE CENTERS IN THE 2011 ELECTIONDiscussion: The county is proposing a switch from a precinct-based voting system to vote centers. This would allow citizens to vote at any voting location, regardless of the city district in which they reside. Currently, residents must vote at a prescribed location in the precinct where they live.Board members said the voting population of the city has increased by 30 percent since 2007, and vote centers could better accommodate the increase in voters and reduce costs.The potential vote center locations currently being considered are the IU Auditorium, the Indiana Memorial Union, St. Mark’s United Methodist Church, Showers Plaza, Cavalry Baptist Church, Faith Lutheran Church and St. Paul United Methodist Church.Early voting will be available at the Curry Building, 214 W. Seventh St. in the weeks preceding the May 3 election.In her words: “You can vote at any center during election day,” Robbins said.HELP AMERICA VOTE ACT GRANTDiscussion: HAVA sets accessibility requirements that must be met at voting locations. The county has reinstated a committee to address accessible voting issues and to spend money from a state grant.The committee will look into the vote center locations to ensure they meet the needs of disabled voters and will purchase portable ramps and wheelchairs that can be set up to solve problems.Money remaining after purchases for 2011 elections can be spent by the county for HAVA-related purposes in the future. The ramps and wheelchairs the county will purchase can be used to improve accessibility at other county events in the future.In his words: “We’re long past due on getting our accessibility up to where it needs to be,” said Randy Paul, who led the grant project.VOTING MACHINESDiscussion: The county plans to purchase and use DS2000 Ballot Scanner and Paper Ballot voting systems in the 2011 elections.The machines scan a paper ballot, which is similar to a Scantron test. This would allow ballots to be printed at voting locations, removing the limitation of strict precinct voting sites.The machines catch errors in under- and over-voting and allow voters to fix those problems.In her words: “It’s an easy audit for us, and you know your vote has been counted. It’s a good machine,” Robbins said.
(02/17/11 5:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Only a few weeks into the Bloomington Democratic mayoral primary campaigns, the issue of campaign contributions and who is donating to the politicians in the race has become a relevant issue.Democratic Mayor Mark Kruzan and challenger John Hamilton have both said they will rely primarily on individuals’ contributions to their campaigns.Hamilton pledged not to accept donations from businesses. Kruzan said he will accept local business’ donations and that he will fully disclose contributions.MAYOR MARK KRUZAN“I have accepted already this year campaign contributions from businesses in Bloomington,” Kruzan said. “Local businesses are hosting fundraising events for us. These are people with an interest in the community.”He said he has accepted business contributions in his previous campaigns as well, and that this year, the vast majority of his funds are coming from individuals, not businesses.Kruzan and the previous three Democratic mayors all accepted local business donations, and no one suggested it was a problem, he said.“I have literally hundreds of independent supporters from Bloomington,” Kruzan said. “This campaign is driven by individual contributions from within the city of Bloomington.” JOHN HAMILTONHamilton released a statement Feb. 7 that said he will not accept campaign contributions from businesses.“I overall do believe we have too much money in politics, in particular from corporations,” he said.Hamilton said his decision to refuse business contributions was partially inspired by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2010 decision to allow corporations to directly contribute to political campaigns.“I think that’s the wrong decision,” he said. “Even if they have the right to give, I don’t have to take it.”He also said he wants citizens to be confident that the city is not contracting work to businesses based on their contributions to the mayor’s political campaign.“We are a very progressive city,” Hamilton said. “We ought to run a campaign based on individual contributions.”
(02/16/11 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Current laws banning same-sex marriage and legally recognized domestic partnerships are on the way to becoming an Indiana constitutional amendment after a Tuesday vote in the Indiana House of Representatives.The House voted 70-26 in favor of House Joint Resolution 6, authored by State Reps. Eric Turner, R-Marion, and Dave Cheatham, D-North Vernon.The resolution would add language to the Indiana state constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman and preventing the state from creating “a legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage.” These provisions are currently enacted through Indiana law.State Rep. Peggy Welch, D-Bloomington, voted in favor of the resolution. State Rep. Matt Pierce, D-Bloomington, voted against it.“I am pleased with tonight’s vote and respectfully hope our counterparts in the Senate will support HJR 6 as well,” Turner said in a statement.This vote is the first step in the process to amend the state constitution. Next, the resolution must be approved by the Indiana Senate, by both houses of the 2013-14 General Assembly and, finally, by Indiana voters.Proponents of the amendment say constitutionalizing the state’s marriage provisions put the power of decision in the hands of voters and out of the reach of judges.“You could have same-sex marriage, like in the state of Iowa, because some judges decide they want it,” said Rep. Bob Heaton, R-Terre Haute. “We’re just going to allow Indiana voters in the future to vote on this.”Heaton said his concern is that Indiana’s same-sex marriage or civil union legislation will be affected by judicial officials.Judicial review has already undermined laws in Iowa, California and Connecticut, among other states. Marriage licenses are granted to same-sex couples in Iowa and Connecticut, and the legal battle about California’s Proposition 8 is still underway.Much of the resolution’s opposition comes from people who believe a constitutional amendment is unnecessary and too difficult to overturn.Repeal of the amendment would require the same process as initially passing it.“As far as I’m concerned, HJR 6 is nothing more than a discriminatory amendment by people with extreme religious views forcing them onto the public masses,” said IU junior Robert Clayton, president of OUT, IU’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender student union.Clayton said because the amendment is several years from final passage, OUT is not planning any counter-measures yet. He said he will send information on the bill to members of the organization.“It’s a dangerous idea to amend the constitution,” said Deborah Widiss, associate professor at the Maurer School of Law. “Once you amend the constitution it can have unintended effects on other areas of law.”One primary area of concern is domestic violence cases.“The problem with this is not only can there not be civil unions, but domestic abuse laws wouldn’t be upheld for same-sex couples,” Clayton said.Widiss said after Ohio passed a similar constitutional amendment, some courts held that domestic abuse laws could not be applied to different-sex couples who were living together or dating but unmarried because it created a status similar to marriage.Clayton and Widiss both said they were concerned about the availability of health care and other benefits for same-sex couples, as well.Widiss said that in Michigan, courts held that a similar constitutional amendment prohibited state employers from providing health care or other benefits to same-sex partners of employees. Universities claimed this would make it difficult for them to recruit faculty.These concerns are contingent on the amendment passing, but in the short term, Clayton said he wanted to see the resolution succeed in this first round of votes. That way, GLBT organizations in the state could work to remove those legislators from the Statehouse, he said.Turner nevertheless continues to support constitutional language banning same-sex marriages and legal partnerships.“We are ensuring that our current law, which the vast majority of Hoosiers support, is not overturned by an activist judge,” he said in Tuesday’s statement.Several similar attempts have been blocked in recent years, but none have been approved by voters and gone into effect.“It’s an important issue,” Widiss said. “It’ll be interesting to see it play out.”
(02/15/11 5:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>FROM IDS REPORTSDespite the Bloomington Democratic mayoral primary campaigns, which are already heating up, the Republican Party still hasn’t announced any candidates for the position.Several potential candidates have been approached for mayor and city council positions, said Les Compton, chairman of the Monroe County Republican Party.Compton said none of these potential candidates have notified the party of their intent to run at this time.He said the Monroe County Republican Party anticipates being able to announce candidates for mayor and city council in the coming months and that they do intend to have candidates in the Nov. 8 municipal election.Incumbent Mayor Mark Kruzan and challenger John Hamilton are the currently announced Democratic Party candidates for Bloomington mayor.— Michael Auslen
(02/11/11 2:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When Matt Herndon, then a junior at Bloomington High School North, first found out from his mother that she had nominated him for the Outstanding Black Male Leaders of Tomorrow Award, he had no idea what she was talking about.But when he found out he was chosen as the inaugural recipient, he said he felt honored.Bloomington’s Commission on the Status of Black Males has given the Outstanding Black Male Leaders of Tomorrow Award annually since 2006. The commission recognizes young African-American community members who have contributed to the city through their service or leadership, according to the commission’s website.“The title of it carried so much weight,” Herndon, now a senior theater major at IU, said. Herndon said he thought the commission selected him because of his involvement in improving the Cougar Leaders freshman mentor program at BHSN and because he was the only black male in the school theater program.“At the time I was just revving up my time in theater after a period of dark years in middle school,” Herndon said.The commission was started in 2001 to “address some of the challenges faced by African-American males in America,” said Craig Brenner, the commission’s staff liaison and special projects coordinator for the Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department.Specifically, the commission focuses on employment, health, criminal justice and education.“They really serve a need,” said Rashawn Ray, who was given the 2010 award and graduated from IU with a Ph.D. in sociology. “They are the unsung heroes of the community and the surrounding area.”Members of the commission work on solving common national problems within the city.“Some of the main issues they deal with are helping black males graduate and go off to college,” Ray said. “They also help black males stay out of the criminal justice system.”Before being honored, Ray worked with the commission in his role as the outreach coordinator for IU’s Office of Women’s Affairs. He also taught a class for at-risk IU freshmen.“I think service is something you do out of the goodness of your heart because someone did it for you or because it’s something you see as important,” Ray said.Since receiving the award, Herndon has been involved in numerous theatrical productions at IU and works for the New Student Orientation program in the summer.“I feel that the trust that was put into me with the award was lived up to,” he said.NOMINATIONSThe commission is seeking nominations for the 2011 Outstanding Black Male Leaders of Tomorrow Award recipient, which will be awarded at the city’s Black History Month Gala on Feb. 26. Nominees must be black males between the ages of 14 and 30 who have lived in Monroe County for at least the past year. Applications are available on the commission’s website at www.bloomington.in.gov/csbm. The deadline is Feb. 15.
(02/09/11 5:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 1978 Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan had his first shot at becoming part of a Bloomington legend.The then-freshman from northwest Indiana was in some of the crowd scenes of “Breaking Away,” the l979 film about IU’s Little 500 bike race.“I love that movie because it is a time capsule of what the campus and the community were like then, and you see so many fond memories of downtown and of the community,” Kruzan said. “I look at that movie now, and I think ‘I can’t believe I’m the mayor of that city that’s in that movie.’”Kruzan is running in the May 3 Democratic Mayoral Primary Election against challenger John Hamilton. This would be his third term as mayor of the City of Bloomington.“I am from ‘The Region,’ what people refer to as ‘Da Region’ of northwest Indiana,” he said.Kruzan first came to Bloomington in 1978 to study journalism at IU. But after a brief stint writing for the Indiana Daily Student, he found his true passion.He was working for the Gripe Vine at the IDS, which he said investigated and reported on complaints from students about the University.“A question came in about the student government, and I started to work on that, and I thought, ‘You know, I could do this,’” Kruzan said. “I see a huge similarity between journalism and government. You’re asking questions in order to make things better. It’s advocacy.”So Kruzan shifted from a professional journalism track to a more political focus.Kruzan got involved in the IU Student Association, where he lobbied the state legislature on issues important to IU students and was elected student body president.He said it was those years working at IUSA that started to shape him into a politician.“I didn’t come from a political family. I didn’t even have a political party identification when I came to IU,” Kruzan said. “That’s really why I became a Democrat — advocacy of student issues. I just felt that the Democratic Party was on the side of students having access to affordable higher education.”But Kruzan said he never saw his work with IUSA as political. He was always focused on advocacy, and the best way for him to do that was by working through student government.After he graduated from IU in 1982 with degrees in journalism and political science, Kruzan went on to the IU School of Law.“Quite honestly, law school was what I was ‘supposed to do,’” he said. “People expected that. You’re the student body president and so what’s next? Political science, journalism, why don’t you go to law school? If I had to do it over again, that’s a decision I would not have made.”Kruzan said if he could make the choice again, he would have taken some time off before he went to law school. He said he went because he didn’t know what else to do, and he doesn’t believe this was a good enough reason.But law school kept Kruzan in Bloomington, the city he said he loves. It also gave him access to growing political opportunity.Kruzan volunteered for then-state Rep. Marilyn Schultz, D-Bloomington, continuing his advocacy for some of the same issues he focused on as an undergraduate in IUSA.When Schultz opted not to run for re-election in 1986, Kruzan had his first opportunity to break into the real world of politics as a candidate when campaigning began in 1985.“She was easily going to win re-election, and when she decided not to do it and a couple of people said I should think about this, I literally laughed,” Kruzan said. “I don’t mean that as a false modesty, I don’t mean that just to make a point. I literally laughed out loud. It made no sense that a student would run for the state legislature.”But Kruzan won.It was a close race, he said, but he kept the seat until 2002.“I never had a life agenda to run for office,” Kruzan said. “And when I got into it, I didn’t do it out of an interest in politics. I did it because it was the next step in working on issues.”During his time in the Indiana House of Representatives, Kruzan rose through the ranks to become the Democratic floor leader from 1996 to 2002. When he chose not to run for re-election, he said he decided to attempt to win the mayoral election.“When I left the legislature, I was the No. 2 person in the house and people wondered, ‘Why are you leaving? You’re high up here,’” Kruzan said.But he said he felt strongly that being the mayor of Bloomington would give him a new set of challenges and opportunities to improve the community. He followed the advice of then-Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives John Gregg, who said he would leave the state legislature to be mayor of only two Indiana cities.“One was Indianapolis because it’s the state capital,” Kruzan said. “And two was Bloomington, because it’s Bloomington. That literally became the slogan for my first campaign: ‘Because it’s Bloomington.’ There’s no other place like it in the state of Indiana.”Kruzan won the 2003 mayoral election and has been the mayor ever since.“There are people who viewed it as demoting myself to go from state government in the capitol to local government,” Kruzan said. “I saw coming from the state government to local government as an incredible opportunity to do even more from the community, more direct impact on making Bloomington more livable.”Kruzan said he loves the fact that Bloomington mixes big city opportunities with the atmosphere and livability of a small town.“There’s no other place like it in the state of Indiana and that, to me, is worth protecting,” he said.In his role as mayor, Kruzan said he continues to fight for IU students, faculty and staff.“I fought for better wages for faculty and staff in the legislature. It’s still important to me because students, staff and faculty, the stronger their purchasing power, the better it is for this community,” he said. “Indiana University is an economic engine for the city of Bloomington, and I value their participation, students included.”Kruzan said he certainly has his own IU connections beyond those of an alumnus.“I think I’m the only mayor who has been an IU student, an IU staff member and an IU faculty member,” he said.He was an adjunct professor at the School of Public and Environmental Affairs for 12 years while he was serving in the state legislature and worked as an hourly employee during his student years.But when the mayor’s not running the city, running his campaign or working on issues, he likes to take a moment to get away, he said.“For me, the place I find my best escape from work is music,” Kruzan said. “It is today’s music, literally back to the 1920s. That is my hobby and maybe some would say addiction. It’s constant immersion into artists and music, and this is the right community for it.”He is also dating the head coach of IU’s women’s volleyball team, Sherry Dunbar.He likes to take advantage of the cultural opportunities Bloomington has to offer, from events on campus and downtown to walking his dogs on the city’s trails, he said.“It broadened my horizons, and it was a special place that had a special impact on me, and I want to preserve that for this generation and the next generations,” Kruzan said.
(02/08/11 4:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The state’s public places could become mostly smoke-free July 1 if a bill currently making its way through the Indiana General Assembly becomes law.House Bill 1018 passed the state House of Representatives Jan. 24 by a 68 to 31 vote margin with amendments. Next, it faces the state Senate and, if it passes, the desk of Gov. Mitch Daniels.The bill was sponsored by state Reps. Charlie Brown, D-Gary, Eric Turner, R-Marion, Mara Candelaria Reardon, D-Munster, and Peggy Welch, D-Bloomington. For now, the ban would prohibit smoking in public places or enclosed areas of employment, as well as within 12 feet of their entrances.There are a number of exceptions, including bars that only admit people 21 years old or older, tobacco stores, riverboats, horse racing facilities, tax-exempt businesses, the Indiana Veterans’ Home and private clubs.Similar bills have failed before in the state Senate, according to a Jan. 31 press release from Brown’s office.“By my count, this is the fifth time that my fellow representatives have followed the wishes of more than three-quarters of all Hoosiers and supported a ban on smoking in Indiana,” Brown said in the release.State Rep. Tom Dermody, R-La Porte, said he did not vote for the bill because he believes it restricts people in a way the government should avoid.“We can’t have the government telling businesses what to do,” he said. “I just absolutely don’t believe in it.”Dermody said he does not think smoking is healthy. He is a cancer survivor and doesn’t allow smoking inside his business but said he feels smoking is not for the government to regulate.He said his other concern is there is not enough public support to warrant passing the legislation.“I don’t think there’s 100 percent support,” Dermody said.For Bloomington residents, the ban would not change anything. The City of Bloomington has had a more comprehensive smoking ban ordinance in effect since 2001.“On the basis of what I know, I do not see this affecting our ordinance,” said Pete Giordano, director of the Bloomington Community and Family Resources Department. “Our ordinance is as restrictive, if not more restrictive.”Giordano said the city gradually implemented the ban’s restrictions throughout several years. He also said the city worked with businesses and individuals that would be most affected by the ban during the writing process of the ordinance.Ultimately, Giordano said, people in the city have grown accustomed to the smoking ordinance, even many people who initially did not support it.Giordano recommended that the state write a more comprehensive smoking ban and that they meet with affected and concerned business owners during the process.“It’s important to understand the reason is not to restrict businesses but to protect the public,” Giordano said.
(02/04/11 2:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Economic expansion keeps cropping up as a hot topic in the upcoming May Democratic mayoral primary election. Both candidates, Mayor Mark Kruzan and John Hamilton, addressed issues related to job growth in their candidacy announcements. Hamilton announced Thursday his proposals for sustainable job development in Bloomington.“Most of Bloomington’s job growth comes from local businesses that are expanding their workforce,” Hamilton said. “As mayor, I will make it one of my top priorities to get something done, starting with making available much needed funds.”The plan he enumerated would create two new funds, the Sustainable Jobs Fund and the Greening Downtown Fund, to provide expanding businesses with the capital they need.The money for these funds would come out of two existing pools of money the city possesses, which Hamilton said are being under-used. Money for the Sustainable Jobs Fund would come from the Bloomington Investment Incentive Fund. The Greening Downtown Fund would be started with money from the Downtown Community Revitalization Enhancement District.Hamilton said the city is not using some of its money well, the Bloomington Investment Incentive Fund in particular.“This is a fund that was created some years ago from west side businesses, and it is designed to support business growth in the city,” he said. “In my view it’s time to put it to work, and I think that’s what we can do with the Sustainable Jobs Fund.”Kruzan, however, said the city has already achieved the status as the model community Hamilton is seeking.“In the past year and a half we’ve had people from Broad Ripple, Kokomo and even Fox Business News ask about our secret to success,” Kruzan said.He also said the guidelines for accessing Bloomington Investment Incentive Fund money have already been rewritten in the form of the new tax abatement policies. The new policies, passed in January, are intended to make the money more accessible for businesses who will use it to improve the community.Kruzan said his other concern is that if fund money is given out too freely, it will disappear.“One thing to remember is that the fund is not an ongoing revenue source,” he said. “Once it’s depleted, it’s gone.”Kruzan said the money in the city’s various funds shouldn’t necessarily be spent for the sake of spending it. He said using it sparingly can benefit the city in the event of an emergency.Both the Sustainable Jobs Fund and the Greening Downtown Fund would be used to provide loans to businesses to expand their operations within the city limits.They will offer five-to-seven-year loans to businesses, according to a press release. The loan money would only be available to businesses planning to make environmentally sustainable improvements that could also bring new jobs into the community.Greening Downtown Fund money is only available for businesses within the city’s Downtown Community Revitalization Enhancement District.Hamilton’s proposals have already garnered the support of some Bloomington businesses.Don Seader, president of World Wide Automotive Services, said his business ran into problems during its expansion into city limits.“Some of the roadblocks that we ran into had to do with financing,” he said. “We ended up having to do a lot of creative financing to get our project done. And I think that had these funds been available ... it would have allowed us to do even more than we were able to do.”In addition to creating these new funds, Hamilton said he thinks the city needs to market the availability of this money better.“I think the point of this money is to put it to use,” he said.
(02/03/11 1:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bullying in schools is the most common form of violence in the U.S.Seventy-five percent of high school students report being bullied at some time while they were in school, according to Crisis Connection, a southern Indiana organization that provides services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.In an attempt to help prevent bullying, the Indiana Youth Institute will have a free luncheon aimed at youth workers from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. today in the fellowship hall of Sherwood Oaks Christian Church, 2700 E. Rogers Road, in Bloomington.“In a nutshell, our mission is to serve those who serve youth,” said Joe Shrode, the southwest Indiana field representative for IYI.IYI sponsors Youth Worker Café events throughout the state. Though Shrode said they started as networking events, they have evolved into educational opportunities.The Bloomington Youth Worker Café will feature Joan Knies, a community education specialist from Crisis Connection, and a discussion about bullying prevention.“I give people tools for how to prevent bullying,” Knies said.While many of the people at Crisis Connection are involved in helping abuse victims, Knies’ focus is prevention.“Joan’s focus really is recognizing the bullying, recognizing the different signs of bullying,” Shrode said. “Hopefully the youth workers that attend will find something to bring back to their organizations and the youth they help.”Knies said she frequently speaks at events like the Youth Workers Café, which is directed toward adults who can help bullies and the victims of bullying, as well as those intended for youth, such as school and church events.Knies said a significant amount of the work that needs to be done is in preventing bullying, but she also teaches people about how to deal with potential victims and bystanders.“The bystanders have the most power,” she said.The other important thing to remember about bullying is that sometimes a normal situation can instigate it. Knies said bullying is a generational cycle and can be picked up from relatives at home or from certain media.“Oh, it’s everywhere,” she said. “It’s a problem.”
(01/28/11 6:25am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>John Hamilton is a Bloomington native, but the candidate in the Democratic mayoral primary likes to move. And he doesn’t spend much time in any one place.Since he got his political start working in the unsuccessful 1972 campaign to elect Democrat George McGovern to the presidency, Hamilton has been living a life closely associated with government.He has worked in political campaigns and government administration at the national, state and local levels, as well as on community development projects.Hamilton’s wife, Dawn Johnsen, a professor at the IU Maurer School of Law, worked for former President Clinton’s administration.“I think Dawn and I both feel lucky to have had the opportunity to serve in the jobs we have,” he said. “We’re both very committed to progressive causes and when opportunities have arisen to serve, we have felt that when we could serve, we wanted to.”But no matter where Hamilton’s career and personal aspirations have taken him — from half-year excursions to Africa to the poorest neighborhoods of Washington, D.C. — Hamilton said he got his start in Bloomington, where his father founded St. Mark’s United Methodist Church.“I grew up in a church that focused a lot on what your responsibility is in the world,” he said. “I believe that our responsibility is to leave it better than we found it and to do all we can to improve the lot of those whom fortune has not smiled upon.”Despite the importance of his childhood on his political opinions and aspirations, Hamilton had no intention to become a politician when he graduated high school.At Harvard University, Hamilton studied philosophy. When he graduated he worked several of what he called “menial jobs.” That’s when he first seriously considered law school and potentially politics.“I always have had a deep interest in social justice and how we form communities and how we take care of each other and how we create a successful community,” he said. “I wasn’t sure I wanted to go to law school from my time in college, but I became interested in that and I loved law school.”He found out he had been accepted to IU’s law school while traveling in Africa, another one of his passions. He said he wanted to see parts of the world where people were less fortunate.“That kind of lesson can be very poignant in a very poor country where you see the kids and young people and grown-ups who have the exact same dreams and aspirations and hopes and fears that we do and yet so much less opportunity,” Hamilton said.After graduating from law school, Hamilton took a one-year clerkship with a federal judge in Chicago, where he first met Johnsen. She later headed to Washington, D.C., and he returned to Indianapolis, where he worked for a law firm.Less than one year later, Hamilton switched jobs again.Democrat Evan Bayh had just won the Indiana governorship, and Hamilton was offered a job by then-Lt. Gov. Frank O’Bannon.“There was going to be a lot of energy and innovation at that time to try to modernize state government and address some issues that hadn’t been addressed in environmental protection and economic justice,” Hamilton said. Hamilton worked in O’Bannon’s office for four years and worked his way up to the lieutenant governor’s chief of staff. During that time he worked on affordable housing and environmental protection policy, among other things.“During this period, Dawn and I had become a couple,” Hamilton said. “We had a long distance relationship for a while ... It became clear one of us was going to have to move.”Hamilton decided Johnsen had better opportunities in Washington than he did in Indianapolis, so he moved to the East Coast and decided to start a community development bank.“I knew a bit about community development and community development finance and felt that having a financial institution, a bank, that would bring money into the neighborhoods that for so long had had money sucked out of them would be very important,” he said.Hamilton spent the next five years raising funds to start City First Bank, which he said specifically targeted funding projects in areas of the city that no other financial institution would pay attention to. The bank opened in 1998 and Hamilton said it has funded hundreds of millions of dollars of housing and community development projects.Meanwhile, Johnsen was working as an adviser for the Clinton administration.In 1996, after O’Bannon was elected Indiana governor, Hamilton was asked to return to run the Indiana Department of Environmental Management. Later, he would head the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration for Gov. O’Bannon.“I woke up every day energized about how do we do this better,” he said. “Basically we worked with one out of every eight people in Indiana or supported one out of eight people at FSSA.”In 2000 Hamilton ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House of Representatives seat in Indiana’s 8th District, which at that time included Bloomington.After O’Bannon died in office in 2003, Hamilton returned once more to Bloomington from Indianapolis, where he helped run City First with monthly trips to Washington and served on several community boards. These included the Bloomington Commission on Sustainability, the Monroe County Community School Corporation Board of Trustees and the founding board of the Shalom Center.He left the state once more in 2009 when Johnsen was appointed by President Obama to one of the top national security and legal advising roles.“The nomination by the President Elect Obama was exciting and an amazing opportunity for Dawn,” Hamilton said. “We are a dual career family and we have to balance each of our career tracks and different opportunities that come up.”But Johnsen was never confirmed for the role by the U.S. Senate. In 2010, the family returned to Bloomington, and Hamilton said he’s glad to be back.“I have loved Bloomington since I was a little kid,” he said. “It is an amazing city where I am very excited about the opportunities to bring a lot of the ideas that I’ve gathered over state jobs and the national jobs and the neighborhood jobs and the experience I have to help move the city forward.”When he’s not working on the campaign, Hamilton said he spends time with his two sons playing tennis and chess and making music.He travels when he can but said there are plenty of opportunities to experience the world in Bloomington.“A neat, small city of 70,000 people that has the international flavor that we do is a rare and great treat for all of us,” Hamilton said. “Raising kids in Bloomington just feels like such a blessing, and we want to do all we can to make sure it stays that way.
(01/25/11 4:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Big Ten schools have blood on the mind as the American Red Cross continues the second year of the Big Ten Challenge. The challenge is a partnership between the Big Ten Network and the Red Cross, and the goal is to collect 8,300 pints of blood in total from schools within the Big Ten. The blood drives began Jan. 18 and will continue on all 11 campuses until Feb. 25, according to a press release about the challenge.“Last year was very successful,” said Katy Maloy, program manager of communications at the American Red Cross. “We were extremely pleased the Big Ten was willing.”IU’s goal is to collect 652 pints. The blood will be collected at drives on campus during the five-week competition.As of Monday morning, IU had raised 102 pints of blood from the first three drives.Maloy said the drives were organized directly with student groups, especially fraternities and sororities.They also worked with the IU Red Cross Club, she said.After the challenge ends in February, the Red Cross and the Big Ten will present awards to the winning schools in four categories: most donations, highest proportion of student body participation, highest percent of goal and best overall, according to the release.“The Big Ten has been outstanding partners,” Maloy said.Blood donated to the American Red Cross is entered into a nationwide inventory system and distributed where it is most needed in the country.The donated blood is then used in blood transfusions as well as other surgeries.This is an important time of the year for blood donation because it’s harder for people to get out of the house and donate, according to the release.“Winter can be a very unpredictable season with people’s schedules, illness and the weather,” Maloy said.She said high-profile blood drives, like the Big Ten Challenge, significantly increase the donations the Red Cross receives.
(01/25/11 4:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Rep. Todd Young, R-9th District, went on an international expedition to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to experience how the military deals with some of the top terrorists being held there.The trip was arranged with the House of Representatives Armed Services Committee only a few weeks into Young’s first congressional term. He returned Jan. 17.Guantanamo Bay has been surrounded by controversy since it was revealed that waterboarding was implemented there.Waterboarding, a process which involves pouring water over someone’s face to mimic the feeling of drowning, was used as an interrogation tactic for terror suspects. It is considered by many to be a form of torture, which is unconstitutional.As a member of the Armed Services Committee, Young will now face policy issues related to the Guantanamo facility and how the United States deals with suspected terrorists.“As we deal with legislative issues related to the War on Terror, I think it’s vital to have some first-hand experience with our military system for dealing with suspected terrorists,” Young said in an e-mail Monday. “The goal of the trip was to expose myself and other new members of the committee both to the terrorist-holding cells at Guantanamo and the legal processes around the military tribunals.”One of the most important objectives of the trip was for committee members to see the specific environment in which detainees are being held, according to a Jan. 18 press release from Young’s office.“There is no better way to collect information and to learn about issues than to immerse yourself in them and to ask questions directly of the leaders most knowledgeable of the subject,” Young said.While in Cuba, the representatives visited various detainment sites at the U.S. Naval Base that houses the facility. They also met with military officials who run the prison.But Young said interaction with the inmates themselves was limited.“We saw those who are considered low threat and will soon be released, and we saw those in maximum security who are considered the most hardened terrorists,” Young said.Among the maximum security detainees, committee members saw Khalid Sheikh Mohammed, the man behind the Sept. 11 attacks, Young said.“I can’t begin to express the range of emotions you experience when seeing these people who live to destroy our way of life,” he said.Young said he does not know what specific issues the committee will face or what legislation will come before it.However, he said the trip to Guantanamo was an eye-opening experience.“I learned that the perceptions many people here in America and around the world may have about Guantanamo Bay aren’t consistent with what is actually happening there,” he said.Young also said the information being gathered by military officials at the base justifies keeping it open.“I’m still waiting to see what issues come before the committee,” he said. “But the first-hand experience I gained and the relationships I forged with some of our finest military men and women stationed there will greatly impact my ability to deal with those issues when they do arise.”
(01/24/11 1:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s official: Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan will have an opponent in the Democratic mayoral primary election in May.Democrat and Maurer School of Law graduate John Hamilton announced Sunday at an event at his Bloomington residence that he will run against the mayor for the Democratic candidacy.“Why am I running for mayor?” he said. “Bloomington can do better. Much better.”Before Hamilton made his official announcement, his wife, Dawn Johnsen, a professor at the Maurer School of Law, spoke on his behalf.Though she admitted to being very biased on the subject of her husband, she said he takes on challenges because he believes in them.“Progressive Democrats must work to make government as effective as it can be,” she said.Hamilton’s announcement came less than a week after Kruzan, also a Democrat, kicked off his third term re-election campaign.“We’ve got a good thing going,” Kruzan said in his announcement address Jan. 18. “We’ve got the passion and creativity to keep it going.”Hamilton said he disagreed. He released a statement that day saying it’s time for new mayoral leadership.“Bloomington cannot afford to be complacent,” he said Sunday. “The hard times confronting our nation have exposed local problems that need to concern us all. We are not currently addressing them adequately.”During his announcement, Hamilton outlined the three issues he said he plans to focus on in his campaign: job creation, education and public services.“Our city must become a progressive leader in the 21st-century economy,” Hamilton said. “But a full recovery will be difficult.”He spoke specifically about Bloomington Hospital’s plans to develop land outside of city limits and said the city cannot afford to lose those jobs. The hospital is the second largest employer in Bloomington, outside of IU.He also said it is important to focus on the city’s public school system.“Our community must lift up our public schools to be among the very best anywhere,” Hamilton said. “Our next mayor must make the success of the public schools a top priority.”Finally, he said he plans to focus on making city public services more efficient and cost-effective. Hamilton specifically referenced the water system and police force.“Imagine one of the safest cities in Indiana. Imagine a city bustling with clean jobs. Imagine a public school system second to none. Imagine a creative innovation economy, with financing for entrepreneurs and technology transfers from our great university,” Hamilton said.Kruzan also addressed several of these issues in his top-10 campaign goals Jan. 18.Both candidates bring political experience in the Bloomington and Monroe County communities to the campaign. Kruzan has been the mayor of Bloomington since 2003. Hamilton has worked at several levels of government, including heading the Indiana Department of Environmental Management under Gov. Frank O’Bannon.“It starts here in our front yard,” Hamilton said of his campaign. “It starts now, and it starts with us.”
(01/20/11 3:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>FROM IDS REPORTSAs the General Assembly begins to consider budget proposals for the 2011-13 fiscal years, higher education funding may be on the chopping block.Purdue University President France A. Córdova responded Jan. 13 to budget recommendations from Gov. Mitch Daniels.“The new round of cuts to higher education that have been proposed by the Governor will severely challenge our ability to provide a high-quality education and generate the new knowledge that benefits the state of Indiana,” she said in the release.Córdova said the proposed budget reductions could require the university to increase tuition and cut jobs and university programs. The changes in the budget would affect all public education in the state of Indiana, including IU and Ball State University in addition to Purdue.— Michael Auslen
(01/19/11 11:52pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>If Congress were a race, Sen. Richard Lugar, R-Ind., would be in the lead.The sixth-term Republican Senator from Indianapolis is now the longest serving member of Congress in Indiana history, as well as the most senior Republican in the U.S. Senate.As of Jan. 5, Lugar had served 12,421 days in the Senate, according to a press release from his office. On top of that, the release said he has voted 12,587 times — a 98.2 percent voting record.Lugar was first elected to the Senate in 1976, and before that, he served as mayor of Indianapolis from 1968 to 1975.As the Republican leader of the foreign relations committee, Lugar has worked on various pieces of foreign affairs legislation.“The most significant thing he’s done is the Nunn-Lugar program,” said Mark Helmke, a spokesman at Lugar’s Senate office.The Nunn-Lugar Act — which he created with Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., in 1991 — helped remove weapons of mass destruction from former members of the Soviet Union after it fell apart in the early 1990s.“All those weapons were aimed at Indiana,” Helmke said. “He was at a secret site in Russia, and it had a map of Indianapolis.”Helmke said one of Lugar’s other main concerns during his political career has been nutrition.He was a supporter of the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which set stricter regulations of school lunch quality and appropriated federal dollars to ensure that quality.Helmke also said Lugar has been working on alternative energy legislation recently.In 1974, Lugar made an unsuccessful run for the U.S. Senate, but since his election in 1976, he has not lost a race. Some of his races were won by as high as 60 percent.In 2006, he ran against Libertarian Steve Osborn and won by a landslide 87.4 to 12.6 percent victory. The Democratic opponent, Jack Baldwin, was a write-in candidate and received only 294 votes.Lugar will be up for re-election in 2012 — his seventh term should he choose to run and win.Helmke said Lugar’s most recent milestones show that he has passion for his job.“It showcases his dedication to Indiana,” he said. “It showcases his dedication to the job. He shows up for work, and he votes.”
(01/19/11 5:59am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>By the time their senior year of high school rolls around, nearly half of Monroe County students will be drinking alcohol on a monthly basis, according to a recent Monroe County Community School Corporation survey.This puts local students higher than both national and state averages for the same age group.What really has drug and alcohol awareness advocates worried, however, is the pattern of early use that exists in the Bloomington area.“A kid that starts drinking in eighth grade just doesn’t stop,” said Linda Hanek, state incentive grant program director at the Asset Building Coalition.ABC is a Monroe County organization dedicated to promoting awareness of and preventing underage drinking and drug use.Among eighth graders in the county, 20 percent reported using alcohol and 10 percent reported using marijuana at least once per month, according to the MCCSC survey.While these numbers show significant improvement from previous years (eighth grade alcohol use has dropped nearly 15 percent in Monroe County since 1996, and the decline has been even greater among older students), ABC members and school officials remain concerned.“We started collecting data in 1995, and our use was at its peak then,” said Jen Staab, a counselor at Batchelor Middle School in Bloomington and former Healthy Schools Program coordinator for MCCSC. “That doesn’t mean it’s still not a problem.”Several years ago MCCSC dropped the Drug Abuse Resistance Education program used elsewhere in the country and instead opted for the LifeSkills Training program, which Staab said has been more successful in Monroe County.“It’s about how to make good decisions,” Staab said. “We noticed it changing with some of our studies.”Hanek and Staab agreed the program is more comprehensive and teaches students about decision-making and not only the “just say no” adage of the D.A.R.E. program.“You don’t tell your dog not to get fleas and then send him out into the dog park,” Hanek said.Staab said the program change was a primary reason monthly drug use rates among the county’s students have decreased so much.“I think we have to give credit to the schools,” Hanek said. “Our community has become more enlightened.”LifeSkills begins in elementary schools and continues through the middle school years. MCCSC worked with ABC to integrate the program with the high school health curriculum this year.But it’s not just students’ decisions that cause problems. Hanek said the other major factor within the Bloomington area specifically is the environment.“We have a community here with high access to alcohol,” she said. “The environment plays a key role.”While Hanek said she doesn’t want to place blame, she also said the University contributes significantly to this environment.“The youth have so much access,” ABC Executive Director Susan Forney said. “We found in our research that they are more likely to get alcohol from those who just turned 21, their near peers. All the kids said, ‘I’ve got friends who are older.’”The environment also contributes to high marijuana use, Staab said.“The one reason marijuana use is still so high (compared to 15 years ago) is that it’s still socially acceptable,” she said.One of ABC’s more recent campaigns to curb youth marijuana use and underage drinking is aimed not at the children themselves but at the of-age individuals who provide them with drinks.“We reaffirm the message that it is illegal to serve teens,” Hanek said.They have also begun to focus some energy on parents by reminding them of the less immediate consequences of early alcohol or drug consumption.“If someone starts drinking at 15, then the chance of addiction is much greater. There are long-term consequences for your child,” Hanek said.She said many parents are concerned about immediate dangers of drinking and that as long as their children make it home safely, the parents are OK with whatever they do. Some parents even offer to host parties and provide the alcohol because then they know it is being consumed in a safe environment, she said.MCCSC has responded by working with medical professionals to inform adults of the dangers of alcohol consumption by the youth in their care.While Monroe County students’ drug use patterns are significant, they pale in comparison to their Marion County counterparts.“We have been experiencing higher numbers participating in gateway drugs and an earlier onset of youth in sixth or eighth grade,” said Nancy Beals, prevention project coordinator at Drug Free Marion County, an organization that works to reduce underage drug and alcohol use in Indianapolis. Among Indianapolis-area eighth graders, 22 percent use alcohol monthly and 17 percent use marijuana monthly.“For Marion County, the two factors that stood out dramatically above other states are family conflict and having a good friend engaged in antisocial behavior,” Beals said.Antisocial behavior includes suspension from school, drug or alcohol use and suicidal tendencies, she said.Beals said in Indianapolis, the primary focus is reinforcing positive relationships with friends and families.“You tend to engage in the same behavior your friends do,” Beals said.Just like their Monroe County peers, students in Marion County have seen more programs aimed at drug and alcohol usage reduction introduced into their school curriculums.Above all, these organizations are focused on education.“People get stuck on this idea of regulating alcohol,” Hanek said. “We just need to be mindful of our consequences.”
(01/19/11 3:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>More undergraduate lab research is on the way for IU-Purdue University Indianapolis students this summer, thanks to a National Science Foundation grant awarded to the school.The School of Science at IUPUI announced Jan. 7 that it received a five-year grant worth $943,000 to fund a new research and mentoring program for students working in biological signaling beginning this summer.Biological signaling includes work done by experts in multiple fields, said Brenda Blacklock, assistant research professor of chemistry and chemical biology. These include biology, chemistry, physics and informatics, among others.Most of the money from the grant will be used to pay stipends for undergraduate researcher students in the program, Blacklock said. Some will also be used to fund workshops and seminars for accepted students.Blacklock and Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Stephen Randall said they applied for the grant for three primary reasons: to help graduate school-bound students find paid research opportunities, to bring more minority students into research labs and to attract students to IUPUI.Blacklock said students working in labs tend to be “pulled between multiple things.”In addition to their lab and school work, she said, many IUPUI science students are working to pay for their education.“This grant will help them not have to work outside of their research,” she said.Because the program will only accept students who are on track to attend graduate programs in science, Blacklock said faculty can focus on creating programs and experiences that will be helpful for high performing science students. In that regard, she said this program may make IUPUI more attractive to potential students.“We’re hoping it will bring people to IUPUI that otherwise wouldn’t consider it,” she said.The IUPUI School of Science is currently accepting applications for the first group of students. Thus far, Blacklock said they have received about 20.When the grant ends in five years, Blacklock said she is hopeful the NSF will continue to grant them funds for the program.“There’s also the possibility that the University will fund it, that they’ll see the good things the program is doing,” she said.
(01/18/11 9:11pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan will run for a third term this November, he announced Tuesday.“I’m running for re-election because a mayor has the opportunity to improve the livability of a community,” Kruzan said.Kruzan first won the mayoral seat in 2003 as the Democratic candidate. If elected, Kruzan would be the city’s mayor until 2015, when the next term ends.Kruzan may already have an opponent for the May Democratic Primary election.“After eight years … I think it’s time to explore new hands-on leadership and a fresh set of progressive ideas in order to move our city forward and meet the challenges that lie ahead,” John Hamilton, a former member of the Monroe County Community School Corporation board, said in a release Tuesday. “I am planning on making an announcement regarding my potential mayoral candidacy in the next week.”Thus far, no Republican candidate has been announced in the race.
(01/13/11 5:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Although the snow-blanketed campus could be seen as a winter wonderland, Tuesday’s snowstorm has led to dangerous driving conditions.The storm has led to slick, icy roadways, Indiana State Police officials said.“There’s been a significant number of accidents,” said Sgt. Joe Watts, a public information officer with the ISP. “People are driving too fast for the conditions.”On Wednesday morning, there was an accident involving a semi truck on the Interstate 70 median in Morgan County, according to an ISP press release.Watts said the primary concern, given the icy roads, is speed. He said police will issue citations to recklessly fast drivers, even if they are not driving faster than the speed limit.When road conditions are dangerous, he said, state speed laws permit police to ticket drivers who they feel are moving faster than is safe. Specifically, drivers should be able to stop suddenly at the speed they are traveling.Additionally, Watts said drivers should be prepared to go out, which includes having a well-maintained car, safe tires and a fully charged cell phone before beginning travel.He said people should only drive if absolutely necessary when there are icy road conditions.In the press release, Sgt. Curt Durnil, public information officer, warned that bridges and overpasses are particularly dangerous because they freeze more quickly and can remain frozen long after other parts of the road have melted.It is also important to remember to move out of the way of emergency vehicles and to slow down as they approach, Durnil said.Sophomore Amy Clark did not experience any problems on her way to classes Wednesday.“One guy was turning the wrong way on a one-way street, but he was just being stupid,” she said.Clark said she saw people driving slowly and safely through town.“I’ve lived in Bloomington all my life, and they do a good job clearing the streets,” she said.Nevertheless, the state police are pushing caution.“If it’s slick and hazardous,” Watts said, “drive carefully.”
(01/11/11 4:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Throughout 2010, the Bloomington City Council had to tackle problems with road construction, business sustainability and financial strains during a poor economy.Now the council is preparing to face similar challenges in 2011.Members of the council met on Jan. 5 to discuss the coming year.The first item on the council’s agenda is a re-evaluation of the city’s tax abatement policies, which haven’t been changed since 1993.“Tax abatements are tools that can be used to help incentivize business development,” said Susan Sandberg, newly elected city council president.Abatements exempt businesses from taxes on new projects in the community, according to the State of Indiana’s website. Generally, cities award them to businesses that will somehow benefit the community beyond job creation, such as environmental benefits.Since 1993, the State of Indiana has made changes to its tax abatement regulations for cities. Some of Bloomington’s rules have changed as well, said Danise Alano Martin, director of Economic and Sustainable Development for the City of Bloomington.“For each project, we’ve had to waive certain things,” Alano Martin said. “There was something in the code that referred to a certain geographic area in the city’s planning documents that doesn’t exist anymore.”More importantly, the tax abatement policies should reflect the city’s overall goals of developing the community, Martin said.Martin said her department is focusing on those projects that are environmentally sustainable or contribute to affordable housing within the city, among other things.Since 2006, no business has applied for and received a tax abatement from the city.“Hopefully, with the economy turning around, people will be more able to find funding for projects,” Martin said.Sandberg echoed Martin’s statement, saying that job creation is always something the city council is interested in promoting.The legislation was first read at the Jan. 5 meeting and will be voted on in the coming weeks.The other early legislative issue on the horizon for the city council is a traffic ordinance that would address changes discussed in 2010, including those related to stoplight locations and some one-way streets, Sandberg said.Because this legislation has not been finalized, the city legal department was uncomfortable discussing the specific changes it could make.Many of the topics the city council will address this year are still unknown.“Every legislative cycle brings new things,” Sandberg said. “A lot of what we’re doing is dealing with legislation not originated by us. A lot of it is housecleaning.”