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(12/12/13 3:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Earlier this year, the Indiana General Assembly passed a law to change the dispersal dates of the Supplemental Nutritional Assistance Plan benefits, also known as food stamps.The changes go into effect Jan. 1, and Indiana’s Department of Family and Social Services is working to inform the 926,000 people who receive SNAP benefits in Indiana.“The law was passed by general assembly earlier this year, but it’s the FSSA’s job to implement the changes,” said Marni Lemons, deputy director of communications and media at FSSA.Lemons said the change should spread demand over the entire month. “Under the previous dispersal schedule, SNAP recipients were receiving their benefits in the first 10 days of the month,” Lemons said. “So demand was really high at the beginning of the month, but not so high the rest of the month.”The new schedule will disperse benefits to households beginning on the fifth of each month and continuing on odd numbered days until the 23rd. To ease the transition, FSSA is dispersing half of the SNAP benefits on the recipients’ old dispersal date and half on the new date for the month of January only.Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(12/04/13 3:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After more than a year of repairs, Griffy Lake is refilling with water, and by spring 2014, it will be filled with fish.The repair process, which addressed storm damages to the lake’s dam, began in March 2012 and was not completed until Nov. 27, 2013, said Jon Callahan, public affairs specialist for the City of Bloomington Utilities Department.“Improvements to the dam included a new intake tower and sluice gate, improvements to the spillway and a new inboard concrete slope on the dam,” Callahan said.As part of the repair process, the lake was drained in June 2012.In addition to the dam repairs, the city also received a grant for a sediment removal project, which was made easier by the fact that the lake was already drained, Parks and Recreation Natural Resources Manager Steve Cotter said.“Six thousand five hundred cubic yards of sediment were excavated out of the dry lake bed, at the east end of the lake, to create a channel from the boat dock and boat ramp to the bridge under Headley Road,” Cotter said.Cotter said removing the sediment will make boat navigation easier and improve the habitat for fish and wildlife.Dave Kittaka is the Indiana Department of Natural Resources fishery biologist in charge of restocking Griffy Lake with game fish.Kittaka said restocking the lake is a yearlong process. The fish have already spawned and have been raised throughout the summer in DNR hatcheries.“We had initially hoped to stock in October, but because of delays there was not enough water and temperatures were too cold to restock this fall,” Kittaka said. Kittaka said his biggest concern is that some fishermen may want to illegally introduce fish to the lake, upsetting the balance between predator and prey fish. The fish that will be introduced include largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, black crappie and channel catfish.Kittaka said in the past the DNR has had problems managing the invasive Brazilian elodea plant in the lake. “We think someone dumped their fish tank into the lake because it’s a popular aquarium plant,” Kittaka said. “The problem is it grows quickly and can cause imbalances in fish populations.” Kittaka said disturbing the lake’s ecosystem by dumping fish or plants may be difficult or impossible to correct.“If we don’t get the ratio right the first time, we could be left with an unbalanced fishery for a long time,” Kittaka said.Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(11/18/13 3:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>People drove pedicabs through Bloomington and across the IU campus Friday, collecting plastic recyclables and promoting environmental awareness in celebration of America Recycles Day. The pedicabs, tricycles with cabs that served as human-powered mobile recycling bins, were part of the American Chemistry Council’s Plastics Make it Possible Campaign.“Plastics Make it Possible is a campaign that educates consumers about how plastics are sustainable,” said Jennifer Killinger, senior director of sustainability and public outreach for the American Chemistry Council.The campaign launched a total of 30 mobile recycling bins in six cities across the United States to raise awareness of America Recycles Day.“Access to recycling has expanded, and consumers can now recycle more types of plastic,” Killinger said. “Our goal is to increase awareness.” Killinger said there are two streams of plastic recycling. The first is the stream that most local programs accept. It includes rigid plastic containers like beverage bottles and shampoo containers.The other stream is for flexible plastics like wrappings for bulk snacks and napkins, as well as plastic bags from the grocery store.These flexible plastics belong in a separate recycling stream that is usually collected at grocery stores.Killinger said Bloomington was chosen to receive the pedicab promotion for two reasons.“We chose Bloomington not only for its great recycling program but also because of the college campus,” Killinger said. “It’s a fun way for students to interact.” Freshman Jay Rodgers said he knows it is important to recycle and reuse resources instead of just wasting them.“If I see a bin, I’ll use it,” Rodgers said.Laura Walter, administrative assistant at the Kelley School of Business, said it is important to be aware of the effect people can have on their environment.“At the Kelley School, our recycling bins are larger than our trash bins,” Walter said.Bloomington and Monroe County continue to increase resources to make recycling easier for residents.Elisa Pokral, media and education director for the Monroe County Indiana Solid Waste Management District, said the district has expanded its services since January. The district now offers free electronics recycling at all centers and has extended operation of its rural recycling centers to five days a week, Pokral said. “Monroe County is lucky to have the district,” Pokral said. “Many communities don’t have resources to offer these programs.”The district also offers safe recycling of hazardous materials at its South Walnut facility. “Hazardous materials like pharmaceuticals, paints and batteries shouldn’t be thrown in the trash because they can cause problems at landfills by seeping into the soil, water and air,” Pokral said.The district also collects items at its reuse center for non-profit organizations. The girl scouts, 4-H clubs and other community groups can get materials they can use for science projects and crafts at the reuse center, Pokral said“It’s up to the public to take advantage of the services available in Monroe County,” Pokral said. “It all starts with individuals who can teach their neighbors and lead by example.”
(11/13/13 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington was officially recognized as a bronze level Walk Friendly Community last week.Walk Friendly Communities is a national recognition program aimed at honoring communities for their commitment to pedestrian safety, according to a press release from the City of Bloomington. “This designation reflects many years of pedestrian-friendly planning, policies and programming in Bloomington,” Vince Caristo, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for the City of Bloomington Planning Department, said in the release. Bloomington is the first community in Indiana to receive a Walk Friendly Community designation and one of 44 communities in the United States to be recognized. In addition to being a Walk Friendly Community, the City is also recognized as a Silver “Bicycle Friendly Community” by the League of American Bicyclists.The Walk Friendly Designation is based on a demonstrated commitment to improving and sustaining walkability and pedestrian safety through comprehensive programs, plans and policies, according to the release. One aspect that the application process looks at is the percentage of people who walk to work. Bloomington was ranked third in the country for the percentage of residents who walk to work, among cities greater than 65,000 people, according to the release. Bloomington was also praised for its urban trail system, pedestrian-friendly zoning ordinance and pedestrian signaling system.Meredith Andersen, a junior at IU, said she relies on walking to get to classes and around Bloomington. Andersen said she chose walking as her primary mode of transportation because it is good exercise and avoids the hassle of finding a place to park.“The only thing that makes walking harder sometimes is the weather,” Andersen said. Andersen said she hopes Bloomington will improve existing sidewalks and build more.“Walking at night is my only other concern, and I wish there were more street lights in some places,” Andersen said.Despite some of its inconveniences, Andersen said she appreciates that walking is easy and accessible.“It’s a lot easier to get around places by walking than anywhere else I have lived,” Andersen said.Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brmmeyer.
(11/11/13 2:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The sounds of Latin American song and dance filled the Farmers Market Saturday. The occasion was the Sister Cities Day Fiesta, a celebration of Bloomington’s sister cities — Posoltega, Nicaragua, and Santa Clara, Cuba.Bloomington established a sister city relationship with Posoltega in 1988 and later with Santa Clara in 1999.Mayor Mark Kruzan issued a proclamation for the event stating its purpose.“Sister Cities Day is a time to educate the entire community about the benefits and possibilities associated with Bloomington’s Sister Cities Program and to promote peace and friendship among the City of Bloomington and numerous other cities around the world,” Kruzan said.The purpose of Sister Cities is to “create relationships based on cultural, educational, information and trade exchanges, creating lifelong friendships that provide prosperity and peace through person-to-person ‘citizen diplomacy,’” according to Sister Cities International’s website.Mary Jensen, president of the Bloomington-Posoltega Committee of Sister Cities International, said interest in forming a sister city relationship came from IU faculty in the Latin American Studies Department.Jensen said the committee sponsors several programs in Nicaragua including hot lunches for children and scholarships.“When we first visited Posoltega, the students did not even think college was an option,” Jensen said. “Since that time we have provided 33 students with assistance to attend, providing them with supplies and transportation.” Debbi Conkle, the committee’s secretary, said the group is planning for a delegation to return to Posoltega in March. CUBAmistad is the Bloomington-based organization that spearheaded the sister city project with Santa Clara, Cuba.Group member Arthur Stein said traveling to Cuba is difficult because of the United States’ trade and travel embargo.“We have been trying to get the licenses for a community group to travel to Cuba for the past nine months,” Stein said.Though the group has been unable to send a delegation in the past 10 years, it continues to donate supplies via the Pastors for Peace U.S.-Cuba Friendshipment Caravan.Saturday’s fiesta included performances by a youth choir and dance groups, including a salsa performance by Ritmos Latinos Indiana.The fiesta also offered craft activities for children including bookmarks with Spanish vocabulary cards and a God’s eye yarn weaving. Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(11/06/13 3:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Every autumn, after trees have shed their leaves, residents are faced with a dilemma of what to do with the resulting yard waste.There are several options for those residents, and composting, collection and incineration are a few of the most common ones.Dan Goldblatt, public information officer for the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, said burning yard waste has health and environmental effects.“When yard waste is burned, particulate matter, also known as PM, is released,” Goldblatt said. “PM is a complex mixture of particles, including dust, dirt, soot, smoke and liquid droplets that are found in the air in sizes small enough to be inhaled.”Goldblatt said IDEM is concerned with two kinds of PM — PM10 and PM2.5. “Coarse particles that are larger than 2.5 micrometers and smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter are referred to as PM10,” Goldblatt said. “Fine particles that are 2.5 micrometers or smaller in diameter are referred to as PM2.5.” PM2.5, in particular, is linked to health problems.“PM2.5 is so small that the particles can be inhaled deep into the lungs and cause health problems in sensitive groups such as the very young, the elderly and those with heart or lung disease,” Goldblatt said. “Breathing particulate matter has been linked to a number of significant health problems including aggravated asthma, difficulty breathing, decreased lung function and chronic bronchitis.”Goldblatt also said PM 2.5 is a component of smog, causing reduced visibility. Because of these risks, yard waste incineration is highly regulated by the state. The City of Bloomington offers yard waste collection all year. Yard waste paper bags or bundles require a green yard waste sticker, and bags and containers must be no larger than 35 gallons nor weigh more than 40 pounds, according to the City of Bloomington website.In the fall, the city offers free curbside leaf collection on a bi-weekly basis until Dec. 20. Unlike other waste collected, leaves in biodegradable or paper bags do not require a green tag to be collected.For environmentally conscious residents, composting is the best option for leaves.“Yard waste is one of the easiest types of material to compost at home,” Goldblatt said. Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(11/01/13 2:32am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Experts gathered at Purdue University Tuesday for the Indiana Invasive Species Council’s Early Detection and Rapid Response Conference.Early detection is one way to reduce the costs associated with invasive species control, said Ellen Jacquart, chair of the Invasive Plant Advisory Committee.A report released in September by IPAC showed that landowners, municipalities, contractors, state agencies and land trusts spent more than $5 million and 120,000 labor hours to manage invasive plants on more than 45,000 acres of natural areas like forests, prairies and wetlands.The survey also found that those surveyed managed nearly 50 different species. Garlic mustard, Asian bush honeysuckle and multiflora rose were among the most prevalent.One of the difficulties of controlling invasive plants is that many are desirable for landscapers, Jacquart said. Invasive plants are so named because they can spread prolifically in short periods of time.The diseases that control their growth in their native lands do not encumber them. They can easily spread and crowd out native competitors.Burning bush is one such plant. It turns a vibrant red color in the fall and is popular in home landscaping.Section 20 of the Bloomington Municipal Code is working to mitigate this problem by preventing the planting of invasive species in residential developments.The IPAC report recommends that Indiana pass a law eliminating invasive species from commercial trade entirely.Steve Cotter, the natural resources manager for the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, said controlling invasive species has been costly.“We do most of our invasive species control in-house,” Cotters said. “We have a staff that spray or mechanically remove the plants, but for larger projects we contract out.”Cotter said the city also works closely with EcoLogic, a Bloomington-based ecological restoration company.Cotter said there are several problematic invasive species in Bloomington.“In Lower Cascades Park, we have a big problem with Asian bush honeysuckle,” Cotter said. The shrub, which can grow to 6 meters tall, has infected the understory, or ground cover, of 93 acres of the park. The honeysuckle at Lower Cascades is the densest infestation in Bloomington’s parks.Cotter said purple winter creeper is one species that the project is targeting in Dunn Woods. Ruth Ann Ingraham, the chair of the Brown County Native Woodlands Project and cofounder of the Indiana Native Plant and Wildflower Society, said invasive species control is important because it prevents a monoculture.“Without invasive species control, we will lose the variety, wealth and beauty of biological vitality,”she said. Ingraham said a prime example would be Yellowwood State Forest, where native spring ephemerals have been replaced by acres of periwinkle, a type of ground cover.“Now there isn’t sufficient money or labor to reverse its spread, and it becomes difficult for the forest to regenerate because seeds of trees and other plants cannot take root in the soil,” she said.Ingraham said removing plants while they are still seedlings is much easier than cutting down shrubs like autumn olive once they grow several meters high.“Last week I worked with a group of volunteers in Indianapolis to remove burning bush seedlings,” Ingraham said. “The seven or eight of us pulled up hundreds if not thousands of seedlings in just a couple of hours.”Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(10/31/13 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana Sen. Richard Young, D-Milltown, announced Oct. 18 his desire to allow Indiana farmers to have the opportunity to grow hemp. Industrial hemp is a plant that can be processed into a variety of oils, wax, resin, rope, cloth, pulp, paper and fuel. Since 1958, hemp has been illegal to grow under federal law for its close relation to marijuana.“The federal government lumped industrial hemp with marijuana, outlawing the production of either,” Young said in a press release. “In their shortsightedness, the federal government ignored the safety and economic potential of industrial hemp.”Young cited several reasons why hemp would be an excellent cash crop for Indiana farmers.It is hardy, naturally resistant to pests and is ready for harvest in just 120 days, Young said in the release.Young also said hemp production is more environmentally friendly than traditional textiles and plastics because it is 100 percent biodegradable.“Ten states, including Kentucky and West Virginia, have recognized the agricultural, economic and environmental benefits of promoting the growth and marketing of industrial hemp,” Young said in the release.“I believe that hemp needs to be a controlled crop with the appropriate oversight of the Department of Agriculture to ensure that marijuana is not grown with the hemp.”Hemp’s resemblance to marijuana is a major reason why law enforcement agencies are opposed to its legalization.Kentucky passed a law legalizing hemp in April despite strong opposition from state police who were concerned that industrial hemp would provide cover for illegal marijuana growing operations.On the opposite side of the issue, Indiana House Enrolled Act 1006 passed through the general assembly earlier this year.The bill will toughen penalties for low-level cannabis offenders, according to an April hemp.org news release. According to the release, Gov. Mike Pence approved of the new legislation. Indiana State Police public information officer David Bursten said it is not the agency’s place to comment on the legislature’s actions.“It is our function to enforce, to the best of our ability, the laws enacted by the elected legislators,” Bursten said.Because growing industrial hemp is still illegal under federal law, states must negotiate with the federal Drug Enforcement Agency to grow hemp. Colorado plans on issuing licenses to hemp growers beginning next year.Dan Drexler, the Indiana state chairman of the Libertarian Party, is supporting Sen. Young in his efforts to legalize hemp.“There are no elected libertarians in Indiana’s legislature, but we are publicly advocating for issues that the party supports,” Drexler said.Drexler said the party is taking Young’s proposal one step further by advocating for the decriminalization of marijuana for adults.“A Gallup poll found that 58 percent of Americans believe marijuana should be legalized,” Drexler said. “It’s something the legislature needs to take a closer look at.”Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(10/28/13 2:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bicycling advocates gathered at Bloomington’s City Hall Saturday afternoon to discuss ways of improving the local cycling community at the third annual Platinum Bike Summit.The purpose of the summit was to discuss the city’s progress toward attaining the Platinum Bicycle Friendly Community designation from the League of American Bicyclists.The League of American Bicyclists evaluates cities in five categories, said Vince Caristo, bicycle and pedestrian coordinator for the City of Bloomington Planning Department.“When we reapply in 2014, they will be looking at our improvements in the five E’s — engineering, encouragement, education, evaluation and enforcement,” Caristo said.Caristo said Bloomington was the first bicycle friendly community in Indiana when they were designated at the bronze level in 2003.Currently, the City of Bloomington is designated at the silver level. The designations measure a variety of issues from physical infrastructure to cycling injury rates.In 2011, the city began its journey to platinum with its first bike summit.Since that time, Bloomington has developed a comprehensive plan to improve bicycling infrastructure in the city.“The 2012 Bloomington Bikeways Implementation Plan provided detail, design and cost information for all of the proposed projects,” Caristo said.The improvements the city has made include contraflow bike lanes that allow two way bike traffic on one way streets, traffic diverters, buffered bike lanes, bike boxes at intersections and bus islands on East Third Street to eliminate bus traffic in bike lanes.“We wanted to focus on improving infrastructure for those who are interested in biking but concerned about their safety,” Caristo said.One of the measures the city took was to go beyond minimum bike lane width requirement of four feet to provide cyclists with more separation from motorists.Since 2010, the city has increased their mileage of bikeways by 41 percent.In addition to the platinum designation review, the summit also served to launch the city’s Civil Streets Initiative.Jacqui Bauer, sustain ability coordinator for the City of Bloomington Economic and Sustainable Development Department, introduced the initiative.“The campaign is focused on education, encouragement and enforcement,” Bauer said.The project goals include reducing bicycle and pedestrian crashes leading to injury or death, reducing unsafe traffic behaviors by bicyclists, pedestrians and motorists, as well as mitigating frustrations and conflicts that result from unsafe behaviors across all modes of transportation.“We have a shared responsibility for safety and the perception of the bicycling community,” Caristo said. “The best thing that cyclists can do is get involved and be a role model for safe behavior.” Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(10/23/13 2:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The U.S. Supreme Court agreed in an order issued Oct. 15 to hear a consolidated case brought against the Environmental Protection Agency. Those filing suit are Texas and 11 other states, including Indiana, and various other business and public interest groups. At issue is the scope of the EPA’s authority to regulate greenhouse gas emissions of stationary sources, such as power plants, under the Clean Air Act.Specifically, the court agreed to answer a single question: “Whether EPA permissibly determined that its regulation of greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles triggered permitting requirements under the Clean Air Act for stationary sources that emit greenhouse gases,” according to the order. In 2007, the Supreme Court ruled in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency the EPA had the authority to regulate emissions of motor vehicles. The EPA is asserting this ruling also gives them authority to regulate stationary plant emissions. “Texas’ lawsuit alleges the federal agency has exceeded the legal authority that Congress granted it under the Clean Air Act by taking regulatory actions that Congress did not authorize,” Bryan Corbin, public information officer for the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, said. “The State of Indiana and 10 other states have joined the single lawsuit Texas filed as co-plaintiffs.” Corbin said Indiana would be assisting Texas with the lawsuit.“Most of the legal resources on this case will be provided by the State of Texas,” Corbin said. “Indiana’s legal work is assigned to one of our attorneys in the Indiana Attorney General’s Office, under our regular case load and within our regular budget, which is approved by the legislature in advance.”The case will be of interest to manufacturers and utility providers whose facilities would qualify as a “major emitting facility” under the EPA’s new regulations.Tim Rushenberg, vice president of government affairs and tax policy for the Indiana Manufacturer’s Alliance, said Hoosiers could see a 14 percent increase in utility prices by 2020 due to increased EPA regulations, but not necessarily due to the permitting regulation in question. “To comply with these overly burdensome regulations requires utilities to spend millions upon millions of dollars on pollution control measures, or convert their power generation facilities to natural gas, which emits about one-half of the carbon as coal,” Rushenberg said.Rushenberg said any further regulation is unnecessary.“Carbon and other emissions have already been significantly reduced in the absence of these new and proposed EPA regulations,” Rushenberg said.On Monday, the U.S. Energy Information Administration released a report showing U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions declined by 3.8 percent in 2012, are at their lowest level since 1994 and are more than 12 percent below the 2007 peak.The Supreme Court will not decide on the efficacy of specific regulations, but whether the EPA has the constitutional authority to require permits for stationary sources of pollution.The Court also rejected appeals from some parties to review the EPA’s conclusion that carbon emissions endanger public health and the planet.Corbin said having the Supreme Court even consider the case is a victory.“The U.S. Supreme Court receives many proposed appeals per year, but only accepts a small number of cases for hearing,” Corbin said. “The oral argument in the Texas v. EPA case has not yet been scheduled, but we assume it will be sometime before the Supreme Court’s current term ends next June.”Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(10/22/13 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Local attorney Ken Nunn has donated more than 425 medical trauma packs to area law enforcement agencies.The Patrol Trauma Pak includes a tourniquet, gauze and chest seals that can be stored in an officer’s ballistic vest. Officers can use the packs to treat open wounds caused by gunshots or knives on themselves, their fellow officers or injured civilians until medical help arrives.Nunn said he got the idea to donate the packs when he heard the Indianapolis Police Department used trauma packs and that the pack saved the life of an officer who had been shot.“I have a tremendous respect for everyone in the law enforcement community,” Nunn said. “I wondered, if a big city like Indianapolis has these packs, what about a small community like Bloomington?” After making a few phone calls, Nunn learned local departments didn’t have the budget for the trauma packs, so he made a donation to the Bloomington Police Department, the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the IU Police Department and police departments in Ellettsville and Bedford.Captain Joe Qualters of the BPD said this is the first time Bloomington Police officers have had the opportunity to utilize trauma packs.Nunn’s donation allows for each BPD officer to carry a Patrol Trauma Pak on his or her person. It will also enable the Department’s Critical Incident Response Team to include the packs as part of their available equipment when they are called out, according to a press release from the City of Bloomington.Qualters said the most common injuries police officers suffer are muscle strains and joint sprains from subduing or pursuing a suspect.“Thankfully, we have not had any serious injuries with officers being shot or stabbed, and we hope that continues to be the case,” Qualters said. “The trauma packs, however, will allow for some level of emergency treatment if it does occur and allows officers to treat citizen victims until the arrival of emergency medical personnel.”Nunn said the trauma packs were developed for soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. “It is a proven device in the military,” Nunn said. “A soldier might bleed out from a wound before the medics get to him, but this trauma pack gives him a chance until help arrives.”Qualters said officers have received the necessary preparation to use the trauma packs at a recent in-service department training. The packs are scheduled to arrive mid-November and will be distributed to officers immediately, Qualters said.“I hope that these packs will make a difference for our local law enforcement and hopefully be able to save a life one day,” Nunn said.Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(10/21/13 3:44am)
Although people can
contract flu infections year round, they are most common September through
March.
(10/16/13 2:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Peter Dunn, better known as Pete the Planner, visited the Monroe County Public Library’s Bloomington branch Tuesday evening to deliver financial advice.Dunn is the author of five financial planning books, the host of a weekly radio program and a regular contributor to various television news programs.Dunn is based in Indianapolis. He began his career as a financial planner but sold his practice to become a full-time teacher.“I like to focus on financial wellness, as opposed to financial literacy,” Dunn said. “Financial literacy is just the facts, but I want to actually motivate people to change their behavior.” The event was sponsored by a grant from United Way of Monroe County as part of Monroe County Money Smart Week. The presentation was planned in partnership with the Financial Stability Alliance and the High School Plus Coalition.Ashley Hall, the community initiatives director for United Way of Monroe County, said the talk was part of United Way’s Mission to improve people’s lives by addressing critical needs today and working to reduce those needs tomorrow.“This program focuses on earnings, which is one of United Way’s building blocks for a better life,” Hall said.A diverse crowd was in attendance, so the topics covered were wide and varied. Dunn used his background as an improv comedian to add humor to what would otherwise have been a dull discussion.The presentation focused on advice for students who may be planning on attending college in the near future as well as community members who were interested in budgeting, debt reduction and saving for retirement. Dunn explained his philosophy to start the presentation.“We can all better manage our financial lives, no matter our situation,” Dunn said.Dunn said although audience members may have different financial goals, they have more in common than they probably thought. “We’re all strung together by the fact that we all need to make better decisions with money,” Dunn said. “Everyone knows that you need to spend less than you make, but tonight we are talking about turning that knowledge into behavior.”One of the major topics that Dunn covered was budgeting.“We all make our best financial decisions the day before we get paid and our worst on the day we get paid,” he said.Dunn said planning where your money goes can help you stretch your paycheck.“The average person spends money 22 times per week, and the more times you spend money, the less you think about costs,” Dunn said. “Ideally, you should be spending money 10-14 times per week.”Dunn said societal change in spending habits, including an overreliance on credit cards, is leading to increased debt.One source of debt that has been growing in recent years is student loan debt.Dunn said there are strategies for reducing student loan debt that most students do not realize.“Do not take on more loan money than you need,” Dunn said. “Cover your tuition expenses, but try to finance your living expenses with a job.”Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(10/09/13 4:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Congressional Republicans are calling for the repeal of a 2.3-percent excise tax on medical devices as a compromise to begin budget and debt ceiling negotiations.The repeal would affect Hoosier firms that manufacture medical devices such as catheters and surgical stents. Cook Medical, the world’s largest private medical device manufacturer, is headquartered in Bloomington, and its local facilities employ more than 2,000 people.Dan Peterson, vice president of industry and government affairs for Cook Medical, said Cook Medical supports a full repeal of the medical device tax.The medical device tax was implemented in January 2013 to build revenue to provide health insurance for millions of Americans under the Affordable Care Act.The potential repeal has bipartisan traction. The Democrat-controlled Senate voted 79-20 in favor of a non-binding budget resolution to repeal the medical device tax on March 21, 2013. Thirty-four Democrats voted in support of the resolution, including Indiana Democrat Sen. Joe Donnelly. In the days preceding the government shutdown, the Senate refused the House’s budget proposal that would delay the Affordable Care Act’s implementation by one year and repeal the medical device tax.On Oct. 3, 2013, congressional leaders from Indiana sent a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and Speaker of the House John Boehner asking to include a full repeal of the medical device tax in any must-pass legislation considered in the House or the Senate this year. Sen. Dan Coats, R-Ind., and all Republicans representing Indiana in the House, signed the letter. The medical devices industry is one of Indiana’s most valuable economic assets, employing more than 20,000 people and generating more than $10 billion of annual economic output, according to a 2012 report by BioCrossroads, an institution supporting life science innovation in Indiana. Peterson said although Cook Medical has not had to lay off any employees due to the tax, it has had to put expansion plans on hold.“Over the past few years we’ve built over four new plants in the Midwest expanding our production capacity, but with the new excise tax, we have had to put those plans for further expansion on hold,” Peterson said.Peterson said Cook Medical is actively involved with lobbying those in decision-making positions so it is aware of the tax’s consequences.“Everybody acknowledges the cost of health care is too high,” Peterson said. “Our main concern is that the way they went about solving the issue really hurts our industry.” The Indiana Republicans’ letter cites not only the potential loss of jobs, but also the potential risk to the industry’s ability to research and innovate. “Indiana is home to over 300 medical device companies that produce lifesaving products,” according to the letter. “This tax is prohibiting their ability to conduct research or clinical trials to create new medical devices.” Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(10/02/13 4:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Affordable Care Act’s Health Insurance Marketplace launched on Tuesday, but not without glitches or confusion. More than 1 million people nationwide visited healthcare.gov Tuesday morning, causing trouble for people trying to log in to the system.Alicia Hartinger, a public affairs specialist for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said in an email that HHS is working to fix these issues and improve the website’s function. In the meantime, consumers can contact the call center or use the website’s live chat function.Bloomington community leaders said they are more worried that citizens are unaware the new system even exists.Nancy Woolery, the health projects manager for Bloomington, organized Bloomington’s Affordable Care Act Committee this summer. The committee plans on presenting several information sessions to local consumers at the public library this fall.Bloomington resident David Meyer has organized a group that aims to educate the public about their options in the marketplace. His group, Affordable Care Act Volunteers of Monroe County, is organizing a meeting tonight at the Monroe County Public Library to recruit and train volunteers.Meyer said he hopes to train volunteers to be able to help consumers understand how the process works.“My job is difficult because there is so much confusion and different sources of information,” Meyer said. “Only 32 percent of uninsured individuals know about the Affordable Care Act marketplace, and even fewer know that there is financial support and subsidies for those who qualify.” Meyer said the political nature of the ACA has made educating the public more difficult.“Most of what people hear about the ACA is the partisan political battle in the news,” Meyer said. “But none of that information is actually important to the uninsured.” Woolery is in the process of becoming an Indiana Certified Marketplace Navigator to help people fill out applications. “Navigators go through extensive training, testing, a background check and they must also sign a conflict of interest statement,” said Dennis Rosebrough, the communications director for the Indiana Department of Insurance.The Indiana General Assembly passed HB1319 in the 2013 legislative session, giving DOI the responsibility to license navigators.Rosebrough said there are 97 certified navigators and 155 in various stages of the training process. Rosebrough said in addition to training navigators, his department has been ensuring the plans and providers meet Indiana regulations.He said the biggest problem with the implementation of the ACA so far has been that the federal government did not want the state involved in public education, because Indiana chose a federally operated exchange. “People don’t know who to turn to for help,” Rosebrough said. “They call us and we have to refer them to the federal website or 1-800 number.”Scott Stowers is the regional manager for Individual Solutions, a department of IU Health that helps uninsured and under-insured clients find health coverage.Stowers said Individual Solutions has a team of seven certified marketplace navigators who have undergone training and testing to help people evaluate their options.“People are confused,” Stowers said. “Specific plan information is not available, and the federal website is not functioning.”Stowers said his staff had been trying to log in to and load the website for several hours Tuesday morning with no luck.“There is some chatter that there may be a delay in the marketplace and enrollment may have to wait a couple weeks, but those rumors are unconfirmed,” Stowers said.Stowers said his office is able to answer basic questions and schedule follow-up appointments when more information is available.“Most people are concerned about the rates, and we cannot see those until we can get into the website,” Stowers said.Last week, HHS released a report on the predicted premiums for plans in the new exchange.Individuals and families will be able to choose from a variety of bronze, silver, gold and platinum plans in the Health Insurance Marketplace, according to the report. The ACA defines the plan levels based on actuarial value, the average percentage of health care expenses paid by the plan. The higher the actuarial value, the less the out-of-pocket expenses. The bronze plan has the lowest actuarial value and the platinum plan has the highest.Young adults will also have the option of choosing a catastrophic plan that would cover prevention, some primary care and high costs in cases of major accidents or illnesses.Premiums tend to be lower in states where there is more competition and transparency, according to the report. Arizona, for example, has an average of 106 qualified health plans, whereas Indiana only has 34. The premium in Arizona for a young adult buying a bronze plan is only $141. In Indiana the premium is $200.Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(09/30/13 3:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>United Way of Monroe County began its 2013-14 fundraising campaign at Memorial Stadium on Friday. The organization set a goal to raise $1,425,000. Last year, the group exceeded its fundraising goal, raising $1,416,194.More than 140 volunteers and community leaders gathered in the Henke Hall of Champions for a luncheon to learn about the campaign’s goals and strategies.The theme of the campaign, “Give Today. Create a Better Tomorrow,” is meant to encourage donors to invest in the community’s future by supporting social services. The money raised will go to the Community Action Fund, which helps United Way’s 24 member agencies improve the community in three categories — education, earnings and essentials. Heidi Schulz, United Way of Monroe County board member and leader of the campaign, said demand for the three Es is increasing, and state and federal funding for social services is unstable.“United Way hears reports every day from member agencies that the need is increasing,” Schulz said. “Demand for food, low-cost childcare, after-school services, health care and just about everything else we fund is increasing.” Keynote Speaker Dan Smith, president and CEO of the IU Foundation, offered fundraising tips to community leaders and volunteers. “You’re not asking for money, you’re asking to change people’s lives,” he said.United Way of Monroe County Executive Director Barry Lessow said he hopes some day the demand for services United Way provides will decrease, and only then can he declare victory.Lessow asked attendees to donate to United Way.The donations that United Way receives help to make a “measurable, sustained difference in the community,” Schulz said.United Way shared statistics from its member agencies’ programs to show the difference they are making.Patients at Volunteers in Medicine received 11,202 prescriptions at no cost, the Free Community Tax Service program assisted low and moderate-income residents file 2,901 federal returns, and of high school seniors enrolled in mentoring programs at United Way member agencies, 94 percent graduated.Smith also said there is no such thing as a small gift.“A dollar eighty buys breakfast for a child, but it also buys four extra hours of attention in class, better grades and a better chance to graduate to become a constructive member of the community,” Smith said. Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brmmeyer.
(09/25/13 3:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>There are about 500 solar panel installations in Indiana, and 110 are in the Bloomington area.The Southern Indiana Renewable Energy Network organized a “Going Solar” presentation Tuesday night at the Bloomington branch of the Monroe County Public Library.“We noticed that there was precious little solar adoption in the community and we felt a personal responsibility to reduce our carbon impact,” Terry Usrey, SIREN member,said. “We’re a grassroots organization. We help with installations and offer informal training and education.”SIREN has given presentations in Bloomington and the surrounding area for the past two years.The presentation explained the costs and benefits of installing renewable energy systems in homes and businesses. It centered on photovoltaic solar arrays. PV systems work when the sun shines on solar panels and solar radiation is absorbed by silicon creating a direct current, Usrey said. The direct current is converted to alternating current and fed directly to the breaker system.Usrey said if one uses a grid-tied system, net metering allows you to feed electricity back into the grid if your panels produce a surplus.SIREN recommends a home energy audit to determine the annual household electricity usage. From there, they recommend covering 50 percent of their energy needs with solar panels and reduce the other 50 percent of their electricity consumption through conservation.SIREN member Darrell Boggess compared the cost of installing solar panels to buying a home.“There is a high fixed price up-front like buying a home, but it’s better than renting a house or renting electricity from the utility company when rates can increase without notice,” Boggess said. Boggess said he used SIREN’s 50-50 method.“The 50-50 plan made us more aware of our energy consumption, and we were able to cut it down significantly,” he said. “Now we have a surplus.”Amie McCarty, director of sales and marketing for solar energy systems at Mann Plumbing, said Bloomington is a “solar oasis.”“The people here are open to new technologies and sustainable lifestyles,” McCarty said. Mann Plumbing began installing solar water heating systems in 2008, but they have since expanded to photovoltaic solar systems, McCarty said.“The first year or so the plumbing side of our business supported the solar side,” McCarty said. “The decreasing price along with the growing overall familiarity helps solar to seem more reasonable and less weird.” Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(09/23/13 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, Indiana’s state food bank association, released data Wednesday showing nearly one in four Indiana households with children said they could not consistently afford food.The data was collected through a survey by the Food Research Action Coalition, which stated 26.5 percent of households with children in Indiana reported that at times in the prior year, they did not have enough money to buy the food necessary for themselves or their families.Nationally, Indiana ranks as the 16th worst state in the child hunger category.Emily Weikert Bryant, executive director of Feeding Indiana’s Hungry, said the first step in curbing the number of hungry children is to stop Congress from cutting Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits.The House passed The Nutrition Reform and Work Opportunity Act of 2013, H.R. 3102, on Sept. 19. The resolution restricts eligibility for SNAP recipients. Weikert Bryant said this is one of a group of bills that would be passed together as part of the Farm Bill that Congress will debate in November.A report by the Congressional Budget Office projects H.R. 3102 would reduce overall enrollment in the SNAP program from 48 million people in fiscal year 2014 to 34 million people in 2023. About 877,560 Hoosiers participated in the SNAP program in Fiscal Year 2011, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Projections also found H.R. 3102 would reduce funding over that same period by about $39 billion. Weikert Bryant said she hopes that even if SNAP cuts do make their way into the Farm Bill, they will not be as drastic as in the House’s proposal.“To put the proposed cuts in perspective, a $39 billion cut in SNAP benefits over the next 10 years would mean that the Feeding America’s 202 member food banks would have to provide more than 7.5 million meals per year,” Weikert Bryant said.Weikert Bryant said federal funding accounts for the vast majority of nutrition programs because state funding is very limited.Since 2005, Feeding Indiana’s Hungry has been working to connect private and public sector hunger service providers, food producers and processors from around the state in order to better serve Hoosiers in need, according to its website.Hoosier Hills Food Bank provides food to residents of Brown, Lawrence, Orange, Owen, Martin and Monroe counties.HHFB makes donations to more than 100 nonprofit organizations, including emergency food pantries, day care centers serving low-income children, youth programs, shelters, residential homes and soup kitchens, according to its website.Collectively, these agencies serve 25,800 people each year in the local community.Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(09/23/13 4:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Instead of the usual car traffic, West Kirkwood Avenue was filled with bikers, dancers and even rock climbers Sunday.The goal of the event Open Streets was to celebrate public street space and help create a more sustainable and healthy city, said Vince Caristo, co-organizer of Open Streets Bloomington.Cities all over the country, such as Minneapolis, have organized similar events.The City of Bloomington Planning Department decided to bring Open Streets to Bloomington. It organized the event in conjunction with the Monroe County Planning Department and the Center for Sustainable Living. West Kirkwood Avenue between Rogers Street and College Avenue was closed to cars for part of Sunday afternoon.The street space was filled with more than 20 groups demonstrating a variety of physical activities.All the activities were “crowdsourced,” Caristo said. “We did not plan any of the activities ourselves,” Caristo said. “The groups came to us with their ideas.”Some of the activities included yoga from Vibe Yoga Studio, rock climbing from Hoosier Heights and an obstacle course from the Boys and Girls Club.IU Health Bloomington Hospital sponsored a booth giving away free pedometers and walking maps of Bloomington.“Physical activity can benefit you in many ways,” said Carol Weiss-Kennedy, director of community health for IU Health Bloomington Hospital. “It can be as easy as taking a walk, parking further from your destination or taking the stairs instead of the elevator.”In addition to the physical activities, there was also a public art exhibition.Hannah Hunt, an intern at the Monroe County Planning Department, said the idea of the exhibit was to get people to think about and get excited about their local community.An open canvas was displayed for individuals to write or draw what they find inspirational in their community.Caristo said they chose the location because it is a street people usually only experience in their cars.“We chose a street that was familiar and busy, but often overlooked,” Caristo said. “Hopefully, people will think about the street in a new way.”The event was financed via a combination of corporate sponsorships and a Kickstarter campaign for individuals to make small donations online. Caristo said the Kickstarter campaign allowed for supporters to show excitement, even if they didn’t attend.The organizers plan to use any extra money they raised from the campaign to explore bringing Open Streets to other parts of Monroe County, Caristo said.Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brmmeyer.
(09/19/13 3:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Five coal-fired power plants in Indiana were included in Environment America’s list of Dirtiest Power Plants in a report released in September.The five plants account for 27 percent of total carbon dioxide emissions in the state, according to the report. Environment America is a federation of state-based, citizen-funded environmental advocacy organizations, according to its website.The top emitting plant, Gibson Generating Station in Gibson County, Ind., operated by Duke Energy, accounted for almost 16.9 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions produced annually by Indiana, according to the report.Angeline Protogere, communications manager for Duke Energy, said the ranking system used by Environment America is flawed.“Reports like the one from Environment America are basically just a listing of large coal units across the country and make no effort to rank them with regard to efficiency,” Protogere said. “While it’s a large station, it’s also equipped with some of the most advanced air emissions controls available.”The Gibson Station has extensive pollution controls, including “scrubbers,” which control sulfur dioxide emissions.“Since 2008, our emissions have dropped nearly 20 percent across the states we serve due to coal plant retirements, new gas plants and reduced demand for power on our system,” Protogere said. Using coal allows Duke to keep rates low for its customers, Protogere said.Jesse Kharbanda, executive director of the Hoosier Environmental Council, said utilities aren’t giving alternative sources a fair chance.“The price of alternatives to coal has gone down substantially, and it’s more cost competitive than they’re giving it credit for,” Kharbanda said. The utility companies alone cannot reduce Indiana’s carbon footprint, though, Kharbanda said.“Consumers, producers and legislators all need to make changes to reduce our dependence on coal,” Kharbanda said.Kharbanda said one solution would be to implement a stronger demand side management program targeting the industrial sector, the largest consumer of electricity. Demand side management refers to “the planning, implementation and monitoring of utility activities designed to encourage consumers to modify patterns of electricity usage, including the timing and level of electricity demand,” according to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission’s website.In the 2014 legislative session, the HEC will also be pushing for Indiana to implement a property assessed clean energy program.Such an initiative would allow for new sources of financing for businesses to invest in clean energy.“If you can show why a policy is beneficial for everyone, then you can at least start the discussion, and hopefully with time, there is enough comfort to develop positive policy change,” Kharbanda said.Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.