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(05/05/14 4:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The state recently allocated $65,000 to fund a study this summer that will investigate why Indiana has such a high rate of teen sexual assault, but the study may also shed light on sexual assault crimes happening in Bloomington.Eighty-five percent of rape victims are under the age of 30, and 44 percent of those are under the age of 18, said Cierra Olivia Thomas-Williams, prevention programs coordinator at the Bloomington Middle Way House.“Indiana is second highest in the nation for rape among teenage girls, so we’re really suffering here,” Thomas-Williams said.The researchers at IUPUI’s Global Health Communication Center will focus on teenagers younger than 18 in the study. Thomas-Williams said preventing early sexual abuse might reduce the rate of future abuse.“A large percentage of the people who do come through our shelter have experienced child sexual abuse,” Thomas-Williams said. “Many of the crimes that happen get connected to other terrible outcomes later.” For every rape, the percentage of revictimization goes up close to 9 percent and close to 50 percent after that because rapists target vulnerability, Thomas-Willams said. These numbers also have effects at IU.“We see a lot more assaults here, both domestic and sexual violence, in the week prior to the semester starting,” Thomas-Williams said. “What we think is there’s a lot of partying, maybe for the first time, but also, a lot of people are away from their parents for the first time ever.”The highest-risk time for college students is their freshman year, especially for students 18 and younger, she said.Representative Christina Hale, D-Indianapolis, said she will not stand for shocking numbers like these anymore.“The national average is 10.5 percent,” Hale said. “In Indiana, it’s 17.2 percent, or one in six girls, and I find that to be outrageous and unacceptable. And nobody had done anything about it.” For Hale, who proposed the study that IUPUI researchers will conduct, the biggest challenge is that these numbers are aggregate, meaning there isn’t just one type of rape happening in Indiana.“Those crimes are everything from date rape to incest to random acts of violence to child seduction,” Hale said. “Many young women and girls don’t even realize that they’re a victim of a crime because in their family incest is normal.” In order to be efficient and effective with tax dollars, Hale said Indiana needs more information about the nature of these crimes before the state can start to combat them with legislation.Researchers will conduct two surveys. One will look at people who interact with teenagers, such as teachers, and the other will try to understand why victims don’t always report their child sexual assault.“People in general don’t want to report because it doesn’t feel good,” Thomas-Williams said. “The questions that a law enforcement officer asks a victim of a crime are based on trying to find facts and that’s why it can feel very impersonal for survivors.”Hale said her ultimate goal is twofold. She wants to aid victims in attaining the services they need so that they feel more comfortable reporting a sexual assault, and she wants to use the research to prevent sexual assaults in the first place.Another component of the study will focus on social media’s influence on sexual assault, trafficking and blackmail. One in five girls will be raped on a college campus, Hale said, and social media is becoming a part of the problem.“These crimes are being iterated in ways that are unprecedented even five or 10 years ago,” Hale said.Both Thomas-Williams and Hale said they are hopeful the study will give the state some important insight into teen sexual assault and put Indiana on the right track toward recovery.“I think that this is indicative that change is happening, that people are involved and that people want to work on it,” Thomas-Williams said. “To have federal support for that means something. It means something good.”
(05/02/14 2:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>This weekend is the annual Welcome Back Weekend at the Indiana state parks and reservoirs, which means hikers and nature lovers will be able to visit these areas for free.“This weekend is an invitation to shake out the tent or set up the camper and enjoy all that our state parks have to offer,” Dan Bortner, Indiana Department of Natural Resources State Parks and Reservoirs director, said in a press release.The free admission also applies to state forest recreation areas. There will be a number of events around the parks, which Murphy said she wants to encourage everyone to participate in.The events include the fourth annual Morel Mushroom Festival at Brown County State Park, geocaching at Harmonie State Park and a walking-stick workshop at Patoka Lake. The Hound Hike at Shakamak Park is an opportunity for families to bring their dogs along. There will also be a couple of changes to the schedule, including the reopening of caves at Spring Mill State Park for groups with permits and Wolf Cave at McCormick’s Creek State Park for everyone, according to a press release. “We do it just to remind people that, A, it’s time to get the tent out, shake it out and make sure you’re ready for summer, and, B, that we’re open all year,” DNR Assistant Director for Stewardship Ginger Murphy said. “We’re not just here from Memorial Day to Labor Day.”It’s best to come out to the parks and reservoirs in spring because the bugs aren’t as bad, Murphy said.The event has been going on since 2006, but this year the Division of State Parks and Reservoirs is really hoping people will share their experiences about the weekend over social media, Murphy said.“We get some photos from people and comments from people about places they’ve liked, but it’s the first time we’ve really done it directed specifically to the weekend,” Murphy said. Visitors are encouraged to take a selfie at their favorite state park and tweet it or submit photos to the DNR Flickr page, according to a press release.Generally attendance depends on the weather, but Murphy said this weekend is looking like it will have a good outcome.“It’s no fun camping when it’s cold and wet, but if we have a weekend when the sun’s shining, then it’s a great time to be outside,” Murphy said.“We’re hoping everyone will be outside and enjoying the weather together,” Murphy said.
(05/01/14 12:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Greg Knott is running for the Monroe County Council District Four seat as a Republican in the primary election, partly because running as a Libertarian might harm his chances of winning the general election, he said.“It would be easier to get elected as a Republican or Democrat than it would be to get elected as any third-party candidate,” Knott said. “I can have the most effect and most impact to promote those principles by running under the party label that would give me the best opportunity to hold office.”Marjorie Hershey, a professor in the IU Department of Political Science, said the United States’ winner-take-all, single-member district system makes it very difficult for minor party candidates like Knott to ever win office. “The fact that most Americans identify with one of the two major parties makes it hard for minor party candidates to raise money, get name recognition and, therefore, get votes,” Hershey said.Although Knott might do better in a location other than Bloomington that is more Libertarian-friendly, Hershey said she does not think geography makes much of a difference when it comes to actually winning a race as a third-party candidate. As of 2012, about seven out of 7,000 state legislators represented minor parties, Hershey said.“I don’t think there’s much doubt that Greg Knott has a better chance of winning office if he runs as a Republican than as a Libertarian,” Hershey said.Instead of alienating himself from the Republican Party, Knott said he sees his Libertarian views as a particular wing of the party — the “Ron Paul wing.” Generally, Knott believes liberty relies on owning one’s own body and avoiding government interference without infringing on the rights of others. In the past, Knott has run as a Libertarian candidate in the Ninth District Congressional race under the slogan “No Bull.” The Indiana Democratic Party sent out mail promoting Knott as the only true conservative in the race as a way to steal away votes from the Republican Party candidate. Political tactics aside, Knott said he thinks there’s a lot of common ground between the various parties, at least at the local level. On the federal level, disagreements between the parties would be more frequent, he said. “There’s a lot of overlap between people who think as Libertarians,” Knott said. “Not everybody who thinks as a Libertarian is solely a member of the Libertarian Party.” One of the issues Knott said crosses party lines is the Monroe County food and beverage tax, or, as Knott calls it, the “pizza and beer tax.”“I’m the most conservative one because I’m opposing a new tax, but I’m also the most progressive person on it because I’m looking out for the lower-income individuals that would be taken advantage of,” Knott said. The criminal justice system is another area where Knott thinks there’s potential for Republicans and Democrats to work together. While some Republicans are very pro-law-and-order, Knott said he thinks prison time should be a last resort for a lot of offenders. “I think many people would recognize that treatment is a better option for a lot of nonviolent offenders, such as drug offenders,” Knott said. Finally, Knott, who sits on a committee at Bledsoe Riggert and Guerrettaz Incorporated that purchases health care for employees, wants to offer cash incentives to high-risk employees that would allow them to move into the Affordable Care Act market place. “I think voters would judge me for what impact it would have on the local county employees and the local county budget, both of which would be positive,” Knott said.
(04/29/14 2:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Mayor Mark Kruzan and Deputy Mayor John Whikehart recently unveiled a broad financial plan that will place greater accountability on government officials in light of an embezzlement scandal.Justin Wykoff, a former City of Bloomington projects manager, was arrested last month on 24 counts of embezzlement and one count of conspiracy for bilking the city of more than $800,000, according to FBI Indianapolis Division records. “I certainly regret that these actions are at all necessary, and I’m sorry for the circumstances that have led to the alleged illegalities,” Kruzan said at the city council meeting last Wednesday. Kruzan said he believes the new policies would have detected, if not prevented the scandal. He touched on the importance of segregating departmental duties so no one has “excessive autonomy,” creating an approved list of vendors through the Office of the Controller and eliminating open-ended appropriations.“This is about increasing accountability and efficiency,” Kruzan said. “It’s not just about one case.”Although Wykoff’s actions have made the development of new financial policies more urgent, Whikehart said they were necessary for the city regardless.“The actions that we’re taking in developing a financial policies manual would be actions that we would’ve taken anyway at this point in time,” Whikehart said. Whikehart and Controller Sue West have dedicated the past two months to drafting a new financial policies manual, which will serve as a model of internal financial controls for municipal government in Indiana, Kruzan said. There are a number of new procedures that will be implemented in the future. Several positions with financial responsibilities will shift to the controller’s office, projects will be more strictly reviewed before being approved, an approved vendors list will be created, credit cards will be eliminated and contracts will be reviewed by more departments. Projects, contracts and funding requests will be reviewed by the mayor’s office, then the legal and controller’s office, then returned to the mayor’s office before being considered by a board or commission. Project managers will have to provide quarterly reports of finances and projects will be physically inspected after they are underway. Whikehart also stressed the importance of “segregation of duties,” which “refers to a fundamental internal control to guard against fraud or error,” according to the manual. “Segregation of duties is a critical element of an internal control process,” Whikehart said. The manual is a work in progress and community feedback is welcomed, Whikehart said. Several items in the manual were on the Bloomington City Council agenda last Wednesday for first reading. One ordinance moves five positions from the Public Works Department and one from the Parks and Recreation Department to the Office of the Controller in an effort to centralize the accounting functions of the city. It will also eliminate the assistant director position in the Office of Public Works and create a purchasing manager position in the controller’s office.The other ordinance authorizes the controller’s office to approve certain municipal claims in advance of board approval. It will also allow the city to make payments through electronic fund transfers, instead of employees paying vendors with credit cards.The council will discuss these ordinances Wednesday. Kruzan said these policies will help ensure the embezzlement scandal is an isolated situation and restore trust in city government. “At the core of our efforts has been our resolve to develop financial controls that will prevent or will detect any future problems whether intentional or accidental in nature,” Kruzan said.
(04/25/14 2:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Construction of a new $13.4 million rehab facility will begin this May in west Bloomington, financed by Mainstreet Property Group and a crowdfunding source. Mainstreet is the nation’s largest developer of short-stay rehab facilities, according to a press release. Short stay is typically defined as 30 days or less.“The goal of the facility is to get patients well and get them home,” said Kate Snedeker, a spokesperson for Mainstreet. The facility will be located at 5553 W. State Road 48. Mainstreet hopes the rehab design will create a hotel-like environment that makes its patients feel comfortable and engaged, Snedeker said.The facility, which has not yet been named, is designed to be 66,197 square feet with 100 suites and a number of other rooms for a variety of services. About 90 percent of the rooms will be single bedrooms with private bathrooms. The facility will also have a rehab center, movie theater, game room and walking trails. There will be an onsite chef as well as a few restaurants for patients to enjoy.“It is a completely new concept in health care,” Snedeker said. “We refer to it as a Medical Resort.” But what’s most different about Mainstreet is the means by which it’s financing the facility. Bank financing will cover more than $10 million of the $13.4 million. Mainstreet will contribute $1.8 million and CrowdStreet, which uses a crowdfunding platform, will contribute $1.5 million.“Mainstreet is excited about this new and innovative way to raise capital,” Snedeker said. “Mainstreet has worked with various capital sources in the past and is constantly looking for new ways to raise capital.”In conjunction with CrowdStreet, Mainstreet will be giving investors the opportunity toreview the project and give capital directly through a secure website. “Consistent with our mission to think differently, innovate and transform industries, Mainstreet is among the first to offer private real estate investment opportunities directly to the public,” Zeke Turner, founder and CEO of Mainstreet, said in a press release. Turner said he hopes direct investment initiatives will not only provide better funding for projects, but also give people a better opportunity to access and contribute to these projects. “Our goal is to connect accredited investors with high-quality, professionally-managed real estate investments,” Darren Powderly, co-founder of CrowdStreet, said in a press release. “The Mainstreet team has a proven business model and a track record of success.” Snedeker said she and the Mainstreet team hope the project will be a way for accredited investors to partner with Mainstreet in a “compelling investment opportunity.”As for IU students, Snedeker said the project could provide internship opportunities for marketing, nursing, medical administration and culinary services. “The health care industry is constantly evolving,” Snedeker said. “Where and how patients receive care is changing and will continue to change. We believe this facility will serve a gap in the current market.”
(04/24/14 4:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Griffy deer had a brief moment of relief when Mayor Mark Kruzan vetoed an ordinance that would allow for limited sharpshooting in the Griffy Nature Preserve, but it didn’t last long.The Bloomington City Council voted to override Kruzan’s veto by a margin of 7-2 with no abstentions.After more than 10 hours of deliberation on the ordinance, the council thought its job was done. It was in the early hours of the morning April 10 when the council passed the ordinance by a margin of 6-2 with one abstention.But the deer debate was not finished yet.Kruzan returned Rollo and Ruff’s ordinance April 11 without his signature. He refused to support a piece of legislation that involves “the killing of animals,” Kruzan said in a letter to the council.Council members Dave Rollo and Andy Ruff suggested sharpshooting as the most humane and effective way to deal with the adverse effects deer overpopulation is having on the Griffy Lake Nature Preserve.“This can over time result in a permanent alteration of the woodland, and this state may be irreversible,” Rollo said.Kruzan was not convinced, however.“I fully understand a sufficient number of votes were cast to overturn a veto, but I can’t lend my name to the passage of a pro-hunting law,” Kruzan said in the letter.Ruff pointed out that the venison from the deer killed would go to Farmers and Hunters Feeding the Hungry, a benefit he thinks the city should take into serious consideration.Currently, Bloomington’s municipal code does not allow any use of a firearm within city limits unless it is discharged by a law enforcement officer or used in self-defense. The ordinance proposed by the council would amend the code to allow professional sharpshooters to cull the deer population at Griffy. As was the case for previous council meetings, public comment was split. However, a majority of the comments came from opponents of the ordinance.“I want to praise the council for passing this last time it came up, and encourage those who voted yes for it last time to vote yes again, those who voted no to vote yes and even those who abstained to vote yes,” said Cathy Meyer, a naturalist of Monroe County Parks and Recreation Department.Scott Wells, a Bloomington local, agreed and showed a Power Point that labeled deer as not just a Griffy problem, but a county-wide problem. Wells’ biggest concern was deer “munching on trees,” he said.“I’ve actively pursued Bambi. I said, ‘Bambi, no, no, don’t eat my trees,’” Wells said. “We’ve got to get this balance back and, unfortunately, we need to take the emotion out of it.”Bruce Bundy, another Bloomington local, was in favor of the ordinance. Deer overpopulation is a serious problem in Indiana, he said, and the city needs sharpshooting to fix it. Because there are no predators to moderate the deer population at Griffy, humans have a responsibility to protect the environment, Bundi said.“Humans are the only apex predators left,” Bundi said.Costs to the city for the expense of hiring professional sharpshooters was estimated to be about $30,000 annually.Timothy Baer, also a Bloomington local, said he was disappointed and saddened by the council’s vote. He also pointed out that the sharpshooters will target pregnant does and fawns. “Problem solving by killing is flatly wrong,” Baer said. “There is nothing ‘humane’ about killing healthy, innocent, sentient deer.” Laramie Wilson, who lives in the Southern portion of the Griffy neighborhood, asked the council to override the ordinance. She argued vital information, including the number of deer in Griffy as well as the number of deer that will be killed, must be verified before sharpshooting can begin.“The council should not amend the fire arms code until these questions are answered,” Wilson said.Council member Darryl Neher said he appreciates everyone who participated in the public comment but he intended to still vote to override the ordinance.Council member Marty Spechler also said he would vote for the override because Kruzan didn’t address the potential environmental effects of allowing the deer to live peacefully at Griffy.“I don’t want to put deer against flowers, but I view the birds and I value the birds and I value the flowers every day and we will continue to value the deer when they’re reduced to a number that are healthy,” Spechler said. Sandra Shapshay, assistant professor in the IU Department of Philosophy, and Anne Sterling, Midwest regional director of the Humane Society of the United States, agreed and also argued that no legitimate evidence has been provided that suggests there is an “ecological catastrophe demanding immediate legal action,” Shapshay said. Maria Heslin, former Bloomington deputy mayor, provided a slightly different perspective, suggesting that the ordinance goes against the city’s mission to “promote, preserve and enhance Bloomington, Indiana’s distinct identity and vibrant quality of life.”“I have total faith in our community ... to develop an innovative plan that would prevent us, at least right now, from needing to sharp shoot deer,” Heslin said.Heslin added she hoped the community would arrive at a solution “that is truly Bloomington.”
(04/22/14 2:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With five candidates total, Monroe County sheriff is one of the most contested positions in the May 6 local primary.After five years as chief deputy of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, Democrat Mike Pershing has his eyes set on a new position as Monroe County sheriff.He will run against Democrats Stephen Sharp, Catherine Smith and Brad Swainin the primary and Stephen Hale, the Republican candidate, if he moves on to the general election.Recently, Pershing has faced scrutiny for a potential scandal in which he was accused of telling one of his sergeants not to arrest a fellow police officer accused of battering his girlfriend in 2012.“During interviews, both parties provided conflicting stories,” Pershing said in an email to the Indiana Daily Student, in which he responded to a Herald-Times article. “IUPD Chief and I determined the situation was diffused.”Pershing said he does not plan to let these accusations deter him from running for sheriff. He has more than three decades of experience in law enforcement and administration. He began his career as an Indiana State Police trooper until he was promoted to sergeant about 24 years later. In Indianapolis, Pershing worked to combat white-collar crime and political corruption within the FBI, IRS and Indiana State Police. He also worked in narcotics.“With my background and my experience and my leadership, I can move the office of the sheriff forward and we can accomplish the future goals that we need to accomplish,” Pershing said.Sharp and Swain also note they have extensive experience in law enforcement on their websites. Sharp previously worked as chief of police of the Bloomington Police Department and, later, as sheriff of the Monroe County Correctional Facility, according to his campaigning website.Swain currently serves as a sergeant of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department but previously worked as a jail officer, a road deputy and a detective and lead investigator for a number of homicidal and high-profile investigations, according to his campaign website. Smith does not have a website and has not been actively campaigning, but she is currently the Monroe County treasurer.One of Pershing’s primary focuses is reforming the county jail system to keep the number of incarcerated individuals at a manageable level.“It’s already to that point where we’re using every resource we can to make it functional as long as we can,” Pershing said. “I plan on identifying where the money will come from, without an undue burden on the tax payers, when it comes time to build a new facility.”Swain said in a press release jail management is also a priority for him.“Alternative sentencing options will be necessary to maintain a legal inmate population,” he said in the release. “Working with the courts, probation and social services, we will ensure we meet the letter of the law.” Sharp’s campaigning website does not indicate his stance on jail management and over-incarceration. Pershing said he plans to continue to work closely with the Bloomington Police Department to provide any necessary services, even in areas that are not his jurisdiction.He said he supports what Bloomington Police Department Chief Mike Diekhoff has done to confront the issue of homelessness in Bloomington.Diekhoff gave six officers the task of being downtown resource officers for people experiencing homelessness.Swain primarily hopes to focus on patrolling an appropriate number of road deputies to decrease delays for basic police services, according to a press release. He also wants to ensure all deputies are appropriately physically fit.All of the Democratic candidates will compete against one another in the May 6 primaries. Hale, the Republican candidate, will run on the Republican ballot unopposed. The general election is Nov. 4.
(04/18/14 4:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington Police Department Chief Mike Diekhoff said police can’t fix the problem of homelessness in town. But officers are trying to change how law enforcement handles people experiencing homelessness.BPD started a new program to assist people experiencing homelessness in downtown Bloomington and on the B-Line Trail. Six police officers have been put on duty as downtown resource officers to direct people in need to social service providers as an alternative to arresting them.“The goal is to find people in crisis having problems and link them to the appropriate service provider,” Diekhoff said. The officers have recognizable dark blue uniforms and use a variety of modes of transportation. The initiative began April 1.The program is a joint effort among IU Health Bloomington, Centerstone, the Shalom Community Center, the Monroe County Public Library, the Monroe County Probation Department and a variety of faith groups, said Lisa Abbott, director of Housing and Neighborhood Development. “The process of arresting people, sometimes it takes care of the problem, but it doesn’t always address why they’re there in the first place,” Diekhoff said.Eliminating homelessness is not BPD’s responsibility, Diekhoff said, because the department doesn’t have the necessary social service experience.The officers participating have all volunteered for the position. But Abbott said homelessness is a community problem, not just the officers’ responsibility. “You need to tell us where you can see the problems because we can’t be everywhere all the time,” Abbott said. Diekhoff agreed, reiterating there are only six officers participating, and patrol, though frequent, is not constant. BPD is depending on community members to notify the appropriate help when necessary.“I can’t fix the problem, but I can find people who can,” Diekhoff said.While homelessness is definitely an increasing problem in Bloomington, Diekhoff said he blames a select few for the problem rather than the entire homeless community.“When you talk about homelessness, it seems like a big problem, but it’s a small percentage of that population that causes the bulk of the problem,” Diekhoff said.Abbott said the police department is looking at the individuals who are intoxicated downtown, who are harassing other individuals or who have mental illnesses and are off their medication.Steve Backs, MCPL adult and teen services manager, said he is excited to be a part of the initiative, especially because the program provides an alternative to putting problematic individuals under arrest. Backs said a big problem is people experiencing homelessness falling asleep in the library and crowding the facilities.“We’ve been longing for something where we can get in front of that,” Backs said. “We think it’s a really progressive idea, and we’re gratified to be a part of it.”In the future, the city hopes to start an education campaign to stop aggressive panhandling. Abbott said many people don’t realize that some individuals begging for money are not actually homeless. He said they could just be using the money they collect to feed their addictions.In the meantime, though, the new program is already proving effective, Diekhoff said.“We’re already having successes, in my mind, finding out what services are out there to help,” Diekhoff said.
(04/18/14 2:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market is open for spring, and its Double Market Bucks Program has returned. The program allows customers to double their Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or food stamps, money at the Farmers’ Market for up to $18 in food stamp benefits. Market Bucks are only available in $3 increments. “A lot of granting organizations want to give to charities,” said Karin St. John, executive director of the Bloomington Parks Foundation. “We’ve used that money to create a Friend of the Farmers’ Market Fund.”Steve and Kathy Hockett have been selling their blueberries at the Farmers’ Market since 2010, but it wasn’t until this year that they decided to participate in the Double Market Bucks program.“We just felt like it was a way to give back to the community,” said Steve Hockett, owner of Bloomington Blueberries. “We’ve been so blessed in our lives with so many wonderful things that this is a small way for us to just try and give back.” The fund helps low-income locals get access to fresh, locally grown food. The Parks and Recreation Department has a $30,000 grant this year that will go toward Market Bucks, St. John said.“They typically use their SNAP money to buy groceries, but now they can come to the farmers’ market and buy healthy alternatives,” St. John said.Customers can use their Market Bucks to not only buy basics like fruits, vegetables, dairy and meat, but also maple syrup, honey, jams and baked goods. “The long-term goals of the Money Bucks program are to reduce local food insecurity, strengthen the drinks and local food economy and promote healthy lifestyles amongst SNAP customers,” Farmers’ Market master Robin Hobson said. The fund also allows donors to better market events like the Heirloom Tomato Tasting, Soup Tasting, Salsa Contest and chef demos, according to the Parks Foundation website. A number of vendors and farms participate in the program, including Pope Family Farm, Moon Valley Farm and Quinn Family Farm. Last year, 76 percent of vendors reported making more money because of Market Bucks, and 68 percent of customers said they wouldn’t have come to the Farmers’ Market without them, according to the 2013 Double Market Bucks Program Annual Report.“I guess this time of year I was probably getting five to 10 customers a week using Money Bucks,” said Dan McCullough, owner of McCullough Farms. “That’ll probably increase as the summer goes on and more people come to the market and so on.”McCullough said not only did Market Bucks help his farm increase its sales, but they were also important in accommodating customers he’s had for years. The Farmers’ Market, located at Eighth and Morton streets, is open from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through September. Saturday the market will be host to Asianfest, a cultural program that will include performances, cooking demonstrations and activities such as calligraphy and henna.“(Market Bucks) is an excellent program for the people who need it and use it,” said Melinda Pope, owner of Pope Family Farm. “I think they’re going to get a lot better, healthier food definitely at the local market.”
(04/15/14 3:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>William Ellis was taken off the Monroe County primary ballot for assessor in February for not having his level three assessor-appraiser certification, but will likely be back in the race for the general election when the county votes to fill the empty Republican Party ballot slot.Ellis recently received his certification April 1. Although he still cannot take part in the primary, the Republican Party can hold a caucus of all Precinct committeemen and vote him in. This is only allowed when there are no other candidates on the ballot running for the position.Since Ellis is the only Republican certified to run, he said he will get the nomination after the primary, which puts him on the ballot for the general election. “The party chairman and everybody considers me the candidate currently,” Ellis said. “I still have campaign finance open. It’s the first time in 10 years anyone has challenged our current assessor.”Ellis criticized the election laws for favoring the incumbents more than the challengers. Current Assessor Judy Sharp does not have her level three certification and does not have to get it unless she decides to run again four years from now, Sharp said. Ellis, on the other hand, does have the certification.“There are two different standards for incumbent and challenger,” Ellis said. “If you have a lower standard for an incumbent and a higher standard for the challenger, that can be a problem.”Certification aside, Sharp said Ellis still cannot run because he does not own property in Monroe County, but Ellis is not discouraged and has continued to campaign against his opponent. Last week, Sharp announced at the Monroe County Council meeting the county had settled a 7-year-old appeal that will cost the county and other taxing units $705,000 in tax refunds to The Fields, an apartment complex on Fenbrook Lane. In 2007, an out-of-state company purchased The Fields for $34 million. As soon as the company bought the property, it appealed the county’s assessment of $33.8 million. Sharp said the owners wanted it for $22 million, but the Property Tax Assessment Board of Appeals disagreed, sending the appeal to the state.Years later, the assessor’s office, under Sharp’s leadership, and the owners agreed on an assessment value of $28 million, but because the appeal sat untouched for so many years at the state level, it gained interest.“I couldn’t take the chance of going from $35 million down to $22 or $23 million,” Sharp said. “It was bad enough going from $33.8 million to $28. It would’ve been double that if I had lost and, frankly, I don’t know what would have happened.”Ellis, however, said he doesn’t think the county should let Sharp’s decision slide. “What will happen in December, the township, the people who got that money, the schools, all the taxing districts are going to have to repay that to the county,” Ellis said. “The schools in that area are going to have to pay close to $320,000 in tax revenue.”Sharp admitted this is the largest appeal she has ever lost and acknowledges Bloomington and the Monroe County Community School Corporation will be the hardest hit, along with the Monroe County Public Library and the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District. She asks, however, that the losses in tax dollars be put into perspective.“Remember, you’re talking $700,000,” Sharp said. “The total assessed value in Perry City is over $3 billion with a ‘b.’ When you’re making millions of taxes each year, you have to put that in perspective.”However, Sara Laughlin, director of the MCPL, feels differently about the impact the tax refunds will have on the library.“The total for us is $31,466.04, so that is a staff position and benefits for us,” Laughlin said. “It’s not an insignificant amount and, of course, we’re always horrified when we find out about any loss in our budget because it really impacts our services.”
(04/10/14 4:21am)
The Bloomington City Council voted to approve an ordinance to allow sharpshooting of deer at Griffy Lake Nature Preserve. The council discussed the sharpshooting ordinance at its meeting for the second reading Wednesday, which elicited strong support and disapproval from the public in addition to the already publicized opposition from the Humane Society of the United States.The council reached a vote of 6-2-1 to approve the ordinance after 1 a.m. Thursday after lengthy discussion and public comment.Council members Steve Volan and Dorothy Granger voted against the ordinance, and member Tim Mayer abstained. The amendment to the current ordinance, proposed by council member Dave Rollo, would allow only professional sharpshooters contracted by the city to hunt within the nature preserve.Municipal code previously did not allow any use of a firearm within city limits unless it is discharged by a law enforcement officer or used in self-defense.Council members Rollo and Andy Ruff’s concern is that deer overpopulation is starting to negatively impact other animal and plant species. Sharpshooting is the best option, Rollo said, because it is effective and humane. Rollo began his presentation with a letter he received from the Board of Park Commissioners asking him to make “necessary decisions” to deal with deer overabundance in Griffy Lake Nature Preserve.“Griffy Lake Nature Preserve faces a serious and eminent threat to its existence as a healthy and vital ecosystem. To put it bluntly, Griffy woods is dying and we need your help to try to save it,” Rollo read from the letter.He then explained there is an abundance of evidence supporting that deer are having “severe and profound effects” on Griffy.Rollo concluded his presentation by warning that Griffy may become an “alternate stable state” severely lacking in biodiversity. If Bloomington fails to act quickly, this shift may be irreversible.However, a number of Bloomington locals disagree with Rollo, and opposition to the ordinance is on the rise. Sandra Shapshay, assistant professor in the IU Department of Psychology, wrote a letter to the council giving a number of reasons the ordinance should not pass — not only for humane purposes, but also for economic reasons. In the letter, Shapshay criticized Rollo for using a study conducted by Dr. Angela Shelton to suggest the situation in Griffy is an “ecological catastrophe.” The study, Forest Ecology and Management, was published in February and has been cited by Rollo as evidence of the urgent need for the sharpshooting program. Shapshay said she disagrees and provides evidence from the study in her letter, suggesting the situation is not as time sensitive as Rollo has insisted. “When you actually read Dr. Shelton’s article, you see that, actually, the scientific findings in that study do not corroborate Mr. Rollo’s claim that there is an ecological catastrophe in Griffy that is so urgent we don’t have time to explore these nonlethal measures,” she said.The letter also noted that sharpshooting is not in line with the Bloomington Deer Task Force’s statement that killing deer should only be used as a last resort. However, Ruff said this argument is misleading.“If you actually read the whole paragraph, it was clearly not in conflict at all,” Ruff said. “There are people in the community who are doing this that should know better and, frankly, should be embarrassed.”When Council Member Stephen Volan asked Josh Griffin, a regional supervisor with the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, for an estimation of the deer in Griffy, he was unable to give one. Council Member Marty Spechler said he understands that asking for an estimation of deer living in an open system is an impractical question, but an estimation of how many deer the city will need to kill is not. Shapshay said she agrees the deer numbers are critical.“If we don’t really know how many deer there are in Griffy, we don’t know how many deer need to be killed in order to have this program succeed,” Shapshay said. “And we don’t know how much it’s going to cost or how to measure success of the program.”Shapshay and the 86 Bloomington locals who have signed the opposition letter urge the council to consider immunocontraception before passing the ordinance.Griffin, however, said contraception is only successful in a closed system and, even then, the deer reduction is very minimal.“It hasn’t been demonstrated in a free ranging deer herd, to my knowledge, anywhere,” Griffin said. “I don’t see why it would be any different here.” In 2012, the Humane Society of the United States offered to send Allen Rutberg, an immunocontraception specialist at Tufts University Center for Animals and Public Policy, to Bloomington to assess the feasibility of using immunocontraception methods on deer in Griffy. Shapshay said the council has yet to respond to HSUS’s offer, but that the offer still stands. Rollo and Ruff pointed out that by the time they had received the offer, the Deer Task Force had already considered all of the alternatives and had begun to write the report. Rollo said there was nothing new offered at that point.“Keep in mind, the HSUS could have come to any meeting in the previous months and, as a matter of fact, their director lived in my district,” Rollo said. “And Sterling came to one of the very last meetings that we had, didn’t offer any comment.”Rollo said there had been no other communication from the HSUS to him or the council since 2012 until now. The locals at the meeting were split on the issue.Christine Linnemeier, Bloomington local, argued in favor of the ordinance at the meeting. Just as we humanely euthanize cats and dogs in society, we need to do the same with deer, she said.“Limiting the numbers of deer is also necessary and the most practical and humane way of doing this is with sharp shooters,” Linnemeier said. “I’m very much in favor of this ordinance.”On the other hand, IU graduate student Johnathan Hecht gave an argument against the ordinance, which provoked a roaring applause. Hecht compared the ordinance to a hypothetical situation in which he has five puppies tearing up his lawn and decides to kill them all with a baseball bat. He argued that if anyone heard this, they would be horrified.“And yet we feel that we, as a society, instead have the right of life and death,” Hecht said. “Well, that might be true that this is merely the way this works. We, as a society, do have the right to execute animals, but it is not necessary in this case.”
(04/09/14 3:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Monroe County Council decided to postpone a vote Tuesday night on raising the juvenile county option income tax, which funds the Youth Services Bureau of Monroe County and juvenile probation officers.But it did pass a motion to transfer funds from the county to the Energy Conservation Non-Reverting Fund. Steve Gavin, Monroe County seventh circuit court judge, presented the JCOIT, ultimately suggesting the tax rate be raised from 0.05 percent, set in 2007, to 0.095 percent based on an estimate of future youth-related service expenses.“If we set a rate that was high and generated more money than was needed, we would certainly be able to come back in later years and pull that back,” Gavin said. Troy Hatfield, Deputy Chief Probation Officer of the Probation Department, presented the JCOIT and per diem five-year projections. The council members could not see the screen because it was too small and could not comment on any specifics. Council Member Cheryl Munson asked about the flat expenditure projections over the next five years. Hatfield said he estimated the total one-time expenses and divided it by five, though he recognizes some years will be more costly than others. Hatfield said that although the tax increase will go into effect Oct. 1, Monroe County will not see the money collected until January 2015. “It would receive a lump payment, and then the monthly payments will continue on after that,” Hatfield said. “So, you’ll see a large cash influx in January. That would provide a cushion for any problem you have with a one-time expense.”A number of the council members agreed that a JCOIT raise is not only beneficial to the children participating in these youth programs, but also to Monroe County residents.“Juvenile COIT is about the only way we can go about freeing up some money in the general fund and in some other funds,” Council Member Lee Jones said. “If we don’t, we ultimately are looking at the overall services that the county can offer decreasing because we simply don’t have the money to keep on offering them.”Gavin said the county’s detention costs were about $1.2 million throughout the last five years, much lower than surrounding counties.“The manner that we’ve implemented the COIT has saved county taxpayers literally millions of dollars,” Gavin said. Council Member Marty Hawk also applauded the county’s detention center expenses and attributed them partly to Monroe County’s youth shelters. She said the city needs to watch any funds that come from the JCOIT tax raise closely.“I hate new taxes, you know I do, but this is something that I’ll be supporting,” Hawk said. “But I’ll be watching how the dollars are spent, so there’ll be nobody that says, ‘Oh, now we have a pot of gold, we can do whatever we want to’ because this is supposed to be for the children.”Later in the meeting, the council discussed transferring the energy savings accumulated from 2013 toward energy efficient upgrades for county buildings through the Energy Conservation Non-Reverting Fund. The savings totaled $33,456. Council Member Ryan Langley was the first to object to the fund, although he said he supports the energy efficient initiatives it was created to achieve. “I look at this as money we could have spent elsewhere,” Langley said. Hawk said she agreed fully with Langley’s opinion. However, she acknowledged they were the only two council members against the motion. “I just don’t think it’s fair to the other departments to not put it right back in the total fund and then see what we really have to spend the money on,” Hawk said. The rest of the council said they believe the funds should be transferred because of the positive monetary effect they’ll have in the future. Ashley Cranor, grants administrator for Monroe County, discussed a couple of initiatives implemented in the past to increase energy efficiency, like using lower watt light bulbs and reducing water usage in the Justice Building. “It’s certainly an extremely worthwhile effort,” Jones said. “Worldwide, everyone needs to start thinking much more about their water usage. We cannot survive without good clean water, and this is something we have taken for granted for too long.”Paul White, a Bloomington resident, stood up to voice his support as well. “If we can do things to make electricity more efficient, we should,” White said. “If we can do things to get our water consumption lower and have extreme cost savings for doing these things, we should.” The council passed the motion 5-2-0. Langley and Hawk opposed.
(04/04/14 4:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Excitement about the new bus transfer station diminished when Bloomington Transit proposed a number of route changes that would reduce bus service on Kirkwood Avenue, pushing the city to create a new route proposal. The new transit center will be located at Third and Walnut streets, about two blocks southwest of the current center on Fourth and Washington streets. Routes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 were adjusted because of the location shift. The original proposal would have halted bus travel on Kirkwood for Route 1 South Walnut, Route 3 College Mall and Route 4 High Street.“When we learned that the bus company was proposing to make some route changes, we heard back from several customers and several members of our staff that those changes would negatively impact them,” said Sara Laughlin, Monroe County Public Library director.Laughlin said Mary Frasier, child’s services reference librarian, feared that a number of children would stop coming to the library as a result. Parents might stop allowing their children to ride the bus if it didn’t stop directly on Kirkwood, she said.Laughlin said she was also concerned about the effect the route change would have on students, parents and commuters.“We actually see people almost every day getting off the bus with toddlers and strollers and bags of books, so being three or four blocks away would make that journey much more problematic,” Laughlin said. “It’d be OK on a day when it’s 70 and the sun is shining, but if it’s snowing or raining, it’d be much more challenging.”Laughlin and a few other concerned travelers wrote letters to Bloomington Transit, asking the staff to reconsider their original proposal. After a public meeting, Bloomington Transit looked at alternatives and made the necessary adjustments.“We came up with three changes to return the routes to Kirkwood, and — the routes 3 and 4 South — we proposed to operate them inbound on Kirkwood and then outbound on Third Street,” said Lew May, general manager of Bloomington Transit.May said he believes the changes were a good solution that will help customers who need to get to Kirkwood and will allow the buses to make better connections downtown.“Not a perfect solution, but a reasonable compromise that I think will help both the customers as well as the timeliness of our service,” May said.Laughlin and the rest of the library staff agreed and were happy with the outcome.“We were very pleased that they had re-added a stop on Kirkwood,” Laughlin said. “And I think it’s not just a library, but I think all the businesses on Kirkwood will be very pleased, too. We think of this as the main street in downtown Bloomington.”May said there has been another proposed change to Route 3 Highland Village, which would no longer travel both ways on Park Square Drive and Gifford Road, but Bloomington Transit plans to postpone a decision until more data is collected.The new transit center is still scheduled to open toward the end of June. “It’s going to be a tremendous improvement in terms of passenger comfort, passenger amenities, more room for future growth and will provide us with a good home in the downtown Bloomington area for the next 30 to 40 years, so we’re excited about that,” May said.
(04/03/14 3:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After 14 years of slow property acquisition, the last few acres of land have been acquired for the proposed Switchyard Park. Mick Renneisen, Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department director, said the project is now on the path toward construction.The city recently secured 6.79 acres that will be devoted to a west-side entrance and parking area for the future park. This makes for a grand total of 65 acres in an area southwest of campus. A funding source for the development has yet to be identified, but the city is currently doing an analysis of the project’s financial capacity, Renneisen said.“Different funding sources have different requirements for how they can be used, and that’s what the consultant will be doing,” Renneisen said. “We know some of those will be able to be used in the park, but until we get the complete plan, we won’t know how much. And then the mayor will have to make a determination on priorities.”However, the city still has big plans in the works for Switchyard Park.Situated between Grimes Lane and County Club Road, the park location includes a long strip of land with a creek running along one side and a trail down the other. Located in the middle of Bloomington, the city has high hopes for the positive affect the park will have on the community.“Parks add lots of value to people’s individual lives from a health standpoint, mentally and physically,” said Karin St. John, Bloomington Parks Foundation executive director.“Then you have a community full of healthy employees. So, really, it adds an economic impact as well as having a great park system.”The Parks Foundation will work to insure that funding for Switchyard is secured, and St. John said she is excited to be part of such an amazing project.The space between the creek and the trail, which Renneisen called the “great lawn,” will be devoted to a number of uses. Toward the north side of the park, there will be a stage for performances and special events.Renneisen said he hopes there will be space in the park for roughly 15,000 people.“We think that space has great expandable potential for many great things,” he said.The lawn will also have an active area devoted to basketball, volleyball and informal play.A community garden, open to the public for growing vegetables and herbs, will be located nearby.On the opposite end of the park, there will be a few areas for dog parks and connections to the B-Line Trail and Bloomington Rail Trail.“That will allow people to meander on trail surfaces,” Renneisen said. “Whether they want to walk or observe the creek or hang out in the shade, whatever, there will be a lot of trail opportunities embedded in the lawn.” To give a better idea of how he hopes the project will turn out, Renneisen compared the future Switchyard Park to Bryant Park when it was first being developed. However, he did point out that Switchyard will be almost twice the size of Bryant Park and is shaped slightly differently.“My belief is that this park’s development, whenever that happens, will transform this part of the community from what it looks like today to something much more like what Bryant Park transformed our community to look like 60 years later,” he said.
(04/01/14 4:04am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Phase one of the Monroe County Public Library renovations, which were approved in February by the library’s Board of Trustees, is scheduled to begin this month and continue through September. The finalized construction schedule hasn’t been approved yet, but MCPL Director Sara Laughlin said they hope the contractor and pre-construction meetings will take place soon and that construction will begin mid-April.“We’ll be preparing some spaces that are currently vacant for new community outreach offices and a new meeting room,” Laughlin said. “We’ll be moving people into those spaces so we can get to the second phase.”The MCPL Board of Trustees has approved $975,500 for contractor funds and roughly $450,000 for the library’s direct expenses, Laughlin said. The second phase will not begin until January 2015, according to a Board of Trustees agenda packet. In the meantime, the library will tackle a number of projects, including creating new spaces for a bookstore and a children’s program room. However, Laughlin is most excited for the renovation of the library’s auditorium, she said.“It’s a really important community resource and downtown resource,” she said. “It’s really the functionality of the space that we hope will be dramatically improved.”The MCPL currently uses the auditorium for some of its own programming such as children’s programs and movie productions, but it can also be reserved for nonprofit organizations.Laughlin pointed out, though, that the auditorium uses technology that is up to 20 years old. While some aesthetic aspects of the auditorium will be improved, such as trim and floors, Laughlin said the improved sound and lighting systems will be most beneficial to the library and the community. Ultimately, though, the purpose of phase one is to make room for the phase two initiatives. The space on the first floor dedicated to movies and music, as well as the current Community Outreach offices and bookstore, will become a teen center and digital creativity lab. The MCPL is following anthropologist Mizuko Ito’s research that suggests teenagers use technology for hanging out, messing around and geeking out, Laughlin said. Hanging out is making social connections with friends and family while messing around is exploring a potential interest. Both of these are more socially based and largely local. Geeking out, on the other hand, does not have to be social or local, Laughlin said, and can involve working with various age and ethnic groups.“Our goal is to create a space that supports all of those things,” Laughlin said. “It’s a comfortable hanging out place for young people, and there are opportunities to learn stuff and try stuff out.”The teen center will be limited to middle school and high school students, but the digital creativity lab will be open to everyone. The lab will have two professional sound booths and a video production studio with professional-level software. “Our ultimate goal is to give kids and young people the skills they need to get jobs in the creative digital economy,” Laughlin said. “We feel like every young person needs to have those skills to be able to thrive going forward.”IU School of Journalism Multimedia Lab Director Allen Major said he believes having multimedia skills is vital in today’s day and age. They are an important component of being above competitors on the résumé front, he said.“It’s no longer an option to just be a writer,” Major said.Laughlin said the MCPL staff believes technological skills are critical to succeeding in today’s incredibly competitive job market, and they, as well as many Monroe County community members, are very excited for the renovations. “We’ve heard nothing but just really strong support for it,” Laughlin said. “Everyone keeps asking when will it be open. So we’re very excited about that.”
(03/28/14 3:38am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Gov. Mike Pence opted to withhold from signing a bill passed by the Indiana General Assembly to “pause” Energizing Indiana’s energy-efficiency program, but the legislation will still become law without the governor’s signature.Pence issued a statement Thursday stating his disappointment in the General Assembly for eliminating the energy efficiency program without offering viable alternatives.“Low-cost energy is an essential element of Indiana’s economic development and prosperity,” Pence said in the release. “By reducing our need for electricity, we reduce our need to build expensive power plants at a cost to Hoosier ratepayers. For this reason, I believe that energy efficiency is an important part of our ‘all of the above’ energy strategy.”Pence said he intended to re-introduce energy efficiency legislation in the 2015 legislative session. The governor also said he did not veto the bill because this would increase costs for taxpayers and energy consumers, but he refused to sign the legislation because it “does away with a worthwhile energy efficiency program.” The bill has had mixed reviews among many Hoosiers.A number of organizations in Monroe County participate in programs organized by Energizing Indiana. The foundation promises to donate $25 to a participating organization of the customer’s choice for each customer who undergoes a Home Energy Assessment. “I think it’s definitely been helpful for us to be recipient of some of those funds, and all of the folks that we’ve talked to who have gone through the assessment process have felt it was definitely helpful for them and has helped them reduce energy costs,” said Vicki Pierce, executive director of Community Kitchen of Monroe County.Energizing Indiana lists 15 organizations on its website to donate to in Monroe County. These organizations use donations to try to spread awareness of energy efficiency while working to reduce their own energy costs, Pierce said.The program is led by the Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor and other participating utilities and organizations.Its goal is “to offer comprehensive energy efficiency programs that bring savings to communities across the state,” according to the Energizing Indiana website.“What Energizing Indiana has done for me, personally, has brought an awareness of the energy use in my own home and made me aware of where I can cut back and where I can save,” said Rev. Charlie Dupree of Trinity Episcopal Church, one of the participating Monroe County organizations.However, the majority of the Indiana General Assembly, including the bill’s author Senate Utilities Chairman Jim Merritt, is not sure the cost to taxpayers is worth the program’s benefits. The bill passed the final vote in the Senate, 37-8.Some organizations in Monroe County say they have not witnessed noticeable differences since becoming part of the Energizing Indiana program.“I don’t think we’ve received any funds,” said Rev. John Meany of St. Paul Catholic Center, also a participating Monroe County organization. “I haven’t seen any money and, in any case, it was very nominal, if anything.”Meany said, however, that he generally supported the program as a good opportunity for individuals to improve housing weatherization and lower their energy bills.Jodi Perras, the Indiana Beyond Coal representative, disagrees with the Assembly, arguing Energizing Indiana is vital to the employment of hundreds of workers. She estimated close to 400 jobs could be lost due to the passage of the bill, not including hired contractors. Perras’ said the lowered energy costs and creation of jobs from the program far outweigh its cost to the consumer.“Spending two or three dollars to reduce energy demand and avoid the need for new power plants is something that Bloomington customers should appreciate,” Perras said.Sen. Mark Stoops, D-40th District, who represents the majority of Monroe County, has spoken out against the bill, putting Bloomington on the Democrats’ side of this partisan issue, Perras said.“Our strongest allies in this fight were Democrats,” Perras said. Perras also said there were Republican senators who opposed the bill and Democratic senators who voted in favor of it.“I think anything that gets us looking at our energy consumption and ways to decrease it as home owners, business operators or just communities is definitely an investment that we ought to have,” Pierce said.
(03/26/14 4:13am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Republican primary debate for the 9th district of Indiana U.S. House of Representatives seat seemed to leave candidate Kathy Heil with a leg up in the race against opponent Mark Jones. Heil received loud applause from audience members Tuesday night in the KRC Banquet a number of times for statements about her strict constitutionalist beliefs and strong conservative principles. Jones, on the other hand, did not hear as much praise from the audience.One of the first questions asked was about the importance of enumerated powers as defined in the Constitution, but Jones was unable to give a response because he said he did not know what enumerated powers were. “I’m not sure exactly what enumerated powers is,” Jones said. “I’ll be honest with you. I like the way the Constitution is written. I believe in it. I’m a constitutionalist.”Despite his attempt to salvage his response, a number of audience members were unimpressed and confused with Jones’ decision to run. “If he can’t define what the enumerated powers of our Article One Section Eight of our Constitution are, he doesn’t deserve to go to Washington,” audience member Allen Horton said. Instead, Heil took the spotlight and used the question as an opportunity to challenge what she called President Barack Obama’s “overreaching” policies.“Enumerated powers are who has the authority to do what,” Heil said. “The president right now, I don’t even know what to say. He’s overreaching into every aspect. Right back to the Affordable Care Act and how unconstitutional it is.” The audience laughed and applauded in response. Jim Bratten, Indiana state coordinator for the Tea Party Patriots, began the primary debate with speeches about the importance of spreading conservative ideals and standing behind Tea Party principles. “Stand on principles,” Bratten said. “Principles don’t change, opinions do. You stand on principle and you don’t deviate from that. You don’t have to compromise.” A second speaker, Maria Acosta, president of Central Texas 9-12 Project, said she sees 2014 as a pinnacle year for the conservative party.Following the speeches, audience members were encouraged to submit questions for both Heil and Jones to answer. Each candidate was given a minute per question. Both candidates put a strong emphasis on their conservative fiscal policies and disapproval of Obama’s failure to reduce the deficit. Similarly, they criticized Rep. Todd Young, the Republican incumbent for the 9th district, for not introducing debt limit legislation or adhering to the Constitution. When a question was asked about the candidates’ plans to reach out and change the minds of low-information voters, Jones argued it isn’t his job to educate those voters, but instead to win the conservative vote.“I’m a slow learner but I’m a fast teacher,” he said. “I’m looking for the conservative vote. I truly am a conservative and I won’t change my position.”Heil fervently rejected his claim, arguing the exact opposite position.“I think it is my job to educate if I was a member of Congress,” she said. “That would be by being open and honest and transparent. The one thing that I will always do is follow the Constitution.” Despite slightly opposing positions on a couple of issues, both candidates defined themselves as fiscal conservatives. Heil added that she is more of a “cheapskate” than anything else, at which the audience laughed.“I am a fiscal conservative and I won’t vote for any budget that spends more than what the tax revenues are,” Jones said.Toward the end of the debate, the candidates were asked to respond on whether they would blend in or stand out as members of Congress.Jones said he would “probably” not blend in. “I will never blend in,” Heil said. “I’m not the one to stand back and keep my mouth shut.”
(03/25/14 2:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The third Bloomington City Council deliberation session on a controversial Habitat for Humanity project will take place this Wednesday.The council has warned that discussion and public comment about the Habitat project may be limited at the meeting. The session will also include deliberation on two resolutions up for second reading, council member Dave Rollo said.“Essentially it’s cooperation between departments that are doing similar things in different parts of the county,” Rollo said. The first resolution requests waived payments in lieu of taxes the city might require of the Bloomington Housing Authority. This is known as paying a PILOT, according to a legislative packet. The resolution exempts housing authorities from having to pay property taxes but allows them to enter into agreements with related departments to pay for the estimated cost of services and improvements provided by the political subdivisions, according to the packet.Lisa Abbott, director of the Housing and Neighborhood Development Department, has submitted a memo presenting the Housing Authority’s request that the city forgive a $29,183 payment in lieu of taxes. The second resolution requests an amendment to the Interlocal Cooperation Agreement between Bloomington and Monroe County regarding the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant funds.The amendment suggests that some funds received by the Bloomington Police Department be used to purchase digital signage rather than an N-Dex server, according to the packet. The N-Dex server securely connects to the Law Enforcement National Data Exchange and helps officers “identify persons of interest and access their criminal histories,” according to the packet. However, the grant administrator has deemed the N-Dex server unnecessary and advised that the $5,199 requested to purchase the secure server should be used to purchase digital signage. A digital signage package would allow the department to interact with members of the community by providing them with scheduling information, announcements, videos and social media updates, according to the packet.Patty Mulvihill, assistant city attorney, said the purchase would likely result in televisions being placed around the department and training room, according to the packet. Rollo said he is confident these resolutions will pass because it is important that the city and county share responsibilities cooperatively. “I would expect them to pass. I don’t think there’s anything controversial,” Rollo said.
(03/13/14 4:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Bloomington City Council unanimously passed an ordinance Wednesday establishing the University Courts Historic District, despite conflict with the IU Foundation.IU previously announced plans to demolish six houses in the neighborhood to make room for the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity, otherwise known as FIJI. The fraternity would exchange the land of the current FIJI house on Third Street for the neighborhood property. The FIJIs would be responsible for raising money to build a new house on the property at the corner of Woodlawn Avenue and Eighth Street.The ordinance passed Wednesday will not be binding for IU because the University is a state institution and is therfore not required to obtain a certificate of appropriateness from the city before demolishing property it owns in the neighborhood.However, supporters of the ordinance hope the legislation will convince IU to reconsider its plans.“I don’t think it’s a futile effort,” said Council Member Dave Rollo. “I’m hoping IU will consider what it’s doing. They may ask themselves — I hope they do — what Herman Wells would do.” At their last discussion Feb. 26, the council recommended approval of the ordinance based on the neighborhood’s historic and architectural significance to Bloomington, according to a legislative packet.The Bloomington Historic Preservation Commission recommended historic district status for University Courts because it exemplifies “the cultural, political, economic, social or historic heritage of the community,” according to the packet.The commission also found the district was architecturally worthy of historic status based on a number of criteria including its location, style and display of an era of history.During the meeting, Nancy Hiestand, program manager of Housing and Neighborhood Development, said the brick streets were already recognized as locally historic in 2004. She also said University Courts has been in the state register since 1992 and the national register since 2007.The area includes 65 properties, 38 of which are owned by IU, and one church. Eleven of these structures are outstanding, nine notable and 41 contributing. Council Member Martin Spechler said about 60 percent of the properties could be demolished by IU if the university decided to do so.When asked about the level of significance of University Courts in comparison to other districts, Hiestand said it, along with Elm Heights neighborhood, are the two most important districts.Elizabeth Cox-Ash, a Bloomington local, said the ordinance is vital to the protection of the neighborhood and it is not only her wish, but the wish of the community to see it passed.“The community wants this maintained, preserved and not torn down,” Cox-Ash said. “There are other places where the University could put a fraternity where they’re not tearing down some of its history as well as the community’s history.” Brandt Downey, another Bloomington local, does not think the ordinance will do any good in stopping IU from moving forward with its original plan.“We know that if IU wanted to take a bulldozer on Woodlawn and go west on that block tonight, they could,” Downey said. “You can’t stop them. This ordinance will not stop them from tearing down those houses. “They will avoid it, they will ignore it and they will tear down those six houses and any other of those houses over there without any reference to this at all.”Council Member Susan Sandberg said she is not under the illusion that the ordinance will persuade IU of anything.However, it may cause the university to rethink the fraternity house’s location.She said the University will be under a lot of scrutiny from neighbors with noise and trash complaints.Council Member Stephan Volan suggested the FIJI house be built in place of the tennis courts across from the Kappa Alpha Theta sorority house.“The decisions that IU makes, simply put, are arbitrary,” Volan said. “If this event tonight, this legislation, has no other effect than to call attention to the arbitrariness of the decisions made by IU’s land use and planning, then it’s done more than we’ve done before.”
(03/10/14 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Debra Morrow has come full circle since her time as a Middle Way House client.She now works as the organization’s community services coordinator and has volunteered with numerous organizations in Bloomington.Morrow has been selected by the Woman of the Year subcommittee to receive the Emerging Leader Award for her ongoing efforts to help others overcome social mobility barriers, according to a press release.“I feel kind of in awe of the fact that somebody nominated me for this, but I feel like it gives a message that, no matter what situation somebody is ever in, they can always move forward and totally turn their lives into something else,” Morrow said.Today, Morrow’s responsibilities at the Middle Way House include coordinating training sessions for volunteers and interacting with residents as they’re moving in, but it wasn’t long ago that she was in her clients’ position. Once the victim of an abusive relationship herself, Morrow relied on Middle Way’s services for financial stability.“I used to always feel like there were people like me and there were other people, and that there was such this wide difference between us all,” Morrow said. “And then to now work right with these people and realize there isn’t an ‘us’ and a ‘them,’ we’re all in this together.”While enlisted in Middle Way’s transitional housing program, Morrow worked toward a degree from IU-Southeast in criminal justice and graduated Magna Cum Laude. During that time, she volunteered at the Shalom Center and New Leaf, which works with women transitioning from jail into the community. Shortly after, Morrow received a job offer from Middle Way House. Morrow was able to purchase her own house and eventually became president of the Broadview Neighborhood Association. She currently works with NET, the Monroe County chapter of Prevent Child Abuse Indiana. “When I received support from Middle Way, I realized I could make decisions and decide I want to do something and actually do it,” Morrow said. “Being able to volunteer with different programs and participate with things in the community, all of it meant a lot.”Morrow said she encourages women in abusive relationships to not be embarrassed and to seek help as soon as possible. If she had not done so, she said, she would not be in such a great place today.“Never be ashamed of an experience you’ve had,” Morrow said. “Never be so ashamed that you don’t reach out for help. I think one of the biggest problems is that people feel ashamed of themselves for the situations they’re in, but there’s always help and never ever be afraid to reach out and get it.” If there’s one thing her volunteerism has shown her, Morrow said, it’s how essential community support can be in helping a person be successful. She said she hopes that, through her work at Middle Way, she can show women in abusive relationships their personal value. “I think I’ve really learned how remarkable people are,” Morrow said. “How, when people are working with you and they encourage you and give you the power to make your own choices and support you in those decisions, how incredibly freeing that is.”