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(07/11/10 10:25pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When President Obama took office last year, he promised a more positive outlook for Americans on the global stage.Obama wanted to change America’s image through targeted policies in Africa, the Middle East, Asia and even Europe.However, Obama’s policies have appeared to be those of an appeaser rather than a change-maker.Obama is a weak presence on the international stage. He has demonstrated this with his bow to the King of Saudi Arabia, his recent snub of Georgian president and staunch U.S. ally Mikheil Saakashvili — spurred by a desire to avoid offending Russia — and his near-total abdication of responsibility for the disaster caused by the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.Additionally, Obama has kept us locked in the middle of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but has not even taken a clear position on how best to resolve it.One day he’s appeasing the Israelis, and the next he’s appeasing the Palestinians.Indecisiveness is a problem for this administration, especially when it comes to foreign affairs. Unfortunately, Obama has only continued the long train of failed foreign endeavors initiated by previous presidents.Although the president seems to have given America a great short-term outlook, globally, in the long term his indecisiveness will catch up to him and his administration.It will be obvious that Obama has been playing a dangerous game of politics and has failed to be decisive in any international conflict.E-mail: ayarim@indiana.edu
(02/10/10 6:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Indiana Lt. Governor has more constitutional and statutory duties than most other state number-twos in the nation.After spending the past five years addressing responsibilities as Lt. Governor, Republican Becky Skillman said Tuesday she might run for Governor in 2012.Working with Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels, Skillman has spent her time presiding over the state Senate and working on some of the state’s most important policy issues.Skillman said she has thought about running for governor but she said it’s no easy task. Skillman has 28 yearsof experience in public service and currently oversees seven state agencies.“Right now, I’m leaning toward running,” Skillman said. “I never said I wouldn’t run.”When the Obama administration provided stimulus funds to Indiana, Gov. Daniels tasked Skillman with appropriating the funds. Skillman’s desire to protect small businesses earned her the nickname “Guardian of Small Business” from the National Federation of Independent Business in 1996.Skillman said it’s still too early to know if the business expansions will improve unemployment rates, citing that she was not a fan of the stimulus. However, Skillman said she was willing to cooperate with decisions made in D.C.“9.8 percent unemployment is nothing to be proud of,” Skillman said.Skillman said though Indiana is struggling with rising unemployment rates, there are positives as well. Indiana has the lowest unemployment rate in the Midwest and is one of the few states with a balanced budget.“We are holding economically and fiscally,” Skillman said. “We are showing numbers of hope and promise in the growth of business expansion.”Skillman said education was also a priority for Indiana despite the fact that tough decisions were made to cut funding.Skillman said the formulas used to allocate funds for schools K-12 is so complicated that most Indiana legislatures don’t completely understand them, which is part of the reason Indiana education funding distribution is a hot topic.A native of Bedford, Ind., Skillman said some of the most important issues to her are rural affairs, agriculture and small business.
(01/26/10 5:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Two republican challengers for Indiana’s 9th Congressional District, Mike Sodrel and Todd Young, debated for the first time this campaign season Monday at an IU College Republicans meeting.College Republicans Press Secretary Tara Fleming said hosting guests such as Sodrel and Young will encourage new members to attend meetings and build a support base before November’s mid-term elections.“We need to get our name out there,” Fleming said. “Our main goal is to get back the House and Senate.” IU College Republicans is the largest young Republican organization in the 9th Congressional District, according to the group’s Web site. Richard Behney, who is challenging longtime Indiana Senator Evan Bayh for his senate seat and is responsible for bringing the Tea Parties to Indiana, said he was excited to see faces of young Republicans who believed in “true American values.” Behney asked a crowd of 100 students and Bloomington residents if they were slaves or if they were free. Behney said people don’t vote for Republicans or Democrats, they vote for “real values.”“People in Massachusetts voted for liberty and freedom,” Behney said. College Republicans president Justin Kingsolver said the 2010 elections will be the start of “the next Republican revolution.” Kingsolver said the group’s main goal for the year will be to gather support for Republican candidates.“If we can win in Massachusetts, we can take Barney Frank’s seat there too,” Kingsolver said. Young and Sodrel also addressed the group, as did the other state Senate candidate Don Bates, Jr. Bates Jr. will be running against Behney in a spring primary to face off against Bayh.Young, an attorney, has never held political office. He said he was running because he wanted to see a “true American” in Congress.Young criticized Congressman Baron Hill, the Democrat who has beaten Sodrel in two consecutive elections, for declining to answer a question at a town hall meeting before the 2008 elections.“I can assure you, when I am in D.C., I will not forget I represent people like you,” Young said as the room exploded with cheers.Young ended the night by challenging Sodrel to weekly debates until the primary elections. Sodrel quickly accepted. Details are still being worked out.Sodrel said he was not sure about Young’s experience, but he pointed out that he was loyal to President Ronald Reagan’s 11th commandment.“Thou shall not speak ill of any fellow Republican.”
(01/20/10 3:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IDS REPORTSINDIANAPOLIS – Pamela S. Hrubey has been selected as the chairperson for 2010 Board of Directors. Hrubey will be the first Better Business Bureau chairwoman.Hrubey is the senior director of Global Ethics and Compliance at Eli Lilly and Company. Hrubey will provide ethics and compliance leadership, guidance and expertise to general and administrative functional areas within Lilly. She also serves as Lilly’s Chief Privacy Officer.Hrubey said in a press release that “in times like these, it is critically important that consumers have an idea of what they are getting into when they commit their hard-earned dollars towards a purchase, regardless of the amount.” Hrubey also said that Eli Lilly and Company was a founding member of the Better Business Bureau of Central Indiana.Bill Thomes, BBB President and CEO, said Hrubey has a tremendous desire to help the BBB become a stronger organization and provide assistance to businesses and consumers across Central Indiana.Hrubey said, in the same press release, that “it is therefore especially fitting to have a Lilly leader involved in support of the BBB at a time when the community really needs to be able to rely on and trust its services — just like the community did back when the organization was formed.“There is a marvelous history that we are continuing with the involvement of excellent board members and a very strong president in Bill Thomas.”The Better Business Bureau’s main goal is to promote business integrity and ethics, consumer confidence, and to encourage cooperation between businesses and consumers.The Better Business Bureau of Central Indiana is one of 137 regions in North America that makes up the Council of Better Business Bureaus. More information can be found online at www.bbb.org.
(01/13/10 5:11am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Three are dead after a tragic accident on the Lawrence County-Orange County line. A pickup truck was headed northbound on State Road 37 when a steel coil weighing 44,000 pounds rolled off a southbound semi-truck, crossed into the opposing lane and struck the vehicle.The accident took place just south of the Lawrence County-Orange County line near Orleans, Ind. Officers from Orleans Police Department, the County Sheriff’s Department and the Indiana State Police responded to the scene of the accident at 7:24 p.m., just minutes after receiving the initial call.The pick-up truck’s driver, 22-year-old Zachary Staggs of Bedford and one of his passengers, 21-year-old Shannon Steele of Jasper, Ind., were killed. The coil then hit another car, killing its driver, 41-year-old Michael Daugherty of Mitchell, Ind., before it came to rest on the east side of the road.Bill Fullington, accident investigator with the Orange County Sheriff’s Department, said one of the survivors, Mackenzie Taylor, 11, was air-lifted to Kosair Children’s Hospital and is listed in fair condition.“The truck and car’s safety are not in question. 44,000 thousand of cheap steal would do that to any car or truck,” Fullington said. Orleans police officers cited the semi-trailer driver, Israel Rankin, 33, for exceeding the legal weight capacity of the ties used to fasten the coil, Fullington said.State Road 37 remained closed for about six hours after the accident.Fullington said the investigation is still in progress.
(01/08/10 5:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Central Indiana hospital CEOs show bipartisanship in an integration agreement as partisan tension raises over health care reform in Washington, D.C.Bloomington Hospital, Bedford Regional Medical Center and Bloomington Hospital of Orange County celebrated their merger with Clarian Health on Thursday, creating a State Road 37 corridor of health care.The four hospitals have openly worked together before, but with the new integration they will share more than advice. The hospitals will now share information and patients. The Clarian System will be able to cover patients across 11 counties, many parts of which are rural and in need of medical attention. Clarian Health’s research institute is known for its affiliation with IU at Indianapolis’s Riley Hospital for Children.IU President Michael A. McRobbie expressed the University’s support for the merger at Thursday’s integration ceremony. McRobbie said that IU medical students have a great relationship with Clarian and Bloomington Hospital. “Half of Bloomington Hospital’s staff graduated from IU,” McRobbie said.The merger is important to IU medical students because many end up working with either Clarian or Bloomington Hospitals, he said.Daniel Evans, president and CEO of Clarian Health, said the good news for patients across Central Indiana is the ability of the hospitals to readily exchange information with cutting-edge technologies. The shared information will include medical records, MRIs, treatment facilities and new technologies, like televised patient care, in minutes.Larry Bailey, incoming CEO of Bloomington Hospital of Orange County, said his hospital is a smaller facility located in Paoli, Ind. Bailey said he was pleased to know they can now use information technology that Clarian provides for better coverage in rural areas.“If a patient has an emergency that we know we don’t have the equipment for, we can just contact the ambulance and tell them to take that patient straight to Bloomington or Indianapolis,” Bailey said. Mark Moore, Bloomington Hospital president and CEO, said the affiliation with a bigger hospital is not for financial reasons and no staff cuts will result.Merging the four hospitals will make the process of taking care of patients dynamic for any type of treatment, Moore said. “The integration will let us do what we do in a different way,” Evans said. “We take care of patients’ needs.”
(12/01/09 2:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington restaurants are known for their unique atmospheres and special menus, but many peoples’ pockets are not deep enough to make an outing every day of the week to one of these establishments.Restaurant Week might be able to change that.Imagine going on a date to a Bloomington restaurant like Finch’s Brasserie or Sweet Grass but paying less than $55 for a dinner that would usually cost about $80 or $90.The association is offering a week of promotions that started Sunday and lasts until Thursday to more than 20 area restaurants for a price of $55 or less in an effort for Bloomington restaurants to give back to customers, said Bloomington Independent Restaurant Association Director Paul Busby.However, the deals differ depending on the menus and restaurants. Busby said interested people should check out www.bloomingtonindependents.com.Busby said that there is a gift card sale on the Web site, and all of the restaurant’s gift cards are 20 percent off the regular price. The restaurants offering gift cards include Janko’s Little Zagreb, Yogi’s Grill and Bar, Lennie’s, La Torre and other local restaurants. Sara Sheikh of One World Enterprises and a Bloomington Independent Restaurant Association board member said a similar program in Indianapolis that promoted cheap dinners for two inspired Restaurant Week in Bloomington. However, Restaurant Week is different because its primary goal is attracting consumers to Bloomington who enjoy culinary foods and to see what the city has to offer. “Bloomington is the seventh-fastest-growing destination for wine and culinary cuisine, according to Orbitz,” Sheikh said. “Restaurant Week is part of our promotion of Bloomington’s finest food at the cheap deals everyone can enjoy.” Sophomore Zack Podorsky said he had not heard about Restaurant Week.“It sounds like something my parents would be interested in,” Podorsky said. Sheikh said that a lot of students are getting gift cards for their parents and that the gift cards are going fast. Sheikh said the association has shipped gift cards to places as far as California, New York and overseas. “You can choose where to eat now and buy the gift cards on the Web site,” Sheikh said.
(10/16/09 4:16am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>October is beer month around the world, from Munich’s Oktoberfest to Bloomington’s own Beer Festival. The Bloomington Beer Festival kicked off its 17th-annual event Thursday and will run through Friday night. Fifty booths, about 400 attendees and more than 200 types of beer made the atmosphere in the Bloomington Monroe County Convention Center bubbly. Rob Williamson, a Big Red Liquors representative and Boys & Girls Club board member, said all the proceeds go to the Boys and Girls Club of Bloomington, and this is great opportunity to give charity and sample a lot of beers. “We usually have over 400 people. Thursdays and Fridays are when it’s really crowded. We’re expecting over 800 people tomorrow,” Williamson said.Andrew Maxson, sales manager at World Class Beverages, said he has managed a booth for three years. Maxson said he enjoys educating people about his products by letting them taste small amounts of all the beers he has to offer. Maxson, who supplies alcohol to grocery and liquor stores around Bloomington, said his promotions focus on one motto: drink less and drink better. “My favorite experience about the festival is converting people to my beers and having them realize there are more than just light American lager beers out there,” Maxson said.Wade Shanower, the Big Red Liquors president, said he was glad to be a co-sponsor of the festival and he was excited to see the number of people and how many breweries and vendors were present. Shanower said he enjoys promoting smaller breweries like Bloomington Brewing Company and Upland Brewing Company. “I personally favor the local and small producers to the bigger ones, and our festival has a variety of those from around the Midwest,” Shanower said. Indiana Vodka is one of the local producers Shanower works with. At first, the company was unable to market their vodka to anyone else. Shanower said he gave Indiana Vodka the chance at his store and that’s his philosophy for local microbreweries and wineries as well. Danny Henrich, Upland Brewery’s sales manager, said Upland offers all kinds of beers for different tastes. He said the festival does not have a direct effect on Upland but it raises the profile of craft beers in general.Rita Wilds, a realtor with FC Tucker Company, said she loves the event. Wilds said volunteering last year was fun, but she was too busy to help out this year. She was stopping by for awhile to see her husband who was volunteering. “It’s for a good cause and the beer is always great,” Wilds said. Dustin Brown, BBC brewer, said his beers were crafty and made for great taste and quality. Brown described his American Brown Ale by saying it had a chocolate taste to it because it is made with chocolate. BBC’s American Brown Ale and Ruby both won awards at the state fair this year. “It’s all about experimentation and experience. People should wait for our Java Porter, which is our winter special brew,” Brown said. A majority of the event’s attendees were IU students. Shanower said although he personally prefers the Wine Festival in the spring, he was happy to see the turnout of younger drinkers.“I heard about it from a friend last night and I decided to go,” junior Tom Adams said. Adams said he sampled about 10 beers and he enjoyed the festival because of the variety of people and beer. Adams was especially surprised with the number of booths. “It’s so easy to find the party,” Adams said. Shanower said he was happy the event gets so much attention every year. Brewers from around the Midwest are becoming regulars.“You know, we really do see an increase in craft beers after the festival,” Adams said. “My favorite ... that’s a tough one, probably the Upland Pale Ale.”
(10/15/09 3:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Department of Commerce National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced its first four grant recipients for State Broadband Data and Development Program last week.The grants will be used by any state that qualifies to create NTIA’s national broadband map. The map will provide exact information about the broadband services in their area.According to Brian Arrowood, deputy chief information officer at the Indiana Office of Technology, the four recipients so far are Indiana, California, North Carolina and Vermont. All 50 states and four territories applied for the grant. Indiana was one of the first states approved.Katie Moreau, press representative for Rep. Baron Hill, said she knew the program was responsible for developing area where broadband was still unavailable.“Indiana was chosen because of its higher priority,” Moreau said.Arrowood said that Indiana is way ahead of the curve than other states when it comes to broadband mapping and service connectivity. Arrowood also said that because of the close connections IOT has with counties and geographic information systems around the state, the amount of data collection and mapping already completed in Indiana is enormous.“Each state needed to designate one entity in the area for mapping broadband. The Indiana governor chose us to be responsible for this because of our qualification,” Arrowood said.Arrowood also said that the state proposal was a fiscally sound and responsible request, making Indiana a prior recipient of the grant.The $1.3 million grant that Indiana received will not only serve to map broadband connection. Arrowood said the better map will be the first step and will explain how much is needed to improve the broadband service especially in rural areas.“The spirit behind the program is to get better and new connectivity to all Indiana counties,” Arrowood said.Lawrence E. Strickling, assistant secretary for communications and information and NTIA administrator said in a press release that broadband will bring many benefits to the nation, such as job creation and innovation, but these benefits have been delayed by the lack of comprehensive, reliable data on the availability of broadband service. Strickling also said that this program will address an important need and will provide a valuable tool in bringing broadband and jobs to more Americans.According to Arrowood, the program has a requirement that each state provide at least 20 percent of non-federal matching funds toward the project. However, Arrowood said in Indiana this is not a problem.“Indiana is way ahead of other states in broadband mapping and technology,” Arrowood said. “The grant will be used mainly for secondary improvements, unlike many states that still have a lot of preliminaries to take care of.”
(10/08/09 4:28am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Eight years ago Timothy Baer was driving with his daughter when he heard about the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan. “I pulled over and wept,” Baer said, the campaign coordinator from Declaration of Peace and the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition. “I knew that many people were going to die.”Baer was not alone Wednesday as more than 30 people attended an anti-war protest that took place in front of the Bloomington City Courthouse. Wednesday marked the eight-year anniversary of the invasion of Afghanistan.Protestors from Bloomington and surrounding communities held up peace signs and banners as people drove by, honked and looked on with curiosity. Baer said he’s been a peace activist since the ’80s, standing up to American attacks against Nicaragua and El Salvador. He said that he was out to show solidarity with the Afghan people and the efforts to pull American troops out of Afghanistan and Iraq. The group has been protesting the war since it started in 2001.David Stewart, a ClassPak materials specialist at the IU Document Services Centers, said most people at the rally are older – old enough to realize that war is not the answer.“Look at history, people don’t want us there,” Stewart said. “There is no legitimacy to the U.S. troops being present in Afghanistan.” Baer said that he believes that oil and economic oppression are the reasons we are fighting wars in the Middle East. He even said that the U.S. has not told the whole truth about 9/11, making this war pointless.The same stance was held by Pam Raider, a protestor from Nashville, Ind. Raider said she thought that the U.S. was not fighting a war against terror and that the war in Afghanistan causes terrorism. She was also very critical of the money spent on war instead of economic development.“What if we spent as much money on destroying Afghanistan to fix the place?” Raider said.Though the turnout numbers of the protest were not as large as usual, Kyle Knight, an IU graduate student, said he believed that it did not properly show the numbers of people who are against military efforts in both Afghanistan and Iraq.“If you believe in peace, you shouldn’t quit. No matter what the numbers of protestors are.” Knight said.Rita Lichtenberg, a Bloomington resident, was not only critical of the war but of American politicians as a whole. She said that the U.S. was fighting for Afghanistan’s freedom but it placed a corrupt government. Lichtenberg said that Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai’s election was manipulated by the Americans and the British.“Our troops are sent over there and they are turned into enemies by the locals,” Lichtenberg said. Even Rep. Baron Hill, D-9th District, was not spared by the protestors. The flyers called out for people to get in touch with the congressman and tell him not to vote for the troop surge in Afghanistan.“The way Baron Hill can support the troops – well, that’s an easy one,” Lichtenberg said. “He shouldn’t vote to send them there in the first place.”
(10/02/09 2:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Apple aficionados will gather in Bloomington to compare, taste and share in their quest to find the perfect apple.The Bloomington Farmers’ Market Annual Apple Tasting will take place 10 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. Saturday.Slow Food Bloomington is sponsoring the apple tasting. It will be between the Farmers’ Market’s regular hours in Showers Plaza located on 401 N. Morton St. Marcia Veldman, the program and facility coordinator for the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, said there will be many apples available for tasting. “It is not a competition,” Veldman said. “These are all apples that grow within an hour’s drive from the market. Everyone at the market is welcome to try them.” According to the City of Bloomington Web Site, there will be about 10 varieties of apples from six local farms. Vernon Sigman is one of the farmers participating in the apple tasting. Sigman’s wife, Pat Sigman, said she is excited about the apple tasting. She said she believes that her husband’s passionate work makes the apples taste great. “Vernon used to be a dairy farmer. Now he retired from that, and he’s got an orchard and a garden,” Pat Sigman said. “He really puts a lot of time into both of them.” Vernon Sigman’s featured apples will be Granny Smith, Golden Delicious, Arkansas Black and Winesap. “The Arkansas Black’s color is such deep red it looks black,” Pat Sigman said. Veldman said that the event is in its sixth year and that it usually has a lot of attendees. “It is a fun opportunity to compare and taste apples,” Veldman said. “All the apples for tasting will also be on sale. So if you like them you can buy them.”
(09/29/09 12:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Environment America is mustering up support to improve the Clean, Low Emissions, Affordable, New Transportation Equity Act. Congress passed the bill, but only included 1 percent of its total budget to improve public transportation.CLEAN TEA is now in delegation in the Senate. If passed, the bill will accommodate the need Americans have for mass public transit.Environment America, a citizen-funded, nonprofit group active in 27 states and Washington, D.C., wants the Senate to change that small percentage to 10 percent of the complete budget. Rob McCulloch, Transportation Advocate at Environment America, thinks the bill should allocate more money to improve transit. “We need green transit – expanding subway and light rails, urban development around train stops, even improving walkways and bike routes,” McCulloch said. “When gas prices went down last year, we did not see a decrease in the usage of public transit.” In Indiana alone, transit usage increased by 9 percent since 2007, saving 11.67 million gallons of gas, according to an Environment America report. Megan Severson, Midwest Field Organizer at Environment America, said in a press release that “people were voting with their feet and taking more public transport.”McCulloch said Portland, Ore., and Dubuque, Iowa, are examples of cities that have great transit and are good models of what other cities can achieve with green transit. Chair of the House Roads and Transportation Committee and State Rep. Terri Austin, D-36th District, said in a press release that “more Indiana residents want increased options for transportation.”Austin said it will not only help the economy, but also the environment. McCulloch is on the same page as Austin. “A family can save up to $10,000 riding transit for a year instead of driving a car,” McCulloch said.
(09/28/09 12:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Congressman Baron Hill, D-9th District, announced that a yearly grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be given to the South Central Community Action Program in Indiana.Doug Wilson, SCCAP director of communications, said the grant will be used to expand SCCAP’s Head Start Program, a six-hour-per-day, year-round program that prepares children for elementary education. Wilson said the grant is from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, commonly referred to as the federal stimulus package. The grant will be dispersed in January 2010.Todd Lare, SCCAP executive director, said he was glad to see the organization’s voucher numbers go up with the funding.“The grant is competitive,” Lare said. “When we applied, we were competing on a state and national level for funding.”He said the program will now be accommodating an extra 32 students and that search for a new location is not over.“We will use our data and regulations to find out which place in Monroe County will be appropriate to accommodate our new location,” Lare said.Shirely Stumpner, director of SCCAP, said she was glad the program can take more eligible students because it had so many potential students wait-listed.Lare also explained that the extra money will mainly be used to fund new educators and assistants, better transportation and an extra location for classroom activities.Congressman Hill said in a Sept. 21 press release that “this is further evidence that stimulus money is flowing back into Southern Indiana.”Both Wilson and Lare said they are extremely excited about the prospect of getting the grant for at least two years.Stumpner also explained she applied for the grant because she felt families that were working or studying needed to find a safe activity for their children.“The Head Start Program helps students, according to research, and it will also help those families with young children who work or study,” Stumpner said.
(09/27/09 4:10pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Congressman Baron Hill, D-9th District, revealed that a yearly grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will be given to the South Central Community Action Program.Doug Wilson, SCCAP director of communications, said the grant will be used to expand SCCAP’s Head Start Program, a six-hour per day, year-round program used to prepare children for elementary education and provide nutrition and a wide range of activities.Wilson said the grant is from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, part of the stimulus package.The grant will be dispersed in January 2010 ,and it will be used for immediate improvement.Todd Lare, SCAAP executive director, said he was glad to see the organization’s voucher numbers go up with the funding."The grant is competitive," Lare said. "When we applied we were competing on a state and national level for funding." Check tomorrow's IDS for the full story.
(09/22/09 3:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Nick’s English Hut is in the national spotlight this month after Playboy ranked it one of America’s Top 10 College Sports Bars. The honor came to Nick’s as part of Playboy’s A-List series, a section of its Web site that ranks different bars, restaurants and clubs. Pete Mikolaitis, Nick’s manager, said he didn’t know the bar was on Playboy’s list.“It is nice to be recognized for what we do,” Mikolaitis said. “I guess you could say it’s free publicity, too. No one contacted me about it.” Mikolaitis was not surprised, however. He said Nick’s has always had a great atmosphere for watching Hoosier sports and is a popular hangout for many in Bloomington.“We have over 30 flat screens. Our customers come in and enjoy the atmosphere we offer,” Mikolaitis said. “We’re really excited to see that we made the top 10 sports bars in America.”Victor Renfro, a retired Army colonel of Alexandria, Ind., and frequent visitor to Bloomington, said he was always fond of Bloomington, especially Nick’s. “My son went to IU, and I came down to Nick’s many times,” Renfro said. “I think it’s a tradition down there. It’s been there for as long as I can remember. A top-10 sports bar ranking in America is expected.”Playboy.com contributor Jeff Ruby wrote the online article. Ruby was unavailable for comment, but Playboy publicist Abi O’Donnell said the research was done throughout the country.“The bars were chosen on what the writer heard on campus, from alumni and bar frequenters,” O’Donnell said.O’Donnell said other criteria included atmosphere, the people who go to the bars and the sports knowledge random people in the bars contained. “This place has been great ever since Nick Hrisomaios started it,” Mikolaitis said. “It was started as sandwich shop in 1927, then around 1934 Richard Barnes turned it to a bar that served pizza.” Mikolaitis and Nick’s staff are proud of their honor in Playboy’s A-List, and they invite everyone to come enjoy their NFL Sunday Ticket programming.“A lot of people come to support IU, but Colts and Bears games are big too,” Mikolaitis said. “Anyone can come check out the atmosphere, watch your team and enjoy the food and pitcher specials on Sundays.”
(09/10/09 5:03pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Voices echo around a bustling room as men and women of all ages prepare tables in a dim dining room. From the kitchen, the rattling of dishes and shouts indicate a lively environment. This is the daily afternoon scene at the Community Kitchen of Monroe County, where volunteers like Andy Hill prepare for the daily supper. “I heard about the kitchen from a co-worker, and I have been volunteering here for a year,” Hill said.Vicki Pierce, executive director of the Community Kitchen of Monroe County, estimates that there are up to 70 volunteers weekly who put in 7,300 hours yearly.“I love coming here because I enjoy the food,” Pierce said. “It’s a fabulous environment to be part of. I love working with the people in the kitchen and giving back to the community.”One of the main contributors in creating the warm meals for the kitchen is kitchen supervisor Eric Patterson. Patterson said the food from the Community Kitchen of Monroe County is not “typical soup-kitchen food.” He said that the meals here are freshly prepared, and soup is rarely served.“We work hard to provide the best meals with what we get from the community,” Patterson said.The kitchen’s reputation for preparing the best meals with whatever they have inspires competitions like the recent Third Annual Chef’s Challenge.Tim Cougher, assistant director of the Community Kitchen of Monroe County, said the Challenge was modeled after the show Iron Chef, which airs on the Food Network.Cougher expressed the need for more volunteers because of the increase in demand for the soup kitchen’s assistance. He said demand has increased by 22 percent during the summer.“I think the economic situation has to do with why our demand increased. Folks are getting kicked out of their houses (and) getting laid off, and the stress low-income families face is great,” Cougher said.Cougher said that in a country where 27 percent of food is tossed out, there is no excuse for hunger. In Bloomington, the soup kitchen is fortunate to have a close partner on its side in the fight against hunger, Hoosier Hills Food Bank.“For me there is no better reward than giving out meals to kids,” Cougher said. “There is instant feedback, and that’s what I work for every day.”
(08/28/09 3:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Junk or “bulky items” no longer usable are exactly what the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District is looking for. They are accepting all bulky trash items, such as unusable furniture and appliances, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Monroe County Fairgrounds.County residents can drop off all items at the fairgrounds entrance off Airport Road.To ensure usable bulky items do not end up in the landfill, the district’s Citizen Advisory Committee might have some reuse agencies present to divert the usable material, according to a press release.Elisa K. Pokral, the district’s media and education director, said the event occurs in both fall and spring of each year and is meant to encourage proper waste management.“The district’s Citizens Advisory Group will be there to greet people. They will also be helping with usable items sorting and giving them back into the community somehow,” Pokral said.To ensure proper disposal regulations are followed, Environmental Compliance Director Tom McGlasson, Jr. said in a press release that it is up to the public to be responsible. “Mattresses, couches, chairs and other furniture items are frequently found at illegal dump sites in Monroe County,” McGlasson said. “This event is a way for residents to take pride in their community and keep it clean.”Although many items will be accepted, items containing Freon will not be; those items can be thrown away at the Hazardous Materials Facility located at 3400 S. Walnut St., Pokral said. “We will not be taking TVs, paint cans, roofing equipment, tires, chemical containers or household wastes,” Pokral said.Pokral also said Monroe County residents dropping off their bulky items should expect some gifts this year. The Citizens Advisory Group will hand out green living flyers, reusable bags and ice packs.“We want to encourage people to dispose of their waste properly and clean up our environment,” Pokral said.
(04/16/09 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Just because Americans were required to file their taxes Wednesday doesn’t mean they did so quietly. Nationwide protests of government spending reached Bloomington as the federal government tallied up the last taxpayer dollars they received on Tax Day. More than 200 people gathered outside Democratic Congressman Baron Hill’s office for the Bloomington Tea Party. The “tea parties,” which are going on nationwide in response to Tax Day, are a citizens’ response to what they see as fiscal irresponsibility by the government.Bloomington residents Spencer Leiter and Doug Parker organized the event. They said their goal was to raise awareness in Bloomington on the amount of debt the government is incurring with the current stimulus package.“There had been a few tea parties in other cities when we thought of the idea,” Leiter said. “We just wanted to bring this to our city to show that we also care and are fed up with the way the government is spending our money.”Leiter started out the protest with a speech, accusing the government of overexpanding its power, citing government spending as a transition to socialism. “The president’s economic program is starting to fail,” Parker said, addressing the crowd. “The deficit went up 200 percent since Obama took office.” With that, the crowd moaned, hissed and booed. Leiter said he couldn’t understand why “honest, hard-working” Americans had to bail out “irresponsible” businesses, bank owners and other citizens who defaulted on their mortgages. Spencer blamed the Democratic party for passing the stimulus plan, and said he does not think the Republican party had as much responsibility in the issue.Protestors clung to banners and signs denouncing the current politics of Hill and President Barack Obama, as well as a petition demanding the repeal of the stimulus package. Copies were sent to Hill’s office.Halfway through the event, participants marched down Eighth Street and then College Avenue to the courthouse. As the crowd walked down the street, some people honked in support, some asked them questions and others just watched in amazement.“We called him and tried to talk to him, but Baron has no answer for us,” Parker said.Keith Dutton, who plans to run for Congress under no affiliation in 2010, said he was disappointed with how politicians in Washington act in general. Dutton, who brought his son along, said he was worried about the future of the youth of the nation, because they are the ones who will pay back all the debt the government is incurring.“Common sense needs to come back,” Dutton said, “I blame both parties – Bush made mistakes, and Obama is making mistakes too. The American people should snap out of it and vote good folks into office.”Members of Young Americans for Liberty were present to push legislation by Ron Paul. Meredith Milton, IU sophomore and member of Young Americans for Liberty, said the group was circulating a petition encouraging Hill to vote “yes” on Paul’s Federal Reserve Transparency Act. Milton said the organization has tried to reach Hill for a position on the matter, but it has yet to receive a response.Senior Daniel Cowells watched the protest from the sidelines. He said he was unsure of the whole thing and unaware it was going on. He said he was glad to see people practicing their First Amendment rights, but doesn’t know if the government can do anything else. He doesn’t think spending is necessarily the answer, but extreme events call for extreme measures.“This protest specifically, I think, has a lot of exaggerations and claims that are not realistic,” Cowells said.
(04/15/09 2:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Indiana General Assembly passed a bill that now requires schools to assist underprivileged students in signing up for the Twenty-first Century Scholars Program.The Twenty-first Century Scholars Program is need-based, but students are only allowed to sign up for the scholarship during junior high.Typically, the program is available to all students in middle schools across the state. However, starting this year, after the state legislature passed House Bill 1389, it is “required of each school corporation to provide each student who applies for free or reduced lunches under the national school lunch program with an application for the Twenty-first Century Scholars Program.”Rep. Phillip D. Hinkle, R-Indianapolis, who co-authored the bill, said the law will be an advantage in expanding the opportunity to all students who fill out the reduced lunch application by advising them on the program.“The intent of the law is when a student applies for the reduced or free lunch, at the same time they will be instructed on the program in a very non-obtrusive way,” Hinkle said.Hinkle said not everyone will take advantage of the program, but the state can only offer these opportunities in hopes that parents and students will apply.“My guess is that when any student ventures out to college, they do not know of all the grants, scholarships and opportunities for financial support,” Hinkle said. “The law we passed, pretty much unanimously, is just another tool to help students get the most out of what they can receive in aid from the government.” Leslie Cracraft, who works at Harmony School in Bloomington, said she is hopeful the program will lead to more students applying for the scholarship with the extra assistance they are offering now to both students and parents.Chris Enstrom, director of the Twenty-first Century Scholars Program at IU, said he is very excited about the prospect of more students applying and qualifying.“As long as you qualify in middle school, your parents can win the lottery later and you would still receive four years of tuition at any accredited state school,” Enstrom said.Enstrom said when students apply for the scholarship, they pledge to graduate from high school, not use illegal drugs or alcohol apply for FAFSA and to an accredited Indiana college of their choice.Enstrom also said there are many opportunities for Twenty-first Century Scholars once they come to IU, such as events to help students integrate with each other and the community. Enstrom said the program is mainly supported by the Lumina Foundation, an Indianapolis-based nonprofit organization that supports higher education for low-income students and minorities.South Central Regional Coordinator of Twenty-first Century Scholars Jennifer Poe said she thinks the new bill will be helpful because some schools that might not have put much emphasis on the program will now have to support need-based students in filling out these forms.“As far we know, costs will not be a problem at all. Schools will just have to look at their students’ future with a more serious target for higher education and lessening the chances of talents going to waste due to lack of financial assistance,” Poe added.Poe said families interested in applying could do so online at www.scholars.in.gov or by calling 800-880-5213.Enstrom said he loves working with Twenty-first Century Scholars and sees the potential they all bring.“I believe because Twenty-first Century students receive so much, they just want to give back so much also,” Enstrom said. “Just look at all the campus and community services these students do.”
(03/25/09 12:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The BeBloomington campaign kicks off the spring with eight concentrations and dozens of events for city residents to better themselves and their town. Bloomington city government will be co-host to events that target its residents on certain focal points: BeDowntown, BeSafe, BeConnected, BeFun, BeCreative, BeGreen, BeActive and BeCompassionate.According to the campaign’s hotline, events will take place throughout the year around town. “We have set up the themes to be tied to our city,” said Danny Lopez, communications director of the city of Bloomington. “The eight themes connect with all Bloomington residents.” One of the many events, which can all be found on the city’s Web site or by calling the BeBloomington hotline at 349-BBBB, will be the 2009 Mosaic Film Festival, which will take place at city hall. The films will be part of the BeCompassionate segment of the campaign. The short films will be for both adults and children, and they will address the issues of disability, image, race and ethnic background.Craig Brenner, city of Bloomington special projects coordinator, said he remembers organizing the event last year. He said it was successful, but he said he thinks this year it will be better.“Last year the Dalai Lama was here when we had the festival,” Brenner said. “The event was really shadowed.”The films will show all day April 4 and 11. Brenner said he expects a greater turnout this year because they had advertisements for the event and a lot of support from the BeBloomington campaign and the city.“We choose these dates for the festival because that’s when the farmer’s market kicks off,” Brenner said. “A lot of people will be in the region, so I am excited about the prospect of many viewers.”The festival will also be sponsored by the city of Bloomington, IU Asian Culture Center, IU Latino Cultural Center, the IU Office of Multicultural Initiatives, the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center Library and more.Lopez said the campaign started in 2006 and is growing this year with its new themes. He said he looks forward to the events.“Essentially, the target of these events will enhance our community character,” Lopez said, “and gives the city a chance to work with local civic leaders and nonprofits.”