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(07/25/13 1:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>July 24 is the nationally recognized Cousins’ Day in which cousins are encouraged to reach out and celebrate their connectedness with one another.Ryan and Timmy Isom have much to celebrate, and it’s not just each other.“The fact that two cousins needed a kidney transplant took our families by surprise, but both Isom boys receiving their new kidneys within six months of each other was truly a miracle for all of us to celebrate,” Brandi Evans said, mother of Timmy Isom and aunt of Ryan Isom.Ryan, 5, and Timmy, 20, both received new kidneys and a second chance at life in 2011.Timmy was born in 1993. At six weeks old, he was diagnosed with renal dysplasia, which is an abnormality of development within the kidneys. Doctors decided they would monitor his condition rather than take action and make him go through surgery at such a young age. “Renal dysplasia means his kidneys were too small,” Evans said. “When he was little it didn’t affect him as much because he was still so small, but when he hit his growth spurt and started going through puberty his kidneys couldn’t keep up.”At age 13, Timmy’s kidney’s began failing and he started taking medication to preserve the kidney functions that remained. By March 2010, Timmy’s kidneys started deteriorating and at the age of 16 he began dialysis 8 hours a day and was added to the national transplant list.“I was taking 55 to 60 pills a day depending on the day,” Timmy said. “I wasn’t able to do the things normal kids did.”In 2008, Timmy’s cousin, Ryan, was born six weeks early. Ryan’s parents, Stacey and Tim Isom, were told at their 20th-week ultrasound that their baby was diagnosed with PUV, a blockage between the bladder and urethra.“It was very shocking because I had never heard of it. You go in to get your ultrasound, expecting to hear if it’s a boy or a girl, and when they told us, I was a wreck. I just didn’t know enough about the problem and I didn’t know what his future held,” Stacey said.Doctors attempted to fix his kidneys in utero, but the damage had already been done. When Ryan was born, the PUV had caused such severe damage that his kidneys were only functioning at roughly 3 to 5 percent. Ryan required life-saving dialysis when he was just eight days old. “He spent the first 61 days of his life at Riley Hospital,” Stacey said. “Then he came home and did dialysis every day for three and a half years.” Because of Ryan’s small size, he was not eligible for a kidney transplant until he reached 25 pounds, which took all of the three and a half years that he was on dialysis. A child born without this problem would typically reach 20 pounds by their first birthday.During the spring of 2008, a Riley Hospital for Children social worker gave Ryan’s family information about the COTA. “We were lucky because we got involved with COTA before Ryan was eligible for the transplant so we had time to raise money prior,” Stacey said.As soon as Stacey contacted the organization she said she began to feel relieved. She said she was finally able to focus on just her son and the care he needed.COTA is a national charity based in Bloomington, which is dedicated to organizing and guiding families and communities in raising funds for transplant-needy patients. COTA’s priority is to assure that no child or young adult is denied a transplant or excluded from a transplant waiting list because of lack of funds. “COTA has been a lifesaver for our families,” Stacey said in a press release from COTA. “COTA gave us hope during our darkest days of illness while bills were piling up. When we needed support and guidance the most, COTA was there for us.” Timmy’s mother, Evans, also began feeling overwhelmed with financial aspects for the impending transplant turned to Stacey for advice and support. She immediately recommended COTA to Evans.Stacey explained the organization would help cover expenses not covered by insurance such as mileage for the 100-mile round-trip visit to the dialysis center the families would have to make. They would also help cover co-pays and lodging for Evans during Timmy’s hospital stays.Evans said she contacted COTA with the hopes of receiving help like Ryan’s family did. “Stacey told me about the organization and I immediately got involved,” Evans said. “We both did. I went to her son’s fundraising events and she went to mine. Our families bonded because of what we had all been through.”Evans explained fundraising is an exhausting venture because you have to have multiple events in order to raise enough money, but that it was a necessary process.COTA started working with both families to support and guide them with the necessary measures to create a successful fundraising campaign. Timmy’s fundraising goal was $50,000. They raised $40,000. Ryan’s fundraising goal was $65,000 and they ultimately raised $67,000 in little more than a year. “It was a relief because Ryan being born six weeks early was a half a million dollars expense,” Stacey said. “I had a wonderful group of volunteers and COTA really helped us financially.”Once Ryan had finally reached his goal weight of 25 pounds, the entire family went through the testing process to see if they were eligible to donate their kidneys. Everyone was ruled out as a donor.“Ryan has an o-positive blood type, which is the universal donor, but not the universal recipient,” she said.At that point, Ryan was also placed on the national donor list.Finally, in 2011 both of the Isom boys were contacted and told them they had found kidneys for them.Timmy received his kidney first, on April 26, 2011, and Ryan followed on Aug. 21, 2011. Both transplants were successful.“I remember being woken up post-op and feeling instantly better,” Timmy said. “Obviously, the pains of surgery were there, but my body didn’t ache in the same ways it used to, I felt healthier. I was ready to get up and walk around, but I wasn’t allowed.”Since the transplant, Ryan has grown seven inches and is continuing to gain weight. Stacey said he is ready to start kindergarten this fall and he loves playing golf with his dad and older brother.“Just looking at him today you would never believe he has gone through as much as he has,” Stacey said.Timmy has since written the family of his kidney transplant donor, whom he only knows as a 20-year-old male. In the letter, he thanked the family while also explaining to them how much the kidney improved his life. “The chances of an organ you are no longer using saving the life of someone else is incredible,” Timmy said. “It’s the ultimate act of charity and a final gift.”The two boys’ stories of struggle have brought the two families closer together and they were able to find a silver lining in all of it. “I definitely feel much, much closer to Ryan and we have a bond that no one else will understand, but I also feel closer to my whole family too,” Timmy said. “They all came together and went above and beyond what I thought they would be able to do.”
(07/18/13 9:52pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A fire at the Bloomington AMVETS headquarters off Airport Road damaged one building and destroyed the other Tuesday around 3:30 p.m.“It’s been a rough couple of days, but this is just a bump in the road,” said Dawn Bush, a 10 year member of the AMVETS organization.Bush was at the bar in the AMVETS building with her mother and fellow member, Diana Hawkins, when the fire first started.“Matt James came running in the bar and told all us there was a fire,” Bush said.Bush said that she immediately grabbed a fire extinguisher from the kitchen area thinking it was a small trash fire from someone’s lit cigarette as James called 911.Bush ran outside to assess the situation and attempt to put the fire out, but realized it was more than she could handle.“I saw the smoke and stepped back for a minute to look at the roof of the building when the door blew open and I could see the fire raging,” she said.That’s when she, too, ran back inside to help her mother collect their things and leave. Bush helped her mother get outside as quickly as she could and immediately told other members to start moving their cars away from the building.After that they just waited. Firefighters from six different departments came and worked to extinguish the fire Tuesday afternoon. The fire started in the bingo hall and eventually spread to the bar. “Even after all the fires were out, we were still there,” Bush said.She said that they held a meeting Wednesday to discuss what could and could not be salvaged. “It was very upbeat,” Bush said. “We had already set up a little bar for members to buy beers.” The Bloomington AMVETS organization is discussing rebuilding the bingo hall, which was only damaged. The bar where Bush sat when the fire first started was destroyed.Though the fire destroyed the smaller building with the car and heavily damaged the larger bingo hall, the smoking area was untouched and everyone escaped without injury.“We will come back bigger and stronger,” Bush said.
(07/18/13 12:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The ribbon has been cut and the playground is officially open.Tuesday, July 16, Mayor Mark Kruzan along with Parks and Recreation Department Director Mick Renneisen organized a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially open a new playground at RCA Community Park.“A month ago, when we started planning this ceremony, we wondered if we would ever finish this ceremony because it was raining literally all the time,” Renneisen said at the beginning of the ceremony. “A year ago, we wondered if it would ever rain again. Fortunately today, we have a beautiful day.”People gathered around and some parents and children left “Messy Mania”, a children event organized to help promote the opening of the park, in order to listen to Renneisen speak about the park. The park was dedicated to Bloomington in 1993. Also, in 1993 Dave Williams began his career at the Parks and Recreations Department and his first project was RCA Community Park. He helped build the first playground that the park ever received.“This has come full circle, 20 years later, a new playground and Dave was the instigator of that,” Renneisen said.Parks aren’t built by one person alone though. Mayor Kruzan explained this to the spectators by describing the “four community c’s.” The first one was “commerce.” The park was originally dedicated by Thompson, one of the largest employeers of the Bloomington community, and was renamed RCA Community Park in 2009. The mayor explained that without commerce things like the park would not be possible.He also thanked the Community Development Block Grant Program administered by the Housing and Neighborhood Development Program and the City Council for funding it.The second was “collaboration,” in which he thanked all the various organizations for coming together to make the park possible. Also, by thanking those who helped build the park, putting in hard labor and time, the operation staff.Third was “condition,” in which he spoke of Renneisen’s comments prior about making the community happy and healthy by providing 40 parks and more than 45 miles of trails to use in Bloomington at people’s leisure.Finally, “character.” “The identity of the community is really well reflected by the strength of it’s park systems,” Mayor Kruzan said.Renneisen and Mayor Kruzan have opened many parks together in the 10 years that the mayor was elected. At each opening ceremony, Renneisen plans something special for the mayor.In previous park openings, the mayor had to slide down a slide, climb a rock wall, and ride a two person bike with Renneisen.This year brought a new task.“Inside of all of us is a kid at heart,” he said. “That why the mayor will have to climb threw a worm hole to get to the ribbon cutting.”The mayor successfully followed through, and together Renneisen, Kruzan, and some children from the community cut the big red ribbon with an oversized pair of scissors. “We build playgrounds because we like kids and we know kids like to play so playgrounds are a big part of what your Parks and Recreation Department provides,” Renneisen said.
(07/18/13 12:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Kids got messy Tuesday at RCA Community Park as they experimented with different types of art media at “Messy Mania” organized by the City of Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department.Children ages 1-8 participated in this event with delight as they squished, splattered and flung glue, glitter and paint around outside.“I love watching kids have fun and do things they don’t get to do very often, and I am very excited.” said Lynsie Haag, Bloomington Parks and Recreation’s “Messy Mania” organizer.Three blue canopy tents were set up by Bloomington Parks and Recreation to facilitate the various activities for kids to enjoy. “We started coming to this event when my daughter was 2 years old,” Stacy Burce said. “The only difference this year is they changed the location.”Last year the location was at Reverend Butler Park, but was moved this year to coordinate with the grand opening of the RCA Community Park playground, Haag said.Various activities were organized for the kids to explore 9 a.m to noon. The first activity was cape making.A wide range of art media were provided at this station including glitter, glue, stickers, markers and fuzzy balls the kids could line their capes with. Erin Baer said her 18-month-old son, Kai, was looking forward to the festivities.“He was so excited this morning,” Baer said. “He kept chanting ‘kids, kids, kids.’ Now that we are here, he seems excited to watch other kids and draw whatever he wants on his cape.”The next activity involved ‘moon sand,’ a substance similar to Play-Doh.“It’s not as thick as Play-Doh,” Haag said. “They call it moon sand because it’s mushy so it’s messy.”This out-of-this-world version of Play-Doh, made entirely from household products such as flour and baby oil with a small amount of watercolor added, was a hit. Kids could take it home after they made their own. The next two stations allowed kids to explore paint. Combined with getting their faces painted, they could also create their own masterpieces by blow painting. This involved dropping a few colors of paint on a piece of paper and blowing it around with a straw. The most popular station this year, as it had been in the past, was the shaving cream station. Being the messiest activity of the day seemed to inevitably make it the most popular.Bloomington Parks and Recreation workers added watercolors to shaving cream and watched kids throw it around. Thirteen-month-old Keen De Los Santo sat with his mother, Lura Forcum, and flung shaving cream all over them both. Forcum said, “I read about this online at the listing of city summer events and I thought it would be a fun thing for him to do.”It was their first activity of the day.“The other moms knew not to start with the messiest activity, but we decided to dive right in,” Forcum said.The final station was bubble painting. A bubble solution was formulated consisting of water, soap and sugar with watercolor added in to create a rainbow effect. Kids blew bubbles onto sheets of paper hung across something that resembled a clothes line to create a colorful backdrop. One additional station was provided, but it wasn’t as fun as the others.“We also have a clean-up station,” Haag said. “Soap, water and paper towels are available for kids and parents to clean up with.” With the grand opening of the RCA Community Park taking place at the same time as “Messy Mania”, roughly 100 kids were expected to participate.
(07/14/13 11:34pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Music can be heard each Friday night until the end of July at The Waldron, Hill and Buskirk Park also known as the Third Street Park.On July 12, the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, which features the Summer Performing Arts Series, organized Fridays at Third Street Park Concerts. This week’s concert featured White Lightning Boys as well as Carrie Newcomer and Gary Walters.This recurring Friday concert series offers the Bloomington community numerous opportunities to experience the talent of its local artists and these outdoor performances in various venues throughout the city are free.“The Bloomington performing arts series is a wonderful community treasure,” Newcomer said. “I play all over the country and all over the world, but I love this show.”Newcomer, a Bloomington resident, performs acoustic contemporary folk music that explores the intersection of the spiritual and the daily as well as the sacred and the ordinary, according to her website.In an interview, Newcomer said she felt like she had always been performing throughout her life, but she really got started when she was a teenager. She began touring nationally in 1990.Newcomer appears to have no performance boundaries and travels the world performing in concert halls, acoustic clubs, colleges, churches, synagogues and convents.On stage Friday night, she talked about her time in India, discussing spirituality, friendship and the people. While she was there she released of her 15th album entitled “Everything is Everywhere,” a collaboration with master of the Indian classical sarod, Amjad Ali Khan. The album was released as a benefit album for the Interfaith Hunger Initiative, which is dedicated to providing for those most vulnerable in communities. Newcomer said this on her website about the album, “In a time when we are encouraged to fear difference or diversity Everything is Everywhere was created as an alternative to fear and an affirmation of creative and compassionate engagement.” Though Newcomer has traveled the world and seen many things, her roots showed through Friday before performing the song “Geodes,” which references Indiana’s natural phenomenon of minerals rich in color trapped between rocks.“Everyone has geodes or at least knows someone who has them on their porch or in their garden,” Newcomer said. “Geodes are Indiana’s bling.” The crowd laughed.Before the end of her set, Newcomer and her keyboardist, Gary Walters, welcomed the White Lightning Boys back on stage to perform together.“We live in very divisive times and creating these spaces where people can come together and create together with music, it shows what we really value. And it’s really an amazing thing,” said Newcomer.As Newcomer and Walters performed, children could be seen playing on the playground at The Waldron, Hill and Buskirk Park constructed in 2011. One audience member, Tina Graves, sat by the fountain as her husband and two kids, a son and a daughter, played nearby. Graves said she and her family enjoy these types of events. She said they are not always focused on the music, but that it’s something for her family to do. “It’s great to be outdoors and for the kids to play,” said Graves.Newcomer said she enjoys playing free events for the community. She even joked about how the Bloomington Park and Recreation Department is saving the world.“Everything that happens in life that brings us together, as people and as a community, is hard not to support,” Newcomer said.
(07/10/13 11:20pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Roughly 90 percent of Americans consume too much sodium and this could lead to high blood pressure, heart disease or stroke. The Monroe County Health Department has received a $20,000 federal grant from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to focus on sodium reduction in the community.The local health department along with their other grant partners, IU Health Bloomington, Ivy Tech and BIRA organized a free tasting workshop Wednesday at KRC Catering, which aimed to educate local chefs and residents about how they could sustain their health one bite at a time.“Heart disease is the leading cause of death in Indiana, killing over 13,000 residents each year,” said Christina Stigger, sodium reduction coordinator for the initiative. “Typically, heart disease is preventable if people incorporate healthy eating, exercise, and stress reduction habits into their daily routines.”Monroe County Health Department invited local chefs as well as restaurant owners to join the interactive tasting workshop run by Chef Jeff Taber, hospitality program chair at Ivy Tech Community College and an IU Health Bloomington registered dietitian.Chef Taber opened the workshop by explaining to the participants that this subject matter is relevant because he suffered a stroke in 2010 and was placed on a low-sodium — 1,000-milligram — diet, as required by his doctor.The workshop helped teach practical ways to decrease sodium levels in recipes without losing the flavor and keeping one’s own health in mind.“There isn’t a 100-percent replacement for salt, but there are things we can do to counteract it in foods,” Chef Taber said. Things to substitute for good flavor and low sodium include sauce reductions, citrus juice, raw garlic at the end, herbs, homemade spice blends, curries, Jamaican jerk and Cajun seasonings. Use fresh beans, not canned. Use the freshest in-season vegetables and use principles in vegetarian cooking like Umami, which means “the other taste” or a meaty flavor without meat.After Chef Tabers helpful tips, the participants sampled foods from vendors of US Foods, Metro Deli and John Morrell Food Service. Things such as low-sodium cold cut meats, hot dogs, sauces, fries and broths were provided.Real life examples and the implications of living a high-sodium-filled life, played a big role in promoting the low-sodium workshop.“I, too, am on a low-sodium diet due to stroke and other heart conditions,” said Mike Przytulski, COP Specialist for US Foods. “The more you can try to move salt, the better. I weigh 30-percent less today and because of that I can watch my kids grow up.”According to the American Heart Association, one out of three American adults has high blood pressure. “Research shows that everyone should lower their sodium intake, not just those with high blood pressure,” Stigger said. Thirty-nine percent of adults within the Bloomington region have high blood pressure, which can lead to heart disease and stroke. High blood pressure also puts stress on the kidneys.Stigger said she noticed some hesitation by local restaurants when she visited and spoke with the chefs and cooks prior to the event.“It is easy to say ‘no’ because no means staying the same wand not changing. Whereas yes opens the door for the possibility to change,” she said. “I feel like once you explain things and provide examples to people, they become more at ease.”
(07/10/13 4:30pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A 19-year-old male who went missing around 8 p.m. July 8 returned July 10, Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Joe Crider said.Officers responded to a call in reference to a welfare check of a 19-year-old male who left a suicide note, his car keys and his wallet at his sister’s residence before leaving on foot.Officers attempted to locate the male after obtaining his physical and clothing descriptions, but were unable to do so July 8.Police became aware July 10 that the missing male was at IU Health Bloomington with family. Crider said officers were sent to the hospital to interview him.
(07/08/13 12:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Even though Indiana was not directly affected by The Supreme Court of the United State’s ruling to shoot down the Defense of Marriage Act and dismiss Proposition 8, it is still considered monumental and controversial.On June 26, in a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court decided both were unconstitutional according to the U.S. government. Indiana Governor Mike Pence issued a response disagreeing with the decisions in the two court cases, U.S. v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry. “I believe marriage is the union between a man and a woman and is a unique institution worth defending in our state and nation,” Pence said in a press release. “For thousands of years, marriage has served as the glue that holds families and societies together and so it should ever be.”While Pence expressed disappointment in the Supreme Court’s decision, others praised the court for their decisions to shoot down DOMA allowing same-sex couples to be recognized by the federal government as married.Spc. Samantha McCartney and her partner Sgt. Jennifer Brown, both of the Army Reserves, were affected by DOMA and McCartney wrote a letter to Pence in response to his statement.“Gov. Pence, your recent proclamation in support of a state constitutional amendment to exclude the LGBT community from receiving the same benefits as the heterosexual community is appalling and infuriating,” McCartney, an Indiana resident and a United States veteran, wrote in her letter. “Same-sex marriage does not negatively affect your family in any way. If it does, your family bonds are weak. DOMA impacted my family personally and financially.”By the Supreme Court shooting down DOMA it allows same-sex couples to be eligible for more than 1,100 federal benefits, rights, protections and responsibilities in states where same-sex marriage is already legal. These benefits are already afforded to legally married heterosexual couples. Pence praised the Supreme Court for allowing each state the sovereignty to define and administer marriage as they see fit. “Now that the Supreme Court has had its say on the federal government’s role in defining marriage, the people of Indiana should have their say about how marriage is understood and defined in our state,” Pence said in the press release.Though the rulings did not impact the legal protections or recognition for same-sex couples in Indiana, the state will be able to vote in 2014 on House Joint Resolution 6, a proposal to change the Indiana Constitution.“I look forward to supporting efforts by members of the Indiana General Assembly to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot for voter consideration next year,” Pence said.If enacted, this would change the Indiana state constitution to include language that says marriage in Indiana shall only be valid or recognized between one man and one woman.Through DOMA and the illegality of same-sex marriage in Indiana, McCartney and Brown were unable to use their benefits awarded to them by the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs when they purchased their first home together. These benefits usually decrease the interest of a home loan, forego primary mortgage insurance and do not require a down payment on the home. “By using the VA loan, we could have saved approximately $30,000 over the life of the loan,” McCartney wrote. For two non-married people to co-sign a home loan, both have to be VA loan eligible. Both McCartney and Brown are indeed eligible, but there is an extra review process for loans with two unmarried people on it.“A lot of mortgage companies won’t touch VA loans with two unmarried people because the process can take a long time,” she said. “We decided not to use the VA loan because we had a problem finding a mortgage officer who would be willing to deal with the process that a VA loan takes with two unmarried people.” There is also the inheritance tax to consider. McCartney said both her and Brown’s names are on a conventional loan for protection because the inheritance tax rate is approximately double for non-married couples. McCartney wrote in her letter that it is a slap in the face, as veterans, that her and her partner were unable to simultaneously use the benefits and have both of their names on the loan.She ended her letter by reassuring Gov. Pence his family is protected, but her own is still being discriminated against. “Marriage equality will not destroy families,” she wrote. “Instead, it will include all families. While you have the comfort of knowing that your family is protected, the LGBT community and its allies will have to fight every step of the way. The denigration of the LGBT community has to stop.”In Pence’s statement, he said he is confident Hoosiers will reaffirm their commitment to traditional marriage and will consider this important question with civility and respect for the values and dignity of all of the people of Indiana.McCartney disagreed, signing her letter, “A Marginalized Lesbian Veteran Hoosier, Samantha McCartney.”
(07/07/13 11:07pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As if being in college is not hectic enough, try adding a pet to the mix.While away at college, many students find comfort in owning a pet, but for some, the commitment to their animals only lasts as long as the school year.According to The Humane Society of the United States website, “Animal shelters located near colleges find that students may abandon pets when the animal is no longer convenient. End-of-semester dumping of animals is a sad reality.” Kirsten Theisen, director of pet care issues for The Humane Society of the United States, said that if students really want to have pets around, there are other options.“Instead, we recommend that students get involved with their local shelter as a volunteer, intern, or summer employee,” Theisen said. “This allows you to spend hours with all the animals looking for permanent homes, and help those animals become more adoptable.” Pets require more than just food and water every day.“The MCHA would definitely advocate for anyone thinking of getting a pet that it is a lifelong commitment and that animals are costly,” Sarah Hayes, CEO of Monroe County Humane Association, said. “They are an on-going cost as well, and that’s something to keep in mind.”Pets also require a similar schedule every day and are affected by changing owners frequently.“The changing of hands, going from one person to another to another, does affect the animal," Director of the City of Bloomington Animal Shelter, Laurie Ringquist said. "That animal bonds with a person and gets used to their routine and schedules and it gets disrupted when they have to go through it again with a whole new person.” Things such as behavioral problems, litter box problems and potty training problems can result in changing owners due to a lack of consistency in teaching manners and behaviors.Though Ringquist attributes end-of-the semester drop-offs to many different factors and not just students, she does advise them to think about the commitment an animal brings to student’s lives.“At the top of the list is making a life-long commitment,” Ringquist said. “If they want to adopt a puppy, they might have that dog for the next 15 years through graduating college, through moving to a new city and getting a new job, through maybe even getting married and having kids. So we do talk to students about thinking ahead and the commitment.” Pets require a lot of time, money and commitment. These are often things most college students do not have a lot of because they face many other obligations such as school, work and their social lives.The City of Bloomington Animal Shelter has a process that each applicant must go through in order to adopt a pet.First, they must fill out an adoption application that requires them to answer questions about previous experience with animals, what the owners expectations are, what particular kind of pet the owner is looking for, landlord information as well as veterinarian information to make sure all other animals in the household are being taken care of properly.After this, adoption applicants must meet with an adoption councilor. “Often times, for college students, when someone is wanting to adopt a puppy or a dog, we require all of the roommates to come in and meet the dog first and also speak with the council to make sure all of the roommates are on board,” Ringquist said.Also, all applicants must have landlord approval. The City of Bloomington Animal Shelter is required to call the landlord and make sure pets are allowed there as well as ask questions about deposit fees or monthly fees to discuss in the adoption counseling session.“Once we are through that process then a manager has to approve the application,” Ringquist said. “Someone can’t just walk in and say I want that dog and walk out with it.” She also asks students to consider a wide range of things before adopting an animal. “We talk to students about moving and landlords, monitary commitment, time management, roommates and allergies, vacations, and the long-term time commitment,” Ringquist said.She advises students to think about their living arrangements and whether or not they are pet-friendly as well as veterinarian bills for shots, illness, or injury. Also, with school and possibly a job, will you pet receive enough attention and will they be given the proper care.“Animals are a lot of work,” Ringquist said. “They can be very rewarding and add a lot to someone’s life, but for students who already have very busy schedules and lots of commitments we ask them to really consider all of these things before they add an animal to the home.”Ringquist offers this instead of taking on the full commitment.“Students should know that we have a very active volunteer program and foster program so they might be able to fulfill that need of being around animals by volunteering at a shelter instead of taking on the life-long commitment of a pet.”For information regarding volunteering at the animal shelter or fostering animals, visit the City of Bloomington website at www.bloomington.in.gov.
(07/01/13 12:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As Bloomington residents prepare for their July Fourth activities, the traditional fireworks display will not be taking place at the Monroe County Fairgrounds this year.In prior years, it had taken place near the IU athletic stadiums instead of the fairgrounds, but this year it will not take place at all.The high cost and lack of funding were cited as the main reasons for not organizing a fireworks display this year. AMVETS sponsored the fireworks display until 2011 when PyroSmith Pyrotechnics took over for the 2012 show.Neither the city nor these other private organizations could fund the fireworks display this year, but there will be other events and displays in the Bloomington area for people to enjoy this year — either on, before or after July 4.SOUTHSIDE CHRISTIAN CHURCHFree celebration and fireworks show July 3 at the church at 500 E. Empire Mill Road. The celebration will begin at 6 p.m. with live music from local bands, games and free hot dog sand as sloppy joes. The fireworks will begin around 9:45 p.m.EASTERN VOLUNTEER FIRE DEPARTMENTThere will be a free fireworks display at 10 p.m. July 3 at the Eastern Fire Station in Solsberry, Ind., and festivities include live music, face painting and food for sale.BROWN COUNTYThe Brown County Lions Club will have a free fireworks show at 9:45 p.m. July 4 at Brown County High School. People can sit in the football stands and enjoy the show. Donations will be accepted.ELLETTSVILLE FIRE DEPARTMENTThe Ellettsville, Ind., Fire Department will sponsor a fireworks display at dark July 4 at the Edgewood High School football field. This event is free, but people are asked to make donations.BLOOMINGTON JULY FOURTH PARADEThough there will not be an annual fireworks display this year because of high costs, the Bloomington July Fourth Parade will still take place. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. on July 4 and parade awards will be handed out at 11:15 a.m. immediately following the parade. Also, Bloomington Community Band will play at 9 a.m. on the courthouse lawn.FAIRFAX STATE RECREATION AREAThe Four Winds Resort and Marina will put on its annual fireworks display July 6 at dusk. Attendees are asked to arrive early. JOHNNY JUNXIONThere will be a fireworks show at 10:15 p.m. July 6 in a large field behind the Johnny Junxion’s BP Gas Station in Judah, north of Bedford, Ind. Attendees are asked to bring lawn chairs and blankets. The fireworks will be preceded with several live bands from 8:45 p.m. until the start of the fireworks.
(06/30/13 10:15pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With some of the hottest months coming our way, it is important to stay safe in the heat this summer and on July Fourth. When temperatures reach 90 degrees Fahrenheit or higher, overexposure to the heat can be hazardous. People suffer heat-related illness when the body’s ability to control its temperature is overloaded. Your body normally cools itself by sweating, but sometimes this isn’t enough and a person’s body temperature rises quickly, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Humid conditions, frequently experienced in Indiana, can add to the discomfort and danger of high temperatures.“When humidity is high, sweat cannot evaporate as quickly. This prevents the body from rapidly releasing heat,” Center for Disease Control and Prevention-INFO said. Other factors that affect the body’s ability to cool itself during extremely hot weather include: old age, youth up to 4 years old, obesity, fever, dehydration, heart disease, mental illness, poor circulation, sunburn, prescription drug use and alcohol use, Carrie Lawrence, health educator for IU Student Health Center of Health and Wellness, said in an email.“Be aware that alcohol is a diuretic — meaning that it promotes dehydration — and interferes with your body’s ability to regulate its own temperature, thus a higher risk for passing out,” Lawrence said.She added that the body loses fluids through the urination alcohol induces, and if fluids are not replaced in the body, dehydration can be life-threatening.“Alcohol can affect the central nervous system,” Lawrence said. “It impairs a person’s judgment, which can interfere with the ability to make smart choices. Impaired judgment causes a loss of inhibitions and may lead to dangerous behavior such as drinking and driving or not recognizing heat related illnesses.” Alcohol also influences balance and coordination and its effects are heightened by sun exposure and heat.The Indiana Department of Homeland Security provides several tips to stay safe in extreme heat.First, keep yourself hydrated and nourished. Drink fluids regularly, regardless of your activity level and avoid sugary, caffeinated and alcoholic beverages as they will dehydrate you faster. Despite the heat lessening your appetite, eat smaller meals more frequently because your body needs proper nutrition to function properly. Second, take time to cool off. If possible, spend time indoors in an air-conditioned building. Even a few hours spent in the air conditioning can help your body stay cooler when you go back into the heat.Third, never leave animals, children or the elderly inside a vehicle. Even if you will be only gone a few minutes and all the windows are down, it is extremely dangerous to leave a person or animal inside a vehicle during extreme heat temperatures.Lawrence also offers these tips to stay safe in the heat.Wear lightweight, light-colored and loose-fitting clothing, limit your outdoor activities to morning and evening hours, spend time resting in shaded areas or cool indoor places, protect yourself from the sun by wearing a wide-brimmed hat as well as sunglasses and finally, make sure to apply and reapply sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher.The CDC-INFO email said, some signs of heat exhaustion are feeling faint or dizzy, nausea, heavy sweating, rapid and weak heartbeat, moist and pale skin, headache and feeling fatigue. If you or your holiday guests suspect heat exhaustion, get out of the sun and into a shaded area immediately, lay down and elevate the legs and feet slightly, loosen or remove clothing, slowly drink cool water or other nonalcoholic beverages without caffeine, cool down by spraying or sponging yourself with cool water or fanning and monitor the person or self carefully.Be cautious. Heat exhaustion can quickly become heatstroke. Call 911 or emergency medical help if the person’s condition deteriorates, especially if fainting, confusion or seizures occur, or if fever of 104 F or greater occurs with other symptoms. For more information on extreme heat, please visit CDC website at www.bt.cdc.gov/disasters/extremeheat/faq.asp.
(06/27/13 12:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Supreme Court of the United States issued its historic ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Proposition 8 cases on Wednesday regarding same-sex marriages.The Supreme Court ruled section 3 of DOMA was unconstitutional Wednesday morning because the act violates the Fifth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, stating DOMA is a violation of the “equal protection” clause.In the Proposition 8 case, the court ruled that the plaintiffs in the appeal of the lower court’s decision had no standing. The lower court’s ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional remains in place, and marriage for same-sex couples is once again legal in California.In response to this, FairTalk, a grassroots organization working to achieve full marriage equality for same-sex couples in Indiana, held a rally at Rachael’s Café in Bloomington to discuss the outcomes of both DOMA and Proposition 8.“We are taking steps towards equality in these two rulings,” President and founder of FairTalk Jean Capler said. “But also, we need to remind everyone that we have a lot of work to do across the nation and in Indiana particularly.”Same-sex couples who are legally married will be recognized by the federal government as married and are therefore eligible for more than 1,100 federal benefits, rights, protections and responsibilities already afforded to legally married heterosexual couples.Same-sex couples will also be able to marry in the state of California again, bringing the number of states that allow marriage equality to 13 in addition to the District of Columbia. “The fight continues and the work goes on, but it’s certainly a day worthy of celebration,” said Doug Bauder, office coordinator for the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services Office. The fight and struggle Bauder and Capler referred to was House Joint Resolution 6 (HJR6) in Indiana.“For same-sex couples living in all of the rest of the states that prohibit marriage for them or any legal recognition, like Indiana, the rulings today don’t affect them,” Capler said.There is no impact on the legal protections or recognition for same-sex couples in Indiana and HJR6 is a proposal for the Indiana Constitution that says marriage in Indiana shall only be valid or recognized between one man and one woman. “If enacted, this would change the Indiana state constitution to include exclusive language and that means same-sex couples could never get married in Indiana unless we went through another lengthy, multi-year process to change it back,” Capler said.At the rally, near 60 attendees listened as Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan spoke along with Rabbi Brian Besser and Doug Bauder as well as Reverend Jack Stiles to discuss Indiana’s future.Kruzan opened by saying equality was alive and well in the U.S., though not fully.“We need to make sure that not just in Bloomington, Indiana, but throughout the state of Indiana the message is clear that this is truly not one nation till all people are equal,” Kruzan said in reference to HJR6 and the continuous struggles same-sex couples see in legislative debate.Although the DOMA and Proposition 8 rulings did not legally affect Indiana Wednesday, many who support same-sex marriages said they saw the day’s announcement as a significant step forward.“It is meaningful that the federal government now recognizes the legal legitimacy of marriages of same-sex couples,” Capler said. “But we still have so much work to do.”
(06/27/13 12:23am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington Deputy Mayor Maria Heslin announced earlier this month she is leaving her city government position in the fall to return to the private sector.Heslin was sworn in as the City’s first female deputy mayor by Mayor Mark Kruzan in January of 2008 and served as the city communications director for three years prior.Before joining the City of Bloomington government in 2005, Heslin owned and operated her own marketing and communication firm in downtown Bloomington. Heslin said she intends to launch her own company focusing on helping businesses and individuals advance their enterprises through strategic communications, business education and material development. “Her new business will focus on proofreading and editing content for small businesses, specifically for business websites and public relations campaigns,” Kruzan said in an email. Kruzan explained that Heslin’s father, Thomas Heslin, was an award-winning IU Kelley School faculty member, and that the two of them developed a website, gps-to-success.us, to assist businesspeople in learning business basics.Heslin expressed her excitement in a press release about her upcoming future.“Leaving the City to launch my own business was not an easy decision to make because being deputy mayor of the world’s greatest college town is an honor and a fantastic job,” Heslin said. “However, I am eager to tackle new challenges and apply the best of the public sector to the world of business.”Heslin will be doing more than just starting her own business though. This fall, Heslin will be an adjunct instructor at the IU School of Journalism teaching nonprofit public relations.Before joining the City, Maria earned her B.A. and two Master’s degrees from Indiana University in Journalism and Arts Administration.“I am forever grateful to Mark for the opportunities he (Kruzan) has provided me, the support he has shown me and the belief he has demonstrated in my abilities throughout the years,” Heslin said in the press release.“Maria has been a terrific colleague and friend, and she’s been a crucial part of our administration’s efforts,” Kruzan said. He also described the main qualifications of the Deputy Mayor post are to have the trust and confidence of the mayor, which he said Heslin completely earned. He cited Heslin’s main accomplishments as being the modernization of the city government, leadership of the Innovation Team and authorship of the city’s Strategic Plan. Kruzan also noted her role in helping to establish BEAD, naming and designing the logo for the B-Line Trail, launching the Be Active wellness initiative and increasing the Animal Shelter’s adoption program visibility. When asked about her replacement, Kruzan said the position is hers until she leaves, and he doesn’t plan on having any conversations about the post until then. Kruzan said though that in recent months he has asked the City departments to leave job vacancies open longer than usual to save the taxpayers money. He said they will most likely leave this position open for awhile in order to do the same.“Maria has done a tremendous amount not only for the city government but for the city as a whole,” Kruzan said. “Our loss is the private sector’s gain as her new business clients will have an expert editor, strategist and marketing professional on their team.—Samantha Felix
(06/23/13 11:08pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As sunshine turned into a rainy downpour Saturday afternoon, many Taste of Bloomington festival goers ran to tents and booths, huddling to stay dry.Ankle-deep flooding was seen at Gate 1, located at the corner of Seventh and Morton streets, where volunteer gate workers confirmed the festival was to continue after the rains subsided.At 3:30 p.m., Taste of Bloomington gate workers said live music had been postponed until 4 p.m., but the rain steadily continued and the musical acts did not start until about 5 p.m. on the main stage at Eighth and Morton streets.At about 5:30 p.m., small batches of visitors to the 31st annual Taste of Bloomington began to filter into the Showers Commons at City Hall to sample the flavors of local vendors and restaurants.The IDS sent two reporters into the Taste of Bloomington to talk with four food vendors, getting their takes on this year’s rain-soaked festival atmosphere.GYPSY MOON NOSH WAGONA newcomer to town and the Taste of Bloomington, Gypsy Moon Nosh Wagon was located at the Showers North Lot during the festival.Gypsy Moon owner Jackie White said the festival was a lot more work than she is normally used to doing out of her food truck.“I cook in small batches,” she said. “I like doing small orders. And I like to be creative and do funky stuff.”Her food truck is named Gypsy Moon because of its wandering, creative nature.“I’ve been painting that moon for years and years,” she said. “And I’ve always thought of myself as a gypsy. And now, the truck moves around like a gypsy, too.”Gypsy Moon Nosh Wagon is just one of several street food vendors in town. White said she has been in talks with Mother Bear’s Pizza, Uel-Zing coffee and The Big Cheeze to try and form a street food coalition in Bloomington.“I’d like to start what I like to call a ‘cluster-truck,’” she said.The menu Saturday featured coconut curry pork tacos — the day’s best seller — alongside red chili chicken tacos and bacon-bleu cheese guacamole.“It’s hard work, but I love the food and all the restaurants,” White said. “And we’re doing pretty good despite the rain.”COACHES BAR & GRILLCoaches Bar & Grill, located at the corner of Sixth and College streets, offered up items from its regular menu in single-serve portions.On the menu at Coaches’ booth, located in the Showers Commons, were fried mushrooms, cheeseburger sliders and the restaurant’s original “Firecracker Shrimp” with lemon aioli dipping sauce.Coaches’ Executive Chef Willie Price said the menu this year was different from last year’s menu of chili cheese fries, buffalo wings and the restaurant’s signature Firecracker Shrimp.“We really try to change up the menu each year,” Price said. “We try to give people a taste of something different each year and steadily improve upon our food.”Coaches Bar & Grill, partly managed by the Hilton Garden Inn to which the restaurant is attached, was overseen on Saturday by Dale Benson, the hotel’s food and beverage manager.Benson said Coaches’ and neighboring vendors’ booths were without power a handful of times because of the heavy rains that preceded the festival that afternoon.Power was quickly restored to the booths in that area within minutes, but the rain did have a different effect on the booth’s performance that day.“Because of the rain, it seems like no one’s coming in and people are leaving,” Benson said. “It’s always more hectic when it rains.”Even though the weather had an impact on the booth’s customer flow, chef Price said the day’s best-selling item was the fried mushrooms, second to the Firecracker Shrimp.DATS ON GRANTDats on Grant, a cajun creole café, joined the festivities with its “Real Cajun, Real Fast” attitude as it served up three tasty dishes: chili cheese étouffée with crawfish, caramelized corn with black beans — a vegetarian option — and bourbon chicken. Ryan Stackhouse, a food and wine lover attending the Taste, recommended the chili cheese étouffée with crawfish.“It’s spicy and it’s delicious,” he said.According to Dats’ online menu, étouffée is a French word loosely meaning “to smother with kisses.” For this recommended dish, crawfish is smothered with fresh vegetables in a thick and rich creamy sauce blended with a mixture of Dats’ secret spices, and served over rice with French bread. If customers don’t like the sound of the étouffée they can always visit Dats at 211 S. Grant St. to try its sandwiches, stew, Creole, chili and jambalaya. Dats serves dishes such as these that have been loved in the bayou for generations at affordable prices.Its hours of operation include 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Saturday and noon to 6 p.m. Sunday. THE BIG CHEEZEThe Big Cheeze, a local food truck specializing in gourmet grilled cheese sandwiches, which debuted itself at the Taste of Bloomington last summer, attended again this year.The gourmet food truck served its best-selling homemade mac’n’cheese grilled cheese sandwich called the “Mac Daddy Grilled Cheese” and its popular “Momma Smacker” sandwich, as well as a newer sandwich called the “Fajita Grilled Cheese” served with a side of cilantro lime sour cream. “Last year the Taste was good for us, I mean it’s raining so it obviously slows things down this year,” Joe Morton, Big Cheeze co-owner with Chad Sutor, said. “But we normally try to target students mostly, so this is a good way to get our name out there to the locals during the summer months.” To try some of the truck’s other signature grilled cheese sandwiches, follow The Big Cheeze’s Twitter account @BigCheezeIN to find its late-night locations on Kirkwood Avenue or call (812) 322-5234.
(06/23/13 9:50pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>During the school year, more than 1 million Indiana children receive the benefit of the National School Lunch Program, a federal program that provides children living in a low-income family free or reduced lunch.The United States Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program ensures that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals even when school is not in session. “The Summer Food Service Program provides needed support in order for us to offer safe and nutritious meals during the summer months,” Agency Director for Catholic Charities in Terre Haute John C. Etling said in a press release. “Through this program we are able to supplement our children’s summer meals with much needed food items such as milk, vegetables and fresh fruit.” Feeding Indiana’s Hungry is the statewide association of Feeding America affiliated food banks. It has 11 member food banks that serve more than 1,700 agencies in all 92 counties, providing emergency food assistance to Hoosiers in need. This includes Bloomington’s own Hoosier Hills Food Bank. Julio Alonso, director of Hoosier Hills, said the food bank provides food to other non-profit agencies that have feeding programs, such as the Community Kitchen in Monroe County that directly serves children through their summer breakfast program.“It is possible that they are using a combination of food received from us, food received directly from their other donors and food they purchase specifically with the Department of Education funding in order to serve the children,” Alonso said in an email. The USDA program allows schools, parks and recreation departments and private non-profits, such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club, to provide meals and snacks in areas where 50 percent or more of children are eligible for free or school meals at a reduced price.These sites can also be located at low-income housing complexes, parks, churches and other places where children come together during the summer. Various community sites provide free meals and snacks to children younger than 18. For those cases, there are no enrollment requirements.Nationally, only one in seven children who receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year continue to receive meals during the summer months. “Feeding programs are vital to education,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz said in a press release. “Hungry kids cannot learn or retain knowledge effectively.”
(06/23/13 9:48pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As Bloomington residents gathered for the 33rd annual Arts Fair on June 22, kids gathered at one booth in particular to take part in the arts.Set in the downtown Square, the ArtSmart Kids booth offered mini art workshops throughout the day that gave children of all ages an opportunity to express themselves through sculpting and painting.Debra Gruell, founder and instructor for ArtSmart Kids, has been in business for just a few weeks.“I’ve been traveling around the country for the last 13 years, trying to be involved in as many organizations as possible to keep art in schools,” Gruell said. “I just got back a few weeks ago and started this program.”ArtSmart Kids is a fine-arts enrichment program that gives kids a chance to have fun as well as also develop serious art. Skills, technique, project visualization and completion are introduced while students are up to their elbows in hands-on lessons. Weekly classes explore many different media, art forms and cultures.Upcoming workshops include “Slugs, Bugs, & Beautiful Creatures”; “Wings & Things,” which explores the concept of ancient and mystical creatures in art; “Forest of Imagination”; “Flutter-Bys,” a workshop that covers any insect that flutters; and “Art on the Wild Side,” a class about threatened or endangered animals from the United States Wildlife Conservation Society.“We are offering another class on July 20 titled ‘Pop and Picasso,’ where we will be doing paper sculpting for so many weeks and then we will go on to pallet knife painting,” Gruell said. “It’s a lot of fun and it’s affordable.”Gruell has been teaching for nearly 18 years, and said she thought of the name “ArtSmart Kids” for the program while teaching. “The reason for the name is I truly believe that art is smart and I’m disappointed that through the years we keep taking art education away from the kids instead of giving it to them,” Gruell said.Gruell explained that by only charging $10 for every class and providing the supplies, she can get as many kids as possible involved.“There are a lot of wonderful artists around Bloomington, but my focus is on the kids and arts education,” Gruell said. ArtSmart Kids also offers adult workshops for creating and teaching art. This six-hour workshop shows adults how to set up and instruct their own fine arts program while sculpting, drawing and painting. Gruell also offers teacher in-service workshops to better instruct teachers on how to get art involved in the classroom. Juana Linares, who attended the Arts Fair with her three daughters, said she would like to try the classes as well.“This was a nice gift for my daughters because at first they did not want to do it, but once they started they were excited,” she said. For more information please contact debartsmartkids@msn.com or visit www.makemeartsmart.com.
(06/19/13 9:50pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The State of Indiana was presented with the prestigious Domont Award for the Enhancement of Jewish Life by the Jewish Federation June 19, in Indianapolis. “This is a great honor and I am pleased to accept it, along with the Honorable Clayton Graham, on behalf of the State of Indiana,” Executive Director of the Indiana Civil Rights Commission Jamal L. Smith said. “This program, and ones like it, is vital to ensure issues of human and civil rights are always remembered.”The award is for its 15th Annual Holocaust Day of Remembrance and Youth Summit program held on April 10, 2013.Brad Meadows, communications manager for the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, said, “This year we had seven schools and over 300 students participated.”The 15th Annual Holocaust Day of Remembrance program was entitled “Honoring the Rescuers.” The program examined those individuals who risked their lives in order to save the lives of Jews living in Nazi Germany.“I have worked with the Indiana Civil Rights Commission on developing educationally sound programming that provides students with more than just a passive experience,” said Miles Roger, assistant director of the Bureau of Jewish Education. The bureau, dedicated to promoting life-long Jewish education, has been involved with the State of Indiana Holocaust Remembrance for the past three years developing these programs.The Youth Summit is a part of the Holocaust Day of Remembrance, where students from across the state took part in interactive learning sessions.Afterwards, students proceeded to the Indiana Statehouse for the Holocaust Observance ceremony, which included remarks from Gov. Mike Pence and a special presentation from the Hasten Hebrew Academy. The students from Hasten Hebrew Academy shared stories about their relatives who lived during the Holocaust.“We were pleased to invite students from the Hasten Hebrew Academy to participate in this year’s program,” Executive Director of the Jewish Community Relations Council Lindsey Mintz said. “Their personal connections and stories of relatives and loved ones who lived in the period of the Holocaust moved the entire audience.”The Holocaust Day of Remembrance is held annually during a larger national remembrance week.The program is organized by the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Indiana Holiday Commission, the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, the Bureau of Jewish Education and the Jewish Community Relations Council. For more information about Indiana’s Holocaust Day of Remembrance visit in.gov/mlkihc. “The collaboration between the Indiana Civil Rights Commission, Jewish Community Relations Council and Bureau of Jewish Education has truly enriched Jewish life in Central Indiana,” Rogers said.
(06/12/13 10:47pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Indiana Economic Development Corporation, in partnership with Elevate Ventures, is taking advantage of a core component of economic growth by launching the Indiana Diversity Fund.“We are convinced that this type of funding will increase economic development and growth in Indiana,” said Deborah Collins Stephens, entrepreneurial advisor for Elevate Ventures. “I feel privileged to be a part of this.” The Indiana Diversity Fund is a sub-program under the Indiana Angel Network Fund, an early-stage co-investment program for Indiana companies under the U.S. Department of Treasury’s State Small Business Credit Initiative. “The Diversity Fund will make an investment, but the Angel Fund can provide additional funding,” Stephens said.The fund is dedicated to supporting and investing in three specific audiences including innovative women, minority and veteran-owned businesses with high growth potential in Indiana. “Diversity strengthens our state,” Governor Mike Pence said in a press release. “As women, minority, and veteran-owned businesses grow, these firms will employ more people in our state. Diversity matters and leads to stronger communities and job creation.”Elevate Ventures is actively seeking partners locally, regionally and nationally. The initial total funding available is $1 million.The Indiana Diversity Fund targets Indiana businesses owned and managed by women, minorities and veterans, with average annual revenue of less than $3 million in their two most recent fiscal years.“The evidence is compelling,” Indiana Secretary of Commerce Victor Smith said. “Minority groups have a high propensity for starting up businesses. We look forward to providing much needed capital and assistance to high potential minority business targets, and to expanding this program once this initial pilot demonstrates success.”Different from minority-owned business certifications, the Indiana Diversity Fund seeks to catalyze private investment by providing co-investment dollars into such companies with clear and sustainable competitive advantages, scalable business models with achievable growth and exit potential and a likely trajectory of meaningful job creation. Stephens explained that they focus on women entrepreneurs because some Harvard research shows when women take positions in boardrooms and in senior level management positions, the firm is often more profitable. However, only 6 percent of venture capital in the whole country is getting into the hands of women.“This is a problem,” Stephens said. “There is a lot of convincing evidence that women leaders and women entrepreneurs make a difference in businesses.”Stephens said they are focusing on veterans because nearly 45 percent of returning veterans express an interest in being entrepreneurs. “We shouldn’t be shocked by this,” she said. “The military training they receive and the ideas that are drilled into them are the same traits we see in entrepreneurs including self-advocacy, taking strategic risks, analyzing failure and turning it around in their favor.”Stephens also explained that they look to minorities because of their immigrant spirit, the hardworking spirit that build this country. “We see a lot of potential in minority business owners,” Stephens said. The Indiana Diversity Fund is dedicated to helping and supporting these three groups by means of education, funding and expert resources.“We anticipate helping whoever applies,” Stephens said. “I am a mentor and a coach, I just want them to be successful and we are committed to helping them.”
(06/12/13 10:45pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In 2012, Henryville, Ind. was struck by an EF-4 tornado causing extensive damage to the community and killing at least three people. It was on the ground for more than 50 miles, destroying Henryville Elementary School and Henryville Jr./Sr. High School. Due in part to extensive training by first responders, such as the Emergency Management and Continuity team and others, the number of fatalities was far less than it could have been. On June 12, the city of Bloomington welcomed 250 airmen and soldiers with the Indiana National Guard’s premier disaster response team along with an assortment of civilian and military disaster response teams to conduct search and extraction training called United Front II, similar to the one used by the Henryville tornado’s first responders. “Every incident that we respond to, every exercise that we participate in makes us a better team and more capable to respond,” said Diane Mack, emergency management and continuity of IU director. The exercise that was practiced on Wednesday revolved around an EF 5 tornado with 200 mph winds striking the IU campus. This scenario, which is similar to the one that struck Joplin, Mo. in May 2011, is highly relevant to Indiana as over 50 EF 5 level tornadoes have struck Indiana since 1950. “We would hope and pray that something like this would never happen, but I think we all know as Americans that in our nation natural disasters are pretty prevalent,” said Major General R. Martin Umbarger, adjutant general for Indiana. This tornado exercise was used for more than natural disaster purposes, it was also used to simulate war scenarios with the arrival of the the Israel Home Front Command National Search and Rescue Unit.“The major U.S. threat is nature disaster, major Israel threat is war,” said Major General Eyal Eizenberg, commander of the Homeland Defense Force.He said that the scenario of collapsed buildings and the need of first responders is a similar concept to that of the U.S.’ natural disasters. “We have something to learn and something to teach,” he said.The goal of the exercise is to share valuable search and extraction tactics, techniques and procedures among the different organizations including: National Guard Bureau, Indiana National Guard, Indiana Task Force One, Indiana State Police, Bloomington Fire Department, United States Marine Corps, Chemical Biological Incident Response Force and ZAK’A, an international humanitarian organization. “In the Guard, we often times say we are always ready and always there, one of the ways we have to accomplish that though is realistic training and challenging exercises,” said Major General Gerald Ketchum, director of Domestic Operations and Force Development with the National Guard Bureau. With the help of three Israeli engineers, the Indiana National Guard was able to prepare site preparation and staging at the defunct post office in downtown Bloomington, IU Wrubel Computing Center and Phi Kappa Psi fraternity house. The training consisted of collapsing the buildings, stabilizing the collapsed structures, placing the mannequin, cutting steel, breaching and breaking walls and concrete, lifting and hauling rubble, marking hazards and retrieving “victims” or mannequins.“The skills and knowledge that we have gained in that last 24 hours or even the last months as we have planned this would allow us to respond to this in a united front,” said Bloomington Fire Department, Chief Roger Kerr. As crews used ladders that against the rubble to extract “victims,” individual skills came together collectively to train and learn as a solitary unit.Thomas Morrison, vice president for capital planning and facilities for IU, said that the event was about learning and education. “In the long run, this will benefit not only IU and the local community, but the state, the nation and certainly around the world.”
(06/11/13 4:27pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>At approximately 3:30 p.m. Monday, a 22-year-old female reported being robbed on the B-Line Trail, Bloomington Police Department Sgt. Joe Crider said.The female was reportedly walking on the B-Line Trail near Second and Morton streets when she was approached by a white male. The man allegedly stood in front of her, blocking her way, and demanded money from her, according to the police report.Police said that the victim reported that the man grabbed her and shook her violently. The victim handed the man an undisclosed amount of cash and walked to South Rogers Street to call the police, Crider said. She described the perpetrator as a white male, having a thin build with long white hair in a ponytail, as well as a long beard described as bushy, and wearing a camo shirt and blue jeans. The person the victim described was characterized as homeless, Crider said.Anyone with information on the case is being asked to contact detectives at 812-349-3318. — Samantha Felix