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(03/02/14 10:58pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Fraternity hockey teams faced off and local Hoosiers learned to ice skate at the third annual Dropping the Puck on Cancer event Saturday afternoon at Frank Southern Ice Arena.Sponsored by Collegiate Charities, this year’s event featured additional sponsorships from the Bloomington Blades Hockey Association and the Foundation for Monroe County Community Schools.Local attorney Carl Lamb, president of the board of directors and CEO of Collegiate Charities, said the event has grown in popularity every year, especially from the support of the IU campus.“This is the first year we’ve actually reached out to the local community,” Lamb said. “I really see this as something eventually going to monumental proportions.”In the event’s first year, Lamb said it took 60 hours for tickets to sell out for the fraternity hockey games. This year, tickets sold out in an hour and a half. Kappa Sigma and Delta Tau Delta hockey teams competed Friday night, while Sigma Chi and Beta Theta Pi competed Saturday. Ticket sales from each game will make up a majority of the funds donated to help aid cancer research, Lamb said. Money from the event will also be used to provide youth fitness and wellness initiatives to local community and schools.To add more variety this year, the event offered ice skating lessons and entertainment consisting of figure skaters, ice dancers and speed skaters.In addition, IU alumna Kayla Wood from the Discovery Channel’s reality television show “Porter Ridge” performed at this year’s event.Although the event is only sponsored locally, Lamb said he has plans to reach out to the Big Ten Conference in order to increase fundraising totals. Last year, the event raised up to $25,000, and Lamb said he is hopeful this year’s fundraising total will be even more.After another successful year, Lamb said he is hopeful the event will have more national sponsors in the years to come, including reaching out to the National Hockey League.Lamb said he has already talked with representatives from the University of Minnesota to spread awareness about the event.“This is a very special event, because you don’t see as much hockey in Bloomington, since Indiana is a basketball state,” Lamb said.Kathleen Oliver, president of the Bloomington Blades Hockey Association Board, said this year’s event was a great opportunity to involve more community outreach.“We think it’s important for kids to stay in shape and thought this event would be a great idea to fundraise for,” Oliver said.Besides ticket sales, the event also raised money through auctions and raffles, which Oliver said included gift cards and an autographed IU hockey jersey.Oliver said the event also featured Bloomington High School South student athlete Cameron Bland, who currently is battling kidney cancer. Bland is an inspiration to others and served as a good representation of what Dropping the Puck on Cancer is all about, Oliver said.“Cancer is everywhere around us and everybody to some degree, I believe, has been affected by it,” Lamb said. “And while we never may beat the cause, that doesn’t mean we can’t try and spread the awareness. I am very pleased from the amount of student support this year.”
(02/18/14 5:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Richard Darling likes to think of his home in Matlock Heights as a unique little neighborhood. Surrounded on both sides by the State Road 45 46 Bypass and North Walnut Street, Matlock is home to about 80 properties, all built within a short time after World War II, Darling said.On Wednesday, the Bloomington City Council will vote on an ordinance to create the Matlock Heights Conservation District, according to a council legislative packet. Richard Darling and his wife, Carol Darling, have been working for a few years to get Matlock Heights established as a conservation district. In November 2011 Darling submitted 45 letters signed by 56 property owners in support of the district, said Nancy Hiestand, program manager for Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development. “We think this nice, quiet, little neighborhood we live in is something that is worth preserving,” Darling said. “And what becoming a conservation district would do would be to stop people from tearing down a house, moving a house, or building something that’s totally out of character with something that’s already here, which is just a method of preserving what we are.”The legislation was introduced Feb. 5.A preliminary vote was held to gauge community support, passing 5-3.After the creation of a neighborhood subcommittee, three locally required public information meetings and a series of neighborhood discussions about guidelines, the Historic Preservation Commission recommended the designation of the conservation district Feb. 28,, according to the packet. On Feb. 6, the commission granted the designation.The Commission found the neighborhood was significant “as part of the development, heritage or cultural characteristics of the city (and) is associated with a person who played a significant role in local history,” according to the packet.One concern of the community is that, if established, Matlock Heights property owners will have to prevent the conservation district from elevating to a historic district in the future, said Hiestand.“Without any kind of district regulation, an owner could apply for demolition and do that within 10 days,” Hiestand said. “Within a conservation district, the neighborhood would be regulated against demolition, but, within a historic district, it’d also be reviewed for a bunch of other things as well.” According to state law, if a majority of property owners within a conservation district do not object in writing 60 to 180 days before the third anniversary of its establishment, it will automatically become a historic district, Hiestand said.Darling gave the example of energy-efficient windows. As a conservation district, he said, these windows would be acceptable even if they didn’t look exactly like the windows already in the houses. In a historic district, they might not be, because regulations are more rigid.For the time being, the neighborhood is focused on gaining conservation status. Bloomington City Council member Chris Sturbaum said he is convinced the ordinance will receive City Council support on Wednesday because of the strong neighborhood agreement behind it.“Built in the ’60s makes it 50 years old and, you know, when I started preservation, old was a different category of housing,” Sturbaum said. “To recognize the importance of these post-war houses and that boom when people came back from the war and they wanted a new world and they had children and built suburbs, well this is a kind of museum piece of that moment of time in Bloomington and in the country.” — Kate Starr
(02/17/14 9:50pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Three local women will be honored in March for their service to Bloomington, Mayor Mark Kruzan announced Monday. Karen Green Stone was named Bloomington’s Woman of the Year, Georgia Schaich was named recipient of the Lifetime Contribution Award and Debra Morrow was chosen to receive the Emerging Leader Award, according to a press release.The recipients were selected by members of the Woman of the Year Subcommittee of the City of Bloomington’s Commission on the Status of Women. The Woman of the Year and Lifetime Contribution Award recipients will be honored at the Women’s History Month Lunch at 12:15 p.m. March 26 at the Bloomington-Monroe County Convention Center, 302 S. College Ave. The lunch will be an opportunity to recognize individual and collective accomplishments of women in the community, according to the release. In addition, organizations for women and women-owned businesses will have exhibits at the luncheon. The theme of this year’s event is “Celebrating Women of Character, Courage and Commitment.” Deborah Hearn Smith, chief executive officer of Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, will give the keynote speech at the luncheon. Green Stone is an advocate for health care, according to the release. She is co-founder of Hoosiers for a Commonsense Health Plan, which works to educate the public and make health insurance and health care available to everyone in Indiana, according to the release. Schaich has dedicated her time to making Bloomington a more senior-friendly community, according to the release. In 1993, Schaich helped create the first TRIAD council in Indiana to help raise seniors’ awareness of crime and ways of protecting themselves. She joined the Commission on Aging in 2010 and has served on committees to organize the annual Creative Aging Festival and design Emergency Disaster Support for Elders, according to the release.Morrow works to help others overcome their barriers to social mobility, according to the release. She is the community services coordinator at Middle Way House and a volunteer at New Leaf. Morrow works with women transitioning from jail to the community by providing them with information about housing, social services and employment, according to the release. Morrow will be honored at the Women’s Leadership Development event at 5 p.m. March 13 in City Hall Council Chambers, 401 N. Morton St. The event is free and open to the public.— Rebecca Kimberly
(02/14/14 5:22am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Valentine’s Day is today, but festivities last all weekend in Bloomington. Here’s a roundup of community events.Valentine’s Dance7 p.m. to 9 p.m. FridayBloomfield First Baptist Church, 500 Lincoln DriveThis ballroom dance will benefit a mission trip to El Salvador. Ann Conner, an instructor from HeartBeat Dance Company, will provide lessons. Admission is $10.Bloomington Winter Farmer’s Market9 a.m. to noon SaturdayHarmony School gym, 909 E. Second St.This week, the farmer’s market will feature Valentine’s Day cookies from Piccoli Dolci alongside the usual produce and other items. Thrive in Love: A Valentine’s Retreat9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Saturday and SundayTibetan Mongolian Buddhist Cultural Center, 3655 S. Snoddy Rd.This nondemoninational retreat is for couples looking to better connect with each other. Tickets are $195 per person, $390 per couple and can be purchased online at centerforthrivingrelationships.com/courses.Valentine Baby Shower1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. SundaySt. Charles Parish Hall, 2222 E. Third St. This benefit for Hannah House, a crisis pregnancy center, will feature refreshments from local businesses and entertainment by the students of St. Charles School and Lou and Lenny Newman.— Rebecca Kimberly
(01/31/14 4:43am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Alumni Association celebrated progress Thursday night.That’s progress for the GLBT community and its relationship with IU athletics, specifically since IU Coach Curt Miller, an openly gay man, began coaching the women’s basketball team. Chair of the Pride Night event and member of the GLBTAA Cindy Stone said ten years ago, a Christian college played IU and the rival athletes publicly told their stories of previously living sinful gay lives where they slept with other women. “That was 10 years ago, and here we are today throwing a Pride athletic event,” Stone said. “We don’t have those people come here anymore. Things have changed.” Stone and the GLBTAA planned the event for around 70 people, but by starting time, only standing room was left for attendees. As guests shuffled in from the cold, Stone greeted them at the door. She said she hopes the event could be the first of many GLBT events with IU athletics. “We are trying to put a welcome mat on Cook and Assembly Hall,” Stone said. “IU athletics is inclusive of everyone no matter whose hand you hold.” Miller spoke at the event to thank the community for their support of him and his program. He also expressed his hopes for this Pride Night to become a source of inspiration for other Division I Athletics.“You hear about pride nights in professional sports like hockey, but not very often in Division I athletic events.” Miller said. “I hope we’re a trend-setter and get the word out. It’s wonderful to see the momentum here.”Miller spoke about always wanting to do a pride night in his previous job to gain support, but his marketing directors were hesitant to do so, he said.He said the event was personal to him, as he and his partner of almost 19 years are welcome at IU because of the great support from the athletic administration and Athletic Director Fred Glass.“Not everyone would take a chance on me as a new basketball coach,” Miller said to the audience. “Not because of my successes or failures, but because of my personal story. And I can’t thank you all enough.” Senior Andrew Johnson attended the event because he has volunteered for the GLBTAA since his freshman year.“It was nice to see athletics and GLBT overlap,” Johnson said. “You don’t see that often. It’s a good bridge to build.” Since Miller started coaching last season, the team has made huge progress: it started the season off 14-0 and were ranked in the top 25 early on. In his short speech, Athletic Director Fred Glass commended Miller on his hard work with the team.“You can tell in the last year there’s a new approach to the women’s basketball here at Indiana,” Glass said. “It’s building and building to be the best it’s ever been.”Through the team facing injuries and other hardships, the GLBTAA wants to show support for Coach Miller and the team, Stone said.“We are proud of what the team has done this year,” Stone said. “But we say our best days are still to come.”Follow reporter Suzanne Grossman on Twitter @suzannepaige6.
(01/27/14 4:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Standing ovation after standing ovation marked the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Alumni Association kick-off reception Friday. Even though attendance was lower than expected due to weather, the group still had record-breaking attendance. Attendees filled the Neal-Marshall Black Culture Center with the sound of cheerful reunions. Prominent faculty members attended the event, including Dean of Students Harold “Pete” Goldsmith, new Maurer School of Law Dean Austen Parrish and Chancellor Emeritus Ken Gros Louis.“The GLBT community is an exceptional part of the IU community,” Goldsmith said. “I wanted to be a part of this and show my support tonight.” The night began with hor d’oeuvres and mingling before the recognition of the GLBTAA’s Distinguished Alumni awards. Two distinguished alumni were recognized for their hard work and service to improve the lives of GLBT community members. The first award went to Kim Davis, a 15-year volunteer at the Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender Student Support Services office and seven-year member of the GLBTAA board. Davis is also part of the GLBT Speakers Bureau.She said she plans to continue her service by supporting Freedom Indiana in the fight against H.J.R. 3 and by living as a lesbian.“I love to answer questions for people who just don’t know, and honestly to let them see a gay person in real life,” Davis said. “I try to be as out as I can be in the community.” Davis is 63 years old and has been with her partner for 18 years.People need to see that commitment to dispel the myths they have about gay people, she said. Bill Shipman was recognized for his work in diversity. He is founder and chair of the Commission on Multicultural Understanding, and co-chair of three IU incident teams. Shipman told two stories during his acceptance speech that he said serve as inspiration for his activism. He told of hearing Martin Luther King Jr. speak at Grinnell College as an undergraduate, and of a therapist who he said pushed him back into the closet for many years. Both of these experiences drove him to fight for social justice for all, he said.“After that, I wanted to do anything I could to help our students deal with the terror of being gay,” Shipman said. “At the same time, I wanted to continue my work to fight against racism and other forms of oppression.” The evening also celebrated the new University-sanctioned scholarship campaign. GLBTAA president Mike Shumate announced that $629,187 was raised during the past four months. These funds will go to providing scholarships for GLBTAA people, which has provided 28 academic scholarships and 11 emergency scholarships so far.The room erupted in cheers and applause. “We’ve coined the phrase that you’ve all heard,” Shumate said. “Our students don’t have to decide between living their lives openly and honestly and an IU education.”Follow reporter Suzanne Grossman on Twitter @suzannepaige6.
(01/27/14 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Local drag queen Pat Yo Weave took the stage dancing in her leotard and stage makeup. Pat Yo Weave and dance partner Argenta Perón opened for the dance party organized for Bloomington PRIDE Film Festival on Saturday night. The Bloomington PRIDE Film Festival, an annual event supporting Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Queer arts and lifestyles, started Thursday and lasted through the weekend. Festivities included screenings of films about LGBTQ life experiences, an LGBTQ wedding and a dance party.The symbolic wedding, called the “Celebration of Love”, was the second annual LGBTQ wedding performed during the PRIDE festival. Couples participated in the “Celebration of Love” event on Thursday evening at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater.Although the State of Indiana does not currently recognize same-sex unions, the symbolic celebration received international attention in 2013. Festival organizers also planned a dance party at the Buskirk-Chumley, which started at 10:30 p.m. and went until 2 a.m. on Saturday night. Indianapolis DJ AriAtari performed at the dance party, which was open to all ages.“The dance party has been going on for years, and it’s such a fun way to celebrate queer culture and the freedom to be ourselves,” PRIDE Festival Director Abby Henkel said. “We had such a fun time planning it, especially our volunteer Keith Romaine who has been with PRIDE for 11 years and always does a great job dreaming up new decorations.”Romaine curated a wide variety of song selections ranging from pop to dance music, as well as a Lady Gaga-themed dance. Free food was donated by the Village Deli, Laughing Planet, Soma and Bloomingfoods.High school students, college students and community members were all in attendance. “We had amazing makeup on the performers and stage decorations that helped transform the theater into the likeliness of a giant gay club,” Henkel said.On the other side of town, the Back Door played host to an after-dance party at midnight for people 21 and older.The after-party was packed, with a full dance party featuring DJ Pixie.Bloomington drag show performers performed at the Back Door.Pat Yo Weave and Argenta Perón returned, with Chicago performer Marissa Nichole joining as well.“This is my first time attending these Bloomington PRIDE festivities, and I must say I am simply proud to be a part of such a supportive area,” said Indianapolis native Josh Huntley. “By everyone coming here, we are spreading pride for the queer population of Indiana so people can love themselves and support for others to love them as well.”
(10/17/13 1:01pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>During the weekend, the 46th Hilly Hundred will take place through several Southern Indiana towns including Bloomington. Throughout the history of the Hilly Hundred, riders and those who put the race on have emphasized the safety of both the riders and the citizens of towns the ride runs through. "This year's logo was designed with the share the road message in mind, using the yellow diamond with the bicycle like the Share the Road sign found throughout Indiana," Skip Higgins, managing director of the Hilly Hundred, said.All Hilly Hundred riders are required to attend a safety briefing to remind them of Indiana's laws for bicyclists and any specific messages from local law enforcement. If motorists find that their daily routes brings them into contact with participants of the Hilly Hundred these are some general guidelines to follow:
(10/10/13 6:31pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Suicide is the second leading cause of death among Indiana residents
ages 15 to 54. Between 2006 to 2010, 4,115 Hoosiers took their own
lives. Suicide rates have increased steadily during the last 10
years, said Joan Duwve, Indiana State Department of Health chief medical
officer. In 2010, there were 867 suicides in Indiana, and in 2011, there were 872 suicides.Suicide
is also the third leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 14 and
the 11th leading cause of death in Indiana as a whole, according to the
Suicide in Indiana 2006-11 report released in September. Earlier
in October, the Jed Foundation, a nonprofit focused on suicide
prevention among college students, released a list called “30 Colleges
With Excellent Mental Health Services.” IU was not on the list.There is a correlation between the economy and feelings of hopelessness and depression, Duwve said.“There may be some connection between people losing homes and job loss and increased rates of suicide,” Duwve said. Duwve said with the younger age group, the rate of suicide is related to bullying in school.“We know that bullying really affects how teenagers feel about themselves and their self-worth,” Duwve said. Duwve said 25 percent of high school students in 2011 reported being bullied.In
2011, 11 percent of high school students in Indiana had attempted
suicide, according to the Suicide in Indiana Report. The attempts
included in the report required medical attention, although many attempts do not.Nancy
Woolery, city liaison for the Monroe County Suicide Prevention
Coalition, said the coalition has been offering training for teachers.The Monroe County Suicide Prevention Coalition works to prevent suicide through research, education and advocacy, Woolery said.“We hope we can train every teacher,” Woolery said. Efforts are also being made at the state level to prevent suicide.Duwve
said the state has formed a suicide task force called the Indiana State
Suicide Prevention Advisory Committee, which is a group of
professionals from the State Department of Health, mental health
professionals, suicide survivors and others. Suicide survivors are family members or close friends of people who have committed suicide. The
group wrote the Indiana State Suicide Prevention Plan called “Journey
From Hopelessness to Health,” which explains what people can do to
prevent suicide.It also details what can be done at the state
level, schools, individuals, communities and what health care providers
can do, Duwve said. Duwve said the committee believes everybody plays a role in suicide prevention. This includes teachers, colleagues and parents.“Teachers
who have a better understanding of signs in a child who may be
considering suicide can help identify students and save lives,” Duwve
said. “There is something we can all do.”Duwve said it is important to increase awareness and break down barriers that keep people from getting healthy. There
is a stigma associated with mental illness that may keep people from
getting help, Duwve said. People need to know a mental illness is like
any other illness, and they need to be diagnosed appropriately and
treated effectively, she said.Woolery said the coalition works to reduce the stigma. Many
people do not like to talk about suicide or depression because they
think it is more a personal issue than a public health issue, Woolery
said.Some of the suicide warning signs include appearing
depressed or sad most of the time, talking or writing about death or
suicide, withdrawing from family and friends, feeling hopeless, feeling
strong anger, abusing alcohol or drugs and writing a will.Help for people considering suicide can be found by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-SUICIDE. “A
lot of people struggle with mental illnesses on their own because they
are afraid to tell anyone and don’t know how to seek professional help,”
Duwve said.
(08/29/13 2:25am)
College Mall's new Chik-Fil-A had close to a hundred people in its parking lot from 6 a.m. Aug. 28 until the following morning. Campers were rewarded with a year's worth of free Chik-Fil-A coupons.
(08/25/13 10:28pm)
A variety of dancers and musicians performed at the Fourth Street festival Aug. 24. Food was provided by local restaurants.
(08/20/13 11:50pm)
'A Taste of the Garden' gave local kids the opportunity to taste herbs and vegetables grown in a children's garden located at the Monroe County Public Library.
(07/24/13 11:16pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Though Mills Park Pool will be closed for the season Aug. 6, it will remain open for two extra days for dogs to enjoy.Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department’s Drool in the Pool event will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 14 and 15 in partnership with White River Co-op.This is the ninth year for the Drool in the Pool event, which provides dogs of all shapes and sizes the opportunity to dip their paws in a public pool for only $5 per dog.“Mills Pool works great for the dogs,” Ream said. He explained this is because it has zero-depth entry, which means dogs can walk right into the pool. During this event, humans are restricted from entering the water though dog guards will be on duty to supervise the various swimmers.“In 2012, we had 250 dogs and 400 of their human friends at the event and we expect about the same numbers for this year,” said Bill Ream, community events coordinator for the parks and recreation department.The majority of the time spent in the pool Aug. 14 will be leisurely, but at 6 p.m. there will be a jumping contest for the dogs. There will also be free time Aug. 15, along with various contests including Best Dressed, Best Pet Tricks and Cutest Dog. They will announce the Grand Prize Winner at 7 p.m.There will be 10-minute safety breaks at 6 and 7 p.m. both nights. Dog owners will be asked to remove their four-legged friends from the pool, leash them and make sure they are not too tired and that their paws are OK from walking on the deck and pool bottom.Only one dog is allowed per person. Dogs must be at least 6 months old and be spayed or neutered. Dogs in heat are not allowed. All dog owners must bring written proof from their veterinarian showing their dog is current on their rabies vaccine. Just a rabies tag is not sufficient.This year’s event is sponsored by The Dog House, Canine Companions and Mad 4 My Dog Positive Dog Solutions.Dog owners will be required to fill out and sign a registration form and wavier at the event.Those interested should go to bloomington.in.gov/parks to learn more about the event and to download the registration forms.—Samantha Felix
(07/10/13 11:42pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Paynetown State Recreation Area at Monroe Lake will transform the present into the past July 12-14 during the lake’s annual Heritage Days.Heritage Days presents history from 1745 all the way through the 1890s. The centerpiece is the Heritage Village encampment which highlights history through re-enactments. Visitors can preview the encampment as it is being resurrected 2 to 7 p.m. July 12 or make a leather carrying pouch and pioneer toy the same day.Monroe Lake has an assortment of activities and programs scheduled for each day.There will be periodic music demonstrations, tomahawk throwing and communal meals from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. July 13. Monroe Lake will also provide pioneer games on Saturday. The last chance to see the Heritage Village is 9 a.m. to noon July 14. On this day visitors can churn butter and make a “winged fancy.”A heritage-themed craft is also available at the Activity Center each day from 1 to 5 p.m.Heritage Days programs and activities are free after the standard entrance fee of $5 per in-state vehicle or $7 per out-of-state vehicle.For more information call 812-837-9967.— Samantha Felix
(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.
(06/09/13 9:42pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The City of Bloomington’s Department of Economic and Sustainable Development has announced that it will accept applications for its Sustainability Partnership Grant Program.“The whole idea behind this competitive grant program is to support and increase efforts in the community to make Bloomington a more sustainable city,” Economic and Sustainable Development Director Danise Alano-Martin said. The Sustainability Partnership Grant Program is intended to encourage collaborations that implement bold projects for increasing Bloomington’s sustainability, particularly those projects that engage populations that have little previous involvement in local sustainability efforts.“It’s designed to build stronger collaborations among different segments of the community, uniting them under a common goal and common projects toward making Bloomington better,” Alano-Martin said.Jacqui Bauer, the city’s sustainability coordinator, helped to craft the guidelines for the program after examining the obstacles that Bloomington businesses and nonprofits have when starting and implementing innovative sustainability programs or initiatives.“We wanted to attract and support efforts that contribute to our city’s livability while also creating new economic opportunities,” Alano-Martin said. Priority project areas include green building and energy efficiency, multi-modal transportation, waste reduction and recycling, and local food and urban gardening. The city’s Department of Economic and Sustainability Development launched the program in August of 2011 and awarded $15,000 in grants to six projects in 2011 and 2012.Cardboard Co-op, a consortium of downtown businesses, received a grant to facilitate pickup of recyclable cardboard from five to 10 downtown businesses. Pinnacle School received a grant to pay for new recycling bins and signage in the school.The Project School received a grant to develop a new energy assessment program for its students. Middle Way House received funding to expand its rooftop garden and work with local youth to tend, harvest, and market its products.Finally, WonderLab Museum of Science and Technology received funding to install solar lights for their solar garden while Metro Printing Services received funding for LED lighting for its facility.The city’s Department of Economic & Sustainable Development recently received their second round of funding. A total of $10,000 will be available. The maximum grant amount is $5,000. Both nonprofit and for-profit businesses in Bloomington are eligible.The grants may be used to fund a variety of sustainability-related projects. Alano-Martin said the department encourages applicants to come up with their interesting and creative ideas in their applications.“We hope to stir the creative juices in the community and encourage bold, innovative ideas or to adapt ideas that have been successful elsewhere to Bloomington in order to make our community more sustainable,” she said.Alano-Martin also said that the department wants projects to be completed within six months of receiving the grant award.Details of the program, including guidelines, applications, and deadlines, can be found at bloomington.in.gov/incentives. Applications for the program should be submitted to sustain@bloomington.in.gov by close of business on July 1. “Bloomington is filled with passionate individuals who love their community enough to work hard to make it better,” she said. “I expect that we’ll have some creative and well thought-out entries.”— Samantha Felix
(06/05/13 10:38pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Monday, June 12, the Monroe County Public Library’s Bloomington branch will host a discussion-based class entitled “Finding Female Ancestors.”The event is one in a series of genealogical classes held every other month at the library. The classes take place in the Indiana Room, the library’s central resource for local information. The classes are geared toward amateur genealogists who are willing to learn as well as share their own experiences.Librarian Luann Dillon is the organizer of the event series. Sometimes she teaches the classes herself, and other times, she brings in an outside expert to teach on a specific topic. In the past, speaker’s topics have included immigration and the specifics of German genealogy.For the June event, Dillon invited Leigh Anne Johnson of the Indiana State Library to speak about the problems and difficulties of tracing the ancestry of female relatives.“In the 19th century, it is particularly hard to find a woman’s maiden name, and therefore, information about that branch of your family,” Dillon said.After a woman married, she was listed under her husband’s name in census records. Because women rarely worked outside of the home, owned property, or were included as heirs in wills, their names are noticeably absent from other public records.“The class will focus on getting around some of the barriers to finding the history of the female half of the family,” Johnson said.It was not until the 20th century, when women began gaining civil rights that women and their maiden names were fully included in public records, such as marriage decrees and wills.To search public records, the library subscribes to Ancestry Library Edition. The database includes census records, marriage records, and even passenger ship manifests. Using the database at the library saves individuals personal subscription expenses. People are interested in genealogy for many reasons, Johnson said.“Some do genealogy to connect with their relatives or to find cousins or even parents that they have lost touch with. Some do genealogy in order to gain membership to hereditary societies, such as Daughters of the American Revolution. Still others are just curious as to their ethnic, medical, or religious history,” Johnson said. Anyone is welcome to attend the event, but registration is preferred. One can register online through the library’s website, http://monroe.lib.in.us.
(05/22/13 11:26pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While the day had just started, the air was already warm, and workers shuffled about, preparing Bryan Park Pool for its summer season opening.Bryan Park Pool, which is located south of campus on Woodlawn Avenue, will open on May 25 and run through September 2. It will be open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily. “We’ve got 60 seasonal staff members,” said Rob Gilchrist, Bloomington Parks and Recreation aquatics coordinator. “We work hard to keep these aging facilities working. This pool was built in 1956. You can’t find a facility older in the state.”With large colorful umbrellas and rows of white plastic reclining chairs, the pool is a summer staple of Bloomington. Besides the main pool, the facility features three waterslides and Limestone Lagoon, an activity pool for young children. The facility is popular among Bloomington residents, with many families and groups using it to relax during the hot days.“I expect around 60-to-65,000 visits for the entire summer,” Gilchrist said. “The maximum occupancy is 1,600, but fortunately we’ve never approached that. A camp might bring in a hundred people, but only for a few hours.”The pool often welcomes many events and programs including swim lessons, aqua fitness for adults and rent for private parties in the evenings.“We host many youth camps, from the YMCA, MCCSC, and even some from IU,” Gilchrist said. “We serve families and youth; we’re a family-centered facility.”Gilchrist notes that while the pool is partially subsidized by the government, it has a cost recovery rate of 95 percent, meaning admissions to the pool cover the vast majority of its operating costs. “Taxpayers aren’t footing the entire bill,” he said.Admission to the pool is $3 daily, $2.50 for kids under 18, with an additional charge of $2.50 for the waterslides.“The additional cost helps us fund the slides and regulate users appropriately and safely,” Gilchrist said.Users can also purchase cost-saving punch passes for bulk deals. The 100-punch pass costs $160 and can also be used at the city-run Mills pool on the north side of town. In contrast, a summer pass to the IU Outdoor Pool costs only $66 for a student and $121 for a member of the public. While this is much less than Bryan Park Pool’s rates, Gilchrist said he isn’t worried because the two don’t really compete.“Bloomington doesn’t have enough pools for its population,” he said. “Plus, IU attracts a different population from a different region of town, a lot of lap swimmers and college students. We have things they don’t have, like slides and the activity pool.”As workers hurriedly move around the pool, Gilchrist expressed his anticipation of its opening. “Attendance is very dependent on the weather,” Gilchrist said. “This weekend could be huge, or it could be tiny.”However, he remains firm in his belief that the pool is an essential part of a Bloomington summer.“It’s a nice, laid back, family environment,” he said. “Summer people want to go cool off. There’s no better place than a pool.”
(05/19/13 11:04pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Monday, May 20 at 7 p.m. Shadi Alkattan will give a presentation on the prospect for peace in war-torn Syria sponsored by the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition. “My dad specifically chose to leave Syria because he was being forced to join the Army, so he fled before he had to do his time,” Alkattan said about his family’s experience living in Syria.This eyewitness account will be delivered at the Monroe County Public Library in room B1. The Syrian civil war is an ongoing armed conflict in Syria between forces loyal to the Syrian Ba’ath Party government and those seeking to oust it. Starting in March 2011, popular demonstrations became nationwide in less than a month.These demonstrations were part of the wider Middle Eastern protest movement known as the Arab Spring. Protesters demanded the resignation of President Bashar al-Assad, whose family has held the presidency in Syria since 1971. They also demanded the end to over four decades of Ba’ath Party rule.The Syrian Army was deployed to crush the uprising in April 2011. Controversy began when soldiers were ordered to fire on demonstrators across the country. After months of this type of conflict, protests evolved into an armed rebellion.Defected soldiers and volunteer civilians became increasingly armed and organized as they unified.However, the rebels remained disorganized in their leadership. The conflict has no clear fronts. This causes conflict to take place all across the country, in many small towns and cities.“We wanted Shadi to speak because the situation in Syria is urgent,” said Linda Greene, coordinator of the event.Alkattan’s presentation will take place following his recent trip to Syria. “Syria is a beautiful country with very amazing, pure-hearted people,” Alkattan said. “I am from Damascus. It is the oldest inhabited capital in the world. There is so much history there and now it is getting destroyed.”Alkattan said the situation there is horrific. There is no available food, electricity, running water or medical supplies. “The entire time I was there, a plane flew by and bombed random locations, he said. “There were also a lot of orphans running in the streets.”He explained that his parents and his family came to the United States because there was more opportunity here. His parents chose to settle in South Bend because it seemed like a small quiet town and a good place to raise a family.“I believe it is my mission to tell the stories of the people there,” he said. “Because a lot of people here have no idea what is happening in Syria.” He said it is a shame because a lot of people won’t get to experience Syria. yet he remains hopeful.“But maybe one day after the revolution the country can be rebuilt and be better than what it used to be,” he said.
(05/09/13 12:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Hoosier Hills Food Bank will be collecting food for their largest food drive of the year on Saturday, May 11. Stamp Out Hunger is sponsored annually by the Hoosier Hills Food Bank as well as the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 828. Monroe County residents can place food donations in their mailboxes or in a bag next to their mailboxes for their letter carrier to pick up for the food bank.Stamp Out Hunger is one of Hoosier Hills Food Bank’s most important sources of food donations, representing 23 percent of the total amount raised in 2012. Last year, the letter carriers delivered 37,431 pounds of food according to their press release. “We are hoping for more this year,” said Julio Alonso, executive director of the food bank.Though the food bank has already distributed 1,197,672 pounds of food, through April of this year, up 19 percent from 2012, they are finding it difficult to maintain.“Declining amounts of federal commodities, down 32 percent from last year, keep us working to fill the gap,” Alonso said. He explains further that federal programs are especially important to the Hoosier Hills Food Bank because they provide staple foods such as cereals, pastas and an assortment of canned goods. Federal commodities are also important because of the sheer volume of food that they normally provide, roughly 400,000 pounds. “I just walked through our distribution floor and our available supply of canned goods consists of 22 institutional size cans of ketchup and two institutional size cans of bamboo shoots,” Alonso said.This year the food bank is emphasizing the need for canned goods, though all non-perishable food items are welcomed. According to their mailer, their most needed items include canned meat like tuna, chicken or beef stew, as well as canned fruit, canned vegetables, juice and juice boxes. Additionally, the food bank’s wish list includes peanut butter, cereal and pasta. Glass jars, opened packages of food and perishable food cannot be accepted. Hoosier Hills Food Bank collects and distributes over 3.1 million pounds of food annually to 93 non-profit agencies in Brown, Lawrence, Orange, Owen, Martin and Monroe counties. “Most of our clients are soup kitchens, domestic shelters, youth programs and low-income day cares.While letter carriers provide most of the transportation for the donated foods for this drive, volunteers are welcome to drive the more challenging routes to supplement the letter carriers and help collect food. More importantly though, volunteers are needed next week to help sort through donations explained Alonso.