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(12/01/10 5:01am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Following an Indiana Natural Resources Commission decision allowing hunters to use foxes and coyotes as bait to train hunting dogs, animal rights organizations are working to put an end to the decision. On Nov. 16, the commission voted 9-2 to create a permit that would allow hunters to set up pens to train dogs.“The rule proposal allows for the chasing of foxes and coyotes in an enclosure that allows hunters to train their dogs and keep them in shape,” said Phil Bloom, director of communications for the Department of Natural Resources.CeAnn Lambert, director of the Indiana Coyote Rescue Center, said she has followed the work of the DNR on coyote penning since 2007.Lambert said law enforcement officials discovered that hunters were trapping coyotes and foxes to sell to hunters in other states for penning, which is illegal. The officials conducted raids on Indiana pens.“Our law enforcement was appalled at what they found, and how wildlife was being used to train hunting dogs,” Lambert said.Lambert said she wrote a petition to make running pens for coyotes and foxes illegal in Indiana and until March of this year, the DNR supported the petition.Instead of outlawing penning, the DNR asked the commission to create regulations for it, Lambert said.Bloom said the commission based their proposed regulations on those of other states such as Florida, Missouri and Wisconsin.“Florida’s rules contain no language that prohibits torture. Our rules do,” Bloom said.Bloom said other states require pens to be at least 100 square acres. The proposed regulation in Indiana would require them to be 300 acres. In every state where penning is legal, the pens are required to have openings for the coyotes and foxes to escape. In other states, there must be an opening for every 50 acres. In Indiana, the proposed regulation would require an opening for every 20 acres or for every fox or coyote, Bloom said.Bloom said the proposed regulation would also require all coyotes and foxes to be from Indiana, making trading across states illegal.He said this would prevent the possibility of disease transfer.“It’s in the best interest for the training operator to abide by the rules,” Bloom said. “We have no doubt that there will be plenty of eyes on those operating the pens.”But Lambert said many of the proposed regulations do not make sense. For example, she said all coyotes and foxes are required to be spayed or neutered before put in the pens.“What veterinarian is going to spay or neuter a coyote or a fox when that veterinarian knows it’s going to be released in a pen to be chased by dogs?” Lambert said. “How are they going to monitor these stupid regulations?”Bloom said there are still many more votes and changes that need to be made before the regulations are adopted. He said the DNR is now accepting public comment on its website, www.in.gov/nrc/2351.htm, and it will take them awhile to sift through the public response.Lambert said she was not hopeful about the DNR’s response to the public. However, she said state officials are beginning to come out against these regulations.State Rep. Linda Lawson ,D-Hammond, is among other state officials who have begun work on a law to make coyote and fox penning illegal.“Other states have found this does not work,” Lawson said. “It’s inhumane, and it’s wrong.”Lambert said if Lawson can persuade other legislators, it may convince the DNR more so than public comment to make penning illegal.“That gives us a little more hope, because the commission doesn’t seem to be paying attention to us plain old citizens,” Lambert said.
(11/30/10 3:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>At 3:30 a.m., a line of adults huddled in heavy coats, clutching shivering children stretched three city blocks from the locked doors of Glenbrook Square Mall in Fort Wayne, despite the 22 degree temperature.No one was surprised by this phenomenon. Black Friday had struck once again.And it was happening everywhere. In the Clarksville, Ind., WalMart, heavy security was employed to prevent serious injury as people shoved each other out of the way. The Los Angeles Times reported fights breaking out in Best Buy and shoppers trying to bribe their way into Toys“R”Us early. ABC said someone was trampled in a mad rush in a Buffalo, N.Y., Target. So why all the craziness?First-time Black Friday shoppers Babra Chakanyuka and her daughter were drawn in by the deals at Macy’s. The Bandolino boots they tried on had dropped from $119 to $59.50.She and her daughter set out at 3 a.m. to Glenbrook and waited for Macy’s to open its doors at 4 a.m.“The good stuff is available earlier,” Chakanyuka said. “When you get here later, it’s all messed up or gone.”On Black Friday, WalMart sold LG Blu-Ray players for $108. They are normally $170. Target sold the Nintendo Wii Fit plus Bundle, normally priced at $150, for $67.Kohl’s marked a 5-piece Prodigy Hudson luggage set down from $200 to $40.These deals drew 138 million during the weekend after Thanksgiving with the bulk of shopping on Friday, according to the Wall Street Journal.Several newspapers, including the Chicago Sun-Times and the Virginian-Pilot, reported a significant increase in sales from last year to the relief of many retailers across the country.“Last year, consumers were extremely into the basics: the socks, the pillows,” said Keith Jelinek, director of the global retail practice at consulting firm AlixPartners to the Chicago Sun-Times. “This year, they’re hungry to dress up their wardrobes, their homes.”Macy’s CEO Terry Lundgren told several newspapers there were 7,000 people lined up outside the Manhattan store, up 5,000 from last year.Becky Blomenberg was out at 8 a.m. at Jefferson Pointe Mall in Fort Wayne with her mother to pick out Christmas presents.“We went between the crazy early people and the main rush, so it wasn’t that bad,” Blomenberg said.Blomenberg said she thinks Black Friday can become stressful, or even violent, because shoppers expect it to be that way. But she said it can be fun if simple manners are employed.She and her mother have gone before, and she said they would go again in the future.Chakanyuka was a little skeptical after her first Black Friday shopping trip. “It’s tiring. I don’t know if I like it or if I’d ever want to go again,” Chakanyuka said.Blomenberg said she believes half the thrill for shoppers is all the hype surrounding the day. “America is very materialistic,” Blomenberg said. “Black Friday’s become a very American holiday.
(11/29/10 2:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Nancy Webster didn’t want to spend her life as a housewife, so she went to jail. She went by choice and for pay as a nurse, that is.The small, white-walled nursing office is graced with two rooms that look as if they belong in any doctor’s office. Computers line the walls, and large binders with treatment information are passed among those working. There are three cameras trained on them at all times. A huge cart full of medication for each hall, or block, takes up a good amount of space between the computer desks.The Eighth Amendment guarantees federal, state and county prisoners a right to proper health care, according to a Journal of Nursing Law article written by Victoria A. Kellogg, Ph.D., CRNP, MBA. Jail nurses play a huge part in this as the health care needs of prisoners continue to increase, according to the article.Here, an average of four nurses per shift, three shifts per day, congregate to decide how to take care of prisoners at the Allen County Jail. Dr. Richard Horstmeyer visits the jail Monday through Friday to respond to changing needs for medication or treatment. The rest of the time, it’s the nurses’ call.And it isn’t always easy. On Thanksgiving Day, several of the nurses were visibly upset when they heard a particular prisoner, who had just been released, was back.Dawn Farrell, one of the nurses, treated him and said he made grabs for her several times until a correctional officer stepped in.“I want to stab his hand with my pen!” she cried out in frustration.When the prisoners are first brought in, a nurse takes them one by one into a small, private room to ask basic health question and assess treatment needs.“We’re alone in there with them,” Farrell said. “But there are guards just outside.”They are then kept in holding cells on the first floor for up to 72 hours, after which they are either released or assigned to a block.Nurses are expected to take the medication cart to the blocks to pass out medication several times per day.The medication pass is nerve-racking for the correctional officers as well. Melanie Dager, a correctional officer, was watching over blocks X, Y and Z on Thursday, where the female prisoners who behave badly are kept.“They steal, fight, horde their medications,” Dager said. “These blocks are usually pretty full. They don’t have good impulse control and almost no support from the outside.”At 3:30 p.m., Webster and Carol Patton, a Qualified Medication Aide, called the correctional officers to bring prisoners to the nursing office for treatments.“We see gunshot wounds, boils, finger cuts, paper cuts, black eyes, split lips from fighting,” Patton said. “Lots of blood, but you just clean them up.”The women come first, escorted by the correctional officers and followed shortly by the men.Naomi had a cut on her knee from falling on broken glass. Nicole, three months pregnant, was crying because she had been bleeding. Jason, who was recovering from surgery, was doubled over in pain and had a fever of 101 degrees.The nurses bandaged Naomi’s cut, took notes, comforted Nicole and sent Jason to a nearby hospital.Webster said despite the company, she hasn’t had any trouble so far from the prisoners.“You really don’t know what to expect,” Webster said. “But it’s been pretty mellow for me.”Webster began working there in July, and she likes it and plans to stay, though she hopes to switch from second to first shift.“I always wanted to work in the legal system,” Webster said. “With my health care education, this seemed like a great fit.”
(11/24/10 2:45am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Two days before Thanksgiving, it seemed appropriate for President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden to discuss the success of the automobile industry caused by the stimulus package.The president and vice president toured and spoke at the Kokomo Chrysler manufacturing plant as part of their White House to Main Street Tour.This plant, according to a White House press release, experienced cuts and layoffs until it was supported by the Recovery Act and the automobile industry restructuring plan.Biden said the previous poor economic situation in Kokomo reflected that of the rest of the country.“When the president and I got elected, we knew we had a heavy load to carry,” Biden said.He said he and the president worked to lay the foundation for future prosperity in the automobile industry as well as the rest of the economy.“The industry is competing again, leading again and most importantly, hiring again,” Biden said.He said when factories are able to stay open, they fuel the rest of the economy so that restaurants, barber shops, department stores and other markets can stay open.“And that’s what’s happening here in Kokomo,” Biden said.Obama said he was happy to hear that the Kokomo Chrysler plant is now running at full capacity after a difficult couple of years.Obama said Chrysler Group’s Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne, who was in attendance, told him more than $800 million will be invested in the Kokomo plant to insure its continued prosperity.“There’s still a long way to go,” Obama said. “The fact is there are millions of people around the country who are still looking for work.”He said many of the workers in attendance knew what those millions felt like only a short time ago when they too were being laid off and none of the automobile factories were ready to rehire. But he said Kokomo can now inspire other areas around the country.“You’re living up to that spirit of optimism, determination and strength that’s always been part of who we are,” Obama said.Many believed the Recovery Act was a mistake, Obama said, and that auto industries needed to pay for poor business decisions. “We knew that the auto industry was not built and this country was not built by doing the easy thing,” he said.But Obama said his administration decided they needed to economically support the industry to prevent millions of jobs from being lost.“We also knew that the very survival of places like Kokomo were on the line,” Obama said. “We couldn’t throw in the towel. That wasn’t an option.”The president said the American automobile industry is now showing strong signs of progress and increased stock values, and it is because people can place their faith in America and American workers.“We had confidence in the American worker more than anything,” he said. “Today we know that was the right decision.”
(11/22/10 3:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It could be the boy on the basketball team with straight A’s, the shy girl in the back of the class, the junior who goes to every football game or the senior who doesn’t know a field goal from an interception. Young, outgoing, smart, boy or girl — homelessness can affect everyone, including youth.Warren Wade, assistant director of Stepping Stones, Inc., a program that helps homeless youth find work and housing, said a recent Indiana Department of Education survey of public school students revealed that more than 9,000 children and youth statewide are homeless.Of these, more than 200 were from Monroe County.Christina, 19, is from Bloomington and first became homeless when she was 17.When her father and his wife divorced, Christina and her father were left with a big house they could no longer afford.“My father wasn’t employed at the time,” Christina said.Christina found work while still going to high school, and they continued to live in the house for a few days.“We depended on our neighbors for food and stuff,” Christina said. “Finally I couldn’t do that anymore, so I stayed with a friend from school and stored things with her.”Once her father got a job, Christina stayed with her friend while her father lived out of his truck. Christina said she worried about him when winter set in, but there was nothing she could do.Christina was forced to become what workers at Stepping Stones, Inc. call a “couch-surfer.” Sheri Benham, the founder and executive director of Stepping Stones, said many students will stay on their friends’ couches or move from place to place with no steady home. “It’s a small organization, but there are a lot of kids who couch-surf,” Benham said. “We get a couple calls a week.”It was Benham’s own experience with foster children that inspired her to found the organization six years ago.“The thing that really got to me was finding the disproportionate amount of homeless who were once foster children,” Benham said.Stepping Stones is a program, not a shelter, that helps homeless youth get back on their feet, Benham said. People between the ages of 16 and 20 can apply to take part in the program, and the application process can take anywhere from two to four weeks.Benham said many referrals to the program come from counselors, probation officers, high schools administrators and youth shelter volunteers.“Anybody that works with youth knows about us,” Benham said.Once in the program, participants are given a place to live with one or two roommates. They learn to share responsibilities such as chores and cooking. They are expected to hold a job so they can pay a portion of the rent as well as utilities, Benham said.Participants in the program must finish high school to be eligible, and they are encouraged, though not required, to go to college, Benham said.While the participants work and finish school, coaches and mentors from Stepping Stones will help participants understand budgeting and living independently, Benham said.“The goal is for them to be capable of living on their own,” Benham said.Christina, who has been in the program for a little more than two years, is now ready to do that. On Dec. 27, Christina will move into her own apartment, supporting herself.As for her father, Christina was proud to say that as of four months ago, he is a homeowner again.Christina finished high school and currently works for the City of Bloomington and the Bloomington Herald-Times.In the spring, she plans to start at Ivy Tech Community College and complete a general studies degree.Christina plans to stay in Bloomington for a couple years, but then she wants to enlist in the U.S. Coast Guard.“The potential is there,” Christina said. “I can see myself doing a lot of different things.”
(11/22/10 3:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The morning began with frost coating car windows and sidewalks, and a chilling grey mist hanging around the barren trees. It was not a morning to spend outside.But that didn’t stop about 70 Bloomington High School North students and faculty from sponsoring an anti-bullying rally.The students and faculty met outside their school half an hour before school started Friday to speak out against bullying.As the adults and students spread out in a huge circle, music blared through nearby speakers. “We’re not gonna take it. No, We ain’t gonna take it.”Darianne Robertson, a Bloomington North student, opened the discussion once everyone had gathered.“We want to try to stop bullying,” Robertson said.She reminded everyone that there have been more cases of suicide and self-harm by teenagers in the past few months. She said this is often because of the prevalence of bullying.She also said bullying can be done by parents, teachers or friends, and everyone must be vigilant to prevent it.“Sometimes we don’t even realize we’re bullying,” Robertson said.She asked if anyone would be willing to share their story.There was a pause, but a few students finally came forward and talked about being bullied at school and at home.Bloomington North student Sierra Babbs had tears in her eyes as she stepped forward.“It came from my mom, dad, cousins, grandmas,” she said, trailing off. Two students came forward to put their hands on her as she struggled to continue.“Please don’t bully,” Babbs finished. “Please.”Students talked about being bullied for everything from being openly gay to wearing glasses. Some came forward and said they had been bullied for being too thin, and others said they were bullied for being too large.Patricia Rochell, a Bloomington North student, said she was teased for her size, and at home she was bullied for sounding “too white.”“But about two years ago, I realized I’m beautiful,” Rochell said, and the crowd cheered. “It doesn’t matter what anyone says.”Diane Davis-Deckard, a Bloomington North teacher, told the students she had been bullied in high school, too. She said she was teased for not having the right clothes or a boyfriend on the football team, and she was ostracized from many of the activities she would have liked to participate in.“It is not just your generation that feels this,” Davis-Deckard said. “We understand.”Bloomington North student Lana Atkerson talked about long-term bullying and her fight to hold onto hope.“I was bullied throughout middle school, and I told myself there was no way out,” Atkerson said. “You have to trust that your friends and family will be there for you.”As the students pressed in close to hug one another, a song drifted into the crowd from the speakers.“When your world’s upside down, I will always be there with you, to get you on your feet again. ... And it only gets better.”
(11/19/10 5:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Is a city mayor, county commissioner, radio personality or famed bartender smarter than a fifth grader? They said they didn’t think so. Before the competition began, Mayor Mark Kruzan shook the hands of the fifth graders who whispered to each other, asking who he was.“You guys are going down!” Mayor Kruzan said.Ten small voices cried back indignantly. They told the competitors they had studied and were very smart.Bluebird Nightclub bartender Leo Cook offered Jim Inman, the host of the competition, an apple with a dollar taped to it. Apparently, he knew he had no chance.Local personalities Mayor Mark Kruzan, B97 DJ Pam Thrash, Bluebird bartender Leo Cook and Monroe County Commissioner Iris Kiesling competed against 10 Lakeview Elementary School fifth graders in the annual “Are They Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?” competition Thursday.Ticket sales to the event benefited Martha’s House and Stepping Stones, which are local homeless shelters, and Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard, a Bloomington food pantry. The competition was organized in honor of National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week.The fifth graders were selected based on an essay contest. Students wrote about how they would solve hunger and homelessness. The students selected were Brynne Newland, Reid Sills, Garrett Flynn, Caitlyn Betar, Max Heinrich, Reece Young, Nathan Umphress, Lukasz Walendzak, Alison Erman and Bailey Duncan.The rules were simple. The competition was separated into two rounds, with two adult contestants and five fifth graders per round. There were 10 questions in each round.Each pair of contestants got two “cheats” and one “save.” For the cheats, they could “peek,” checking a chosen fifth grader’s answer to decide whether or not to use it, or “copy,” taking a fifth grader’s answer without looking at it. The “save” would come into play if they were out of cheats but their fifth grader got the answer right.If they answered a question wrong after using both cheats and a save, they had to admit they were not smarter than a fifth grader.The first round was Thrash and Cook against the first five fifth graders.Cook wore a dunce cap, and Thrash brought a Buzz Lightyear action figure for luck. Thrash promptly dropped Lightyear, and the action figure broke, causing her doom — or so she said.The topics of each question ranged from first grade art to fifth grade world geography.Both cheats and the save had been used by the final question. The subject matter was fifth grade U.S. history.“Who was the first U.S. President to be born in a hospital, Nixon, Taft, Carter or Kennedy?”Cook and Thrash guessed Taft, but every fifth grader guessed Carter. The fifth graders were right.The students were smarter in the first round.But the adults had one more chance to prove themselves.There was a bonus question related to the event’s theme. “What is the fastest growing segment of the homeless population — adult men, families with children, teenage runaways or victims of domestic violence?”“Families with children” was the guess of both the fifth graders and the contestants, so the adults were able to prove they were as smart as the fifth graders.“I’m barely smarter than a fifth grader,” Cook said.After a 10 minute intermission, Kruzan and Kiesling took the stage to compete against the other five fifth graders.“I have made a terrible life decision,” Kruzan said humorously as he took the stage. “There was one question I knew the answer to in that first round — ‘Are you smarter than a fifth grader?’”“And the answer was?” Inman asked.“No,” Kruzan said jokingly.Kruzan and Kiesling missed the first question, and the fifth graders were off to a good start.By the final question, the peek and copy had been used. The final category was fourth grade music.“Of these four instruments, which is the largest: piccolo, clarinet, recorder or oboe?”The fifth graders and competitors answered oboe, but the answer was clarinet.“This past election night was the longest night of my life,” Kruzan said. “And then there was tonight.”Inman declared the competition a tie, but the adult competitors would not accept his generosity.“The fifth graders won that round,” Thrash said.
(11/18/10 4:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Walking into the bargain section of the local thrift store Sweet Repeats, you can spot tiny porcelain carousels, mugs from St. Louis and El Paso and rows of paperback books, all donated to be sold for a good cause.Sweet Repeats, located on South Walnut Street, is a nonprofit store that sells donated items to fund Pets Alive Nonprofit Spay/Neuter and Vaccination Clinic.Posters on the wall of the main store read “Shopping here saves lives” and “The cats and dogs thank you.”“Most shop for the bargains,” employee Michelle Lampley said. “But they’re so happy they’re helping a good cause.”Pets Alive is a local clinic that employs two full time veterinarians to perform vaccinations and spaying or neutering services at low costs, Karen Turner, manager at Sweet Repeats, said.The costs of spaying or neutering range from $30 to $55, depending on the type and sex of the animal. Turner said the same services in a regular clinic or veterinarian’s office can cost anywhere from $80 to $200.The clinic covers costs through donations and grants. Turner said Sweet Repeats, which began as a consignment store but now sells donations, has helped with funding.Sweet Repeats was started in April 2009 by Karla Kamstra, who also works with Pets Alive.“I had seen other nonprofits who had a lot of success,” Kamstra said.Kamstra said she hopes the thrift store will be able to continue supporting Pets Alive and will also help the clinic meet future goals.The store sells any items that are donated, from mugs and candles to jeans and furniture. Turner said the store recently opened a portion that sells everything for 50 cents. Books, clothes and other household goods can be found there.In addition, the store sells flea and tick prevention medicines at reduced costs.The store and the clinic have enjoyed success so far, Turner said. As of Nov. 14, the clinic had performed 43,157 surgeries since its creation more than five years ago. Of those, 8,505 surgeries were conducted this year.Kamstra said one of the long-term goals is to create an animal sanctuary, which would house animals temporarily in the event that local shelters become overcrowded.“Our goal is to treat animals who may never see a vet,” Turner said. “Some people just can’t afford it.”
(11/16/10 4:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Though you see them on the streets of Bloomington during the day — selling paintings, smoking a cigarette — you will not see them at night, when they are banned from falling asleep on the concrete they call home. These aren’t criminals, however. They are the homeless.Shalom Community Center sponsored a talk at Trinity Church by Whitney Gent, the development and communications director of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, Monday to discuss issues such as laws targeted to affect the homeless.“I wish that they were less common than they are,”Gent said.Megan Hutchison, an IU employee, pointed out that laws targeting the homeless are not only found in big cities. There is a law in Bloomington that prevents people from sleeping on the sidewalks after dark. Gent said this type of targeting is comparable to racial profiling.“I’m sad to say these laws are increasing as homelessness increases in the United States,” Gent said.Gent said many businesses and homeowners near places where homeless people are known to congregate complain to their city officials.“I think that at the root of these laws and attitudes is fear,” Gent said. “Maybe it’s a fear that homeless people are dangerous.”Yet she said studies overwhelmingly show this is not the case. She said the homeless are far more likely to become victims of violent crime committed by those who are housed than commit these acts themselves.Gent said 2009 was the deadliest year in the last decade for the homeless. Rapes, beatings, murders and instances of homeless individuals being set on fire by attackers were reported in 47 states.Gent said that according to a poll taken by the Washington Post, 53 percent of Americans fear they will not be able to make their mortgage or rent payments on a regular basis.Yet Gent said many view the homeless as “slackers” who would not be in such a predicament if they were willing to work harder.“Homelessness is not an identity; it is a condition,” Gent said. “We are outraged by homeless people instead of being outraged that homelessness exists.”Gent said steps to prevent and end homelessness are being taken nationally, but much of the progress must be made in grassroots campaigns.Hal Taylor, a man in his eighties with white hair and a silver star around his neck that reads “peace,” is one Bloomington resident who has taken part in that. When asked how he would like to be identified, he replied that he was once a priest in an Episcopal church and has a Ph.D. in psychology, but now he dedicates himself to the homeless and wishes to be identified with them.Every year a winter shelter is established in Bloomington. Taylor told the story of work to establish a summer shelter, as well.Taylor said he and about 20 others went to an old building on 11th Street after the winter shelter closed for the season on March 21 of this year. They planned to sleep under the overhang of the building to show the need for a shelter.“We laid our bags out to spend the night under the shelter,” Taylor said. “And then the police came.”The action of the group violated the law against sleeping in public places, Taylor said. In this instance, the police let them stay for the rest of the night.This would soon change. The group moved to the Fourth Street Garage, where they were told to leave. They went to the park on Fourth Street which resulted in the same effect. They moved around more, getting caught and kicked out every time.Finally they went to one of the shelters at Cascades Park. The second night there, the police came and threatened the group with jail time.Taylor offered those in the group a choice. They could leave and reconvene at his home, or they could accompany the officers to jail.“They all went to my house,” Taylor said. “So I went to jail. I felt like one of us had to.”Taylor said soon after, the pastor and board of directors of Genesis Church helped establish the summer shelter.Taylor said the establishment of such shelters is absolutely necessary for the safety and well-being of the homeless in Bloomington.“That’s the real problem of the homeless,” Taylor said. “It’s not being able to really close your eyes and really go to sleep.”
(11/15/10 1:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Walk down the brightly lit street of Kirkwood Avenue and they are there. As the days grow colder, they are huddled in public buildings on and off campus, seeking warmth. The homeless are not just found in large cities, but also here, in a small college town in the Midwest.Nov. 14–20 marks National Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, when many communities join the effort to raise awareness about homelessness, poverty and hunger in the United States.Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week, co-sponsored by the National Coalition for the Homeless and the National Student Campaign Against Hunger & Homelessness, occurs the week before Thanksgiving in the spirit of education, enlightenment and thankfulness, according to the manual distributed by organizers of the event.The leading cause of homelessness is the lack of affordable housing for low-income individuals and families in the United States, according to the coalition.Other cited causes are mental illness, substance abuse and low-paying jobs.The recession was also named as a cause of homelessness. The 9.6 percent unemployment rate forced many foreclosures across the nation, according to the NCH. “Our city has been more insulated from the economic downturn relative to many of our peers, but we don’t live on an economic island, and the waves of recession are washing up on our shores,” Mayor Mark Kruzan said in his State of the City Address this past February.And it is not just individuals who suffer from homelessness. According to studies by the NCH, 41 percent of the homeless population consists of families.According to the Children’s Defense Fund, a nonprofit agency of advocates for children, 2,171 American babies are born into poverty every day.As part of the effort to raise homelessness awareness, Whitney Gent, development and communications director of the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty, will be in Bloomington this week to speak about issues regarding the homeless.This law center is the only national legal group completely focused on preventing and ending poverty and homelessness in the United States.Gent’s talk, titled “The Man in the Trash Bag Shirt: Homelessness as a National, Local and Individual Crisis,” will be 7 p.m. today at Trinity Episcopal Church at 111 S. Grant Street, and it is free to the public.“Everything we do has one, singular, common aim: to improve the livability of Bloomington, Indiana — because it’s that livability that drives investment in the community,” Kruzan said.— Mary Kenney
(11/12/10 4:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Taji Gibson was one of the teachers in danger of losing her job earlier this year. Now she is leading discussions for the Indiana Education Reform Cabinet.More than 50 teachers met Thursday in the media center of Bloomington High School North to discuss student growth.“This is a really important event for us,” Gibson said during her introduction. “It’s one of several that are going to be happening for the next two years.”Mindy Schlegel, a senior adviser for teacher quality with the Indiana Department of Education, presented what she called the Indiana growth model.Schlegel said administrators often focus on those with average scores on standardized tests, ignoring those with extremely high or low scores.“Performance is about both achievement and growth,” Schlegel said. “Proficiency is not the same as growth.”Schlegel said students can be divided into those with high achievement and high growth, high achievement but little growth, low achievement and high growth and low achievement and low growth.Schlegel said the new model compares students who achieve on the same level, not students who are necessarily in the same classes.This model would take standardized scores from year to year and would not simply present whether students passed or failed, Schlegel said.She said it would show how much students improved in one year, how much they improved as compared to their peers and whether they showed as much improvement in that year as they should have.Schlegel said those using the model would take an initial standardized score and compare them with students across state with the same score.“We track that cohort,” Schlegel said.After a year, trackers find the median of that group and divide them into percentiles.“High growth is at or above the 66th percentile, typical is at or between the 35th and 65th percentile and low is at or below the 34th percentile,” Schlegel said.After this, those tracking these scores can project the growth of the student, which would help them measure whether the student is continuing to grow at the rate they have been.“That’s pretty powerful and validating,” Schlegel said. “We can start targeting assistance.”Schlegel said though it is important to have high achievement, it is equally if not more important for schools to show students growing academically each year.“Everybody has some sort of achievement gap,” Schlegel said.Teachers were encouraged to discuss Schlegel’s presentation among themselves in groups.All agreed measuring growth is a positive step and very important. However, they had some concerns about the model.Some showed concern over the fact that the department would be tracking growth based on the ISTEP test but not necessarily growth in knowledge.“Is it a fair way of assessing their knowledge if the tests are different every year?” Keith Bush, an assistant principal and athletics director at Tri-North Middle School, asked the others. No one was certain.Other teachers voiced the concern that the ISTEP focuses on English and math but not social studies or science.“Until we start doing it in every subject, every grade, every year, I don’t see how it can completely measure growth,” Bush said.
(11/11/10 4:10am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While the country struggles with a 9.6 percent unemployment rate, reports show health care facilities in Indiana have not taken the same hit. In fact, employment in both education and health care has increased in Indiana. Indiana employment in education and health care is up 5.3 percent from three years ago, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Indiana’s overall labor market has declined 8.7 percent in the same amount of time.“We haven’t had any staff cuts and don’t expect to,” said Bloomington Hospital spokeswoman Amanda Roach.Kimberly Ripley, a Bloomington Hospital health care recruiter, said their recruiting process hasn’t slowed at all.She said the hospital continues to recruit through classroom visits to colleges and other traditional forms of advertising.Ripley said the recruiters are constantly trying to fill pharmacist and physical therapist positions which are still in high demand.“We think we can fill them,” Ripley said.But cuts at other hospitals might need to be more dramatic. For example, financial reports with the Indiana State Department of Health revealed St. Margaret Mercy Healthcare Centers North Campus in Hammond, Ind., which is part of St. Francis Hospital and Health Centers, faced a shortfall of about $11 million in 2009.Joe Stuteville, media relations manager for St. Francis Hospital & Health Centers, said their system has always been fiscally conservative and is constantly evaluating ways to run more efficiently.“Not to say that there haven’t been some factors in the last few years that have made us look at spending,” Stuteville said.The recession of 2008 made the hospital put a construction project for the Indianapolis branch on hold, he said.“Fortunately we were able to jumpstart that initiative again,” Stuteville said. “Certainly that was recession-driven.”Stuteville said though they have been looking at lower spending, their first priority is customer care, and they haven’t had any layoffs.Marcie Couet, Indiana Hospital Association director of communications, said Indiana hospitals are currently focused on cutting costs per patient.“Health reform does mean cuts in payments to hospitals from the government,” Couet said. “At the same time, demand for hospital care is growing.” She said this demand is growing because the Medicare population is increasing. Also, health care reform is expected to increase the number of people with health insurance, which hospitals must be ready to handle, Couet said.Couet said though government funds will be cut, the increasing demand will support hospital staffs.“While hospitals are working intently on right sizing their staffs,” Couet said. “Health care will likely be a growing business.”
(11/10/10 5:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Last March, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act with one of the closest votes in history, a 219-212 tally. Now their decision is threatened with promises of repeal.Rep. John Boehner, R-Ohio, who is expected to become the new Speaker of the House of Representatives following the Republican takeover last week, vowed last Wednesday to repeal the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.“I believe that the health care bill that was enacted by the current Congress will kill jobs in America, ruin the best health care system in the world, and bankrupt our country,” Boehner said in a news conference. “We have to do everything we can to try to repeal this bill and replace it with common sense reforms to bring down the cost of health care.”The 219 votes that passed the bill were cast by the Democratic majority. All 178 Republicans in the House voted against it, as well as 34 Democrats.Now there are 239 Republicans in the House and 189 Democrats.Mitchell Krumm, a political science graduate student, said to overturn the act, a new bill would have to be drafted and passed by both the House and the Senate then signed by President Obama. If President Obama refused to sign such a bill — and Krumm said he believes Obama would — a two-thirds majority in both the House and the Senate would be needed to overturn his veto.“Given that the Democrats still control two crucial steps to repeal in this process (the Senate and the presidency), it is impossible to actually repeal the bill at this time,” Krumm said.However, Mary Beth Lombardo, also a political science graduate student, said though the act cannot yet be repealed, it might undergo significant change.“It is very likely that Republicans could find support from moderate Democrats in Congress, and possibly from President Obama too, to make adjustments to the law,” Lombardo said.Krumm said the promises of repeal coming from members of the House only refer to work done within the House of Representatives, which is only one step of three needed for repeal.However, Krumm said House members are threatening to de-fund the new health care programs. Krumm said he believes a repeal would be favored by the majority of Americans.“Republicans oppose the bill because they feel that it does not address the real problems that need reform,” Krumm said. “On the other hand, many Democrats also feel that the bill does not reform the correct areas.”Lombardo said many polls have shown that certain provisions of the act, such as children staying on parents’ insurance until they reach 26, have been favored by a majority, however.“From a strategic standpoint, Republicans may not want to repeal the law completely, but rather prioritize what they feel are the most unpalatable areas of the bill and work to change those,” Lombardo said.
(11/10/10 5:34am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When Monroe County passed an additional property tax that will help fund Monroe County public schools for the next six years, it did not follow the common trend for the rest of the state of Indiana. Only six of the 17 school referenda proposed were passed.More than 61 percent of voters in Zionsville, Ind. rejected a similar referendum, and 57 percent rejected it in the Center Grove school district.Terry Spradlin, associate director of education policy at IU’s Center for Evaluation and Education Policy, said this has to do with the still-poor economy and high unemployment rates. He said people are resentful of the government since unemployment remains at about 10 percent, and voters are unwilling to pay more for government services.Spradlin also said it was difficult to persuade people to vote to increase their taxes when the question that preceded the referendum on the ballot sought to cap taxes.“On one hand, voters were voting to cap taxes so that they don’t exceed certain limits, and the following question was an exception to that,” Spradlin said. “Most were motivated to vote for the first question but saw the conflict between the two questions.”In nonpresidential elections, Spradlin said the voter turnout is usually the older generation, who live on fixed incomes and do not have school-age children. This may also have hurt the chance of success for referenda throughout the state.Though the national and state trend was to reject school referenda, Spradlin said other local factors attributed to each county’s decision, such as communication by school leaders about proposed budgets.“Each school district probably had their own set of issues and challenges,” Spradlin said.Dr. John Ellis, executive director of the Indiana Association of Public School Superintendents, said construction referenda were the hardest to convince voters to support.Ellis said the state has placed a gag order on school leaders, preventing promotion of needs for building funds. They are not allowed to discuss the shortfalls or proposed budgets of construction costs during the workday.“It makes for a much tougher sell,” Ellis said. “People don’t understand that you can’t respond because of a statutory thing.”Ellis said this needs to be changed. Voters are unable to help their students if school leaders cannot provide information on students’ needs.He said one of the biggest challenges is to repair decaying buildings as well as equip them with modern technology.“We don’t want our students leaving the building not recognizing equipment in the workplace because the schools are 10 years behind,” Ellis said.Dr. John Coopman, superintendent of Monroe County Community School Corporation, said he believes the referendum passed here, despite the state trend, because Bloomington voters recognize the value of public education.“Without quality public schools, businesses move out, new businesses don’t seek opportunities to locate in Monroe County and people move out, which results in declining property values,” Coopman said.He said MCCSC has been in the bottom 18 percent of the state in regard to per pupil funding since 1973 and has worked hard to overcome this. “There remains great instability in educational funding since the state of Indiana moved to supporting the general fund via sales and income taxes,” Coopman said. Spradlin said the next chance for referenda to be passed would be in a special election held next November, in an off-election year. He said it would be good because voters would be completely focused on the issue.Following the turnout from this election, however, he said he doesn’t know which way the majority of votes would go if special elections were in the future.“It’s not promising,” Spradlin said. He said staff cuts, school closings and the reduction or elimination of extracurricular activities and electives are on the horizon for the school corporations that will not be receiving funds from the additional tax.“In most cases, school districts were just trying to maintain the status quo,” Spradlin said.
(11/03/10 5:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After serving five nonconsecutive terms in the U.S. House of Representatives for the Indiana’s 9th District, Baron Hill, Democrat, lost to Representative-elect Todd Young, Republican, in a 53-42 percent vote.Supporters of Hill’s campaign awaited results in Seymour, Ind., Hill’s hometown.In an unassuming, wood-paneled winery called Chateau de Pique, supporters began to arrive when the doors opened at 6:30 p.m., half an hour after the Indiana polls closed.The results of Hill’s race were not released until 9 p.m.At about 7 p.m., the result for the Indiana Senate race was released. The Republican win did not dampen the spirits of those waiting for Hill.At 8:48 p.m., 71 percent of the vote was reported, and Young had won with 85,411 votes to Hill’s 63,086.The noise and cheerfulness of the room fell shortly after; people patted each other on the backs, offering reassurance for their hard work.Baron Hill arrived at 9:09 p.m. to clapping and cheering; the loss had not dampened the supporters’ fervor. He shook hands, smiling at supporters, as he walked to the podium with his wife, daughter and granddaughter.“Well, we came a little short tonight,” Hill said to the supporters. He told the crowd that about 10 minutes before he arrived, he called Young to congratulate him. He said he wants to work with Young in the future because he will be faced with many important decisions.“The most important people are the people that I represent,” Hill said. “I want to make sure that those people are taken care of.”Hill reminded those present that Democrats entered a poor economy two years ago.“Ladies and gentlemen, don’t let anyone tell you differently — the Democratic Party has saved this country,” Hill said. “I am proud to have been part of that process for the last two years.”Those present were gravely disappointed by the loss.Beth McManus, a volunteer for Hill’s campaign, said she is very sorry to see someone with Hill’s expertise lose.“I think Baron Hill has done a lot of great things in Congress as well as on the grassroots level,” McManus said.She also said she is proud of Hill’s staff.“Politics aside, they’ve done a lot of great bipartisan things,” McManus said.Alex Rossini is a resident of the 9th District and volunteered for Hill’s campaign. He said he feared Hill’s loss was a prediction for the rest of the country.“We failed to remind voters that what the party did over the last two years was pass some of the most amazing reforms in American history,” Rossini said. “It’s disheartening.”Jean Marr Wilkins, a Columbus, Ind. native, was also disappointed.“I think we’ve lost, I hope temporarily, a great congressman,” Wilkins said.She said Hill represented the district very well with both his vision and his principles.“He certainly cared about doing what was right for the country and the district as well.” Wilkins said.Hill finished his address by thanking everyone who had gathered to wait for the results.“You have been very loyal supporters for a very long period of time, and I know this hurts you as much as it hurts me,” Hill said.He reminded his supporters not to give up yet.“There’s always another election down the road,” Hill said.
(11/02/10 3:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A small crowd centered around Baron Hill as he carried his tiny blond granddaughter across Third Street, who was in pink sweats and waving a blue sucker in the air.Hill (D-9) visited the Monroe County Democratic Headquarters for the last time before Election Day with his family on Monday.The small main room of the headquarters was packed with volunteers and supporters. Hill had to push through the crowd to make his way to the center of the room.“You guys are the reason we’re going to be celebrating tomorrow night,” Hill said to those gathered. They answered with loud applause, cheers and well wishes for Election Day.He thanked and congratulated the volunteers of the headquarters for their hard work and perseverance for the past few months. Hill said President Barack Obama called him while he ate lunch at Nick’s English Hut before heading to the Democratic headquarters.“I am very touched by what you’ve been doing for me,” Hill said.He said 30,000 people have voted in District 9 so far.“I’m 10 points up,” he announced, eliciting more cheering. “In Monroe County, I’m 30 points up.” But he reminded everyone that 170,000 more are planning to vote Tuesday.“The Republicans are already gloating,” Hill said. He said many predict the Republicans will pick up at least 55 seats in the House, but he said he is optimistic about the other races.“Let’s keep on working,” Hill said.
(11/01/10 4:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The three candidates for the 9th District congressional seat stood serenely behind gray podiums at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater on Oct. 18. Each would be asked direct questions by the coach of the IU debate team and would be expected to give clear answers.Among the questions, asked by moderator Brian DeLong, was one concerning the candidates’ plans for Social Security.Following the lowest economic point in American history since the Great Depression, some Americans no longer believe that early retirement is an option for them, and if Social Security is privatized, their financial situation post-retirement may become unstable without the help of government aid.A July Gallup poll showed six in 10 Americans do not believe they will receive social security benefits when they retire, the highest number Gallup reported since they started asking the question in 1989.Social Security does not only pay retirees, however. It also sustains disability insurance and unemployment benefits.By 2015, the cost of Social Security is expected to exceed money collected from taxes. This is because the baby boomer generation is aging, there is a low birth rate in the U.S. and longevity is increasing, according to an article by Michael Kinsley, a political journalist.Legislators have had to respond to this possibility, and it has sparked heated debate.Former President George W. Bush proposed partially privatizing Social Security. This would force retirees to attain some benefits from government funds and some from their own private funds. Baron Hill, the incumbent for Indiana’s 9th District, strongly opposes this plan.“We simply cannot risk losing funds for Social Security that have to be there for Indiana seniors,” Hill said.At the press conference after the 9th District congressional debate last week, Republican candidate Todd Young said he does not support the privatization solution either.Hill does not believe Young will stand against privatization, however. “Unfortunately, my Republican opponent refuses to sign a pledge to protect Social Security from privatization and recently threw the pledge on the ground,” Hill said.Libertarian candidate Greg Knott said better means of funding Social Security must be found. He said the other candidates, while promising to support it, have yet to produce concrete methods to do so.“Medicare is the more immediate problem,” Knott said. “But both programs will become insolvent if a more sustainable funding source is not found.”Todd Young was unavailable to comment on his solution to sustaining Social Security.Knott has proposed a consumption tax rather than income tax for funding. He said this will be more likely to yield the needed funds.Hill agreed that there must be a steadier source of income for Social Security.“One possible fix is ensuring that millionaires pay Social Security tax at the same rate as the middle class instead of the reduced rate they currently pay,” Hill said.All of the candidates said they have plans to work with Congress.“I look forward to reviewing the report of the president’s debt commission next month for potential fixes to Social Security,” Hill said.
(11/01/10 3:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The possibility that man-made emissions might be harming our environment has been discussed by lawmakers since Richard Nixon’s presidency, and environmental policy continues to be a staple of candidates’ platforms.One proposed economic solution for pollution from power plants is known as emissions trading, or cap and trade policy. This would set caps, or limits, on the amount of pollutants plants are permitted to emit. Companies that exceeded these limits would be heavily fined, and companies that reduced emissions would have extra permits to pollute. The companies that reduce emissions would be able to then sell those extra permits to other companies coming close to or exceeding their caps. The idea is those who can lower their emissions cheaply will have the incentive to do so, lowering pollution at the lowest cost to society.Economics professor Roy Gardner said some governmental bodies, such as the European Union, have adopted this solution, but many businesses are against the policy because it raises their costs.“Cap and trade for carbon dioxide emissions passed the House but failed in the Senate this session,” Gardner said. “The political support just isn’t there in the USA.”Baron Hill, D-9th District, said he supported a recent bill that would have addressed environmental concerns.“First, it lessened our dependence on foreign oil by investing in clean technology here in Indiana,” Hill said. “Second, it reduced carbon emissions significantly and lessened our impact on climate change. Finally, it created clean energy jobs here in Indiana that cannot be shipped overseas.”Hill is the only one of the three 9th District congressional candidates that supports cap and trade policy.Republican candidate Todd Young was unavailable for comment. At the 9th Congressional District debate Oct. 18, Young said he has not been convinced that global warming is man-made. He said there are reasonable arguments on both sides of the debate.Young also said passing this legislation while recovering from a bad economy will only hurt Indiana residents.“It’s going to hurt businesses and consumers alike,” Young said.Young said countries with higher pollution rates than the U.S., such as China, must be kept accountable if the U.S. decides to limit emissions. Greg Knott, the 9th Congressional District Libertarian candidate, has similar concerns about emissions trading. He said the previously proposed plan would have caused businesses to ship jobs overseas, severely impacting working Americans.Knott also said if businesses move overseas, it would harm the environment more because they would operate in countries with little to no environmental regulations.“To fix anthropogenic climate change will require a multi-lateral agreement,” Knott said. “We must keep working for a global agreement that includes the worst polluters in the developing world.”
(11/01/10 3:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is a military policy, but it was created by civilian law. It has caused heated argument and cries against discrimination since the unspoken policy was passed into federal law by Congress during the Clinton administration. And people question whether it will be repealed.The U.S. Department of Defense is conducting a survey of selected members of the U.S. Air Force about the effects of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.“It’s designed to assist leadership in assessing the impacts, if any, that the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell might have on military readiness, military effectiveness, unit cohesion and recruiting and retention,” said Lt. Gen. Richard Newton III, deputy chief of staff for manpower and personnel in a U.S. Air Force report.The findings of the study will be reported to the Secretary of Defense by Dec. 1.In the meantime, congressional candidates, who might have to vote on this issue, have expressed their views.Greg Knott, the Libertarian candidate for the 9th District, said Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is a good idea but was sorely abused and now hurts military effectiveness.“They promised that gays in the military would have a right to be out of the closet while off-base and not on duty,” Knott said. “Instead they have gone on witch hunts by snooping in private e-mails and discharging soldiers who have served honorably without disclosing their sexual orientation while on duty.”He said he would not support Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in the future.Todd Young, the Republican candidate, was unavailable for comment. In the 9th District congressional debate Oct. 18, Young said he has yet to find a reason to repeal the policy, but he remains open to new studies showing that it is not working.Young, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and former Marine, said the military is primarily a fighting force and repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell might undermine military readiness.Baron Hill, the Democrat incumbent, has been and continues to be against Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.“It simply does not make sense to discriminate against our men and women in uniform on the basis of sexual orientation,” Hill said. “If someone is willing to take a bullet for our country and serve honorably, we should respect and honor that commitment.” Doug Bauder, coordinator of IU’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender office, said it could be a political disaster for Obama to try to repeal the policy now.However, since candidates, professionals and even episcopal bishops are permitted to be open about their sexuality, Bauder believes it doesn’t make sense that military men and women cannot.“You’re basically asking people to lie,” Bauder said. “I really feel our military suffers.”Bauder said there will always be people who do not support GLBT membership in the military, but he hopes younger generations will see less of this.“If I have any ounce of patriotism left in me, I am of proud of people in the military like those who have served honorably,” Bauder said.
(10/29/10 4:53am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It will not be possible for Republicans to gain the majority in the Monroe County Council this election because the majority of Democratic Council members are running unopposed. Regardless, the Democratic candidates for Monroe County Commissioner and Council met at the Monroe County Courthouse on Thursday to discuss the successes of Democratic control in Monroe County. District 1 Council member Vic Kelson said Republicans have been accusing Democratic candidates of lacking concrete plans for fiscal responsibility and county planning.“We’re here to set the record straight and give some information,” Kelson said.County Commissioner Patrick Stoffers listed accomplishments made by the current County Council, including renovations of county facilities, the creation of the Vietnam Memorial outside the courthouse, and an energy conservation policy.“I’d like to re-emphasize the fact that Monroe County has no debt,” Stoffers said.Although Stoffers said Monroe County does not have a deficit, 58 out of 92 Indiana counties have debt liabilities. The average amount of debt for those 58 counties is $11,011,857.70. Kelson also pointed out that Monroe County is the 11th most populous county in Indiana but is 70th in property tax rates.“Indiana is a low property tax state,” Kelson said. “We are a low property tax county in a low property tax state.”And there are extra funds saved by the county that many counties have lost in the poor economy. As of Oct. 1, Monroe County had about $12.2 million saved in cash reserves, $4.2 million reserved in case income taxes do not yield as much as the projected amount and $1.8 million saved for special projects.“We have a robust cash reserve that we’re going to need,” Kelson said. “We’ve been frugal in our spending.”Sam Allison, a District 4 County Council candidate, said the council can be very proud of these numbers.“I would love to be part of the team that produced these results,” Allison said.Monroe County has also been successful to draw in business. The website www.forbes.com ranked Bloomington 16th in the nation for the best small towns to do business.Kelson said this effectively dismisses the claim of some Republican candidates that economic development is not important to the Democratic Council.“We simply are not hostile to business,” Kelson said.Kelson and Stoffers said they plan to invest their funds in the county in the future.Stoffers said the money needs to be invested to help improve the economy just as funds were invested during the Great Depression.“Rolling back spending is not the answer,” Stoffers said.Kelson said the economic and social policies by this Council have proved effective, and they hope to continue to be able to manage Monroe County.“The Monroe County Democrats have managed this county extremely well,” Kelson said.