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(09/13/13 4:39am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced Sept. 4 that the Executive Branch would no longer enforce the portion of the U.S. Code Section 38 that bars same-sex spouses from receiving veterans benefits.In the case United States v. Windsor, the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act’s definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman, ruling that the definition violates the Due Process clause of the Fifth Amendment. The clause guarantees that individuals cannot be deprived of liberty without due process. “The decision of the Supreme Court in Windsor reinforces the Executive conclusion that the Title 38 provisions are unconstitutional,” Holder said in a letter to House Speaker John Boehner. “Although the Supreme Court did not directly address the constitutionality of the Title 38 provisions in Windsor, the reasoning of the opinion strongly supports the conclusion that those provisions are unconstitutional.”Holder said this decision was not made lightly.“Decisions by the Executive not to enforce federal laws are appropriately rare,” Holder wrote. “Nevertheless, for the reasons described, the unique circumstances presented here warrant non-enforcement.”Holder reasoned that the requirements for eligibility under Section 38 were “substantively identical” to those in the Defense of Marriage Act and therefore ought not be enforced.Holder’s decision came after a California federal court ruling that Section 38 was unconstitutional.The decision will benefit veterans and their spouses in the District of Columbia and the 13 states that recognize same-sex marriage.In Indiana, the decision will have less of an impact. Indiana currently has a law prohibiting same-sex marriage and does not recognize same-sex unions. The American Veterans for Equal Rights Indianapolis chapter is pushing for change. The organization started fighting for the repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. Since its repeal, they have been working on improving conditions for transgender individuals in the military as well as same-sex marriage in general.Indianapolis Chapter President and Air Force veteran Scott Spychala said the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell helped to open the eyes of the public to the issue of gay rights.“If people are willing to serve for their country, they deserve the same rights, including the right to marry,” Spychala said. Spychala said his organization is working with Indiana Equality Action, a group dedicated to advancing equal rights for all Hoosier citizens regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity, in order to lobby the state for marriage rights.“We plan to put veterans in front of state legislators to put a face on the problem,” Spychala said. “This issue affects all of us, not just those who are actively serving.”Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(09/09/13 3:57am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana’s attorney general wants state residents to stop smurfing.Smurfing refers to the purchase of popular cold and allergy medicines containing pseudoephedrine for secondary sale to a methamphetamine producer. These medicines include Advil Cold and Sinus, Allegra-D, Claritin-D, Mucinex D and Sudafed.Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller helped launch the State’s new anti-smurfing public awareness campaign Sept. 3.Separate from the public awareness campaign, Indiana law requires pseudoephedrine purchases are limited to 3.6 grams per day, 7.2 grams per month and 61.2 gramsannually.Pharmacists are required to record the name, address, ID number and signature of the purchaser.Zoeller joined representatives from the Consumer Healthcare Products Association, the Indiana Pharmacists Alliance and other organizations to launch the campaign, which involves posting flyers in pharmacies warning of the consequences of smurfing.The campaign was launched in Evansville because Vanderburgh County leads the state for the number of meth labs found so far this year, according to a press release from Zoeller’s office.Monroe County ranks third in the state for meth labs seized in 2012.Zoeller said this initiative is aimed at stopping home production because of the great environmental and public health risks of the chemical exposure involved in methamphetamine production.“Home meth labs pose a health risk not only to the cookers, but also to the police who will inevitably have to clean them up,” Zoeller said. “Another big risk is explosion.”The Consumer Healthcare Products Association has also been spreading awareness.“Indiana now joins Kentucky, Missouri and Alabama in having this program in place,” said Elizabeth Funderburk, CHPA senior director of communications and public affairs.The initiative required the cooperation of the drug producers and retailers.“The retailers participated and are very supportive of this voluntary initiative,“ Funderburk said. “The makers of these medicines are in the business of making people feel better and never want to see their medicines illegally diverted to manufacture methamphetamine.”Funderburk said CHPA researched poster ideas to find the balance of educating potential smurfers about consequences without alarming law-abiding people who want cold and allergy medicines.Zoeller said these posters will serve as “fair warning” to potential smurfers who cannot claim ignorance of the law once they are apprehended.He also said the posters are already on display in Evansville and Terre Haute, and are currently in distribution to pharmacies around the state. Follow health, science and environment reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter@brimmeyer.
(09/06/13 2:15am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Gov. Mike Pence announced Tuesday the Healthy Indiana Plan would be extended through Dec. 31, 2014.The Healthy Indiana Plan covers uninsured, low-income adults, ages 19 to 64, who are ineligible for Medicaid. The plan provides an income-based personal health savings account with contributions made between the individual and the state valued at $1,100, a basic commercial package to cover medical costs that exceed $1,100, and free preventative services, according to Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s website.Gov. Pence has been in negotiations with the United States Department of Health and Human Services since February 2013.is trying to receive the necessary waivers to continue HIP, as the current waivers were due to expire at the end of 2013.Indiana is one of 22 states not moving forward with the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion at this time, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health policy research group.Pence is considering using the Healthy Indiana Plan as a vehicle for Medicaidexpansion to bring health care coverage to more Hoosiers in the future, according to the IFSSA website.However, Pence has said any coverage of the expansion must begin with the Healthy Indiana Plan, according to the website.“Securing a waiver to continue the Healthy Indiana Plan is a victory for Hoosiers enrolled in this innovative program and will ensure that Indiana remains at the forefront of consumer-driven healthcare in the United States,” Pence said in a press release.The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded Indiana Family and Social Services waivers to three key provisions of the Medicaid program.CMS granted these waivers on the condition that HIP be limited to adults whose income falls below 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and that Indiana provide a “seamless transition of coverage” for those individuals currently enrolled in HIP who do not meet the new income restriction, according to a letter from CMS director Cindy Mann.Currently, the income restriction is 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline, according to the IFSSA website.“Those who no longer meet the requirements will be able to apply for tax credits and cost-saving reductions to cover increased deductibles and co-pays of plans bought in the federal marketplace,” IFSSA Secretary Debra Minott said. “They will be in as good of a situation, if not better.”Minott said that enrollment will not be expressly capped, but it is limited by the funding that is available, and IFSSA hopes to enroll about 45,000 individuals.The extension, rather than expansion, of the Healthy Indiana Plan will leave a gap in coverage for Hoosiers.“To the 37,316 current Healthy Indiana Plan enrollees, today’s announcement comes as a relief. But what of the 10,000 enrollees the governor’s agreement kicks off HIP, or the nearly 53,000 left on waiting lists, or the more than 500,000 Hoosiers without access to health care?” said Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, in a press release. “To them, today’s announcement is nothing more than achieving the minimum.”Follow health, science and environment reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter@brimmeyer.
(09/04/13 9:00pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Gov. Mike Pence announced Tuesday the Healthy Indiana Plan would be extended through Dec. 31, 2014.The Healthy Indiana Plan covers uninsured, low-income adults, ages 19 to 64, who are ineligible for Medicaid. The plan provides an income-based personal health savings account with contributions made between the individual and the state valued at $1,100, a basic commercial package to cover medical costs that exceed $1,100, and free preventative services, according to Indiana Family and Social Services Administration’s website.Gov. Pence has been in negotiations with the United States Department of Health and Human Services since February 2013.is trying to receive the necessary waivers to continue HIP, as the current waivers were due to expire at the end of 2013.Indiana is one of 22 states not moving forward with the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion at this time, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation, a health policy research group.Pence is considering using the Healthy Indiana Plan as a vehicle for Medicaidexpansion to bring health care coverage to more Hoosiers in the future, according to the IFSSA website.However, Pence has said any coverage of the expansion must begin with the Healthy Indiana Plan, according to the website.“Securing a waiver to continue the Healthy Indiana Plan is a victory for Hoosiers enrolled in this innovative program and will ensure that Indiana remains at the forefront of consumer-driven healthcare in the United States,” Pence said in a press release.The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services awarded Indiana Family and Social Services waivers to three key provisions of the Medicaid program.CMS granted these waivers on the condition that HIP be limited to adults whose income falls below 100 percent of the federal poverty guidelines and that Indiana provide a “seamless transition of coverage” for those individuals currently enrolled in HIP who do not meet the new income restriction, according to a letter from CMS director Cindy Mann.Currently, the income restriction is 200 percent of the federal poverty guideline, according to the IFSSA website.“Those who no longer meet the requirements will be able to apply for tax credits and cost-saving reductions to cover increased deductibles and co-pays of plans bought in the federal marketplace,” IFSSA Secretary Debra Minott said. “They will be in as good of a situation, if not better.”Minott said that enrollment will not be expressly capped, but it is limited by the funding that is available, and IFSSA hopes to enroll about 45,000 individuals.The extension, rather than expansion, of the Healthy Indiana Plan will leave a gap in coverage for Hoosiers.“To the 37,316 current Healthy Indiana Plan enrollees, today’s announcement comes as a relief. But what of the 10,000 enrollees the governor’s agreement kicks off HIP, or the nearly 53,000 left on waiting lists, or the more than 500,000 Hoosiers without access to health care?” said Sen. Tim Lanane, D-Anderson, in a press release. “To them, today’s announcement is nothing more than achieving the minimum.”Follow health, science and environment reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter@brimmeyer.
(09/03/13 3:17am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Federal Emergency Management Agency classified September as National Preparedness Month in 2004, an initiative designed to prepare Hoosiers for natural disasters and emergencies.The Indiana Department of Homeland Security is conducting an online survey, which was last administered in 2011, to assess the emergency preparedness of households and help increase preparedness. The 10-minute survey, which can be accessed at in.gov/dhs, is available until Sept. 20. All participants will be entered in a drawing to receive an all hazards radio, which broadcasts emergency and weather information. Sample survey questions ask if participants own a preparedness kit, ask what specific items are in their preparedness kit and ask about evacuation plans.John Erickson, senior public information officer for IDHS, said a score for each respondent was calculated using a formula that assigns a value to each response. The findings of the 2011 survey indicated that respondents from rural areas were nearly 12 percent more prepared than those from urban areas and that respondents in rural areas are 28 percent more likely to have a home evacuation plan than those in urban areas, according to the IDHS website.“The results of the 2011 survey helped the department make recommendations to the state as well as to specific counties on how to better prepare,” Erickson said. Monroe County was assigned a preparedness level of medium following the same 2011 survey, with other counties receiving ratings of low, high and no response. Areas with the highest level of preparedness are located in the northern portion of the state, according to the IDHS website.“In our community a hazards analysis indicates the most likely events are weather related,” Jim Comerford, Monroe County Emergency Management coordinator, said in an email. “These include flood, tornado, wind storms and winter weather. Other hazards with less probability but causing a medium to high impact if they do occur are an earthquake or a hazardous materials release.”Comerford said his department’s main focus is providing early warning for disasters, including outdoor warning sirens. Comerford said assembling an emergency preparedness kit is one of the most important tasks a family can complete to prepare for an emergency.Comerford said Monroe County Emergency Management recommends every home have a weather radio, and they encourage everyone to have a survival kit including items such as water, shelf stable foods, medications, lights, batteries and a battery-powered radio, among other items.“We also have a current initiative between state homeland security and local Emergency Management Agencies to place weather radios in high risk residences such as mobile homes,” Comerford said. “We have given out over 200 radios over the last two years.”Follow health, science and environment reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter@brimmeyer.
(08/30/13 4:06am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Elm Heights location of Bloomingfoods opened its doors for the first time Aug. 23.Its location on the corner of South Fess Avenue and East Second Street was once the site of another neighborhood grocery store. “We wanted to rehab the site and bring back the community feeling of a neighborhood grocery store in the area,” Steve Stroup, membership coordinator at Bloomingfoods, said.Bloomingfoods, in conjunction with the Elm Heights Neighborhood Association, negotiated with the landowner to develop the space for the new store and a small apartment structure.Stroup said the decision to expand Bloomingfoods was obvious because the Near West Side and East locations were becoming crowded with customers.“We chose the Elm Heights location because our research showed that there were a large number of co-op member owners who lived in the area,” Stroup said.The project was financed through a combination of cash reserves and loans from co-op member owners and external lenders.“Our goal was to raise $800,000 through member loans, and we ended up getting $1.3 million,” Stroup said. “The response was overwhelmingly generous and supportive.”One hundred thirty individual member owners loaned money to the project in amounts ranging from $1,000 to $100,000.“The fact that so many people loaned us this money shows how involved and committed the community is,” Stroup said. “And that helps us when we go to banks to get the additional financing for the project.”The new store was designed to be not only environmentally conscious, but also aesthetically pleasing, Stroup said.Some of the green features include high-efficiency lighting,high-efficiency heating and air conditioning, a roof designed to accommodate solar panels in the future and cold cases with closed doors to save energy.Kirkwood Design Studio was tasked with coordinating the interior architecture and design with the electrical, manufacturing, plumbing and exterior design.“We wanted to harken back to the style of neighborhood grocery stores in the ’20s and ’30s in a way that references but doesn’t copy,” said Dawn Gray, architect at Kirkwood Design Studio. “The vibe is historically modern.”Nell Weatherwax, a Bloomingfoods co-op member and lifelong Bloomington resident, enjoyed lunch with a friend at the new location Wednesday afternoon.“I love the design, I love the location,” Weatherwax said.Weatherwax said her only concern about the new location was the limited parking availability. There are only about 20 spaces in the lot.Stroup said since many member owners who will shop at the store live in the area, he anticipates a lot of bicycle and pedestrian traffic.“The fact that we are so close to our consumers makes the location even more environmentally sound since our members will not have to drive to get here,” Stroup said.Follow health, science and environment reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(08/27/13 12:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Seven hundred eighteen Indiana residents died from accidental drug overdoses in 2011, a 10 percent increase from the previous year, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller visited Bloomington Monday to discuss the launch of BitterPill.IN.gov., a website that features information about the dangers of abusing prescription drugs, including dealing with addiction, properly disposing of unwanted prescriptions, and reporting illegal activities. Zoeller is visiting various cities throughout Indiana to discuss the initiative.Zoeller said Bloomington has a greater reach than the people who live in the city throughout the year and is usually one of the stops on his tours throughout the state.“The website serves as a one-stop shop for consumers to access information and resources to end the prescription drug abuse epidemic,” Zoeller said.The BitterPill initiative was launched Aug. 16 at the Indiana State Fair. Zoeller said he will be visiting Lafayette and Terre Haute this week to discuss the initiative.“There is a misconception that because a drug is prescribed by a doctor that it is safe,” said Peggy Welch, member of Indiana’s Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Task Force and former state legislator. “But that’s not the case if you aren’t using it for the prescribed purpose.”With the launch of BitterPill, the creation of the task force and the annual Prescription Drug Abuse Symposium, Indiana is ahead of the curve when it comes to taking proactive steps to combat the drug abuse crisis, Zoeller said.In addition to the website launch, the task force is also taking legislative steps to decrease the problem of prescription drug abuse.Last legislative session, the task force passed two bills to combat the problem.The first statute, Senate Enrolled Act 246, effectively shut down “pill mills” by requiring clinic owners to hold an Indiana Controlled Substance Registration.The second statute, House Enrolled Act 1465, funded the INSPECT Prescription Drug Monitoring Program that allows doctors and law enforcement officers to track drug-seeking behaviors.“The INSPECT program gives doctors proof of a patient’s medical history and allows them to make confident prescribing decisions,” task force member Joshua Anderson said.Zoeller said the legislation and the task force are just the beginning.“Prescription drug abuse is not limited to one socioeconomic group or group of people,” Welch said. “Top to bottom, it’s a problem.”Zoeller said prescription drug abuse is especially dangerous on college campuses, where young people are experimenting with and combining drugs that can interact with fatal consequences.“Student government and student groups need to get the word out that this is a real problem,” Zoeller said. “It’s up to students to be leaders among their peers.”Follow health, science and environment reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(08/26/13 2:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Furry, four-legged friends filled the WonderLab Museum of Science, Health and Technology Sunday. The occasion: National Dog Day.The event is held annually at WonderLab, usually on the weekend preceding National Dog Day, This year the museum brought in local rescue and veterinary groups to educate children about dogs.“National Dog Day is a day that encourages adopting from shelters, as well as celebrating dogs in general,” WonderLab Museum Assistant Liza Huffman said.According to nationaldogday.com, author Colleen Paige wanted a holiday dedicated to appreciation of dogs, and established Aug. 26 as National Dog Day in 2004.“It is not every day that we are bringing in live animals that the kids can interact with, and it’s something I think everyone really enjoys,” Huffman said. Charlotte Walker, a representative from Pets Alive in Bloomington, demonstrated how microchip implants can identify dogs and cats.“Microchipping is an easy way for shelters to identify your pet if it becomes lost,” Walker said. “It is especially useful for cats who may not wear an identifying collar.”The Pets Alive exhibit also offered information on the importance of spaying and neutering to prevent surprise litters and pet overpopulation. Its clinic on South Walnut Street offers spay and neuter services as well as vaccinations four days a week. The largest group of dogs at the museum Sunday came from the Indianapolis chapter of Greyhound Pets of America. Volunteers brought their own pets and one adoptable dog, a 2-year-old brindled female named Pebbles.The chapter fosters retired racing greyhounds and places them into adoptive homes, GPA Indy volunteer Erlene Sichting said. “Most of the greyhounds that we receive have not been mistreated,” Sichting said. “The owners know that a happy and healthy dog races better.”Sichting said when the dogs fail to win or when they’re 5-years-old, they really cannot be used for racing anymore, so they need new homes.Sichting, who has fostered more than 30 greyhounds in the past, calls them “velcro dogs” because they tend to stick to their owners’ sides.“Greyhounds make great house pets,” Celia Hartley, another GPA Indy volunteer, said. “They are athletes, but for most of the day they are gentle, quiet and inactive.”One of the most popular exhibits was sponsored by the Monroe County Humane Association’s Very Important Paws program. The program consists of a group of individually-owned dogs that are registered therapy pets.Children had the opportunity to sit with the dogs and read them a story.VIPaws sponsors an Animal Reading Friends program at the Monroe County Public Library the third Saturday of each month. VIPaws members Charlotte Blackketter and her Doberman-retriever mix, Russell, met and greeted children all afternoon.“Children who have inhibitions about reading aloud may feel more comfortable reading to dogs,” Blackketter said.Follow reporter Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(08/23/13 3:21am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On any given day, 561,000 Hoosiers are without health insurance, according to the Family and Social Services Administration’s website.Beginning Jan. 1, 2014, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act mandates that all Americans have health insurance. Those who do not purchase some form of insurance will be penalized with a fee.Beginning Oct. 1, enrollment will begin for Indiana’s health insurance marketplace. The marketplace will serve as a vehicle for uninsured individuals who do not qualify for Medicaid to purchase insurance. Coverage under these new plans begins Jan. 1, 2014.Indiana has opted for a federally operated insurance exchange program. The details of how exactly this program will work are unclear, Bloomington Health Projects Coordinator Nancy Woolery said.To help prepare for the changes that are coming under the new system, Woolery has created Bloomington’s Affordable Care Act Committee.“Our goal is to enroll as many people as we can in the affordable insurance marketplace and help people avoid the penalty fee for being uninsured,” Woolery said.The committee includes representatives from the Monroe County Health Department, Ivy Tech, IU Health Bloomington, insurance agencies, IU Health Bloomington Hospital, the South Central Community Action Program and other community groups.“The Affordable Care Act is bringing changes for everybody,” said Penny Caudill, administrator for the Monroe County Health Department. “We will have to adapt and acclimate as the new system changes and unfolds.”The Health Department will not be working to actively enroll people in the insurance marketplace because of their limited staffing resources, Caudill said.“As it becomes clearer how the system will work, we will be working to educate the public and disseminate the necessary information,” Caudill said.Woolery said because Indiana refused Medicaid expansion, many people who would have been insured under Medicaid need to find other means of insurance.Instead of expanding Medicaid in Indiana, Gov. Mike Pence is petitioning the Secretary of Health and Human Services for a three-year waiver to extend the Healthy Indiana Plan. If the program is not waived, the 40,000 Indiana residents who receive benefits from HIP will be uninsured at the year’s end.Those using the health insurance marketplace depends largely on whether the HIP program is extended or not.Woolery said she expects people who work part-time without benefits or people who want an alternative to employer-provided benefits to be the main groups who enroll in this program.In order to help individuals complete applications in the new marketplace, volunteers need to become certified as members of application organizations.Woolery said the committee is exploring options to apply for grant funding that would cover the cost of certifying volunteers.The Federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are sponsoring Marketplace Navigator grants for states using a federally sponsored or state partnership program.Four organizations in Indiana have received such grants, including United Way, which supports 2-1-1, a network of information and referral services.The Navigator grant will aid 2-1-1 centers in providing pre-screening, information and referrals and limited facilitated enrollments for uninsured individuals in the new health insurance marketplace.“All of Indiana, including the Bloomington area, is covered by 211,” said Barry Lessow, executive director of United Way of Monroe County. “This service enables anyone in Indiana in need of human services to have quick access to free, appropriate information by dialing 211.”Follow Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(08/22/13 2:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Almost half of all bee hives in Indiana vanished last year due to a mysterious disorder, the causes of which have elduded researchers for eight years.Colony Collapse Disorder, which was first identified in 2006, is characterized by the sudden disappearance of adult honey bees in hives during winter. The cause of CCD is still unknown, but research suggests the disorder has many causes, ranging from invasive mites to pesticides, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. A May 2013 report by the USDA indicated bee deaths increased dramatically from 2012 to 2013, averaging almost half of all hives.In Indiana, the effect was similarly dramatic, but varied significantly, said Mike Seib, Indiana Beekeeper Association’s director-at-large.Seib said more than 1,300 IBA-member beekeepers reported average Indiana winter losses between 35 and 45 percent. “Some beekeepers had no losses, and others lost up to 80 percent,” Seib said. According to the Agriculture Research Service of the USDA, bee pollination is responsible for more than $15 billion in crop value every year. “About one mouthful in three in our diet directly or indirectly benefits from honeybee pollination,” according to the USDA website. Kathleen Prough, chief apiary inspector for the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, inspects hives and gives tips to beekeepers to improve the health of their hives.Prough said keeping hives healthy preventatively is the best way to avoid CCD. “To combat Colony Collapse Disorder, beekeepers are monitoring varroa mite levels and taking actions to lower the number of varroa mites in the hive,” Seib said.Prough said the mites act as a parasite in the hive, feeding on bees and bee larvae. They also spread viruses linked to CCD.The lack of genetic variation in bee colonies also makes them more susceptible to CCD, Seib said.“Queens are replaced more often,” Seib said. “I like to requeen my hives every other year.”One step some beekeepers are taking is closely monitoring bees’ diets. A varied diet can make for healthier bees, but most farmers plant only one crop. “Monoculture crops don’t help,” Prough said. “The bees need many sources of protein.”Many crops are treated with neonicotinoids, a class of pesticides that has been linked to CCD. The European Union has already banned these pesticides, but most farmers planting corn in the Midwest still use the chemical, according to the EPA.“It’s tough being in a corn state,” Prough said. “Researchers need to come up with a pesticide that kills the pests but doesn’t harm the bees.” Follow Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer.
(08/20/13 3:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office sponsors a drug take-back program at two permanent locations: IU Health Bloomington Hospital in the main lobby of the Outpatient Pharmacy and the Hazardous Materials Facility at the Solid Waste District’s Recycling Center on South Walnut Street.The goal of the program is to “collect and properly dispose of unused, unwanted or expired pharmaceutical drugs and controlled substances in order to reduce the risk of illegal diversion, drug abuse, overdose and environmental risks resulting from improper disposal,” according to the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office’s website.Storing unused medication in medicine cabinets risks the accidental ingestion by a child or pet, as well as drug misuse or abuse by teens and adults, according to the Food and Drug Administration’s website. However, getting rid of drugs by flushing them down the toilet or throwing them in the trash risks their entry into the waterways.When it comes to safely disposing of leftover drugs, always follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the packaging, according to the FDA’s website. Medications should only be flushed if the packaging specifically instructs it, according to the EPA’s website.“Flushing medications may be recommended if there is a higher likelihood of harm to a child that may accidentally ingest the medication,” IU Health pharmacist Holly McCollough said.The FDA recommends that certain powerful pain medications be flushed because just one dose may be fatal if used by someone other than the person for whom the medicine was prescribed.The residue of flushed medications in Bloomington eventually reaches the Dillman Wastewater Treatment Plant. “It is an aerobic treatment system equipped with activated charcoal which helps to ‘polish out’ organic compounds,” John Langley, city utilities deputy director, said.According to the World Health Organization, the trace amounts of pharmaceutical waste that end up in drinking water supplies are unlikely to pose a serious threat to human health.However, as the larger environmental impacts of flushing medications are unknown, safer alternatives for disposing of unwanted drugs have been developed.“Any prescription medications should be taken to a drug take-back program if possible,” McCollough said.The popularity of the prosecutor’s office’s annual drug take-back days demanded a more permanent disposal program, Monroe County Prosecutor Chris Gaal said. Because the collection of controlled substances requires physical police presence, the program could only be implemented a few days a year due to limited staffing resources.Gaal created a solution using locked metal boxes, which are property of the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, to allow for year-round collection.The Sheriff’s Office empties the boxes weekly and sends the drugs to Covanta Energy facility in Indianapolis for incineration. Since its inception, the program has collected more than 2,000 pounds of pills, Gaal said.“I think we have a unique program with cooperation between the Sheriff’s Department, Waste Management and the hospital,” Gaal said. “It’s a model that can be duplicated elsewhere if you have the right partners.”Follow Brianna Meyer on Twitter @brimmeyer
(07/17/13 11:39pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Bloomington Entertainment and Arts District is now seeking applicants for its 2013 Forgivable Loan Program. The program aims to incentivize new project developments within the BEAD geographic area. BEAD encompasses more than 60 city blocks with 10 distinct character areas.The mission of BEAD is “to bring the business and creative sectors together to advance commerce and culture, build community and spur economic development,” according to the City of Bloomington website.The BEAD Forgivable Loan Program is targeting the Arts Row area, centered on the intersection of W. Kirkwood and S. Rogers streets. With a maximum amount of $10,000, the loan is available for new retail, restaurant, art or gallery space within Arts Row.The program also offers a $5,000 maximum loan for retail, art or gallery space anywhere else within BEAD.Loan applications will be reviewed by the City of Bloomington’s Department of Economic and Sustainable Development and overseen by Miah Michaelsen, assistant economic development director for the arts.“We want to provide the tools to empower individuals to create their own business plan and come to us for a loan,” Michaelsen said.The loan, however, does have several requirements. The project must occupy first-floor space and have an active street presence, though the project may be for-profit or non-profit. Additionally, all projects must have a business plan and some funding already secured. The loans require two-to-one leverage, so for each dollar of funding provided by BEAD, the project must provide two dollars of funding itself.The condition for loan forgiveness is that the project remains operable for five years or more.“The five-year timeline insures a serious commitment from the project and long-term investment in the area,” Michaelsen said.Formula businesses, such as restaurant chains, are ineligible for the loan. This is to encourage local businesses that might not have all of the resources chains do.“In Bloomington there is a strong movement towards locally sourced food, local art, local businesses,” Michaelsen said. “Local aesthetic is important to downtown identity.” Loan applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until all funds have been committed or until Nov. 15.There have already been several inquiries, and Michaelsen expects that the $20,000 of available funds will be exhausted.
(06/12/13 10:49pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A taste of Bloomington is headed to Ohio. On June 6, Upland Brewery announced expansion of its wholesale beer distribution to Columbus and Cleveland this month.Andrea Lutz, marketing director at Upland Brewery, described her company’s motives for expanding its sales as an effort to reach out.“We are a Bloomington-based business and enjoy our Southern Indiana family,” Lutz said. “We are not looking for world domination, but instead want to expand our brand to our neighboring states so it’s available to our extended family in the Midwest,” Lutz said.However, marketing a craft beer brand is not without its challenges.“One of the many challenges that come to my mind is also a gift,” Lutz said. “Craft beer is booming right now, giving us a great deal of attention, but also a lot of competition.”In the competitive craft beer market, Upland has the advantage of experience, as the company has been been brewing in Bloomington since 1997.“We’ve been in this business for over 15 years now, which gives us experience many of the newer breweries just don’t have,” Lutz said. “With all of our amazing support throughout the region and the industry knowledge we’ve gained over the years we expect to be welcomed into Ohio with open arms.”Upland beer is already available on taps and retail shelves throughout Indiana, parts of Kentucky and Wisconsin, as well as the Cincinnati area. — Brianna Meyer
(06/05/13 11:27pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>To celebrate May’s Bloomington Bike Month, the city sponsored an Art by Bike group ride on May 29, allowing participants to learn about Bloomington’s public art displays as well as the bicycling safety innovations that earn Bloomington its designation as a Bicycle Friendly Community.According to the League of American Bicyclists’ website, a Bicycle Friendly Community welcomes cyclists by providing safe accommodation for cycling and encouraging people to bike for transportation andrecreation.The event was organized by Vince Caristo, Bicycle and Pedestrian Coordinator for the City of Bloomington Planning Department, and Miah Michaelsen, Assistant Director for the Arts for the City of Bloomington economic & sustainable development department.Valerie Lonneman, an IU SPEA graduate student, was one of the participants.“I wanted to support the bike month events and rally around pedestrian and bike friendly infrastructure,” Lonneman said.The small group of participants assembled in front of City Hall before traveling north on the B-Line Trail and then looping back through the near westside and Prospect Hill neighborhoods.The riders traveled downtown and then south past Third Street Park before heading back up the B-Line Trail and ending where they began.Much of the public art around City Hall and the B-Line Trail was commissioned as a part of a percentage for the arts program, which reserves a percentage of a building project’s budget for art installations. When the Showers Building was repurposed as City Hall in 1995, art began filling the surrounding area.Riders said they enjoyed many of the works of art around City Hall, including Bloomington Banquet, sculpted by Dale Enochs. Build in the Farmers’ Market Plaza to commemorate the first phase of the B-Line Trail’s completion, the sculpture was designed to be interactive.The giant table and chairs of the sculpture are constructed of Indiana limestone.“If you look closely, you’ll see that Dale carved symbols and words on the legs of the table,” Michaelsen said to the riders.Just north of the Farmers’ Market near the intersection of Eighth and Rogers, the riders viewed the newest piece of artwork along the B-Line Trail.The kid-sized mural features tiles created by kindergarteners and sixth graders from Fairview Elementary School.As the riders traveled through the Near West Side neighborhood, they learned about the traffic circles on Sixth and Seventh streets.The islands placed in the middle of the intersections act to calm the traffic traveling through the area. For cyclists, the traffic circles are preferable to a four-way stop because they force cars to slow but bikes can easily navigate them, Caristo said during the ride.To finish the ride, participants learned more about the city’s more utilitarian art in the downtown area where traffic signal boxes dot every intersection with a stoplight.The city’s Stop and StART initiative allows artists or community groups to paint these boxes with mural-style art.
(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.
(05/29/13 10:41pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Saturday, May 25, the Bloomington Community Farmers’ Market hosted the Rooftop Garden at Middle Way House’s second annual “Ready, Set, Grow!” event. The event featured a maze of tables representing local organizations and a series of demonstrations.Andrea Jobe, the Rooftop Garden coordinator, organized the event.“The goal of the event is to bring like-minded people together to share knowledge and resources,” Jobe said.The event allowed the Rooftop Garden organizers to reach out to the Bloomington community.“The garden not only provides fresh food to the shelter residents, but it also seeks to educate and empower the community to begin gardening,” Jobe said.In order to educate the community, the event gathered local experts willing to answer any gardening questions attendees had in addition to providing formal demonstrations of gardening techniques. One of the most popular tables at the event featured the Pizza X Compost Project. Pizza X staff distributed a free compost bucket to all interested attendees. The small buckets contained a spray bottle to keep the compost mixture moist.“We want to encourage recycling rather than promoting waste,” Pizza X employee Garrett Mintz said. “The purpose of composting is to reduce household food waste that goes to landfills and promote soil fertility.”The demonstration portion of the event featured segments ranging from composting tocontainer gardening.The day’s first presenter, Bobbi Boos of Nature’s Crossroads, spoke about seed starting and transplanting. Nature’s Crossroads markets and sells organic seeds that are adapted to local soil conditions. “Some plants prefer direct seeding, while others do better with transplanting,” Boos told the crowd.The transplanting process involves first planting the seeds in plastic flats, allowing the plants to start growing before transplanting them into the ground. This speeds up the process and allows for an earlier harvest, Boos said.Boos distributed planting calendars to her audience that recommended the best times to begin planting a variety of crops.Another way to optimize growing conditions is through composting. Master composter Stephen Hale demonstrated how to begin composting at home.Compost consists of greens and browns. The greens include anything nitrogen-rich like lawn trimmings and food waste, whereas the browns include anything carbon-rich like dried leaves and paper.The key to making the best compost is to experiment with the ratio of greens to browns in order to find what works best in your garden. This process that may take years, Hale said.The event wrapped up with a raffle of compost tea. The tea is created by steeping compost in water for several days. Useful for preventing the spread of disease in plants, compost tea is an excellent ingredient for starting a new garden.