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(09/20/12 4:24am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The cost of living in Bloomington falls below the national average by 6.6 percent, according to a new study.Housing and utilities costs in particular are indexed lower than average. The Cost of Living Index is prepared by the Council for Community and Economic Research. The council compares regional statistics about consumer goods and services from across the country.For Bloomington, members of the Bloomington Economic Development Corporation collected data about the prices of common grocery goods such as ground beef and rental prices for local apartments. The BEDC, a not-for-profit, public-private partnership that works for the retention, development and attraction of quality jobs in the county, then submits these data to the larger regional body, which formulates the index. Dana Palazzo, BEDC project manager, said this is the first time the organization has worked on the report in conjunction with funding and technical assistance from electrical cooperative Hoosier Energy. She said the report, overall, showed the strength of the Bloomington economy.“Having a low utilities cost will ultimately drive companies to the area because they’ll be able to function at a lower cost,” Palazzo said. “Housing, in turn, is great for the employees they’ll be hiring.”In the study, all category averages equal 100 for the nation. These six areas are housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, health care and miscellaneous goods and services.For example, Bloomington has a housing index of 77.4 and a utilities index of 89.7, both below the national average of 100.An averaging of the six categories provides the composite index number that places Bloomington at 93.4. Bloomington did have higher-than-average indexes for transportation and healthcare, which were at 112.2 and 100.2, respectively.A third category, miscellaneous good and services, came close to the national average at 99.6.Tim Tucker, co-owner of Express Employment Professionals, said Bloomington traditionally has had both lower housing costs and a cultural richness, making the city an attractive location. He said from his observations, the city often has higher-than-usual gas prices, which might have contributed to the high transportation index.“I’m going to have a hard time finding a place that has a low cost of living that brings me everything that Bloomington does,” Tucker said. He said salaries in Bloomington may seem low to outsiders but that given the cost of living, it’s important to remember scale. This favorable cost also helps small businesses, he said. “From a small business standpoint, I can do a lot more with a little bit less revenue here just because we’re in a community when things are not as inflated,” Tucker said. Palazzo and the BEDC have already submitted information for third-quarter calculations, which should be finished by the end of the year. Palazzo said she is interested to see how this summer’s drought will affect the index but that as of now, she is pleased with the results. “It’s a great way to show how our community is doing,” Palazzo said. “It’s a good reflection of the health of our economy in Monroe County.”
(09/18/12 4:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>IU School of Law alumna Loretta Rush is now the 108th justice of the Indiana Supreme Court.Gov. Mitch Daniels made the announcement Friday. Rush is Daniels’ third appointment to the court and only the second woman to ever serve on the court in its 196 year history. The first was Myra Selby in 1995.Rush has served as a Tippecanoe County juvenile court judge since 1998. Before her time as a judge, Rush was an associate, and later a partner, at the Lafayette, law firm Reiling, Teder, Withered and Rush for 14 years.In her years in the courtroom, hundreds of children have come before Rush, and she has worked to improve child welfare as the chair of the Indiana Juvenile Justice Improvement Committee.“How we treat our vulnerable children is very indicative of how we are doing as a society,” Rush said in her application. “Judges working with children and families in our justice system have to get it right. These cases are the most complicated, challenging cases that I have encountered in my legal career and I am very thankful for having had the opportunity to work on each and every one of them.”Rush, 54, is originally from Scranton, Pa. She earned her undergraduate degree at Purdue University and her law degree from IU in 1983.Rush replaced the now-retired Justice Frank E. Sullivan, Jr.Hannah Buxbaum, interim dean of the Maurer School of Law, said the school is honored any time a graduate is named to a high court in the state.“As her long-standing commitment to improving juvenile services in the state has shown, she has a sense of fairness and justice that will make her especially effective on the Supreme Court,” Buxbaum said.Rush has volunteered as a judge at the law school’s Moot Court Competition, a program run by students that strengthens written and oral appellate advocacy. She herself was the moot court champion and best oralist in 1982.Rush will bring beneficial experience to the court, Buxbaum said.“Judge Rush will bring further expertise and experience to an already highly respected court,” Buxbaum said. “This will result in an even more effective judicial branch for the citizens of the state.”Daniels, too, spoke of Rush’s experience.“In studying Judge Rush’s stellar legal and judicial career, hearing from a diverse multitude of her admirers and observing her firsthand as she helped us bring reform and improvement to Indiana’s child welfare system, I concluded she is the best choice among a strong set of finalists,” Daniels said in a press release.
(09/13/12 4:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Three state senators have submitted a motion to U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker, seeking to intervene in Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller’s decision not to uphold parts of the state’s immigration law.State Sens. Mike Delph, R-Carmel,’ Phil Boots, R-Crawfordsville; and Brent Steele, R-Bedford authored SB 590, the Indiana immigration law. The three are taking issue with Zoeller’s decision to no longer uphold parts of the law that deal with warrantless arrests.The senators also believe Zoeller’s refusal to uphold parts of the law invalidate their voting powers as legislators.The three want to see the warrantless arrest provisions in the law upheld and fought for by the attorney general, the defense for the state of Indiana. If not, they want to step in and defend it themselves.In light of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling concerning the constitutionality of Arizona’s immigration policy, Zoeller announced he would no longer defend those sections and recommended that Barker strike down those aspects of the law.Bryan Corbin, Zoeller’s public information officer, said the attorney general was indeed defending those parts of the law until the Supreme Court decision.“When the Supreme Court decides, that’s conclusive,” Corbin said. “That’s final. That’s the end of the line.”Zoeller said in a press release that he is appreciative of the work of the Indiana General Assembly but that he has been put in hard circumstances regarding the subject of immigration.“The states are the victims of federal inaction, and I call upon those in Washington, D.C., to fulfill their duties and stop putting states in the difficult position of attempting to enforce immigration when the Supreme Court has said that is a federal government responsibility,” Zoeller said.While Corbin said he couldn’t comment specifically on the senator’s arguments, as the case is ongoing, he did say Zoeller must act in the interest of the state.“While we respect the view of the senators, the attorney general only represents the view of the state in legislative matters,” Corbin said.A June 2012 decision by the nation’s highest court struck down much of Arizona’s Support Our Law Enforcement and Safe Neighborhoods Act. Zoeller said he believes that some SB 590 sections that are similar to Arizona’s law are now rendered unconstitutional by the national ruling. In the Arizona v. U.S. case, the Supreme Court ruled that the authorization of local law enforcement officers to make warrantless arrests of people for immigration violations is unconstitutional.The state senators disagree, arguing that provisions in the Indiana law limit the extent of arrests to specific scenarios, all of which require communication and cooperation between local, state and federal levels of government, according to the senator’s written motion to intervene.Since becoming law in July 2011, SB 590 has riled National Immigration Law Center and American Civil Liberties Union members. Opponents took issue with many aspects of the law, including defining proper immigrant identification and the extent to which local authorities can enforce federal laws.Corbin said the attorney general has vigorously defended the law on behalf of the state and will continue to defend the law in ongoing cases.For now, the future of the bill’s provisions will be decided by Barker.“It will be up to the court to decide whether others can intervene,” Corbin said.
(09/12/12 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was a clear blue-sky day much like the one 11 years ago, marked with the now-familiar site of a floral wreath, blaring bagpipes and silent, solemn onlookers.Politicians, city and county employees, emergency and law enforcement personnel, and residents came together for a simple, common purpose — to remember.They all turned out in front of Bloomington City Hall early Tuesday morning, the sun shining into the faces of those who addressed the crowd.Bloomington Fire Department Chaplain Harold Godsey spoke about unity. He spoke about the unity that followed in the days and weeks after the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001. He spoke about how that unity today seems lost.“I think we’ve lost sight of that over the years, even forgotten that,” Godsey said. No red states, no blue states, just Americans, Godsey said.“Stand with your fellow American, and remember what we lost.”Public figures shared their thoughts with the crowd. Shelly Yoder, Democratic candidate for the 9th U.S. House District, spoke about her morning 11 years ago while studying at Vanderbilt University. Sen. Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington, focused on drawing lessons from the tragedy and finding a way to draw good from the evil, telling the crowd to honor the precious gift of time. Simpson said she was watching “Good Morning America” with her husband the morning of the attacks. He took off for work at the Indianapolis Statehouse. At home, Simpson said she watched live as the second tower was hit. She called her husband, warning him not to enter the Statehouse. She didn’t know what was going to happen, she said.“We hugged each other a little longer that day,” she said.Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan gave the final speech. He remarked on the importance of not forgetting the day, regardless of the number of years that pass.“We need to keep putting meaning into the often-used phrase ‘Never forget,’” Kruzan said. “I hope we remember in a way that is meaningful. It’s what we owe to those that lost their lives. It’s what we owe to ourselves and to the kids of tomorrow, to work towards a world that doesn’t repeat that kind of unnecessary event.”The audience stayed placid for most of the memorial, but emotion struck when the sound of bagpipes playing “Amazing Grace” filled the plaza.Penny Caudill, an administrator with the Monroe County Health Department, wiped the tears from her eyes as the final cry of the bagpipe died.“I’m here to support our local heroes,” she said. “Just to remember the bravery people showed.”Eleven years ago, she was working in a clinic without access to radio or television. It was a patient who first alerted the medical staff.Caudill said her memories and feelings are fresh. At her home church, First United Methodist in Ellettsville, Ind., a candle is lit every week in memory of the lives lost on 9/11. Yet for many, she said, the memory of 9/11 is known only from a textbook.“I think there’s a tendency of (forgetting) as the time goes on,” she said. “As young people grow up, it’s history, not something you grew up with. Things like this help remind them.”Bob Loviscek, president of the Bloomington Metropolitan Professional Firefighters Union Local 586, concluded the memorial. He said he has participated in memorial events like Tuesday’s ceremony for the last 10 years. Regardless of the speakers, he treats it the same every year, he said.“Some people try to make this a political event,” Loviscek said. “It’s a memorial service. Just that. To make it a political event is a disservice.”Even though this year’s anniversary has not received as much coverage as last year’s 10th anniversary, Loviscek said this year’s turnout at City Hall was heavier than in recent years.“It’s our responsibility to keep it moving forward,” Loviscek said. “Even if it’s just us and the mayor, we’ll still be here.”
(09/11/12 8:53pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It was a clear, blue-skied day much like the one 11 years ago, marked with the now-familiar site of a floral wreath, blaring bagpipes and silent, solemn onlookers.Politicians, city and county employees, emergency and law enforcement personnel, and residents came together for a simple, common purpose — to remember.They all turned out in front of Bloomington City Hall early Tuesday morning, the sun shining into the faces of those who addressed the crowd.Bloomington Fire Department Chaplain Harold Godsey spoke about unity. He spoke about the unity that followed in the days and weeks after the tragedy of Sept. 11, 2001. He spoke about how that unity today seems lost.“I think we’ve lost sight of that over the years, even forgotten that,” Godsey said. No red states, no blue states, just Americans, Godsey said. “Stand with your fellow American and remember what we lost.”Public figures shared their thoughts with the crowd. Shelly Yoder, Democratic candidate for the 9th U.S. House District, spoke about her morning 11 years ago while studying at Vanderbilt University. Sen. Vi Simpson, D-Bloomington, focused on drawing lessons from the tragedy and finding a way to draw good from the evil, telling the crowd to honor the precious gift of time. Simpson said she was watching “Good Morning America” with her husband the morning of the attacks. He took off for work at the Indianapolis Statehouse. At home, Simpson said she watched live as the second tower was hit. She called her husband, warning him not to enter the Statehouse. She didn’t know what was going to happen, she said.“We hugged each other a little longer that day,” she said.Bloomington Mayor Mark Kruzan gave the final speech. He remarked on the importance of not forgetting the day, regardless of the number of years that pass.“We need to keep putting meaning into the often-used phrase ‘Never forget,’” Kruzan said. “I hope we remember in a way that is meaningful. It’s what we owe to those that lost their lives, it’s what we owe to ourselves and to the kids of tomorrow, to work towards a world that doesn’t repeat that kind of unnecessary event.”The audience stayed placid for most of the memorial, but emotion struck when the sound of bagpipes playing “Amazing Grace” filled the plaza.Penny Caudill, an administrator with the Monroe County Health Department, wiped the tears from her eyes as the final cry of the bagpipe died.“I’m here to support our local heroes,” she said. “Just to remember the bravery people showed.”Eleven years ago, she said, she was working in a clinic without access to radio or television. It was a patient who first alerted the medical staff.Caudill said the memories and feelings are fresh. At her home church, First United Methodist in Ellettsville, Ind., a candle is lit every week in memory of the lives lost on 9/11. Yet for many, she said, that memory of 9/11 is known only from the textbook.“I think there’s a tendency of (forgetting) as the time goes on,” she said. “As young people grow up, it’s history, not something you grew up with. Things like this help remind them.”Bob Loviscek, president of the Bloomington Metropolitan Professional Firefighters Union Local 586, concluded the memorial. He said he has participated in memorial events like Tuesday’s ceremony for the last 10 years. Regardless of the speakers, he treats it the same every year, he said.“Some people try to make this a political event,” Loviscek said. “It’s a memorial service. Just that. To make it a political event is a disservice.”Even though this year’s anniversary isn’t as heavily focused on as, for example, last year’s 10th anniversary, Loviscek said this year’s turnout at City Hall was heavier than in recent years.“It’s our responsibility to keep it moving forward,” Loviscek said. “Even if it’s just us and the mayor, we’ll still be here.”
(09/06/12 4:33am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Nita Levison had been on her feet for a few hours, manning the Indiana Memorial Union Lit Desk and asking a simple question. “Are you registered to vote in Bloomington?”Levison is a volunteer with the Democratic Party of Monroe County, but her work on campus Wednesday wasn’t about any one party. It was about ensuring students knew the value of their vote in November and, of course, that they were registered to do so.“Because I grew up in the South as I did, I saw a lot of people disenfranchised,” Levison said. “I want to see every citizen of this country vote. It’s an unalienable right.”Many students walked past the desk in silence. Others mumbled a response to her question before scurrying off. Some stopped to fill out the half page of basic information.The issue of residency is a common question at the desk, said Chad Clady, director of Obama for America at IU. Clady has manned the Lit Desk for a few hours every day the last two weeks of school and plans to regularly staff the desk until the Oct. 9 voter registration deadline. In order to vote for Monroe County candidates, voters must be registered in the county. Those registered in another Indiana county or another state must vote through absentee voting or return home to cast their ballot.“A lot of students assume they have to register at home,” he said. “It’s more important, in my opinion, to vote here, where you will be voting for candidates that can directly affect you.” Some students stopped to sign up, others simply to receive information.Senior Eric Amador is vice president of Unidad Latina Lambda Upsilon Lambda Fraternity. He stopped by the Lit Desk to find out how to register a large group of people. His fraternity will sponsor an event focusing on how Latinos have influenced and will continue to affect U.S. presidential elections. The event is scheduled for 7 p.m. Sept. 25 at La Casa Latino Cultural Center.Amador decided to stage a voter registration effort at the program for multiple reasons, including the chapter’s participation in a national fraternity effort to register Latino student voters.“First they need to get registered, and then they need to get informed,” Amador said.The event is scheduled during Hispanic Heritage Month, which runs from Sept. 15 through Oct. 15, and on what the National Association of Secretaries of States have declared National Voter Registration Day.“The timing could not have been more perfect,” he said.As Amador left, another student approached Levison at the desk, ready to fill out the paperwork.“We register everyone,” Levison said. “We don’t discriminate.”
(09/05/12 3:56am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Touching on national issues such as the growing deficit and health care reform, Shelli Yoder, Democratic candidate for Indiana’s 9th Congressional District, addressed a gathering of about 80 students at the IU College Democrats’ fall call-out meeting. She came in shaking hands, greeting some students for the first time with a handshake and others with a quick embrace and smile of recognition. Yoder spoke to the crowd following a campaign video compiled by IU College Democrats President Chris Babcock emphasizing President Barack Obama as a forward-moving leader and Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney as an extremist who would send the United States backward. In her speech, she referred to several of the video’s points, such as ensuring contraceptive access for women and preventing cuts to educational grants, but she also expanded on the video. Yoder said she is campaigning to educate voters, particularly those in the southern part of the district, and that those citizens have options in the voting booth.“Relying on advertising to make decisions is putting someone else in the driver’s seat,” she said. Later, she brought up the issue of the national deficit, expanding on her stance during an audience question-and-answer period.“We can balance our budget by looking at both sides of the checkbook, by looking at how we spend our money and how we earn our money,” Yoder said. She said she wants to approach the deficit with more of a scaffold than an axe. Since she visited the IU College Democrats before the spring primaries, Yoder said she’s stopped being bothered by the fact she was not a seasoned politician.“I’m a tenacious individual,” she said. “I don’t give up very easily. There have been times I’ve underperformed, and I’ve challenged myself to become better. I’ve challenged myself to become more educated on issues and open myself up to different points of view.”With 33 days left to register to vote in 2012, Yoder and Babcock said it is imperative for students to not only register to vote themselves, but to encourage their friends to do so, too. “As I travel the district, it’s so clear folks feel disengaged from the political process,” Yoder said. “They feel like their vote and voice doesn’t matter. I want people to remember their importance in the political process.”Students broke into interest groups after the presentations ended, signing their names to help with various club causes. Babcock said Yoder’s presence at the call-out was a rallying call to students to get energized for the coming two months, particularly for local races that could have greater weight closer to home. “I really can’t emphasize how important it is for students to get involved in the congressional races,” he said. “This race, it’s one that we can win.”
(09/04/12 2:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Cars splashed into the parking lot, cautiously navigating other vehicles trying to park or make their exit.Packs of three to four students emerged from the cars, eyes directed at the northwest corner of the lot. Music pounded from a large, black van. A light, off-and-on rain greeted them as they made their way toward two tents. A blue tent covered dozens of neon blue and green cups stuffed with sunglasses, koozies and pingpong balls. A white tent sheltered the main attraction — hundreds of brown bags filled with doughy, salted strips of bread.For six hours, free breadstix flowed at the original Pizza X, 1791 E. 10th St., on campus. It was the tenth year of the give-away event, which usually draws hundreds of hungry students and creates long lines down the block. While popularity for the event has grown, it is relatively new. Pizza X just celebrated its 30th year in business.Jesse Bloom, general manager at Pizza X, has been with the company for 15 years.He stepped out from behind the counter on break, apron covered in red and orange splotches. Stacks of empty pizza boxes, ready to be filled and carried out, towered above him.Bloom said the rain was slowing things down, but that people were still turning out for the promise of free breadstix. He said the breadstixs rivals, if not surpasses, the pizza itself. He talked about the company and its aggressive marketing scheme that skips on television and print advertisement and shoots for more student engagement.The PNT— pump and thump — vehicle drives around campus, blaring music. A rainbow of plastic cups sit in apartment windows, on front porches and in kitchen cabinets. A Speedo-clad caped man makes appearances at IU sporting events with the gift of free food. “It’s very in your face. You can’t avoid it,” said James Stolbom, a junior and marketing intern for One World Enterprises, the parent company of Pizza X.Bloom recalled alumni visiting Pizza X who said it had been a campus tradition on late nights more than a decade ago.“We’re kind of built into the IU experience,” he said. Since expanding hours of the free stix event last year from 4 to 8 p.m. to the new noon to 6 p.m., the event has been less congested. Monday, a line struggled to form as students pulled in, power walked to grab their swag and sticks and returned to the dry shelter of their cars.A silver van pulled up to the blue tent as if it were a drive-thru window.“Hey, do I have to be a student to get one?” the middle-aged man behind the wheel yelled to the three employees beneath the tent.“No, you just have to be a person,” Stolbom said.“Great, my wife loves your cups.” “You don’t even know,” she said with a chuckle. Stolbom passed two cups through her open passenger side window.Roommates Michael Linn, senior, and Kyle Jenkins, sophomore, walked across the lot as the rain strengthened. Linn said he usually goes for what’s closest and cheapest for pizza.But when breadstix come into play, “Oh my God,” he said.Later, as they drove away, seniors Shelby Mader and Steve Hiller pulled up. The two heard about the event on Facebook.During their freshman year, they lived at Wright Quad, just a short walk away from the campus Pizza X.“We’ve moved in the past four years, and there’s always one close by,” Hiller said. Clutching her free cups and breadstix, Mader, who likes cheese and ranch dipping sauce, said she makes it to Pizza X at least once a week.“They’re super college friendly,” she said. “They know how to cater to us students.”
(08/31/12 3:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington won’t escape the effects of Hurricane Isaac, which made landfall Tuesday night in Louisiana.Two to six inches of rain are expected to fall this weekend in central Indiana, just in time for the IU football season opener Saturday and the Fourth Street Festival of the Arts and Crafts this weekend.Brad Herold, hydro-meteorological technician at the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Indianapolis, said forecasting the exact amount of rain and precise timing of the storm is difficult because of the unpredictable nature of tropical systems.“The rainfall amounts we’ve been seeing out of the models and varying forecast models have varied quite a bit,” Herold said.Rainfall is expected to start falling sometime early in the morning Saturday, with rain intensifying as the weekend progresses before dropping off Monday.Herold said most tropical aftermath rain systems usually produce heavy rains and perhaps moderate winds, but usually don’t lead to further severe weather such as thunderstorms.The IU football home opener at 8 p.m. Saturday will have to compete with whatever Hurricane Isaac, which was downgraded to a tropical storm Wednesday, throws its way.J.D. Campbell, assistant athletic director for media relations, said IU Athletics is closely watching the weather situation, as they do with all potential weather conflicts.He said all decisions regarding weather and games are made on a game-by-game basis.“You just have to constantly monitor and make the appropriate decision at the appropriate time,” Campbell said.The last IU game delayed by weather was on Sept. 23, 2006, against Connecticut.The potentially heavy rain also threatens to wash out the Fourth Street Festival, a 35-year Bloomington tradition that drew more than 40,000 attendees last year.Fourth Street Festival President Martina Celerin said she’s been constantly monitoring the weather and communicating with City of Bloomington, fire and police officials to determine the best course of action for responding to the inclement weather. Organizers have never had to deal with an intense weather system as they may encounter this weekend, Celerin said.The festival’s planning committee is currently discussing options to ensure the safety of patrons and artists, some of whom are travelling across the country to display their artwork. Celerin said she expects to announce publicly a final decision Friday.“We’re walking around with crossed fingers,” she said. “It’s hard to paint with crossed fingers, but it’s what we have to do.”With the possible heavy weekend rain, there is a flash flooding concern, Herold said.Coming out of the dry summer, the ground can be hard. In some soil types, Herold said, this creates an inability for heavy rains to absorb into the ground.“Well right now the rivers are low and lakes and reservoirs are on the lower side,” Herold said. “It’ll probably be more street flooding and small streams overflowing.”All of Indiana is still abnormally dry, but the percentage of the state categorized as being in severe drought dropped from about 81 percent to about 64 percent, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. The final severity of the tropical storm aftermath in the Bloomington area is still up in the air, with developments constantly breaking.Originally, models showed remnants heading due north into Indiana. Then they shifted to the northwest, Herold said. Most recently, the system has slowed, meandering around the Gulf Coast.“It’s moving slower than originally expected,” Herold said. “With the timing and positioning, that makes all the difference in regards to precipitation.”Herold and Campbell both said the best way to be prepared is to stay informed.“The best thing to do is keep an eye on the current conditions,” Herold said. “Tropical weather is more unpredictable. Any storm system is more unpredictable.”
(08/30/12 4:50am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Space for early voting will almost double with the recent decision to expand available space in the Curry Building at 214 W. Seventh St.The building will also provide more shelter from possible inclement November weather for those waiting to vote.New space will be made available by an early move of the Parks and Recreation Department, a permanent move previously planned. It will vacate its space in the Curry Building and move to its new home in the City Hall - Showers Building at 401 N. Morton St. The decision by the Monroe County Commissioners, including Commissioner Iris Kiesling, comes after a delay in solving the overflow site situation by the Monroe County Election Board.“I think this will be very good for handling overflow,” Kiesling said. Concern about the need for an overflow site to accommodate the heavy Curry Building traffic arose at Election Board meetings in recent weeks.An original proposal involved opening up space at the Showers Building to handle crowds of voters.At an Election Board meeting last week, Election Board Chairwoman and Republican member Judith Smith-Ille did not vote to approve the proposal, citing a need to consult her party’s chairman and investigate parking issues. This delayed the hiring of seasonal workers to man satellite voting sites.Kiesling said the Election Board simply wasn’t aware of the option to have the Parks and Recreation Department move early. Kiesling called the process a juggling act, a “musical offices” of sorts. When Monroe County Clerk Linda Robbins heard the idea, she was all in favor, she said.“We’re very happy,” Robbins said. “We have no further need for the extended hours or days at any of the locations.”The expansion of Curry space also simplifies the overflow situation, consolidating voter attention to one building instead of two.Kiesling and Robbins said there are enough parking spaces at the Curry Building, though they will have to work with the City of Bloomington to free up city-owned spaces on Morton Street.Robbins said parking might be an issue, as the city has been reluctant to free up spaces in the past.Other decisions concerning the election season, including poll opening and closing times, operating dates of voting satellite sites and any additional amendments to the list of sites have yet to be decided.“We should have had all this done in August,” Robbins said. She noted the problems with securing satellite voting dates and times, caused by the extended decision period.The remaining issues will be addressed at the Sept. 6 Election Board meeting. Robbins said these matters would not drag on beyond then.
(08/30/12 4:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>He’s new to the Franklin Initiative, but he has served at-risk youth for the better part of his adult life.Mark DeLaney worked in the health care industry for more than 20 years, touching the developmentally disabled, families and the elderly. He’s counseled children with behavioral issues and juvenile sex offenders.“I was pretty well connected to the community, so stepping into this position has helped me expand that connection,” DeLaney said.Aug. 6 marked DeLaney’s first day as the director of workforce initiatives for The Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. In this new role, DeLaney oversees the Franklin Initiative, a program dedicated to getting at-risk youth through graduation and developing a long-sighted vision for the post-high school years. Originally from Louisville, Ky., DeLaney got his undergraduate degree from IU and recently completed his master’s degree in business administration, which he said helped him combine his “eclectic” set of skills. He now lives in Bloomington with his wife and daughter.Wanting to transition from a counseling role into a more administrative position, DeLaney said his new position is a natural fit. “I have a real passion for at-risk youth, and that probably was the deciding factor,” DeLaney said of his acceptance of the job.Part of the Chamber of Commerce, the Franklin Initiative combines the efforts of business and educational leaders.“One of the unique things about Bloomington is the education and business interact, that relationship is there,” he said. DeLaney highlighted the connection between the two groups. He said current students in Bloomington are likely to one day power the work force and be the business leaders in town.Current Franklin Institute programs include career speaker panels, mock interviews, employment fairs and graduation coaches at local high schools.Melanie Humbard, graduation coach at Bloomington High School North, started with the Franklin Initiative in October 2011. She works for DeLaney as one of three coaches. “We’re a liaison between who the student needs to be successful, both personally and academically,” Humbard said.Humbard interacts with DeLaney at graduation coach meetings about twice a month, but she knew him before he ever came to the Chamber of Commerce.Before accepting the new role, DeLaney worked at Centerstone in Bloomington, a not-for-profit provider of behavioral health care. There, Humbard interacted with DeLaney in her former role as a juvenile probation officer with the county.So when he was being considered to replace former director Matt Wysocki, Humbard got good feelings.“When we saw his name in there, and we saw what he had done at Centerstone, we thought he’d make a pretty good fit,” Humbard said.And while most of her focus is on working closely with BHSN students, she’s looking forward to the fresh presence in the program.“What Matt had done before was set up a great foundation for the Franklin Initiative,” Humbard said. “But Mark is coming from a different perspective. He’s got a counseling background, so I’m excited to see what kinds of ideas he’ll bring to the program. I think just having the different perspective, a fresh set of eyes looking at the program. I think it’ll be interesting.”DeLaney said he has no big plans to change the program. Rather, he wants to continue the successes of the past, a decision DeLaney said he bases very much on years of collected data. “When you hear of helping a student graduate, it’s a great feeling,” he said. “To actually be a part of something like that, it’s pretty awesome.”
(08/28/12 4:55am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The first half of 2013 may be marked by a significant recession if a forecast by Congressional Budget Office analysts remains true.According to the report, fiscal tightening would trigger a slide into what “will probably be considered a recession.” The report said if current plans to decrease governmental spending and increase taxes continue as scheduled, the economy will contract, shedding jobs and lowering gross domestic product by 0.5 percent in 2013. GDP is projected to start recovering only at next year’s end.The nonpartisan budget office has produced economic and budgetary analysis since its founding in 1974.The projection showed that the public at fiscal year’s end, Sept. 30, would hold 73 percent of the federal debt. This marks the highest level since 1950. The CBO report predicts a rise of the unemployment rate to 9.1 percent by late next year, an increase of about 1 percent from recent rates this year.And while painful in the short term, this tightening would reduce the national deficit by at least $487 billion in 2013, putting the United States on what the CBO called a sustainable path. In effect, U.S. deficit would lessen to a projected $641 billion, down from this year’s $1.128 trillion, the fourth year the deficit has topped $1 trillion.Kathy Parkison, professor of economics at IU-Kokomo, said the U.S. has spent its way into the current situation.“You’ve got two choices to fund things: you can pay for things now, or pay for them later,” Parkison said. “We’ve followed the latter model.”Parkison said she hopes the time is now, adding that both sides of the aisle will need to work together.“Personally, I hope our politicians take it seriously,” Parkison said. “We’ve kicked the can down the road long enough. It’s time to make some hard choices.”Looking to 2022, the report outlines projections that show the GDP initially declining, but rising in the long term. According to the report, unemployment would follow the same pattern as the decade progresses.These projections assume current laws will expire or go into effect without intervention.As of now, provisions of the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization and Job Creation Act of 2010 will expire, causing taxes to rise. Emergency unemployment benefit extensions, too, will expire. The spending restraint procedures of the Budget Control Act of 2011 will go into effect.However, government leaders don’t have to continue with the laws as planned.They have the option to scale back tax hikes and spending cuts or reverse the process entirely and cut taxes while increasing spending in an attempt to kick-start the economy. The latter option, of course, would deepen debts, but it’s a risk the government has taken before.Kevin Brinegar, president and CEO of the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, said he believes the report advocates for intervention in a thoughtful, surgical way, instead of across-the-board spending cuts and tax increases.“We need to get people in Congress and the White House who understand the severity of this problem and the implications of the CBO report, ready to go in there, roll up their sleeves and make some hard choices,” Brinegar said. “We need people who are concerned about Americans’ future more than their own political future.”He said reigning in years of spending by both Democrats and Republicans is a necessity to restore balance in the country.“We have to get our revenues and spending at the federal level in line, and right now, they’re way out of line,” Brinegar said. “Sometime very soon, we have to take our medicine. The country has been spending far beyond our means for far too long.” Regardless of the action taken, the semiannual report did offer some immediate promising news. Economic growth should continue through this year, and unemployment shouldn’t rise further.But 2013 may be more interesting, Parkison said.“(If) you start cutting the federal budget to the extent it needs to be cut, everyone will feel the effect,” Parkison said.
(08/24/12 4:19am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The public won’t know until at least next Friday the full list of satellite voting sites and operating dates and hours in Monroe County for the 2012 election.The Election Board convened Thursday evening to an audience of about a dozen, mostly election workers, to vote on the addition and removal of satellite voting sites as well as possibly amending opening and closing times for polls.However, disagreement on both matters between board members pushed the final vote to next week, delaying both the hiring process for seasonal early voting workers and information dissemination to the public.Four satellite voting locations for early voting have already been decided by the three members of the Election Board. Discussion Thursday night focused on the possible addition of the Showers Building, 401 N. Morton St., to handle overflow voters from the Curry Building, 214 W. Seventh St., the most well-known and heavily trafficked central voting location.Lorraine Farrell, the board’s Democratic member, said the additional voting location would alleviate congestion from the Curry Building, particularly during the busy final weeks of early voting. It would shift voters from long lines that wrap outdoors to wait inside, providing shelter from possible inclement November weather.“We can no longer handle the same capacity of voters, the same number of voters, in the Curry atrium,” Farrell said, noting recent remodeling that lessened available space. “That’s the first part of why we need to have a second site within walking distance.”Farrell cited the population density of Bloomington in relation to the rest of Monroe County as justification for having two voting locations so close together in the downtown area. Nearly half the votes cast in the 2008 presidential election were early votes, so a large number of voters are expected to again turn out at these satellite sites.Operating hours of the voting locations also were prominent in the meeting’s discussion. Election Board Chair and Republican member Judith Smith-Ille advocated for 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. operational hours at early voting sites across the county in order to better accommodate voting citizens who work.“My suggestion is that we be consistent across the board with early voting and absentee voting ... so that we allow business people and working people to vote,” Smith-Ille said.Concerns about securing additional staffing at the earlier hour helped prevent full agreement on the issue.Audience member Cindy Bradley, an early voting worker, voiced her concern about the possible time change.“It’s one thing to expect people to get up on Election Day at 4:40 a.m.,” she said. “This just seems like an impossible burden to bear, to expect people to do this.”Farrell and Democrat Linda Robbins, county clerk and secretary of the Election Board, voted to approve the adoption of the Showers Building as an additional satellite location, and for hours to remain from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.However, Smith-Ille did not approve of the plan, citing her need to investigate matters of parking, as well as consult her Republican party chairman, as Robbins consulted hers. As all three members must be in agreement, no decision was made at the meeting. Smith-Ille also said she didn’t want all the focus to be on the downtown area.“We need to understand there’s more than just those in the city,” she said. “You have to think about everyone in the county.”However, the board voted to remove the Indiana National Guard Armory on State Road 37 from the list due to lack of Internet access. Board members also examined potentially adding Southside Christian Church, 500 E. Empire Mill Road, as a satellite location, though a decision on that issue was left for next week’s meeting.The Election Board will meet at 7 p.m. Thursday in the Showers Building, room 100B.
(08/23/12 4:03am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Public awareness is a still largely missing component of the Indiana Lifeline Law, which took effect less than two months ago.The new state law provides legal protection to underage persons who call for emergency help on the behalf of another in situations of alcohol over-consumption. Lifeline, implemented July 1, encourages bystanders to call 911, potentially saving lives.But since the law went into effect, there has been one high-profile death of a minor due to alcohol overconsumption.Brett Finbloom, 18, of Carmel, Ind., died Aug. 5 after a pre-college party with friends. It is not yet known if those with Finbloom hesitated in calling 911, thus delaying medical attention. State Sen. Jim Merritt, R-Indianapolis, was one of the main sponsors who helped shepherd the bill through the legislative process. He cited Finbloom’s death as evidence that underage drinkers in the state do not have full knowledge of the law. “It’s an awareness issue,” Merritt said. “It’s a constant education effort. I need to be a representative of the message that first it’s not good to drink alcohol, and second, it’s OK to seek help.”Merritt added he was confident that if Finbloom’s friends had known of the protections in the law, they would have sought medical help.IU Student Association President Kyle Straub said much more needs to be done to ensure all students in the state are informed. Last year’s IUSA administration was a key member of the student government coalition that helped bring the idea to the state legislature. After the bill passed through the Statehouse unanimously, Gov. Mitch Daniels signed it into law May 4. Following the legislative success in spring, Lifeline fell from the top of IUSA’s priorities during the summer, Straub said. “We did this huge lobbying effort, and then we just became complacent,” Straub said. Finbloom’s death reinvigorated the push for education about Lifeline, Straub said.“It’s just so sad because two of the four execs last year and two of the execs this year are from Carmel,” Straub said. “We forget to think about back home.”Due to the lack of state funding to promote the law, Straub said the responsibility falls to IUSA, as well as its partners from the legislative coalition.Merritt, too, will work in the coming months to promote the new law. “We pass all these laws in our statehouse, but there usually isn’t any effort to broadcast these changes,” Merritt said. The state senator plans to address students at some high schools and universities in the state to help inform them. He is also helping to raise funds through the not-for-profit agency Promising Futures of Central Indiana. Through the organization, Merritt hopes to raise enough money to make public service announcements reaching youth throughout the state. The Bloomington Police Department, too, is adjusting to the new law, though Cpt. Joseph Qualters said the law is more of a formalization of prior BPD practice than a totally new policy.Lifeline has already played a role this school year at IU, as BPD has already dealt with two incidents that combined alcohol and a medical situation, Qualters said. He offered warning concerning the new law’s requirement of emergency caller cooperation with emergency personnel on scene.“There are those who may interfere with the efforts of law enforcement or medical personnel because of their own intoxication, and they might find themselves being arrested if they do so,” Qualters said in an email. “That was true in the past and that would be true now since the Lifeline Law requires the caller to cooperate with authorities on the scene. Interfering — especially when told to stop or move away — would not be considered ‘cooperating,’ and we deal with that quite frequently in these types of situations.”Qualters said the law can save lives, though he did caution its protection is limited. “What’s important for people to realize is that it does not provide an all-encompassing ‘get out of jail free’ card,” Qualters said. “There are certain obligations that must be met by the caller to be in compliance with the law and there are some offenses in the law that are not exempt from prosecution such as furnishing alcohol to a minor, operating while intoxicated and offenses involving controlled substances. It’s good balanced legislation considering the interests of everyone involved.”
(08/22/12 4:18am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Battery-powered smoke detectors might be a thing of the past in Bloomington rental units if a proposal by the City of Bloomington is approved.The proposal would mandate any rental property in Bloomington not already equipped with hard-wired, interconnected smoke detectors to install them, most likely during the coming year.Hard-wired smoke detectors are connected to the electric systems of buildings and have battery backup. The proposal would also mandate interconnected detectors, meaning an alarm in one room would trip all alarms in the unit.The smoke detector proposal came from a desire for increased safety, said Lisa Abbott, Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development director. It takes cues from the National Fire Alarm Code, 2007 edition, established by the National Fire Protection Association.“Over 60 percent of the housing is rental,” Abbott said. “Anytime that you do anything about rental code, it’s big. Especially when you’re talking about rewriting an entire piece of legislation about smoke detectors.”The new alarms, which have been mandated in new buildings since 2007, are harder to tamper with, increasing chances of full functionality. Abbott said he didn’t know a specific breakdown of the ratio of battery to hard-wired detection systems in Bloomington, but she said many battery-operated smoke detectors are still available. A common violation she sees in rental properties is a lack of power to these detectors, rendering tenants unprotected. “I personally think this will be an improvement,” Abbott said. “Will it be a silver bullet? No, but it will help.”Changes to Title 16, the City’s Property Maintenance Code, last updated in 2003, encompass much more than smoke detectors, but this issue is causing a commotion with rental property owners, who would bear the financial burden for the retrofitting.Furthermore, rental property stakeholders, including Nikki Johnson, CFC Properties vice president of residential real estate, said the city might not have the authority to mandate such a change.Indiana statue promotes the installation of either type of smoke detector, but it is vague whether municipalities can make rental owners install one type instead of the other. In Johnson’s eyes, the proposal conflicts with state policy.Ideally, Johnson said she would like to see the city seek the stamp of approval from the Indiana Fire Prevention and Building Safety Commission to prove the city is following proper procedure.“The way they’re interpreting Indiana code, they don’t think they have to,” Johnson said. “And it’s all up to interpretation of the code. Unfortunately, it might end up being the decision of a judge.”Johnson is also concerned about other items, including another proposal for a building inspection fee hike and the general timeframe of the changes. “If it does go into effect, I certainly think that’s what landlords would want, some kind of gradual implementation schedule,” Johnson said.IU campus housing will not be affected by this city proposal. The University is on state property, which is exempt from city jurisdiction on this matter, Abbott said. Campus View, Tulip Tree and Union Street Apartments are equipped with hard-wired smoke detectors, according to the 2012-13 Residential Programs and Services Apartment Guide.The proposal will go through two more public forums Sept. 19 and Oct. 2 before heading to the Bloomington City Council, where it will again go before public hearings.Abbott said she is firm about her belief in the update to the code yet is willing to consider input from community members.“We’re still soliciting feedback,” Abbott said. “I think we’re concerned enough about the safety that we feel pretty strongly about this.”
(08/21/12 2:09am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Despite a July increase in private sector jobs in Indiana, the unemployment rate jumped, indicating a loss of 25,000 jobs in the state.Figures released last week by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development show a promising continuation of a nine-month trend of job creation in the state.Job increases total 3,300, a growth rate of 1.7 percent. That’s nearly double the national 1 percent average.More specifically, unemployment rates in both Monroe County and the Bloomington area fall below the state average, according to the DWD and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These are non-seasonally adjusted numbers, which are affected by seasonal hiring and industries, such as snow plowing or holiday season retail support.Monroe County sits at 7.4 percent unemployment, with 62,825 of 67,837 members of the labor force currently employed. Bloomington, too, has at 7.4 percent unemployment, with 35,498 out of 38,341 members of the labor force currently employed. These stats for July preliminarily rank Monroe County 66th of the state’s 92 counties in unemployment.Puzzling to the state, however, is an 8.2 percent unemployment rate, up from 8 percent in June but down from 9.2 this time last year. This rate was based on survey findings from 1,000 households.“We have raised several questions with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics about discrepancies in June and July’s labor force data,” said Scott Sanders, commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development, in a statement. “The numbers seem to indicate nearly 46,000 Hoosiers went from gainfully employed in May to missing from the labor force in July with no explanation.” The state’s unemployment rate is just below the national average of 8.3 percent. But Indiana isn’t alone. Forty-four states experienced a rise in unemployment in July, according to the United States Department of Labor.The Department of Workforce Development added Indiana is beating national averages in private sector and manufacturing job growth.In July, nonfarm employment increased by 10,700, comprised mostly of 7,600 government sector jobs. Last month that sector fell by 6,700 jobs.Reports for August will be released Sept. 21.Government statistics do not include “discouraged workers,” or those no longer actively searching for work. Oftentimes this is because they believe there are no jobs for them or lack necessary skills to obtain a job.The most recent numbers for 2011 by the labor department suggest 86 million Americans have fallen between the statistical cracks, the majority of them 65-plus-retirees or those below age 25 likely in school. Those groups aside, about 36 million Americans still remain uncounted.
(08/21/12 2:08am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Despite a July increase in private sector jobs in Indiana, the unemployment rate jumped, indicating a loss of 25,000 jobs in the state.Figures released last week by the Indiana Department of Workforce Development show a promising continuation of a nine-month trend of job creation in the state.Job increases total 3,300, a growth rate of 1.7 percent. That’s nearly double the national 1 percent average.More specifically, unemployment rates in both Monroe County and the Bloomington area fall below the state average, according to the DWD and the Bureau of Labor Statistics. These are non-seasonally adjusted numbers, which are affected by seasonal hiring and industries, such as snow plowing or holiday season retail support.Monroe County sits at 7.4 percent unemployment, with 62,825 of 67,837 members of the labor force currently employed. Bloomington, too, has at 7.4 percent unemployment, with 35,498 out of 38,341 members of the labor force currently employed. These stats for July preliminarily rank Monroe County 66th of the state’s 92 counties in unemployment.Puzzling to the state, however, is an 8.2 percent unemployment rate, up from 8 percent in June but down from 9.2 this time last year. This rate was based on survey findings from 1,000 households.“We have raised several questions with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics about discrepancies in June and July’s labor force data,” said Scott Sanders, commissioner of the Department of Workforce Development, in a statement. “The numbers seem to indicate nearly 46,000 Hoosiers went from gainfully employed in May to missing from the labor force in July with no explanation.” The state’s unemployment rate is just below the national average of 8.3 percent. But Indiana isn’t alone. Forty-four states experienced a rise in unemployment in July, according to the United States Department of Labor.The Department of Workforce Development added Indiana is beating national averages in private sector and manufacturing job growth.In July, nonfarm employment increased by 10,700, comprised mostly of 7,600 government sector jobs. Last month that sector fell by 6,700 jobs.Reports for August will be released Sept. 21.Government statistics do not include “discouraged workers,” or those no longer actively searching for work. Oftentimes this is because they believe there are no jobs for them or lack necessary skills to obtain a job.The most recent numbers for 2011 by the labor department suggest 86 million Americans have fallen between the statistical cracks, the majority of them 65-plus-retirees or those below age 25 likely in school. Those groups aside, about 36 million Americans still remain uncounted.
(08/17/12 4:39am)
While these three lead the board, they also work with about 1,000 seasonal paid employees that make elections in the county happen, from early in the planning process to the days following Election Day.
(08/17/12 4:31am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Pamela Kroskie never knew her birth mother growing up. It was only after nearly a year of digging at age 21 that she made contact with the woman who gave her up as a baby. Now, 22 years later, the Bloomington resident and her birth mother have developed a close relationship filled with reunions, weddings and frequent phone calls. Inspired by her own search for answers, Kroskie is fighting to make the reconnection process easier, or at least put biological and medical knowledge in the hands of adoptees.“When I found my birth mom, I knew that would be something I would do, helping others,” Kroskie said. “I was going to help people where I needed help when there wasn’t any.”And for these efforts, Rep. Todd Young, R-Ind., has recently named Kroskie the 2012 Angel in Adoption for Indiana’s 9th District. The bicameral, bipartisan Congressional Coalition on Adoption Institute, of which Young is a member, honors individuals across the country who work for the welfare of children in the United States. “I’m motivated to spend some effort and time in this area for reasons of heart and head,” Young said. “The earlier we take care of our children, the less problems our community will have.” Kroskie wants grown adoptees to have easy access to copies of their original birth certificate, a document that would reveal basic, yet previously unknown information and could lead to a wealth more. Current Indiana law gives those born after Jan. 1, 1994, the ability to access their records at age 21. But for everyone else, those records are usually only accessible if both the adoptee and birth parent have registered and consented to the release of those documents.Opponents argue the legislative action Kroskie advocates would endanger the birth parents’ right to anonymity and endanger their privacy later in life. “It’s really simple,” Kroskie said. “We want the Indiana legislators to realize like the eight other states have realized that it’s in everyone’s best interest that adoptees have access to their original birth certificate. Let us take a little bit of power back into our lives and the ability to make our own decisions, and hopefully sooner than later.”To help see this vision through, Kroskie serves on the board of directors and as an Indiana representative for the American Adoption Congress, a national organization committed to adoption reform. In this role since 2009, she has met with legislators and others involved with the making of Indiana laws to lobby for her cause. Attempts during the 2010-11 session were tabled. After a break during this year’s short session in the state Congress, Kroskie and other advocates are gearing up for another round of legislative appealing.“I can honestly tell you that I take great pride in it,” Kroskie said. “I hope that I represent everyone as best as I possibly can.”Kroskie said she knows first hand the benefits of possessing her own birth records. She discovered she has two biological sisters, one of which also now lives in Bloomington. She’s also discovered a history of breast cancer in her family, and with her biological mother’s current stage-four breast cancer, Kroskie is grateful for both the knowledge and the time she’s been given with her mom.“For all the nay-sayers who said not to, however well intended they may have meant it, you just have to go with your gut feeling,” she said of her choice to seek out her birth mom. “I knew I wanted to find her and know her. Thanks to that, I’ve gotten to know her for 22 years. It’s also led me to my sisters. No one can ever tell me that was a bad decision.”The award will take Kroskie to Washington, D.C., on Sept. 12 for an honorary gala, where Kroskie will be honored alongside hundreds of other adoption issues advocates.“That was really one of the biggest compliments you can get, as far as being an adoptee,” Kroskie said. “It’s amazing that they’re actually giving an award for it. You feel like you’re not worthy of it. It’s a huge event. It’s a pretty big deal.”At the gala, Kroskie and Young will finally meet.“She has an impact on the adopted community beyond the 9th District,” Young said. “She’s very active in the community and I’m very excited to meet her.”And while her lobbying efforts in the state haven’t been fully realized, Kroskie has no plans of backing down.“If I have to talk about it everyday to everyone, everywhere, I will, if that’s what it takes to get this law changed,” she said.
(08/14/12 3:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Open skies and warm pavement greeted Governor Mitch Daniels and about 800 of his closest friends for a midday motorcycle ride through central-southern Indiana.Friday’s ride marked the eighth annual Ride with the Governor, which dually promotes motorcycle awareness and safety and raises funds for the Indiana National Guard Relief Fund. It also marked Daniels’ last time in the event as governor.The annual ride is a collaboration between the governor and the non-profit organization American Bikers Aimed Toward Education of Indiana. ABATE, just like the ride, Daniels led more than 800 motorcyclists from the Indiana Statehouse, down through Shakamak State Park in Jasonville before ending in French Lick. Marc Falsetti, editor of ABATE newsletter Hoosier Motorcyclist, said this year’s turnout was bigger than ever before, as were early numbers on the donation total for the National Guard, which he estimated may have reached near $10,000, up from the average $7,000 to $8,000 range. “It’s an opportunity to spend some time with the governor in a social setting that’s not really a political event,” Falsetti said. “It’s an event just to ride around and admire each others’ bikes. The governor is a very social person and it’s a unique opportunity to spend some time with him.” The governor has long had a passion for riding motorcycles. He’s rode them for more than 30 years, and occasionally rides his motorcycle to work at the statehouse, Daniels’ Deputy Press Secretary Jake Oakman said. “It’s not shocking to see him stop by the statehouse and see him in jeans and t-shirt, and he does ride his motorcycle to work, weather permitting,” Oakman said.The route of the ride changes from year to year, with Daniels requesting specific towns or areas to ride through. ABATE carefully plans the route, taking into consideration accessibility to rest stops and fueling stations. “We come up with a route that is enjoyable to ride on two wheels that is scenic, but that can accommodate hundreds of vehicles,” Falsetti said. “There’s quite a logistic issue because we have to communicate with state police. And, of course, keep a handle on all those people. There’s quite a project involved with moving all those motorcycles.”Southern Indiana is a particular favorite riding destination for the governor. “Indiana is just an absolutely great state for riding,” Daniels wrote on a special page dedicated to motorcycle riding on his official website. “I really love the southern part of the state; we have a few more hills there and just an endless variety of back roads and country roads. It’s just beautiful.”A larger contingent of law enforcement personnel, including National Guard and Patriot Guard members, was on the ride this year to handle the larger crowd. With that kind of company, Oakman said the governor’s safety wasn’t a huge worry.“The whole thing is escorted by state troopers, but the governor has been riding for many years, so he’s pretty familiar with safety on the bike,” Oakman said.After seven years, the event has raised more than $30,000. That kind of fundraising impresses Oakman, as the event is free for all participants. Any money raised is given out of the goodness of rider’s hearts. “This was dubbed the last ride, because it’s the last ride he’ll make as governor,” Oakman said. “Just seeing how much it’s grown, even from last year to this year, is amazing, and the money raised is pretty impressive.”