107 items found for your search. If no results were found please broaden your search.
(04/04/11 1:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>FROM IDS REPORTSNot everyone who goes hungry lives below the poverty level.There is an intermediate level above the poverty line known as food insecurity, according to the United States Department of Agriculture. Food insecurity is the USDA’s term for a lack of access to enough nutritionally valuable food for all members of a household. Feeding America, a domestic hunger relief charity, created an interactive map of the country titled Map the Meal Gap. It evaluates the food insecurity rate, average cost of a meal and the additional amount of money required to meet food needs for 2009 at the national, state and county level at www.feedingamerica.org.According to the USDA, food insecure households are not insecure all the time, as a typical household in poverty is. Such households generally experience the need to make trade-offs between paying housing or medical bills and purchasing nutritionally adequate foods. People who are food insecure may live up to 185 percent above the poverty line, but a family of four at 185 percent would only be making $40,793 in yearly income, according to the site.The map’s results were determined through various forms of data collection and statistical calculations. To calculate the food insecurity rates, the relationship between food insecurity and indicators of food insecurity, such as poverty level, unemployment and median income, were defined at the state level and county level. Feeding America then used these rates to reach estimates for the map.To combat these levels of food insecurity, several local food banks and kitchens provide services to people in the area below the poverty line, as well as those in the food insecurity range who need assistance. The Hoosier Hills Food Bank distributes food to more than 20,000 individuals each month in its service area of Monroe, Martin, Owen, Orange, Brown and Lawrence counties. It has several food donation programs established within the organization that distribute food to not only individuals, but also smaller food banks and soup kitchens. — Michela Tindera
(04/01/11 2:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>When he began martial arts training at Lee’s Martial Arts in 1997, Scot Curry said he never thought he would end up as one of six store co-owners. After the previous owner took a job in another state, Curry, Jeff Lewis, Scott Johnson, Carl Jarvis, Brandon Price and Bill Brower became official owners Feb. 1. They are all currently instructors at the school, and many, like Curry, began their martial arts training there.Lewis has been a part of Lee’s for the longest out of all of the owners. He began as a student 19 years ago. To celebrate the new era at Lee’s, the public was invited to attend a Grand Re-opening on Saturday. There was a ribbon cutting followed by refreshments, demonstrations and a video shoot for the YouTube channel program “The Audrey Johnson Show.”“It was great to see people we haven’t seen in a while,” Curry said. “It was almost like a reunion.” There were more than 60 people at the event, Curry said. The 3822 W. Third St. building’s recent renovations were also cause for celebration at the Grand Reopening. The owners had installed new carpet, sign work and fresh paint throughout the building, Curry said. Lee’s Martial Arts offers Tae Kwon Do, Hapkido and Kung Fu classes, according to www.leesbloomington.com. And there are plans to add more classes in the future, Curry said. “We want to try to keep things going as they were, but make things better at the same time,” Curry said. “We just want to keep the traditions alive.”
(03/30/11 3:49am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A Bloomington-based outreach organization will show the story of African refugees through the eyes of the children next month.In January, two Giving Back to Africa associates traveled to the Program of Aid and Integration to the Underprivileged school and orphanage in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Along with basic travel supplies, they carried 20 disposable cameras and the hope to create a message worth sharing. It was GBA Student Association President Amanda Daum’s idea to give cameras to students of the school. Both teachers and students were encouraged to document their lives in their United Nations designated refugee camp, Mpasa II.Three months later, these images will be on display Friday through April 22 at the IU Art Museum in an exhibit titled “Eyes Behind the Camera: The Congolese Share Their Story.”“We wanted to introduce art into the lives of Congolese children,” Daum said. There are about 65 photos in the exhibit, said Michael Valliant, GBA administrative director and one of the two associates who traveled to Congo in January. Many of these are paired with translated stories written by the children and teachers.“I had no idea how these pictures would come out. When I saw them with their cameras I thought they were just snapping away indiscriminately,” Valliant said. “But when I developed them I saw how creative they were. Some are really dramatic and evocative.”When they chose which pictures to include, Valliant said they looked for a specific set of criteria expressed in each photo: play, joy, need, education or poverty. “We want to change the stereotype that Africa is only filled with famine, disease and war,” Valliant said. The IU chapter of Journalists for Human Rights plans to help GBA publicize the event, JHR co-promotions chair Haley Nelson said. “As a journalist I believe in the power of photography to express oneself and how it can be successful when it is focused on helping others,” Nelson said. The next step of the project is to work with local schools in the Bloomington area to have students and teachers take their own pictures and send them to the PAID school, Valliant said. “We present the children with the incredible opportunity to see their potential and give them the opportunity to change their lives,” Valliant said.
(03/25/11 2:42am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Pedestrians seeking a caffeine fix Monday morning found themselves shut out of the Dunkin’ Donuts restaurant at 517 E. Kirkwood Ave.“I’ve only been once, but I was really looking forward to going back,” IU freshman Matt Gillam said. The store’s last day of operation was Sunday. The Kirkwood Avenue Dunkin’ Donuts location originally opened in the Von Lee Theater building in July 2008.While Dunkin’ Donuts did receive its health license from the Monroe County Health Department, food protection supervisor Sylvia Garrison said she had no information as to why the store closed. Further down Kirkwood Avenue, Emporium-Earthly Goods & Treasures also announced with storefront signs its planned closing Monday morning.However, co-owner Joseph Hunt said the store will continue to operate until all merchandise and hardware within the store has been sold. The store has sold beads, gemstone jewelry and other nature-themed gifts since it opened in 2002, Hunt said. He said demographic changes in the downtown area and a tough economy contributed to the decision to close the store. “We’re not interested in adapting the way we run our store,” Hunt said. “We just do what we do, and I think we’ve done a pretty good job of it.” Similar gift stores such as Wandering Turtle Art Gallery and Gifts and LadyBugs Gifts & Teas in downtown Bloomington have also closed in recent months, Emporium co-owner Andrea Hunt said. Joseph Hunt said customers have seemed disappointed to see the store go. “Many people have come in to say how sad they are that we’re closing,” he said. “We’re not complaining about the close. It’s not a tragedy.”
(03/25/11 2:37am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>In the span of a year, Justin Corsa, 31, turned a hobby into a website with more than 13,000 active members.SuperTova.com, marketed as a free alternative to a similar faith-based dating website — JDate.com — is a Jewish-only dating site that allows singles to meet online. Members can set up dates with available singles, similar to the likes of Match.com or eHarmony. Inspired by his experiences growing up in an interfaith household, Corsa said the goal of his site is to push how critical it is to date within the faith and preserve the Jewish culture through marriage. Corsa said he created the site, which doesn’t require a membership fee, to bring widely dispersed Jews together in one place online.“I don’t think dating sites are the most popular for college students to meet other students,” IU freshman Daniel Rajczyk said. “We’re already surrounded by other people our age.”The IU campus also offers ways for Jewish students to meet, adding more free opportunities for dating.The Helene G. Simon Hillel Center sponsored two speed dating events this school year. One was organized by the Greek Jewish Council and the other was for IU graduate students. “A lot of Jews are raised in the same way so having a faith-based dating site probably works better for the sake of compatibility,” Jordan Rothenberg, engagement associate at Hillel Center, said.Rothenberg said both were successful events and allowed students to interact with people they wouldn’t know otherwise.Corsa said his site began fully operating in early 2010, and he has manually approved each profile on the site to confirm the authenticity of each user. SuperTova has members in all 50 states, along with some international users. There have been three engagements between couples who met on the site since it began last year, and the average user is between 18 and 28 years old, Corsa said.“If I could, I would definitely want to find my own wife on this site,” Corsa said.
(03/22/11 1:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As temperatures rise and weather becomes more pleasant in the coming weeks, charity runs and walks will increase throughout Bloomington and IU. There are many ways to get involved this spring, whether it is for exercise or charitable purposes, there are opportunities to participate almost every weekend until the end of the school year.IU Habitat for Humanity 5k Run/WalkSaturday, March 26Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. Race is from 10 a.m. to noon.Lower Cascades ParkMoney raised will go to help eliminate substandard housing in Bloomington. Participants can run or walk a 3.1 mile route and enter to win raffle prizes and giveaways. The registration fee is $20 per participant. Runners can register online by March 25. Proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity of Monroe County.Contact Marissa Brown, brown25@indiana.edu, www.indiana.edu/~habitat/events/5k.shtml2011 Relay for Life at IUSaturday through Sunday, April 2 and 3IU Campus — exact location TBDTeams of students or community members walk for 24 hours around a track to raise money and support cancer research. Fundraising from registration fees, donations and sponsorships will benefit The American Cancer Society.Contact Courtney Schultz, cnschult@indiana.edu, www.relayforlife.org/iuinBloomington Homeward Bound WalkSunday, April 10Registration is from noon to 1 p.m. Walk begins at 1 p.m.Third Street ParkA 5k walk through downtown Bloomington. There will be live entertainment, refreshments, face painting and more. Each participating team tries to meet a monetary goal set by its members. Proceeds benefit 11 local service agencies which serve those experiencing homelessness and poverty in Bloomington and Monroe County. Contact Kathy Mayer, 812-349-3430 or mayerk@bloomington.in.gov, www.homewardboundindiana.org/bloomingtonYMCA Spring Running Festival 5k and 10kSaturday, April 16Registration begins at 7 a.m. Races begin at 8 a.m. Monroe County YMCARunners have the option of participating in a 5k or 10k run, a 5k Race Walk or a Fun Run. Fundraising is through registration fee. Fees range from $10 to $23, depending on the race selected. Proceeds benefit YMCA Partner with Youth Scholarships.Contact Matt Osgood, 812-876-4020, www.monroecountyymca.org5k Run for HoosiersCareSaturday, April 30Registration is from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Race begins at 9 a.m.Sherwood Oaks Christian ChurchParticipants can choose to run or walk in a 5k or run in a 1-mile Family Fun Run.Fundraising is through registration fee. Early registration for the 5k is $15 before April 25. The Family Fun Run is $5. Proceeds benefit HoosiersCare, which provides affordable housing for patients of the Indiana University Health Proton Center. Contact Dayna Clarke, 812-876-4020, www.hoosierscare.com
(03/11/11 5:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>After the first night in their Coal City, Ind., home, the Eggers family awoke to find themselves in a living nightmare.Parents Natasha, 29, Brandon, 26, and their children, Ciara Prince, 15, and Corbin Prince, 10, left their previous apartment in Martinsville, Ind., and signed their new house’s contract Feb. 27. They moved into their house the next day. “We thought we were doing the right thing, working to buy our first own house,” Brandon said. Natasha and Brandon went to bed at about 4 a.m. March 1 after what they said had been a long day of unpacking. Natasha said she smelled something burning, but neither she nor her husband could find a source for the scent. After a few hours of sleep, Corbin saw smoke and flames and ran into his parents’ bedroom to wake them up. “If it wasn’t for him, we’d all be dead,” Natasha said.An electrical fire from a wire behind a wall connecting the living room, dining room and kitchen that had been smoldering for hours had burned through and begun to devour the four-bedroom house.Natasha said she immediately dialed 911 while Brandon attempted to put out the fire on his own. “I just grabbed the kids, a picture of the family and ran to the neighbors,” Natasha said. The cost of damages are still unknown because the Eggers were not the official owners; they were renting to own the house. Natasha said what was not completely destroyed by the fire has smoke or water damage.Among other issues, floorboards have buckled, the ceiling has holes in it from efforts to put out the fire, and all their major appliances are unusable.To add to their financial problems, on Tuesday the fuel pump of their 2003 Grand Am broke while they were on the way to pick up Corbin from school. The repairs cost $315, and the car is the family’s only source of transportation. “It was lucky that it broke right in front of a mechanic’s house,” Natasha said.Because both Natasha and Brandon are currently unemployed, they do not have the funds to quickly fix the house or pay for their hotel room.Natasha said she had planned to look for jobs later in the week once they were settled in, but since the fire she hasn’t had the time to try. Before becoming a homemaker she was a certified nurse’s assistant, and she said she’d like to get back to that work if possible. The local Red Cross paid for the family to stay in a two-bed room at the Patriot Inn in nearby Spencer, Ind., for several nights, Natasha said. “We actually just had someone donate enough money to pay for another few nights today,” Natasha said. However, without that funding, the family’s other option is to live in an unheated RV donated by a local preacher. It is parked next to their charred home.As of now, they have nowhere to wash their clothes.Despite their struggles, the Eggers said they plan to move back into the house when it is fixed.“We want to stay,” Natasha said. “It was a life lesson, and we’re not going to run from it.”Since the fire, the electrical wires throughout the house have been redone by a professional electrician, which cost the family an additional $1,800.Brandon said he is willing to do any sort of labor to earn money for repairs and bills. He said he has experience with masonry and electrical work, though he is willing to mow lawns or do any other work needed.They set up donation cans at several gas stations in the area, including the Clay City County Junction, Marathon gas stations and the Spencer Circle K. Natasha said they received a $25 check in one of the cans.But they have to take the cans down soon. They were only allowed to keep them there for a few days.A Bloomington bank, The Peoples State Bank, is also helping the family raise funds. Brandon said Red Cross volunteers urged him to open a local bank account where people could donate funds for his family. These donations can be made online or at any of the bank’s five locations in Bloomington.“We’re used to helping other people, not people helping us. It’s just been a big slap in the face,” Natasha said.
(03/11/11 1:54am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Hours after he learned Martin Luther King Jr. had been killed, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy took the podium in Indianapolis to notify an unaware crowd of the tragedy. On that evening of April 4, 1968, Indianapolis was one of the few cities in the U.S. that did not experience riots. This was supposed to be another routine stop on Kennedy’s presidential campaign tour, but in the few hours between his last stop at Ball State University and Indianapolis, Kennedy prepared himself to present an unwritten speech to address the issue head-on. Now 40 years later, through 3-D hologram effects, live acting and dialogue from Kennedy’s speech, fellow Hoosiers can experience what it was like to be a part of the crowd that evening as a part of the most recent addition to the Indiana Historical Society’s “You Are There” exhibits. The exhibit titled “You Are There 1968: Robert F. Kennedy Speaks” opened Feb. 22 at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center in Indianapolis. The exhibit’s topic was selected from the 1.6 million photos the IHS has archived and took three and a half years to complete, Director of Exhibitions Research and Development Eloise Scroggins said. “We wanted to pick something with really compelling subject matter,” Media Relations Manager Amy Lamb said. “A lot of people are aware of Kennedy’s speech, but some aren’t. This allows everyone to learn more about it.”The people who were in the crowd April 4 and are played by actors in the exhibit are still alive today. The actors were required to meet and talk to those people so they could get a realistic portrayal of what happened at the speech.Theodore Boehm, who was 29 years old at the time, was an upcoming lawyer and member of Kennedy’s audience. He later went on to become an Indiana Supreme Court Justice and served as CEO for the 1987 Pan American Games. Boehm said in a press release that the campaign speech was “a pivotal event for me that rededicated a career toward public service.”Now he is portrayed by an actor in the exhibit. “The actors get to know a lot about them and their personality,” Lamb said. “They learn the little things, everything down to their idiosyncrasies.”“You Are There” is one exhibit of many in the interactive “The Indiana Experience.” The other exhibits currently open are “Tool Guys and Tin Lizzies,” where visitors can walk into a 1924 automobile repair shop, and “The Violin Maker Upstairs,” where visitors are introduced to a violin-making couple in 1914 Indianapolis. “This was the first time constructing an event rather than a scene like a grocery store,” Scroggins said. “It came with a whole new set of challenges.” Guests can also visit “Destination Indiana,” the “W. Brooks Fortune History Lab” and the “Cole Porter Room.” All are exhibits designed to allow visitors to literally experience Indiana history through high technology and interactivity.The Indiana Experience is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center at 450 W. Ohio St. in Indianapolis. Adult tickets are $7 for full access.
(03/04/11 2:35am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Dogs are called man’s best friend. They’ll grab the morning paper, play catch in the park and become a soft pillow or foot warmer after a long day. They have also been proven to raise children’s test scores. Since 2003, Monroe County Humane Association’s VIPaws has brought certified therapy dogs and their owners to participate in Animal Reading Friends at the Monroe County Public Library and the Ellettsville branch once a month. The dogs join children while they read, said Sarah DeLone, education program director of MCHA.On the first Saturday of every month, the Ellettsville branch holds a drop-in time when children, generally pre-kindergarten, kindergarten and first grade, select a book and a dog to read to.At each reading session, the number of children varies from eight to 30, DeLone said. Sometimes if it is busy, children will wait in line for the three to four dogs that come. Often a child’s goal is to read to each dog in the room, Ellettsville branch librarian Stephanie Holman said.Each dog has its own laminated bookmark that children can keep and collect. Each one has the dog’s name, breed and some fun facts about tricks the dog does or activities it likes to do, Holman said.Holman said ideally children would be in a quiet room alone with the dog and the dog’s owner, so no one would be around to judge them. However, the group setting can often work out just as well.“Something magical happens, like a bubble forms over the child and the dog and they don’t notice anything else,” Holman said. “You’ll see the child reach out their little hand to pet the dog. It’s so great.”A study conducted by Reading Education Assistance Dogs between 2000 and 2002 found that in addition to improved reading scores, results show teachers also noticed decreased student absenteeism and improved self-confidence and self-esteem.“Their (children’s) heart rate slows, their breathing slows and that’s where fluency develops,” Holman said. “It’s all about building confidence.”The dogs that are used and their owners go through a training process to become certified therapy dog teams before they are brought to the children. The next ARF program will be 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Ellettsville branch library.“My favorite part is looking in the room and seeing the different human heads and dog heads bent over a book, each in their own way appreciating literature and enjoying it,” Holman said.
(03/04/11 2:29am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Bloomington residents gathered Wednesday for a talk concerning “robotic warfare,” a serious concern for certain groups.The actions of the U.S. military in the Middle East have raised concerns with groups such as the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition. Some have started to look at practices such as “robotic warfare.”This type of warfare uses drones to launch missiles at targeted areas.Through countless Freedom of Information Act requests, IU-Purdue University Indianapolis School of Law professor Fran Quigley said he has gleaned enough information to create a portrait of Indiana as a backdrop for research, development and manufacture of robotic warfare weaponry. “It’s hard to get straight answers back,” Quigley said in his speech. “Robotic Warfare in the Heartland.” Quigley said his requests often turned up blank or sent him to a worthless destination. Finally, he discovered several connections to unmanned aerial vehicles production in the state.Quigley presented these discoveries to an audience of more than 50 at the Monroe County Public Library. Quigley’s main three points were that drone warfare is illegal, self-defeating and un-American.Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division, which is approximately 35 miles from Bloomington, has received and issued millions of dollars in contracts for drone development, Quigley said.Terre Haute-based Indiana Air National Guard’s 181st Intelligence Wing analyzes data collected by drones flying over Iraq and Afghanistan.The Indianapolis plant of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars manufactures the engine for the drone Global Hawk.BPAC member Greg Nobleknott, who also attended the “Silent Screams” film screening Feb. 15 at the library, said he was surprised to learn that luxury car manufacturer Rolls-Royce was involved in drone production.“They need to stop the demand for it,” Nobleknott said. “If you just stop one company, another will come and fill its place.” In addition, West Lafayette-based Lite Machines Inc. has developed a mini-drone called the Voyeur for the U.S. Navy. It is connected with Purdue University. Quigley said further record requests revealed a $500,000 contract between Purdue and the U.S. Air Force Academy to help with work in the Purdue Robot Vision Lab.“The average Hoosier is really unaware how much is being manufactured for drones in Indiana,” BPAC event organizer Timothy Baer said.Many of the attendees already had some knowledge of the drones’ presence in the Middle East, but many were not aware of the legal ramifications of such acts.“I’d prefer it not to be going on anywhere,” Unionville resident Paul Smith said. “I’m certainly opposed to it.”The United States has been sending drones to launch missiles targeted for rural areas in Pakistan, a country that the United States is not at war with, Quigley said.“I can’t help but think this will inflame the whole area, and we’re not even at war with them,” Bloomington resident Linda Windforest said. Quigley said these acts of robotic warfare are in direct violation of former President Ronald Reagan’s 1981 Executive Order 12333, which banned the U.S. government from engaging in assassination. “I think it’s an important issue whether you’re Republican, Democrat or Independent,” Nobleknott said. “People shouldn’t just willingly violate the law. It sets a bad precedent.”
(03/02/11 4:40am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>As a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage works its way through the Indiana legislature, a provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act was declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Attorney General on Feb. 23.Following Obama’s statement to the Justice Department to stop defending DOMA, Attorney General Eric Holder wrote in a letter to Speaker of the House John Boehner saying Section 3 of DOMA was unconstitutional. Section 3 addresses federal tax, immigration and other laws for lawfully married same-sex couples.But this statement may not impact Indiana any time soon.This declaration does not affect the other clause in DOMA that refers to whether states are required to recognize same-sex marriages. Thus, Indiana would be able to ignore these statements because same-sex marriages are not considered legal from inside Indiana or another state.While it is not typical for an attorney general to declare a law unconstitutional, IU professor of law Aviva Orenstein said in very narrow circumstances the attorney general can refuse to defend laws that are, in his or her view, unconstitutional. “The Courts will still hear the case, and those who support DOMA can still argue in favor of it. The attorney general has just withdrawn its willingness to make arguments it believes are untenable,” Orenstein said.Whether couples that married in a state where same-sex marriage is legal and then moved to Indiana could expect to receive the federal tax rights guaranteed to other married couples is still unknown.“That area of the law is still totally unclear,” IU professor of law Deborah Widiss said.In the letter to Boehner, Attorney General Holder cited the recent repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy as one of the reasons to further scrutinize this section of DOMA. It is presumed that Boehner and other House Republicans will issue their own defense of DOMA to fight back against Holder’s words.“The statement by the federal government and the state of Indiana represent two sides of an ongoing discussion,” Widiss said.
(02/24/11 3:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana House Bill 1399Would allow: homeschooled students to try out, practice and play in high school athletics the same way students who attend the high school participatePassed: in the House 60 - 30, on its way to the SenateSupporters say: “As tax-paying citizens who support the stadiums, gyms and pools of the schools as well as the coaches’ salaries, all eligible students should have the right to participate in high school athletics.”- Rep. Timoth Wesco, R-MishawakaSkeptics say: “Homeschooled kids have lots of other opportunities to play sports in the community.”- Bob Cox, Indiana High School Athletic Association commissionerSports teams at Indiana high schools could look a little different next season if House Bill 1399 passes this spring.Planned to go in effect July 1, Indiana homeschooled students would be eligible to try out, practice and play in high school athletics alongside athletes who attend public school.The bill passed in the Indiana House Feb. 15 with a 60-30 vote and is on its way to the Indiana Senate.Under current Indiana High School Athletic Association rules, homeschooled students are not eligible for high school athletics.The bill’s authors include Rep. Phyllis Pond, R-New Haven, and Rep. Timothy Wesco, R-Mishawaka. Wesco said he was approached by parents of homeschooled students in his district who were interested in playing sports in high school.Wesco was homeschooled as a child and teenager. He said he understands the perspective of being denied the chance to play in a high school sport.“My belief is that as tax-paying citizens who support the stadiums, gyms and pools of the schools as well as the coaches’ salaries, all eligible students should have the right to participate in high school athletics,” Wesco said. Under current IHSAA standards, high school students must take at least 70 percent of classes offered at their grade level and pass four of the classes they choose to take.The bill would require homeschooled students to pass a nationally recognized exam and 70 percent of their classes. Parents would need to provide written verification of the completed work, Wesco said.“I’m not saying parents’ words can’t be trusted, but with homeschooled parents signing off on a student’s grades, I’m not sure the accountability is the same,” said Jennifer Hollars, women’s athletic director of Bloomington High School North.IHSAA commissioner Bobby Cox testified against this bill in the Indiana House Education Committee earlier this month.Cox said he is opposed to the bill because he believes there is a disconnect with the level of academic fairness between what students who attend the high school would be required to achieve academically versus homeschooled students.Other skeptics are also concerned about the fairness of the bill.“It opens up a whole other can of worms,” said JR Holmes, athletic director of Bloomington High School South. “The homeschooled kid may be sleeping in until 10 a.m. and then starting classes while students at the high school are waking up at 6:30 to catch a bus.”Other concerns include the possibility of homeschooled students taking spots on teams of students who attend the high school or a homeschooled student’s previous experience in a team atmosphere, Hollars said.“There will be a lot of positives and negatives that arise from this bill, but my issue is that it doesn’t seem to be the same across all students,” Hollars said. Twenty-one other states in the United States have a law similar to this bill, including Arizona, Colorado and Florida.Wesco said Denver Bronco’s quarterback Tim Tebow was a homeschooled student who benefited from a similar law passed in Florida in 1996. He played on a high school football team and through that was recruited to play for the University of Florida, where he won a Heisman Trophy and later went on to play in the NFL.“High school athletics are separate from the community they’re located in,” Cox said. “They are for high school students who attend the high school and are making the grades. Homeschooled kids have lots of other opportunities to play sports in the community.”
(02/23/11 5:05am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Even on a rainy Monday evening, Restaurant Tallent expected a full house.Restaurant Tallent was recently awarded the AAA Four Diamond Award. This was the only restaurant in Bloomington to receive that honor.Restaurants that receive the Four Diamond award make up 3.6 percent of the total 59,000 AAA/CAA approved lodging and restaurants throughout North America and the Caribbean.Owners David and Kristen Tallent stopped in the midst of their evening preparations for a few minutes to grab glasses of water at the bar and discuss their recent award.IDS: What does it mean for your restaurant to win the Four Diamond award?Kristen: This is actually our fourth year getting the award. The first year we got it we were one of only three or four in the state. It’s a big honor. It shows all our hard work’s paying off.IDS: How did your business start out?Kristen: We both ended up cooking as part-time jobs in college, and we liked it more than our majors. From Bloomington we went to culinary school around 10 years ago. We worked in New York and Atlanta, and now here we are.David: We feel really fortunate to be here. We have a lot of support of community farmers. They’re more like friends than just producers. We buy almost all produce and meats locally, except fish of course. They’ve been really good to us. IDS: You use a lot of local ingredients. How does that play into how you create your menu?Kristen: We change it seasonally.David: Every six to eight weeks we change the menu according to what the farmers bring us.Kristen: It’s always a fun meeting (to decide the menu). We sit down with our cooks and everyone gets to throw in ideas and be creative. It’s a good opportunity for young cooks to share their own ideas. IDS How do you like working in the town where you grew up and went to college?Kristen We both think it’s great to be near our family. It’s great to be able to do something you love in your hometown. I was actually a journalism major at IU.David And I was a criminal justice and history major. IDS: Have you won any other awards?Kristen: This wasn’t really an award but more of an honor. We just got back from cooking for a U.S. ambassador in Costa Rica. We did two dinners over five days, so it was very hectic but really cool. Also, Dave was just nominated for the fifth time to be a semifinalist for the James Beard (James Beard Foundation) award, and he has won the Bloomington Chef’s challenge, which is a competition done through the Monroe County Community Kitchen. Restaurant Tallent is located on 208 N. Walnut St. and is open from 5 to 10 p.m. Monday through Saturday.
(02/17/11 4:00am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Thousands of miles away on American soil, pilots control unmanned aerial vehicles known as drones that drop bombs, killing civilians across the Middle East.This cycle of destruction and poverty was the subject of director-producer Karla Hansen’s documentary, “Silent Screams: The Impact of U.S. Drone Attacks.” The 35-minute film was screened 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Monroe County Public Library to an audience of about 20 people. The screening was sponsored by the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition. According to the film’s website, Hansen was inspired to make the documentary during a 2009 visit to Iran. She wanted to make a film that documented the effects of drone attacks on the poor through “the eyes of innocent children and families with no place left to run.” The U.S. has begun to use drones more and more as a way to keep American military members safe in the Middle East. However, to some, the repercussions of civilian deaths outweigh the potential safety of Americans.“According to international law, both sides in a war are supposed to take risks,” BPAC event organizer Linda Greene said. Though the U.S. military does not keep records of civilian deaths, the death toll since the U.S. has entered Afghanistan and Iraq is in the thousands, Baer said.“The American population has a general feeling that drones are an okay thing,” BPAC event organizer Timothy Baer said. “But all life is valuable.” According to the film, the drones have a 2 percent accuracy level of hitting a designated target. As a result, innocent civilians are often killed or injured. “It’s wrong because these people are never given a fair trial,” Greene said. “The operators of the drones act as the judge, jury and executor.”BPAC is especially concerned about the proliferation of drones in the military, Baer said, because Indiana is home to multiple drone testing and research sites, including Purdue University.“It’s an assassination when George Bush did it and it’s an assassination when Barack Obama does it,” BPAC member Mike Biggs said about the U.S. military using drones.
(02/15/11 5:02am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Eighteen Indiana businesses were recognized last week for superior performance in the small business sector in 2010.Lt. Gov. Becky Skillman joined with other business leaders from across the state to present the Economic Development through Growth and Entrepreneurship Awards during a Statehouse ceremony Feb. 9.Recipients of the award collectively employ 60 full-time associates in Indiana and in total finished 2010 with nearly $4 million in sales.Indiana Economic Development Corporation Media Relations Director Blair West said the awards have been going on for three years, beginning in 2009.The Green Nursery was a local recipient of the award. The company is a provider of natural, organic and environmentally friendly products for babies.The business began on Kirkwood Avenue four years ago and has since transitioned to an online store as well. They sell cloth diapers, toys, baby carriers and many other baby necessities.“It will help with recognition mostly and probably open some more doors for us,” co-owner of The Green Nursery Scott Noroozi said. Established and emerging categories were given out to businesses that have been around for a while or those that have just started. The Green Nursery received an award in the established category.Businesses were nominated locally for the awards by the Indiana Small Business Development Center staff that works directly with the businesses in each region. Noroozi said businesses are nominated based on the types of products they make or sell and the amount of growth they have had.Other local business recipients included Prestige Drycleaners LLC in Martinsville and Deer Ridge Woodcraft of West Terre Haute.“Indiana relies on its small business community to create jobs and invest in their individual communities even in tough economic times,” Skillman said in a press release. “We’re proud to recognize this group of entrepreneurs who continue to prove that there’s no better place to grow or start a business than Indiana.”
(02/14/11 4:57pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>It’s hard to miss this house.Located on the corner of Seventh Street and Indiana Avenue, it is known as the “IU house” by many because of the IU logo incorporated in the design of the shingles on the roof.“I think it adds something special to IU’s campus,” IU freshman Elisa Barrack said.Longtime resident Jason Wesson has been leasing the house since 2000. He heard about an opening to live in the house from a friend at one of the bars where he worked.“I was pretty much here the next day,” Wesson said.At that time, Wesson was living a couple blocks up the street, so he moved all of his belongings by hand.“The bed was the hardest to move,” Wesson said. “I carried it over my head down the street.” Though he graduated from IU in 1999 with a degree in biology, Wesson decided to stay in Bloomington and continue bartending.Wesson is a bartender at both Yogi’s Grill and Bar and The Bluebird Nightclub. He said he enjoys living so close to where he works. Wesson often walked by the house as an IU student, though he said he never went inside or inquired about living there.“I had heard at the time that it was mostly grad students who lived there,” Wesson said. “I thought I would love to own this house. It looked like an awesome place to live.”Though the house appears diminutive from the outside, the inside contains three bedrooms with one bath and a kitchen and living room area.Some parts of the house are more than 130 years old, so while this may add to the charm of the structure, Wesson said it can run heating bills up to $400 a month.“I’ve had people come to the door asking if I was renting,” Wesson said. But Wesson said it’s unlikely he’ll take a new roommate anytime soon.Wesson was unsure how much longer he plans to live in the house.He said he would prefer to keep the house within the bar community, the way it has been for several years.“The location’s perfect to live in,” IU sophomore Hays Formella said. “It always catches my eye every time I walk by.”Wesson said in the near future the roof may need to be redone because it’s getting old.“Hopefully they’ll keep the IU sign,” Wesson said. “It’s great living in a house that is such a landmark for the school.”
(02/14/11 3:14am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Sumit Ganguly said he wanted to give his wife something special for Valentine’s Day. Ganguly, IU professor of political science, placed a custom order with BLU Boy Chocolate Café and Cakery a couple of weeks ago to ensure his wife would receive a unique, custom-made Valentine’s Day creation. For the order, owner and pastry chef David Fletcher created from scratch a large chocolate bowl, approximately the size of a cereal bowl, and filled it with wrapped, hand-painted chocolate hearts. “The neatest thing we get to do, and this happens every year many times, is that we have regular customers that come in, give us a budget, and we create special items for their loved ones,” Fletcher said in an e-mail.Custom orders are not the only option for patrons of the café and cakery located next to the Buskirk-Chumley Theater on Kirkwood Avenue.As Valentine’s Day approaches, BLU Boy employee Sara Orme said she has noticed that the shop seems to be a prime place for last-minute gifts.“There’s a mad rush to get chocolates at this time of year, and we spend weeks preparing for it,” Orme said. “Toys-R-Us has Christmas. We have Valentine’s Day.” Fletcher said they do about 20 percent of the year’s business in the three days preceding Valentine’s Day.The store’s hours were extended for the days leading up to the holiday. It was open Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Orme said boxes of assorted chocolates are most popular before Valentine’s Day. Patrons can come in and select exactly which ones they want for their individual box, or they can have a BLU Boy employee create a sampler. “It’s always fun to watch men and women shop,” Orme said. “Women always know exactly what they want, which chocolates to pick, and men will usually have us pick them out for them.” BLU Boy makes more than 20 varieties of chocolate, which range from a classic dark truffle to more exotic options like an ancho chile and cinnamon chocolate known as the Red Hemisphere.Fletcher makes green, yellow, blue and orange hemispheres as well. They are glossy crystal ball-like chocolates that are hand-painted with a sugar glaze that swirls in a mix of the selected color’s different tones.However, the full selection is not available every day. Because they are made in-house, Fletcher chooses which ones to create.BLU Boy also offers Valentine’s Day seasonal varieties, which include the Pink Polka Dot, High Heels, Red Hat and the Hand-Painted Heart. The Hand-Painted Heart resembles the different colored hemisphere chocolates and is made with strawberries and champagne chocolate.Along with hand-painted chocolates, cakes and cookies, ice cream and specialty drinks are available to eat in the store or take home. All items are made from scratch.Orme said there is also a new line of aphrodisiac cupcakes that go along with the Valentine’s theme. “Each cupcake is based off of the different aphrodisiacs like strawberries and chocolate,” Orme said. The Cupid, Romantic Getaway and Bubbling Emotion are three of the five aphrodisiac options. They are all made from scratch and topped with a light butter-cream frosting to compliment the thicker and moister cake bottom. Fletcher said BLU Boy tries to get many of its supplies from local farms. Eggs come from Rhodes Family Farm, and fruits are from Heartland Family Farm. “Unfortunately scratch-made bakeries are a dying breed due to the expense of ingredients and the need for skillful staff,” Fletcher said. On Saturday, the small café filled as several different waves of customers came in to pick out chocolates or other pastries.“I love working this time of year,” Orme said. “Everyone’s so happy and excited when they’re shopping for their significant other or family.”
(02/09/11 1:41am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Food Works for Middle Way House has turned out rustic fruit tarts and paninis from its location on South Washington Street for several months, but a grand opening celebration is scheduled for Wednesday. The grand opening will celebrate the facility located at the historic Coca-Cola bottling company from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Members will offer door prizes and several tastings of Food Works’ creations. “It’s our way of saying, ‘Hey, we really are here,’” said Donna Storm, business and operations manager. Storm said Food Works had what she called a “soft opening” last summer. The organization first moved into the building in June. She said they waited for the grand opening in order to work out some kinks with equipment and other adjustments necessary for the new building.Current hours of operation are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday. Storm said she plans to extend Food Works’ hours in the summer. Third Street Park is across from the current location, and they want to draw in customers when the park sponsors events.Food Works is a catering company that is staffed by women affected by domestic violence. It is a part of the nonprofit Middle Way House. Before the move, Food Works operated out of two separate smaller kitchens across town. One was located in Children’s Village, a childcare center located on North Smith Pike. The other was on the third floor of the First United Methodist Church on East Fourth Street. “There are women working and living everyday in the community who are dealing with domestic violence,” Storm said.Nine to 12 employees work on a day-to-day basis, though Storm said she would like to be able to expand so more employees can be hired.“It’s been a difficult time economically,” Storm said. “We have a waiting list of women wanting jobs.” The employees prepare meals for the local Head Start program and the Project School, a Bloomington charter school. They also cater private parties that have included 400-person conferences and weddings.Food Works will not deal only in large-scale catering, Storm said. The public is encouraged to place food orders for carry-out. Soup, specialty sandwiches and Valentine’s Day cookies are all available at this location. Storm said they are developing a more sophisticated online order system. Currently only certain foods are available for order online, and Storm said they want to expand online options.They also prepare a line of crackers and breads that can be purchased in the store and at Bloomingfoods. Gluten-free options are available. The new, larger location has also allowed the organization to make a smaller ecological impact, Storm said. A rooftop garden was established to grow salad greens that are used for cooking in the kitchen. The kitchen does not have a garbage disposal. All waste materials are made into compost. Proceeds from sales pay the salaries of the employees. Excess funds benefit the Middle Way House, Storm said. Head Chef and Special Events Manager Susan Dahlberg said the transition has been difficult but has greatly impacted her work.“It’ll take a good year to get everything going,” Dahlberg said. “But it’s amazing.”
(02/07/11 1:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Monroe County Public Library took a “green” step Friday.The new energy-efficient Bookmobile, which is a small version of the public library on wheels, will be celebrated at all its stops through Thursday, Feb. 10.The unveiling allowed Bloomington residents and IU students to take a tour of the vehicle parked outside the library on Kirkwood Avenue. Tours were available Friday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The new Bookmobile, The Bookmobile has several new features that allow it to comply with 2010 EPA standards. It has a Cummins diesel engine, producing low emissions. There is also a hybrid generator system running lights and computer equipment from battery power. The batteries are charged by a solar panel on the roof.Art Leach, community outreach librarian, said other new features include a rear-view camera system and all-around better visibility compared to the old Bookmobile.“Driving it isn’t as difficult as I feared,” Chris Jackson, community outreach director, said. “You just need to be aware of your width when you’re making turns.”Jackson said it was custom-built in Canton, Ohio, after the previous Bookmobile had been on active duty for 14 years.“The old one hasn’t retired just yet. But after 15 years, it’s on its last legs,” Leach said. “It can barely creep down the road, especially in this weather.”The new Bookmobile started its route two weeks ago, Leach said. However, the opening celebration and public tour wasn’t held immediately because several kinks still needed to be worked out.Two MCPL workers operate the bus at a time. One is a librarian who drives the bus from stop to stop. The other is a clerk who helps with checkouts.Different librarians and clerks work each day. Most work in the Bookmobile two days per week. They spend the rest of their time working in the main branch.The bus makes several stops a day and 27 in a week, following a set route around Monroe County. Some destinations are elementary schools, but the Bookmobile also stops at apartment complexes and even around College Mall.The Bookmobile has a collection of 6,000 items, including books, magazines, DVDS and audiobooks. No book stays on the shelf for more than five to six months, Jackson said.Jackson said the Bookmobile targets rural, low-income and senior citizens.“We try to bring the library to smaller towns in the county,” he said. “Our saying is that we put the ‘county’ in Monroe County Public Library.”Stops can last anywhere from a half an hour to 90 minutes, Leach said.If patrons want an item to be available in the Bookmobile for checkout, they can order it online to be held on the vehicle.The Bookmobile began its route in 1929 and has run since, remaining a staple of the Monroe County community, Jackson said.“I’ve got people that have been coming to the Bookmobile stops since it first began,” Jackson said. “They say they remember the very first Bookmobile driver.”He said though the service has had to adapt to new technology, it is still used throughout the county.“With the rise of e-books and Nooks and Kindles, the world of books is changing, but literacy is more important than ever,” Jackson said.
(02/04/11 4:36am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Even the warmth of a mug of hot chocolate could not deter the winter storm that blew through Bloomington on Tuesday and Wednesday, leaving Week of Chocolate events canceled in its wake.Both the Citizens Advocacy of South Central Indiana’s Inaugural Chocolate Luncheon and the Girls Inc.’s Chocolate Olympics were canceled due to the inclement weather.The Inaugural Chocolate Luncheon was originally scheduled for Tuesday afternoon.“The executive board met and decided that with the inclement weather we should move it to next week,” CASCI board member Lisa Morrison said.Both the keynote speaker and host had to travel from out of town, which also contributed to the decision to reschedule. “A lot of time and organization went into calling everyone to notify them about the cancellation and rescheduling,” Morrison said.The luncheon was rescheduled for Wednesday. It will be at the same times and location as before: 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Showers Inn Bed and Breakfast. “Showers Inn was so supportive of our need to reschedule and everything went seamlessly,” Morrison said.No money or supplies were lost in the rescheduling process, Morrison said. The money raised through ticket sales at the luncheon will benefit the New Partner Support Program, which is a project of CASCI. The program supports the disabled in the community by pairing them with volunteers. The Chocolate Olympics were also canceled Wednesday, Feb. 2. According to www.girlsinc-monroe.org, Girls Inc.’s closing policy coincides with the Monroe County Community School Corporation schedule. Because schools were closed Wednesday, Girls Inc. remained closed as of Thursday.Executive Director of Girls Inc. Lee Ann Jourdan said there are no plans to reschedule the event.“This event isn’t one of our biggest fundraisers during the year,” Jourdan said. “It’s really more of a family-friendly event that we do to partner with the Week of Chocolate sponsor, Options.” Because the event takes place in a Girls Inc. gymnasium and uses already-owned gym equipment, money was not lost on this event.Though the event was canceled this year, Girls Inc. coordinators plan to work again next year at the Week of Chocolate. “The Chocolate Olympics always gives us a chance to open our doors to the community,” Jourdan said.