6 Things You Didn’t Know About the Jordan Greenhouses

Jen Hockney Bratton, Lynae Sowinski

A former quarry? Sunken Gardens? The Passion Pit? And you thought you were looking at greenhouses. Those glass buildings with steamy windows on East 3rd Street have quite the past. And their present is rather colorful, too. Jen Hockney Bratton reveals what you didn’t know about IU's Jordan Greenhouses. Look at some gorgeous photos, too! Click here to read the full story.

February 24, 2016

Newly arrived South Sudanese refugees carry their belongings at the Nyumanzi reception center in the northern district of Uganda, Adjumani. Since the first week of January 2016, Uganda has seen an influx of 4,587 refugees from the neighboring war torn country of South Sudan. | Photo courtesy © UNHCR/Isaac Kasamani

Finding Hope in South Sudan: Part 2 Persistent Violence, Unstable Peace

Will Reed

When fighting erupted last August in South Sudan, community-development workers Will and Theresa Reed had to evacuate. They returned to Bloomington to wait out the violence. Now, while the situation in South Sudan fluctuates between unstable and dangerous, the Reeds have returned to Africa, helping refugees in Uganda to find hope. Click here to read the full story.

February 22, 2016

Sponsorship

Stirring the Pot: A Bowl of (Dried) Cherries

Ruthie Cohen

Being a friend is a privilege, says Ruthie Cohen. With some friends, talking about cooking and cherries can lead to talk of restaurants, yoga poses, children, grandchildren, and former husbands. For her, friendship is a hallowed institution — a lifeline in stormy seas and a place where we can be our best selves. Click here to read the full story.

February 18, 2016

Many Monroe County residents commute to work by bike, no matter the weather. On this day in 2014, a bike commuter heads into town from the south side of Bloomington in negative-degree weather. | Limestone Post

Even in Dead of Winter, Bike Commuters Fend Off Nasty Weather and Drivers

Susan M. Brackney

Hundreds of Monroe County residents hop on their bicycles and commute to work every day, year-round. In Susan M. Brackney’s story, they share tips on how to be safe and comfortable when dealing with snow, ice, subfreezing temps, and hostile drivers who don’t want to share the road. Click here to read the full story.

February 15, 2016

Anna Weber put her academic life on hold to work toward her goal of running in the Olympics. She has qualified to compete this Saturday for a spot on the 2016 U.S. Olympic marathon team. | Courtesy photo

B-town Marathon Runner to Compete at Olympic Trials on Saturday

Jonna Mary Yost

Last fall, Anna Weber put her pursuit of a Ph.D. at IU on hold to train for the Olympics. This Saturday, February 13, she will compete with 244 other women for a spot on Team USA, which heads to Rio de Janeiro in August for the 2016 Olympic Games. Click here to read the full story.

February 9, 2016

Sponsorship

Helping Offenders Prosper in Employment, or HOPE, mentors (l-r) Haley Clements, Jesse Cooperman, and Sarah Swank, are each paired with an incarcerated youth at the Madison Juvenile Correctional Facility, the only maximum-security facility for girls in Indiana. The program, developed by Indiana University Professor Theresa Ochoa, is designed to help the girls learn skills they’ll need to finish school or find a job after leaving the facility. | Photo by Ann Georgescu

Mentorship Program Tries to Break School-to-Prison Pipeline for Juvenile Girls

Ann Georgescu

IU Professor Theresa Ochoa developed HOPE, a mentorship program at the Madison Juvenile Correctional Facility, Indiana’s only maximum-security detention center for girls. Each juvenile is paired with a college student to learn skills she’ll need to finish school or find a job after she leaves the facility. Click here to read the full story.

February 5, 2016

Adam (left) and Alicia Sweet, owners of King Dough pizza, stand next to their Italian brick oven in their brick-and-mortar location on the downtown Square. | Photo by Lynae Sowinski

B-town Becoming a ‘Bootstraps Community’ of Unconventional Collaborations

Jonna Mary Yost

Writer Jonna Mary Yost explores how a new brand of entrepreneurs in B-town are working outside the usual business model — and making it work. It isn’t about just baking the best pizza or brewing the best coffee. It’s about working with people you like and making your town a better place. Click here to read the full story.