Steve Hinnefeld

Steve Hinnefeld identifies as a journalist, even though he left the daily news grind years ago. He has been a reporter at the Herald-Times, a media relations specialist at Indiana University, and a journalism instructor in the IU Media School. He writes about education at inschoolmatters.wordpress.com. He and his wife, Theresa Malone, live in a 125-year-old house in Bloomington. He enjoys reading, hiking, birding, and spending time with his three grandkids. Allegedly retired, he finds himself as busy as ever.

Posts by this contributor 7 results

Indiana ranks among the worst in the country for policies that strengthen rural education and support the learning and development of rural students, according to a report by the National Rural Education Association. | Photo by WR Heustis/Pexels

School Matters: Indiana Short-Changes Rural Schools [column]

Steve Hinnefeld

“School Matters” is a new Limestone Post column by journalist Steve Hinnefeld that will cover local and regional education, as well as statewide legislation that could affect schools in our community. In this first article, Hinnefeld looks at Indiana’s low national ranking for policies that address rural schools and rural students. Click here for School Matters.

January 23, 2024

Parents, educators, and advocates say the Indiana General Assembly passed harmful and unnecessary laws that are taking effect this school year. They say public schools, including those in the Monroe County Community School Corp., face a “slate of hate” — laws that underfund mandates, intimidate vulnerable students, and even create a “chilling effect” on librarians. Above, students are greeted on the first day of school at Fairview Elementary School by members of the city of Bloomington’s Commission on the Status of Black Males. | Photo by Garrett Ann Walters

Local Parents, Educators Face ‘Attack’ on Public Schools from Indiana Lawmakers

Steve Hinnefeld, Garrett Ann Walters

Parents, educators, and advocates say the Indiana General Assembly passed harmful and unnecessary laws that are taking effect this school year. Laws that prioritize private over public schools, underfund mandates, intimidate vulnerable students, and even create a “chilling effect” on librarians, they say, amount to a “slate of hate.” | Click here for an education deep dive by Steve Hinnefeld.

September 13, 2023

Sponsorship

Housing advocates and officials are trying various tactics to address the affordable housing problem in Monroe County. Most say that no one solution is enough, with each initiative approaching the problem in a different way. Jolene and Cornelius Wright (above) visit the site of their future home in Osage Place, a neighborhood being developed by Habitat for Humanity. | Photo by Jim Krause

‘No Silver Bullet’: Advocates, Officials Use Many Tactics on Housing Woes Deep Dive: WFHB & Limestone Post Investigate Local Housing Issues, Part 2

Steve Hinnefeld, Jim Krause

In part 2 of our housing series, Steve Hinnefeld reports on how housing advocates and officials are addressing the affordable housing problem in Bloomington and Monroe County. This series is part of “Deep Dive: WFHB & Limestone Post Investigate,” a collaboration between WFHB Community Radio and Limestone Post. Click here for the Steve’s housing report and to learn more about Deep Dive.

March 15, 2023

Deep Dive: Struggling with Housing Supply, Stability, and Subsidies, Part 1 WFHB and Limestone Post Investigate

Steve Hinnefeld

This article on local housing issues is our first in a series, called “Deep Dive: WFHB & Limestone Post Investigate,” a collaboration between WFHB Community Radio and Limestone Post, made possible by a grant from the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County. This is part 1 of 2 in journalist Steve Hinnefeld’s report on housing. Click here to read the article and learn more about Deep Dive.

February 15, 2023

Monroe Convention Center opened in 1991 in the Graham Auto Sales building (built in 1923) at the corner of West 3rd Street and South College Avenue. Even then, local tourism officials argued it needed to be larger to attract even medium-size conventions. Now, though, some officials wonder if this is the right time to expand. | Photo by Limestone Post

Expanding Monroe Convention Center Still Faces Uphill Battle

Steve Hinnefeld

With tourism picking up again, many local leaders want to pursue the pre-pandemic plans to expand Monroe Convention Center. But some key decision makers are not convinced, writes Steve Hinnefeld. They question if this is the right time to expand, and whether convention-business revenue will have the desired kind of economic impact. Click here to read Hinnefeld’s in-depth story.

May 13, 2022

Sponsorship

Changes in Daily Local News Landscape Have Consequences

Steve Hinnefeld

What happens when local news coverage disappears? Limestone Post asked journalist Steve Hinnefeld to look at the daily news landscape in Bloomington. He interviewed people at several local news outlets and filed this report. The landscape has changed recently in subtle and dramatic ways — some for the better, some not so much. Click here to read about who’s reporting B-town’s daily news.