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During legislative sessions at the Indiana Statehouse (above), any member of the Indiana House of Representatives or Indiana Senate can sponsor a bill. While a bill in either chamber must pass through a series of gatekeepers before becoming law, conflicts of interest among the lawmakers are usually not considered. | Limestone Post

Conflicts of Interest Continued During Indiana’s 2023 Legislative Session

Enrique Sáenz

This is the second article in a two-part series on lax ethics rules in the Indiana State Legislature. Both articles come from a joint investigation between the Indiana Environmental Reporter and the Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism that shows how some Indiana lawmakers stood to benefit financially from environmental legislation they introduced or supported. Click here for the article.

September 7, 2023

The primary reason Salt Creek was dammed in the 1960s was to control floodwaters downstream. While the Monroe Lake Control Tower (above) regulates water flow from the reservoir through the dam, the rest of Lake Monroe has become a valuable resource for drinking water, recreation, industry, wild habitat, and other uses well beyond its watershed. | Photo by Anna Powell Denton

How Healthy Is Lake Monroe — and How Long Will It Survive? Deep Dive: WFHB & Limestone Post Investigate

Michael G. Glab, Anna Powell Denton

“Lake Monroe is a reservoir, and all reservoirs eventually fill up,” says Michelle Cohen, executive director of Lake Monroe Water Fund. But, she adds, those who rely on the lake for drinking water, recreation, and other uses have the power to extend its life as long as possible. Writer Michael G. Glab takes a deep dive into the health of Lake Monroe. Click here for his report for Deep Dive: WFHB & Limestone Post Investigate.

August 16, 2023

Guest Column: Auction of Newspaper Archive Will Support Local News Fund

Jill Bond

Jill Bond, news director for The Herald-Times, says Monroe County does not have to become a news desert. “We can regain local control of access to information about our community,” she says. For starters, Bond created a local news fund at the Community Foundation and is auctioning more than 1,000 books of newspapers, spanning about 100 years, to support the fund. Click here to read Jill Bond’s column.

August 8, 2023

Members of the Indiana House of Representatives and Indiana Senate meet during legislative sessions to pass laws at the Indiana Statehouse (above). Many of those lawmakers have economic interests in the industries that stand to benefit from the laws those lawmakers author and vote on. | Limestone Post

Lax Ethics Rules Could Create Conflicts of Interest for Indiana Lawmakers

Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism The Indiana Environmental Reporter

The Arnolt Center for Investigative Journalism and the Indiana Environmental Reporter reviewed statements of economic interest filed in 2022 by Indiana’s state lawmakers. They found more than 100 bills enacted from 2019 to 2022 that benefit industries the authors have ties to, creating at least the appearance of a conflict of interest. Click here to read their findings.

July 28, 2023

Off-Night Productions is a new theater company co-founded by Melinda Seader and Aubrey Seader in Bloomington. Above, the creative team for Off-Night’s first show, “Proof,” blocks and runs transitions during rehearsals. (l-r): Cassie Hakken (director), Valerie C. Kilmer (Claire), Phil Christiansen (assistant stage manager), and Steve Scott (Robert). “Proof” runs July 16–18 at Rose Firebay Theater, Waldron Arts Center. | Photo courtesy of Off Night Productions

Off Night Productions Increases Theatrical Roles for Women and Nonbinary Artists

Hiromi Yoshida

Off Night Productions is a new theater company dedicated to giving more leadership roles to female and nonbinary artists, as well as giving service-industry workers the chance to participate. Writer Hiromi Yoshida spoke to the mother-and-daughter co-founders, Melinda Seader and Aubrey Seader, and several key players in their inaugural production, Proof. | Click here for more about Off Night.

July 7, 2023

The U.S. electrical grid is a complicated network of wires that traverse the continent and connect with regional private operators who then transmit and distribute power. Some call it “a patchwork of operators with competing interests,” writes Rebecca Hill. Indiana’s electricity comes primarily from coal, natural gas, and a growing renewables market, but the transition to renewables is not without problems. | Photo by Benedict Jones

The Power Struggle in Indiana’s Changing Energy Landscape Deep Dive: WFHB & Limestone Post Investigate

Rebecca Hill, Benedict Jones

Indiana’s electricity comes primarily from coal, natural gas, and a growing renewables market. The transition to renewables, though, is not without problems, and the grid operators, regulators, and Indiana legislators are at odds with how to handle it. Rebecca Hill takes an in-depth look at Indiana’s power structure, as part of Deep Dive: WFHB & Limestone Post Investigate. Click here to read about the transition of Indiana's energy landscape.

June 21, 2023

Bloomington has become a hub of comedy in the Midwest for seasoned, touring professionals and young, local comedians, says writer Christine Brackenhoff. And while Bloomington’s comedy fans are welcoming, they’re also known to give genuine feedback. (clockwise from top left) Emil Wakim (photo by Tall and Small Photography), Shanda Sung (photo by Christine Brackenhoff), Emily Davis (courtesy photo), Mat Alano-Martin (photo by Christine Brackenhoff), Harlan Kelly (courtesy photo), Maria Bluck (photo by Tall and Small Photography), and James Tanford (photo by Christine Brackenhoff).

Bloomington Is a Hub — and Curator — of Live Comedy

Christine Brackenhoff

Bloomington has become a hub of comedy in the Midwest for many reasons, writes Christine Brackenhoff. For young comedians, seasoned professionals, and savvy comedy fans, Bloomington is home to a dynamic and welcoming comedy environment. With the Limestone Comedy Festival celebrating its 10th year next month, here’s a look at the local laugh scene. Click here to read Christine’s article.

May 11, 2023

Local Beekeepers Labor with Love as Honey Bees Decline Worldwide

Erin Hollinden

Honey bee populations in the U.S. have declined from 6 million in the 1940s to 2.5 million today. Pesticides, drought, and habitat destruction, are just a few reasons the bees are dying. But more than 200,000 hobbyist beekeepers, like writer Erin Hollinden, are trying to keep them (and ultimately us) alive. Click here to read Erin’s article.

April 29, 2023

The First Baptist Church (Colored) in West Baden Springs was built in 1920 for the many Black employees of the West Baden Springs Hotel. By 2014, it had fallen into disrepair, but a group of Bloomington residents, including historian Elizabeth Mitchell, renovated it. | Photo by Elizabeth Mitchell

Travel with Laurie: Historic Treasures in French Lick and West Baden Springs

Laurie D. Borman

“Travel with Laurie” is a new Limestone Post series by Laurie D. Borman about the sundry and fascinating travel destinations in southern Indiana. In her first article, Laurie explores some of the historic treasures in and around the highly rated resort towns of French Lick and West Baden Springs. Click here to hop aboard!

April 21, 2023

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

Not only does Virginia Githiri, Ph.D., hold four degrees and teach at Indiana University, she’s also a certified Wellness Coach, life strategist, motivational speaker, social media influencer, and the founder and owner of PopKorn Kernels with a Twist. | Photo by Shannon Livengood

Virginia Githiri, Ph.D., Entrepreneur, Wellness Coach, Life Strategist, and More

Shannon Livengood

Not only does Virginia Githiri, Ph.D., hold four degrees and teach at Indiana University, she’s also an entrepreneur, certified Wellness Coach, life strategist, motivational speaker, and social media influencer. She has also written, recorded, and produced gospel music. Shannon Livengood shows us even more in her profile of the founder of PopKorn Kernels with a Twist. Click here to read about Dr. Githiri.

February 22, 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.