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For many students in rural areas of Indiana, STEM learning fades as the school year ends, writes Patti Danner. But a variety of programs are bringing STEM access to rural areas. For example, pictured here is Bloomington's Wonderlab Museum Educator Nick Whites as he demonstrates sound principles with audience assistants Fred Harvey, left, and Esse Harvey during his June “Symphony of Science” outreach program in Shelburn. | Photo by Patti Danner

Summer Programs for Rural Kids Halts STEM Brain Drain
Patti Danner
For many students in rural areas of Indiana, STEM learning fades as the school year ends, writes Patti Danner, a staff writer for the Greene County Daily World. But Danner has found many activities and events — including an education outreach program from WonderLab — that offer science-learning opportunities to children who otherwise wouldn’t have access to it. Click here to read the full story.
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Ann Barlow stands on the porch of her house in Needmore, an intentional community in Brown County, in May 2017. Known in the 1960s and ’70s as communes, places like May Creek and Needmore have had to “bend with the times” to survive, says writer John Mikulenka. And now, as the founding members continue to age, their biggest concern might be finding and keeping the next generation of community members. | Courtesy photo

Intentional Communities Must ‘Bend with the Times’
John Mikulenka
Southern Indiana has a long tradition of utopian communities, also known as communes. A few of the ones formed in the 1960s and ’70s — places like May Creek Farm and Needmore — have had to “bend with the times” to survive, says writer John Mikulenka in this detailed and expansive feature. But as the founding members age, he asks, who will take their place? Click here to read the full story.
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While Ruthie Cohen's mother always kept a tin of dry mustard in the cupboard, Ruthie didn’t acquire a taste for the “nasty condiment” until years later. Now she uses it frequently in dishes such as her Middle Eastern–style Chicken in Mustard Sauce and Romain and Walnut Salad (both pictured here). | Photo by Ruthie Cohen

Stirring the Pot: Acquired Tastes, The Mighty Mustard Seed
Ruthie Cohen
In this edition of Stirring the Pot, writer Ruthie Cohen experiences a bit of Dijon vu. While her mother always kept a tin of dry mustard in the cupboard, Ruthie didn’t acquire a taste for the “nasty condiment” until years later. Now it’s a part of her well-stocked kitchen. Click here to read the full story.
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“All the love and irritability” of parenting can be hard to reconcile. But experts are finding one of the best ways to cope is through play. More importantly, says writer Jared Posey, play is crucial to childhood development. Here, Posey's wife, Katie, plays on the floor with their son. | Photo by Jared Posey

Reconcile the ‘Happy’ and ‘Pathetic’ Moments of Parenting with Play
Jared Posey
“All the love and irritability” of parenting can be hard to reconcile. But experts are finding one of the best ways to cope is through play. More importantly, says writer Jared Posey, play is crucial to childhood development — of motor coordination, emotional intelligence, creative thinking, problem-solving, and relationship building, among others. Click here to read the full story.
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WTIU Executive Producer Rob Anderson in the station's control booth. He says WTIU "has always produced documentaries or long-form programs locally, and we take that very seriously.” | Photo by Tommy DeNardo

56:46 — WTIU’s Legacy of ‘Meaningful and Relevant’ Documentaries
Michelle Gottschlich
Now in its 50th year, WTIU has an extensive history of making long-form documentaries that tell Hoosier stories — rural, small-town, and world-renowned stories. Creating highly regarded films is unusual for a local PBS affiliate — and no easy feat, says writer Michelle Gottschlich. Here, she talks with WTIU’s filmmaking team. Click here to read the full story.
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Metamora, Indiana. | Photo by David Wilson

8 Fun and Weird Hoosier Places to Explore This Summer
Allison Yates
From nightmares to utopias, from the classic to the kitschy, Indiana has many unique and unconventional places to explore. If you’re uninspired by the same old vacation spots, take a day trip or weekend excursion to these unusual places — all less than a three-hour drive from Bloomington. Writer Allison Yates leads the way. Read the full story here.
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David Brent Johnson works in the sound booth at WFIU. | Courtesy photo

Big Mike’s B-town: David Brent Johnson, Jazz Expert
Michael G. Glab
David Brent Johnson’s encyclopedic knowledge of jazz seems to have come from a lifetime of devotion to the music. But WFIU’s jazz director didn’t “see the light” until his 20s — while drinking coffee in a Kirkwood cafe. Michael G. Glab gets the story of this Bloomington legend in Big Mike’s B-town. Click here to read the full story.
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Syd Bohuk’s alarm dings, they swallow a bright blue pill, and continue with their day. Syd says this pill — PrEP, an HIV preventative medication — has become a part of their daily routine, and is much less scary than they had originally anticipated. | Photo by Nicole McPheeters

Gaining Access and Overcoming Stigma of Taking HIV-Preventive Drug
Hayley Miller, Nicole McPheeters
A medication can lower the risk of contracting HIV by more than 90 percent in some people. But obstacles, including the cost of getting it and the stigma of using it, prevent some people from even trying. Writer Hayley Miller and photographer Nicole McPheeters report on how Positive Link is working to break down these barriers. Click here to read the full story.
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Friends of Lake Monroe says, "Our governments must balance the public’s need for clean water for drinking and recreation with the extraction of natural resources on private property." | Photo by Lynae Sowinski

Letter of Response: ‘The Public’s Need for Clean Water’
Friends of Lake Monroe
Advocacy group Friends of Lake Monroe wrote a letter to Limestone Post in response to the article “Property Rights, Public Good, Campaign Contributions” by Susan M. Brackney. In the letter, they argue that the article did not go far enough to address the public’s need for clean water, among other issues. Read the entire letter here.
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The plight of bees could also be the plight of the human race. When writer Erin Hollinden decided to start her own beehive, and save the world, she found plenty of support from a community of experts and other beekeepers. Here, Hollinden's bees cover one of the frames lifted from the hive. | Photo by Marla Bitzer

Plight of the Honeybee — Beekeepers Save Bees for Us All
Erin Hollinden
The plight of bees could also be the plight of the human race. When writer Erin Hollinden decided to start her own beehive, and save the world, she found plenty of support from a community of experts and other beekeepers. Read about how she got her hive humming here.
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One of Columbus’s architectural treasures, the Miller House and Garden, designed by architect Eero Saarinen, opened in 2011 for public tours. The midcentury modern home was built in 1957 as a year-round family home for industrialist and chairman of Cummins Engine Co. J. Irwin Miller and his family. | Photo by Adam Reynolds

Columbus’s Miller House a Crown Jewel of Architecture and Design
Jenny Elig, Adam Reynolds
While Columbus’s architectural treasures have been admired for decades, it wasn’t until 2011 that the Miller House and Garden, designed by architect Eero Saarinen, opened for public tours. Writer Jenny Elig and photographer Adam Reynolds take us to the family home of J. Irwin and Xenia Miller — and inside the architectural jewel. Click here to read the full story.
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Azaleas in Full Bloom at Renowned 80-Acre Southern Indiana Garden [video]
Duane Busick
Bev Knight’s collection of more than 400 varieties of azaleas started with a UPS delivery to a doctor. Now her family’s Azalea Path Botanical Garden and Arboretum is known nationwide for its woodland flowers (among other plants). Videographer Duane Busick calls the southern Indiana destination "a hidden patch of paradise." Watch his video here.
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