Poorly written anti-abortion laws in Indiana and other states have forced pregnant women to leave home for life-saving healthcare. Many women rely on networks of groups to help with travel to medical clinics and access to safe medication. Some of those groups have taken cues from the underground networks of the early 1970s. Read the in-depth report here.
IU professors of metalsmithing and jewelry design are collaborating with the nonprofit Ethical Metalsmiths to inspire students to create jewelry from ethically source materials, reconsider consumer habits, and promote stories behind donated jewelry. Metalsmithing and jewelry-design students from several Midwest universities will showcase their work in an exhibition called Radical Jewelry Makeover Bloomington in January. Click here for the story by Hiromi Yoshida.
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.
The Writers Guild Spoken Word Series on November 3 features Ryser Scholarship winners Hanh Tam Bui and Juliana Crespo, plus Ryser Scholarship founder Shayne Laughter and singer-songwriter Sarah Cassidy — all from Bloomington. The Ryser Scholarship is named after Joan Ryser, who taught literature and creative writing for 44 years at Bloomington High School South. Click here to read the article by Hiromi Yoshida.
In the early 1800s, free Black pioneers settled in Orange County. The community thrived, despite a racist state constitution, hateful whites, and fugitive-slave catchers. As racial tensions increased, many of the families sold their land and left. Writer Diane Walker tracked down sources and documents to reveal what happened during this remarkable time in Indiana history. Click here to read the full story.
A bill introduced in the Indiana House this year would have limited local governments’ ability to regulate such things as logging on private property, even if, for example, the logging threatened to damage Lake Monroe. But it isn’t just about private property vs. public good, writes Susan M. Brackney. Special interest groups and campaign finance play a role, too. Click here to read the full story.
