Limestone Post columnist Ruthie Cohen says Crystal Orly’s Ekah Yoga studio, pre-pandemic, was a community destination, with live music events, pot luck gatherings, a community garden, family nights, and kids’ activities. “Post-lockdown has been less rosy,” says Ruthie. But Ekah is hosting a Halloween-themed event to bring the community back. Click here to read Ruthie’s article.
The increase in mental health issues has led to the creation of the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. As Rebecca Hill reports, the rise in suicides, serious mental illnesses, and mental health crises has shown more is needed than just a phone number. That’s why advocates designed 988 to be a continuum of care. Click here to read about 988.
People living in intentional communities engage daily in cooperative living. How were they affected by the pandemic? How did community life change and adapt? Laura Lasuertmer, a founding member of Common Home Farm in Bloomington, asked members of four other intentional communities how their networks of mutual support weathered the pandemic. | Click here to read Laura’s article.
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.
Bloomington’s recording studios have faced many pandemic challenges over the past two years. Jim Manion, the former music director at WFHB Community Radio, spoke to the owners of Russian Recording, Noisy Chairs Recording, Airtime Studios, and Primary Sound Studios to see how they coped — and continued to create music — during COVID. Click here to read Manion’s article.
For more than two decades, the opioid epidemic has raged on in small rural towns and in the suburbs. But what happens when the opioid epidemic collides with the COVID pandemic? Rebecca Hill writes about these “waves” of crises in Bloomington and other southern Indiana communities, and how people are weathering it. Click here to read the story.
Duane Busick’s oral history of the Soup Bowl Benefit, in words and video, gives a behind-the-scenes look at the event that has raised $1.5 million for the Hoosier Hills Food Bank since 1994. This year, the 27th Soup Bowl includes actual soup bowls and a livestream music show. Click here for Duane’s oral history and to learn about this year’s event.
Economic distress, loss, and isolation due to the pandemic have increased the need for mental health services in Monroe County. While local providers have reinvented how they offer such services, many people still confront barriers to accessing them. Eszi Waters spoke to people at several agencies to see how they have adapted.
Click here to read the article.
Building equity and supporting community access to healthy food are at the heart of the People’s Open Pantry, a new initiative under the aegis of the People’s Market, writes Ellen Wu. But starting a pantry during a pandemic takes dedication and planning. Wu talked to several of the people involved in the effort.
Click here to read the story.
Krista Detor and Dave Weber’s artist retreat, The Hundredth Hill, has served since August as a theater residency for a troupe of recent graduates from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. Not only has the group created two productions but they will also perform them for live audiences — an all but unheard-of feat in theater during the pandemic. Click here for the story.
Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb’s moratorium on residential evictions is set to expire on August 14. Evictions for many renters are expected to resume the next day, writes Diane Walker. While rental assistance is available, demand will likely exceed the supply. Walker talked to housing experts who fear a disaster could result if more help isn’t made available. Click here to read the full story.
Biohazard suits, protective masks, sheltering at home, and other grim realities of COVID-19 have raised fears and questions among children. Providing answers can be difficult for parents. But, as Jared Posey writes, self-care is important not only for a parent's well-being but also for teaching children how to respond to future crises.
Click here for a guide to parenting through a pandemic.
