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Beyond Bloomington 151 results

‘A Checkered Past’ by Indy Racing Legend Al Unser Jr.

As part of a heralded racing family, Al Unser Jr. “grew up on the fumes from Gasoline Alley,” says Rebecca Hill in her review of Unser’s book, A Checkered Past. While Unser lived up to the family name on the track, his racing success did not always follow him off the track. Click here to read the review.

Cancer Requires a Continuum of Care — and an ‘Army’ to Defeat It

Surviving cancer depends on many factors, but dealing with it requires help. It’s not a single-issue disease, writes Rebecca Hill. Because of improved treatments and surgeries, death is no longer the endgame for some cancers. But the road to survivorship requires a continuum of care — and ‘an army’ to defeat it. Click here to read about the continuum of cancer care.

Two Novels by Indiana Authors ‘Deliver Their Own Form of Rebellion’

Yaël Ksander reviews two debut novels by Indiana authors that address the question “Can a woman have it all?” Denise Breeden-Ost’s Making It All Right and Greta Lind’s Split Open each portrays the life of a wife and mother “smashing up against” expectations “to deliver their own form of rebellion.” Click here to read Yaël’s review.

How Redistricting Congressional Districts Can Undermine Majority Rule

“In a democracy, voters choose their political leaders. In a democracy that permits gerrymandering … elected leaders choose their voters.” Marjorie Hershey, Professor Emeritus of Political Science at Indiana University, wrote this in an article for “The Conversation,” an independent news organization. She has updated the article for Limestone Post. Click here to read her article on redistricting.

‘Shop Tails: The Animals Who Help Us Make Things Work’ by Nancy Hiller Book Review by Yaël Ksander for the Limestone Reader

You won’t get too far into Nancy Hiller’s new book, Shop Tails: The Animals Who Help Us Make Things Work, without realizing you’re reading more than a book about critters, writes Yaël Ksander in her review for the Limestone Reader. This isn’t the first time Hiller has used woodworking to explore much bigger issues, but Shop Tails was written “at a reckoning point.” Click here to read Yaël’s review.

Preparation vs. Security in Preventing Mass Shootings

As a nation, mass shootings are “part of our social fabric,” writes Rebecca Hill. She interviewed several local and national experts on how to better address mass shootings, especially in schools and businesses. Her in-depth report looks at research on mass shootings through a public health approach — and the effectiveness of preparation versus security. Click here to read the article.

Writers and Literary Groups Have Taken ‘New Directions’ During Pandemic

The pandemic has affected writers and literary arts organizations in unique ways in the past 19 months, says writer Hiromi Yoshida. Several writers and organization leaders told Yoshida how they continue to work through the changes — and take their writing and organizations in new directions. The results, she writes, are inspirational and uplifting. Click here to read their stories.

Indiana Counties Use Opioid Rapid Response System To Combat Overdoses

The drug naloxone can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose, potentially saving a person’s life. In collaboration with IU and other groups, Monroe and several other Indiana counties are creating a network of “citizen responders” who are trained in the Opioid Rapid Response System to administer naloxone when emergency medical services cannot respond quickly enough. Click here to read about ORRS and naloxone.

What Happens When an Opioid Epidemic Collides with the COVID Pandemic?

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.

Remains of Native Americans at Rest Again at Angel Mounds

Angel Mounds, outside of Evansville, was a bustling trading hub for Native American people prior to European colonization. Historian Laura Martinez writes about the recent repatriation of the remains of 700 individuals that were excavated from the site in the 1900s — and how, even at sacred places like Angel Mounds, the spiritual practices of Native Americans are still violated. Click here to read about Angel Mounds.

Road Trips to Waterfalls, Small Towns, and Unusual Hoosier Locales

All of us need a fun break, especially after 14 months of unprecedented isolation, and what’s a better getaway than a good road trip? Writer Diane Walker takes us to waterfalls, small towns, and several fun, affordable, and unusual sites on these “road trips of distinction” — all within a two-hour drive of Bloomington. Click here to join the ride!

Keeping Track of Migrating Birds, the ‘Sentinels’ of Our Ecosystem

In 1803, James Audubon tracked birds by tying thread around their legs. Researchers around the world now use technology such as satellite telemetry to understand how migration affects these “sentinels” of our ecosystem. With a reported 30 percent of bird species lost since the 1970s, writes Rebecca Hill, the information gathered is more important than ever. Click here to read the article.