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Beyond Bloomington 155 results

Expanded HOPE: Juvenile Offenders Write Poetry to Cope with Incarceration

In writer Ann Georgescu’s third article on HOPE, she looks at how one of the young women used poetry to get her through the long days of incarceration. HOPE is an IU mentorship program for youths in juvenile-detention facilities across Indiana with a mission to help break the school-to-prison pipeline for juvenile offenders. Click here to read the full story.

Cave Diving in Southern Indiana Takes a Mature Mindset

Samuel Frushour and his cave-diving peers have mapped miles of aquatic caves in southern Indiana. While Hoosier caverns might not have the clear blue waters of tropical caves, they offer an adventure that is increasingly difficult to find in modern times — exploring uncharted territory. Writer Jonah Chester dives into the story. Read the entire story here.

Local Photographer’s Career Spans the Globe in Stories and Photos

Writer Claude Cookman sits down with photographer Steve Raymer to discuss Raymer's new book, Somewhere West of Lonely: My Life in Pictures. Cookman says Raymer shows how photojournalism is “the essential eyes for citizens in democratic societies to understand an increasingly complex world.” Raymer, an IU emeritus professor, was a veteran National Geographic photographer in the “golden age” of magazine photojournalism. Click here to read the full story and see many of Raymer's photos.

Summer Programs for Rural Kids Halts STEM Brain Drain

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.

Intentional Communities Must ‘Bend with the Times’

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.

56:46 — WTIU’s Legacy of ‘Meaningful and Relevant’ Documentaries

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.

8 Fun and Weird Hoosier Places to Explore This Summer

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.

Columbus’s Miller House a Crown Jewel of Architecture and Design

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.

Azaleas in Full Bloom at Renowned 80-Acre Southern Indiana Garden [video]

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.

Property Rights, Public Good, Campaign Contributions: Will Bill to Limit Local Government Be Revived?

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.

Local Conservancy Now Saving Indigenous Languages Worldwide

Since 2005, Bloomington-based nonprofit The Language Conservancy has helped save indigenous languages across the nation. And now, a partnership with the United Nations expands TLC’s efforts worldwide. As writer Michelle Gottschlich’s article says, in addition to revitalizing endangered languages, TLC’s work is about getting people back “to being a human being.” Click here to read the full story.

850 Hoosier Scientists and Allies Oppose EPA Proposal

Concerned Scientists @ IU, a group of 850 local scientists and allies, has submitted a public comment to oppose the EPA’s proposed repeal of the Clean Power Plan. The EPA’s case for repeal, the scientists say, is based on “unconvincing legal arguments, without appropriate consideration of the scientific evidence for human-induced climate change.” Read their comment, as well as the proposed repeal, here.