With Bloomington’s jazz pedigree, it’s fitting that one of the hottest acts in town is a jazz band. On Wednesday nights at Blockhouse Bar, the Call & Response House Band features local and national jazz artists. Jim Manion, music director at WFHB, talked with C&R leader and drummer Ben Lumsdaine about the weekly jazz series. Click here to read the full story.
Since 2010, the Bloomington Community Orchard has grown from a grassy acre into a fully planted orchard. But its roots stretch throughout the city, connecting with community members, businesses, and other organizations through skill-sharing classes, partner plantings, and other programs. In this guest column, BCO volunteer Megan Betz writes about the project — and the mysteriously vanishing peaches! Click here to read the full story.
Creating a community of misfits isn’t what Darran Mosley intended or expected. After growing up in a “super-rough” neighborhood in Indianapolis, then working in computer systems in Chicago, he landed in Bloomington, where he works in IT by day and in music entertainment by night. Here, Michael G. Glab profiles this karaoke host, DJ, and vocalist. Click here to read the full story.
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.
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.
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.
As theatre companies adapt subscription models to accommodate changes in how people consume entertainment, Cardinal Stage Company is offering a creative — and affordable — way to bring in more adults under age 35 to their productions: For $35, patrons may sponsor someone under 35 so they can experience an entire season of live theatre. Click here to learn more about Cardinal’s different subscription options and how to participate in the Nest Generation program.
“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.
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.
Limestone Post Marketing and Advertising Director Emily Winters toots her horn about why she loves LP (and you should, too)! A woman with a mission, Emily helps LP’s in-depth, informative stories find their way to loyal readers and the broader community. “The need for homegrown stories and independent voices is ever-pressing,” she writes. “LP publishes stories that not only showcase Bloomington’s creativity and quirkiness, but they also examine issues and pose questions that help make us a more informed and engaged community.” Click here to read more.
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.
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.
Limestone Post is happy to announce our first print edition, an art magazine dedicated to local history and our community’s unique character. Limestone Post’s A Sense of Place: Calling Bloomington Home for 200 Years will arrive just in time for Bloomington’s and Monroe County’s bicentennial celebrations. This commemorative print issue will showcase a variety of creative local talent — with long-form articles paired with illustrations, photography, recipes, creative writing, and other artwork that reflect upon how our community has grown and changed over the years. Click here to read more about Limestone Post’s A Sense of Place.
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.
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.