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Budget, Housing Testimony Seeks More For The Poorest Hoosiers
By: Whitney Downard The Senate committee responsible for drafting the state’s budget heard over four hours of public testimony Thursday, as leaders negotiate how to spend more than $43.3 billion over the next two years. The House version of the budget included an unprecedented increase in education vouchers, which amounts to roughly a third of…
Read MoreStepStone Family & Youth Services of Indiana Plants Pinwheels For Prevention To Raise Awareness Of National Child Abuse Prevention Month
This April, in recognition of National Child Abuse Prevention Month, StepStone Family & Youth Services of Indiana is planting a garden of more than 36 blue pinwheels outside “Growing Minds” in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Through the initiative, StepStone hopes to raise awareness about preventing child abuse and neglect and providing children with a safe, loving…
Read MoreBan on Taxpayer-Funded Gender-Affirming Surgery For Indiana Inmates Heads To Governor
By: Leslie Bonilla Muniz and Casey Smith A bill to ban state and federal dollars from being used to provide Indiana inmates with gender-affirming sexual reassignment surgery advanced to the governor’s desk Thursday. Senators voted 38-9 to move House Bill 1569, which restricts the Indiana Department of Correction (DOC) from paying for an offender’s reassignment…
Read MoreACLU Rips Lawmakers Over Transgender Bill
The Indiana Chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union took issue with Indiana lawmakers this week. The organization said that Senate Bill 480 ignores the warnings of parents, medical providers and transgender youth themselves and that the bill would ban gender-affirming health care for anyone under 18. The bill, passed by the Legislature, is now…
Read MoreState Steps On Bugs For VW Work
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita announced a lawsuit this week against defendants accused of failing to perform work after taking payments from customers seeking restoration of vintage Volkswagen vehicles. Operating under the name JB Bugs, the company not only failed to do the work it promised but also gave false updates to consumers about work…
Read MoreMoontown Pickle Stompers Takes Students Back In Musical Time
Third- and fourth-grade students at Hamilton Heights Elementary School were treated to the snappy sounds and song of the Moontown Pickle Stompers, a local band with a down home sound and style similar to the Hoosier Hot Shots. The Hoosier Hot Shots were an American quartet of musicians, founded in Indiana, who entertained on stage,…
Read MoreJoshua Trees Future Bleak But Treatable
Dear EarthTalk: Are the famous Joshua trees of the California desert really going extinct? What can we do to preserve them? The Joshua tree is an iconic species of the Mojave Desert that stretches across parts of southeastern California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah. Known for its resilience in an unforgiving desert climate, the Joshua tree…
Read MoreGas Appliances May Provide Poor Air Quality
Dear EarthTalk: I’ve heard that gas stoves are bad for indoor air quality, but what about gas furnaces and other gas-powered appliances typically found in homes? Natural gas is almost as ubiquitous an energy source in American households as electricity. Indeed, 48 percent of U.S. homes stay warm with gas-powered furnaces while 38 percent do…
Read MoreMayor Chris Jensen Endorses Darren Peterson’s Re-Election Campaign For Noblesville City Council
Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen has endorsed At-Large City Councilor Darren Peterson for his re-election campaign. “Darren has demonstrated excellent leadership skills, having served as both Vice President and President of the City Council. I fully endorse his candidacy for re-election. Darren is committed to the residents he represents, and he consistently puts in the effort…
Read MoreIndy Airport, INARF To Honor Local Artists, Creatives With Disabilities
What: The Indianapolis Airport Authority and the Indiana Association of Rehabilitation Facilities will come together on March 29 at the Indianapolis International Airport (IND) to unveil an exhibit with more than 20 art pieces created by adults with disabilities. This event will emphasize and celebrate diverse artists and creatives in Indiana – which includes Hoosiers…
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