Noon Edition

Indiana's Senate Enrolled Act 285 went into effect July 1. The new law prohibits camping, sleeping, or sheltering long-term on publicly owned land without permission. If unhoused people don’t move into a shelter or diversion program with 48 hours of being given a warning, they can be charged with a Class C misdemeanor, punishable by up to 60 days in jail and a $500 fine. Read more: A cop, a homele...

On Saturday, the United States will celebrate its 250th birthday. In towns and communities across the nation, Americans will gather to honor the anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, when the 13 colonies announced their split from Great Britain. And over the past 250 years later, those 13 colonies grew to 50 states and the United States has become one of the world’s superp...

All eyes are on North America as it hosts the 23rd World Cup, an international soccer tournament held every four years. Despite pre-tournament concerns of traveling to the U.S., stadiums in the U.S., Mexico and Canada have been sold out and raucous scenes of foreigners taking over cities, such as Scottish fans in Boston, have been common. Read more: World Cup turnout defies concerns, as Americans...

June is Pride Month, a month-long observance commemorating the contributions of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) culture and community. Indiana started celebrating Pride in 1990 with the Celebration on the Circle event in downtown Indianapolis. Today, over 40 Pride events are celebrated throughout the state, from small rural events to several-day festivals. But this year has b...

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to release more than two dozen decisions of cases it heard this term by the end of the month. The court has already released several verdicts so far, including allowing some states to redistrict their congressional maps and denying others; striking down much of the 1965 Voting Rights Act and voiding President Trump’s tariff policies. Still to be decided are cases...

Last weekend, high school seniors across the state walked across the stage for graduation. The class of 2026 grew up in a world of social media and lived through the COVID-19 emergency as middle schoolers, which shut down schools for a year and upended their learning experiences. Members of Gen Z, they’re entering a world with the U.S. once again at war, a slowing economy, unaffordable housing and...

With school letting out and the summer weather upon us, a lot of people will be heading outdoors for recreation. And around Bloomington, there’s a lot of nature to take advantage of, with four prominent lakes, two state parks and several wilderness areas and nature preserves to explore. Read more: Hiking paths in and around Bloomington But with all the fun comes some risk. Dozens in the state die...

Farmers across Indiana are facing a difficult economic landscape in 2026. Farm bankruptcies rose sharply last year, with the Midwest seeing the largest increase in the country. At the same time, many farmers are dealing with tight profit margins, rising fertilizer and fuel costs, uncertain commodity prices and questions about the future of trade and exports. Read more: Ag bill in federal legislatu...

May is Mental Health Awareness Month. First observed in 1949, the annual observance is meant to “highlight the importance of mental wellbeing, educate the public, reduce stigma and promote support for those affected by mental health conditions,” according to the National Council for Mental Wellbeing . The council reports one in five adults have experienced some kind of mental illness in the past y...

Last week, the Monroe County Commissioners again approved a purchase agreement to buy the North Park site for a new jail. The commissioners are trying to stay ahead of a deadline to make progress on building a new jail as outlined in a 2009 lawsuit settlement with the American Civil Liberties Union. It says that if the Monroe County Council doesn’t approve the new purchase agreement by May 29, the...

Indiana University has been the backbone of the Bloomington economy for some time, helping the community avoid the hardships other cities have faced.  But due to funding cuts at the state and federal levels and changes to the property tax laws in the state, that is no longer the case.  Layoffs at Indiana University have continued into 2026. And Novo Nordisk, the pharmaceutical giant in town, recen...

This year marks the 75th anniversary of the men’s Little 500 bicycle race at Indiana University.  Billed as “The World’s Greatest College Weekend,” more than 25,000 people pour into Bloomington for the numerous events leading up to Saturday’s 200-lap, 50-mile men’s race at Bill Armstrong Stadium.  Little 500 is also synonymous with the 1979 movie “Breaking Away,” a coming-of-age tale of four Bloom...

It’s been almost 56 years since the founding of both the Environmental Protection Agency and the first Earth Day in response to public outrage about pollution. A lot's changed since then, with several pieces of landmark legislation passed to protect the water, land, and air of the USA. Over the past year, big changes have been made at the federal and state level to weaken or eliminate existing env...

Last week, a reorganization committee comprised of members of the town of Ellettsville and Richland Township presented a draft plan on how to merge the two governing bodies into one entity. The two governments began exploring the merger last November. The goals are to help avoid stringent Monroe County zoning codes, give residents a bigger voice in local government and mitigate lost property taxes...

April is National Donate Life Month, a time to raise awareness of – and encourage people to sign up for – organ donation. It’s also the 40th anniversary of the opening of the Children’s Organ Transplant Association in Bloomington. COTA’s mission is to “help children and young adults who need a life-saving transplant by providing fundraising assistance and family support.” It’s raised more than $16...

Friday is the first day of spring, which means Hoosiers will begin spending time on their lawns and in their gardens. And while there’s still likely to be overnight freezes and the ground may not be quite ready, now is the time to prepare for questions such as: When is the best time to plant? What grows well in shade and what needs full sun? How do I prepare the soil, and how much should I mulch?...

The Indiana general assembly wrapped up a shortened session at the end of last month. It may be remembered more for what didn’t get passed than what did. The session was called into order early in December with governor Mike Braun – at the behest of President Trump - urging lawmakers to redraw the state’s U.S. House district maps in order to gain a 9-0 advantage for the GOP. A new map easily passe...

The U.S. and Israel’s war with Iran is less than a week old and has enveloped multiple countries in the Middle East. And while the U.S. said it has decimated Iran’s air force and navy, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth cautioned the war was still in its “early” days. Why the U.S. attacked Iran has been open-ended question. After originally touting an imminent threat of attack from Iran and regime...

Recovery efforts continue on the west side of Bloomington from last week’s EF2 tornado that damaged several homes and businesses, uprooted trees and downed power lines. The tornado touched down just west of the Monroe County Airport and was on the ground for nearly four miles before dissipating before crossing I-69. Among the businesses hit was the Monroe County Humane Association, which provides...

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the first celebration of Black history in the U.S. Now celebrated the entire month of February, it was launched by Dr. Carter G. Woodson in 1926 as Negro History Week. It was expanded to a month-long celebration in 1976 and was officially recognized by Congress in 1986. February was chosen to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Doug...

Minneapolis has been the focal point of the federal government’s push to deport illegal immigrants from the country. Around 3,000 Immigration and Custom Enforcement officials and border patrol agents have been sent to the city, leading to almost daily clashes with protestors and two U.S. citizens being killed by federal agents. Immigration enforcement tactics and rhetoric about undocumented people...

The Chicago Bears are looking for a new home, and, if Indiana gets its way, the original NFL franchise could end up in Gary. The Indiana senate voted Wednesday to establish a state-run stadium authority that would finance and build a stadium for the Bears in northwest Indiana. “Indiana is open for business, and the Chicago Bears have taken notice,” Indiana governor Mike Braun said in a statement....

President Donald Trump announced Wednesday he and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte had “formed the framework of a future deal with respect to Greenland and, in fact, the entire Arctic Region.”  What that means is unclear, but the president said he will no longer impose tariffs on European countries who balked at his talk of taking over the country. Trump also said he was ruling out using the mili...

The Indiana football team is playing for the national championship Monday night against the Miami Hurricanes. It would be the first NCAA title in football for the Hoosiers, but the Hurricanes have been here before – winning five times, the last in 2001. The top-ranked Hoosiers have rolled in their two playoff games – beating Alabama, 38-3, in the Rose Bowl, and Oregon, 56-22, in the Peach Bowl. Wi...

During the first Trump administration, the government resumed federal executions after a 17-year lull. Between July 2020 and January 2021, 13 people on federal death row at the U.S. Penitentiary in Terre Haute were put to death. But in July 2021, under the Biden administration, a moratorium on federal executions was announced by attorney general Merrick Garland. Then, shortly before leaving office...