Noon Edition

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...

We officially said good-bye to 2025 Wednesday night, but it was a year filled with big news that impacted Hoosiers across the state. One of the biggest was Senate Enrolled Act 1, which provides property tax relief for residents and businesses but led to cuts in revenue for local communities and public education institutions . The general assembly also gave Gov. Mike Braun control of the three alum...

Chronic pain is described as pain that lasts for more than three months. It may be constant or just flare up from time to time, but its persistence is what is important. Treatment for chronic pain is usually a combination of medications, physical therapy, interventional procedures, psychological approaches and lifestyle changes. Chronic pain can lead to depression, anxiety and an increase of co-mo...

If you’re looking for holiday gifts, books are always a great idea. So, on this week’s Noon Edition, we’ll be coming to you from Morgenstern Books , where our panel of experts will discuss their favorite books, what titles have been popular in 2025, book trends and gift ideas. Noon Edition host Bob Zaltsberg will be joined by New York Times best-selling author Michael Koryta, Morgenstern Books gen...

The holiday season is a time for gathering with family, giving gifts and spreading joy.  But many Hoosiers are struggling to put food on the table and don’t have the resources for getting their loved ones gifts.  And, this year, having SNAP benefits delayed due to the government shutdown only exacerbated the need for assistance. More than 600,000 Hoosiers receive SNAP benefits.  A little more than...

Indiana University traditionally has propped up Bloomington, Monroe County and the surrounding area during tough economic times.  But now, due to cuts in state and federal funding and a number of layoffs, uncertainty at the university is dragging down the local economy.  “Folks, the news is rough,” said Phil Powell, executive director of the Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University’s...

After the Monroe County Council voted unanimously last week to reject spending $8 million to purchase land for a new jail and justice center at North Park, the big question is, what’s next? The council had agreed to buy the land off Ind. 46 between Bloomington and Ellettsville last fall and had plans for the project , which included a 400-bed jail, courts and other offices. The total cost was arou...

Millions of people across the country – and more the 600,000 Hoosiers – will not receive their SNAP benefits next month if the federal government remains shut down.   The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program provides food assistance to low- and no-income individuals and families living in the U.S. The federal aid program administered by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which says “the well...

On this week’s special Noon Edition from the Unitarian Universalist Church in Bloomington, we discuss the rise in Christian nationalism in the U.S., its embrace by conservative politicians and how it’s shaping policy.   Guests Daniel O. Conkle , Professor of Law Emeritus, IU Maurer School of Law Rep. Matt Pierce , (D) Bloomington Bob Whitaker , Senior Pastor, Christ Community Church 

The Indiana University Media School fired Director of Student Media Jim Rodenbush Tuesday. It comes one week after Rodenbush says he was ordered by administrators to remove news from the Indiana Daily Student print edition. Editors at the IDS said Rodenbush refused, telling Media School Leaders he would not censor the student paper. Media School Dean David Tolchinsky told Rodenbush in a letter pub...

One in 31 Americans have been diagnosed with autism, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s latest data, from 2022. The numbers have grown significantly from the 1990s, when the autism rate was one in 10,000. Even in 2000, the rate was one in 150. Scientists say in the past, only kids with severe problems were diagnosed with autism. Now that they know autism spectrum disorde...

Indiana is slashing available seats in state-funded preschool programs next year and reducing reimbursement for preschools. The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration announced the cuts in June and said the state was narrowing eligibility for these programs. Read more: Indiana slashes number of children in state preschool program The programs were funded by about $1 billion in pandemic...

Pet ownership has risen by about 10 percent over the last three decades, with three-fourths of those surveyed saying they acquired a pet during the pandemic.