Noon Edition

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.

On this Noon Edition, we’ll be talking with three guests about how beauty standards have changed over the years and how the selfie generation is turning to procedures in hopes of achieving the perfect look.

On this Noon Edition, we talk with medical experts about the need for vaccines and the fallout from the Trump administration’s vaccine stance and shake up at the top of the Center for Disease Control. 

Labor Day traditionally marks the unofficial end to summer. But true meaning behind the holiday is to honor the contributions of American workers to society. Growing out of the labor movement of the 1880s, the first Labor Day parade was held in New York City in 1882. Labor Day became a federal holiday in 1894. Leading the labor movement in Indiana was Terre Haute’s Eugene V. Debs. As Grand Secreta...

On this week’s Noon Edition, we discuss the excitement surrounding the Indiana football program, how NIL money is impacting college football and the return of the bison.

Gov. Mike Braun has remained uncommitted to redistricting Indiana, waiting to see what Texas does and what the GOP legislators in the state want to do.

Five years ago, the city of Bloomington unveiled the Hopewell Master Plan to lay the groundwork for a new neighborhood on the former site of the IU Health Bloomington Hospital. The city purchased the property for $6.5 million with the hopes of a new neighborhood that included “homes for all, intentional design, green space, and a true sense of belonging.” But the development, which will be built i...

The Taste of Bloomington is making its return Saturday. The popular food and drink festival was last held in 2019 in the Showers complex. But the pandemic, then rising food and beverage costs, made the event unsustainable. But this year, led by Food Truck Friday organizer Jordan Davis, the Taste will return with a new look and location. The festival will take place from 3 to 10 p.m., all along Kir...

Families in the United States – and around the world – are having fewer children for the first time in history. And it’s not because of the usual suspects - war, famine and pandemics. Now, it’s more economic and societal reasons that are causing people to have fewer or no children at all. According to a U.N. report, people in the U.S. and most countries around the world are not having enough child...

In April, Indiana Gov. Mike Braun signed an executive order saying the state would no longer participate in its climate action plan . It comes after the federal government announced it was eliminating programs to combat climate change. Braun said the state’s climate plan was filled with policies that result in "worse economic and environmental outcomes for Hoosiers." Read more: Indiana will no lon...

It’s summer, which means travel time for millions of Americans. Deloitte’s travel survey for this summer found that, despite a declining confidence in the economy, more than 53 percent of Americans planned vacations this summer, up from 48 percent in 2024. However, surveys say that Americans are being more frugal with their vacation budgets, traveling domestically instead of internationally, optin...

Deloitte’s travel survey for this summer found that, despite a declining confidence in the economy, more than 53 percent of Americans planned vacations this summer, up from 48 percent in 2024.

Summer arrives this weekend, and Hoosiers will be spending time in their gardens trying to make sure vegetables and flowers are flourishing. Grasses are growing and weeds are kept at bay.  Questions about gardening are popular on Noon Edition:  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? What should I be...

The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to release a flurry of decisions as the 2024-25 term comes to an end this month.  A number of the cases reflect the societal battles playing out across the country and affect millions of Americans.  The court will be weighing in on whether gender-affirming health care for children under 18 is protected by the equal protection clause of the Constitution or if stat...