IDS
Standing for PEACE
The quiet persistence of Bloomington’s locals
By Mackenzie Lionberger mlionber@iu.edu
The older men stand at the corner of the courthouse square, back at their endless vigil. It’s a late afternoon in August, and as always, the four men in their 70s to early 80s are holding signs adorned with the peace symbol.
Students have just returned to Bloomington for the fall semester, and now they walk past staring at their phones. Some turn their heads to avoid making eye contact. Cars pass, too, mostly ignoring the men. A few drivers honk in solidarity, raising the peace sign out their windows.
The men smile. “Peace!” they call out. “Love!”
For more than two decades, they’ve stood on this corner from 5-6 p.m. nearly every Wednesday, through an endless cycle of wars around the world.
"I find it hard to believe that we don’t have a whole bunch of young people there saying, ‘Yeah … we need peace."
Tim Terry, peace advocate
They learned long ago to accept the indifference of strangers and recognize that it’s hard for people to stop whatever they’re doing to join the tiny vigil on behalf of a hope that may seem so
out of reach. However, that reach does not seem so far for them. Still, the men take their place at the corner every week and wave their signs, demanding peace in the world.
They stand there in the rain, in the blistering summer heat, in the cruelest days of winter. They have no intention of stopping, even if almost no one pays attention.
“We need peace in the world,” Tim Terry, one of the group’s original members, said. “It's not happening, but I'm going to stand here with these old guys and show them that I think it's worthwhile standing here.”
SEE PEACE, PAGE 6
Mike Braun inaugurated as governor
Braun is now Indiana's 52nd governor alongside Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith
CASEY SMITH | INDIANA CAPITAL CHRONICLE Governor-elect Mike Braun Is pictured campaigning. Braun and Micah Beckwith were sworn into Indiana’s governorship and lieutenant governorship Jan. 13.
By Andrew Miller ami3@iu.edu |
@andrew_mmiller
Mike Braun and Micah Beckwith were sworn into Indiana’s governorship and lieutenant governorship at a ceremony starting 11 a.m. Jan. 13, the culmination of a three-day affair and hard-
fought campaign. Braun is now the state’s 52nd governor, solidifying four more years following two decades of Republican rule. Alongside Braun and Beckwith was Todd Rokita, who began his second term as attorney general. "I am optimistic that in
the next four years, we see a transfer of power not only between states, but from the federal government back to the states," Braun said at the ceremony.
Who is Mike Braun? Before pursuing politics, Braun was a businessman under his father’s wing down in Jasper who married his high school sweetheart. He grew the 15-person Meyer Body Company into Meyer Distributing, which employs hundreds in 105 locations in the U.S. and Canada. SEE BRAUN, PAGE 4
Former athletes allege trainer knew about abuse
An amended lawsuit claims current trainer
Tim Garl knew about Brad Bomba Sr.'s sexual abuse
By Dalton James and
Editor’s note: This story includes mention of sexual violence or assault.
Former IU men’s basketball players amended their lawsuit against IU on Jan. 14, alleging the university systemically mishandled its
response to known routine and repeated invasive rectal exams by former team physician Brad Bomba Sr. The amended class action suit alleges current team trainer Tim Garl assigned players to Bomba Sr. knowing Bomba Sr. would sexually assault them, according to a filing obtained by the Indiana Daily Student.
The amendment to the case, filed the morning of Jan. 14, comes more than a month after a judge ruled Bomba Sr. is competent to provide a deposition in the lawsuit.
Garl was hired by Indiana as the head men’s basketball trainer in 1981, a position he still holds with the team.
According to the filing, Garl was responsible for assigning each player to ei-
ther Bomba Sr., or his son, Dr. Bradford Bomba Jr., as IU did not allow the players to choose which physician they saw for their annual physical examinations.
The suit states Garl continued to “condone, facilitate, and approve Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s constitutional violations of the IU men’s basketball players” by still assigning them to Bomba Sr.
When Bomba Sr. invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination in a deposition Dec. 4, he also testified that Garl was his supervisor. The suit states Garl had the authority to take corrective action to end Bomba’s sexual assaults.
IU Executive Director of Media Relations Mark Bode said in a statement that IU does not comment on litigation and referred to a state-
ment on IU’s independent review.
The suit states Garl continued to “condone, facilitate, and approve Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s constitutional violations of the IU men’s basketball players."
In the filing, John Flowers joins fellow former players Haris Mujezinovic and Charlie Miller as plaintiffs in the class action lawsuit. Another former Indiana men’s basketball player, who is anonymous, came forward with sexual abuse allegations against Bomba Sr. on Oct. 15 and retained Michelle Simpson Tuegel
of the Simpson Tuegel Law Firm to represent him in a potential civil claim against the university. Mujezinovic accused Bomba Sr. of sexual misconduct in a complaint released publicly by IU on Sept. 11. Mujezinovic and Miller then filed the class action lawsuit against IU on Oct. 15. The Jan. 14 filing alleges Bomba Sr.'s assaults were openly discussed by players in the presence of IU employees and that Flowers’ cousin, who also played for Indiana, suffered the same abuse. Flowers’ cousin is not identified in the suit. Flowers did not suspect Bomba Sr.’s examinations constituted sexual misconduct until early 2024 when he discussed the exams with his cousin, according to the filing.
Flowers played for Indiana from 1981-83, more than a decade before Mujezinovic (1995-97) and Miller (1994-98). Before he arrived at Indiana, Flowers was a McDonald’s AllAmerican in 1981.
After Flowers’ first physical with Bomba Sr., his teammates told him he “passed” Bomba Sr.’s “test,” according to the suit. Garl also allegedly laughed at Flowers and his freshman teammates, making jokes pertaining to their examinations with Bomba. After the 1982-83 season, Flowers transferred to University of Nevada, Las Vegas and played there from 1983-86. He was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the 1986 NBA Draft.
BRAUN'S PATH TO GOVERNORSHIP
MIKAYLA OWENS | IDS
Tim holds the hand peace sign at passing cars Sept. 18, 2024, in at the downtown square Bloomington.
He said he finds it unconscionable that there are not college students standing alongside them despite IU Bloomington having nearly 50,000 students total.
Jeff "Goose" IrvingJames “Apple” MuncyNed Powell Michael Kent Braun is born in Jasper, Indiana.
with
IUDC protest interrupts BFC meeting
By Andrew Miller and Deshna Venkatachalam
Standing in the back of Presidents Hall, about a dozen people held pro-Palestinian signs at the Bloomington Wastewater Faculty Council meeting Jan. 14. Some interrupted the meeting.
The first interruption came as a protester, about 12 minutes into the meeting, yelled at Provost Rahul Shrivastav, calling on him to resign.
“Yesterday was the deadline the IU Divestment Coalition set for you to respond to our demands,” they shouted.
IUDC is demanding the resignation of Shrivastav, IU President Pamela Whitten and IU Vice Provost for Fac-
ulty and Academic Affairs Carrie Docherty. It wants the university to divest from groups “complicit in Israeli apartheid and genocide” and its partnership with Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division.
It also wants the university to create and fund a Middle Eastern culture center and Muslim culture center. All the organization’s demands can be found thorough its Instagram. The organization threatened to “escalate” in an Instagram post Nov. 17 unless IU met its demands by Jan. 13, the first day of the spring semester classes. Two students previously interrupted the Board of Trustees meeting in Fort Wayne in November, calling for President Pamela Whitten and the board to “lis-
ten to students and cut all ties to genocide.”
An audience member echoed the first protester, yelling “resign!” Soon after, another protester interrupted the meeting. Both protesters who had interrupted the meeting were escorted out.
IU Police Department
Public Information Officer
Hannah Skibba said in an email its officers “assisted university officials in identifying two individuals that were asked to leave the Bloomington Faculty Council meeting after they became disruptive.”
Before the meeting, Palestinian flags and some messages, including “divest” and “disclose,” were spray painted on snow in Dunn Meadow and around Sample Gates.
Signs held up in the meeting displayed similar mes-
sages to the ones written in the snow.
“I don’t want to live in a world where bombing children is called ‘self-defense’,” one read.
Following the interruptions, David McDonald, an associate professor at the College of Arts and Sciences, acknowledged the protestors during the question and comment period of the meeting.
“I noticed we have folks from the IU Divestment Coalition here. My question is: have you met with any of the students?” he asked Shrivastav. “And if not, why not?”
Shrivastav responded stating that he has not met with the IUDC because he works with “recognized student entities.” However, he mentioned that “these issues have come up” with students he
has met with in the past.
Forty-eight minutes in, the remaining protesters raised their signs higher as they walked out, interrupting the meeting once more and ending the demonstration as one person yelled “free Palestine.”
More than 46,000 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed in the Israel-Hamas War, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health, which does not distinguish between combatant and civilian. However, the ministry says more than half of those killed were women and children.
The war has also prompted protests on IU’s campus since the war started, including a 100-day encampment that saw more than 50 arrests. IUDC spokesperson and organizer Bryce Greene said they planned on continuing the protests throughout the semester if their demands were not met.
“We do plan on continuing to increase organizing efforts, will continue to do more action as the situation depends,”
The war began after the Hamas-led attack on Oct. 7, 2023, that killed around 1,200 people in Israel. Around 100 hostages remain in Gaza, a third of whom are believed to be dead. Israel and Hamas agreed to a ceasefire deal Jan. 15, starting
Multiple viruses discovered in Bloomington wastewater
By Jack Forrest jhforres@iu.edu | @byjackforrest
High levels of flu, RSV, norovirus and an indicator of the virus that causes COVID-19 were detected in Bloomington wastewater Jan. 9. Each virus harbors potentially severe symptoms amid a nationwide surge, typical in winter. Here’s what to know and how to protect yourself: WastewaterSCAN, a program based at Stanford University that monitors infectious diseases in sewage nationally, shared the data from Dillman Road Wastewater Treatment Plant just south of Bloomington.
In late December, Indiana wastewater had high levels of influenza A and RSV, or respiratory syncytial virus, and very high levels of COVID-19, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The Midwest had the highest wastewater viral activity level for COVID-19 among
all regions.
Wastewater treatment plants in Carmel, Jeffersonville and South Bend all had high levels of flu, RSV, COVID-19 and norovirus in their most recent samples, according to WastewaterSCAN.
The flu, RSV and COVID-19 each share many cold-like symptoms, according to the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. Norovirus causes vomiting and diarrhea that typically lasts one to three days.
All four can spread from people who have them or contaminated surfaces. Norovirus also spreads through contaminated food or water.
Anyone can get these illnesses, but younger children, older adults and people with certain pre-existing conditions or who are immunocompromised are at greater risk of developing severe flu, RSV, norovirus or COVID-19. In some cases, this can lead to hospitaliza-
tion or death.
Some people develop Long COVID after having COVID-19, which is a chronic condition that can last from three months to multiple years. Women, Latino people, people who are 65 or older or have underlying health conditions and others are more likely to develop long COVID.
How to prevent the spread According to Monroe County Health Department Health Administrator Lori Kelley, the best practices for staying healthy from the flu, RSV and COVID-19 are similar. They include washing hands, disinfecting surfaces, avoiding contact with others while sick, resting and remaining hydrated.
Kelley wrote in an email that hand sanitizer alone does not work well against norovirus, and people should wash their hands for at least 20 seconds. Norovirus can survive temperatures up to 145 degrees, she said, so people with norovi-
rus should not prepare food or care for others when sick.
The CDC also recommends purifying and increasing airflow indoors, staying home when sick, wearing a mask and testing for respiratory viruses. All U.S. households can get four free COVID-19 tests
delivered from COVIDtests. gov. For information on flu, RSV and norovirus testing, visit the CDC’s website.
Where to get COVID and flu vaccinations
receive an annual flu vaccination and stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccination. Here’s where you can get updated vaccines:
Norovirus doesn’t currently have a vaccine, but testing is underway. The CDC recommends an RSV vaccination for adults over 75 or between 60-74 at increased risk of severe RSV. It also suggests people 3236 weeks pregnant during RSV season receive the vaccination for their baby, or give babies 8 months old or younger monoclonal antibodies.
The CDC recommends everyone over 6 months old, with rare exceptions,
IU Health’s two urgent care locations in Bloomington have flu and COVID-19 vaccines and offer walk-ins. CVS offers flu and COVID-19 vaccination appointments at its seven Bloomington locations. Walk-in vaccinations are available at Kroger’s five pharmacies in Bloomington. IU faculty, staff and students can get walk-in flu and COVID-19 shots at the Student Health Center. For more places to get vaccinations, visit vaccines.gov.
Meet the 8 candidates for Monroe County Council
By Jack Forrest and Andrew Miller
jhforres@iu.edu | @byjackforrest ami3@iu.edu | @andrew_mmiller
Eight people are running to fill the at-large Monroe County Council seat left vacant after Councilor Cheryl Munson’s death.
Monroe County Democratic Central Committee Precinct representatives will choose one of them at a caucus Jan. 19 to fill the council vacancy.
The Indiana Daily Student interviewed every candidate. Here’s what to know:
Matt Caldie
Matt Caldie thinks he can be a “bridge” for Monroe County residents.
The IU graduate with political science and philosophy degrees said he’s seen his share of Bloomington’s economic struggles working physically demanding jobs.
Caldie ran for the Democratic nomination for one of the three open county seats in the party primary in the spring, ultimately losing to Munson, Trent Deckard and David Henry. In 2023, he ran for the Bloomington City Council District 5 seat before dropping out to serve on Shruti Rana’s campaign committee.
Caldie has served on the Bloomington Environmental Commission since 2017, where he’s published an air quality report and helped update the city’s Unified Development Ordinance and Climate Action Plan, according to his candidate statement. He previously worked at IU Parking Operations but took a job as business manager for the Maurer School of Law Library last year.
Caldie said his time campaigning for the nomination in the spring allowed him to have hundreds of conversations with Monroe County residents.
Affordability would be his primary focus on the council. Although he said no one person or decision will improve affordability, Caldie wants to work with county and city officials to address it.
“The relentless pursuit of a more affordable Monroe County is going to drive a lot of my decision-making and my work,” Caldie said.
Richard Carter
Richard Carter said he knows how the county government works from behind the scenes. The Stinesville Town Council member and IU Housing Operations supervisor is currently on the Public Safety Local Income Tax Committee, according to his candidate statement. He previously served as a Monroe County Emergency Management Advisory Council member and fire chief for Bean Blossom Township/Stinesville Fire Department.
He said in the past he was secretary, treasurer and chief shop steward of the American Federation of State County and Municipal
Indiana
By Adelyn Rabbitt adrabb@iu.edu
Indiana rang in the new year with the implementation of three new laws on Jan. 1, 2025, affecting the employment of minors, outdoor digging projects and Hoosiers’ income taxes.
Child labor restrictions
House Enrolled Act 1093 provides relaxed restrictions on child labor in Indiana.
Under the bill, all restrictions on the times of day and the number of hours 16 and 17-year-olds can work are repealed. Previously, 16 and 17-year-olds were only allowed to work up to 8 hours a day and 30 hours a week, or, with parental permission, 9 hours a day and 40 hours a week. Their work was allowed to take place between 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. on days preceding a school day, except 17-year-olds with parental permission were allowed to work until 11:30 p.m. on such days.
With all restrictions lifted, 16 and 17-year-olds are now allowed to work the same unlimited hours and times of day as an adult, without
Employees Local 832 union for IU service and maintenance employees.
Carter said he believes fiscal responsibility to county taxpayers is a top priority, as well as public safety, particularly among the communities outside of Bloomington. Carter also wants to update the county’s comprehensive plan, as the most recent plan was adopted in 2012.
Beyond that, Carter said he wants to represent everyone — not just Democrats.
“You’ve got to listen to everybody that you represent, and as an at-large person, you’d have to listen to pretty much the entire county,” Carter said.
Rob Council
Rob Council sees himself as a “regular guy”: one who wants to see Monroe County move in a positive direction for future generations, including his kids.
Council is a compliance officer at the Bloomington Housing and Neighborhood Development Department. He’s served on the city Commission on Aging since 2023, according to his statement. He assists his wife Stephanie, the Tri-North Middle School Parent Teacher Organization president, with organizing events.
Council said he wants to see more affordable housing and encourage civic engagement in Monroe County.
Working with Bloomington HAND, Council said he’s seen issues in the city and county relationships and wants to improve cooperation between the two.
To do that, he wants department heads from each municipality to meet and collaborate. He said HAND and the county building department have worked to cooperate on inspections to streamline the process and reduce “gray area” relating to building and Indiana residential code, as there are items each one looks for that the other doesn’t.
“We have to realize that Bloomington is the county, and the county is Bloomington,” Council said.
Joe Davis
Joe Davis is running fresh off a write-in candidacy for county council at-large last year and a run for mayor of Bloomington in 2023. The latter effort fell 14 signatures short of the ballot requirement after 200 signatures were disqualified.
“I see much waste in our community,” Davis said. “I see many injustices in our community, and I decided that now was the time to speak up for some of those voices, because I, too have suffered these inequities.”
“And I don’t want to be a victim,” he added. “I wish to be powerful.”
He rejects conventional positions on two of the council’s most hot-button issues. He wants to see the convention center expand upward at its own location, up to five or six stories. He wants to build the jail at the proposed site for convention center expansion, saying it’s important for the jail to be downtown.
Davis is also concerned about tax abatements in Monroe County and spending directed toward businesses rather than people. That’s his overriding message — he says he wants to see county government listen and learn from people who have become disengaged and disenfranchised from politics.
Liz Feitl
Liz Feitl holds a lengthy history in local labor and said she believes she can bring that experience to the county council. Feitl was the AFL-CIO’s community service liaison for the United Way of Monroe County, a community service organization, from 2002 to 2021. In that position, she headed annual food drives and helped workers displaced by layoffs and closures.
“I have an approach that might be different than some labor unions,” Feitl said. “A lot of labor unions do what might be called ‘a lot of grievances’ to resolve issues. I didn’t find that worked so well for me. I found that I really enjoyed
working with people oneon-one.”
She was on the Monroe County Women’s Commission from 2013 to 2021 and has worked with the county council before. She said she’s on a first-name basis with all current council members.
Her priorities are built off her background in labor — wanting to see more union members on the county’s boards and commissions — but delve into different areas as well. Feitl wants to scrutinize the county’s tax abatements given to businesses. She wants to see more affordable housing, as well.
But more than anything, she said, she wants to listen.
“I think you need all the information you can and listen all you can to make those good judgment decisions,” she said.
Andrew Guenther
Andrew Guenther is young and still finishing up his law degree at IU but holds nearly a decade of experience in local government. He considers himself a pragmatist, an environmentalist and someone who can help build resilience in Monroe County.
“Progress is both deeply needed and incremental,” he said. “I want to help the council with the education and experience I’ve gathered while living and working here, achieve progress and achieve the goals that the council wants to see.”
Guenther has chaired both the Bloomington and county environmental commissions. He has vicechaired the Bloomington Commission on Sustainability and the Bloomington Board of Housing Quality Appeals.
He ran as a Republican for Bloomington City Council in 2019, which he said was a protest against the local Democratic party chair who he said told him to “wait his turn.” At the time, he told the Indiana Daily Student that he switched parties because he believed local governments should hold more power than the
federal government.
“My positions have never changed,” Guenther said. “I’ve always been pro-environment. I’ve always been pro-density. I’ve always been pro-limiting urban sprawl.”
He’s worked for statelevel Democrats, including as communications director for John Gregg’s 2016 campaign for governor. There, he said he learned the value of pragmatism and brokering agreements where not all parties necessarily leave happy.
If elected to county council, Guenther said his priorities include continuing progress on the new county jail and convention center expansion. He also wants to make sure the county is continually servicing Lake Monroe to ensure the area’s stability.
He also wants Monroe County to ensure it’s prepared for potential property tax cuts under Mike Braun’s governorship. Because the county funds many vital services through property taxes, Guenther said, the council should start looking at contingencies so they don’t need to make painful cuts.
Scott Shackelford
Last summer, a cybercrime syndicate breached and crippled Monroe County’s computers, shutting down operations for a week. That was Scott Shackelford’s tipping point toward deciding he wanted to become more involved with local government. He said the county needs to be more resilient toward these sorts of threats, especially including preparedness for natural disasters.
Shackelford feels he can bring something to the table on these issues — he’s the executive director of the Center for Applied Cybersecurity Research at IU and has served on the Bloomington Environmental Commission. He’s also the executive director of IU’s Ostrom Workshop, which focuses on the study of governance.
“One of the things that
attracted me to the Ostrom Workshop to begin with is that it was always very translational and appliable,” he said. He said the skills he’s taken from the center and the experience he’s gained from leading both organizations sets him apart from the crowd. He wants strict financial responsibility for the county, better job development and a focus on kitchen-table issues like housing costs, schools and safety.
Most of all, he wants to see the county where he’s been a student, a husband and a father thrive. During his career in academia, he was a fellow at Harvard University, the University of Notre Dame, Stanford University and the University of Cambridge.
“We keep coming back to Bloomington time and again,” he said. “I love it here and just want to do whatever I can to make it that much better in the years and decades ahead.”
Ilana Stonebraker
Ilana Stonebraker is the only candidate to have served on a county council before, representing Lafayette in Tippecanoe County. She’s been in Monroe County since 2020, after which she’s taken up numerous volunteer roles and titles at IU.
Those include heading the Business/School of Public and Environnmental Affairs Library and IU Libraries’ Sciences and Social Sciences. Stonebraker deals with all sorts of researchers, students and needs, which she compared to what she would be doing on the council.
Stonebraker’s involvement in politics skyrocketed after Donald Trump’s first election.
“You kind of look to your left and look to your right and be like, ‘I want you to do something!’” she said. “And then you realize, ‘oh, shoot, it’s my turn.’”
After moving to Monroe County, Stonebraker became heavily involved in local political and volunteer organizations. She’s the chair of the Monroe County Vote Center Study Committee and has worked on the development and fundraising committee for Beacon Inc. and the Democratic Women’s Caucus’ steering committee.
Her priorities if elected include moving forward on the convention center expansion and the new jail.
“We need to find solutions, whether it’s in this north side site, or whether other options come up in terms of it,” she said.
Stonebraker said former Councilor Cheryl Munson had encouraged her to jump forward in her political career and run for public office before she died. Losing Munson, she said, was a loss of innumerable experience for the council that cannot be replaced immediately. But she still wants to try, she said.
laws now in effect you should be aware about
any parental permission required. Now, 16 and 17-year-olds employed in agriculture are no longer barred from working in dangerous occupations and can work shifts without adult supervision.
Younger teenagers remain barred from being employed in certain jobs deemed hazardous. Such jobs include but are not limited to operating a motor vehicle, outdoor window washing, cooking, working on a ladder over 20 feet and working in a silo within 2 weeks after silage was added. Children ages 14 and 15 are still limited to working three hours a day and up to 18 hours a week during the school year and 8 hours a day and 40 hours a week during non-school days including summer break. They can only work between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. during the school year and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. during the summer, or from June 1 to Labor Day.
Finally, employers will now face no fine for violating minor’s allotted working hours by periods of 10 minutes or less. If infractions continue and are greater
than 10-minute increments of time, warnings and small fines may be applied. This law is enforced by the Indiana Department of Labor and complaints can be filed through them. Health and safety complaints can also be filed through the Indiana Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
“Call Before You Dig” Law Another amended law requires Hoosiers to notify utility crews of upcoming dig or excavation projects at least two full business days before work begins. This allows proper time for the locations of underground lines to be marked to better prevent accidents.
Once work begins, excavating equipment used must stay outside of the “tolerance zone,” or two feet from either side of underground facilities and lines marked by utility crews. Work may not begin until 7 a.m. EST.
Utility workers must respond to requests for line markings within two business days and those who are executing the project must acknowledge the utility workers’ positive response to their
inquiry before starting work in the area. These requests and responses can be submitted and viewed through Indiana 811. Projects cannot begin later than 10 calendar days after the time and date of the original notification. If the project has not been started within 10 days after the notice,
MOLLY GREGORY | IDS
The Monroe County Council is seen Oct. 28 2024, at Monroe County Courthouse. Eight people have filed to run for the County Council’s open seat.
“Unfortunately, the sexual assault Dr. Bomba, Sr. subjected me to was not an isolated incident,” Mujezinovic said in the release. “The reports of additional players—including a new plaintiff in this lawsuit, John Flowers — show Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s systematic, persistent, and intentional abuse spanned decades. It is devastating to realize that this abuse went on in the open for so long without any appropriate action by IU to protect its student athletes.”
In a Herald-Times article from 2016, members of the men’s basketball team refuted former IU basketball player Todd Jadlow’s allegations of abuse by former head coach Bob Knight. Jadlow made accusations that Knight
grabbed his groin during a game against Syracuse University in 1988 in his book “Jadlow: One The Rebound.”
A letter denying Jadlow’s allegations, obtained by The Herald-Times in October 2016, was signed by team orthopedic surgeon Dr. Steve Ahlfield, team physician Dr. Larry Rink, Bomba Sr. and Garl.
"We never witnessed the grabbing of players genitals or the closed fist punch in the head of a player by Bob Knight as Jadlow accuses," the letter said. "Additionally, no player ever reported to us seeing or being subjected to such actions."
The letter admits that none of the staffers who signed the letter read Jadlow’s book and instead were provided excerpts of Ladlow’s accusations against Knight.
"He (Knight) always
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followed our medical recommendations and never interfered with our medical decisions,” the letter said. “He never said no to any of our recommendations. We maintained an open door policy and all basketball players had access to at least one of us 24 hours/day, 365 days/ year. No player came to us concerned about physical abuse by any of the coaches or Bob Knight while we worked with him at Indiana University.”
The lawsuit states Mujezinovic, Miller and Flowers demand a trial by jury. They are also seeking judgement in favor of “awarding them appropriate monetary relief, including actual damages, compensatory damages, and emotional distress damages.”
Have a tip? Email us at news@idsnews.com.
In 2018, Braun’s assets were valued between $35 million and 96 million. Braun’s first stint in politics came in 2015 as he began representing Jasper in the Indiana State House until 2017. He ran for U.S. Senate against incumbent centrist Democrat Joe Donelly in 2018 and won as the crashing blue wave failed to push many of the old-guard blue dogs — apart from West Virginia’s Joe Machin — over the finish line.
When their terms overlapped, Braun voted in line with Trump’s position 90.9% of the time. According to the Center for Effective Lawmaking, Braun was the sixth most effective Republican senator in introducing and passing substantive legislation. Braun trounced over his
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Democratic opponent Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian candidate Donald Rainwater in November’s election, amid a national red shift in the electorate.
Perhaps his hardest challenge to reaching the governor’s office was an incredibly crowded Republican primary against five opponents, including Suzanne Crouch, then-lieutenant governor.
What will he bring to Indiana?
Indiana’s governor is its chief executive officer, able to issue executive orders and sign or veto legislation passed by the state legislature. He’s the commander-in-chief of the Indiana armed forces and appoints six of the nine members of IU’s Board of Trustees.
Beckwith, as lieutenant governor, is the president of the Indiana Senate, much like the Vice
President is to the nation’s Senate, and would assume office if Braun becomes unable to fulfill the office’s duties. Braun wants to lower taxes, in particular property taxes, with a plan to limit those increases to 2-3% annually. He also wants to halt taxes on retirement income and implement tax holidays for things such as back-to-school shopping. He supports Indiana’s near-total abortion ban and has called for the legalization of medical marijuana. He has also proposed universal school choice and banning gender-affirming care for minors. Beckwith, who has called himself a “Christian nationalist,” has taken positions farther right, including firing state officials who use pronouns in email signatures and deporting legal Haitian immigrants from the state.
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High school doesn’t prepare students for the real world
Ayzah Khan (she/her) is a sophomore studying journalism and marketing.
As I make my way through my sophomore year of college, I have been no stranger to high stress levels. I often wish I could go back to high school and re-prepare myself for the responsibilities that would be thrown my way soon after graduation.
Tasks such as learning how to use a credit card or even trying to cook a quick meal are considered extremely simple; however, these are things that other students and I struggle with because we have never been provided with any
knowledge or training when it comes to them.
The content we learn in school teaches us a lot about the careers we plan on building and our respective fields. However, if I was to put the content apart, I truly feel the education system and syllabi lack the importance of practical skills. Having said that, every student uses different methods when it comes to learning something, acquiring both knowledge and skills at different paces. At the end of the day, the education system in high schools across the world acts as a one-size-fits-all, and this does not truly work for everyone.
The severity of this issue with schools barely teaching students practical skills along with both critical skills and content-based learning is something I noticed recently. Specifically, this stood out to me amongst my own friends as we worked our way through the semester trying to complete some of the most straightforward tasks. For instance, whether it was completing a task as simple as doing laundry or trying to pay a credit card bill, we struggled to learn how to do so without any support or prior knowledge.
To understand the gravity of the situation better, I decided to go ahead and ask
other students around campus about their experiences when it comes to how high school prepared them for the world they were going to step into after graduation.
“While I wasn’t explicitly taught concepts like personal taxes or rent in textbooks, my school equipped me with critical thinking skills and the ability to effectively use resources like the internet,” IU sophomore Seerat Gill said. “This foundation enabled me to navigate and learn practical life skills independently when the need arose.”
Despite this, not all students feel the same way about the preparation they received from their respec-
My experience volunteering for the animal rescue
Kamellia Tredway (she/her)
is a senior majoring in journalism and minoring in gender studies.
It’s easy to forget I live in a city when I drive 20 minutes south of Bloomington to volunteer at a place you wouldn’t think you could. Through winding roads, rows of farmhouses and ranch style homes, sits one house — overgrown with weeds and greenery — different from all the others because there’s two capybaras in the backyard.
This farmhouse is the Pipsqueakery, home to patagonian maras, prairie dogs, peacocks, goats, sheep, flying squirrels and many other animals. The first animals I cared for at the refuge were two capybaras, Milo and Vinny. They had come from a petting zoo where they were housed improperly. Capys are sensitive to the cold since they’re from South America, so Milo and Vinny lost a couple toes from winter weather at the petting zoo. I remember how intimidated I was and how dusty they were, like if I picked one of them up and smacked them on their side it would look just like beating a rug. But I was also excited because I’d heard
of the creatures’ sweet and gentle nature. Being around wild or exotic animals is a lot different than being around a dog or cat. It can quickly become a learning experience.
During my first volunteer shift I was tasked with feeding Milo and Vinny. I went to the kitchen, which was covered in all kinds of dishes and silverware from unfinished tasks. I opened the fridge, grabbed a carton of sweet red strawberries and measured out half a cup. I decided to use a pumpkin as their second fruit because it was around Halloween, and I wanted to be festive. I cut both fruits into small pieces and continued down the recipe list for the “capybabies” until I saw “greens.” Initially, I was unsure of what this meant, but another volunteer who had been there longer told me that I could just pick dandelion root, clover and other types of greens from the front yard to use in their meals. After I was done collecting greens, I went inside and chopped up some carrots and added pellets to their food. Then I walked it out to the backyard where the chickens, goats, sheep, peacocks and beavers are. Milo and Vinny were so
excited to get their food, it was the first time I’d seen them walk around all day.
After lunch was over for them and I was changing their hay in their enclosure, I remember thinking to myself, this is the only opportunity I will have to get to do something like this.
The Pipsqueakery is a 501c3 or a nonprofit shelter. The funding for the animals is mostly donation based, meaning they get a lot of their support from mail donors and donations on social media. Animals sometimes come to the Pipsqueakery in critical condition, and every single one of them has an individual story the care team and volunteers have taken the time to learn. Alex Hernley, the owner, and her husband, along with staff, have saved over 12,000 animals in the last 11 years. Hernley even has her own coterie of groundhogs that live in her home with her, Animals that otherwise wouldn’t have had a chance to become adoptable or live in the wild on their own. The Pipsqueakery is the only facility like it in Indiana, and there are only a few across the country.
Most adoptable animals at the Pipsqueakery are mice, rabbits or guinea
tive high schools.
“No, high school does not adequately prepare students for the real world,” IU sophomore Dhruvika Pareta said. “While it focuses heavily on theoretical knowledge it often neglects essential life skills, and this lack of practical education became evident when I left for college and began living independently.”
Similarly, a study conducted by OnePoll in 2021 found that over 81% of college graduates wish that they were taught more life skills as it would have been of a lot more use to them in the long run.
Although high schools do their best to provide us
with information as we pave the way for our professional careers, I feel that it doesn’t completely prepare us for the real world. For this reason, I feel changes need to be made to the education system where instead of more content-based classes being added to the curriculum, schools instead focus on providing students with a range of both critical and practical skills. This can be done by education systems adding a combination of content-based and practical skill classes to the curriculum with at least one class focusing on our personal development.
ayzkhan@iu.edu
pigs. A lot of the other wildlife who have been there for longer than a year, like the beavers, peacocks and capys, will spend the rest of their lives at the Pipsqueakery because they are unable to return safely in the wild because of neurological or physical issues that would prevent them from hunting or protecting themselves.
Volunteering at the Pipsqueakary has taught me so much about how different wildlife behaves. Volunteering was a no-brainer for me because I love animals so much. I have two cats and they’re my entire world. The Pipsqueakery is always looking for more
volunteers too. They offer an opportunity to connect with animals you might never have met. For me, taking care of something smaller than a human has taught me that every living thing is important, no matter the species.
miltredw@iu.edu
Tree borders: a simple way to help farms and the environment
Andrew Miller
is a junior studying journalism and history.
I spend way more time scrolling through Google Earth than normal people do. I love pretending I’m trying to understand the Earth’s texture, improving my GeoGuessr skills. I notice things doing this.
If you look at fields in the Ukrainian countryside, most are lined with trees on their borders. If you look at fields in Indiana, they don’t have these sorts of borders
as often. It turns out a big reason for the prevalence of these tree borders was Joseph Stalin, and his “Great Plan for the Transformation of Nature.” A major part of that plan was implementing thousands of miles of shelterbelts, a more formal name for these tree lines across the steppes of the southern Soviet Union — much of which is now in Ukraine and Russia. They’re not that foreign to the United States either — Franklin D. Roosevelt’s administration implemented
them in the Great Plains states after the Dust Bowl. You can still see some of these if you survey fields in Kansas, Nebraska and the Dakotas.
So, why are these helpful? The main reason, especially after the Dust Bowl, was that these shelterbelts blocked and rerouted wind, preventing soil erosion.
But there’s numerous other benefits to shelterbelts as well. Depending on the climate, the trees can yield fruit, which might not be enough for a profit, but could
provide some fresh apples, peaches or whatever is able to grow.
Of course, the trees also absorb carbon and improve overall plant diversity. Tree borders are also better for sustainable pesticide use, housing pest predators and helping prevent runoff from fields into the environment. They house other wildlife as well — I’d imagine they’re good little habitats for bunnies, whether you love them or want to hunt them. Every leaf that falls
on farmers’ fields in the fall will also improve soil, depositing nutrients as they decompose.
As Purdue Assistant Professor of Agroecology Rui Yichao said in an email, “Indiana and neighboring Midwestern states like Illinois and Ohio are not widely recognized for their agroforestry efforts.”
But we can do better with agroforestry, meaning the integration of trees and shrubs into agriculture. There are many ways to get trees; one can replant
other ones from fields while clearing. One easy way is the Sycamore Land Trust’s annual Arbor Day Tree Giveaway, where it typically gives away 600 tree seedlings in late April. The Indiana Department of Natural Resources also has seedlings to order online. Planting tree lines from seedlings may take a while, but it’s worth ensuring soil and crop health for future generations. Every small step taken matters.
ami3@iu.edu
Alex Hernly, a founder of the Pipsqueakery, holds a baby hamster. The Pipsqueakery was founded in 2013.
(he/him)
Each of the four men is a part of the boomer generation. Each has lived long enough to understand the devastation of war.
“We're all older people that have seen wars,” Tim said. “We're all pretty much disgusted with the whole concept of warfare.
Now 78, Tim still remembers the faces of high school classmates killed in the Vietnam War.
Not long ago, he went to a high school reunion and saw the names of the dead posted on a wall to remember them.
James Muncy — he tells people to call him Apple — joined the mass demonstrations against the war in 1969 in Washington D.C. Now 76, he can still hear the protest songs he and the other activists sang four decades ago as they marched against the war. He remembers burning his draft card.
All these years later, Apple sees the courthouse vigil as a chance for the four men to stand up for the goodness in the world.
“We just do it as our witness,” he said. “It's like a little club or community, a little tribe.”
Ned Powell, one of the group’s original members, won’t say how old he is.
“I’m timeless,” he said. But
Tim estimates that his friend is in his early 80s. As a young man, Ned was one of 13,000 people arrested during one of the anti-Vietnam protests in Washington, D.C. in 1971. He was released on a $10 bill which he carried in his size 11 shoe.
At 71, Jeff Irving is the youngest of the four men. Irving, who goes by Goose, joined the vigil nine years ago after Donald Trump became the Republican party’s presidential nominee for the 2016 election. Goose felt he had to do something.
“To me, Trump represents hate,” he said. “And so, you got to go to the other side and out-love that hater.”
Their vigil’s origins began in 2003 after the United States invaded Iraq following the 9/11 attacks. A group called the Bloomington Peace Action Coalition organized a mass protest on the courthouse square. The protest was controversial from the start. Some members of the community were outraged with the group’s message of anti-war and world peace, believing it to be anti-American.
“Fuck you!” Tim remembers the counterprotesters shouting.
The group saw this negativity as just noise. They didn’t let it stop them. At the beginning of the protests, the courthouse square would have almost 900 people, but
over time, the fire behind the movement for peace had burnt out. Tim, Ned and Apple continued holding the tradition of the weekly peace vigils as they did in 2003, even if no one joined them. The group thinks there are many different reasons why people don’t join such as busy schedules or lack of interest.
“You don't get your hopes up,” Ned said. However, he and the other men remain
undeterred, continuing to show up every week as something he must do.
If it rains, the men protest from under umbrellas. If it snows, they stand with gloves and hats and handwarmers. The only thing that stops the men from showing up is lightning.
On another Wednesday in late October, the men return
to the corner. Fall leaves cover the sidewalk at their feet. They are handing out posters promoting their vigil and asserting their support for Kamala Harris, who is entering the final days of her campaign against Trump.
“Put a Woman in Charge,” one poster said.
As usual, many of those passing by ignore the men. But a few stop to ask questions.
“What are you guys doing here?” a middle-aged woman asked.
“We're standing here for peace,” Goose said. “Do you want a sign?”
“Yes, when are you guys out here?” she asks.
“Every Wednesday from 5 to 6,” Goose said, hopeful of her return. Whenever people show interest in participating, Goose always gets excited with the hope of new people joining. However, every Wednesday it continues to only be the four of them who show up.
“I find it unconscionable that we have a university of, well, how many 40 plus 1000 students… I find it hard to believe that we don’t have a whole bunch of young people there saying, ‘Yeah … we need peace,” Tim said.
This past summer, Ned took his peace sign to
stand with protesters on campus against the IsraelHamas war. Though people protested in Dunn Meadow, no one asked about his peace sign, and Ned never mentioned the peace vigil at the Gaza protests, believing it wouldn’t be relevant. However, he believes people recognize the point behind the vigils but ignore the greater cause.
During the same summer, Goose made 60 peace signs and posters to advocate for the group's simple message of peace, which they hoped would resonate with many community members.
“People walked away with them,” Goose said. “I'd give them away trying to get people back each week, and it never worked.”
While their presence is regular and expected by those out by the square around the same time, who know them as the peace guys on the corner, few know the story behind their passion for peace. Tim was a member of the Peace Corps who served in Nigeria during the Biafran War from 1968 to 1970. The war began in 1967 due to the attempt at secession of
MIKAYLA OWENS | IDS
(From left) James “Apple” Muncy, Jeff “Goose” Irving, Ned Powell and Tim Terry stand on the southeast corner of the downtown square Oct. 9, 2024, in Bloomington. The four men started meeting weekly to hold vigils for peace in 2003.
MIKAYLA OWENS | IDS Goose puts a sign into the ground while other posters he brought rest in an orange box Oct. 9, 2024, at the downtown square in Bloomington. Goose said he likes to hand these posters out to people who walk by the vigil.
MIKAYLA OWENS | IDS Ned sits with a homemade peace sign Aug. 26, 2024, on IU Bloomington’s campus. “This town would be nothing without the university,” Ned said. “There’s a culture that comes with it.”
provinces in Nigeria. During the war, Tim and his wife Barbara served as teachers.
After serving in the Corps, he became a jeweler, cultivating his designs in New York state until moving to Bloomington in 2003 with his wife, Barbara. Soon after moving to Bloomington, he joined the protesters outside the courthouse. In 2019, his wife of 50 years passed away after suffering from congestive heart failure. After losing his wife, he found comfort in continuing to create jewelry as well as participating in the weekly vigil. Outside of the vigil, Tim enjoys bike rides and spending time with his rescue Pitbull mix, Layla.
Ned grew up in Chicago, where his father's activism inspired him to join the steelworkers' union and shaped his advocacy view. As years have passed, he has been a passionate volunteer, serving organizations like Pastors for Peace, Friend of the Library bookstore, Opportunity House thrift store, and Habitat for Humanity ReStore.
Apple is a retired auto parts store manager. Before retiring, he returned to school to get his general studies degree from Indiana University South Bend. For Apple, attending the peace vigil has become a part of his weekly routine, and he couldn't imagine not joining. Before joining the group,
Goose was a Bloomington local for decades and worked as a Pizza X driver. Goose briefly lived in Florida after high school, he ultimately returned to Bloomington where he took classes at IU.
When Goose initially joined the group, he began making the same peace signs the group currently uses, crafting symbols of unity and peace that would be presented weekly. The peace signs, coded with bright colors and messages of love and peace, quickly became a staple of their vigil.
On the day of the election, rain showers the city of Bloomington. Tim spent the night at home, listening to the hard raindrops hitting his roof instead of following the election. He sits in his living room as Layla lays her head on his lap, comforting him through the storm and the anticipation of the day to follow.
As the sun rose the next morning, the United States woke to a new president. Regardless of the outcome of the election, peace is still the goal and the four men’s mission.
Undeterred by the soaked streets and the political division, Tim arrives first at the vigil that Wednesday after the election, standing, waiting a couple of minutes for the other men to arrive. The three others join, holding
their signs.
“I’ve seen you guys here before. What are you doing?” a woman asked.
“We’re here to spread peace, we’re here every Wednesday,” Goose said. The other men slowly turn to hear the conversation.
“Well, thank you for being here. I would love to join you guys sometime,” she said.
“That would be great. We’ll have a sign for you,” Goose said.
As she walks away, the four men smile. As the hour ticks by, more people than normal honk and shout “peace” toward the men. While the group had no idea if the woman would return to join the vigil, they would be back.
Appreciation for the peace signs roll in from community members after a divisive election. A shadow of fear clouds over half of the country, but Tim, Ned, Goose and Apple stand on the corner with their signs.
The uncertainty of others joining has never mattered to them. Whether it’s the four of them or hundreds of participants, they would be standing at the corner with their signs, as they have for over two decades. Standing at the corner every Wednesday may seem futile to some, but for the men, they carry a greater hope along with their signs. Their signs and weekly presence continue to be the same simple one-word call: Peace.
MIKAYLA OWENS | IDS
Goose holds two styrofoam peace signs he created Oct. 9, 2024, at the downtown square in Bloomington.
“This gets awfully lonely out here,” Goose said.
MIKAYLA OWENS | IDS Apple talks with Goose on Sept. 18, 2024, at the downtown square in Bloomington. He said that other students have joined them in the past and when they do, they talk about life, philosophy and politics.
Current campus renovation projects
By Natalia Nelson nelsonnb@iu.edu
As we enter the spring semester, several major construction and renovation projects remain ongoing around IU’s Bloomington campus.
The School of Public Health and Bill Garrett Fieldhouse began construction in the fall of 2024, according to Adam Theis, the IU associate vice president for capital planning. He said the project is set to continue until early 2026, and the work will be conducted in phases.
He said work is currently in the first phase on the west side of the School of Public Health. Theis said renovations to the school and the fieldhouse will consist of systems upgrades to windows and mechanical
systems, as well as interior upgrades to classrooms and other spaces in the building. According to IU’s capital projects website, the renovations are a part of the Wells Quad and Public Health renovations, with a budget totaling $89.5 million coming from state funding. The website states that due to the age of the buildings, repairs are needed to create more energyefficient systems, install air conditioning and update student spaces. The estimated completion date is June 2026.
Theis said another major project was to renovate the Music Addition Building to revamp the music practice and studio spaces. He said it is due to be completed next summer for occupancy and would reopen in the fall for
student, faculty and staff use.
The other renovations on Wells Quad are to Morrison and Sycamore Halls to modernize their HVAC system, building systems and restrooms. Wright Quadrangle is also being renovated to upgrade air conditioning, electrical systems, plumbing, security, fire protection systems and student spaces. The total budget for the Wright project is funded internally with a budget of $51.9 million.
Theis said the process of construction, from getting the funding for a project to completion, could last anywhere from three to five years, resulting in an unavoidable interference with student life.
“We work with our contractor teams to try and have as clear of communication
as possible related to when areas are closed off,” Theis said. “Try and have clear signage that directs people away from congested and or constructed areas. But there is inevitable disruption.”
He said an exterior project nearing completion is the tennis court renovation at the southeast corner of 17th Street and Fee Lane.
“The tennis courts now are going to be more functional related to other sports, so basketball, pickleball and some other activities will be on that facility,” Theis said. “It’ll be ready for spring use when springtime comes, when warmer weather comes.”
A utility repair to a steamline is also taking place on the street in front of Ballantine Hall, which Theis said should be completed in the next few weeks.
Bloomington to expand 3rd Street bike safety
The $107,500 project seeks to improve road safety
By Maddie Hensley henslemm@iu.edu
The City of Bloomington has announced plans to move forward with a $107,500 road safety project to extend delineators along the bike lane from Indiana Avenue to Rose Avenue.
This expansion comes after the city installed barriers and delineators in March 2024 along East Third Street between Indiana Avenue and Eagleson Avenue.
Project Engineer Kendall Knoke said the first implementations between Indiana Avenue and Eagleson Avenue yielded positive results.
“We saw a lot of success with the phase one implementation of this project,” he said. “It had a lot of the desired outcomes, which are primarily safety.”
He said that since the initial implementation, vehicles are no longer obstructing the bike lane for loading and unloading,
meaning a safer path for bikers.
Knoke said for phase one of construction, which cost $35,200, the city used excess delineator poles and barriers.
“It was a kind of pilot program to see how the different types of materials were able to hold up in the field,” he said.
According to Knoke, Traffic Logix Cycle Lanes, which are designed to act as curbing along a roadway, proved more durable than rubber parking blocks.
“In phase two, we are replacing those (rubber blocks) with the other product we use (Traffic Logix Cycle Lanes), which is kind of an engineered product specifically for this application,” he said. According to Knoke, phase two of construction will begin during spring break, the week of March 17.
“We’re hoping that the safety of the roadway will be improved for everyone,” he said.
JACK FORREST | IDS
A construction site is pictured Dec. 18, 2024, outside Ballantine Hall. There were several major construction projects on campus during the fall semester.
ABDULRAHMAN ALSUBHI | IDS
The bike lane on Third Street is seen Jan. 13, 2025, in Bloomington. The bike lane was covered with ice, making it difficult for cyclists to use.
1500
Bloomington’s Own Spider-Man
By Abby Turner abbturne@iu.edu
Spider-Man adjusts his web shooters and walks into the public library to grab a Monster energy drink from the vending machine. He’s been coming to this library since he was a kid, long before he became known as B-Town Spidey.
The spider emblem is peeling off the center of his suit. He was hoping to have a new suit finished by today, but sewing it himself is a process. It’s made of screen printed fabric, more durable and textured than regular fabric, which makes his suit more realistic. He wears Crocs underneath his boots because the boots are basically glorified socks with no soles.
He pops the tab, steps into the harsh afternoon sun and takes off his mask.
People stare. He doesn’t mind.
Five days a week, he works in the kitchen at DeAngelo’s making pizza. He is known there as Josef Armstrong. The other two days, Armstrong, 22, is perched on a ledge somewhere on Kirkwood or Indiana Avenue in his blueand-red Spidey suit.
Armstrong has gained a local cult following as @Btownspidey on social media, including an Instagram account with over 400 followers and several Reddit posts that received more than 100 upvotes. Here, he posts reveals of the suits he’s made and gives his fans progress updates on his sewing.
The first time he stepped out in the suit in 2021, he was scared. He still gets scared three years later, describing himself as an anxious person. But, after the first few minutes, he gets used to the
feeling. It just becomes fun.
“That’s the coolest mustache I’ve ever seen,” Spidey says to a man passing by with upturned silver whiskers. The man turns around and chuckles before continuing down Kirkwood Avenue toward downtown.
Armstrong, or SpiderMan two days a week, wants to make people smile.
***
Armstrong’s grandpa, George Vlahakis, says he has always been Spider-Man. In the preschool talent show, Armstrong put on his first suit and sang the SpiderMan theme song.
“He was something else, just beautiful, always wearing those costumes,” his grandmother Donna, who he calls Nana, says. Nana says he has been artistic since he was in preschool, always drawing and watching her sew. She has been sewing her whole life, and at one point made a living sewing costumes for an opera company and a porcelain doll store in Pennsylvania. She says the one good thing that came out of the COVID-19 pandemic was the time spent with Armstrong.
“He has a tendency to be shy, and this way, he doesn’t have to be.”
Donna, Armstrong’s grandmother
When the COVID-19 pandemic began in 2020, he was living in Bloomington with his grandparents. It was then that his Nana helped him sew his first SpiderMan suit, although she had previously taught him how to use a sewing machine when he was a kid.
He has made over 10 Spider-Man and Batman suits with his Goodwill sewing machine in the last four years. Although, he much prefers to be SpiderMan.
His newest suit was finished within a week. It’s much shinier than the last, with a brick-like texture and brighter blue colored legs. He hand-painted webs on the blue sections on his legs and back. The spider emblem is firmly secured on his chest atop the webbed red center.
He doesn’t like to brag, but he has become pretty good at sewing.
The gloves are his least favorite part to sew, although he has become better with practice.
“I can sew an entire suit, shirt, pants, hell, even boots,” Armstrong says. “But, I don’t like to do the fingers. They’re so easy to screw up if they’re not stretchy enough.”
The mask is completely new. He made it all himself, except for the moving, light-
up eyes controlled by a Bluetooth remote the size of his thumb. The eyes can close, wink and glow at the touch of a button, which he wears under his glove to keep it safe.
***
There has only been one instance in the three years since he stepped outside in the suit when he had to save someone. He was alone, walking around on the one night a year when costumes on the street were expected. It was Halloween 2022, and a man was unconscious on the concrete in front of the library.
He was lying near the front entrance by a window.
A stranger pointed him out to Armstrong because he happened to be the closest person to him on the dimly lit street.
Together, they checked on him, but Spidey was nervous the man would wake in a dazed panic to see
he was being saved by the well-known hero. He took his mask off and checked for breath. It was there.
He and the bystander called an ambulance. As far as he knows, the man made it to the hospital alive.
Like the real Spider-Man, Armstrong cares for his city. He was born and raised here, and loves everything about it except the bad drivers. He wants to make Bloomington a happier place and has found joy in surprising unsuspecting students walking to class.
Saving people isn’t his mission, but B-Town Spidey will always help where he is needed. Eventually, if he can figure out a budget, he wants to donate to the unhoused.
The kids especially make it worth it. In September, he went roller skating in the suit and found a kid wearing a Spider-Man T-shirt.
“He loves to make the kids smile and see them find joy in what he does,” Nana said.
“He has a tendency to be shy, and this way, he doesn’t have to be.”
As he is squatting on a ledge outside Urban Outfitters, a family of four points from a nearby store and says, “Look, SpiderMan.” He doesn’t notice. They stare and walk the opposite direction.
Two girls round the corner from Indiana Avenue onto Kirkwood and giggle. They get into a single file and walk the long way around a tree, away from Spider-Man. He poses for a picture.
He doesn’t know if it is because of his new hobby, or just because his life circumstances have improved, but he is much happier now than he was in high school four years ago.
Once, a group of students on scooters whizzed by him and called him a slur. He doesn’t think much of it, though. He thinks it was both sad and funny. His patience is apparent. He can trace it back to an incident in first grade when he made a stupid joke to a friend and got punched in the face. He didn’t retaliate. He saw no point.
Patience comes in handy for Spider-Man, when people whisper as they pass by and give him odd looks. That is the most common reaction he gets. He hopes, though, that he secretly made their day.
Spider-Man doesn’t feel the pressures of a double life, because to him, it’s just one. Armstrong is open with his friends and family about his passion, and they know him with and without the mask. A few of his friendships, mostly in Indianapolis and surrounding areas, are with other Spider-Men from a cosplay group, but they usually only meet up when it’s time for Comic-Con.
Armstrong is adamant he will enroll in college one day. It’s just a matter of when. Before he makes the leap, he wants to have an understanding of where his life is going. He’s not sure yet, but he knows it has something to do with art. On this Thursday night, he isn’t saving anyone or fighting bad guys. There is no need to be a hero tonight. Instead, he rests his phone on a ledge to take pictures for his Instagram account where he will reveal his new suits to his fans.
B-Town Spidey has just finished sewing.
For his new suit reveal, he proudly walks among crowds on a Thursday night. The crowds don’t bother him, and besides, he is wearing a mask.
COURTESY PHOTO
Josef Armstrong poses for a picture Oct. 16, 2024, on Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington. Armstrong said he sews his own Spider-Man suits and wears them around town.
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COLUMN: Mike Woodson era reaches rock bottom with Indiana implosion
Head coach Mike Woodson recieves boos from fans as the Hoosiers lose to Illinois, 94-69.
By Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer
| @mateo_frohwer
matfuent@iu.edu
It didn’t take long for the Hoosier crowd inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall to express their displeasure with Indiana men’s basketball Jan. 14.
The boos first began before tipoff against No. 19 Illinois with the introduction of head coach Mike Woodson. They returned when Trey Galloway airballed a 3-pointer just over five minutes into the contest and once more moments later when the fifth-year senior guard headed to the bench.
However, the loudest outrage came with just under seven minutes to go in the first half, when nearly the entire student section echoed “Fire Woodson” chants as Indiana trailed by 25 points.
That margin was extended to 28 as the Fighting Ilini entered the half with a 60-32 advantage — the largest Hoosier deficit at home in 25 years, according to ESPN Stats and In-
formation. And while that number was trimmed to 16 in the second half, Indiana ultimately fell 94-69 to Illinois in Bloomington.
“I understand,” senior forward Luke Goode said postgame about the boos.
“We got embarrassed. We have to wear this jersey with more pride as Indiana players. This program is too historical and too great to be represented like that.”
Entering the contest, both teams looked to improve from their previous performances. For Indiana, it meant recovering from the 85-60 disappointment against the Hawkeyes on Jan. 11 in Iowa City, Iowa. For Illinois, it meant bouncing back from its upset defeat at home to USC on the same day, albeit without standout freshman guard Kasparas Jakuč ionis.
As the scoreboard reflected, only one team truly learned from the loss.
Beyond the fact the 25-point loss was Indiana’s second-worst home defeat in history, knowing USC overcame this Fight-
ing Ilini squad makes it that much worse. The same USC squad, mind you, the Hoosiers defeated 82-69 less than a week ago.
Whether it’s a reflection of Indiana’s preparation, its intensity or the importance of Jaku č ionis to Illinois’ success, the lopsided defeat is inexcusable and the worst in Woodson’s fouryear tenure.
“Long season, man,” Woodson said postgame. “I mean, you can’t throw in the towel. We didn’t play well the first handful (of minutes). We were awful.”
For both Indiana and Illinois, the Jan. 14 result defined the state of the programs — one continuously at the top of the Big Ten and the other incapable of winning big games. Or, for that matter, competing in them.
And yet, it wasn’t long ago that both teams were in nearly identical spots.
Following the 2016-17 season, Indiana fired Tom Crean. The Hoosiers finished with an 18-16 record, including a first-round exit in the National Invitation
Tournament. Similarly, Illinois parted ways with John Groce after a 20-15 season that finished in the NIT quarterfinals.
With head coaching vacancies, one team made what’s proven to be the correct choice. The other? One that has largely spelled disaster for nearly all of the next eight years.
Illinois hired Brad Underwood ahead of the 2017-18 campaign, a decision it won’t soon regret. Following losing seasons in his first two years in charge, Underwood and the Fighting Illini won the Big Ten regular season and tournament title in 2021-22 and reached the NCAA Tournament Elite Eight in 2023-24. Conversely, Archie Miller landed Indiana’s coaching position. Although Miller managed winning records in his first two seasons, he never achieved a Big Ten finish higher than sixth nor an NCAA Tournament berth. He was fired after only four seasons.
Then came Woodson, who took Indiana to the
WOMEN’S SOCCER
Indiana head coach resigns
By Savannah Slone
srslone@iu.edu | @savrivers06
Indiana women’s soccer head coach Erwin van Bennekom has resigned to “pursue a different opportunity,” according to an Indiana Athletics press release Jan. 13. “I want to thank Erwin and his staff for their tireless efforts to elevate the IU Women’s Soccer program both within the Big Ten Conference and nationally,” Indiana athletic director Scott Dolson said in the release. “I wish Erwin and Kim the very best in all of their future endeavors.” Van Bennekom was named head coach at Indiana on Dec. 4, 2018, and spent six seasons with the Hoosiers where he had a 44-39-20 record. Van Bennekom took the Hoosiers to three Big Ten Tournament showings. Most recently, he coached the Hoosiers to a 6-9-2 record in 2024 and a 1-9-1 mark in Big Ten games. On Jan. 5, 2024, van Bennekom signed a contract extension that was set to run through 2029. In 2023, van Bennekom led Indiana to arguably its best season since 2013. The Hoosiers made their first NCAA Tournament appearance in 10 years and finished with a 12-4-4 record, and Indiana reached the United Soccer Coaches Poll five times that season with its
highest ranking coming at No. 17. The 12 wins set Indiana’s program record, previously set by van Bennekom in 2021 when the Hoosiers recorded nine overall wins. Indiana finished fifth in the Big Ten standings with 20 points in 2023, its best conference finish in program history. Before coaching at Indiana, van Bennekom served as an assistant women’s soccer coach under Robbie Church at Duke University from 2015-17 before he was
promoted to associate head coach in 2018. Under van Bennekom, the Blue Devils went 68-17-11 and 29-6-5 in conference games. Van Bennekom also coached the National Women’s Soccer League’s Sky Blue FC, University of Alabama, New Jersey Institute of Technology and played soccer at the semi-professional level from 2006-09 prior to beginning his coaching career. Associate head coach Tim Verschuren, who has spent four seasons with the
Hoosiers, will now serve as Indiana’s interim head coach while Indiana conducts a national search for a new head coach.
Prior to becoming the associate head coach for the Hoosiers, Verschuren was an assistant coach for Farleigh Dickinson University women’s soccer. In his two seasons with the Knights, Verschuren helped coach them to a 14-9-6 record and a Northeast conference championship game appearance in 2019.
NCAA Tournament in his first two seasons but failed to do so in the 2023-24 campaign. All the while, Underwood and Illinois continued their success, benefiting from a correct decision made nearly eight years ago. But that’s the past.
“We got embarrassed. This program is too historical and too great to be represented like that.”
Senior forward Luke Goode
Woodson and Indiana need to deal with what’s in front of them now — a conference stretch featuring nine consecutive Quad 1 games that will not get any easier. After a three-game slate of Ohio State, Northwestern and Maryland, the Hoosiers travel to No. 17 Purdue and No. 24 Wisconsin, host No. 20 Michigan and then visit No. 12 Michigan State.
A lot needs to change from these 25-point defeats
for Indiana to make a serious challenge in the Big Ten, much less earn a spot in the NCAA Tournament. For starters, improvement with rebounding, 3-point shooting and defense is key, the same aspects that decimated any chance the Hoosiers had of winning. Most important of all, however, is the effort. At times, Indiana looked disinterested, disengaged and asleep. Only for a brief couple minutes in the second half did the team — and the crowd — come to life. But just as soon as it arrived, it was gone again, destroyed by Illinois’ scoring and the Hoosiers’ failure to hit perimeter shots. As Woodson once again stressed the fact his team needs to “continue to work,” he also emphasized the possibility of a snowball effect with the upcoming gauntlet. After two disastrous defeats and barring any drastic changes, that snowball poses a real threat to Indiana. A threat that could destroy its season.
Former Indiana coach Mick Lyon dies at 61
By Elakai Anela eanela@iu.edu | @elakai_anela
Mick Lyon, who coached Indiana women’s soccer for 11 seasons, died Jan. 12. He was 61.
During his time at Indiana, Lyon recruited Orianica Velasquez from Columbia. Velasquez became the first Indiana women’s soccer player to compete in the World Cup in 2011 and the Olympics in 2012. He also mentored five First Team All-Big Ten players and two National Soccer Coaches Association of America AllRegion players. The Lincolnshire, England, native led Indiana to multiple successful seasons, including what was then the program’s best season in 2007 when they went 13-7-1 and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the third time in program history. In 2009, the Hoosiers set a then-school record by reeling off six straight wins to open the season, including a 2-1 win over No. 6 University of Florida — the highest ranked opponent the Hoosiers have ever defeated.
After he completed his second season with Indi-
ana in 2004, Mick was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Mick’s wife, Elizabeth, was also battling the same disease — a rare coincidence as the disease only affects three in 1,000 people in the United States. For Lyon, a former standout player on the men’s team and Hall of Fame coach of the women’s team at the University of Evansville for 15 years, the news of his disease was especially devastating. On the surface, he didn’t tell anyone — his close friends, fellow coaches nor players — but on the inside, he and his wife shared their struggles together. Mick detailed his experience battling the disease to ESPN reporter Graham Hays in September 2010. As the disease slowly progressed over time, Lyonwas forced to retire in 2012 as his body slowly started to shut down. Although he hid the disease from his friends back home, he announced what he was battling after he retired. When his friends in Evansville learned of his declining condition, they started a GoFundMe to support him.
FILE PHOTO | IDS Indiana women’s soccer head coach Erwin van Bennekom coaches his team Oct. 27, 2019, at Bill Armstrong Stadium in Bloomington. Van Bennekom resigned Jan. 13.
GISELLE MARSTELLER | IDS Redshirt sophomore guard Myles Rice drives to the basket against Illinois on Jan. 14, 2025, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. The Hoosiers fell by 25 points to the Fighting Illini.
Indiana pummeled by Illinois with crowd boos
By Daniel Flick danflick@iu.edu | @bydanielflick
As the halftime buzzer sounded Tuesday night inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, Illinois junior guard Tre White and sophomore forward Jake Davis lifted their arms near midcourt and motioned their hands inward, inviting the Hoosier faithful to yell louder. Indiana men’s basketball’s fans weren’t jeering their team’s opponent. They united in a chorus of boos against their own team, and their own coach. Not for the first time, and not for the last.
The Hoosiers trailed 6032 at halftime. Indiana held three prior opponents to lower point totals in entire games earlier this season. The damage, Indiana head coach Mike Woodson said postgame, was already done.
And so was the Hoosiers’ 16-year stretch without backto-back losses by 25-plus points, as Indiana (13-5, 4-3 Big Ten) fell 94-69 to the Fighting Illini (13-4, 5-2 Big Ten).
“I understand it. We got embarrassed,” senior forward Luke Goode said postgame about the booing fans. “We have to wear this jersey with more pride as Indiana players. This program is too historical and too great to be represented like that.”
The players weren’t always the focal point of the fan base’s displeasure. When
public address announcer Jeremy Gray introduced Woodson pregame, a louderthan-usual faction of fans booed. With just under seven minutes to play in the first half and the Hoosiers trailing by 25 points, chants of “Fire Woodson” broke out from the student section.
Fifth-year senior guard Trey Galloway, who scored 10 points with help from a pair of second half 3-pointers after starting 1-for-9 shooting, was another primary target.
After airballing a 3-pointer with 14:24 to play, Woodson subbed out Galloway for sophomore guard Kanaan Carlyle. Galloway, who had already missed four shots, received loud boos on his walk back to the bench while fans cheered Carlyle, who followed by missing a floater and 3-pointer within his first 50 seconds of action.
During a timeout late in the first half, Galloway appeared in a video on the jumbotron centered around his choice of songs: “Sweet Child o’ Mine,” “Thunderstruck” and “Highway to Hell.” The sight of his face drew a steady outpour of boos from the student section. The same happened when he missed an open 3-pointer from the top of the key midway through the second half.
Goode, who scored 13 points in his first game against Illinois since transferring from the Fighting Illini in
the spring, believes Indiana will turn it around — and he wants fans to keep the same energy.
“To all those fans that were booing and are so negative on social media, just don’t switch sides,” Goode said. “We will get this thing turned around. We all got the confidence in our teammates, got the confidence in our coaches, so stay on this side when we start being successful again.”
Indiana has plenty to fix to get there. Goode said the Hoosiers aren’t playing tough enough
and need to pay closer attention to their scouting report. Fifth-year senior guard Anthony Leal added the need for better defensive effort and energy, sustaining surges from the other team and responding with runs of their own and, like Goode, stressed consistency with the scouting report and offensive concepts.
Indiana shot 38.5% from the field, its third-worst output this season, and missed its first 13 attempts from distance. Defensively, the Hoosiers allowed a season-high 94 points, while the Fighting
FOOTBALL
Illini’s 11 triples matched the most Indiana’s given up this year. Illinois won the rebounding battle 51-37 and outscored Indiana 19-6 in second chance points. The Hoosiers have three days before facing Ohio State at 8 p.m. Friday in Columbus, Ohio. Leal thinks they need to spend it soul-searching.
“Obviously, things need to be addressed between players and themselves and players and each other,” Leal said. “I think that’s really the root of it. We just got to lock in, look in the mirror, and understand how embarrassing and unacceptable this is and understand that nobody gets where they want to go if the team doesn’t win.”
Woodson said at Big Ten Media Day in October he thinks this Indiana roster is the most talented he’s coached across his four years. He was asked postgame why it hasn’t clicked for his team yet and first mentioned the absence of junior forward and leading scorer Malik Reneau, which he said doesn’t help. But Reneau, who has an uncertain timeline to return after suffering a knee injury Jan. 2 against Rutgers, was healthy and active when Indiana lost three of its five games by 16-plus points.
The last two — an 8560 loss Jan. 11 at Iowa and Tuesday night’s drubbing — pushed Indiana to 1-5 in Quad 1 games this sea-
son. The Hoosiers have nine more Quad 1 games on their schedule.
Leal acknowledged things aren’t going the way they were supposed to preseason, when Indiana was ranked No. 17, but the Hoosiers have an opportunity to flip the script on their season. They just need to capitalize.
“We have two different options,” Leal said, “and I think as long as we can all get on the same page about the fact that we can win those nine games, turn the season around, we can make everybody’s dreams come true.”
The process starts with each player identifying issues and adapting a new and improved mindset, Leal said, later adding Indiana has lots of work to do.
But the Hoosiers have little time to fix it, with a fanbase growing impatient and a self-proclaimed ubertalented roster staring down the reality of a spiraling season. And the road doesn’t get easier.
“We can’t let this be a snowball effect,” Woodson said. “We got a long way to go in this Big Ten. Do I think we’re good enough to win? Yeah, I do. I just got to get us to believe that and keep pushing these guys in the right direction.”
From the boos and early departures of fans Tuesday night, he also needs to get the Hoosier faithful to believe it, too.
Tom Allen hired as Clemson’s defensive coordinator
By Dalton James jamesdm@iu.edu | @daltonmjames
While Indiana football set program records in 2024 under first-year head coach Curt Cignetti, his predecessor helped guide Penn State to a College Football Playoff Semifinal appearance.
Now, just five days after the Nittany Lions fell to the University of Notre Dame — like Indiana — in the Capital One Orange Bowl, former Penn State defensive coordinator Tom Allen is on the move.
Allen, who spent seven seasons as Indiana’s head coach, will become the defensive coordinator at Clemson University, according to ESPN’s Pete Thamel’s X post Tuesday. The 54-year-old Allen signed a three-year deal worth $6 million to replace Wes Goodwin, who was fired after three seasons with the Tigers. While on the surface
it may seem like a lateral move with Allen shifting from a premier school in the Big Ten to one of the same in the Atlantic Coast Conference, his two daughters live in the Carolinas and likely played a role in Allen’s decision, according to Thamel. Allen’s son, Thomas,
who played for Indiana from 2017-21, was on Penn State’s staff as a defensive analyst and analytics coordinator. Per Thamel, Thomas will likely join his father at Clemson. Despite securing a berth in the College Football Playoff, Clemson fell to the University of Texas in the first round. Its defense surrendered 38 points and 494 total yards. Clemson head coach Dabo Swinney is now tasking Allen with resurrecting the defense to its prior success obtained under Brent Venables, who was the defensive coordinator for the Tigers from 2012-21.
GISELLE MARSTELLER | IDS
Sixth-year senior center Oumar Ballo holds the ball over his head in a game against Illinois on Jan. 14, 2025, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. The Hoosiers were out-rebounded in Jan. 14 contest 51-37.
Indiana ends historic season in College Football Playoffs
Luke Goode’s roundabout journey to Indiana
After transferring from University of Illinois, Fort Wayne native Luke Goode makes his debut at Indiana.
By Mateo Fuentes-Rohwer
matfuent@iu.edu | @mateo_frohwer
Luke Goode and his grandfather, Bill Lentz, smile for a photo in the seats of Assembly Hall in 2012. Luke’s turned to the camera, smiling brightly with his braces glinting in the light, his red hair trimmed short.
Bill has his arm on Luke’s shoulder, wearing a
similar grin to his grandson while the two pose in their seats. They’re both wearing red, slightly darker than the shades of the NCAA National Champions banners behind them, three of which are visible.
In the fall of 2024, 12 years after that photo, Luke and Bill are back inside Assembly Hall — only this time under much different circumstances.
Luke now has his arm around Bill, standing nearly a head’s length above his grandfather. His red hair is a bit longer than before, his braces are gone and he wears a white Indiana basketball jersey with the number 10 in the top right corner.
Bill is still wearing red, only this time his apparel reads “Goode to be home.” The two are pictured at cen-
JOIN OUR TEAM J O IN O UR TEA M
ter court following Luke’s first appearance in Hoosier Hysteria, an annual celebration for the beginning of a new Indiana basketball season in Bloomington. But for Luke, the event also marked the start of a new career as a Hoosier, something years in the making.
*** A native of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Luke was born into a family of Hoosiers. His father, Craig Goode, played football for Indiana from 1994-96, and his uncle, Trent Green, played from 1990-92. Luke’s mother, Susan Goode, attended Indiana, as did his grandparents, two of his aunts and two uncles. Luke willingly accepted his birthright of becoming
a diehard Hoosier fan. His grandmother, Darcie Lentz, fondly remembered buying him candy stripes every year as he would outgrow them. His Christmas list always included Indiana gear, and if the family made the trip to Bloomington, he and his siblings would always get IU apparel.
JAMES RUSH | IDS
Senior forward Luke Goode prepares for an opponent free throw during a game against Rutgers on Jan. 2, 2025, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Goode scored 12 points and secured seven rebounds against Penn State.
fundamental to his basketball career.
Several times a season, Luke attended Indiana basketball games, often sporting his Hoosier merchandise and candy-striped pants. Bill and Darcie had two tickets that were shared amongst the grandchildren, and Green also had two seats just behind the commentators’ table.
Luke adored his uncle’s location. During one game televised on ESPN, he managed to get on the broadcast, leaning over the rail and waving to the camera. Every chance Luke had to attend a game with those tickets, sitting with Green, he took it.
But for as much as Luke loved Indiana, his dedication to basketball was just as serious.
“He was just a basketball enthusiast,” Craig said.
“Yes, he loved IU, that was his school, but he loved the game of basketball.”
Every night, Luke watched basketball, studying it. He tried to watch every Hoosier game he could, but even if they weren’t playing, he would watch another college matchup or the NBA, often while doing his homework.
The dedication to watching coincided with his dedication to playing. Darcie remembers arriving at the Goode household with Luke playing basketball in the driveway, astounded at his work ethic in less-than-ideal conditions.
“You’d think it’s too cold to be out there,” Darcie said. “No, no it’s not.” Not for Luke.
Second grade marked his first season of AAU basketball, playing for Team Teague. The Indianapolisbased team also contained fellow college basketball players, including Purdue’s Caleb Furst and the University of Miami’s Jalen Blackmon, whose brothers, James Blackmon Jr. and Vijay Blackmon, played at Indiana.
Luke began to workout with Optimum Performance Sports Basketball, a program in Fort Wayne offering “necessary guidance, instruction and exposure” to kids of all ages. While training at OPS, he met Matt Roth, a former Indiana guard and one of Luke’s future mentors.
“To be able to wear the candy stripes and go play, it’s a dream come true.”
Senior forward Luke Goode
“I definitely wouldn’t be here today if it wasn’t for him,” Goode said at Indiana basketball’s institutional media day Sept. 18. “I was able to grow up with him. He’s done nothing but great things for me.”
Roth’s four years at Indiana spanned from 20082012, and he finished with a career 3-point percentage 41.6%. When the workouts first began in middle school, Luke loved to shoot, and Roth helped elevate that part of his game. But the workouts extended beyond simply shooting. Roth taught Luke the game of basketball, and later, he provided mentorship throughout the recruiting process. To Luke, Roth was
“I’ll always appreciate Matt for all that he helped me with growing up,” Luke said.
***
Luke took one dribble on the right wing, moving the ball from his left hand to his right. With only two steps, he rises to the rim and secures the dunk just before the oncoming defender could block him.
The whistle blows for a foul. Luke, wearing a white Homestead High School jersey with “Spartans” across the front, gets up off the hardwood, looking out to the crowd with a calm expression — one that seems like he’s been there before.
In a sense, he had.
Luke’s freshman year
Underwood. Craig said the Fighting Illini showed “the most interest,” calling Luke nonstop. He also formed a tight bond with Stephen Gentry, an assistant coach at Illinois before he joined Gonzaga University in 2021.
As a member of the Fighting Ilini, Luke appeared in 76 games, an impressive feat considering he only played in 10 contests his sophomore year due to a foot injury. But after three years at Illinois, it was time for the Fort Wayne native to finally return to his home state.
Almost instinctively, Luke runs to the left wing behind the 3-point line as junior forward Malik Reneau races up the court. He turns to look at the ball while positioning himself in
featured a big turning point in his career. Craig remembers a putback dunk during his days with Indy Heat, one which led to increased interest from colleges. At the time, the 6-foot-2, skinny freshman had never done a thing like that before, but only three years later, it was nothing special to him.
All the while, Luke’s success on the court was coinciding with his success on the football field. His 2,778 passing yards in his junior year in 2019 set the Homestead record, and Craig even believed he was a better football player than basketball player.
And yet, Luke’s desire for basketball never wavered. Craig recalls asking him if he would rather be a No. 1 overall pick in the NFL draft or play basketball overseas professionally, not in the NBA.
Without hesitation, Luke sided with basketball.
“I think we knew at that point,” Craig said about his son’s preferred sport. “He knew that basketball was where he wanted to be and where he was. That (was) what he was going to pursue at the next level.”
The first collegiate offer came from Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis. Iowa, Northwestern and Butler University followed. In total, Luke received 10 offers from different schools, none of them named Indiana.
“It was a bummer, but we live that everything happens for a reason,” Craig said. “It was an awesome three years there (at Illinois). Wouldn’t trade it for the world.” Ultimately, he chose Illinois and head coach Brad
4TH aNNUAL sTUDIO gHIBLI fILM fESTIVAL
Celebrate the Wondrous Films of Hayao Miyazaki in a 4-Film Series
Spirited Away - 1/17
Howl’s Moving Castle - 1/24
Kiki’s Delivery Service - 1/31
Porco Rosso - 2/7
Sleeping Trees & David Woodruff’s moonscreen: Live at Buskirk-Chumley Theater - 1/29
Presented by 91.3 WFHB
Kinsey (2004) - 1/30
A Science on Screen® Initiative
Ani difranco documentary: 1-800-on-her-own - 2/1
Documentary Following the Groundbreaking Indie
Musician/Feminist Ani DiFranco
Magic of Motown - 2/2
A Journey Through Motown’s Best
Moms Unhinged standup comedy show (18+) - 2/4
Featuring Janae Burris, Andrea Marie, Jan Slavin, and Lindsay Porter
The String Queens - 2/6
Authentic and Soulful String Trio Based in Washington D.C.
La La Land (2016) - 2/14
A Valentine’s Day Special
Bloomington Winter Blues Festival 2/15
Featuring King Bee & The Stingers, Mike Milligan and Steam Shovel, and the Gordon Bonham Blues Band
Born Innocent: The Redd Kross Story - 2/16
Redd Kross Documentary Presented by 91.3 WFHB
Billy Fortune, Prairie Scout, & Brick Lancaster: Live at Buskirk-Chumley Theater - 2/19
Presented by 91.3 WFHB
Music for mushrooms (2024) - 2/20
A Science on Screen® Initiative
IU Sing A cappella - 2/22
Student Showcase Presented by the IU Student Foundation
Live! On stage: Jonathan Richman (16+) - 2/26 Featuring Tommy Larkins on the Drums
kEVIN jAMES tHORNTON - 3/1
his go-to spot on the perimeter, and in one motion after receiving the pass, he drills the transition triple.
As the crowd inside Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall erupts, Luke turns to the Hoosier bench, pointing his right index finger at his teammates. After the whistle blows to signal a timeout for the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, Luke walks to midcourt slowly, tensing his muscles and yelling with his eyes closed.
It was the moment Luke appeared to truly arrive at Indiana.
Before the basket Nov. 21, he had been 2 for 11 on 3-point attempts on the season. Only 12 days later, Luke would finish 5 for 7 from behind the arc in a destruction of Sam Houston State University.
Even on a career night, Luke was more appreciative of the white jersey with red letters spelling “Indiana” than any of his own personal achievements.
“To be able to wear the candy stripes and go play, it’s a dream come true,” Luke said after the Sam Houston State victory Dec. 3. “I play as hard as I possibly can when I’m on the court to represent this program the way it should be represented.”
In a season filled with expectations, Luke is also representing one more person — an 11- year-old boy who screamed for the Hoosiers, joined his grandparents at basketball games and wore Indiana apparel all the time.
A boy who seemed destined to end
playing
Comedy Show Featuring Mat Alano-Martin
The Legendary life of tom Petty - 3/8
Featuring Juno Award Winning Artist Clayton Bellamy
American Voices for all Times - 3/9
Bloomington Symphony Orchestra Spring Performance
On The Lash - 3/14
In Celebration of St. Patrick’s Day - Honoring Irish Traditional Music
I Laugh at myself: an evening with justin Furstenfeld of blue october (16+) - 3/20
Featuring Furstenfeld’s One-Man Show: “An Open Book”
Hoosier Country jam: Collin Raye 3/23
Presented by Camp Broadcast
Bruce Cockburn - 5/12
Presented by Bloomington Roots
Past, Present, and Future - 5/18
Bloomington Symphony Orchestra’s 55th Season Finale
up at Indiana
basketball and, ultimately, did.
GISELLE MARSTELLER | IDS
Senior forward Luke Goode (10) points at his teammates after a 3-pointer in a game against the University of North Carolina at Greensboro on Nov. 21, 2024, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington. Goode’s 3-pointer marked only his third make in the first four games of the season.
GISELLE MARSTELLER | IDS
Senior forward Luke Goode fights for a rebound in a game against Illinois on Jan. 14, 2025, at Simon Skjodt
Assembly Hall in Bloomington. The Hoosiers lost 94-69 to the Fighting Ilini. » GOODE
PAGE 14
COLUMN: How fashion shapes sorority recruitment from rush bags to TikTok trends
By Hayden Kay haykay@iu.edu
Fashion is an important part of the process for those going through sorority recruitment. Spring rush, which began Jan. 5, was met with snow and low temperatures this year. When I arrived back to campus from winter break, I saw students walking around in long winter coats, rush bags in hand. It was overwhelming to see so many similarly dressed people. I admired them for trekking through the cold with their hair and makeup done while other students were still at home.
TikTok is the central place to see what women are wearing for rush at any collegiate institution. Outfit-of-the-day videos and #bamarush have brought a lot of attention to sorority life, with potential new members
(PNMs), breaking down the brands they wear each day. TikTok acts as a unique platform for insight into the rush process, with Greek and non-Greek affiliated viewers alike getting entranced by the costs and effort put into each outfit.
A “rush bag” is typically a large tote or purse that can hold snacks, makeup and extra clothes for busy recruitment days. Rush bags are not limited to a single style but are rather whatever is large enough and most comfortable. A canvas tote with colorful straps or the black Lululemon quilted grid tote bag are some examples.
The Open Invite Round, held on Zoom, is when PNMs meet with each participating house to learn about each chapter. Black tops were the only dress requirement, according to IU students on TikTok. For bottoms, the unspoken style
was sweatpants or pajama pants. For the Philanthropy and Service Round, PNMs return to the chapters they were invited back to and learn about each chapter’s philanthropy. Every person was given a pink Panhellenic T-shirt with navy lettering, which made for a striking color combination. PNMs wore a variety of jeans, with some adding variety with leopard print or a denim skirt.
The first three days guarantee that each PNM has the same visual first impression. They can show individuality through accessories. Even then, jewelry seems limited to a few popular brands like Enewton, Evry Jewels and Amazon.
A certain “look” defined the styles worn for the Sisterhood Round. Students can visit up to nine chapters
where they learn about the sisterhood of each chapter. On social media I saw many off-shoulder knits, whether it was a sweater or a dress, miniskirts and knee-high boots. People mainly stuck with neutrals. I enjoy seeing the excitement each student has when going over parts of their outfit, even if I can scroll and find someone else with a similar iteration. Rush will wrap up with the Preference Round on Jan. 17-18 and finish with Bid Day on Jan. 19. PNMs visit and rank their top two chapters from the Sisterhood Round. Bid Day is the opportunity to get an invite from one of these chapters to become a member.
I think the fashion trends among Greek life members is a way to feel connected to others and have more confidence in your personality when engaging in conversations. For the
same reason uniforms create an automatic connection, it isn’t necessarily a negative that organizations would use clothes as a means to show unity among members. However, fashion can still be presentable, sophisticated and classy without feeling like you must look like everyone else in the room. It is disheartening that chapters encourage individual expression, yet are so restrictive, even if not directly, with how members try to meet certain standards.
Why do students feel the need to conform to Greek life fashion when fashion today is wide open for individual expression?
While the visual standards between different campuses may differ, each school has a Panhellenic recruitment guide for how PNMs should dress. If each woman interprets these guidelines similarly, it could
explain why the resulting outfits are practically identical. Beyond the unexplainable mix of highend and fast fashion brands, the traditionally feminine look combines old trends with some more modern ones. Honoring the history of sorority dress shouldn’t mean that women limit themselves to one image of what a sorority member looks like. This is difficult when the culture of these organizations reaches back to their establishments. IU recruitment fashion may be different from an SEC school such as the University of Alabama. Yet, there is an undeniable look because of the pressure to appear a certain way in hopes for a bid. If members are truly going to be “unapologetically themselves,” why not start with initiating new terms for professional women’s wear in the college setting.
Where to find campus comedy troupes this semester
By Grace Romine gmromine@iu.edu
Bloomington and IU have a long history with comedy. Producing comics like Saturday Night Live cast member Emil Wakim and home to venues like The Comedy Attic, laughter isn’t too hard to find around town — especially from budding student talent.
With student sketch and improv troupes on campus announcing their spring schedules, there are several free, accessible comedy performances each month to choose from. Here is your guide to IU student comedy this semester.
Backdoor Comedy
Backdoor Comedy is IU’s only troupe to perform both improv and sketch comedy, which senior troupe member Logan Vaught said is a feature that sets Backdoor Comedy apart from other groups. Each hour-long show consists of 30 minutes of improv and 30 minutes of sketch comedy.
“It’s been probably one of my favorite things I’ve done here at IU,” Vaught said, who’s been a member since the fall semester of his freshman year.
With each show starting at 9 p.m., Backdoor Comedy will perform Jan. 25, Feb. 8, Feb. 22, March 8, April 5 and May 3 in the Fine Arts Building in room 015. Each show is free to attend.
Boy in the Bubble Comedy Boy in the Bubble Comedy is IU’s longest running sketch comedy troupe. Boy in the Bubble will host free sketch performances Jan. 18, Feb. 1, Feb. 15 and March 1, with an alumni show March 29
and its senior show May 3. Each free show will begin at 9 p.m. in room 015 of the Fine Arts Building. Boy in the Bubble Comedy will also perform at The Comedy Attic on April 3. Information on tickets is not yet available on The Comedy Attic’s website.
Full Frontal Comedy
Full Frontal Comedy is the longest-running improv troupe at IU, according to the student organization’s beINvoled page. It will be senior troupe member Emma Proctor’s sixth semester with Full Frontal, which she describes as a second home.
“It’s been really incredible to be a part of something that is so tight knit,” Proctor said. “Improv relies a lot on trusting the people that you’re with and knowing that if you have an idea, everyone else will run with it, or if you don’t have an idea but want to support someone else — everyone is in it together.”
The troupe’s spring semester will kick-off 7 p.m. Jan. 16 with Full Frontal’s debut show at The Comedy Attic, located 123 S. Walnut St. Student tickets are available to purchase for $10 on The Comedy Attic’s website.
“It’s been really incredible to be a part of something that is so tight knit,” Emma Proctor, IU senior troupe member
The Full Frontal shows following the troupe’s Comedy Attic debut will begin at 9 p.m. Jan. 24, Feb.
7, Feb. 21. March 7, March 28 and May 2 in the Indiana Memorial Union State Room East. Each show is free to attend.
Ladies’ Night Comedy
Ladies’ Night Comedy troupe is a space to advance underrepresented voices in comedy through standup and sketch work.
Ladies’ Night hosts one performance each month. The troupe’s spring schedule has yet to be announced.
More information can be found on the Ladies’ Night Comedy Instagram.
The University tWits Sketch Comedy Group
The University tWits Comedy Group will open the spring semester with its annual themed show at 9 p.m. Jan. 31 with the location yet to be determined. Senior troupe member Adam Longstreth said that while the tradition only began a few years ago, the themed show easily became a troupe favorite. “All the sketches are set in one continuous location, so the whole show revolves around one big overarching plot with reoccurring characters,” Longstrech said. “It’s something
we actually started my freshman year, and it’s been one of our favorite shows to do every year, so, I’m excited for that.”
The University tWits will also perform Feb. 28 and hold its senior show April 18. Information on times and locations has yet to be announced.
Funny 501 IU’s annual two-day comedy festival, Funny 501, features performances by each comedy troupe — Full Frontal, Backdoor, Boy in the Bubble, University tWits and Ladies’ Night. Previous festivals have
BY
included sets by alumni, including Boy in the Bubble alumnus and winner of the 15th Annual Bloomington Comedy Festival Joey Cerone. The festival also hosts other student groups like Midnight Snack and IUSTV’s only late-night comedy show, Not Too Late. The 2025 Funny 501 festival is scheduled for April 11-12. The festival is free but other information has yet to be announced. The Boy in the Bubble Comedy and Ladies’ Night did not respond to requests for comment by time of publication.
New exhibits coming to Eskenazi, The Grunwald Gallery
By Halie Jasinover hjasino@iu.edu
The Grunwald Gallery of Art will present two new bodies of work beginning Jan. 17. One exhibition titled “YOU (probably) HAVEN’T SEEN THIS BEFORE
(YPHSTB)” is a curation of films from 1937 to 2018 that represent historically underrepresented North
Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Today is a 7 — Find a nice spot to rest and enjoy the scenery. Expect delays or surprises with traffic and transportation. Research options and alternative solutions.
Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)Today is an 8 — Collaborate for shared gain, despite financial challenges. Hold your temper. Impulsive actions backfire. Ignore rumors and gossip. Clarify objectives and coordinate. Patiently advance.
American communities. Curated by Carmel Curtis, IU’s moving image curator and digital initiatives lead, the exhibit features 34 archival films. Led by the the Indiana University Moving Image Archive, these films have been well preserved and made accessible to the public.
YPHSTB’s focus is on works that have not been shown in traditional movie
theaters or galleries. Using home movies as one of the exhibit’s mediums, audiences are able to learn about the many stories of communities from rural Appalachia to the South Side of Chicago. The exhibit’s centerpiece is a 1958 film produced by the IU Audio-Visual Center titled “Indianapolis Attacks its Slums”.
Artist Julie
to clarify miscommunications or adapt to surprising news. Anticipate resistance. The perfect solution appears.
Schenkelberg’s exhibit is titled “Midlothian Chapel.”
Schenkelberg is the IU Arts and Humanities Council’s 2024 Engaged Artist-in-Residence on Bloomington’s campus. Her sculptures create an otherworldly experience using found objects, sacred symbols and postindustrial materials. The exhibit is a room-sized installation inspired by
Bloomington’s local lore as well as Schenkelberg’s experience doing research in Scotland where she experienced the Rosslyn Chapel, a 15th-century chapel that is known for its stonework and myths.
The exhibits run from Jan. 17 to March 8, with a reception from 6-8 p.m. on its opening day. This event is free and not ticketed. Schenkelberg will give an
Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)
(Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is a 6 — Enjoy peaceful settings for thinking and
artist’s lecture at 5 p.m. Jan. 17. The exhibits are at the Grunwald Gallery of Art in the Fine Arts Building, located at 1201 E. Seventh St. The gallery is open noon to 4 p.m. Tuesday through
ABDULRAHMAN ALSUBHI | IDS
The entrance to the Grunwald Gallery pictured Jan. 14, 2025, at the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture and Design building in Bloomington. The gallery
HAVEN’T SEEN THIS BEFORE (YPHSTB),” and “Midlothian Chapel,” will be presented in an opening
by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis
COLUMN: ‘The Brutalist,’
Here are the films likely to receive the most enthusiasm this awards season
By Joey Sills sillsj@iu.edu
I have a perpetual lovehate relationship with the Oscars. Every year I watch the awards ceremony and inevitably get angry at the Academy for undeservedly obsessing over certain films and snubbing others. I can only stand so much of the hosts’ cheesy one-liners about star life in Hollywood or the movies that got the most critical nods that year. But, at the same time, I can’t look away either — it is the Oscars, after all, and, whether we despise the Academy or not, they’re an influential bunch.
And, really, despite everything, the Oscars ceremony is just fun: there’s a reason the awards season is such an integral part of our popular culture.
SEE OSCARS, PAGE 19
Emmanuel Church
1503 W. That Rd. 812-824-2768
Emmanuelbloom.com Instagram & Facebook: @EmmanuelBloomington
Sunday: 9:15 a.m., Fellowship Sunday: 10 a.m., Worship Groups: Various times
Emmanuel is a multigenerational church of all types of people. Whether you are questioning faith or have followed Jesus for years, we exist to help fuel a passion for following Jesus as we gather together, grow in community, and go make disciples.
John Winders - Lead Pastor
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Bloomington Young Single Adult Branch
2411 E. Second St. To Contact: Send message from website maps.churchofjesuschrist.org/ wards/237973
Sunday: 12:30 p.m.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has four congregations in Bloomington—Three family wards and our young single adult branch for college students. This info is for the YSA Branch. Weekday religious classes at 333 S. Highland Ave, Bloomington IN 47401, next to campus. More info at churchofjesuschrist.org.
Lutheran - Missouri Synod
University Lutheran Church and LCMS U Student Center
607 E. Seventh St. 812-336-5387 indianalutheran.com facebook.com/ULutheranIU instagram.com/uluindiana
Sunday: 9:15 a.m.: Sunday Bible Class
10:30 a.m.: Sunday Divine Service
Wednesday:
7 p.m.: Wednesday Evening Service
Student Center open daily: 9 a.m. - 10 p.m.
The LCMS home of campus ministry at IU, our mission is to serve all college students with the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ, located across from Dunn Meadow and the IMU. The Student Center is open daily for study, recreation, and prayer. For full schedule, visit our website.
Rev. Timothy Winterstein - Campus Pastor
United Methodist
Jubilee
219 E. Fourth St. 812-332-6396 jubileebloomington.org
Facebook: First United Methodist Church of Bloomington, IN Instagram: @jubileebloomington
Sunday: 9:30 a.m., Classic Worship 11:45 a.m., Contemporary Worship Wednesday: 7:30 p.m., College & Young Adult Dinner
Jubilee is a Christ-centered community open and affirming to all. We gather on Wednesdays at First United Methodist (219 E. 4th St.) for free food, honest discussion, worship, and hanging out. Small groups, service projects, social events (bonfires, game nights, book clubs, etc.), outreach retreats, and leadership opportunities all play a significant role in our rhythm of doing life together.
Markus Dickinson - jubilee@fumcb.org
Inter-Denominational
Redeemer Community Church
111 S. Kimble Dr. 812-269-8975 redeemerbloomington.org facebook.com/RedeemerBtown
Instagram & Twitter: @RedeemerBtown
Sunday: 9 a.m., 11 a.m.
Redeemer is a gospel-centered community on mission. Our vision is to see the gospel of Jesus Christ transform everything: our lives, our church, our city, and our world. We want to be instruments of gospel change in Bloomington and beyond.
Chris Jones - Lead Pastor
American Restoration Movement
North Central Church of Christ
2121 N. Dunn St. 812-332-2248 nc3family.org Facebook.com/nc3family
Sunday: 10 a.m., Worship 11 a.m., College Class
Come learn about historic Christian teaching on theology, ethics, and culture. We offer an alternative to the post-modern ideologies and teachings you often see in your lives today.
Shane Himes, PHD - Senior Minister
Christian Science Church 2425 E. Third St. 812-332-0536 bloomingtonchristianscience.com facebook.com/e3rdStreet
(Christian Science Monitor) csmonitor.com
Orthodox All Saints Orthodox Christian Church
6004 S. Fairfax Rd. 812-824-3600 allsaintsbloomington.org webbrk1@gmail.com Youtube video of services on website
Sunday: 9 a.m.: Sunday Matins 10 a.m.: Sunday Divine Liturgy
Peter Jon Gillquist Thomas Przybyla - Pastoral Assistant
Bahá'í Faith
Bloomington Bahá'í Community and Bahá’í IU Association
424 S. College Mall Rd. 812-331-1863
bloomingtoninbahais.org facebook.com/Baháí-Community-ofBloomington-Indiana-146343332130574
and Principles of the Founder, Bahá'u'lláh, that promote the "Oneness of Mankind" and the Peace and Harmony of the Planet through advancing the "security, prosperity, wealth and tranquility of all peoples."
Karen Pollock Dan Enslow
MOVIE STILLS DATABASE
Mark Eydelshteyn (left) and Mikey Madison act while filming “Anora”. The film was released Oct. 18, 2024.
With that being said, and in the interest of total disclosure, I have yet to see every film I mention here. But no matter. It needn’t take a thorough viewing of “Anora” or “The Brutalist” to know the Academy must love them and that winning major awards at the Golden Globes and the Cannes Film Festival only increases their chances of taking home the gold in March. I’ve chosen to highlight only a few categories here, just the major ones. As such, my predictions will focus on Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor and Actress, and Best Supporting Actor and Actress. I’ll expand on my list for each category and try my hand at predicting which film will, ultimately, win. I’ll probably be very wrong — frankly, I’d be surprised by anything else.
Best Picture
• “Anora”
• “The Brutalist”
• “A Complete Unknown”
• “Conclave” • “Dune: Part Two” • “Emilia Pérez” • “Nickel Boys”
• “Sing Sing” • “The Substance” • “Wicked” If I had to lay money on it, I’d probably single out “The Brutalist” as the film most likely to take home the award. It’s everything the Academy loves: an epic historical drama, well over three hours long, that centers around the complexities of the American Dream. It also won the award for best drama picture at the Golden Globes, which only helps. I wouldn’t rule out “Conclave” or “Anora” either, especially the former. “Anora” has the benefit of having won the Palme d’Or at Cannes, but “Conclave” is another political drama that’s likely to be an Academy favorite.
Best Director • Sean Baker, “Anora”
• Edwar Berger, “Conclave” • Brady Corbet, “The
Society of Friends (Quaker)
Bloomington Friends Meeting
3820 E. Moores Pike
812-336-4581
bloomingtonfriendsmeeting.org
Facebook: Bloomington Friends Meeting
Sunday (in person & Zoom) :
9:45 a.m., Hymn singing
10:30 a.m., Meeting for Worship
10:45 a.m., Sunday School
(Children join worship 10:30-10:45)
11:30 a.m., Refreshments and Fellowship
12:30 p.m., Events (see website)
Wednesday (Zoom Only) :
7 p.m., Meeting for worship for Peace
Friday (Zoom Only) :
9 a.m., Meeting for worship
We practice traditional Quaker worship, gathering in silence with occasional Spirit-led vocal ministry by fellow worshipers. We are an inclusive community with a rich variety of belief and no prescribed creed. We are actively involved in peace action, social justice causes, and environmental concerns.
Peter Burkholder - Clerk burkhold@indiana.edu
Non-Denominational
Christ Community Church
503 S. High St.
812-332-0502 cccbloomington.org
facebook.com/christcommunitybtown
Instagram: @christcommunitybtown
Sunday: 9:15 a.m., Educational Hour
10:30 a.m., Worship Service
We are a diverse community of Christ-followers, including many IU students, faculty and staff. Together we are committed to sharing the redeeming grace and transforming truth of Jesus Christ in this college town.
Bob Whitaker - Senior Pastor Adam deWeber - Worship Pastor Dan Waugh - Adult Ministry Pastor
Christian Student Fellowship
1968 N. David Baker Ave. 812-332-8972
csfindiana.org
Instagram: @csfindiana
Monday - Friday: 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Christian Student Fellowship (CSF) exists as a Christ-centered community focused on helping students truly know Jesus Christ. Our ministry operates from an on-campus house where students can live. Reach out to schedule a tour of the house or a visit to our Thursday night worship service!
Ben Geiger - Lead Campus Minister
Stephanie Michael - Campus Minister
Joe Durnil - Associate Campus Minister
Hailee Lutz - Office Manager
Brutalist”
• Jesse Eisenberg, “A Real Pain”
• James Mangold, “A Complete Unknown”
With few exceptions, the Academy Award for Best Director almost always goes to the filmmaker behind the Best Picture. While this “rule” isn’t entirely carved in stone — Jane Campion won for “The Power of the Dog” in 2022, a film that won no other awards at the show — I’m going to make the safe bet and say Corbet has the highest chance of winning. There’s also always a chance Baker runs away with the award; at the same time, I’d love to see Eisenberg, a noted Bloomingtonian, win as well.
Best Actor
• Adrien Brody, “The Brutalist”
• Timothée Chalamet, “A Complete Unknown”
• Daniel Craig, “Queer”
• Ralph Fiennes, “Conclave”
• Sebastian Stan, “The Apprentice” It’s perhaps a wild
City Church
1200 N. Russell Rd.
812-336-5958
citychurchbloomington.org
tiktok: @citychurchbtown
Instagram: @citychurchbtown
Sunday Service: 8:30 a.m., 10 a.m., 11:45 a.m.
City Church is a multicultural church on the east side of Bloomington. We provide transportation from campus. Our college and young adult ministry meets on Tuesday nights.
David Norris - Pastor
Sacred Heart Church
615 N. Fairview St. 812-345-5239 sacredheartbloomington.org facebook.com/sacredheartbloomington
Sunday:
10:30 a.m.: Refreshments and Fellowship 10:45 a.m.: Worship Service Tue., Wed., Thu.: Midweek Meals (Check Facebook)
Sacred Heart is a nondenominational church that seeks to follow Jesus by acting justly, loving mercy and walking humbly with God. We strive to be a safe, inclusive community where you can bring your doubts, questions, struggles, and joys before a loving God and find true belonging. All are welcome! Dan Caldwell
Episcopal (Anglican)
Canterbury Mission
719 E. Seventh St. 812-822-1335 IUCanterbury.org facebook.com/ECMatIU Instagram & Twitter: @ECMatIU Youtube: @canterburyhouseatiu9094
Sunday: 3 p.m. - 7 p.m.
Mon., Wed., Thu.: 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday: Noon - 8 p.m. Fri., Sat.: By Appointment
Canterbury: Assertively open & affirming; unapologetically Christian, we proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ by promoting justice, equality, peace, love and striving to be the change God wants to see in our world.
Ed Bird - Chaplain/Priest
Independent Baptist
Lifeway Baptist Church
7821 W. State Road 46 812-876-6072 lifewaybaptistchurch.org facebook.com/lifewayellettsville
Sunday: 9 a.m., Bible Study Classes
10 a.m., Morning Service
5 p.m., Evening Service
*Free transportation provided. Please call if you need a ride to church.
guess, but every fiber of my being is telling me that Timothée Chalamet is a valid frontrunner for this category. His and Sebastian Stan’s performances are maybe the most intense here — intense as in their ability to totally transform into another human being — but I foresee the political controversy of the latter’s performance as Donald Trump getting in the way of it winning. Nevertheless, it’s also likely the Academy will vote for a more understated performance, in which case I’m fairly confident in Ralph Fiennes or Adrien Brody.
Best Actress
• Pamela Anderson, “The Last Showgirl”
• Cynthia Erivo, “Wicked”
• Karla Sofia Gascón, “Emilia Pérez”
• Mikey Madison, “Anora”
• Demi Moore, “The Substance” The realistic scenario here is that the award goes to Mikey Madison — and
don’t get me wrong, for good reason — but I want to take a moment to go out on a limb. If my prediction for best actor was wild, then this one might be completely ridiculous: I think there’s a better than terrible chance we might see Pamela Anderson win in an upset victory. I would honestly love if this were the case: Anderson’s performance in “The Last Showgirl” was a marvel, and she would absolutely deserve the award.
Best Supporting Actor • Yora Borisov, “Anora” • Kieran Culkin, “A Real Pain” • Edward Norton, “A Complete Unknown” • Guy Pierce, “The Brutalist” • Jeremy Strong, “The Apprentice” In line with my prediction for the best actor category, I’m going to roll the dice for Edward Norton — an aging legend. His performance as Pete Seeger felt like a latercareer highlight. However, I also wouldn’t be surprised
United Church of Christ and American Baptist Churches-USA First United Church
2420 E. Third St. 812-332-4439 firstuc.org facebook.com/firstuc
Sunday: 10:30 a.m., Worship
Monday: 10 a.m. via Zoom, Bible Study
We are an Open, Welcoming, and Affirming community of love and acceptance dedicated to welcoming the diversity of God’s beloved. We exist to empower, challenge, and encourage one another to live out Jesus’ ways (compassion, truth, and justice) authentically as human beings in community to create a better world.
Rev. Jessica Petersen-Mutai Senior Minister
Baptist
Emmanuel Church
1503 W. That Rd. 812-824-2768 Emmanuelbloom.com Instagram & Facebook: @EmmanuelBloomington
Sunday: 9:15 a.m., Fellowship
Sunday: 10 a.m., Worship Groups: Various times
Emmanuel is a multigenerational church of all types of people. Whether you are questioning faith or have followed Jesus for years, we exist to help fuel a passion for following Jesus as we gather together, grow in community, and go make disciples.
John Winders - Lead Pastor
Second Baptist Church
321 N. Rogers St. 812-327-1467 sbcbloomington.org facebook.com/2ndbaptistbloomington youtube.com/@secondbaptist churchbloomington
Sunday Service: 10 a.m., In house and on Facebook/YouTube Sunday School: 8:45 - 9:45 a.m. Bible Study: Available In House and on Zoom Wednesdays, 6:30 p.m., Thursdays, Noon
Please come and worship with us. We are in training for reigning with Christ! Need a ride? Call our Church bus at 812-3271467 before 8 a.m. on Sunday
Rev. Dr. Bruce R. Rose - Pastor Tallie Schroeder - Secretary
Unitarian Universalist
Unitarian Universalist Church of Bloomington 2120 N. Fee Ln. 812-332-3695 uubloomington.org facebook.com/uubloomington
if Kieran Culkin takes the award either. He’s gained a lot of traction in recent years, not least because of HBO’s “Succession,” and his nomination would certainly be a popular favorite.
Best Supporting Actress • Monica Barbaro, “A Complete Unknown” • Jamie Lee Curtis, “The Last Showgirl” • Ariana Grande, “Wicked” • Margaret Qualley, “The Substance” • Isabella Rossellini, “Conclave” Out of these actors, I’m thinking Ariana Grande might, just might, be the big winner. It could be a bit of an unconventional choice, but her performance in “Wicked” has received nothing but rave reviews since its release. A safer guess might be Isabella Rossellini, daughter of famed film director Roberto Rossellini and actor Ingrid Bergman, who has made her own mark on the industry for over 40 years, but I’m fairly confident in a left-field selection here.
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America
Rose House LuMin & St. Thomas Lutheran Church
3800 E. Third St. 812-332-5252 Stlconline.org lcmiu.net
Instagram: @hoosierlumin facebook.com/LCMIU facebook.com/StThomasBloomington
Sunday: 8:30 a.m. & 11 a.m. @ St. Thomas Lutheran Church 3800 E. Third St. Tuesday: 6:30 p.m. Dinner & Devotions @ Rose
LuMin 314 S. Rose Ave. Rose House LuMin and St. Thomas Lutheran Church invite you to experience life together with us. We are an inclusive Christian community who values the faith, gifts, and ministry of all God’s people. We seek justice, serve our neighbors, and love boldly.
Rev. Adrianne Meier Rev. Lecia Beck Rev. Amanda Ghaffarian - Campus Pastor
Unity Worldwide
Unity of Bloomington A Center for Spiritual Growth
4001 S. Rogers St. text/call: 812-333-2484 unityofbloomington.org
IG: @unityofbloomington facebook@UnityofBloomington
Sunday Celebration: 10:30 a.m.
Discover a vibrant, welcoming community at Unity of Bloomington – “a positive path for spiritual living”. Our center offers a space for spiritual growth; embracing all with open arms. We proudly affirm and welcome the LGBTQ+ community, fostering love, acceptance, and inclusion. Join our loving congregation, where everyone is valued and encouraged to explore their spiritual journey. At Unity of Bloomington, all are welcome and together we thrive!
Minnassa Gabon - Spiritual Leader
Phyllis Wickliff - Music Director Reformed Protestant
Trinity Reformed Church
2401 S. Endwright Rd. 812-825-2684 trinityreformed.org lucas@trinityreformed.org facebook.com/trinitychurchbloom
Sunday: 10:30 a.m., Sunday Morning Services 7 p.m., Bible Study at the IMU
We are a Reformed Protestant church on the west side of Bloomington with lively worship on Sunday mornings and regular lunches for students after church. We love God and His Word. Please get in touch if you’d like a ride!
Jody Killingsworth - Senior Pastor Lucas Weeks - College Pastor
We
Student Ministry: Meeting for Bible study throughout the month. Contact Rosh Dhanawade at bluhenrosh@gmail.com for more information.
Steven VonBokern - Senior Pastor Rosh Dhanawade - IU Coordinator 302-561-0108 bluhenrosh@gmail.com
Sunday: 10:15 a.m., via in person or livestream We’re a multi dynamic congregation actively working towards a more just and loving world. We draw inspiration from world religions and diverse spiritual traditions. Our vision is “Seeking the Spirit, Building Community, Changing the World.” A LGBTQA+, Dementia Friendly, Welcoming Congregation to all ages and groups and a Certified Green Sanctuary.
Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray
