Indiana Daily Student - Thursday, Aug. 29, 2024

IDS

How Curt Cignetti formed ‘the winning mindset’

By Daniel Flick danflick@iu.edu | @ByDanielFlick

When 28-year-old Bryant Haines interviewed to be head coach Curt Cignetti’s defensive line coach at Indiana University-Pennsylvania in 2014, he heard only one typical question.

The interview marked the first meeting between Haines and Cignetti, though Haines’ brother, Tyler, was the offensive coordinator at IUP, offering a natural talking point. But after asking the young Haines to tell a little about himself, Cignetti went from small talk to his true passion: football.

“He opened the door, pulled me into the foyer and we talked ball for an hour and 25 minutes,” Haines said Aug. 16. “That was a good interview for me, that was a fun interview for me. So, it was Day One I recognized, ‘Oh, this guy, this is a ball coach. This is a ball guy.’ And that’s what we are.”

Haines also realized he and Cignetti are like-minded philosophically, from their desire to field tough, physical teams to the manner they approach X’s and O’s. Neither leave football in the office — it’s an aroundthe-clock commitment to finding a competitive edge.

The result of their similarities is a decade-long working relationship, which includes stops at Elon University, James Madison University and now, Indiana, where Cignetti is the head coach and Haines the defensive coordinator at a program yearning for a turnaround.

Haines feels loyal to Cignetti, who has promoted him from defensive line coach to linebackers coach to defensive coordinator whenever the opportunity has presented itself. But Haines’ commitment to his boss runs deeper than schematics and job offers.

“I think he believes in me; I think he trusts me,” Haines said. “I feel the same way about him.”

And he’s far from alone.

Cignetti stood next to Indiana offensive coordinator Mike Shanahan, sharing a brief chat while the Hoosiers stretched before their 13th fall practice. Once the stretching period ended, redshirt junior defensive end Mikail Kamara hopped, skipped and energetically shouted to begin the next drill, urging heightened effort.

It was just past 9:35 a.m. Aug. 19, but it just as easily could have been any year from 2020 onward. Shanahan followed Cignetti from James Madison to Bloomington. So did Kamara — along with 12 other players and a bevy of assistant coaches.

Shanahan has been with Cignetti since 2016 with IUP. Like Haines, Shanahan believes he and Cignetti are aligned in scheme, principles and values. But apart from their shared philosophies, Shanahan said he thoroughly enjoys working with Cignetti — and called it a “no-brainer” to stay on his staff across three different transitions.

“I feel like I get pushed

every single day to be the best I can be,” Shanahan said. “He does a good job of making sure every person in the building is someone that has high character and is fun to be around. It makes coming to work every day more enjoyable, whether it is coaches or players, anybody on his staff.”

This sentiment resonates with the Hoosiers’ 13 transfers from James Madison. Among them is seventhyear senior running back Ty Son Lawton, who transferred from Stony Brook University to James Madison in the spring of 2023.

In 2022, Lawton’s final season at Stony Brook, the Seawolves slumped to a 2-9 record. Lawton, who won back-to-back state championships at Curtis High School in Staten Island, New York, wanted to get back to winning.

Upon entering the transfer portal after the 2022 season, Lawton chose the Dukes, who were 41-8 in the four years since Cignetti arrived. After the first day of spring practice in 2023, he understood the means be-

Bloomington wastewater

By Andrew Miller ami3@iu.edu | @andrew_mmiller

COVID-19 levels in Bloomington wastewater data jumped significantly over last week, amid a national wave in infections and the return of IU students to campus.

The spike appears to be the largest in two years. While infections are rising, deaths and hospitalizations from the disease have remained low in Indiana., according to the Indiana Department of Health’s dashboard. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, wastewater data can show traces of diseases circulating, even when symptoms aren’t largely present. National wastewater data shows a similar jump in infections.

Updated vaccines that better target the most

recent strains of COVID-19 are beginning to reach Bloomington. Right now, the dominant variant is KP.3.1.1, which scientists say could be more infectious than recent strains.

The IU Student Health Center will receive a shipment of updated vaccines within a week, Executive Director Pete Grogg said in an email. He also encouraged students to stay up-todate with their vaccines, and take advantage of the Student Health Center’s services, “where you can be examined, tested, and treated in typically one visit.”

The average cost of COVID-19 tests, as of last year, was $11. The federal government is also reviving a program to send out testing kits. U.S. households will be able to order four free kits starting late next month.

CVS locations in Bloomington, a company spokesperson said, should be receiving updated vaccines “within the next day or two.”

However, the CVS locations, on the west side and South Walnut Street, according to the company’s automated voice system over the phone, have the updated vaccines already. Walk-ins are available, but the company encourages people to schedule online or through the CVS app.

The Kroger Pharmacy on the south side of town said it will receive updated Pfizer vaccines on Tuesday and updated Moderna vaccines later this week. The Kroger Pharmacy in downtown Bloomington expects deliveries of both updated vaccines next week.

Pharmacy technicians said that information on

Bloomington's 7 Day Forecast

hind James Madison’s success.

“Not to pat myself on the back, but at Stony Brook, I was kind of the guy there,” Lawton said. “To get to JMU, I kind of got humbled. I never really took practice as serious until I got under Cig. That made me a better player.”

Those same practice habits have now been implemented at John Mellencamp Pavillion, where the Hoosiers hold their offseason workouts.

Sixth-year senior defensive lineman James Carpenter said Indiana’s practice style and structure are the same as at James Madison. So is Cignetti’s message and how he expresses it.

But it’s not bland. Instead, it’s rooted in results — and Cignetti’s career record of 119-35 says more than any emphatic locker room speech ever could.

“I believe in it 100%,” Carpenter said. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t. I have full belief in Coach Cignetti.”

When Cignetti first addressed his new-look roster — which has only 38 returners from last year, third fewest in Division I — he didn’t isolate the past Hoosiers, the non-James Madison transfers or any other groups. Instead, he created unity.

“As soon as he got here, he said, ‘We’re all Indiana,’” receiver Donaven McCulley said.

Building chemistry proved difficult early due to the number of new faces, McCulley said, but bonds formed over summer workouts. Cignetti approached relationship-building differently, having little conversations and trying to put smiles on his players’ faces, be it in the locker room or when he sees them walking around.

Every whistle blown and quip made is done with one intent: building what’s quickly become known as “the winning mindset.”

In its simplest form, the mentality is about swagger, confidence and never backing down. In modern terms,

it’s about aura. No matter the parameter, Cignetti carries the mindset in spades, and it’s spread throughout the team, sixth-year offensive lineman Mike Katic said.

“I think Coach Cig brings that when he walks into every room he comes in,” Katic said. “He has that swagger, that winning mentality, and all the coaches follow suit. All the transfers from JMU bring that as well. So, it’s just everyone coming together, a big melting pot of players and coaches — it’s a big winning mentality and I’m excited to see how it goes.” Carpenter noted the James Madison transfers hold the responsibility to preach Cignetti’s mindset to the returning Hoosiers. Senior linebacker Jailin Walker, who played at James Madison for the past three years, said he’s trying to engrave it in the rest of the locker room. For Walker, the mentality has been bred into him by Cignetti. For Indiana, which is 9-27 over the past three seasons, winning has been foreign. That’s why Cignetti overhauled the roster, culture and mindset of the program. The result, Carpenter said, is clear growth in the “aura” within the Hoosiers’ locker room.

“When we got here in the spring, it maybe wasn’t there as much,” Carpenter said. “But I think now, over the winter, spring workouts and especially fall camp, these guys are picking up on it. I think we’re in a good place.”

Lawton initially planned on entering the NFL Draft after the 2022 season. His journey lasted two more years collegiately, and he’s spent both with Cignetti. This spring, he became one of four transfer running backs.

Even with goals of extending his playing career beyond college, Lawton embraced the deep room and lofty competition. Why? The fun of winning — something he plans on experiencing again this fall.

SEE CIGNETTI, PAGE 4

late summer wave has led

updated vaccines will be available through the company’s online scheduler. They encouraged walk-ins.

The Kroger by College

Mall doesn’t know when it will receive the vaccines, and the Kroger locations on the west and north sides of town did not respond to questions by the time of publication. The Indiana Daily Student will update this article when information becomes available.

Sept. 2 Sept. 3

4

Then-junior Bryce Asher receives a COVID-19 vaccination April 12, 2021, at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.

JACOB SPUDICH | IDS

Indiana head football coach Curt Cignetti looks at his playbook during the spring scrimmage April 18, 2024, at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington.

Cignetti was hired Nov. 30, 2023.

2 of over 40 vigil attendees receive violation referrals

By Jack Forrest jhforres@iu.edu | @byjackforrest

Two, but not all, attendees of an Aug. 25 candlelight vigil were referred by Indiana University Police to university officials, saying they might have violated policy.

The vigil intentionally violated IU’s new expressive activity policy’s ban on protesting and peaceful assembly outside the hours of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. by beginning at 11:30 p.m. The event garnered at least 40 attendees.

Graduate student Bryce Greene and associate professor of Germanic studies Benjamin Robinson, both of whom attended and spoke at the vigil, were identified as “directing people and giving speeches” by three IU officials.

Those officials — Vice Provost for Student Life Lamar Hylton, Associate Vice President of Events and Conferences Doug Booher and Superintendent for Public Safety Benjamin Hunter — sent reports to IU Police leadership about Robinson and another individual, who Greene believes is himself.

Robinson received the reports from College of Arts and Sciences Dean Rick Van Kooten as part of the complaint process under IU’s Academic Appointee Responsibilities and Conduct policy.

These reports were then shared by Margo Bennett, IUPD deputy superintendent and special advisor, to Libby Spotts, director of student conduct, and Carrie Docherty, vice provost for faculty and academic affairs.

They also reported another individual the three university officials couldn’t identify.

“The female speaking to the assembled group has

not been identified, as additional photos and media are released by groups, she will be identified, and this referral will be amended,” Bennett wrote.

Bennett also included a screenshot from the Green Feather Movement, a student, faculty and staff organization, promoting the vigil.

Greene received an email from Spotts on Tuesday informing him of the report and potential personal misconduct violation he faces.

According to the email, Greene can seek an “Alternative Resolution Process,” which would require him to “accept responsibility for the decisions” he made “and the harm that was caused” and “discuss what needs to occur to rebuild trust with the community and ensure community safety.” If he or Spotts chooses to instead follow the standard disciplinary proceedings to resolve the report, he could face disciplinary probation, suspension or expulsion.

Greene has served as the graduate advisor of the Palestine Solidarity Committee and was an organizer of the pro-Palestinian encampment in Dunn Meadow. He was arrested and banned from campus for five years on the third day of the encampment in April. His criminal charge was later dropped, and he posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, in June that he was allowed back on campus.

Robinson said over text message that Docherty contacted Van Kooten. He wrote the case now seems to be going through a formal investigation.

Under IU policy, the principal administrator, in this case Van Kooten, first seeks an “informal resolution.” If that isn’t reached,

Cafe Pizzaria closes after over 70 years

By Nicole Blevins

neblevin@iu.edu | @nblevins01

The dial tone rang 20 times before an automated voice ended the call. After over 70 years of business, Cafe Pizzaria announced their closure Wednesday morning, effective immediately, on Facebook and their website.

“Dear Bloomington,” the post began. “We have decided that it is time for us to retire and have more time to focus on family. Thanks to all our loyal customers over the past 70 years! We would especially like to thank all of our employees. You have been exceptional and we

love each and every one of you.”

Since February 1953, the pizzeria remained open at 405 E. Kirkwood Ave. With its proximity to campus, locals and students walked by every day. What started as having a small menu offering only six pizza toppings had grown to meals that are admired from around the country. Within an hour of the Facebook post announcing the closing, more than 190 comments appeared under the message. Customers thanked the owners for their business, wished them luck with retirement and even asked for the house salad dressing recipe.

the administrator or the campus chief academic affairs officer proceeds with an investigation, which could result in a common or severe sanction. Common sanctions are “intended as proportional, corrective disciplinary responses to discrete policy violations.” A severe sanction would significantly alter the terms of the academic appointee’s, in this case Robinson’s, employment or assigned work.

Greene, Robinson and three additional vigil attendees told the IDS they weren’t aware of any other protesters who received a violation referral.

Mark Bode, IU executive director for media relations, said IU doesn’t comment on individual misconduct cases and referred to IU’s

expressive activity policy.

Greene said it creates a “chilling effect” for others trying to organize against the university’s policies on campus.

“The fact is, it doesn’t look like they were actually going after me for any violation of policy,” Greene said. “If that were the case, then there would be other people other than me and Ben Robinson who would be under the microscope right now. But both myself and Ben have been very active on this campus fighting for various causes, and the university decided to single out us.”

Robinson agreed. He said based on the IU officials’ reports, he believes the university singled out certain organizers likely to

violate the policy prior to the demonstration.

“Clearly, what they didn’t do, is apply the law equally,” Robinson said. “They clearly made assumptions about peoples’ roles and singled people out on the basis of some assessment of how much they were expressing themselves I guess, or some assessment of intention to express themselves. It’s not clear.”

John Walbridge, IU Middle Eastern languages and cultures professor, attended the vigil but did not receive a report. He wrote an email to Docherty arguing the demonstration should be allowed under Indiana law because it did not disrupt university operations.

“The right of the university to specify reasonable

times and places for protest clearly does not extend to banning all ‘expressive behavior’ at night--an absurdly overbroad and illdefined term,” Walbridge wrote. “Does it cover individual conversations? Visiting speakers who run late? Muslim students doing Qur’an recitation on the Night of Power? Students celebrating a football victory? Election night watch parties? It is not even clear whether the policy applies only to outdoor activities or also includes indoor activities.”

Isaac Perlich contributed to this story.

Editor’s note: Bryce Greene is a former opinion columnist for the IDS.

Protests defy policy, question free speech

By Jack Forrest and Benjamin LeGrand news@idsnews.com

Candles and IU Police car lights illuminated Sample Gates late on Aug. 25 as around 40 IU faculty and students gathered for a vigil “mourning the loss of freedom of expression” at IU.

Attendees intentionally violated IU’s new expressive activity policy, which prohibits protesting and peaceful assembly outside the hours of 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Some wrote chalk messages on the gates and sidewalks in support of free speech and Palestine. Under the policy, water-soluble chalk is only allowed on sidewalks, and non-soluble substances are disallowed on all university property.

Heather Akou, an IU associate professor and program director of fashion design arrested at a proPalestinian encampment in April, said the goal of the vigil was to express grief with the policy by breaking what she called its “repressive” restrictions.

“We were able to hold a perfectly safe gathering and express ourselves after 11 p.m., so that’s a victory in itself,” Akou said.

Those at Sample Gates and the two IUPD cars, parked on Indiana Avenue and south of Bryan Hall, did not interact, except for two attendees who offered an officer a candle. That officer left around 20 minutes into the vigil.

Among the attendees at Sunday’s vigil was IU Stu-

dent Government President Cooper Tinsley. IUSG previously wrote in an Instagram story in July it did not endorse a then-draft of the expressive activity policy, based on student survey results, discussion with student governance groups and a Student Body Congress vote. At the vigil, he referred the Indiana Daily Student to IUSG executive press secretary Alexa Avellaneda.

Avellaneda shared a statement on Tinsley’s behalf which said he attended the vigil as an observer to understand how the campus community is feeling.

"It was also meaningful to see both students and faculty participating, recognizing the shared commitment we all have to the principles of free expression,” the statement read. “IUSG has always been, and will continue to be, a staunch advocate for freedom of expression.”

Ben Robinson, an associate professor of Germanic studies who was also arrested at the Dunn Meadow encampment, said he sees the policy as a reaction to the content of the pro-Palestinian protest.

In July, IU President Pamela Whitten shared the results of a “post-action review” of the events before, during and after the arrests of pro-Palestine protesters April 25 and 27 at the encampment. The report stated IU has a history of inconsistently enforcing its policies.

Robinson said by choosing not to enforce the policy Aug. 25, IU acknowledged it

knows it’s a “repressive” and “overbroad” policy.

“I think it’s really important that we were out here, we told them their policy was wrong, we defied something that was clearly corrupt in terms of basic moral rights, and they did nothing,” Robinson said.

SEA 202 demands The University Alliance for Racial Justice, an advocacy group made up of faculty, held a press conference Aug. 26 at the Rose Well House to lay out its “Protect IU from 202” demands of the university. IU faculty, staff and students spoke, expressing their concerns about Senate Enrolled Act 202's impact on the university.

SEA 202 increases state government oversight on “intellectual diversity,” diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives and tenure requirements at public universities.

Many faculty and students condemned the bill’s changes to tenure as an attack on academic freedom. Whitten told Indiana Public Media in February that IU was “deeply concerned about language regarding faculty tenure that would put academic freedom at risk.”

In response to IU’s “initial guidance on teaching and the complaint process” under SEA 202, the University Alliance for Racial Justice released a critical brief Aug. 12 outlining many of these concerns.

IU professor emeritus and University Alliance for Racial Justice co-founder Russ Skiba said a SEA 202

provision requiring universities to compile and share information about DEI initiatives and employees could make it easier for the state legislature to tell institutions to close them in the future. Anti-DEI legislation in other states has led some universities, including the Universities of Florida and Texas at Austin, to close or defund their DEI offices.

The group shared six demands Aug. 26: protect shared governance, protect diversity, protect due process, protect academic freedom, protect students and staff and protect the future. This includes allowing appropriate time to solicit input from all Bloomington Faculty Council elected representatives, not just leadership, in the policy-making process; disallowing complaints about DEI research or teaching in the SEA 202 complaint process; protecting tenure and academic freedom; and promising not to terminate DEI staff or programs.

In response to an IDS inquiry on the demands, Mark Bode, IU executive director of media relations, referred to a slide deck and frequently asked questions page on complying with SEA 202. Skiba said Sunday that protection won’t be obtained by “clamping down” on rules.

“When the principles and values upon which this institution has stood for 200 years are under attack, as they are right now, it’s the job of the citizens of that community to protect IU,” Skiba said.

JACOB SPUDICH

Pizzaria is pictured

Start the presses again

One Indiana town fights ghost news with old-school ink and paper.

By Tyler Spence spencejt@iu.edu | @tspencenews

Stephen Crane stood behind a table at the Morgan County Fair in SouthCentral Indiana one year ago. Through handshakes and friendly conversation, Crane convinced about 700 people to pay for a newspaper that didn’t yet exist. At the time, local news was scarce in Morgan County. But Crane knew the community well and bet that if he provided a high-quality print newspaper with local stories, the locals would buy it.

Weeks later, Crane’s paper, the Morgan County Correspondent, began arriving on readers’ doorsteps every Thursday. Could a small town in Indiana support a business model far past its prime? So far, they have.

Thousands of local news startups, most of them notfor-profit, are sprouting across the U.S. These often online-exclusive enterprises are looking for a fresh model to rescue an industry marked by decline. In contrast, Crane’s startup is deliberately retrograde.

Crane felt the Martinsville, Indiana, community still wanted a physical newspaper filled with local stories. Industry experts advised against the move: print circulation continues its steep decline nationwide, and one man surely wouldn’t be enough to reverse widespread industry trends. Crane decided to try anyway.

Crane, founder and editor of the young newspaper, describes his path into journalism as a “stumble.”

The Martinsville native earned his degree in theology, taught English to Chinese factory workers in the Northern Mariana Islands and spent time as a “snowboard bum” in Colorado. He settled back in his hometown and began his local journalism career after getting his master’s degree from nearby Indiana University.

Starting in 2017, Crane was a reporter and then editor for the Reporter-Times, a newspaper based in Martinsville and founded in 1889. Gatehouse acquired the paper in 2019, which was later acquired by Gannett the same year. Crane left in 2022, and the Times’s last reporter left the same year. A reporter hasn’t been hired at the Reporter Times since. After 130 years, Martinsville no longer had local journalism.

Six months after the county fair, the Correspondent increased its subscribers to nearly 2,000. Nearly all subscribers pay to receive the paper weekly. A six-month print and digital subscription is $45, and the annual subscription is $75. Subscriptions also include access to the paper’s website.

Newspapers in towns of around 12,000 are hardly ever optimistic these days. Small papers nationwide continue to close their doors and slash production days. Roughly two and a half newspapers closed every week in 2023. Yet in Martinsville, the Correspondent plans to increase page counts and add color pages.

“We don’t care about our online,” Crane said.

Residents have even agreed to higher prices in exchange for a better print

product, according to the Correspondent’s CFO Josh Messmer.

The paper isn’t profitable yet, but it expects to break into profit by the end of the year — far sooner than Crane and Messmer originally expected.

Crane initially told his investors they should be ready to depart with their money and never see it again. That didn’t deter the group of nine from investing $250,000 anyway. The goal wasn’t to make a profit but to bring back a community newspaper.

Morgan County’s media coverage is similar to that of rural and small cities nationwide. Martinsville, the county seat, is sandwiched between the state capital of Indianapolis and Bloomington, the home of Indiana University. Being adjacent to these cities, the bigger markets often overshadow Martinsville’s stories.

When Crane set out to bring local news back to Morgan County after years of editing and reporting in his hometown, he brought together community stakeholders to purchase the Reporter-Times. Gannett, the corporate owners of the Reporter-Times, declined its offers. Undeterred, Crane asked his investors if they would back an even more ambitious idea: a brand-new newspaper in 2023.

The Correspondent has done everything it can to effectively brand itself as a local newspaper. Stories are locally written and locally sourced, and there isn’t much that would appeal to a reader outside the county. Crane writes columns about his family and the birth of his most recent child. Community members contribute pieces about the joys and trials of aging, the magic of March Madness and recommendations for home-cooked recipes.

All in all, it’s what a community newspaper used to be.

Newspapers operate in a unique prism. They are community assets but also profit-generating devices. Journalism is often thought of similarly to teaching, art, or historical research: to enrich lives rather than fatten wallets. But the economic models of journalism do not reflect its perception. Historically, newspapers became one of the most profitable industries in the developed world in the 20th century. With declines in the following decades, newspapers that could not keep a profit margin were shuttered.

When the last paper in rural McDowell County, West Virginia closed last year, residents likened the loss to losing a family member. Areas that lose local news coverage are more likely to be older, low-income and less likely to be college-educated. The documented impacts of news deserts are widespread. Local newspapers are a bedrock of community information. They increase institutional trust and combat misinformation in ways national media outlets cannot. They also document the lives and stories of those in the community.

Just a few blocks from the Correspondent’s headquarters, an office sits empty in Martinsville’s quaint downtown. The office bears the sign “The Reporter, since 1889” and a note on the door that says “closed, please call again.” But every day and hour are the same: an empty office and a locked door.

Despite its lack of personnel, the paper is not out of business. The Times is now what industry experts call a “ghost newspaper.”

The paper has an updated website and still offers a print edition, but it’s filled with stories from Gannettowned newspapers outside of Morgan County with functioning newsrooms.

Still, the Reporter-Times rolls off the press six days a week and is trucked 230 miles to Martinsville from Peoria, Illinois, rarely containing content specific to Morgan County.

Headlines from the Times often include the winning Mega Millions and Powerball numbers, stories of Indiana and Purdue basketball and the release of the blockbuster movie trailers. While the content serves a purpose, it isn’t relevant to the community it is intended to serve.

The rise of so-called ghost papers in the U.S. is well documented. Local newspapers owned by large chains often become content aggregators — not local content producers. The Reporter-Times is no exception, and local readers have noticed.

Last November, the Reporter-Times republished an article originally written for the Evansville Courier and Press, which highlighted the different strains of marijuana that one could take to “get through” the holidays. The article acknowledges marijuana possession remains illegal in Indiana but continues to explain where to buy the substance both in and out of state — which upset

Judge Brian H. Williams of Morgan County’s Superior Court.

Williams wrote a letter to the editor, featured in the Correspondent but aimed directly at Gannett and the Reporter-Times, last December entitled “Irresponsible ‘journalism’ demands responsible action.”

“I would write this letter to the Reporter-Times, but I am unaware of any recent letter sections in that paper,” Williams wrote.

“It appears to be a paper with no local editor, no local coverage, and now, no sense of local values. Ghost newsrooms are real, and not a single name appears in their online directory.”

“Further, it’s exasperating to realize I will in the next few days be ordering and sending revenue to the Reporter-Times by way of required legal notice publications,” he continued. “My court operations will effectively subsidize this thoughtless ‘journalism.’”

Although the business model for these small papers and their owners are inconsistent across the country, many papers continue to exist simply because of revenue from legal notices.

These notices, usually comprised of announcements for legal name changes, government land acquisitions and public hearings, are the most solid revenue block for smalltown newspapers after the decline of print advertising. Many states still have laws requiring community newspapers to print these notices.

Gannett did not respond to staffing-related questions at the ReporterTimes.

The Correspondent will see a significant boost after the passage and enaction of Indiana Enrolled Act 252. The law, which will allow newspapers to publish legal notices after 12 months of publishing instead of three years, opens the door for the Correspondent to bring in legal notice revenue. Crane said he expects the Correspondent to receive this revenue starting in October.

Crane answered a phone call early on Monday morning in February. A nearby Christian school’s girls’ basketball team won the state championship and hoped to be featured in Crane’s newspaper.

The Correspondent ran a full-length story on the team’s sixth state tournament victory in a row; the Times did not cover the team’s victory.

Crane understands his responsibility well. Readers share stories of their families gathering around the table on Thursdays to read his newspaper.

“People tell us they can’t wait for the paper to hit their mailbox,” Crane said.

The kids in Martinsville may be the last to grow up with a physical newspaper arriving at their doorstep, or they will be the first part of a trend bigger than themselves – deliberately retrograde media; information, once again, without screens.

COURTESY PHOTO

Editor Stephen Crane sits at his desk in his office in Martinsville, where his small staff puts together the Correspondent each week.

TYLER SPENCE | IDS

The office of the Morgan County Correspondent is pictured on Feb. 26, 2024, in downtown Martinsville, IN. Crane intentionally picked a location close to the Morgan County courthouse.

“Just the winning mindset,” Lawton said. “I just wanted to get that winning feeling again. Being 11-1 last year [at James Madison], I feel like we can do that again this year.”

Cignetti stands on the sideline with a play sheet in one hand and a pen in the other. It’s Aug. 19, and Cignetti’s head is turned to the right, watching as Indiana’s offense works through redzone simulations. After surveying the play, Cignetti puts notes on his sheet, describing what he likes — and doesn’t like — about the rep.

This isn’t new to coaching, but it is to Indiana.

Former Indiana head coach Tom Allen, who was fired due to a lack of performance at the end of last season, was known for his energy. He jubilantly bounced around the practice field, making stops at each position on both sides

of the ball. He often carried a megaphone. Cignetti doesn’t need the megaphone. He is, however, intentional with what he says. When the Hoosiers practiced a play action passing concept Aug. 19, Cignetti yelled at McCulley and fellow receiver Ke’Shawn Williams to be tighter to the line of scrimmage, communicate and point to who they’re blocking, hoping to sell opponents on the play’s fake handoff portion. At other times, Cignetti pulls his players off to the side.

During practice Aug. 13, redshirt sophomore receiver Omar Cooper Jr. ran an over route from one side of the field to the other, but not as far up the field as Cignetti wanted. So, the 63-year-old Cignetti told the 20-year-old Cooper how the route is supposed to be run, noting he expects better from the Indianapolis native.

“On the field, he’s going

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to tough-love coach you,” Cooper said. “But at the end of the day, he’s going to come back to you and tell you if he’s happy about what you did and just trying to progressively get closer, find some way to get closer with us.”

Six days after his moment with Cooper, Cignetti watched Williams run a flat route toward the left sideline. As the horn sounded to end the second period of practice, Cignetti took five seconds to critique Williams’ route.

Cignetti’s coaching style is different from what Indiana had last year with Allen — and different, Cooper said, is better.

“I love Coach Allen, but last year, he wasn’t as hard on us and yelling at us to pick up the tempo,” Cooper said. “The fast-paced practice last year was kind of a little slower, so that was a little different. But I actually like how it’s fast paced and we’re able to get through it and go from one

station to another.”

McCulley wore the brunt — at least publicly — of Cignetti’s hard coaching in the spring, when the latter said the former needed to step up his level of play.

McCulley, Indiana’s leading receiver last season, told Cignetti this winter he wanted to be coached intensively, which he experienced at Lawrence North High School in Indianapolis but not as much under Allen.

The dramatic shift in personas from the exuberant Allen to the stone-cold Cignetti forced McCulley to adjust. Lawton, who faced a similar culture shock transitioning from Stony Brook to James Madison, said he now understands — and appreciates — Cignetti’s style.

“He’s a hell of a coach,” Lawton said. “I feel like he doesn’t really do any wrong. He takes care of us. We have scheduled practices some days. Some days, he’ll cancel them, give us

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This wasn’t always the case under Allen — particularly as the last three seasons slipped away. In 2023, Katic, a captain, said it was difficult to keep his teammates mission-focused and together. He also said the Hoosiers won’t have any such problems this year because of the way Cignetti runs the show.

“I think last year as a team, we didn’t really stay as connected as the season went on,” Katic said. “People were kind of checking out early. Once we knew we weren’t bowl eligible, guys were just not practicing hard, not playing hard. I think the standard Coach

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JOEY’S JIBBER JABBER

IU’s expressive activity policy fences in students’ free speech

Joey Sills (he/him)

is a senior studying English and political science.

In total, the Dunn Meadow encampment lasted 99 days. Or 100, if you’re being generous. Perhaps to prevent the scenes we saw in April, when 57 students were arrested, or perhaps because the number of students still here during the summer is so low, protesters didn’t intervene when the IU Police Department and facilities operations workers removed the tents for the final time. Now, a fence surrounds the meadow indefinitely as the university completes “extensive repairs,” and the future of the campus pro-Palestinian student movement remains uncertain.

On Aug. 1, IU’s new expressive activity policy went into effect. Also known as UA-10, the policy was created primarily in response to the encampment, which has been a thorn in the university administration’s side since its establishment. As to be expected, rather than codifying students’ right to free expression, the policy limits it to a fantastic degree. Among other things, it restricts all “expressive activity” to between the hours of 6 a.m. and 11 p.m., prohibits any activity that might “materially and substantially disrupt” campus operations, and requires a 10-day notice for the installation of any temporary structures and prohibits camping on university property at any time. With its abundantly prohibitive language, it’s clear the policy was quickly passed — over the summer when most relevant stakeholders were away from Bloomington, no less — to prevent the building of any new encampments and to quietly sweep the IU Divestment Coalition, and the broader pro-Palestine student movement, under the rug. But its language also raises

questions about the status of the Indiana Graduate Workers Coalition as well: Would its strikes, which, by design, substantially disrupt university operations, now result in direct retaliatory action by the university? Would graduate students who participate in the strikes be punished by the Office of Student Conduct?

These are appropriate questions to ask — the IGWC has, for much longer than the encampment, also been a thorn in the administration’s side. UA-10, then, is nothing more than IU finally figuring out how to kill two birds with one stone.

There is no point to a protest if it doesn’t disrupt unjust activity or exasperate an unjust system. The Palestinian solidarity protests and the IGWC have, thus far, been successful precisely because they shut down campus operations and forced the public, and administrative officials

like President Pamela Whitten and Provost Rahul Shrivastav, to listen. And that’s exactly why the university responded with the full force of its power and enacted a policy that seeks to repress them entirely.

“What country can preserve its liberties,” Thomas Jefferson wrote, “if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?”

We’ve most certainly moved past the present stages of these movements, but it’d be foolish to assume the movements themselves are going anywhere. Repression only breeds more contempt, and contempt only fuels the flames of rebellion. * * *

The university justified UA-10, in part, because of an independent post-action review undertaken by the global law firm Cooley LLP. The re-

DANNY’S

view, in its 75 pages, lays out the events of late April within their proper context, starting with the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamasled attack on Israel and the subsequent student unrest that ultimately led to the establishment of encampments at college campuses throughout the world. It also describes the late hours of April 24, when IU administrative personnel convened to revise the traditional Dunn Meadow policy without the knowledge of students and faculty. And, finally, as is the purpose of an independent investigation, Cooley lists a series of findings and recommendations for the university moving forward. The firm concludes that the university “balanced free speech, campus safety, and regular university operations amidst a challenging and rapidly evolving situation.” It goes on to recommend that IU pass its expressive activ-

ity policy, review existing policy and make appropriate changes and increase funding for IUPD in order to hire more officers. Of course, it levies restrained criticism at the university for a handful of things — for example, it admits that IU has “a decades-long history of inconsistently enforcing its policies” — but these amount to little more than a symbolic slap on the wrist.

It’s true the university is well within its constitutional rights to restrict absolute free speech. The U.S. Supreme Court has ruled that “time, place, and manner” regulations are appropriate, which is, presumably, the justification IU could use to repress certain encampments and other disruptive protests. But, still, it’s only natural for one to wonder why a university that claims to foster “an environment that values a culture of open dialogue and free expression” would choose to be

DIATRIBES Airbnb needs to book its own vacation

Danny William (they/them) is a junior studying cinematic arts.

The last Airbnb I stayed at was a cabin just outside of Great Smoky Mountains National Park during spring break last year. The house was nestled on the side of a mountain, with beautiful views and even a nice hot tub. There was just one problem: no Wi-Fi.

To be fair, Wi-Fi was guaranteed when my parents booked the property — I’m not an ungrateful member of Gen Z. I’d prefer to have access to the internet in case of emergencies and to maintain my Duolingo streak.

We contacted the owner of the property about the issue multiple times, and she said she’d work on it — eventually, she stopped responding. Luckily, we were able to get a few bars of cell service, but the experience left me soured with Airbnbs as a concept. There was no recourse if something didn’t work besides texting the owner — who, by the way, lived across the country, nowhere near our rental.

Airbnb’s increasing worthlessness has been no-

ticed by users across the country — and even the company itself. Outrageous cleaning fees and booking costs have become the main talking points around the service.

However, Airbnb creates a deeper problem than expensive vacations. As the accessibility of affordable housing diminishes, the problem is exacerbated by a small group of people who have the resources to buy up houses and turn them into short-term rentals.

The typical single-family home here in Indiana is valued at around $245,000; five years ago, it was $158,000. More populous and touristheavy places face bigger issues. In Florida, a typical single-family home five years ago would cost $254,000; today it’s $418,000. And the problem isn’t going away anytime soon — national house prices are expected to increase by 2.9% in 2024.

Owners buying properties and using them for Airbnbs reduces options for locals. Most listings on Airbnb aren’t just everyday folks sharing a room in their house, but investors. About a quarter

of hosts on Airbnb own twothirds of the listings.

It upsets me that permanently inhabitable houses are being utilized for such temporary means in cities nationwide. I often think about how the dream of home ownership is far out of reach for myself and many people my age. To buy a median-priced home today, Americans have to earn $110,000 a year — the average salary nationwide is just under $60,000 a year. If only a few more houses could be allowed to reenter the market instead of being used solely for the financial benefit of a small group of owners.

Cities like New York, San Francisco and Santa Monica have passed regulations on short-term renting in order to clear up more housing for long-term habitation. San Antonio also recently required higher fees for short-term rentals, with one councilmember citing investors and scarce housing resources as reasoning for the fees. Though many of these regulations haven’t been in effect for long enough to see what impacts they’ll have, it’s clear that lawmakers see the issue inherent in Airbnb and

Joaquin Baerga (he/him) is a sophomore studying journalism.

Some weeks ago, I cooked dinner one night for myself and my parents. My mom had sent me a chicken recipe she wanted to try, and I decided it was something I could do on my own. In the end, it turned out well — although it needed a bit more salt.

After my family and I were done eating, I joked to my dad that at least now I know I won’t die of hunger when I live in an apartment with my friends next school year. He said it was good I was getting some practice.

In retrospect, a part of me has always been into cooking. As a kid, I had a phase

so prohibitory in its support. It’s true the university has a responsibility to keep students safe from physical harm and harassment. We all have a responsibility to prohibit acts of violence on our campuses. According to the Cooley review, there were, allegedly, instances of antisemitism among some of the protesters in Dunn Meadow, but such reports were few and far between. Needless to say, such acts are reprehensible and should be condemned to the greatest degree. But it’s mistaken to assume they are the rhetoric and ethos of the encampment and the movement more generally. If the encampment’s mission were truly antisemitic, then it wouldn’t have had the backing support of groups like Jewish Voice for Peace and a whole host of Jewish professors, students and faculty. The university was also reportedly concerned that, in setting up an encampment, protesters would be putting themselves and others, at risk for physical violence. But, over the course of 99 days, the only time the encampment experienced this sort of violence was when the university sent the IUPD and the Indiana State Police to shut it down. Besides April 25 and 27, it remained a peaceful protest — exactly as it was designed to be.

I’ve no doubt that this past year, and the year to come, will go down as an important chapter in IU’s history. Should there be a comprehensive book written one day, it will portray, even in the most unbiased manner, a university that worked hard to silence the growing voices of discontent. And it will portray a student body that refused to comply. And it will be clear then, as it is clear now, which side was truly committed to freedom and liberty.

sillsj@iu.edu

services like it. However, a lot more needs to be done to fully address the housing crisis in our country. One study found that Airbnb only contributed to about 1% of aggregate rent growth in New

JOAQUIN’S PONDERINGS

York City — and rents have increased by 32% over the last decade. Simply banning Airbnb won’t be an end-allbe-all solution for lawmakers. Though Airbnb isn’t the only factor contributing to

Adding seasoning to bland life skills

where all I would watch on TV were cooking shows like “Chopped” and “Guy’s Grocery Games.” I liked seeing chefs exercise their creativity to come up with dishes using limited or unusual ingredients. Moreover, I have culinary influences in my family, like my uncle and my father’s aunt. Both live in the States, away from my home in Puerto Rico, and both are into cooking. For as long as I can remember, I always jumped at the chance to serve as their sous chef, or second in command, when they came to visit and cook for my family, and I still do.

For many, cooking may seem boring. However, as I prepare to live outside of a

dorm, I’m forcing myself to think of cooking as something more than a necessary life skill. After all, I enjoyed making chicken for my family.

So, since I will have to get used to cooking, I figured it would be best to think of reasons that would make it interesting for me and serve as motivation for doing so almost every day.

The first and most obvious reason that comes to mind is the ability to control my diet. I can focus on learning to prepare dishes with heavy amounts of protein and healthy portions of carbs and fats. Lately, I’ve been trying to get more exercise, and I usually take advantage of the walkability of IU’s campus,

but none of that will help if I don’t stick to eating well. Secondly, I want to learn how ingredients work together so I can improvise. So far, I’ve been coming across simple recipes, which I save with the intention of making them, but I know I will also get tired of following instructions. What I think would truly make cooking fun is the freedom to play around with ingredients. As a longtime drummer, I enjoy playing much more now that I can play a range of rhythms or drum fills on the spot than when I was exclusively looking for sheet music. Cooking for others is perhaps the most interesting reason I could come up with for learning how to cook. This

past Father’s Day, I helped my mom make eggplant lasagna for the whole family. She found the recipe and prepared the ingredients, while I took care of most of the cooking. Not only did I have fun during the cooking process, but it also brought me happiness to see my relatives enjoy the food I made for them.

For a while now, I’ve been telling my friends that I will eventually host a “Puerto Rican food night” at my apartment. This is something I fully intend to do at some point because, not only do I want to cook for my friends, I would also like to teach them a little about my culture using food as a medium. For example, I could make them

our housing crisis, it certainly isn’t helping. This summer holiday, consider steering clear from Airbnb, unless you want to find yourself more frustrated than relaxed. dw85@iu.edu

one of my favorite dishes that my grandmother cooks, such as “asopao” (Puerto Rican chicken stew), or some “bistec encebollado” (Puerto Rican steak and onions) with a side of rice and beans. Considering these reasons for cooking more often during the summer and, eventually, in my apartment, I think everyone should strive to look for what else they can get from the mundane. College life is intertwined with independence, and doing everyday chores independently can get tiresome, so I encourage everyone to be creative and try to look at everyday tasks as more than just routine.

jbaerga@iu.edu

By Jay Sharma email

COLUMN: ‘Twisters’ is a chaotically rich spectacle of disaster IU Cinema to screen ‘Batman’

“Twisters,” the standalone sequel of the 1996 box office hit “Twister,” has been making waves since its release. After watching it, I can confirm that it is a delightfully chaotic film that concisely portrays the destructive tendencies of natural disasters.

The commercial success of “Twister” almost 30 years ago is largely attributed to the timing of its release — the 1990s were arguably the heyday of original blockbusters, and the film’s no-nonsense approach to storytelling that steers clear from unnecessary back stories is a supporting factor, as well.

Widely considered a box office juggernaut, “Twister” went on to earn $494.5 million globally, which is equivalent to a whopping $992.08 million today. The primal concept of man versus nature coupled with director Jan de Bont’s groundbreaking use of visual effects managed to captivate audiences of the ‘90s, something that “Twisters” attempts to replicate in 2024.

“Twisters” stars Glen Powell and Daisy EdgarJones as storm chasers with starkly different approaches to the profession. While Kate Carter (Edgar-Jones) works with storm chasers to further her research in tornado intensity-reduction, popular YouTuber Tyler Owens (Powell) seeks to capitalize on the thrill behind chasing tornadoes

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for his channel. Kate’s initial disdain for Tyler stems from her perception of him and his team as glory hunters.

The film follows Kate working at a U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration office in New York five years after a traumatic tornado incident claimed the lives of her boyfriend and fellow storm chasers. When Javi (Anthony Ramos), an old friend and storm chaser colleague of Kate’s, invites her to test a new tornado scanning system, Kate joins his team in Oklahoma as representatives of Storm Par, a mobile tornado radar company. Tyler’s crew arrives in Oklahoma, as well, where the pair converge and begin tracking tornados together. As far as protagonists

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go, Powell and Edgar-Jones deliver great performances that truly reflect wellwritten characters. Tyler’s character development shifted my perception of him from an overconfident jerk to a magnanimous figure that supports tornado victims. Additionally, Kate’s relationship with Tyler is dynamic and encourages teamwork between the two, with well-handled romantic undertones that shine primarily in the latter half of the film. With a budget of $155 million, the film’s domestic opening grossed $81 million — the fourthhighest domestic opening of 2024 and the highestever opening for a natural disaster movie. Since its release, “Twisters” has grossed $231 million domestically and $88 million globally. Characters aside, the visuals are gorgeous and are clearly something that director Lee Isaac Chung placed special emphasis on. Grayscale skies, panoramic shots of dusty roads and weathered, rolling plains made for a visually rich background. I specifically loved the attention to detail on Oklahoma’s uniform landscape, a setting that perfectly complements the grandiosity of the tornados. Speaking of which, production on the film’s 10 total tornados integrated reference footage of supercell clouds as well as real tornados shot by technical consultants. But that’s not all. Practical effects on set included wind fans operating at 70 miles

per hour, high-pressure pneumatic water cannons, polyacrylamide for hail and even a pair of jet engines running between 170 and 180 miles per hour.

Chung’s inspiration for tornado shots and watches built off footage from the original “Twister,” his upbringing in tornado alley (Colorado) and his own semi-autobiographical indie film, “Minari.” “Minari,” Chung’s last film, revolves around a Korean immigrant family and has virtually nothing in common with “Twisters” except the experience of living through natural disasters. The solemn atmosphere that Chung creates in “Minari” perfectly captures the essence of paranoia that superstorms induce, and his work on “Twisters” reflects this. His work on “Minari” also earned the film six Oscar nominations.

“Twisters” is a unique representation of how the human psyche reacts when confronted with unfathomable danger. The film’s ensemble cast harnesses science to combat the erratic ferocity of the phenomena they track — a relentless pursuit of knowledge that only comes to fruition by entering the belly of the beast.

The film’s metaphorical richness lies in its representation of a modern-day David versus Goliath, and its subliminal message of climate change awareness is the perfect finishing touch. “Twisters” exemplifies futility in the

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By Elizabeth Bowling elibowli@iu.edu

The IU Cinema will show Tim Burton’s 1989 film “Batman” at 7 p.m. Aug. 30. Since its release 35 years ago, the film has been widely regarded as one of the most iconic Batman adaptations and credited with changing how Batman is seen by the public.

“Batman” follows billionaire Bruce Wayne, played eccentrically by Michael Keaton, as he fights crime in the fictional Gotham City as the Batman. He faces a new villain in the form of the Joker, played by Jack Nicholson. When the Joker begins to unfurl a sinister plot, Batman must protect the people of Gotham City from his plan. The screening will be followed by a special Q&A with “Batman” producer and IU professor Michael Uslan. Uslan is the executive producer of the Batman movie franchise and regularly visits Bloomington. Uslan said on his IU faculty page that the town had a special place in his heart as the place where he first gained national attention for his comic book class. Tickets for “Batman” are $5 and can be purchased on the IU Cinema website.

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Lewis

MOVIE STILLS DATABASE Actor Glen Powell is pictured portraying Tyler Owens’ “Twisters.” The movie premiered July 19, 2024.

BLISS

HARRY BLISS

COLUMN: AMC Screen Unseen: getting out of your movie comfort zone

By Grace Romine gmromine@iu.edu

Something came upon me within the last year that has caused me to be particularly interested in film. It could have been the “Barbenheimer” chaos of 2023 which led me to think more intellectually, or analytically, about movies, or perhaps the new friendships I made with people who religiously use the Letterboxd app.

This summer, as I have devoted myself to the cause of less time on social media, I have become more enthralled with watching movies instead. In particular, I would say that I enjoy the experience of going to the movie theater more than the average person.

In May, I was entertaining the idea of going to see a movie on a Monday night, scrolling through the AMC website to see what the local theater was showing. At the very bottom there was a screening time for “AMC Screen Unseen,” at 7 p.m., with no other info other than its rating and runtime.

After reading the description, I realized the concept was simple. Essentially, you buy a ticket for an unknown movie. All you know walking into the theater is the rating and the runtime. Even better, the movie is unreleased, and tickets are only $5, less than half the cost of an ordinary ticket.

So, my boyfriend and I bought tickets to go and see what it was about. We even found a website which listed unreleased films with their rating, runtime and spots for movie-goers to cast a vote for which movie they think will be that week’s “AMC Screen Unseen.” The site even had a list of “Unseen” films from weeks prior to get some idea what to expect.

After reviewing the website, we were positive the film was going to be “I Used To Be Funny” starring Rachel Sennott, who I am a big fan of, and were excited to get an exclusive showing. Once the little sequence of the mysterious “AMC Screen Unseen” enve-

lope played, and the opening scene of the movie began, we realized it was not “I Used To Be Funny,” and was instead an unreleased movie that was not even on our radar.

The movie was “Ezra,” starring Bobby Cannavale and Robert De Niro. The film even had appearances from Whoopi Goldberg and Rainn Wilson. It was a story about a divorced stand-up comedian, Max, Cannavale’s character, who frequently disagreed with his ex-wife on how best to raise their autistic elementary school aged son, Ezra, played by William A. Fitzgerald. After

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

is sort of a luxury, I usually only go when there’s a specific movie I want to see. I hadn’t seen any previews for “Ezra,” nor even heard of the title before watching it, and I honestly would likely not have known about it if I hadn’t gone to the “AMC Screen Unseen.”

a complicated and dangerous situation, Max is no longer allowed to see his son. Consequently, Max decides to take Ezra in the middle of the night, and the two embark on a road trip from New York City to Los Angeles. Ultimately, the story has a happy ending. But the plot was emotional and touched on heavy themes about the difficulty of parenting and especially co-parenting. Was it a movie that I would normally go to the theater to watch? No. But that was the beauty of the experience. Since going to the theater

There are so many movies out there, and often times we only treat ourselves to seeing the big, blockbuster films in theaters. We lose out on the experience of seeing different movies with different concepts that are outside our preferred movie-watching palette. There was a certain thrill in seeing something different for a change. You get to see the world from a new perspective. The next “AMC Screen Unseen” film I got to see was “Thelma.” Starring June Squibb, the movie was the story of Thelma, an older woman in her 90s who loses a large amount of money to a phone call scammer pretending to be her grandson in need. She embarks on a journey with an old friend to get it back and

1200 N. Russell Rd. 812-336-5958

citychurchbloomington.org

tiktok: @citychurchbtown Instagram: @citychurchbtown

prove her independence to her daughter, who is contemplating putting her in a retirement home. It was a story about growing old, knowing when to ask for help and being empathetic. I loved the movie. So, I went back again. Just like books, art or music, movies are meant to culture us. Putting a paywall on movies makes that sort of experience a luxury and limits the impact that those films, big and small, have on those who watch them. The price tag that guards film often leads us to stay in our movie comfort zones. But “AMC Screen Unseen” offers a more accessible opportunity for an intake of culture and a different intake of global perspectives —to indulge in a theater experience that feels less limiting and one we can enjoy on occasion without the burden of splurging. Now, I can brag that my Letterboxd is a little more diversified, too.

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

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

Christian Science Church

2425 E. Third St. 812-332-0536 bloomingtonchristianscience.com facebook.com/e3rdStreet

Sunday Church Service: 10 - 11 a.m.

Wednesday Testimony Meeting:

7 - 8 p.m.

Mon. - Fri. Reading Room: Noon - 2 p.m.

Interested in spirituality and healing? We welcome you to our church to explore how you can address issues spiritually and experience healing. Knowing God loves, guides and cares for each one gives a sense of peace and joy. We appreciate the Christian Science Monitor news magazine for its integrity, fairness and compassion.

(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.:

Father 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

Services, Devotional Meetings. Please call or contact through our website for other meetings/activities

The Bahá'í Association of IU works to share the Teachings 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

Returners set the standards in scrimmage

By Parker Rodgers parkrodg@iu.edu | @parrod153

Fans filed into Wilkinson Hall on Aug. 23 to watch the annual Cream and Crimson Scrimmage hosted by Indiana volleyball head coach Steve Aird. The match consisted of three sets with the first two played to 25, and the last set played to 15. While each set was close, Cream came out on top for every set (25-22, 25-22, 15-11). Here are the biggest takeaways from the scrimmage: Beach volleyball transfer excels on hardwood

Delaynie Maple, a graduate student defensive specialist, transferred to Indiana from USC. She was a fourtime national champion for the Trojans in beach volley-

Check the

ball during her time in Los Angeles. The Hoosiers’ intrasquad scrimmage marked Maple’s first time suiting up to play indoor volleyball since high school. Maple is dealing with a minor calf injury, according to Aird, but she excelled on defense, tallying up eight digs. Maple will be ready to go against Kennesaw State on Aug. 30.

Avery Daum shines in freshman debut With the four freshmen that suited up for the firsttime, right-side hitter Avery Daum stood out for Crimson. While Daum was on the losing side, she earned six kills and three blocks.

Returners will provide crucial experience

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

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

Indiana returns numerous rotation players from last season, and their performances in the scrimmage didn’t disappoint.

For Cream, senior setter Camryn Haworth distributed the ball to her teammates all match as she ended up with 24 assists. She also impacted her squad defensively, recording eight digs and three blocks.

Additionally, junior outside hitter Candela AlonsoCorcelles was dominant on the offensive end, tallying a game-high 15 kills

For Crimson, senior Mady Saris contributed on both the offensive and defensive end, earning nine kills and 10 digs. And sophomore libero Ramsey Gary also helped on the defensive end, digging nine balls — with one diving

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

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.

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

save in the second set right by the red zone chairs to keep a back-and-forth rally alive.

Aird’s new challenge donations

During the first set, Kevin Hodge, head coach of the Crimson team, challenged a call, prompting Aird to stop the match for a moment and announce his new challenge donations to the fans and community. He announced that every challenge call Indiana wins throughout the season, he will donate $50.

Half of that money will go to the Crimson Guard, Indiana’s student section, so that Aird can throw a party after the last match of the season. The other half will go to the Community Kitchen, a local charity in Bloomington that

aims to eliminate hunger and food insecurity. Both teams each won a challenge during the scrimmage, bringing the total to $50 for the Crimson Guard and $50 for the Community

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 Sunday: 10:15 a.m., via

person or livestream We’re a

congregation

and

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

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.

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

Kitchen. The Cream and Crimson will reunite for good Aug. 30, when the Hoosiers travel down to Kennesaw, Georgia, to compete in the Kennesaw State Invitational.

FILE PHOTO | IDS

Then-freshman libero Ramsey Gary bumps the ball Sept. 30, 2023, against Nebraska at Wilkinson Hall in Bloomington. The Hoosiers hosted their annual scrimmage Friday ahead of the regular season.

Hoosiers anticipate season-opener vs.

By Daniel Flick danflick@iu.edu | @bydanielflick

Curt Cignetti walked to the podium in Indiana football’s team room Aug. 26, carrying a blue Gatorade while sporting his usual red pullover with the zipper down to his chest.

As Indiana football’s firstyear head coach scanned the room underneath the stands of Memorial Stadium, he grabbed hold of the wooden stand in front of him and began.

“It’s game week,” Cignetti said. “The game is finally here.”

Nearly nine months after leaving his perch as James Madison University’s head football coach to take over the reins in Bloomington, much has changed.

The Hoosiers’ roster has been rebuilt, with 31 incoming transfers joining 17 freshman recruits and an almost entirely new coaching staff to give Indiana a fresh slate. The “LEO” signs that hung around the team’s weight room — placed by fired head coach Tom Allen who preached the “Love Each Other” mindset — are no longer present. Practices are faster and more intense.

But for all the new, some old remains. Cignetti’s daily routine is one of them.

Cignetti said he woke up at 4 a.m. Aug. 26 before entering his office at 5 a.m. The Hoosiers hold in-season practices later in the day, and Cignetti won’t leave the field until after 8 p.m. In December, Cignetti said he didn’t see Bloomington in the light of day during his first three weeks on the job. And at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Cignetti gets to see his baby take its first steps, as the Hoosiers host Florida International University inside Memorial Stadium.

Indiana’s schedule for the week includes a light practice Aug. 26, first and second-down plus special teams work Aug. 27, third-

down drills Aug. 28 and red zone and goal-line situations Aug. 29. But after months of installing schemes, plays and a winning-oriented mentality, Cignetti and the Hoosiers now have an opponent to prepare for.

Meet Florida International Led by head coach Mike McIntyre, Florida International finished ninth in Conference USA last season, going 4-8 overall and 1-7 in conference play. The Panthers’ offense averaged 20 points and nearly 320 yards per game last season. Sophomore quarterback Keyone Jenkins started 11 games for Florida International last season, earning a spot on the C-USA All-Freshman team. He completed 58.4 percent of his passes for 2,414 yards, 11 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while adding six scores on the ground.

Cignetti noted in his Aug. 26 press conference Jenkins is an “extremely dangerous” dual-threat quarterback

who not only throws the ball well but can extend plays with his feet. The Hoosiers anticipate needing a stout performance from their defensive line to generate pressure, limit Jenkins’ time to throw and keep him in the pocket.

“Even though he’s a really good athlete that can tuck it and run and gain a lot of yards, he’s going to look to throw first and does a nice job of finding people when he extends plays,” Cignetti said. “And we’ve got to win up front, our defensive line.”

The Panthers return two of their four leading receivers from last season in redshirt juniors Eric Rivers, who caught 32 passes for 370 yards and two touchdowns in 2023, and Dean Patterson, who totaled 28 receptions for 423 yards and a score. Rivers and Patterson headline what Cignetti labeled a “deep staple of receivers,” which also includes seniors Nazeviah Burris and Desna Washington.

At running back, Florida International returns its

top rushers from a season ago, with redshirt juniors

Shomari Lawrence and Kejon Owens leading the attack. Lawrence and Owens combined for 1,019 yards and nine touchdowns on 205 carries in 2023.

Defensively, Cignetti cited the Panthers’ experience in the secondary — all five of their starters have at least three years of college football under their belts. Florida International allowed nearly 32 points per game in 2023, with opponents averaging 436.7 yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks averaged 245.8 passing yards per game and finished the season with 26 touchdowns to just six interceptions.

Cignetti also touted the Panthers’ group of linebackers, headlined by senior Reggie Peterson, who collected 104 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks last year.

But in the new era of college football, where roster changes are aplenty, Cignetti anticipates a battle Aug. 31.

“It will be a challenge, and we’ll have to play well,” Cignetti said.

What to Expect: Indiana

Many of Indiana’s starters who take the field Aug. 31 will be doing so for the first time in Memorial Stadium — but certainly not the first time in their college careers, as Cignetti foreshadowed a veteran-heavy group hitting the gridiron.

“We’ve got a lot of seniors on this football team, so I wouldn’t anticipate seeing many freshmen out there,” Cignetti said. “That doesn’t mean you might not see one or two. But it’s all based on who can help us be successful, who’s ready to play winning football. And things change every week. Going into the first game, I don’t see many freshmen having very significant roles in this game.”

The Hoosiers have held two intrasquad scrimmages during fall camp. Their offense started slowly in the first one, prompting senior quarterback and Ohio

University transfer Kurtis Rourke to create a group chat with hopes of sparking the unit around him — and it worked.

“Being that there’s like 40-something transfers, we didn’t really know how to speak to each other,” senior running back Ty Son Lawton said. “After that first scrimmage, we made a group chat, sat down, had a meeting, spoke to it and got to know each other. I feel that was a step forward in our process and we had a great scrimmage No. 2. I feel like we keep doing that, we should be fine.” Cignetti said he likes where Indiana’s offense stands entering the season, and he feels similar confidence with the defense and special teams. There does, however, remain much to improve upon entering Aug. 31.

“I want to see us play fast and physical and work out some of the mistakes we made in the first two scrimmages — penalties, missed signs, things of that nature — but also play smart, disciplined and poised,” Cignetti said. “So, there’s a fine line there. But we do want to attack, be that kind of team and play well.” Aug. 31 marks the official start of Cignetti’s tenure as Indiana’s head coach. The Hoosiers have won just nine games over the past three years and haven’t reached bowl eligibility since 2020.

But Cignetti, after changing the roster, culture and identity of Indiana football, is ready to flip the script. And while he doesn’t view the season opener as a tone-setter for his time in Bloomington, he’s optimistic about what the 2024 season has in store.

“Every week, chapter one of a 13-page book,” Cignetti said. “So, I’m excited to see us play. We do have a lot of work to do before we kick it off, and I’m confident in this team.”

INDIANA ATHLETICS

Curt Cignetti is pictured during Spring Ball on April 16, 2024, at John Mellencamp Pavillion in Bloomington. Cignetti and the Hoosiers open their season Aug. 31 against Florida International University.