Archive for November, 2009

Health care provides options for struggling Hoosiers

Health care by numbers

687,000: The number of uninsured Hoosiers; 13 percent of Indiana’s population.
39: The number of community-based health centers in Indiana.
340,000: The number of Hoosiers served annually by community-based health centers.
2.5: The rise of percent in 2008 of patients treated at community-based health centers.
9 in 10: The number of community-based health center patients who have incomes elow 200 percent of the federal poverty level.
473,000,000: The dollars Indiana has saved in health care because of community-based health centers.
2/3: The number of uninsured patients Wishard Hospital serves in Marion County, Ind.
7: The number of Wishard Community Health centers in Indianapolis, Ind.
1 in 7: The number of Hoosiers served by Medicaid.
2,000,000: The dollars the state is cuting from the funding of Planned Parenthood Indiana.
5: The number of central Indiana Planned Parenthood clinics that are closing.

Health clinics come to the rescue

by Olivia Ingle

oingle@butler.edu

Health clinics provide options

by Olivia Ingle

oingle@butler.edu

Because more than 687,000 Hoosiers are uninsured, Indiana is offering health care options beyond hospital emergency rooms.

Unemployment and expensive insurance rates have urged Hoosiers to seek assistance from health care clinics.

According to the Indiana Department of Health, Indiana has 39 community-based health centers that provide care to more than 300,000 patients.

Clinics provide primary medical care

The Jane Pauley Community Health Center opened on Sept. 1 in Eastside Indianapolis and is one of the 39 clinics.

“Certainly the Eastside here has had its challenges,” Pat Donnelly, site manager at the Jane Pauley center, said. “Certain [medical] practices have closed, but others remain solid. I think the number of patients that don’t have the resources they may have once had is definitely increasing as the economy struggles.”

Health centers offer some of the same services that hospitals do, but they stress primary care and offer more options for uninsured patients.

Emily Twichell, a physician’s assistant at the health center, said primary care is important because it gives someone his or her basic health care maintenance.

“They [people] are very grateful just to have a place to go for primary care that is available, easily accessible, and affordable,” Twichell said.

The health center does wellness checks, well-child checks, and physical exams. The center treats people who are ill, as well as people with chronic medical conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, and high cholesterol.

The center charges patients fees based on their annual income.

“We don’t want people not to come because they feel like they can’t pay,” Donnelly said.

According to the Indiana Department of Health, nine out of 10 community health center patients are 200 percent below the poverty level and are uninsured.

Donnelly said about 80 percent of the patients seen at the clinic have been uninsured.

“Certainly from a cost perspective with health care, it’s better for them [patients] to come to a clinic like this than an emergency room,” Donnelly said. “It’s certainly better to do that and use the emergency room for truly serious health matters.”

Hospitals discourage use of emergency rooms

Emergency rooms get their fair share of business.

“Over 100,000 patients come through our emergency room every year,” Collette DuValle of Wishard Health Services said. “So, right now we’re trying to stress that people should see physicians at our clinics.”

Coalition fights for health care

Carl Ellison, vice president and chief operating officer of the Indiana Minority Health Coalition, agrees that clinics provide a lot of help to individuals.

“Without sliding fees based on one’s income, a lot of people will wind up in the emergency rooms, which are not a very effective or efficient vehicle for receiving care,” Ellison said.

According to the Indiana Department of Health, Indiana has saved $473 million because of care given by clinics instead of hospitals.

“Community health centers are a safety net,” Ellison said. “They’re the next to the last resort for the poor.”

The Indiana Minority Health Coalition not only tries to address the problem of patients not having insurance, they also try to help minorities receive equal health care.

“As an advocacy organization, the only way to eliminate health disparities is to make sure everyone has the same access to common care,” Ellison said. “Universal health care is just a fundamental, societal commitment we have to achieve … We can reduce disparities if everyone can see the doctor without really worrying about it.”

Ellison said society’s objective should be to reach a point where everyone’s cup is full, meaning that everyone has a 10 out of 10 chance of receiving health insurance.

“We need to be a society where the uninsured rate is zero,” Ellison said.

President Barack Obama is currently working with Congress on a health care reform bill to move the United States in the direction towards universal health care.

“It’s a fascinating area,” Ellison said. “Only in America can the richest society have a conversation that goes on about its poorest citizens not getting what they need to achieve greater health.”

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Nov 12, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Hoosiers Stepping Up to Volunteer in Tough Economic Times Locally and Abroad

Photographs from Building Tomorrow Schools

Before the recession hit last year, Sally Schrock’s Carmel-based non-profit, Second Starts, made an average of 13 deliveries a week, bringing blankets, pillows, kitchenware and other items to families who had been homeless but now have a place to live.

In the last year, that number has jumped to more than 20.

As unemployment rates have skyrocketed, so has the need for help from organizations such as Second Starts.

Filling that need requires more than just the donations Schrock receives at her office in the United Methodist Church rectory basement; volunteers become the driving force behind organizations and their ability to weather a bad economy.

“We’ve always had a strong base of volunteers,” Schrock said.

The United States has a long history of dedicated volunteers. According to volunteeringinamerica.gov, in 2007, 60.8 million Americans, or 26.2 percent of the adult population, gave 8.1 billion hours of volunteer service worth $158 billion.

Indiana ranks 19^th in the country for the percentage of residents who volunteer.

For some Hoosiers, the desire to volunteer comes naturally.

“It’s hard to call it work when it’s what you love doing,” Schrock said.

The recession has led others who ordinarily might not volunteer to start lending a hand.

Alan Witchey, volunteer coordinator for United Way of Central Indiana, conducted a study among United Way organizations about their growing need for volunteers.

“This is an opportunity for people to really make a difference in people’s lives,” Witchey said.

According to the study, 55 percent of United Way agencies have seen an increase in volunteers.

United Way of Central Indiana conducted a study of United Way organizations and how they were effected by the economy. This chart shows that nearly 30 percent of volunteers reported losing their jobs in the last year.

(Chart courtesy of Alan Witchey, United Way of Central Indiana)

Not everyone volunteers for the same reasons.

“Some people are, themselves, going through a major transition,” Witchey said. “Loss of job, loss of hours, loss of income, all those things. So they’re trying to find ways to network, find jobs, to connect, build new skills. But they’re a little bit more ambiguous. They don’t necessarily want to commit to long-term volunteer projects.”

The increase of both demand for resources and bodies to volunteer has forced non-profit organizations to restructure internally. In the last year, United Way eliminated 13 of its 100 staff positions.

“As the economy goes south, you’re forced to think of things differently and you consider different options,” Witchey said. “You think of how you can use volunteers in ways you might have used staff, about how you get people engaged at a time when they’re nervous and scared that their income is decreasing.”

Organizations that do service locally are not the only ones suffering.

George Srour of Indianapolis has made changes to his non-profit, Building Tomorrow, which raises money to build schools in rural areas of Sub-Saharan Africa.

The Building Tomorrow Academy of Bembe in Uganda

“We’ve really branched out and tried to diversify our funding sources so we’re not depending on the same people, which we had done for a few years,” Srour said.

The organization also coordinates trips for students to travel to Uganda to see their fundraising at work.

“We’ve had a trip the last three Januaries,” Srour said, “but I don’t think we’ll have one in 2010 simply because students are feeling a bit more pinched in terms of their resources to be able to travel.”

For Building Tomorrow, students are essential to the mission.

“It’s rewarding to be on different college campuses and to see the enthusiasm for the cause, not just for Building Tomorrow, but for philanthropy in general,” Srour said. “Students really have the power to create social change.”

Srour said he is occasionally criticized, particularly in times of a bad economy, for focusing Building Tomorrow’s mission on Uganda instead of the United States, where thousands of children in Indianapolis need help as well.

Butler University graduate Beth Kristinat traveled to Uganda to work at a Building Tomorrow school in the city of Kampala.

“It’s been our experience that someone who travels to Uganda and sees what they see, and works with our students, and works with our communities, comes back much more energized 20 times over what it cost them to get there,” Srour said. “I think by seeing what they do through our work in Uganda, it makes them more socially conscious and more aware even in their local community.”

There’s also the cost factor, Srour said. “The $45,000 Building Tomorrow spends on a school in Uganda wouldn’t pay for four walls around a classroom in the United States.”

But Srour encourages Americans to volunteer in any capacity, no matter the location.

“A lot of us have something we can give, even if it’s just time, that can help a family, that can help anyone who’s in need,” he said.

Witchey said he encourages people to volunteer during tough times by telling them to think about what they will say to their children years down the road about how they made it through the recession.

“Do you want to look back and be able to tell your kids, your grandkids, people you know, that you were actively stepping up to be part of the solution, or do you want to say, ‘I was scared, I took care of myself?’” Witchey said. “I think most people, when they think about it in those terms, they know. ‘This is a difficult time. I want to step up and make a difference.’”

For Schrock and her Second Starts volunteers, there is the opportunity to make a difference every day.

“This morning we delivered to a family that had five children,” Schrock said. “And that’s just so gratifying.”

Second Starts volunteer Paula Barbour agreed. Barbour worked as a counselor at Brebeuf High School, linking students with various volunteer projects. Now retired, she spends every Wednesday in the basement of the church.

“It’s just a joy to help people,” she said.

Video: Volunteers and Non-Profit Organizations

How Volunteering Can Benefit You As the Volunteer

-Résumé building

-Acquire skills you can’t get in a job

-Meet new people

Ways to get involved:

Second Starts

United Way of Central Indiana

Building Tomorrow

Nov 12, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

An Amateur Athlete’s Choice

photo credit: terence_s_jones

Facing the pressures to be the best, an amateur athlete must make a decision whether or not to use performance enhancing drugs. They never receive the glory that is gained by professionals, but they are faced with that same challenge. Without promise of pay, play, or fame, amateur athletes fight for playing time and experience. Being the biggest and best takes work, but some are willing to give it more. Some are willing to risk their health, eligibility, and future to get playing time, whether it on the field, the court, the course, or the water.

Performance enhancing drugs, generally referred to by athletes as steroids, can help an individual go from big to bigger, fast to faster, and strong to stronger.

Monitoring the Future

In a Monitoring the Future study from 2008, 1.5 percent of high school seniors reported having used steroids in the past year. That number was up from the previous year, but down an entire percent from 2004. The reasons for the avoidance of performance enhancers are not necessarily clear. Only 60 percent of those same individuals from the study note seeing a risk in using an enhancing substance. The deterrent may be the system, fear of ineligibility, or disapproval by one’s coaches or peers. The deterrent does not appear to be a fear of the risks.

While illegal enhancers are obviously banned, others are simply controlled by the sanctioning bodies such as the National Collegiate Athletic Association, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, or the Indiana High School Athletic Association. Controlled bans by the NCAA include the use of Human Growth Hormone, amphetamine, testosterone, marijuana, and tamoxifen. And still more remain undiscovered by the ruling bodies of amateur athletes, and therefore are not regulated, such as prohormones. Regardless, nearly half of most high school seniors reported having the ability to obtain enhancers to assist their abilities in their sport during the 2008 study.

Disapproval of Steroids in 12th Graders

Use of Steroids in 12th Graders

Responding to the Risk

The use of performance enhancing drugs involves a great deal of risks. According to the Mayo Clinic, change in behavior including mood swings, increased aggression, and depression, are side effects linked to the use of drugs that increase an athlete’s ability. While many of the enhancers physically increase the individual, they also pose risks to the health in the way of increased risk of high cholesterol, heart attack, stroke, and liver problems. For those using steroids, the reward of possibly gaining an upper hand in competitive sporting events is worth the risks involved.

The NCAA has strict guidelines and rules on the use of performance enhancing drugs by their amateur athletes. Included in the list of banned substances are stimulants, anabolic agents, street drugs, anti-estrogens, diuretics, and many others. The organization also has bans on procedures such as blood doping, local anesthetics, Beta-2 Agonists, and even high levels of caffeine.

Supplements are another option for athletes seeking to gain strength quickly. While the NCAA warns against the use of supplements, they are not specifically banned. They may include a substance that appears on the list of banned substances; therefore, their use comes into question in some specific cases.

If caught with the use of a banned substance, the NCAA has a three-strike rule for athletes. The first offense results in a one game suspension. The second illegal use finding leads to a 1-year suspension. On the third finding, an athlete loses complete eligibility for his or her collegiate career.

Moving into the college competition

Joe King plays football at Butler University as a freshman. He understands the pressures that come about when an athlete enters the collegiate scene.

“Not everyone goes on to play college football. It’s the best of the best that play in college football. You want to be even better,” King said.

Although King doesn’t think enhancers are the answer, he knows the benefit they provide for individuals in his position.

“Seeing the playing field off the bat is what a young athlete wants. It’s their goal. It’s everything they push for,” King said. “So steroids get you one step closer to that.”

Coaching without enhancement

Coach Kurt Guldner of Marian University coaches both women’s soccer and men’s baseball. He hasn’t ever been forced into a steroid issue with an athlete. And he understands the guidelines put forth by overseeing organizations on performance enhances.

What he doesn’t understand is how you can draw a line between the varieties of options available. “Is a baseball player taking five ibuprofen before a game…is that performance enhancing? He wouldn’t be able to play without it. Or is it a soccer player drinking a Red Bull before a game?”

He knows the lines but appreciates the use of language within the standard to set one enhancer apart from another type.

Coach Guldner summarized his view, “You can’t be satisfied. You always need to improve.”

He sees first hand the pressures players are under to focus on the next step. “The pressure of winning is sometimes so great from their youth on up that they want to do whatever they can.”

It’s personal

As a two-sport athlete at the University of Indianapolis, junior Paul Corsaro feels the internal pressures to be the best on the court and the field. “It’s more of a competitive drive. With most people, if they were to try it [steroids] they think it [steroids] would give them a competitive advantage, “ the football and basketball starter explained. “It’s all about trying to give yourself that advantage. It’s an inner drive to push yourself.”

As an athlete sees the negative side of things, he or she may change their tune about the positives of enhancement. Corsaro doesn’t only see the loss of eligibility as a damaging repercussion. “”Number one it’s going to mess with your head. Athletics is so much more about a mental state than a physical state.”

By the numbers

Fewer athletes are using steroids and other enhancements than they were before. The tighter regulation on these issues is definitely a deterrent. Also standing in the way are the opinions of other athletes. King, Corsaro, and Coach Guldner all consider the use of these substances to be cheating by an athlete.

Some athletes have found ways around the system. Many players think that if a substance is not yet banned, there is no wrong is using it. Corsaro agrees.

“If you’re following the rules, do what you have to do.”

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Nov 12, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Students transfer to avoid college expenses

photo credit: ivanx

Government aid for college students has increased for the 2009-2010 school year. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid will provide more grants to those considered low income. According to the application policies, families are considered low income when they have at least three family members, with a total household income of $30,000 or less per year. In 2007, every low income student received $4,087 in aid; in 2008 the budget increased to $4,731; this year shows the biggest increase to $5,350.

While more money is being granted to students this year, those not considered low income are not on the receiving end. Sophomore IUPUI transfer student Ingrid Scott falls in that category.

“I was forced to transfer. I was paying full tuition at Butler,” Scott said. “I didn’t receive financial aid or loans, so I decided instead of being in debt to transfer.”

Scott’s situation is much like many students who fall right above the low income line. Scott, along with sophomore IUPUI transfer student Ashley Hammond, says Butler didn’t offer her any financial aid. However, when they transferred, most of their college was paid for.

“It was more my choice,” Hammond said. “My parents didn’t pressure me into it. But I felt the tension on their side, so I felt bad for going to a school where they’re paying full tuition without any help.”

The need for change

Each year, more than 3,000 students apply to transfer to IUPUI from other leading schools across the nation. Although Butler is taking steps to help more students financially, it still isn’t enough. Butler’s vice president of enrollment management, Tom Weede, said Butler reallocated $1 million this year to help more students.

“We knew going into this year, based on what was happening in the economy, that our families would probably show greater need, and we wanted to help to the extent that we could,” he said. “And that certainly happened.”

Weede said financial aid is a “touchy topic,” because nobody receives the amount they think they deserve.

“It becomes a question of what we’d like to do and what we’re able to do, because we don’t have a magic pot of money that’s simply available to give out more financial aid,” he said.

Students’ options for help

Students who face such problems have several choices to help afford tuition. Some colleges offer the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, which is reserved for students with the greatest need. The school makes a professional judgment to determine eligibility. Several factors go into the formula. These include the student’s income, parents’ income and assets, household size, number of family members attending postsecondary institutions and the expected family contribution. The school then looks at the student aid report and decides if the family is deserving of the grant. The maximum amount one can receive is $4,000 per year.

Although the supplemental grant helps many students, it has some drawbacks. Not all schools participate in this grant and it is given on a first come, first serve basis.

Loans, as well as grants, also present challenges with limits. Loan provider Sallie Mae allows students to borrow a subsidized loan, which means students do not have to pay interest. The amount for which students can apply increases with each year of school. Freshman can apply for up to $3,506; sophomores $4,500; juniors $5,500 and seniors $6,500.

Like the supplemental grant, subsidized loans have stipulations. The maximum amount to borrow is $31,000. For some students, like those attending Butler, these loans barely make a dent in the $28,460 tuition (not including room and board).

“I really miss the one-on-one attention with the professors,” Scott said of Butler. “None of my professors know my name or what I look like or anything like that.”

Hammond said she’s not alone in her decision to transfer. “There’s so many people that transferred just because it’s too expensive.”

Butler students struggling with tuition can visit the financial aid office to talk about their individual situations. Weede said the advisors will talk to anybody about their financial aid package.

“We will do the best that we can,” he said. “At the same time, the best that we can often doesn’t mesh with what a family thinks it should be.”

Weede said the reallocation has helped tremendously with retention this year. But he also recognizes that it cannot affect all students.

“It works better on the wide scale than it does the individual level,” he said.

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“The Five Minute FAFSA”

Acronyms on the FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR)

EFC	Expected Family Contribution
TI	Total Income
ATI	Allowances Against Total Income
STX	State and Other Tax Allowance
EA	Employment Allowance
IPA	Income Protection Allowance
AI	Available Income
CAI	Contribution from Available Income (Independent Student)
DNW	Discretionary Net Worth
APA	Education Savings and Asset Protection Allowance
PCA	Parents’ Contribution from Assets
AAI	Adjusted Available Income
TPC	Total Parents’ Contribution
TSC	Total Student’s Contribution
PC	Parents’ Contribution
SIC	Dependent Student’s Income Contribution
SCA	Dependent Student’s Contribution from Assets

Butler University Tuition and Expenses

Cost of Attendance	$41,836
Tuition and Fees	$29,246
Room and Board	$9,740
Books and Supplies	$800
Other Expenses	$2,050
Payment Plans	Credit card, installment plan, prepayment discount

**Profile of Butler’s 2008-2009 Financial Aid**Freshmen
Financial Aid Applicants	866 (92.7%) of freshmen
Found to Have Financial Need	585 (67.6%) of applicants
Received Financial Aid	585 (100.0%) of applicants with financial need
Need Fully Met	135 (23.1%) of aid recipients
Average Percent of Need Met	Not reported
Average Award	$21,260
Need-Based Gift	Received by 579 (99.0%) of aid recipients, average amount $16,381
Need-Based Self-Help	Received by 414 (70.8%) of aid recipients, average amount $4,652
Merit-Based Gift	Received by 144 (24.6%) of aid recipients
Merit-Based Gift	Average amount $12,476

All Undergraduates
Financial Aid Applicants	3,455 undergraduates
Found to Have Financial Need	2,417 applicants
Received Financial Aid	2,417 (100.0%) of applicants with financial need
Need Fully Met	464 (19.2%) of aid recipients
Average Percent of Need Met	Not reported
Average Award	$19,880
Need-Based Gift	Received by 2,297 (95.0%) of aid recipients, average amount $15,109
Need-Based Self-Help	Received by 1,816 (75.1%) of aid recipients, average amount $5,704
Merit-Based Gift	Received by 457 (18.9%) of aid recipients
Merit-Based Gift	Received by 918 undergraduates without need, average amount $11,401

Borrowing
2008 Graduates Who Took Out Loans	62%
Average Indebtedness of 2008 Graduates	$24,000
Parents Borrowing PLUS Loans	Not reported
Parents of Students Receiving Aid	Not reported
Parents of Students Not Receiving Aid	Not reported

Nov 12, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Struggling Economy, Struggling Restaurants

photo credit: Ed Yourdon

Over the past year, Americans have witnessed a recession that has led to an increase in unemployment and a decrease in consumer spending. As a result, many Indianapolis retailers, including restaurants, have gone out of business.

Restaurants, which represent 10 percent of Indiana’s total employment, have been hit hard. Some restaurants have continued to march forward, despite constant struggles; others have been defeated, forced to close.

Forced to Close

Jim Nethercott was owner of Café Nora and Ruth’s Keystone Café, two restaurants located in the northern part of Indianapolis, two restaurants that closed over the summer.

“The restaurant business is what I know best,” Nethercott said.

Despite his knowledge of the industry, both of his restaurants suffered from declining revenue.

“By the middle of 2009, both restaurants were down 25 to 30 percent from 2007. The decline in sales began in March 2008 and continued on through the summer of 2009.”

Nethercott attempted to sell his restaurants. He attempted to find a financial partner. After he had exhausted all possibilities, Neth

ercott was forced to close both of his establishments in July. While he is currently working for a food management company out of St. Louis, Mo., Nethercott hopes to get back into the restaurant business in the future. His former restaurant, Ruth’s Keystone Cafe, re-opened under new management in October.

For restaurants that are struggling at the moment, Nethercott offers advice: “Innovate, work smarter not harder, and always be prepared for a downturn.”

Sales at a Record Low

Although the Indiana Restaurant Association does not track the number of local restaurants that have closed, it does track the restaurant performance index. The index, which is released monthly on the Indiana Restaurant Association’s website, states that in December of 2008, restaurant sales were at a record low. As a result of the apparent struggling times, at least four independently-owned eateries were forced to shut down: the two previously mentioned cafés, along with L’Explorateur and Elements.

L’Explorateur, which was located in Broad Ripple, was owned and operated by acclaimed chef Neal Brown and shut down in January; Elements, which was located downtown, was owned by another acclaimed chef, Greg Hardesty, and it closed in April. Both restaurants were classified as fine dining and, as a result of the economy hurting eateries, especially upscale places, the two dining locations were forced to close. Fortunately, according to an article in the Indianapolis Star, Brown is working on opening up a gourmet pizza restaurant located in the Carmel, titled Pizzology; Hardesty, on the other hand, is preparing to open a more casual restaurant, tentatively titled Recess, located in Broad Ripple.

A Shining Light

Although some restaurants are closing during these troubling times, most are pushing through the struggles, fighting to stay alive.

Sandy Schimmel is the co-owner of Creation Café and Euphoria, two restaurants located in Buggs Temple downtown. She has experienced many struggles over the past year with her two restaurants.

She noticed people eating out less often, choosing cheaper items on the menu, or no longer eating out at all.

“Instead of four times a week, they come two times a week. Instead of the steak sandwich, they’re having soup and half a sandwich. It was very, very scary,” Schimmel said.

While Creation Café struggled, it was able to stay in business because of the reasonable prices on the menu, the regular lunchtime customers, and the dinner coupons, Schimmel said.

“Night time business,” she added, “easily forty percent of the people came in with coupons.”

And this method seems to work. According to the National Restaurant Association, 75 percent of customers said they would visit restaurants more often

if they featured dining discounts on less busy days of the week.

For her other restaurant, Euphoria, a fine-dining restaurant, Schimmel experienced a greater struggle, as the recession forced people to cut back on “big ticket items.”

“Where people might go out for a special meal, just to have a good meal, [now] they’re only going out for birthdays, anniversaries, work-related things,” Schimmel said.

In order to maintain success with both of her restaurants, Schimmel began working harder. Her restaurants continued with coupons and featured items, as well as appearing at benefits, sponsoring charity events, and providing catering services.

“The biggest thing with restaurants is it is not a job, it is a lifestyle,” Schimmel said.

***

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Broadcast Video Version of Print Story

My Convergence Journalism Video

Helpful Charts

Here is an Excel spreadsheet of 2008’s monthly revenue, separated by Indiana’s counties. As mentioned in both the print story and the broadcast video, restaurant sales were at a record low entering in December.

	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December	Year to date
Allen	$549,488.00	$414,339.00	$463,029.00	$334,529.00	$486,544.00	$520,746.00	$421,487.00	$468,347.00	$450,499.00	$551,894.00	$388,911.00	$411,843.00	$5,461,656.00
Brown	$7,743.00	$6,358.00	$6,855.00	$5,701.00	$8,781.00	$13,199.00	$14,638.00	$10,055.00	$14,198.00	$13,772.00	$15,668.00	$15,276.00	$132,244.00
Brownsburg	$40,375.00	$28,033.00	$32,478.00	$27,867.00	$30,901.00	$38,847.00	$38,418.00	$31,808.00	$36,968.00	$46,396.00	$31,163.00	$34,750.00	$418,004.00
Delaware	$183,824.00	$126,637.00	$153,120.00	$160,055.00	$134,125.00	$161,579.00	$160,517.00	$129,604.00	$105,156.00	$176,705.00	$92,783.00	$145,596.00	$1,729,701.00
Henry	$44,832.00	$34,309.00	$34,936.00	$25,789.00	$44,840.00	$40,865.00	$41,002.00	$39,084.00	$35,233.00	$51,082.00	$24,405.00	$40,582.00	$456,959.00
Lagrange	$9,493.00	$3,216.00	$5,159.00	$4,972.00	$4,585.00	$8,310.00	$11,457.00	$13,380.00	$15,050.00	$8,134.00	$9,986.00	$10,149.00	$103,891.00
Madison	$159,709.00	$117,640.00	$117,824.00	$129,401.00	$127,029.00	$138,820.00	$185,088.00	$128,863.00	$124,522.00	$186,196.00	$94,251.00	$134,962.00	$1,644,305.00
Marion	$3,456,925.00	$2,741,791.00	$2,990,752.00	$2,672,198.00	$2,967,567.00	$3,170,562.00	$3,532,758.00	$2,751,157.00	$2,936,622.00	$3,863,763.00	$1,992,322.00	$3,253,658.00	$36,330,075.00
Morgan	$63,880.00	$17,266.00	$31,275.00	$23,521.00	$31,544.00	$29,631.00	$33,129.00	$26,073.00	$26,357.00	$30,068.00	$20,228.00	$21,608.00	$354,580.00
Plainfield	$73,618.00	$55,873.00	$62,573.00	$69,251.00	$70,350.00	$72,594.00	$94,003.00	$71,323.00	$51,935.00	$89,882.00	$38,904.00	$76,010.00	$826,316.00
Vanderburgh	$403,586.00	$317,835.00	$295,517.00	$256,898.00	$333,539.00	$330,794.00	$330,549.00	$264,833.00	$277,388.00	$372,852.00	$198,024.00	$326,764.00	$3,708,579.00
Hamilton	$397,050.00	$288,407.00	$304,245.00	$274,082.00	$310,248.00	$392,348.00	$398,533.00	$307,374.00	$320,876.00	$423,903.00	$183,616.00	$341,825.00	$2,952,805.00
Hendricks	$219,453.00	$167,000.00	$178,943.00	$180,454.00	$185,874.00	$207,154.00	$214,328.00	$188,596.00	$184,215.00	$234,403.00	$147,997.00	$202,073.00	$1,745,094.00
Avon	$86,134.00	$57,383.00	$62,434.00	$46,392.00	$52,133.00	$73,284.00	$67,873.00	$58,506.00	$65,472.00	$66,643.00	$45,450.00	$64,640.00	$540,393.00
Martinsville	$28,929.00	$22,441.00	$24,316.00	$21,554.00	$23,519.00	$23,758.00	$27,994.00	$23,887.00	$21,956.00	$32,552.00	$15,038.00	$29,349.00	$219,607.00
Carmel	$148,811.00	$86,108.00	$118,580.00	$87,636.00	$117,537.00	$120,234.00	$132,994.00	$96,198.00	$111,668.00	$144,453.00	$77,244.00	$104,189.00	$1,345,652.00
Noblesville	$79,909.00	$54,558.00	$51,182.00	$56,466.00	$66,622.00	$116,620.00	$91,788.00	$70,890.00	$69,844.00	$101,956.00	$59,480.00	$88,225.00	$907,540.00
Shelby	$41,818.00	$29,538.00	$34,297.00	$33,000.00	$32,515.00	$55,373.00	$38,168.00	$48,004.00	$43,826.00	$52,700.00	$21,372.00	$55,355.00	$485,966.00
Hancock	$58,557.00	$48,336.00	$54,612.00	$54,085.00	$43,867.00	$67,887.00	$62,387.00	$59,901.00	$55,164.00	$79,748.00	$37,520.00	$61,591.00	$683,655.00
Boone	$104,057.00	$40,963.00	$72,251.00	$33,738.00	$42,102.00	$53,193.00	$31,905.00	$39,826.00	$39,332.00	$64,019.00	$59,465.00	$40,221.00	$621,072.00
Westfield	-$79,794.00	$30,854.00	$36,310.00	$26,167.00	$32,703.00	$46,061.00	$28,362.00	$31,641.00	$32,392.00	$40,318.00	$25,577.00	$44,031.00	$294,622.00
Lebanon	$32,641.00	$19,738.00	$22,955.00	$17,374.00	$21,494.00	$33,291.00	$32,303.00	$20,154.00	$28,410.00	$37,144.00	$25,851.00	$26,116.00	$317,471.00
Zionsville	$15,102.00	$15,809.00	$18,580.00	$10,578.00	$11,554.00	$14,339.00	$18,739.00	$13,350.00	$16,731.00	$12,356.00	$10,490.00	$14,319.00	$171,947.00

													$61,452,134.00
	$6,126,140.00	$4,724,432.00	$5,172,223.00	$4,551,708.00	$5,179,973.00	$5,729,489.00	$6,008,420.00	$4,892,854.00	$5,063,814.00	$6,680,939.00	$3,615,745.00	$5,543,132.00

Useful Links

“Here is the link to the monthly restaurant performance index, as described in the story.”

Restaurant Performance Index

“Here is the link to 2009’s Monthly Net Collections Report, as mentioned in the article.”

2009 Monthly Net Collections Report

www.indycanal.com (website for Creation Cafe and Euphoria, two Indianapolis restaurants owned by Sandy Schimmel)

www.pizzologyindy.com (website for Neal Brown’s new restaurant, Pizzology)

“Read these additional articles about chef Greg Hardesty, and the progress of Recess, his new restaurant.”

Chef Greg Hardesty Information

Almost Time For Recess (An article about the progress of Hardesty’s new restaurant, Recess)

“Read Nuvo’s 2009 Dining Guide, a guide to all of the favorite restaurants in Indianapolis, a guide that I helped create and organize.”

NUVO’s 2009 Dining Guide

“Visit this website for additional information on dining events and happenings throughout Indy.”

indy.metromix.com

Further Articles to Discover:

Indianapolis Restaurants and the Economy: Fighting Like the Pioneers

Local Chefs Whip Up Renovations, New Restaurants (Indianapolis Star article)

http://www.indystar.com/foodanddrink (Indianapolis Star food and drink section)

Interactive Links

“Interact with Brown through his Twitter, discover updates and information about his new restaurant Pizzology!”

www.twitter.com/pizzology

“Read updates and interact with Creation Café and Euphoria by following them on Twitter!”

http://twitter.com/indycanal

Directions

Map/Directions for Creation Cafe/Euphoria

Map/Directions for Ruth’s Keystone Cafe

Photo Credits

Image of Jim Nethercott: (http://api.ning.com/files/a7M1QEy39os*V5vGBORVT*yETYsbLgsyeRpVqeotfc31I64JOmT9m6GszS5cXx3476mCQQMk44S8RCloHt5v3MFYk85Nbwpn/JimPhoto.jpg)

Image of Creation Cafe/Eurphoria: (http://i155.photobucket.com/albums/s289/corrnd/Buggs%20Temple/04-06-09/640px/2009-04BuggsTempleSign001-1.jpg)

Nov 12, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Future of US Immigrants Uncertain in the Face of Policy Overhaul

photo credit: Fibonacci

Look for yet another cutback in the coming year. But this cutback won’t be on jobs, pay or life’s many luxuries. This cutback will be in the number of immigrants welcomed into the United States. Immigration reform is about to take center stage, and lowering quotas on the number of immigrants allowed into the United States is a very real possibility.

In the 2000 census, more than 31 million foreign-born people were living in the United States legally. There is no way to know the exact number of illegal immigrants in the U.S., but some estimate it to be as high as 22 million.

The debate over immigration reform sits on the backburner while President Barack Obama first tackles health care. Once that is done though, it could be his next big initiative. This means change could be on the way for more than 10 percent of the country and five percent of Indianapolis.

Weighing the Options

President Obama supports immigration reform that would provide some sort of amnesty for illegal immigrants already in the United States. What is still unknown is the way amnesty will be determined.

One proposed plan would grant amnesty to parents whose children were born in the U.S. and are legal citizens. Terri Downs, director of the Indianapolis Immigrant Welcome Center, supports this initiative, as well as a system that awards points to illegal immigrants applying for amnesty. Those who have been in the U.S. working, paying taxes and staying out of legal trouble would be given preference. Obama’s website says that he and Vice President Joe Biden “support a system that requires undocumented immigrants who are in good standing to pay a fine, learn English, and go to the back of the line for the opportunity to become citizens.”

“If your family is starving, and you know you can cross the line and reestablish your family, and find some stability and offer your children opportunities you were not afforded, then it’s even more likely you’d be able to find some success in the United States,” Downs said.

Not everyone is supportive of amnesty though. The Federation for American Immigration Reform calls for an end to amnesty. FAIR said amnesty programs only increase the incentive for illegal immigration. FAIR would also like to see legal immigration quotas enforced, cutting yearly immigration from one million immigrants each year to 300,000. This would match the out-migration numbers and help control rising populations.

A map compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau shows the rising Hispanic population in Indianapolis

The Process

While immigration populations in Indianapolis have stayed far below the national average, only about five percent, the number of foreign-born people living in Indianapolis has more than doubled since 1990. Because of such a recent influx, only one in three Indianapolis immigrants is a U.S. citizen.Nydia Auchter, a native Nicaraguan, is one of them. Auchter came to the United States in 2001 and became a naturalized citizen this year because it made it easier for her to travel back to Nicaragua and see her family. But it wasn’t an easy process.

“It’s a very difficult process and it’s very denigrating,” Auchter said. “When you go to the embassy you’re treated like you’re something different.”

Auchter, whose daughter has just been approved for a visa to come to the U.S., has been lucky though. She hasn’t faced many of the problems that plague other Hispanic immigrants in the city. Her American husband is a professor at Butler University. Their family has no trouble supporting itself, unlike many immigrant families.

“We know many immigrants and refugees work two or three part-time jobs just to be able to keep food on their table,” Downs said.

Making a Difference

Downs runs the center by herself, but served over 2,500 immigrants and refugees last year with the help of immigrants she calls “natural helpers.” Natural helpers have been through the system already. They take immigrants new to the city and help introduce them to the resources they’ll need to be successful in Indianapolis. After utilizing the Immigrant Welcome Center, Auchter now serves as a natural helper.

“Knowing that experience myself I thought that I would be able to help these people better,” she said.

Downs does not ask immigrants that come to her about their legal status. Her goal is to help connect them to the city and support immigrants with basic needs regardless, but said she has worked with both legal and illegal immigrants.

“The common perception is that all immigrants are illegal,” Downs said. “That’s not true.”

While Downs said she is excited to see Obama tackle immigration reform, she knows that, with strong feelings on both sides of the issue, it will be a heated debate.

“There is going to be a huge amount of public debate on it,” Downs said, “but America is a country of immigrants. We are all immigrants.”

Can you pass the Unites States citizenship test? Here is a sampling of five questions.

What is the supreme law of the land?

a. The Constitution

b. Civil Law

c. Common Law

2. How many amendments does the constitution have?

a. 10

b. 22

c. 27

3. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

a. 4

b. 6

c. 2

4. If both the President and the Vice President can no longer serve, who becomes President?

a. Speaker of the House

b. Secretary of Defense

c. Secretary of State

5. Who was the President during World War I?

a. Franklin D. Roosevelt

b. Woodrow Wilson

c. William Howard Taft

(Answers at the bottom of the page)

Do you think the U.S. should award amnesty to illegal immigrants?

Vote here!

For More Information:

Immigrant Welcome Center
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
The Federation for American Immigration Reform
Organizing For America|BarakObama.com

q ‘ɐ ‘q ‘ɔ ‘ɐ :sɹǝʍsuɐ

Nov 12, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Indy arts organizations get creative in response to economic, state-funding downturn

Indiana arts organizations struggle to find creative ways to raise money after state legislators brought a drastic budget cut upon those organizations that receive state aid this summer.

A 20 percent cut slashed the 2010-11 budget of the Indiana Arts Commission that distributes funds to roughly 400 arts organizations throughout the state. The agency’s overall budget will prevent nearly $800,000 from being distributed to these organizations in an unforgiving economy.

“Many steps were taken to reduce the state’s spending, including agency budget reductions averaging 10 percent; salary, hiring and travel freezes; deferment or reductions for programs, and other actions. This includes the arts commission,” Jane Jankowski, Gov. Mitch Daniels’ press secretary, said in an e-mail. “The state has many worthy programs, and no one wants to make cuts, but many are affected when revenues are down.”

Back-and-forth process

This decision came after a lengthy back-and-forth between the Indiana Legislature and Daniels. He originally proposed a 50 percent cut in the IAC’s budget in January of this year, slashing $2 million from the previously $4 million total. Organizations such as the Indiana Coalition for the Arts sent lobbyists to fight this cut as soon as it was announced.

“We had advocates from all over the state contact legislators to share why arts are important to community and leadership,” Sally Gaskill, president of the board for the coalition, said. “We used a very powerful online advocacy tool of 10,000 names and e-mail addresses of people who support public arts funding [across the state]. These people could e-mail legislators, which allows lawmakers to hear directly from their constituents.”

Local lobbying efforts

The lobbying efforts were effective. By April, the Indiana House and Senate had passed a nine percent budget cut for the arts, but this number didn’t make it past Daniels’ desk. A special legislative session occurred in June, at which legislators finalized the 20 percent cut.

Many organizations felt relief that Daniels’ original proposal was not the final number because, in the current economy, every dollar means more than it has in previous years, Dave Lawrence, acting president of the Arts Council of Indianapolis, said.

“The economy has had a bigger impact on the non profit community due to hurting contributed income from corporations and earned income,” he said. “And organizations fortunate enough to have endowments have taken enormous hits. It’s sort of double-whammy.”

The Indianapolis Museum of Art relies more on individual donations than state funding to stay afloat.

The Indianapolis Museum of Art is one of these organizations. The museum’s endowment is about 70 percent of the annual operating budget, public relations manager Katie Zarich said. The loss in the value of this endowment has forced the IMA to cut nearly $5 million across three different sets of budget cuts since 2009 began.

“It’s unfortunate we’ve seen some of these cuts,” she said, “but the way we’ve gone about them at the IMA is to try to do as much as we can with as little as possible.”

Organizations’ responses

Other organizations in the city have adopted the same approach.

Dance Kaleidoscope has made several big budget decisions recently, cutting the number of weeks dancers work in a year from 48 to 45, and employees received no raises across the board, Executive Director Jan Virgin said. The organization has also taken some risks for the benefit of the community.

“We took a leap of faith this summer,” she said.

The modern dance company presented a summer show with lower ticket prices — normally $35 tickets were dropped to $15 — to encourage the community to attend the performances despite tighter personal budgets. Dance Kaleidoscope also took greater measures to collect donations from individuals rather than relying as heavily on grants as it has in the past.

“We had dancers write personal letters to past donors,” Virgin said. “We’re going after more while spending less.”

But it has not been all doom and gloom in the local arts world. The City-County Council maintained its $1 million budget for Indianapolis arts programs for 2010. But many local arts practitioners said they feel this good news is not good enough because of the necessary impacts the arts have on a community.

“If you consider the arts as an economic and cultural driver, that money is probably not sufficient to maximize the potential of that,” Mike Knight, public relations and communications manager for the Arts Council of Indianapolis, said.

The bigger issue: Arts are undervalued

Knight attributes this lack of value for the arts to a larger social issue that needs to be addressed in the state. Until the understanding of how the arts are essential to our society increases, he believes the arts will continue in their struggle to find government and public monetary support.

“If you pulled somebody out of a jungle and put him or her next to a car, they might look inside a car, see a seat in it and say, ‘Wow, this is a comfortable seat,’” he said. “But until you can get them to see the value of that car—to get them from point A to point B—it’s kind of worthless.”

Local dancer Libby Harris said she agrees with Knight’s philosophy.

“A community is not full unless it has a big arts program around it,” she said. And the ability for artists to express their creativity is essential to a fulfilled life. “Artists can’t live unless they have the opportunity to put their art out in to the world,” she said. “I need to be able to express myself.”

This is why having full-time jobs available at arts organizations is essential to the city, she said. But as much as a career in the arts gives to her, her ability to have such a career gives just as much back to the community.

“That’s what’s beautiful about the arts. It’s a give and take,” she said. “I give people something, but what they give me back is two-fold. Them supporting us and appreciating what it is that I do gives such a gift back.”

Video version of the story

Interact with Indy arts organizations

Clowes Memorial Hall/@cloweshall

Dance Kaleidoscope/@dancekal

Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra/@Indy_Symphony

Interactive Poll: Share your thoughts.

Click here to vote!

Nov 12, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Converged Journalism

Converged journalism is a relatively new course at Butler University, launched for the fall 2009 semester.

The goal is to teach journalism students to think in new ways and use new skills in order to gather and package news in multimedia formats and to meet the 24/7 information needs of the 21st Century.

Using traditional news-gathering and news values skills, the following pages present students’ final projects on this Web-based venue, including print-style, TV broadcast-style (video) and online-style (chunks, interactive links and other searchable content) information.

Loni McKown, professional practice faculty

Eugene S. Pulliam School of Journalism, Butler University

Nov 10, 2009 | 0 comments | View Post

Would you take an illegal substance to ensure your job stability?
	Yes.
	No.
	Just once.
	I don’t know.

pollcode.com free polls

Archive for November, 2009

Health care by numbers

Health clinics come to the rescue

by Olivia Ingle

Health clinics provide options

by Olivia Ingle

Polls

Ask the health experts!

Ask about any of your health issues and where to seek treatment!

Related Links

Photographs from Building Tomorrow Schools

Video: Volunteers and Non-Profit Organizations

Monitoring the Future

Responding to the Risk

Moving into the college competition

Coaching without enhancement

It’s personal

By the numbers

Related Links

Take the poll!

Take the quiz!

Butler University Tuition and Expenses

Forced to Close

Sales at a Record Low

A Shining Light

Participate on a single question survey about restaurants below!

Broadcast Video Version of Print Story

Helpful Charts

Useful Links

Interactive Links

Directions

Photo Credits

Weighing the Options

Making a Difference

Can you pass the Unites States citizenship test? Here is a sampling of five questions.

Do you think the U.S. should award amnesty to illegal immigrants? Vote here!

For More Information:

Back-and-forth process

Local lobbying efforts

Organizations’ responses

The bigger issue: Arts are undervalued

Related Links

Related Video

Interact with Indy arts organizations

Interactive Poll: Share your thoughts.

Do you think the U.S. should award amnesty to illegal immigrants?

Vote here!