Monthly Archives: March 2020

Ive thought and Ive thought and Ive thought about what in the world I want to use this space for today.

This week Ive had so many thoughts. Ive wished more people were taking the coronavirus pandemic more seriously. Id be lying if I hadnt had some thoughts of fear because Im immune-compromised as is my family. Ive worried about others who are at risk. Ive thought about my role as a journalist and how important the news is right now. Ive thought about the kindness so many have displayed and how wonderful our community is.

On top of that, Ive asked so many questions: How long will this last? What does our future look like? How will our communitys economy survive? What does this mean for our education and healthcare systems?

COVID-19 has taken over the world in a way thats truly unfathomable.

In Alabama, students and faculty wont return to school; theyll do it all from home through the end of the school year. Athletes wont return to the fields. If high school students are even able to have a prom, it certainly wont be the one theyve dreamt of. Plans are still being made for how if at all graduations will be held. Educators are heartbroken; the classroom is their sanctuary and their students are their families. Everyone is hurting.

I have to be honest; I cant pinpoint what I want to say because I dont know. Everything is so uncertain and surreal.

Like so many right now, Im just lost.

Ive always been intentional with my space on this page. Sometimes its simply sharing my life experiences but in everything I write, I try to help somebody in some way. Maybe my words will make someone smile; maybe my little ole words of wisdom will be the advice someone needs; or maybe somebody can just relate to what Ive been through and know theyre not alone.

So thats what Ill do try to help.

I like to offer solutions when I can, and right now Im unfortunately not full of them. None of us is. But I do know one thing for certain: We will get through this.

Our communities will survive. Were strong and come together when we need each other most. Limited public contact hasnt been a barrier so far for local civic clubs, organizations and individuals to provide assistance to others. In times of trouble, unity is formed. I have no doubt well figure out how to maneuver through this together.

We cant come apart, not now. The only way were going to get through this is by working together. As President Donald Trump said Friday, Republicans and Democrats have even come together right now because we dont have another option. Its so good to see people already coming together especially in our community and everyone lending a hand where they can. And we have to continue that or were not going to make it.

My advice is for us to lean on one another well, not literally, yall social distancing please. But really, we have to stick together through this. Although we cant physically be together, the only way were going to survive this is by standing tall with that unity weve shown we can display time and time again.

We have to be kind, offer help where we can, take care of ourselves and do all we can to stay positive.

We dont know what the future holds but we do know weve got each other. Lets follow the rules to prevent spreading this disease and keep it that way.

Santana Wood is the managing editor of The Outlook.

Go here to see the original:

Stick together now even though we're lost - The Alexander City Outlook

How can we proactively address the inevitable and unfair gaps caused by school closures?

President Donald Trumps announcement to extend nationwide social distancing guidelines until at least April 30 prompted Arizona to join Kansas, Oklahoma, Virginia, New Mexico, and Vermont in shutting down schools for the remainder of the school year. California and New York are leaning in a similar direction, and almost every state has closed schools at least until the end of April. Over 55 million students in the United States are currently out of school. The prospect of nationwide school closures is no longer a matter of if, but when.

In the weeks since school closures commenced, the glaring inequities that have always existed in our educational system have been highlighted to the less familiar. Questions of access and equity have underlined the unprecedented nationwide shift to distance learning: how do we make sure students do not go hungry? How do we bridge the digital divide that impacts countless low income and rural communities? How do we effectively serve students with special learning needs whose needs were a struggle to meet even in a brick and mortar environment? How do we train millions of teachers overnight to use tech tools they were often reluctant to use before this crisis? Even if school systems miraculously fulfilled all these prerequisites to equitable distance learning, the how behind supporting student learning at home for students without enough family support in the process adds an almost insurmountable layer of complexity. Not to mention figuring out how to support students through all of the trauma, suffering, and fear that comes with working through the worlds largest health crisis in 100 years.

Without downplaying the superhuman efforts of so many education systems across the country to do everything in their power to provide learning opportunities for their students, we are in a context where mandating learning is simply not going to happen. This means that students who need meaningful learning opportunities the most will will likely lose between two and three months of education this school year. There is undoubtedly an unequal cost to school closures. But acknowledging these inequities comes with an important responsibility: doing something about it.

Some might argue that the impact of schools closing is overblown. After all, even if all schools decided to shut down today, over 70% of the school year has been completed. The case for doing nothing falls apart when we start to dig into the the reality of what even two to three months of lost time means to specific groups of students. For instance, with what we know about how much childrens brains develop before age 5, two to three months means a lot for the nations students enrolled in shuttered prekindergarten programs. For college-bound high school seniors, especially first generation college students, missing out on college advising, completing college prerequisites, and all of the other nitty-gritty aspects of smoothing the transition to post-secondary education means a ton. Especially when it literally still pays to go to college. And think about what losing two to three months of school means for students who struggle socially who were just starting to feel accepted and students who struggle academically who were just starting to hit their stride. Considering this impact, the idea of doing the same thing we have always done as we ramp up for a new school year is unfathomable.

If doing nothing is not an option, what should school systems do to recover lost educational opportunities when they reopen after the coronavirus pandemic? There are at least 3 areas schools can consider to make the best out of an unprecedented situation by proactively addressing the inevitable and inequitable gaps caused by school closures.

High-quality summer school can be a powerful solution to avoiding what education advocate Dale Chu refers to as the coronavirus cliff. A six week summer school program targeted towards the students most likely to struggle the most from missed learning opportunities has an estimated price tag of over $8 billion. This is probably a stimulus-worthy investment, because it can provide an invaluable return to structure and support for students and families at a time when the nation will hopefully be rebounding from the current economic standstill. Smaller class sizes and clear, focused, learning goals might allow some students to not just make up for lost time, but possibly pick up ground given the glaring gaps existing in education prior to this pandemic. With there being mixed data around the value of extending the length of school days, with some evidence suggesting that longer school days increase performance for struggling learners and other studies suggesting more mixed results, summer school might be the most feasible way to close gaps more quickly.

The Achievement Gap starts early. This is why kindergarten readiness matters. Up until third grade, students typically learn to read. after third grade, they read to learn. This means fourth grade readiness matters as well. To avoid the minefield ninth graders walk into across the country, where students fail ninth grade than any other grade, high school readiness must also be prioritized. With about half of first-year college students needing remedial education in math, English, or both, the transition from high school to college needs to be a focus as well. School systems looking to recover lost educational opportunities should prioritize these important transitions however they can. This could look like innovative partnerships with higher education institutions to address remediation challenges. Dedicated support for transition grades can be delivered during Saturday or after-school programs. For many school systems, the default expectation is that students grow at least 1 grade level during each academic year. Education leaders may want to consider how systems can be shifted to change this expectation to 1.5 grade levels per year over a two year time period for students in these transition grades who are far off the target.

A silver lining to this is that we can no longer deny the impact of families on student learning. Before the coronavirus pandemic, the prototype of an involved parent was a family member who volunteered for the school carnival or organized the bake sale. Now, we have to accept that for our families with the capacity to do so, education leaders can and must see that true student learning cannot happen their authentic involvement on the academic side.

We have also seen the vastness of the digital divide as leaders scramble to provide students with devices and connectivity to access learning in the distance learning context. Technology-assisted learning is not the be-all, end-all in education. But leaders should not overlook a powerful outcome of this unprecedented time: teachers across the country have had no choice but to develop at least a basic understanding of how to use a wide variety of educational technology products and services. Post-pandemic, educators should see how using these resources strategically can be another resource to recover lost learning opportunities due to school closures.

School systems who struggle are used to saying theres always next year when it comes to implementing strategies to improve. But this years version of theres always next year must recognize that a this year spent tackling a global pandemic that completely stopped the economy and shut down schools for months requires an even more intense focus. Doing nothing is not an option. Doing the same thing we always do misses the point. Education leaders must be intentional about addressing the unique challenges posed by the unequal costs of school closures.

Go here to read the rest:

Theres Always Next Year: 3 Ideas To Recover Lost Educational Opportunities Post-Coronavirus Epidemic - Forbes

One of the things that many people who are addicts experience when theyre in the depths of compulsion is isolation fueled by shame and guilt, he said. Really, one of the most important things people need in recovery are people who are living in the solution, who are thriving in recovery, who they can connect with to find out theyre not alone.

Throughout the state, the places people would normally go for social stimulus restaurants, gyms, libraries, live shows have all temporarily shuttered or limited their services in order to comply with social distance mandates aimed at slowingthe spread of coronavirus.

For people struggling with addiction or other mental health issues, the enforced isolation has been particularly difficult.

Read on: How a tight-knit communitys brush with coronavirus hithome for a Seattle reporter

Many support groups and networks have canceled in-person meetings and pivoted to online communication. Some groups have started conversations through Facebook groups or through video conferencing sites. That's what Shelffo's group did instead of meeting in personat LGBTQ service provider Peer Seattle headquarters, where the groupused to congregate.Peer Seattle recently joined many other organizations in closing for the time being.

Its a lot of stress and anxiety for people, said Joshua Wallace, executive director of Peer Seattle. His organization has moved quickly, encouraging online meetings and continuing services wherever possible.

Human beings are social creatures, and isolation can have a variety of impacts, including increased risk of depression, stress, a weakened immune system and cardiac health issues.

Jonathan Kanter, director of the University of Washingtons Center for the Science of Social Connection, said an ongoing surveythat started March 14 is monitoring how people in King County feel about their isolation under coronavirus. So far, it hasfound that people are adapting, despite general anxieties.

Right now, we collectively have the sense that were in this together, he said. The first week of data showed that while anxieties persist, theirintrusiveness has diminished and people are adapting rather than simply being overwhelmed.

Feeling connected is important, Kanter said. Still, he wonders what people might feel in the weeks to come and is particularly concerned about those who are stressed after losing income, struggling with school closures, living aloneor without access to technology basically, everyone whos most likely to feel lonely and isolated in the long term.

For everyone especially particularly vulnerable peoplewith mental health issues finding ways to stay connected is essential.

Social support tends to be one of the best predictors of recovery and the ability to cope with mental illness, said Adam Kuczynski, a graduate student with UWs Center for the Science of Social Connection and a facilitator of the study.

John D., a member of and volunteer withSeattleAlcoholics Anonymous, saidvideo conferences have been particularly helpful since in-person gatherings were halted. He was unsure about what the experience of an online meeting would be like before joining his first one this week, but he was pleasantly surprised.

Were being forced to adapt as quickly as we can, he said, adding that hes concerned about new members. Ive been sober for a while now, and Im connected to people Ive met in the program but Im worried about the people just coming in that dont have those connections.

For him, staying in community is important so that people dont feel like they have to do this alone. Seattle AA, like other support groups, has continued to update itswebsite, pointing toward online resources.

Kanter said video chatting is one of the best options available to people hoping to break through the isolation that can come with social distancing. Studies show that video chatting, the closest thing to face-to-face conversation, is best for staying connected. Kanteradded that he already used this technology with patients beforethe pandemic and found it enormously useful for people who couldnt meet in person.

But online services arent available to everyone, either because they dont own a computer or capable mobile phone, or cant afford to sign up for a video conferencing program, saidLauren Simonds, executive director of the National Alliance on Mental Illness Washington. Her organization has provided Zoom onlineconferencing licenses to its Washington affiliates, but that doesnt take care of people without internet access.

Public libraries in Washingtonoften have computers open for public use, but library closures meanopportunities for internet access are further limited. Its an issue Simonds wants government officials thinking about moving forward.

Our cities and our counties might have to consider how to help those in our community who dont have that access, she said.

Its certain that theres still much to configure as communities grapple with isolation, and Kanter said that feeling stress about the situation is OK. Its important to validate those feelings.

Most of us are feeling some stew of stress, anxiety, overwhelm, uncertainty, and feeling this is normal, he said. Its what human bodies do in situations like this. The concern is how we cope with these feelings.

Rather than isolating further, lashing out or depending on substances like alcohol to cope, Kanter and Kuczynski said,staying in community with others through whatever means available is necessary as communities continue to adapt. In some ways, people should follow the example people in support groups have set even before this pandemic and practice intentional openness with one another, Kanter said.

If we are feeling more vulnerable or more in distress, we can reach out to other people and let them know, he said. And if youre feeling OKbut worried about others, really proactively reach out to people right now and check in.

Shelffo saiddoing that requires getting creative. On Tuesday night, he hosted Strength Over Speeds first online meeting. While members said they preferred in-person conversation, Shelffo said it went much smoother than expected communication flowed more easily than hed imagined and some shared that they felt better afterward.

While current circumstances can be frightening, Shelffo saidhes turned to the history of his community when seeking inspiration for solutions and for strength.

I come from a community of people that made it through the AIDS crisis, he said. We got creative when people got shuttered inside their homes. We found ways to communicate and support each other, and Im sure that well continue to find ways to do that now.

View original post here:

Social distancing is hard, especially for people living with addiction and mental illness - Crosscut

Theres a red, industrial looking building right next to a cemetery just off Highway 254. Thats home to Numana.

Many are not sure what it does and when asked around town, many did not even know it was there. As Numana celebrates their 10-year anniversary, that has not stopped them from helping anyone and everyone.

This is our opportunity to step up, Numana Inc. Executive Director Ashley Burns said.

With the COVID-19 pandemic griping the nation, Numana has stepped up to the plate, not only internationally but locally.

The company provides meals for people who are in need. Whether it be a single mom wondering how theyre going to put food on their table as schools have closed (yes schools are providing lunches). Numana has stepped up. They prep food packages and ship them all around the world, not just in El Dorado. However, during this time, the focus has turned to supporting their own.

A Wildcat by birth, Burns has seen it to be her mission to help her El Dorado family out. She wanted to make an impact throughout the community and sees Numana as that way. Last year, Numana did three million meals around the world, with 90 percent of them internationally and 10 percent are back home.

Weve been keeping our eyes and ears open for where we are needed most, Burns said. We really want to be growing within El Dorado and the surrounding communities.

The Meals are simple. Theres a recipe sheet to follow, the meals are nutrition based, meaning they can be prepared or eaten as is. They also they pair with other foods that can be acquired at food banks. They come with a large zip-lock bag-sized white grain rice, freeze dried pinto beans and a dehydrated soy, that is almost granola-like. The local meals also come with freeze-dried vegetables, while international meals come with a vitamin packet.

Its basically Chipotle without the mean and fresh vegetables, Burns said.

Theyre loaded, too. They have a warehouse that is filling up in case their needed within the community.

We make sure we are taking care of our local needs, Burns said.

While they are not a faith-based organization, Numana was founded through faith. Numana refers to the biblical term mana. It is referenced as the food the Israelites were instructed to consume while they wondered the desert during their 40-year exodus.

It was not always their name. They did not have a name originally. However, after the founding owners went to Haiti to help out, they returned home, and Haiti was struck with the devastating earthquake. Numana meals were the first to be airdropped into the country to help feed those affected by the earthquake. Burns said as God provided for the Israelites, Numana tries to provide for others who are in need.

Thats where Numana has stepped up locally.

What made them switch gears is now they have an opportunity to take care of their community. They have provided meals to the area, nearly 100,000 to the south-central Kansas. While they are looking to venture into Sedgwick County more as the pandemic grows, their focus remains on Butler County and El Dorado.

We have been brainstorming the best and most efficient way to be intentional and respecting those who need our help, burns said.

A small staff of five at their office on Boyer Road, just south of 254, haven taken extra precautions with the pandemic. They bleached their kitchen and they are sanitizing daily, observing many of the same health food regulations that your favorite restaurant would adhere to.

Weve always been trying to find that local need and weve never been needed at a high capacity before, Burns said. We are now and were going to provide meals when they are needed.

Numana is trying to show support for our local businesses in El Dorado. They are offering to anyone who donates a $65 box of 216 meals, they will receive a gift card to one of those local businesses.

Numana has made deliveries or made have accommodated the local citizens to provide easy pick up, from a mom picking up on the picnic table just outside of the home office to delivering meals to a couple quarantined.

We want to be considerate and manageable, Burns said. Its about the community and how we can help them.

As of Friday, March 27, Numana has hand delivered a total of 5,328 meal to families in Butler County.

We anticipate that number to grow exponentially next week as we continue to reach out to local partner food pantries who can distribute our meals, Burns said.

Read the original here:

Numana making local impact when needed the most - Pittsburg Morning Sun

Does distance make the heart grow fonder? I have thought about this a lot lately.

I have been physically separated from my mother since the 1st of January, when we celebrated all that 2020 might bring to our lives. Neither of us imagined what was to come, that a pandemic would sweep the world, taking us with it.

Holding hands would soon cease, hugs and kisses no longer allowed.

Our separation hasn't been intentional. It is due to the coronavirus.Mum lives in an aged care complex where several people have been diagnosed and died after contracting the virus.

Just like millions of people around the world, my mum is now trapped in a 'lockdown', with all the best of intentions to protect her.

If Mum gets infected, she is at a very high risk of dying.Seeing her family poses too great a risk to her life.

I am not permitted to visit her. The same applies to my three adult children Lowanna, John and Dylan.

Mum is precious to us. All her siblings have passed away; we are her only family and love her dearly. I tend to think we are more worried about the separation than she is. Over the phone Mum tells me she is fine and sends her love.

At the same time, I have been out in the Redfern community investigating coronavirus or COVID-19, for a special Living Black episode that goes to air tonight.

The strain of juggling personal concerns, with the weight of information I learn on the job has been quite a challenge.On occasions the pressure has bought tears to my eyes.

Karla Grant with her mother Elizabeth and three children, Lowanna, John (left) and Dylan (right). Source: Karla Grant

This virus has halted life as we know it. It has touched all our lives, at home and work.

At my workplace, virtually everyone at NITV is either working on COVID-19 related content, or they are having to adjust 'business as usual' to accommodate COVID-19.

With incredible support from my colleagues, I have carried on working as normally as I can muster under these strained circumstances.The toll has been emotionally and physically draining.

My team and I have all discussed the risks we face of catching COVID-19 while filming and editing this Living Black episode.

We're all mindful, we are putting our lives at risk in order to produce this story. We all have families at home.

Driving us on is the need to report on how the Indigenous community is being impacted by this killer virus. Our people and communities need to know the seriousness of the crisis and what precautions they need to take to keep themselves, their families and their Elders safe.

I am forever grateful to my team for their dedication, for risking their lives to produce this important episode.

I only hope this special episode on COVID-19 sheds light on the dangers of the virus, how it is impacting the world and most importantly, our own backyard.

And while the last week and a half has tested me, I smiled on the final day of shooting.

I was lucky enough to see my Mum and hear her say 'I love you Karla'.

It was from a distance, in line with social distancing of course, but it was the most moving and touching moment to see the smile on my Mums face, to talk to her and to know that she is doing okay.

For me, distance does makes the heart grow fonder.

If you believe you may have contracted the virus, call your doctor, dont visit, or contact the national Coronavirus Health Information Hotline on 1800 020 080.

If you are struggling to breathe or experiencing a medical emergency, call 000.

Coronavirus symptoms can range from mild illness to pneumonia, according to the Federal Government's website, and can include a fever, coughing, sore throat, fatigue and shortness of breath.

Living Black can be viewed on on NITV (Ch.34)Monday 30 March at 8.30pm, Wednesday 1 April at 9:30pmand will be availableOn Demandafter the broadcast.

Read the original:

'It's upsetting. My Mum is in there' COVID-19 threat to Karla Grant's mother - SBS

I've learned a lot over the last few months about new ways of eating. I'm not a doctor and my intent is not to push a popular diet on others; however, I am excited to share what I've learned about the process of change.

My goal is to inspire and encourage other busy executives and leaders to make changes in their lives. I've found that change (especially when it's controllable) often yields greater happiness. That's what happened to me, and I'd like to pay it forward. It's clear that the more satisfied we are individually and as leaders, the better we can contribute at work and at home.

My journey began on December 23, 2019. While eating dinner with my family, I turned on a Netflix documentary called What the Health. I was so fascinated by the show that I watched The Game Changers right after that. I was intrigued by the stories of those who had switched to a plant-based diet and no longer suffered from stomachaches, which Ive endured since childhood. I had never made such a drastic change before and was willing to begin my own eating experiment. Within a few weeks, I quickly felt positive impacts from my new whole foods lifestyle.

We all face change in our lives, whether its a big change (like working from home during a pandemic) or a small change (like starting a jogging routine). Whatever you are facing in your life, here are my top 10 lessons for personal and professional growth:

Don't hem and haw when faced with change. As Nike says, just do it. Hesitation often leads to doing things the same old way and expecting a different result. Make the decision to start. If you're unhappy, then give yourself permission to modify or stop what you're doing without any guilt. There's no one right or wrong way to do anything. Make your own path and do so with purpose.

Everyone has opinions, and they often don't hold back. That's OK, but surround yourself with like-minded people. It makes the journey more enjoyable.

I didn't realize how many plant-based food options there would be in restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, etc. Even fast food and chain restaurants are catering to vegetarians and vegans. Starbucks recently announced that it's adding oat milk to its menu in 1,300 stores.

As I discussed in a recent article, personalizing the customer experience is a smart business strategy to differentiate your brand. In the context of change, this also reinforces my point. When you commit yourself to making a change and keep your eyes open, you'll see many opportunities all around you.

I've found that when we overthink or overcomplicate a task, it leads to accomplishing nothing. So, break down tasks in the pursuit of change. Remember that every action counts. If you only have 30 minutes to exercise instead of your usual hour, for example, commit to it for half an hour rather than pushing it off for another day or never.

There's an inspiring line in the poem "Invictus" by William Ernest Henley: "I am the master of my fate, I am the captain of my soul." I first heard this quote in the movie Invictus, which my friend had recommended to me and I now recommend to others.

You control your destiny. The choices you make today impact tomorrow. Build your self-confidence and believe you can make positive changes. That's when you will do the unimaginable.

Since switching to my new diet, I am more mindful when shopping, cooking and eating. I now read food labels, which I had never done before. I'm tasting so many new foods and trying restaurants I'd never visited. My diet requires me to get more creative, and that makes life more fun. So slow down and enjoy the little things about the change you're making. I've found that being mindful about positive change amplifies happiness.

When making a change, communicate to your friends and family that you need their support. Leverage communities on Facebook, Instagram and other social platforms there is so much knowledge-sharing to go around. Find a partner and hold each other accountable. I would never have continued my plant-based lifestyle had my husband not done it with me.

With any new habit, it's normal to feel doubtful and fearful of the unknown. Recognize that it's OK to feel that way, but move forward without letting it hold you back. You'll be glad you did. If you need inspiration, I recommend reading Feel the Fear...and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers, Ph.D.

Conquering anything challenging, whether it's a new diet or exercise plan, or a new job or project, can feel overwhelming when you first get started. Practice does make perfect and becomes rewarding. Be intentional and focused on your purpose by reminding yourself of the "why" behind the change every day.

As human beings, we're all experiencing life in different ways. Take the time to ask questions and share your experience. Read books. Listen to podcasts and TEDx Talks. You may be surprised when something you already know resonates in a whole new way. Epiphanies happen when least expected.

What changes have you made and how has it affected your perspective? Which tip above resonates with you most, and what would you add to the list?

See the rest here:

Making A Big Or A Small Change In Your Life? 10 Effective Ways To Do It - Forbes

Welcome to State of Basketball, a multi-part series from Inside The Hall taking readers on a tour of historic basketball gyms around the state of Indiana.

Each of the gyms included in the State of Basketball series was featured in this seasons pregame introduction video for the Indiana University mens basketball team.

The goal of the series is simple: To highlight the importance of basketball, at all levels, in the state of Indiana and to explain the importance that being featured in the introduction video for the states flagship team has on the communities these gyms are a part of.

The State of Basketball series: Introduction, Pleasantville Gym, The Harrison Center, Memory Hall, The Anderson Wigwam, Vermillion County Public Library

*****

NEWPORT, Ind. Inside the Vermillion County Public Library, thousands of items are swapped with the thousands of patrons who visit each year.

Most are normal to the environment: Childrens books and DVDs are exchanged and returned, editions of Moby Dick and Don Quixote are in circulation and residents of the four Vermillion County townships served by the library have a vast collection of literature available.

But amongst the hardback and paperback books are basketballs, ready as the rest to be used by visitors.

The library is on the buildings second floor. Classrooms and storage space can be found on the first floor.

The bottom floor is home to the buildings distinguishing element, a basketball court with a red curtain-clad stage along one of its sides.

Newport High School existed inside the building from the early 1920s until 1964, and all the while the Newport Tigers played on that court.

A snarling, red tiger logo still adorns midcourt in between block letters spelling NEWPORT and TIGERS although blue and black tape now criss-crosses the hardwood, marking parameters on the floor for pickleball and volleyball games.

Its been more than 55 years since the gym hosted a high school game, and likely longer since it saw a winning team given Newports substandard history in the sport.

The building and gym remain not only intact but connected, an intentional choice by people like Misty Bishop, the director of the library, to retain the essence of the town.

You get that historic feel in Newport when youre here, Bishop said. The community is so involved with the building and keeping the history.

*****

Although the blueprints have been lost to time, the consensus is that Newport High School spent its final four decades inside the building now housing the library. Newport consolidated into North Vermillion High School in 1964, and for a period after that the old building sat vacant.

It was briefly an elementary school then a community center, but neither occupied the space for very long.

In 2003, the library gained control and moved into the building.

Renovations were done twice in the ensuing 11 years. First there was a million-dollar project to get the building up to code by installing an elevator, a new HVAC system and a new security system, then an additional renovation in 2014 freshened the place up with new carpet and paint.

The structure of the old Newport High School remained the same, a red-brick exterior with plenty of windows, as did the presence of the gym found below ground.

The gym has been a huge focal point for the library in the past couple years, Bishop explained.

With a wooden backboard affixed to one of the walls and modern-day glass backboards held in place by stanchions, one has the tools to compare the gyms past to its present.

But the tape markings on the court act as a constant reminder of the clientele served.

Home plates are outlined in bright yellow tape. A haphazardly drawn 3-point line appears in teal. Random patches of red tape could mean nothing and everything at once.

On a given day the court is a playspace for whoever wants it.

This could mean a chance to shoot hoops, conduct a summer reading seminar, entertain Newport alumni at an annual reunion dinner or host hundreds of people for an indoor easter egg hunt.

The beauty of the gymnasium is in its versatility. Newports is no different.

We try to make it so that when (people) come to the library its more of an experience, Bishop said. It makes coming to the library a place you want to stay once youre there.

*****

Bishops desire in this regard is based on logistics as much as anything else.

Vermillion County, established in 1824, is long and narrow, a sliver of land pressed against the Indiana state border with Illinois.

About 40 miles long and 10 miles wide, some county residents must drive 30 minutes to reach the library (the countys other library is a township library in Clinton).

As such, Bishop uses this as incentive to hype up the best things the library can offer those who must travel to the county seat of Newport.

Since becoming the librarys director in June 2011, Bishop has grown the library turnout tenfold, from roughly 1,000 people annually when she started to the nearly 10,000 people who visited in 2019 (a Vermillion County Soil and Water Conservation District office is also located in the building).

The increase came as Bishop addressed community needs.

Theyre the people who are ultimately paying for the library, so its like, What do you want downstairs?' Bishop said. Oh, you want basketballs so you can go down and practice? Sure, we can do that.

Even prior to her time in charge of one of the few library-gym combinations in existence (gyms in Ancient Greece often had libraries attached), Bishop was a part of the rich basketball tradition in the state.

Shes originally from Hope, Indiana, and played basketball at Hauser High School in Hope from the seventh grade through her senior year.

It kind of brings back all the joys of basketball, she said. Even though I dont do it all the time, its like, Oh yeah, thats part of who I am.'

Attention concerning the old Newport gym came not only with its inclusion in this seasons Indiana basketball introduction video, but also last year when members of The Hoosier Hardwood Photo Project came to town to photograph the gym.

Bishop said some of those photos are now in the Indiana Basketball Hall of Fame, helping bring further awareness to an area not usually in the spotlight.

Its exciting for me because a lot of people dont know the library is here, Bishop said. Vermillion County doesnt have a lot of publicitywe always like to say were the best kept secret in Vermillion County because were kind of hidden down here.

*****

Based on basketball pedigree, and athletic success in general, Newports home court should no longer exist.

The Tigers, a member of the Vermillion County Conference (VCC), took part in the state tournament each year from 1915 to 1964, failing to win even a sectional title (Of the VCCs eight members, seven of them left via consolidation. Only Clinton, which won 12 sectionals in its 21 years in the VCC, left as its own school).

There is no record of Newport winning a state championship in any sport, and any trace of the schools athletic involvement has been reduced to old IHSAA handbooks and surviving copies of the school yearbook The Flashlight.

You cant read much about Newports past. But you can stare at it, dribble on it and survive with it into the future.

North Vermillion Elementary School, located in nearby Cayuga, uses the court for practices.

The annual Newport Antique Auto Hill Climb (in which thousands of people gather to drive cars up an 1,800-foot-long, 140-foot-tall hill) in Newport acts as an event naturally funneling people to town, where they visit the library and see the gym and wonder about the stories that took place within its baselines.

Long-term plans for the library dont necessarily involve the gym, because its always been there and will continue to be.

Bishop wants to make the library more mobile and find a way to take its programming on the road. The library has also gone fines free, eliminating fines and late fees (except those for damaged or lost books) for patrons to encourage people to continue to make use of the resource.

Bishop has also dealt with people stealing basketballs from the library after checking them out, something that can only be described as a stereotypically Indiana problem.

Its one she will have to continue to monitor as well.

As a concept, the library is one of the last great community cornerstones in this country. It delivers what those who use it request.

In Indiana, that is a basketball and a gym to play in.

Its here, we might as well use it, Bishop said of the gym. We might as well give it back to the community and keep it preserved.

*****

The Vermillion County Public Library is featured once in the 2019-20 Indiana mens basketball introduction video at the 0:40 mark. The video can be seen here.

Filed to: State of Basketball,Vermillion County Public Library

More here:

State of Basketball: Part 6 - Vermillion County Public Library - Inside the Hall

Atlanta's East Lake Meadows housing project, which opened in 1970, was demolished three decades later. Walter Stricklin/Atlanta Journal Constitution/PBS The new PBS documentary film from Sarah Burns and David McMahon chronicles the fall of an Atlanta housing project through the residents who once called it home.

Beverly Parks grew up in a house in Atlanta in the 1960s, where she and her siblings took turns sleeping in one bed. Huddling in the living room during the winter, shed take a breath and see the frost hang in the air. But in 1970, her family moved into the East Lake Meadows public housing development, and things changed. For $45 a month, her mother could afford a three-bedroom apartment.

When you come from an environment of no food, no heat, cold, to a housing project, that was just like heaven to us, she said.

The images of East Lake Meadows that linger in history books dont look like heaven: Nicknamed Little Vietnam within a year of its opening in 1970, it was one of the many American public housing projects cast as dysfunctional when crime, drugs, and government disinvestment both intentional and negligent tore through the property in the 1970s and 80s. Today, the neighborhood is unrecognizable: In 2000, the development was demolished and rebuilt as a mixed-income project. The original residents were promised they could return, but most were displaced.

In the new PBS documentary East Lake Meadows, directed by Sarah Burns and David McMahon and produced by famed documentarian Ken Burns, those former residents help trace the trajectory of East Lake Meadows with candor, revealing what made it such a special, and eventually, after years of negligence, such a horrible place to live.

Like the 2011 documentary The Pruitt-Igoe Myth, which centered on a St. Louis public housing project made famous in videos of its decline and subsequent implosion, East Lake Meadows uses the history of one development to explain the calcification of segregation in America and the damage thats done when divisions are drawn between a deserving and undeserving poor. Along with former residents, the film features a whos who of contemporary voices on American inequality, such as New York Times Magazine reporter Nikole Hannah Jones and historian/New Yorker writer Jelani Cobb. The feature film, which premiered on PBS this week and is available to stream online, also serves as a powerful call to action: The reason some public housing failed was not because it has to fail, but because there was a lack of will to make it succeed.

We could do this better. We could provide decent housing to the people who need it most, said Burns, who also co-directed the 2012 documentary The Central Park 5. Ultimately thats the message of the film: We could be doing this, we just have to decide we want to.

CityLab spoke to Burns and McMahon by phone their tour to promote the film was cancelled because of Covid-19 concerns, so the couple and their son were staying in with family in South Carolina.

The documentary used one distinct public housing development to tell such a sweeping story. Why did you choose to highlight East Lake Meadows?

Sarah Burns: We originally learned about East Lake because wed been told about the new community there the narrative that is out there about all the successes of the new community, and how much things have changed. But we immediately recognized that that was a really incomplete version of the story, and that in order to think about this place thats there now, it was much more important to consider the place that was there before.

The best way to follow issues you care about.

David McMahon: It felt like in this case that people who had a vested interest in the success of the place had been the ones who put the story out there. And it is an extraordinary success story in certain ways; as Ed Goetz says in the film, you could hardly believe you could remake a community to the extent that they did. But it was just a little digging and we discovered that it wasnt [a success story] for the people who had been living there when it was East Lake Meadows.

Why Atlanta?

Burns: While Chicago has been the focus of much of the academic research and writing about public housing certainly a theme is places like Cabrini Green because of Atlantas history of being the first city that started building these federally funded housing projects in the 30s, and then being so aggressive beginning in the 90s with tearing it all down, it was actually a great place for telling these stories.

We felt like in some ways we could have chosen any housing project and that we would have had stories from residents that we would have been able to explore many of these same issues. When we were sharing the film with public housing residents in other cities, people have found that they recognize something in these stories that they can relate to those experiences and feel in some way that its their story too.

How did you find so many former residents of East Lake Meadows?

McMahon: The tricky thing was that a lot of people did not come back: It was 20 years since the original housing had been bulldozed.

When they were in the 4th, 5th and 6th grade, in the late 90s, theyd begun doing video diaries of the experience of watching their housing come down around them their teacher had given them cameras and told them how to use them. The teacher eventually made the video diaries into a feature-length documentary which premiered at a local library.

We tracked the students down using a private investigator. It took months. Some of them gave us on-camera interviews, but they were there at the very end they had 9- or 10-year-olds perspectives. They werent going to be enough.

So we started, at the suggestion of our colleagues, a Facebook page. After a couple of days, something like 1,500 people had come to the page, all eager to share their memories: Many of them remained connected. In some cases [they left] in the late 70s after saving enough to buy a house; in other cases it was under, eviction or leaving with the sense that the housing was coming down and there was nothing left for them, in other cases it was a Section 8 voucher. We were trying to show there were a lot of outcomes over the years.

Burns: So many of the people we talked to said, Are you going to talk about the good stuff, too? Even the idea of that was really important to people. They recognized that the way their community had been portrayed, to the extent that it had been, was always with this focus on the Little Vietnam aspect of it the crime, violence, the drugs, the problems. It was really important to so many of the people we talked to that that not be the only thing that was covered, because that had been very much their experience so far.

And people were not shy about telling us about that stuff too: They werent saying that that wasnt the case. That there was crime and violence and it could be scary, especially for people who were parents there, the ways you try to protect your children. But that also there were also happy memories, and ways that people came together.

McMahon: Everyone talked in one form or another about how they were able to keep life moving there in the absence of services that other communities are provided or the businesses that we take for granted that grow around all of the communities that are not abandoned.

One of the most compelling figures was Eva Davis, a resident of East Lake Meadows and a fearless tenant leader whos described by her granddaughter, Evette El-Amin, as a fiesty young old lady. Shes the one who, by the end, convinces many tenants that demolishing and rebuilding East Lake Meadows is the only realistic way forward. How did you find her story? Were there other examples across the country of these strong matriarchs who led movements in public housing?

McMahon: Eva Davis had died a year or two before we began production, and we found her family and her passing was very raw for everybody. It was not only the family. Everyone had something to say about Ms. Davis. She had impacted everybodys life there. And certainly across Atlanta and I think well beyond, projects have tenants association leaders, theyre often women and they often have political clout. They often are dealing with problems as diverse as how do we get people to stop buying drugs on our corner to how do we get a toilet fixed in the third building in 3C. All day long she was advocating for these people.

[Before moving to East Lake Meadows, Davis] comes up from a rural area south of Atlanta and gets engaged in civil rights actions there and really cuts her teeth marching with the ministers in Atlanta at the height of the civil rights movement. Shes a perfect person to begin organizing the tenants; she could get 400 people out to vote if the city councilman who represented the district was there to support them. She was a bulldog, as one of her daughters says. Ms. Davis is totally unique. Yet a lot of these spaces have a Ms. Davis, and often its Ms.

The film outlines a forgotten origin story of public housing, which was first marketed and intended as a home for respectable, middle-class-presenting, low-income white people. In the 1930s, for example, Atlanta bulldozed an integrated neighborhood to build Techwood Homes, a public housing development that was made for white families only. Why is that history important, and what does it say about public housing?

McMahon: Theres an evolution across the years of who we think deserves public housing. When [the U.S.] began public housing, we had identified a class of people, white people largely, who had fallen from the middle class in the Great Depression and perhaps lost their housing. It was thought we could give them a step back to the middle class. In designing it, they had to do it in segregated terms. With the societal trends of white flight and white people leaving the city [in the 1950s and 60s], there was a loss of a tax base, a divestment, a lack of commitment to [public housing]. That really happened when it was exclusively black and brown people.

Burns: The reason why we need to cover that history was both to know how different it was in the beginning, and that different intent, but also to understand that we can do this well. The image you get of public housing in the media over the last decades is the one of the Cabrini Greens, the East Lake Meadows, the Pruitt-Igoes these large public housing projects serving an extremely poor community, frequently one that is majority African American in population and that is challenged in many ways with crime and drugs. Thats what we see on the news and thats the sense we walk away from of what public housing is. It comes to define the whole of public housing.

Over the years its been done in different ways. There have been times when we have funded it and taken care of it and provided solid buildings that actually provide decent housing. There was a time when this served a different purpose that it served fairly well the people who lived in it, that it was safe and decent housing, and that it did help people as a sort of stepping stone. It was a different demographic that it was serving in that way.

To [New York Times Magazine reporter] Nikole Hannah Jones point: We could do this well. We have done this well. Weve just never done it well for the most vulnerable, for the people who need it the most.

McMahon: I also dont think we want to touch the entirety of public housing with this brush exclusively. There are 3,000 housing authorities across the country and some of them succeed beautifully. I think that that gets to how do we do this well going forward: that perhaps theres not a one-size-fits-all solution.

But it does seem to be a universal thing that if you decide to start tearing down the public housing, we know now to put the people who were living there at that time in the foreground, and make sure theyre engaged in the solution in a neighborhood thats not serving its residents very well.

Atlanta was doing something radical in the mid-90s: They had a dramatic plan to tear down all of this housing. I think its a cautionary tale.

Sarah Holder is a staff writer at CityLab covering local policy, housing, labor, and technology.

Excerpt from:

'East Lake Meadows' Filmmakers on Race and Housing - CityLab

The sound of Christian hymns echoes through an empty sanctuary during a Facebook Live service at Immanuel Lutheran Church in DeKalb.

Like nonessential businesses, the churches doors have been locked to their congregations in the interest of public health.

You can imagine parishioners are singing along, sheltered-in-place at their homes. Marty Marks is the pastor at Immanuel. One of his members wanted to sing but didnt have a hymnal.

So I did kind of a drive-by ding-dong ditch thing where I went to the house, I rang the doorbell, you know, Im leaving the hymnal here! said Marks.

Every faith group is trying new ways to keep their communities connected, even if they cant do it face-to-face. For many, Facebook has been the tool of choice to reach them.

Facebook Live sermon broadcasts and Zoom meeting prayers are the new norm.

Theyre also keeping up with each other through phone calls, emails and WhatsApp.

For the Muslim Association of Greater Rockford, its been a big adjustment. Just consider their mosques normal Friday prayer gatherings.

We usually have approximately 700 people -- now there is none, said Imam Mohamed Ahmed Elgobashy of the Muslim Association of Greater Rockford.

The Association posted daily prayer from home instructions on its website.

You can pray anywhere, he said. And if you have some emergency like this, you will get the same reward from God if you pray at home if you didn't come to the mosque.

Denzil Luckritz is the pastor at Trinity Episcopal Church in Aurora. Hes been having morning and evening prayer groups on Zoom. Hes also doing Facebook streams for the first time.

Everybody's been talking about a learning curve, said Luckritz. It has not been a learning curve at all. It has been like a rocket launch. It has been straight up.

Many peoples daily schedules have all but exploded during the COVID-19 crisis. The Rev. Eric Doolittle says having a prayer schedule, like in Islam, can be beneficial to anyone in any faith tradition.

So planning that time, 10 minutes, five minutes, 20 if you can do it, to be intentional about the different parts of your self-care is essential, said Rev. Doolittle, the chaplain at North Central Colleges Office of Faith and Action.

He says hes eager to see how people of faith take the opportunity for action in their communities.

How will people use the extra time? And as they feel that they are able to engage, to give back to embody the love of neighbor in a proactive way, said Rev. Doolittle.

Members of the Muslim Association of Greater Rockford are helping deliver meals to students.

Other religious groups at Northern Illinois University are working with food insecurity missions for college students and trying to connect them to other campus resources.

Marty Marks is also the president of ACRO -- the association of campus religious organizations at NIU.

He says those student faith groups are also staying plugged in with each other.

I don't see me doing a Snapchat or TikTok Bible study but, you never know, you get creative in times of need, he said.

Rev. Doolittle at North Central College is hoping church leaders learn to rely on the young adults they have.

Theyre already experts, so lean into them, he said.

One of the religious organizations at North Central, the Christian fellowship FOCUS, is breaking services into chunks through the week and curating Spotify playlists for worship.

Despite the innovation, many churches are also feeling a financial burden.

Its all unknown, said Marty Marks of Immanuel Lutheran. Weve got no idea what our offerings over the next few weeks of them look like, we're in the process of budgeting for our next fiscal year. So we have no clue what our income is going to look like.

Some churches, like Immanuel, also run schools that have teachers and staff who need to be paid.

Most churches set up online giving options in the meantime.

For now, Denzil Luckritz at Trinity Episcopal says, hes seeing his community step up spiritually for each other.

All of that has been challenging at the same time there's been a silver lining because we're coming together in ways that are simply remarkable, said Luckritz.

And with coronavirus stress and anxiety taking a toll on many, faith groups pray they can continue to nurture spiritual care for themselves, and others. in a uniquely uncertain time.

View post:

'Embody The Love Of Neighbor': Practicing Faith In A Pandemic - WNIJ and WNIU

Ben Higgins is engaged!

The Bachelor star, 31, proposed to girlfriend Jessica Clarke over the weekend in Franklin, Tennessee.

I was super nervous. Shes my best friend, my partner and I love her. I was nervous to kind of do this whole thing in front of her. I wasnt anxious, its just a big moment! he told Entertainment Tonight.

So who is Higgins future wife?

Clarke, 24, is an avid runner and competed on the University of Mississippis (Ole Miss) womens track and field and cross-country team. According to her athlete bio, Clarke is also dedicated to helping others and stayed in a special needs orphanage in China for 10 days.

Ben Higgens/Instagram

She graduated from Ole Miss in 2018 with a bachelors degree in integrated marketing and communications, according to her LinkedIn, and began working at Valet Energy in Nashville in November 2018. Shes also the co-owner of SweatNET Nashville and SweatNET Denver, online communities that offer coupons for workouts and more.

The couple met in 2018 when Higgins successfully slid into Clarkes direct messages on social media. The two dated in private for several months before making their relationship public in February 2019.

RELATED: The Bachelors Ben Higgins Claps Back at Troll Who Says His GF Looks Like Shes in High School

Ive been selfishly keeping this girl to myself for too long! Hey friends meet @jessclarke_! I successfully slid into her Dms a few months ago. I took a risk and I am glad I did, Higgins captioned a photo of himself and Clarke in Honduras.

She is someone special, and I look forward to where life is going to take us, the Generous Coffee co-founder continued. Stay tuned for the journey. In addition, this picture was taken this week in Honduras. I got to spend some time with an incredible group of people from all over the USA on a @generous_coffee_ adventure. Life is good!

Though Clarke was aware of who Higgins was when he slid into her DMs, she hadnt watched his season of The Bachelor.

Her mom loves the show so much, so she called her mom right away and was like, What is happening here? and her mom was like, I dont really know, but you should at least message him back. So she didnt watch my season, which is actually good, Higgins previously told PeopleTVs Reality Check.

Ben Higgens/Instagram

RELATED: The Bachelors Ben Higgins and His Girlfriend Jessica Clarke Dish on Their Romantic First Kiss

And according to Higgins, the likelihood of them ever sitting down together and revisiting his Bachelor days is slim to none.

The very first time she ever saw any piece of my season was watching the Bachelorette reunion show that came out last year. And it was when JoJo [Fletcher] and Lauren [Bushnell] were both there with me at the end, Higgins explained, noting his exes. And it crushed Jessica. Shes like, I dont want to ever see this again. So I have no doubt we will never watch my season.

While the couple started their relationship long-distance (with Higgins based in Denver and Clarke living in Nashville), they made a point not to go more than two weeks without seeing each other and frequently traveled together. She even joined him on the road for The Bachelor Live on Stage Official Tour, until the coronavirus pandemic forced its cancellation.

Like Higgins, Clarke is Christian; she lists the Bible passage 1 Thessalonians 5:16 (Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is Gods will for you in Christ Jesus) in her Instagram bio.

Faith is foundational. Our relationship wouldnt work or make sense without our faith being front and center, they told the blog Live Original in November 2019. Its a grounding force for us and something that has led to the most challenging, but also the most fruitful conversations. Starting to get to know someone by dating long distance means that everything must be intentional. We never have been afraid to dig deeper into our beliefs from the get-go and its led to a strong foundation that now weve been able to build on and really have fun with. Bens leadership in faith is one of the things Jess is most attracted to about Ben.

Clarke announced their engagement on Sunday, sharing a sweet photo of the proposal.

I dont remember everything you said, but I know that I said yes. I woke up in a dream today and I get to live in this dream every day from now on (eeeep), the bride-to-be announced on Instagram, along with photos of the moment her fianc proposed.

Read the rest here:

Everything to Know About The Bachelor Star Ben Higgins' Fiance Jessica Clarke - Yahoo Entertainment