Dear Indy,
Today House lawmakers are scheduled to discuss Senate Bill 52, the bill that threatens to kill the Blue Line.
The bill wouldn’t just jeopardize the bus project, though.
State lawmakers also would overrule the will of Marion County voters who approved the bus rapid transit projects by a wide margin in a 2016 referendum.
As part of our ongoing coverage of the Blue Line bill, Mirror Indy reporter Emily Hopkins interviewed bill author State Sen. Aaron Freeman, R-Indianapolis, and fact-checked some of his claims.
Like Freeman’s insistence that “there was no conversation about dedicated lanes” ahead of the referendum vote in 2016.
The reporting shows there was, in fact, extensive discussion about dedicated lanes in 2016.
But there’s more.
Read more here.
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In other news
- What does redlining have to do with air pollution? Look no further than the west side, where classist and racist housing policies of the 1930s resulted in a concentration of industrial pollutants — sometimes just feet away from homes. Today some of the manufacturing facilities are routinely noted as the worst air polluters in the city. Things could soon change for westsiders, though, under a new proposed EPA rule. Let Mirror Indy westside reporter Enrique Saenz explain.
- A new report about the status of Indiana’s children shows a lot of progress around high school graduation rates, the number of kids covered by insurance and drops in youth drinking, smoking, vaping and illegal drug use. But some remain concerned about the high number of high school students who have seriously considered suicide. “That’s one in six of our high school students,” Indiana Youth Institute President and CEO Tami Silverman said, “which means it is someone that you know.”
What’s going on around the city
- Tonight: Madam CJ Walker, Ida B. Wells and Harriet Tubman will come alive through performances by Soulful Journeys of Women at the Indianapolis Public Library Lawrence Branch, 7898 Hague Road. History On Stage is for all ages and will take place from 7 to 8 p.m. Free.
- Wednesday, Feb. 21: Join Mirror Indy at The AMP at 16 Tech, 1220 Waterway Blvd., for a Community Listening Session. As we continue to shape the future of local news in Indianapolis, we want to make sure all perspectives are included. The event is free, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. with refreshments provided.
- Sunday, Feb. 25: At Kan-Kan Cinema and Brasserie, 1258 Windsor St., a discussion will follow the 1 p.m. screening of the Civil Rights Movement film “Two Classes of 1968.” The Q&A will be moderated by Leslie K. Etienne, Ph.D., director of Africana Studies at IUPUI School of Liberal Arts. Tickets are $12.
— Jennifer Delgadillo, arts and culture editor
Looking for other things to do? Check out Mirror Indy’s events calendar.
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What else we’re reading today
- Indiana Capital Chronicle: As part of his run for governor, U.S. Sen. Mike Braun released a public safety plan that calls for new authority to “remove and replace” prosecutors — an idea that some Republican state lawmakers have toyed with because Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears, a Democrat, has a policy of not pursuing simple marijuana possession charges.
- IndyStar: Recycling is important, but have you also considered what steps you can take to reduce the amount of waste? Some ideas in this article include borrowing tools, for example, rather than buying your own.
Reflections
Today our newsletter hit you with some heavy news.
So consider this portion of the newsletter as a detox, because our city also has a lot to be proud of.
One fun example: If your experience with Chai is limited to chain coffee shops, then we have a new article that you’ve gotta check out.
In Indy, we have four Chai spots within a 10-mile radius. Before you go, get our tips on what to order.
That’s it for today. See you tomorrow.
Ryan
P.S. If you liked something about today’s newsletter, or didn’t, let me know at ryan.martin@mirrorindy.org. It helps us serve you better.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
