Dear Indy,
Today we have another update for you on the upcoming primary election for state legislative races.
Or, more specifically, why most of us probably won’t be paying attention.
First, let’s look back to last month, when we told you that just 10 of 23 of those races fielded competitive primaries.
Well, it got even less competitive.
Marion County voters will have choices in just five of those races.
To learn why, take the example of Chunia Graves.
She is part of the Indiana Democratic Party’s 2023-24 class of emerging leaders and is the vice president of the Marion County Young Democrats.
But she didn’t meet the full qualifications to be considered a Democrat, so she was kicked off the ballot.
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In other news
- Opposition has grown to a birth control bill that does not include language about IUDs — something that some medical professionals and Democrats say amounts to an early effort to limit certain types of contraception in Indiana. But Democratic Rep. Rita Fleming, a retired OB-GYN and author of the bill, pushed back on that notion in an op-ed sent to news organizations this week: “The opposition from representatives from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the ‘neutral’ stance from the Indiana State Medical Association baffles me. It’s on your watch, for the past decades, that maternal and infant mortality has climbed, that more children are born addicted, that sexually transmitted diseases are affecting newborns in record numbers. Whatever you might be doing about those, it’s obviously not working.” The bill is now headed to Gov. Eric Holcomb.
- After Indiana’s near-total abortion ban took effect in August last year, the number of abortions dropped dramatically — and almost all of them were performed in Indianapolis. Those details were contained in a new Indiana State Department of Health report. Learn more here.
- Indy Documenters attended the City-County Council’s Environmental Sustainability Committee, where the councilors were provided an update on the city’s planned carbon credit program.
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What’s going on around the city
- Friday, March 8: Whether you’re observing Lent or just looking for a good fish dinner, Our Lady of Lourdes Church and School, 5333 E. Washington St., has you covered. From 5-7 p.m., the church will be serving up breaded fish sandwiches and sides in its cafeteria. $10 for adults and $7 for children.
- Saturday, March 9: From 4-7 p.m., Indy Reads, 1066 Virginia Ave., will host a writing workshop and open mic for Indianapolis writers hoping to share their work and get feedback from peers. Participants are encouraged to bring what pieces they’ve been working on, but prompts can be provided to help kickstart the creative process. Free.
- Sunday, March 10: Beef & Boards Dinner Theatre, 9301 Michigan Road, opens its doors (and buffet) at 10:45 a.m. ahead of a 1 p.m. showing of “Beautiful: The Carole King Story.” This off-Broadway production tells King’s story — from growing up in Brooklyn to writing 118 pop hits on the Billboard Hot 100 throughout her career — and runs through the end of the month. Prices vary.
— Breanna Cooper, arts and culture reporter
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: The leader of IU Health is urging other Indiana hospital leaders to line up behind governor candidate Brad Chambers — and even providing instructions on how to send their campaign contributions to a nonprofit that does not disclose where the money comes from.
- WFYI: Indiana lawmakers are saving the bees, one HOA regulation at a time.
Arts and Culture
When I think of theater, I think of rehearsals and preparation. Everything from costumes to props to how lines are delivered seems important when planning a play.
Two organizations are hoping to mix it up in the name of fun: Actor’s Playground and Irving’s Crossroads. The first by surprising audiences with unrehearsed readings by professional actors, and the latter by curating unexpected performances.
For the public, it means barrier-free theater experiences. For actors, it means boosting their visibility with the audiences they love.
“Ultimately, it helps people branch out and get out of their comfort zone,” playwright Emily Worrel told arts and culture reporter Breanna Cooper.
— Jennifer Delgadillo, arts and culture editor
Want to explore more of our city’s vibrancy? Find more arts and culture coverage here.
Reflections
Later today President Joe Biden will deliver the State of the Union address to Congress. If you’d like to watch, it’ll be carried on television by all of the major networks or you can stream it on the White House website. It’s scheduled for 9 p.m.
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.