360 Journalism


Thrifting In Bloomington


By Leyda Chavez, Scarlett Anderson, Katie Crouch

Shopping second hand isn’t just smart, it’s stylish. Thousands of people around the world are shifting towards thrifting or the act of going to thrift stores. Yes, the popularity has given this action its own verb, thrifting. 

Thrifting isn’t necessarily a new idea though. Resale, donation, vintage, and antique stores have been around for decades. 

Ragstock, one of many thrift stores, has such a wide variety of styles for everyone. 

“I think vintage is something that is kinda timeless and there’s always something you can find in a thrift store that you’re not gonna find in most other places,” Ragstock, Store Manager, Lennon Martin said. “I think that is what keeps bringing people back is the uniqueness.”

Finding vintage items brings back memories from the past. Many pick up this hobby at a young age. Whether it’s from …
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Hopewell’s Path to Community: The Farmer’s Market


In the heart of Hopewell, an up and coming neighborhood in the middle of Bloomington, Indiana, vendors began to arrange their tents and goods for the Tuesday community farmer’s market. Signs billowed gently in the wind as Bloomington residents browsed the various stands, and music played in the background of the idle chatter of the market’s visitors.

The farmer’s market is part of Hopewell’s effort to create a neighborhood where people look out for each other, shape the future, and put down roots. Farmer’s markets provide opportunities for members of the community to connect with people, share their passions and products, and earn extra income. Willa Liburd, owner of Sugar City Slices Antillen Fusion Pastries, took the opportunity to share her baked goods with Hopewell at her second time at the market. 

“I started at my baking business in March and, you …
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Lively Food Truck Tuesday brings community to Bloomington through passion and dreams


By Karina Hans, Jordin Barnes and Lena Choi.

Information Note: Food Truck Tuesday happens weekly at the Trades District from May 6 to Dec. 30 at 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The deep sizzle of fresh meat hitting the grill fills the air as the aroma of barbecue becomes intertwined with countless other cultures filling the air of Food Truck Tuesday in Bloomington, IN. Lively chatter takes over the streets as customers sit down to bite into their juicy burgers or chewy churros.

Food Truck Tuesday is a weekly event that brings together people from all over Bloomington through a love for food, a celebration of community, and by teaching students to follow their dreams. 

Mayor Kerry Thomson says the food trucks allow people from all over the city to come together, highlighting the beauty of what makes Bloomington, Bloomington. 

“It provides a space for …
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Indiana University’s Student Recreational Sports Center (SRSC) — It doesn’t have just physical benefits 


The Student Recreational Sports Center, arguably the most daunting building on Indiana University’s campus, has a wholesome environment with a multitude of benefits. The physical benefits of a recreational center are well-known, but the mental benefits clearly manifest in student life as well. 

Students often feel stressed because of the workload that comes with being a student. The SRSC is a place where that negative energy can be released in a healthy manner. Upcoming IU junior Alex Schlatter spends a substantial amount of time at the SRSC. The center plays an important part in his life, as he not only goes there to work out but also attends as an employee. With the stress of the school year, the center is a wonderful escape. Schlatter confided, “I just need a break away from, like, the dorm life or anything like that, …
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Behind the Pickleball Boom in Bloomington


A particular racket sport played on asphalt courts has been booming in popularity across the city of Bloomington, Indiana and afar as of late, but it’s not what you might expect.

The sport of pickleball has enjoyed fast-growing popularity and has attracted a large demographic of players, from children to elders as well as players of all levels. One of the most prominent figures in Bloomington’s pickleball community is the Bloomington Pickleball Club’s Chair of the Board, Dave Martin. Martin began his pickleball journey in 2015, and has never looked back. Eventually, more and more people began to discover their passion for pickleball like Martin did, leading to the establishment of the Club.

“You never know who you’re playing with,” he said. “You could be playing with IU professors, business people, doctors, lawyers, it’s so great.”

The great increase in not only members …
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WonderLab: How One of Bloomington’s Most Unique Local Attractions Keeps Growing


By: Trent Josleyn, Crown Point High School

Nash Henry, Bloomington High School North

Will Tallackson, LaPorte High School

WonderLab: How One of Bloomington’s Most Unique Local Attractions Keeps Growing 

In the heart of the bustling college downtown of Bloomington lies one of the most popular destinations, a science-based children’s museum that stands out from the rest. 

WonderLab Museum of Science, Health & Technology is one of the only places in the state where visitors can find an aquarium, beehive, bearded dragons, and a water table all in the same building. 

Established in 1998 and located in an empty storefront in the Wicks building by the Courthouse, WonderLab continues to thrive in bigger form decades later. The current facility on Fourth Street opened to the general public in 2003 with around 1,000 people visiting on opening day. 

WonderLab has held over 1.5 million visitors in their facility since …
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Academic Freedom Under Fire


By Robby Temprano

At Indiana University Bloomington, Professor Benjamin Robinson describes being arrested during the Palestinian rights protest. He explains that the police’s response was harsh and disproportionate given that the protest was peaceful and did not violate any policies.

Robinson mentioned his involvement in social justice causes over many years. He was present to support the student protesters, many of whom he knew from classes and civil rights trips. When police moved in to break up the protest, Benjamin Robinson tried to reason with officers but saw the police commander giving orders to push forward aggressively into the protesters.

Robinson and others were subsequently arrested and spent 6-7 hours being processed before release. Soon after, Robinson found he had been banned from his very own campus, despite having tenure and 20 years of service at the university. He sued the university for …
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The Rise of Record Sales


By Maura Connell

Streaming services are all the rage these days. With a few quick taps on your phone, you can have over 100 million songs at your fingertips. Yet, statistics show that vinyls are trending again…

Though vinyl was the best selling music format until the 1980’s (when CD’s took over), they seem to have made a comeback. In 2022, Billboard Music stated that vinyl sales had been rising for 17 years, and 43.46 million vinyls were sold that year by a variety of artists. The top 10 best selling albums range from Taylor Swift’s Folklore and Midnights to The Beatles’s Abbey Road, making it clear that vinyl transcends age. So why, in an era where it is so easy to access music online, do customers still gravitate toward vinyls.

TD’s CD’s & LP’s on Kirkwood Ave, is a small store under …
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Secondhand clothes, firsthand impact


By Emerson Romans

Clothes sorted, displays set, customer ready.

Since 2017, the U.S. secondhand market has grown by 95%, with 1.4 billion secondhand apparel items purchased in 2022, up 40% from 2021 according to Capital One’s yearly shopping statistics. “Thrifting” or the act of shopping at a thrift store, garage store, or charity shop, significantly grew in popularity during the pandemic. The TikTok subculture coined “#ThriftTok” has gained over 1.6 billion views online.

The rise of thrifting acts as a cheaper way for individuals to participate in pop culture’s renaissance of several iconic fashion trends from the past, including flared pants, which rose to fame in the early 70s, high-waisted pants, infamously coined “mom jeans” in the 80s, and slip dresses, widely worn in the 90s. The rising appeal towards secondhand clothing has connected many youth with older generations. 18-year-old Bloomington native Minette …
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Safer Streets or Causing Chaos: Bloomington Residents Speak Out After New Development in Bike Lanes


By Daniella Lainez

In efforts to sustain more safety following nine severe and fatal cycling accidents in the past five years, the city of Bloomington has begun to develop more bike lanes with a 15-year goal of eliminating all cycling accidents and increasing the presence of safety on roads in Bloomington.

Following this project, the level of involvement from cyclists of using these new bike lanes as opposed to the main road or sidewalk has been hit or miss. Residents of Bloomington expressed varying opinions on the matter.

Bloomington resident and Co-Director of SustainCollins and Sustainability Program Tanjimul Alam said, “I have definitely seen a decent amount of people using the bikes lanes but they are a little confusing and we need more signs to distinguish the bikes lanes, a lot of cars and bus tend to park and …
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