I read in the Indianapolis Star recently of a new study shows that charitable giving is up across the nation–but that demand for services here in Central Indiana has risen, as well. Times are tough. More people need more services. Charitable organizations can’t keep up with the requests. We see this every day in our neck of the woods. Yesterday, a man looking for scrap metal stopped in to ask if he could take the screen the wind had blown out of one of our windows. “I’m collecting cans, anything I can get,” he said. “I’m just trying to get … Continue reading →

Okay, so Indianapolis is not New York. But we’ve done okay for ourselves over the years in the literary department. You can love him or hate him, but James Whitcomb Riley, the Hoosier Poet, was born in Greenfield and lived in Indianapolis. (My mom used to scare the crap out of us by reciting “Little Orphant Annie” at bedtime. “All they ever found was just his pants and roundabout.” I still wonder what happened to that naughty little kid who wouldn’t say his prayers.) Widen the circle a bit, and you’ll find a fair number of prominent writers from Indiana. … Continue reading →