Ball State Daily News Vol. 105 Issue- 21

BallStateDailyNews.com

VOL. 104 ISSUE:

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EDITORIAL BOARD

Meghan Braddy, Editor-in-chief

Katherine Hill, Managing Editor and Lifestyles Editor

Linnea Sundquist, News Editor

Kyle Stout, Sports Editor

Rylan Crum, Associate Sports Editor

Jayden Vaughn, Opinion Editor

Charlotte Jons, Associate Opinion Editor

Channing Matha, Copy Editor

Kyle Ingermann, Multimedia Editor

Kadin Bright, Associate Multimedia Editor

Ryan Fleek, Associate Multimedia Editor

Brenden Rowan, Visual Editor

Jessica Bergfors, Associate Visual Editor

Raquel Ruffin, Associate Visual Editor

Corey Ohlenkamp, Adviser

CORRECTION

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GROSS, Weather forecaster, Benny Weather Group 4-DAY WEATHER FORECAST

Gov. Braun launches group to root out fraud, abuse in federal social safety net programs

Feb. 4: Indiana leaders will give “extra” scrutiny to Medicaid and other federally funded and state-administered social services programs, according to Indiana Capital Chronicle (ICC), as part of a new entity focused on fraud, waste and abuse. Gov. Mike Braun created the Council on Fraud Detection and Prevention in a Feb. 2 executive order, noting Indiana runs the same child nutrition programs implicated in Minnesota fraud schemes. The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families and other social services programs are under review as well, according to ICC.

Applications open to study abroad in Spain summer 2026

Feb. 4: A Feb. 4 press release from Ball State Communications Center confirmed the university’s KIIS Spain I program, which “offers students a unique opportunity to immerse themselves in the Spanish language, culture, and history while studying advanced Spanish courses in one of the country’s most charming and historic cities: Segovia,” according to the release. The program takes place from May 30 to June 30 and is estimated to cost $4,950 plus airfare. The trip also includes excursions and field trips to important historical and cultural sites in and around Segovia according to the release.

Lucas Machado takes home award

Feb. 3: Ball State Men’s Volleyball junior setter Lucas Machado has been awarded Midwestern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association (MIVA) defensive player of the week, according to Ball State Athletics. Machado totaled nine digs and six blocks in the Cardinals’ trip to Virginia, where they swept both Maryland Eastern Shore and George Mason. Head Coach Mike Iandolo said Machado is the healthiest he has been in his time at Ball State this season, which has shown in him playing every game this season. The 8-1 Ball State squad will start conference play Feb. 5 and 6 against Queens.

The hemp CRACKDOWN

As Indiana continues to add stricter restrictions on hemp, Muncie business owners express concern about keeping their businesses open.04

Hemp businesses in Muncie are already seeing the effect as lawmakers continue to push hemp restrictions in Indiana.

Linnea Sundquist, News Editor

that defined legal hemp as any part of the plant containing less than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight, according to ICC, which allows products containing delta-8, THCA and other intoxicating cannabinoids to multiply, including in Indiana.

Wooten explained that many of her customers are frustrated and do not want to drive to neighbouring states to acquire hemp, such as Michigan. She explained that many of her customers use hempinfused products for pain, as well as for anxiety.

Editor’s note: Responses from the authors of Senate Bill 250 did not respond to the deadline of Feb. 3 at 5 p.m. All information regarding the authors has been sourced through additional news outlets.

This will mean THC products will be capped to just 0.4 milligrams per container and will outright ban lab-made products, according to ICC.

Local businesses are already seeing this impact, as Wooten said the hemp restrictions have begun affecting both of her Muncie businesses.

Doctors would send their patients from the Indiana University Health Cancer Center at Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie to receive pain relief at their locations, she said, explaining how the cancer center would provide handouts for clients undergoing chemotherapy to identify which products would work for them.

She said patients who have tried other pain relievers, such as morphine and Dilaudid, did not receive significant relief compared to the hemp products she and Hughes sell in stores.

Co-owner of both the smoke shop and the bakery, James Hughes, said their Get Baked Bakery specializes in in-house hemp products, including hemp-infused drinks, cookies, tomato soup and grilled cheese.

“I thought that was cool, because that shows [doctors] trust us,” Wooten said.

Senate Bill 250 was referred to the House Jan. 29, according to the Indiana General Assembly’s website.

However, Wooten said that the Indiana State Excise Police, the law enforcement division of the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, seized approximately $17,000 of this product.

“It has hurt us pretty bad,” she said.

Tara Wooten, a local co-owner of Hempnotyx CBD and Smoke Shop and Get Baked Bakery in Muncie, said she is concerned about the future of both businesses as Indiana continues to impose restrictions on hemp products.

As the bill is still pending, Wooten said she is “not happy” with the legislation and called the government “dirty.”

Hemp and cannabis both come from the same plant, Cannabis sativa L., but are not regulated the same way, according to the website Cannabinoid Hemp Consumers. Federal law defines hemp as cannabis that has no more than 0.3 percent delta-9 THC by dry weight, according to the website.

She explained that her businesses are now losing between $14,000 and $16,000 per week, which could force both businesses to close. Hughes also shared similar sentiments with Whooten, explaining that if the bill is passed at the federal level, it will “pretty much shut us down.” He said that there are forces beyond his control that will “definitely” shape the hemp industry in the United States.

“Our state seems to want to go above and beyond … to make any and all cannabis not welcome in [Indiana],” Hughes said.

Sen. Scott Alexander (R-District 26) claims the opposite.

He said businesses specializing in hemp-infused products will receive “clear and concise guidelines” to help them sell hemp legally under Senate Bill 250.

“I’m just hoping that we can all band together and come up with [an] agreement to where this [hemp] can be regulated,” she said.

Contact Linnea Sundquist via email at linnea. sundquist@bsu.edu.

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Dec. 18 to loosen federal restrictions on marijuana, but he still discouraged recreational use, despite the president reflecting the drug’s potential medical benefits. According to the National Library of Medicine, medical cannabis is used for pain associated with cancer, posttraumatic stress disorder, glaucoma and other diseases and disorders.

According to a Jan. 16 article from Indiana Capital Chronicle (ICC), Indiana lawmakers are aligning state law with a recently enacted ban on intoxicating and synthetic drugs, which has received opposition from the burgeoning delta-8 industry.

Senate Bill 250, authored by Sen. Aaron Freeman (R-District 32), Sen. Cyndi Carrasco (R-District 36) and Sen. Blake Doriot (R-District 12), explained that a violation of the hemp-derived cannabinoid products chapter is a “deceptive act.”

This bill also states that the “offense of aiding unlawful possession includes unlawful possession of a product, including THC.” Senate Bill 250 also allows the alcohol and tobacco commission to conduct random inspections of locations where products containing THC are sold.

Sen. Freeman said in a Jan. 15 committee meeting that he would rather “eliminate all these things from the planet, period,” in reference to hemp products, explaining that his proposal “is what’s possible,” according to ICC.

Senate Bill 250 mimics Congress’s closure of the “Farm Bill Loophole,” which Sen. Freeman referred to as the 2018 legislation

Alexander explained that Senate Bill 250 does not ban hemp entirely but instead imposes stricter restrictions. Sen. Alexander said that the “heart” of the bill would be updating Indiana’s definitions of hemp in relation to the language that was passed down by Congress.

Alexander said. “... It doesn’t

“That language closes the Farm Bill loophole that opened the door for unlimited Delta-8 and other types of THC across the country,” Alexander said. “... It doesn’t eliminate hemp, but it defines it a little better.”

This will prohibit any product over 0.3 percent in total THC, not just delta-8, Alexander said, while also banning products that include more than 0.4 milligrams of THC per package. He also explained that this bill would prohibit individuals from purchasing those products before age 21.

per package. He also explained that

Second-year Ball State University student Carissa Berger explained that the stricter restrictions on hemp are not “going to do much.” She said that people will find other ways to get a hold of hemp.

“I think it’s just going to cause more danger for those people who are trying to get it,” Berger said. “I don’t think it is going to solve or stop anything.”

THE KID FROM

Junior guard Armoni Zeigler’s basketball game has reached new heights since transferring to Ball State. 08

TRACKER

CARDINALS TRANSFER TRANSFERRING OUT

WALTER TAYLOR III TO VANDERBILT

JAHMAD HARMON TO UMASS

ISAAC LUCAS TO SDSU

ROMAN PEARSON TO KANSAS

TY ROBINSON TO ILLINOIS

DARIN CONLEY TO WASHINGTON

KAMERON ANTHONY TO RUTGERS

BEN DUTTON TO UNDECIDED

DEJUAN ECHOLS TO UNDECIDED

AIDAN LEFFLER TO UNDECIDED

ERIC MCCLAIN TO NEW MEXICO

DEREK FIELDS TO UNDECIDED

CADEN JOHNSON TO UNDECIDED

ASHTON WHITNER TO UNDECIDED

ERIC WEATHERLY TO UNDECIDED

QUA ASHLEY TO UNDECIDED

MICAH WING TO UNDECIDED

TREY FIRESTONE TO UNDECIDED

MICHAEL GRAVELY JR. TO UNDECIDED

JARED BADIE FROM SAN DIEGO STATE

DIANTÉ GRIFFIN FROM OHIO STATE

CARSEN BURCKHARDT FROM VALPARAISO ALEX SCHERLE FROM RICE

JOVAN CLARK FROM WASHINGTON STATE SEAN WARD FROM DARTMOTH

COLE COONROD FROM HUTCHINSON CC

GAVIN FORSHA FROM TENNESSEE STATE

CEDRIC FRANKLIN II FROM ARKANSAS STATE

KENDRICK GILBERT FROM LOUISVILLE

MAVERICK GRACIO FROM PITTSBURGH

MYLES HANCOCK FROM RIVERSIDE CITY CC

CHRIS JACKSON FROM COLORADO STATE

JACOB JEUDY FROM CONCORD

CINCEAR LEWIS FROM CINCINNATI

KELDRIC LUSTER FROM TEXAS STATE

TYLER MIZZELL FROM CONCORD

CJ NELSON FROM EASTERN ILLINOIS

MISAEL SANDOVAL FROM VANDERBILT

JABARI SMITH JR. FROM FLORIDA ATLANTIC

KEILAN SMITH FROM CINCINNATI

STERLING SMITH FROM PURDUE

KALEB STEWART FROM COFFEYVILLE CC

AUSTIN STIEF FROM DAVENPORT

KA’SHAWN THOMAS FROM WAKE FOREST

COREY THOMPSON JR. FROM UTAH STATE

JOHNNY THOMPSON JR. FROM KANSAS

DJ YOUNG FROM SIENA HEIGHTS

MAXWELL WENTZ FROM UMASS

Armoni Zeigler’s background has given him the competitive edge in college basketball he has today.

Kyle Stout Sports Editor

Armoni Zeigler did not originally want to play basketball. In fact, the junior guard for Ball State Men’s Basketball said he was a football kid through and through until his freshman year of high school.

The guard decided to play high school basketball for Our Savior Lutheran School in his hometown of Amityville, New York. Zeigler said he saw basketball as an opportunity when he “caught his first in-game dunk.”

“[The dunk] was a poster, and after that, it was just up from there,” Zeigler said.

Four years after Zeigler’s first dunk in his freshman year of high school, the guard started receiving interest in playing division one basketball.

Saint Peter’s, a small university located in New Jersey, offered Zeigler a scholarship, and he jumped at it. The guard played two years for the Peacocks, averaging 11.1 points a game, along with 6.1 rebounds.

Zeigler gauged a heavy amount of interest in the transfer portal following his breakout sophomore season, which landed him at Ball State.

“I liked his competitiveness, his toughness,” Head Coach Michael Lewis said about the decision

to bring Zeigler onto the team. “His ability to play downhill, which [we have] seen here as of late.”

But Zeigler’s competitiveness did not just happen when he started playing basketball, or any other sport, for that matter. It stems from growing up alongside his half-brother, Zakai Zeigler.

Zakai played division one basketball at the University of Tennessee, where he played for four years. The guard from Tennessee is now playing professional basketball in Paris.

Armoni said the two used to compete in everything growing up. He said Zakai was always bigger and taller than him, and that it affects how he approaches the game today.

“Sometimes in a game, I’ll be like, ‘Oh, I got to guard this guard today,’” Armoni said. “But I’ll be alright. I used to guard my brother every day.”

Armoni recalled one time when he and Zakai were younger and broke out in a fight over a backyard one-on-one basketball game he had won. He said the competition level was “always at level 10.”

That backyard brotherly competition was shown in front of hundreds of thousands of fans on Mar. 21, 2024, when Armoni’s previous Saint Peter’s squad faced off against Zakai’s Tennessee Volunteers.

Armoni said he was younger then and did not understand it fully as he does now, but the guard appreciates the relationship his brother and he had growing up.

“The March Madness moment, it was an amazing moment, it was a great moment,” Armoni said. “Growing up [with Zakai], it was just a great relationship.”

Not only did the siblings bond over their competitiveness on the court, but they also bonded over watching basketball. Armoni said the two would always go to Hills West games, which is a high school in New York.

Tobias Harris, a 15-year NBA veteran, played for the school, and Armoni said the two grew up watching him play together as kids.

Armoni could not put everything into words about how it was growing up with Zakai.

This season at Ball State, Armoni has been performing at his best in his collegiate career. The guard leads the Cardinals in every major statistic, averaging 13.2 points per game, 4.9 rebounds and 2.8 assists.

Armoni has provided many big moments for the Cardinals in conference play, highlighted by a season high of 30 points in a loss to Akron Jan. 13.

Lewis said it has been good to have him taking big shots down the stretch for the Cardinals, who have won three straight Mid-American Conference (MAC) games.

“I trust that he’s more times than not going to make the right decision,” Lewis said. “He’s getting better and understanding where his advantages are.”

Armoni sank a late three-pointer against Northern Illinois Jan. 24 to cap off the team’s third straight victory. Lewis said he has seen the guard grow exponentially as the season has gone on.

“His aggressiveness, his attack, his ability to play stronger off two feet, and his ability to get to the free throw line [have] really changed since the beginning of the season,” Lewis said.

Not only is Armoni leading the team statistically, but he has also grown into a vocal leader. When the guard was playing at Saint Peter’s, he said his coaches would advise him to lean into leadership duties, but he did not because he felt like he did not have the type of pull that an older player would have.

But the guard has taken on a leadership role for Ball State this season, and he said he now understands what leadership really means.

“When I was telling people to do stuff, I

wouldn’t [also] do it before,” Armoni said. “Now I see it [as], I have to do it, and then they do it, they follow my lead.”

His growth throughout the season has been noticeable not only to Lewis but also to his teammates. Sophomore fForward Kayden Fish said Lewis made it a point to push leadership within the team, telling players they need to talk and point out problems.

Fish said he has seen Armoni become a vocal leader for the team as a result. The forward said the team is not afraid to use strong language with each other, and he has seen Armoni roll with the punches as well as dish them out.

“The confidence we see [in] his numbers, we know what he does,” Fish said. “But his leadership [has grown] on and off the court.”

But the numbers everyone can read on Armoni’s stat sheet do not faze him. The leading scorer for the Cardinals has continued to put his head down and work alongside his teammates, and he credits his success to that.

“It’s the work we’ve been doing and putting in,” he said. “We’ve been putting in too much work to just be playing bad[ly].”

The team still has 11 regular-season games remaining and is in position to make the MAC tournament in March. But even just midway through his junior season, Armoni has noticed a change in his game.

“I’ve grown a lot as a player at Ball State, I’ve gotten better since the first game to now,” he said. “How I approach the game now [is different].”

Contact Kyle Stout with questions via email at kyle.stout@bsu.edu or on X @kylestoutdailyn.

Chloe’s Gems SHINES

across generations

The grandmother-granddaughterowned business crafts one-of-akind jewelry pieces for Muncie locals. 10

Katherine Hill Managing and Lifestyles Editor

Walking into Muncie’s Minnetrista Museums & Gardens for one of their routine farmer’s market Saturdays, one has the opportunity to weave through a maze of various local food and craft vendors throughout the Muncie community.

Among them is Chloe’s Gems, whose handmade, multi-colored and multi-textured jewelry offsets the opaque, black tablecloths it rests upon.

The “Chloe” behind Chloe’s Gems is none other than Chloe Rains. The young entrepreneur launched her business venture four years ago alongside her grandmother and Ball State University’s administration and concierge desk coordinator, Melinda Rains.

“I am really creative, and I’ve always done different things like art, crocheting, drawing, things like that,” Chloe said.

The coronavirus pandemic could have posed a threat to the then-teenager’s creative spark with boredom on the horizon.

A December 2020 systematic review and metaanalysis published in the Journal of Tropical Pediatrics examined the psychological and behavioral impacts of lockdown and quarantine measures across age groups and demographic groups during the pandemic. The analysis found that about 35 percent of young people under 18 reported boredom.

Chloe was not among them. Instead, she said the pandemic offered her an opportunity to hone her creativity, as she was “looking for something to do.”

She had been staying with her grandmother during that time, who introduced her to the art of jewelry making, a hobby Melinda had taken up decades earlier.

“Many, many years ago, before [Chloe] was even born, I had trouble finding things that fit me, so I started making my own. I made quite a bit back then, but I didn’t have any way to sell it,” she said.

The pandemic allowed Melinda to pass down the hobby to her granddaughter, who, Melinda recalled, worked at Michael’s at the time, ultimately giving the pair easy access and discounts to the necessary crafting supplies.

By that point, “We really expanded and realized, ‘We’re making too much jewelry!’ she said. As it piled up, the duo sought to find a way to either sell their creations or give them away.

Chole, who was 17 at the time in 2022, first launched the business venture at the Friday night Yorktown Farm and Artisan Market on South Tiger Drive in the market’s Young Entrepreneur Division. It became obvious to the pair, Melinda said, that community-based markets were the ideal venue for their products.

As they explored other market spaces in the area, they decided to try Minnetrista Museums & Gardens and have continued to be a vendor there since 2023.

“The Minnetrista’s amazing. It’s been very, very fun to go to every market and see the different vendors and different people that come through. We love when people find something that they love that’s right for them,” Chloe said, adding that the business offers custom sizing, “Even if [an item] doesn’t fit [a customer] there and then, if they really like the way something looks, we will

definitely make it to fit them,” she said.

Through various customizations and hours of craftsmanship, the grandmother and granddaughter have learned to appreciate the individuality of each piece they create.

everybody. Everybody likes something different,

“We have discovered that there’s something for everybody. Everybody likes something different, so that’s why we have so many different styles,” Melinda said.

Inspiration for these “different styles” comes from staying up to date on the latest fashion trends and designs through social media and customer engagement. From there, each of them turns their spark of inspiration into a stamp of creation using a variety of materials.

to produce neutral, earth-toned pieces that pair

Melinda primarily works with leather and wire to produce neutral, earth-toned pieces that pair well with a variety of outfits and skin tones. Chloe, meanwhile, said she makes her own resin and clay to mold whimsical, bright or pastel-colored designs as a self-described “whimsy girly.”

Chloe said, but rather than viewing that as a deficit, variety that people want. I think our styles kind

“We do have our own styles and our own ideas,” Chloe said, but rather than viewing that as a deficit, “It does make for more options for people, that variety that people want. I think our styles kind of go together at the same time, even if they are different,” she said.

Although they differ stylistically, the grandmother and granddaughter agree that running the business together has brought them closer, bridging the generational gap between them.

“We both love doing it; we love being [at the Minnetrista],” Melinda said. “It’s been really fun to just be able to do something that we both enjoy, and I’ve defi nitely learned some things from [my grandma], like how to be professional,” Chloe added.

One of the things they look forward to the most while vending is making a good first impression on potential customers with their setup.

“We love when people’s eyes get all wide [as] they see our stand, especially children,” Chloe said.

At markets, they display a selection of brightly colored beaded bracelets for sale, specifically designed for kids and their smaller wrist sizes.

“I try to make other things that are kid-friendly and not too pricey, because they might lose it or break it somehow. Kids are kids, but I like to have options for everyone. It pays off when someone comes running to the stand; it makes us happy,” she said.

Making their community happy has remained a driving force for Chloe and Melinda throughout their shared business endeavor.

“It’s a hobby, but also, I feel like I give back to people, and when I see them happy, it makes me happy. It’s been very rewarding,” Chloe said.

Within the next five years, Melinda said she hopes to retire full time and pass the jewelry business to Chloe as its sole owner, who hopes to have a storefront by then.

But in the meantime, the grandmothergranddaughter duo can be spotted selling their handcrafted jewelry pieces at just about every Saturday Minnetrista Indoor Farmers Market from 9 a.m. - noon, the next one taking place on Valentine’s Day, Feb. 14.

Contact Katherine Hill via email at katherine. hill@bsu.edu.

Staff Reports

and forget about our daily problems. Gathering “Chzburgers,” $4 Lemon Drop shots. Mug Club drinks include refills, according to their website. Other fan favorite deals the bar offers are its Wednesday night trivia and 25-cent wings, starting at 9 p.m., and Thursday’s $5 appetizers

“Being able to provide entertainment to people is what I live for. I’ve only been running these

kinds of events for 4-5 years now but I couldn’t see myself doing anything else,” Seigel said. Contact The Daily News via email at editor@ bsudailynews.com.

How social media affects the delivery of political news and can cause controversy.

Lou Harris is a first-year public relations major and writes “Filtered Reality” for the Daily News. Her views do not necessarily reflect those of the newspaper.

My family constantly pulls political topics from TikTok or Instagram and expect me to believe what they show me, but when I ask them to show me the same thing from a credible, potentially unbiased source, they go silent or change the subject.

It is a constant battle with my family over what to believe and what not to believe, which has caused more problems and increased the tension between us.

It is ridiculous that people use social media as a credible source for news. Social media is a source of entertainment. Its goal is to show you what you like, and it can use your interests against you — especially when it is political news.

Often, people do not get the whole story when they get their news from different social media platforms.

They are being lied to and getting riled up for the wrong reasons. It is meant to elicit a reaction from them. That is what the social media algorithm wants, to keep you engaged in content.

My fear is, as a society, we forget that we need to check our sources in order to prevent spreading fake news. People have forgotten the severity of what spreading fake news can cause to not only people on the internet, but to those you hold dear to you.

In September 2025, Pew Research Center found “53 percent of users under 30 say social media is personally important for getting involved with issues that are meaningful to them. About four-in-ten of those 30 and older say the same.”

Gen Z has grown up with the internet, so most of our days consist of being active on social media. Most of Gen Z could not bother with participating in research or pulling up a news channel, regardless of their biases, unless something trending has gone to the extreme.

Younger generations have more of a tendency to believe what they see on social media before thinking critically. asking if what they are seeing is real or not. They also use social media to connect with others who share similar feelings on political topics, not looking for their ideas to be challenged.

According to another September 2025 article from Pew Research Center, “38 percent of U.S. adults say they

regularly get news on Facebook, and 35 percent say the same about YouTube.”

The generations who use Facebook more than anyone are the older generations, such as Gen X and Baby Boomers. However, younger generations tend to use YouTube, an app that is consumed by everyone.

No doubt, it is easier — and more convenient — to believe social media and use it as a source, as videos typically range from five to ten seconds. However, when people spread breaking news, regardless of whether it is true or not, people prefer to believe what they have been told because it either aligns with their beliefs, they are often too lazy to fact-check and get the whole picture.

My family will send me posts about political events that are violent or go against my political beliefs. Every time, I have always given the same response: “Do you have a credible source to back up this post?”

This simple question alone has caused many arguments. The tension from the arguments remains for days and constantly repeats itself, making the point of the argument redundant.

Topics like these need to be taken more seriously, and people need to start asking more questions in order to stop the spread of misinformation. If we do not, the spread of fake news can potentially lead to riots, accusations and chaos between us all.

Not only that, but the increase of artificial intelligence (AI) being used to create fake news has become increasingly relevant. Furthermore, AI has made continuous improvements on its visual content. Typically, it is harmless content,but now we have people using AI to spread false news that has the potential to start a chain reaction.

What starts as a simple video generated from AI software like ChatGPT, Sora or Gemini, turns into a believable video to trick the audience. These kinds of videos make the truth more scarce in a world where false news is the news we breathe. Another thing people can do to try to steer away from using social media as their source is to simply download a credible news app.

I use news apps like The Washington Post, the BBC and The New York Times to provide me with trending news throughout the day. The BBC is my preferred way to be informed about current political events in America, so I feel like I am provided with unbiased information. Apps like these make it very simple and push notifications out to you. With people’s short attention span, a notification with a breaking news headline will draw anyone’s attention.

If you would like to follow an account on social media that claims to be credible, you should look to see who made it, verify with other trusted sources and check for

reliable evidence.

Social media content, on the other hand, is intended to distract people from what is really happening politically in the world.

In an Aug. 2020 video posted by Common Sense Education, they state that because of social media, when people try to recall information they heard on the internet, they often cannot recall what it is they learned. Instead, they only remember seeing it because there was something big and dramatic about it.

Not only that, but social media influences so much of today’s political atmosphere;.it can influence your beliefs, political campaigns and people’s opinions. Social media users during political campaigns likely have only three goals in mind — to spread propaganda, serve controversy and arouse chaos. Social media also produces information faster than news outlets, so most of the information that is shared can not be verified by trusted sources. News sources and articles will release the full context of breaking highlights and not release it bit by bit.

According to an article from February 2022 by the National Library of Medicine, “Apart from false information, which seemingly puts its authors in a better light, fake news often appears simultaneously in order to harm other parties or particular politicians.”

Social media may inform you if something is occurring, but you should always check to see if it is true. People should also look further than strictly the headlines, because headlines do not tell the full story.

Using social media as your political source can bring more tension towards friends and family.

The more my family sends me posts from social media about a trending topic, the more it makes my heart sink. Has everyone really succumbed to the world of social media? Since we constantly stare at it every day and now, do we just believe what we see before looking at the bigger picture? They have no legitimate reason to believe what they see other than it is what they believe to be true.

Lots of news sources have started making accounts on social media apps to promote their credible take on breaking news and events. If you would like to follow an account on social media that claims to be credible, you should look to see who made it, verify with other trusted sources and check for reliable evidence.

After all, most information on social media can be fabricated or misleading.

Contact Lou Harris via email at eharris5@bsu.edu.

Revamped Indiana immigration crackdown clears committee

More than 60 witnesses testified during the four-anda-half-hour meeting, with about a dozen in support and four dozen in opposition.

Leslie Bonilla Muniz Indiana Capital Chronicle

This article is republished as part of a collaborative content-sharing agreement between Ball State Unified Media and Indiana Capital Chronicle, established to expand access to high-quality journalism and to better inform and serve the public through trusted, in-depth reporting.

An altered Indiana bill mandating local cooperation with federal immigration efforts emerged Monday from a marathon committee hearing and now heads to the House floor.

More than 60 witnesses testified during the five-hour meeting, with about a dozen in support and four dozen in opposition. The legislation advanced in a 9-4 vote.

Senate Bill 76 “makes it clear to those harboring and encouraging illegal aliens that Indiana will not have its laws ignored,” said the bill’s author, Sen. Liz Brown, in a statement.

“Universities, cities and employers, obey the law or face repercussions,” continued Brown, R-Fort Wayne. The legislation would block government bodies and public universities from enacting any policies that limit cooperation — including of their employees — with federal immigration authorities or laws, regardless of what level of government is doing the enforcement.

Senate Bill 76 would also empower the state’s attorney general to seek civil penalties of $10,000 per knowing and intentional violation by government bodies and public universities. Only county jails would get a warning — and 30 days to make fixes — before facing legal action.

A provision allowing the governor to withhold funding from local units for up to a year was removed.

After the committee consented to a significant amendment to the “poor Senate version,” Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita lauded the “substantially improved” bill.

“We can’t afford half-measures on this issue, and no compromises should be made when it comes to mitigating the devastating effects of illegal immigration in our communities — only decisive, unequivocal action will protect public safety and put Hoosiers first,” Rokita said in a news release.

Bad blood between Rokita and Brown — which includes a misconduct complaint against him — stems from Brown’s refusal to hear a version of the proposal last year in her committee, killing that bill. Rokita called her pre-amendment take on the concept “toothless.”

The bill would specifically require local units of government to comply with federal detainer requests. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement frequently asks local police and others to keep “potentially dangerous aliens” for 48 hours past when they would otherwise be

released so ICE agents can take them into custody.

Government entities and their employees would be immune from both civil and criminal liability in lawsuits over actions they take to comply with the revamped legislation.

Supporters backed a hard-line approach.

“All it takes is one Democratic president to get back into the White House and open the flood gates like Biden did, and states are helpless to be able to defend themselves,” said Nathan Roberts, co-founder of Save Heritage Indiana. “… (The bill) will make Indiana the model for common-sense immigration enforcement throughout the country.”

Opponents decried the measure, pointing to Trump’s ongoing deployment of federal immigration officers to Minnesota. Two U.S. citizens have been killed this month in “Operation Metro Surge” shootings, driving massive protests in and beyond the Twin Cities.

“How can it be that you’re witnessing ICE’s actions in Minneapolis — where they have attacked individuals only for exercising their rights, and who even took U.S. citizens’ lives in broad daylight — (and) your response … is to demand cooperation with them?” asked Carmen Ramos, an Indianapolis educator. “… We need humane immigration reform, not lawless masked men.”

Senate Bill 76 also takes aim at employers, banning them from knowingly or intentionally employing unauthorized workers, with protections for those who try to ensure eligibility through the federal E-Verify program or by other, Rokita-approved means.

The legislation lays out escalating punishments for employers who violate the ban. A court could suspend a company’s operating authorization for five business days or order permanent revocations at all of the firm’s locations in Indiana, depending on the number of violations and the employer’s history.

State Business Affairs Secretary Mike Speedy threw his support behind the measure.

“Combating illegal immigration has been a top priority by the (President Donald) Trump administration, and one that Gov. (Mike) Braun wholeheartedly supports,” said Speedy, who added that Braun wants “the strongest version of this bill that can get to his desk.”

Other provisions would eye immigrant use of social safety net programs.

The Family and Social Services Administration would need to provide the number of non-citizens in Indiana receiving public benefits, and specify their immigration status, in annual reports to the legislative council. Hospitals would have to track the form of identification Medicaid patients present during intake in quarterly reports to the Indiana Department of Health.

Crossword and Sudoku

35 Travelers not guaranteed a seat

37 Genre for Maxwell and D’Angelo

Foxier

Sportage automaker

Flat French hats 46 Parenting blog visitor, maybe

“No kidding?” 48 Poker buy-in

Similar (to) 50 Exec’s helper

Actress Thurman 53 Draw Four card game 54 Nuclear agcy. depicted in “Oppenheimer”

John Lennon’s “Unfinished Music” series collaborator

Zoolike attraction

“Queen of Country” Parton

“__-dokey!”

Reason to don a cap

“__, set, go!”

Pie

30 Spanish rice cooking vessel]

33 Caitlin Clark’s org.

Longtime players on a team

Solutions for Jan. 29