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INDIANAPOLIS RECORDER FRIDAY, MAY 9, 2025 A7for %u201cChocolate phoenix: The story of pioneering aviator Willa Brown.%u201dColumnist Larry Smith won first place for editorial writing for his editorial, %u201cWhat comes next?%u201d Sports columnist Danny Bridges won first place for his column, %u201cDear Mr. Flacco: I was wrong.%u201dOther SPJ award winsHealth and Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth won second place in arts and entertainment writing for %u201cEpicurean ignites Indy with bold flavors and global chefs.%u201dRauworth won second place in election and campaign coverage for %u201cGreen divide: How Harris and Trump%u2019s environmental policies stack up.%u201dRauworth also won third place in coverage of children%u2019s issues for %u201cIvy Tech awarded $21.9M for early childhood education.%u201dArts and Culture Reporter Chloe McGowan won third place for best coverage of race and diversity issues for %u201cWill Indiana pass the Crown Act?%u201dMcGowan won second place for coverage of children%u2019s issues for %u201cMisty Copeland addresses next generation of dancers at McFadden Memorial Lecture.%u201dNoral Parham III won second place in criminal justice reporting for %u201cKeidrain Brewster: How relativity helps reduce recidivism.%u201dLaTasha Boyd Jones won second place in sports column writing for %u201cIndiana is red hot. Thanks Caitlin.%u201dEditor-in-Chief Camike Jones won third place in editorial writing for %u201cWhy it%u2019s so hard to just leave.%u201dGovernment efficiency: State agencies were directed to cut 25% of regulations, find cost savings, and create new cabinet offices to improve efficiency and accountability.Health initiatives: Braun launched the %u201cMake Indiana Healthy Again%u201d initiative, focusing on improving health care price transparency, reducing taxpayer subsidies for unhealthy products and promoting access to nutritious food from local farms.Education reform: Universal school choice was expanded, teacher pay was increased and measures were taken to ensure age-appropriate curricula and accountability metrics in schools.Public safety: New legislation increased penalties for drug dealers and repeat violent offenders while addressing conditions for correctional officers.Braun also positioned Indiana as a leader in nuclear energy, securing its role as host of the 2025 National Governors Association Nuclear Summit.Braun%u2019s agenda has not been without its critics. Fiscal conservatives have raised concerns that property and income tax cuts could strain local budgets and public services. Meanwhile, progressive groups have criticized cuts to public health funding and new work requirements for Medicaid recipients, arguing these measures may reduce access to essential health services for vulnerable populations.Braun%u2019s stance on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) has also sparked debate. His administration%u2019s decision to eliminate DEI initiatives in state government was met with opposition from civil rights organizations, which argue the move undermines efforts to address systemic inequities.Additionally, Braun has drawn attention for issuing 63 executive orders in his first 100 days, surpassing the totals of previous governors. Critics view this as an overreach of executive authority, though Braun contends it was necessary to enact swift reforms.For more details on Governor Braun%u2019s Freedom and Opportunity agenda, visit in.gov/gov.Contact Health & Environmental Reporter Hanna Rauworth at 317-762-7854 or follow her on Instagram at @hanna.rauworth.Trade policy remains a focal point, with the U.S. reengaging negotiations with China to address what Trump characterizes as unfair trade practices. Construction efforts on the U.S.-Mexico border wall resumed despite ongoing legal challenges and funding disputes.Immigration and Customs Enforcement significantly increased operations, targeting not only undocumented immigrants with criminal records but also long-term residents with deep community ties. Economically, the Trump administration prioritized tax cuts and deregulation as key growth drivers. New tax legislation that would primarily benefit corporations and high earners has been proposed, with the administration arguing these cuts will boost business investment and job creation. Federal agencies received directives to roll back environmental, financial and labor regulations. Moreover, the Trump administration has slashed many policies associated with Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI). However, no major new agreements have been finalized yet. While financial markets remain (mostly) stable, economists continue to debate whether these policies will ultimately benefit middle-class workers or worsen existing income inequality.These initiatives face significant obstacles during the administration%u2019s first 100 days. Multiple executive actions have been challenged in court, slowing their implementation, while congressional opposition stalls key legislative prerogatives. As the second term progresses beyond this initial phase, the long-term impact of these early policies will become more apparent. Political analysts suggest that the administration%u2019s ability to overcome legal and legislative hurdles determines whether it can maintain its current momentum.According to Morning Consultant, Trump%u2019s first 100 days have been ranked less than stellar, with 53% of respondents claiming the administration%u2019s moves have been %u201cunfavorable.%u201dContact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral.puter science at IU Indy where he has already begun taking classes. With graduation just a few weeks away, IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson acknowledged all the hard work required from each of the seniors to get to this point. She helped announce some of the scholarship winners, along with IPS school board commissioners Ashley Thomas and Deandra Thompson.According to keynote speaker and IPS alum Robert Jackson, students need four things to be successful in their future: exertion, skill, practice and perseverance. He also gave the students 10 key pieces of advice to help them through college and beyond.%u201cI%u2019ve never seen an eagle fly with a chicken,%u201d Jackson said, encouraging the seniors to focus on their goals and connect with like-minded peers to stay on a path toward success.Growing up not too far from Douglass Park where the event took place, Jackson said he was proud of his upbringing and graduating from IPS.Rise Indy began the scholarship giveaway with IPS schools this year, planning to include the rest of Marion County going forward.%u201cToday we gave $50,000 in scholarships,%u201d Shaheed-Young said. %u201cNext year we want to give $100,000 in scholarships, to a point that we%u2019re able to give a scholarship to every single kid that%u2019s deciding to go to a two- or four-year college in Indianapolis.%u201dIn addition to the financial support, Rise Indy%u2019s goal with this event was to let students know the power of civic engagement %u2014 that their organization cared enough about them to invest in their future and to make all the students feel seen and celebrated.%u201cIt%u2019s important for kids right now to know that the community has their back,%u201d Shaheed-Young said. %u201cFor kids who are marginalized, kids that are Black, Latino, lowincome kids that have felt like they%u2019ve been unseen, today was the day where we wanted them to feel seen.%u201dFor more information about Rise Indy, visit riseindy.org.No matter where you are on the path to buying a home, Lake City Bank meets you there. So whether you%u2019re a little unsure or starting to warm up to the idea, we can coach you through the steps and into a place that%u2019s just right for you. Call Gloria Crawford at (317) 933-7211 or visit a branch near you.lakecitybank.com/housewarmingAll loans are subject to credit approval. Institution NMLS#431669Housewarmingstarts here.BRAUN%u00a8Continued from A1AWARDS%u00a8Continued from A1TRUMP%u00a8Continued from A1RISE%u00a8Continued from A1