Official concerned about loss of Indiana trails funding
Since 2018, $180 million has gone into the initiative, and the state has partnered with local units of government and nonprofits to develop more than 217 miles of trail in 58 counties.
Recently, Vigo County Commissioner Mike Morris, a longtime proponent of trails and running on them, said, 'I was advised that there was no Next Level Trails funding.'
Last year, the program received $40 million. On Feb. 6, Morris testified before the Indiana State Legislature in support of reallocating about $30 million in Next Level Trails Grant funding.
'When I testified, I said that if the governor's directives are 10% reduction in all of your departments, why don't you cut $3 or $4 million but not defund it completely?' Morris said.
'The state told me the pressure on their budget has increased due to Medicaid,' Morris said. 'They've got to fund that, and if things have to give, I understand that. Medicaid has gone up more than anything else.'
Next Level Trails grants have been instrumental in expanding and enhancing trails across Vigo County, including the Riley Spur Trail and other key projects that enhance outdoor activity, connectivity and quality of life for residents.
Though the Riley Spur Trail will not be affected by the disappearance of Next Level Trail grants because the project has already been budgeted out, Morris laments any pause in creating and expanding trails.
'Acceptance for this trail building has been gaining momentum, and I don't want to see that stopped,' Morris said. 'I'd just hate to see that momentum put on hold.'
A longtime runner
Morris recalls when he embraced running wholeheartedly.
'I was 33 years old, and was in a department store buying pants with a bigger waistline,' he said. 'I was looking at the prices, and I took 'em and put 'em on the rack and walked out of the store and decided to start running again and lose weight. It was that simple.'
Since then, Morris has competed in Canada twice for world duathlon (running and cycling) championships and flown to Switzerland for marathons, and has run throughout the country.
First-place medals that he won recently in a multisport competition in Texas hang in his office. He recently competed in a 5K trail race in Plainfield.
He first got involved in trail building when his friend, Pat Martin, was City Planner (which he was until 2016, when he became Bloomington's transportation planner). The federal government was funding public transportation — from highways to trails — and put the West Central Indiana Development Corporation (later, Thrive) in charge of planning and distributing that money.
'Pat came up with some good ideas — one was the National Road Heritage Trail through Terre Haute,' Morris said. 'There was a lot of public support for it. We just about had it done, and we had a mayoral election, and that changed some of the dynamics of building that. The state had allocated about $800,000 to build that trail.
Changed mayors
Judy Anderson, who was mayor from 2000-2003, was lukewarm about the trail until she realized how popular the idea was, Morris said, even driving a bulldozer across the trail during its construction.
'Everybody saw that it was a positive thing,' he said, and the Rails to Trails Conservancy, created in 1986, contributed to the momentum.
'Our local trail, the Riley Spur Trail, came together when the Surface Transportation Board sent letters to the commissioners about rail abandonment,' Morris said. 'I jumped in.' He began land banking those corridors because he didn't have to develop them immediately.
When Rails to Trails began a program to build a trail from coast to coast, Holcomb was determined to be the first state to traverse the entire state for linkage, and to do so via Next Level Trails.
From 'not here' to staunch support
When Morris was championing the Riley Spur Trail as work began on the 7.9-mile asphalt trail, he encountered some not-in-my-backyard protests from neighbors, but that attitude has changed to, 'Oh, this is good for my backyard.'
'I had some people who were very wary of the Riley Spur Trail,' he said. 'One of the big fallacies was this was going to bring some kind of undesirables into their community. It doesn't, at all.
'Their neighborhood has improved and their property values have increased,' he added. 'They're talking to their neighbors now. Mom wants to get out with a friend and the baby stroller and walk a mile someplace talking. A safe environment to clear your mind.'
Morris added that kids' minds are cleared when they get outdoors, away from their devices.
'That's what I can see on the Riley Spur Trail,' he said. 'I go there, and there's mom, dad and three kids, and the kids are going, 'Yeah!''
Fortunately, the Riley Spur Trail will need no additional money to continue construction.
'Our program is funded and we will complete it,' Morris said, adding that the next section will be completed later this year. 'It'll traverse Honey Creek and we have some bridge-building to do there.'
He's more concerned about the bigger picture.
'I'm looking at this as more of a statewide program,' he said. 'We had a project from Rockville to the north end of the county — I have no way to complete that at this point. I don't have any funding to do anything.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Newsweek
Three Weeks That Shook the Trump Presidency
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. It was Fourth of July weekend, and President Donald Trump was on top of the world. Aides privately described it as the best stretch of his presidency—possibly across both terms. He had notched a run of victories that showcased how rapidly and ruthlessly his administration was reshaping American policy and culture. The Supreme Court delivered a decision limiting nationwide injunctions by federal judges—one that Trump called "a monumental victory," unlocking long-dormant campaign pledges like ending birthright citizenship. At the same time, Congress passed his self-branded "big, beautiful" bill—extending 2017 tax cuts, boosting border security funding and slashing programs like Medicaid and SNAP. Abroad, Trump flexed U.S. military might with a strike in Iran that, at least so far, has been met with limited response. NATO allies agreed to raise defense spending to five percent of GDP. The S&P 500 hit record highs. By July 4, Trump's approval rating had climbed to nearly 50 percent — downright stellar for him, in this era of polarization. Among Republicans, his support held firm above 80 percent. As fireworks lit up the D.C. night sky, Trump had plenty to celebrate. He didn't know that within days, a political firestorm would erupt—and for a change, it would be coming from within his own base. Newsweek Illustration/Canva/Getty A Promise Undone For half a year, Trump had delivered on marquee campaign promises—from sweeping ICE raids to trade pacts to deregulation. But for the conspiracy-minded wing of MAGA—the engine of Trump's digital power—one pledge loomed largest: the release of the so-called Epstein files. In February, Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News the Epstein client list was "sitting on my desk." She then distributed binders marked "The Epstein Files: Phase 1" to conservative influencers at the White House, in a photo op meant to show the administration's commitment to transparency. It appeared explosive revelations were coming. Then, silence. Then, on Monday July 7, with the country awakening from its long weekend-induced slumber, the DOJ quietly released a two-page, unsigned memo claiming no Epstein client list existed, no evidence suggested Epstein was murdered in jail, and no additional files would be released. Eleven hours of prison video accompanied the memo—but the footage contained a one‑minute gap blamed on a "camera reset." The memo was meant to put the ordeal to bed. Instead, it did the opposite. Laura Loomer accused Bondi of orchestrating a cover-up. Alex Jones called the memo "sickening," accusing the administration of "covering up child sex crimes." Tucker Carlson labeled the DOJ findings "an insult to everyone who believed in this movement." Steve Bannon put it bluntly, "How does an anti–deep state administration put out something this whitewashed?" Even Trump himself appeared frustrated over how much oxygen the topic had been sucking up, suggesting that while he and his allies used Epstein to great effect as a wedge issue during the campaign, he is less enamored with spending time on litigating the disgraced financier's past — and their past friendship— now that he's president. "MAGA really wouldn't exist without conspiracy theories," said Eric Alterman, journalism professor at Brooklyn College. "These theories don't require evidence. They're about stories people tell themselves to explain why things feel like they're going wrong in their lives." That expectation of dramatic revelations has become a defining feature of MAGA-era politics. From alleged UFO cover-ups to Epstein's supposed "client list," Trump loyalists, including sometimes Trump himself, have long stoked the belief that sinister truths would soon be exposed — just as soon as their leader was back in power. When the government declared the mystery solved, the base erupted. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Dan Bongino leaves after meeting with Republican lawmakers to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" at the U.S. Capitol on June 25, 2025 in Washington,... The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Deputy Director Dan Bongino leaves after meeting with Republican lawmakers to discuss U.S. President Donald Trump's "Big, Beautiful Bill" at the U.S. Capitol on June 25, 2025 in Washington, DC. More Getty Images/AFP Trump Begs, MAGA Burns As the month progressed and outrage escalated, Trump loyalists began turning on each other. On July 9, Deputy FBI Director Dan Bongino—long a leading promoter of Epstein conspiracies in his former job as media personality—confronted Bondi in a closed-door White House meeting. Furious that the DOJ memo appeared to shut down any further disclosure, Bongino reportedly threatened to resign. "Bongino is out-of-control furious," one senior official told NBC. "This destroyed his credibility. He's threatening to quit and torch Pam unless she's fired." Trump's Truth Social post on July 12, imploring his supporters not to attack Bondi, backfired immediately. "What's going on with my 'boys' and, in some cases, 'gals'?" he asked, apparently referring to the MAGA-aligned podcasters and influencers with whom he was rapidly losing favor. He defended Bondi and downplayed Epstein as "somebody that nobody cares about." It became the first Trump post ever "ratioed" on his own platform. In Congress, Speaker Mike Johnson abruptly canceled House business, sending lawmakers home for summer early rather than face a vote on Epstein documents. When pressed, he called for "full transparency" and urged Bondi to explain the department's decisions. By mid-July, fractures were visible in public opinion polling. Quinnipiac found that 63 percent of voters disapproved of Trump's Epstein response. Even among Republicans, just 40 percent approved. His support among young men—the backbone of his 2024 online comeback—collapsed. A CBS/YouGov poll showed Trump's net approval among voters aged 18 to 29 dropped from 55 percent in February to 28 percent by July, a remarkable 27-point swing in a matter of months. Joe Rogan, Andrew Schulz, and Tim Dillon — three prominent voices from the manosphere — have begun openly criticizing Donald Trump on their respective podcasts, signaling a shift in the online culture that once helped... Joe Rogan, Andrew Schulz, and Tim Dillon — three prominent voices from the manosphere — have begun openly criticizing Donald Trump on their respective podcasts, signaling a shift in the online culture that once helped power his appeal. More YouTube / X "They voted for him because he met them where they were," said Rachel Janfaza, a researcher who studies Gen Z behavior. "But the message has to match the messenger. They're not seeing results—rent is still unaffordable, jobs are scarce, and their degrees feel obsolete the moment they graduate." Thom Hartmann, left-leaning political commentator and host of The Thom Hartmann Program, said the emotional toll of disappointment was starting to show. "Many Trump supporters have spent years emotionally and socially invested in his mythos... Admitting betrayal or deception requires admitting they were wrong, which comes with deep psychological costs. This accounts for the anguish and conflict we're seeing among the Trump base." On social media, longtime loyalists posted videos of themselves burning red MAGA hats. Others shared screenshots of Epstein files stamped "PHASE 1" and captioned them "where's phase 2?" Why was that stupid binder referred to as 'Phase 1' of Epstein document releases if DOJ believed there to be no client list and no additional information about Epstein's activities? Where is Phase 2? The whole thing is so stupid and ham-fisted. Tell us which intel agencies he… — Sean Davis (@seanmdav) July 8, 2025 Hartmann said the outcome depends on whether more revelations surface: "Original videotapes or photos that are clearly not doctored, first-person testimony by Ghislaine Maxwell, or more former teenage victims going on the record could spell doom for his relationship with his base." But so far, no second wave of documents has arrived. And the blowback continues to metastasize. A clearly rattled White House communications office even issued an on-the-record response to a "South Park" episode skewering the president, keeping it in the news. Anything, it seemed, to take the focus off Epstein. As Trump scrambled to shift the spotlight elsewhere—accusing former President Barack Obama of a capital crime, releasing files on unrelated, long-ago assassinations, demanding the Washington Commanders go back to their old name, and even sending Cabinet officials to kick the tires on Alcatraz's ability to house criminals again—he found that none of the tactics that once insulated him from political fallout could contain the fury this time.
Time Magazine
8 hours ago
- Time Magazine
Trump's Medicaid Cuts Put People with Disabilities at Risk
Today marks the 35th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). This landmark legislation, which enshrined in federal statute civil rights for people living with disabilities, has transformed countless lives. It opened the world up to an entire population who, until that point, were more often than not excluded and isolated from society. It codified a legal pathway for equality and inclusion by dismantling longstanding barriers that prevented people with disabilities from having the opportunity to pursue employment, live independently, access transportation and public spaces, and so much more. The ADA affirmed the fundamental right of every American to participate fully in society, and is foundational to ensuring that those with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) have equal opportunities to thrive and live with autonomy. Yet, as we celebrate the ADA's enduring legacy this year, the future for people with disabilities looks less certain. The ADA's vision is not self-sustaining. Its promise is fulfilled through an ecosystem of vital support services, many of which rely on Medicaid funding. For millions of Americans living with disabilities, Medicaid is a lifeline that provides access to essential home- and community-based services (HCBS). These services include the most basic activities of daily living like bathing, dressing, eating, and more, as well as the residential programs, employment supports, and assistive technologies that allow people with I/DD to live with dignity in their own homes and communities. These services are at the heart of the ADA and crucial to making inclusion a reality. Following the passage of President Donald Trump's tax bill, which will cut aproximately $1 trillion from Medicaid over the next several years, these support systems are in jeopardy. This attack on Medicaid threatens to unravel decades of progress toward equal opportunity for individuals with disabilities, as access to these services will undoubtedly become more limited. Read More: The Big Budget Bill Could Make Your ER a Mess Cuts to Medicaid could mean fewer available care services, longer waiting lists for critical support, and potentially the loss of the very assistance that allows those with I/DD to live independent and fulfilling lives. Imagine losing the career coach who helps you get ready for work and makes it possible to maintain steady employment, or the direct support professional (DSP) who helps you bathe and brush your teeth, or the transportation service that connects you to your community. These cuts translate into a forced retreat from independence, pushing individuals back into isolation and dependency, often in hospitals or costly, state-run institutions, directly contradicting the ADA's core tenets. The ripple effect extends to the dedicated community providers who are the backbone of the HCBS ecosystem. These organizations operate on thin margins, relying heavily, or solely, on Medicaid to fund their services. Cuts of this size may fall heavily on providers, who are already in crisis because of long-term underinvestment in community-based services, leaving them struggling to offer their DSPs competitive wages and benefits due to stagnant and insufficient reimbursement rates. Ultimately, these cuts could lead to reduced capacity, staff layoffs, and even the closure of programs. The national shortage of DSPs is also expected to worsen. To pay wages, providers rely on Medicaid reimbursements from their states; if states are rendered unable to increase reimbursement rates, providers will lose the DSPs they employ to better-paying opportunities in other hourly wage industries such as fast food and retail. This monumental blow to Medicaid funding will make it even harder to find and retain the individuals who provide day-to-day care. Troublingly, these DSPs, whose work is both physically and emotionally demanding, often rely on Medicaid themselves due to insufficient wages. When providers are forced to scale back programs or shutter entirely, the entire HCBS infrastructure weakens, leaving countless individuals without the support they need. The strain is then placed on the families of people with I/DD, potentially forcing some to leave their own jobs to provide care for their loved ones. For the many individuals with I/DD who don't have family or existing networks of support, access to care may be lost completely. Read More: The GOP Budget Takes From the Poor and Gives to the Rich The true scale of the impact remains to be seen, but there is no doubt that it will be nothing short of devastating. A nearly $1 trillion cut to Medicaid is not just a budgetary change. It will harm people with disabilities and the progress we have made since the passage of the ADA. Decades of advocacy, innovation, and hard-won victories for equality and inclusion are at risk of being rolled back. As we honor the ADA this year, we must recommit to its vision by unequivocally protecting the very funding that makes true community living and inclusion a reality for all. We cannot allow the fundamental rights and opportunities of people with disabilities to be undermined. Solutions must be found, advocates must fight back, and state leaders need to find ways to preserve funding for these vital services. Access to care is not a luxury, it is a necessity that is integral to upholding the rights of those with disabilities.
NBC News
8 hours ago
- NBC News
David Valadao battles backlash in his swing district after voting for Medicaid cuts that hit close to home
BAKERSFIELD, Calif. — When Rep. David Valadao, R-Calif., was knocked out of office in 2018, Democrats around the country were riding a wave of backlash against President Donald Trump and the GOP's attempts to cut health care. Now, after Valadao provided a critical vote for a sweeping tax cuts and spending package that slashed Medicaid and food stamps, Democrats see an opportunity for a repeat in California's Central Valley, where many low-income residents depend on social safety net programs. Valadao has already drawn at least two Democratic challengers in his battleground district, which will be key to Republicans' efforts to hang on to their narrow majority in next year's midterm elections. These include Jasmeet Bains, a doctor and member of the California state Assembly who officially jumped into the race last week. She told NBC News she was motivated by Valadao's support for the bill and plans to make health care a defining issue in the campaign against him. 'This isn't something that I ever envisioned for myself. I'm a doctor,' Bains said of her decision to run for Congress. 'When I saw Valadao vote for the 'big, beautiful bill,' I was shocked. As was everyone. How could you do that in a district that has some of the highest needs? Some of the highest Medicaid patients in the country?' Randy Villegas, a school board trustee who is affiliated with the Working Families Party, is also mounting a bid in the 22nd District. Even prior to his vote on the megabill, Valadao was seen as one of the more vulnerable Republicans up for re-election in 2026. After he lost in 2018, Valadao made a comeback bid and returned to Congress the following cycle. But his vote for Trump's bill could now put his swing seat even more at risk. Valadao's district has the highest share of Medicaid recipients and households receiving food stamps of any represented by a Republican in Congress, according to an NBC News analysis. In a preview of the attack ads to come, House Majority Forward, a nonprofit group aligned with Democratic leadership, and the League of Conservation Voters are launching new ads next week hitting Valadao over his support for the bill, according to a source familiar with the matter. The agriculturally rich region, which relies heavily on migrant farmworkers, is also bracing for mass deportations that some fear could disrupt the local economy and national food supply chains. Valadao has urged Trump to prioritize deporting criminals over undocumented laborers, but the administration has sent mixed signals about its approach. It all has the community here on edge. 'I'm definitely scared. I'm worried about it,' 53-year-old Rick Garcia, a local resident who relies on Medicaid after he was permanently paralyzed in his early 20s, told NBC News in an interview about the health care cuts. Valadao had repeatedly vowed to oppose the 'big, beautiful bill,' warning just several days before final passage that he couldn't support the Senate product. But he ended up supporting that version without any changes to the legislation. When asked how he felt about Valadao's vote, Garcia told NBC News: 'Betrayed.' 'If you're a politician and you're gonna say you're gonna do something, you're relying on that politician to do something about that problem,' Garcia said. 'Be a man of your word.' Republicans argue that only those they say don't deserve to be on Medicaid, like undocumented immigrants and able-bodied adults who don't work, will be kicked off the program. But Garcia said the state's Medicaid program, Medi-Cal, has already tried to remove him twice before, so he worries people could erroneously get swept up in all the new changes or will struggle to navigate the more frequent eligibility check-ins. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office projected Trump's new law will increase the number of people without health insurance by 10 million by 2034. Valadao's office said the congressman was not available for an interview for this story. In a statement after the House vote on the bill earlier this month, Valadao defended his decision. 'I voted for this bill because it does preserve the Medicaid program for its intended recipients — children, pregnant women, the disabled, and elderly,' he said. Christian Martinez, a spokesman for the National Republican Campaign Committee, said the bill that Valadao voted for will 'ease the burden on hardworking Californians' and took a swipe at Villegas and Bains. 'Their far-left agenda will continue to wreck California's economy, raise taxes, and put illegal immigrants ahead of California families,' Martinez said. Valadao has stood up to his own party before. Most notably, he was one of 10 House Republicans who voted to impeach Trump in 2021 following the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. But Trump has since further tightened his grip on the party, even threatening to back primary challenges to Republicans who stood in the way of his 'big, beautiful bill.' The sprawling domestic policy bill extends Trump's 2017 tax cuts, removes some taxes on tips and overtime, and beefs up funding for immigration enforcement and the military. While the legislation is generally unpopular in public polling, Republicans are betting once they start selling it, their members will be rewarded for supporting it. Some local business owners in Valadao's district hailed the bill and praised Valadao for backing it. Rob Taylor, who has owned Stafford's Chocolates in Portersville for the last 14 years, said he thinks some of the bill's tax provisions will be a boon for small businesses like his. 'I appreciate Valadao sticking up for himself and his constituents here,' Taylor, who has voted for Valadao in the past, told NBC News. 'He's not just a rubber stamp. He does look at both sides [of an issue].' In order to partially pay for the bill, Republicans opted to scale back Medicaid and food stamps. That includes instituting new work requirements for able-bodied adults, making undocumented immigrants ineligible for the program and putting new restrictions on the state provider tax, which is a significant source of revenue for rural hospitals. Moderate Republicans fended off even steeper cuts to Medicaid that had been in the mix during the negotiations, such as reducing the federal cost-sharing formula. But Valadao acknowledged he still harbors concerns over some of the Medicaid changes, particularly those impacting rural hospitals. Access to health care in rural areas can already be difficult. Often, facilities are dependent on help from the government to stay afloat. Kern Hospital in Bakersfield, a social safety net hospital, gets 72% of its patient revenue from Medi-Cal. Then there are rural health clinics, like the Bakersfield American Indian Health Project, where Garcia receives some of his care. These clinics rely on various revenue streams from the federal government and provide critical preventive care services to many low-income patients on Medicaid. 'There's no frills here. No one's taking advantage of anything. They're trying to survive,' Dr. Carson Chambers, a clinical psychologist at the Bakersfield American Indian Health Project, told NBC News. Asked about the impacts of the Medicaid cuts, Chambers said: 'It may be well-intentioned, it may be fiscally sound, but in the long run, I think it's going to cost more.'
