Ruby Bailey
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Editor-in-Chief, Illinois Answers Project
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Articles by Ruby Bailey
Bailey: Deaths in county jails are status quo. Voters must want it that way Original
In the weeks since IndyStar's Death Sentence investigative series detailed the unnecessary (if not illegal) deaths of more than 300 jail detainees since 2010, there has been near silence from those with the power to do something about it. That's especially troubling since the conditions in jails across the state, chronicled painfully by IndyStar reporters Tim Evans, Ryan Martin and photojournalist Robert Scheer, are likely to get worse.
What's working, what's not? Join us for a live conversation on Indiana evictions
Join us at 4 p.m. today on Facebook live for a conversation about the eviction crisis in Indiana. Our coverage has shown the deep divide between those who need affordable housing and the resources available to them. We've written about the struggles of state and local programs to get federal rental assistance into the hands of needy residents. Our latest story profiled the dozen or so corporate landlords who make up about 90% of Indianapolis' eviction filings.
Bailey: We're seeing the eviction crisis up close. Join us as we work toward solutions.
Thousands of Indiana residents were living an eviction crisis decades before the COVID-19-induced economic instability stole the rope on which they held. Many of us have seen the economic and personal costs of evictions up close for the first time, thanks to the excellent reporting and photography of my IndyStar colleagues.
Bailey: Indiana's eviction court system isn't broken. It's rigged.
Monroe Circuit Court in August instituted a pre-eviction diversion program that required landlords to participate with tenants, in hopes of getting slow moving federal funding dispersed before an eviction was filed. If mediation went well, the landlord saves the court filing fee, gets payment arrangements (backed by the funding), and keeps a paying tenant. The tenant stays housed and avoids a possible eviction on their record.
Bailey: Indiana's eviction court system isn't broken. It's rigged. Original
Monroe Circuit Court in August instituted a pre-eviction diversion program that required landlords to participate with tenants, in hopes of getting slow moving federal funding dispersed before an eviction was filed. If mediation went well, the landlord saves the court filing fee, gets payment arrangements (backed by the funding), and keeps a paying tenant. The tenant stays housed and avoids a possible eviction on their record.
Bailey: Indiana's eviction court system isn't broken. It's rigged.
Monroe Circuit Court in August instituted a pre-eviction diversion program that required landlords to participate with tenants, in hopes of getting slow moving federal funding dispersed before an eviction was filed. If mediation went well, the landlord saves the court filing fee, gets payment arrangements (backed by the funding), and keeps a paying tenant. The tenant stays housed and avoids a possible eviction on their record.
Bailey: Indiana's eviction court system isn't broken. It's rigged.
Monroe Circuit Court in August instituted a pre-eviction diversion program that required landlords to participate with tenants, in hopes of getting slow moving federal funding dispersed before an eviction was filed. If mediation went well, the landlord saves the court filing fee, gets payment arrangements (backed by the funding), and keeps a paying tenant. The tenant stays housed and avoids a possible eviction on their record.
Bailey: Indiana's eviction court system isn't broken. It's rigged.
Monroe Circuit Court in August instituted a pre-eviction diversion program that required landlords to participate with tenants, in hopes of getting slow moving federal funding dispersed before an eviction was filed. If mediation went well, the landlord saves the court filing fee, gets payment arrangements (backed by the funding), and keeps a paying tenant. The tenant stays housed and avoids a possible eviction on their record.
Bailey: Long held on Black church pews, this service heads to a Black art show
There is a saying among church folk that without the test there is no testimony. Without tribulation — be it spiritual, mental or physical — there is no passage to the healing on the other side of the pain. A fine art fair, dubbed Butter, starts Thursday and testifies itself to the beauty and value of Black art.
Bailey: Eviction hearings offer time and opportunity. Here's how we can use both
I'll look at how rental portals and mobile clinics could work in Marion County small claims courts There were seated just a few feet apart — tenants who owe thousands in back rent and attorneys representing landlords who need to get least some of their money back. Some of those tenants had similar stories of not being able to get responses from landlords to establish payment plans or make payments.
New IndyStar opinion editor Ruby Bailey wants to do more than chronicle problems
I have been reading your letters. Some are filled with joy and hopes. Others, with worry, snark or, dare I say, rage. They, along with conversations and meetings both impromptu and scheduled, have been my introduction to the region since starting this month as The Star’s new Opinion and Public Engagement editor. Your thoughts help me understand the complexities within the history of our region — the 'why things are the way that are' that is unique to Indianapolis.
Conroy keeps the wheels of children's imaginations turning
On the corner of Broadway and Garth Avenue, across the street from Ulysses S. Grant Elementary School, lies the home of many things. Beyond the doors of the Columbia Public Library are Scottish castles, French vineyards and even the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Inside those walls, joyful children laughed on a snowy day as they picked out books bundled by topic for a quick selection.
Candidates for the next CPS superintendent answer community questions
The three finalists for the next district superintendent responded to community questions submitted about engagement, support and innovation at a forum Thursday night. Erick Pruitt, Chace Ramey and Harold Brian Yearwood are up to succeed Superintendent Peter Stiepleman, who has held the top job since 2014. The 90-minute panel was moderated by Karen Hall, a consultant with Ray & Associates, the search firm the board hired to assist in the superintendent selection process.
Black Americans struggle to get COVID-19 vaccine; history threatens to repeat
Jacqueline Kelly shows the COVID-19 vaccine sticker on her shirt moments after receiving the vaccine Feb. 5 in Jefferson City. “I think that people have had bad experiences with health care and they’re skeptical,” she said. “I would encourage people to read, to become knowledgable, to ask questions and to get the vaccine.” Danielle Pycior/Missourian John Kelly was near the front of the line for a COVID-19 vaccine due in part to Type 2 diabetes and an ongoing heart condition.
Anthony Watson, May 24, 1944 - Dec. 15, 2020
Anthony Watson, 76, of Columbia passed Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Friday, Dec. 18, 2020, at Bach-Yager Funeral Chapel, 1610 N. Garth Ave. Anthony was born May 24, 1944, in Fulton, the son Lenore Bailey Turner. Anthony is survived by five siblings, Mark Turner, Samuel Turner, Joseph Turner and Tina Hart, all of Columbia, and Sarah Grimm of Auxvasse.
Frank Reuter, May 10, 1943 - Nov. 17, 2020
Frank Reuter loved to learn. He was a scholar of Old English, teaching others to appreciate the history of language, and an editor of modern English, especially proud of helping prison inmates publish their work. Throughout his life he strove to maintain the German he’d learned from his parents, who left Germany in the 1930s as authoritarianism transformed their homeland. Later in life, he found great joy in re-establishing contact with relatives who had remained behind.
Developing 'young historians' while making Black history a global experience
In Dawnavyn James’ house, she learned that Jesus was Black and the history of Black people began long before slavery.
UPDATE: Victim identified, suspect held in Cosmo Park homicide
Columbia police are holding a 15-year-old juvenile from for his involvement in Monday's homicide at Cosmopolitan Recreation Area Park, 1615 W. Business Loop. The victim has been identified as Jermaine Spain, 19, of Columbia. Police said the juvenile is being held on charges of second-degree murder, armed criminal action and delivery/possession of a controlled substance. He is in the custody of juvenile authorities.
Group raising funds for CPS teachers' safety supplies
A GoFundMe effort to pay for safety supplies for Columbia Public Schools teachers returning to classes next week hopes to raise $1,000. The effort has raised $386 as of 7:30 p.m. Friday. Rebecca Shaw, a co-leader of CoMo for Progress, started the fundraiser Thursday after teachers told her they needed additional safety supplies, she said. The Columbia School Board voted Monday to send elementary students back to classes four days a week.
UPDATE: Some CPS students head back to the classroom, teachers concerned about risk
Teachers returning to classes Monday are concerned about the possible spread of COVID-19 in schools and the community and about what they believe is a lack of adequate sanitation and other supplies, said the head of the Columbia Missouri National Education Association. Supply concerns by teachers also prompted the creation of a GoFundMe account that has raised $411 as of 5 p.m. Saturday night.
After raising concerns, MU residential assistants can opt out of events
MU residential assistants were told Thursday they were no longer required to participate in Welcome Week events and programming after many raised concerns about their own health and safety this week. In an email to all RA staff members, MU Director of Residential Life Tyler Page said they can still voluntarily opt in to participate in the events if they choose, and can choose to do so 100% virtually or with groups of less than 20 students.
MU layoffs hit 200 as campus gears up for fall semester
MU laid off an additional six employees this week, with financial difficulties persisting as the campus prepares to begin the fall semester Aug. 24. The university has laid off 200 employees and furloughed 3,667 total, according to an MU site that tracks budgetary actions. Salary reductions, both mandatory and voluntary, total 2,381. That site will no longer provide weekly updates, and will be updated if MU "takes additional significant budget actions," according to the site.
'This is deliberate risk': MU residential assistants worry as move-in begins
As students began to move into MU residence halls and apartments Wednesday, residential assistants — or RAs — expressed concern about their own health and safety, citing university policies and duties they believe would put them at more risk of exposure to COVID-19.
'This is a deliberate risk': MU residential assistants worry as move-in begins
As students began to move into MU residence halls and apartments Wednesday, residential assistants — or RAs — expressed concern about their own health and safety, citing university policies and duties they believe would put them at more risk of exposure to COVID-19.
Columbia police ask for help in identifying home invasion suspect
Columbia police are searching for what they believe to be a single suspect in two attempted home invasions, with the second leaving a woman hospitalized with a gunshot wound. The incidents occurred Tuesday morning within a two-hour period in a 2-mile radius of Pendelton Street and East Forest Avenue, police said during a Tuesday news conference.
MU vice chancellor for research and economic development retiring
MU’s vice chancellor for research and economic development is retiring, the university announced Monday. Mark McIntosh, who has worked at MU for nearly 40 years in a number of leadership positions, will remain in the role until a replacement is found, UM System President Mun Choi said in a campus email. A search committee has been established to search for his replacement.
If MU leadership seeks transparency, make meetings public
In a letter printed elsewhere on this page, UM System President and Interim MU Chancellor Mun Choi calls on the Columbia Missourian to release a recording of a meeting that formed the basis of our story “MU College of Education faculty criticize removal of dean in meeting.” This letter follows a request by MU officials emailed Saturday asking that faculty members quoted in the story be identified. Choi and Provost Latha Ramchand are quoted and identified in the article.
MU lays off 17, but furloughs decrease over two-week period
MU laid off 17 employees over the last two weeks, but the number of employees furloughed decreased during that time period. As the UM System has faced over $85 million in total state budget cuts since March, the Columbia campus has laid off a total 165 employees, according to an MU site that tracks budgetary actions. The total number of employees furloughed since June 26, when the site was last updated, is down 84 and stands at 2,927. Salary reductions, mandatory and voluntary, total 2,122.
MU College of Education faculty criticize removal of dean in meeting
The Tuesday meeting was called in a hurry, and faculty in the College of Education seemingly had no idea why.
MU will enforce Columbia's mandatory face mask ordinance for fall semester
MU will follow the city of Columbia's mandatory face mask ordinance on campus this fall, a university spokesman confirmed Friday. The ordinance, which takes effect at 5pm Friday, was passed Monday by city council. It requires everyone age 10 or older to wear face masks when around people outside their households in both public and private settings, aiming to limit the spread of COVID-19 as cases continue to rise in Boone County.
MU education department chair resigns following dean's removal
A department chair within MU's College of Education resigned Wednesday effective immediately, citing recent events in both the department and college. David Bergin's resignation as chair of the Department of Educational, School and Counseling Psychology comes the day after Kathryn Chval was removed as dean of the college Tuesday. He notified the interim dean of the college and department chairs of the decision Wednesday and informed faculty via email Thursday.
UM Broadband Initiative seeks to aid rural broadband efforts across state
University of Missouri researchers and officials introduced Wednesday a university-led roadmap to bring high speed internet to southeast Bollinger County, Missouri and other rural communities. The University of Missouri Broadband Initiative, led by UM System researchers from across its four campuses and MU Extension, plans to bring accessible and affordable broadband to Bollinger County, which has long struggled with a lack of internet.
Federal visa policy won't apply to MU students under current fall plan
New federal policy that would prohibit international students with F-1 visas from remaining in the U.S. while attending online-only university classes this fall will not apply to MU, the university said Wednesday. The directive, released this week by the Department of Homeland Security's Student and Exchange Visitor Program, will not apply to MU international students, as the university is planning for in person and "blended" hybrid courses this fall.
UPDATE: Kathryn Chval out as MU College of Education dean
Updated Information This story was updated at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday to include a statement from Kathryn Chval. MU’s College of Education dean, Kathryn Chval, will no longer serve in the position, effective immediately. Erica Lembke, chair of the college’s Department of Special Education, will serve as interim dean, Provost Latha Ramchand said in a Tuesday email to faculty, staff and students at the college. Chval will return to teaching and research.
Kathryn Chval out as MU College of Education dean
MU's College of Education dean, Kathryn Chval, will no longer serve in the position effective immediately. Erica Lembke, chair of the college's Department of Special Education, will serve as interim dean, Provost Latha Ramchand said in a Tuesday email to faculty, staff and students at the college. Chval will return to teaching and research. Ramchand did not provide any explanation in the email for the change in leadership. Chval has served as dean for the college since March 2016.
MU taps Maryland administrator as next vice chancellor for advancement
A University of Maryland administrator and head of fundraising will be MU's next vice chancellor for advancement, the university announced Monday. Jackie Lewis, who serves as Vice President of University Relations for the College Park campus, will begin at MU on Aug. 12, according to a Monday campus email from Interim MU Chancellor Mun Choi. In her new position, Lewis will oversee 180 employees and supervise MU's private philanthropy and donor relations.
UM to introduce university-led rural broadband plan Wednesday Original
The University of Missouri System will introduce a plan Wednesday to bring high speed, affordable broadband internet to rural parts of the state. A public webinar, titled "Bringing Broadband to a Missouri Community," will introduce the university-led roadmap that will bring broadband to Bollinger County in southeast Missouri, according to a Monday news release. The plan will also serve as a model for other rural parts of the state.
MU Police name interim chief ahead of Schwandt's retirement in August
MU Police Chief Doug Schwandt is retiring after 20 years in the position, Vice Chancellor for Operations Gary Ward announced Monday. Brian Weimer, major of operations with MU Police, will serve as interim chief effective Aug. 3. Weimer, who joined the department in 1992, currently oversees the patrol division, the crime prevention unit, the investigation division and staff services, according to a Monday news release.
Parents weigh summer camp options amid pandemic
Courtney Walsh took a break from her at-home work setup and headed to her daughter’s bedroom to see how “camp” was going. She found Taylor, 10, wielding her younger brother’s Nerf gun as she learned combat training via Zoom. Walsh’s children have completed multiple Columbia virtual camp sessions from their home in Colorado. COVID-19 concerns prompted the family not to make the yearly trek to Columbia to visit relatives and caused the kids to miss out on the area summer camps, too.
MU College of Veterinary Medicine receives $1 million gift from alumnus
A $1 million gift from an MU alum who never forgot his roots will allow the MU College of Veterinary Medicine to renovate classrooms and boost research. The college announced the gift Friday from MU alumnus Reuben Merideth, founder of Eye Care for Animals, one of the largest veterinary ophthalmology organizations in the country. The organization has more than 54 practices in 16 states, according to its website.
Music students 'lift every voice' to support Black Lives Matters movement
Maintaining social distance and wearing face masks, about 30 MU choristers sang at Traditions Plaza on Thursday in solidarity with protesters across the country demonstrating against police brutality. Singers, some of them driving four hours to Columbia, stood 6 feet away from each other in a circle to maintain the recommended distance to help reduce the transmission of COVID-19.
'It can't stop here.' Student-led protest calls for action after march
Kirubel Mesfin stood before the group gathered at Flat Branch Park and told the crowd about being tear-gassed at a Kansas City protest. “Do you know what kind of fear you have when you’re in a crowd of 10,000, and you came with five other people, and you don’t know where they are?” Mesfin asked.
'It was basically either him or us': Columbia protester recalls night she was struck by car
Nearly a week after Behonsay Williams was struck by a vehicle at a Monday night protest, she has a few answers and some lingering questions. She found out Thursday who hit her, after police shared the driver's insurance information. She is to find out Monday or Tuesday whether the 17-year-old, whom the Missourian is not identifying because he is a minor, will face charges.
Demonstrator hit by vehicle tries to find peace as she seeks justice
A week after Behonsay Williams was struck by a vehicle at an evening protest, she has a few answers and some lingering questions. She found out Thursday who hit her, after police shared the driver’s insurance information. She could find out Tuesday whether the 17-year-old, whom the Missourian is not identifying because he is a minor, will face charges.
UM System, local police address Minneapolis police killing of George Floyd
University leaders and local police from a state and city that have faced racism and protests responded Thursday to the killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis police, while a local group announced a Friday march in response to Floyd’s death.
Chuck Graham, former state senator, dies
1 of 2 Democratic state Senate candidate Chuck Graham talks with friends on election night in 2008. Chuck Graham, left, is pictured with his father, Andrew Graham Sr. Former Missouri state senator Chuck Graham died Tuesday, his former Senate chief of staff Ted Farnen said. Graham, a Democrat, was elected to the state Senate in 2004 after serving in the Missouri House of Representatives.
Chuck Graham, former state senator, dies at 55
Former Missouri state Sen. Chuck Graham died Tuesday of a heart attack, according to his wife, Kate Graham. He was 55. Graham, a Democrat, was elected to the state Senate in 2004 after serving in the Missouri House of Representatives. He served Columbia as both an elected official, advocating on behalf of MU and of embryonic stem cell research, and as a citizen, chairing the city’s Disabilities Commission. His wife confirmed his death in a Facebook post.
Motel becomes homeless shelter during COVID-19 pandemic
A low-cost hotel has become the front line for assisting the homeless residents of Columbia during the coronavirus pandemic. The CoMo Crisis Shelter is housing homeless people in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the population. Each room houses two people, which isn't ideal, the CoMo Crisis Shelter website states, but allows it to house more people while still lowering the risk of transmission overall.
Motel becomes homeless shelter during COVID-19 pandemic
A low-cost hotel has become the front line for assisting the homeless residents of Columbia during the coronavirus pandemic. The Welcome Inn is hosting the CoMo Crisis Shelter, which is housing homeless people in an attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among the population. Each room houses two people, which isn't ideal, the CoMo Crisis Shelter website states, but allows them to house more people while still lowering the risk of transmission overall.
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