SHOW DESCRIPTION (RSS):

In Episode 9 of Gaslit: The Power of Story, Indiana State Representative Alex Burton explains what it looks like when an elected official refuses to disappear into the political bubble. Born and raised in Evansville, Burton stays rooted in the neighborhoods he serves — carrying stories of working families, seniors, and struggling households directly into the State House.

This conversation covers affordability, rising utility bills, food insecurity, housing instability, and the long-term consequences of a state government that keeps prioritizing redistricting and corporate incentives over basic human needs. Burton shares how storytelling from real constituents is shaping his legislative approach, how gaps in the local safety net continue to widen, and what it will take to build coalitions across Indiana’s cities to push for authentic reform.

If you want to understand what’s happening in southern Indiana — and what real political accountability sounds like — this episode is essential listening.

SHOW NOTES:

• Guest: Rep. Alex Burton, Indiana House District 77
• Topics discussed:• Food insecurity and collapsing local safety nets• Rising utility bills and systemic affordability failures• The legislative blindspots driving today’s crisis• Data centers, AI, and long-term economic pressure• Housing instability, aging infrastructure, and the cost of survival• Storytelling as political leverage and coalition-building
• Follow Rep. Burton:• Facebook: AB for EV• Instagram: @in77rep_alexburton
• Presented by: Gaslit: The Power of Story
• Available wherever you listen to podcasts

Episode 8 – Data Centers, Power Bills, and the Future of Indiana

In this episode of Gaslit: The Power of Story, Tommy talks with the Citizens Action Coalition — Ryan Stratman, Ben Inskeep, and Bryce Gustafson — about the rapid rise of hyperscale AI data centers in Indiana and what they mean for affordability, energy use, water demand, and long-term costs on households.

These new facilities aren’t the data centers Indiana is used to. They can use hundreds to thousands of megawatts of electricity — in some cases more power than entire cities — and may require expensive new infrastructure that could ultimately shift costs onto ratepayers. We break down:

• How AI-driven data centers differ from traditional facilities
• Their projected power demand (comparable to or exceeding steel mills)
• Water use concerns
• Subsidies, tax abatements, and long-term public costs
• Delayed coal retirements and rapid natural gas expansion
• Noise, air pollution, diesel backup systems, and land-use impacts
• How communities across Indiana have already stopped 13 proposed projects
• What residents can do when a project is proposed in their county

Stay informed or get involved with Citizens Action Coalition at citact.org.

All episodes, transcripts, and articles are at: https://fireside.evansville.edu/gaslit

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In this episode of Gaslit: The Power of Story, Tommy sits down with Cindi Clayton, a University of Southern Indiana instructor, longtime child-advocacy leader, and candidate for the Indiana State Senate. Cindi talks openly about her “why”: watching students work hard, get the degree, land the job — and still not be able to afford to live in Evansville. She traces how Indiana’s utility monopoly, legislative decisions, cuts to public schools, and the collapse of child-protection funding converge into one affordability crisis affecting families, children, seniors, and nonprofits across our region.

We discuss her refusal to take money from energy companies, her belief in servant leadership, and what real transparency and accountability could look like for southwestern Indiana.

Learn more about Cindi:

https://www.cindiforsenate.com/

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In this episode of Gaslit: The Power of Story, we sit down with Logan Patberg — educator, community advocate, and candidate for Indiana House District 76. Logan shares his WHY, rooted in public education, lived experience, and a commitment to understanding affordability and stability from the ground up. We discuss the pressures families in Posey and western Vanderburgh County are facing — rising energy bills, childcare costs, healthcare strain, housing shortages, and the heightened food insecurity caused by the federal SNAP shutdown. Logan explains what he’s hearing at the doors, why constituents feel unrepresented, and how aligned leadership — working alongside Sally Buzbee and Alex Burton — could bring transparency, stronger advocacy, and real structural solutions to Southwestern Indiana. This conversation continues the social action journey of this podcast: listening to real people, amplifying their stories, and building momentum for meaningful change.

https://www.patbergforindiana.com

Support Gaslit: https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/82626648-gaslit-the-power-of-story-wht?store_id=130038

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Community advocate Chris Norick explains how bills are actually built (base rates + multiple riders), why disconnection notices are surging, and what CenterPoint’s recent announcements—a $5M community fund, a $3 monthly “offset,” planned town halls, and the sale of its Ohio gas business—do and do not change for households in southwestern Indiana. We cover the IURC’s role, “regulatory capture,” the TDSIC tracker, why ROE incentives drive build-more decisions, and practical steps that matter now (weatherization, targeted assistance, and directing comments to the decision-makers who set the rules).

Independent storytelling takes time, research, and community support — show yours by picking up Gaslit merch. https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/82626648-gaslit-the-power-of-story-wht?store_id=130038

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In this episode of Gaslit: The Power of Story, Addison Hearrin from 4 Good Community shares what it means to spread hope, love, and light in a time when families across Evansville are struggling to make ends meet. Through programs like Kids 4 Good, the 4 Good on the Go bus, and Hope 4 Good, Addison and her team deliver clothing, household essentials, and joy to families in crisis. But as energy rates, inflation, and food insecurity climb, even nonprofits are straining under the weight of need. Addison explains how collaboration, compassion, and direct community action can make the difference. The episode closes with firsthand stories from local residents facing impossible choices—between bills, medicine, food, and heat—reminding us that no one should face this alone.

Connect: 4goodcommunity.org | Email: [email protected]

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/4goodcommunity

Downtown Evansville business owners Adam Morris of Your Brother’s Bookstore and Carl Arnheiter of Arcademie join host Tommy Housman to talk about what it really costs to keep small businesses alive when monopoly power, rising costs, and state-level decisions collide. They share what survival looks like day-to-day, how community becomes a form of resistance, and why Evansville’s future depends on supporting the people who still choose to stay and build here.

• Your Brother’s Bookstore: https://yourbrothersbookstore.com
• Arcademie: https://arcademiebar.com

In this episode of Gaslit: The Power of Story, host Tommy Housman sits down with Sally Busby, teacher, mother, and candidate for Indiana State House District 78. Busby speaks candidly about why she decided to run for office after years of witnessing families struggle under policies that favor monopolies and corporate profit over people. The discussion explores how a decade of small legislative changes created today’s affordability crisis — from rising household costs to weak renter protections — and what practical steps state representatives could take to restore fairness and dignity for Hoosier families. Together, they trace how concentrated power shapes daily survival, what real accountability might look like, and how storytelling can reconnect communities to their own political power.

🔗 Learn more about Sally Busby: www.sallyforindiana.com

💬 Share your story or join the conversation: fireside.evansville.edu/gaslit

Episode 1 — How We Got Here (and What It’s Doing to Us)

In the first episode of Gaslit: The Power of Story, we pull back the curtain on how everyday people ended up trapped in a cost crisis built on policy, monopoly power, and quiet legislative decisions. I’m joined by Kerwin Olson, Executive Director of Citizens Action Coalition, and Ryan Stratman, community organizer in southern Indiana, to explore how laws were written, who they benefit, and why families, seniors, and small businesses are now paying the price. We discuss the rise of arrearages, shut-offs, evictions, and the unseen toll on mental health and community stability. This episode reveals how decisions made at the Statehouse impact kitchen-table emergencies—and why personal stories are now one of the most powerful tools we have for driving change. To learn more about Citizens Action Coalition, visit https://www.citact.org. Legislative Accountability Project https://www.citact.org/evv-lap To share your own experience—anonymously if you choose—go to https://fireside.evansville.edu/gaslit. This isn’t abstract economics. It’s survival, policy, and power—and it starts with speaking out.

There’s a moment when a bill stops being a bill and becomes a warning—

When numbers don’t just demand money… they demand sacrifice.

Groceries, medicine, rent… or power.

This is Gaslit: The Power of Story—a show about living under systems where profit is protected and people are not.

Across Indiana—and especially here in the south—families, seniors, and small businesses are squeezed by decisions most of us never voted on: monopoly-friendly laws, shareholder-first playbooks, and a maze of “fees” that quietly ratchet the cost of survival.

Each week, we follow the money from the statehouse to the kitchen table—

not through theory, but through people.

Organizers. Small business owners. Policy experts. Neighbors who’ve faced shut-offs, impossible balances, and choices no one should have to make.

You’ll hear how we got here… what it’s doing to our communities right now… and what happens if nothing changes.

More importantly, you’ll hear what we can do about it.

I’m Tommy Housman. This season, we’re turning stories into strategy.

If you’ve juggled rent and the light switch… if a “service charge” became the last straw… if you’ve ever felt powerless—your voice belongs here.

Share your story—recorded or written, anonymous if you want—using the link in the show notes. https://fireside.evansville.edu/gaslit/

Because this isn’t abstract economics.

It’s survival. It’s policy. It’s personal.

And together, we’re going to make it public.