Prices are going up on a lot of products, but that's proof of a growing economy, says Kelley School of Business economist Kyle Anderson. We talk about the housing market, difficulties in getting things like microchips, fluctuating prices in lumber, the evolving labor force and much, much more. Overall, Dr. Anderson is optimistic about where the Indiana and national economies are heading.

Accidental drug deaths had been on the rise, and then the pandemic hit. IUPUI clinical psychologist Dr. Melissa Cyders joins us to discuss the challenges of the year and some of the early findings related to substance use disorder during the pandemic.

There is help available to you, and others. Here's more from the Substance Abuse and Metal Health Services Administration https://www.samhsa.gov/find-help/recovery

And here is a Google Doc that can help you find and join online support meetings:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/10A2Nd6194FLadIn3XtysqOmWLzLTGYxVcFCYxpf7HIw/htmlview

Cyders referenced this work in our talk:

https://theconversation.com/people-with-substance-use-disorders-face-greater-challenges-during-the-covid-19-pandemic-137476

The Indiana State Department of Health's Drug Overdose Dashboard:

https://www.in.gov/isdh/27393.htm

NY Times: Overdose Deaths Have Surged During the Pandemic, C.D.C. Data Shows

https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/14/health/overdose-deaths-fentanyl-opiods-coronaviurs-pandemic.html?referringSource=articleShare

NewsNation: After record ‘deaths of despair’ in 2019, early pandemic data is grim

https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/after-record-deaths-of-despair-in-2019-early-pandemic-data-is-grim/

Cyders also discussed the IU Grand Challenge:

https://science.iupui.edu/psychology/research/long-term-recovery.html

More from Dr. Cyders:

https://science.iupui.edu/people-directory/people/cyders-melissa.html

Some students have gone back to school this year. Others are meeting in a hybrid style, but still more are running entirely virtual classes this spring.

All schools in Indiana, however, are expected to be open for in-person classes come this fall. We talked with Indiana University Northwest's Dr. Vernon Smith, a professor of education, and a longtime educator himself, about the difficulties of this school year and what this year's challenges might mean for next year.

We spoke with Dr. Jerry Wilde, a professor of educational psychology and dean of the School of Education at Indiana University - East, about the challenges of the last year for parents and children of all ages. While we're still in the early days of understanding individual impacts, he says, there are some lessons to be learned and measures we can all take going forward.

Here is the opinion piece we mentioned: https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/local-opinions/montgomery-schools-are-failing-minority-students/2021/01/14/4e6c7306-550c-11eb-a08b-f1381ef3d207_story.html

Also, there's new Dutch research that suggests some people are thriving: https://www.dutchnews.nl/news/2021/03/some-people-are-thriving-in-the-pandemic-research-shows/

University and college admissions officials across the country have been scrambling this past year in telling their story and helping prospective students during these most unusual days. We talked with Sacha Thieme, the executive director of Admissions at Indiana University - Bloomington to find out what the process has been like over the last year, and what new, incoming students can look forward to next year.

As Indiana opens up vaccine access eligibility, and prepares to remove its mask and safety mandates, there remain concerns about getting the vaccine to those most in need and most at risk. We asked Shandy Dearth, from the Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI about the measures Indiana in undertaking.

We talked with Shandy Dearth, from the Fairbanks School of Public Health and asked what we should do, and what we should not do, before receiving our vaccine shots.

Hoosiers 40+ are now eligible for the Covid-19 vaccine. We asked Shandy Dearth from the Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI whether it's worth brand shopping between one vaccine or another. Also, she talks about supply and what the experts really mean when they talk about efficacy.

Everyone wants to know, when are we getting back to normal? We asked that question of Shandy Dearth, from the Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI in Indianapolis.

Reported Covid cases and hospitalizations are currently declining in Indiana, and vaccination rates are up. (As of March 31st, 2021, Hoosiers 16+ are eligible to register for vaccinations.) In this On Topic with IU quick hit Shandy Dearth, from the Fairbanks School of Public Health at IUPUI in Indianapolis, talks about how the Johnson & Johnson vaccine helped speed up vaccinations, and discussed how we study the success of all of the vaccines that are on the market.