Gaslit: The Power of Story — Season 1, Episode 10

In this episode of Gaslit, we speak with organizers from Direct Action Against CenterPoint Energy, a community-driven group that formed after residents across southern Indiana began experiencing sudden, extreme increases in their utility bills.

This conversation traces how a grassroots Facebook group became a source of shared education, mutual aid, and civic engagement—helping thousands of residents understand how utility pricing works, why bills have risen so dramatically, and where accountability actually lies.

We discuss:

• How residents first realized something was wrong when bills doubled with no change in usage
• The hidden labor required to access utility assistance
• Why shutoffs create cascading harm for families, seniors, and children
• The role of legislation, regulation, and monopoly structure in rising costs
• Why education and storytelling have become survival tools
• The growing concern over data centers, infrastructure expansion, and long-term affordability
• Why no one should ever lose power in silence

This episode centers lived experience, civic literacy, and the reality that electricity is not a luxury—it is a basic necessity.

Resources & Links

• Direct Action Against CenterPoint Energy resources and updates:https://linktr.ee/daace

If you or someone you know is struggling with utility bills, assistance resources are discussed in the episode and may also be found through local community action programs and the United Way 2-1-1 system.

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

Gaslit T-shirts:

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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/

Support the podcast with merch:

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Black Logo Tee — https://www.teepublic.com/t-shirt/82626649-gaslit-the-power-of-story-blk?store_id=130038

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: addison@4goodcommunity.org

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