Beat the heat

The other city-run pool is Mills Pool, which is almost as busy as Bryan Park. \n"The numbers are on the upswing; however, it seems as though every pool in the area is very busy," said Julie Ramey, media relations spokeswoman for Bloomington Parks and Recreation. "They're very popular places and are all so different from each other."\nThe two IU-owned pools are also open. The outdoor pool, located on 17th Street and Fee Lane, is $1.75 for students and $2.50 for non-students. The indoor pool is located at the Student Recreational Sports Center and is free for all students.\nAnother great way to beat the heat is by getting up in the sky at either sunrise or sunset for an hour-long hot-air balloon ride courtesy of Balloon Safaris. The rides cost $175 per person, $150 if accompanied by two or more, and are chartered Saturdays and/or Sundays. Depending on the winds, the ride changes every time. The take-offs and landings are never in the same place and are conducted from different parts of the Bloomington/Monroe County area.\nIf one fancies lacing up some old memories from the past, Western Skateland just reopened after a year and a half of remodeling. With new air conditioning, game room and an overall makeover, Western Skateland is a great place to let loose and be a kid again. Costs are $5 per session without skate rentals and $6 with rentals. The rink is open Fridays and Saturdays from 6 to 8:30 p.m. and 9 to 11:30 p.m.\nAnother local business offering great ways to cool off in this tremendous heat is the Salvation Army. It's hosting a "cooling center," in which people can watch videos, play table games and fill up with snacks and bottled water. The cooling center will be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. All food and activities are free of charge. \n"Sometimes heat can just be too much for families and senior citizens," Major Steven Koehler said. "Our idea is to create a great place for residents who have inadequate means of cooling off."\nSummer cooling can be expensive and the Cinergy Energy Company is heading a campaign titled "Beat the Heat," which gives money-saving advice. \nPeople can manage their summer energy bills through three different plans. Budget Billing plan sets the energy bill at an average amount. Fixed Plan is for customers who want their monthly payments to remain the same. Rolling Plan is for customers who want to avoid a 12th-month "settle-up" adjustment. All of this information is located on Cinergy's Web site, www.cinergypsi.com. \nThe Web site offered some tips to save money through your energy bill, including increasing the thermostat temperature to 78 degrees when at home and 80 degrees when not at home. Closing drapes and blinds on the sunny side of a home during hot weather also helps. Another good idea is to wash clothes in cold water whenever possible.