By Camdyn Glover

Victory Field overflowed with Best Buddies supporters of all ages wearing bright clothing, tiaras, tutus, sunglasses and pom-poms on April 19th for the Best Buddies Friendship Walk. The sound of laughter, celebration and making new friends drowned out the top hits playlist heard over the speakers. 

Buddies wore matching face-paint butterflies and colorful balloon crowns as the 1,200-person crowd gathered around the Best Buddies inflatable arch for the mascot race, including the Indiana Pacers’ Boomer. 

Colts Cheerleader Morgan McLain stood on the dugout in front of the cheering crowd to sign the national anthem using American Sign Language. 

Just as the walk was about to begin, bubbles filled the air as the crowd warmed up by dancing to Taylor Swift. Then, participants walked one mile around the field and continued the celebration. 

Best Buddies is an internationally recognized non-profit organization which fosters friendships between people with and without disabilities. 

Due to efforts by the international organization, the month of March is officially recognized as Best Buddies month. During this time, members can participate in spirit weeks, various activities and campaigns. 

Best Buddies prioritizes a campaign known as “Spread the Word, ” an effort to end the use of the “R” word by spreading awareness about the term’s implications.

Founder, Anthony K. Shriver wrote, “This national campaign is dedicated to eliminating the use of the R-word — a term that demeans, insults, and discriminates against individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. The goal is not to shame — it is to challenge, to educate, and to encourage meaningful dialogue with friends, teammates, colleagues, and peers. Real change happens when culture shifts, and culture shifts one conversation at a time. Inclusion begins with awareness. It grows through action.” 

The founder, Anthony K. Shriver was inspired to create Best Buddies by his Aunt Rosemary Kennedy. Ambassadors for the program include Cindy Crawford, Rob Lowe, Tom Brady, Savannah Guthrie, Guy Fieri and Pierce Brosnan. 

Following this month of celebrating inclusion and awareness, local Best Buddies chapters participate in an event titled the “Friendship Walk.”

The Best Buddies of Indiana’s friendship walk at Victory Field was the first time that the venue was used for this event. Friendship walk attendees ranged from buddies, peers, club advisors, parents and supporters. 

There are over 5,400 participants in the program statewide. Between participating parties and fundraising teams, the walk raised over $155,000. 

Sam and Brady, two boys who have been friends for nearly a decade, shared why they chose to come out to the event. “We’re all out here today to be part of the friendship walk and to have a super fun time,” Sam said.

Supporters stood tall in their Best Buddies gear as they beamed while making new friends at activity stations for all abilities. 

Nicole, a mother of a student chapter member, shared what the Friendship Walk and Best Buddies has meant to her. She said, “I think it’s just a wonderful inclusion program for the kids, and just through that program he’s met a lot of people and gained a lot of confidence. As a parent, it really makes me happy to see him being included in different things. When we go to school events, seeing the other kids, who know him from the program, give him high fives and say hello, it really puts a big smile on his face. So, it’s really nice to know there are programs like this in Indiana. It just makes my mama-heart happy.”

Madison is one of Indiana’s Miss Amazing Pageant winners. She explained what she enjoys about the program, “I like to interact with new people, new friends, and just be yourself. It’s not all about winning.”

Gwen is a buddy in her high school chapter and shared what she has done with her school. “Being with friends, we hang out, we do fun stuff, we go to the zoo. Tons of fun,” Gwen said.

Caesar has a daughter with special needs and has witnessed the impact of Best Buddies on his daughter’s life. He said, “It’s been an incredible opportunity for Maya to socialize with other peers her age. That’s very difficult for her, having very severe special needs. Placing her in a place where she can be safe, in a good environment and with other kids having fun. [It] really brings joy to her life.”

Joe has a daughter with autism and shows support for his colleague with an intellectual disability. He explained why he continues to be involved with the program and how he’s seen the impact as a parent. “We are here supporting Best Buddies for a couple of reasons. I have a daughter with autism [and] I have a co-worker with some intellectual disabilities. He was the one who introduced the organization. I partnered with him a few years ago, and so just every year we’ve been coming back,” he said. Joe also shared, “It’s really incredible, as someone who has a daughter with an intellectual disability, it’s been really nice to connect with other people going through similar things as we are. It’s really nice to know that there’s people in the community that support people with autism as far as jobs, social skills, and what to do in life. There’s a lot of things as a parent you worry about for your kid, and you never know what the future will be like for them. To know that there is a huge community that supports her is amazing.”

Molly and Natalie are another Best Buddies pair who have been friends for nearly 20 years. They shared their journey with the program. “We’ve been buddies since 2008 and I’ve been with Best Buddies since 2002, when they first came down to Indy. I’ve been a long time Best Buddy, and so I am really happy to see this wonderful event and a lot of people,” Molly said. Natalie explained, “I just think Best Buddies is a really amazing organization. It impacts a lot of people. Coming here today, to the friendship walk, you see the mission in action. You’re seeing buddy pairs, you’re seeing people with and without disabilities spending time having fun. It’s just nice seeing everyone together for the same cause, the same mission, and to see people so excited.”

The Indiana University chapter of Best Buddies was also in attendance. James, Aiden and Dane are three of the peers who shared why they attended the friendship walk. “We’re just here with Indiana supporting a good cause… It’s nice to see everyone come together for a good cause… Being a part of Best Buddies has been really fun so I thought I’d finish the year strong,” they said.

These IU students also shared their favorite part about being involved with the IU chapter. James, Aiden and Dane shared, “I just like hanging out with all the people with IDD and making lives better… Yeah, making good friends, like I wouldn’t have known him if it weren’t for it…I’ve met a lot of good people through it, so it’s been a lot of fun.”

WFHB Local News asked attendees to describe Best Buddies in one word. They said, “friend…fun…inclusion…inspiring…friendship…impactful…Inclusivity…joy…friends…exciting…fun…inclusion…loving…support…inclusion…being amazing and being yourself.”  

Volunteers and participants emphasized the importance of Best Buddies. A common concept was how friends truly become family. 

Best Buddies International offers different options to be involved with the program. This includes e-buddies which is a virtual friendship format and Citizens, which is for forming friendships amongst adults. IU students can find ways to get involved with the local chapter on the BeInvolved website. Furthermore, a Best Buddies inclusive-living program has been implemented in Bloomington. For more information on the organization and its resources, you can visit bestbuddies.org.

Special thanks to WFHB News Director Kade Young and WFHB News Correspondent Emma Maher.

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, April 29th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, Correspondent Camdyn Glover reports on the Best Buddies Friendship Walk that took place in Indianapolis last Sunday. Glover speaks with organizers and attendees of the walk, which serves to benefit people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. More in today’s feature report.

Also coming up in the next half hour, “Cutting the Cost of Gas – Again” on Better Beware, your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. More following today’s feature.

Monroe County Election Board gives early voting numbers, election central renovations and poll worker training

The Monroe County Election Board met on April 23rd and received an update on early voting numbers.

According to County Clerk Nicole Brown, 332 out of 1129 absentee ballots have been returned and 2095  votes have been cast at Election Central.

Brown discussed Senate Bill 10, which is a recently passed legislation prohibiting students from using school IDs for voting. The legislation was blocked by a federal judge earlier this month, but it was reinstated after a court of appeals decision on Monday.

Brown said poll workers are being kept up-to-date on the issue as it goes through court.

Next, Election Supervisor Kylie Farris read a statement from Fleet and Building Director Richard Crider about the election central renovations.

The board moved on to talk about parking at the early voting site. Brown said people can park in the Trade’s

District parking garage for 50 cents per hour to avoid getting parking tickets.

Republican Board Member Danny Shields said he finds issues with people having to pay for parking while voting.

The board moved on to discuss training. Brown said there would be de-escalation training for poll workers before the general election.

Democratic Board Member Penny Githens said there should also be training for emergency situations. Farris detailed the training poll workers currently receive.

Farris said the board members could stop by her office to look at the training binders. The next meeting of the Monroe County Election Board will be May 4th.

Board of Public Works advances Hopewell South preliminary engineering

 The Bloomington Board of Public Works met on April 21st and discussed Amendment 1 to a contract with Crossroads Engineers for preliminary engineering of Hopewell South. Project Engineer Kendall Knoke explained the contract and how it will help Hopewell’s construction.

The board passed this motion unanimously. The next item in the agenda was a contract for E&B paving for Grimes Lane, Kirkwood Avenue, Patterson Drive, and Rogers Street. Sarah Gomez with the city’s engineering department detailed road closures and construction during this project.

The motion passed 2-0. Lastly, Public Works Director Adam Wason introduced the Adopt a Roundabout policy.

The motion passed unanimously. The next meeting of the Bloomington Board of Public Works will be on May 4th.

Feature Report:

In today’s feature report, WFHB Correspondent Camdyn Glover attended the Best Buddies Friendship Walk in Indianapolis last weekend, speaking with event goers and organizers. This is a nationwide fundraiser for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. For more, we turn to Camdyn Glover.

Up next, “Cutting the Cost of Gas – Again” on Better Beware, your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. For more, we turn to host and producer Richard Fish.

Credits:

Gasoline prices have gone up quickly, recently, and they may go up more. They’re not going to come down again soon for a number of reasons — and historically, they always go down more slowly than they go up. So let’s take another look at the best way to save money on gas — there are simple things you can do that add up to serious savings, and some of them might be surprising!

This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, April 28th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson addressed racist assumptions made in the aftermath of the shooting on Kirkwood Avenue during Little 500 weekend. More in today’s headlines.

Also coming up in the next half hour, the city council voted to reaffirm its opposition for the North Park property as a potential new jail site during its most recent meeting.

Mayor Kerry Thomson denounces racist comments on social media after Little 500 shooting

Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson took to social media on Monday to denounce racist comments in the wake of the shooting that happened on Kirkwood Avenue during Little 500 weekend.

Five people were injured in a shooting outside Five Guys in the early hours of Sunday morning, raising concerns about public safety downtown during large events. The incident also prompted racist comments on social media.

The shooting happened during Little 500 weekend, one of Bloomington’s busiest times of the year, drawing thousands of people to the Kirkwood area.

Mayor Thomson condemned racist assumptions she’s seen on social media. She also said the city received emails and phone calls with speculation about race.

“I want to explicitly condemn the racism that is happening when people make comments with assumptions about race or who belongs or who’s from here and who’s not from here. That is not who we are. Bloomington, we are a city that loves one another and welcomes all,” she said.

The investigation is still ongoing. The city encourages anyone with information to call Bloomington Police at 812-339-4477.

City Council discusses Seminary Pointe land swap, amended Flock contract and reaffirms opposition to North Park jail site

The Bloomington City Council met on April 22nd. Multiple council members used opening reports to support a proposed land swap between the Seminary Pointe and College Square properties. Council member Dave Rollo said the land swap would benefit the multiple community stakeholders.

Then, Police Chief Mike Diekhoff reported on the amended Flock contracts and policies. Council member Isabel Piedmont-Smith asked whether all Flock cameras could be turned off before the contracts expire and how access to camera feeds would be restricted. Diekhoff responded.

Next, the council considered a resolution reaffirming opposition to the North Park site for a new jail. During public comment, a resident presented cost comparisons for renovation.

The resolution passed unanimously.

Next, Kristen Weida, CEO of the Indiana Uplands Realtors Association, detailed differences between proposed Hopewell development options.

The next Bloomington City Council meeting will be on May 6th.

City Redevelopment Commission moves forward with public offering for College Square property

The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission met on April 20th. First, Jane Kupersmith, director of the city’s Economic and Sustainability Department, delivered the Business Development update.

The commission then discussed opening the College Square property to public offers. Commissioners also considered a proposed land swap with the Seminary Pointe block, with Secretary John West speaking in opposition.

Monroe County Capital Improvement Board President John Whikehart, represented by attorney Jim Whitlatch, spoke in support of the swap. Whitlatch argued that value should be measured beyond just monetary terms.

Commissioners also debated whether to delay the offering for 30 days.

Commissioner Susan Sgambelluri said she doesn’t think that extension will be adequate.

The commission ultimately voted unanimously to move forward with a public offering of the property. The next Bloomington RDC meeting is scheduled for May 20th.

CIB advances hotel plans as residents urge protection of Seminary Pointe housing

The Monroe County Capital Improvement Board met on April 24th and heard a resolution for a host hotel at the Bloomington Convention Center. CIB Attorney Jim Whitlatch walked through the resolution.

A board member asked whether the CIB wants to clarify the incentives for hotel developers. Board President John Whikehart responded.

Whikehart said the board set a June 30th deadline regarding requests for proposals, or RFP. The board approved the resolution by a unanimous vote.

The CIB heard a second proposal for obtaining appraisals and environmental reports for newly acquired real estate.

Senior Vice President at JS Held Deb Kunce provided a timeline for the project and further expounded on the details of the contract.

The board approved the resolution by a unanimous vote. During public comment, a representative for the group Bloomington Homes for All urged the board to consider a land swap to save Seminary Pointe apartments from demolition.

Local activist Bryce Greene with Bloomington Democratic Socialists of America also advocated for preserving affordable housing in the city.

The next meeting of the Monroe County CIB will take place on May 20th.

Feature Report:

In today’s feature report, we look back at a story from February 2025 covering free speech issues at Indiana University. The story titled “Expressive Activity: Protest Policy at IU” was produced by Correspondent Samuel Dexter. It recently won First Place in the category of Student Radio News Reporting in the Indiana Society of Professional Journalists’ annual competition. That’s coming up next on the WFHB Local News.

Credits:

A big Local Live thanks to Twice Dark for taking over the Lounge on 4/20.  We got a sneak peek at the forthcoming EP Welcome to the Night Show — dark, pulsing, and a little hypnotic — plus a preview of the first single “Savage Media,” out everywhere 5/8.

Catch Twice Dark at The Bishop this June for Gallow Dance.

Host: DJ Alchemy

A big thanks to Matt Lundquist of Deep Country Dream for supporting the WFHB Spring Fund Drive and bringing some seriously good original songs into the Local Live Lounge.

Host: Steve Philbeck / Host Apprentice: Jeff Shew

Kay Krull and David Brown stopped by the studio for a Fund Drive Live Session on April 16th and played a few songs from Kay’s forthcoming album “I Dreamed Once I Was May Queen” (out May 1st) — the session was stripped back and so beautiful. It’s the first taste of what’s coming on their new label, Peppermint Future.

Host: Nicki Seven

On tonight’s edition of Bring It On!, host Clarence Boone spends the hour with Leon Gordon. He was appointed the new Perry Township trustee on Jan. 31 through a vacancy caucus. The Perry Township officers are elected by the people of the township. The Township Board members are Susie Hamilton, Jack E. Davis, and Barbara Sturbaum. The Perry Township primarily provides emergency assistance to low-income people experiencing a crisis of need.

Perry Township offers several Programs and Services to help low-income people, primarily through the Emergency Assistance Voucher Program and its Food Pantry, located at the Perry Township office, for residents only. They are also major sponsors, supporters, and partners with other significant social service agencies. Perry Township is not an entitlement program that offers ongoing monthly assistance. Instead, they help get people through the onset of a crisis and point them to the right place for continuing assistance if needed. They’re available to help in an emergency, but not with long-term assistance.

Credits:

This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, April 27th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, a shooting happened outside Five Guys on Kirkwood Avenue during Little 500 weekend. WFHB News reports on a press conference with city officials on Sunday and speaks with residents on Kirkwood about their reaction to the violence.

You’ll also hear Anna Goodrich from Honors Bloomington Outreach, seeking more students to volunteer at Fairview Elementary. Find out how you can get involved later in the show on a new episode of Activate!

Five people injured in Kirkwood shooting during Little 500 weekend

Five people were injured in a shooting on Kirkwood Avenue in the early hours of Sunday morning.

This comes during Little 500 weekend, one of the city’s largest annual events, that draws thousands of people to Bloomington. The incident sparked concerns about public safety during one of the largest events of the year.

Mayor Kerry Thomson held a press conference at city hall on Sunday, condemning the violence on Kirkwood.

“It is, of course, an incredibly sad day anytime there’s violence in our community,” said Thomson. “We condemn gun violence unequivocally in any form, and my thoughts are with those that were injured.”

Police Chief Mike Diekhoff clarified that five people were injured in the shooting, fewer than the 9 people initially reported. Diekhoff says all the victims are in stable condition.

“The other people we believe were injured when they ran from the scene, and those included injuries such as cuts and scrapes from falling while running,” said Diekhoff. “All were treated and released, except one who is had been admitted in this stable condition.”

Diekhoff said a fight broke out between two women outside Five Guys on Kirkwood. According to security camera and cell phone footage obtained by the Bloomington Police Department, two males involved in the fight both drew hand guns and fired their weapons.

“At that point, everyone began running from the scene, and officers rushed to the area began to look for victims,” he said.

The police chief said the crowds were estimated to be two to three thousand people. Jeremy Hogan of the Bloomingtonian captured footage of unrest on Kirkwood. This footage happened prior to the shooting after a possible armed person was reported on city police scanners at around 10 p.m.

The incident prompted concerns about public safety during large events. Mayor Thomson says while police maintained a presence on Kirkwood, the city’s ability to prevent gun violence proves limited under state law.

“In Bloomington, unfortunately, Indiana gun laws prohibit such action, and if the gun laws remain as they are, anyone can open carry. We encourage people not to bring guns to gatherings, and we encourage you to speak up to those who can change our gun laws,” she said.

Chief Diekhoff says police were active on the scene; however, the large crowd made it difficult to take control of the situation.

“It would have become a resource issue. And our belief was, if we tried to move the crowd, that would have caused more problems,” he said.

Diekhoff says the investigation is ongoing and encourages anyone with any details to contact the Bloomington Police Department at 812-339-4477.

Featured Segments:

WFHB News went to Kirkwood earlier today to capture residents’ reactions to the shooting during Little 500 weekend. We spoke to residents outside Five Guys where the shooting took place, asking them their thoughts on public safety for large events and what could be done to prevent violence like this in the future.

Up next, we have the latest edition of B Square Bites – a collaboration between the B Square Bulletin and WFHB. This next edition is titled “Bloomington council OKs residential TIF for Summit, now back to RDC for final step.” That’s coming up next on WFHB.

Honors Bloomington Outreach is a community service program for IU honors students. Fairview Elementary is one of their favorite places to connect with the Bloomington community. Whether they’re reading stories with kids, helping with homework, or leading fun activities, president Anna Goodrich says those afternoons at Fairview are special for both the kids and the students. The outreach team also spends time at Bell Trace Senior Living Center, playing games and building relationships with residents there. Sometimes they do other service projects like blankets for the Shalom Center. Anna says ALL students are welcome to join their service projects, not just honors students, on a new episode of Activate!, coming your way right now on the WFHB Local News.

Credits:

By: Jiin Hur

Coloring is a mechanism used to pass time and has been familiar to nearly every person. 

As our to-do lists pile up, we often forget that coloring is something we can do to pass time. If stress is one cause of procrastination, and teen students experience it frequently, what can we do to solve this? That’s where coloring books come into play.

According to a 2024 survey conducted by the Pew Research Center, roughly 68 percent of teen students feel a fair amount of pressure to get good grades. Furthermore, in an article published in 2025 by the Economic Times, “People delay tasks not because they’re lazy, but because they’re trying to escape uncomfortable emotions — stress, boredom, or self-doubt.”

Last year, CNN published a report stating that “…a ‘cozy coloring’ aesthetic has dominated adult coloring charts — simple line art with large shapes meant for quick, relaxing fills.” Coloring works to decrease stress and anxiety for adults, with many variations including the rising popularity of this ‘cozy coloring’ method, so it wouldn’t hurt for teens to give it a try, too.

Researchers Xuening Fan and Anna Na Na Hui at the National Institute of Health in 2025 conducted a study that assessed academic stress and burnout in students using interventions. They used cluster sampling with a total of 128 middle schoolers in the Henan Province in China. They did this sampling in two classes, with one serving as the control group and the other had two intervention groups (one was the mandala-coloring group and the other was the grit-enhancing). Mandala coloring involves a round picture that depicts Hindu and Buddhist traditions of the universe. The key here is that the results from the study showed that academic stress was significantly reduced in the mandala-coloring group. 

However, this ‘cozy coloring’ method is not the only coloring method available. To properly assess how coloring can be a means to reduce stress, this study accurately depicts the effects of mandala coloring on school children. This provides significant quantitative evidence that proves how mandala coloring can be an effective way to help teens cope with stress. This in turn can help the youth workforce in Bloomington. 

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration tells us that “Workplace stress has been reported to cause 120,000 deaths in the US each year”. In other words, when we reduce workplace stress, it saves lives. Furthermore, they state “Approximately 65 percent of U.S. workers surveyed have characterized work as being a very significant or somewhat significant source of stress in each year from 2019-2021.” 

If adolescents can use mandala coloring to alleviate school stress, we can apply the same logic and encourage mandala coloring (and many other types of coloring) as a means to achieve solvency for workplace stress in Bloomington and the broader Indiana community.