This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, August 26th, 2020.

Later in the program, The League of Women Voters begins a podcast on the WFHB Local News titled "Issues and Civics." In today’s segment, host Jim Allison talks to Josephine McCormick, IU Pace Student and Big Ten Voting Challenge liaison, on how to engage young people in the voting process.

Also coming up, Diane Walker of the Limestone Post continues her ongoing series titled “Eviction Crisis in Indiana.” Today, she speaks with Forrest Gilmore of the Shalom Community Center, Deborah Myerson of South Central Indiana Housing Opportunities, and Jamie Sutton of Justice Unlocked.

Local News Brief

940 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Indiana on Tuesday, according to the Indiana State Department of Health, which also added another 31 reported cases to last week’s tally. The state health department attributed 6 new deaths to Covid-19 yesterday as well. Locally, Monroe County saw 24 positive cases reported on Tuesday, while Lawrence and Green Counties reported 10 and 7 new cases respectively. Indiana University has not yet published its Covid-19 dashboard that it promised to publish in a town hall meeting last month. It’s unclear when or if that will happen.

WFHB Correspondent Aaron Comforty reports on the MCCSC school board meeting - where it was decided that students can expect an in-person option as soon as next week (Photo courtesy of Community Access Television Services).

The Monroe County Community School Corporation voted to open an in-person, five-day-a-week schooling option to all students beginning on September 8th. Special education and career development programs will open in-person and hybrid models about a week earlier. While some families have enthusiastically supported reopening in-person classes, families who prefer it, can continue to learn 100% online.

The reopening announcement came after school board members voted on Tuesday night to adopt a new metric system that determines whether the school board considers it safest for school to be held online, in-person with an online option, or a more limited in-person hybrid model with an online option. Brandon Shur cast the only no-vote for the motion to approve the timeline and plans for reopening.

The school corporation’s new metric system has come under criticism for its reliance on contact tracing, which some note cannot be carried out effectively, given that people may not receive their Covid-19 test results up to a week after they take the test.

Tomorrow, the Indiana Historical Society is hosting a free event on Zoom called, “Rethinking Redlining & Segregation: Prologue to the COVID-19 Crisis.” You can sign up for the event on the Historical Society’s website.

WFHB Assistant News Director Sydney Foreman covers the Monroe County Election Board meeting held on Tuesday - where county officials decided on polling locations (Photo courtesy of Community Access Television Services).

The Monroe County Election Board discussed voting sites for the November 3rd General Election during their August 25th meeting. Election Staffer Sherry Morris said an accessibility survey was conducted at every 36 potential voting sites.

Morris said parking, entrances exits and path of travel, and restroom accessibility. She said 29 of the sites have parking barriers. Morris said most can be fixed with cones and signage. Morris said restroom barriers could be solved in 3 ways.

Morris said details have been collected on each site. She said Bloomington Transportation would not be an ideal voting location.