This is the WFHB Local News for Friday, July 31st, 2020.

Later in the program, Karen Wheeler, Monroe County Election Supervisor, discusses voting procedures in the county for the November election. Also in today’s show, WFHB Correspondent Katrine Bruner reports on a lawsuit filed by Monroe County against a property owner for logging and working on his 250-acre property at Lake Monroe.

But first, your local headlines.

Here are two headlines you need to know today. WFHB Correspondent Aaron Comforty filed today’s local news brief.

912 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Indiana on Thursday, according to the Indiana State Department of Health. 5 new COVID-19 deaths were reported as well. Locally, Monroe County saw 9 new confirmed cases yesterday, while Lawrence County saw six. Brown County reported no new cases.

The City of Bloomington Office of the Mayor hosted a presentation and question and answer session on the city’s responses to structural racism. The meeting was called Recover Forward: Racial Equity and was streamed on Facebook Live. Prominent community members, like Vauhxx Booker and Bloomington Black Lives Matter’s Jada Bee, posed critical questions and commentary in the chat.

In response to nationwide and local calls for increased funding for mental health professional first responders, the city announced their intention to create new social worker positions within the police department. Bloomington Police Chief Deikhoff noted that the positions should be within the department because they are one of the only 24/7 city services. In response, Vauhxx Booker commented, “Police officers shouldn’t be responding to mental health crises. Fund the agencies with the expertise to handle mental health directly.” Jada Bee wrote, “You are not giving a better reason [for keeping the positions within the department] other than you-all are the ones with the jobs.. We can create a non-police organisation to help folks & [we can] fund them for twenty four hour services.”

Mayor John Hamilton highlighted the city’s work in creating a city wide task force focused on structural racism and an advisory board focused on public safety. In response, Vauhxx Booker wrote, “How many Advisory Commissions can one town have? The Advisory Commission for the Farmer’s Market was disastrous… The Board of public safety is appointed by and serves at the discretion of the Mayor.”

 

The Bloomington Board of Park Commissioners approved the commissioning of two Black Lives Matter murals. The first mural will be located on North Elm Street between West Seventh and Eighth streets and the other at a downtown location yet to be determined. Community members will be invited to participate in painting the Elm Street mural, designed by Black artists.

The projects still require approval from Bloomington City council and the Board of Public Works. Sean Starowitz, Assistant director for the arts, reported six mural submissions have already been made to the city from Black artists. He said the city is still accepting applications.

The murals will be paid for with “Black y Brown Arts Festival” funds. Due to COVID-19, the festival could not take place this past year, therefore the money is being reallocated to funding BLM murals. Starowitz said the funds being used were already set aside by the festival organizers to support local Black Artists and Artists of color. The murals are set to be rededicated during the events of the 2021 Black and Brown Arts Festival.

 

Jane Kupersmith, assistant director of small business development for the city’s Economic and Sustainable Development Department, reported to the Bloomington City Council about tax abatements which created more job growth than expected. These abatements added 1 thousand one hundred ...