This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, June 17th, 2024.

Later in the program, local journalist Dave Askins of the B Square Bulletin provides an editorial on the Bloomington City Council’s unanimous passage of a resolution declaring the city a safe haven for gender-affirming health care. More in today’s feature report.

Shawn Miya, is the Assistant Director of Sustainability for the City of Bloomington. She wants to strap a heat sensor to your car and have you drive around town to identify Bloomington’s hottest hot spots. Get the details later in the show on a new episode of Activate!

But first, your daily headlines:

Bloomington City Council

Bloomington City Council Members unanimously passed a resolution to protect people seeking gender affirming care during their meeting last Wednesday. This comes after the Indiana Statehouse passed a law last session which prohibits medical providers from providing gender-affirming care to transgender youth. City Council Member Courtney Daily, who co-sponsored the legislation, described what motivated the resolution.

Council Member Daily outlined the resolution for gender affirming care. The resolution cited the American Medical Association among other medical institutions that say, “gender affirming healthcare has been proven to be evidence-based, medically necessary, and lifesaving.”

Bloomington and Monroe County Human Rights Commission Chair Ryne Shadday discussed the history of the city’s efforts to advocate for the L-G-B-T-Q + community. Shadday called out Council Members Andy Ruff and Dave Rollo who previously signaled via a memo that they would sustain from the vote.

Shadday continued to explain why gender affirming care is needed when the state has banned such healthcare. Shadday urged the council to pass the resolution.

Council Member Matt Flaherty, who also co-sponsored the legislation, walked through why he supports the resolution, highlighting the value of “intersectional justice.”

During public comment, local resident London Montgomery encouraged the council to pass the legislation for gender affirming care.

County Councilor Jennifer Crossley gave public testimony speaking in support of the policy. She spoke about her role as a mom of a “queer teenager.”

Local resident Lilliana Young took to the public mic to urge the council members to support the resolution, calling it their “moral obligation.”

Council Member Dave Rollo was on the fence initially about supporting the resolution. In the memo Rollo and Ruff submitted prior to the meeting, he shared his hesitancy when it came to gender affirming care for minors. During his final comments at Wednesday’s meeting, Rollo explained the rationale behind his uncertainty to support the policy.

Both Rollo and ruff voted in support of the resolution. Council At-Large Member Matt Flaherty criticized the memo and said it has caused harm in the community.

The Bloomington City Council will meet again for its next regular session on June 18th.

Feature Report:

Up next, local journalist Dave Askins of the B Square Bulletin provides an editorial on the Bloomington City Council’s unanimous passage of a resolution declaring the city a safe haven for gender-affirming health care. We turn to Dave Askins for more.

When Shawn Miya says “stay cool Bloomington,” she means it literally. Shawn is the Assistant Director of Sustainability for the City of Bloomington which puts her in charge of our local climate action plan. Right now Shawn is getting ready to do some urban heat mapping. Basically she wants to strap a heat sensor to your car and have you drive around town on a super hot day this summer. The data collected will be used to implement cooling strategies for Bloomington’s hottest hot spots. Shawn Miya is here with all the details on a new episode of Activate!, coming your way right now on the WFHB Local News.

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