This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, June 1st, 2021.

Later in the program, BloomingOUT hosts Melanie Davis and Justin Robertson talk to Heather Carpenter-Smith and Jo Bean about organizing the Greenwood PRIDE Block Party, the city’s first ever PRIDE event. More coming up in today’s feature reports.

Also coming up in the next half-hour, News Director Kade Young talks to Indiana University Spokesperson Chuck Carney about changes to the University’s 2021 Fall Semester vaccine requirements.

But first, your local news brief:

Photo courtesy of University of Michigan.

The Indiana State Department of Health recorded 370 new cases of COVID-19 and 8 deaths in Indiana since yesterday. The weekly rate for positive COVID tests is currently at 4.7%. Monroe County is now under the advisory level blue. To be under blue, which is the lowest level possible, counties must have the following: a 7-Day positivity rate under 5% and less than 10 new cases per 100,000. Monroe county is at 41 weekly cases per 100,000 residents and has a 3.64% 7-day test positivity rate. Updated today by the New York Times, 35% of Indiana is fully vaccinated. 41% has had at least one dose of the vaccine.

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Indiana University has made the decision to go forward with their COVID-19 vaccination policy for students and staff members. The school said the decision will avoid expenses of $10 million if they were to test students regularly instead. IU has been receiving public and online criticism for the vaccination policy by students, legislators and others. IU assistant vice president for strategic partnerships Kirk White, explained that the policy will require everyone on campus and enrolled in IU to be fully vaccinated before the fall semester. Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton stated on Friday that IU’s policy was the right decision, calling it a “very significant step to make our community safer.”

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Bloomington’s Paynetown State Recreation Area has officially opened their swimming beach and Activity Center. The activity center had been closed for a year because of the pandemic. During that time, Interpretive Naturalist at Lake Monroe Jill Vance worked to keep virtual programs going through the Monroe Lake Facebook page, which she says will continue. Summer hours for the activity center will be 1-5 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. The center includes daily crafts, a kids play area, live snakes, displays, games, library, information and a recycling center for aluminum cans and plastic bottles.

Bloomington Historical Preservation Commission

The Bloomington Historical Preservation Commission discussed renovating a shed at a property on West Allen Street. At the May 27th meeting, Assistant Director of Housing and Neighborhood Development Brent Pierce presented a request to restore a historic garden shed in the McDoel local historic district. He explained the shed meets the criteria presented by local guidelines.

Petitioner Elizabeth Cox-Ash explained the doors had begun to rot due to winter weather. She said this changed her original plan to do a simpler replacement.

Commissioners approved the renovation 5 to 0.

Local Covid-19 Press Conference 

Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton reported zero new positive COVID-19 cases among city workers for the second consecutive week at last Friday’s Coronavirus Press Conference. Monroe County Health Administrator Penny Caudill shared local vaccine updates. She said the number of fully vaccinated residents range from just under to just over 50 percent.

Reporter Boris Ladwig asked if Indiana University would consider changing their decision to make the COVID-19 vaccine a requirement to attend or work at IU in the fall. Assistant Vice President of Strategic Partnerships at IU Kirk White said the University will be staying t...