This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, June 26th, 2023.

In today’s feature report, local journalist Dave Askins of the B-Square Bulletin reported on new EMTs and an assistant fire department chief position that were placed on hold by the Bloomington City Council during their Wednesday night meeting. More in today’s feature report.

Also coming up in the next half hour, Funny Times Magazine will host a comedy show at the Orbit Room on Wednesday, June 28th. More in the bottom half of our show.

But first, your daily headlines:

Bloomington Board of Public Works

The Bloomington Board of Public Works met on June 20th. At the meeting, the board approved the project Wrapped in Love from 2023 to 2029. The project wraps sweaters around city trees to convey the city’s stance against domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking.

At the meeting, the board also approved a construction agreement between the city and CSX transportation. The city wishes to extend the B-line trail, but the project runs adjacent to railroad tracks owned by CSX transportation.

As a follow-up to the previous request by Rita’s Italian Ice for a right-of-way encroachment, the board approved the business’s request to use part of the sidewalk for their walk-up window. Rita’s Italian Ice has undergone some changes in order to improve the safety of customers waiting in line outside. The business has added an indoor space to order, a railing along the walk-up line, awnings, and a tree grate.

The Bloomington Board of Public Works will meet again on July 3rd at 5:30 pm.

Monroe County Board of Commissioners Work Session

Photo by Benedict Jones.

The Monroe County Board of Commissioners Work session met on June 21st, 2023. The first discussion was about support for the Brown county Regional Sewer district’s proposed expansion. Clint Studabaker, Vice President of the Brown County Sewer District was the first guest to speak. Studabaker started with a brief history of the sewer systems.

Next Studabaker began to address the issue at hand with Lake Lemon.

The concerns of high levels have been reported by two separate organizations and the hope is that this project will address those issues. Later in his speech he noted that they had tested the

water to distinguish whether the high levels were coming from humans or animals. The meeting ended with a motion to support the Bean Blossom project with a signed letter. The motion passed unanimously.

The next Monroe county board of commissioners meeting will be June 28th, 2023.

Feature Reports:

In today’s feature report, local journalist Dave Askins of the B-Square Bulletin reported on new EMTs and an assistant fire department chief position that were placed on hold by the Bloomington City Council during their Wednesday night meeting. We turn to Askins for more.

Funny Times Magazine will host a comedy show at the Orbit Room on Wednesday, June 28th. WFHB News interviewed Renae Lesser, who co-publishes the magazine, about the event, the magazine's recent move to Bloomington and more. Information about the event can be found here.

Jan Gavin is a volunteer at WonderLab, Bloomington's nonprofit hands-on science museum for kids. Her own grandkids live far away, so she's happy to be "Grandma Jan" to YOUR kids and help them learn as they play. Activate! is a partnership between WFHB and the City of Bloomi...