This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, March 9th, 2021

Later in the program, we turn to WFHB Correspondent Aaron Comforty, for an interview with State Senator Shelli Yoder. She voiced her support to teachers who say that newly proposed bills would grossly underfunded public schools. Stay tuned to hear the interview.

Also coming up in the next half hour, we have headlines from Kite Line - our public affairs program which covers prison issues around the Midwest and beyond.

But first, your local news brief:

Hoosiers ages 50 and older are currently eligible to sign up and receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Hoosiers who are first responders or healthcare workers still qualify to sign up for the vaccine, as well.

If you qualify, you can sign up online by visiting ourshot.in.gov, over the phone by calling 211 for assistance, or by contacting one of Indiana’s Area Agencies on Aging.

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Last week, President Joe Biden announced a directive that all states prioritize school staff and child care workers for COVID-19 vaccination, regardless of whether or not they qualify for their state.

Indiana is still one of a shrinking number of states who do not consider teachers as an eligible group to receive their vaccines.

Now, Indiana Teachers and childcare workers can sign-up and receive the COVID-19 vaccine through a federal pharmacy program.

Teachers and childcare workers of any age in the listening area can make their COVID-19 vaccine appointment through Kroger’s website.

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Indiana University McKinney School of Law professor Janet McCabe faced her first round of senate questioning last week in her nomination to become deputy director of the US Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA.

McCabe, the director of the Environmental Resilience Institute at Indiana University, was nominated by President Biden in mid January.

If confirmed, this will be McCabe’s second stint serving in the EPA. McCabe served in the Office of Air and Radiation under the Obama administration.

Monroe County to Move Main Vaccine Site to Assembly Hall

Monroe County will move its main vaccination site to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall starting March 29th.

As of now, the Monroe County Convention Center serves as the county’s main vaccination site. The move to Assembly Hall will increase vaccine capacity up to 2,000 people each day, according to Kirk White, head of Indiana University’s Covid-19 response.

White said vaccines will continue at Assembly Hall for an indefinite period of time during last Friday’s local Covid-19 press conference.

"We've been told that we'll have the supply," said White, "and we'll be ready to make some of our own shots on the 29th of March and ongoing then for an indefinite period."

Photo courtesy of Visit Bloomington.

Monroe County Health Administrator Penny Caudill said vaccines will continue at the Convention Center through the remainder of the month.

"The Convention Center is open for first doses through March," said Caudill, "and we will, then, in April decommission the Convention Center site."

As of last Friday, over 20,000 people received at least the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine in Monroe County. Caudill noted over 13,000 county residents are fully vaccinated.

During the Q-and-A portion of the press conference, she explained why the county decided to make Assembly Hall its primary vaccination site.

"It's really about capacity," she said.

IU Health South Central Region President Brian Shockney said the Medical Arts Building will remain a vaccination site.

Caudill said vaccine appointments will start to open up in the next few week...