WFHB Local News

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, October 14th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, Indiana’s expansion of private school vouchers renews debate over educational choice and public school funding in Monroe County. Correspondent Elena Bai has more in today’s debut of “Unpacked” – an investigative news collaboration between WFHB and Limestone Post.

Also coming up in the next half hour, “Ripoffs – Threat or Menace” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment hosted by Richard Fish.

Monroe County election board reviews problems with accessible ballot system

By Dave Askins

Questions about an electronic absentee ballot system used by Monroe County voters took up much of Wednesday’s (Oct. 14) special election board meeting.

The discussion ranged from how problems were resolved to whether the board should have formally approved the system before its use. The issues apparently affected as many as a dozen voters.

The discussion came less than three weeks before the Nov. 3 general election, as early in-person voting reached 3,359 ballots cast through Tuesday, and election officials considered additional staffing to manage lines.

At issue is Enhanced Ballot, which is an online system provided by Enhanced Voting, LLC. It’s available for military and overseas voters, as well as absentee voters who can’t independently mark a paper ballot because of blindness, impaired vision or a physical disability. Indiana election law refers to such a person as a voter with print disabilities.

The Enhanced Ballot software lets eligible voters access and mark their ballots electronically, including through assistive technology such as screen readers. Depending on the authorized return method, voters can return their ballots electronically or print and mail them. The system does not itself tabulate votes.

The questions arose last week when Monroe County clerk Nicole Browne received an email from a member of an absentee voter board warning about problems with the system. Browne told the board on Wednesday that she responded by contacting other county clerks and the Indiana secretary of state’s office.

Among the problems: Required signatures did not appear on ballot affidavits received by the county, even though voters said they had signed them. Election supervisor Kylie Farris said Enhanced Voting had attributed nearly all the reported problems to user errors, with perhaps one or two exceptions that the company said it was able to fix.

Farris said an estimated 12 voters had encountered problems. She said election staff had worked with Enhanced Ballot and contacted affected voters to resolve the problems.

Browne said at Wednesday morning’s meeting: “To blow this up like it is something nefarious is going on was simply unnecessary at a time where we are trying to get through a better-than-expected turnout election.”

That was the latest edition of B Square Bites – a collaboration between B Square Bulletin and WFHB. To read the full article, you can visit B Square Bulletin and look for the headline: “Monroe County election board reviews problems with accessible ballot system.”

Featured Segments:

Indiana has removed income limits for its private school voucher program. While supporters say the expansion gives families more options, public school advocates warn it could leave districts with fewer resources. In the first edition of Unpacked, WFHB News Correspondent Elena Bai speaks with lawmakers, school administrators and public education advocates about how the Choice Scholarship Program works. Bai also explores how its expansion impacts local schools and families.“Unpacked” is an investigative news collaboration between WFHB and Limestone Post magazine, funded by the Community Foundation of Bloomington and Monroe County. This audio report accompanies Steve Hinnefeld’s article, “Public school supporters sound alarm as voucher program grows.” Elena Bai has the story.

Up next, “Ripoffs – Threat or Menace” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. We turn to host and producer Richard Fish for more.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, October 13th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, you’ll hear the director of the state Division of Family Resources, speaking in Bloomington last night on the upcoming work requirements for Hoosiers on Medicaid. Get the basics on what it will take to stay on the Healthy Indiana Plan later in the show in a WFHB exclusive.

Also coming up in the next half hour, find out four ways to get involved in your community on the latest episode of “Volunteer Connection” in partnership with the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network.

Monroe County health board sets Oct. 22 hearing on possible removal of health officer

By Dave Askins

Monroe County’s board of health voted unanimously Monday (Oct. 12) to hold a hearing on whether there is cause to remove county health officer Sarah Ryterband. She is less than two years into a four-year term, scheduled to run through the end of 2028.

The 5–0 vote came at a special meeting of the board, which started at 4:30 p.m. Monday at the county health department’s building at the corner of 7th Street and College Avenue in downtown Bloomington.

The hearing on Ryterband’s removal has been scheduled for Oct. 22, right after the board’s regular meeting, which starts at 4:30 p.m.

No specific allegations against Ryterband were described during Monday’s meeting. Board president Lisa Hanner-Robinson stressed that the decision to hold a hearing did not mean the board had already decided to remove her.

The possibility of Ryterband’s removal comes against a backdrop of allegations made by former health administrator Lori Kelley, who was fired in September this year after roughly four years in the position. Kelley’s attorney, Mark Waterfill, has said she was sexually harassed at work and fired in retaliation for complaining about the treatment.

Waterfill said Kelley had filed a charge with the federal Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and intended to pursue litigation. The board did not say Monday whether Kelley’s allegations have any connection to its consideration of Ryterband’s removal.

Monday meeting’s announced purpose was for the board of health to decide whether to hold a hearing under state law, which establishes the grounds and procedures for removing a local health officer.

Under state law, a health officer can be removed for failure to perform statutory duties, failure to enforce state health department rules, or other “good cause.” The law also says that a health officer facing removal is entitled to at least five days notice, a hearing open to the public, and representation by an attorney.

Hanner-Robinson summarized the current situation like this: “I want to be clear that this vote reflects no conclusion about the cause. Board has made no decision, and none will be made until after the hearing in open session, once Dr. Ryterband has had full opportunity to respond.”

That was the latest edition of B Square Bites – a collaboration between B Square Bulletin and WFHB. To read the full article, you can visit B Square Bulletin and look for the headline: “Monroe County health board sets Oct. 22 hearing on possible removal of health officer.”

Bloomington City Council cuts spending, delays final vote on 2027 budget

By Claire Zeyen

The Bloomington City Council met on October 7th and heard an amendment reducing the city’s general-fund sanitation subsidy from $1.6 million to $1 million. The proposal anticipates additional revenue from a possible sanitation rate increase, but leaves open the possibility of restoring the $600,000 if that increase does not happen.

“This does not guarantee in any way for the public that your rates would increase because we’d always come back next year for an additional appropriation for that $600,000 if the increase fails at the council level,” said Stosberg.

Amendment one passed and the meeting moved on to amendment three, which would remove funding for planning studies for the planning and transportation department.

Interim director Lynn Coyne argued that the studies are an early step in a much longer process that can eventually lead to project designs and outside funding.

“We do not know until the study is done where the specifics will lead, and that then leads to applications for funding,” said Coyne. “It leads to engineering design, and so forth.”

Mayor Kerry Thomson followed, explaining how eliminating the studies could affect the city’s ability to carry out existing transportation plans and compete for future grants.

“We have to have a plan in place so that we can apply for these grants,” said Thomson. “So we lose out on funding if we say no to plans, is the long and short of this.”

The council voted to reject the amendment, leaving the planning money in the proposed budget.

Council also put a hold on a proposed appropriation from Bloomington’s Housing Development Fund, with several members calling for a clearer strategy and greater public oversight of large awards.

Mayor Kerry Thomson said she was open to discussing how the fund could work better, but questioned whether requiring projects to return through additional council hearings was the best way to accomplish that.

“We all want to do better with the money that we have, but adding layers and layers of red tape to getting it done doesn’t seem like the most practical solution,” said Thomson.

Councilmember Stosberg said her concern was less about choosing which projects receive funding and more about ensuring that large expenditures are discussed publicly before the money is appropriated.

“I’m interested in public transparency and accountability, and the mayor’s memo actually made this even more important to me because it lists several projects that requested more than a million dollars in city assistance,” said Stosberg.

The amendment passed six-to-one.

Next council unanimously withheld a roughly two-and-a-half-million-dollar placeholder from the parking meter fund until the city has a more specific plan for spending it. Members said questions remain about what type of meters or technology the city would purchase. Councilmember Piedmont-Smith pointed to one recommendation from the city’s parking study that she believes deserves additional scrutiny.

“One of the recommendations of the Walker parking study is to use automatic license plate readers for parking enforcement, which I think comes with some privacy concerns, some surveillance concerns, and so I think that definitely should come back to council,” said Piedmont-Smith.

Council also unanimously removed ten-thousand dollars from the mayor’s proposed budget that had been set aside for branding initiatives. Councilmember Piedmont-Smith connected the amendment to her assessment of the city’s previous branding effort.

“I’m bringing forward this amendment because I feel like the whole branding initiative was kind of a waste of time, and I don’t want to throw good money after bad,” said Piedmont-Smith.

Another unanimous amendment eliminated funding for a currently vacant Transportation Demand Manager position in the Department of Economic and Sustainable Development. During discussion of whether those resources could be better used elsewhere, Piedmont-Smith identified another area of the city’s climate work she would prioritize.

“I personally would like to see the money used to better implement our climate action plan, particularly in the realm of food security and our local food system,” said Piedmont-Smith.

The night’s largest proposed reduction would have directed the administration to find another two-and-a-half-million dollars in savings rather than having council identify individual positions and expenses. Council President Asare framed the proposal around concerns about using city reserves to cover recurring operating expenses.

“Reserves do not make recurring operating deficits sustainable, and so if we use reserves to pay recurring cost, those costs return year after year, and the revenue does not,” said Asare. “And so eventually, those reserves are going to be smaller, and the structural problem will remain.”

Controller McKim said the size of the proposed reduction and the limited time before the new budget year would make it difficult for the administration to determine where those savings should come from.

“Those are really large cuts, and definitely not cuts that we would be capable of producing within a week and implementing within a couple of months, as the mayor just indicated,” said McKim.

The amendment failed two-to-five.

Council stopped short of adopting Bloomington’s full 2027 city budget after making several changes to the proposal during the meeting. Controller McKim asked council to give his office time to incorporate the approved amendments into the city’s financial system before a final vote.

“What I would ask is that you continue this meeting to the 14th, and this will give us the opportunity to take all of the amendments that you have passed to enter them into our financial system and then enter them into Gateway and to produce a final Form Four, which you’ll be able to vote on at the next meeting,” said McKim.

Before moving the budget to the next meeting, councilmembers reflected on the larger budget process and their relationship with the administration. Councilmember Matt Flaherty explained why his concerns extend beyond the individual amendments considered that night.

“At a certain point when we’ve raised these foundational issues and they’ve not been addressed or the administration refuses to address them, the budget is one of only a few accountability mechanisms we have,” said Flaherty.

The meeting concluded with the council considering 2027 salary ordinances for sworn fire and police personnel and city clerk employees.

The next city council meeting will be on October 14th.

Featured Segments:

The Indiana Family and Social Services Administration held an info session in Bloomington last night on the upcoming work requirements for Hoosiers receiving subsidized healthcare coverage under the Healthy Indiana Plan. Beginning January 1st, certain Healthy Indiana Plan members ages 19–64 will need to complete 80 hours of qualifying activities each month through jobs and job training, education, or community service. As part of a dozen road shows across the state, FSSA set up in Shreve Hall on the Bloomington campus of Ivy Tech Monday evening for a presentation and a Q-and-A, recorded on-location in this WFHB exclusive.

That was Sunshine Beam, director of the Division of Family Resources at the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, hosting an info session in Bloomington last night on the upcoming work requirements for Hoosiers receiving subsidized healthcare coverage under the Healthy Indiana Plan. Beam spoke to a crowd of around 50 or 60 people at Ivy Tech. Beginning January 1st, certain Healthy Indiana Plan members ages 19–64 will need to complete 80 hours of qualifying activities each month through jobs and job training, education, or community service. Nearly half a million Hoosiers are enrolled in HIP; state officials have estimated as many as 300,000 Hoosiers could be subject to HIP work requirements after exemptions are taken into account. Up to 12% of current HIP members are at risk of losing coverage when the agency begins enforcement of Medicaid work requirements on January 1st. A copy of the slide deck shown at last night’s town hall is on the WFHB website.

Up next, we have Volunteer Connection on the WFHB Local News in collaboration with the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, highlighting four ways you can get involved in Bloomington. We turn to host Aubrey Seader for more.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, October 6th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, you’ll hear candidates for the 9th congressional district discussing healthcare, data centers and funding for education. You’ll also hear Mayor Kerry Thomson addressed a number of issues at a town hall last night at Jackson Creek Middle School.

And find out four ways you can get involved in your community on “Volunteer Connection” in collaboration with the Bloomington Volunteer Network.

Polls open for early voting in Monroe County ahead of Nov. 3 election

By Dave Askins

Early voting for the Nov. 3 general election started at 8 a.m. Tuesday at Monroe County’s one early voting location. That’s the county-owned North Showers building at 9th and Morton streets in downtown Bloomington.

Voting got off to a smooth start. Before the doors opened, as the morning sky was just starting to brighten, a half-dozen early voters were already waiting in the 42-degree air.

At 8 o’clock sharp, Monroe County clerk Nicole Browne opened the doors to the North Showers building and gave the customary announcement that the polls were open. Here’s what that sounded like: “Hear ye, hear ye, the polls are now open!”

The announcement is not just for fun. It’s a requirement of state election law, which says the announcement about the start of voting must be made “in a loud tone of voice” to “the people outside the polls.”

To keep track of the voting pace, Monroe County’s GIS division has set up a dashboard. It will be updated every evening after the day’s voting activity.

That was the latest edition of B Square Bites – a collaboration between B Square Bulletin and WFHB. To read the full article, you can visit B Square Bulletin and look for the headline: “Polls open for early voting in Monroe County ahead of Nov. 3 election.”

9th District candidates discuss health care, data centers and education in virtual forum

Three candidates running to represent Indiana’s 9th congressional district participated in a League of Women Voters candidate forum on Saturday. Major topics tackled include healthcare, data centers and government accountability.

Democrat Brad Meyer, Libertarian Tonya Hudson and independent write-in candidate Floyd Taylor answer questions from residents during the virtual forum. Republican incumbent Erin Houchin did not respond to the invitation, according to organizers.

First off, a resident asked about healthcare. Democratic candidate Brad Meyer says he supports a Medicare for all model and believes healthcare falls under Congress’ constitutional responsibility to promote the general welfare.

“It is a responsibility of Congress to promote the general welfare, and healthcare is certainly part of the general welfare,” said Meyer.

On the other hand, Libertarian candidate Tonya Hudson says she supports a limited approach when it comes to the federal role in healthcare. At the same time, she says Congress should address rising prescription drug costs.

“If you don’t have insurance and you have to pay out of pocket, it’s too expensive,” said Hudson.

Independent candidate Floyd Taylor described his proposal to replace the Affordable Care Act while keeping insurance companies involved.

“I’ve written a bill that addresses that exactly, it repeals the ACA. It provides denial-free coverage for everyone, and allows your insurance companies to still have a seat at the table, so it can actually get passed through Congress,” said Taylor.

These differing federal approaches come at a critical time for Hoosiers, as the state currently ranks 35th in overall healthcare nationally and faces 329 premature, avoidable deaths per 100,000 residents due to widespread provider shortages and high medical costs. That’s according to the Commonwealth Fund State Health System Performance Scorecard.

Next, the candidates debated the issue of data centers – an issue at the top of mind for many Indiana residents. Right now, Indiana is experiencing a massive data center boom with over 120 major facilities operational, planned or under construction across the state.

Meyer says policies on data centers should be up to individual communities rather than federal regulation. At the same time, he supports more environmental oversight over data centers.

“My view on data centers is that we need to have laws and policies in place that a community can make their own decision. It’s not my place, especially at the federal level, to make the decisions of what an individual community allows or doesn’t allow,” said Meyer.

Hudson says decisions about where data centers are built should largely remain with state and local governments.

“The federal government shouldn’t play a role in that unless it involves our national defense,” said Hudson.

In a similar vein, Taylor says his proposed legislation would give communities the final say on data centers and require companies to pay for infrastructure and public services.

“They have to provide all the infrastructure upgrades,” said Taylor.

Then, the candidates discussed funding for education. Meyer argues the federal Department of Education provides oversight that helps parents evaluate changes to each state’s education system.

“If you remove the scorekeeper, you can get away with anything,” said Meyer.

Hudson emphasized her view that funding for education should be a states-rights issue rather than a federal one, arguing that state officials are closer to teachers and students.

“The federal Department of Education has been a disaster for decades,” said Hudson.

Taylor says his proposal would require schools receiving federal dollars to meet federal standards and prevent that funding going toward private schools.

“If you take federal money, you need to abide by certain standards, and federal money cannot be used to fund private schools,” said Taylor.

These candidates are running for a two-year term representing Southern Indiana in the U.S. House of Representatives. Early voting began today, October 6th and runs until noon on November 2nd. The full candidate forum is available here.

Mayor Thomson hosts traveling town at Jackson Creek on Monday

Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson discussed surveillance cameras and delays to the city’s fiber optic project during a traveling hall at Jackson Creek Middle School on Monday.

Joined by District 5 Councilmember Courtney Daily, Thomson also discussed the proposed 2027 budget, housing development and plans to regulate high-speed electric bikes on city trails.

First off, Thomson defended her position on funding for planning studies that could be cut from the city’s proposed 2027 budget. In her view, those plans are needed before the city can apply for federal funding.

“We have to make a plan to figure out how much something is going to cost and how we might fund it, and then we can apply for the federal dollars,” Thomson said.

The mayor says the city completed a permitting audit aimed at removing obstacles to housing development. She says uncertainty in the zoning process adds to the cost of building.

“If we want to have great housing, we need to be really cognizant of how much it costs to get to the point that you can pull a permit,” Thomson said.

Councilmember Courtney Daily says she’s working on a policy to address high-speed E-Bikes on city trails.

“These are new devices, and we’re trying to even just figure out how to define them, and then how we can actually regulate them in a way that will be effective,” Daily said.

Resident Rowan Morse then questioned the city’s plan for surveillance cameras as the council considers further restrictions on the technology. Thomson says her administration does not plan to replace automated license plate readers but wants security cameras considered as a separate issue.

“We don’t plan to replace ALPRs,” Thomson said. “Security cameras are another another issue altogether.”

Next, a resident asked why the city’s high-speed fiber internet rollout has repeatedly failed to hit expected deadlines. Thomson says she stopped work after a subcontractor caused property damage and created safety concerns.

“That has been a train wreck of a project, and we are committed to following through on it,” Thomson said.

County Councilor Jennifer Crossley asked the mayor to touch on the MUST task force, which is a joint task force involving the City of Bloomington, Monroe County and the Town of Ellettsville. Thomson says cooperation will be important as each entity deals with state changes impacting local income taxes.

“If we don’t work on this together, not only will you be paying more taxes, but each of the entities will be getting less,” Thomson said.

The city council will return to budget negotiations during its meeting tomorrow night. To watch the full town hall, you can visit this link.

Featured Segments:

An immigration judge set a $10,000 bond on October 2nd for César Cepeda Gomez, a Bloomington resident detained by ICE in September. The B Square Bulletin reports that the hearing followed a successful federal court challenge to his detention. His asylum case remains pending. His case comes amid broader concerns about immigration enforcement in Bloomington. In an interview recorded in September, local immigration attorney Christie Popp spoke with WFHB News about the fear she was hearing from immigrants and their families. We revisit that conversation now.

Now it’s time for Volunteer Connection on the WFHB Local News in collaboration with the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, highlighting four ways you can get involved in Bloomington. We turn to host Aubrey Seader and guest co-host Amy Wardlow from Area 10 Agency on Aging.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, October 5th, 2026.

In today’s broadcast, WFHB News features voices from the Lotus World Music & Arts Festival and the Front Door Community Center grand opening, which both took place over the weekend. Stay tuned for more in the bottom half of our newscast.

You’ll also hear Janet Sutherlin from Monroe County Special Olympics. She thinks her volunteer work supporting athletes with intellectual disabilities has enriched her own life in ways she never imagined. Hear more later in the show on a new episode of Activate!

Bloomington City Council weighs job cuts and department restructuring in 2027 budget talks

By Kade Young

Bloomington City Council continued its debate over the city’s 2027 budget during a work session on September 30th.

Councilmembers reviewed proposed budget amendments that could reduce spending. The discussion also included the consideration of potential cuts for city jobs and the future structure of the Economic and Sustainable Development department. One proposal would eliminate the city’s vacant transportation demand manager position in the ESD department.

Councilmember Isabel Piedmont-Smith questioned whether the position had accomplished what it intended.

“It was supposed to get more people to carpool or use the bus or bicycle to work,” said Piedmont-Smith.

The council also looked at reducing the city’s subsidy for sanitation by six hundred thousand dollars. Councilmember Hopi Stosberg says the reduction is based on a rate-increase plan presented to the council’s fiscal committee.

“There’s nothing stopping us from reducing it now, and if that rate increase does not get approved, then we can reallocate it later,” said Stosberg.

Then, council president Isak Asare brought up the possibility of cutting or restructuring positions in the mayor’s communication office.

“I think that we have to be really then clear about what are the outcomes that we’re getting from sort of our comms capabilities and where do those best sit,” said Asare.

However, Stosberg expressed hesitancy in using the budget process for personnel changes. She says she’s concerned about cutting positions before the city actually needs to reduce its workforce.

“So I’m really nervous about cutting any positions or deprioritizing our staff in any way,” said Stosberg.

Asare also brought up a much broader restructuring of the Economic and Sustainable Development department, saying he believes some of its functions could potentially be moved to other city departments or outside city government.

“Our economic and sustainable development department, as a whole, has been built and grown in a way that isn’t optimal,” said Asare.

Meanwhile, councilmember Piedmont-Smith pushed back on cuts to ESD, saying she wanted more information before supporting any cuts to ESD staff.

“I would need a whole lot more information before I cut anything in ESD,” said Piedmont-Smith.

No formal actions were taken during the work session. The city council is expected to hear formal budget amendments during its next regular session on October 7th.

Featured Segments:

Over the weekend, Youth Radio reporters attended the 33rd annual Lotus World Music and Arts Festival. Tonight you’ll hear an interview conducted by Casey O’Connell and Gloria Chi with Sal and Nate of the New Orleans swing and blues band Sally Baby’s Silver Dollars. Tune in to WFHB this Saturday, October 10th, between 4 and 5 PM to hear a full hour-long broadcast about Lotus Festival during Youth Radio.

The Front Door Community Center held its grand opening on Friday. The Front Door is an all-ages, sober gathering space dedicated to supporting the LGBTIQ+ community, their families, and allies in Bloomington. In today’s featured interview, WFHB News spoke with founder and board president Melanie Davis at the grand opening. Davis described the center as a safe third space and home away from home where people can socialize, work, use shared resources and be themselves without masking their identities. Davis is also the producer of WFHB’s public affairs program, BloomingOUT. We turn to that interview coming up next on the WFHB Local News.

For Janet Sutherlin, the Monroe County Special Olympics are family. She first got involved when her great-nephew signed up to compete, and now she feels like all the athletes are her kids. Special Olympics provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in a variety of sports for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Janet says what happens off the playing field is just as important – life lessons in courage and sportsmanship. Learn how you can be a part of Monroe County Special Olympics on a new episode of Activate!, coming your way right now on the WFHB Local News.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Thursday, October 1st, 2026.

In today’s newscast, residents raised concerns about taxes, road maintenance and public services ahead of a referendum on combining Ellettsville and Richland Township. We’ll hear from Wednesday’s town hall in your daily headlines.

Also coming up in the next half hour, the Bloomington City Council met for a work session last night and discussed potential staffing cuts in light of the 2027 budget.

2027 budget talks for Bloomington city council turn to potential staffing cuts

By Dave Askins

Wednesday night’s (Sept 30) Bloomington city council work session was scheduled to review proposed 2027 budget cuts that had been released just the day before. But on Wednesday, council president Isak Asare went beyond those written proposals, by putting additional personnel and organizational cuts on the table that have not yet been submitted in writing as budget amendments.

Among the possible set of cuts to the budget proposed by Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson was a reduction of three public-facing positions in the mayor’s office, along with one that is more internally focused. Up for discussion are the vacant public engagement director position, two currently filled communications positions, as well as a legislative affairs specialist.

Having a potentially bigger impact was another idea that Asare introduced on Wednesday, which would restructure the economic and sustainable development (ESD) department, potentially funding its personnel for only part of 2027. Asare said that would force conversations about which functions should stay inside the city government and where they should be housed.

None of those ideas floated by Asare on Wednesday are close to a done deal. But councilmembers who attended the Sept. 30 work session showed some appetite for reconsidering the city’s organizational structure, even if there is also significant hesitation about using the budget to force rapid personnel changes.

Hopi Stosberg said she was “really nervous about cutting any positions.” Isabel Piedmont-Smith said she would need “a whole lot more information” before cutting anything in ESD.

At the same time, the council’s review narrowed the list of written amendments that were released on Tuesday. Asare said he would not pursue proposed cuts involving health insurance, the proposed nonunion pay increase or a 1% personnel vacancy factor. He also said his proposed reduction in fuel appropriations was unlikely to move forward.

A proposed $600,000 cut to funding for new financial software also appeared to lose momentum after city controller Geoff McKim explained that the expenditure was needed for a broader replacement of the city’s aging financial and human-resources systems.

Meanwhile, there was clearer agreement among councilmembers who were present on Wednesday about reducing the transfer into the sanitation division of public works to make up for the difference between the cost of curbside trash and recycling collection, and revenues from cart fees. The plan will be to increase carts fees to make up for the $600,000 reduction.

There was also a clear consensus among councilmembers about eliminating the vacant transportation demand manager position and removing a $2.5-million parking meter fund capital expenses placeholder until actual projects are identified.

No votes were taken Wednesday. The council is expected to deliberate and vote on amendments at its Oct. 7 meeting. If substantial changes are approved, controller Geoff McKim said staff will need a few days to recalculate the budget and prepare revised state forms. That would mean postponing final adoption, making Oct. 14 the likely date for the final budget vote.

Asare acknowledged that the personnel discussion would be uncomfortable. He put it like this: “I think that we have to be really then clear about you know what are the outcomes that we’re getting from sort of our comms capabilities and where do those best sit. And I think that’s a hard conversation to have, but I think it’s a conversation that we have to have. ”

That was the latest edition of B Square Bites – a collaboration between B Square Bulletin and WFHB. To read the full article, you can visit B Square Bulletin and look for the headline: “2027 budget talks for Bloomington city council turn to potential staffing cuts.”

Indiana AG announces partnership with ICE

Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita announced a new partnership with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement yesterday.

The program would allow local law enforcement to create task forces in collaboration with ICE to enforce immigration laws.

The agreement falls under Section 287 (g) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and it’s funded by federal tax dollars.

In a statement, Rokita said, “Partnering with federal law enforcement is a key part of how we deport illegal aliens under the FAIRNESS Act, which we helped write and support.”

He went on to criticize that only seven of Indiana’s 92 sheriff’s offices have signed onto the program. Saying this “shows there are missed opportunities for Indiana to enhance the tools they have to protect and serve.”

Rokita’s office says it wants to expand those agreements to all 92 counties, putting more local officers in a direct role in federal immigration enforcement.

Signal Overload returns to Starlite Drive-In tonight

Tonight, experimental film festival Signal Overload returns to the Starlite Drive In Theater for its second year. The festival brings film, live music and poetry readings to the outdoor screen.

The program includes a special screening of works by former WFHB music director Jim Manion, along with two short-film programs titled “Uneven Encounters” and “Here and There.” The selections include films made between 2023 and this year.

It will feature live performances from the Ben Cartha Fowler Project, accompanied by video from Liv Arnold. Zachary James Watkins will perform with live video by Luke Judd, while Ortet will be joined by video artists Dave Rodriguez and Learn Not To.

Organizers describe the festival as an informal, accessible setting for experimental media. Audience members can move through the drive-in, get closer to live performances or watch the projections from their cars.

The free event kicks off at 7 p.m. and WFHB is a sponsor.

Residents gather for town hall for Ellettsville-Richland Township Reorganization 

By Kade Young

 On Wednesday, the local chapter of the League of Women Voters hosted a town hall on the proposed reorganization of Ellettsville and Richland Township.

The town hall comes ahead of a November referendum that would combine the two governments. Supporters say it would give residents more control over services and development. On the other hand, some question whether the town would be ready to serve a larger area if the reorganization takes effect in January.

Richland Township resident Harry Ferris says he attended six meetings on the proposal but still had questions on how residents outside the town limits would benefit.

“In the six meetings that I attended, I heard nothing of what was going to be offered to me by this reorganization, other than an increase in my taxes and my neighbors’ taxes,” said Ferris.

Ferris also asked how Ellettsville would have enough equipment and staff to plow additional roads by January.

“If this passes in the Nov. 3 election, how is the town going to have snowplows and personnel ready by Jan. 1, 2027?” said Ferris.

Town Councilor and reorganization committee member William Ellis says the town could pull from employees across the public works department and hire contractors if needed while they work to build up staff.

“We have contingency plans for contractors. You’re not going to go unplowed. We’re going to take care of it first and worry about those other details later. We want to make sure it’s plowed,” said Ellis.

Another primary concern residents expressed was an increase in taxes. Ellis said the numbers submitted to the state showed a smaller increase than the numbers presented earlier in the discussion.

“Those numbers were from before we got the certified budget order. The numbers sent to the state show an increase of $142 for rural residents and $66 for town residents.”

Ellis was referring to estimated annual increases for a home assessed at $200,000 He says those numbers do not represent every homeowner’s tax bill.

Next, retired Indiana University professor Jim Perry says he’s concerned about whether the reorganization would bring in enough money to provide residents with the services they need.

“My concern is, are we going to generate enough revenue to provide the services we need? If our police officers are out in the farmland on the other side of Richland Township, what’s going to happen with the cars going 50 to 60 mph where the speed limit is 35?”

Additionally, the proposal would shift planning and zoning authority for areas joining Ellettsville from the county to the town. Ellis said they want to account for the differences between rural areas and the existing town limits.

“The intention is to have two different zoning districts, rural and urban, because those needs are different. We have to match those needs, but we can’t take council action until we have jurisdiction.”

Perry says that if the referendum is successful, it would create a substantial amount of work ahead – including changes to the town’s unified development ordinance and comprehensive plan.

“The UDO and comprehensive plan need to be modified to accommodate the merged jurisdictions. Those changes are important components of what happens after the vote, if both jurisdictions approve the reorganization,” said Perry.

Voters will decide the reorganization plan on November 3rd with early voting starting October 6th. If approved in both jurisdictions, the reorganization would take effect January 1st. That leaves town officials with about two months after Election Day to prepare for the transition.

Featured Segments:

Tonight, the Lotus World Music and Arts Festival kicks off and will continue throughout the weekend. Lotus brings musicians and artists from around the world for four days of performances and events. Last year, Youth Radio reporters spent the weekend interviewing performers, volunteers and festivalgoers about their experience. In today’s feature report, we revisit their coverage as this year’s festival comes to life.

And now, we turn to WFHB Sports Correspondent Chase Dodson who brings you today’s Sports News Briefing – a rundown of local, state and national sports news. That’s coming up next on WFHB.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, September 30th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, Lotus Festival returns to Bloomington this week, bringing musicians and artists from around the world for four days of performances and events. We look back at reporting from Youth Radio in today’s feature report.

Also coming up in the next half hour, “Scammers in the Dumpster” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. More following today’s feature.

Monroe County Council approves election funding, health department hires and youth services appropriations

By Claire Zeyen

The Monroe County Council met on Tuesday, September 22nd. The meeting began with the temporary tabling of two council business items concerning the High-Tech Crimes Unit Fund and an additional appropriation request for a VOCA grant until the October 27th meeting.

Department updates began with the Auditor’s Office presenting on how remaining ARPA dollars are being used, including a small in-house transfer to keep a septic program on track ahead of looming federal deadlines. Carly Woodruff, financial director of the Auditor’s Office, explained.

Council President Jennifer Crossley raised concerns about late vendor invoices and whether some departments might miss cutoffs, potentially putting community projects at risk.

Council then heard from Ody Ekwonwa, county extension director for Purdue Extension, who thanked the county for its continued support and worked to clear up confusion over a proposed educator position tied to statewide transformation efforts.

Next, the meeting turned to hiring freeze reviews, beginning with the Technical Services Department. Councilors used the request to highlight how much the county now depends on around-the-clock IT support, with Director Greg Cohn explaining how those hours are covered.

Council next approved two key Health Department staffing requests. The first was to refill the Maternal Child Health Coordinator position, with Health Officer Dr. Sarah Ryterband explaining the role.

The next approved request was to fill the recently vacated Health Administrator position. Discussion centered on the challenge of finding an administrator who can juggle state requirements, local partnerships, and internal leadership.

Later in the meeting, the Clerk’s Office secured additional appropriations to fully fund the 2026 general election after the county had previously covered only the primary. Election Supervisor Kylie Ferris explained the added expenses, including increases in overseas ballots, higher-than-expected voter turnout, and a change in ballot size.

Closing out the council business portion of the meeting, the Youth Services Bureau presented three funding actions: a $950 deappropriation from the state-funded Project Safe Place grant after the state reduced its award, a federal Runaway and Homeless Youth grant appropriation, and an appropriation of about $3,300 in donations to help underwrite the upcoming Monroe County Childhood Conditions Summit. Prevention Coordinator Melanie Vehslage also credited outside sponsorships for supporting the summit.

Later in the meeting, councilors dug into how to balance GO bonds, the EDIT fund, and cumulative capital amid the constraints of Senate Enrolled Act 1, which limits short-term debt.

The broader finance debate also included a $1 million request for Beacon Center’s new homelessness services hub, with Executive Director Forrest Gilmore outlining the scope of the organization’s work and providing updates on the new center.

Council member Trent Deckard went on to express his frustration with what he described as a trend of people elsewhere in the state enjoying the benefits of the community while becoming less willing to help or participate in discussions about the issues it faces.

During public comment, Andrew Deslin of 46 North Benefit Advisors urged local officials to continue pressing the Statehouse for changes to SEA 1.

The next regular Monroe County Council business meeting will be on October 13th.

Featured Segments:

Every year new people discover Lotus Festival while others call it a tradition and you’ll hear from volunteers about what they do and why they choose to spend their weekend bringing the festival to life. Last year, Youth Radio spoke to festival goers, volunteers, and performers over the course of the festival weekend. Today, we look back at this reporting from last year in light of Lotus Fest, which gets underway this week. That’s coming up next on the local news.

Up next, “Scammers in the Dumpster” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on WFHB. We turn to host and producer Richard Fish for more.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, September 29th, 2026.

In today’s broadcast, WFHB News speaks with Lilliana Young – who recently announced her candidacy for Bloomington City Council at-large. Young speaks about her platform, which focuses on housing affordability, infrastructure and human rights. More in today’s featured interview.

Also coming up in the next half hour, find out four ways you can get involved in your community on “Volunteer Connection” produced in collaboration with the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network.

Monroe County Election Board reviews voter registration, absentee ballots and outdated Election Central address

By Jaimmie Ford

“We have 76,029 active registered voters and 14,321 inactive, which brings us to a total of 90,350 registered voters in Monroe County,” said Farris.

Farris explained what inactive registration meant.

“On Election Day, when you come to vote, or during early voting, if you are in inactive status, that will prompt you over to being active. There are no extra steps that you have to go through in order to vote at that time,” she said.

Democratic Board Member Penny Githens mentioned how mailing addresses played a role with voter registration and asked Farris how voters could update their address if necessary.

“If people get online and check at IndianaVoters.gov, they can check both their status and what their mailing address is,” she said. “They can also come to our office at any time, Monday through Friday, eight to four, to fill out one of those registrations to change their address as well.”

Deputy Clerk Tanner Branham stated that an inactive voter status will not prevent a registered voter from casting a ballot on election day.

“A voter being listed as inactive does not prevent them to vote. When they show up on Election Day, they will then be moved to active and able to cast their ballot,” said Branham.

Next, the Election Board voted to approve the list of election day poll workers and grant the Clerk the ability to add more workers as needed. Republican Board Member Danny Shields made the motion.

Then, Githens pointed out that the absentee ballots still list the former 7th Street address for Election Central rather than the new address on Morton Street. Farris elaborated on communications about changing the address and mail forwarding procedures in place.

“We do have the mail forwarding. So if anything were to go to the 401 West 7th, it does still come to our office,” said Farris.

Githens asked about the process for changing the address. Farris stated that the Indiana Election Division must be notified.

“We also send in a form to the Indiana Election Division that says the address has changed from this address to this address, and we sent that before the primary election of this year,” said Farris.

Another concern mentioned by Githens was that campaign financial forms were removed from the county election website. Farris stated that the public couldn’t access them due to technical issues.

“There were some individuals that when they would log in onto their personal cell phones, we could not see any of the documents on there,” said Farris. “All of them have been updated, and we’re currently working on getting the rest of all of the CFA-4s that were filed in the primary uploaded to those as well.”

The next meeting for the Monroe County Election Board is scheduled for Thursday, October 1st at 1:30 PM in the Nat U Hill Room.

Featured Segments:

Liliana Young is a member of the Bloomington-Monroe County Human Rights Commission and a former candidate for Indiana’s 61st House District, challenging incumbent Matt Pierce in this year’s Democratic primary. Last week, she announced her candidacy for Bloomington City Council at-large in the 2027 election. In today’s featured interview, WFHB News speaks with Young about her platform, which includes housing affordability, infrastructure and human rights. Young also discussed the rise of democratic socialism, surveillance technologies and what she believes the city can realistically do to address housing affordability. You can hear the full interview with Bloomington City Council at-large candidate Liliana Young here.

Up next, we have Volunteer Connection on the WFHB Local News in collaboration with the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network, highlighting four ways you can get involved in Bloomington. We turn to host Aubrey Seader and guest co-host Zachary Taylor from Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, September 28th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, WFHB Correspondent Elizabeth Schuth sits down with long-time journalist Laura Lane to discuss her new job at FPI News and the state of local journalism. More in our featured interview.

You’ll also hear from Rebekah Bauer from Susie’s Place – a safe place for child victims of crime to tell their story, for justice and healing. Learn more about Susie’s Place later in the show on a new episode of Activate!

City Council tackles rising costs as 2027 budget takes shape

By Kade Young

The Bloomington City Council met on September 23rd and moved one step closer towards adopting the 2027 budget.

Council members spent several hours questioning city staff about budgetary concerns including fuel costs, parking meters, employee health insurance and job vacancies.

Public Works Director Adam Wason  said the city is trying to conserve fuel and look at alternatives but says they have limited control over the market.

“I’m shaking my crystal ball right. The Magic 8 Ball is saying we are not sure… Right now we are at the whim of the fuel markets,” said Wason.

Next, council members addressed a projected decline in the city’s parking meter fund. Controller Geoff McKim said the fund is expected to drop significantly due to a proposed two-and-a-half million dollar technology upgrade for the city’s parking services.

“The costs of running the street department outstrips the gas tax and the excise tax… The parking meter fund provides another funding source for providing these kind of necessary expenses,” said McKim.

The discussion surrounding the budget shifted to employees and the cost of providing health insurance. The proposed budget calls for the city to absorb a 9-percent increase in health and life insurance costs. City councilmember Hopi Stosberg questioned how the city can balance rising health insurance costs with recent employee salary increases. Human Resources Director Sharr Pechac responded.

“Our participation in the AIM Trust has helped us have significantly lower healthcare premium increases than you would normally find in a market… as long as we continue to participate in the trust, then I think we’ll be in a good position financially,” said Pechac.

Councilmembers also heard concerns about whether the city should continue allocating money for vacant positions. One of these positions is the transportation demand management position. Jane Kupersmith, director of the Economic and Sustainable Development department, said the work remains important.

However, she debated whether it requires a full-time position given the city’s tight budget constraints.

“If we were still in the 2021 funding environment, I would probably come out very excitedly and say, ‘Yes, let’s keep it and reinvent it and tackle it.’ But in this funding climate… I just don’t think it’s the most essential work that the city is doing,” said Kupersmith.

The council also discussed Bloomington Transit’s loss of Economic and Development Local Income Tax funding, or ED-LIT. The estimated balance goes from almost 4.5 million dollars at the end of this year to less than 800,000 dollars at the end of 2027. Bloomington Transit Controller Krista Browning described how ED-Lit funds are used.

“Continued operational services funded by the ED Lit partnership are included in our proposed 2027 budget… and we will also use some for the match for our new transit facility,” said Browning.

Lastly, council members returned to their discussion around rising fuel costs, asking what happens if fuel prices rise substantially or if the city faces a shortage. Councilmember Dave Rollo asked if the city has a fallback plan for reducing its use of fuel. Public Works Director Wason  responded, saying they do have a contingency plan.

“We would look at what services would be reduced… Contingency plans for true emergencies here would result in service interruptions or service reductions,” said Wason.

Wason continued to describe what the city would prioritize in the case of a major hike to the price of fuel.

“We would be looking at public safety… our utility… absolute core, basic public services…we are limited by the storage we have underground,” he said.

The City Council will continue tackling changes to the 2027 budget before formal adoption next month. You can expect more budget conversations during the council’s next meeting on October 7th.

Featured Segments:

Free Press Indiana News is a non-profit, statewide newsroom focused on communities underserved by local media. In today’s featured interview, WFHB Correspondent Elizabeth Schuth speaks with long-time Bloomington journalist Laura Lane, who recently left her job at the Herald-Times after 41 years. Lane now works as a reporter for FPI News. In Part I of this interview, which aired last week, Lane described the mission at FPI and walked through her experience building trust in communities where residents do not know her. In Part II, Lane reflects on her decision to leave the Herald-Times and why she felt a new opportunity with Free Press Indiana was worth pursuing. She also talks about what she’s learned traveling through rural communities, the importance of seemingly small pieces of local news, and why she believes there is still a future for journalism. We turn to Correspondent Elizabeth Schuth for Part II of this interview. To hear the full conversation, you can visit this link.

Susie’s Place is a child advocacy center with locations in Bloomington, Avon and Terre Haute. Before Susie’s Place, kids who were victims of a crime or witness to a crime lacked a cohesive response. Well-meaning detectives, police officers, caseworkers and prosecutors didn’t have one single place to come together, so kids found themselves telling and re-telling their traumatic experience in a confusing, disconnected, and sometimes scary maze of services. Rebekah Bauer has spent her entire career in that system. She’s a trained forensic interviewer providing a safe and supportive environment for children to speak about abuse, neglect, and other crimes. Find out more about Rebekah’s work and how you can support Susie’s Place on a new episode of Activate!, coming your way right now on the WFHB Local News.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Thursday, September 24th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, local journalist Dave Askins of the B Square Bulletin will be live in the studio to ask for your support during our Fall Fund Drive.

Also coming up in the next half hour, we look back at two award-winning reports from our archive, highlighting the importance of local journalism. This includes an interview with the IDS and IU school of social work lecturer Jessica Adams, who was fired for violating the state’s intellectual diversity law.

By Dave Askins

The Monroe County council voted Tuesday night (Sept. 22) to add the $1 million to expenses to be paid out of the economic development local income tax (ED LIT) fund.

The county government’s 2027 budget is scheduled for a first reading on Oct. 6, with adoption set for Oct. 20. County commissioners Jody Madeira and Julie Thomas were present for Tuesday’s discussion. The council and commissioners worked through the division of expenses among funds like ED LIT, county general, cumulative capital, and a proposed general obligation bond.

On a separate vote from the one the county council will take on the budget, the commissioners will still have to approve the ED LIT spending plan. But it was Thomas who essentially proposed the $1 million contribution to the Beacon project. So the approval by commissioners of an ED LIT spending plan with support for Beacon seems all but certain.

For Beacon, the county money would help fill a $4 million hole that opened this summer, when anticipated New Markets Tax Credit financing fell through. Commissioners talked about the possibility of $500,000 this year and another $500,000 later, or putting the full $1 million into the budget now. But they said they preferred making the full amount available sooner. They said they have also asked Bloomington city government to contribute.

Beacon executive director Forrest Gilmore told councilors the larger point of the new Beacon Center is not simply to increase the number of shelter beds, but to improve how housing and other services work together.

Gilmore said, “While there is some expansion of shelter beds, for example, the real focus was on what are the solutions that our community needs, and how can we bring together a center that truly includes quality of service for people struggling with homelessness, so that they get out of homelessness, not just sit there and remain in it.”

That was the latest edition of B Square Bites – a collaboration between B Square Bulletin and WFHB. To read the full article, you can visit B Square Bulletin and look for the headline: “Monroe County council adds $1M in support for Beacon Center to proposed 2027 budget, after $4M financing setback.”

And today, local journalist Dave Askins of the B Square Bulletin speaks with News Director Kade Young in light of our Fall Fund Drive.

Featured Segments:

Speaking of the importance of local journalism – we’re looking back in the archive today to hear former co-Editor-in-Chief of the Indiana Daily Student Marissa Meador’s conversation with WFHB News on December 2nd, 2024. Meador touched on incoming Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith’s social media posts threatening the IDS for publishing an image of President Elect Donald Trump featuring quotes from former supporters and those who have previously worked with him. This interview won first place in the 2024 Society of Professional Journalists “Best in Indiana” competition. We turn to this archived interview on the WFHB Local News: a special fund drive edition. Stay tuned – Dave Askins will be back live in the studio following this feature.

Up next – we look back again into our archives for another story with local impact. In November of last year, WFHB News spoke with Jessica Adams, a lecturer at the IU School of Social Work, who was removed from her class while the university investigated a complaint under the state’s intellectual diversity law, Senate Enrolled Act 202. This interview also won First Place in the 2025 Indiana Society of Professional Journalists awards for the category of “Radio Public Affairs.” Since this story was first published, Adams lost her job at IU after a student complained about a classroom graphic that categorized the MAGA slogan as an example of covert white supremacy. In our interview, Adams highlights how IU’s decision has broader implications for academic freedom across Indiana.

To close out our show – we have the Sports News Briefing with Sports Correspondent Chase Dodson – a rundown of local, state and national sports news. And stay tuned – Chase has some words to say following the feature about his experience in the newsroom in light of our Fall Fund Drive.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, September 23rd, 2026.

In today’s newscast, we present a special hour-long program in light of our Fall Fund Drive. We’ll focus on the importance of supporting local, independent news – featuring an interview with longtime Bloomington journalist, Laura Lane. And we’ll also feature an excerpt from the Heading Home podcast, which highlights the realities of homelessness in our community.

Also coming up in the next half hour, “What WFHB does not do” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment hosted and produced by Richard Fish. More at the end of today’s broadcast.

But first, this Fund Drive message:

Tonight, the WFHB Local News welcomes two guests, asking for your support for local journalism. We have news intern Elizabeth Schuth and executive director of Heading Home Mary Morgan live in the studio to share their experiences with the station in light of our Fall Fund Drive.

The WFHB Local News is Indiana’s only daily, volunteer-powered news source – featuring coverage from city government to in-depth features on the issues shaping our community. Every weekday at 5 p.m., community members, students and staff bring you news you won’t hear anywhere else.

Community radio is rare. And stations with fully independent newsrooms like ours are even more uncommon. But to keep WFHB Local News on the air, we need your support. Our goal for today’s broadcast is to raise $700.

That may seem like a lofty goal – but any contribution helps sustain award-winning news coverage in your community. If you support local news, consider giving today. You can donate online at wfhb.org or call us 812-323-1200. Every dollar helps keep WFHB Local News strong and independent. Thank you for supporting your community radio station. We cannot do this work without you.

Featured Segments:

Free Press Indiana News is a non-profit, statewide newsroom focused on communities underserved by local media. The organization covers rural issues, community-focused reporting and aims to build trust in communities where there’s little to no news coverage. The outlet also allows other newsrooms throughout Indiana to republish their work – WFHB has featured one FPI story on the local news, for instance. In today’s featured interview, WFHB Correspondent Elizabeth Schuth speaks with long-time Bloomington journalist Laura Lane, who recently left her job at the Herald-Times after 41 years. Lane now works as a reporter for FPI News. She describes the mission at FPI and walked through her experience building trust in communities where residents do not know her. We turn to Correspondent Elizabeth Schuth for today’s featured interview. And stay tuned – Elizabeth will be live in the studio with Mary Morgan to ask for your support during our Fall Fund Drive.

Before the fund drive break, we heard an interview with acclaimed reporter Laura Lane, who recently took a job with FPI News. FPI allows for newsrooms across the state to republish their reporting. In today’s broadcast, we’re going to do just that. This next story comes from FPI Reporter Carson Gerber. The headline is “Indiana sees surge of cities and counties ending Flock camera contracts: as pushback grows, other community leaders say they fully support license plate readers.” Listen to the story below.

Up next, Heading Home of South Central Indiana has launched a new podcast this year highlighting the realities of homelessness.

In the third episode, host Mary Morgan speaks with Morgan Smith of Clutch Consulting about Streets to Stability – a collaborative initiative designed to accelerate progress toward reducing unsheltered homelessness in our listening area. WFHB News brings you this excerpt from the Heading Home podcast. We turn to host Mary Morgan for more.

Up next, “What WFHB does not do” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on WFHB. We turn to host and producer Richard Fish for more.

CREDITS: