This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, August 12th, 2025.
In today’s newscast, Indiana Senate Democrats held a press conference last week denouncing the GOP push to redistrict Indiana. More in today’s feature report.
Also coming up in the next half hour, Lil Bub’s Lil Show – a co-production between WFHB and Lil Bub’s Big Fund.
But first, your local headlines:
Bloomington Council OKs Zoning Changes, Blocks Alley Vacation in Elm Heights
At the Bloomington City Council meeting on August 6th, Council Members Isabel Piedmont-Smith and David Rallo acknowledged the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima, highlighting anti-nuclear bomb activist groups which have a connection to the location. Following these acknowledgements, Ryan Shaddy, Chairman of the Bloomington Monroe County Human Rights Division, presented their 2025 Human Rights Award. This year, it was awarded to the Bloomington Severe Winter Emergency Shelter.
The main topic of discussion at the meeting were amendments to the Unified Development Ordinance, also referred to as the UDO. The amendments involved the reduction of zoning districts in order to curb certain negative effects that come along within them, as explained by Development Services Manager Eric Greulich.
The UDO changes involved amending the areas where uses such as “storage, self-service”, “fraternity or sorority house”, “artist studio or workshop”, “vehicle fuel station”, “vehicle wash” and “tattoo or piercing parlor” are allowed to be established.
Council President Hopi Stosberg commented on demand for storage units in Bloomington, and the lack of benefits that storage units add to the city.
All of the UDO amendment requests passed unanimously. Later in the meeting, the council heard a petition to vacate an alley located in the Elm Heights Historic District. Clerk Nicole Bolden read a synopsis of the request.
The Petitioner Veronica Bardonner, was asking that the city vacate the alley between the properties 909 East University Street and 910 East Second Street.
The Petitioner’s Representative Dan Cyr from Paganelli Law Group shared background information on the alley. Cyr said that the alley is not currently being used as a walkway, or for emergency services access.
Assistant Director of Planning and Transportation Jacki Scanlan presented the Planning Department’s recommendation, which was to deny the petition. Scanlan said the City of Bloomington Utilities also opposes the vacation of the alley. Scanland shared that the city does not normally vacate alleys, saying that the city prefers to keep ownership of right of ways in case of future use.
Scanlan said that the petitioner is requesting the city vacate the full 12 feet of the platted alley, which could create an issue with the neighboring property.
In opposition to the petition, were the neighbors of the petitioner. Their legal representative Jim Boher said that the residents at 910 East 2nd Street, Tim Miller and Jenny Southern, did not want the council to approve the petition due to the fact that Bardonner was requesting the city vacate the full 12 feet of the alleyway instead of asking for the alley to be split in half, with 6 feet given to them and 6 feet given to Bardonner.
Council Member Isabel Piedmont-Smith said she will be voting no on the petition, because she sees no public benefit.
Following Council Members’ negative responses to the petition, Council Member Isak Asare encouraged the petitioner.
The council voted unanimously to deny the petition.
The Bloomington City Council will meet again on August 18th, and will begin a series of Budget Hearings.
‘This Is Cheating’: Indiana Dems Condemn Redistricting Effort
Sen Shelli Yoder, D-Bloomington, speaks at a rally protesting redistricting at the Statehouse in Indianapolis, Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy).
On Thursday, the Indiana Senate Democratic Caucus held a press conference in the wake of the GOP push to redistrict congressional maps.
Indiana Democrats criticized Vice President JD Vance’s meeting with Governor Mike Braun accusing Republicans of trying to rig future elections.
State Senator Shelli Yoder, who represents Monroe County at the Statehouse, denounced moves by the GOP to redistrict Indiana.
“Let’s be clear – what’s happening in Indiana today is the most dangerous political scheme the state has seen in a generation,” said Yoder. “Let’s not sugar coat it. Let’s not wrap it in spin. This is not democracy. This is cheating.”
Yoder further condemned the Trump administration, calling the move anti-democratic in what she views as an already gerrymandered state.
“They’re not drawing new lines. They’re erasing people. This is political fraud, a premeditated attack on your vote, on your voice, on our futures,” said Yoder.
State Senator Shelli Yoder
Yoder closed with a message to Indiana voters saying, “They may try to erase districts but they can’t erase us.”
“We are awake, and we are coming from what’s ours. Not someday, not in theory. Right now,” she said.
State Representative Matt Pierce, who represents Bloomington in the Statehouse, was also at the press conference. WFHB News spoke with Pierce last week about the issue. Pierce said that he believes this move threatens democracy in the U.S.
Indiana state Rep. Matt Pierce. Photo by Benedict Jones
“Ultimately, this will destroy our democracy, because people are not going to feel the decisions made by Congress are legitimate, if they don’t think a fair election chose the representatives making those decisions,” said Pierce.
Pierce explained that congressional maps are based on data from the U.S. census and are redrawn every 10 years. He critiqued the push to redistrict in the middle of the decade.
“What President Trump has gotten Texas to do, and now apparently Vice President Vance is coming to get Indiana to agree to do it as well – is to, in the middle of the decade, go ahead and redraw them again to try to give them even greater advantages,” said Pierce.
He urged voters to get engaged in the democratic process saying it’s more important than ever for the public to play a role.
“So people have to take the time to get engaged, to let their elected representatives know what they think, and to get involved in political campaigns and the decisions that we make in 2026 about who will be running Congress in the state legislature,” he said.
To watch the full press conference, visit this link.
Up next, Lil Bub’s Lil Show – a co-production between WFHB and Lil Bub’s Big Fund. We turn now to that segment on the WFHB Local News.
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Max Schneider and Noelle Herhusky-Schneider, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our feature was produced by Kade Young.
Christine Brackenhoff and Stacy Bridavsky produced Lil Bub’s Lil Show.
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
Engineer and Executive producer is Kade Young.
