This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, January 28th, 2025.
Later in the program, the city hosted a public meeting last night making an announcement that they are eyeing a new location for the future police department headquarters. More in the top half of tonight’s newscast.
That’s Sophie Gorecki from Out at Kelley, a support group for queer students in IU’s Kelley School of Business. We’ll hear from several student groups trying to build community on the Bloomington campus later in the show in a feature report.
But first, your local headlines.
Richland Bean Blossom School Board
At the Richland Bean Blossom School Board Meeting on January 21st, Secretary Larry DeMoss and President Dana Kerr were nominated for another term in their current positions. The council unanimously approved.
The board approved changes to their 2025-2026 registration rates for Edgewood Early Childhood Center. Half-day rates will increase to seventeen dollars. Full-day three-year-old rates will increase to thirty-seven dollars. Full-day preschool rates will increase to thirty-four dollars.
Assistant Superintendent Matt Irwin explained why the increase is necessary.
Preschool Coordinator Heather Kensek proposed opening enrollment up to children who are two-and-a-half years old, but with priority to three-year olds.
Open registration for the 2025-2026 school year is expected to start March 3rd.
The next Richland Bean Blossom School Board meeting will be held February 17th at 6 pm.
Monroe County Vote Center Study Committee
Photo by Benedict Jones.
The Monroe County Vote Center Study Committee met on January 22nd. The committee scheduled what they expect to be their final two meetings for February 5th at 4:30pm and February 19th at 5pm.
The committee serves until the Election Board deems the voting center plan complete, and the plan is in its final stages.
The board approved adding a compliance checklist to the preface of the plan. A committee member suggested they should place it there rather than the appendix to follow suit with other counties.
After some debate, the committee agreed on the preface, saying that County Attorney Molly Turner King, will give feedback on the location and the rest of the draft.
The committee expects to have Turner-King’s feedback and make amendments to the plan by its February 5th meeting in hopes that the Election Board can discuss the plan at its February 6th board meeting.
The committee agreed to send a current draft to the Election Board so the board members have time to study it. Committee Member Steve Volan said he could turn out a draft along with a cover sheet indicating it is a preliminary version.
A few committee members said they would attend the Election Board meeting on February 6th to address any questions the board might have about the plan.
The next meeting will be February 5th.
City Hosts Public Meeting for Future BPD Headquarters
The City of Bloomington hosted a public hearing on the future police department headquarters on Monday.
Mayor Kerry Thomson said the current police building needs significant improvements, and in her view a new location is needed.
Thomson says that the city is eyeing 714 South Rogers Street as a site for the new police department headquarters. That property is currently home to the Bloomington Convalescent Center.
The mayor said moving to Showers West would have been a short term solution and would not be feasible due to a lack of access to public transportation.
According to a city press release, the mayor’s office says that renovating the current headquarters would not be ideal either, saying it would require purchasing more land and the building has costly flood damage and ongoing water infiltration issues.
WFHB News interviewed Christopher Emge, the director of advocacy and public policy for the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce. Emge said the chamber of commerce was concerned about the cost of the previous administration’s push for the Showers West building.
Emge said while it’s too early to endorse anything officially, he sees potential in the South Rogers site.
As far as other considerations, Emge said that pedestrian traffic plays into the chamber of commerce’s opinion on the new BPD headquarters.
WFHB News also spoke with Paul Ash, who is on the executive committee of the McDoel Gardens Neighborhood Association. Ash said there are compromises to be made, but he doesn’t mind the South Rogers location.
All in all, Mayor Thomson hopes to find a new home for BPD that would provide a long-term solution lasting 50 years.
She said the inside of the building on South Rogers would need to be demolished and that a new design would be needed. Thomson noted that it would take about 18 months to complete.
To view the full public meeting on the future police headquarters, you can visit catstv.net.
Indiana University Bloomington is home to more than 750 registered student organizations and clubs, all created and led by students. Some of them are trying to make a difference in B-town. Some are trying to help people who feel like outsiders find their community. Last week WFHB sent a dozen reporters to the Student Involvement Fair to seek out these stories in a report produced by the Audio Storytelling class in The Media School.
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 Kade Young, Elyse Perry, Noelle Herhusky-Schneider, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Today’s feature story on social change student organizations at the Student Involvement Fair was produced by Harley Babbit, Audrey Ouillette, Peter Miller, Morgan Rusk, Catherine Hattery and Brylee Stubbs in partnership with The Media School at Indiana University.
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.
