Spencer Pride is a community center in Spencer, Indiana that offers support and programs for LGBTQ+ individuals and allies. One of the founders, Judi Epp, and other volunteers provide a multitude of support groups and events for people to connect and find resources. Despite pushback, the community center continues to serve as a safe space for members of the community and striving to create a welcoming environment for all.

This is the WFHB Local News for Thursday, February 20th, 2025.

Later in the program, local journalist Steve Hinnefeld talks about school vouchers on Civic Conversations – a podcast in collaboration between WFHB and The League of Women Voters of Bloomington and Monroe County. More in the bottom half of our program.

That’s Little 500 rider Charles Mo. You might think of Little 5 as a spring event, but serious competitors train year-round, including in the darkest depths of winter.

But first, your local headlines:

Ellettsville Town Council

Ellettsville Resident Jim Perry spoke at the Ellettsville Town Council meeting on February 10th, calling out the town for failing to build a sidewalk on a property finished four years ago. He said it is unacceptable and a serious flaw in the code enforcement of the town.

Planning Director Denise Line assured Perry and the council that the project would be started in March when concrete plants open.

During the discussion, Councilmember William Ellis asked if the hires were for new or existing positions. Ellis shared how Indiana Governor Mike Braun and Lieutenant Governor Micah Beckwith are pushing property tax cuts that would reduce the town’s budget, and he didn’t want to hire any new positions.

Chief of Police Jimmie Durnil responded.

Ellis was assured that the hires would not add a position to the 2026 budget.

The council continued to talk about the proposed tax cuts. Ellis noted that Ellettsville shouldn’t face much change.

Ellis said the state wants local governments to demonstrate their budget use, proposing the town perform an audit to prove its effectiveness.

Council President Scott Oldham said that while he thinks Ellettsville could act as a template for other small towns on how to be fiscally responsible, the town shouldn’t spend money to prove it.

During the meeting, the council approved an $11,000 resolution to fund mandatory vaccines for town employees.They also approved a policy granting residents the ability to apply for a credit towards their water bill for accidents causing at least 50,000 gallons of excess use, like a burst waterline.

The next Ellettsville Town Council meeting will be on February 27th.

Feature Report:

Up next, WFHB Correspondent Chloe Fischer reports on how participants train for the Little 500 bicycle race each year. We turn to that report on the WFHB Local News.

Now it’s time for your Sports News Briefing with WFHB Sports Correspondent Nate Rushemeza.

Credits:

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, February 19th, 2025.

Later in the program, “The Carrot and the Stick” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. More after today’s feature report.

That’s Maggie Sullivan from Friends of Lake Monroe. The lake is Bloomington’s primary source of drinking water, but no single entity is responsible for its health. Learn more later in the show in a feature report.

But first, your local headlines:

Bloomington Board of Public Works Approves Kirkwood Dining Plan, Convention Center Expansion, and Infrastructure Projects

The Board of Public Works met on February 10th to talk about multiple issues in the Bloomington community.

First, a resolution for Kirkwood Outdoor Dining was approved. This includes this years’ closing of some roads and all blocks of Kirkwood from Walnut to Indiana. Special Projects Manager, Chaz Mottinger, from the Economic and Sustainable Development Department outlined the resolution.

When asked about the possible traffic that would occur, specifically to the 500th block, Mottinger said that they are looking into solutions to address those concerns.

The resolution passed unanimously.

Next, the Board heard about some possible renovations to the Monroe Convention Center. This includes a new pedestrian sky bridge across College Avenue connecting the current Convention Center to the new Convention Center building. In addition, the renovations would include two limestone blocks being placed at the entrances of the buildings to keep cars and other traffic from entering.

The preliminary plan for these renovations was approved.

The Board also heard a request for a sidewalk, protected bike lane, travel lane, and Alley closure at the Poplar Building as part of the second phase of the Poplar’s redevelopment project. Engineering Field Specialist Kyle Baugh, described the request.

Part of the consideration for these closures came from the need of a crane on site. During the closing the bike lane is expected to be rerouted. Signage about the new merging will be put up to alert both cyclists and drivers about the new changes during construction.

The closure for construction will take place from February 17th until November 21st.

The Board also approved the purchase of a new fire engine and the purchase of a new rescue truck.

The next Board of Public Works meeting will be on February 25th, 2025.

Bloomington Commission on Sustainability Welcomes New Member, Advances Code Changes, and Sets Goals for 2025

The Bloomington Commission on Sustainability met on February 11th.

The Commission began by welcoming Chenghuai Xu, a new commissioner that was appointed by the mayor. Currently the commission still has 3 vacant spots open.

The Commission also discussed the Bloomington Municipal Code Title Two changes that they had been previously working towards. These changes included a resolution that supported changes including resiliency be incorporated into the definition of sustainability and that the commission worked with the City of Bloomington Administration instead of the mayor.

Commissioner Matt Austin, with the Waste Management Working Group talked to the group about the approval of a proposal request with Rumpke Waste and Recycling, that would begin in mid June and July. Notably, this includes the new recycling of cartons.

The Commission also discussed working towards new goals within the next year. Commissioner Evan Nix spoke on the goals.

Assistant Director of Sustainability, Shawn Miya, gave updates on the work they have been doing. She shared that they have applied for a grant, and asked the Commission to be a community partner for the Coalition for Green Capital Grant.

The Bloomington Commission on Sustainability will meet again on March 11th.

Feature Report:

Lake Monroe is Bloomington’s primary source of drinking water, but protecting it isn’t straightforward. No single government agency is responsible for its health, leaving management to a mix of federal, state, and private entities. That’s where Friends of Lake Monroe comes in—a volunteer-powered nonprofit working to safeguard this critical resource. Up next, we’ll hear from Maggie Sullivan of Friends of Lake Monroe about the challenges facing the lake. WFHB News Correspondent Luke Vogel takes a closer look in a feature report produced in partnership with The Media School at Indiana University.

Up next, “The Carrot and the Stick” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. For more, we turn to host and producer Richard Fish.

Credits:

This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, February 18th, 2025.

Later in the program, The Council on American-Islamic Relations has designated IU as a “hostile campus” after students and faculty were banned for their involvement in Palestinian solidarity demonstrations. More in today’s feature report.

Also coming up in the next half hour, Lil Bub’s Lil Show – a co-production between Lil Bub’s Big Fund and WFHB.

But first, your local headlines:

Monroe County Council Tables Opposition to Senate Bill 1, Supports Broadband Grants and Re-Entry Program

The Monroe County Council met on February 11th, 2025. At the beginning of the meeting, the Monroe County Council heard council attorney Molly Turner-King speak on Resolution 2025-05. This resolution outlines the county’s opposition to Indiana State Senate bill 1, which proposes slashing residential and personal property taxes for both businesses and homeowners. Monroe County estimates that the negative effect of this proposed bill could result in substantial amounts of lost tax revenue.

Consequently, the only viable alternative offered by local lawmakers would be an increase in income tax, ultimately offsetting for homeowners the money saved in property tax. As a result, the resolution warns, businesses may be the only recipients of real tax cuts for Monroe County.

During the meeting, Council Member Pete Iversen drew attention to other adverse effects of the bill as it relates to public funding.

Turner-King pointed out that the General Assembly introduced 93 amendments to the bill on Tuesday morning, which muddles the resolution’s figures for projected effects on revenue for the county. Turner-King suggested that they omit specific numbers in the resolution to avoid mistakes due to the changes.

Council member Kate Wiltz expressed caution regarding the statement of opposition due to the amendments sudden and substantial changes.

Council members Liz Feitl and Trent Deckard concurred with Wiltz’s stance, with Deckard bringing attention to the balance of interests in this decision.

Council member David Henry supported caution and waiting to learn more about the senate bill along with the other members of the council, but stated that a resolution will nonetheless have to be reckoned with.

Council member Peter Iversen agreed with Henry’s remarks. Despite the current tumult and change surrounding the bill, Iversen reiterated the responsibility of the council members in assessing the repercussions of the legislation.

Crossley said that she’d like to speak directly with Governor Mike Braun about the impacts of this bill.

At the end of the conclusion of the meeting, council member Henry emphasized his thoughts on the urgency of responding to this bill.

The council ultimately moved to table the discussion to the next meeting, which will take place on February 25th.

The council also heard a resolution supporting Broadband Equity Access and Deployment Grants. AT&T, Comcast, and Mainstream Fiber Networks will be applying to these grants hoping

The council unanimously voted to sign a letter in support of the grant application.

Later in the meeting, Deputy Chief Probation Officer Anthony Williams asked for the council’s approval to renew a grant that supports a re-entry program for people being released from incarceration.

The motion passed unanimously.

Council member Iverson concluded the meeting by sharing some words of encouragement to empower constituents.

The next County Council meeting will take place at 5:00 p.m. on February 25th.

Feature Report:

Indiana University has faced criticism for its response to campus protests advocating for Palestinian human rights. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has designated IU as a “hostile campus” after students and faculty were banned for their involvement in demonstrations. One of those students, Bryce Greene, was removed from campus for his role in the Palestine Solidarity Committee’s occupation of Dunn Meadow. In tonight’s feature, produced in partnership with The Media School at Indiana University, correspondent Samuel Dexter speaks with Greene and IU professor Ben Robinson about their experiences, the university’s protest policies, and the legal challenges now unfolding.

Up next, Lil Bub’s Lil Show – a co-production between Lil Bub’s Big Fund and WFHB. We turn now to that segment on the WFHB Local News.

Credits:

 This is the WFHB Local News for Thursday, February 13th, 2025.

On this episode of Prescription for Healthcare, Dr. Walter Tsou discusses lessons from Cuba’s healthcare system and whether healthcare should be a public good or a market commodity. More in the bottom half of our program.

That’s IU student Madeline Koehler. As enrollment goes up and available housing goes down, she’s feeling priced out. We’ll get a response from an IU administrator later in the show in a feature report.

But first, your local headlines:

Monroe County Board of Zoning Appeals Reviews Slope Variances, Approves Homeowner Petition, and Discusses Convenience Storage Facility

The Board of Zoning Appeals met on February 5th. First Margaret Clements was reappointed as President of the Board of Zoning Appeals. Skip Daley was reappointed as Vice Chair. In addition, Jeff Morris joined the Monroe County Board of Zoning Appeals.

First the Board considered the issue of Hubley ECO Area 1 and a 12 percent slope variance request. This request was originally filed for a June 2024 deadline, but had been continued at every meeting until this February. The petitioner’s Representative, Mike Carmen, spoke on behalf of the property owners.

The Board then heard from Jerome Delbridge, an arborist that had conducted a tree inventory and assessment of the property. It was found that the 10 trees that were subject to removal in the original proposed area were much younger and sparse as compared to the 41 trees that would need to be removed in a new proposed area that would fit within code guidelines. The Board was also particularly concerned with soil erosion, especially in the 12 percent area off the property. After a vote, the motion failed in a 2-2 vote, continuing the petition to the next meeting.

Next the Board heard from Stephen Bishop, a homeowner concerned about his deck being out of code after an unfortunate run-in with a faulty contractor. Bishop bought his home in September 2022 with his wife with the hope of making a few home repairs and starting a family.

One of these home repairs included a damaged deck that would need to be completely torn out and rebuilt. The contractor that Bishop hired for the job neglected county codes while assuring Bishop that he was acting within the proper regulations. Once it became apparent that the contractor was acting outside of county codes, construction was halted. Bishop came to the Board looking for approval for the deck along with permission to place a concrete slab underneath the newly built deck. The board approved this motion.

Next, the board heard four new variances for a new convenience storage facility. The variances included going over the maximum permitted lot coverage, a reduced buffer yard width along the eastern and western side, no buffer on the southern side, and limitations to landscaping. The variance had been requested in March of 2024 where conflicts arose and the petition was pushed back. The main petitions focused on changes to the original landscape plans along with an area large enough for a firetruck to be able turn around if needed for public safety. A complaint was heard from Brett Berkhart, another owner that owned property that bordered the possible convenience storage facility.

The Board moved to approve the petition with changes including gravel instead of asphalt for the turn around area and the landscape to be shrubs instead of trees if they are located in or within the 15 foot buffer of a waterline.

The next petitions were heard for the Humphrey family, requesting permission to convert their existing property to a “Detached Accessory Dwelling Unit” and building a new primary residence. This would allow the petitioner to provide on-site care to family and assist with their business. Carmen once again represented the petitioners.

Monroe County Resident, Richard Fish, a neighbor of the Humphrey’s who also volunteers at WFHB, spoke in favor of the petition.

The motions were approved.

Lastly, the Board heard a request for a single family residence and a detached accessory dwelling unit. The proposed location of the single-family detached dwelling would require its driveway to cross over an area over 25 percent slope and a Riparian Area. After some conflicts with planning and changes in percent slope, the motion was postponed and scheduled to be heard next month.

Feature Reports:

As the debate over healthcare in the U.S. continues, some experts argue that looking beyond our borders can offer valuable insights. In this edition of Prescription for Healthcare, hosts Dr. Rob Stone and Karen Green Stone bring us Part 2 of their conversation with Dr. Walter Tsou—former health commissioner of Philadelphia and past president of the American Public Health Association. Dr. Tsou, a board advisor to Physicians for a National Health Program, recently returned from a medical educational tour of Cuba. Today, he shares what the U.S. can learn from Cuba’s healthcare system and explores the question: Should healthcare be a public good or a market commodity? Here’s Prescription for Healthcare.

With enrollment at Indiana University rising steadily—up 3.5% last year and 24% over the past decade—housing in Bloomington is becoming harder to find and more expensive. For some students, the increasing costs are making college feel out of reach. In today’s feature report, produced in partnership with The Media School at Indiana University, correspondent Owen Koehler speaks with student Madeline Koehler about feeling priced out of the college experience and hears from IU Vice President for Student Success Julie Payne-Kirchmeier on how the university is addressing housing and financial assistance. Here’s IU: Priced Out.

Credits:

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, February 12th, 2025.

Later in the program, we have Deep Dive: WFHB and Limestone Post Investigate where we look into issues regarding health, housing and the environment. More in today’s feature report.

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

But first, your local headlines:

Bloomington Redevelopment Commission

The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission met on February 3rd.

Treasurer Jesicca McClellan introduced a new TIF, or Tax Increment Financing district.

Commissioner Randy Cassady asked a series of questions about the federal reimbursement of C-D-B-G funds, or Community Development Block Grant funds.

Housing and Neighborhood Development Director Anna Killion-Hanson responded.

Corporation Counselor Margie Rice offered her insight that the contracts include a statement saying that if they don’t receive funding for the project then they are not obligated to go through with the project.

Commissioner Randy Cassady followed up.

Each of the C-D-B-G funds proposed in the meeting were projects for which money had already been allocated, and all seven passed unanimously.

The next meeting of the Bloomington Redevelopment Commission will be held on February 18th.

Feature Report:

In today’s edition of Deep Dive, WFHB News rebroadcasts Part 1 of our series on the relationship between police and social workers. We will continue with Part 3 next week and conclude with an interview with the Bloomington Police Department for Part 4 the following week. We now turn back to Part 1 of our series on police and social work on Deep Dive: WFHB and Limestone Post Investigate.

Credits:

 This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, February 11th, 2025.

Later in the program, Lil Bub’s Lil Show – a co-production between WFHB and Lil Bub’s Big Fund. More in the bottom half of tonight’s program.

That’s Freedom Eiden, a promoter in the Bloomington music scene. The city served a cease and desist order to The Pink Poodle house show venue yesterday, and several other house show venues recently shut down after noise complaints from neighbors. Hear that story right now in a feature report.

But first, your local headlines:

Breaking news – the city of Bloomington has served a cease and desist order to the local house show venue The Pink Poodle. Owner Daniel Weddle posted on social media yesterday that the city planning department regards the venue at 917 North Fairview as an illegal bar and dance club. Weddle said quote “We don’t see ourselves this way and are working with the city to get a set of parameters that allows us to continue hosting intimate shows in our home.” Weddle also said he is actively working with the Maple Heights Neighborhood Association to address neighbor concerns. This news follows the shutdown of three popular house show venues in 2024 after noise complaints from neighbors. Is the house show scene OK? We turn now to correspondent Ben Burns for more.

Monroe County Election Board

On February 6th the Monroe County Election Board, the new Republican Chair Board Member John Arnold, shared a statement where he explained why he will not be voting in support of having vote centers in Monroe County.

Arnold thanked the commission for their time, but said he will vote no on the decision when the time comes.

During public comment, Previous Election Board Member and County Councilor David Henry responded to Arnold’s statement.

County Clerk Nicole Browne responded to Arnold’s claim that you can’t have vote centers if you have paper ballots. Browne said that is not true.

The Democratic Chair Board Member John Fernandez also shared his disappointment with Arnold’s statement, saying it doesn’t feel informed, and expressed concern Arnold would say he would vote no before even hearing the commission present their report.

County Attorney Molly-Turner King asked if the committee should still present the report, or if it should be suspended. Board Member Fernandez responded that they should finish the report and there should be an official vote on it.

The Election Board will meet again on March 6th, 2025.

Feature Reports:

Credits:

This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, February 10th, 2025.

Later in the program, we have our recurring Black History segment “Dark Past, Bright Future” with host Liz Mitchell. More in today’s feature report.

That’s Caroline Ringquist from Animal Club. This IU student group can dispatch an army of volunteers to get several weeks’ worth of work done in just a few hours. Learn more later in the show on a new episode of Activate!

But first, your daily headlines:

Bloomington City Council

The Bloomington City Council met on February 5th, 2025.

During council reports, Council Member Isabel Piedmont-Smith shared that the Community Foundation received a roughly 7 million dollar grant from the Lilly Foundation to support people experiencing homelessness in the community.

The council heard an ordinance to appropriate additional funds for the Downtown Outreach Program.

The council heard ordinance 2025-03, which would amend Ordinance 2024-20 which they voted on last year, to fix the salaries of non-union employees, appointed officers, A.F.S.C.M.E. employees for the year of 2025.

Director of Compensation and Benefits Erika De Santis presented on the ordinance.

Council Member Kate Rosenbarger expressed concern that the same positions in different departments could receive different salaries.

Council member Matt Flaherty said he was in support of the changes, however, he expressed concern that the lowest grade levels do not pay a high enough wage for the employees to live and work in Bloomington. He also remarked on how the process to address employee compensation was handled.

The council voted unanimously to approve changes to the salaries and job titles of employees for the year 2025.

The council also voted on an ordinance which would establish a Transportation Commission.

The council voted 7-2 in favor of establishing the commission with Council Members Andy Ruff and Dave Rollo voting no.

The next Bloomington City Council meeting will be held on February 12th.

Monroe County Board of Commissioners

This week’s Monroe County Commissioners meeting started with a report from the Health Department administrator, Lori Kelley. She said that wastewater detections are trending downwards in Bloomington, while flu activity remains high, and has resulted in two deaths this past week.

Next, the commissioners collectively made a proclamation for Black History Month, Commissioner Julia Thomas stating its importance as new challenges emerge.

Later, the Monroe County Emergency Management Director, Jamie Neibel spoke with the commissioners about the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. She shared that the plan is required to be updated every five years, and while the review of the plan was completed for the five-year requirement, it is now in the process of the public comment portion until February 11, 2025.

Commissioner Lee Jones was surprised that there was no mention of impervious surfaces, or surfaces covered with material that does not allow for penetration of water, in the Flooding

They shared that if residents would like to be a part of the public comment portion of the Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan, they can find details on the county website in the emergency management section.

Next, representative Anthony Williams from the Reentry Program asked for the commissioners to approve the Memo of Understanding, or M.O.U. with the Office of Court

The program targets offenders being released onto community supervision from the Monroe County Jail. The program’s purpose includes reducing the risk of substance use while under supervision, helping to stabilize mental health symptoms, and increasing overall engagement and treatment completion.Williams explained that the Reentry Program will be staffed by a Licensed Clinician employed by Centerstone, a health service provider, who will be paid pursuant to the terms of the Agreement. The request was approved.

The Monroe County Commissioner’s next meeting will be held on February 20th in the Monroe County Courthouse Nat U Hill room.

Feature Report:

Up next, we have our recurring Black History segment “Dark Past, Bright Future” with host Liz Mitchell. Today’s episode centers around Rueben Mayes, a Canadian born football player who played running back at Washington State University and later for the Seattle Seahawks in the NFL. For more, we turn to Liz Mitchell for “Dark Past, Bright Future” on the WFHB Local News.

Credits:

Hello and welcome to Eco Report.

Today, we have two broadcast to share with you. First, you will hear from WFHB Correspondent Mackenzie Lionberger as she reports on WINGS – Women in Nature Gaining Skills – which aims to increase female participation in outdoor activities. Then, we hear about new laws being proposed in this year’s legislative session of the Indiana General Assembly from our guest, David Van Gilder, Senior Policy and Legal Director for the Hoosier Environmental Council.

And now for your environmental reports:

Feature Report:

And now, lets listen to MacKenzie Lionberger as she tells us about WINGS.

And now, we turn to Zero Roze for Part One of his interview with David Van Gilder of the Hoosier Environmental Council or H.E.C., known as “heck”, regarding bills that they are supportive of, are neutral on -or actively opposing becoming law. The full interview will be posted online as an Eco Report EXTRA.

And now for some upcoming events:

Credits:

This is the WFHB Local News for Thursday, February 6th, 2025.

Later in the program, Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson hosted a town hall about relocating the police headquarters on Monday. More in today’s headlines.

Also coming up in the next half hour, we hear Part Two of an interview with Tracey Hutchings-Goetz, from Hoosier Action, a statewide grassroots organization working to stop a Senate Bill that would impact Medicaid coverage.

But first, your local headlines:

Mayor Hosts Town Hall About Police Headquarters

On Monday, Bloomington Mayor Kerry Thomson held a town hall at Summit Elementary about relocating the police department headquarters to 714 South Rogers Street.

City officials made the case for relocating police to the new site while some residents expressed concerns about increased traffic and noise from the proposed site for the police station near a residential neighborhood.

Mayor Thomson said that the last administration intended for the police to move into the Showers West building. However, she says that move would only have been temporary. Thomson says she’s looking for something more permanent.

According to a city news release, expanding the current headquarters would require purchasing more land. It would also force the city to temporarily relocate police headquarters during renovation.

Furthermore, the news release said that the current police building is in poor condition, citing issues such as “flood damage and ongoing water filtration.”

Chief of the Bloomington Police Department Mike Diekhoff said the police union and the mayor are supportive of this move.

A concerned resident asked about the city’s previous discussions for the building on South Rogers to be used as an arts incubator. Thomson said that the city will likely look for another location for an arts space.

One resident named Eavy said she also doesn’t want to see a police station in a residential neighborhood – especially one near so many social services.

WFHB News spoke with one local resident who said they are not supportive of the initiative of relocating the police headquarters to South Rogers.

If the city does go ahead and pursue a relocation, this local resident says they hope the police department stays out of residential neighborhoods. In their view, the current location of police headquarters is ideal.

Another resident said they have concerns about the relocation of South Rogers and expressed that this wouldn’t make them feel safer.

The full town hall is available online at catstv.net.

Feature Report:

Credits: