WFHB Local News

This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, September 22nd, 2026.

In today’s newscast, Anchor Jim Odom speaks with News Reporter Aidan Verde about his experience in the WFHB newsroom in light of our Fall Fund Drive. We’ll also play archived clips from Verde, who joined the news team as an intern this summer. More throughout today’s special fund drive edition of the local news.

Also coming up in the next half hour, find out how you can get involved in your community on the latest edition of “Volunteer Connection” – produced in partnership with the City of Bloomington Volunteer Network.

CBU fills in some details behind countywide boil-water advisory, including 1.06 NTU reading

By Dave Askins

Between a news release Monday morning announcing the end of Monroe County’s boil-water advisory, and a Monday night briefing given to the city’s utilities service board, many of the questions related to the weekend advisory got answers.

The original advisory was issued based on a turbidity level that was measured at a level higher than state standards. Turbidity is a measure of cloudiness, which in itself is not a health risk, but can be an indicator of improper filtration, might interfere with disinfection, and can provide a medium for microbial growth.

Among the details released on Monday was the peak measurement for turbidity, which was 1.06 nephelometric turbidity units (NTU) at about 5 p.m. on Saturday. That’s just over the regulatory ceiling of 1.00, and was back below the limit by 6 p.m. Turbidity is measured hourly. The public notification went out around midnight, roughly seven hours after the standard was exceeded.

Another detail released Monday was that the water treatment plant had gone about 10 and a half hours without treating and pumping water normally, after a storm-related power failure that began around 6 p.m. on Friday (Sept. 18).

The advisory itself was lifted Monday morning after samples collected at locations throughout the water distribution system came back clear. CBU director Katherine Zaiger told the USB at its regular Monday meeting that the samples require 24 hours to run and that CBU allowed about 26 hours before relying on the results.

Zaiger praised the work of the CBU staff: “I want to give a lot of kudos to our staff, our operators, and our maintenance staff who are on site, who are incredible, quick thinking, calm problem solvers who were able to get it done very quickly.”

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: “CBU fills in some details behind countywide boil-water advisory, including 1.06 NTU reading.”

Monroe Fire Protection District recruits IU students as volunteer firefighters

By Brooke Rosen

The Monroe Fire Protection District needs more help, and it’s extending its outreach into an untapped volunteer pool: Indiana University students.

Griffin Lennartz is a volunteer firefighter with the district. As a unified fire service, MFPD responds to fires, vehicle crashes, medical calls and more across nine of Monroe County’s eleven townships.

Lennartz is a former IU employee and says he is looking for anyone who wants to become part of the team. The district traces its roots to 1970, when it started as the Perry Township Volunteer Fire Department. It merged with Clear Creek Township in 1987 and, after further township mergers, rebranded as the Monroe Fire Protection District in 2019.

Today it covers roughly 330 square miles with more than 100 full time, part time and volunteer personnel. The recruiting push comes as the district leans harder on its own ambulances to help cover Monroe County’s strained emergency medical system.

MFPD recently put a fourth ambulance into service, largely to handle a rising number of calls from IU’s campus, after officials said the county’s regular ambulance provider has been understaffed and overworked.

Lennartz left a desk job at the IU Recreational Sports Center to train as a firefighter and says he found a strong sense of purpose and community in it. He also noted he seeks recruits from diverse backgrounds, saying it makes for a stronger department.

Students interested in volunteering can find more information at Monroefd.org or on Facebook.

Featured Segments:

In today’s broadcast, you’ll hear Sports Reporter Aidan Verde and Anchor Jim Odom – asking for your support for independent news and public affairs on WFHB. Up next, we feature a voices in the street segment produced by Aidan titled, “Townie Summer”: After the Students Leave. A clip from that report is coming up next on the fund drive edition of the WFHB Local News.

Remember – our goal is to raise $600 during this very program. Call 812-323-1200 or visit THIS LINK to make your pledge. Coming up next, Aidan produced a feature this summer about Beep Baseball – an adaptive version of baseball for the blind and visually impaired. Remember, when you donate to WFHB – you’re donating for news coverage you don’t hear anywhere else. And you’re donating to allow access to young reporters like Aidan to get experience – reporting, writing, editing, interviewing – your donation goes directly to support the kind of news coverage that fills in the gaps and puts a spotlight on diverse voices. Stay tuned, Aidan and Jim will return live in the studio following a clip from that feature. Aidan – take it away.

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 Tara Brooke from City of Bloomington Parks & Recreation. That’s coming up next in our special fund drive edition of the local news. Call 812-323-1200 to pledge your support for this segment – which puts a spotlight on volunteerism in our community.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, September 21st, 2026.

In today’s newscast, Dason Anderson, Executive Editor of the Limestone Post Magazine, will be live in the studio with Correspondent Claire Zeyen to discuss the importance of supporting independent, local news coverage in Monroe County. More throughout today’s program.

You’ll also hear from Bethany Hohman from Brown County Pride. Hear all about this Saturday’s first-ever queer pride public celebration in Nashville Indiana later in the show on a new episode of Activate!

But first, a fund drive message from Sports Reporter Chase Dodson.

Featured Segments:

Stay tuned – we have Dason Anderson, executive editor of the Limestone Post magazine, live in the studio with WFHB Correspondent Claire Zeyen. But before we get to that, let’s listen to an excerpt from Deep Dive, an investigative news collaboration between Limestone Post and WFHB. This episode is titled “Refuge in Indiana.” Dason is here to ask for your support for local, independent journalism.

Up next – we have an excerpt from CATSWeek – our partnership with Community Access Television Services – which keeps you informed on all the government meetings you may have missed in Bloomington, Monroe County and the Town of Ellettsville.

Claire Zeyen is our volunteer CATSWeek coordinator – helping put together this weekly, half-hour broadcast – that provides an essential service in our community. Watching 4 hour meetings so you don’t have to. Stay tuned – that’s coming up next on WFHB – and we’ll be live in the studio asking for your support for Fund Drive. We turn to CATSWeek host Annalise Poorman for more.

Up next – some sports news. WFHB Correspondent Chase Dodson sits down with IU coach and former player Mark Deal. We will broadcast a portion of that interview and hear from Dodson once more about his experience in the WFHB newsroom and why it’s deserving of your monetary support. Chase Dodson has more.

You might not think of Brown County as a hotbed of queer culture. But Nashville, Indiana is an artist colony, and the hosts of Brown County Pride point out that LGBTQ+ folks have always been part of the art community. The same group who runs the monthly “Big Queer Hangout” social mixer are now launching Brown County’s first-ever public pride event, this Saturday September 26 at the Brown County Inn in downtown Nashville. Organizer Bethany Hohman runs us through the full menu for Saturday’s historic gathering 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 17th, 2026.

In today’s newscast – it’s the second day of our Fall Fund Drive. We’ll be live in the studio, emphasizing the importance of local news – and asking for your support. Our goal for this program is to raise 400 dollars for the airing of the Local News.

Also coming up in the next half hour, we’ll feature stories on local government, IU’s recent freedom of speech ranking and finally a roundup of all the latest sports news.

Bloomington Transit board OKs Keolis management contract 3–2, McDaniel now says he’s out

By Dave Askins

At its regular meeting on Tuesday (Sept. 15) Bloomington Transit’s board made final a decision that had been taking shape since July. Keolis Transit Services will replace RATP Dev as the agency’s management firm.

The new general manager who has been designated by Keolis is Nick Standefer. He will take over day-to-day leadership of the local bus system at the start of October.

Standefer attended Tuesday’s meeting in person and sat in the audience. Outgoing general manager John Connell, who had been RATP Dev’s designee for the last four years, attended his final board meeting through a remote electronic connection.

The Sept. 15 vote on the Keolis contract was 3–2, with James McLary, Don Griffin and Doug Horn voting yes, and Kent McDaniel and Nancy Obermeyer voting no. The same three-member majority had voted in July to begin negotiations with Keolis.

Immediately after the vote, McDaniel said he would be resigning from the board over the decision to change management firms. “So I’m retiring, and I’m going to get out of here,” McDaniel said. McLary thanked him for his 36 years of service.

McDaniel’s term was up at the end of July and the city council has been weighing McDaniel and at least three other candidates as the appointment for the next four-year term. McDaniel left the meeting right after the vote on the management firm, before the board reached some other big topics on the agenda.

On Tuesday, the board also approved its annual interlocal agreement with Indiana University. The board also authorized submission of a roughly $29-million federal grant application tied to Bloomington Transit’s planned new administration, operations and maintenance campus on Profile Parkway and the purchase of two diesel-hybrid buses.

The board also started work on two longer-term questions. One is how Bloomington Transit might respond when Rural Transit ends its Bloomington-to-Ellettsville service at the end of this year. The other is whether the five-member Bloomington Transit board should be expanded to seven members.

The final vote on the Keolis contract came after a final effort from the public mic by RATP Dev to convince the board to reconsider. But the 3–2 split on the board remained. Obermeyer and McDaniel covered ground from previous meetings.

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: “Bloomington Transit board OKs Keolis management contract 3–2, McDaniel now says he’s out.”

IU scores near bottom of national freedom of speech rankings

By Kade Young

Indiana University ranks near the bottom of the nation’s worst universities for free speech, according to a new report from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE.

IU ranks 256th out of 261 schools in FIRE’s latest College Free Speech Rankings. Fire gave IU an “F” rating for its free speech climate.

The organization says students report concerns about expressing controversial opinions and a lack of confidence that university administrators will protect free speech.

Dominic Coletti, student press program officer for FIRE, spoke with WFHB – outlining what he sees as freedom of speech violations by the university.

“They’ve censored speech from the left and from the right … with a complete disregard for the obligations the First Amendment places on IU as a public university,” said Coletti.

Among six main free speech controversies, FIRE also mentioned the university’s handling of the Indiana Daily Student last fall.

IU fired its director of student media after he refused a request to remove news coverage from a planned Homecoming print edition. Hours later, IU announced it would end the newspaper’s print edition entirely.

While the university reinstated the newspaper shortly after, FIRE says the incident was part of what contributed to IU’s poor free-speech ranking. WFHB News interviewed co-editor of the IDS at the time, Mia Hilkowitz.

“We are in the perfect position to hold the university to account. We are embedded in the community here, and we see firsthand the impacts of the decisions they make,” said Hilkowitz.

IU’s ranking has improved slightly from last year when it was ranked third-worst nationally.

Meanwhile, IU maintains it’s dedicated to fostering an environment that values open dialogue and free expression on all campuses.

The university also adopted the Chicago Principles in February 2026, which affirm broad protections for free expression.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, September 16th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, WFHB Correspondent Jorge Casillas and Better Beware producer Richard Fish are live in the studio for Day One of our Fall Fund Drive. Today’s theme is “WFHB as a training ground for reporters.”

Also coming up in the next half hour, we’ll hear archived features produced by Jorge and even a special fund drive edition of Better Beware.

Featured Segments:

Earlier this year, Jorge Casillas helped interview residents in the streets of Bloomington about the city’s biggest strengths, its most pressing challenges and what they believe should be Bloomington’s top priority moving forward. Up next, we revisit an archived report from WFHB News Correspondent Jorge Casillas in light of Day One of our Fall Fund Drive.

Over the summer, WFHB News volunteer Elyse Perry hosted a narrative journalism workshop for our summer interns. The workshop culminated in a feature report, exploring the debate over Seminary Pointe, where affordable housing advocates are urging city leaders to reconsider plans to demolish the property for a proposed convention center hotel. Jorge participated in this workshop which aired the same day. We turn to that report on today’s Fund Drive edition of the local news.

Jorge Casillas spent the first few weeks of his internship looking at developments when it came to the new Monroe County Jail after the county council rejected North Park as a potential jail site. WFHB correspondent Jorge Casillas spoke with activists and county officials to paint a picture over the current state of legal issues that have haunted Monroe County for 17 years. We turn to that archived report from Jorge. Stay tuned – following the feature, we will continue our conversation with Jorge live in the studio as part of our Fall Fund Drive.

Now it’s time for a fund drive edition of 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, September 15th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, the Bloomington Redevelopment Commission is backing 714 South Rogers Street as a location for a new police department headquarters. More coverage today’s edition of B Square Bites, produced in collaboration with the B Square Bulletin.

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

Bloomington RDC backs 714 South Rogers for police HQ, eyes up to $30M in financing

By Dave Askins

Bloomington’s redevelopment commission has formally backed the reuse of the former Bloomington Convalescent Center at 714 S. Rogers St. as the city’s next police headquarters. The plan would renovate the existing building and add newly constructed space for other public safety functions.

At its Monday meeting, the RDC voted unanimously to approve a resolution that declares support for renovating and expanding the building for the Bloomington police department, central dispatch and potentially other uses.

The resolution also puts the commission on record as willing to investigate issuing bonds backed by tax increment financing revenues, for up to $30 million. But the resolution does not itself authorize a bond issuance. City controller Geoff McKim stressed that distinction before Monday’s vote.

If the RDC decides to issue bonds, McKim said, a separate resolution would formally start that process and would then go to the Bloomington city council for approval. McKim told commissioners the $30-million figure was one the city believes could both accomplish the project and fit within the RDC’s potential bonding capacity. The $30-million figure would still leave room for other possible RDC commitments involving projects like the Hopewell neighborhood, McKim said.

Hopewell is the neighborhood that is being redevelopment by the RDC at and around the site of the former IU Health hospital at 2nd and Rogers streets.

The working concept is adaptive reuse rather than demolition and replacement. The existing 56,000-square-foot building would be renovated for police operations. But an addition is envisioned for central dispatch, an emergency operations center, and a sally port, along with parking and other site improvements.

Dispatch could be co-located at the site, but police chief Mike Diekhoff told the RDC in a memo that doing so would require further coordination with Monroe County. A final design and construction budget have not yet been established.

Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson attended Monday’s meeting in person. Thomson said the Rogers Street site has two clear advantages. One is that the existing building appears reusable. Second, it sits within about a block of an area police had previously identified as their preferred location for a new headquarters. Tearing down the large concrete building would be a detriment from a climate standpoint and “frankly wasteful,” Thomson said. She called the proposed reuse a win and recommended approval.

Here’s what Diekhoff said: “So this is a great opportunity for us to move out of a building that has basically outlived its life. It leaks. We are making offices out of storage units. We just don’t have any room for growth in the current facility? So this building offers space that we think will serve our needs for up to 50 years. It’s a great location. It’s on major roadways, so it gives us access to get around the city pretty easily. The union is in support of it. Everybody’s pretty excited about the potentials.”

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: “Bloomington RDC backs 714 South Rogers for police HQ, eyes up to $30M in financing.”

Car catches fire on city’s north side this morning

According to reporting by Bloomingtonian, a car caught fire in a parking lot near Indiana University’s Memorial Stadium this morning.

The Bloomington Fire Department and local law enforcement responded to the fire, which was reported at about 7:23 a.m.

The fire department says the vehicle was fully engulfed in flames when first responders arrived. No injuries have been reported. The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

IU scores near bottom of national freedom of speech rankings

Indiana University ranks near the bottom of the nation’s worst universities for free speech, according to a new report from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE.

IU ranks 256th out of 261 schools in FIRE’s latest College Free Speech Rankings. Fire gave IU an “F” rating for its free speech climate.

The organization says students report concerns about expressing controversial opinions and a lack of confidence that university administrators will protect free speech.

Dominic Coletti, student press program officer for FIRE, spoke with WFHB – outlining what he sees as freedom of speech violations by the university.

“They’ve censored speech from the left and from the right … with a complete disregard for the obligations the First Amendment places on IU as a public university,” said Coletti.

Among six main free speech controversies, FIRE also mentioned the university’s handling of the Indiana Daily Student last fall.

IU fired its director of student media after he refused a request to remove news coverage from a planned Homecoming print edition. Hours later, IU announced it would end the newspaper’s print edition entirely.

While the university reinstated the newspaper shortly after, FIRE says the incident was part of what contributed to IU’s poor free-speech ranking. WFHB News interviewed co-editor of the IDS at the time, Mia Hilkowitz.

“We are in the perfect position to hold the university to account. We are embedded in the community here, and we see firsthand the impacts of the decisions they make,” said Hilkowitz.

IU’s ranking has improved slightly from last year when it was ranked third-worst nationally.

Meanwhile, IU maintains it’s dedicated to fostering an environment that values open dialogue and free expression on all campuses.

The university also adopted the Chicago Principles in February 2026, which affirm broad protections for free expression.

City of Bloomington to offer workshops for artists

The City of Bloomington will offer a series of workshops for local artists and arts administrators this fall.

The three workshops will focus on community collaboration, conflict resolution and burnout in creative work, according to a city press release.

The first session titled “Starts With You” will happen October 19th and will focus on building stronger collaborative relationships among artists in the community.

A second workshop takes place November 2nd, addressing conflict and accountability in the arts.

The final workshop, November 16th, will tackle burnout, self-compassion and finding balance in creative work.

All three workshops will be held at the John Waldron Arts Center on South Walnut Street.

According to the city, each workshop is limited to 25 participants. Registration will remain open until capacity is reached.

A waitlist will be available for workshops that reach capacity. More information here.

Featured Segments:

In today’s feature report, WFHB Environmental Correspondent Carrie Albright dives into how Tandem is creating an energy-efficient space for pregnant families and new parents, thanks to a city solar and efficiency grant. That’s coming up next on the local news.

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 hosts Aubrey Seader and Kade Young.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, September 14th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, the City of Bloomington is once again considering plans for a new police headquarters. The redevelopment commission will consider next steps at a location on South Rogers Street during their meeting tonight. More in today’s feature report.

You’ll also hear Henry Leck from Pillar Arts, Bloomington’s local arts alliance. Find out more about this local resource hub for anyone creating art or supporting our local art scene later in the show on a new episode of Activate!

Inmate Transfer Plan Left Out of Sheriff’s 2027 Budget

The Monroe County Council met for a budget hearing on September 9th.

A multi-million dollar plan to move dozens of inmates at the county jail to other counties isn’t included in the sheriff’s proposed 2027 budget.

However, when Sheriff Ruben Marte presented next year’s jail budget, he said there was only one increase being requested.

“There really is no increase in the lines for us, except for the medical line,” said Marte.

Jail Commander Kyle Gibbons told councilors that the jail and sheriff’s office continue to share responsibility for court-ordered transportation.

“We both share that burden with the sheriff’s office as an agent on the court, and when we are court ordered transport, we provide that transport,” said Gibbons.

Councilor David Henry says he wants to see transportation data because he suspects the time spent moving people around could amount to the equivalent of another employee.

“I have a hunch that it’s adding up to a human,” said Henry.

Chief Deputy Phil Parker told councilors that the department has studied the issue and found the demand for transportation has increased in recent years.

“We did a pretty in-depth data study on that within the last year to show the increased burden that has brought to the merit side,” said Parker.

Meanwhile, Marte says while transportation demands increase, the sheriff’s office has fewer deputies available to handle them.

“The transportation has increased for us, whereas our numbers on the deputy side has reduced,” said Marte.

For now, the inmate transfer operation is off the table for the 2027 budget. The county met for another budget session on Thursday. .

Featured Segments:

The City of Bloomington will consider plans for a new police headquarters at 714 South Rogers Street. The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission looks to next steps for the project during its meeting tonight, including plans that could also bring the Central Emergency Dispatch Center and a new Emergency Operations Center to the site. The city first identified South Rogers as a potential location in January of 2025. At the time, WFHB News heard from city officials and local residents about what a new police headquarters could mean for Bloomington. Here’s that archived report.

The Bloomington art scene is diverse, but there is one local arts alliance to bring all artists together and support their work. Pillar Arts is a resource hub for all locals interested in creating art or just volunteering to help with art classes, music performances, theater camps, and more. Pillar Arts has two local hubs – one in College Mall and one in Fountain Square. Henry Leck got involved with Pillar Arts back when it was called the Arts Alliance of Greater Bloomington, and he currently serves as vice president. Henry says there are plenty of ways YOU can plug into the Bloomington arts community 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 10th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, Indiana will see major changes to its Medicaid program beginning next year, changes that could leave hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers without coverage. Learn more in today’s edition of Prescription for Healthcare, in collaboration with Medicare for All Indiana.

Also coming up in the next half hour, WFHB Sports Correspondent Chase Dodson brings you today’s Sports News Briefing – a rundown of local, state and national sports news.

Bloomington City Council Delays Decision on Historic Preservation Commissioner’s Removal

By Claire Zeyen

The Bloomington City Council will consider whether to remove Historic Preservation Commissioner Reynard Cross. At its regular September 2nd meeting, the council heard an explanation from Council Attorney Larry Allen about the allegations against Cross and the process for removing a member.

“Significant amount of time was being taken to delay the action of the commission, and also of staff’s time over the course of that period, and that was inhibiting potentially the business of the commission,” said Allen.

The council ultimately postponed a decision on Cross’ removal until its next meeting on September 16th.

The discussion followed a contentious meeting of the Common Council Committee on Council Processes just days earlier, where members examined procedural problems within the Historic Preservation Commission, including the events that led to questions about Cross’ conduct and possible removal.

Here’s what happened at that meeting.

The Common Council Committee on Council Processes met August 31st and addressed serious procedural issues at the Historic Preservation Commission, or HPC, which were brought to light in a detailed briefing by advisory member, Reynard Cross. The committee focused on how misapplication of Robert’s Rules and a lack of training led to confusion over delay motions, debate limits, and the chair’s authority.

Committee Chair Isabel Piedmont-Smith specified what went wrong during the commission’s June meeting.

“The chair limited a commissioner’s speaking time without a motion or a vote by the commission, which actually is required per Robert’s Rules,” said Piedmont-Smith.

The meeting moved on to public comment which reflected deep frustration over these procedural errors and a rumored proposal to remove Reynard Cross from the HPC. However, the committee clarified that the removal of a commissioner falls outside their current purview and will only be presented to them if City Council so decides.

HPC member Dr. John Butler publicly apologized for his own procedural confusion and urged city leaders to provide better educational resources.

“I apologize for messing the whole thing up, but I feel like we really could have and should have handled it better,” said Butler.

In response, committee members discussed implementing mandatory training on Robert’s Rules and rules of conduct for all commissioners, while working with the Clerk’s Office to make simplified rule summaries and meeting scripts readily available.

The committee’s next meeting is scheduled for September 28th at 5:30 p.m.

Featured Segments:

Indiana will see major changes to its Medicaid program beginning next year, changes that could leave hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers without coverage. In today’s edition of Prescription for Healthcare, Tracey Hutchings-Goetz, the Monroe County organizer for Hoosier Action, speaks with Dr. Rob Stone and Karen Green Stone, about the implications of Medicaid changes.

Hutchings-Goetz says the consequences could extend far beyond people who rely directly on Medicaid, affecting hospitals, healthcare workers and the broader healthcare system. That’s coming up next on Prescription for Healthcare – a monthly podcast on the WFHB Local News in collaboration with Medicare for All Indiana.

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 9th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE, ranked Indiana University the sixth worst college in the nation for freedom of speech. WFHB News speaks with Dominic Coletti, student press program officer for FIRE, in today’s featured interview.

Also coming up in the next half hour, “Robots Attack” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News.

Monroe County Commissioners approve $20K PR contract, Justice Building door repairs 

On September 3rd, the Monroe County Commissioners met to discuss a series of funding approvals including better spam and phishing email detectors and fixing the air conditioning in the Monroe County Courthouse.

The commissioners voted 2-0 to set aside $7,840.00 to replace emergency exit doors in the Justice building. A representative from Indiana Door and Hardware Specialties Inc. walked through the contract.

“Two exit devices failed at the Justice Building, and due to the secure nature, Commissioner Thomas went ahead and signed the agreement so we could get that going,” said the representative.

Next the commissioners voted to appropriate $20,000 for public relations consulting company Hallowell Consulting. Commissioner’s Administrator Angie Purdie explained the spending.

“They’ll provide professional communications for the Board of Commissioners, including media relations, public relations and engagement,” said Purdie.

Bloomington resident Jaimmie Ford, who is also a volunteer at WFHB, disagreed with the decision.

“If y’all didn’t repeatedly say one thing and then contradict yourselves by saying and doing the complete opposite, you wouldn’t need to spend $20,000 for a PR consultant firm,” said Ford.

The commissioners unanimously agreed to pass the contract with Hallowell Consulting. The next Monroe County Commissioners meeting will be held September 10th.

Monroe County Council raises Local Income Tax to fund juvenile services

The Monroe County Council voted unanimously last night to raise the county’s local income tax rate to generate more money for juvenile services.

This means the county-wide local income tax rate will rise from 2.14 to 2.205 percent starting January 1st of next year.

According to reporting by Dave Askins of the B Square Bulletin, the tax increase works out to about $32.50  more per year for someone with a $50,000 taxable income.

County attorney Molly Turner-King read the ordinance and explained the need for more funding for juvenile services.

“The current special tax rate will not provide adequate and sufficient funding for juvenile services in Monroe County,” said Turner-King.

You can find the full county council meeting at catstv.net.

Featured Segments:

Indiana University has been ranked the sixth worst college in the country for free speech, according to a new report from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression, or FIRE. FIRE has been critical of IU’s handling of free speech issues for years. Earlier this year, the organization launched a billboard campaign in Bloomington. At the corner of Kinser Pike and the State Road 45/46 bypass, one billboard read, “Indiana University Covered Up the Truth: What Are They Hiding?” FIRE has become one of the country’s leading free speech advocacy groups since its founding more than two decades ago. In today’s feature report, we’re looking back to an archived interview with Dominic Coletti, student press program officer with FIRE. Coletti spoke with WFHB News about the billboard campaign and what FIRE says are ongoing concerns about free speech at Indiana University. We turn to Correspondent Zoe Moczek for that archived report.

Also at Indiana University, the football team defeated North Texas in its season opener 52-14. While students are poised with IU’s 17-game win streak, some students are frustrated about a new policy limiting students to five football home-game tickets per season. WFHB News sent two reporters out to the tailgates on Saturday to ask IU football fans about the student ticket change. We turn to Correspondent Aidan Verde for more.

Up next, “Robots Attack” 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, September 8th, 2026.

In today’s newscast, you’ll hear from Bella Matney from Advocates for Science at IU. Federal science agencies have lost billions in funding in the second Trump term. We’ll hear from Advocates for Science and other organizations tabling at the recent Student Involvement Fair later in the show in a feature report.

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

Shooting on Kirkwood Avenue over the weekend

A 19-year old man was wounded in a shooting in downtown Bloomington on Sunday.

According to a press release, police have yet to determine what led to the shooting and few details are available about the circumstances surrounding the incident.

At 1 a.m., Monroe County Emergency Dispatch received 911 calls reporting gunshots on Kirkwood Avenue. After arriving to the scene, officers noticed blood and personal belongings on the street but did not find a victim.

Shortly after, a 19-year-old man showed up to IU Health Bloomington Hospital with a gunshot wound to his neck and shoulder. Bloomington Police Department says investigators tried to interview him but the man did not provide additional information about the shooting.

Witnesses told officers that a disturbance between two men at Kirkwood Avenue and Lincoln Street escalated when one man pointed a handgun at the other, fired a single shot and then fled the scene in a nearby vehicle.

The investigation into the shooting remains active. Anyone with video or information about the shooting is encouraged to contact detective Chris Scott at 812-339-4477 or [email protected].

ICE activity in Bloomington last week

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity increased across Indiana last week, including at least three people detained in Bloomington.

Last week, WFHB News spoke with immigration attorney Christie Popp, who said ICE targeted specific locations around town where they believed immigrants might congregate.

“I’ve heard multiple reports of ICE spending at least a couple of days here in Bloomington. I know of around three people who’ve been detained, though there could have been more,” she said.

Popp walked through what people should know about their constitutional rights when encountering ICE agents.

“People have the right to remain silent. They do not have to talk to an immigration officer. They have the right to ask for a lawyer… If ICE approaches somebody in a private place, such as a home, they have the right not to open the door or to talk to the ICE officials unless the official shows up with a warrant signed by a judge,” she said.

Two people were detained outside Walmart on the city’s west-side, Manuel Alejandro Nadal-Ortiz and César Cepeda Gomez.

Local resident Lyndsi Thompson organized a fundraiser for Gomez to help pay for his legal fees.

“We all deserve to live without fear. We all deserve to have our community show up for us when an injustice has been done,” said Thompson.

READ MORE: Check out B Square Bulletin’s coverage ‘Indiana police agencies have signed dozens of ICE agreements. Did local governments authorize them?’

IU football dismantles North Texas in season opener

The Indiana Hoosiers kicked off the football season with a 52-to-16 win over North Texas Saturday at Memorial Stadium.

The sixth-ranked Hoosiers scored in all four quarters and extended their winning streak to 17 games, dating back to last season’s undefeated national championship run.

Despite the decisive victory, head coach Curt Cignetti said there’s still room for improvement.

“I didn’t think we played real well on defense,” said Cignetti. “We had poor tackling out on the perimeter.”

WFHB Sports Correspondents Aidan Verde and Nate Rushemeza spoke with fans at Saturday’s tailgate about a new policy limiting IU students to five football home-game tickets per season.

“For seniors, we should be able to go to each and every game,” said one student.

Stay tuned for more from IU fans on the student ticket change later this week on the WFHB Local News.

Bloomington City Council questions $95,000 city branding project

By Elena Bai

The Bloomington City Council met on September 2nd to hear reports from a number of departments and consider new and old legislation. Amongst these, a representative of CivicBrand discussed the Bloomington City and Place Branding Report.

“If the city of Bloomington actually did spend $95,000 for a logo, I would be right there with you and say that’s insane,” said the representative. “It’s not about selling Bloomington to an outsider. It’s about creating a shared vision.”

Council members named a number of concerns with the project. Specifically, council member Sydney Zulich brought up questions about the contracting process for the city’s branding efforts, questioning why local firms were not considered for the $95,000 project.

In his final comments, city council member David Rollo questioned the value of the report in the context of the city’s budget constraints.

“People are scrutinizing discretionary funding or spending, and they wonder what they’re getting,” said Rollo.

Community member Rowan Morse expressed frustration with the lack of tangible suggestions presented to the public.

“The lack of effort, the lack of care… has shown that they don’t really care about us,” said Morse.

Community member Eric Oste also shared concerns about lack of transparency from the city.

“Given that this contract for $95,000 was an economic development initiative, it is worth asking whether hiring an outside marketing consultant addresses our community’s core needs in infrastructure, housing affordability, and basic city services,” said Oste. 

The council also heard updates regarding the removal of Reynard Cross from the Bloomington Historical Preservation Committee. Council Attorney Larry Allen explained the allegations against him.

“There’s a requirement to be able to do the business of the commission and to respect the time of the public and the commission. A significant amount of time was being taken to delay the action of the commission, and also of staff’s time over the course of that period,” said Allen.

The council voted to postpone the decision until their next meeting, which will take place on September 16th.

Featured Segments:

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 for a cause they care about. During the first week of this semester 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. We go on-location now to Showalter Fountain with correspondent Victoria Cuhadar.

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 hosts Aubrey Seader and Madison Stratton.

CREDITS:

This is the WFHB Local News for Thursday, September 3rd, 2026.

In today’s newscast, a local resident organized a Go Fund Me campaign for a man who was detained by ICE this week in Bloomington. Find out more in today’s featured interview.

Also coming up in the next half hour, Aja Jester – MCCSC School Board member and community advocate joins us for the second episode of the Heading Home podcast. Stay tuned for that conversation.

Featured Segments:

Local resident Lyndsi Thompson is organizing a GoFundMe for a Bloomington man who was detained by Immigration and Customs Enforcement this week while arriving at work at Walmart. In today’s featured interview, WFHB News speaks with Thompson about the fundraising effort to help pay for the man’s legal fees. That’s coming up next on the WFHB Local News.

Heading Home of South Central Indiana has launched a new podcast highlighting the realities of homelessness. In the second episode, host Mary Morgan spoke with Aja Jester, a Monroe County Community School Corporation board member, community advocate and consultant with Heading Home, about lived experience, poverty and how communities can better listen to the people they aim to serve. WFHB News brings you this excerpt from the “Heading Home” podcast. We turn to host Mary Morgan for more.

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: