WFHB News volunteers report on the impact of the flooding several weeks ago, focusing on Kirkwood Avenue and Madison Street. 

Overnight on June 18th, downtown Bloomington saw extreme flooding, which led to the death of one resident and significant damage along Kirkwood Avenue and other parts of the city.

The flooding forced the Bloomington Fire Department to relocate its headquarters to College Avenue at the former law offices of Bunger and Robertson. It caused Hopscotch Coffee to suspend regular operations at its Madison Street location. The administrative offices at Bloomingfoods were submerged in water. Trinity Episcopal Church along Kirkwood saw three feet of standing water in the basement where the electrical panels are located.

WFHB News spoke with a local business on Madison Street and a church on Kirkwood Avenue to provide a glimpse into the impact of the flooding several weeks ago, many of which are still grappling with the cleanup efforts required to return to normal.

***

We begin at Hopscotch Coffee. Several weeks have passed since the flood. A sign in the window says “closed due to flood damage.”

Sandbags sit on the sidewalk outside the store. Jeff Grant, co-owner of Hopscotch, says the pile of sandbags are meant to prevent any more water from spilling into the coffee shop. He says they've since repainted the store.

Jeff stands busy, power washing the sidewalk outside the shop. He spares a moment to discuss the impact of the flooding. Grant talks about his initial reaction after receiving word that the store had flooded and cleanup efforts he took in order to prepare for reopening this upcoming weekend.

"My reaction was confusion," he says. "It looked like there had been an earthquake."

***

Jane Kupersmith, fellow co-owner of Hopscotch Coffee, spoke to WFHB News over the phone earlier this afternoon. Here is a transcription of that interview, which has been edited for brevity and clarity.

Q: Jane Kupersmith, co-owner of Hopscotch Coffee and Rainbow Bakery. Thank you so much for coming on to the WFHB Local News.

A: Yeah, thanks for the invitation.

Q: So first off, I wanted to talk about the flooding several weeks ago in downtown Bloomington and how it impacted you. So first off, how did the flooding impact the regular operations of Hopscotch Coffee?

A: With the flood, we had two feet of water in our Madison Street location, which is a retail point of sale for coffee drinks, but it's also the home of our small batch roaster, which we use to send coffee out to our other locations and Bloomingfoods and Inkwell Café. So when that location was hit, we just instantly had to shut down. It was very dramatic. And, you know, I say all this to speak about our experience, but it is also representative of what a lot of other businesses and individuals have been through. So I'm not trying to play my tiny violin, but just kind of trying to share with the community what happened. But so all of our equipment was pretty messed up, we had, you know, large chest coolers that had floated, and you know, tipped over all the contents were dumped everywhere, our roaster had been partially submerged and all of our refrigeration equipment there was submerged. A lot of paper goods, I mean, it was just trashed, it was really crazy. A lot of you know, goods that were stored in the back of the space were found in the front and vice versa. So, you know, it was really pretty awful. So since that day, you know, initially we have industrial cleaning crews that specialized in flood and fire damage. So they used industrial equipment to dry the space out, you know, randomly our neighbors at the Stanford engraving center had been working on some projects in their space. So they had a dumpster in our parking lot already. And they were very gracious and let us immediately use that.

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, June 30th, 2021.

Later in the program, WFHB News Director Kade Young speaks with Bloomington Parks and Recreation Director, Paula McDevitt, about reopening Old State Road 37 which runs through Lower Cascades Park. More coming up in today’s feature reports.

Also coming up in the next half hour, WFHB News speaks with Bradi Heaberlin - graduate student at Indiana University and community activist - about organizing a vigil on Saturday for Malik Ali Malik, a man who died after a police chase by Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies. More in today’s headlines.

But first, WFHB's Katherine Patterson has your local news brief:

Photo courtesy of University of Michigan.

Along with snacks, Go Carts and amusement rides, the COVID-19 vaccine will be offered at the Monroe County Fair that goes from today until July 4th. The vaccination clinic will be open from 3p.m to 9 p.m. Administrator of the Monroe County Health Department said, “Being fully vaccinated allows you more freedom and helps the community reach a higher level of immunity." The two shots offered at the fair will be the Pfizer vaccine of the Johnson & Johnson. The vaccine is free and registration is available online at ourshot.in.gov or by calling 866-211-9966. Walk-ins are accepted while vaccine supplies last.

The construction on Seventh Street due to a bike lane is anticipated to be completed by August 9, just before the return of IU students, according to a City of Bloomington press release. The lane will run east to west starting on the south side of East Seventh Street and connect to the B-Line Trail. This will provide a direct route from downtown to campus in the hopes of encouraging biking as a means of transportation. Due to this construction, there will now be a physical separation between cyclists and motorists due to a 16-inch wide cement divider.

A federal investigation into the Indiana Department of Education has been dismissed. There was concern that students with disabilities were unable to access equal opportunities when it came to education during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indiana. Federal law requires schools to provide “free appropriate public education” to every qualified student with a disability. The Office of Civil Rights opened the investigation in January after hearing unsettling reports that disabled students were forced by local school districts into “one size fits all” remote learning programs, rather than the individualized programs designed to meet their specific needs. After 6 months, the OCR said there was no evidence that the Indiana Department of Education is currently discriminating against students with disabilities.

Bradi Heaberlin Speaks on Vigil for Malik Ali Malik Last Saturday

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - JUNE 26: A group of family members and friends of Malik Malik stage a protest rally and vigil Saturday, June 26, 2021 at Peoples Park. The group then marched to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and back to demand body cam footage of Sheriff’s Deputies at the scene of Malik’s fatal crash in April be released. Malik was being pursued by deputies when his vehicle struck a tree at a high rate of speed and almost immediately caught fire. The sheriff’s office declined to release the body cam footage after a public records request, but did release a redacted crash report. Family members and friends of Malik are hoping the dash cam video will answer questions they have about Malik’s death. The Monroe County Coroner Joani Stalcup said Malik died from “hypoxia due to a flash fire.” “Hypoxia from a flash fire is when there is an explosion of intense heat/fire that literally sucks the oxygen out of the body,” said Stalcup. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)

On Saturday, people gathered for a vigil hosted by the Bloomington Young Democratic Socialists of A...

This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, June 29th, 2021.

Later in the program, WFHB Correspondent Max Campbell reports on a recently completed study on the criminal justice system in Monroe County. More coming up in today’s feature reports.

Also coming up in the next half hour, we have Artbeat - a monthly segment where Dr. Filiz Cicek interviews artists, activists and educators on their work. More in the bottom half of tonight’s program.

But first, your daily headlines:

Ellettsville Town Council

The Ellettsville Town Council discussed the June 18th floods at its June 28th meeting. Town Manager Mike Farmer talked about building gradual slopes on properties to help alleviate flooding. He said that the project will include all properties from 2nd Street to Sales Street.

Council member Wililam Ellis asked how long the project would take. Farmer estimated 8 to 12 months if they started immediately. Resident Carl Thurman wondered about the city’s progress on flood plans. He asked when the council would begin taking action.

Council member Scott Oldham recognized that residents were frustrated with progress on the flood plan. He said that the system was moving forward now that Ellettsville had a council willing to work on it.

The next Ellettsville Town Council meeting is on July 12th.

Bloomington Environmental Commission

The Bloomington Environmental Commission discussed parking at its June 24th meeting. Commissioner Andrew Guenther talked about eliminating the requirement that new buildings in Bloomington have a minimum amount of parking spaces. He said the requirement to build parking spaces goes against Bloomington’s goal to become more pedestrian-friendly.

City Planner Ben Sharaf suggested the Commission conduct a study on how much parking is left empty. He said the data will help convince council members.

Commissioner Donald Eggert asked how this change would affect public transportation. Guenther said he was conducting a study on the effects of eliminating minimum parking in Champaign, Illinois, to get a better idea of how it might affect Bloomington. The next scheduled meeting of the Environmental Commission is July 15th.

Feature Reports:

Up first, we have a roundup of yesterday’s local headlines from WFHB Correspondents Katherine Patterson and Alex Dederer.

WFHB Correspondent Max Campbell reports on a recently completed study on the criminal justice system in Monroe County. Max Campbell has more.

Up next, we have Artbeat, a monthly segment where Dr. Filiz Cicek interviews artists, activists and educators on their work. We turn to Dr. Cicek for more.

Credits:

You’ve been listening to the Daily Local News on WFHB,

Today’s headlines were written by Katherine Patterson and Jake Jacobson, in partnership with Cats - Community Access Television Services.

Our feature was produced by Max Campbell.

Artbeat is produced by Dr. Filiz Cicek

Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.

Engineer and Executive producer is Kade Young.

According to a recently completed study of incarceration and the local criminal justice system, Monroe County has uncovered a number of “critical issues” that “require urgent attention and remediation.” 

Initiated in 2019, the “cornerstone-purpose of this study was twofold: 1) gain a clearer understanding of jail conditions and court related practices, and 2) obtain recommendations for improving incarceration and court- related practices that would improve their effectiveness on behalf of the community if implemented.”

The findings of the study, consolidated into a single report, lead researchers to suggest that “The jail must be replaced with a facility that is designed prescriptively for sustainable cost-effectiveness, improved safety and security, and to accommodate the implementation of an array of best practices that improve inmate care and custody and reduce recidivism.”

In a special joint meeting this past Wednesday the board of county commissioners and the county council heard from experts Eve Hill and Dr. Kenneth Ray, both of whom were involved in the study and able to share their findings with the audience. Board of commissioners President Julie Thomas prefaced the guest speakers by briefly sharing the context that led this study to be conducted.

“Just a brief introduction about this report, and when we say report there is a written report available on our homepage co.monroe.in.us … in 2019 Monroe County engaged with a group of expert consultants in order to help us review every part of our county’s criminal justice system. The county commissioners, county council, prosecuting attorney, the sheriff, the board of judges, we all made a commitment to reform and review Monroe County’s criminal justice system. The justice system includes any public employee, from a public agency that engages with a person and that could be anything from an interaction by law enforcement, and if convicted through the end of probation, and everything in between. 

The consultants gathered data on corrections and the criminal justice system, our local social service agencies, and incorporated input from four community conversations that were held in the summer of 2019. Community justice mediation provided the framework for some of those very interesting conversations that we had and, of course, COVID provided us with a bit of a delay in getting this report completed. Those conversations with community members also informed our study…

And so tonight we have the opportunity to hear from Ms. Hill and Dr. Ray; they are going to explain what was learned in the study of Monroe County’s justice system as well as the county’s strengths and gaps analysis. This is a community meeting, so the public will have the opportunity to ask our consultants questions and to offer comments. We are all here to listen and learn.”

The meeting was organized to allow for a presentation of the study from Hill and Dr. Ray, with the following time set aside for questions and comments from community members in attendance. Hill and Dr. Ray, speaking first and second respectively, broke down their findings and explained how the data justified the recommendations contained within the reports.

“Our task was to look at what is leading people with mental illness and substance use disorders into jail in the first place and back into jail after initial incarcerations, and to explore opportunities for intervention other than arrest or detention for people with mental illness and substance abuse disorders. So we are looking at avoidance, detention, and avoiding recidivism. Importantly, our recommendations apply whether or not a new jail is built. These improvements will help Monroe County avoid simply refilling any new facility.

This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, June 28th, 2021.

Later in the program, WFHB Assistant News Director Jake Jacobson interviews Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton in our weekly segment - A Few Minutes with the Mayor. That’s coming up in today’s feature report.

Also coming up in the next half hour, the Monroe County Fair kicked off today after being closed last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic. More in today’s headlines.

But first, your local news brief:

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA - JUNE 26: A group of family members and friends of Malik Malik stage a protest rally and vigil Saturday, June 26, 2021 at Peoples Park. The group then marched to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office and back to demand body cam footage of Sheriff’s Deputies at the scene of Malik’s fatal crash in April be released. Malik was being pursued by deputies when his vehicle struck a tree at a high rate of speed and almost immediately caught fire. The sheriff’s office declined to release the body cam footage after a public records request, but did release a redacted crash report. Family members and friends of Malik are hoping the dash cam video will answer questions they have about Malik’s death. The Monroe County Coroner Joani Stalcup said Malik died from “hypoxia due to a flash fire.” “Hypoxia from a flash fire is when there is an explosion of intense heat/fire that literally sucks the oxygen out of the body,” said Stalcup. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)

On Saturday, people gathered to a vigil hosted by the Bloomington Young Democratic Socialists of America in Peoples Park for Malik Ali Malik - a man who died after a police chase by Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies.

According to The Herald-Times, Malik’s car collided with a tree and then caught on fire. Protestors at the vigil demanded Monroe County police to release the body camera footage. Those close to Malik then shared their favorite memories of him. Mother of Malik’s children, Barbara Dorman, said that she wants the body camera footage released to know if officers tried to help Malik get out of the burning car.

For those who would like to help in their efforts, they encouraged everyone to email the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and demand that the bodycam footage from Malik’s death is released.

The Annual Monroe County Fair is officially open today until July 4th. Adult admission is $3 per person, kids ages 6-12 are $2 and ages 5 and under are free, with free parking available all week. Fair activities will include animal shows, Go Carts, Laser Tag and a Carnival starting Tuesday.

After all of the water damage caused the past two weeks, the City of Bloomington is asking residents to use the number 812-349-3400 for any after-hours emergencies related to areas such as water, sewers and streets. City of Bloomington Utilities said their normally-used 24-hour phone line is currently non-functioning and their service provider has been contacted. The number again is 812-349-3400.

Coronavirus Press Conference

Photo courtesy of University of Michigan. 

Monroe County Health Administrator Penny Caudill discussed the Delta variants of COVID-19 at the June 25th Coronavirus press conference. She said that there are over 100 cases of the Delta variant confirmed in Bloomington. Caudill added that this was a minimum number, since not all cases are tested for variance.

Caudill also talked about the closure of the OptimServe testing site. She said the community testing site on South Morton Street will remain open through July, joining 8 other testing sites in Monroe County.

Indiana University Health President Brian Shockney added that the need for testing will continue to drop as more Hoosiers get their vaccines. I-U Representative Chuck Carney wrapped up by announcing that after July 2nd,

This is the WFHB Local News for Thursday, June 24th, 2021.

Later in the program, we have the latest edition of Civic Conversations - a podcast collaboration between WFHB and the League of Women Voters in Bloomington-Monroe County. More coming up in today’s feature reports. Also coming up in the next half hour, we have coverage on all of the latest government meetings in Bloomington and Monroe County. More coming up in today’s headlines.

But first, we turn to Katrine Bruner for today’s local news brief:

Photo courtesy of University of Michigan.

Updated today at 12 p.m. from the Indiana State Department of Health, there have been 213 positive COVID-19 cases and 6 deaths in the last 30 days. 39% of the state is fully vaccinated. In Monroe County, 45% of the population is fully vaccinated.

A Bloomington Transit administrative employee tested positive for COVID-19 this past Sunday, June 20th. No close contacts were identified among the employees coworkers or the public and the employee has not worked since symptoms started last Wednesday, June 16th. This is the tenth staff member over the last fifteen months to report a positive case.

Indiana is still requiring residents to wear a mask when on any public conveyances such as buses, airplanes, subways, taxis, and ubers.

***

Cook Medical will hold their annual electronic recycling event this Saturday, June 26th from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at their Profile Park facility at 500 N. Profile Pkwy. Cook will be partnering with Recycle Force, an e-waste organization based in Indianapolis and Big Boys Moving, a local moving company based in Bloomington. Both of these companies hire and help incarcerated individuals reentering the workforce.

External communications generalist at Cook, Hannah Chudleigh said that almost all electronics can be recycled at this event. This includes large appliances such as washers, dryers, televisions, and refrigerators.

More information can be found on Cook Medical’s Facebook page.

***

A nationwide study was conducted recently to compare how states in the US are doing in terms of COVID-19. The study compared transmission rates, hospitalizations, and who's eligible to be vaccinated and getting vaccinated. Indiana was found to be the 9th “least safe” state in the country, coming in 39th for vaccinations, 45th in deaths, and 33rd in hospitalizations. Idaho came in last and Vermont was deemed the “safest” state.

The first full moon of the summer and the last supermoon of 2021 rises tonight. The “strawberry” moon will begin being visible Thursday at 2:40 p.m. EDT and appear full for three days until early Saturday morning according to NASA.

A supermoon occurs when the moon is at its closest point to earth in its orbit, appearing bigger and brighter than normal. The term Strawberry moon comes from the moon being the last full moon of the spring or first of the summer, as a symbol of ripeness and a mark for people to reward themselves with the hard work they've put into life, relationships and careers.

Monroe County Comprehensive Criminal Justice Report 

The Monroe County Council and Board of Commissioners had a joint meeting to discuss the results of a comprehensive criminal justice report commissioned in 2019. At the June 23rd meeting, Principle of Inclusivity Consulting Eve Hill talked about overcrowding in Monroe County jails. She explained that people with mental illnesses and people arrested for substance abuse make up a majority of the incarcerated population.

Hill said the report made 20 recommendations, including the establishment of an overdose response team, and a focus on more permanent supportive housing. Commissioner Lee Jones showed concern that the current jail does not have the space to incorporate changes to in-jail practices.

Welcome to the June edition of Civic Conversations - a podcast collaboration between WFHB and the League of Women Voters in Bloomington-Monroe County.

Today’s episode of Civic Conversations focuses on climate change. Host Jim Allison speaks with Melissa Widhalm, Operations Manager of the Purdue University Climate Change Research Center.

Widhalm begins by talking about her work at the Purdue University Climate Change Research Center.

"The Purdue Climate Change Research Center really acts as a hub on the Purdue University campus for people who want to work across disciplines on issues relating to Earth's changing climate," said Widhalm.

She discussed state climate assessments and what exactly they are. She says that there are no standard practices for conducting them, which leads to variations from state-to-state on climate assessments.

"As for Indiana," she said, "we want to support non-scientists in furthering their awareness about climate change."

Widhalm discusses the lack of state-level attention to the issue of climate change, the impact of climate change on agriculture, alternative ways for energy consumption, Indiana wetlands and much more.

Melissa Widhalm is an Operations Manager for the Purdue Climate Change Research Center and the coordinator for the Indiana Climate Change Impacts Assessment. Ms. Widhalm oversees all aspects of the IN CCIA including public engagement, network building, report development, information dissemination, and strategic planning. She works closely with stakeholders and subject matter experts to ensure the IN CCIA is useful and accessible to decision makers and the public. (Photo courtesy of Purdue University).

Civic Conversations airs once a month on the WFHB Local News. You can find this program online or wherever you listen to your podcasts. Stay tuned for next month where host Jim Allison speaks with Jennifer Haan, Moms Demand, Indiana Chapter on reasonable gun control measures.

This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, June 23rd, 2021.

Later in the program, Perry Township is offering temporary relief for residents who no longer have a place to stay due to flooding over the weekend. In today’s feature reports, you will hear from Dan Combs, Perry Township Trustee, about the township’s effort to provide hotel rooms for displaced residents. Also coming up in the next half hour, we have coverage on the city’s decision to reopen the road that runs through Lower Cascades Park. More coming up in today’s headlines.

But first, your local news brief:

Photo courtesy of University of Michigan.

A man in Bloomington declared missing after the flooding on Friday was found dead on Sunday. Colton Booe, was found in the early morning by a search party consisting of family and friends according to a press release from the Bloomington Police Department. A friend Booe was with the night of the flood said that Booe tried to drive during the flood only to slide off the side of the road and hit an unknown object. Booe’s friend was able to escape through the car window. However, he couldn’t find Booe after that.

On Monday, eight students at Indiana University have sued over the vaccination mandate required to return to campus in the fall. They say it violates Indiana’s new law “Vaccine Passports” as well as the Fourteenth Amendment - “the right to bodily autonomy.” IU Spokesperson Chuck Carney told the Indiana Daily Student that he is “Confident [the university] will prevail in this case. The attorney general’s opinion affirmed our right to require the vaccine.”

This Monday was International Day of Yoga. Local Bloomington studios celebrated by offering free classes, hosting outdoor events and reflection. For those looking to get involved in yoga, The Hot Room, located on College Mall Road, will be offering a free yoga class to anyone who mentions the recent IDS article written about their work.

Bloomington Board of Public Works Discuss the Reopening of Old State Road 37 in Lower Cascades Park

Photo courtesy of Visit Bloomington.

Director of Public Works Adam Wason talked about the city’s recommendation to re-open the road through Lower Cascades Park at the June 22nd Bloomington Board of Public Works meeting. He revealed that accessibility and safety issues played a large part in the department’s decision.

Wason added the re-opening would include road maintenance and upgrades. He focused on changes aimed at making the road safer for pedestrians and cyclists.

City Council member Matt Flaherty expressed disappointment over the decision. He said the closure was an opportunity to create another safe route for cyclists and pedestrians around town, including a bike route to Bloomington High School North.

The next Board of Public Works meeting is on July 6th.

Board of Park Commissioners Vote to Reopen Road Running through Lower Cascades Park

Photo courtesy of Reddit.

The Bloomington Board of Park Commissioners voted on whether to re-open Old State Road 37 in Lower Cascades Parks. At the Jun 22nd meeting, Parks and Recreations Director Paula McDevitt expanded further on the City’s decision to re-open the road through Lower Cascades. She said the City had received hundreds of responses to surveys, which favored re-opening the road to vehicle traffic.

Commissioner Israel Herrera asked about damages caused by flash flooding. McDevitt revealed that parts of the road had been damaged and would be repaired. Resident Greg Alexander opposed re-opening the road to vehicle traffic. He cited Bloomington’s previous plans for Lower Cascades as a factor in his opposition.

Commissioners voted to approve the recommendation 3 to 0. The recommendation will return to the Board of Public Works at a future me...

This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, June 22nd, 2021.

Later in the program, WFHB Correspondent Max Campbell covers a webinar from Common Cause Indiana on voting rights and redistricting in the Hoosier state. That’s coming up in today’s feature reports. Also coming up in the next half hour, WFHB Correspondent Robert Robinson reports on a lawsuit filed by eight students against Indiana University over its vaccine mandate. More in today’s headlines.

But first, your local headlines:

Richland Bean Blossom School Board 

The Richland Bean Blossom School Board discussed leadership training sessions at its June 21st meeting. Superintendent Doctor Jerry Sanders presented an agreement with Solution Tree for two days of training in August. He explained that this partnership differs from past attempts to create a professional learning community by focusing on becoming part of staff culture.

Doctor Sanders added the Ready Schools initiative as another big change. He said establishing a P-L-C would help tie everything together.

Board member Larry DeMoss voiced concerns with the partnership. He said that, as a teacher who had been through such partnerships, he was worried it would just become another thing on teacher’s plates.

Board members voted to approve the partnership unanimously.

Local Emergency Flood Resources

BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – JUNE 18: Kirkwood is covered in water between Grant and Dunn after a flash flood Friday night, which left a large portion of downtown flooded. (Photo by Jeremy Hogan/The Bloomingtonian)

The Monroe County Emergency Management Office released a statement encouraging residents and business owners who have been affected by the June 19th flood to report their flood damage. Residents can report damage over the phone by calling 211, or online by visiting in211.org and clicking on the Monroe County Storm and Flood Damage Assessment button in the top bar.

The Red Cross has set up an emergency shelter for folks who have been displaced by flooding. The shelter is operating out of Bloomington High School North, at 3901 North Kinser Pike at the N-16 entrance. A spokesperson for the Red Cross said they had initially planned on closing the shelter today, but due to high demand, will be keeping it open until further notice. The shelter is providing meals and clothes for residents who need them, as well as some other services, such as counseling and medication replacement. For more information about the Red Cross shelter and its availability, call 888-684-1441.

Other organizations you can contact for help with flood relief include the Monroe County Emergency Management Office via phone at 812-349-2546 from 9 to 4 P-M, and the Community Organizations Active in Disaster in Monroe County via email at [email protected].

Students File Lawsuit against IU Over Vaccine Mandate

On Monday, a group of eight students filed a lawsuit against Indiana University over its mandatory vaccine policy for the 2021-2022 academic year.

The lawsuit alleges a wide range of violations in Indiana University’s policy, claiming that it violates Indiana’s vaccine “passport” law, violates the Fourteenth Amendment, defies state and local policies, and is unjustified by the risks posed by COVID.

The vaccine mandate was recommended by the Indiana University Restart Committee, charged by President Michael McRobbie with restoring Indiana University to normal pre-pandemic operations. Initially, the university intended to require proof of vaccination, but the decision was rescinded after Attorney General Todd Rokita advised that it would be illegal under state law. Now, Indiana University only requires a student attestation of receiving the...

With Indiana lawmakers set to reconvene at the end of the year to “approve new congressional and General Assembly districts,” nonpartisan organization Common Cause Indiana hosted a voting rights webinar this past week to educate Hoosiers on many aspects of redistricting across the state.

The state’s history of gerrymandering in the drawing of its districts has led both Indiana voters and a number of experts to call for an independent redistricting process, free of partisan influence, to ensure the protection of democratic processes within Indiana.

Hosting the event was Common Cause representative Julia Vaughn who opened the webinar with a brief update on the status of current redistricting efforts.

"The centerpiece of our redistricting work this year is the Indiana citizens redistricting commission or ICRC; this model redistricting commission is demonstrating how redistricting should be done in our state by a diverse and multi-partisan group of voters who have no direct interest in the outcome of the process. Our nine member model commission is made up of Democrats, Republicans, and people who don't align with any political party. They have held 10 virtual hearings to take public testimony, and to identify communities of interest around the state; almost 900 Hoosiers participated in those hearings. The information that was glean from the public testimony was compiled into a report that we send to the legislative leaders.

We are now seeking meetings with these legislators to discuss the reports and recommendations and ask for commitments to conduct redistricting in an open and transparent manner to provide real opportunities for public participation and to draw districts that prioritize the needs of voters and communities over politicians or political parties. You can help by sending our report to your state representative and state senator, and by sending to the Speaker of the House Todd Houston and President Pro Temp Rod Bray. Tell them you support the ICRC recommendations and want a commitment from them that they will only support new district maps there were drawn in an open and transparent process that is fair, impartial, and non-discriminatory."

The webinar included a panel of voting rights experts who shared with the public audience their combined decades of experience and expertise in this field. Members of the panel included Ami Gandhi, Senior Counsel at Chicago Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights, Bill Groth, an Indiana voting rights attorney, and Rod Bohannan an Indianapolis attorney and NAACP Indianapolis leader.

As the first panel member to speak during the webinar, Bill Groth reviewed the history of discrimination by means of gerrymandering in Indiana’s redistricting process. Groth discussed a number of legal cases over the past century that have marked significant decisions for in-state voting laws.

Next to speak was Ami Gandhi who offered her insight into why redistricting in Indiana is such an important issue.

"This process by which the state and local governments redraw the maps, every 10 years shape the power and shape methods by which we can hold our elected officials accountable. We've heard about how this happens once every 10 years based on census, and population data, and where the lines are drawn can determine where people can vote, who we can vote for, and how elected officials are responsive or not responsive to our requests as constituents, and the lines that will be drawn this year will lock in for many years what the political power structure will look like and the representation of respective ...