8th Street & Walnut Street (alley)

Bloomington Transit has launched tap-to-pay with credit cards as a fare payment option, along with a redesigned Route 16, combining former Routes 3 West and 13 for west side service. A Monday test ride showed light midday ridership but on-time performance after a late start.

Bloomington’s curbside rates for trash pickup could rise sharply as sanitation costs outpace user fees. A city council fiscal committee discussed phased increases, possible recycling charges and whether more costs should be covered by users, but endorsed no specific plan.

Today's edition includes reports about Mayor Kerry Thomson’s Kirkwood veto decision process, $500K in Jack Hopkins grants, Lynn Coyne’s planning-director appointment, a new city-county jail-site working group, and Seminary Pointe demolition notices amid land-swap hopes.