Aug. 20, 2026: North-South football kickoff; transit board, Keolis vote; county clerk office repairs; 2027 budget gap; alleycat race

Civic Solver

We’re skipping the puzzle this week, because we just ran out of time. We hope to have a new one for you next week.

Weather Talk

Based on the National Weather Service forecast in text and charts here’s some advice.

Thursday: Slow down. There could be patchy fog before 8 a.m. No need to bring rain gear, but know that there’s a chance of a random shower or thunderstorm before 2pm. Generally it’s expected to be partly sunny, with a high near 82F°.

Friday: Slow down even more. There could be patchy fog before 8 a.m. No worries about rain. Wear something that lets everyone know you are headed to the high school football season opener between North and South with a kickoff at 7 p.m. at North’s field. The high will be near 83F°.

Sign up for weather alerts: Monroe County emergency alert system

Recent articles

• Crosstown kickoff: Bloomington North, South meet to open 2026 football season.  Bloomington North and South open the 2026 football season Friday at North in the 69th meeting of the crosstown rivalry. North enters with new coach Andy Harding and a new conference, while South returns head coach Gabe Johnson and senior quarterback Duncan Combs. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
• Bloomington Transit board pick hangs in balance before Sept. 15 vote on management firm.  The paths for two decisions are now running in parallel: Bloomington Transit’s Sept. 15 vote on a Keolis management contract, and a city council decision on Kent McDaniel’s board seat. McDaniel plans to vote no next month, but whether he gets to cast that vote could depend on council action.
• Monroe County clerk services move for condensation repairs.  The Monroe County clerk’s office will perform its public-facing functions in other locations for two weeks as crews address condensation from uninsulated ductwork. Payments will be handled on the child-support side, while in-person court filings are expected to move to the a judges conference room.
• Mayor: Transit payment, election costs account for nearly all of Bloomington’s 2027 budget gap.  Bloomington’s proposed 2027 budget continues a four-year reduction in its planned general fund shortfall. Mayor Kerry Thomson says a final $3.8M payment to Bloomington Transit and $650K for municipal elections account for nearly all of the remaining operating gap.
• Initial report: Monroe County clerk’s office closed due to condensation into light fixtures.  Monroe County’s clerk’s office closed Monday after condensation from unwrapped pipes sent water through the justice building ceiling and into light fixtures. Employees reported popping sounds. The incident follows recent sewage, drain-cleaner and HVAC problems at the aging building in downtown.
• Manifest celebration of community: Alleycat bicycle riders race through Bloomington.  Saturday’s alleycat bicycle race hosted by Bloomington Homes for All sent riders racing across town, where checkpoints involved bike repair, potato tossing, SCOBY eating, drawing and academic card trading. The sweaty afternoon ended at Friendly Beasts Cider Company.

On the calendar

Public health nurses. On the 10 a.m. Thursday (Aug. 20) meeting agenda for the Monroe County commissioners is a discussion about a Monroe County Health Department agreement with Amergis Healthcare Staffing for supplemental temporary health-care staffing. Under the agreement, Amergis could supply registered nurses at $65 an hour, licensed practical nurses at $55 an hour and medical assistants at $37 an hour, with assignments generally lasting at least 90 days or 13 weeks and rates increasing 3% annually.

Pridefest: Aug. 22. The 13th annual Bloomington Pridefest takes over Kirkwood Avenue on Saturday (Aug. 22), bringing thousands of people downtown for a celebration of LGBTQ+ lives and community. The festival, Bloomington PRIDE’s annual fundraiser, features entertainers, vendors and community organizations.

Get your Bloomington bearings on a bike—a tour where only the wheel truth about cool local places will be spoken: Aug. 25. Tuesday’s (Aug. 25) slow-paced community ride meets up at Showalter Fountain, and runs 5–7 p.m., showing off comfortable routes around town for students, newcomers and longtime residents alike. Along the way: local stops, Bloomington bike know-how and pedal-powered smoothies. A limited number of loaner bikes are available with advance registration.

Actual ice cream for Traffic Cones: Aug. 26! Hats off to Bloomington’s planning and transportation crew for the greatest name and concept for a public engagement event ever. Free ice cream from Chocolate Moose just for talking about traffic! From the official announcement: “Curious about bike lanes, sidewalks, transit, traffic safety, trails, or future projects? Stop by and chat with a City planner over ice cream! ... As a thank you for stopping by, you’ll receive a free ice cream from Chocolate Moose. This event is part of the City’s August safety week.” The event runs from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard Garden Gala: Aug. 28. Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard will hold its annual Garden Gala fundraiser Friday, Aug. 28, from 6:30–9 p.m. at 1100 W. Allen St. The evening will include a light dinner, drinks, live music by Don’t Call Me Betty, a photo booth, community art projects and a raffle featuring prizes from local businesses. Tickets cost $45, with sponsored tickets also available for community members. Proceeds support MHC’s accessible garden and kitchen education programs.

Secretly 30th Anniversary: Magnolia & Johnson Electric: Aug. 27. Magnolia & Johnson Electric Co., Early Day Miners and June Panic perform Thursday, Aug. 27, at the Bluebird, 216 N. Walnut St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; music starts at 7:30 p.m. Ages 21 and older: tickets.

Secretly 30th Anniversary: Sharon Van Etten and Kevin Morby: Aug. 28. Sharon Van Etten, Kevin Morby and Jordan Patterson perform Friday, Aug. 28, at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave. Doors open at 6 p.m.; music starts at 7 p.m. All ages: tickets.

Secretly 30th Anniversary: Durand Jones & The Indications: Aug. 29. Durand Jones & The Indications, Jensen McRae and Angela Autumn perform Saturday, Aug. 29, at Switchyard Park, 1601 S. Rogers St. Doors open at 5 p.m.; music starts at 6 p.m. All ages: tickets.

New Leaf New Life benefit book event: Sept. 23. Authors Chastidy Mader, Ryan Mader, Nordia McNish and Trunnis Goggins II will discuss resilience, recovery, purpose and second chances Wednesday, Sept. 23, from 6–8 p.m. at Redbud Books, 408 W. Kirkwood Ave. Tickets cost $20, with $12 from each ticket benefiting New Leaf New Life, which supports people affected by incarceration and reentry.

Meet Yoda!

Very, very good, this husky-border collie boy is. Here’s what the shelter staff have written about Yoda:

In a foster home; please call 812-349-3492 for more information. Yoda like his namesake has big beautiful ears! He can be a bit shy meeting new people but Yoda loves sniffing and checking out the yard. He also enjoys meeting other dogs and doing tricks for tasty treats!

Photo Finish: Courthouse square

The Photo Finish items are drawn from the B There section of the B Square website.

Thanks for reading. I hope you have a great weekend!

Dave Askins
734-645-2633
dave@bsquarebulletin.com

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