Aug. 21, 2025: Mold, annexation, eviction, weekend weather
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Weather
Based on the National Weather Service forecast in text and charts here’s some advice.
Thursday: Go ahead and wear a shirt with long sleeves for warmth, but the 65F° temperature that starts off today does not make it anywhere close to cool enough to wear a corduroy jacket with elbow patches. We’re in that awkward spot when summer is over, but fall has not started. The daytime high will hit 79F° and if you wear a jacket, you will have to remove it at some point, and then you’ll leave it somewhere, and it will be another one of those countless corduroy jackets with elbow patches that clogs every lost-and-found in Bloomington. Don’t worry about getting wet, it’s not gonna rain, even if it’s a little cloudy all day.
Friday, Saturday: Figure out how you are going to use Friday to start off a three-day run of perfect sunny and mostly clear but not-to-hot weather. The season start of high school football on Friday night will follow an afternoon that sees a high of just 84F°. Pridefest on Kirkwood Avenue, from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday will take place under mostly clear skies with a high of 85F°. Sunday’s high will reach just 78F° followed by another sunny and clear day on Monday, the start of Indiana University classes, which will see a high of just 75F°.
Sign up for weather alerts: Monroe County emergency alert system.
Roundup of recent articles
- Appeals judges press attorneys in Bloomington annexation on “urbanized” test, property owner best interests. Bloomington’s effort that began in 2017 to annex several territories into the city continued on Tuesday in front of Indiana’s court of appeals. For a total of about 40 minutes on Tuesday morning, a three-judge panel quizzed the attorneys for Bloomington and for annexation opponents.
- Mold treatment closes Monroe County government buildings. At 12:17 p.m. Tuesday (Aug. 19) Monroe County’s emergency alert system sent a text to subscribers saying the Monroe County Justice Building and other facilities would be closed for the rest of the day, and through Thursday. It’s to allow for clean up of mold previously known to be in the buildings.
- Tenant questions eviction deadline on land donated to Monroe County for recreation: “I’m still trying to find somewhere to go, and no luck so far.”. The tenants of rental properties on the land that the Monroe County government now owns were given notice by the county that their month-to-month leases were being terminated. The tenants would prefer to stay. The county government’s legal position is that it has no choice but to make them leave.
On the calendar
Mold Radon inspections. On the 10 a.m. Thursday (Aug. 21) meeting agenda for Monroe County commissioners is a $26,000 contract with VET Environmental Engineering for routine mold radon inspections at the county’s justice center, Johnson Hardware building (aka Election Central), the health building, and the courthouse. According to the meeting information packet, the contract covers 23 monthly inspections of the site-specific mitigation system components that have been installed, among other things. .
In response to a complaint made on Aug. 4 about “mold and mildew in the upper levels of the [justice] building that seeps down through the ceiling and drips onto the desks and workspaces” that was sent to Indiana OSHA, the state agency sent Monroe County a letter dated Aug. 12 advising about the hazards related to mold and describing options for dealing with mold. But IOSHA’s letter says, “This letter is not an IOSHA citation or notification of proposed penalties or fines, ...” The letter adds, “IOSHA is not planning to conduct an inspection at this time.”
Related to workplace environmental hazards in the county government: In response to a complaint made on Aug. 4 about “mold and mildew in the upper levels of the [justice] building that seeps down through the ceiling and drips onto the desks and workspaces” that was sent to Indiana OSHA, the state agency sent Monroe County a letter dated Aug. 12 advising about the hazards related to mold and describing options for dealing with mold. But IOSHA’s letter says, “This letter is not an IOSHA citation or notification of proposed penalties or fines, ...” The letter adds, “IOSHA is not planning to conduct an inspection at this time.”
Monroe County received a sampling report from VET dated Aug. 12 that said three indoor locations for air sampling in the justice building showed normal mold levels, but one sample from Room C06 had elevated Aspergillus/Penicillium spores, even though the “total fungi ecology” levels were still comparable to outdoor air. Surface testing of ceiling tiles and a stairwell found Alternaria and Aspergillus/Penicillium at high levels in Judge Harvey’s Office and Room 321, and high Aspergillus/Penicillium plus some Cladosporium in the north staircase.
Pridefest. The 12th annual Bloomington Pridefest takes place from 2 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Kirkwood Avenue on Saturday (Aug. 23). Among the events, right off Kirkwood on the courthouse square is Pride Night, at Gather, starting at 6 p.m. where you can make your own rainbow crafts, including a DIY cocktail.
Toe-Tappin’ with the Bloomington Jazz Orchestra. This event is hosted by the Bloomington Symphony Orchestra at Switchyard Park on Aug. 24 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. From the BSO: "Sit back to enjoy some hot jazz on a summer evening as we groove with our friends from the Bloomington Jazz Orchestra, and dance along with the Swing Dance Club at Indiana University. Featuring music of Basie, Gershwin, Ellington and others, this concert will really put the swing in your step!" But the best part is the Instrument Petting Zoo for kids of all ages, which starts a 6 p.m.
Tire amnesty day. The Monroe County waste reduction district is holding a tire amnesty day so that Monroe County residents can dispose of tires in an environmentally responsible manner, for free. Restrictions apply to certain types of tires. Tire collection will be held Saturday Sept. 6 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Monroe County Fairgrounds, 5700 W. Airport Rd, in Bloomington. A maximum of eight tires will be allowed per vehicle per trip. Monroe County residents only. No commercial haulers, businesses, churches, schools, landlords, etc.
Lake Monroe Day: Sept. 14. The fundraiser will be held at the Fields Clubhouse (1333 S. Fenbrook Lane) from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. From the Friends of Lake Monroe: “Attendees can mingle with other lake supporters and be treated to appetizers from One World Enterprises, music by King Bee and the Stingers, a wine pull, and brief updates from the organization working to protect Lake Monroe. Tickets are $30 for members, $35 for non-members, and $220 for a table of eight.”
Taste of Tibet: Sept. 20. Note that this date is corrected from a previous listing! The buffet starts at 6 p.m. (RSVP is requested). A guided tour of the monastery will be available during the open house from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. on same day. The buffet will include traditional Tibetan delicacies like momos, Pingsha, Alu khatsa, and Tibetan butter tea prepared by the monks.
Meet Jack!
This very, very good boy is a shepherd and husky mix. Here’s what the shelter staff have written about Jack:
Jack prides himself on being a jack of all trades; he enjoys some zoomies, a little bit of fetch, and always a few minutes of pets! His brain is speedy and he craves anything he can do to keep his mind busy. He's a puzzle expert and would love to work on creating a spreadsheet to rate the best ones with you. Jack is also house-trained and does very well in his crate! Jack would like to be the center of your attention, but can be happy with dog siblings that can match his rowdy puppy play style, or dog savvy cats that know how to set boundaries with excitable pups.
Photo Finish: 6th Street & Walnut Street
A pin oak (Quercus palustris) appears to have succumbed to stress from thunderstorm wind gusts earlier in the day, splitting down its trunk and sending branches crashing down on parked cars, which sustained damage. There are no known injuries at this time. Several appointed and elected officials are here—the branches fell during a county plan commission meeting in the Nat U. Hill Room of the county courthouse. The commission finished its business. It looked like crews from city street division and the county highway department were working to clear debris. (Dave Askins, Aug. 19, 2025)
The Photo Finish items are drawn from the B There section of the B Square website.
The geographic coverage of the B There section is pretty limited. Please consider occasionally contributing to the B There section some brief factual observations about the world outside your own head, as you go about your normal business. (Photos are optional for B There.) The mechanics of making a contribution are pretty straightforward—just let me know if you’d like to learn the ins and outs. If you’re looking at this bulletin in your email inbox, you should be able to reach me by hitting Reply.
Thanks for reading. I hope you have a good weekend!
Dave Askins
734-645-2633
dave@bsquarebulletin.com
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