Sign in Subscribe

Dave Askins

Dave Askins

Bloomington, Indiana

Dave Askins is editor and publisher of The B Square Bulletin. A Hoosier native with a background in math and linguistics, he previously co-founded the Ann Arbor Chronicle with his wife, Mary Morgan.

Displaced again, homeless camp residents address Bloomington city council, mayor at public mic

Displaced again, homeless camp residents address Bloomington city council, mayor at public mic

On Wednesday, two weeks after Bloomington officials cleared a homeless encampment south of town, some of the residents who lived there addressed a meeting of the city council, which was also attended by the mayor. At least a dozen people, who either lived in a displaced encampment, or were there

Convention center expansion takes steps ahead with sharp words from 2 Bloomington councilmembers

Convention center expansion takes steps ahead with sharp words from 2 Bloomington councilmembers

On Wednesday, the planned expansion of the Monroe Convention Center was the focus of two important meetings. In the afternoon, Monroe County’s capital improvement board (CIB) heard presentations from three different hoteliers who responded to a request for proposals (RFP) to develop a hotel in connection with the convention

Bloomington mayor, city council try to tackle 2025 budget tensions ahead of Sept. 25 hearing

Bloomington mayor, city council try to tackle 2025 budget tensions ahead of Sept. 25 hearing

The city of Bloomington’s 2025 budget could get approved on the same schedule that currently appears on the calendar—with a city council vote on adoption set for Oct. 9, after a public hearing on Sept. 25. That’s based on the back-and-forth that came on Wednesday between Bloomington

Bloomington poised for public offering of Hopewell South land, security extended, fences reconfigured

Bloomington poised for public offering of Hopewell South land, security extended, fences reconfigured

At its regular Monday meeting, Bloomington’s redevelopment commission (RDC) took care of three relatively low-cost items related to the Hopewell project, as it prepares to consider a public offering for some of the land. Those relatively low-cost items involved security patrols, a security fencing reconfiguration, and an electrical contract

Analysis: Will Bloomington’s city council, mayor mend discord in time to adopt the 2025 budget?

Analysis: Will Bloomington’s city council, mayor mend discord in time to adopt the 2025 budget?

Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson’s formal presentation to the city council of the city’s 2025 budget will be made in about three weeks, on Sept. 25. The vote on the budget is currently scheduled for Oct. 9. It is the first city budget for Thomson, who was sworn into

Weekly protest against ‘expressive activity’ policy at IU Bloomington kicks off September

Weekly protest against ‘expressive activity’ policy at IU Bloomington kicks off September

At 11 p.m. on Sunday night, the first day of September, around 80 people gathered for a candlelight vigil at Indiana University’s Sample Gates, where Kirkwood Avenue dead ends at the western edge of the Bloomington campus. It was the second, now weekly, vigil that has been organized

Analysis | Setting salaries in Bloomington city government: Unpacking roles of mayor, council, clerk

Analysis | Setting salaries in Bloomington city government: Unpacking roles of mayor, council, clerk

Thursday was the fourth day in a row for the Bloomington city council to hear from different units within the city about their 2025 budget proposals. Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson had released the proposed budget the previous week. The week’s presentations included all the departments of the city as