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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.

Next iteration of Monroe County restaurant inspections now online

Next iteration of Monroe County restaurant inspections now online

On Tuesday, Monroe County’s health department released its next iteration of online restaurant inspections. The 34 inspections completed in January are now available through Monroe County’s OpenGov interface. In January, 22 restaurants had zero violations: Arby’s #5679, Bowls 4 Boots, Café Pizzaria Inc., Circle S Food Mart

Bloomington city council notes: New sidewalks OK’d, but Kirkwood closure, parklets delayed for 2 weeks

Bloomington city council notes: New sidewalks OK’d, but Kirkwood closure, parklets delayed for 2 weeks

Two sidewalk projects are supposed to get constructed and another two designed in 2023, based on the Bloomington city council’s approval of its sidewalk committee recommendations at Wednesday night’s meeting. In other business, the city council postponed for two weeks its approval of what has become an annual

Bats, bullets, bow-wows: Regular board of public works business includes briefing on full shelter

Bats, bullets, bow-wows: Regular board of public works business includes briefing on full shelter

[Ed. note: As of Tuesday, all of the very good boys and girls in the photos above are available for adoption at the Bloomington’s animal shelter.] “If you’re looking for that furr-ever, friend, we have them down at the shelter right now,” public works director Adam Wason reported

Health board member removed by Monroe County commissioners before she could resign

Health board member removed by Monroe County commissioners before she could resign

When the Monroe County board of health convened its regular meeting last Thursday (Feb. 9), Sarah Ryterband was seated at the table, instead of Ashley Cranor. Ryterband had been appointed to the board of health, as the replacement for Cranor, just the day before—by the county board of commissioners

Bloomington mayor announces extras for fire, police like $100K housing loan with annual report: violent crime up, property crime down, fire response slower

Bloomington mayor announces extras for fire, police like $100K housing loan with annual report: violent crime up, property crime down, fire response slower

At last Thursday’s unveiling of the city’s annual public safety report for 2022, Bloomington mayor John Hamilton took the occasion to announce a few new incentives that are meant to help recruit and retain firefighters and police officers. Among those incentives is a $100,000 no-interest housing down

Vignette from Black Market at Bloomington city hall: New nonprofit aims to close equity gap in science ed

Vignette from Black Market at Bloomington city hall: New nonprofit aims to close equity gap in science ed

On Saturday, the city of Bloomington hosted a “Black Market” at city hall as part of its celebration of Black History Month. The event was an homage to the Black Market of the late 1960s, which was firebombed by a man with ties to the Ku Klux Klan. The market

Map of racially restrictive covenants released by Monroe County recorder

Map of racially restrictive covenants released by Monroe County recorder

“None of the above tract of land is to be ever sold to colored people.” That is the text of a covenant recorded on a deed dated Nov. 6, 1912 for some land located at the northwest corner of 17th Street and College Avenue in Bloomington, Indiana. A point in