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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.

Column: Bloomington’s next mayor should routinely field questions in public from residents, press

Column: Bloomington’s next mayor should routinely field questions in public from residents, press

Should the mayor of Bloomington hold a monthly news conference, where any resident or member of the press can ask a question on any topic? Incumbent mayor John Hamilton does not appear to think it’s very important to make himself available like that. No such news conference has been

Parking notebook: Fully staffed enforcement crews mean more tickets in downtown Bloomington

Parking notebook: Fully staffed enforcement crews mean more tickets in downtown Bloomington

Anecdotally, the number of parking tickets visible on windshields in downtown Bloomington over the last couple of months has increased. It’s not just a gut feel. Based on data provided by the Bloomington city clerk’s office, in January of this year 4,550 parking citations were issued by

A decision to withdraw: Democratic Party city council candidate under investigation over residency

A decision to withdraw: Democratic Party city council candidate under investigation over residency

“David [Wolfe Bender] has decided to withdraw his candidacy for Bloomington Common Council District 6.” That’s the opening line of a letter received by Monroe County’s election board from Bender’s attorney, Manny Herceg, with the Taft-Jaffe law firm. An Indiana University student, Bender is the sole

No gambits played by Bloomington city council: Doris Sims to be appointed to new city nonprofit board

No gambits played by Bloomington city council: Doris Sims to be appointed to new city nonprofit board

Doris Sims is the Bloomington city council’s appointee to the five-member board of City of Bloomington Capital Improvement, Inc. (CBCI)—the new nonprofit recently formed by mayor John Hamilton’s administration. Sims is former director of Bloomington’s housing and neighborhood development (HAND) department. She retired from that

DLZ gets initial nod from Monroe County for new jail design, vote 2 weeks away

DLZ gets initial nod from Monroe County for new jail design, vote 2 weeks away

The final decision has not been made, but DLZ is likely to be the firm that Monroe County uses to master plan and design a new jail facility. At a Wednesday morning work session, Monroe County commissioners received a brief report from a committee that they created to review three

Planning notebook: Former Great Wall restaurant site could be home to 426 college students

Planning notebook: Former Great Wall restaurant site could be home to 426 college students

The property where The Great Wall restaurant formerly stood on North Walnut Street, across from the northern tip of Miller-Showers Park, is now the site of a proposed 8-story student-oriented apartment building. The building would include a mix of 3-bedroom, 4-bedroom and 5-bedroom apartments,

Advice on choice for new jail design-build firm to be heard by Monroe County commissioners, justice response committee still struggling

Advice on choice for new jail design-build firm to be heard by Monroe County commissioners, justice response committee still struggling

At their work session this Wednesday (March 8), Monroe County commissioners are supposed to receive a recommendation on which of three firms to select, to design and build a new jail. The three firms responded to a request for proposals (RFQ) issued by the commissioners. Reviewing and scoring the three