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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.

Bloomington alters zoning to reduce monoliths, spur affordability; city council could push more tweaks

Bloomington alters zoning to reduce monoliths, spur affordability; city council could push more tweaks

At its Wednesday meeting, Bloomington’s city council approved a raft of changes to the city’s unified development ordinance (UDO) that were in many cases purely technical in nature. But some of the changes were meant to support specific policy goals— like preventing massive buildings that have been called

Court of appeals: Bloomington mayor’s pick for plan commission valid, not GOP county chair’s

Court of appeals: Bloomington mayor’s pick for plan commission valid, not GOP county chair’s

In a ruling issued Friday morning, Indiana’s court of appeals reversed the decision of a lower court that found Andrew Guenther had been rightfully appointed to Bloomington’s plan commission seat in spring 2020 by then-chair of the Monroe County GOP William Ellis. The court of appeals found

Police contract with 13% initial raise OK’d by Bloomington city council

Police contract with 13% initial raise OK’d by Bloomington city council

On a unanimous vote, Bloomington’s city council has approved a new labor agreement with its police union, which has been unsigned since it was ratified in early March by a vote of the FOP Lodge 88. The council’s action came at its regular meeting on Wednesday. The highlight

BT Roundup: mid-June for Uber/Lyft night runs, new bus routes in August, strategic plan contract OK’d, 8 new electric buses requested, still 14 drivers short

BT Roundup: mid-June for Uber/Lyft night runs, new bus routes in August, strategic plan contract OK’d, 8 new electric buses requested, still 14 drivers short

Bloomington Transit (BT) is confronting several short-term challenges even as it looks ahead to a future flush with new revenue. The new revenue will come from the city of Bloomington’s planned allocation to BT using some of extra money from the local income tax increase that was enacted

Bloomington OKs 213 new apartments, 340 bedrooms on north side

Bloomington OKs 213 new apartments, 340 bedrooms on north side

At its Monday evening meeting, Bloomington’s plan commission approved the site plan for the construction of 213 new apartments on the northeast side of the roundabout at 17th Street and Arlington Road. The project to be built by MHG Apartments takes up about 7 acres of land, which is

Pandemic news: Monroe County could see “medium” level of community spread on next map update

Pandemic news: Monroe County could see “medium” level of community spread on next map update

The number of daily COVID-19 cases recorded in Monroe County has grown steadily in the second week of May after leveling off in late April. Through May 13, the rolling 7-day average of daily cases in Monroe County stands at about 42. That is greater than 39.9—

Bloomington announcement on broadband fiber deal leaves some questions unanswered

Bloomington announcement on broadband fiber deal leaves some questions unanswered

It’s a planned $50 million investment to create a fiber-to-the-home network for most of Bloomington. That’s the way an announcement from Bloomington mayor John Hamilton’s office on Friday afternoon framed some local broadband internet access news. According to the city of Bloomington news release,