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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.

Photo: Hawk perched on top of courthouse wishes Monroe County a Happy Earth Day

Photo: Hawk perched on top of courthouse wishes Monroe County a Happy Earth Day

Early Friday afternoon, a red-tailed hawk perched for a minute on top of the Monroe County courthouse weathervane in downtown Bloomington. It could have been surveying the work that’s being done to renovate the Alexander Memorial on the southeast corner of the square. Or it might have been

Striking IU grad student instructors pedal a lap through Bloomington’s downtown

Striking IU grad student instructors pedal a lap through Bloomington’s downtown

Around 12:45 p.m. on Friday, about 60 bicyclists pedaled north on Walnut Street past the Monroe County courthouse with printed signs affixed to their machines that said, “ON STRIKE For Union Recognition.” The chanted slogans like “What do we want? Union! When do we want it? Now!” They

Photos: Measuring out the Alexander Memorial, as new panels get installed

Photos: Measuring out the Alexander Memorial, as new panels get installed

Work on the restoration of the Alexander Memorial at the southeast corner of the courthouse square continues. On Thursday morning (April 21), the first of the newly milled limestone panels were put into place by the crew from Wells Masonry. It is tedious work. The tolerances are small, and the

Local income tax increase postponed by Bloomington city council until April 27, but $11.6M in bonds OK’d

Local income tax increase postponed by Bloomington city council until April 27, but $11.6M in bonds OK’d

Bloomington’s city council has postponed its decision on an increase to Monroe County’s local income tax (LIT) rate. On Wednesday, the vote on the motion to postpone was 8–1 with Steve Volan dissenting. The council will take up the matter again a week from Wednesday, at a

Bloomington Transit set for Uber/Lyft pilot in May, to send city council memo on local income tax increase

Bloomington Transit set for Uber/Lyft pilot in May, to send city council memo on local income tax increase

On Tuesday night, the five-member Bloomington Transit (BT) board voted unanimously to go ahead with a pilot program starting in early May that will use Uber or Lyft—with a subsidy for the rides taken under BT’s banner—to replace late night service on some existing routes. The

Opinion: Local income tax increase, a way to heal rift between Bloomington, other stakeholders?

Opinion: Local income tax increase, a way to heal rift between Bloomington, other stakeholders?

On Wednesday, Bloomington’s city council could take a final vote that would enact an increase to the local income tax (LIT) that is paid by all residents of Monroe County, whether they live inside the city limits or not. Bloomington mayor John Hamilton has proposed an increase of 0.

Trades District garage lines up software company as commercial space tenant: Exclaimer

Trades District garage lines up software company as commercial space tenant: Exclaimer

The first tenant of the commercial space that was built on the ground floor of the new 350-space Trades District parking garage will be a software company called Exclaimer. Bloomington’s redevelopment commission (RDC) approved a draft lease for the 4,059-square-foot space at its regular Monday