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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.

Stay granted: GOP pick for Bloomington plan commission won’t be seated pending appeal

Andrew Guenther will not be serving as a Bloomington plan commissioner—at least not for the next several months—even though a mid-November order from special judge Erik Allen installed him in a plan commission seat effective immediately. On Monday morning, Allen granted a request from the city of Bloomington

Private security checks in Bloomington park OK’d through January pending new, broader contract

Private security checks in Bloomington park OK’d through January pending new, broader contract

At its meeting last week, Bloomington’s board of park commissioners approved what city staff called a stopgap contract with Marshall Security, extending the current arrangement covering Switchyard Park through January 2022. The contract extension approved on Tuesday last week is for $7,161. The source of the money is

Monroe County innkeeper’s tax revenue booming, due in part to ‘revenge travel’

Monroe County innkeeper’s tax revenue booming, due in part to ‘revenge travel’

Based on recent monthly numbers for innkeeper’s tax revenue, Monroe County’s tourism industry is back on track after getting hit hard by the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. On Friday, the revenues from the county’s 5-percent innkeeper’s tax were reported by Mike Campbell at a meeting of the

Monroe County commissioners ask to be paid $18K more, on par with other electeds: $67,158

Monroe County commissioners ask to be paid $18K more, on par with other electeds: $67,158

On the agenda for the Tuesday, Dec. 14 meeting of the Monroe County council is a request from the three county commissioners to increase their 2022 salary from the amount approved two weeks earlier. The requested adjustment to the already-approved 2022 salary ordinance would increase commissioner pay from $48,886

Monroe County sees COVID-19 cases rise: “…could be our worst surge yet—it’s terrible.”

Monroe County sees COVID-19 cases rise: “…could be our worst surge yet—it’s terrible.”

At Friday’s news conference of local leaders on COVID-19 pandemic response, Bloomington mayor John Hamilton reacted to the relatively positive picture that Indiana University health officer Aaron Carroll had just painted about the situation on campus. “I’m really just echoing what Dr. Carroll said, which is: Probably one

Can Monroe County commissioners, election board bury beefs before 2022?

Can Monroe County commissioners, election board bury beefs before 2022?

Towards the start of their Wednesday meeting this week, the three Monroe County commissioners responded in turn to remarks made by county clerk Nicole Browne at last week’s election board meeting. Commissioner Penny Githens led off, “To hear ourselves and to hear people in our office called liars and

Finishing touches on 4th Street parking garage—from pretty to practical

Finishing touches on 4th Street parking garage—from pretty to practical

Bloomington’s new 540-space parking garage on 4th Street has been open for people to park there since Aug. 23. Since then, elements like the payment system and solar panels have been installed. On Wednesday, the installation of the public artwork called “Urban Fabric” resumed after a two-day pause, in