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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: Meetings better for in-person attendees, if a remote connection is provided

Column: Meetings better for in-person attendees, if a remote connection is provided

I attended an in-person government meeting on Tuesday, but logged in to the remote Zoom connection anyway. And I’m glad I did. Why? I was able to hear and see better than I could have, by just sitting there listening and looking, without being logged in to Zoom. Here’

Required occupancy affidavits for renters OK’d by Bloomington city council, but city’s HAND department won’t maintain records

Required occupancy affidavits for renters OK’d by Bloomington city council, but city’s HAND department won’t maintain records

On a 5–3 vote on Wednesday night, Bloomington’s city council approved a new local law that requires landlords to sign and maintain an affidavit that lists the occupants of their rental properties. The basic law applies just to those buildings with four or fewer rental units. Tenants also

Bloomington mayor to US Army: “I agree that you may conduct urban military training in our community.”

Bloomington mayor to US Army: “I agree that you may conduct urban military training in our community.”

On Wednesday, an undated letter from Bloomington mayor John Hamilton to officers in the US military, was released by the city of Bloomington in response to a records request made under Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act (APRA). The APRA requests were made by The B Square in connection

Bloomington public bus drivers needed, Route 8 could see “microtransit” pilot

Bloomington public bus drivers needed, Route 8 could see “microtransit” pilot

Bloomington Transit (BT) has a critical need for more drivers in the fall, when Indiana University’s normal fall semester starts. And fixed-route service on Route 8 could see a one-year experimental replacement in September—with a combination of service provided through BT by Uber and Lyft. Those were two

Monroe County commissioner: “Indeed, the county is celebrating Juneteenth. The county will be closed on Friday.”

Monroe County commissioner: “Indeed, the county is celebrating Juneteenth. The county will be closed on Friday.”

Responding to a question during public commentary at the start of Wednesday morning’s board of commissioners meeting, president Julie Thomas cleared up any uncertainty about the “Holiday Closing” that’s listed on the county’s official calendar for this Friday. Thomas said, “Indeed, the county is celebrating Juneteenth. The

Requested tweaks to zoning for 340-bedroom mixed-use project on east side to be weighed by Bloomington city council

Requested tweaks to zoning for 340-bedroom mixed-use project on east side to be weighed by Bloomington city council

In the pre-pandemic times of early February 2020, Bloomington’s city council approved the planned unit development (PUD) zoning for the 3.2-acre empty lot at the northwest corner of Pete Ellis Drive and Longview Avenue. The lot is not yet developed with the project that the new zoning allowed:

Old Colonial Crest apartments in north Bloomington to be demolished, replaced with new residential complex by 2024

Old Colonial Crest apartments in north Bloomington to be demolished, replaced with new residential complex by 2024

Off Gourley Pike, west of Miller-Showers Park on a 12.3-acre piece of land, sits the old Colonial Crest apartment complex, now called The Arch, with its 208 apartments and 406 bedrooms, spread across 15 separate two-story buildings. Based on apartment rental websites, residents there now pay a monthly rent