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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.

Budget notebook: Bloomington police salary data

Budget notebook: Bloomington police salary data

Much of last Tuesday’s Bloomington city council hearing on the police department’s 2022 budget focused on pay for Bloomington’s sworn officers. A key question councilmembers were keen to get answered: How does compensation for Bloomington’s police officers stack up against compensation in other Indiana cities? At

Potential amendments to Bloomington’s annexation plan on Tuesday special meeting agenda

Potential amendments to Bloomington’s annexation plan on Tuesday special meeting agenda

On the agenda for Tuesday’s special meeting of Bloomington’s city council are three potential amendments to the map for one of the proposed areas in the city’s annexation plan. The only area that is subject to any potential boundary amendments put forward by councilmembers is Area 2.

Photos: Bloomington Pridefest 2021

Photos: Bloomington Pridefest 2021

Saturday marked Bloomington’s seventh annual Pridefest, an in-person street festival on Kirkwood Avenue celebrating the LGBTQ community. Hosted by the non-profit Bloomington PRIDE, Saturday’s event drew around 15,000 people, according to one volunteer’s estimate. The day-long event featured vendor expos, workshops with activists,

Elections: Monroe County commissioners gearing up for redrawing of local boundaries after state-level districts are decided

Elections: Monroe County commissioners gearing up for redrawing of local boundaries after state-level districts are decided

At its Wednesday work session, Monroe County’s board of commissioners agreed on a resolution that will establish an advisory committee to guide its decisions on the redrawing of precinct and district boundaries for the county. The upcoming work of potentially redrawing precinct boundaries—and possibly districts for county commissioners

From poison ivy, to public transit, to parks bond money, Bloomington 2022 budget hearings prompt question: Whose job is it?

From poison ivy, to public transit, to parks bond money, Bloomington 2022 budget hearings prompt question: Whose job is it?

Wednesday’s city council hearings on the administration’s proposed 2022 budget featured presentations from four different city of Bloomington departments—housing and neighborhood development (HAND), economic and sustainable development (ESD), community and family resources (CFRD), and parks and recreation. Also a part of the mix on Wednesday was a

Pandemic surges in Monroe County like rest of Indiana, full approval of Pfizer’s jab means extra encouragement to get vaccine

Pandemic surges in Monroe County like rest of Indiana, full approval of Pfizer’s jab means extra encouragement to get vaccine

At Wednesday’s regular meeting of Monroe County commissioners, county health administrator Penny Caudill briefed the three electeds on the current status of the COVID-19 pandemic. Positive cases continue to trend upward in Monroe County, in the state, and across the country, she reported. But Monday’s full approval

City council budget hearing draws questions for Bloomington Transit on fare-free rides, geographic expansion

City council budget hearing draws questions for Bloomington Transit on fare-free rides, geographic expansion

At Tuesday’s hearing of Bloomington Transit’s proposed 2022 budget in front of the city council, BT’s general manager, Lew May, fielded a question he’s heard many years before, including last year. Has BT considered making the public bus service fare free? A new question this year: