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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.

New Bloomington shelter already half full on first night: 26 total guests, not counting 3 pets

New Bloomington shelter already half full on first night: 26 total guests, not counting 3 pets

On Tuesday, Beacon, Inc. opened a new, 49-bed temporary winter shelter for the houseless, in the warehouse space across the B-Line Trail from Switchyard Park’s pickleball courts. At Wednesday morning’s regular meeting of Monroe County commissioners, Beacon, Inc.’s executive director Forrest Gilmore updated the three

Pandemic continues to crush public transit ridership, Bloomington doing extra bus stop improvements

Pandemic continues to crush public transit ridership, Bloomington doing extra bus stop improvements

The grim news out of Bloomington Transit’s Tuesday board meeting was not a surprise. The 53,187 bus trips taken on fixed-route service in December 2020 amounted to just 20 percent of the 263,828 trips taken in 2019. That continued the depressed trend that started after Indiana

IU official on planned Bloomington water rate increase: “This is a rate shock to Indiana University.”

IU official on planned Bloomington water rate increase: “This is a rate shock to Indiana University.”

At its Tuesday meeting, Bloomington’s seven-member utilities service board (USB) voted unanimously, with one abstention, to recommend a proposal to the city council that water rates be increased starting in 2022. Abstaining was USB member Jason Banach. He’s a former city councilmember who represented District 2 from

Houseless advocates march from Seminary Park to People’s Park to protest clearance from public spaces

Houseless advocates march from Seminary Park to People’s Park to protest clearance from public spaces

The clearance of an encampment at Bloomington’s Seminary Park in early December and again last week prompted on Monday the second protest in as many nights. Protesters want the Bloomington’s mayor, John Hamilton, to allow encampments of houseless people to persist in public parks. They point to Centers

Analysis: Possible historic designation of building a chance to reckon with Bloomington’s racism

Analysis: Possible historic designation of building a chance to reckon with Bloomington’s racism

On the Bloomington city council’s Wednesday agenda for a first reading is an ordinance that would establish a new single-property historic district for the building at 424 1/2 S. Walnut Street. Consideration of the ordinance could be a chance for the city council and the community to

Houseless advocates knock on mayor’s door as prelude to Monday’s events

Houseless advocates knock on mayor’s door as prelude to Monday’s events

A little after 9 p.m. on Sunday night, Travis Dugan, a man experiencing homelessness, knocked on Bloomington mayor John Hamilton’s door. Hamilton lives in the Elm Heights neighborhood south of the Indiana University campus. A meeting between the two, with more advanced planning, might be taking place sometime

Bloomington ratifies $380K annual animal agreement with Monroe County, Ellettsville

Bloomington ratifies $380K annual animal agreement with Monroe County, Ellettsville

At its meeting last Wednesday, Bloomington’s city council ratified a three-way agreement between the city, Monroe County, and the town of Ellettsville, for animal control services. This year, the contract calls for Monroe County and Ellettsville to pay the city of Bloomington a total of $379,327. Most