Sign in Subscribe

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 choices in election of Monroe County at-large councilors

New choices in election of Monroe County at-large councilors

After the June 2 primaries, voters in Monroe County could choose up to three from five different candidates for at-large county councilor—three Democrats and two Republicans. Now they have a choice of six, even after one of the Republican’s withdrew from the race. Zachary Weishheit, a Bloomington

Not a jail or a hospital: Stride Coalition’s crisis diversion center gets ribbon cut ahead of Aug. 3 opening

Not a jail or a hospital: Stride Coalition’s crisis diversion center gets ribbon cut ahead of Aug. 3 opening

On Monday afternoon, leaders of several local organizations gathered on the lower level of Monroe County’s Morton Street Parking garage for a crisis diversion center ribbon cutting. The space was originally designed as a place for inmates of the county jail—a place they could be housed in case

Monroe County COVID-19 cases continue to surge, hospital numbers up, zero deaths for nearly a month

Monroe County COVID-19 cases continue to surge, hospital numbers up, zero deaths for nearly a month

Sunday’s noon update of the State of Indiana’s COVID-19 dashboard showed no additional COVID-19 deaths in Monroe County. That’s two days shy of a month since the county’s last COVID-19 death was recorded, on June 21. But the dashboard showed that a recent

Local prosecutor charges two in July 4 Lake Monroe case, victim wants feds to prosecute as hate crime

Local prosecutor charges two in July 4 Lake Monroe case, victim wants feds to prosecute as hate crime

Two weeks ago on July 4, an incident took place in the woods at Lake Monroe. Vauhxx Booker has described his role in that incident as “almost the victim of an attempted lynching.” On Friday morning, county prosecutor Erika Oliphant announced that she had filed charging documents in the Monroe

COVID-19 Update: Mask order now in effect for Monroe County; other measures take effect on July 23 in Bloomington, later elsewhere

COVID-19 Update: Mask order now in effect for Monroe County; other measures take effect on July 23 in Bloomington, later elsewhere

A new health order issued Friday afternoon requires Monroe County residents to wear face coverings when they’re not at home—with several caveats. The order took effect at 5 p.m. on Friday, a few hours after it was issued by Monroe County health officer Thomas Sharp. It will

Two suspects charged in July 4 Lake Monroe Case

On Friday, the Monroe County prosecutor’s office charged Sean Purdy and Jerry Cox in connection with the July 4 Lake Monroe incident, in which Vauhxx Booker described himself as “almost the victim of an attempted lynching.” As of late Friday morning, the MyCase online system indicates there is an

Bloomington mayor renews call for local income tax increase, reduces ask from 0.5 percentage points to 0.25; says 2021 budget for sworn police officers will decrease

Bloomington mayor renews call for local income tax increase, reduces ask from 0.5 percentage points to 0.25; says 2021 budget for sworn police officers will decrease

Bloomington’s mayor John Hamilton has renewed his call, made at the start of the year, for the Bloomington city council to increase the local income tax. Such a tax would apply to all residents of Monroe County. The additional revenue from the income tax would still go towards climate