Sunday Funnies: Hawk v. Fish
Halloween is coming up and Hawk and Fish are ready. How would a ghost campaign for Bloomington city council? And why did the mayor hire a vampire as public engagement director?
Dave Askins
6th Street & Walnut Street
The skeleton riding on the back of a Honda Shadow motorcycle seems like a setup for a joke: Bone to be wild. Or: “Yea, though I ride through the valley of the Honda Shadow of Death, I will fear no Evel Knievel.”
Monroe County jail notebook: Population stays below ACLU threshold for 11 straight days
Monroe County’s jail population fell to 214 on Saturday, marking 11 straight days below the ACLU’s functional capacity figure of 229. Over 89 days of tracking, the population has declined from 247, with at least 822 departures. The median stay among those who left was two days.
Bloomington proposes $6.87M bond issue for fire truck, street safety, plans for regular borrowing
Bloomington is considering about $6.87 million in bonds to replace its aging aerial fire truck and fund street safety projects. The borrowing would raise property taxes. A public hearing and possible final city council vote are scheduled for Nov. 4.
Second Bloomington immigration detainee wins federal court order for bond hearing
A federal judge ordered immigration officials to give Manuel Alejandro Nadal Ortiz a bond hearing by Oct. 22, or release him. The government must report compliance by Oct. 23. He is the second Bloomington man arrested Sept. 1 to win a similar ruling.
Bloomington council votes 7–0 to ban license plate readers, after debate over some exceptions
Bloomington’s city council voted 7–0 to ban automated license plate readers and certain surveillance cameras. A disputed amendment allowing access to recordings for criminal investigations passed 5–2, despite concerns it could weaken the ban. At least 29 people spoke from the public mic.
Oct. 15, 2026: Bloomington 2027 budget approved 6–1; Monroe County ballot problems; new deputy police chief; housing code changes; Health officer removal hearing
This morning's edition includes reports on Bloomington’s 6–1 budget vote, problems with Monroe County’s electronic absentee ballots, a new deputy police chief, proposed housing code changes, and an Oct. 22 hearing on the possible removal of the county health officer.