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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.

Bloomington pushing contractor to complete Switchyard Park by May 24, OKs $230K for more inspection services by design firm

Bloomington pushing contractor to complete Switchyard Park by May 24, OKs $230K for more inspection services by design firm

The planting of perennials and laying of sod at Bloomington’s new Switchyard Park was not expected to be done until spring. So it’s not surprising to see that kind of work in progress over the last few weeks. But at their Thursday meeting, Bloomington’s redevelopment commission (RDC)

Bloomington businesses impacted by COVID-19 could start to tap over $2M in local bridge loans by end of next week

Bloomington businesses impacted by COVID-19 could start to tap over $2M in local bridge loans by end of next week

On Thursday, the city of Bloomington officially launched a loan program for businesses and non-profits inside the city limits that have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The application for Rapid Response Fund loans went live around 2 p.m. A bit after 1 p.m. on Friday,

IU law professor Dawn Johnsen, wife of Bloomington mayor, tests positive for COVID-19

IU law professor Dawn Johnsen, wife of Bloomington mayor, tests positive for COVID-19

In a news release issued late morning on Friday, the city of Bloomington announced that Dawn Johnsen, a law professor at Indiana University and married to John Hamilton, mayor of the city, has tested positive for COVID-19. The test result was received Thursday, April 9, according to the release.

A peek under the hood of the ISDH COVID-19 data dashboard as Indiana’s health department preps to release race data

A peek under the hood of the ISDH COVID-19 data dashboard as Indiana’s health department preps to release race data

At Thursday’s daily press briefing on the COVID-19 public health crisis, Indiana governor Eric Holcomb recited some numbers with literally biblical proportions. Holcomb led off quoting Matthew 18:20: “It says, ‘For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I.'” Holcomb added,

Public funds OK’d for Bloomington private sector impacted by COVID-19: $2M by city council, $500K by urban enterprise group

Public funds OK’d for Bloomington private sector impacted by COVID-19: $2M by city council, $500K by urban enterprise group

In a unanimous vote on Tuesday night, Bloomington’s city council took its final step towards making $2 million in food and beverage tax revenues available for economic relief of businesses impacted by COVID-19. That step was the enactment of an appropriation ordinance. The money is to be distributed

Bloomington Transit still on path to April 21 decision on optimized routes for fall, service continues under COVID-19 curtailments, diminished ridership

Bloomington Transit still on path to April 21 decision on optimized routes for fall, service continues under COVID-19 curtailments, diminished ridership

In January, Bloomington Transit’s board got some good news. The 3.16 million rides taken on fixed route buses in 2019 reflected a 1.75-percent increase over the total from 2018. It was the first year-to-year increase since 2014, after four straight years of decreases. But

Column | Supporting Bloomington’s Comedy Attic staff during the COVID-19 shutdown: A matter of civic pride

Column | Supporting Bloomington’s Comedy Attic staff during the COVID-19 shutdown: A matter of civic pride

Last summer, right when I started putting a full effort into reporting for The Square Beacon, Bloomington’s city council took its summer break. For six weeks, from the second half of June, through the end of July, the city council didn’t meet. That’s normal. What isn’t