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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.

Local government officials get requests from social service agencies, small businesses to help soften COVID-19 impact

Local government officials get requests from social service agencies, small businesses to help soften COVID-19 impact

Last September, a joint meeting of city and county officials was held about the convention center expansion. City councilmember Dave Rollo asked Bloomington’s financial advisor a question about the estimates for future food and beverage tax revenues: “In the event of an economic downturn, have you factored in a

COVID-19 pushes new Bloomington bus route decision to April, reduced service to match IU remote instruction period

COVID-19 pushes new Bloomington bus route decision to April, reduced service to match IU remote instruction period

In a press release issued Friday, Bloomington Transit (BT), the public bus service in Bloomington, announced that its March board meeting is cancelled. That follows the trend towards cancelling government board and commission meetings to reduce the chances of transmitting the COVID-19 pandemic virus. The meeting cancellation will delay

Public’s work continues in Bloomington under COVID-19 protocols

Public’s work continues in Bloomington under COVID-19 protocols

At a time when the COVID-19 pandemic has caused cancellation of several public meetings, Bloomington’s city council now has an additional, special meeting on its calendar set for March 25th. The extra meeting was added so that the council can act to approve the re-funding of some

Voting shares for local income tax question get late-session tweak by state legislators, impact on Bloomington-Monroe County climate action debate unclear

Voting shares for local income tax question get late-session tweak by state legislators, impact on Bloomington-Monroe County climate action debate unclear

Late Wednesday, Indiana state legislators worked to hash through some wording of a new law, which has a description that appears unremarkable on the list of this session’s bills: “HB 1065: Various tax matters.” The grab-bag nature of the legislation is revealed by its synopsis, which runs nearly

From utilities building to city hall, Bloomington’s COVID-19 response shows visible signs

From utilities building to city hall, Bloomington’s COVID-19 response shows visible signs

On Thursday, Indiana’s governor, Eric Holcomb, announced additional statewide measures meant to help reduce COVID-19 infection rates. The number of cases in the state of Indiana has doubled from six on Tuesday (March 10) to 12 cases two days later (March 12). Among the measures announced by Holcomb

Monroe County press release on COVID-19: All public meetings cancelled through March 25 except for county council and board of commissioners

Monroe County press release on COVID-19: All public meetings cancelled through March 25 except for county council and board of commissioners

In a press release issued on Wednesday (March 11) Monroe County has announced the cancellation of meetings for the next two weeks as a way to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic virus The only public meetings that will take place are those scheduled for the Monroe

Bloomington councilmember on amount, timing, spending, oversight of possible tax increase for climate action: “All the things we’re talking about…are open questions.”

Bloomington councilmember on amount, timing, spending, oversight of possible tax increase for climate action: “All the things we’re talking about…are open questions.”

Bloomington city council’s climate action and resilience committee, a four-member subset of the council, convened a meeting Wednesday night to hear feedback from the public on a possible countywide increase to the local income tax. About three dozen people attended, maybe a third of them Indiana University students,