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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.

$10M in reserves key to balancing 2025 Bloomington draft budget, but GO bonds unveiled as option

$10M in reserves key to balancing 2025 Bloomington draft budget, but GO bonds unveiled as option

The proposed $145.4 million budget for 2025, which was released by Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson last week, relies on $10 million in general fund reserves. That’s a fact that is included, if not highlighted, in the 383-page budget book. Page 23 shows about $68.45 million in expenses

Column: If you want to go over Bloomington’s 2025 budget with a comb, use one with good teeth

Column: If you want to go over Bloomington’s 2025 budget with a comb, use one with good teeth

Now about eight months into a four-year term, Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson has released her first proposed annual city budget budget. The draft 2025 budget will be presented to the city council in a four-day series of meetings, beginning on Monday (Aug. 26), all set to start at 5:30

Bloomington BZA notebook: Variance OK’d for 5-story downtown condos, Duplex case delayed again

Bloomington BZA notebook: Variance OK’d for 5-story downtown condos, Duplex case delayed again

A few minutes before 9 p.m. on Thursday, Bloomington’s board of zoning appeals (BZA) started hearing a request from developer Randy Lloyd for a height variance to build a 5-story condominium project on the surface parking lot just west of the CVS on Kirkwood Avenue in downtown Bloomington.

Key contract terminated for Monroe County’s family planning clinic, will close after 18 years

Key contract terminated for Monroe County’s family planning clinic, will close after 18 years

The news out of a Friday afternoon meeting between Monroe County government officials and representatives of the IFHC (Indiana Family Health Council) is that the county health department’s Futures Family Planning Clinic will close. Monroe County’s legal department notified a long list of county officials that the county

Monroe County gov’t operation of family planning clinic to stop at least for now, maybe for good

Monroe County gov’t operation of family planning clinic to stop at least for now, maybe for good

Monroe County government’s operation of its Futures Family Planning Clinic will be suspended for 30 days, maybe longer, even for good. That’s the outcome of a special meeting of Monroe County’s board of health held on Wednesday afternoon. Based on the way board president Stephen Pritchard opened

July 2024 food inspection reports for Monroe County released by health department

July 2024 food inspection reports for Monroe County released by health department

Monroe County’s health department has released the reports for inspections of food service operations that were conducted in July 2024. Of the 78 places that were inspected in July, a little over half (41) had no violations. About one-third (25) recorded at least one critical violation. Recording at least

Bloomington closes Rail Trail encampments, adds homelessness coordinator in 2025 budget

Bloomington closes Rail Trail encampments, adds homelessness coordinator in 2025 budget

Another homeless encampment has been cleared in Bloomington, this time along the Rail Trail south of Country Club Drive and North of Gordon Pike. At a news conference in the first week of August, Bloomington mayor Kerry Thomson said that the encampments along the Rail Trail, which had 30-day notices