Jan. 1, 2026: A look ahead to the coming year

Happy New Year!

Year-end news quiz

This week’s Civic Solver is a 15-question year-end news quiz . It is set up to give time bonuses for fast solving. The quiz does not come near exhausting of all the important news that happened in 2025.

Weather Talk

Based on the National Weather Service forecast in text and charts here’s some advice.

Thursday: If you’re headed to the Polar Bear Plunge at the Paynetown SRA at 9 a.m., dress warm, because the day will start from an overnight low around 25F°. New Year's Day will be cloudy through mid-morning, then gradual clearing, with a high near 34F°.

Friday: Stay bundled up in the morning, because around the day will start from an overnight low of 23F°. It will be partly sunny, with a high near 37F°.

Sign up for weather alerts: Monroe County emergency alert system

Roundup of recent articles

• Buckle up for 2026: Elections, courts, construction, development, and more.  Bloomington’s 2026 civic calendar is packed: contested elections, major construction, housing developments, stalled jail plans, annexation lawsuits, and budget politics. Many storylines are easy to foresee—even if outcomes are unpredictable
• Former Westinghouse property on course to be purchased by Bloomington Transit for new operations center.  Bloomington Transit is moving toward buying the former ABB/Westinghouse property at Curry Pike and Profile Parkway for a new operations center. The board has OK'd a 180-day purchase option, to replace the space-constrained Grimes Lane facility as BT expands its fleet and electrification plans.

On the calendar

Polar Bear Plunge. There was some uncertainty, but the latest word is that Polar Bear Plunge at Paynetown SRA is absolutely on for New Year's Day 2026. It's off the swimming beach. Registration and signing of waivers at 9 a.m. with the plunge into the water at 10 a.m. Get there a bit early, because their website infra is down and everything will be by hand. Coverage from two years ago:
2024 Bloomington Polar Bear Plunge at Lake Monroe on New Year’s Day: A loonier time than usual

New Bloomington city council officers. Looking ahead to next week, on the 6:30 p.m. Wednesday (Jan. 7) city council agenda is the annual election of officers—president, vice president, and parliamentarian. The first two are a part of state law. The parliamentarian exists in Bloomington local code, but not in state code. Also a provision only of local Bloomington law is the assignment of seats at the council table by the president.

The officers have traditionally sat in the middle, but that’s not a legal requirement. From a practical point of view, it would make sense for the president to sit at one end or the other, so the they could, with one glance, check to see if any councilmember is trying to be recognized to speak. When the president sits in the middle they have to swivel back and forth.

Naked trees only. The Monroe County waste reduction district has announced that Christmas trees can be dropped off at any of the usual locations for the next few weeks. No ornaments can still be attached. From the MCWRD: “The District partners with Rumpke Trash & Recycling Services and Blue Stone Tree, to provide holiday tree recycling from Dec. 26, 2025 through Jan. 17, 2026.

Natural trees, wreaths, and garlands will be accepted at all five district recycling centers. Before dropping off trees for recycling, all decorations, including, but not limited to, ornaments, lights, artificial snow, garland and tinsel must be removed.” No artificial trees! Here’s the complete news release.

Puzzlefest! Mark your calendar for Jan. 25 from noon to 4 p.m., because the Monroe County History Center is sponsoring a jigsaw puzzle competition, which will take place from 1-3 p.m. at the Switchyard Park Pavillion.

For the competition, teams of four race to complete the same 500-ish piece puzzle. The competition signup is currently open online. The registration fee for a team of four is $60 and proceeds go to support educational programming at the Monroe County History Center. But guess what: Completing puzzles can be a spectator sport. It’s free to watch the competition and participate in the puzzle sale/swap.

Starting in 2026, from Tuesday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. you can donate puzzles to the puzzle swap at the History Center.

Anyone who drops puzzles off at the History Center through Jan. 24 will avoid a wait on Jan. 25 and will get extra tickets to use in the swap.

Meet Bam Bam!

This very, very good boy is a Labrador retriever mix. Here’s what the shelter staff have written about Bam Bam:

I am new to the shelter and we are all getting to know each other. If you are interested in adopting stop by the shelter for a visit.

Photo Finish: Courthouse square

The Photo Finish items are drawn from the B There section of the B Square website.

Thanks for reading. I hope the final few days of 2025 give you enough momentum down the runway to achieve liftoff into the new year!

Dave Askins
734-645-2633
dave@bsquarebulletin.com

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Civic Solver

Civic Solver turns Bloomington’s everyday civic life into a puzzle worth cracking — from familiar faces to local landmarks. A weekly reason to stay curious: Complete this week’s puzzle. It’s a 15-question year-end news quiz .