July 30, 2026: Justice center sewage backup, delayed court decision on Bloomington annexation, encampment closure
This morning's edition includes reports on the sewage backup that closed the Monroe County justice center and raised spending questions; the 271-day wait for an Indiana Supreme Court annexation ruling; and a planned encampment closure with a description of one resident's housing barriers.
Civic Solver
This week’s puzzle is a 10-question news quiz for last week (starting July 20).
Weather Talk
Based on the National Weather Service forecast in text and charts here’s some advice.
Thursday: Slow down. Before 8 a.m. there will be patchy fog. The day itself will be sunny, with a high near 86F°.
Friday: Wear a big smile because it’s probably the last sunshine we’ll see for a while. It will be mostly sunny, with a high near 86F°.
Sign up for weather alerts: Monroe County emergency alert system
Recent articles
- Sewage backup in Monroe County justice center spurs scrutiny of future spending on ‘dying’ building. A bag of e-cigarettes flushed down a jail toilet sent sewage through the Monroe County justice building on Friday, disrupting court operations. At Tuesday’s meeting, councilors questioned why election offices were also closed and debated millions in spending for a facility described as “dying.”
- How long is long? Bloomington annexation case awaits ruling from highest court after 271 days. Bloomington’s Area 1A and 1B annexation case is closed. But a separate constitutional challenge remains before the Indiana Supreme Court 271 days after oral arguments. That wait is near the 90th percentile among 316 argued cases decided since 2018, but about two dozen took longer.
- Sewage backup keeps Monroe County justice building closed at least through July 29. Monroe County’s justice center will remain closed at least through Wednesday after a sewer backup last Friday sent wastewater from the jail into offices below. Courts and related offices are shut down while crews remove damaged carpet and drywall, sanitize and dry the building.
- Monroe County eyes Thomson encampment closure; resident describes barriers to housing. Monroe County has authorized a step toward closing the Thomson encampment, though no date is set and a new state law could shorten the planned 30-day notice. Stephanie, a resident there, describes how rental history, lack of credit, and a criminal record have kept housing out of reach.
Other notes
Justice building: Still closed. According to the Monroe County commissioners office, the closure of the justice building, due to last Friday’s sewage backup, will continue through Thursday (July 30).
Getting yourself local news the way you want it. Sure, you can visit the B Square Bulletin’s homepage and start reading articles you find there, laid out like a conventional newspaper website. But what if all you want is a list of the most recent 20 headlines with links and a short synopsis of each article—something like the list you see in each edition of this Almost Daily Bulletin? We’ve got you covered: Bookmark this link: B Square’s Most Recent 20.
On the calendar
Talking about The B Square: Thursday (July 30). The Bloomington North Rotarians invited me to talk to them about The B Square at their regular monthly meeting in the Crazy Horse backroom starting around noon. Here’s what I'm talking about.
Total News: Putting the Public at the Center of the Civic Solar System
The B Square Bulletin’s “Total News” framework reimagines local journalism as something more than a factory producing widgets called news stories. It fuses Future, Present and Past into a civic information platform that connects what is coming, what is happening now, and what has already happened. Information systems once kept inside newsrooms become public civic assets—which is a paradigm shift on the scale of the Copernican revolution.
Taste of Bloomington: Saturday (Aug 1). The weather forecast for Saturday includes a strong likelihood of rain, which prompts the question: Will Taste of Bloomington still go on as scheduled? As of noon Wednesday, organizer Jordan Davis told The B Square the plan is to move ahead with Saturday’s spectacular food extravaganza. But a final decision will be made Friday morning.
Listen. There’s a chance that the decision will be made for holding Taste of Bloomington even knowing that it will be a little damp. And that might leave some of you thinking: Oh, man, I don’t want to be miserable standing in the rain trying to hold a chili dog in one hand and an umbrella in the other. I will literally have you covered. If it’s rainy on Saturday, I will be walking up and down Kirkwood Avenue with my big umbrella looking for chili dogs that are in jeopardy.
Family Night Out: Aug. 12. Downtown Bloomington is the place to be for an evening of food, music, art and family activities Wednesday, Aug. 12, from 5:30–8 p.m. in front of the Monroe County Public Library. You can buy dinner from Pili’s, Mikki’s Munchies and Planted, then eat together in the street while browsing artist and community booths. Kid Kazooey will perform from 5:30–6:30 p.m., followed by Yolanda D from 7–8 p.m. The Seedlings Flower Truck will create what organizers describe as a “stunning flower installation” in the library courtyard.
Secretly 30th Anniversary: Magnolia & Johnson Electric: Aug. 27. Magnolia & Johnson Electric Co., Early Day Miners and June Panic perform Thursday, Aug. 27, at the Bluebird, 216 N. Walnut St. Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; music starts at 7:30 p.m. Ages 21 and older: tickets.
Secretly 30th Anniversary: Sharon Van Etten and Kevin Morby: Aug. 28. Sharon Van Etten, Kevin Morby and Jordan Patterson perform Friday, Aug. 28, at the Buskirk-Chumley Theater, 114 E. Kirkwood Ave. Doors open at 6 p.m.; music starts at 7 p.m. All ages: tickets.
Secretly 30th Anniversary: Durand Jones & The Indications: Aug. 29. Durand Jones & The Indications, Jensen McRae and Angela Autumn perform Saturday, Aug. 29, at Switchyard Park, 1601 S. Rogers St. Doors open at 5 p.m.; music starts at 6 p.m. All ages: tickets.
Meet Elphie!
This very, very good girl is a hound. Here’s what the shelter staff have written about Elphie:
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: 6th Street & Walnut Street
The Photo Finish items are drawn from the B There section of the B Square website.
Thanks for reading. I hope you have a great weekend!
Dave Askins
734-645-2633
dave@bsquarebulletin.com
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