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Early in-person voting starts April 7, but Monroe County’s weekday early-voting hours remain unsettled after county council postponed action on a $242,781 election staffing request. Without added funding, the familiar 8 a.m.–6 p.m. schedule could be cut to 8 a.m.–4 p.m.

This report includes everything you wanted to know about MCCSC’s board meeting—from flat pay and stipends for union and non-union staff, to reshaped teacher grants, required fund transfers, public concerns over finances and ICE, a safety review, and approval of the 2028-29 calendar.

Heavy snow and bitter cold exposed a long-standing Monroe County issue: dozens of subdivisions remain unplowed because their roads are private and not in the county inventory. Councilors and commissioners may be considering emergency options.

The MCCSC board will meet Tuesday (Jan. 27) for its first regular meeting of 2026, with newly elected president Erin Cooperman presiding. The agenda includes compensation for non-teachers, changes to Teacher Appreciation Grants, and a district financial update.

Bloomington’s board of public works will consider a $424,200 contract with CrossRoad Engineers on Tuesday for preliminary engineering for the Hopewell South project, covering surveys and street-and-infrastructure design for a planned affordable, owner-occupied neighborhood south of 1st Street.

Heavy snowfall has prompted many closures and delays across Bloomington. The city has suspended regular trash pickup starting Monday, while MCCSC canceled school and eLearning. The College Avenue skywalk closure is delayed a day, and travel remains restricted under a county “Warning.”

This week Hawk reveals the actual origin story for the name of the state where we live, and it involves a guy named Edward VerDahntid.