Big Talk

With two weeks to go before Bloomington’s Democratic primary, we’re re-airing our conversations with each of the city’s mayoral candidates. No Republican has yet declared for the November general election and the party has until July to caucus a nominee in. If that does happen we’ll invite that person to the WFHB studios for a chat. An independent candidate has …

With three weeks to go before Bloomington’s Democratic primary, we’re re-airing our conversations with each of the city’s mayoral candidates. No Republican has yet declared for the November general election and the party has until July to caucus a nominee in. If that does happen we’ll invite that person to the WFHB studios for a chat. An independent candidate has …

She and her husband, Jared Thompson, already own a Bloomington landmark, The Comedy Attic. So when it looked as though another town landmark, the used and rare book shop Caveat Emptor, was about to close, Dayna Thompson stepped in and bought the place. The Thompsons, she jokes, are out to corner the Bloomington market in break-even businesses. Now more than …

He turned his successful real estate business into something akin to a service ministry back in 2004. Since then, Don Griffin Jr. has become a key player in the community, serving on numerous boards and even being named deputy mayor in 2021. He encountered a townful of problems, including a flood, the ongoing pandemic, and the usual array of ills …

She moved to Bloomington in 1997 and quickly established herself as a player in the city. As CEO of the local Habitat for Humanity operation, Thomson gained firsthand experience in housing, capital development, and the interplay between government offices and constituents. She’s been the executive director of Indiana University’s Center for Rural Engagement since 2018 and now hopes to win …

We’ve invited all the declared candidates for Bloomington mayor in the 2023 municipal election to appear on Big Talk. First up, long-time Bloomington city council member Susan Sandberg. A self-described FDR Democrat, Sandberg has served during the mayoral administrations of both Mark Kruzan and John Hamilton. Now, she hopes to leave her own mark on the city. Stayed tuned to …

Youth Radio has been around for almost as long as WFHB itself. The program began with a single young person interested in radio and grew to include, through the years, hundreds of teenagers. Saturday nights are kids’ nights on WFHB with Youth Radio broadcasting from 6 to 10 pm. The WFHB News Department is now in partnership with Youth Radio, …

In the wake of the contentious 2016 US presidential election, many people around the nation took to their corners and saw those they disagreed with as enemies. Democrats and Republicans, conservatives and liberals too often refused to talk with each other and if they occasionally did, the exchanges turned into pitched battles. One group of people, taking their cue from …

Ben Schwartzman was a normal kid: goofy, lovable, talented, confused. As a teen, Ben became a singer-songwriter, performing at coffeehouses and open mics and recording tracks. His dad, Ed Schwartzman, now the owner of BuffaLouie’s and Gables Bagels, attended his performances and encouraged him. Then Ben started descending into an abyss of depression. Psychiatric professionals and medications couldn’t halt his tumble. …

Her grown-up passions would become horror and goth films, as well as taste politics and the global rebellions of 1968, but as a young person Joan Hawkins loved creative writing. She got away from it as she advanced in the academic world. Now she’s come back to it with the publication of her new book, School and Suicide. The book …