WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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Your local headlines:
Indiana saw 7 new deaths reported on Monday. 505 new positive cases are confirmed, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
Total deaths are at 569 people. Total numbers are at 11,686 cases. Total tests are at about 65,000 people. Total numbers are likely an underestimation due to a lack of testing.
Monroe County reported 4 deaths. 114 people are reported positive with Covid-19. There are over 800 people tested in Monroe County.
23.4 percent of ICU beds in the state are in use. 11.4 percent of state ventilators are in use.
Protestors gathered outside Governor Eric Holcomb’s residence to protest what they call government overreach, due to the governor’s stay-home-order.
Over 200 people protested the order. Signs compared Holcomb to a tyrant, while protestors questioned the constitutionality of Holcomb’s stay-at-home order in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic.
On Friday, Governor Holcomb said he would extend the executive order until May 1st.
According to the Indy Star, “Indiana’s emergency disaster law gives the governor a number of additional powers during a declared public health emergency, including the ability to control the movement of people within the disaster area.”
Similar protests happened over the weekend in Michigan, Ohio and Kentucky.
Bloomington City Council adopted the 2020 Zoning map by names. Planning and Transportation Assistant Director Scott Robinson said district lines would not change during their April 15th meeting.
Council member Stephen Volan asked Robinson when the name changes would be completed. Robinson said the process would start the new Indiana University Hospital location. He said all rezoning is not likely to occur in 2020.
Council members unanimously approved the rezoning by name and minor text amendments present to the Unified Development Ordinance.
During the meeting Council members also discussed an ordinance to conduct municipal government during a state of emergency in compliance with the State Board of Accounts. City Controller Jeff Underwood provided examples of emergency actions this ordinance would allow the city to take without first obtaining board approval.
City Attorney Phillipa Guthrie said the ordinance also provides city workers with stay at home pay, allows the mayor to waive any precedents and formalities in compliance with existing law, and allows the controller’s office to approve payment of necessary expenditures. Volan clarified with Guthrie that all actions will still be approved by the appropriate board.
Guthrie said The State Board of Accounts requires such an adopted policy to avoid any possible issues with their coming audit. Council members unanimously recommended Do-pass.
County Attorney Jeff Cockerill presented an ordinance to extend the COVID-19 Emergency Declaration during the April 15th County Commissioner meeting. The declaration extends the emergency until May first, 2020. Commissioner Julie Thomas said this deadline is in keeping with the state.
Commissioners approved the emergency extension.
Also, during the meeting, Cockerill presented Policy Regarding the Use of Food and Beverage Tax funds for support of county tourism related businesses.
Cockerill said each applicant will be interviewed by a county Commissioner. He said following the interview a recommendation will be made to the county legal department, then to be reviewed at a full council meeting. Cockerill said a request for review can be made by any denied applicant. County Technology Director Eric Evans described how a county business can apply.
Commissioners unanimously approved the FABTAC fund policies.
Feature Reports:
- WFHB News Director Kade Young interviewed Dr. Dan Handel, chief medical officer for IU Health Bloomington Hospital, about the coronavirus pandemic.
- WFHB Assistant News Director Sydney Foreman talks to Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton in her second Monday segment of “A Few Minutes with the Mayor.”
