Tag Archives: addiction

We turn our focus this week to a local struggle. Here in Bloomington Indiana, Monroe County Government is quickly moving forward with a proposal for a new $60+ million dollar jail to replace and expand the downtown jail. With little input from community members, consultants hired by the county have recommended jail expansion, and the county government has begun the …

This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, August 30th, 2022. Later in the program, WFHB News speaks with Executive Director of the Indiana Recovery Alliance Nick Voyles about addiction and recovery and how to confront the stigmas associated with them. More in today’s feature report. Also coming up, commissioners discussed the remapping of the six Bloomington City Council districts …

In 2008, Monroe County moved to build a new, expanded jail -framed as a “justice campus” using humanitarian rhetoric.  In response, a diverse group of local residents founded an organization called Decarcerate Monroe County (DMC).  Here is how they later summarized their activities: “DMC’s framework included embracing alternatives to punitive justice, promoting ways to decarcerate, and building a safer community. …

The Bloomington Common Council chambers are uncharacteristically full tonight. Area residents filled the council chambers, in support for Monroe County’s needle exchange program, The Indiana Recovery Alliance. IRA Founder and Director Chris Abert gave a statistically saturated presentation regarding the efficacy of syringe exchange programs. “You have a higher likelihood of getting hit by a meteor during a monsoon than …

The city of Bloomington is removing addresses of fatal overdoses from their data portal. The move comes after community members objected to a map on the city’s opioid data website – BloomingtonRevealed.com. That map displayed the addresses where fatal overdoses had occurred within city limits.

Women’s reproductive rights advocates and religious conservatives traded arguments at the Monroe County Council’s Sophia Travis Grant distribution; County Council allocated $25,000 to the Monroe County Solid Waste Management District to distribute 30,000 reusable plastic shopping bag. FEATURE City officials met yesterday to address public demand to remove the addresses of fatal opioid overdoses from the city’s data website. WFHB …

Rev. Forrest Gilmore said the Shalom Community Center’s organization is seeing a reduction in overdose deaths among clients, this year. Gilmore attributes the decline in opioid related deaths to expanded opioid addiction treatment options, and increased homelessness services. In particular, Gilmore pointed to the work of the Indiana Recovery Alliance and the Monroe County Health Department. Of the 15 largest Indiana counties, …

The proposed moratorium on new addictions facilities in Bloomington city limits from Mayor John Hamilton’s office is misguided at best, according to the Indiana Recovery Alliance’s Founder and Director, Chris Abert. In this interview with WFHB News Director Wes Martin, Abert explains how the proposed policy lumps together Medically-Assisted Treatment centers with predatory for-profit addictions treatment and ‘rehab’ centers. “We don’t …

Indiana Republicans will consider changes to their party platform this weekend, including taking out language that defines marriage as between a man and a woman; The City of Bloomington announced its plans to pave and improve 20 miles of city-maintained streets in the coming months; Night time paving will begin on the southern portion of the I-69 construction zone tonight; New measures by …

The city of Bloomington is proposing a ban on new addictions treatment facilities. The drafted ordinance would place a moratorium on the further development of rehab facilities within city limits. According to a press release from the city, the ordinance was written after meeting with representatives from for-profit and non-profit treatment centers in the Bloomington area. Ordinance 18-14 blocks any …