WFHB Local News Features

Theresa Ochoa considers herself lucky — she gets to work with imprisoned kids, some of whom are well on their way to becoming hardened criminals. She’s an Associate Professor of Special Education at Indiana University and has founded HOPE, a program matching undergraduate college students as mentors, with kids serving time in the state’s three juvenile correctional facilities. Ochoa leads …

Last night’s Bloomington City Council meeting became heated, as city Planning Director Terri Porter accused a council member of abusing their authority while reviewing the city’s proposed comprehensive plan. Porter accused City Council member Chris Sturbaum of fear mongering when it comes to housing density. Last night’s session ends a first round of chapter- by-chapter amendments. Council members Steve Volan …

After the City of Bloomington’s Safety, Civility, and Justice Task Force came to the conclusion more homeless people were in the city’s downtown during the Shalom Community Center’s off-hours, the city pledged over twenty-thousand dollars to keep Shalom open on the weekends. The city also asked for matching contributions from Monroe County government and private businesses. WFHB News Director Wes …

Fierce storms battered southern Monroe and northern Lawrence counties yesterday afternoon before becoming tornadoes in central Indiana. The Lawrence County Sheriff warned residents of a gas leak along Gas Line Rd. through its Facebook page. The sheriff set up a temporary command center at Springville Elementary School and directed displaced residents there. Monroe County Sheriff Brad Swain said things were …

John Armstrong and Zachary Spicer were friends when they were students at Indiana University. Years later they reconnected in New York and decided to start their own film production company. Their first movie, “The Good Catholic,” is now out on DVD and BluRay and will be available on Netflix in January. The two have committed to shooting six more films …

The national opioid epidemic, which President Donald Trump declared a Public Health Emergency last week, is changing the face of child abuse and neglect in Indiana and causing more children to become wards of the state. Experts and advocates say the overwhelming number of cases and the severity of the cases is taking a toll on state resources. As WFHB …

WFHB Correspondent Jada Lucas speaks with Willy Palomo, Aubrey Saeder, Paul Daily and Kate Brown about their upcoming Ivy Tech John Waldron Arts Center storytelling series on November 3.

He’s been travelling across two continents on a motorcycle for the past year. Bloomington native Isaac Simonelli moved to Southeast Asia, lost everything gambling, and worked for a newspaper in Thailand before venturing across Asia and Africa on his motorcycle. He’s been rolling a set of dice to determine everything from what road to take, what country to visit next, …

Mike Trotzke is the co-founder of Sprout Box, the CEO of Cheddar, and an organizer of The Combine, an annual innovators and entrepreneurs conference here in Bloomington. A young, ambitious business person who’s doing his part to spur the transformation of the Bloomington area, from a high-tech investors’ desert to a lush landscape where startups and investors can thrive. Trotzke …

After nearly 70 years, the Pine Room tavern in Nashville, Indiana is closing its doors. A staple for Brown County artists and residents, the Pine Room was combined with Muddy Boots café in 2015, when current owners Betsy and James Oblack combined the businesses. As WFHB News Director Wes Martin reports, the combined businesses are for sale, but will close …