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This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, August 22nd, 2022.
Later in the program, the Madison County Prosecutor’s Office will seek the death penalty against the man who killed Elwood Police Officer Noah Shahnavaz. More in the bottom half of tonight’s show.
Also coming up in the next half hour, we have some recent prison-related news and announcements from the producers of Kite Line – our public affairs program devoted to prison issues in the Midwest and beyond. But first, your daily headlines:
Covid-19 Press Conference
At the August 5th COVID-19 Press Conference, local officials updated the community on COVID-19 case levels and offered strategies on how to prevent contracting and spreading the virus.
Indiana University Health President Brian Shockney provided updates about COVID-19 hospitalizations at IU Health Facilities in Bedford, Bloomington and Paoli, stating that the majority of COVID hospitalizations are of vaccinated individuals. Shockney also shared how people can stop the spread of the virus by masking up while in public and to get vaccinated and boosted.
Director of Public Engagement, Mary Catherine Carmichael, discussed city updates and reported consistent results in wastewater testing through the Blucher Poole Wastewater Treatment Plant. However, Carmichael said she expects the influx of students to disrupt the balance and increase contaminant numbers.
Monroe County Health Administrator Lori Kelley informed the panel of the progression of Indiana’s county cases over the course of the summer, stating that Monroe County is now in the ‘medium COVID level.’ Kelley also gave updates on the Indiana Department of Education’s recommendations for schools.
Local journalist Dave Askins asked about the accuracy of Brian Shockney’s statement of the increased rate of vaccinated individuals in hospitals and questioned how it translated to the message of getting vaccinated. Shockney replied that the current vaccine is not specifically targeted to the recent variants but said he is hoping for more effective vaccines in the future.
The next COVID-19 Press Conference will happen on August 19th.
Monroe County Council
The Monroe County Council met in their regular session on August 9th. At the meeting, President of the Greater Bloomington Chamber of Commerce Eric Spoonmore presented the city’s proposal to buy property from the county where the new convention center will be built. He said the project had stalled since 2017, when the county levied a food and beverage tax to fund the new convention center. And he outlined the roles of local governing bodies in moving the new proposal forward.
Deputy mayor Don Griffin described the city’s vision for the exchange.
Member of the county’s Convention & Visitors Commission Mike Campbell and executive director of Downtown Bloomington Inc. Talisha Coppock both said the convention center is unique in its ability to bring in Sunday through Thursday business to downtown Bloomington.
Executive director of Visit Bloomington Mike McAfee said he’s had to turn away ten different groups this year, either because the convention center was too small or wasn’t available on the dates they were interested in. He said a larger convention center was needed to meet that demand.
County council member Cheryl Munson called the food and beverage tax, which was enacted in 2017 to support convention center expansion, a substantial and dependable source of revenue–but she worried the Indiana legislature might end the tax if Bloomington and Monroe County don’t make progress.
Council member Peter Iversen praised the presentation as a sign of collaboration. He said he appreciated that the plan focused on values the city and county have in common, like addressing the opioid epidemic and expanding public transit. However, Iversen also had some questions about the city’s proposal.
Several other council members had questions about the plan as well. Both Munson and council member Geoff McKim wondered which specific properties the city hoped to purchase. McKim said the county had acquired more land than would likely be used to build out the convention center, and he’d be concerned about transferring all that land to the city. Council member Marty Hawk was skeptical about the legal ramifications of the exchange–and whether it had a political path forward.
Later in the meeting, the council voted unanimously to recommend a 5 percent cost of living adjustment for Monroe County government employees next year. Iversen said that, anecdotally, that raise is on par with what area nonprofits are offering their employees.
That 5 percent number will be reviewed by the county commissioners, and the council may revisit it in their budget.
The council unanimously approved the Parks and Recreation Department’s request to use 6500 dollars to purchase two Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant portable toilets for county parks. Parks department director Kelli Witmer explained the importance of accessible restrooms.
The Limestone Greenway toilet will be installed at the Sheriff Sub-station and the Karst Farm Greenway toilet will be installed at the Loesch Road trailhead.
The county council will convene again for a work session on August 23rd.
Madison County Prosecutor Seeks Death Penalty in Killing of Police Officer
The Madison County Prosecutor’s Office announced it will seek the death penalty against the man who killed Elwood Police Officer Noah Shahnavaz.
Carl Roy Webb Boards II is accused of killing the police officer during a traffic stop late last month. Boards is charged with murder, unlawful possession of a firearm by a serious violent felon and two counts of resisting law enforcement.
Madison County Prosecutor Rodney Cummings said he made the decision to seek the death penalty after meeting with Shahnavaz’s family.
In 2000, Beech Grove Police Officer William Toney was shot and killed during a foot pursuit of a car theft suspect. The 20-year-old suspect was sentenced the death and is currently a small number of offenders on Indiana’s death row for the murder of a law enforcement officer.
A journalist asked Cummings why he seeks the death penalty in this case when Boards would likely remain on death row for decades to come.
The Indiana legislature passed a law that allows residents to carry a handgun without a permit. A reporter asked if the new law would lead to an increase in gun violence and police officer deaths. Indiana State Police Superintendent Doug Carter responded.
Matt Shahnavaz, the father of the police officer, said his son used to avidly wear sunglasses. He placed a pair of sunglasses on the podium as he read a statement.
Indiana currently has eight men on death row. The last execution that took place in an Indiana prison was in December 2009. Boards will appear next in court on September 30th.
Public Affairs Excerpt
Up next, we have some recent prison-related news and announcements from the producers of Kite Line – our public affairs program devoted to prison issues in the Midwest and beyond. Kite Line airs each Friday at 5:30 p.m. on WFHB. The program is available online or wherever you get your podcasts.
Credits:
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Noelle Herhusky-Schneider, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our feature was produced by Kade Young.
Kite Line is produced by Mia Beach.
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
Engineer and Executive producer is Kade Young.
