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This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, April 7th, 2021.
Later in the program, we turn to WFHB Correspondent Aaron Comforty, for an interview with Jonah Furman on Covid-19 outbreaks at Bloomington’s Catalant Covid-19 Vaccine Factory. Stay tuned to hear the interview in today’s feature report.
Also coming up in the next half hour, we have Better Beware, your weekly-consumer watchdog segment hosted and produced by Richard Fish. More at the bottom half of tonight’s show.
Your Local News Brief
The City of Bloomington announced the construction of a new apartment complex beside Switchyard Park which will include 48 units reserved for people earning 30-80 percent of the Area Median Income.
The apartments will be called Retreat @ Switchyard. They are a collaboration between the City’s Redevelopment Commission and RealAmerica Companies, which was contracted to do the build.
The press release noted that, “Ten of the units will be reserved for people who have intellectual and developmental disabilities,” supported by Stone Belt, a local nonprofit organization.
Critics of the City’s housing policy are calling this a small step forward. They are characterizing it as a drop in the bucket, when it comes to the expensive, unaffordable housing situation in Bloomington, and the local homelessness crisis.
A new state Republican Bill, Senate Bill 5, would greatly restrict local health officials’ abilities to set local regulations during a health emergency.
As of now, local health officials, like the Monroe County Department of Health can set more stringent rules about issues like mask mandates, gathering size, and regulations on bars and restaurants.
SB 5 would strip local health officials of their abilities to just that. The bill was approved by the statehouse yesterday, and now heads to the state senate. The bill also gives business owners more avenues to appeal and contest local health department policies.
The bill passes as Indiana is seeing an uptick in new Covid-19 cases. The state is averaging over 1,000 new cases per day.
While deaths are relatively low right now, in the single digits, the statistics suggest that in a week or two, deaths could rise to twenty to 25 per day.
Many health experts are calling this the beginning of the fourth wave of the pandemic. The fourth wave appears to be fueled by new more contagious and more deadly strains.
Bloomington Plan Commission
The Bloomington Plan Commission continued their discussion regarding Residential 4 zoning districts in the Unified Development Ordinance. At the April 5th meeting, commissioners debated possible amendments to the zoning map. Development Services Manager Jackie Scanlan presented the first amendment, which included an R4 rezone.
Commissioner Brad Wisley introduced Amendment 2, changing a mixed use residential zone to mixed use healthcare. Amendment 3, proposed by Commissioner Susan Sandberg, would have removed the R4 district entirely. She explained amendment 3 was supposed to slow down the implementation of R4 districts.
Sandberg decided not to introduce the amendment. Sandberg did introduce one amendment with concern for R4 district infrastructure and historical qualifications.
The Commission failed to second this amendment. Commission members approved the Zoning Map Ordinance as amended on a 7 to 1 vote with Sandburg dissenting. The package must still obtain approval from the Bloomington City Council before implementation.
Bloomington Redevelopment Commission
The Bloomington Redevelopment Commission approved an addendum to a contract with F-C Tucker Commercial. Director of Economic and Sustainable Development Alex Crowley stated FC Tucker performed land acquisitions for the city of Bloomington during their April 5th meeting.
Commissioner Dave Walter questioned Crowley on Tucker’s usefulness on city projects. Crowley stated Tucker held better knowledge of the market.
The next Bloomington Redevelopment Commission meeting will be held on April 19th.
Covid-19 Update: End of Mask Mandate, Increasing Positive Cases and Assembly Hall Vaccine Site
On Tuesday, the mask mandate, initiated by Governor Eric Holcomb last summer, expired along with remaining statewide Covid-19 business restrictions.
The move to not renew the mask mandate goes directly against guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which says that masks are crucial to limiting the spread of Covid-19.
During last week’s Covid-19 press conference hosted by local leaders, Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton criticized the governor’s removal of the statewide mask mandate.
Monroe County Health Administrator Penny Caudill clarified that local Covid-19 restrictions will largely stay in place, despite the ease of restrictions on the state level.
Caudill said Covid-19 cases are increasing in Monroe County. She provided a breakdown of the numbers.
She also warned of Covid-19 variants that are slowly starting to spread in Indiana. She said not everyone is tested for the variants, so the data is limited.
On Monday, the county’s transition to Assembly Hall for its primary vaccine site set into motion. IU’s Kirk White says the move to Assembly Hall increased its vaccine supply ten times the amount from the week prior.
So far, about 27,000 Monroe County residents are fully vaccinated. On the state level, more than 1.2 million Indiana residents have been fully vaccinated.
Feature Reports
Up first, we turn to WFHB Correspondent Aaron Comforty, for an interview with Jonah Furman on Covid-19 outbreaks at Bloomington’s Catalent Covid-19 vaccine factory. Furman authored a story for the Intercept titled, “CATCHING COVID-19 AT A COVID-19 VACCINE PRODUCTION FACILITY.” We turn to Aaron Comforty for more on the story.
Now it’s time for Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on WFHB Community Radio. In today’s program, host Richard Fish discusses a scam targeted to customers of Amazon Incorporated, the world’s largest marketplace.
Richard Fish has more.
Credits:
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Aaron Comforty, Sydney Foreman, Kade Young and Jake Jacobson, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our feature was produced by Aaron Comforty.
Better Beware is produced by Richard Fish.
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
