WFHB Local News – July 6th, 2021

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 29:00 — 39.9MB)

Subscribe: RSS

This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, July 6th, 2021.

Later in the program, WFHB News speaks with freelance writer, Susan Brackney, about a video she produced voicing opposition to the City of Bloomington’s proposed annexation. More coming up in the bottom half of today’s program.

Also coming up in the next half hour, Tyson Foods recently announced that it’s recalling an estimated 8.5 million pounds of frozen, precooked chicken. Indiana is among the states included in the recall. More in today’s headlines.

But first, Katrine Bruner has today’s local news brief:

Monroe County, Indiana is at a medium risk for all residents, however still high risk for unvaccinated people. According to Covid Act Now, 49.7% of the county is fully vaccinated, which is 73,732 people. Anyone 12 years or older is eligible for getting the vaccine.

The Indiana State Department of Health COVID-19 dashboard recorded 302 new positive cases and 8 new deaths over the last 30 days. Indiana’s 7-day test positivity rate is currently 2.2%.

Switchyard park has officially implemented overnight security measures by bringing in security patrols to survey the area every day from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. They are not armed, but wear body cameras and drive a vehicle for patrolling.

Recreation Services Director for the city parks department, Becky Higgins said “Our goal is to make sure the park is safe for everyone to enjoy.” The city board of park commissioners had a meeting on June 23rd where they approved a contract with Marshall Security for $60,588. The guards started working a few days after. Certain city park rules have since been enforced, such as no one being allowed in the park between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. People experiencing homelessness have been told to vacate the Switchyard grounds during these prohibited hours by the security team. One of the goals of the security patrols is to reduce the number of police department calls from the park. Since July 1st, there have been 42 calls received by the Bloomington police department from the switchyard park. 40 percent of the calls were theft reports.

The new Bloomington hospital, located near the Indiana 45/46 bypass is expected to open this Fall, according to Indiana University health leaders. An IU spokesperson said the system was still moving equipment around so tours are not available yet. IU Health South Central Region President, Brian Shockney, said that the new hospital’s emergency department will be twice as big as the old one and have more privacy and efficiency this way. All of the new rooms will be larger than the old hospital however will have only one patient to help prevent spread of infections. Overall there will be 364 rooms available to the public. The overall cost of the new hospital totals to about $500 million.

COVID-19 Press Conference

At the July 2nd Coronavirus Press Conference, Mayor John Hamilton talked about the results of a survey sent out to city employees about the COVID-19 vaccine. He revealed that most employees surveyed said they would not be willing to get the vaccine at all.

Hamilton encouraged unvaccinated Hoosiers to seek out information on the safety of the vaccines. Monroe County Health Administrator Penny Caudill echoed that statement. She said residents who choose not to get the vaccine put those who are still ineligible to receive it at greater risk.

Vice President of Strategic Partnerships Kirk White reiterated that Coronavirus press conferences will now be held every other week. The next COVID-19 Press Conference will be on July 16th.

Indiana Included in Tyson Foods’ Recall of 8.5 Million lbs. of Frozen Chicken

Tyson Foods recently announced that it’s recalling an estimated 8.5 million pounds of frozen, precooked chicken. Indiana is among the states included in the recall.

According to a release from Tyson Foods, the company says, “Tyson has been working closely with the US Department of Agriculture on this recall, and while there is no conclusive evidence that the products were contaminated at the time of shipment, the voluntary recall is being initiated out of an abundance of caution.”

Spokespeople for the corporation say the products were produced between December 26th, 2020 and April 13th, 2021.

Products in the recall include Tyson-brand frozen chicken as well as private label products made for customers. Each package of the affected retail products has the establishment code P-7089.

According to a release from the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service, or FSIS, the chicken products may be adulterated with Listeria monocytogenes.

This can cause Listeriosis – a serious infection that primarily affects the elderly, people with weakened immune systems, pregnant women and their newborns. The infection can cause fever, muscle aches, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and convulsions. Furthermore, it can cause miscarriages, stillbirths, premature delivery or life-threatening infection of a newborn.

The press release says that on June 9th, FSIS was notified of two people sick with Listeriosis. FSIS worked with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine there was evidence linking the illnesses and precooked chicken at Tyson Foods.

WFHB News reached out to Derek Burleson, media contact at Tyson Foods, who did not respond prior to this broadcast.

Video from Monroe County Residents Against Annexation

A group of residents located within “Zone 4” of Bloomington’s annexation plan recently took to YouTube to voice opposition to their potential inclusion in city boundaries.

The City of Bloomington is set to resume annexation of nearly 10,000 acres of Monroe County land, a process that has become a divisive issue among residents in the city and surrounding areas. Zone 4, which the city’s interactive annexation map calls the “Central Island Bloomington Annexation Area,” includes the Shady Acres mobile home park as well as other land along South Cory Lane between West 3rd Street and West Bloomfield Road.

Beginning in 2017, the Annexation process was initially halted after state legislation was passed by the Indiana General Assembly and signed by Governor Holcomb in April of that year. The City of Bloomington would go on to challenge the constitutionality of this legislation in both county and state court, citing two violations of Indiana’s Constitution.

Over the course of the three-year legal battle, the City of Bloomington would go on to receive favorable rulings from both the Monroe County Circuit Court and the Indiana Supreme Court.

The video, about three and a half minutes in length and titled “Please Don’t Annex Zone 4! Let Us Be” features a compilation of quotes from Zone 4 residents cut in between a remix of the song “Our House” originally recorded by the English pop band, Madness.

Using modified lyrics, the song summarized many of the residents’ complaints.

The possibility of rising costs in the future, as well as the ecological effect of further development in this area were consistent arguments made against the annexation plan.

With the public hearing set for August 4th, these Monroe County residents, “urge City Council members to vote against annexation.”

Feature Report

WFHB News Director Kade Young spoke on the phone with Susan Brackney, the freelance writer who produced the video about how county residents feel about annexation and her main concerns about annexing Zone 4. We now turn to that interview.

Credits:
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Katrine Bruner, Max Campbell, Kade Young and Jake Jacobson, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our feature was produced by Kade Young and Max Campbell.
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
Engineer and Executive Producer is Kade Young.