WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, June 30th, 2021.
Later in the program, WFHB News Director Kade Young speaks with Bloomington Parks and Recreation Director, Paula McDevitt, about reopening Old State Road 37 which runs through Lower Cascades Park. More coming up in today’s feature reports.
Also coming up in the next half hour, WFHB News speaks with Bradi Heaberlin – graduate student at Indiana University and community activist – about organizing a vigil on Saturday for Malik Ali Malik, a man who died after a police chase by Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies. More in today’s headlines.
But first, WFHB’s Katherine Patterson has your local news brief:
Along with snacks, Go Carts and amusement rides, the COVID-19 vaccine will be offered at the Monroe County Fair that goes from today until July 4th. The vaccination clinic will be open from 3p.m to 9 p.m. Administrator of the Monroe County Health Department said, “Being fully vaccinated allows you more freedom and helps the community reach a higher level of immunity.” The two shots offered at the fair will be the Pfizer vaccine of the Johnson & Johnson. The vaccine is free and registration is available online at ourshot.in.gov or by calling 866-211-9966. Walk-ins are accepted while vaccine supplies last.
The construction on Seventh Street due to a bike lane is anticipated to be completed by August 9, just before the return of IU students, according to a City of Bloomington press release. The lane will run east to west starting on the south side of East Seventh Street and connect to the B-Line Trail. This will provide a direct route from downtown to campus in the hopes of encouraging biking as a means of transportation. Due to this construction, there will now be a physical separation between cyclists and motorists due to a 16-inch wide cement divider.
A federal investigation into the Indiana Department of Education has been dismissed. There was concern that students with disabilities were unable to access equal opportunities when it came to education during the COVID-19 pandemic in Indiana. Federal law requires schools to provide “free appropriate public education” to every qualified student with a disability. The Office of Civil Rights opened the investigation in January after hearing unsettling reports that disabled students were forced by local school districts into “one size fits all” remote learning programs, rather than the individualized programs designed to meet their specific needs. After 6 months, the OCR said there was no evidence that the Indiana Department of Education is currently discriminating against students with disabilities.
Bradi Heaberlin Speaks on Vigil for Malik Ali Malik Last Saturday
On Saturday, people gathered for a vigil hosted by the Bloomington Young Democratic Socialists of America in People’s Park for Malik Ali Malik – a man who died after a police chase by Monroe County Sheriff’s Office deputies.
On April 17th, Malik’s car collided with a tree and then caught on fire. Protestors at the vigil demanded the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office to release the body camera footage. Those close to Malik then shared their favorite memories of him.
Bradi Heaberlin, a graduate student at Indiana University and member of the Bloomington YDSA, helped organize the vigil. She walked through what the event was like on Saturday.
“We wanted to have an event that both remembered his life and also demanded the release of the body cam footage from the day of his death,” said Heaberlin.
Mother of Malik’s children, Barbara Dorman, said that she wants the body camera footage released to know if officers tried to help Malik get out of the burning car.
Heaberlin touches on working with Malik’s family and roadblocks they’re seeing to getting the body cam footage released.
“There are a couple of moments between when the car is said to have crashed and when an ambulance or a firetruck was called,” she said. “It makes me think there is a reason that the body cam footage was withheld.”
I just want to send love out to his daughter and his other kids and his partner, as well – and just send love to his family right now. This might be a long fight for them, and I think it’s important that we hold them through this and show up in the ways that we can to support them. -Bradi Heaberlin
According to a deputy report from the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, after Malik struck a tree off Dinsmore Road, officers said that the driver did not move nor respond to verbal commands.
The deputy’s report says, “deputies then attempted to approach the vehicle but due to the safety concerns of Malik as well as the safety concerns of the vehicle fire, deputies then backed off and continued verbal commands to Malik. Malik was never able to leave the vehicle. Fire was then called to scene and extinguished the fire.”
The report then adds that Malik was later located in the vehicle and pronounced dead on the scene.
Malik died in April, but it’s taken nearly two months for the incident to receive significant media coverage. Heaberlin gave her best explanation as to why it’s taken so long for a spotlight to be given.
“I think the family likely just needed time to mourn and grieve. Now that the sheriff’s department is not releasing the body cam footage, now is a really good time for people to come together and demand that, and fight on behalf of Malik’s life,” said Heaberlin.
For those who would like to help in their efforts, vigil goers encouraged folks to email the Monroe County Sheriff’s Department and demand that the bodycam footage from Malik’s death be released.
Monroe County Convention and Visitors Commission
The Monroe County Convention and Visitors Commission talked to Downtown Bloomington Incorporated at its June 23rd meeting. Executive Director of D-B-I Talisha Coppock said businesses have been scheduling larger events with the Bloomington Convention Center. She said the list of organizations hosting events this fall is proof that they are regaining confidence.
Commissioner Sean Hanlon asked about staffing. Coppock replied that DBI is running on a small staff but will be ramping up soon.
The Convention and Visitors Commission will meet again sometime in July.
Feature Reports:
Now it’s time for your feature reports. Up first, WFHB News Director Kade Young speaks with Bloomington Parks and Recreation Director, Paula McDevitt, about reopening Old State Road 37 running through Lower Cascades Park. We turn to Kade Young for that interview.
Now it’s time for Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. We turn to host and producer Richard Fish for more.
Credits:
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Katherine Patterson, Kade Young and Jake Jacobson, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our feature was produced by Kade Young.
Better Beware is produced by Richard Fish.
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
Our engineer and executive producer is Kade Young.
Anchors are Benedict Jones and Jake Jacobson.
