WFHB Local News – March 23rd, 2021

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This is the WFHB Local News for Tuesday, March 23rd, 2021.

Later in the program, we turn to WFHB Correspondent Aaron Comforty, for a report on newly proposed state education bills that would take money from public schools and give it to private schools. Stay tuned to hear the interview.

Also coming up in the next half hour, workers at the Secretly Group, a string of Bloomington-based record labels, are trying to unionize. More in today’s headlines.

Your Local News Brief:

 As of Monday, Hoosiers who are 40 years of age and older are currently eligible to sign up for the COVID-19 vaccine. Pre-K through high school teachers and staff, and Hoosiers who work in child care are also eligible.

First responders or healthcare workers still qualify to sign up for the vaccine, as well. If you qualify, you can sign up online by visiting ourshot.in.gov, over the phone by calling 211 for assistance, or by contacting one of Indiana’s Area Agencies on Aging.

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Governor Eric Holcomb’s latest Executive Order, Executive Order 21-07, went into effect on Monday.

Executive Order 21-07 extends the deadline to file state taxes, from April 15 to May 17. This change is in line with the recent announcement that the U S Treasury has extended the Federal tax deadline to May 17 as well.

The executive order makes two other major extensions. First, E-O 21-07 continues to extend the temporary licensing of health care workers, for an extra 90 days.

EO 21-07 also extends the amount of time a new police officer can, “exercise law enforcement powers” before they have to complete basic training.

This additional six months is on top of the current allotment of one year. This is the second such extension granted to members of law enforcement made by Governor Holcomb.

These multiple extensions are due to the closure of the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Curiously, the state’s press release does not touch on this extension.

Bloomington Plan Commission

Development Services Manager Jackie Scanlan Presented an ordinance amendment to the unified development ordinance regarding use regulations during the March 22nd Bloomington Plan Commission meeting. She spoke of changes to parking regulations.

Scanlan said a similar requirement was proposed for student living. She mentioned changes to livestock regulations as well.

Scanlan proposed removal of a required notification to neighbors if a person planned on building an accessory dwelling unit. She mentioned the notification caused confusion.

Scanlan stated no other by right uses require notification. During public comment many residents supported resident Peter Dorfman ’s opposition to the removal of notification.

Commissioner Trohn Enright-Randolph supported the continuance of notification letters. Commissioner Beth Cate argued neighbor conversations could still occur without a required formal notification. Commissioners unanimously approved a positive recommendation of the ordinance to city council as amended.

Workers at the Secretly Group Begin Effort to Unionize

Workers at the independent record company, the Secretly Group, started an effort to unionize.

The Secretly Group is made up of four indie labels, which include: Secretly Canadian, Jagjaguwar, Dead Oceans and archival record label, the Numero Group.

Kim Kelly of Rolling Stone magazine, reported that if successful, the Secretly Group Union will make history as one of the first independent record-label staffs to unionize.

Employees wrote in an open letter, “our enthusiasm for the culture in which we work, can lead to exploitation in ways endemic to the creative industries: poor wages, inadequate benefits and an absence of initiatives that address systemic race and gender inequality.”

According to the Secretly Group Union’s Twitter page, workers at the label hope to form a union with the Office and Professional Employees International Union, or OPEIU.

We are forming Secretly Group Union because we love the work we do and the music we share with the world. We are committed to building a truly inclusive, progressive and ethical work environment to guarantee a better music industry for all.https://t.co/YtvkHobPl0 pic.twitter.com/uaS6L13mrm

— Secretly Group Union (@secretlyunion) March 23, 2021

In the open letter, union organizers are asking senior partners and senior management at the Secretly Group to voluntarily recognize the union.

Demands of the Secretly Group’s workers include fair compensation, equitable representation and healthy working conditions.

The story of the Secretly Group has humble beginnings, which stemmed from several college radio students putting money together from their summer jobs to start a record label.

It was founded by brothers Chris and Ben Swanson along with friends Eric Weddle and Jonathan Cargill at Indiana University in 1996. Now, the Secretly Group has offices in London and Paris. Its roster includes artists from Yoko Ono to the War on Drugs to Phoebe Bridgers.

Now, workers are hoping to write a new chapter of the Secretly legacy.

The letter says, “The Secretly Group has been a leading progressive voice in the music industry for many years. Unionization ensures that we will continue to set that example for our peers. This is the next chapter of the Secretly legacy, written by the workers.”

Ellettsville Town Council 

The Ellettsville Town Council discussed traffic ordinances during their March 22nd meeting. Darla Brown. Town Attorney Darla Brown introduced the ordinances for first reading.

Brown stated the second ordinance concerned maximum speed limits for the same roadways. She stated the limit would be set at 20 miles per hour. Council member Scott Oldham questioned Public Works Foreman Kip Headdy about speed limit comparisons.

Council members will hold a final discussion regarding the street ordinances at their next council meeting.

Feature Reports:

WFHB Correspondent Alex Dederer reports on a weight room disparity between the women’s and men’s teams at the NCAA’s basketball tournament. We turn to Alex Dederer for more.

Up next, turn to WFHB Correspondent Aaron Comforty, for a report on newly proposed state education bills that would take money from public schools and give it to private schools.

Credits:

You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Jake Jacobson, Kade Young and Sydney Foreman, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our feature was produced by Aaron Comforty.
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
Engineer and Executive producer is Kade Young.