WFHB Bloomington Community Radio
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This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, November 17th, 2021.
Later in the program, WFHB News Director Kade Young speaks with Efrat Feferman about Heading Home 2021 – a long-term, housing first approach to combat homelessness and housing insecurity in the community. More coming up in today’s feature report.
Also coming up in the next half hour, “Smartphone Safety” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment with host and producer Richard Fish. More following today’s feature report.
But first, your Environmental News Brief:
A recent study from FarmWeek, an online agriculture publication, has found that the reduction of pesticides by Hoosier farmers will increase the number of bees that pollinate crops and thus increase crop yields. When pesticides were applied only when desperately needed, the bees were able to survive and continue to pollinate. The research was conducted over a four year period on various watermelon patches throughout the state and in environments that replicated the average agricultural field for Hoosier farmers. The study found that there was a definitive increase of 26% in average crop yields once pesticides were reduced and only applied when needed.
Over seventeen state parks throughout Indiana are shutting down for the beginning of the deer hunting season. The hunts are scheduled for November 15th-16th and November 29th-30th. With no natural predators present in the state, deer have taken over large parts of Indiana’s forests and are even found walking through more urbanized areas. The annual deer hunts began in 1993 to deal with this problem, with over 1,243 deer killed last year in Indiana state parks. Some wildlife biologists believe that these hunts are necessary to ensure balance within the Indiana ecosystems and allow natives plants to thrive.
Last week, Indiana University students and faculty held a climate change panel at the Indiana Memorial Union. This meeting coincides with the Student Involvement and Leadership Center’s monthly panels that seek to address local issues that affect the Bloomington and the Monroe County area. More specifically, there was an emphasis on climate justice, and how more marginalized communities are more likely to be affected by the worst aspects of climate change. This includes people with disabilities and the elderly. There was also a discussion on how to best deal with the often distressing climate change news that shows a dark vision of the future. The panelists told participants to remain optimistic and to believe that work from the local community all the way to the United Nations can help prevent the worst aspects of climate change.
Monroe County Women’s Commission Approves “Girls Who Code” in 2022 Budget
On November 12th at the Monroe County Women’s Commission, commission member Peter Iversen shared that Monroe County approved ten thousand dollars for Girls Who Code in the 2022 budget.
Commission member Michelle Bartley-Taylor reported that the Girls Coding Camp was successfully completed at all three locations.
The next Women’s Commission meeting will be held on December 10th.
Feature Report:
Local government has pledged nearly 4 million dollars to combat homelessness in the community.
During a press conference last week, local officials announced the Heading Home 2021 funding partnership. according to Executive Director of United Way Efrat Feferman, United Way of Monroe County secured funding from the City of Bloomington, Monroe County and the townships of Perry and Bloomington.
WFHB News Director Kade Young spoke to Feferman on the phone earlier this afternoon to discuss what the project entails.
Up next, we have “Smartphone Safety” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment with host and producer Richard Fish. We turn to Richard Fish for more.
Credits:
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News ,
Today’s headlines were written by Nathaniel Weinzapfel and Noelle Herhusky-Schneider, 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.
Engineer and Executive producer is Kade Young.
Anchors are Benedict Jones and Noelle Herhusky-Schneider.
