Editorial

The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission will hold an educational meeting regarding the end of the 812 area code at Bloomington High School South on March 7. High demand for the area code resulting from increased use of cell phones, faxes and computers, population growth, and economic progress has contributed to projections that available numbers will … Read more

“I’ve had people come up to me and say, ‘I didn’t know Stinesville had a police department,’” Stinesville Town Marshal Mark Crouch said. “Yeah, they’ve had one for years. I mean, years and years. They replied, ‘I never knew that.’” When Crouch, a retired Bloomington police officer, arrived at the Stinesville Police Department, it was … Read more

A creek restoration project led by the Richland Township Trustee’s Office and the Monroe County Soil and Water Conservation District was cut short when it was determined the bridge that crossed the creek was in such disrepair that it, too, needed to be replaced. The trustee’s office became interested in restoring the Turtleback Creek bank … Read more

The Monroe County Sheriff’s Reserve Division recently donated a vehicle to the Stinesville Police Department. The 1995 Jeep Cherokee comes fully equipped with police gear and 47,000 miles on it. The addition will bring the total number of vehicles at SPD to three. Stinesville Town Marshal Mark Crouch said the offer for the vehicle came … Read more

Senate Bill 275 would replace existing state law that requires county councils to set up property tax payment plans proposed by county treasurers. Under the new law, all counties would be required to accept both lump sum payments and installment plans. In Monroe County, residents can already set up plans to pay their property taxes … Read more

The Monroe County Parks and Recreation Board will vote on proposed improvements for Monroe County parks, including Ellettsville’s Flatwoods Park, at its March meeting. The upgrades, which will begin this summer if approved, will include improvements to the trail system, bridges and playgrounds. Planned improvements include trail maps with distances for all Flatwoods Park trails, … Read more

The Indiana State Department of Health has changed the vaccination requirements for kindergarten through 12th-grade students beginning in the 2013-14 academic year. Amanda Turney, spokesperson for the ISDH, said the change expands the requirement for two doses of chickenpox vaccine to all students. “For the 2012-13 school year, the chickenpox vaccine is required for all … Read more

The local component of a national project that helps children learn about entrepreneurship will hold its 2013 kickoff event Jan. 31 at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business. The local event run by the Bloomington Boys & Girls Club, called Lemonade Day, teaches children how to operate a business by getting them involved at the … Read more

The 2012-13 flu season has already claimed 21 Hoosiers, including two minors, according to the Indiana State Health Department. A Jan. 5 report from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated that the most common strains of flu found this season were the influenza A viruses, H3N2 and H1N1, and various influenza B … Read more

An agreement reached by the United States Congress to avert the “fiscal cliff” may have saved tens of thousands of Hoosiers from losing their federal unemployment insurance benefits. The Jan. 3 agreement extended insurance benefits through Dec. 31 at an estimated cost of $30 billion. “If Congress would’ve waited another few days, another week or … Read more