News Talk FM 95.9 and AM 1370 WGCL
By: Keith Klein (photo WANE.com)
School sports and extracurricular activities resume today. According to the Department of Education, it will happen in three stages, each providing more liberties to participants and spectators. The IHSAA announced athletes are limited to 15 hours per week on a school campus until July 19 — the anticipated end of the first returning phase.
[Read more…] about WGCL News — High School Sports ResumesBy: Keith Klein
Photo Credit: City of Bloomington
Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton has tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies, indicating he has very likely experienced a COVID-19 infection.
[Read more…] about WGCL News — Mayor Hamilton has COVID-19 Antibodies, Negative TestsBy: Keith Klein (Photo: Indiana Public Media)
The MCCSC Path to Re-entry and Recovery was passed by the Board of School Trustees in a special meeting Tuesday. It is now the blueprint for reopening the Corporation schools. The 97-page plan is posted on the MCCSC web site. There are several clarifying comments now included in the plan. The changes and explanations are indicated in red on the web site. The modifications are based on feedback, over 300 written public comments submitted on the internet, and Board changes to the plan which was originally presented to the Board at its June 23rd meeting. The additions, explanations, or changes to the plan as proposed may be viewed at MCCSC.edu. What is posted on the MCCSC web site will be the guiding plan for the reopening of schools August 5th.
By: Keith Klein
(Photo: Indiana Public Radio)
Bills for Duke Energy customers in Indiana will increase over the next two years after the state authorized the increase for the utility. It is unclear the amount of increase ratepayers will see on their bills. It will likely be a 6% increase or more for residential customers, according to Kerwin Olson, Executive Director of the consumer advocacy group Citizens Action Coalition. The IURC approved a $146 million increase in annual revenue for Duke Energy. The increase is a “significant reduction” from the utility’s originally requested nearly $400 million and its later revised request of $362 million, according to the IURC. The Commission approved increase is 60% less than what Duke had asked for. Duke’s original request– one of the largest in Indiana history – could have raised rates for customers by as much as $23 per month.
[Read more…] about WGCL News — Duke Energy Increasing RatesBy: Keith Klein (photo: The IndyChannel.com)
The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission is extending its power shut off moratorium, giving customers struggling to pay their energy bills 45 more days before a power shut off is allowed. The disconnection moratorium will now end August 14th. The IURC also denied Indiana’s gas and electric companies’ request to increase costs to recover lost revenue from the coronavirus pandemic. The IURC also deferred the joint utility petitioners’ requests related to increased operations and maintenance expenses until it can be evaluated more thoroughly.
[Read more…] about WGCL News — Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission Extends Moratorium for Struggling CustomersBy: Keith Klein (Photo: Catholic News Agency)
Transgender students may be barred from attending Catholic schools in central and southern Indiana, according to a new policy from the Archdiocese of Indianapolis. Archbishop Charles C. Thompson directed schools to work with transgender, gender non-conforming, and non-binary students to “pastorally address their needs in alignment with the church’s teachings to navigate the difficult issues related to sexual identity… and living in accordance with church values.” The directive continues: “Any student whose gender has been legally changed from their biological sex, or who has chemically and/or surgically altered their given biology, may not be eligible for enrollment.” The document also says that parents who enroll their children in a Catholic school must understand, affirm, and support the archdiocese mission and policies. The archdiocesan schools participate in the state’s voucher program, which uses public dollars to fund scholarships to private schools. Democratic lawmakers have introduced several bills to prevent discrimination against students, staff, and teachers in voucher schools, but none have passed.
[Read more…] about WGCL News — Indianapolis Archdiocese New Policy on Transgender StudentsBy: Keith Klein (photo: The Indy Channel)
A Saharan dust cloud is continuing its move northward from the Gulf of Mexico. Dust from the Sahara usually impacts the United States once or twice a year. However, this latest wave will be a little more intense. By tomorrow the dust will impact Indiana, continuing into the weekend. The dust will create a milky looking sky at times during the day. It will bring poor air quality to the area. Those sensitive to air quality or those who have respiratory conditions may experience issues. Be on the lookout for vivid sunsets and sunrises. The dust particles in the atmosphere will cause light to be scattered, resulting in vibrant colors as the sun sets and rises.
[Read more…] about WGCL News — Saharan Dust Cloud Heading to IndianaBy: Keith Klein (photo WLFI.com)
Purdue has expelled an undergraduate student over racist messages he shared on social media last week. “Purdue President Mitch Daniels announced the immediate expulsion of student Maxwell Lawrence,” university spokesperson Tim Doty said. “The president determined that, in addition to being racist and despicable, repeated statements posted on social media by Lawrence appear plainly intended to incite others and therefore create a risk of public safety issues in the current environment.”
[Read more…] about WGCL News — TikTok Video Leads to Expulsion at PurdueBy: Keith Klein (photo: Indiana Public Media)
When the MCCSC began online instruction, about 360 families had a hard time connecting their kids to Wi-Fi. Superintendent Judy DeMuth says the district will use a CARES grant to install hot spots on buses to be driven into neighborhoods with low connectivity. The MCCSC will receive an estimated $1.9 million through the Fund. The Corporation will, also, purchase hot spots for families who need one for connection.
Photo: Visit Bloomington
IU has set a new record for students enrolling. It’s still not clear how many will show up in the fall. Universities are facing more uncertainty than usual because of the pandemic. IU Bloomington will see a beginner class similar in size to previous years. Beginner class refers to first-time undergraduate students. “We have a strong number of deposits,” said David Johnson, vice provost for enrollment management. As of last week, 9,340 students had paid deposits to enroll in the fall, a 1% increase over last year. About 9,000 deposits are typical for the Bloomington campus. Johnson is optimistic there will be about 8,000 students in this year’s beginner class. One reason is the record number of deposits. Another is reservations for orientation.
The Bloomington Pridefest annual celebration will go virtual this year due to the pandemic. Bloomington PRIDE organizers say the event will take place online over three days at the end of August and include a vendor expo, musical performances, and workshops, among other virtual activities. “We did not make this decision lightly,” PRIDE Board Chair Janae Cummings said”. The 2019 festival saw more than 20,000 visitors.
Veteran’s Affairs is seeking information that could lead to those responsible for smearing tar and feathers on graves in the “Confederate Mound” section of Crown Hill Cemetery earlier this month. “We are committed to maintaining our cemeteries as national shrines, including cleaning these gravesites, which memorialize those interred at the cemetery,” VA officials said. Groundskeeperswere able to clean most of the substance off the graves, but some remnants remain. The Confederate Mound is federally-owned and does not belong to Crown Hill Cemetery, though it is on its property. 1,600 Confederate prisoners of war were buried at the site after they died at Camp Morton, a military base in Indianapolis.
