By Diane Daily
The woman who was arrested following last week’s stabbing incident on a Bloomington Transit bus will ask for an insanity defense. Published Reports say a public defender has been assigned to represent Billie Davis, who confessed to stabbing an 18-year-old IU student because of her nationality. A competency hearing will be scheduled for Davis in Monroe County Circuit Court.
Snow is in our forecast this week. Meteorologists say Indiana’s heaviest snowfalls usually happen during January and February. The Bloomington Public Works Department reminds owners of commercial and residential properties that, under City ordinance, they must clear their adjacent sidewalks within 24 hours after snow or ice has stopped falling. On sidewalks in the city’s downtown snow removal area, a path of at least 54 inches, or the width of the sidewalk, needs to be cleared. In other areas, the minimum clearing width is 36 inches to insure safe access for pedestrians and postal workers.
Bloomington’s Black History Month celebration will get underway next Monday with a reception in the Atrium of City Hall, followed by a formal program in Council Chambers. This year’s theme is “Black Innovation.” Events will celebrate and explore Black inventors and creators and showcase how their many contributions have improved the way we live. The annual Black History Month Gala will be held at Woolery Mill on Saturday February 25.
A librarian with Monroe County Community Schools has been honored by the American Library Association. Dr. Julie Marie Frye is the Primary Years Program School Librarian and Tech Coordinator at Childs Elementary. She was chosen from more than 15-hunred nominations from around the country to receive the “I Love my Librarian” Award. Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Dr. Frye designed an inquiry room for students to learn about Ukrainian culture and encouraged them to write letters to schools in Poland and Ukraine to connect with other students.
Billie Davis is not insane, she is a perpetrator of hate. That mentality has no place in Bloomington. I grew up with people from all over the world and do not tolerate hate crimes. She certainly looked well pleased with her action in her mug shot, no remorse noted then. When you knowingly do an act like this and then openly state that this is one less person to blow up our country then don’t claim insanity, you purposely did this.