This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, August 24th, 2020.

Later in the program, Diane Walker hosts a panel discussion with several sources in her Limestone Post story titled “Some Renter Help Available As End of Eviction Moratorium Looms.” Walker said the deadline to apply for rental assistance is August 26th.

The discussion includes Forrest Gilmore of the Shalom Community Center, Deborah Myerson of South Central Indiana Housing Opportunities, and Jamie Sutton of Justice Unlocked.

Also coming up, A Few Minutes with the Mayor – a weekly segment where Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton answers questions posed from WFHB and its listeners.

In today’s segment, Mayor Hamilton answers questions about the pro-police protest that turned violent over the weekend and reports of parties at Indiana University without masks and social distancing.

Local News Brief

671 new cases of COVID-19 were reported in Indiana on Sunday, according to the Indiana State Department of Health, which also added almost a thousand previously unreported cases to the state’s tally for the past few weeks.

Locally, Monroe County has been seeing about 20 cases a day for almost a week. Yesterday, Lawrence County reported three new cases while Green County reported 9. Indiana University’s online Covid-19 dashboard is still in the development stage. We will report on the university’s Covid statistics as soon as they are made public.

A clergyman attempts to keep the peace after a Black Lives Matter supporter was assaulted by attendees at the
Red White and BLUE Rally in front of the Monroe County Courthouse on Saturday August 22, 2020. (Zachary Kaufman / for The Bloomingtonian)

A demonstration in defense of law enforcement and in opposition for calls to defund the police, called the Red White and BLUE Rally, turned violent as demonstrators and counter-demonstrators exchanged strikes and shoves around Bloomington’s downtown courthouse square.

Video from the event shows multiple scuffles. The rally’s Facebook page described the event this way, “A peaceful rally to support law enforcement. We can not remain silent.”

Vauhxx Booker, a member of the Monroe County Human Rights Commission, wrote a Facebook post where he connected the demonstration to historical white supremacist movements in the United States.

He wrote, “These events, like the klan rallies of old, are meant to instill fear and stoke violence, complete with white men on horseback. This isn’t new, the klan has merely been emboldened to remove their hoods.”

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The Owlery, the most prominent vegetarian restaurant in Bloomington, is reopening under new ownership, the former owners announced. The former owners wrote they did not have the financial resources to open up safely.

Indiana University technology services reported problems with both Zoom and Canvas on its first official day of classes (Photo courtesy of Technipages).

And, as Indiana University begins in-person and virtual classes today, its primary video conferencing software, Zoom, is apparently experiencing world-wide technical difficulties with their web portal.

COVID-19 press conference 

Monroe County Health Administrator Penny Caudill said the 7 day average positivity rate is at 2.7 percent during the August 21st COVID-19 press conference. She said masks and social distancing are going to be the normal functioning for a while.

Caudill said close contacts also need to quarantine for 14 days since exposure. County Commissioner Julie Thomas said the November 3rd election will run as usual. She said only excusable absences can vote by mail.

Monroe County Emergency Director Allison Moore said face coverings will be available at all voting sites. Assistant Vice President Strategic Partnerships Kirk White said students in violation of their responsibility statement will face summary suspension.

Mitigation testing will begin on Wednesday to monitor the spread of COVD-19. He said IU would perform 8,000 tests per week. President of Indiana University Health Bloomington Hospital Brian Shockney said a slight decline has occurred in patients.

Shockney said plasma transfusions are being used to care for COVID-19 patients. He said IU Health has transfused their 200th patient with plasma.

Shockney encouraged COVID-19 recoveries to visit the covid-19 recovery plasma donor page at IU health dot org to make a donation.

Feature Reports:

The first four resources listed above for tenants and landlords are only in Monroe County. More legal help can be found here. | Image courtesy of the Housing and Eviction Prevention Program (HEPP)

1. Diane Walker continues her series on rental assistance after the statewide eviction moratorium and utility disconnection ban ended on August 14th. The deadline to apply for rental assistance is August 26th. Today, Walker talks to Forrest Gilmore of the Shalom Community Center, Deborah Myerson of South Central Indiana Housing Opportunities, and Jamie Sutton of Justice Unlocked. Here now is Part 4 in the ongoing series with Diane Walker of the Limestone Post.
2. Now it’s time for A Few Minutes with the Mayor. In today’s segment, Mayor John Hamilton answers questions on the pro police protest that turned violent and reports of parties at Indiana University without masks and social distancing.

Credits:
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Aaron Comforty and Sydney Foreman, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our features were produced by Diane Walker with help from Melanie Davis and Sydney Foreman.
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
Engineer and Executive Producer is Kade Young.