Donnie Burgess

1 week ago | indianapublicmedia.org | Donnie Burgess

The City of Bloomington will use nearly $800,000 in grant money to improve community services and housing, but the status of future grants is unclear. The city council unanimously approved allocations of the Community Development Block Grant funds Wednesday night. The grant is worth $795,743, which comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD.

1 week ago | indianapublicmedia.org | Donnie Burgess

The City of Bloomington is issuing fines against its former fiber network project partner, Trueline. The company, formerly known as Atlantic Engineering Group, went bankrupt earlier this year. It was tasked with installing high-speed internet fiber lines throughout the city. In the last two years, Trueline has been fined about $8 million, according to Andrew Cibor, director of city engineering. Several properties, streets, and alleys were damaged and left unrepaired.

1 week ago | indianapublicmedia.org | Donnie Burgess

Negotiations continue for the Bloomington Convention Center expansion project’s planned hotel site. John Whikehart, president of the Capital Improvement Board, told WFIU’s Noon Edition Friday Dora Hospitality was selected to build the hotel, but is not interested in properties owned by the board. “Although we were offering them south and west as locations to build, their preferred space was to the north - the former Bunger Robertson property,” he said.

1 week ago | indianapublicmedia.org | Donnie Burgess

Aja Jester has been appointed to the vacant seat on the Monroe County school board. The other board members appointed her to the position to replace Brandon Schurr, who resigned last month. Jester is a mother of six and has done community work for several organizations, including the South Central Community Action Program, Thriving Connections, and Indiana Poverty Institute. She was interviewed by the school board Thursday night. Jester said she brings a diverse perspective to the board.

2 weeks ago | indianapublicmedia.org | Donnie Burgess

The Monroe County Community School Corp. board will interview four candidates Thursday to fill a vacant seat. Former board president Brandon Shurr resigned without explanation last month from his seat representing District 7. That area includes parts of Bloomington and Perry townships. Read more: Monroe County school board seeking new memberThe candidates are Aja Jester, Cori Thornton-Hammock, Blake Garland-Tiado, and Gabriel Holbrow.