Indiana Legislator resigns effective today
State Senator Ron Grooms of Jeffersonville has announced his resignation from his office, effective today. Senator Grooms had already announced he would seek re-election, but his early retirement is directly related to the recent approval for the state redistricting plan. The plan eliminates his current district, splitting both Jeffersonville and New Albany into two other pre-existing districts, both of which are represented by other Republicans. Grooms, a retired Pharmacist who has been in office since 2010, was the lone Senatorial Republican to vote against the redistricting measure.
Bloomington Fire Department to Conduct Controlled Live Burn Training this Week
The Bloomington Fire Department will be conducting a controlled live burn training at 1213 South High Street Tuesday through Friday of this week. Already slated for demolition, the two-story house at that address was donated to the BFD as an opportunity to conduct live fire training. All of the required permits for the training have been granted by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management (IDEM). In compliance with state and federal requirements, all utilities have been disconnected and household items removed, including furniture, carpeting, asphalt roofing shingles, roofing underlayment, and vinyl siding.
Structure firefighting is a complex, high-risk, low-frequency event, with multiple variables interacting simultaneously. This training opportunity will allow BFD firefighters to bring together all the individual structure firefighting skills in a controlled environment that demonstrates realistic fire dynamics with a specific and manageable fuel load. A particularly significant opportunity for new firefighters recently hired to replace those retiring, this training will allow crews to hone their practiced skills on hose lays, hose and water deployment, extinguishment, search and rescue, and ladder deployment.
Kelley School offering free consulting for nonprofits
180 Degrees is an international organization that connects passionate university students with impactful nonprofits and social enterprises through pro bono consulting engagements. At the Indiana University branch specifically, they are a student-run organization associated with the Kelley School of Business which has served over 70 nonprofits in the United States and abroad. They assist nonprofit organizations with strategic planning, finance & operations, human capital, and data analysis. Organizations interested in taking advantage these services can reach out to clientdev180iu@gmail.com or call (512) 653-0948.
This Week in Hoosier History
1921 – Indianapolis welcomed General Ferdinand Foch, Marshal of France and Commander in Chief of Allied Forces in the closing days of World War I. His private train was met with a ceremony that included the Purdue University Band and the Culver Black Horse Troop. He spoke at Cadle Tabernacle and the Claypool Hotel, where he said, “We have had our war and it is our duty to maintain peace.”