City, BFD Conduct Cleanup After Controlled Burn
The City of Bloomington and the Bloomington Fire Department (BFD) are leading the cleanup of debris generated by the controlled burn of a structure at 1213 South High Street on Friday, November 5th, as a training exercise designed to improve the department’s firefighting skills. Residents in the vicinity may request that their property be evaluated for remediation by completing this form on the City’s website. After encountering delays in contracting with one environmental remediation company, the BFD is working to identify and contract with an alternate service provider to conduct the evaluation and cleanup, to be offered at no charge to affected residents.
Since the controlled burn, BFD crews led by Bloomington Fire Chief Jason Moore have been surveying the vicinity, collecting debris, and going door to door to survey residents and document the dissemination of the debris. During and following the burn, area residents noticed and collected what appeared to be pieces of paint debris in the area. After receiving a complaint about potential lead contamination of the debris, BFD administration immediately contacted IDEM and Monroe County Emergency Management to report the issue. IDEM visited the site Friday afternoon, November 5th, to measure the extent of the dispersal of debris and take samples. Residents may dispose of bagged debris and used cleaning materials in specially marked receptacles that were placed in the area Sunday. More information is available at www.bloomington.in.gov/bfdburninfo.
Big Ten Women’s Basketball kicks off tonight
Fresh off a record-setting season that saw four Big Ten teams reach the NCAA Sweet Sixteen and Indiana advance to its first Elite Eight since 1983, the Big Ten is ready to take the next step as the 41st season of Big Ten women’s basketball tips off tonight with a full slate of nine schools in action and all 14 schools making their season debuts by Wednesday evening. All but two Big Ten schools will start off at home, with Indiana opening at Butler and Purdue visiting Western Kentucky, both on Wednesday.
The Big Ten shared top honors among all conferences with five Top 25 teams in both the Associated Press and Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA)/USA Today preseason polls. In the AP balloting, Maryland leads the Big Ten pack, coming in at No. 4, followed by No. 8 Indiana, No. 9 Iowa, No. 11 Michigan and No. 17 Ohio State, with Michigan State also receiving votes. In the WBCA/USA Today poll, Maryland was ranked fifth, Indiana was seventh, Michigan was 10th, Iowa was 11th and Ohio State was 25th, with Michigan State, Northwestern and Rutgers all receiving votes. This year’s AP preseason poll marks the first time the Big Ten has had three top-10 teams in that balloting at any time since 2004.
Winter Weather Preparedness Week, November 7-13th
Governor Eric Holcomb declared Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Indiana, November 7-13th. INDOT encourages the public to use this week as a reminder to take steps to prepare for hazards that come with winter weather. For safe travel, they offers the following tips:
- Always slow down for conditions, especially on snow covered roads.
- Never tailgate or drive beside a snowplow. Drivers may not be able to see you.
- The safest place on the road during a winter storm is behind a snowplow, but if you must pass, do so carefully and remember to use appropriate speed for conditions.
- Be prepared in case of a crash and being stranded. Always carry an emergency kit in your vehicle with food, water, a phone charger, sand or cat litter, flares or bright LED alternatives, a flashlight, and blankets.
- Keep your vehicle full of gas.
- Keep a shovel in your car to dig out around your tires and your tailpipe. Carbon monoxide buildup can cause injury or death.
- Make sure your vehicle battery is strong, fluids are at the correct levels, and your spare tire is properly inflated.
Indiana maintenance crews monitor forecasts several weeks out and prepare for a winter storm based on the type of precipitation, conditions leading up to the winter storm, and extended forecast following the storm. Roads are pre-treated with salt brine and regularly treated with rock salt. In colder temperatures, salt and brine alone take longer to activate, so environmentally-friendly chemicals are used to boost effectiveness. Snowplow drivers typically work 12-hour shifts during a storm and on average, take two-to-three hours to complete a full route. For information about road conditions during a winter storm, you can visit www.indot.carsprogram.org or follow INDOT on social media for regional information.
This week in Hoosier History
1904 – Charles W. Fairbanks was elected Vice President of the United States. He served four years under President Theodore Roosevelt. Born in a log cabin in Ohio, Fairbanks moved to Indiana to work as a lawyer for the railroads. He represented the state as a United States Senator for eight years before his election as Vice President. The city of Fairbanks, Alaska, was named for him in recognition of his service on a commission which settled the Alaska boundary dispute.
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Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson here!