CITY OF BLOOMINGTON LAUNCHES SAFE STREETS AND ROADS FOR ALL (SS4A) WEBMAP AND SURVEY
The City of Bloomington has announced the launch of the Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) webmap and survey, aimed at enhancing roadway safety through community engagement. Residents are invited to participate in the SS4A webmap and survey.
The SS4A webmap empowers residents to voice their concerns and suggestions regarding roadway safety in Bloomington. The interactive map enables users to pinpoint safety concerns, share thoughts, and suggest improvements, soliciting location-based feedback on issues such as speeding, inadequate roadway lighting, and insufficient sidewalks.
Before accessing the map, participants are invited to complete an optional 10-minute, 30-question survey to provide insights into their usage and perception of safety on the city’s roadways. This survey aims to gauge community priorities, with the goal of shaping the SS4A action plan towards achieving zero roadway fatalities and serious injuries.
Bloomington’s SS4A initiative commenced in the fall of 2023, with plans to finalize an SS4A Action Plan by mid-2024. The City’s SS4A Action Plan, aligned with guidelines from the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), will encompass key components such as leadership commitment, safety analysis, community engagement, equity considerations, policy assessments, project selection, and progress monitoring.
SS4A is part of a nationwide effort to address the alarming number of roadway fatalities, with over 40,000 deaths annually in the United States, including nearly 1,000 in Indiana alone. In response to this crisis, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) launched the National Roadway Safety Strategy, supported by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL), which established the SS4A program to finance safety projects nationwide.
William Shatner performance among the planned activities for April 8th Eclipse
Skywatchers making their way to the solar eclipse’s path of totality April 8 in Bloomington will find an abundance of entertainment and celebrations to enjoy, including an inspirational, star-studded Hoosier Cosmic Celebration at Memorial Stadium from 1 to 5 p.m.
Ten-time Grammy Award-nominated singer, songwriter and actress Janelle Monáe headlines the show at Memorial Stadium. As one of the most celebrated artists of the modern era, Monáe is known worldwide for her genre-bending music that often explores themes of space and futurism and her critically acclaimed acting performances in films like “Glass Onion,” “Hidden Figures” and “Moonlight.” Her latest album, “The Age of Pleasure,” was nominated for two Grammys, including Album of the Year and Best Progressive R&B Album. Monáe will take the stage immediately following the total eclipse, which occurs at 3:04 p.m. and will last for approximately four minutes.
Actor William Shatner will perform April 8 at Memorial Stadium and attend a screening of William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill…Image – 2:View print quality image about Actor William Shatner will perform April 8 at Memorial Stadium and attend a screening of William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill…
Actor William Shatner will perform April 8 at Memorial Stadium and attend a screening of “William Shatner: You Can Call Me Bill” at IU Cinema that evening. Photo by Jason Shook
Beloved actor William Shatner, an Emmy and Golden Globe Award winner best known for his role as Captain Kirk in “Star Trek,” will deliver a spoken-word performance before the total eclipse of the sun. In 2021, Shatner journeyed to space in real life at the invitation of Jeff Bezos. He became the oldest person to make the voyage, aboard Blue Origin’s second sub-orbital human spaceflight, Blue Origin NS-18. Shatner is also an accomplished singer, author and narrator.
Before Shatner’s performance, former NASA astronaut Dr. Mae Jemison, the first woman of color to travel to space, will also appear on stage to deliver remarks. Jemison served six years as a NASA astronaut and went to space aboard the shuttle Endeavor in 1992. She is a highly sought-after speaker on issues of health care, social responsibility, technology, education, STEM and motivation.
IU students and faculty will offer their talents during the eclipse programming at Memorial Stadium. The Marching Hundred will open the show, followed by a Broadway and pop tune performance by BFA students in the Department of Theatre, Drama and Contemporary Dance, led by IU faculty members DJ Gray, professor of practice in musical theatre dance, and Ray Fellman, professor and vocal instructor for musical theatre.
Prior to Jemison’s appearance, contemporary dancers Samiyah Lynnice and Corey Boatner, an IU alumnus, will perform “Minor Bodies,” a duet choreographed by Elizabeth Shea, professor and director of the Contemporary Dance Program.
Dr. Mae Jemison, the first woman of color to travel to space, will speak at Memorial Stadium on April 8. Photo courtesy of The …Image – 3:View print quality image about Dr. Mae Jemison, the first woman of color to travel to space, will speak at Memorial Stadium on April 8. Photo courtesy of The …
Shatner’s spoken-word performance will be a collaboration with students and faculty from the Jacobs School of Music. It will include new original music written for the occasion by faculty member Dominick DiOrio, performed by student musicians from NOTUS, the Jacobs School’s internationally renowned contemporary vocal ensemble.
In addition to performances, eclipse revelers will have a chance to get an up-close look at an actual Blue Origin space capsule on April 8. The capsule will be reconstructed and available for students and visitors to tour at the south field goal line. Space simulations will be included.
Book signings from Mae Jemison and others, merch tables and more will be found in and around the stadium.
Tickets for the Hoosier Cosmic Celebration, starting at $15 for students and $19 for the general public, will be available on Ticketmaster at 10am February 9th.
Redbud Books to open on Kirkwood in Bloomington in the Spring of 2024
Redbud Books is a bookstore and community space dedicated to shared thought in Bloomington. Through thoughtfully curated collections, engaging programming, and a welcoming space that hopes to bring people and books together and into dialogue with contemporary debates and struggles over the future of Bloomington. They will be located at 408 W. Kirkwood Ave.
Prior to the establishment of Redbud, their building was as a strip mall occupied by a variety of businesses, including a tattoo parlor and an insurance agency. Thanks to the generosity of a local community member, the space was able to be transformed into cooperative housing, administered by Bloomington Cooperative Living (BCL), and a commercial space dedicated to supporting the community (bookstore).
About Redbud . . .
We’re Bloomington’s community bookstore, a collective of local book lovers who believe in the world-making magic of the written word. Our collections are hand-picked and thoughtfully curated to make browsing a joyful experience. Come visit our storefront at 408 W. Kirkwood Ave. to discover unexpected gems — new and used works of fiction, poetry, and theory that are beautiful, inspiring, and maybe even a little dangerous.
As a community-led non-profit, we’re also a hub for exchanging ideas and building connections: we host themed reading groups, a speaker series, and international film screenings. We recognize that thought itself can be a radical proposition and that books enable other worlds to bloom by inspiring us to think and act otherwise. Redbud isn’t just a bookstore – it’s a portal between local and global, between the known and the unknowable, between the present and what could be.
We are a project of the Center for Sustainable Living (CSL). If you are interested in volunteering with us, please fill out this quick interest form.
This Week in Hoosier History
The iconic LOVE image was created by New Castle born, Robert Indiana. The original design was created in 1964 for cards Indiana gave to his friends.
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson