Indiana opens service locations for Hoosiers impacted by recent tornados
Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced additional state resources will be available to residents of Randolph and Delaware counties who suffered tornado damage in Randolph and Delaware counties on March 15.
Staff and resources from the Indiana Department of Health, the Indiana Department of Homeland Security, the Bureau of Motor Vehicles and the Family and Social Services Administration will be available to provide a variety of services.
- The Winchester BMV branch
309 W. South Street
Winchester, IN 47394- Reproduction of identification, permits, title replacement, registrations and license plates.
- Randolph County Division of Family Resources
221 N. Main St.
Winchester, IN 47394- Replace Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefit cards and health coverage application assistance.
- Randolph County Building
325 S. Oak Street
Winchester, IN 47394- Homeland Security: Recovery resources and information
- The Randolph County Health Department: Replacement of vital records (birth and death certificates) and immunization services.
- The State Department of Health: Will be providing the Tetanus vaccines on site.
- Mental health support professionals will be at this location.
The Bureau of Motor Vehicles Winchester Branch will be open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., the Randolph County Family and Social Services Administration office will be open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and the Randolph County Building will be open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. These offices will be open for resources Thursday, March 21, Friday, March 22 and will re-open Monday, March 25 through Wednesday March 27.
Hoosiers are encouraged to call 866-211-9966 for referrals to necessary services and to report damage. Hoosiers needing emergency mental health services should call 988 to be connected to resources.
City of Bloomington Safety Week events to run April 1-5
The City of Bloomington announced today that Safety Week will run April 1-5, in conjunction with the ongoing Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative. Safety Week features a series of events designed to gather resident feedback, promote awareness of safety, and foster community collaboration toward creating safer streets for everyone.
The highlights of Safety Week will be three evening social events open to the public, offering free food, prizes, and activities for participants of all ages. The schedule for the evening socials is:
- Taco ‘Bout Safety: Tuesday, April 2nd, 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Waldron Hill Buskirk Park (free tacos for participants)
- Scoops & Spokes: Wednesday, April 3rd, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at The Chocolate Moose (free ice cream for participants)
- Snacks & Trivia: Thursday, April 4th, 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Friendly Beasts Cider Company (free snacks for participants)
In addition to the evening slate of events, City staff and consultants from Toole Design Group will be reaching out to every corner of the community by hosting events such as school workshops, presentations, and pop-up booths to provide activities, surveys, and information.
For more information about the Safe Streets and Roads for All initiative and to get involved, please visit: https://bton.in/SS4Aw
Ivy Tech to operate virtually on April 8 for total solar eclipse
WHAT: Ivy Tech Community College campuses across the state, including Bloomington, will operate virtually Monday, April 8, as the 2024 total solar eclipse crosses much of Indiana. All classes and administrative services will be virtual and all Ivy Tech buildings and parking lots will be closed to the public, reopening Tuesday, April 9.
Monroe County is in the path of totality and is expecting an estimated 200,000 to 300,000 visitors from Friday, April 5 through Monday, April 8.
WHEN: Monday, April 8, 2024
WHERE: Ivy Tech, including the Bloomington campus and courses held at affiliated learning sites
Winners of Indiana’s Poetry Out Loud announced
Indiana Humanities announced the winners of the state contest of Poetry Out Loud. The student winners are Aalihya Banks from Pike High School (Indianapolis) in first place and Kylah Hockemeyer from Eagle Tech Academy (Columbia City) in second place.
Poetry Out Loud—presented in partnership with the Indiana Arts Commission (IAC), National Endowment for the Arts, and the Poetry Foundation—is a national arts education program that encourages the study of great poetry by offering free educational materials and a dynamic recitation competition for high school students across the country. Since the program began in 2005, more than 4.3 million students across the country have participated in Poetry Out Loud. On March 2, approximately 14 high school students participated in the Poetry Out Loud contest in downtown Indianapolis.
At the Indiana Historical Society, students recited works selected from an anthology of more than 1,200 poems. Judges evaluated student performances on criteria including voice and articulation, evidence of understanding, and accuracy. The judges for this year’s competition were Indiana State Poet Laureate Curtis Crisler, Mitchell L.H. Douglas, Siren Hand and Hiromi Yoshida, with Tony Brewer as the accuracy judge.
Aalihya Banks will receive $200 and advance to the national Poetry Out Loud contest between April 30 and May 2 in Washington D.C., where $50,000 in awards and school stipends will be distributed. Pike High School will receive $500 for the purchase of poetry materials. Kylah Hockemeyer will receive $100, with $200 for Eagle Tech Academy. The Poetry Foundation provides and administers all aspects of the monetary prizes awarded and travel arrangements for the Poetry Out Loud National Finals.
This Week in Hoosier History
1912 – The Spades Park Branch Library was dedicated in Indianapolis. Andrew Carnegie built 164 libraries in Indiana, and this is the only one featuring an Italianesque style. The Spades Park branch continues to serve the community near Brookside Park.
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson