Local communities receive state funding to roll ahead on road projects
Monroe County and local communities can roll forward with road and bridge projects thanks to a recent boost in state funding supported by local legislators. A total of 252 communities across the state will receive over $207 million through Indiana’s Community Crossings Matching Grant Program. Funds can be used for road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements and other items.
Area grant recipients include Bloomington ($745,893), Ellettsville ($208,111) and Monroe County ($1.5 million).
To qualify for the competitive grant, smaller municipalities provide a 25 percent match in local funds, while larger communities provide a 50 percent match. State law requires 50 percent of the available matching funds be awarded annually to communities within counties with a population of 50,000 or fewer. Since 2016, Community Crossings has awarded more than $1.6 billion to improve local roads and bridges.
Visit in.gov/indot/communitycrossings and click on “Community Crossings Matching Grant” to learn more about the program.
City of Bloomington removes free electric vehicle charging stations at Switchyard Park and replaces with paid stations
Two free electric vehicle (EV) charging stations that serve four parking spaces in the Rogers Street parking lot at Switchyard Park are being replaced with metered EV charging stations. Contractors began removing the existing free charging stations yesterday, which will be moved to the Switchyard Park maintenance building to charge the fleet of electric vehicles in use at Switchyard Park.
The two new metered stations will be added to the Public Works Department’s Parking Services Division metered EV charging stations to manage. Other city EV charging stations are located in the Morton Street, Walnut Street, Trades District, and Fourth Street parking garages. Parking Services has also published a guide to EV Charging Etiquette.
The new cost for the EV charging stations is .35 per kWh. Each metered charging station has a support number to call in case of problems, as well as a QR code to download the free EV Connect app to manage payment.
Cost to remove the free stations and install them at Switchyard Park maintenance, and to install the new metered stations, is $3,100. Funding for the installation work, as well as for the charging equipment itself, comes from Local Income Tax funds earmarked by the Economic and Sustainable Development Department for sustainability initiatives.
Indians to Host Series of Community Nights at Victory Field
The Indianapolis Indians today announced the organization will host eight Community Nights at Victory Field during the 2024 season. Three new Community Nights are scheduled, including Jewish Community Night in partnership with Chabad Lubavitch of Indiana and Jewish Community Center Indianapolis on Tuesday, July 9, Pride Night in partnership with Indy Pride and Stonewall Sports Indianapolis on Friday, July 12, and Stand Up To Cancer Night on Friday, Aug. 30.
Ivy Tech Foundation annual Day of Giving to take place April 23
Ivy Tech Foundation will kick off Ivy Tech Day at 12:01 a.m. ET on April 23. Ivy Tech Community College’s second annual day of giving will help the college’s more than 190,000 students, including the more than 11,500 students at the Bloomington campus, prepare to launch into successful careers.
For 24 hours, alumni, faculty, staff, donors, community leaders and others can break down barriers to higher education and contribute to Ivy Tech’s mission of preparing Hoosiers for the workforce of today and tomorrow.
On April 23 at Ivy Tech Bloomington, there will be multiple opportunities to participate in giving, including a bagel bar, a cookout with Chancellor Coyne, and Ivy Tech Day mocktails prepared by culinary students, among other activities. Community and industry partners, students, alumni, faculty, staff, donors, and all friends of Ivy Tech are invited to campus to participate.
Ivy Tech Bloomington contributes nearly $79 million annually to the regional economy, including a net impact of nearly $52 million from alumni working in the region. 93% of Ivy Tech graduates stay in Indiana to pursue their careers.
Anyone can contribute on Ivy Tech Day at ivytech.edu/giveday starting at 12:01 a.m. ET on April 23. Alumni and friends are invited to participate in a variety of other ways, including setting up a matching gift, becoming a social ambassador, and visiting local community partners on Ivy Tech Day. The inaugural Ivy Tech Day in 2023 inspired 2,032 gifts totaling more than $243,000 statewide.
Ivy Tech Day aims to generate resources and create opportunities for alumni and friends of Ivy Tech to reunite and reconnect with the important work happening at Indiana’s largest public postsecondary institution and engine of workforce development.
This Week in Hoosier History
1827 – Lew Wallace was born in Brookville. The son of Indiana Governor David Wallace, he became an attorney, Civil War General, Governor of the New Mexico Territory, and best-selling author (Ben Hur.)
For more local news . . . Check out our archived episodes of What’s Happenin’ and Talkin’ Sports with Nick Jenkinson