Beginning May 3, Library hours will expand to Monday–Thursday 9 AM–7 PM, Friday–Saturday 10 AM–6 PM, and Sunday Noon–6. ​

WHAT:  Wake Up! with United Way "Accessing Health Care While Chronically Homeless” 
WHEN: Thursday, May 13, 2021; 8 - 9 a.m. (series takes place second Thursday of each month) 
WHERE: Virtual Event via Zoom 
WHO: Co-hosted by United Way and Indiana University's Political and Civic Engagement program. Guest speakers include Jean Capler, LCSW, Local Support Network Leader of the Rehabilitation Hospital of Indiana Resource Facilitation Program; Dana Jones, Director of the Wheeler Mission Bloomington Center for Men; Greg May, Administrative Director of the Centerstone Adult and Family Services; Nancy Richman, Project Director of HealthNet Bloomington Health Center; and Meredith Short, Outreach Coordinator at IU Health Positive Link. 
DESCRIPTION:  Monthly speaker series exploring the underlying issues contributing to poverty and economic insecurity while also bringing to light innovative solutions and how to support rebuilding a better normal.  

The City of Bloomington and the Bloomington Volunteer Network today recognized Terry and Dixie Patterson as recipients of the 2021 Be More Dedicated Award for a Lifetime of Service. The Pattersons were instrumental in the founding of Better Living for Special People which is now LIFEDesigns and is celebrating forty years of service to the community. The Pattersons have been active volunteers the entire time. 
 
”The Pattersons deserve this award! Not only are they one of the founding families of our agency but have served terms on the Board of Directors and various committees for over four decades” says Kristen King, Director of Community Relations at LIFEDesigns. “They believe in and are committed to our mission – to partner with and promote independence for people with disabilities – and know the importance of volunteerism and community support.” ​

Mayor John Hamilton announced in coordination with City Council leadership that the city annexation process underway four years ago is scheduled to resume in early May. The City was in the middle of a months-long annexation process, heading for more public discussion and ultimately a council vote, when the state legislature unconstitutionally ordered action halted in April 2017. 
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Resuming the extensive public process from the point it was illegally interrupted will proceed by May 5, when revised and updated fiscal plans for the potential annexation areas are expected to be distributed. The City Council is scheduled to review the updated fiscal plans on May 12. After adoption, the public process would continue with re-sending formal notice to current property owners, additional public hearings to review and evaluate potential boundaries, and a City Council vote to approve and/or amend the annexation ordinances, anticipated in September.  The process will offer continued opportunities for re-evaluation based on public input, new information, and additional review.

SBA Administrator Isabella Casillas Guzman today announced the U.S. Small Business Administration will begin registrations on Friday, April 30, 2021, at 9 a.m. EDT and open applications on Monday, May 3, 2021, at noon EDT for the Restaurant Revitalization Fund. The online application will remain open to any eligible establishment until all funds are exhausted. 
“Restaurants are the core of our neighborhoods and propel economic activity on main streets across the nation. They are among the businesses that have been hardest hit and need support to survive this pandemic. We want restaurants to know that help is here,” said Administrator Guzman. “The SBA has focused on the marketplace realities of our food and beverage businesses in designing the Restaurant Revitalization Fund to meet businesses where they are. And we are committed to equity to ensure our smaller and underserved businesses, which have suffered the most, can access this critical relief, recover, and grow more resilient.”

​The City of Bloomington invites residents to participate in the online 2021 Bloomington Community Survey from April 21 - May 5. The survey is available at  https://bloomington.in.gov/communitysurvey.  This open participation survey complements the scientific survey that was mailed to a random sample of 3,000 Bloomington households during the last week of March.  Residents who were not mailed the randomized survey now have the option of completing the same survey online.  The confidential responses to each part of the survey will be collected, analyzed, and published (anonymously) in separate data sets that will provide the City critical feedback about the quality and value of City services and conditions. ​