Ivy Tech launches career-based projects that help students meet new high school diploma requirements11/24/2025 Hands-on projects in culinary arts, robotics, semiconductors and others will help students explore career fields and count toward Indiana’s new work-based learning standards Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington has launched new High School Challenges designed to help students explore career fields through hands-on, project-based experiences. Each challenge is designed to take about 25 hours, making it an ideal option for fulfilling a portion of Indiana’s new high school diploma work-based learning requirements. Prizes will be awarded for the top outstanding submissions.
Students can choose projects from a variety of fields, including advanced manufacturing/robotics, biology and biotechnology, culinary arts, design technology, human services and social work, or semiconductors and electronics. The challenges will help students learn more about the industries and apply their classroom knowledge.
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Focus will be on Fleet, Sanitation, and Street Divisions of the DepartmentThe City of Bloomington Public Works Director Adam Wason announced today that Joe VanDeventer has been appointed as the Deputy Director of the City of Bloomington Public Works Department. The Director of Street Operations since 2014, he will assume his new role on January 1, 2026.
Joe is a seventh-generation Monroe County resident with more than two decades of leadership experience in Public Works. He has been a long-time contributor to the Indiana Farm Bureau, 4-H of Monroe County, and many other local organizations. “Joe is the perfect person for this role in the Department, having several years of dedicated leadership to the City have prepped him well for this larger role,” said Adam Wason, Public Works Director. “Joe is respected by his teammates and peers, and we’re lucky to have him take on this new position.” This new role in the Public Works Department was approved by the City of Bloomington Common Council during the 2026 budget hearings. The Deputy Director will assist with the overall administration of the Public Works Department, with main oversight areas being the Fleet, Sanitation, and Street Divisions. The Deputy Director will also assume the Director’s responsibilities in their absence. The City of Bloomington has partnered with Yiftee, Inc. to launch the Shop Local Bloomington Card, a digital community gift card that can be used at participating independent shops and restaurants in Bloomington.
The Shop Local Bloomington Card functions like a standard credit card and can be purchased online and delivered by email or text. Buyers select an amount, send the digital card to a recipient, and the recipient can use it at any participating business. Merchants receive the full purchase value directly through their regular payment processor and do not need special equipment to participate. Community gift card programs like this one have been shown to generate new revenue for local businesses, encourage customers to explore new stores and restaurants, and provide a simple tool for employers, universities, and civic groups to give locally through employee rewards, event incentives and community giving. The program consolidates these opportunities into one easy-to-use platform, amplifying the impact of every dollar spent within Bloomington.  Program Overview
The City of Bloomington has partnered with Yiftee, Inc. to launch the Shop Local Bloomington Card. This digital community gift card program helps keep spending within Bloomington’s small business economy. Purpose
How It Works
Who Can Use It
Why It Matters Community gift card programs like this have been shown to:
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The Thomson administration has released a comprehensive report outlining how the City of Bloomington is responding to homelessness and the community’s evolving housing landscape, while working to maintain public safety and quality of life for residents, businesses, and visitors.
The report summarizes work undertaken since Mayor Kerry Thomson took office in 2024, including investments in affordable housing and prevention, support for local shelters and service providers, daily field operations to keep public spaces functional, and efforts to rebuild public safety capacity and expand non-police crisis response. Released near the administration’s midpoint, the report shows how early crisis response and systems stabilization have progressed into targeted, long-term strategies aimed at building a more durable and coordinated regional approach to homelessness.  Browse the Holiday Bazaar at our Southeast Y on December 6, 8, and 9 to find the perfect hand-crafted gifts for your loved ones this holiday season! Hand-knitted and crocheted items, such as scarves, hats, stuffed animals, blankets, and more, will be available for purchase during the bazaar. Saturday, December 6: 8:00 am-12:00 pm Monday, December 8: 8:30 am-12:00 pm Tuesday, December 9: 8:30 am-12:00 pm All items are handmade by our Y Service in Friendship group, which is comprised of volunteers who lovingly knit, crochet, and quilt each piece throughout the year to donate to the Holiday Bazaar. All proceeds benefit the Y for All Scholarship Fund, which provides financial assistance to those who need support with a Y membership or program.  Help save lives at the American Red Cross blood drive hosted by IU Health Bloomington from 9 am to 2 pm on Friday, Dec. 19, at the Indiana University Health Sciences Building (2631 E Discovery Pkwy, Bloomington). Visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter code IUHBLOOM to schedule an appointment. “Blood and platelets are essential for saving lives every day in hospitals across the nation,” said Rhonda Grimm, MT(ASCP), IU Health Bloomington Laboratory–Blood Bank Technical Specialist. “They can’t be manufactured, which is why we appreciate every donation.” IU Health Bloomington has used more than 2,800 units of red blood cells, 280 units of platelets and 320 units of plasma so far in 2025.  Think your chili is among Bloomington's best? There's still time to claim your spot as a chili chef in the 2026 Chilly Cook-Off, to be held at Switchyard Park Pavilion from 5 to 7 pm on Friday, Jan. 23. Chefs will share their chili and see if it has what it takes to impress our panel of judges or the over 150 attendees. A great opportunity to share your favorite recipe, build brand recognition, and bond with your team – all while raising funds for Mother Hubbard's Cupboard. Learn more about sponsorship, chef registration, attendance, and more on our website.
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