This is the WFHB Local News for Monday, August 3rd, 2026.

In today’s broadcast, WFHB News speaks with attendees at Taste of Bloomington – which drew thousands to Kirkwood Avenue this weekend. More in today’s feature report.

You’ll also hear Alissa Weiss from our local Head Start program, currently accepting applications for the upcoming school year. Learn how Head Start provides free early learning for low-income households later in the show on a new episode of Activate!

County council discusses Justice Building closure, paid leave during jail sewage backup

By Jaimmie Ford

Addressing the Monroe County council is judge Mary Ellen Diekhoff, farthest from camera. Seated next to Diekhoff are Jama Chandler, court administrator and Shannon Guidry, deputy court administrator. County councilors in the right of the frame, from farthest to nearest: Marty Hawk, David Henry, Peter Iversen, Jennifer Crossley, Trent Deckard, Kate Wiltz, and Liz Feitl. (Dave Askins, July 28, 2026)The Monroe County Council heard about the recent closure of the justice building due to a sewage backup in the jail at its recent meeting held July 28th.

Councilmember Marty Hawk asked why employees in the Voter Registration Office were given paid days off when the office itself was not affected by the recent closure of the Monroe County Justice Building.

“Do you have an answer as to who gave them the order to stay home?” asked Hawk.

Deputy Clerk Tanner Branham, who was at the meeting to request approval for hiring a part-time Voter Registration Clerk during the county’s hiring freeze, stated that the decision was made by Monroe County Clerk Nicole Brown.

“That was because we had a few voter registration people who were going to be out on vacation anyway this week,” said Branham. “We just decided to go ahead and close.”

Judge Mary Ellen Diekhoff, who was also requesting to fill vacancies, elaborated on how the Justice Building offices were affected by the recent jail plumbing problem.

This was awful. There was water just by the gallon full, just spreading everywhere, and it was toilet water. I was there. They were there. There was others who were there, and we were trying our best,” said Diekhoff.

She said that judges and other employees were working so that operations would be back up and running as quickly as possible. After this meeting, the justice building reopened on Friday, July 31st.

“Yesterday, there were these folks and other court reporters and other office staff and me and other judges who were in there, taking everything off of bookshelves, desks, etc. because they are ripping out carpeting, they are ripping out baseboards, they are trying to put us back together,” she said.

Council members asked questions about preventing future plumbing issues in the jail during discussion of the county commissioners’ Bond Projects presentation. Councilor Peter Iverson asked how they can prevent the same situation from happening again.

“I’m not a plumber. I don’t pretend to be one. Is there a way to plumb this so that the situation we’re experiencing now doesn’t happen again?” asked Iversen.

Commissioners’ Administrator Angie Purdie said it was unpreventable because the problem was intentionally caused.

“The current situation was entirely intentional by inmates,” said Purdie. “This is just the result of of bad actions and bad actions in a bad design.”

Purdie brought up that new jail designs are built in ways that can prevent intentionally caused plumbing issues. Whether those new designs will be incorporated into a new jail remains to be seen because a final decision on how to move forward in building a new jail has not been made.

The next Monroe County Council meeting is scheduled at 5 p.m on August 11th.

Featured Segments:

A Taste of Bloomington banner hangs at the corner of Kirkwood Avenue and South Grant Street (photo by Jessie Grubb).Even with shaky weather throughout the day, Taste of Bloomington drew thousands to Kirkwood Avenue on Saturday. WFHB News attended the festival to ask attendees about their experience, their favorite food, and how events like this help connect them to the community. We turn to News Director Kade Young for more.

South Central Community Action Program, or “skap,” helps low-income families struggling with poverty. Their Head Start program provides free pre-K childcare with a focus on families that need that support so that the parents can go to work. Family advocates provide wraparound services to support client families and can connect them to other SCCAP services. Head Start engagement coordinator Alissa Weiss says fall registration for Head Start is now open, and she also needs volunteers to help with fall programs. Find out how you can utilize SCCAP programming or help keep it going, on a new episode of Activate!, coming your way right now on the WFHB Local News.

Credits:
You’ve been listening to the WFHB Local News,
Today’s headlines were written by Jaimmie Ford, in partnership with Cats – Community Access Television Services.
Our feature was produced by Kade Young.
This week’s episode of Activate! was produced by high school students Jory Abrams, Julian Rogers, Abel Habib and Jonathan Josefy as part of the IU High School Journalism Institute, where WFHB is proud to be the service learning partner for the Audio Storytelling workshop.
Youth Radio produced Art Walk.
Our theme music is provided by Mark Bingham and the Social Climbers.
Engineer and Executive producer is Kade Young.
Anchors are Andrew Miller and Kade Young.