Gemma DiCarlo

On Thursday, the Michigan Dept. of Treasury it would be issuing almost $10 million to local communities and municipalities based on revenue generated by local businesses selling marijuana since it became legal in the state for adult use recreationally.

That $10 million comes from the 10% state excise tax charged on the sale of recreational marijuana. 

St. Joseph County was recently recognized for being “solar-friendly” and for protecting pollinator habitats in its development projects. The county received the SolSmart Gold designation for meeting national benchmarks to encourage the growth of solar energy. 

SolSmart helps local governments meet those national benchmarks by streamlining zoning approvals and reviewing planning and zoning guidelines. St. Joseph County was recognized for having efficient permitting and zoning processes and training staff on solar energy codes, among other things.

Middle and high school students in the South Bend Community School Corporation could soon return to a four-day week of in-person classes. The school board approved a pilot program at its meeting on Monday, March 1.

Edison and Jefferson Middle School and Riley and Adams High School will be the first to send students back for a four-day week.

Chief Academic Officer Brandon White said the schools were chosen since their principals had already contacted him and expressed interest in participating in a pilot program. 

The South Bend Community School Board approved the beginnings of a plan to turn around two underperforming elementary schools at its meeting Monday night.

The CDC and FDA authorized the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use this weekend. Ahead of the vaccine's rollout, local health officials are encouraging residents to get a dose of any approved vaccine once they're eligible.

Community members are continuing to express frustration over the South Bend School Board’s decision to close two elementary schools and “redesign” two others.

South Bend parents and community leaders spoke out at a meeting held by the Community Forum for Economic Justice to discuss the future of South Bend public schools.

When the Indiana Department of Health opened vaccine eligibility to individuals age 60 and up on Tuesday, Elkhart Mayor Rod Roberson said he signed up for his shot right away.

“I’m here, I am on it," he said. "I showed up day one, calling, ‘Can I get in?’”

Roberson said he wanted to get his shot publicly to help ease people’s fears about the vaccine. He said he understands vaccine hesitancy, especially in Black and Brown communities. But, he said protecting one other should be the community’s primary concern. 

The South Bend Housing Authority has two weeks to relocate about 40 remaining residents from the Rabbi Shulman Apartment building. The complex was declared unsafe in November.

Housing Authority Executive Director Catherine Lamberg said the majority of those residents are still living in the Rabbi Shulman building. She said issues with the building’s gas line haven’t “escalated to the point of emergency,” and residents in units without gas have been moved to units with gas.

Members of the South Bend School Board voted to close two elementary schools at their meeting on Feb. 22. The decision comes roughly a month after school corporation officials first suggested closing the schools.

The school corporation recommended in January that the school board close Hay and Tarkington Elementaries, which both utilize a low percentage of their building space. That way, school officials said, they could stop paying to operate “half-empty buildings” and instead spend the money on teachers and students.

The St. Joseph County Health Department was able to keep its vaccination clinic open on Feb. 22, despite missing a shipment of COVID-19 vaccines from the state.

The delayed doses arrived Monday morning, along with word that the health department’s vaccine allotment is expected to increase soon. 

County Health Officer Dr. Bob Einterz said the health department was expecting a regular shipment of 2,500 doses on Friday, Feb. 12.

UPDATE (Feb. 19):

John Glenn School Corporation Superintendent Christopher Winchell released the following statement on Friday in response to the passage of House Bill 1367. 

As of Thursday, Feb. 18, new COVID-19 restrictions are in place for Notre Dame students, including reduced seating in dining facilities and limited visitation in residence halls. The restrictions come as new daily case counts among students are on the rise.

According to the university’s COVID-19 dashboard, there have been four days in the last two weeks where the university reported over 45 new positive daily cases. 

After months of deliberation and community feedback, the city of South Bend has a new Police Use of Force Policy. The Board of Public Safety approved the policy on Feb. 17 on the condition that it would be updated frequently.

The new policy was first introduced just over a year after Eric Logan, a Black man, was shot and killed by a white South Bend police officer in 2019.

South Bend entrepreneurs who are operating out of their basements, garages and living rooms may have a new opportunity to scale up their businesses. The city announced Tuesday it will launch a three-month training program to help local small-scale manufacturers grow.

Executive Director of Community Investment Santi Garces said “manufacturing” doesn’t have to be large-scale. He said it could also look like someone producing hot sauce or T-shirts in their home and selling them to friends.

With Mardi Gras parades cancelled this year due to COVID-19, many in New Orleans have decorated their houses to look like parade floats, complete with lights, props and, of course, beads. The Carnival spirit has spread beyond New Orleans, with “expats” around the country also decorating their homes – including a few in South Bend. 

Some South Bend faith leaders are calling for the city to strengthen its Police Use of Force policy, which will come before the Board of Public Safety next week.

The policy was first introduced last August, just over a year after Eric Logan, a Black man, was shot and killed by a white SBPD officer near downtown South Bend.

As St. Joseph County’s COVID-19 metrics continue to improve, another local school district has decided to send some students back to the classroom full-time.

The School City of Mishawaka voted on Wednesday to begin a phased reopening for middle and high school students.

South Bend activist groups once again called for more transparency in the policing process at the Community Relations Committee meeting Tuesday night.

Committee Chair Lori Hamann said the purpose of the meeting was to commemorate Black History Month by having an open conversation around police reform. 

Black Lives Matter – South Bend member Mya Perry said while the Common Council acknowledged the need for community policing initiatives, it has yet to implement any. 

South Bend Mayor James Mueller updated the South Bend Common Council on the financial state of the city on Monday, Feb. 8.

Mueller said while the COVID-19 pandemic took a toll on the city’s economy, the impacts haven’t been as drastic as officials feared.

“There’s a lot of work ahead as a community with residents needing opportunities, but we certainly could have fared far worse,” he said.

UPDATE (Feb. 9):

At their meetings on Monday, Feb. 8, both the South Bend and Penn-Harris-Madison school boards voted to approve their districts' plans to return certain students to full-time in-person instruction.

PREVIOUS POST (Feb. 8):

Two local school boards will vote on whether to return certain students to full-time in-person learning.