South Bend Mayor James Mueller

In addition to a public hearing on whether the city of South Bend is doing enough to help SNAP recipients during the shutdown, Common Council Member Oliver Davis says the council should appoint a task force to be ready in case the dysfunction in Washington causes more emergencies that affect city residents in the future.

South Bend Mayor James Mueller says the city will send the Food Bank of Northern Indiana $70,000 to buy more food for SNAP recipients who've lost benefits because of the federal government shutdown.

South Bend Common Council Member Oliver Davis and Black Lives Matter South Bend say the city should send some of its cash reserves to local food pantries if the federal government shutdown doesn't end by Saturday, when SNAP recipients would normally receive their November benefits.

After sharing a building with St. Joseph County since 1971, the city of South Bend opens its own City Hall at 7:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 13, including a 10 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Overall, there were 449 incidents of gun violence from January to September, down from 508 during the same period last year. There were five criminal shooting deaths, matching the 2024 number.

"We’re going to have to find additional cuts, in order to fund cost of living increases and inflation costs,” Mayor James Mueller told common council members during Monday's budget hearing.

South Bend Mayor James Mueller says the South Bend Community School Corp.'s decision to move its headquarters to the former Browne Intermediate building offered the city an opportunity to consolidate and upgrade its facilities — and escape a deteriorating County-City Building.

Indiana is leading the Midwest in new home construction, but prices remain too high for most Hoosiers, according to the Indiana Builders Association.

An organization combating food waste in Michiana is expanding its sustainability efforts. Cultivate Food Rescue says it’s installed a solar canopy at its South Bend facility.

Kroger has said it will close the Western Avenue store in South Bend by August but that could come sooner depending on how long shelves take to clear.