Around The Region

Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez and the City's Parks and Recreation Department officially opened the Clear Creek Trail with a ceremony Wednesday. The opening -- at which free water bottles were distributed -- marked the completion of the first of two phases of trail construction.\n"Bloomington's citizens and this administration, place a very high priority on the provision of alternative transportation systems," Fernandez said. "Trails such as the Clear Creek Trail also add to our City's recreation facilities for citizens and visitors alike."\nThe ceremony opened 1.7 miles of trail beginning at Tapp Road and ending at That Road. The Clear Creek Trail's hard surface accommodates many uses -- including biking, roller-blading, walking and running. Motorized vehicles are prohibited. \nPhase II will lengthen the trail an additional .8 miles across That Road to the existing gravel Country Club Rail Trail near Church Lane. A 150-foot long bridge, a trailhead, a parking lot and other amenities will also be added during Phase II construction.\n"This is the beginning of many other trails that will link our community in many ways," said Mick Renneisen, Bloomington Parks and Recreation director. "Our long term goal is to provide a network of trails offering a wide variety of alternative forms of transportation in our community."\nFunding -- totaling over $1 million -- for Phases I and II of the trail were received from the Indiana Department of Transportation -- through ISTEA and TEA-21 grants. The city is working to expand this trail into a network of routes intended to give residents and visitors more transportation options in and around Bloomington.\nPositions Open on Commission on the Status of Black Males\nThe City of Bloomington is now seeking applicants to serve on the newly created Commission on the Status of Black Males. The commission will address issues affecting African-American males.\n"We are seeking people with expertise in, or representing, the areas of education, health, employment, criminal justice, Black history, the faith community and the social service community," Mayor John Fernandez said.\nIn calling for establishment of the commission, Mayor Fernandez cited statistics that reveal some of the challenges faced by African American males. \n"We know that black males represent 2 percent of our school population, yet account for 18 percent of expulsions, 8 percent of dropouts, and 14 percent of days suspended from school," he said. "School achievement by black males is well below the general average of all male students. Black males make up only 1 percent of our total population, yet they comprise 8 percent of all adults and 5 percent of all juveniles on probation. \n"Through this commission we will focus on the political, economic, education, and social issues that are adversely affecting African American males in our own community."\nApplications for appointment to the Commission on the Status of Black Males are available online at www.city.bloomington.in.us/clerk/boardapp.html or at the City of Bloomington's Employee Services Department in the Showers Building, 401 N. Morton St., Suite 230.\nFor more information about the Commission on the Status of Black Males, contact the Special Projects Coordinator at 812-349-3471.\nPlanned Parenthood offers new contraceptive\nPlanned Parenthood of Greater Indiana Inc. is now offering a once-a-month contraceptive known as Lunelle at 15 health centers in Indiana, including the Bloomington Planned Parenthood site.\nLunelle, which is 99.8 percent effective at preventing pregnancy, is an injectable contraceptive using the same combination of hormones found in birth control pills. It works immediately upon injection and remains effective for a month. \nLunelle -- expected to appeal to women who don't like taking a pill every day -- has been in worldwide use for 40 years, but is new to the United States. It's the second injectable contraceptive available to American women. The other, Depro Provera, is taken every three months. \nPeoples University seeks instructors for fall classes\nBloomington Parks and Recreation is now planning classes for the fall sessions of Peoples University, an adult leisure education program. It requests proposals from potential instructors, anyone who has a hobby or talent they would like to share with others. The first fall session begins the second week of October.\nIf interested, please contact Michael Simmons at 349-3737 or by e-mail at simmonsm@city.bloomington.in.us.\nNew court administrator named\nBonnie Austin now serves as Monroe County Court Administrator. She's responsible for the budgets, daily operations, planning and resource allocation for the seven circuit courts in Monroe County.\nPresiding Judge Viola J. Taliaferro announced the appointment for the court.\n"We are very pleased to have Bonnie Austin in this critical and demanding job," she said. "She is a dedicated public servant with excellent administrative skills, who brings a thorough knowledge of our courts and county government to the job."\nAustin has served Monroe County for almost 20 years. She has overseen programs in the Probation Department, the Prosecutor's Office and the Office of Court Services. She started her career as a high school teacher after graduation from Indiana State University in 1973.