Good morning, Bloomington.

IU Police will increase campus patrols and coordinate with Bloomington and Indiana State Police for Homecoming weekend, from Friday, Oct.

30 to Sunday, Nov. 1, focusing on visible patrols, parade traffic on Kirkwood Avenue, and impaired-driving enforcement; officials urge planning routes, using a sober driver, and texting SafeIU to 77295.

Rising temperatures are delaying and dulling Bloomington’s fall colors and likely shortening peak foliage season, with hotter Sept.

2026 highs (95°F on Sept. 3 and 4; average high 83°F) and variable rain affecting leaf timing. Researchers are tracking changes at Morgan-Monroe State Forest (phenocam monitoring).

IU Health is urging people to plan ahead and watch for pedestrians as Halloween and Indiana University home football coincide on Saturday, Oct.

31, advising drivers to be cautious and trick-or-treaters to use crosswalks and reflective gear (and arrange a designated driver if drinking).

The Monroe County Health Department will reopen today, restoring walk-in services, permits, birth and death certificates, and STI testing at the county health department building.

The board appointed Morgan County health officer Paul Broderick as interim for up to three months (he won't have hiring or firing authority), and commissioners are expected to ratify the contract Thursday.

Realtor.com data released today show Monroe County's median home sale price in July was $353,271, up 10.7% from June and 15.7% from July 2025, with single-family homes at a $371,659 median and condos/townhomes down to $200,687 (252 sales totaling $57.2 million).

Indiana men's basketball went 3-0 in preseason exhibitions, beating Butler, North Carolina and Western Kentucky, outrebounding opponents 155-103 as new 7-foot-plus additions Samet Yigitoglu and Aiden Sherrell and deeper bench scoring showed a more physical rotation ahead of Big Ten play.

Vote now in the Herald-Times Athlete of the Week poll for Oct.

19-24; voting will close Thursday, Oct. 29 at noon + nominees include athletes from Bloomington South, North, Edgewood, Owen Valley, and Lighthouse Christian.

Indiana women's basketball will play an exhibition against Marian University on Wednesday (the team's first look at a roster that added experienced transfers and five freshmen after missing last season's NCAA Tournament).

Indiana's defense and special teams carried the Hoosiers to an overtime win over Michigan on Saturday in Ann Arbor, holding the Wolverines to 57 rushing yards and making crucial red-zone stops; quarterback Josh Hoover (8-for-18) ran in the game-winning touchdown in overtime.