© 2026. The Trustees of Indiana University
Copyright Complaints
1229 East Seventh Street, Bloomington, Indiana 47405
News, Arts and Culture from WFIU Public Radio and WTIU Public Television
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Recovery efforts from storms can be a long, difficult process

Damage from Thursday night's severe weather.
WFIU/WTIU News
Power lines are down along Airport Road west of Bloomington from the tornado that blew through the area on Feb. 19

Recovery efforts continue on the west side of Bloomington from last week’s EF2 tornado that damaged several homes and businesses, uprooted trees and downed power lines.

The tornado touched down just west of the Monroe County Airport and was on the ground for nearly four miles before dissipating before crossing I-69.

Among the businesses hit was the Monroe County Humane Association, which provides veterinary care and shelter for pets of people experiencing financial hardships. A week after the storm, they remain unable to provide services.

Read more: Humane Association recovering from tornado damage

Recovery from tornados can be a long process.

The People and Animal Learning Services organization west of Bloomington that was damaged in last May’s tornado has begun offering limited services but is still working to rebuilt its outdoor learning facility and barn.

Read more: Bloomington equine facility rebuilding after tornado

That May tornado also devastated homes in the Clear Creek area on Bloomington’s south side. Then-Perry Township trustee Dan “Carp” Combs, who died last month, and journalist Steven Higgs interviewed residents and officials for a debrief on their recovery experiences and what can be learned from such disasters. They compiled a 67-page report calls “The Canary in the Coal Mine” critical of the county and state’s lack of preparedness for environmental disasters.

Read more: The Canary in the Coal Mine

On this week’s Noon Edition, we'll discuss recovery efforts from last week's tornado, where people can go for help and what we learned from last year's tornado in May that devastated the Clear Creek area.

Join us on the air by calling 812-855-0811 or toll-free at 1-877-285-9348. You can also send questions for the show to  news@indianapublicmedia.org.  

You can also record your questions and send them in through email. 

Guests
Steven Higgs, Journalist, Author
Andrew Krebbs, Executive Director, Monroe County Humane Association

Stay Connected
Patrick Beane spent three decades as a journalist at The Herald-Times in Bloomington before joining the staff at WFIU/WTIU News. He began his career at the newspaper after graduating from Indiana University in 1987 and was the sports editor from 2010-2020. His duties at the paper included writing, copy editing, page design and managing the sports department.