Bloomington City Councilman Andy Ruff sent the following letter on July 12 to INDOT consultant Wendy Vachet, project manager for I-69 in Bloomington. Ruff sent the letter on City Council letterhead.

Thank you for spending a few minutes on the phone with me the other day discussing the role of your firm, Michael Baker, Jr., Inc., in tier 2 study work for section 5 of the proposed I-69 extension. I look forward to visiting your office sometime soon and meeting you in person.

I regret that I was unable to attend the briefing for elected officials that was held at your local office on June 29. I was out of the state at that time and otherwise would certainly have been there. Thank you for the invitation.

The scent of warm pine needles fills the air as a gentle spring breeze rustles through the treetops. A hawk's cry breaks my reverie and I turn a slow circle, taking in the trees, the wildflowers, the sounds of the forest, and the solitude and rejuvenation that result from being surrounded by nature. Hiking alone in the Charles C. Deam Wilderness in the Hoosier National Forest (HNF), I can almost imagine what Indiana might have looked like prior to settlement. Luckily for future generations, due to its designated wilderness status, the nearly 13,000 acres that encompass the area will remain free from human intervention.