Articles

Measuring stimulus job creation difficult-WEB ONLY

When Ed Pegler was laid off from his highway construction job four months ago, the 47-year-old father of two didn’t know when he’d be back to work. Then the phone rang. There was a job, paid for by the federal stimulus law. It’s a story the White House hopes to repeat 3.5 million times, to […]

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State set to put CIB ball in Ballard’s court-WEB ONLY

State legislators seem willing to give Indianapolis officials the power to raise several local taxes to help fund the city’s troubled stadiums agency. That plan, though, would force Mayor Greg Ballard to take some of the heat for increasing any of those taxes – and the task of persuading the Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers […]

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IPS board votes to cut 300 teaching jobs-WEB ONLY

The state’s largest school district is cutting 300 teaching jobs in an effort to save about $25 million. The Indianapolis Public School Board voted last night to also cut 40 non-teaching jobs and move others into lower-paying positions. The district plans to use federal stimulus money to keep about 200 of the laid-off teachers as […]

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Deal near on state jobless fund, but not budget-WEB ONLY

Negotiators for House Democrats and Senate Republicans have reached a tentative compromise on a plan designed to start fixing Indiana’s bankrupt unemployment insurance fund, but remained at an impasse today on a new state budget. Lawmakers were scrambling to finish business before tomorrow’s midnight deadline for adjourning the regular session. Although negotiations continued on several […]

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Indiana reports swine flu case; person ‘doing well’-WEB ONLY

A young adult from northern Indiana has the state’s first confirmed case of swine flu, but the state health commissioner says the person is “doing well.” Health Commissioner Judy Monroe said today the person was a young adult from northern Indiana, but released no other details. She said that the ill person had not recently […]

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Construction workers oppose unemployment cuts-WEB ONLY

Thousands of union workers packed the Statehouse yesterday to protest proposed cuts in jobless benefits as lawmakers try to compromise on legislation to fix Indiana’s bankrupt unemployment insurance fund. Republicans who control the Senate have proposed a plan that would increase employer taxes, reduce benefits for most jobless claimants and tighten eligibility standards. Democrats who […]

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Construction workers oppose jobless-fund plan-WEB ONLY

Construction workers gathered in Indianapolis for a midday rally at the Indiana Statehouse to protest proposed cuts in unemployment insurance benefits. Lawmakers have been trying to come up with a solution for the state’s unemployment insurance fund, which has been paying out hundreds of millions of dollars more in benefits than it has been collecting […]

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Chrysler gets labor deals in fight for survival-WEB ONLY

It looks like scrappy Chrysler LLC might yet escape the auctioneer’s gavel. The smallest of the three major U.S.-based automakers cleared two major hurdles yesterday in its quest for survival, agreeing on a concession agreement with negotiators for the United Auto Workers and winning ratification of its cost-cutting deal with the Canadian Auto Workers. That […]

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Construction workers oppose jobless-fund plan-WEB ONLY

Construction workers are gathering in Indianapolis today for a midday rally at the Indiana Statehouse to protest proposed cuts in unemployment insurance benefits. Lawmakers have been trying to come up with a solution for the state’s unemployment insurance fund, which has been paying out hundreds of millions of dollars more in benefits than it has […]

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GM to cut 21,000 U.S. jobs, shed Pontiac-WEB ONLY

General Motors Corp. said it will cut 21,000 U.S. factory jobs by next year, phase out its storied Pontiac brand and ask the government to take company stock in exchange for half of GM’s government debt as part of a major restructuring effort needed to get more government aid. The struggling automaker also said it […]

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Renewable energy mandate unlikely to pass-WEB ONLY

Supporters of a proposal that would set Indiana’s first comprehensive renewable energy policy are watching closely as the legislative session enters its final days, although key lawmakers aren’t optimistic that the measure will pass. Indiana is the only state in the Upper Midwest without a renewable energy standard – a policy that sets a specific […]

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Pence: Cap-and-trade plans would be costly-WEB ONLY

U.S. Rep. Mike Pence says a proposal by congressional Democrats to regulate gases some blame for global warming could cost the average American household more than $3,000 a year in higher energy costs. Pence, a Republican from Indiana, said Democrats’ proposed cap-and-trade legislation to deal with carbon dioxide emissions would also drive more American manufacturing […]

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Irsay: ‘I’m not going to renegotiate the lease’-WEB ONLY

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay says the positions taken by Indiana lawmakers and local officials over a $47 million shortfall at the city’s stadium agency could hurt attempts to recruit new businesses to the city and state. He said he wasn’t open to renegotiations. Irsay, talking to reporters during a break from the NFL draft […]

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Lawmakers debate CIB funding solution-WEB ONLY

Republican Sen. Luke Kenley of Noblesville says he’s more optimistic now than he was a few weeks ago about the chances of reaching an agreement that would help Indianapolis’ cash-strapped stadium agency. State lawmakers on a joint House-Senate conference committee met for two hours yesterday talking about possible solutions for the Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board, […]

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GM to temporarily shut 13 plants, cut production-WEB ONLY

General Motors Corp. said today it will temporarily close 13 assembly plants in the U.S. and Mexico, some for more than two months, laying off nearly 24,000 workers to pare back a bloated inventory. The closures, which will start in May, vary by factory from as short as three weeks to a long as 11, […]

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Indiana lawmakers remain split over state budget-WEB ONLY

Indiana lawmakers on a legislative panel said yesterday they are confident they can reach a compromise on a new state budget, but key differences remain in plans backed by House Democrats and Senate Republicans. A House-Senate conference committee discussed its proposals publicly, a week before the April 29 deadline for the legislative session to end. […]

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Union says 100 jobs cut at Indiana parts plant-WEB ONLY

A union official said about 100 workers have been laid off from a central Indiana auto-parts plant over the last two weeks. International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers steward Patrick Owens said Emcon Technologies is laying off workers at the Columbus plant because of a slowdown as it awaits new business from Cummins Inc. and Volkswagen. […]

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Indiana lawmakers still split over state budget-WEB ONLY

Indiana lawmakers on a legislative panel said yesterday they are confident they can reach a compromise on a new state budget, but key differences remain in plans backed by House Democrats and Senate Republicans. A House-Senate conference committee discussed its proposals publicly, a week before the April 29 deadline for the legislative session to end. […]

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GM planning 9-week shutdown, sources say-WEB ONLY

General Motors Corp. is planning to temporarily close most of its U.S. factories for up to nine weeks this summer because of slumping sales and growing inventories of unsold vehicles, three people briefed on the plan said yesterday. Thousands of GM workers could learn about the decision as early as today. The exact dates of […]

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New smoking-ban plan would exempt casinos-WEB ONLY

Casinos would be the only public indoor places in Indiana where smokers could light up if a legislator can win passage of a statewide smoking-ban law. Rep. Charlie Brown (D-Gary) wants to amend another one of his bills to include the ban on smoking in most public indoor places. He said today that he’s willing […]

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