Prosecutor uncertain whether he’ll move offices to Community Justice Campus
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said his hesitancy arises from concerns over how such a move could increase the prosecutor’s operating costs.
Government & Economic Development
Articles
State hopes $275M overhaul of rest stops entices travelers to stay in Indiana
The welcome centers will feature area-specific design features and exhibits intended to entice out-of-state travelers to visit regional attractions, including state parks.
Former east-side golf course to become Grassy Creek expansion
When Indianapolis Parks and Recreation staff saw a large piece of land up for sale near a well-loved park, they jumped at the chance to add greenspace to the city’s property rolls.
U.S. health officials call for booster shots against COVID-19
The plan, as outlined by the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and other top authorities, calls for an extra dose eight months after people get their second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
Indianapolis hoping to boost rental assistance funding by nearly $100M
The city’s IndyRent program—which launched last July with $15 million in funding and eventually grew to $96 million—has so far pushed out $53 million in rent payments to landlords of those seeking rental assistance.
Mayor unveils $166M anti-violence plan as part of city financial proposal
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett’s plan, funded largely with federal coronavirus relief, gives $33 million to traditional law enforcement efforts, $82 million toward community-led programming and $51.5 million toward “root cause” services like mental health care, hunger relief and workforce development.
Indiana buried in unemployment appeals backlog
Indiana has more than 17,000 pending appeals of unemployment-claim denials. Only California, Texas and Virginia—states with much larger populations—have more.
Indy launches tenant advocate program as eviction moratorium ends
Housing advocates, including pro bono attorneys and law students, will provide legal advice and mediation and negotiation services during an expected surge in evictions.
Crane steps down as head of state’s Department of Administration
Lesley Crane is expected to join the private sector, ending a 14-year career in public service. Her work included serving as former Indiana House Speaker Brian Bosma’s chief of staff for five years.
Lawmakers, citizens groups gird for redistricting session
The usual gerrymandering is expected this year as the Legislature embarks on the once-a-decade process of redistricting, though public scrutiny is expected to be much greater than in previous years.
Purdue, INDOT team up to investigate next-generation vehicle charging
The project focuses on whether wireless charging could be adapted for highway use, allowing electric vehicles to refresh their batteries while they drive along specially equipped stretches of road.
Elanco’s $100M headquarters gets final funding approval from city
The project was given a final, and unanimous, approval by the city’s Metropolitan Development Commission—the last step necessary to allow the city to request the funds from the Indianapolis Bond Bank.
Emmis to take AM 1070 off the air, although The Fan remains on FM stations
Emmis Communications Corp. says the signal’s towers in Whitestown will be dismantled to make way for development.
Indiana restarts federal unemployment payments while court battle plays out
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development said those who have remained unemployed since federal payments were cut off last month will begin receiving back payments.
Indiana unemployment in holding pattern above pre-pandemic rate
Indiana’s unemployment rate has been hovering at or near 4% for the last sixth months. It was 3.3% in March 2020, just before the pandemic triggered wide-scale layoffs and job losses.
Indiana evictions could surge post-moratorium
A federal freeze on most evictions that was enacted last year is scheduled to expire July 31. Although no statewide data exists, Indiana housing experts estimated that roughly 13% of tenants—about 106,000 Indiana households—are at risk of eviction.
Hoosiers getting state tax refund after surprising revenue surplus
Overall tax collections came in about 14% higher than a year ago, giving Indiana a surplus of almost $3.9 billion and triggering a tax refund.
City wants building owners to track utility use
A city proposal to require tracking of municipal and commercial energy use could save millions of dollars, reduce emissions by thousands of tons and cut water usage by billions of gallons in less than a decade.
Regions form to apply for statewide economic grant program
More than 50 cities and counties across Indiana have partnered to form nine regions to apply for the state’s $500 million READI grant program.
Pressure grows on Biden to curb ransomware attacks
Although last week’s attack appears to have caused what Biden called “minimal damage” to U.S. businesses, it rattled national security officials, and personnel at key federal agencies worked through the July 4 holiday weekend to assess the damage.