Indiana turnout for General Election highest since 1992
The pandemic played a major role in how people voted in the election, with 62% of the vote statewide coming through absentee ballots.
Government & Economic Development
Articles
Restaurants: Tighter rules would cause devastation
A surge in coronavirus cases has local restaurateurs fretting that public officials are on the cusp of imposing severe restrictions that they say will force hundreds of local eateries to close.
Holcomb names Notre Dame director as state’s first chief equity officer
Karrah Herring has worked at the University of Notre Dame since 2011 and has been the director of public affairs since 2018. She also served on the university’s human resource’s senior leadership team as director of the Office of Institutional Equity and Title IX coordinator.
Top GOP lawmakers signal support for coronavirus legal protections for businesses
During the chamber’s annual legislative preview event—which was held virtually this year as a safety precaution—the organization announced its top five priorities for the session that starts in January.
State legislators poised to rap IndyGo for fundraising flop
The transit system has raised just 1% or so of the private funding called for by a state law that helped fund a major expansion of the system.
Former Indiana lieutenant governor donates $2M to Northwestern journalism school
John Mutz made the donation to establish a newly endowed chair at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism that will study and support innovation in local news at the school.
State Board of Accounts finds noncompliance in Westfield’s Bullpen contracts
A state-level review of Westfield’s 2018 finances found city officials failed to comply with state laws and guidelines when they entered into an informal agreement with Bullpen Tournaments.
Trump asks for Wisconsin recount, sues in Pennsylvania, Michigan
The Trump campaign said it filed lawsuits Wednesday, laying the groundwork for contesting the outcome in undecided battleground states that could determine whether President Donald Trump gets another four years in the White House.
Remaining ballots hold little threat for Republicans in Hamilton County races
In all but one county-level race, Republican candidates hold a mathematically insurmountable lead over their Democrat opponents. County election officials still have roughly 30,000 absentee ballots to count starting at 8 a.m. Wednesday.
State not releasing detailed COVID outbreak data
Other than tracking schools and long-term-care facilities, the state doesn’t post any identifying data on a website or dashboard where people can identify COVID hot spots and track their spread.
Gov. Eric Holcomb’s coronavirus stance drawing criticism
The Republican has said repeatedly that he’d be willing to take a step back in the phased-in reopening if key data indicated the pandemic was worsening. But he has never made good on that threat.
Education champion doesn’t shy from tough challenges
Teresa Lubbers, IBJ’s 2020 Michael A. Carroll Award winner, has led the Indiana Commission for Higher Education since 2009.
Republicans fight to keep seats in northern suburbs
Republican state lawmakers seeking reelection in the northern suburbs are campaigning significantly more this year than in previous elections.
Residents seek clout in 5G pole placements
Telecom companies are putting 5G antennas by the hundreds in neighborhoods across Indianapolis, escalating tensions with residents who complain they have little say over where they’re built.
Trump, Biden show differences in distant, dueling town halls
President Donald Trump and Democrat Joe Biden took part in competing town halls Thursday that offered a jarring contrast of their opposing political styles and approaches to major issues.
Holcomb tests negative for COVID-19
Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb was tested “out of an abundance of caution” after Indiana State Health Commissioner Dr. Kristina Box tested positive earlier this week.
Indiana race opens up after attorney general’s troubles
Indiana Democrats are targeting the state attorney general’s race as their best chance to break the stranglehold Republicans have over state government.
Democrats call on Holcomb to bring back restrictions as COVID-19 cases rise
Indiana Gov. Holcomb moved Indiana to Stage 5, which essentially lifted all restrictions, on Sept. 26, but COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations are back on the increase.
White House ups offer in virus aid before talks with Pelosi
A GOP aide familiar with the new offer said it is about $1.8 trillion. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s most recent public offer was about $2.2 trillion, although that included a business tax increase that Republicans won’t go for.
Pummeled by pandemic, CIB making ‘hard decisions’
But Executive Director Andy Mallon says he’s “very confident” the board will recover from not only the pandemic but also necessary spending cuts and financial hits over the next 18 months.