Unemployment falls to 7.7 percent, as U.S. adds 236,000 jobs
Stronger hiring shows businesses are confident about the economy, despite higher taxes and government spending cuts. However, more than 130,000 people left the work force in February.
Government & Economic Development
Articles
Attorney general shows support for school resource officers
Attorney General Greg Zoeller said Thursday he supports a bill in the General Assembly that would provide matching state grants to help schools create or expand school resource officer programs.
Indiana House plans $750,000 Statehouse renovation
Indiana's House Republicans are looking to spend $750,000 on renovations to desks, leather chairs and a ceiling in their Statehouse chamber, after spending $74,000 to replace worn carpeting in the Statehouse last summer.
Cops to valets: Park cars, not traffic
Indianapolis police are keeping an eye on downtown valets, whose habit of blocking traffic lanes has prompted complaints. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department issued a stern reminder to all valet operators on Jan. 31, the week after the opening of The Alexander Hotel in CityWay at Delaware and South streets.
New economic development chiefs plan branding blitz
The state of Indiana will have a new brand, under a campaign the Indiana Economic Development Corp. plans to launch this summer. The campaign is one of a few tweaks that Commerce Secretary Victor Smith and IEDC President Eric Doden are making to Indiana’s job-growth strategy.
Site swaps could clear the way for $43M Mass Ave project
City officials are working on a deal that could result in a new headquarters and downtown station for the Indianapolis Fire Department, a fresh user for a vacant former car dealership, and long-awaited groundbreaking on a $43 million apartment and retail redevelopment on Mass Ave.
Congressman invites Italian gun maker to Indiana
U.S. Rep. Marlin Stutzman is encouraging Beretta to move its U.S. operations from Maryland, which is considering an assault weapons ban.
Ballard plans new redevelopment effort for Market Square site
Mayor Greg Ballard, in his annual State of the City speech scheduled for Friday, plans to call for new proposals for the downtown site that previously was home to Market Square Arena. The city expects the proposals to include a high-rise building with a major retail component.
Lawsuit claims BMV overcharged Indiana residents by millions
A newly-filed lawsuit seeking class-action status accuses Indiana's Bureau of Motor Vehicles of "systematically" overcharging state residents by tens of millions of dollars for driver's licenses.
Lawmakers struggle with bill to stop synthetic drug sales
Lawmakers are finding it difficult to write a law that effectively cracks down on the sale of synthetic drugs while remaining fair to businesses that might not know they’re on their shelves.
Senate budget leader: Schools, roads need boost
Indiana lawmakers have been aggressive in cutting taxes in recent years, the state Senate's top budget writer said Thursday as his committee started reviewing a spending plan that leaves out Republican Gov. Mike Pence's proposed 10-percent income tax cut.
Donnelly gets his pick for Indiana Democratic chairman
Democratic Party officials announced that veteran Capitol Hill staffer John Zody was the only person to meet Wednesday's deadline to be considered for the chairmanship when the state central committee votes on its leadership Saturday.
Indiana mayors want law for cold-med prescriptions
Local officials from around Indiana are making a push for the Legislature to require that people obtain a doctor's prescription to buy cold medications often used to make methamphetamine.
Indiana House panel OKs child labor-referee measure
An Indiana House panel on Tuesday unanimously approved a measure pushed by a 13-year-old boy that would allow sports leagues to hire youngsters like him as referees.
Used car sales top Indiana consumer complaints
The Attorney General's Office says other frequent targets of complaints include Internet scams, debt collectors and wireless phone service providers.
House panel considers tighter cold medicine limits
The proposal, which passed the Senate last month, is aimed at preventing the medicines from getting into the hands of people making methamphetamine.
Councilor’s party switch shrinks Democrats’ edge
City-County Councilor Jose Evans, twice elected as Democrat, announced Tuesday he would become a member of the Republican Party and caucus with Republican councilors, taking the Democratic majority from 16-13 to 15-14.
State Senate panel approves specialty plate limits
Groups with specialty auto license plates would face new sales and financial reporting requirements under a proposal endorsed by an Indiana Senate committee.
Indiana casts eye toward more defense spending
State officials have started an effort to attract more military spending to Indiana even though the Defense Department is facing billions of dollars in automatic federal budget cuts.
Federal cuts to hit Indiana jobless, National Guard
Indiana agencies are cutting jobless benefits, furloughing National Guard members and losing food funds for the Women Infants and Children program because of the automatic federal budget cuts, officials said Monday.