Virus aid: Where things stand in high-level Washington talks
After more than a week’s worth of meetings, at least some clarity is emerging in the bipartisan Washington, D.C., talks on a huge COVID-19 response bill.
Health Care
Articles
Lilly Endowment awards $100M for initiative focusing on Indy’s Black community
The newly formed Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Renewal Initiative will seek to encourage collaboration and resource sharing between public, private and civic institutions.
Indiana’s death toll from COVID-19 surpasses 2,800
Marion County on Wednesday reported an increase of 132 cases, the 20th straight day that cases in the county have risen by more than 100.
Big Ten football season set to begin on Labor Day weekend
The Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis remains scheduled for Dec. 5 but could be moved to as late as Dec. 19.
Treasury ramps up auctions as borrowing, virus surges
The Treasury Department will ramp up the size of the bonds and other securities it auctions across-the-board in the face of the unprecedented borrowing needs.
Steak n Shake revives car-hop service at almost half its restaurants
In an effort to drum up more business during the pandemic, Indianapolis-based Steak n Shake is rolling out a modern version of a restaurant service method that was all the rage in the 1950s.
Urgency grows on virus relief legislation, but sides still far apart
Frustrated Senate Republicans re-upped their complaints Tuesday that Democratic negotiators are taking too hard a line in talks on a sweeping coronavirus relief bill.
Indiana teachers union supports national threat to strike over unsafe reopenings
The union—which statewide represents around 4,500 educators and school support staff—made its call for schools to open only if coronavirus cases are under control and schools have the needed safeguards.
For unemployed, rising grocery prices stretching budgets during pandemic
Compared to this time last year, prices for beef and veal are up 25.1%. Eggs are up 12.1%, and pork is up 11.8% from a year earlier, according to seasonally adjusted data.
Trump signs $3B-a-year plan to boost conservation, parks
Supporters say the Great American Outdoors Act is the most significant conservation legislation enacted in nearly half a century.
Indiana reports another 836 COVID-19 cases, 14 more deaths
Marion County reported an increase of 166 cases, the 19th straight day that cases in the county have risen by more than 100.
COVID-19 reshapes back-to-school spending
The National Retail Federation, the nation’s largest retail trade group, predicts record back-to-school spending this year, but other retail experts foresee big cutbacks.
As pre-K gains momentum in Indiana, pandemic creates new obstacles
After several years of building up its pre-K program, Indiana is now poised to evaluate the success of On My Way Pre-K. But the coronavirus could make it difficult.
NFL plans to use tech, lessons from baseball to forge ahead
The National Football League, a little over a month from the start of its 2020 season, has a plan to avoid the kind of coronavirus-driven game cancellations that have plagued the start of Major League Baseball.
California’s lockdown-related job losses portend trouble for rest of nation
Renewed job losses in California brought on by revived lockdown efforts might have a preliminary impact in the July U.S. jobs report due Friday—and an even bigger effect in August.
Federal nursing home plan limits upfront supply of free COVID-19 tests
The weekly cost of testing employees could range from more than $19,000 to nearly $38,000, according to estimates. But the Trump administration said nursing homes can cover the cost of ongoing testing from a $5 billion pot provided by Congress, and allocated to the facilities by the White House.
Stocks rally worldwide, S&P 500 back to within 3% of record
Gains for tech stocks, particularly Microsoft and Apple, pushed the Nasdaq composite up 1.5%, to another record.
House panel calls on new postal chief to explain mail delays
Postal Service officials, bracing for steep losses from the nationwide shutdown caused by the pandemic, have warned they will run out of money by the end of September without help from Congress.
U.S. Treasury projects record Q3 borrowing of $947 billion
The Congressional Budget Office is projecting that the deficit for this year will soar to $3.7 trillion, far surpassing the previous record deficit of $1.4 trillion in 2009, the first time the shortfall for a single year topped $1 trillion.
Virus relief bill remains up in air as negotiations resume
Both the Trump administration negotiating team and top Capitol Hill Democrats remain far apart, and talks since Saturday—when the combatants announced modest progress—have yet to lend momentum.