Voters in 5 states decide whether to legalize recreational marijuana
Almost half of U.S. states could allow recreational use of marijuana after Tuesday’s elections.
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Fishers bookkeeper sentenced for embezzlement after 8 years on lam
Jody Russell Trapp has been sentenced to federal prison for stealing more than $2.2 million from a Fishers company from 2009 to 2011. He fled to Utah and changed his name almost a decade ago before being recaptured.
Former lawmaker, casino exec Keeler suspended from practicing law
A former legislator currently in prison for filing a false tax return as part of a scheme that illegally funneled casino money into a failed 2016 congressional campaign has been suspended from practicing law in Indiana for at least a year and a half.
City considering outside counsel to test public nuisance law
On the heels of the Towne & Terrace Corp. settlement, Indianapolis hopes to change the legal interpretation of a state public nuisance law so it will allow a high volume of emergency calls to be grounds for enforcement in similar circumstances.
Abortion doctor files lawsuit against Indiana AG Rokita to stop ‘sham investigations’
Caitlin Bernard, the OB-GYN targeted by Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita after she performed an abortion on a 10-year-old Ohio rape victim, has filed a lawsuit seeking to block the “baseless investigation” into physicians who provide abortion care.
AGs sue to block Albertsons’ $4B payout over Kroger deal
The lawsuit asks the court to block the payment until the attorneys general have reviewed Albertsons’ proposed merger with Kroger Co.
Franciscan Health nurse pleads guilty to tampering with pain meds
Jennifer L. Adams administered saline solutions instead of prescribed pain medication to between 30 and 40 patients, the court documents said.
CVS, Walgreens announce opioid settlements totaling $10B
The developments amount to what could be the last round of huge settlements after years of litigation over the drug industry’s role in an overdose crisis that has been linked to more than 500,000 U.S. deaths over the past two decades.
Ex-Roncalli counselor appeals ruling in favor of Indianapolis Archdiocese
Michelle “Shelly” Fitzgerald, the former guidance counselor at Roncalli High School who was fired for being in a same-sex marriage, is turning to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Judge blocks Penguin Random House-Simon & Schuster merger
The judge issued a brief ruling Monday, agreeing with the Justice Department that the joining of two of the world’s biggest publishers could “lessen competition” for “top-selling books.”
Justices raise doubts on race-conscious college admissions
The future of affirmative action in higher education is on the table as the Supreme Court wades into the admissions programs at the nation’s oldest public and private universities.
Indianapolis low-income housing agency hit by ransomware
Executive Director Marcia Lewis said an investigation by information technology security experts, law enforcement, and the agency’s IT service providers is underway, and the attack was still ongoing as of Wednesday.
Congress probes telecom giants’ tactics in U.S. internet aid program
A leading congressional committee opened a probe of AT&T, Charter, Dish Network, T-Mobile and Verizon on Wednesday, aiming to explore if these and other telecom giants are “abiding by the law” in administering a federal aid program.
Gunman who shot visiting judges in downtown Indy gets 8 years in prison
Brandon Kaiser was convicted last month of multiple counts of felony battery for the May 1, 2019, shooting that put Clark County judges Andrew Adams and Bradley Jacobs in the hospital with bullet wounds.
Judge dismisses six-state effort to halt student loan forgiveness plan
Earlier Thursday, Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett rejected an appeal from a Wisconsin taxpayers group seeking to stop the debt cancellation program.
Restaurateur Scott Wise, wife, file for bankruptcy
Scott Wise, founder of now-defunct Indianapolis-based restaurant chain Scotty’s Brewhouse, said his personal bankruptcy is related to financial issues from the chain’s collapse.
Health and Hospital board ignores protesters, takes no action on Medicaid case
More than two dozen activists and lawmakers pushed the board to drop the suit, known as Talevski v. Health and Hospital Corp. of Marion County, which the U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear Nov. 8.
Judge dismisses FedEx from Indianapolis shooting lawsuit
The lawsuit was filed by relatives of five of the eight people who were fatally shot last year at an Indianapolis warehouse by a former employee of the shipping giant.
Suit accuses Lilly of illegally deducting funds from paychecks for vehicle use, extra time off
The lawsuit was filed this month by a senior sales representative who worked for Eli Lilly for 11 years before resigning in June. The complaint seeks class-action status on behalf of thousand of employees and former employees of Lilly.
Marijuana pardons not coming to Indiana, Holcomb says
Gov. Eric Holcomb said he prefers Indiana’s use of expungements over pardons in cases of simple marijuana possession or other lower-level offenses.