Firefighters postpone massive Indy convention due to COVID-19
The convention for firefighters and other rescue personnel was scheduled to run April 19-25. It typically has an economic impact of nearly $35 million for the city.
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Major League Baseball delays opening by at least 2 weeks
The league also suspended the rest of its spring training schedule, after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis strongly recommended to local authorities and organizers that they limit all mass gatherings.
Indy Eleven’s league suspends games for at least 30 days
The United Soccer League said it was “temporarily suspending” its season over COVID-19 concerns, following the lead of the National Basketball Association, the National Hockey League and Major League Soccer. The Eleven will miss at least five games.
IHSAA to limit spectators at basketball, gymnastics events
The Indiana High School Athletic Association on Thursday afternoon announced that the remaining games in its boys basketball state tournament will continue, but with limited spectators in attendance as it copes with the growing virus outbreak.
NCAA in tough spot amid calls to cancel tournament
The Indianapolis-based NCAA is weighing potential health risks to athletes against hundreds of millions of dollars on which the institution and dozens of athletic conferences and universities rely on for economic stability.
Democrats raise questions about how Holcomb is handling coronavirus outbreak
Top Democratic lawmakers want Gov. Eric Holcomb to provide more information on what the state is doing to respond to the coronavirus threat, but Republican leaders say they trust the governor to handle the situation appropriately.
Statewide student music competition cancels some events
More than 35,000 students from 300 schools were set to perform through April 11.
Big Ten cancels remainder of men’s basketball tournament
The tournament started Wednesday night at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Fans were present for Wednesday’s games, but the conference that evening barred fans for the remaining days.
Starbucks stores may go drive-thru only or limit seating over virus
The Seattle-based coffee giant has about 15,000 U.S. stores and 1,600 Canadian stores.
State total of COVID-19 cases rises to 12 after two more positive tests
The department said it had tested 64 Hoosiers for the virus. No deaths have been reported.
Hoteliers, restaurants brace for loss of revenue from NCAA, Big Ten tourney games
Combined, the events were expected to draw in upwards of $35 million in revenue for local businesses, including hotels and restaurants.
Nebraska coach leaves Big Ten tourney loss with ‘common cold’
University of Nebraska Basketball Coach Fred Hoiberg was taken to a hospital for evaluation after he left Wednesday night’s 89-64 loss to Indiana University in the Big Ten Conference Tournament.
Butler, Ball State, UIndy suspending in-person classes after spring breaks
While Indianapolis-based Butler announced that its switch to virtual instruction would continue at least through April 4, officials for Muncie-based Ball State said they planned to suspend in-person classes through the entire spring semester.
Trump announces delay of tax deadline for virus victims, including businesses
President Donald Trump announced Wednesday night that he will instruct the Treasury Department to allow individuals and businesses negatively affected by the coronavirus to defer their tax payments beyond the April 15 filing deadline.
Indiana set to raise smoking age, impose harsher penalties for selling tobacco to minors
The House and Senate on Wednesday both passed Senate Bill 1, which increases the legal tobacco age and doubles the fines stores could face for selling smoking or vaping products to anyone younger than 21.
UPDATE: NBA suspending season because of coronavirus concerns
The decision follows news that a player has tested positive for the virus. A source said the league expects the shutdown to last a minimum of two weeks.
UPDATE: Trump suspends travel between U.S., Europe for 30 days
President Donald Trump said he is suspending all travel between the United States and Europe beginning Friday as he seeks to combat the viral pandemic. The move was one of several executive actions he announced to the nation Wednesday night.
Big Ten will play tourney games without fans starting Thursday
The decision came less than two hours after the NCAA said it would play its March Madness games in empty stadiums and shortly after the first Big Ten game tipped off at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.
UPDATE: NCAA won’t allow fans at tournament games, might move Indy games from Lucas Oil
NCAA President Mark Emmert announced the games will be open only to “essential staff and limited family attendance.”
Markets plummet again as coronavirus fears escalate
The losses accelerated after health authorities declared the outbreak a pandemic, and brought the U.S. stock market to the end of one of its greatest-ever runs.