Archived NewsBytes located at the bottom of the page

January 31

• The temperature continues to be unreal for the last day of January, and lawns are starting to look like early March.  This problem is even causing sleeping problems for this reporter, in that I dreamed I was desperately trying to get the lawn tractor out to mow my knee-high grass, but the tractor wouldn't start.  Perhaps it was my subconscious telling me to get the mowers to the shop for their tune-ups!?

• An Indiana Senate committee has endorsed legislation requiring public schools to post the national motto "In God We Trust" in every classroom and has sent it to the full Senate for a vote.  The legislation requires the posted motto be at least 11 inches by 14 inches and framed, but prohibits schools from using taxpayer money to pay for them.  No doubt the ICLU is sharpening its pencils even as we speak!

• Indiana Rep. Terry Goodin, D-Crothersville, has withdrawn legislation that would have required schools to display U.S. flags in every classroom and allow teachers to lead the Pledge of Allegiance and offer a moment of silence.  He told the House Education Committee that he was concerned that too many amendments might be added to the bill that would "water down" its provisions.  The committee already had removed language mandating the pledge and a moment of silence and made them only options instead.  Instead he now plans to offer a resolution that encourages schools to display the flag in every classroom and have teachers lead the pledge and offer a moment of silence. A similar resolution already has been adopted by the Senate.  Goodin is superintendent of the Crothersville Community Schools, and said he sponsored the original bill because many teachers and administrators are unsure ed about whether or not state and federal law allows the pledge or a moment of silence.

• Last week the proposal proposal to raise speed limits was heard in an Indiana House committee and cleared for consideration by the full House.  Now the sponsor of the bill is trying to keep other House members from loading it with additional traffic safety matters that could hurt its chances of support in the Senate.  Time is running short for the proposal because all bills that originated in the House must be passed by Feb. 5 to advance to the Senate.  Efforts to increase speed limits above 65 mph have failed repeatedly in the General Assembly since Congress repealed the national maximum limit of 65 mph in 1995.  The House approved higher limits last year, but the legislation was not taken up in the Senate. It has been debated on the Senate floor only once in the past six years -- in 1999 -- and it was soundly rejected.

• Help is on the way!  Recent data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that Indiana is the 13th-fattest state in the nation, so a group of Indianapolis doctors, called The Care Group, and the Marsh supermarket chain have announced a statewide campaign called "lighten Up Indiana".  The goal is to get overweight Hoosiers to drop 10 percent of their weight during the next six months.   People may sign up for the weight-loss classes, collect information on obesity, and get help tracking weight-loss progress on the website http://www.lightenupindiana.com .  Other organizations, including the Indiana Department of Health and the National Institute of Fitness and Sport are also backing the campaign.  Thinner translates into improved health and reduced medical costs.  So give up those muchies, get up off the couch and get physical!

January 30

• Attorneys for Bob Knight and for Ron Felling are supposed to meet in Indianapolis and that could result in a settlement between the two.  Felling claims he was wrongfully fired in 1999 and is suing both Knight and Indiana University. He seeks damages against his former boss for assault, battery and other alleged conduct.  Today's session may be postponed, however, because Knight may not be available to give a deposition until March after the Texas Tech season has ended.  

• A new E-mail worm is spreading quickly across the globe. Structurally similar to the Nimda and Sircam viruses, this bug is tricking users into infecting themselves by posing as a Web link.  The W32.Myparty@mm worm arrives as an E-mail message, with the subject line "new photos from my party!"   In the body of the message, it carries what appears to be a link to Web portal Yahoo, but which in fact is an executable file. Upon clicking the link, the virus infects the computer. After the computer is infected, the worm sends itself to all addresses in the user's copy of Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, or in his Windows Address Book. Computers running Windows NT, 2000, or XP are also infected with a spy program, which can allow the machine to be remotely controlled.   Antivirus companies Symantec, Trend Micro, and McAffee have all rated the worm a "medium" threat. Patches to remove or inoculate your system against the bug are available for download. 

• Hoosier Lottery officials want the General Assembly to amend the state gaming statues to allow Indiana to participate in multijurisdictional lotteries, meaning more than one country.  The state currently is allowed to participate only in games within the U.S.   Mexico wants to join the multistate Powerball, and if that happens it would become multijurisdictional.  Powerball is played in 22 states and the District of Columbia. Revenue from tickets sold in Indiana amounts to $30 million to $35 million -- about 20 percent of the state's annual lottery revenue.  Mexico's request is scheduled to be considered when lottery directors from the Powerball states meet Sunday, and it is probable that the request will be granted since more players translate into bigger jackpots.  The bill has been approved in the Senate committee and now goes to the full Senate for a vote..

January 29

• The 2002 IHSAA girls' basketball tournament starts one week from today.  Seymour will travel to the New Albany section to face off against the BNL  Lady Stars in the first game of the night, beginning at 6 p.m.

• Yesterday an Indiana Senate committee changed a gambling bill to allow a casino to operate in French Lick and West Baden Springs, but the bill's sponsor hasn't decided whether or not he will ask the full Senate to vote on it since he is opposed to the amendment.   The amendment calls for a gambling boat to be located on a man-made lake between the two big hotels.  It would be operated by a government agency and profits would be used for the restoration of the hotels and area development.  Senate Bill 333 would allow any of the 10 operating riverboats to remain docked if they chose and also would allow Indiana's two horse racing tracks to set up 700 pull-tab machines.  For years many residents of the two towns have hoped for a riverboat to help save the area.

• Monday a House committee voted unanimously to overturn accountability measures Gov. Frank O'Bannon adopted to restrict spending for local projects through the Build Indiana Fund.  House Bill 1360 also seeks to protect lawmakers and grant recipients from criminal investigators by making all past spending legal.  The bill would adopt new application procedures for Build Indiana grants while doing away with reforms O'Bannon ordered.  Under the bill,  administration of the fund would return to the State Budget Agency.  The grants, funded by lottery and riverboat gambling profits, are supposed to go to local governments for public construction projects, but they have paid for a variety of private projects  and can be used for any state expense.  An Indianapolis Star investigation last year found that the fund has financed projects that were never built and benefited lawmakers personally, and that money has gone to groups that were never audited.  The Indiana Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit that is still pending, arguing that  some Build Indiana money was spent illegally on religious projects. Last month, the State Budget Committee approved spending $2.7 million on 51 capital projects deemed emergencies.

January 28

• What glorious weekend weather!!  The kids played outside without coats on.  However, we all know the unseasonably mild weather Indiana has experienced the last several days will come to an end -- soon.  In fact, we are being told that after one more day of dry weather and temperatures topping out well into the 50s a cold front will move through Indiana Tuesday night. Temperatures will make a quick drop after the front moves through.  Rain will be likely and could change to sleet and freezing rain.  However, the warm weather the past several days has caused the ground to thaw, and with actual ground temperatures above freezing, the amount of freezing rain will be limited.  At this point, the exact extent of the cold air is still questionable. A change of only a few degrees will greatly affect what type of precipitation occurs. Stay tuned! 

• A no-frills approach to policing is becoming necessary in some communities and some crime problems are not getting the attention they should.  For example, the Columbus Police Department is short six officers, requiring overtime and extra duties assigned to existing officers.  Staffing has become a major problem in several areas of the state and  is caused by a shortage of recruits.  Vincennes University has a two-year program which teaches entry-level police skills and is considered one of the largest in the nation, but the chairman of the law enforcement studies department reports that enrollment has declined steadily during the past decade.  He attributes the decline to a cultural shift, low pay, dangerous work, lack of benefits, and highly publicized scandals.   It is hoped that the events of September 11th will eventually result in a renewed wave of popularity for a law enforcement career and help ease the current shortage problem.

January 25

• Nashville businessman R. Dale Cassidy will announce tomorrow that he is seeking the District 65 seat in the Indiana House of Representatives. Cassidy will make the announcement at 9 a.m. in the courthouse in Nashville.

• Party line vote, as usual.  The Republicans offered an alternative tax restructuring plan, but it was rejected by the majority Democrats in the Indiana House.  The Republican alternative kept three of the key elements of the Demo plan--a one cent increase in the sales tax and the increases in the gambling and cigarette taxes, and although the Democrats admitted that was a step toward consensus, they could not accept it.  The House Bill 1004, the demo plan which came out of the committee, is now in line for a critical vote, possibly as early as Monday.  If it passes the House, it will be sent to the Senate, which is controlled by the Republicans.  Becky Skillman, R-Bedford, explained opposition to that package that was endorsed by the House Ways and Means Committee.  "As it's written now, the average person would pay more sales, pay more income and, if they are one of the lucky ones, their property taxes would remain the same. Most Hoosiers don't think that's a very good trade-off."

• Senate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, said Thursday that the bill which would permit dockside gambling by riverboat casinos will likely enjoy broad support when it comes up for a vote in the full Senate.  Although he will not vote for the bill, he acknowledges its appeal as an easy way to raise revenue and a tax that most people never pay. 

• Indiana's telephone privacy law has been challenged in a lawsuit filed by two companies selling vacuum cleaners. 
  Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter said he would defend the law that took effect on January 1st, allowing Hoosiers to sign up for a no-call list and fining telemarketers up to $25,000 for disregarding the law..  Steve Martin & Associates and AIMKO Association, a Kansas nonprofit company, filed the lawsuit last week in Vanderburgh Circuit Court, asking that the law be declared unconstitutional because it unfairly hurts their business of selling Kirby vacuum cleaners.  Martin claims the law prevents small businesses from recruiting new customers through referrals by current customers and that the regulating of this particular statute leaves no room for small businesses to operate.  He maintains the telephone privacy law hurts 10,000 small businesses in the state, such as  those who sell used cars and beauty products and depend on referral lists.  The law still allows charities and other nonprofit organizations to solicit donations over the phone, provided they use their own employees or volunteers and not a professional telemarketing company. Also, newspapers, insurance agents and real estate agents also are exempt from the law.  Perhaps the law should include ALL SOLICITATiONS!

• An engine fire, spotted just before takeoff, forced the emergency evacuation of a jet airliner at Indianapolis International Airport on Thursday.  One passenger was slightly hurt during the evacuation.   Northwest Airlines Flight 1118, departing for Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, was moving down the taxiway toward the end of the runway at the time of the fire with 70 passengers and a 5-member crew when an airport firefighter spotted flames coming from the airliner's right engine. When the crew was contacted they activated onboard fire extinguishers and  ordered an emergency evacuation of the airliner.  Crew and passengers used emergency exits over the wings as well as the main-door exit slides. Passenger were taken to the terminal and allowed to rebook other flights.

• Billie Creek Village, a living museum depicting life in late 19th century Indiana, will close soon unless its owners can raise $1.6 million to pay off existing debts and cover operating expenses.  At this point its fate is up to the banks and whether or not the controlling corporation can refinance its debt and lower monthly payments on its loans.

January 24

• You can see a tinge of green in the grass (that means it is growing!) and yesterday evening was sweater weather.  However, you will need a coat if you go out tonight as the temperature is supposed to drop into the mid 20's.  That's not bad, though, considering that this is still January!  Have you ever mowed your yard in February?

• Will they do it?  The House Public Policy Committee has approved a bill that would increase speed limits from 65 mph to 70 mph in interstates and from 55 mph to 60 mph on state highways, with the current limits for semis remaining the same.   The bill now goes to the full House for consideration, but past efforts to increase speed limits above 65 mph have failed repeatedly in the General Assembly since Congress repealed the national maximum limit of 65 mph in 1995.  In the past such legislation has been offered as amendments to bills before the full House.

• The House Education Committee postponed a vote on legislation that would require classrooms to display the U.S. flag and allow teachers to lead the Pledge of Allegiance and offer a moment of silence.  Committee Chairman Gregory Porter, D-Indianapolis, said too many issues remained unresolved to take a vote immediately after testimony on the bill Wednesday.  However, members amended the bill to remove language that described the moment of silence as a time for meditation or prayer, so the bill now states that students can use the moment to "engage in any silent activity."  Committee members also changed language that would have required teachers to lead the pledge and provide a moment of silence to now state the bill would give schools the option of both.  The bill is sponsored by Rep. Terry Goodin, D-Crothersville, superintendent of Crothersville Community Schools. He said too many teachers and administrators are concerned about whether state and federal law allows the pledge or moment of silence. 

January 23

• An Indiana University student, 21-year-old Ross Greathouse of North Vernon, died Tuesday of an apparent drug overdose at a northern Monroe County home. Police say Greathouse snorted a combination of cocaine and heroin with a 32-year-old friend who lived at the home in which Greathouse died.

• House Democrats have made changes to Governor O'Bannon's tax package and the governor supports it.  The chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee calls it a bipartisan attempt, but in the committee the vote was  straight down party-lines to send it to the full House for a vote.  No republican committee members voted for the 316 page proposal because the democrats gave them only two hours before the committee vote to send it to the House for consideration.  The democrats control the chamber 53-47.  The new plan would raise cigarette taxes by 39.5 cents a pack  and increase admissions and wagering taxes on riverboat casinos,  increase the state's 5 percent sales tax to 6 percent and implement a graduated income tax. The first $20,000 of income would be taxed at the current 3.4 percent rate, income between $20,001 to $70,000 would be taxed at 3.8 percent, and income above that would be taxed at 4.2 percent.  The reassessment also would be delayed a year, meaning it must be completed by March 2003, with new bills payable in the spring of 2004 instead of 2003, and also would restructure business taxes. The corporate gross receipts tax would be eliminated for all corporations except utilities, but the corporate net income tax rate would be increased to 8.5 percent and a new franchise tax would be created.  Republicans continue to argue the plan does  nothing to control government spending, which they blame in large part for creating the budget deficit.

• On February 1st state park fees will go up for the second time in less than a year.  The cost of admission to state parks for Indiana residents will rise from $3 to $4 per vehicle, or double the $2 charged in 2000 before last year's increase.  Annual passes will go from $18 to $22, with passes for nonresidents increasing from $25 to $26. Camping reservation fees will increase from $4 to $6, and all campsite rental fees will increase $1 per site. Youth tent camping will jump from 50 cents per person per night to $2, daily swimming passes are rising from $2 to $3, and 20-swim passes from will go from $24 to $26. An annual horse trail pass will rise from $8 to $9.  

• The Federal Trade Commission announced yesterday that it wants to create a national "do not call" registry.  Current FTC rules require specific telemarketers to obey when consumers ask to be put on a "do not call" list.  The new proposal would let consumers call one toll-free number to stop most telemarketing calls made from outside a consumer's state, but consumers could choose to allow calls from certain companies or charities.  Telemarketers would have to update their no-call lists monthly from the national list, which would cost the agency between $4 million and $6 million in the first year. The FTC plans public hearings in June on the registry and other proposed telemarketing regulations, and the agency commissioners could vote on the changes as soon as a year from now.  More than 25 states, including Indiana, already have legislation requiring "do not call" lists, and the FTC would work with them to ensure the national list and local lists work together.

January 22

• This weather is not what the ski slopes would like to see!  Today may reach 50°, and tonight is supposed to fall only into the lower 40's.  There is a chance of rain through tomorrow night.  Ground Hog Day is less than two weeks away!

• If a proposal now in committee in the Indiana House passes, churches and nonprofit organizations would have to start paying property taxes on income-producing ventures such as golf courses, swimming pools, income-producing rental properties, etc. Currently, nonprofit organizations enjoy tax exemptions on property they use for both nonprofit and profit businesses.  Church bu9ldings and parsonages would remain exempt.  Some interested observers have suggested that perhaps legislators should also consider removing the tax status of universities, hospitals, and other institutions.

• According to the Center for Public Integrity, a Washington, DC-base watchdog group which monitors government ethics, Indiana law doesn't go far enough in its requirements for lawmakers' financial disclosures.  Although state lawmakers must disclose outside jobs and income that could lead to conflicts of interest, there are loopholes.  Stockholdings must be listed only if they are worth at least $10,000, and companies that employ legislatures must be listed only if the pay totals at least one-third of their non-legislative income.  This is the third year in a row that the center has chastised Indiana for its loopholes in making conflict-of-information public.

• Louisville Mayor Dave Armstrong will meet with members of the Bush administration during the U.S. Conference of Mayors.  He plans to urge the administration to grant special security status for this year's Kentucky Derby.  If it is granted, the Secret Service would oversee security, with help from the FBI and FEMA for the Derby Day, Kentucky Oaks Day, and the Pegasus Parade. 

January 21

• A Republican and a Democrat announced last week they will seek the House of Representatives seat currently held by Brent Steele of Bedford. Steele previously announced he would not seek re-election.  37-year-old Eric Koch will seek the republican nomination in the May primary with 56-year-old David Rhum looks for the Democratic nomination.  District 65 has been reconfigured to include parts of Jackson, Lawrence, and Bartholomew, and Brown counties.

• Although doctors and hospitals are not required to report cases to the government, "walking pneumonia", formally known as mycoplasma, seems to be more prevalent in central Indiana this year.  Health officials suspect the rise in cases may be part of a cyclical pattern for the illness.  The symptoms of "walking pneumonia" are  flulike -- fever, congestion, and body aches, as well as a deep, wracking cough that can persist for up to three weeks.  It is highly contagious but rarely fatal

• At the midpoint of the fiscal year, the Hoosier Lottery reports that it is doing well -- for the first time in two years.  The surge in sales, which has the lottery on track to meet its goal of $581 million in sales -- an increase of $33 million over last year.  Each year, the lottery gives the state part of its proceeds -- last year it was $155 million. Normally, that money is used to pay for pensions of teachers, police officers and firefighters and community projects through the Build Indiana Fund, but the lottery resources could be transferred into the state's general fund if the legislature agrees.  The Hoosier Lottery has been streamlined, games pulled, a new game will be added Wednesday, and an extensive ad campaign was launched -- all to rekindle players' interests.

January 18

• They helped the police solve the crime!  As a result of bragging about their role in a fire that killed about 70,000 chickens at Rose Acre Farms last July, two men have been arrested and charged with felony arson.  If convicted, Gregory S. Tormoehlen, 20, of Brownstown, and Bradley W. Barker, 19, of Seymour could face prison terms up to 50 years.  About 70,000 young laying hens were killed July 12 when a chicken house near Cortland caught fire and was destroyed.  Damage to the building was estimated at $800,000, and the chickens were worth about $100,000,.

• In high school basketball action tonight, the Seymour Owls will travel to Bedford to play the BNL Stars.  JV action begins at 6 p.m., with Varsity following at 7:30. 

• A high pressure system headed eastward from the south-central Plains  will carry moisture across the Upper Mississippi Valley, resulting in one to two inches of snow across southern Indiana, beginning Friday night.  There is a 50% chance of snow Saturday morning.

• Although the school board of the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. voted unanimously in favor of the project, the $115 million school construction proposal was defeated when more petition signatures were turned in against the project than in favor of it.  The proposal to build two new schools and renovate three others would have been the largest such project in the history of Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. The district has grown by 634 students in the last eight years.  Legally, the board must wait one year to submit a new building proposal unless it proposes a substantially different plan, but at this point it is not possible to speculate on what course the administrators will take.

January 17

• It is possible that the planned closing of the Muscatatuck State Developmental Center could be delayed past the July 2003 deadline.  Legislation enabling the delay was endorsed by the Indiana Senate Health and Provider Services Committee and has been sent to the full Senate for consideration.  The bill  would require the Family and Social Services Administration to conduct public hearings and studies on Muscatatuck that could push the closing beyond that date.  Some lawmakers from both parties question the current timetable, saying it might not ensure that Muscatatuck residents are transferred to other centers or community settings, such as apartments or group homes, that provide adequate care, and that sentiment is shared by some families with relatives at the center in Jennings County facility.  

• The threat of a lawsuit?  Legal observers and the ICLU say that the state criteria allowing high school sophomores to retake ISTEP-Plus exams administered just after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks do not offer all students an equal chance of passing.  This claim is based on the fact that giving school districts will be given the power to decide which students can retake the standardized exam and that lends itself to arbitrary decisions.   State officials argue it is not appropriate or affordable to retest all sophomores who failed the exam.  It is interesting to note that failure rates on Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress-Plus Exams administered last fall were roughly identical to the previous year's numbers.  However,  because of the September 11 attacks, it is believed that some who did not pass the test should have been able to pass, based on past academic performance, and therefore should be given a  second chance, while state officials believe weak students would benefit most from remediation.   Of the approximately 2,200 sophomores who took the exam in the Indianapolis Public Schools, 1,700 failed.  They all will be allowed to retake the exam.  but in certain districts where the failure rate was considerably lower, only one student at each school will be retested.  The ICLU would consider filing a lawsuit challenging the criteria if they were contacted before retests are administered March 12-14.  

• The wait may be over!  Although it is not yet official, it seems that after several months of negotiations, the Charlotte Hornets have decided to make New Orleans their new home.  According to some officials, Louisville didn't have an arena plan to offer the Hornets - unlike New Orleans who already has an NBA-arena and no major league occupant.  Louisville Mayor Dave Armstrong is waiting for the official word from the Hornet owners.   Throughout the planning process for Louisville's offer, there was disagreement on the financing plan for the arena, but some say that the discussion on the issues will continue in order to be ready for the next opportunity when it appears.

January 16

• As expected, Gov Frank O'Bannon's State of the State speech last night It was a call for bipartisanship in solving Indiana's financial problems. He said his proposal to raise taxes on cigarettes and riverboat casinos is necessary to balance the state's books and avoid funding cuts on schools.  Continuing his pitch for his tax restructure plan,  O'Bannon says there is no other way to recoup the dollars lost during the recession, but Republicans still maintain that the state can survive the recession without tax increases.  By statute, it is to end no later than March 14.

• Continuing the running controversy, displaying the Ten Commandments is again a news topic.  The Goshen Board of Education has rejected a proposed policy change that would have allowed the Ten Commandments to be displayed in classrooms because some board members  believe displaying a religious document in a public school building is a violation of the constitutional separation of church and state and displaying the Ten Commandments with legal documents implies our government and legal system are based on the Commandments.  On the other hand, Danville School Board approved a proposal to allow framed prints of the U.S. motto  "In God We Trust."  There is currently a proposal in the legislature which would require public schools to display the national motto in every classroom, auditorium and cafeteria.

• The Kentucky Derby Festival is less than four months away, and on Tuesday another Festival event was left without a sponsor as Brendan Diamonds pulled its sponsorship of the Great Steamboat Race, citing business reasons for the withdrawal.  Negotiations continue with UPS and Ford Motor Co. to sponsor Thunder Over Louisville, but  Festival officials are worried about Ford since the company's announcement concerning some plant closings and layoff of thousands of employees.  Local stores have been selling Thunder pins to raise money for that event.  It all pins are sold that would raise $125,000 for the fireworks show, but the Derby Festival won't know until mid-February how much pins have raised.  

January 15

• Indiana State Police troopers are handing out kits to help parents collect and store their children's DNA -- samples that could prove indispensable in the event of tragedy.  The genetic samples are the most effective method to help  identify an individual.  The Evansville post has distributed about 1,000 kits since August.  The kit includes a cotton swab to collect the DNA by rubbing it along the child's gumline, and then the sample is then stored in a home freezer to preserve it.  DNA, found in almost all of the body's cells, can be used to identify remains, to link perpetrators to a crime, rule out suspects.  Commercial kits for collecting DNA cost about $25 to $75, but the kits passed out by the state police each cost about 20 cents to make.  In addition to the kit, parents are also encouraged to collect a piece of their child's DNA themselves, such as saving a child's used toothbrush and hair, and store them in a bag in a freezer. The freezer helps preserve the items.  Other state police posts in Indiana are expected to follow by midsummer.

January 14

• In Indiana Statehouse, all eyes are on the House since that is where tax increases must originate, and it is controlled by Gov. O'Bannon's party.  At this point, the Senate is watching.  Republicans still believe the crisis should be solved by reducing spending, and the political reality is that this is an election year, and trying to get enough House members to vote for a tax increase, even on cigarettes and casinos, as O'Bannon wants, is a tough sell.  Some representatives would prefer to postpone the action until after the 2002 election.  Meanwhile, many constituents are still wondering what happened to the surplus.

• This  Friday airlines will start screening every piece of checked baggage by using explosive detection machines, bomb-sniffing dogs, or hand searches of luggage and matching baggage to passengers before the plane leaves the ground.  Travelers may want to prepare themselves for long lines and delays throughout the system.  However,  at the Louisville Airport authorities are not expecting delays because it will all all happen behind the scenes.

• One more time!  And it's about money.  The NBA's Charlotte Hornets claim they have lost millions playing in their current arena because it lacks all the luxury suites offered in the more modern arenas.  In his final attempt to lure the Hornets to Louisville, Mayor Dave Armstrong has sent his final financing plan for a new downtown arena to the University of Louisville and the Hornets. This week the Hornets are expected to announce their decision about where they will play next year.  Armstrong's plan would have U.of L. basketball sharing the downtown arena with the Hornets.  Although some consider Louisville a front-runner, other cities under consideration are St. Louis, Norfolk, and New Orleans.  Even Charlotte is now talking seriously about their plans to build a new arena.  March 1st is the deadline for the Hornets to file their application for relocation with the NBA.

January 11

• A new Workforce Certification Center operated by Ivy Tech State College will give south-central Indiana workers more options to expand their technical expertise.  The center, on of 14 in the state operated by Ivy Tech had a grand-opening ceremony yesterday that was attended by approximately 70 people  The center, financed by local donations as well as state and federal funds, will help both those with jobs and the unemployed improve their job skills utilizing tutorial CDs, Internet courses and on-site training.

• Lawrence County native Kent Benson has resigned as president of the Hoosier Project, a Bloomington-based group that rallies support for conservative candidates and causes. Benson said he was resigning to concentrate on his campaign for Indiana secretary of state and his business interests.

• An unattended toolbox  spotted by an airport police officer yesterday at Indianapolis International Airport resulted in the evacuation of two concourses.  The concourses were reopened about 50 minutes later when it was determined that the toolbox belonged to a contractor who was making minor repairs in the terminal,.

• Not only people go south for the winter!  A snowy owl was photographed by workers at Diamond Chain Co. in their parking lot close to downtown Indy yesterday.  The birds are native to the Arctic, but they sometimes migrate south to southern Canada and the southern shores of Lake Michigan but are rarely seen south of Lake Michigan.  However, several of the owls have been sighted this winter in Indiana in Tippecanoe, White, and Boone counties.  Experts say the owls have probably migrated here because of unfavorable conditions on the tundra.  There they feed on lemmings, but if there is a surge in the snowy owl population or a drop in lemming numbers, the owls move south for food.  Here they are probably feeding on mice and rates.  Adult snowy owls stand about 2 feet tall and have a 5-foot wing span.

January 10

• Just what do you do with an old stone mill?  The old Woolery Stone Mill in Bloomington  now sits surrounded by piles of rubble from more than 65 years of stone cutting. The steel structure that stretches almost two football fields in length is run down and has seen no activity since it closed in 1994.  That same year, the Bloomington City Council approved the 170-acre Woolery Stone development that included about 1,200 housing units, but those plans did not include reuse of the mill, which meant it would probably be torn down.   However, the owners of Cassady Electric in Ellettsville have suggested a plan to the council to make restoration of the Woolery Stone Mill the centerpiece of a 25-acre development.  Cassady's Woolery Ventures LLC has requested the council to amend the Woolery development plan to allow an additional commercial area with up to 130,000 square feet of office and retail space.  Cassady said there have been many suggested uses for the mill space, including restaurants, shops and recreation facilities. He hopes that a small hotel will also be part of the development.  The plan amendment was approved on the first reading and will be up for final approval on January 17th.

• The movie version of the book "A Season on the Brink" will be shown March 10th on ESPN with Brian Dennehy portraying the part of Bob Knight.  Dennehy, who has never met Knight, says there was no way to imitate him, and being 15 years older and 30 pounds heavier than he should be for the part didn't make things any easier.  

January 9

• The first day to officially file to be a candidate on the May 7th Primary ballot is January 23rd.  Anyone interested in filing for any primary candidacy should contact the Jackson County Clerk's office for more information.  The deadline to "throw your hat in the ring" is 12-noon on February 22.

• Some telemarketers still are phoning Hoosiers whose names are on a new no-call list, but not as frequently.  The n-call law became effective  Jan. 1, and the state has received about 79 formal complaints.  There are more than 780,000 who put registered for the list by the deadline.  Since then an additional 100,000 have signed up for the list and their names will be added when it is updated in April.  The law still allows charities and other nonprofit organizations to solicit donations if they use their own employees or volunteers instead of a telemarketing company.  Newspapers, insurance agents, and real estate agents are exempt from the law.  There have been unseccessful attempts to add more exemptions,  those attempts so far have been unsuccessful.  However, other attempts are expected because of the large lobbyiing force against the bill.   A form to report telemarketers violating the no-call list is available at http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral .

January 8

• IU is getting out of the Federal Direct Student Loan Program. School administrators say the change to a system were banks provide loans to students is to save money as IU moves to a single system for student loans for all of its campuses.

• Next time, take the deal. That's the thought a Bloomington man probably has after turning down a plea agreement that now has him serving 10 years instead of two in prison. 37-year-old Samuel Chitwood was convicted of burglary from an incident in January 2001 and for being a habitual criminal. Instead of the deal, Chitwood opted for a jury trial.

• As the Indiana General Assembly opened yesterday, House members were reminded that sound from floor proceedings s being broadcast over the Internet this session, suggesting they not be quite so noisy.  Internet users can listen at http://www.ai.org/legislative/session/audio.html   The session is scheduled to end by March 14..

January 7

• Cheryl K. Smith of Seymour pled guilty Friday to charges of approving bank loans to fictitious people and using the money to pay personal household expenses.  She was sentenced to 15 months in prison and was also ordered  to pay restitution of $137,635, the amount of the bank's losses.  As a loan officer at Home Federal Savings Bank, Smith had authority to approve unsecured loans in amounts up to $5,000 without the review of a supervisor.  Prosecutors alleged that between March 1995 and July 2000, Smith processed loans for 35 fictitious people, using false names and Social Security numbers. Smith then had the loans electronically deposited into bank accounts to which she had access.  Smith used the loan proceeds to pay her personal household expenses, prosecutors said.  

• Back to business!  Lawmakers are returning to the Indiana Statehouse today to begin a 10-week legislative session that will focus on tax restructuring and eliminating a huge budget deficit.  They will begin by assigning bills to committees, and financial issues were sure to dominate the session, which is scheduled to last until mid-March.  Gov. Frank O'Bannon has proposed reducing the deficit by cutting spending and raising taxes on cigarettes and casinos, as well as asking for swift action on a tax-restructuring package that would raise sales and individual income taxes to eliminate or reduce some local property taxes and shift some costs to the state.  The reassessment could lead to dramatic tax increases on homeowners by the spring of 2003.  The governor's proposals have brought mixed reaction from members of both parties. Republicans have repeatedly said they will oppose any tax increases to cope with the deficit.  The General Assembly is also likely to tackle bills dealing with terrorism and patriotism.

• Lazarus department stores at Washington Square Mall in Indianapolis and the Tippecanoe Mall in Lafayette will be closed this spring because the store are not profitable enough.  Liquidation of merchandise at the closing stores is expected to begin next month, with the closings taking effect in early spring.  In Indiana Lazarus has two other Indianapolis stores, as well as locations in Bloomington, Evansville, Greenwood and Kokomo. 

January 4

• Bob Knight's lawyer admitted yesterday that the former IU coach shoved a former assistant, but he denied it was assault. The assistant, Ron Felling, is suing Knight and the university for wrongful termination. The case is scheduled for trial this spring.

• Investigators believe a body found by hunters this week in Columbus, Indiana is that of a Montana man.  Medical examiners have identified the man as 32-year-old Joe Francis Hoffman. Investigators don't know why Hoffman was in southern Indiana.

• Indiana University coach Mike Davis has been fined ten-thousand dollars by the Big Ten for criticizing the officials following the Hoosiers' loss to Butler.  Davis says he made a mistake and takes full responsibility for his actions.

• Marion County prosecutors have filed charges against a 60-year-old Indianapolis homeowner who chased down and shot an intruder to death.  The charges are voluntary manslaughter and carrying a handgun without a license.  The homeowner said he was watching television in his home when the intruder came in off the street and demanded money.  The intruder grabbed a pair of scissors and cut a telephone line before taking cash from him and putting the homeowner in a choke hold..  The homeowner managed to break free, and his wife came in and startled the intruder, who then ran out of the house.   However, the homeowner chased the intruder outside and fired five shots from a  38-caliber handgun, and the intruder subsequently died from a gunshot wound to a major artery in the back of his left leg.  According to the prosecutor, the homeowner is not protected under Indiana's self-defense law because the the intruder left the house, thus ending the threat.  . Voluntary manslaughter is a felony that carries a sentence of 20 to 50 years in prison.

• You'll be able to see it on the Internet!  Next week the daily proceedings of the next General Assembly will be live on the Internet.  You'll be able to follow the business of both chambers at http://www.ai.org/legislative/session/audio.html 

January 3

• Two Jackson county men will go to prison for beating a Hispanic man until he was unconscious and dumping him in the woods. Authorities believe the men attacked Rogelio Aguilar because he was Hispanic.

• Indiana University basketball coach Mike Davis declined to comment last night about legal statements he made about Bob Knight. In a deposition obtained by an Indianapolis TV station, Davis said he didn't approve of Knight's coaching methods.

• A state senator wants to restrict smoking by staff and faculty at Indiana schools to an outdoor area that can't be reached, or even seen, by students.  The bill would mean that no one would be allowed to smoke at football games, teachers couldn't light up in lounges or on the way to their cars and even construction workers on a school building project couldn't use tobacco products.  The managing director of Smokefree Indiana, would prefer that the bill prevent all smoking on school grounds, with no designated area for staff.

• A North Vernon church, endorsed by sixteen other churches, is organizing a boycott of four local video stores that carry X-rated movies after one of the stores opened next door.  The Movie Gallery opened in November next to the Church of the Nazarene.  The owner of The Movie Gallery said he has not noticed any impact so far from the church's campaign.  There is a city ordinance that prohibits video stores from operating near churches or schools if more than 25 percent of sales come from sexually oriented material, but the owner maintains that adult movies made up only about 3 percent of the chain's sales.

January 2

• Some lawmakers want to extend the deadline for closing the Muscatatuck State Developmental Center and give families temporary power to reject the state's plans to transfer their loved ones elsewhere.  Sen. Marvin Riegsecker, R-Goshen, has filed legislation that could prevent the center for the developmentally disabled from being closed until January 2004, instead of July 2003 as mandated by current law. Rep. Mark Lytle, D-Madison, also is backing the bill.  Muscatatuck was stripped of its federal Medicaid funding in April 1999 because of inadequate care, and it took months for the state to improve conditions to a level that fully restored the money. 

• On Friday Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter filed a petition he hopes will result in the U.S. Supreme Court decision to rule on whether the Ten Commandments can be displayed on the Statehouse lawn in Indianapolis.
  Carter hopes to overturn an injunction issued in 2000 by U.S. District Judge Sarah Evans Barker barring the Statehouse display.  The Indiana Limestone Institute donated a monument featuring the Ten Commandments, as well as the Bill of Rights and the Preamble to the 1851 Indiana Constitution.  The new monument was intended to replace a similar Statehouse monument that was vandalized in 1991.  However, the ICLU filed a lawsuit in May 2000 on the grounds that displaying the Ten Commandments at a state government building implied government endorsement of Christianity over other religions.  The Ten Commandment issue has made news in many communities in Indiana as the ICLU has come forward to file suit over every attempted display.  Several communities have voluntarily removed their display rather than deal with the legal costs of going to court.  And the controversy is not just in Indiana.  Four lawsuits were filed last month against Kentucky counties as well.  Carter says that  the Supreme Court will eventually have to make its voice heard because there is so much litigation on this issue around the country, and he is optimistic that if the court agrees to hear this case, the state will win.  The petition is Indiana's attempt to defend the state's right to display the monument, and a decision on the hearing will likely be made late in the spring.  

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