Monday, February 8, 2010
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Indiana may be in store for another round of heavy snow. Just days after Friday's heavy snowfall blanketed much of the state, the National Weather Service has issued a winter storm watch from late Monday night through early Wednesday. The watch covers all of Indiana.
Forecasters say strong low pressure is expected to bring snow starting Monday night and continuing through Tuesday night. More than six inches of snow are possible by Tuesday night. The weather service says wind gusts in excess of 30 mph could create significant blowing and drifting snow. Forecasters say there's still considerable uncertainty about the
timing of the storm and the specific amounts of snow that it could drop.
FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) - Fort Wayne is preparing for a debate over whether the city should add protections for transgender people to its anti-discrimination ordinance. Democratic city council member Karen Goldner is expected to introduce a proposed amendment in the coming week aimed at preventing or punishing discrimination based on "gender identity." She says transgendered people and those with unconventional sexual identities are often victims of hate crimes. The council passed an ordinance in 2001 barring discrimination based on sexual orientation.
Bloomington's city council in 2006 unanimously approved a measure adding protections for transgender people to the city's human rights ordinance. The Indianapolis City-County Council also has approved similar protections.
WASH. DC- Three governors will meet with President Barack Obama's chief science adviser Monday in Washington to discuss strategy for
preventing Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes. Nancy Sutley, head of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, is scheduled to host Govs. Jennifer Granholm of Michigan, Pat Quinn of Illinois and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin. The large, voracious carp have infested Chicago-area waterways, and their DNA was discovered in Lake Michigan last month.
Scientists say they could disrupt the Great Lakes food chain and devastate the $7 billion fishing industry. Michigan wants to close shipping locks and gates between the waterways and the lake. But the Obama administration agrees with Illinois that doing so would hurt the Chicago economy and there are better ways to stop the carp.
Friday, February 5, 2010
WARSAW- The United Way of Kosciusko County is hosting its Annual Meeting and Community Celebration today. During the noon hour, United Way leaders and program representatives will meet at the Baker Youth Club for the handing out of awards and the announcement of the 2009 fund raising total. Although United Way Campaign leaders have kept the exact amount collected a secret until today, United Way Campaign Coordinator Monica Wilson tells us that today’s announcement will be very exciting!!!
WARSAW- New regulations by the E-P-A for use of lead paint by builders and remodelers will require training for people in those fields. The Builders Association of Kosciusko-Fulton counties will provide certified training next Wednesday from 8am to 5pm to help local contractors meet the new requirements. The cost is $225 for members and $325 for non-members, and the training will take place in their office on South Buffalo Street in Warsaw. For more on the new rules, log on to www.epa.gov/lead
INDIANAPOLIS- With the State of Indiana gearing up for Sunday’s Super Bowl, Indianapolis kids will get to sleep in a little bit longer Monday morning after all. After being scolded by State School Superintendent Tony Bennett for misusing the system by planning a 2-hour delay for Monday, school officials have come to a compromise. I-P-S students will start on a 1-hour delay Monday and will extend their school day by 30 minutes in the afternoon. That compromise will allow I-P-S to count Monday as a full day toward their required 180 day year. Catholic schools in Indy will take the entire day off in honor of the Colts.
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) - Indiana broadcaster and former Hoosiers
player Todd Leary has been arrested in connection with a multimillion-dollar real estate title scheme. Records show that the 39-year-old Leary was being held Friday in the Monroe County Jail in Bloomington on charges out of Allen County. The Journal Gazette of Fort Wayne reports that Leary faces 17 felony charges, including conspiracy to misappropriate title insurance escrow funds. The newspaper reports court documents say
Leary once worked for a title insurance broker who has pleaded guilty to several charges in a $2.7 million scheme. Leary was a star at Lawrence North and played for the Hoosiers in 1989-94, including their 1992 NCAA Final Four team. Leary is the color analyst for IU's radio broadcasts. It couldn't immediately be determined whether Leary had an attorney.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Gov. Mitch Daniels says he'd sign legislation that would prevent most schools from starting classes before Labor Day if the General Assembly approves the proposal. Daniels says the bill retains local control of class calendars while setting a statewide framework so that school doesn't start too early. Bill supporters say starting classes after Labor Day would give families more summer vacation time and reduce cooling costs. Opponents say school calendars should be left up to local
districts. The bill has passed the Republican-led Senate and is now before
the Democrat-controlled House, where the education committee chair has said he prefers local school board control.
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - New revenue figures show Indiana tax collections fell $75 million short of expectations in January. Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels says the figures underscore the need for the General Assembly to pass several bills that he says would save the state about $70 million.
One bill would combine the administration of the Indiana Public Employees' Retirement Fund and the Indiana State Teachers' Retirement Fund. Daniels says combining the two state pension funds would save money by reducing investment fees without changing the benefits or funding for the separate funds. That bill and other legislation Daniels says would save cash have cleared the Republican-led Senate and now move to the
Democrat-led House for consideration.