Indiana News

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The state’s award of a $17.9 million contract for operating dozens of coronavirus testing sites across Indiana came weeks after a company executive gave $50,000 to the governor’s reelection campaign. WANE-TV reports the campaign contribution to Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb by Optum executive Grant Verstandig was made March 4. State officials announced April 28 the selection of company subsidiary OptumServe Health Services for the testing sites.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana's unemployment rate hit 16.9% in April due to widespread business closures during the coronavirus outbreak. State officials warned Friday of steep spending cuts in reaction to plummeting tax revenues. Officials are however pointing to some hopeful signs of economic recovery as restrictions on business and gatherings ease. Indiana's workforce agency commissioner says the state is processing fewer ongoing unemployment benefits claims and many factories are resuming operations at full strength.

The Indiana State Department of Health reported 48 additional confirmed deaths on Thursday, bringing the state’s total to 1,764. The state announced nearly 30,000 total confirmed cases, with nearly 203,000 Hoosiers tested.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — State officials say all of Indiana’s state-operated inns, campgrounds and cabins and will reopen Friday in time for the Memorial Day weekend as coronavirus restrictions are eased across much of Indiana. The state Department of Natural Resources says all of its campgrounds, property-operated cabins, camper cabins and inns would reopen Friday under the eased restrictions approved by Gov. Eric Holcomb. DNR spokesman JB Brindle says the state agency has 7,701 camping sites around the state.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Movie theaters and public playgrounds will remain closed in Indiana for at least three more weeks under revisions to the state’s coronavirus reopening plan. The state’s business and gathering restrictions are being further eased for most of the state beginning Friday. Gov. Eric Holcomb signed a new executive order Thursday that allows social gatherings of up to 100 people and retail stores and malls to operate at 75% capacity. Gyms, community pools and campgrounds will also be allowed to open under rules limiting the number of people and for distancing and cleaning.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — State health officials say Indiana’s total number of deaths among people with confirmed or presumed coronavirus infections has topped 1,900. The state’s 48 new confirmed COVID-19 deaths occurred as far back as May 2, increasing the total number of such deaths to 1,764. Officials also added one death for a total 149 people who have died from probable infections of COVID-19. Gov.

Four Indianapolis residents have filed a lawsuit trying to get Attorney General Curtis Hill permanently ousted from his position.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Researchers at the University of Notre Dame violated the federal animal welfare policy last year, according to documents the school filed with a federal agency saying that mice were found in a campus laboratory with missing limbs and another rodent was intentionally hit against a table. The South Bend Tribune reports that those documents, including letters and reports from university research administrators to the federal Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare, were obtained and released to media outlets by the animal advocacy group Stop Animal Exploitation Now.

Indiana is moving forward early to the next stage of its plan to relax COVID-19 restrictions. Stage 3 of the governor’s “Back On Track” timeline will now begin Friday for all but three counties statewide.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Former U.S. Rep. Todd Rokita has entered the Indiana attorney general’s race. Rokita said Wednesday that he will challenge embattled Attorney General Curtis Hill because his fellow Republican has been “wounded” by allegations he drunkenly groped a state lawmaker and three other women at a party. Rokita's entrance comes after the state Supreme Court ordered a 30-day law license suspension for Hill over the groping allegations. Hill has denied doing anything wrong. Rokita says he’s seeking the GOP nomination to help Republicans keep the statewide post in November.

The Indiana State Department of Health reported 57 additional confirmed deaths on Tuesday, bringing the state’s total to 1,678. The state announced more than 28,000 total confirmed cases, with more than 189,000 Hoosiers tested.

NEW:

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Department of Education has recognized all Indiana teachers collectively as the 2021 Teacher of the Year. The department traditionally has recognized a single educator with the award each year. State Schools Superintendent Jennifer McCormick said in a statement Tuesday that "the COVID-19 pandemic brought new complexities and challenges to schools with no advance warning.

Starting this week, families whose children receive free or reduced lunch at school will receive additional SNAP benefits, or food stamps. 

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — About 100 workers at a southern Indiana poultry processing plant have tested positive for the coronavirus in an outbreak that has it closed until at least Wednesday. Farbest Foods says the nearly 600 workers at its Huntingburg plant were tested on Friday and the company was working Monday and Tuesday to notify healthy employees on when to return. Farbest’s plant is at least the fourth Indiana meat or poultry processing plant that has faced outbreaks of COVID-19 among its workforce.

The Indiana Supreme Court refused to tell Gov. Eric Holcomb whether he can appoint a replacement for Attorney General Curtis Hill.

The Indiana State Department of Health reported 14 additional confirmed deaths on Monday, bringing the state’s total to 1,621. The state announced more than 28,000 total confirmed cases, with nearly 184,000 Hoosiers tested.

Indiana has its first confirmed case of a new condition known as multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children.

Notre Dame has announced that in-person mass will resume at the Basilica on campus as of Sunday.   

(You can read the university's announcement below.)

The Indiana State Department of Health reported 57 additional confirmed deaths over the weekend, bringing the state’s total to 1,607. The state announced more than 27,500 total confirmed cases, with more than 177,000 Hoosiers tested.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Hoosier Lottery says that beginning Monday its prize payment offices in Indianapolis, Mishawaka and Evansville will re-open by appointment only for in-person redemption of prizes of $600 or more. To schedule an appointment, players should call 1-800-955-6886. Due to social distancing guidelines during the coronavirus outbreak, all appointments must be scheduled in advance. Same-day appointments may not be available. The lottery says prizes up to $599 may be redeemed at Hoosier Lottery retailers.