Debate about nuclear power returns to legislature

Chicago Tribune

There are no nuclear power plants in Indiana, but lawmakers are expected to wrestle next year with whether to offer an incentive that could boost prospects for building reactors in the state.

Members of the legislature's Regulatory Flexibility Committee are scheduled to discuss nuclear energy in Indiana on Sept. 22, and panel's co-chairmen -- Rep. Win Moses, D-Fort Wayne, and Sen. Jim Merritt, R-Indianapolis -- have already staked out opposing positions.

The debate centers on whether utilities should be able to charge customers for the cost of building a nuclear plant as soon as construction begins, rather than having to wait until the reactor is operating. Current state law only allows utilities building so-called "clean coal" power plants -- those that release less carbon dioxide -- to charge customers for construction that is still in progress.

Marvin Harrison’s accuser dies

Philly.com

Dwight Dixon, who accused former Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Marvin Harrison last year of shooting him in the hand, died Friday at Hahnemann University Hospital of gunshot wounds he received in another shooting.

Dixon, of West Philadelphia, was shot multiple times July 21 as he sat in the driver's seat of a car in front of a Valu-Plus store in the city's Fairmount section.

Police said an unknown gunman approached Dixon on the 2800 block of Girard Ave. about 11 a.m. and peppered him with bullets from both sides of the car.

Dixon, 33, claimed he had been shot by Harrison during an altercation in April 29, 2008 outside a garage and car wash owned by Harrison at 25th and Thompson Streets in North Philadelphia.

Indianapolis’ Adult Business Ordinance Is Tossed

XBiz Newswire

A federal appeals court, ruling that the city of Indianapolis has failed to offer evidence supporting tighter restrictions for adult video and bookstores, has struck down its six-year-old ordinance that broadens the definition of an “adult entertainment business.”

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in its decision, said that the city’s ordinance was flawed from the get-go because it mixed all adult establishments, including those that involve public booths, into one lump category.

“If there is more misconduct at a bar than at an adult emporium, how would that justify greater legal restrictions on the bookstore — much of whose stock in trade is constitutionally protected in a way that beer and liquor are not,” the court said in its ruling. “Indianapolis has approached this case by assuming that any empirical study of morals offenses near any kind of adult establishment in any city justifies every possible kind of legal restriction in every city.”

The 7th Circuit added that Indianapolis city leaders failed to offer "an iota of evidence" supporting stricter regulations on adult book and video stores.

The six-year-old ordinance expanded the definition of an adult business to include any retailer that devotes at least 25 percent of its space or inventory to adult books, magazines, films and sex toys. The definition also covered retailers who earned at least 25 percent of their sales from adult items. The threshold was 50 percent before 2003.

Senator wants to know if school starts too soon

Chicago Tribune

A state senator wants to know whether Indiana residents think public schools start their fall semesters too early.

Sen. Dennis Kruse, a Republican from Auburn who heads the Senate Education Committee, wants people to take an online survey and offer comments on a new Web site: www.IndianaEducationForum.com.

The site is paid for by Save Indiana Summers, a group of parents and businesses pushing for a law that would prohibit school from starting before the last week in August. But Kruse says he welcomes all opinions on the issue.

Kruse will also hear from the public at the Statehouse during a Sept. 30 meeting at which a legislative study committee will consider the feedback from web comments and survey results.

SW Indiana county looks to revive old rail line

Chicago Tribune

A southwestern Indiana county is working on plans to seek federal funding to revive a rail line that has been inactive since the 1970s.

Gibson County Commissioners unanimously agreed Tuesday to sponsor a grant application to study the possible rail line connecting the communities of Skelton, Owensville and Fort Branch.

The business development director for the Morley and Associates engineering firm says several shippers could be interested in using the line.

Pfizer Inc. to pay Indiana nearly $3.7 million in historic settlement

Muncie Free Press

In one of the largest settlements of a healthcare-fraud case in U.S. history, the federal government, Indiana and other states have reached an agreement with Pfizer Inc. to settle allegations of kickback payments and illegal off-marketing campaigns that had improperly promoted drugs Pfizer manufactures.

Pfizer agreed to pay state and federal governments a total $1 billion in civil damages as compensation to Medicaid, Medicare and other federal healthcare programs harmed by the company’s conduct, the federal and state governments announced today.

Under the settlement with Pfizer, the total obtained for the Indiana Medicaid program -- including both the federal and state share -- will be $9,520,231.16 in restitution and other recovery. Of that, the state’s share of the multi-state settlement will be $3,694,888.19.

RNC chair to visit Indiana to discuss health care

Chicago Tribune

The chairman of the National Republican Committee is making stops in Indiana and Ohio targeting the health care positions of Indiana Rep. Baron Hill and three Ohio representatives.

RNC Chairman Michael Steele plans to visit the Physician Associates of Southern Indiana in Floyds Knobs on Thursday morning to discuss health care. Later, he'll travel to Ohio to target the positions of three Ohio Democratic members of congress.

Hill held a town hall meetings on health care in New Albany on Monday night and another one in Bloomington Wednesday night ahead of Steele's visit.

Federal rule similar to Indiana robo-call ban

Chicago Tribune

There's a new federal regulation similar to an Indiana law that prohibits the use of autodialing machines to make prerecorded telephone calls.

Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller says he welcomes the federal rule that took effect Tuesday, but says Indiana's law is stronger and is not pre-empted by the federal law.

Both laws prohibit the use of prerecorded telemarketing calls unless the consumer has given written permission to be called.

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