Butler moves on to Monday

Washington Post

Butler Coach Brad Stevens does not possess a wealth of Final Four experience. In fact, the third-year, 33-year-old head coach never had stepped onto college basketball's grandest stage prior to Saturday night.

But it didn't take the sterling credentials of his counterpart, Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo -- whose teams have made six Final Fours in the past 12 seasons -- to understand that shooting 30.6 percent was not a prudent plan for success, which made Stevens that much prouder of his team's defensive effort in the aftermath of Butler's 52-50 win over the Spartans.

Ind. worker fires shotgun into office, no injuries

AP

Police say a state Department of Workforce Development auditor who had just received a poor job review shot at co-workers at an agency office in the northwest Indiana city of Portage.

No one was injured.

Sgt. Keith Hughes says the 60-year-old man became upset during his job review Friday and told his supervisor he needed to go to his car. When the man retrieved a shotgun, a manager locked the front door of the office and ordered the other 15 employees to the rear.

Tatum's Bags of Fun

This morning I listened to a radio interview with Tatum Parker and her father, discussing this program called Bags Of Fun.
As a father of four myself, I was moved when I listened to this young girl and how much the Bags of Fun program has meant to her, her family, and the many other families that are affected by the horrible illness.
I am adding a link to the sidebar for those that wish to read more and donate to this program.

Here's a little info from the Bags of Fun website.

In July 2006, just before her 6th birthday, Tatum Parker was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma, a rare bone cancer.

Tatum endured a year-long battle in which she smiled her way through 3 major surgeries and 13 rounds of chemotherapy, unfortunately in December 2008 she had a relapse. She's currently in the midst of another 12-round battle with chemotherapy.


Tatum’s Bags of Fun was formed in memory of Gabby Krause. Thanks to Gabby, Tatum received a Bag of Fun which helped her through her long hospital stays and year-long battle with cancer. Gabby had a vision that all children battling cancer in Colorado would receive a Bag of Fun. Our goal is to carry on Gabby’s legacy and bring Bags of Fun to children battling cancer in Indiana.

Man gets 53 years for shooting pregnant bank teller

Indianapolis Star

An Indianapolis man was sentenced to 53 years in prison Friday for shooting a pregnant bank teller during a robbery, ending a case that inspired stiffer feticide penalties in state law.

Katherin Shuffield, 32, who lost both of her unborn twins after the April 2008 shooting, described her heartache in court before Brian Kendrick's sentence was announced.

She flashed between two moments; the first was just before the incident, when she and her husband learned their twins would both be girls. "We were so excited for our family to grow," she said.

Bayh, Coats face big question: 'Are you a Hoosier?'

Evansville Courier & Press

Both former Sen. Dan Coats, who moved back to Indiana to prepare a run for the seat he once held, and two-term Democratic incumbent Sen. Evan Bayh are fending off questions about their status as Hoosiers.

On Thursday, Democrats scrambled to respond when the prominent conservative blog FrugalHoosiers.com questioned the legitimacy of a modest condominium, valued at $59,500 that Bayh lists as his Indiana residency.

According to neighbors, the answer is that the place is large enough for Bayh to stay there a few weeks each year.

Peter Bergmann, who has lived in the complex for seven years, said he sometimes runs into Bayh in the summer.

Indiana Governor speaks at Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce luncheon

Tribune-Star

When better economic times come to America, Gov. Mitch Daniels wants business opportunities to appear first in Indiana.

“We want Indiana to be well-positioned to be the first place people go when they have enough money and enough confidence to try to grow,” Daniels told about 220 members of the Terre Haute Chamber of Commerce on Thursday during a public policy briefing at The Landing on Terre Haute’s north side.

“Indiana is fighting back against this recession, more successfully than other states,” he said, shortly after his presentation.

“That is no consolation when so many people are hurting and out of work. If we continue to be careful about our tax dollars and make some of the hard calls that we would rather not make, we will be one of the few states that does not raise taxes and therefore is more attractive when jobs do start coming back to the American economy,” Daniels said, after the luncheon.

$2.5M winning lotto ticket expires

WISH-TV

A $2.5 million winning lottery ticket expired Friday evening. The ticket was purchased on the south side of Indianapolis.

Six months ago, someone bought a ticket at the Meijer on Southport Road that would have made them a millionaire. A Hoosier Lotto ticket for the August 19 drawing hit the jackpot.

Friday at 5 p.m. was the 180-day deadline to claim the prize. While shopping at the store, Barbara Lock reacted to the realization that the multi-millions would go unclaimed.

Indiana smoking ban unlikely to move in Senate

Business Week

A proposed statewide smoking ban in public places in Indiana won't be considered by the state Senate and is likely dead this legislative session.

An original bill in the House would have banned smoking in public places except casinos and pari-mutuel horse racing venues. But the final bill passed by the House included more exemptions, including those for bars, taverns and fraternal clubs.

Ind. Senate endorses meth bill, sends it to House

Chicago Tribune

A bill aimed at making sure Indiana's methamphetamine laws target people who try to buy cold medicines to make meth is now before the Indiana House.

The Senate voted 46-4 for the legislation on Tuesday.

The bill requires stores selling medications containing ephedrine and pseudoephedrine to make clear to customers the legal purchasing limit of those ingredients.

Former Sen. Dan Coats to challenge Evan Bayh in Indiana

Washington Post

Senate Republicans scored a major coup in their attempt to broaden the playing field this November by luring former senator Dan Coats (R) into the race against Sen. Evan Bayh (D) in Indiana.

Coats is expected to announce his candidacy today, according to informed Republican sources.

After serving four terms in the House, Coats was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Dan Quayle's election as vice president in 1988. He was subsequently elected in 1990 to the remainder of Quayle's term and in 1992 won the seat outright. He retired in 1998, making way for Bayh, who had been a two-term governor, to cruise to an open-seat victory over then Ft. Wayne Mayor Paul Helmke.

State throws flag on IPS Super Bowl delay plan

IndyStar

State officials have warned Indianapolis Public Schools officials that it cannot delay classes for two hours on the Monday after the Super Bowl and still count it as a full day of class.

School districts can institute two-hour delays only for emergencies, such as bad weather or utility problems, according to the state. Those kinds of delays receive automatic waivers from the state. Districts delaying for other reasons would have to apply for a waiver, and Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Bennett signaled today that he would not look kindly on granting one for the Super Bowl.

“While we support the Colts, two-hour delays are reserved for emergency situations,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Dr. Tony Bennett said. “We have presented IPS with alternatives that ensure our children receive the instructional time they deserve.”

Indiana may lose local township boards and trustees

NewsLink Indiana

Indiana’s local township trustees may be on the verge of having to report to a new boss.

Gov. Mitch Daniels has proposed to re-assign the 3,000 elected township officials across the state to county positions.

Daniels mentioned several areas where Hoosiers can maintain their local distribution of poor relief, local identity and leadership.

“I hope I have seen for the last time new half-million dollar fire trucks bought in fire stations a couple blocks apart because two totally separate township boards were involved,” Daniels said during his State of the State address on Wednesday night.

Indiana Democrat Feels Icy Breeze From Massachusetts

Wall Street Journal

When Rick Berry heard on Tuesday that a Republican had won the U.S. Senate race in Massachusetts, he emailed one of his friends: "Maybe there's hope for the country after all!"

The message was bad news for Baron Hill, a five-term Democratic congressman who represents Mr. Berry's district.

Mr. Berry, the president of Madison's city council, is a registered Democrat and a former supporter of Mr. Hill.

The political winds that buffeted Massachusetts this week are now blowing across the cornfields of southeast Indiana—smack into Mr. Hill.

Indiana State Police closing post in Seymour

Chicago Tribune

A spokesman says the Indiana State Police post in Seymour will be closed within about four months.

First Sgt. Dave Bursten says the change is being driven by technology and efficiency and no jobs will be lost.

Battery Manufacturer to Open 3rd Indiana Plant

ABC News

Lithium battery maker EnerDel says it will locate its newest manufacturing operation in Hancock County, bringing 500 jobs to the area.

Gov. Mitch Daniels joined EnerDel executives Thursday to announce the new operation near Mount Comfort just east of Indianapolis. He says he hopes EnerDel can help make Indiana the capital of the electric vehicle industry.

The developer of lithium-ion batteries for hybrid and electric vehicles announced in 2008 plans to create jobs by expanding its Indianapolis location and building a new assembly center in Noblesville. It also committed to locating a full-scale manufacturing site in Indiana.