The U.S. Department of Transportation adopted its final rule (pdf) regarding Indiana’s time zone yesterday. The pink shaded areas will observe Central Daylight Savings Time, while the remainder of the state will observe Eastern Daylight Savings Time (click on the map to enlarge it). Blogger Doug Masson, who created the map to the right, has […]

At least one GOP effort to thwart Mayor Bart Peterson’s plan to consolidate local government maybe dead. State Sen. Mike Young’s SB 1, better known as “Indy Works Better Together” would consolidate local government by turning more power back over to the townships. The bill was already facing an uncertain future in the Senate and […]

State Senate Pro Tem Bob Garton says his chamber will address the issue of free lifetime health care for lawmakers before the session ends. House Speaker Brian Bosma ended the practice for State Representatives elected or re-elected in 2006. Senate leaders say their situation is somewhat different because half of them are elected in ’06 […]

House Speaker Brian Bosma has ended the free lifetime health care benefit for 100 members of the General Assembly. This space was the first to tell you last week that Bosma was considering ending the insurance benefit for any State Representative elected or re-elected in 2006. It is estimated the free health care for lawmakers, […]

The Indiana State Department of Health (ISDH) will be joined by the Indiana State Medical Association (ISMA) and the Executive Board of the Indiana Tobacco Prevention and Cessation (ITPC) to ask the Indiana House of Representatives to support Governor Daniels’ proposed 25 cent cigarette tax increase. The meeting will take place tomorrow, Wednesday, January 18, […]

Last Wednesday I posted about dueling bills in the statehouse providing for consolidation of Evansville and Vanderburgh County. The community group leading the charge for consolidation – a group on whose board I serve – has officially endorsed House Bill 1344, filed by Rep. Phil Hinkle, R-Indianapolis, over House Bill 1394, filed by Rep. Dennis […]

My friend Zach Wendling has a slew of good Indiana posts at In the Agora. Here he writes on the governor’s State of the State Address. Here he writes on cigarette taxes. Here he writes on the Indiana GOP’s new leader.

The NK Hurst Bean Company has filed court papers challenging the state’s authority to take its property for new stadium and convention center parking. In the documents filed late Friday in Marion County Superior Court, NK Hurst’s primary argument is that the taking violates Indiana’s eminent domain laws because the property would be used to […]

The Indianapolis Star reports the following: Indiana University President Adam Herbert told trustees today that he will quit when his contract runs out in 2008, a move that signals his surrender in a long battle with Bloomington faculty members, IU alumni, state leaders and other critics who have questioned whether Herbert was up to the […]

Indiana Republicans have a new man at the helm. Former State Senator Murray Clark will take over to replace outgoing chairman Jim Kittle. In an afternoon press conference, Kittle said he was leaving the party in the best it has been, citing Republican control of the Governor’s office and the legislature. Clark says his priorities […]