Indiana News & Current Events | Public News Service

Pew Research reports 97% of American adults own a cell phone. (Adobe Stock)

Thursday, September 29, 2022

Lawsuit Alleges Cell Phones Responsible for Brain Tumors

Evidentiary hearings are underway in a Washington, D.C., courtroom this week, to decide if a massive lawsuit against the cellphone industry will be …

More than 726,000 people, including almost 224,000 children, are facing hunger in Indiana, according to the nonprofit Feeding America. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Investment to Boost Emergency Food Aid in Indiana

Amid struggles with higher food and transportation costs, fewer donations and increased demand, food banks in Indiana will soon have additional …

Total book challenges in 2022 are on pace to exceed last year's record. (Adobe Stock)

Indiana Libraries Highlighting Censorship During Banned Books Week

Controversial books are nothing new, but the incidence of book challenges and bans has increased substantially in recent years. This week marks the …

The Giffords Law Center says nearly 56% of all suicide deaths in Indiana involve firearms. Gun-control advocates say that's another reason why it's important to limit access to firearms. (Adobe Stock)<br />

IN Group: Restricting Gun Access Could Help Prevent Suicides

This week is National Suicide Prevention Week, and Indiana advocates pushing for stricter gun laws say access to firearms should get more attention…

Indiana has more than 7,000 MW of clean energy in development - with the bulk of that in solar. (Branden/Adobe Stock)

Indiana Becoming America's 'Crossroads of Clean Energy'

Solar energy is growing fast in Indiana, which bodes well for clean energy as a whole in the state. Indiana ranks third among states in terms of …

The percentage of Hoosier children ages three to 17 with anxiety or depression rose nearly 40% between 2016 and 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Hoosier Kids Still Suffering from Mental-Health Crisis

Children in Indiana are facing unprecedented levels of anxiety and depression, according to the 2022 Kids Count Data Book, released this week by the …

Indiana voting advocates are attempting to ensure first-time voters have access to the ballot box. (Adobe Stock)

Complaint Alleges Voter-Signup Obstacles in Tippecanoe County

Young people often see registering to vote as a rite of passage, but voting advocates discovered one Indiana county has created new obstacles for …

According to the U.S. Department of Energy, electric-vehicle sales nearly doubled from 2020 to 2022. (Adobe Stock)

IN Electric-Vehicle Infrastructure Plan Open for Public Comment

The Indiana Department of Transportation wants Hoosiers to weigh in on the state's proposed electric vehicle charging network. The state is …

A new report from WorkingNation and Lightcast predicts green-job employment nationally will increase by about 5.7% in the coming years. (Adobe Stock)

Despite Challenges, IN Clean-Job Sector Poised for Growth

By Laura Aka for Working Nation.Broadcast version by Jonah Chester for Indiana News Service reporting for the Working Nation-Public News Service Colla…

Only Missouri and Illinois ranked higher than Indiana in Black homicide victimization rates for 2019. (Adobe Stock)

Report: IN Ranks Third in Nation for Black Homicide Victimization Rate

More than 200 Black Hoosiers lost their lives to homicide in 2019, and a new report reveals the state has one of the highest overall rates of Black …

The case at hand, Moore v. Harper, concerns alleged partisan gerrymandering in North Carolina's congressional maps. The case could shift an unprecedented amount of election administration authority to state legislatures. (Adobe Stock)

Supreme Court Case Could Dramatically Expand Power of State Legislatures

During its next session, the U.S. Supreme Court will consider the legal validity of the "Independent State Legislature" theory. The case could cause …

The advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety ranks Indiana 25th in the nation in terms of the strength of its gun-control policies. (Adobe Stock)

SCOTUS Gun-Control Ruling to Have Limited Impact in IN

The U.S. Supreme Court took a step to limit states' abilities to pass gun-control legislation Tuesday, a move which likely will not directly impact …

According to the Indiana Department of Health, opioid overdose deaths spiked by more than 50% from 2019 to 2020. (Adobe Stock)

Survey Aims to Create Holistic Picture of IN Addiction-Recovery Needs

The State of Indiana wants to learn more about Hoosiers' experiences with substance-use disorder and addiction-recovery services. Administered by …

According to the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, folks with a bachelor's degree have an average annual salary about $33,000 higher than those with a high school diploma. (Adobe Stock)

Report Details Methods to Address IN Declining College Enrollment

As fewer people in Indiana are opting to go to college, the state's Commission for Higher Education is releasing policy recommendations to increase …

The March for Our Lives was started by the survivors of a 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. (Adobe Stock)

Indiana Students, Teachers Demand Gun-Safety Steps

Teachers and students from across Indiana will march in Indianapolis on Saturday to demand action on preventing gun violence. The event is part of …

According to Feeding America, more than 834,000 Hoosiers are considered food insecure. (Adobe Stock)

Enhanced SNAP Benefits for IN Residents Come to End

Indiana has ended its participation in the federally enhanced Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), so going forward, many food-insecure …

According to a new report, about 600,000 Americans were locked up in county jails in 2021, 75% in pre-trial detention. (Adobe Stock)

Report Reveals Stark Racial Disparities in IN Bail Costs

A new report from Indiana University revealed stark racial disparities in bail costs, and outlined how those higher costs can have long-term impacts …

According to the Human Rights Campaign, from January through early May 2021, lawmakers across the country introduced more than 250 anti-LGBTQ bills. (Adobe Stock)

IN Poised to Pass Transgender-Student Sports Ban

Earlier this spring, Gov. Eric Holcomb vetoed a GOP-authored bill banning transgender girls from school sports. Now, Holcomb's own party is poised to …

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure program has a recurring annual budget of $1 billion through 2026, <a href=

according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. (Adobe Stock)">

IN Officials Ask Public to Weigh in on Electric-Vehicle Infrastructure

Indiana is in line to receive about $100 million from the federal government to support new electric-vehicle infrastructure. State transportation …

All told, five states -- Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Pennsylvania and Illinois -- accounted for nearly 70% of the nation's more than 3.6 million shutoffs from 2020 to 2021. (Adobe Stock)

Report: IN Utilities Cut Power More Than 260,000 Times from 2020-2021

From January 2020 to December 2021, utility companies shut off power to Hoosier homes more than 260,000 times. According to a new report from …

According to its website, The Bail Project has provided resources and support for more than 22,000 people nationwide. (Adobe Stock)

Lawsuit Challenges IN Law Restricting Charitable Bail Funds

The state of Indiana is facing a lawsuit over a new law placing restrictions on charitable bail funds. Among other provisions, the law would limit …

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, 94% of Hoosiers live within five miles of a pedestrian trail. (Adobe Stock)

IN Officials Announce $65 Million for New Pedestrian Trails

Gov. Eric Holcomb has announced $65 million to fund new pedestrian infrastructure in Indiana. The grant money, distributed as part of Indiana's …

Per state data, there were nearly 625-thousand Hoosiers on SNAP as of March. (Adobe Stock)

IN Food Aid Groups Work to Meet College Students' Food Needs

The end of the semester is approaching for Hoosier students, and food aid groups across the state are working to ensure folks have enough to eat …

According to the Federal Highway Administration, traffic fatality rates for January through September 2021 increased in 38 states, including Indiana, compared with the same time period in 2020. (Adobe Stock)

IN Traffic Officials Urge Caution in Road Construction Season

It's national Work Zone Awareness Week, and officials with the Indiana Department of Transportation are asking Hoosiers to slow down and drive safely …

According to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, E. coli is the number one cause of waterway impairment in the state. The organic pollutant is exacerbated and amplified by runoff from industrial farms. (Adobe Stock)

Report: More than 24,000 Miles of IN Waters Unsafe for Recreation

As the temperature gradually rises, many Hoosiers anxiously await their first beach trip of the year. But you may want to think twice before hopping …

A January 2022 report from the advocacy group Everytown for Gun Safety found more than half of gun deaths in Indiana are suicides. (Adobe Stock)

Concerns Raised Over IN's New Permitless Handgun-Carry Law

Indiana's new law allowing people to carry a handgun without a permit is raising concerns from the state's gun-safety advocates. Under the law …

According to a report from The Sentencing Project, at least 80% of incarcerated kids are excluded from the standard one-day counts at juvenile facilities. (Adobe Stock)

Report: Most Estimates Undercount Kids in Detention System

A new report found most official estimates undercount the number of kids locked up in juvenile prisons, but one Indiana-based organization is …

According to the 2020 Census, Indiana's Black population grew by roughly one-half percent from 2010 to 2020, while the Hispanic population rose by more than 2 percent. (Adobe Stock)

IN Group: Redistricting has Long-Term Impact on BIPOC Voters

It is Sunshine Week, an annual observation of the need for government transparency. In Indiana, voting-rights groups said transparency was needed in …

In a 2020 Gallup Poll, 74% of survey respondents supported medical aid in dying, just below the 75% all-time highs recorded in both 1996 and 2005. (Adobe Stock)

IN Bill Guaranteeing Right to 'Peaceful Death' Stalls

A bill permitting medical aid in dying for terminally ill patients has failed to advance in the Indiana General Assembly. The measure would have …

The other partners in the CivicLab initiative are based in Florida, California, New Mexico and Texas.(Adobe Stock)

IN Workforce Program to Strengthen Rural Opportunities

A workforce development organization in Lawrence County is working to create new employment and higher-education opportunities for rural Hoosiers…

The bill also calls for establishing a study committee to research the feasibility of a statewide

IN Advocates Push for New Protections for 'Vulnerable Road Users'

Cyclists in Indiana are pushing for new protections on the road, and are urging lawmakers to pass a bill which would ensure drivers who injure or …

Current Indiana legislation, SB 271, would allow utility companies to store radioactive waste at nuclear reactor sites. (Adobe Stock)

IN Lawmakers Consider Framework for Small-Scale Nuclear Reactors

From electric-vehicle infrastructure to renewable-energy initiatives, Indiana lawmakers have spent much of this legislative session with their eyes …

The Times of Northwest Indiana reports Hoosier steel production fell by 17.7% from 2019 to 2020, largely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Adobe Stock)

IN Steelmakers Push Feds to Preserve Trump-era Tariff Policy

Indiana steel producers are pushing President Joe Biden to leave in place a tariff on foreign-made steel adopted during the Trump administration…

Under a goal set by the Biden-Harris administration, half of all vehicles sold in the U.S. will be electric by 2030. (Adobe Stock)

Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Finds Bipartisan Support from IN Lawmakers

With $100 million in federal funding on the way, Indiana lawmakers are laying the groundwork for a new, statewide electric vehicle-charging network…

According to a 2020 Pew Research Center Poll, two-thirds of Americans believe the federal government isn't doing enough to address climate change. (Adobe Stock)

IN Students Push for Climate-Justice Task Force

Confront the Climate Crisis is a student-led coalition pushing Indiana lawmakers to establish a new environmental-justice task force. Last month…

According to the Eviction Lab, Indianapolis alone has had more than 30,000 evictions since the pandemic began.(Adobe Stock)

IN Bill Would Seal Certain Eviction Records

Prior evictions can be a major barrier for folks looking for a new home, but a new bill pushing through the Indiana General Assembly would allow …

The bill allows citizens to bring lawsuits against school districts that violate its provisions. (Adobe Stock)

IN House Passes Bill Targeting "Critical Race Theory"

The Indiana House of Representatives on Wednesday passed a controversial bill barring schools from teaching about Critical Race Theory, which …

The investigation by multiple states' attorneys general into the student-loan practices of Navient dates back to 2017. (Adobe Stock)

IN to Receive $31 Million in Multistate Student-Loan Settlement

Nearly 1,200 Hoosiers are about to have some of their student-loan debt forgiven, as part of a multistate settlement with the student-loan-servicing …

In a September report from the Pew Research Center, about 40% of parents said they've become less strict about managing their kids' screen time since the pandemic began. (Adobe Stock)

Health Experts Advise Managing Kids' Screen Time

Excessive screen time can cause a host of negative side effects in kids, but as some Indiana schools go virtual because of the omicron variant…

The U.S. State Department estimates that there are nearly 25 million victims of human trafficking in the world at any given time. (Adobe Stock)

IN Bill Would Grant New Protections to Survivors of Human Trafficking

Survivors of human trafficking in Indiana are required to provide testimony in person during trials, but a new bill would allow young survivors to …

Help is Available for IN Students Facing Food Insecurity

This week, the holiday break is over for many Indiana students, and local food banks say their goal is to ensure kids have enough to eat this …

In a national report on disengaged learners, about 43% of respondents who put a hold on their college studies said they were either extremely or very likely to continue their education at a later point. (Adobe Stock)

IN Education Leaders Work to Keep College Students on Track to Graduate

College students in Indiana are gearing up to head back to class for the spring semester, but some are weighing whether to continue with higher …

Milkweed is a necessary part of the monarch breeding cycle, as caterpillars can only eat from that specific plant. Due to human disruption, the prevalence of milkweed has dropped, impacting the butterfly's breeding process. (Adobe Stock)

Federal Bill Could Stabilize IN Monarch Butterfly Population

The number of Midwestern monarch butterflies has declined rapidly in recent decades, but a new bill pending in Congress could stabilize their …

A 2021 College Equity Report found Black and Hispanic/Latino students were the most likely to come from low-income homes. Indiana has about a dozen programs geared toward helping students in need find money for education. (Adobe Stock)

Padres Estrellas Helps Hoosier Students Get Financial Aid

A state-run outreach program is working to ensure Indiana's Latino and Hispanic students have equal access to financial aid for post-secondary educati…

During redistricting, the Indiana General Assembly set new boundary lines for the state's 150 legislative districts and nine congressional seats (Indiana State House/Adobe Stock)

Redistricting Over, IN Voting Rights Group Looks to the Future

Indiana's redistricting process concluded in October, but one voting rights group is eyeing ways to ensure fair representation in the future…

Overdose Prevention Kits Coming to Indiana Jails, Hospitals

SOUTH BEND, Ind. - It isn't often that a vending machine can save someone's life, but that's the case in South Bend, where a free overdose kit …

BP's refinery in Whiting, IN covers 1,400 acres in northwestern Indiana, just a few miles from the Chicago loop. (Adobe Stock)

BP, Feds Reach Settlement over Pollution from NW Indiana Refinery

WHITING, Ind. -- International oil-and-gas producer BP will pay more than $500,000 to the federal government as part of a legal settlement over air …

The average monthly payment for Indiana student-loan borrowers is $252. (Yuri Kibalnik/Adobe Stock)

IN Borrowers Worry as Student-Loan Payments Resume Next Year

INDIANAPOLIS -- Student-loan borrowers have had a reprieve from making payments during the pandemic, set to end in 2022. Starting in February…

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