Hundreds of urban areas to become rural under new criteria
Hundreds of urban areas in the U.S. are becoming rural, but it’s not because people are leaving.
Funding
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National legal aid agency seeking more than $1 billion in federal funding
Citing the continuing need created by the COVID-19 public health emergency, the Legal Services Corp. is asking Congress for an appropriation of $1.26 billion for fiscal year 2023.
ILAS sets ambitious goal for annual holiday fundraiser
The cards have been mailed and the team captains continue to encourage colleagues to donate as the Indianapolis Legal Aid Society moves forward with a ramped-up holiday campaign that has a goal of raising $400,000 — nearly double the record amount received in 2020.
Report shows despite increase in funding, LSC grantees not able to meet demand
A report analyzing the 2020 activities of Legal Services Corporation grantees, which includes Indiana Legal Services, shows that even as federal funding for legal aid has climbed to $440 million, the highest amount ever appropriated, the number of cases closed has slumped and more than 70% of the assistance offered is classified as “limited.”
Senate passes stopgap funding bill, avoiding shutdown
The Senate has passed a stopgap spending bill that avoids a short-term shutdown and funds the federal government through Feb. 18, after leaders defused a partisan standoff over federal vaccine mandates. The measure now goes to President Joe Biden to be signed into law.
Lawmakers reach deal on spending bill, but hurdles remain
Congressional leaders reached agreement Thursday on a stopgap spending bill to keep the federal government running through mid-February, though a temporary shutdown was still possible with some Senate Republicans holding out over the Biden administration’s COVID-19 vaccine mandates for some workers.
Indiana to land $8.8 billion from U.S. infrastructure bill
Roughly $8.8 billion from the federal $1.2 trillion infrastructure package should head to Indiana over the next five years to improve crumbling highways, roads, bridges and more.
DOJ awards $370K to Northern Indiana District to hire officers
Funds amounting to $370,639 were granted to the Northern District of Indiana to help hire additional law enforcement officers in three cities, U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Indiana Clifford D. Johnson announced Thursday.
Muncie police awarded $375K to hire officers
Funding amounting to $375,000 has been granted to the Muncie Police Department for hiring purposes, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Indiana Zachary A. Myers announced Thursday.
Indiana allocates more than $19 million to school safety
The Indiana Secured School Safety Board has approved more than $19 million in state grants, marking a third consecutive year the General Assembly has allocated funds for school safety investments.
Indiana getting $1 million to help deal with opioid use
The federal government is awarding Indiana more than $1 million to train workers in 25 counties to help deal with widespread opioid use, addiction and overdoses.
Federal judiciary seeks $1.5B for security, IT, construction upgrades, including Fort Wayne courthouse
The United States federal judiciary is requesting more than $1.5 billion to support courthouse security, information technology and courthouse construction projects, including funding to upgrade the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana’s Fort Wayne location.
Legislation approved that would grant LSC $600 million for legal aid
The Legal Services Corporation could get an additional $135 million in its pockets, the largest single increase in the legal aid organization’s history, following an approval of funding legislation by the House of Representatives Committee on Appropriations.
$12M OK’d for design work on rebuild of Westville Correctional Facility
The State Budget Committee has approved spending $12 million for engineering and design work on a planned $400 million rebuild of a deteriorating state prison in northwest Indiana.
U.S. Judicial Conference urges ‘prompt action’ from Senate for judicial security funding
Members of the Judicial Conference of the United States are urging the U.S. Senate to support $182.5 million in supplemental funding to bolster security for the country’s judiciary, citing the growing danger to federal judges and courthouses.
Indiana rushes to spend virus relief aid on new jobs program
Indiana legislators scrambled in the final days of their session to make decisions on spending the state’s $3 billion share of the $350 billion in federal coronavirus relief money approved this year for state and local governments.
Holcomb to reinstate job-seeking rule for unemployed, study whether to ax federal benefit
Gov. Eric Holcomb is set to reinstate a requirement that those applying to collect unemployment benefits actively seek jobs and be available for work — a requirement that the state has waived since the beginning of the pandemic.
IndyBar Foundation offering solo/small firm grants again in 2021
The Indianapolis Bar Foundation is once again offering up to $2,500 to lawyers who work with local service providers to help central Indiana families in need of legal services related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Biden touts $28.6B restaurant relief program, orders tacos
Setting foot in a restaurant for his first time as president, Joe Biden made a Cinco de Mayo taco and enchilada run to highlight his administration’s $28.6 billion program to help eateries that lost business because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Local refugee organizations prepare to rebuild after Biden raises cap
Only 21 refugees have been resettled to Indiana so far this fiscal year, in the midst of a global pandemic and a historically low federal annual cap on the number of refugees allowed in the United States. On Monday, the Biden administration quadrupled that limit, from 15,000 to 62,500, effective May 15.