Justices won’t hear beagle death case against DNR
Indiana Supreme Court justices declined to hear a case in which a woman sued the Department of Natural Resources after her pet beagle was killed by a concealed raccoon trap at Versailles State Park.
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Lake County Sheriff’s Department can’t account for missing $7,600
A northwestern Indiana sheriff’s department says it can’t account for more than $7,600 missing from one of its divisions. Lake County Police Chief William said the county Sheriff’s Department can’t account for the money that an audit by the State Board of Accounts found missing from its Civil Division last year.
Justices hear NIPSCO industrial users’ rate hike appeal
The Indiana Supreme Court heard oral argument Thursday morning on a utility rate increase case, hearing a northern Indiana utility industrial group’s appeal over whether a reversal of the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission’s application of its own settlement orders conflicted with a prior settlement.
Unemployment benefits upheld for man who resigned after threatened demotion
The Indiana Court of Appeals affirmed the grant of unemployment benefits to a man who voluntarily resigned from his job after being told he would be demoted, finding the man’s employer failed to provide evidence as to why it wanted to demote him.
Suit against Hill could cost taxpayers; accusers to name state
The Indiana Attorney General’s Office is now in the process of investigating a complaint filed against it, the state and Attorney General Curtis Hill after four women who publicly accused Hill of groping them at a party filed official notice of a civil lawsuit. If the women succeed on their claims against state defendants, taxpayers could be on the hook to pay any judgments.
No criminal charges, but AG Hill faces suits from accusers
After the special prosecutor announced his decision Tuesday not to bring charges against Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill, the four women who have accused the state’s top lawyer of sexual misconduct stepped into the public spotlight together and said they are not done fighting.
Report: AG Hill’s behavior ‘creepy’ but not criminal
A 25-page report released by the Indiana Office of the Inspector General on Tuesday shines a light on the fallout from groping allegations against Attorney General Curtis Hill, including new allegations that he inappropriately touched four lobbyists in addition to the four women who previously accused him.
AG Hill to continue to serve despite likely suits by accusers
Facing the prospect of lawsuits from four women he is accused of groping, embattled Indiana Attorney General Curtis Hill vowed through his legal team Tuesday to stay in office. A special prosecutor Tuesday declined to criminally charge Hill but said the AG admitted he consumed a significant amount of alcohol and touched his accusers the night of the alleged incidents.
Lower Indiana workers’ compensation rates take effect Jan. 1
The Indiana Department of Insurance says lower workers’ compensation rates paid by businesses will take effect Jan. 1. The agency said Wednesday the recently approved reduction averages 7.6 percent and will save businesses about $63 million.
Indiana child welfare agency to spend $22M on raises
The Indiana Department of Child Services is spending $22 million on raises for staff as part of an effort to improve the agency that’s seen rising caseloads and internal battles. The raises will take effect Wednesday for more than 3,600 employees, or about 87 percent of the agency’s staff.
15 charged in statewide corruption investigations
Federal and state charges announced by United States Attorney Josh Minkler on Thursday cap a statewide roundup that found 15 individuals accused of misappropriating more than $1 million in public funds.
Indiana appealing abortion clinic opening recommendation
The Indiana State Department of Health is appealing an administrative law judge’s recommendation that a proposed abortion clinic be allowed to open in South Bend.
COA reverses default ruling against race horse veterinarian
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a decision that found a Hoosier racehorse veterinarian in default without a hearing in a disciplinary action against him by Indiana Horse Racing Commission.
COA upholds $78 million for state in IBM suit, awards IBM interest
The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld a $78 million judgment in favor of the state and against IBM Corp. that was awarded as part of a long-running legal battle stemming from IBM’s breach of a contract to redesign the state’s welfare system in 2006. But the court also ordered the state to pay post-judgment interest to IBM on a $49.5 million damages award it previously received, overturning a lower court ruling on that issue.
Reversal voids sale of properties by unauthorized agent
The Indiana Court of Appeals reversed a decision granting summary judgment in favor of two companies who purchased real estate in a sale that was voided after the seller was found to have no authority to sell it.
COA slams courts, DCS for violating parents’ due process
The Indiana Court of Appeals reiterated harsh words at the Department of Child Services and Indiana trial courts after reversing another case involving a failure to afford due process protections to families in termination of parental rights cases.
Indiana to seek damages over standardized test issues
The Indiana Department of Education is planning to seek damages against a testing vendor for scoring issues and a delay in results for the state’s primary standardized test.
Study committee to return spotlight to DCS
While the firestorm over the Indiana Department of Child Services has died down, the Indiana General Assembly is preparing to begin its examination of the agency and possibly make recommendations for action during the 2019 legislative session. The Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. Wednesday in Room 431 of the Statehouse to review a host of issues related to DCS.
Proposal to sunset Ohio River pollution standards yields flood of concern
Ohio River Valley Water Sanitation Commission members, including three from Indiana, are preparing to vote on a proposal that would sunset the organization’s pollution control standards. That proposal has yielded thousands of pages of public comments from proponents who say ORSANCO’s standards are redundant and, more significantly, from opponents who fear water quality in Indiana would suffer.
Indiana’s election security plans don’t include new machines
Indiana’s top elections official is planning to use more than $7.5 million in federal funding to improve the state’s election security, but not to upgrade its voting machines. Indiana was among the states and territories to receive money from the $380 million approved by Congress amid ongoing threats from Russia and others.