News

A recent book detailing Mitch Daniels’ near-presidential campaign makes it clear that Cheri Daniels and their kids were the biggest factor in the former governor opting against a run for the White House.  As speculation swirls about a potential Mike Pence presidential run, Indiana Public Broadcasting’s Brandon Smith talked to Indiana First Lady Karen Pence about what she thinks about the issue.

Hoosier First Lady Karen Pence says the struggles of being a family in politics are something she thinks about. 

Education promises to be a big topic during the upcoming legislative session. Both Governor Pence and House Republicans have outlined major school initiatives they’d like to see come to fruition next year. But what the state can afford remains to be seen.

Legislative leaders have pledged to balance the budget this session without raising taxes. That could prove challenging, since several state agencies have submitted requests that would require extra money.

Environmental and business groups are starting to sound the alarm bells on the need for comprehensive water policies in Indiana.

The Indiana Chamber of Commerce recently released a report detailing the critical need for a state-driven water plan to identify resources and develop ways to deliver water to underserved areas.  

Hoosier Environmental Council executive director Jesse Kharbanda says there are plenty of ways to help serve future water needs.

Voices calling for Indiana to create an independent redistricting commission are getting louder this session.

Last session, Speaker Brian Bosma coauthored legislation creating a redistricting commission, with members appointed by legislative leaders of both parties.  While that bill passed the House, it never received a hearing in the Senate. 

Bosma says he will offer the bill again, but notes both chambers need to buy-in this time.

In this episode of the Weekly Experiment, Martin Fisher from Science Central talks about space suits.  What are they, and how do they protect astronauts? 

Since it's the holiday season and we're in a playful mood, we're just going to come out and say it: toys rule!

It seems everyone has a memory of a favorite childhood toy: a doll, a truck, a ball or a game that brings warm memories immediately to the surface.

But toys and the play they inspire have been around for thousands of years, dating back to prehistory. And while the types and packaging may have changed, the point -- having fun and learning -- has not.

Indiana’s violent death rate, which includes homicides and suicides, is over 22 percent, higher than the national average. But a new federal grant could help the state combat that number.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is granting Indiana $1.4 million to analyze the factors behind the state’s violent death rate.

The director for the Indiana’s trauma and injury prevention division, Katie Hokanson, says this is the first time the Hoosier State has received resources to investigate violent deaths.

During Monday's installment of The Difference, we went to Ivy Tech Community College in Fort Wayne to learn how a mentoring program is working to help black male students succeed. There we met Chris Cathcart, mentor for the program, and Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs at Ivy Tech.

The Indiana attorney general is proposing legislation he says would close legal loopholes and better protect Hoosiers from data breaches and identity theft.

Attorney General Greg Zoeller says notable data breaches, such as those on Sony, Target and Home Depot, have consumers worried about ID theft. 

He says he wants to bring some peace of mind to Hoosiers with legislation he’s pushing that would require companies that store consumer data to regularly review and delete that information.

Black students make up less than ten percent of enrollment at Ivy Tech Community College in Fort Wayne. Of that population, many students face additional barriers to completing their degrees. 

Chris Cathcart is the Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs at Ivy Tech Community College in Fort Wayne, and heads their African American Male Initiative. The mentoring program takes a hands on approach to help some black students connect to the resources they need to succeed.