Last Update 3/11/2010

The latest job numbers are out, and they show steady but still high numbers of people out of work. Indiana's unemployment rate for January was nine-point-seven-percent, the same as the revised numbers for December. But Elkhart County continues to lead the pack with the highest jobless rate in the state, climbing three points to 15-point-six percent. That's well higher than second-place Noble County's 14-point-four percent. From the WFRN region, Starke County is fifth at 13-point-seven percent, followed closely by LaGrange, Howard, Miami and Steuben Counties, all over 13-percent unemployment. The good news overall is Indiana has the lowest jobless rate among neighboring states. Michigan's is 14-point-three percent.

Chrysler says sales are up and workers can come back. That's the news at Kokomo's transmission plant. 300 non-skilled workers will be returning to their Chrysler jobs. 175 employees will start Monday and more are expected to be back on the job by the end of the month.

Many cities and towns across the WFRN region are trying to work with tighter budgets since a property tax cut in Indiana. In some communities, there's been the threat of cutting police and fire staff. That was the case in South Bend, although they were able keep their full compliment of police officers and firefighters this year due to the local Public Safety Option Income Tax and federal stimulus money. The city of Elkhart is enjoying its first full staff of police officers in more than a decade, and at a news conference on Wednesday, Mayor Dick Moore said he's not looking at laying off anybody from the police and fire departments. Moore says his administration is looking at alternative funding sources, like the federal stimulus, to bring more money into the city's coffers.

The full Indiana House has returned to the Statehouse after a five-day break but still cannot agree on some of the key sticking issues keeping lawmakers from ending the 2010 legislative session. Governor Mitch Daniels met privately Wednesday with Democrat House Speaker Pat Bauer of South Bend in hopes of brokering a compromise on the unemployment insurance tax bill. Democrats want to repeal a tax hike on businesses aimed at shoring up the bankrupt state unemployment fund, while Republicans want a one-year delay due to the tough economy. Carmel Republican Senator Mike Delph expects a compromise to be reached. Lawmakers are also working on a bill that would give schools the flexibility of transferring money from various funds to avoid teacher layoffs. The constitutional deadline for the General Assembly to adjourn for the year is Sunday.

An Indiana congressman, who could make a run for governor or even president in 2012, says federal spending is out of control, and our nation is facing a fiscal crisis of epic proportions. Mike Pence, the third-ranking Republican in the U.S. House, has introduced a proposed amendment to the Constitution that would put a cap on federal government spending. Last month alone, the government dug itself another record 221-billion dollars in debt, and Pence says our country is on track for a record one-point-six trillion dollar deficit this year. Under the Spending Limit Amendment, absent a declaration of war and a two-thirds vote in Congress, Congress would be required to hold the line on spending to 20-percent of the American economy.

Texting and driving is dangerous. Proof is coming in a new state ad campaign being launched by the state and AT&T. Fort Wayne Republican State Senator Tom Wyss says the campaign will be aimed at all Indiana drivers with a special focus on teens and will include true stories and the final text messages sent before a driver was killed. The Indiana General Assembly in 2009 passed a bill into law that bans drivers under 19 from texting while behind the wheel. Wyss would like to see the law expanding to ban all Hoosier drivers from texting and driving. Research shows nearly six-thousand Americans die each year in crashes involving distracted drivers.

Indiana State Police are warning us about a potential new scam. Complaints have been coming in from across the state from people and businesses about solicitors claiming to be with State Police. Investigators say in some cases, people were asked to tape donations to their door under the belief the money would be used to send a kid to summer camp. State Police are reminding us that they don't solicit door-to-door and to always ask for official ID.

It could be several weeks before officials know how a St. Joseph County Jail inmate died this week, if they ever know. 23-year-old Stephanie Braasch of Argos, booked in the jail in South Bend Sunday on drug charges, was the second inmate there to die in less than a week, and an autopsy on Wednesday failed to give investigators many clues into the cause of her death. They're waiting for toxicology test results, which could take weeks. County jail records show Braasch was found unresponsive in her holding cell late Tuesday morning. The other inmate who died late last week apparently died of a medical condition.

A Post Office in Noble County could soon be named after a fallen Northeast Indiana soldier. The U.S. House has passed a bill sponsored by Third District Congressman Mark Souder that would name the Post Office in Rome City as "SPC Nicholas Scott Hartge Post Office." Hartge was just 20-years-old when he was killed in the line of duty in May 2007 just outside Baghdad, Iraq. Hartge was a life-long resident of Rome City, and Souder says naming the Post Office in Hartge's memory is just a small gestury to recognize the contributions of a young man and his family who sacrificed so much for our country. The bill heads to the Senate for consideration.

A Howard County doctor faces felony drug charges after an investigation by the county Sheriff's Department. 40-year-old Carolyn Greer of Russiaville became the focus of a police probe after a local pharmacy contacted authorities concerning fraudulent prescriptions. Investigators found that Greer telephoned in prescriptions using the names of co-workers, friends and family.

Governor Mitch Daniels has declared March 14th through the 20th as "Severe Weather Preparedness Week" in Indiana. Statewide tornado drills have been planned for March 17th. This statewide drill will help make sure the statewide Indiana "Emergency Alert System" network is operating properly and is ready to respond in the event of a real emergency.


...In Sports...

Luke Harangody is back in the fold for Notre Dame, and his return to the lineup paid big dividends for the Fighting Irish, who cruised past Seton Hall Wednesday night, 68-56, in the second-round of the Big East Men's Basketball Tournament. Harangody entered the game when Carleton Scott got into early foul trouble, finishing with 20 points and ten rebounds. Harangody missed five games with a knee injury. Notre Dame takes on number two seed Pittsburgh in tonight's quarterfinals, which will tipoff at seven o'clock.

Also in the Big East Tourney on Wednesday, Cincinnati shocked Louisville 69-66, Marquette edged St. John's 57-55, and Georgetown blew out South Florida 69-49.

The Indiana Hoosiers play in the Big Ten Tournament this afternoon. Tenth-seeded IU takes on number seven seed Northwestern at Conseco Fieldhouse. The Hoosiers are coming off an 88-80 overtime win over the Wildcats last Saturday in Bloomington. That victory snapped an 11-game losing streak, as IU enters the postseason at 10-and-20. Northwestern is 19-and-12. Today's winner will meet second-seed Purdue in tomorrow's quarterfinals.

In the Big 12 Tournament on Wednesday, Texas Tech surprised Colorado 82-67, Nebraska stunned Missouri 75-60, Oklahoma State cruised past Oklahoma 81-67, and Texas got by Iowa State 82-75.

Robert Morris punched its ticket to the NCAA Tournament with a 52-50 win over Quinnipiac for the Northeast Conference championship, while Montana stormed back from a 22-point deficit to beat Weber State, 66-65, and claim the Big Sky title.

Former Indianapolis Colts cornerback Marlin Jackson has signed with the Philadelphia Eagles. Jackson was scheduled to become a restricted free agent last Friday but did not receive a qualifying tender from the Colts, making him fair game for any team to take. Jackson started 34 games in five seasons in Indianapolis but was slowed by injuries his final two years.

Some ISPs 'cache' pages in order to serve them to their customers quicker.This page left our server March 11, 2010 at 8:55am. If you need a more current version, press REFRESH or RELOAD on your browser. Thank You!