HAPPENINGS AROUND INDIANA

On Wednesday, the Indiana Democratic Party announced that Dayna Colbert will serve as the party’s new executive director beginning in January. Colbert currently serves as the Hamilton County Democratic Party chair.

“Hoosiers are eager for change after 20 years of a one-party race to the bottom. Now more than ever, Hoosiers are looking across state lines and seeing our neighbors with more rights and more freedoms than we have in Indiana, and that is simply unacceptable. I’m ready to work hard to build up our party across the state.”

Indiana Democratic Party Chair Mike Schmuhl: “We are excited for Dayna to help lead our party as we enter a critical election year for Indiana. Over the last few election cycles, she has shown her dedication to the party by working on large coordinated campaigns, serving as a leader in the Young Democrats, and leading as our chair in Hamilton County, one of the most politically important counties in our state. The team at IDP is eager to work with Dayna as we work to break the supermajority, elect more Democrats to office, build our bench, and put in place programs to welcome more Hoosiers to our coalition.”

U.S. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana, released the following statement on the House of Representatives vote Wednesday to formalize the impeachment inquiry into President Joe Biden.

“An impeachment inquiry is the only way we’re going to get to the truth. Hunter Biden was selling influence abroad for millions and Joe Biden was ‘the brand,’ as Hunter’s business partner Devon Archer testified. As Vice President, Joe Biden spoke with Hunter’s business associates over 20 times and used a fake email address to receive and send emails from his son’s associates and to notify Hunter Biden when he would call the Ukrainian president. These facts must be followed, but President Biden’s politicized DOJ and the White House have stonewalled at every turn. The House should vote to begin an impeachment inquiry; it’s the only way to follow the facts—and the money—where they lead.”

Also this week, Braun, a ranking member on the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging, released a report entitled “The Silent Epidemic, Fentanyl and Older Americans.” Among Americans 65 and older, overdose deaths have quadrupled across the last two decades, according to a press release, and evidence suggests that synthetic drugs like fentanyl are adding to these fatalities.

Braun: “We often talk about fentanyl becoming the number one killer of young people, but it’s killing at every age. The silent epidemic of fentanyl flowing from our southern border is robbing our seniors of their golden years.”

On Wednesday, Sen. Andy Zay, R-Huntington, released a statement announcing “pro-life legislation” that he plans to introduce during the upcoming legislative session:

“As an Indiana State Senator, a devout Catholic, and the father of five children, I have always fought for pro-life legislation that protects unborn babies and supports parents. During the 2022 special legislative session, I worked tirelessly in the General Assembly to pass Senate Enrolled Act I. This act terminates the licensure of abortion clinics and bans most abortions in Indiana—with few exceptions. Protecting unborn children is now part of Indiana’s criminal law. If tragedy occurs and a pregnant mother is killed, the person who committed the crime will face a more severe sentence since the law considers the unborn child a second victim.

“While I am proud of the work that we have accomplished, I recognize there is still much to be done to protect life in all areas of the law. This session, I am introducing a bill that further values the lives of unborn babies and supports parents’ ability to provide for their families. The bill states that an unborn baby is considered a dependent child, allowing parents to claim a $2,500 income-tax exemption while the mother is pregnant. This tax exemption is a way for expecting families to keep their hard-earned dollars and prepare for raising their children. According to Indiana’s nonpartisan Legislative Services Agency, this bill would benefit about 60,000 Hoosier families each year and save families $7 million per year collectively.

“As an Indiana lawmaker, I must support legislation that benefits all Hoosiers, and this is part of my effort to do so. As your congressman, I will continue to author and support legislation that will provide support for all American families.”

On Wednesday, Rep. Victoria Garcia Wilburn, D-Fishers, joined what a press release described as the largest convening of state lawmakers from across the nation at the White House seeking solutions to gun violence. The meeting included the announcement of $334 million in grant funding for law enforcement agencies to expand crime gun intelligence.

Garcia Wilburn: “I want to commend Fishers Police Chief Ed Gebhart, IMPD Assistant Chief Chris Bailey and their team for their critical work on the Indiana Crime Guns Task Force. By working with the task force and its integration of city, state, and federal agencies, Fishers Police have helped confiscate 406 illegal guns in Fishers alone. This is the leadership that needs to happen to keep our kids, families, and community safe.

“I am thankful I was able to pass several meaningful gun violence prevention measures into law this year and take that experience with me to Washington, D.C. this week. Strong partnerships with law enforcement are key to decreasing gun violence in Indiana. My proudest moment thus far as a lawmaker was when Gov. Holcomb signed my bill into law to make sure that law enforcement and other first responders have suicide prevention and mental health training. Law enforcement can’t tackle gun violence when they’re struggling with their mental health, and I hope that my law will address that in addition to helping our law enforcement agencies be fully staffed. Second to was learning that local law enforcement has been able to use HEA 1365, which I co-authored, to charge people with machine gun conversion devices in their possession.

“… The Indiana Crime Guns Task Force is turning its attention toward figuring out how straw buyers are getting guns into the hands of teens, and I’m grateful to them for that. Together, there is more to be done, and I intend to do all I can the next legislative session and in years to come.”

On Wednesday, U.S. Senator Todd Young, R-Indiana, applauded Senate passage of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2024, which passed the Senate 87-13.

Nonprofit Ben’s Ranch Foundation (BRF) has assumed management and operation of a public trail riding stable located at Strawtown Koteewi Park in Noblesville. BRF creates paid, part-time internships and small group programs on farms and at stables for teens struggling with mental and emotional health issues. 

Ben’s Ranch Executive Director Brose McVey: “The Koteewi facility will give Ben’s Ranch important capacity in the heart of our service territory and serve as a hub for our network of host facilities. The revenue we will generate by offering trail rides, pony rides and similar activities will help pay for this wonderful new asset. Our interns and small group participants will be involved in all aspects of the operation including business management, horse care and facility maintenance. We are excited to partner with Hamilton County Parks to turn a popular amenity into something even more powerful for the community.”

Hamilton County Parks Director, Chris Stice: “Hamilton County Parks and Recreation is extremely pleased and fortunate to have Ben’s Ranch managing Koteewi Stable & Trails. Not only will the equine experiences they provide mesh well with those offered by our other Adventure Area operators at Strawtown Koteewi Park, but their compelling operational philosophy aligns closely with the mission of our parks department.”

The Central Indiana Land Trust, Inc. (CILTI) has received ownership of a 9.8-acre Hancock County site from the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT), allowing it to protect forever a biodiverse and environmentally significant feature known as a fen, according to a press release. INDOT, which had offered the property to interested parties as a non-marketable mitigation site, accepted CILTI’s ownership proposal earlier this month. CILTI is working with the owner of an adjacent property to purchase additional land that will allow it to protect the fen more completely.

CILTI president and CEO Cliff Chapman: “This is a unique opportunity to preserve a place that offers rich biodiversity and also provides tangible benefits. In addition to helping to remove carbon from the atmosphere, fens help to control flooding and filter groundwater that ends up in our drinking water.”

On Wednesday, the Indiana State Police held a ceremony at the Indianapolis Post for five new ISP Patrol K-9 handlers and their newly appointed K-9 partners that successfully completed the 14th Indiana State Police K-9 Training School. Trooper Adam Carroll (Fort Wayne Post) and his partner Knox were among those graduates.

From the press release:“The Indiana State Police K-9 School is an annual 12-week school held in Indianapolis, with over 480 hours of instruction to include obedience, tracking, locating articles of evidence, apprehension of fighting or fleeing suspects, building searches, narcotics detection, and handler protection. K-9 handlers also receive training in K-9 legal concepts and classes on odor detection theory and tracking situations. Teams train at night and in varying conditions with scenario-based training and problem-solving situations for eight to 10 hours a day.

“Indiana State Police K-9 breeds include German Shepherds, Belgian Malinois, and Dutch Shepherds, all imported from Europe. The K-9s are certified through the Dogs for Law Enforcement Organization.

“Knox is a German Shepard mix that came to the ISP from Poland. He is just over a year old. His handler, Trooper Carroll, is a five-year veteran of the Indiana State Police and also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps. Carroll and Knox will primarily patrol the Huntington County area, however as a Patrol K9 team they regularly respond to calls as needed across the entire Fort Wayne District.”

On Wednesday, the City of Indianapolis Department of Metropolitan Development and Indianapolis City Market Corporation joined vendors to announce the temporary closure of the Market House effective March 1. As part of the closure of the Indianapolis City Market, Indy DMD will partner with the Indianapolis City Market Corporation to waive rent for vendors for January and February 2024.

From the press release: “Earlier this year, the City announced the inclusion of the Market House in the $200 million City Market Campus public-private partnership with the City, Gershman Partners, and Citimark. In 2022, Indy DMD announced the City Market East project, a joint venture between Citimark and Gershman Partners, will include the conversion of the 20-story Gold Building into 350 apartments, construction of an 11-story, 60-unit apartment tower on the east wing of the campus, a public plaza on the west wing of the campus, and upgrades to the office tower at 251 E. Ohio St.

“The City of Indianapolis has committed $12 million in Circle City Forward funds and $5 million in TIF funds for the renovation of the Market House, the Wabash St. pedestrian alley, and the west plaza. This past summer, Indy DMD released a Request for Qualifications for a Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) agreement for the Market House, plaza, and alley and Gershman Partners and Citimark as the partners.

“As part of the BOT, Indy DMD, the City Market Corporation, and Gershman Partners will search for a private operating partner as part of the organization’s new structure. The operational partner would have oversight of Market House operations—structure, vendors, finances, security, and overall management, allowing the nonprofit City Market Corporation to prioritize its mission to support local food entrepreneurship through fundraising, events, and programming, including the Original Farmers’ Market. Indy DMD is currently working through construction due diligence and has acquired a representative to manage the planning and design of the historic landmark in conjunction with the BOT arrangement.”