FOOTNOTE: EPD DAILY ACTIVITY REPORT information was provided by the EPD and posted by the City-County-County Observer without opinion, bias, or editing.
Governor Braun Delivers on Economic Development Strategy, Increasing Opportunity for Hoosiers while Maximizing Taxpayer Dollars
INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Governor Mike Braun chaired the 2025 fourth quarter Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) board of directors meeting today, highlighting a successful year of delivering results for Hoosiers.
In 2025, with Gov. Braun’s new approach to economic development, companies made plans to create 10,604 new jobs in Indiana with average wages of $40.59 – up from $36.09/hour in 2024. That’s an increase of 12.5% or $9,360 of annual salary.
Additionally, the cost of those incentivized jobs decreased from $46,850 per job in 2024 to $15,485 per job, saving taxpayers money.
“Our strategic focus on increasing wages and jobs in Indiana is working,” said Gov. Braun. “By supporting Indiana companies and the Main Street economy, we’re helping businesses to grow, encouraging more high-wage career opportunities, and creating the next generation of entrepreneurs. All in all, these results will deliver a more robust economy.”
“This has been a strategic and inspiring year for economic development in Indiana,” said Secretary of Commerce David Adams. “Because of the Governor’s vision, Hoosiers can look forward to more high-paying jobs and feel confident in a government that is maximizing value and return on investment for all taxpayers.”
Additionally, Gov. Braun advanced key wins in 2025 focused on entrepreneurship and regionalism:
Entrepreneurship –
- Launched the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation (IC 4-3-28) – a first-of-its-kind effort to help founders start, grow, and scale their businesses.
- Provided no-cost support to entrepreneurs and small businesses through the Indiana Small Business Development Center, helping launch 372 new businesses, create 1,285 new jobs and secure $68.5 million in small business funding.
- Invested $1 million through the Community Collaboration Fund to support community programming and events focused on entrepreneurship education and growth statewide.
- Supported 25 new Qualified Indiana Businesses and incentivized $43.4 million in proposed investments from 334 investors through the Venture Capital Investment Tax Credit.
- Helped 36 startups raise more than $500,000 through accelerator programs, including three gBeta cohorts focused on Main Street entrepreneurship.
- Hosted the 2025 Global Entrepreneurship Congress in June, bringing the event back to the U.S. for the first time since the inaugural event in 2009. Gov. Braun hosted a state and local policy summit, discussing opportunities to grow the Main Street economy.
- Celebrated Hoosier founders during Small Business Week, Global Entrepreneurship Week and Small Business Saturday, highlighting the contributions of Indiana’s 569,500 small businesses that support more than 1.2 million jobs.
Regionalism –
- In accordance with EO 25-45, the state’s 15 READI regions were validated as Indiana’s official economic regions, creating a framework for future planning.
- $334.1 million committed to 219 READI 2.0 projects statewide that will improve the lives of Hoosiers by creating community spaces and programming, increasing housing and childcare, fostering education and entrepreneurship, and more.
- Moved forward funding for READI’s Lilly Endowment Fund matching dollars, approving 23 blight remediation and redevelopment projects across 12 regions and supporting arts and culture planning initiatives in all 15 regions to improve quality of place in Indiana.
Indiana State Police at Evansville Welcomes new K-9 Team
Yesterday morning, December 10, Indiana State Police held a ceremony at the Indiana State Police Museum for eight new K-9 teams that successfully completed the 16th Indiana State Police K-9 Training School. Trooper Gage Cummings and his K-9, Bane, were among those graduates.
Trooper Cummings and his K-9 successfully completed the 12-week school with over 480 hours of instruction to include obedience, tracking, locating articles of evidence, apprehension, building searches, narcotics detection, and handler protection.
Trooper Cummings is a three-year-veteran and is assigned to the Evansville District. Bane is a one-year-old Dutch Shepherd from Poland.
USI returns to Liberty for three-straight
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – University of Southern Indiana Men’s Basketball will begin a three-game homestand Monday when the Screaming Eagles host the Phantoms of East-West University. Game time is slated for 7 p.m.
The final two games of the homestand include the start of the Ohio Valley Conference schedule. USI opens the conference campaign by hosting Little Rock at 7:30 p.m. December 18 and Morehead State at 3:30 p.m. December 18. Fans attending the USI-Little Rock game have a chance to receive a schedule magnet and coupons to Penn Station.
The Screaming Eagles are forecast to place ninth in the OVC this year, while Little Rock was picked to win the league and Morehead State was predicted to place fifth.
The final two games of the homestand include the start of the Ohio Valley Conference schedule. USI opens the conference campaign by hosting Little Rock at 7:30 p.m. December 18 and Morehead State at 3:30 p.m. December 18. Fans attending the USI-Little Rock game have a chance to receive a schedule magnet and coupons to Penn Station.
The Screaming Eagles are forecast to place ninth in the OVC this year, while Little Rock was picked to win the league and Morehead State was predicted to place fifth.
The Screaming Eagles (3-7) are hoping to rebound and get back on track after a tough 0-2 road trip last week. USI had a tough loss to Western Michigan, 88-74, and a setback at Indiana State, 77-55. Senior guard Cardell Bailey led the way for the Eagles on the road trip with 19.5 points per game.
For the season, senior guard Ismail Habib has been posting 18.2 points per game and leads the Ohio Valley Conference in scoring. Habib has hit for 20 or more points in four of the last seven games.
Bailey follows with 13.6 points per contest, while junior guard Kaden Brown is posting 12.1 points per outing.
The East-West Phantoms, currently, are 2-7 overall this season. USI leads the all-time series, 2-0, after taking last year’s meeting at Liberty University, 104-46.
Statement from State Sen. Vaneta Becker
INDIANAPOLIS – Today, Governor Mike Braun announced three appointments to the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission (IURC), the administrative agency that makes decisions in the public interest to ensure utilities provide safe and reliable service at just and reasonable rates. The new commissioners are aligned with Governor Braun’s commitment to making energy affordable for families and businesses.
The three new commissioners will be:
Andy Zay, Huntington County, Chair of IURC
Indiana State Senator, District #17
Andy Zay brings the policy background as a legislator and an entrepreneurial approach to serve the public and ensure utility access and affordability.
Anthony Swinger, Marion County
Executive Director, Technical Operations, Indiana Office of Utility Consumer Counselor (OUCC)
Anthony Swinger brings a long track record of consumer advocacy and strong experience with ratemaking and regulatory processes.
Bob Deig, Vanderburgh County
Former Indiana State Senator, District #49
Bob Deig brings a common-sense approach to protect ratepayers from increasing utility costs drawn from his experience on the Senate Utilities and Technology Committee.
“Hoosiers deserve reliable and affordable utilities and have been burdened by excessive and unnecessary utility rate increases for too long. I am appointing these three Hoosier leaders to serve on the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission to ensure that Indiana has exceptional utilities without saddling families and businesses with excessive prices.” — Governor Mike Braun
The commissioners will begin work on January 12, 2026.
UPDATE: Redistricting in Indiana
On Fri., Dec. 8, the House passed HB1032 to advance redistricting in Indiana – its in the Senate this week for further consideration.
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A few months ago, I held a town hall with Former U.S. Senator Joe Donnelly so we could hear directly from you. And you were clear in making it known that Hoosiers want meaningful change, not more of the same political games.
That’s why what’s happening right now at the Statehouse is so frustrating. When people say they feel ignored by their government, this is exactly what they mean. And instead of tackling these challenges, legislative leaders are pushing forward HB 1032 — a gerrymandered congressional map that takes us in the opposite direction of where Hoosiers want to go.
The Senate will have a final vote on HB 1032 tomorrow, Dec. 11.
WHAT YOU CAN DO RIGHT NOW:
- Call your State Senator
- Find them here: https://iga.in.gov/information/find-legislators
- Tell them to vote NO on HB 1032
- Share this message:
Make sure your friends, neighbors and networks know what’s happening. - Stay loud.
They are counting on you to give up. Don’t.
I stand with you and I’m focused on issues you care about: utility bill reform, youth development, and affordable heath care and child care.
EVANSVILLE DESERVES TRANSPARENCY: CITY COUNCIL’S SECRETIVE REDISTRICTING FAILED HOOSIERS
Evansville, IN – The Vanderburgh County Republican Party is calling attention to the flawed and deliberately secretive redistricting process carried out by the Evansville City Council. While redistricting is required after the census, it was the process chosen by Democrat leadership, not the census itself that failed our city. The city spent $30,000 of taxpayer money on a consultant whose contract included hosting public hearings for residents to review and comment on proposed district maps. City council leadership refused to hold those hearings and never recouped the portion of taxpayer dollars wasted on the meetings
they chose not to conduct. Even more concerning, the maps were intentionally withheld from conservative members of the council, while some Democrat councilors were permitted to take the maps to their constituents. That selective access speaks for itself. A fair, no-cost map drawn by the Vanderburgh County Surveyor using the same census data and within accepted population-deviation standards was available but ignored. Instead, the council adopted a map that exceeded population limits and disproportionately benefited Democrat incumbents. Several of the councilors now speaking out against redistricting were the ones who gained the
most from the very map they pushed through in secret. Evansville now has a city council with nearly 90% Democrat representation, far out of step with the city’s voter demographics. This imbalance has contributed to policies that burden families already struggling with rising costs. The newly adopted wheel tax, $20 per passenger vehicle and S25 per commercial vehicle pulls in more money from taxpayers than the city lost due to changes in the Community Crossings Grant
formula, yet city officials continue implying the tax was necessary to offset that loss. The Vanderburgh County Republican Party remains committed to a redistricting process that is transparent, equitable, and reflective of the people of Evansville. Our city deserves honest representation,
not partisan maps drawn in the dark.
– Vanderburgh County Republican Party
SENATE VOTES DOWN REDISTRICTING, A WIN FOR HOOSIERS
INDIANAPOLIS – State Rep. Alex Burton (D-Evansville) issued the following statement after the Indiana Senate voted against advancing HB 1032, halting the Republican redistricting proposal:
“Today proves that Hoosier voters and voices matter. Outside influence sought to force redistricting and it didn’t work – even in the face of loud voices, swatting and bomb threats.
“Now, the focus can shift to utilities, housing, child care, health care and other important policies needed to ensure a prosperous Indiana, for everyone. Households throughout the State desperately need the legislature to act on their behalf and I’m looking forward to championing legislation that relieves anxiety on payday.
“I’m looking forward to bold action, reasonable policy discussions and a legislative session that keeps Hoosiers first. Families, teachers, small business owners, public safety officers and local elected officials are depending on us.”
First Lady Maureen Braun Unveils Indiana’s First Dolly Parton Imagination Library Christmas Tree at the Statehouse
The ornaments on the tree are hand-painted by county Imagination Library partners, with each one uniquely reflecting the identity of each participating county and its Dolly Parton Imagination Library program.
INDIANAPOLIS – Visitors to the Indiana Statehouse this December will see something new in this year’s decorations—a display honoring early childhood literacy across the state.
First Lady Maureen Braun unveiled a first-of-its-kind Christmas display at the Statehouse featuring hand-painted ornaments that are designed to showcase participating Indiana counties and their local Dolly Parton Imagination Library programs.
The idea for the display originated earlier this year, when First Lady Braun sought a way to celebrate the thousands of Hoosier families, volunteers, and community partners who make the Imagination Library possible. Literacy is an important initiative for the First Lady.
“Every ornament on these trees represents a community that believes in the power of reading and the potential of every child. The Dolly Parton Imagination Library is sparking wonder in young Hoosiers and uniting counties across Indiana. This display is an invitation for more Hoosiers to join us in helping give every child the gift of reading.” – First Lady Maureen Braun
With support from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library of Indiana, the First Lady contacted county partners in all 92 counties and sent each an unbreakable ornament with a request to decorate it in a way that reflects their county and their community’s Imagination Library. The ornaments were then shipped back at no cost to taxpayers or county partners thanks to a partnership with UPS and the Indiana Motor Truck Association (IMTA).
The resulting ornaments now adorn one of three Christmas trees located in the Statehouse atrium. The book ornaments on the tree were handmade by friends of First Lady Braun, who also helped decorate the trees.
The First Lady also sewed the tree skirt using fabric from her home to symbolize The Coat of Many Colors, honoring the story behind Dolly Parton’s childhood coat. Beneath the trees, Imagination Library books wrapped with ribbon resemble presents waiting to be opened.
County partners are invited to visit the Statehouse on December 17 at 11:00 a.m. to view the display and see their ornaments showcased in this one-of-a-kind celebration of literacy, community, and the holiday spirit.
