I wanted to drop a quick line that today’s Block by Block event has been postponed due to the inclement weather forecast. We will announce the rescheduled date as soon as possible.
We will share this via social media, but any help you can offer in getting the word out to the public would be appreciated.
Attorney General Todd Rokita’s Office opposes a proposed merger of two Vigo County hospitals, he has informed Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) officials.
IDOH must soon decide to either deny the merger or permit the consolidation and monopolization of Terre Haute’s only two hospitals.
“We all understand that hospitals face distinct challenges, but consolidation at the expense of free-market competition is not the way to address those challenges in this case,” Attorney General Rokita said. “In fact, the creation of a regional monopoly would impose a negative impact on Hoosiers in the area seeking quality health care and affordable costs.”
In 2021, the Indiana General Assembly passed Indiana’s Certificate of Public Advantage (COPA) statute allowing certain health care entities to merge with antitrust immunity. The condition is that IODH must find that the merger will “benefit the population’s health outcomes, healthcare access, and quality of care” in excess of any detriment felt by reduced competition.
No such benefits would materialize from this proposed merger, Attorney General Rokita said.
Hospital officials first filed their application for a COPA in September 2023 but withdrew it after more than a year — just days before IDOH was set to make its decision. The hospitals reapplied in February 2025.
The consolidation of Union and Terre Haute Regional hospitals, Attorney General Rokita wrote in a letter to IDOH officials, would “lead to the monopolization of Terre Haute hospital systems that (would) be unchecked in raising healthcare costs, stifling innovation, suppressing wages, and reducing access to care for the citizens of Terre Haute and the surrounding community.”
The Department of Health will host a town hall on May 1, 2025, at the Ivy Tech campus in Terre Haute to discuss the implications of this merger on the Wabash Valley Community. Attorney General Rokita encourages all impacted and concerned citizens to attend the town hall and welcomes all comments regarding the anticompetitive effects of this merger.
“Rural healthcare presents unique problems and concerns for Indiana,” Attorney General Rokita wrote. “The quality of care and travel distances are obstacles to our rural residents receiving consistent, quality healthcare. Additionally, most rural hospitals face considerable challenges recruiting skilled professionals to less populated areas.”
He added, however, that those challenges do not justify consolidation in this case because such a step would not help alleviate them.
“The solution is competition between strong competitors that fosters efficiency, ingenuity, and technological advancement,” Attorney General Rokita wrote.
The full letter is attached here.
Annual Regional Event Returns with New Identity and Renewed Focus on Economic Growth
WHAT: The University of Evansville (UE) will host Innovate Southwest Indiana, the newly rebranded version of the longstanding Engage Indiana series. This annual event-now in its fourth year-brings together business leaders, educators, and economic development experts to explore innovation, entrepreneurship, and workforce development in Southwest Indiana.
WHEN: 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, April 29, 2025.
WHERE: University Center, Eykamp Hall at 1800 Lincoln Avenue, Evansville, IN 47714.
WHO:
Featured Panelists:
Evansville, Ind. – Ivy Tech Community College will offer a summer camp to 15 middle school students interested in industrial finishing. The camp is designed to increase students’ knowledge and interest in the profession of industrial finishing.
The camp will run June 2-6, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily. Lunch will be provided. Campers must provide their own transportation to and from camp. Deadline to register is May 9 at link.ivytech.edu/finishing.
Sixth-eighth grade students selected will participate in a variety of activities that will acquaint them with the finishing industry. The Finishing Camp Program provides an overview of all facets of finishing including pretreatment; powder coating, liquid coating, and Ecoat; curing; masking, and more. Videos and hands-on activities provide additional explanation of curriculum concepts for increased comprehension. Plant tours at Nix Industries and Koch Finishing Systems will help to enable campers to see real world finishing operations.
A color themed project exposes campers to another aspect of the finishing industry – color trends and theory. Throughout the week, campers work to create and name their “color of the year” along with supporting inspiration boards which are presented to fellow campers on the final afternoon.
Guest speakers with diverse finishing experience round out the program by sharing their career journeys and engaging campers in discussions about the industry and the opportunities it offers.
The Industrial Finishing Camp is generously funded through donations to the Chemical Coaters Association International Finishing Education Foundation (CCAI FEF), which helps fund and provide access to programs supporting the advancement of the industrial finishing and coatings industry.
STATEHOUSE – Legislation authored by State Rep. Tim O’Brien (R-Evansville) to create new grant programs for pediatric and breast cancer research recently passed the Indiana legislature and now goes to the governor for consideration as a new law.
O’Brien said through House Enrolled Act 1453, both the Pediatric Cancer Research and Treatment Grant Program and the Breast Cancer Research Fund would focus on providing grant funding for innovative research into novel forms of treatment.
“This legislation will help expand critical cancer research and treatment in Indiana,” O’Brien said. “By establishing a dedicated grant program, this new law would support innovation and improve outcomes for Hoosiers battling cancer, giving more families hope. I’m grateful for the strong bipartisan support in both chambers and look forward to seeing this legislation signed into law.”
According to the Indiana Department of Health, more than 300 new cases of pediatric cancer occurred each year in Hoosier children ages 0 to 19 between 2016 to 2020. Additionally, more than 30 children in Indiana died from cancer annually between 2016 to 2020.
According to the American Cancer Society, more than 9,000 children in the U.S. are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in 2025. Cancer is the second leading cause of death in children ages 1 to 14, and over 1,000 children under age 15 are expected to die from cancer in 2025.
O’Brien said by further funding pediatric and breast cancer research, novel therapies developed in Indiana could have an impact not only in our state, but could also lead to treatments used throughout the U.S.
House Enrolled Act 1453 passed the Indiana General Assembly unanimously. It now heads to the governor’s desk.
EVANSVILLE, Ind. — Evansville Water and Sewer Utility (EWSU) is continuing to monitor the area affected by the sinkhole at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Chestnut Street. Because we cannot begin a comprehensive assessment and repair effort until levels fall below 23 feet, we cannot yet offer any significant update on the timeline for the repair. However, EWSU is actively performing preliminary work in the area to ensure that we can mobilize as soon as river conditions allow.
As part of our commitment to protecting critical infrastructure, we are also taking proactive steps to safeguard buried utilities near the site.
We understand the community’s concern and appreciate the public’s patience as we navigate this challenge. We are committed to transparency and will provide additional information as it becomes available. We anticipate offering a more significant update on the repair timeline next week once conditions permit a more detailed evaluation of the situation.
The City of Evansville will host its second Block-by-Block event of 2025 this Friday, April 25, from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. in the Lamasco neighborhood.
The event will bring together volunteers and city staff to clean up streets, mow lawns, trim trees, and connect residents with city services that are available to them—but that they might not yet be aware of.
It also will feature the demolition of a blighted home in the neighborhood.
The effort is part of Mayor Stephanie Terry’s broader Neighborhood Revitalization initiative, aimed at restoring pride in place and ensuring that all Evansville residents live in safe, vibrant, and welcoming neighborhoods.
“As we work to build stronger neighborhoods across our city, it’s important that we meet residents where they are,” Mayor Terry said. “The Block-by-Block initiative is about more than just beautification. It’s about collaboration—between the City, neighborhood residents, and local volunteers—to bring lasting improvements and real connections to every corner of Evansville.”
