Gov. Holcomb announces Amazon Web Services plans to invest $11B to create a new data center campus in Northern Indiana
Gov. Holcomb announces Amazon Web Services plans to invest $11B to create a new data center campus in Northern Indiana
Announcement marks the largest planned capital investment in state history
NEW CARLISLE, Ind. – Governor Eric J. Holcomb today announced that Amazon Web Services (AWS), an Amazon.com. Inc. company (NASDAQ: AMZN), plans to invest $11 billion to build a data center campus in north central Indiana and create at least 1,000 new jobs. This planned investment marks the largest capital investment announcement in Indiana’s history.
“Indiana’s long-term economic strategy is paying dividends for Hoosiers as we cultivate the growth of critical sectors like technology infrastructure,” said Gov. Holcomb. “Amazon has long been an important economic partner in Indiana, and we are excited to welcome AWS. This significant investment solidifies Indiana’s leadership position in the economy of the future, and will undoubtedly have a positive ripple effect on the town of New Carlisle, the north-central region, and the state of Indiana for years to come.”
AWS is the world’s most comprehensive and broadly adopted cloud, and its data centers enable customers of all sizes and across all industries, such as automotive, healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, public sector, and more, to transform their businesses. Millions of customers—including the fastest-growing startups, largest enterprises, and leading government agencies—are using AWS to lower costs, become more agile, and innovate faster. The new data centers will contain computer servers, data storage drives, networking equipment, and other forms of technology infrastructure used to power cloud computing capabilities, and generative artificial intelligence (AI) technologies.
“AWS’s unwavering commitment to supporting our customers and helping drive digital transformation has been evident through our infrastructure investments across the United States,” said Roger Wehner, AWS director of economic development. “Building upon this, we are thrilled to be expanding our operations in Indiana through this planned $11 billion investment, which will create numerous well-paying job opportunities and tap into the state’s burgeoning tech sector, while contributing significantly to the state’s growing economy. This investment will include our continuing commitment to fostering workforce development and educational initiatives in areas where we operate, and we look forward to helping nurture the next generation of talent in the Hoosier State. We are excited to partner with Governor Holcomb, IEDC, and other state and local leaders to forge a path toward a brighter future for Indiana’s tech landscape.”
Indiana is an ideal hub for data processing due to its business-friendly environment, abundance of infrastructure resources, availability of skilled labor and growing technology and semiconductor sectors.
“The AWS announcement today will be a generational boost to our local and regional economy, and we are excited for the opportunity to welcome the AWS team and workforce into our community,” said Carl Baxmeyer, President of the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners. “This new data center campus to be built in the Indiana Enterprise Center (IEC) over the next decade will be a major employment center for all of northern Indiana. This project announcement also shows our alignment with the State’s goal to create next level jobs that benefit all Hoosiers.”
Based on the company’s significant capital investment plans, the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC) committed an investment in AWS in the form of data center sales tax exemptions for eligible capital investments over a 50-year term. The IEDC also committed an investment of up to $18.3 million in the form of headcount-based tax credits, up to $5 million in training grants, up to $55 million in Hoosier Business Investment tax credits, and up to $20 million in redevelopment tax credits. These incentives are performance-based, meaning the company is eligible to claim state benefits once investments are made. In addition to its community investment and engagement activities, AWS will also contribute up to $7 million to support road infrastructure improvements being conducted by the state and local community along State Road 2 surrounding the company’s planned development. The company’s investment plans are dependent upon the execution of long-term energy service agreements.
Attorney General Todd Rokita defends states’ pro-life laws against federal interference
Attorney General Rokita leads 22-state amicus brief in US Supreme Court
Attorney General Todd Rokita is fighting efforts by the federal government to ride roughshod over state laws protecting human life and prohibiting abortions.
This week, Attorney General Rokita is supporting Idaho as it argues before the Supreme Court to protect its Defense of Life Act from preemption under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA). In February, General Rokita led a 22-state amicus brief backing Idaho’s common-sense stance.
“Hoosiers know that when federal bureaucrats come after pro-life laws in Idaho or any other state, they will soon be coming after pro-life laws here in Indiana,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Under the Biden administration, the federal government remains determined to advance a pro-abortion culture of death — and it’s perfectly willing to usurp states’ rights in order to do so.”
Under the U.S. system of federalism, the power to regulate health, safety and medicine rests largely with the states. And in the Dobbs decision, the Supreme Court returned the issue of abortion to the states as well — overturning the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.
Federal attorneys, however, claim EMTALA allows emergency room physicians to ignore state medical regulations whenever they think it necessary to do so — including by performing abortions that are otherwise banned. In reality, however, EMTALA nowhere mentions the topic of abortion — and was never intended to be construed as the federal government now claims.
“The law is on our side,” Attorney General Rokita said. “Here in Indiana and across the nation, we can continue building a culture of life that respects the precious value not only of unborn children but also their moms and dads. And that’s what we’re going to do.”
EPA Announces Online Collection of Environmental Justice Resources
The Environmental Justice Clearinghouse will help the public access tools and resources as part of President Biden’s ambitious environmental justice agenda
WASHINGTON — Today, April 23, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the Environmental Justice Clearinghouse, a first-of-its-kind online collection of resources related to environmental justice. Directed by President Biden’s Executive Order on Revitalizing Our Nation’s Commitment to Environmental Justice for All, the Environmental Justice Clearinghouse will help the public access federal and non-federal resources online as part of the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious environmental justice agenda.
“Delivering on the Biden-Harris Administration’s ambitious environmental justice agenda requires shared dedication to building strong relationships and solution-oriented programs. The Environmental Justice Clearinghouse is a transformative resource guide built to help us accomplish our agency-wide environmental justice goals,” Theresa Segovia, Principal Deputy Assistant Director for The Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights. “Having an online, easily accessible library of information will ensure that resources from across the country are at the fingertips of all environmental justice stakeholders and advocates. And it will only be made stronger with suggestions from the American people.”
EPA’s Office of Environmental Justice and External Civil Rights will continue to add information to the clearinghouse on a rolling basis and welcomes input and any submissions from the public for review and potential inclusion.
The preliminary resources listed on the Environmental Justice Clearinghouse were submitted by agencies from across the federal government, including funding opportunities, screening and mapping tools, and technical assistance. The Environmental Justice Clearinghouse features searchable categories to simplify results for the public to ensure a more efficient and accessible process for accessing information related to environmental justice.
“President Biden tasked the entire federal government with breaking down barriers to resources and information that help communities pursue environmental justice. EPA’s Environmental Justice Clearinghouse will be a helpful online tool that compiles multiple sources of information so that everyone interested in environmental justice will be able to find resources on one website,” said Dr. Jalonne L. White-Newsome, Federal Chief Environmental Justice Officer for the White House Council on Environmental Quality.
Visit EPA’s website to view the Environmental Justice Clearinghouse or submit a potential resource.
FSSA hosting informational sessions for Aged and Disabled Waiver members, families
FSSA is hosting a series of informational webinars for individuals who are recipients of the Aged and Disabled Waiver and their families, in an effort to help them in their waiver transition planning.
These webinars are intended to provide up-to-date information and guidance to individuals and families regarding how the Aged & Disabled Waiver will become the Health & Wellness waiver for individuals who are 59 years and younger. Due to recent announcements, waiver transition activities, and proposed waiver amendments effective July 1, we understand that families have a lot of questions right now.
Please note these webinars will not include information for current Aged and Disabled Waiver recipients who are 60 and older as they will shift to the PathWays for Aging waiver.
These sessions may be helpful to families who are affected by the alignment of attendant care and the requirements effective July 2024 as well as all others looking for guidance and information regarding the waiver transition planned for July 1, 2024.
These webinars will be recorded and made available to those who cannot attend. Each webinar will be conducted from 3-3:30 p.m. ET. Opportunities to participate as well as links to join are:
Registration is not required.
USI Chamber Choir to present last concert of the Spring Semester
The University of Southern Indiana Chamber Choir will present Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s Mass in C – Coronation Mass directed by Dan Craig, Associate Professor of Music, at 4 p.m. Sunday, April 28 at Old North United Methodist Church in Evansville, Indiana.
This performance will be accompanied by a professional orchestra and will feature soloists Andrea Drury, Jennifer Korba, Joe Uthup and Jeremy Aldredge. The concert will follow the Choir’s successful performance in New York’s prestigious Carnegie Hall last week. The concert will also feature choral selections by Knut Nysted, Daniel Gawthrop, Z. Randall Stroope, Rosephany Powell and others.
“This is one of the great choral works of Mozart, and we are fortunate to share it with the Evansville community.” says Craig.
This concert is open to the public at no charge. For more information, contact Dan Craig at dcraig@usi.edu.
Evansville Vanderburgh County Convention & Visitors Commission Board Meeting Notice
Meetings of the Evansville-Vanderburgh County Convention & Visitors Commission, Evansville Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc., Evansville Events, Inc., Evansville-Vanderburgh County Convention & Visitors Commission Building Corporation, and Evansville-Vanderburgh Convention & Visitors Commission Sports Complex Operations Corporation (collectively “Commission”) will meet on Monday, April 29, 2024 at 3:00 pm.
The meeting will be held in Room 301 of the Evansville Civic Center Complex, 1 NW Martin King Jr. Blvd., Evansville, IN.
Softball earns 3-0 shutout over Sycamores to clinch season series
Aces set for final home weekend
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – Sydney Weatherford tossed a complete game shutout and Niki Bode picked up a late 2-run single to help the University of Evansville softball team earn a 3-0 win over Indiana State on Wednesday at Price Field.
Weatherford allowed just three hits while fanning three batters on the way to win #7 of the season. The Purple Aces recorded six hits on the day with Taylor Howe going 2-3 with a double and two runs scored.
Pitching was the story as both starters were lights out with the game being scoreless after four innings. Indiana State had the first hit of the day on a leadoff bunt in the first while Hannah Hood’s 1-out double in the top of the second was the first hit of the contest for UE.
As the game progressed, it was obvious that runs would be a premium and Evansville was the first to score on a fluke play that was keyed by heads-up baserunning. Taylor Howe reached on a 1-out double. Up next was Lacy Smith. After striking out, Smith hustled to first on the dropped third strike and forced a throwing error by the Sycamores catcher. Howe scored all the way from first to break the scoreless tie.
In the top of the 7th, UE came through with two important insurance runs. Marah Wood and Howe recorded back-to-back singles with one out. Howe stole second to put two runners in scoring position for pinch hitter Niki Bode. The freshman came through with a single to right center to score both runners and make it a 3-0 game.
From there, Weatherford got the job done as she retired the side in order to clinch the victory.
UE returns home this weekend for its final home series of the season against Missouri State.