Gov. Daniels discovers a way to get even worse press:
Gov. Mitch Daniels paused during a recent news conference to lecture reporters on the proper way to ask questions.Daniels said he was "bemused" by media types who ask about the practical and controversial details of his proposals rather than the wonderful reasons he has for offering them.
Can someone explain the point of a "Buy Indiana" policy if we're just going to turn around and outsource so many state functions to out-of-state and even out-of-country firms?
Based on prior estimates, about 62 percent of state spending went to Indiana companies. Since then, Daniels and the Department of Administration have instituted an effective "Buy Indiana" policy that has raised that total by 22 percent.
Even if the typewriter turns out not to be one of Ernie's, it's cool that people even care:
Hoosiers continue to get disrespected by those in surrounding states, and no one even seems to care:
Gov. Mitch Daniels is expected to formally announce today that Indiana and Illinois will study construction of the Illiana Expressway.
Daniels is expected to discuss a "memorandum of understanding" between the states that will have Indiana take the lead on an initial corridor planning study for the route.
A look inside the Indiana State Prison courtesy of an MSNBC interview with a documentary producer:
Contraband is a big problem at ISP. It's amazing the things these guys in IA manage to uncover; everything from weapons to drugs, cell phones and even a home-rigged power drill that was apparently made by an inmate preparing an escape. His plan was to drill through his cell wall.
Today's quiz: What did President James Madison sign on Dec. 11, 1816?
Answer: the congressional resolution making Indiana the 19th state. Happy 190th, everybody.
No, no, a thousand times no:
Is now the time for the Indiana General Assembly to consider a progressive income tax? When Gov. Mitch Daniels proposed a one-year higher tax rate for upper income households, his idea died faster than the annual hopes of a Cubs fan.
More than 30 states already have some form of a progressive income tax, which in good times builds government reserves that can be used when revenues decline in bad times.
Liquor stores will be closed this year on a day that is traditionally one of their busiest - New Year's Eve - because the holiday falls on a Sunday.
Indiana prohibits all take out liquor sales on Sundays. This year both Christmas Eve and New Year's Eve fall on Sundays, and liquor stores must also be closed for the Monday holidays of Christmas Day and New Year's Day.
Not all small towns in Indiana are the same. Valparaiso goes the smoking ban route:
A task force formed earlier this year distributed 2,500 surveys to Valparaiso-area residents, 915 of whom responded largely with a desire for a smoking ban in restaurants and the workplace.
The council also approved a four-point amendment to the ordinance, one point of which called for another study by the ordinance task force to further discuss the percentage of smoking rooms that may be included in hotels.
