A new Harvard University study takes a sobering look at the nation‘s housing market.

The study called, “The State of the Nation‘s Housing 2013,” says despite rising home prices, growing demand and historically low interest rates, Americans remain in a state of housing crises.

The study says many Americans remain delinquent on mortgages and owe more than their homes are worth. On the rental side, the study says many Americans, especially low income renters are spending much of their income on housing. Indianapolis-based Greg Cooper is a real estate broker with The Richwine Group of Prudential.

Cooper says the market is improving, but major red tape in the credit process remains a big hurdle for would-be homebuyers. Cooper says there are also issues with valuations and appraisals needed for refinancing.

Cooper blames government regulation for many of the issues consumers face. Cooper says simplifying the process is definitely needed.

The grain elevator explosion in LaPorte County is the latest in a series of grain bin mishaps involving farmers or elevator operators… some of which can be fatal.

The Jasper County Farm Bureau is making sure that their member farmers can survive any grain bin accidents.

They‘re presenting “Liberty Rescue Tubes” today (Thurs) to each of the county‘s four volunteer fire departments. The tubes are rigid, can be expanded and can be pushed thru the grain to protect a trapped person until the bin can be opened and the person freed.

Farm Bureau president and CEO Daryl King says the rescue tubes, provided by Liberty Rescue Systems are part of their grain safety education effort.

King says volunteer firefighters have gone through training and classroom courses on how to use the tubes, and the Sheriff‘s Department and Indiana State Police know that they have the equipment in case they‘re called out to a grain bin accident.

The Tri-County FFA paid for the rescue tubes, which cost $12-thousand dollars.

Governor Mike Pence and officials launched a new initiative aimed at bolstering small businesses across the state.

The Governor signed an executive order creating the Office of Small Business & Entrepreneurship. Executive Director Jason Schpok says the office will help the state combine, share and extend small business resources.

Schpok says the office will be a resource to help Hoosiers start and sustain small businesses. Lt. Governor Sue Ellspermann will oversee the new agency.

She says it‘s the state‘s way of playing a more active role in job creation and sustaining Indiana‘s business friendly climate.

Schpok says the office currently receives funding from the Small Business Administration and other community partners, but the Governor will seek additional approval and support from state lawmakers.

Indiana Conservation Officers are urging everyone who enjoys boating or is planning to spend time on a boat this summer to be aware of the dangers of alcohol use on the water.   

Spokesman Jake Carlile is putting out the word about ‘Operation Dry Water.‘   

Carlile says that in 2012, there were 62 boat accidents in Indiana that resulted in 22 injuries and two deaths. So far in 2013, he says there have been 27 drowning‘s in the state.

Nationally, 17 percent of boating fatalities involve alcohol use.    

Operation Dry Water is set to begin this weekend.

Congressman Todd Young is pleased to announce that seven high school students from the 9th District won awards in the 2013 Congressional Art Competition.

The top three winners were from Salem High School including the first place piece by Sydney Calhoun — will be hung in the U.S. Capitol for millions of visitors to see during the next year.

Kellen Hazlelip and Lizz Conley were the 2^nd and third place winners.

Calhoun’s work will be on display in the corridor connecting the U.S. Capitol Building to the House Office Buildings.

She received two tickets to fly to D.C. and attend a reception in her honor along with other art contest winners from Congressional Districts throughout the country.

Winners included:

• First Place: Sydney Calhoun (Salem High School) for her charcoal and pastels drawing, “Deep Contemplation”
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• Second Place: Kellen Hazelip (Salem High School) for his charcoal and pastels drawing, “Self Portrait”
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• Third Place: Lizz Conley (Salem High School) for her charcoal drawing, “Cappuccino”
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• Fourth Place: Ashley Krininger (North Harrison High School for her dry point drawing, “Self Portrait”
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• Audience Choice Award (from Facebook voting) and Honorable Mention: Jeanna Gerlach (Franklin Community High School) for her layout markers drawing, “Freedom”
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• Honorable Mention: Will Taylor (New Albany High School) for his oil painting, “Look Down”
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• Honorable Mention: Hunter Cooper (New Albany High School) for his photograph, “Memorial”
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Each Spring, high school students from Congressional Districts throughout the country are invited to participate in the Congressional Art Competition.

This year there were 42 pieces of art submitted from high schools across the 9th District, which are on display in the Jeffersonville Constituent Service Center.

The pieces are also displayed on Young’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.637867982905336.1073741836.186203844738421&type=1&l=8e0d8d3e3e

The artwork was judged by Dr. Anne Allen, Art History Professor, Fine Arts Dept, IUS;  Donna Stallard, Lecturer in Fine Arts  at IUS; and Laura Wilkins, Director of Marketing and Outreach, The Carnegie Center for Art and History.

In addition, this year constituents were able to vote for their favorite student-submitted artwork through Young’s Facebook page, and those votes made up 25% of the total score. Students, parents and art teachers who would like to learn more about the CAC are encouraged to contact the Jeffersonville District Office at 812-288-3999.

The parents of missing I-U student Lauren Spierer have filed a lawsuit against the three men who last saw their daughter alive.

The suit was originally filed in Monroe County Court in late May but was later transferred to federal court. It alleges that Corey Rossman, Jason Rosenbaum and Michael Beth were negligent in providing Lauren Spierer with alcohol, despite the signs of extreme intoxication, and allowing her to walk home alone. The Spierers claim that negligence resulted in the disappearance, injury and death of Lauren.

Robert and Charlene Spierer claim in the suit that Beth observed that Lauren was extremely intoxicated and witnessed Rossman encourage her to join him at Kilroy‘s Sports Bar in order to consume more alcohol. A witness observed that as Lauren entered Kilroy‘s, she appeared intoxicated, had trouble standing and relied on Rossman‘s assistance to walk.

The lawsuit goes on to say that Spierer was observed by multiple people in a distressed, incoherent and nonresponsive state near the elevator on the fifth floor of her apartment building with Rossman, who engaged in a physical confrontation with one of those people after being confronted for not assisting Lauren to her apartment.

The apartment was 100 yards from the elevator. The document says Rossman and Spierer returned to Rossman and Beth‘s apartment and, concerned for her well-being, Beth attempted to convince Spierer to sleep on their couch. When Spierer asked to return to her apartment, Beth escorted her to Rosenbaum‘s apartment, which was in the same complex. Rosenbaum attempted to contact friends to take Spierer home but when he was unsuccessful, he allowed Spierer to walk home on her own. Spierer hasn‘t been seen since that time.

“Rob and Charlene Spierer authorized the filing of this lawsuit with great reluctance and only after we counseled them that they would lost certain legal rights if not exercised by the 2-year anniversary of Lauren‘s disappearance.” said Jason Barclay, attorney for the Spierers. “We hope no one will misinterpret this action. Any parent in search of information about a missing child would use every resource available to them.

Therefore, we intend to use the rights afforded by the civil justice system to obtain answers to questions that have gone unanswered for too long. We fully expect that those with relevant information will cooperate with this process.” The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages including attorney‘s fees and any further relief deemed necessary by the court.

Like the rest of the nation, Indiana is experiencing a renovation boom.

That‘s according to Builders Association of Greater Indianapolis CEO Steve Lains. National figures show renovation spending will jump by 20-percent this year. Reports say that‘s due in part to the economic upswing and the shortage of available land on which to build new homes in the nation‘s urban areas. Lains says the current trend has led to a shortage of home building materials.

He says many drywall, lumber and insulation plants shut down during the recession and are coming back. Lains adds that prices for home building commodities are going up again.

He also says builders and contractors are feeling the pinch due to the loss of workers during the recession and are hiring again.

A piece of World War II history is coming back home to Indiana.   

The prow of the battleship the USS Indiana has been acquired by Indiana University. The prow is the forward most portion of the bow – the front of the battleship that served the Pacific theater during the war.

It was donated to the university by the family of Frank Spenger, who collected Navy memorabilia and saved the prow from being scrapped.

It has been on display outside the family‘s seafood restaurant in Berkeley, California for several years.   At the USS Indiana display at the Indiana War Memorial museum is a scale model of the last Naval vessel to be named for the state.

Memorial director Gen. Stewart Goodwin (Ret.) says it was commissioned in April 1942 as one of the ships built to replace the Pacific fleet destroyed by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor four months prior. “This has 16-inch guns, so each time it fired, it was like throwing a Volkswagen across the horizon, 2,000 pounds per shell,” said Goodwin.

The Indiana earned nine battle stars during the war, participating in the invasion of the Gilbert Islands in November 1943 and the Marshall Islands in January 1944, as well as the Marianas campaign in June 1944. Following an overhaul, she returned to the Western Pacific in January 1945 in time to participate in the invasion of Iwo Jima.   

Like many battleships from the Second World War, the Indiana was decommissioned soon afterward, as the needs of the military changed along with warfare tactics. The ship went out of service in 1947 and was sold for scrap in the 1960‘s.

There are a variety of pieces scattered across the state. “We have the ship‘s wheel here at the War Memorial as well as the ship‘s bell,” said Ethan Wright, director of the Indiana War Memorial Museum. “The mainmast is down at Memorial Stadium at I.U., and the anchor is at War Memorial Stadium in Fort Wayne.”
I.U. will acquire the ship‘s prow in July and will display it outside Memorial Stadium alongside the mainmast and two of the ship‘s guns.

“The fact that we have an opportunity to preserve a physical piece of this legacy and provide a lasting home for it at the state‘s flagship public university is a source of immense pride that I share with all Hoosiers.” said IU President Michael McRobbie.

The prow will be dedicated September 7th, appropriately enough, just before the Hoosiers‘ football game against Navy.

The Hoosier Idol Talent Show which earlier was to be held at the grandstand at the Washington County Fair has been moved to the Salem Middle School.

The move is due to flooding in some areas around the fairgrounds and inclement weather.

According to the WSLM/International Woods Digital Weather Station, the Washington County area recieved more than an inch of rain in about an hour. More than 30 lightening strikes were recorded in the same time frame.

The program will start at 8pm.

All previous tickets sold will be honored at the school.

The Washington County Fair Board has determined the Hoosier Idol Talent Show will still be held at the grandstand at the fairgrounds tonight.

The program starts at 8p.