Indiana pharmacists now can offer more immunizations to customers.

A new law that went into effect today, (Mon-July1) allows your local pharmacist to now vaccinate you against pneumonia, tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis, HPV infections and meningitis.

The goal is to make immunizations more available to the public and drive down health care costs.

The state already has more than 27-hundred pharmacists trained to provide the shots and several hundred new ones are added annually.

A historical marker to memorialize the late Governor Ralph Gates will be dedicated Tuesday (July 2nd) in Columbia City. The 37th Governor of Indiana was born in Columbia City in 1893.

He served as Governor of Indiana from 1945 to 1949. During his administration, state departments were created to address issues on revenue, flood control, veterans‘ affairs and traffic safety.

Additionally, he focused on education reform, development of Indiana’s highway system and industrial growth. Senator Jim Banks says the historical marker is a overdue honor for someone who played a major role not only in the Columbia City community, but in the state.   

The ceremony will be at 1:15 p.m. on the Whitley County Courthouse lawn.

Good times await the thousands of people who will visit 4-H fairs this month in more than 80 Indiana counties, but so does the risk of getting sick.   

Health officials say remember those common safe hygiene practices when you pick up your favorite fair food and then head to the livestock barns. Pigs especially can be infected with influenza strains that occur in different species.

Influenza A -(SWINE FLU) made its way around Indiana last year with 138 cases in 24 counties. One of the easiest and most important precautions we can take is to wash our hands often with soap and avoid face-to-face contact with animals.

Symptoms of variant influenza A include: fever, cough, sore throat, chills, headache and muscle aches. Diarrhea and nausea can also occur in children.

Fort Wayne is the smartest city in Indiana according to a new survey.

Real estate blog Movoto.com has released its latest ranking.

The 2013 list ranks Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania as the “Smartest City In America.” The ranking uses six criteria that include: the number of colleges, libraries, media outlets and museums in each city along with public school ranking and education levels.

Fort Wayne comes in at number 35. Indianapolis doesn‘t even make the top 50. Orlando, DC, Atlanta, Honolulu, Tampa, Seattle, San Francisco, Cincinnati and Miami round out the top ten.

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.