Fed up with Planned Parenthood affiliates continuing to receive coronavirus stimulus money “illegally,” several Senate Republicans — including Minority Leader Mitch McConnell — are demanding an investigation into why the Small Business Administration continues to write checks to the outfit.

In a letter to SBA Administrator Isabel Guzman, 25 GOP senators said that the affiliates have received $83 million and apparently continue to get money through the Paycheck Protection Program when the rules state they are ineligible.

What’s more, it said that SBA is providing PPP money even after telling Planned Parenthood affiliates they were not eligible for the money and demanded it be returned. Only seven of 38 affiliates have complied.

“It is unconscionable that SBA continues to approve PPP loans made to organizations which are clearly ineligible for funding,” the letter said of the money going to the women’s health and abortion clinics. “This is unacceptable,” it added in calling for an investigation into why the money continues to be provided.

The letter, shared with Secrets, is shown below. Among others that signed it are Indiana Sen. Mike Braun, South Dakota Sen. John Thune and Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso.

Since the program began last year, GOP senators have been demanding that SBA follow the rules that prohibit big companies and organizations from receiving the small business payroll loans, which are really grants that are not expected to be paid back.

When the PPP program was established, the rules prohibited organizations with more than 500 employees, including affiliates, from receiving the money set aside for small shops. According to the senators, Planned Parenthood has 16,000 employees and assets of nearly $2 billion.

The lawmakers said they are concerned that in the latest extension of the program, that Planned Parenthood affiliates are still being given the money. They wrote, “We are concerned that this extension will give remaining Planned Parenthood affiliates time to illegally obtain funds from the program as the SBA has yet to take action on this issue.”

As COVID-19 vaccines continue to roll out, some Hoosiers are still hesitant about getting their shots.

To help assure those on the fence, representatives from the Purdue University School of Nursing and College of Pharmacy and the Indiana University School of Medicine-West Lafayette will present “COVID-19 Vaccines: What You Need to Know,” a virtual event set for 1-2 p.m. ET April 1.

The event is being coordinated by Purdue Extension Health and Human Sciences. Registration is not required. Attendees need only to go here to participate.

“COVID-19 Vaccines: What You Need to Know” will feature short, research-based presentations from the panel of health experts followed by a 30-minute question-and-answer session.

“There’s still, unfortunately, a lot of vaccine hesitancy out there,” said Eric Palmer, a clinical assistant professor in the School of Nursing. “I’m hoping this event will answer a lot of questions.”

Palmer will present his expertise on the benefits of the vaccine, who can get it and why we need it in order to get “back to normalcy.” He will be joined by:

• Nicole Noel, director of Purdue Pharmacy and clinical assistant professor of pharmacy practice.
• Greg Loomis, assistant professor of neurosurgery for the Indiana University School of Medicine-West Lafayette.
• Siena Cooper, MD candidate at Indiana University School of Medicine-West Lafayette and Purdue College of Pharmacy alumni.

The panel will focus on the three major vaccines currently available: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson. Panelists will also discuss barriers to getting the vaccines.

Palmer, who served as a lieutenant commander in the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps for 22 years, specializes in nursing and health care administration and leadership. He has overseen nursing students administering vaccines for years, first with flu shots and now with COVID-19. He hopes the work his program has done the past few months will influence Hoosiers to receive the vaccine. 

“We’re just here to help in the most generous sense of the word possible,” Palmer said. “We want to make sure people have the information they need to be able to make the decision to move forward to get the vaccine — or at least to better understand it.”

Marion Underwood, dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences, knows there are different reasons people may be hesitant about receiving a COVID-19 vaccine. “What You Need to Know” should address those reasons and inform any concerns.

“A year ago, we all faced fear and a lot of unknowns about COVID-19. Now, we have vaccines scientifically proven in clinical trials to be safe and effective in helping our bodies develop immunity to the virus,” Underwood said. “Hopefully, more people will feel encouraged to be vaccinated as vaccines become even more available in Indiana. In the meantime, I encourage everyone to follow the guidelines outlined by the Indiana Department of Health, especially masking and social distancing, to force this virus to subside in our state.”

More information about the event can be found online at purdue.edu/hhs/covid-vaccine.

Road to remain closed through early May, followed by lane closures and flagging

Indiana Department of Transportation contractor E&B Paving Inc. plans to extend the closure of Hardy Lake Road in Scott County as early as next week.

The road is currently closed between Burn Road and Harrod Road but will expand to between S.R. 256 and Harrod Road due to unforeseen utility relocation issues.

Lengthening the closure will help expedite the project following utility delays.

The official detour will follow Whitsitt Road to Harrod Road. Local access will be maintained for residents in the area.

The closure is part of an $894,000 multi-structure replacement project that began in mid-January.

Hardy Lake Road is expected to reopen by early May, followed by lane closures and flagging through the end of the month. All work is expected to be complete prior to the Memorial Day holiday.

Motorists are reminded to slow down, use extra caution and drive distraction-free in and near work zones.

All work is weather-dependent and schedules are subject to change.