Statewide News

Indiana is one of many states that relies on the Environmental Protection Agency to make sure its schools are keeping kids safe from asbestos. In high doses, it can cause cancer and other diseases. But a new report by the agency’s internal watchdog shows the EPA isn’t making asbestos a priority. 

Tuesday a list of allegations against Catholic priests and deacons in the Fort Wayne-South Bend diocese was released by Bishop Kevin Rhoades.

WVPE Jennifer Weingart spoke to Tim O’Malley, the director for education at the McGrath Institute for Church Life at the University of Notre Dame about the list, and about being a Catholic right now.

Indiana Supreme Court Chief Justice Loretta Rush says she’s encouraged by progress shown in a new type of specialty court.

There are several types of so-called “problem-solving” courts. They include drug courts to help with the state’s addiction epidemic and others aimed at military veterans. Rush says one of the newest types is family recovery courts.

Every day, Amanda Moller scoops powdered formula out of a can and shakes it up with water from her kitchen sink in University City, Missouri, a suburb of St. Louis. “It's like mixing a cocktail,” she said, "but not that much fun."

The Indiana Department of Health is reviewing a order from a judge that recommends a proposed abortion clinic in South Bend be licensed.

A map of articles reporting algal blooms across the country by the Environmental Working Group reveals a widespread problem. But that algae doesn’t seem to be contaminating Indiana’s drinking water as much as it is in other states. 

School safety has been a hot issue after highly publicized shootings – including one in Indiana – this year. But so far, only a few school corporations have sought out loans through a new state program to fund safety improvements.

The American Association of University Women’s 2018 gender pay gap report ranks Indiana 49th out of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

The Indiana commission tasked with a reform of the state’s alcohol laws will finalize its recommendations for the General Assembly at the end of the month.

Researchers are worried about how climate issues will impact fish and other life in the water. The Purdue Climate Change Research Center released its latest report Wednesday. 

Indiana communities now have new tools to help them adapt to the shifting climate. Mayors and representatives from about 18 Indiana cities heard more at the Climate Leadership Summit in Indianapolis on Thursday. 

The Indiana Supreme Court could overturn a state law that bars cities from charging more than $5 in annual fees to landlords for their rental properties.

The state Water Infrastructure Task Force held its first official meeting Wednesday. Legislators created the group last year to study the state’s water systems and make a plan to tackle water and wastewater needs. 

Though many websites offer non-scientific ratings on a number of services, two Indiana University scientists say judging hospitals that way likely isn’t fair.

Nearly 100,000 people are waiting for a kidney transplant in the U.S., but many will never get one. Instead they’ll stay on dialysis for the rest of their lives. A team of doctors in Philadelphia have found a possible solution to this problem, by infecting patients with a potentially fatal virus.

Advocates for human trafficking victims say the state needs a single point of contact to direct victims to the services they need.

State lawmakers Wednesday debated the best way to set up such a system.

Indiana officials say the vast majority of unwanted telephone calls reported by Hoosiers are scams.

And officials say that’s the problem with the state’s Do Not Call list – it wasn’t designed to prevent scams.

Indiana Deputy Attorney General Marguerite Sweeney says at least 70 percent of unwanted phone call complaints are about scams. And that’s in part why the Do Not Call list won’t stop them.

Jeff Staker leads Hoosier Veterans for Medical Cannabis. At the VFW in Kokomo, Staker has a stack of books about cannabis and health benefits.

The past few years he watched the debate on CBD.

"I think I was really frustrated because you hear the same story again and again and you think what is up with these politicians not listening," says Staker.

Ball State University has found a curious correlation in its enrollment numbers over the last few years.  As IPR’s Stephanie Wiechmann reports, school officials are now asking whether larger-than-normal freshman classes caused a downturn in how many of those students stayed for year two.

Last year’s freshman class at Ball State set a record – 4,002 students. And university student affairs officials say the Muncie school has seen an above-average class size for the past eight years.