COVID-19

In response to a nearly $1 billion revenue shortfall due to the novel coronavirus, Gov. Eric Holcomb announced plans to reduce agency appropriations for the next fiscal year – with additional maintenance and capital projects on the chopping block. 

State agencies are being asked to review operations, space, travel and hiring to cut their budgets by 15 percent.

State Health Commissioner Kris Box has for weeks been urging people in high-risk populations – those 65 and older or with underlying health conditions – to get tested for COVID-19.

But Box also says that guidance doesn’t necessarily apply to everyone in those groups.

Early one April morning, inmates at Indiana’s Plainfield Correctional Facility found a fellow inmate unconscious in his bed. 

“He was barely breathing when we first tried to wake him up,” says one of the inmates, who asked to be identified by his middle name, Andrew, because he feared retaliation from prison staff. “For about 20, 25 minutes, the [correctional officers] were trying to wake him up, so finally, they called the medical emergency.” 

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has seen an increase in hunting licenses recently, likely due to “Stay-At-Home” orders and unemployment from COVID-19. It's the first time license sales have been up in several years. 

DNR Director Cameron Clark says hunting license sales have gone up by about 13,000 — especially for spring turkey hunts. He says combination hunting and fishing licenses are also up by about 1,800.

“With the 'Stay-At-Home' order and some people out of work, we figured more people had the time to get out and hunt,” Clark says.

The University of Notre Dame announced plans on Monday for students to return to campus for the fall 2020 semester. Students have been taking online classes since mid-March due to the pandemic.

Notre Dame officials say they’ve taken the last two months to develop a plan with medical professionals to prevent a COVID-19 outbreak when students return. The plan includes COVID-19 testing, contact tracing, and isolation protocols. It also includes plans for social distancing, mask requirements, and increased cleaning.