Indiana Legislature sends over $835K to accelerate local road improvements
Over $835,000 is headed to Monroe County to accelerate road and bridge improvements, according toarea legislators.
State Rep. Dave Hall (R-Norman) said the local funding from the Community Crossings Matching Grant Program is for road and bridge preservation, road reconstruction, intersection improvements, guardrail replacements, and signage, and can cover material costs for chip sealing and crack filling operations.
“Maintaining our roads and bridges is essential to keeping Indiana moving in the right direction,” Hall said. “We rely on strong infrastructure every day, and we know it’s also critical to keeping and attracting businesses and encouraging economic development.”
Monroe County received a grant for $835,759. In total, 229 towns, cities and counties will receive over $119 million in state matching grants.
State Rep. Bob Heaton (R-Terre Haute) said smaller municipalities provide a 25 percent match in local funds, while large communities provide a 50 percent match. State law requires 50 percent of the available matching funds be awarded annually to communities within counties with a population of 50,000 or fewer. To date, Hoosier communities are on the receiving end of more than $1 billion in Community Crossings Matching Grants, established in 2016 and expanded through laws supported by Heaton.
“With Indiana being known as the Crossroads of America, it’s important we do what it takes to maintain and improve our top-ranked infrastructure,” said State Rep. Peggy Mayfield (R-Martinsville). “Community Crossings grants help locals tackle projects, which can increase quality of life and road safety, and encourage businesses to stay and grow here.”
According to the Indiana Department of Transportation, which oversees and awards the grants, the next call for projects is expected in January. Awards are released two times a year. More information can be found at in.gov/indot/communitycrossings or by emailing LPAQuestions@indot.in.gov.
Ivy Tech offering introductory welding course in Martinsville
Ivy Tech Community College Bloomington is offering a Welding 100 course in Martinsville. The course starts Jan. 17th and will be held Tuesdays from 5-9pm at Martinsville High School. Grant-funding with the state’s Next Level Jobs Workforce Ready grant covers the cost of tuition for eligible students.
In partnership with Martinsville High School, Martinsville Chamber of Commerce, and Structural Components Fabrication, Ivy Tech is offering the WELD 100 course with plans to expand to MIG, TIG, and Stick courses. Future plans include the opportunity to earn a full Structural Welding Certificate entirely in Martinsville.
Welding 100 provides a basic study and application of commonly used welding processes as well as blueprint reading, OSHA 10-hour and welding safety, weld joint design, welding terminology, and welding quality control. Students prepare to take nationally recognized certification exams that qualify them for work in the field.
For more information and to apply, fill out a free application online at ivytech.edu/applynow or email Darrin Dayhoff at ddayhoff1@ivytech.edu.
Indiana receives $15.7 million as part of multistate settlement with e-cigarette maker JUUL
E-cigarette maker JUUL Labs Inc. will pay Indiana more than $15.7 million to settle allegations that the company deliberately marketed its products to minors despite the unlawfulness of selling e-cigarettes to children or adolescents. Indiana’s funds are intended to be used in support of prevention, education, harm reduction and mitigation efforts related to youth using electronic nicotine delivery systems, which include the products commonly known as vapes.
Indiana is one of 32 states participating in a larger agreement under which JUUL will pay out nearly $435 million. JUUL has an option to pay over 6-10 years — with the total payout increasing the longer it takes to pay. If JUUL chooses a 10-year option, Indiana’s amount would exceed $17.1 million. JUUL’s first payment to Indiana will be $1,478,665 — due Dec. 31, 2022. All additional payments are due on Dec. 31 each year.
In 2019, Indiana joined a multistate investigation into JUUL’s activities. That investigation revealed, among other things, that:
- JUUL directed its marketing at youth by using a hashtag marketing strategy and “influencers” with a large youth following on social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.
- JUUL conducted ad campaigns using high-profile promotions, sampling opportunities and youthful models in trendy clothes and provocative poses.
- JUUL’s physical design of its products, along with its flavor options and less-harsh nicotine salt composition, appealed to youth and addicted a new generation to nicotine.
- JUUL made misleading representations to consumers in the marketing, promotion, and sale of its products, leading consumers to believe that its products did not include nicotine at all or, alternatively, contained a lower concentration of nicotine than they do.
- JUUL failed to adequately verify the age of its buyers and allowed minors to purchase its products.
Indiana alleged that JUUL’s misrepresentations and actions were unfair, abusive, deceptive and in violation of Indiana’s Deceptive Consumer Sales Act (DCSA).
Under the agreement, JUUL agrees to:
- refrain from including depictions of persons under the age of 35 in any marketing.
- do no social media advertising except for using testimonials of persons over age 35.
- disclose in all advertising the amount of nicotine in their products.
- no longer provide free samples, sponsorships, product placements, or merchandise sales with their brand name.
- sell no flavored products unless approved by the FDA.
- follow restrictions on product placement in retail stores.
- observe quantity purchase limits on in-store and online purchases.
- participate in specific compliance checks and monitoring for retail stores.
This Week in Hoosier History
1948 – Shelbyville basketball player Bill Garrett became the first African American to play varsity basketball at a Big Ten university. Segregation was common, and African American players were barred from participating in Big Ten basketball. Indiana University President Hermann B. Wells challenged the ban and gave Garrett a chance. Garrett graduated in 1951 as an All-American. His accomplishments created opportunities for other African American players across the Midwest.
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