Indiana Attorney General takes on Federal Trade Commission
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is leading 12 states seeking to free companies from unconstitutional federal constraints that hinder such crucial work as the development of life-saving cancer screens. AG Rokita’s action comes in response to a decision by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) to block a vertical merger of two companies working to develop a product that can screen for more than 50 types of cancer in asymptomatic patients. The FTC, citing antitrust concerns, lost its case in front of an FTC administrative law judge in 2022. The agency persisted in its agenda to block the merger and took its case to the friendliest tribunal possible — the FTC Board of Commissioners — which overturned the administrative law judge’s decision and ordered divestiture of the two companies.
On behalf of Indiana and the 11 other states, AG Rokita submitted an amicus brief in support of petitioners Illumina Inc. and Grail Inc. — who are asking the Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals to review the FTC Board of Commissioners decision blocking the merger of cancer screening test developer Grail and its former parent company, Illumina.
Noblesville bank held up, suspect still on the loose
Hamilton County Detectives are investigating an armed robbery at the Noblesville Chase Bank on Friday morning, after a man with a handgun stole an undisclosed amount of money. The Noblesville Police Department said employees described a Black male with a handgun demanded money at approximately 10:15am. The suspect then fled the bank in a black Dodge Charger or Challenger, heading west on Logan Street. There were no reported injuries in the attack.
Bloomington receives updated street, side path, sidewalk, and accessible curb ramp condition data
During Wednesday’s, June 7, City Council meeting, the Bloomington Department of Public Works (DPW) Street Division presented a citywide assessment recently completed of the current condition of streets, sidewalks, multiuse paths, and accessible curb ramps. The full report is available at: https://bton.in/C8BFi
The data will be utilized to assist in administering the City’s Sidewalk Repair Assistance Program, as well as to better target accessible curb ramp improvements, identify areas of concern, and provide for better planning and budgeting for maintenance and future improvements for both our motorized and non-motorized transportation networks. This project builds upon a similar effort that was last performed in 2017-2018 by DPW, with the support of the Innovation Director, and updates the condition data that was collected at that time for these important transportation assets.
The Board of Public Works approved a contract with the Infrastructure Management Service (IMS) Company in September of 2021 to undertake this project. Condition data and a variety of focused infrastructure metrics were collected between the spring and fall of 2022 via an IMS crew in a vehicle that incorporated Light Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) technology. LIDAR is more time efficient than visual data collection alone and allows for real-time data collection while providing more uniform, accurate and precise reporting.
One of the major data sets collected was the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), which is a numerical rating of the pavement condition based on the type and severity of distress observed on the pavement surface. Updated PCI data was collected for all of the City’s 239 miles of public-use streets, and staff has already begun to use these fresh ratings to prepare targeted paving improvements during the development of the City’s annual paving schedule.
Additionally, the analysis included a number of detailed condition overviews for the City’s current street network and provided a comparison to the PCI data collected from the last assessment project that was conducted in 2017-2018. There is also a financial report that provides recommended funding levels needed to achieve specific PCI improvement target options within a five-year budgeting period. In addition to street data, the City is receiving PCI data for the 22.9 miles of paved public-use side paths for the first time ever, along with an updated asset condition picture for the 251-mile-long sidewalk network and its 6,006 associated Americans with Disability Act-compliant accessible curb ramps.
This Week in Hoosier History
1988 The Indianapolis Zoo opened in its new location at White River Park. It had moved from its original site in Washington Park.
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