Indiana
Indiana bird flu cases explode, killing chickens, sandhill cranes, other waterfowl
New deadly bird flu strain emerges
As the bird flu continues to spread across the country, there’s new evidence it’s mutating beyond chickens and cows.
Fox – Seattle
Nearly 7 million chickens, turkeys and ducks at commercial farms across Indiana have contracted the highly contagious bird flu this year and concerns are rising with the disease now affecting wild birds, including waterfowl and at least one Bald Eagle.
Avian influenza, more commonly known as bird flu, has been identified in 20 commercial poultry facilities in Indiana since Jan. 1, according to state data, marking a significant increase in cases over recent years.
There currently is no cure for the disease, which has a high mortality rate among birds but remains low risk to people, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Denise Derrer Spears, the spokeswoman of the Indiana State Board of Animal Health, said the impact of bird flu varies from year to year.
“Cases have been trickling in since the first weeks of January,” she said, “but in the last week or so it has ramped up and that’s concerning.”
So far in 2025, officials have identified 6.9 million affected birds compared to about 13,100 in 2024 and less than two dozen in 2023. The bulk of cases this year are concentrated in Jay and Jackson counties, with totals of roughly 4 million and 2.5 million reported, respectively.
The jump in cases is not a major surprise due to the number of reports in neighboring states, Derrer Spears said. Ohio has been dealing with a high number of cases and many of those are concentrated at sites on or near the Indiana border.
Case numbers in Indiana are up due primarily to the disease hitting large-scale poultry farms that hold a million or more birds.
“Typically, there will be multiple houses or barns on a facility that has a large number of birds, and it is very difficult when in close proximity to keep virus out of one building,” Derrer Spears said.
Bird flu kills thousands of Indiana waterfowl
The disease has also been found in wild birds in the state. Waterfowl migrating to and through Indiana often flock in large groups, allowing them spread the disease where they congregate or stop.
Eli Fleace, an avian health biologist with Indiana’s Department of Natural Resources, said reports of dying sandhill cranes have been rolling in since January. Dead sandhills have been found this year in Union, Greene, Jasper, Newton, LaPorte and Stark counties, and DNR estimates roughly 1,500 have died across the state.
Snow geese, Canada geese, red-breasted mergansers, common goldeneyes and mallards have also died due to avian influenza, Fleace said. The bird flu has been found in at least one Bald Eagle and a handful of hawks and owls that can pick up the disease by scavenging on carcasses of infected birds.
“Avian influenza has been around since ducks have been around and we’ve had these outbreaks in the past,” Fleace said. “But it’s usually not this dramatic and often they go away after one season. This particular strain is behaving differently than every other strain has in the past.”
The current strain of bird flu (H5N1 clade 2.3.4.4), which was identified in 2021, is highly contagious and has persisted for multiple seasons, Fleace said. It is now widespread across the landscape, Fleace said, and bird populations will need to work through the disease and build up a stronger immunity.
Hoosiers who suspect a dead bird was affected with avian influenza should make a report online at on.in.gov/sickwildlife.
Does bird flu affect public health?
The CDC classifies bird flu as very low risk to humans and reports only 70 cases in the U.S. with one associated death from the disease. None of those cases were in Indiana.
Birds that die from avian influenza are not suitable to eat, Derrer Spears said, but eggs bought in the grocery store are safe and shoppers do not need to worry about eating them.
Eggs from backyard chicken coops exposed to bird flu should not be eaten or given to pets. Cats are especially susceptible to bird flu.
What’s being done about egg prices?
With hundreds of millions of affected poultry across the country, egg prices have soared as the supply dwindled.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced a $1 billion strategy Tuesday to curb bird flu cases and lower egg prices, according to a news release.
The USDA is planning to expand its wildlife biosecurity measures by deploying 20 epidemiologists and expanding audits for affected farms. The department will also increase its aid to farmers to help restock their flocks and research vaccines and therapeutics for avian influenza.
The department will also consider importing more eggs while decreasing exports, which could be complicated by the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs set to begin in March.
IndyStar’s environmental reporting project is made possible through the generous support of the nonprofit Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust.
Karl Schneider is an IndyStar environment reporter. You can reach him at karl.schneider@indystar.com. Follow him on BlueSky @karlstartswithk.bsky.social
Indiana
Indy restaurants have a chance for Michelin recognition as inspectors scour culinary scene
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis will be included in the inaugural American Great Lakes Michelin Guide, a move expected to elevate the city’s culinary scene.
The partnership with Michelin will bring inspectors to Indianapolis restaurants, with results of evaluations expected in approximately one year.
The French tire company says restaurants in Indianapolis and five other cities will be featured. On Thursday, Morgan Snyder, Visit Indy’s vice president of communications and community relations, joined Daybreak to discuss what this means for the city.
She says Michelin inspectors are currently evaluating restaurants in Indianapolis after determining the city was a strong contender for recognition.
The evaluation process reportedly began without the city’s prior knowledge. “So unbeknownst to us, Michelin came into the market and was scouring our culinary scene,” Snyder said. “And then they decided Indianapolis is a strong contender and could put forth some Michelin restaurants.”
Indianapolis was invited to participate alongside five other Midwestern cities in this guide expansion.
“Not every city in the Midwest was invited,” Snyder said. “So, we should be excited about that opportunity that we have a seat at the table.”
Michelin recognition includes categories such as one, two, or three stars, Bib Gourmand distinctions, and Green Stars.
Michelin established a restaurant rating system in 1900, ranking the best with from one to three stars based on anonymous inspections evaluating ingredients, techniques, flavor, chef personalities, and consistency. The company created the guide to encourage more driving — and thus wear out more tires — by providing drivers with maps, hotel information, and dining recommendations.
“We’re humble Hoosiers often, and we don’t brag about our restaurants as much as we should, but there are so many incredible restaurants in our city,” Snyder said.
Aligning with the globally recognized Michelin brand, Snyder said this could enhance the perception of Indianapolis as a culinary destination and boost tourism. Michelin recognition also historically increases revenues for recognized chefs.
“There’s data that proves the (Michelin brand) increases tourism; there’s data that proves that Michelin-recognized chefs see an increase in their revenues if they’re Michelin-recognized.” She added, “So the proof is there that aligning with a Michelin brand can really move the needle in raising the game for an entire destination.”
The inaugural restaurant selection for the Great Lakes region — Cleveland, Detroit, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh — will be revealed in 2027.
The Michelin Guide has expanded across North America over several years. Its first North American Guide was for New York in 2005.
This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and
edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.
Indiana
Committee recommends earlier teen curfew for summer in Indianapolis
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — In a 9-to-1 vote, the Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee of the Indianapolis City-County Council on Wednesday night recommended to move forward with a teenage curfew this summer.
Committee members say the curfew would be two hours earlier that once initiated last summer, if the full council approves it. The next council meeting will be 7 p.m. May 4.
Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department thinks teens showing disorderly or disruptive behavior may be stopped. Police Chief Tanya Terry backed the proposal, citing a troubling rise in youth violence. “We need to intervene early in a non-intrusive way and provide support to our young people.”
She said youth shooting victims were up 22% in the first three months of 2026 compared to the same time in 2025. Youth homicides were up by 4%.
“Keeping young people out of situations where they are more likely to be victims or be involved in violence is a priority and a shared responsibility that we all have. This is about safety and awareness for teens and their parents. It’s not about punishment its about partnership and prevention,” Terry said.
Under the proposal, under-15s must be home between 9 p.m. daily and 5 a.m. the next day. Teens age 15-17 must be home between 11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 5 a.m. the next day, and between 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 5 a.m. the next day. Exceptions would be made for youths with their parents, at-school events, or heading to or from work.
The city’s proposal would make the curfew start 2 hours earlier than the state’s curfew.
Teens who are stopped will be taken to a reunification center where they will be linked to community organizations.
If approved, the curfew would last 120 days.
Democratic council member Leroy Robinson, who chairs the public safety committee, said Wednesday, “Will it prevent and stop every single crime by a young person? Absolutely not. But what it will do, it will give enforcement policies to help our young people this summer, give them guardrails to support parents as well to reduce violence in our cities.”
Some councilors say more action is needed. Republican council member Josh Bain suggested Wednesday, “Showing that we take this seriously by putting the curfew fines in effect for parents and guardians of these habitual violators.”
Indiana
Chicago Bears deal could mean more toll road hikes in Indiana
Are the Chicago Bears serious about Indiana? House speaker weighs in
Will the Chicago Bears move to Indiana or are they just using us as a bargaining chip? House Speaker Todd Huston gives the latest.
More frequent toll hikes may be in Hoosier commuters’ future as part of the promised renegotiation of the Indiana Toll Road lease ― one of several carrots in the financing package Indiana lawmakers approved to lure the Chicago Bears to Hammond ― per an Indiana Finance Authority resolution that state lawmakers will review on April 16.
Under this agreement, which by law is subject to review by the State Budget Committee, the Indiana Toll Road’s private operator will be able to implement toll increases twice a year, rather than once, in exchange for lump sums totaling $700 million that may be put toward infrastructure or transportation projects in the seven northern Indiana counties near the proposed stadium site.
This was just one element of the state law the General Assembly passed nearly unanimously to incentivize the Chicago Bears to choose Indiana for the NFL team’s next home. Senate Enrolled Act 27 also creates a northwest Indiana stadium authority, a special taxing district around the theoretical stadium, and a litany of hospitality taxes the local governments would need to approve.
The Indiana Toll Road stretches 157 miles across northern Indiana from border to border. From end to end, the tolls cost just over $16 for the passenger car driver or up to $100 for the largest trucks.
Under the toll road’s current agreement, toll increases of at least 2% are assessed once a year. The amended agreement the Indiana Finance Authority approved on April 14 would change that to twice a year at a rate of at least 1.5%. In both cases, the increases could be higher if the rate of inflation is higher than those thresholds.
In exchange, the toll road operator would pay the state $300 million within a month, another $200 million within a year and another $200 million within two years. This money would be put into a special reserve fund, which can then be used to reimburse those seven northern border counties for infrastructure projects over the next three years, per Senate Enrolled Act 27.
The seven counties that stand to benefit from the infrastructure investments ― Elkhart, LaGrange, Lake, LaPorte, Porter, Steuben and St. Joseph counties ― are connected to Hammond and the approximate proposed stadium site through the South Shore Line, a commuter train to and from Chicago.
Meanwhile, the Bears are still in talks with Illinois lawmakers about a financing deal that would keep the Bears in the originally planned Arlington Heights site. Those lawmakers are in session until the end of May.
Per state law, the finance authority can’t officially enact this agreement until after the state budget committee reviews it. That will happen at 1 p.m. April 16.
Contact IndyStar Statehouse reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on X@kayla_dwyer17.
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