Indiana
Holcomb invests $10 million in volunteer firefighter equipment • Indiana Capital Chronicle
Gov. Eric Holcomb on Tuesday announced $10 million in new personal protective equipment (PPE) for volunteer firefighters across Indiana.
Most Indiana communities are served by volunteer fire departments, operating on shoestring budgets with dilapidated equipment, a press release said. Some wear protective gear and self-contained breathing apparatuses (SCBA) that may be more than a decade old.
Through Gov. Holcomb’s 2023 Next Level Agenda, $17.7 million was allocated to firefighters for PPE and new training facilities for volunteer stations across Indiana. This investment marks the first time the Indiana General Assembly has dedicated funds specifically to firefighters. The only other funding source for firefighters is tax revenue from the sale of fireworks in Indiana.
“While most people run from dangerous situations, firefighters run toward them to serve their community,” Holcomb said. “This investment is long overdue in our state. Nothing could be more important than for these brave men and women to be both properly suited and trained. It’s how we can best serve them as they serve us.”
The $10 million will purchase 940 complete sets of PPE and SCBA, benefiting 66 fire departments across every Indiana fire district. The selection process addressed the poorest volunteer departments first and those with the oldest equipment.
“I travel extensively across the state, and I’m shocked sometimes at the rags that some of these men and women are wearing on fire scenes. They run into burning buildings and are supposed to feel protected,” said Indiana State Fire Marshal Steve Jones. “The volunteer fire service is the backbone of Indiana fire protection. This investment is long overdue, and we will be working hard to find additional funding to enhance safety even more in the years to come.”
The funds are administered by the Indiana Fire and Public Safety Academy, led by the Indiana State Fire Marshal and the Indiana Department of Homeland Security. The vendor, MES Inc., will work directly with individual firefighters to measure and fit the equipment before delivery.
IDHS accepted submissions for several months in 2023 to determine the highest need departments. Here is a list of the departments that received gear.
Indiana
Indiana aims for program's first 9-0 start at Michigan State
EAST LANSING, Mich. (AP) — No. 13 Indiana hopes the milestone moments do not end anytime soon.
The Hoosiers already produced the most lopsided win in school history, 77-3 over Western Illinois, and matched the most lopsided Big Ten win in school history, 56-7 over Nebraska.
Indiana (8-0, 5-0) will be aiming for its next target when it visits Michigan State (4-4, 2-3) as the Hoosiers have never started the season with nine consecutive wins in the program’s 137 years.
“Our goal is to really go 1-0 each week,” said Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, who was named the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week following his two interceptions Saturday against Washington. “We’re definitely not satisfied with just 8-0. We didn’t come here to say we wanted to be 8-0. We’re not satisfied at all.”
Indiana has kept its record unblemished because of the way it starts and finishes games. The Hoosiers are the nation’s only team that has held all of its opponents scoreless in the first quarter, piling up an 87-0 advantage. They have also played particularly well in the fourth quarter, outscoring opponents 101-20.
“I think we’re executing well to start the game,” said Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, who is the first FBS coach to post consecutive 8-0 starts at different schools. “In the fourth quarter, we’ve been strong. Probably credit to a lot of things. I think a lot of times we just built that momentum because we’ve been scoring and kind of distancing ourselves from whoever it is we’re playing.”
That momentum has resulted in double-digit margins of victory in all eight games and enabled Indiana to be one of two teams to never trail this season.
Quarterback Kurtis Rourke’s status
Cignetti is hopeful that Rourke will return to the starting lineup Saturday after missing one game due to surgery on his right thumb.
If Rourke doesn’t play, Tayven Jackson will make his second straight start. If Rourke plays, the big question will be how effectively he can grip the ball and throw accurately, something he struggled with before leaving the Nebraska game.
“Optimistic on Kurtis Rourke,” Cignetti said at his weekly news conference Monday. “He’s thrown the last few days, building up. Workload will increase as the week goes on. That’s all I’m going to say about it.”
Rourke, who has the best passing efficiency (188.70) among FBS quarterbacks, has 1,941 passing yards with 15 touchdowns and just three interceptions in seven starts.
Michigan State’s appeal denied
Michigan State will be missing linebacker Jordan Turner for the first half of Saturday’s game as the Big Ten denied his appeal of a targeting ejection during last week’s game against Michigan.
Turner’s targeting came on the final play of the third quarter, when he lowered his helmet and was determined to hit the helmet of Michigan quarterback Alex Orji. The review occurred between the third and fourth quarters.
Turner, a transfer from Wisconsin and a co-captain, leads the Spartans in tackles (48), tackles for a loss (7.5) and is tied for the team high in sacks (three).
Chewing the clock
Michigan State has improved dramatically this season with its time of possession, and that will be important as the Spartans attempt to slow down Indiana’s high-powered offense.
“Keeping other offenses off the field is big for our team in general, just giving us a chance to score. And also, it’s making it harder for them to get on the field and score,” Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles said. “It just takes up more time. It basically just puts us in better positions to win the game.”
Michigan State ranks 21st in the nation in time of possession at 31:48. The Spartans have not for the course of a season held the ball more than their opponent since 2019.
Indiana
Obituary for Marlene Elston Linkmeyer at Madison Chapel
Indiana
Massive fire destroys arcade game supplier warehouse in Peru
PERU, Ind. (WISH) — A massive fire has destroyed a warehouse belonging to an arcade game supplier just outside of Peru.
The fire broke out sometime Wednesday at the Don’s Amusements warehouse located at C.R. 4028 W. 200 N. outside Peru. That is right by the Peru Municipal Airport just east U.S. 31. in Miami County.
Peru Fire Department Chief Dane told News 8 that multiple departments were working to contain the fire at the 15,000 square foot building. Dane added that water had to be shuttled in due to there being no fire hydrants near the scene.
News 8 spoke with the owner of Don’s Amusements, who confirmed the building was a total loss.
Video shared with News 8 showed heavy fire and smoke pluming from the building. It was unclear what started the fire, but crews were still working to control the blaze at 11 p.m. Wednesday.
Miami County is one of 46 counties in Indiana under a burn ban.
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Don’s Amusements is an arcade equipment supplier that provides a variety of pinball machines, air hockey tables, skee ball alleys, dart boards, and more.
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