Indianapolis News

Indiana is battling its second measles outbreak in two years, even though its vaccination rate exceeds the national average. Health officials say the cases, traced to a Super Bowl event, illustrate just how vulnerable the public is to exposure from sources at home and abroad.

The 13 cases confirmed this month by state health officials have been confined to two counties, Boone and Hamilton. But all cases are linked to two infected people who visited the Super Bowl Village together on Feb. 3, prompting Indiana officials to reach out to health departments in New York and Massachusetts — home of the participating New England Patriots and New York Giants — for fear that the outbreak could spread across state lines.

U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, once seemingly unbeatable in Indiana, has been scrambling to reintroduce himself to Hoosiers amid a barrage of attacks that he has lost touch — an argument his tea party challenger repeated Wednesday in front of the Indianapolis home the incumbent sold decades ago.

The Republican who has spent 35 years in Washington has been campaigning as though he was a rookie politico, trying to introduce himself to the masses and define his image before opponents do.

A company that handles air cargo has agreed to pay a $1 million fine after investigators found that some of its workers failed to perform explosives screenings on all cargo destined for passenger planes at Indianapolis’ airport, federal prosecutors said Wednesday.

Prosecutors said OHL Solutions Inc., which formerly did business as ActivAir Inc., “engaged in a systemic pattern of record-keeping violations by failing to properly screen for explosives” in all air cargo, as was required under the New York-based firm’s security program.

Keeping an eye on crime just got a little easier in Indianapolis. At least that’s the contention of city officials, who said a new 76,000-square-foot Regional Operations Center that opened Wednesday gives them faster and more accurate information about where crimes are being committed.

“The creation and opening of the (center) is an integral part of our ongoing, proactive plan to ensure the safety of the public,” Mayor Greg Ballard said in a prepared statement. The center, at the old Eastgate Consumer Mall on Shadeland Avenue near Washington Street, dwarfs the old 1,100-square-foot Marion County Emergency Operations Center at 47 N. State Ave.

While the Ravens still haven’t made a decision about the future of offensive coordinator Cam Cameron, they now know that they’ll need another coach to lead their defense.

Chuck Pagano, the Ravens’ first-year defensive coordinator, has informed the team that he has agreed to become the next head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, multiple sources confirmed.

Facing a legislative vote that would make Indiana a right-to-work state, alarmed union members are thinking about making their case on perhaps the nation’s biggest stage — the Super Bowl. More >

Just because Gov. Mitch Daniels reached a sales tax agreement with online retail giant Amazon.com doesn’t mean there isn’t more work for legislators to do.

The House Ways and Means Committee on Wednesday considered a bill by Rep. Jeff Espich, R-Uniondale, that targets all e-commerce sales. The bill also focuses on Hoosiers’ responsibility to pay sales and use taxes for Internet purchases.

“There is growing concern that we are losing money that we’d like to be spending on something important,” he said.

The city of Indianapolis is preparing for it’s big day in the sun, when in early February, it hosts the Super Bowl. Jeff Neumeyer traveled to Indy Thursday for more on the challenge of making sure the city doesn’t drop the ball in its big moment.

Colts fans are painfully aware their team won’t be in the big game, but the NFL’s two best teams this season will be doing battle inside Lucas Oil Stadium Sunday, February 5th.

Police say two people have died after being hit by an SUV while crossing a street at night in a busy Indianapolis shopping area.

City police say 19-year-old Sydney Campbell and 21-year-old Jason Uhrin died Wednesday, the day after they were injured. They were crossing 82nd Street about a mile west of the Castleton Square Mall on the city’s northeast side when they were hit about 9:20 p.m. Tuesday.

An employee who shot and killed a man during an attempted robbery at an Indianapolis Kroger store Monday was from Crawfordsville. The shooter has been identified as Elijah Elliott, 24. Police say Elliott fired the shots that killed Jeremy Atkinson, 26. More >