AGP Executive Report

Indiana Business & Economy: Indiana diners can snag free meals and deals this Labor Day week, including Hawaiian Bros’ first Indiana brick-and-mortar opening with free plate lunches and giveaways, plus Uno’s bottomless pizza-and-salad offer and Golden Corral’s “17 weeks” of free buffet meals for Rewards members. Utilities & Infrastructure: NIPSCO restored power to most customers still affected by outages in Northwest Indiana after the Aug. 11 storm, with hundreds still without service as of Saturday evening. Economic Development: Spencer’s Sweet Owen County Arts Park is moving forward with a $1 million READI 2.0 investment for the first phase, aiming to turn the White River riverfront into an arts-and-recreation destination. Tech & Regulation: Indiana courts are cracking down on AI hallucinations, while regulators and lawmakers continue debating how to oversee AI in financial markets and surveillance tools like Flock cameras. Business Climate & Growth: Indiana’s public colleges’ tuition-freeze debate is resurfacing, with reporting focused on what it could mean for future costs and affordability.

Local Government & Data Centers: Owen County commissioners urged decorum during a public push for a data center moratorium or ban, as residents cite noise, water use, power costs and potential property value hits. AI & Privacy: A former Pentagon AI policy director warned that expanding Flock Safety-style surveillance could enable a “China-like surveillance state” without guardrails and court oversight; meanwhile, Michigan City reported an officer resigned after misuse of Flock camera data. Energy & Utilities: Indiana Michigan Power is seeking public input on proposed 765-kV transmission upgrades across eastern and northern Indiana to improve reliability. Storm Recovery & Power Reliability: NIPSCO donated $600,000 to Porter County storm recovery nonprofits, while intermittent outages continue to frustrate communities still rebuilding after the Aug. 11 derecho. Education Funding: Indianapolis voters face a public schools property tax referendum tied to the new Indianapolis Public Education Corporation, with major stakes for IPS and charter schools. Consumer Costs: AAA says Labor Day gas prices are near record highs nationally, while Indiana’s average remains among the lowest. Business & Tech: Microsoft is stepping in to pick up AI data center capacity left behind by OpenAI’s shifting Stargate plans, underscoring the economics of power and financing.

Child Care Crunch: Indiana families who qualify for state-funded childcare assistance are still stuck on waitlists, with the AP reporting hundreds of thousands of eligible children nationwide waiting and some turned away. Higher Ed Affordability: Indiana’s public colleges are again freezing in-state tuition and fees, but experts warn the “sticker price” freeze can shift costs through mandatory fees and other charges. Flood Recovery: After record August flooding killed seven Hoosiers, survivors say emergency aid has been slow and limited, with FEMA support and state disaster requests still a key pressure point. Energy Reliability: Storms across the Midwest left hundreds of thousands without power, underscoring grid stress and the economic hit from outages. Local Business/Banking: Edgerton moved to open a new operating checking account with State Bank as it prepares for a bank transition tied to FDIC rules. Community & Workforce: Indiana’s Indy Autonomous Challenge at WeatherTech Raceway highlighted growing interest in autonomous tech and the jobs it could create.

Utility Billing Dispute: Citizens Action Coalition says NIPSCO overcharged more than 4,000 gas customers, alleging faulty legacy meters may have caused double billing and is pushing regulators for full refunds plus interest. Energy Infrastructure: Indiana Michigan Power is seeking public input on planned statewide transmission upgrades, including new 765-kV lines tied to grid reliability, with routes still being refined. Power Reliability & Costs: Just Transition and Citizens Action Coalition oppose NIPSCO’s cost recovery plan, while regulators are also set to revisit AES Indiana’s rate case. Food Safety & Imports: Federal regulators placed a Chilean blueberry supplier’s products on import alert after an E. coli outbreak linked to frozen berries sickened 17 people; Indiana shoppers are among those with recalled Walmart and Publix items. Healthcare Supply Chain: Baxter and B. Braun issued separate recalls of 0.9% saline IV bags distributed in Indiana due to particles found inside sealed containers. Local Business & Jobs: Fedco Electronics acquired an Indianapolis power technology company, and Purdue Extension is hosting a farmland-owners conference in Wabash and Terre Haute. Small Business Tech: NevTech announced statewide expansion of “done-for-you” AI implementation services for Indiana companies. Public Finance Watch: A study for Allen County outlines how property tax limits could squeeze budgets unless growth offsets losses. Politics & Governance: Indiana Democrats criticized Lt. Gov. Micah Beckwith’s “92 & You” town hall plan as partisan, arguing it’s being held at a private home tied to a former GOP candidate.

Health Benefits Policy: CMS and the SBA promoted Indiana’s CHOICE model for employer health coverage, pointing to Hancock Health’s reported nearly $4 million in annual savings after switching from a self-funded plan. Flood Recovery & Small Business Relief: Indiana is rolling out temporary one-stop disaster assistance centers for August flood victims, with FEMA, SBA disaster loans, state housing help, insurance questions, and document replacement. Regulation & Utilities: Indiana regulators agreed to reconsider AES Indiana’s rate case after Google and BlackRock developments, keeping pressure on utility pricing decisions. Corporate/Finance: Rolls-Royce completed a $1 billion Indiana defense engine expansion, underscoring continued defense manufacturing investment. Consumer/Markets: A new Indiana-focused CHOICE rebrand signals more federal support for tax-advantaged health options outside traditional group plans. State Politics: A plan floated by Indiana lawmakers to end property taxes on the home you live in remains light on details, leaving local revenue questions unanswered. Business & Community: Fort Wayne unveiled the Pufferbelly Trail rail history banner along the greenway, adding to local tourism and redevelopment momentum.

Colts QB Depth Chart: Anthony Richardson’s six-month trade request drama ends with the Colts naming him Daniel Jones’ immediate backup for 2026, citing preseason performance and Jones’ injury history. Local Economy & Workforce: West Lafayette is moving into design and community feedback for a new early childcare center on Kalberer Road, aiming to ease a roughly 100-slot shortage as major employers like SK hynix bring more workers. City Governance: Bloomington City Council debates a proposed rebrand and new logo strategy, with some members questioning the cost and direction of the effort. Energy Costs at the Pump: GasBuddy price checks show Indiana premium and diesel prices easing from earlier highs, with county-level lows reported across the state for the week ending Aug. 29. Industrial Investment: U.S. Steel brings Gary Works Blast Furnace #14 back to service after a $350 million reline, marking a major step for long-term production and safety performance. Food Safety: Walmart’s Great Value frozen organic triple berry blend is expanded into a multi-state recall over possible E. coli contamination, including Indiana. Business Moves: Meritage Hospitality Group announces Michael Ruggeri’s departure from its board of directors.

School funding squeeze: A Lowell farmer says a proposed Tri-Creek School Corporation tax increase could cost her nearly $4,000 more on top of already-high property taxes—and if it fails, the district would cut school buses, forcing families to drive and lose work time. Workforce pipeline: Indiana’s INCAP apprenticeships are starting for 50 high school students across 25 employer sites, including paid roles in healthcare, banking, tech/IT and advanced manufacturing/logistics. Local TIF use: Gibson County commissioners want to route remaining Patoka-Union Township TIF money to clear about $19,582 in school lunch balances, while also lining up staffing for school health coverage. AI data center backlash: A new $100M pushback campaign targets voters as opposition to AI data centers grows over electricity, water use and higher local bills. BMV privacy upgrade: Indiana’s BMV is moving toward optional mobile driver’s licenses that let people verify age or identity via an app without sharing extra info like a home address. Semiconductor investment math: A report says Samsung and SK hynix would need about 6.5 times more U.S. investment to match TSMC’s scale, highlighting pressure on chip supply chains. Consumer safety: The FDA says recalled iceberg lettuce tied to a Cyclospora outbreak is off the market, but warns symptoms can show up days later. Childcare crunch: An AP analysis finds nearly 37,000 Indiana children on childcare waitlists, with the state using $200M in surplus funds to move about 8,000 off waitlists. Testing jobs in Elkhart: A new 65,000-square-foot ICC-ES lab consolidates construction and RV testing operations, aiming to support additional local work.

Storm-Safety Crackdown: Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita filed lawsuits against four out-of-state tree removal contractors, alleging high-pressure tactics and illegal pricing that targeted flood victims, including claims of $35,000 charges for removing two trees. Flood Recovery Access: Gov. Mike Braun announced FEMA approved $2.1 million for Indiana disaster relief and launched “one-stop shops” with state and federal agencies (including FEMA and SBA) to speed help for residents and businesses. Utility Watch: The Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission agreed to rehear AES Indiana’s $71 million rate case after commissioner shakeups, with the rehearing focusing on AES plans tied to a Google data center. Jobs & Labor: Indiana’s unemployment held at 3.3% in July; the state reported 101,704 job postings as of Aug. 1. Business Growth: Rolls-Royce completed a $1 billion, decade-long upgrade of its Indiana defense engine manufacturing and test capabilities. Housing Signals: Indiana single-family building permits fell 10% in July from June, though they were up 2% from a year earlier. Consumer Protection: The FTC and 22 states, including Indiana, sued Amazon over alleged hidden advertising surcharge practices.

School Safety Funding: Indiana’s Secured School Safety Board approved $26.9 million for 499 school-safety projects across the state, with all four Cass County districts among the recipients. Retail Finance: Red Robin is nearing completion of its refranchising push, shifting 108 restaurants to multi-unit operators and targeting about $96 million in total proceeds as more locations are set to close/transfer. AI in Courts: Indiana judges are cracking down on attorneys after a surge in filings citing AI hallucinations, as fabricated legal content increasingly shows up in court paperwork. Consumer Protection/Antitrust: The FTC and 22 states, including Indiana, sued Amazon alleging it used a hidden auction scheme to secretly inflate ad prices for more than seven years. Disaster Loans: The SBA is offering low-interest disaster loans to Indiana businesses, nonprofits, and residents hit by Aug. 11 storms, straight-line winds, tornadoes and flooding. Local Housing: Indianapolis opened Bridges Townhomes at Sherman Park, a $15.1 million project with 43 units for lower-income households, including permanent housing for families exiting homelessness. Energy/Infrastructure: Notre Dame is adding a third geothermal heating plant to modernize its century-old steam system and cut campus carbon.

Amazon Antitrust/Consumer Protection: The FTC and 22 states, including Indiana, sued Amazon alleging it used an “invented auction participant” to inflate ad prices for advertisers, with the FTC estimating about $20 billion in improper surcharges since 2018. Indiana Policy & Schools: A House panel advanced a tax referendum push for Indianapolis public schools that shifts control to the new IPEC oversight body, with revenue split between IPS and participating charters if voters approve. Indiana Economic Development: One Southern Indiana’s John Launius is leaving Sept. 8 to lead regional economic development at the Indiana Economic Development Corp., after helping secure $3.3B in investment commitments and 5,200 jobs. Workforce/Community Support: Catholic Charities in Southern Indiana is offering “Boots 4 Work” vouchers so job seekers can buy required safety boots before their first paycheck. Tech/State Services: Indiana BMV is preparing to launch mobile driver’s licenses, with officials saying the timeline is getting closer. Business Growth: Birdcall plans to open about 10-15 Indiana locations, including in Bloomington, Evansville and Fort Wayne, as it expands across the Midwest. Disaster Recovery: Indiana and FEMA will open a Disaster Recovery Center in Delaware County Sept. 2-5 to help residents and businesses navigate recovery programs.

Amazon Antitrust: The FTC and 22 state AGs, including Indiana, sued Amazon over alleged secret surcharges that “covertly” raised prices in its ad auctions, with regulators saying the scheme may have extracted $20B+ from advertisers. Indiana Energy & Storm Recovery: Gov. Mike Braun ordered an investigation into NIPSCO’s storm response after outages stretched for weeks in Gary and northwest Indiana, while NIPSCO also announced a $2M charitable contribution and paused disconnections/collections through Sept. 30. State Workforce Costs: Indiana’s Personnel Department is seeking $151M in raises for dozens of state jobs, citing market gaps of 10% to 20%+ for roles including attorneys, lab technicians and grant coordinators. Defense Manufacturing: Rolls-Royce completed a $1B upgrade of its Indianapolis engine campus, adding testing capacity and supporting U.S. defense programs. Small Business Support Tech: Indiana’s SBDC network is moving toward a statewide rollout of Catalyzer to modernize how advising and reporting are delivered. Local Business News: E-Zee Manufacturing launched a snow plow mount system for commercial lawn mowers after co-founding by former BCLS owner Steven Cohen. Healthcare & Data: CareCloud disclosed a major breach affecting 3.75M people, including Social Security numbers and medical data.

Amazon Antitrust/Consumer Protection: The FTC and 22 states, including Indiana, sued Amazon over alleged “secret ad surcharge” practices that they say inflated sponsored ad prices for more than a million advertisers for years, potentially costing tens of billions; Amazon denies wrongdoing. Energy & AI Grid Costs: A new push from Washington aims to have Big Tech cover AI power costs to protect consumers, while states are diverging on how data centers should be charged for grid upgrades. Storm Recovery & Utilities: Indiana officials and FEMA are still assessing damage in Gary after weeks-long outages, with some homes waiting on power restoration. Trucking Fraud Crackdown: DHS and DOT announced a major interagency effort to target fraud in trucking, including shutting down more than 100 training schools and auditing others. Indiana Manufacturing Investments: Gov. Braun highlighted Rolls-Royce’s $1B Indiana expansion, SK hynix’s new HBM packaging hub, and RayzeBio’s $173M radiopharmaceutical growth plan. Healthcare Access: Indiana hospitals will stop diverting ambulances during overcrowding, except for disasters or critical infrastructure failures. Local Business: Back Door Quilts received a Governor’s Half Century Business Award for decades in Johnson County.

AI Pricing Watch: A New York lawsuit and a California bill aim to curb “surveillance pricing,” where companies may use personal data to set higher prices—raising the question of whether bans could backfire for consumers. Storm Recovery & Power Resilience: Indiana leaders are set to assess flood damage in Fayette County with FEMA, while northwest Indiana residents in Gary and Lake Station still report long outages and insurance denials—fueling renewed calls for solar-plus-battery backup. Energy Infrastructure for the Grid: A report says AI data-center demand is driving a surge in power equipment spending, with major electrical suppliers seeing strong growth as electricity becomes the bottleneck. Indiana Business Growth: UMH Properties secured a new Fannie Mae mortgage for about $10.2M to expand and refinance; 1 Percent Lists opened a new Indiana office to offer reduced-commission home selling. Local Planning: Greenfield’s Board of Zoning Appeals delayed a fleet logistics proposal for Gray Auto to gather more plans and address resident concerns about staging vehicles. Cyber & Consumer Scams: BBB Scam Tracker shows Indiana cities—including Indianapolis—still seeing phishing and payment scams, including a “tap-to-pay” style charity fraud risk.

Semiconductors & Manufacturing: SK hynix signaled it’s open to more U.S. investment after breaking ground on its advanced packaging push in West Lafayette, while warning the memory shortage could last through 2030. Energy & Rates: Indiana Michigan Power filed with regulators to cut base electricity charges starting in 2027, projecting about $100 in annual savings for typical residential customers (about $59 million total), while keeping large industrial customers out of the discount. Solar Supply Chain: CS PowerTech opened the first phase of a Jeffersonville, Indiana plant making heterojunction bifacial N-type solar cells, targeting 6+ GWp annual output and more than 1,200 skilled jobs. Local Economic Development: Portage RDC moved forward with a $15 million bond package for high-priority projects, including a bridge over Burns Waterway and road/drainage work tied to future development. Workforce Funding: Managed Health Services announced $2M+ for Indiana nonprofits through its MHS Serves Workforce Support Program to help Medicaid members build job skills and stability. Fraud Watch: BBB Scam Tracker data put Lafayette among the top Indiana cities for scam reports in July, while New Albany also saw a jump. Community & Policy: Protesters held a statewide weekend of vigils and marches calling for an end to ICE detention at the Miami Correctional Facility. Sports Business Note: The Colts finalized their 53-man roster and made a notable cut of traded defensive tackle Colby Wooden, while also adding Bills center Sedrick Van Pran-Granger to address snapping issues.

RayzeBio Expansion: RayzeBio is expanding its radiopharmaceutical manufacturing footprint in Indiana, adding major operations in Whitestown as the company grows its local radioactive cancer-treatment hub. Medicaid Spending Spike: Fortville Medicaid claims for “Vision Services” jumped to $39,197 in 2024, up sharply from $1,359 in 2023, highlighting how local health dollars are shifting. Housing Market Watch: Redfin reports new listings hit a four-month high while pending sales fell 3.1% in late August, signaling more supply but softer buyer demand. Gas Prices: In Harrison County, one station posted the week’s lowest E15 price at $3.30 per gallon for the week ending Aug. 22, while Indiana’s statewide average rose to $3.45. Storm Relief for Homeowners/Renters: Indiana REALTOR groups secured an initial $500,000 for storm-impacted households, offering grants up to $1,000 through Nov. 11. Public Health Recalls: Two IV-fluid recalls were issued over potential particulate contamination, including zinc oxide in B. Braun saline and fiberglass particles in Baxter saline. Local Business & Community: An artisan market at Howard Park in South Bend raised proceeds for Life Treatment Center, supporting behavioral health and addiction recovery services.

Storm Recovery & Housing: Indiana REALTORS® secured an initial $500,000 from the REALTORS® Relief Foundation to help homeowners and renters hit by the Aug. 11-18 storms, with grants up to $1,000 available on a first-come basis through Nov. 11. Public Health: Two IV-saline recalls are in the spotlight—B. Braun and Baxter are pulling specific lots of 0.9% sodium chloride after reports of particulate contamination concerns. Defense & Manufacturing: Rolls-Royce says it has finished a $1 billion, decade-long Indiana upgrade to engine test and manufacturing facilities, expanding capabilities for U.S. military aircraft. Semiconductors: SK hynix leaders say they’re open to more U.S. investment and still see a global memory chip shortage stretching through 2030, with Indiana expansion tied to advanced packaging. Local Economy & Infrastructure: A White River Alliance summit focused on keeping waterways clean as Indianapolis weighs more data centers, amid water-use and pollution concerns. Military Honors: The Indiana Rangers (Company D, 151st Infantry) received a Presidential Unit Citation for Vietnam service, with recognition long overdue.