Home sales increase
(Indiana) – Looking to buy a home? You are not alone. Home sales inched upward last month by 13 percent compared to figures from one year ago in the 13-county metro area. According to the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors, Hendricks County showed the most growth for home sales with a 26 percent increase followed by Boone, Hancock and Hamilton Counties. A spokesperson for MIBOR attributes the sales increase to a stabilized housing market.
Fitness chain acquires competitor
(Indianapolis) – More changes in the fitness industry; California-based L.A. Fitness has agreed to buy 171 Bally Total Fitness locations including 99 in Chicago and the only remaining Indianapolis Bally’s Fitness located on Pike Plaza Road. This latest news comes on the heels of other workout facility buyouts and closings. Last week Lifestyle Family Fitness announced its plan to sell two Indianapolis clubs to Life Time Fitness and close the doors on two other locations. On November 7th Cardinal Fitness, without notice to its members, shut down six of its 12 central Indiana locations.
Controversial bill being reintroduced
(Indianapolis) – House Speaker Brian Bosma and Senate President Pro Tempore David Long said Monday it is their “top priority” to make Indiana a “right-to-work” state and have crafted two bills to achieve that status. The two say the bills are designed to ban a company and union from negotiating a contract requiring non-union members to pay fees for representation. Democrats claim the bill hurts unions, but Republicans say Indiana is losing out on job opportunities by companies who refuse to locate or expand business in a state not deemed as a right-to-work state. It was during the 2011 session that House Democrats fled to Illinois in protest of Republicans stance on right-to-work and public education issues.
Woman arrested for theft
(Greenwood) – Police say a woman caught on videotape allegedly stealing money from an elderly man has been charged with felony theft. Rebecca Wheeler, 36, an employee of Care Givers Inc., was hired as a caregiver for the man. His son who resides with him became suspicious last September when $2400 turned up missing from his father’s coat pocket. In October, $733 disappeared. The family noticed in both instances Wheeler had been present in the home. A video camera was installed which produced footage of appears to be Wheeler taking money from a bag left on a table.
Animal shelter exceeding full occupancy
(Noblesville) – The Humane Society of Hamilton County officials say they are beyond full, housing almost 600 animals. Workers say people are dropping off their pets saying guests are coming for Thanksgiving and the dogs and cats are too much of a nuisance to keep in their home. The shelter will hold its first Black Friday Adoption event at the Noblesville shelter and the Hamilton Town Center in hopes of finding the pets good homes.
Former State Police Officer enters plea in theft case
(Elkhart) – Former Indiana State Police Lieutenant Dallard Tackett could spend 50 years behind bars after pleading guilty to forgery, official misconduct and theft. The “Elkhart Truth” is reporting this morning Tackett entered his guilty plea yesterday to 17 charges of taking money from the Indiana Toll road post near Elkhart from 2007 to 2009.
