By Niki Kelly | Editor-in-Chief
“The secrecy of the ballot and the freedom of political association should not be invaded merely because a losing candidate is in a desperate search for more votes and to be declared the winner.” — Attorney Samantha DeWester
I didn’t imagine a story on underground storage tanks being fascinating but last week’s look at a state program to remove them really was.
We also examine the arguments behind a contentious recount that will come to a head this week.
Gov. Mike Braun hears from parents about childcare needs.
Plus, making the ballot and nuclear news.
Finally, a commentary on the Chicago Bears that made waves.
An operator lifts a 30-year-old underground storage tank out of the ground in Martinsville, Indiana, on Wednesday, July 22, 2026. (Photo by Leslie Bonilla Muñiz/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
State pours $21M into removal of aging, leaking petroleum tanks
By Leslie Bonilla Muñiz
MARTINSVILLE, Ind. — The Hoosier State has spent $21 million so far to help remove or plug up more than 500 outdated or failing underground tanks storing gas, diesel and other hazardous materials through the nation’s first proactive reimbursement program for tank closures.
That’s according to the Indiana Department of Environmental Management, which in 2023 was authorized to reimburse tank owners for half of decommissioning and replacement costs.
But there are hundreds of old, potentially leaking tanks left statewide.
Indiana Recount Commission member Paul Mullin, from left, sits alongside commission attorney Kegan Prentice, Secretary of State Diego Morales and commission member Michael Claytor during a commission meeting on May 15, 2026. (Photo by Tom Davies/Indiana Capital Chronicle)
Bid to question voters central in recount of Indiana Senate race separated by 3 votes
By Tom Davies
The question of whether some voters could face questions from lawyers over how they cast their ballots looms over the recount of a hotly contested Indiana Senate race.
The Indiana Recount Commission is set to take up claims from Paula Copenhaver next week in what certified results show as a three-vote loss to Sen. Spencer Deery of West Lafayette in the May Republican primary.
COMMENTARY
A giant flag for the Chicago Bears is seen during pregame festivities at Soldier Field in Chicago. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Let’s hope the Chicago Bears stay in Illinois
By Michael Hicks
With the relocation of the Chicago Bears still haunting the Windy City, it’s perhaps useful to consider what’s in it for Hoosier taxpayers. Unlike much of the boosterism about the benefits, I think it is useful to explore a large body of research on the topic of relocating sports teams and stadium subsidies. These consider costs as well.
NATIONAL NEWS
One of the grantees affected by new federal rules was Children’s Aid, a 170-year-old organization in New York City that served 1,200 youth each year with its nearly $1 million grant. Among the staff members affected are peer educators who were hired for summer roles in the teen pregnancy prevention program. (Courtesy of Children’s Aid)
Feds have a new teen pregnancy prevention plan: Fertility and ‘reproductive goals’
By Kelcie Moseley-Morris
The Trump administration has a new plan for teenagers learning about pregnancy: Beginning this summer, it will steer millions of dollars toward organizations that focus on anatomy, fertility tracking, hormonal production and “reproductive goals counseling.”
The plan will also emphasize abstinence from sex and the importance of marriage.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
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