Gov. Mitch Daniels will lead a trade delegation to Japan next month. It will be his fourth trip to the Asian nation since becoming governor. Daniels will meet with officials from Honda, Toyota, Mitsubishi and Sony while in Tokyo and Nagoya. The state says Japanese companies have invested nearly $1.5 billion in Indiana since 2005, creating nearly 5,500 jobs.
IU, Purdue create medical institute
Indiana University and Purdue University are launching an initiative to swiftly transform medical discoveries into improved patient care and business opportunities. They are creating the Indiana Clinical and Translational Sciences Institute. The National Institutes of Health has awarded the IU School of Medicine a five-year $25 million Clinical and Translational Science Award. It will help fund CTSI activities at IU and Purdue. A total of $56 million will be pumped into the institute by the universities, state of Indiana and Eli Lilly and Co.
Ivy Tech, JA to build culinary school
A $3 million gift from the Glick Fund will create a state-of-the-art Ivy Tech culinary school at Junior Achievement of Central Indiana. The partnership is a collaborative effort among Ivy Tech Community College, Junior Achievement of Central Indiana and the Experiential Learning and Entrepreneurship Foundation. The new center will allow Ivy Tech's culinary and tourism program to more than double in size over the next few years.
Hospital to provide portable medical records
Patients at St. Vincent Heart Center of Indiana now are able to carry their medical records with them in case of emergencies. St. Vincent is partnering with The Care Group and GEMMS to offer a credit card-sized compact disc that contains patients' current cardiovascular medical information and history. The CD costs $25 and can be updated annually.
Work begins on Indy hotel complex
Construction is under way on a hotel complex in Indianapolis that will include more than 1,600 rooms. Mayor Greg Ballard and several other officials attended a ground-breaking for the $425 million project that will include a JW Marriott tower and three other hotels. The 34 floors will make the tower the largest JW Marriott in the country.
Alcoa Warrick works to reduce emissions
A $500 million project to reduce emissions at Alcoa's Warrick Power Plant in Newburgh has taken a significant step forward. The first of four units has gone online and all should be operating by the end of the year. Construction started in 2005 and Alcoa says once the project is completed the new scrubbers will reduce sulfur dioxide emissions by 98 percent and hydrochloric acid emissions by 99 percent.
Duke Energy proposes statewide effort
Duke Energy Indiana has announced a five-year initiative to modernize its statewide power delivery system. "Smart Grid" would involve installing more than 800,000 new digital meters in homes and businesses. Duke Energy says the program would allow it to reduce voltage levels and lessen the frequency of power outages. The initiative also allows for the installation of electricity-generating solar panels or other renewable energy sources on the property of interested customers.
