Author

A lifelong Hoosier, Casey Smith previously reported on the Indiana Legislature for The Associated Press. Internationally, she has reported on water quality across South America. She holds a master’s degree in investigative reporting and narrative science writing from the University of California/Berkeley’s Graduate School of Journalism. She previously earned degrees in journalism, anthropology and Spanish from Ball State University, where she now serves as an instructor of journalism.
Duke Energy argues cases against Carmel, Noblesville before the Indiana Supreme Court
By: Casey Smith - September 22, 2023
Legal counsel for Duke Energy argued two cases before the Indiana Supreme Court Thursday — from both sides of the courtroom — on separate matters relating to where it maintains its equipment and facilities. In the first case, City of Carmel, Indiana v. Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission, et al., high court justices will weigh on an […]
Indiana State Sen. Jack Sandlin dies
By: Casey Smith - September 21, 2023
Republican Indiana Sen. Jack Sandlin, who represented the south side of Indianapolis, died Wednesday evening. Marion County Republican Party Chairman Joe Elsener confirmed Sandlin’s passing. “We are incredibly sorry to hear of the passing of Senator Jack Sandlin,” Elsener said in a statement. “Jack lived a life in service to his community from his time […]
Indiana-based Silicon Crossroads hub awarded $30M+ in new CHIPS Act funding
By: Casey Smith - September 20, 2023
The soon-to-come Silicon Crossroads Microelectronics Commons Hub, led by the Indiana-based Applied Research Institute, was one of eight regional innovation hubs funded by the Department of Defense on Wednesday to help increase the production of semiconductor technologies and microelectronics. Gov. Eric Holcomb said the $32.9 million award will support microelectronics production and development in Indiana […]
Egg farmer John Rust files lawsuit to face U.S. Rep. Jim Banks in Indiana’s 2024 Senate primary
By: Casey Smith - September 19, 2023
Republican U.S. Senate candidate John Rust filed a lawsuit Monday in an effort to get his name on the May 2024 primary ballot. He maintains that a current Indiana law blocking him from the ballot is unconstitutional. The legal challenge was filed in the Marion County Superior Court. Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales, the […]
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita facing multiple disciplinary charges
By: Casey Smith - September 18, 2023
Todd Rokita on Monday became Indiana’s second consecutive attorney general brought up on disciplinary charges — this time related to his statements about an Indiana doctor in the summer of 2022. The Indiana Supreme Court Disciplinary Commission filed three charges against Rokita, all related to breaches of confidentiality. It’s up to high court justices to […]
Indiana clean energy employment continues to grow, according to new report
By: Casey Smith - September 18, 2023
The number of Hoosiers employed in clean energy continues to go up as the workforce recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a new report. Even more clean energy jobs are expected to go online as Indiana continues its transition to cleaner energy sources and away from coal. The eighth annual Clean […]
Indiana AG Todd Rokita sues IU Health for disagreeing on patient privacy in Caitlin Bernard case
By: Casey Smith - September 15, 2023
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita filed a federal lawsuit Friday against IU Health, claiming the state’s largest hospital system did not properly enforce state and federal privacy laws in connection to abortion care provided by Dr. Caitlin Bernard for a 10-year-old rape victim last summer. The Republican office holder filed the legal challenge in the […]
GOP Sen. Jon Ford announces resignation from Indiana Senate
By: Casey Smith - September 15, 2023
Republican Sen. Jon Ford resigned from his seat in the Indiana Senate “to pursue new professional endeavors” effective Oct. 16. It comes less than a year after he was re-elected to another four-year term. “One of the greatest honors of my life has been serving the residents of Senate District 38,” Ford said Friday in […]
New Indiana initiatives bolster efforts to get more Hoosier students educated beyond high school
By: Casey Smith - September 15, 2023
Thousands of letters from Indiana’s higher education intuitions have already been delivered to Hoosier students as part of a new statewide program that seeks to put more kids on track for college. The partnership between the Indiana Commission for Higher Education (CHE) and nearly 40 colleges and universities — equal to 80% of all those […]
Indiana ‘leading the way’ as officials work out massive plan to redesign high school requirements
By: Casey Smith - September 14, 2023
Indiana’s education leaders are still chipping away at a massive redesign of Hoosier high school curriculum and diploma requirements, but one national expert has already lauded state officials for their work. The praise came during Wednesday’s State Board of Education (SBOE) meeting from Patricia Levesque, CEO of ExcelinEd, a national education policy organization founded by […]
Indiana officials expect — and encourage — more Hoosiers to use 988 suicide prevention hotline
By: Casey Smith - September 13, 2023
Indiana officials are renewing their push to make Hoosiers aware of the 988 suicide prevention hotline, although more funding will be needed to further expand the state’s crisis response system. One year after the federal crisis number was rebranded and relaunched as 988, Indiana reported one of the highest in-state response rates for calls. The […]
Hoosier girls are facing an ‘unprecedented’ mental health crisis, according to new report
By: Casey Smith - September 12, 2023
Hoosier girls are increasingly facing mental health challenges — and many of their struggles are going unnoticed or unaddressed. That’s according to a new report published this month by the Indiana Youth Institute and the Girl Coalition of Indiana. The 2023 State of the Indiana Girl Report — the first of its kind — dives into […]