• State of Indiana
• Law & Justice

Write a comment

National Forensic Science Week brings recognition to the role that proper forensic science plays in the investigation of crimes throughout the nation, from exonerating the innocent to identifying the guilty. Running throughout the week of September 15-21, National Forensic Science Week strives to honor the linchpins of a better world where science meets justice and threads of truth are woven.
For more information about National Forensic Week, visit: http://www.forensicscienceweek.org/
For information about the Indiana State Police Laboratory Division and the services they provide, visit: http://www.in.gov/isp/labs/

Below are some interesting stats from the past year (2023):

• There were 24,399 new cases submitted for analysis at the four Indiana State Police laboratories
• Crime Scene Investigators responded to 1,020 different crime scenes throughout the state
• Polygraph Examiners conducted 761 polygraph tests
• Digital Forensic Unit completed 633 cases
• In 2023, there were 698 cases in Indiana linked to a potential suspect by a CODIS DNA match

There are four Indiana State Police laboratory facilities statewide and for additional information, please contact the Public Information Officer (PIO) listed adjacent to the named laboratory location:

• Lowell Laboratory PIO contact is Sgt. Glen Fifield at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  
• Fort Wayne Laboratory PIO contact is Sgt. Brian Walker at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.  
• Evansville Laboratory PIO contact is Sgt. Todd Ringle at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Indianapolis Laboratory PIO contact is Sgt. John Perrine at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Captain Ron Galaviz at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Write a comment

• North Dakota is the state most likely to visit the ER, with 588 emergency room (ER) visits per 1,000 population in 2022.
• Indiana is the seventh most likely to visit the ER, with 519 visits per 1,000 population.
• Nevada is the least likely to visit the ER, with 251 ER visits per 1,000 population.

New data reveals the states most likely to see emergency room (ER) visits, with Indiana ranking seventh.

By analyzing data sourced from the American Hospital Association (AHA), Las Vegas personal injury law firm Ladah Law Firm found the total number of emergency room (ER) visits per 1,000 population in 2022 for each state. A ranking of the states based on the number of ER visits was created.

1. North Dakota (588 visits per 1,000 population): In North Dakota, common reasons for emergency room visits include injuries from farming and agricultural accidents, as well as car accidents on rural roads. Additionally, the state's cold winters contribute to falls on ice, frostbite, and hypothermia cases, which all lead to frequent ER visits.

2. Louisiana (574 visits per 1,000 population): Louisiana sees many ER visits related to heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and dehydration, as well as accidents from the state's busy highways and rural areas. Respiratory issues related to poor air quality and high humidity also drive many residents to seek emergency care.

3. West Virginia (550 visits per 1,000 population): West Virginia’s high rate of ER visits stem from a combination of work-related injuries in the coal mining and logging industries, alongside accidents involving ATVs and other outdoor activities. Chronic health conditions, such as heart disease and respiratory illnesses, also contribute significantly to ER visits.

4. District of Columbia (538 visits per 1,000 population): In Washington D.C., emergency room visits often arise from traffic accidents, as well as injuries related to slips and falls in urban environments. The city also sees a high volume of ER cases related to chronic health issues such as asthma, diabetes, and hypertension.

5. Mississippi (527 visits per 1,000 population): Mississippi's high rate of ER visits is largely attributed to motor vehicle accidents, agricultural-related injuries, and chronic health conditions like diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Limited access to healthcare in rural areas means that many residents rely on ERs for urgent and ongoing medical care.

6. Kentucky (525 visits per 1,000 population): Kentucky residents frequently visit the ER due to injuries related to farming, mining, and transportation accidents. The state also has a high incidence of respiratory and cardiovascular illnesses, contributing to emergency room demand.

7. Indiana (519 visits per 1,000 population): In Indiana, common causes for ER visits include motor vehicle accidents, workplace injuries, particularly in manufacturing and farming, and health issues related to chronic conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

8. Ohio (513 visits per 1,000 population): Ohio's emergency rooms often see patients for motor vehicle accidents, industrial workplace injuries, and chronic health problems like heart disease and respiratory issues. The state’s large population also means a significant number of ER visits for routine accidents and urgent medical issues.

9. Maine (504 visits per 1,000 population): Maine's emergency rooms often deal with injuries from logging and fishing industries, as well as motor vehicle accidents on rural roads. The state’s harsh winters also contribute to a high number of slips, falls, and cold-weather-related conditions such as frostbite.

10. Idaho (487 visits per 1,000 population): In Idaho, the top reasons for ER visits include injuries related to farming and ranching, as well as recreational accidents involving ATVs and hiking. The state’s rugged landscape and cold winters also lead to many cases of fractures, sprains, and hypothermia.

Ramzy Ladah, Owner/Lead Attorney of Ladah Law Firm, commented on the findings:

“Across the U.S., emergency room visits are often driven by the unique environmental and occupational risks present in each state. In areas with high rates of farming, mining, and outdoor recreation, such as North Dakota or West Virginia, we see a consistent influx of patients suffering from both accidental injuries and chronic health conditions related to these industries. States with more rural populations, like Mississippi and Kentucky, also tend to rely heavily on emergency services for urgent care due to limited access to regular healthcare facilities. Understanding these factors is key to addressing the disparities in ER visit rates and improving preventive care measures.”

Methodology: 

1. For each state, the total number of state/local government hospital emergency room (ER) visits, non-profit hospital ER visits and for-profit hospital ER visits per 1,000 population was found.
2. These totals were combined to find the total number of hospital emergency room (ER) visits per 1,000 population in 2022.
3. The states were then ranked to reveal the states most likely to visit the ER.

Sources:

2022 American Hospital Association ER visits by state per 1,000 population, published by KFF

Population data from annual population estimates by state, US Census bureau

Definitions:

Emergency room visits: Reflects the number of visits to the emergency unit. Emergency outpatients can be admitted to the inpatient areas of the hospital, but they are still counted as emergency visits and subsequently as inpatient admissions.

Community hospitals: All non-federal, short-term general, and speciality hospitals whose facilities and services are available to the public.

N/A: Not applicable when state/local government, non-profit, or for-profit hospitals do not exist in the state.

Notes

Data are for community hospitals, which represent 85% of all hospitals.

Figures may not sum to totals due to rounding.

Full ranking:

Write a comment

Clerk Treasurer Anita Altic announced that the Town of Campbellsburg will start flushing water hydrants the week of Sept. 23 and continue through October.

• City of Salem
• Government
• Zoning

Write a comment

By: Becky Killian

A majority of city officials have approved the rezoning of land owned by a developer who intends to build a combination of single-family houses and townhomes.

The 3-to-2 vote was made during the Monday, Sept. 9, meeting of the Salem Common Council.

The vote changes the zoning of about 5 and a half acres that will be accessible from an entrance along Old State Road 60 east of Eastview Church of Christ from R-1, which allows single-family homes, to R-3, which allows multiple-family dwellings like townhomes.

The rezoning came to the Common Council after the Salem Plan Commission gave it a favorable recommendation during its Aug. 26 meeting.

The city’s attorney, Alyssa Cochran, explained to Council members that the only decision before them was whether to rezone the land.

Council member Dylan Moore was first to make the motion to approve the rezoning; however, his fellow council member, Danny Libka, suggested that the matter be tabled due to the controversy it had garnered. He noted that one of Cochran’s firm members, Jake Vissing, was most familiar with the rezoning and he wanted to wait until Vissing was present to give his input.

Libka’s suggestion found no footing, so Moore reiterated his motion. The rezoning passed with Libka and Steve Crane opposing it. Moore, Randy Lee Jr., and Roger Pennington voted in favor of the change.

The rezoning isn’t the last hurdle the developer, Anthony Mosby, of Pekin, will have to clear. Before any construction begins, he will need to return to the Plan Commission with development plans that will have to be approved.

Mosby has pursued the rezoning for more than a year. After public resistance to the development made officials balk at approving his request, Mosby changed his plans multiple times only to be confounded by further negative votes.

The most recent draft of the development showed about 10 single family houses and about 30 townhomes.

A controversial entrance from the adjacent Eastview Terrace Subdivision has been eliminated from the plans.

The homes will be sold for around $300,000. Most of the townhomes will be sold and the remaining units will be available for an estimated rent of about $1,100 a month, which Mosby said is comparable to existing rental prices in Salem.

Building Commissioner Ronnie Voyles said the reasoning behind the request for R-3 zoning is that it has less of a setback requirement than R-1. That lesser setback requirement allows for the higher-density development Mosby has proposed.

Mosby has maintained he wants a higher-end development. The quality development – and the prices it commands – will help him to recoup the investment in the property, including the costly infrastructure required like the installation of roads of utility lines.

A 2019 housing study found that Salem has a desperate need for more housing, including luxury housing.

Mosby has told officials if the development comes to fruition and is successful, it will provide an incentive for more developers to take on projects in the city.