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Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita issued the following statement:

"We sent a blunt message to Gary officials that they needed to follow the law. As a result, the Gary Common Council officially voted to repeal, in its entirety, its unlawful immigration ordinance.

This is a win for law-abiding Hoosiers and legal immigrants who are the ones negatively impacted by the flood of illegal aliens pouring across our southern border. We need to stand for apprehending criminals – NOT providing them with safe harbor.

With the West Lafayette Police Department, the City of East Chicago, and now Gary officials all rescinding illegal 'sanctuary city' policies, we will continue to focus our efforts on ensuring the Monroe County Sheriff's Department does the same."

By:

Jerry Curry, Staff Writer

Sometimes a hidden talent is discovered on America’s Got Talent—so was the case of Richard Goodall.

Goodall, 55 years old, has been a janitor in the Vigo County School Corporation in Terre Haute. He would sing as he worked. He has been a janitor for 23 years.

The middle school students noticed his talent and greatly encouraged him to tryout on AGT. The first time he tried out in 2009 in Chicago, he didn’t get past the first audition. He would wait some 15 years before trying again, and this time with different results.

He made it to the stage of AGT in front of the Howie Mandel, Heidi Klum, Sofia Vergara and the sometime hard judge Simon Cowell.

Nervously he took the stage and introduced himself. After a pause to collect his composure, he began to sing. He sang a really appropriate song, “Don’t Stop Believing,” a song made popular by Journey in 2005.

It wasn’t long before the audience was standing, clapping and dancing to this song.

The judges were taken away with him. At that point he got the total approve of the judges and the roaring applause of the audience.

This greatly humbled the 55-year-old janitor into tears, but the great finale of this performance was yet to come.

Heidi Klum so taken by his performance hit the Golden button, showering the stage with golden graffiti.

She said, “Richard, Richard, Richard! You are living proof that we should never ever stop dreaming, believing, and singing! I cannot wait for America to fall in love with you like I have. It’s an honor to hit my Golden Buzzer for you.”

The Golden Buzzer sends the contestant directly to the Live rounds.

This year there are four stages Audition, Live Quarterfinals, Live Semifinals, and a two-week Finale event.

Howie Mandel said, “You just cleaned up.” Cowell chimed in with “You are my hero.” Of course, he made it to the Live Semi Finals where he sings “How am I supposed to live without you.” originally performed by Michael Bolton.

Goodall said he started singing along with his Radio Shack stereo. He is also in a band called “ ManOpause.”

Tragically his wife Patty died of cancer three year ago.

He is presently engaged to Angela Vanoven. Having missed the first audition, she was in the audience for the Live Semi Finals.

Richard said this was not on his radar and he never had been on a plane before. At a local send-off at the Vigo County Fairgrounds, country music star Walker Hayes gave Goodall a brand-new Buick. Mullen’s Dressing had their own gift for Goodall—a lifetime supply of dressing.

Watch AGT cheer this Hoosier on. Download the America’s Got Talent App and vote to send him through the Live Shows to the Finale.

Richard Goodall

Goodall overwhelmed by confetti after receiving a "Golden Buzzer."

Goodall with his fiancee Angela Vanoven.

Closed home sales jump 6% ahead of July 2023 at a $264,000 median price; pending sales slow in anticipation of even better conditions ahead

(INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.) Closed home sales totaled 7,405 across Indiana in July, 7% above June and 6% ahead of 2023 according to the Indiana Association of REALTORS® (IAR). Homebuyers capitalized on lower mortgage rates, more homes for sale than any other point in 2024 and easing price pressure, as the state median sale price dropped from $273,000 in June to $264,000 last month.

8,989 homes were also listed for sale in July, 5% higher than July 2023. The overall statewide inventory of homes for sale rose for the fourth straight month to 12,900 average daily listings, 27% above 2023.

New pending sales (7,025) slipped 5% from June to July, and these sales took a median of ten days – consistent with June but two days longer than 2023. IAR president Jennifer Parham noted that the improving market had homebuyers split between making their move and waiting to see how far interest rates might fall late in the summer.

“Home sales that closed in July represent a burst of buying activity earlier in the summer, with more homes on the market and mortgage rates dropping below 7% in June,” Parham said. “But with rates now at their lowest level in more than a year and prices coming down, there are definitely buyers taking their time and anticipating an even better market to come.”

With more homes listed for sale, steady pending sales and the time on market reflecting a more deliberate pace, Parham noted that buyers are already benefiting from a less competitive climate.

“Our median sale and listing price both dropped in July, with the sale price dipping below 97% of the listing price – lower than last summer,” she said. “We’re also seeing more homes with price reductions as buyers gain bargaining power.

“These trends make a real difference in budgets,” Parham added. “The monthly payment on a median-priced home in Indiana dropped nearly a hundred dollars in just the past month because of lower pricing and better rates.”

Improved affordability drove sales last month, as pending and closed sales under $250,000 outperformed sales above $250,000 from June through July, reversing recent trends that showed stronger sales activity among higher-priced homes.

“Inventory is still tight by pre-2020 standards and sellers are still receiving higher prices than last year,” Parham finished. “But the market is certainly more balanced than it’s been in the past four years – and we expect more homebuyers to take advantage as we close out the summer.”

Regional & Local Highlights:

56 of Indiana’s 92 counties saw closed home sales finish ahead of July 2023. At the regional level, several mid-sized metropolitan areas led year-over-year growth with gains over 20% from last year – Columbus (117 sales, +30% vs. July ’23), Kokomo (113 sales, +23%), Elkhart (183 sales, +21%) and Michigan City (107 sales, +20%) fall into this category. All these metros also featured median sale prices below the state’s $264,000 in July.

Among the state’s five largest metros, South Bend leads the way with 363 closings, 18% above last July at a median price of $236,500. (South Bend also claimed a top five spot among the REALTOR.com/Wall Street Journal’s Summer Housing Market Rankings.)

Fort Wayne earned the #1 spot on the same list, though sales took a small step back in July, with 502 sales (-1% below July ’23) at a $250,000 median price; the region is still running well ahead of statewide trends over the past twelve months.

The 11-county Indianapolis metro saw 2,893 July sales, up 3% year-over-year at a $305,000 median (again second to the Bloomington metro’s $312,500 for highest monthly sale price).

At the county level, notable July numbers include:

Marion County totaled 1,150 closings in July, matching its metro year-over-year trend (+3%) at a median sale price of $255,000.
Hamilton County again claimed the second-highest monthly sales total at 616,+9% versus July 2023 at a median price of $440,000.
Lake County had the third-most home sales in the state (473) in July but fell 3% below 2023 at a median sale price of $250,000.
Allen County (443 sales, down 1% vs. 2023) continues to see sales ahead of 2023 year to date despite July’s dip in closings.
Along the Ohio River, Clark County continues to outpace statewide trends, as its 178 sales were 13% over 2023 at a $274,000 median price (10% above July ’23).
As noted above, St. Joseph County (363 closings, 18% above last July) and Elkhart County (183 sales, +12%) lead the northern tier of urbanized counties.

Check out IAR’s full July Housing Report for more details.

Explore State, Local and Regional Real Estate Trends:

The Indiana Association of REALTORS® (IAR) makes MLS housing data available at the Indiana Housing Hub (https://data.indianarealtors.com); access reports for the state, metropolitan regions, REALTOR® association territories, individual counties and more.

The deadline for Central Indiana businesses to submit proposals for up to $3.7 million in funding to implement Central Indiana Waste Diversion Program (CIWDP) projects is Oct. 1, 2024.

Funding for successful applicant projects is through the Indiana Department of Environmental Management’s (IDEM) Recycling Market Development Program. Eligible waste diversion and recycling projects are restricted to Marion, Hamilton, Hancock, Shelby, Johnson, Morgan, Hendricks, and Boone counties, and implemented by private sector entities. Proposed projects must demonstrate waste diversion from landfills and incinerators and a dedicated Indiana-based market for commercial use of the material.

Applications should demonstrate an understanding of the infrastructure, supply chain, and changing economy for recyclers and seek solutions where organizations and communities can most effectively use monies to increase waste diversion in Central Indiana. Funding criteria includes the amount and type of waste diverted from landfills through the project and the potential for productive reuse of the diverted waste, with priority given to the largest amount of waste diversion potential through the project.

The Recycling Market Development Board will make final funding determinations in early Spring 2025.

To apply, visit recycle.IN.gov. For additional information about the Recycling Market Development Program, call 800-988-7901.

IDEM will host an information session on Wednesday, Sept. 4, 2024, at 2:00 p.m. to discuss this funding opportunity. The webinar will provide a summary of the CIWDP, including timeline, requirements, and application guidance. Interested entities with potential waste diversion and recycling projects that focus on Central Indiana are invited to attend.

Register today to learn more at: idem.IN.gov/recycle/central-indiana-waste-diversion-pilot-project

About the Recycling Market Development Program: The Recycling Market Development Program operates under the Recycling Market Development Board as established by IC 4-23-5.5. The grant money for the program comes from the Recycling Promotion and Assistance Fund, an account generated by a per-ton fee on solid waste disposed at Indiana landfills. The fund supports source reduction, reuse, recycling, and composting to prevent solid waste from permanent disposal.

In an effort to increase awareness about mental health resources in Indiana and reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and addiction, Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch and the Indiana Mental Health Roundtable will be hosting the second Mental Health Matters Day at the Indiana State Fair on Friday, Aug. 16. Several Indiana organizations that lead initiatives related to mental health and provide mental health services to Hoosiers will be participating in Mental Health Matters Day.

The first Mental Health Matters Day was held at the 2023 Indiana State Fair where partners engaged with over 10,000 visitors from across the state.

WHO:

Suzanne Crouch, Lieutenant Governor of Indiana

Mental health providers and partners from across Indiana including the Indiana Department of Mental Health and Addiction, Riley Children's Health, Purdue University, Mental Health America of Indiana, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, CareSource, Indiana Youth Institute, Community Health Network

WHAT:

A sponsored day at the Indiana State Fair to increase awareness about mental health resources in Indiana and to reduce the stigma surrounding mental illness and addiction

WHEN:

Friday, Aug. 16, 2024

9 a.m. - 9 p.m. ET

WHERE:

Indiana State Fairgrounds, across from the Harvest Pavilion

1202 E 38th St.

Indianapolis, IN 46205