PLA Changes Notice Procedures

The Blogmeister was recently made aware the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency (PLA) was notifying current licensees of the need to renew their licenses via email.  While the PLA is to be congratulated for attempting to save money on postage (they used to mail the reminders), they apparently did not realize many people change email addresses over the two year license period.   End result…  some people did not receive the notice and their licenses expired.  As of the time of this post, they are allowing people to still renew their licenses, but there is an additional fifty dollar fee.  Some people are reporting they received a mailed notice of this policy change, while others are being caught unaware.  The Blogmeister’s advice?  Check your license status ASAP and renew if you are expired.

Whatzup with the Blog

I’m sure both the people who regularly read the blog have noticed I’ve been posting rather infrequently of late.  Here’s whats up.  First, I’ve had that nasty cold/flu/plaque thing making it’s way around northeastern Indiana.  Along with the physical symptoms, it appears to make one just plain mean, as reported by family and co-workers.  So, apart from not feeling all that well, I didn’t want to write something unfairly mean or unjust.  Secondly, I’ve been working on setting up the server at the office to work with new web software.  The primary purpose is to enhance our practice web pages, but an added bonus will be I could host this, or another blog, from that server.  It’s not done yet, but it has taken quite a bit of time.

Neither of those issues are really resolved at this point, but I am feeling a little better.  So, please bear with me and things will hopefully return to normal in a few days!

McClain, Ruppel Running: Ripley Stepping Aside

Two Indiana legislative members announced their intentions to seek re-elections today, while another announced he would not run.

According to the Carroll County Comet,

State Representative Rich McClain (R-Logansport) has announced he will seek re-election to the Indiana House of Representatives in House District 24.

McClain represents of Cass, Carroll, Miami and White Counties.

McClain was elected to the Indiana House of Representatives in 1994 and serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and the Statutory Committee on Interstate and International Cooperation.

The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette Reports,

State Rep. Bill Ruppel, R-North Manchester, announced Wednesday morning he will seek re-election in House District 22.

The district includes all of Wabash County and the eastern and southern portions of Kosciusko County.

Ruppel was elected to the House in 1992. He is the ranking Republican member of the Veterans Affairs and Public Safety committees, and is a member of the Financial Institutions and Environmental Affairs committees.

In another story in the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette,

State Rep. Mike Ripley, R-Monroe, announced Wednesday he has decided against seeking re-election in House District 79.

The former Adams County commissioner has served as a member of the Indiana House since 1996.

He is the ranking Republican member of the House Insurance Committee. He also serves on the House Financial Institutions and Labor and Employment committees.

Just In: Nancy Reagan Hospitalized

This just in from the Associated Press (glad she’s okay!):

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) — Former first lady Nancy Reagan was hospitalized Sunday after falling in her home in Bel-Air but is doing well, her spokeswoman said.

Reagan, 86, was taken to St. John’s Health Center, where doctors determined she did not break a hip as feared, spokeswoman Joanne Drake said.

Drake said Reagan was doing well and would stay the night in the same room where former President Ronald Reagan stayed after he broke his hip at home in 2001. He died June 5, 2004.

The former first lady is “joking and visiting in her room,” Drake said.

Reagan’s family physician recommended the overnight stay “as a precaution,” Drake said.

Nancy Reagan’s last major public appearance was at the Jan. 30 Republican presidential debate at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley, Calif., where she sat with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

McCain Coming to Indiana

WTHR has a long story about John McCain coming to Indiana on February 22.  While filled with tons of background information, it is very light on details.  Toward the end they say:

Eyewitness News has confirmed Sen. McCain will visit Indianapolis next Friday. He will participate in some events on the morning of Feb. 22. Stay tuned to Eyewitness News for more details and complete coverage of his visit.

So if your a supporter of the good Senator’s, keep Friday open and watch WTHR.

UPDATE:  Okay, right after I posted this, the Indy Star had some further information.

Jay Kenworthy, communications director for the state GOP, said McCain’s fund-raiser is at 11 a.m. Friday at the Conrad Indianapolis, 50 W. Washington St. Kenworthy isn’t sure what prices will be for the invitation-only event.

Kenworthy said he was not sure who would be able to attend a town hall meeting, if one is scheduled, adding that the Arizona senator’s campaign staff is handling those arrangements.

Rebecca Zepick, who works in media relations for McCain’s campaign, could not confirm McCain will be in Indiana. She said she expected to know more early next week.

“We’re pleased,” said Kenworthy. “He’s the first presidential candidate of this cycle to come through, and everyone expected it to be Hillary (Clinton) or (Barack) Obama.”

The two candidates in the Democratic primary are in a closer race than McCain is in for the Republican primary, Kenworthy noted.

Sue Ellen Reed: On Her Way Out?

Most of the major news outlets, as well as blogs around the state are reporting on comments made by Governor Mitch Daniels that he is apparently supporting candidate Tony Bennett for Indiana School Superintendent.  All this despite Sue Ellen Reed has held the position for four terms and has not made a decision about a fifth.  Here are some links about the comments and what they may possibly mean:

 Taking Down Words

Blue Indiana

Fort Wayne Journal Gazette

FDA: Allowing Big Pharma’s Off Label Advertising

According to the Indianapolis Star this morning, the Food and Drug Administration will continue allowing pharmaceutical companies efforts to market a drug’s “off-label” uses, as long as the companies adhere to certain guidelines.  This “marketing” includes giving physicians articles describing “off-label” use.  In the past this practice has come under fire as the companies themselves sponsored the research and the articles were not published in peer reviewed journals.  According to the new guidelines;

Articles should not be false or misleading and should come from a peer-reviewed journal that is not influenced by the company. The proposal also says companies should attach a disclaimer to the materials indicating that the FDA has not reviewed them.
Drug industry advocates said the proposal firmly establishes FDA’s role as a regulator of medicine — not information.

However, these “advocates” have a lot to gain by the ruling.

Off-label prescriptions account for an estimated 21 percent of overall drug use, according to a 2006 analysis in the Annals of Internal Medicine. The practice is common in treating conditions such as cancer, where doctors will prescribe drugs approved for one type of cancer for another.

Follow Up: Lennington Gives Up Tax Court

Following up on my posts here and here, the Muncie Star Press is reporting:

Delaware County Circuit Court 5 Judge Wayne Lennington has relinquished jurisdiction over all cases related to tax sales, a week after acknowledging he was the target of a criminal investigation that involves his personal investments.

All five Delaware Circuit Court judges, including Lennington, signed an order Wednesday that transferred tax sale cases to the other four courts, and allowed the re-assignment of criminal cases from Lennington’s court at Delaware County Prosecutor Mark McKinney’s discretion.

Rep. Amos Thomas Files for Re-Election

From the Brazil Times:

…the Parke County native and Brazil resident officially threw his hat into the ring Thursday, as he filed for candidacy as state representative for District 44.

During a phone interview, Thomas, a Republican, told The Brazil Times he only waited to file for re-election because he was still recovering from ongoing health issues. The deadline to file for the upcoming election is Feb. 22.

“The main reason was because I was in the hospital and not really thinking about much except for my recovery,” Thomas said. “I was thinking about this all the time, but to tell you the truth, I had an awful hard time concentrating on anything. I just had too much to do and too short of time.”

He is the fourth person to file for the position. Other candidates include Republican Duane Conover and Democrats Richard Thompson and Nancy Michael.

3 Indiana Natives Make Idol Cut

The night of super Tuesday I was competing for television time with the rest of my family.  They wanted to watch American Idol, and I wanted to watch the primary results.  Since I was a little miffed, I posted this tongue-n-cheek missive about Amanda Overmeyer on the blog the next day.  She is an Indiana native who got through the first round for the show.  However, people took the post seriously, so the next night, when Amy Davis, another Indiana resident, made it through, I felt obligate to post on that.

Well, not only did the two make it through the “Hollywood Round”, but I find out there is a third person from Indiana, Luke Menard.  So, to be fair, I wanted to put up his Idol audition.  Unfortunately, I couldn’t find it.  So Luke, sorry dude, I tried, but you can see an interview with him here.

So now we have three Indiana natives in the top 24 of American Idol.  I wish them all the best.  Oh, by the way,  WTHR has this story about the top 24.