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The Indiana State AFL-CIO has issued a statement to debunk rumors that they will be protesting the Right-To-Work Bill during this weekend’s Super Bowl game in Indianapolis; The deadline is approaching for candidates filing to run for public office; In a reversal of its decision earlier this week, The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation has said today that it will continue to award grants to Planned Parenthood; United Way of Monroe County will be offering free federal and Indiana income tax preparation; Garland C. Elmore, associate vice president of information technology and associate professor of informatics at Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, has been awarded the President’s Medal for Excellence by Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie.

College Goal Sunday is a program created to assist college-bound students and their families complete their FAFSA forms; New rules for management of U-S National Forest lands will take effect this March; Tomorrow, at 7:30am at the Village Deli, the Democratic Women's Caucus is hosting a breakfast with vice chairwoman of the Indiana Democratic Party, Cordelia Lewis-Burks; Marcia McNutt, director of the U-S Geological Survey, will speak about fossil fuel resources, earthquakes, and community resiliency this week at Indiana University.

Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels signed the long-debated, so-called Right to Work bill into law today, just hours after the state Senate passed the bill by a vote of 28 to 22; According to reports conducted by the Economic Policy Institute imported Chinese auto parts put Indiana at risk of losing 132,000 jobs; Indiana residents who want to avoid unwanted calls and text messages from telemarketers are being advised to sign up for the state’s Do Not Call list by Valentine’s Day.

Former Monroe County Council member Sophia Travis announced today that she is seeking to return as an at large Representative this fall; At the most recent meeting of the Monroe County School Board, several changes were made to the school calendar and some staff salaries; The Ellettsville Town Council addressed several appointments to town boards and commissions during their latest meeting; Indiana University’s School of Journalism announced this week the first two lecturers as part of the School’s speaker series; Millions of Girl Scout cookies have arrived in central Indiana.

Indiana House “Ways and Means” Committee approves legislation that would use surplus funds to increase funding for full day kindergarten and increase compensation for the victims of last year’s tragedy at the State Fair; Today, the National Federation of Independent Business released a statement urging Governor Mitch Daniels to sign the controversial Right to Work bill; The deadline is approaching for artists living and working in Indiana to apply for Indiana Arts Commission grant; Bloomington will host a state-wide parks and rec professionals conference in January of 2013; A record breaking figure of about $1.3 million in investments was approved for projects in the state of Indiana during the past fiscal year.

Today the Indiana General Assembly passed human trafficking Senate Bill 4 by a unanimous vote of 93-0;Indiana’s Senate Education Committee has given the OK to a bill that would allow creationism to be taught alongside evolution in the state’s public school science classes; The Monroe County council met for brief special session where they approved the chairs of various boards and commissions; The Bloomington Utility Service Board heard a staff report from Assistant Director of Engineering, Mike Bengtson; County Commissioners and the County Plan Commission met recently to discuss the Comprehensive Land Use Plan.

The Indiana House of Representatives passed House Bill 1001 yesterday, Gary Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson will serve as the keynote speaker for the opening celebration of the City of Bloomington’s 8th annual Black History Month celebration; The Communication Workers of America local chapter 4730, which includes Indiana University Bloomington and Indiana University Northwest campuses, is promoting a day of silent protest against rising health care costs; The Bloomington Board of Public Works awarded a contract to build a street scape project on South Walnut Street, just north of 2nd street; The Indiana Department of Natural Resources has announced that they are looking to hire new Conservation Officers for the state’s forests, wildlife and citizens.

The Bloomington Common Council met to hear first and second readings of several pieces of legislation; Purdue University President France Cordova announced the launch of the Innovation and Commercialization Center yesterday; The biggest solar storm in the past eight years hit earth this morning around 2:30 am; State Senator Brent Steele has pushed a proposal through the senate to make Boating under the Influence a punishable crime; The Indiana University School of Medicine was among 130 medical schools in the nation to announce this month it would take part in the Joining Forces Initiative, a project led by First Lady Michele Obama.

The Indiana Business Research Center issued a report that Leading Economic Indicators are at the highest since the onset of the Recession; Indiana’s unemployment rate held steady at 9 percent during the month of December; Indiana House Democrats walked off the floor of the Indianapolis Statehouse yesterday; Indiana District 60 Representative Peggy Welch announced her intent to seek re-election this year; An anti-bullying measure has been introduced in the Indiana House of Representatives; This Saturday, the local library will host a forum on the future of public education; a debate among educators asks whether the pen is mightier than the keyboard; Community Access Television Services is now expanding its coverage of town hall meetings in Ellettsville.

Democrats have taken their seats in the Indiana House of Representatives to debate second reading amendments to Bill 1001; President Barack Obama delivers the State of the Union Address tomorrow evening; The Monroe County Board of Health will be meeting tomorrow night for a public forum; the City of Bloomington Commission on the Status of Black Males, has announced the opening of public nominations for the city’s Seventh annual Outstanding Black Male Leaders of Tomorrow Award; Indiana Senate Republican Richard Bray of Martinsville has announced that he will not run for re-election; Inspections by the Indiana State Excise Police have concluded that less than five percent of retailers last year sold tobacco products to teens; Indiana University Cinema and the Jacobs School of Music have come together for the world premiere musical score of the silent film, David Copperfield; An estimated 1.25 billion portions of chicken wings will be consumed during Super Bowl weekend - hosted in Indianapolis this year.