INDIANAPOLIS -- A compromise on legislation that seeks to move all of Indiana to daylight-saving time remained elusive Wednesday as a House-Senate conference committee failed to agree on a proposal that could advance in the Senate.\nRepublican Sen. Marvin Riegsecker of Goshen, the bill's primary sponsor in the Senate, said if the four-member panel did not strike a deal Thursday he would ask GOP legislative leaders to name a new committee that might forge a compromise. He said he even would ask that he be removed from the panel and his association with the proposal be ended.\n"I've given it my all," he said in a frustrated tone, hours after a compromise proposal with a hint of promise withered.\nThat plan would put all of Indiana on daylight-saving time but require the General Assembly and Gov. Mitch Daniels to seek federal proceedings on whether more of the state should be in the Central time zone.\nThe proposal removes provisions included in a House-passed bill that would allow some counties, on their own, to opt out of daylight-saving time. The U.S. Department of Transportation, which regulates time zones, deemed those provisions illegal.\nIt still would mandate that 77 counties in the Eastern time zone join 15 other counties that change their clocks twice a year, just as 47 other states do, beginning in April 2006. Five counties in the Eastern time zone already make the time switch, and a pocket of counties in northwestern and southwestern Indiana are in the Central time zone and observe daylight-saving time.\nThe previous bill, which barely passed the House earlier this month, would have "urged" Daniels to petition the federal government to hold hearings about whether more of Indiana should be moved to Central time.\nThe new proposal by Rep. Dave Crooks, D-Washington, would require the General Assembly and Daniels to seek those hearings within 10 days if the bill became law. It also says the state would support any county that seeks a change to the Central time zone.
\nsujh: Five fraternities, one other group disciplined for hazing, breaking other rules
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University suspended a fraternity for five years and disciplined two others Wednesday for various infractions during a party and during a fight at the student union.\nThe university placed three other student groups, including two fraternities, on probation for one year for hazing prospective members, Purdue announced separately.\nThe school withdrew its recognition of Kappa Alpha Psi until at least 2010 and placed Delta Sigma Phi on probation until September for violations that took place during a Feb. 12 party. Kappa Alpha Psi members had rented a room at the Delta Sigma Phi house for the party to which police were called.\nAn investigation turned up underage drinking, illegal distribution of alcohol, crowd control problems, fighting and possession of drugs and weapons, said Jason Casares, assistant dean of students for student activities and organizations.\nA third fraternity, Phi Beta Sigma, was placed on probation through December for a March 5 fight at the Purdue Memorial Union allegedly involving four or more members of Phi Beta Sigma.\nMeanwhile, the university also said it had placed two other fraternities, Delta Tau Delta and Sigma Nu, and a third student group, Chauncey Cooperative, on probation for a year for physical and mental hazing of prospective members.\nThe hazing included verbal abuse, sleep deprivation, excessive cleaning, a regimented schedule and minor physical abuse that included throwing water and/or food on new members, Purdue said.
\nsujh: Only one group bids on Orange County casino project
INDIANAPOLIS -- The deadline for applications for the Orange County casino license dropped by Donald Trump's company passed Wednesday with no additional applications.\nOnly a partnership between Bloomington-based medical device maker Cook Group Inc. and Lauth Property Group Inc. of Indianapolis submitted an application and a $50,000 application fee, said Indiana Gaming Commission executive director Ernest Yelton.\nThe application, which was filed under the name Blue Sky Casino LLC, proposes that the southern Indiana riverboat casino would be operated by Majestic Star Casino LLC, Yelton said. The company owns and operates a Gary riverboat casino.\n"Majestic Star is the perfect gaming operator for our project," said Robert Lauth, CEO of Laugh Group. "Not only do they have solid gaming management experience, they already have a presence in Indiana."\nThe $240 million casino proposal would restore the French Lick Springs Resort & Spa and the nearby West Baden Springs Hotel. The riverboat would be moored in a lagoon beside the French Lick hotel.\nCook Group's 50 percent interest in the project would be held by a nonprofit charitable foundation. Under the proposal, half of the casino profits would go toward historic reservation, restoration and education in the region.\nYelton said one potential applicant told the Gaming Commission it could not compete with that plan, so it did not submit an application.\n"This is a rather formidable proposal," Yelton said.\nAnother company, Orange County Development LLC, whose members include French Lick native and basketball star Larry Bird, had submitted an earlier proposal but did not turn in another application during the latest round. Gaming operator Nevada Gold & Casinos, Inc. recently announced that a subsidiary had acquired a 75 percent interest in Orange County Development.