Brown County Art Guild, Playhouse

The Indiana Arts Commission has awarded grants to 382 community-based arts providers throughout Indiana for Fiscal Year 2021, including two in Brown County.

The Brown County Art Guild and Brown County Playhouse were among the recipients, both receiving Arts Organization Support grants. They provide annual operating funding for the ongoing artistic and administrative expenses of nonprofit arts organizations.

The Brown County Art Guild received $9,335.04 and the Playhouse received $7,467.84.

“This funding is crucial to sustaining the operations of arts organizations, which is a significant source of economic prosperity in Indiana,” said Lewis Ricci, IAC executive director. “We know that these organizations have been heavily impacted by the pandemic, and this funding will help them weather the storm as they continue to adapt to this new normal and create safe, meaningful experiences for Hoosiers.”

Brown County Playhouse

The Brown County Playhouse was one of 76 Indiana companies and organizations which recently received Governor’s Century or Half Century Business Awards

The Brown County Playhouse received a Half Century Award. The Playhouse has been open for 71 years.

More than 1,560 Indiana companies have been recognized during the awards’ 29-year history.

State Rep. Chris May

STATEHOUSE — State Rep. Chris May (R-Bedford) will serve on the Interim Study Committee on Courts and the Judiciary, which will review requests to improve court procedures. 

The committee has been charged with reviewing requests for new courts, additional magistrates or judges, and changes in existing court jurisdictions. May said lawmakers will also look at whether the number of courts or judicial officers in counties throughout the state should be decreased.

By Sept. 18, the committee will receive reports from the Indiana Supreme Court – Office of Judicial Administration and the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute outlining agency plans for handling similar emergency situations like COVID-19 in the future and recommendations for potential legislation. May said his priority will be ensuring the state continues to respond to the pandemic appropriately and that Hoosiers remain safe and healthy moving forward.

May said committees will likely meet in person with an option to participate virtually this year to help limit the potential spread of the coronavirus, and details will be released in the coming weeks. Committee hearings are livestreamed online and then archived so they can be watched later at iga.in.gov.

The full list of topics to be studied can be found at iga.in.gov.

May’s representation district includes Brown County.

State Sen. Eric Koch

STATEHOUSE — State Sen. Eric Koch (R-Bedford) was reappointed to serve as co-chair of the 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force.

In 2019, House Enrolled Act 1278 established the 15-member 21st Century Energy Policy Development Task Force to examine and evaluate aspects of Indiana’s policies concerning electric generation portfolios, develop recommendations for the General Assembly and governor, and issue a report setting forth the task force’s recommendations by December 1, 2020.

The task force will:

• examine Indiana’s existing policies regulating electric generation portfolios;
• examine how possible shifts in electric generation portfolios may impact the reliability, system resilience and affordability of electric utility service; and
• evaluate whether state regulators have the appropriate authority and statutory flexibility to consider the statewide impact of possible shifts in electric generation portfolios, while still protecting ratepayer interests.

The task force will then develop recommendations for the General Assembly and the governor.

The task force is made up of eight state legislators and seven experts appointed by the governor.

Koch’s representation district includes Brown County.