Indiana has never enjoyed a reputation for strong ethics rules. So it was promising when then-Gov. Mitch Daniels instituted guidelines that seemed to raise the bar.Winners
Philip Humber: White Sox pitcher throws perfect game against Seattle Mariners, just the 21st perfect game in 143 years of Major League history.
United Way: The local agency improves upon last year’s fund-raising totals, bringing in $5.1 million to help local charitable agencies.
Community Harvest Food Bank: The 2012 CANstruction Contest that featured student-created sculptures on display at Glenbrook Square brought in 68,033 pounds of food.
Tossups
Newt Gingrich: The former House speaker bows to the inevitable – finally – and drops out of the Republican presidential race.
Losers
Donald Trump: The master of self-promotion didn’t exactly get much respect when he told Scotland’s Parliament not to build a massive wind farm within view of his new golf resort. Asked to provide evidence of his criticisms of wind farms, Trump replied: “I am the evidence. I am a world-class expert on tourism.” After hearing his remark, The Associated Press reported, “The public gallery burst into laughter.”
South Bend schools: School board votes to close three schools and lay off 80 teachers as part of $12 million in budget cuts connected to a reduction in state funding and a loss of 600 students, most to the private school voucher program.
Metta World Peace: By any name, the basketball player formerly known as Ron Artest is a thug. He’s suspended from Lakers after elbowing the Thunder’s James Harden, causing a concussion.
Wal-Mart: Stock price nose-dives after New York Times exposes decision to suppress internal investigation into $24 million bribery scandal involving its Mexican subsidiary.
Milestones
Charles Colson: The mastermind of Watergate-era dirty tricks, he served seven months in prison and emerged as an evangelical Christian, forming Prison Ministries Fellowship. He died at 80.
Manchester University: Manchester College, founded in 1889, changes its name to Manchester University effective July 1, reflecting its post-graduate degrees and the addition of the School of Pharmacy in Fort Wayne.
Chief Richardville House: Home of Miami Chief Jean Baptiste de Richardville set to be dedicated as a National Historic Landmark in a ceremony today. It joins the Allen County Courthouse as the county’s only sites on the list.
