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Daniels preparing changes following stage collapse

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Gov. Mitch Daniels on Tuesday outlined a handful of changes Indiana is taking following last year's deadly state fair stage collapse.

Daniels said he ordered the state Department of Homeland Security to begin reviewing temporary outdoor structures like the stage rigging that collapsed Aug. 13.

He also said firings at the state fair commission could be a part of an overhaul he's considering. He did not say whether that included State Fair director Cindy Hoye.

Asked if anyone would be fired because of the collapse, Daniels said, "It may be that someone will. But this will all be part of the restructuring and the decisions that are about to start now."

Fair spokeswoman Stephanie McFarland did not respond Tuesday to an email seeking a response to Daniels' comments.

An independent investigation released last week found the fair had no clear chain of command for deciding when to evacuate fans. A separate investigation found that the rigging that killed seven people and injured close to 60 people was not built to withstand the 59-mph winds that knocked it down.

State Fair Commission Chairman Andre Lacy told investigators that Hoye initially offered her resignation but that he refused to accept it. Daniels said Tuesday that Lacy never offered to resign, but if he had, the governor says he would not have accepted it.

Daniels said he wants state investigators to begin reviewing temporary outdoor structures immediately. State lawmakers approved a plan to establish the state's first inspection guidelines for temporary structures and plan to study the issue before they return for their 2013 session.

"We want to make sure those are looked at even before we have new code in place," Daniels said.

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  1. Thank you for pointing out the absurdity of having The Naked Cowboy at Zoobilation. For the life of me, I don’t know why anyone would want a picture with that guy, but there were plenty of folks lined up to get a shot with him. The event could have used more restrooms out on the bridge, more photo booths and vendors offering something besides meat. There were a few more veg-friendly options this year than last, but it has a long way to go.

  2. Went to Zoobilation Friday night and had a great time. The weather was super nice and the food was very good, for the most part. Lots of sliders this year at many different tents. The slider from Alexander's was inedible, all four in my group ended up tossing it after one bite. Some tents were out of food by 8:30 and one bar area was out of cups at 8:30, not sure how that can happen. Great event in Indy and I look forward to it each year.

  3. Many of the small community hospitals are now owned by the "cash-strapped" Indy biggies, with more coming. The doctor-practise buying has been done precisely to sidestep tiered payments for out-of-hospital procedures. These are no better done, or safer, because someone administers a pain shot or snaps an x-ray in a doctor's office. And the non-payment issue is resolved next year when we all have insurance, even though many still think paying private insurers an extra 10-20% is what makes our system "world-class".

  4. I'd love to see this rendering put into the context of the surrounding neighborhood/area to get a better feel for the surrounding scale. However, just by the looks of it, it appears to be an excellent project. I'm pretty sure that if Scott Olson had said nothing regarding Chicago or Wrigleyville, Mr. "Horrible" would have found nothing bad to say. I'd love to know how Indy is becoming "Chicagofied"...

  5. Truly great and funny play. Vocalists were Broadway caliber and stage settings ideal for small stage. Would go again!

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