by Andrea NealEmbargoed for 2 p.m. Sept. 2, 2003 INDIANAPOLIS — School"s back in session, which means teachers are hard at work helping students bone up for ISTEP. Is this any way to start a school year? Just when teachers ought to be presenting fresh lessons and new material to eager, young students, they are forced to offer extensive and redundant review of the previous year"s subjects. Depending on where your child attends school, he…

705 words (Editors please note: subject is time sensitive and could be affected by breaking news) INDIANAPOLIS — Here’s some advice for Indiana Republicans awaiting word of Joe Kernan’s election ambitions: Relax. No matter what Kernan does, your strategy is the same. Here’s some advice for Joe Andrew and Vi Simpson, the two Democrats with the most to fear from Kernan’s decision: Stop pacing. He"s the best candidate. If he decides to run, do as…

Andrea Neal column for Sept. 28 and thereafter750 words INDIANAPOLIS – What possible reason could a politician give for refusing to answer a questionnaire? During more than a decade of examining candidate records, the folks at Project Vote Smart have heard it all. "I don’t do surveys." "The information might be used against me." "My record speaks for itself." When it comes to making excuses, candidates this election year are no different than in the…

Andrea Neal column for May 25 and thereafter740 words Note to editors: This updates May 25 column with Supreme Court decision for newspapers that publish column later in week. INDIANAPOLIS — The reassessment fiasco continues. If Marion County’s experience didn’t convince lawmakers the system is messed up, Lake County’s surely will. Even before tax bills went out, citizens living in Gary’s Miller Beach area filed suit, alleging the county’s property reassessment process was unconstitutional. On…