Indiana reported 1,000 new confirmed COVID-19 deaths in just 13 days, bringing the states total to more than 8,000 Friday.

Even after shutting down for about two months in the spring, the recreational vehicle industry is going to outpace the previous year. In 2020, production increased about 4 percent.

An online literacy program aims to help children in poverty learn to read as they prepare to enter kindergarten, but the group is struggling to find families because of the pandemic.

The Indiana State Department of Health tracking map labeled 45 of the states 92 counties the most dangerous red category, up 21 from a week earlier.

Doses of the coronavirus vaccine had been delivered to 19 prisons, including the Federal Correctional Complex in Terre Haute, Indiana, by Wednesday, a Bureau of Prisons spokesman told The Associated Press.

Health experts stress the importance of remaining cautious of the virus as the state works toward achieving herd immunity.

Hospitals across Indiana can once again schedule non-emergency, elective surgeries after Gov. Eric Holcomb said Wednesday he'll lift the temporary ban on such procedures.

Rollout of COVID-19 vaccines in Indiana remains focused on frontline health care workers and nursing home residents. That's even as some hospitals are reportedly vaccinating people much further down the priority list, like teachers.

Businesses could stand to lose billions of dollars from lawsuits related to COVID-19. The Indiana Chamber's top priority for the upcoming legislative session will be to provide businesses some protections.

Of the state's 500,282 total positive cases, 76.5 percent were reported after the state moved to Stage 5 of its reopening plan, in late September.