1) Adding up the ads

Kip Tom holds the distinction of spending the most money so far on television campaign ads in northeast and north central Indiana. The campaign for the Republican Congressional candidate bought $171,055 worth of commercial spots this year on the four network affiliates in Fort Wayne and three stations in the South Bend-Elkhart market, according to documents uploaded to public inspection files for each station on the Federal Communications Commission’s website.

2) Weak wage gains in city drag county PCI growth

Compared to the national average, northeast Indiana’s per capita income has seen a modest recovery since it bottomed out in 2009 when the Great Recession ended. But, Allen County has not seen the same growth as the rest of the region due to Fort Wayne under performing.

3) Scrap metal companies adjusting to downturn

The Institute of Scrap Metal Recycling Industries expected the outlook sessions of its annual convention and exposition in Las Vegas to be well attended this week as people in the business look for ways to cope with last year’s huge downturn in scrap prices. The group’s economic health is important to Indiana’s economy because it is among the biggest steel producing states in the nation and scrap is what mini-mills use to make the commodity.

4) Common wage won’t affect bids, but busy contractors could

The state law that eliminated Indiana’s common construction wage on public projects may not have any impact on the cost of work contained in Fort Wayne Community Schools proposed $130 million “Repair 2” collection of infrastructure projects.