Indiana News Headlines for October 13th

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — State excise police say officers seized suspected counterfeit merchandise worth more than $500,000 from an Indianapolis flea market. Corporal Brandon Thomas says excise officers had a search warrant for the Liberty Bell Carpet & Flea Market on the city's east side when they seized the items yesterday. Thomas says no arrests were immediately made.

GARY, Ind. (AP) — The street in front of Gary's City Hall will be closed for much of this week so demolition work can be done on a hotel that was once a symbol of the city's hopes for turnaround. Mayor Karen Freeman-Wilson made a campaign promise to tear it down. She said the sight of the tallest building downtown sitting empty sent a poor message to people passing by on the Indiana Toll Road.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana's Office of Small Business Entrepreneurship has picked a new director to provide contracts to small businesses. Shane Springer will be the new head of the Procurement Technical Assistance Center. Springer is a U.S. Army veteran who served in Iraq in 2005. He worked for four years in the General Assembly before joining the contracting center.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Governor Mike Pence, first lady Karen Pence and their staff are selling pumpkins to benefit a food bank. The governor's office says the Pences will help with the sale of pumpkins tomorrow. The governor will be available to draw caricatures on pumpkins once they're purchased.