The Indiana State Department of Health reported 73 additional confirmed deaths over the last week, bringing the states total to 3,354. The state announced more than 117,000 total confirmed cases including two days with more than 1,000 reported cases and more than 1.3 million Hoosiers tested.

Marion County will not join the rest of the state in a full reopening, but some businesses will be able to increase capacity, including bars.

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit the hospitality industry hard over the last few months with a recent survey showing 41 percent of Hoosier restaurants could close in the next six months.

There's a lot of COVID-19 data available through state and federal resources. But those numbers can be confusing or raise questions. That's inspired some people to do their own data-tracking.

Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush and the four other justices all joined online as they heard arguments from attorneys in three cases Thursday morning.

State leaders say the data comes from about 70 percent of Indiana schools that have so far submitted information. About 700 new cases were reported last week.

Most schools in Indiana started the new academic year with some sort of in-person instruction, but teachers say the so-called "hybrid" learning models are burning them out -- fast.

The Indiana State Department of Health and IUPUI will begin the third phase of its COVID-19 tracking study on Sept. 29. This round of the study is set to include children as participants for the first time.

Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb said he would be dropping most other limits on businesses and crowd sizes as of Saturday, but the mask order will be extended until Oct. 17.

Indiana will move to its final reopening phase on Saturday, with one big caveat -- the statewide mask-wearing order will remain in effect.