Last UpdatedFRI., MAY 25, 2012 - 1:41 PM
City-County Building, Indianapolis

Indianapolis council to consider domestic-partner benefits

11:26 am
City-County Councilor Angela Mansfield filed the proposal covering city employees that would make same-sex and heterosexual couples who live together eligible for health insurance benefits.More.

Indy speedway replaces stage following inspection01:36 pm

Associated Press
A temporary outdoor stage set up to entertain race fans at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been replaced after it failed to meet new safety standards enacted by the state following last year's deadly stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair.More.

IndyCar settles lawsuit over Izod sponsorship10:59 am

Scott Olson
A Florida-based sports marketing firm had claimed in a lawsuit that it was owed million of dollars in commissions for landing the clothing brand as the league's title sponsor.More.

Typical CEO at public firm made $9.6M last year, study finds09:54 am

Associated Press
Study that pegs Simon Property's CEO as highest-paid finds executive compensation is soaring along with profit at public companies.More.
MAY 21-27, 2012
thisissue1-052112.jpg IBJ May 21, 2012 front page

Plan seeks to turn towpath into arts corridorRestricted Content

The city of Indianapolis and private-sector players are lining up behind an effort to rebrand the Central Canal Towpath as an art-themed destination dubbed Art 2 Art by adding artwork and improving the trail.More.

IMS officials hope new cars boost attendance, TV ratingsRestricted Content

Gearheads are sure to be excited over the new engine and chassis package at the Indianapolis 500 this year, but IMS and IndyCar Series officials hope the highly publicized changes will be enough to grab the attention of more casual fans and create an attendance and TV ratings boost.More.

Binford-area neighborhood alliance upping ambitionsRestricted Content

The two main retail centers in a northeast-side development area will be at 100-percent occupancy when Uncle Bill’s Pet Express opens in a small space at Binford Boulevard and 71st Street. Binford Area Growth and Revitalization, a super-neighborhood association better known as BRAG, began striving for this milestone in 2005.More.

Biz boosters embrace One Click, but it's no sure thingRestricted Content

Husband-and-wife entrepreneurs Randy and Angie Stocklin started Greenwood-based One Click Ventures out of their home with $20,000 in 2005. They now own a portfolio of niche retail websites, including SunglassWarehouse.com, HandbagHeaven.com and Scarves.net, which brought $5.3 million in revenue last year.More.

State's chilly recycling climate means higher costs for container makersRestricted Content

Some manufacturers favor legislation that would encourage consumers to return their empties.More.

Former Pac-Van owners return to mobile office biz

Brent and Matthew Claymon have founded OnSite Space LLC and acquired Indianapolis-based Tyson Corp., to form OnSite Space by Tyson. The brothers sold Pac-Van in 2006 and have returned to the industry after their five-year non-compete expired.More.

First Merchants has sights set on metro area growthRestricted Content

Boone, Hancock counties on the Muncie-based bank's radar.More.

LOU'S VIEWS: In and out at the IMA

Inside the Indianapolis Museum of Art, there's African art. Outside, there's "Oedipus at Colonus."More.

BENNER: Violence in sports is supply meeting our demand to winRestricted Content

The recent suicide of former San Diego Chargers linebacker Junior Seau is the latest exclamation point to growing concern about the violence that is part of football, especially in the NFL.More.

MORRIS: Tech sector credit goes to Jones, TechPointRestricted Content

The Mira Awards focus attention on the broader issue of the important role technology plays in Indiana’s economy.More.

BINGAMAN: Welcome to Indy; now go buy a carRestricted Content

Would Andrew Luck the Aspiring Architect ever consider moving to Indy?More.

SKARBECK: Executive pay packages must reflect performanceRestricted Content

When it comes to corporate governance, my firm has been roundly critical of the unending escalation in executive compensation.More.

Ease off Luck coverageRestricted Content

I am as excited as the next fan about the selection of Andrew Luck to be the Colts' new quarterback, but do we need 24/7 coverage [May 7]?More.

Make Indy more walkableRestricted Content

Imagine an Indianapolis where walking and biking are common ways of getting to work, to school, to visit friends or to run errands.More.

Utilities, public clash on tree-trimming policiesRestricted Content

Indianapolis Power & Light, others say money is at stake if tighter controls are enforced.More.

Cummins hires ex-Indianapolis mayoral candidate

Melina Kennedy has joined the diesel engine maker's corporate communications team and will be responsible for executive communications, research and speechwriting for CEO Tom Linebarger.More.

City’s final tab for hosting Super Bowl: $1 million

CIB and city tourism leaders say that the money was well spent considering the game could translate to $300 million in direct visitor spending over the next several years.More.

STYRING: Tripping over decrees on the way to recoveryRestricted Content

Some businesses will just say, "We’re big enough. We don’t need that hassle."More.

RIVERA: Vaughn is right pick to help navigate the timesRestricted Content

He knew what worried me and he showed how my vote helped solve that problem.More.

BONIFIELD: Lugar astutely pegged Mourdock, too lateRestricted Content

Lugar was ousted by a man whose most dangerous quality is his unabashed embrace of previously unthinkable positions.More.

VANE: Brooks characterizes new Republican PartyRestricted Content

She will be a brilliant ambassador for the type of conservatism that excludes no one.More.

WAGNER: More of a woman's touch needed in politicsRestricted Content

It would be nice to see a little more thoughtfulness and a little less brute force.More.

MCQUILLEN: Republicans emphasize how decisions would affect the futureRestricted Content

Often, there are process issues or other substantive problems that need to be addressed before more money is thrown down the proverbial tube.More.

KRULL: Voucher boosters need to prove they workRestricted Content

The voucher advocates got their way and now have no else to blame for any failures.More.

MYERS: Ringing approval for better concussion rulesRestricted Content

Football remains a violent game, a game I loved playing and still love watching.More.

SOWELL: Occupiers depleting moral infrastructureRestricted Content

The consequences? None for the mob, but a citation for the shop owner for not removing the graffiti.More.

People in the news - May 21, 2012

People listings are free.More.

New ads reflect IMS' more-aggressive sponsorship mindsetRestricted Content

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is selling advertising along the world-famous, 103-year-old race course for the first time ever, a break with tradition that promises to boost its financial firepower as racetracks nationwide are struggling.More.

Herff Jones goes digital to invigorate yearbook salesRestricted Content

Local firm hired Carmel-based MediaSauce two years ago to help design, develop and market Stitch, a platform for schools to create an online version of their yearbook. The product, tested at 54 schools, is expected to roll out nationally in July.More.

Massive Anson project showing residential, retail progressRestricted Content

Duke Realty Corp. has retrenched at its massive Anson development in Whitestown—focusing on the most promising sections, rearranging some of its site plans, and letting land-purchase contracts expire on about 300 acres where development prospects are likely several years away.More.

Dan Laikin spurred probe of Tim Durham, filings reveal

The FBI had been investigating Tim Durham since March 2009, when his friend Dan Laikin, a Fair Finance board member, offered up incriminating information on the Indianapolis financier in hopes of securing a lighter sentence for himself in an unrelated case.More.

Indiana slips in life sciences funding

Indiana has taken “a giant step backward” in the availability of early-stage capital for life sciences companies, according to the Indiana Health Industry Forum—which also has a few ideas on how to reverse those developments.More.

At 92, Danielson's banking career is still goingRestricted Content

City Securities co-chairman still dispenses wisdom accumulated over a career touching on everything from baseball to folding doors.More.

REED: Conditions for bank mergers thaw following long winterRestricted Content

A few Indiana banks enjoy prices in excess of 150 percent of book.More.

DINING: Better Late (Harvest) ... than just about anything else

Third in a month-long series of Keystone Crossing/Clearwater Crossing-area restaurant reviews. This week: Late Harvest Kitchen.More.

EDITORIAL: Speedway poised for more changeRestricted Content

It’s great to see such an impressive team of corporate and civic heavy-hitters working together to ensure a bright future for one of central Indiana’s most iconic businesses.More.

KENNEDY: The party obsessed with looking backRestricted Content

Today’s GOP has come to be known as the Party of No.More.

ALTOM: Businesses should be suspicious of app trapRestricted Content

Smart-phone app costs can vary by orders of magnitude, just as websites can. The challenge is getting them to pay for themselves.More.

HICKS: Policy choice boils down to austerity or austerityRestricted Content

The plain reality is clear: Austerity is coming to Europe, either as a planned and thoughtful exercise or through fiscal ruin.More.

Lugar more than politicianRestricted Content

Bruce Hetrick’s thoughts [May 14] on Richard Lugar really touched me.More.

Community foundations recovering from recessionRestricted Content

Many have bounced back and report asset levels that exceed their 2007 highs.More.

Acting Indiana chief justice Dickson picked to head court

The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission voted Tuesday to make Brent Dickson the state's first new chief justice in 25 years.More.

Subaru to add 100 jobs as part of $75 million expansion

Subaru already employs 3,600 at its Lafayette facility, with 600 workers added in the past three years. The expansion will ramp up production from nearly 171,000 cars a year to at least 180,000.More.

NFP of NOTE: Cornea Research Foundation of AmericaRestricted Content

The Cornea Research Foundation of America is a not-for-profit clinical research organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of vision.More.

MAHERN: What Ballard means when he says 'private'Restricted Content

The only real difference is that in private clubs smoking will be allowed and in public clubs smoking will not be allowed.More.

FERGUSON: Mourdock win signals danger for deliberationRestricted Content

A slavish devotion to purity in ideology leads to an inability to get anything done.More.

HOWEY: Absolutely, Donnelly can beat MourdockRestricted Content

Forget about your heart and look at the numbers.More.

SWAYZE: Conservatism has become mainstreamRestricted Content

Voters want to turn back to this country’s founding principles of fiscal constraint and family values.More.

LEWIS: Democrats focus most on protecting, providing for people nowRestricted Content

What truly distinguishes the parties is how we prioritize when interests conflict and how we assess the risk of inaction.More.

MUTZ: Neither left nor right can ignore Murray bookRestricted Content

“Coming Apart” is about the gradual slip of the American Dream from possibility to impossibility.More.

TAFT: Momentum gathering for urban revitalizationRestricted Content

We now have proven revitalization strategies and a collaborative spirit.More.

FARGO: State government integrity scores averageRestricted Content

We trailed, believe it or not, Illinois and Louisiana, among others.More.

KRUGMAN: JPMorgan debacle is why we regulate banksRestricted Content

Current right-wing mythology has it that bad banking is always the result of government intervention.More.

Records - May 21, 2012

Records listings from the May 21, 2012, issue of IBJ.More.
coaches-bigpic.jpg coaches

Crean, Painter contracts packed with rewards for postseason success

Indiana University Coach Tom Crean and Purdue University Coach Matt Painter cash in big time when their teams perform well, especially in postseason play.More.
rop-biocrossroads2col.jpg Innovators backed by Biocrossroads

BioCrossroads has stoked state's life sciences industry, but challenges remainRestricted Content

In the 10 years BioCrossroads has been promoting life sciences in Indiana, the effort has netted more than 330 new companies, an infusion of more than $330 million in venture capital, a tripling of exports, and a growing number of mentions in national reports on life sciences.More.
foundations-horiz-0725-2col.jpg marlin jackson

Pro athletes' charities often have limited life spansRestricted Content

Wealth and fame often lead professional athletes to share their success in the charitable arena, but those efforts rarely last much longer than their careers as the organizations struggle to survive in an already-crowded philanthropic field.More.
stock-cno-conseco04-2col.jpg CNO (Conseco)

CEOs see stock windfall after market crashRestricted Content

Executives at Indiana’s public companies got rich in the down-and-up market, even when investors didn't. CNO Financial's Jim Prieur, for example, received stock grants now worth $4.4M, despite share prices that are 40 percent lower than three years ago. With searchable database.More.
reform-license1new-2col.jpg Indy Met teacher Eric Nentrup went through a transition-to-teaching program.

New laws hang teacher pay on performance

Charters and vouchers may have sparked the loudest education-related protests before the Legislature this year, but changes to teacher evaluations are likely to have the biggest impact on Indiana’s public schools.More.
chinap1-2col.jpg China main

SPECIAL REPORT: Indiana companies charge into China

With economic growth in the United States sluggish, Indiana companies are joining the race to capitalize on the fast-growing Chinese economy—even as hundreds of millions of Chinese move into the middle class and adopt a Western-style thirst for goods and services.More.
bess-bigpic.jpg bess-bigpic

Dual roles give Bess unusual view into schools

Bess Watch VideoAs a Danville school board member and superintendent of Indianapolis Metropolitan High, Scott Bess is straddling the increasingly contentious chasm between traditional public schools and privately operated charters.More.
parking-webphoto-2col.jpg Parking meter

City vendor may get $1.2B from parking-privatization deal

The pitch from Mayor Greg Ballard’s administration to privatize the city's parking meters is compelling, but the proposal to sell the meters to Dallas-based Affiliated Computer Services Inc. has the city giving up more in the long run than is immediately apparent.More.
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Soft Landing: Pay slipped for most execs in 2009, but cuts weren't deep

Top executives at Indiana's public companies have largely been insulated from the economic crash. IBJ's review of executive pay found that, although 131 of the 238 executives listed in proxy statements the past two years saw annual compensation fall in 2009, only 10 experienced cuts of more than $1 million.More.
brizziwebonly2-2col.jpg Brizzi

Brizzi's lease deals benefited friend, donor

Records show Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi directed lucrative work for the Prosecutor's Office to his friend, business partner and political contributor John Bales.More.

Half of state's public-company CEOs saw pay rise in 2008

For investors, 2008 was the worst year since the Great Depression. Even so, more than half of the state's public-company executives saw the value of their pay packages rise from 2007—despite the fact that only 10 of the companies posted a positive total return in 2008, and 46 companies shed more than one-third of their stock market value.More.

Simon family's interests helped city thrive, but taxpayers paid the price

The Simon family's role in building the city has come at a steep price for taxpayers. Simon and its business interests in the last 20 years have collected local government incentives worth more than $400 million, an IBJ tally of those deals shows.More.

Indianapolis shows up peer cities in attracting the young and educated

Cities must woo people while they’re young—in their 20s or early 30s—because after that age, people tend to hunker down. The Indianapolis area apparently appeals to at least two key groups of young people—particularly those already married, according to a new study by researchers at IUPUI.More.

IUPUI faces tough decisions over aging sports facilities

IUPUI is grappling with how to pay for upkeep and improvements necessary to keep its three world-class athletic facilities—and the city—in the hunt for high-profile sporting events.More.

SPECIAL REPORT: Center Township trustee taps taxpayers for millions

At an aging building at 863 Massachusetts Ave., they pass through a metal detector and wait in line to show a clerk their identification and copies of overdue bills. Center Township Trustee Carl Drummer sometimes helps. The Trustee's Office received an average of $6.9 million each of the last seven years, mostly from taxes, to provide poor relief-now known as township assistance. But only about $2 million reached the penniless each year, with much of the difference covering administrative overhead....More.

Critics question trustee's property portfolio given mission to help needy

Center Township has real estate holdings worth more than $10 million, according to IBJ research. The township's robust real estate portfolio—highly unusual for an Indiana township—fits Trustee Carl L. Drummer's vision for his taxpayer-supported office. But it makes others see red.More.
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Airport execs' globetrotting sparks scrutiny

Indianapolis Airport Authority CEO John Clark and two key officers spent more than $67,000 last year on travel that included extended business trips to Brazil, Denmark, Greece, Morocco and Switzerland.More.
elkhart-2col.jpg Elkhart property

Warnings about broker's tactics went unheeded

Several state employees openly questioned how John Bales' real estate brokerage did business long before the FBI launched an investigation that led to his indictment.More.
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Critics: City's effort to help ex-offenders ineffectiveRestricted Content

Three years after Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard launched a city office designed to help ex-offenders avoid a repeat prison visit, some of those original supporters say the city’s Office of Re-Entry Initiatives not only has fallen short of that goal but has accomplished little else.More.
reform-license1new-2col.jpg Indy Met teacher Eric Nentrup went through a transition-to-teaching program.

Reform law gives charters leeway to hire unlicensed teachers

Legislation that expands charter schools in Indiana also could increase the number of teachers at those schools without licenses, making it easier for educators like Eric Nentrup to take non-traditional paths to the classroom.More.
charter-main-2col.jpg charter

Controversy brews over judging charter performance

There is little agreement—but lots of politics and complex statistics—on how to define success and failure in Indiana’s public schools.More.
reform-bigpic.jpg reform-bigpic

Partisan divide could threaten long-term education reform

Indiana’s Republican-controlled Legislature will likely pass the bulk of education-reform measures being pushed this year by party heavyweights, but partisan rancor could threaten the long-term prospects for a sweeping overhaul of the state’s public schools.More.
reform-2col.jpg Reform

Charter school's nimble approach could become the norm

Indianapolis Metropolitan High School implemented a school-wide overhaul in its educational approach in only three months. The charter school might be the face of the future for all Indiana public schools.More.
bond-webonly-2col.jpg Bond swap

Bond swaps cost city units $93M in penalties

Wall Street bankers for decades sold municipalities like Indianapolis on debt instruments called swaps as a safe way to reduce borrowing costs and hedge against rising interest rates. In reality, the swaps were complicated bets that relied on misguided assumptions, and taxpayers paid.More.
brizziwebonly2-2col.jpg Brizzi

SPECIAL REPORT: Brizzi ordered lenient deal for business partner's client

Marion County Prosecutor Carl Brizzi last year intervened in a major drug case to offer a reduced sentence over objections from both law enforcement officers and his own deputy prosecutors.More.
durham-big-pic.jpg Tim Durham

Related-party loans pile up at Durham-owned finance firm

Indianapolis businessman Tim Durham has treated Ohio-based Fair Finance Co. almost like a personal bank since buying it seven years ago, and now he, his partners and related firms owe it more than $168 million, records show.More.

Grad students dream up plans for mass transitRestricted Content

Architecture and urban design students from Ball State have created a vision for urban renewal that is arguably more compelling than the Central Indiana Regional Transit Authority's principal, utilitarian goal of reducing northeast-side highway congestion and air pollution by running a diesel commuter train atop the old Nickel Plate Railroad corridor.More.

Hospitals suffer from spiking bond interest rates, investment lossesRestricted Content

Indianapolis-area hospitals have suffered a double whammy of spiking interest rates on their bonds and heavy losses in their investment portfolios and are trying to save cash any way they can.More.

SPECIAL REPORT: Charter Homes draws scrutiny for odd sales claims, multiple liens

Charter Homes owner Jerry Jaquess fancies himself a white knight for King Park, a neighborhood once known mainly for its rampant crime, boarded-up homes and vacant lots. But as he’s constructed a slew of homes and carriage houses there, the local builder has stirred up several lawsuits, dozens of liens and persistent questions about whether his business is legit.More.

At most Indiana public firms, CEO pay hasn't fallen with stockRestricted Content

Most public companies say they tie executive compensation to performance, but an IBJ review of pay data from 65 Indiana-based firms shows otherwise. Last year, more than two-thirds of Indiana-based public companies saw their share prices decline, yet many continued to award eye-popping compensation to their executives.More.

SPECIAL REPORT: Financial travails dog 'mystery man' at helm of Premier Properties

An IBJ review of hundreds of pages of public records shows Christopher P. White and his Premier Properties USA Inc. are facing major financial and legal challenges. The most glaring signs of trouble: Contractors have filed more than $3.5 million in liens against Premier’s retail properties in Plainfield; the state of Indiana is trying to recover $375,000 in sales taxes on White’s airplane; and the contractor who renovated his Lake Clearwater mansion is suing him to recover more than $600,000 in unpaid bills.More.

IRSAY'S ODYSSEY: Owner learned from life in NFL to build winning team

The Indianapolis Colts' evolution from perennial patsy to Super Bowl favorite is a body of work with a seldom-told—and often misunderstood—history. It's easy to see the hues all-pros Peyton Manning, Marvin Harrison and Edgerrin James painted on this masterpiece season. President Bill Polian and Coach Tony Dungy certainly colored the landscape. And Offensive Coordinator Tom Moore added his creativity. But theirs aren't the only signatures on this canvas.More.
Last UpdatedFRI., MAY 25, 2012 - 1:41 PM

Indy speedway replaces stage following inspection01:36 pm

A temporary outdoor stage set up to entertain race fans at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been replaced after it failed to meet new safety standards enacted by the state following last year's deadly stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair.More.

Calumet plans to add 48 jobs at Indianapolis headquarters06:06 am

The oil refiner, which currently has 75 full-time Indiana employees, has begun hiring management, accounting, sales, human resources and information technology workers.More.

Wabash College president ready to step down

Patrick White, president of the private, all-male liberal arts college in Crawfordsville for the past six years, says he'll leave his post a year from now.More.

Republic Airways CEO talks Bombardier jet plans

The CEO of feeder airline operator Republic Airways Holdings Inc. said on Wednesday that new Bombardier jets could be flown in the United States in a partnership with one of the big airline alliances.More.

Shelbyville officials rule fairgrounds fire arson

Shelbyville fire officials say a fire that destroyed the 133-year-old grandstands at the Shelby County Fairgrounds was arson.More.

Purdue economist predicts gas prices won't top $4

Purdue agricultural and energy economist Wally Tyner said Indiana's gas prices will likely remain between $3.50 and $4 per gallon over the summer as long as there's no new turmoil in the Middle East.More.

Sales of existing homes up nationally in April

Modest increases in home sales are the latest sign that the market could be starting to turn around nearly five years after the housing bubble burst. Still, housing construction remains at roughly half the pace that economists consider a healthy market.More.

Gregg, Pence tap women for gubernatorial tickets

Republican candidate Mike Pence toured the state Monday with his choice for lieutenant governor: state Rep. Sue Ellspermann. Democratic candidate John Gregg, meanwhile, is set to announce that longtime Senate Minority Leader Vi Simpson will join his ticket.More.

Indiana prison education cuts cost Ball State jobs

A new law denying state grants for college education to prison inmates has cost the jobs of more than 70 Ball State University employees.More.

Indiana casinos face falling revenue, new competition

Indiana's nearly 20-year-old casino industry is facing declining revenues and growing out-of-state competition, prompting lawmakers to consider what, if any, regulatory changes might be able to stem the tide.More.

Once an Obama coup, Indiana less a battleground

Barack Obama was the first Democrat in 44 years to win Indiana in the 2008 presidential race. A repeat seems doubtful this year.More.

Shares of Facebook stall after company's record IPO

Facebook sold 421million shares to raise $16 billion, giving the company a $104 billion market value. After the debut, underwriters bought the stock to keep it from falling below the IPO price.More.

Big Ten Network cuts academics, citing low ratings

The Big Ten cable network has been an unchallenged success promoting conference sports to a national audience and making money for its members.More.

Indiana issues call for external audit of tax agency

Indiana budget leaders are looking for an external auditor to review the state Department of Revenue after workers discovered $526 million in errors in recent months.More.

Indiana lottery seeking ideas from private firms

The Indiana State Lottery Commission endorsed a plan Wednesday to seek out private companies to take over some operations of the Hoosier Lottery, a state agency whose income has shrunk in recent years.More.

Gubernatorial candidate Gregg calls for corporate tax cut

Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg called for eliminating the state's corporate income tax on Indiana-based businesses Wednesday as he continued to roll out his policy ideas ahead of November's election.More.

Unemployment tax repayment causes confusion

Indiana's plan to balance an unemployment insurance fund hit hard during the recession might have caused businesses to pay more than they owed, although no one seems to know how many companies were involved or the level of impact it had on them.More.

Acting Indiana chief justice Dickson picked to head court

The Indiana Judicial Nominating Commission voted Tuesday to make Brent Dickson the state's first new chief justice in 25 years.More.

Work on central Indiana wind farm set for this summer

A company planning to build a wind farm spread across four central Indiana counties north of Indianapolis says it has obtained 125 building permits for the project's first phase.More.

Indiana governor hopefuls detail ideas for job growth

Republican Mike Pence, Democrat John Gregg and Libertarian Rupert Boneham each say job creation would be "job one" if elected governor. But their means to reaching employment goals vary from dispatching missionary-style investment gurus, to growing more hemp and bamboo, to increasing wind-turbine manufacturing in the state.More.

Indiana delegation could see gender shakeup

Indiana has had only five female members of Congress in its history, none at the same time, and is currently among 16 states without a female serving in either the House or Senate. That could change this fall, though.More.

Indy art museum receives grant for Miller House

The Indianapolis Museum of Art has received a grant to digitize, catalog, and put online a collection of materials about a 1957 modernist-style home in Columbus designed by famed architect Eero Saarinen.More.

Indiana judge declines to release Sugarland testimony

A judge hearing several lawsuits filed over last summer's Indiana State Fair stage collapse declined Wednesday to release depositions from country duo Sugarland and told a plaintiff's attorney he shouldn't have publicized videotaped portions of the lead singer's testimony last month.More.

Lugar's frustration surfaces after Indiana defeat

Conceding defeat for the first time in nearly four decades, U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar pledged to support the tea party-backed rival who had just ousted him. But hours later, the Indiana Republican issued a statement chastising primary winner Richard Mourdock.More.

Brooks wins GOP nod for retiring Burton's seat

Former U.S. Attorney Susan Brooks has won the Republican nomination for the 5th congressional district seat in central Indiana that retiring GOP Rep. Dan Burton is giving up after 30 years.More.

Typical CEO at public firm made $9.6M last year, study finds09:54 am

Study that pegs Simon Property's CEO as highest-paid finds executive compensation is soaring along with profit at public companies.More.

Pending GED changes likely to challenge some adults

By 2014, passing the Indiana General Education Development exam is likely to be more difficult for many adults, but those who do pass it will be more employment-ready.More.

Local school district reviewing test breach allegations

Leaders of an Indianapolis school district said they're preparing a report for state officials into the possible disclosure of student assessment test questions by teachers at one of the state's largest high schools.More.

Lawmakers to study auto plates, child protection

The summer study groups sometimes set the basis for action in the following session. The divisive right-to-work law approved this year was reviewed last summer in a series of study committee hearings.More.

Indianapolis Public Schools laying off 163 workers

Indiana's largest school district is planning to lay off 163 workers, including 94 teachers, largely because of the state takeover of four schools starting this fall.More.

Gregg picks Simpson to add balance to ticket

Democratic gubernatorial candidate John Gregg reached out to his party's base Tuesday with his pick for lieutenant governor, a liberal lawmaker with decades of experience at the Indiana Statehouse.More.

Fire won't stop Shelby County fair, organizers say

Organizers plan to put on a central Indiana county fair as best they can despite a weekend fire that destroyed its 133-year-old wooden grandstands.More.

Pence picks Indiana legislator as running mate

Republican Mike Pence has picked first-term state Rep. Sue Ellspermann as his running mate in his campaign to become Indiana's next governor.More.

Democrats stretch residency complaints to Pence

Democrat John Gregg's argument is part of a broader effort to label Mike Pence as a creature of Washington more than he is of Indiana.More.

New payout process awaits stage collapse victims

The Attorney General's Office said in an email to claimants that it is trying to find an "an efficient and respectful way" to distribute the money while limiting lawsuits.More.

Pence set to announce running-mate pick

Republican Mike Pence's campaign said Friday he will announce his running mate in his campaign for Indiana governor on Monday.More.

Kids to sell lemonade at the Indiana Statehouse

More than 15,000 young people from pre-school age through high school will open lemonade stands across the greater Indianapolis area this weekend.More.

U.S. jobless claims hold steady for second straight week

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits was unchanged last week, suggesting some gains in the job market.More.

Pacers' Bird named NBA's executive of the year

Indiana Pacers President Larry Bird was voted National Basketball Association Executive of the Year on Wednesday, becoming the first person to win the award after also receiving the league's MVP and Coach of the Year honors.More.

Subaru to add 100 jobs as part of $75 million expansion

Subaru already employs 3,600 at its Lafayette facility, with 600 workers added in the past three years. The expansion will ramp up production from nearly 171,000 cars a year to at least 180,000.More.

Judge says lawsuit can proceed against for-profit educator

A federal judge has ruled that a lawsuit can proceed against a large for-profit education company accused of using improper sales tactics to lure unqualified students and the billions of dollars in financial aid they bring. The company has two colleges in Indianapolis.More.

Feds say wiretaps show evidence of financial plot

A federal judge in Indianapolis refused to throw out wiretap evidence in the $200 million fraud trial of former Indiana businessman Tim Durham as the government outlined a case largely based on those recordings.More.

Bicycle advocacy group urges riding to work Friday

Motorists in central Indiana should expect to share the road with a lot of bicyclists during their morning and afternoon commutes Friday.More.

Next Indiana governor won't see much toll road money

The $3.8 billion that Indiana netted in 2006 from leasing the Indiana Toll Road to a foreign consortium will be mostly spent or allocated by the time the state's next governor takes office in JanuaryMore.

JPMorgan Chase takes fire for 'hedge,' $2 billion loss

More than three years after the financial industry almost collapsed, the colossal misfire has been cited as proof that big banks still do not understand the threats posed by their own speculation.More.

Purdue looks to new clinic to cut health costs

Purdue University's trustees approved plans Friday for a new campus medical clinic that administrators expect eventually will cut the school's health care costs for employees and their families.More.

Indiana State Fair makes management changes

The Indiana State Fair has hired a chief operating officer and a director of safety and security as part of management changes spurred by last summer's deadly stage-rigging collapse.More.

Lugar's legacy in Senate: Cooperation and security

Colleagues considered six-term Sen. Richard Lugar a visionary who looked beyond U.S. exuberance over the end of the Cold War and saw the dangers and opportunities in the collapse of a nuclear-armed Soviet Union.More.

Carson, May to meet in 7th District congressional race

Rep. Andre Carson easily defeated three Democratic challengers in Tuesday's primary to win his party's nomination in central Indiana's 7th District. He will face Carlos May, a former aide to Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard.More.

Indiana congressional candidates get 2nd chances

Tuesday was a night of second chances in many of Indiana's congressional primary races.More.

Blogs

 

A&E, etc.

Indy speedway replaces stage following inspection01:36 pm

A temporary outdoor stage set up to entertain race fans at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has been replaced after it failed to meet new safety standards enacted by the state following last year's deadly stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair.More.

Lou’s arts picks for May 24-30

Birds at the Zoo, Hot Wheels at the Children's Museum, and more.More.

Shelbyville officials rule fairgrounds fire arson

Shelbyville fire officials say a fire that destroyed the 133-year-old grandstands at the Shelby County Fairgrounds was arson.More.

State museum uncovers hidden Steele painting

The unusual find occurred when the museum, which boasts the largest collection of T.C. Steele paintings in the country, shipped one of the Hoosier artist's works to be cleaned by a conservator. He said the 122-year-old hidden canvas he found underneath was like a "King Tut" discovery.More.

More A&E, etc.

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2012 Forty Under 40 cover   FORTY UNDER 40
Meet this year’s class of 40 up-and-comers in central Indiana’s business community—our 20th group of honorees. In videos interview, we asked them to wax nostalgic. What were they doing in 1992? Did they know what they’d be doing now? They also shared their thoughts on the issues in Indianapolis that need the most attention.

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Check out this year's Mira Award winners. This publication is published in partnership with Techpoint. Techpoint is an Indiana-based organization charged with leading a statewide effort to enhance and promote the state’s technology sector.

 

Business Profiles   BUSINESS PROFILES

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Giving Guide   GIVING GUIDE

This 2012 Giving Guide highlights various not-for-profit organizations in central Indiana.
 
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Forefront

Forefront May 7, 2012FOREFRONT

In this issue of Forefront, Jim Shella says Mike Pence is next in line to answer residency questions. Also, John Ketzenberger laments the rash of negative political ads, and David Cheatham and Ralph Foley discuss up-and-coming legislative leaders.

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  1. something to take iman's mind off CART,,,the league itsownself doesn't do it

  2. Someone mentioned a green roof. Every designer of a new urban building should be required to at least explore the feasibility of a green roof. The ability to cut carbon dioxide, save precious rainwater (drought this summer??) and re-use grey water, cool the building cheaper, and improve the view for neighbors, should be, not only the good neighbor thing to do, it should be the responsible neighbor thing to do. Too bad the city didn't require it when they gave up downtown green space for the Simon Building. Surprised they aren't requiring it now.

  3. About the same means down, like the TV ratings.

    My favorite tradition that needs to be brought back is the 25/8 rule.

  4. Your stats are incorrect. The 85k Government employees working in Marion County includes all government workers in Marion county. That is state, federal, non profit agencies, city and county. The stats the article list is the number of employees for all of the city/county employees and it is correct. That number includes the library, airport, convention center, and so on. The policy of extending benefits to domestic partners is consistent with private sector companies of the same size. Isn't the mantra of most conservatives "run the government like a business."

    Also, too say the "fiscal proposil is huge" without considering the actuarial factors involved is a bit of an overstatement. We really don't know if it is huge or not. If all of the people added to the plan are healthy and don't have claims then it could bring cost done or hold them neutral.

  5. There are 85,346 government employees in Marion county according to Stats Indiana.

    My understanding is that this proposal covers not only same sex partners and children, but opposite same sex partners who are not married and any kids.

    It also covers all city and county employees, plus municipal corporations which use city/county benefits packages including Health and Hospital Corporation (Wishard), Indianapolis Airport Authority, Indianapolis Convention Center,Lucas Oil,Bankers Life, Indianapolis Marion County Library, and Indianapolis Public Transportation Corporation (IndyGo).

    Certainly Indianapolis Public Schools will also want more benefits also.

    The fiscal cost on this proposal is huge.