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Economy
NOTIONS: Seeking your input on satisfaction
April 24, 2006
Bruce HetrickDear Reader: For six years, I've filled this weekly space with notions, gnashings, drivel and diatribes. From time to time,
some readers have responded-often with nods of agreement, occasionally with headshaking disbelief, once in a while with outraged
indignation. Now that we've built something of a virtual community (call it a Neanderthal blog), I want to ask you a question.
Yes, I mean you. Please don't assume someone else will answer. And please, don't feel that your insights and opinions...
MoreAlien hirers rarely busted: Law doesn't force employers to verify that workers are legal
April 24, 2006
Chris O\'malleyDespite a high-profile raid against IFCO Systems on April 19, Indianapolis employers have little to fear in hiring undocumented
aliens or those who present questionable identification. Rarely do immigration cops bust an Indianapolis-area workplace. Until
federal agents led away about 40 allegedly undocumented Mexicans and Guatemalans at the south-side pallet plant this month,
the last high-profile raid was more than a decade ago. In 1995, customs officials raided the former Simpson Race Products
shoe factory in Speedway, nabbing 66 illegal...
MoreVIEWPOINT: Latinos and the legal system: no free lunch
April 24, 2006
Dave CookMany issues face national and local civil and criminal justice systems across our nation. Years and years of application of
Band-Aid remedies to complicated and longterm problems have brought many government systems to the verge of collapse. Marion
County is no exception to the rule. Courts are strained with overwhelming caseloads. Average lives of cases continue to increase,
clogging jails and courts. Public defender and prosecutor caseloads continue to swell, effectively reducing the quality of
representation available to both the...
MoreIvy Tech to focus more on results, not just growth: Student success and broader ties with employers among goals of community
college system's five-year plan
April 24, 2006
Chris O\'malleyAfter growing its enrollment 75 percent the last decade, Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana is shifting its focus to student
retention. A top administrator also wants to expand the number of training courses offered at businesses, as a way to supplement
the system's $253 million annual budget. Some who've studied the state's educational system have recommended that Ivy Tech
spend more to hire additional full-time faculty to strengthen its effectiveness. The school's five-year student retention
plan calls for doubling...
MoreReal estate experts examine the market: Indianapolis in good shape overall, panelists say, but job growth, incentive issues,
among concerns
April 24, 2006
On April 14, as part of its Power Breakfast Series, the Indianapolis Business Journal gathered a panel of commercial real
estate and construction experts to discuss industry conditions in the local market. In a discussion moderated by IBJ Editor
Tom Harton, panelists took on a wide range of issues, including tax incentives and the status of downtown's residential and
retail markets. Power Breakfast guests were Mike Curless, executive vice president and principal with Lauth Property Group;
Mike Wells, president of...
MoreVOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: As construction costs rise, older buildings gain appeal
April 24, 2006
Brian MannConstruction costs continue to rise in the wake of hurricanes, tornadoes, the war in Iraq, the building boom in China and
general inflation. The trickle-down effect often lands at the feet of small business owners. According to the U.S. Bureau
of Labor Statistics' Producer Price Index, prices for materials and construction components increased 0.3 percent in February,
following a 1-percent hike in January and continuing a threeyear upswing. The average building cost index has increased about
45 percent since 1995,...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Measuring jobs: How to get handle on how we're doing
April 24, 2006
Patrick BarkeyGetting a good read on the Indiana economy is harder than you might think. That's partly because there really is no such thing
as the Indiana economy. State borders are, after all, purely legal contrivances that flows of dollars, workers and goods don't
worry much about. We're a collection of regions, in actuality, some centered within our state's borders and some not. But
it is the public sector that does the scorekeeping on the economy, and it is public officials...
MoreSuburban residents slow to jump on vanpool bandwagon: Neither cost nor environmental advantages stir the masses; advocate
says 'employers need to get smarter'
April 17, 2006
Chris O\'malleyThe federally funded Central Indiana Commuter Services has finally won over a dozen workers to share a van to and from work-somewhat
of a feat in a region where a vanpool might as well be a bathing option for a conversion van. Besides a vanpool program that
runs between Cloverdale and Indianapolis, CICS recently signed on a handful of Fishers residents to share a seven-passenger
van between the Hamilton County town and downtown Indianapolis. Lately, CICS has been trying to...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Diversifying economy requires new mind-set
April 17, 2006
Patrick BarkeyThe microwave oven has been a staple in most American kitchens for so long that there is now a generation of young adults
who've never lived without them. And for that same generation, the doughy, limp texture of foods like pizza quick-cooked in
a microwave, in contrast to the crisped, browned texture produced over a longer time by conventional heat, is associated with
the food, not the technology. If you've grown up eating from a microwave, that's the way food's...
MoreVOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: A silent productivity killer: executives with addictions
April 10, 2006
L. MartinProductivity losses-every business executive looks for ways to avoid them. Yet, an astonishing $40 billion in productivity
gains were lost last year due to preventable selfinflicted behavior. This productivity killer typically openly manifests itself
on days like Jan. 2, or more recently, on the Monday after the Super Bowl, when an estimated 1.4 million Americans called
in sick after a Sunday of intense partying. A big loser? Indiana's economy This major loss in productivity reflects rapidly
growing excessive alcohol use...
MoreEYE ON THE PIE: Election is critical to Gary's future
April 10, 2006
Morton MarcusLet's sell Fort Wayne and its surrounding counties to Ohio or Michigan. Or in the spirit of the day, at least we could lease
out part of northeast Indiana. If we got rid of Fort Wayne (Allen County) and two counties to the north (Steuben and DeKalb)
plus one county to the south (Adams) and one to the west (Huntington), we could decrease our state's population by 491,500.
Why would we want to do that? There's no good reason to...
MoreExperts: Businesses should prep for bird flu: Vast majority of U.S. companies have not budgeted for possible pandemic, despite
warnings from health officials
April 10, 2006
Scott OlsonThe much-hyped Y2K computer bug came and went without so much as a whimper from a whirring hard drive. But unlike the threat
of malfunctioning computers, health experts warn that the potential danger of an avian flu pandemic is far greater. In the
event of a widespread outbreak in the United States, companies large and small need to be prepared in order to keep interruptions
to a minimum, they say. "I am an evangelist for having a contingency plan," said...
MoreTourism's new buzz: Product development: Officials want to build on Indiana's unique assets
April 3, 2006
Matthew KishBillboards in southern Indiana used to tug spelunkers in four different directions. Come to Marengo Caves. Spend an afternoon
at Bluespring Caverns. Visit Wyandotte Caves. Don a headlamp at Squire Boone Caverns. Two years ago, however, operators at
the four attractions decided it might be a better use of cash to market the area as a single attraction. They pooled their
advertising budgets and printed a brochure that listed all four destinations. They also created a passport that visitors could...
MoreMaster planner: Veteran event organizer Smith helps city land major events
March 27, 2006
Matthew KishMaribeth Smith never talks about herself. Despite engineering some of the biggest events in the city's history-everything
from Final Fours to the Jazz Fest to last year's meeting of the American Association of Museums-she's loathe to use the word
"I." She prefers "we." As in "we" the city. Or "we" Maribeth Smith & Associates, her 14-year-old event planning firm. But
as reticent as the 62-yearold Smith might be to take credit for her accomplishments, convention organizers and city officials
say...
MoreSchneider Corp. has designs on big growth in Lawrence: Long-time engineering firm gets boost from state as it plans to make
$4.4 million investment, add 140 workers
March 27, 2006
Scott OlsonThe voluminous building the Schneider Corp. occupies on the former Fort Benjamin Harrison property was built as a barracks
for enlisted men and later converted to a dormitory. So it's fitting that the locally based engineering firm has a vision
to create a university-type setting on its nearly fouracre campus where employees can receive training without stepping foot
off the property. "We've worked on a strategic plan for the last couple of years, and Schneider University is part of that...
MoreTechPoint names up-and-coming Mira nominees: Annual award celebrates excellence in innovation
March 20, 2006
Peter SchnitzlerTechPoint won't distribute its annual Mira awards until its banquet at the Indiana Roof Ballroom May 19. But the state's largest
high-tech trade association has completed the nomination process for its top awards, pulling together a list of 49 innovative
companies and educators in such categories as information technology, life sciences and advanced manufacturing. About 750
people usually attend the Mira banquet. But the awards are meant to reverberate among a far wider population all year long
as confirmation which...
MoreBULLS & BEARS: Stop-loss orders might cost you in long run
March 20, 2006
Dave GilreathEvery fortnight, my firm sends out a newsletter to clients, prospects and friends. In it, we opine on the stock market, the
economy, pop culture and politics. If you read this column, you have a general idea of the tone of the letters. This week,
we got "fan mail" from neither a client nor a friend, but from a gentleman we had presented our services to about 18 months
ago. He started his letter stating he found our writings "informative,...
MoreHospitality madness: City wants to grow reputation as Final Four's ideal site
March 20, 2006
Matthew KishBill Evans' phone rang at 11 p.m. It was a basketball team. The players wanted milkshakes. He popped up like he was bouncing
on one of those mini-trampolines mascots use to dunk basketballs at halftime. He tapped his partner on the shoulder. They
rolled two coolers to the downtown Steak n Shake. He ordered milkshakes. Large ones. Two for each player. They put the shakes
in the coolers and rolled them through the downtown night to the team hotel. The...
MoreShort session long on action: Led by Major Moves, telecom successes, biz interests fared well in 2006 General Assembly
March 20, 2006
In less than three months, the Indiana General Assembly approved a pair of blockbuster economic-development measures designed
to dramatically upgrade the state's infrastructure. With the passage of Gov. Mitch Daniels' Major Moves initiative, Indiana
will lease the Indiana Toll Road to an Australian-Spanish consortium for 75 years. It will use the upfront, $3.9 billion payment
to build roads. Meanwhile, the approval of telecom deregulation sets the stage for more local phone, cable and Internet competition.
Daniels, a Republican, argued that...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Revised data shows state faring better than thought
March 20, 2006
Patrick BarkeyIf you were watching this space to see what-if any-silver lining for Indiana could be found in the harsh blows about to fall
on the high pay, full benefit, Big Three automaker production jobs I promised to talk about last week, I ask your forbearance.
The Toyota Corp. has beaten me to the punch. The company's announcement that it plans to build its top-selling Camry in Lafayette
says it better than any words I could come up with. The future...
MoreYou can take it to the bank: Financial experts say state's economy is rising, merger mania isn't over and regulatory laws
could take a toll
March 13, 2006
On Feb. 24, IBJ Publisher Chris Katterjohn, Managing Editor Greg Andrews and banking reporter Matt Kish sat down with four
leaders from Indianapolis' banking and finance sector: Judith Ripley, director of the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions;
Kit Stolen, CEO of Union Federal Bank of Indianapolis; Steve Beck, president and CEO of the Indiana Venture Center; and Keith
Slifer, senior vice president of LaSalle Bank. Among the topics of conversation: How's the state's economy doing? Are more
bank mergers on...
MoreVOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Fixed-rate mortgage loans remain a relative bargain
March 13, 2006
Ron McguireMortgage lenders have found all sorts of creative ways to get money into the hands of eager buyers, with interestonly, piggy-back
and no-doc loans. While these loans have provided opportunities to fund more house than ever, the opportunity to sleep peacefully
knowing your payments are locked in place makes fixed-rate mortgages a desirable option for many homeowners these days. Closing
gap Even with interest rates inching up, fixed-rate mortgages never looked better compared to adjustable-rate mortgages, or
ARMs, and short-term...
MoreWishard bounces back, projects $23M surplus: Improved billing, debt collection dry up red ink
March 6, 2006
Tom MurphyWishard Health Services made it back into the black in 2005, three years after posting a staggering loss of $77 million. The
not-for-profit, public hospital system expects to record a $23 million surplus on $362 million in revenue when budget totals
are final in a few months. Its leaders expect to wind up with another surplus in 2006. Such performance is a noteworthy achievement
in the public health universe, said Lynne Fagnani, senior vice president for the Washington, D.C.-based National...
MoreCHRIS KATTERJOHN Commentary: Partisanship: The nemesis of progress
March 6, 2006
Like Mayor Bart Peterson's Indianapolis Works legislation last year, Gov. Mitch Daniels' Major Moves bill has become the political
football of this legislative season. The rhetoric and posturing associated with the highway funding bill has been as partisan
and irrational as it comes. It's as if the Democrats who oppose Major Moves are trying to compensate for their party's inability
to produce a solution to our state's highways needs during the previous 16 years of Democratic leadership under governors
Bayh,...
MoreOpen source gaining traction: Government departments, more businesses seek alternatives to Microsoft, others
February 27, 2006
Scott OlsonThe Indiana Department of Education's effort to outfit high schools with computers is a costly endeavor for a state strapped
for cash. But installing what is known as open-source software is softening the blow. As the name implies, open-source programming
is available for users to study, modify and share freely-a sharp contrast to the proprietary software sold by behemoths such
as Microsoft Corp. and Oracle. Expensive licensing fees associated with the proprietary software sent the Education Department
looking for alternatives....
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See, I told u Indyman and Dipsicle....this 8 days is overkill. It's barely worth a weekend....great job Tony George! Your dream has been fulfilled....he fans want the I r l back. Thats how good it was.....and that sucked.
I have been in training for a short time now but right off I can see that safety and quality are the number one issues, my experience as of late has been a positive one, the employees along with Jeff the plant manager and the operation supervisor as well as the engineers are a highly motivated group of people, what an asset for the area to have and for company's in need of a quality metal products.
Pimlico
While I understand the severity of their actions as well as everyones eagerness to hold them responsible for thier lost funds, these gentlemen did know how to make money. Dispite thier poor decisions over the ownership of Fair they had made several wise investments which paid them greatly. This proves they do have the potential to rebuild so they can repay. I do not feel they should live the life of luxuary but given an opportunity could they find ways of repaying the debts? They are doing nothing now but being a burden on tax payers. Just a thought!!!!!
You guys have some "interesting" comments to say the least. I hope you will call in and share those opinions starting June 1. I'm looking forward to having you on the air.