- Home
- NEWS
- REGIONAL
- THIS WEEK'S PAPER
- BLOGS
- Multimedia
- OPINION
- A&E
- LISTS
- PEOPLE
- EVENTS
- Classifieds
- Subscribe
Environment
Shared patient rooms in hospitals soon to be history: Guidelines call for private quarters in all new facilities
April 10, 2006
Tracy DonhardtNew guidelines due out in June will call for newly constructed hospitals to come equipped with all private patient rooms,
the first time such a minimum requirement has been issued. The guidelines, published every four years by the Facilities Guidelines
Institute and the American Institute of Architects' Academy of Health, are used by nearly 40 state governments-including Indiana-to
set regulations, approve construction plans and license hospitals to operate. And hospitals nationwide-including those in
Indiana-are expected to embrace the guidelines that...
MoreBRIAN WILLIAMS Commentary: Legislators should address insurance costs
April 10, 2006
Members of the Indiana General Assembly resolved some contentious issues in 2006, including property tax relief, telecommunications
reform and the long-term leasing of public infrastructure. U n f o r t u n a t e l y, they did not have an opportunity to
debate Senate Bill 124, which, if measured on the basis of the value per page, would have exceeded the much-heralded "Major
Moves" transportation initiative. Introduced by Sen. Beverly Gard, a Greenfield Republican who has been...
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...
MoreCity gives cultural trail green light: Long-anticipated project could cost $35M to $42M
April 3, 2006
Matthew KishThe long-discussed trail will loop through downtown and cost $35 million to $42 million. All the money will come from federal
transportation dollars and private contributions. "The trail has been officially approved," said Brian Payne, president of
the Central Indiana Community Foundation, the project's lead managing partner. "It's definitely a project that's going to
happen now." Tourism officials greeted the news with enthusiasm. It's a "huge win for White River State Park as well as the
city," said Bob Whitt,...
MoreIndiana Avenue looks for revival: Cultural plan: stresses retail, residential growth, and a possible extension
April 3, 2006
Scott OlsonIndiana Avenue looks for revival Cultural plan stresses retail, residential growth, and a possible extension Indiana Avenue's
glory days as a haven for black-owned businesses and vibrant nightclubs exists only in the history books. But a plan to revitalize
the city's newest cultural district could restore some of the luster. City leaders completed the blueprint for redevelopment
early this year and now are in the early stages of executing a plan that organizers say could take 20 years to play...
MoreVIEWPOINT: 'Eating our young' as a way of mentoring?
March 27, 2006
Tim MulherinI recently came across an insightful publication by the Center for the Development of Peace and Well-Being at the University
of California, Berkley, called Greater Good. One article especially caught my attention: "Inspiring Good Work" (spring-summer
2005 issue) by researchers Wendy Fischman and Howard Garner, of Harvard University's GoodWork Project. As highlighted in the
article, the GoodWork Project's research, under way for the past decade, has revealed that young people leaving college and
embarking on their professional careers are finding...
MoreVOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Green building trend should be here to stay
March 27, 2006
Fred GreenTrends come and go all the time in the architecture and construction fields. But one movement that is proving to be steadfast
and is gaining momentum is called "green architecture." Simply stated, it is the effort to minimize the effect of new and
refurbished buildings on their environment. The green approach to building design is often seen by many as merely focusing
on the recycling of building materials, but in fact addresses multiple aspects of the construction process. Green design...
MoreSTATEHOUSE DISPATCH: Short but historic session produces election plot lines
March 27, 2006
Ed FeigenbaumYou can go home now (unless you live in Perry Township) and rest somewhat assured that the governor and state lawmakers won't
do anything untoward to you until, at the soonest, November. Yes, the 2006 short session of the Indiana General Assembly has
run its course, and left the state with some key policy and economic legacies. Not the least of them, as we have discussed
at length in this column, and has been covered elsewhere in these pages, are...
MoreIDEM pollution fines fall: Violators assessed lowest amount since '99, but Daniels administration speeds up process
March 27, 2006
Chris O\'malleyUnder Republican control for the first time in 16 years, the Indiana Department of Environmental Management in 2005 handed
out $2.03 million in fines for pollution violations, the lowest annual assessment since at least 1999. The 2005 penalties
were down nearly $600,000 from a year earlier, when the department was under the administration of Gov. Joe Kernan. But IDEM
records show Gov. Mitch Daniels' team had comparatively little patience for unresolved cases, in which the commission and
alleged violators couldn't...
MoreArt Institute students face changing world of design: Businesses should keep interior designers in demand
March 27, 2006
Tracy DonhardtFacing an expanding world of corporate rebranding, homier hospital rooms and high-tech theaters in every suburb, students
entering the field of interior design know they'll be doing more than redecorating high-end homes. What once was considered
predominantly a luxury service for wealthy homeowners wanting to expand their drawing rooms, interior design became a necessity
in business years ago. Today, a majority of interior designers handle both residential and commercial work. And a growing
number of firms that specialize in commercial...
MoreSteel Dynamics seeks part of former Olin site: Metal recycling operation would serve expanding Hendricks County mill
March 27, 2006
Tammy LieberThe site of the former Olin Brass factory on the near-west side might soon roar to life again if a plan to erect a metal recycling
operation there comes through. A joint venture between Fort Waynebased Steel Dynamics Inc., Chicagobased Metal Management
Inc. and local hauler Ray's Trash is seeking city approval to install a metal shredder and recycling operation on about 40
acres at Holt Road and Airport Expressway. The venture, called Metal Dynamics LLC, would accept scrap metal...
MoreTOM HARTON Commentary: Kids were pawns in an adult game
March 27, 2006
Judge S. Hugh Dillin is dead, but the negative consequences of his school desegregation orders are still with us. Dillin,
who died March 13, didn't invent white flight, suburban sprawl or broken urban school systems, but if those problems were
smoldering in 1970s Indianapolis, Dillin's decisions poured gasoline on the fire. This column is not a diatribe against Dillin.
His decisions were only interpretations of the law, after all, and the highest court in the land affirmed them. Based on...
MoreVOICES FROM THE INDUSTRY: Mediocre planning efforts don't invite people to stay
March 27, 2006
Don AltemeyerAnalysts say the housing market is slowing in Indianapolis and across the nation. Perhaps that's why three significant, real
estate developments have attracted so much local media coverage recently. In one story, the City-County Council approved the
development of 28 condos in Broad Ripple, despite strong resistance from the neighborhood association. Meanwhile, local planning
councils easily approved two new developments-a subdivision on the far northeast side of town that will feature almost 2,000
homes and a large condominium complex in...
MoreMega-hotel on city agenda: Pan Am Plaza possible site for 800-room development
March 20, 2006
Matthew KishThe city is looking for developers interested in adding 800 hotel rooms downtown, a project that could be accomplished by
building a massive, new hotel or augmenting several existing facilities. Insiders say a new hotel is most likely. They picture
it on Pan Am Plaza. If that happens, the hotel would become the city's largest-eclipsing the Indianapolis Marriott by almost
200 rooms. Ideally, the rooms would be available by 2010, when the wraps come off the expanded Indiana Convention Center....
MoreCHRIS KATTERJOHN Commentary: 'Dallas'-like TV hit in our future?
March 20, 2006
Just as the popular prime-time soap opera "Dallas" emerged from Texas oil-industry lore, "Indiana" someday could become a
mega-hit on television. After, that is, the state becomes the "Texas of biofuels" and the lurid, steamy tales of Big Biofuel
begin to play out. I'm not sure who came up with "Texas of biofuels," but the analogy surfaced after the recent announcement
that the world's largest soybean processing plant and biodiesel facility will be built in northern Indiana. With this project,...
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...
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...
MoreTAWN PARENT Commentary: Bill offers new hope for Main Street
March 13, 2006
Recycling isn't just good for the environment. It's good for buildings, and ultimately for economic development. When the
Disciples of Christ moved its international headquarters downtown from Irvington in 1995, it left behind a 121,000-square-foot
structure built in 1910 that could easily have become a vacant eyesore in the east-side neighborhood. Instead, local developer
Mansur Real Estate Services Inc. helped give it new life as Mission Apartments for seniors. That $6.5 million project might
not have happened without the help...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Rising costs, lower prices sting domestic carmakers
March 13, 2006
Patrick BarkeyAs predictions go, it's not a particularly difficult call. The trends are unmistakable, and the precedents in other industries
are clear. Yet the silence on the part of workers, executives and even analysts on the issue bespeaks the pain, anger and
denial that lurk just beneath the surface. The situation is this: In a very short span of time, perhaps as little as two or
three years, the era of the highly paid automobile industry production worker will come to...
MoreIndiana's universities give industry a boost: State touts wealth of higher-ed insurance programs
March 6, 2006
Scott OlsonPoliticians seem so much more 21st century when they talk about attracting life sciences and information technology jobs to
Indiana. But they're not about to ignore the state's second-largest employer-the often-overlooked insurance industry. Indiana
insurers employ more than 60,000 Hoosiers, second only to farming, and pay an average annual salary of $47,500, nearly $10,000
more than the state average, according to a 2004 study by Purdue University. Moreover, the industry boasts some of the state's
largest public and private companies-WellPoint...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: The fight to hire top talent: Do we have what it takes?
March 6, 2006
Patrick BarkeyMost cities have mayors, police chiefs and tax collectors. But suppose for a moment they each had an additional staff position
as well-the recruiter. Like a basketball coach or a talent scout, these recruiters would scour the country, looking for talented
people who would fit into the community and add to the economic base. And when they found one, they would make their pitch,
touting their town's assets and strengths, and urging the recruit to relocate. The prospects, on the...
MoreECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Study casts new light on rising house prices
February 27, 2006
Patrick BarkeyI have always been amazed at the confidence and certainty projected by those who stand before the television cameras at the
end of the day and explain to us-in 90 seconds or less-why the stock market behaved as it did. I suppose if we are silly enough
to ask for a simple explanation for the 5 million or 6 million trades conducted on any given day, we should expect nothing
more in return. Of course, those trades take place for...
MoreEthanol's secret: Highly touted alternative fuel needs tax subsidies to survive
February 27, 2006
Chris O\'malleyState and local leaders have been crowing about how ethanol plants will bring more jobs to Indiana and put more dollars in
the pockets of corn farmers. If that prospect isn't enough to make votecoveting politicians and corn farmers giddy, General
Motors Corp. started singing ethanol's praises this month in TV ads. Joyous motorists frolic under blue skies-all thanks to
ethanol's promise of cleaner air and energy independence from oil. But there's another economic reality for motorists who
use E85,...
MoreBEHIND THE NEWS: Impending pain: Expect big cuts after sale of Irwin unit
February 27, 2006
Greg AndrewsNo one wants to say it, but Fishersbased Irwin Mortgage Corp., one of the area's biggest financial-services companies, is
almost sure to lose hundreds of jobs, and may disappear. Parent company Irwin Financial Corp. last month put Irwin Mortgage
on the selling block, a move that imperils many of the unit's 450 local jobs. Hoosier bankers have been through enough sales
to know that out-of-state buyers almost always trim jobs. But this could be something else entirely-a wholesale gutting of...
More
Sponsored by
ADVERTISEMENT
on Facebook & Twitter
on Facebook & Twitter
 Follow IBJ's Tweets on these topics: |
||
| @IBJNews | @Propertylines | @IBJTheScore |
| @IBJArts | @IBJHealthcare | @IBJDining |
| @IBJLists | @IBJSmallbiz | |
ADVERTISEMENT
Back to TopCopyright © All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use.
Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing.
Additional Hosting & Delivery by
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.
For those who let this information strike a nerve, remember that this is still the America that allows the freedom to achieve dreams and goals. Should you really chastise those who are given a perk on a deal that is supported by the consumer (that is until they don't like the deal anymore due to envy) or should the dream of rewards for working be looked at a little closer? I say lets stick to the deal, go to work,earn our keep, shoot for dreams, change our jobs to have that dream or shut up about others achievements ..............while we are still afforded this liberty of America !
Three Magi
Cats out of the bag. The object of the game is to get acquired. That means the company has no idea how to grow beyond a certain point. Email is a 1990s technology. I have laughed at this company since day one. Such a small bit player. If it was anywhere but here, it wouldn't be newsworthy.
Esther, Indy has passed Chicago in the local government corruption arena. Don't downgrade us. We're No. 1 in the Midwest.