City, Indy Chamber aim to raise $10M for rapid-loan fund for small businesses
Nearly $3 million has already been committed to the fund, including $1 million from Indianapolis-based Anthem Inc. and $1.5 million from the city of Indianapolis.
Samm Quinn
Articles
Indianapolis airport says it’s confident in financial situation amid industry calls for relief
Indianapolis International Airport’s budget is bound to take a hit from a major decrease in passengers during the COVID-19 pandemic, but airport officials say they have made preparations for economic disruption.
Low-wage workers have least cushion during coronavirus crisis
Many of those workers already live paycheck to paycheck—and a disruption in the flow of those checks could set off long-term financial problems. Foreclosures, evictions, bankruptcies, repossessions and more.
Effects of pandemic will slam state, local tax receipts
A former Senate budget writer said the hit to the state budget could be bigger than during the Great Recession, when state revenue dropped 15% over two years.
Republican councilors ask Hogsett to pass on purchase of BlueIndy assets
Council Minority Leader Brian Mowery said his caucus believes returning Blue Indy spots to non-metered public parking would be beneficial to businesses.
Hogsett closes gyms, entertainment venues and nightclubs—and warns against local travel
The order will be in effect for at least seven days. Hogsett plans to seek permission from the Indianapolis City-County Council on Monday night to extend the order to April 5.
United Way launches $16.5M fund aimed at COVID-19 economic relief
The fund, called the Central Indiana COVID-19 Community Economic Relief Fund, received a $15 million donation from Lilly Endowment Inc. and $500,000 contributions from three other organizations.
City-County Council seeks to root out inequities in city hall
The council committed to addressing the problem throughout city-county government by passing a special resolution outlining steps that will be taken to move the needle on the issue.
IHSAA to limit spectators at basketball, gymnastics events
The Indiana High School Athletic Association on Thursday afternoon announced that the remaining games in its boys basketball state tournament will continue, but with limited spectators in attendance as it copes with the growing virus outbreak.
Census invitations to begin arriving in mailboxes Thursday
More than 100 million households across America, including those in Indianapolis, will begin receiving invitations by mail this week to respond to the U.S. Census.
Proposed study commission on climate change advances to full City-County Council
The proposal was penned by Democrats in early January and has been opposed by council Republicans who believe creating a commission to study climate change is a redundant effort.
DePauw University appoints new president following 8-month search
Lori White will be the first woman and the first person of color to serve as president of the 183-year-old school. When she begins her job in July, White will be the only black woman leading a university in Indiana and one of just a few in the nation doing so, the school said.
Justice center’s first building—a center for addictions, mental health—nears completion
The city is just six months from a tentative opening for the first piece of the justice campus project, the 37,000-square-foot Assessment and Intervention Center. Construction on other buildings in phase one is well underway, and the city has started planning for phases two and three.
City moves ahead with tenant rights ordinances while Legislature debates regulation
The city of Indianapolis is charging ahead with a plan to protect tenants from bad landlords despite a bill moving through the Indiana General Assembly that would limit the city’s authority on the issue.
City-County Council pledges to tackle racial, social disparities in Indianapolis
The resolution, co-sponsored by all 25 council members, calls for creating a steering committee tasked with developing a strategy to end racial disparities, with its first task identifying where disparities exist in city policies.
House committee amends bill to keep cities from regulating tenant relations
In response to the move, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said the amendment would nullify recent local efforts to protect tenants from predatory landlords.
State might move deaf, blind schools rather than spend big on aging properties
The state’s separate deaf and blind schools need $100 million in upgrades over the next 20 years; state officials might start over with new buildings on a shared site.
State rallying troops to increase Department of Defense spending in Indiana
Reaching Gov. Eric Holcomb’s goal would entail boosting the amount of federal defense dollars spent in Indiana to at least $10.2 billion in the next five years.
City, Indy Chamber launch financing program for minority-owned businesses
Funding for the program will help smaller businesses pay initial expenditures associated with bidding on contracts—supplies and payroll, for example—without having to put themselves at financial risk through high-interest borrowing.
Switch in IPS bus providers to cost jobs of drivers, attendants
Indianapolis Public Schools will part ways with its current student transportation provider in June to work with a new contractor in a move affecting more than 500 drivers and attendants.