APRIL 2-8, 2021
More than 1 million Hoosiers have been fully vaccinated for COVID-19, with another 1.6 million on their way with the first dose. John Russell explores how the rollout in Indiana compares with those in other states—both in terms of approach and percentage of people inoculated. Also in this week’s issue, Mickey Shuey looks past March Madness to see what’s on the books for downtown’s hotels as they try to capitalize on the momentum from the tournament. And Greg Andrews has the inside story on the epic legal brawl between the partners who opened Pier 48 Fish House & Oyster Bar in the Hyatt Place hotel.
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Indiana’s COVID vaccine rollout gets mixed reviews
While the state’s rollout of eligibility for the vaccine has come under some fire, many Hoosiers have begun planning for a summer and fall free from worry, ready to resume their normal lives.
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Pier 48 soldiers on as restaurant’s owners brawl in court
The latest salvo was fired by Keith Stucker, an Indianapolis investment adviser who started Pier 48 with Fred Knipscheer, a former hockey player who entered the restaurant business more than a decade ago.
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Entrepreneur starts hydroponics container farm on vacant urban lot
DeMario Vitalis, a descendant of cotton-plantation slaves and sharecroppers, sees ironic ties between his family’s past and his farm ownership.
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Will pandemic’s tourism slump return after NCAA Tournament ends?
Hospitality leaders say no, although it will be some time before occupancy rates are back to normal.
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Multitude of creditors left high, dry as Celadon bankruptcy case closes
With most liquidation efforts complete, Celadon has raised only $75 million—$45 million short of the $120 million it needed to satisfy a loan from its secured creditors.
Read MoreQ&A with Brooke Blevins, a Butler student trying to make sure her classmates have enough food
Blevins, who expects to graduate in May with a degree in human connection and organizational leadership, helped launch Butler’s student food pantry, which began distributing food in early March.
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NCAA games help city court convention planners
Basketball games in Visit Indy’s suite have a strong influence on convention planners because they accentuate a potential client’s experience in the city.
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Lilly Endowment awards more than $93M in grants to address poverty in Indianapolis
The grants, which range from $180,000 to more than $8 million each, will be awarded to 28 Indianapolis-based organizations to fund new programs aimed at financial security or expand existing programs that address poverty-related challenges.
Read MoreMontieth: Hiring Woodson was the right choice for IU—despite what detractors say
He’s not just an IU guy; he’s a state of Indiana guy, an Indianapolis native and a Broad Ripple High School graduate who never lost contact with his homeland.
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Coworking spaces prepping to capture firms, workers leaving traditional offices
Accommodating new members whose wants and needs have been changed by the pandemic means those co-working spaces must adjust their offerings.
Read MoreLisa Sirkin Vielee: Learn from small firms who turned 2020’s adversity into opportunity
Not everyone had the luxury of working from home during the time known to most of us as “quarantine” or “lockdown.” It was heartwarming to see how many businesses continued to find ways to pay and support their hourly employees despite mandatory closures.
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Editorial: Emmert, NCAA must embed a culture of equity immediately
The organization seems to be taking gender equity issues seriously. But there appears to be a long way to go toward building a culture of equity, toward making sure it is part of the NCAA’s DNA in all matters.
Read MoreNate Feltman: Consider becoming an organ donor
I recently experienced the loss of my best friend and business partner, David A. Hartley Jr., and through his experience, learned the importance of being an organ donor.
Read MoreSheila Kennedy: Here’s how the Senate makes us an undemocratic Republic
Democratic senators represent about 40 million more voters than do Republican senators—a disproportion not reflected in the Senate’s 50/50 split, a split that depends upon Vice President Kamala Harris to wield a tie-breaking vote. And it is likely to get worse.
Read MoreBrian Schutt: Indiana should be best place in U.S. to start a business
As Gov. Eric Holcomb looks to fill the shoes of departing Secretary of Commerce Jim Schellinger, he can forge a path for the Indiana Economic Development Corp. that focuses on fostering an entrepreneurial ecosystem that makes Indiana the best place to start a business in America.
Read MoreBohanon & Curott: Stimulus payments add to growing debt problem
Currently, the U.S. national debt is over $28 trillion—that’s $85,000 per person and $224,000 per taxpayer.
Read MoreIn the workplace: Typical hiring practices may unintentionally lead to discrimination
The use of customer preference in selection—whether based on gender, race, age or any other protected characteristic—is one of a number of examples of possible systemic discrimination outlined by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission recently.
Read MorePete the Planner: Minimalism means less stuff, more enjoyable experiences
The way I figured, as long as I didn’t have a storage unit, or even a garage I couldn’t pull my car into, I was doing just fine.
Read MoreLetter: Don’t hinder mass transit
We are at a “red flag” moment in the evolution of transportation in greater Indianapolis. Either we give our young professionals the transportation options that they expect before they move away or we have an official ceremony and declare ourselves officially married, for better or for worse, to the automobile and massive highway construction expense.
Read MoreLetter: Minimum wage should increase, too
There’s real irony in comments made by Republican Rep. Ben Smaltz about his bill increasing pull-tab gambling limits.
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Community Health reports 37% drop in operating income in 2020
Since July, however, the hospital system has seen an “upward positive trend in all its services,” it said in a debt filing, the latest signal that the worst of the pandemic’s financial affects on hospitals might be over.
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State Senate passes legislation to create new emergency session
The Indiana Senate has passed legislation that would give lawmakers the power to convene at any time during a statewide public emergency and more oversight over federal stimulus dollars.
Read MoreLISC Indianapolis, Anthem Foundation launch $2.45M food-access effort
The Anthem Foundation and LISC Indianapolis on Tuesday announced a major initiative to provide more equitable food access, starting with one Indianapolis neighborhood.
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Kentucky brewpub operator taking over downtown Ram Restaurant space
A small-but-growing brewpub chain based in Louisville plans to take over the former Ram Restaurant & Brewery location in downtown Indianapolis, making its first foray outside Kentucky.
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Herron-Morton Place eatery Tinker Street plans reopening
Owner Tom Main said he’s shooting for an April reopening for Tinker Street, a fine-dining restaurant that’s been closed for dine-in service for more than a year and was on the selling block in late 2020.
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