JANUARY 16-22, 2012
This week, read about what downtown businesses are doing to adjust for Super Bowl crowds and find out how some small-business owners are adding to their bottom lines. In Focus, see why health care providers are bracing for an onslaught of data. And in A&E, check out the Ambassador bar's Mexican makeover.
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ProLiance might go on block
Indianapolis-based ProLiance, a natural-gas marketer and supplier, was singed by a $57.2 million pretax loss in the first nine months of 2011, causing some analysts to wonder if majority owner Vectren Corp. will try to sell its 61-percent stake in the company.
Read MorePrice of Indiana farmland at a premium
A once-in-a-generation combination of strong grain prices, high farm incomes and unprecedented interest in commodities investments has caused prices for agricultural acreage to skyrocket.
Read MoreFlavor-maker under siege fights back in court
Locally based Sensient Flavors LLC is fighting back with a fury in federal court, following months of intense federal and state scrutiny of the health risks at its Indianapolis plant.
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Downtown businesses make adjustments for Super Bowl weekend
Downtown businesses that are not in tourist-dependent industries are girding for Super Bowl weekend, hoping their spot in the big game’s storm shadow brings only a light dusting of logistical, scheduling and personnel hassles.
Read MoreExtras help small firms boost business
Small businesses like KnowSweat Workouts increasingly are adding products and services to keep revenue flowing during tight economic times.
Read MoreSoftware executive teaching intercontinental collaboration
Weary of having to teach new hires how to work on teams with people halfway around the globe,
ocal software development firm CEO Chris Riester has begun teaching a college class that gives students international experience at home.
Home-foreclosure hiatus drives down bankruptcies
There were 22,754 cases filed in Southern District of Indiana in 2011, compared with 27,394 the prior year.
Read MoreIndiana’s medical device workforce will need skills upgrade
A new report by BioCrossroads says 53 percent of the 20,000 jobs in Indiana’s medical-device sector require no more than a high school education.
Read MoreNatural resources foundation aims for $10M, 1 million trees
Leaders of the not-for-profit think the tree project will gain traction because people can participate with very small donations.
Read MoreBrugge owners eye downtown buildings for brewery, eatery
Owners of Broad Ripple’s Brugge Brasserie want to bring a new restaurant concept to the Massachusetts Avenue district downtown, where they also plan to relocate the craft brewery that supplies beer to Brugge.
Read MoreFocusBack to Top
Rating doctors and other health care providers
A new onslaught of Medicare data might shine more light on providers, but tricky questions abound.
Read MoreSt. Vincent growing hospitalist program
Local health system adds Logansport to its list of clients.
Read MoreOpinionBack to Top
EDITORIAL: Democrats’ right-to-work wrangling pointless
Democratic lawmakers need to come to grips with this reality: The Republicans have the votes to pass right-to-work this session. It’s going to happen. Stop whining about it and staging walkouts, and get on with the work you’re paid to do.
Read MoreMORRIS: Daniels succeeds the right way
As I watched Gov. Daniels’ final State of the State speech last week, I was reminded just how lucky we’ve been to have his leadership the past seven years.
Read MoreKENNEDY: If we could just educate the politicians
Citizens who were most knowledgeable about history, government and economics were the least likely to seek elective office.
Read MoreHENDERSON: Don’t choose between online tax and estate tax
I’ve yet to see an Amazon sign at a Little League playing field, or sponsoring the Girl Scouts.
Read MoreFEIGENBAUM: Democrats must assess strategy as right-to-work advances
On the evening of the New Hampshire presidential primary, Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels delivered his eighth and final State of the State address to the Indiana General Assembly and Hoosiers at home in the television audience.
Read MoreHICKS: What to expect from right-to-work legislation
It would be a long way from simply naïve to suppose that my study would alter any decisions about the divisive right-to-work legislation pending in Indiana.
Read MoreSKARBECK: Big-company stocks did better than small firms
In 2011, large-capitalization, high-quality U.S. stocks significantly outperformed small-company stocks.
Read MoreALTOM: Exploring the Wild West of bookmark syncing services
There are five major browsers out there, all free, and all slightly different in how they operate. All store your Web bookmarks in different places that aren’t generally available to foreign browsers.
Read MoreHow to mix Manning, Luck
It’s sad to see the Polian era end. He brought football greatness to Indianapolis.
Read MoreGainsay art if taxes paid for it
Louis Mahern [Dec. 26 Forefront] cites an incident which was incredibly offensive to millions of Americans—a photo of a crucifix submerged in a jar of urine—then moves easily on to say, “If an artist says it is art who are we to gainsay it?”
Read MoreIn BriefBack to Top
Scrutiny rises on Bankers Life
After the insurer's name went on Indianapolis' downtown arena, CBS News focused on how hundreds of Bankers Life’s long-term-care insurance policyholders have accused the company of having “beat them down with bureaucracy."
Read MoreAnderson has new economic development chief
Returning mayor hires consultant who once worked for the city.
Read MoreCalumet Specialty Products buys synthetic lubricant business
The purchase included 22 acres of land and a factory in Louisiana, Mo.
Read MoreIndians sign deal to air all 72 home games on TV
Deal with WRTV-Channel 6 will provide most extensive coverage in franchise history.
Read MoreVanpool commuter service expands, gets cars off the road
The latest route launched by Central Indiana Commuter Services runs from Carmel to Kokomo.
Read MoreNFP of NOTE: Central Indiana Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure
The mission of the Central Indiana Affiliate of Susan G. Komen for the Cure is to save lives and end breast cancer forever by empowering people, ensuring quality care for all, and energizing science to find the cures.
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