JANUARY 4-10, 2010
This week, read about what grass-roots groups are doing to fill in the gaps in federal health care reform and find out what changes environmental leaders hope to see made during this year's General Assembly. Also, columnist Tim Altom explains the buzz over 3G cell phone technology. And Bill Benner offers some perspective for furious Colts fans.
Front PageBack to Top
Steak n Shake slashes restaurant spending as CEO hoards cash
From 1999 to 2008, Steak n Shake Co. spent an average of $55 million a year to add dozens of restaurants and buy equipment
for existing
ones. In 2009, the locally based
chain spent just $5.8 million.
School foundations step up to pay for programs as funding dries up
The Washington Township Schools Foundation on the north side is among those that wants to raise money
for buildings and other high-cost needs.
Fairgrounds’ digital billboard is exception to county ban
Clear Channel Outdoor is building Marion County’s first full-size digital billboard along Fall Creek Parkway on the
grounds of the Indiana State Fair. The first message might as well be: Take that, Indianapolis!
Top StoriesBack to Top
Humane Society expects to finish 2009 in the black
The group, which rang up more than $3 million in debt before changing course in 2008, had been operating at a deficit for
six years.
Grass-roots groups prepare to fill gaps in health care reform
Legislation set to come out of Washington will not change the most fundamental problems of the health
care system, leaving it up to states, cities and companies to figure out what to do about it.
Indiana pushes firms toward electric vehicles, but has few of its own
State government hasn’t put much money toward becoming a leader among states integrating hybrids
into their massive vehicle fleets.
Renewable power focus of utility reform in 2010 Legislature
The Hoosier Environmental Council and Citizens Action Coalition see an expansion of the state’s
“net metering” policy as achievable during the short legislative session that starts Jan.
5.
Health care software firm RealMed regains momentum
RealMed enjoys a nearly 99-percent renewal rate among its current customers and attracted 4,000 new doctors
in 2009. Employment at the company is rising after a steady decline.
FocusBack to Top
Some of city’s most successful money managers are father-son teams
All parents hope to teach their kids the value of money. Few end up successfully investing hundreds of millions of dollars
together. But for a handful of top local teams, wealth management is a family affair.
PNC battling to keep NatCity’s private banking business
PNC Financial is still digesting its $5.6 billion acquisition of National City Corp., but a quiet fight almost certainly
is under way over its lucrative private banking clients.
OpinionBack to Top
EDITORIAL: City should phase in new fees
Mayor Greg Ballard is on the right track with his plan to ask the City-Council to raise fees on businesses in order to
improve code enforcement. But the push-back he’s receiving from
the business community is understandable.
KATTERJOHN: Rise to the challenge in 2010
Multiple challenges remain,
no doubt. But I feel a whole lot better about our prospects than I did a year ago at this time.
MARCUS: Don’t learn economics from announcers
We don’t support the library or most government services with adequate taxes.
Read MoreRYAN: Recession could prompt tax reform
A new study by the National Conference of State Legislatures shows that states have narrowed
a collective budget gap by $145.9 billion in the fiscal year that began July 1, only to be faced with another $28.2 billion
gap for the remainder of the fiscal year. And fiscal 2011 and 2012 are equally bleak.
FEIGENBAUM: Early committee hearings were mostly theater
The December hearings by Indiana General Assembly committees focused on issues that legislative leaders designated as
key session priorities, but the committee work was largely unremarkable, with predictable testimony derived from the usual
suspects.
ALTOM: How does 3G matter to your cell phone?
3G is the third generation of cell technology and is designed to make it easier to send video and other bandwidth-hungry material.
Read MoreHAUKE: Pirates not only ones chasing precious metal
Gold has maintained its long-term bull-market run that began in 2001, and it doesnâ??t look like any major interruption is coming soon.
Read MoreHICKS: Bloomington’s chain store debate a tough sell
We have this little thing called an equal protection clause that prevents us singling out so clearly a chain store.
Read MoreYuletide show rocked
For the eighth consecutive year, we took our family (22 this year) to the
Yuletide Celebration. The show was one of the best.
Indianapolis business supports community
I loved [Benner’s Dec. 14] column [about Indiana Sports Corp.]. Thirty years is not a long history, but I’ll bet most folks in Indy don’t
know about this.
Return of business name is gratifying
I am writing in response to the Dec. 14 On the Beat article (“Firm undergoes name change”). First, since leaving
my former company, which had still been using the Sponsel name, I’m happy to have my name back solely for my use.
In BriefBack to Top
IUPUI dedicates engineering lab funded by Carrier Corp.
Over the past four years, Carrier has donated $71,000 for the purchase of equipment and software that will
allow mechanical engineering students at IUPUI to do more advanced work.
Fund-raisers a little more optimistic as 2009 ends
People who raise money for a living are more optimistic about their prospects now than they were six months ago, reports
the Center on Philanthropy at IUPUI.
Buckingham tapped to develop mixed-use project near IUPUI
Former YMCA branch at 860 W. 10th St. would be razed to make way for retail and housing.
Read MoreDuke Energy seeks less for study related to Edwardsport plant
The utility that asked state regulators permission to have customers pay $121 million for a geological study now seeks $42
million.
Prairie View co-founder joins Essig Golf as vice president
Brian Nicholoff’s focus will be on bringing new clients and business ventures to Essig, which manages four central Indiana
golf courses.
Entrepreneur says quality of venture capital as important as quantity
Jim Pearson knows a thing or two about raising money from venture capitalists. And he has some advice for BioCrossroads:
Teach entrepreneurs the value of money.
Volunteers sought to host dinners
Central Indiana residents are being invited to host informal dinners for small groups of foreign visitors.
Read MoreNFP of NOTE: Net Literacy
Net Literacy increases computer access, computer and Internet literacy, and Internet safety awareness while providing student
volunteers job skills, life skills, and an opportunity to participate in service to their community.