JULY 11-18, 2025
Indianapolis leaders and event organizers are in a race against the clock to quell a recent spate of downtown violence before next weekend when the city hosts the WNBA All-Star Game and Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration. Mickey Shuey and Dan Lee dig into the preparations. Also in this week’s issue, Daniel Bradley has the skinny on Slick City, the St. Louis-based family entertainment firm that recently slid into Indiana with an action park in Avon and now has plans for three more in the Indy area. And Dave Lindquist takes you inside a home in the Kennedy-King area owned by comedian Mike Epps, who has turned it into a shrine to the aesthetics of the 1970s.
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City seeks to curb violence on eve of WNBA All-Star Game
Indianapolis leaders and event organizers are in a race against the clock to quell a recent spate of downtown violence before next weekend when the city hosts the WNBA All-Star Game and Indiana Black Expo Summer Celebration, two of the biggest events on this year’s calendar.
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Slick City makes its move into central Indiana
The St. Louis-based company founded in 2021 by family entertainment entrepreneurs Bron Launsby and Gary Schmit opened its first slide park in 2022 in Denver. Today, Slick City has 17 locations in 10 states.
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Q&A with Wendy Miles Robbins, whose Miles Printing installed the All-Star court at the airport
Robbins—who initially planned a career in sports medicine—told IBJ that the company’s foray into sports work began in earnest when it printed thousands of Indianapolis maps for the 2012 Super Bowl. It has grown from there.
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Retro setting helps Mike Epps maintain his hometown ties
Comedian/actor Mike Epps has made a 2,100-square-foot house in the Kennedy-King neighborhood a singular work of art.
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New federal rules upend rural broadband initiative
Late-stage changes to a program meant to expand high-speed internet into rural and hard-to-serve areas have left Indiana providers scrambling to decide whether to rework their proposals to meet new rules and reapply for funding ahead of a September deadline.
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Derek Schultz: Hicks becomes film star
Hicks’ gig studying the Colts spawned from a random request based on a childhood friendship.
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Proposed ordinance calls for stricter curfew times in Indianapolis
A proposal backed by the mayor to change curfew times in Indianapolis was introduced to the City-County Council on Monday night in the wake of a downtown shooting that left two teenagers dead over the holiday weekend.
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Pacers exec confirms Tyrese Haliburton won’t play next year as he recovers from torn Achilles
Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard said Monday that he has no doubt Haliburton, “will be back better than ever,” but not next season.
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Former home of Tiki Bob’s among downtown buildings sold to Simon family in $4.5M deal
The acquisitions come as the family redevelops the former CSX warehouse property on the eastern side of the same block.
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More roundabout interchanges planned in Hamilton County after 146th and Allisonville opens
Hamilton County Commissioner Steve Dillinger provided updates at his State of the County address about several road and construction projects.
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WNBA and local host committee plan two days of hoops paradise
Indianapolis will host the WNBA All-Star Game for the first time, marking an upswing in fortunes for the hometown Indiana Fever since the additions of top draft picks Aliyah Boston and Caitlin Clark.
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Shiel Sexton carves out high-profile sports projects as niche
Interestingly, while sports have been very, very good to the company, management didn’t set out to make arenas and fieldhouses one of their specialties. It just sort of happened.
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Editorial: Business leaders must get invested to solve downtown’s safety problem
When RFRA threatened the state’s reputation in 2015, a group of business leaders helped negotiate a so-called “fix” that quelled most of the critics. It’s time for business leaders to step up again.
Read MoreMitch Frazier: Patriotism must not be saved for July 4th
Now is the time to turn patriotism into a year-round action. It will look different for everyone. It might be mentoring a student, volunteering to create a safe place for youth, running for elected office or even serving in our military.
Read MoreAbdul-Hakim Shabazz: City needs urgency, leadership in tackling violence
I hate to say I told you so. But just days after I published a column at IndyPolitics.com warning that downtown was spiraling into lawlessness, the city delivered a tragic confirmation. Two teenage boys were shot and killed. Five more were wounded. On Independence Day, no less. And the official response? Mayor Joe Hogsett stood […]
Read MoreRick Snyder: An open letter to Indianapolis residents calling on residents to ‘do better’
Parent your children and set a good example with consequences for poor behavior. Speak out about politicians in charge who are derelict in their duties—missing in action while victims pay for their reckless neglect. Demand a recall option for elected officials.
Read MoreCharlotte Westerhaus-Renfrow: How great leaders cut through the noise of distractions
Over time, distractions steal leaders of their most precious resource: focused attention. Without that, even the most talented manager can fall short of their potential.
Read MoreMickey Kim: Roller coasters feel scary, but they lead to market gains
Some people hate roller coasters.
Read MoreCecil Bohanon and John Horowitz: Sometimes laws are at loggerheads with principles of economic freedom
Should a government prevent or punish two people for helping each other?
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Keanu Reeves to host series focused on Fishers-based F1 racing team
Actor Keanu Reeves attended this this year’s edition of the Indianapolis 500 and he raced at Indianapolis Motor Speedway last fall.
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Gared Performance Sports Systems to relocate, establish new HQ in Hamilton County
The move marks a “significant milestone” for the company, which plans to add 175 jobs in the process.
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Indianapolis biz leader picked to lead new state Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation
Indiana’s new Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation is expected to focus on Main Street businesses—small businesses that are not venture-backed, not easily scaled and found in many towns and cities across the state.
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