OCTOBER 1-7, 2012
This week, find out why a Six Sigma guru is poring over the city budget and read about Indiana Rail Road's plans for a downtown terminal. In Focus, see what old-school strategy insurers and hospitals are considering bringing back. And our Forefront columnists weigh in on topics ranging from campaign-finance laws to college preparedness.
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Big names competing for Butler project
Butler University is finalizing plans for a mixed-use parking garage project near Clowes Hall that would include neighborhood retail and housing and might cost as much as $45 million.
Read MoreSymphony donors question giving amid contract dispute
The ailing Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra intends to step up annual donations 40 percent. But many longtime donors feel conflicted about future contributions as they await word on whether the ISO will scale back to part time.
Read MoreWellPoint likely to go outside for chief
While WellPoint Inc. and its predecessors have a history of grooming new CEOs in-house, the next leader of the health insurance giant is likely to be an outsider, according to interviews with more than a half dozen former directors and officers of the company.
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Six Sigma guru scours city budget for savings
Efficiency expert Manny Mendez, who has saved the city $4.9 million since 2008 through Six Sigma practices, is now scouring government operations in search of $15 million more.
Read MoreIndiana Rail Road revives downtown truck terminal
The Indiana Rail Road Co. has reactivated a closed rail yard through a partnership with a Canadian logistics company, which serves about a dozen of INRD’s customers at the yard.
Read MoreLocal pilot turns aerobatics into satisfying ‘jobby’
Billy Werth’s passion for flying has landed him two jobs that pay the bills–as commercial pilot with Chautauqua Airlines and a major in the Air Force Reserves at Grissom Air Reserve Base in Peru. His third job is just for fun. Since 2006, Werth has owned an acrobatic flying company called Grayout Aerosports.
Read MoreSale of signature game Phase 10 sent Fundex into ditch
The nightmare that culminated with the Plainfield-based company’s recent Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing began in the depths of the financial crisis, when the company’s lender yanked its more-than-$10-million line of credit.
Read MoreFishers Marketplace gets new life under Thompson Thrift
A high-end apartment project and neighborhood retail center are scheduled to break ground soon as the first components of the retooled Fishers Marketplace development at State Road 37 and 131st Street.
Read MoreBill for Medicaid expansion? $516M a year
If Indiana expands its Medicaid program as called for under President Obama’s health reform law, it likely will hike state spending on the program an extra 13.5 percent—or $516 million annually—by 2020, according to the latest projections from Seattle-based actuarial firm Milliman Inc.
Read MoreShort-line railroad shakeup coming around the bend
Four railroads in region being purchased by Connecticut-based operator as part of $2 billion deal.
Read MoreFocusBack to Top
Some hospitals, doctors might be cut from health plans
With health insurance premiums continuing to outstrip inflation, some health insurers and hospital systems are considering bringing back an old strategy: limiting patient access to a “narrow” network of doctors and hospitals.
Read MoreHospital loyalty low among patients in central Indiana
Regenstrief study finds many visit two different facilities within year’s time.
Read MoreHARVEY: Dearth of faculty leading to nurse shortage
The looming shortage of nurses and the faculty to educate nurses threatens Americans’ access to quality health care. As our population ages and health care becomes more extensive and complex, an increasing demand for highly educated nurses persists. This need directly influences the necessity for nursing faculty.
Read MoreMORRISON: Obesity extracting huge cost in competitiveness
A friend recently asked me, “What’s the connection between healthy communities and economic development?” I set out to explain why no community can compete in today’s economy without healthy brainpower.
Read MoreBRODY: Accountable care organizations improve health care
As we began looking at accountable care organizations, we clearly understood that this new model complemented our existing approach and had potential to significantly affect care, leading to better communication, better coordination of care, and better outcomes for patients.
Read MoreSTORY: Health care rationing has already arrived
There will be health care rationing. The only question is who will do the rationing—the government, health care providers, or you and me. The odds are good there will be some rationing from all those sources
Read MoreGroup aims to cut costs of late-stage drugs
You know things are bad in the fiercely competitive pharma industry when drugmakers start turning to each other for help. But that’s exactly what happened last week when 10 major drug companies—including Eli Lilly and Co.—joined forces to cut costs out of clinical trials.
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EDITORIAL: It’s time for Mayor Ballard to take the baton
A few weeks ago in this space, we called for someone—anyone—to step forward to take a leadership role in resolving the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra’s labor dispute. The silence has been deafening.
Read MoreMAURER: Exercise your brain with problem solving
Challenging riddles like this interrupt the normal routine and rev up our brains. Seize opportunities to think creatively.
Read MoreRUSTHOVEN: The ‘Hee Haw’ candidate distorts again
John Gregg is at it again. In a gubernatorial campaign marked by dishonest attacks on GOP nominee Mike Pence, Gregg’s newest ad shows him under an umbrella with water running off it. Gregg, speaking in Mr. Folksy mode, tells us Pence wants to spend Indiana’s entire “rainy day” fund. Citing his experience as former Vincennes University president, Mr. Folksy warns this is a bad idea, one more way Pence threatens education.
Read MorePERSON: Stand up for the ISO before it’s too late
For three years, Indianapolis was the city I called home, and the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra was where I was proud to work. I am sad to learn not only of the serious problems the organization now faces, but also of the possibility that the Indianapolis community could lose one of its greatest assets.
Read MoreRACE: Is CityWay a mixed-use project or urban neighborhood?
CityWay’s design does a lot of things well. Its site plan is woven into the Indy grid, providing active street edges.
Read MoreHICKS: Immigration brings hope to the Midwest
No new business employing U.S. citizens will heal urban decay in many Midwestern cities.
Read MoreKIM: Don’t let ‘urgent’ tasks trump what’s truly important
Deep down, we know we need to make important life decisions, like updating investment portfolios, creating estate plans, or crafting a college savings strategy. All of these are hard work, take time and are nobody’s idea of fun.
Read MoreMore credits for Denison growth
We want to thank IBJ for the [Sept. 24] profile of Denison Parking. While Denison’s partnership with the citizens of Indianapolis was highlighted in the article, our partnership with Hal Darring and Global Parking was left unpublished.
Read MorePancake too thin
I know Rex Early is a loyal Republican but I was surprised of his [Sept. 1 column] support for Mourdock. While he may tell it as he sees it, he fails to understand it is a mighty thin pancake that does not have two sides.
Read MoreIn BriefBack to Top
Vincennes logistics program gets box of money from federal government
$2.9 million grant will be used to bulk up logistics training and education center in Plainfield.
Read MoreFishers debates whether to remain a town or become a city
Voters will be faced with three options for how the town will be governed in the future.
Read MoreU.S. Department of Commerce recognizes Indianapolis exporter
Hoosier Gasket Corp. received the Export Achievement Award for its recent success in Eastern Europe and China.
Read MoreIndians attendance increases for fourth straight year
A strong regular season and a playoff run pushed attendance at Indianapolis Indians home games to its best mark in four years and fourth best at Victory Field since 2000.
Read MoreLocal attorney facing fraud charges dropping lawyers
Richard Kammen and Dorie Maryan, who are representing William F. Conour, will ask a federal judge Thursday to be removed from the case, at the request of Conour, citing a strained relationship.
Read MoreJay stepping down as CEO of TechPoint
Jim Jay, president and CEO of statewide technology advocacy group TechPoint for the past six years, is leaving to take a job in the private sector.
Read MoreCitizens agrees to buy Westfield utilities for $91M
The proposed sale to Citizens Energy Group would include Westfield’s water and wastewater utilities. Citizens bought water utilities from the city of Indianapolis last year for $1.9 billion.
Read MorePROXY CORNER: KAR Auction Services Inc.
KAR Auction Services Inc. is the holding company for ADESA Inc., which operates used-vehicle auctions at 68 locations, Insurance Auto Auctions Inc., which operates salvage auctions at 161 locations, and Automotive Finance Corp., which provides floorplan financing at 104 locations.
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