SEPT. 11-17, 2020
Farm Bureau Insurance is a big, established company, not the kind of firm often associated with innovation. But company officials have made instilling an innovation culture a high priority, which helps explain why the company just rolled out a startup and plans to launch others. Anthony Schoettle examines the strategy. Also this week, Susan Orr highlights some of the works of art that have sprung up around Indianapolis as part of Art & Seek, a program of Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and the Arts Council of Indianapolis. In addition, Lindsey Erdody examines real estate purchases and sales by Victoria Spartz, the GOP candidate in the 5th Congressional District, who is using profits from some of the deals to help fund her campaign.
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Farm Bureau Insurance pursuing culture of innovation by launching startups
The goal is to inspire creativity and entrepreneurship among employees who have ideas for products and services that can complement the larger company.
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Indy Art & Seek project brings local art to neighborhoods citywide
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful and the Arts Council of Indianapolis have teamed up with 72 local artists for a project that has put 107 pieces of art on temporary display all over town.
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Profit from real estate deals helping Spartz fund congressional campaign
A campaign disclosure form and other public records show that Spartz and her husband, Jason Spartz, have largely made their money buying, selling, leasing and farming land.
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Colleges won’t offer tuition refunds if learning moves online
Despite pressure from frustrated families, some schools don’t plan to refund room and board fees, either, even if students aren’t staying in dorms or eating in cafeterias.
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Pandemic depresses number of houses for sale, which drives up prices
A shortage of moderately priced single-family homes and pent-up demand stemming from the COVID-19 lockdown this spring have caused home prices to rocket higher.
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Colts to start season with just 2,500 fans in stands under agreement with health officials
The plan will allow less than 4% of capacity for the team’s its home opener at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 20.
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$40M apartment project planned for Herron-Morton Place
The proposed project includes 234 multifamily units in the 2100 block of Central Avenue, along with nearly 12,000 square feet of new or redeveloped commercial space.
Read MoreINDY BEACONS: Mari Evans, Indianapolis’ poet of neighborhoods
Evans, whose work can be found on one of the windows at Indianapolis International Airport, was a teacher and peacemaker.
Read MoreQ&A with Dr. Doug Strobel, creator of anti-bacterial balm
A lifetime athlete and neurologist for nearly 20 years, the Carmel resident has created an organic, anti-bacterial balm that treats everything from itchy, dry skin and eczema to migraines and joint pain.
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Pandemic puts retailers in college towns to stiff test
The worst part for the hundreds of Hoosier small-business owners whose livelihood is linked to universities is the uncertainty.
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Noblesville planning to partner on $52.8 million redevelopment of former Marsh site
Indianapolis-based Cityscape Residential LLC is working with Noblesville to develop an apartment and office complex on the west side of the White River, along River Road and State Road 32.
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Editorial: Remake economic development strategy for post-pandemic times
Even before the pandemic, there were efforts afoot, such as TechPoint’s partnership with TMap, to identify people with an Indiana connection who work outside the state but might be willing to return. We’ve used this space before to encourage such programs, but now there’s a new urgency to making such appeals, and not just to people who already have local ties.
Read MoreNATE FELTMAN: Engage in difficult conversations
You might learn a few things by having a civil discussion with someone whose life experience is different than yours.
Read MoreKristen Jones: Trump’s drug-pricing order spells disaster for life sciences
The Most Favored Nation pricing model is an intensely misguided policy. Its foreign price controls would not only depress crucial medical innovation but would also harm small businesses in the process.
Read MoreStephen Towne: Hendricks monument represents racist state leader
The monument of Thomas A. Hendricks (1819-1885) on the south lawn of the state capitol should go. A state legislator, U.S. representative, senator, Indiana governor and finally vice president, Hendricks was a white supremacist and is not worthy to be honored today.
Read MoreLetter: Clearing up misconceptions about Health and Hospital
Recent newspaper reports suggest that the quality of care in HHC’s nursing homes is low. The fact is that HHC’s nursing facilities provide extraordinarily high-quality care to their residents.
Read MoreLetter: Federal deficits aren’t inherently bad
Too few dollars in circulation results in unemployment; too many dollars causes inflation. So, the only issue is whether and how much the government should add to (or subtract from) the money supply in order to achieve low inflation and full employment (in other words run a deficit or a surplus).
Read MoreHAHN: Don’t let election distract you from investing fundamentals
Investment returns are driven by basic economic fundamentals: corporate earnings, economic growth, interest rates and many factors outside the control of any particular administration.
Read MoreMandy Haskett: Embracing uncertainty ‘bird by bird’
Psychologists agree: Humans detest uncertainty. We’ll go to great lengths to avoid it—even choosing a known bad outcome over an unknown but possibly good one.
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MIKE LOPRESTI: Twenty quirks about Colts season before the first snap
Oddities abound, including the Colts playing a game on the first day of the Masters.
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Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, musicians reach one-year agreement
ISO leadership and the musicians released a joint statement on Tuesday announcing the new contract, which runs through Aug. 29.
Read MoreMerritt resigning after 30 years in state Senate
State Sen. Jim Merritt announced Tuesday that he will resign from the position he’s held since 1990 to “seek other opportunities for service.” He still had two years left in his term.
Read MoreWTHR-TV’s Diaz to take over for departing morning anchor Hill
Ben Hill, who has co-anchored WTHR-TV Channel 13’s morning weekday news since 2016, is leaving Indianapolis for an anchor job in Nashville, Tennessee, WTHR announced Tuesday.
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Dick’s Bodacious Bar-B-Q latest downtown restaurant to fold
The eatery is the last of 10 Dick’s Bodacious Bar-B-Q restaurants that once operated in central Indiana.
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Claire Fiddian-Green: Don’t stop at addressing digital divide for students
As we work to address barriers to eLearning, we should also use the pandemic as an opportunity to shine a light on broader inequities in K-12 education.
Read MoreAbdul-Hakim Shabazz: Get up and go vote—or most can mail it in
No one should have to pick between their health and voting, and no one does.
Read MoreEd DeLaney: Holcomb’s choice or ours?
What should a leader do when citizens face the question of whether to risk our health or our right to vote? A leader would act to reduce the risk and ease the problem of choice. He would inform us and let us decide.
Read MoreDana Black: Persistence is key to gaining equality for every citizen
Often, it is difficult to see the finish line when it appears so far in the distance—but it is there.
Read MoreDeborah Daniels: Holcomb is showing leadership with speech on racism
Sadly, some Indiana conservatives have criticized the governor for doing what is so clearly the right thing.
Read MoreMarshawn Wolley: Progress made in police reform must be protected
Progress is fragile, elusive and agonizing in its distance, and many aspects of police reform remain unfinished.
Read MoreKaren Celestino-Horseman: A scratch could save America
This single election is going to define who we are as Americans and the future path of our country.
Read MoreCurt Smith: Trump can win because order will prevail
Recent polling gives Trump the advantage due to the disturbing social unrest, this lack of order.
Read MoreBrad Rateike: Holcomb is a no-drama governor getting things done
He has vanquished his political opponent without even throwing a punch.
Read MoreJennifer Wagner: Virtual access to public meetings improves government
It’s a shame public meetings had to be dragged into the 21st century by a global pandemic, but more access is always a good thing.
Read MoreDr. Richard Feldman: Four steps to affordable health care for everyone in U.S.
Given there is no coherent Republican health care reform plan, fixing Obamacare would be an affordable and achievable way to proceed.
Read MoreMichael Leppert: A Colts season we need now more than ever
It has been a terrible year for all of us. Our community needs something for which we can collectively cheer.
Read MoreShariq Siddiqui: Muslim Americans are rising to pandemic challenges
Muslim Americans make up only 1% of the national population, but they play a more significant role in the front lines of COVID-19.
Read MoreJim Shella: My apolitical daughter put a Biden sign in her yard
I am left to wonder how much more quickly we would return to normal if the leadership in Washington leaned on medical science rather than polling data.
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