IBJ Podcast: Is downtown safe? Ask two business owners who reached different conclusions.
Mason King talks with Greg Harris, founder of Backhaul Direct, which left downtown, and Andrew Elsenser, co-founder of Spot, which is expanding downtown.
Crime
Articles
Bill aims to keep state from releasing non-resident prisoners in Indianapolis
House Bill 1087, authored by Rep. Justin Moed, D-Indianapolis, would require the Indiana Department of Correction—with some exceptions—to return offenders to the county where they lived when they were convicted.
Tale of two downtowns: $9B set to be invested in projects, even as business district struggles with recovery
Many parts of downtown are thriving—particularly neighborhoods, where rents are rising, people have to stand in line for a lunch table, and investments are flowing. Other parts—especially downtown’s central core, where many workers might come to the office only once or twice a week—are limping along, pockmarked by vacant storefronts, panhandlers and crumbling sidewalks.
Crime in downtown Indianapolis: Is perception worse than reality?
According to crime data for the Mile Square over the past three years—the only such data available that includes figures for 2022—violent incidents are down from the pandemic peak years of 2020 and 2021 in all categories except robberies, which were up 43%, from 56 to 80.
Former church business manager sentenced to 2 years in prison
Investigators say Marie Carson illegally transferred $573,836 in church and school money into her private accounts from 2008 to 2021 and used much of the money to pay for casino gambling and an annual month-long vacation to Florida.
Builders say construction-site theft is ‘rampant’
The people who do the stealing range from individuals committing small-time, spur-of-the-moment thefts to organized crews who go from state to state, hitting construction sites and then blowing town.
Proposal seeks to change state constitution over who has right to bail
Prosecutors say Sen. Eric Koch’s Senate Joint Resolution 1 would keep dangerous people off the streets before trial, while defenders and civil rights advocates say its subjectivity could endanger the rights of those presumed innocent until convicted.
Former DWD employee charged with filing more than $34K in fraudulent claims
According to the investigative report filed by Indiana’s Office of Inspector General, a program specialist filed for and received unemployment insurance benefits while employed at the agency and also oversaw her husband’s fraudulent unemployment claims.
Indianapolis dermatologist pleads guilty to understating taxes
Dr. A. David Gerstein, a dermatologist with practice on North Meridian Street, filed a plea agreement Dec. 28 in U.S. District Court in Indianapolis.
One dead, one wounded in shooting outside Castleton Square
The shooting occurred just before 8 p.m. outside the state’s largest shopping center, the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said.
Lawmakers: Giving AG power over prosecutors ‘least preferred’ route in dispute
A bipartisan group of lawmakers and justice system leaders that assembled on Thursday to consider how best to address county prosecutors with “blanket” non-prosecution policies agreed that handing authority to Indiana’s Attorney General isn’t the best solution.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears defeats upstart GOP challenger
Mears’ victory dashed Republicans’ hopes of winning their first countywide race in Indianapolis in a decade, a period in which Marion County became increasingly dominated by Democrats.
Approach to fighting crime divides candidates for prosecutor
Marion County voters will have a distinct choice to make on Nov. 8. Democratic Prosecutor Ryan Mears and Republican challenger Cyndi Carrasco couldn’t be further apart on some key issues.
Biden pardons thousands for ‘simple possession’ of marijuana
The president also called on governors to issue similar pardons for those convicted of state marijuana offenses, which reflect the vast majority of marijuana possession cases.
Smith & Wesson sued over link to July 4 parade mass shooting
The suits accuse gun-maker Smith & Wesson of illegally targeting its ads at young men at risk of committing mass violence.
Prosecutor Mears, foe Carrasco face off over Indy crime
The pews of Castleton United Methodist Church were packed to hear Democratic Prosecutor Ryan Mears and Republican candidate Cyndi Carrasco participate in political forum Tuesday night.
U.S. charges ‘brazen’ theft of $250M from pandemic food program
Federal prosecutors said the 47 defendants used a complex web of shell companies and bribes to obtain federal pandemic funds in the names of children who did not exist and then spent that money on luxury cars, houses and other personal purchases.
DOJ to use ‘carrot and stick’ approach on corporate crime
Faced with a decline in the number of corporate criminal prosecutions over the last decade, a top Justice Department official on Thursday unveiled new sweeteners for companies that cooperate with the government.
Indianapolis woman accused of embezzling $270K from WFYI
The U.S. Attorney’s Office said the former accounting specialist worked with an unnamed co-conspirator, who was not an employee of the public television and radio station.
UPDATE: Ex-Indiana lawmaker, casino exec sentenced in money scheme
Brent Waltz, 48, of Greenwood, pleaded guilty in April to helping route about $40,000 in illegal contributions to his campaign and making false statements to the FBI.