MAY 10-16, 2010
This week, find out more about Cunningham Restaurant Group, the Avon-based dining empire that is poised to open its 10th restaurant in a high-profile location downtown. In Focus, see how the Wishard Memorial Hospital project is breathing new life into the local construction industry. And check out what Christel DeHaan is selling to raise money for her not-for-profit education organization. Been anxiously awaiting Patachou spinoff Napolese? See what Lou Harry thinks about the pizzeria.
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Lilly hopes Elanco unit becomes a cash cow
Elanco Animal Health chief Jeff Simmons predicts that consumers will opt for food made cheaper by using
Elanco’s productivity-enhancing drugs over pricier organic and locally grown products. But, as a hedge,
he has Elanco developing products to help organic farmers, too.
Allison Transmission, supplier feuding in court
A dispute between Allison and a major supplier over allegations of defective parts has grown so contentious that
the supplier is threatening to halt shipments—a move Allison says could force it to shut down.
Veolia concessions worry regulators
Testimony filed in Indianapolis Water Co.’s rate case shows the city in 2007 agreed to take on millions of dollars in costs
from the private firm it hired to operate the utility, including $48 million in retiree medical plan obligations.
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Knauf Insulation sues NatCity over $8M investment loss
One of Shelby County’s largest employers is suing NatCity Investments Inc. to try to recover nearly $8 million in losses on
auction-rate securities. Knauf Insulation filed suit in Shelby Superior Court in March, saying NatCity should repay the money
in accordance with a settlement the bank reached with federal regulators in March 2009.
Stone Creek owner adding to his dining empire
Mike Cunningham has run dining spots ranging from a bar and grill to yogurt stands and is now growing a popular chain of upscale
restaurants—primarily under the Stone Creek Dining Co. name—in Indiana and Ohio.
Coffee sales give Christel House a boost
Indianapolis-based Christel House is brokering sales of in-room coffee to resorts around the country, taking a 10-percent
royalty to do so. The coffee is roasted by Indianapolis-based Copper Moon Coffee Co. and packaged in red and green bags decorated
with drawings by students at Christel House’s schools.
Judge rejects controversial Guidant plea agreement
The deal included a $296 million criminal fine, but no charges against executives who failed to properly report problems with the company's defibrillators.
Read MoreStudy: Indiana shows long-term decrease in air toxics
IDEM says in its newly released “ToxWatch” report that the level of air toxics over the last decade has “decreased
to within levels acceptable to the U.S. EPA.
Mass Ave project adds garage, wins approval
Work could begin this fall on $10 million Trail Side complex.
Read MoreFocusBack to Top
Wishard Hospital project is life blood to contractors
Replacing the existing Wishard Memorial Hospital is so critical to the well-being of the sickly construction sector that one
industry official likens the project to a "lifeline."
Glick Eye Institute designed to mesh architectural styles, ophthalmology researchers
The new home for the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Eye Institute that’s rising from the ground at IUPUI must do a lot
of things well.
TAYLOR: Reform will drive demand for health care facilities
There has been a noticeable uptick in the level of health care real estate development activity this year.
Read MoreMOUNAYAR: Indianapolis should rediscover public spaces
Too few of the city's revitalization projects are connected by attractive sidewalks, streets, gardens and plazas.
Read MoreOpinionBack to Top
EDITORIAL: Celebrate victory over apathy by voting
Isn’t it great to live in a country where citizens have a say in who serves in every public position from president
to school board? Wouldn’t it be even better if citizens actually took that privilege seriously and went to the polls?
HARTON: The IBJ’s 30-year story, retold
The tale shows how a germ of an
idea can turn into something special and how people in business can reach across generations—even when they think their
biggest contributions are behind them—to pull others along.
MARCUS: Use creativity to lure crowds to cities
The experience of the Vera Bradley Outlet Sale proved again that American businesses can be successful if they offer products
consumers want.
JOSEPH: Beware of screening job applicants with social media
Tech-savvy employers are turning to social-media tools to locate and
screen applicants for positions. And with increasing competition for jobs, employers are trying to both find the best applicants
available and know as much as possible about them.
ALTOM: Are you disaster-ready, dust-induced or not?
You know you should back up your data for redundancy. But you can’t back up an entire airline industry. That’s
a lesson we learned recently when a volcano with the cat-crossing-the-keyboard name of “Eyjafjallajökull”
exhaled tons of volcanic dust into the clear skies over Europe and brought aviation worldwide almost to a literal grinding
halt.
HICKS: Fear, not economics, drives immigration debate
Mexico is in the throes of a violent lawlessness that is spilling over into the United States. Dealing with this is neither
racist nor unconstitutional.
HAUKE: Oil prices were headed up even before massive spill
That oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a nasty event that truly deserves all of our attention.
I want to see the hole capped quickly so the environment doesn’t get beat up any more than it already has, but I have
a feeling the economic and political ramifications will be felt for years to come.
JA’s Miller acted appropriately
As the former CEO of Junior Achievement of Central Indiana, as well as the former president of the Experiential Learning and Entrepreneurship Foundation, Jeffrey M. Miller is concerned with the potential implications of the latest article regarding JA and ELEF titled “Fate of fund a JA mystery” published in the May 3 IBJ.
Read MoreCarmel Performing Arts Center not too big to fail
Cory Schouten’s [April 26 Focus] article regarding the supposed “momentum” for Carmel’s Performing
Arts Center (PAC) lacked information, and clouded the overall picture.
Forget Pacers; focus on city services
Basic city
services in Indianapolis are ignored, sold to others or poorly dealt with.
Thanks for touting arts subscriptions
I think there’s a large portion
of Indianapolis that misses out on the importance of subscription packages and don’t quite understand exactly why they’re
needed to bring bigger and better shows.
In BriefBack to Top
New federal funds come with big goals
Indiana has now received nearly $50 million in federal bucks to digitize health care around the state. But the latest grant—$16
million to the Indiana Health Information Exchange—comes with specific, ambitious goals for health care providers.
Indiana has millions to pass out for renewable energy projects
The federal money is for renewable energy systems, energy-efficiency improvements, energy audits and renewable-energy feasibility
studies.
Indianapolis Economic Development Inc. becomes Develop Indy
Develop Indy was often confused with other business development groups, particularly the Indiana Economic Development Corp.
Read MoreInterfaith Hunger Initiative hopes Dalai Lama draws crowd
The group hopes to raise as much as $100,000 in conjunction with May 14 talk at Conseco Fieldhouse.
Read MoreSahm’s to open tavern in downtown Indianapolis
The bar and restaurant will take about 3,600 square feet in the building, which has OneAmerica and ExactTarget as its anchor
office tenants.
Indiana’s growth in life sciences jobs beats national average
Bloomington led the nation as the No. 1 small city in medical devices and equipment.
Read MoreNFP of Note: CICOA Aging & In-Home Solutions
CICOA’s mission is to help older persons and
those of any age with a disability to live with the greatest possible independence, dignity and quality of life.