FEBRUARY 18-24, 2013
This week, learn about Anthem's new "exclusive provider" health insurance network and find out why Allos Ventures raised $40 million to help early-stage tech firms. In Focus, reporter Chris O'Malley takes a look at the Indiana coal industry's scramble to save its future. And in A&E, Lou Harry offers his views on local improv troupe ComedySportz.
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Anthem tries new ‘narrow network’ strategy
Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield has selected Community Health Network to be the “exclusive provider” for a new kind of health insurance plan—a sharp departure from Anthem’s typical strategy of offering the broadest network of hospitals and doctors.
Read MoreTax break would barely put dent in Speedway’s to-do list
The Indianapolis Motor Speedway will need far more money than it will get from a proposed state tax subsidy if it hopes to be in the top tier of U.S. racing venues, sports business experts said.
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Allos Ventures raises $40 million for early-stage tech firms
Allos Ventures has raised $40 million from local tech industry luminaries and others to invest in early-stage tech companies in the Midwest, a segment that has seen funding dry up. The fund, Allos II, aims to invest $3 million to $7 million each in about a dozen early-stage companies—not upstarts but those already generating solid revenue streams.
Read MoreBallard: Don’t measure trade missions by new jobs
About to embark on his eighth trade mission since 2008, Indianapolis Mayor Greg Ballard is committed to keeping up the city’s international profile, regardless of whether that results in a major economic-development deal.
Read MoreExecutives’ transitions to not-for-profits often awkward
Small not-for-profits’ strategy of recruiting big-business executives for top posts has had mixed results since coming into vogue in the 1990s. For some of the executives, the transitions is a culture shock.
Read MoreDoes hybrid-tech startup have investors too revved up?
Echo Automotive trades on the OTC Bulletin Board, the Wild West of investing—where cheap stock prices and low trading volumes can translate into wild swings in stock price.
Read MoreTwo neighboring utilities united by fiber in Hancock County
Unusual merger of Hancock Telecom and Central Indiana Power is paving the way for network deployment in rural areas.
Read MoreWellPoint shares tumble on surprising CEO hire
The Indianapolis-based health insurer saw its stock tumble as much as 4.8 percent Wednesday morning after it unexpectedly named career hospital executive Joe Swedish to be its next CEO.
Read MoreFocusBack to Top
Indiana town takes unusual step to gain control of utility
Mooresville’s bid to purchase water operations likely will be decided in court.
Read MoreIndiana coal industry scrambling to save its future
Options include increasing exports as opposition to coal-fired electricity generation heats up at both national and local levels.
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EDITORIAL: Give Indianapolis Motor Speedway the tax break
Indianapolis Motor Speedway’s request for a special taxing district to help update the storied venue is such a slam dunk that it barely merits an editorial.
Read MoreMAURER: One politician getting a second chance
That irrepressible Mel Reynolds is running again. Janie and I were just laughing with Rose and Bill Mays about being duped when we rallied our respective communities for an “Oreo” fundraiser on Reynolds’ behalf two decades ago.
Read MoreRUSTHOVEN: ‘Relevance’ is irrelevant
Among American liberals, coverage of Pope Benedict’s decision to resign and speculation about his successor take a predictable line. The Washington Post’s editorial is typical. The challenge facing the Roman Catholic Church, we are told, is “how to remain relevant to an increasingly secular world and to its own changing membership.” Benedict was a “conservative,” at times “reactionary,” who believed “only uncompromising adherence to past doctrine could preserve the faith.
Read MoreBARANOWSKI: Indy is a great city, except…
It was my privilege to testify recently before the House Roads & Transportation Committee in support of House Bill 1011. I joined more than three dozen citizens, community leaders and elected officials to share our support for mass transit in central Indiana.
Read MoreFEIGENBAUM: Budget negotiations will center on education, health care
You’ve heard the talk that the bottom-line reason for the General Assembly to meet this year is to fashion a two-year budget that will carry the state through June 30, 2015.
Read MoreHICKS: Let’s try a $25 minimum wage to end poverty
As the president noted, no one should doubt that raising a family while earning minimum wage is a hard business; perhaps that is why almost nobody does it.
Read MoreKIM: Protect yourself when buying mutual fund shares
While the concept of a mutual fund is beautiful in its simplicity, actually investing in one can be complicated.
Read MoreRadio’s real problem
As a former radio personality (NPR and later WHAS-AM 840 in Louisville and other stations) and broadcast operations manager and intern supervisor at the University of Louisville), I continue to shake my head at Emmis and boss Jeff Smulyan’s total swivet with cell phone operators for refusing to put radio tuners on their phones or switch them on if they exist.
Read MoreIn BriefBack to Top
Indiana tries to close loophole that helped Durham commit fraud in Ohio
The legislature is considering a bill that would require intrastate securities offerings to file audited financials, a safeguard that caused trouble for Fair Finance investors.
Read MoreUnited Way yet to announce CEO to replace Annala
The search for a replacement for the long-time executive, who steps down April 1, started the middle of last year.
Read MoreLongtime Indianapolis Motor Speedway exec departing for Austin track
Mel Harder had been with the Speedway for 22 years, most recently overseeing operations and facilities management for the famed Brickyard.
Read MoreEven salvage auto buyers now have an app to make purchases easier
Bids have been taken via smart-phone applications for more than a year. Now a unit of Carmel-based KAR Auction Services has introduced an app to make paying easier.
Read More’12 worst year for life sciences since 1990s
To understand why Indiana’s life sciences entrepreneurs are frustrated with the flow of venture capital, look no further than this statistic from a recent PricewaterhouseCoopers report: 2012 was the slowest year for first-time life sciences investment since 1995.
Read MorePROXY CORNER: Bioanalytical Systems Inc.
West Lafayette-based Bioanalytical Systems Inc. is a provider of contract-research services to the pharmaceutical industry.
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