IBJ Staff

A Noblesville man was sentenced to one year of home detention yesterday after pleading guilty to mortgage fraud in federal court. He also was ordered to pay $262,424.76 in restitution to three lending institutions. Marvin G. Hampton, 66, operated a real estate company, Glen Mar Land & Home Corp., that bought homes in poor neighborhoods […]

The Indianapolis-based Mobile Enhancement Retailers Association, a not-for-profit trade group of automobile electronics specialty retailers, has agreed to be acquired by Boston-based InstallerNet Inc. InstallerNet is a technology services company that coordinates the installation of consumer electronics through a network of independently owned mobile and home electronics businesses. Under the proposal announced today, InstallerNet’s 2,000 […]

Michael Phelps hits the pool in downtown Indianapolis today in his biggest swim meet since the Beijing Olympics. Phelps will swim the 200-meter freestyle and 200-meter butterfly at the U.S. Nationals at the Natatorium at IUPUI. Phelps is remaking himself with a focus on the shorter events as he heads toward the 2012 London Olympics, […]

The theatrical event “Walking with Dinosaurs” opens in Indianapolis today. Fifteen life-sized prehistoric creatures seemingly come to life in the show. The event runs at Conseco Fieldhouse through Sunday.

The Indiana National Guard held a departure ceremony for about 30 members of the 2,150th Fires Team this morning at the 38th Infantry Division Armory Support Facility on Minnesota Street in downtown Indianapolis. The unit will undergo several weeks of pre-mobilization training before departing for Iraq.

Steak n Shake Co. yesterday reported big increases in customer traffic and same-store sales for its fiscal third quarter, which ended July 1. Customer traffic rose 13.4 percent and same-store sales jumped 5 percent in the quarter compared to the same period a year ago, it said. The Indianapolis-based burger chain reported the figures in […]

Led by Baker & Daniels LLP, the city’s three largest law firms are recognized in the July issue of The American Lawyer magazine for their pro bono work. Among the 200 highest-grossing firms in the nation, Baker & Daniels ranked 125th, followed by Barnes & Thornburg LLP at 127th, and Ice Miller LLP at 167th. […]

President Barack Obama is nominating former Bloomington Mayor John Fernandez for a senior position in the U.S. Department of Commerce. The White House announced yesterday that Fernandez has been picked to become assistant secretary of commerce for economic development and the Economic Development Administration administrator. Fernandez was Bloomington’s mayor from 1996 to 2003 and was […]

An Indianapolis man faces trial today in a pit bull attack. Lee Carroll is charged with failing to properly restrain his two pit bulls. The dogs got loose and attacked Brenda Hill, 68, in January while she was taking out her trash. Her injuries were so severe that doctors had to amputate her leg.

A man was killed and another injured in an overnight crash on the north side of Indianapolis. Police think alcohol was involved. The 18-year-old driver lost control of a sport-utility vehicle about 1 a.m. in the 7900 block of Westfield Boulevard. A male passenger was ejected from the vehicle and later died at Methodist Hospital. […]

Millions are expected to tune into the Los Angeles memorial service for Michael Jackson today, as rehearsals begin for an Indiana memorial service in Gary. In Los Angeles, more than 17,000 people are expected to attend a service at the Staples Center. The Gary service will take place Friday at the Steel Yard baseball stadium. […]

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is conducting an internal investigation to examine how officers responded to a 21-year-old woman’s call for help weeks before she was fatally shot by her ex-boyfriend, Matthew Ford.Caitlin Walter was killed in her Indianapolis apartment in May. Ford, 28, the son of a veteran IMPD officer, killed himself after shooting […]

Paris-based Bic Group said today that it has completed the acquisition of Norwood Promotional Products Inc., an Indianapolis-based supplier of promotional products, in a deal worth $162.5 million. Norwood becomes a subsidiary of Milford, Conn.-based Bic USA Inc., the maker of ink pens and shavers. Bic USA agreed to pay $125 million and assume $37.5 […]

Counselors will be on hand at Greenwood High School today after police say the school’s reigning homecoming queen was shot to death by her boyfriend. Kelly Marie Roome, 19, moved to Marysville, Calif., last month after graduating from high school to be with her 21-year old fianc?, Ian York. Police say the couple got into […]

The 2009 ConocoPhillips USA Swimming National Championships start in Indianapolis tomorrow at the IUPUI Natatorium. Winners will earn a spot in the World Championships next month in Rome. Michael Phelps will be among the participants.

The Indianapolis Airport Authority plans to sell thousands of items from its old passenger terminal during an auction next month. The authority hopes to make at least $500,000 as it sells off building materials, office equipment, signs and other items, such as a 5-foot replica of the Statue of Liberty and 35 posters featuring Princess […]

Radio executive Tom Severino, who managed four local stations for Indianapolis-based Emmis Communications Corp., died yesterday after a five-month battle with cancer. Severino, 57, was vice president and general manager of WIBC-FM 93.1, WLHK-FM 97.1, WFNI-AM 1070 and WYXB-FM 105.7. He joined Emmis in 1994. “[This] is a very difficult [time] for all of the […]