FEB. 25-MARCH 3, 2022
Three Black-owned businesses are planning moves downtown as part of a larger effort to help the city’s sore recover from the pandemic. Dave Lindquist reports that they’re getting help from a not-for-profit that has emerged as a local leader in diversity initiatives. Also in this week’s issue, John Russell explains how the sprawling case against Bloomington-based Cook Medical has ballooned into one of the largest and longest civil actions in Indiana history. And Mickey Shuey outlines how Indianapolis is embracing esports on the professional and academic level with hopes of become a national player.
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Cook Medical legal battle one of largest in state history
The medical-device maker is vigorously defending itself against a mountain of lawsuits that claim its inferior vena cava (IVC) filters, designed to catch blood clots, are unsafe.
Read MoreInitiative will pair Black-owned businesses with downtown spots
The moves are part of a larger effort to help the city’s core recover from the pandemic, and they’re getting help from a not-for-profit that has emerged as a local leader in diversity initiatives.
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New City-County Council committee to strike a greener path
The panel plans to focus first on urban forests and parklands, then recycling and solid waste, then equitable health and infrastructure investments.
Read MoreEsports is exploding. Can Indianapolis capitalize?
Both the city and state could become players in the emerging billion-dollar worldwide industry.
Read MoreQ&A with Scott Schmelzer, on growth of tennis in Zionsville
Members of the Pearson Automotive Tennis Club in Zionsville receive training from U.S. Professional Tennis Association-certified professionals on staff, including four instructors who are in the Indiana Tennis Hall of Fame.
Read MoreMike Lopresti: Can Chesterton break Indy-area championship juggernaut?
Memories. Chesterton is certainly stacking those up this season.
Read MoreCummins to acquire Meritor for $3.7B
Columbus-based Cummins said its acquisition of Michigan-based Meritor, a maker of electric axle and brake technology, will help accelerate Cummins’ electric and hybrid business.
Read MoreArchdiocese seeks state high court ruling over teacher fired for same-sex marriage
The Archdiocese is continuing its fight to block the discrimination lawsuit brought by Joshua Payne-Elliott. The language and social studies teacher was fired after 13 years of teaching at Cathedral High School because he is married to a man.
Read MoreShelbyville casino gets new name after $34M in upgrades
Caesars Entertainment Inc. on Tuesday changed the name of the venue from Indiana Grand Racing & Casino to Horseshoe Indianapolis Racing & Casino.
Read More20 Indiana hospitals docked for high rates of patient injuries, infections
The fines are one way Medicare is clamping down on hospitals, using penalties and incentives authorized by the Affordable Care Act to push for better outcomes, fewer safety problems and a lower number of readmissions.
Read MoreEntertainment firm relocating to Indianapolis, plans to hire up to 30
Creative Works, which designs and manufactures entertainment and recreation venues, will bring with it more than 70 jobs, and the firm expects to create up to 30 more by the end of the year.
Read MoreIndiana lawmakers advance stripped-down college aid application bill
A bill that seeks to increase the number of Indiana students who complete the federal college financial aid application advanced to the Indiana House on Monday, but only after lawmakers removed an significant mandate from the measure.
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New laws are having a big impact on local tech sector’s required ingredients for data privacy
State legislatures from coast to coast, including Indiana’s, are turning their attention to consumer data privacy—and the issue could have a large impact on Indiana’s tech sector.
Read MoreAllos Ventures launches $75 million investment fund
Indianapolis-based Allos Ventures, which invests in early-stage business-to-business software companies in the Midwest, said it plans to start making investments from Allos IV right away.
Read MoreUPDATE: Tech startup Qualifi lands $2.5M in seed funding
Indianapolis-based Qualifi, which launched in 2019, offers technology that helps customers quickly screen job applicants using automated phone calls.
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Editorial: Esports is a tourism strategy worth exploring, pursuing
The esports events that have landed in Indianapolis aren’t equal in scale to the NCAA Men’s Basketball Final Four or a Super Bowl. But many of them can be equivalent to the hundreds of smaller events hosted in central Indiana throughout the year.
Read MoreLesley Weidenbener: Here’s one small idea for Circle Centre Mall
Let’s create a place where downtown visitors can get a sampling of what the city’s museums have to offer—and then, if those visitors are interested in seeing more at any one museum, we help them get there.
Read MoreJim Merritt: Fighting crime is boring and complex … read on
About all anyone can agree on is, we have a “broken system” that is failing Hoosiers. Some don’t trust it to keep violent criminals off the streets; others don’t trust it to treat people fairly if they are arrested.
Read MoreWoodrow Wilcox: Simple steps can boost film, TV production in Indiana
It is more realistic to start with small incentives and changes to laws to help Indiana’s homegrown production people and companies.
Read MoreMark Caswell: Generalists and specialists: Why we need both
Eventually, the business scales to the point where no single person can see everything happening (even the CEO), let alone be involved in it all. And a shift happens.
Read MorePeter Dunn: Financial stability allows for risk-taking, dream chasing
Personally, my top three career accomplishments have nothing to do with money.
Read MoreBohanon & Curott: The response to Russia could lead to upheaval
After Vietnam, Iraq and Afghanistan, the USA hasn’t the political will to engage in another war.
Read MoreLetter: Bills will harm public school
House Bill 1134 would have the effect of limiting frank discussions of racism and history and set up roadblocks to providing mental health support for students.
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Lilly plans $700M genetic medicine institute in Boston
The Indianapolis-based pharmaceutical company said the facility is part of its strategy to advance RNA-based therapeutics and builds on its acquisition of Prevail Therapeutics, a gene therapy company based in New York.
Read MoreBKD CPAs & Advisors merges with North Carolina firm
BKD said its combination with Dixon Hughes Goodman will create a top 10 national professional services firm. BKD’s local office is the fourth-largest accounting firm in the Indianapolis area, according to IBJ research.
Read MoreNavy team leaves Methodist Hospital as COVID-19 cases fall
A U.S. Navy team that was dispatched to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis to help relieve overwhelmed staffers during a surge in COVID-19 cases has wrapped up its deployment after 60 days.
Read MoreIndy-based Direct Connect Logistix acquires Utah business
While DCL said it plans to grow the Utah location, the company’s headquarters will remain in Indianapolis, where it employs 160 and is expanding its workforce.
Read MoreStandard General acquiring WTHR parent in $5.4B cash deal
New York City-based investment firm Standard General plans to take television station owner Tegna private in the deal, which has an enterprise value of about $8.6 billion, including the assumption of debt.
Read MoreCummins awards more than $1M to boost Martindale-Brightwood neighborhood
The grant will be used to fund mortgages to low-income residents who are buying one of 12 newly-constructed homes that are being built on previously-vacant properties in the neighborhood.
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