MARCH 4-10, 2022
Restaurateurs are happy to see customers flooding back into their businesses, but the relief is leavened by skyrocketing labor and food costs. Dave Lindquist digs into the priciest items and how local restaurants are handling the effects of inflation. Also in this week’s issue, Emily Ketterer examines the move in the Statehouse to reduce taxes on vaping products. And Susan Orr reports that local companies that offer online meeting and collaboration platforms still see a lot of opportunity ahead, despite signs that the pandemic is waning and in-person activities are safer.
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Food costs, payroll, customer demand increase pressure on restaurants
Record-breaking cash register receipts for restaurants that were able to weather the pandemic represent one statistic of a “trifecta” of big numbers affecting the industry.
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Meeting platforms grow even as COVID wanes
Online gatherings are here to stay, but after two years of Zooming, people are looking for something more than the standard videoconferencing sites can offer.
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Tax on closed-system vaping products might be reduced
The Indiana House and Senate have both approved a measure that would reduce the tax on disposable e-cigarettes from 25% of the wholesale price to 15%.
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Herff Jones partnership gives graduation memories a digital twist
The deal is with StageClip, a company that uses livestreaming to create 30- to 45-second videos of each graduate who crosses the stage at participating high schools and colleges.
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Q&A with Ann Murtlow, reflecting on a career spent in utilities, not-for-profits
Murtlow said the she changes she instituted at United Way have been hard. “We realized that we could not be everything to everyone, and so we really focused on helping the population in our seven-county area that is living in poverty or is one step away from poverty.”
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Mark Montieth: A generation of ballers is named after Jalen Rose
Comb the rosters of teams throughout the country, all levels, particularly basketball and football, and you’ll find more Jalens—or Jaylens or other slight variations—than you can shake a rose at.
Read MoreReport: Venture capital investments in Indiana companies hit all-time high
Indiana companies landed $1.4 billion in investments last year–a record amount, and nearly triple the value of investments in 2020, a new Elevate Ventures report says.
Read MoreIndiana House gives local officials more control in economic development bill
House Ways and Means Chairman Tim Brown, R-Crawfordsville, said the reworked Senate Bill 361 now does a lot more to ensure the involvement of local stakeholders in decisions made by the Indiana Economic Development Corp.
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Citimark plans $18M revamp of former HHGregg HQ for logistics uses
And because the property fronts the busy East 96th Street commercial corridor, the developer is also exploring options for retail outlots on the north end.
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Carmel-based KAR Global agrees to sell ADESA auction unit to Carvana to focus on digital marketplace
About 4,500 employees of ADESA and KAR will be transferred to Carvana as part of the sale. That’s just under 50% of the company’s total head count. According to IBJ research, KAR has about 9,600 employees worldwide and 1,150 employees in Indiana.
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King Cole hotel development could get $8M in city incentives
City officials plan to create an economic development area in the coming months for the Motto-branded hotel, which is being developed in the the historic King Cole building by Chicago-based Gettys Group for about $48.5 million.
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Black-owned architecture firm wants notion of diversity to be realized in its fullest
Meticulous Design + Architecture has focused not just on building its client list—which stretches from Pike Township to the Middle East—but also on creating more opportunities for people of color who want to enter the architecture field.
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Editorial: Innovation districts need input from local and state officials
We endorse changes to Senate Bill 361 made this week in the House that give local officials a greater voice in how money is generated in proposed innovation districts is used.
Read MoreNate Feltman: President Biden, stop buying Russian oil
While it’s impossible to know if stronger leadership from America could have prevented Putin’s invasion, it is clear that President Biden’s decision to cut back on America’s oil production and his green-lighting of the Nord Stream 2 Russian pipeline has had significant repercussions.
Read MoreMichael Bryant: State should nix managed Medicaid for long-term care
This simply should not happen, for the sake of the more than 50,000 Hoosiers who rely on Indiana’s Medicaid program for long-term services and supports.
Read MoreSen. Todd Young: Record high inflation is hurting Hoosier families
A quick trip to the grocery store induces sticker shock. Filling up the car breaks the bank. With supply low and costs high, it is difficult to buy a home or even rent an apartment. Heating either one is more expensive than ever, too.
Read MoreJalene Hahn: Should I worry now? Maybe. At least be prepared.
I wish I could predict the future, but even though my crystal ball has been in the shop several times, it still remains cloudy.
Read MoreBohanon & Curott: Pondering Ukraine and concept of self-determination
The great economist Walter Williams said the primary economic justification for government is to protect its citizens from thugs, both foreign and domestic.
Read MoreIn the workplace: Go for the gold! But maybe not every time.
As the excitement of the Winter Olympics fades in the rearview mirror, we reflect again on the rewards and risks of striving for excellence.
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Parking meter rates going up in downtown’s core, Broad Ripple
The partnership of private firms that operates Indianapolis’ parking meters plans to raise the hourly rate for nearly half of its 4,211 spaces.
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Butler exceeds $250M fundraising goal for its ‘Beyond’ campaign
So far, 34,622 donors have participated in the “Butler Beyond” campaign, including 13,351 individuals who became first-time donors to the university.
Read MoreWatered-down vaccine mandate limits clear Senate, return to House for consideration
The Indiana Senate passed a watered-down version of the House Republicans’ bill to limit employer vaccine mandates, sending it back to the House where its future is cloudy.
Read MoreAmbrose expanding Mount Comfort logistics park with new building
Plans call for the $60 million Building V to be 753,000 square feet, expandable up to 1.1 million square feet. It is expected to be completed in November and suited for distribution, light manufacturing and assembly.
Read MoreTroubled Lakeside Pointe apartment complex acquired
Lakeside Pointe at Nora apartment complex—under threat of a city nuisance lawsuit—has a new owner. The former owner owed more than $225,000 for 600-plus housing code violations at the complex.
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