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SPORTS: Sports took back seat on trip to Castro’s Cuba

It was one of the worst from the perspective that so many of the things I take for granted here-clean water, dependable electricity, food you could trust, communications tools and, most of all, freedom-weren’t to be found there, at least not consistently. But that perspective also made it one of the best experiences because it reminded me of all the wonderful things we have here in America, starting with freedom. It was heartbreaking to travel around Havana and imagine how…

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Dispute over retail at Hamilton Proper boils over: Some homeowners bucking HDG Mansur management

Tensions between the developer of Hamilton Proper and some of its homeowners spilled into public view at the Fishers Town Council meeting Aug. 7, with the council president becoming so agitated he broke his gavel. Another councilor, Charles White, opened the meeting by complaining about the council’s July 17 decision to reject an application by HDG Mansur, the developer of Hamilton Proper, to build an 11-acre retail project on the periphery of the subdivision. White had been absent for that…

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IRL losing momentum again

Smoke coming from the Indy Racing League’s business model indicates it’s leaking oil. Two IRL teams recently folded and at least two more are in serious financial distress. Television ratings and race attendance is either flat or trailing last season.

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INVESTING: Lessons to draw from the new slide in transport stocks

One of the staples of a bear market is the futile attempt investors make to rationalize why they are staying invested. (This happens, of course, until it is far too late to do anything about remaining in the market). After the June 14 market low, one of the common rationalizations I heard was that the Dow Jones Transportation Index was nearing an all-time high. But like visions of a dying man wandering in the desert, it turned out be another…

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Let’s throw energy into public safety: We ignore crime at our peril

When yet another media story appears about jail overcrowding, it’s tempting to look away, to focus instead on rising gas prices, out-of-control health insurance costs or other pressing problems confronting your company. But make no mistake: Crime is a business issue. And it is escalating. Major offenses reported to the Indianapolis Police Department through April were up 22 percent over the first four months of 2005. Probably fueling that increase are the growing numbers of inmates being released early from…

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SPORTS: Fervently hoping that Gatlin, Landis are innocent

Until proven otherwise, I like to believe the best about people. This past May, I emceed a luncheon at which an engaging young man named Justin Gatlin was the featured attraction. He came to Indianapolis to help promote locally based USA Track & Field’s national championships, and he arrived in our town within hours of tying the world record in the 100 meters. I couldn’t have been more impressed with Gatlin, wrote glowingly about him in this column, and encouraged…

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SPORTS: Twenty-five attractions for the true sports fan

Time to reprise the list (besides, I’m on vacation): The top 25 must-see’s, must-do’s to be a true, bona fide, no-doubt-aboutit Indiana sports fan. 1. The Indianapolis 500. OK, it’s not quite what it used to be. But it still is the largest single-day sporting event in the world. And few moments in sport can match the flying start of the race. 2. A basketball game in Hinkle Fieldhouse, either high school or the Butler Bulldogs. Hinkle remains the mecca….

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Farming for tourists on the rise: Wine trails find followers

Whether you prefer a Chardonnay or Merlot, or you’re simply trying to recall the opening lyrics to “Scenes From an Italian Restaurant,” one thing is certain: Indiana wineries are hardly withering on the vine. The Hoosier State now boasts 32 wineries and should add two more by the end of fall, according to the Indiana Wine Grape Council at Purdue University. Moreover, the winemakers are helping drive the state’s fledgling agri-tourism efforts. “Nobody wants to tour a hog farm, but…

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TAWN PARENT Commentary: In defense of daydreaming

In addition to standbys like Little League and Girl Scouts, our children have the opportunity to learn sailing at Geist Reservoir, strut their stuff at the Jewish Community Center’s Broadway camp, or try medieval fantasy drawing at the Indianapolis Art Center. With such an appetizing array of choices, it’s hard to resist serving our kids a heaping plateful. Most of us want to give our children advantages we were not afforded, and “Mixed Media for Preschoolers” certainly qualifies. Besides, who…

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Speedway’s first cycling race draws national attention: Lance Armstrong-backed event could go annual

The Race 2 Replace bicycle race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway at first appeared to be just another local fund-raiser. Now, the Lance Armstrong-backed event put on by the professional cycling team he co-owns appears to be rolling up enough momentum to have a significant economic impact on Indianapolis. IMS President Joie Chitwood is calling the Aug. 12 race a “historic day at the track.” Race 2 Replace promoters said the IMS’ first-ever bicycle race is poised to become an…

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Indiana Ice looking to build new arena: Hamilton County targeted for $25M, 5,000-seat facility

Indiana Ice owner Paul Skjodt is rolling out a plan to build a 5,000-seat hockey arena in Hamilton County to keep his team skating into the black. If he pulls it off, he could be the first franchise owner to achieve long-term financial stability in Indianapolis’ seven-decade hockey history. To fortify his effort, Skjodt recently hired a vice president of sales and marketing-someone with experience launching new arenas-and launched a grass-roots marketing campaign he hopes to parlay into profitability. Skjodt,…

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SPORTS: Can U.S. pros reach the world hoops summit?

Team USA gathered in Las Vegas this past week to begin its attempt to reclaim America’s rightful place-which would be first place-in international basketball. Imagine, American hoopsters with a hill to climb. Who’d a thunk it? Well, me, for one. Anyone who was paying attention to international hoops-and I happen to be an aficionado-could see that America’s dominance, so pronounced when the 1992 Olympic Dream Team pounded hapless opponents on its way to the gold medal, was slip, slip, slipping…

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CHRIS KATTERJOHN Commentary: Newsman reflects on iconic past

One of the great things about being a newspaperman is that you get the inside scoop on everything. Even more so than reporters, editors have a unique perspective because they are in on the details of all the big news that’s breaking. They are also privy to lots of information and background that doesn’t end up in print for one reason or another. So it is with a sense of collegial empathy that I highly recommend an upcoming book by…

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TOM HARTON Commentary: Driving the distance for the basics

I recently called my doctor’s office hoping he could squeeze me in to diagnose a minor, but annoying, health problem. His nurse informed me I wouldn’t be able to get an appointment for at least three days. She suggested I go to an immediate-care facility if I needed attention right away. I was surprised the doctor couldn’t see me, but I appreciated the nurse’s candor. She knew better than to cheerfully suggest an appointment days in the future, by which…

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SPORTS Bill Benner: Giving up the corner office to follow your passion

My friend, former boss and fellow Jimmy Buffett Parrothead, Dale Neuburger, asked that I not turn this into one of those “Where are they now?” pieces because (A) he hasn’t been gone that long and (B) he hasn’t gone that far. With regards to the latter, Neuburger still occupies an office in Pan Am Plaza, though not the top-floor corner office with its dramatic view of the city skyline, one of the perks associated with the presidency of the Indiana…

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BULLS & BEARS: Use paper, fifth-grade math to track investment results

Throughout history, we have devised methods to calculate and measure results for all kinds of activities. In academics, we have grading systems that measure student performance. In sports, the most important factor in any game is the score. But when it comes to keeping track of investment results, I suspect that many investors do not have a good grasp on how well their money has performed. Attempting to keep a mental scorecard of the rate of return on your investments…

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SPORTS: Ames, Iowa: site of my ‘goose-bump’ sports moment

I’ve been blessed to experience a multitude of “goose-bump” moments in sports. Watching Indiana’s Hoosiers complete a perfect season and win a national basketball title in Philadelphia. Jack Nicklaus capturing a Masters at age 46. Hoosier Fuzzy Zoeller winning a U.S. Open at Winged Foot in a playoff with Greg Norman. A New Castle/Batesville high school basketball regional championship game at Chrysler Fieldhouse that epitomized all that boys’ basketball used to be in Indiana. So many incredible performances at Olympic…

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Animated startup foresees big growth in life sciences: Company produces 3-D graphics with young talent

Harlon Wilson and Kurtis Rush originally intended their Indianapolis-based upstart business to provide 3-D animation for use in court cases. But if they had stuck to that business plan, Medical Animatics Inc. could not have produced the video to the hilarious “Urine Stream,” a song parody of Abba’s “Dancing Queen.” Here’s a sample of the chorus: So when you get the chance, undo your pants … And make a urine stream, gold and clean, oh it’s such a dream. Urine…

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NOTIONS: Hailing the hare in the land of the tepid tortoise

I was going to play smart aleck this week. I was going to write in hick dialect. I was going to lambaste us Hoosiers over our stubborn adherence to the status quo, our penchant to take things slow, our preference for partisanship, our pooh-poohing of progress and our bull-headed gumption to go it alone in a global economy. Then news broke that Indiana has the highest high school dropout rate in America. So I figured that for two reasons, I’d…

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