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NOTIONS: Fighting mountains, oceans with human connections

During the 1992 presidential campaign, H. Ross Perot used the phrase “that giant sucking sound” to describe what he feared would be a rush of American jobs into Mexico should the U.S. approve the North American Free Trade Agreement. In Indiana’s 2006 economy, “that giant sucking sound” describes the rush of Indiana talent across the state line to anywhere but here. In a phenomenon known as the “brain drain,” Indiana exports more young talent than it imports. But suppose we…

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SPORTS: Two Sams make most of their day at the Brickyard

We often hear the sad refrain that the Indianapolis 500 “isn’t what it used to be.” I would concede the point, although, after last week’s scintillating victory by Sam Hornish Jr., the pendulum unquestionably is swinging back in a positive direction. And while there may be fewer people in the seats and, certainly, fewer drunks in the infield, it remains the largest single-day sporting event in the world, which is a fact and not a marketing slogan. Sometimes you have…

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Danica deal just one of many for MainGate: Firm looks to relocate as profits soar 828 percent

With a deep history in motorsports, it would be understandable if officials for Indianapolis-based MainGate were focused solely on their recently signed exclusive licensing deal with racing diva Danica Patrick. After all, Patrick’s merchandise outsold all other Indy Racing League drivers combined last year, and since MainGate has taken over making, distributing and selling her merchandise this year, sales have tripled, company officials said. But with the company busting at the seams and a wave of new business from various…

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EYE ON THE PIE: Let’s tax phone, Internet, TV usage

Felicity Futenmouth and I went to graduate school together. Her career in economics focused on consumer services provided by such first-class firms as MegaMedia, MegaMarkets and MegaMercenaries. We became reacquainted lately at our class’s 35th reunion. Over a nightcap of hot chocolate and biscuits, she enticed me with a coy question: “How do you feel about local taxes?” “I am all for them,” I responded. “If you don’t have local taxes, you don’t have a strong claim on the responsibility…

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PROFILE ALEX INTERMILL: Life is an ongoing adventure for local attorney

PROFILE ALEX INTERMILL Life is an ongoing adventure for local attorney As an attorney, Alex Intermill is used to the hectic pace of corporate law. So you’d think that in his spare time, he’d just want to kick back and relax. You’d be wrong. The 33-year-old is an environmental and real estate attorney with Indianapolis-based Bose McKinney & Evans as well as the town attorney for Pendleton, in Madison County. He gets his adrenalin pumping by competing in mountain bike…

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Standard Life turns page, rolls with changes: A year after sale, firm improves rating, makes profit

Standard Life Insurance Company of Indiana has much to celebrate as it passes the one-year anniversary of its sale to Capital Assurance Corp. Profitability, a rating upgrade and product launches all are among the positives the company can tout since it gained new life and left behind old owner Standard Management Corp. last June. Standard Life notched a $15.8 million profit last year, due mostly to a gain from the sale of its life insurance business. Subtract that, though, and…

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SPORTS: Child of city fears demise of program that saved her

You can sense the ache in Rochelle Taylor’s heart, the knot in her stomach. She goes to bed at night wondering, “What are we going to do?” She wakes up thinking, “What are we going to do?” Kids are her passion. Not just any kids, but the ones who live in the city neighborhoods … often underserved, undeserving victims of circumstances into which they were born. And circumstances in which they might remain, unless someone extends a hand. Taylor is…

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CHRIS KATTERJOHN Commentary: IUPUI grads help tsunami victims

Many parents today fret over their kids’ obsession with computers, video games and the Internet. “All he does is sit at that stupid computer.” If I heard that once, I’ve heard it a million times. But sometimes, when young people’s passion for the digital frontier intersects with compassion for their fellow man, great things can happen. Such is the case with Chris Podell and Zachary Shields, two recent graduates of the new media and arts program at the IUPUI School…

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Colts, Tribune sign deal to air shows on WXIN: WISH makes own adjustments in wake of change

The Indianapolis Colts have signed a two-year deal with Tribune Co., moving the team’s two television shows from Lin TV Corp.’s WISH-TV Channel 8 and WNDY-TV Channel 23 to Tribune’s WXIN-TV Channel 59. “The Bill Polian Show” will air 10:30 p.m. Saturdays starting this fall, and “Colts Up Close” will air Fridays at 11:30 p.m. To beef up its Colts affiliation, local Tribune officials also are working independently on a Colts post-game show, which will air on WXIN sister station…

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STAYING POWER: Bryant in sixth decade as racing sponsor at Brickyard

What started as a few-thousand-dollar investment to put a company logo on Eddie Johnson’s 1958 Indianapolis 500 car is now a year-round marketing commitment for Bryant Heating & Cooling Systems, valued in the annual mid-six-figure range, to sponsor an Indy Racing League team for the entire season. For 48 years, Bryant’s logo has adorned the sidepod of an open-wheel race car at the Brickyard, as the company has increasingly used the race-and later the entire IRL series-in its marketing and…

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ECONOMIC ANALYSIS: Good transportation paves the way for strong economy

“Like it or not,” noted author Richard Florida opined as he looked out over a crowd that recently gathered in Indianapolis to discuss economic development issues in central Indiana, “you are all part of the greater Chicago region.” That might come as news to you who pay taxes, follow sports, or subscribe to a newspaper. But the point is well made. In the larger scheme of things-the so-called Shanghai perspective one would take in looking at our economy from the…

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SPORTS: Justin Gatlin is a fast fix for USA Track and Field

Shortly thereafter, he was on his way to Indy to promote the upcoming AT&T USA Track & Field Outdoor National Championships. The event takes place June 21-25 at the Michael Carroll Stadium at IUPUI, and it’s the result of Indybased USA Track & Field’s initiative to bring more of its events to its hometown. Talk about good timing. Track and field’s national profile needs a between-Olympic-years boost and track and field locally-the kind that used to electrify this city back…

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Stadium architect beats ‘dark horse’ status: Experience with other sports arenas wins HKS first pro football project

The imprint HKS Inc. will leave on the city with its design of the new Indianapolis Colts stadium will reshape downtown for years to come. But the high-profile project is also significant for the Dallas-based architectural firm because it represents the first time HKS has designed a professional football arena. Any questions the selection team might have had about the firm’s credentials were quickly put to rest, however. “[They] came and visited and said, ‘When you guys start looking for…

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PROFILE: Complexions Day Spa: Downtown day spa has glowing business Irvington native focuses on organic products, attracts clients from entertainment, sports scenes

Complexions Day Spa Downtown day spa has glowing business Irvington native focuses on organic products, attracts clients from entertainment, sports scenes Trinia Cox’s venture builds on a 10-year career in skin care and makeup artistry with stints in Chicago and Los Angeles. And the location of Complexions Day Spa on Massachusetts Avenue was a good fit with her background in the arts, including gigs as a singer with Dr. Bop and the Headliners and her own group, Trinia and the…

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SPORTS: Fixture on local sports scene continues 42-year run

Since he nearly died a couple of months back, now is probably a good time to write something about my friend, Bill York. After all, I’d at least like for him to be able to read it. York is one of those behind-the-scenes folks who gives Indiana a good name. To the local and national sports media, he personifies Hoosier Hospitality. For years, York has directed the media room operations at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, Conseco Fieldhouse (Market Square Arena…

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Daniels seeks to copy key-clusters strategy: Industry initiatives would mimic BioCrossroads plan

If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, BioCrossroads has been vindicated. Gov. Mitch Daniels hopes to see a series of similar industry initiatives sprout around key clusters in Indiana’s economy. He envisions parallel initiatives for manufacturing, transportation and logistics and a series of other crucial business sectors. “We’d love some company,” said BioCrossroads CEO David Johnson. As outlined in Daniels’ “Accelerating Growth” economic development plan released last month, the initiatives would be based on proven Indiana strengths and identifiable…

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Merger talks near finish?: George optimistic about open-wheel reunion; sources say deal may be reached by May 26

Indy Racing League President Tony George said earlier this year “the stars, moons and planets” would need to align for his series to merge with open-wheel rival Champ Car in time for the 2007 season. According to motorsports sources, the alignment appears to be happening, and George told IBJ he is cautiously optimistic. George said in a May 3 interview that discussions with Champ Car principal Kevin Kalkhoven are ongoing, but that there are still a number of issues to…

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BEHIND THE NEWS: California investor arrives with a splash-and a past

Remember the name Judah Hertz. The Californiabased real estate investor last month became a sizable player in the downtown Indianapolis office market, buying the Gold Building and 251 East Ohio for more than $40 million. But he has bigger aspirations here-and the cash to carry them out. “We like Indianapolis a lot,” Hertz said. “We’re definitely interested in purchasing more buildings in Indianapolis.” Plain-vanilla pension funds buy and sell buildings here all the time. By contrast, the 56-year-old Hertz is…

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Reebok should fit into Adidas’ global plan: Indianapolis facility finds an ally in NBA after 11-year apparel deal

Adidas-Salomon AG’s $3.8 billion acquisition of Reebok International is having ripple effects from Boston to Beijing. Those waves are likely to wash right through Reebok’s design and manufacturing plant on Indianapolis’ east side, which employs nearly 1,000. Reebok’s headquarters will remain in Canton, Mass., and Adidas will maintain its state-side headquarters in Portland, Ore., but officials for the German sporting goods giant have revealed little else about their plans for Reebok facilities. Adidas officials have said they project saving $212…

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SPORTS: This is the time and place for an open-wheel marriage

It’s May, so here’s something we should want to see even more than the field of (we hope) 33 taking the green flag on Race Day, something we should want to hear even more than Tom Carnegie’s baritone, something we should believe would have an even more positive long-term impact on open-wheel racing than a victory by Danica Patrick. Indeed, the best news to come out of this May would be the great news for next May. And that would…

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