Notes: Indiana Now Last State to Ban Sunday Alcohol Sales

Posted on May 3, 2012 by dave

Connecticut lawmakers have voted to allow alcohol sales on Sunday, leaving Indiana as the only U.S. state banning retail sales of alcohol on Sundays.

Proposals to end the ban on Sunday carryout sales are introduced every year in the Republican-controlled Indiana General Assembly and are supported by grocery, drug and convenience store owners.

However, that legislation is routinely thwarted by liquor store owners.

Indiana is also the only state that gives liquor stores a monopoly on the sale of refrigerated beer.

Production is ramping up at Rolls-Royce’s jet engine plant in Plainfield.

Fast-growing Heritage Federal Credit Union will invest nearly $7 million in a new facility in Newburgh.

Fort Wayne has approved a $10 million sewer project.

The legal sparring over Indiana’s right-to-work law continues.

More real estate development is in the works near Ball State.

A new outdoor pavilion in South Bend will be finished this week.

Notes: Colts Choose Luck No. 1 Overall

Posted on April 27, 2012 by dave

And so begins the Andrew Luck era in Indianapolis.

The succession process seemingly was cemented March 7 when the Colts declined to pick up the $28 million option bonus of quarterback Peyton Manning. That made the NFL’s only four-time MVP, whose future was uncertain following four procedures on his neck in 19 months, an unrestricted free agent and cleared the deck for Luck.

Fourteen years after making Manning the first pick and the face of the franchise, history repeated itself.

On so many levels, the Colts are Luck’s team. He insisted he’s up to the challenge.

“I absolutely am,” Luck said. “The most exciting part is being a part of a new locker room, new guys. That’s really what I’m stoked about.”

Meanwhile, da Bears selected DE Shea McClellin with the No. 19 pick.

Work on the I-65 interchange in Lowell is expected to bring new opportunities for economic growth.

Starke County has received a $500,000 federal grant to improve access to the Knox Industrial Park. Local officials say that the improvements will allow an existing company at the park to add 100 jobs.

A $100 million endowment deal for Purdue has apparently fallen apart.

A student-conducted Ball State study of the business district near the school recommends a number of improvements, including possibly establishing a TIF district.

Richmond Power & Light has killed its trash-to-energy project.

Indianapolis’ Lucas Oil Stadium is interested in hosting collegiate semifinal and championship games if the future BCS structure permits.

Notes: IU Health, IU Med School to Announce $150 Million Partnership

Posted on April 25, 2012 by dave

IU Health and the IU School of Medicine will announce a $150 million research collaboration today.

Indiana University School of Medicine and the IU Health system, formerly Clarian Health, each will put up $75 million to support research on cancer, heart disease and neurological diseases, such as autism and Alzheimer’s.

The initiative is expected to help the medical school recruit new faculty with a goal of increasing its prestige and its ability to attract outside grants.

From the hospital system’s standpoint, the initiative could increase the number of patients across the state who seek care at its many facilities.

It also will bring the two entities closer as they pursue the three-part mission of medical education, research and patient care.

The Gary Chicago International Airport has hired former Indianapolis Airport Authority CEO John Clark to review its business plan.

The Indianapolis Colts have confirmed that they will select Stanford QB Andrew Luck with the first overall pick in the 2012 NFL Draft, which begins tomorrow night.

The Lafayette Journal & Courier has honored two local executives for their ideas for reviving downtown.

Michigan City has approved expansion of a TIF district.

Ball State will build a new $25 million building including a hotel, dormitory, conference room and two restaurants.

Indiana Michigan Power wants a 25% rate hike.

Fishers Firm Launches Free Construction Bid Alert Service

Posted on April 17, 2012 by dave

Eastern Engineering, a construction information management firm serving the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (A/E/C) industries, has introduced the Week In Review construction bid alert email service to help contractors identify construction jobs to bid on and to speed up the bidding process.

The free Week in Review service is a weekly email delivered to subscribers each Friday afternoon and includes a list and summary description of all public projects released for bid through Eastern Engineering’s plan room over the past week.
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Notes: Fields of Green

Posted on March 30, 2012 by dave

Hoosier farmers could see a record $8.6 billion in revenues this year.

Total revenues for Hoosier farmers from corn, bean and wheat crops this year are predicted to be near $8.6 billion, up from $8.3 billion last year, according to Purdue University agricultural economists.

Record revenues probably won’t translate into record cash in farmers’ pockets because of the rising prices they must pay for land, for fuel to run their equipment, for fertilizer to make everything grow better and for other chemicals. Those costs are expected to rise at least 15 percent to 20 percent.

“So the net returns for farmers could be off a little because of the higher costs of production, but you have to remember that the decline is from records in 2011, so the income will still be above average,” said Purdue ag economist Chris Hurt.

Roche is trimming 80 IT jobs in Indianapolis.

A welding company in Woodburn is expanding.

Plans for a trash-to-ethanol plant in Northwest Indiana are still alive.

Fifteen electric cars built by the now-bankrupt THINK have been donated to Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and Evansville.

Last night in Muncie, a $15 million student housing apartment project was approved, while a second $7 million apartment project was cancelled.

Notes: Allison IPO Raises $600 Million

Posted on March 15, 2012 by dave

Allison Transmission raised $600 million in its IPO.

Counter-proposals are in the works to save the Warthogs in Fort Wayne.

John Swanson, executive director of the Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission is stepping down.

Muncie will provide $1.2 million to help turn an old hotel into senior housing.

Notes: Job Growth Continues Nationwide

Posted on March 9, 2012 by dave

U.S. employers added 227,000 jobs in February to complete three of the best months of hiring since the recession ended.

Steinway Musical Instruments declined to discuss the potential sales of its Elkhart-based Conn-Selmer business during a quarterly conference call.

Muncie now has bus service to Chicago.

Terre Haute has approved two tax abatements that would create about 80 jobs.

Notes: Jobs Announcement in Brookville Today

Posted on February 29, 2012 by dave

Word is that Indianapolis-based MBC Group will be the focus of a jobs announcement in Brookville today.

The Indiana House has voted to phase out the inheritance tax.

The Indiana Senate, meanwhile, has added a boatload of exceptions to a proposed smoking ban.

Abound Solar is cutting jobs in Colorado, throwing its plans in Tipton into doubt.

A $10 million “auto mall” that would retain 83 jobs and create 15 has been proposed in Muncie.

Bright Automotive executives say the government is to blame for yesterday’s shutdown of the company.

Notes: Potential Illiana Corridors Detailed

Posted on February 9, 2012 by dave

The Illiana Corridor Planning Group has narrowed the list of possible routes for the highway.

Of the four proposed routes, the group has preliminary recommended a route that would connect Interstate 65 in Indiana, running between Cedar Lake and Lowell, to Interstate 55 in Illinois, running between Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie and Wilmington.

The planning group said this route would offer the lowest potential cost, lowest potential funding gap, lowest environmental impacts, highest multipurpose corridor compatibility and most local support.

The favored route will move forward as the finalist, with December as the “no-turning-back date.”

Greenwood has put together an incentive package to keep an e-commerce company in town.

A new full-body scanner has debuted at the South Bend airport.

The head of the Indiana National Guard vowed to fight plans to eliminate a national Guard A-10 squadron in Fort Wayne

Muncie is eyeing a 20-year, $168 million sewer project.

The Chase Tower in South Bend can be yours for $8.3 million.

Notes: Progress Rail to Hold Second Job Fair

Posted on February 7, 2012 by dave

Progress Rail will hold another job fair after heavy turnout forced its first one to close early.

A Marion County court has blocked fines imposed on Democratic legislators who boycotted sessions this year over right to work legislation, and ordered the return of fines levied for last year’s walkout.

Though Reebok’s contract with the NFL is up, its Indianapolis plant isn’t planning any layoffs.

In Whiting, BP has restarted a fluid catalytic cracker that was unexpectedly shut down for repairs last week.

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