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.

Notes: Porter Hospital Opening Ahead of Schedule

Posted on January 27, 2012 by dave

The opening date for the new Porter Hospital has been moved up three months to August 25th.

Porter’s Chief Executive Officer Jonathan Nalli recently announced that the construction of the new 266-bed Porter hospital at the corner of Ind. 49 and US 6 is three months ahead of schedule and that the transfer of patient care activities will now occur on Saturday, Aug. 25, rather than the originally projected date in late November.

Additionally, Nalli stated that Porter will be modifying both the system and hospital name to more accurately fit its new presence in Northwest Indiana.

“We are very happy to announce that after much research and the input from a wide variety of constituents, it has been decided that the new system name will be officially changed from Porter, to Porter Health Care System. And, the name of the hospital will be modified from Porter, Valparaiso Hospital Campus to Porter Regional Hospital,” he said.

Indianapolis-based Republic Airways has hired a CEO for its Frontier Airlines unit in preparation for shedding the business.

Hoosier businesses are bullish on 2012.

More than a dozen people have reportedly been injured in a partial collapse at the construction site of Cincinnati’s new casino.

Progress Rail is holding a job fair in Muncie on February 4th.

A “destination” disc golf course is hosting its first tournament in Richmond.

Tourism in Northwest Indiana is projected to increase in 2012.

Notes: Allison Files for $750 Million IPO

Posted on March 21, 2011 by dave

Allison Transmission is going public.

Allison Transmission Inc. is counting on upgrades to truck and bus fleets in countries like China and India for its future growth, the company revealed in a filing it made Friday to raise up to $750 million through an initial public offering.

The Speedway-based company, which makes automatic transmissions for fire trucks, school buses, garbage trucks and other vehicles, dominates the U.S. market in its category.

Modernization in emerging markets represents a “major growth opportunity,” Allison said in its prospectus filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

New home construction in and around Indianapolis slowed in February.

Elkhart poultry producers are concerned about the impact of proposed zoning changes.

Melanie Brewing in Gary is growing strongly thanks to its budget beer brand, Beer-30, and plans to jump on the retro beer bandwagon by re-introducing the Weidemann brand.

Changes could be coming to the Clark-Floyd Counties Convention and Tourism Bureau.

Six months after opening, the Terre Haute Children’s Museum is a big hit.

Muncie officials say that last weekend’s Muncie Gras was the most successful ever.

Cambridge City officials and executives from Really Cool Foods are trying to resolve a long-running sewage issue.

Notes: Indianapolis Businessman Accused in $230 Million Fraud Case

Posted on March 17, 2011 by dave

Indianapolis businessman Timothy S. Durham has been accused by federal officials in the largest corporate fraud case in Indiana history.

Federal officials who brought a 12-count indictment Wednesday against local businessman Timothy S. Durham and two other executives tied to bankrupt Fair Finance Co. described the lengthy investigation leading to the arrests as the largest corporate fraud case in Indiana’s history.

A 23-page grand jury indictment, unsealed Wednesday, alleges that Durham, 48, and business partner James F. Cochran, 55, worked with former Fair Chief Financial Officer Rick D. Snow, 47, to devise and execute a scheme to defraud investors in the Akron, Ohio-based company.

The area around the former Kingston Products plant in Kokomo will receive attention this year from the city’s annual pot of Community Development Block Grant funding.

This Saturday is Muncie Gras.

Another day, another proposed tax hike in Illinois: an Illinois Senate committee has passed a proposal to increase cigarette taxes by $1 a pack.

The Terre Haute Redevelopment Commission voted Wednesday to give financial help to a newly planned downtown office building.

Notes: Porter County Can’t Withdraw from RDA

Posted on March 3, 2011 by dave

The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld an earlier ruling that Porter County cannot withdraw from the Regional Development Authority.

RDA officials cheered the ruling Wednesday, saying it helps secure the long-term objectives of the organization.

“It means that we can put our focus fully on making sure the RDA fulfills its mission,” RDA Chairman Leigh Morris said. “And we look forward to efforts to partner with leaders in Porter County to make sure important projects there go forward.”

Porter and Lake counties were made part of the RDA under legislation passed six years ago by the Indiana General Assembly. They are its only member counties.

Muncie’s mayor has declared the city a disaster area due to recent flooding.

Fort Wayne hopes to open bidding on a $25 million stormwater project in July.

An NFL lockout could begin tomorrow if owners and players can’t agree on a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA), putting the 2011 NFL season and the Indianapolis Super Bowl in jeopardy.

Passenger traffic at the South Bend Regional Airport was up for the sixth consecutive month in January.

Jeffboat in Jeffersonville is recalling 200 laid-off workers as barge demand picks up.

Notes: Rains Flood Parts of Central Indiana

Posted on March 1, 2011 by dave

Five inches of rain left parts of Muncie and Delaware County underwater Monday.

The legislative standoff in Indianapolis continues, with Democrats demanding changes to more bills before returning.

The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority has approved $10 million in tax credits for the construction of 66 rent-to-own homes in Fort Wayne’s Renaissance Pointe project.

The City-County Council has approved $98 million in municipal bonds to finance the $155 million North of South project in Indianapolis.

Bus service in Northwest Indiana could end in 2012.

Notes: BP to Focus on Northern Refineries

Posted on February 3, 2011 by dave

BP has outlined plans to sell off almost half its U.S. refining capacity and focus on facilities in Toledo, Ohio, Cherry Point, WA, and Whiting, IN.

While stressing its commitment to the Gulf, BP put its Texas City and Carson refinery near Los Angeles and the associated marketing businesses up for sale. Bloomberg reported Tuesday BP plans to raise at least $4.4 billion from the refinery sales. BP said it already had received inquiries for the assets and hopes to conclude sales by the end of 2012. It added it plans to honor all its obligations stemming from a 2005 explosion at Texas City that killed 15 workers.

The Whiting Refinery is undergoing a $3.8 billion project to retrofit the more than 120-year-old plant to accept more heavy crude extracted from Canadian oil sands.

The equipment modernization and installation effort at the refinery, which has the capacity to refine 405,000 barrels of oil per day, is expected to wrap up by the end of 2012. The Whiting Refinery is the nation’s sixth-largest in terms of refining capacity and will be BP’s largest if Texas City is sold.

Yesterday was a good day to own a plow.

Muncie and Delaware County dodged the worst of the storm.

Many Fort Wayne-area business shut down or canceled shifts due to the storm, likely costing them hundreds of thousands of dollars.

A federal judge has ordered a Fort Wayne concrete company to recognize and bargain with the Teamsters.

While it caused a short-term hit, the storm isn’t expected to have any impact on Indianapolis or the state in the long run.

The Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center and the Starke County Economic Development Foundation are teaming up to boost small businesses in Starke and Pulaski counties.

Notes: Bars Exempted from Proposed Smoking Ban

Posted on January 25, 2011 by dave

The Indiana House has voted to exempt bars from a statewide smoking ban.

Indiana’s proposed statewide smoking ban got a lot looser Monday as the House decided to exempt bars, fraternal clubs and nursing homes in addition to casinos.

Casinos already were exempt from the proposal, but the GOP-controlled House voted 56-33 on Monday to exempt bars that don’t allow anyone under age 21 to enter. The House also made exceptions for nursing homes and fraternal clubs, which could create separate smoking areas under the bill.

Rep. Charlie Brown, a Democrat from Gary who is sponsoring the bill, said the exemptions water down the proposal. He said he’ll keep pushing the bill through the legislative process, but hopes to remove some of the loopholes as lawmakers work on a final compromise.

The Indiana state budget committee has approved emergency loans for the Kokomo-Center and Northwestern school corporations to offset delinquent taxes owed by Chrysler.

Ivy Tech has approved a five-year lease at Renaissance Place in Lafayette.

Ball State University has been classified as a high research university for the first time.

Fort Wayne has restarted discussions on how best to use 29 acres near the St. Marys River north of downtown.

The Greater Fort Wayne Chamber is planning a trip to China.

State Senator Karen Tallian of Portage wants the legislature to study whether Indiana should legalize or decriminalize marijuana.

INDOT has proposed a permanent detour around the condemned Cline Ave. bridge.

A La Porte County Commissioner thinks his county is getting the short end of the jobs stick because of politics.

Notes: NWI Economic Development Groups Planning Illinois Campaign

Posted on January 19, 2011 by dave

The city of Indianapolis may be out in front in efforts to woo Illinois businesses after the Illinois state legislature jacked up taxes, but Northwest Indiana tourism and economic development groups aren’t far behind.

Northwest Indiana Forum marketing and communications direction Karen Lauerman said a number of regional groups are collaborating on an advertising campaign that could lure businesses over the border.

Groups participating include the South Shore Convention and Visitors Authority and the Construction Advancement Foundation in Portage.

“We’re discussing exactly how to directly attack the Illinois tax structure and bring businesses to Indiana,” said South Shore CVA President Speros Batistatos. “We can bring companies to Indiana with minimal impact.”

Lauerman attended an industrial trade show on Tuesday in Chicago, where she spoke to several business owners.

“We’ve received many inquiries from businesses interested in learning more about the state, but not necessarily deciding to move yet,” she said.

The City of Muncie and the Muncie-Delaware County Economic Development Alliance will build a 40,000-square-foot shell building in hopes of attracting a new business to town.

BF Goodrich is checking into the potential for a tax abatement for a possible $50 million expansion of its Woodburn factory.

The Fort Wayne City Council has approved $325,000 to support two area economic development groups.

Business leaders in Jeffersonville aren’t happy with some local road construction plans.

Duke Energy has provided a $20,000 grant to help Vigo County market a local industrial park.

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