Triple Treat at IMS

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway is offering a General Admission Season Ticket for all three of its events this year, reports Inside INdiana Business.

The season ticket provides gate admission for a combined nine days for the Indianapolis "500", Allstate 400 at the Brickyard and the inaugural Red Bull Indianapolis GP. The cost for the events, including all three race days, is $150.

Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize Goes to a New Yorker

Gary Snyder (left) has won the $100,000 Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize, awarded annually by the Chicago-based Poetry Foundation.

The judges issued the following statement in making the selection: “Gary Snyder is a true nature poet: there’s no sentimentalism to his work, and he never uses the natural world simply to celebrate his own sensibility. A deeply learned and meditative artist, an impassioned ecologist, and a poet of great scope as well as intense focus, Snyder has written poems that we will be reading for as long as we’ve been reading Robert Frost.”

The prize, to be presented at an evening ceremony at the Arts Club of Chicago on 29 May , is named for 92-year-old Indianapolis pharmaceutical heiress Ruth Lilly, the only surviving great-grandchild of Eli Lilly.

The Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize honors a living U.S. poet whose lifetime accomplishments warrant extraordinary recognition. Established in 1986 by Ruth Lilly, the annual prize is sponsored and administered by the Poetry Foundation, publisher of Poetry magazine.

Seventh Annual Artful Tread

Racing fever has hit Mass Ave! Thirty-nine businesses in the Cultural District are hard at work revving up for the seventh running of Artful Tread Friday and Saturday (2-3 May).

Businesses will decorate the area with used tires turned into creative works of art in honor of Indianapolis’ racing heritage and May’s racing events. (Check out the map here!)

Tires will be revealed Friday, and will be on display, weather permitting, throughout the month of May. District visitors will have a chance to vote for their favorite tire all weekend long. A panel of “experts” will also judge the tires and vote for their favorite.

Artful Tread began in 2002 and is sponsored by the Mass Ave Merchants Association (MAMA). Along with Artful Tread, the Spring Gallery Walk provides visitors a special opportunity to tour the numerous Mass Ave art galleries and experience top-notch art from local and national artists. The galleries put up new shows and exhibits especially for the Spring Gallery Walk.

The Spring Gallery Walk coincides with First Friday, an art walk sponsored by Indianapolis Downtown Artist and Dealers Association, that includes 25 galleries and artists’ studios. The art walk (free!) takes place from 6 – 9 p.m. on the first Friday of each month.

Bill Clinton Heads to Carmel

Hoosiers for Hillary has announced that former President Bill Clinton will visit Carmel tomorrow (28 April) to share Hillary's plans to jump-start the economy, create new, high-wage jobs, and restore the middle class.

Get thee to the Gymnasium at Carmel High School, 520 East Main Street, Carmel, well before 8:45 a.m. to queue for a seat at this "Solutions for America" Event. Or, not. (This Indianapolis Observer has primary election fatigue.)

Hillary herself comes to Indy on Tuesday (29 April) for an appearance at as yet unnamed location.

Seventh District Congressional Debate Set for 27 April

Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis will host on 27 April a live debate among four candidates vying for the seventh Congressional District Democratic nomination in the 6 May primary. The debate will be shown on MyNDY Channel 23 and broadcast live on WIBC, 93.1 FM reports the IUPUI News Bureau.

Jim Shella, 24-Hour News 8 political reporter, will serve as moderator of the debate between U.S. Representative Andre Carson, former State Health Commissioner Woody Myers, and State Representatives David Orentlicher and Carolene Mays.

The debate will be held from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.in the University Place Conference Center Auditorium, 850 West Michigan Street, Indianapolis. There are limited seats available to the community. Tickets are required, contact Maggie McFarlin, 317:274-7400.

Hillary Clinton's Visit to Downtown Indy

Hoosiers for Hillary has announced that Hillary Clinton will attend a "Solutions for the American Economy" event in Indianapolis tomorrow (23 April).

"Doors" open at 11 a.m. at the American Legion Mall, corner of St. Clair and Pennsylvania streets, with a 12:45 a.m. start time.

TRIP = Translating Research Into Practice

More than a dozen faculty members at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis will present their translational research and illustrate how they improve people's lives at the IUPUI TRIP Community Showcase Tuesday (22 April).

From medicine to water quality, education to robotics, and philanthropy to manufacturing, these faculty members have translated their research into viable practices that help people in our community.

Come see what they're working on between 5:30 and 7:30 p.m. in the fourth floor Multipurpose Room of the IUPUI Campus Center, 420 University Boulevard.

This reception is an opportunity to talk to TRIP faculty one-on-one, ask questions, and explore the research ideas they are pursuing. Appetizers and refreshments will be served. The event is free and open to the public, but RSVPs are requested.

Mid-Century Modern Home Tour

Back to the Future: Mid-Century Modern Home Tour will be held from 1 to 6 p.m. 31 May 31. The tour, sponsored by Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, features five Indianapolis houses built between 1958 and 1964, many filled with outstanding furniture from the same era.

Residences include:
• Eric and Anne Anderson, 315 West 84th Street
• Hector Jurado, 8111 North Meridian Street
• Tony Murcia, 415 Woodmere Drive
• Joe and Barb Richardson, 5952 Lieber Road
• Tom and Lee Vriesman, 250 Williams Drive

Tickets are $12 per person in advance and $15 on the day of the tour at each tour home and at the church. Contact Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana 317-639-4534 or 800-450-4534, for ticket sale locations.

Quake Causes Brief Shutdown at Airport

Business at Indianapolis International Airport was temporarily affected by this morning's earthquake, reports Inside INdiana Business. Officials say departures were delayed on seven outbound flights and three inbound flights circled while runways were inspected for damage. No damage was found.

Spirit of Philanthropy Luncheon Honors Two

The Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University will honor two national leaders tomorrow (17 April), according to Inside INdiana Business.

Harriet M. Ivey, president and CEO of the Nina Mason Pulliam Charitable Trust, and the Honorable P.A. Mack, Jr., former chairman of the Indiana Commission for Higher Education, will be honored at at the annual Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis Spirit of Philanthropy Luncheon and Awards Ceremony.

These awards recognize individuals, corporations, and foundations that have supported and contributed to university programs and departments through their gifts and voluntary service. The Center is a part of the Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI.

Hakim-Shabazz Panhandles and Reports

After a brilliant expedition of participatory journalism, Abdul Hakim-Shabazz recounts his panhandling experiences last Friday in his blog:

"By the time I was done I managed to collect about $30; most of it came between noon and one. $30 for two hours worth of begging wasn’t bad coinage. I made $15 an hour which is slightly less than the average paying job in Indiana. The way I figured it out, if I converted that cash into a real job I either made the equivalent of $31,000 annually in pre-tax income or $44,000 a year if that was my after tax income. Nice work if you can get it.

"I now understand why people panhandle, there’s money in it. I was shocked by how much money you can make if this is all you do. Granted some days will be better than others, but if you beg between the hours of 7-9, 11-1 and 4-6, and find the right corner of town you can rake in a lot of tax free money."

An Indy BlogMOB Happening

Indianapolis blogMOB has scheduled its first “happening” from noon to 1 p.m. Monday (14 April) on Monument Circle. Participant-bloggers are asked to wear yellow or blue, bring a laptop (or umbrella!?!) and gather to meet and greet other bloggers – as well as regular people.

Two bloggers planning to be there are Erik Deckers of Laughing Stalk and Bruce Allen of Smaller Indiana. Your Eye on Indianapolis would be there, except she’s off exploring Brazil (the country in South America, not the town in Indiana).

Hillary Comes to Indy Tomorrow

Hillary Clinton, Democratic candidate for the presidency, returns to Indianapolis tomorrow for a 9:30 a.m. stop at Allison Transmission, 4700 West 10th Street, to discuss the importance of the nation’s defense manufacturing jobs to local economies and national security interests.
IN

Stutz Artists Open House

The Stutz Artists Association will host its 15th annual open house April 25 and 26 at the historic Stutz Business Center, 1060 North Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis. Hours are 5:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on the 25th, and noon to 5 p.m. the next day.

In addition to more than 60 open artist studios, visitors will see a Beatles-themed show in the second floor “car room,” and a one-piece show in the first-floor Stutz Art Space Gallery.

Artwork ranges from paintings, drawings and photography, to sculpture, installations and fabric. The two-day event is a great way to see artwork in the environment where it’s been created, but it also offers a rare chance to see vintage cars in the historic Stutz car factory, a 400,000-square-foot, four-story structure. Acoustic music and food vendors will be located throughout the building.

Tickets are $10 at Old National Bank branches or $12 at the door. Proceeds support the Stutz Residency Program, a scholarship that provides free studio space and utilities for emerging artists.

"State of the City" Address Tomorrow Evening

Greg Ballard, mayor of Indianapolis, will deliver his first State of the City Address at 6 p.m. tomorrow (9 April) in the Grand Hall of Union Station, downtown.

“Father of Environmental Justice” to Speak at IUPUI

The activist and college professor who has been called the "Father of Environmental Justice" will speak on justice in public transportation during a half-day seminar at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianpaolis beginning at 1 p.m. 11 April.

Robert Bullard, director of the Environmental Justice Resource Center at Clark Atlanta University, will be the keynote speaker for the "Just Transportation - New Routes to Equity and Opportunity," seminar to be held in Room 101 of the IUPUI Lecture Hall, 325 University Boulevard, Indianapolis. A panel discussion follow the lecture.

2008 Arbor Day Celebration

Arbor Day -- the holiday centered around trees, especially in urban settings -- will be celebrated from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 25 April in the Indiana State Museum, White River State Park, Indianapolis. There'll be all sorts of educational activities and ecological fun.

Tim Womick (pictured, at right) of Tree Family is scheduled to speak, Johnny Appleseed plans to be there, and so will Rupert Boneham of Survivor.

Additional support provided by Indy Parks, The Nature Conservancy and the Indiana Urban Forest Council. The program is included with paid museum admission. For additional information, contact Dave Fox.

One Night, One Stage, One Reason

Thirteen different Indianapolis performing arts organizations will converge on the stage of Clowes Memorial Hall at Butler University for one night of entertainment, complete with music, dance, theatre and spoken word. "Spotlight 2008"The program, beginning at 7:30 p.m. 21 April, benefits the Indiana AIDS Fund.

Host organization is Dance Kaleidoscope. Other arts groups participating are Butler Ballet, The Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra, Indiana Repertory Theatre, Indianapolis Opera, Kenyetta Dance Company, Indianapolis Children’s Choir, Indianapolis Men’s Chorus, Meridian Song Project, Phoenix Theatre, Gregory Hancock Dance Company, Asia LaBouche of The Ladies of Legends at Talbott Street and Brenda Williams. More will be added as they're confirmed (last year, there were 20 different participant groups).

Tickets, $32.50 and $100, are available at the Clowes Hall box office, all Ticketmaster locations, Ticketmaster website or 317:239-1000.

Indy's Own Quilt Detective

Are you interested in learning more about a quilt? Bring it to the Indiana State Museum between 2 and 4 p.m. tomorrow.

Certified Quilt historian Caryl Shuetz will help visitors solve the mystery of a quilt’s age, design, and fabrics. Participants will also learn the story behind the women who made these historical treasures. Cost is $5 per person (in addition to museum admission).

This program is held in conjunction with the “Quilting Blocks & Binding Threads” exhibit at the Indiana State Museum, 650 West Washington Street, Indianapolis. For more information on this program or the exhibit, call 317:232-1637.

End of an Era

ATA Airlines announced this morning that it is shutting down all operations and canceling all current and future flights, according to news reports.

More than 2,200 employees are out of a job. ATA also says it can no longer honor passenger reservations or tickets.

The airline shut down operations as of 3 a.m. Thursday morning. Customers who arrived for flights at Midway International Airport in Chicago were turned away Thursday morning, while employees who showed up for work were told they were no longer needed.

The move comes after the airline filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy on Wednesday in Indianapolis. In a statement posted on its website this morning, the airline said it had become impossible to continue operations after the loss of a key contract for its military charter business.

Just Outside Indy

Hoosiers for Hillary will have its Hendricks County Organizational Meeting at 6 p.m. tomorrow (3 April) in the Washington Township Public Library, 498 North State Road 267, Avon.

Indy's Hat is in the Ring

Indianapolis has officially submitted a preliminary bid to host the 2012 Super Bowl, according to Inside INdiana Business. Indianapolis Super Bowl Bid Committee President Mark Miles tells Inside INdiana Business that the package has arrived at the National Football League offices. Miles says each bid set includes 10 three-ring binders filled with pages of information on what the city would do if it were to land the big game.