Auction of Dome Items Should Go to Pay Debt

According to Inside INdiana Business, an Indianapolis law firm is suing to stop the dispersal of money from the auction of items from the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. Attorney Paul K. Ogden at Roberts & Bishop says the items are public property so the money should be used to pay down the stadium debt. The auction proceeds are slated to go to the Indiana Sports Corp. and the Indianapolis Colts Foundation.

UPDATE:
Thought-provoking post on Abdul Hakim-Shabazz's Indiana Barrister blog today (19 March):
"The Ballard administration says the decision was made by the Peterson administration to give the charities the proceeds. Former Peterson administration officials say the decision was made by the Ballard administration. If you take both sides at their word, then neither approved the sale, which means taxpayer property is being sold and the profits are going to private entities and no formal vote was taken. That can’t be good and it’s probably illegal."

UPDATE 2:
Surprise! As of 21 March, "most" of the auction proceeds will now go to the Capital Improvements Board, a quasi-governmental unit. Problems with that? Of course, but that's yet another topic for investigation, eh?

IU School of Medicine Studies Escalator Injuries

In the first large scale national study of escalator-related injuries to older adults, researchers led by Dr. Joseph O'Neil and Dr. Greg Steele of the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis, report that the rate of these injuries has doubled from 1991 to 2005. The results of the study are published in the March 2008 issue of the journal Accident Analysis and Prevention, reports the IU News Bureau.

Using U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission data, the researchers found nearly 40,000 older adults were injured on escalators between 1991 and 2005.

Hillary Arrives in Hoosier State Thursday

The Clinton Campaign today announced that Hillary Clinton will visit Indiana on Thursday (20 March), making stops in multiple cities across the state. Stay tuned!

The Indianapolis Star Has Failed, Again

Instead of following up on a story first reported in NUVO on 27 February -- and in this blog (on 29 February) and many others, including Ruth Holladay's...it merely printed today (14 March) a column by Washington Post columnist Kathleen Parker posted to the Townhall.com website on 7 March.

This Indianapolis Observer wants to know: what happened to the paper's mission of covering Indianapolis news?

Obama Comes to Indy This Saturday

According to The Indianapolis Star, Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama has planned an appearance (time and place to be announced) in Indy on Saturday, 15 March. Stay tuned....

UPDATE:
As of 13 March, location is said to be Plainfield High School.

UPDATE 2
Also as of 13 March, all tickets for the 12:30 p.m. event have been handed out. What a surprise!

Annual Book and Author Luncheon is 18 April

Peter Carey, Hillary Jordan, Sue Miller, T. Jefferson Parker and Cokie Roberts are the authors speaking at this year's Book and Author Luncheon sponsored by the Christamore House Guild. The annual event, which raises money for the guild's Frances Carter Coburn Scholarship fund, begins at 10 a.m. 18 April in the Indiana Roof Ballroom, 140 East Washington Street, Indianapolis.

Luncheon tickets are $65. They can be purchased online. For more information, contact Susan Buroker, 317:569-8667. Seating is limited (and the luncheon usually sells out).

Recent books by the headlining authors are Carey's His Illegal Self, Jordan's Mudbound, Miller's The Senator's Wife, Parker's L.A. Outlaws and Roberts' Ladies of Liberty.

Jackie Briggs and Julie Thompson are co-chairs of the Book and Author Luncheon.

UPDATE:
Sorry! The luncheon has sold out for 2008!

Stutz Artists Open House

The 60+ members of the Stutz Artists Association will host their 15th annual open house 25 and 25 April. Artwork on view in the Stutz Business Center, 1060 North Capitol Avenue, Indianapolis, ranges from paintings, drawings and photography, to sculpture, installations and fabric.

Admission is $12, and proceeds support the Stutz Residency Program, a scholarship that provides free studio space and utilities for emerging artists. Hours are 5:30 to 10 p.m. 25 April, and noon to 5 p.m. 26 April.