Family New Year's Eve Celebration

The entire family will enjoy a memorable evening at the Indiana State Museum's Family New Year's Eve Celebration. Magicians and clowns will be on hand to entertain the kids, along with crafts and live music from Dog Talk as well as access to the museum's galleries. Revel in the spectacular balloon drop at 8 p.m. in the Frank J. O'Bannon Great Hall. Enjoy all the fun from 6:30-9 p.m. for $5 per person (ISM members) or $10 per person (non-members). Snacks and drinks may be purchased in the museum's Canal Cafe, which will remain open. For more information: call 317:232-1637 or online.

Take the Kids to See this Exhibit at Herron

There's still time to catch the Bill Peet Storybook Menagerie at Herron School of Art & Design at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis, 735 West New York Street, Indianapolis. The exhibit is open through 5 January (closed New Year's Day and Sundays). Gallery Hours are Monday through Saturday 10 a.m.-6 p.m. (Thursdays until 8 p.m.). Storytime takes place at 11 a.m. Saturday (29 December), next Thursday (3 January) and the following Saturday (5 January). Bill Peet (1915-2002) was an author, illustrator, film maker -- and Herron alumnus.

Indy Makes Google Maps' Street View

A bunch of Indy streets are given their street-level closeup on Google Maps' Street View, including much of Indianapolis, Brownsburg, Lafayette and more. Check it out here, click on "Street View" and then select your town. And, this Indianapolis Observer is interested to note that TakingDownWords.com reported the info at 12:25 p.m., but it wasn't posted to Indystar.com until 1:55 p.m. (somebody at The Star is reading that blog!). (Others tell this Indianapolis Observer that the Street View of Indy has been online for a couple of weeks.)

Imminent Demise of the Blue Line!

IndyGo’s Blue Line Circulator, which links downtown attractions, meeting places, restaurants and shopping areas, makes its last run Dec. 31.

The case of the disappearing blogs

Both IndyUndercover (cop-centric) and IndyFlashover (firefighter-centric) have disappeared from the blogosphere. Inquiring minds want to know...why? why now? This Indianapolis Observer thinks that the kitchen got too hot, and the bloggers have gone into hiding.

ImmuneWorks LLC Wins $1.5 Million Grant

ImmuneWorks LLC announced today that it has been awarded a $1.5 million grant from the Indiana 21st Century Research and Technology Fund. ImmuneWorks will use these funds to complete preclinical development of its lead product in the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. ImmuneWorks LLC is a biotechnology company developing novel therapeutics and diagnostic tests for patients with autoimmune conditions. It was founded in 2006 by Indiana University School of Medicine researchers Drs. David Wilkes and Michael Klemsz. The company is initially developing treatments for pulmonary diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and prevention of lung transplant rejection.

Seven Authors Coming to Butler in 2008

Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Michael Chabon (pictured), Nigerian author Chris Abani and poet Terrance Hayes are among seven authors who will speak at Butler University as part of the spring 2008 Vivian S. Delbrook Visiting Writers Series. Antonya Nelson kicks off the series 6 February, followed by Alessandra Lynch (11 February), Don Platt (21 February), Hayes (4 March), Valzhyna Mort (27 March), Abani (9 April) and Chabon (16 April).

Conner Prairie's Gingerbread Village Open for the Holidays

Buy an admission to Discovery Station at Conner Prairie Pioneer Settlement, and you also get admission to the annual Gingerbread Village. Feast your eyes on gingerbread creations of all shapes and sizes from talented professional bakers, pastry chefs and non-professional bakers -- gingerbread houses, churches and historic buildings with intricate designs and colorful trimmings. Through 30 December (except for Mondays, Christmas Eve and Christmas Day) you can see all the colorful creations in the holiday competition (hours are Tues.–Sat., 10 am–5 pm and Sun., 11 am–5 pm). Discovery Station is, of course, the INDOOR play and learning area for toddlers and up.

Holiday Trainland Chugs Along

The Hilbert Conservatory at White River Gardens has been transformed into an enchanting holiday get-away with “O” and “G” scale model trains winding in and out of villages and towns constructed throughout the Conservatory floor and running at children's-eye level. Meanwhile, next door at the Indianapolis Zoo, the grounds are covered in holiday lights and sculptures, and special animal activities take place nightly. During the evenings leading up to Christmas, guests can sing along with carolers, listen to local school choirs, meet Mrs. Claus, and even the big guy himself. Kroger Christmas at the Zoo and Indiana Rail Road’s Holiday Trainland are free for members and included with regular Zoo admission. Through 30 December, the Zoo and the Trainland open at noon with holiday activities at the Zoo running from 5-9 p.m. For more information, call 317:630-2001.

Sagamore Gets Grant from Lilly Endowment

Sagamore Institute for Policy Research has been awarded a grant from Lilly Endowment Inc., according to Inside INdiana Business. The grant will allow the local think tank to continue and expand its policy research and community leadership mission in Indianapolis and beyond. The $300,000 award will support a full year of research, programming activity, and general operations through 2008.

"Sing! Choirs of Angels!"

The Christ Church Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys will perform a holiday concert of traditional and contemporary seasonal carols and medieval songs at 3 p.m. 16 December (Sunday) in the Indiana History Center, 450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis. Tickets are $14 for adults, $10 for children, and $12 Indiana Historical Society and Christ Church members.

New BMV Rules Are Problematic

The new Indiana law requiring a valid Social Security number in order to obtain (or retain) an Indiana Driver's License is having all sorts of unintended (and negative) consequences. The Japan-America Society of Indiana has issued an information sheet for their members that has relevance to many of us. Check it out here. It may help you resolve your BMV dilemma!

Golden Age of Literature: Meredith Nicholson

Wander over to the Indiana Historical Society at noon on 19 December for a glimpse at one of the Hoosier state's iconic authors. Historian Ralph Gray will discuss his biography of Meredith Nicholson (left) and the ways the IHS Press and Marion County Historical Society hope to introduce a new generation of readers to Nicholson’s brilliance. The author, diplomat and lecturer -- along with Booth Tarkington, George Ade and James Whitcomb Riley -- is considered a leader in creating the "Golden Age of Literature" in Indiana. Open to the public free of charge in the Indiana History Center, 450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, it's part of the IHS' Reading Life Series and sponsored by the Stratford at West Clay. For more information, call 317:232-1882.

Movie Premiere at University of Indianapolis

"Prince Among Slaves", a film adapted from the book of the same name, will have its world premiere at 5:30 p.m. Saturday (8 December) in the Ransburg Auditorium of the University of Indianapolis, 1400 East Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis. John Clark notes in his Provocate.org blog that "Prince Among Slaves" is a vivid, dramatic feature film of an extraordinary man (Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ibn Sori) in extraordinary times, interweaving universal themes of bondage and deliverance, pride and forbearance, guile and providence with the wild and unruly early years of America’s Kingdom of Cotton. There's no charge for admission. Supported with grants from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the National Black Programming Consortium, this 60-minute film produced by Alex Kronemer is intended for broadcast on PBS in 2008.

Nancy Robertson Reading at IUPUI

A new book by Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis History Professor Nancy Marie Robertson (pictured) explores how the Young Womens Christian Association (YWCA), the nation's first major biracial womens organization, provided a unique venue for women to respond to American race relations during the first half of the twentieth century and laid the groundwork for the subsequent civil rights movement. She'll talk about her book during a lunch on the IUPUI campus from 11:30 a.m.-2 p.m. 10 December. Prof. Robertson is an Associate Professor in the Department of History in the IUPUI School of Liberal Arts and an Associate Professor of Philanthropic Studies. She is also the director of the Womens Studies Program. Cost for the lunch and program, to be held in the University Faculty Club in Indianapolis, is $10 (book available for optional purchase). Space is limited and reservations are required; call Stephanie, 317:274-7014, or contact the sponsors for more information: Indiana University School of Liberal Arts at IUPUI and the IUPUI University Library.

Formula One "Might" Return to Indy!

Talks between Indianapolis Motor Speedway and Formula One officials have continued, despite last summer's announcement that the 2008 U.S. Grand Prix would not take place, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal.Those talks have given way to some optimism that the F1 race could be back at the famed Brickyard in 2009, when the IMS will celebrate is centennial. The IMS hosted the U.S. Grand Prix from 2000 to 2007. Attendance for the inaugural race was more than 250,000, but declined over the years until it stabilized just above 100,000 the last couple of years.The event is thought to have generated about $100 million in local tourism revenue, according to the IBJ.

Patrons to Pay to Park at Renovated Central Library

A brief public ceremony followed by an afternoon of special activities for all ages will highlight the Grand Opening of the newly-transformed Central Library, 40 East St. Clair Street, Indianapolis, from 1-5 p.m. on Sunday (9 December). Following the dedication, citizens will get their first look at such features as the high-tech Learning Curve for children and families, the Indianapolis Special Collections Room, the restored Reading Room in the Cret Building, the expansive Computer Training Lab, and a collection of over 700,000 books and audio-visual materials. Library staff will be available to help guide patrons throughout the new 293,000-square-foot facility. In addition to the south entrance of the Cret Building, there are public doors on 9th Street and from the new underground parking garage, located on Pennsylvania Street, immediately south of 9th Street. Parking in Central Library’s garage will be free on Grand Opening Day – which obviously signals that parking in that garage will NOT be free on any other day. Boo, hiss! says this Indianapolis Observer, who enjoyed the free parking in the lots next to the un-transformed Central Library.

IPS Students to be "Science Bound"

Rolls-Royce in Indianapolis will announce an endowment for the Science Bound Program tomorrow, according to Inside INdiana Business. Officials from Rolls-Royce, the Science Bound Program and Purdue University will all be on hand Tuesday (27 November). Successful Science Bound students in the Indianapolis Public Schools receive a full-tuition scholarship to Purdue University for a degree in the sciences.

NASCAR: "From Indy to the Carolinas"

In May 2008, Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis and Winston-Salem State University will team up to offer "From Indy to the Carolinas", a two-week summer session course built around the strengths of the motorsports curricula of the two universities: the operations and management of motorsports at Winston-Salem State; and the engineering and technology of motorsports at IUPUI. Open to students from both universities, the summer course begins in Winston-Salem, N.C., with a week of management-related classes and activities, along with racing events such as the NASCAR All-Star Race at Lowes Motor Speedway. The final week of the course features motorsports engineering and technology classes at IUPUI, and trips to Indianapolis Motor Speedway for final car testing and other events associated with the Indianapolis 500.

Canal Walk Upgrade in the Works

The oldest portion of the downtown canal walk could soon get a $3.2-million upgrade, according to Indianapolis Business Journal's blog. The city is finalizing plans for new pavement, stairs, retaining walls, lighting and railings along the canal between Ohio and West streets. The Metropolitan Development Commission is scheduled Wednesday (21 November) to approve a bid from Smock Fansler Corporation to replace the crumbling pavers and stairs, along with a new elevator and water feature at Ohio Street and the canal. Many of the limestone pavers will be replaced with granite. The project will take about eight months to complete and could begin in the next few months.

Indy's International Festival!

16-18 November 2007
See website for details!

Survey: Residents feel less safe downtown

The Indianapolis Business Journal reports today that fewer people feel safe downtown, particularly after dark, according to the latest annual survey from the Department of Tourism, Conventions and Event Management at Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis. Seventy-five percent feel safe downtown compared to 83 percent two years earlier, the survey found. After dark, only 34 percent feel safe; that figure declined from 44 percent in the 2005 survey. However, most respondents gave the city high marks for cleanliness, friendly people and cultural attractions.

Tuesday is Election Day: VOTE!

Be sure that you're ready to cast your ballot on Tuesday in the Municipal General Election. There's information on voting here. To find your polling place, start here.

But, whatever you do, get out and vote!

UIndy's Prof. Graham Receives Award for Book

University of Indianapolis political science Professor Stephen A. Graham (pictured) has received an international award for his biography of a noted Christian missionary, according to the UIndy News Bureau. Graham’s 2005 book Ordinary Man, Extraordinary Mission explores the life and work of E. Stanley Jones, who went to India in 1907 as a Methodist missionary and later became an itinerant evangelist, campaigner for social justice and supporter of India’s effort to win independence from the British Empire. Published by Abingdon Press, the book was selected for the 2007 John Pollock Award for Christian Biography, presented by Samford University’s Beeson Divinity School. The award, which carries a cash prize, was established in 2001 and named for the British author of more than 30 books on religion.

It's About Time!

The Indianapolis City-County Council voted Monday to investigate its president, Monroe Gray. His conduct has come under fire from many sources, and a C-C investigation also reveals he holds two overlapping city jobs. And, with the election next week, not a moment too soon, says this Indianapolis Observer.

Uh, oh!

While this Indianapolis Observer was off gallavanting, it appears we've had our 100th homicide in the Circle City! Not a very good prelude to the mayoral election, methinks.

Bye Bye RCA Dome!

The Indiana Stadium and Convention Building Authority has announced that demolition of the RCA Dome is scheduled to begin in January 2008.

Butler Schedules Another Literary Conference

Butler University has announced plans for its 18th Annual Children's Literature Conference, to be held 26 January 2008 in various locations on the Indianapolis Campus. There's more information online. This year's conference includes three-time Caldecott winner David Wiesner (author of "Tuesday," "The Three Pigs" (pictured) and "Flotsam"); Arthur Levine, the American editor for J. K. Rowling's Harry Potter books; Gary Schmidt, whose "Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy" won a Newbery Honor and a Printz Honor; Diane Stanley, recipient of the Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Nonfiction Award and the 2008 Mazza Medallion Award for the body of her work (including "Saladin: Noble Prince of Islam" and "Good Queen Bess: The Story of Elizabeth I of England"); Christopher Award winner Louise Borden (whose books include "Good Luck, Mrs. K!" and "Sleds on Boston Common"), and Valiska Gregory, author of "Shirley's Wonderful Baby" and "The Mystery of the Grindlecat" (and a Parents' Choice Award winner).

On 25 January, a free meet-the-authors gala will be held from 7-9 p.m. at the Indianapolis-Marion County Public Central Library. A panel of featured authors and illustrators will speak and sign books.

"Blue Jackets" Arrive Next Week

The 80th National FFA Convention begins Wednesday (24 October) in downtown Indianapolis. FFA members in their signature blue jackets totalling some 55,000 remain through Saturday (27 October). Most events take place in the Conseco Fieldhouse, Indiana Convention Center, RCA Dome and Indiana State Fairgrounds. Georgia Street will become "FFA Way" during the national FFA convention. The northern most and southern most lanes of the street will be blocked off to create a pedestrian walkway. While the FFA is headquartered in Indy, there are 500,823 FFA members, aged 12-21 in 7,358 chapters in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Heartland Film Festival Today Through 26 October

Indy's premiere film event runs through Friday of next week. The Heartland Film Festival began 15 years ago when a group of visionaries created a festival to honor beautifully made films that celebrate the positive aspects of life. In 1991, that festival was a small event in Indianapolis. Today, it's nine days of student and professional films, a variety of Special Events and definitely a one-of-a-kind experience in Indianapolis. For a schedule, click here.

Business of Art / Art of Business

Halima Taha (left) will speak on "The Business of Art and the Art of Business" at 5:30 p.m. 9 November during the fourth annual Jordan H. and Joan R. Leibman Forum at Indiana University - Purdue University in Indianapolis. The presentation is in the Frank and Katrina Basile Auditorium, Eskenazi Hall, Herron School of Art and Design of IUPUI, 735 West New York Street, Indianapolis. Ms. Talha, an appraiser, art advisor, educator and lecturer, is president of halima ink. John Thompson, art collector and owner of the Thompson Collection, also will speak. A reception in the Grand Hall follows at 7 p.m.

The Leibman Forum was established at IUPUI in 2004 to examine issues on the legal and business environment of the arts, and is a joint project of the IU Kelley School of Business Indianapolis, the IU School of Law-Indianapolis and the IU Herron School of Art and Design. For more information, contact Prof. Jennifer Lee, 317:278-9451.

Can U.S. Museums Keep Antiquities?

Dr. Maxwell L. Anderson (right) will talk about that very subject in a presentation at 7 p.m. 12 November in the Allison Mansion on the campus of Marian College, 3200 Cold Spring Road, Indianapolis. "Towards a Bright Line in Uncertain Terrain: What’s Next for Antiquities in U.S. Museums" is open to the public at no charge, although advance registration is required. Anderson is CEO of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. A 1977 graduate of Dartmouth University, he has a Master of Arts and a Ph.D. in art history from Harvard.

Wakefield to Speak at Butler

Indianapolis native Dan Wakefield, author of the best-selling novels "Going All the Way" and "Starting Over," will speak at 7:30 p.m. 25 October in the Krannert Room of Clowes Memorial Hall on the campus of Butler University as part of the 2007-08 Vivian S. Delbrook Visiting Writers Series. The event is free and open to the public. For more information, call 317:940-9861.

New Central Library Opens 9 December

The public is invited to celebrate the opening of the newly-transformed Central Library at 1 p.m. on Sunday (9 December). Special Grand Opening activities will include a symbolic unlocking of the gates at the south entrance of the 1917 Cret building followed by a short dedication ceremony. For details, click here. The new steel and glass framed six-story addition, which houses the Learning Curve and most of the Library's collection, wraps around the Cret building to the north. The limestone exterior Cret building, which houses the Library's fiction and popular materials collection, has been fully restored. A four-story Atrium, which connects the new addition with the Cret building, serves as the Library's business center where the circulation desk, self-check units and café are located. The structure is characterized by indoor, curved steel arches and glass walls anchored by a unique cable net system.

Judge Issues Order to Monroe Gray's Firm

A Marion County Superior Court judge has ordered a company owned by City-County Council President Monroe Gray to pay $43,514 in unpaid bills, reports The Indianapolis Business Journal. The judgment resulted from a suit filed against Mid Regional Concrete Inc. by Charlotte, N.C.-based Sunbelt Rentals, formerly NationsRent Inc. Gray could not be reached for comment. The decision is the latest in a long string of business troubles for Gray, a Democrat. Yesterday, the Republican who is vying for Gray’s council seat, Kurt Webber, charged that Gray is in a conflict of interest by holding the seat and working for the Indianapolis Fire Department. Webber’s challenge followed an Indianapolis Star story showing that few records exist to document Gray’s work within the fire department.

"Gray Matter" Still Front and Center

From today's Indianapolis Star....

Two-in-One Deal or Ethics Violation?

From today's lead editorial in The Indianapolis Star:

"When is Monroe Gray the community relations officer for the Indianapolis Fire Department and when is he president of the City-County Council?

"The answer, he says, is always. And that's a good thing, he and his boss, Fire Chief James Greeson, insist. It's a two-in-one deal for residents who want interaction with, and action from, city government.

"That's one way to look at it. A more discerning way is to consider the casualness with which a powerful elected official mixes his jobs.

"Having public employees in public office, serving in effect as their own paymasters, is a perilous practice...."

These ethics questions aren't going away anytime soon. Deal with it, Indy!

Ghost Employment? Ask Monroe Gray!

Indy bloggers are agog today at the article in The Indianapolis Star about the, ahem, inability of City-County Council President Monroe Gray (left) to produce any evidence that he actually earns his $83,000 salary from the Indianapolis Fire Department. This Indianapolis Observer thinks it's just the beginning of the story!

Rose Petals to Scent Bus Shelters?

Eleven IndyGo bus shelters will receive artistic transformations beginning Monday (1 October), courtesy of a Public Art Indianapolis project featuring the work of local artist Audrey Barcio, according to Inside Indiana Business. The project includes thousands of rose petals attached to the glass interior walls of the shelters using water-soluble glue. At sunrise – the beginning of many riders’ morning commutes – the sweet smell of the roses will fill the shelters. The petals will last for approximately two days, and new petals will be attached afterward. The project is scheduled to conclude on Sunday (7 October), following the conclusion of Circle City Classic weekend.

"That Mess in the Coroner's Office"....

Leave it to the blogs -- specifically this time Ruth Holladay's, to highlight the awful truth in local government. The political shenanigans in the Marion County coroner's office are gonna cost us even more legal fees this year. Sigh!

Cross-Country Course to be along White River

Officials for the Indiana Invaders track and running club and the city of Indianapolis announced yesterday that a championship cross-country course and training venue will be developed along the banks of the White River downtown, according to a report by the Indianapolis Business Journal. Ground was broken this week. The 20-acre development, which includes a parcel behind the Michael A. Carroll Track & Soccer Stadium on the campus of Indiana University-Purdue University in Indianapolis and another between 10th and 16th streets along Fall Creek Parkway, will include two international championship cross-country courses and additional trails connecting the courses. It'll be called the Indiana Cross Country Arena at White River State Park.

Note: these Indiana Invaders are a field & track team, not to be confused with Indiana Invaders of South Bend, a soccer team founded in 1998.

Eye On Indianapolis' Cousins-in-Arms?

Indy blogs update:
Indy Corrupt has been MIA since 7 September, but the law enforcement officer blog, Indy Undercover is rolling along...and it's been joined by Indy Flashover, concentrating on concerns of Indy firefighters.

Revolving Think Tanks: Carmel, not Hudson

The Hudson Institute may have fled its tony mansion in Indy for the East Coast, but there's a new think tank on Indy's horizon. The newly formed Carmel Institute has offered $20 million for the former Hilbert mansion in Carmel. That bid matches Conseco Inc.’s asking price for the 40-acre estate, which has been on the market for two years. The new institute's future president and chief executive, Scott Massey, heads the consultancy Global Strategies. He is former executive director of the Indiana Humanities Council. According to WTHR, The Carmel Institute is an executive retreat center and conference center. The Indianapolis Star adds, "The Spiritual Enterprise Institute, the nonprofit organization of Roosevelt Group chief executive Theodore Roosevelt Malloch, put up a $50 million endowment for The Carmel Institute.... Malloch said The Carmel Institute also has received funds from the John Templeton Foundation, which gave $3 million, and the Ford Foundation, which gave $1 million."

What a Coincidence!

Andre Carson (right), who last month took over the City-County Council seat of Patrice Abdullah, has been hired by Cripe Architects + Engineers Inc. as a marketing specialist. Carson, 32, is a grandson of U.S. Rep. Julia Carson, D-Indianapolis (left). He most recently was an investigator for the Indiana State Excise Police. "We hired him because we needed a marketing specialist, not because we needed a city councilor," Cripe Senior Vice President Dennis Southerland said, in a report by Indianapolis Business Journal staff.

Hoosier Storytelling Festival

Partake in a feast of stories during the annual Hoosier Storytelling Festival from 10-14 October at Military Park and the Indiana History Center. Everyday experiences are transformed into universal stories that appeal to us all from hilarious family stories to thought-provoking folktales, from inspirational Biblical stories to some of the best literary tales of our time. Sponsored by Storytelling Arts, there's a complete schedule here. Featured storytellers are Carol Birch (pictured), Donald Davis, Carmen Agra Deedy, Bill Harley and Baba Jamal Koram.

Robert Rubin in Indy Tomorrow

Guest speaker at the opening luncheon of the Economic Club of Indianapolis will be former Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin (left). The event begins at noon Wednesday (19 September) in the Indiana Convention Center, downtown. Next up, 31 October, is James Rogers, Chairman of the Board, President and Chief Executive Officer of Duke Energy.

Biotechnology and Other Life Sciences

The Indiana Life Sciences Forum will bring together venture capitalists, thought leaders, CEOs, and bankers to consider Indiana’s Life Science future. The Forum, 22-23 October, will be held at the Westin Indianapolis. Government officials, consultants, the financial community and executives from "emerging" life science companies are the target audience. Registration costs $179 before Wednesday (19 September) and $199 after. The academic, government and non-profit rate is a discounted $155.

Meanwhile...A Triple Homicide?

According to Indy Undercover, three people were murdered late last night or early this morning on Indy's east side.

UPDATE:
Yep. It's true. And, according to The Indianapolis Star today (17 September), an arrest has been made.

Debut of The Mind Trust

"The Mind Trust, a new education nonprofit focused on promoting education entrepreneurship in Indianapolis, is now accepting applications for its flagship program, the Education Entrepreneur Fellowship. The Fellowship will provide the nation’s most promising education entrepreneurs with the support they need to develop and launch initiatives that focus on wholly new ways of confronting public education’s most vexing problems. Fellows will target underserved or disadvantaged students with solutions that attack the root problems in the delivery of public education", according to the news release.

Each Fellowship will last two years, with the first fellows beginning their work in spring or summer of 2008. Fellows’ annual salaries will be $90,000. Each fellow will also receive $20,000 for customized training and travel over the term of their Fellowship. The Mind Trust’s initial investment in the Education Entrepreneur Fellowship is approximately $900,000. See the website for details.

Indy Should Keep Its Eye on Carmel

Carmel's watching how the wind blows. A meteorological tower was installed near 106th Street and Hazel Dell Parkway last week to gather data on wind frequency, speed, consistency and other variables for a period of one year to see if wind energy is a viable energy source for the city. The tower is 60 meters tall with approximately twenty-eight support wires around it. Stay tuned....

UIndy's Faculty Artist Series Announced

The University of Indianapolis Faculty Artist Series will kick off its 26th season on Monday (17 September) with an 80th birthday celebration for Maestro Raymond Leppard (right), conductor laureate of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and artist-in-residence at the university.

The 2007-2008 edition of the recital series includes 17 Monday evening concerts from September through April. Presentations, each beginning at 7:30 p.m., feature solo repertoire, readings of chamber literature, period instrument performances, premieres of new works and classic and contemporary jazz. All concerts are presented free of charge in the Ruth Lilly Performance Hall of UIndy’s Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center, 1400 East Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis. For more information, see the website or call 317:788-3255.

2007-8 Season Announced for Clowes Presents

The Vienna Boys' Choir (left), a performance of Tony-winning "Forbidden Broadway" and a rare collaboration by jazz greats Bobby McFerrin, Chick Corea and Jack DeJohnette highlight Clowes Memorial Hall of Butler University’s 2007-08 "Clowes Presents" schedule. The full lineup features fiddler Natalie MacMaster (5 October), Vienna Boys' Choir (20 October), pianist Peter Cincotti (2 November), the Moiseyev Dance Company (26 January), The Temptations (8 February), Pilobolus Dance Theatre (23 February), "Forbidden Broadway" (12 April) and McFerrin/Corea/DeJohnette (25 April).

All eight shows are on either a Friday or Saturday night. All performances are at 8 p.m. with the doors opening at 6:30 p.m. Season subscription packages are available now for $168, $128, and $88. Individual show tickets went on sale last Friday (7 September). For more information log onto the website or call 317:940-6444.

Chakaia Booker?

According to The Indianapolis Business Journal, Indy arts officials are in talks with New York City artist Chakaia Booker about featuring her work in next year’s public art blowout. Booker’s shtick? Sculptures (such as the one at the right) created entirely from used tires.

Get out the Wellies and a Poncho!

Tomorrow -- Saturday (8 September) -- is the 41st annual Penrod Arts Fair on the grounds of the Indianapolis Museum of Art. The weather forcast is iffy, and the event is outdoors, so you'll need boots and other rain gear to explore works of art by more than 330 artists, live entertainment on six stages, children's activities, displays by non-profit groups and great food from 20 restaurants between the 9 a.m. opening and 5 p.m. closing. Parking will be available at Crown Hill Cemetery, Clowes Hall, Bertha Ross Park and Major Taylor Velodrome. Admission at the gate is $15.

Art vs. Wheel of Death at Fountain Square

Not to be left out of the “First Friday” art mix, another Indy Cultural District, Fountain Square, has a big event scheduled this Friday (7 September). Art vs. Art takes place from 8 p.m.-midnight at the Fountain Square Theatre, 1111 Prospect Street, Indianapolis, featuring a competition in which canvases square off against each other in elimination rounds. The audience members decide which piece goes on to the next round -- and which will be destroyed in any one of a number of creative ways. Admission is $12.

When the doors open at 8 p.m., audience members will find out which paintings made the top 32 and will have an hour and half to peruse the displayed paintings and narrow the field down to 16. During this time, they can also purchase any painting not making the cut. Final judging involves four rounds of head-to-head competition. Two randomly selected paintings square off on stage as the audience cheers wildly for their favorite. The applause meter sends the winner to the next round; the losing painting faces the threat of destruction (by chain saw, acid bath, samurai sword, etc.) as determined by a spin of the ominous “Wheel of Death”.

Mass Ave Art Walk Friday Evening

Experience gallery openings, eclectic shopping, unique restaurants and trendy nightclubs at the annual Mass Ave Fall Gallery Walk from 5–9 p.m. Friday.

Dating back more than 20 years, the Gallery Walk is the kickoff to the Indy fall visual arts season. All Mass Ave area galleries and most merchants (who will also showcase artists) will be open. Many will host receptions, have live entertainment and offer specials that evening as well. Mass Ave Merchants Association has set aside space along Mass Ave for local artists and entertainers to show their work amongst the galleries, shops and restaurants.

New to the evening of art downtown is an after-party from 9-11 p.m. sponsored by the Mass Ave Merchants Association in partnership with Indianapolis Downtown Artists and Dealers Association. The party, at 757 Mass Ave, is open to the public. There'll be refreshments provided by some of Mass Ave’s restaurants. Coffee, wine tasting and entertainment by a live jazz group from 8:30–10 p.m. Luna Music will cap off the evening.

Life Sciences Collaboration Series

The impact that informatics is having on Indiana's life science industries will be the focus of the first program in the 2007-08 Indiana Life Sciences Collaboration Conference Series, according to Inside INdiana Business.

AIT Laboratories Chief Executive Officer Michael A. Evans (right) will give the keynote address on how informatics has contributed to the success of his Indianapolis company. A panel discussion will follow on how informatics is being employed in other life science business applications.

The workshop series is designed by Indiana University's Kelley School of Business to assist Indiana's health care and life science companies.

The seminar, "The Age of Life Sciences Informatics," is scheduled for 8 a.m. 21 September at Barnes and Thornburg LLP, 11 South Meridian Street, Indianapolis. The registration fee is $40, or $150 for the entire series. Registration is available online, or by contacting Roxie Glaze, 812:855-9210.

Author of The Making of the Fittest Comes to Butler

Sean Carroll (right), author of The Making of the Fittest, a discussion of Darwin and molecular biology, is the first presenter for the 2007-8 J. James Woods Lectures in the Sciences and Mathematics series at Butler University.

The professor of molecular biology and genetics at the University of Wisconsin will begin his presentation at 7:30 p.m. 2 October in the Reilly Room of the Atherton Union on the Butler campus. It's open to the public at no charge.

Dr. Carroll, who also wrote Endless Forms Most Beautiful: The New Science of Evo Devo, is the foremost interpreter of Darwin in light of the latest findings of molecular biology. He will speak about the genetics of evolution and about DNA as a record of evolution.

Hoosiers By The Numbers

A nifty section of the Indiana Workforce Development website includes highlights of the Hoosier State's data by county. Each includes information on population, education, commuting, labor force, industry, income and firm size data. Surf on over and click away.

This Indianapolis Observer found out that "Marion County’s population estimate for 2006 was 865,504, up 0.6 percent from the 2000 Census total." And, "The average 2006 earnings for Marion County was $44,227 per year versus Indiana’s $36,411."

Well, OK, they need to work on their grammar a bit (aren't there any English majors in the Statehouse?), but their numbers are most informative!

Central Library Searching for CEO

The Indianapolis-Marion County Public Library Board of Trustees has announced that it is beginning its search for a permanent Chief Executive Officer to plan and direct the operations of the IMCPL system.

Although it isn't reported in the Inside INdiana Business announcement, the candidate has to have nerves of steel -- what with the massive cost overruns and construction "mishaps" and all.

Maybe, Just Maybe, We Can Get Wine Shipments at Home Now

Indiana wine consumers will once again be able to receive wine shipments from their favorite Indiana wineries without having to visit them first.

U.S. District Court Judge John Tinder has issued a ruling declaring the 2006 Indiana law requiring Indiana residents to fill out a face-to-face verification form from any winery they wished to have wine shipped from as unconstitutional, reports Inside INdiana Business.

All 34 Indiana wineries had reported a drop in instate shipping since the requirement became effective.

"Miracle Mile" Parade Set for Saturday

A "Miracle Mile" Parade steps off at 1 p.m. Saturday (1 September) to spark support for the continued economic revival of the corridor along Madison Avenue
on Indianapolis’ near Southside, says the Gateway Business Alliance.

The parade, last staged in 1957, will roll up Madison Avenue with more than 70 floats and participating groups, according to Jeff Cardwell, Parade Chairman and president of Cardwell DoItBest Home Center.

The Gateway Business Alliance is a not-for-profit corporation spearheading efforts to re-develop the "Gateway to the South/Gateway to Indianapolis".

UIndy's Kellogg Writers Series Announced

Award-winning poets and fiction writers from around the country will read and discuss their work in the 2007-2008 Kellogg Writers Series at the University of Indianapolis, 1400 East Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis. Admission is free. This year’s speakers are:

Poets Jason Bredle and Jim Walker
8 p.m. 27 September, Studio Theatre, Esch Hall

Indianapolis native Jason Bredle is the author of Pain Fantasy, Standing in Line for the Beast and A Twelve Step Guide. He lives in Chicago and works at a translation agency in Evanston, Ill.

Jim Walker is founder and board president of Big Car Gallery, a collaborative arts organization. A poet and nonfiction writer, he is the author of the writing guide Poetry Report and three chapbooks. His poetry and prose have appeared nationally in such publications as Painted Bride Quarterly and Hanging Loose. In 2006 he was awarded a Creative Renewal Fellowship from the Arts Council of Indianapolis. Walker lives in Indianapolis and works full-time as a newspaper journalist and part-time as a college writing teacher.

Poet Mark Doty
8 p.m. 15 November, Ruth Lilly Performance Hall, Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center

The only American poet to have won Great Britain’s T. S. Eliot Prize, Mark Doty is the author of seven books of poems. The first, Turtle, Swan, appeared in 1987. His third collection, My Alexandria (1993), received both the Los Angeles Times' Book Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. Since then he has published Atlantis (1995), Sweet Machine (1998) and Source (2001), as well as the memoirs Heaven’s Coast (1996) and Firebird (1999). Doty’s newest volume of poems, School of the Arts, was published in 2005, and his newest memoir, Dog Years, was published in 2007. He teaches in the graduate program the University of Houston and is a frequent guest at Columbia University, Hunter College and NYU. He lives in Houston and New York City.

Fiction Writer Jayne Anne Phillips
7:30 p.m. 6 March, Good Hall

Jayne Anne Phillips is a fiction writer and winner of numerous awards. Her first collection of stories, Black Tickets (1979), won the Sue Kaufman Prize for First Fiction, awarded by the American Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters. Phillips’ work has appeared most recently in Harper’s, Granta, Doubletake and the Norton Anthology of Contemporary Fiction. She has taught at Harvard University, Williams College and Boston University, and is currently professor of English and director of a new master of fine arts program at Rutgers-Newark, the State University of New Jersey.

Poet Lee Upton
7:30 p.m. 27 March, Studio Theatre, Esch Hall

Lee Upton, poet and fiction writer, is the author of 10 books. Her poetry has been published in the Atlantic Monthly, the New Republic, Poetry, American Poetry Review and numerous other journals. Her fiction has appeared in The Antioch Review, Epoch, Shenandoah, Ascent, Glimmer Train, Northwest Review and other journals. She is a professor of English and the writer-in-residence at Lafayette College.

Endowed by Allen and Helen Kellogg, the Kellogg Writers Series brings writers of distinction to UIndy, giving the community an opportunity to meet and talk with the writers and hear them read and discuss their work. Presenting a wide range of voices of both national and international significance, the series also receives support from Follett College Stores and the University of Indianapolis Lecture/Performance Series. For more information, contact Valerie Miller Wahlstrom, arts outreach coordinator, 317:788-2183.

Joyce Carol Oates Is Coming to Indy!

The Vivian S. Delbrook Visiting Writers Series at Butler University has announced its fall speaker lineup. All events are free and open to the public. For more information, call 317:940-9861.

Here's the schedule:

--Ann Cummins, 7:30 p.m. 20 September, Krannert Room, Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler University campus.
Cummins, author of the short-story collection "Red Ant House" and the novel "Yellowcake," teaches creative writing at Northern Arizona University. The New Yorker, McSweeney’s, Quarterly West and the Sonora Review, as well as "The Best American Short Stories 2002," have published her writing.

--Galway Kinnell, 7:30 p.m. 1 October. Reilly Room, Atherton Union, Butler.
Kinnell, considered one of the most influential poets of the second half of the 20th century, is a social activist whose most popular poems include "St. Francis and the Sow" and "After Making Love We Hear Footsteps." The first edition of his "Selected Poems" (1980) won both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Award. He was a professor of creative writing at New York University and chancellor of the American Academy of Poets before retiring, and "Strong Is Your Hold," his first collection in more than a decade, was just published.

--Michael Martone, noon 4 October, Vivian S. Delbrook Writers’ Studio (Room 304, Jordan Hall), Butler.
Fort Wayne native Martone's most recent book is "Double-Wide: Collected Fiction of Michael Martone." He is a professor of creative writing at the University of Alabama.

--Dan Wakefield, 7:30 p.m. 25 October, Krannert Room, Clowes Memorial Hall, Butler.
Indianapolis native Wakefield is well known for his best-selling novels "Going All The Way" and "Starting Over." He's written several books on spirituality, including "The Hijacking of Jesus: How the Religious Right Distorts Christianity and Promotes Prejudice and Hate." Wakefield's appearance is co-sponsored by the Center for Faith and Vocation.

--Joyce Carol Oates (photo, above left), 7:30 p.m. 31 October, Reilly Room, Atherton Union, Butler.
Oates' most recent book, "The Gravedigger's Daughter," is her 36th published novel. "Them," which was published in 1970, won a National Book Award, and first five of her other books have been finalists for that honor. Her 1994 book, "What I Lived For," was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. She has taught creative writing at Princeton University since 1978.

--Carl W. Ernst, 7:30 p.m. 5 November, Reilly Room, Atherton Union, Butler.
Ernst is a specialist in Islamic studies, with a focus on West and South Asia. His most recent book, "Following Muhammad: Rethinking Islam in the Contemporary World," received several international awards. Ernst has been on the faculty in the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill's Department of Religious Studies since 1992. His appearance is co-sponsored by the Change and Tradition Program.

--Adam Zagajewski, 7:30 p.m. 29 NOvember, Reilly Room, Atherton Union, Butler.
Poet, novelist and essayist Zagajewski, winner of the prestigious Neustadt International Prize for Literature in 2004, is a faculty member in the University of Houston Creative Writing Program. The New Yorker published his much-praised poem "Try to Praise the Mutilated World" after 9/11.