The city of Indianapolis and Indy Chamber are close partners. Not only does Indy Chamber's Develop Indy division have a $1 million contract to handle the city's economic development efforts, the city has also given it millions of dollars for grants and loans to help companies deal with the pandemic. The Indy Black Chamber of Commerce, which launched in 2015, wants a piece of that action. Host Mason King with the Black Chamber's Larry Williams about why he thinks the city should be working more with his organization—and providing it funding. And Mason also talks with Angela Smith Jones, the deputy mayor of economic development, about the reasons the city is working with Indy Chamber. Read more about the issue in reporter Samm Quinn's story in this week's IBJ. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Indianapolis Motor Speedway officials are putting all their energy into running the Indy 500 with fans in August, despite continuing concerns about big crowds and the coronavirus. In fact, just weeks after IMS announced that NASCAR's Brickyard 400 would run in front of empty stands, the track's new owner—Roger Penske—said the Indy 500 would not run if fans couldn't be there. So we talked with IBJ reporter Anthony Schoettle about the Indy 500 and his conversation with IMS President Doug Boles about the track's plans. You can read Anthony's Q&A with Boles by clicking here. And see our story about Penske's comments about the race and fans. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Protests focused on racial inequality and police treatment of African Americans boiled over on May 29-30 into violence and vandalism that left businesses across downtown damaged and looted. Eric Wells, president of the Stadium Village Business Association, says the city failed to adequately protect businesses and has not communicated a plan or a vision for bringing the city's core back after the one-two punch of coronavirus and the riots.  She talks with podcast host Mason King about ways the city could step up to help businesses not just survive but thrive again.  Then Mason talks with Mayor Joe Hogsett's chief of staff, Thomas Cook, about the city's reaction, whether it acted quickly enough to quell the violence and how the administration plans to move forward from here. You can read about the actions the Stadium Village Business Association is requesting here. Wells is also one of four columnists featured in IBJ talking about the protests and the damage. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Those familiar with Indianapolis-based Energy Systems Network say it’s one of the most innovative organizations in energy and transportation—not only in the state, but in the nation. But it’s not particularly well-known. Its officials prefer to work in the background while pushing forward initiatives like IndyGo’s bus rapid transit program, the Blue Indy electric car-sharing program, and an early initiative that helps some of the state’s biggest manufacturers make big moves in heavy-duty hybrid industry, including buses and trucks.Over 11 years, the small not-for-profit has generated about $750 million in direct investments in ESN-related projects from public, private and philanthropic sources. In the latest edition of The IBJ Podcast, host Mason King speaks with CEO Paul Mitchell about how ESN has helped power so many high-profile initiatives. Not every project has been a winner. Blue Indy folded earlier this year, although Mitchell says it still could pay dividends for the city. And he details one of ESN’s flashiest projects: the Indy Autonomous Challenge, an IndyCar-style race with cars completely controlled by computers scheduled to take place next year. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Conversations around the family dinner table during the coronavirus crisis have taken on incredibly high stakes. Deciding whether or not the kids can see Grandma and Grandpa over the weekend now requires research into the latest physical distancing guidelines and any chronic conditions they might have. Deciding whether or not to play baseball, basketball or soccer in youth summer leagues requires a serious calculation of the risks and rewards, as well as a working knowledge of all of the precautions that coaches and venues will take. Some families are agonizing over whether to let their young children go back to day care. Some already are weighing what to do when—or if—schools open in the fall.For this week’s edition of The IBJ Podcast, host Mason King asked local families to share the questions they’ve been wrestling with—and added a few of his own. The topics above are all covered, as well as best practices for wearing masks, eating at restaurants and taking safe vacations. Our experts this week are Heidi Hancher-Rauch, who is an associate professor and director of the public health program at the University of Indianapolis, and Kara Cecil, an assistant professor of public health at University of Indianapolis. Both have families with kids and are willing to share the thought processes that have led to their decisions on these vital questionsThe IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb has put himself in the public spotlight—or, if you will, the crosshairs of public opinion—nearly every weekday for the last two months, hosting press conferences about the state’s response to the coronavirus crisis. It is not an easy job, as the governor and his staff must address new fatalities, respond to questions that have no easy answer, and ask residents to make difficult sacrifices to beat an enemy we don’t totally understand. This also happens to be an election year. On one hand, Holcomb has the opportunity to show voters how he can handle a dire crisis—and without having to spend a dime from his immense campaign war chest. On the other hand, if he makes an obvious mistake or miscalculates how quickly the state should reopen, it’ll be in front of millions of voters with a deep, vested interest in the outcome. In this week’s edition of The IBJ Podcast, host Mason King examines the political risks and potential rewards of managing the state’s response to COVID-19 in real time and in the public eye nearly every day. His guests are reporter Lindsey Erdody, who has written about this topic in the latest issue of IBJ, and Robert Dion, associate political science professor at the University of Evansville. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Hundreds of thousands of couple who for months have been picking preachers, flowers, venues, bridesmaid dresses, reception menus and deejay playlists now find themselves making a no-win decision: Do we keep the dates for our spring 2020 wedding and scale it way down, or do we reschedule the whole shebang and hope we’re not in the middle of another wave of infections?The coronavirus crisis and its social-distancing protocols have wreaked havoc on the multibillion-dollar wedding industry—not to mention the lives of an untold number of couples who thought they’d be betrothed by fall. In this week’s edition of The IBJ Podcast, host Mason King explores the tumult from the perspective of two Indianapolis women: a bride who decided to keep her wedding date—May 2—and scale the festivities way down (including an after-party with pizza); and a wedding planner who had 23 weddings on the books for this year but now spends much of her time working on Plan Bs and Plan Cs for clients. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault. -----Felix Mendelssohn's "Wedding March," from "A Midsummer's Night Dream," arranged for drunk organist (or sober organist pretending to be drunk) by Jonathan Mui.

As the economy swan-dives into a deep recession due to the coronavirus crisis, many of the people who live in apartments or rented homes find themselves in a frightening bind. Unemployment has surged in the working-class sectors, making it difficult for tens of thousands of tenants in Indiana to make their monthly rent payments. According to industry estimates, about 8% to 10% of renters were delinquent on their April rents, both in Indiana and nationwide. Tenants in Indiana have been shielded from eviction since mid-March thanks to a moratorium issued by Gov. Eric Holcomb. But that doesn’t make their past-due rents go away. Advocates for both low-income residents and for landlords say more must be done to aid renters. Both sides are working their political connections to establish an emergency rental assistance program, that would help tenants cover the rent and keep revenue flowing for apartment owners. For this week’s edition of The IBJ Podcast, host Mason King interviews Lynne Peterson, president of the Indiana Apartment Association, and Andrew Bradley, policy director for Prosperity Indiana, about the need for assistance and the fix that both tenants and landlords find themselves in. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Last week, Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb told businesses they needed to start planning to reopen, although he didn’t set a particular date—or, what’s probably more likely, a schedule of how restrictions gradually would loosen. That process could start as soon as early May. So, what do companies and restaurant think reopening will look like in a world still very wary of the coronavirus pandemic? How do they envision minimizing the risks for their employees and customers? Should restaurants still allow patrons to wait in lobbies? Should they be required to wear masks? How many people should be allowed in an elevator at once? Or in the office bathroom? Will 6-foot-tall cubicles make a comeback?For this week’s edition of The IBJ Podcast, host Mason King and reporters Anthony Schoettle and Mickey Shuey focus on two of the biggest workplace sectors: offices and restaurants. There’s precious little consensus about the necessary precautions, although most decision-makers agree that we won’t get back to anything resembling “normal” until there’s a vaccine. And that could take a year or more. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Home sales in central Indiana have tumbled since the coronavirus crisis told hold in March. Home showings have cratered. The number of owners deciding to list their homes for sale has slumped well below average. That said, people are still buying and selling homes in central Indiana, even as public officials ask us to severely limit personal contact and any non-essential travel outside the home.How are homes still moving? Good real estate agents are nothing if not entrepreneurial, and they’ve created some clever workarounds. What used to be a face-to-face, high-touch business has gone digital. Some owners are taking a more active role in marketing. Some closings now have more in common with the drive-through window at Portillo’s than a suit-and-tie office meeting.   To help explain these abrupt strategic maneuvers and what it will take to get the market back on track, IBJ Podcast host Mason King interviewed two of the best-connected people in the local real estate market: Shelley Specchio, CEO of MIBOR, and Jim Litten, president of F.C. Tucker Co. Inc. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Mason King, the host of The IBJ Podcast, focuses this week on the pressures and challenges of trying to fulfill your obligations as an employee, spouse and parent during the "new normal" of sequestration, in an environment where those responsibilities easily collide. These dramas are playing out in a thousand different ways, so King invited local families to pose questions for his podcast interview with human resources expert Liz Malatestinic. One of the most common: “Is it reasonable for employers to expect their workers to put in eight- or 10 hours of work every day and be responsive within minutes under these circumstances?” The obvious follow-up: “What if my boss doesn’t care?”The families also shared some of the strategies they’ve employed to stay organized and ahead of potential meltdowns—either from children or the parents. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Just a few weeks ago, Indiana's new jobless claims numbered just a few thousand a week. Then the coronavirus shuttered the economy and Gov. Eric Holcomb ordered non-essential businesses to close. The result: The last week in March saw 146,243 new unemployment claims. The surge has flooded the state's computer system and its call center, and the Department of Workforce Department is quickly hiring and training new staff to handle the workload and get unemployed Hoosiers answers and benefits as quickly as possible. But the situation is complicated by the CARES Act, a law passed by Congress that expands who is eligible for payments and dramatically increases the amount workers can receive, moves that require the Department of Workforce Development to reprogram its software and retrain staff. The DWD's chief of staff, Josh Richardson, talks with host Mason King about who is now eligible, how soon they'll begin receiving benefits and how the agency is adjusting to the flood of applicants. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Ed Sahm and his son, Eddie Sahm, started planning for the shutdown of the restaurant industry weeks before the coronavirus outbreak led city and state officials to order the closures. And so they were a little more ready than most owners to refocus Sahm's 16 restaurants. The result is an operation to benefit the not-for-profit Second Helpings, offer takeout at some locations, and open a series of marketplaces, where customers can get grocery items, including produce, cleaning products and, yes, toilet paper. Still, the effort is not profitable. It's just enough to put some of Sahm's employees back to work, help the community and keep the company afloat for a few more weeks. Host Mason King talks with Eddie Sahm about how he and his dad made key decisions and how they're making it work. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

The economy is at a standstill thanks to closures caused by fear about the spread of COVID-19. But it will likely come roaring back once the nation gets the coronavirus outbreak under control, says Phil Powell, the associate dean of academics programs at the IU Kelley School of Business in Indianapolis. Powell talks to podcast host Mason King about how companies should approach what he believes will be a deep but short recession and steps they should take now to shore up their financial situation. "It's your job to survive and to make sure that when these social controls are lifted and everybody starts to come back out that you're ready for business," Powell said. Click here to read IBJ stories about the effect of the coronavirus outbreak in central Indiana.   The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

IBJ's personal finance columnist Peter Dunn is more worried about what the global pandemic will do to the economy than he is about what it will do (or has done) to the stock market. And he's most concerned about that economic impact on individuals and families—especially those who are vulnerable to layoffs. And so he talks with podcast host Mason King about what people can do to prepare for what he believes will soon be a recession. The goal, he said, is to "get lean." He also talks about the power of fear, why you shouldn't try to time the market, and why the stock market crash does, in fact, hurt those who are either about to retire or are newly retired.  Click here to read Pete's latest column for IBJ and see all of his columns here.   The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Nineteen hotel projects have been announced for downtown. If every one of them opens, they would add 4,203 more rooms to the central district of Indianapolis—an increase of more than 50%. But experts say it's unlikely all of those hotels will be built and opened. And in fact, three appear at least temporarily stalled. Host Mason King talks with IBJ real estate reporter Mickey Shuey about which projects may be on the ropes and which ones appear most likely to make it. And King interviews Drew Dimond, president of Indianapolis-based Dimond Hotel Consulting Group, about the hotel market and what determines whether a project comes to fruition. And Dimond explains what he sees as a weakness in the Indy market. Read Shuey's story in this week's IBJ for more about the downtown hotel projects.  (IBJ photo/Eric Learned) The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Jon Laramore served as chief counsel for two governors and spent 10 years at what was then Faegre Baker Daniels. But he left in 2015 to become executive director at Indiana Legal Services, the state's largest, independent low-income law clinic, where he's expanded the number of people served as well as the organization's staff. He talks with host Mason King about the legal needs of people in poverty, those who have been released from prison and clients facing health challenges. And King questions Laramore about his experiences arguing—and winning—two cases at the U.S. Supreme Court. You can read more about Laramore in John Russell's Q&A at IBJ.com. (IBJ photo/Eric Learned) The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

IBJ's Mickey Shuey headed to Chicago for the 2020 NBA All-Star Game to see how the Windy City hosted what has become one of sports' biggest weekends. He wasn't alone, of course. Indy's All-Star Game host committee sent a big contingent to Chicago as well, to make sure they're as ready as possible to host some 100,000 fans when the game lands at Bankers Life Fieldhouse next year. Shuey details what he and Indy officials learned in Chicago and explains how the local host committee plans to make the 2021 game special. One goal is to focus on Indiana's basketball heritage and celebrate the game—creating a sort of love letter to the sport, Shuey says. To learn more, read Shuey's story about Indy's planning for the 2021 game. The music in this podcast is "2 Hearts" and is compliments of Patrick Patrikios, who has made it available through a Creative Commons license on YouTube. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court last year could open the door to out-of-state liquor stores moving into Indiana. In fact, Maryland-based Total Wine & More, the nation’s largest retailer of beer, wine and spirits with 206 superstores, has filed an application to open a store at 1460 E. 86th St. in the Nora Corners Shopping Center. An Indiana Alcohol & Tobacco Commission hearing is scheduled for March 2. IBJ reporter John Russell explains the Supreme Court's ruling, which struck down another state's law prohibiting out-of-state ownership of liquor stores. And he details how Total Wine & More is different than most liquor stores in Indiana and what its move into the market could mean for mom-and-pop shops. Read more about the issue in John's story at IBJ.com. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

Hamilton County is emerging as a key player in the evolving hemp industry, primarily in the area of refining CBD oils from the plants for use in a variety of products. IBJ reporter Kurt Christian talks with host Mason King about what some are calling a "green rush," which follows a 2018 federal law that removed marijuana’s non-psychoactive cousin from the Controlled Substances Act. As a result, hemp-processing companies are investing millions of dollars into refineries across Hamilton County in an effort to close a gap in the state’s CBD supply chain. You can read more about the issue in Christian's story at iBJ.com. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.   

Gary Brackett, a key part of the Colts' Super Bowl championship team in 2012, was a walk-on player at Rutgers University and wasn't drafted by an NFL team, forcing him to fight for a spot on the Indianapolis Colts. Along the way, he lost both his parents and his brother and wrote a book about his story. Now he's raising money to turn the book into a movie—in part by soliciting money privately but also through the crowd-funding platform Wefunder. He already has a trailer (brackett.movie) as well as a 30-minute, abbreviated version of the film meant to persuade potential investors to get involved. Brackett talks with podcast host Mason King about the challenges of making a movie, why he thinks he has a good story to tell and why he's not just funding the movie's $2.2 million to $2.5 million budget. To read more about Brackett's movie effort, read IBJ reporter Susan Orr's story here. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Lawmakers are meeting for their short session and are considering bills to ban handheld mobile-phone use while driving, require more transparency in health care and decouple student test scores from teacher evaluations. And they're also spending money (even though this isn't a budget year) on some university construction and other special projects. That's cash from the state's budget surplus, and the spending will prevent the state from borrowing money for the projects. IBJ's Statehouse reporter Lindsey Erdody breaks down what bills are moving, which ones already are dead and what's about to hit Gov. Eric Holcomb's desk. You can also read Lindsey's deep dive on the health care legislation at IBJ.com. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.

Federal authorities have accused Community Health Network of engaging in a years-long scheme to recruit physicians and pay them huge salaries and bonuses in return for giving referrals to the Indianapolis-based health system, allowing it to improperly receive money from Medicare. The health network has denied the allegations, but the government's case is based at least in part on information brought to light by Thomas Fischer, who served as Community Health’s chief financial officer from 2005 until his sudden exit in 2013. IBJ's John Russell has written about the case and talks with host Mason King about the details, what it means for Community Health and how the lawsuit fits into a larger effort by the federal government to claw back what it considers "unjust enrichment" by hospital systems. At stake for the health care industry is systems is billions of dollars a year in Medicare and Medicaid business. You can read Russell's latest story about the issue here.     

Everybody in tech is talking about 5G—the newest generation of wireless technology. In the simplest terms, it means faster data service for smart phones and other devices. But experts say 5G is about so much more. So host Mason King talks with Bill Soards, president of AT&T Indiana, and Sean Hendrix, who is the director of emerging technologies and partnerships for Purdue Research Foundation, about why 5G matters and how it could be used in the manufacturing, agricultural and other sectors. They also explain the Indiana 5G Zone, which is set to open in downtown Indianapolis with Hendrix at the helm. The zone's mission is to accelerate innovation of 5G-related technologies throughout the state and support the technology’s deployment in industry and academia—and it puts Indianapolis at the forefront of the 5G revolution. If you want to know even more about the Indiana 5G Zone, read this story by Anthony Schoettle from the Jan. 3 issue of IBJ. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.  

Podcast host Mason King has a hard time when it comes to keeping his New Year's resolutions. And this year, his goal relates to his family's finances. So he turns to Peter Dunn—aka Pete the Planner—to find out how to set the right goals and then how to keep them. Dunn explains the different types of financial goals: consumption goals (think vacation or a new fridge), debt elimination (student loans, credit cards) and accumulation (retirement, college savings). And the keys to achieving your goals, he said, are planning for retirement and avoiding credit card debt. That sounds like common sense. But how do you achieve those goals? And in what order do you tackle them? Pete has some answers and advice. Click here to read Pete's columns for IBJ for even more help with money. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.