Indiana University didn't just hire former Hoosiers standout Mike Woodson to turn around the school's struggling basketball program; it also brought reinforcements. Thad Matta and Dane Fife are joining Woodson in the effort to bring glory back to IU. Mason King talks with IBJ reporter Anthony Schoettle about why IU Athletic Director Scott Dolson put together the team he did and how the strategy could get big-money donors excited again. It's all about bringing different generations of IU fans back into the fold. To read more about Dolson's effort, check out Anthony's story at IBJ.com.  

Thousands of Hoosier adults are receiving COVID vaccines every day in Indiana. But none of the shots are available to kids younger than 16.  So what does that mean for family gatherings? For cookouts and other outdoor activities? And what about youth sports? Host Mason King poses those questions and many more to Dr. James Wood, a pediatrician at Riley Children’s Health and an expert in pediatric infectious diseases. Dr. Wood offers practical advice for traveling, entertaining and other activities when parents are vaccinated and kids aren't.  

By some measures—like the percentage of doses that have gone into arms—Indiana's vaccine rollout has been better than average. But because the state hasn't received as many doses as others, the percentage of Hoosiers who are fully vaccinated trails much of the country. IBJ health care reporter John Russell dives into the numbers with host Mason King, and they explore how soon herd immunity might stop the pandemic. Read John Russell's story about the state's vaccination efforts here.

When the pandemic hit one year ago, Sun King almost immediately lost some 40% of its business, the result of restaurants and bars that shuttered and stopped buying beer in kegs. It would have been a catastrophe had canned beer sales not picked up fairly quickly, leaving Sun King and other breweries to scramble to shift work. An eventual can shortage caused more problems. But Sun King co-founder Clay Robinson tells podcast host Mason King how the company and its employees adapted to put the company in better position now than it was before the pandemic. To read more about how other Indiana breweries managed, read IBJ reporter Susan Orr's story at IBJ.com.

The pandemic has been tough on restaurants almost across the board. And so it's no wonder that the Indianapolis City Market and its 22 vendors have had a particularly difficult past year. And with uncertainty about the return of downtown office workers, construction outside its front door and new competition at Bottleworks and 16 Tech, it's not clear when—or if— the situation will improve. But a new director and a group of resilient vendors say new events and a focus on residential developments nearby should help them not only survive but thrive.  To learn more about the market, read IBJ reporter Susan Orr's story here.

CBS and Turner Sports will pay the not-for-profit NCAA some $850 million this year for the right to broadcast, stream and otherwise present the Men's Basketball Tournament. That will equal about 70% of the organization's revenue for the year. IBJ columnist and investigative reporter Greg Andrews explains why the rights to March Madness is so valuable even as the media landscape changes quickly. And he tells host Mason King why it's unlikely that the NCAA or its broadcast partners will want to renegotiate the deal—which runs through 2032. You could read more details about the NCAA's contract and see a breakdown of the value of the contract by year in Andrews' story in this week's IBJ. 

One year after the pandemic hit Indiana, three women talk about how it has affected their jobs and how that has affected their psyches.  Kelly Tingle, who kept her job in internal communications at Cummins Inc. but had to adjust to working at home; Lisette Woloszyk, who lost her job at the J.W. Marriott but has since found a new one; and Andrea Haydon, who has started her own design firm after being laid off from Ratio Design, talk with host Mason King about their anxieties, their fears and their hope about the future. The women were among 11 central Indiana residents IBJ profiled in last week's issue. You can see all the profiles here. From left to right: Andrea Haydon; Kelly Tingle and her daughter, Elena; and Lisette Woloszyk

After a long year crushed by the pandemic, restaurants—especially those located downtown—are reveling in a series of announcements that could help push their recoveries forward. First, the NCAA announced it would stage its entire March Madness men's basketball tournament in central Indiana. Then, the Indy-based organization said it would allow a limited number of fans to attend. And finally, the Marion County Health Department increased the capacity limits for bars and restaurants. So host Mason King talked with Mike Cranfill, co-owner of The District Tap, and Mike Cunningham, owner of Cunningham Group, which owns 35 restaurants with plans to open several more soon, about what the NCAA tournament will mean for them. Plus, the restaurateurs catch us up on how they've fared throughout the past year. You can read more about the projected impact of the NCAA tournament on restaurants in a story by IBJ reporter Susan Orr. Plus, check out all of IBJ's NCAA tournament coverage at The Rebound.

When Salesforce announced that, even after the pandemic, it planned to let many employees work from home most of the time, a ripple of dread spread across downtown. After all, some 2,000 Salesforce employees worked downtown before COVID struck, patronizing restaurants and retailers. Other companies have indicated that they, too, plan to reevaluate how many people need to work in an office, and therefore, how much office space they actually need. It's too soon to know for sure how many downtown workers might not be back. But to try to get a handle on the possibilities, host Mason King talks with IBJ real estate reporter Mickey Shuey about what he's hearing on the street. Plus, Mason talks with Adam Broderick, managing broker for the Indianapolis office of Chicago-based JLL, about how the market is shifting as well as restauranteur Ed Rudisell about what that could mean for businesses that depend on downtown workers. You can read more in Shuey's story at IBJ.com.

More than 60 business and not-for-profit executives have signed a letter telling lawmakers to back off proposals that would restrict or usurp power from city government in Indianapolis. Leaders from Eli Lilly and Co., Elanco Animal Health, Roche Diagnostics, Anthem Inc., Salesforce and Cummins Inc. are among those who endorsed the message that city government should be allowed to make decisions affecting the city.  The letter was a reaction to separate bills that would strip the mayor of authority to oversee the police department, ban the city from regulating landlord/tenant relations, withhold tax revenue from the IndyGo bus system and more.  Host Mason King talks with Indy Chamber CEO Michael Huber and Jobvite CEO Aman Brar about why each signed the letter and what they want to see the General Assembly do now. Click here to see the letter. You can also learn more from this story by IBJ reporter Lindsey Erdody.

The city and several community organizations are launching clean-up efforts, street upgrades and art projects to beautify downtown and nearby areas in advance of the NCAA tournament in March. Similar beautification efforts have accompanied other big events, including the Super Bowl and past NCAA Final Fours, but this year is different. Downtown still shows signs of the violence that spilled over from racial protests last May and the pandemic has left more storefronts and restaurant spaces empty. So host Mason King talks with Downtown Indy Inc.'s Bob Schultz, Keep Indianapolis Beautiful's Jeremy Kranowitz and the Arts Council of Indianapolis' Julie Goodman about the projects and cleanups they have planned. To learn more, read IBJ reporter Mickey Shuey's story about beautifying downtown and then read about the grant the Lilly Endowment is making fuel the efforts.

Twenty-eight years ago, developer Turner Woodard bought the historic Stutz factory complex, which was built in 1911-1912 by Harry Stutz, who founded the Stutz Motorcar Co. The 400,000-square-foot factory at 10th Street and Capitol Avenue produced cars until 1935, when the Great Depression forced the company to close. Eli Lilly and Co. then used the site for manufacturing. When Woodard got his hands on it, the complex had been vacant for a decade—but he had a vision to bring it back to life, create a place for companies seeking a creative space and celebrate its auto industry history. And over the years, that vision has made the Stutz a home to artist studios, tech startups and even small manufacturers.  Last week, Woodard announced he had sold majority interest in the complex to real estate investment firm SomeraRoad Inc., although Woodard and his son have retained a minority interest.  Woodard talked to host Mason King about his adventure restoring the Stutz, about his decision to sell a majority share and what the new owners have in store for the building. You can also read more about the sale in this story from IBJ's Susan Orr.

In this week's podcast, Peter "Pete the Planner" Dunn says parents aren't doing their adult kids any favors when they share details about their net worth or finances. In fact, doing so can cause far more problems than it solves. Dunn explores these problems with podcast host Mason King and gives some advice about what money issues are appropriate to talk about with your adult kids. Hint: Stay away from the dollar signs! You can read Dunn's column about the issue—and all of his other IBJ columns—by clicking here.

After decades working in car sales, Cole Keesling knows what buyers want and how dealerships work. So he created a website an app called CarSnoop that helps connect buyers and sellers in a way that helps both. Keesling talks with host Mason King about how he developed the idea, what it took to go from concept to product and the marketing push CarSnoop has underway. Want to learn more? Read IBJ reporter Anthony Schoettle's story about CarSnoop at IBJ.com.  

The NCAA made it official last week: Indianapolis will host the entire March Madness men's basketball tournament this spring. That's every team. Every game. With the goal of creating a coronavirus-free zone for players, team staffs, officials and a few hundred family members who will be allowed to attend each game. The logistics needed to pull this off are incredible. But Indianapolis officials tell IBJ reporter Mickey Shuey they are up to the task. So podcast host Mason King talks with Shuey about what he's learned and what's left to figure out. To learn more, check out Mickey's story about the city's plans for the tournament here.

COVID-19 vaccinations are underway, with tens of thousands of shots administered here in Indiana. But how many doses are available and who is receiving them? And of course, the question on many people’s minds: When can I get a vaccine? Or when can my parents get one? IBJ reporter John Russell has been looking for answers. So we invited him onto the podcast to tell us what he’s learned.   (Vaccine photo by Ricky Carioti, The Washington Post)

In a discombobulating year that has turned everything from the world economy to a simple trip to visit your relatives upside down, it’s not particularly important that many college football teams were able to eke out a full season—but it was an impressive feat nonetheless. And no team was more surprising than the Indiana University Hoosiers.Although the team clearly was on an upward trajectory under fourth-year coach Tom Allen, its ascension to the nation’s top 10 with a 6-1 record in the Big Ten was almost surreal. The good news for IU: The team has booked the Outback Bowl on Jan. 2 with Ole Miss. The bad news: Allen is one of the hottest coaches in the nation and is being pursued by upper-echelon schools with plenty of resources.This is an unusual position for a program that historically has been the Big Ten’s doormat, at least in part because it hasn’t made the necessary investments in football. In this week’s edition of The IBJ Podcast, host Mason King and longtime sports reporter Anthony Schoettle discuss IU’s prospects for keeping Allen, factoring in his contract buyout clause, his stated loyalty to the program and IU’s new philosophy on investing in gridiron success. Unfortunately, as Schoettle points out, IU needs Tom Allen right now a lot more than Tom Allen needs IU. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.      

Lawmakers are required to do just two things in 2021—pass a budget to take effect on July 1 and redraw legislative and congressional district maps based on Census data that will be released later this year. The former occurs every two years; the latter every 10. But it's the budget that is likely to give lawmakers the most fits. After all, the state took in $1.4 billion less in tax revenue than they expected during the fiscal year that ended June 30, the result of slowed economic activity and high unemployment due to the pandemic. And they don't know yet what revenue will look like in 2021 and beyond. To find out what to expect, host Mason King talks with IBJ Statehouse reporter Lindsey Erdody about what legislative leaders are saying about the budget, which state programs could be on the chopping block and what spending the Republican-majority will prioritize.  Click here to follow Lindsey's coverage of the General Assembly and read her previews of the legislative session. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.      

When not-for-profits started filling your inbox with requests for donations on Giving Tuesday last week, did you respond to any of them? If so, was your contribution part of a larger plan for giving? Or were you moved by a particular message and donated on the spot? And does it matter? Giving — and how it fits into your larger financial planning — is the subject of this week's podcast with Peter "Pete the Planner" Dunn. Host Mason King peppers Pete with questions about whether it's better to give one or two big gifts a year, as opposed to a bunch of smaller ones; how much is the right amount to give overall (or even whether there is a "right" number); and how you choose what organizations to invest your dollars in. And Pete explains what's changing about his giving strategy this year. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.      

Bloomington-based Cook Medical announced last week that it will invest $7 million to help build a $15 million medical device manufacturing facility at 38th Street and Sheridan Avenue that is expected to be transformational for the lower-income neighborhood on the northeast side of Indianapolis. Cook has partnered with Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana, The Indianapolis Foundation, Impact Central Indiana and the United Northeast Community Development Corp. to build the facility and hire 100 employees for jobs expected to pay an average hourly wage of $16 plus benefits. Goodwill will operate the plant with the goal of hiring workers from the neighborhood—and will provide key wrap-around services to ensure those workers and their families have the food, housing and education they need to succeed. Podcast host Mason King talked with Pete Yonkman, president of Cook Group and Cook Medical, and Ashley Gurvitz, executive director of United Northeast Community Development Corp., about the project and what it could mean for the neighborhood. And Yonkman explains why Cook is urging other companies to make similar moves. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

The NCAA announced last week that it is in negotiations with local officials to hold its entire March Madness tournament—not just the Final Four, but every single game of the event—in Indianapolis this spring. It's part of an effort to mitigate the impact of COVID-19 on the teams participates and the officials who are involved. The tournament would be treated as a virus-free bubble, similar to the way the NBA operated in Orlando. So what would that mean for Indianapolis? And can the city pull it off? To find out, podcast host Mason King talked with IBJ reporter Mickey Shuey, who has been covering the story, as well as Mark Ganis, co-founder of Chicago-based Sportscorp. Ltd., and Larry DeGaris, a University of Indianapolis professor and sports marketing consultant. They explain why Indianapolis is such a good candidate to take on the event and what challenges lie ahead. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

Dozens of organizations and governmental agencies across central Indiana are trying to address hunger and food insecurity. Schools provide meals to students. The federal government sends food assistance to low-income Hoosiers. Not-for-profits as big as Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana and as small as church food pantries are trying to make sure families have enough to eat. Enter a new effort—Food Secure Indy. But this group won't distribute food or build grocery stores or dig community gardens. Instead, the coalition of Indy companies, government leaders and not-for-groups will work to coordinate existing services. And by doing so, it hopes to The goal is to provide an additional 740,000 meals a month in Marion County on a regular basis by 2023. Podcast host Mason King talks with Margie Craft, a senior adviser at Elanco (the lead company in the coalition) and the project lead for Food Secure Indy about the effort and what it will take to be successful. To learn more, read reporter John Russell's story about Food Secure Indy and the hunger problem in Indianapolis. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

In a state that routinely rewards Republican candidates, Democrats were expected to have a somewhat breakthrough year here. Sure, the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Dr. Woody Myers, wasn't expected to do well. But in the 5th Congressional District, Democrats had high hope for Christina Hale in a race against Republican Victoria Spartz. And they spent heavily in an attempt to knock off several GOP lawmakers in Hamilton County.  But Republicans swept all of those races and many others, actually strengthening their hold at the Statehouse. So podcast host Mason King talked with University of Indianapolis political science professor Laura Merrifield Wilson and IBJ political reporter Lindsey Erdody about the messages Indiana voters sent at the polls. For more politics news, check out IBJ stories here and sign up for Erdody's award-winning newsletter, "The Rundown." The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

If you think saving effectively for retirement simply means knowing the total amount of money you need on the day you tell your boss sayonara, you've only done part of the calculation. After all, "knowing" that number — which is really a misnomer, given that almost none of us know how long we're actually going to live in retirement — doesn't tell you anything about how to get to the number. That's why Peter "Pete the Planner" Dunn says the most important thing to know is how much you need to save every month to reach a total number that seems reasonable for retirement. "It's the only prudent number to think about because it leads to action," Dunn tells IBJ Podcast host Mason King. Dunn also wrote about the issue in last week's IBJ.  The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.    

Artists of all kinds have been hit hard by the pandemic. The theaters, galleries, concert halls and other venues that share their work closed in the spring and at least part of the summer. Many performing arts groups canceled their 2020-21 seasons altogether, while others are going virtual. Yet, the social justice movement that erupted this summer and even the pain caused by the pandemic have provided new opportunities and inspiration for many artists. So podcast host Mason King talked with Julie Goodman, president and CEO of the Arts Council of Indianapolis, about the group's fundraising efforts and grant programs meant to sustain artists and arts groups. Rebecca Robinson, a visual artist and one of the painters on the Black Lives Matter street mural this summer, and Andrew Elliot, a makeup artist and musician, also join the conversation to talk about their personal pandemic experiences. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by the law firm Krieg DeVault.