Who Gets What?

Brian Newman, production manager at The Indiana Repertory Theatre, explains the economics of mounting plays. With an annual budget of $1.5 million, Brian must allocate assets for everything on stage ("except that which breathes.")

Lee Lewellen. President and CEO of The Indiana Economic Development Association, talks about development issues, such as scarcity of qualified workers, and scarcity of housing for new workers.

He also describes the nature of his association, a group of development officers from all over Indiana.

John and Morton again converse with Bob Kennedy, who, among his many professional activities, served as director of The Department of Metropolitan Development and as a member of the Metropolitan Development Commission.

Bob describes the work of the department and the commission, especially after the creation of Unigov in Indianapolis.

Community activist Stacey Clark has led her neighborhood, Driftwood Hills, in opposition to a development which will destroy trees and exacerbate density and traffic problems.

Along they way, a new neighborhood association has been created which wishes to represent itself independently from The Nora Community Council.

Urban transportation expert Bob Kennedy, previously interviewed (June 15, 2018, "The Last Mile, Uber to Red"), proposes elimination of the interstate through our central city.

"Interstate traffic," he says, "can go around." Beautiful boulevards can change the downtown. Air and other pollutants (such as rubber), can and should be reduced. Tolling is a viable option. Interstate traffic could run below ground level. These all are stimulating ideas in this conversation.

Organized in 2002, The Formosa Quartet recently "kickstarted" a CD.

A member of the quartet is Jasmine Lin, competitor in an early edition of The International Violin Competition of Indianapolis, and a student of its founder, Josef Gingold.

In this conversation with Jasmine, we learn about revenue sources, the crowd funding technique, playing in subways, how classical music affects loiterers, the quartet's foray into the jazz of Stephene Grappelli, and Jasmine's visit to Indiana University.

Greg Osborne ("Oz"), a wine and spirits vendor since 1980, talks about dynamics of the wine business.

He purchases most wines sold by The 21st Amendment, and sells many bottles from a door on 86th Street.

Urban transportation dominates this discussion between John, Morton, and Bob Kennedy, long-time Indianapolis resident, activist and observer who is architect, urban planner, former director of the Metropolitan Development Commission, former lead architect of our library system, and a founder of "Rethink 65-70," a volunteer citizens group offering ideas on the Indianapolis inner city interstate highway loop. (https://rethink65-70.org)>

Bob believes that future transportation efficiency involves "The Last Mile," services between destination and drop off, such as stations along the new Indianapolis Red Line bus system. One solution is ride sharing.

John and Morton talk about the function of The Federal Home Loan Bank system with Michael J. Hannigan, Jr., a director of the FHLB of Indianapolis, who served a term as vice chair.

Mike proposes that liberalization of lending criteria led to the crash of 2008, and that related restrictions legislated since that time are too onerous.