Hubbard to leave White House economic post

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	Wednesday, November 28, 2007
	Hubbard to leave White House economic post Al Hubbard, chairman of President Bush's National Economic Council, announced today that he's leaving his post, joining a growing line of top presidential advisers exiting the White House as the Bush administration heads into its final year. Hubbard, assistant to the president for economic policy and Indiana Republican chairman from 1993 to 1995, also was president of the Indianapolis-based E&A Industries chemical conglomerate when he joined the Bush administration in early 2005.   IU shines in faculty productivity ranking Faculty at Indiana University-Bloomington ranked more productive in twice as many departments as archrival Purdue University, according to the controversial Faculty Scholarship Productivity Index published recently in The Chronicle of Higher Education. The third annual study released by Academic Analytics Inc. ranks productivity among graduate program faculty.
	Marble, tile company going out of business American Equipment Marble & Tile Inc., a longtime supplier to flooring dealers, distributors and building contractors, is going out of business. Owner and President Bob Irey said the downturn in the home-building market hurt, but he wouldn't comment on another, deeper, reason for the decision. "I'd just as soon still be in the business," said Irey, 48.   California auto supplier moving to Fort Wayne An automotive-parts supplier plans to move its California operations to Fort Wayne, creating 145 jobs by 2011. Gardena, Calif.-based HSAC Acquisition Corp., which does business as Hi-Shear Automotive, plans to begin operations in Fort Wayne by mid-2008. The company is a supplier to Ford, General Motors, Dana and Chrysler.   Ex- worker pleads guilty to setting recycling fire A former plant worker has pleaded guilty to setting a fire at a magnesium recycling company that caused some $12 million in damage. In return for Darrin K. Dettra's guilty plea to arson resulting in bodily injury, Madison County prosecutors agreed to seek a 30-year prison sentence. The 41-year-old Chesterfield man could have faced a maximum penalty of 50 years in prison if he had been convicted at trial.   Fortune Industries profit moves up Profit in Fortune Industries Inc.'s fiscal fourth quarter rose to $602,000, from $536,000 in the same period a year earlier, the Indianapolis-based technology holding company reported today. Revenue in the period ended Aug. 31 fell 9.8 percent, to $43.1 million. For the fiscal year, the company lost $7.8 million on $158.3 million in revenue, partly due to losses in its wireless infrastructure and electronics integration units. In its prior fiscal year, Fortune generated a $1.9 million profit. CEO John Fisbeck said the company is focusing on bringing more consistency to its earnings. Cheap dollar lures German firm to New Castle A German company that makes pipes, containers and other plastic parts for the auto, heating and medical industries is opening a plant in New Castle because the weak value of the American dollar lowers the cost of the investment. Founder Claus Koetke told The Star-Press of Muncie that he located the facility in the eastern Indiana city because the person who will be president of the facility, Chad McClung, lives in nearby Connersville. The $3 million project by KVK Koetke GmbH will be located in an existing building and will employ 25 workers by 2010. The plant will pay workers $18 an hour.
	Blog: 'Creative class' debunked? The Wall Street Journal carried an interesting op-ed piece yesterday by a researcher who claimed cities are putting their eggs in the wrong basket by trying to attract young single professionals with a "brew-latte-and-they-will-come-approach." Joel Kotkin, presidential fellow at Chapman University, argued that Charlotte, N.C., and Houston are doing better jobs of building economies by attracting young, educated families. Do you agree that the creative class emphasis is misplaced? Join the discussion at IBJ's new blog, News Talk. From IBJ staff and Associated Press-Compiled by Norm Heikens Couple to face charges in child's death The Marion County Prosecutor's Office is expected to decide what charges to press against a pregnant woman and her boyfriend today. Charity Bailey and Lawrence Green are in the Marion County Jail, accused of killing Bailey's 3-year-old daughter, Tajanay, who had been removed from her care at least twice for medical neglect and abuse. Fox 59 News has requested access to the girl's confidential records. A juvenile court hearing on the matter is scheduled for Friday. Fox 59 will have more at 10 p.m.
	Eight IPS schools to close Four elementary schools and four middle schools will close under a sweeping redistricting plan approved unanimously by the Indianapolis Public Schools Board last night. Two of the middle schools will be converted to other uses, one will be an alternative school for students with discipline problems and the other will be an academy for gifted students. Suspect still at large in Carmel model home assault Carmel police say an armed man sexually assaulted a woman Monday night inside a model home near 141st Street and Shelbourne Road. Carmel police are patrolling neighborhoods near the area of the assault. Robber ties up woman at Noblesville home Officers were called Monday to the 300 block of Wellington Parkway in Noblesville after someone posing as a delivery man forced his way into the home of a 32-year-old woman. Police say the suspect tied up the victim and took several items from the house. She was unharmed. October sees more new listings, unsold homes The inventory of homes for sale in central Indiana continued to swell in October as new listings were added to the mix and sales continued to decline, reports the Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors . The number of new listings last month increased 32.7 percent from the same month a year ago. The October figure of 4,435 is 11.5-percent higher than the same month two years ago. Meanwhile, the number of homes sold in October fell 19.7 percent.
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