Obama, Clinton neck-and-neck, poll shows

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	Tuesday, April 29, 2008
	Obama, Clinton neck-and-neck, poll shows Democratic presidential hopefuls Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are locked in a virtual dead heat in Indiana, according to the latest Howey-Gauge Poll. Hoosiers favor Obama over Clinton by the slim margin of 47 percent to 45 percent. In the race for governor, Democrat Jill Long Thompson holds a commanding lead of 45 percent to 27 percent over challenger Jim Schellinger, who suffers from a lack of name recognition, according to pollsters.  Tax charge blunts Interactive Intelligence profit First-quarter profit for Interactive Intelligence Inc. slipped as a byproduct of a good thing: it finally made enough money to start paying taxes. The Indianapolis-based maker of communications software reported $1.1 million in profit compared to $1.8 million a year earlier. Dragging down the most recent quarter was $925,000 in income taxes, almost 10 times more than was paid in the first quarter of 2007.
	Exports, price increases fuel Dow Agro profit Dow AgroSciences, the Indianapolis-based agricultural arm of Dow Chemical Co., saw profit leap to $331 million in the first quarter from $282 million a year earlier due to internal growth and acquisitions. The positive numbers came despite weakness in domestic markets and what the company called unprecedented increases in feedstock and energy prices.   WellPoint announces plan to buy DeCare Dental WellPoint Inc. plans to brush up its dental coverage with the purchase of DeCare Dental, a third-party administrator that serves nearly 4 million people. Indianapolis-based WellPoint announced the deal today but declined to reveal the price. A statement from WellPoint says Minneapolis-based DeCare serves 10 dental plans and 21,000 employer groups.   Simon funds, same-store sales rise Simon Property Group today reported that funds from operations, a common measure of real estate investment trusts like the Indianapolis-based shopping mall giant, rose 7 percent in the first quarter. The $420 million amounted to $1.46 a share, slightly more than the $1.44 expected by analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. Net income fell 10.7 percent, to $87.9 million, due to increased depreciation costs for the Mills Corp. malls Simon acquired in February last year. Simon said average rent increased across its regional malls, outlet malls and lifestyle centers. Big cold-storage warehouse on tap in Lebanon United States Cold Storage Inc., a Voorhees, N.J., company specializing in logistics for refrigerated and frozen food, is considering building a warehouse in Lebanon. The $50 million warehouse eventually could be as large as 423,000 square feet, according to The Lebanon Reporter. It would be built on 59 acres in Lebanon Business Park.   Wabash National swings to loss Truck trailer manufacturer Wabash National Corp. reported a $6.4 million loss in its first quarter, down from a $1 million profit a year earlier. The loss amounted to 21 cents a share, more than the 14-cent loss anticipated by analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial. The Lafayette company and other trailer makers have struggled as the economy slowed.  Brightpoint buys British wireless business Brightpoint Great Britain Ltd., a unit of Plainfield-based Brightpoint Inc., has bought the wireless distribution business of Hugh Symons Group Ltd. for $586,000, the value of Symons inventory, and certain performance-based payments not to exceed $7.2 million. The acquisition gives Brightpoint a long-desired entry into the United Kingdom. Hugh Symons executives have been asked to stay with Brightpoint.
	Daylight-saving time a hit for Indians Longer days ring up bigger concession and souvenir sales. The Score From IBJ staff - Compiled by Norm Heikens Missing 2-year-old, grandmother found Police say they've located 2-year-old McKinzie Wilhoite and her grandmother, Wilma McKinzie, both of whom had been missing since yesterday. They were found at 4920 Kentucky Ave. after a citizen saw media reports of a vehicle described by police. Both are in stable condition and are being treated for hypothermic conditions. Fox 59 will have more on the story tonight at 10 p.m.
	Indiana cancels amber alert Indiana has cancelled an amber alert after a southwestern Michigan teenager has been found safe in Tennessee after disappearing over the weekend. Wesley Ayers, 15, of Wayland, Mich., was found sleeping in a car in a Wal-Mart parking lot in Athens, Tenn., this morning. A 24-year-old man who is believed to have talked the teen into leaving home and a 19-year-old neighbor of Ayers were also found in the car. All three are in police custody. A stolen vehicle believed to have carried the teen and two other men was found in Albion, near Fort Wayne. Hillary continues to stump in Hoosier state Hillary Clinton plans stops in Indianapolis, Hobart and Princeton today. Her Indianapolis appearance will be held at Miller Veneers, a manufacturing plant on 13th Street. That event is closed to the public. Tomorrow, Clinton will attend a rally at Memorial Gym in Kokomo. On Thursday, she campaigns in Terre Haute. John Mellencamp will join Clinton for a rally at 8:30 p.m. Saturday on the lawn of White River State Park in downtown Indianapolis. Barack Obama will also be back in Indiana. He'll appear at Assembly Hall on the Indiana University campus at 8:30 pm. Criminal charges possible in Premier blowup Authorities are considering pursuing criminal charges against Christopher P. White and other executives of Premier Properties USA Inc.   Festival finds its stride 500 Festival Inc. in the past five years has doubled its budget, improved attendance at its signature parade and continued to grow the nation's largest half-marathon.   Soaring cost of gas gives 'E85' a lift Prices of the E85 alternative fuel are flirting with gasoline on an energy-equivalent basis.
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