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2014 01 10

Column

Converted from paper version of the Broad Ripple Gazette (v11n01)

Round the Ripple by Bill Malcolm

posted: Jan. 10, 2014

We have a lot going on in the Ripple and beyond for the Holidays.

Will the third time be the charm for improved transit in Broad Ripple?

Will Broad Ripple get a new bus rapid transit line serving downtown and Carmel?

Letting Central Indiana voters decide on expanding regional transit is back for a third try in the State House.

Also on the agenda is sending voters a referendum to ban gay marriage in the state's Constitution. (It's already against the law.) Major employers, universities and colleges, and Mayor Ballard have all have come out against it.

Cornell Avenue project adds "reverse angle parking", skips street lights

Have you noticed the revised parking procedures on the newly re-paved Cornell Avenue? You back into the spaces. The re-vamped parking was part of the re-paving project. Reverse angle parking is now used on portions of the east side of Cornell Avenue from 65th to 66th Street.

A recent visit to the location showed about half of the drivers had heeded the signage. A Bike Line employee said he liked the new system but wondered why no street lights were installed when they re-paved the street. He noted that it is cheaper to install street lights than hire new police officers to patrol the area.

image courtesy of Bill Malcolm

Indy's murder rate now tops that of the 5 largest cities and on the rise

The top 5 largest cities saw big drops in their murder rate in 2013 including an 18% decline in nearby Chicago. Not so in Indianapolis which reached an 8 year high and gave us the dubious distinction of having a higher murder rate than New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, and Philadelphia. All saw a drop in their murder rate of around 20%.

New Pan Asian restaurant, gay bar slated for the site of the former Ripple Inn

A December 19, 2014, Indianapolis Star article reports that the Ripple Inn at the corner of Westfield and Winthrop will re-open as a pan-Asian restaurant on the main floor and gay bar upstairs making it the first gay bar in Broad Ripple.

The Ripple Inn closed in 2012 and before that was a steak house.

According to developer Bill Ficca, the matter is in the City permit stage and if all goes as planned the bar and restaurant will open in late spring.

Outstanding Owls: Winter fun at Holliday Park

Who doesn't like an outstanding owl (vs. the plain jane variety)?

Here are some upcoming events at BR's favorite park:

1/14/14 Audubon Society meeting, 7:30 pm

1/19/14 Outstanding Owls program, 1:30 p.m. ($5)

Some like it hot: Friday night movies at the IMA

Every Friday until February 28, 2014, the Toby Theater at the Indianapolis Art Museum features films. They will show "Some Like it Hot" (with Marilyn Monroe, Jack Lemmon, and Tony Curtis) on January 10. Visit www.imamuseum,org for more information on the Winter Nights Film Series.

White bike means caution advised

Use caution on the Monon when crossing 75th Street at Westfield. An injured bike rider put this white bike there.

image courtesy of Bill Malcolm

And for a change of scenery

Tired of dealing with this horrendously cold and snowy winter?

Escape to San Francisco on our new taxpayer supported non-stop United Airlines flight. (The state has promised the airline a $1.5 million revenue guarantee.) Fares are around $350 round trip.

You can also take a connecting flight. However, if you pick Frontier through Denver, the carrier now charges for carry on bags as well as beverages and other stuff. They are under new owners who created the fee-happy Spirit Airlines which they call "ultra low cost". (The fares are low cost, the fees not so much.) See the reviews of the new Frontier at www.yelp.com.

Bill Malcolm also writes a travel column in The Midwest Eagle and is a reporter for All Aboard Indiana (as a volunteer for both). He advocates for fair and affordable utility rates for a national association based in Washington, D.C. He welcomes reader feedback and story ideas. Send to Bill@BroadRippleGazette.com

bill@broadripplegazette.com

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