Longform

John Mellencamp Ain’t Even Done

As John Mellencamp turns 70, the Indiana icon reflects on a career that has transcended his “Pop Singer” beginnings and now represents what rock and roll was supposed to be all about: doing whatever he wants.

Anthony DeCurtis

Half Baked: How A Would-Be Cannabis Empire Went Up In Smoke

Rebecca Raffle came to Indianapolis from Los Angeles with a story about building a cannabis empire. It was too good to be true.

Michael Rubino, Julia Spalding and Derek Robertson

What Are You Wearing — And Why Isn’t It Made In Indy?

For a decade, Pattern has built up a fashion industry in Indianapolis. So where are the clothes?

Amanda Kingsbury

Scott Jones Got Rich Inventing The Next Big Thing. Can He Reinvent Himself?

Indy’s most prolific, flamboyant entrepreneur says he’s burned through his fortune of more than $400 million amid lavish spending, a high-profile business failure, and a nasty divorce.

Adam Wren

How Chris Baggott Built One Of The World’s Busiest Kitchens

ClusterTruck revamped itself during the pandemic into an extremely busy kitchen.

Terry Kirts

“Addiction Wants You Alone, And Then It Wants You Dead”

The forced isolation of the pandemic sparked a surge in deadly overdoses in Indy and around the country. My cousin was one of them.

Matthew Gonzales

Mina Hawk’s Quest For “Attainable Comfort” — And Great Reality TV

Good Bones star Mina Hawk has relatable charm in spades, not to mention hammers and nail guns. Can she build on that?

Megan Fernandez

Indianapolis Has A Hip-Hop Supergroup Now

Oreo Jones, Sirius Blvck, and Sedcairn Archives released their first album as 81355 this month.

Dawn Olsen

“I’d Been Waiting A Long Time To Feel Like Somebody’s Daughter”

In an excerpt from Ashley Ford’s new memoir, the Indy-based author visits her imprisoned father and rediscovers the complex man she knew as a child.

Ashley C. Ford

Checkered Past: Kelly Petillo And How Not To Build A Racing Legacy

The Depression-era Indy 500 champ was banned from the track for his heinous crimes, but his name lives on in unexpected places.

Jeremy Fuchs

Barbara Baekgaard Isn’t Even Close To Finished Yet

As she opens a new boutique hotel in her home of Fort Wayne, the 82-year-old spiritual leader and retired cofounder of Vera Bradley is proving that ambition never goes out of style.

Megan Fernandez

How Christel House Is Keeping Its Founder’s Vision Alive

Christel DeHaan built her schools like businesses so they could thrive as nonprofits, helping them survive an inevitable hardship: her recent death.

Casey Patrick

Zoe LaVerne Is The Tok Of The Town

Greenwood teen Zoe LaVerne’s rise to TikTok stardom has been a soap opera of adolescent rebellion and tears. Maybe that’s why 17 million people are watching.

Lili Wright

Can An Indy Startup Conquer Mental Health’s Final Frontier?

MindX Sciences says its blood test could revolutionize mental health treatment — if they can convince doctors and businesses to buy in.

Derek Robertson

Meet The Entrepreneurs Working To Diversify Indy’s Arts Scene

Malina Jeffers and Alan Bacon believe their nonprofit GANGGANG can elevate the city’s artists of color. The heavier lift? Ending racism.

Dawn Olsen