IndyStar.com: Cathy Kightlinger
Indiana's leading news source for all the top stories, local news, sports and weather.
A love fest for local tennis founder
The Indianapolis tennis community took time Sunday to celebrate the 40th anniversary of a popular city tennis program, as well as its matriarch. About 335 showed up for the National Junior Tennis League of Indianapolis 40-Love Celebration at...
There was no masking charitable benefit
Downtown was bustling with black-tie events last weekend, including two different masquerade galas Nov. 7. Un Ballo in Maschero, a lavish fundraiser for Indianapolis Opera, was at the Marriott. At Conseco Fieldhouse, revelers celebrated its 10th...
Stealing the show with a mink stole
Beverly Hills supper club glamour of the 1930s and 1940s was the style of the evening Saturday at The Christamore House Guild’s 35th Annual Gala, called “The Sapphire Supper Club.” Palm trees, white sofas for lounging and old-school...
Colts show up for fundraiser
Joe Clausman didn’t need more autographed Colts memorabilia Monday when he won a bidding war for a helmet that had been signed by star quarterback Peyton Manning. “I know Peyton personally,” said Clausman, who lives in the area....
Saks puts on fashion show to remember
As a swanky department store, Saks Fifth Avenue showed that it knew how to throw Indianapolis’ finest fashion party of the year last weekend. With two months left in 2009, it’s unlikely that another event will mix the high-end,...
Foundation toasts firefighters
Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana leaders are back in their canal-side home at 340 W. Michigan St. after the March 12 blaze at the construction site of the Cosmopolitan on the Canal apartment/retail complex. Friday, they gave credit where...
Despite its locale, fundraiser was lively
Leave it to the leaders of the Phoenix Theatre — one of the city’s most edgy theaters — to come up with a plan for a fundraiser in a graveyard. “A Spirited Evening at Crown Hill’s Gothic Chapel” drew about 125...
Indy's radio crowd rocks Livestrong benefit
Indiana’s rock and roll community gathered for a cause Thursday at the Music Mill. The cause: Raise money for the Lance Armstrong Foundation on behalf of Verizon Wireless Music Center’s general manager Steve Finkel, a cycling enthusiast...
Mystery writers, fans mingle in Indy
Mystery was in the air in Downtown Indianapolis last weekend when Bouchercon, the World Mystery Convention, made its way to the city. More than 1,600 mystery writers, readers and others descended on the Hyatt Regency and the area around it from Oct....
In tribute to IMA exhibit, gala has a Spanish vibe
Yards of warm-colored sheer fabric, matching flowers and dozens of candles arranged inside a white tent set the scene for the Indianapolis Museum of Art’s Second Annual Gala on Oct. 9. Everything from the tent’s decor to the night’s...
Colts stars come out for charity
The annual Make-A-Wish Foundation fundraiser Tuesday was called “An Evening With the Stars,” and for about 460 people, that’s exactly what it was. Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and tight end Dallas Clark , who was the...
$650K for Marian scholarships
Marian University raised about $650,000 to bolster its scholarships program Thursday during an annual celebration and dinner. More than 800 attended the awards presentation and event, called Opportunities for Excellence Scholarship Celebration and...
Fundraiser was classic mix of music and suds
Beethoven and beer made a good pairing Oct. 4, when about 200 people dropped in at The Rathskeller for a fundraiser for the American Pianists Association. The APA’s first “Beethoven and Brew” featured samples of German beers (plus a...
IPS Hall of Fame gains 6 new members
Six Indianapolis Public Schools alumni were added to the list of the district’s elite Tuesday during the 4th annual IPS Hall of Fame celebration at the Indiana Roof Ballroom. About 450 students, educators and IPS supporters attended the...
Coming home to a housewarming
The men of Butler University’s Phi Delta Theta fraternity have a new castle — so they took advantage of the school’s homecoming festivities last weekend to show it off. After seven years of not having a frat house on campus, the...
Fundraising proved to be in fine fashion
Some of the city’s most influential female civic leaders helped raise an estimated $80,000 to $85,000 when they took turns walking the runway for the seventh annual “Stepping Out in Style” fashion show. Proceeds from the event,...
10 years of getting to the heart of art
WFYI Public Radio’s popular arts talk show, “The Art of the Matter,” is turning 10 on Friday. To mark the occasion, the station (90.1 FM) will offer a special anniversary broadcast at 8 p.m. Friday. During that program, the...
This day, the shoe definitely fit
Alpha Blackburn , president and CEO of Blackburn Architects, celebrated her 70th birthday last weekend with a few dozen friends, champagne, homemade gumbo and a signature pair of high heels. Blackburn, who is known around town for wearing heels, told...
Ballet backers kick up their heels
When 11 international ballet stars danced across the Murat Theatre stage during the Indianapolis City Ballet’s gala debut last weekend, an enthusiastic audience greeted them during and after the show. Throughout the performance, dancers —...
Foundation nearly set to return home
Tim Durham ’s swanky suite of offices in the Downtown Chase tower was the site for a Historic Landmarks Foundation reception Saturday. Durham, who is serving as interim president and CEO of National Lampoon, wasn’t there, but an ample...
Magazine is upbeat about Jazz Kitchen
When Downbeat magazine readers go out in Indianapolis, it’s a good bet they’ll show up at the Jazz Kitchen. That’s because Downbeat — a longtime voice of the international jazz community — has included the Kitchen in its...
Theater group honors playwright
The Indiana Repertory Theatre’s already celebrated playwright in residence has earned another honor as one of his latest works, “The Heavens Are Hung in Black,” is set to open on the Downtown Indianapolis stage. James Still , who...
Warehouse was great spot to help Helpings
When Second Helpings decided to turn its warehouse into a party place for its sixth annual Harvest event last weekend, organizers weren’t sure how it would turn out. They had never held the fundraiser inside their facility, which includes the...
Race legend here for MotoGP
An Indy 500 legend was tucked away at the Turn Two Victory Suite at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway on Sunday, quietly watching the MotoGP race as city leaders and executives popped in and out. Three-time Indianapolis 500 winner Johnny Rutherford sat...
Not too early for Mardi Gras
A bit of The Big Easy made it to Broad Ripple for the Indianapolis Art Center’s annual end-of-summer fundraiser. About 500 people attended Artsparkle, which kicked off the center’s 75th anniversary celebration and raised about $60,000....
College fund honors event's vice chairs
About 175 United Negro College Fund supporters gathered Wednesday at the governor’s residence on Meridian Street to honor a few who bolster the agency and in anticipation of its upcoming masked ball. Indianapolis civic leader and retired WRTV...
Stars line up for Manning fundraiser
Peyton Manning wasn’t in bowling shoes Monday at 96th Street’s Woodland Bowl. But just about every other celebrity at his PeyBack Foundation’s annual bowling tournament was sporting some version of them while they competed for...
Stars line up for Manning fundraiser
Peyton Manning wasn’t in bowling shoes Monday at 96th Street’s Woodland Bowl. But just about every other celebrity at his PeyBack Foundation’s annual bowling tournament was sporting some version of them while they competed for...
Groups join forces for the arts
Two fixtures on the Indianapolis cultural calendar combined last weekend, creating a musical extravaganza at the Jazz Kitchen. Organizers of Oranje (Sept. 19) and the Indy Jazz Fest (Sept. 19-27) hosted the party to cross-promote their upcoming...
'55 Attucks team fetes assistant coach
Members of the legendary 1955 Crispus Attucks High School basketball team and friends got together Saturday at Hollyhock Hill restaurant to recognize one of their own. About 20 people, including several players who made history as part of the first...
