Category Archives: Indy

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Long lines in many places as Indiana’s early voting begins

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INDIANAPOLIS — Tuesday was the first day of early voting in Indiana and a record number of people showed up to cast their vote in Marion County.

According to the County Clerk’s office, 1,240 people voted on Tuesday. The previous county record was in 2016 when around 900 people showed up for the first day of early voting.

“There’s a lot of contention, a lot of dissatisfaction and the only way to get that resolved is to come out and express your opinion,” said voter Brad Markisohn.

The early voting line wrapped around the City County Building for most of the day. Some people said they waited three hours to get inside, but they said it was well worth the wait.

“I’m very excited because I came from a communist country where voting is really hard,” said voter Adam Wilson. Wilson is from Cuba and says the ability to vote is something he doesn’t take for granted. “I get very emotional because I think it’s something that I have to do. It makes me happy to have my voice heard.”

Many people showed up prepared to wait. Some brought folding chairs, books and snacks. Voter Patricia Parson told WRTV her whole family came out to vote together. “I think I was more excited when I was sealing my ballot. When I was completely done I said oh man, my hand was shaking, because this is going to count,” said Parson.

Extra precautions were in place inside to protect voters and poll workers from COVID-19. Dividers were set up, masks were required and all polling machines were wiped down between each use.

You can find more information about when and where to early vote in Marion County by clicking here.

IPS encouraging some students to walk to school

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INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Public School system is adding crossing guards at some spots near schools, and at the same time encouraging some children to walk to school, if they live close enough to do so.

As WRTV’s Rafael Sanchez reports, the aim to to decrease the number of children on school buses during the pandemic.

Madam C.J. Walker’s legacy will be on display at Indianapolis International Airport

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Madam C.J. Walker Portrait

Source: Michael Ochs Archives / Getty

INDIANAPOLIS — By Next February, a mural depicting the life and accomplishments of Madam C.J. Walker will be on display in the Civic Plaza at Indianapolis International Airport.

Monday, the airport received the go ahead for the project from the Indianapolis Bicentennial Commission. A search for a digital artist to create the mural design began in August and wraps up October 18. Preference is being given to Black artists living in Marion and surrounding counties.

“Commemorating Madam Walker is an important step in helping travelers associate Indianapolis with a strong inclusive culture and continuing values of entrepreneurship, community service, and civic pride,” said IAA Executive Director Mario Rodriguez. “The airport mural will set the stage to inspire travelers with Madam Walker’s historic importance as they experience the city and see traces of her impact that have carried through the past and into the present.”

Walker, who died in 1919, was considered the wealthiest self-made Black businesswoman of her time, her fortune coming from the cosmetics and hair care company she founded in Indianapolis.

The mural, which will be on display for two years, will portray Walker’s lasting impact on the physical, social, cultural, and economic legacy of Indiana Avenue and the City of Indianapolis.

According to the Indianapolis Airport Authority, The Bicentennial Commission endorsed the Madam Walker mural project specifically because it connects to Indianapolis’ bicentennial history, will be readily open and accessible to the public and will be fully funded by the airport.

“We are excited to collaborate with the Indianapolis Airport Authority and the Arts Council of Indianapolis on this mural to showcase the legacy of Madam Walker and her legacy’s significant impact on our city,” said Joyce Q. Rogers, Madam Walker Legacy Center Board Chairperson. “Through this partnership, people traveling near and far will have the opportunity to enjoy this display at one our most prominent community assets, the Indy Airport.”

For more information about the public call for artist applications, visit the Indy Arts Guide. [indyartsguide.org]

IPS students start going back to the classroom with dozens of protocols in place

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INDIANAPOLIS — For the first time since March, some IPS students will be making their way back into the classroom.

Kindergarten through third grade went back to school on October 1, and WRTV went into Daniel Webster School 46 to see what this new school year will look like.

“I am so ready to get these kids back in school,” said Kameron Riddle, a first grade teacher at Daniel Webster School 46.

She said being in the classroom is crucial for social and emotional learning.

“They need to be around their peers; they need to be somewhere that’s not around like their parents every single day like they need to have that independence and come to school,” said Riddle.

But getting kids not to touch their eyes, nose, mouth, and each other can be difficult.

“We have a procedure and protocol for pretty much everything,” said Principal Allyson Peterkin.

She said they have procedures for walking in the hallway, going to lunch, recess, dismissal, and even bathroom breaks.

“Each class has their own recess equipment, and it will be cleaned every single night; we have different times throughout the day that the bathrooms will be deep cleaned and will have a deep cleaning process at the end of every day,” said Peterkin.

She told us the district bought lanyards to help kids keep their masks on, and they bought water bottles for every student so they can use the automatic water fountain.

This is obviously going to be a significant change for students and staff, and both Peterkin and Riddle are glad they have extra time with the younger students to get them adjusted.

“We’re definitely going to take that first week can just go over expectations procedures routines in the classroom, especially since they’re going to look a little different with all the new cleanliness procedures we have to follow, so that’s what that first week is for,” said Riddle.

Students will only be situated with their classmates so that way if someone does get COVID-19, they can quickly assess who that child was near.

On October 19, all IPS students will begin to phase back into in-person learning.

For more information on IPS’ plan, click here.

 

8 people shot, 3 fatally early Sunday morning in Indy

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Indianapolis

Source: Jennifer Aldridge / iONEDigital

INDIANAPOLIS — A violent night in Indianapolis left eight people shot and three dead early Sunday morning.

The first shooting took place in the 1700 block of Bellafontaine Street just before 2 a.m. Officers responded to the area and located a person suffering from a gunshot wound. The victim was taken to the hospital in critical condition.

Indianapolis Police Department has not released any additional details about the shooting or the victim.

Less than an hour later, IMPD officers responded to the parking lot of a bar in the 5400 block of Massachusetts Avenue for a report of multiple people shot. Arriving officers found three adult victims suffering gunshot wounds. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.

At this time no details about the victims or possible suspects have been released. IMPD PIO Samone Burris says the bar the shootings happened outside and was open at the time of the shootings.

While on the scene of the triple shooting, officers were dispatched nearby to Community East Hospital for a report of four walk-in shooting victims.

Burris says detectives are still working to determine if the two incidents are related and it is unclear where the shooting took place that injured the four walk-in patients.

“The vast majority of restaurants and bars in Indianapolis are acting in good faith, working to provide safe experiences for patrons in accordance with the Marion County Public Health Department’s orders,” Mark Bode, a city spokesperson, said. “It’s incredibly disappointing when a few bad actors ignore the guidelines put in place, and even more so when irresponsible decisions end in senseless violence. We’d encourage anyone with information on last night’s shooting to call the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475 or Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS.”

City-County Councilor Keith Graves, District 13, released the following statement regarding the incident:

At approximately 2:30 a.m. this morning, a gunfight erupted in the 5400 block of Massachusetts outside a venue located in District 13 that recently began hosting an after-hours social gathering. An unknown number of individuals from that gathering engaged in a gunfight that recklessly put those who gathered in the crossfire. It resulted in 7 persons being shot, 3 of whom were killed.

While we grieve for those injured and killed in this horrific event, I want to state in the clearest possible terms that this dangerous, irresponsible behavior is not representative of the residents of District 13. Just yesterday morning, many of our neighbors participated in a community clean-up project with members of IMPD’s East District. Those same East District officers, led by Commander Riddle, have demonstrated a sincere commitment to our neighborhoods, even proactively partnering with other law enforcement agencies to free our District from those who engage in violent criminal activity. The events of last night will not deter our residents or our partners at IMPD East District from our efforts to create safe, welcoming neighborhoods in District 13.

I encourage anyone with information about last night’s shooting to contact Crime Stoppers at 317-262-8477 or IMPD East District at 31-327-6200.

All three incidents remain under investigation at this time.

Report: Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins Tests Positive For COVID-19

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US-IRELAND-DIPLOMACY-BREAKFAST

Source: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI / Getty

Notre Dame President Father John Jenkins tested positive for COVID-19 days after attending a White House event without a mask. According to reports, Fr. Jenkins is now isolated and experiencing mild symptoms.

A message from Notre Dame to obtained by CNN said “During self-quarantine, this week, University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC, learned that a colleague with whom he has been in regular contact tested positive for COVID-19. Fr Jenkins was tested and found to be positive for COVID-19 too. As a result, he is entering an extended period of isolation as indicated by University medical personnel and county health officials.”

In a press release, Jenkins said “My symptoms are mild and I will continue work from home. The positive test is a good reminder for me and perhaps for all of how vigilant we need to be.”

Friday morning, President Donald Trump announced that he along with his wife, First Lady Melania had tested positive for COVID-19.

SOURCE | CNN

RELATED: Coronavirus Downplayer Donald Trump Tests Positive For COVID-19 #TrumpHasCovid
RELATED: Donald Trump Says COVID-19 Doesn’t Spread At His Rona Rallies, Twitter Blinks In Herman Cain

[ione_media_gallery id=”2533509″ overlay=”true”]

 

Indy Rising Star Maeta Drops Visual For ‘Teen Scene’ Featuring Buddy

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Maeta

Source: Roc Nation / Roc Nation


Rising star Maeta has dropped a new music video for her latest song Teen Scene. Indy, if you have not heard Maeta yet we suggest you hop on the bandwagon before it’s too late…

The Indianapolis singer started off her career through Soundcloud and continued to grow a fan base. Following the numerous drops on SoundCloud was her EP ‘Do Not Disturb‘. We are loving the new sound coming out of Indy! Check out Maeta’s music video for Teen Scene below!

 

RELATED: Buy Black Indy

RELATED:Freddie Gibbs Cooks DJ Akademiks To A Crisp On ‘Desus & Mero’ [Video]

GO BACK TO HOMEPAGE

An Indianapolis mom in grief pleads to stop the violence

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INDIANAPOLIS — A woman is speaking with WRTV for the first time since losing her son to gun violence last month. As someone who is very involved in and cares about the community, this loss is devastating and only invigorating her more to stand up and fight to stop the violence.

“I would take flowers and give them to the parents at a funeral, never imagining when my son turned 20 years old, that someone would be handing me flowers,” Chrystal Gray said.

On Aug. 21, Gray received a call that her son Kevin Richey Jr. had been shot.

“My emotions are still kind of unexplainable,” she said. “It’s still shocking. It’s still scary.”

From what Gray understands, her son was mistaken to be somebody else and was shot in the 900 block of Edgemont Avenue on the near northwest side.

“I understand that he expressed to that person, ‘That’s not me, that ain’t me bro. That’s not me.’ And the person still pulled the trigger and shot him,” Gray said.

Far Eastside event encourages people to take part in census count

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INDIANAPOLIS — This week would have marked the deadline for census counting but it has been extended through Oct. 31.

The Exchange Club at Indianapolis Urban League and the Community Alliance of the Far Eastside, teamed up today to make sure every person counts.

“We’ve got $675 million that will be determined by the census and we need everyone to count,” said Adrianne Slash, The Exchange Club at Indianapolis Urban League president.

They called it a family block party, full of family fun, music, and plenty of food.

“An event like this is needed as we are in the middle of a pandemic some of the restrictions lessening,” CAFÉ chief programs officer Kendra Nowell said. “This is a time people can come out and enjoy the nice weather as we are approaching Fall and just bringing awareness to the community,”

“For every person who isn’t counted that could be around 30-thousand dollars for the funding that doesn’t make it into the community,” Slash said.

Money that matters to this community.

“It’s important for us to understand the census areas that are under-reporting and the primarily black areas are under-reporting,” Slash said.

Aside from making sure everyone is counted the party made sure to place an emphasis on voting because with November elections on the way they say every voice matter.

The Exchange Club at Indianapolis Urban League partnered with CAFE as part of their leadership fellowship service project. School supplies were also given out at the event.

Volunteers sign up jail inmates to vote in November election

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INDIANAPOLIS — On Saturday, September 19, Indianapolis’ Office of Public Health and Safety and Marion County Jail partnered to register qualified inmates in Marion County Jail I to vote in the upcoming November 2020 election. Carlette Duffy, the Director of Re-Entry for OPHS, helped lead the efforts.

“This is not work for me. This is my passion,” Duffy said. “Doing this type of work, even on a volunteer basis in the community, has had more of an impact on me than any type of other employment I could have been doing.”

Duffy says the inmates they helped registered were surprised the opportunity was presented to them. They also asked a lot of questions.

“They were very excited to do it and it made them feel like they were part of the process because each person that came through, we thanked them for allowing their voice to be heard,” Duffy said.

Making sure the voiceless can find their voice is something very personal to Duffy.

“Being the first Director of Re-Entry who has a criminal history and who was incarcerated, when I talk to them, I let them know I was where you are right now,” Duffy said. “I was able to expunge my criminal history and that is through legislation that is through legislators who were put in place because we vote.”

Duffy says that last point is why it’s important everyone who’s eligible to vote is given the knowledge and information they need to do it.

“My goal and my efforts are to do whatever I can in my capacity to lay a trail for those coming behind me to make their walk a little easier,” Duffy said.

In Indiana, voting rights are restored to individuals who have been released from jail or prison. Individuals on parole, probation, home detention, work release, or people who are in jail awaiting trial who have not been convicted can also register and vote. The Indiana Code that allows voting rights for particular inmates and those released from jail or prison can be found here.

Group of Indy bar owners sue city, health department over COVID-19 restrictions

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INDIANAPOLIS — A group of Indianapolis bar and nightclub owners are suing the city of Indianapolis and the Marion County Public Health Department over restrictions imposed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The lawsuit seeks a preliminary and permanent injunction against the city, health department, as well as Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett and Dr. Virginia Caine, director of the Marion County Public Health Department, seeking to prevent them from enforcing any restrictions on the businesses. The lawsuit is also seeking unspecified costs and damages.

A spokesman for Hogsett said the city does not comment on pending litigation but issued the following statement:

“Mayor Hogsett fully supports the Marion County Public Health Department’s leadership and ongoing health orders, which have slowed the spread of the virus in our city and continue to save lives.”

Plaintiffs in the case include Tiki Bobs Cantina, Invy Nighclub, Coaches Tavern, Courtside Convenience, Joes Grill Castleton, The Whistle Stop Inn, That Place Bar & Grill, Taps and Dolls, After 6 Lounge, Jokers Comedy Club, 247 Sky Bar, Whiskey Business Lawrence, Whiskey Business Southport, Average Joe’s Sports Pub, Rock Lobster, Mineshaft Saloon, Basey’s Downtown, The Red room, Mickie’s Pub, and Sports Page Lounge.

The business owners said the “stringent and inflexible business restrictions” have led to millions of dollars in losses over the past six months.

“What was once a thriving nightlife scene that revitalized the economic fortunes of the city and made Indianapolis one of the best convention destinations in America is now littered with boarded up windows, pop up tents and empty tables,” the businesses said in a statement. “Forced business closures by the city, and then later, severe business restrictions more stringent than those put in place by the governor in his Back on Track Indiana plan, have put each of these owners and their families on the brink of financial ruin.”

The business owners, in the lawsuit, argue that the county’s own COVID-19 statistics show that deaths from the novel coronavirus have steadily declined since earlier in the year despite a reopening of many industries and a return to school of kids of all ages.

The lawsuit address public health orders that the businesses allege impose more strict restrictions on bars and night clubs in Marion County as opposed to the rest of the state, are more restrictive on bars that cater only to adults, outlaw seating that is adjacent to bars as opposed to tables, outlawing live entertainment, outlawing dancing and requiring businesses to close at midnight even though capacity restrictions are in place.

Fraternity house at IU to close through summer for COVID-19 violations

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Entrance sign to Indiana University Bloomington Indiana

Source: Education Images / Getty

BLOOMINGTON — A fraternity house at Indiana University Bloomington will be closed through summer 2021 for violations of measures designed to limit the spread of COVID-19.

According to information from the Monroe County Health Department, health officials were notified on Sept. 16 of a situation at Alpha Epsilon Pi that appeared to be a serious violation of Monroe County Health Board regulations.

The health department, after consulting with local law enforcement, representatives of Indiana University and the fraternity, determined that on Sept. 16 individual members of the fraternity “intentionally instituted, permitted, or maintained conditions which may transmit the spread of COVID-19.” In addition, the investigation uncovered that those individual members may have initially provided false information to law enforcement about their actions.

“Upon further investigation, a pattern of behavior was uncovered, which created conditions that had put the health of residents of Monroe County at risk of becoming infected with COVID-19,” the health department said in a statement. “Those residents include Indiana University students, faculty, and administrators, as well as the general public.”

The health department informed those involved it would petition to seek an injunction to prevent similar behavior in the future and to seek fines for the behavior unless immediate action was taken “to ensure that individual members of Alpha Epsilon Pi could no longer threaten the health of Monroe County residents.”

According to the health department, Indiana University and Alpha Epsilon Pi leadership reached an agreement to close the fraternity house doors for the remainder of the academic year and through the summer of 2021. The health department will not pursue enforcement action as a result.

“The Department is already discussing a plan to work proactively with Greek organizations and Indiana University to promote the health and safety of students and the greater community,” the health department said in its statement.

A spokesman for Indiana University issued the following statement:

This agreement directly addresses the concerns in this particular Greek house and reflects the serious nature of ensuring student safety. As the latest COVID testing results of our students show, the positivity rate is declining among all students including fraternity and sorority members. We will continue to work with the students and our partners at the county health department to keep IU and the surrounding community healthy.

Both U.S. senators from Indiana support hearings for Trump’s SCOTUS pick

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Indiana Statehouse

Source: KimWellsMedia / kimwellsmedia

The two U.S. senators from Indiana have committed to holding hearings for President Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.

Republican Sens. Todd Young and Mike Braun both said on Tuesday they support hearings for the nominee, despite Republicans in the Senate holding up former President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee in 2016.

Young, who was a nominee for Senate at the time, supported holding up hearings on Obama’s nominee, Merrick Garland.

“Given that this lifetime appointment could reshape the Supreme Court for generations I would prefer that the American people be offered an opportunity to weigh in this fall, and I share Vice President Joe Biden’s reservations about the Senate holding confirmation hearings during a Presidential election year; it’s about principle and process, not the person,” he said in 2016.

Read the full story here.

Source: theindychannel.com

Indy company creates tool to help companies safely bring back employees

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Young afro american woman standing by a railing using laptop with people working in background . Young businesswoman in modern office enviornment.

Source: Getty

Many Hoosiers have settled into a work-from-home setup. But many offices are looking at implementing return-to-work plans that allow their employees to remain safe and healthy.

Indy-based company, hc1, has developed a COVID-19 solution that is ready to help make that process easier for employers.

hc1 transforms lab data into personalized healthcare insights. This is to ensure the right patient gets exactly the right diagnostic test from the lab and the correct prescription to allow them to be as healthy as possible.

While in the pandemic, an important signal you can find with people’s health is how risky is the area that people live and work from an infection perspective.

hc1 created Workforce Advisor which is a way for employers to track real-time lab results. It is a local risk index to help employers support the health and safety of its employees.

Read the full story here.

Source: theindychannel.com