DANVILLE, Ind. — A corn and soybean farmer said Thursday morning at his Hendricks County farm that Gov. Mike Braun’s order to allow the on-road use of dyed diesel arrived just in time for the most energy-intensive season.

David Hardin grows corn and soybeans on about 2,000 acres near Danville. He expects to use several thousand gallons of off-road diesel, on-road diesel, and gasoline this month as he harvests crops and hauls them to market. This is the most fuel he will use all year for his three grain-hauling tractor-trailers.

Hardin bought a fuel contract in January to lock in prices, which was before the war with Iran began. That contract expired this summer. Since then, price spikes from the war prevented him from securing new contracts, forcing him to buy fuel at market prices.

“The rising diesel costs have added several thousand dollars to our costs, ones that we definitely didn’t have budgeted for, but there is no alternative for using diesel fuel in our equipment,” Hardin said. “We’re just fortunate that we’re able to get the fuel and we’ll have to figure out how to stomach the price.”

Indiana typically charges a 63-cent-per-gallon special fuel tax on diesel. This tax is separate from the state’s gas tax holiday. However, the state exempts diesel used for commercial vehicles that stay off the road, such as farm or construction equipment. This “dyed diesel” is chemically identical to regular diesel but contains red dye so inspectors can identify unauthorized use.

Braun issued an order Wednesday in Indianapolis to allow farmers to use off-road diesel in on-road trucks through Nov. 4. Hardin estimates the order could save him as much as $1,500 a week.

“I know that doesn’t sound like much, but in farming, every penny counts,” Hardin said.

Courtney Kingery, CEO of the Indiana Corn Marketing Council, Indiana Corn Growers Association, and Indiana Soybean Alliance, expects most farms to save between $1,000 and $2,000 this month. She said diesel is vital for transporting products, which is where the savings will happen. There are about 20,000 corn and soybean farms in Indiana; 95% of them are family-owned.

“This announcement could not have come at a better time to relieve a little bit of those costs to Hoosier farmers,” Kingery said.

The governor’s order expires Nov. 4, coinciding with the end of the gas tax holiday. Kingery said a wet spring means the harvest likely will happen after that date, and she hopes Braun extends the order.

The Indiana State Police enforces laws regarding off-road diesel. A state police spokesperson said troopers are determining how to handle enforcement during this period.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Zoo announced Zuri, a 20-year-old female lion, was euthanized Thursday at the zoo after her health declined due to kidney disease.

Veterinary staff and keepers decided to euthanize her humanly after she began showing signs of pain that medical treatments could not alleviate. Zoo officials noted that kidney disease happens frequently in aging cats, both domestic and wild.

Zuri was born in 2006 at the Denver Zoo and arrived at the Indianapolis Zoo in 2007. At 20 years old, she lived well beyond the 16.9-year average lifespan for lions in captivity.

Known for what staff called a “big, fierce personality,” Zuri was the mother of three cubs. Her daughter, Sukari, remains at the zoo. Keepers are currently monitoring Sukari’s needs.

On Monday, the zoo lost its accreditation from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums after its application was not approved during the latest accreditation cycle.

“It has been a tough week for the Indianapolis Zoo, and we appreciate our supporters for standing by us while we navigate this transition,” the zoo said in a statement Thursday. “Please continue to send your support to our keepers as they grieve the loss of an icon at the Zoo.”

INDIANAPOLIS — A man died Wednesday following an afternoon shooting in a neighborhood on the city’s south side, Indianapolis police said.

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were called at 3:12 p.m. Wednesday to a report of a person shot in the 7500 block of Jenison Drive. The location is within the Cheyenne Lakes at Southern Dune housing subdivision.

Emergency medical crews took the man with gunshot wounds in critical condition to a nearby hospital, where he later died.

Police detained and later released several people after consulting with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office. While preliminary information suggests the shooting may have happened accidentally, detectives said they are still assessing all factors.

An IMPD news release said the Indianapolis-Marion County Forensic Services Agency helped identify and collect forensic evidence at the scene, and the Marion County Coroner’s Office will determine the exact cause and manner of death. The coroner will release the name of the deceased man once his family has been notified, police said.

Anyone with information was asked to call IMPD Detective Daniel Hiatt at 317-327-3475 or email him at daniel.hiatt@indy.gov.

People who wish to remain anonymous can contact Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-8477. Tips can also be submitted through the P3tips mobile app or at CrimeTips.org. Information provided through Crime Stoppers is anonymous and may be eligible for a cash reward of up to $1,000 if it leads to a felony arrest.

INDIANAPOLIS — A Marion County judge sentenced an Indianapolis mother to 6 years in the Indiana Department of Correction after her 10-month-old daughter died from a fentanyl overdose.

Sanyla Irby died in July 2024 at an Indianapolis hospital.

An autopsy listed the cause of death as “complications of fentanyl intoxication” and the manner as “accidental.”

Sanyla’s mother, Skyra Irby, was criminally charged in connection with her baby’s death.

On Sept. 30, a judge sentenced Irby to a 12-year sentence: 6 years executed in the Indiana Department of Correction, 6 years suspended, with 2 years of probation plus mental health evaluation and treatment, as well as parenting classes.

Marion County prosecutors had argued for all 12 years to be served in prison.

Records show Irby was originally charged in April 2025 with Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Death, but Irby was convicted on a lesser charge of Neglect of a Dependent Resulting in Serious Injury.

Skyra Irby found Sanyla in her pack n play “cold to the touch” and started CPR, but it wasn’t working, according to court documents.

A detective with IMPD obtained a search warrant for an apartment on Sebring Court and found a backpack with blue M30 pills, which are typically made with fentanyl.

At that time, the detective requested the hospital run a full toxicology report on Sanyla.

Irby informed an Indiana Department of Child Services family case manager that her address was actually on Centurion Circle, where the incident with Sanyla took place, court documents allege.

IMPD executed a search warrant on the apartment on Aug. 15 and learned the tenants had prompted “numerous narcotics complaints” and were evicted on Aug. 7.

A lab report from Sebring Court revealed the narcotics found were fentanyl, heroin, marijuana and bromazolam.

The detective noted that at no time did Skyra Irby notify hospital staff that her baby had possibly ingested any type of narcotics.

INDIANAPOLIS — A woman and a 17-year-old boy were injured Tuesday night around 11 p.m. in a drive-by shooting on East 34^th Street near Emmerson Avenue. 

Both people injured are in stable condition, according to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Capt. Don Weilhammer says police believe the drive-by was targeted, and no suspects have been taken into custody as of Wednesday.

“According to our two victims, they were asleep inside the house at the time this occurred,” Capt. Weilhammer said.

The home on the corner of East 34^th Street and North Butler Avenue, has at least 25-30 visible bullet holes on its side. 

Several neighbors, who asked to remain anonymous, described the drive-by as sounding “like a war zone.”

“Last night I heard several shots, like loud, echoing through the house. My windows were vibrating; I just turned the TV off and laid down, turned the lights off.”

Another resident who lives nearby says it was hard to believe the shooting was a drive-by because of how many gunshots they heard over the course of a few minutes. 

“It sounded like steady shots; maybe 20-30 shots was fired and they were slow — boom — boom — boom — didn’t sound like a machine gun.”

Neighbors told Circle City Broadcasting that Tuesday night’s drive-by was the second time the same home had been targeted in recent weeks. IMPD police reports confirm there was a shots-fired call at the same address on Sept. 9.

IMPD believes there’s no threat to the neighborhood since they think this was a targeted attack. However, a nearby homeowner says as many as 10 bullets struck the side of their home. 

Police say this is an active investigation, and anyone with information should reach out to IMPD or use Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous.

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Gov. Mike Braun is extending the state’s energy emergency and continuing the suspension of Indiana’s gasoline use and gasoline excise taxes through Nov. 4.

The current energy emergency is set to expire Oct. 6. The extension will continue the gas tax suspension in all 92 Indiana counties without interruption.

Braun is also suspending special fuel restrictions for dyed diesel, allowing farmers to use dyed diesel for any farm-related activities.

“Affordability is my top priority, and my gas tax suspensions have delivered immediate tax relief and some of the cheapest gas in America for Hoosier families. I’m delivering relief for Hoosier farmers by lifting special fuel restrictions to help ease the burden, and providing relief from high gas prices to keep more money in Hoosiers’ pockets and make life more affordable,” Braun said.

The administration cited continued disruptions to global oil supplies as a reason for extending the energy emergency. Those disruptions include recent Houthi drone attacks in Saudi Arabia that shut down the East-West Pipeline, which the administration says accounts for 7% of the world’s oil supply.

The administration also cited Houthi military advances in Yemen and threats to oil shipments through the Red Sea, as well as the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and its effect on crude oil supplies and Russia’s refining capacity.

Braun first suspended Indiana’s gasoline use tax in April and expanded the suspension in May to include the gasoline excise tax.

The governor’s office said the tax suspensions are intended to provide relief from high fuel prices while protecting funding for state and local infrastructure projects.

INDIANAPOLIS — Two people, including a teenager, were hurt in a drive-by shooting on Indianapolis’ east side Tuesday night.

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, officers responded around 11 p.m. to the 5200 block of East 34th Street. When they arrived, they found two victims inside the home with gunshot wounds.

Police said one adult woman and a 17-year-old male were taken to a hospital by EMS. Both were in stable condition. The teen suffered a graze wound.

IMPD has not announced any arrests.