INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Temperatures will remain below average through the weekend.

Today:

Scattered showers and thunderstorms will continue this morning as a cold front moves across the state. Expect locally heavy rain and frequent lightning through the morning and early afternoon.

Rain should clear by the afternoon, leaving mostly cloudy skies and significantly cooler temperatures later today. High temperatures, likely already reached in the mid to upper 70s during the overnight hours, will hover in the low to mid 70s this afternoon.

Tonight:

Clouds will decrease overnight, with very pleasant temperatures. Overnight lows will drop to the upper 50s and lower 60s.

Pleasant weather settles in:

Expect an absolutely beautiful stretch of weather for Friday and the weekend.

Friday afternoon will feature mostly sunny skies, cooler temperatures, and much lower humidity. High temperatures will reach the upper 70s to lower 80s.

Similar conditions are expected for Saturday and Sunday, with sunshine, calm weather, and low humidity. High temperatures will hover around 80°F both days.

As an added bonus, overnight lows will slide to the mid to upper 50s for the weekend—the coolest in several weeks.

7 day forecast:

Next week, temperatures will begin to return to near-normal levels as an area of high pressure moves east, bringing a southerly flow. This will not only warm us up but also increase humidity, with isolated to scattered rain chances starting Monday afternoon. High temperatures will reach the mid 80s through Wednesday of next week.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis Public Schools task force looking at the district’s culture on Wednesday night met for the first time since the July 5 mass shooting involving teens at the downtown Artsgarden.

Two teens, ages 15 and 16, died in the downtown shooting, and five people — a 16-year-old, a 17-year-old, two 19-year-olds and a 21-year-old — were taken to a hospital with injuries. Since that mass shooting and another one that injured five people ages 10-19 outside a home on Sunday, youth gun violence has been top of mind among many Indianapolis residents.

School Board Commissioner Hope Star is one of the people on the IPS Mental Health and School Culture Task Force. “I’m concerned around trauma and what that does to our children and it is not just about the (school) building. I know that we’re coming into the building and we’re living in communities where our families are losing children. Children are losing their cousins. I was telling people a few years ago, we’re just a few degrees separated from any child that dies.”

Star said the violence has been hard for adults as well children.

She also said some IPS households also are dealing with homelessness or the loss of Medicaid.

“We’re all human. It’s a difficult time right now for us to figure out how to care for each other, care for the least in our community. It’s important.”

The task force was designed to create a healthy and safe environment for students inside school buildings and outside school walls. They’re creating surveys that target students, teachers, parents and guardians. The goal is to listen to what they have to say.

In partnership with business consulting firm Intrinz Inc., the meeting at IPS on Wednesday discussed the draft survey questions that could help to paint a picture of a school’s environment. The draft includes questions for students in Grades 3-12. Some of the questions could include accessibility; the quality of mental health services; peer relationships and social support; and trauma responses.

Teachers, staff, parents and guardians will be surveyed as well.

Audrey Wathen, vice president-people strategies lead at Intrinz, says the aim is to review the responses with the board and the public to create actionable items to address issues. “That’s where learning takes place. That’s where success is for the students. That’s where you can look at student’s pathway to say they were successful because we created an environment where they can learn.”

The task force meetings, which are open to the public, will start at 6 p.m. in the board room of the John Morton Finney Education Center, 120 E. Walnut St., on these dates: Aug. 27, Sept. 17, Oct. 29, Nov. 12 and Dec. 10.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Fever extended its winning streak to three games on Wednesday by beating the Phoenix Mercury 107-101 inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

Phoenix led by as many as 12 points in the first quarter, before Indiana rallied. The Fever outscored the Mercury 35-20 in the second quarter to take a lead into the locker room at halftime.

Fever guard Aari McDonald had a memorable night as she scored a career-high 27 points in the win. She scored 17 of those points in the first half. Overall, McDonald was 3-of-4 (75%) from three-point range and 10-of-10 (100%) from the free throw line.

Fever forward Aliyah Boston had a double-double in the win, finishing with 22 points and 12 rebounds.

Fever guard Caitlin Clark missed the game as she continues to deal with a groin injury. It was the fifth straight game she’s missed.

Indiana now gets ready for a four-game road trip beginning with a matchup at the Dallas Wings on Friday night.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — As the Indiana Department of Transportation moves toward its goal to finish the I-69 and I-465 interchange reconstruction on the northeast side of Indianapolis by 2026, more ramp closings are ahead.

Nightly from 9 p.m. Friday, Saturday and Sunday to 6 a.m. the next day, drivers will find the southbound I-69 ramp to southbound Binford Boulevard will be closed.

From 9 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Aug 6-7 from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. the next day, the southbound I-69 ramp to southbound Binford Boulevard will be closed. Also during that time, the northbound entrance to I-69 from Binford Boulevard will be closed.

From 9 p.m. Aug. 8 to 6 a.m. Aug. 9, the northbound entrance to I-69 from Binford Boulevard will be closed.

Weather could affect the planned closings.

The $471 million Clear Path 465 project, which received $70 million from the federal government, has been under construction since 2023.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The big transition in this forecast is about to take shape as Indiana concludes July on Thursday.

All roads lead to the best weather the Hoosier state has enjoyed in about two months to open August.

Wednesday night: Showers and storms will remain possible near and north of Interstate 70. Local flooding will remain the main concern, although an isolated stronger wind gust is possible.

Lows in the upper 60s to low 70s.

Thursday: Scattered showers and storms look to persist into at least the first half of the day as a slow-moving front moves through.

We’re looking at a much cooler day, but the muggy meter will remain elevated. Highs are to only top out in the mid to upper 70s to end July.

Friday: August is set to begin and the workweek end on a marvelous note. Enjoy plenty of sunshine, pleasant air, and below-normal temperatures. Highs will rise into the upper 70s to low 80s with a northeast breeze setting up, too.

7-Day Forecast: The fantastic weather slated for Friday will continue through the weekend. By next week, rain and storm chances will return with highs in the low to mid 80s.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WISH) — A man was found dead from gunshot injuries following a special weapons and tactics team standoff in St. Joseph County on Wednesday afternoon, Indiana State Police said in a news release issued Wednesday night.

Police were attempting to serve a search warrant related to a drug investigation about 1:15 p.m. Wednesday at a home when Justin Hufkens, 35, who was outside the home, fled on foot about half a block before entering the house in the 1600 block of Eldora Court. That’s along the St. Joseph River just east of the Twyckenham Drive bridge.

From the house, Hufkens, fired multiple shots at SWAT team members, who returned fire.

As Hufkens barricaded himself inside the home, negotiators made contact with him several times, but eventually lost communication after hearing gunfire from within the house. About 3:30 p.m. Wednesday, SWAT team members entered the house and found Hufkens dead from suspected gunfire.

An autopsy will determine the cause of death.

The Indiana State Police were assisted at the scene by the South Bend Police Department, the South Bend SWAT Team, the St. Joseph County Police Department, and the Indiana University South Bend Police Department.

The St. Joseph County Prosecutor’s Office will review the investigation once it’s completed.

Mental health resources

• Be Well Indiana
• Indiana Suicide Prevention
• Indiana Department of Child Services’ Children’s Mental Health Initiative
• National Suicide and Crisis Lifeline: 988 or 800-273-8255
• More resources

PENDLETON, Ind. (WISH) — A woman died Wednesday morning after being hit by a teen driver in rural Madison County, the sheriff’s department says.

Deputies with the Madison County Sheriff’s Department were dispatched to the 9100 block of South County Road 150 West around 9 a.m. to investigate a pedestrian-struck incident.

That area is about seven minutes southeast of downtown Pendleton, just off of State Route 38.

There, they located the woman dead at the scene; deputies soon learned she’d been hit by a 2013 Jeep Wrangler driven by a 17-year-old male.

The sheriff’s department says the accident is still under investigation. They did not indicate if the teen was arrested or would face charges.

The woman’s identity has not been released.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — IU basketball gave media full access to practice on Wednesday.

It’s a completely new look team this season. No scholarship players return from the 2024-25 roster, and new head coach Darian DeVries leads the Hoosiers.

Here are 8 quotes that stood out from the full access practice:

1. DeVries on practicing with high energy

“We think you got to approach it every day with some energy and some enthusiasm. Guys are going to get tired. It allows other guys to pick you up on those days. We put a huge emphasis on that. I think creating that type of talk and energy on a daily basis leads to productivity on the floor too. And then the pace that we practice, we try to really simulate how we want to play out on the gameday floor.”

The energy at practice was evident on Wednesday.

2. DeVries on what he’s seen from his team this summer

“What I’ve liked is that guys seem like they’ve played together for a lot longer than they have these two months. When you watch the practice tape, it looks like a group that’s been together for two or three years, the way they’ve really been moving it and sharing it.”

3. DeVries on the culture that has been set for this team

“They’ve been terrific in terms of their approach every day. They come with a smile on their face. They bring great energy. What you saw today has been every day these last couple months. They come with that type of energy, enthusiasm… I like the potential of this group. They’ll continue to work, which they have. I think there’s certainly some possibilities there on what this group can achieve.”

4. Conor Enright on what he likes about this team

“I love that we can shoot. We got a lot of very unselfish guys that can shoot. We can play fast. I think we have enough guys that can be that tough and hard nosed identity too.”

IU has been below average nationally in three-point percentage in seven of the past eight seasons. DeVries’ team is looking to change that this season.

5. Lamar Wilkerson on the chemistry this team has built

“We all hang out. We all go out and just be around each other. We enjoy being around each other. A lot of programs don’t have that.”

6. DeVries on their upcoming Puerto Rico trip

“For them, able to just hang with each other and spend some different type of time, outside of the basketball court. You get guys that come in, they’re all at different stages of their lives. A lot of them are older guys. They don’t go out as much anymore and those type of things. For them to all be in a group together in one setting is going to be great for us and then to get to play those three games on top of it, it should be an awesome trip.”

The Hoosiers go to San Juan, Puerto Rico from August 5-12. IU will play a Puerto Rican All-Star team and two games against Mega Superbet, a Serbian professional team.

7. Tucker DeVries on the opportunity to play for IU

“I think as a group, we know what it means to have Indiana across our chests. We want to do everything and put in all the work we can to make that fanbase and the people around here proud of the style we play, how we play, and the manner we do it. We’re trying to bring energy every day to get better to make those people proud.”

8. Trent Sisley on playing in front of the Hoosier fans

“Obviously we got some of the best fans in the country and I think most of the guys here know that too just from the history of it. We’re all excited to get into Assembly Hall and get that place rocking and win some games.”

Sisley, a Santa Claus, Indiana native, is the only scholarship player on the roster from Indiana.

The Hoosiers play their first game in the regular season on November 5 against Alabama A&M at Assembly Hall.

More IU basketball coverage

IU basketball gives media full access for practice

IU basketball adds Bosnian center Andrej Acimovic

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – There have been three IMPD officers attacked and injured on the job in the last week, according to the department, as the city works to get a handle on recent high-profile shootings. 

Tuesday, an Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officer was shot three times while trying to arrest the driver of a stolen car. 

The shooting ended with two suspects under arrest, both now charged, another suspect in the hospital in critical condition, and a fourth suspect still on the run. The officer, a four-year veteran of IMPD, left the hospital on Wednesday, surrounded by a crowd of cheering police. 

• Heroic neighbors aid officer shot in west side police shooting

One other officer broke his leg while wrestling a suspect during an arrest on Tuesday. IMPD didn’t provide specific details about the third officer hurt.

Tuesday’s shooting happened in the Haughville neighborhood at an apartment complex just down the road from Pastor Dwight Harwell’s church, Latter House Ministries. 

“We cannot let one incident define the neighborhood,” Harwell said.

Haughville is an area where there’ve been multiple public efforts to build the relationship between police and the public. IMPD recruits helped paint over graffiti in the spring, and officers joined a show of unity when neighbors faced rampant vandalism. 

It’s an area Harwell believes has potential, even though challenges are created by recent high-profile youth and gun violence. 

“Within the church body, even we struggle sometimes to meet the need because the need is so overwhelming,” Harwell said. 

Indianapolis City-County Councilmember Vop Osili says challenges like these are “incredibly troubling.”

Osili represents the west side district which covers Haughville. He says there’s been a concerted effort to reach out to at-risk youth and families since the Independence Day weekend mass shooting downtown – the first of two Indianapolis mass shootings in July. 

“This is not a we-they thing,” Osili said. “This really is an ‘us’ thing.” 

Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett told News 8 in a statement: 

“Every time they don their badge, IMPD officers are putting their safety on the line to protect the safety of our city. The officer shot in the line of duty yesterday was doing exactly what we ask of our police department: proactively patrolling and working to prevent crime. 

Indianapolis is fortunate to have the best police department in the country, and I am grateful every day for our officers’ dedication to our community. 

My prayers are with the injured officer, his wife, his family, and his fellow officers. And I extend my gratitude to all the first responders who came to the scene, the community members who quickly came to the officer’s aid, and the medical professionals at Eskenazi who continue to do everything they can to make sure this officer makes a full recovery.”

IMPD has not identified the officer shot. He’s on administrative leave, pending a review of the shootout. Later Tuesday evening, IMPD said an officer broke their fibula while arresting a man for assault, marking the third line-of-duty injury in a week.

Anyone with information on the other suspect or about the shooting was asked to contact Sgt. Brian Lambert at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317-327-3475.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The head chef and other male cooks at Boss Man Tacos are accused of sexual harassment of female servers at its Highland, Indiana, restaurant, according to a lawsuit from the Indianapolis district office of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The lawsuit claims that female employees, including teenagers, were subjected to a hostile work environment.

The harassment reportedly included trapping women in restrooms and walk-in refrigerators, making unwanted sexual advances, inappropriate touching, and lewd comments.

The commission claims that the harassment was severe enough to compel some employees to quit their jobs.

The restaurant is located at the intersection of U.S. 41 and Lincoln Street in Highland. It does business at Bossman Tacos LLC.

The lawsuit says Boss Man Tacos violated Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits sexual harassment.

The lawsuit was filed in the Hammond division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana.

The sides are trying to reach a settlement, the commission said in a news release.

Kenneth L. Bird, Indianapolis regional attorney for the commission, said in a statement in a news release, “Employers have a responsibility to create a safe working environment for their employees, especially when the company hires young employees who may not know their rights and may be particularly vulnerable to harassment in the workplace.”

Highland, a Lake County town of 23,500 residents, is in northwest Indiana.

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