INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — As the new school year approaches, finding the right laptop is more important than ever. Whether you’re a high schooler, a college freshman, or a parent trying to keep up with classroom tech needs, Consumer Reports is sharing expert advice on how to score a reliable laptop without breaking the bank.

With prices fluctuating and uncertainty over tariffs, tech experts say now may be the time to act.

“We tell folks that if they have the money now to buy the laptop now, because there is a very good chance that prices could rise pretty dramatically,” said Nicholas De Leon, Tech Reporter at Consumer Reports.

For those with a bit more room in the budget, the latest 15-inch Apple MacBook Air ranks near the top of CR’s ratings for performance and reliability. But if you’re looking to save, experts suggest opting for a smaller version or a model that’s a few years old.

Prefer a PC? The LG Gram is a top Windows pick, known for its lightweight design and long-lasting battery life.

If you’re budget-conscious, don’t overlook slightly older models.

“Maybe you find one that’s a year or two older, which is still going to be a very good laptop. You could probably find that for less than the current year model,” said De Leon.

Craving the newest tech? The HP OmniBook Ultra is a next-gen “AI PC” designed to run artificial intelligence apps directly on the device, rather than through cloud services. It’s powerful, but pricey.

“Generally speaking don’t just buy it from the first store that happens to have it. Take your time, give it a couple days, and shop around at different stores and it is very likely you’ll be able to find a better price somewhere else,” De Leon advised.

For those looking to stretch every dollar, the Lenovo Chromebook is another smart choice. It’s lightweight, affordable, and delivers an impressive 19 hours of battery life.

You can also consider refurbished laptops sold directly by brands like Apple, Dell, and HP. These devices go through full inspections and typically come with a one-year warranty, making them a solid value.

Don’t forget about student discounts. Apple, Dell, HP, and Best Buy all offer back-to-school deals, and many include extra perks like gift cards or free accessories with your purchase.

For more laptop buying tips and the full list of recommended models, visit Consumer Reports.

(CNN) — Almost 50 people including children are feared dead after a Soviet-era passenger plane crashed in Russia’s far eastern Amur region, state media reported on Thursday, citing local officials.

The plane, an Antonov An-24, was flying on a regional route from Khabarovsk to Blagoveshchensk and Tynda when it disappeared from the radar, the Russian Ministry of Emergency Situations said in a statement posted on Telegram.

The Amur Center for Civil Defence and Fire Safety said on Telegram that a search and rescue helicopter spotted the wreck of the plane on a mountain slope 10 miles (16 kilometers) from Tynda. It said no survivors were seen from the air.

It said that according to the director of the Tynda airport, the plane caught fire after it crashed.

The emergency ministry said it is investigating why the plane lost contact, and the Interstate Aviation Committee launched a probe.

According to publicly available databases, the aircraft was built in 1976. The Antonov AN-24 model was designed in 1957.

Vasiliy Orlov, the governor of Amur region, said on Telegram that according to preliminary data, there were 43 passengers, including five children, and six crew members on board the plane.

Citing emergency officials, Russian state news agency TASS said preliminary information indicates that all those aboard the aircraft were dead.

The aircraft was only a few miles from the Tynda airport when it lost contact with air traffic controllers, the emergency ministry added.

Orlov said search and rescue operations were under way, with “all necessary forces and means involved” in the effort. TASS reported the area where the plane went missing is remote and difficult to reach, with no roads through the swampy forest.

The flight was operated by Angara Airlines, a Russian airline that is based in Irkutsk in Siberia.

This is a developing story and will be updated.

(AP) — The acting administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency is pushing back on criticisms of the federal response to the central Texas floods that killed at least 136 people earlier this month.

“I can’t see anything we did wrong,” David Richardson told a House panel of the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure on Wednesday. He called the relationship between state and federal agencies “a model for how disasters should be handled.”

Lawmakers used the hearing about improvements to FEMA disaster response to address reports that FEMA support was impaired by bureaucratic delays that slowed the deployment of urban search and rescue teams and left the agency’s call centers unstaffed, which Richardson denied. The response “brought the maximum amount of capability to bear in Texas at the right time and the right place,” he said.

Richardson’s appearance came after a wave of criticism and fallout over the response, including the resignation Monday of FEMA’s urban search and rescue leader. President Donald Trump and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem have touted the robust federal support for Texas despite their past support for eliminating FEMA.

Reports of delays on the ground denied

The acting administrator denied reports that FEMA urban search-and-rescue teams were delayed over 72 hours because of a new rule imposed by Noem that she must personally approve any contract of $100,000 or more. Richardson said a Texas-based FEMA task force was on the ground on July 4, along with other Homeland Security assets like the Coast Guard and Customs and Border Protection, and that additional support came within “24 hours” of being requested.

Rep. Greg Stanton, D-Ariz., pushed back on FEMA’s readiness, asking why more of the 28 FEMA urban search-and-rescue teams located around the country were not on standby ahead of receiving a request from the state of Texas. “It haunts me that we could have had more urban search and rescue pre-positioned in place,” said Stanton. “That was a choice.”

The leader of FEMA’s urban search-and-rescue effort, Ken Pagurek, expressed frustration with the delays to colleagues before resigning Monday, according to CNN. In response to Pagurek’s resignation, a DHS spokesperson told The Associated Press, “It is laughable that a career public employee, who claims to serve the American people, would choose to resign over our refusal to hastily approve a six-figure deployment contract without basic financial oversight.”

The Texas Division of Emergency Management did not respond to a request for comment on whether search-and-rescue efforts were impacted by delayed deployment of the FEMA teams.

Richardson also denied a report from The New York Times that 84% of calls to FEMA went unanswered on July 7, three days after the July 4 floods, because Noem let lapse contract renewals with outside call centers. The contracts were renewed July 10, according to The Times.

“The vast majority of phone calls were answered. There was never a lapse in the contract,” said Richardson, echoing Noem’s statements that the report was “fake news.”

Richardson defended his absence from the ground efforts in Texas, saying he worked from Washington, D.C., “to kick down the doors of bureaucracy” and denying suggestions that Trump or Noem told him to stand down. He did not visit Texas until July 12.

FEMA’s fate is still in question

Since the Texas floods, Trump has deflected questions about FEMA’s fate. In June, he said he wanted to begin “phasing out” FEMA after the hurricane season “to wean off of FEMA and bring it to the state level.”

Trump has been criticized for delaying decisions on disaster declaration requests, causing some states to wait as long as two months for approval to receive assistance to repair public infrastructure or help survivors.

Lawmakers pressed Richardson on more general issues of FEMA reform as well, including concerns over long overdue preparedness grant funding, flood insurance and rules about how much financial assistance survivors can receive.

Both Democratic and Republican lawmakers asked about the fate of the Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities program, which Trump canceled earlier this year. The grants supplied hundreds of millions of dollars in disaster mitigation funding. Twenty states are now suing the administration over the loss of funds.

On Tuesday, Trump approved disaster declaration requests for Michigan, Oregon, Indiana, Kansas, West Virginia, Missouri and New Mexico and expanded assistance in Kentucky.

Rep. Bob Onder, R-Mo., asked Richardson why it took a month for his state to get a disaster declaration. “My constituents were frustrated by how long it takes to get temporary housing and debris removal assistance,” Onder said. Richardson referred back to Texas’ declaration request: “We turned that around within just a couple hours.”

A Trump-appointed FEMA review council is in the process of crafting recommendations to the president on changes to the agency. Noem, who co-chairs the council, told its members five days after the Texas floods that FEMA “needs to be eliminated as it exists today and remade as a responsive agency.”

Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., said he and Rep. Sam Graves, R-Mo., would introduce the bipartisan Fixing Emergency Management for Americans Act this week, which would make FEMA an independent, Cabinet-level agency, incentivize states to prioritize resilience and improve aid for survivors. “We don’t need to wait for a FEMA review council,” said Larsen. “We’ve been reviewing FEMA for a long time.”

WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — It’s a busy week of sports in Indiana.

For instance, this week marks the beginning of Colts Training Camp.

Then, later this week, NASCAR makes its annual trip to Indianapolis for Brickyard Weekend.

One driver who is already in town for the Brickyard 400 is Joe Gibbs Racing’s Chase Briscoe. The Indiana native actually made a stop at Colts Training Camp on Wednesday to see the team’s first practice of camp at Grand Park.

Briscoe is a Mitchell, Ind. native who is also a big Colts fan.

“I’ve gotten to know a couple of the players now too, which is cool,” Briscoe said. “I can kind of interact with them when I come to training camp. So yeah, it’s been fun.”

But as big of a fan as Briscoe is of the Colts, his son Brooks may be an even bigger fan of the Colts’ official mascot, Blue.

Brooks is three years old and had a memorable interaction with Blue following practice on Wednesday. News 8 Sports’ Andrew Chernoff captured the moment.

“He’s (Brooks) a diehard Blue fan,” Briscoe said. “So I got pied by Blue a little bit ago just for my son. Yeah, it’s fun. He comes out here and has a great time and as a family, it’s just a lot of memories that are being made.”

Briscoe even wrote on X, formally known as Twitter, that “Brooks watches @blue’s videos every night before bed, got to meet his hero today.”

The Colts continue training camp on Thursday morning with practice from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. EDT at Grand Park.

Meanwhile, Briscoe will be on track at Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the first time this weekend on Friday at 1:05 p.m. EDT for Brickyard 400 practice. Qualifying is set for Saturday with the Brickyard 400 set for Sunday.

Briscoe has never won the Brickyard 400, but is confident entering this weekend.

“Excited to be back home this weekend and just get to have that experience,” Briscoe said. “And do it this year too driving for Joe Gibbs Racing. I feel I’ll have a legitimate shot to win the race. So, yeah I’m looking forward to it.”

Briscoe has one race victory this NASCAR Cup Series season. He won at Pocono in June.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The mayor’s new pick to lead Indianapolis Animal Care Services (IACS) is one step closer to being approved.

Amanda Dehoney-Hinkle’s appointment will move forward, and she could be approved by the City-County Council in August. Dehoney-Hinkle has served in various animal control leadership roles during her career, including as superintendent of Greenfield-Hancock Animal Management. This comes after the mayor’s previous pick to lead IACS was withdrawn after widespread opposition from the community.

Volunteers are now asking Dehoney-Hinkle to add a volunteer coordinator and say they’re ready to get back to work.

“All the volunteers are excited to have a fresh start, to start this new chapter,” said Jessica Perry, volunteer for IACS. “Again, we just really want to be able to help her. We want to be able to work with these animals and just have the ability to do that.”

The City-County Council’s next full meeting will be Monday, August 11.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Dangerous heat will persist for the next several days, with some storm chances possible this weekend.

Today:

Today will be the hottest and most humid day of the week, as a ridge of high pressure strengthens through the late morning hours. Highs are expected to reach the mid-90s, with heat indices potentially exceeding 105°F this afternoon.

The entire state is under a heat advisory due to the extreme heat forecasted for today.

Tonight:

The strong upper-level ridge will begin to flatten and weaken, allowing a boundary to slide in from the northwest tonight into the overnight hours. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are possible, with the best chances this evening and early overnight, particularly for northern counties.

Overnight lows will remain uncomfortable, falling to the mid-70s. Dewpoint temperatures in the low to mid-70s will make for an unpleasant night.

Friday:

As the heat shifts west into the central Plains, storm chances will increase across the Midwest. Scattered showers and thunderstorms are expected on and off through Friday.

No widespread severe weather is anticipated, but gusty winds and torrential downpours are possible.

High temperatures will reach the low 90s, with feels-like temperatures around 100°F.

Weekend:

Saturday will be similar to Friday, with partly cloudy, hot, and humid conditions. The unsettled pattern may bring scattered showers and thunderstorms in the afternoon. Gusty winds and torrential downpours are possible to start the weekend.

7 day forecast:

Hot and humid conditions will continue to close out the weekend, with slightly lower but non-zero rain chances on Sunday. Any storm activity on Sunday would likely occur during peak heating in the afternoon and early evening.

The heat will persist for at least the first few days of next week, with highs in the low 90s and spotty afternoon storm chances Monday through Wednesday. A significant pattern shift is expected late next week, as a trough from Canada should bring much cooler temperatures as we begin August.

ROCHESTER, Ind. (WISH) — A 41-year-old illegal immigrant was arrested Tuesday after a traffic stop led to a joint narcotics investigation by the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office and Indiana State Police.

On Tuesday, a traffic stop was conducted near County Road 350 East and County Round 550 North. During the stop, K-9 Agi from the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office alerted to the presence of narcotics. A subsequent search revealed Julio Rangel Jimenez, 41, to be possession of suspected cocaine.

Further investigation led narcotics officers to a residence where Rangel Jimenez has been residing. A search of the property resulted in the discovery of additional suspected cocaine, drug paraphernalia, three firearms, and $10,900 in U.S. currency.

Rangel Jimenez was taken into custody and booked into the Fulton County Jail, where he is facing preliminary charges of dealing in cocaine and possession of cocaine. Bond is set at $50,000, and a Department of Homeland (DHS) security detainer has been placed. Records show that Rangel Jimenez was arrested on similar charged in February 2025, and he was deported by DHS shortly after.

“This case is a testament to the exceptional teamwork between our deputies, K9 units, and our partners at the Indiana State Police and Department of Homeland Security,” said Fulton County Sheriff Travis Heishman. “I want to personally thank all of the officers and agents involved for their continued commitment to keeping our communities safe. Their professionalism and dedication are what make operations like this successful.”

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Central Indiana is under a heat advisory until Thursday, mix that with humidity and it can feel like 105 degrees. Extreme heat can be especially fatal to dogs.

Dr. Laura Smith, a veterinarian at City Way Animal Clinics, has vital tips for keeping your fur baby safe.

First, she recommends keeping walks short.

“They shouldn’t be out for very long,” Smith said. “1-10 minutes maximum. You can have your walks be at the early part of the day, or if its really hot towards the evening, to avoid the middle of the day type of areas.”

Animal experts suggest avoiding peak heat hours between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. She says booties aren’t required for dog pads if the walks are 10 minutes or less.

Smith also suggests keeping your eye on your pet throughout the day and make sure they have enough water. Bulldogs are especially susceptible to heat because of their flat-face anatomy.

Smith said symptoms for heatstroke include: Excessive panting, not breathing well, and the inability for the dog to get back up. If the dog’s temperature is above 103 degrees, she recommends taking them to a hospital.

“While you’re getting them there you can take towels and have water on them, not cold, not hot, but lukewarm water and wrap them around it and that helps give off the heat.”

Smith doesn’t recommend giving ice to or putting ice on dogs who are experiencing heatstroke because the rapid drop in temperature is dangerous.

And for dogs who live outside, Smith recommends “having plenty of shade and have a dog house to go to so they can get out of the heat, plenty of water, and to frequently check on them.”

Leaving dogs in hot cars is another factor that could lead to heat strokes or even death. Smith doesn’t recommend leaving dogs in vehicles unattended because temperatures can rise quickly.

Call Indianapolis Animal Care Services or the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department if you see a dog in distress.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — City and state officials on Wednesday said to expect to see more workers early in the morning and fewer in the afternoon as hot weather settles in.

The National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for Thursday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. High humidity will push heat index values up to 105 or possibly higher. Indianapolis Department of Public Works officials said crews will avoid working after late morning except in an emergency. Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) spokesperson Natalie Garrett said much the same thing for state-level contractors. Although INDOT doesn’t have direct control over highway construction workers, she said the agency strongly encourages contractors to have crews start work early in the morning so they can get a full day in before peak heat arrives in the afternoon.

“We’re closely monitoring any alerts that are out there from the National Weather Service,” Garrett said. “Also, more frequent breaks, access to air conditioning, whether in a vehicle or a facility, and providing access to water.”

Dr. Sean Trusty, an ER physician for Community Health Network, said if you must work outside during peak heat hours, it’s a good idea to hydrate ahead of time. Trusty said by the time you feel thirsty, you’re already dehydrated and it can be hard to catch up with your body’s needs if it’s hot outside. Trusty said you should take frequent breaks and work at a slower pace than you normally do.

“The same job that you may do when the temperature is not as bad might take a heavier toll on you, so to speak, when you’re working out in that heat,” Trusty said. “So, just kind of expect to go at a little slower pace and that might pay dividends for you in terms of kind of avoiding heat exhaustion.”

Trusty said so far this summer, he hasn’t seen very many patients for heat-related illness. He said he credits greater public awareness of symptoms and how to prevent it. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include heavy sweating, tiredness, and muscle cramps. If you start to experience those symptoms, cooling your body down will prevent you from reaching heatstroke.

(AP) — A judge on Wednesday rejected a Trump administration request to unseal transcripts from grand jury investigations of Jeffrey Epstein years ago in Florida, though a similar request for the work of a different grand jury is pending in New York.

U.S. District Judge Robin Rosenberg in West Palm Beach said the request to release grand jury documents from 2005 and 2007 did not meet any of the extraordinary exceptions under federal law that could make them public.

The Justice Department last week asked the judge to release records to quell a storm among supporters of President Donald Trump who believe there was a conspiracy to protect Epstein’s clients, conceal videos of crimes being committed and other evidence.

In 2008, Epstein cut a deal with federal prosecutors in Florida that allowed him to escape more severe federal charges and instead plead guilty to state charges of procuring a person under 18 for prostitution and solicitation of prostitution.

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche had asked judges in Florida and New York to unseal transcripts from grand jury proceedings that resulted in indictments against Epstein and former girlfriend Ghislaine Maxwell, saying “transparency to the American public is of the utmost importance to this Administration.”

Federal grand juries hear evidence in secret and then decide whether there is enough for an indictment. Experts say the transcripts likely would not reveal much because prosecutors typically are trying only to present enough material to get charges and don’t introduce the entire investigation.

Epstein, a wealthy financier, years later was arrested in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges, while Maxwell was charged with helping him abuse teenage girls.

Epstein was found dead in his cell at a federal jail in New York City about a month after he was arrested. Investigators concluded he killed himself. Maxwell later was convicted at trial and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

The case attracted attention because of Epstein and Maxwell’s links to famous people, including royals, presidents and billionaires. It also led to some of the biggest conspiracy theories animating Trump’s base.

The furor over records has been stoked by the Justice Department. In February, far-right influencers were invited to the White House and provided with binders marked “The Epstein Files: Phase 1” and “Declassified.” The binders contained documents that had largely already been in the public domain.

The department on July 7 acknowledged that Epstein did not have a list of clients. It also said no more files related to his case would be made public.

A two-page memo that bore the logos of the FBI and Justice Department, but that was not signed by any individual, said the department determined that no “further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.”

Meanwhile, a House Oversight subcommittee voted Wednesday to subpoena the Justice Department for files. The full committee issued a subpoena for Maxwell to testify before committee officials in August. And Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., called on Attorney General Pam Bondi and FBI Director Kash Patel to appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee.