INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Cookie Monster, the beloved character from children’s TV series “Sesame Street,” will serve as the grand marshal for the Brickyard 400.

The race will start at 2 p.m. Sunday at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

As grand marshal, Cookie Monster will give the traditional command for drivers to report to their cars before the race.

The event will mark a reunion with NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace, who has shared a video highlighting Cookie Monster’s cross-country trip with his friends to showcase the ways “Sesame Street” helps children.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Several days of dangerous heat move in starting Wednesday.

Today:

Beautiful weather is expected on Tuesday as high pressure continues to strengthen across the eastern United States. Expect mostly sunny skies, near-average temperatures, and, most importantly, lower dewpoint temperatures. Highs will reach the mid- to upper 80s, but dewpoint temperatures in the mid-60s will make for a relatively comfortable late July afternoon.

Tonight:

Humidity will begin to rise later this evening into the overnight hours. Otherwise, conditions will remain quiet with mostly clear skies and lows in the mid- to upper 60s.

Hot and humid stretch:

Hot and humid conditions will return as a ridge builds overhead starting Wednesday. Expect several days with high temperatures in the low to mid-90s through the end of the workweek. Dewpoint temperatures will climb into the low to mid-70s, pushing heat indices between 100 and 105 for Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday. Heat advisories are already in place for the western portion of the state on Wednesday, and they may expand into central Indiana for the rest of the week.

Dry conditions are expected through at least early Thursday, as this area of high pressure and hot dome of air keeps us dry. Some isolated showers and thunderstorms may develop by Thursday afternoon and evening, but they will likely be few and far between.

Slightly higher chances for rain will arrive on Friday as the ridge begins to break down. Even so, most areas will likely remain dry to wrap up the workweek.

Weekend storms?

A more active weather pattern is expected as we head into the weekend. Showers and thunderstorms will become more likely with a northwesterly flow starting on Saturday. Similar to last weekend, several waves of storms may move through the state. It’s too early to pinpoint the exact timing of these waves, but numerous chances for showers and storms are possible to kick off the weekend.

At this point, severe weather appears unlikely, but heavy rain, frequent lightning, and some gusty winds are possible with any storms that develop on Saturday.

As of now, Sunday has a lower chance of showers and thunderstorms. Any storms that do occur could produce heavy rainfall.

7 day forecast:

High temperatures over the weekend will reach the upper 80s. Hot conditions will persist into the new workweek, with highs in the low 90s for Monday and Tuesday. There are indications that temperatures may finally cool to more seasonable levels by the middle of next week as we wrap up the month of July.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Bob Kravitz ALS Golf Classic returned to the Country Club of Indianapolis Monday afternoon to raise funds for ALS research.

Hosted by the ALS Foundation, the event marked its 14th year. It was organized in memory of Bob Kravitz’s mother, Edith, who died from ALS in 2007.

News 8’s “Daybreak” anchor Scott Sander emceed the event for the third consecutive year.

The annual event not only honors Edith Kravitz’s legacy but also supports vital research efforts to combat ALS.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Malcolm-Jamal Warner, the Emmy-nominated actor and Grammy-winning poet and musician, has died at the age of 54 after drowning in Costa Rica during a family vacation.

Warner, best known for his role as Theo Huxtable on “The Cosby Show,” was also celebrated for his musical talents, performing with his band Miles Long and singer Saycon Senblogh.

The Cabaret in Indianapolis, where Warner performed in September as part of the Indy Jazz Fest, released a statement expressing their heartbreak over his untimely death.

“All of us at The Cabaret are heartbroken by the untimely passing of Malcolm-Jamal Warner. While he was widely celebrated for his groundbreaking work in television, we were honored to witness another dimension of his artistry when he graced our stage in partnership with Indy Jazz Fest 2024. His soulful bass playing and poetic lyricism left a lasting impression, captivating our audience just as his acting has inspired generations.”

Warner’s performance at the Indy Jazz Fest showcased his skills as a soulful bass player and poet. He was known for speaking to schools about self-love and self-care, sharing his experiences and insights with students.

Costa Rica’s Judicial Investigation Department confirmed that Warner drowned at a beach during his vacation.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The 33rd Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department recruit class was sworn in on Monday at the training academy on Post Road, marking the beginning of their training.

The recruits will undergo 28 weeks of classroom training followed by 20 weeks of field training, preparing them for their roles in law enforcement.

This latest class of recruits is expected to graduate in January, after completing their comprehensive training program.

Applications for the 34th class of Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department recruits are open until Aug. 3, providing an opportunity for more people to join the force.

This story was created from a script aired on WISH-TV. This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Circle City breathed a sigh of relief after Indianapolis police said Monday it had no curfew violations during the weekend that included the WNBA All-Star Game and the Indiana Black Expo.

But, that’s not slowing down the city’s crackdown on gun violence, and one Indianapolis Public Schools social worker thinks she may have a solution.

Chelsea English lost three of her students to gun violence. Two of them in died in the just the past two months. She launched the Safety, Health, Inclusion and Nurturing Environments project — shortened to the acronym SHINE — for the students at her school and is looking to expand it across the city.

English explained what led to the creation of SHINE. “I wanted to try to prevent those situations from happening rather than just continually responding into crisis, so this was what the kids have been asking for. Their solution is that they need a safe place to be during off school time.”

English works as a social worker at Shortridge High School and developed the SHINE program. High school students run the program, planning and doing about one to two events a month after school. The get-togethers range from tailgating parties supporting football and soccer games, to open-mic nights and a Valentine’s Day dance.

Some events, English said, brought in as many as 50 to 100 students. They had 10 events in the past school year.

High school Junior Darrick Colon said, “My favorite part was having everyone heard and seen and valued. We can gather in the cafeteria and have game nights and play music, and we really have fun, and, really, that’s my favorite part, having fun with everyone.”

English secured an IPS Changemaker grant of $5,000 to pay for supplies and food for all the events, so it’s free for students.

Noa Kaufman-Nichols, a recent Shortridge graduate and a SHINE organizer, quipped about its success. “We’re all teenagers, so free food brings us out.”

Joking aside, gun violence is a reality for students Kaufman-Nichols and other students. She’s known people who were killed and injured by gun violence in school and in her family. She said SHINE and programs like it can make a difference. “The reality is, there’s really not a lot of safe spaces in Indianapolis for teenagers that don’t cost money. There’s no where to go. You can go to the park. You can go out on the streets, but there’s no place where you can go hang out and feel safe.”

She’s not alone. Colon’s mom was a victim to gun violence. That’s why their family moved from Atlanta to Indianapolis. “That’s the reason why I love the SHINE program. It makes people feel heard. I even have PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder) when it comes to guns like that, and giving a chance for other kids my age and even younger to feel safe and not worry about that kind of stuff feels really empowering to me.”

Since the start of the program in August 2024, Indianapolis Public Schools says student detention at Shortridge High School decreased by 18%. That’s why English recently pitched her program to City-County Council’s Public Safety and Criminal Justice Committee, to get funding to expand.

She said, “I have found that punishment isn’t the most effective ways to make change in kids lives. But, they need hope believe in themselves and reasonable pathways to success. When we offer these things kids make the right choices.”

English tells News 8 that, for now, the program runs during school months and she’s hoping additional funding can expand it to also include the summer, and also more Indianapolis teens beyond Shortridge High School.

FRANKFORT, Ind. (WISH) — Frankfort police says it’s detained suspects following a Monday afternoon shooting in a residential area in the Clinton County seat.

The shooting happened just after 4 p.m. Monday in the 1200 block of Magnolia Avenue on the city’s northwest side.

No one was seriously injured.

Frankfort Police Department said in a social media post that its investigators found evidence of a shooting believed to have been a fight between known parties. The post described the area as “a large crime scene.”

The department did not immediately release any additional details about the shooting.

Frankfort is a city of 16,500 residents about a 55-minute drive northwest of downtown Indianapolis.

(WISH) — Microplastics, tiny pieces of plastic found in the sea, air, and now human bodies, are raising global health concerns.

A new study reveals that the average person consumes between 74,000 to 121,000 microplastic particles annually, which can harm multiple bodily systems and are linked to serious health conditions.

Jennifer Adibi, an epidemiologist with a Doctor of Science degree, said, “We are learning more and more as the generations go along.”

Microplastics have been linked to health issues such as cancer, Parkinson’s, and dementia. They can harm the digestive, respiratory, endocrine, reproductive, and immune systems.

Research from Boston University found that bacteria exposed to microplastics can become resistant to several types of antibiotics, as the plastics provide surfaces for bacteria to attach to.

To reduce exposure to microplastics, experts recommend avoiding single-use plastics such as water bottles, straws, and shopping bags, and using alternatives like glass containers for heating food.

Adibi advises against using plastic cutting boards, suggesting wood, glass, or steel as safer options.

This story is from a script aired on WISH-TV. This story was formatted for WISHTV.com using AI-assisted tools. Our editorial team reviews and edits all content published to ensure it meets our journalistic standards for accuracy and fairness. Health Spotlight is presented by Community Health Network.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A youth program offers middle and high school students the opportunity to redesign Indiana Avenue while honoring its rich cultural legacy.

The initiative, led by Next Great Architects, is hosting its fourth annual summer design charrette, a weeklong design camp that empowers youth to blend creativity with community impact. The program focuses on the historical significance of Indiana Avenue, once a thriving hub of Black culture, and provides students with the tools to envision its future.

“Architecture impacts everyone’s lives. But not everyone understands that it’s an option for a career,” said Kionna Walker, architect educator and founder of Next Great Architects. “Most people who do pursue architecture are people already connected to the profession through family, friends, or people they’ve already known.”

Walker said students are developing essential skills throughout the process, including public speaking, confidence-building, critical thinking, collaboration, problem-solving, and creativity.

For students Bailey Johnson, a freshman at Ball State University, the experience offers a glimpse into a potential career in architecture. “Hopefully, we get to work more hands-on on creating our vision of Indiana Avenue while keeping its history behind it.”

This year’s charrette is supported by new partners, including Purdue University, which enhances the program’s reach and resources. Eunice Trotter, director of the Indiana Landmarks Black Heritage Preservation Program, emphasized the importance of understanding the area’s history. “For these young people to learn about that history, they begin to embrace and see the foundation upon which our lives were built today.”

The student showcase will happen Friday, featuring a special presentation from a recent Ball State University graduate whose thesis project focuses on reviving Indiana Avenue.

For many young designers participating in the charrette, this week marks the beginning of their blueprint for the future, as they learn to merge historical appreciation with innovative design.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Former Indianapolis Colts center Ryan Kelly may not be playing for the Colts anymore, but he’s still making an impact in the Circle City.

“The beautiful gift of life of having children,” Kelly said. “If there’s a significant way – and we’ve proven, Count the Kicks has – to help alleviate pain or to eliminate stillbirths.”

Kelly, along with volunteers at Elevance Health, packed fuzzy socks, bracelets and much more into a thousand bags on Thursday, July 10, that were then sent to expectant moms.

Elevance Health Cares Executive Director Taylor Rhodes told News 8 Sports’ Andrew Chernoff that Kelly and his wife Emma are always willing to volunteer when asked by Elevance Health to help with events.

“They are such wonderful people to work with,” Rhodes said.

The Kelly family experienced tragedy in 2021 when Emma had complications 19 weeks into her pregnancy, which ultimately ended the life of their daughter Mary Kate. At the hospital, Emma said she learned that her daughter’s heart stopped.

“I was told there was no other choice but to deliver our baby next,” Emma Kelly wrote on Instagram at the time. “Ryan and I spent almost 48 hours in the hospital.”

Then in 2023, the couple had twin boys, Duke and Ford, just 27 weeks into pregnancy

“She (Emma) felt something different, went to the hospital and sure enough, there they are, in the NICU for three months,” Ryan Kelly said. “Now they’re – can report – that they’re two years old and they’re doing great. And they’re the happiest guys in the world.”

Since then, the Kelly’s have added another daughter to their family after Stella was born just last year.

The Kelly family continues to be big advocates for Count the Kicks, an “an evidence-based program that teaches expectant parents about the importance of tracking fetal movements.”

“This is so near and dear because of our story because we know what it’s like to walk out of the hospital with empty arms when you should have your baby,” Emma Kelly said. “So, it’s our mission hopefully so that no one else has to walk out with those empty arms.”

The work Ryan Kelly has done to help women and babies during pregnancy has helped him become an Elevance Health Champion. Previous athletes who have been named an Elevance Health Champion include Michael Phelps and Tamika Catchings.

“We’ve always kind of searched for our avenue as far as how we give back, and I think we’ve found it through our loss of Mary Kate, through finding Count the Kicks,” Ryan Kelly said.

It’s a cause that continues to be personal for the Kelly’s.

“Now that we know there are ways to save babies, we want to help save as much as we can,” Emma Kelly said.

Ryan Kelly signed with Minnesota Vikings this offseason after spending the last nine seasons with the Colts.

He, along with Emma, hosted a community baby shower this past November in Indianapolis.