MUNCIE, Ind. (WISH) — During a routine annual surveillance of mosquitoes, the Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) confirmed that Delaware County has mosquitoes infected with the West Nile virus.

“With West Nile Virus (WNV) showing positive across the state annually, WNV is here in Indiana and it’s most likely here to stay,” the Delaware County Health Department wrote on Facebook.

People of all ages can be infected with WNV and have had a severe reaction, but those over the age of 50 are at a greater risk for serious infection or even death. However, IDOH says most who get WNV do not develop symptoms. Those who do can suffer “inflammation in the brain, spinal cord, or other parts of the nervous system,” IDOH reports.

News 8 previously reported that the first person in 2025 to have a reported case of WNV is a Vanderburgh county resident. IDOH says 56 mosquito samples have tested positive for WNV.

In 2024 there were only 11 cases of WNV in humans, a slight increase from 2023. Overall, yearly cases remain in the upper single-digit or lower double-digits numbers. Though, IDOH says less severe cases are more likely to be underreported.

Typically developed in birds then transmitted to humans through virus-carrying mosquitoes, a person infected with WNV may show symptoms 3 to 15 days after the bite.

A mild form of WNV includes “fever, headache, body aches, swollen lymph glands, or a rash. However, a small number of individuals can develop a more severe form of the disease with encephalitis or meningitis and other neurological syndromes, including flaccid muscle paralysis. Some individuals may die from the infection,” the Delaware County Health Department said.

The Delaware County Health Department says to stay safe, you should reduce breeding sites — such as stagnant water — avoid mosquitoes, dress to protect yourself from bites, and wear insect repellent. You can do this by removing standing water in gutters, flower pots, pool covers, and whatever else in your yard that can keep standing water.

The biggest and most critical aspect of keeping Muncie and Delaware County safe from getting sick lies in the hands of our individual citizens,” the health department said. “Eliminate and/or report breeding grounds and protect yourself from being bitten.”

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Dr. Danielle Henderson, a clinical psychologist from IU Health, emphasizes the importance of celebrating small victories to enhance joy in daily life.

Henderson suggests shifting focus from pet peeves to positive peeves, such as finding joy in simple experiences like feeling the sun on your skin.

“It’s so important that it comes from internal,” she said.

Henderson discusses how mindfulness can play a crucial role in increasing happiness. She encourages being present and focused in the moment, such as savoring the taste of water or the aroma of coffee. She also suggests incorporating elements of vacation into daily life, like enjoying foods or activities that bring joy during holidays, to maintain a sense of happiness.

For those seeking further support, Henderson recommends resources from the American Psychological Association and local mental health organizations like the National Alliance on Mental Illness in Indiana.

By focusing on small joys and practicing mindfulness, individuals can enhance their daily happiness, according to Dr. Henderson’s insights.

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) — Local author Abigail Perry-England joined Daybreak to discuss her debut novel, “Escaping You,” and to share some tips for the aspiring writers in your life.

Perrey-England’s novel released last year is targeted at new adults, particularly those aged 18 to 30, and explores themes that resonate most in that age group.

“I always tell people it’s a new adult novel,” she explained, noting that the book covers some heavier topics suited for readers in their late teens to early thirties. Perrey-England shared that her inspiration for the novel came from a “crazy dream” she had, where an old friend kidnapped her.

Perrey-England emphasized the importance of dedicating time to writing, advising aspiring authors to set aside even just 30 minutes a day to write or research. If that’s a little too much for your writers block, “just write a page and see where it lands you,” Perrey-England said.

Abigail also mentioned the supportive community of authors on TikTok, which she finds inspiring and helpful for writers looking to start their own projects.

Abigail Perry England’s journey to publishing her first novel highlights the dedication and creativity required to bring a life-long dream to life.

INDIANAPOPLIS (WISH) — It’s a big weekend for sports on WISH-TV this weekend because the Xfinity Series Penzoil 250 is happening Saturday at 4:30 p.m. On Sunday, The Savannah Bananas will be on WISH as well with first pitch at 3 p.m. 

With the collaboration of NASCAR and The Savannah Bananas, one driver is driving the 99 Savannah Banana Car.  

Matt DiBenedetto will be the man behind the wheel promoting the collaboration.

This is one of the coolest weekends. I mean, Indianapolis Motor Speedway doesn’t need any kind of introduction. It’s the Brickyard,” DiBenedetto said. He says the partnership with The Savannah Banas is extra special to him. “I actually come from a baseball family, ironically. So that’s my dad was a scout for the Mets. He was a coach of Scouting League for the Mets, so we have a baseball passion in our family.”

DiBenedetto says his wife and team are a big fan of the Savannah Bananas.

“My wife loves them and it’s neat to do this cross promo with the CW network. They do such an awesome job with our series and being able to promote that the game is live on the CW network tomorrow — which is also my birthday,” DiBennedetto said.

DiBenedetto says he loves racing with the Xfinity Series. He says this weekend and the car on the iconic oval at Indianapolis Motor Speedway makes this birthday weekend special. 

Don’t forget you can watch the race this afternoon on WISH-TV beginning at 4:30 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Think you’re a good liar? Can you tell tall tales and enrapture the audience with your storytelling skills?

The 16th annual Liar’s Contest will take place at the Indiana State Fair on Friday, August 8, at 6:30 p.m., inviting storytellers of all ages to share their tall tales.

Organized by Storytelling Arts of Indiana, the event will be held in the Pioneer Village Main Building at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.

Participants can compete for state-fair ribbons and cash prizes in both adult and youth categories.

The contest encourages creativity and storytelling, with judges awarding the top three contestants in each category. First place winners will receive $100, second place $50, and third place $25.

The event is free to participate in or watch, with ticketed entry to the fair. Contestants must register at 6:30 p.m. on the day of the event, and their stories should be between 3-5 minutes long. Judging criteria include technique, story development, originality, and effectiveness.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Each and every Saturday, WISH-TV highlights a local company together with our partners at Indiana Grown.

This week, the owner of Kayak Coffee, Ben Larson, joined Daybreak to share how he decided to start his own coffee roasting business.

Larson says he started roasting coffee in 2018 with a popcorn popper from the 1980s. Since then, he’s expanded to buy a 5 kilogram Diedrich commercial roaster and launch his coffee roasting company.

The name Kayak Coffee comes from Larson blending his two passions, coffee roasting and kayaking. He sources coffee from small family farms. By roasting in small batches, Larson makes sure that fresh and consistent coffee is the priority.

Larson sells his coffee at retail outlets, farmers markets, and online stores.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A heat advisory includes areas along and south of I-70 for Saturday. Scattered rain chances are possible this weekend, but these are not all-day, non-stop showers. Dew points this weekend will continue to be tropical in the 70s.

TODAY: Scattered showers and storms, but there will be dry windows with sunshine at times. A marginal (1/5) risk of severe weather is in place for isolated gusty thunderstorms north of I-70. High temperatures in the upper 80s with heat indices for the southern half of Indiana in the triple digits because of muggy air.

TONIGHT: Scattered showers and storms become more isolated as the night goes on. Low temperatures in the mid-70s.

TOMORROW: Scattered showers and storms mainly in the PM hours. Again, there will be breaks in the action, and not everyone will pick up something. Let’s hope these storms avoid IMS for the Brickyard 400, but I would pack the umbrella just in case. High temperatures in the mid to upper 80s.

7-DAY FORECAST: The work week will start with multiple days in the 90s, BUT we have a pattern change on the way. A cold front crosses the state late Wednesday, bringing relief to the area late week. High temperatures on Thursday will be around 80 degrees. More spots will be in the 70s on Friday.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WISH) — A suspect was arrested Friday in connection with a fatal hit-and-run accident on Easter Sunday in 2021 in Fort Wayne, police said Friday.

Kierra Chapman, 31, faces charges related to the incident, the Fort Wayne Police Department said in a news release.

Police responded just before 1:25 a.m. April 4, 2021, to a traffic crash of two vehicles at the intersection of U.S. 27/South Lafayette Street and McKinnie Avenue, which is an area with homes and a few business located south of the downtown area

The occupants of one vehicle fled the scene, while those in the other vehicle were injured. Samayah Barker, 17, died in the crash due to blunt force injuries, police said.

Online court records did not show a case yet filed for Chapman on Friday night, but police say she could face a mid-level felony charge of leaving the scene of an accident causing death, and three misdemeanor counts of leaving the scene of an accident causing bodily injury. Police say their lengthy investigation was conducted with the assistance of the Allen County Prosecutor’s Office.

Chapman remained in the Allen County jail on Friday night.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — NASCAR weekend is in full swing as drivers prepare for races.

Team 23XI Racing, a professional stock car racing team that competes in the NASCAR Cup Series, had a kickoff to the racing weekend on Friday evening at Gainbridge Fieldhouse with food, music and drivers. The event came ahead of Saturday and Sunday racing at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, concluding with the Brickyard 400 on Sunday.

Driver Bubba Wallace said, “It’s a fun get a away from the madness that we’re always a part of at the race track. I love it here in Indy, bringing car culture here in motorsports.”

He signed autographs and cars of young fans.

Riley Herbst won the Xfinity Series race in 2024. He said of Indianapolis, “It’s a cool town. The fans are awesome. The history in this place is really neat and to be able to add to that history last year with winning the race. Hopefully, we can make more history on Sunday.”

Aside from drivers, fans got a chance to see NASCAR vehicles get their tires changed. Dante Johnson is a pit crew member. He said he can change a tire weighing 40 pounds in 23 seconds. “Speed. That’s what you just saw was me taking off the right front tire and putting it on. Tightening it up so that’s usually how we start off our pit stop.”

He tightened up the tire with pit gun; the loud sound was deafening.

Fans even got a chance to test their skills on simulators. Gage Moon is a young fan who played on racing simulators. He said that he liked “the I-racing one. I like that better because it’s the home track.”

Indy is known for Indianapolis 500 but for Maksym Kostryk and other new racing fans it could be a new frontier. “I like to zag. I mean Indy car town so I’m gonna pretend that NASCAR is superior, even though I know Indy 500 is a big deal.”

KERRVILLE, Texas (WISH) — Indiana Task Force 1 said Friday that it’s returning home after 18 days of assisting with flood recovery efforts in Texas.

The team has spent the last couple of weeks in Texas, where severe flooding claimed the lives of at least 135 people. Task Force 1 contributed to the recovery operations.

Photos of Indiana Task Force 1’s work in Texas were shared on social media Friday, showcasing their involvement in the recovery efforts.

The post said that it will take several days for the task force to return home.

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.