INDIANAPOLIS — Outdoor enthusiasts can now earn rewards for exploring Indiana’s natural beauty through a new program from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources.

Angie Manuel, an interpretative services representative for the DNR, said the agency rolled out the program this year to encourage people to enjoy the great outdoors an visit state parks and wildlife areas.

“This year the Indiana DNR rolled out a rewards program to invite people to who already visit parks who are interested in learning more about parks to actually get points be rewarded for visiting our parks, lakes, forests, fish and wildlife areas, nature preserves, and then things they do in those properties,” Manuel said.

To start earning, visitors must download the Indiana DNR app. While at a DNR-owned property, users can check in using GPS coordinates or by scanning a QR code. Points are available at nature preserves, fish and wildlife areas, and for specific activities such as boat rentals or attending events.

While there is not a total limit on the points a user can accrue, the system does limit users to one check-in per day at each location. For example, a visitor staying at a campground for a three-day weekend can check in each day to maximize their points.

Participants can redeem 10,000 points for a $25 gift card. These cards are valid for camping reservations or stays at one of the several state park inns.

“Right now it’s when you hit the 10,000 points mark, you get a $25 gift card again to either an inn or a camping reservation,” Manuel said. “Those might grow in the future, but right now it’s gift cards that people just love to receive.”

Manuel recently visited Harmony State Park, where she saw many visitors using the app during a fall event.

“I met lots of folks who were checking in on their DNR rewards app,” Manuel said. “They got points for coming to the park, points for being in the campground over the weekend, for the event, the fall event.”

The program aims to provide motivation for Hoosiers to get outside and check out new locations across Indiana, especially during the peak fall color season in October.

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana State Police have found the third vehicle involved in a school bus crash that injured 13 people Tuesday morning on an Interstate 465 ramp.

The Indianapolis Fire Department said ambulances took eight children to local hospitals, including Indiana University Health Riley Hospital for Children and Peyton Manning Children’s Hospital at Ascension St. Vincent. While seven of those children were stable, one remained in serious condition.

Five adults — two state troopers and three school employees — were stable at Eskenazi and IU Health Methodist hospitals.

Sgt. John Perrine announced Sunday night that police located the blue van they were searching for on Friday afternoon.

From the truck’s dashcam, Indiana State Police on Tuesday evening shared a photo of a blue Honda minivan involved in the crash near the U.S. 40/East Washington Street interchange. Investigators say a Warren Township school bus, the minivan and the police truck were all entering northbound I-465 from Washington Street when the crash happened.

The bus led the group, followed by the van and the police truck. As the bus and van merged onto the interstate, both moved into the center lane at the same time. The van then moved into the left lane to pass the bus. As the van cleared the front of the bus, the bus driver swerved to the right and hit the right rear of the police truck in the adjacent lane. The impact caused the truck to slide and hit the concrete median barrier. The bus then tipped onto its driver’s side and came to rest against the median wall.

The bus was carrying 24 students from Creston Intermediate and Middle School and three adults.

While investigators do not believe the van hit the bus, detectives want to speak with the driver about what happened.

Perrine said the investigation is ongoing and there will be no further information released at this time.

INDIANAPOLIS — A man accused of making and selling spice across Indianapolis is behind bars after a months-long investigation by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department.

Police arrested the 37-year-old Thursday, wrapping up a case they say included drones, public safety cameras, and license plate reader cameras.

On Oct. 1, detectives executed three search warrants at 1000 E. Troy and 7100 Birch Hall Circle near E. Southport Road and Five Points Road.

Here’s what detectives seized during the search:

• Over $89,000 in cash
• 22 firearms
• Precursor chemicals believed to be used to make Spice
• Bags of Spice and marijuana
• Items used to store, mix and produce Spice
• Cell phones
• Two vehicles: a Dodge truck and a Tesla truck

The suspect faces multiple charges of dealing and possession of a controlled substance.

“Our detectives put in countless hours of meticulous work—surveillance, technology-driven analysis, and coordinated operations—to bring this investigation to a successful point,” said IMPD Downtown District Commander Shane Foley. “Their dedication disrupts a network that fuels violence and instability in our neighborhoods. This work reflects our commitment to protecting Downtown and the entire city, and I believe the impact of this investigation will be felt well beyond this arrest.”

INDIANAPOLIS — A 9-year-old boy is dead, and a 6-year-old boy is injured after they were struck by a vehicle in a hit-and-run crash Sunday afternoon on the city’s northwest side.

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, at 1:33 p.m., officers were called to the 6700 block of Eagle Pointe Drive North on a report of a child lying in the street.

That location is an apartment complex located off West 46th Street and Inland Drive East.

Arriving officers found two children who had been hit by a vehicle.

The vehicle that hit the children did not stay on the scene, according to police.

The 9-year-old boy was taken to the hospital in critical condition, where he later died. The other child is in stable condition, police say.

At this time, police say they are unable to share details on the striking vehicle.

Police ask anyone with information on this incident to contact Crime Stoppers.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Fever’s season might be over, but the conversation around the team’s fans and their behavior during games continues after a heated exchange between Las Vegas Aces star A’ja Wilson and a courtside fan during Game 2 of the first round of the playoffs Tuesday.

Fever general manager Amber Cox read a written statement to close her end-of-season interviews Saturday, saying in part:

“The attacks on our fanbase have no basis in reality, and they need to stop, especially with members of the media… who have never been to a game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.”

Cox goes on to say that the Fever welcome fans from 57 countries and all 50 states to Indiana to attend games but not one fan has ever been removed from the arena for violating the WNBA Code of Conduct.

“Our fans love this team. They’re going to cheer, they’re going to boo, and sometimes they might point. It’s a home court advantage for a reason,” Cox said. “Fever games have always been about inclusivity. Sports are the ultimate unifier, and we want everyone to be a fan of the Fever and a fan of this league.”

When asked why she felt it necessary to end her media availability with the prepared statement, Cox said she wanted to thank the fans.

“I think during the playoff series, there were some narratives around our fanbase that just frankly are not true, and I thought it was important to say that no one has ever violated that fan code of conduct. We take it very seriously. We understand that there is a line. People are held accountable if they cross it, and they should be. But we have a great fanbase,” Cox said.

The Fever’s season ended with a 94-83 loss to the Aces in a series-deciding Game 3 on Thursday night. Questions remain about whether head coach Stephanie White will remain in her job next season, or if the Fever will re-sign guards Kelsey Mitchell or Sophie Cunningham, but of whom are now free agents.

Cox said that she wants to keep the Fever’s “Big Three” — meaning All-Stars Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and Mitchell — together and have Mitchell retire with Indiana. She also said that she’ll be in discussions with Cunningham’s team to see if a return is possible.

INDIANAPOLIS — Medics and Indianapolis police were sent Friday night to a report of a person shot at or near the end of a football game at Warren Central High School on the city’s east side.

Authorities were called about 10:35 p.m. Friday to the school at 9500 E. 16th St.

Circle City Broadcasting reached out to IMPD and the Metropolitan School District of Warren Township for information but did not receive an immediate response.

Media was told to gather at a 21st Street library for information. Circle City Broadcasting has a crew on the way to the scene.formation at a library on 21st Street. A Circle City Broadcasting crew is traveling to the scene.

Warren Central defeated Lawrence North 53-37.

FRANKLIN, Ind. — A Johnson County grand jury has indicted a 35-year-old Franklin man on two counts of murder for the 2006 deaths of a 10-year-old boy and his stepmother.

Police took Michael Jerome James into custody following the indictment, which came after a three-week review of evidence and testimony. The charges relate to the deaths of Chynna Dickus, 26, and her stepson Blake Dickus. Family members found the two stabbed to death inside their Franklin home on July 24, 2006.

Franklin Police Chief Kirby Cochran said in a news release issued Friday afternoon that the department never forgot the two and never stopped seeking justice. He credited the investigations division and detectives for keeping the case active for 20 years. Cochran said the indictment happened due to new leads, and advances in forensic science, although new details were provided.

Detective Sgt. John Borges said in the release that investigators learned nearly 11 years ago that the deaths were linked to a string of five burglaries in Franklin. The daytime burglaries happened in June 2006 and July 2006 within a half-mile of the Dickus home on Aberdeen Drive. One burglary happened on the same day and street as the murders.

In each of those cases, the intruder cut window screens in a T-pattern to enter the homes. “The screen was cut in a T pattern, sliced over and sliced down to where it laid open to where somebody could actually crawl through a window,” Borges said.

Borges said the burglaries also shared another unusual detail: The intruder ransacked the homes and went through the refrigerators.

Johnson County Prosecutor Lance D. Hamner said in a separate news release late Friday afternoon that the crime happened during his first term as prosecutor and has remained with him since. The Republican said his desire to seek justice for the Dickuses was the primary reason he left his position as a judge in 2022 to run for prosecutor again. He was the county prosecutor from 1991 to 2009.

The indictment followed a renewed push on Sept. 25, when the prosecutor’s office asked to increase the reward for information from $25,000 to $100,000. Hamner said the incentive aimed to encourage people who remained silent to finally speak up.

Officials said an initial hearing will happen in Johnson Circuit Court, although online court records on Friday night did not yet show a case filed against James.

(CNN) — Nearly all tested cat foods contain toxic plastic contaminants, the herbicide glyphosate and heavy metals such as lead, mercury and arsenic, according to a new investigation provided exclusively to CNN.

“Most cats eat the same foods nearly every day, with little variation,” said report author Molly Hamilton, executive director of the Clean Label Project, a Colorado nonprofit that tests consumer products for contaminants and certifies those meeting its standards.

“The contaminants are an ongoing exposure that may accumulate in cats’ bodies over their lifetimes,” Hamilton said. “For example, chronic kidney disease is among the most common causes of death in older cats — the kidneys play a major role in filtering heavy metals.”

Toxins were found in all types of cat food — wet, dry and air- or freeze-dried — even in products labeled as natural and nutritionally superior, according to the analysis released Friday.

“Cat owners increasingly choose premium meats, organic vegetables and cleaner labels, assuming higher prices and quality ingredients mean healthier food,” Hamilton told CNN. “That’s not necessarily the case.”

Clean Label published a similar assessment of dog food in February that found three to 13 times more heavy metals than human food. Lead and cadmium exposure has been linked to canine cancer, a leading cause of death in dogs.

Heavy metals occur naturally in soil, water and air, but agricultural, industrial and mining pollution can increase and spread contamination. Plastics and other contaminants may also enter food during manufacturing, the report said.

“Overall, this appears to be a reasonably conducted analysis,” said Ryan Babadi, science director for Toxic Free Future, a nonprofit consumer product safety organization.

“Major retailers have the responsibility to require their suppliers to eliminate harmful chemicals from pet food and packaging — chemicals that are already being phased out or banned in many other products,” said Babadi, who was not involved in the investigation.

The Pet Food Institute, which represents manufacturers of cat foods, told CNN in an email that pet food manufacturers do implement comprehensive food safety and quality assurance programs.

Those include “ingredient specifications, supplier verification, testing protocols, traceability systems, and science-based preventive controls designed to ensure products are safe, nutritious, and consistent,” said Elise Fennig, the CEO for the Pet Food Institute.

“Cat owners should feel confident that the food they feed their pets is safe and produced according to rigorous regulatory and quality standards.”

Lead found in 99% of all samples

The investigation tested 100 top-selling cat foods for more than 122 contaminants, including lead, arsenic, cadmium, mercury, pesticides, herbicides and phthalates, the plastic chemicals linked to an increased risk of death in humans.

Lead was found in 99%, cadmium in 96% and arsenic in 94% of cat food samples across 62 brands. Contamination varied by product type — wet, dry, and air- or freeze-dried — and the type of protein, such as poultry, beef or fish.

Cadmium is classified as a human carcinogen and harms the kidneys and bones. A buildup of lead in the body damages nearly every major organ system. Inorganic arsenic — the type found in soil and water — is also a known human carcinogen.

Dry cat food contained roughly three times more lead than wet or air-dried products. No level of lead is safe for people, and children are most vulnerable: Their bodies absorb up to 50% of ingested lead, compared with about 10% for adults, which can cause stunted growth, decreased IQ, hyperactivity and irritability.

Cats and other small pets also absorb more than larger ones, yet few regulations control contaminants in pet food, Hamilton said. “The absence of safety standards does not mean a contaminant is safe. Most guidelines are designed for farm animals, not kittens or 15-year-old housecats.”

Fish and seafood — popular proteins for cats — had the strongest association with mercury and cadmium, the report found. Because microorganisms in water turn regular mercury into methylmercury, a toxic chemical form that binds tightly to fish tissue, the heavy metal accumulates to higher levels in aquatic animals.

Mercury is toxic to the nervous, digestive and immune systems, as well as the kidneys, lungs and skin, according to the World Health Organization.

Mercury levels were about 18 times higher and cadmium levels about 2.5 times higher in fish- or seafood-based cat foods than in foods made with other proteins. Wet versions of seafood products contained the most mercury — nearly 28 times as much as wet foods made with other meats, especially poultry.

“As the main protein, chicken was better when it came to mercury and cadmium, but we saw higher rates of lead and herbicides in chicken,” Hamilton said. “It’s a whack-a-mole situation — which contaminant do you want to whack?

“That doesn’t mean all fish options were high in mercury — levels depend on manufacturers’ quality-control testing,” she added. “We certified several fish-based foods.”

Nearly 85% of poultry-based foods met Clean Label Project’s purity standard compared with 25.7% of fish and seafood products.

“Every product in this study was purchased at retail, and no brand had any role in selecting products, conducting testing or analyzing the results. No brand saw the results before publication,” Hamilton said.

Glyphosate and phthalates

Although cats are carnivores, many manufacturers add produce to cat food for its antioxidants, minerals and vitamins. Unless grown organically, those plants may be exposed to pesticides. A national report found the vast majority of 100 popular fruits and vegetables tested positive for a wide variety of bug-killers.

The Clean Label investigation tested for glyphosate, which is agriculture’s most widely used herbicide. Glyphosate was found at detectable levels in 37% of products, and cat food with more plants in the first 10 ingredients had higher glyphosate levels.

The WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer classified glyphosate in 2015 as “probably carcinogenic to humans.” The US Environmental Protection Agency disagrees.

“On average, cat food with two plant ingredients among the top 10 on the label had roughly 40% more glyphosate than a similar food with one plant ingredient. Cat food with five plant ingredients had nearly four times as much,” Hamilton said.

Another “very concerning finding” was the widespread presence of di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, or DEHP, a chemical used in PVC plastics and some food-contact materials that is linked to cancer, birth defects and other health concerns, Babadi said.

“It was detected in about half of the products tested, with the highest levels in canned and pouch products. DEHP contamination could potentially occur during food processing, including through contact with PVC tubing or other farm or food processing equipment,” he said.

“It is encouraging to see those harmful bisphenols, including BPA, were found less frequently, suggesting pet food can be produced and packaged without these endocrine disrupting chemicals,” Badadi added.

The research did have limitations. Each product was tested from a single batch. Therefore the study could not capture differences that might occur between batches of the same product.

“Brands that routinely screen for contaminants of concern tend to have more consistent results over time,” Hamilton said. “In addition, this study compares contaminant levels across products in each category of wet, dry and air- or freeze-dried. It does not determine whether a specific product will cause harm to a cat.”

What pet owners can do

If your cat favors seafood, vary its diet with chicken or other proteins to limit daily exposure to mercury and cadmium. Read the ingredient list carefully, however, as cat foods without fish in their name may still contain seafood ingredients and thus higher levels of mercury and cadmium.

According to the Clean Label report, wet or air-dried products are preferable to dry food for lower lead exposure, while avoiding foods with plants in the top 10 ingredients may lower pesticide exposure.

In addition, don’t rely on the first listed ingredient to gauge toxins. In more than a third of tested products, it didn’t tell the full story, Hamilton said.

“The first ingredient on a food label is often the biggest selling point because ingredients are listed by weight,” she said. “We tested and found the first ingredient is not always a reliable indicator of what the food contains, nor does it predict which contaminant may be present at the highest levels.”

One reason: Manufacturers need not disclose which part of a fish or other protein they use, Hamilton said. Wild salmon, for example, may sound healthier, but its liver, kidneys, intestines, head and skin store more chemical pollutants than the rest of the fish.

“Yet you have no idea what part of the fish is in that cat food,” Hamilton said. “The best way to know what’s in your cat’s food is to contact the manufacturer and determine if they test the food – and how frequently they test.

“Because even if they were to tell you what part of the fish that they’re using, without testing, there’s no way to know how free of contaminants it really is.”

It’s also a good idea for consumers to reach out to the company making their cat’s favorite food brand and inquire about testing and quality control standards, experts say.

“Pet owners should take action and urge brands and retailers to ensure toxic chemicals and plastics are not hiding in cat food and its packaging,” Babadi said. “Pets, as part of our families, deserve food that is safe from toxic chemicals.”

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A cold front is working through central Indiana this morning, shutting down rain chances and ushering in a much cooler, fall-like feel.

This morning:

Rain is sticking around through the morning commute, tapering off from northwest to southeast. Look for lingering showers through late morning before pushing out by midday.

Highs will struggle to reach the upper 50s to near 60°—a noticeable drop from yesterday. Skies will remain mostly cloudy through the afternoon hours.

Tonight:

Skies clear out late with temperatures dropping through the 40s statewide. By Saturday morning, look for lows in the lower to mid 40s.

Weekend forecast:

Cooler temps on tap for the morning hours both Saturday and Sunday morning, but you can’t complain about the perfect afternoon temperatures. Highs around 70° on Saturday, and topping out around the mid 70s Sunday.

First frost potential:

The main story we’re tracking: the potential for the first patchy frost of the season late Monday night into Tuesday morning. The Muncie and Anderson area in central Indiana, along with northeastern Indiana is most likely to see temperatures dip into the mid/upper 30s. If winds go calm as expected—and they should—frost development is likely.

Looking ahead:

After the chilly start to the week, a warming trend slides in by Wednesday. Southwesterly flow will push temperatures back toward or slightly above seasonal normals.

7-day forecast:

LAS VEGAS — The Indiana Fever’s playoff run came to an end Thursday night in a loss to Las Vegas.

The Aces won 94-83 in the decisive Game 3 of the best-of-three series. The Aces also knocked out the Fever in last year’s WNBA playoffs.

Aces center A’ja Wilson led all scorers with 36 points. She also had 10 rebounds.

Guard Kelsey Mitchell led the Fever with 23 points.

Indiana center Aliyah Boston added 19 points and 10 rebounds, while Fever guard Caitlin Clark finished with 18 points.

Indiana led by as many as eight points in Game 3.

Last year, the Aces eliminated the Fever in the semifinal round of the playoffs.

The Aces will play the winner of the Golden State-Dallas series in the semifinal round of the 2026 playoffs.