INDIANAPOLIS — People from around the world will fill downtown Indianapolis streets this weekend for a wide array of events.

Taylor Schaffer, president and CEO of Downtown Indy Inc., said, “From the Indianapolis Zoo opening Zoo Boo this weekend to the international violin competition happening at Hilbert Circle Theatre, from a Colts game on Sunday and an Indy Eleven game on Saturday from WWE to Swing at Victory Field, there really is something for everybody happening in downtown Indianapolis this weekend.”

Downtown Indy Inc. expects tens of thousands of people to visit the city this weekend.

“It’s really more meaningful when it’s that mix of local regional and national audiences coming to Indianapolis and being able to get a sense of downtown, get a sense of downtown entrepreneurs and businesses at the same time they’re heading to the event that they came into Indianapolis for,” Schaffer said.

Well-established partnerships like the Circle City Classic, now in its 42nd year, and new collaborations with WWE allow the city to showcase its hospitality. Schaffer said these partnerships serve as economic drivers that attract other organizations to bring events to the city.

“We know how to host a lot of people all at once. We know how to get people in and out in a reasonable manner. We know how to have a walkable experience that really accommodates all those visitors, perhaps from all different walks of life, from all different areas of the community and the country,” Schaffer said.

Visitors traveling to town for these events continue to spend money on lodging, shopping and food.

“Location is everything. It makes a lot of difference when there’s things in town,” said Brent Drescher, general manager of District Tap.

The bar, restaurant, and sports pub sits at the corner of Meridian and Georgia streets, within walking distance of both Lucas Oil Stadium and Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Drescher said business increases significantly when events happen in town.

“Easily a nice uptick, by several thousand, easily,” he said.

Drescher said every event provides an opportunity to boost sales and demonstrate Hoosier hospitality.

“Very festive atmosphere. A lot of people out here have a great time, and this is just a part of their experience,” Drescher said. “We take that very seriously. And we love watching them have a good time as well.”

WWE and Indiana Sports Corp announced a partnership in 2024 to bring three of the company’s largest stadium events to Indianapolis. Indiana Sports Corp said the events — WrestleMania, SummerSlam and Royal Rumble — have a combined economic impact of more than $300 million. These events bring hundreds of thousands of fans to the host city from all 50 states and dozens of countries.

The 42nd Circle City Classic celebrates historically Black colleges and universities, youth leadership, and community achievement. Circle City Broadcasting is a partner with Circle City Classic.

BOONE COUNTY, Ind.–Boone County is looking at removing county auditor Debbie Crum after an internal investigation revealed she emailed personal information for all 290 Boone County employees to the Indiana Department of Child Services.

A public hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, October 6 at 10:00 am.

“Evidence in this matter will be presented at that time by County Attorney Beth Copeland,” said Boone County Communications Director Brent Wheat. “By statute, no decision on the matter can be made at the hearing.  After the applicable waiting period, the boards then may consider whether to petition the court for removal.”

The county has also hired Taft Law Firm to advise them on the matter, with an appropriation not to exceed $25,000, Wheat said.

Crum has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The data leak happened on June 30.

An internal investigation revealed auditor Debbie Crum emailed personal information for all 290 Boone County employees to the Indiana Department of Child Services.

Weeks later, a DCS employee emailed that document to four Boone County employees and two county vendors “for reasons that remain unknown,” according to Boone County.

Boone County completed its internal investigation into the disclosure of names and Social Security numbers to unintended recipients.

Here’s a breakdown of what Boone County’s investigation found:

• In May 2026, the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) initiated its annual audit of the County’s financial records by contacting Boone County Auditor Debbie Crum.
• As part of the audit, DCS requested documentation related to certain employees whose work involves child support services, according to Boone County.
• After an initial report was emailed by Crum that did not contain the requested information, a DCS employee sent a follow-up email identifying to Crum the 12 specific employees whose records were needed for the audit.
• In response, Auditor Crum requested the Boone County Human Resources Department provide her a report of all employees enrolled in the County’s long-term disability plan.
• The request did not include the context or purpose of the request, according to Boone County.
• HR generated the requested report and placed it on the County’s secured network drive for retrieval by the Auditor’s Office.
• On June 30, Auditor Crum retrieved the report and emailed it to two DCS employees—without opening or reading the report first, according to Boone County.
• Rather than containing information limited to the 12 employees identified by DCS, the report included personal information for all 290 employees enrolled in the County’s long-term disability plan, including names and Social Security numbers.
• Approximately three weeks later, one of the DCS employees forwarded the email to four Boone County employees and two county vendors for reasons that remain unknown. Boone County officials discovered the disclosure at this point.

Indiana’s I-Team broke the story about the employee data disclosure.

“Boone County recognizes the seriousness of any unauthorized disclosure involving employees’ personal information,” said Boone County in a statement to Indiana’s I-Team. “Protecting confidential information is a fundamental responsibility, and County officials regret that this incident occurred.”

The County says it is implementing safeguards to strengthen internal procedures governing the handling and transmission of sensitive employee information.

“The County is also taking measures to support those employees with resources to help protect their personal information, including credit monitoring and identity protection services,” said the county in a statement.

“County employees have every right to expect that their personal information will be handled with care, accuracy and accountability, and shared only when necessary,” said Boone County Commission President Tim Beyer. “Our investigation found that substantially more information than was requested was disclosed. We are committed to strengthening our procedures, supporting our employees, and taking appropriate action to ensure an incident like this does not happen again.”

Boone County is encouraging employees to review their credit reports and financial accounts for suspicious activity.

Employees should also consider placing a fraud alert or security freeze on their credit files, according to the email sent to Boone County employees.

“County employees deserve full confidence that their personal information is handled responsibly. The Council is committed to supporting affected employees while carefully reviewing the findings of this investigation and considering any actions necessary to protect the integrity of county government,” said Boone County Council President Jennifer Hostetter.

Indiana’s I-Team contacted Indiana DCS for comment and the agency provided the following statement:

The Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) takes very seriously the protection of the information entrusted to us in providing services.

On July 21, 2026, DCS’ Child Support Bureau learned that data in its custody was inadvertently disclosed by email to both internal and external parties. While this information was originally provided to CSB by the Boone County Auditor for use in CSB’s ordinary course of business, it included additional data that the agency should not have received. 

DCS took immediate action to control the situation and is closely following state and federal protocols, including adhering to Indiana Code 24-4.9-3-1, commonly referred to as the “Indiana Security Breach Notification Statute.”

INDIANAPOLIS — Three more Indiana counties have been added to the federal disaster declaration stemming from severe weather and flooding in August.

Gov. Mike Braun announced Friday that FEMA approved his request to add Pike, Cass and Putnam counties to the major disaster declaration.

Residents in those counties, along with residents in the 21 counties previously approved for Individual Assistance, can now apply for financial assistance through FEMA.

Individual Assistance is available in 24 counties: Carroll, Cass, Dearborn, Decatur, Delaware, Fayette, Franklin, Hamilton, Hancock, Henry, Lake, LaPorte, Madison, Marion, Morgan, Pike, Porter, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Rush, Tipton, Union and Wayne.

Public Assistance is also available for impacted local governments and certain nonprofit organizations in Cass, Carroll, Fountain, Grant, Marion, Morgan, Parke, Pike, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Rush, Starke, Union, Vermillion and Warren counties.

Braun thanked President Donald Trump and FEMA for the federal response to the August storms and flooding.

“Thanks to President Trump and our state’s coordination with FEMA, Hoosiers will continue to receive support at an unprecedented pace,” Braun said.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The damp, gray weather that has defined the workweek is finally lifting. Central Indiana is in the perfect spot for a beautiful weekend, sandwiched between storm systems passing to our east and west.

Today:

High clouds from a storm system over the Great Plains will filter the sunshine through the day. These clouds could become thick enough this afternoon to keep temperatures a few degrees cooler.

Highs will reach the low to mid-70s by late afternoon across most of central Indiana. While most areas stay dry, a stray light shower is possible.

Tonight:

Clear skies and calm winds will allow temperatures to drop quickly. Lows will fall into the upper 40s to low 50s statewide.

Patchy fog will develop overnight, especially in low-lying areas and river valleys.

Tomorrow:

Saturday morning could start with dense fog in some areas.

Once the fog burns off, expect a lot more sunshine compared to previous days. Highs will climb into the mid-70s.

Sunday:

Sunday brings more of the same. Watch for patchy fog again Sunday morning as clear skies and calm winds set up overnight Saturday.

Sunday afternoon looks fantastic with mostly sunny skies and highs in the mid to upper 70s.

7 day forecast:

We’re now expecting a much weaker wave Tuesday night. Cloud cover and rain chances will increase, but the threat of strong thunderstorms has dropped a bit.

Some uncertainty in regardds to the remnants of Hurricane Polo, which is currently spinning off the southern Mexico coast. Some models hint that some of that moisture could head our way late week – but not all are on the same page. Some worth watching next week.

For now, expect highs to stay in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees early next week with increasing humidity Tuesday and Wednesday.

PARKER CITY, Ind. — Monroe Central High School will not participate in its scheduled football game at Wes-Del High School Friday, the school announced Thursday.

In a social media post, school officials said the school would not participate to give the community a chance to mourn the death of Monroe High School junior Charli Siekmann.

According to her obituary, she died Wednesday from injuries she suffered in a crash.

A student athlete, Charli’s obituary said she was a member of the Monroe Central Golf Team, Quiz Bowl and Academic Bowl.

In the social media post, Monroe High School officials said they wanted to give the community a chance to honor Charli and support her family. To do that, they school will not participate in the varsity football game at Wes-Del on Friday.

“We appreciate everyone’s understanding and support as we come together to honor Charli’s life,” the statement said.

Charli was 16 years old.

INDIANAPOLIS–A man was found dead in the Broad Ripple Park area at around 6:30 Thursday morning.

IMPD says they were out on patrol, and they found a man in a portable bathroom nearby. He was unresponsive and he was later pronounced dead at the scene. Also at the scene, they discovered an unoccupied vehicle.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office identified him as a man in his 20s.

They are trying to figure out the cause and manner of death.

STATEWIDE–The Indiana State Board of Animal Health (BOAH) has concluded its investigation after a horse died at a Girl Scouts camp in rural Morgantown.

Veterinarians from BOAH completed an unannounced visit at Camp Gallahue on September 18 after receiving a complaint about two “very thin” horses and another that was deceased.

“No horses were present at the camp; all had been returned to the owner-contractor(s) who supplied the horses to the camp,” said Denise Derrer Spears, a spokesperson for BOAH, in an email to Indiana’s I-Team.  “BOAH veterinarians discussed with the camp’s site manager and program director the circumstances that generated the complaint.  Based on information provided, the caretaker was trying to manage the weight loss of the two horses at the center of the complaint.”

The cause of death for the third horse was attributed to an acute medical condition, Derrer Spears said.

“BOAH’s veterinarians provided guidance to the camp staff about the importance of involving professional veterinary care earlier, at the first sign of distress or illness in an animal,” said Derrer Spears. “Additionally, the owner-contractor should be contacted earlier to remove any horses that become ill or distressed.”

The Indiana State Board of Animal Health did not find any evidence of wrongdoing or violations, Derrer Spears said.

Veterinarians did not inspect the horses who had lost weight.

“When our veterinarians visited, the animals had already been returned to the owner/contractor, so they were not on-site to inspect,” said Derrer Spears.

The veterinarian will return for a recheck to see if progress is made (such as animals gaining weight or an injury is healing or proof that a private veterinarian is providing treatment), according to BOAH.

“If acceptable progress has been made, the case may be closed,” said Derrer Spears. “If progress is not sufficient, the veterinarian will plan another revisit or charges could be brought.”

The Brown County Animal Control accompanied veterinarians with Indiana BOAH.

Animal control officer Billie Grimes-Watson referred questions to Denise Derrer Spears.

Concerned citizens contacted Indiana’s I-Team after photos circulated online showing a dead horse and other horses that appeared to be in poor condition at the camp in Brown County.

The camp’s website states that scouts can ride horses at the barn and includes a request for supplies for the animals.

Circle City Broadcasting obtained photos of horses at the camp from a source who asked to remain anonymous.

Lauren Palmer, director of communications for Girl Scouts of Central Indiana, said in an email, “We were saddened by the passing of a horse at Camp Gallahue due to an unexpected illness.”

Palmer said the Girl Scouts worked with the horses’ owner to ensure the remaining animals received veterinary care as soon as the organization learned about the situation. A local provider owns the horses and leases them to the camp.

“As a precaution, all horse programming for the remainder of the season has been cancelled while we assess next steps,” Palmer said in the email.

INDIANAPOLIS — A Marion County judge on Thursday sentenced a mother convicted in the murder of her 5-year-old daughter in 2024 to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

The sentencing comes just three weeks after a jury found Toni McClure guilty of murder, criminal confinement, and battery on a person under 14.

“If this is not the worst of the worst, then it is close,” Judge James Snyder said. “I had seasoned medics in tears; I had detectives in tears. So many people have failed Kinsleigh Welty.”

The case involves the April 2024 death of McClure’s daughter, Kinsleigh Welty.

Police were called to a home on Denver Drive on Indianapolis’ southwest side after Kinsleigh was found unresponsive. She later died of severe malnutrition.

As the investigation continued, detectives learned Welty had been forced to sleep in a small closet with a dresser placed in front so she couldn’t get out. Investigators said McClure admitted she routinely put Kinsleigh in the closet and did very little to make sure she was properly fed.

The investigation also led to the arrests of McClure’s boyfriend, Ryan Smith, and Kinsleigh’s grandmother, Tammy Halsey.

According to court documents, Halsey sometimes watched Kinsleigh while McClure and Smith went to run errands or attend family events without the child. Investigators said Halsey also used duct tape at times to restrain Kinsleigh and keep her from getting to food.

Smith and Halsey later reached plea agreements with prosecutors. Both pleaded guilty to neglect of a dependent and agreed to 20-year sentences.

Smith’s sentence in the Indiana Department of Correction started Aug. 31. Halsey was due in court at 11 a.m. Thursday for her sentencing hearing.

This is a developing story.

Previous coverage

• Mom accused of fatally neglecting 5-year-old daughter had previous neglect conviction
• IMPD: Mom, boyfriend arrested after 5-year-old girl dies at hospital
• Indianapolis mom charged with murder, confinement of 5-year-old appears in court
• Grandmother arrested in connection to death of 5-year-old Indianapolis girl
• Mom admits to neglecting 5-year-old daughter, locking her in closet
• Jury trial for mom charged in ‘horrific’ Kinsleigh Welty death case begins
• Mistrial declared in murder case of mother accused of 5-year-old daughter’s death

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) —   WISH-TV celebrates extraordinary teachers in central Indiana with the WISH-TV Golden Apple Award.

The award comes with a trophy, $500 in cash thanks to our partners at Hensley Legal Group, PC, a school supply shopping spree to Teachers’ Treasures, and a surprise visit from the News 8 team.

• Nominate a deserving teacher for the Golden Apple Award!

September’s Golden Apple Award winner is Mrs. Tonya Gamble-Daoust. She’s a second grade teacher in Indianapolis at Tindley Genesis Academy. She brings warmth, love, and a bit of theatrics to her classroom. In fact, her use of songs and sayings helps students master math and reading.

“Always something new with Miss Gamble-Daoust,” assistant principal Aaron Book said. “It is hard to pick one thing for Tonya. She is above and beyond for not only her students, but the community and the families.”

“Her compassion for the kids, it just shines through,” literacy coach Robyn Treeter added. “The way she just has a great spirit.”

“She stays extremely late to makes sure everyone’s needs are met in her classroom” social worker Samantha King said. “Even today, she brought churro doughnuts.”

From sweet treats to sweet treatment in the halls, Mrs. Gamble-Daoust is a favorite among students.

“She cares about a lot of people, even people that’s not in her class. She still gives them all the love that she can give, even the whole school,” 8-year-old Izzy Latouche said.

Students say it’s the small things that make a difference, like singing songs to help with spelling.

“She just brings the love into her classroom and really gets them to buy into what she’s doing each and every day in her class,” physical education teacher Jordan Barnes said.

She embeds music, games, pop culture, and even some old-school acting from her time when she tried out for the show Saved By the Bell. She attended San Diego School of Creative and Performing Arts in high school and performed in plays with cast members on the show.

Now she stars as the role of mom in life, bringing that mentality to teaching and finding ways to engage kids while making sure they’re taken care of along the way.

Fellow teachers say students love Gamble-Daoust and don’t even realize they’re learning. She makes her classroom vibrant and fun. Coworkers say she is compassionate, charismatic, and most importantly, an advocate.

“She’ll call it out. She’ll let you know exactly what needs to happen for her students, for her families, and for her staff, for her co-workers. She is an advocate by far,” Book said.

As assistant principal, he describes Gamble-Daoust as the type of teacher every institution needs.

“She is above and beyond for not only her students, but the community and the families for our Tidnley network. She is a very energetic and very positive teacher for all of her students and also her teammates, her coworkers, her families. She’s just an advocate for everything that we do and everything that she does for her kids,” Book added.

That’s why he nominated her for the WISH-TV Golden Apple Award. So, along with her family and Hensley Legal Group, PC, the WISH-TV team went to surprise her.

Ryan Kreiker is a former teacher and now works for Hensley Legal Group. He presented the $500 check to Mrs. Gamble-Daoust. Then she watched a video from her students and coworkers.

“I am grateful. I love my job. I love my students. I tell them all of the time you are not just my student for this year, you are my student for life. We talk about our ‘college and our future dreams’ all of the time. So I am very grateful to know the impact I have made,” Gamble-Daoust said after the surprise.

When asked why she is an advocate for students, she said, “I just think it is really important everyone is treated equally and that equity is key. So we don’t all come from the same background, but we all have opportunities to get to the same greatness.”

She added that God has given her a gift to love people, and she loves people. She was the first in her family to go to college and hopes others can learn from her story.

“Somebody believed in me and I hope me believing in these babies is going to give them an opportunity and opportunities galore to go out and take on the world,” Gamble-Daoust said.

INDIANAPOLIS — Four suspended Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers and one former officer face charges of fraud and official misconduct following an investigation into the misuse of license plate readers, the department announced Wednesday.

On Sept. 23, Marion County Prosecutor’s Office filed formal charges against the five individuals. In addition to fraud and misconduct, one officer faces a stalking charge.

Internal audits in August and Sept. 2026 identified the misuse of automatic license plate reader (ALPR) technology. IMPD began administrative and criminal investigations, leading Chief Tanya Terry to place the officers on desk duty and revoke their ALPR access. One officer later resigned, though the investigation into their conduct continued.

As more facts came to light, Terry suspended the four remaining officers and recommended they be fired. The following individuals face charges:

• Michael Rogers (16-year veteran): Suspended and recommended for termination; charged with fraud and official misconduct.
• Jonathan Schultz (18-year veteran): Suspended and recommended for termination; fraud, official misconduct, and stalking.

Prosecutors identified 1,396 ALPR searches that were made by Schultz that appeared to have no legitimate law enforcement purpose. According to online court records, Schultz began stalking a woman when he first met her in September 2023 while attending a workout class at Center Grover High School. Schultz began to search her license plate in Flock just nine days later. The woman told police she believed that Schultz had a weird obsession with her based on comments he made after workouts.

Court documents indicate Schultz created a Facebook account with a fake name to message her. These searches were conducted while Schultz was both on duty and off duty for IMPD.

Schultz also used Flock cameras to stalk two other women: his ex-wife and a woman he met at her place of employment in Greenwood, according to the probable cause affidavit. He told the woman he was an FBI agent and that he was conducting surveillance in the parking lot.

• Cassandra Crawley (7-year veteran): Suspended and recommended for termination; charged with fraud and official misconduct.
• Matthew Binford (4-year veteran): Suspended and recommended for termination; charged with fraud and official misconduct.
• Abigail Cramer (5-year veteran): Resigned; charged with fraud and official misconduct.

“Today is a deeply disheartening and disappointing day for IMPD. These individuals’ actions went far beyond a clerical error or a violation of department policy. These actions crossed into criminal conduct and shook the foundation of trust that our agency is built upon,” Chief Tanya Terry said in a release.

“But I refuse to let the actions of a few define the work of this department and the hundreds of officers who show up every day with one mission: to protect our community,” she added.

The alleged misuse happened before IMPD started its new ALPR policy. In August 2026, the department issued updated rules for using the technology. Every user must now sign the policy to keep access. All searches must also include a case or incident number and a federal offense code.

IMPD also increased auditing to find misuse faster and adopted a single login system to prevent shared credentials. The department now shares ALPR data only with Indiana law enforcement agencies.

IMPD is currently turning these rules into a general order for public release. The department stated it supports laws that guide the proper use of this technology while using it to reduce violent crime.

Previous reporting: https://www.wishtv.com/news/i-team/chief-recommends-firing-impd-officer-who-misused-license-plate-readers/