INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Butler University’s historic Hinkle Fieldhouse is set to receive a significant upgrade with the installation of a new 2,700-square-foot LED video display.

The new video screens, which will be 14 feet tall, are planned to be hung in the center of the arena, enhancing the viewing experience for fans and visitors, the university said in a news release issued Thursday.

Hinkle Fieldhouse, first built in 1928, is nearing its 100th anniversary.

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 U.S. Department of Agriculture on Thursday announced it will relocate some employees to Indianapolis as part of a major reorganization.

Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins said she plans to relocate about 2,600 USDA employees away from the Washington, D.C. area to five regional hubs around the country. Besides Indianapolis, her department will establish hubs in Raleigh, N.C.; Kansas City, Mo.; Fort Collins, Colo.; and Salt Lake City. Rollins cited the high cost of living in Washington compared to those five cities. She said about 2,000 USDA staff will remain in the nation’s capital.

Rollins told News 8 USDA leaders are still working out which services will come to Indy and how many workers will be transferred here. She said Indianapolis is a great place for a USDA hub due to its close proximity to some of the nation’s major agribusinesses and agricultural research institutions, such as Purdue University.

“The people of Indiana, I think, represent the best of our country and what we’re really trying to do and who we’re trying to support. So, we think that it’s going to be a really good spot.”

The move is part of a broader reorganization of the department. Besides the hubs, department officials plan to consolidate numerous functions.

The Agriculture Research Service will eliminate its area offices, one of which is located in West Lafayette. Rollins said it’s too soon to say if that office will be moved to the Indianapolis hub.

The Food and Nutrition Service, which among other things runs the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, will consolidate its functions into the hubs.

The U.S. Forest Service will phase out its nine regional offices.

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun said he loves the idea of dispersing USDA employees across the country, adding the idea came up during his time in the Senate. “I think that ought to get broad reception and when it comes to agriculture, having that closer to farmers, making it easier, I think it’s a great example of how the new administration is doing something where that would have never gotten to first base (under the Biden administration).”

Rollins said officials are still working out the exact timeline but she hopes to move everyone to the hubs sometime in the next year or so. She said each hub will have a specific focus such as the Farm Service Agency or the Forest Service. She said hub assignments should come out over the next few weeks.

“Indianapolis is an incredible home for families and workers at every stage in their careers. Federal workers are the backbone of our state’s economy, with over 24,000 federal workers in Indiana alone.  I continue to warn against further job cuts, or threats of job cuts to our dedicated federal workforce. I look forward to welcoming new workers to Indianapolis and hope that USDA supports and provides incentives to employees in this transition.”

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GREENFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — Mike Hamm is a 87-year-old veteran with dementia.

He stayed indoors in the cool air conditioning while outside temperature ticked to 91 degrees on Thursday.

He and his wife, Sharon, have been married for 59 years. They’re helping each other, so they don’t overheat.

Mike usually sits in his La-Z-Boy and uses a walker to get around. There’s a small license plate on his walker that reads “Too cool 4 u.”

About the weather, he said, “It’s been like this for a long time in the 90s and it’s supposed to get to the 100s pretty soon, and I don’t think I’ll go out much.”

Mike didn’t seem to notice the increase in temperature outside but appreciated helping hands, including his wife. “My wife, too, she makes me drink a lot of ice water.”

The veteran spends most of his days inside watching TV and reading the newspaper.

Sharon said, “He rarely goes out, but he insists on doing that one thing — go out and get the mail — because he wants to do everything he’s used to.”

Sharon goes out of their home more often, and she said the heat makes it hard. “It’s harder to breathe. I do know the older one gets, your body starts conking in different types of places. Besides the breathing, you get tired of walking.”

Dr. Chris Ross, an emergency room physician from Community Health Network, said Thursday that older people are prone to heat stress because their bodies have a harder time adjusting to sudden temperatures.

Ross said heat exhaustion can be fatal if not treated promptly. He said, “If you’re confused, vomiting, sweating profusely and then not sweating anymore, those are the reasons to look for help.”

Ross had this advice for caretakers: “Take special care to make sure that the people you’re caring for have plenty of water access, to bathrooms. If they have issues like dementia and begin to wander, to make sure the doors are locked so they don’t get outside and get stuck outside because that’s when they could really get into trouble.”

Mike and Sharon have help, Senior Helpers, a home care service that helps them manage their well-being in the heat. Marta Guinn, director of operations, said, “Any clients with dementia, their short-term memory is gone, so we just suggest — we don’t ever make a client do anything — we just suggest the same thing over and over again. ‘Mr. Hamm, would you like some water?’ ‘Mr. Hamm, we haven’t had a drink. How about I’m going to get a drink from my water, would you like to take a drink out of yours?’ Lots of reminding.”

Guinn added that as people get older, their bodies don’t self-regulate as well as in the past, and some people may not realized they’re overheating.

Senior Helpers also recommends checking in with older parents, grandparents, neighbors or friends to make sure they have what they need during the heat wave.

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GREENFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — A former law enforcement officer from New Palestine has been arrested on allegations of child molestation, according to a news release issued Thursday from the Indiana State Police.

David McDaniel, 54, was arrested Thursday, following a state police investigation that began July 9.

Detectives had received information regarding incidents of child sexual abuse that allegedly happened several years ago. After conducting interviews and gathering evidence, detectives served a search warrant Tuesday on McDaniel’s home.

McDaniel is accused of committing the crimes while he was employed as a police officer.

He remained in the Hancock County jail on Thursday night. The Hancock County Prosecutor’s Office was reviewing the case to consider formal charges.

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.

WESTFIELD, Ind. (WISH) — All eyes at Colts Training Camp have been on the quarterbacks as Anthony RIchardson and Daniel Jones compete to be the team’s starter for Week 1 of the regular season.

But those two players have not received all of the attention at Grand Park.

Rookie tight end Tyler Warren has been a big focus as well.

“I think it’s especially nice being through spring and having seen everything offensively and coming out here it’s not learning stuff every day,” Warren said. “It’s reminders and going back through it.”

Warren was selected by the Colts in the first round of April’s NFL Draft.

One of the big needs heading into the offseason was arguably at the tight end position. And the Colts drafted Warren hoping that he fills that void.

“Looking at him for the draft, something we thought was a real strength to his was his hands, his ability to focus, concentrate and make those tough catches,” Colts offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. “He’s a very uniquely talented, uniquely skilled young man, and that’s something that he’s done really, really well.”

Cooter added he cannot wait to see how Warren performs when the team puts on the pads this training camp. Wearing the pads will give another chance for Warren to grow, but he said he’s already learned a lot just two days into camp.

“I think really it’s just when you’re a pro you have a little bit more time and more stuff I can do on my own to better myself,” Warren said. “So, that’s kind of what I’m working on and then learning from the vets like Mo (Alie-Cox) and Tree (Drew Ogletree) and all of them in the tight end room. So it’s been good, but I can always keep getting better at it.”

Veteran NFL players on the team also see a lot of potential in Warren, including safety Camryn Bynum, who is getting ready for his first season in Indy.

“He’s one of those guys that if you didn’t tell me that he just drafted, I wouldn’t know,” Bynum said. “He operates as a veteran.”

Bynum is getting ready for his fifth season in the NFL after spending the last four years with the Minnesota Vikings.

“I can tell he can block just by his footwork,” Bynum said. “And just the intent that he has, but also his route running and yards after the catch is going to be elite. And I can tell that from him now. So it’s cool to be able to go against him in practice. It’s going to prepare us to go against any tight end in the game.”

Following practice on Thursday, Warren spent time signing autographs for fans:

The Colts continue training camp on Friday at Grand Park. They will practice from 10 a.m. to 11:15 a.m. EDT.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A former Kokomo Police Department officer has been charged with sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl and lying to state investigators to cover up the crime, according to a federal indictment unsealed Thursday.

The U.S. Department of Justice says in a news release that a federal grand jury in Indianapolis returned an indictment against Sinmi Asomuyide. The indictment includes a count charging him with willfully depriving a 14-year-old girl of her constitutional rights by sexually assaulting her, which also involved kidnapping, when he was 31 years old. A second count accused him of lying to the Indiana State Police by denying the assault and the presence of his semen in his squad car.

If convicted, Asomuyide could face a maximum sentence of life in prison, the release said.

Authorities asked anyone with information to contact the FBI at 800-2255-324.

I-Team 8 reported a year ago that Asomuyide, a probationary officer, had been taken into custody. He started working with the department in July 2023 and graduated from the Indiana Law Enforcement Academy in December 2023.

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) — Medical emergencies related to a triple-digit heat index and high humidity have surged in Indianapolis.

Marion County and other parts of central Indiana remained under a heat advisory until 8 p.m. Friday.

Firefighters and Indianapolis Emergency Medical Services’ crew members have experiencing increased workloads due to the extreme heat. Mark Liao, medical director of Indianapolis EMS, said, “Every time we have a heat wave, we will see an increase of heat-related injuries whether it be heat cramps, heat exhaustion or heat stroke. The crews are very busy and they are going from run to run constantly.”

Liao says EMS cases rise from one or two on a typical hot day, to six to eight per day during a heat wave in Indianapolis.

Hospitals have provided EMS crews with cold beverages and places to cool off.

Capt. Chris Major of the Indianapolis Fire Department said firefighters have another issue. “You may show up to an incident where there may not be a fire and you’re still wearing your gear. You are sweating inside.”

Firefighters rotating crews more often, set up rehab stations on scene, and build in hydration breaks to prevent heat exhaustion.

Emergency crews urged people to take heat advisory seriously and check on neighbors and loved ones, as heat stress is cumulative.

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FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) — Police on Thursday arrested a registered behavioral therapist from Pendleton, alleging he molested children including an infant.

An alert looking for other possible victims came Thursday night from the Fishers-based Hamilton County Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The alert said Alec Hegge, 31, faces two child molesting charges.

Fishers Police Department Lt. Doug Baker said Hegge may not have molested other children but, because of his work with autistic people, investigators think more victims exist.

Hegge marked his second year at Changing Lives Behavior Analysis Inc. in Anderson in June, according to a Facebook post from the facility.

A news release issued Thursday night from the task force said, “Hegge told investigators he never hurt a patient because there were too many safeguards in place. Hegge is no longer employed at the facility, and they are cooperating with the investigation.”

Families who worked with Hegge and suspect victimization were asked to contact Greenfield Police Department Detective Chris Borgmann at 317-595-3467.

Hegge on Thursday night was being held without bond at Madison County jail in Anderson.

Online court records did not show that formal charges had been filed against Hegge on Thursday night.

News 8 reached out Thursday night via email to the founder and operator of Changing Lives Behavior Analysis Inc. but did not immediately receive a response.

(AP) — President Donald Trump’s plan to boost artificial intelligence and build data centers across the U.S. could speed up a building boom that was already expected to strain the nation’s ability to power it.

The White House released the “AI Action Plan” Wednesday, vowing to expedite permitting for construction of energy-intensive data centers as it looks to make the country a leader in a business that tech companies and others are pouring billions of dollars into.

The plan says to combat “radical climate dogma,” a number of restrictions — including clean air and water laws — could be lifted, aligning with Trump’s “American energy dominance” agenda and his efforts to undercut clean energy.

Here’s what you need to know.

What AI means for the environment

Massive amounts of electricity are needed to support the complex servers, equipment and more for AI. Electricity demand from data centers worldwide is set to more than double by 2030, to slightly more than the entire electricity consumption of Japan today, the International Energy Agency said earlier this year.

In many cases, that electricity may come from burning coal or natural gas. These fossil fuels emit planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide and methane. This in turn is tied to extreme weather events that are becoming more severe, frequent and costly.

The data centers used to fuel AI also need a tremendous amount of water to keep cool. That means they can strain water sources in areas that may have little to spare.

What Big Tech is saying and doing about finding all that power

Typically, tech giants, up-and-comers and other developers try to keep an existing power plant online to meet demand, experts say, and most existing power plants in the U.S. are still producing electricity using fossil fuels — most often natural gas.

In certain areas of the U.S., a combination of renewables and energy storage in the form of batteries are coming online.

But tapping into nuclear power is especially of interest as a way to reduce data center-induced emissions while still meeting demand and staying competitive.

Amazon said last month it would spend $20 billion on data center sites in Pennsylvania, including one alongside a nuclear power plant. The investment allows Amazon to plug right into the plant, a scrutinized but faster approach for the company’s development timeline.

Meta recently signed a deal to secure nuclear power to meet its computing needs. Microsoft plans to buy energy from the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant, and Google previously signed a contract to purchase it from multiple small modular reactors in the works.

What’s at stake in the kind of energy that powers data centers

Data centers are often built where electricity is cheapest, and often, that’s not from renewables. And sometimes data centers are cited as a reason to extend the lives of traditional, fossil-fuel-burning power plants.

But just this week, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres called on the world’s largest tech players to fuel their data center needs entirely with renewables by 2030. It’s necessary to use fewer fossil fuels, he said.

Experts say it’s possible for developers, investors and the tech industry to decarbonize.

However, though industry can do a lot with clean energy, the emerging demands are so big that it can’t be clean energy alone, said University of Pennsylvania engineering professor Benjamin Lee.

More generative AI, ChatGPT and massive data centers means “relying on wind and solar alone with batteries becomes really, really expensive,” Lee added, hence the attention on natural gas, but also nuclear.

What does AI growth mean for my electricity bills?

Regardless of what powers AI, the simple law of supply and demand makes it all but certain that costs for consumers will rise.

New data center projects might require both new energy generation and existing generation. Developers might also invest in batteries or other infrastructure like transmission lines.

All of this costs money, and it needs to be paid for from somewhere.

“In a lot of places in the U.S., they are seeing that rates are going up because utilities are making these moves to try to plan,” said Amanda Smith, a senior scientist at research organization Project Drawdown.

“They’re planning transmission infrastructure, new power plants for the growth and the load that’s projected, which is what we want them to do,” she added. “But we as ratepayers will wind up seeing rates go up to cover that.”

The Associated Press’ climate and environmental coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. AP is solely responsible for all content. Find AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

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INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — As anticipated, Thursday was full-on ugly with the heat and humidity. Some locations had heat indices push near or over 110.

We will stay gridlocked with this sweltering pattern through the final weekend of July with increased rain/storm chances.

Heat advisories have also been extended through Friday across central Indiana.

Thursday night: Very warm and muggy into tonight. A cluster of showers and storms are possible mainly through northern Indiana into early Friday morning. There is a risk for isolated strong to severe storms in that region for damaging wind.

Lows in the mid 70s.

Friday: A more active day will emerge for areas mainly near and north of I-70. On and off scattered showers/storms are expected at times as a front slowly moves into the region. Localized flooding will be a concern.

Expect another miserably hot and muggy day with highs in the upper 80s to low 90s. Peak heat indices will be up to 100-105+.

Saturday: Friday’s forecast pretty much repeats for Saturday with main concentration of on/off showers and storms near/north of I-70. Isolated strong to severe storms are possible with damaging wind the main threat. Highs in the low 90s with peak heat indices over 100.

7-Day Forecast: We’ll keep this miserable pattern around into early next week with continued daily rain and storm chances. Highs in the low to potentially mid 90s and mid-upper 70s dew points will continue to pump out triple digit heat indices. There are some signals of relief from the heat and humidity ahead by late next week as we enter August. Model uncertainty is too high right now to have more confidence in this possible cooler pattern emerging.