INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — As back-to-school season approaches, families are preparing to send their children back to the classroom, but students with chronic health conditions face unique challenges.

Mary Brunkhart, a school counselor with Innovative Hematology, emphasizes the importance of individual health plans and travel letters for students with chronic health conditions.

“Those things will be very beneficial for not just your nursing staff to deal with that chronic condition… but also for our staff to know what accommodations, our teachers to know how to help them in the academia side,” Brunkhart said.

Brunkhart advises parents to collaborate with healthcare providers to create individual health plans and travel letters, which can assist school staff in managing chronic conditions. She notes that 504 plans may not be as protected as they used to be, suggesting that Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) could be beneficial for students with multiple diagnoses.

Innovative Hematology offers support to families navigating the complexities of educational accommodations for children with chronic health conditions. Brunkhart recommends opening lines of communication between parents, teachers, and school staff to address any issues promptly and ensure a supportive environment for students.

Parents are encouraged to utilize local resources and disability services to aid in transitions between school levels, from preschool to college. Brunkhart reassures parents that schools have trained staff and resources to support students, urging them to participate in orientations and familiarize themselves with the school environment.

With proper planning and communication, students with chronic health conditions can have a successful school year, supported by dedicated school staff and resources.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana has reported its first West Nile virus patient of the 2025 season in a resident of Vanderburgh County, according to a news release issued Tuesday from the Indiana Department of Health.

The Indiana Department of Health reported that 56 mosquito samples have tested positive for West Nile virus across 15 counties. This follows 11 human cases reported in 2024.

The Indiana Department of Health anticipates more cases as the mosquito season continues. To reduce the risk of mosquito-borne diseases, residents are advised to use insect repellents registered with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, wear protective clothing, and ensure screens on windows and doors are in good repair.

Residents should also eliminate standing water where mosquitoes can breed, such as in trash, tires and birdbaths, and maintain their properties to prevent mosquito habitats.

Most people infected with West Nile virus experience no symptoms or mild flu-like symptoms, but severe cases can affect the nervous system and be life-threatening, particularly for those older than 60 or with weakened immune systems.

State Health Commissioner Dr. Lindsay Weaver said in a statement in the release, “With large amounts of recent rainfall and projected high temperatures continuing this week, Hoosiers in all parts of the state should take steps to remove breeding sites around their homes.”

Vanderburgh County, the home of Evansville, is in southwest Indiana.

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.

(CNN) — President Donald Trump announced a long-awaited trade agreement with Japan on Tuesday night, a framework between allies and major trading partners that appeared elusive just weeks ago.

“I just signed the largest trade deal in history; I think maybe the largest deal in history with Japan,” Trump said during a reception with Republican members of Congress Tuesday night.

“They had their top people here, and we worked on it long and hard. And it’s a great deal for everybody.”

The deal will see US importers pay 15% “reciprocal” tariffs on Japanese goods exported to the United States. But importantly for Japan, the 15% rate will also extend to automobiles and car parts – putting it at an advantage over other major vehicle exporters, which have faced a 25% levy on automotive sector exports since April.

Japan will also invest $550 billion dollars into the United States, Trump said, adding that the US “will receive 90% of the profits.”

“This Deal will create Hundreds of Thousands of Jobs — There has never been anything like it. Perhaps most importantly, Japan will open their Country to Trade including Cars and Trucks, Rice and certain other Agricultural Products, and other things. Japan will pay Reciprocal Tariffs to the United States of 15%,” Trump had posted earlier on Truth Social.

The news saw Japanese markets hit a one-year high on Wednesday, with a surge in the price of automaker shares pushing the Nikkei 3.7% higher.

“Mission accomplished,” proclaimed Japan’s tariff negotiation Ryosei Akazawa in a post on X, accompanied with a photo of himself in the White House pointing to an image of Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in prior talks.

Japan is “the first in the world to be able to reduce tariffs on automobiles and auto parts without volume restrictions,” Akazawa told reporters in Washington DC Tuesday night.

In Tokyo, Ishiba hailed the deal as “the lowest figure to date for a country that has a trade surplus with the United States,” adding that the government will examine the details of the deal “carefully.”

“We believe that this will contribute to the creation of jobs, the production of good products, and the fulfillment of various roles in the world through the mutual cooperation of Japan and the US,” he told reporters at his office on Wednesday.

Akazawa explained that the Japanese injection of $550 billion into the US would be in the form of equity and loan to support Japanese businesses’ investments in key fields such as pharmaceuticals and semiconductors.

The share of American rice imports may increase under the current agricultural trade framework, Akazawa said, while stressing that the agreement would “not sacrifice Japanese agriculture.”

Japan will also continue discussions with the US on other tariff measures not covered in Tuesday’s deal, including steel and aluminum, which remain subject to a 50% levy, Akazawa said.

The Japan agreement was the third piece of trade-related news Trump announced on Tuesday. This comes after months of negotiations with key trading partners like the European Union, South Korea, India and dozens of others at a standstill as Trump’s latest August 1 deadline for higher tariffs looms.

Tough negotiations

Both sides previously described the negotiations as tense. Asked about the chance of a trade deal with Japan in June, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, “They’re tough. The Japanese are tough.”

But on Tuesday Trump said the deal marked a “very exciting time for the United States of America, and especially for the fact that we will continue to always have a great relationship with the Country of Japan.”

Late last month, Trump highlighted rice sales as one point of contention between the two nations.

“They won’t take our RICE, and yet they have a massive rice shortage,” Trump said in a post on Truth Social.

The country bought $298 million worth of rice from the US last year, according to US Census Bureau trade data. Between January and April of this year, Japan bought $114 million worth of rice.

But a 2021 report published by the Office of the United States Trade Representative under former President Joe Biden stated that “Japan’s highly regulated and nontransparent system of importation and distribution for rice limits the ability of US exporters to have meaningful access to Japan’s consumers.”

Cars – a pillar of the Japanese economy – have also been an issue in the negotiations. Trump has said Japan does not import US cars. “We didn’t give them one car in 10 years,” he said earlier this month.

Last year, Japan imported 16,707 units of American automobiles, according to the Japan Automobile Importers Association.

Despite sticking points like rice and cars, the tensions in negotiations showed signs of easing last week after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent met with Ishiba in Tokyo and posted on X that he was optimistic about reaching a deal.

“A good deal is more important than a rushed deal, and a mutually beneficial trade agreement between the United States and Japan remains within the realm of possibility,” Bessent said.

Mary Lovely at the Peterson Institute said the agreement eased the threat of even higher tariffs on Japan.

“The ‘deal’ relieves Japan of the 25% tariff threat and puts it potentially in a competitive position vis a vis similar US suppliers,” she wrote in an email to CNN. “The US is unlikely to sell many cars and trucks… from the US. Agricultural liberalization (is) a win for Japanese consumers, assuming they are willing to try excellent California rice.”

A major trading partner

Unlike some of the agreements Trump has announced recently, including with Indonesia and the Philippines, Japan is a significant trading partner with the United States.

Japan is the United States’ fifth-largest source of imports. Last year, it shipped $148 billion worth of goods to the US, according to Commerce Department data. Cars, car parts and agricultural and construction machinery were among the top goods Americans bought from there.

Goods from Japan briefly faced a 24% “reciprocal” tariff before Trump enacted a 90-day pause in April. Since then goods have faced a 10% minimum tariff.

In early July, Trump sent a letter to Japan’s prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, threatening to enact a 25% tariff on August 1.

Meanwhile, the US exported $80 billion worth of goods to Japan last year. Oil and gas, pharmaceuticals and aerospace products were the top exports.

Beyond the trade deal, Trump told lawmakers at the White House Tuesday that Tokyo and Washington are close to forming a joint venture for a gas pipeline project in Alaska. The Trump Administration has long sought to encourage its Asian allies, from Japan, South Korea, to Taiwan, to invest in the Alaska venture.

“They’re all set to make that deal now,” Trump said, without providing more details.

Japan has been in an uncomfortable position, since China is its top trading partner and the Trump administration had been looking to pressure allies to reduce their levels of trade with China to get a trade deal with the US, according to multiple reports.

The latest agreement between the US and Japan follows an expanded trade agreement the two countries signed in 2019, which went into effect the subsequent year and allowed for more goods to be shipped duty-free.

Japan held some leverage over the United States in its trade agreement: The nation is America’s biggest foreign creditor. Japan holds $1.1 trillion of US Treasuries, used to finance America’s massive and mounting debt.

This story has been updated with additional context and developments.

CNN’s John Liu, Yumi Asada and Matt Egan contributed reporting.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Heat advisories will go into effect for parts of the state today.

Today;

An upper-level ridge is beginning to build across the eastern portions of the country. While we’re starting the morning with very comfortable, mild temperatures and relatively low humidity, that will gradually change as we head into the afternoon hours.

High temperatures will reach the upper 80s to around 90°F.

Most importantly, our dewpoint temperatures will rise significantly in the afternoon, ranging into the low to mid-70s, making conditions much more uncomfortable.

The highest dewpoint numbers will be in the western parts of the state, where a heat advisory will be in effect. The heat index could be near or above 105°F for some western counties in Indiana this afternoon.

Thursday:

Our upper-level heat dome will broaden, making this likely the hottest day in the extended forecast. Highs will reach the low to mid-90s across the state, and dewpoint temperatures will likely climb to the mid- and possibly upper 70s statewide.

Because of this, a heat advisory will be in effect statewide, with many locations experiencing a heat index near or above 105°F.

In addition to the hot afternoon temperatures, there will be little relief during the evening and overnight hours over the next few nights, with overnight lows only falling to the low and possibly mid-70s, accompanied by very high humidity, making for uncomfortable conditions.

A few pop-up storms may be possible heading into the late afternoon hours on Thursday, but they will be few and far between.

Rain chances increase:

Rain chances will start to increase as early as Friday, as a boundary stalls near the region, promoting at least a few showers and thunderstorms. The best opportunity for these storms will likely occur during peak heating in the afternoon on Friday. While widespread severe weather isn’t expected, a few strong storms could produce isolated damaging wind gusts. The potential for localized flooding is also possible with some heavy downpours expected.

Scattered storm chances are expected to continue into Saturday. In fact, this should be the highest likelihood of rain in the extended forecast. Look for numerous waves of showers and thunderstorms to roll through the state to kick off the weekend.

7 day forecast:

The heat dome will start to slowly break to the west, positioning us on the outer edge of the high-pressure area. This should lead to a few isolated showers and thunderstorms from Sunday into early next week. There will be many dry hours during this period, but if you have outdoor plans for Sunday, Monday, or Tuesday, be aware that the chance for storms will persist.

High temperatures will remain near 90°F as we hover around the outer edge of the heat dome.

There are some indications late in the forecast, as we kick off the month of August, that we should see some relief from the high heat and humidity, with a trough building in by late next week.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Deandrea Rayner addressed food insecurity in Indianapolis by establishing the Indy Community Pantry, which launched in 2020 and has since expanded to include five dry-goods pantries and three community refrigerators throughout the city.

The initiative started with Rayner filling old boxes with food. Still, the demand quickly outpaced the supply, prompting her to expand the project with the help of volunteers and donations.

Rayner said, “It was a lot of people who didn’t have the resources and means to find food because COVID was new, and no one knew what was going on. So, I was like, ‘How can I help?’”

Rayner’s efforts have been supported by

A network of volunteers, who assist with tasks such as donation pickup and stocking the pantries and refrigerators, have supported Rayner’s efforts. “It would not be what it is today without my volunteers.”

The motto of the Indy Community Pantry is simple: Take what you need, leave what you can.

However, keeping the shelves stocked remains a constant challenge due to high demand.

Resident Peter Yazzie, talking about the occasional scarcity of food, said, “Yeah, sometimes we have to look around by ourselves to see if we can find something, and, most of the time, we’ll find something for the time being. But, yes, the refrigerators are empty sometimes.”

Rayner has ambitious plans for the future, including placing a refrigerator in a school and opening a completely free grocery store, but emphasized the need for continued community support and donations to achieve these goals.

The Indy Community Pantry will continue to address food insecurity in Indianapolis, relying on community involvement to sustain and expand its efforts, Rayner said. “That’s why we need the community’s help and why we are so big on donations, because the food goes so fast.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Jonquel Jones scored 18 points in her return from an ankle injury, and the New York Liberty beat the Indiana Fever 98-84 on Tuesday night.

Breanna Stewart and Leonie Fiebich each scored 17, Sabrina Ionescu had 13 points and nine assists, and Isabelle Harrison also had 13 points to help the Liberty (15-6) beat the Fever for the second straight time. New York beat Indiana 98-77 last Wednesday in their last game before the All-Star break.

Kelsey Mitchell scored 29 points to lead the Fever (12-11), which again played without Caitlin Clark (groin injury).

New York struggled in the first half with Ionescu and Stewart scoring three points and six points, respectively — an anomaly for the duo that averages 18 and 19 points per game. Ionescu was held scoreless in the second and third quarters, spending most of the third on the bench.

The Fever led 46-42 at halftime, capitalizing on Liberty turnovers to grab the thin lead. They held on to that advantage for most of the third quarter, until Stewart made a 3-pointer and a layup to put the Liberty back on top in the final minutes of the quarter.

Ionescu’s return in the fourth helped solidify the momentum moving in New York’s direction. She scored 10 straight points for the Liberty coming off the bench, opening the first double-digit lead of the night.

Jones had been out since June 19.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Tent after tent on Tuesday lined Leonard Street between Virginia and Woodlawn in the Fountain Square neighborhood near downtown Indianapolis.

Residents told News 8 that homeless people about three months ago set up one or three tents, and it’s expanded now to more than 25 tents.

One homeowner across the street from the encampment reportedly called police after she said she saw two homeless people fighting, one of them was waving a sharp scissor.

She’s not the only resident tired of encampment next to their home.

Kyle Christie lives in a home close by the encampment. “I think everyone’s a little frustrated because, at this point, they’ve been here for about three months. Initially, there weren’t any issues, but, just last week, they threw trash in our recycling.”

Christie said one homeless woman picked up a stray dog he found. He said she claimed it was hers, but he later found out she served time for killing dogs and cats. After he reported her to police, they found a dozen malnourished animals.

“There are a lot that are super-helpful and just having a hard time and down on their luck, and there are also a lot that are really suspicious. I will say across the board if they see something or hear something illegal, they’ll never call the cops. It’s an area that’s lawless over there, which is concerning.”

Kenneth Washington said he pitched his tent early this summer because the area was quiet. “We don’t bother nobody. We want peace of mind. We keep it clean. I guess they don’t want us here but we have no where else to go.”

He says there aren’t a lot of resources available. He just wants a quiet, shady place where he can put up a tent and live, “some place away from the community.”

The traffic of cars divides the homeless encampment from homes worth half a million dollars.

Joby Salinas works at Square Scoop Ice Cream shop down the street. He passes by the tents on his way to work.

“It’s concerning to me. I go to L.A. a lot and its very reminiscent of downtown L.A. and Venice Beach and places like that. It’s very disheartening for me to see just driving pass there because it gets worse every single time I go pass there. Now, it (the campsite) fills the entire street to the (Indianapolis) Cultural Trail.

“I want to see better policies and places, better places for (homeless) people to go.”

Statements

“For the past several months, I’ve heard from many residents expressing growing concerns about homeless encampments across our community. As a City-County Councilor, I do not take these concerns lightly. In May, my colleagues and I on the Council approved $2.7 million in funding for the Streets to Home initiative — a program designed to transition individuals experiencing homelessness from encampments into safe, stable housing.”

City-County Councilor Kristin Jones, a Democrat

“IMPD will continue to respond to calls for service in the area and utilize the IMPD Homeless Outreach Unit when appropriate. OPHS will continue to work with its outreach partners to engage with those in this area. OPHS, IMPD’s Homeless Outreach Unit and service providers also work to connect unsheltered individuals with housing, addiction services, and medical care.  Addressing homelessness requires a city-wide and community-wide effort.  

Last month, Streets to Home Indy was announced, which is a targeted initiative to end chronic and unsheltered homelessness in Indianapolis. Phase One of Streets to Home Indy, which aims to house and provide wraparound services to an estimated 350 unsheltered individuals living on the streets, is currently underway. The City of Indianapolis is also utilizing housing initiatives like St. George Bridge Housing and the pilot Master Leasing program to rapidly house unsheltered individuals.”

Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and the Indiana Office of Public Health and Safety

Related stories

• Annual count finds 26% drop in veteran homelessness in Indianapolis
• Mayor Hogsett announces Streets to Home Indy initiative, 350 people to be housed
• Compass on Washington making a difference for Indianapolis homeless community
• Homeless woman highlights challenges of living on the streets

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A former Muncie woman has been sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for defrauding the U.S. Department of Education out of over $930,000 in federal financial aid, the U.S. Department of Justice said in a news release issued Tuesday.

Reina Isom, 47, of Gainesville, Florida, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and two counts of federal financial aid fraud, and she has been ordered to pay $348,148 in restitution.

Her scheme involved enrolling accomplices in online colleges and submitting fraudulent Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications to obtain financial aid, which she then diverted to accounts she controlled.

Tom Wheeler, U.S. attorney for the Indianapolis-based Southern District of Indiana, said in a statement in the release, “When someone abuses these programs, they don’t just break the law — they potentially steal a life-changing opportunity from a first-generation student or someone from an underserved community.”

According to court documents, Isom’s fraudulent activities spanned nearly a decade while she was living in Muncie. She enrolled accomplices in low-cost, online colleges using their personal information and submitted FAFSA forms with false financial details to increase aid amounts. Isom ensured the “students” remained enrolled by completing coursework on their behalf, often submitting copied assignments from previous terms.

Over 50 fraudulent FAFSA applications were submitted for more than a dozen people, resulting in over $930,000 in aid being fraudulently dispersed.

Isom has a history of fraud, with prior convictions in 2004 for arson with intent to defraud and in 2011 for similar financial aid fraud activities.

The case was investigated by the Department of Education’s Office of Inspector General and prosecuted by U.S. attorneys Adam Eakman and Meredith Wood.

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.

ELWOOD, Ind. (WISH) — A 32-year-old Elwood man was formally charged Friday in a Madison County court with 10 felonies including two counts of promotion of child sex trafficking, online court records show.

The Hamilton County Metro Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force said in a news release issued Tuesday that it arrested Austin Thompson on Thursday.

The release said detectives with the Fishers-based task force served search warrants on Thompson’s social media accounts, uncovering evidence of possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. The investigation revealed approximately 1,000 images of child sex abuse and around 2,300 messages soliciting minors for such material.

In addition to the mid-level felony charges of promotion of child sex trafficking, Thompson also was charged with five mid-level felony counts of child exploitation; two low-level felony counts of child exploitation; and a low-level felony count of possession of child pornography, online records from Madison Circuit Court 6 show. No additional hearings had been set in the case as of Tuesday night.

Thompson on Tuesday night remained in the Madison County jail in Anderson on a $50,000 bond.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said lawmakers should approach Indy leaders with ideas for collaboration rather than control.

The Democrat’s comments come in response to a proposal from Sen. Michael Young, R-Indianapolis, to carve the Mile Square out from Indianapolis control and place it directly under the control of the state government of Indiana.

The Mile Square is bounded by North, South, East and West streets and Young said he also would include Lucas Oil Stadium and Victory Field in the district. Young told News 8 on Monday that the Indiana State Police would take care of patrolling the district and the attorney general would prosecute any crimes committed there.

Mears, long a target for Republican criticism, said Republican state lawmakers helped create the very county justice system they now attack.

“Republicans at the Statehouse spend a significant amount of their time complaining about Marion County judges,” he said. “Marion County judges are appointed by a Republican governor pursuant to a law the Republican legislature drafted. And so, we’ve already seen this quote-unquote state control at the local level here in Marion County and they complain about the very people that they appoint pursuant to a law that they drafted.”

Young said his idea would not require any additional expenses on the part of the state because the Mile Square already generates revenue through a combination of property taxes, food and beverage taxes, hotel taxes and rental taxes. Paul Helmke, director of the Civic Leaders Center at the IU O’Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs, said he isn’t so sure. Helmke, a former three-term Republican mayor of Fort Wayne, said a state takeover of the Mile Square would disrupt tax increment financing or redevelopment districts the city has in place. He said the state would have to either redo those agreements or grandfather them in.

“Those are very complicated financial transactions that can’t be messed with. Those determine where the tax revenue might be going from a hotel or from the convention center or from another business,” he said.

Helmke said the state’s responsibilities would go far beyond merely having state police patrol the area. He said state agencies would have to figure out how to tackle more mundane tasks such as filling potholes or working minor crashes. He said Young’s proposal probably is constitutional. He pointed out the legislature completely changed Indianapolis’ city government when it created Unigov at the end of the 1960s. The one area where Helmke said he might see a constitutional problem is reassigning prosecutorial duties away from the elected county prosecutor.

“This is not just responding to the shootings that we’ve seen downtown. This is dealing with every issue that a city, whether it’s Indianapolis or Fort Wayne or whatever deals with on a daily basis,” he said. “I’m not sure that this is the most efficient way to use our taxpayer resources. I think that’s the question that has to be asked.”

Mears said if state lawmakers were serious about helping Marion County, they would approach his office and those of city leaders with ideas for ways to work together rather than proposing expanded state control.

“If we just want to troll people and say things online, great, but it doesn’t change things and it doesn’t improve the quality of life for people in Marion County and it certainly doesn’t help the kids who are in need,” he said.

(WISH Image)