Latest from Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis Star
36 minutes ago
- Automotive
- Indianapolis Star
If it's hot outside, it's even hotter in your vehicle. Never leave pets or children unattended.
We're gong to see high temperatures next week in Indy and it's important to remember that if it's hot outside, it's even hotter in your vehicle. On hot summer days, always double check your backseat for passengers (whether that be pets or children), drink lots of water and be sure to watch for signs of heat cramps, exhaustion or stroke. It is never safe to leave a child, disabled person or pet locked in a car. For more information about how cars can heat up quickly when left in the sun, check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website in both English and Spanish. While this applies all year round, it is especially important on warm or hot summer days. Every year, hundreds of pets die from heat exhaustion because they are left in parked vehicles, according to the American Veterinarian Medical Association. The temperature inside a vehicle can rise almost 20° F in just 10 minutes, and almost 30° F in 20 minutes. The longer a pet, child or person is inside a car turned off in the heat, the higher it goes. At one hour, your vehicle's inside temperature can be more than 40 degrees higher than the outside temperature. Even on a 70-degree day, that's 110 degrees inside a car. More on heat safety: How to stay safe and the signs of heat stroke, exhaustion. What to know before Indy's heat wave Indiana law states that a person who forcibly enters a vehicle to remove a domestic animal is responsible for half of the cost of repairing the vehicle damage directly caused by the person's forcible entry if certain criteria aren't met. You have to reasonably believe that the dog is in imminent danger of dying or suffering serious harm, use no more force than needed and determine that the vehicle is indeed locked so forcible entry is necessary to remove the dog. You must also call 911, and remain with the dog until law enforcement or emergency responders arrive. Rescuers are, however, immune from all other civil or criminal liability for other property damage in this case. So the owner who left their pet in the vehicle can't sue or press charges against you. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recommends that bystanders not wait more than a few minutes for a driver to return to the car and to first assess if the child is responsive or unresponsive. You should call 911 right away and get the child out of the car if they appear to be unresponsive. Be sure to check for unlocked doors first. Once the child is freed from the vehicle, they may need to be sprayed or toweled off with cool water until emergency responders arrive. If a child is responsive, the NHTSA recommends staying with the child outside of the vehicle until law enforcement and or first responders arrive to locate the driver. Like with rescuing animals, a person who causes damage without following proper steps — calling 911, checking for unlocked doors, etc. — could be responsible for some of the repair cost.
Indianapolis Star
an hour ago
- Indianapolis Star
Indianapolis crime: A year over year look at homicide data and how we're doing in 2025
The first half of the year has brought a noticeable trend of several child deaths among homicide numbers, including a 14-year-old found shot dead in the snow, a 2-year-old left alone and neglected inside an apartment, and a 5-year-old choked to death with her father charged in her killing. Each year has its own set of trends, but overall, violence involving guns has remained a constant cause of homicides for the city. According to IndyStar and Indianapolis Metropolitan Police data, however, in the first six months of 2025, there has been a significant dip in year-to-date deaths compared to the past five years. 'This should give our community hope, but we can't do it alone," Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Chief Chris Bailey told IndyStar. "We need our community to continue coming alongside us as we work to make Indianapolis a safer place for everyone. The work continues, and we're not letting up.' Summer officially starts on June 20, and while the warm months usually see more violence in the city, killings are down for the first half of the year compared to the same time last year. Indianapolis is not unique in this, as national trends show violent crime has been down in the first half of 2025, according to the Real-Time Crime Index. Major Cities Chiefs Association data shows homicides this year are down from 2024 in the first three months of the year. While statistics show a downward trend, Bailey said it's not a signal for the department to slow down. Brandon Randall, with Power of Tru Colors, who has worked with at-risk youth and young adults for 18 years, agrees. While there have been success stories, he's seen a few of the kids he's worked with die from violence. "Because the homicide numbers are down, there's a lack of urgency," Randall told IndyStar. "There is still a gun access problem with young people and adults. But I think there are more intentional conversations being had on the root causes of violence. It boils down to trauma, mental health, and poverty." IndyStar's data below captures the year-to-date homicides for the first few months over the past five years. In other news: Is there a serial killer in Indianapolis? What police are saying about 4 bodies found There were 15 homicides in January. Most are shooting deaths, but one woman died from asphyxia after being beaten with a hammer, and a toddler died from exposure due to being neglected. There were 11 homicides in February. Most are shooting deaths, except one woman died from blunt force trauma after being beaten to death. There was also one officer-involved shooting death that occurred. There were 14 homicides in March. Most were shooting deaths, except for one man who died from a stabbing. Summer program for youth: IMPD accepting applications for its weeklong Teen Academy There were 8 homicides in April, and all of them were shooting deaths. There were 12 homicides in May. Most were shooting deaths, except one victim who was stabbed, another who died after being hit by a vehicle, and 5-year-old Zara Arnold, who died from asphyxia after being choked. As of June 20, 2025, at 8 a.m., there have been two homicides in June, and both were shooting deaths. IndyStar is tracking homicide data for 2025
Indianapolis Star
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Pacers won Game 6 with hobbled Tyrese Haliburton the way they had to -- with all of them
INDIANAPOLIS – The Pacers were down early in Game 6 of the NBA Finals to the Thunder with their superstar hobbled. Their shots weren't falling, and a duo in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Jalen Williams that just hit historic levels was ready to drive one final knife into the collective hearts at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Then Andrew Nembhard had something to say. The starting shooting guard caught a fireball pass from Tyrese Haliburton in the high corner and drilled a 3. On the next possession, he grabbed a quick pass from Aaron Nesmith and drilled another 3 from the top of the key. Then he scored again on the very next trip down the court. In a flash, Nembhard poured in more points in three possessions than he managed all of Game 5, back when he fell apart in the second half with four backbreaking turnovers, a night emblematic of how the fort around Haliburton collapsed under the weight of his newly aching calf. Re-live the Pacers unbelievable run to the 2025 NBA Finals with IndyStar's commemorative book And his outburst to start Game 6 was illustrative of a flip of the switch that athletes promise but too often fall short of. The Pacers said they would bounce back, but they fully believed it once those shots went in and a deficit turned into a lead and a crowd roared and a favorite pressed and a 108-91 victory changed the trajectory, or at least brought one more chance to write a legacy. 'We've got one game. One game," Haliburton said. "Nothing that's happened before matters. And nothing that's going to happen after matters." MORE: Put the champagne back on ice. Pacers go nuclear, blow out Thunder to force Game 7 of NBA Finals With his early scoring outburst and defense to hold league MVP Shai Gilgeous-Alexander to a series-low 21 points, Nembhard sparked a night that was about the survival and drive of Haliburton but also so much more. There was Nesmith's terrorizing of Williams and Pascal Siakam's 13 rebounds and posterizing dunk over Williams and Obi Toppin's 20 points off the bench and the collective defensive trouncing of a Thunder duo and a team that so many expected to run away with this series, or at least a potentially deciding Game 6 against a Pacers team that appeared to be running out of gas. Once more, these Pacers had more in the tank than anyone knew they had. "You've got a group of guys who all have all had a somewhat similar path of being overlooked," center Myles Turner said. "You have guys like Aaron Nesmith and Pascal getting traded and Tyrese getting traded and Nembhard is a second-round pick. "I think we all carry a little bit of that weight with us. When you put a bunch of guys like that together, that starts to add up." This was the Pacers, doing what they have done this postseason: They defy odds, upset title favorites and laugh in the face of deficits. To date, that's come in individual games and largely on the last-second heroics of a healthy Haliburton. Thursday presented a different test, down 3-2 in the series after back-to-back losses and on the verge of elimination while facing mounting uncertainty about the head of their snake. Every question entering Thursday night's game centered around that calf Haliburton strained and whether or not he could even play or muster more than the four points and zero shots he managed in the loss. Despite an injury that could have long-term risk, Indiana's star put some short-term questions to rest with a 14-point, 5-assist performance. But lost in that conversation was everyone else who has made this run what it is. DEFINING JERMAINE O'NEAL: How fatherhood and an NBA Finals run brought Jermaine O'Neal back to the Pacers If they were going to win this game with a hobbled star against an 84-win Thunder team with an all-time defense, it was going to take them all -- the supporting guards, the men in the paint, the Robin to Haliburton's Batman in Siakam, the league's premier bench, the veteran coach and a Gainbridge Fieldhouse crowd that needed to bring the pressure rather than feel it. For the first two rounds of these playoffs, the fourth-seeded Pacers rose up like they did to reach last year's Eastern Conference Finals, by pouncing on Bucks and Cavs teams with injured stars. But these past two series, against the Knicks and Thunder, have been about winning critical games in clutch and blowout fashion with a best-on-best mentality. Results ultimately write the history, and these results have shown that the Pacers' best was something still underrated entering their 104th game. Game 7 on Sunday in Oklahoma City will be for all of the memories. 'It's crazy. We're playing to the last possible day," Nesmith said. "I'm just trying to celebrate for the next three months.'
Indianapolis Star
2 hours ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Defense, depth and ‘no egos': Why Mark Jackson believes the Pacers will win NBA title
INDIANAPOLIS — As catering attendant Leveda Glazebrooks walked by herself through the KeyBank Suite hallways at Gainbridge Fieldhouse after her Game 6 shift, she repeatedly harmonized, 'We gon' be NBA champions.' A similar sentiment reverberated down Pennsylvania street when Glazebrooks would open the employee exit door to fans chanting, ''Cers in 7.' Hopes were high after the Indiana Pacers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 108-91 Thursday to force a Game 7. The Pacers bench outscored the Thunder 48-37 thanks to Obi Toppin's team-high 20 points. Indiana's defense caused 21 Thunder turnovers and held Oklahoma to 26.7% shooting from 3. T.J. McConnell added 12 off the bench. Indiana became the first team to have eight players to score more than 200 points in a postseason. Former Pacers guard Mark Jackson believes Indiana's attitude, defense and depth will turn Glazebrooks' wishful singing into reality. 'This team has made it this far because of how deep they can go in their bench and there are no egos,' Jackson told IndyStar. 'It can be anybody off the bench, and the starters support, acknowledge and recognize their teammates. That's the beautiful thing about being a total team and that's one of the key reasons they've been so successful.' Re-live the Pacers unbelievable run to the 2025 NBA Finals with IndyStar's commemorative book Before Game 4, Toppin praised coach Rick Carlisle for promoting a vulnerable culture among Pacer players. While Toppin acknowledged star point guard Tyrese Haliburton and forward Pascal Siakam as the team's unequivocal leaders, he noted, 'Everyone on the team has a voice.' 'The accountability in this locker room from guy 1-15, every guy listens to each other and what every player has to say and that's valuable,' McConnell said. After Thursday's contest, Carlisle failed to recall a team he's coached that resembled the character of this year's Pacers roster. Carlisle, who is one win away from his second NBA championship as a coach, recognized the Pacers players for their sacrifice. 'These guys try so hard for each other,' Carlisle said. Former Pacers forward Metta World Peace also noticed a difference in mannerisms among the team. 'They're mature and professional, on top of being good basketball players,' World Peace said. Nothing vindicated World Peace and Carlisle's point more than Haliburton's decision to play through a strained right calf on Thursday. The two-time NBA All-Star still scored 14 points and dished five assists in Game 6. 'I want to be out there and compete with my brothers,' Haliburton said postgame. 'These are guys that I'm willing to go to war with, and we've had such a special year. We have a special bond as a group, and I think I'd beat myself up if I didn't give it a chance. Those guys have my back and I have theirs at the same time, so that was important to me.' Toppin added: 'He's not going to let no little injury hold him back from playing in the finals and helping this team win. He's helped us get to this point and he's going to keep going until he can.' Jackson called Carslisle's brand of basketball 'fun to watch and refreshing' as a former coach and player because of the Pacers' pace. He applauded the franchise for making the 'proper adjustments and right commitments' to improve defensively. The Pacers cracked the top 15 in defensive rating for the first time in five seasons this season. 'Offense comes and goes,' Jackson said. 'Defense is the thing you rely on night in and night out. Because of good defense, you can stumble into games where you win ugly, and that's what they've done. And now they've put themselves in a position to win a championship. This team, it's their time.' Jackson was Indiana's starting point guard when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Pacers 4-2 in the 2000 NBA Finals. He believes the 2000 team and Carlisle's roster were both well coached and 'more than capable of winning a championship.' However, Jackson didn't hesitate to state his reason as to why this Pacers squad will accomplish what his couldn't 25 years ago. 'Their point guard is way better,' Jackson said with a laugh.
Indianapolis Star
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Indianapolis Star
Retro Indy: Indianapolis heliport was once considered among most profitable in the U.S.
Recent conversations about a major league soccer team for Indianapolis have included speculation about a site for a brand-new soccer stadium. The location city officials have promoted centers around the Downtown Heliport, just south of the intersection of Washington and East Streets, along Pearl Street. Placing an MLS stadium there would force the closure of the present heliport, which first opened more than 40 years ago. Discussion about a possible heliport in downtown Indianapolis began in the middle 1950s, after helicopters started to be more common around the country in the post Korean War era. In 1954, a brief in the Indianapolis Star suggested that '[s]uburban residents will be piloting their own helicopters to work within 10 years.' That same year, the Board of Aviation Commissioners proposed constructing a heliport in University Park in the heart of downtown Indianapolis, just north of the Federal Courthouse. Not everyone was on board with this proposal, with one commentator stating in the Indianapolis News on January 11, 1954, that '[i]t seems too bad that this lone downtown beauty spot — the city's front yard— may have to be eliminated to meet the demands of municipal progress.' It was not until the late 1960s that a heliport was established at the current Pearl Street site. Initially the heliport consisted of only a bare patch of land, formerly part of a railroad yard, with limited navigation and landing guides, and facilities. It was not open to the public and was restricted to mostly official flights. In late 1979 the Indianapolis Airport Authority purchased the heliport site to allow a wider range of flight operations. Zoning restrictions to limit development and building height around the heliport were also sought. The Indianapolis Airport Authority began efforts to obtain federal support and funding for a modern heliport with more established facilities and increased operational capacity. Such a project was approved in 1983 as part of the National Prototype Demonstration Heliport Program, and construction began on a new heliport in the summer of 1984. The heliport was dedicated to great fanfare on May 9, 1985, with then Mayor William Hudnut arriving by helicopter (what else?) and presiding over the event. He called the opening 'a vote for progress, a vote for downtown revitalization.' The interior of the new heliport, described by the Indianapolis Star as 'decorated in shades of mauve, burgundy and gray,' boasted a gift shop carrying a variety of helicopter-related items and a restaurant. In the middle of the heliport's lobby stood a bronze statue of a Vietnam War era helicopter aviator, dedicated on November 11, 1985. The statue bore no rank nor name for its subject, who was said to look as though he was pondering 'perhaps individual and personal thoughts of a soldier participating in a war he doesn't understand in a place he'd rather not be,' the Star story reported. The heliport bustled in its early years, and in 1988 a headline in the Star trumpeted that the heliport 'may be the most profitable in the US.' Sightseeing flights were operated out of the heliport in the late 1980s, with locations including the zoo, Crown Hill Cemetery, and the new Major Taylor Velodrome, among others. In addition to public safety uses, including medical and Indianapolis Police Department flights, the heliport also hosted helicopters for the local news organizations and private businesses, as well as the military on occasion. However, increased operating costs resulted in local news stations abandoning their helicopters by the late 2010's. The police department also ceased using helicopters, and tenancy at the heliport declined. In 2020, the Indianapolis Airport Authority submitted a request to the Federal Aviation Administration seeking release from their obligations at the site and asking for permission to sell the heliport for future redevelopment. In 2023, the only tenant was reported to be IU Health, whose Lifeline Helicopters are based at the heliport.
