INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis is moving forward with plans to secure $625 million in bonds to construct a new hotel at Pan Am Plaza. The city believes it can secure the funding at a lower rate on the bond market.
“To the taxpayers at home, (this plan has) been manipulated and said to them that taxpayers are going to be on the line for this project if the revenue doesn’t support it,” said Jared Evans, a Democrat on the City-County Council. “That is a lie. The bonds that are paying for this project are non-recourse revenue bonds.”
This project was originally going to be privately funded through Kite Realty Group, but when Kite told the city it was unable to secure funds, the city took over the project.
Republicans on the council opposed the project.
Republican Minority Leader for the City-County Council Brian Mowery said, “I understand the implications of not doing this project however, it’s the idea of the city owning a hotel and then competing directly against the private sector that has me concerned and voting against this proposal.”
The hotel will be an 800-room four-star hotel across the street from the convention center.
Kristin Jones, a council Democrat, says that this hotel will help Indianapolis join the ranks of the top host cities in the nation.
“We’re going to be a top host city in this nation, and we can have those innovative ideas that all of my colleagues have brought forth. This administration and these partners, they’re listening and they’re listening to you,” Jones said.
The proposal to obtain the bond funding passed 20 to 5 in the full council meeting on Monday. After the vote, Mayor Joe Hogsett issued a statement in favor of the move, while Republicans criticized the quickness and lack of transparency.
Previous coverage
- Will new downtown Indianapolis hotels create too many rooms?
- Developer agrees to build 1 hotel at a time at Pan Am Plaza
- Indianapolis attempting to take over funding of Signia Hotel project
- Proposals adopted for Pan Am Plaza development
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Garage Food Hall has been nominated by USA Today for the “Best Food Hall in the Country.”
Catherine Haynes, the assistant general manager of The Garage, could not be more ecstatic about the Garage’s nomination. “We opened in January of 2021, so we are just over two years old.”
The Garage Food Hall has gained quite a bit of recognition in the short time they have been open. Haynes added when asked what sets them apart from other food halls in the country, that they “vet the best of the best.”
Haynes praised the quality of each restaurant they have, saying, “We do taste tests if it’s a food concept, we make sure there is nothing like in the food hall, so there’s no direct competition.”
Eric Davis, a customer at The Garage Food Hall, would second that there are no restaurants that mirror one another, which is why he believes so many people come to dine at the food hall. “You can pretty much travel the world in one place,” said Davis, referring to the variety of different foods including Brazilian, Greek, and Spanish dishes.
Asked about the future of the food hall and the direction it is heading, Haynes said, “We are constantly evolving and getting new options; we are not staying the same for too long.”
People can vote once daily for The Garage Food Hall on the poll.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A popular dining spot at the airport is celebrating its expansion at the Indianapolis International Airport.
Harry and Izzy’s opened its new expanded restaurant at the airport Tuesday, located in Concourse A.
The restaurant welcomed former Olympic swimmer Cody Miller and the President of the Indiana Sports Corp Patrick Talty to take part in Tuesday’s festivities, where they discussed the Olympic swimming trials coming to Indianapolis next year.
“There is no place better than Indianapolis where we crown champions year in and year out, this is the place to have it,” Talty said.
Harry and Izzy’s says it will be ready for the increased traffic that comes with the trials with its new menu that includes more appetizers and enhanced breakfast options.
TIPTON, Ind. (WISH) — A Rossville man was airlifted to an Indianapoils hospital where he later died after a four-vehicle crash Monday afternoon that left two others injured, including a 17-year-old in Tipton County, police said Tuesday.
Indiana State Police say, just after noon Monday, officers responded to a four-vehicle crash near the intersection of State Road 28 and County Road 1050 West.
Investigators revealed that a 17-year-old, who was driving a Volkswagen west on State Road 28, attempted to pass Dodge and Ford pickup trucks that were each pulling an anhydrous tank. The 17-year-old, who was not identified publicly by police, sideswiped a 2014 Peterbilt semi that was traveling east and the Ford pickup truck that was going west.
The driver of the Peterbilt, who was identified as Mathew Marley, 57, lost control of the vehicle, and crossed the centerline, hitting the Dodge pickup truck head-on. The Peterbilt came to an uncontrolled stop after flipping on top of the Dodge pickup off the north side of the road.
Marley was airlifted to an Indianapolis hospital and would later die from his injuries.
The driver of the Dodge pickup was identified as Shaun McCord, 42, of Tipton. He was airlifted by a medical helicopter to an Indianapolis hospital in stable condition.
The 17-year-old was taken to Indiana University Health Tipton Hospital for minor injuries.
The driver of the Ford pickup was identified as Travis Kramer, 40, of Frankfort. He was not injured during the crash.
Police say that alcohol or drugs were not believed to be a factor.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — While there will be a lot of festivities happening this month the Latinx community will be celebrating a milestone in the gay rights movement.
Pride Month is more than just a celebration. According to Indy Pride, it’s also an opportunity to raise awareness, and in the Latinx community, there’s a new campaign that is shedding light on their challenges and triumphs.
“It’s a culmination of different generations, years of fighting to get to where we are today,” said Jose Castillo-Jimenez, vice president of community at Indy Pride.
The campaign is called Generación Orgullo or Pride Generation.
Jimenez says it focuses on how far they’ve come and their ongoing fight for equality.
“Generacion Orgullo is I think it’s a build-up of all the work that different generations have done to get to where we are today. To be able to be prideful, to be able to smile, dance, and just show who we really are and showcase our community,” Jimenez said.
Jaime Gonzales, the co-chair of Latinx Pride Indy, said, “It takes community. It definitely takes at least a few of us to break away from the norms, to break away from the silence, and then bring your community along with you.”
According to Jimenez, many Latinx LGBTQ community members have had negative experiences with religion because of how they identify themselves.
“We are born into like you know Dios, God, las vírgenes, los santos. Like all those things, and you feel like you’re losing a part of you because you want to be your true self and that’s not everybody,” Jimenez said.
Gonzales said, “It’s one of those things where I had to choose myself and be OK with myself and then be OK with other people not being OK with who I am.”
Despite these challenges, the group says there is hope.
“There’s a lot of trauma. There’s a lot of PTSD. There’s a lot of emotional and mental health issues that come with some of that, but I think everybody just has to come to terms and figure out what works for them,” Jimenez said.
Indy Pride will host its Latinx Pride Generación Orgullo event on June 24 at The Vogue Theatre.
PERU, Ind. (WISH) — A Miami County judge has canceled the court hearing that had been scheduled on Thursday for Kegan Kline, the child porn suspect who ran a fake social media account connected to the 2017 Delphi murders.
Online court records on Tuesday show Kline’s attorneys and prosecutors agreed to skip the hearing, adding to the list of delays and cancellations Kline has had during his case.
Judge Timothy Spahr had been expected to deal with an attempt by Kline to withdraw his guilty plea to 25 charges related to child pornography.
Kline’s scheduled sentencing in May was abruptly stopped when he said he was considering changing his plea. He notified the court last Wednesday that he would not try to withdraw the plea.
Additionally, Judge Spahr on Tuesday again declined cameras be allowed in the courtroom during Kline’s sentencing. Cameras were previously denied by Judge Spahr for Kline’s hearing on May 18.
Kline’s sentencing is set for July 27.
News 8’s Michaela Springer contributed to this story.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — “Here comes Henry!”: Henry Davis, the No. 1 overall Major League Baseball draft pick in 2021 and the Pittsburgh Pirates’ No. 3 prospect, is joining up with the Indianapolis Indians this upcoming season.
The MLB announced in a release Tuesday that Davis, 23, who is being promoted by the Pirates, is navigating his way through the MLB Pipeline, leaving the Double-A Altoona Curve to the Triple-A Indians.
Davis spoke with News 8 Tuesday and shared how much of an honor it is to play with the Indians.
“It’s a special club and I hope that every day I get closer to the big leagues, I get closer to making an impact that reflects on the club. I try not to daydream too much, but just stay focused and continue to do what I need to do,” Davis said.
While Davis is making a pit stop in Indianapolis, the MLB says still has his sights on Pittsburgh.
“Nobody in any clubhouse in the Minor Leagues really wants to be there. we all had a goal from the time we were kids. Everybody’s goal is to be in the big leagues. Put all your energy into that every day, and hopefully, good things will happen,” Davis said in the release.
Before his time with the Curve, Davis attended the University of Louisville and played for the Louisville Cardinals. There, he ranked among Atlantic Coast Conference leaders in several categories, and was also named a finalist for the Buster Posey Award for college baseball’s top catchers in the NCAA Division I.
While with the Curve, Davis smoked several home runs in his 41 games with the team. Even after dealing with issues with his left wrist, he produces extreme exit velocities and showed improvement in decision making.
Now that Davis has joined the Indians, the MLB says Pittsburgh will have to decide how to balance Davis with its No. 2 prospect on the same team, Endy Rodriguez.
As the Indians play six times a week, the release says, the MLB believe Pittsburgh will balance them both to play three games a week.
Davis was set to make his debut for the Indians as starting backstop for their first of six games against the Omaha Storm Chasers Tuesday night. He is the fourth first-position player to be selected No. 1 overall to play with the Indians in franchise history, the Indians said in a release Tuesday.
The Indians also announced his arrival by sharing a picture of Davis’ jersey on Twitter Tuesday afternoon, with the caption, “Fresh off the press, No. 9.” They also shared a video of Davis arriving at Victory Field, with the caption excitedly calling out, “HENRY’S HERE.”
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Two juveniles were arrested Sunday near a popular candy store on Monument Circle in Indianapolis, according to a police report.
Around 7:45 p.m., Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department officers were sent to 55 Monument Circle, where Rocket Fizz is located, on a report of a disturbance.
Upon arrival, they found a 13-year-old boy with marijuana. He was arrested and charged with one count of possession of marijuana, and one count of battery with injury.
Police also found a 16-year-old girl. She was arrested and charged with two counts of battery, including battery of a public official. She was also charged with one count of resisting law enforcement with injury.
Since February, IMPD has made four additional runs to Rocket Fizz on investigation reports, burglary, and theft.
SEYMOUR, Ind. (WISH) — State Rep Jim Lucas told police he “swerved to miss a deer and lost control of his vehicle” before he was arrested early Wednesday for driving drunk and leaving the scene of an accident, according to a crash report obtained by News 8.
A crash report issued by Indiana State Police says officers responded to a report of a vehicle that struck a guardrail and was driving the wrong way on the ramp to I-65 from State Road 11 near Seymour.
State police say Lucas’ pickup truck went down a hill through a guard rail on I-65 and then across traffic lanes before he crashed.
Damage to the vehicle caused three of the truck’s tires to go flat. The report says Lucas drove on rims for nearly three miles before pulling up behind a Seymour carpet store. Seymour police found him there and noted the smell of alcohol.
Lucas told police he parked behind the carpet store because “he did not want to leak oil in the front parking lot of the business” due to concerns that a dirty parking lot would cause the business to lose customers.
A state trooper gave Lucas a field sobriety test, after which he was arrested and taken to the Jackson County Jail.
Related Coverage
MARION. Ind. (WISH) — Ramp closures are expected to begin next week as part of the ongoing I-69 construction in Grant County.
The Indiana Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that I-69 ramp closures will start on or after June 12. Crews will close the northbound I-69 exit and entrance ramps at State Road 26, mile marker 255. The southbound I-69 exit and entrance ramps at State Road 22/U.S. 35, mile marker 259 will also be closed.
Both closures are expected to last a month. Drivers should use State Road 22 and State Road 26, or seek an alternate route.
INDOT encourages drivers to use extra caution when traveling in and around all work zones.
