GREENWOOD, Ind. (WISH) — Thousands enjoyed an afternoon of music, food, and fun at the 3rd annual Greenwood Pride festival Saturday.

“Pride is being able to be who you are, being proud of who you are, and knowing that there are other people like you in the community,” said Suzanne Fortenbury, executive director of Greenwood Pride.

The festival also featured a drag show, which contrary to what critics of the LGBTQ+ community say, is not sexual in nature.

“I was in theatre in high school, and I was in band, so it’s kind of like a cross between theatre and band with the makeup and everything. It makes me feel young,” said Kim Saylor, who performs under the name “Hoosier Daddy.”

Fortenbury said the event is tailored to people of all ages, and it’s more than just about dressing in drag. Same-sex couples were able to get married here, shop local vendors, and enjoy local music.

“A lot of the problem with the attacks on gay people and LGBTQ youth is people just don’t understand what it is,” said Fortenbury.

When the festival isn’t going on, Greenwood Pride helps run skate and bowling parties for kids, and offer grief counseling.

“I’ve had two friends on the other side of the aisle. I ran for office, so I got to meet a lot of great people, and they came here today and saw what it was about, so it’s nice to have that open conversation to let people know exactly what this is and what it’s not,” said Fortenbury.

Kim understands why some people may be afraid to come out as who they really are.

“It took years of therapy to be ok with being me, and now I’m ok with being me,” she said.

Greenwood Pride is a non-profit organization. Funds raised from the event go to help LGBTQ+ youth and other causes throughout Johnson County.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A detective with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department and a firefighter with the Lawrence Fire Department were arrested for a domestic dispute Friday night, police say.

At 11:10 p.m. Friday, deputies with the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a domestic dispute in the 2200 block of Marina Court in Greenwood, Indiana.

When deputies arrived, they investigated and found probable cause to make an arrest on two individuals: 37-year-old Joseph Lee Gourley and 33-year-old Katie Gourley, who both lived at the Marina Court residence.

RELATED: IMPD using Facebook Live to connect officers to community

Joseph and Katie Gourley were both arrested for domestic battery with injury. They have both posted bond and been released from the Johnson County Jail.

Joseph Lee Gourley indicated that he was employed by the Lawrence Fire Department as a firefighter.

Katie Gourley indicated that she was employed by the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department as a detective.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department (IMPD) Missing Persons Detectives are seeking the public’s help in locating 19-year-old Katherine McCrory.

Katherine is described as 5’0″, 100 pounds, having blonde hair, and having green eyes. She was last seen on Friday, June 2, 2023, in the 7600 block of William Penn Place. Katherine might be in need of medical assistance.

Police advise calling 911 immediately if Katherine McCrory is located.

CARMEL, Ind. (WISH) — With temperatures above 90 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday, first responders are sending a warning about the health dangers the heat poses.

“It’s early in the year to seeing these kinds of numbers, so people might not be thinking about just some of the common sense stuff,” Carmel firefighter Tim Griffin, said.

According to Griffin, it’s important to remember the common things, like staying hydrated and not staying out too long in the sun because you could face heat exhaustion or heat stroke.

“You’re going to start to overheat, and then if you get hot enough, some of your vital organs can start to have issues. You can have heat stroke. There can be so many medical problems that come from that, so you need to make sure that you’re staying cool and then hydrated,” Griffin said.

He says the heat can affect children more severely and not to leave them unattended in hot vehicles. he also says their bodies can’t regulate the heat as well as adults can.

“It won’t take but just a few minutes before you can really damage or injure that child with those extreme heats,” Griffin said.

Griffin, who has children and two dogs, says our four-legged friends can also struggle in the heat.

He says they also need plenty of water and look out for their paws – walking a dog on hot pavement can result in serious burns and don’t leave your pet alone in a parked car.

“Just like us keep them hydrated. If you’re going somewhere and your dog is with you, you can’t leave it in the car. These temperatures in the car rise upwards of 120, 130 degrees or higher, so you need to make sure that that they’re inside not left in the car,” Griffin said.

If you have to be outdoors, the Carmel Fire Department recommends that you have plenty of water and take breaks in the shade.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Vincennes University announced a partnership Friday with Jet Access Flight Training to provide quality flight education opportunities to students interested in aviation.

The Jet Access/Vincennes University Professional Pilot Program, which is set to begin in Fall 2023, will allow students to take general education courses through Vincennes while taking flying courses from Jet Access.

Students in the program will still qualify for financial aid, a release made Friday about the program says. Students will also be able to take flying courses at any Jet Access location in state or out of state.

Jet Access operates 11 flight training locations, including six in Indiana.

Vincennes University Director of Aviation Mike Gehrich says in the release the university is excited to partner up for this program and is excited for the opportunities it can bring.

“Together, we are building the future workforce by offering a flexible education option that should help alleviate the shortage of pilots the industry is experiencing,” Gehrich said.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (WISH) — “I wear June 3 like a shroud,” writes Charlene Spierer, the mother of Lauren Spierer, in a Facebook post made on the 12-year anniversary of her daughter’s disappearance.

• Mom of Lauren Spierer, missing since 2011, talks of ‘debilitating sadness’ on her birthday
• 10 years later, investigators still searching for Lauren Spierer

Lauren Spierer went missing on June 3, 2011, after a night of partying with friends in Bloomington. Police said she was last seen leaving a friend’s place near West 11th Street and College Avenue. She left alone and was walking back to her apartment when something happened.

Investigators say she was later reported missing by a male friend.

Police have received over 800 tips from the public and have executed many search warrants since Lauren’s disappearance. The case remains unsolved.

Charlene wrote this in a post on Facebook as a “reminder that they will never stop” the search for Lauren.

A trip to the grocery store. An expiration date on a milk carton. The universe’s not so subtle reminder that another June 3rd approaches. I don’t need a reminder. I wear June 3rd like a shroud. I leave the milk. It is what it is.  

Lauren is a memory that lives in my heart.  What could have been, I’ll never know.  So much untapped potential. Too many broken hearts left in the wake of destruction.  What happened to Lauren could have happened to anyone. I think most college students believe they are invincible.  I think Lauren trusted that she was safe. Wrong place, wrong time, wrong people. She wasn’t careful and she wasn’t safe. Someone with means, motive, and opportunity waited for her, held out the hand she took and just like that she was gone.    

There have been lies and inconsistencies from the beginning. I guess that’s always how it is in any case. Self-preservation above all but someone knows what happened, someone is responsible. I have been schooled in the art of not sharing information. Fruit of the poisonous tree…What parent would ever risk saying something that would compromise an investigation into their daughter’s disappearance? Even now, even here, I consider my every word. I take care.  

If you knew Lauren before her disappearance or if you came to know her afterwards, give her a thought today. Consider that in the time it takes you to remember something about Lauren, someone could have called 911 and this tragedy would never have happened.

12 years you have kept your secret. 12 years we have continued our search. I write today as a reminder that we will never stop.

12 years of June 3rd.

Charlene Spierer via Facebook

Anyone with information on Lauren Spierer’s disappearance is asked to contact Bloomington police.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said goodbye to a beloved K-9 officer on Friday.

IMPD shared a video on Twitter, saying 5-year-old K9 Charlie passed away after a courageous battle against lymphoma.

Officers gathered at the VCA animal hospital to give Charlie a loving and proper send-off before he passed. He was also surrounded by his partner, IMPD Officer Plummer, and his family.

Charlie served as an interdiction officer, sniffing out illegal narcotics with the IMPD for three and a half years.

IMPD says it is “heartbroken, but grateful” for Charlie’s years of service.

UPDATE: Indiana Silver Alert at 5:55 p.m. Saturday messaged, “Silver Alert 047-2023 issued on Saturday, June 3, 2023, on Devyne Lewis has been cancelled as of Saturday, June 3, 2023. For more information on this cancellation, please contact the South Bend Police at 574-235-9201.” No word on whether Lewis was found safe.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WISH) — An Indiana Silver Alert has been issued for a missing 13-year-old from South Bend.

Devyne Lewis is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance, South Bend Police say.

Lewis was described as 5 feet 1 inch tall and 120 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. She was last seen around 8 a.m. Friday wearing a dark blue polo shirt, tan shorts, and white tennis shoes.

Lewis was missing from South Bend, Indiana which is 150 miles north of Indianapolis.

If you have any information on Devyne Lewis, contact the South Bend Police at 574-235-9201 or 911.

Peru, Ind. (WISH) — A release made by the Indiana State Police Friday says multiple felony warrant arrests have been made as a result of

In early 2023, the Miami County Prosecutor’s Office announced in a statement that non-custodial parents in Miami County who are delinquent on child support payments could take advantage of the Child Support Amnesty Month grace period.

This period would allow those who are delinquent to send forward late payments and avoid jail time.

The statement also announced that on April 1, charges would be filed against those who were substantially delinquent on child support payments.

As a result of the grace period, 11 felony non-support of a dependant child warrants were made.

On May 26, five people were taken into custody for failure to pay child support.

• Michael Jenkins, 41, of Peru, IN
• Eric Labare, 58, of Peru, IN
• Justin Lees, 42, of Peru, IN
• Derik Thompson, 30, of Peru, IN
• Jason Whitmer, 39, of Peru, IN

They were being held at Miami County Jail. Four of them have since been released. Labare is still being held at Miami County Jail with a $10,000 bond.

Police say six others still have outstanding warrants for failure to pay child support. The names of the six people have not been released.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Each and every Saturday, WISH-TV highlights a local company together with our partners at Indiana Grown.

This week’s guests are Ty and Lindsey Higgens, owners of Red Hill Fiber Mill & Alpaca Farm, based in Taswell, Indiana.

Ty and Lindsey talk with News 8 about their small herd of alpacas and how they make yarn on their farm’s fiber mill.

They also share information about tours of their farm and their appearance at Saturday’s Hoosier Hills Fiber Festival at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Franklin.

To learn more, visit their Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, and enjoy the full interview!