Indianapolis, IN

Jim Morris was a uniter. We need more like him.

Published

2 years ago

July 24, 2024

Jim Morris was a uniter. We need more like him.

John Ruckelshaus
| Indianapolis Star

On July 19, I arrived at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis to attend the Celebration of Life for Jim Morris. The crowd gathered outside was so huge that I briefly wondered whether the church was hosting Jim’s memorial service or a Taylor Swift concert. I have heard Morris sing, so I knew it was not a gathering for Taylor Swift.

While music was not among his many gifts, Morris was a Swift-sized megastar when it came to serving his community, and his community was not just Indianapolis or Indiana, but the world. His resume and accomplishments are second to none: executive director of the United Nations World Food Program; chief of staff to former Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar; president of the Lilly Endowment; chairman of the Indiana University Board of Trustees and of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.

Moreover, Morris was active in leadership and fundraising activities for the Boy Scouts, U.S. Olympic Committee, Riley Hospital for Children and many similarly worthy organizations.

Morris dedicated his life to serving others, but the fuel to his extraordinary engine was his ability to bring people and organizations together. There simply was no person any better or more dedicated than Morris at finding common ground and agreeable goals.

I experienced his gift for forging consensus first-hand in the state Senate. Morris was a mentor to me and periodically a connector who could bring people and organizations together to solve critical problems facing Hoosiers.

Morris’ passing is a huge loss for our nation, state and city. He touched countless lives in his 81 years, always for the better.

But speaker after speaker at Morris’ funeral implored the overflow crowd to carry on his greatest legacy, the bedrock which supplied the foundation for his life of service: an unswerving commitment to work to unite and not divide. In our increasingly polarized world, seemingly no political party, business or organization is immune from the temptation to flood the public square with curses and darkness.

Morris lit not a single candle but thousands. His example can light the way to a society more respectful of others and rededicated to the shared goal of forming a more perfect union.

In my many meetings with Morris, he would always conclude by asking, “What can I do for you?”

Jim: I hear you and will continue to focus on uniting and spurring others to do the same. We all can carry the torch for Morris to cement his legacy.

John Ruckelshaus is a former state senator.

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Indianapolis, IN

Highlights: Tri-West at Cardinal Ritter; February 27, 2026

Published

3 hours ago

February 28, 2026

Press Room

Highlights: Tri-West at Cardinal Ritter; February 27, 2026

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — “The Zone” featured highlights from eight high school boys basketball games from across central Indiana on Friday.

Watch highlights of Tri-West at Cardinal Ritter above.

Final Score: Tri-West 65 Cardinal Ritter 62

“The Zone” airs each Friday at 11:08 p.m. Click here to watch ‘The Zone’ for basketball highlights on February 27, 2026.

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Indianapolis, IN

New bridge over 96th Street adds to Nickel Plate Trail connections

Published

15 hours ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

New bridge over 96th Street adds to Nickel Plate Trail connections

FISHERS, Ind. (WISH) — The Nickel Plate Trail pedestrian bridge over 96th Street is officially open.

It was being touted Friday as a major milestone for central Indiana’s growing trail system. The street is the Fishers-Indianapolis border.

Leaders called the project a critical connection point for the Nickel Plate Trail. The new bridge helps move the nearly 17-mile trail closer to its goal of connecting multiple counties through one continuous path.

The bridge also came with a 1.3-mile trail extension. A $4.5 million grant from the Indiana Department of Natural Resources made the bridge possible.

Dale Brier, deputy director of Indiana Department of Natural Resources, talked about the state’s Next Level Trails grant program. “Currently, we have 89 trail projects that that were funded with that money. Fifty-nine of those are complete. We’ve got 12 under construction. As of this opening, we have 167 miles of trail that have now been opened with that grant money.”

People who frequently take the trail for their daily exercises say they’re excited the bridge is finally open.

Alan Errichiello of the Fishers Running Club said, “Extending this down south into Indianapolis is a big game changer for us. It’ll add a lot of miles that we can easily get into.”

Resident Tracy Mundell said, “Trying to get to the other side was nearly impossible, so I think most people didn’t even attempt it. It’s going to be great, we can get over to the other side, and I’m anxious to see what’s over there.”

The final portion of the project, called the Clear Path project, remains under construction.

Fishers Mayor Scott Fadness, a Republican, said, “We need to double-down on that investment, and we know time and time again here in the city of Fishers that trail systems, the ability to get up and get out and get active, is such an important part in our culture of health, that an investment like this is critical.”

Once complete, local leaders say the goal is to provide a more safe and connected routes between Noblesville, Fishers, Indianapolis and other surrounding cities.

Resident Steve Mundell said, “It’s lovely. It’ll be real convenient to get across too.”

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Indianapolis, IN

Good and bad from Colts’ 2026 NFLPA report card grades

Published

1 day ago

February 27, 2026

Press Room

Good and bad from Colts’ 2026 NFLPA report card grades

What grades did the Indianapolis Colts earn on the 2026 NFLPA report cards?

The NFLPA is no longer able to make their annual report cards public. However, ESPN’s Kayln Kahler was able to obtain a copy of the reports following the 2025 NFL season, and the Indianapolis Colts were again around the middle of the pack.

In these report cards, players rate numerous aspects of the organizations they play for, from ownership to the training facilities and everything in between. According to Kahler, 1,759 players contributed to these grades.

So, where did the Colts end up this year relative to the rest of the NFL this year?

Overall, the Colts ranked 17th. Below is a breakdown of each individual grade they received.

Treatment of Families: B
Home Game Field: D
Food/Dining Area: B
Nutritionist/Dietician: A-
Locker Room: C+
Training Room: B
Training Staff: B+
Weight Room: B
Strength Coaches: A
Position Coaches: B
Offensive Coordinator: B
Defensive Coordinator: B+
Special Teams Coordinator: B+
Team Travel: B-
Head Coach: A-
General Manager: A
Team Ownership: A

Of note, although the Colts haven’t been to the postseason in five years, Shane Steichen and Chris Ballard both received high marks.

Carlie Irsay Gordon, Kalen Jackson, and Casey Foyt earned an A in their first year as the primary owners.

The field at Lucas Oil Stadium received a very low mark, earning a D, while the locker room was given a C+. Those were the two lowest grades the Colts received.

Compared to the 2025 rankings, the Colts moved up two spots this year, after coming in at 19th last year.

The biggest jumps the Colts experienced came in the Food/Dining grade, which went from a C to a B. The Team travel grade also jumped from a D+ to a B-.

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