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Indianapolis Jazz Foundation empowers youth through comprehensive jazz education

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Indianapolis Jazz Foundation empowers youth through comprehensive jazz education


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Jazz Futures program, organized by the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, aims to inspire high school musicians through a comprehensive curriculum more than 22 sessions spanning seven months. Classes are held Sundays from 3 to 5 PM at the Luddy School of Informatics, 335 West Michigan St.

Founded in 1996 as a 501(c)(three) organization, the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation promotes jazz heritage in the community. One of its flagship events, the Indy Jazz Fest, celebrates the city’s historical contributions to jazz, featuring legendary artists like Cole Porter and Wes Montgomery who shaped Indianapolis’ vibrant music scene.

The Jazz Futures program focuses heavily on education, providing young musicians with training in jazz repertoire, improvisation, history and more. “Well, that’s one of the pillars of the Indianapolis Jazz Foundation, you know, the education part of it,” said Pavel. “We have legacy and other things, but the education is like, okay, let’s get, you know, the young musicians interested early enough so they can develop a career.”

The program not only nurtures musical talent but also instills valuable life skills. Local jazz legend Rob Dixon noted, “Yeah, I mean, it’s a program that I think we’ve had great results with a lot of the students. And one of the things about it, too, is they get to understand that jazz is an American art form and it educates them in a way that I think a lot of the past Jazz Futures students, even though they don’t go into music, they become successful in life.” His perspective highlights the broader impact of music education on personal development, with alumni achieving success in various fields.

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Pavel and Rob were excited about the current cohort of students, emphasizing the importance of bringing jazz to a younger audience, particularly those who may not have access to small group combos.

Their work with the students represents a culmination of years of effort to improve access to jazz education throughout Indianapolis, especially in underserved communities.

The foundation aims to reverse negative effects caused by urban development, which has fragmented traditionally Black neighborhoods and marginalized their rich cultural history.

The Indianapolis Jazz Foundation is committed to advancing artists of color through education and performance opportunities. They strive to ensure that the legacy of influential artists is not only preserved but also celebrated through ongoing community engagement at events like the Indy Jazz Fest.

The Jazz Futures program will continue through its seven-month curriculum, offering performances and learning experiences for the students. The Indianapolis Jazz Foundation plans to maintain its commitment to jazz education and community involvement with various events throughout the year.

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Indianapolis, IN

Silver Alert declared for 16-year-old boy missing from Indianapolis

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Silver Alert declared for 16-year-old boy missing from Indianapolis


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating the disappearance of Robert Williams Jr., a 16-year-old Black male who is 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighs 185 pounds, has black hair with brown eyes, and was last seen wearing a gray coat, blue sweat pants, and black tennis shoes.

Williams Jr. is missing from Indianapolis, and was last seen on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. He is believed to be in extreme danger and may require medical assistance. 

Investigators ask that anyone with information on Williams Jr. contact the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department at 317-327-6541 or 911.

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Indianapolis, IN

The City of Indianapolis’ “Indy Peace Fellowship” 2025 review

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The City of Indianapolis’ “Indy Peace Fellowship” 2025 review


INDIANAPOLIS — The Indy Peace Fellowship is an initiative from the city, providing solutions to reduce gun violence in our city.

WRTV spoke with Dane Nutty, President & CEO of the Indy Public Safety Foundation, about its efforts in 2025 and continued targets ahead for 2026.

“A lot of times, you have an idea of what the community wants, you have an idea of what people need, and so, we certainly have a significant engagement with the community daily,” Nutty said.

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The City of Indianapolis’ “Indy Peace Fellowship” 2025 review

Finding solutions to gun violence has been one of the city’s biggest hurdles.

“This year that we’re looking at annual data, we’re over 20% reduction in criminal homicides and nearly 30% reduction in non-fatal shootings, but again, I think it’s a testament to the investments that have been made over the last three to five years and really lifting not only targeted intervention but also community voices in violence intervention,” Nutty said.

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Nutty said that the relationships built with the community, IMPD and organizations throughout the years helped foster greater results in 2025.

“I think after the first couple of years, you know, when you launch a really huge new strategy, it takes a little time to kind of cement those partnerships and ensure that we’re being most effective and intentional with our work, and we’ve really seen that come into play this year,” Nutty said.

Looking ahead to 2026, Nutty said his team will continue to review data daily to help cultivate the best outcome.

“We might have an incident in the community that results in either the potential for retaliation or, you know, some additional trauma that that neighborhood or that community has incurred,” Nutty said.

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Indy Peace Fellowship

Every year, Indy Peace Fellowship’s goal is to reduce homicides by 10%.

“As of today, we’re down over 20% in criminal homicides year to date, so we’re certainly, again. We’re happy that we met that goal. That doesn’t mean that the work has completed, right? That we can just say, ‘Hey, we’ve done it all, we’ve fixed the problem.’ There’s a lot of work to move forward,” Nutty said.

Nutty added that they are seeing nearly a 30% reduction year-over-year in non-fatal shootings. Further proving that community outreach and targeted impact are working.





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IMPD officer charged with operating vehicle while intoxicated after showing up to work smelling of alcohol

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IMPD officer charged with operating vehicle while intoxicated after showing up to work smelling of alcohol


INDIANAPOLIS — An officer with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department has been charged with operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OVWI).

According to a news release from IMPD, Bryan Gibson, an officer with the department, arrived at the department’s southeast district in his personal vehicle on the evening of Dec. 10 for a scheduled administrative duty shift.

When Gibson arrived, the department alleges that Gibson smelled like alcohol. After an investigation from the department’s OVWI unit, the special investigations unit and internal affairs, the release said that Gibson was determined to be under the influence of alcohol.

On Dec. 11, IMPD Chief Chris Bailey suspended Gibson without pay and recommended his termination to the department’s civilian police merit board.

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The release said that at the time of the incident, Gibson was assigned to administrative duty. Officials said that Gibson did not have police powers while under administrative investigation for an unrelated personnel matter.

On Wednesday, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office officially filed charges against Gibson for:

  • Operating a vehicle while intoxicated
  • Operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of .08 or higher.

Gibson’s initial hearing is scheduled for Jan. 20, 2026, the release said.



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