Indianapolis, IN
Planned Parenthood closing 2 Indy clinics, citing loss of federal money
How an Indiana abortion ruling could expand access in red states
When Indiana’s abortion ban was struck down in part, it presented a potential path for similar challenges in other states that could broaden access.
Planned Parenthood will shutter two Indianapolis clinics, leaving its Georgetown Road facility as the only local branch of the nationwide organization.
The Midtown and Southside locations will close effective Friday, April 3. The Georgetown health center will have “additional appointment availability and services” in the wake of the closure, according to Planned Parenthood’s regional website.
Patients receiving ongoing care like birth control or hormone replacement therapy can continue to do so through telehealth or by visiting another Planned Parenthood location, the website said.
“Because of changes to federal funding, including the loss of Medicaid reimbursements, we are making difficult but necessary adjustments to our health center network so we can continue caring for patients in our communities for years to come,” an FAQ posted with the closure announcement read in part.
Planned Parenthood estimated in 2024 that about half of patients receive care paid through either Medicaid or the Title X family planning program, which covers contraception and STI screening for low-income Americans. The Trump administration has moved to block the organization from receiving money from both streams.
Trump’s signature budget legislation, the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” passed in July 2025 with a provision banning clinics that provide abortion, including Planned Parenthood, from receiving Medicaid reimbursement for one year.
It has been illegal since 1976 to use federal dollars, including Medicaid, to cover abortion unless it’s necessary to save a life or to terminate a pregnancy caused by rape or incest. Planned Parenthood does not perform any abortions in Indiana, as the state’s near-total ban only allows the procedure to be performed in narrow circumstances at hospitals or their surgery centers.
For months, Planned Parenthood contested the constitutionality of the Medicaid funding ban in various federal courts, dropping its case on Jan. 30, 2026, after an appeals court ruled in the government’s favor.
Though the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services restored Title X money to clinics in December 2025 after withholding it for eight months, recipients learned last week that they have one week to reapply for funding. That’s typically a months-long process, and more than 100 congressional Democrats are asking HHS to extend current grants for another year, NPR reported on March 17.
Ryan Murphy is the communities reporter for IndyStar. She can be reached at rhmurphy@indystar.com.
Indianapolis, IN
Former Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton announces retirement
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Former Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton announced his retirement from the NFL on Wednesday.
Hilton played for the Colts from 2012-2021. He hauled in 638 catches for 9,812 yards and 53 touchdowns in his time in Indianapolis.
Hilton led the NFL in receiving yards in 2016 with 1,448 yards. He had five 1,000-plus yard seasons and was named to the Pro Bowl four times.
Hilton last played in the NFL in 2022, playing three games for the Dallas Cowboys.
He announced his retirement by posting to X (formerly Twitter):
“After an incredible journey, it’s time for me to retire from the game of football and begin a new chapter.
Thank you to Mr. Irsay, his family and the entire Colts organization for believing in a kid from Miami and giving me the opportunity to live out my dream wearing the horseshoe.
I also want to thank the Cowboys organization for giving me the opportunity to continue playing the game I love.
To my teammates – thank you for the brotherhood. The early mornings, long practices, and the battles on Sundays are memories I’ll carry with me forever.
To the fans in Indy, your support meant everything to me from day one. I’ll never forget running out of that tunnel at Lucas Oil Stadium for the first time.
And at the heart of it all, I want to thank my family and friends. Thank you for the sacrifices, the constant support and for believing in me. I would not have been able to live out this dream without you.
Forever a Colt.”
Indianapolis, IN
Warmer throughout the week as spring officially begins | March 18, 2026
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH-TV) – Temperatures begin to warm today and into the end of the week. We are going to see some very light precipitation tomorrow morning but other than that looking for a dry pattern through the end of the weekend. Spring officially begins on Friday and we will see our temperatures more spring-like by the end of the week and into the weekend.
TODAY: A warm front lifts northward this morning and produces a few light snow showers across parts of the metro area. Not a lot of measurable precipitation expected with this system. Look for mainly cloudy conditions for the first part of the day and then some sunshine later in the afternoon. High temperatures will climb right around 47 degrees. This is still below normal but much closer to normal than what we had yesterday. Winds pick up a little bit out of the south and may gust at times to 20 miles per hour.
TONIGHT: Dry conditions if you are heading to the Pacers game this evening. Partly cloudy conditions overnight with winds dropping. Temperatures will fall into the thirties.
TOMORROW: A weak system passes through the Great Lakes bringing us a chance for a few light rain showers. We will start the day off with some cloud cover and then sunshine for the afternoon. High temperatures climb above normal with readings close to 60.
7 DAY EXTENDED FORECAST: Even warmer temperatures as we officially begin the first day of spring on Friday. Look for highs right around 67 degrees with mainly sunny skies.
Temperatures continue to climb and will be close to 70 on Saturday under partly cloudy skies. We can’t rule out a brief shower on Sunday. Temperature still above normal into the sixties. Heading into next week temperatures return back to normal with highs in the 50s.
Indianapolis, IN
Indiana football coach Curt Cignetti to drive Indy 500 pace car
After leading Indiana football to a 16-0 season and national championship, Curt Cignetti will drive the pace car for the Indianapolis 500 on May 24. Cignetti was announced as the pace car driver for the 110th Indy 500 on Fox during the World Baseball Classic final Tuesday.
Cignetti will lead the field of drivers in the new Chevrolet Corvette ZR1X to begin the race. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway gave the illustrious seat to the man who won 14 of the 17 national coach of the year awards he was eligible for in his first two seasons at Indiana.
Since Cignetti was hired ahead of the 2024 season, Indiana has gone 27-2 and made the College Football Playoff twice. This past season, Cignetti led the Hoosiers to their first Big Ten championship since 1967 and their first national championship ever.
“Coach Cignetti will have our field in a special victory lap formation as he leads the stars of the NTT IndyCar Series to the green flag at this year’s Indy 500,” IMS and IndyCar president Doug Boles said in a news release. “His Hoosiers have been nothing short of remarkable, and their national championship run inspired our entire state. He’s the perfect choice to drive the Chevrolet pace car, and I know his introduction on race day will bring out a special roar of appreciation from our crowd.”
Buy IU championship books, newspapers
Cignetti will become just the second football coach to drive the pace car, the first since Jim Harbaugh in 2013. Last year’s pace car was driven by Pro Football Hall-of-Famer and Fox analyst Michael Strahan.
Cignetti drove the Hoosiers to prominence in 2025, and he’ll now drive at the front of the pack to start “The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.”
Indy 500 pace car drivers: Indy 500 pace car drivers through the years at Indianapolis Motor Speedway
All-time list of Indy 500 pace car drivers
2026: Curt Cignetti, Indiana football coach
2025: Michael Strahan: Former NFL player, television host and Fox NFL analyst
2024: Ken Griffey Jr: Baseball Hall of Famer
2023: Tyrese Halliburton: Pacers player
2022: Sarah Fisher: Former race car driver
2021: Danica Patrick: Former race car driver
2020: Mark Reuss: President of General Motors
2019: Dale Earnhardt Jr.: Former race car driver
2018: Victor Oladipo: Pacers player
2017: Jeffrey Dean Morgan: Actor
2016: Roger Penske: Racing team owner, businessman
2015: Jeff Gordon: Race car driver
2014: Dario Franchitti: Race car driver
2013: Jim Harbaugh: NFL player, NFL and college coach
2012: Guy Fieri: Celebrity chef
2011: A.J. Foyt (Mari Hulman George passenger): Former race car driver
2010: Robin Roberts: Broadcaster, morning show host
2009: Josh Duhamel: Actor
2008: Emerson Fittipaldi: Race car driver
2007: Patrick Dempsey: Actor
2006: Lance Armstrong: Former professional bicycle racer
2005: General Colin Powell: U.S. Secretary of State, chairman joint chiefs of staff
2004: Morgan Freeman: Actor
2003: Herb Fishel: General Motors’ racing executive director
2002: Jim Caviezel: Actor
2001: Elaine Irwin Mellencamp: Supermodel
2000: Anthony Edwards: Actor
1999: Jay Leno: Comedian, Tonight Show host
1998: Parnelli Jones: Former race car driver
1997: Johnny Rutherford: Race car driver
1996: Bob Lutz: Automotive executive
1995: Jim Perkins: Automotive executive
1994: Parnelli Jones: Race car driver
1993: Jim Perkins: Automotive executive
1992: Bobby Unser: Race car driver
1991: Carroll Shelby: Race car driver, designer
1990: Jim Perkins: Automotive executive
1989: Bobby Unser: Race car driver
1988: Chuck Yeager: Test pilot, Air Force general
1987: Carroll Shelby: Race car driver, designer
1986: Check Yeager: Test pilot, Air Force general
1985: James Garner: Actor
1984: John Callies: Automotive executive
1983: Duke Nalon: Race car driver
1982: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1981: Duke Nalon: Race car driver
1980: Johnnie Parsons: Race car driver
1979: Jackie Stewart: Race car driver
1978: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1977: James Garner: Actor
1976: Marty Robbins: Country music singer, NASCAR driver
1975: James Garner: Actor
1974: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1973: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1972: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1971: Eldon Palmer: Indianapolis-area car dealer
1970: Rodger Ward: Race car driver
1969: Jim Rathmann: Race car driver
1968: William Clay Ford Sr.: Executive chairman of Ford motors
1967: Mauri Rose: Race car driver
1966: Benson Ford: Automotive executive
1965: P.M. Buckminster: Automotive executive
1964: Benson Ford: Automotive executive
1963: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1962: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1961: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1960: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1959: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1958: Sam Hanks: Race car driver
1957: F.C. Reith: Automotive executive
1956: L.I. Woolson: Automotive executive
1955: Thomas H. Keating: Automotive executive
1954: William C. Newburg: Automotive executive
1953: William Clay Ford Sr.: Automotive executive
1952: P.O. Peterson: Automotive executive
1951: David A. Wallace: Automotive executive
1950: Benson Ford: Automotive executive
1949: Wilbur Shaw: Race car driver, president of IMS
1948: Wilbur Shaw: Race car driver, president of IMS
1947: George W. Mason: Automotive executive
1946: Henry Ford II: Automotive executive
1941: A.B. Couture
1940: Harry Hartz
1939: Charles Chayne: Automotive executive
1938: Stuart Baits: Race car designer
1937: Ralph DePalma: Race car driver
1936: Tommy Milton: Race car driver
1935: Harry Mack: Automotive executive
1934: Willard “Big Boy” Radar: Long distance test driver
1933: Byron Foy
1932: Edsel Ford
1931: Willard “Big Boy” Radar: Long distance test driver
1930: Wade Morton: Race car driver
1929: George Hunt
1928: Joe Dawson: Race car driver
1927: Willard “Big Boy” Radar: Long distance test driver
1926: Louis Chevrolet: Race car driver, founder of Chevrolet
1925: Eddie Rickenbacker: Race car driver, owner of IMS
1924: Lew Pettijohn: Test driver
1923: Fred Duesenberg: Founder of Duesenberg
1922: Barney Oldfield: Race car driver
1921: Harry C. Stutz: Founder of Stutz
1920: Barney Oldfield: Race car driver
1919: Jess G. Vincent: Engine designer
1916: Frank E. Smith
1915: Carl Fisher: Created IMS
1914: Carl Fisher: Created IMS
1913: Carl Fisher: Created IMS
1912: Carl Fisher: Created IMS
1911: Carl Fisher: Created IMS
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