Indiana

Chick-fil-A expansion brings play spaces for kids. Where they will be

Published

2 months ago

February 19, 2026

Press Room

Chick-fil-A expansion brings play spaces for kids. Where they will be

There are good times to be had with upcoming Chick-fil-A store openings in Indiana, especially for kiddos.

A half-dozen new restaurants, like the one under construction in Beech Grove, will be offering inside play spaces, in addition to its sandwiches, waffle fries and lemonade, to draw families.

“We’re super excited. It’s like the newest version of the play place,” said Kevin Brown, owner-operator of the Beech Grove store. “At Chick-fil-A, we are super committed to families. It’s in our DNA. So we are building our new restaurants with kind of the latest and greatest kids’ play place.”

Featuring a slide, oversized graphics and places for the coat and shoes of youngsters, the glassed-in two-level play space at Brown’s restaurant will be among the largest of Chick-fil-A restaurants in the Indianapolis area.

“It’s kind of like that analog fun. You’re not going to find screens in there. You’re going to find kind of good old-fashioned just climbing and sliding; that sort of thing,” said Brown, a former U.S. military officer who is relocating from the downtown Indianapolis store at 10 E. Washington.

He’s targeting March for the opening of the free-standing unit with a two-lane drive-through operation.

“The high school’s already reached out. They’re so excited, just like we are. They’re like, ‘Hey, how do we how do we create stronger bonds between the school and Chick-fil-A. Kids love Chick-fil-A, and we love kids; so the natural thing,” Brown said.

More Chick-Fil-A locations coming to Indiana

The Beech Grove store is among six locally-owned Chick-fil-A restaurants launching in Indiana in 2026, each with play areas unique to the locations.

A Kokomo store opened on Feb. 19. The Beech Grove store is targeting a March opening; a Franklin store is expected to open in the spring; and locations are planned for Bloomington, Plainfield and south Indianapolis later this year.

Chick-fil-A is exploring new prototype formats to better serve specific communities, with each restaurant designed to reflect its local neighborhood, the College Park, Georgia-based company said.

The play spaces in select restaurants are part of a commitment to creating family-friendly environments where customers can spend meaningful time together, in addition to dining, it said.

“For many families across the region, Chick-fil-A is more than a place to grab a meal. As we continue to expand across Indiana, we are focused on creating restaurants that feel welcoming and intentionally designed for families,” Mandy Brantley, senior area director for the Midwest region, said in a written statement. “Including play spaces in each of our new metro Indianapolis restaurants reflects our commitment to investing in spaces where children can engage, families can connect and communities can build meaningful memories together.”

New owner-operator Meg Puello, mom to nine-year old Nolan and seven-year–old Ana Kate, is familiar with the concept, on a couple of levels.

Puello worked for Greenwood Chick-fil-A locations operated by her father before training to own her own store in Franklin. She’s anticipating a late March or early April opening.

“At Chick-fil-A, they’re always striving to figure out what families and what the communities are needing. So I’m really thankful to have a playground and to be able to have a place that kids can come and play,” she said. “There are lot of neighborhoods around us. There are a lot of families. And I personally took my children to Chick-fil-A playgrounds on more occasions than I can count.”

“They love being able to spend time whenever we have the chance at our Chick-fil-A.”

Where is Chick-fil-A opening in Indiana in 2026?

The Indianapolis area currently has about 28 Chick-fil-A restaurants.

With each new restaurant, the company donates $25,000 to the Feeding America hunger relief organization for local efforts.

The additional six stores will add up to 600 new full- and part-time jobs.

Indiana stores opening in 2026 include:

Kokomo: 1014 S. Reed Rd., opened February 2026
Beech Grove: 5151 E. Thompson Rd., projected opening March
Franklin: 2430 N Morton, projected opening late mrch/early April
Bloomington: address and target date for opening to be announced
Plainfield: address and target date for opening to be announced
Indianapolis: address and target date for opening to be announced

Contact reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cjackson@usatodayco.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on X.com:@cherylvjackson or Bluesky:@cherylvjackson.bsky.social.

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Indiana

Monday storm blows across northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio

Published

4 hours ago

April 14, 2026

Press Room

Monday storm blows across northeast Indiana, northwest Ohio

NORTHEAST INDIANA (WANE) – A storm system passed through northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio on Monday evening, leaving a substantial amount of damage in its wake.

Monday night’s storm warranted thunderstorm warnings throughout the viewing area, including Steuben, DeKalb, and Allen counties in Indiana, along with Defiance, Paulding, and Van Wert counties in Ohio.

The storm itself lasted about an hour, but caused chaos by downing unstable trees and signage from strong winds.

Thousands reported power outages across the Fort Wayne area, with a handful of outages in Ohio’s northwest region.

Viewers from across the WANE 15 viewing area shared photos documenting the storm as it blew through, with additional weather phenomena:

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Indiana

Physical guard commits to Indiana basketball from transfer portal: Stats, highlights

Published

16 hours ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

Physical guard commits to Indiana basketball from transfer portal: Stats, highlights

BLOOMINGTON — Darian DeVries’ backcourt rebuild got a boost Monday, with the news that Georgia Tech guard Jaeden Mustaf intends to transfer to Indiana.

“ALL IN,” Mustaf posted on social media announcing his decision.

Mustaf, a Maryland native who was once a target for Mike Woodson and Indiana’s previous staff, averaged 10.4 points and 4.3 rebounds per game across 29 appearances for Georgia Tech last season. The 6-foot-6 guard is also a career 37.2% 3-point shooter, though not at significant volume.

Importantly, Mustaf is a big-bodied guard who rebounds his position well and draws fouls at an above-average clip. Last season in Atlanta, he had 4.2 fouls drawn per 40 minutes, and 4.4 in ACC play, a top-25 number in the conference. He also finished his sophomore season scoring the ball well — Mustaf averaged 14 points per game in the Yellow Jackets’ last nine, and 16.3 per game in their last six.

His arrival strengthens a guard rotation that will need remade essentially from the ground up this spring. The Hoosiers’ only returners don’t play the position, and DeVries signed just one out-and-out guard, Prince-Alexander Moody, in the 2026 class.

Mustaf’s commitment hands the Hoosiers a strong, capable guard with high-major experience and multiple years of eligibility remaining around which DeVries and his staff can build.

Mustaf was at one time a target for Woodson, coming out of high school. Mustaf played with Overtime Elite before making the move to college.

Trevor Manhertz, forward, freshman
Prince-Alexander Moody, guard, freshman
Jaeden Mustaf, guard, senior
Vaughn Karvala, forward, freshman
Trent Sisley, forward, sophomore

Want more Hoosiers coverage? Sign up for IndyStar’s Hoosiers newsletter. Listen to Mind Your Banners, our IU Athletics-centric podcast, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the latest on IndyStar TV: Hoosiers.

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Indiana

New Hope of Indiana launches $4 million campaign to transform campus

Published

1 day ago

April 13, 2026

Press Room

New Hope of Indiana launches million campaign to transform campus

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A $4 million transformation is in the works for New Hope of Indiana, the largest nonprofit residential services provider for individuals with disabilities in Marion County.

New Hope says the ‘Imagine More’ capital campaign will fund key improvements to New Hope’s 14-acre campus at 8450 Payne Road. It’ll include a new community and multi-purpose space, expanded and inclusive outdoor areas, a commercial kitchen for life-skills and employment training, and renovations to improve accessibility, safety, and overall experience.

Photo Provided by New Hope of Indiana.

New Hope has already raised $3.35 million toward its gold, including a $1.5 million matching gift from United Way of Central Indiana. During their campaign’s launch Monday, New Hope says they plan to raise the remaining $650,000 to complete the campaign, the largest in its history.

“As we celebrate 48 years of service, this campaign represents an important step forward for New Hope and the people we serve,” Allison Wharry, president and CEO of New Hope of Indiana said in a release.

“Imagine More is rooted in listening to the individuals and families in our community, and creating spaces that support dignity, independence, and a strong sense of belonging. We are grateful for the momentum that has brought us this far and excited to invite the community to help us finish,” Wharry said.

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