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Former Indianapolis school building to shelter homeless families this winter

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Former Indianapolis school building to shelter homeless families this winter


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A former Indianapolis elementary school will shelter as many as 40 families who are homeless this winter as part of a city program that aims to ensure all residents can sleep indoors on frigid nights.

The building, once home to Susan Leach School 68 on the east side at 2107 N. Riley Ave., will open Dec. 15 as an overflow shelter as part of the city’s Winter Contingency Plan, according to a city press release. From Nov. 1 through the end of March, the program puts people in shelter spaces that aren’t available during warmer months.

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Indianapolis Public Schools hasn’t hosted instruction at School 68 since 2009 and uses the building as storage space. The facility has served as shelter space in past years when Wheeler Mission, the city’s largest shelter provider, saw a surge in need during the pandemic.

“The families will be housed in pods of four, but we do have the ability to accommodate larger families,” said Andrew Merkley, the director of homelessness and eviction prevention for Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration. “They’ll be in the gymnasium but also in the classrooms there at the school. We’ll utilize the cafeteria for food.”

Brian Crispin, Wheeler Mission’s senior director of community relations and development, said his organization’s Center for Women and Children downtown has room for 30 families year-round.

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Last winter, however, the center packed in 40 more families who came to Wheeler Mission in need of emergency shelter. The School 68 shelter opening next week is a better solution for those families, Crispin said.

“When we reach numbers that we were seeing in the past couple of years,” Crispin said, “we weren’t able to operate in ways that were helpful to our guests.”

As of this week, Wheeler Mission is sheltering about 660 people in Indianapolis, according to Crispin. The organization doesn’t track the exact number of guests in families, but a 2024 citywide count included 421 adults and children in homeless families. About 1,700 people were homeless overall.

Until School 68 opens, the city is paying for 37 families to stay in hotel rooms to get out of the cold, Merkley said. The money comes from the city’s $578,000 contribution to this winter’s contingency plan. Merkley expects many of those families will move to the School 68 shelter once it opens.

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Merkley said School 68 is a solution only for this winter, and it’s unclear whether the city will open additional shelter space for families. The city of Indianapolis will open a year-round low-barrier shelter on the southeast side by 2027, with 20 units reserved for families of four.

Aspire Indiana Health, a community health provider in Indianapolis, will lead the overflow shelter at School 68, providing medical services and case management to homeless families.

How families who are homeless can find shelter

To find shelter this winter, families can call the Mayor’s Action Center at 317-327-4622 during regular business hours, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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The city’s Office of Public Health Health and Safety is working with HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program and local trustee offices to place families in emergency shelter. Call HealthNet for an appointment at 317-957-2275.

How Indianapolis pays for Winter Contingency Plan

The roughly $1.5 million winter contingency plan is funded by multiple sources, including $750,000 from the Lilly Endowment, $578,000 in taxpayer money from the city, $50,000 from The Indianapolis Foundation, $50,000 from United Way of Central Indiana and more than $63,000 from the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention.

Email IndyStar Housing, Growth and Development Reporter Jordan Smith at JTsmith@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @jordantsmith09





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Indianapolis, IN

Neighbors share concerns after young male dies in shooting on Indy’s northeast side

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Neighbors share concerns after young male dies in shooting on Indy’s northeast side


INDIANAPOLIS — A young man has died following a shooting on the northeast side of Indianapolis on Saturday night.

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Neighbors share concerns after young male dies in shooting on northeast side

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IMPD said it happened near the 3900 block of Rue Rabelais, which is an apartment complex off Binford Boulevard and 56th Street.

WRTV was in the surrounding neighborhood speaking with residents on Sunday, many of whom told us they were left saddened and worried following the incident.

“It just brings tears to my eyes,” Sheri Harley shared.

Harley has lived on Circle Boulevard, which is one street over from the complex, for more than 20 years.

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“We’re a very close-knit neighborhood,” Harley said. “I know everybody that lives here.”

That’s how she learned about what happened just down the road from her home on Saturday night.

“When I saw that there was police activity at the apartment complex, I contacted one of my neighbors, who lives across the fence,” Harley explained. “They didn’t really hear anything, but there were two young gentlemen who walked through their yard [that they got on camera].”

According to police, IMPD North District officers were dispatched to the 3900 block of Rue Rabelais around 7:19 p.m. Saturday on the report of a person shot. When officers arrived, they located a juvenile male near a playground suffering from injuries consistent with a gunshot wound.

The victim was taken to Riley Hospital in critical condition. IMPD confirmed the victim was pronounced deceased in the hospital.

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“There is no known danger to the public at this time,” IMPD Night Watch Captain Richard Ray said during a media briefing. “It appears by the basic, limited information that we have at this time that this was a targeted incident.”

It’s the latest incident involving juveniles to concern Indianapolis residents.

“I was raised where you respect one another,” Harley said. “You don’t always have to get along, but now they’re just pulling guns on one another and shooting.”

For neighbors like Harley, they just hope it doesn’t continue.

“Parents, please take care of your kids. Watch them… It’s very disheartening,” she stated.

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While we were out on Sunday, IMPD officers were going around asking neighbors to share any information they had about the incident.

“We’re asking any individual that might have been filming, that might have any doorbell cameras or anything like that to come forward and provide as much information as possible,” Ray said.

They have not yet identified any suspects in the case.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office (MCCO) will be assisting and will determine the exact manner and cause of death. The MCCO will release the decedent’s name once a proper next-of-kin notification has been made.

An investigation into this incident is underway. Anyone with information or doorbell footage is asked to reach out to IMPD Detective Christopher Williams at the IMPD Homicide Office at 317.327.3475 or e-mail the detective at Christopher.Williams4@indy.gov. Alternatively, they can call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317.262.8477 or (TIPS) to remain anonymous.

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Casey Zanowic is the In Your Community reporter for North Side Indy. She joined WRTV in July of 2025. Casey has a passion for storytelling and is ready to showcase impactful stories that make a difference in her community. Share your story ideas and important issues with Casey by emailing her at casey.zanowic@wrtv.com.





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HBCU ALL-STAR Game Experience

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HBCU ALL-STAR Game Experience


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HBCU ALL-STAR Game Experience

INDIANAPOLIS — At the 5th Annual HBCU All-Star Game Experience, organizers are bringing together student-athletes, civic leaders, and community advocates for a social justice-focused event in downtown Indianapolis.

The Social Justice & Civil Rights Luncheon and Panel Discussion is scheduled for Saturday, April 4, from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Madam Walker Legacy Center on Indiana Avenue.

The event will focus on the intersection of sports, equity, and social change, with organizers aiming to inspire civic engagement and community leadership among attendees. Participants will include HBCU student-athletes, coaches, and local leaders.

Two panel discussions are planned. The first will center on civic engagement, public safety, and police accountability, examining how voting, public policy, and community involvement shape law enforcement practices and justice systems. The second panel will focus on youth, education, and workforce development, highlighting ways to expand opportunities and strengthen career pathways for the next generation.

Organizers say the luncheon is designed to go beyond conversation and encourage action, using the influence of HBCUs to promote leadership and long-term community impact.

In addition to the discussions, Indianapolis teen DJ Reese Rayford will provide live entertainment. She has performed at several prominent venues across the city and is also scheduled to appear during other HBCU All-Star Game weekend events.

The luncheon is free and open to the public, though registration is encouraged. The event is part of a broader series of activities tied to the HBCU All-Star Game, which takes place during college basketball’s championship weekend and highlights talent from Historically Black Colleges and Universities while promoting education, economic empowerment, and social impact.
The event will focus on the intersection of sports, equity, and social change, with organizers aiming to inspire civic engagement and community leadership among attendees. Participants will include HBCU student-athletes, coaches, and local leaders.

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Two panel discussions are planned. The first will center on civic engagement, public safety, and police accountability, examining how voting, public policy, and community involvement shape law enforcement practices and justice systems. The second panel will focus on youth, education, and workforce development, highlighting ways to expand opportunities and strengthen career pathways for the next generation.

Organizers say the luncheon is designed to go beyond conversation and encourage action, using the influence of HBCUs to promote leadership and long-term community impact.

In addition to the discussions, Indianapolis teen DJ Reese Rayford will provide live entertainment. She has performed at several prominent venues across the city and is also scheduled to appear during other HBCU All-Star Game weekend events.

The luncheon is free and open to the public, though registration is encouraged. The event is part of a broader series of activities tied to the HBCU All-Star Game, which takes place during college basketball’s championship weekend and highlights talent from Historically Black Colleges and Universities while promoting education, economic empowerment, and social impact.



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Mt. Vernon boys basketball wins program’s first state title

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Mt. Vernon boys basketball wins program’s first state title


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Mt. Vernon High School boys basketball team has accomplished something it hasn’t done before – win a state championship.

The Marauders beat Crown Point 52-50 on Saturday night in the IHSAA 4A State Championship Game inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse. It’s the program’s first-ever state title.

Mt. Vernon senior guard Luke Ertel, the favorite to win Indiana Mr. Basketball, finished with a game-high 26 points. He also finished with 10 rebounds.

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