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Indy mom preps her 3 kids for Christmas in a hotel

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Indy mom preps her 3 kids for Christmas in a hotel


There used to be a holiday tradition in Precious Sarver’s home. Two Christmas trees. One for her, one for the kids.

This year, there’s only one tree.

It cost $5 at the dollar store. And it’s sitting on a table in the family’s eastside hotel room, where they’ve been living for more than a month.

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“I do everything right,” Sarver said through tears, “and I end up here.”

Sarver, 46, said she and her three children had no choice after a landlord forced them out in hopes of charging more in rent to the next tenant.

Sarver spent some time looking for another place to live, but even the search is expensive. She estimated spending a couple hundred dollars just on application fees. The housing search became even more difficult after the death of her mother.

Now, Sarver is paying $343 each week for the hotel room. There are two full beds, an air mattress, TV, fridge and microwave.

Precious Sarver said that her oldest was insistent on having a tree. “We could still do a tree. We could put it on the table,” Sarver said, quoting her son. The Christmas tree is pictured on Dec. 9, 2025, in the family’s eastside hotel room in Indianapolis. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

“Look where I’m at,” she said. “I never would’ve thought in a million years that I’d be homeless.”

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Sarver has already told her kids that Christmas will have to wait this year. That was after not being able to make them a Thanksgiving meal.

But the tree wasn’t optional. It’s an all-white miniature version, sharing table space with boxes of cereal and paper plates. The family loves the holiday season. Her oldest son counts down the days until B105.7 FM starts playing Christmas music.

“We do the Christmas thing,” Sarver said.

The only thing missing from the tree is ornaments. Those are sitting in one of the two storage units that Sarver is paying $180 for each month.

‘I can’t be the only one’

Sarver said she’s not the only one struggling at the hotel. There’s a mother with five or six kids, and another woman who just gave birth.

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“I can’t be the only one,” she said. “I gotta imagine older people going through this is insane.”

They’re part of what homelessness advocates sometimes call the “hidden homeless.” They live out of their cars or double up with friends and family. Or, in Sarver’s case, they end up in an extended-stay hotel.

Precious Sarver asked the hotel management to bring a heater into the room, as the boiler in the building has a crack, according to her. The heater is pictured on Dec. 9, 2025. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

“Most of the people that clean this place live here with their kids,” she said.

Even outside of the hotel, Sarver can see the extent of the homelessness crisis in Indianapolis. There’s a woman who sits in the cold with a blanket, Sarver said, and no socks.

“So I stopped and gave her a McChicken,” she said. “I don’t have anything else.”

‘I know God’s got a plan’

Sarver said she takes pride in doing the right thing: paying bills on time, helping others, volunteering at a local school.

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Things only got worse for Sarver’s family when she accidentally dropped $520 in the hotel hallway.

Security footage shows a man picking it up and walking away.

“That was my phone bill, food money, gas,” she said.

Precious Sarver sits on a bed in the extended stay hotel room she rents on Dec. 9, 2025. Credit: Brett Phelps/Mirror Indy/CatchLight Local/Report for America

That money also could have helped Sarver cover a security deposit, which she said is one of the biggest obstacles between her family and a home. Plus, Sarver has a nerve condition in both legs that requires her to use a cane, so finding a home isn’t only about money. She also needs something accessible.

Sarver collects about $1,900 a month in disability payments between her and her youngest son, who has special needs. And she gets help paying rent through the Indianapolis Housing Agency’s Section 8 program.

But the program doesn’t help with a security deposit.

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For that, Sarver said she’d need to come up with about $1,700.

It’s hard to see where that money will come from.

“But I know God’s got a plan,” she said. “It’s gotta be something else for us.”

Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.

Mirror Indy reporter Tyler Fenwick covers housing and labor. Contact him at 317-766-1406 or tyler.fenwick@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @ty_fenwick and Bluesky @tyfenwick.bsky.social.

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1 dead after shooting on Indy’s near south side

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1 dead after shooting on Indy’s near south side


INDIANAPOLIS — One person died in a shooting on Indy’s near south side on Saturday evening.

According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, officers were called to the 2300 block of S. Pennsylvania Street at approximately 9:45 p.m. on report of a shooting. This is a residential area located near Raymond Street and Madison Avenue.

Officers reported finding an adult male suffering from an apparent gunshot wound outside a residence. The victim was rushed to an area hospital in critical condition, but later was pronounced deceased.

The Marion County Coroner’s Office has not released the deceased’s name at this time.

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Police ask anyone with information about this shooting to contact Detective Kristina Friel at the IMPD Homicide Office at (317) 327-3475 or e-mail the detective at Kristina.Friel@indy.gov. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at (317) 262-TIPS.



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Pirates farm report for April 18, 2026: Rafael Flores Jr. hits 1st homer in Indianapolis win

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Pirates farm report for April 18, 2026: Rafael Flores Jr. hits 1st homer in Indianapolis win


INDIANAPOLIS (Triple A, 6-14) thumped Omaha (Royals), 11-3. 1B Rafael Flores Jr. (.206) went 2 for 3 with a double, his first home run, two runs scored and three RBIs. LF Tyler Callihan (.239) went 3 for 4 with a double and his first homer, a two-run shot. DH Enmanuel Valdez (.273) went 2 for 4 with his first homer and three runs scored. RF Esmerlyn Valdez (.258) went 2 for 5 with two doubles and a run scored. SS Davis Wendzel (.269) went 1 for 3 with a double, two walks, two runs scored and two RBIs. RHP Carson Fulmer (2-0, 5.51) started, gave up three runs on three hits in five innings and earned the win. RHP Chris Devenski (1.50) and LHP Joe La Sorsa (3.24) each pitched two scoreless innings.

Next: Sunday at Omaha (Royals), 3:05 p.m.

ALTOONA (Double-A, 2-12) had two hits – both solo home runs – and beat Portland (Red Sox), 2-0. LHP Dominic Perachi (1-0, 1.80) started and went six innings, allowing three hits and two walks with three strikeouts. RHP Landon Tomkins (3.38) followed with two scoreless. RHP Jaycob Deese (3.00) worked the ninth for his first save. LF Titus Dumitru (.146) went 1 for 3 with his second homer. C Shawn Ross (.182) went 1 for 3 with his second homer.

Next: Sunday vs. Portland (Red Sox), 1 p.m.

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GREENSBORO (High-A, 10-4) lost 8-3 to Brooklyn (Mets). C Easton Carmichael (.273) went 2 for 4 with an RBI. RF Shalin Polanco (.250) went 1 for 3 with a stolen base and an RBI. 1B Jared Jones (.277) went 2 for 5 with a run scored. RHP Carlson Reed (0-1, 7.36) started, recorded one out and gave up four runs on two hits and four walks. RHP Jose Garces (3.60) pitched two scoreless innings.

Next: Sunday at Brooklyn (Mets), 2 p.m.

BRADENTON (Low-A, 5-9) allowed seven stolen bases in its 6-5 loss to Tampa (Yankees). CF Edward Florentino, starting a rehab assignment as he recovers from an ankle injury, went 1 for 3 with a walk, double and run scored. LHP Reinold Navarro (6.43) started and gave up three hits, four walks and two earned runs over three innings while striking out five. SS/1B Eddie Rynders (.128) went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI. DH Edgleen Perez (.238) went 1 for 4 and drove in two runs. LF/CF Josh Tate (.208) went 2 for 5 with an RBI. 2B/SS Antonio Pimentel (.154) went 2 for 4 with a double. RHP Greiber Mendez (5.40) and RHP Noah Murdock (0-1, 9.00), who took the loss, each gave up two hits and one run in one inning. RHP Treyson Peters pitched the final three innings, allowing five hits, one earned run and one walk while striking out two.

Next: Sunday at Tampa (Yankees), noon

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The Zone Extra | April 18, 2026

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The Zone Extra | April 18, 2026


INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — It was another busy week in high school sports in central Indiana and ‘The Zone Extra’ has it all covered.

Athlete of the week and Guerin Catholic senior outfielder Ian Taylor is off to a scorching hot start to the young season. Check out his interview as well as Guerin Catholic head coach Dave Schrage talk about Taylor’s success.

The Johnson County baseball tournament came to a close. See highlights from Center Grove’s tournament victory.

The 4A baseball coaches poll was released as well as the 3A softball coaches poll.

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The former Columbus North gymnastics coach, John Hinds, passed away at 88 years old.

Center Grove head softball coach Alyssa Coleman joins the show for a coaches corner conversation.

See highlights from the Colts Local Pro Day, featuring several former Hoosiers and Purdue’s Devin Mockobee.

Girls lacrosse is in the first season as an IHSAA emerging sport.

All of that, and more, can be found in the full The Zone Extra show above.

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