Indianapolis, IN
Indy Peace Fellowship graduates its fifth class
INDIANAPOLIS — More than a dozen young men and women, who committed to a yearlong program focused on reducing gun violence in Indianapolis, graduated. This initiative is a result of Mayor Hogsett’s gun violence reduction strategy.
This was an exciting moment of change for many young adults.
“I kind of went through the program through my brother,” Tajonye Cissell, a graduate Fellow from the program.
A decision, Cissell said, that didn’t come easily.
“Like that sounds crazy, like that’s not nothing I would do,” she said.
But it ended up being one of the best decisions she said she’s made.
“It gave me like a safety zone, I would say like it made me feel comfortable,” Cissell said. “Like, OK, because being black is pushed down our throat, that the only way out is drugs, basketball games, music. You’ve got to have talent to get rich, right? But they show us that, hey, it’s another exit,” Cissell said.
Cissell completed the program with the help of her life coach, Shonda Hyatt, with the Indy Peace Fellowship.
“She feels comfortable enough to tell me what she did in her past and how she used to be and how I’ve influenced her to be better,” Hyatt said.
Hyatt has been with Indy Peace Fellowship for the past three years.
This is the fifth graduation since Mayor Hogsett rolled out the city’s gun violence reduction strategy.
Hyatt said watching Cissell soar is a reminder of the greater impact of this program.
“I just want her to know that she can do anything that she puts her mind to. Mindset is everything. If you believe it, you can achieve it,” Hyatt.
“I’m going to keep it pushing, and I want to conquer the world, you know what I’m saying? And Ms. Shonda gave me that, that push to get, like you can do anything you want to do, just put your mind to it, and all this, a respect her and love her for that,” Cissell said.
Indianapolis, IN
State police arrest man in connection with two Monument Circle attacks
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indiana State Police have arrested a man in connection with two attacks, including one deadly, near Monument Circle in downtown Indianapolis earlier this month.
29-year-old Michael Willis is facing two counts of attempted murder. Police say that the attacks happened on June 19 and June 26, both happening on N Senate Ave. near Monument Circle.
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by News 8, on June 19, Willis was walking in the area near Monument Circle around 2 a.m. when he approached a person laying down and repeatedly stomped on them. Police say that this first victim was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
The first victim died on Sunday due to their injuries sustained from Willis’s attack, documents say.
Police also say that on June 26, Willis attacked a different person at the same location near Monument Circle. Police believe that the second victim was repeatedly kicked and stomped on while they were lying down as well. This second attack also took place around 2 a.m.
Indiana State Police detectives shared surveillance photos of Willis from the attacks with other police agencies in an attempt to identify him. Police say Willis was identified by a Greensborough Police Sergeant after Willis had asked the sergeant to use his cell phone.
Police then approached Willis and detained him. Police say that when Willis was detained, he was wearing the same clothes that were seen in the surveillance footage of both attacks. Officers also noticed blood on Willis’s socks.
In an interview with detectives about the July 26 attack, Willis at first said that he was only “nudging” the victim. Police say that according to Willis, he was trying to wake the victim up because he was concerned about them.
Later in the interview, Willis admitted to attacking both victims. Willis said that he was frustrated that he had been homeless and unemployed for around the past 6 months. According to police, Willis also said that the people in the area were “mean and rude” to him.
Police say that Willis told detectives that he was the only person involved in these attacks.
Willis is currently in custody of the Marion County Jail.
Indianapolis, IN
Where to find cooling stations in central Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana is under a heat advisory with temperatures in the 90s throughout the week.
Many cooling centers will open throughout the state for those that need to find relief from the heat. Hoosiers looking to find cooling centers in their area can contact Indiana 211. To learn more, call 211 or (866) 211-9966.
Avaliable cooling centers can also be found by clicking here.
Marion County
For those living in Indianapolis, Indy Parks has several cooling centers across the city.
Those Cooling Centers are:
- Broad Ripple Park Family Center
- Brookside Park Family Center
- Christian Park Family Center
- Frederick Douglass Park Family Center
- Garfield Park Burrello Family Center
- Krannert Park Family Center
- Grassy Creek Environmental Education Center
- Pride Park Family Center
- Rhodius Park Family Center
- Riverside Park Family Center
- Stanley Strader Park Family Center
- Washington Park Family Center
- Windsor Park Family Center
- Watkins Park Family Center
- Thatcher Park Family Center
For addresses and hours of operations of these cooling centers, click here.
Beech Grove will also have two cooling Centers for residents starting Monday, June 29. Those hours and locations are:
- Beech Grove Senior Center, 602 Main St
- 8 a.m. – 4 p.m., Monday through Friday
- Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave
- 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday through Friday
Other Central Indiana Cooling Centers
For addresses and hour of operations of cooling centers below, click here.
Marion
- St. Martin Community Center
- Grant County Family YMCA
- Grant County Rescue Mission
Kokomo
- The Kokomo Rescue Mission
- The Excel Center in Kokomo
Peru
- Community Resource Center
- Miami County Courthouse
- Miami County Health Department
- Miami County YMCA
- Peru City Hall
- Peru Public Library
- Peru Schools Administration Building
Indianapolis, IN
Heat Advisory and Warning for central Indiana
INDIANAPOLIS (WRTV) — The National Weather Service out of Indianapolis has issued a Heat Advisory for all of Central Indiana and a High Heat Warning for parts of northern Indiana. The Advisory and Warning will go into effect at 12 PM on Monday and will run through 8 PM Thursday.
WRTV
A Heat Advisory means that temperatures in the 90s with dew points in the 70s, will lead to Heat Index values reaching 106. Hot temperatures and high humidity may cause heat illnesses.
Stay cool:
Drink plenty of fluids, check up on relatives and neighbors, and stay in an air-conditioned room when possible. If outside for extended periods of time, make sure to take frequent breaks in the shade as much as you can.
-
Wyoming1 minute agoAt 6,000-year-old crossing, Gov. Gordon OKs Wyoming’s first-ever designated pronghorn migration route
-
Crypto6 minutes ago
Consumer alert issued for Bitcoin cryptocurrency ATMs
-
Finance13 minutes agoShanghai needed as finance hub, as Hong Kong ‘not enough’: proposal
-
Fitness16 minutes agoThis unspectacular full-body exercise could be the secret to long-term fitness
-
Movie Reviews28 minutes ago‘The Invite’ Movie Review – Spotlight Report
-
World43 minutes agoRussia's ruling party runs Ukraine war veteran among lead candidates for September election
-
Politics51 minutes ago
Supreme Court Expands Presidential Powers to Fire Independent Regulators
-
Culture1 hour agoTest Your Knowledge of New York’s Algonquin Round Table