On July 19, I arrived at Second Presbyterian Church in Indianapolis to attend the Celebration of Life for Jim Morris. The crowd gathered outside was so huge that I briefly wondered whether the church was hosting Jim’s memorial service or a Taylor Swift concert. I have heard Morris sing, so I knew it was not a gathering for Taylor Swift.
While music was not among his many gifts, Morris was a Swift-sized megastar when it came to serving his community, and his community was not just Indianapolis or Indiana, but the world. His resume and accomplishments are second to none: executive director of the United Nations World Food Program; chief of staff to former Indianapolis Mayor Richard Lugar; president of the Lilly Endowment; chairman of the Indiana University Board of Trustees and of Pacers Sports & Entertainment.
Moreover, Morris was active in leadership and fundraising activities for the Boy Scouts, U.S. Olympic Committee, Riley Hospital for Children and many similarly worthy organizations.
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Morris dedicated his life to serving others, but the fuel to his extraordinary engine was his ability to bring people and organizations together. There simply was no person any better or more dedicated than Morris at finding common ground and agreeable goals.
I experienced his gift for forging consensus first-hand in the state Senate. Morris was a mentor to me and periodically a connector who could bring people and organizations together to solve critical problems facing Hoosiers.
Morris’ passing is a huge loss for our nation, state and city. He touched countless lives in his 81 years, always for the better.
But speaker after speaker at Morris’ funeral implored the overflow crowd to carry on his greatest legacy, the bedrock which supplied the foundation for his life of service: an unswerving commitment to work to unite and not divide. In our increasingly polarized world, seemingly no political party, business or organization is immune from the temptation to flood the public square with curses and darkness.
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Morris lit not a single candle but thousands. His example can light the way to a society more respectful of others and rededicated to the shared goal of forming a more perfect union.
In my many meetings with Morris, he would always conclude by asking, “What can I do for you?”
Jim: I hear you and will continue to focus on uniting and spurring others to do the same. We all can carry the torch for Morris to cement his legacy.
INDIANAPOLIS — A shooting that injured a woman at a hotel on Indianapolis’ south side Saturday night is under investigation.
The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said officers were called to the Motel 6 in the 4300 block of Southport Crossings Way just after 9:30 p.m. on a report of a person shot.
Arriving officers found a woman who had been shot. She was reported to be in stable condition.
Investigators believe there was an altercation between the woman and a man in a hotel room that led to shots being fired.
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No other information about the incident has been released by police.
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indianapolis City-County Council president explains her desire for a data center moratorium.
Council President Maggie Lewis wants to put a pause on new data center developments. The proposal comes after months of public pressure from residents and environmental groups who say the city needs stronger rules before allowing more data centers. Now, Lewis says it’s time to hit pause while those questions are answered.
“I’m not saying that we’ll never have a new data center in our community. That’s not what this is about. I understand the importance of economic development in our community, but it is important that we hit pause, do that deep dive, and allow the community and the experts to have an honest conversation about the topic,” Lewis said.
Lewis says she isn’t trying to stop economic development. Instead, she says the city needs more time to fully understand what data centers could mean for Indianapolis before approving additional projects. Lewis says residents have raised questions about the potential impact on utilities, the environment and quality of life, and she believes those concerns deserve a more thorough public discussion before the city moves forward with additional developments.
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“The community really is feeling as if their voices haven’t been heard. I believe it’s important that we bring all the stakeholders to the table and have that honest dialogue,” Lewis said.
Councilman Ron Gibson, who supports bringing data centers to Indianapolis, and he says these projects can bring investment to neighborhoods when they’re built in the right locations.
“This land where they’re going to actually develop it has been vacant for more than 43 years,” Gibson said. “It’s zoned for industrial use. This is really going to enhance our neighborhood. It’s going to bring back life, create more businesses that want to move into our area, and create more opportunity.”
(WISH Photo)
One of the biggest concerns raised by opponents is whether increased demand for electricity and water could create additional costs for taxpayers.
“I believe strongly that the data centers must uphold total costs. I made sure the developer, in writing, is responsible for all utility costs, so none of that rolls over to constituents,” Gibson said.
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Across Indiana, at least 17 counties have approved temporary moratoriums on new data center developments. Marshall and Cass counties have gone even further, banning new facilities altogether.
The committee meeting begins Monday at 5:30 p.m. inside the City-County Building, where members will hold a public hearing on the proposed zoning rules and consider Lewis’ amendment for a temporary moratorium. If approved by the committee, the proposal would move to the full City-County Council for further consideration.
INDIANAPOLIS — An investigation is underway after a woman was killed in a hit-and-run crash in downtown Indianapolis Saturday morning.
According to the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, at around 3:15 a.m., officers responded to the intersection of East Maryland and South Pennsylvania Streets after hearing a loud crash in the area.
Photo of IMPD investigating a hit-and-run crash in downtown Indianapolis on July 11, 2026, captured by a FOX59/CBS4 crew.
When officers arrived on scene, they were flagged down by several people stating a pedestrian had been struck. Officers located an adult female who had been on a scooter in the crosswalk of the intersection.
She was transported to an area hospital in critical condition but later died from her injuries, IMPD said.
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Investigators said the striking motorist did not stay on scene.
Police are encouraging those with information on the crash to contact Detective Adam Jones at (317) 327-3475 or call Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at (317) 262-8477.
