Dear Indy,
Homelessness remains stubbornly high in Indy, increasing by about 5% this year.
That shouldn’t be surprising, not between the high volume of people who can’t cover the cost of living and the more than 1,000 combined evictions and foreclosures per month.
“If we understand the key drivers, this is predictable,” Chelsea Haring-Cozzi, executive director of the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention, said during an event this week.
So what do the numbers show? And what are we going to do about it?
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In other news
- Vegan lemon Oreo. Scooperman. Graham Slam. Mirror Indy has the scoop on the best ice cream flavors around town. Check it out here.
- A nearly $22 million federal grant will help IndyGo make improvements to a stretch of East Washington Street, including sidewalks, crossings and curb ramps.
- A retired IU professor and longtime library volunteer is joining the Indianapolis Public Library board. In a Q&A, Lisa Riolo talked about her plans to represent the “whole community.”
- An arts market next week will celebrate Mexican artist Frida Kahlo. You can also check out live music and participate in a costume contest. Get the details here.
Today’s weather from WTHR
Clouds are increasing and the humidity is returning today. Watch for a spotty shower, followed by more storms Saturday.
— Matt Standridge, WTHR meteorologist
What’s going on around the city
- Tonight, June 28: Do some evening shopping at the Westside Maker’s Market, 7-11 p.m. at Belmont Beach, 1300 N. White River Parkway West Drive, and watch a free screening of Prince’s 1984 flick “Purple Rain.”
- Sunday, June 30: Kick off the summer holiday starting at 11 a.m. at the Stars & Stripes Market. Shop from more than 20 local vendors, enjoy live music from DJ Connection and drinks by Provider Coffee and Tinker House Events, 1101 E. 16th St.
- Sunday, June 30: Lawyer-turned-comedian Paul Farahvar takes the stage at Helium Comedy Club at 7:30 p.m. with his latest special, “Middle Western, Middle Eastern.” Tickets start at $10.
— Breanna Cooper, arts and culture reporter
Looking for other things to do? Check out Mirror Indy’s events calendar.
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What else we’re reading today
- IndyStar: After another little girl was hit while trying to board the bus, people in Irvington are again noting how dangerous Washington Street is.
- Indiana Capital Chronicle: July 1 is when a bunch of new laws go into effect. This list looks at some of the big ones, including the return of happy hour.
- WISH: Gov. Eric Holcomb and Attorney General Todd Rokita are calling for the return of executions of state prisoners on death row now that the Indiana Department of Correction has obtained a lethal injection drug. The last execution occurred in 2009.
Reporter’s Notebook: Carley Lanich
If you’ve been by an IPS campus recently, chances are you’ve seen some dirt moving. The district is investing in 23 schools this summer and preparing for a big middle school transition in August.
I joined IPS staff and community partners this week as they ceremoniously broke ground at T.C. Howe Middle School. It’s one of multiple former IPS high schools seeing new life under the district’s Rebuilding Stronger plan.
At T.C. Howe, students will show up this fall to a refreshed school with new paint, carpets and flooring inside as well as upgraded athletic facilities outside. The broader community will see benefits, too.
A new health clinic will open this fall in the T.C. Howe building, offering free primary care appointments to IPS’ 3,300 staff. And a Day Early Learning center, which opened last year, is open to the neighborhood and has already helped Principal Frances Rivera recruit teachers.
Broad Ripple — the other former high school soon to welcome IPS middle schoolers — is also getting improvements. Those include new athletic facilities, improved science labs and security updates — all in the heart of one of Indy’s busiest neighborhoods.
So, I want to know: Do you live close to T.C. Howe, Broad Ripple or another transitioning IPS middle school? What do you think about these changes in your neighborhood? Let me know at carley.lanich@mirrorindy.org.
— Carley Lanich, K-12 education reporter
Have a question or suggestion for our reporters? Contact them here.
Reporter’s Notebook: Claire Rafford
At IUPUI, students have been camping out to protest Israel’s invasion of Gaza for two months.
In the late spring, college protests swept U.S. campuses from coast to coast. But as the news cycle moved on and camps shut down, some IUPUI students stayed. And right now, they don’t have any plans to leave.
I’ve visited the encampment many times since students began camping out in late April. By mid-May, the camp had grown from around a dozen students to a miniature city of sorts, with as many as 50 people joining for events like Friday prayer.
The IUPUI camp has faced challenges in recent weeks. They’ve lost numbers since people left for the summer. On social media, there are frequent requests for donations of hot meals and supplies to deal with the rising temperatures.
The encampment organizers are also expanding their purview.
They’re still demanding that IU President Pamela Whitten resign and that IU end its partnership with the Crane naval base in Bloomington.
There’s also an art piece protesting President Biden’s new policy that closes the U.S. border and large, wooden signs equating the Palestinian cause to the Black Lives Matter protests.
“We’re here, still, for divestment. That’s our priority,” organizer and IUPUI student Layth Abdulbari told Mirror Indy at an encampment meeting June 15.
“Whether that means we’re going to be here for a year, two years — we’ll be here.”
— Claire Rafford, higher ed reporter
Have a question or suggestion for our reporters? Contact them here.
Reflections
Programming note: We won’t be in your inboxes next week because the Mirror Indy newsroom will be out of the office.
Have a safe and happy Fourth. We’ll be back Monday, July 8.
Ryan
P.S. If you liked something about today’s newsletter, or didn’t, let me know at ryan.martin@mirrorindy.org. It helps us serve you better.
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