#WTLCIndyNews: IMPD Investigate Shooting South Of Downtown Indy; New Transit Center To Be Named For Julia Carson; Equal Pay Day Today; Sports & More

Kim’sTLCNaptown.com Local and National News & Sports Headlines

The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department is investigating an overnight shooting Tuesday that left a man in “very critical” condition. Police were called to the 2700 block of Shelby Street, just south of downtown a bit after 1:30 a.m. It’s there, where IMPD officers found the victim on the ground between two homes suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. His identity has not yet been released, but he’s fighting for his life at Eskenazi Hospital–where he was taken for treatment. There’s no word on suspects while this investigation continues.

Surveillance video that shows part of a confrontation between an Indianapolis Metro Police officer and a man he would later shoot and kill, will not be released to the public. That’s the word from Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry, who told reporters at a press conference on Monday, that releasing the video could compromise the investigation into what happened during the incident on April 5th. IMPD says Officer Robert Carmichael was forced to shoot Kevin Hicks because he was being assaulted while attempting to come to the aide of Hicks’ wife who called 911 saying she was being beaten by her husband in their car at a gas station. Curry says the video will be released once the case is closed.

The new downtown transit center may be named for former U.S. Representative Julia Carson. A special resolution was introduced Monday night at the City-County Council meeting. Carson represented the Tenth District of Indiana (which became the Seventh District) in the U.S. House from 1997 until her death in December of 2007. Carson helped secure the federal funding that’s being used now to build the transportation hub that’s currently under construction in downtown Indy on Washington Street between Alabama and Delaware streets. Carson’s vision years ago has led to a $26 million project that will come to life during it’s scheduled opening in June of this year.

Indianapolis’s police and fire chiefs will now lead their own departments under the latest shake-up in the city at the City-County Building. Indy’s City-County Council also approved Mayor Joe Hogsett’s plan, on Monday night, to end the city’s Department of Public Safety. The mayor says he wants one less layer of bureaucracy at Indy’s city hall.

Another result of Monday night’s City-County Council meeting affected lobbyists who do business with the City of Indianapolis. Lobbyists will now have to report any gift over $25, and report who they gave it to. The new measures are part of the city’s new ethics reforms. The old rules required lobbyists to simply report how much they spent, not who they spent the money on. There are also new rules to stop city leaders from immediately going to work for a company the city does business with.

 

The Indiana Supreme Court is upholding Indy’s controversial smoking ban. In a unanimous ruling Monday, the court said the city can ban smoking in bars while—at the same time—allowing it in gambling facilities. This decision comes after the Indiana Court of Appeals ruled last June that treating a satellite gambling facility different than bars and restaurants was unconstitutional. The Supreme Court says off-track gambling facilities are inherently different from bars and restaurants, and that’s their final word.

If you need legal help, today’s your day to get it from the pros at the Indianapolis Bar Association. They’ll be out, working in our community this afternoon hosting an event where you can meet with lawyers across the city from 2 to 6 p.m. The IBA will be at various library, community and church locations to serve. They are also manning the phone lines in case you can’t make it in person from 2 to 8 p.m. for a free phone consultation at 317-269-2000. Here are the community locations where you may see a lawyer in person:

• Brightwood Library, 2435 N. Sherman Drive
• Central Library, 40 E. St. Clair St.
• College Library, 4180 N. College Ave.
• Eagle Library, 3325 Lowry Road
• East 38th Street Library, 5420 E. 38th St.
• Haughville Library, 2121 W. Michigan St.
• Lawrence Library, 7898 Hague Road
• Nora Library, 8625 Guilford Ave.
• Pike Library, 6525 Zionsville Road
• Lincoln Apartments, 530 N. Holmes Ave., First Floor
• Eaglewood Christian Church, 57 N. Rural St.
• Hornet Park Community Center, 5245 Hornet Ave., Beech Grove

Around The State…

Classes are cancelled and school is closed at six northwest Indiana schools on this Tuesday due to a bomb threat. WLS-TV is reporting, that this incident affects Kolling Elementary and Clark Middle School in St. John and Homan Elementary in Schererville. The superintendent of Lake Central School Corporation, Larry Veracco, released a statement this morning. In it, he said that someone made a threatening phone call to police in St. John and Schererville Monday night, saying bombs at Kolling, Clark and Homan “would results in injuries to many people.”  As a precaution the district officials decided to close the schools so that law enforcement teams could thoroughly search those school buildings. There are seven other buildings in the district that aren’t impacted by this threat, according to Veracco. However, three other schools were closed as a precaution including Hammond Baptist schools in Schererville. The district notified parents of the school closures by robocall. Parents will receive a follow-up call once police have completed their sweeps.

Possible human remains found in Shelby County may be connected to an ongoing homicide investigation here, in Indianapolis. The remains were discovered on Sunday near Fairland. The Shelby County Sheriff’s Department says the body hasn’t been identified yet, but there’s a “strong belief” that the remains are part of an active homicide investigation. They didn’t reveal which one.

In National News…

Today is Equal Pay Day across the nation. This day represents the number of days the typical woman worker in the U.S. has worked this year to make her 2015 income equal what the typical male worker earned in 12 months last year.

A questionable joke offered up by Hillary Clinton and New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is raising some eyebrows. The two joked about “C.P. time” as part of a skit alongside “Hamilton” actor Leslie Odom Jr. over the weekend at a black-tie event in the Big Apple. “C.P. time,” as you may know, is a reference to the stereotypical belief that African Americans are always late, thus running on their own time schedule, or ‘colored people’ time.

If you’re a customer of Verizon, be aware that some 40,000 Verizon workers could go on strike on Wednesday if no labor agreement is reached by midnight tonight. Members of the Communications Workers of America could strike if the union and management cannot come to an amicable agreement. The negotiations focus mostly on working conditions and plans to outsource jobs. The technicians and customer service employees have been working without a contract since August 2015. Verizon says if there is a strike, it is fully prepared to serve customers.

A top U.S. health official says the Zika virus is getting scarier as more is learned about it. The CDC’s Dr. Anne Schuchat says the threat of the mosquito-borne virus is real and growing. In a White House briefing, Schuchat urged pregnant athletes to avoid traveling to Brazil for the upcoming Summer Olympics.

In Sports…

The attorney for the man accused of murdering a former New Orleans Saints player is hinting at a defense. Cardell Hayes is accused of shooting Will Smith to death after a traffic crash. Hayes’ lawyer says there are indications that Hayes wasn’t the only one who was armed.  Meanwhile, New Orleans Saints head coach Sean Payton is speaking out about guns following Smith’s death. “USA Today” is reporting that Payton said his opinion in the state of Louisiana may be super unpopular, but so be it. He is pleading for more gun control after the former defensive lineman was gunned down over the weekend and his wife shot. Payton says the gun issue is one he can’t wrap his brain around, and added that he “hates” guns. He also addressed violence in certain parts of New Orleans, saying that “our city is broken.”

The Pacers are in action tonight, hosting the New York Knicks during the ‘Blue ‘n Gold’s’ final home game of the regular season at Bankers Life Fieldhouse. The Pacers have won four of their last five games, most recently a 24-point home victory on Sunday over the Brooklyn Nets. The Pacers have already clinched a playoff spot in the East and are a seventh seed. Tip is at 7 p.m. Eastern.

The Indiana University “Hoosiers” could be without another piece of their offense next season, junior Troy Williams says he’s declaring for the NBA draft. New rules this year still give Williams time to change his mind. He’s not hiring an agent. Williams is a 1,000-point scorer and was a regular starter for I.U. this past season.

Indianapolis Weather…

Sunny today. Scattered frost possible. Today’s High: 54 degrees.

And Finally…

Loved ones and fans are mourning the death of legendary radio and TV personality Doug Banks. (Known also as “Dan Ryan Head”–a reference to the size of his head being as big as one of Chicago’s biggest and busiest expressways—he’s someone I grew up listening to and had the pleasure to interact with in my career.) The longtime broadcaster died Monday morning at the age of 57 from complications related to diabetes. He worked closely with our own morning man Tom Joyner over the years. Banks’ voice was heard on Chicago radio stations for decades and across the country as he also hosted a nationally syndicated radio show. You could hear him in the background of scenes in the film The Best Man. Banks leaves a wife and four children behind. Urban radio has lost an on-air leader, a mentor, an icon, and a fun and classy guy.

#(@1067WTLC)#

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Send your press releases, news tips and show requests to me at the station three ways: Email: kwells@radio-one.com,  Phone: 317-923-9696 x 509 and leave a message, or Fax: 317-261-4664. Be sure to follow me on Twitter @kwellscomm. For “Access Indy with Kim Wells” specifically, story tips, etc…email AccessIndy@radio.fm. “Access Indy with Kim Wells” airs Sunday mornings at 8 a.m. Eastern on 106.7 WTLC. Listen on-air, on-line, or by app.

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