Seema Verma Source: Drew Angerer / Getty
@kwellscomm TLCNaptown.com News & Sports —
Good day to you Indy on this #GivingTuesday….
An Indiana health professional, who served as the architect of this state’s Healthy Indiana Plan (HIP) is President-Elect Donald Trump’s pick to serve as Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Seema Verma has been picked to join the Trump administration. Verma is a national health policy consultant, serving as the President, CEO and founder of SVC, Inc. and has a 20-year background working extensively on a variety of policy and strategic projects involving Medicaid, insurance, and public health. She has redesigned Medicaid programs here in Indiana and several states including designing HIP for then-Governor Mitch Daniels and designing the HIP 2.0 waver proposal for Indiana Governor and Vice-President-Elect Mike Pence. Under Pence, she also served as the State of Indiana’s health reform lead following the passage of ‘Obamacare.’
Rep. Tom Price (foreground) Source: Alex Wong / Getty
Trump is expected today to make his official announcement of Verma, along with U.S. Representative Tom Price—a vocal opponent of ‘Obamacare’—who Trump will nominate as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services. Price serves as Chairman of the House Budget Committee and represents the state of Georgia. Price worked in private practice as an orthopedic surgeon and has a background as a professor of medicine as well. Trump said, “Together, Chairman Price and Seema Verma are the dream team that will transform our healthcare system for the benefit of all Americans.”
Verma said she is honored to be nominated by President-Elect Trump and noted, “I look forward to helping him tackle our nation’s daunting healthcare problems in a responsible and sustainable way.” Prior to launching her consulting business, Verma served as Vice President of Planning for the Health and Hospital Corporation of Marion County and as a Director with the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials in Washington D.C.
Source: unknown / Champion Force of Indiana Facebook Page
A memorial will be held today with funeral services on Wednesday for four sisters who lost their lives in a fire in their home last week in Flora, Indiana. According to The Lafayette Journal and Courier, the community will gather at a memorial from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Carroll Jr./Sr. High School gymnasium, located at at 2362 IN-18 in Flora. The funeral will be held Wednesday morning at 10 a.m. also at the school. All four little girls ranging in age from 5 to 11, died of asphyxiation due to smoke inhalation. Their mother, Gaylin Rose was critically injured in the blaze but was released from the hospital after treatment of her injuries over the Thanksgiving weekend. Both officers injured in the blaze are now also out of the hospital. A fund to rebuild Gaylin’s life has been set up. Donations should be made to: Lafayette Bank & Trust, 805 E. Columbia St., Flora, IN 46929, C/O Gaylin Latrice Rose. Please click HERE to learn more about this incident and how you can help.
Source: Event’s logo / Giving Tuesday event
Today is dubbed Giving Tuesday, a national day of giving following the Thanksgiving holiday. People around the world are being encouraged to give to the charity of their choice, preferably one that serves their local community. PayPal and Apple Pay are both taking part and are helping to facilitate donations to a number of groups. Locally, three organizations have reached out to us to ask that you consider them in your giving. They are the Indianapolis Urban League, The Performing Arts Conservatory and A Girls Gift.
A major setback at Eli Lilly could result in layoffs. A once promising treatment for Alzheimer’s disease failed a late-stage trial. The company has disclosed that the drug “sola” didn’t slow the progression of the disease. A spokesperson says staffing decisions will be reevaluated.
A central Indiana mom is now behind bars and facing murder charges in the deaths of her two kids. Prosecutors in Montgomery County say Brandi Worley killed her children in reaction to her husband filing for divorce. Worley left the hospital on Monday, she stabbed herself in the neck. She’s now being held in the Montgomery County jail and waiting for her trial.
Indianapolis Metro Police say they have both suspects in last week’s officer-involved shooting in custody. Investigators say Mark Buggs was injured in the shootout last Friday. They say officers caught-up with Monterio Mack early Saturday morning. Police say Buggs and Mack were shooting at each other, when an officer shot Buggs. IMPD commanders think the original shootout was related to another shooting earlier in the day last Friday.
Indianapolis is just one death away from last year’s record setting pace. Police say the long holiday weekend pushed the city’s homicide tally to 134. Last year at this time, 135 people had been killed. The city ended 2015 with a record total of 144 killings.
National…
Source: The Washington Post / Getty
Classes resume today at the Ohio State University, just a day after an attack left eleven people hurt. Police say student Abdul Artan drove his car into a group of pedestrians then started stabbing people with a butcher knife. An OSU police officer, Officer Alan Horujko, shot and killed Artan within a minute after the attack started. Shortly before the attack, a Facebook page linked to Artan had a post that called for America to stop interfering in Muslim countries. Investigators say they’re still working to pin down a motive for the attack.
The crash of a plane carrying a soccer team from Brazil has killed 76 people. There are five known survivors, three of them said to be players. Officials say the crew reported electrical problems shortly before the plane went down Monday night in the mountains about 20 miles from the Medellin Airport.
President-elect Donald Trump says there must be “consequences” for people who burn the American flag. Trump tweeted this Tuesday morning that those consequences might include a year in jail or loss of citizenship. Trump tweeted that “Nobody should be allowed to burn the American flag.” There have been reports that some people protesting Trump’s election have burned flags at public events. The Supreme Court ruled in 1989 that flag-burning is a form of free speech protected by the First Amendment.
Source: PEDRO PARDO / Getty
A two-day tribute to Fidel Castro wraps up with a massive rally today in Havana’s Revolution Square, where the longtime Cuban leader often addressed huge crowds. Castro died Friday at the age of 90. Leaders from a number of countries that were Cuba’s allies will be on hand, including the president of Venezuela, Nicolas Maduro and Bolivian President Evo Morales.
Sports…
Source: Andy Lyons / Getty
Colts quarterback Andrew Luck is back practicing with the team. Luck missed last Thursday’s home loss to Pittsburgh with a concussion. It remains unclear if he has passed the NFL’s concussion protocol or if he will be ready to play in next Monday’s game at the New York Jets. Luck has thrown for 2,827 yards, 19 touchdowns and eight interceptions this season for the 5-and-6 Colts.
Angie’s List is no longer sponsoring the Grand Prix of Indianapolis. The Indianapolis Motor Speedway thanked Angie’s List on Monday for its support over the years. A spokesman said moving forward, the new event name would present an opportunity to better position and explain the race to fans and potential partners. Angie’s List first sponsored the event in 2014.
Source: Joey Foley, Chris Graythen, Robert Laberge, Jonathan Ferrey, Michael / Getty
Tickets for the 101st running of the Indianapolis 500 are now on sale. The race will be held on May 28, 2017. Children 15-years-old or younger will get in free with a paid adult general admission ticket holder. In past years, the free admission was only available for children 12 or younger. Reserved seats will cost $50 and general admission will be $40.
Indianapolis Weather…
Cloudy skies early, followed by partial clearing. Today’s High: 58 degrees.
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