Indy News Roundup: Holiday Happenings, Crime Concerns, and Economic Updates in the Circle City

Good morning, this is Indianapolis Local Pulse for Saturday, December twentieth. We wake up together to a bitterly cold but bright start in Indy. After yesterday’s light snow and subzero wind chills, our temperatures sit in the 20s around Monument Circle and along Meridian Street. Forecasters at WRTV say we warm into the upper 40s this afternoon with clouds early, then some sun and a brisk southwest breeze, so we can plan on coats this morning but more comfortable errands and events later. Tonight dips back into the 20s, and tomorrow looks cooler again in the mid 30s, but dry. We start with breaking news from the west side. 13News reports that detectives are investigating the killing of 37 year old Corey Howell, found shot inside a car near 38th Street and High School Road. Police say several suspects walked up to the car, there was a fight, and then shots were fired before the suspects ran off. IMPD is asking anyone who knows something to step up. On our roads, new data from IMPD shows officers worked more than 70 deadly crashes this year and cleared over 40 percent of deadly hit and runs, while writing nearly 13,000 traffic tickets and more than 200 impaired driving arrests, a reminder to take it slow on I 465, I 70, and our neighborhood streets. At City Hall and the Statehouse, we keep an eye on decisions that touch our wallets and schools. State lawmakers continue to debate medical marijuana after a new federal move to loosen restrictions. Governor Mike Braun has said he is open to talking about medical cannabis if Washington shifts policy, and Hoosier veterans groups here in Indianapolis say they hope that leads to access for pain treatment without opioids. In education, Chalkbeat Indiana reports that Republican lawmakers have advanced a plan that would dramatically change how Indianapolis Public Schools and local charters share power and property tax dollars, with a new public education corporation poised to shape funding across the city. On the economy and housing, the Indiana Finance Authority has approved roughly 30 million dollars in residential infrastructure funding across the state, including central Indiana communities, which should help upgrade water, sewer, and roads for new and existing neighborhoods and support more building at a time when Marion County home prices are still holding near recent highs and inventory remains tight. Our job market remains solid heading into the holidays, with local hospitals, logistics hubs around the airport, and tech and data center projects on the northwest side all hiring. WTHR has highlighted the ongoing wave of data centers seeking more land in central Indiana, part of the reason we keep seeing construction cranes near I 65 and I 70. Around town, we have a full weekend of holiday activities. Circle of Lights downtown around Monument Circle continues to draw families, Christmas at the Zoo on West 30th Street is open this evening, and Newfields along Michigan Road is lighting up the ground This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.