Mirror Indy

A MirrorIndy/IndyStar investigation examines how Mayor Joe Hogsett’s administration relied routinely on no-bid contracts, benefiting top donors and former advisors, despite campaign promises to curb the practice: https://bit.ly/4qJgVXX

Leaf collection has begun in Beech Grove. The city will pick up loose leaves through Dec. 11. All you have to do is rake the leaves to the edge of your property. https://bit.ly/3Ufkudp

The West Side Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a free forum with the Pike, Wayne and Decatur township trustees from 8-9:30 a.m. Oct. 30 at the Pike Township Trustee's Office. All three trustees are up for reelection this year: https://bit.ly/4zifFiQ

You might have heard: IPS, along with nearly 60 charter schools, is seeking a referendum this fall to help fund teacher salaries and academic programs. IPS Superintendent Aleesia Johnson sat down with us to talk about budget cuts and IPS’ future: https://bit.ly/3UTq1GJ

“The Witches Cauldron: Library of Legends” will be happening 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Oct. 31 at the Backlot in Irvington. It is a non-spooky, 3D storybook adventure with costumed actors, puzzles and games, designed for kids 10 and younger. https://bit.ly/4e1f5gD

What if Washington Square Mall were redeveloped into a luxury hotel and spa with rooftop dining? A California-based developer wants to take on the project, but doesn’t have funding for it: https://bit.ly/3UdKQwo

Six Indianapolis choirs are looking for new members. Our guide covers how auditions work for each choir and concerts you can attend to check them out. https://bit.ly/4zbLfyw

Shepherd Community Center will be hosting info sessions on Indiana’s new Medicaid work requirements. The Oct. 28 session will be at The Porch and the Nov. 7 will be at the community center. Bring a laptop or cell phone. https://bit.ly/3UKgykX

Punjab Property Inc. withdrew its petition to rezone a wetland in Franklin Township. Southsiders worry that a development on the biosystem harm the wetland and its endangered species. https://bit.ly/4z1VcOZ

The federal government will send “election monitors” to Marion County and Lake County on Election Day, according to the Marion County Election Board. It isn’t clear why election monitors are coming. https://bit.ly/4Bm3tyL

It’s the perfect time of year to talk about all things horror. Horror writers Delilah S. Dawson, Rachel Harrison and Nadia Davids will be in the city Oct. 29 for a Women in Horror event through Tomorrow Bookstore. https://bit.ly/4BoO1lx

The city will begin cleaning a homeless encampment along Fall Creek Trail around Oct. 27. The camp is under the Monon Trail bridge by Fall Creek Parkway and trail users say that the mess from the camp is on the trail. https://bit.ly/4z5ly2u

Eastern Star Church has agreed to withdraw its petition to demolish a 113-year-old church building on the former Martin University campus. It is working with the city’s preservation commission and Indiana Landmarks toward an “amicable resolution.” https://bit.ly/4i7Wv7K

Marion County has several problem-solving courts, including ones for veterans and behavioral health. These courts offer mental healthcare, help finding a job and legal services. But these courts that function as a lifeline for people are facing state funding cuts. https://bit.ly/4snCdMq

Indy Peace is a hospital-linked violence intervention program. The initiative sends people trained in violence prevention to the bedside of shooting victims. Nate Boggs was able to receive free therapy through the program after being shot nine times. https://bit.ly/4BkKvIS

Indy has a lot of coffee shops, how well do you think you know them? Take the quiz and tell us your score. https://bit.ly/4yv68U7

The 113-year-old church on Martin University’s campus could become a historic site. Eastern Star Church bought the campus earlier this year and tried to demolish the building before the city’s historic preservation commission put it on pause. https://bit.ly/4jQvcBB

4200Kory will headline his first Indy show Oct. 25 at Turntable. The local 25-year-old rapper will take the stage after King Dierre and P.S. Maldonna. Tickets start at $20: https://bit.ly/47rAn3p

You can buy food, art, jewelry and learn about resources from more than 150 Black- and minority-owned businesses at this year's Daptoberfest. The event is free, but you must RSVP: https://bit.ly/4dK2aQc

Beech Grove’s $19.6 million budget for 2027 was approved Oct. 19. The city expects a budget shortfall between $600,000 to $1.2 million within the next few years due to changes in property tax distribution. https://bit.ly/4BfBjFw

Lawrence North lost to Penn High School 34-28 in Indiana’s girls high school flag football state final Oct. 17. The Wildcats were the only Indy school at the tournament. https://bit.ly/47uPVDu

Gaggles of giggles, roars of laughter … and clowns? You might be at an Indianapolis drag show. For some drag and burlesque dancers, clowning around has more meaning than circus aesthetics. https://bit.ly/4kdgSTw

Latinas Welding Guild ofrece clases de soldadura en español en el lado oeste de Indianapolis. Es uno de los pocos programas de capacitación que ofrece educación en varios idiomas. Hablamos con estudiantes para aprender sobre cómo es participar para ellos. https://bit.ly/4ehgoIo

The Indianapolis City-County Council voted Oct. 19 to approve Mayor Joe Hogsett’s $1.9 billion budget for 2027. The budget includes record spending for police and public works. https://bit.ly/480AtiC

Five school districts in Indianapolis will be asking voters for a property tax increase to help fund their daily operations. But what does that mean for teachers, students and staff? We spoke to people who work in the Wayne Township school district to find out more: https://bit.ly/4saeIGh

Young voters make up about 23% of Marion County’s eligible voters but, in the first eight days of early voting for the 2026 election, only 9.7% of them have voted. Local groups, such as Naptown Votes, are working to close that gap before Nov. 3. https://bit.ly/4zBgS4i

A new family-run fabric shop opened in Irvington last month. Sycamore Sewing Co. started after JoAnn Fabrics closed its doors. The shop is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday: https://bit.ly/47pcrh4

Margarette Webb’s plans to spend the first 90 days as Indy’s chief equity officer doing listening tours across city departments. Her appointment still needs approval from the full City-County Council: https://bit.ly/4jZl0Xc

20 years ago, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin became Indiana’s first and only saint. The miracles attributed to her include curing a nun’s cancer and restoring someone’s eye sight. https://bit.ly/4BaQHTC

The Sports Bra, a women’s sports bar, was supposed to open downtown over the summer but construction and fundraising have caused delays. Co-owner Eve Keller is still hopeful the bar will open by the end of the year or early 2027. https://bit.ly/3TWjsCY

Halloween is a holiday with a lot of range. With that in mind, we put together a list that we hope can check all the boxes in your group. https://bit.ly/3UuGyAH

Mirror Indy reported on a hospital to jail pipeline at Eskenazi Health that found the majority of people arrested in the past five years were not physically violent. We spoke to several healthcare workers about how they feel about the arrests. https://bit.ly/4zFUNSp

IPS and charter schools in the IPS boundary are asking people to vote yes for a referendum on this year’s ballots. The schools are asking for a 37.2 cent property tax to replace the 19.6 cent property tax: https://bit.ly/4hZZbV4

Latinas Welding Guild on Indianapolis’ west side offers welding classes in Spanish It’s one of the few trade programs in the city that does. We spoke to students in the program to learn more about what it’s like.https://bit.ly/4i0C10Q

The LEAP district in Boone County northwest of Indianapolis is looking into discharging water in Prairie Creek in Lebanon instead of Eagle Creek. “That’s good news for the Eagle Creek Reservoir and good news for Eagle Creek Park,” said an activist. https://bit.ly/4i6zQZI

The Trump administration wants to make dramatic changes to the U.S. Census that could leave out millions of immigrants based on citizenship and racial data. Experts say this would harm the quality of the data and be detrimental. https://bit.ly/4ewlRLo

D. Del Reverda-Jennings has spent more than 30 years building FLAVA FRESH !, an annual juried exhibition showing more than 50 contemporary artists of color in Indianapolis. The current show is at the College Avenue library branch through Jan. 28: https://bit.ly/4hWnrY5

Starting fall 2027, Purdue University students will no longer be able to choose student housing in the LUX on Capitol apartments. Students still have access to North Hall and Purdue’s new dorm space opening in May:https://bit.ly/4dCctFO

It takes Andrew Elliot 70 to 140 hours to build a wig from scratch. By early December, his wigs will be onstage at three Indianapolis venues on the same night. https://bit.ly/4hYGkty

Meet the candidates running for Indiana Senate district 31. Republican Juanita Albright and Democrat Kerry Forestal are in a competitive race to represent the people of northeast Marion County and Fishers. https://bit.ly/4hJuPqT

Indy Black Wealth is a new nonprofit with the goal of increasing Black wealth in Indy to 50% of white wealth by 2040. The man behind the nonprofit is Greg Ballard, former Republican mayor of Indianapolis and a white man. https://bit.ly/4jj9bLp

A project to replace the 20-year-old playground at Tarkington Park will move forward despite pushback from a nearby resident. The project would remove three trees.https://bit.ly/4rZ5pJr

Mirror Indy’s kid reporters went to “Reading is for Everyone,” an event aiming to teach people to have empathy for others who could not read. As part of the event, they were given an ice cream menu that was not in a real language. Read about their experience: https://bit.ly/4B1PTQR

For centuries, many groups of Native Americans lived on the land we know as Indiana before Europeans arrived. But many Hoosiers don’t know the real history of how Native Americans were forced to leave, including during the Potawatomi Trail of Death in 1838. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4jS1CLF

The Black Health Fair is back from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 13 at Central Library. More than 40 health and wellness vendors will be there handing out resources for testing, diabetes and maternal health. It’s free and open to everyone.https://bit.ly/4hMno0L

Hoosiers impacted by the August floods have until Oct. 25 to apply for FEMA assistance. You can apply online, call 800-621-3362 or use the FEMA app. More details at the link: https://bit.ly/4yGuT0D

Indy Economic Development, Inc. held a community meeting Oct. 7 to discuss the proposed tax incentives for the approved data center project in Martindale Brightwood. Many people left with more questions than answers on how the community would benefit from the data center. https://bit.ly/4zpR62V

Have you ever had a conversation with someone who wants to talk about the horrors of private equity and pretended to know what they’re talking about? The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana is giving you a chance to learn for free Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m.:https://bit.ly/4rVjSWI

If you were affected by the August floods, you can get help with damaged property permits at these upcoming clinics the Department of Business and Neighborhood Services will host. Representatives from Pro Bono Indiana, Inc will be there to help answer any questions: https://bit.ly/4AVcgaP

The west side will be home to a research building that will turn pure science into products that help people and animals — the One Health Research Institute. It will be similar to Purdue’s Discovery Park District. https://bit.ly/4jLD2vV

IU Indianapolis is piloting a new class called Cornerstone, a readings-heavy intro class that aims to give students exposure to the liberal arts. The model allows professors who no longer have a dedicated undergraduate degree to have a new way to share their expertise. https://bit.ly/4hILJok