A school bus has reportedly hit two children in the Taylorsville area Thursday morning. According to early media reports, Columbus police and Indiana State troopers are on the scene investigating this accident where a school bus from Taylorsville Elementary apparently struck two students in the Colony Park neighborhood on Chaucer Drive. One student has been airlifted according to rescue personnel here to Indianapolis to Riley Hospital for Children at IU Health. The other child was taken by ambulance to Columbus Regional Health. The condition of the children is not yet known. The investigation into the cause of this accident is on-going.
Emergency crews rescued a woman from her car that crashed through a rail and was dangling off a bridge early on Thursday morning. This accident happened around 4:30 a.m. over 16th Street, just west of downtown, as rescuers pulled her off the edge from the White River to keep her from plunging to the icy waters below. She was unconscious behind the wheel. The metal railing will need repair so police are keeping an eye on the scene and diverting traffic to prevent other mishaps. She was taken to Eskenazi hospital where her name and condition hasn’t been released.
Mayor Greg Ballard speaks Thursday evening in his seventh State of the City address. Ballard is expected to give his vision of moving the city forward and address public safety and the increasing crime that is impacting residents. The State of the City takes place on the south side at the University of Indianapolis’s Christel DeHaan Fine Arts Center starting around 5:30 p.m.
The cause of the fire that killed the Guerra family is being called “undetermined.” Fire investigators believe the fire was accidental. According to preliminary toxicology reports, all six family members died of smoke inhalation. But one family member Sandra Lopez says some good is coming out of her family’s tragedy, their organs have saved multiple lives. The family believed in organ donation so they now live on in multiple life-saving donations to others.
Federal assistance to Indiana veterans is not usually involved in a gridlock but this is changing. Republicans are taking a stand against a bill to extend health, education, and job training benefits. Minority GOP members say the 21-billion-dollar plan is too expensive. Democratic Senator Joe Donnelly said Wednesday efforts are being made to work with Republicans to alleviate problems and make sure money is available for all the things concerning veterans.
President Obama wants to lower the extremely high unemployment rate in the African-American and Hispanic communities. The President’s plan to address the issue is expected at the White House today. Obama is calling the plan “My Brother’s Keeper.”
Sports: The Indiana Pacers are in action Thursday night against the Milwaukee Bucks at Bankers Life Fieldhouse The Pacers record now stands at an NBA-best 43-and-13 after their win over the Lakers on Tuesday. The Bucks are an NBA-worst 11-and-45 on the season.
Weather for Thursday: Stay bundled up today…it will be windy, cold and sunny. The wind chill will make it feel like 7 below zero.
