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Indiana v Syracuse

Source: Mitchell Layton / Getty

@kwellscomm @PraiseIndy PraiseIndy.com Local & National News  —

Good day to you on this day that the NCAA Tournament continues and Indy’s number four-seed Butler takes the court tonight to do battle with number one seed…North Carolina. (More on that below in sports…)

Only one of Indiana’s Republican congressmen remains unsure about the GOP plan to move past Obamacare. Representative Trey Hollingsworth said on Thursday he’s still “studying” the plan. Hollingsworth says it’s clear that Obamacare failed, but he’s not sure if the Republican plan will succeed as it’s written now. Indiana’s only other “no” vote will come from seventh district Democratic congressman Andre Carson.

Indiana’s governor is now officially on the record in support of Trumpcare–his party’s plan to move past Obamacare. Governor Eric Holcomb signed a letter on Thursday with seven other governors that urges Congress to “keep moving forward” with the American Health Care Act. The letter was addressed to Senator Mitch McConnell and House Speaker Paul Ryan. In it, the governors acknowledged they understood that the Republican healthcare plan “as is” may need to change or see “additional improvements” along the way. It’s an acknowledgement that some observers noted they never extended to the Affordable Care Act, instead choosing to operate as ‘the party of “No” opposing it politically.

The House is expected to vote on this controversial Republican healthcare bill later today. Their effort to send a ‘symbolic’ message by repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act on the anniversary of former President Barack Obama signing Obamacare into law Thursday failed due to Trumpcare being opposed by a number of conservative and moderate Republicans, and all Democrats.

In other local news…

(UPDATE–08:02 p.m.) Metro Police report that each of these young men have been located and are now safe, thanks to the tips they received from concerned citizens. (ORIGINAL STORY…) Indianapolis Metro Police are looking for two men who are still missing from a group home. Officials told the press Jacob Denny, 25, and Andrew Lewis, 18, walked away from the facility early Wednesday morning. A third person, David Booher, 19, that left with them has since been located. They were last seen near Hardees in the area of Southeastern Avenue and East Washington Street. IMPD says the men have verbal and physical aggressive traits, along with suicidal tendencies and mood disorders, all issues that make finding them critical in an effort to get them home safely.

A man who shot at an IMPD officer has learned his fate. Kennic Brown was sentenced this week to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to attempted murder. In December 2015, Brown led police on a nine-minute chase before crashing his car into a home near South Keystone Avenue and East Minnesota Street. As an IMPD officer pulled behind Brown’s car, Brown fired several shots at the officer. The patrolman wasn’t hit, but one of those bullets struck his patrol car.

An apartment fire has displace dozens of people in one complex on the city’s north side. Crews were called to the North Willow Apartments and Townhomes Thursday afternoon to fight what turned out to be a cooking fire. Officials say a woman cooking french fries started the fire, which spread from that apartment to other units, then into a shared attic space. It took firefighters about an hour to bring that fire under control.

An Indianapolis Equality and Justice organization is hosting a weekend event that highlights black owned local businesses in a still-challenging economy. DONT SLEEP is hosting their second Black Business Bazaar Saturday afternoon from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. at the Fay Biccard Glick Neighborhood Center. The event is an enclosed marketplace filled with black-owned businesses where you have a free opportunity to connect while they bring the best of what they do in this community. The Black Business Bazaar is located at 2990 West 71st Street.

National…

Florida Residents Sign Up For Affordable Care Act On Deadline Day

Source: Joe Raedle / Getty

Donald Trump Holds Campaign Rally In Las Vegas

Source: Isaac Brekken / Getty

In addition to healthcare for this nation’s citizens we’re keeping our eye on a developing story out of New York City on this busy Friday. At our WTLC News press time, we’d learned that an train derailed inside of that city’s Penn Station. Amtrak was providing a few more details about the derailment saying an Acela Express Train that originated in Boston derailed at around nine o’clock Friday morning while moving at a slow speed as it left the station en route to Washington, DC. Multiple reports say that Train 2151 collided with an NJ Transit train on the Montclair-Boonton Line. Amtrak says it was a minor derailment and that all 248 passengers on board were removed safely.  NJ Transit has suspended service in and out of the station with Midtown direct trains being diverted to Hoboken Terminal.

(UPDATE–8:05 p.m.)  Obamacare is the law of the land. President Donald Trump says Republicans fell just short of passing the House healthcare bill. House Speaker Paul Ryan withdrew the bill Friday afternoon when it became clear he did not have enough Republican votes to pass it. In brief remarks at the White House, Trump said Obamacare is exploding and argued that congressional Democrats “own it.” Trump blamed Democrats for the bill’s failure. Ryan during a press conference held after pulling ‘Trumpcare,’ told reporters that the American people will have to “live with Obamacare for the foreseeable future.” During this Capitol Hill news briefing, Ryan called today’s repeal and replace failure a disappointing setback. (ORIGINAL STORY…) President Donald Trump said Friday morning that House Republican leaders can’t afford to put off a vote on their health care plan any longer. Trump lobbed another threat at them. He told them if they don’t hold a vote today, he’s going to move on. The House Rules Committee is meeting this morning to consider last-minute changes to the bill, which still is opposed as written by conservatives, moderate members of the GOP and Democrats.

Police in the United Kingdom took two more people into custody in connection with this week’s terror attack near the Parliament in London. They say the “significant arrests” were made in two different parts of England. Nine people in total are now in custody in the incident that killed four people, in addition to attacker Khalid Masood, 52, who was shot by police. The death toll rose overnight when another of the victims–a 75-year-old man was taken off of life support and died from his injuries. Masood drove into a crowd of people on the Westminster Bridge, near the Parliament, striking them before stabbing a police officer to death.

Another bit of work to protect your privacy over the interests of big business by former-President Obama’s administration is being reversed by the new administration in Washington DC. Internet privacy rules approved last October are going down in flames before they can even take effect. A Senate vote strikes down the rules approved by the FCC last fall. They would have restricted the ability of internet providers to track users online. Those providers also would have had to take steps to secure consumer data against hackers.

Don’t expect to see former-Colts great and retired Bronco, Peyton Manning’s name on a ballot anytime soon. The retired NFL quarterback told the crowd at this week’s Adobe Summit in Las Vegas that he’s not running for Senate in Tennessee. Rumors had Manning looking at a run, but Manning quickly said public office is not part of his retirement plan.

Sports…

And. Then. There. Was. ONE.

There’s only one Indiana college left in Men’s NCAA Tourney action. Thursday night left ‘Boiler Down!’ as Purdue fell to the top-seeded Kansas Jay Hawks in the Midwest Regional semifinals in Kansas City. Their Sweet 16 final was 98-66. Caleb Swanigan had 18 points and seven rebounds for Purdue, which finishes its season 27-and-8.

Villanova v Butler

Source: Joe Robbins / Getty

The tourney action continues Friday night with Bulldogs barking everywhere supporting four-seed Butler in their big match-up taking on the top-seeded Tar-Heels of North Carolina in Memphis. Butler has not trailed so far in the tournament, recording wire-to-wire wins over both Winthrop and Middle Tennessee. The fourth-seeded Bulldogs are 25-and-8. Tip is at 7:09 p.m. Go Dawgs!

crispus attucks HS

Source: IPS / IPS

We’re also rooting for the Crispus Attucks Tigers who are returning to the Boy’s State Basketball Championship Saturday. The famed Indianapolis Public Schools high school’s basketball team is set to compete in Class 3A action against Twin Lakes. Attucks has not played in a championship since 1959, back when it was a segregated all-black academic and athletic powerhouse with the team led by legendary head coach Ray Crowe. Tip is Saturday night at 6 p.m. Eastern at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

Weather…

It will feel like spring here in Indiana. A mix of clouds and sun early followed by cloudy skies this afternoon. A bit windy. Today’s High: around 70 degrees. Chance of late night showers. Tonight’s Low: 58 degrees.

# (@PraiseIndy) #

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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 (leaving a message), or Fax:317-261-4664Be sure to follow me on Twitter @kwellscommFor “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 Sister Station – 106.7 WTLC. Listen on-air, on-line (tlcnaptown.com), or by app.

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