Community Connection August 12th, 2025

Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
WTOCAM W two three six c are Indianapolis, discussing the
issues that matter to you and keeping you informed of
what's happening in and around Indy. It's Community Connection with
Tina Cosby, brought to you by Child Advocates, a champion
for justice, opportunity and well being for children on Praise

(00:21):
AM thirteen ten ninety five point one FM.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
And good afternoon, and welcome to Community Connection. I'm Tina Cosby.
Today is Tuesday, August the twelfth, three one seven four
eight zero thirteen ten. Three one seven four eight zero
thirteen ten is the number two Community Connection three one
seven for eight zero thirteen ten. On the show today,
we're gonna check in with impd's East District, which is

(00:48):
probably one of, if not the busiest district in the city.
I'm sure it's probably one of the largest ones as well,
So we'll do that at two o'clock again up in
our next hour. At the bottom of this hour, Council
Majority Leader Maggie Lewis is going to be here, will
no doubt go over last night's city county meeting, which

(01:09):
was pretty major. The mayor handed the council his budget
for next year and the full Council voted on an
extended curfew for Indianapolis Youth. So we'll tell you about
how that turned out at the meeting last night, Counselor
Lewis will indeed, Plus we'll tell you why the National
NAACP is now at work getting voters ready for the

(01:32):
twenty twenty six midterm elections. They're working now, they're working
now for twenty twenty six. That and much more coming up.
Not to mention your chance to win a pair of
reserved seats to the Gospel Music Festival at the State Fair,
the Indiana State Fair coming up this Sunday, August seventeenth,

(01:55):
featuring the Great Marvin Sapp. So again, two reserved seats
will be given away sometime during the show today for
the Gospel Music Festival at the Indiana State Fair that's
coming up this Sunday.

Speaker 3 (02:10):
About three o'clock.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
We may be talking with our Radio one Indie Promotions director,
David Gray, but he has David always has meetings and
a lot of stuff to do. So when he steps in,
you know, we'll stop and talk to talk to David
Gray a couple of quick things before I get to
the NAACP. This this week's the most recent. Let me

(02:35):
see what the date is on this recorder? Oh, Friday, Yeah,
the most recent recorder Friday, August eighth, and on the
front page, Esconazi Health loses thirty eight million used to
care for uninsured patients. Esconazi Health has lost thirty eight
million dollars that was used to care for uninsured patients.
And our friend at the Urban League, Mark Russell. Mark

(02:58):
Russell sent us an article from the Indianapolis Star that
basically Marion County's top public health agency praised Governor Mike
Braun for backing healthcare with a five hundred thousand dollars
ad campaign, and it was quite a bye. They made
quite a bye thanking the governor, but state lawmakers shortly

(03:20):
after that made fifty five million in annual cuts in
health funding to Marion County, and Braun signed them into
law Health and Hospital Corporation. Marion County now faces a
one hundred million dollar deficit for twenty twenty six and
looming funding issues due to Medicaid cuts. Yeah, so the

(03:42):
irony there is the health leaders in Marion County praised
Governor Braun with a whole lot of money that they
spent on ads and then the state cuts their funding. Well,
this funding cut in, these funding cuts in state, in
the state of Indiana, just in the state of Indiana alone,
are serious, and they're they're painful.

Speaker 3 (04:07):
They're going to be painful.

Speaker 2 (04:10):
I have talked to people, I've seen the letters where
folks are getting kicked off right and left. I had
a heartbreaking story that I that someone shared with me
this morning.

Speaker 3 (04:23):
It was a woman. Her niece.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
Is autistic and has a lot of a lot of
other issues.

Speaker 3 (04:33):
Her niece is in her thirties.

Speaker 2 (04:34):
I do believe, you know, she's so she's been that
way all of her life and lives in a group home.
But really, uh, there's no doubt about it that she
needs the funding. She got kicked off. She got kicked
off and her family has some challenges, some health challenges

(04:56):
of their own and can't entirely care for her the
way she needs to be cared for. That's why she
was in the assistant living And what happened is that
they've got thirty days to appeal. But from what I understand,
she was getting her niece whose autistics severely are autistic

(05:19):
and some other health issues she had ninety days they
told her that she had ninety days and her funding
would run out in ninety days. They told her family
she has thirty days to appeal, but most of those
Medicaid appeals can.

Speaker 3 (05:32):
Take up to six months.

Speaker 2 (05:34):
So you see how the timing is not adding up,
and the math isn't mathing, and all that other stuff, plus.

Speaker 3 (05:40):
The stress, the stress that you know, there's a whole
lot too.

Speaker 2 (05:45):
But I couldn't believe it when when my friend called
me and said that her niece was getting had gotten
kicked off.

Speaker 3 (05:51):
I said, are you serious?

Speaker 2 (05:53):
And she said, yeah, So this is something I think
we're all going to have to start to adjust to
doing more with less, you know, both on the national
level and right here on the state level. If they're
kicking you off, they're giving you thirty days to appeal,
ninety days from the time they say you have to

(06:14):
go thirty days to appeal, and then after that for
your hearing, which could be anywhere up to six months
from that, there's a gap and a loss of care
and services and things of that nature, just as you're appealing.

Speaker 3 (06:33):
The decision to kick you off.

Speaker 2 (06:36):
And so you know the least of some of these people,
it's horrible It is absolutely horrible what is happening to them.
But as we've said, and as we've been telling you,
this was what was coming down the road, not only
with the Trump administration, but with the Brawn administration. Not

(06:58):
only did he take a sledgeham or to DEI programs,
he's cutting fundings to hospitals and places that can help
people who cannot pay for themselves. Why that is so
easy to do, and why that that is just something
that the state wants to do, that the nation wants

(07:18):
to do.

Speaker 3 (07:18):
I don't know, but it's rough.

Speaker 2 (07:21):
I mean, just last week, remember I was telling you
about how the Neighborhood Community Health Center out there seventy
first to Michigan Road, it looks like a ghost town.
I drove by there to see and it looks like
a ghost. It doesn't look to me like they are
getting ready to open again anytime soon, because a whole

(07:42):
whole lot has been taken away, you know, just from
the the out the group, the stuff that's out in
the group, you know, in the around it, you know,
group things like the buses, the signage, just a lot
of things that make it look like a nice community.
All of those are gone now. They may have put
them in on mothballs for a little while. I don't know,

(08:03):
but that's sad driving by and looking at that as well.
So yeah, get ready, folks, this is this is something,
Reverend Phillips.

Speaker 3 (08:13):
Go ahead, how are you.

Speaker 4 (08:16):
How? I used to say, your one no facilities at
And sometimes when you do it like will you do it?

Speaker 5 (08:30):
Well?

Speaker 4 (08:30):
See, sometimes the staff or cheat, the trying to cheat,
the simple cheap, cheap better kase.

Speaker 6 (08:40):
It's the same.

Speaker 2 (08:41):
Yeah, but this is you know, I understand what and
I do too, Reverend Films, but this is a little different.
This situation was basically I just think they take an
axe and they just start slicing people off the rolls,
whether they've done anything or not. And I can just
about guarantee you that this family hasn't done anything but
pay you know what what the young lady was, what

(09:03):
had coming to her and then taking care of her
outside of what medicaid paid for. But she definitely needed
Medicaid not only for her her needs, but it helps
out the family that is also physically challenged with some
health conditions.

Speaker 4 (09:19):
Yeah, I used to be on I used to be
in no type of systems and I'll see a lot
of crooksh though, a somebody get kicked off of medicate,
my blested go out.

Speaker 2 (09:39):
To Yeah, your heart goes out to them because it's
and the system.

Speaker 3 (09:43):
Yeah, the system's almost.

Speaker 2 (09:44):
Like it's set up to make you fail because if
you have ninety days before your coverage ends and you
have only thirty days to appeal, uh, in the backlog
of the appeals and the appeals process can be as
long as six months. Like I said, there's there's a
huge gap in between. There huge gap. So yeah, it's
it's it's it's concerning. It really is almost.

Speaker 4 (10:06):
The state were about to take man throw all Alpha Medici.

Speaker 5 (10:14):
Back.

Speaker 3 (10:15):
Well, that's that's a good thing.

Speaker 4 (10:20):
Yes, you already.

Speaker 2 (10:23):
Well I think this is just a blanket cut, you know,
just I don't think they're looking at anything. But but yeah,
thank you, Reverend Phillips. I appreciate that, And I'm sorry
for what your family had to go through, and I'm
sorry for what a lot of families are about to
go through, because this is just a tip of the iceberg.
This is just the start.

Speaker 3 (10:41):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (10:41):
And so why we say it, why do we keep
saying elections have consequences because of stuff like this and
you know, Mark, thank you for sending me that article
from the Indianapolis Star that you know basically, uh, they
were thanking and praising the governor and he turns around
and you know, takes the budget cutting acts and cuts

(11:04):
them off. So that's the kind of governor I guess
we have. I don't know, get back to that. So
the there was a caller camera that couldn't stay on
the line.

Speaker 7 (11:16):
Yes, yes, yes, From yesterday's conversation at the end that
we had with Shannon, she wanted to leave that information
for him to help out his situation where he's going.

Speaker 2 (11:24):
Oh, the Indiana Civil Liberties Union, Yeah, a c l
U of Indiana. Yeah, yeah, that's that's another for free
legal advice.

Speaker 3 (11:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (11:33):
Well, if you're listening, yeah, the a c l U
of Indiana, they offer free legal advice as well. I
don't know if I let me see if I have
the a c l U of Indiana's number, David, you're back,
thank you, I am.

Speaker 3 (11:47):
Yeah. So what's going on?

Speaker 8 (11:49):
Oh, nothing much, nothing much.

Speaker 9 (11:50):
It was a good day at the Urban League with
the food distribution and everything. I know that they're getting
ready for an event this week. Got talked to Kim
early this morning. That but yeah, but you know, it's
a beautiful day outside. It was a great day to
be out there. But we're still add it.

Speaker 2 (12:11):
Yeah, it's a sin and a shame that I mean,
I'm glad. It's kind of a double edged sort. It's
a sin and a shame that there's any kind of
a need there, But it's a blessing to be able
to fill that need.

Speaker 3 (12:22):
And boy, more than ever, I don't know.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
If you heard, but people are getting thrown off Medicaid
here in the state right and left. And I had
a friend called me this morning. Her thirty some year
old niece who's been severely autistic most of her life,
lives in one of those group homes because her family
they have a lot of health issues too, and they
can't take care of her, so it helps them.

Speaker 3 (12:43):
She got kicked off.

Speaker 8 (12:45):
Wow.

Speaker 3 (12:46):
Yeah, Yeah.

Speaker 2 (12:47):
And then you know, Mark Russell from the Urban League
sent this sent this article that was in the Star
about how the state I think it was Health and
Hospital Corporation, not the state. Yeah, Mary County Health Agency
spent half a million dollars on an ad by ad campaign.

Speaker 3 (13:08):
I wish we would have gotten that. It would have
been nice Yeah.

Speaker 2 (13:11):
An ad campaign to thank Governor Brown for Yeah, and
then right after that he turns around and takes the
budget cutting accents come off at the knees.

Speaker 9 (13:21):
It's interesting that you're talking about this. So Sat Sunday,
Good Lord, the every day runs together. Sunday, I was
over at Garfield Park. The cab has had a barbecue,
so I went over there with my frat brothers, and
one of the conversations I had was about, you know,
these cuts that we know are coming because of the big,

(13:43):
beautiful bill. And you know what was said to me was,
you know, I really don't think that we're really going
to start feeling the real effects of it until twenty seven,
which is right after the midterms, because you know, the
way that they decide that they designed these things, they
designed them to where the impact is going to hit

(14:06):
either right after an election or hit at a place
to where they can point the blame at the person
or the people that are there, as opposed to the
people that actually pass the bills. Yes, but to hear
you know, it doesn't surprise me.

Speaker 2 (14:25):
It doesn't, and the article in the Star doesn't. Although
I'm not sure I would have spent half a million
dollars on a thank you campaign to the governor. I
mean they said they had it, and they had but anyway, no,
I'm not surprised that that poor woman. I mean, she
could be out on her you know, she's thirty, but
you know she's not able to take care of herself.

(14:45):
There's gonna be one thousand and one stories just like that,
you know, and some of it's not waiting until Here's
here's where they messed up, David. Yeah, some of that,
the majority of that maybe or a lot of it
will hit after the midterms. But you know, it's like
Indiana right here and right now, it's happening today. I mean, yeah,
so we wasn't that clever because they got busy.

Speaker 8 (15:08):
You know.

Speaker 9 (15:09):
The sad thing is that there's this idea that in
order to make sure that people aren't gaming the system
and people aren't getting benefits that they shouldn't be getting
and all these other things, that it's just to wipe
away with wipe it away, right, and when you do that,

(15:31):
situations like these come up.

Speaker 8 (15:33):
Now.

Speaker 9 (15:34):
To me, the most appalling side of it is that
the only reason that this is happening is to give
tax cuts to people that do not need tax cuts.
They probably pay or less percentage of tax than we
all do. You know, if you've noticed over the last

(15:56):
i'll say twenty years at this point, slowly chipping away
at all of these these systems that were in place,
you know, working down here, working downtown, and you know,
working on the Circle, you see it even more. But
you know, there's definitely an unhoused issue down here that

(16:19):
has connections with mental health issues, with substance deduced issues
and all that. And over the last twenty years that
you know, you start chipping away and shipping away and
chipping away. And at first, you know, it was less
mental health doctors, then there were less mental health facilities
to now where you had these places that were assisting

(16:41):
these people are gone and the only answer is just
to is to you know, have them out on the
street to fend for themselves.

Speaker 8 (16:50):
And it's not a situation.

Speaker 9 (16:51):
That the police can deal with because you know, a
lot of times they understand who they're dealing with. They
know that they'll end up te taking them in, they're
going to come right back, so you have that, but
it's all of an effect of chipping away at these systems.
So you know, that's gone, and now the only thing

(17:12):
left are the safety nets and the things that we
have to assist people.

Speaker 8 (17:17):
You know, slowly, but surely they're going to chip away.

Speaker 9 (17:21):
And it's one of those things where, you know, you
have a lot of people that feel that it's good
as long as it's not happening to me, right, But
what happens is when you open that door, it's only
a matter of time before they come free, right. And
by that time, it's too late to do anything because
it's you know, it's, oh well, I don't have to

(17:41):
worry about it. They're not talking about me, right. You
can talk about with the immigration and the roundups of
with ice. You know, I've seen story after story after
story of these people that voted for Trump that said,
oh well, he told us he was gonna get rid
of the bad people and their family start to get
picked up, right. Yes, so you know it's good till

(18:05):
it's not you, But you don't understand that it's it's
only a matter of time, yeah.

Speaker 2 (18:10):
Right, And I want to I want to go into
that a little bit more because today, as of today,
the naacp UH has launched a series of town halls
from now until the midterm election to educate voters so
that we are not left behind. I've got a nice
piece I want to play about that. But I think
that's fantastic.

Speaker 3 (18:29):
That's it.

Speaker 2 (18:29):
And then I think to what is a day after tomorrow? Uh,
the Urban League is going to come on the local
Urban League and talk about how they're their national Uh
you know what is the state of Black America report
that they called for a state of emergency and said
we're in the state of So a lot of the
nation's oldest organizations are are becoming They've always been vocal,

(18:51):
they've always been visible, but they're they're kicking it up
even more so so that people, you know, can know
and learn.

Speaker 3 (18:59):
I guess day we have a we were talking about.

Speaker 2 (19:04):
Up by things going on which you know all too
well what's going on because you the main you know.
But the State Fair Gospel Music Day. We have a
pair of tickets today giveaway. You got a number with
number of a color?

Speaker 10 (19:20):
What seven?

Speaker 8 (19:21):
I'm always go with seven, Always.

Speaker 3 (19:23):
Go with seven.

Speaker 2 (19:24):
So the seventh caller to the number three one seven, four, eight,
zero thirteen ten, three one seven, four, eight, zero thirteen
ten wins the tickets. They are reserved seats for the
Gospel Music Festival at the Indiana State Fair on Sunday,
August the seventeenth. So that should be a good in featuring.
I didn't say who it featured, none other than the
great Marvin stuff. We've also got a wonderful local lineup

(19:47):
and our very own Rita Green is going to be
on tomorrow to tell us more about that, because Rita
knows too.

Speaker 8 (19:53):
Oh yeah, and you know Lamar be out there.

Speaker 3 (19:55):
Yeah, I figure Lamar would be.

Speaker 9 (19:57):
Lamar be out there doing a broadcast that's sponsored by
our great partners at Indiana don the Network, so we'll
be out there live leading up to the show.

Speaker 3 (20:07):
We are a proud sponsor of Gospel Music Festival Day.

Speaker 9 (20:10):
Yeah, and you know it's always good to uh. It's
always good when when the cap has come to town
with Marvin staff. So it's always great to uh to
have my frat here. But you know, Gospel Day, Gospel
Day every year is wonderful. And just to explain, you know,

(20:34):
you have we we've done tickets to the Fair because
it's at the free stage, so essentially you know, the
concert is free.

Speaker 8 (20:40):
You is free with your insurance to the fair.

Speaker 9 (20:43):
But this specifically, they have an area right in front
of the stage and right to the left that with reserves.
It is a reserved area so you don't have to
worry about coming in and putting your stuff down and
coming back because you know it gets hot out there,
especially the is out, so you know you have a
special area with special restrooms. It's definitely a nice experience.

Speaker 3 (21:07):
Would you call it a VIP section.

Speaker 9 (21:10):
I would say it's I wouldn't officially call it a
vi P, but it is basically a sectioned off.

Speaker 2 (21:15):
Via privilege, yes, privilege such hey not, you know, not
meaning to change the subject, but your hometown has been
in the news a lot. It's getting hot up there
with the UH possibly the first black female mayor and
she's in the lead right, So.

Speaker 9 (21:31):
Yes, well I would think so. So I didn't even
I didn't realize this so yet. You know, I know
I've been knowing who was running and all that stuff.

Speaker 8 (21:45):
Mike Dougan, who's the mayor.

Speaker 9 (21:46):
Well, so let me rewind and December, i'd say, November
December is when I went home. You know, somebody came
to me and said that Mary Sheffield, who is name
for UH for mayor who's the person you're talking about
that in the league. They were like Mary wants to run,
or yeah, Mary's about my She actually lives not that

(22:09):
far from.

Speaker 8 (22:10):
Me up there.

Speaker 3 (22:11):
Who doesn't, David.

Speaker 9 (22:14):
So, Mary is she was, she's president of city council now.
But the district she lives in is my district.

Speaker 11 (22:22):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (22:22):
No, there's a lot of people and Mary Sheffield Cheffield Cheffield.

Speaker 8 (22:28):
The reverend is her father.

Speaker 9 (22:31):
So but you know, Mary is an excellent city council member.
She's been on city council for almost a decade. I
want to say she ran right around the time Dave
bing was so but I heard that Mary wants to run,
and you know, my first thing was, well, you know

(22:53):
it's Mike's job.

Speaker 8 (22:54):
It's Mike Dugan, who's the mayor.

Speaker 12 (22:55):
Now.

Speaker 9 (22:56):
I was like, it's Mike's job, and tell you doesn't
want anymore. And then they're like, well Mike's not running.
So I said, oh okay. So I started getting the
rundown of the people that were wanting that we're talking
about throwing their hat in Mary. Of course, it makes sense.
She's a president's city council. She's been president for probably
two terms by now, so good lord. Well, no, I've

(23:17):
been Radio one seventeen years, so yeah, so maybe about
sixteen years. She's been on city council, so you know,
she's the front runner. There were some other names that
heard that were children of former high ranking officials in
the city. They what I actually got told maybe about

(23:40):
a month ago when I bumped in some friends here
from Detroit and we had a long conversation and you know,
they agree with me.

Speaker 8 (23:46):
They were like, it's going to be married. There's nobody
that's really.

Speaker 3 (23:51):
Right now.

Speaker 9 (23:52):
Oh, it's a very crowded field, and you know, there's
people a lot of name recognition.

Speaker 8 (23:57):
Pastor Salomon kin Lock.

Speaker 9 (23:59):
Pastor k Lock is the pastor of Triumph Church up there,
and they literally have nine locations, like he does nine
services on the it's crazy nine yeah, so uh but
it feels like that sometimes. But you know, Pastor Knock
is an amazing person. My feeling is, you know, like

(24:24):
Dionna says, nobody likes to void. So when I'm sure
the word got out that Mike wasn't going to run again,
you have a lot of people that really, you know,
they want to be the bear. I don't think that
a lot of people that run from here, understand what's really.

Speaker 2 (24:39):
Involved, finally back on its feet. Yeah. After well, look
I can tell you stories about but.

Speaker 9 (24:55):
Yeah, and with Mary, you're talking about somebody, like I said,
she's been on city council.

Speaker 8 (25:00):
She's she's directly involved.

Speaker 9 (25:02):
With the communities, with people in the community, communities, with
you know, bringing businesses and helping connect businesses with communities.
One of the big things that used to get talked
about a lot, and I think that we're seeing it
change is you know, when they talk about Detroit and
they talk about Detroit's you know, comeback and renaissance, they

(25:23):
usually refer to the downtown area because that's what has
changed the most. But then you go out to some
of the neighborhoods and not lies change. And with these
these connections with the business community, they're making those updates
and those upgrades in the neighborhoods that really.

Speaker 8 (25:37):
Need to see it.

Speaker 9 (25:38):
But I feel pretty confident in saying that more than
likely Mary Sheffield will be the next will be the
first female black female or female.

Speaker 2 (25:48):
Yeah yeah, yeah, so oh well, good, good lucky. I'm
just saying she's making you know, that race is making
national news. And I was watching it the other night
and I'm like, oh wow, I'm gone. I was like, yeah,
we got a couple of things here. We have former
counselor Oliver waiting, and then we have to say real
quick to the winner, Patricia Grayson, congratulations.

Speaker 3 (26:13):
You wont the tickets?

Speaker 11 (26:15):
Are you?

Speaker 3 (26:16):
Yeah? So have you been to the Gospel Festival before?

Speaker 13 (26:21):
No?

Speaker 3 (26:22):
Oh, you've never been.

Speaker 14 (26:23):
I've never been.

Speaker 3 (26:25):
Okay, Well, David is here and he's here to tell you.

Speaker 8 (26:27):
So listen. I'm gonna tell you this right when you
leave church.

Speaker 9 (26:30):
I don't know if you want to put a change
of clothes in the car, but come out there because
I want to say they started like one or two
o'clock and go all the way. I think Marvin saff
goes on at seven thirty seven thirty ye, no, no, no,
they started three. They start with the performing, Well, they
might start with the performance three. Marb goes on yet
after seven, but it's literally back to back to back

(26:51):
to back.

Speaker 8 (26:52):
And you know one thing that always.

Speaker 9 (26:54):
Impressed me about Indianapolis was the gospel talent here.

Speaker 8 (26:58):
Oh God, there's a lot gospel talent here.

Speaker 2 (27:01):
Yeah, yeah, we got some good Well, anyway, who are
you gonna take with you.

Speaker 4 (27:05):
Oh maybe my mom and how many people I got
two tickets?

Speaker 3 (27:09):
Two tickets, yes too.

Speaker 15 (27:10):
My party, my mom.

Speaker 2 (27:12):
Okay, well, wonderful. Well you and your mother enjoyed it.
Thank you for listening, and thank you for calling in. Congratulations,
Thank you all right, appreciate Uh former counselor Oliver.

Speaker 3 (27:21):
How you doing, I'm doing fight?

Speaker 16 (27:23):
How you and your guests join?

Speaker 11 (27:25):
Uh?

Speaker 16 (27:25):
Yes, your guest yesterday? When you say turning on the air,
I mean I was getting ready for him. Yeah, I mean,
I mean I was getting ridy. But listen, let me
take you about.

Speaker 3 (27:35):
Big Mama, trying to think of who it was.

Speaker 17 (27:37):
I'll do I'll do it.

Speaker 3 (27:40):
Well, you know, no here he was good up. No,
he's like he's on a jack about his years. Yes,
that's doing okay. Yeah, what he was saying, it's like.

Speaker 16 (27:53):
Lady Justin put blindfolds on and she can't see on here.
If a person a democratic, Republican, conservative, liberals live in
the city, and whatever what color they are, how tall
they are, just their voice. There was a program on
Yours Back where the guests stood behind a curtains and

(28:14):
they would ask a question and the answer they give
that the gifts who that person is?

Speaker 6 (28:19):
Yesterday a duel.

Speaker 16 (28:22):
Well, he was the odu that I've done the less
several years. Like if he had a brand photo on,
meaning his voice, someone would just say what he was saying.
I said, man, I gotta go here this guy. I
gotta go find out where he's at. I gotta follow
him because the answers that he would give it on

(28:42):
the question you would answer me would.

Speaker 4 (28:45):
Falling right in line.

Speaker 16 (28:46):
I said, wait a minute, is that my man not daughter?
We've been fight for twenty I mean sometimes my mind,
I just say mine, my own bias can get in
the way of what someone is saying. Because if there's
a label put on a person, you know, and I'm
kind of found that line that he's a Republican old man.

(29:08):
I just want that he gets safe, you see what
I mean?

Speaker 6 (29:11):
And I kind of you know, but yes, today you're
guess now.

Speaker 16 (29:16):
I know you're gonna light him up, right, But he
was answering your question and I'm gonna do I call
in and no, it was beautiful and I look forward
with you have and I do all again. I think, yes,
we'll show the words or questions that you asked. He
asked him to the point I mean, he.

Speaker 3 (29:34):
Was, he's always to the point.

Speaker 16 (29:36):
Yes, I appreciate it that I didn't want to take it.
I'll he not rictor because me and him we speak
to each other, you know. But yesterday, you know, I
got when I see him, I'm gonna take my head off,
told him, I brother him. I appreciate the continent this
statement he made.

Speaker 3 (29:54):
Yesterday, Yes very much. All right, thank you, Counselor Oliver.

Speaker 2 (29:57):
And you know, one of the things that he made
very clear was that being a Republican does not necessarily
mean that you are in the magosphere so meek and
he clearly is not there. He said, I am not
that kind of Republican that is just basically acquiesque to
the wills of you know, of Donald Trump. And again
I'm paraphrasing here, but no, And what Counselor Oliver was hearing.

(30:19):
It shows you how far right MAGA has gone to
where you don't even recognize ab Duel because you know,
a few years ago you would have thought of Duel
was was, you know.

Speaker 3 (30:29):
Whatever, And now he's he's right in line with mainstream.

Speaker 9 (30:33):
Let me tell you something, Abdul is one of my
favorite people in the world. Okay, because you know he's
firm in his beliefs. Yes, but he's sensible, right, he understands,
and Abdul and I have some amazing conversation. I'm sure
you don't even notice, but we're bumping into each other
and we have some amazing conversations because you can do that,
even you can have a difference of opinion, right, but

(30:56):
have understanding, yes, right, yes, And again, like you said,
because we've had that conversation too, because it'll be the
first one to say, listen, I'm not one of these
mag of people, right, And he has thought out ideas
and reasoning to why he feels the way that he does,
and he's open to understanding other people's views. It's not
like he's totally against listening to the other side. So yeah,

(31:19):
and you know you don't understand. You never know who
you would get along with until you have conversations with them,
and I do, and I talk all the surprisingly. We
talk all the time about a litany of different thing.

Speaker 2 (31:30):
Oh yeah, but you don't have to agree, you know,
you don't have to agree. And because I had, you know,
some of the points that he was making, I'm like, really,
you think that way why would you know what about this,
this and that? And he think about it and a
couple of times he said, well, you know what, I
might see that, but I'm like you, But but I
always enjoy my conversations.

Speaker 18 (31:47):
Ye.

Speaker 2 (31:47):
Yeah, because he is so direct and so frank. So anyway,
we're gonna switch gears here. A city County council meeting
last night, the council voted on the extended curfew. Mayor
presented his budget. Council Democratic leader is uh, the majority
leader is on the line waiting to talk with us.
So we're gonna switch gears here. But what else, David?
We got the Gospel Day coming up at the fair?

(32:09):
What else we got going on?

Speaker 8 (32:10):
I believe we'll be at.

Speaker 9 (32:13):
Oh yeah yeah, Teena Willis this Saturday will be a
Gospel Day this Sunday, and then just just getting ready
for for everything else that's coming.

Speaker 6 (32:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (32:26):
Yeah, Well you're going to be able to exhale just
a little bit because we've come through the race, uh expo, Uh,
then the fair, then a little bit of a breath,
and then right back into classic.

Speaker 9 (32:35):
Okay, So we did let's see, we did Black History
Month month, main Women's History Month. Uh as March. April
was a little slower. May was the race. June was juneteenth,
and the Walker, then fourth of July, then fourth first,
then uh XPO and w A and b AT all

(32:56):
start together.

Speaker 8 (32:58):
Yeah, and then the State Fair.

Speaker 9 (33:00):
So yeah, I would definitely be happy to take a
deep breath the next heale.

Speaker 2 (33:04):
Indeed, all righty, David, Well, thank you much. I appreciate it,
and we're going to take a quick break right here
and we'll be back with more community connection right after this.

Speaker 19 (33:28):
There are thousands of hurting children in Indiana. They are
in the child welfare system due to abuse or neglected home.
They struggle in school due to life trauma or challenges,
and they face mental health issues. At Child Advocates, we
serve foster children, We help children succeed in school, and
we host workshops to create collaborative workplaces and caring communities

(33:49):
and to nurture a sense of belonging for all children
and youth. We seek justice, access to opportunity, and well
being for children. Learn more at Child Advocates dot net,
book cabin Now.

Speaker 5 (34:00):
The twenty twenty five Time Joiner Fantastic Voyage sailing from
New Orleans October nineteenth through the twenty sixth Enjoy Theme
night's ship, church celebrities, sightings, and a live performance from Mary.

Speaker 20 (34:11):
Marriage absolutely will be there, y'all Marry Mary, reuniting and

(34:32):
celebrating twenty five incredible years in music. This is a
once in a lifetime celebration and it's going to be
one of the best cruises that you can ever imagine,
So you don't want to miss it.

Speaker 10 (34:50):
Book your cabins today by.

Speaker 20 (34:51):
Calling two one four six Street or go to f
V twenty twenty five dot com.

Speaker 18 (35:00):
You know that big bargain detergent jug is eighty percent water, Right,
it doesn't clean as well eighty percent water.

Speaker 17 (35:07):
I thought I was getting a better deal because it's
so big.

Speaker 18 (35:09):
If you want a better clean, tidepods are only twelve
percent water. The rest is pure concentrated cleaning ingredients.

Speaker 17 (35:15):
Oh, let me make an announcement, atten shoppers.

Speaker 6 (35:19):
If you want a real deal, try tie pods.

Speaker 18 (35:22):
Stop paying for water down detergents, pay for clean. If
it's got to be clean, it's got to be tide
pods water content. Based on the leading bargain Liquid Detergent Dedicated.

Speaker 21 (35:31):
People Excellent care Eskanazi Health is looking for innovative and
collaborative individuals with a desire to improve the health of
our community. Eskanazi Health offers a team based culture, excellent
benefits and opportunities for growth. Provide high quality, patient centered
care at one of the top places to work in
healthcare as named by Becker's Hospital Reviews and the number
one health system in Indiana for community benefit by the

(35:53):
Loud Institute. Learn more about career opportunities by visiting Eskanazi
Health dot edu, slash careers.

Speaker 22 (36:00):
Contact tax Relief Helpers for details and restrictions.

Speaker 23 (36:02):
Attention anyone that owes money to the IRS. Every day,
your unpaid tax debt gets bigger and bigger from daily interest.
The longer you wait, the more you will end up paying.
If you owe ten thousand dollars or more, now is
the time to settle your debt before the IRS takes
aggressive action like taking your wages or property. A special
toll free number has been established so you can stop
penalty fees, avoid leans, levees, or other hostile measures by

(36:23):
the IRS. Call tax relief helpers right now.

Speaker 24 (36:25):
I got behind on my taxes and owed forty eight
thousand dollars. I called and they got my bill lower
to just thirty five hundred dollars. I owed eighty seven
thousand dollars in taxes, and it was scary. I got
the amount I owed down to just thirty five hundred
I saved eighty three thousand, five hundred dollars.

Speaker 23 (36:39):
If you owe money to the IRS, don't wait another day.
Your tax debt gets bigger and bigger from daily interest.
Call right now before the IRS enforces leans, levees or
other aggressive measures. The call and consolet are absolutely free.

Speaker 3 (36:51):
Call now.

Speaker 15 (36:52):
Call eight hundred seven two zero thirty three eighty eight
hundred seven two zero thirty three eighty.

Speaker 10 (36:56):
That's eight hundred seven two zero thirty three eighty.

Speaker 8 (36:59):
You're ed. Urban one.

Speaker 25 (37:00):
We pride ourselves on supporting local and national black owned
businesses throughout all of our radio markets. Since we began
our by Black campaign, we like to spotlight some familiar
and unfamiliar businesses in our communities, from arts and crafts, restaurants,
clothing and apparel, heating technology, electrical. One thing is true,
Black folks have a business for everything you need, want
or could imagine. So let's show some luff to all

(37:21):
local and national black owned businesses. Because when you spend
money with the black owned business, you are helping your
community as well as helping yourself.

Speaker 10 (37:27):
The businesses for this week are.

Speaker 26 (37:29):
African American Women of Indiana provide fellowship in a safe
place of empowerment for African American women living in Indiana.
Find out more information at aaw of Indiana dot com.
Transform your health and wellness with Dominique's Best, discovering natural skincare,
inspiring health coaching, and wellness products to nourish your body
and soul. Visit Dominique's Best dot com. Cross Ultra Lounge

(37:51):
always has something fun going down. Enjoy good drinks and
good food at Cross Ultra Lounge at twenty five thirty
nine Meridian Street in Indianapolis.

Speaker 1 (38:00):
Back to the conversation, it's Community Connection with Tina Cosby,
brought to you by Child Advocates, a champion for justice,
opportunity and well being for children on phrase Am thirteen,
ten ninety five point one FM.

Speaker 2 (38:15):
And we're back with community Connection, as promised. City County
Council Majority Leader Maggie Lewis is with us. She is
a Democrat, of course, representing Council District five. Counselor Lewis
welcome back. How are you doing today?

Speaker 17 (38:30):
I am doing well. How are you today?

Speaker 3 (38:32):
I am doing well. I'm doing well. So, you know,
a lot of big things.

Speaker 2 (38:36):
I don't think anything gets bigger than one point seven
billion dollars, but yeah, a lot of big Let's start
with I'll start with the budget, because that's that's pretty significant.
The mayor, in soundbites that we've heard sound that we've
heard from him talking about the budget is that it's balanced. Now,

(38:57):
this is his interpretation that is balanced and if everyone
does more with less approximately four percent less, this thing
will work out.

Speaker 3 (39:08):
So what was your impression.

Speaker 2 (39:09):
I know you haven't had a chance to read the
entire thing, but what's your initial impression so far?

Speaker 17 (39:15):
So I will say that the balance the budget is balanced.
The revenue equals the expenses, and that's what we always want.
We also recognize that, you know, the federal funding that
we had the luxury of happy at will down gone,
and it really does force us to live within our

(39:35):
means and people are the departments are required to continue
to provide quality services with less four percent decrease the
whole back four percent of their current budget back. Even
the mayor's office did the same thing. So again we
are expecting the department to continue to provide that quality

(39:56):
of service, uh, with with less. And again the budget
is one point seven billion dollars with with with a bee.

Speaker 3 (40:06):
So so does more more doing more with less?

Speaker 2 (40:09):
Does that equal perhaps layoffs and job losses?

Speaker 17 (40:13):
No, No, it really is just force enough to be
to be creative, right and and manage the dollars that
we do have. Right, there's there's not a lot of
cushion if there's never a lot of cushion in the
in government's budget, in our city's budget. But again, there's
really requiring us to pay attention to every penny, to

(40:35):
every every dollar.

Speaker 2 (40:37):
Yeah, services, especially that of the city's sister helps to
provide that.

Speaker 3 (40:43):
That can't be overstated.

Speaker 2 (40:45):
The Police and Fire and public Safety of a duel
was on yesterday and he said that that, uh that
those areas were among the few that got increases in
terms of budgetary line iece.

Speaker 17 (41:00):
So it's not I wouldn't call it a complete increase. Right,
there's contracts that need to be negotiated every year. We
have to do the for a police and fire and
so that that plays into and I'll do air quotes
the increase, and so we have to ensure that we
are paying our officers what's required in those contracts. But again,

(41:25):
public safety is one of the key priorities. For the
twenty twenty six budget stop budget for the gun Violence
Reduction Strategy program like four point five million dollars for
that program. The clinician led Response Team is being fundget
at three million dollars, and that's something that continues to

(41:47):
come up, making sure that we have those individuals out
on the streets along with law enforcement to deal with
those mental health issues. And so that is being fully
funded in a twenty twenty six budget. We're doing a
a new fire station on the north west side of town.
And then also you know the federally, federally there's been

(42:07):
a reduction in uh, the weather broadcasting and all that,
what have you. And so we have invested eight point
five million towards tornado sirens and emergency equipment upgrades. And
so again public safety continues to be a major part
of our city county budget. But again those areas specifically

(42:27):
are being fully funded.

Speaker 2 (42:29):
Yeah, the uh the other and and I guess the
finalizer voted on what another couple of months or you know,
how long does the process take before it's final.

Speaker 17 (42:40):
Yeah, so over the next two months, we'll do a
deep guys into the city county budget hearings actually start
tonight at five point thirty at the in the City
County Building. We encourage and I feel like I.

Speaker 3 (42:53):
Was going to say, it's a public inviding.

Speaker 17 (42:54):
Yeah, yes, the public is definitely invited. And this is
where the where the work happens. I know, felks like
to show up on Monday evenings and that's a that's
a good place to see government at work. But the
real work really does take place in those committee hearings.
And again I encourage the community to either come to
a meeting or turn us on on the indiegup channel

(43:16):
and follow along, because again, these these are your dollars, right,
these this is your hard own money being put to
work into our responsibility. As members of the City County Council.
We serve as a fiscal agent for the city and
the county and we invest your dollars. And so again
I encourage the community to follow along with us and

(43:36):
show up, and if you can't show up, email us,
call Texas and let us know like your thoughts on
the budget.

Speaker 2 (43:43):
Yeah, I want to get to the curfew extension. But
do we have a caller that has a quick question
for you?

Speaker 11 (43:49):
Ron?

Speaker 17 (43:50):
Go ahead, yeah, right, t Lewis this Lewis?

Speaker 6 (43:55):
Do you know who this is?

Speaker 11 (43:57):
Adi question?

Speaker 27 (43:58):
Do you know how many breaks people work in the
Mayor's office?

Speaker 17 (44:03):
I don't, but I can.

Speaker 27 (44:04):
I can.

Speaker 17 (44:06):
I can get that number to miss Tina and get
it back with you. You mean just to the mayor's
officer in the.

Speaker 3 (44:12):
In his administration?

Speaker 2 (44:13):
Yeah, yes, yes, I'm sorry, sorry to you, but go ahead,
I'm sorry.

Speaker 27 (44:23):
Yeah, that craves both.

Speaker 8 (44:27):
I'm sorry.

Speaker 17 (44:28):
What did you say, Messina?

Speaker 3 (44:29):
He said in that case? Both?

Speaker 17 (44:32):
So, yeah, I can get some numbers. Yeah, I'll follow
back up if you.

Speaker 11 (44:40):
Hello, I will be.

Speaker 3 (44:41):
Mister okay, okay, all right? Was that it?

Speaker 6 (44:46):
That?

Speaker 3 (44:47):
Okay, all right, appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (44:50):
Yeah, he would like to know the number of blacks
working in the mayor's office. I guess, per se And
uh the percent I g that's the number of the
percentage in his administration, you know?

Speaker 3 (45:03):
So uh yeah it should be. Uh.

Speaker 2 (45:08):
The the council last night also approved a stricter curfew
policy for minors.

Speaker 16 (45:17):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (45:18):
This this curfew now means earlier start times and potential
finds for parents.

Speaker 3 (45:26):
Uh, what how did that go?

Speaker 4 (45:28):
What?

Speaker 3 (45:28):
What was the vote on that? What was the final
number of vote on that?

Speaker 17 (45:31):
The find? The proposal for the find that heart introduced
will be heard in two weeks and so that was
just his proposal was just introduced by night.

Speaker 25 (45:41):
Uh.

Speaker 17 (45:42):
Chairman proposal address the the existing hours. So previously the
curfew hours for older teams was they could be out
as late as one a m and on on the
weekends and eleven pm during the weekdays, and so Chairman
Robin disroposal made it stricter. And so now for teens

(46:05):
fifteen to seventeen years of Asian new curfew is eleven
pm on Fridays and Saturday Sunday since Thursday, nine pm
and anything before five am. Children under fifteen the curfew
is now nine pm. So again the hours have been reduced,
and so a couple other councilors, I believe it's again

(46:28):
Council heart Is introduced a proposal last night to adjust
some additional fees for parents if their their children break
the curfew off and that would require so as they
say that the Council would support that proposal. The Mayor
of Science get into the law. It will then go

(46:49):
into the hands of the courts. The judges would have
to say, I'm going to find Maggie Lewis Loroy Lewis
one hundred and fifty dollars five for literally or being
out after one pm one am right. But again that
would move from the council to the actual course to

(47:09):
tom and enforce.

Speaker 2 (47:11):
So what what what are the numbers we're talking about
in terms of parental finds in that proposal.

Speaker 17 (47:18):
Often I don't have that. I don't have the proposals.

Speaker 2 (47:23):
Well, let's see a written war Okay, the proposed finds here.
Let me look here, a written warning for the first offense,
five hundred dollars fine for the second and a fifteen
hundred fine for subsequent offenses.

Speaker 3 (47:35):
Is that is that close?

Speaker 17 (47:37):
Yes, ma'am. That's that's that's that's the proposal. So it
won't be it will not be heard this Wednesday, I
believe it's the following day in German others since committee.

Speaker 2 (47:49):
So the the extended curfew, the extended curfew just in general,
the stricter hours.

Speaker 3 (47:57):
What are your thoughts on that?

Speaker 2 (47:58):
I mean, do you you think that that's going to
put to you know, to put a start to putting
a den into some of it.

Speaker 3 (48:02):
I mean, what are your thoughts there?

Speaker 17 (48:05):
You know I'm optimistic, right and again you know I
my my day gig if you will, I serve children
and families, right, And I do think it's an important
one that we pay attention to those hours. But also
like we have to work alongside families. We just can't
find parents and think that that's gonna solve our issue.

(48:25):
It really doesn't acquire all of us playing a role
and ensuring that kids have a safe place to go
in the evenings, that parents will supported, parents still hurt,
and so just right out the gate again I get
a deep divercept proposal. I don't know that I support
finding parents. Again, I think it's important that we hold

(48:45):
parents accountable. But if I'm if I'm a single parent
out hustling, working two and three jobs to ensure that
my family has a roof over their head. My my
kid's been a nupplehead and he hangs out downtown, and
you're gonna find me and my really come alongside the
family to support mom who's doing everything she can take
care of that family. So again I'm interested in the conversation.

(49:08):
I would definitely do a deep dive, but as a
as a youth service provider, I do have some concerns
about that that piece of the piece.

Speaker 2 (49:17):
Is there any provision in the mayor's proposed one point
seven billion dollar budget for twenty twenty six. Is there
anything in that proposal that addresses giving youth. I don't know,
maybe safe places or more things to do, any funding
going in that direction whatsoever.

Speaker 17 (49:38):
Yeah, so there's still funding in the budget. Again, I
don't have the exact number in front of me that
does crime prevention. The city supports crime prevention programs, grassroots organizations,
specifically the Community Development Block grants to ensure again that
work from alongside those not for profits, specifically those grassroots
organizations that are that are out there every evening working

(50:02):
with our young flasks. And so there's there's a budget
between twenty six budget to continue to support those organizations.

Speaker 2 (50:09):
Has the budget that would go toward potholes and street repairs,
sidewalk repairs, has that pretty much remained flat or was
there an increase or decrease there. I haven't looked at
it either. I mean I haven't looked at it, but
I just there.

Speaker 17 (50:25):
Will be an increase. And so the house built fourteen six.
Do you want to believe that the number allows us
the opportunity to do a match rant with the state
at the end or specifically road funding. And so we
have dollars, we have ten million dollars towards that match
in this budget to be able to do some additional

(50:49):
work for our roads of bridges, our sidewalks.

Speaker 2 (50:52):
And finally, collar Joe who has had the issues with
Eagle Creek.

Speaker 3 (50:58):
He he is still uh and oh man, I wrote
it down. I'm trying to remember.

Speaker 2 (51:03):
Uh, but but basically, how much uh, I guess jurisdiction
does the city have over the Eagle Creek the reservoir
in that area?

Speaker 3 (51:12):
Is that separate?

Speaker 4 (51:15):
Yeah?

Speaker 17 (51:15):
So yeah, no, it's it's been supported by Indie Parks.
And so I thought we solved his issue. So if
you want to send me a note offline that remind
me and I can follow. But I feel like I
thought we.

Speaker 2 (51:27):
Saw No, he came up with another one and I
told him that. I mean, I think he was talking
about the way that Eagle Creek is, is I guess policed.

Speaker 3 (51:37):
Or what have you?

Speaker 11 (51:38):
Uh?

Speaker 3 (51:38):
That's uh, what what are the.

Speaker 2 (51:40):
Rangers, the park rangers there, they're out there are those
city employees, Yes they are. Okay, So entire Eagle Creek,
that whole area is under the restriction of the City
of Indianapolis.

Speaker 17 (51:55):
I believe. So if we have parks up there, mm hmm.

Speaker 6 (52:00):
Yeah.

Speaker 17 (52:00):
So again, if you didn't find yeah, I'll.

Speaker 2 (52:03):
Find out and he'll call me back. I'll find out
and I can send that, uh directly to you.

Speaker 28 (52:08):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (52:08):
Finally, I said finally, and I mean this is final. Uh,
the the curfew policy, the stricter curfew policy.

Speaker 3 (52:15):
When does that go into effect? Is that immediate?

Speaker 17 (52:17):
When when Mara Hawk Sat signs it into law? The
passed last night, and so the mirror is required to
sign our proposals into law. So he signs it into law.

Speaker 2 (52:29):
Now is this a temporary guideline or is this permanent
from now on?

Speaker 17 (52:33):
Permanent? And so well, but we'll continue to have the conversation.

Speaker 6 (52:37):
It will be law.

Speaker 2 (52:38):
Is there was there any provision in that uh, in
the proposal that was voted and improved as regarding curfew,
was there any provision for when there are special events downtown?

Speaker 28 (52:49):
Yes?

Speaker 17 (52:50):
And I would I should have had that in front
of me. So yes, when there's specific events downtown, when
there's major events, we can uh. Yeah, I don't know.
I just shually had that part for me. There is
a special provision for when there's events down.

Speaker 2 (53:04):
Now does that mean well, in general, is that stricter
when something's going on downtown?

Speaker 17 (53:08):
Yes, yes, yes, And again I don't have that time
in front of me, but there is a provision for
major events in downtown Indy.

Speaker 2 (53:18):
So well, how are parents going to be notified of
that and know about that?

Speaker 3 (53:23):
Yeah?

Speaker 17 (53:24):
Yeah, So we tried to do like obviously social media,
regular news announcement rights, and so we have a variety
of avenues and we try to get that information out
to the community.

Speaker 2 (53:39):
But there will but this is a general general operating
UH policy regarding curfew Monday through Friday.

Speaker 3 (53:47):
And on weekends.

Speaker 2 (53:48):
However, when there's a special event going on in downtown Indianapolis, Uh,
those guidelines stiffen up even more.

Speaker 3 (53:56):
Is that fair to say? Okay, okay, right.

Speaker 2 (54:00):
Well, well I'll get it as well, and we can
we can share it and I'll I'll talk next time
Joe calls, I'll talk to him and find out and
I will uh, I'll get that to you offline.

Speaker 3 (54:10):
Did we forget? I know, those were the two that
we were interested in. What else? Was there anything else
we missed from the meeting last night.

Speaker 17 (54:17):
It's just two big appointments. And so we do have
a new parks director that was named. Also for all
of our animal lovers. We do now have a new
UH director of the Animal care control service business. So
you may recall there was a lot of UH debate around.

Speaker 3 (54:37):
The last controversy.

Speaker 2 (54:39):
Come on, yeah, folks got heated over the yes. Yes,
So now that has all been taken care of, right.

Speaker 17 (54:49):
Yeah, So we now have two new individual servants in
those in those UH in those roles with him and
and UH. The specifically the in and out with the
mlpere Services director was unanimous, and so we were excited
about that.

Speaker 2 (55:08):
There was no pushback or anything. No, no, okay, well
that's good. That's good.

Speaker 17 (55:15):
So we were excited about individual and the new parts
director as well. And then the last thing I will
add to again, I want to encourage all the listeners
to come and and and and listen to the meetings, participate,
be a part of the process, because again this is
these are your dollars that we're putting to work, and

(55:37):
I just encourage folks to be a part of the conversation,
to speak up, and if you feel like we're going
in the wrong direction, this is your when it comes
to the budget specifically, this is your opportunity to really
let your voices be heard.

Speaker 2 (55:51):
And the best place to get all that work done
is in the committee meetings, per se. Yeah, that's where
all that's where the sleeves are rolled up and the
work is really done in those committee meetings which are
open to the public.

Speaker 17 (56:03):
Correct, and we take public testing me Again, you can
get your counselor, you know, decide to have a conversation again.
I know folks again want to come to the Monday
night meetings, but a lot of time, by the time
we get on the floor on Monday evenings, our minds
are pretty much made up on how we're going to
vote on an issue. So again, if you really want

(56:26):
to have your voices heard and be able to persuade
your counselor one way or another, that really is your opportunity.

Speaker 2 (56:35):
Alrighty counselor Lewis, thank you very much. We really appreciate it,
and we'll be checking in periodically regarding how that budget
thing is going. It's a lot of money, and I'm
going to be happy to share again that nothing happened
the pothole. The pothole pot was not was not diminished
in any way.

Speaker 17 (56:54):
Man, Okay, we still have a lot of work to
do with our city infrastructure, and we know we need
to continue to best again the roads, the sidewalks, the
bridges is so important.

Speaker 3 (57:05):
Indeed, indeed, all right, well, we'll talk with you next time.

Speaker 2 (57:08):
Thank you for coming in, We appreciate it, and we'll
be back with more community connection right after this.

Speaker 1 (57:46):
Are you looking for a source of inspiration and uplifting content,
Log on to praise indie dot com for your all
things positive and empowering in and around Indye. Whether you're
on the go or relaxed to get home, Praise Indy
brings you the latest and gospel music, community news, and
inspirational stories that touch the heart. And don't miss our
Listen Live feature, now available on all mobile devices, stream

(58:09):
the best in gospel music and enlightening talk shows. They
keep you connected to the posts of our community anytime, anywhere,
feel the spirit, share the joy, and be a part
of something truly special. Visit us online today at praise
indeed dot com. That's praiseindie dot com where faith and
community come alive.

Speaker 29 (58:28):
Honey, is the car ready for our road trip to
the family reunion?

Speaker 8 (58:32):
Yup?

Speaker 30 (58:32):
Signed up with Oxcar Care for their extended service plan.
OX will cover our repair bills if anything happens to
the car new breaks a transmission, AC or engine problem.

Speaker 29 (58:42):
What a relief doesn't Oxcarcare include free oil changes, tire rotation,
and roadside assistance.

Speaker 8 (58:48):
Toom we don't.

Speaker 10 (58:49):
Pay, OX pays. OX gets it fixed for us.

Speaker 30 (58:52):
They have a thirty day money back guarantee and there's
a plus rated on the BBB.

Speaker 29 (58:57):
I remember OX handles their claims from start to finish,
unlike those other warranty companies.

Speaker 3 (59:02):
Good call, Honey.

Speaker 29 (59:03):
The last thing we need is an unexpected car repair bill.

Speaker 3 (59:07):
What a relief road trip here we come, drive.

Speaker 10 (59:11):
With absolute peace of mind.

Speaker 13 (59:12):
Called Oxcarcare for your free quolt eight hundred and two
O four zero two five five. Ask about senior and
military discounts. Don't get stuck with a major car repair bill.
Call oxcrcare eight hundred two oh four zero two five five.
Eight hundred two oh four zero two five five oroxcarcare dot.

Speaker 2 (59:27):
Com exciting news ladies.

Speaker 31 (59:31):
Always Discrete Boutique Blatterleak Underwear are available in black and
printed design. Protect yourself with style. These fit and field
just like real underwear, and they give you up to
zero leaks, zero odor design for all shapes and sizes.
They can give you the confidence to be full of yourself.
Don't let bladder leaks hold you back by always Discrete

(59:55):
Boutique blatter Leak Underwear.

Speaker 1 (59:56):
Now wtoc A U two three six c are Indianapolis
discussing the issues that mattered to you and keeping you
informed of what's happening in and around Indeed, it's Community
Connection with Tina Cosby, brought to you by Child Advocates,
a champion for justice, opportunity and well being for children

(01:00:19):
on Praise Am thirteen ten ninety five point one FM.

Speaker 2 (01:00:23):
And we're back with Community Connection, top of the hour,
top of the second hour. Joe, you just missed it.
We were talking about you. Maybe your ears were burning
and no I.

Speaker 27 (01:00:36):
Heard that, and I appreciate you asking that question and
Tina not being disrespectful to Maggie, but she did not
get back with me. I even sent her another email
and I heard nothing back based on my email. But
what I'd asked is that Eagle Creek Park is not

(01:00:56):
run by the city. It's ran by a conservatory of
rich people. Now I'll say that right out, rich people
they run it. They determine what's going to happen in
that park. They determine what money is spent in that park,
what is spent for. And that's why all of the
areas that were public access had been taken away, because

(01:01:19):
they felt it's more important to the kayaks out there,
it's more important to do this to do that. So
that's to keep people coming to the park and using
the park. I say, bs, I say, bs, That's what
I say, because the bottom line is my main concern

(01:01:39):
is this. Why is it that the people south of
fifty sixth Street, when you're going across the bridge, can
be out there in any size engine boat, but north
of fifty sixth Street, if you're on that lake, you
only can have a nine horse engine. And why do

(01:02:02):
they have their own private beach that's not accessible to
the people that's paying for that part.

Speaker 32 (01:02:10):
Okay, all right, that was my question.

Speaker 27 (01:02:14):
I appreciate you asking the asking. Maggot that a question.
But I also will follow up with her and to
you with email.

Speaker 2 (01:02:24):
So you say, south of fifty sixth Street there are restrictions,
but norty.

Speaker 27 (01:02:30):
Sixth Street there's restrictions. You only can have a nine
horse engine on the lake south of fifty sixth Street,
going towards thirty eighth Street. South of fifty sixth Street.
Those people out there in big pontoons, roads, ridge runners,

(01:02:51):
and any other size boat, it's like it's their own
private lake. Okay, okay, but it's still part of Eagle Creek,
still part of the still uh yeah, still in there.

Speaker 2 (01:03:04):
All right, Well, I will send all this to her, Joe,
I promise, I will. And uh did you did get
you know what? Before you get off the phone, can
you give Cameron your email again?

Speaker 3 (01:03:17):
And I will.

Speaker 2 (01:03:18):
I will put that in there in my note to her. Okay,
make sure she has Okay, Well, y'all go ahead and
talk to Cameron. In the meantime, we're going to bring
in uh I mp D Captain Stephen Walters. Captain Walters,
you are the captain assigned to the East District for
the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department, So thank you for being

(01:03:38):
with us.

Speaker 3 (01:03:39):
Captain are you there, I am.

Speaker 6 (01:03:41):
Can you hear me?

Speaker 27 (01:03:41):
Ta?

Speaker 3 (01:03:42):
I certainly can, I certainly can.

Speaker 6 (01:03:44):
How are you you today?

Speaker 30 (01:03:46):
Well?

Speaker 3 (01:03:46):
Bless you?

Speaker 21 (01:03:47):
Well?

Speaker 2 (01:03:47):
Well, my goodness. Think that's awfully nice. I appreciate that.
So not what's going on out there?

Speaker 8 (01:03:53):
Right?

Speaker 6 (01:03:54):
No, I think we're doing just fine over here?

Speaker 3 (01:03:59):
Is h yet? Now let me ask it. I think
I might be correct.

Speaker 2 (01:04:02):
Is that the largest district and the busiest or is
it the busiest and not the It's both.

Speaker 6 (01:04:08):
Yeah, it's the largest, and we have basically right around
fifty five percent of the crime in the city of
Indianapolis on the East District. So it's a very busy
district over here, and we do a lot of good
police work out here to try to curtail that the
best we can sol very large, very busy district.

Speaker 2 (01:04:25):
So I don't know how much of the last conversation
you heard with the councilor Maggie Lewis, but the city,
you know, in response to juvenile crime and juvenile curfew
violations and things of that nature, City County Council has
passed a new policy making it even stricter. How much

(01:04:45):
of curfew violations have been an issue out on the
East district because we're talking about this was a reaction
to what happened downtown, but in the city's all six districts,
I understand that that can be a problem as well.
So what is the East District's position on this new
restrictor curfew.

Speaker 3 (01:05:04):
Will you be doing sweeps? Will you be enforcing it more?

Speaker 27 (01:05:09):
Well?

Speaker 6 (01:05:09):
Actually, I think the best thing to do is Chief Bailey.
His message that we're trying to get out is realistically
trying to get the parents involved. The new curfew that's
going to be taking place, the stricter hours, that's going
to be helpful. Again, we want, as the Chief said,
we want the parents involved in this because the parents
are really something that can curtail kind of life decisions

(01:05:31):
that are made by juveniles. And right now, Tina, we
have a lot of younger kids fourteen to twenty years
old that are making some really bad life decisions. So
it really becomes us as adults to check in on
our kids to make sure we know what they're doing.
The police can't realistically, we can't deal with all the
juvenile issues that are out here. We can't stop it.

(01:05:53):
But the Chief, I think he sent a really good
message about the parents involvement. That's really crucial because we
have to know what's on their social media. We have
to know we have to know excuse me for that,
we have to know what's in their rooms, and they
need to search the rooms to make sure they're make
sure there are no weapons in the house, because we
have a lot of kids out here fourteen fifteen years

(01:06:15):
old that are carrying guns and there's nothing good that
comes from that. So that's one of those things where
the extended curfew or the a little bit more strict curfew,
that's something that will help us, especially downtown in areas
where kids have a tendency to loiter. East District is
not necessarily an area that we go out targeting curfew violations.

(01:06:36):
As Chief Basley said, it's kind of a behavioral issue.
If we are out and we see kids that are
gathering around, lording around, and it's passed those curfew hours,
it gives us the ability to stop them and get
the parents involved and say, hey, come and get your children,
because they're in a situation where nothing good is going
to come after ten o'clock, after nine o'clock, after eleven o'clock,
So to get the parents involved, that I think that's

(01:06:58):
the best thing we can do for that, and their
parents really need some accountability in knowing what their kids
are doing. So I understand some of the issues that
they brought up about the parents that are working two
and three jobs. They can't realistically know where the kids
are if they trust that they're going to be at home,
but some of them sneak out. Kids are kids, They're
always going to do those kinds of things. But the

(01:07:19):
curfew hours. It's not a mandate for us to go
out and stop a bunch of younger individuals in the
city and put them in jail, because that doesn't really
solve the answer or solve the problem. But what it
does gives us the ability to eliminate a potential bad
issue from having by getting getting their parents involved and
come and have them come pick up the kids. So

(01:07:39):
that's kind of where we're going to play with that.

Speaker 3 (01:07:41):
Yeah, well, do you know where are you going to?

Speaker 2 (01:07:44):
Is there a designated area for each district to take
the youngsters that potentially are picked up as a curfew
violation or is it just one collective site and how
will that work? I know I've heard the chief talk
about a safe plays where parents can come and pick
up their kids. Is that going to be one big,

(01:08:04):
I don't know, for lack of a better phrase, one
big clearinghouse, or is it going to be a different
location on each district.

Speaker 6 (01:08:11):
Well, at this point, I don't think there's a designated
area for that. We have a juvenile restoration facility that's
starting to open up, but that's not realistically. I think
if we have something where we have a large group
of kids, we're going to basically if they're past curfew
violation then there's no other criminality involved. We'll keep them
there and just contact their parents as we go, and

(01:08:33):
if we need to relocate them back to roll calls,
that's probably what would happen. That way, we can keep
them in a kind of a safe area where we
can kind of control what they're doing and monitor them
as well, and give the parents at least a general
location where they should know where the roll calls are
at to come pick up their children. So events when
we have downtown, we open up the City County building
that way. We had a staging facility, but that's on

(01:08:57):
special events like that where we had that problem after
the shit shooting downtown, So that's kind of what we
do in special occasions, but as far as districts setting
up actual locations for staging, it would most likely be
the role calls I if there's a significant amount of
kids that we need to deal with.

Speaker 2 (01:09:14):
Yeah, so you have what roughly two hundred officers covering
what fifty two square miles?

Speaker 3 (01:09:20):
Is that about right?

Speaker 6 (01:09:21):
That's you're pretty close yet.

Speaker 2 (01:09:23):
Yeah, and you know, just the East district alone one
hundred and almost one hundred and fifty thousand residents. I
lived in a city that had about one hundred and
one hundred and seventy five thousand residents, So that is
a city in and of itself. What's unique to the
East Side for is it just simply that is more

(01:09:46):
populated than the other districts or is there something more
that is contributing to you were saying the majority of
the crime in the city is taking place on the
east side.

Speaker 6 (01:09:58):
You know, it used to be teenage. It used to
be where we had pockets on the far east side
that was a kind of a hotspot area forty second
post area. Unfortunately, we've had more of the same areas
that kind of have a higher propensity for violent crimes.
And that's kind of filtering throughout the district. But I
will say to you this, we had a rough week

(01:10:20):
last week with aggravated salts non fatal shootings where we
had twenty one last week, But for the actual month
to take that, we're down seventeen percent of non fatal
shootings and through the year we're down thirty one percent.
So the East Side is actually and that stems from
a lot of the hard police work that we're doing,
the arrest that we're making to try to curtail some

(01:10:40):
of that continual violent activities. We all know that there's
issues with our juvenile with our criminal defense system where
we have a lot of individuals who get released and
then their reoffenders, if you will. But from the police
side of it, we try to work with the prosecutor's
office the best we can, try to facilitate relationship in

(01:11:01):
trying to make sure that we really target the really
bad elements out here that's causing a lot of the
problems and then forcing on an east side. We have
a few more pockets than we used to back in
the nineties and two thousands, so it's a it's a
broad spectrum and I don't think anywhere in mari County,
you escape that kind of issue. But I don't think

(01:11:23):
that there's one specific tangent that you would put on
on the East District that makes us have a hyperpensity
in the crime area so well.

Speaker 2 (01:11:32):
I mean, I've heard that lack of economic opportunity, you know, food,
deserts and things of that nature haven't helped. I'm not
saying that they're being pointed at as direct contributors, but
some of those things we understand haven't helped. The other
thing that we hear time and time again, not only

(01:11:52):
from officials, so to speak, but from young people we've
talked to them, social media and easy access to guns,
which I lay the blame completely at the feet of
the Indiana State Legislature because despite all kinds of opposition
from law enforcement throughout the state of Indiana not to

(01:12:12):
pass permitless carry, they did it anyway. And I talked
to the prosecutor of Marion County, Ryan Ryan Mears, and
he says he can draw a direct line from the
passing of that law, that piece of law, the legislature
passing and the governor's signing it into law, and to
the the gun the gun violence, especially accidental shootings involving children,

(01:12:38):
which he said just skyrocketed because more people have guns.
They're not proficient with guns, they're they're they're careless, leaving
them around and things of that nature. So I don't
know if in your police work you're seeing those things
as well. But the kids a lot are pointing to
to social media, which were these beeves kind of grew,

(01:13:01):
you know, I guess, get going and then they take
it to the streets and then we go from there.
How much of this I guess I want to say,
the social media, what are your thoughts on that?

Speaker 6 (01:13:13):
Well, I could say, specifically, you're one hundred percent right.
We have so many of these juveniles fourteen to twenty
years old that a lot of these incidents they get
they start with social media. And in fact, I can
tell you specifically we just had one that was last
week that we actually got ahead of once we found
out there was supposed to be a gathering, a large

(01:13:35):
fight or a fight was supposed to take place with
these individuals, and we went proactively and we got a
whold of them. We contacted them and said, hey, this
is what we see is happening on social media. Nothing
good is going to come from this and we kind
of curtailed that it meant from happening, but from a
lot of the shootings that we get and talking to
a lot of the aggravated, the salt detectives, homicide detectives,

(01:13:57):
some of these shootings a larger percent than act you
should be in our city. They come from these kind
of little beasts that you call it. They start on
social media and next thing you know, they parlay into
a gathering and then a shooting takes place. Because that
is it's like, that's almost the first thing when there's
bad words exchange on social media. Then you're drive by

(01:14:17):
shootings they occur, and then your individuals when they get together,
there's no more there's no more altercations that they just
fight and break away. Back in the older days, but
it seems to me from what we see the rise
in the willingness to shoot somebody because a you have
access to the weapons. Again, that goes back to where
the parents really tiny of if your listeners are listening,

(01:14:40):
that is such a big thing because if the gun
is in the house, in the juveniles room, there's nothing
good that's going to come out from that when it
leaves the house. That's one of those things where parents
really need to get involved. Check their rooms, making sure
they don't have a gun, and if they do have
a gun, ask them why, and then try to make
sure they contact the police to get rid of the guns. Uh,

(01:15:01):
in a in a legal way and the most and
the most responsible method. But you're right, social media is
a is a driving force. A lot of things are said,
a lot of people rally on there, and then additional
comments are made and that just adds fuel the fire.
And then you get people on their egos uh and
next thing, you know, when when you're fighting for your ego, uh,
the willingness to shoot somebody is unfortunately an option for

(01:15:24):
people that they take and it's sometimes the first option.
So it's definitely a problem.

Speaker 2 (01:15:28):
It seems like there's an interesting dynamic shaping up because
when you and you mentioned it too, nationally and locally statewide,
crime is down, crime is down. But that's that's faint information,
you know, faint praise, but that that's that information rings

(01:15:50):
hollow for people who are who are out there experience
still experiencing uh crime, still experiencing uh, you know, gun violence,
losing you know, folks that are just youngsters way too
young to gun violence and the city. I mean, you know,
I've seen I will say this, I've seen Chief Bailey

(01:16:12):
on a number of panels trying to gather as much
information as he can. Uh And a number of panels
have been put together. Some of them are all young people,
some of them are community you know, it's just all
the way around. And I would say he's been involved
in each and every one of them.

Speaker 3 (01:16:28):
But when you know, to.

Speaker 2 (01:16:31):
Tell the community, I mean that that I guess that
is some assurance to folks that hey, this isn't as
bad as it was, but we still got a lot
of work to do.

Speaker 3 (01:16:40):
How do you how do you balance that?

Speaker 2 (01:16:41):
Because that's I mean, you know, we when you see
it and then you hear like you say, just just
the other day, as a as a police officer, as
as an organization, how do you how do you handle that?

Speaker 6 (01:16:56):
Well, you know, as a city and as a department.
Obviously we can't handle we can't address all the issues
in the social issue that we have to deal with.
But what I can tell you from police officer has
been on this department for twenty nine years, the amount
of resources and the amount of focus that we provide
to families and parents that are involved in situations. Our

(01:17:20):
Office of Public Health and Safety, they do a phenomenal
job of trying to reach out to individuals who have
been involved with these criminal activities or a victim of
a shooting or something of that nature, where we're actually
offering resources to the individuals from the police department and
from the city. And I think that's a great tool
for us. It doesn't necessarily address what people see. I

(01:17:41):
think you would agree. The amount of news availability about
all the things that happen is so much such a
larger dynamic nowadays, So they have so much that they
see over and over and over again. They have so
many apps that they can see what kind of criminal
activity is happening pretty much the end life form. So

(01:18:01):
for us, we see the actual we see the crimes
that are occurring. And I know an issue that we
deal with is the shortage of manpower.

Speaker 2 (01:18:11):
I was just about to ask, Yeah, are you understaff there?

Speaker 6 (01:18:14):
Oh? Absolutely, And I think that's that nationwide and that's
something that I can just add a positive to that.
This last hiring process, we had approximately eight hundred people
that actually signed up for the testing part and over
the weekend. They had to use additional rooms, expansion rooms
to get everybody tested to positive. And if we get

(01:18:37):
more people willing to get into our recruitment, that's a
big focus right now with our department because of the
manpower shortage. The more cops we have, the better and
the safer our city is just because of the visibility
and the ability to go out and be proactive in
kind of stemming crimes from occurring with our visibility in
our presence, that's going to be very helpful for us.

(01:18:59):
So that's just one of those issues. We see the
crimes happening, we address the crimes as they go, and
we work significantly to try to prevent them with our
OPHS system and the fact that we deal with these
kind of issues on the front end of it as
opposed to trying to get on the back end of it.
But it's very tasking for us because we see our

(01:19:20):
city when we get into these high crime rates or
we have these high crime incidents. It's difficult for officers
to see this because it gives that feeling like there's
a lot of work to be done and we're still
we're doing a lot of work out here, especially on
the east Side. Amount of work out.

Speaker 3 (01:19:35):
Here, Yeah, east Side is huge. It's massive, it's huge.

Speaker 2 (01:19:38):
So would it be an overstatement to say you could
use one hundred more officers?

Speaker 6 (01:19:44):
We're not like three hundred for our department, So yes, absolutely,
and I'm three.

Speaker 3 (01:19:49):
Hundred for the department the east Side. How many more
could you use?

Speaker 6 (01:19:52):
You think, oh, well, I could use all three hundred
of the I don't think the other district get that happen, right, No, okay, situation,
we could use another fifty officers out here easily, just
because we go through a lot of overtime, because we
have training, we have markofs, we have injured officers, and
not to make sure we have vacations because it's very

(01:20:13):
important to get your guys away from here so they
can get that mental relief and release from out here
working these long hours and these hard hours. So yeah,
we could use easy fifty to one hundred just on
the east Side, and that would be very helpful. And
I'm encouraged by our numbers that we had through this recruiting,
this last event, with the recruiting process.

Speaker 2 (01:20:34):
So yeah, with eight hundred, you say, eight hundred people
that were applying.

Speaker 6 (01:20:39):
For the testing part testing, part of the testing part.

Speaker 24 (01:20:42):
What is it?

Speaker 3 (01:20:42):
What does that testing consist of? Is there like?

Speaker 2 (01:20:47):
And the biggest thing is the mental You know, people
always want to hear that. There's I am trying to
think of how you can put it. You know, are
they mentally fit to be on the streets? I guess
is that part of the testing as well or does
that come later?

Speaker 6 (01:21:04):
That comes later, Yeah, that'd be part of the psychological evaluation.
Psychological evaluation, the written task or interviews or the physical
agility and the background investigations. Then that goes in. That's
one of the final portions to make sure that they're
psychologically there's no issues that we want people on the
street that are mentally fit to be able to come

(01:21:25):
out here and do this job.

Speaker 2 (01:21:26):
Our guest is IMPD Captain Stephen Walters. He is on
the East District, the city's largest, most populated and probably
well not probably, as you just said, the most runs,
the most police runs of all the districts in the
city of Indianapolis. Captain, we have a question from mister Russell.

(01:21:48):
Mister Russell, go ahead, how are you?

Speaker 11 (01:21:51):
Yes, I heard a question of in your time on
the porch and you knowed any improvement in terms of
some of the I'd say maybe auxiliary programs such as
the youth programs uh in terms of bunits that you

(01:22:13):
can directly point to as being huh success why. And
then the other thing was with the the type of
work that that modern day police are asked to take
care of, it possible to maybe recruit in those specific

(01:22:40):
areas such as the health situation.

Speaker 6 (01:22:44):
Uh.

Speaker 11 (01:22:45):
You know, I know that in modern day there are
things like overdoses, things like the unhoused situations maybe uh
to uh those of positions when they might not be

(01:23:05):
so much like on the street and those types of
positions to maybe free those.

Speaker 8 (01:23:13):
That might go.

Speaker 11 (01:23:14):
Understand what I'm saying.

Speaker 6 (01:23:16):
I do I do, mister Russell, what I would say
in the first part from my time on here, our
community Engagement unit, they are very involved with trying to
come up with the different programs for kids, basketball, football,
baseball after school hours. So the actual resources that we
put into that, and we also have civilians that work
in that area as well. That kind of it doesn't

(01:23:38):
necessarily require a police officer to do that. However, what
I can say in knowing a lot of individuals that
work out there. Sergeant Burger is one of them. He
was a big proponent when people engage with the police
when they're younger, that is a very valuable interaction with
the police officers because they realize that all police officers

(01:23:59):
are out out there just to arrest everybody. We're actually
there because we care. So the engagement that young kids
have with kids they go through with our community engagement
is a positive interaction and a long term investment in
dealing with that. While we have police officers there so well,
I can say to answer your answer or answer your question,

(01:24:20):
there's a significant about more opportunities in our community engagement
unit that deals with the public. Can we do more? Absolutely?
Do we have the resources? Not yet, but that's something
that I can say. Over time, we see a lot
of focus on trying to prevent and get engaged with
the youth out here so we can kind of steer
them in the right direction as they go through life

(01:24:43):
and give them options to be able to interact with us.
Regarding the work specific types, we do have a lot
of civilians that work the homeless are o PHS units.
We have a lot of civilians that work in that
as well, and they are engaged in dealing with some
of the individuals that we deal with, but not necessarily

(01:25:04):
putting them in a dangerous position. A lot of the
unhoused individuals we deal with, we have a unit specifically
for that and they're very busy right now. But we
do work with civilians. We interact with civilians, and that's
why our department is such a positive because we have
civilians that work. We have the relations that we build
with the civilians on the outside and the public industry,

(01:25:27):
the public businesses that get involved these things. So to
be able to hire specific individuals to go out and
take care of police matters, that would be a non
starter just because it is such a it can be
a volatile profession and you need to make sure you
have the right people working who are trained specifically to
be able to handle police issues and criminality. But we

(01:25:48):
do have civilians that our PSOs, our wagon drivers are acts, investigators,
things of that nature. So we do handle some of
those issues with the civilian world to try to help
maximum as are our numbers. But yet uh make sure
that we do the right thing as far as put
them in the right spot and not put them arms away,
if that makes sense.

Speaker 11 (01:26:06):
To here, and you know several several incidents lately on
the news you have people impersonating police officers, which is
very dangerous.

Speaker 27 (01:26:20):
Uh.

Speaker 11 (01:26:22):
You know, Uh, particularly I guess with with the female population.
I mean, they try to take advantage of that.

Speaker 30 (01:26:31):
Kind of thing.

Speaker 28 (01:26:33):
Uh.

Speaker 11 (01:26:34):
There is a u a spirit should think of people
wanted to do police work, but not necessarily want to
do the official police work. So uh, it just seems
to me that you can marry that.

Speaker 3 (01:26:57):
With now you're breaking up, mister Russell.

Speaker 11 (01:26:59):
If you get married that interest with with with actually
having people who apply for police work, it would be
a great thing, I would think. The other thing question
I have would be around the country, you have several
instances of like National Guard people being called in to

(01:27:24):
help the polief. Do you think we're in a situation
where that would be necessary.

Speaker 6 (01:27:31):
The answer to that question is no, let's go ahead
and take care of that. The other question you have
regarding police impersonators, that's something that we do not have
a lot of in the city of Indianapolis because if
we do, those notifications go out citywide and we are
on that immediately, Because that puts everybody danger, whether you're

(01:27:51):
male or female. And I would encourage all your listeners
if there's any time a vehicle that doesn't look like
it's a police vehicle, to put your fly on, drive
to a public gas station, a store, or something and
call N one one say I'm not sure this is
a police officer making the traffic stop. Give your location,
pull over, listen to what they say in our communications operators.

(01:28:14):
They will find out if there's somebody making a traffic
stop and they will help talk through. And if it's not,
keep your flashers on, keep driving until we get officers
to your location. So that's one of those things I
want to put there by their mind to rest that
we don't have a lot of that, because as soon
as that happens, we are on that very quickly, and
we will make the outright arrest for that because that

(01:28:36):
is such a dangerous thing and we don't want any
anybody being victimized by somebody who's portraying himself as police officers.

Speaker 2 (01:28:43):
Indeed, all right, well, thank you, mister Russell. Have another
question for IMPD Captain Stephen Walters.

Speaker 3 (01:28:51):
He's here with us today. Go ahead, Pat, how are
you hi?

Speaker 28 (01:28:55):
I guess he asked my question, but the same thing is,
you don't have the flea.

Speaker 17 (01:29:00):
South for for officer.

Speaker 28 (01:29:01):
For us out here, you got high time, you got
people getting killed. That's the same thing happening in Washington,
d C. When Trump took off with the police forts
and that made the Federals. So now they got an
answer to the Federals high up. So I was concerned
about that too, And uh, you don't think any.

Speaker 6 (01:29:19):
Of them is going to be on that radar, No, No,
I do not know. We are. Our police department is
a highly regulated with our policies and procedures and the
fact that we have General Orders Board, we have community
involvement with that, we have use the forest boards where
the community is involved in what we do in the oversight.
So there's no there's no uh, just complete on flought

(01:29:42):
of violent crimes like Washington's having right now. So the
city of Innianapolis they never reached that, uh right too,
that they never reached out. But there's there's no concern
for that whatsoever because of the involvement we have with
our community and our organizations here and the fact that
we are one of the highly respect the departments in
the country. So that's just not something that would be

(01:30:03):
an issue that we'd have to deal with.

Speaker 3 (01:30:05):
Okay, thank you all right, and thank you Pat.

Speaker 2 (01:30:10):
And for those who I've been getting several text messages, Captain,
this has nothing to do with our conversation. But for
some reason, uh, there's some technical issues where the show
isn't streaming. So Cameron, I didn't I don't know if
you didn't if you knew about that or didn't know
about that either, but just sent Yeah, yeah, I just
got it, says Praise Indie. Uh still stream unt available,

(01:30:33):
Try again later.

Speaker 8 (01:30:34):
So also, that's while.

Speaker 7 (01:30:35):
I'm want to air, I'll let people know the podcast
will be up again soon. We have some technical difficulties
in the production section, so it's as you call them, technical.

Speaker 32 (01:30:43):
Grimlins running around the studio this week.

Speaker 7 (01:30:45):
Yeah, hopefully we had those podcasts back up later on
this week, so you apologies to those that like to
listen to the playbacks.

Speaker 2 (01:30:53):
So and we do apologize sincerely because we want everybody
to be able to tune in as they wish.

Speaker 16 (01:30:58):
Uh.

Speaker 2 (01:30:59):
So, Captain Walters, anything that you want to share with
us before we have to let you go that's taking
place on the East Side, or that the community needs
to know about on the east side and within your district.

Speaker 6 (01:31:11):
Yeah, you know. The actually last weekend we had the
peace walk for the Anti gun Vile Youth gun violence.
That was a very good thing. We had over two
hundred half individuals of all there. We have back to
school tailgate on the east side eighteen nine oh two
East thirty eighth Street where we have David Bell who
is a graduate from Warren Central Improved. He's with the

(01:31:32):
Cleveland Browns, a wide receiver. He's doing a back to
school tailgate issue on the sixteenth from eleven am to
two pm. Back to school resources, music, dancing backpacks, things
like that that they're creating and giving school resources. And
we also have coffee with the cop August twenty seventh,
that is at twenty forty five North Shalen and that's

(01:31:53):
really a really good time for people that had the
ability to come out. The command staff there there, we come.

Speaker 33 (01:32:00):
Out and we just have a couple of calls with
people to them find out what kind of issues they
may be having in their neighborhoods. And that's kind of
how we continue to build those relationships. As you saw
last week with National Night Out, we.

Speaker 6 (01:32:13):
Had over one hundred plus visits in different organizations and communities,
so those relationships keep getting built from us. And that's
what we strive to do, is build those relationships with
the community because that's realistically why we're here to protect
the community and work with themselves. Yeah, and we got
coming up here on the east Side.

Speaker 2 (01:32:29):
You say, in your twenty nine years in talking with
the community, is there one thing that you consistently hear
from the community when they do have an opportunity to
get your ear or the ears of other police officers.

Speaker 3 (01:32:40):
What is it that you're hearing.

Speaker 6 (01:32:42):
The biggest thing is quality of life issues, whether it
be trash, whether it to be debris. Obviously the high
crime area that's another issue, but a lot of issues
we hear. They're all the same types of quality of
life issues. No street lights, those things that really impact them,
high traffic areas, the potholes, those are things we talked
about and we pass that information along to the Maris
Action Center as well. But we when we deal with

(01:33:06):
individuals who have the significant problems in the criminal world,
that's something that may be a trouble house in the neighborhood.
We take that information, we do it anonymously and then
we get that to our investigative units and let them
start working on it. Because ultimately, nobody wants to live
in a neighborhood where they are afraid to go out
after dark or they know that there's a particular house

(01:33:28):
that's causing a lot of trouble, and that's where it
comes to us to take that information and try to
help resolve those quality of life issues for them. So
that's what we hear, and that's what we encourage that.
That's why we try to build these relationships with them
and have coffee with them while we're talking. We get
a lot accomplished that the way.

Speaker 2 (01:33:44):
So so what what is the number to the East District?
Is there a community number that folks can call if
they have concenter numbers?

Speaker 6 (01:33:52):
Yeah? Three one seven three two seven six two zero zero.

Speaker 17 (01:33:56):
Uh.

Speaker 6 (01:33:56):
And we get a lot of crimes operatives too, three
six two tips. We get that. We take all that
information that gets disseiminated to us.

Speaker 2 (01:34:04):
So uh, inside that we have I was gonna say, websites, Yeah,
go ahead, go ahead and call.

Speaker 6 (01:34:10):
Our social medias that are out there for East District.
And there's always the way and the worst case scenari
if you need something, you can always stop and officers say, hey,
could you have somebody contact me, because that's what we do.
We work for the community.

Speaker 2 (01:34:24):
Indeed, all right, well, thank you very much, Captain Walters.
I appreciate you. You coming on with us. And that
number again to the East District offices is three one
seven three two seven six two or anywhere on social
is it was it? IMPD East District? Is that the
is that the name?

Speaker 3 (01:34:42):
Yeah? On social and you keep those updated pretty well, right.

Speaker 6 (01:34:46):
Yes, we do. Yeah, that's how we communicate, all right.
See our unit, they do a great job of keeping
in touch with their neighborhoods. So phenomenal group.

Speaker 3 (01:34:55):
All right, thank you, captain. I appreciate it. We'll talk
to you again.

Speaker 6 (01:34:58):
So okay, thank you so much. I appreciate you.

Speaker 2 (01:35:01):
Thank you, indeed you too, and we'll be back with well,
before I say we'll be back if you I guess
I'm saying it because if you can't get us and
it's not streaming, but there are some streaming issues with
select areas I guess here in the city because some
of you are getting through, some of you are not.
But just want to let you know it's a technical

(01:35:22):
glitch and they are working on it as we speak,
and to get that back up as soon as possible.
We're gonna take quick break right here. Oh and yep, yep,
we already gave that away.

Speaker 3 (01:35:32):
I'm sorry. We'll do that again tomorrow. We'll be right
back with more community connection right after this.

Speaker 1 (01:35:47):
Alexa play Praise Indy. Yes, it's that easy. Discover the
power of Praise AM thirteen, ten ninety five point one
FM on your Alexa enables smart speaker. Just say Alexa,
play Praise Indy, and you're instantly connected to the best
in gospel music. Let the soulful sounds uplift your spirit,

(01:36:07):
energize your day, and fill your home with joy.

Speaker 10 (01:36:10):
But that's not all.

Speaker 1 (01:36:12):
Stay tuned for meaningful community discussions and inspiring messages that
enlighten and empower whether you're cooking dinner, working from home,
or simply relaxing. Praise AM thirteen ten ninety five point
one FM is your go to source for music that
moves you and words that inspire. Remember, just say Alexa,
play Praise Indy and feel the music and inspiration of

(01:36:36):
Praise AM thirteen, ten ninety five point one FM. Indy's
inspiration station. Here at Urban one.

Speaker 25 (01:36:43):
We pride ourselves on supporting local and national black owned
businesses throughout all of our radio markets. Since we began
our by Black campaign, we like to spotlight some familiar
and unfamiliar businesses in our communities, from arts and crafts, restaurants,
clothing and apparel, heating technology, electrical. One thing is true,
Black folks have a business for everything you need, want
or could imagine. So let's show some love to all

(01:37:04):
local and national black owned businesses, because when you spend
money with the black owned business, you are helping your
community as well as helping yourself.

Speaker 10 (01:37:11):
The businesses for this week are.

Speaker 26 (01:37:12):
African American Women of Indiana provide fellowship in a safe
place of empowerment for African American women living in Indiana.
Find out more information at aaw of Indiana dot com.
Transform your health and wellness with Dominique's Best discovering natural skincare,
inspiring health coaching, and wellness products to nourish your body
and soul. Visit Dominique's Best dot com. Cross Ultra Lounge

(01:37:34):
always has something fun going down. Enjoy good drinks and
good food at Cross Ultra Lounge at twenty five thirty
nine Meridian Street in Indianapolis.

Speaker 34 (01:37:42):
Join us at Esconazi Health Center, Thomas and our lead
Grandee Campus Saturday, August sixteenth, beginning at ten am for
community healthfare. Enjoy free information on health services, giveaways and more.

Speaker 35 (01:37:53):
Welcome to him and as mister Discount where quality meets affordability.

Speaker 10 (01:37:57):
Hey, it's my first time here at first time. Hey everybody,
first timer? Yeah, first timers, Timer.

Speaker 35 (01:38:04):
To men as mister Discount has flooring appliances, outdoor equipment, furniture.

Speaker 25 (01:38:08):
And if you think quality costs an arm and a leg,
you're about to be proven wrong.

Speaker 6 (01:38:13):
Hey, first timer. There are three locations in Indianapolis, one
on the east side at English Avenue and inside Ela
Fortazo on the west.

Speaker 19 (01:38:20):
Side, and the brand new location at the intersection of
Harrison and Colescott in Shelbyville.

Speaker 35 (01:38:25):
And new specials are always rolling out. It's like a
surprise party for your wallet. And if installation sounds daunting,
don't sweat it, you, Menez.

Speaker 10 (01:38:32):
Mister Discount has the textpert.

Speaker 35 (01:38:34):
Team that can handle it faster than you can say,
where's my hammer?

Speaker 10 (01:38:37):
Speaking of which, what I let the hammers in? Just
starting a project?

Speaker 35 (01:38:41):
They're right over there. Brendle take Caerry in just a
sec We're almost done. Go to him and azmisterdiscount dot com,
or just pop into one of the locations for quality
without the budget Hango to men as mister discount.

Speaker 12 (01:38:53):
In January twenty twenty five, the Eaton fire devastated Alta, Dina, California.

Speaker 9 (01:38:59):
There are just a of course all Just Christie burned
Up the Senior Center.

Speaker 12 (01:39:05):
CAW Altadena After the Fire is an Urban one podcast
dedicated to chronicling this community's journey towards recovery. We are
also supporting the Brotherhood Crusades Wildfire Relief Fund. To contribute
and make a difference, please visit Brotherhood Crusade dot org.
Altadena After the Fire is available wherever you get your podcasts.

Speaker 19 (01:39:28):
There are thousands of hurting children in Indiana. They are
in the child welfare system due to abuse or neglected home.
They struggle in school due to life trauma or challenges,
and they face mental health issues.

Speaker 3 (01:39:39):
At Child Advocates, we.

Speaker 19 (01:39:41):
Serve foster children, We help children succeed in school, and
we host workshops to create collaborative workplaces and caring communities
and to nurture a sense of belonging for all children
and youth. We seek justice, access to opportunity, and well
being for children. Learn more at Child Advocates dot net.

Speaker 10 (01:39:58):
We please dot co to help real quick. We went
dot com straight up legit. Deary is six to have
a he don't quit wewin dot com. Just click to
get help.

Speaker 20 (01:40:09):
Quit at wewin dot com.

Speaker 8 (01:40:14):
The year was nineteen seventy five.

Speaker 36 (01:40:16):
A red Chevrolet Chevelle made its way to Indianapolis and
the driver of that car change the city forever.

Speaker 6 (01:40:23):
On the Wednesday addition of Afternoons with Amus City County
Council Press, James Brown changed Indianapolis through his advocacy and activism.

Speaker 10 (01:40:29):
The AMOS C.

Speaker 36 (01:40:30):
Brown the Third Scholarship aims to continue Amos's work with
your help. Your donation will make a difference in shaping
the next generation of community advocates and activists. Learn more
and donate by visiting amosc Brown dot com.

Speaker 37 (01:40:43):
If you owe the IRS, here's a question. Would you
rather deal with irs, leans, wage garnishments, and assets seizures
on your own while interest on your unpaid taxes compounds daily,
or have an experienced team of tax professionals helping you
put an end to that if you want option too,
the experts at Optima Tax Relief are here ready to
help you. Their tax attorneys and licensed professionals step in

(01:41:03):
front of the IRS on your behalf, fighting to put
your tax debts to rest. Specializing in taxpayer assistance programs
offered by the IRS. Their award winning team has resolved
over a billion dollars in tax debts for their clients.
So would you rather keep fighting the IRS on your
own or have Optima buyer side helping you. If taxes
are the problem, let Optima help you with the answers.

(01:41:25):
Call now for a free consultation Call eight hundred five
six nine forty four thirty five. Eight hundred five six
nine forty four thirty five eight hundred five six nine
forty four thirty five Optima Tax Relating Some restrictions apply.
For complete details, please visit Optima tax Relief dot com.

Speaker 34 (01:41:42):
Listen to the Saint John Baptist Church broadcast Sunday morning
at nine am on Praise Indy AM thirteen ten and
ninety five point one FM, where Reverend Ri Robinson is
the pastor.

Speaker 22 (01:41:54):
Lenny went to college and racked up huge.

Speaker 6 (01:41:56):
Debt a little bit over one undred thousand dollars.

Speaker 22 (01:41:58):
For a degree he couldn't use. Now what. I had
a friend that went to my computer career. They even
helped him get hired immediately after graduation.

Speaker 14 (01:42:05):
One of the things I love about ideas that you
can work from anywhere you want.

Speaker 38 (01:42:08):
You could become an IT pro in just months, including
cybersecurity and the basics of AI with zero experience at
my computer career, dot Edu, my computer career an elite
come te a certification partner.

Speaker 27 (01:42:20):
It worked for me, and I know it can work
for you.

Speaker 22 (01:42:22):
This is one student's experience, individual results.

Speaker 29 (01:42:23):
Farry Honey, is the car ready for our road trip
to the family reunion?

Speaker 30 (01:42:27):
Yup signed up with Oxcar Care for their extended service plan.

Speaker 10 (01:42:31):
Ox will cover our repair bills if.

Speaker 30 (01:42:32):
Anything happens to the car new breaks a transmission, AC
or engine problem.

Speaker 3 (01:42:37):
What a relief.

Speaker 29 (01:42:38):
Doesn't Oxcarcare include free oil changes, tire rotation, and roadside
assistance too.

Speaker 10 (01:42:44):
We don't pay, OX pays. OX gets it fixed for us.

Speaker 30 (01:42:48):
They have a thirty day money back guarantee and as
a plus rated on the BBB.

Speaker 29 (01:42:53):
I remember Ox handles their claims from start to finish,
unlike those other warranty companies.

Speaker 3 (01:42:58):
Good call, honey.

Speaker 29 (01:42:59):
The last thing we need is an unexpected car repair bill.

Speaker 3 (01:43:03):
What a relief road trip here we come.

Speaker 10 (01:43:06):
Drive with absolute peace of mind.

Speaker 13 (01:43:08):
Called oxcarcare for your free quol eight hundred two oh
four zero two five five. Ask about senior and military discounts.
Don't get stuck with a major car repair bill. Call
oxcrcare eight hundred two oh four zero two five five
eight hundred two oh four zero two five five or
oxcarcare dot com.

Speaker 1 (01:43:24):
Let's get back to the conversation. It's Community Connection with
Tina Cosby, brought to you by Child Advocates, a champion
for justice, opportunity and well being for children on phrase
Am thirteen ten ninety five point one FM.

Speaker 2 (01:43:40):
And we're back with Community Connection. And we were talking
about a lot of things today and especially those painful
cuts to what services that are absolutely vital to so
many people that are already taking place those cuts.

Speaker 3 (01:43:58):
It's a lot, it's a whole lot.

Speaker 2 (01:43:59):
And you know, as more time passes on, I think
we're going to hear more and more cases that we
just talked about at the top of the show. But anyway,
the NAACP, the nation's oldest civil rights organization. They are
kicking off a series of town halls starting today today.

Speaker 3 (01:44:19):
That's why I.

Speaker 2 (01:44:20):
Wanted to get it out there to you today. This
is the national. This is the national. We'll find out
more about the local as soon as I can get
someone from the local on. I made a couple of
calls and messages today, but they weren't able to spring free.
But anyway, this is the national branch, the national organization
starting these town halls in an effort to mobilize black

(01:44:43):
voters around the country more than a year ahead of
the twenty twenty six midterms. Here's how it was first
reported on CBS News.

Speaker 3 (01:44:53):
Let's take a listen.

Speaker 15 (01:44:55):
Exclusive We've learned that America's oldest civil rights organization is
kicking off a series of town halls this week to
mobilize black voters ahead of next year's midterm elections. The
NAACP said they plan to focus on the Trump administration's
rollback of diversity, Equity and Inclusion or DII policies, as
well as their cuts to medicaid and food assistance programs,

(01:45:17):
in addition to others. The organization's president, Derek Johnson told
CBS News that this was a quote urgent moment. CBS
News congressional correspond Nicole Killian joins us now and Nicole,
very good.

Speaker 3 (01:45:29):
To see you. Let's talk about this.

Speaker 15 (01:45:31):
Where is the NAACP looking to focus its attention when
it comes to mobilizing the vote next year.

Speaker 14 (01:45:38):
Yeah, well, keep in mind, we're kind of in this
season of town halls, right with Congress being in recess,
so we know lawmakers are holding town halls. But now
the NAACP says it too, will be conducting a series
of nationwide town halls beginning Tuesday in New Jersey. And
this is taking place more than a year ahead of
the midterms, the NAACP says, because they really want to

(01:46:01):
launch this all out, unprecedented effort to mobilize black voters.
Of course, the NAACP was very instrumental in mobilizing black
voters during the presidential election, investing some twenty million dollars
in the effort to mobilize more than fourteen million voters
but of color. But they really want to go beyond

(01:46:21):
that if they can, and certainly try to maintain that momentum.
So a lot of these town halls will be focused
on the Trump administration policies with respect to the Big
Beautiful Bill that recently passed and its impact on communities
of color, also the Trump administration's recent rollbacks of diversity,

(01:46:42):
equity and inclusion initiatives, as well as some of the
recent immigration rates that we have seen in cities around
the country. The president of the NAACP says that this
is an urgent moment and so, you know, they believe
strongly that some of these policies are negatively impacting, particularly

(01:47:02):
African American communities. So they want to get the word
out in terms of a response, but they also want
to try to get voters to the polls well in
advance by trying to recruit more volunteers, recruiting more voters,
you know, going door to door, really engaging people on
the grassroots level. So that is the purpose of these

(01:47:24):
town halls, which will be taking place over the next
several weeks.

Speaker 15 (01:47:28):
Nicole, as we were reporting state lawmakers in Texas were unable.

Speaker 2 (01:47:31):
And so that was what kicked off today. You probably
didn't hear it, but in some other sound he in a.
ACP president Derek Johnson told CBS it may still seem
far away, but the twenty twenty six minute term elections
will determine whether our democracy still holds on or whether

(01:47:53):
the people surrender their power to a king. He went
on to say, so from our perspective as the NAACP,
it's clear we've got to start organizing early. And I
share these breaking developments with you because if you think
that what we've been talking about on the national stage

(01:48:15):
isn't going to impact you locally, might want to think again,
as almost everything will.

Speaker 3 (01:48:21):
That's how widespread things are.

Speaker 2 (01:48:25):
So there's that and we certainly will keep you updated
on that, and hats off to the NAACP for doing
that and organizing and planning a sustained, a sustained campaign
which will take us all the way up to the
twenty twenty six elections. If we get to vote, it's
not an exaggeration. We got to hope that we even

(01:48:46):
get a chance to vote because they're trying to take
it away from us. So again, more to come on
that as things develop. So Cameron, the Indiana fever one
of our conversations we like to have periodic. They're back
in town and back in action tonight, UH playing Dallas

(01:49:06):
for what the eightieth time, somebody in the hallways said,
haven't they played Dallas like a thousand times already?

Speaker 32 (01:49:11):
Want they want that Kaylyn Clark and the Page you
know matchup.

Speaker 3 (01:49:15):
Oh yeah, yeah, the hype, the hype.

Speaker 7 (01:49:18):
Exactly, but it's not gonna happen with Kaylen being out.
So it's unfortunate, but that's what they wanted.

Speaker 2 (01:49:23):
Yeah, well they haven't. The Fever won every matchup so far.

Speaker 32 (01:49:26):
They should have.

Speaker 7 (01:49:26):
Dallas has no talent outside of No, no, noe winnable
talent outside of Page backers, so it's kind of easy
to do that when your team is light years ahead
of your position.

Speaker 3 (01:49:37):
So yeah, do you think Page will be Rookie of
the Year.

Speaker 32 (01:49:40):
I don't see why not.

Speaker 3 (01:49:41):
But there are other rookies uh that are doing that.

Speaker 7 (01:49:44):
Are doing well, even your favorite down in Atlanta, uh
p Pal Pal Yeah, like Pal, you got Sonya cit
Tron over in DC. She's been doing her thing, just
despite the fact that the Mystics have destroyed their team
to tank for for picks next season. There are a
couple of them out there that are doing their thing

(01:50:04):
this rookie season. But Page is definitely in that conversation,
no question. Despite her lack of support on the on
the court. But she's definitely doing her own thing and
setting records, breaking records, and you know, doing what she
did in Yukon with with way less talent surrounding right now.

Speaker 3 (01:50:21):
So the Fever should win tonight at the field House.

Speaker 32 (01:50:23):
They should. They should.

Speaker 2 (01:50:24):
And Kelsey Mitchell, from what I understand and what you understand,
is now leading the entire league in scoring. She's the
top scorer in the w in the entire w n
B a Kelsey Mitchell from the Indiana Fevers. So hats
off and good news for her.

Speaker 32 (01:50:40):
What does that mean? If the team is five hundred?

Speaker 2 (01:50:43):
Who the team's above five hundred, they are by like
two games, Hey, if it's one, they're above five hundred.

Speaker 7 (01:50:50):
But the thing, when you look at it from that perspective,
you might leading the league in points and assists like
you were mentioning and shot Kelsey Mitchell for doing that.
That's a crazy feat you would you would like to
think it would convert to more wins.

Speaker 32 (01:51:02):
That's all I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (01:51:03):
They haven't lost much.

Speaker 2 (01:51:04):
I mean with their last five games, they've won three
out of the last five, which isn't a bad percentage,
and two of the three were on the road. No,
wait a minute, three, They all of those wins were
on the road.

Speaker 32 (01:51:17):
They're fit in the Eastern Conference right now.

Speaker 7 (01:51:19):
Yeah, they're at eighteen and fourteen, which I guess what
I'm trying to address is this team was you know,
pegg to be the top three teams out of the league,
and you can't do that with an eighteen fourteen record.
That's all I'm saying. I know, injuries for injuries, play partner.
Now we've got some players come and go.

Speaker 3 (01:51:36):
Oh, injuries have devastated players exactly.

Speaker 7 (01:51:39):
Players are hurt and not taking nothing away from Sydney
Colson and McDonald, but you know, all all things considered,
the team is just underperforming where they were projected.

Speaker 32 (01:51:48):
That's all I'm saying.

Speaker 2 (01:51:49):
Oh, definitely. Well that's and Colson and McDonald may not
even be.

Speaker 32 (01:51:54):
Back next Well, that's true too.

Speaker 3 (01:51:58):
They may not be bad there they were.

Speaker 2 (01:52:01):
They were stop gap measures and uh McDonald worked out
well at Colson, you know, worked out well for nothing
more than her entertainment value. She he's a funny lady.
But yeah, so it'll be interesting to see. They had
a really nice campaign. You're right now, you know, and
now we smoke and all the other stuff, and now
we do know this is what can happen in the

(01:52:23):
world of sports. But they've got it. They've got to
be able to expand that roster a little bit more.

Speaker 32 (01:52:27):
To something you've been saying all season.

Speaker 7 (01:52:30):
I will give you your flowers while you're on the air
to be able to enjoy the fact you're right.

Speaker 32 (01:52:35):
He was right us right, Tina, Tina was.

Speaker 7 (01:52:37):
Right, she was she had he her skepticism about the
roster this season, and now the proofs of the pudding.

Speaker 32 (01:52:43):
Yeah, we see it now.

Speaker 3 (01:52:45):
Well, anyway, are you going to the game.

Speaker 7 (01:52:48):
No, no, no, no, no, I gotta work. I gotta work.
You know, I don't know. The work never stops here.

Speaker 3 (01:52:52):
No, it doesn't, it doesn't.

Speaker 2 (01:52:53):
Gotta work. We all gotta work. So well, we'll be
good luck to the fever tonight. I hope nobody else
gets hurt. Oh they are the walking wounded. I mean, uh,
and the I guess, the elephant in the room. Regarding
Caitlyn Clark, I mean, unless something miraculous happens, I don't
see it.

Speaker 3 (01:53:10):
I don't see her returning. There's there's no there's no
real point to it right now.

Speaker 7 (01:53:16):
And you don't want to rush back. If you're your
franchise and you want to build on her and make
her the future of the franchise, you got to give
her time to heal properly. Yeah, give her full time
to heal.

Speaker 8 (01:53:24):
Yeap.

Speaker 3 (01:53:25):
Indeed. Well that's all we have for right now. Thank
you for joining us.

Speaker 2 (01:53:29):
Our website is Praisindi dot com and we hope and
pray that it is working again. Some streaming issues there,
but I think they may have gotten worked out. Willimore
Junior on the radio is up next. Please continue to
be safe, be well, and stay informed. For everyone here,
I'm Tina Cosby and this this community connection m

All Episodes

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

Stuff You Should Know

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

24/7 News: The Latest

.css-15opob5{left:0;position:absolute;top:0.8rem;} All Episodes

.css-14f5ked{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:2;overflow:hidden;}Community Connection August 12th, 2025

Episode Transcript

Popular Podcasts

.css-r6mb8g{margin:0;word-break:break-word;display:-webkit-box;-webkit-box-orient:vertical;box-orient:vertical;-webkit-line-clamp:1;overflow:hidden;}Stuff You Should Know

New Heights with Jason & Travis Kelce

24/7 News: The Latest

All Episodes

Community Connection August 12th, 2025

Stuff You Should Know