See first responders take action in mock disaster scenario at Indianapolis Int'l Airport
HG Biggs/IndyStar
(From left) Indianapolis International Airport Chief of Police Ted Fries, Deputy Senior Director of Operations and Maintenance Matt Lewis, and Indianapolis Airport Authority Fire Chief Fred Pervine speak to members of the press Wednesday, June 18, 2025, ahead of a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport. The aircraft behind the three men will be used for the mock investigation portion of the exercise.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
An Indianapolis International Airport Fire Department aircraft rescue and firefighting (ARFF) vehicle drives down the tarmac Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport. ARFF vehicles are specialized for airport use, and carry a larger water supply than municipal fire trucks.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
Indianapolis International Airport Fire Department aircraft rescue and firefighting vehicles douse the aircraft fire fighting simulator Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
Firefighters douse the aircraft fire fighting simulator Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
A Vincennes University aircraft, a Boeing 737-200, is staged on the tarmac Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
Members of the FBI Evidence Response Team stage their equipment on the tarmac Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
A Delta Boeing 757-200 taxies toward the International Arrivals terminal Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport. The Delta plane was performing normal flight operations.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
Volunteers pretend to be dead and wounded Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
First responders transport volunteer Carnisa Laster, who had a fake head injury, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
A first responder transports volunteer Ryan Cooney, who had a fake facial wound, Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
Volunteers pretend to be dead and wounded Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
A volunteers pretends to be dead Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
Logan Hussein, who had a fake hand injury, is transported by first responders Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
Logan Hussein, who had a fake hand injury, is transported by first responders Wednesday, June 18, 2025, during a multi-agency emergency training exercise to evaluate airport emergency operations plans at the Indianapolis International Airport.
HG Biggs/IndyStar
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Indianapolis Star
13 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana sees 'historic' increase in IREAD scores. See how schools did
Indiana saw its largest year over year increase of students reading proficiently by the end of third grade, but it's still unclear how many children will be retained under the new IREAD law. The IREAD results for the 2024-25 school year were released on Aug. 13 and showed that the statewide proficiency rate was at 87.3%, which is a nearly 5 percentage point increase from last year. However, this most recent class of third graders was also the class affected by the state's new retention law that will hold students back from moving onto the fourth grade if they don't pass the test or meet one of the exemptions. More on IREAD concerns: New Indiana IREAD law sparks parent concern as student retention set to rise State officials said the data on how many third graders will be retained this year will be released soon after the fall count day on Oct. 1. Indiana has two count days, one in the fall and one in the spring, which capture how many students are in a particular school on that day. Funding for schools is then based on the number of students enrolled on those count days. State education leaders are calling this jump in proficiency scores 'unprecedented' for Hoosier students. 'Indiana has made extraordinary progress from where we began just a few years ago, when nearly one in five Indiana third graders could not read, to today when literacy rates have increased by nearly 5 percentage points in just one year,' said Katie Jenner, Indiana's secretary of education, in a press release. "... with literacy rates now soaring at a historic pace. This is a time for celebration, and it is also a time to double-down on our commitment to helping even more students learn to read." The proficiency rates amount to around 73,500 Indiana third graders who passed the IREAD test, and also constitute the biggest single-year jump in reading scores ever seen in the state since the test was first given in 2013. This year's scores also mean that the state has caught back up to its pre-COVID levels of proficiency, which dropped off sharply in the years following the pandemic due to disrupted learning. This year's historic growth also marks the fifth straight year that statewide results have grown, which is a stark contrast to the seven years prior, which saw a slow decline of scores. The IREAD exam is now taken in both the second and third grades and is meant to measure foundational reading skills. The results announced on Aug. 12 represent students who passed the exam either in the second or third grade. Parents have told IndyStar that the new retention measure, which was passed in 2024, has caused them anxiety and confusion over why their student is being retained, and worry that holding them back will cause more harm than good. However, state leaders are zeroed in on reaching their goal of a 95% proficiency rate for IREAD results statewide and have enacted various laws over the past few years to get there. Jenner said that data around how many students were given good cause exemptions and met one of the other exceptions for being passed to the fourth grade would be released on the state's third-grade reading dashboard around Oct. 1. Under the law passed last year, if a student meets one of these exemptions, they can move on to fourth grade: Some English language learning students will also get an exemption from being retained, at least for the next two school years, due to the passage of HB 1499 earlier this year. State officials also said for the first time, all student groups that the state collects data on – like ethnicity, special needs, language learners and socioeconomic status – saw growth in reading scores. Black and Latino students both saw an increase of 7.5 percentage points from last year. Special education students also increased by 7.5 percentage points from last year and English language learners saw a 7.2 percentage point jump from last year. Students who qualify for free and reduced lunch saw a 6.6 percentage point increase from last year's scores. Jenner and other state leaders attribute this year's jump in scores to two main initiatives. The state's move to allow IREAD testing in second grade, which is now required statewide starting with the 2024-25 school year. Second graders could be tested in the spring and retake it in the summer if they did not pass. In total, students have five chances to pass IREAD throughout second and third grade. Being able to test earlier allows teachers to more effectively identify struggling readers and then provide targeted support when needed. The second tactic is the implementation of the Indiana Literacy Cadre, which provides teachers training on early literacy teaching and embeds instructional coaches into schools to help with reading specifically. Keep up with school news: Sign up for Study Hall, IndyStar's free weekly education newsletter. In this most recent school year, 564 schools were participating in the literacy cadre. Schools that participated in the literacy cadre saw a 7 percentage point increase in their scores from last year, compared to non-cadre schools that just increased 3.6 percentage points.
Indianapolis Star
14 hours ago
- Indianapolis Star
'A gut punch': Indy program that offered parking spots to people living in autos shuts down
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Yahoo
06-08-2025
- Yahoo
Trailblazing Vietnamese American pilot dies in attempt to fly around the world solo
[Source] Anh‑Thu Nguyen, founder of Asian Women in Aerospace & Aviation, died in a crash resulting from an attempt to become the first woman of Vietnamese descent to complete a solo circumnavigation on July 31 near Greenwood, Indiana. Nguyen's Lancair IV‑P crashed shortly after takeoff from Indy South Greenwood Airport during her second solo attempt to fly around the world. From humble beginnings Nguyen grew up in a remote Vietnamese village without electricity or running water before immigrating to the U.S. at age 12. She became valedictorian of her high school and later worked multiple jobs to earn degrees in aerospace engineering from Purdue University and Georgia Tech. She logged more than 4,000 flight hours, including experience as a certified Boeing 757 and 767 first officer. 'Mission to inspire' Trending on NextShark: Her latest journey, which began July 27 at the EAA AirVenture event in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, included scheduled stops in Indiana and Pennsylvania. Before her fatal flight, Nguyen posted a video declaring, 'This is more than just a flight. It's a mission to inspire the next generation of Asian female pilots, aerospace engineers and STEM professionals.' Nguyen's aircraft went down at approximately 1:30 p.m., tumbling into a field behind a gas station on County Road 800 North. 'A beacon of hope' Nguyen founded AWAA in 2018 and built it into a nonprofit that has inspired people worldwide. In its tribute, AWAA wrote, 'Her life stories are inspirational and have taught many women around her to dare to dream the impossible even when things are difficult.' AWAA will establish a scholarship in her name to support girls pursuing aviation and STEM careers. Nguyen's memorial service will be held at O'Riley Branson Funeral Home in Indianapolis, with visitation on August 12 and 13 and a funeral service on August 13 followed by burial. Trending on NextShark: This story is part of The Rebel Yellow Newsletter — a bold weekly newsletter from the creators of NextShark, reclaiming our stories and celebrating Asian American voices. Subscribe free to join the movement. If you love what we're building, consider becoming a paid member — your support helps us grow our team, investigate impactful stories, and uplift our community. Trending on NextShark: Subscribe here now! Download the NextShark App: Want to keep up to date on Asian American News? Download the NextShark App today! Solve the daily Crossword
