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Meet IndyStar photojournalism intern HG Biggs

Meet IndyStar photojournalism intern HG Biggs

IndyStar's newsroom internships are an important tradition that benefits readers, the news industry and aspiring journalists. We have nine summer interns for 2025 — students who have shown a passion for local journalism and have prior internship or student media experience. Their presence provides a bridge from student journalism to the professional ranks and helps the Star fill the gaps as our full-time staff take well-earned vacation time.
Similarly, we're taking a break from our "Meet the Staff" feature for the summer to give you a chance to, yes, meet the interns. We also call them Pulliam fellows — in recognition of the family that used to own the newspaper and has continued to support journalism in Indianapolis — and past participants have gone on to rich careers at the Star and elsewhere in journalism.
Up this week is 2025 IndyStar intern HG Biggs.
As a photojournalist, I have the opportunity to help cover anything and everything happening around Indianapolis. While I don't have a specific beat, I will always have a soft spot for baseball because photographing Little League and tournament team games in Jackson, Mississippi, was my introduction to this job. I also enjoy covering stories that localize national and international issues.
I graduated from the University of Mississippi with a bachelor's in Mandarin Chinese in May 2024. I am currently a master's student at Ohio University studying visual communication in the Scripps College of Communication.
I'm at a point in life where I enjoy knowing my daily schedule is going to be unpredictable. I get to meet some of the most interesting people, and it's always an honor to be trusted with documenting their stories. Getting the occasional front-row seat to sporting events isn't half bad, either.
My good friend and colleague Brett Phelps was the IndyStar's photojournalism intern last summer, and he spoke highly of his time here. Hearing Brett talk about his experiences, the atmosphere between coworkers, and everything he learned from the editors and photojournalists at the Star encouraged me to apply. I'm excited to have the opportunity to learn from such a robust visuals team. In a time when visuals staff around the country are being cut, IndyStar is a newsroom challenging that trend and proving the value of investing in photojournalists.
Reading: "All We Can Save"
Watching: "The X-Files"
"Insufficient facts always invite danger." — Mr. Spock, "Star Trek: The Original Series"
"Dancin' in the Ruins" by Blue Oyster Cult and anything by Rage Against the Machine
I see myself as a documentary photographer. I have no idea what that will look like, whether I'll be working in a newsroom, freelancing, or working a different job and documenting visual stories on my personal time. The world is always changing, and we have to be open to any opportunities. No matter where I go, two things will always be true: I'll always be a Mississippian, and I'll always be a photographer.
Hiking the Appalachian trail, although that's a much longer undertaking than just a vacation.
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WNBA's Viral Pay Shirts Explained
WNBA's Viral Pay Shirts Explained

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WNBA's Viral Pay Shirts Explained

WNBA players are going viral for their bold "Pay Us What You Owe Us" shirts at a warmup during Saturday's All-Star game. "We get a very tiny percentage of all the money that's made through the WNBA, which obviously is made through the entertainment we provide," Minnesota Lynx player Napheesa Collier explained. "So we want a fair and reasonable percentage of that." This comes right after the Women's National Basketball Players Association (the players' union) and the WNBA met for a Collective Bargaining Agreement last Thursday, which did not result in a deal. 'We were disappointed for sure,' Napheesa said on Friday. 'What they came back with was just nowhere near what we asked for or even in the same conversation.' So, how much are WNBA players paid? As per Sports Illustrated, "WNBA salaries roughly range from a minimum of $66,000 to a super maximum contract of around $250,000." The average NBA salary for the '24-'25 season is reportedly $11.9 million, with the minimum sitting at $1.2 million. But equal base salaries aren't even the current goal here. A big issue is that WNBA players reportedly only receive about 9.3% of league revenue. Their male counterparts in the NBA, as well as the NFL and NHL, get around half. Though the WNBA hasn't been profitable in the past, new business — including an extremely lucrative TV deal — means that the WNBA is set to bring in hundreds of millions this year and, by some reports, become profitable*. *Though it's worth noting that the percentage refers to revenue and not profit, meaning that the super clever people quipping that they should be paid a negative salary aren't quite right. As Beau Dure puts it for the Guardian, "The bottom line is that we don't know what's included in the bottom line. Reinvestment in the league? Facilities? Postgame meals catered by five-star restaurants? (Surely not the latter.) All we know is that it's not going to the in the land of voodoo accounting, sports teams have been adept at pleading penury when circumstances call for it. It's not just the WNBA either. Eight years ago, ESPN uncovered numbers showing nearly half of the NBA's teams didn't generate a profit on their own." Subsequently, many WNBA players are aiming to increase that percentage of league revenue. "If this is the asking price and this is the TV deal, then make it make sense on the other side as well," Breanna Stewart, New York Liberty forward and players' union vice president, put it last Friday. However, because this is women, money, and sports, the shirts sparked backlash — resulting in counter-criticism. As Indiana Fever star Caitlin Clark said, 'We should be paid more and hopefully that's the case moving forward as the league continues to grow. I think that's something that's probably the most important thing that we're in the room advocating about.' Anyway, you can click here for the upcoming local WNBA schedule, scores, and more.

‘I was gobsmacked.' They paid WestJet hundreds for a ‘premium' upgrade and ended up in economy with a glass of bubbly
‘I was gobsmacked.' They paid WestJet hundreds for a ‘premium' upgrade and ended up in economy with a glass of bubbly

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time2 hours ago

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‘I was gobsmacked.' They paid WestJet hundreds for a ‘premium' upgrade and ended up in economy with a glass of bubbly

Nancy Tennyson and her husband Paul arrived at the Vancouver airport hours ahead of their scheduled departure in May hoping to catch an earlier flight home to Toronto. WestJet confirmed it had room for them but no premium seats. 'We declined,' said Tennyson, a fitness YouTuber in her sixties known as Mama Tenny. 'I have been dealing with a back issue, and we purposely booked premium for the wider, more comfortable seats.' But what the Tennysons got when they boarded their regularly scheduled flight four hours later, was a laminated placard on the back of an economy seat titled: 'Aircraft reconfiguration coming soon.' WestJet's notice told passengers, who'd forked out hundreds of dollars more for wider, premium seats, that 'we recognize … that your journey with us today does not reflect the interior cabin experience you expect' and thanked them for their 'patience and loyalty' as the airline worked to reconfigure its planes. 'I was gobsmacked,' Tennyson said. 'They knew right from the get-go they weren't going to give me what I paid for.' The flight attendant, Tennyson said, carried on as if nothing was amiss, offering sparkling wine to the first couple of rows. Other passengers seemed equally confused, so Tennyson gently pressed the attendant for details. Why would WestJet have sold premium seats on a flight it knew had only rows upon rows of three small seats scrunched together? 'She said that soon this aircraft would have a premium cabin with premium seats,' Tennyson said. 'I said that currently this was 'an economy seat with a glass of cheap wine,' and she nodded in agreement.' The Tennysons reached out to WestJet to formally complain about what they described as a 'premeditated fraud.' The company initially offered each of them a $50 travel credit, which incensed Nancy even more. 'I want them to admit what they did was wrong.' The Tennysons were not the only ones complaining. Scores of other air passengers have shared similar stories on TripAdvisor, Reddit and Facebook, warning consumers to not fall for WestJet's 'premium scam.' The airline's unorthodox sales tactic 'has definitely generated a lot of public backlash,' said Alia Hussain, president of CUPE local 8125, representing WestJet and Sunwing cabin personnel. 'Our crew members felt the weight of this disappointment.' WestJet confirmed to the Star by email that between Nov. 4, 2024 and May 15, 2025, the airline sold premium and extended comfort products, 'on a subset of our Boeing 737 aircraft that are currently configured exclusively with 3x3 economy-only seating.' The airline told the Star it's sorry for the inconvenience this has caused. 'We recognized that this experience did not meet out guests' exceptions,' said Julia Kaiser, a WestJet media relations adviser, 'which is why we made the decision to roll the product back.' When a customer service rep from the airline called the Tennysons at 8:30 p.m. last week to ask about their experience, the 32-minute conversation did not go well, Tennyson said. WestJet told the Star it was 'under the impression that a resolution had been found.' The agent, Tennyson said, insisted the couple knew they were getting a 'modified premium' fare. But the email the airline sent them 72 hours ahead of their flight made no obvious mention of the word modified. The conversation continued in circles, Tennyson said. Passengers, he told her, 'were made aware that some amenities might be different.' Like the seat ?? Tennyson replied. 'You make it sound like we were trying to hoodwink you,' the agent told Tennyson, whose husband Paul was in the background on speaker. 'You absolutely did,' she said. Tennyson said she felt the agent's questions suggested she was complaining over nothing. 'Did you have anybody between you?' he asked. 'No,' she said. 'But I couldn't lift up the armrest.' 'Did you not get priority boarding? A cold meal? a drink?' 'Those things meant nothing to me,' she said. Tennyson said the agent told her not everyone who books a premium experience wants a wider seat. 'He's trying to suggest people are delighted to pay extra to board early, get a cold meal, cheap wine and free Pringles. 'Do you think if I knew that I was signing up for bogus premium economy — this hack — that I would be complaining now? Absolutely not.' WestJet told the Star that 'feedback from guests' prompted the airline to stop selling premium and extended comfort tickets on planes that have only smaller seats in groups of three. 'We are actively working to reconfigure these economy seating only aircraft to include the seat options that are available on the rest of our fleet for consistency,' Kaiser told the Star by email. 'In the interim, these aircraft remain in service with economy fare bundles only. Having these aircraft remain in service makes it possible to fulfil our schedule and meet the travel needs of all our guests.' Hussain said the union's intervention 'is what led to the network changes made to sell only economy fares in economy-configured cabins.' The Union, Hussain said, asked for a several meetings with the company 'and communicated our concerns on behalf of our guests and our members, emphasizing the need for better management of guest experience and support for our cabin crew — which is what led to the network changes made to sell only economy fares in economy-configured cabins.' WestJet has since provided each of the Tennysons with a $150 credit for future travel but the experience has soured them on booking another flight. 'I don't think I'll ever use that,' she said. Jamie Thornback, a partner at CFM Lawyers in Vancouver, which represents victims in aviation accidents and consumers in class actions, said the Tennysons and other airline passengers 'could sue WestJet using normal consumer protection legislation,' like Ontario's Consumer Protection Act or the British Columbia Business Practices and Consumer Protection Act, 'which generally prohibit companies from engaging in deceptive practices with consumers.' Depending on the number of passengers impacted, a class-action lawsuit could be in the cards. 'Whether they would be successful would depend on what WestJet disclosed when they bought the tickets,' Thornback said. 'Given the number of people who seem to have complained, it's likely that WestJet did not effectively communicate that these were not actually premium seats.'

Moomoo And New York Mets Unveil Display at Citi Field: A Bold New Presence at The Ballpark
Moomoo And New York Mets Unveil Display at Citi Field: A Bold New Presence at The Ballpark

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time5 hours ago

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Moomoo And New York Mets Unveil Display at Citi Field: A Bold New Presence at The Ballpark

JERSEY CITY, N.J., July 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — moomoo, the global investment and trading platform , has unveiled a new, 36-foot high, double-sided display at Citi Field as part of its multi-year collaboration with the New York Mets . First displayed on July 18, the vibrant orange moomoo logo now adds a bright pop of color to the ballpark's dynamic visual landscape. This prominent signage, complemented by the moomoo mascot, ribbon displays, and immersive billboard advertisements, significantly amplifies moomoo's brand visibility and recognition among millions of baseball fans at Citi Field. Caption: Moomoo's prominent 36-foot high signage lights up Citi Field With an average attendance of over 38,603 fans per game and 80 home games this season, the stadium brings extensive brand exposure to moomoo. Announced in April, the cross-sector collaboration between moomoo and the Mets also gives thousands of baseball fans the opportunity to watch the game in the moomoo Suite throughout the season. With this opportunity, fans have access to premium seats while enjoying best in class in-game entertainment, top tier dining options and exciting on-field performance. Since the start of the baseball season, moomoo has seen a significant increase in app downloads, brand visibility in various channels, and welcomes the opportunity to provide advanced tools and features, a global community of over 26 million investors, and free educational resources to beginner and advanced investors alike. Mets pitcher Edwin Diaz stars in a new commercial for moomoo, where the All-Star reliever details similarities between closing and stock trading: reading the game, analyzing opportunities, timing the moment, and moving with accuracy. 'During this exciting season, moomoo is continuing its engagement with New York communities, and we have gained more opportunities to do investor education. We are delighted to see more and more people getting to know moomoo and understand our business philosophy through our collaboration with the Mets,' said Neil McDonald, CEO at Moomoo Financials Inc. 'We believe that through learning and practice on the moomoo platform, which offers a variety of investment tools, investors can ultimately invest like professional investors.' 'This new signage marks an exciting next step in the growth of our partnership with moomoo and will help enhance their brand visibility around the ballpark,' said Brenden Mallette, Senior Vice President of Partnerships at the New York Mets. 'We've seen great engagement from our fans over the past few months and look forward to bringing more exciting moments to moomoo investors and Mets fans.' For every Mets win, $10,000 will be added to a special fund, culminating in a potential $1 million grand prize for one lucky moomoo investor if the team reaches 100 regular season victories*. In addition to organizing special events, moomoo offers various giveaways. These include 500 free game tickets on 'moomoo Mondays' throughout the season for moomoo users** and the opportunity to score exclusive Mets x moomoo merch. *Terms and conditions apply ( ). ** Limited to Moomoo Financial Inc customers residing in tri-state area (NY, NJ, CT, and PA). Terms and conditions apply ( ). About moomoo Moomoo is a leading global investment and trading platform dedicated to empowering investors with user-friendly tools, data, and insights. Our platform is designed to provide essential information and technology, enabling users to make more-informed investment decisions. With advanced charting tools, pro-level analytical features, moomoo evolves alongside our users, fostering a dynamic community where investors can share, learn, and grow together. Founded in the US, moomoo operates globally, serving investors in countries such as the US, Singapore, Australia, Japan, Canada and Malaysia. As a subsidiary of a Nasdaq-listed Futu Holdings ( FUTU ), we take pride in our role as a global strategic partner of the Nasdaq, earning numerous international accolades from renowned industry leaders such as Benzinga and Fintech Breakthrough. Moomoo has also received multiple awards in the US, Singapore, and Australia for its innovative, inclusive approach to investing. Contact: For more information, please visit moomoo's official website at or contact us at pr@ For the New York Mets questions, please contact: Katie Agostin Manager, Communications New York Mets kagostin@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at

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