Indianapolis News

Work is starting on an 8-mile-long tunnel under the south side of Indianapolis that is the first major part of a $1.6 billion project aimed at reducing the release of raw sewage into the city’s rivers.

The plan calls for crews to bore the 18-foot diameter tunnel about 250 feet underground between a sewage treatment plant on the city’s far south side to a location near the White River near downtown. The work is expected to take five years and be followed by four shorter tunnels that will contain water from the city’s combined storm and sanitary sewers after storms until it can be treated.

Indianapolis’ traditional 33-car starting grid seems safe, for now. There could even be some bumping on qualifying weekend. On Thursday, last year’s 500 runner-up, JR Hildebrand, drove up in a Hummer to personally deliver the 34-car entry list — one more than necessary — to speedway CEO Jeff Belskus just inside the track’s main gate.

“I am completely convinced of it (having a 33-car field), unless something unusual happens,” Belskus said after Thursday’s photo op.

A fresh revelation about the mishandling of evidence in a fatal crash involving an Indianapolis police officer has renewed suspicions about a possible cover-up as well as concerns about a culture of corruption with the department.

The development prompted the city’s police chief, Paul Ciesielski, to step down Tuesday, and left Public Safety Director Frank Straub facing a possible no-confidence vote from a city-county committee Wednesday night. It also brought back claims of a cover-up that first surfaced shortly after the crash, when prosecutors announced a blood test showed Officer David Bisard had a blood-alcohol level of 0.19 more than two hours after the accident.

Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck was in town to meet with the Indianapolis Colts this week. A team spokesman advised Tuesday that NFL teams are permitted 30 visits with draft-eligible players, and Luck was among them. The Colts have the No. 1 pick in the April 26-28 draft, and Luck is regarded as the consensus choice.

A source told ESPN that Luck was in Indianapolis on Tuesday and was scheduled to meet later in the day with the Washington Redskins, who have the No. 2 overall pick and are expected to select Baylor quarterback Robert Griffin.

Travelers and employees at Indianapolis International Airport have three new walking paths to stretch their legs and improve their health. The airport and the American Heart Association opened the paths Wednesday on the day the association has dubbed National Walking Day.

They say all visitors to the airport can traverse a quarter-mile path around the ticketing hall. Travelers who’ve passed through security checkpoints can walk half-mile laps around each concourse or a 1.1-mile lap around both concourses.

IndyCar expands Indianapolis testIndyCar has expanded next week’s planned manufacturers test at Indianapolis Motor Speedway to allow all teams to take part as the series works towards finalising the aero kit for the Indy 500.

Teams will be limited to one car each for the April 4 test, which will be used to try out the aero configuration that will be used for the Indianapolis and Fontana races.

Some Indianapolis City-County Council members have renewed a push to expand the city’s smoking ban to include bars and other locations since a provision in the new statewide ban appears to smooth out a disagreement with the mayor. More >

Indiana Supreme Court justices peppered attorneys with questions Wednesday during arguments to determine whether ousted Secretary of State Charlie White was ever a legal candidate for the office, and who gets to appoint his successor.

White, a Republican, was removed from office following his Feb. 4 conviction on voter fraud and other charges. Democrats contend the conviction proves White ineligible to run for office and that state law requires a winner whose candidacy is declared invalid be replaced with the second-place finisher — in this case, Democratic runner-up Vop Osili.

A 1-year-old child has died after found submerged in the baptismal pool of an Indianapolis church-daycare.

Police are investigating the death of the boy, identified as Juan Cardenas, according to USA Today. The Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department said that the cause of the boy’s death will be determined after an autopsy.

The Indianapolis Star and other community newspapers owned by Gannett will begin charging for online content by the end of the year. Gannett told investors Wednesday that it will limit access to its content for those who don’t subscribe and that it expects the move to paid content will generate an additional $100 million in earnings beginning in 2013.

The company plans to charge for all of its digital content. USA Today, Gannett’s nationally distributed newspaper, is not part of the pay-to-view plan.