This is the WFHB Local News for Wednesday, July 16th, 2025.

In today’s newscast, Paul Helmke – former CEO of Brady Center to prevent gun violence and former mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana – speaks with WFHB about gun legislation in Indiana.

That’s IU baseball head coach Jeff Mercer on a disappointing 2025 season. Can Big Ten Freshman of the Year Jake Hanley help Mercer turn the team around? Hear more later in the show in a feature report.

Richland Bean Blossom School Board Considers Major Renovations Across District Schools

The Richland Bean Blossom School Board met on Tuesday, July 8th as part of a preliminary determination meeting surrounding a proposed school project. Superintendent Dr. Jerry Sanders explained the intention of the project.

The project includes various additions, repairs, and renovations to Edgewood High School, including a remodeled roof, construction of additional classrooms, the repairs to the parking lot and tennis courts. Edgewood Junior High, primary school, and intermediate school would receive similar upgrades.

An Underwriter from Stifel Investment Banking Company presented a potential payment plan for the project, sharing the expected toll which it would have on local taxpayers.

The Richland Bean Blossom School Board will meet again in August.

Feature Reports:

Sometimes the Indiana University baseball team looks like one of the greatest squads in the country. Other days, not so much. The 2025 season was a great example – while there were highlights, like IU first baseman Jake Hanley receiving the Big Ten Freshman of the Year Award, ultimately the team had a mediocre finish with 32 wins and 24 losses – reaching only the semi-finals of the Big Ten Tournament. Correspondent Ian Plaskoff gets reaction from head coach Jeff Mercer and analysis from journalist Nick Rodecap in a feature report produced in partnership with The Media School at Indiana University.

Now it’s time for Government.exe, a show that explains what’s happening in state government. Each episode focuses on a bill from the Indiana General Assembly. We interview experts in the fields these bills impact, asking for their insights on how the legislation could affect their work, what might have been the motivation behind this kind of legislation, and how it affects Hoosiers. In this episode, Paul Helmke – former CEO of Brady Center to prevent gun violence and former mayor of Fort Wayne, Indiana – talks to us about the history of the 2nd Amendment, as well as the role and legal authority of local governments in enacting gun safety measures. We turn now to Part II of our conversation with Paul Helmke on the WFHB Local News.

Up next, “They’re Getting Sneakier” on Better Beware – your weekly consumer-watchdog segment on the WFHB Local News. For more, we turn to host and producer Richard Fish.

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