Taj Simmons

Indianapolis

Reporter at WRTV-TV (Indianapolis, IN)

@WRTV reporter | Oakland native | @DePaulU grad | Past: @WHO13News, @WSLS, @KTTCTV | Working hard & striving for perfection; that’s the way I’m living.

Featured in: Favicon

wrtv.com

who13.com

wsls.com

Articles

A hands-on education: Middle school students in Pendleton learn tools of the trades

5 days ago | wrtv.com | Taj Simmons

PENDLETON — Middle school is a time when children start to figure out their interests. Students in Pendleton got to try out construction, learning how to work with their hands. The Madison County Builders Association sponsored Trades Day at Pendleton Heights Middle School on Friday. The students, under the guidance of industry professionals, performed tasks such as assembling a table or settling concrete.
Signia Hotel construction is towering over downtown Indy

6 days ago | wrtv.com | Taj Simmons

INDIANAPOLIS — The Signia Hotel will be one of Indiana's tallest buildings when it welcomes its first guests. The tower is not topped out yet, but it already stands tall in the Indianapolis skyline. Crews have completed 23 of the Signia's 38 floors since the hotel's foundation was poured nearly a year ago. It is expected to reach its full height of 441 feet by November, and the hotel is scheduled to open by the fall of 2026.
North Central seniors visit their elementary and middle schools before graduation

1 week ago | wrtv.com | Taj Simmons

INDIANAPOLIS — North Central High School seniors are about to step into the future and graduate. Before they received their diplomas, they took a trip to the past. The Class of 2025 walked through the halls of Washington Township's elementary and middle schools in their caps and gowns. They were greeted by the current students of those schools and the teachers who helped guide them when they were younger. The seniors said the experience was powerful and inspiring.
Crispus Attucks HS students start IU Health Fellowship

1 week ago | wrtv.com | Taj Simmons

INDIANAPOLIS — A new generation of healthcare workers will receive professional training before they receive their high school degree. IU Health welcomed its newest class of Crispus Attucks High School fellowship recipients with brand-new lab coats Tuesday morning. They will spend three years learning under IU Health staff and will have a guaranteed job with the health provider after graduation.
Two-way street conversions on Indy's East Side set to finish soon

1 week ago | wrtv.com | Taj Simmons

INDIANAPOLIS — A long-planned infrastructure improvement through the east side of Indianapolis is almost ready for cars. The Indianapolis Department of Public Works says Michigan and New York Streets east of College Avenue could open to both directions of travel this summer. It is DPW's latest effort to convert large one-way streets for two-way traffic.
Faith leaders condemn Lt. Gov. Beckwith for Three-Fifths Compromise comment

1 week ago | wrtv.com | Taj Simmons

INDIANAPOLIS — The Three-Fifths Compromise counted Black people as three-fifths of a human being during slavery. Indiana lieutenant governor Micah Beckwith described the law as a "great move" in a video this week and outraged Hoosiers now want him to apologize. Concerned Clergy Indianapolis called a press conference Friday morning featuring leaders of different faiths and races. They said Beckwith's words were "dehumanizing rhetoric" towards Black Hoosiers.
From threatening to trendy: How Fountain Square turned around in 30 years

1 week ago | wrtv.com | Taj Simmons

INDIANAPOLIS — Fountain Square is now one of the most popular places for people in Indianapolis to spend a night on the town. It's a stark contrast to the dangerous reputation the neighborhood had 30 years ago. The turnaround intensified after May 4, 1995: the day the Indianapolis Police Department opened its Southeast District headquarters right next to the center of Fountain Square.
Ivy Tech cancels program which provided free summer courses to high school students

2 weeks ago | wrtv.com | Taj Simmons

INDIANAPOLIS — High school students were once able to spend their summers taking college classes at Ivy Tech Community College for free. That opportunity is now over. Ivy Tech announced it is discontinuing its free summer school program this year.
Faith leaders discuss ways to stop suicides in Black community

2 weeks ago | wrtv.com | Taj Simmons

INDIANAPOLIS — More that 400 Black Hoosiers have died by suicide since 2018 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Some Black faith leaders are now making mental health a priority in their community. The Soul Shop Movement introduced suicide prevention strategies to a group of Black faith leaders on Tuesday. The group travels nationwide in support of mental health and came to Indiana in association with the Family and Social Services Administration.
Craft breweries from across the country come to Indianapolis for convention

2 weeks ago | wrtv.com | Taj Simmons

INDIANAPOLIS — The Indiana Convention Center is now the epicenter of America's craft brewery boom. Thousands of brewers are meeting to discuss how to keep the industry growing. The Craft Brewers Conference and BrewExpo America expects to welcome thousands of people to the Indiana Convention Center this week. Brewers America, the organization behind the convention, reports there are more than 9,000 breweries across America. More than 200 of them are in Indiana.