The Indianapolis City-County Council will consider restrictions on public safety funding tonight.

The big picture: Council Republicans are pushing for stronger spending guardrails in the Office of Public Health and Safety.

• The move comes after an internal city audit of OPHS flagged multiple issues, including mismanaged contracts and no formal process for evaluating the efficacy of the programs it funds.
• These findings bolstered ongoing criticism from some councilors about the effectiveness of some OPHS initiatives.

Zoom in: OPHS aims to address the root causes of crime and reduce violence.

• OPHS work around reducing gun violence gets the most attention, but it also works on issues such as homelessness, food insecurity and behavioral health challenges like substance abuse.
• Councilors have raised concerns that OPHS isn't properly tracking the grants it provides to address these problems, so there's no way to tell if the programs the city is funding are actually working.

State of play: Councilor Michael Paul-Hart introduced a proposal that requires OPHS to create a centralized system for tracking and managing contracts and conduct ethics training for its staff.

• It also calls for the Office of Finance and Management to establish a monitoring system for additional oversight of OPHS.
• Paul-Hart also proposed freezing OPHS funding if those steps weren't taken by next year, but a council committee did not advance that item.

What they're saying: "This is not about ending important public safety work," Paul-Hart said in his weekly newsletter. "It is about making sure taxpayer dollars are tracked, contracts are managed, ethics rules are followed, and programs can prove results."

In response to Paul-Hart's proposal, OPHS Director Andrew Merkley warned that funding cuts could have a negative impact on services.

• Merkley told WTHR that the agency has started to address concerns raised in the audit, and pushed back on claims that OPHS failed to provide outcome data for programs.

What's next

Half of the 10 starters for this month's WNBA All-Star Game have direct ties to the Hoosier State — either playing here now or during college.

Why it matters: For a state that's fully embraced its status as a women's basketball hotbed and a city that aims to become the capital of women's sports, this is another data point.

Zoom in: The superstar trio of Aliyah Boston, Caitlin Clark and Kelsey Mitchell will start for Indiana.

• The Fever led all teams with three starters, while the Lynx and Wings each had two.
• Clark, a three-time All-Star, received the second-most fan votes in this year's voting.
• Mitchell, the franchise's all-time leading scorer, was voted into the starting lineup for the first time after being a replacement starter in 2025.

Zoom out: Add two more starters who built their games up in South Bend.

• Minnesota's Olivia Miles played four seasons at Notre Dame before a final year at TCU.
• Miles is the favorite to take home the WNBA's Rookie of the Year award in 2026, and she's already in MVP talks, too.
• Wings forward Jessica Shepard also finished her college career at Notre Dame after transferring from Nebraska, helping the Irish reach the 2018 national title game.

How to watch: The 2026 WNBA All-Star Game in Chicago tips off on July 25 at 8:30pm on ABC.

⛽ Gov. Mike Braun has announced his final 30-day suspension of Indiana's gas tax under the state's energy emergency law. The suspension, which has been in place since early April, now lasts through Aug. 6.

• Braun said this is the last time he can extend the suspensions without a special legislative session or other legislative approval. (Indiana Capital Chronicle)

👮‍♂️ IMPD's youth programs now have another $100,000 to work with, thanks to a grant from the Indianapolis Rotary Foundation. Half of the money will be used to purchase a community engagement trailer to allow officers to connect with young people in neighborhoods and at events. (FOX59)

🚧 Two ramps between I-65 and Raymond Street will close through late September starting today. The closures affect the exits from southbound I-65 to east and westbound Raymond Street; and the entrance from eastbound Raymond Street to southbound I-65. (IndyStar)

🏀 The Indiana Fever continued their winning ways last night by beating the Las Vegas Aces 84-68. The team now has a 12-8 record and control of second place in the Eastern Conference. (Associated Press)

This week's news from around the region includes yet another roundabout for Carmel, a distillery expansion in Fortville and a plan to quiet pickleball courts in Brownsburg.

👷 Carmel road crews are getting ready to shut down one of the city's busiest intersections through the fall to install a new roundabout.

• Work at 116th Street and AAA Way begins on July 13. Officials say the full-closure plan will speed up construction time and create a safer work environment while saving cash.
• The project is scheduled for completion in October.

🥃 In Fortville, Moon Drops Distillery is planning to build a second 6,700-square-foot rack house to age spirits in barrels.

• IBJ reports that the expansion comes as the Hancock County-based brand gets ready to release its first self-produced bourbon whiskey, which was barreled in 2021.

🏓 Brownsburg city leaders are looking to get a handle on noise complaints made about the popular pickleball courts at Stephens Park.

• The city's park authority is moving forward with a plan introduced last month to add sound-dampening, new fencing, landscaping and automated gate access at a cost of between $127,000 and $147,000.

Joey Chestnut's court-approved competition

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✌🏿 Justin here!

Summer is in full swing, and my Spotify playlist of songs from Hoosier artists new and old is bringing the heat with the July update!

State of playlist: Now sitting at more than 70 songs and four hours, this playlist has reached the perfect road trip length.

Zoom in: A special shoutout goes to reader Nicholas M., who introduced me to a pair of acts that have become fast favorites.

• Pop artist Johnny Macc of Evansville has a deep bag to pull from.
• Nicholas got me started on Macc's singles "The Wheel" and "Margaritas," but "U.S. Highway 41" is a jam.
• Punk band D.R.L.N. got its start at Ball State University in the late 2010s. Now I can't stop playing their songs "A to B" and "Gran Torino."

📬 Your turn: What Indiana artists are you listening to this July to stay cool?

• Reply to this email with recs for next month's drop, and help keep the party going all summer with some homegrown tunes!