🌱 Northwest Side Apt. Fire + Purple Line + IPS COVID Protocol

Happy Saturday, people of Indianapolis! Here's everything worth knowing today in town.

First, today's weather:

Partly sunny and chilly. High: 37 Low: 24.

Here are the top three stories in Indianapolis today:

1. An apartment fire took the life of one person on Thursday night on the city's northwest side. Shortly after 9:55 p.m., fire crews were called to a fire in the 2600 block of Plaza Drive. According to Steve Mitchell, deputy chief of operations with Pike Township Fire Department, no other injuries were reported and the cause of the fire is under investigation. (WISH-TV)
2. IndyGo has begun construction for its second express bus line. The Purple Line, which links Downtown Indy to Lawrence, will stop at IU Health, the Children’s Museum, the Indiana State Fairgrounds, Fort Benjamin Harrison, and the Lawrence campus of Ivy Tech. According to IndyGo president Inez Evans, the new route should begin operating in 2024. (WIBC - Indianapolis News & Politics)
3. On Thursday, Indianapolis Public Schools (IPS) announced some changes to its COVID-19 protocol, citing a decline in coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. Beginning Feb. 28, masks will be optional on IPS property but still required on buses as per federal mandate. Among other changes based on guidance from the Marion County Public Health Department, the Indiana Department of Health, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, social distancing will no longer be required. (WISH-TV)

Today in Indianapolis:

• Caffeine And Chrome - Classic Cars And Coffee, At Gateway Classic Cars Of Indianapolis (9:00 AM)

From my notebook:

• A new ghost-kitchen concept, Melon Kitchens, is on its way to 16 Tech Innovation District's The AMP! (Twitter)
• Attention bookworms: it's National Library Lovers Month! Learn about Downtown literary landmarks, local authors, and more here. (Twitter)

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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you soon.

— Miranda Fraraccio

About me: Miranda Fraraccio is a born and raised Rhode Islander, now living in New York. She works as a staff writer for content creation agency Lightning Media Partners and is a graduate of The University of Rhode Island, where she earned a degree in Writing & Rhetoric and Communication Studies. In her free time, you can find her traveling, drinking tea, or photographing her neighborhood as a street photographer.