Indiana News Headlines – November 24th

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Hundreds have attended a memorial service at Butler University to remember an aid worker killed by Islamic State militants in Syria last week. Speakers recalled Peter Kassig (KAS'-ihg) as a good man, son, student and volunteer who dedicated himself to helping others. He changed his first name to Abdul-Rahman (AHB'-duhl RAHK'-muhn) in captivity.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana senators are getting committee assignments that'll leave a handful of panels with new leaders heading into the legislative session. The changes for the 2015 session follow a round of retirements in the past year and the addition of eight new Republican senators. Republicans outnumber Democrats 10-1 in the Indiana Senate.

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — The Indiana Supreme Court is preparing to hear arguments in the case of an Indianapolis school district whose decision to outsource bus transportation was ruled unconstitutional. The Franklin Township Community School Corporation outsourced transportation in 2011-2012 to a private company. Schools Superintendent Flora Reichanadter says she hopes the case will press the Legislature to offer relief to school districts strapped by property tax caps.

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (AP) — Fort Wayne's botanical garden is getting an upgrade to the problematic, decades-old lighting system that illuminates its terraced ponds. Foellinger-Freimann (foe-LING'-er FRY'-man) Botanical Conservatory manager Mitch Sheppard says parts are no longer made for the ponds' aging lighting system. She says the lights are so old "we just can't put any more Band-Aids on it."