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INDIANAPOLIS — A new women’s soccer league kicking off in August of 2024 will have ties to Indianapolis.

The USL Super League will enter the fold at an equal ranking to the already existing National Women’s Soccer League.

"Our aim is to significantly expand opportunities in women’s soccer through strategic growth, build a pathway that connects talent with opportunity, and engage communities by celebrating a universal passion for the game expressed through local culture," Super League President Amanda Vandervort said in a statement.

The league has eight planned franchise ownership groups in Charlotte, Dallas, Lexington, Phoenix, Spokane, Tampa Bay, Tuscon and Washington D.C.

Indianapolis is one of five franchises this will join pending stadium agreements.

"Right now there is only one that would be called Division 1 Top Tier League in the United States, it's the NWSL - The National Women's Soccer League," Indy Eleven CEO Greg Stremlaw tells WRTV. "This will be another league at that same level launching across 10-12 communities in 2024 and 2025."

Most of the cities will start their season next year, but Indianapolis and four other markets will start in 2025, after construction of the new stadium is finished.

"It's all about opportunity an this is going to be a creator of jobs for coaches, for technical administrators, for medical personnel and of course, for professional female athletes," Stremlaw said.

Molly Kruger-Sanford knows first hand how hard those opportunities for professional female athletes can be, especially in soccer. She's played soccer since she was five years old and went on to play in college and then professionally in Los Angeles.

"When I went out there the women's league had actually folded and so it was the highest level you could play but we weren't getting paid," Kruger-Sanford said. "It was incredible to continue my dream of playing soccer post college so I thought it was a great opportunity to continue playing."

The women who will be playing in the new league will be getting paid, which is something Kruger-Sanford says is a big step in the right direction for women's sports.

"It shows young girls growing up playing soccer that it doesn't end here and we can continue chasing our dreams and playing in front of thousands of people and it's not just a mans world," she said.

Indy Eleven announced their commitment to the new league on Wednesday.

“I could not be more excited to bring the USL Super League to Indiana,” Indy Eleven Founder and Chairman Ersal Ozdemir said. “Our focus and commitment to women’s soccer was part of our vision and mission from day one. To create opportunities for girls and women in soccer is so important and we have been driven to, not only, provide those opportunities but to do so at the highest level. The USL Super League launching as a First Division, Top Tier, Elite major league puts it on par with the top levels of soccer across the globe. Our national team consistently dominates on the world stage, and we are invested in solidifying the foundation of soccer in the United States and in Indiana to make sure we continue to develop next level talent. I’m thrilled to have Indy Eleven play such an important part of this growth.”

The new league said it hopes to close the “opportunity gap” between men’s and women’s professional soccer in the United States.

READ MORE | Historian believes new soccer stadium site has African American remains

The founding cities have a goal to be sanctioned by the U.S. Federation as Tier 1, meaning they would be on the same level professionally as the National Women's Soccer League.

The Indy Eleven stadium is still on schedule to be built by 2025.

UIndy, Indiana Humanities host Eighth Annual Richard M. Fairbanks Symposium

INDIANAPOLIS – The University of Indianapolis and Indiana Humanities this week hosted the Eighth Annual Richard M. Fairbanks Symposium, titled, “Environmental Justice in the Circle City: Past, Present, and Future.”

The symposium brought environmental equity and justice advocates from across the state of Indiana together to discuss how civic leaders in Indianapolis should be addressing issues of equity and the environment.

“Each iteration of this symposium has been borne by the past, but engaged with the present,” said Dr. Edward Frantz, event organizer and Chair of the UIndy Department of History and Political Science. “The environmental justice movement has been going on for more than 50 years and, as we heard from our panelists and keynote speakers today, there is still plenty of work to be done. We’re thankful for the support of our partners, Indiana Humanities, and Richard M. Fairbanks Foundation, whose generosity has allowed UIndy to bring together communities and stakeholders to find solutions to one of our city’s most pressing social issues.”

“Convening local leaders, activists, students and the public around issues of environmental justice and equity perfectly aligns with our current thematic initiative, Unearthed.” said Megan Telligman, Director of Programs at Indiana Humanities. “We are grateful to have been part of this project and hope that the events’ discussions inspire people to continue to come together to think critically about the past, present and future of our built and natural environment and take equitable action to secure a sustainable future.”

Panelists Kaila Austin (Norwood-Lovetown Community Archives), Morgan Mickelson (City of Indianapolis), Michael O’Connor (Inotiv) and Britt Redd (City of Indianapolis) opened the symposium by exploring past city and state environmental policy that shaped today’s city of Indianapolis. The discussion spanned from the Indiana Redevelopment Act, passed in the 1940s, to the numerous highway expansions in and through the city, to the fundamental changes made to the geography of neighborhoods like Norwood within the past ten years.

During the symposium’s keynote INconversation, Denise Abdul-Rahman (Chisholm Legacy Project, Indiana NAACP) and Brian Payne (Central Indiana Community Foundation) used their experiences within their respective organizations to explain what civic leaders are called to do about environmental justice and equity. Both speakers agreed that it starts with ensuring that resources, especially funding, are directed to the right organizations and communities.

“My role in Indiana, Indianapolis and beyond is to continue to share the stories, share the light to share the different data points, such as the fact that African Americans pay $41 billion to the energy sector, but only hold one-percent of energy jobs, and 2-percent of Black Business Enterprise contracts,” said Abdul-Rahman. “In Indiana, we’re working on having racial justice/equity in all policy and in the fair distribution and appropriation of dollars in all policies that the city, state and federal pass. It’s crucial that we ensure that these dollars make their way to Black and Brown communities. We missed the first New Deal, and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to ensure that these resources make it into our communities in order to change the trajectory of our very lives.’”

The symposium concluded with a discussion on building a more just future for Indianapolis with panelists Paula Brooks (Hoosier Environmental Council), Chioh Mwaafrika (Kheprw Institute), and Carly Weidman (Keep Indianapolis Beautiful).

“I always tell people that the goal is justice,” said Brooks. “Not equity, not diversity, not inclusion. Justice. And that’s really hard for people to accept because power does not cede power. In order to have justice, the people who hold power have to share some of that power and learn to collaborate with their communities.”

UIndy and Indiana Humanities expect to hold the Ninth Annual Richard M. Fairbanks Symposium in March 2024.

Way to throw a monkey wrench into spring break plans, Megabus.

After less than a month of operation in Indianapolis, the low-cost bus service told customers it was halting the vast majority of service here and in other Midwest cities starting Thursday, Feb, 23.

Megabus emailed customers Wednesday to cancel service on some trips.

The company says it's unable to sell tickets because of partner Miller Transportation.

“Due to a recent business decision made (by) our operating partner, Miller Transportation, Megabus will no longer be able to sell tickets in select Midwest cities and will need to cancel trips operated by Miller Transportation,” Megabus told customers. “We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause and hope to find opportunities to resume service in the future.”

The company provided automatic refunds to impacted customers.

Megabus in Indianapolis:Megabus returns to Indy with $1 fares to select destinations

After pulling out of the market in mid-2020, the low-price bus service — rides are as cheap as $1 plus the $3.99 booking fee — returned to Indy on Jan. 25 with service to dozens of cities, providing connections to Chicago, Nashville, Detroit, Gary and South Bend.

Now, in Indianapolis specifically, service will be reduced but will still be offered to Kokomo, Peru, Rochester, Plymouth, South Bend and Elkhart, the company told IndyStar on Thursday afternoon.

Megabus, which has its U.S. operations based in New Jersey, added several new markets through partnerships with regional transportation companies. In the Midwest, that was Miller Transportation. The 85-year-old company and its subsidiary Hoosier Ride, have shuttled riders throughout Indiana, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee.

Miller would sell its excess seating through the Megabus website.

Neither company has issued a release or website posting about the change. Megabus said it would alert more impacted customers in coming days.

IndyStar has reached out to Miller Transportation for comment.

Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Follow her on Twitter:@cherylvjackson.

INDIANAPOLIS — The Made Man Improv Show debuts season 5 and celebrates 10 years of sold out shows in Indianapolis and around Central Indiana Saturday. Made Man Improv is a variety show that features sketch comedy, interactive games, skits, and more that is selling out Indiana venues that seat hundreds of people in as little as six minutes.

The already sold out event will be held at the Indiana Historical Society at 7 p.m. Saturday evening. For the new season, fans can expect new games, new feature acts, and an enhanced lobby experience with 360 booths, photographers, DJs, interviews and more.

“I love the fact that I’m doing something in the city that has a positive impact,” said Justin Bland, the creator of The Made Man Improv Show. “It’s a safe haven. It’s more than just laughs for a lot of people, it’s therapeutic,” said Bland.

The new season will also feature an opening act, with the first performer being comedian, Asia Chardonay. “The whole reason for this platform is to remove myself from the spotlight and give other people the opportunity to shine,” said Bland. “I’m in a position now where it’s a blessing to be a blessing. If I can bless somebody then I’m blessed.”

The show, which was originally the J Bland Made Man show, started at Vincennes University. His mentor, Charles Bamm Surett, encouraged him to leave his mark on the campus. Known for being a host to several events at Vincennes at the time, Bland decided that his strength was improv and decided to do a variety show that has steadily grown over the past decade.

The future of Made Man Improv Show is soon headed to Butler University where it will be open to students on campus. Made Man Improv is also planning to take their show on the road in a statewide college tour. Beyond his improv show, Bland aspires to build his own theatre in Indianapolis, and in the next two years plans to showcase a play written by himself.

Bland described himself as the funny kid who was inspired by shows such as In Living Color, Kenan & Kel, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, and All That. “This is just me, I’m not trying to be funny but I know people gravitate towards me because of my personality,” said Bland. “It was sacrifices that had to be made, it was a whole lot of sleepless, restless nights trying to figure out how can I crack the code. We’ve manifested these moments.”

To purchase tickets for future shows please click here.

A comet that hasn't been visible from Earth since early humans and Neanderthals were using crude stone tools to hunt is passing through our solar system. Experts say the best time to catch this once-in-a-civilization event will happen beginning this week.

The comet, designated C/2022 E3 (ZTF), was first sighted in March 2022 inside the orbit of Jupiter, according to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, which indicated the comet's last arrival near Earth was roughly 50,000 years ago. Scientists at NASA say the comet will make its closest approach to the sun Thursday, and will pass its closest to Earth on Feb. 2.

"Comets are notoriously unpredictable, but if this one continues its current trend in brightness, it'll be easy to spot with binoculars, and it's just possible it could become visible to the unaided eye under dark skies," according to NASA.

The comet will travel to within about 100 million miles of the sun, according to space.com, before making its closest approach to Earth's Southern Hemisphere on Feb. 2, whipping by at a distance of 26 million miles.

How to see the comet without binoculars, a telescope or leaving your couch in Indianapolis and Indiana

On Thursday, the Virtual Telescope Project will host a free livestream of the comet beginning at 11 p.m. EST. You can watch from the project's website or on its official YouTube channel.

In the Northern Hemisphere, stargazers should look for the comet in the morning sky as it travels northwest. The comet should be easier to spot — weather permitting — when the moon is less illuminated during its new moon phase.

More:A newly-discovered green comet is nearing Earth and it may be visible to the naked eye

To find the path of the comet over Indianapolis, you can download a finder chart for C/2022 E3 (ZTF) courtesy of in-the-sky.org, who state the comet's moment of perihelion — the point the comet is closest to the sun — will be visible in the dawn sky, rising at 00:14 (EST) and reaching an altitude of 64° above the eastern horizon before fading from view as dawn breaks around 06:54.

John Tufts covers evening breaking and trending news for the Indianapolis Star. Send him a news tip at JTufts@Gannett.com