STATEHOUSE (Sept. 22, 2009) - State Sen. Jim Merritt said today Jane Pauley - former Indianapolis news anchor and later co-host of NBC's "Today" program - will be back in Indianapolis Wednesday to help open a new community health center that bears her name.
Merritt (R-Indianapolis) will join Pauley in the neighborhood she once called home during a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday morning and a dinner Wednesday night to celebrate the opening of the Jane Pauley Community Health Center at 30th Street and Post Road in Indianapolis.
The clinic is located inside Warren Township's Renaissance School, not far from where Pauley grew up.
"Jane will be honored during the dinner for her commitment to help build an innovative health care facility on the east side of Indianapolis, an area she once called home," Merritt said. "It's inspiring to have someone of Jane's stature give back to help make Indianapolis a better place."
Merritt said the center will offer medical, dental and behavioral health care to patients regardless of insurance or income.
"Jane has been a wonderful advocate for providing physical and behavioral health care to underserved populations," Merritt said.
Pauley is a graduate of Warren Central High School and served as co-host of NBC's Today program for 13 years before anchoring Dateline NBC for another 12 years. She began her career at WISH-TV in Indianapolis, working there from 1972-1975.
Merritt became involved with Community Hospital Networks following his public service announcement about Indiana's Safe Haven Law with Dr. Lauren Dungy-Poythress. Soon afterwards, he participated in a series of neighborhood town hall meetings on health care at various Community Hospital facilities.
Merritt sponsored legislation to create Indiana's Safe Haven Law in 2000 after an abandoned newborn was found frozen to death on a snow bank just outside an emergency room entrance of a north side Indianapolis hospital. His public service announcements with Dr. Dungy-Poythress have been distributed to television stations and aired in the Indianapolis area.
--30--
« Back to News Release List
Link to this event: