👋 Hello! It's Monday!

☀️ Today's weather: Sunny with a high of 68.

🤑 Situational awareness: The City-County Council will vote on the $1.9 billion city budget proposal tonight. Watch live on Channel 16 or check tomorrow's newsletter for updates.

Today’s newsletter is 990 words — a 4-minute read.

With less than two weeks until Halloween, spooky season is ramping up in Central Indiana, including another week of festivities in Indy's most haunted historic hood.

Why it matters: Beyond Irvington's signature festival, the metro offers Halloween events for nearly every age, budget and appetite for scares.

• Here are some of our favorite ways to celebrate across the region before the ghosts and ghouls give way to a bunch of turkeys.

🦇 Irvington's Halloween takeover

The Historic Irvington Halloween Festival starts Saturday and culminates in a street fair, parade and 5K on Halloween day.

• The east-side neighborhood, named after "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" author Washington Irving, first celebrated the festival in 1927.
• This year's attractions include a Halloween Ball, Spooky Organ Concert, Family Movie Night and so much more.

👻 Haunted attractions

Fright Academy: The Children's Museum's haunted house offers friendly and frightening hours through Oct. 31.

• Tickets for the academy start at $8.

Indy Scream Park: Six haunted attractions bring the scares to Anderson on select nights through Nov. 7.

• Tickets start at $28.

Headless Horseman Festival: Conner Prairie's haunted hayride, corn maze, carnival rides and seasonal entertainment bash will hold its final events Thursday-Sunday in Fishers.

• Tickets start at $26.

🍂 Family fun

Halloween at Forest Park: Noblesville's free celebration features trick-or-treating, hayrides, games and a costume contest, 4:30-7:30pm Friday.

Trick-or-Treating in the Plaza: Westfield's Grand Junction Plaza hosts candy booths, carnival games and family activities, 4:30-8pm Friday. It's free.

🎭 Halloween week

Hasta La Muerte: Las Cafeteras bring Afro-Mexican rhythms and storytelling to Carmel's Payne & Mencias Palladium at 7:30pm on Oct. 29.

• Tickets start at $25.

Movies at Midtown: Carmel hosts a free outdoor screening of Día de los Muertos favorite "Coco" at 6pm on Oct. 31.

Trick-or-Treat on the Rails: Kids can collect treats aboard the Nickel Plate Express in Noblesville on Halloween.

• Tickets start at $23; kids under 3 ride free.

More spooky season events

Many central Indiana voters will have school referendums on their ballots.

Why it matters: Much is at stake — from teaching positions to bus service — according to the districts asking for the property tax increases.

The big picture: More than three dozen school districts around the state are running referendums this year — a record number for a single election cycle.

• Districts are trying to offset funding losses caused by state policy changes, particularly the property tax law known as Senate Enrolled Act 1.
• The law cuts the amount of revenue schools and other local governments receive from property taxes.
• It also requires districts to share those dollars with charter schools over the next several years as the full effect of the law phases in.

Yes, but: The next election cycle may see more, says Terry Spradlin, executive director of the Indiana School Boards Association.

• "It's actually surprisingly low," Spradlin tells Axios.
• One-third of the districts are seeking a referendum for the first time. The rest, Spradlin says, are seeking a renewal. Changes to when districts can place a referendum on the ballot mean some needed to seek a renewal earlier than they otherwise would have.

What they're saying: "We need to make the case, to make a compelling case and educate voters," Spradlin says.

Zoom in: Between Marion County and the doughnut counties, 16 districts are running referendums.

See the districts

🏈 It was a tough weekend for college football. Five of the top seven teams lost, including IU and Notre Dame. (Associated Press)

✈️ Indianapolis is getting a new international flight. Air Canada will launch seasonal nonstop flights between IND and Montreal next summer. (WRTV)

🏝️ A Purdue-backed research team did not find the wreckage of Amelia Earhart's plane as hoped. The object seen on satellite was a collection of trees. (IBJ)

👋 Arika here!

As much as I'd love to try one of Corridor's popular Chef's Table dinners, a $1,850 meal (even split among 10 friends) is a little outside of my budget.

• Luckily, there's an affordable, delicious and very vegetarian-friendly lunch menu. No reservation (or lottery) required.

Where to go: Corridor, the restaurant at 54th Street and the Monon that was formerly known as Nicole-Taylor's Pasta & Market.

• When it rebranded last year, it expanded its culinary focus from Italy to include more of the Mediterranean region.

What to order: The falafel sandwich, served on fluffy bread and so, so full of flavor.

• Crunchy, herby falafel is paired with a vibrant garlic spread and pickled veggies.
• Plus: It was hard to choose between the fall salads but I went with the bibb and was not disappointed. I could drink the preserved lemon vinaigrette.

Cost: $16.

If you go: 1134 East 54th Street, Studio C.

• Open 11am-3pm Tuesday-Saturday.

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Former Indianapolis Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri joined the team's Ring of Honor yesterday, but the celebration came amid a tough 26-20 loss to the Tennessee Titans.

Why it matters: Vinatieri helped define a Colts era, and his induction celebrates a legacy that still resonates with fans.

Zoom in: Vinatieri, also a member of the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Class of 2026, was inducted at halftime inside Lucas Oil Stadium.

• "I truly love everything about Indy," Vinatieri said while reflecting on his connection to the city.

By the numbers: Vinatieri spent 14 seasons with Indianapolis, scoring a franchise-record 1,515 points and helping the Colts win Super Bowl XLI.

The latest: Yesterday's game saw the Colts (2-4) lose a 13-0 halftime lead due to turnovers.

• They visit Minnesota to take on the Vikings Sunday.

👋 Arika is packing for vacation!

😬 Justin is very nervous about tonight's Guardians vs. Rays game.