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Indianapolis Star
19-05-2025
- Politics
- Indianapolis Star
Indiana spoofed by The Onion over fake pornography 'law.' Some people thought it was real
The Onion, a parody news site known for its satirical headlines, may have caused some Hoosiers to do a double-take Friday after posting the following article: "New Indiana law requires all porn viewers to register as sex offenders." No such law exists, of course. Not in Indiana or elsewhere. The story caught fire over the weekend, leading to thousands of reactions and hundreds of user comments across several social media platforms. Some people admitted they couldn't tell at first if the headline was real or not. Here's what we know about it. Story continues after photo gallery. In a spoof article about Indiana posted last week, writers at The Onion claimed the — and we can't stress this enough — fictitious law will "keep sexual content away from those not yet on the state's list of deviants." The Onion included fake quotes from real-life Republican State Sen. Liz Brown of Fort Wayne, who had a hand in authoring Senate Bill 17, a real law signed by then-Gov. Eric Holcomb last year requiring age verification checks on porn sites. Perhaps that's why The Onion credited Brown as the fake bill's fake co-sponsor, jokingly quoting her as saying Hoosiers who wanted to access adult content online would have to go on record as being "a depraved person in the eyes of the law." People on social media had a mix of reactions. It's not the first time Indiana has been lampooned by The Onion. In October 2024, days before the national presidential election in which Donald Trump won re-election, the parody site posted a story with the following headline: "New Indiana law requires women voters to show husband's ID." Last year, Indiana passed a bill into law mandating porn sites include age verification checks in a bid to prevent children from accessing adult content. Hoosier parents, as well as Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita, can sue websites that fail to screen out minors. Several adult-content websites, including a California-based free-speech trade group, have sued Indiana over the law, arguing age-verification checks impinge on Hoosiers' constitutional rights. Among other concerns, the Indiana ACLU has warned the law could pose significant risks to online privacy and safety. Despite a temporary injunction imposed by a federal judge last year, Indiana's age verification law remains in effect while a similar law adopted by Texas awaits a pending decision by the U.S Supreme Court. Story continues after photo gallery. Meanwhile, free speech advocates warn a bill introduced by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, could lead to a nationwide ban on pornography in the United States. The Interstate Obscenity Definition Act (IODA) proposed by Lee would scrap how the federal government currently interprets and defines obscene material and replace it with a more broader definition. Essentially, anything uploaded to the internet containing "nudity, sex, or excretion" that lacks "serious value," according to the bill, could be labeled obscene and therefore illegal. While the bill doesn't explicitly ban pornography outright, according to the Salt Lake Tribune, it makes it easier for prosecutors to lock up and sue anyone who creates, hosts and distributes it. 'Our bill updates the legal definition of obscenity for the internet age so this content can be taken down and its peddlers prosecuted,' Lee said in a prepared statement. In an article posted last week on Mashable, free speech advocates called the bill "a slippery slope," warning it could not only outlaw America's adult entertainment industry, but potentially have far-reaching impacts on what exactly pornography entails. "IODA would allow prosecutors to say, "'It no longer matters if it's offensive to the larger community…if it's offensive to us, we can bring a case,'" Mike Stabile told Mashable, who serves as director of public policy at adult industry trade organization, the Free Speech Coalition. OPINION: Republicans appeal to morality with bill to ban all porn. Will it turn off their base?
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Strategic legislative revisions aid renewed Indiana drive for tolling
Open road tolling is another form of electronic toll collection where motorists aren't required to stop at a toll booth or plaza to pay toll fees. (Getty Images) Indiana Gov. Mike Braun's administration is getting serious about tolling to make up for falling fuel tax revenue and upgrade aging highways — eight years after former Gov. Eric Holcomb's administration backed away from the prospect. The Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) 'is working closely with the governor's office, looking at different options: routes, the tolling process, the application, all of it as a whole, to see what makes the most sense (and) where need is greatest,' the agency said. The governor's office confirmed its interest. 'No decisions have been made,' Chief of Staff Josh Kelley cautioned. 'But tolling has to be considered to maintain our current and future infrastructure and we are exploring all potential options,' he added. Strategic changes housed in recently approved legislation could give those efforts a boost. But the loosened restrictions have sparked opposition from cash-strapped Hoosiers — and those already paying tolls along borders with Illinois and Kentucky. And it's not as easy as simply adding tolls to existing interstates. U.S. law generally bans user fees on federal-aid highways, including those that make up the Interstate Highway System. There are exceptions, of course. One program allows tolling on new highways, bridges and tunnels, plus on new lanes, as long as the number of toll-free lanes doesn't decrease. Reconstructed or replaced bridges and tunnels also qualify. Another program lets states toll high occupancy vehicle lanes. The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) also offers two limited-slot pilot programs. Tolling-curious Indiana has been down this road before. Fuel taxes produce more than 82% of Indiana's transportation infrastructure dollars. But Indiana is just 140 miles wide on average, so those who drive through without filling up don't pay in. And uptake of fuel-efficient and electric vehicles is expected to cost the state millions, jeopardizing maintenance and expansion plans for vast stretches of crumbling asphalt and concrete. Lawmakers in 2017 recognized that long-term challenge, advancing legislation that gave Holcomb the power to add tolls. The law also mandated detailed examinations of the concept. One feasibility study, produced that year for INDOT, estimated that a statewide interstate highway tolling program would have an 85% chance of generating upwards of $39 billion between 2021 and 2050. It further reported a 50% chance that revenue could exceed $53 billion over that timeframe. The estimates didn't include the likely significant costs to install and maintain tolling gantries, process payments, provide customer service, enforce collections and more. Also that year, INDOT produced a strategic plan exploring how it could implement that tolling program. One of the law's related requirements — that Holcomb's INDOT seek federal approval for the tolling initiative — wasn't fulfilled, the agency confirmed to the Capital Chronicle. A 10-cent fuel tax hike, accompanied by six years worth of inflation-indexed increases capped to a penny each, did go into effect. In 2023, his last year in office, Holcomb authorized a three-year extension. It's just a stop-gap. 'The public has made it very clear nobody wants to pay more for anything right now,' Build Indiana Council Executive Director Brian Gould said. But, he added, 'If we continue to look at the model that we operate under right now, we likely would have been talking about a 30-cent gas tax increase this year.' 'So, in order to keep that off the table and keep the plan solvent, you've got to look at other funding mechanisms that are out there,' continued Gould, whose industry group seeks sustained funding for Indiana roads and bridges. That's why Braun is getting more serious about tolling. 'It's going to have to be considered because, otherwise, I don't think we can maintain our main arteries. Asking for the ability to do it doesn't mean you're going to do it comprehensively,' he said at a Munster luncheon this month, WTHR reported. 'You do it selectively, where the need is the greatest.' Tucked among House Enrolled Act 1461's myriad local funding tweaks are detailed revisions to Indiana tolling laws. Lawmakers, for example, nullified a ban on new tolls within 75 miles of interstate highways and bridges that already had tolls in 2017. INDOT said the change 'provides some more flexibility in terms of locations.' But Hoosiers already living near tolled facilities object. Driving the 70-year-old northern Indiana Toll Road's 157-mile span costs the typical passenger vehicle more than $15 and can approach $100 for the heaviest-duty, six-axle vehicles. Crossing any of three RiverLink bridges to the south — tolled since 2016 — costs between $2.61 and $15.61 a pop, depending on payment and vehicle type. The prohibition previously shielded Rep. Wendy Dant Chesser's Kentucky border community from new additions as far up as Columbus, Indiana. Now, the Jeffersonville Democrat said, 'We could be tolled at mile marker one.' She warned that more tolls in the area would prompt 'a lot of noise.' In some instances, what was stripped out of law is 'about as important' as what was added, Gould said. Careful deletions in House Enrolled Act 1461 also allow the Indiana Finance Authority to take on debt to pay for transportation infrastructure projects, effective July 1. That is 'something that's not been an option for INDOT for almost two decades,' Gould said. The changes, he added, will let the state leverage its AAA credit rating to finance projects upfront, then use tolling revenue to pay the debt — 'easing the burden on Hoosiers.' 'We were almost working in reverse order, because so much of what the state was trying to get to was actually in existing law (as) a prohibition,' he said. Other tweaks removed requirements that lawmakers specifically authorize certain tolling-related activities. INDOT said it hadn't yet narrowed down which exceptions or facilities it was considering. The agency is 'still … casting a wide net, looking at all options, as we move forward,' it said. Implementing tolling would be a 'multi-year process,' per INDOT. Gould said that in between now and then, 'Hoosiers can expect to see major reconstruction of those interstates and expanded capacity. So I think people should likely be pretty pleased with what they see, not happy about paying for it.' SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Axios
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Weekend events: Indiana Peony Festival, Broad Ripple Art Fair and more
There are busy weekends in Indianapolis, and then there are really busy weekends in Indianapolis. Why it matters: This upcoming one is the latter. 🌸 Celebrate the state flower with food, vendors and live music during the 5th annual Indiana Peony Festival in Noblesville's historic Seminary Park. Flashback: Gov. Eric Holcomb declared that the third Saturday in May be known as Indiana Peony Festival Day on May 22, 2021. The free event runs from 10am-4pm. 🎨 Discover something that moves you at the 53rd OneAmerica Financial Broad Ripple Art Fair, 10am-5pm Saturday and Sunday at the Indy Art Center. The vibe: More than 150 artists will sell their work, and Indy Jazz Fest will curate live music. The rest of our weekend picks: 🎭 See Broadway star Patti Murin put on a show when she does a pair of performances at The Cabaret, 8pm Friday and Saturday. Tickets start at $85. 🏉 See the nation's top rugby teams go at it during the USA Club Rugby XVs National Championships at Kuntz Stadium, Friday-Sunday. ⚾ Swing for the fences when the Indianapolis Indians host the Louisville Bats for a weekend series. Games start at 7:05pm Friday, 6:35pm Saturday and 1:35pm Sunday. Tickets start at $15. 🏳️🌈 Celebrate the intersectionality of the Asian American Pacific Islander and LGBTQ+ communities at the free 2025 AAPI Pride Celebration, 7pm Friday at 10 East Arts Hub. RSVP here. 🎵 Rock with country singer Zach Top when he brings his " Cold Beer & Country Music" tour to Everwise Amphitheater at White River State Park, 7:30pm Friday. Tickets start at $123. 🏀 Cheer on the Indiana Fever as they open the 2025 WNBA season at home against the Chicago Sky, 3pm Saturday. Tickets start at $85. 🏁 Race to IMS for Indy 500 Fast Friday and qualifiers. Fast Friday practice starts at noon and the qualification draw starts at 6:15pm Friday. Qualifying runs start at 11am Saturday and 4:05pm Sunday. Tickets start at $25 for Fast Friday and $30 for quals. 🏎️ Visit the graves of racing royalty during the Racing Legends driving tour at Crown Hill Cemetery, 1pm Saturday. 🎹 Listen to the sounds of the final Indianapolis Children's Choir performance of the 2024-25 season when they present " Dawning" at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 4pm Sunday.
Chicago Tribune
18-05-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Grant will help students access Ivanhoe nature preserve
A somewhat hidden nature preserve on Gary's West side is set to become an educational beacon, thanks to grants and perseverance. Indiana American Water Monday afternoon awarded the Shirley Heinze Land Trust a $150,000 Water and Environmental grant to turn its Ivanhoe South Nature Preserve, 750 Colfax St., into a place where students and passersby alike can come and take in its wonder. The money gives the nonprofit the final boost it needed to trigger the $977,000 READI 1.0 grant it was awarded under former Governor Eric Holcomb. The trust, which started snagging some 250 unused lots in the area from tax sales after it started in 1981, ended up with 53 acres of pristine dune and swale habitat, Trust Executive Director Kris Krouse said during an announcement at the site. It will now use the $1,177,000 from the READI 1.0, Indiana American Water and a $50,000 Legacy Foundation grant to build a sidewalk to the site from West Side Leadership Academy as well as add a bathroom and improve a bridge over a creek on the property. 'We want to engage students with environmental initiatives,' he said. Gary Mayor Eddie Melton said he remembers being taken to Deep River to learn about the Monarch butterfly, so having a project at home will be an investment that will strengthen the city's connection to the environment. Indiana State Senator Mark Spencer, D-Gary, echoed Melton's sentiment. 'As a 33-year veteran educator at West Side, I'm excited for young people to have this wonderful, natural space,' he said. 'The Shirley Heinze Land Trust has been a quiet, powerful force whose work isn't just saving lands, but giving stories to neighborhood and industry. 'We're not breaking ground — we're planting hope.' Northwest Indiana Forum President and CEO Heather Ennis said the Ivanhoe project might not be the biggest in the scheme of the $50 million Northwest Indiana received, but it may have the most impact, while Legacy Foundation President and CEO Kelly Anoe added that when people invest in public space, it's not just about beauty, but equity and resilience as well. When Indiana American Water NWI District Manager Justin Mount got word that he had money to award, the first person he called was NWI Forum Environmental Affairs Director Kay Nelson for suggestions. She immediately told him Ivanhoe South would be the place because the land itself helps recharge aquifers in the area. 'A sidewalk sounds like such simple amenity, but it provides safe transport to 53 acres of dune and swale, and other rich ecological opportunities,' Nelson said. 'You hear the birds, the Spring peepers (frogs), and you see the mayflowers. When Justin made that call to me, and to find out (Ivanhoe) got that match was really an awesome thing.' The Indiana American Water award was the biggest award American Water gave out to the 12 states it covers, Mount added.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Former Indiana contractor hacked, sends scam toll messages from state accounts
Scam messages purportedly sent by state accounts flooded Hoosier inboxes Tuesday. (Niki Kelly/Indiana Capital Chronicle) Fraudulent messages purportedly sent by state agencies about collecting tolls are 'scams,' the Indiana Office of Technology confirmed Tuesday. The office cautioned Hoosiers to 'not click on any of the links,' noting that Indiana 'does not send unpaid toll notifications via text or email messages.' 'A (former) contractor's account was hacked and used to send those messages,' the office added. Each scam message says it was sent 'using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of' numerous state agencies. Some of the messages came purportedly from former Gov. Eric Holcomb. Indiana previously used the platform, offered by Colorado-based Granicus, to manage digital communications with constituents. The contract for those services ended December 31 — but Indiana's account wasn't removed, according to IOT. The office said it's 'working with' the company 'to stop any further communications.' Agencies like the Department of Revenue and Alcohol & Tobacco Commission also warned subscribers on Tuesday to 'ignore and delete' the spam messages, and apologized for the inconvenience. Indiana has since switched over to products from California-based Salesforce.
