Indiana
FBI agents searching home of former Pickleball Rocks owner in Brookville, Indiana
BROOKVILLE, Ind. — FBI agents are searching a home in Brookville, Indiana belonging to a man who once owned the apparel company Pickleball Rocks.
According to the FBI, agents are seeking to identify potential victims who may have invested with the owner of the home, Rodney Grubbs.
The FBI is asking anyone who may have been victimized by Grubbs to fill out a form on their website. The agency says all victim identities will be kept confidential.
The FBI’s Indianapolis Division is seeking to identify potential victims who invested with Rodney Grubbs, the former owner of Pickleball Rocks. Please visit https://t.co/XvWnr0AOKn for additional information and a link to a short form.
— FBI Indianapolis (@FBIIndianapolis) December 4, 2024
Agents at Grubbs’ home were seen carrying boxes out of the home and putting them into an unmarked vehicle parked outside. An FBI spokesperson said agents were executing a search warrant at the home, but did not say what prompted the search.
The FBI did not say whether Grubbs has been charged with any crimes at this time.
In January, Indiana Secretary of State Diego Morales issued a cease and desist order to Grubbs “to stop an alleged fraudulent investment scheme concerning a Pickleball apparel and equipment company All About Pickleball LLC., also known as ‘Pickleball Rocks.’”
The petition alleges Grubbs solicited investments in the form of promissory notes from investors that “contained a high interest rate of 12% compounded monthly and contained an 18% penalty provision in the case of default.”
Grubbs allegedly met and solicited investors at pickleball tournaments; many of those investors have not been repaid, according to the Secretary of State’s office.
In 2023, multiple people filed civil cases against Grubbs, claiming they’d made investments to him and were not paid back. The suits claim Grubbs promised the plaintiffs returns, with interest ranging from 14% to 21%, and amounts owed by Grubbs totaling in the hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
In three civil cases filed by different investors between July 2023 and November 2023, plaintiffs claim Grubbs issued them promissory notes, then refused to pay the resulting principal and interest.
All three plaintiffs won their cases. Grubbs was ordered to pay over $4 million plus attorney fees in one case, over $3 million plus attorney fees in another and over $1 million plus attorney fees for a third.
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Indiana
Man shot by security guard in hospital emergency room waiting area in Gary, Indiana
A man’s family is demanding answers after he was shot by a security guard inside a hospital emergency room waiting area on Tuesday night in Gary, Indiana.
Methodist Northlake Hospital officials said, around midnight Tuesday night, its security staff responded quickly after a patient took out a gun. The hospital said he’d threatened to shoot himself or others.
The hospital commended the security guard who shot the man for “neutralizing the threat and helping ensure the safety of our patients and employees.”
Family members identified the man who was shot as Otis Brown. They said he is a kind father to a 12-year-old boy.
“Just a great person, a happy-go-lucky, always out there trying to do the right thing,” said his fiancée, Stacey Taylor.
Taylor said she was on a business trip when she got a call that Brown had been shot multiple times.
“Scared, uncertainty; you know, what story is right? You know, what happened?” she said.
After he was shot, Brown was taken to University of Chicago Medical Center for treatment.
Taylor said she had no idea why Brown went to Methodist Northlake Hospital in the first place. His family said he was trying to leave the hospital when the shooting happened, claiming that the hospital gave him his gun back after he was cleared to leave.
“We just want to get answers, just want to know what happened, particularly when people are defaming his name,” Taylor said.
She and Brown’s family hope the hospital has surveillance video footage that can help provide answers.
Gary police have not provided any details on the shooting. The Lake County Sheriff’s Department said it is investigating the shooting at the request of Gary police, but did not provide any further information.
Indiana
Indiana A.G. finishes Karl King Tower investigation, finalizes compliance order
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WSBT) — The Indiana Attorney General has finished its investigation into Karl King Tower and issued a compliance order.
This is coming after a months-long investigation into the unsafe living conditions for residents at the apartments.
From December 2025 to January 2026, there were prolonged failures with the heating and a lack of heat for residents during winter conditions at Karl King.
The property owner provided a 20% rent credit for affected tenants and documentation related to health and safety issues.
Below is the agreement from the Attorney General:
- The owner must complete boiler and heating system improvements by September 30.
- The property is subject to a monitoring period for multiple years.
- The owner needs to provide on-site security, including cameras in common areas and monthly incident reports.
- The building needs an on-site property manager to address resident concerns.
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The Attorney General has the authority to inspect the property and enforce compliance if commitments aren’t met.
Indiana
Indiana Baseball Series Preview Against Illinois
It’s been a rough season for the Indiana baseball team, but the Hoosiers have one more shot to finish the season on a high note against Illinois this week.
Indiana (21-30, 7-20) has lost five straight contests and failed to qualify for the Big Ten Tournament after finishing outside the top 12 in the Big Ten, meaning Saturday’s game against the Illini will be the Hoosiers’ last.
And that may very well be the biggest surprise in all of the Big Ten, considering IU won 33+ games each of the last two years and finished above .500 in Big Ten play each of the last three seasons.
About Indiana
Indiana’s disappointing season is almost over after getting swept by in-state rival Purdue over the weekend. IU has lost four straight Big Ten series and hasn’t won a series in nearly a month.
Regardless of who is playing well and who’s not, don’t be surprised if the majority of the seniors get to play this weekend.
That probably wouldn’t be the case if Indiana were still able to qualify for the Big Ten Tourney, but with that out of the equation, expect to see the guys who might not ever play another competitive game of baseball get to see the field one last time.
The Hoosiers’ best pitcher is southpaw Tony Neubeck, who leads the team in wins, starts, innings pitched, and strikeouts. Neubeck has recorded back-to-back quality starts and could very well hear his name called in this June’s MLB Draft.
Offensively, the Hoosiers have proven they can score some runs, and despite getting swept last week, scored 21 runs against Purdue. IU’s top hitter is Jake Hanley, who leads Indiana’s offense in at-bats, hits, home runs, RBIs, total bases, and walks.
About Illinois
Unlike Indiana, no matter what happens this week for Illinois, the Illini are automatically a lock for the Big Ten Tournament. Illinois might rest some of its everyday players who have played a lot and have some of its top arms on pitch counts, but outside of that, expect the Illini to play this series like it’s their last.
Illinois still has a chance to move up a spot in the Big Ten, and there’s no denying the fact that seeding matters.
Illinois (27-23, 13-14) has won five in a row but has struggled on the road this season, especially in Big Ten play.
Still, though, Illinois has a couple of solid relievers — Sam Mommer and Sam Reed — and has an ace in Aidan Flinn.
Offensively, the Illini are inconsistent but did manage to score 26 runs in three games against Northwestern and have a couple of power hitters in AJ Putty and Collin Jennings.
Series Schedule
Thursday, May 14th (6 p.m. ET)
Friday, May 15h (6 p.m. ET)
Saturday, May 16th (2 p.m. ET)
All three games are available to watch via the Big Ten Network Plus (BIG+).
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