Indiana
Stay granted to Indiana age verification bill on pornographic sites
INDIANAPOLIS (WXIN) — In late June, a judge blocked an Indiana law from going into effect, which would have forced Hoosiers to upload sensitive documents to pornographic sites to confirm they are 18 or older. On Friday, a stay was granted for that bill, meaning it will be passed as law.
Senate Bill 17 also allows Indiana residents to bring a civil suit against sites with “material harmful to minors,” per the Free Speech Coalition.
According to court documents, the bill is virtually identical to one adopted by the state of Texas.
“We do not see any adequate reason why Texas’s law may be enforced pending
the decision on the merits in Free Speech Coalition v. Paxton, while Indiana’s may not be
enforced,” the docs read. “Functionally identical statutes should be treated the same while the Supreme Court considers the matter.”
Critics, including the judge who initially blocked the legislation, called the bill “likely facially unconstitutional” under the First Amendment. On the other hand, those in support of its passing — like Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita — are saying it could protect minors from viewing sensitive material.
Signature dessert from each state
Court documents argued, “These tools [of requiring age verification] also allow parents to adjust what their children can see and when, such that younger children might be restricted from more websites than a child immediately before their 18th birthday.”
The documents also acknowledged that filtering content may not necessarily be a catch-all method. They stated how it’s not always widely used, it’s entirely possible to accidentally block content that does not require filtration and children are capable of finding ways to get around content blocking.
In a post to X (formerly Twitter), the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana wrote, “We’ll keep saying it: We can make the internet safer for minors without undermining the constitutional rights of adults.”
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Monday, June 1, 2026 3:34AM
MERRILLVILLE, Ind. (WLS) — A northwest Indiana family is safe thanks to the heroic actions of a Hobart police officer.
Adam Zormier rescued a woman and four children from a burning home.
ABC7 Chicago is now streaming 24/7. Click here to watch
ABC7 talked to Zormier, who told us he was on patrol in Hobart on Sunday when he noticed heavy black smoke in the air.
He discovered it was coming from the windows and roof of a house in nearby Merrillville.
A Good Samaritan helped him knock on doors. When there was no answer, he forced his way in.
Zormier was treated for smoke inhalation. No one was seriously hurt.
Copyright © 2026 WLS-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Indiana
Indiana EMT charged with sexually assaulting 14-year-old in the back of an ambulance during transport
(WXIN/WTTV) — An EMT working for an Indiana ambulance service has been arrested after accusations that he sexually assaulted a 14-year-old while transporting them to the hospital.
Ronald D. Elliott Jr., 37, was officially charged Wednesday with a slew of child sex crimes. Online jail records show Elliott, who lives in Dunreith, was arrested Thursday and booked into Delaware County Jail without bond.
The arrest stems from accusations made by a 14-year-old who told police that Elliott sexually assaulted her in the back of an ambulance during a February transport from Muncie to Monroe County.
The alleged victim came forward on March 16 and told Indiana State Police investigators that an EMT had forced her into sexual contact while taking her to a medical facility in Bloomington.
The juvenile said that Elliott, who is listed as an EMT for Quest Ambulance Service, began showing her pictures and videos on his cell phone during the transport. The files reportedly included photos of Elliott’s genitals and videos of him engaged in sexual activities.
Elliott is then alleged to have groped the teenager under her clothes and exposed himself to her. The girl said this led to Elliott sexually assaulting her in the back of the ambulance while en route to Bloomington.
The 14-year-old said that, after the assault, Elliott provided her with his “Mr. Fogger” nicotine vape as well as his phone. The girl told officers she signed into her Instagram account on Elliott’s phone, and court documents state she failed to log off after leaving the ambulance.
It was through the girl’s Instagram account that Elliott allegedly found a second juvenile victim. Identified as Victim 2 in court documents, Elliott reportedly began messaging the 13-year-old girl on Instagram. Throughout his conversations, the 37-year-old EMT is alleged to have:
- Called the juvenile a “young sl-t”
- Lied about his age, claiming he was 18 years old
- Sent a picture of himself only wearing a towel
- Made “sexually suggestive” comments about “good naughty girls”
- Told the 13-year-old girl she “looks cute”
During an interview with Elliott conducted on March 25, the EMT reportedly admitted to letting the 14-year-old use his phone and nicotine vape. However, he denied any sexual contact with the girl and said that any nude images she may have seen on his phone were an accident.
After uncovering “corroborating evidence” from both Elliott’s cell phone and the victim’s Instagram account, police requested that a warrant be filed for his arrest. Online court records show that the warrant was granted on Thursday.
Indiana State Police said that Elliott was taken into custody without incident during a traffic stop. Delaware County Jail records show Elliott was booked around 2:30 p.m. Thursday. He now faces the following several Level 4 felony charges including child seduction, child solicitation, and sexual conduct with a minor.
No other information was included in the probable cause affidavit filed against Elliott.
Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever continued their 2026 WNBA regular season with a 100-84 loss against the Portland Fire on Saturday, May 30.
Clark, a former Iowa women’s basketball star, and the Fever are 4-4 after the first eight games of the regular season.
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Here’s a look at how Clark fared in Saturday’s game in Portland:
Caitlin Clark stats today in Indiana Fever vs Portland Fire
Former Iowa Hawkeyes star Megan Gustafson scored a game-high 22 points for Portland in the Saturday victory.
Former Iowa State Cyclones star Bridget Carleton scored 14 points for the Fire.
Caitlin Clark, Indiana Fever upcoming games
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Caitlin Clark’s stats in Indiana Fever vs Portland Fire today
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