Indianapolis, IN
Man pleads in CSC with Midland teen he took across state lines
Indiana man to be sentenced March 7
A 21-year-old Indianapolis, Indiana man pleaded no contest Friday morning in Midland County Circuit Court to third-degree criminal sexual conduct with a 15-year-old Midland girl and aggravated possession of sexually abusive materials.
Darian Williams has been lodged in the Midland County Jail on a $100,000 bond since his arrest by Midland police on June 27. He is set for sentencing on March 7, 2024.
According to circuit court records, in exchange for his no contest plea, two third-degree CSC charges and an additional charge of aggravated possession of sexually abusive materials were dismissed.
Williams is charged with having sex with the Midland teen. Midland Police Department Lt. Dan Keeler said the girl met Williams, who was a friend of a family friend. He visited the teen several times before she ran away with him in December of 2022.
Keeler said the girl was originally reported as a runaway, but then police learned Williams was involved with her disappearance. Police then notified Indianapolis authorities. United States Marshals arrested Williams in Kentucky on Dec. 22. The victim was with him at the time. Her family went to Indianapolis and picked her up from authorities.
According to his Indianapolis, Indiana arrest record, Williams is facing unknown federal charges. The Federal Bureau of Investigation couldn’t immediately confirm the charges.
Keeler said it is a federal crime for an adult to take a minor across state lines for criminal sexual activity.
Indianapolis, IN
New Technology Can Change the Way You Hear Live Events
An innovative technology company that enhances sound at live sporting events is looking to grow its operations in Indiana.
Valtteri Salomaki, co-founder and CEO of EDGE Sound Research, says his company is building end-to-end audio infrastructure that allows users to control how they hear live events. The new technology, he says, lets users enjoy real-world experiences through heightened sound.
Salomaki says the technology can be used at concerts, live sporting events, and at home. EDGE Sound Research works with sound from capture to reproduction. Salomaki calls it “a new way to create sound.”
The new technology also allows the user to turn materials, like walls, couches, or seat cushions, into sound by manipulating vibrations. Once the hardware is attached to a material, the user can hear sound coming from it. Salomaki says this will allow event-goers to “feel what the performer feels.”
Salomaki brought his idea to the Rally Innovation Conference pitch competition last year and walked away with a cash prize that allowed him to expand his research and development and create a new partnership with the Indiana Pacers.
Initially, he was just looking to network and share how his product could impact the Indiana economy, but Salomaki says the Rally Innovation Conference was crucial to the growth of his business. Since then, he has been able to create new partnerships and is now focused on building out the commercial arm of his business in Indiana.
Indianapolis, IN
BLQ+ Pride Fest: A celebration of Indy's Black LGBTQ+ community
INDIANAPOLIS — A celebration of Black LGBTQ+ pride was on full display on Monument Circle Saturday.
The BLQ+ Pride fest brought out hundreds of people as an opportunity to celebrate people of color who identify as LGBTQ+.
The celebration had vendors, queer health support organizations and entertainment.
According to the Human Rights campaign, over 80 percent of black LGBTQ+ youth say they have experienced homophobia or transphobia in the black community.
Organizers hope the event serves as a reminder to queer people of color that they have a community in the city of Indianapolis.
“Black pride is important because black LGBTQ people need safe spaces to feel loved and celebrated in the State of Indiana,” President of Indiana Pride of Color Belinda Drake said.
The Human Rights campaign also says that racism is an issue in the LGBTQ+ community.
Nearly 75 percent of black queer youth say they have experienced racism in the queer community.
Indiana Pride of Color is working to improve the quality of life for Indiana LGBTQ+ BIPOC communities.
Learn more about the Indiana Pride of Color organization, here.
WATCH | Organizations work to ‘break the stigma’ amid Mental Health Awareness Month
Breaking the stigma of mental health during Mental Health Awareness Month
Indianapolis, IN
BLQ+ Pride Summer Fest returns
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — After a five-year hiatus, the BLQ+ Pride Summer Fest event was held on Monument Circle on Saturday.
The event featured several shopping, entertainment, and eating opportunities.
“They are doing testing, we have food vendors, we have alcohol for the adults, we have folks who are selling merchandise,” said Belinda Drake, president of Indiana Pride of Color. “We have the ice cone shop for the kiddos, too.”
The day is created to honor and celebrate Black, Queer joy in the city and state overall.
One of the vendors who came out to sell items and celebrate alongside the community is Nakeya Harris, the owner of Meraki Mobile Boutique. Her shop carries women’s clothing items, with a specific focus on statement items with bright colors. She also carries jewelry and additional staples.
“I enjoy people expressing themselves and being free, so I wanted to be a part of that,” Harris said.
Local LifeJourney Church was also in attendance at the event. They aim to extend a safe space for worship to anyone interested.
“Today we are trying to reach out to communities of color and just say we have a welcoming space where people can come and be themselves
Though it is the first event of its kind since 2019, the Summer Fest is set to return to Monument Circle next year, and for many years to come.
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