The Hoosier Commoner

Posting on @jstewartindy

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Hearing from Mike Pence, former VP and Indiana governor, at the Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center in Indianapolis.

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

GET THE SCREENS OUT OF THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS!

[IndyStar @indystar]

From Deputy Opinion Editor Jacob Stewart: It pains me to say this, but Pornhub has a point. Age verification belongs on your phone instead of individual websites.

Read the column: https://t.co/gVarn4RXnL

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Indiana public schools need to replace laptops with pencil & paper.

But education leaders are pushing for more ed tech and now AI.

If they won’t change course, parents should use the freedom the state provides and take their children out.

https://t.co/9cyZigaH6T

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Indiana public schools replaced authentic human interaction with technology during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Then they rolled out mass surveillance to deal with the consequences.

We need to rebuild education around freedom. Here’s how.

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Save Heritage Indiana’s board of directors to step down, issued apology to Sen. Jim Banks and Gov. Mike Braun after the organization’s executive director attacked both politicians.

“The Board has always been grateful to Sen. Banks for introducing the U.S. Citizenship Act of 2026, introducing the Delilah Law, creating the TruckSafe Tipline, and speaking on the floor of the U.S. Senate about the threat to regular Americans of illegal immigrant trucking and Gov. Braun for ordering state cooperation with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, signing the Fairness Act, and organizing the mass arrest of illegal aliens with invalid commercial driver's licenses in Northwest Indiana.”

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Indiana’s public universities don’t pay their leaders enough.

Purdue’s president just left for a gig that probably pays double.

Why wouldn’t IU President Pamela Whitten leave for a higher paying job that’s less stressful, too?

https://t.co/QEAT8e8TsT

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

IU President Pamela Whitten deserves another raise.

I know what you’re thinking - she already make $1 million. Isn’t that enough?

Well, her peers make far more and manage smaller universities.

Not to mention, she hired Curt Cignetti.

Read my latest for @indystar below.

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Brett was found “in a vehicle” with injuries consistent with a gunshot wound, according to IMPD.

More details on the name and age of the suspect will likely be officially revealed upon formal charges being filed, and perhaps the motive will become more clear.

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

BREAKING: IMPD arrests a 14-year-old in connection with the murder of 23-year-old Brett Scrogham in downtown Indianapolis on May 28.

The 14-year-old was taken into custody on June 3 on Indianapolis’ west side.

"While today's arrest is significant, my heart breaks for everyone impacted by this tragedy. A young man lost his life, and another now faces allegations that will change his life forever," said Chief Tanya Terry.

"This arrest is the result of countless hours of dedicated work by our IMPD detectives, officers, and US Marshalls. While today's announcement marks an important step forward in this investigation, it cannot heal or ease the pain felt by Mr. Scrogham's family, friends, and loved ones. This case is a tragic reminder that a single act of violence can alter countless lives in an instant.”

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

23-year-old Brett Scrogham, who was shot in the parking garage near the Convention Center on Thursday, has died from his injuries.

Brett was a friend of mine and an amazing, intelligent, godly young man with a bright future ahead of him.

As such I avoided commenting on the situation until the details became public.

He was downtown to attend an Indians game with his family and was a victim of senseless, tragic violence.

Please pray for his family.

Those with surveillance cameras in the area should contact IMPD's Homicide Unit at 317-327-3275. Those with anonymous tips should contact 317-262-TIPS (8477).

I spoke with the individual that first reported this to IMPD earlier this weekend.

This individual was on the third floor of the parking garage and heard a loud gunshot, followed immediately by a possible suspect running down the ramp of the garage from a higher level.

The possible suspect stopped and looked at the individual, then continued running down the ramp.

The individual described the possible suspect as tall, skinny, younger male wearing a black MTV sweater, a black hood, and other black clothing.

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Indiana residents should be able to take pride in our capital city.

They should be able to attend sporting events, walk the canal, or visit the museum here and not worry about losing their lives.

They should have no doubt justice will be served if they are a victim of a crime.

Instead, we have a criminal justice system that puts politics & ideology above justice for the victim.

Indianapolis should be exporting higher quality of life & economic vitality to the surrounding communities. Instead we’re exporting death.

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

"This evening, we've got a young man who's fighting for his life."

IMPD is investigating after a man was critically injured in a shooting Thursday evening in downtown Indianapolis. 

Businesses in the area with surveillance cameras are asked to contact IMPD's Homicide Unit at 317-327-3275. Anonymous tips can be made by contacting Crime Stoppers of Central Indiana at 317-262-TIPS (8477). 

https://t.co/DKcWzfbiZl

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

I spoke with the individual that first reported this to IMPD.

This individual was on the third floor of the parking garage and heard a loud gunshot, followed immediately by a possible suspect running down the ramp of the garage from a higher level.

The possible suspect stopped and looked at the individual, then continued running down the ramp.

The individual described the possible suspect as tall, skinny, younger male wearing a black MTV sweater, a black hood, and other black clothing.

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Her social media post revealed a lack of maturity expected of her position & intolerance for large swathes of the student body & state.

Ball State University shouldn’t have rewarded her $225k but conservative state leaders could have prevented it.

https://t.co/RqF2KbzlM0

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Her post about Charlie Kirk destroyed student trust in her office & Ball State University.

Now they’re rewarding her $225k to settle a lawsuit even though it could have been easily defeated.

That was a BAD IDEA.

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Indiana Gov. Mike Braun wants to eliminate property taxes for seniors and those who have paid off their mortgage.

This is the same state government that removed tax relief for first time homeowners in a property tax bill last year because it would have allegedly harmed local schools.

Yet under this proposal, Braun would pay zero dollars in property taxes on his huge, nearly 10,000 square foot home with hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayer-funded improvements.

The hypocrisy & hatred of young adults here is insane.

It’s incredibly anti-family.

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

Brenda Wilson's legal troubles with her family are escalating as she nears Election Day in her Republican primary challenge against state Sen. Greg Goode.

I explained the family conflict surrounding the Trump-endorsed candidate in a previous column. Since then, new documents and interviews have revealed something more serious: accusations of fraud, a disputed will and a theft allegation that ended with a state police search warrant.

Read the @indystar column: https://t.co/7d3MaLmRNA

[IndyStar @indystar]

Stewart: The primary challenger to state Sen. Greg Goode is a vessel for a revenge scheme that might backfire. President Donald Trump had no idea who he was endorsing.

Read more: https://t.co/Fu34dZcAVu

[Jacob Stewart @jstewartIndy]

President Trump endorsed an Indiana Senate candidate but clearly has no idea who she is. Her own family wants to stop her.

I spoke with the Wilson family about why they endorsed @gregoryjgoode in his race against @BrendaWilsonIN.

Even though one of them told me she initially supported Trump’s push for mid-cycle redistricting, which Goode opposed & which led to his unusually intense primary challenge.

Read more: https://t.co/OKwChpVlNK