💪 Happy Monday and welcome to November.

• How are your New Year's Resolutions? You've got eight weeks left to make it happen!

🌧️ Today's weather: Chance of rain showers before 2pm, with a high of 64.

📚 Situational awareness: All Indianapolis Public Library locations are closed today for staff training.

Today’s newsletter is 969 words — a 3.5-minute read.

AI is producing reality-bending midterm ads — and in one Indiana congressional race, sparking a fight over what is or isn't real.

Why it matters: The warnings about deepfakes are coming true. Election laws haven't kept pace with a world where campaigns can put words in opponents' mouths and create realistic-looking scenes that didn't happen.

The big picture: An Axios analysis found numerous political ads partly or fully made by generative AI, sometimes undisclosed.

• In Georgia's Senate race, a series of AI-generated deepfake ads depicts Democratic Sen. Jon Ossoff getting beauty treatments.
• In the Pennsylvania governor's race, an ad uses AI to put a quote into Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro's mouth.
• The Wesleyan Media Project found $137 million had been spent on 220 AI-generated ads through Oct. 11, mostly from Republicans.

State of play: Four states have laws prohibiting certain uses of AI-generated deepfakes in political ads, while Indiana and 26 others require some form of disclosure about their use.

• No federal law specifically regulates AI-generated political ads.
• Indiana's 2024 law requires a disclaimer when political ads use generative AI.

Flashback: Gov. Mike Braun's campaign got into hot water during the 2024 election over an ad that manipulated a photo of his Democratic opponent, Jennifer McCormick.

• The initial version didn't include the disclaimer. It was added later.

The latest: U.S. Rep. Victoria Spartz (R-Ind.) recently accused her Democratic opponent in the 5th Congressional District race, J.D. Ford, of running afoul of Indiana's disclosure law.

• She sent a cease-and-desist letter to Ford's campaign, alleging a recent ad included fabricated images of her and didn't have the requisite disclaimer.
• Ford's campaign said the claim is "completely false."

What's next: Election Day is tomorrow.

Go deeper

Indianapolis police are taking video games into neighborhoods to build stronger relationships with young residents and their families.

Why it matters: The new IMPD Gaming Trailer puts prevention and relationship-building alongside enforcement.

Driving the news: The trailer, unveiled Thursday, was paid for by a $100,000 Legacy Impact Grant awarded to the Central Indiana Police Foundation by the Indianapolis Rotary Foundation.

• Of that, $50,000 was earmarked for the gaming trailer's purchase and customization, and the other $50,000 for youth programming including the Gang Resistance Education and Training (G.R.E.A.T.) summer camp.

How it works: Equipped with televisions and consoles, the trailer will be deployed throughout Marion County, with educational programming included at each stop.

• "Prevention, mentorship and relationship-building are just as important as enforcement when it comes to public safety," Lt. Allen Tuttle of IMPD's Community Engagement and Outreach Bureau said in a statement. "This trailer allows our officers to meet kids where they are, right in their own neighborhoods, and interact in a positive, memorable way."
• When discussing the trailer with WRTV, Tuttle said the department has missed the mark on connecting with Indy's youth, and he believes this can help fill that gap.

Between the lines: Both community members and IMPD employees called for alternative interventions and partnerships when responding to incidents involving young people, according to research that shaped the department's new strategic plan.

Keep reading

🚨 Seven people were injured in a shooting on Kirkwood Avenue in Bloomington, a popular strip of bars and restaurants near Indiana University, during Halloween weekend.

• Four men and three women, ranging from 17 to 27 in age, were treated for gunshot wounds. An 18-year-old suspect was arrested. (FOX59)

🏛️ Indianapolis City-County Councilor Crista Wells resigned from her seat representing the west side of the city over the weekend.

• Wells, who had been an outspoken critic of Mayor Joe Hogsett and found herself at odds with the council's Democratic caucus, said she's moving out of the district soon and focusing on her family. (Mirror Indy)

🍜 Sakura Japanese Restaurant is closing after nearly 40 years in business. The owners said they were unexpectedly told they would not be able to continue leasing their building.

• Sakura's last day of service is Nov. 12. (Via Facebook)

🏈 Questions are coming for the Colts after a blowout loss, 42-7, to the Jaguars yesterday. (IndyStar)

This week's news from around the region includes a demolition in Carmel; public safety and development investments in Noblesville; and a burger bye-bye in Zionsville.

🏫 Carmel Clay Schools will tear down the former Orchard Park Elementary building after a water main break beneath it was discovered Oct. 14, flooding much of the facility and causing extensive damage.

• The city deemed it unsafe, and the district plans to explore future educational uses for the property by March 2027.
• The school operated from 1956 to 2021 before becoming a storage facility.

🚔 Noblesville has broken ground on a new police headquarters at 1715 Division St. that's expected to open in late 2028.

🍔 Bub's Burgers has closed its doors for good in Zionsville.

• The burger joint's Boone County location had its last day of business Sunday, ending more than a decade serving its "Big Ugly" burgers and ice cream.

Finkam's reelection plans and more

The stars aligned this year for Irvington's infamous festival and true Halloween to fall on the same Saturday.

Why it matters: Indy's spookiest neighborhood was packed full of goblins, ghosts and ghouls — even more so than usual.

• From the morning Vampire Run 5k to the day-long festival that transitioned into trick-or-treating at night, the neighborhood named for Washington Irvington did not disappoint.

😭 Arika is going to Sakura one last time this week.

🎄 Justin already has his Christmas tree up.

Edited by Larry Graham.