(New Buffalo, MI) - Four Winds Casino just announced a major slot machine jackpot.

According to the casino in New Buffalo, on May 7 a player from Schaumburg, IL turned a $5 bet into over $536,000 while playing a Dollar Storm Wild Ninja™ slot machine.

Four Winds also reported some local luck. A Valparaiso player won a jackpot of over $104,000 on May 2 while playing a Mystical Mermaids slot machine in South Bend. And a La Porte resident won $40,000 last month in New Buffalo.

The casino chain says over $3.2 million dollars has been won in total since the beginning of March. “Four Winds Casinos is very excited for all our guests that have recently won significant and life-changing jackpots at one of our four casino locations as well as our online casino,” said Mary Smith, Chief Operating Officer of Four Winds Casinos.

If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, check out this website for help: https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/help-by-state/indiana/.

(South Bend, IN) - Some La Porte area professionals have been recognized for their success. The 18^th annual 40 Under 40 Awards given out by the South Bend Chamber of Commerce include these four local leaders:

• Catherine Mrozinski of Rolling Prairie is a senior credit analyst at 1^st Source Bank, founded Operation Feed La Porte County, which buys 4-H animals and distributes fresh-butchered meat to local food pantries. She was also named an Outstanding Young LaPortean in 2018.
• Joel Richardson of La Porte began his career as a field technician with Surf Internet, quickly moving up to Customer Operations Director. He is also an ordained minister at his Michigan City church.
• Seth Spencer attended La Porte High School and Purdue Northwest, then founded Sera Group, an IT consulting and repair business. He works closely with the Michigan City Economic and Development Corporation. He was also named last year’s Young Professional of the Year by the Michigan City Chamber of Commerce.
• Hannah Stombaugh of New Carlisle, a 2^nd grade teacher at Prairie View Elementary, is active with the Play for Jake Foundation, advocating for AED use. She’s also the reigning National American Miss Indiana.

The 40 Under 40 Aaward recognizes career success and community involvement achieved by people before the age of 40.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Starting Monday, state and local law enforcement agencies will be increasing patrols as part of the national “Click it or Ticket” high-visibility enforcement effort. From May 20th through June 2nd, officers will be out in full force to make sure drivers and passengers are buckled up and children are properly secured.

The overtime patrols are funded by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration with grants administered by the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute.

“We want seat belt use to be an automatic habit for drivers and passengers alike,” said ICJI Traffic Safety Director James Bryan. “Buckling up is the simplest thing you can do to limit injury or save your life during a crash.”

Since the “Click It or Ticket” initiative began more than 20 years ago, seat belt use has gone up 30% in Indiana to 93.2%, higher than the national average of 91.9%. In 2023, 390 unbuckled vehicle occupants lost their lives on Indiana roads. Nationally, there were 11,813 unbuckled vehicle occupants killed in crashes.

Research has repeatedly demonstrated the safety benefits of seat belts. Buckling up can reduce the risk of injury or death in a crash by up to 65%. Without a seat belt fastened, people can be ejected from a vehicle and killed.

Tragically, vehicle collisions continue to be a leading cause of death for children aged 1-13. NHTSA data shows that approximately 46% of all car seats are being used incorrectly.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana Department of Environmental Management is forecasting an Air Quality Action Day on Saturday for North Central and Northwest Indiana.

Ozone levels are expected to be in the Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups range in the following areas:

• North Central Indiana, including the cities of Elkhart, Goshen, Knox, Logansport, Plymouth, Peru, South Bend, Warsaw, Winamac, and all other cities within the area.
• Northwest Indiana, including the cities of Crown Point, Gary, Hammond, Kentland, LaPorte, Michigan City, Portage, Rensselaer, Valparaiso, and all other cities within the area.

High temperatures are expected to reach the 80's on Saturday which is well above seasonal averages for this time of the year and combined with mostly sunny skies, low humidity, and a lake breeze, may lead to ozone levels increasing to unhealthy for sensitive groups.

Hoosiers can visit SmogWatch.IN.gov to:

• View air quality information for all Indiana counties, including a state map of affected counties;
• Learn more about Air Quality Action Days and recommended actions;
• Learn more about ozone and fine particulate matter; and
• Sign up for air quality alerts.

Air Quality Action Days are in effect from midnight to 11:59 p.m. on the specified date

(La Porte, IN) - For the fourth year in a row, all eight elementary schools in the La Porte Community School Corporation have been recognized as 2023-24 Project Lead The Way Distinguished Schools for STEM curriculum and career readiness.

According to school officials, the honor is given to a select number of elementary schools across the U.S. for providing broad access to transformative learning experiences for students through PLTW Launch, an elementary STEM curriculum.

PLTW is a national nonprofit organization that serves millions of PreK-12 students and teachers in schools across the U.S., aiming to make every child in every grade STEM successful.

“By engaging our youngest learners in PLTW modules, we are empowering them with the skills and mindset needed for future success,” said Dr. Ben Tonagel, Assistant Superintendent of Elementary Education.

The PLTW Distinguished School recognition honors schools committed to increasing student access, engagement, and achievement in their PLTW programs. To be eligible for the designation, schools must have more than 75 percent of the student body participating in the program and had to offer at least one PLTW Launch module at each grade level during the 2022-23 school year.

“We are honored to recognize all eight La Porte Community School Corporation Elementary Schools for their commitment to providing students with exceptional educational experiences while ensuring equitable access to PLTW programs,” said Dr. David Dimmett, PLTW President and CEO.

(La Porte, IN) - A man could face a lengthy prison sentence after allegedly being caught with various narcotics in La Porte’s downtown area.

Aaron Fleck, 39, of Michigan City was taken into custody on May 12th after being pulled over for driving a vehicle with a partially obstructed license plate on East Lincolnway near Scott Street, as per La Porte Police.

The officer at the scene became suspicious when he noticed Fleck's hand was shaking while handing him his driver's license. A K-9 conducting a free-air sniff then reportedly detected the presence of drugs in the vehicle. As a result, over 22 grams of methamphetamine, slightly more than two grams of cocaine, and six fentanyl tablets were recovered from the vehicle. 15 Tramadol pills were also allegedly seized. 

A notebook seemingly used as a ledger to keep track of his drug sales was also found in the vehicle, along with a loaded handgun and $240 in cash.

Fleck is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 2 felony Dealing in Methamphetamine, which could result in a maximum 30-year sentence, alongside other drug-related counts filed against him.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man has been found guilty of killing his roommate in Michigan City and dismembering their body, as it only took a La Porte Superior Court 1 jury about three hours on Thursday to reach the verdict against John Hallett.

Hallett was convicted of Murder and Dismembering a Corpse, with evidence showing that, in 2017, the 55-year-old Hallett choked a man to death and left the body lying on the basement floor at their home in the 1000 block of West 9^th Street for nearly two months. He then cut it up with a hacksaw and disposed of it in parts in trash cans. The men were living together, having been placed into a home after living on the streets.

Authorities said nobody knew about the murder until Hallett called the police in 2022, claiming he murdered his roommate from the past. Presumably, La Porte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said, the body parts wound up in a landfill, but helping to land the conviction was microscopic evidence of a human body recovered from the basement floor. He credited Michigan City Police for their work in collecting that evidence.

“If they wouldn’t have done what they did with this case and doing the forensic evidence on the basement floor and pointing out certain kind of samples and such then we would not have been able to present a successful case,” he said.

Hallett faces anywhere from 45 to 65 years on the Murder conviction and another 30 months on the Level 6 felony Dismembering a Corpse conviction.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Farmers from Indiana and other states could benefit tremendously if what looks like gold is struck from ongoing trade talks with the world’s most populous country.

India is viewed as having almost endless potential for U.S. exports of corn, soybeans, and other crops along with poultry. With 1.4 billion people, the developing country has a growing economy and more households with middle and upper-middle-class incomes able to afford more than just the basic staples in their diets. Enhancing the purchasing power in that country are higher incomes also being in the hands of people 24 years of age and younger, which makes up 45 percent of India’s population.

Courtney Kingery, Chief Executive Officer of the Indiana Soybean Alliance, Indiana Corn Marketing Council, and Indiana Corn Growers Association, was part of a delegation that went on a USDA-sponsored trade mission trip to India last month. She came back excited about India’s interest in becoming a trade partner with the U.S. and the role the Hoosier state can play in helping meet the country’s demand for corn, soybeans, duck, and turkey. Currently, not much trade happens between the U.S. and India, which ranks 13^th for the amount of farm goods the U.S. exports to other countries.

“It can be a difference maker as this goes forward,” she said.

Indiana is the nation’s leading producer of duck and the third-largest producer of turkey, also ranking high in the production of corn and soybeans. The export of poultry to India is high on the interest level of food producers since very little beef and pork are consumed in that nation.

After returning from the trip. Kingery said work has continued on connecting Indiana producers with potential customers in the private sector the delegation met during the trip and others from India who might be interested.

“I’m just really excited to see what develops over the next several years,” she said.

Driving much of the optimism is India lowering its tariffs on imports for goods such as poultry, which dropped from 30 percent to 5 percent, and reception from business owners looking to stay in good enough supply to meet growing demand

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man will receive a high honor this evening for his many years of work in the community, as Leigh Morris is going to receive the La Porte County Good Scout Award.
 

The accolade is given every year by the Boy Scouts of America so as to recognize people whose efforts reflect the example the organization tries to instill in youth and out in the community, per Jason Yoder with the LaSalle Council of the Boys Scouts. The LaSalle Council includes La Porte, Porter, and other surrounding counties including some in Michigan like Berrien County.

Morris was the president and chief executive officer at the former La Porte Hospital during the 70s, 80s, and 90s, in addition to serving as mayor from 2004 through 2007. He has also been involved with many other companies and organizations throughout much of his lifetime, on top of being a Boy Scout himself while growing up in Hartford City, which is between Fort Wayne and Indianapolis.

“He has been involved in for-profit and not-for-profit endeavors. He has been a leader in the healthcare industry. He has done a tremendous amount of work to engage our community to make our community better and to build positive relationships and conversations,” Yoder remarked.

The award will be given at the Silver Palace in La Porte during a dinner beginning at 6 p.m.

(Michigan City, IN) - Free walks with a doctor will start later this month in Michigan City as part of a program previously created by Franciscan Health to promote healthier lifestyles and supplement the exercise individuals might already be doing.

The 5K walks through Washington Park will begin at City Hall after a brief health talk by a physician or clinical staff member and stretching, hospital officials said. However, people do not have to complete the walks.

The walks, beginning on May 29th, will occur every Wednesday beginning at 6 p.m. following on-site registration at 5:30 p.m.

The Walk with a Doc program is a collaboration between Franciscan Health Michigan City, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, General Insurance Services, MDwise, the City of Michigan City, and the Michigan City Police Department. For more information, contact Franciscan Health Michigan City Community Health Improvement Coordinator Nila Williams at (219) 283-9649 or nila.williams@franciscanalliance.org.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte woman was allegedly found with narcotics in her vehicle after being pulled over by law enforcement.

Brenda Loggins, 40, has been charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 felony Possession of Methamphetamine and Class A misdemeanor Resisting Law Enforcement.

According to court documents, at about 2 a.m. on May 7th a La Porte Police officer pulled Loggins over on Andrew Avenue near 12^th Street regarding a bad taillight. There, she allegedly tried to conceal a plastic bag containing 3.5 grams of methamphetamine in a cupholder.

Loggins was reportedly ordered out of the vehicle, but she began throwing her arms around and causing the meth to fall on the ground and the officer’s flashlight to go up on the windshield. Per authorities, she ultimately had to be physically pulled out of the vehicle.

She could face an up to 30-month sentence on the drug-related charge and another one-year sentence on the remaining count.

(Hammond and Westville, IN) - Purdue University Northwest has earned official designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education, which marks PNW, with campuses in Hammond and near Westville, as the largest HSI in the state of Indiana.

Upon completion of the assessment, the U.S. DOE designates colleges and universities as HSIs that have enrolled at least 25% of undergraduate full-time students who self-identify as Hispanic or Latino.

Since the 2022-23 academic year, PNW has enrolled a full-time undergraduate student population that is over 25% Latino. Within that population, approximately 70% are first-generation students. PNW’s enrollment figures also show it serves the most Latino students among all Northwest Indiana higher education institutions, PNW officials said.

“Purdue University Northwest is tremendously proud to earn this designation and represent our metropolitan region and Indiana as the Purdue University system’s first Hispanic-Serving Institution,” said PNW Chancellor Kenneth C. Holford.

“It is central to our institutional mission and strategic plan to provide a high-quality academic and learning environment that is welcoming, inclusive, and supportive of all students and their backgrounds. We are excited for the continued progress of our Latino and first-generation students at PNW,” he said.

Higher education institutions designated as HSIs become eligible for several federal programs and grants intended to enhance academic, on-campus, and professional development opportunities for all students. In 2023, the Biden-Harris administration awarded more than $40 million to HSIs around the U.S. to expand educational opportunities and improve retention for Latino students, PNW officials said.

(La Porte, IN) - Disciplinary action has been taken against two students in the La Porte School Corporation for making firearm-related threats.

Interim Schools Superintendent Dr. Peggy Hinckley said one threat was written on a bathroom wall at the high school, while the other was verbally communicated to another student at the middle school. However, she noted that the investigation produced no evidence the students had access to any guns. Although the threats made last week were determined not to be serious, she said children should not make threats to harm others even if they’re just joking, due to the alarm generated by such remarks nowadays.

“Words matter. When you threaten things or say you’re going to shoot up or hurt someone, if we know about that we’re going to investigate it, and if we determine that you did say those things, there’s going to be consequences,” she said.

Hinckley said she could not disclose what type of disciplinary action was taken against the students.

(La Porte County, IN) - More light has been shed on the resignation of La Porte County Democratic Party chairman Angela Henzman, who had held the position since December of 2022.

The Michigan City area woman said she stepped down to dedicate herself more to her bid to become the next La Porte County Clerk, the decision having nothing to do with more than twice as many Republican ballots being cast in comparison to Democratic ballots in the May 7th primary.

Henzman, who is the Democratic nominee after running unopposed in the primary, is facing Republican incumbent Heather Stevens in the November general election.  Stevens also did not have a challenger for a second term in the primary.

“I am going to give someone else the opportunity to lead the party while I focus my attention on my campaign for clerk,” she said.

According to the clerk’s office, there were close to eight thousand Republican ballots pulled compared to slightly more than three thousand ballots cast by Democrats. Historically, the numbers between the parties are much more even in La Porte County during the primaries.

Henzman said she felt the disparity had to do with the Democratic Party having just one contested race for three county council at-large seats compared to the Republican Party, which had challengers in many races such as governor, state senate, and county commissioner. Likewise, there were also a number of primary races without Democratic candidates. She said Democrats Qiana Edwards for La Porte County Auditor and Camille Merriweather for La Porte County Recorder, have since been slated to run for those offices in the general election.  More Democratic candidates are expected to be slated for the general election in other races where Republicans are currently unopposed.

“Though we did not have many contested races in the primary, the Democratic ticket is full of strong candidates and I believe that will be reflected in the fall election,” she said.

She replaced Dr. Vidya Kora, who resigned after expressing disappointment at the poor showing by most La Porte County Democrats in the November general election of 2022.

At the time, Kora said support of former Republican president Donald Trump in LaPorte County was still strong, if not, growing at a time when his support nationwide seemed to begin weakening.

Henzman, 39, said her legacy as party chairman will mostly be about her commitment to inclusion and diversity. 

“My goal was to open the party to those who had previously felt excluded such as women, minorities, young people and the LGBTQ community,” she said.

Henzman said providing support for candidates in areas like fundraising and campaign finance requirements also ranks high on the mark she left on the party along with equal treatment of all party candidates in primaries.

"We really wanted to give candidates the tools they needed to be successful,” she said.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man is facing Child Molestation charges for acts that allegedly occurred in La Porte County a decade or so ago.

Authorities say that Joshua Schroeder was about 30 years old at the time of the crimes, allegedly done towards a female victim between the ages of five and eight at the time. Schroeder has been charged with molesting the girl on three occasions in the Michigan City area from 2012 to 2017, with a warrant issued for his arrest last week following an investigation.

Authorities became involved after the girl told her mother about the alleged activity.  Schroeder has not been taken into custody yet, with investigation indicating that he later moved to Tennessee, then Arizona, and now could be living in Texas.

He could face an up to 40-year sentence on the most serious of the three counts. 

(La Porte, IN) - The circus is coming again to La Porte, as the Shrine Extreme Circus is scheduled to perform at the Civic Auditorium on June 3th and 4th.

The Shrine Extreme Circus is led by Ringmaster “Lucky” Malatsi, who navigates the audience through a blend of jumps and stunts displayed by BMX and moto riders along with trapeze artists and other acts. The circus will also feature a herd of Asian Elephants demonstrating their grace, intelligence, and strength in the center ring.

For over 60 years, the Carden family, producers of the Shrine Extreme Circus, has performed before hundreds of thousands of audience members with talent from across the globe.

Tickets are on sale now for $9.99 for a limited time. Later, the general admission tickets will be $20 online, and $25 at the box office with a limited number of $35 Reserved Floor seats. Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.spectacularcircus.com or at the box office one hour before each show at the Civic Auditorium.

(La Porte, IN) - A $6.1 million modernization over the past three years has left the Civic Auditorium in La Porte feeling like brand new, but its beloved atmosphere remains historic.

Among the improvements made in the effort included the first use of air conditioning on the main level of the building, originally erected in 1929. The air conditioning system was installed to have more major events during the summer and keep a building that can become a little too warm at heavily attended major events cool, even during the winter.

“It makes the building more user-friendly year round,” said Civic Auditorium Director Brett Binversie.

The addition of air conditioning, along with a new, more efficient heating system, marked the completion of the renovation paid for entirely from the $11 million the city received in federal American Rescue Plan monies, which went to communities nationwide to help in the economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Other upgrades made last year included replacing the original all-wooden seats in the balcony with wider cushioned plastic framed seats containing cupholders. The aisles and steps in the balcony, which contains 1,160 seats as per Binversie, were also made wider with handrails installed for the safety of spectators navigating to and from their seats. Another 600 to 1,500 people can be seated on the floor.  

The work started in 2021 by placing a new roof on the building. LED lighting was also installed throughout the structure, which improved the quality of the lighting and efficiency, he said. Binversie noted in turn that there were also upgrades to the sound system, allowing bands and other musical performers to use less of their own audio equipment and perform with better acoustics.

He said the primary reason for the investment was to host more revenue-generating major events at the Civic and extend its life as an important facility for more community-related functions.

“It really makes the Civic a little more ready for the next 100 years,” he said.

Shortly after taking office in 2020, Mayor Tom Dermody made the Civic Auditorium one of his top priorities in response to a desire from citizens for more things to do locally. Dermody said he felt the upgrades were necessary to get more use out of the facility and for spectators to want to come back for future events.

“It wasn’t meant to be a museum. It was meant to be used,” he said.

Dermody also wanted to preserve a piece of the city’s heritage, The Civic Auditorium was built and donated to the city for public use by the locally prominent Fox family, who once ran the Fox Woolen Mills for several decades beginning in the late 1800s. Over the years, the Civic Auditorium has hosted anything from weddings, high school proms, and multiple concerts annually by the La Porte County Symphony Orchestra. Occasionally, there have been major entertainers, ranging from the late comedian Bob Hope to former and current country music superstars Randy Travis, Sara Evans, and Clint Black.

There have also been a lot of concerts over the past two years from tribute bands, with a Jimmy Buffet tribute act having previously played on May 11th, a Van Halen tribute band scheduled for May 31st, and a Neil Diamond tribute concert set for June 9th.

For the past three years, the facility has also hosted an ESPN-televised basketball invitational featuring the top college prep school talent in the country.

Another goal of the investment is to make the Civic Auditorium totally self-sufficient, with Binversie saying that the amount of tax dollars used to fund the facility has dropped from about $297,000 in 2020 to $68,000 this year.

“The Civic is a one of a kind and we need to take care of what we have. We’re certainly doing that with the Civic Auditorium,” Dermody said.

(Michigan City, IN) - The Michigan City Parks and Recreation Department has set May 24th as the opening day of the Oasis Splash Park for the season.

The splash park at Washington Park on the city’s lakefront will be open until September 2nd. Daily operating hours, depending on the weather, are from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free.

For more information, contact the park department at (219) 873-1506.

People can also send emails to parkandrec@emichigancity.com, or learn more online via www.emichigancity.com/315/Oasis-Splash-Park or www.facebook.com/MCParkDepartment.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Democrats are now looking for a new leader as Angela Henzman, the La Porte County Democratic Party chairman since December of 2022, has resigned.

Henzman was known for welcoming all people into the party during her relatively brief stay as party chairman, also being credited with ending exclusionary policies aimed at keeping individuals out of the party. In addition, Henzman helped to charter the LaPorte County Young Democrats to focus on outreach and engagement of younger generations.

Despite leaving her post, Henzman said she will remain the party’s nominee for La Porte County Clerk in the November general election.

So far, no reason has been given for her resignation. 

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man is facing potential time in prison for allegedly firing a gun multiple times inside his residence.

Kevin Klein, 28, has been charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 5 felony Criminal Recklessness when, according to court documents, at about 8 p.m. on May 8th police officers responded to multiple reports of shots being fired in the 100 block of A Street. At the scene, authorities discovered about a dozen bullet holes in the kitchen wall.

Klein reportedly told investigators that he and his girlfriend had been arguing and drinking alcohol during the day, before packing some things to leave for a few days and placing them inside his truck. When he went to go back inside the house to collect more items, Klein said the house was locked, so he became angry and kicked the door in. That resulted in more arguing inside the residence and his girlfriend walking outside with their two-year-old son, police said.

Police said Klein chose not to discuss the firing of the gun. He could face an up to six-year sentence on the felony charge.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man is now on trial for killing a roommate and disposing of his dismembered body in municipal trash cans in Michigan City.

Opening arguments were given today in the La Porte Superior Court 1 trial of Mark Hallett who, according to court documents, called Michigan City Police in 2022 claiming he killed an “old roommate” in a home they shared in the 1000 block of West 9^th Street in late November of 2017. Hallett said he and the victim, Paul Gonzales, were homeless until they were placed into the residence they shared by Housing Opportunities, a group with more than 200 low-income housing units in LaPorte and Porter counties.

During an argument, he told police he struck the victim from behind with a crutch and choked him to death, before reportedly allowing the body to lay on the basement floor for more than 50 days. Hallett, 55, told investigators he then dismembered the body with a hacksaw and placed the body parts in plastic bags disposed of in municipal trash cans.

Hallett allegedly told police he killed the 64-year-old Gonzales because he thought the victim was stealing his mail and trying to get him evicted from their home.

(La Porte County, IN) - Police are blaming distracted driving for a three-vehicle collision on a state highway in La Porte.

The crash happened just before 4 p.m. on Saturday on Indiana 39 near County Road 925 North.

Kilion Schwandt, 22, told investigators he was headed southbound in a 2003 Ford Explorer when he looked down at his GPS device, only to find he was in the oncoming lane upon looking back up, according to La Porte County Police. The oncoming driver, Christopher Cook, 45, told investigators he swerved but the oncoming vehicle still made contact with the driver’s side of his 2020 Subaru.

Schwandt also wound up hitting a second oncoming vehicle operated by 18-year-old Sofie Joseph.

Authorities note that everyone involved in the accident was tended to by medics, but declined further medical attention. The total damage was estimated at $25,000 to $50,000.

(Michigan City, IN) - Indiana Governor Eric Holcomb took a South Shore commuter train from Michigan City to Gary today to take part in a ribbon cutting for the new double track. At about 10 a.m., the governor boarded a passenger car at the new train station, featuring an eight-car platform, at 11^th and Franklin Streets.

“Today marks a day of celebration,” Holcomb said, also noting how the double track and other improvements have greatly modernized a line in desperate need of upgrading for decades.

14 additional train cars have been added to increase the number of trips and accommodate an expected increase in ridership.

“We’re not only going to have a lot more runs every day, but the quality of the travel is second to none,” he said.

The new train schedule, reflecting quicker travel times to and from Chicago, will go into effect on Tuesday.

“It’s almost surreal to think that we’re actually here after all of the years of trying to get this going,” said Mike Noland, President of the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District, which operates the commuter line.

A significant increase in economic activity is anticipated from a projected increase in passengers taking advantage of one-way trips to and from Michigan City via train being 30 minutes quicker. 

Construction has already begun on three towers that will contain a hotel, condominiums, and apartments on Michigan City’s north side when completed.

Noland said quicker travel was achieved mostly from trains no longer having to stop and wait for trains ahead of them on a single line to finish picking up and unloading passengers at a number of stations along the way. He said additional time was saved by transforming some of the curves into longer straightaways to reduce the number of slowdowns.

Noland explained how the double track had been in the railroad’s strategic plan since 2014. He said milestones achieved to make it a reality included securing state and federal funding to pay for most of the over $600 million project.

“Those were huge hurdles,” he said.

Noland said it’s difficult to know when the expected surge in ridership will happen, but quicker travel on the double track is being advertised in this part of the state. He also strongly feels word about the faster times will spread into the Chicago area through social media.

“I really do believe we’re going to see tremendous spikes in ridership,” he said.

Officials also believe the lakefront, Blue Chip Casino, and the Indiana Dunes National Park are among the other attractions in the Michigan City area that will help draw more visitors from the Chicago area. La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau Executive Director Jack Arnett said his organization will help promote the quicker train travel to the masses right away to bring in more visitors.

In addition, Arnett said, his group will inform visitors attending several day-long conventions at the Blue Chip about the quicker travel to Chicago so they can do things there and return by train to resume their stay in Michigan City.

Arnett said he suspects quicker travel by train will have an immediate positive economic impact on Michigan City and increase further over time as more people become aware of the improved service. 

(La Porte, IN) - A man suspected of stealing a car was captured in a vehicular and foot-based pursuit that began in La Porte.

Sonny Taylor, 23, of La Porte was allegedly behind the wheel of a vehicle detected as being stolen on Friday evening by a Flock camera on Pine Lake Avenue near the overpass. A law enforcement officer then attempted a pull Taylor over in a traffic stop but the suspect accelerated, reportedly topping at 90 miles per hour while traveling northbound on U.S. 35. He passed other motorists in the opposite lane and on the shoulder before veering down 400 North where the officer lost sight of the vehicle.

Eventually, police located the vehicle, a red Kia Rio, abandoned about 100 yards down a dirt path.

Taylor was taken into custody after someone called 911 and reported a man matching his description running through a nearby wooded area and later a yard on 450 North.

The charges filed against him included Motor Vehicle Theft and Resisting Law Enforcement.

(Michigan City, IN) - A grand opening is scheduled today for the South Shore commuter line’s double track between Michigan City and Gary.

A ribbon cutting will happen at the Miller station in Gary late this morning.

Governor Eric Holcomb will join local, state, and federal officials for the ceremony.

The project, costing over 600 million dollars, will reduce travel time from Michigan City to Chicago by about 30 minutes and is expected to generate a considerable increase in economic activity for communities like Michigan City.

(Michigan City, IN) - A Chicago construction company has opened an office in Michigan City.

F.H. Paschen specializes in repairs, renovations, and rebuilding of facilities. Their first job was a major renovation of their own office space on N. Karwick Road. According to a press release, they invested about $250,000 in the build-out.

F.H. Paschen has more than 500 total employees in offices across seven other states. Their projects include bridge repairs, school renovations, transit system construction, and design; they also worked on the South Shore Line’s West Lake Corridor.

 “F.H. Paschen brings vital construction industry offerings even closer to our city with the addition of an office ready to support our many projects, today and in the future,” said Michigan City Mayor Angie Nelson Deuitch. “Our city continues to see a construction boom – on both a large and small scale – that needs the support and services of such companies as F.H. Paschen.”

The Michigan City office has 15 employees, including nine supervisory and administrative positions, as well as an additional 40 to 50 seasonal tradespeople.

 “F.H. Paschen’s Indiana Civil Office is operated by Indiana residents that are all located within 30-60 minutes of Michigan City. Our area of focus for the work we build is within up to 90 minutes of Michigan City,” said F.H. Paschen Civil Operations Manager James E. Reitz. “We all thoroughly enjoy being close to Lake Michigan where we all spent summers at the beach as kids and now as adults. Michigan City is our new home, and we could not be happier being here.”

(San Antonio, TX) - A Valparaiso man has been sentenced to federal prison for crimes against children.

43-year-old Gerald Brann was arrested in New Jersey in March of last year, and in November pled guilty to child exploitation.

Authorities say he was sharing sexually explicit photos and videos of a ten-year-old child on the internet. "The images depicted the minor in various stages of undress and were sexual in nature," read a statement by the U.S. Attorney's Office in Texas. "The images also depicted the child at various ages, beginning around the age of five or six."

Investigators also found similar materials on a computer at the Valparaiso home of Veronica Solis, 34. Since the two were living in San Antonio, Texas when the illegal material was produced, they were both charged in federal court there.

Brann received a 30-year prison sentence and must pay $100,000 in restitution along with $10,000 under the Amy, Vicky, and Andy Child Pornography Victim Assistance Act of 2018 for one count of sexual exploitation of children. Solis faces a similar sentence. She is scheduled for sentencing in July.

Indiana State Police and FBI agents conducted a month-long investigation centered at the couple's residence in the 500 block of Elm Street in Valparaiso. “This case is an excellent example of how the FBI works across field offices to bring predators to justice,” said Special Agent in Charge Aaron Tapp of the FBI's San Antonio Field Office. “We want to thank our colleagues at FBI Indianapolis and the Indiana State Police for helping to ensure that Gerald Brann is behind bars and unable to hurt another child.”

(Plymouth, IN) - A drug bust in Plymouth on Friday morning turned up almost 45 grams of methamphetamine.

A Marshall County drug task force team acted on warrants at the Red Rock Inn motel on Plymouth's north side. Along with the drugs, officers recovered digital scales, narcotics packaging, and other paraphernalia, along with a handgun.

The following people were taken into custody and charged:

Martha Spencer, 57, of Plymouth – Possession of Methamphetamine and Maintaining a common nuisance, both Level 6 Felonies - $1,500 cash bond.

Chad Smith, 50, of Knox - Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 Felony- no bond.

Tiphani Bowen, 52, of Plymouth - Dealing in Methamphetamine, Level 2 Felony-no bond

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody will not be leaving early for Indianapolis, as U.S. Congressman Mike Braun, the Republican Party nominee for governor, has chosen someone else as his running mate. 

He named State Rep. Julie McGuire as his Lieutenant Governor should he win in November.  McGuire is from a district just south of Indianapolis.

There was increased speculation that Dermody would be his choice after the mayor’s name appeared in an Indianapolis news publication recently as a possible running mate for Braun. In response, Dermody said it was an honor for his name to be brought up in the discussion about being a running mate for Braun, who visited Dermody at his home several months ago. However, the La Porte mayor said he wasn’t disappointed at not being selected because of his love for his job and hometown.

“I bleed orange and black. I’m going to finish this term out,” he said.

Braun will face Democrat Jennifer McCormick and Libertarian Donald Rainwater in November.

(La Porte, IN) - A suspected shoplifter must have an affinity for pot roast, judging by the grocery items she allegedly took in La Porte.

Kathleen Manuel, 60, has been charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Theft, upgraded to a Level 6 felony due to the Michigan City woman having a prior theft conviction.

According to court documents, on May 5th, Manuel failed to pay for most of the food items she had in her cart at Walmart. There, a loss prevention officer approached her and notified police, who were told by Manuel she was willing to pay for what she didn’t purchase.

After being placed into handcuffs, police said, Walmart refunded her for the few items she did pay for at the self-checkout. Among the stolen items were three pot roasts, two chuck roasts, and five packages of ground beef.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte woman could face a significant amount of jail time for allegedly selling meth, as Briana Knoebel, 26, has been charged in La Porte Circuit Court with two counts of Level 2 felony Dealing in Methamphetamine.

According to court documents, she’s accused of going to South Bend to get the illegal substance before returning to her Circle Drive residence and selling it. She was reportedly caught selling about a half ounce of methamphetamine for $180 on two separate occasions in April of last year.

Knoebel could face anywhere from 10 to 30 years on each count.

(La Porte, IN) - A man is facing charges after being found unconscious in a parked vehicle with its engine running in downtown La Porte.

Blake Snyder, 25, of La Porte had an alleged blood alcohol level more than four times the legal limit when, during the afternoon on May 4th, La Porte Police discovered him passed out behind the wheel of a pick-up truck in the 600 block of Michigan Avenue, across from the courthouse.  The keys, still in the ignition, were used to shut off the engine and Snyder then woke up after emergency responders called out to him.

Per authorities, there were numerous open alcoholic beverage containers in the vehicle, along with a small amount of marijuana, smoking devices, and prescription pills in the truck. The investigation also revealed Blake had a suspended driver’s license.

At the time, Blake reportedly had a blood alcohol level of .34 percent.

The charges against him include Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated and Possession of a Controlled Substance.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police are investigating what was described as a serious crash that resulted in a serious bodily injury earlier this morning.

Authorities state that the accident happened at about 8 a.m. at U.S. 421 and County Road 800 South. Both roadways and the intersection will be blocked/closed for an extended period of time.

We’ll provide more details as they’re made available.

(Kingsbury, IN) - A longtime dream of Kingsbury Industrial Park being served by two major railroads and the potential for major job creation that could bring as a result is about to become reality as, recently, CSX train cars began partially entering the 8,000-acre park on a rail extension about one mile from its main line for the first time.

For years, Canadian National has provided service to Kingsbury Elevator on the far northern edge of the park beside U.S. 35. CSX and CN will be able to serve the entire park once the last two rail connections are made, possibly before the end of the month.

Matt Reardon, Director of Economic Development for La Porte County government, said the final rail connections will create a loop to allow both railroads to reach the entire grounds.

“It’s pretty exciting,” he said.

It’s taken a dozen or more years to work through a complicated web of legal issues, landowner disputes, financing, and other barriers to lay down all of the rail necessary to serve the entire park and potentially attract major employers.

“There are distribution companies, data center companies that are actively looking at Kingsbury,” Reardon said.

Reardon said there are also active discussions with NIPSCO to build a substation at the site to provide the amount of electricity the anticipated new companies would need to operate.

“NIPSCO gets it. They understand it and they’re working with us on it,” he said.

The rail was laid on the footprint of an old CSX line that once served the Kingsbury Ordnance Plant, which made explosives for the military during World War II.

Former La Porte County government attorney Shaw Friedman was involved in the process of bringing full-service rail to the park from the very beginning until last year.

“This has been a tremendous collaborative effort by a lot of folks in county government, both parties working together arm in arm to make this a reality. It’s a very exciting time,” he said.

Friedman also said everyone involved should be credited for not giving up when the task almost seemed impossible from the hold-ups encountered on what turned out to be a long, frustrating path.

“This is a great example of what happens when people put aside their differences, whether it’s political differences or anything else, to get a common goal,” he said.

Friedman also credited the state for its financial support to do things such as complete the rail connections.

“This is the culmination of a lot of work by a lot of people and I’m proud to have played a role in it,” he said.

Leigh Morris was involved with the rail project when he worked for the Indiana Economic Development Corporation and the Indiana Department of Transportation a few years after his term as mayor of La Porte was over in 2007. Morris said the major job creation potential is from the park now having access to rail shipments from all over the country.

“I salute those who finally got that done,” he said.

 

Morris said one of the difficult-to-jump hurdles was convincing CSX to run a connection from its main line into the park.

“They didn’t want to make the investment necessary and didn’t wish to disrupt their main line with another side connection, but they’ve been convinced that this is going to be good for them and I think it’ll be a very good thing for the Kingsbury industrial site,” he said.

(La Porte, IN) – Current La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz believes there was an all-out blitz by his critics to stop him from gaining the Republican nomination for La Porte County Commissioner District 2 in the Primary Election this past Tuesday. 

Among the efforts leading up to Tuesday’s election were public officials purchasing blocks of airtime on local radio stations to denounce Stabosz about the ongoing heated conflict within county government. In addition, an anonymous five-page flyer depicting Stabosz as incompetent, a source of chaos and hatred, as well as a kingmaker in local Republican politics also began showing up in mailboxes and on social media. “Stop the madness” and “Time to clean the toxic environment” were alongside other similarly minded statements on the front page of the flyer.

Steve Holfield, a farmer from Mill Creek, defeated Stabosz by more than 500 votes to gain the Republican Party nomination for the District 2 seat on the three-member La Porte County Commission.

La Porte County Republican Party Chairman Allen Stevens said at least 700 Republican ballots were pulled by voters who previously cast Democratic ballots in the 2022 Primary Election.  He said it’s difficult to say what the motive was for such a high crossover, but many times it has to do with Democrats wanting weaker Republican opponents in the November General Election. 

Stabosz stated that he believes the main reason for his loss was Democrats crossing over “in droves” to vote Republican in the election, however he thinks the crossing over by Democrats had more to do with a lack of interest from their party, having just one contested county government race, and a desire to help State Senator Mike Bohacek of Michiana Shores.   Bohacek, a former Democrat, won the party’s nomination for a third term in the State Senate District 8 race.

Stabosz said he felt another contributing factor in his defeat was “the false and malicious attacks by his political enemies to misrepresent my record and the truth.”

Stabosz said his focus now is on serving the remainder of his term as La Porte County Auditor, which expires on January 1st, and supporting Holifield in the upcoming campaign. There, Holifield will face retired La Porte County Police officer Mike Kellems, who ran unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination.

“We both agreed that we’ll be courteous and nice to each other and run on the facts,” he said. 

The extreme political infighting began after Stabosz and Commissioner Joe Haney took office nearly three and a half years ago.  Most of the allegations have involved ongoing claims of political corruption and county government being run by a "good old boys' club," resulting in fiery exchanges mostly during commission meetings.

La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody has often called for an end to the political fighting.  He feels feels most voters are tired of the negativity and they spoke their minds at the polls on Tuesday.

“It’s great to see those individuals winning that just want to get stuff done.  Enough of the crap.  I think it’s a good day for good government,” Dermody stated.

(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte has annexed more ground for another expansion of the Thomas Rose Industrial Park, consisting of 92 acres of farmland owned by developer Bob Qualls, who requested to have the property served by municipal water and sewer.

Municipal utility service is prohibited from being extended outside the city limits under an ordinance adopted several years ago.

“I think he recognizes that you’re not a real player in the industrial market unless you’re served by utilities. That access to utilities is absolutely essential to any industrial development so they’re positioning themselves to be successful long term at the site,” said Bert Cook, Executive Director of the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership.

Qualls owns another 17 acres of undeveloped land already in the city that will be part of the expansion of the park. 

Construction of a second spec building owned by Qualls for light industrial use at the park is in the process of being finished. His first 150,000-square-foot spec building constructed about three years ago is fully occupied and leased by Gravure Ink and American Renolit Corporation. Gravure Ink makes a thin paper containing various designs resembling primarily the grain on trees such as maple, hickory, cherry, and oak. The designs, on paper, are then shipped to be glued on plywood and particle board panels used in products like cabinetry.

The rest of the spec building is used by American Renolit Corporation for storage.  The La Porte-based company is a maker of plastic films at its manufacturing facility at 1207 E. Lincolnway.  The films are used in graphics, signage, and the labeling industry.

Cook said he’s not sure how the newly annexed property will specifically be used but feels light industry similar to what’s already in the park will go up on the land.

“That would be the likeliest scenario,” he said.

Cook said he doesn’t expect any problems with attracting industry to the site once water and sewer lines are extended a short distance from the park to the expanded area. He also noted how there is a rail service for the transport of supplies and products to and from the companies, along with a NIPSCO substation at the park to meet electricity demand.

“It makes for really nice sites that are well served by utilities,” he said.

Qualls is the owner of Qualls Development Group, which leases industrial space to companies at four different locations in La Porte, Rolling Prairie, and Knox. The company was founded in 1992 when Qualls purchased the old American Home Foods building at Indiana 2 and Fail Road on the city’s east side. The 400,000-square-foot facility is now home to Harper Collins Publishing. Other buildings owned by the firm include one on Fail Road occupied by Alpha Baking Co.

Work on developing the Thomas Rose Industrial Park on the city’s northeast side dates back to the 1990s, having grown from just over 100 acres to 344 acres from two expansions in 2008 and 2015 before the latest expansion.

Cook said there are about 20 companies at the park, employing roughly 1,000 people.

“It’s been a good project for the city,” he said.

 

In early March, the city annexed the 39 North Conservancy District, consisting of mostly industrial and residential development on about 960 acres of land. The city plans to increase water capacity at the newly incorporated property to meet demand from anticipated new development.

(Michigan City, IN) - Another man has been accused of trying to keep their gambling winnings from going toward previously owed child support.

Brenton Williams, 34, has been charged with Level 6 felony Cheating at Gambling as, according to court records, Williams won just over $1,900 at a slot machine at the Blue Chip Casino on February 24th only for the entire amount to be confiscated as required to pay down a child support debt.

About two weeks later, Williams won a similar amount at a slot machine before asking a man at the casino to sit at his seat at the slot machine he had been playing so as to collect the winnings. The individual sat down, but when a casino worker asked if he had won the jackpot, the man reportedly pointed at Williams, stating “he did."

It’s alleged that Williams, as a result of having his winnings previously garnished for back support, tried getting the man to claim his prize money knowing it would be seized again.

La Porte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said people delinquent in their child support have their information entered into a database, and that casinos are required to check it prior to giving out winnings.

Lance Halderman, 44, of Michigan City, was recently charged with offering a man $100 to collect over $2,000 he won at a slot machine at Blue Chip Casino to avoid having his winnings garnished. Authorities said he also knew his winnings would be seized after previously having his prize money taken at the casino to pay down back child support.

(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City woman is facing potential jail time on allegations she failed to pay a dime in child support since being ordered to more than a decade ago.

Kaitlyn Pahl, 33, of Michigan City was arrested on May 1st for Non-Support of a Child, a Level 6 felony. The case was filed in La Porte Superior Court 1 following an investigation by the child support division of the La Porte County Prosecutor’s Office.

According to court documents, Pahl owes nearly $21,000 in child support. She was ordered to start paying $45 a week in child support on March 18th, 2013, but she allegedly failed to make any payments through February 6th of this year when a complaint was filed by the father of the child.

Pahl could face an up to 30-month sentence.

(La Porte County, IN) - In honor of Teacher Appreciation Day yesterday, Unity Foundation of La Porte County surprised four local teachers with classroom grants.

Unity Foundation invited the public to submit nominations by sharing what makes a teacher they know special, and of the many nominations received, four were randomly selected. As a result, their schools will each receive a $250 grant from the Random Acts of Kindness Fund for Utility Foundation for the teachers to use for classroom items or creative projects to enhance learning.

“Unity Foundation has a long history of supporting students and teachers. In honor of Teacher Appreciation Day, we are thrilled to celebrate these four teachers for the impact they have on their students every day,” said Shannon Walker, Unity Foundation Vice President.

The following teachers and their schools appear below along with the information shared by their nominators.

Melissa Coffeen, Kesling Intermediate (La Porte)
“She teaches the mild program for 5th and 6th grade. These kids need so much encouragement and she provides it. She makes sure she has everything in her room for them. Snacks, games, and drinks. She makes sure that she teaches their grade standards at their level. She is their cheerleader.”

Kyle McCallum, South Central
“Kyle is an absolute amazing teacher! He goes over and beyond to teach his students the importance of the earth’s land. He also packs food bags for underprivileged children every week to be sent home on the weekends. He is the real deal of caring for our children.”

Dan Olson, La Porte High School

“He’s funny. The kids love him. He uses poker to teach statistics. It’s their favorite day of the year. Statistics!”

Josie Southworth, Joy Elementary (Michigan City)

“She has gone beyond the duties required by her job to care for her children. She has shown compassion for not only their academic growth but also their mental and emotional growth and well-being. She is awesome and it has been an honor to have her as my child's teacher.”

To learn more about Unity Foundation or support their work, visit uflc.net.

(Michigan City, IN) - A water main break in Michigan City was a short-lived attraction over the weekend.

The break in the water main was on Woodland Avenue near Normandy Village Apartments.

The water was quickly shut off to begin repairing the line.

(Hammond and Westville, IN) Purdue University Northwest (PNW) will begin recruiting students for its new Master of Social Work (MSW) program, which is expected to enroll its first cohort in fall 2025. The program will prepare advanced generalist social workers who are well-qualified to meet social services needs in our metropolitan region.

“Engaging individuals as partners in the helping process is key to social work,” said Anne Gregory, dean of the College of Humanities, Education and Social Sciences at PNW. “If you are someone interested in building and strengthening relationships in ways that promote, maintain, and enhance the well-being of individuals, families, organizations, and our communities, then the PNW MSW program is for you." 

The MSW curriculum will center on anti-oppressive social work practice that advocates for social, racial, economic, and environmental justice for all vulnerable populations. After completion of PNW’s MSW degree, graduates will be eligible for social work licensure (LSW). MSW graduates earn qualifications to begin careers in sectors such as mental health, government, hospitals, schools, deaddiction centers, and advocacy agencies.

“The new MSW program will greatly expand PNW's ability to respond to the educational, professional, social service, mental health, and advocacy needs of Northwest Indiana and beyond,” said Mike Johnson, chair of the Department of Behavioral Sciences at PNW.

MSW students at PNW will be able to leverage synergistic connections between other related graduate programs at the university, including PNW’s Counseling, Couple and Family Therapy, and Psychology programs.

PNW has offered a Bachelor of Arts in Social Work program since 2016 that is accredited by the Council on Social Work Education.

To learn more about PNW’s MSW program, visit pnw.edu/msw. Applications will be accepted through January 15th, 2025. More information about graduate studies at PNW is also available at pnw.edu/graduate-studies.

(La Porte County, IN) - Heavy rain and hail the size of golf balls hit parts of the area Tuesday afternoon.

Johnson said very little hail fell where he lives on the south side of Michigan City, yet vehicles belonging to his wife and son suffered extensive hail damage parked on the north side of town when they were at work.

“Little dents everywhere, it’s just bad. I think the car repair shops are going to be pretty busy,” he said.

He snapped a photo of the storm at the lakefront when he went to see the damage done to the vehicles. 

Meanwhile, New Buffalo resident Bob Stratton noted that there was good-sized hail along with very heavy rains and gusty winds.

“It was a pretty intense storm,” he said.

Tornado warnings were issued for the area during the storm, which seemed to impact mostly northern La Porte County and southwest Michigan.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Mill Creek farmer gained the Republican nomination for a seat on the La Porte County Commissioners during Tuesday night’s primary election.  Steve Holifield will face retired La Porte County Police officer Mike Kellems in the November general election.  Kellems was unopposed in the democratic race for the District 2 seat on the three member county commission.

Holifield said he was a little surprised at his victory but credited supporters with helping to get his message out during the campaign.  He defeated La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz by well over 500 votes and Martin Smith by nearly two thousand votes.

“My friends, my supporters and people in the county government, especially the employees that have backed me have been telling me we got you, we got you.  You help us, we’ll help you,” he said.

One of his primary messages during the campaign was restoring civility to La Porte County government, which has been embroiled in political fighting since Stabosz became Auditor and Joe Haney joined the Commission in 2021.

“I think people were just tried of the incivility in county government.  I’m not going to knock Tim.  I don’t believe in that,” he said.

Haney, who ran unopposed for the Republican Party nomination in his bid for a second term as District 3 commissioner, will face La Porte County Council President Randy Novak, who ran unopposed for the Democratic Party nomination.

Julianne Havens gained the Republican nomination in the race for La Porte Circuit Court Judge by defeating Charles D. Watterson, IV and Kurt Earnst.  Havens received 41 percent of the vote to 30 percent for Watterson and 28 percent Earnst.  There were no Democratic candidates for La Porte Circuit Judge, but the party will have an opportunity to slate a candidate in the race for November.

La Porte County Clerk Heather Stevens, a Republican, and Angie Henzman, a Democrat, will face each other in November after running unopposed for their respective party nominations for Clerk.

La Porte County Councillman Mike Rosenbaum defeated Rhonda Graves for the Republican nomination in the La Porte County Auditor’s race.  Rosenbaum received 55-percent of the vote. No Democrats sought the party’s nomination in the race for Auditor.

La Porte County Recorder Ela Bilderback gained the Republican nomination in her bid for a second term.  She defeated former La Porte City Councilwoman Sharon Kirkham by four percent of the vote.

Dan Barenie won the Republican nomination for La Porte County Treasurer over Juanita Haney by just over 1,000 votes.  Barenie will face incumbent Treasurer Joie Winski, who was unopposed for the Democratic nomination.

Brett Kessler, Adam Koronka and Heather Oake gained the republican nomination for three La Porte County Council At-Large seats. Local contractor Mitch Feikes finished fourth in that race by just 32 votes.

Incumbent Mike Mollenhauer along with Johnny Stimley and Scott Ford won the Democratic Party nominations for three La Porte County Council At-Large seats by easily outdistancing Timothy Cavinder and Anthony Hicks.

Incumbent La Porte County Coroner Lynn Swanson, a Republican, will face Democrat Mark Baker in November. Both of them ran unopposed for their respective party nominations.

La Porte County Surveyor Anthony Hendricks also ran unopposed for the Republican nomination and will face Democrat John Matwyshyn, who also did not have a primary challenger.

(La Porte County, IN) - The 2024 Primary Election Results are complete in La Porte County.  Overall, 11,536 votes were cast for a 14.89% voter turnout in La Porte County.

While these are considered "unofficial" results, they are the final results as reported on Election night for the "contested" races in La Porte County. 

(R) President of the United States
     19.32% Nikki R. Haley
      80.68% Donald J. Trump

(R) Indiana Governor
     48.35% Mike Braun
     16.07% Brad Chambers
     23.27% Suzanne Crouch

     4.47% Eric Doden
     3.19% Curtis Hill
     4.66% Jamie Reitenour

(R) U.S. Representative District 1
     24.38% Mark Leyva
     51.57% Randy Niemeyer
     24.04% Ben Ruiz

(R) State Senator District 8
     47.64% Mike Bohacek
     27.53% Spencer England
     24.83% Joe Layne

(R) State Representative District 07
     21.05% Timothy J. Jaycox
     78.95% Jake Teshka

(R) State Representative District 20
     25.96% Richard A. Horner
     74.04% Jim Pressel

(R) Circuit Court Judge 32nd Circuit
     28.45% Kurt R. Earnst
     41.13% Julianne K. Havens
     30.42% Charles D. Watterson IV

(R) La Porte County Auditor
     44.40% Rhonda Graves
     55.60% Mike Rosenbaum

(R) La Porte County Recorder
     52.10% Elzbieta (Ela) Bilderback
     47.9% Sharon K. Kirkham

(R) La Porte County Treasurer
     57.90% Dan Barenie
     42.10% Juanita Haney

(R) County Commissioner District 2

     44.69% Steve Holifield
     18.32% Martin C. Smith 
     36.99% Timothy J. Stabosz

(R) County Council Member At Large - Vote for 3
     24.07% Mitch Feikes
     26.97% Brett H. Kessler
     24.68% Adam Koronka
     24.27% Heather Oake

(D) County Council Member At Large - Vote for 3
     15.88% Timothy Cavinder
     21.23% Scott (Scotty) Ford
     14.41% Anthony Hicks
     25.98% Mike Mollenhauer
     22.51% Johnny Stimley

Listen to 96.7 The Eagle on Wednesday morning for full coverage of the election results from Hometown News Now.

(La Porte, IN) - The death of a La Porte County Jail inmate today is under investigation as Coltyn Nowatzke, 27, was found by an inmate in the same cell to be in need of emergency assistance at about 8 a.m. per La Porte County Police.

Responding jail officers and medical staff found Nowatzke unresponsive. There, efforts began to try and resuscitate Nowatzke, who was transported to Northwest Health where he was later pronounced dead.  Nowatzke had been in the jail since May 3rd when he was arrested by Michigan City Police for violating his probation.

No further information has been released due to the ongoing investigation.

According to court records, it appears he violated probation when he was caught driving on a suspended license while out on bond for a charge of Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz is accusing another elected official of putting out a flyer urging people not to vote for him as county commissioner.

Stabosz said he strongly believes the five-page flyer is the work of La Porte County Commissioner Connie Gramarossa, who’s been blasting him on local radio stations the past few days leading up to today’s primary election. Stabosz alleged that Gramarossa wants to try and stop him and Commissioner Joe Haney from gaining the Republican nomination for seats on the three-member County Commission.

“My hope is the public can see this for what it is. Someone who’s completely off the rails, who had disgraced herself in the Republican Party,” he said.

One of the wings in the fractured party is upset with Gramarossa for switching her support from Haney to Commissioner Rich Mrozinski several weeks after taking her seat on the commission last year. 

“This flyer attacks a dozen different people.  It’s not something we need but it’s par for the course for the Gramarossa’s. People call her Chicago Connie for a reason,” he said.

Gramarossa has denied having any involvement with the flyer.

“That’s an absolute lie,” she said.

Gramarossa said she’s been on the radio trying to “let people know what the county employees have been trying to deal with for the last three and a half years” while Stabosz has been county auditor.

“He has weaponized his office, gone after department heads, gone after employees within his own department is absolutely wrong,” she said.

Gramarossa said that even though she had nothing to do with the flyer, the information on it, such as past-due bills Stabosz failed to pay since 2023, is accurate.

“Did we not lose our bond rating during his administration? These are functions that belong to the auditor’s office,” she said.

Gramarossa, who’s not up for reelection this year, said not everybody over the years has been happy at times with county government, but what’s been happening regularly in recent years has been extreme.

“We haven’t had the type of chaos and destruction in the county since they both took office and that is the truth. That is truth,” she said. 

(La Porte County, IN) - An anonymous flyer casting the La Porte County Auditor and candidate for La Porte County Commissioner Tim Stabosz in a very negative light has been posted on social media as today’s primary election winds down.

The flyer, among other things, accuses Stabosz of ruining the county government's credit rating and weaponizing his office to go after anyone, including other Republicans, who oppose his alleged agenda. Stabosz is also accused of being in control of a majority of the La Porte County Republican Party.

“Now he wants to be your county commissioner!” the flyer states.

The flyer also alleges other Republican candidates for elected office are controlled by Stabosz and it’s time to “put an end to this dynasty” by voting for Republican candidates not connected to Stabosz.

Commissioner Joe Haney, who’s running unopposed for the Republican Party nomination for a second term, said all of the allegations in the flyer, including those against him, are not true. He said the flyer, which shows the other faction of the party he described as “The Swamp,” is desperate.

“I think it’s pretty laughable. It just shows the desperation that some folks are willing to go to maintain the status quo. Nothing on it is accurate,” he said.

Stabosz is opposed in the race for commissioner by Martin Smith and Steve Holifield.

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody hopes whoever is elected to county government this year will be open to removing truck traffic from downtown.

Kingsbury Industrial Park will soon be serviced by two major railroads and that could attract major employers, along with more trucks hauling supplies to those companies, through downtown La Porte. Dermody urged that the time to start building new roads leading trucks to their destinations without having to go through downtown is now.

“Let’s do things right and let’s quit worrying about just getting reelected or not doing anything to get reelected, and let’s start putting some roads down,” he said.

CSX Railroad recently began moving train cars in and out of the park to service the needs of companies. CSX and Canadian National Railroad could be servicing the entire park soon because the final rail connections creating a loop for them to do so are expected to be done by the end of this month.

Currently, a majority of the La Porte County Commissioners are opposed to building a truck route around the downtown area so as to avoid disrupting rural areas of the county.

(La Porte County, IN) - Voter turnout for the primary election today in La Porte County appears to be steady, as La Porte County Clerk Heather Stevens said that 1,364 people countywide had voted today by 8:30 this morning. 

She also noted how just over one hundred of those votes were cast at the Kankakee Township Volunteer Fire Department in Rolling Prairie, and that other “hot spots” included voting centers at the Scipio and Center Township volunteer fire departments.

“It’s a good start,” she said.

Poll worker Sacha Gee Burns at Hanna United Methodist Church said about a dozen people an hour were there voting this morning, “which is pretty good for the primaries.”

“It’s been pretty steady,” she said.

Stevens said turnout is not quite as good in Michigan City.  Michigan City is heavily democratic, with just one race contested among five Democrats currently seeking the party’s nomination for three open seats for La Porte County Council At-Large.

(La Porte County, IN) - Letter carriers both locally and across the nation will be picking up more than just mail on Saturday, May 11th, as that day will mark the annual Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive, an event organized by the National Association of Letter Carriers.

Residents in the Michigan City and La Porte areas are encouraged to leave donations of non-perishable food items in their mailboxes to be collected by the letter carriers and received by organizations like the Salvation Army of Michigan City

Major Becky Simmons, who oversees the Salvation Army branch in Michigan City with her husband, Dale, said even just one canned food item left by a person at their mailbox is appreciated.

“This food drive comes at the perfect time of year. Children will be out of school over the coming summer months and, without school breakfast and lunch available, there is more strain on our low-income families to put food on the table, especially now as we are all facing the rising cost of food,” she said.

Nathaniel Phillips, a Michigan City letter carrier with the U.S. Postal Service, said, “As letter carriers, we are out in the community every day, we know our community and we see people who are in need. This is a way that we can give back and help our neighbors.”

More information about the Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive can be found by visiting www.nalc.org/community-service/food-drive or contacting The Salvation Army of Michigan City at (219) 874-6885.

Early voting for the Primary Election Tuesday is now over, having concluded at noon today.

La Porte County Clerk Heather Stevens said more than 1,800 hundred early votes were cast throughout the county and most of those came from La Porte. Just over 800 votes were cast in La Porte at the green space building on Brighton Street while 469 votes were cast at the Hope Center in Michigan City. Stevens also noted that more than 320 people cast ballots on the Mobile Voting Unit, which visited a variety of locations countywide over the past several weeks.

Over 170 votes were cast at Wanatah Town Hall and just over 80 people voted early at the Wills Township Community Center.

Election Day is tomorrow with polls open at 39 voting center locations throughout the county from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

(Michigan City, IN) - A Red Cross-sponsored blood drive has been scheduled for Wednesday in Michigan City.

The blood drive will be at City Hall at 100 East Michigan Boulevard from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

To schedule an appointment, people can call 1-800-RED-CROSS or visit RedCrossBlood.org and enter challmc.

(Kingsford Heights, IN) - Nobody was injured but a vintage car was damaged in a motor vehicle accident related to alcohol in Kingsford Heights.

James Davis, 75, was arrested for Operating a Vehicle while Intoxicated following a late-night crash Saturday at Wayland Road and Larchmere Road. The investigation shows Davis sideswiped an oncoming 2017 Jeep Commander with his red 1965 Chevy Corvair, per La Porte County Police. Davis told investigators he was returning home from the American Legion Post 434 in Kingsford Heights where he had reportedly watched the Kentucky Derby.

The other driver, Jordyn Soffa, 24, told police he had slowed down almost to a complete stop to make a right-hand turn just prior to the collision.

Davis, who lives just south of La Porte, had an alleged blood alcohol level of .11 percent.

(La Porte County, IN) - The crash of a small plane in La Porte County is under investigation.

The plane went down Saturday in a field in the area of 850 East and 150 North, and La Porte County Police note that the pilot suffered only a minor injury in the process.

No further information has been released, nor light shed on the cause of the crash, which remains currently under investigation. 

(La Porte, IN) - Since taking office over three years ago, La Porte County Recorder Ela Bilderback has been on a mission to properly preserve property records.

In the heart of the county courthouse is a two-story vault that houses property records dating back to 1833, a year after La Porte County was founded. Unfortunately, over the years, the stash of records has been neglected. According to Bilderback, the vault had become a storage closet, full of boxes and outdated computer equipment, while old record books sat slowly deteriorating. She said the county’s maintenance and IT departments were very helpful in the cleanup process. After clearing out the junk, she set out to curate the historic records. “They’re giant, beautiful books,” said Bilderback. “The early ones are hand-written.”

Bilderback has partnered with HF Group, a company in North Manchester, which specializes in government record preservation, following guidelines from the Library of Congress. Bilderback sends them out 25 at a time. Most of the work involves neutralizing acid on the paper. Other books need repair.

“There was a lot of scotch tape used,” she said. “One actually has duct tape holding the front cover. And from being handled for a hundred years or more, oils from fingers caused the paper to become brittle.” Now the old books are getting the cotton-glove treatment. According to Bilderback, her office has preserved about 125 books, with as many as 300 left to go, plus some other old records.

She can’t create the 35-degree environment that a professional document archive requires, but she has improved airflow in the vault by installing a fan.

Paying for the preservation comes from money already in the recorder’s budget. It’s a labor of love for Bilderback and her dedicated staff.

“This is what we’re supposed to do,” said Bilderback. “My office has the responsibility to take care of those records, to make sure they’re preserved, taken care of properly. I love history, and I would hate to see them not taken care of,” she explained. “I saw the need, and I felt that it should be done.”

Bilderback doesn’t know why previous recorders didn’t keep up with preservation. She guesses they were preoccupied with the office’s day-to-day operations. “I feel that I can do both,” she said. Bilderback said she took advantage of the recent slowdown in the real estate market (fewer properties bought and sold means fewer recordings) to focus efforts on “housekeeping.” Her office also maintains microfilm copies of all documents, as required by state law, as well as electronic backups.

Bilderback says she has a heart for the job. In her spare time, she serves as vice president of Preserve Historic La Porte. She knows firsthand how important the records are to owners of historic properties.

(South Bend, IN) - The legal fight over abortion in Indiana is apparently far from over. An area pro-life group is suing the state Department of Health.

Voices for Life, based in South Bend, filed a complaint this week in a Marion County court to gain access to abortion records. The lawsuit alleges that in December, the health department stopped disclosing Termination of Pregnancy Reports (TPRs). Though highly restricted now by state law, abortions do still take place.

According to Melanie Lyon, Executive Director of Voices for Life, her group monitors abortions and has filed over 700 complaints in the past two years based on reports, which are now being withheld. She alleges the health department’s new policy is a tactic to skirt around the state’s abortion ban. Lyon told HTNN that a recent quarterly report indicated a baby born alive after a botched abortion. She referred to several similar occurrences in the past two years.

According to documents filed in the lawsuit, the health department's current stance is that abortion reports are confidential medical records.

The withholding of TPRs has received the attention of Republican gubernatorial candidates, as well as state Attorney General Todd Rokita, who joined Lyon at a press conference this week. According to Rokita, his office is barred by state law from investigating until private parties file suit. He has issued a non-binding legal opinion that TPRs should be matters of public record.

The Department of Health has until May 22nd to respond to the legal complaint.

(Indianapolis, IN) - A few energy efficiency initiatives in the area are receiving grant funding from the state.

Indiana’s Office of Energy Development is doling out $1.4 million. Over half of that is going to programs in northern Indiana.

Marshall County and the towns of Plymouth and Walkerton are receiving a total of over $450,000 for electric vehicles and charging stations. Michigan City has been awarded $98,000 to hire a renewable energy consulting firm to plan solar installations at Michigan City Zoo, Washington Park, and nearby city properties. The goal of that project is to lower carbon emissions, save energy, and lower the city’s operational costs.

“We are excited to announce our selection of these communities and their thoughtful proposals outlined in their applications,” said Ryan Hadley, executive director of the Indiana Office of Energy Development. “Innovative local ideas are essential for impactful energy solutions. Everyone benefits from practical, creative concepts.” The projects are anticipated to be completed within two years or less.

(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City planners are trying to stir up development for a vital area of the city’s downtown.

Proposals are being sought for three contiguous properties along 5^th Street just east of Pine. A combination of mixed-use residential and retail, along with parking and green space is being envisioned for the approximately eight acres. Planners are looking to tie in future development along Trail Creek with the existing downtown commercial district. They hope $450 million of recent and ongoing development in the area will spur additional investment.

City leaders will be hosting an information session for interested developers on Tuesday, May 14th from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at City Hall.

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody’s team won a fundraising basketball tournament at the Civic Auditorium, soundly defeating a very good Indiana State Police squad in the championship game after beating two prior opponents.

Team Dermody defeated squads from La Porte Police and La Porte County Sheriff’s Office to reach the championship game.

Dermody, who played basketball for the Slicers in the 80s, said he had a lot of quality and still young former Slicers basketball players leading the way.

“It was just fun to see everybody out there for the same cause,” he said.

La Porte Police, the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office, and fire departments from La Porte and New Carlisle took part in the one-day single-elimination tournament on Thursday. The proceeds from the event went to help pay for a mission trip to New York City planned by teenagers at Agape Christian Church in La Porte. They plan to stop in every state along the way and give blessing bags containing items like deodorant, shampoo, and granola bars to the homeless and others in need this summer.

(La Porte County, IN) - More details have been released regarding a sizable drug bust in La Porte County this week, as La Porte County Police have said 30 kilograms of cocaine and fentanyl were seized Wednesday on the Indiana Toll Road near Rolling Prairie. The weight of the drugs is equivalent to 66 pounds.

The 30-one-kilo bags were recovered by La Porte County Police after the driver was stopped for traffic violations. The female driver and her male passenger were both from Houston, Texas.

According to court documents, the findings of the investigation indicate they went from Texas to California to possibly pick up the drugs and were passing through La Porte County on their way to New York for potential delivery.

Maricela Bonilla-Torres, 43, and Erick Montes, 44, were still being held today in the La Porte County Jail on $50,000 bond. They each could face anywhere from a 10 to 30-year sentence on the Level 2 felony charge of Dealing in Cocaine or a Narcotic Substance filed in La Porte Circuit Court. 

Police said the narcotics were found in the back of the vehicle after an alert was given by a drug sniffing K-9 dog.

(La Porte County, IN) - Bus service to and from Michigan City, La Porte, and the Purdue University Northwest campus near Westville resumes Monday, with what's known as the Transit Triangle commuter route service previously having been discontinued because of the pandemic.

Its return is made possible by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) grant awarded to Michigan City for the recovery of COVID-19-related service reductions, according to the mayor's office. Michigan City Transit is providing the Transit Triangle buses. 

On-board Fares:

• Full Fare $1.00
• Reduced Fare $.50

Monthly Passes may be purchased in the Controller’s Office at City Hall in Michigan City and the Bursar’s Office at PNW.

• Full Fare $20.00
• Reduced Fare $10.00

Transit Triangle Commuter Route Schedule:

• 4.5 Round Trips Daily, Monday – Friday
• Michigan City – PNW Michigan City – City of La Porte
• Dworkin Student Activities Center

NON-SERVICE HOLIDAYS
New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day Observed, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Eve

ADA Services:

• All Michigan City Transit vehicles are equipped with wheelchair lifts or ramps for easy boarding.  If the ramp or lift operation fails at the time of use, a spare vehicle will be dispatched to the location within 30 minutes of the failure.
• Service animals are permitted. Service animals must be restrained at all times and under control by the rider. They must remain at the rider’s feet or on the lap. They are not allowed on a seat. Service animals with aggressive tendencies will not be permitted.
• For more information, visit www.emichigancity.com/coach or call the Michigan City Transit Office at (219) 873-1502.

(La Porte, IN) - There’s growing speculation on the political future of La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody, as an Indianapolis-based news publication, Howey Politics Indiana, has mentioned him as a possible running mate of Congressman Mike Braun, who has a major lead in the polls for the Republican nomination.

“It’s an honor to be included statewide to serve as a potential Lt. Governor candidate and it’s nice to be mentioned, but I must tell you I’m so focused with the City of La Porte right now and that’s what I think about every day to serve the residents of La Porte,” Dermody said.

Dermody did not speculate on how he would respond if Braun did ask him to be his running mate should he become the Republican nominee for governor in the May 7th primary.

“I don’t know. He hasn’t called me. He hasn’t asked me any questions. Right now, I’m totally focused on finishing work that we’ve done and continuing the momentum that we have in La Porte,” he said.

Other possible running mates for Braun were also listed in the article.

Dermody, a former state representative for 10 years, has held several major positions on various committees during his tenure at the statehouse.

(Merrillville, IN) - May is National Electrical Safety Month, and in response, NIPSCO is reminding customers of the importance of safety by providing tips and guidelines to help keep customers safe around electricity.

“Safety is at the forefront of everything we do at NIPSCO,” said Orville Cocking, NIPSCO Senior Vice President of Electric Operations.

“That is why it is important for everyone to understand how to safely utilize electricity to power everyday life, and how to respond when encountering an emergency,” he said.  

What to Do if You Find a Downed Power Line

Downed wires can pose serious risks, including electric shock and fire hazards. Therefore, it is important to consider all downed wires as energized and dangerous, even if it appears that the wire is not live.

If a downed wire is encountered, follow these safety tips:

• Stay Away and Keep Others Away: Maintain at least 50 feet from the wire and the surrounding area. If you are in a populated area, warn others to stay away.
• Call 911: Call 911 and provide as much detail as possible about the downed wire and its location. Let them know if anyone requires medical attention.
• Call NIPSCO’s 24/7 Electric Emergency Hotline: Call our 24/7 emergency number at 1-800-4-NIPSCO (1-800-464-7726). Let the operator know you have called 911 and notify them of the downed wire. Provide as much location detail as you can.
• Wait for Assistance: Remain calm and wait for emergency responders to arrive and safely remove the downed wire. Keep in mind that electricity can travel through the ground, trees, and other objects. Never move these objects or use another object to move a downed wire. 

If inside a vehicle and a downed wire falls on it, follow these instructions:

• Stay Inside the Vehicle and Remain Calm: Your instincts may tell you to exit the vehicle, but it is imperative to stay inside your car and do not attempt to exit. The car’s tires can possibly act as a catalyst for electric shock.
• Only Exit the Vehicle if You’re in Immediate Danger: If you absolutely need to exit your vehicle, exit by jumping away from the vehicle and try landing with both feet close together. Avoid making contact with the metal frame of the vehicle. Walk away by shuffling your feet.
• Report the downed power line to 911 and NIPSCO: Await assistance from emergency responders. Do not attempt to move the wire. Keep in mind that if you see trees near power lines, that can also pose serious risks. Sometimes after storms, branches can break and trees can fall, pulling down power lines. Treat this as an emergency and follow the tips above on what to do if you encounter a downed power line.

Power Generator Safety: Use Caution and Prevent Hazards

Generators are handy when it comes to outages; however, it is crucial to make sure that everyone is taking steps to stay safe when using them.

Below are some tips to follow.

• Use Generators Outside Only: Make sure to position the generator (especially gas-powered generators) in a well-ventilated area away from doors, windows, and garages to avoid the potential for carbon monoxide entering the home.
• Use Only Outdoor-Rated, Grounded Extension Cords: Look for extension cords with a GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) to avoid getting shocked if cords get wet.
• Don’t Plug a Generator into a Regular Household Outlet: Keep the extension cord for the generator separate from the outlets in the home. Only connect individual appliances to the receptacle outlet of the generator. Otherwise, it may damage the home’s wiring, start a fire back-feed electricity into the utility system, and energize a line thought to be without power. This can seriously injure or kill a NIPSCO worker because they wouldn’t know the line is live.
• Use a Different Extension Cord to Power Your Home: Use a separate extension cord exclusively for the generator powering the home.
• Use a Transfer Switch to Prevent “Back-Feed”: The installation of a transfer switch safely allows the home’s wiring system to be easily and cleanly attached from NIPSCO’s system. This allows the user to control the flow of electricity to those circuits needed most until power is restored—such as to a fridge or furnace fan. Transfer switches require installation by a licensed electrician. If a transfer switch is not installed, shut off the main breaker of the service panel to help prevent electricity from feeding back into the power grid or household circuits, which could cause hazards.
• Avoid Overloading the Generator: Don’t overload the generator with too many appliances and equipment. Read and follow wattage guidelines in the owner’s manual.
• Keep Children and Pets Safe: Keep children and pets away from portable generators at all times.
• Turn it Off Safely: Before shutting down the generator, turn off all the equipment being powered by it.
• Ladders and Electricity Don’t Mix: Outdoor spring projects are underway, and it is important to note that ladders and electricity don’t mix. When completing outside work and carrying a ladder, make sure to use caution when carrying the ladder near overhead electrical lines.

Remember these tips:

• Stay 10 Feet Away from Power Lines: Make sure to keep the ladder and your body away from power lines.
• Use Fiberglass Ladders: When possible, consider using fiberglass ladders. Electricity can travel through ladders made of metals such as aluminum and even wooden ladders, especially if they are wet.
• Use Caution Near Trees: Trees contain water and electricity can travel through water and harm you.
• Be Aware of the Surroundings: Don’t let any tools or materials make contact with power lines.

Additional Electric Safety Tips:

• Inspect Electrical Cords and Equipment: Regularly check electrical cords, plugs, and equipment for signs of damage, such as fraying, exposed wires, or cracks. Replace damaged items immediately.
• Use Extension Cords Safely: Use extension cords temporarily and avoid running them under rugs or carpets. Do not overload extension cords or use damaged cords.
• Keep Water Away from Electricity: Keep electrical appliances and cords away from water sources to prevent electrical shock.
• Unplug Unused Appliances: When not in use, unplug appliances to reduce the risk of fire and save energy.
• Use Childproof Outlets: Install outlet covers to protect children from inserting objects into outlets.
• Avoid DIY Electrical Work: Leave electrical repairs and installations to licensed professionals.

To learn more about electrical safety, visit NIPSCO.com/Safety/Electrical-Safety.

(La Porte, IN) - After being ticketed for not having a valid driver’s license, a La Porte man began driving behind one of the police officers who had just left after pulling him over. Officers tried pulling him over again, but while being pursued Daniel Hayes kept going before parking in La Porte’s downtown area.

Hayes, 28, of La Porte, has been charged with Level 6 felony Resisting Law Enforcement after La Porte Police stopped him on April 23rd for not signaling from Tipton Street onto Washington Street. Hayes explained that the turn signals on his 2001 Pontiac Grand Prix did not work at the time. He was then given a citation after a computer check revealed he did not have a valid driver’s license. Nevertheless, Hayes, now free to go, allegedly pulled out and started driving behind one of the officers involved in the stop.

An attempt was made to pull him over again but he continued on, nearly striking a police vehicle while veering around it during the slow speed pursuit, according to court documents. He allegedly went down several more streets before stopping across the street from the courthouse, where it's possible he was headed going, to pay his ticket judging from prior testimony and the time of day. The courthouse had just opened for business.

Hayes told officers “What did you want me to do with the car?  I was just driving right here,” according to the police report. 

(La Porte County, IN) - The door has opened for a new livestock show arena to be built at the La Porte County Fairgrounds.

On Wednesday, the La Porte County Commissioners granted a request to tear down the existing show arena and build a new one at the same location.

Fair Board member Steve Mrozinski said the new building will be more than twice the size of the one that’s been at the fairgrounds since the early 1960s. He went further, saying the new arena will have an additional ring to reduce the amount of time 4-H members will have to wait to show their animals for judging. The facility will also add to the indoor space at the fairgrounds reserved for the public to store things like campers during the winter.

“We can use two arenas if we need to. It would just benefit the 4-H side of it all plus our storage that we do in the winter,” he said.

Mrozinski said the new show arena will be about the size of the cattle barn erected a few years ago that’s also used for winter storage by the public.

The Fair Board will pay the entire cost of the construction, which could be upwards of $500,000, he said.

The goal is to begin construction after the fair and finish in November in time for the facility to be used for winter storage. The show arena is also where auctions are held for the livestock shown by 4-H youth.

(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City man has been accused of trying to prevent his gambling winnings from going toward back child support, as Lance Halderman, 44, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 4 with Level 6 felony Cheating at Gaming.

According to court documents, on March 22nd Halderman won just over $2,000 on a slot machine at the Blue Chip Casino. However, he had allegedly made arrangements for another man at the casino to collect his winnings and give him the money. In return, he’d give the man $100 and the money he would have to pay in taxes on the income to collect. 

Reportedly, Halderman knew his winnings would be garnished to pay down what he owed because of a previous seizure of his winnings at the casino for back child support.  That seizure occurred in June of last year when his child support balance was $2,218, authorities said.

Halderman could face an up to 30-month sentence.

The man who agreed to collect was not charged after he told authorities he didn’t know the arrangement was against the law and that he was just trying to help someone.

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody, along with first responders, will compete in a fundraising basketball tournament this evening at the Civic Auditorium, the money raised to help pay for a mission trip to New York City by a select number of teenagers with the Agape Christian Church in La Porte.

Church member Cassie Lipscomb said the teens are with La Porte Youth Unite, a group that meets every Thursday morning and now every Sunday night at the church for Bible study and devotions. She said eight of the teens have signed up so far for the trip they want to take to help the homeless and other unfortunate people.

“They want to stop in every state from Indiana to New York to drop off blessing bags to homeless people or those who might need something,” she said.

The blessing bags will contain items like shampoo, deodorant, toothpaste, and granola bars.

The mayor has a team in what’s called the “Battle of the Badges” tournament. Other teams consist of police and firefighters from La Porte, members of the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office, Indiana State Police, and the New Carlisle Fire Department. The first game of the tournament is between the mayor’s team and the La Porte Police Department team at 5 p.m. The championship game will start around 9 p.m.   

The cost of admission is a donation of whatever people want to give.  

Lipscomb said the trip is planned from July 21st-28th.

(Three Oaks, MI) - Freshman Jeff Tertel pitched a complete game, but one bad inning from the mound was enough for River Valley to defeat New Buffalo 7-5 in the first game of a doubleheader in high school baseball on Tuesday.

The Bison took an early first-inning lead at River Valley when Vaughn Nikkel, after a walk, stole second base and came home on a throwing error to first base on a ground ball to the shortstop from Nick Wolfe.

Starting pitcher D.J. Freehling, struggling with his control, was taken out of the game and replaced by Shawn Driscoll, who got the Mustangs out of the first inning jam with no additional runs scored.

The Bison scored again in the third inning. Ethan Lijewski was hit by a pitch and stole second base. Lijewski came home on a bad throw by the catcher into left field while he was attempting to steal third base.

Tertel had not given up a hit until the third inning when the Mustangs reached base on two consecutive bunts for infield singles from Owen Slavens and Driscoll. The runners then advanced on a wild pitch.

Trey Ackerman drew a walk to load the bases. Three runs then scored on a ground ball into the hole at second base followed by two consecutive singles to left field by Cooper Lynch and Jack Seifert.

Two more sharply hit balls to left field by the next hitters, Matt Moore and Kayden Gibson, drove in another three runs. 

Tertel managed to get out of the inning on a fly ball to right field and strike out from the next two hitters.

Driscoll, with two outs in the fourth inning, found himself in a bases-loaded jam after giving up a single to Nick Messinger and striking two batters with the ball.

New Buffalo didn’t score again until the fifth inning when Hagen Davis drove home a run with a single to right field. The Bison pulled to within two runs in the sixth inning when Messinger scored on a fielder’s choice to second base after he reached base on a walk.

The Mustangs scored again when Ryder Wolnik singled to left field in the bottom of the sixth inning and stole second base then came home on a passed ball from Tertel to the catcher.

The Bison opened the seventh inning with two straight singles, including a line drive up the middle from Tertel. One of the runners crossed the plate but nobody else in the line-up could reach base.

River Valley (8-3) won the second game 8-0. The Bison fell to 7-6 on the season.

(La Porte County, IN) - A solar energy company is officially seeking permission to draw energy from the sun across 2,600 acres of La Porte County farmland.

Opponents of the proposed facility packed the LaPorte County Commissioners meeting on Wednesday hoping for a moratorium until there was a better understanding gained about industrial solar farms. However, they were disappointed to learn it’s too late to place a moratorium on the current proposal, since the request to build and operate it had already been submitted on Tuesday for consideration by the LaPorte County Board of Zoning Appeals.

“That’s my interpretation of the law,” said Scott Pejic, the attorney for the commissioners.

RWE Clean Energy, LLC is seeking a special exception to the current agricultural zoning of the land in the area of 600 East and 200 North in Kankakee and Wills townships.

Renewable Development Manager Emily McDuff, who works out of the company’s office in Chicago, said the amount of electricity produced by the solar panels would at least equal what’s needed to power every home in LaPorte County. McDuff explained that the power would help replace the electricity lost when coal-fired generating plants in Indiana, such as the NIPSCO facility in Michigan City, shut down in the next couple of years.

She said about a dozen landowners would no longer have to worry about selling their properties with the supplemental income they’ll be paid for via the use of their land under a 35-year lease. The solar farm would also mean about $100 million in property tax revenue for local governments over the lifetime of the operation.

After 35 years, McDuff explained, the solar farm would be decommissioned and the property restored to farmland. Barriers, consisting of plants and other natural growth, would also be created around each of the sites.

“Our application exceeds LaPorte County and the state requirements in areas such as vegetative screening and setbacks from residential neighbors,” she said.

Heather Oake of 3306 North 50 East said the county government’s solar farm ordinance adopted in 2021 should be amended to prohibit solar farms from being anywhere near residential neighborhoods. Oake also said she understands the desire of landowners not wanting to be forced into possibly selling one day for retirement income.

“I think we just need to be looking at both sides and really what the majority of the people want. Maybe we should do polling to find out,” she said.

Landowners like Cindy Kusper of 5253 East 150 North defended what they felt was a right to do what they wish with their properties.  She and her husband stand to be compensated handsomely from about one-third of the solar operation resting on their 950 acres of productive farmland.

“We have a vision of making that land go back to where it is now. But, in the meantime, it helps us financially and secures us for the future,” she said.

Rhonda Haverstock, of 2591 North 600 East, said her husband, Jack, is now retired from farming and they rent the ground to other farmers using it to grow crops. Haverstock said a solar farm lease would prevent any possibility of her having to sell land that’s been in her family for generations.

“We’ve got children, grandchildren that we’d like to see benefit from this also.  I’m asking everyone to consider our property rights,” she said.

Oake said she believes there are limits to the rights of someone owning property.

“I do have empathy for the farmers that want to lease their land. On the flip side, we have zoning laws. If we didn’t have any zoning laws then sure you can do whatever you want with your property but we do have zoning laws,” she said.

Critics also pointed out that the hundreds of construction jobs created would be gone, with just a few workers remaining to operate the facility once it’s built. However, Susan Thomas, Director of Legislation and Policy for the group “Just Transition Northwest Indiana,” said a new industry is being created from the move toward cleaner energy. Thomas said workers are being trained now to repair and maintain solar panels while receiving a livable wage.

“These are union jobs. It’s very exciting,” she said.

The BZA is expected to begin considering the proposal at its next meeting on May 21st.

(South Bend, IN) - A high-speed chase in the area wound up with a driver receiving federal prison time, as Martin Devalois was given nearly eight years in prison at the U.S. District Court in South Bend.

Authorities said the 40-year-old man led police on a 30-minute chase throughout La Porte County in March of 2021, ending in the City of La Porte when he crashed into a snow bank.

A loaded handgun was reportedly recovered from the vehicle, with it being against the law for him to have a gun because of multiple prior felony convictions.

Devalois is from Romeoville, near Chicago.

(Elkhart County, IN) - Two people were killed in a small-engine plane crash last evening in northern Indiana.

Authorities state that two people were aboard the aircraft, which crashed into a wooded area near Bristol in Elkhart County. The cause of the crash is currently under investigation by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Further details have not been released.

(Hammond, IN) - A new state record has been set for the size of a perch caught in the region as, according to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, a 3.2 lb. perch caught by Blas Lara shattered a 43-year-old state record by more than a half pound.

The monster perch was caught in Lake Michigan during a recent fishing derby in Hammond.

Yellow perch are native to Lake Michigan and popular with anglers because of their taste and the ease with which they're caught. The perch population in Lake Michigan is not what it used to be several decades ago, but they are growing faster, as per the DNR.

“Perch growth rates have accelerated over the past few years, with many reaching true trophy sizes at younger ages than in the past,” said Indiana Department of Natural Resources Lake Michigan fisheries research biologist Ben Dickinson.

“Many anglers have been catching true ‘jumbo’ perch, in the 14- to-17-inch size class over the past two years.”