(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte woman allegedly left her children at home to go out drinking then crashed on her way home into a downtown planter.  Ashley Krol, 32, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 6 felony neglect of a dependent and operating while intoxicated as a Class A misdemeanor.

According to court documents, police responded early Sunday to 505 Lincolnway on a report of a motor vehicle crash with injuries and found Krol still inside her car with blood on her hands.  Police said she also had the smell of alcohol on her breath.

Court documents revealed Krol told investigators she was heading home from Lucky Bar before striking the brick planter.  The planter is less than a half mile east of the bar.

According to court documents, a test revealed her blood alcohol level was .302 percent, well above the legal .08 percent limit.

During the investigation, police said information developed that her two children were home without adult supervision.  An officer went to her residence and confirmed the children were alone, police said.

During her initial court appearance Wednesday, a hearing was scheduled for November 27th for her to update Judge Tom Alevizos on her efforts to obtain private legal counsel.

(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City man is accused of stabbing his sister’s boyfriend in a hotel room with a screwdriver.  Brian Neitzel, 62, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with Level 3 felony battery.

According to court documents, officers responed on October 22nd to Ramada By Wyndham at 5820 Franklin Street on a report of a fight in progress.  Police said the investigation shows Neitzel and his sister’s boyfriend, Erik Johnson, were involved in an altercation that went from a bed to the floor in a second story hotel room.

At one point, Neitzel allegedly stabbed the man twice with a screw driver below the chest and his right hip.  Police said Johnson, bleeding from his wounds, left the room then returned after officers arrived.

No further details were released.

Originally, Neitzel was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $25,000 bond until the amount was reduced to $2,500 during his initial hearing on Thursday.  A no contact order was issued to prevent Neitzel from having contact with the victim if he posts bond.  He was given a March 17th trial date.

He could face anywhere from a 3 to 16 year sentence. 

(La Porte, IN) - The annual fall leaf pick up begins next week in La Porte. 

Leaves will start being picked up Monday at 39 North, the area north of Severs Road annexed into the city several months ago.  Crews will then move to Rose Street and work clockwise around the city, making three passes weather permitting.

Mayor Tom Dermody said residents should place their leaves along the curb or in tree lawns in areas without curbs. He said leaf piles should not include brush.  Street Department Superintendent Mike Frase said sticks and other forms of brush can damage the vacuum machines used to pick up the leaves.

For more information, contact the street department at 219-362-2477.

(La Porte County, IN) - Officials at the Jane Bernard Animal Adoption Center reported that they temporarily closed last Thursday and will not reopen until November 18th.  During the closure, they will deep clean the facility and provide staff training.

The training will be on new policies, practices and procedures at the shelter, which is located along Indiana 2 beside the La Porte County Fairgrounds.

Adoptions and fosterings will still occur but those interested will need to make an appointment to be allowed into the facility, officials said.  Officials said anyone finding an animal should also call the shelter before coming to the facility.

“Please do your best to find an owner before bringing the animal to us. We can still take animals in, but it would be helpful if we can reunite them with an owner before that has to happen,” officials said.

The shelter is also asking for donations to help with the deep cleaning such as scrubbing brushes, disinfecting wipes, bleach, sponges, buckets and paper towels.

The shelter can be reached at (219) 326-1637.

(La Porte County, IN) - A motorcyclist is recovering from injuries suffered when struck by an SUV just outside La Porte.  The crash happened about 6 a.m. on Tuesday at U.S. 35 and Severs Road.

Police said the investigation shows Nicholas Stukalo, 19, was going through the intersection when the oncoming vehicle turned left into the side of his Harley Davidson motorcycle.

Stukalo, who was ejected from the motorcycle, was taken by ambulance complaining of pain to his left leg, which was struck by the vehicle.

The other driver, Harry Gasparett, 78, told investigators he did not see any lights activated on the oncoming motorcycle when he started making the left hand turn, according to police.  

(La Porte County, IN) - A man was injured when he drove into the back end of a semi-trailer containing a full load in La Porte County.

The accident happened Tuesday afternoon on Indiana 8 just outside La Crosse. Police said the driver of the semi reported pulling onto the shoulder of the two lane highway due to engine problems.

Howard Meiss, 71, of LaCrosse told investigators he didn’t see the truck until it was too late and partially blamed the glare of the sun.

Police said the truck was on the edge of the travel portion of the roadway but had its hazard lights flashing while Meiss was approaching from behind.

Meiss was extricated by firefighters from his heavily front end damaged Chevy Silverado. He was taken by ambulance with contusions to his arms and large amount of bruising on his chest from his seat belt.

Police said the truck was hauling 79,000 pounds of canola pellets.

(La Porte County, IN) - A suspected child molester was taken into custody Tuesday by La Porte County Police.  La Porte area resident Allen Lucas was wanted on five counts of Level 4 felony child molesting and obstruction of justice.  A warrant had recently been issued for his arrest on Friday.

According to La Porte County Police, Lucas was located while sheriff’s deputies were visiting the homes and workplaces of sex offenders making sure their information on the registry was still accurate.

The charging information indicates Lucas allegedly engaged in fondling or touching of a girl under the age of 14.

He was being held in the La Porte County Jail on $20,000 bond.

(New Buffalo, MI) - The New Buffalo girls’ volleyball team finished in third place in their conference tournament.

The winner of the Berrien Cass St. Joseph tournament on Saturday was Michigan Lutheran School, which upset state ranked Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School in a two set sweep.

The tournament was played at New Buffalo High School.

Bruce Molineaux, head coach of the Lady Bison, said his team played well but was not quite up to par especially on defense from Meagan Fatter playing with a back injury.

“She didn’t play as well as she normally does,” he said.

He said setter Riley Tertel was also a little under the weather on the court.

The Lady Bison opened the tournament with a close two set victory over Eau Claire then lost to Michigan Lutheran with each set decided 25-21.

New Buffalo trailed by two points late in each set but Michigan Lutheran scored a majority of the final deciding points.

“We just couldn’t get over the hump,” Molineaux said.

New Buffalo (23-12-3) went on to easily defeat Grace Christian then lost their final match in three sets to River Valley.  The first two sets against the Mustangs went down to the wire but New Buffalo lost the deciding set 15-5.

Offensively, the Lady Bison were led by Josie Humphrey and Benita Puskinigus who scored 20 and 19 points respectively on kills during the entire tournament.

Cassidy Saunders contributed 14 kills and led the defense with 27 digs. Tertel had 60 assists, 15 digs and had the most points from unreturned serves with seven.

The Lady Bison are now preparing for the District 4 tournament next week at River Valley High School.

(La Porte, IN) - A major need for new housing in La Porte is again being addressed at a nearly shovel ready site that was once heavily wooded.

Currently, more than two miles of water and sewer lines combined are being extended to the 35 acre site annexed into the city last year at Park Street and Severs Road.

The $12 million construction plans call for 10 single family homes, nearly 100 townhomes and more than 50 apartments at the developed called “Hunter Woods.”

La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership Executive Director Bert Cook said it’s one of the largest housing developments in the city’s recent history but just scratches the surface on the work still needed to meet demand for modern housing options in the community.

“This is a great project.  We want to see more like this but we still got a long ways to go,” he said.

Cook said the first new homes could start going up late this year but more likely in the spring.  It’s expected to take five to 10 years for all of the homes to be constructed but how fast they go up depends on how brisk the sales.

The homes available to purchase are expected to have a price range of somewhere from $340,000 to $405,000.  Monthly rent for the two and three bedroom apartments should be anywhere from $1,000 to $2,000.

During a Wednesday groundbreaking ceremony, local government agencies working together was hailed as key to making the development possible.

The city is paying the brunt of the nearly $2 million cost of running municipal utilities to the site but county government is chipping in close to $500,000.

La Porte County Council President Randy Novak said the need for new housing is great throughout the county so helping the city is also good for the county.

He called the partnership “a no-brainer.”

La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody, who’s been aggressive in his pursuit for new residential construction since taking office in 2020, said the cost not offering more housing options to prospective and current residents  is much greater in the long run.

The goal is to attract more new residents by adding homes with greater market appeal.  The vision is also to draw from people that will be filling the many jobs at an Amazon data center and electric battery making plant going up outside New Carlisle and the Microsoft data center planned in La Porte.  

A study in 2022 recommended over 900 homes for ownership and more than 750 rental units be added in the city to achieve balance in a housing stock with just 20 percent new construction since 1980.

Since 2020, the new housing includes 200 resort-type apartments near Clear Lake and several townhomes priced at more than $700,000 apiece beside Fish Trap Lake.

Roughly 40 affordable units inside the once-condemned Monroe Street Apartments downtown have been restored and modernized.

Low to mid-priced homes are also going up at the former Tibma Bakery site on Woodward Street and on 18^th Street across from Kesling Middle School. More new housing continues to be added to the existing Whispering Meadows subdivision along Indiana 4 on the city’s southeast side.

Future construction of new homes is also planned beside Beechwood Golf Course.

“We have a lot of catching up to do to say the least,” Dermody said.

(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte High School Student Athletic Council is making a more than $3,100 contribution to the Special Olympics.  The money was raised by the students dressing in Halloween costumes on October 24th during the annual Trick or Treat activities for children in the community.

A total of 14 council members orchestrated the activities and received participation from 21 Slicer athletic teams and 11 LPHS clubs and departments.

"This event has become a popular tradition that our entire school community looks forward to," said LPHS Director of Athletics Steve Santana.

The participating student council members were Rae Dawsey, Megan Zolvinski, Avery Tulacz, Lila Gillisse, Dana McQuarters, Anna Beck, Natalie Gartland, Aiden Mrozinski, Sawyer Tonagel, Drew Bush, Lucas DelRio, Chad Rusboldt, Malachi Washington and Abbas Hakim.

(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte County Auditor is being sued again for withholding payment on a bill for legal services performed for county government.

Alan Sirinek filed a lawsuit alleging Tim Stabosz is acting beyond his duties as auditor by withholding a $681 payment he’s owed for his legal services on behalf county government.  He also alleges Stabosz is ignoring orders from the La Porte County Commissioners to make payment.

Stabosz was previously sued by former La Porte County government attorney Shaw Friedman who was owed around $30,000.

Stabosz said he withheld those funds due to questions he had whether those services were for actual legal work and Friedman not supplying him with more information to substantiate his claims.  Eventually, the two men reached an out of court settlement for a vast majority of the amount.

Stabosz told the La Porte County Council Monday night he is willing to settle with Sirinek out of court for half of the amount owed.

“I would be happy to do that,” Stabosz said.

Stabosz also said the lawsuit was filed “a week before the election in an attempt to embarrass me.”

Councilman Earl Cunningham questioned his political claims, saying after being defeated in the May primary that Stabosz is not on the November election ballot.

Stabosz said it is political because he’s supporting candidates in the election and Sirinek is a former legal partner of Friedman.

The lawsuit was filed in La Porte Circuit Court. 

(La Porte County, IN) - A suspected dealer of fentanyl in La Porte County is off the streets.  Mason Alexander, 23, of Kingsford Heights is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 4 felony dealing in a narcotic drug.

According to court documents, he allegedly sold 2.1 grams of fentanyl for $275 in the 400 block of Grenway Road in Kingsford Heights.  Police said the transaction happened inside the vehicle of the buyer on October 16th.

Alexander was still being held on $20,000 bond after being booked into the La Porte County Jail on Friday.  He could face anywhere from a 2 to 12 year sentence.

A ground breaking is scheduled Wednesday at a large housing development in La Porte.

A celebration of construction starting at Hunter Woods is set for 9 a.m. at Park Street and Severs Road.

The project consists of 10 single-family homes, 96 townhomes and 56 apartments.  The development is being built in a former wooded area that was mostly cleared to allow for building of the homes.

(La Porte County, IN) - The La Porte County Council has approved the 2025 budget despite grave concerns not all of the figures are accurate.

In a symbolic move, six of the seven council members also voted to express a lack of confidence in the monetary figures the La Porte County Auditor’s office presented to develop the over $56 million general fund budget.

Council President Randy Novak said getting accurate figures from the auditor’s office has been somewhat of a struggle in the recent past, but this year “everything has been kind of all over the road.”

“The numbers are not accurate,” he said.

Novak said the problem this year reached a point deserving of sending a message about the work of the auditor’s office and letting the public know the reason for financial snags that might result next year from any accounts containing fewer than expected dollars.

“It’s just frustrating to be the council whose job is to spend the money.  It’s hard for us to do it when we don’t have accurate numbers to know what’s in the funds,” he said.

Novak said the budget was only approved to meet a deadline for having it filed with the state for a standard final review.

He said there were inconsistent figures presented throughout the summer while the budget was being developed.  There was also a discrepancy Monday night when the council was asked by a department head to approve a funding request.

“Their number was $100,000 more than what we were provided by the auditor’s office.  That’s the kind of stuff that continually goes on,” he said.

The motion for a no confidence vote was made by Mark Yagelski, who said mistakes by the auditor’s office last year included a 10 percent raise for county employees left out of the budget.

Yagelski, a 20 year member of the council, said money to cover the raise had to be taken from other accounts.

“This budget year is the worst one I’ve dealt with,” he said.

Auditor Tim Stabosz said his office has made some errors with the numbers used for preparing budgets for the upcoming year.

“We’re human beings and sometimes we all make mistakes,” he said.

Stabosz said part of the blame, though, rests with the council.  He said the council occasionally supports requests for funding but doesn’t order the dollars transferred until weeks or months later, making the already complicated job of tracking daily expenditures more challenging.

“They reap what they sow to some degree.  Can we do better? Yes, we can do better. Have we made mistakes in the auditor’s office?  Yes, we have but, fundamentally, it’s the council’s job to look at the numbers and decide what they want to do,”  Stabosz said.

Without accurate figures from the auditor, though, Yagelski said deciding the amount of funding to place into accounts for the following year is unnerving.

“I can’t work that way,” he said.

(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City woman could face significant prison time for the starvation death of her infant son.  Shianne Gramlin, 21, is charged in La Porte Superior Court 1 with neglect of a dependent causing death. 

Gramlin's nine week old son passed away in April but charges were not filed until recently after cause of death following an autopsy was ruled starvation from malnourishment.

According to court documents, the investigation shows Gramlin strictly breast fed the boy, whose weight had dropped from more than nine pounds at birth to over six pounds when he passed away at Comer Children’s Hospital in Chicago.  Police said Gramlin told investigators she also nursed her older son who lost weight until switching him to formula after she was diagnosed with a deficiency in her milk.

According to court documents, Gramlin said she was interested in switching her youngest son to formula after noticing his weight loss but wanted approval from a doctor like she obtained for her other son.  Police said the infant passed away soon after he arrived at the hospital by helicopter a day before his scheduled doctor’s appointment.  The appointment was more than a week after it was scheduled but Gramlin decided to wait instead of taking him to an urgent care facility or hospital emergency room to be seen by a doctor sooner, police said.

The investigation shows after being discovered unconscious, the boy was driven by Gramlin and his father to Franciscan Health, which made arrangements for him to be airlifted.  Police said it took the parents one hour, though, to leave their home with the child.

According to court documents, Gramlin told investigators she conducted regular feedings and didn’t mean for this to happen to her son.

She was being held in the LaPorte County Jail on $100,000 bond.  Gramlin could face anywhere from a 20 to 40 year sentence on the Level 1 felony charge.

(La Porte, IN) - It wasn’t the most heavily attended of the tribute band concerts in La Porte, but Taylor Swift fans made it number one in terms of loudest.

That’s how La Porte Civic Auditorium Director Brett Binversie described the Friday night crowd for the Taylor Swift tribute band show.

“Largest, no.  Loudest, absolutely,” he said.

Binversie said there were close to 800 people in the audience.  He said many Swift fans of all ages were constantly on the dance floor in front of the stage and some people seated in the balcony were also showing their moves.

“The Swifties, as they like to call themselves, were in full effect and it showed,” he said.

Many people in the crowd, eager to hear the songs of their favorite singer, were calling for the tribute band to come out before walked out onto the stage.

“Just a very invigorating, enthusiastic crowd,” he said.

Much of the show was based on Swift’s current Eras Tour.  Binversie said it was about the third most heavily attended tribute band concert hosted at the Civic Auditorium since those acts started getting booked on a regular basis in recent years.

(La Porte County, IN) - It’s that time of year when more crashes occur between motor vehicles and deer.

Around 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, a deer ran out in front of westbound vehicle on U.S. 20 in Springfield Township, according to La Porte County Police.  They said the driver from Mishawaka was ok, but her 25 year old passenger complained of pain to one of her legs.  The vehicle had to be towed.

About 30 minutes before that crash, police said a vehicle and deer collided on Indiana 2 at County Road 350 North in Kankakee Township.  Despite heavy damage, the vehicle was able to be driven from the scene.   The La Porte area driver, Mary Grott, 53, was not injured.

Late Saturday night, police said 23 year old Ashlee Orman of Rolling Prairie spotted three deer running across Johnson Road near 500 West.  She wound up striking one of the deer.  Police said Orman was not injured but her car, a 2012 Ford Fusion, had to be towed.

Deer are more active this time of year because it’s mating season and they’re driven out of corn fields being harvested.

(La Porte County, IN) - There’s been a noticeable increase recently in early voting in La Porte County. 

La Porte County Clerk Heather Stevens said average wait times have increased over the past week from 10 minutes to 20 minutes at the early voting locations.  She said poll workers are “hustling trying to get everybody’s machine started and get everybody checked in to keep the lines down.”

The early voting sites are at the La Porte County Fairgrounds, the county government complex in Michigan City at 8^th and Wabash streets, Wanatah Town Hall and the Wills Township Community Building.

As of 2:30 this afternoon, Stevens said 7,018 early votes had been cast at the fairgrounds while 5,483 voters cast early ballots in Michigan City. There were 982 early votes in Wanatah; 694 in Wills Township while 766 people used the mobile voting unit to vote early.

Stevens said voters should not be discouraged if they arrive at an early voting location that’s busy.

“If you do see a line, they go quickly so don’t be intimidated by a little bit of a line,” she said.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Police say an inflatable Halloween decoration was stolen from a yard near Rolling Prairie.  It happened about 2:30 a.m. Sunday in the 300 block of East Murray Road.

Home surveillance video shows the suspect taking the lawn decoration and leaving in what appeared to be an SUV.  The inflatable decoration was that of a six foot tall tree with a gravestone and three orange pumpkins attached.

The suspect in the video footage was described only as a male in dark clothing.  So far, police have been unable to identify the suspect. 

(La Porte, IN) - The timeframe for trick-or-treating in La Porte has been changed this year.

The time-honored tradition of candy-collecting will take place, rain or shine, on Halloween, which is Thursday. But the time has been changed to 5-7 pm, from the previous time of 6-8.

La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody explained that the change was a response to public concern for safety. "For years we have kept our trick-or-treat time later to allow a little more time for working parents to get home and dress their children in their costumes," Dermody said. "However, given the calls we've received in recent years, it is clear that this no longer works for our community. Keeping our children safe will always come first, and we are adjusting the trick-or-treat time to reflect that."

He said residents with questions may contact his office at 219-362-0151.

(Michigan City, IN) - In the wake of another successful Great Lakes Grand Prix this summer, event organizers are stepping up in class with an agreement with a new racing series.

This week, The La Porte County Convention and Visitors Bureau signed with Race World Offshore (RWO), which is part of the American Powerboat Association (APBA). With 116 years of experience organizing boat racing competitions, RWO bills themselves as the oldest governing body in motorsports. Their world championship race is held in Key West, Florida. The Michigan City event will be a qualifying event in their championship series. The Great Lakes Grand Prix now has a five-year agreement with RWO and he APBA.

At a meeting of the Convention and Visitors Bureau on Tuesday, group CEO Jack Arnett explained the process. “At the conclusion of last year, we got to a place where we felt that we needed to go a different direction. We need to be part of the APBA series,” he said. “We made the tough decision to change operators.” Recently the Michigan City race had been affiliated with the Offshore Powerboat Association. “We got a hold of APBA, and got put on their calendar,” Arnett said. “That was the first step.” Arnett explained that they received proposals from several racing organizers and decided that RWO was the best fit.

He says the move will make a great event even better. “This is a huge step forward for Michigan City,” Arnett said, “not only from an industry standpoint but this also adds great value for our many visitors and race fans. We are proud to be in partnership with APBA and RWO as we continue to make the Michigan City Offshore race site the most racer friendly site on the circuit.”

RWO President Larry Bleil agreed that the partnership will be good for both sides. “We are excited to be associated with the 16th Annual XINSURANCE Great Lakes Grand Prix,” he said. “Michigan City is a marquee power boat race site in the United States and XINSURANCE is a great partner. All the teams look forward to being at Michigan City and we are looking forward to putting on a great race.”

Next year’s event will run from July 28-August 3. Organizers are planning to expand the powerboat extravaganza to a week-long event, culminating with the weekend races.

The Convention and Visitors Bureau released statistics from last year’s race to emphasize its economic impact. Last year’s race brought in over $23.5 million of benefit, up over $4 million from the previous year. According Arnett, $1.2 million of that went back into the coffers of local government; and the races generated $5.3 million in local wages. 46% of visitors stayed overnight, and 20% of visitors were first-timers.

Organizers hope a higher-profile race will bring in more people who stay longer. The Visitors and Convention Bureau is working with a consultant, Planning Next, to maximize opportunities for public events in the future.

(Michigan City, IN) - Michigan City’s Washington Park Zoo is proving why it’s a hidden gem for animal lovers in northern Indiana.

Earlier this week, the zoo announced that it has once again achieved reaccreditation by the Zoological Association of America. In a statement, zoo officials said, "Achieving accreditation is no easy feat, requiring a thorough multi-day review of our animal care program, conservation efforts, operation standards, employee training, and safety."

Only 71 zoos across the country are accredited by the Zoological Association.

Washington Park Zoo also announced that they are extending the season for visitors this year and will be open every weekend until December 7th.

(La Porte, IN) - A man remains in the La Porte County Jail without bond after he allegedly ran over the leg of a woman with a vehicle during an argument. 

Vincent Draves, 19, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with Level 5 felony domestic battery.  His arrest came while he was still on probation for a battery conviction in September related to acts involving the same woman.

According to court documents, Draves and the woman were traveling Sunday night to La Porte from Michigan City.  Police said the investigation shows they were arguing during the entire trip with two other people in the vehicle. 

When they stopped to drop off the other occupants of the vehicle at a home in the 1400 block of West 18^th Street, one of the people was attempting to give the woman a hug when Draves allegedly pushed her out of the vehicle.

The woman was on the ground with one of her legs underneath the vehicle when Draves accelerated and the back passenger tire on his 1999 Chevy Suburban ran over her left leg.  She was taken by ambulance to Northwest Health with severe bruising on her leg and pain.

Draves could face an up to six year prison sentence.

According to court records, Draves was also convicted last month of operating while intoxicated and received six months on probation along with 10 hours of community service.

(La Porte, IN) - Tickets are available for a 35^th anniversary celebration of the Christmas movie Prancer, which was partially filmed in La Porte and the surrounding area.

Playing the lead role in the 1989 movie was actor Sam Elliott, who will be one of the cast members in attendance.

According to city officials, the event will be at the La Porte Civic Auditorium on December 15th.  The festivities will include a playing of the movie along with a question and answer session with Elliott and other cast members and director of the film, John Hancock, who lives in La Porte County.  Santa and live reindeer will also be at the event.

Tickets are $8 on the floor and $5 for balcony seats.

According to city officials, there are also sponsorship packages that include lunch with the cast and seating on the floor in front of the Civic Auditorium stage.

For more information, click HERE or call the Civic Auditorium at (219) 362-2325.

(La Porte County, IN) - A new program is in place with the goal to reduce the number of suicides in La Porte County.  La Porte County Coroner Lynn Swanson said psychological autopsies will be done on people who committed suicide in an attempt to identify why they decided to take their lives.

She said the process involves interviewing people like family members and friends, who might be able to shed light on the motive behind the actions of suicide victims.

Swanson said the purpose is to acquire information to help support loved ones and present to other people struggling with such thoughts to prevent them from following through on what they’re contemplating.

“Launching this program underscores our commitment to addressing this critical issue head-on,” she said.

The program is being led by Deputy Coroner Dr. Christopher Drapeau, a licensed psychologist and suicide researcher.

“By conducting thorough psychological autopsies, we aim to uncover critical insights and trends that can help prevent future suicides and offer better support to loved ones left behind,” he said.

Swanson said the number of suicides in La Porte County rose from 20 to 27 from 2021 to 2023.  There are 15 suicides, so far, this year.

For more information, contact Dr. Drapeau at cdrapeau@laporteco.in.gov.  Help for someone struggling or in crisis can be obtained by texting 988 or chat at 988lifeline.org 

(La Porte County, IN) - A man could get some jail time for having body armor on his possession.  Police said he also had a small amount of drugs along with a loaded handgun.

The discovery was made when the suspect was pulled over for traveling 109 miles per hour on the Indiana Toll Road outside La Porte last week.  What was similar to a bullet proof vest was located on the floorboard.

La Porte County Prosecutor Sean Fagan said it’s legal to have something like that but not while a crime is being committed.  That’s because body armor during the commission of a crime has the potential to be used to gain an advantage over law enforcement.

“The law is trying to address that possibility,” he said.

Ryan Brown, 48, of South Bend allegedly had a small amount of cocaine, a few pills and a hypodermic needle.  Fortunately, police said he appeared to be sober at the time he was pulled over.

The Level 6 felony unlawful possession of body armor charge could bring him an up to 30 month sentence.

(Michigan City, IN) - A driver is accused of fleeing a police officer in Michigan City after having too much to drink.

Police said an officer witnessed 70 year old Stanley Wrice strike a median last week in the area of Michigan Boulevard and Carroll Avenue before stopping his vehicle.

As the officer approached, police said Wrice stomped on the gas pedal and was doing 68 miles per hour when he jumped a curb as he turned onto nearby Edwards Street.  The officer was behind him with his flashing lights and siren activated when Wrice pulled up to his residence.

Police said Wrice claimed to have consumed two beers.  However, police said there were three empty beer cans in his vehicle along with a halfway consumed fifth of whiskey.  He was arrested after allegedly refusing to take a blood alcohol test.

Police said the charge was upgraded to a felony because of a prior OWI conviction last year.

(Crown Point, IN) - A Michigan City man is accused of murdering his brother Tuesday in Gary.  Authorities say 40 year old Julian Ellis shot his brother, 44 year old Claudell Ellis.

According to court documents, the men were in a vehicle after work and exchanged some heated words over gas money.  Ellis told investigators he had been driving them to work often recently and asked his brother for money to put gas in the car, according to court documents. 

Someone grabbed the wheel and jerked it, causing the car to strike a tree.

Ellis is accused of following his brother inside the home of a friend on Gary's weset side and fatally shooting him.   

According to police, Ellis said he fired the gun after his brother lunged at him and didn’t realize the gun was loaded.

(Michigan City, IN) - This year’s lakefront power boat racing in Michigan City generated $23.6 million for the local economy.  That’s according to a recent study conducted annually by an outside firm to measure the economic impact of the Great Lakes Grand Prix.  The amount of revenue brought here from outside La Porte County by the event was about $4 million higher than last year’s total.

Jack Arnett, Executive Director of the La Porte County Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the numbers are based on all of the race related events on days leading up to and during the high speed racing of boats on Lake Michigan at Washington Park.

He credited the rise in economic impact on more events added to what’s nearly a now week long attraction.

“We think we accomplished what we wanted to,” he said.

The study also shows $5.3 million in wages were paid to La Porte County workers as a result of this year’s race along with $6.2 million in taxes generated for federal, state and local governments.

Arnett said an estimated 200,000 people were at all of the race related events with 150,000 of the total in Washington Park for the two days of racing.

(Lowell, IN) - A Wanatah man was killed at a construction site in the region this week.

Authorities said Zachary Brown, 26, was installing a concrete drain pipe Tuesday for a new sewer line at a subdivision in Lowell when the bucket and arm from an excavator fell on him.

Cause of death was listed as “crushing wounds.”

Further details were not provided because the investigation is still  ongoing.

(La Porte, IN) - A suspected drug house in La Porte has been condemned by the city.  The house at 610 Fremont Street will also be torn down.

Those are among the details revealed about a residence where police were called on variance complaints more than 30 times in recent months. 

“The 34 calls range from trespassing, burglary, theft, numerous drug calls from where neighbors are seeing drug activity,” said La Porte Code Enforcement Director Jeff Batchelor.

 

Batchelor said drug dealing was suspected at the residence based on the frequency of vehicles coming and going from that location. 

Mayor Tom Dermody says such action has been taken before and will again in the future, if necessary.

“We are going to win the war on drugs and all of the other bad behavior from people who don’t want to follow the rules,” he said.

Dermody also said there’s already a new owner who plans to tear down the single story residential structure.

By ordinance, the city has authority to condemn a house declared a public nuisance from repeated calls involving criminal activity to emergency responders over a period of time.

The governor is ordering flags to be flown at half-staff for a former La Porte County resident and state senator who passed away.

Dennis Neary died recently.  He was 80.

Neary was a member of the Indiana Senate from 1976 to 1992.  For several years, the Democrat was elected by his colleagues as the senate minority leader.  He was also the La Porte County chairman for the campaign of Robert Kennedy when he ran for president in 1968.

Neary was a teacher at Long Beach Elementary School for more than 20 years.  More recently, he lived in Carmel where he passed away at his home.

The governor directed flags to be flown at half-staff from sunrise to sunset Friday in La Porte and Hamilton counties.

(New Buffalo, MI) - The New Buffalo High School girls’ volleyball team hopes to continue their winning ways at home during the upcoming conference tournament.  The tournament, hosted at New Buffalo High School, is Saturday.

The Lady Bison (21-10-3) are the third seed in the tournament behind Michigan Lutheran School and Our Lady of the Lake Catholic School.

Head Coach Bruce Molineaux said the goal is to play Our Lady of the Lake, the overwhelming favorite to win the tournament, for a shot at the championship.  The state ranked Lakers are 28-2 and 10-0 in their division of the Berrien Cass St. Joseph Conference.  The Bison lost all three sets but were competitive in their match with the Lakers during the regular season.

Reaching the championship game won’t be easy considering the number of other evenly matched teams like River Valley and Howardsville Christian in the conference.

“The teams in the league are very similar.  The only difference is Our Lady of the Lake has the two girls that can really put the ball down.  Otherwise, the teams are very similar,” he said.

Molineaux said he focused heavily during practice this week on things like striking the ball hard with accuracy along with blocking returned shots at the net to try and his position his team for a deep run.

“We’re going to work on our offense and defense this week and see if we can get some breaks here and there and pull something out,” he said.

Scrimmage games were also held against the junior varsity team.

Molineaux said limiting mistakes is always key to victory but hopes playing the tournament at home can be a deciding factor since their regular season games against Michigan Lutheran, Our Lady of the Lake and River Valley were on the road.

“Home field helps a little bit,” he said.

(La Porte, IN) - The City of La Porte is preparing for a surge in requests for downtown murals.

La Porte Urban Enterprise Association President Mike Riehle said a lot of interest has been expressed for more murals since a pair of murals were recently painted on the outside of the La Porte Library Exchange building on Indiana Avenue and Mucho Mas restaurant along Lincolnway.  In response, Riehle said an application process is being developed to help UEA board members to decide which ones to assist financially.

Riehle said the process will help make sure future murals are top quality, created by reputable artists and meet “downtown design standards.”  He said other benefits of the procedure include confirming building owners have requested murals and making sure nearby property owners are “comfortable with it.”

Riehle said a lot of requests have been made for murals since the ones described by many people as vibrant looking and mood lifting were completed in recent weeks.  A third mural went up a few years ago on the outside wall of the building facing Plaza 618 along Lincolnway.

Riehle said an update on the mural application process in the making will be given to the UEA board at its next meeting at City Hall on November 20th.

UEA funds are derived from companies paying 35 percent of the amount they save from tax abatements awarded to them by the city.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man is facing allegations he took thousands of dollars two men brought to gamble with while playing cards in the parking lot of a truck stop outside Michigan City.  Darrell Noel, III 40, is charged in LaPorte Circuit Court with Level 3 felony robbery.

According to court documents, the Cincinnati, Ohio man on August 28th knocked on the door of a camper attached to a pick-up truck in the parking lot of Love’s Truck Stop along U.S. 421 near Interstate 94.  Two men inside the camper, who didn't know the suspect, accepted his offer to “double” their money in a card game to be played between two semi-trucks parked in the lot nearby, police said.

Police said they showed up with $10,000 in cash and left the rest of the $17,000 they had in a sack inside the camper.  At some point, Noel allegedly grabbed $7,000 from the men and took off in a pick-up truck across the parking lot.

Wanting their money back, the victims held on to the driver’s side door while being dragged across the pavement, according to court documents.  Police said one of the men hanging on to the truck let go and was run over by one of the back wheels of the fleeing vehicle, which then crashed into a semi parked in the lot.  Police said the man suffered a number of abrasions on his skin and a possible fractured ankle.

Noel allegedly fled the scene in the vehicle, which was stolen from a car rental agency in Cincinnati.

Noel, who was booked into the La Porte County Jail on Sunday, was being held on $20,000 bond.  He could face anywhere from a 3 to 16 year sentence.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man returning home from Chicago was found during a traffic stop in La Porte County with a brick of cocaine.  Those are the allegations faced in La Porte Circuit Court by Keisand Santiago-Maldonado, 32, of Milton, Pennsylvania.

According to court documents, a sheriff’s deputy stopped him October 17th for erratic driving on the Indiana Toll Road near Rolling Prairie.  The driver said he made the 10 hour trip during the night to visit his grandmother, but the officer felt it was strange for him to be returning home less than three hours later, according to police.

Police said the officer’s increasing suspicions led to a search of the vehicle and recovery of a grocery bag containing a brick of cocaine wrapped in foil.  Depending on purity, the estimated value of the cocaine weighing one kilogram was placed at $30,000 or more.

Santiago-Maldonado could face anywhere from a 10 year to 30 year sentence on a Level 2 felony charge of dealing cocaine.

(La Porte County, IN) - A driver was placed in handcuffs for traveling double the speed limit on a La Porte County highway.

About sunrise Tuesday, a sheriff’s deputy clocked the vehicle at 120 miles per hour on U.S. 30 in the Wanatah area.  That stretch of four lane highway has a speed limit of 60 mph.

Police said Kamil Tylka, 20, of Chicago was booked into the La Porte County Jail on a reckless driving charge.  He also was arrested for allegedly having marijuana grinders and other drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.

When asked why he was driving so fast, police said Tylka replied he was heading to his girlfriend’s house in Ft. Wayne.

(La Porte County, IN) - A farm combine harvesting soybeans at a time when fields remain very dry caught fire Monday in southern La Porte County.

La Porte County Police said an officer about 3:30 p.m. was dispatched to 1125 South and 750 East where a 2004 John Deere combine caught fire.  Police said the fire was smoldering inside the combine’s hopper while members of the Hamlet Fire Department on their way.

Police said the tractor showed no external damage but there were melted wires inside the combine, which would not start back up.

Cory Rosenbaum explained he first smelled smoke after cutting soybeans in his field and called the fire department as the smoke in the hopper at the rear of the harvesting machine intensified, according to police.  After the fire was put out, the combine was allowed to remain in the field for Rosenbaum to later have fixed.

Occasinally, combines catch fire when a spark from a wheel bearing or some other moving part comes into contact with dry corn and soybean plants.

La Porte County has been under an open burning ban for just over a month in response to concerns by farmers about the potential for their drier than normal crops to burn in the event of a brush fire that might develop before they’re all harvested.

(La Porte, IN) - A driver who failed to pull to the side of a road for oncoming emergency response vehicles in La Porte is facing allegations of being behind the wheel impaired.  Darin Mercill, 39, was arrested Monday night for operating while intoxicated.

La Porte County Police said vehicles in both lanes of traffic on Indiana Avenue pulled to the side of the road for a fire truck and ambulance with their lights and sirens activated, but a pick-up truck driven by Mercill continued southbound. 

The North Carolina man said he was here for work and heading to a house where he was temporarily staying, according to police.  He denied consuming alcoholic beverages despite the officer detecting signs of possible impairment, police said.

Police said Mercill was arrested with a .135 percent blood alcohol level, which was above the .08 percent legal limit.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man was arrested Monday afternoon following a motor vehicle chase and foot search in La Porte County.  The suspect was identified by La Porte County Police as Robert Bollman, 39, of Elkhart.

Police said a flock camera alerted police to the vehicle he was driving and soon located the suspect vehicle at Phillips 66 on Pine Lake Avenue in La Porte.

As an officer approached, police said the suspect climbed back into the vehicle and accelerated from the gas station onto Pine Lake Avenue then veered northbound on Indiana 39.

After the sheriff’s deputy lost sight of the vehicle, a Michigan City Police officer spotted it within minutes on U.S. 20 near 400 West. Eventually, police said that officer also lost sight the vehicle.

At one point, the fleeing driver ran out of fuel and fled from the vehicle on foot while officers formed a perimeter on the ground to close in on him.  Police said he was hiding in a woods when taken into custody about one hour later.  The vehicle he was driving turned out to be stolen, police said.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte gastropub was viewed as a catalyst for bringing more people into downtown when it first opened in 2019, but its lifespan here is coming to a disappointing end.  Bare Bones at 518 Lincolnway has announced its doors will close on November 9th.

“We’re heartbroken for the chapter of Bare Bones to come to an end in our lives, but are proud of the space we were able to carve out in La Porte for the time we could,” said co-owner and executive chef Blake Murray in his post on the Bare Bones website.

“The decision was far from easy,” he added in his post.

Murray is also one of the owners of Burn ‘Em Brewing in Michigan City, now in its 10^th year at a new, much larger location that opened earlier this year on U.S. 12 east of Franklin Street.  Burn ‘Em Brewing, which also serves food, relocated from its original location at 718 Freyer Road on Michigan City’s east side.

Mike Riehle, president of the La Porte Urban Enterprise Association, said talks were recently held with the owners at Bare Bones to see if there was anything else the city could do to help keep their doors open.

Under an incentive program, the owners of Bare Bones were allowed to operate from a UEA owned building as long as they made a certain amount of capital improvements to the three story structure and remained in business for at least five years.  The decision to close came several months after meeting the five year requirement.

Riehle said Bare Bones was chosen for the program under a belief the owners would have the same type of success with their business concept here as they had in Michigan City.  He said the owners did everything seemingly possible to duplicate that success and had many loyal customers but, for whatever reason, fell short of expectations.

“I think, for the most part, they’ve been a very big part of our downtown and it’s unfortunate that we have to see them go,” he said.

The craft beer offered at Bare Bones is made at Burn ‘Em Brewing, which also offers various brands at the retail level.

(WASHINGTON D.C.) - An elected official from northern Indiana holding a seat in the nation’s capital expressed concern today about a reported influx of migrants within a one hour drive from La Porte.

Second District Congressman Rudy Yakym is asking U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas for a briefing as soon as possible.

Logansport, which has about 18,000 residents, is experiencing a rapid influx of migrants from Haiti and other nations, according to an article published in the New York Post.

Yakym of Granger told Mayorkas local resources in the community are reportedly being strained.

"This includes a surge in tests for infectious diseases like HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis that are straining the medical system, hundreds of children being brought into a school system that cannot keep up with the demands of the non-English-speaking students, and an acute housing shortage."

His request comes after La Porte resident, Donna Johnson, expressed concerns during Monday night’s city council meeting about the community being overwhelmed if such a migrant surge happened here.

“What is our community going to do when it comes here to La Porte because it’s coming to a community near you,” she said.

(Michigan City, IN) - A Michigan City man could face an up to 30 year sentence on allegations of dealing methamphetamine.  Timothy Hampton, 49, is charged with the level 2 felony offense in La Porte Superior Court 1.

On October 16th, Hampton was under surveillance at his home at 530 Esther Street when he pulled away in a 2017 Buick Enclave, which was soon pulled over near East Barker Avenue and Pine Street, according to court documents.

During a search of his residence, police said 28 grams of methamphetamine were recovered from different locations including underneath a mattress in his bedroom.  Two scales and a 22 gauge rifle were also allegedly recovered from the dwelling.

Hampton could face anywhere from a 10 year to 30 year sentence. He’s currently being held in the La Porte County Jail on $50,000 bond.

(Michigan City, IN) - Rotary members in Michigan City are taking action in honor of World Polio Day to raise awareness, funds, and support to end polio, a vaccine-preventable disease that still threatens children in parts of the world today.  

“The fight to eradicate the devastating childhood disease of polio is not over.  Our Rotary club is committed to the goal,” said Rotary Club President Matt Kubit.

The community is invited to the World Polio Day event on Thursday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Krueger Memorial Hall at 801 Liberty Trail.  Tickets are $25 and available at the door or online by clicking HERE.

The purpose of the event is to recognize the progress in the fight to end polio, talk about actions needed to end polio for good, and raise funds to help in the eradication efforts. 

Rotary members from Michigan City have long worked to end the paralyzing virus by raising over $46,000 to combat the disease and traveling as far away as Indian to administer the vaccine.  Rotary Club members worldwide have contributed more than $2.7 billion to fight polio and countless volunteer hours since launching its PolioPlus program in 1985.

In 1988, Rotary joined in partnership with the World Health Organization, UNICEF, and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to form the Global Polio Eradication Initiative.

(Michigan City, IN) - A missing Chicago man was found dead over the weekend in Michigan City.  Authorities said a fisherman found the body early Sunday in the harbor area of Trail Creek.

The 33 year old man was last seen October 13th at Shoreline Brewery & Restaurant, which is just to the south and west of where the body was located.

La Porte County Coroner Lynn Swanson said an autopsy will be performed to try and determine cause of death.  She said there were no obvious signs of trauma on the body.

“There were no visible injuries apparent to us at the time. Sometimes, in cases like this when a subject is in the water, it’s hard for us to identify everything.  The autopsy will tell us more,” she said.

Swanson said bloating that occurs to a body in water for an extended period can mask any stab or gunshot wounds only an autopsy can uncover.

Authorities said the victim was Jimmy Godoy, who was visiting family in Michigan City at the time he went missing. There’s evidence of a possible fight two days before he was last seen.  

Anyone with information is encouraged to contact Michigan City Police.

(La Porte County, IN) - A pole barn containing an antique car and lawn tractors went up in flames last week in the Rolling Prairie area.  The cause of the blaze is believed to be electrical in nature.  The fire last Thursday afternoon was in the area of 300 East and 900 North.

Kankakee Township Fire Chief Zach Rasiuk said it’s believed the fire had something to do with the breaker box and wire feeding electricity to the roughly 3,000 square foot metal structure.

There was a 1969 AMX car along with several lawn tractors, various shop tools and an air compressor inside the structure.

The building was engulfed by flames when firefighters arrived.

The property owner’s son, Christopher Lichkay, suffered minor burns to his arm from trying to get inside the burning structure, according to La Porte County Police.  Lichkay was treated at the scene.

(Marshall County, IN) - Five people from Walkerton, including three children, were injured in a Marshall County car crash Monday afternoon.

The accident happened at the intersection of Quince Road and US 6. That’s just west of La Paz.

Reports indicate a GMC SUV driven by 38-year-old Jessica Sheaks rear-ended a Chevy Silverado driven by 34-year-old Dana Shaum. The Silverado was pushed into the path of an oncoming pickup truck driven by 62-year-old Timothy Krohn. The three drivers, all from Walkerton, along with three juvenile passengers were transported to a local hospital.

No other details, including the conditions of the victims, have been released.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana Attorney General and the Secretary of State are seeking federal help in vetting the citizenship of over half a million Hoosier voters.

Todd Rokita and Diego Morales have issued a joint letter to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to verify the citizenship status of voters who registered in Indiana without providing state-issued forms of identification.

“Hoosiers deserve to know that only eligible voters are participating in our elections and that legitimate ballots are not being diluted by noncitizens,” Attorney General Rokita said. “We are doing our part to provide this assurance.”

“A fair and secure election process begins with accurate voter information,” added Secretary Morales. “As Indiana's Chief Election Officer, I am committed to ensuring that every registered voter in Indiana has met the legal requirements, including being a U.S. citizen... Only U.S. Citizens can vote in Indiana. Period.”

According to a statement by Rokita, Federal law requires the USCIS to respond to inquiries from state governments “to verify or ascertain the citizenship or immigration status of any individual within the jurisdiction of the agency for any purpose authorized by law.” 

Rokita and Morales are requesting citizenship verification for 585,774 individuals, which is over 10 percent of the state’s registered voters. The voters in question have allegedly registered in Indiana either without providing a social security or driver’s license number, or while living overseas.

The last day to register to vote in Indiana was October 7, and Election Day is a little over three weeks away. So Rokita and Morales say time is of the essence. “We are thus at a critical juncture in this election cycle when verifying the integrity of Indiana’s voter rolls is of acute importance,” they urged. “Hoosiers deserve to know that only eligible voters will be participating in our elections, and that their votes will not be diluted or distorted by ballots cast by non-citizens.”

If and when the USCIS responds to the request remains to be seen. On Friday over a half-dozen voting advocacy groups issued a letter threatening legal action of their own if voters are illegally removed from the rolls. “There is no basis to single out these voters for heightened scrutiny as to their citizenship,” they said. The letter suggests that the state’s investigation is simply a last-minute stunt “to intimidate eligible voters and to decrease public confidence in the integrity of Indiana’s elections.” They reminded Rokita and Morales that federal law prohibits voter registrations from being removed within 90 days before an election and that the USCIS is not set up to verify citizenship.

(South Bend, IN) - The third time was not a charm for an illegal immigrant who has been deported multiple times.

This week 41-year-old Jonathan Medina-Flores, of Mexico, was sentenced in South Bend’s U.S District Court to a little over three years in prison after his third return to the area.

According to court documents, Medina-Flores, was previously convicted in St. Joseph County in 2006 for felony possession of cocaine. Following an initial deportation, he returned in 2014 and again in 2015. He was picked up by authorities in St. Joseph County last May. Authorities say Medina-Flores has a criminal history including convictions for multiple felonies in St. Joseph and Elkhart Counties.

Now he’ll be spending the next 40 months in federal prison.

(Indianapolis, IN) - Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita is threatening legal action against local officials in Lake and St. Joseph counties, if they are fostering policies that treat their areas like sanctuary cities.

According to a statement from Rokita’s office, “A ‘sanctuary city’ is a local unit of government that has implemented a policy that deliberately and intentionally restricts and obstructs the enforcement of federal immigration laws.”

Rokita says he has heard from residents about problems stemming from mass migration in places like Lake and St. Joseph Counties. “Illegal aliens coming across our unprotected Southern border for the last four years have caused a jump in crime, fentanyl overdoses, human trafficking, and an increased financial burden on state and local programs,” he said. “Hardworking Hoosiers are sick and tired of paying the price for this left-wing nonsense, and our office will not back down from enforcing state law.”

Rokita addressed the concerns in a letter to each County Sheriff. In the letters Rokita alleges that U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (“ICE”) has designated each Sheriff's Department as a "non-cooperative law enforcement agency," meaning they do not provide notification to ICE prior to releasing noncitizens from custody and does not honor ICE detainer requests.

Accoring to Rokita, between March 1 and September 3 of this year, St. Joseph County has failed to honor nine detainer requests from ICE, while Lake County has ignored 31 requests. “In some instances,” Rokita said, “the individuals who were the subjects of those detainers had committed crimes that pose direct threats to public safety.”

Recently the Indiana General Assembly passed a law authorizing the attorney general to file lawsuits against any Indiana colleges, universities, or units of local government that do not comply with the Indiana ban on sanctuary cities. Rokita says he will pursue legal action after November 8 against any entities who are restricting immigration enforcement activities and communications with federal immigration authorities.

Rokita has already sent similar notices to officials in East Chicago, West Lafayette and Monroe County. His office says the first two have already changed their policy to comply with state law, and they are currently pursuing legal action against Monroe County.

(Washington, DC) - Second District Congressman Rudy Yakym has introduced legislation hoping to reform the Veterans Administration.

The National Veterans’ Advocate Act would turn the VA’s existing Office of Patient Advocacy into an independent watchdog office, reporting improvement recommendations directly to Congress. A similar independent office exists within the IRS.

Yakym hopes the change will increase accountability and reform within the VA. "By establishing an independent office within the VA devoted to coming up with ways to improve it,” Yakym said, “we can make the agency more efficient, prevent veterans' healthcare crises before they emerge, and, ultimately, better serve the men and women who served our nation in uniform.”

The Department of Veterans’ Affairs is the largest integrated healthcare system in the United States, serving more than 9 million veterans and maintaining over 1,300 medical facilities across the country.

(Bourbon, IN) - A Marshall County football coach is under investigation for an alleged illicit relationship with a student.

The Triton School Corporation has confirmed that head football coach Zach Whittaker has resigned shortly after being put on administrative leave. The actions were propted by allegations that he had inappropriate relations with a student in a previous school year.

Triton is in Bourbon, Indiana, between Plymouth and Warsaw.

At Triton, Whittaker taught PE and Criminal Justice. He took over as head coach two years ago, after serving as the defensive coordinator. Prior to that he coached at Jimtown.

Whittaker’s resignation on Monday was followed by a letter to the Triton Schools community from superintendent Jeremy Riffle. “Our parent, staff and students can be certain that Triton School Corporation will take all steps necessary to safeguard the well-being of those under our supervision,” he said. “Any form of harmful conduct toward our students will not be tolerated.”

The Indiana State Police are now handling the investigation.

(Michigan City, IN) - A man is accused of stealing from another casino player’s slot machine.

William Stone, 56, of Walkerton is charged in La Porte Superior Court 4 with Level 6 felony cheating at gambling and Class A misdemeanor theft.

According to court documents, a woman cashed out from a slot machine at Blue Chip Casino but left her voucher hanging out of the machine.

She returned about one minute later to retrieve her voucher but it was gone.

Authorities said Stone had grabbed the voucher and used it to play some of the other slots.

When Stone was approached by casino security, the voucher worth just over $100 had only about $20 left on it from his losses.

According to investigators, the woman decided not to press charges as long as she was paid back.

He promised to compensate her the next day but failed to keep his word even after given more time to come up with the funds, authorities said.

Stone was still being held in the La Porte County Jail on $750 bond following his arrest on Tuesday.   He could face a more than three year sentence.

(Union Mills, IN) - A La Porte County park was damaged Thursday night by vehicles doing burnouts.

About 11 p.m., the La Porte County Sheriff's Office was called to Union Mills on a report of two vehicles racing.  Upon arrival, there were no vehicles there.  However, there were ruts and other marks in the ground from spinning tires at Mill Pond Park.

Police said the damage was in the grass parking area, the volleyball court made of sand and the gravel driving lanes.

A nearby resident told officers she heard the revving of engines but was not able to describe the vehicles since it was dark outside and her distance from the park. 

Police said an effort will be made to find any surveillance video that might exist to try and come up with leads in the case.

(La Porte County, IN) - A package containing bars of silver were stolen from a La Porte County residence.

According to La Porte County Police, the victim ordered the precious metals from a provider in Las Vegas.  About a week and a half later, he received notice from the U.S Postal Service the package had been delivered to his home in the area of 600 North and 425 East.  However, the package was not there when he went out to his mailbox to retrieve it. 

Police said the package contained two bars of silver weighing one ounce each.  The victim had insurance on the package to cover the close to $90 he paid for the silver.

(La Porte County, IN) - A man was killed in a single vehicle crash on Thursday in La Porte County.  Craig Raas, 48, of Three Oaks, MI. was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the La Porte County Sheriff’s Office.

Police said the investigation shows that at about 9:30 a.m. Raas was eastbound in the 4500 block of East 800 North.  His 2012 Chevy pick-up truck veered across the center line and continued left until striking a tree.  The vehicle hit several more trees before coming to a stop, police said.

Investigators are waiting for the results of a blood test to determine if alcohol or drugs were a factor in the crash.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana Court of Appeals has ordered a new trial in the civil case of a man seriously injured when the vehicle he was driving crashed into a cow that escaped from a Jasper County farm.

In July of 2022, Eliseo Montelongo of Fair Oaks was involved in a violent collision with a cow in his 2007 Chevy Tahoe on County Road 700 North near County Road 1000 West.  According to court documents, the cow was one of six head of cattle that escaped their enclosure on a farm owned by Dan Sipkema.

Three months later, Montelongo sued alleging negligence on the part of a then 87 year old Sipkema, who owned up to beef 30 cattle on his farm.  Montelongo sought monetary damages for medical expenses, lost employment along with pain and suffering from injuries described in his court filings as “permanent” and “severe.”

According to court documents, the cows were confined to a barn by a cattle gate but six of them used their heads to lift the gate off the bottom hinge, creating an opening wide enough for them to escape.  After the last cow escaped, the gate fell back down and was secured by a locking mechanism preventing the other cows from potentially wandering away.

Montelongo alleged the defendant should have known there was a chance of the cows escaping because Sipkema's daughter had sheep and cows escape years ago from nudging under the same type of gate with their heads on her farm.

As a result, he claimed Sipkema should have placed pins or some other device on the hinge side of the gate to further secure it as a precaution. The evidence shows his daughter also did not have reinforcements added to her gate.

In March, the trial court ruled in favor of Sipkema, saying there was no reason for him to presume his cows were not secured properly.  In his ruling, Judge Russell Bailey said the cattle gate was designed specifically for the purpose of securing cattle and none of his cows had ever escaped before from the same gate.

Even though his daughter had cattle escape, Bailey said the conversations with her were about “a different gate and different cows.”

“A generalized statement about a third-party experience does not give rise to a material issue of fact in the present case.  Therefore, it was not foreseeable to the defendant that the animals would escape that enclosure,” he said. 

In ordering a new trial, the appellate court judges on October 9th cited the testimony of a veteran herdsman from another farm, who felt an additional mechanism that did not come with the gate should have been placed on it. 

According to appellate court documents, the herdsman said it’s “not uncommon or surprising” for cattle to nudge gates off their hinges when they’re not equipped with additional security devices.

Before the accident, Sipkema still owned the cattle and property but transferred the duties on the farm to another daughter, Norma Devries, over a dozen years ago.

(Hudson Lake, IN) - Public access to Hudson Lake in La Porte County may be disrupted soon from a dredging project to improve boating access.

According to the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, the potential for disruption in public access to the lake in Hudson Lake will start between now and late October and run through the end of the year.

During the project, DNR said sediment will be hydraulically pumped from the access channel and a navigation channel between the lake’s east and west basins to an upland area on the northwest end of the lake.

That work could result in temporary blockage or restrictions near these sites because of dredging equipment and piping being on the lake for the anticipated two month period. 

The work is funded by DNR’s Lake and River Enhancement Program and the Hudson Lake Conservation Association.

(New Buffalo, MI) - Hearts are heavy in New Buffalo because of a young man found dead in Lake Michigan in Chicago last week.

Ben Coffeen, 20, was on a boat when before he wound up in the water near DuSable Harbor.  A several hour search, with help from a helicopter, followed.  His fully clothed body was recovered several days later.

So far, authorities are still investigating how Coffeen wound up overboard. There are reports Coffeen was on the boat with other college students who were home from fall break.

A celebration of life is scheduled on Sunday from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the pavilion outside New Buffalo Township Hall.

Coffeen was a student athlete, who participated in sports including football and baseball, prior to graduating from New Buffalo High School in 2022.  He was described as a well-liked member of the community.

(La Porte County, IN) - Open burning is allowed now in unincorporated areas of La Porte County but only if residents obtain permission from their local fire chief.

The La Porte County Commissioners Wednesday night made that decision to keep tinder dry crops protected until they’re harvested and satisfy residents wanting to rake up and burn leaves starting to drop from the trees.

The three member governing body could lift the open burning ban entirely at their next meeting on November 6th, or sooner, if more rain falls in the coming days like it has recently, officials said.

Commissioner Joe Haney commended residents for complying with the ban imposed on September 18th but sensed their patience is beginning to wear thin.

“I think some of the citizens are starting to get a little antsy. There’s going to be a lot of leaves that are already falling,” Haney said.

The decision was at the recommendation of Randy Novak, president of the La Porte County Fire Chiefs Association.  Novak opposed lifting the ban entirely since it won’t take long for dead corn plants after plentiful rains the past few days to become powder dry again.  In addition, he said unharvested crops are likely just as dry now as they were previously in areas like southern La Porte County that didn’t receive as much precipitation.

Novak said it’s best for local fire chiefs to decide where it’s safe to burn under the present conditions.

“You’re kind of shifting it a little bit, allowing certain circumstances but somebody is still controlling it,” he said.

The commissioners also decided to allow for any fireworks shows planned in the next few weeks as long as permission is obtained from the fire chief in the jurisdiction where it’s to be held.

The open burning ban was in response to farmers concerned about the risk of brush fires on dry landscape spreading to corn and soybean plants that died prematurely this year from lack of rainfall.

Last Friday, about 20 acres of corn in a roughly 60 acre field burned near Mill Creek on the east side of the county.  Lincoln Township Volunteer Fire Department Chief Cyle Rensberger said the fire is suspected to have started when a spark from a wheel bearing or some other moving part on a combine in the field made contact with the dried out corn plants.

Rensberger said the farmer operating the harvester told investigators he climbed down from the machine to have lunch at home with his wife.  He walked a short distance before smelling something odd then noticed flames emerging from his crop.

Rensberger said it took nearly two hours to put out the blaze with help by firefighters from several departments using hoses on brush trucks.

“We just drove around in the field putting it out that way,” he said.

(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte High School girls’ volleyball coach could face prison time on allegations he illegally pocketed a large sum of money. 

Authorities say TR Harlan worked in sales at a sports wear store in Valparaiso where he’s accused of under billing or not charging customers at all for what they purchased.  Harlan would then collect commission on the full price of the sales.

Over a year and a half period, Harlan was allegedly paid more than $30,000 in illegal commissions.  Harlan is charged with Level 5 felony fraud and Level 6 felony theft. 

According to school officials, the volleyball team will have a new interim coach for the post season that begins Saturday.

Harlan was employed at Blythe’s Athletics, which creates uniforms and other apparel for school sports teams in Northwest Indiana.

(La Porte County, IN) - A driver apparently in a hurry to find a restroom was pulled over for driving twice the speed limit.  Recognizing a sense of urgency on her face, the police officer allowed her to drive to a gas station before writing her up.

Bernadette Adams, 51, was not arrested.  Instead, she was ordered to appear in a Michigan City courtroom on a charge of reckless driving, a Class C misdemeanor.  The Chicago area woman could face an up to 60 day jail sentence and a maximum $500 fine.

According to La Porte County Police, the westbound Adams was clocked at 87 miles per hour late Saturday morning on a stretch of U.S. 20 outside Rolling Prairie where the speed limit is 45 mph.

Police said her speed kept increasing while the officer trying to catch up fell further behind as he approached 95 mph. She was also changing lanes without using a turn signal while weaving her way around slower moving traffic. 

Adams pulled over after the lights and siren on the sheriff’s vehicle were activated.  Police said the officer was approaching when the frantic looking Adams yelled she was trying to get to the restroom.  The officer stopped what he was doing and made her an offer.

Police said she agreed to let the officer follow her at normal speeds to the nearest gas station, which was about two miles away at U.S. 20 and Indiana 39.  Upon arrival, the woman made her way into the restroom. She was handed a summons ordering her into court when she stepped out.

La Porte County Sheriff Ron Heeg supported the decision to charge her despite Mother Nature’s not so great timing.

“Just because you got to use the restroom doesn’t make it right to drive recklessly when you put other people’s live in danger,” he said.

Her appearance in La Porte Superior Court 4 is scheduled for 9 a.m. on November 1st.

(La Porte, IN) - The La Porte City Park Foundation will hold its inaugural “Picnic Under the Stars,” a fund raiser to mark the official kickoff of the Foundation’s 40th Anniversary celebration.

The event will take place on November 15 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM at the La Porte Civic Auditorium.  The community is invited to gather for good, live music and camaraderie in support of the city’s parks.

“We’re excited to kick off 40 years of serving our community with an event that combines fun, connection, and philanthropy,” said Emily Archambault, Assistant Director of the La Porte Park and Recreation Department.

The ‘Picnic Under the Stars is not only a fundraiser but also a "friendraiser," meaning it presents an opportunity for the foundation to connect with both new and longtime supporters while raising the funds needed to “sustain and grow our parks,” she said.

Event Highlights: 

- Picnic-Style Appetizers and Drinks: Enjoy a delightful selection of picnic-style appetizers and desserts catered by Downs Family Catering. A cash bar will also be available. 

- Live Music: Dance and relax to the sounds of Point’n Fingers, adding to the evening’s festive atmosphere. 

- Silent Auction: Bid on an exciting array of items donated by local businesses and artisans, with proceeds supporting the parks. 

Tickets are $50 each and can be purchased by clicking HERE. 

(La Porte, IN) - Steps are being taken to get downtown La Porte ready for the Christmas season.  The city’s Business Improvement District Board on Tuesday voted to hire a contractor to get electrical outlets on the decorative light poles working again.

Jamie Novak, the city’s Assistant Project Manager, told the board 41 of the electrical outlets are not working.  The outlets supply power to the lights fastened to the poles during the holidays.  Novak said the outlets were tested but why they’re not working will be up to the experts to figure out and solve.

“That could be something as simple as a fuse. It could be more intuitive.  I’m not an electrician.  I wish I was,” she said.

The contract is for just over $11,000 to be paid for by the BID, which is financed with funds provided by businesses within the district.

Novak said she expects the outlets to be working again well before the start of the holiday season. 

(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte area man suffered possible serious injuries in a two vehicle collision after he ran a red light at U.S. 20.  That’s according to La Porte County Police, which investigated the late Monday morning crash at Fail Road.

Police said the investigation shows Tyler Warrix, 27, was traveling northbound when the side of his vehicle was struck by a westbound pick-up truck.  His 2012 Honda Accord wound up in the path of the 2023 Ford F-550 after he ran a red light, police said.

According to police, Warrix had to be extricated from his heavily damaged car and was unconscious at the accident scene for a short period of time. Eventually, he was able to speak to investigating officers.

Police said Warrix was transported to Memorial Hospital in South Bend with his most serious injury described as a possible fracture or dislocation to the chest.  

(Michigan City, IN) - Building an estimated 200 or more homes near Michigan City’s lakefront is now possible following a decision to increase waste water flow capacity in the area targeted for new development.

On Tuesday night, the Michigan City Common Council voted unanimously to take out an up to $4.8 million bond issue to finance the sewer upgrades along a stretch of U.S. 12 to the municipal waste water treatment plant.

Council President Don Przybylinski called new housing a top priority in a community looking to modernize an aging housing stock and attract new residents.

“What this is called is infrastructure for the future of Michigan City and for future development of Michigan City.  In my mind, it has to be done,” Przybylinski said.

Skyler York, the city’s Director of Planning and Redevelopment, said sewage overflows into Trail Creek happen occasionally because of underground lines north of U.S. 12 too narrow from development in recent years to adequately take in higher volumes of storm water.

“It’s been happening for a while,” he said.

He said the improvements will eliminate the risk of having to impose a ban on new development where enough vacant land exists between the four lane highway and lakefront to construct at least 200 new homes.

“That couldn’t be developed right now on the sanitation that exists right now, because there’s no capacity,” he said.

 

The project involves building a new lift station on the north side of U.S. 12 across from Burn ‘Em Brewing and running larger sewer lines below the adjacent railroad tracks.  York said the new lines extending slightly north and west to about Center Street will connect to a larger sewer to carry the flows south for several blocks to the treatment plant at 1100 E. 8^th Street.

The bond issue is made possible by the Indiana Finance Authority, offering low interest loans to communities statewide on infrastructure related projects that promote new housing construction.

Randy Rompola, bond counsel for the Indianapolis based law firm Barnes & Thornburg, said the 2.43% interest rate funds must be paid back within 20 years.  He said the interest rate would likely be anywhere from 4.5 to 6 percent if the loan was obtained in the private sector.

Rompola said tax revenue generated by increases in property values from the area targeted for new housing will be used to retire the debt.

(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte County property owner has promised not to do any more target shooting until he builds a proper backstop after neighbor complained about a close call with stray bullets.  That’s according to La Porte County Police, who responded Saturday afternoon to the 4100 block of North County Road 50 West.

A man complained he heard three stray bullets “whiz by him” and other bullets landing on his house during a two hour period of shots being fired, police said.  The responding officer talked to the men, who police said were firing antique guns at a steel target about 100 yards away.  The officer determined the men were firing from the top of a hill down through an open farm field.

Police said the only backstop to catch the bullets was a small hill which was just part of the natural landscape.

The property owner told the officer he's been shooting there for years without any problems and promised not to shoot again until he builds a proper back stop to prevent the bullets from traveling greater distances, according to police. 

(La Porte County, IN) - A new campaign sign is serving as a lightning rod for heated remarks from both sides of the political spectrum in La Porte County as the November 5th election nears.

Republican La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz is targeting Democrat Randy Novak again with his second sign popping up in yards.   Novak is president of the La Porte County Council and running for the La Porte County Commissioners seat now held by Republican Joe Haney.  The sign asks voters to “Dump Novak,” calling him a “Friedman Flunky.”

Also depicted on the sign are headshot pictures of Novak and former La Porte County government attorney Shaw Friedman.

On the sign, Friedman is wearing a suit containing nothing but images of $100 bills.

Through the signs he crafted, Stabosz said he’s trying to communicate that Novak is controlled by Friedman to some degree and both men from have profited from contracts awarded for projects.

Currently, Friedman is suing Stabosz for repeatedly accusing him of running county government by gaining control of key decision makers.  The lawsuit, filed in 2021, resulted in a jury siding with Stabosz a few months ago.

For now, a new trial is ordered in the case after a judge ruled the jury was given incorrect information about the state’s defamation law to consider while reaching its decision.  The order for a new trial is fully expected to be challenged by Stabosz before the Indiana Court of Appeals.

The other sign refers to Novak as “No Bid Novak” and instructs voters to “Just Say No!”

Stabosz said that sign is for multiple no bid contracts with help from Novak being awarded to service providers, who may not have been selected had those major jobs actually gone out for bid.  Stabosz claims La Porte County government was written up for two of the no bid contracts by the Indiana State Board of Accounts.

“He’s the no bid king,” he said.

In response, Novak said the signs are just another reflection of how Stabosz and Haney have created havoc in county government with false allegations and finding problems with solutions instead of finding solutions to problems.  Novak said contracts are awarded by the La Porte County Commissioners while it’s up to the La Porte County Council to fund the contracts. 

One of those no-bid contracts involved extensive repairs a few years ago to the Franklin Street draw bridge in Michigan City.  Novak said he supported funding the no bid project because the service provider has worked exclusively on the bridge in the past and knows how to fix it better and quicker than any other contractor.

He said the bridge, which serves as the main access to the city’s lakefront, was able to reopen before the busy summer season because of the quick work performed during the previous months.

“You can’t put it out there and just let John Smith, who doesn’t know anything about the bridge, and give him the lowest bid.  It’s just a bunch of b.s.,” he said.

Novak also said he makes his own decisions but Haney is the flunky whose strings are pulled by Stabosz, who he described as a “puppet master.”

“He (Stabosz) is 50 times more the puppet master in this county than anybody’s ever seen on the other side,” Novak said.

In response, Haney said Novak is “simply trying to spin things and deflect off the strings that Friedman has been pulling on him for years.”

Friedman said Stabosz ‘’poured thousands of dollars” into Haney’s last campaign.

“They, together, have brought nothing but partisan attack dog politics to county government for four years,” said Friedman.

As a result, Friedman said he hopes voters give the boot to Haney on November 5th just as they did to Stabosz when he ran for county commissioner in the May primary.  Friedman also denied having anything to do with decisions by Novak, who he described as “his own man.”

(La Porte County, IN) - Imagine having to use the bathroom so badly, you’re doing twice the speed limit to get to a gas station restroom when stopped by police.  That’s what one driver ticketed for reckless driving is claiming.

According to La Porte County Police, the 51 year old Chicago area woman was clocked at 87 miles per hour on U.S. 20 near Rolling Prairie over the weekend. The speed limit is 45 mph.

Police said the officer was trying to catch up to her when she increased her speed to over 90 miles per hour and was switching lanes in a reckless manner before pulling over.

According to police, the driver yelled at the approaching officer that she was trying to get to the restroom.  It appeared she was being honest, perhaps, judging by the frantic look on her face.  She was given a police escort to a gas station a few miles to the west.

After exiting the restroom, police said the woman was given a summons to appear in court for reckless driving.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Kingsbury area man was seriously injured Monday afternoon when a jack failed while he was underneath the vehicle.

About 2:30 p.m., emergency responders went to the 4100 block of South Spring Creek Trail.  La Porte County Police said the investigation shows Garry Woodham, 56, was working on the SUV inside his garage when the jack, somehow, failed.  His left leg was crushed when one of the rotors on the front end of the vehicle landed on it.

Police said firefighters lifted the vehicle off Woodham and applied a tourniquet to his leg to slow the heavy bleeding.  He was taken to Memorial Hospital in South Bend.

(Washington D.C.) - The U.S. Economic Development Administration has awarded a $2.5 million grant to the City of La Porte for water infrastructure improvements to support manufacturing business growth in the region.

The grant will provide for critical infrastructure upgrades at the Thomas Rose Industrial Park, supporting business expansion and job creation, EDA officials said.

The grant will be matched with $2.5 million in local funds and is expected to create 185 jobs, retain 230 jobs, and generate $50 million in private investment, according to grant estimates.

“The Biden-Harris Administration’s Investing in America agenda is focused on providing all communities with the opportunities and resources they need to thrive in today’s economy, while preparing them for success in the future,” said U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo.

Indiana First District Congressman Frank Mrvan gave thanks to Mayor Tom Dermody along with other leaders in the city and U.S. Department of Commerce for investing in the region’s infrastructure.

“I look forward to continuing to work in a collaborative effort to build on this positive impact to create more good-paying job opportunities for everyone in our region,” Mrvan said.

(Porter County, IN) - Another water spout is possible later today after one developed on Lake Michigan in northwest Indiana this morning.  That’s according to the National Weather Service, which posted a picture of a waterspout this morning 15 miles offshore from the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.

The Chicago skyline can be seen in the background of the picture.

"Should a waterspout form, it should remain over water. However, it is good for mariners and beachgoers alike to be prepared and know what actions to take to stay safe," the NWS stated.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association, a tornado warning is issued if a waterspout moves onshore because of the potential for significant damage and injuries.

Typically, though, water spouts after reaching land dissipate rapidly and rarely move inland very far, NOAA said.

(La Porte, IN) - Plans for another lodge for use by the public on Stone Lake in La Porte were unveiled Monday. 

The construction will happen sooner than expected because of a $500,000 contribution by Ken and Karen Bowers, retired longtime residents of the city now spending their winters in Florida.  The couple has also committed to providing an undisclosed amount of funds to help with future maintenance.

A ground breaking was planned at the site along the southern edge of Stone Lake close to the public boat launch across from Lions Field, but threatening skies moved what turned out to be a celebration inside Cummings Lodge.

Mr. Bowers thanked Mayor Tom Dermody, the park board and everyone else involved in the plans and deciding to name the facility “Bowers Family Lodge.”

“To us, this is just another great step and it is a big step in the future of the new lodge on Stone Lake in our memory,”  Bowers said.

La Porte Parks Department Superintendent Mark Schreiber said the projected cost of construction is from $2.5 to $3 million.

Tentatively, plans call for the lodge to contain 6,800 square feet of space, which will accomodate as many as 250 people for weddings, family reunions and other gatherings or activities.

Schreiber said Cummings Lodge, built in 1966 on the opposite side of Stone Lake with a capacity for 88 people, will remain available for similar, smaller scale functions.

The design has not been finalized but the lodge will have a rustic look on the outside and inside to reflect its natural surroundings.

“We want people to see the trees.  We want people to see the lake.  Even when you’re inside  it, we want you to be able to feel those amenities around you,” Schreiber said.

He said the new lodge is in response to public demand for a facility accommodating larger crowds especially when calendar dates are booked for gatherings at the spacious municipally owned Civic Auditorium.

Attempts will be made to secure outside sources of revenue such as grants to help pay for construction to reduce as much as possible the amount the city will be asked to finance.

“We’d like to lower the cost as much as we can for the taxpayers,” he said.

He said money from fees for use of the lodge could also go toward the financing.

A new lodge was already included in the park department’s new five year master plan when Bowers approached several months ago with a desire to leave something in his will to do something for the parks.

Schreiber said consensus was reached on Bowers helping to pay for a new lodge to build upon the success the city has had in promoting and improving the offerings at its lakes and parks more in recent years to improve quality of life for residents and attract visitors.  Both sides were also unanimous on where it should be placed.  Dermody called the monetary gift “amazing.”

“We’re just excited they wanted to invest their funds, their money into the city of La Porte,” Dermody said.

(La Porte, IN) - A judge has reversed his decision for the third time in less than a month in a bitter civil defamation case between former La Porte County attorney Shaw Friedman and La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz that, ultimately, could be taken to the Indiana Supreme Court.

Judge Stevens Bowers from Elkhart County on Friday ordered a new trial again.

He was a special judge brought in to preside over the case in La Porte Circuit Court to avoid any appearance of a conflict of interest since Stabosz and Friedman were both public figures at the time.

Friedman was the attorney for the La Porte County Commissioners in 2021 when he filed the lawsuit alleging Stabosz damaged his reputation by repeatedly claiming he ran county government by gaining control of key decision makers.

On June 28th, a jury sided with Stabosz, who argued his claims about Friedman were based on sufficient evidence. 

About three months later, Bowers agreed with Friedman in his request for a new trial.  Bowers ruled the jury was presented with incorrect information about Indiana defamation law to consider in reaching its decision.  Had the jury been given the right information, the plaintiffs argued the decision could have favored Friedman, who claimed Stabosz wanting to benefit politically, acted with malice and in reckless disregard of the truth.

The following week, Bowers siding with the defense and reinstated the jury’s decision.  This time, Bowers ruled he was three days late in ordering a new trial under a state mandated deadline for him to act on Friedman’s appeal within 30 days.

In his latest ruling, Bowers agreed with the plaintiffs who argued the new trial order should stand unless overturned by the Indiana Court of Appeals based on previous rulings by the Indiana Supreme Court on late decided cases.

“The appellate court gets all of the issues and then hears what everybody has to say and makes the decision,” said Bill Jonas, an attorney from South Bend representing Friedman.

Jonas also said any appeal will have to be filed by Stabosz, who would have the burden of proof to show why a new trial should not be ordered.

Andrew Jones, an attorney from South Bend representing Stabosz, offered no opinion about the judge’s latest ruling but felt it was time for a fresh set of eyes to decide what he described as a very technical matter.

“We’ve had so much back and forth since the trial, I think now would be an appropriate time for the court of appeals to weigh in,” he said.

 

Jones also said he was not surprised where the hotly contested legal dispute is heading.

“It was a situation where no matter what happened at trial, either side was likely to appeal an unfavorable verdict,” he said.

Jones said he anticipates the Indiana Supreme Court being asked to render a final decision by whoever loses the appellate court challenge.

(La Porte County, IN) - In area high school football, only Michigan City fans had something to cheer about Friday night.

The matchup between La Porte (0-8) and Michigan City (3-5) was a lopsided affair, with the Wolves devouring the Slicers 39-0. City’s defense came ready to play. In the opening minutes, senior Marquez Dabney returned an interception 17 yards for a touchdown. The Wolves then pounced on two La Porte fumbles, returning the second for another score. Then the game turned into the Trinaston Hart show. The junior quarterback threw four touchdowns and a two-point conversion.

New Prairie (5-3) fell to Penn (6-2) 24-7 at home. Junior quarterback Reed Robinson rushed for 122 yards, scoring the team’s only touchdown, and passed for 78 yards more. Senior Harrison Groves led the defense with 14 tackles.

Winamac (3-4) beat up on South Central (1-7), winning 50-12.

(Cassopolis, MI) - The high school football season ended early for a school in southern Michigan.

On Thursday Cassopolis Public School officials issued a letter to parents explaining the situation. Apparently, injuries so far this season have taken a toll on the roster, and continuing to play games would put remaining athletes at greater risk. The team was loaded with freshmen and low on upperclassmen, many of whom had been sidelined with injuries.

With two regular-season games left, the team was 1-5, having won its first and only game last week.

On Friday night, Cassopolis Ross Beatty High School held an “end of season” ceremony to honor seniors and give the band one last chance to perform.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Sheriff’s deputies played the part of repo men during a routine traffic stop this week.

On Thursday evening, officers pulled over a 2007 GMC Yukon on U.S. 20 near Swan Lake Cemetery for having expired temporary plates. After running the vehicle’s info, they discovered that it had been reported stolen out of Illinois.

The driver, 30-year-old Desean Tucker of Michigan City, told police he had purchased the Yukon from a dealer in Illinois over four months ago. According to an arrest report, officers helped Tucker remember that he had perhaps failed to make any payments on the vehicle and informed him that the dealer now had a lien on it.

(Marshall County, IN) - A Marshall County man has been arrested for thefts in La Porte County.

On Tuesday, with help from the La Porte City Police Department, the Marshall County Drug Task Force executed a search warrant in Argos at the home of 44-year-old Charles Gross.

According to police, they recovered dozens of items stolen from locations in La Porte County, along with suspected methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

(La Porte County, IN) - A portion of I-94 in La Porte County will see some overnight lane restrictions starting Sunday, October 13.

According to INDOT, a five-mile stretch of 94 east and west of the U.S. 421 overpass will be down to one lane for pavement patching. Work will start with the eastbound side. After about a week, they’ll switch to the westbound lanes.

INDOT says the lane closures should be just during the overnight hours, between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. for approximately two weeks.

(La Porte, IN) - An event where some of the nation’s best high school basketball players compete in La Porte is becoming more long rooted here.  A new three year contract has been signed for La Porte to host the invitational featuring top programs from college prep schools such as La Lumiere, which is consistently a contender for the national title.  Previously, La Porte hosted the annual event under a one year contract.

The fourth annual La Porte Invitational is scheduled January 9th through the 11th at the La Porte Civic Auditorium.  Games will be broadcast on ESPNU, ESPN+ and League Ready You Tube.  The 2025 event will include six teams finishing in the top 14 in the national rankings last season along with 27 players ranked by the ESPN recruiting database.

Further details will be released during a news conference scheduled for 9 a.m. on October 16th at the La Porte Civic Auditorium.

(Indianapolis, IN) - A local state lawmaker is working on legislation that would require social media sites to restrict access to children under 16 until they receive verifiable parental consent.

State Senator Mike Bohacek of Michiana Shores said the proposal builds on a measure he submitted during the last Indiana state legislative session that required websites with pornographic content to verify the age of users.

Bohacek said he became aware of the lack of age restrictions on social media sites while crafting the age verification legislation last year.

"Most accounts don't require confirmation of a user's age, allowing children of all ages to potentially access all sorts of content that might not be appropriate for them," he said.

Bohacek said social media sites can leave children vulnerable to things ranging from bullying to being lured into other “bad situations.”

"The rise of social media has expanded communication across the world, but it has also led to increasing concerns regarding children's safety," he said.

Bohacek said the proposal is still being developed but he intends to officially file it for consideration during the 2025 legislative session. 

(La Porte County, IN) - Actor Sam Elliott is coming to La Porte and nearby Three Oaks, Michigan where a Christmas movie he played the leading role in 35 years ago was filmed.  His appearance will be part of an anniversary celebration for Prancer, which still appears on TV screens during the holidays.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him,” said John Hancock, who was director of the film.

 

Hancock, who lives in northern La Porte County, said the celebration will include a showing of the movie at Vickers Theatre and parade in Three Oaks on December 14th.  The movie will be featured in La Porte on December 15th at the Civic Auditorium.

He said Elliott and some of the surviving members of the cast will be at each location.  Hancock said there will also be a question and answer session between the actors, himself, and members of the audience.

Initially, he said Elliott was receptive to coming but hesitant to commit so early to the event, judging from his talks with the veteran movie star’s agent in recent weeks.  Hancock said the 80 year old Elliott gave in, though, once La Porte Mayor Tom Dermody began making phone calls to handlers for the Hollywood legend.

“He just wouldn’t take no for an answer and, finally, Sam decided to come.  I had given up but Dermody is a persistent guy,” he said. 

In the movie, Elliott plays a grieving widowed father, whose apple farm outside La Porte has fallen on hard times.  Fearing he’ll be unable to provide for his eight year old daughter, Jessica, he considers having his deceased wife’s sister take care of her but later changes his mind. 

At one point, the girl discovered an injured reindeer, she named Prancer, in the family’s barn and nurses the animal back to health.  The movie ends with the girl looking on in amazement as Prancer reunites with other reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh after landing on the farm.

Hancock said he directed the film at the request of his wife, who felt it would become a classic during the Christmas season.

“It turned out to be.  She was right,” he said.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man is accused of setting a fire to a home he was renting.  Karl Creech, 37, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with arson.  In late August, the fire heavily damaged a house in the 300 block of  Niesen Street.

According to court documents, the fire began in the kitchen and arson was determined based on evidence, including a flammable liquid discovered near the oven.

The investigation alleges Creech set the fire because the landlord was suing him for thousands of dollars in damage caused to the home prior to the blaze. 

Police said Creech denied setting the fire.  He could face anywhere from a two to 12 year sentence on the Level 4 felony count.

(Indianapolis, IN)  Indiana Farm Bureau (INFB) has revealed property taxes and water rights are its main priorities during the 2025 state legislative session, which begins in January

“When the General Assembly considers policies this year, it will be important for them to think through what will keep agriculture prospering. Food security is national security. Our priorities protect farms and rural communities to ultimately ensure safe, affordable food not just for Hoosiers but for people all over the world,” said INFB President Randy Kron. 

The priorities identified by INFB include the following two general topics:

Taxation

The consistent increase of farmland tax burdens directly impacts producers’ bottom lines. Last session, INFB had conversations with legislators about farmland taxes, which will continue into this session to safeguard a manageable and predictable tax system. This includes a modernization of farmland taxation, realigning tax burdens based on the demand for services and ability to pay, and reducing the reliance on property tax with effective controls and income taxes.

Farmland property taxes have been escalating rapidly over the last few years. In 2023, the base rate rose 17%, followed by another jump in 2024 of 26.4% and a projected jump of 20% next year, according to the Indiana Department of Local Government Finance. The United States Department of Agriculture also predicts net farm income is set to decline nearly 25% in two years, with substantial losses in crop receipts and continued pressure from rising costs, making it difficult for farmers just to break even.

Water Rights

INFB will work to ensure the accessibility of water, a crucial resource in producing the food, fuel and fiber our nation relies upon, by advocating for expanded groundwater protection rights to proactively safeguard agriculture operations and farmers’ investments in producing food. This includes adding language that protects agriculture from potential negative impacts from water withdrawals by other industries. Additionally, INFB will advocate for the implementation of a statewide, dedicated groundwater well monitoring network to inventory the current groundwater supply in the state.

“We are advocating for an increased protection of agriculture’s right to water resources, not just farmers’ rights, which broadens protection beyond just irrigation to livestock, food processing industries and others.” said Andy Tauer, INFB executive director of public policy. “Farmers are more efficient and effective on fewer acres than ever before. Water accessibility is critical to protect investments made by production agriculture and ag/food manufacturing to continue to fuel the future of our state.”

 

INFB’s policy priorities are created from the ground up, beginning with each county Farm Bureau. All counties have the opportunity to make policy suggestions for the upcoming year. Then the recommendations are brought before a resolutions committee to be considered before they reach the INFB delegate session, which was held on Aug. 17 and consisted of 233 member representatives. After the delegate session, the INFB board of directors identified the key issues INFB members and staff will focus on at the Statehouse.

Additionally, to enhance the outcomes for agriculture in emerging policy discussions and legislative debates, INFB created internal task forces for both tax and water issues last year.

“Neither of these policy priorities is new to INFB or Hoosier farmers,” continued Tauer. “INFB formed tax and water task forces with members and subject matter experts who dug deeper into these specific issues that farmers are dealing with daily. Those discussions helped inform the priorities we will be advocating for at the Indiana Statehouse.”

INFB leaders and staff will meet with legislators to discuss the organization’s policy priorities for the upcoming 2025 legislative session at their annual Organization Day Breakfast held at the Statehouse on Tuesday, Nov. 19. When the 2025 session of the Indiana General Assembly begins in January, INFB members will also visit with their legislators to advocate for this year’s policy positions.

For more information on INFB’s legislative priorities, visit infb.org/statepriorities.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The 2024 winter wheat yield in Indiana didn’t break last year’s record but is the second highest in the state’s history.

Indiana winter wheat yields this year averaged 89 bushels per acre, which was three bushels per acre down from 2023, according to the Great Lakes Region of the National Agricultural Statistics Service under USDA.

Phil Brown, owner of Midwest Wheat Consultants, said the primary reason for winter wheat’s recent outstanding performance in Indiana is cooler weather the past two years during the late grain fill period from May to June.

“That’s the simplest way to explain it,” he said.

Brown, a wheat growing expert from between Indianapolis and Ft. Wayne, said grain stops filling the heads on wheat for good during the season if temperatures reach at least 86 degrees for three consecutive days.

He said the average grain fill period in Indiana this year was 19 days or two fewer days than last year, which makes a major difference in production.

Brown said cooler weather is why yields per acre of wheat are typically 165 to 175 bushels per acre in states like North Dakota, South Dakota and Wyoming where during the late grain fill period “it never gets hot.”

In Indiana, he said wheat growers each year rely on having at least a 12 to 15 day grain fill period.

“If it’s under 86 degrees for 15, 16, 17 days, that’s 20 percent more grain fill,” he said.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man is in custody on allegations of selling heroin.  Thomas Anderson, 47, is being held in the La Porte County Jail on $50,000 bond until at least his initial appearance Friday in La Porte Circuit Court.  Anderson is charged with Level 2 felony dealing in a narcotic drug, which could bring him anywhere from a 10 to 30 year sentence.

Police report Anderson was arrested on Tuesday at his home, 912 Ridge Street, following a several month investigation.  Police said the investigation was triggered by tips and complaints from the community about his drug dealing activities in the city.

The La Porte County Drug Task along with the La Porte Police Department's Emergency Response Team were among those involved in his apprehension. 

(Porter County, IN) - A man was killed Wednesday in a two vehicle crash on U.S. 20 near The Pines.

At about 3:00 p.m., Porter County Police indicate responding officers found the driver of a 2010 Buick passenger car deceased.  Police said the investigation shows the victim pulled out from County Road 375 East into the path of a 2019 Hyundai, which was eastbound on U.S. 20.

Police did not shed any light on the condition of the other driver, who was a female.

So far, police have also not released the names of both drivers and other details about the crash.

(Merrillville, IN) - NIPSCO is forecasting higher home heating bills this winter. Natural gas residential customers can expect a 15 percent increase in their bills from last year based on current market projections under normal winter weather, according to NIPSCO.

In contrast, NIPSCO reported the cost forecast for this winter is 17 percent lower than the peak experienced in 2022.

Each year, NIPSCO and other Indiana energy companies provide a forecast for home heating bills during the upcoming winter months.  Projections are based on market forecasts, supply trends and storage levels, as well as normal weather forecasts.

If temperatures are colder or warmer than normal, usage amounts and bills could differ, NIPSCO said.

(La Porte County, IN) - A La Porte County native living in Florida has chosen to stay home during the hurricane while another former resident is waiting out the storm in Georgia.

Hurricane Milton is expected to make landfall tonight or early this morning in the Tampa/St. Petersburg area on the state’s west coast.

Greg Schultz lives about a two hour drive away near Orlando where the weather extremes are not expected to be as bad since he’s about a two hour drive away from where the full force of the storm is expected to be felt.

Eight to 12 inches of rain and up to 90 mile per hour winds are still in the forecast where Schultz resides but he’s chosen to ride out the storm.

Schultz, a 1997 graduate of New Prairie High School, said he’s focused right now on making sure his generator is working properly and other preparations have been made for the storm but knows he’ll become jittery when the storm hits.

“Yes, I’ll be nervous but right now we’re in a prep mode making sure we’re ready,” he said.

Bob Costigan lives just four miles east of the Gulf of Mexico, which is close to where the center of the storm at winds of 120 miles per hour or more is expected to hit.

He said it took him about 19 hours to make the drive to a hotel room south of Atlanta, a trip that should have taken just six or seven hours because of major highways jammed with people evacuating before the hurricane strikes.

“For probable half of the trip, it was five to ten miles per hour,” he said.

Costigan, who was News Director at 96.7 The Eagle during the late 90’s and early 2000’s, said he did not have the flooding and other destruction others experienced from the recent Hurricane Helene that hit Florida and moved up into the southeast.

However, he’s not expecting to get so lucky this time.

“Eventually, we’ll go back to see what’s left of my home,” he said.

(New York City, NY) - A La Porte County native turned in a stellar performance during a major league baseball playoff game. 

Sean Manaea pitched seven innings Tuesday for the New York Mets, giving up no runs and just two hits in seven innings.  He left the game to loud applause from the sold out New York City crowd. The Mets cruised to victory over the Philadelphia Phillies.

Manaea grew up in Wanatah and pitched for three years at South Central High School before transferring to Andrean for his final season.  He’s been in the major leagues since 2016, compiling a 77-62 record with a 4.00 earned run average.  This is his first season with the Mets in a career spent mostly with the Oakland A’s.

(Indianapolis, IN) - The Indiana Department of Homeland Security encourages people wishing to donate to the relief efforts for recent hurricanes to do so through coordinating agencies and do not self-deploy to the area.

According to IDHS officials, responding to a disaster is a complex, coordinated effort because of widespread destruction many roads impassable or unsafe to travel.

"Active search and rescue efforts continue, and arriving vehicles with supplies could cause more harm than good at this early stage," IDHS officials said.

IDHS Director of Emergency Management Mary Moran said people should not act on their first impulse to want to help when seeing the devastation on TV or with friends and family in those areas.

"Volunteer needs will continue for many weeks, months and even years.  There will be plenty of opportunities to help, but it must be coordinated so as not to cause an increased burden on first responders," she said.

According to IDHS officials, donations of cash are most effective and will be put to use immediately.

Visit the FEMA Volunteer and Donate page for a list of reputable organizations to direct donations.

Hurricane Helene hit North Carolina the hardest.

Below are some reputable organizations to donate cash or arrange for volunteers or supplies to help:

• North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund
• NC Disaster Volunteer Opportunities
• National Voluntary Organizations Active in Disaster (NVOAD)
• Donate to North Carolina VOAD
• NC 211 Effort
   

(Michigan City, IN) - A La Porte man was allegedly drunk when injured in a motorcycle motorcycle and again just three weeks while driving a car.  Michael Zurcher, 56, is facing two counts of operating while intoxicated.

Two months ago, police said he was struck by a car after running a stop sign on his motorcycle in Michigan City.  He suffered a possible fractured ankle with an alleged blood alcohol level just over two times the .08 percent legal limit.

Later that month, police said he was pulled over for having just one working headlight on his car also in Michigan City.  In that case, police say a near empty bottle of vodka along with a half empty bottle were located in his vehicle.  Zurcher allegedly refused a blood alcohol test.  He was taken into custody on warrant over the weekend.  Zurcher was still being held in the La Porte County Jail without bond.

(La Porte County, IN) - A Westville man is recovering from injuries sustained in a weekend motorcycle crash.  The accident happened Sunday night on U.S. 421 just south of Michigan City.

Evan Jacks, 21, told investigators he was traveling about 45 miles per hour when he  looked up and saw a pick-up truck in front of him, according to La Porte County Police.   Jacks said he locked up his brakes in an attempt to avoid a collision, but his 2001 Honda motorcycle slid into the back end of the vehicle, according to police. 

Police said Jacks was taken to nearby Franciscan Health with abrasions on his body and lower back pain.

The truck he rear ended fled right after the collision.

(La Porte, IN) - Trick or treating and other Halloween related festivities in downtown La Porte are scheduled this weekend.  The annual Spooktacular begins with trick or treating at participating businesses from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

There will also be costume judging after the trick or treating along with live music happening under the lights on Monroe Street just north of Lincolnway until 9 p.m.

“We’re so excited.  This is going to be so cool,” said Charity Hlavsa, owner of Hotspot Café and member of the La Porte Small Business Coalition, which puts on the annual event.

She said the hay maze is also returning for people to enter from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.  Volunteers are needed on Friday to help unload bales of hay and set up the hay maze.  She said other attractions will include a fire twirler performing shows at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. along with microchipping for pets.

So far, Hlavsa said 38 businesses have signed up to take part in the trick or treating while nearly 20 food, beverage and artisan vendors plan to be there offering their products.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte manufacturing company has been given an incentive to move forward with plans to expand its operations.  The La Porte City Council on Monday night granted a tax abatement on a close to $7 million dollar expansion proposed at B & B Manufacturing.

A projected 13 jobs would be added at the company, which now employs just over 100 people, said Eric Nelson, Workforce Development Coordinator at the La Porte Economic Advancement Partnership.  Nelson said plans call for 50,000 square feet of space to be added to the existing operation on Fail Road.

B & B Manufacturing is a longtime maker and distributor of timing belt pulleys roller chain sprockets, gears, idlers and other customs and standard made products for the power transmission and precision mechanical component industries.

“They’ve come to a point where they’re ready to expand,” he said.

B & B Manufacturing President Richard Talbert said major contractors locally are currently being asked to submit bids on the construction.  Construction will begin once a bid is accepted for the project.

(Michigan City, IN) - Two major roads in Michigan City will have lane closures Tuesday and Wednesday to allow for repairs.  According to the mayor’s office, the repairs will happen in the 1700 block of Franklin Street and the 300 block of Washington Street.

The repairs will temporarily close the northbound lanes on Franklin Street from Barker Avenue to Homer Street and the southbound lanes on Washington Street from U.S. 12 to Fourth Street.

During the same period, the intersection of Washington Street and U.S. 12 will be closed temporarily, with eastbound and westbound turning lanes blocked.

Northbound traffic on Franklin Street will be directed to Pine Street and East Ripley Street then  back to Franklin Street.   Travelers are asked to plan accordingly to avoid what’s expected to be minimal delays.

(La Porte County, IN) - Unity Foundation of La Porte County recently awarded $210,000 in grants that benefit the community.

“We are grateful for the trust our donors and you have had in us for 32 years. We are humbled by the dedicated and amazing non-profits who work so hard to serve our communities,” said Unity Foundation President Maggie Spartz.

The grants are being provided for a range of projects ranging from supplying turkeys to the needy for Thanksgiving to treating mental health problems and substance abuse.  Unity Foundation of La Porte County has existed for more than 30 years and uses interest from monetary contributions to provide funds to benefit the public.

The 53 organizations receiving the grants were:

•Advancing Christ's Kingdom Ministries - Michigan City, ThanksGIVING Turkeys

•Arts in the Park, Summer Concert Series

•Boys & Girls Clubs of La Porte County, Springfield Club 2024/2025 Afterschool Programming

•Catholic Charities, Safe Haven: Homeless Prevention

•Center Township Trustee-La Porte County, Crock Pot Cooking in the School

•Citizens Concerned for the Homeless, Inc., CCH Type 2 Diabetes Prevention and Management Program

•City of La Porte Police Department, Neurosequential Model Assessment

•Community Food Pantry of Galena, Hudson, Kankakee, Wills Townships, Inc., Mission Support

•Diamonds and Pearls Mentorship, Leadership Camp

•Dunebrook, Inc., Child Advocacy Center - Trauma Focused Therapy for Child Abuse Victims

•Dunes Arts Foundation, Creative Theatre Arts Program for Safe Harbor Summer Camp Students

•Dunes House, Feed the Soul of Recovery

•Family Advocates, Expansion Support

•Fly High Youth Services Inc., Fly High for the Holidays

•Friendship Botanic Gardens, Ecological Education Programs

•Girl Scouts of Northern Indiana-Michiana, Girl Scout Leadership Experience--LaPorte County

•HealthLinc, Inc, Cold and Flu Kits for Pediatric Patients in LaPorte County

•Independent Cat Society, Saving Hundreds of Kittens!

•Intrepid Phoenix, Fitness program for recovery from substance use disorder

•Junior Achievement of Northern Indiana, Elementary Programming: Michigan City Area Schools

•La Porte County Drug Free Partnership, Prevention and Intervention of LaPorte County Mental Health and Substance Use Crises

•La Porte County Family YMCA, Youth and Family Programming

•La Porte County Habitat for Humanity, McCollum, and Woodward Street Five Home Project

•La Porte County Meals on Wheels, Blizzard Box Bonanza 8

•La Porte High School, SlicerTech: LaPorte High School Robotics

•La Ventana Culinary School, Culinary Classes for People with Disabilities

•Leadership La Porte County, Inc., High School Program

•LETSGO City, Summer City Sweat

•Michigan City Area Schools, “Future Wolves” Elementary Sports Program

•Michigan City Holiday Meals, Free Holiday Meals

•Michigan City Police Department, Empowering Connections: MCPD and Ben's Blue Bags

•Nest Community Shelter, Nest Emergency Homeless Shelter

•New Durham Township, Back to School Tennis Shoes

•New Prairie High School Robotics, NPHS Las Pumas 2197 Robotics - 2024-2025 FIRST Robotics Competition Season

•Open Door Community Alliance, Inc., Medication Assistance Program

•Paladin, Additional Infant Care Classroom

•The Pax Center, Community Gardens

•Sacred Heart Food Pantry at St. Mary, Power for Good: Feeding and Caring for Michigan City's Most Needy

•The Salvation Army of LaPorte, Client Choice Food Pantry

•The Salvation Army of Michigan City, Weekend Backpack Feeding Program

•Save the Dunes, Co-Creating a Demonstration Pollinator Garden with La Porte County Communities

•Shirley Heinze Land Trust, The Art of Ambler Flatwoods Nature Preserve: A Coloring Book for Conservation

•Social and Learning Institute, Inc., Science & Nature Exploration

•St Michael's Inc, Drone and Boxing Program

•Stepping Stone Shelter for Women, Inc., Shelter Basic Needs Food Program

•Supplemental United Pantry, Inc., Fill The Shelves

•Tannehill Community Soup Kitchen, Mission Support
•Trinity Episcopal Church, Community Food Pantry
•We All In Recovery Inc, Recovery Cafe
•Westville-New Durham Township Public Library, Supporting Early Childhood Literacy in Westville
•Women's Care Center, CARE Program
•Young Audiences of Indiana, Inc., Arts-Integrated Education Residencies
•Youth Service Bureau of LaPorte County, School Buddies Mentoring

This year’s grants are funded through the following funds held at Unity Foundation: AAUW La Porte Community Fund, Backer Family Fund, Fred & Helen Brust Community Fund, John P. & Anne H. Daley Community Fund, Ernest & Mildred Delco Community Fund, Pauline M. Dent Community Fund, Randy & Jane Dorman Foundation, Charles T. & Pauline Dye Community Fund, Mark E. Essling Community Fund, Sanford Z. Friedman Community Fund, David C. Gardner Community Fund, Kabelin Family Fund, Dennis B. Kelley Community Fund, Ruth W. Pollingue Community Fund, Purdue Federal Credit Union Fund, Scott and Marianne Rice Family Community Fund, Tom & Judy Ringo Fund, Phillip A. Sprague Community Fund, Thomas C. & Blanch G. Stokes Community Fund, Tower/Oktoberfest Community Fund, John & Jean Vail Community Fund, Sandra L. Young Community Fund, Barry C. Dulyea Arts Fund for Children, Charles Westcott Youth Fund, Debbie New Paholski Foundation, Dent and Sterger Families Foundation, Glick Foundation Fund for the City of La Porte, The Graduates of Isaac C Elston High School Education Support Fund, Jeannette Popp Kent Mental Health Fund, Jerry Peters Memorial Fund, John A. and Dorothy Sieb Carstens Fund, La Porte County Mental Health Fund, Polad Animal Care Endowment Fund, Tuholski & Oberlie Environment & Arts Fund for Youth, Ulery Family Fund, Unity Foundation Literacy Fund, and Women's Well Being Fund.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man was still being held without bond Monday after law enforcement officers, with warrants for his arrest, fished him out of a partially water filled hole in the basement floor where he was hiding.

Austin Eldred, 23, made his initial appearance Friday in La Porte Circuit Court on a charge of resisting law enforcement and other counts for previous crimes.

According to court documents, LaPorte Police Officers went to a home in the 400 block of G Street the night of September 30th to arrest Eldred on felony warrants after receiving information about his possible whereabouts.  Police said officers on the main level of the home threatened to release a K9 if he didn’t come out.

Officers made their way to the basement to try and find Eldred when he began yelling from the bottom of a sump pump well that he was “stuck and unable to crawl out,” police said.  Police said the well was six to seven feet deep.

According to police, blocks made of foam were placed into the well for Eldred to use as stairs.  Officers helped lift him out of the well about 15 minutes later once he made his way close enough to the floor’s surface.

According to police, the dirty and wet Eldred was escorted outside in handcuffs where he broke loose from officers.  He was running down the street and yelling that he needed to take a shower.  Eldred was soon grabbed and placed on the ground where additional restraints were secured around his ankles, police said.

In June, Eldred was given a 540 day jail sentence for possession of a narcotic drug, according to court records. 

He was allowed to serve his time with La Porte County Community Corrections with his  whereabouts on the outside monitored by a satellite tracking device around his ankle.

According to court documents, the arrest warrants involved petitions to revoke his placement in the program on allegations he twice failed to return to lawful detention within the program’s required time period.

As a result, Eldred is also facing a level 5 felony charge of escape, which could bring him another one to six years of incarceration.

(La Porte County, IN) - A New Buffalo High School graduate was impaired when killed in a single vehicle crash last month in northern La Porte County.

Recently obtained test results showed Brandy Hardaway had a .209 percent blood alcohol level, said La Porte County Coroner Lynn Swanson.  The 29 year old Hardaway was a resident of Buchanan, Michigan at the time of the early morning collision on September 1st in the 8400 block of North 500 East near Rolling Prairie.

According to La Porte County Police, the investigation showed Hardaway, who was the only occupant of the 2005 Buick Century, left the east side and west side of the two lane road before crashing into a tree.

Swanson said the cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head and body.

According to her obituary, Hardaway had worked several years as a chef at Ghost Isle Brewery in New Buffalo.  She left behind a husband and two children.  A GoFundMe account to help her family has raised more than $5,000 toward its listed goal of $15,000.

(Union Mills, IN) - A man was killed in a single vehicle crash in La Porte County over the weekend.  Douglas Adams, 60, of Union Mills was pronounced dead at the scene, according to La Porte County Police.

Police said the investigation showed Adams veered off the road to his left and drove through the front yard of a home in the 4400 block of West 800 South before striking a utility pole.  The 2003 Buick LeSabre glanced off the pole and struck a large rock, causing additional damage to the front end of the car.

Police said Adams suffered injuries to his face and left hand.

Authorities are waiting for the results of a toxicology test to determine whether alcohol or drugs were a factor in the early Saturday morning crash, police said.

(Porter, IN) A forgotten time capsule was uncovered at Indiana Dunes National Park in Porter County.

The discovery was made last week by a contractor doing work at the park’s historic Good Fellow Lodge. They found a heavily oxidized sealed copper box in the building’s foundation.

The contents, dating back to 1941, included a small 48-star American flag, some paperwork, and newspaper articles.

A letter commemorated the contributions of workers from Illinois Steel, which later became U.S. Steel. Facilities there were originally constructed for a youth camp. The letter, dated January 18, 1941, reveals the care for their community shared by the men and women involved in building the camp:

“All of us realize that in a few moments we shall have dedicated these premises, rich in historic lore and tradition, for the mental, physical, and moral growth of our Youth. In doing so, we are performing one of the most important functions that befall men in each generation. We should not take any personal pride in the work any one of us has performed in developing this Youth Camp. Rather we should consider it a sacred duty, in harmony with the principles we honor individually, and pursue collectively as a natural development of our democratic way of life.”

Dunes officials say they will put the artifacts on display.

(La Porte County, IN) - Crown Point spoiled La Porte’s homecoming and final home game of the season with a 42-0 route. The Slicers record fell to 0-7, while the Bulldogs improved to 7-0.

Michigan City (2-5) lost a defensive struggle at Portage (3-4). Senior defensive back Michael Crawford put the Wolves on the board with a pick-six. City took a one-point lead into the fourth quarter, but a 37-yard Crown Point field goal sealed the Bulldogs’ victory.

South Central (1-6) had another rough night, losing 63-20 to North Miami (5-2).

New Prairie improved to 5-2 with a 42-28 win over Mishawaka Marian (3-4). The Cougars took a 21-7 lead into halftime, but the Knights came out swinging in the third quarter, scoring two quick touchdowns. New Prairie pulled away with two touchdowns of their own in the fourth quarter.

(La Porte, IN) - Doing their best impression of Lassie, La Porte city police rescued a man from a well. Unfortunately for him, he was wanted by authorities.

On Monday night officers received information that a subject with felony warrants was inside of a residence. After getting the owner’s permission, the male subject was located inside of a well that was approximately six to seven feet deep. He advised officers that he was stuck and unable to crawl out.

After about 15 minutes of effort, the felon was freed from the well, covered in all kinds of muck, and eventually transported to the La Porte County Jail.

Neither his identity nor further details have been released.

(La Porte, IN) - La Porte police are looking for the public’s help related to a house fire back in August.

They’re trying to locate a person seen leaving the house at 305 Neison on August 20 while it was on fire. Click HERE for HTNN’s complete coverage of the incident.

The person of interest has been described as female, wearing gray leggings and a black shirt with a slicked-back pony tail. She got into a gray or silver vehicle.

Police believe that she may have been attempting to make sure that nobody was inside the burning house and are hoping to obtain a statement from her.

If you have information, contact Det. Barden at the La Porte City Police Department: dbarden@lpcitypd.com or (219) 362-9446 x2008.

(Wheatfield, IN) - Authorities are waiting for test results to determine if bones recovered from a backyard grave in northwest Indiana are human. 

In Jasper County, police were seen digging in a yard in Wheatfield earlier this week.  According to police, that was in response to a report that someone talked about killing two of their undocumented children and burning their bodies in the backyard of a home.

On Monday, detectives searched the property with two cadaver dogs.  Police said the dogs alerted to three separate locations on the property where bone fragments were found.

Officials are waiting for confirmation on whether the bones belong to an infant or an animal.

(La Porte, IN) - It’s not just another brick wall, but one described now as uplifting and having character.  A mural on the side of the historic La Porte County Public Library Exchange building was the focus of a celebration Friday in the outdoor Wi-Fi garden at the main library branch across the street from it.

“How can you not drive by or walk by and just smile,” said La Porte City Councilwoman Julie West.

“The beauty of this you can see blocks away,” said former mayor Mark Krentz, who used to be for a long time in the business of buying and selling art.

Krentz said he was impressed with the mural’s bright colors and the seemingly 3-D dimensions that make it appear as if “you can just walk into it.”

The library, working with the Lubeznik Center for the Arts in Michigan City and Health Foundation of La Porte, ordered the futuristic looking mural as a way of reflecting the modern things now happening inside the building once firmly anchored in the past.

For decades, the over century old building, often referred to as the “The Telephone Company”, housed switchboard operators.  The operators manually connected people with each other on telephone calls until dial up phones forced the company out of business.

The building was purchased and renovated by the library, which opened it in 2020.  There’s now modern technology inside like 3-D printers, laser cutters along with studios for recording podcasts and videos for use by the public.

La Porte County Public Library Board President Dara Jeffries said she thinks of the mural as a source of happiness and something to go see when her spirit needs a lift when the sun doesn’t shine for long periods or becomes dreary like in February.

“Free therapy,” she said.

The mural, located in a highly traveled area on Indiana Avenue just south of Lincolnway, is also favorable to people wanting visitors to leave with an even better impression of the city from seeing it.

“We’re bringing beauty, color, joy and happiness to our downtown,” said Mayor Tom Dermody.

The mural was created by Alex Allen, a professional from South Bend.  The 30 year old Allen seemed overjoyed by the positive reaction to her artwork, created using strictly cans of spray paint and frog tape to create the straight lines contained in her abstract image.

Allen, who has made about 180 murals in her career, called the celebration “a huge honor.” 

“It makes me feel happy and very welcomed here,” she said.

The public response to her work included a job to create another mural downtown at Mucho Mas, a California-style Mexican restaurant in the 600 block of Lincolnway.  Allen said she began working last week on the tropical themed mural containing lots of bright colors and images of plants, flowers and butterflies to reflect the type of food prepared there for customers.  She expects to be finished by the end of next week on what will be the third mural in La Porte.

In 2019, the first mural depicting life in La Porte and images of impactful residents since the city’s early beginnings went up beside Plaza 618, an outdoor gathering place also in the downtown.

Mayor Tom Dermody said other murals are planned as a way of adding more character to downtown and quality of life in the city.

“It’s just very cool for people to enjoy, to see when they’re walking with their families,” he said.

West said she also hopes La Porte becomes a stop for people who travel to see murals.

“I’m thrilled that we’re moving forward with more murals because I think it just beautifies our city even more,” she said.

(Michigan City, IN) - Franklin Street in Michigan City between Green Street, Detroit Street, and 9th Street will be closed for approximately two weeks.

The closure that began Friday will allow for the construction of multiple sewer lateral taps into sanitary and storm sewers associated with the development of the new Station Block between 10th and 11th streets, according to the mayor's office. 

It will also allow for the reprofiling of Franklin Street, in accordance with Community Crossings Matching Grant requirements, the mayor's office stated. 

The public is advised to travel an alternate route to avoid construction-related traffic delays.  Traffic is being rerouted to the west via Washington Street.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man is facing potential time in prison for physically assaulting his estranged wife and stabbing her boyfriend.

Hunter Combs, 24, is charged in La Porte Circuit Court with battery and intimidation, both Level 5 felonies, along with Level 6 felony domestic battery and Class A misdemeanor invasion of privacy.

According to court documents, on September 26th Combs entered the La Porte home of the woman through a bedroom window and shoved her against a wall.  While trying to intervene, her boyfriend was allegedly stabbed by Combs in his left knee and right hand with a pocket knife, police said.

Court documents also revealed Combs, from being inside the home, violated a protective order stemming from a domestic related incident over a month ago.

Combs is being held in the La Porte County Jail without bond.

(La Porte County, IN) - A semi trailer wound up engulfed by flames on Friday morning in La Porte County.

La Porte County Police said that around 2:00 AM, the westbound driver was looking in his mirror when he noticed sparks coming from the rear of his tandem trailers on U.S. 20 while approaching Range Road.  The driver told investigators he pulled onto the shoulder and stepped out of his rig then heard a “loud explosion,” police said.

Flames were coming from the rear of the trailer.  Police said the driver disconnected the trailer and pulled the tractor about 100 feet away.  Volunteers with the Springfield Township and Kankakee Township fire departments put out the flames.

Police said the cause was from the back tires on the trailer catching fire while traveling. Typically, such fires are created when tires lock up while moving and generate enough heat to ignite.

The driver provided a list of items in the trailer which did not show any hazardous materials, police said.  Kankakee Township Fire Chief Zach Rasiuk said the trailer contained a non-flammable powder substance.

(La Porte County, IN) - An outgoing elected official locally may not be disappearing from public office after all.

Republican Tim Stabosz has less than three months left on his first and only term as La Porte County Auditor after he was defeated in the May primary in his bid for one of three seats on the Board of La Porte County Commissioners.  He will be replaced by Mike Rosenbaum, who will step down from the La Porte County Council on January 1st to become Auditor.

Rosenbaum, who won the Republican nomination in the May primary, is unopposed in the auditor’s race in the November 8th election.  His seat will be filled when Republican Precinct Committeepersons in the county meet to vote for whoever decides to seek the two years remaining on Rosenbaum’s term.

Stabosz said he’s definitely interested in running for that seat on the seven member county government fiscal body.

“Would I be interested in protecting the citizens of La Porte County by being on the county council, you bet I would,” he said.

Stabosz has been among the key figures involved in the often bitter political fighting that started when he and Commissioner Joe Haney took their seats in January of 2021.  They blame the extreme push back from their efforts to clean-up county government.

Haney, who ran unopposed for the Republican nomination in the May primary, is challenged in the November 8th election by Democrat Randy Novak.  Currently, Novak is president of the La Porte County Council.  He's also a former long-time member of the Michigan City Fire Department where he served for many years as chief until retiring a few years ago.

(La Porte County, IN) - A judge on Thursday reversed his decision a week after ordering a new trial in the defamation of character civil case between La Porte County officials.

Stephens R. Bowers, a special judge from Elkhart County presiding over the case, rescinded his September 26th order for a new trial in the case between La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz and former La Porte County Government attorney Shaw Friedman.

In his ruling, Bowers agreed with a motion challenging the order filed Wednesday by Andrew Jones, an attorney from South Bend representing Stabosz, who was sued by Friedman in 2021 for defamation of character.  On June 28th, a La Porte Circuit Court jury ruled in favor of Stabosz in the defamation case.

Bowers ordered a new trial at the request of Friedman.  His attorney, William Jonas of South Bend argued there should be a new trial because the jurors’ decision was based on incorrect information given to them by the judge about the state’s defamation law.

In his latest ruling, Bowers said his order came three days after a 30 day state mandated deadline expired for him to decide whether Friedman should be granted a new trial.

Jones said he was not surprised by the judge’s reversal, saying the deadline under state trial law is crystal clear.

“The jury’s verdict stands as it should,” he said.

Jonas, though, quickly filed a motion asking the judge to reinstate his order for a new trial.  He said grounds for a new trial were already established by the judge in his previous order and his client would be denied his right to a fair courtroom proceeding just because the judge missed the deadline.

“Mr. Friedman didn’t do anything wrong.  Mr. Friedman filed everything on time,” he said.

Specifically, Jonas said the jury was not properly instructed on what to consider in reaching its decision because they were not given information on what constitutes “regardless disregard” of the truth as defined in state defamation law.  He said the information was stricken by the judge from his instructions to the jurors before they  began deliberating.

As a result, Jonas said the jury was under the “erroneous impression” that Stabosz could not be held liable as long as he simply believed everything he claimed against his client.

Jonas said Stabosz failed to prove a number of his claims during the trial and there’s evidence to show he acted with malice for over three years to damage “the good name and reputation of my client.”

At the time, Stabosz and Friedman were political opponents.

Stabosz alleged Friedman ran La Porte County government behind the scenes by gaining control of key elected officials in their decision making.  Friedman has consistently denied those claims.  Stabosz said his claims about Friedman were based on sufficient evidence that included testimony from people called to the stand in his defense.

Jones disagreed the judge made a mistake in his instructions to the jury. He said the plaintiff was given the opportunity to argue the point of reckless disregard of the truth to the jury during closing arguments.

“The jury fully understood the underlying law of this case, and any suggestion otherwise is wrong,” he said.

If he has to, Jonas said he will go to the Indiana Court of Appeals on behalf of client with his request for a new trial.

“We think it’s important to look at the substance and attempt to reach the just result,” he said.

(Michigan City, IN) - There was no structure damage in a fire this morning at a Michigan City manufacturing company.

Firefighters responded to Midwest Wheel Coaters in the area of Royal Road and State Road 212.  Michigan City Fire Department spokesperson Tia Free said one of the machines malfunctioned and caused the filtration system on that machine to catch fire.

The flames were contained to the machine but enough smoke was created to send four employees to the hospital with smoke inhalation and force the use of fans to air out the structure.

Free said all of the medically treated employees were later released.  

The flames were put out in about 30 minutes or less with fire extinguishers used by employees and firefighters.

(La Porte, IN) - A La Porte man was allegedly impaired when he fled from a motor vehicle crash yesterday.  Just after 1 p.m., La Porte County Police responded to a report of a hit and run two vehicle collision at U.S. 20 and 400 West.

An officer searching the area spotted the fleeing, freshly damaged vehicle in the area of Pine Lake Avenue and Johnson Road, police said.  Police said the officer turned around and caught up to the vehicle just as the driver was pulling into his driveway on Rockwood Street.

Donald Sawyer, Jr., 54, allegedly had a blood alcohol level of nearly four times the legal .08 percent limit.  Police said several empty beer cans were also found inside the driver’s side door.

So far, further details about the crash are not known.

The suspect’s Chevy Silverado sustained rear end damage to the bumper, exhaust along with a broken brake light.  The bed of the truck also appeared to be bent, police said.

(La Porte, IN) - A celebration of a new mural in La Porte’s downtown area is scheduled tomorrow.  The mural is on the south side of the historic La Porte Library Exchange building on Indiana Avenue just south of Lincolnway.  The celebration will be outside the main library branch across the street from the exchange building.

“We hope everybody will come,” said La Porte County Public Library Assistant Director Toni Kester Bulger.

She said people will be able to look at the mural during the celebration and enjoy stories about murals along with refreshments.  The celebration is scheduled from 11:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m.

The mural was ordered as a way of welcoming people to the La Porte Library Exchange and to reflect through art the new future of the over century old building, which was once home to switchboard operators connecting people with each other on telephone calls.

(South Bend, IN) - Indiana Michigan Power has sent another large group of crews to numerous states to help with restoration efforts after Hurricane Helene left a trail of destruction and millions of people without power.

In total, officials said 466 I&M employees and business partners are now helping their sister companies, Kentucky Power and Appalachian Power Company, restore service to their customers.

Teams include line workers, damage assessors, tree trimming experts, meter technicians, fleet technicians, safety personnel, and various business support staff from across our service area.  Crews are working 16-hour days in hilly, heavily forested and flooded areas in Kentucky, Tennessee, and Virginia.

Officials said the big task for restoration workers is repairing and replacing hundreds of broken power poles and thousands of spans of fallen power lines.

“We are staying focused on working safely and quickly to get the lights back on for those customers and communities who need it to start cleaning up and rebuilding after the storm,” said Donny Williams, I&M’s Manager of Distribution System in Michigan.

I & M officials said there is no timetable for crews to return but the utility remains ready to respond if outages occur locally.

(La Porte County, IN) - La Porte County Emergency Medical Service has been named Indiana’s Paramedic Provider of the Year.  It’s the sixth time EMS has received the award since founded in 1974.

Assistant EMS Administrator Brian Beach said the award might be more appreciated this time because it’s the 50^th anniversary for EMS.

“This year seems to be a little more special,” he said.

The county government provided service has ambulance bases in La Porte, Michigan City, Wanatah and Rolling Prairie.

EMS Administrator Eric Fenstermaker will be presented with the award Friday night during the Indiana Emergency Response Conference in Noblesville.  He said it’s a huge honor for his crews and a testament to the exceptional work they do every day.  

“We are busier than ever in the history of our service.  They handle it in stride and continue to provide excellent care to our residents and visitors,” he said.

(La Porte County, IN) - The open burning ban in La Porte County remains in effect.  It was extended this morning by the La Porte County Commissioners.

The countywide open burning ban was imposed two weeks ago at the request of farmers to protect drought stricken crops until they’re harvested.  Commissioner Joe Haney said the recent rain cannot bring life back to crops that died early this year from lack of water.

“The crops have dried out so much even with the rain that has come down it’s not like it rehydrates the plants and the crops. It’s still a tinder box out there in the fields,” he said.

 

Lifting the ban will be reconsidered by the commissioners in two weeks.

Farmers are at a greater safety risk this year while harvesting because just a spark from a combine could ignite the crops along with the clouds of organic material created from the thrashing the machines perform to separate crops from the plants.

(La Porte County, IN) - A new trial has been ordered in the defamation of character civil case between two La Porte County officials.

Special Judge Stephens Bowers from Elkhart County, who presided over the trial in La Porte Circuit Court, ruled the jury was not given accurate information to consider when determining whether La Porte County Auditor Tim Stabosz violated Indiana’s defamation law.

On June 28th, the jury ruled in favor of Stabosz.

In 2021, Stabosz was sued by Shaw Friedman, the attorney for the La Porte County Commissioners at the time he alleged Stabosz committed slander in his series of claims made about him verbally in public and in posts on social media.

The jury’s verdict on June 28th was lifted by the judge in his ruling on September 26th.  The judge agreed with one of the points made in Friedman’s motion to correct errors in his request for a new trial.

Friedman’s attorney, William Jonas of South Bend, said the jury was not given specific information on what constitutes “regardless disregard” of the truth as defined in the state’s defamation law to review in deciding the case.  He said the information was stricken by the judge from his instructions to the jury on what to consider during its deliberations.

As a result, Jonas said the jury was under the “erroneous impression” that Stabosz could not be held liable as long as he simply believed everything he claimed against his client.  Jonas said not only did Stabosz fail to present sufficient evidence that he actually believed a number of his claims, but there’s evidence to show he acted with malice for over three years to damage “the good name and reputation of my client.”

“You can’t make something up and claim you believe it and exonerate yourself from liability for defamation,” he said.

At the time, Stabosz and Friedman were political opponents.  Stabosz alleged Friedman ran La Porte County government behind the scenes by gaining control of key elected officials in their decision making.  Friedman has consistently denied those claims.

Stabosz said his claims about Friedman were based on sufficient evidence that included testimony from people called to the stand in his defense.  His attorney Andrew Jones, also of South Bend, disagreed the judge made a mistake in his instructions to the jury.  He said the plaintiff was given the opportunity to argue the point of reckless disregard of the truth during closing arguments before the jury, which was sufficient.

“The jury fully understood the underlying law of this case, and any suggestion otherwise is wrong,” he said.

Jones also said the judge lacks authority to order a new trial because his ruling came five days after a 30 day state mandated deadline for him to make a decision on the motion.  Once the deadline passes, Jones said the motion is automatically denied and the jury’s decision stands.

“The judge’s ruling has no legal effect,” he said.

He said the deadline applies in all cases involving motions to correct errors.  Jonas agreed there is a 30 day deadline.  However, Jonas said the law also contains a provision, which allows Stabosz to challenge the judge’s decision before the Indiana Court of Appeals.

“I disagree with Mr. Jones’ interpretation of the law,” he said.

Stabosz said he’ll consult with his attorney before deciding whether to appeal.

(South Bend, IN) - A groundbreaking was held yesterday for the $11 billion Amazon Data Center outside New Carlisle.

Governor Eric Holcomb, who was among the dignitaries attending the ceremony in South Bend, said the project is the largest capital investment in state history.  More than 1,000 jobs are expected to be created by the data center along with other large investments locally.

The groundbreaking was more of a celebration of the construction that’s well underway at the site and impact the project will have on the future.  The work began prior to securing official approval from county government officials.

During a presentation, St. Joseph County Commissioner Carl Baxmeyer said both sides worked with each other because of the timeline Amazon was under to start construction.

“The trust between the county and Amazon was there early on,” Baxmeyer said.

Amazon officials said they chose St. Joseph County because of workforce development.  Some of the buildings are expected to be completed next year with more coming over the next decade or so. 

(La Porte County, IN) - A driver allegedly consumed a potentially lethal amount of alcohol before striking some trees in northern La Porte County yesterday afternoon.

Just after 4 p.m., La Porte County Police responded to East Wetland Trail in Galena Township and found a still running and heavily damaged car resting against several trees.

Police said the driver, 31 year old Chayton Garcelon, was not injured.  He was taken to the La Porte County jail with an alleged blood alcohol level just below five times the .08 percent legal limit.

Police said the arresting officer ordered the blood test after Garcelon exhibited obvious signs of intoxication and finding several empty beer cans on the floor board of his vehicle.

Garcelon, who lives in that area, was charged with a felony because of a prior OWI conviction in California, police said.  He could face an up to 30 month jail sentence. 

(Michigan City, IN) - Three men are charged in connection with a fatal shooting that happened close to two years ago in Michigan City.  Police said 36 year old Lakeith Winters, 42 year old Joe Winters and 40 year old Shannon Winters were taken into custody on Friday.

Randy Edwards, 43, was fatally shot on East 10^th Street in early December of 2022.  Police said a woman was also shot and survived.

Lakeith Winters is charged with murder, attempted murder and other counts while Joe Winter is charged with aiding, inducing or causing murder and attempted murder along with aggravated battery.

Shannon Winters, who was arrested in Chicago, is charged with criminal recklessness and unlawful carrying of a handgun.

Police said it took a while to make the arrests because it was a complex investigation.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Michigan City Police.